Knowing Him

A different kind of weekend this was. We had the group from Indiana, and what a privilege it was to work with a group of young people that love Jesus and that unapologetically take to the streets with the boldness that God gives and share Him with a city that doesn't want it. I praise God for their energy and reliance on Jesus that they put into their work. They have a mime team that does presentations on the street and then they share what the mime was actually about. I praise God for them.
They met a younger girl that came to hang out with them back at the church and essentially spent the whole weekend with them. Her name is Julia, and she came to know Jesus this weekend because of them letting Jesus use them in such a powerful way. Praise God for this divine appointment! I really appreciated the hearts of their leaders too. What a wonderful time it was to pour out the love of Christ to the city of Montreal with a bunch of fellow "Americans".
I learned a lot about the grace of God this weekend while doing ministry and what it means to cast our burdens onto Him - because His burden is light and His yoke is easy. Despite what happens in life and what is happening around us, we can cast our cares onto Him and He will carry them. So, I praise God that He is able to do far and abundantly more than I could ever ask, and He already knows what I need before I ask of Him. Praise be to Him for that. Ministry is done with the tool of our hearts, and when are hearts are focused or directed toward something else, only God can bring us back and fill us up to be poured out....

Well, it's a new week and I'm encouraged to press on toward the goal - because in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, but not only for me, but for all those who have loved Jesus' appearing. What assurance we have in Jesus.
Sorry if my entry seems a little distracted; it's because I'm in a cafe trying to focus on this task, but I do have to get some other things done here - so I need to end now, but I wanted to share that God is good and He is in control of all things. I want to end with a song verse that impacted me deeply this weekend, and it goes with Philippians 3:10:

"Oh to know the power of Your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death, my Lord
So with You to live and never die" - Knowing You

May we know Him more and more, through whatever trials he brings us through - and may we cast our burdens on Him, and continue to bring people to His throne of grace in prayer, knowing that only He can change the heart. May God be glorified in everything - in all that we do - whether we eat or drink or sleep or whatever we do - do it all for the glory of the One that left Heaven, to come to earth, and live among His creation, only to be crucified by His own creation - but defeated death and sin - and has risen again to give us eternal life; if we will surrender to Him and trust that He is the only way to God as He so boldly claims. Find joy in Him alone.

Knowing Him.
Dwight