Strategize with God and Do

I was just reading an article by my good friends at Cadre Ministries about how to strategically set up what we should want as our goals this year in ministry - or better yet, God's goals for the ministry that He has so graciously allowed for us to be stewards of.
If you are in charge of a ministry this fall, please take some time away from everything and meet with God, to acknowledge that He is the One that the ministry is supposed to point toward, and ask (in my case beg) God to lead you to see the big picture of it all. As the article I read talked about doing this, it used the analogy of putting together a 1000 piece puzzle. As one pieces a puzzle together, usually the person consults the front of the box to see what the end picture looks like. This is how we should go about doing ministry. We should set up things that will show us that we are moving towards what we expected it to look like.
Maybe God's expectations are far beyond ours, and when our expectations are met, possibly God is going to take it to His level - which I'm sure that none of us would ever complain of.
But isn't this such a picture of what the future Kingdom is going to look like. We have a picture of what is ahead and we are working toward Christlikeness, which in the life we will never perfectly attain, but we press on - knowing that there is laid up for us a glorified body, a perfect body that is unable to sin, in a place where Christ fully reigns and there will be no more curse of sin, no more tears, no more death - and our faith is in front of us when Jesus welcomes us - forever!
God has a perfect plan of what He is doing, so may we consult with Him this fall as we head into our ministries - that all should point back to Him, who deserves all glory!
Strategize with God - and DO!!!!

Looking ahead.
Dwight

Surrounded by Favor

Psalm 5:11, 12 - "But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield."

I am here in Maine once again, and honestly, it feels so weird. It feels like I left so much back in Montreal and now all I have is questions and the future is so foggy. I kind of broke down as I was driving from my parent's house to mine because it finally hit me that I left so much in Montreal. I said to the Lord that He must have something very important for me to learn about here or something important to teach me or for me to do - because I want to be there. But, the Lord's will be done - and I am here now, back in my room.
But last night before I went to bed (I sat up for a while because I didn't know what to do with myself), I read Psalm 5, and verse 12 jumped out at me when David writes of God that "it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield". I realized last night just how blessed I am. I am so fortunate to be surrounded with so many godly people and people that I love so dearly. It is as if there is a shield around me. The Lord has been so graceful to me in giving me so much that I don't deserve whatsoever. But may He reign in my life!
For those of you that I have left for a short while, please know that the Lord has blessed me by allowing me to get to intertwine myself into your lives. May there be many more days ahead. For those that I have returned to for a short while, may we make hay while the sun shines because there is so much work that needs to be done here in Portland.

This past week in Montreal, there were 9 people that accepted Christ as their personal Savior! Thursday night, Tony and I got to lead a 20-year old British dude named Sam to the Lord after 2 hours of discussion. Friday afternoon, I had the privilege of leading a lady named Rita to the Lord in the midst of her confusion of religion/Jesus. And Saturday night, the last night that I was there, praise the Lord that He gave me the privilege of leading a 15-year old Quebec girl to the Lord. Her story is amazing and was a real divine appointment from the Lord. The Lord works when we run after people and fight for their soul.
Praise the Lord for what He is doing in Montreal!
Well, please pray for me as I am back here with so much to meander over in my thoughts, but not much to actually do quite yet. But I pray that the grace of God will flourish in your lives and that you might see Jesus clearer because of significant time spent with Him in His Word and in prayer.
"Seek Him first and all these things shall be added unto you."

From Maine.
Dwight

Not Many Days Left...

Wow, the summer is gone! It seems like it just began, and now I must return at the end of this week back to Maine. But the Lord is so good and He is going to do so much this week, I`m sure of it.
Sometimes when there is just a little time left or we`ve been doing something for a while now, and we`ve worked so hard at it, but maybe haven`t seen everything we wanted to see happen, we get discouraged or we don`t want to go and try again. But in my quiet time yesterday I came across an encounter that Simon (as Jesus refers to him as here instead of Peter) had with Jesus in Luke 5.
Simon is in his boat and Jesus wants to use it to talk with the people, and he does, and when he finishes teaching, he tells Simon to push the boat into deeper water and cast the nets out again. Simon tells Jesus that they`d been fishing all night long, BUT if He tells him to cast out the nets, he will. And they received a monster catch of fish!
Then Simon saw that he was a sinful man, and despite who he was, Jesus used him to catch a ton of fish. Clearly, Simon could claim no credit for what happened. Then Jesus tells him that he will now be a fisher of men.
This encouraged me so much, because despite who I am, despite how tired I am, despite how much I`ve done, despite how hard I`ve worked - when the Master tells us to go out into deeper waters, where things aren`t safe or scripted, we must go and throw down our nets, expecting Him to bring forth the catch.
Jesus is calling you to push your boat into deeper water and trust in Him, and cast out your nets - because He will make you fishers of men.

This might be my last post in Montreal, but I will update when I return home. Please pray for this last week, as it will be extremely busy. But, may the Lord bless the nets that we cast out.

This past weekend, there were a few guys that came to know Jesus as their Savior as well. Praise the Lord. One of the stories is amazing in how the Lord worked out some obstacles on the street to reach this guy. I love how Jesus works in people`s heart. God is so good! So, I must go now, but please pray that the Lord would bless our going out this last week and that many would come to know Him as a result - and that He would be glorified!

Fisher of men - by God`s grace.
Dwight

Breaking Out was Just the Beginning

Last night on the streets, one of our teammates met a middle-aged man. He is a believer, but he told the man from our team that he had been living a homosexual lifestyle for some years now. But last night, he came clean and said that he wanted to come out of that lifestyle. He also made it very clear that he is a believer and could never believe that he could go that deep into sin.
So, as I heard the new slogan for this next season of the television show, Prison Break, I couldn't help of thinking of this man, Jean. What is he going to do is just the beginning of a very harsh road ahead of him. But, this is the beginning!!!! Praise the Lord that he stopped last night, listened to the gospel and came clean with another believer of his life that he has been living. Please be in prayer for Jean, as this journey ahead of him will be one of many challenges. May he fix his eyes upon Jesus.
But not only does this slogan pertain to this man and coming out of his lifestyle, but it also pertains to the redemption that we have received and been given by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Being free of our chains and bondage to sin was just the beginning. Now, there is a long, arduous journey that we are on, that is the most satisfying journey that there is. Regardless of the hardships, it is well with my soul, because of the promises that God has given to us.
Today, thank the Lord that your chains have been broken and that Christ is calling you to Himself, wherever you are, no matter what you have been in lately. I love saying to begin again! That is what we are called to do - Begin Again. Remember your chains are gone. Don't try to tie yourself up again!
If the Son has set you free - you are free indeed!

Breaking Out was Just the Beginning!

Journeying in His will.
Dwight

Confusion of feelings, not feelings by Confusius

Well, it's almost time to go back to Maine. It feels so weird. We had a going away party for me on Sunday night and it felt so not normal, because this feels like where I should be. Everything from now on out until I leave is all about saying good-bye and I don't really like that. I feel like now I am just getting connected to people here and that I'm starting to have impacts on people and I'm being impacted by them - and now I must leave them.
I know that God is not a God of confusion, but I am confused about how I feel. No one can really understand the struggles that go on inside of people in certain situations, so that is why I put that even wise men like Confusius can't pinpoint how people feel about things. So, ya, I'm in a different mood. On top of that, I am trying to put together a sermon for Sunday night on the authority that Jesus has and claimed to have.
It's difficult in the midst of all that is happening to try to figure this all out, but God is good and He will focus me and help me.
There has been some exciting happenings here as well that has interupted my thoughts a little bit too, but God is in control of all that too. Despite circumstances, and despite emotions and feelings, God is still sovereign and in full control of all things, and praise be to Him for that.
But please, pray for me as I struggle through having to leave this place, a place that I love with people that I love, both saved and unsaved. It is going to be hard to leave here for me, I know it! So, I ask that you please pray that God would work mightily in all this.
May the rest of the time here be a testimony of God's faithfulness and His will - not mine! May Jesus reign in my heart and in your heart, and may you abandon it all and love everything less than the love that you carry for God!
Confusion is okay - especially when we give it to God and trust in Him with all our heart and when we don't lean on our own understanding. We must acknowledge Him in all we do and He will make our paths straight.
God is LOVE!

Loved.
Dwight

Rain rain, go away.....

Last night, just as we were heading out on the streets, it started to rain. So, we parked the sketchboard under cover and were ready to go from there. But it was cold, wet and raining, and most likely, very few people would have stopped at all, because it was miserable out. One of the guys on the team made a horrible prediction when he said, "Well, I guess we're not going to be able to do it tonight." So, we prayed.
Five minutes later, the rain stopped completely and we went on with a great night! Praise the Lord. I really believe that faithfulness has a huge role to play in this ministry. You just go - despite what you are feeling, and despite the weather - you just plain GO, just as Jesus told us to do. Because He said that all authority has been given to Him in Heaven and on earth. He is Lord over the weather. And what came from it all?
Well, we will never know exactly what fruit was derived because of us going last night, not in this lifetime at least; but an 18 year old guy accepted Jesus last night and has given his life to Christ! Praise Him when these things happen! There were many good conversations last night.
I really believe that when Jesus told us to GO, we must just GO - regardless of what circumstances tell.... He will provide!!!
So, what are you still reading this for?
GO!!!! Share with your friends, your family, your neighbors, your city, your country, your world! GO!!! See what God has in store for you and for His glory! GO!!!

Going - In Him and by Him!
Dwight

Whirlwind "Vacation"

Well, praise the Lord for the fruit last week. There were seven people that accepted Christ despite all the crazy circumstances that discouraged us in the beginning, but the Lord in the midst of what seemed to be a dilemma, delivered and He opened the hearts of seven people! Praise be to Him.
After the long day on Sunday, which was really amazing, I had to get up early on Monday and we left for Niagra Falls! It took so long because of some unexpected things, but it was all good. We got to the camp site at around 8:30pm, and unpacked quickly and put the tents up. I decided to sleep outside under the stars, because it is much nicer to wake up under the ceiling that God created than in a stuffy tent.
So, Tuesday we went to see the falls and what a piece of art God has created. A powerful creation, not to be messed with. God is so good, and His creation is pointing us back to the Creator. It was a praise session for me, and I got some great photos that I will have to put up later on.
So, Wednesday, we hussled and did some sight-seeing and visited some of Tony's family on the way home. I hate sight-seeing by the way, but it was nice to stop where we stopped. But I loved the falls!!!!
So, now I'm back here, and tonight, we will be out on the streets. I came across a stunning passage today. It is found in John 12:42-43.
"Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God".
May this not be our testimony. May we echo Paul as he states in Galatians 1:10, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ". May we confess Jesus and not worry about what may happen to our bodies - but we should fear the one that can destroy both the body and the soul. We should fear God, and not just believe - but confess Him to the world. What do we have to be afraid of?
May we count the approval of men as loss in view of the approval of God. May we aim to savor Jesus, and not petty compliments. May we love humility and despise pride. May God help us to do so!
So, here I am again, ready to see what God has in store for tonight and willing to be expectant of what the Lord is ready to harvest.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal."- John 12:24, 25

Seeking Him first.
Dwight

Answered Prayers

Tonight, (or this morning) I am left praising the Lord!!!! He is so good to His glory. There were four people that accepted Jesus into their lives today, with three of them being tonight! Praise God. He is so able to do far and abundantly more than we can ask or dream of. He revolutionezed some people`s lives who left coming to the streets tonight with an eternity of death awaiting them, but left the streets with the wonderful assurance that they are saved by grace, through faith - not of their own works, but completely by what Jesus has done for them.
Thanks be to God, and I want to thank you for praying for this ministry tonight. It was a real S.O.S. prayer, because God needed to intervene in a huge way. It was such a blessing to do ministry tonight. Praise God for what He is doing!
Hail Jesus - You`re my King. Your life frees me to sing! I will praise You all my days. You`re perfect in all your ways!
May Jesus hail forever and reign in our hearts, supreme to any other thing or name that could be named.

Jesus freak.
Dwight

Prayer is the language....

This past week, I was reading Charles Spurgeon's book, "Lectures to my Students", and have been ever so burdened about the need for prayer in my own life. In the front of my Bible, I have a certain quote that has become ever so real to me this week. The quote is from an unknown person, but it says, "Prayer is the language of a man burdened with a sense of need".
What an amazing quote. This week, I have a real sense of need. My heart hurts because of some of the things happening here. Last night on the streets was one of the hardest nights ever. I can't go into the details of why and all that, but I just ask that you pray for the ministry here this week and as soon as you read this! Please, pray! There is a real need here this week. The gay games are here, which adds more junk to a city that is already so secularized. Last night, we had a team go out that is here from Ontario, and they were so shaken up by what happened and the spiritual battles that were happening.
Jesus has simply told us to "Go" - and so we go - trusting that He is the One that will never leave us nor forsake us. God has said many times in his Word "Do not be afraid" or "Take courage". Why? Because people are afraid! Obviously! But greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world!
Paul simply wrote (without simplicity to the statement) "we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body of the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).
Keep the faith! Finish the course! Fix your eyes upon Jesus! These are things that I'm reminding myself and the team this week. "in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8).
And what an amazing thing an eternity with Jesus will be.
Please pray for us - and for the team here.

Loved by Jesus, Saved by Jesus, Forgiven by Jesus.
Dwight