Men...RISE UP!!

So two years ago the Lord called me.  He gave me His will for my life and what He has set me apart for.  In the middle of my anthropology class the Father gave me an open-eyed vision.  We were discussing men's and women's roles in society, the family, the church etc but our teacher, I felt, was not presenting biblical truths correctly about these things.  I remember feeling incredibly frustrated and angered during this time because I felt that the conversation was not being presented correctly and the spirit of the Lord was not invited into the room to aid the discussion.

Anyway, when I get really frustrated in group setting like that I don't talk because I do much better in one on one conversation where I won't blurt out something stupid.  And I am also scared of people disagreeing with me.  (interesting right now because I have never named this fear until now...cool)  So I was just sitting there staring at the floor and all of the sudden a skull appeared before me in the middle of the room.

It was an incredibly clear vision, that is, I could see it plainly.  And the skull was looking around as if it was lost or searching for something.  IT HAD NO DIRECTION.  (the significance of this will be revealed later)  Then, all of a sudden, a creature appeared above the head of the skull and clamped it's jaws around the skull.  It looked like an alligator, dinosaur thing.  If anyone ever got into pokemon it looked like a totadille.  haha, weird.  anyway, then it looked at me as if to say, "I know what you can do and I know what you are capable of, don't even think about."  then it turned away and began to direct the skull and guide it where it wanted.  Then a second of the creatures appeared on the right of the skull, but it didn't look at me.  

Just as soon as it appeared an hour long class was over.  It seemed like the class went by in 5 minutes. Afterward I didn't know what to do so I prayed and talked with mentors.  It took me awhile to get an interpretation and something new is revealed to me every time I talk about it, which is soo cool.  This is what the vision means:

The skull represents men as a whole, but more specifically in the Unites States I think.  And we have lost our way.  We lack direction because we have turned our eyes from the Lord.  We have lost the spiritual authority and strength God has given us as men.  We have lost he meat off our bones because we have chosen to follow other things.  We, as men, have become lost.  

The first creature represents pornography, masturbation, and lust.  It's important to note that this is the one who had latched on to the skulls head.  I believe that the enemy has such a strong hold on men in these areas.  Not only do we commit adultery in the physical realm with our wives, but also in our minds.  We lust after other women and pollute our minds/souls with unrealistic sex.  The devil has a major stronghold in this area on men.  This stronghold has drained men of our spiritual authority.  We are slaves to these things.

The second creature represents the media and popular culture and what they say a man should be.  The media (movies, reality tv, commercials, other advertising, pop culture) portrays the ideal man to be one who is tall, super buff, and white.  The ideal man, according to this world, is one who shows no emotion because that is a sign of weakness and the ideal man isn't weak.  The ideal man is one who has sex with as many women as possible and gloats about it.  Sexual conquests are good, says the world.  The ideal man does not ask for help or cry because real men hunt and fight and don't give in to emotions.  This is another stronghold the enemy has over men.

It is these things the Lord has called me to fight and speak out against.  I am called to rebuke these things and bring some form of revival to men.  I also didn't realize it at the time but I believe that the Lord will have me work with human trafficking victims, specifically with the children who have either escaped or been rescued from this horrific industry.  I desire to be active in the restoration process and the prayer/spiritual warfare against the demons who torment these children.

I didn't realize this either but these two passions I have are hugely intertwined.  God had me write my senior seminar paper on how all of these issues are connected.  How pornography leads to objectification of women and unrealistic expectations, and how that is connected with prostitution and human trafficking.  I believe that if there is revival of men and they turn back to the Lord, human sex trafficking will greatly decrease.

And of course I could go on and on about all this but I am trying to be general here.  Anywho, these things have been confirmed a whole bunch in my life by other believers receiving visions or words from the Lord.  And now we come to this past week in south Africa.

Last week in church a man prophesied over me that I would be very very moved this semester and would bring back the work of the Lord and Africa to the APU campus next semester.  He said I would be very burdened for things here and that I would bring that back to APU.  I've always felt a strong desire to speak in senior chapel at school ever since freshman year.  Don't know if that will happen but it would be a great movement of the Lord.  We'll see.

Yesterday all of us went to Umzinto and then went to the Indian ocean all day.  We hung out with the Indian community and an indian youth group at the beach because that area is primarily Indian.  Later that night at the beach, a group of about 6 other APU students were just asking me questions about life and what I wanted to do and I shared with them everything about men and trafficking.  Then they all prayed over me and the Spirit gave one of my friends a vision of me speaking powerfully through a book but swords were piercing through me like I was being attacked or refined or humbled.  Not quite sure.  But it's meaning was essentially that I would be speaking to people with power and authority through scripture.  The swords I am not quite sure of but it could be that I will be attacked by the enemy a lot, or it could be that I will be humbled by reading the scriptures and speaking truth to people.  

Another girl kept hearing the word prison throughout the time of prayer.  I think the Lord was just speaking to the fact that men are in a prison right now and they need to be set free.  Or just generally that there are so many young girls trapped and taken captive in sex trafficking situations.  I think it was more of a general thing because so many people are imprisoned and are in bondage by the enemy.  I long to bring the power and truth of Jesus Christ to set the captives free.

A woman came up to me in church today and said that as soon as she saw me she knew that I was set apart for some great purpose but she didn't know what.  She felt like I was a bright shining light.  Others have told me this as well.  When I told her all this she was overcome with joy and agreement and invited me to speak at their home group thursday night.

When I have shared these things about men to women the response has been tremendous.  literally, all the women I have told this have been overcome with joy and longing for the men to reclaim their spiritual authority and turn back to the Lord.  It's been awesome to hear and very encouraging as well.

so the Lord is beginning to seriously use me and I had to lay on my bed after church this morning and kind of take it all in.  I admit that I am kind of scared because this is big stuff.  I struggle with pride and constantly pray for humility and that the Lord would urge me, not my desire to be seen or heard by others.  I am scared.  Lots of people will disagree with me and the enemy will place more attention on me I think.  But the Lord has seriously given me more visions and interpretations this past two or three weeks than I have had all summer and maybe last semester.

I am excited to go deeper into the Lord.  Please pray for guidance.  Please pray for strength.  Could you please pray for my wife because I really long to meet her and know her.  I've been waiting for a while and get impatient sometimes but I really want to meet her.  Pray for her spiritual life and for her struggles.  Pray that she will see and know and love the Lord before me.  

And lastly, pray for men.  Pray for revival and open ears, hearts, minds, spirits.  MEN...RISE UP!

Nature's Show & Tell

So a bunch of us usually go running in the mornings at 6:30. And we almost never see any kind of wildlife which disappoints us because there are supposedly zebra and impala around.  Anyway, I went this morning  by myself because the other peeps didn't want to run.
I went the usual way, up the paved road and up the hill but then I decided to do some exploration and go off on a hidden path I discovered.  It was your pretty standard path, nothing too interesting.  I decided to turn back and continue on down the paved road, so I did.
I was starting to get tired and breakfast was fast approaching so I thought I might turn around but something was urging me to move forward.  Some...thing.
I ran forward down the road another quarter mile and lo and behold!!

12 impala were feasting on the succulent grasses of the African terrain right next to the road!  *gasp, "This is FANtastic," I thought to myself.  So I sat down in the middle of the road to watch them.  It was so cool because they were on both sides of the chowing down right before my very eyes.  But then I noticed a rustle in the trees ahead so I crept forward a little.

4 ZEBRA!!  They were also enjoying the delightful treats provided by dear mother nature's bosom.  I was about to pee my shorts from excitement when I looked to my right and saw a little monkey chillen in a tree not 6 feet from me.  That threw me over the edge of the chasm I had been teetering on for the last 5 minutes.
So all of these creatures were within a 50 foot radius of my position on the road.  And then I realized I didn't bring my camera.  I soon discovered how big a mistake that was when mr. monk monk next to me decided to come a little bit closer and spread his legs to reveal a very colorful genital area.  He then proceeded to urinate on the ground in front of me, run across the street, and clammer up another tree.
10 minutes passed and I decided it was time for food because the herds began to move on and I was hungry.  I got back to the room and acknowledged my urge to urinate by a trip to the bathroom.
It was then I noticed something like a ball of string stuck to the ceiling.
OFCOURSE I HAD TO POKE IT WITH A STICK...so I did.  Then the ball of string exploded into the most massive, disgusting, hairy, long-legged spider I have ever seen.  I could have sworn it screeched at me as it descended from it's lair to the floor below.
I almost died and called the rest of the men over to decided what to do with it.  After taking 46 pictures of the biggest spider anyone had ever seen in our lives, we decided it would be necessary to capture this beast.
This took quite some time because we were all scared it would spit acid at us or something.  I'm quite positive the thing has been alive for at least a thousand years.  Anyway, the beast has been captured and rightly name, 'The Cracken" after the mythological beast.  It currently is resided in a tightly sealed bag in the middle of our hall until we release it into the girls' dwelling.
That is all

What no eye has seen

So I find myself coming to the understanding that I have soo much reading for my classes here.  Although I am not taking many classes here at AE (african enterprise), I am taking two online courses.  So I almost never have actual class during the day but I have found that I need that free time to work on my online classes.

This is quite perfect however, because God knew beforehand, when I was first trying to decide which classes to take, that this is how life would be here.  He knew that the reading for my theology class would take up 3-4 hours a day and that reading for other classes combined would be similar.  I am blessed to know Him and to be surrendered to Him.

So this morning, after the usual morning run with the boys in the nature reserve, I took my book and went to a sweet spot overlooking the watering hole and just read.  For the next three and a half hours I pumped out my reading, with brief interruptions of worship, praise and prayer.  Afterwards I thought to myself, "Man, I could never do this at school.  That's just not how things work over there.  Everyone is constantly busy and would never sit outside, alone, with no interruptions, for three hours to read.  So cool.

God knew this is what life would be like here.  He constantly reminded me this past summer of this season of life in which I would be growing and maturing.  He knew I could find rest in nature.  He knew all these things would happen, if I simply chose to listen to His spirit.

Whilst reading for theology I was directed to I Corinthians 2:9 which reads , "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him."

STOP.  THINK ABOUT THAT.

Paul is quoting an old testament word from the Lord to the Corinthians, and he is telling them that no one can ever even fathom/imagine what God has prepared for those who choose to love Him.  That really struck me because I know the Father has more in store for me than I could ever hope for.  Praise God

Today Reg gave us all the reasons why he believes scripture is completely infallible and true.  IT WAS INCREDIBLE.  He spent his whole life in apologetics and has looked at every single comment and mark that refutes the word of God and has not found one good reason not to believe.  I wish I could recount everything he said because it was amazing.

One thing that stuck out for me was when he said when the Bible and science disagree we simply have to wait for science to catch up.
The Bible speaks to every major natural occurrence.  Hundreds of years before we figured out the earth was round scripture says, "He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth.." Is. 40:22
Before we could figure out that the earth's core was hot, Job 28: 5 says, "The earth, form which food comes, is transformed from below as if by fire."
And when people thought the world was held by atlas, and then simply didn't know how it was held in place, Job 26:7 says, "... he suspends the over nothing."

There was so much more but I simply don't have room to write it.  I LOVE THIS PLACE

Whose Kingdom?

WOW!
So I never ever thought I would be in south Africa...ever.  And just in case I didn't stress that enough, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER BE HERE!
But alas, here I am.  This is my first time ever doing a blog so i should be quite interesting.  I feel like it may be tough for me because everything I would right downin this blog I just right down in my journal.  SO, to remedy this internal conflict I have decided to do some videos to blog as well.  I will put up the first one my good buddy Adam and I made the other day.

Anyway, this place is absolutely lekker.  This means cool.  I discovered it last night when a group of us APU kids went to a church with a bunch of youth from the church we went to in the morning.  And speaking of church North Hills church (the one I went to sunday) is soo good.  It's a semi-charismatic church and I love it.  The people are so free in worship and praise.  And I also love that it is mixed with blacks, whites and coloureds.

NOTE: Don't get offended about race stuff because here in South Africa people call each other what they really are.  There is no caucasion, african american, asian kinda thing like we americans try to pull with our political correctness.  There are four main races here.  White, Black, Coloured, and Indian.  The coloured people simply have a white parent and a black parent.  Simple.

However, it is insanely amazing how that actually happens now.  We learned a ton about the apartheid era which characterized South Africa from it's early beginning.  Although the word apartheid (meaning separate) was not given until the National Party seriously began the extreme segregation of races from 1948 until the destruction of apartheid in 1994.  I think I could write about this all day actually because I have learned so much just from one class of History & Culture, and from our visit to the apartheid museum in Johannesburg (JoBurg).

But seriously, I feel my heart and mind being transformed by this place.  Ever since the Dutch and British first came here they oppressed and moved out the original Afikaners and trekkboers.  For years, the people had no rights.  I can not write with words nor express in a video how terrible the many years of apartheid were.  And what amazes me and everyone else in this country is that when election time came in 1994, when the blacks and coloureds should have had revenge, there was none.  I will have to write more about this topic later because there is a man coming to speak to us today about how God moved in the country for reconciliation.  IT'S INSANE

Gosh, some of the other dudes over here and I have been doing some sweet runs through the nature reserve right next to campus.  They are filled with Zebra, antelope (which are called buck) and this stupid annoying birds that are fat and dumb and make tons of noise.  The campus here is so cool.  We have a waterfall, two streams, a swimming hole, radical prayer chapel, super cool rooms, and we can explore anywhere we want anytime we want!!

Chapel this morning was excellent.  Reg Codrington is the director of the place, we call him papa Reg, and he is such an awesome man.  I can't even explain his level of coolness.  He was reminding us that we are not here to establish ourselves or to gain anything for ourselves.  We are on borrowed time and this is HIS KINGDOM, not ours.  We are here to do kingdom work.  If Jesus were to stroll right onto campus and said, "Let's go do some kingdom work," we wouldn't stay on campus.  We would go down the road to Grey's Hospital and touch the untouchables, those who don't have family and are in need of the Father's love.  We would go to Haniville, a local township and be with the poorest of the poor.  We would go across the border to Zimbabwe and be with some seriously oppressed people.  We would work for the Kingdom, not trying to fix social situations without bring the good news.  Because what would happen if we merely threw money at the problem or simply brought just food without the gospel?  We would have millions of well fed, well kept sinners going straight to hell.

One cannot approach a situation like this just with money.  However, it is extremely hard to pay attention to any sort of message when you don't know if you will even last the night?    James says in chapter 2, "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?"  Both of these things are needed.  Jesus' message is to clothe the needy and poor, look after orphans and widows but to also speak truth to all nations.

THIS IS HIS KINGDOM