The Balance

Tonight I went to the evening service at Cariboo Hill Corps and heard a strong word from the LORD.
Michael Collins was talking about evangelism and our responsibility here on earth. The passage was the end of John 15 and the beginning of 16. The world will hate us etc. So some things surfaced, like fear of man etc. And fortunately the way that Collins preaches is interactive, so I actually put my hand up and asked a question.
"What do you do when you're not afraid of talking about Jesus, per se, but more afraid that you will mess it up and then turn that person off from Jesus?"
To make a long story short - I need to trust that Jesus is LORD and trust the Sovereignty of Yahweh. He is much bigger than any mistakes that I make. If I try to witness to someone, and because I am not perfect mess it up or whatever, that it won't be my fault if they go to hell. Does that make sense?
I was at the mercy seat weeping for the lost, and my prayer is that I would find that balance. I walk around my neighbourhood, or SFU or wherever and I know that people are on their way to either heaven or hell and shame on me if I don't do anything about it. BUT I am also not Saviour and I need to rest in His Sovereignty.
I think it was back at Camp Allegheny I was talking to either Tim or Jamie Miller about finding the balance in my life and they said something that really stuck with me. I am paraphrasing but in essence: "It's not about finding the balance and staying there, it's about the wrestle. God made it that way so that we are in constant need of communication with him. We're in relationship with Him and we'll always have to wrestle with the LORD in finding truth."
I pray that I would always "wrestle" with evangelism - that I would always check my heart and motives, the desire to do all that I can do to win the world for Jesus one person at a time, and also in recognizing that it's not by anything other than the POWER of God that will do that.

Wage war with love, because love never fails

Rejoice in the LORD always! Again, I say REJOICE!

Today was pretty jam packed. I was at work from 5:30am-2pm, then went to school and got home around 6:30pm (we got out early) and as I stepped off of the bus I ran into a good friend of mine who I met last year who lives in the same hotel where I lived last year. Up until the time that I saw him, all I wanted to do was to go home and veg out. Maybe even go to bed, but when I saw him, the Holy Spirit gave me a second wind.
This member of the community was at a cell for a very brief time and left. He was dealing with some stuff. Long story short I got to pray with him. And the LORD was glorified.
I asked him if he wanted to go to cell, and he said no. Then I asked him to ask Jesus what He thought. After some prayer and discussion we both ended up going to this cell. It was amazing. The fellowship was good, the WORD was about Faith (Praise the LORD) and not to mention that the food was yummy and I have been pretty much hungry for a week.
I know that this blog doesn't do it much justice, but I am rejoicing over the victory for this person tonight. The enemy wanted to isolate him and brought him shame for walking out of cell and wanted to make him believe that he doesn't deserve friends etc. but YHWH broke through and there was great VICTORY for the Kingdom of Heaven that my friend was welcomed back, and truly was a blessing to everyone else.
Hallelujah!
Our GOD reigns.
I want to celebrate how heaven celebrates. It says that whenever a sinner repents there are great celebrations in heaven. What else does heaven celebrate? What do I celebrate? I want to be heavenly minded. I rejoice, and LORD help me to rejoice like heaven rejoices, how You rejoice, over even just ONE night in this persons life, when You had the victory and showed your love and Your love won.
Praise be to God.

Do you have an interpretation?

Last night I had a vivid dream, and I think it was from the LORD, but not quite sure if there's a deeper interpretation. So I thought I would throw it out there to see if anyone had any thoughts.
I was at a corps (church) in Ontario. I think it was Agincourt but I am not positive. I was sitting on the right side with my mom and my two brothers. We were worshipping the LORD and suddenly I saw Beth Pearo, a past corps officer of mine, turn around and wave at us. For some reason she wasn't in her uniform and she was standing alone. I looked ahead and I saw her kids in the front row and they were starting to get into worship. The band was playing but there was also some other music. I think it was piano and tambourines - a bit of a gospel feel. Anyway, the Spirit of the LORD started to fall and there was this excitiment, like electricity in the air and people were getting stirred up. Suddenly more people were coming in and I wanted to go and dance and sing at the front but I was cautious because it was a faily traditional corps. The rows were filling up and the preacher - who I think was Captain Bowls, an officer I knew from Ottawa who now lives in Germany - was speaking and encouraging people to let go of legalism, even things like staying in your seat. He said that there were new people coming in and we have to be ready and offer them our seats. Basically along the lines of being flexible. This lady in a wheelchair came up to my side. I was sitting on the edge of the row, and she was looking for a seat. So I told her that she could have mine.
I helped her out of her wheelchair and into the pew and then I started for the front to be with the Pearo kids.
While this was happening, my grandmother was at the front and was filled with the Holy Spirit. She took the microphone and started singing along. I don't remember the song, but I think it was an old Army hymn, or something but it had some gospel gusto to it.
I was really shocked by this because I think it had been a while since my grandma had sung in church, but I know how much she loves the Army, and of course, how much she loves the LORD. It was a great encouragement to my heart.
As I was worshipping the LORD and moving to the front, and as the pews were being filled...I woke up.

It was a rich dream, and even if nobody has any deeper interpretation, I was blessed by it. But I often make the mistake of assuming that it has no deeper revelation. There's a Capstone song that sings about us wanting to be the "dreamers of Your dreams". Let us dream!
So if you have anything to add or an interpretation, I am up for it.
Praise the LORD. Glory to the God.
Kirsten

My life

Sorry about the lack of posts. I've been trying to figure out my life a bit and what it's going to look like this semester.
So here's the latest...
I started school this week at SFU. I am taking two courses, that will hopefully complete my degree at McGill, leaving me with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psyc and a minor in Philosophy. My classes aren't too thrilling - Metaphysics and Epistimology, and Stats. Woohoo.
I am still working the same hours at Starbucks, and as far as 614 goes, the only thing that has changed is that I don't teach School of Justice, but that was only like once a month...so my schedule doesn't look that much different. Just busier.

I am praying for peace and guidance in my life.
I really don't know what next year holds for me, so I take that I should really dedicate myself to prayer and listening to the LORD. So I have made some changes. Even though I am working the same amount of hours at Starbucks, I have changed when that's happening. I want to have most mornings free to do my rations and pray the bible etc. To give God my best time - which is mornings, for me - to get my days started with Him.
I do look forward to it.
Please pray for me. I know many of you do, and I appreciate it. Being back in Toronto was great for reading my bible and praying, but since being back it's a struggle to remain passionate. I recognize a lot of that is a spiritual battle. Different strongholds over this neighbourhood etc. but I want to persevere.
"The one thing I ask of the LORD - the one thing I seek the most is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me." - Psalm 27:4-6a

I will trust in the LORD. Hallelujah.

Amazed

I've been reading through Isaiah again, partly because it's my favourite book, and partly because I want to dig deeper in the word (more than just my "assigned" readings.
It's sooo good.
Something that really struck me today was this passage:
"And my blessings are for Gentiles, too, when they commit themselves to the LORD. Do not let them think that I consider them second-class citizens."
- Isaiah 56:3 (NLT)
This was written WAY before Jesus ever came. This is huge. Huge.
Fast forwarding to Peter's whole revelation and teaching from the LORD about accepting Gentiles, and eating unclean food, to Paul's appointment to preach good news to and save the Gentiles, which was radical stuff then. But this was written way before all of that.
Crazy.
I wonder how the Jews reacted when they read that. That God would bless the Gentiles. It must have sounded absolutely bonkers to them.
The grace of the LORD is abounding.
Hallelujah, that it extends to me. I am humbled.
Praise God.

The Prophetic Sleep

On New Year's eve, as I was settling into bed at around 2am after having a really good prayer time I had a revelation.
Praise the LORD that He speaks at all times and each day is full of opportunity for Him to breathe inspiration into us - His Beloved bride.
When I go to sleep I can choose to see it as a prophetic act in itself.
When I rest at night - let it represent that I am resting in the promises that YHWH has for me. I am choosing to be at peace with the plans of my future, knowing that God is in control. He is a good God that has good plans for His children.
As I breathe deep in my slumber, I rest in knowing that the GOD that I serve never sleeps nor slumbers.
As I breathe heavier in my sleep, may I breathe in YHWH and breathe out all that is of me. May I let go more each night of who I am and allow GOD to fill me with His Presence.

Hallelujah.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace