What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. – James 4:14

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. – Matthew 10:39

Twenty eight years ago I was born alot smaller. I was welcomed into the world with congratulations. Little did I know that I was born into war times. Thank God for Christ, who brought the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Love to earth so that I am able to step in the battle lines with millions of others demanding good triumph.

Birthdays are interesting to me. First off, it seems the Lord gives me some sort of present every year. My first and second sermons were at my birthday. I’ve spent multiple birthdays in foreign nations. It has been a great ride. Every year I look back on the last year and see if I am pleased. This year I am pleased once again, although the second half was one of the most challenging times since I became a Christian. The Lord brought us through as always, he always causes us to triumph, but I had to come to terms with what the clergy has become in much of the world and it is heartbreaking. Honestly, there are some AMAZING men of God out there, there are, but I tell you the politics, diplomacy, cowardliness, and business minded tactics have really brought a bit of a stain on the foreheads of many who call themselves some church title. It is honestly heartbreaking with the world in the mess it is in. We don’t have time for this. It has been this way for many years; I just noticed it after we had a new type of anointing come on us in Ghana. It was one of discernment I suppose. Better said, we have been blessed to be able to see through silliness and bullcrap. Ignorance is bliss, but not an option for a person called to be set apart and a revolutionary. Truthfully though, I am SO blessed to have gone through it. Now I can appreciate the men of God who show their faith not to be feigned (masked – 1 Timothy 1:5). I love those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart. They are SUCH a blessing. I am not everyone’s judge, but I do choose who I will follow and befriend. Because I have pulled away from some (all over) I have found the friendship of many. Now with those who are sold out to this I can run towards the finish line with all my heart.

A few names I am thankful for are Tommy, Jim, Todd, Steve, Joel, Brandon, Brad, Scott, Raven, Dean, Brent, Sandra, Jay, Amanda, Tim, Emmanuel, Gandri, Andrias, Jeremy, Jennifer & Will. The name I am most thankful for is Jesus, who makes this earth worth it.

For the next year I realize the Lord is calling us to step into both the public eye and to be hidden from it. We need to continue to build the platform that we need to build a ministry to touch millions around the world. We must increase in every way to complete with honor the work the Lord has called us to. 10,000 missionaries in a life is alot, but not impossible. I KNOW that we can do the things the Lord has given us to complete.
At the same time the Lord Jesus is calling us to go into all the world once again this year. This Christmas and birthday will be spend with the unreached, right where I belong. We will base from SE Asia, and go into double digit nations to expand and strengthen the Kingdom of God (Love). We leave in a few months.

The next year of my life I want to push myself to new levels. I want to go further into the world, challenge myself to new levels physically, spiritually, and mentally. I want to eat new things, sleep in strange places, and see thousands come to know the Lord for the first time. I want to raise up disciples in every nation we are able to minister in, and open the door for the Kingdom of God in new lands. I want to pioneer. I want to make HIS name famous!

Before we left on our last journey I was laying in bed and the Lord spoke to my heart (not an audible voice). He said, “You need to know that life is a vapor.” Twenty eight years is a blur. I’ve done my best over the last five years to live to the fullest by laying down my life for our Lord. It has flown by. We’ve had to buck religious ideas and ask no ones permission to serve our God with all of our hearts. We’ve lost friends, gained new ones, but regret NONE of it. Life is short, too short to serve money or man. We must lay down our life in LOVE for God and LOVE for OTHERS. We must make the rescue of this broken poor world everything. No matter the cost, I’m in.

Some of you think we’ve really done something. Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet. We’re going deeper into the jungles and mountains and cities for longer. We are going to GIVE ourselves to God to the fullest and LIVE the abundant life HE died so that we can have. Sure it may look different, and my not involved being comfortable every day, but the day you sit on the edge of a mountain whispering the Gospel to a thankful monk, and you see life come into his eyes, or you see a young Muslim friend understand the beauty of the ONE and ONLY God’s ultimate sacrifice (korban)for all sin through Jesus, or feed a hungry child, or help a ministry raise orphans meant for sex slavery grow into mature honorable Christian men and women, or travel thousands of miles to be brought to ONE person the Lord has heard praying, then you’ll realize what ABUNDANT LIFE really means.

What about you? Is the VAPOR of life evaporating with you still unsatisfied. Well, I am about to tell you the secret to abundant life. Here it is: If you want to find it, lay it down. In love for God and Others. You’ll find it. I promise. I promise. Lay it down. Lay it down. Whatever you know the Lord has put on your heart to do, find and take step one. Purify your motives and go for it out of Love for God and Others.

That’s the only way the set apart life will ever be truly “SET APART” from the rest.

One last thought on this celebration of my birth. Today is totally not about me. I was created, imagined and knitted together in my mother’s womb (Psalms 139:13-16). Raised to fear God. Rescued by Christ. Called, chosen, and am being set apart all TOTALLY by GOD’S love. So with that I have ONLY one last sentence…

HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER!

P.S. If you haven’t bought the FAITH + HOPE + LOVE cd by Hillsong, go now. NOW!