What has happened to our society?
That kids killing kids has become reality
Instead of loving one another
We choose to bully our brothers
We walk past familiar faces
But we never examine their individual cases
So obsessed with our own lives
That we do not see the warning signs
We preach to be fishers of men
But yet we are busy indulging in our own sin
Never stopping to think
That our friend may be on the brink
One bad day could end it all
And leave us wishing that we only saw
For the Lord sought after the lost
But we are scared of what that would cost
Yet He asks us to be a city upon a hill
So that darkness will cease and light will fill
To seek out those who feel all alone
And let them see that they are not on their own
Amidst the evil they face day after day
There He is telling us we do not have to pay
For the bill has been taken care of
Paid by His son out of selfless love
We should beg our friends to open their hearts
That He will accept even their worst parts
To put down that gun
And find a new life through the Son
For we are the Body of Christ
Together we can take over evil with a heist
We do not have to live our lives as slaves to sin
But instead we can stand up and fight like men
Encourage our brothers to join our cuase
And that they will see a love that does not pause
For they will no longer seek to destroy
But beg their Lord to let them deploy
For this is the society that was invisioned
But in reality it has become imprisioned
Friends we were all lost and now have been found
So I beg you to earnestly look around
This love we live in was meant to be shared
For that is ultimately why we were spared
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Turtles
This past year has been crazy for me. God has been doing crazy things in my heart. He has been challenging me in crazy ways. I am not always accepting of his challenges either. He has placed people in my life that have been speaking truth into me. He has been telling me to stop being stupid and just trust his plan.
Part of being an Opher is being insecure and not confident in yourself. I often doubt that the Lord would want me to be a vessel for him. But this past year he has been really challenging me on that front. He has given me an incredible vision and passion to live life with and love people with special needs. He has given me much respncibility, responsibility that I did not really want at first. He is telling me that if I trust in him, I can do anything, and that he is working in me and through me, to just allow him to do so.
He has also attacked many of my insecurities and has shown me how stupid they are. One of my biggest fears in life is being alone and not being liked or accepted by people. This really shows in my desire to be in a relationship with a lady. I have so many fears and insecurities in that area it is not even funny. And after each rejection I receive God is there telling me to trust him and stop trying to replace him with love that cannot compare to his.
And finally he has been really challenging me to rethink what I want to do with my life. To let him take over. This past summer I volunteered at a Young Life camp and was shocked at the feedback I got from people. The Lord was doing insane things in my heart and really showed me the person I could be if I truly lived with and for him. Since June I have been really praying for a vision to my life. I believe the Lord has placed full time ministry on my heart. I do not know what that will look like but if the Lord is behind it then it will be very good.
I guess through all the blabbering I have done, I am trying to impress upon my friends the importance of just trusting the Lord. He wants to use us, he wants us to be extraordinary. He will take care of me, through him I can be a man of Christ, with out him I will simply be a man of the world. And that simply is not okay. He will provide me the confidence and strength to help lead a ministry. He will provide the answers I seek and the questions I have regarding full time ministry. He will help me to be a loving husband and father, without him, I cannot be that.
Friends, trust the Lord. Be a branch connected to the vine. John 15
Love,
Opher
Part of being an Opher is being insecure and not confident in yourself. I often doubt that the Lord would want me to be a vessel for him. But this past year he has been really challenging me on that front. He has given me an incredible vision and passion to live life with and love people with special needs. He has given me much respncibility, responsibility that I did not really want at first. He is telling me that if I trust in him, I can do anything, and that he is working in me and through me, to just allow him to do so.
He has also attacked many of my insecurities and has shown me how stupid they are. One of my biggest fears in life is being alone and not being liked or accepted by people. This really shows in my desire to be in a relationship with a lady. I have so many fears and insecurities in that area it is not even funny. And after each rejection I receive God is there telling me to trust him and stop trying to replace him with love that cannot compare to his.
And finally he has been really challenging me to rethink what I want to do with my life. To let him take over. This past summer I volunteered at a Young Life camp and was shocked at the feedback I got from people. The Lord was doing insane things in my heart and really showed me the person I could be if I truly lived with and for him. Since June I have been really praying for a vision to my life. I believe the Lord has placed full time ministry on my heart. I do not know what that will look like but if the Lord is behind it then it will be very good.
I guess through all the blabbering I have done, I am trying to impress upon my friends the importance of just trusting the Lord. He wants to use us, he wants us to be extraordinary. He will take care of me, through him I can be a man of Christ, with out him I will simply be a man of the world. And that simply is not okay. He will provide me the confidence and strength to help lead a ministry. He will provide the answers I seek and the questions I have regarding full time ministry. He will help me to be a loving husband and father, without him, I cannot be that.
Friends, trust the Lord. Be a branch connected to the vine. John 15
Love,
Opher
Monday, February 13, 2012
My New Friend
Ever have a stretch of a few days that puts everything in perspective? That was this weekend for me. As I have shared countless times, I have had a passion and drive to see a ministry for kids with special needs in Toledo. The Good Lord has given me a vision and asked me to be one of his vessels for it. Well, after 4.5 years, literally, of prayer and conversation/begging, and planning; we launched Toledo Capernaum on Saturday night!!! The weeks leading up to it were some of the most stressful I have ever faced. I was so worried about failing, about not doing a good job. A lot of people trusted the vision I was given and supported me. I am not exactly used to having random people approach me and ask about ministry and pledge their prayer. So I did not want to let anyone down. On top of that I was having meetings and phone conferences and emails all trying to get this thing off the ground.
I think that I did lose focus of the point through it all. I was a nervous stress ball. I like to fly under the radar and I found myself on the radar. I do question some of my motives these past few weeks but still the Lord did his thing and used me as a vessel none the less. And then came Saturday.
Saturday, I was a nervous wreck. I barely slept the night before and could hardly eat all day. I was so excited for this club, excited and terrified. I believe God has been preparing me for this my whole life. I have yet to really put together a "team" to help me plan clubs. I was blessed with support from friends and met some new friends that showed up to help out. So the support was there. But the planning was on me and difficult. I had no idea what to expect, who would come, what their needs would be.
Well, I arrived at club, started setting up and everyone was coming to me with questions which I am not used to. I was sweating and shaking and then I simply paused for a moment and confessed to the Lord that I was doing this on my own for the past few hours especially. I asked him to come down, take over. Almost immediately I was at peace. And then our one and only kid arrived. And I was okay with that. She came with her two cousins and their two friends. They are YL leaders in Michigan and wanted to see what we were up to. We had a blast! God spoke through me for the club talk, he greatly humbled me. The rest of the club was great. I hand Kristin, my new friend, 5 shaving cream pies and told her to start pieing people and that she did. She sang some karaoke, had a dance party, and played musical chairs. When it was time to leave I think we were all sad.
There we were, about 12 of us all together just having a blast. I can tell you that in those moments there was no disability in that room, Kristin was a daughter of God hanging out with her friends. That is how God intended her to be. And I can honestly say that the people in that room learned more about Christ and love from her than we could ever teach her. Just as when the four friends lowered their paralyzed friend through a hole in the ceiling just so he could be close to Christ, they got more than they were expecting and I can only assume they were changed for ever. Well, I am a changed man from Saturday.
I know this was a long post, but friends, God wants to use us, but he does not need us. He will take our nerves away, calm our minds and hearts. He will show us love in every way imaginable. Just believe. Myself, well I cannot wait until our next club. And I cannot wait to meet more friends.
I leave you with this,
"Be comfortable being uncomfortable." -Nick Palermo-
I think that I did lose focus of the point through it all. I was a nervous stress ball. I like to fly under the radar and I found myself on the radar. I do question some of my motives these past few weeks but still the Lord did his thing and used me as a vessel none the less. And then came Saturday.
Saturday, I was a nervous wreck. I barely slept the night before and could hardly eat all day. I was so excited for this club, excited and terrified. I believe God has been preparing me for this my whole life. I have yet to really put together a "team" to help me plan clubs. I was blessed with support from friends and met some new friends that showed up to help out. So the support was there. But the planning was on me and difficult. I had no idea what to expect, who would come, what their needs would be.
Well, I arrived at club, started setting up and everyone was coming to me with questions which I am not used to. I was sweating and shaking and then I simply paused for a moment and confessed to the Lord that I was doing this on my own for the past few hours especially. I asked him to come down, take over. Almost immediately I was at peace. And then our one and only kid arrived. And I was okay with that. She came with her two cousins and their two friends. They are YL leaders in Michigan and wanted to see what we were up to. We had a blast! God spoke through me for the club talk, he greatly humbled me. The rest of the club was great. I hand Kristin, my new friend, 5 shaving cream pies and told her to start pieing people and that she did. She sang some karaoke, had a dance party, and played musical chairs. When it was time to leave I think we were all sad.
There we were, about 12 of us all together just having a blast. I can tell you that in those moments there was no disability in that room, Kristin was a daughter of God hanging out with her friends. That is how God intended her to be. And I can honestly say that the people in that room learned more about Christ and love from her than we could ever teach her. Just as when the four friends lowered their paralyzed friend through a hole in the ceiling just so he could be close to Christ, they got more than they were expecting and I can only assume they were changed for ever. Well, I am a changed man from Saturday.
I know this was a long post, but friends, God wants to use us, but he does not need us. He will take our nerves away, calm our minds and hearts. He will show us love in every way imaginable. Just believe. Myself, well I cannot wait until our next club. And I cannot wait to meet more friends.
I leave you with this,
"Be comfortable being uncomfortable." -Nick Palermo-
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