Golden Gate Bound

Just another post to say that my other blog at misterjoshuaray.wordpress.com is up and running. The screenshot is of the biggest update recently (and so far!). So if you want to hear a bit about SEMINARY then hit the jump :)

I don't know that I'll update this much more-this was big enough news that I wanted it to be here on the old blog too though. 

God Provides, even...ESPECIALLY...the small things

For those who don't know, this is a capo: more than that, it is a broken capo. Capos are used by guitar players to change the key that they're playing in without changing the chords that they're playing. It makes everything MUCH easier. It also makes pianists and other 'real' musicians hate guitar players =P

My capo broke at our regional conference several weeks ago, and since then I've been either too busy or too lazy to replace it. While capos make things easier, they are by no means necessary: you can get by without them. Furthermore, I have another capo that kinda works the same way...it was made to do something different (cover some of the strings but not all of them) so you can kinda cheat and use it as a full capo. 

The other day I was strumming my guitar as I sat on the grass in Parkside waiting to practice with Rachel for some worship we'd be playing together when I saw one of the maintenance guys walking towards me. "Great" I thought to myself. "They're probably wanting to mow the grass or water or something and need me to move. The guy and I made that awkward early eye contact too where we both knew we saw each other but were still kinda too far away.

When he got close enough, he asked me a simple question: Is this yours? He was holding a (different but similarly functioning) capo in his hands! 

I told him that it wasn't mine, but he gave it to me anyways! Without having to do anything for myself, God totally provided a new capo for me! I sat there kinda stunned-i had NOT expected anything of the sort to happen and so it was a neat moment where all I could really do in response was shoot up a prayer of thanksgiving.

Sometimes I think we can fall into the trap of taking spiritual promises from the Bible to mean that there will be physical blessings, expecting things on this side of eternity that we shouldn't. BUT...sometimes we don't take them literally enough!

Thank You, God, that you care enough to orchestrate the provision of something as simple and small as a capo for my guitar. May I trust you in the bigger things (finances, family, health) also!

"And my God will supply every need of Yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19

Conference Setlist 10/28-10/30

This past week we had our Regional Conference for the Navigators: 370 students from around 14 different campuses (in Hawaii, California, Arizona, and Utah!) gathered in Pine Valley, CA (near San Diego) for three days to pursue God intentionally and corporately. This is an annual event but this was by far the largest amount of people that we'd ever had come! We maxed out the facilities at the camp we were at and were scrambling to find places for everyone to lay their head down at night! Praise God for an amazing problem to have to deal with: TOO MANY STUDENTS! :)

I was honored to be asked to lead worship throughout the weekend, an opportunity I jumped at! God has blessed me with this passion and our ministry at Long Beach with an overabundance of talented musicians! So I assembled a six piece band (including me: two acoustic guitarists, one electric, piano/keyboard player, bass player, and drummer) and we set to practicing and preparing.

I could go on and on about how the weekend went, but to keep it short and simple: it surpassed all my expectations! The band really came together well and I think we found that balance between not being so BAD that you're distracting but also not being so GOOD that you're distracting (i.e. making it a performance). The feedback that I got over the course of the weekend was nothing but encouraging and I'll never forget specific moments from the weekend like the first song, the various times everyone sang a-cappella ("How Great Thou Art" being the most obvious), and the ways I saw God moving and answering prayers during the extended time of worship Saturday night.

Normally when I lead worship I share the songs and link to youtube videos of the songs, but this time there's just too many! We played close to thirty different songs and repeated a few of them, so if I were to do that...well, it'd just take FOREVER. I have a compromise, however, with two aspects.

First, I've still included the list but only linked to songs that are newer or people asked me about. If you have questions about any of them, however, PLEASE let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate you!

Second, if you have Spotify you can go to my profile (click here!!) and I've put all these songs in a playlist! If you DON'T have Spotify...well, you should lol. Anyways, I hope one of these two ways will be beneficial to you!

I've organized the songs into a list that's arranged by the them of each talk they were with, since that's how I chose the songs in the first place. Again, let me know if you have any questions or anything!

Jesus
1. "Your Love Never Fails" by Chris McClarney [Jesus Culture] (Bb)
2. "In Christ Alone"by Stuart Townend (D->E)
3. "Hosanna" by Hillsong United (E)

4. "Lead Me to the Cross" by Hillsong United (D)
5. "Jesus Paid it All" modern arrangement by Alex Nifong (B)
6. "Forever Reign" by Reuben Morgan [Hillsong] (C)

7. "Center" by Charlie Hall and Matt Redman (E)


The Nations
8. "The Highest and the Greatest" by Tim Hughes (Bb)
9. "Saviour of the World" by Ben Cantelon (Bb)
10. "Mighty to Save" by Reuben Morgan [Hillsong] (Bb)
11. "Be Thou My Vision" (E)


Laborers
12. "Here I am to Worship" by Tim Hughes (D)
13. "Blessed Be Your Name" by Matt Redman (A)
14. "Consuming Fire" by Tim Hughes (G)
15. "I Lift My Eyes Up (Psalm 121)" by Brian Doerksen (C)

16. "Living For Your Glory"

Extended Night of Worship 

17. "Cannons" by Phil Wickham (G)
18. "You Alone" by David Crowder (C)
19. "How He Loves" by John Mark McMillan (C)
20. "Nothing Is Impossible" by Planetshakers (C)
21. "Our God" by Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman (G)
22. "Your Love Never Fails" **
23. "At Your Name" by Phil Wickham and Tim Hughes (A)
24. "One Thing Remains"by Brian Johnson and Jeremy Riddle [Bethel Church] (A)
25. "Sweetly Broken" by Jeremy Riddle (C)
26. "The Lost are Found" by Sam Knock and Ben Fielding [Hillsong] (A)


The Lost
27. "I've Found a Love" by Ben Cantelon (A)
28. "At Your Name" **/"How Great is Our God"/"How Great Thou Art" (A)

29. "Rescue" by Desperation Band (C)
30. "Marvelous Light" by Charlie Hall (B)
31. "The Lost are Found" **

32. "Be Thou My Vision" **
33. "Our God" **
34. "Forever Reign" **

**=repeats



What song(s) were most impactful for you? Which ones had you not heard before or in a long time? Favorites?

No Other God

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,
  that the mountains would tremble before you!
As when fire sets twigs ablaze
  and causes water to boil,
come down to make your name known to your enemies
  and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when you did awesome things that we did not expect,
  you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard,
  no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
  who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
                                       ~Isaiah 64:1-4

Selah 

Forbidden by the Spirit

I've been thinking a lot about closed doors lately. Closed doors aren't what we typically want. When we have an opportunity (or THINK we do), seek God's will and receive a firm "No" as the answer despite our fervent prayers...well it typically isn't cause for celebration. Instead the focus often turns to ourselves.

"What did I do wrong?" or "Why is God punishing/holding out on me?" tends to be my default reaction when a door slams shut in front of me. If only I hadn't sinned so badly this week or if only God really loved me maybe the answer would have been different. So when the next opportunity comes, it's time to shape up and be on "best behavior" so that we'll somehow be worthy of the carrot God seems to be hanging out in front of us.

That doesn't seem to be how God decides to open or close doors in the Scriptures. Instead of seeing closed doors as God's punishment or petulance, the Word paints a picture of God working for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, which is to become conformed to the likeness of His Son [paraphrase of Romans 8:28-29]...even (and especially) through closed doors.

The Apostle Paul, the author of those words, knew from personal experience what it was to not be able to proceed in the direction that he wanted to go. On his second missionary journey Paul wanted to go to Asia and Bithynia. I'm sure that he had grand plans for the people there and that he was excited to be bringing the gospel to these people who so desperately needed to hear the Truth.

Acts 16 tells us that the Paul and his companions were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go to Asia and that the Holy Spirit did not permit them to go into Bithynia (v 6-7). If ever there was a set of closed doors, it was on that mission trip: Plans A and B right out the window! If I were in Paul's shoes I think I'd have been just a bit confused. Didn't God want Paul to be preaching and spreading the Word? Why would the Holy Spirit keep them from doing ministry like that?

In a message called "The Need of the Hour," Dawson Trotman shared his interpretation of these events:

Paul found closed doors, but closed doors to him weren't the problem. I believe those closed doors were used of God to show him the open doors he was to go through next.

Closed doors are closed because God has another door that He wants us to go through. It turned out pretty well for Paul: instead of either of his first two plans, he and his companions ended up going to Macedonia. Their stops on this second missionary trip included the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth. Sound familiar? The churches that were planted as a result of the doors into Asia and Bithynia being closed resulted in at LEAST five epistles (Philippians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians) and perhaps the strongest and most faithful church that Paul planted (the Berean church is described in Acts 17:10-12).

When God closes a door in front of us, we have two options: we can either question God or we can submit to His sovereignty and trust that this closed door is an expression of His mercy rather than His judgement. Which will you choose?

Phil 1:29

"For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only

to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake..."

Crossing the Jordan

The specific period of wilderness that I was in the midst of is over. I can say this with confidence due to several confirmations either directly from the LORD or through those that are attuned to His will and who have spoken truth and insight into my life.

Deuteronomy 8 is a chapter that has spoken deeply to me recently. This chapter is Moses' address to the people at the end of their 40 year wandering in the Sinai Desert before they crossed into the Promised Land. He explains that God had a purpose for this time-a purpose of testing to expose what was in their hearts and a purpose of provision so that they would have no one else to give credit to other than Him.

"You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not...He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that he might test you, to do good for you in the end."

~Deuteronomy 8:2, 15-16

I am currently living in Long Beach, finally able to participate in the Navigator ministry at Cal State Long Beach! (although I also am still partially focusing on raising funds) It is a great joy to be able to more fully join in with the work that God is doing here on the campus at CSULB and I am eager to get into the rhythm of things.

However, just because I have left the wilderness and have something new before me does not mean it will be any less difficult or trying. The book of Joshua tells the story of Israel's conquest of Canaan. This was not an easy task-the people that lived there had no intention of giving up the land without a fight. Leaving the wilderness did not mean an end to Israel's troubles, it just meant new problems were facing them.

Both surviving in the wilderness and conquering Canaan were impossible tasks without God-and that is exactly why God commanded Israel to do those tasks. Joshua 3:9 says: "Joshua said, 'By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the [enemies in Canaan].' " It was purely by God's might and strength that the Israelites conquered the land. It will be only by His strength and His grace that anything I do here at CSULB will succeed.

God, I need you just as much (if not more) right now then I have in the past few weeks-help me to remember that. Be with me, go before me, and continue to chip away at my faults, my pride, creating in me a new heart.

Victory

There's nothing quite like standing shoulder to shoulder with other men of God, engaging in battle with powers and authorities in Christ's name and on others' behalf, and emerging from battle victorious. I am blessed to have amazing men to stand together and call my brethren with and an awesome God to serve!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places...With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints..."

-Ephesians 6:12, 18

"but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

-1 Corinthians 12:57

Heading towards the EDGE

I've known since June 6, 2009 that God was calling me to do EDGE with the Navigators, inviting me to pursue Him out of the comfortable and into the unknown and trust him with everything. There's been a HUGE freedom in that knowledge and being able to rest securely in the knowledge that the path before me is laid out. In a lot of ways, that's been one of the major themes of these past two years: God knows where I'm going, so it's ok if I don't as long as I know HIM. He is worthy of my trust and has known before I was even conceived what I would be doing with my life.

However, knowing that I'm supposed to pursue doing EDGE does not equate to knowing everything about next year. There are still a million things that I just don't know the answer to, not even counting the ten million things that aren't even on my radar yet! Among those things that I didn't know was what campus I'd be serving at.

Another major theme for this season of my life has been waiting and hoping in God. Here, just as in other areas, God asked me to be content with not knowing. From a comment that my interviewer made I figured I'd find out where I'd be placed somewhere between mid-March to mid-April. March came and left. April came as well, and was well on its way to leaving and being replaced by May. Still no word.

Finally, during the last week of April that uncertainty changed: for about two weeks now I've known what campus I'll be serving at next year. I've told those of you who asked me directly about it what I know, but I haven't gone around shouting it to you whether you want to know or not :).

I feel that it's been long enough for me to process a bit about the decision to share it.

Next year I'll be on staff with the Navigators here at CSULB! I'm not ignorant of the fact that there are definitely pros and cons to being at ANY school, Long Beach included, but I can't help be anything but excited :). The best part is that it definitely fits into something I distinctly felt God tell me almost four years ago (which will either be in the next blog post or something that I share at Navnite on Tuesday...not sure which yet).

I'm excited for what God has planned for both me and those around me next year. As this season of my life comes to a close, the growth and fruitfulness that I see as I look back makes me just that much more excited about where He's taking me. My prayer for next year echoes Daniel's prayer just after God revealed the interpretation of the king's dream to him:

"Daniel said, 'Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,

F

or wisdom and power belong to him.

It is he that changes the times and the epochs;

He removes and establishes kings;

He gives wisdom to wise men,

And knowledge to men of understanding.

It is he who reveals the profound and hidden things;

He knows what is in the darkness,

And the light dwells with Him.

To You, O thou God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,

For You have given me wisdom and power;

Even You have made known unto us the king's matter.' "

~Daniel 2:20-23

Impudence

Our God is an amazing God, Amen?


The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word "impudent" as 1) Wanting in shame or modesty; shameless, unblushing, immodest; indelicate 2) Possessed of unblushing presumption, effrontery, or assurance; shamelessly forward, insolently disrespectful.

I've been dwelling on boldness and impudence for the past few weeks. As I shared at open mic night at Nav Nite, my dad gave me Luke 11:1-13 to read through and meditate on as soon as he heard that I'd been accepted into EDGE. He said, "Begin to ask now...[and] He will answer the impudent prayer." (*impudences is the ESV translation in verse 8 of what appears as "boldness" in the NIV or "persistence" in the NASB)

How can one be impudent with God? How can I present requests to God the same way the man in the parable asked his neighbor for food for his guest at midnight?

By not waiting to ask. By having full assurance that God will take care of EVERYTHING that I need. By taking God's promises at face value and seeing him as Yahweh-yireh, the Lord who sees and provides.

In light of this I've been praying for things in ways that I might not have dared to before. Among other things, I'm already praying (impudently) for God to provide for my fundraising and housing situation next year.


This is where the story gets good and God shows his lovingkindness :D


This past Sunday Zack and I went with Don to a church in Burbank to help him-it was Missions week at the church and so they had a few of the missionaries they were supporting come and share about what they were doing. This church has supported Don and his family for decades now and Don wanted to bring a few "living examples" of what the Navigator ministry at Long Beach was doing. At the two services Zack and I spoke to the people there for about two minutes each during Don's allotted time, answering two simple questions: how the Nav ministry at Long Beach had impacted us and what our plans for the future were.

In answer to the first question I talked about how Navs provided the soil for my faith to germinate, using 1 Cor 3:5-7 and equating my parents, upbringing, and education with Paul and the Navs with Apollos. For the second question I talked a bit about EDGE and going onto staff with the Navigators. I was honest with everyone in attendance and shared that fundraising is a bit of a daunting thing. But I also shared that God's answer to Paul's prayers about his "thorn in the flesh" is the same answer to my needs for next year: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9) I said that that's what next year is all about for me: being weak so that Christ can be exalted through me.

After the first service Zack and I got to talk to a few people from the church but after the second service we had to leave immediately after we were done speaking. Fast forward to tonight at Navs: without saying too much Don came up to me and gave me an envelope with my name on it. I figured it was a thank you note from Don and set it aside for the night. After Don was done speaking I picked it up and opened it.

I was half-right. Along with a thank you from Don was a card with the contact info for one of the missionaries from the church. The last line from Don's note says "This missionary gave this card to me because she wants to support you!"


I have my first donor! And I haven't done anything other than pray for God to provide!

Let me rephrase that, because that's my old view on prayer sneaking through: I've asked impudently and God has accepted the challenge implicit in my prayers, providing before I've even had time to do something that I could claim as my own efforts! I haven't contacted her yet and so nothing is set in stone, but as far as I'm concerned she could tell me that she could only contribute 10 cents a YEAR and the message from God wouldn't change a bit:


"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened." Luke 11: 9-10


Here I am knocking, God. Impudently, I expect nothing else than for you to answer.