How do you make the perfect soldier was the question... She sat alone in her dark dingy cell. Her fingernails were chipped and broken from scratching the walls. She was barefoot and her face covered in dirt. Her dress was filthy and tattered. Tall stony walls surrounded her far too high to climb. A giant locked steel door was the only way out and there was no way she had the strength to break it. She was trapped. Alone. Hurting. A prison that she didn't choose but had no escape from. A lone tear began in her right eye and travelled down her cheek leaving a clean section of skin. As the tear slowly made its way down her lifeless face she mouthed the words... "Jesus... please... help me...." It sounded like distant thunder at first but somehow it was different. I was led outside the giant tower where the girl was imprisoned and I saw an angelic army standing in formation. These were not your fat cherubs that so many have incorrectly described before. These were fearsome beings of war outfitted in divine armour and with weapons not forged on this earth.


They were creations of immense power far beyond our comprehension and there were hundreds of them. What I saw next though was far more remarkable. I saw towards the rear of the ranks the army begin to split to make room for a lone runner. He wore brown. A man. He had a beard. He looked normal in every respect yet at the same time there was something about Him that seemed so abnormal to my perception. Everything about Him was strangely perfect. The way He moved was with such deliberation and purpose. When He ran it was as if the very ground itself urged Him on and aided Him. He looked to me like what I would have imagined Adam from the Garden of Eden to look like if he were here today. Was this Him? As the ranks split to give Him room He increased His pace to a sprint at which lightning flashed above and the mountains quaked as if to cheer Him on. I saw Him nearing the giant stronghold and its two large iron outer doors. I imagined what He would do when He reached the doors. I was sure He would charge them and bust them into oblivion showering shards of shrapnel in every direction. But that's not what happened at all... Something far, far greater happened.


As He neared the doors my eyes were fully opened for just a moment. For only a tiny fragment of time I was able to see who He really was. The world around me faded to black and white and all sound hushed as His true identity was revealed. His eyes were a blaze of fire and left a trail of embers in the air as He moved. His hair was brilliant white - whiter than any light source I'd ever seen. In His hand was a scepter and He wore a long flowing robe of which the lower sections appeared to be stained by blood. On His thigh was words written in an ancient language that read "King over all Kings. Lord over all Lords". The same words lined the lower section of His robe. It was Him. The One. He effortlessly passed right through the outer doors as if they didn't exist and proceeded deeper inward with unmatched passion and fury in each step. Nothing held Him back. Nothing slowed Him. At last He reached the final door of her cell and He stopped. He stood there for a moment then softly knocked three times. She knew who it was. Her words "Please come in and help me..." changed everything. I heard the lock break and He slowly and gently opened the door and walked in then knelt down to where she sat in the cold dirt.


He put His hand under her chin and raised her head and said "Do not fear. I AM here. I will make you strong". I expected Him to get her out of there immediately but He didn't. He helped her to her feet, wiped her tears from her eyes and then told her to extend her arms. She willingly obeyed and I saw Him begin to outfit her with armour. First her arms, then her legs, her upper body and then a helmet. Lastly He gave her a small sword that suited her perfectly. I watched as He began to teach her how to fight right there in the cell. Blocking, dodging, parry, strike. In a matter of just minutes her form was almost perfect. He really was the Master teacher. Then He looked at her and said "Child, let's take this place down..." as He extended His hand for her to hold. She took His hand and smiled at Him as they started their path from the inner cells towards the outer walls. This time He wasn't using any doors. He choose a new way that caused maximum damage to the structure on their way out. Each stone wall they came across shattered and crumbled exploding outwards and leaving a wake of perfect destruction behind them. Wall after wall tumbled to the ground until at last she was outside. Freedom at last.


I saw Him talking to her about something but couldn't hear the words. She clenched the sword in her hand then smiled and nodded. Then He began His path running back through the ranks again. The scene faded as time marched on several years... This time I saw the same girl standing on a hilltop. She was older now. Wiser and stronger too. Her armour seemed to fit her better now. But out of everything I noticed about her the thing that stood out a mile was her eyes. They looked just like His. I could see in them an inferno of passion for the freedom of others. Her hand tightened on her sword and she raised it above her head and let out a battle cry like the shriek of an eagle. It was only then I could see the army standing behind her. They were men and women. Boys and girls. Dressed in armour, with swords and all with the same eyes as hers. They were soldiers just like her. Prisoners set free now fighting for the freedom of others. They answered her cry with theirs and the sound was utterly deafening so much that the earth itself quaked and shook in applause.


Then moving as one in perfect unity they began their decent down the hillside towards hundreds more towers that littered the horizon each with prisoners inside... The question He asked me before He showed me all this was "How do you make the perfect soldier?" My answer now was "You find a prisoner of war. You bust them out of their cage. You show them value and kindness. You feed them truth and teach them how to fight for others. You give them purpose by enlisting them in the Kingdom of Heaven. Then you tell them there are others out there like you..."

[ 2 Corinthians 10:4 - The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ]

There's going to be a thousand reasons to give up. Your enemy the devil is going to find all the best ones and rub them right in your face. He hates you more than anything else and do you wanna know why? It's simple. You remind him of God. We are all created in God's image. That means we resemble Him. The devil also really really hates and despises you because God loves you. He's that bitter and twisted and messed up. Now I know I'm gonna pay for this and he's gonna send some of his worst my way but I ain't going down without a fight. You see there was this scrappy looking kid who once stood up to a war machine of a giant... And He won because God had his back. The Bible says "If God is for us then who can stand against us". I never asked to be a soldier. It just happened the day God opened my eyes and I saw the war raging around me. So... Like the heroes of old... Never Give In, Never Give Up! Because God is with you. Do not fear the enemy. Fear God and He will give the battle into your hands.  

Interesting paradox... I prayed a prayer I was led by the Holy Spirit to pray after seeing so much rehearsed useless vanity in the churches I've attended in the past. A wasteful parade of showmanship yet very little to make the Kingdom of God reach those outside who are lost and in need of Jesus. The prayer was simple... "Father, Your Word calls me to be like Jesus so teach me how to become a friend of sinners like He was. To love people for who they are not what they do - yet not become totally corrupted in the process. Please teach me in Jesus Name". I prayed in faith but didn't expect the outcome that ensued. My heart became transformed by compassion for the lost and sinners to help them - but my heart also became so strongly opposed in utter distain to self-righteous false religion. I now fully understand Jesus seemingly harsh responses towards the religious leaders that eventually killed Him. Jesus was the absolute opposite of them. Jesus came to save - not judge and enslave. It's false religion that kills. Jesus came to bring life.

God knows you're going to have worries and concerns. He knows what you're made of and that at the end of the day we're all just dust. Fragile, broken and hiding our pain from others.

God knows what's going on and cares about your situation. He cares about your health, He cares about your emotions and He cares about your spiritual state. He knows that things bother us and weigh on us causing us to worry.

What His Word does say is to bring those worries, concerns and cares to Jesus and to throw them to Him. It doesn't say throw them on your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, Mum, Dad or friends. It says to throw them on Jesus.

He's the only one that can truly take the weight off of you. In return He will give you peace and wisdom for your life.

1 Peter 5:7 - Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 

I had my day all planned out today then I'm driving along and "bang" my clutch cable snapped flat to the floor. Managed to get it in first and limped it to a mechanic down the road. Probably going to be about $350 to get it fixed which I don't have right now but I trust God that He knows and will provide. Stuff happens, that's just life. God always cares. This is what God told me yesterday. I hope it encourages you. "Plans fail... Wounds are made... Things die... But just remember I AM the One who can revive even the most charred ashes into beauty and strength. I send small boys to behead the most fearsome and oppressing of giants when an army of men quiver and shake frozen in fear. I bring back to life little girls cold and lifeless held suffocated under the power and slavery of death when all hope is lost. I AM life. My Words never fail. [ John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ] 

Thought for you.. There's a guy in the Bible called Samuel. He's a guy that loves God and delivers God's messages to His people. He's called a prophet and he has special abilities in order to do his job. Often these unique gifts would allow for heightened perception and knowledge far beyond human capacity. Now one of his jobs was to find the new king of Israel. This king was a young boy called David but Samuel didn't know this yet. All he knew was he had to go to a house to find this new king. Samuel sees one of David's older brothers and immediately thinks "this has to be the new king". The guy is tall, distinguished, mature, strong, good looking. Ticks in all the right boxes. Then God speaks to Samuel and says "No, it's not him. You look on the outside but I look on the heart...". Why am I saying this? Because this is how God wants us to see people. Not for how they look, how popular they are, what they can do or what they give you. Look at people for who they really are inside. And how do you do that? Well, you test the fruit of their heart. Watch and listen and in time you'll see what's in their heart because it will undoubtedly show in their words and actions. Dont be deceived by just the outer shell even if it seems to tick all the right boxes. Learn to see hearts like God does and you'll gain invaluable wisdom for life. Goodnight guys. 

Welcome to my Ninja Training Ground. Hey, can I offer a little bit of advice to those younger than me? For those older maybe you'd agree. Please don't waste your life trying to get people to like you. Don't change just to be popular or to get noticed by "that person". It's called selling your soul and all it leaves is emptiness down the track. This may or may not come as a surprise to you but Im actually very hated for the way I am. I've been accused of being too religious as well as not religious enough. I've been told "I'm too much...just too intense". I've been told I'm not good enough, not tall enough, not young enough just not enough. Here's the thing... Follow me long enough and I'm sure you'll find 10 things to hate about me. But here's another thing... Several years ago before God healed me of depression I was one of those guys who did everything I could to get people to like me. I tried so hard to fit in and fill that hole inside. At the worst part of depression when I considered suicide something remarkable happened... God gave me a gift. Two actually. One was that I stopped caring what people thought of me. I cannot even describe the immeasurable freedom that came from seeing that prison shatter and crumble around me. The second gift was skateboarding. You see, you can't skate while you're worrying about what everyone thinks. Both gifts went hand in hand and every single day I thank Him for both. So what I'm really saying is this... Learn to love yourself the way God does. Don't worry about what people think. God never told us to do that. That's false religion that says that while holding a giant measuring stick at which you can never attain. God on the other hand says... "I love you. You're worth dying for. You're worth saving. You're worth relationship with Me". So go with what God says instead of the cold empty embrace of the worlds opinion. 

Just something God put on my heart last night while I was praying and walking through the mountains. I know there's a stack of people out there that feel like this... Forgotten, discarded, lonely, failures. Here's God's take on what you're going through... "You're not forgotten. Trust My process. I use seclusion to highlight weaknesses that need to be strengthened. Keep seeking Me in your wilderness and you will find Me.  Find me and I will also help you find yourself in all this. Still your beating heart and listen for My voice. It whispers like the gentle summer breeze but holds the power of the rock splitting hurricane. Learn to be still. Learn the ways of My peace even in the storm. Remember those who went before you... Joseph in the prison, Moses in the desert, Ruth in her loss, David hiding in caves. I use these times to refine those I have a special and unique purpose for. Trust in Me. I AM with you." Never forget God loves you. 

Hey, so I was driving to work today and thinking and praying about some things that happened in the past few years. The thing is this... Share your heart and even if you're loved for it - you're most likely also gonna get hated for it too. Wanna know the simple reason why? Because we live in a corrupted, broken world and just about everyone around us is in some type of pain. People so often think, speak and act from that pain and if you present something like happiness, peace, confidence and identity to them - well, it's likely those in pain will try to get you to join them in their pain rather than them join you in your happiness. So is the answer not to share your heart and become guarded with high, towering stony walls? I don't believe so. I believe this world needs an answer to its pain and the only one true answer is JESUS. So when you get hated for sharing your heart - don't let that hatred in to poison you, change you and stop you - instead remind yourself that God's love for you is so, so much greater than any cheap shots that hatred makes. Nothing compares to God's love for you. Nothing at all. Have a great day guys :D 

The Spirit of God led my spirit away in a vision to a wide open field. I stood in the middle. A gentle breeze blew across the long flowing green grass. He told me to turn and look to the edge of the field. "What do you see child?" He asked me in an calm yet authoritative voice. I looked and towards the tall wooden log fence I saw a large dark horse. As I studied its form and it's movements I could tell it was dangerous. It's movements were wild and abrupt. It seemed constantly agitated and furious at the same time. "Go closer and see..." The voice told me. As I moved towards the fearsome beast I saw it's eyes. Bright red and bloodshot, bulging from its head. It was truly terrifying to even be in proximity of this animal. It turned and stared at me in disgust stamping thunderously with it's hooves as if to warn me of it's murderous intent. "It's name is Chaos...a wild beast, untamed, savage and beyond reason..." the voice echoed over the now still air. "Now, turn and tell me what you see child..." I cautiously turned my back on this dark fiend and shifted my gaze across the field to the opposite corner. In the distance I could see another horse. From first glace it seemed unremarkable.


As I got closer I saw it was just a normal horse. It's eyes were closed as it stood in the shelter of a small stable. "Go and see..." The voice whispered in a welcoming tone. I slowly walked across the field and entered the old dusty stable. The horses eyes were still closed as it stood motionless - like it was waiting for something. As I got closer it moved its front hoof and gently shifted a wooden bucket towards me. I heard water inside sloshing to and fro. "Did it want me to wash it?" I asked myself. It nodded seemingly to be able to hear my thoughts. I gently grabbed a stiff bristled brush from the bucket and began to wash the sides and back of the horse. It remained perfectly calm the whole time. Motionless. Eyes closed. Waiting. As I finished washing the last inch of the horses front leg and it began to step out of the stable and into the sun. It walked several paces until fully bathed in the sunlight and then it paused just standing there... It turned it's head towards me opened it's eyelids to reveal perfect ethereal blue eyes that gazed deep within me. Then it reared up on it's hind legs and came crashing down to the earth sending every drop of water away from it in an explosion of power. I was totally dumfounded to see that the horse I first considered totally unremarkable now stood before me as a perfect white stallion.


I knew now this was no ordinary horse... this horse belonged to someone truly important. I knew immediately this horse belonged to the King. What happened next left me even more puzzled. This utterly majestic beast then looked at me again then lowered it's stance to a crouching position as if to invite me to climb atop it's back. There was no saddle. Nothing at all. Just a horse I'd never met and me. Yet it remained there. Patiently waiting for me to accept it's uncanny invitation. "What have you to fear child...?" The voice whispered as I slowly approached the white horse. I gently climbed onto it's back and took hold of it's neck trying my best to balance as it slowly returned to it's full posture. Something was different about this horse. It was like it was helping me to ride it. As my weight shifted to the left the horse adjusted it's upper muscles intuitively keeping me upright and in perfect balance. Strange. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before. A synchronicity not from this world. Then it stood there. Motionless again. Like it was waiting for something. I knew what it was waiting for now... me. I shifted my gaze from one corner of the field to the other and instantly the horse responded in a full gallop. It's speed and power was unmatched yet I felt completely safe and at peace.


"It's name is Serenity...." The voice echoed as I put it through it's paces. Nothing phased it. I looked towards the gated fence and immediately it realigned it's position and prepared itself to jump. "Would it even make it over that huge fence?" I thought but was proven absolutely wrong as it effortlessly sailed through the air clearing the fence with several inches to spare. Before me lay an open hillside scattered with rocks and small shrubs. The horse again waited motionless for my bidding. I gazed at a hilltop far in the distance and then uttered the words I was led to form "Ish... Naman... Kichto... Piras!" The horse began at first with a gallop but then unleashed it's full power and speed. I had never in my lifetime seen or felt anything like it. The world around me faded from colour to black and white and the outlines of everything heightened. Such ferocious world bending speed. It's hooves struck the ground in a unique and distinct rhythm that I could hear what could only be described as distant thunder trailing behind me. In only moments of my mind I was there on the hilltop... motionless. I looked down across a shadowed valley and saw hundreds of black horses. They looked exactly like the first one I saw but if it were possible even more menacing. On the opposite side of the valley I saw open fields.


I knew what I had to do. I had to pass through them. As I began my decent the dark horses immediately sensed my presence and began the chase. While my horse was graceful and fluid they were the complete opposite. Their overly muscular legs while enormously powerful seemed to hinder their speed somewhat. What they didn't have in speed though, they made up for in sheer madness and aggression. They charged entire trees sending them splintering and shattered large rocks in their stride. The ground was left split in a wake of destruction as they poured themselves over the landscape. "The forest..." The voice guided me. I knew that's where I needed to be. As I weaved in and out of towering pines and oaks my horse effortlessly shifted it's posture and weight to counter-balance me. This truly was an amazing animal. It's ability to read me was nothing short of astounding. I glanced over my shoulder to see the dark rabble forging a path through the forest albeit not with the speed and agility the white horse possessed. I saw a clearing up a hill with sunlight peeking through and headed for it at full speed. The dark stallions increased their pace matching mine with only seconds between us now.


Then I saw it... the chasm. A giant split in the hillside with no end. "Do not fear child..." I heard the voice reassuringly say so I shifted my gaze to the sunlit fields across the divide. The world again faded it's colour and this time even sound was bent to a still whisper. Effortlessly the white horse sailed the unseen torrents of the wind and in perfect balance landed the other side totally un-phased. I looked back and saw the dark horses stamping and breathing out disgust, hatred and malice at their inability to cross the ravine. Now standing in the field atop the majestic stallion the voice of God asked me "So what did you learn My child...?" I learned to trust your peace God. That despite appearances peace is greater than chaos and that God will always make a way.

[ Isaiah 54:10 - Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. ]