Hey, So I was asked to talk about God today and wasn't sure where to start. So I prayed and asked God for help and He gave me two stories from the Bible to talk about. I wasn't sure how they linked up at first but as I started speaking it made sense. The first story was about a King in the Bible called Hezekiah. Long story short, Israel at that time had a pretty long string of bad Kings full of corruption, greed and sin that brought nothing but death and problems to everyone in the land. This guy Hezekiah was pretty good guy. He wasnt perfect but he loved God and did his best to follow His ways and I'm sure it was a nice breath of fresh air for the people of his country. Hezekiah fell very ill and was facing death. A prophet called Isaiah was sent to tell Hezekiah that his time has come and he is going to die. The message was simple. "Get your house in order, you're going to die." As much as this wasn't exactly the most positive message to receive it was extremely merciful for God to tell him this as so many of us never know when our time is up.


The part that follows is quite amazing. Hezekiah humbles himself, gets on his knees in tears before God asking God to spare his life. He weeps bitterly before God asking God to keep using him as a King to lead God's people - and God hears. God answers and says "I will grant you another 15 years as King" and as a sign to prove it God made the shadow of the sundial go backwards. For this to happen is scientifically, logically and universally impossible - yet it happened. What God was saying was this "I rule time. I live outside of the confines and laws of time and I command them as I wish". Hezekiah lived 15 more years as God said in answer to his humble cries. The next story God brought to mind was the story of a young, desperately beautiful girl living in a dangerous foreign land. A land where people who had her origin were being hunted and killed. Her name was Esther. She was chosen among many of the most beautiful girls of the land to be in line to become the next queen. She would be the most powerful woman in one of the most powerful nations of that age - Persia.


The only problem was she was an orphan child born a Jew. The Jews were being targeted for assassination left, right and center and Esther had to be extremely careful who she trusted or she would be the next one with a target on her back. Here's the thing... this girl was special. The beauty she had went much deeper than just what you saw on the outside. Far, far deeper. She gained the highest level of favour from the foreign King but knew all along if she revealed her true origins it most likely would mean her death and the death of all those she knew. But the true beauty in her was her fearlessness in the face of certain death. She prayed to God asking Him to help and save her people from being cruelly wiped out - and God heard and answered. Esther revealed the truth that she was among those being hunted and killed and God did the impossible. He turned the Kings heart towards Esther's plight and answered the cries of all His people. Esther became a true heroine. Royalty embodied. Sacrificial love for the sake of others despite her own peril. The very heart of God.


God was so faithful and He protected her, blessed her and as a result - used her to be an instrument to save the lives of her race... the people of God. So I'll finish here with this. God hears. Don't ever think He doesn't hear you. He hears you just fine. Even those silent cries in the night. He hears the groans from your broken heart and knows your pain. He may not answer when and how you like but know that He hears and is forever faithful. His ways are far above our ways and He operates on very different terms to us. Know this, there are no limits for Him. Time, Death, Resources, People. He needs none of it to do what He does. He is all you need and more. Keep calling out to Him because He loves you and hears. He will make a way through the darkness. Hold on because you are loved and heard. You are valued and known. Your God will save you and reply to your cries with His strong arm of salvation and redemption. I'm praying you have an awesome day today. Don't give up.  

[ Psalm 34:17 - When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. ]

You can hate me, you can rate me but you'll never break me...
I won't fight you or even bite you but my Lion, He may fright'n you-

So you keep spittin that venom and dishin that hate...
Cos you know that a difference it ain't gonna make...
See I've read the whole story, the end of the book...
And all of yours burns, everythings gonn be took-

I ain't afraid of you snake and He's told me your game...
This fake world of yours on my soul has no claim...
So I will not be threatened, slowed down or be bought...
Cos my King won my heart on the day that He fought-

So bring all your worst and pile up the pain...
Stack up the sadness and heap up the shame...
Cos My God is the fire and your craft is the wood...
So the evil you give, He will turn it for good †

My Jesus makes beauty from ashes and makes strength from weakness. He's been doing it since day one when He spoke just simple dirt into one of His most exquisite, most intricate and most valued masterpieces ever made...us. He loves you far more than words can ever say and has plans for you far deeper and even better than you could possibly ever imagine. All He needs from you is those burnt up ashes given to Him as a humble offering and He will breathe life anew into what seems to us as long dead and forgotten. It's what He does... Creation and Re-creation. That's why He is called among many names 'The Redeemer'. God loves you.  

Hey, Girls... God made you beautiful and you don't need a second opinion to prove that. You're not someones play thing and you're not in competition with any one else. You're just awesome the way you are so be the best you - not someone elses version of you. Please don't sell out and give yourself up for cheap thrills, you're worth so, so much more than that. There's nothing more beautiful than a girl who knows her true worth. Trust God - He loves you.

And guys, God made you to lead. A true leader leads in love - strong, selfless love. This is the type of stuff heroes and soldiers are made of. Love that stands and takes the blows so others don't have to. Resist the urge this world tells you to be better than everyone else and instead be the best at showing that type of sacrificial, selfless love. The world certainly doesn't need more rulers that lord it over others through pride and ambition - the world needs more true soldiers that stand in strong, pure love for others. God says you are that man and He stands with those who follow Him.  

Believe it or not - these wheels are from the very first skateboard I ever owned as a kid. I got my first board for Christmas when I was about 11 and got the deck autographed by Tony Hawk when he visited my city. I found my old deck in my Mum's garage when I dropped by at Christmas time and even though the deck was all hacked up and trashed, the wheels where still in pretty good shape. So I pulled them off, fitted some fresh bearings and slapped them on a spare deck I had at home and viola... instant retro cruiser. And by retro I actually mean retro. These wheels are old :) I never was the best skater in the world and certainly wasn't one of those kids who had a natural talent when it came to skateboarding but I did have one thing about me... I never gave up. I would take some absolutely massive stacks and end up as a crumpled bleeding mess on the road so many times - only to get back up and go all over again. Funny part is that part of me hasn't really changed at all.

Some kids asked me the other day what my favorite trick in skateboarding was and the answer was easy. I told them it was the first trick I ever learned and the trick that had me hooked right from day one. One thing I'll never get sick of and I'm still chasing it every time I step on a board. I asked them to guess and they shot off a stack of good tries but none of them were right. I told them my favorite trick is... SPEED. I still remember that first time bombing down a huge hill at full speed, barefoot and desperately trying to keep the death wobbles under control while at the same time soaking in that irreplaceable feeling that nothing in life comes close to. The only thing that maybe matches it is those dreams you have where you can fly and you can see the texture of the road streaming by under your face as you soar through the air. That's about as close as it gets. I remember being about 15 and being in the back of my Mums car at the top of a huge hill near where we lived. The cops had closed off the road all the way down the hill because of a massive petrol station fire and I just knew this was my moment...

I asked Mum to let me out, I grabbed my board and bombed that hill all the way from the top to where it flattened out and my wheels were just about melting from the friction and speed they'd just endured. No exaggeration, it was at least 3km of downhill bliss taking up both lanes on every corner and tucked in like a fighter pilot on a mission to break the sound barrier. So yeah, these wheels have seen some action. Some fairly serious action. These days they have a bit easier life and pretty much only get used when I take the dogs for a run but I know they've still got it in them. Can I just say this... Don't think just because something is old that it can't do great things and hasn't seen action. That old guy you know has a story and probably a few things He might be able to teach you. That old lady I'm sure has some very wise lessons about life and love to teach you too. I never knew  any of my grandparents so I never got the chance to learn from them but if you're blessed to have them in your life take the time to sit and listen once in a while and I'm sure they'll surprise you with a depth of wisdom that only comes from walking the path of life.

There's wisdom all around us and truth be told it often isn't in the obvious or loudly publicized places. It's often in the quiet places, the 'nothing to prove' places, the humble places. Like these wheels, anyone else just sees some super old Variflex 60/90 retro wheels from a broken up skateboard... but not me. I see a story. Everyone has a story. Everyone has worth. God loves you. 

Hey, I'm gonna be honest with you guys right now. I'm going through a pretty rough time... As a matter of fact, it's been a pretty rough time for a long time. Maybe too long for my liking. But here's the thing. When Jesus responded to my cries and met me, set me free from all my demons and woke me up He didn't do it for me to just play and party. Yeah, He set me free because I definitely wasn't free but there was a much greater reason for what He did. He opened my eyes - my real eyes and I saw things that very few can comprehend let alone even listen to. He showed me a lot of things I'd missed before, a lot of hidden things, a lot of terrible things. He warned me of things to come and how to identify my enemy and his movements. He trained me how to fight, how to pray and how to watch and learn. He unlocked things in me that I never ever knew existed. When He broke me out of my prison which was hell on earth I expected to wake up in a type of paradise. I expected a perfect tropical island but instead I awoke in a blood stained ocean in the middle of a battle. A battle that we are losing badly.


After being set free, I expected life to be much simpler, much easier, much more idealistic but boy was I wrong. By setting me free and opening my eyes I now saw what was really going on around me. It was war and the casualties are all around us. It broke my heart and reduced me to tears for weeks and weeks at the state of this planet and the church of today. Our enemy ravages and plunders the freedom of our people. God's children too often pick up the weapons of the enemy and use them on each other in cold betrayal. Depression, Addiction, Lust, Fear, Anxiety, Greed, Witchcraft and Violence roam and pick off the strongest of us first. I understand by saying this that many of you will find it offensive and most likely walk away and that's perfectly fine - this isn't a battle for civilians. It's a battle for soldiers. For those of you who are in one of those prisons right my message is simple. I was like you, chained, beaten, abused and tormented by my enemy until Jesus broke through. I'm here to tell you to keep crying out to Him despite how long it takes because when He does arrive... trust me when I say everything changes. Everything.


I'm here to tell you that once He has trained you, you will become far stronger than you could possibly ever have imagined. Strong enough not just to fight for yourself but also strong enough to stand between the enemy and his prey and fight for others. That's what a soldier does - He fights for the freedom of others. You know the stories from the bible how impossible odds were overcome by the small holding God's hand. God wants to write some new stories...When Jesus broke me out of my prison He did it for one really big reason... to wake up the soldier in me. I used to only care what people thought of me. It formed my very existence. I was a human chameleon that made myself into whatever was most liked in a vain attempt to fill the void of emptiness in me. Jesus changed all that when He revealed Himself to me as the Great I AM and He said something very important to me... He said... YOU ARE MINE. So, now I only care about what one person thinks. Jesus. Now there's only one person I serve. Jesus. Now there's only one person I will bow before.... JESUS. I prayed this week to my Father in Heaven in the middle of this tough time and this is what He said to me...


"Mark, what I want to see from you right now is defiance. I want to see the soldier that I made in you stand despite what's happening around you and despite very few standing with you. I want to see you defy the odds, defy doubt, defy fear, defy corruption, defy greed, defy lust and defy your enemy the Devil. I want to see the soldier that I broke out of prison standing in the face of the hurricane sweeping the horizon unmoved, weapon in hand ready to act when I give my orders." So here I am. Here I stand. For my King. Here I stand in defiance to my enemy because I believe in God's Word that says if I resist Him, He will turn and run. I believe in God's Word that it says the weapons of our warfare are not physical but full of latent divine power for breaking down prisons - and I plan to use them to demolish as many prisons as Jesus lets me. I believe in freedom for our people that comes through no other means than the Name of Jesus. I believe in a Army of Light that will carry the beacon of Hope, Truth and Selfless Love to the hurting, the dying and the lost bringing them into the salvation and true life that comes from Jesus Christ.


I am not afraid to stand and if it means I stand alone, I will still stand. My King will be lifted up and His Name will be known as the Name that saves and transforms. There was no one else that was able to find me, heal me, awaken me and set me free. There is no other Name by which we will be saved. His Name is JESUS! Stand soldiers of the King. Stand because our King won the victory for us and wants us to walk in it to give Him the glory He deserves. 

Alive. Happy. Blessed. Loved. Secure. Transformed.

Seriously have the best day guys. Stay awesome :)

Jesus said "Love your enemies. Bless them instead of cursing them. Pray for those who abuse you that God will reach them and pray He helps them to know His love and truth that sets us free"

Not easy to apply but extremely powerful when we walk and do as Jesus taught us...

Father, I pray today for all my enemies and all those that have harmed me, betrayed me and in any way meant evil for me that you will bless them, provide for them, guide them, help them and reveal in them their true value in your eyes. I pray they would know your love Father and that they are worth so much more than their pain and their fear. Father be what they need you to be for my enemies today. Your Kingdom come, your will be done. In Jesus Name... 

Hey, take God's hand today and believe for the impossible. It'll be the best adventure you've ever had with the best company you could ever wish for. Have a truly epic day guys. God loves you always :)

So what makes a Christian? Is it what you do? Is it the things you do that get seen before others that identifies you? Is the money you give? Is the things you have? Is it your denomination and how big a crowd of people that believe the same as you that solidifies who you are? What is it that makes you a Christian? The simple truth is this - what identifies a Christian is to whom that person belongs. The word Christian originates from a Greek word that means "Christ-One" or "Christ-like". The Bible tells us that "the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch" in Acts 11 simply because when people were around them they way they spoke, acted and conducted themselves reminded them of Jesus. It was plain to see who they belonged to because they were like Jesus - they were "Christ-like". When people observed these followers of Jesus they saw selfless love, they saw truth, they saw boldness, they saw compassion, they saw the heart of God and they didn't need any more proof to know who these people had been with and had been exposed to. Guys, we live in a pretty dark world right now - the state of things both inside and outside the church is bleak to say the least. The love of money reigns and rules this world, selfless love is becoming more rare by the day and the truth is becoming harder to find as it's mixed in with so many contaminants from this world.

But this is all the more reason to rise up and be the light this world needs. It's all the more reason to raise your voice and let people know to whom you belong. There is only one hope for this world and only one way to true peace - His Name is Jesus. We live in a war torn world where passenger airplanes are shot out of the sky and precious lives are extinguished at the press of a button. Lives that had immeasurable value in God's eyes. Lives that God had plans for. Can I encourage you today to pray and ask God to raise up the soldiers of His Kingdom? Pray that the Lord of the Harvest sends more light bearers out into this cold dark world to bring His love, His truth and His hope to where it's needed most.

Of ourselves we cant do anything. Anything we do or have is simply because of the mercy, grace and provision of our Father in Heaven. We are all just little children in His eyes. Little swords lying on the ground. But if we submit to His hand... If we give up our plans, our desires, our pursuit of fame and fortune and instead pursue His Kingdom and His heart then this dark world can be reached. There was a time when children fought giants in the Name of God... and won. It's time the children of God stood up again. It's time the giants of fear, depression, greed, lust and sickness fell to the earth. It's time their heads were raised before others to show the power that comes when we humbly bow before our King as little children... and are raised as soldiers and conquerors for His Kingdom. It's time the world saw what true freedom looks like. It looks like Jesus. It's time...