on the winning side!

WOW! it has been forever since i have updated this blog, these past few weeks have flown by. First to start off--i went home for Christmas and enjoyed a great few weeks with friends and family and by the Jan 2nd i was back here. During these past few week i have completed quite a few books, 1 and 2nd Peter, Jude, 1st John, Gospel of John and Revelations. So that means that i only have 2 more books left-which I will complete next week (2nd and 3rd John) and then on to the Old Testament. I have a big test on wednesday-an oral test of the new testament where i have to say the key verse, main idea, reason written, when written, historical background and a distinguishing characteristics for each of the books--so lots of memorizing and i am reviewing them everyday.

It was really awesome going through the gospel of John last week-i always have loved the gospels and i really like John's writing style. Especially because John was with Jesus through so much-Jesus called him the disciple whom he loved-he was with Jesus during his death and Jesus even asked John to take care of his mother. So John and Jesus had a really close relationship. It was just so refreshing to read and see all that Jesus has done for us. The priestly prayer that is in John 17 is so encouraging because Jesus is talking about us-key verses that i liked include 17:20-26

"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may beleive that you have sent me. the glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you are in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father i desire that they also whom you have given me, may be with me where i am to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.......I made known tot hem your name and I will continue to make it known that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them."

This is Jesus' prayer for us and i encourage you to read all of chapter 17 and dwell on it-its pretty amazing.

This past week has been a bit different, I am going through the book of Revelations and by Saturday afternoon i will have read it 7 times this week--it is quite the bedtime story :) Instead of charting this book-the staff has been easy on us and we have to do summaries-the book is divided into 8 parts and we do summaries, observations, interpretations, and applications for each section. It has been nice to have a slower week because i have been sick and over half of our school is sick with the flu=i have been running a temperature for the past day and sleeping a lot so if you could just remember me and my fellow classmates in your prayers that would be awesome. As for the book or Revelations i am sure many of you are wondering and thinking what crazy thing does YWAM teach about Revelations. Well firstly I have read this book about 5 times already and still there are things that i do not understand and i don't think that i will every understand. One big mistake that i think people do when it comes to revelations is that they look at the details--the little things-how many heads the dragon had, or what color the horse was and they dwell on that and from that they have crazy ideas. We have big looking at more of the big picture things which has been really interesting and looking at the different views on end times including the rapture and 7 years...etc. it is quite interesting to see that so many of the views are absurd and don't have much to back it up-it doesn't talk about a "rapture" in revelations, and where do the get the 7 years of tribulation from? If you look at Revelations 1:9 it says

"I, John your brother and partner in the tribulation, and the kingdom and the patient endurance...."

After reading this verse it was pretty clear to me that John was in the time of tribulation and therefore we are still in the time of tribulation--take time to think about that. There are so many things about Revelations to look at but the main idea of it all is as Christians we have something to look forward to-the returning of out King and seeing God in all his glory. It will be amazing--the picture of the throne room in chapter 4-and how when the elders saw the glory of God they fell down. When people ask-o I wish God would show himself more--like physically i think God choses not to because people would be falling down and dropping-like we cannot even understand and wrap our head around the glory of God. And verse 17:14 summarizes the book : They will make war on the Lamb and the Lamb will conquer them for he is Lord of lords and King of kings and those with him are called chosen and faithful. This book has taken away a lot of my fears of end times for myself but at the same time it has scared me so much for the people that do not know Christ and those who do not have faith in him. They are going to go through so many hardships and things that are horrible. Jesus has offered himself up to us as a living sacrifice and he is a gift to all--it is whether you choose it or not. Those who choose Jesus will be saved and the ones that do not choose him--well i am really scared for them all. It will be a horrible life-much hardship, hurt, turmoil and ultimately death-and hell. That might sound really harsh and yet it is but i am realizing that, that is truth and Jesus is the only way-there is not gray area-you are either for Jesus or against him.

I am so blessed to be here, studying the word of God-he continues to be more and more real and i just want to encourage you to spend time with Jesus-read his truths and seek after him. Love you all

Breanne