If our identity comes from the One who overcame the very world we live in, then our declarations should be that of His character.

Every lover of Christ has a mandate over their life, and that is the expansion of His Kingdom. Our heart should cry out night and day “souls!”. What am I destined for?

-I am destined to walk in righteousness
-To live a life in genuine pursuit after the Father’s heart
-To be a beacon of light to the inner city
-To serve the third world countries
-To lead His people in surrendered worship
-To testify hope to a hopeless community
-To love the unloved
-To speak to the crowds.

Whatever the Spirit has stirred up inside of you, SPEAK IT OUT.

Make a declaration of trust in the destiny the Father has called you to.

des·tined/ˈdestind/Adjective

David spent a part of his life in solitude, away from everything and everyone. This season took him to En Gedi, an oasis in the Judean Desert where he hid from persecution. Alongside being physically alone, he spent times where he felt completely alone, crying out for God’s comfort. One thing that stays constant throughout David’s cries are his declarations of trust. Even when he had declared everything as hopeless, he still managed to come back to a place of full entrustment.

How do we remain hopeful in a season of silence? If there is a season of silence, it is because God has already spoken. Instead of looking for the next specific word, focus on what He already spoke over you a week ago, a month ago, even when you were a kid. Even when silence comes, even when night falls, remain trusted in the promises that have been spoken over your life. Do not forget His promises, His calling. Remain constant in pursuing God, even in the silence.

“I stay awake through the night, thinking about Your promise.”
- Psalm 119:148

As you return or continue into this Fall, as old routines are picked back up, don’t forget that God’s work is in season and out of season. As followers of Christ, we are called to full time ministry. (2 Timothy 4:2). Our profession is not our ministry, our life is our ministry. The way we live our daily life at work, at school, or even at home will set us apart, to have a willingness to follow Jesus in every way.

Dedicate this current season as a season of living intentionally. Live out your walk faithful to the calling that has been placed over your life. Be intentional with your relationships, when it’s comfortable and when it’s not. Aim for a selfless season of being intentional and watch God move.

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season”

2 Timothy 4:2

Coming back to the states, I felt stronger than ever, more alive than I had ever felt. I was determined to keep living my days in full pursuit after God’s heart. I soon found out that the faster you run towards that, the faster the enemy tries to catch up. Within these past two months, I have experienced some of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, I have clearly seen the enemy confuse my thoughts and do everything possible to create a mental ‘dead end’ in my walk.

I came to California about a month ago to serve at a Christian summer camp as a counselor for the season. These past two weeks, I’ve felt my heart ache for my previous season in Israel. The connection I had with Jesus, the passion I felt in my every day. I’m starting to find out that all that has been missing is my focus. I can live my life focusing on previous seasons and letting this current one be missed or I can choose to move forward, focus, and live in the season that I have been called to.

God will always be in relentless pursuit after my heart, it’s how focused and open I am to Him that will determine what I will receive with this new season. The moment we focus solely on Him and our current season is the moment that we will experience satisfaction. Everything outside of who God is or what He has put in front of me is simply a blurred life. Grab hold to the promises that are in front of you and live fully submerged and focused in them.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”
- 2 Corinthians 4:18

One thing I’ve learned is that if I never feel confusion again, I’ll never experience clarity or if I never experience some sort of change, I’ve stopped living. Life is about mistakes, experiences, and growth. How can I get up, if I never fall? My cousin once told me “We are blind to the beauty of a rainbow, without the experience of rainfall.”

If I want to live every day like it’s my last, then I need to start living. What does it mean to live? I’m not sure; but, I’ve only come up with a simple suggestion.
I’ve watched the  middle-eastern sun setting behind the Judean wilderness, I’ve felt the rainfall on my face as I lay on the rain forest floor in the Caribbean, I’ve seen the moon cast it’s subtle light over the Mexican countryside, and I’ve smelled the wind lifting off the Mediterranean Sea.

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that living isn’t limited to where you have or haven’t been. I’ve seen the same look of despair in the eyes of a Muslim woman begging for money than I did in the  eyes of a young, Mexican boy begging for food. There is need everywhere, life isn’t about where we can go or what we can see, it’s about the appreciation of what we have been given.

We will always be confused about something in life; but, we decide the amount of interference we allow it to dominate in our daily. I’ve come to realize that I will never be sure of anything and I’m okay with that. Nothing in life is permanent, there are only seasons. Live in the season that you are in. The moment you let your confusion dominate, is the moment you’ve stopped living.

“I used to go away for weeks in a state of confusion.”

-Albert Einstein

I took a drive to visit my parents one afternoon and when I got home I did what I’ve always done, I sat on the kitchen counter and talked to my mom while she cooked dinner. She told me something that really spoke to me. She said ‘Marcos, you have a calling on your life greater than you can begin to comprehend. Don’t let the enemy delay you from grabbing a hold of it by confusing you.“ For the first time, I realized that my prayers and my search for God’s answer were completely off. I wasn’t praying for God’s direction or His will, I was praying for Him to confirm MY plans, not His. When I began to pray for God’s direction, my season of silence ended.

For the first time in my life, I began to feel a new passion and God began to speak and open doors I never wanted open. Part of this new passion was to go to Israel. When God opened doors for me to go, I ran through them. I wanted to do anything to keep this new passion. In Israel, I met a faithful God. A new Jesus. I discovered a new kind of beauty. As I walked where He walked, prayed where He prayed, and cried where He cried, He met me. Everyday I would awake with an open, heavy heart for seeking Him more. The more I sought Him, the more He met me.

Knowing Jesus begins with an intimate encounter. It’s about a personal relationship. If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that my God is faithful. ‘Seek Me and Find Me’ is real to me. If you genuinely desire God’s direction, you have to be willing to surrender your own pre-conceived notions of what you want or expect. How can you see what God’s direction is for your life if the notepad you want him to write it on is already full? Surrendering means to rip out the page of your expectations and dedicating the entire book to God’s writing. Only then will you be able to read it and be led through His spirit.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”
-Proverbs 19:21

]]> http://riveramarcos.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/direction/feed/ 0 Marcos The_Notebook_by_the_bumble_bee_one http://riveramarcos.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/shalom/ http://riveramarcos.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/shalom/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 01:41:53 +0000 Marcos Rivera http://riveramarcos.wordpress.com/?p=122 ]]> On Monday, Israel remembers an event in Jewish history that will forever be in the minds of its’ people, the holocaust. Israel made this day into a national remembrance day called “Yom HaShoah”. This day is incomparable with any other remembrance day I have ever experienced. Every year on this day at 10AM, a siren sounds. For 2 minutes, the country stands still. Everything is quiet, cars stop, people stop walking, talking, and just stand in complete silence as they pay tribute to the dead. Early on Monday morning, me and my friend, Brianna decided to head to a local coffee shop to grab some iced coffee before it was time to load the tour bus. As my barista was making my coffee, I heard a small, distant siren. When I looked up, the man making my coffee had turned off all the machines and was standing with his hand on the off button of the last machine paralyzed. As I turned around and looked around me, I felt like I was in a scene from the Twilight Zone. People outside stood paralyzed in mid-step, cars completely stopped, and a silence I had never experienced. When the seemingly endless two minutes came to a finish, life was breathed into the city again and everything started back again.

The rest of the day, we spent at Israel’s national Holocaust museum. We took tours, learned about the holocaust, but most importantly, we had the opportunity to listen to a holocaust survivor talk about her experience. She spoke about moving from family to family at the ages of 3-9 and being passed on by strangers because of persecution. As she was passed on from stranger to stranger, she gained and lost identities, names, and gender roles. Both of her parents and her brother died in the holocaust. One thing that will always stay with me is that when one of our students asked her about her approach towards her feelings towards the Nazis today. She replied, “I have forgiven them and don’t regret anything”. Another thing that shocked me even more was that she is not a Christian woman, yet she has grasped the meaning of forgiveness more authentically than most Christians.

On Tuesday, we visited The Burnt House. This site was uncovered during excavations in Jerusalem. The house was discovered with burnt evidence that it belonged to a priest during the second temple era. We watched one the funniest movies I have EVER seen at this site. Along with horrible acting, and and over dramatic script, the movie was bluntly, hilarious. After this site, we visited The Third Temple Institute. This is a place that is dedicated towards the building and beginning the construction of the third temple’s belongings. We learned a lot about the 1st and 2nd. temple and the prophecy of the 3rd temple that is yet to be built.

After the sites, we had a 2 hour lunch break. My friend, Ryan, my professor, his daughter, and me went and shared a large pizza pie while overlooking the city of David from the top of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City. Afterwards, we met up with the rest of our friends and went shopping for the rest of the time. We regrouped later in the afternoon and visited the Western Wall Tunnel. This tunnel runs through the bottom of the Muslim Quarter in the old city and you are able to walk by and touch the wall stones that originate to King Herod’s time. There is a specific place along the tunnel that the wall used to be shared with the Holy of Holies part of the temple.

On Wednesday, we visited the Temple Mount. This is the place where the world wide known Dome of the Rock stands on. This area is where both the temple of Solomon and Herod stood on. In Modern Day Israel, this area is now under Muslim control and placed in it is the Dome of The Rock, a Muslim Shrine. This site was surreal and beautiful. We learned alot regarding the ‘foundation stone’ that lies inside the shrine and the geographical location of the dome of the rock in relation to the 1st and 2nd temple.

After visiting the Dome of the Rock, we waited for about an hour while our bus came. When we finally got on the bus, our driver made it very clear that why he was late. After slamming the rear view mirror into a line of parked cars, he proceeded to parallel park in a space that couldn’t fit half of our bus. As our group tried to hold in the giggles and laughter, he rammed the back of the bus into a retaining wall. We then continued towards our next site where we were about an hour late. This was an archaeological dig site where we weren’t able to dig as much as planned because of our tardiness. After the archaeological dig, we visited a site that we know for sure isn’t certain but provided a great visual of The Upper Room. (Where Jesus and His disciples had the last supper).

On Thursday, it was our last full day. Our professor decided to give us our last day of relaxation on the beach of Tel Aviv. We visited the Museum of Diaspora first. This museum is located in the center of the Tel Aviv University. Of course, we had the same driver that got us in 2 accidents the day before, so we were an hour late to the museum. However, we learned a great deal about Jewish traditions, holidays, and overal preservance of faith throughout the decades. After the museum we hit the beach for the rest of the day. It was the most fleshly, perfect day I have spent in the entire trip. (lol).  We split up and were able to do as we pleased for the remainder of the day. Me and my new israeli family decided to grab lunch. Nothing really seemed to grab my attention so I enjoyed a nice warm apple pie with cool vanilla ice cream and perfectly crunchy french fries.

We rented beach chairs, umbrellas, and I fell asleep to the sound of the waves crashing, the 70 degree wind quietly singing, and the laughter of my new friends tossing a football. This was, by far, one of my favorite days in the entire trip!

Friday was the day that we all dreaded. As we woke up in the morning at 10AM we shared a time of worship and communion. Two of the students wrote a song while at Ein Gedi the previous weeks and shared it with the rest of us. The song was a reflection of their God time and experiences that were revealed to them. The final morning worship brought me to a time of emotion before God. I thanked God for His faithfulness and revelation.

As I packed my things, finished saying goodbye to my room, and prayed over Israel one last time from my 4th. story balcony, my heart was filled emotion. My knowledge of Jesus, His life, His legacy, and His works has grown immensly. The desires of my heart are growing deeper each day to know more about my Father. We left the center we lived at for the past month and a half and headed out to our last dinner before the airport. We enjoyed traditional Israel food one last time and shared our favorite experiences from the trip with each other.

About 3 hours later as I stared out onto the dark, yet perfectly lit runway from my plane’s window I prayed and praised God for allowing me such a time as this. I will never know why He chose me, but He did. I will never know why He finds me worthy, but He does. My heart has found a love greater than life itself, a love that it calls, Home.

This has been, exceedingly, the best spiritual experience I have ever encountered in my entire life. I’ve discovered a new kind of beauty. The word has become alive, I understand Jesus better, and His will is becoming clearer and more attractive with every second that passes by. My life has completely changed, not because of a place, but because of God’s faitfhfulness, revelation, and His strengthening power in the moments of my brokeness and weakeness before Him.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

-Romans 12:2

After the lecture, we took a map exam on historical Israel. After our exam, we had the rest of the day free to do as we wished. Me and my friend Dutinn decided to head to the Old City and go shopping (bartering). I bought some mosaic tiled pottery for my mom and some other souvenirs. We then headed the Shook, or the Jewish market. As we got back from a day of shopping, we went out to dinner and called it a night because we had to wake up early the next monring.

On Saturday, our group woke up early. This was new because it was the Sabbath. We don’t usually go out on the Sabbath because we use it as a day to join the fellow community and stay in, rest, and pray. However, our last week starts in a couple of day and well we wanted to take advantage of every moment. We headed to Palestinian territory, where no other SEU group has been able to cross over into,We visited Jericho!  We climbed a mountain and visited a monastery built into the mountain.

After that, we visited the Old City of Jericho (downtown) and then we ate lunch at a restaurant named ‘Temptation Restaurant’. This restaurant is located in an area believed to be the area where Jesus was supposedly tempted the 3rd. time.  We enjoyed a loud, musical lunch and then we headed to the gift shop where a Muslim vendor proceeded to teach us tribal cries and danced. We had a great time! He was so happy that we enjoyed his company and made him laugh, that he gave us free oranges and bananas. haha!

Today was Sunday and we visited Haifa and a Muslim Mosque. We were able to visit and listen to a teaching on the top of Mount Carmel. This is the mountain that Elijah offered sacrifices to Yahweh. We also visited a Muslim Mosque. This was by far, one of the most diverse and out there things that we have done yet. As we were coming into the room where we were supposed to meet with 2 Muslim leaders, we were advised to ask any question that we wanted to. That nothing, respectfully asked, was off limits.

As we proceeded to ask about their religious standings and beliefs. We were informed that they were a specific sect within the Islamic religion in that they believed in parallel beliefs to that of the Christian faith. “Love to all, Hate to none” is their constituted motto and they believe in a reformer that lived about 10o years ago to  be their Messiah. One of our students, Justin, asked them a question regarding their beliefs of the after life. They proceeded to answer with an answer that made me sort of sorry for them. They strongly believe that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross. Of course, this completely awoken and shook up our group and before it got heated our professor courteously ended the discussion.

Moving on, personally, I have been experiencing something new. Something that has shaken me up like never before. For the first time in my life, I am experiencing tangible spiritual warfare. 2 nights ago while I was taking a nap, I became paralyzed from head to toe. When I tried to open my mouth, I couldn’t speak. I saw myself lying on my bed, motionless with the sensing of a bad spiritual influence pressing down my body on my bed. As I began to cry out in my mind, I started rebuking the spirit and claiming the blood of the lamb over my life. I began screaming at the top of my mind the power that I have been given through Yeshua. I commanded my angels of protection to battle and before I could finish, I fell into deep sleep. When I awoke later on, the experience overwhelmed me and brought me to fear and emotions.

That night I visted JHOP (Jerusalem House of Prayer) here downtown. As I seeked God for a word, I began to realize what He was trying to reveal to me. It’s easy to only see God as a loving and merciful Father, but we often forget that God is a warrior. As His children, we are Co-heirs and Conquerors with Him. Not only is it our position to serve as examples of God’s love, it is also our position as His children to claim the identity of the Warrior who is Christ and triumph over our Persecutors and be bold for the spiritual warfare that is amongst us. God is calling me to boldness and to claim my identity as His son, a warrior.

I’ve never experienced anything like what I experienced 2 nights ago. I’m beginning to realize more each day my calling and my identity within my Father. It’s overwhelming, yet drawing me closer to yearning for His protection and my position within His Kingdom. Keep me in your prayers and Thanks for keeping updated.

“ Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle“
Psalm 144:1

After that, we visited the Jezreel Valley. This is a valley that is biblically stated to be the place where Armagedon and the last final battle will take place. As we looked down at it from the top of a mountain onto the perfectly aligned crop fields, it was really an interesting view. We then visited Nazareth where we attempted to visit a church there but there was a funeral processional taking place. As we were leaving, I looked over and saw about 5 men carrying one of their brothers into the church in a casket over their heads.

In a life that is season, God’s eternal plan continues to remain, unfold, and amaze me. I have nothing to offer to Him, but my life. My surroundings will remain temporary and seasons will come and go like the wind. I’ve decided to trust in a God that is secure, stable, and everlasting. My will in Him becomes everlasting and His grace is sufficient and satisfying. I continue to be amazed at the eschatology of many people and their views on the end times; yet, I remain with one perspective and one that satisfies me completely: “I am seasonal; but my Father is eternal. I have decided to take up my identity through Him and His will is now my promise to an eternal life. This current season is rapid and changing, my promise is secure, unchanging, and permanent.”

On Tuesday, We woke up extra early and headed out to the North side of Israel. We visited Tel’Dan, Caesaerea Phillipi, and Golan Heights. I thought this day would be normal and sort of quiet, but it turned out to be THE complete opposite. I’ve noticed that there hasn’t been one day that’s been subtle or normal. God continues to excite and impress me daily. When we visited Caesaerea Phillipi, I wasn’t sure of what the site was about. We took a few pictures and then Dr. Davis began his teaching. He talked about Christ coming to Caesaerea Phillipi and the establishment of the church. I wasn’t aware that at the very site that I was standing on was the site that Jesus Christ stood at and spoke the words “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” -Mattew 16:18. This was the very site that Jesus Christ proclaimed the power that we as the body of Christ, the church have been given. I took a few minutes to pray and simply thank God for His boldness, His power, and His inheritance.

On Wednesday, we visited the Dead Sea!!!!! It was an amazing time! I floated like I couldn’t even believe I was floating! Two nights ago after skyping with my parents, some of my friends here at the center decided to have a guys vs. girls water fight on ALL floors. Before I knew it I was chugging liters of water at the girls alongside my friend, Dustinn. We were DRENCHED! But it was an awesome time.

Unfortunately, as I ran into the 1st. floor from the staircase attempting to make it to the elevator before it closed, I sunk my toe into the corner of a ceramic tile. I learned that running on a soaked floor is sometimes not the best idea. The Dead Sea is mainly salt, hence the ability to float without skill, so I was forced to wrap my toe up in a plastic and jump right in! It was amazing. We spent 2 hours there.

Today is Thursday and we just got back from the Jordan River. Yesterday evening we visited a place on the banks of the Jordan River where the river literally separated Israel from Jordan. The 10 feet wide river was the visible border between the 2 countries. Today, however, we visited a site in Israel along the Jordan River where we did Baptisms. As we sang songs and took some time of repentance and reflection before declaring our love through our baptism, I thanked God for redemption and grace. As my professor baptized me, my heart ached with thanksgiving. It was an overwhelming experience.

God has met me here in Israel and His comforting presence has remained prevalent throughout the trip. I’m heartbroken to be leaving in a couple of weeks, but excited to share stories and begin to be bold and uncomfortable for the Lord. I’ve experienced life running from the will of God and have only found confusion. I’ve found a love that’s greater than confusion and this life. I’m excited and blessed. Keep me in your prayers and thanks for keeping updated!

On Christ, the Solid Rock I stand. While other ground is sinking sand.
No power of man, no scheme of man, can ever part me from His hand.
Here in the power of Christ, I stand.

On Friday, I felt much better and our group headed out bright and early to the Via Dolorosa. In Latin this means ‘Way of Suffering’. This is the same street that Jesus Christ carried His cross to Golgotha on the day of His crucifixion. As we walked inch by inch crowded and squeezed into the crowd of about 250,000 people we made our way through the 14 stations. One of our group members was spit on by a Muslim man  (in the face) and mostly all of us were called ‘Stupid American’ at some point or another. As some of our girls cried and the rest of us tried to stay together and not get pick pocketed by the person whose nose is rubbing against your shoulder, we made our way back to Jaffa Gate, out of the Old City, and on to the center. Later that night we watched the Passion of the Christ. It served as a great visual of what our Savior had to endure in order for us to be granted salvation.

On Saturday (Shabbat/Sabbath), the group stayed in and just spent the day together. We started the day at 10:30AM with lectures and study guides for our second exam that evening. We then moved into a time of prayer and worship. Our group decided to begin a 24 hour prayer watch at the center. We set up prayer rooms in every floor of our 4 story center. Since there are 33 of us, we decided to each take on an hour of prayer and for the rest we could pray together or pray more than one hour if we wanted to. I signed up for the 5-6PM time slot because I knew that it would be a time that I would be socializing. If you know me well, you know that socializing is my favorite thing to do; however, I’ve found that if in the small things we are faithful to God and dedicate time to seeking Him, He is faithful in return. As I spent the rest of the afternoon studying with a group of my friends on my 4th. story balcony for the exam, my 5PM prayer time arrived.

As I walked into the isolated, intimate setting of the prayer room, I opened the window that brought the light from the slowly, setting middle eastern sun in the room as Bethel and Jesus Culture’s worship filled the room. I brainstormingly prayed for many things. My walk, my family, my group, my friends, and Israel. His presence was faithful and met me. As I worshiped God for the things He had done in my life, I felt His touch and His heart comforting my words.

Later that evening, our group member, Brock that had been sick with Crohn’s for a few days now was booked a flight back to the states to undergo surgery. I’ve known Brock for about 2 years now. We lived in the same hall freshman year at SEU and we were supposed to be roommates on this trip. Due to my continuous sickness, he was taken out of our room in order to not further expose him to catching anything else. His leaving really had me in a down mood and just overall sadness for him. As we prayed over him in the lobby, with his airport ride waiting outside, he left us with a word that opened my eyes. He said “The sites and this experience has been incredible, but I’m not sad that I’m having to leave Israel. When Jesus comes back, He’s not coming back for these site, He’s coming back for us. I’m only sad that I didn’t get to spend more time getting to know my new family in Christ.” Keep praying for Brock’s healing and his family. God makes all things work together for our good and it has been an amazing 2 weeks of being with him here in Israel.

Today is Sunday, this morning we woke up at 4AM and headed to the Garden Tomb for Easter sunrise service. It was a great feeling being in the presence of God amidst 500 people at a sight believed to be the actual tomb where Jesus was buried and rose again. Tonight at 5PM we visited a modern day christian church called ‘King of Kings Church’ the service was phenomenal and overall exciting. God is doing some great things with our group and I’m looking forward to these last two weeks of being here in the same place my Savior, Jesus Christ walked, lived, and served.

La Via Dolorosa

Crowds of people headed to the 14th. Station,
‘The Church of the Holy Sepulcher ‘