Beyond our galaxy....

From September to December, these past three months have transformed my life, I've been able to spend every day digging into the Word. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was with God and the Word is Jesus. I'm going to share with you what I've experienced these past three months.
        Imagine that you thought the earth was all there was, you could see the sun, moon and stars but didn't really know how big they really are or even what they are. You've lived your life, traveled around the earth and said to yourself "I did it, sure I didn't get to explore every single thing in minute detail but I've got the overall knowledge of everything there is in the world." You believe you've seen it all, and why not? Nobody has ever told you that there is more than just the earth. Then, someone tells you about how our sun isn't the only sun, compared to others ours is microscopic! Our galaxy isn't by itself, we aren't even in the center! There are so many stars and planets out there, we've only hit the tip of the iceberg! Don't allow what you see determine what you believe! Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there!

          I came to this school seeing the earth feeling as if I've seen and know what Christianity is all about. I think my spirit knew that there was more but because I couldn't see it in outer space I didn't believe it. I'm not saying what we are doing is wrong, we were created to worship God but is there more that God has for us? Going through the day, praying for people, discipleship, these things are amazing and vital but is there more? We are a new Creation, but what does that really mean? New is something that has never been seen before, it's unique, there has never been anything like it! 

        I was moving forward, pursuing God but unaware that there is so much more beyond earth or even our galaxy. I found that just going day to day, living a good life, carrying the name of Jesus in everything I do. I think my spirit knew that there was something more, something beyond earth.  During the second week in October I studied the book of Romans, yeah I've read it before, many times. The life-changing transformation really came when I meditated and took the truth of the Word as it is. I'm not going to go into specifics of what God has revealed to me, except that what you think you know about God's ultimate plan for his Children is not even close. Well depending on what God has revealed to you.

        Jesus was not just an example for us, but also an example of us! Jesus said that we would do greater things than he did! Why not take that as truth? Healing, multiplying food, raising the dead, walking on water, transrelocating, walking through people and walls, what about the his transfiguration? All of this is what Jesus did and what God did for him and he was an example of who we are!
          What I really want you to see is that there is more than just what you can see, there is more than what you think there is. Continue to actively pursue God, it's a relationship and when we are seeking Him these things will come. 

Ask, ask and keep on asking. 

Seek, seek and keep on seeking. 

Knock, knock and keep on knocking. 

Pursue God with everything that you are, not 90% but 100% commit your entire life for His will! 

Don't let what you can't see determine what you believe.

Check out this video of the galaxies of the universe! It's amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRosM1TLyLw

3 Weeks Remaining!

There are only three weeks left of this school, time has gone by fast, last week I studied 1st and 2nd Kings and this week will be a minor prophet. I get to pick which prophet to study which is cool, I am thinking about doing it on Malachi. Next week I will study Daniel and then then it's graduation week and flying time! It has been an awesome 9 weeks so far, I have really been studying a lot, I know before I came it was difficult to just sit and read for hours and hours especially when the information seems dry, but I've learned a new habit I guess, I can read and read and read and read and not get bored!
My entire belief system has changed dramatically, in so many small areas that as a whole it's a big change. I'm very excited to get back home to share what I have learned and to continue studying those things that I am still trying to understand. There is so much that I have just brushed the surface of, questions that I have of foundational building blocks of a Godly world-view. I can't share most of it because I'm still learning why it's true or why what we believe is wrong so that I can know what I believe and know that it is correct.
Thank you for all your prayers and support! Both myself and my two roommates from here in SA are in need of financial about ,$600 all together.  If you feel led to give me a financial gift you can send it to my home address:

Jordan Nickel
5189 Round Lake Rd,
Klamath Falls, OR 97601

Thank you so much!

-Jordan Nickel

The Book of Acts

Acts, wow what an amazing book! I finished Acts 2 days ago, it's so awesome to see the difference between the apostles as men who believed and then men who were filled with the Spirit of God! In my small group I came up with my proclamation from my observation which is in my vertical (shown below).
   My observation was a key word, assume. It was used when Paul was seen with a Gentile in Jerusalem and then a few days later Paul was again seen in the Temple, although not with the Gentile but with a few Jewish Disciples. The Jews who saw Paul said, "Look! It's Paul, he must have defiled the temple by bringing that Gentile with him into the temple. They spread the word that Paul defiled the temple and everyone starting beating Paul, fortunately there was a Roman Cohort nearby that intervened.
   They only beat Paul because they assumed he defiled the temple. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
   If your wondering why you keep mouthing off, why you keep swearing, why you can't trust that God is in control of your life, why you keep getting angry, why you keep lying, why you keep avoiding that thing that you know you should change? If you've tried to do things to stop that sin that you've done for years and haven't ever been able to control it, then you are going to be glad your reading this today!
  The answer lies in your heart. Everything you do, say, and think comes from what you believe in your heart. Whatever you put in will come out, if you put in lemons do you think your going to get orange juice? If you put in angry, language filled movies what do you think you will be saying and thinking? What are you filling your mind with? Ask this question; 'does this (song, movie, book, magazine, website, clique, lifestyle, friendship) glorify God?
  Out of the abundance the heart the mouth speaks. So if you want love to come out of your heart, and love to be something you can physically see in your actions, words, thoughts and attitude then you need to stay in the Word. You need to hide that word in your heart, memorize it, meditate on it. Then your heart will change, you will create new beliefs that will remove the old ones.
     But don't forget the old ones will try to get back in as much as they can. Remember if your bothered, and disgusted by some thought, or action that you used to do and don't want to do anymore then remember it's not you! You died and it's just your old man trying to get back in!
It takes time to change your beliefs, keep pushing and keep striving to become an exact replica of Christ. Here is a link to a book that goes deeper into the subject our beliefs, Change Your Heart, Change Your Life by Gary Smalley.


Here is my Horizontal, Verticals and Basic Required Information for Acts: