"Unceasing prayer is a cultivated attentiveness to the God who is always and everywhere with us. Speaking all of our words, thinking all of our thoughts, taking all our actions, in the mindfulness that God hears, knows, sees. Praying without ceasing, then, is not so much something we do. It is a way we are, the way we inhabit our skin, move in the world. It is simply being awake to the reality that, though we can't see it all we know by faith it is there . . . It is a constant awareness. It is a continual, though usually silent, dialogue. It is a fixed habit of mind, a conscious and deliberate gesturing toward and response to God that after long practice becomes unconscious and instinctive." Mark Buchanan Your God is Too Safe.
"Prayer is not a way of making use of God; prayer is a way of offering ourselves to God in order that He should be able to make use of us. It may be that one of our great faults in prayer is that we talk too much and listen too little. When prayer is at its highest we wait in silence for God's voice to us; we linger in His presence for His peace and His power to flow over us and around us; we lean back in His everlasting arms and feel the serenity of perfect security in Him." William Barclay
"True, whole prayer is nothing but love." St. Augustine
"Make me what Thou wouldst have me be. I bargain for nothing. I make no terms. I seek for no previous information whither Thou art taking me. I will be what Thou wilt make me, and all that Thou wilt make me. I say not, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest, for I am weak, but I give myself to Thee, to lead me anywhither." John Henry Newman
"Teach me. O God, to use all the circumstances of my life today that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.
Let me use disappointment as material for patience:
Let me use success as material for thankfulness:
Let me use suspense as material for perseverance:
Let me use danger as material for courage:
Let me use reproach as material for longsuffering:
Let me use praise as material for humility:
Let me use pleasures as material for temperance:
Let me use pains as material for endurance." John Baillie
"Prayer is ruin's remedy, doubt's destroyer, the cure of all cares, the antidote to all anxieties, the grand panacea for all pains, and the golden key that can open the gate of mercy!" Charles Spurgeon
"Prayer is the lifting of an eye, the falling of a tear, the outdarting of an arm as if it would snatch a blessing from on high. You do not need long sentences, intricate expressions, elaborate and innumerable phrases; a look may be a battle half won. You may pray now or in the crowded street or in the busiest scene—you can always have a word with God—you can always wing a whisper to the skies. Pray without ceasing. Live in the spirit of prayer. Let your life be one grand desire, Godward and heavenward. Then use as many words or as few as you please. Your heart is itself a prayer, and your look a holy expectation." Joseph Parker
"Prayer need not be upbeat and optimistic. The true believer does not always rise from his knees full of encouragement and fresh hope. There are times when one may remain down in the dumps and yet still have prayed well. For what God wants from us is not the observance of a religious protocol, but just that we be real with Him. What He wants is our heart." Mike Mason from The Gospel of Job
"Prayer and waiting are intrinsically linked, joined at the hip. Prayer makes no sense apart from waiting. Prayer is about being made in the likeness of Christ. Conformed, reformed, transformed. If prayer was only about getting things—getting even, getting rich, getting well, getting justice—then we would call it something else. We have lots of names to describe the quest and method for getting those things: magic, medicine, capitalism, lobbying. But prayer is not about bartering and bargaining with God, haggling for the best deal; a pound of piety for remission of sickness. Prayer, at its heart, is about becoming like the crucified and risen Christ. And that is a work like wind carving stone. It is slow, painful, toiling work, rarely swift or easy. It is riddled with wrenching setbacks, and its break- throughs are more serendipitous than calculated. There are disciplines for prayer, to be sure, but no mechanisms. Gimmicks and panaceas—like glittery gimcrack lures for fishermen—are widely available and equally useless. There is simply no substitute for becoming like Christ other than being with Christ, and especially with Him in solitude and suffering and sorrow. And so prayer, like fishing, is about waiting. Prayer is the poetry of waiting. It is the language of those who know that what is now is not what should be and not what will be, if we wait." Mark Buchanan, from Your God is Too Safe
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
The River of God - Dutch Sheets
"We cannot clone revival,church growth or any otherform of ministry. Revival is notproduced, it is born. The river is not
just about God, it flows from Him.Lives and ministries can be plannedfrom a 'boardroom mentality' or in
the 'prayer room'. The first
produces the works of man,
the second births a move of God."
Say To Archippus..."
"And say to Archippus, 'Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it… remember my bonds'" (Colossians 4:17,18ff).
This personal footnote at the closing of Paul's letter to the Colossians deserves a closer look. Perhaps in this word of exhortation to Archippus someone may see an application to their situation today. The ministry (as Scripture intends it) was not, and is not, a position of privilege or class distinction. It was never intended to be a professional office for someone to aspire to, the way one might train to be a doctor or a lawyer. But our situation today is very different from Paul's time.
Today, ministry is often equated to position, influence, title, rank, special privileges, and the most coveted of all prizes: financial remuneration. Unfortunately this mindset is not a 20th century phenomenon. By the middle of the second century the post-apostolic church was already beginning to divide itself along the lines of the "ministers" and the "regular people". Less than 100 years after the last apostle died, after only one or two generations, the priesthood of believers began to be eclipsed by a clergy/laity distinction that continues unabated to this day. The message to the masses is that ministers are special and to be treated differently from the laity. Depending upon the organizational hierarchy, some ministers are even more special than others. Because we have permitted ministers to receive special treatment, people who crave special treatment are all the more attracted to the ministry of Organized Religion.
The situation in the Early Church was quite different. In those days, answering the call to ministry was to accept suffering, hardship, and possible death. Their example was Jesus, the Suffering Servant, and realizing that the disciple is not above His Master, they counted the cost and did not seek the ministry for self-serving purposes. Someone like Archippus had to be encouraged to fulfill the ministry God had given him. Why? Because it was not something anyone would pursue on their own accord. People did not pursue ministry in the Early Church; ministry pursued them.
Ministry was not organized into a hierarchy, and it offered them little or nothing in terms of financial or material reward. It promised little or nothing in the way of fame, recognition, or privilege.
For Archippus, it was not a matter of trying to make something happen, or create a ministry where none existed, or start a new church, or anoint himself to do something he wanted to do. He had already received a ministry from the Lord. The precise nature of this ministry, and what he was called to do, we have no way of knowing. It may have been something that, to our eyes, was grand and noble. More than likely, it was something small and seemingly insignificant. All we know for sure is that Archippus had received a ministry from the Lord, and he had not, as of yet, fulfilled it. Archippus knew it, and Paul knew it, and now everyone in Colossae knew it. He was called to something, and had received something from the Lord, but it was dormant, stagnant, inert, still waiting to be put to use.
Moses certainly knew something of that reluctance to go forth. The work of the Cross was so thorough in him that he begged God to send someone else. This kind of humility and self-abasement is admirable, and to be preferred over a self-confident swagger; but if we persist beyond a certain point then our protests become false expressions of humility and real disobedience.
Timothy had to be encouraged by Paul. "Stir up the gift that is within you by the laying on of my hands... for God has not given us the spirit of fear… be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord" (II Timothy 1:6-8ff). Paul does not tell Timothy to pray for a better opportunity, or passively wait for God to rise up within him and overwhelm him. Timothy needed to exercise the gift. He needed to stir it up. He had something to offer, something to contribute. Paul's exhortation was not to persist in false humility or passive waiting, but to be proactive, to stir it up, and serve the Body of Christ as a faithful steward. According to Paul's assessment, it was not a spirit of humility that held Timothy back, it was a spirit of fear.
Archippus, like Moses and Timothy, needed some prodding and pushing. Archippus knew there was a calling on his life, and he knew he had received a ministry from the Lord. As content as he may have been to live life in the shadows, Paul would not allow him to continue to ignore that calling from God without some word of reminder, of correction, of encouragement to pay attention to it and see that it was completed.
There are some who, far from the extreme of seeking out ministry for their own ambitious ends, are content to passively wait for God to fulfill everything in His own time. They will do nothing to hinder it, but they will do nothing to help it, either. While this is commendable to a certain extent when compared to the compulsive hast of the ambitious, it is probably motivated more by timidity and fear.
Once a person has received their ministry from the Lord, the humble and patient waiting for it is finished. There was a time when Paul could resort to the desert of Arabia to be alone with the Scriptures and humbly wait for further direction, but when the Spirit finally did send him forth, he went without hesitation, without reservation. Now Paul says to his fellow laborer Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received from the Lord that you may fulfill it."
Like Frodo who was charged with taking the ring of power to Mount Mordor, the responsibility for the stewardship cannot be shrugged off or left to others. If every brother and sister in Christ would take heed to the ministry they have received of the Lord, and fulfill it, we would have no need of a professional clergy at all. May it never be so with the Lord's Ekklesia.
For those who have a heart along the lines of Archippus, Paul's final admonition is: "Remember my chains." And this last word, immediately following the exhortation to fulfill what God has called you to do, is a very potent reminder of what Paul suffered on behalf of his ministry. Following his own advice cost him his life. He was not afflicted with Italian suits, Rolex watches, facelifts, cars, jets, and homes; but like his Master, he embraced the Cross and died daily so that others could live. His ministry was characterized by self-denial, not self-indulgence.
Archippus is mentioned only once more in Scripture. A few years later, when writing to Philemon, Paul sends his greetings to "Archippus, our fellow soldier" (Philemon 2). If Paul greets him as a fellow soldier then Archippus must have certainly followed Paul's exhortation to fulfill the work God had called him to. He was fighting in the trenches, not criticizing from the sidelines of the battle. I pray that all those who have received something from the Lord will take heed to it, and fulfill the work of the Lord in a manner that brings glory, not shame, to the Lord of the Work.
This personal footnote at the closing of Paul's letter to the Colossians deserves a closer look. Perhaps in this word of exhortation to Archippus someone may see an application to their situation today. The ministry (as Scripture intends it) was not, and is not, a position of privilege or class distinction. It was never intended to be a professional office for someone to aspire to, the way one might train to be a doctor or a lawyer. But our situation today is very different from Paul's time.
Today, ministry is often equated to position, influence, title, rank, special privileges, and the most coveted of all prizes: financial remuneration. Unfortunately this mindset is not a 20th century phenomenon. By the middle of the second century the post-apostolic church was already beginning to divide itself along the lines of the "ministers" and the "regular people". Less than 100 years after the last apostle died, after only one or two generations, the priesthood of believers began to be eclipsed by a clergy/laity distinction that continues unabated to this day. The message to the masses is that ministers are special and to be treated differently from the laity. Depending upon the organizational hierarchy, some ministers are even more special than others. Because we have permitted ministers to receive special treatment, people who crave special treatment are all the more attracted to the ministry of Organized Religion.
The situation in the Early Church was quite different. In those days, answering the call to ministry was to accept suffering, hardship, and possible death. Their example was Jesus, the Suffering Servant, and realizing that the disciple is not above His Master, they counted the cost and did not seek the ministry for self-serving purposes. Someone like Archippus had to be encouraged to fulfill the ministry God had given him. Why? Because it was not something anyone would pursue on their own accord. People did not pursue ministry in the Early Church; ministry pursued them.
Ministry was not organized into a hierarchy, and it offered them little or nothing in terms of financial or material reward. It promised little or nothing in the way of fame, recognition, or privilege.
For Archippus, it was not a matter of trying to make something happen, or create a ministry where none existed, or start a new church, or anoint himself to do something he wanted to do. He had already received a ministry from the Lord. The precise nature of this ministry, and what he was called to do, we have no way of knowing. It may have been something that, to our eyes, was grand and noble. More than likely, it was something small and seemingly insignificant. All we know for sure is that Archippus had received a ministry from the Lord, and he had not, as of yet, fulfilled it. Archippus knew it, and Paul knew it, and now everyone in Colossae knew it. He was called to something, and had received something from the Lord, but it was dormant, stagnant, inert, still waiting to be put to use.
Moses certainly knew something of that reluctance to go forth. The work of the Cross was so thorough in him that he begged God to send someone else. This kind of humility and self-abasement is admirable, and to be preferred over a self-confident swagger; but if we persist beyond a certain point then our protests become false expressions of humility and real disobedience.
Timothy had to be encouraged by Paul. "Stir up the gift that is within you by the laying on of my hands... for God has not given us the spirit of fear… be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord" (II Timothy 1:6-8ff). Paul does not tell Timothy to pray for a better opportunity, or passively wait for God to rise up within him and overwhelm him. Timothy needed to exercise the gift. He needed to stir it up. He had something to offer, something to contribute. Paul's exhortation was not to persist in false humility or passive waiting, but to be proactive, to stir it up, and serve the Body of Christ as a faithful steward. According to Paul's assessment, it was not a spirit of humility that held Timothy back, it was a spirit of fear.
Archippus, like Moses and Timothy, needed some prodding and pushing. Archippus knew there was a calling on his life, and he knew he had received a ministry from the Lord. As content as he may have been to live life in the shadows, Paul would not allow him to continue to ignore that calling from God without some word of reminder, of correction, of encouragement to pay attention to it and see that it was completed.
There are some who, far from the extreme of seeking out ministry for their own ambitious ends, are content to passively wait for God to fulfill everything in His own time. They will do nothing to hinder it, but they will do nothing to help it, either. While this is commendable to a certain extent when compared to the compulsive hast of the ambitious, it is probably motivated more by timidity and fear.
Once a person has received their ministry from the Lord, the humble and patient waiting for it is finished. There was a time when Paul could resort to the desert of Arabia to be alone with the Scriptures and humbly wait for further direction, but when the Spirit finally did send him forth, he went without hesitation, without reservation. Now Paul says to his fellow laborer Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received from the Lord that you may fulfill it."
Like Frodo who was charged with taking the ring of power to Mount Mordor, the responsibility for the stewardship cannot be shrugged off or left to others. If every brother and sister in Christ would take heed to the ministry they have received of the Lord, and fulfill it, we would have no need of a professional clergy at all. May it never be so with the Lord's Ekklesia.
For those who have a heart along the lines of Archippus, Paul's final admonition is: "Remember my chains." And this last word, immediately following the exhortation to fulfill what God has called you to do, is a very potent reminder of what Paul suffered on behalf of his ministry. Following his own advice cost him his life. He was not afflicted with Italian suits, Rolex watches, facelifts, cars, jets, and homes; but like his Master, he embraced the Cross and died daily so that others could live. His ministry was characterized by self-denial, not self-indulgence.
Archippus is mentioned only once more in Scripture. A few years later, when writing to Philemon, Paul sends his greetings to "Archippus, our fellow soldier" (Philemon 2). If Paul greets him as a fellow soldier then Archippus must have certainly followed Paul's exhortation to fulfill the work God had called him to. He was fighting in the trenches, not criticizing from the sidelines of the battle. I pray that all those who have received something from the Lord will take heed to it, and fulfill the work of the Lord in a manner that brings glory, not shame, to the Lord of the Work.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
God Took You Seriously by Francis Frangipane
People give their lives to Jesus Christ for many reasons. Some need physical or emotional healing; others are in search of peace and forgiveness. Whatever our condition, God meets us in the valley of our need. Indeed, the Lord reveals Himself to man as heaven's answer for our needs. He is a "father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows." He even makes "a home for the lonely" and leads "out the prisoners into prosperity" (Ps. 68:5-6).
God uses our need to draw us to Christ. Yet, the consciousness of our need narrows our revelation of God, limiting His activity in our lives to the boundaries of our struggles. Thus, many Christians never awakened spiritually to the deeper call of God, which is to attain the likeness of Christ. We are forgiven, healed and blessed, but we experience a ceiling on our spiritual growth.Regardless, the Spirit of God remains committed to our personal transformation. If we should awakened spiritually to the vision of Christlikeness, the attention of God will approach us in a unique and powerful way. Indeed, two things will occur: one, we will read the Scriptures with revelation; God's word will speak to us in a much deeper way as we discover the reason why we exist.The second reality that will unfold is this: our lives will begin to progressively face greater challenges. You see, we think that just having a sincere desire to be like Jesus is itself an attainment, and it is. But it is only a beginning.
If we are serious about our transformation, God becomes serious in fulfilling our quest. He will place us in situations that are designed to kill our old nature, often compelling us to Christlikeness just to survive the battle.
Consider the heroes you have studied in the Bible: each faced great conflicts before they reached certain spiritual levels, and they often experienced greater conflicts after they enjoyed important breakthroughs. Look at what Joseph experienced before he attained his destiny. Or consider what David had to conquer before he became king. God is not squeamish about testing our character. His goal is to create in us the very life of Jesus.Consider what Jesus faced at the Jordan River. First, He was empowered by the Holy Spirit. We would think this Spirit-empowering would launch Christ into His public ministry, but instead He is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness. Why? The Bible says, "to be tempted [or tested] by the devil." For forty days Jesus fasted and prayed. At the end of this time, we might expect a great spiritual breakthrough, but the opposite actually occurred. In fact, the first supernatural being who appeared to Jesus after His fast was not God, but the devil.
Three times the character of Jesus was tested by Satan himself. Most of us are familiar with the story of Christ in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11), but remember: Jesus faced all three of these temptations without having eaten for forty days. In weakness, the tests grew more intense. And here is my point. If we are serious about personal transformation, we will soon realize that when we pass a test, life does not necessarily become easier. In fact, what occurs is that we soon graduate into something more difficult. And it is here, in the more difficult test, that our quest for Christlikeness is being answered.
Perhaps you are facing conflict that seems beyond your understanding. You ask, "Why am I in this battle? What did I do to deserve this conflict?" It is possible that the whole reason for your increased warfare is that you prayed, sincerely, "Father, I want to be like Jesus." God took you seriously.
God uses our need to draw us to Christ. Yet, the consciousness of our need narrows our revelation of God, limiting His activity in our lives to the boundaries of our struggles. Thus, many Christians never awakened spiritually to the deeper call of God, which is to attain the likeness of Christ. We are forgiven, healed and blessed, but we experience a ceiling on our spiritual growth.Regardless, the Spirit of God remains committed to our personal transformation. If we should awakened spiritually to the vision of Christlikeness, the attention of God will approach us in a unique and powerful way. Indeed, two things will occur: one, we will read the Scriptures with revelation; God's word will speak to us in a much deeper way as we discover the reason why we exist.The second reality that will unfold is this: our lives will begin to progressively face greater challenges. You see, we think that just having a sincere desire to be like Jesus is itself an attainment, and it is. But it is only a beginning.
If we are serious about our transformation, God becomes serious in fulfilling our quest. He will place us in situations that are designed to kill our old nature, often compelling us to Christlikeness just to survive the battle.
Consider the heroes you have studied in the Bible: each faced great conflicts before they reached certain spiritual levels, and they often experienced greater conflicts after they enjoyed important breakthroughs. Look at what Joseph experienced before he attained his destiny. Or consider what David had to conquer before he became king. God is not squeamish about testing our character. His goal is to create in us the very life of Jesus.Consider what Jesus faced at the Jordan River. First, He was empowered by the Holy Spirit. We would think this Spirit-empowering would launch Christ into His public ministry, but instead He is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness. Why? The Bible says, "to be tempted [or tested] by the devil." For forty days Jesus fasted and prayed. At the end of this time, we might expect a great spiritual breakthrough, but the opposite actually occurred. In fact, the first supernatural being who appeared to Jesus after His fast was not God, but the devil.
Three times the character of Jesus was tested by Satan himself. Most of us are familiar with the story of Christ in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11), but remember: Jesus faced all three of these temptations without having eaten for forty days. In weakness, the tests grew more intense. And here is my point. If we are serious about personal transformation, we will soon realize that when we pass a test, life does not necessarily become easier. In fact, what occurs is that we soon graduate into something more difficult. And it is here, in the more difficult test, that our quest for Christlikeness is being answered.
Perhaps you are facing conflict that seems beyond your understanding. You ask, "Why am I in this battle? What did I do to deserve this conflict?" It is possible that the whole reason for your increased warfare is that you prayed, sincerely, "Father, I want to be like Jesus." God took you seriously.
Friday, February 22, 2008
IN THE MIDST OF ABOUNDING LAWLESSNESS
One feature of the close of the present age that Jesus warned His disciples about was an upsurge of lawlessness.
Matt 24:12
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. Jesus indicated that many Christians would be infected by this prevailing lawlessness and as a result their love for God and His people would grow cold.
The essence of lawlessness is a rejection of authority. This has become an obvious feature of our contemporary culture. There is a widespread contempt for any rules or regulations that interfere with each person’s individual liberty. People are very forceful in asserting their "rights”, yet very reluctant to acknowledge their corresponding responsibilities. At times, the consequence is a condition bordering on anarchy. As Christians, we have to guard ourselves against this kind of attitude. We are required to show our respect for legitimate secular authority .
But first and foremost, we must cultivate and maintain an attitude of respect and obedience toward God our Father and toward Jesus our Saviour. This will be expressed in a corresponding attitude of respect and obedience towards God’s Word, the Scriptures.
John 14:23-24
Jesus says, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word … He who does not love Me does not keep My words.
We may claim to love God and we may even pray long and eloquent prayers or preach long and eloquent sermons. However, we do not honour and obey God by going through religious actions without having a lifestyle of holiness. In the midst of prevailing lawlessness it would be appropriate for each of us to make a fresh affirmation of our unreserved and total submission to the authority of Scripture.
2 Tim 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.
OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
One main area in which our submission to God and His Word will be tested is that of our personal relationships. Jesus laid down some very strict rules. For instance, He says concerning forgiving other people:
Mark 11:25-26
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Again, at the end of the pattern prayer which Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13, He added only one comment: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”.
We always need to remember that forgiving another person is not an expression of emotion but an act of self -discipline. For this we can depend upon the Holy Spirit, who is a Spirit “of power, of love and self -discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). Self-discipline is also required to produce the kind of attitude Paul describes in Ephesians 5:21: “submitting to one another in the fear of God”. This attitude of mutual submission is the key to right relationships both in the home and in the church.
Christians who refuse to forgive others or to submit to one another are in defiance of Scripture. Their root problem is lawlessness. They have opened themselves up to the spirit prevailing in the world around them. It will inevitably make them vulnerable to the evil angels who are their relentless enemies in the heavenly places.
THREE UNCOMPROMISING DEMANDS
We are confronted with three areas in which Scripture reveals clear, uncompromising demands of God, that apply to all Christians.
1. Respect for Christ’s authority operating in and through each local congregation.
2. Unqualified forgiveness for all who have wronged us or harmed us.
3. An attitude of submissiveness toward all our fellow Christians.
Obedience in these three areas provides Christians with a covering of scriptural authority that protects them from the attacks of satanic forces/demons in the heavenly places. Conversely, disobedience inevitably makes Christians vulnerable to such attacks. Clearly one needs to understand that attacks could also arise from:
a) Involvement in wilful, unrepented sin
b) A trial or tribulation set by God (Job)
On the basis of many years of experience in the Body of Christ, we as prayer leaders are convinced that the consequences of disobeying these three requirements of Scripture can be tragic in the extreme. We believe that it is one main reason why many fine, dedicated servants of the Lord have become casualties. We pray that God may grant us all a new respect for the authority of Christ vested in His Church and that He may renew in each of us an attitude of forgiveness and submissiveness.
Matt 24:12
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. Jesus indicated that many Christians would be infected by this prevailing lawlessness and as a result their love for God and His people would grow cold.
The essence of lawlessness is a rejection of authority. This has become an obvious feature of our contemporary culture. There is a widespread contempt for any rules or regulations that interfere with each person’s individual liberty. People are very forceful in asserting their "rights”, yet very reluctant to acknowledge their corresponding responsibilities. At times, the consequence is a condition bordering on anarchy. As Christians, we have to guard ourselves against this kind of attitude. We are required to show our respect for legitimate secular authority .
But first and foremost, we must cultivate and maintain an attitude of respect and obedience toward God our Father and toward Jesus our Saviour. This will be expressed in a corresponding attitude of respect and obedience towards God’s Word, the Scriptures.
John 14:23-24
Jesus says, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word … He who does not love Me does not keep My words.
We may claim to love God and we may even pray long and eloquent prayers or preach long and eloquent sermons. However, we do not honour and obey God by going through religious actions without having a lifestyle of holiness. In the midst of prevailing lawlessness it would be appropriate for each of us to make a fresh affirmation of our unreserved and total submission to the authority of Scripture.
2 Tim 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.
OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
One main area in which our submission to God and His Word will be tested is that of our personal relationships. Jesus laid down some very strict rules. For instance, He says concerning forgiving other people:
Mark 11:25-26
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Again, at the end of the pattern prayer which Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13, He added only one comment: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”.
We always need to remember that forgiving another person is not an expression of emotion but an act of self -discipline. For this we can depend upon the Holy Spirit, who is a Spirit “of power, of love and self -discipline” (2 Tim 1:7). Self-discipline is also required to produce the kind of attitude Paul describes in Ephesians 5:21: “submitting to one another in the fear of God”. This attitude of mutual submission is the key to right relationships both in the home and in the church.
Christians who refuse to forgive others or to submit to one another are in defiance of Scripture. Their root problem is lawlessness. They have opened themselves up to the spirit prevailing in the world around them. It will inevitably make them vulnerable to the evil angels who are their relentless enemies in the heavenly places.
THREE UNCOMPROMISING DEMANDS
We are confronted with three areas in which Scripture reveals clear, uncompromising demands of God, that apply to all Christians.
1. Respect for Christ’s authority operating in and through each local congregation.
2. Unqualified forgiveness for all who have wronged us or harmed us.
3. An attitude of submissiveness toward all our fellow Christians.
Obedience in these three areas provides Christians with a covering of scriptural authority that protects them from the attacks of satanic forces/demons in the heavenly places. Conversely, disobedience inevitably makes Christians vulnerable to such attacks. Clearly one needs to understand that attacks could also arise from:
a) Involvement in wilful, unrepented sin
b) A trial or tribulation set by God (Job)
On the basis of many years of experience in the Body of Christ, we as prayer leaders are convinced that the consequences of disobeying these three requirements of Scripture can be tragic in the extreme. We believe that it is one main reason why many fine, dedicated servants of the Lord have become casualties. We pray that God may grant us all a new respect for the authority of Christ vested in His Church and that He may renew in each of us an attitude of forgiveness and submissiveness.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Weakness and Foolishness of God
- From The Hyssop that Springeth Out of the Wall
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23, 24).
So He is to them that believe. But to those who believe not, God seems to do some very foolish things, and to manifest a lot of weakness for One who is supposed to have made a whole Universe. However, it is in these very things that God is pleased to reveal His glory and His wisdom: to baffle the wisdom of the wise, and to bring to nought the counsels of men. Therefore, in the midst of the apostasy of modern day Christianity, and the hypocrisy and artificiality of modern day religion, we who know somewhat of God's ways can rejoice in the fact that it is just like God, in times like these, to rend the heavens and come down in power and great glory... and yet in ways that will seem strange and foolish in the eyes of the world. We are confident that the darkness and the gloom about us will once again become the fitting background for the display of the gems of His glory. Some good Christian people are trying to set the stage for God to work, but God always has to bypass these efforts, for He has prepared the stage upon which He will reveal His sons who are moving in Harmony with His will. For it is consistent with God's character and way, and with the Jealousy of His Glory, that the greater the work He will perform in the earth--the greater will be the measure of weakness and foolishness that He will cause an unbelieving world to behold.
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23, 24).
So He is to them that believe. But to those who believe not, God seems to do some very foolish things, and to manifest a lot of weakness for One who is supposed to have made a whole Universe. However, it is in these very things that God is pleased to reveal His glory and His wisdom: to baffle the wisdom of the wise, and to bring to nought the counsels of men. Therefore, in the midst of the apostasy of modern day Christianity, and the hypocrisy and artificiality of modern day religion, we who know somewhat of God's ways can rejoice in the fact that it is just like God, in times like these, to rend the heavens and come down in power and great glory... and yet in ways that will seem strange and foolish in the eyes of the world. We are confident that the darkness and the gloom about us will once again become the fitting background for the display of the gems of His glory. Some good Christian people are trying to set the stage for God to work, but God always has to bypass these efforts, for He has prepared the stage upon which He will reveal His sons who are moving in Harmony with His will. For it is consistent with God's character and way, and with the Jealousy of His Glory, that the greater the work He will perform in the earth--the greater will be the measure of weakness and foolishness that He will cause an unbelieving world to behold.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Be on your guard against sin...
There is nothing innocent about sin. But often it seems to begin with innocent things.
For example, we may like to joke around with our friends, and that seems like perfectly normal behavior. But the apostle Paul warns us in the New Testament to be careful of the kinds of things we say.
"But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:16)
The key word here is "profane." And as sincere Christians we need to watch out for profane talk (see Webster's definition), which may seem harmless, because it leads to profane thinking, which leads to ungodly choices and behavior. What we allow ourselves to joke about influences what we think about — what we allow into our hearts and minds. And what we dwell on in our thoughts affects what we want, and choose, to do in daily life.
And along with idle talk among our friends that turns in the wrong direction, we should also be careful of what we watch on TV and in movies, what we read in books and magazines, the kinds of games we play, and the kinds of jokes we listen to.
Here's the problem: Sin is never passive. It leads to more sin, prompting us to self delusions and even outward deception. It will also lead us to try and justify our wrong behavior. Sin is all about doing what pleases self at the expense of others.
Even actual sin itself may seem harmless, since many sins do not involve anyone else. But the time we spend with sin is time and imagination and creativity lost to us forever. Had we spent that time and effort doing good instead of evil, we may have accomplished real good for someone else. We may have even changed the world we live in. But we will never know how God might have used us if we make room for sin instead of right thinking and acting.
Learn to discern (recognize) what is off color, less than worthy, or even evil, and why it is wrong. Discipline your mind by God's Word, training your self to think according to God's truth and righteousness.
None of us are ever perfectly pure in our motives or thinking. Not naturally, anyway. But God will help us if we are willing to spend time in His Presence, reading the Scriptures, praying in the Spirit, and listening to His good Spirit.
The Lord Jesus is our way out of the trouble sin brings. Jesus is the life and power we need for godly living. And He alone is the light we need in a world oversaturated with darkness, deception and confusion. By hanging close with Jesus, we can learn God's way of victory.
For example, we may like to joke around with our friends, and that seems like perfectly normal behavior. But the apostle Paul warns us in the New Testament to be careful of the kinds of things we say.
"But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness." (2 Timothy 2:16)
The key word here is "profane." And as sincere Christians we need to watch out for profane talk (see Webster's definition), which may seem harmless, because it leads to profane thinking, which leads to ungodly choices and behavior. What we allow ourselves to joke about influences what we think about — what we allow into our hearts and minds. And what we dwell on in our thoughts affects what we want, and choose, to do in daily life.
And along with idle talk among our friends that turns in the wrong direction, we should also be careful of what we watch on TV and in movies, what we read in books and magazines, the kinds of games we play, and the kinds of jokes we listen to.
Here's the problem: Sin is never passive. It leads to more sin, prompting us to self delusions and even outward deception. It will also lead us to try and justify our wrong behavior. Sin is all about doing what pleases self at the expense of others.
Even actual sin itself may seem harmless, since many sins do not involve anyone else. But the time we spend with sin is time and imagination and creativity lost to us forever. Had we spent that time and effort doing good instead of evil, we may have accomplished real good for someone else. We may have even changed the world we live in. But we will never know how God might have used us if we make room for sin instead of right thinking and acting.
Learn to discern (recognize) what is off color, less than worthy, or even evil, and why it is wrong. Discipline your mind by God's Word, training your self to think according to God's truth and righteousness.
None of us are ever perfectly pure in our motives or thinking. Not naturally, anyway. But God will help us if we are willing to spend time in His Presence, reading the Scriptures, praying in the Spirit, and listening to His good Spirit.
The Lord Jesus is our way out of the trouble sin brings. Jesus is the life and power we need for godly living. And He alone is the light we need in a world oversaturated with darkness, deception and confusion. By hanging close with Jesus, we can learn God's way of victory.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Starfield - My Generation
There is something more
Hello, We're going down the hallway to the door
We know there's something more.
Our soul has got a hole, we know, but what's it waiting for?
Scattered in the streets like dreams and gasoline
The things we wanna be, are scattered in the streets
And if we're coming clean, we seem to know we're incomplete
How do we feel?
How do we feel?
My Generation is aching for real
Dying for love, crying for truth
My Generation is aching for You
A country of our own, is all we're asking for
A place to call our home, a country of our own
We know it must be close, our souls are searching
through the cold, the cold, the cold...
Monday, February 11, 2008
THE TREE OF LIFE
"To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:7b).
I have called these "promises", but a better word might be "evidences". We tend to see a promise as a future thing, something we have to wait for. I like evidences better, because if something is evident in my life then it is the demonstration of something which is mine already. The Lord says when we live as overcomers our lives will be characterized by certain evidences. By these we know who the Overcomers are, and we know if we are indeed living the normal Christian life - which is a life of overcoming.
The first evidence is that the Overcomers eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Immediately we go back to the Book of Genesis and see that Adam was originally driven out of the paradise of God, Eden, and no longer had access to the tree of life. The tree of life was blocked by angels and a flaming sword (Genesis 3:24). Because Adam ate from the tree of knowledge, he was prohibited from eating from the tree of life.
We should see that Christ does more than restore what Adam lost. He goes beyond Adam, offering the Overcomers fruit from the tree of life, fruit Adam knows nothing about. Obviously this is symbolic language, but what does it mean? The tree of life represents the Cross, for from that Tree the Lord yielded up His Life for us all. Those who overcome have learned that fruitfulness and life come from death to Self, and that is what the Cross means. The Cross is a tree of life to those who embrace it.
Like Adam, we can choose to eat from either tree, but we cannot eat from both. Adam sinned when he fell into the flesh and yielded to his Self-life. He rejected the tree of life in favor of something that was "good... pleasant... and desirable" (Genesis 3:6ff). The Cross does not look like a tree of life at all. It is neither good, nor pleasant, nor desirable. It looks like death. Perhaps this is why Adam did not eat from it first. But God's End is not death, regardless of appearances: God's End is life out of death, which is resurrection. To eat of the fruit of the tree of life is to glory in the Cross of Jesus Christ and find life out of death. It is becoming popular to preach and teach about the Cross these days, but how many are eating of its fruit? Can we really see the Cross as the TREE OF LIFE, and are we eating of its fruit? We will know a true disciple of the Lord, not by words, but by fruit (Matthew 7:20), and the Cross is the tree of life from which this fruit comes.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Vision of a Train Yard
Im reposting this from Brian Hume's blog - its excellent:
February 05, 2005
I saw a massive train yard. In the middle of the train yard was a turntable that re-directed locomotives and boxcars. Surrounding the turntable were many different tracks—leading in every direction. Many locomotives would pull an enormous train of boxcars to the turntable, detach from the cars, drive onto the turntable, turn in a completely different direction, and then re-attach to a new trail of boxcars (train).
Some distance from the turntable, I saw many locomotives and boxcars that had sat stationary for some time. Though they had collected dust, they were very sound mechanically, as they were regularly serviced as they sat, that they would be ready at a moments’ notice to be dispatched to any of the countless tracks heading in every direction.
Toward the end of the vision, I could hardly believe my eyes at the enormity of the train yard, as the expanse was beyond what the eyes and mind could fully comprehend.
It was during the vision that I realized the completed trains were churches and ministries. The turntable represented new relationships, new associations, new directions and new partnerships unfolding in the Body of Christ abroad.
I also understood the stationary or inactive locomotives and boxcars to represent Saints who had been placed in “service bays,” to be re-tuned as the result of long-overdue rest, restoration and healing. Many of these had, over time, very subtly drifted into nearly unshakable postures of sadness and despair, as they had faced many fiery trials in their previous courses. They had witnessed and experienced measures of warfare that left them deeply wounded, numb and despondent. For they had encountered false brethren, tares among the wheat, and wolves among sheep. They were disillusioned, as they had come to realize that the worst warfare they had faced to date was that within the Body of Christ. They had begun to doubt that they would ever again wish to re-engage their gifts and ministries. They had begun to doubt that they would ever see the truly Glorified Church, moving in authentic power and transforming entire cities and nations. However, these saints were rapidly approaching re-deployment. In fact, most of these “resting and healing” boxcars and locomotives were surprised and caught off-guard, as they were unexpectedly called upon to deploy—suddenly. Though caught off-guard, they were yet ready for service, more ready than they realized, and they moved toward the turntable with strength, resolve and confidence—beyond any measure that they had walked in previously. As I looked toward the skyline in the closing moments of this vision, I saw a massive calendar. The heading of the calendar read, “8 – August” (or, “8-8”).
As I have prayed about this vision over a long period, I have come to believe that as 08-08-08 unfolds, the Holy Spirit will be imparting specific direction, confirmation and affirmation to the steps of many of His Saints, with respect to critical and vital relationships, partnerships and directions in ministry.
To those that are in a place where they are to plant-roots and delve deeper into the ministry or church in which they find themselves presently, deeper relationships will occur. As well, new relationships will be birthed. New levels in gifting and anointing will be poured-out. Restructuring and repositioning of members of given ministries and churches will be quick, decisive and will be carried out with precision.
To those who have felt an impending change on the geographic horizon, vivid dreams will occur. Signs will be given; relationships will be birthed suddenly and unexpectedly, and will represent links to entirely new directions toward ministries and churches in different locales.
I was strongly impressed with Ephesians 4:16(b), “…the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body…”
I believe the heightened activity level within this context, is that in preparation for the times that are quickly unfolding before us. I believe that events will unfold in 2008 that will require the Body of Christ to be planted decisively, and with unyielding resolve, in places and positions of service that are tailor-made for our individual gifts and callings. I believe that the key to seeing the signs and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit in this hour, and specifically with respect the approach of 08-08-08, will be that found within the practical and prayerful application of John 5:19 and John 5:30. In John 5:19, Jesus declared that He only did what He saw the Father doing. In John 5:30, Jesus declared that He only did what He heard the Father saying. In this context, I believe it is critical in this hour, and at this very moment, to adopt the prayer that asks for “the eyes to see” and “the ears to hear” what the Father is doing and saying to each of us, with respect to the massive turntable that many of us are rapidly approaching as we move into 2008.
I have prayed that all who find receipt of this word would be quickened with a call to discern the rapid changes approaching each of us as 2008 unfolds.
David Davenport
February 05, 2005
I saw a massive train yard. In the middle of the train yard was a turntable that re-directed locomotives and boxcars. Surrounding the turntable were many different tracks—leading in every direction. Many locomotives would pull an enormous train of boxcars to the turntable, detach from the cars, drive onto the turntable, turn in a completely different direction, and then re-attach to a new trail of boxcars (train).
Some distance from the turntable, I saw many locomotives and boxcars that had sat stationary for some time. Though they had collected dust, they were very sound mechanically, as they were regularly serviced as they sat, that they would be ready at a moments’ notice to be dispatched to any of the countless tracks heading in every direction.
Toward the end of the vision, I could hardly believe my eyes at the enormity of the train yard, as the expanse was beyond what the eyes and mind could fully comprehend.
It was during the vision that I realized the completed trains were churches and ministries. The turntable represented new relationships, new associations, new directions and new partnerships unfolding in the Body of Christ abroad.
I also understood the stationary or inactive locomotives and boxcars to represent Saints who had been placed in “service bays,” to be re-tuned as the result of long-overdue rest, restoration and healing. Many of these had, over time, very subtly drifted into nearly unshakable postures of sadness and despair, as they had faced many fiery trials in their previous courses. They had witnessed and experienced measures of warfare that left them deeply wounded, numb and despondent. For they had encountered false brethren, tares among the wheat, and wolves among sheep. They were disillusioned, as they had come to realize that the worst warfare they had faced to date was that within the Body of Christ. They had begun to doubt that they would ever again wish to re-engage their gifts and ministries. They had begun to doubt that they would ever see the truly Glorified Church, moving in authentic power and transforming entire cities and nations. However, these saints were rapidly approaching re-deployment. In fact, most of these “resting and healing” boxcars and locomotives were surprised and caught off-guard, as they were unexpectedly called upon to deploy—suddenly. Though caught off-guard, they were yet ready for service, more ready than they realized, and they moved toward the turntable with strength, resolve and confidence—beyond any measure that they had walked in previously. As I looked toward the skyline in the closing moments of this vision, I saw a massive calendar. The heading of the calendar read, “8 – August” (or, “8-8”).
As I have prayed about this vision over a long period, I have come to believe that as 08-08-08 unfolds, the Holy Spirit will be imparting specific direction, confirmation and affirmation to the steps of many of His Saints, with respect to critical and vital relationships, partnerships and directions in ministry.
To those that are in a place where they are to plant-roots and delve deeper into the ministry or church in which they find themselves presently, deeper relationships will occur. As well, new relationships will be birthed. New levels in gifting and anointing will be poured-out. Restructuring and repositioning of members of given ministries and churches will be quick, decisive and will be carried out with precision.
To those who have felt an impending change on the geographic horizon, vivid dreams will occur. Signs will be given; relationships will be birthed suddenly and unexpectedly, and will represent links to entirely new directions toward ministries and churches in different locales.
I was strongly impressed with Ephesians 4:16(b), “…the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body…”
I believe the heightened activity level within this context, is that in preparation for the times that are quickly unfolding before us. I believe that events will unfold in 2008 that will require the Body of Christ to be planted decisively, and with unyielding resolve, in places and positions of service that are tailor-made for our individual gifts and callings. I believe that the key to seeing the signs and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit in this hour, and specifically with respect the approach of 08-08-08, will be that found within the practical and prayerful application of John 5:19 and John 5:30. In John 5:19, Jesus declared that He only did what He saw the Father doing. In John 5:30, Jesus declared that He only did what He heard the Father saying. In this context, I believe it is critical in this hour, and at this very moment, to adopt the prayer that asks for “the eyes to see” and “the ears to hear” what the Father is doing and saying to each of us, with respect to the massive turntable that many of us are rapidly approaching as we move into 2008.
I have prayed that all who find receipt of this word would be quickened with a call to discern the rapid changes approaching each of us as 2008 unfolds.
David Davenport
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Our Bridegroom is Waiting..
This is such an amazing song! It speaks to me of the Father, giving his blessing and our hand in marriage to Jesus, our Bridegroom. It speaks of blessing, excitment, anticipation and true love. It also reminded me of this scripture:
2 Corinthians 11:1-13 (The Message)
Will you put up with a little foolish aside from me? Please, just for a moment. The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much—this is the passion of God burning inside me! I promised your hand in marriage to Christ, presented you as a pure virgin to her husband. And now I'm afraid that exactly as the Snake seduced Eve with his smooth patter, you are being lured away from the simple purity of your love for Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:1-13 (The Message)
Will you put up with a little foolish aside from me? Please, just for a moment. The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much—this is the passion of God burning inside me! I promised your hand in marriage to Christ, presented you as a pure virgin to her husband. And now I'm afraid that exactly as the Snake seduced Eve with his smooth patter, you are being lured away from the simple purity of your love for Christ.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
"Hemmed In" - The Long Way Around
"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: but God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea..." (Ex. 13:17-18).
This is a day of "fast" things: fast foods, fast trains, fast cars, fast planes, fast pleasures, fast communications. But God's way into the life of the Spirit is still the long way around. Many do not think so, and there are many in the Church who deride the thought of exercising "patience" in order to win the race that is set before us. "Let us run WITH PATIENCE..." may sound a little contradictory to a man in a race; but it remains God's way of winning "the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1). God's direct route to Canaan life is the long-way-around. There may seem to be a shorter way, a more direct way, and many continue to explore that route, only to end up rolling in the dust. "God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near..." Now the word "Philistine" comes from a word meaning "to roll in the dust, to wallow." And though it is a well-beaten pathway, as it was in the days of Israel, and though it would seem to lead in a more direct route to the land of our inheritance, it will leave the one who travels this road wallowing in the dust. And why? Because there is nothing in common with the way of the Philistines and the way of God. The Philistine spirit is that spirit of the world, of the natural man, that knows nothing of the Spirit of God. But because it is a well-worn pathway, and because it seems to be leading in the general direction of our pursuit for God, it is enticing to the natural mind. It is the logical approach to the things of God. It is the positive, the most direct approach to things spiritual. But it leaves you wallowing in the dust of the old Adamic life, rather than soaring into the heights of the Spirit of God.
"You do not have to take that long, uncharted, entangled way into the things of God... We can show you a simpler way... We can point you to a shortcut... You can know the joy of Canaan living without all the distress of becoming entangled in the wilderness." This is the reasoning and counsel of the natural mind.
But the fact remains, we did not choose the wilderness way. We simply chose to go God's way. It is He who goes before--by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire--to give direction and light for the journey. It is by the Light of His Glory that we find ourselves entangled in the wilderness. He leads us this way that He might have all the glory, and that our enemies might be consumed in the very midst of our own perplexity and dismay. For it is only when we find ourselves "hemmed in," with no place to go, that we are inclined to go to God for help. This is why He hems us in... that we might flee into His arms. God knows the Enemy will say,
"They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in" (Ex. 14:3). And so God deliberately sets a trap for the Enemy by bringing us into that place where we have no other recourse, but in God alone. As long as there is room for the heart and mind of man to calculate and plan his own deliverance, God is left out of the picture. We don't really need Him, or so we think. But if we are followers of the Cloud, God will lead us into areas of utter hopelessness and despair, that we might prove Him to be the God who makes a way where there is no way, and a path in the mighty waters...
"Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known" (Ps. 77:19).
"The LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters" (Isa. 43:16).
People of God, beware of the shortcuts. There are many that are offered in this day and age, shortcuts to true spiritual life and progress, but they will not bring you there. You may try to find an easy way into spiritual gift and blessing. You may learn how to get, and how to operate spiritual gifts the easy way, without total commitment, without waiting upon God, but sooner or later they will fade away. You may think you have discovered a secure and safe covering in some church structure or institution, assuring yourself that you are being spared the pangs of finding your own way in the entangled wildernesses of life. You feel that if you trust in certain leaders, in certain apostles and prophets, in a certain "New Testament Church Order," that it is a much safer, much easier pathway. But sooner or later you are going to discover that the rest and comfort you sought in sheltered areas of this nature, are nothing less than the bondage of Babylonish systems; and you will discover that this is far more distressing and more captivating than the way of the Lord from which you sought to escape. When you see the "wars of the Philistines"--the striving for lordship, the striving for power and authority and for a place of preeminence--your hearts will become discouraged, and you will wonder why you ever chose to walk in that kind of a pathway. If we would examine our hearts, we might discover that what we are really looking for is some kind of a religious system that will make it easy for us or for our children. We want to shrug off the heavy burden that is associated with finding God for ourselves by way of total commitment to Him. So when someone offers us a place of rest in some kind of a structure that promises clear direction, we are quick to grasp it. God does want us to have fellowship with one another in Christ; but there is no true fellowship except as "we walk in the Light." And in our searching after God, there is no such thing as immunity to the trials and struggles and heart-searchings and perplexities that have always been the appointed lot of any man or woman who seeks to come into a living, vital relationship with the Lord.
This is a day of "fast" things: fast foods, fast trains, fast cars, fast planes, fast pleasures, fast communications. But God's way into the life of the Spirit is still the long way around. Many do not think so, and there are many in the Church who deride the thought of exercising "patience" in order to win the race that is set before us. "Let us run WITH PATIENCE..." may sound a little contradictory to a man in a race; but it remains God's way of winning "the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1). God's direct route to Canaan life is the long-way-around. There may seem to be a shorter way, a more direct way, and many continue to explore that route, only to end up rolling in the dust. "God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near..." Now the word "Philistine" comes from a word meaning "to roll in the dust, to wallow." And though it is a well-beaten pathway, as it was in the days of Israel, and though it would seem to lead in a more direct route to the land of our inheritance, it will leave the one who travels this road wallowing in the dust. And why? Because there is nothing in common with the way of the Philistines and the way of God. The Philistine spirit is that spirit of the world, of the natural man, that knows nothing of the Spirit of God. But because it is a well-worn pathway, and because it seems to be leading in the general direction of our pursuit for God, it is enticing to the natural mind. It is the logical approach to the things of God. It is the positive, the most direct approach to things spiritual. But it leaves you wallowing in the dust of the old Adamic life, rather than soaring into the heights of the Spirit of God.
"You do not have to take that long, uncharted, entangled way into the things of God... We can show you a simpler way... We can point you to a shortcut... You can know the joy of Canaan living without all the distress of becoming entangled in the wilderness." This is the reasoning and counsel of the natural mind.
But the fact remains, we did not choose the wilderness way. We simply chose to go God's way. It is He who goes before--by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire--to give direction and light for the journey. It is by the Light of His Glory that we find ourselves entangled in the wilderness. He leads us this way that He might have all the glory, and that our enemies might be consumed in the very midst of our own perplexity and dismay. For it is only when we find ourselves "hemmed in," with no place to go, that we are inclined to go to God for help. This is why He hems us in... that we might flee into His arms. God knows the Enemy will say,
"They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in" (Ex. 14:3). And so God deliberately sets a trap for the Enemy by bringing us into that place where we have no other recourse, but in God alone. As long as there is room for the heart and mind of man to calculate and plan his own deliverance, God is left out of the picture. We don't really need Him, or so we think. But if we are followers of the Cloud, God will lead us into areas of utter hopelessness and despair, that we might prove Him to be the God who makes a way where there is no way, and a path in the mighty waters...
"Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known" (Ps. 77:19).
"The LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters" (Isa. 43:16).
People of God, beware of the shortcuts. There are many that are offered in this day and age, shortcuts to true spiritual life and progress, but they will not bring you there. You may try to find an easy way into spiritual gift and blessing. You may learn how to get, and how to operate spiritual gifts the easy way, without total commitment, without waiting upon God, but sooner or later they will fade away. You may think you have discovered a secure and safe covering in some church structure or institution, assuring yourself that you are being spared the pangs of finding your own way in the entangled wildernesses of life. You feel that if you trust in certain leaders, in certain apostles and prophets, in a certain "New Testament Church Order," that it is a much safer, much easier pathway. But sooner or later you are going to discover that the rest and comfort you sought in sheltered areas of this nature, are nothing less than the bondage of Babylonish systems; and you will discover that this is far more distressing and more captivating than the way of the Lord from which you sought to escape. When you see the "wars of the Philistines"--the striving for lordship, the striving for power and authority and for a place of preeminence--your hearts will become discouraged, and you will wonder why you ever chose to walk in that kind of a pathway. If we would examine our hearts, we might discover that what we are really looking for is some kind of a religious system that will make it easy for us or for our children. We want to shrug off the heavy burden that is associated with finding God for ourselves by way of total commitment to Him. So when someone offers us a place of rest in some kind of a structure that promises clear direction, we are quick to grasp it. God does want us to have fellowship with one another in Christ; but there is no true fellowship except as "we walk in the Light." And in our searching after God, there is no such thing as immunity to the trials and struggles and heart-searchings and perplexities that have always been the appointed lot of any man or woman who seeks to come into a living, vital relationship with the Lord.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Materialism/Greed
Here is an email I recently received from a friend in Winnipeg:
A missionary friend from Turkey , sent this to me in the wee hours of the morning.He and his family are living and working in Turkey . He continues to EXORT me to live a life spent for Jesus Christ, and what it means to live out His teachings.
Enjoy a few moments to think about Finances…
Subject: Facing financial woes!? ...the economy!? ---> FINANCIAL ADVICE FOR CHR'STIANS <--- (Surely there is no lack of materials, investment seminars etc... to "bring balance" to these teachings.)
Be Christian
Follow Jesus Christ
A. Don’t save up for yourselves.
B. Liquidate what you have regularly, and give away the money.
C. Loan to all who ask.
D. Give (but without pretense).
E. Rejoice when your money and possessions are taken from you.
F. Don’t be anxious about how you will provide food, clothes, shelter, heat, etc…for your family next month: Trust your Heavenly Father.
G. Give the Government what they want.
H. Help the poor in your town.
I. Labour!...not to ‘earn a living’ but for God’s great purposes!
J. Take all jobs and or positions for the main purpose of making the Gospel known in those circles.
K. Don’t serve any financial agenda (making decisions on a financial basis)…thereby hating Jesus. (Take steps of faith based on obedience to the Lord Jesus.)
L. Beware of:
a. nonsinful, affordable, distracting pleasures.
b. The cares of this life (note: more possessions & investments will require more care and attention!)
c. The deceitfulness of wealth. (these three things paralyze our ability to change our lives in response to God’s Word!)
M. Don’t serve money (i.e any financial agenda). Don’t make decisions on a financial basis,…thereby despising the Lord Jesus. (Live by faith, taking solid steps of faith based on obedience to our Lord Jesus.)
Brothers and sisters,
Take pride in your high position, if you have impoverished yourself/yourselves for Jesus and the Gospel’s sake! Our Master, the Lord Jesus, chose to sink himself into poverty for our sake! Don’t be of want for more things! Things for yourself, things of no eternal value! BE CONTENT with the things you have! You have the very presence of the very precious Lord Jesus Himself! Don’t use any form of credit or loan! The subsequent obligations will unequally yoke and bind you to something or someone other than the Lord Jesus. Jesus Christ himself has purchased us and all these days or our lives for God, His Father, with His own blood.
Precious Brothers and Sisters, Christ will return to Earth! When He returns, let us ‘be found’ taking care of and being “ALL ABOUT” our Father’s Business! Take care of your Father’s business, and HE will take care of yours!
A missionary friend from Turkey , sent this to me in the wee hours of the morning.He and his family are living and working in Turkey . He continues to EXORT me to live a life spent for Jesus Christ, and what it means to live out His teachings.
Enjoy a few moments to think about Finances…
Subject: Facing financial woes!? ...the economy!? ---> FINANCIAL ADVICE FOR CHR'STIANS <--- (Surely there is no lack of materials, investment seminars etc... to "bring balance" to these teachings.)
Be Christian
Follow Jesus Christ
A. Don’t save up for yourselves.
B. Liquidate what you have regularly, and give away the money.
C. Loan to all who ask.
D. Give (but without pretense).
E. Rejoice when your money and possessions are taken from you.
F. Don’t be anxious about how you will provide food, clothes, shelter, heat, etc…for your family next month: Trust your Heavenly Father.
G. Give the Government what they want.
H. Help the poor in your town.
I. Labour!...not to ‘earn a living’ but for God’s great purposes!
J. Take all jobs and or positions for the main purpose of making the Gospel known in those circles.
K. Don’t serve any financial agenda (making decisions on a financial basis)…thereby hating Jesus. (Take steps of faith based on obedience to the Lord Jesus.)
L. Beware of:
a. nonsinful, affordable, distracting pleasures.
b. The cares of this life (note: more possessions & investments will require more care and attention!)
c. The deceitfulness of wealth. (these three things paralyze our ability to change our lives in response to God’s Word!)
M. Don’t serve money (i.e any financial agenda). Don’t make decisions on a financial basis,…thereby despising the Lord Jesus. (Live by faith, taking solid steps of faith based on obedience to our Lord Jesus.)
Brothers and sisters,
Take pride in your high position, if you have impoverished yourself/yourselves for Jesus and the Gospel’s sake! Our Master, the Lord Jesus, chose to sink himself into poverty for our sake! Don’t be of want for more things! Things for yourself, things of no eternal value! BE CONTENT with the things you have! You have the very presence of the very precious Lord Jesus Himself! Don’t use any form of credit or loan! The subsequent obligations will unequally yoke and bind you to something or someone other than the Lord Jesus. Jesus Christ himself has purchased us and all these days or our lives for God, His Father, with His own blood.
Precious Brothers and Sisters, Christ will return to Earth! When He returns, let us ‘be found’ taking care of and being “ALL ABOUT” our Father’s Business! Take care of your Father’s business, and HE will take care of yours!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The Akedah (Binding of Isaac)
An excerpt from The Jesus Way by Eugene Peterson
The Akedah was a three-day journey for Abraham, but it cannot be understood apart from a hundred years of road-tested faith that comprises the Abraham story. The way of Abraham is the first chapter of the people of God to whom Abraham is father, the one in whom all the people of the earth will be blessed. Abraham furnishes the context that permeates everything that follows. The Akedah is not isolated, not a text without a context; it is a summing up and clarification of a long life of reorientation from the ziggurat of Ur to the altar on Moriah, from self-aggrandizement to God-gifting.
God has tested Abraham’s faith at every turn. To live by faith – better, to live a faith life – means to be tested. Abraham’s faith did not always survive the test: his faith failed the test in Egypt , failed the test in Gerar, failed the test with Hagar. Untested faith does not yet qualify as faith…
The test is the catalyst in which our response to God, the raw material of faith, is formed into a life of faith. Or not. If the test dissolves whatever we were calling faith into romanticized sludge or pietistic ooze, we are blessedly rid of what will dissipate our life in self-deception.
Abraham left Ur and Haran freely obedient to a command of God, a single-syllable imperative, unsupported, unexplained, unadorned: “Go.” He went in what we might call good faith, that is, without calculation, without suppressed motives, without superstitious fear. He wasn’t enticed; he wasn’t bullied. He was commanded, “Go.” He went. His faith was perfectly adequate to keep him going, but it also required repeated testings along the way. By the time of the Akedah, Abraham’s faith had been tested, and tested, and tested. Sometimes (in Egypt with the Pharaoh, at Gerar with Abimelech, in dealing with Hagar and Ismael) the testings had exposed his so-called faith as no faith at all. But, incrementally, across those miles and through those years, his faith deepened and matured.
The Akedah strikes us as outrageous, the God of promises and covenant acting totally out of character. But maybe not to Abraham. Sacrifice was the motif by which he had lived for years, the letting go, the leaving behind, the travelling light. Faith, repeatedly tested by sacrifice, was a way of life for Abraham. Each sacrifice left him with less of self and more of God. Each sacrifice abandoned something of self on an altar from which he travelled onward with more vision, more promise, more Presence. In the command to leave Ur , Abraham had abandoned his past. He has been learning to do that now for thirty-five years or so, losing nothing in the process. Now he is asked to abandon his future.
By now he has a lived history in which God has provided for him in unanticipated ways. Maybe by now he is used to living trustingly in the seemingly absurd, that which he could not anticipate, that which is beyond his imagining. Maybe he is accustomed by now to the operations of providence. If we arrive at Mount Moriah without having prayerfully and imaginatively participated in the decades of Abraham’s testings, God seems to us to behave outrageously out of character. But not to Abraham. He is now a veteran in the way of faith that is at the same time the way of the faithful God. He is not nearly as surprised as we are. Mount Moriah is the centerpiece of a life of faith that is completed in Jesus, who absorbed the Akedah entire in his Gethsemane prayer, “Not my will but thine…”
The Akedah was a three-day journey for Abraham, but it cannot be understood apart from a hundred years of road-tested faith that comprises the Abraham story. The way of Abraham is the first chapter of the people of God to whom Abraham is father, the one in whom all the people of the earth will be blessed. Abraham furnishes the context that permeates everything that follows. The Akedah is not isolated, not a text without a context; it is a summing up and clarification of a long life of reorientation from the ziggurat of Ur to the altar on Moriah, from self-aggrandizement to God-gifting.
God has tested Abraham’s faith at every turn. To live by faith – better, to live a faith life – means to be tested. Abraham’s faith did not always survive the test: his faith failed the test in Egypt , failed the test in Gerar, failed the test with Hagar. Untested faith does not yet qualify as faith…
The test is the catalyst in which our response to God, the raw material of faith, is formed into a life of faith. Or not. If the test dissolves whatever we were calling faith into romanticized sludge or pietistic ooze, we are blessedly rid of what will dissipate our life in self-deception.
Abraham left Ur and Haran freely obedient to a command of God, a single-syllable imperative, unsupported, unexplained, unadorned: “Go.” He went in what we might call good faith, that is, without calculation, without suppressed motives, without superstitious fear. He wasn’t enticed; he wasn’t bullied. He was commanded, “Go.” He went. His faith was perfectly adequate to keep him going, but it also required repeated testings along the way. By the time of the Akedah, Abraham’s faith had been tested, and tested, and tested. Sometimes (in Egypt with the Pharaoh, at Gerar with Abimelech, in dealing with Hagar and Ismael) the testings had exposed his so-called faith as no faith at all. But, incrementally, across those miles and through those years, his faith deepened and matured.
The Akedah strikes us as outrageous, the God of promises and covenant acting totally out of character. But maybe not to Abraham. Sacrifice was the motif by which he had lived for years, the letting go, the leaving behind, the travelling light. Faith, repeatedly tested by sacrifice, was a way of life for Abraham. Each sacrifice left him with less of self and more of God. Each sacrifice abandoned something of self on an altar from which he travelled onward with more vision, more promise, more Presence. In the command to leave Ur , Abraham had abandoned his past. He has been learning to do that now for thirty-five years or so, losing nothing in the process. Now he is asked to abandon his future.
By now he has a lived history in which God has provided for him in unanticipated ways. Maybe by now he is used to living trustingly in the seemingly absurd, that which he could not anticipate, that which is beyond his imagining. Maybe he is accustomed by now to the operations of providence. If we arrive at Mount Moriah without having prayerfully and imaginatively participated in the decades of Abraham’s testings, God seems to us to behave outrageously out of character. But not to Abraham. He is now a veteran in the way of faith that is at the same time the way of the faithful God. He is not nearly as surprised as we are. Mount Moriah is the centerpiece of a life of faith that is completed in Jesus, who absorbed the Akedah entire in his Gethsemane prayer, “Not my will but thine…”
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The Posture of a revivalist - Proclaimation
This post was copied from this link to "Revival Generation"
http://revivalgen.multiply.com/journal/item/18
There are seasons whereby the Revivalist will stay in obscurity and seek the face of God. However in God appointed time, the revivalist comes out of obscurity and began to proclaim the Word of God.
We see this in the life of Elijah.NAS 1 Kings 18:1 Now it came about after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."
Elijah came out of obscurity and began to proclaimed the Word of the Lord. He gathered the people at Mount Carmel together with the false prophets of Baal and proclaimed to the people "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.(1Kings 18:21)John the Baptist spent many years in the dessert, praying, seeking the face of God and at the appointed moment and began to proclaim the Word of God."the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;"(Luke 3:2-3)The Revivalist is one who will proclaim the Word of God at the appropriate time. The message of the revivalist
1. A message of repentance. The message of the revivalist can be largely unpopular to the masses. He does not preach to please man or to tinkle the ears of the people."Repent and be baptize!" was the hallmark of John's preaching. Peter proclaimed a strong message on the day of pentecost. Many today will accuse him of not being seeker sensitive!
Acts 2:
22 "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
2. A message that brings conviction. While some may get offended by the message of the revivalist, many will be convicted by it. During times of revival, masses of people would run to the altar with loud weeping and cries of repentance.
In 1741, Johnathan Edward preached a message entitled "Sinners in the hands of an angry God." After its initial presentation, the audience was so moved that many attendees were found openly weeping. There were also a number of reports of swooning, outcries and convulsions from audience members.In 1994 shortly after I was married, Lillian and I decided to go to the interior of Sabah. We were there for about three months before God led us back to Singapore to be enrolled in a bible college. The three months which we spent in Sabah was one of the most memorable times of our lives. There, we travelled from village to village to preach the word of God. The message which the Spirit planted in my heart was the message of repentance. From village to village we proclaimed the message of repentance and in many of the villages the whole congregation was gripped with conviction. In one particular village we visited, while I was preaching, the children were sleeping every where. When I gave the altar call, suddenly all of them woke up and they responded. Soon the whole church was weeping and crying including the children. We asked the children why are they crying. They replied that they were convicted of stealing, lying and other sins. It was truly amazing.The message of the revivalist brings conviction.
3. A message of authority and boldness. The revivalist proclaims his message with boldness.
Matthew 7:
28 The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching;
29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Jesus spoke with authority.
Acts 13:9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him,10 and said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?11 "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
Paul spoke with authority.
The revivalist understands the delegated authority given unto him. Carlos Annacondia is of the vessels whom God used in the Argentina revival. One notable characteristics of his ministry is the authority he exhibit as he proclaims the Word of God. Demons manifested and were cast out as he preached or prayed. He rebuked sicknesses and commanded tumor to shrink in the name of Jesus.
I pray that that God will raise up more revivalist who will take on the posture of proclamation. Revivalists who are not men pleaser but God fearers who dares to proclaim the truth even when it offends. Let us walk the trails of Elijah, John the Baptist, Jonathan Edwards, Smith Wigglesworth, John Sung, Leonard Ravenhill, all who proclaimed the truth with conviction. Let us not be satisfied with tickling the ears of the congregation....Let us call th church back in repentance
http://revivalgen.multiply.com/journal/item/18
There are seasons whereby the Revivalist will stay in obscurity and seek the face of God. However in God appointed time, the revivalist comes out of obscurity and began to proclaim the Word of God.
We see this in the life of Elijah.NAS 1 Kings 18:1 Now it came about after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."
Elijah came out of obscurity and began to proclaimed the Word of the Lord. He gathered the people at Mount Carmel together with the false prophets of Baal and proclaimed to the people "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.(1Kings 18:21)John the Baptist spent many years in the dessert, praying, seeking the face of God and at the appointed moment and began to proclaim the Word of God."the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;"(Luke 3:2-3)The Revivalist is one who will proclaim the Word of God at the appropriate time. The message of the revivalist
1. A message of repentance. The message of the revivalist can be largely unpopular to the masses. He does not preach to please man or to tinkle the ears of the people."Repent and be baptize!" was the hallmark of John's preaching. Peter proclaimed a strong message on the day of pentecost. Many today will accuse him of not being seeker sensitive!
Acts 2:
22 "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
2. A message that brings conviction. While some may get offended by the message of the revivalist, many will be convicted by it. During times of revival, masses of people would run to the altar with loud weeping and cries of repentance.
In 1741, Johnathan Edward preached a message entitled "Sinners in the hands of an angry God." After its initial presentation, the audience was so moved that many attendees were found openly weeping. There were also a number of reports of swooning, outcries and convulsions from audience members.In 1994 shortly after I was married, Lillian and I decided to go to the interior of Sabah. We were there for about three months before God led us back to Singapore to be enrolled in a bible college. The three months which we spent in Sabah was one of the most memorable times of our lives. There, we travelled from village to village to preach the word of God. The message which the Spirit planted in my heart was the message of repentance. From village to village we proclaimed the message of repentance and in many of the villages the whole congregation was gripped with conviction. In one particular village we visited, while I was preaching, the children were sleeping every where. When I gave the altar call, suddenly all of them woke up and they responded. Soon the whole church was weeping and crying including the children. We asked the children why are they crying. They replied that they were convicted of stealing, lying and other sins. It was truly amazing.The message of the revivalist brings conviction.
3. A message of authority and boldness. The revivalist proclaims his message with boldness.
Matthew 7:
28 The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching;
29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Jesus spoke with authority.
Acts 13:9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him,10 and said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?11 "And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.12 Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
Paul spoke with authority.
The revivalist understands the delegated authority given unto him. Carlos Annacondia is of the vessels whom God used in the Argentina revival. One notable characteristics of his ministry is the authority he exhibit as he proclaims the Word of God. Demons manifested and were cast out as he preached or prayed. He rebuked sicknesses and commanded tumor to shrink in the name of Jesus.
I pray that that God will raise up more revivalist who will take on the posture of proclamation. Revivalists who are not men pleaser but God fearers who dares to proclaim the truth even when it offends. Let us walk the trails of Elijah, John the Baptist, Jonathan Edwards, Smith Wigglesworth, John Sung, Leonard Ravenhill, all who proclaimed the truth with conviction. Let us not be satisfied with tickling the ears of the congregation....Let us call th church back in repentance
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The High Calling
Let not the height of the Vision dismay you, or discourage you as you walk towards it. Remember this.., that the high calling is not too high for you, or God would not have called you to it. And take courage in the fact that the HIGH calling is really an UPWARD call, as the Greek word means, and as it is translated in some versions. It is an UPWARD call! This gives us hope and courage. If it were simply "high," I could very well look up and say, "It is just too high for me." I might gaze at the heights of the call, and flounder in discouragement. But it is an UPWARD call! God is saying to you and to me, "I am calling you UPWARD... I want you to go on... I want you to come higher... I do not want you to stay where you are, frustrated and perplexed and bewildered. The reason you abide in those realms is because you do not see the Vision. And if you see it you think I have set before you a goal that you know you can never reach. You do not understand that I only ask you to take one step at a time, and I only ask you to climb the steps with Me, as you take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me... for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
And so we take but one step at a time, and God is pleased. But we must not lag behind or yield to the enticements that come our way from time to time to take a shortcut. For there are many that appear to be good. You can get gifts of the Spirit freely. You might even develop for yourself a ministry, that may satisfy your heart for a season, and from which you might find a certain fulfillment. And certainly you need His gifts! But pray God that He will cause you to sit and learn from ministries that will lead you to His feet... ministries that will encourage you to take His yoke, and follow His ways. Gifts and ministries must not be considered to be in any sense ultimate... they are but means to the end... and the end pursuit of gift and ministry is to come to know Him, to be joined in like spirit unto others in the Family of God who are seeking to come to the "fullness" of Him... so that together you might be able to comprehend, to apprehend, to receive fully... the living Christ, in the full expression of His Being.
And let us not be dismayed when in spite of all our noble efforts to climb higher we feel... we just know... that we are getting lower and lower. For as we travel this way we are going to discover, as men and women of all ages have discovered... that...
The way UP is DOWN...The way OVER is UNDER...The way to SUCCESS is through FAILURE...The way to true PROSPERITY is through spiritual BANKRUPTCY...The way to the true RICHES, is through POVERTY...The way to VICTORY, is through DEFEAT...The way to LIFE, is through DEATH.
And therefore, for the people of the UPWARD WAY God has set before us a very clear pattern and example:
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (Or, 'He did not consider that equality with God was something He should grasp after'): but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:5-9).
For the Son of God, the Captain of our Salvation, the Author and the Finisher of our faith... for Him the UPWARD CALL was one that brought Him lower, and lower, and lower... even unto the death of the Cross.
And so it must be with you and me. God deliver us from all that striving we see today to excel... striving for highness, for exaltation, for greatness, for bigness... even among many who profess to know the "end-time" message, and who profess to be heirs of the "Kingdom." Let us make no mistake about it... the pathway of SONSHIP leads to none of these. It takes one lower, and lower, and still lower... in order that in the Spirit of Christ we might rise higher... and higher, and still higher...
And so we take but one step at a time, and God is pleased. But we must not lag behind or yield to the enticements that come our way from time to time to take a shortcut. For there are many that appear to be good. You can get gifts of the Spirit freely. You might even develop for yourself a ministry, that may satisfy your heart for a season, and from which you might find a certain fulfillment. And certainly you need His gifts! But pray God that He will cause you to sit and learn from ministries that will lead you to His feet... ministries that will encourage you to take His yoke, and follow His ways. Gifts and ministries must not be considered to be in any sense ultimate... they are but means to the end... and the end pursuit of gift and ministry is to come to know Him, to be joined in like spirit unto others in the Family of God who are seeking to come to the "fullness" of Him... so that together you might be able to comprehend, to apprehend, to receive fully... the living Christ, in the full expression of His Being.
And let us not be dismayed when in spite of all our noble efforts to climb higher we feel... we just know... that we are getting lower and lower. For as we travel this way we are going to discover, as men and women of all ages have discovered... that...
The way UP is DOWN...The way OVER is UNDER...The way to SUCCESS is through FAILURE...The way to true PROSPERITY is through spiritual BANKRUPTCY...The way to the true RICHES, is through POVERTY...The way to VICTORY, is through DEFEAT...The way to LIFE, is through DEATH.
And therefore, for the people of the UPWARD WAY God has set before us a very clear pattern and example:
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (Or, 'He did not consider that equality with God was something He should grasp after'): but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:5-9).
For the Son of God, the Captain of our Salvation, the Author and the Finisher of our faith... for Him the UPWARD CALL was one that brought Him lower, and lower, and lower... even unto the death of the Cross.
And so it must be with you and me. God deliver us from all that striving we see today to excel... striving for highness, for exaltation, for greatness, for bigness... even among many who profess to know the "end-time" message, and who profess to be heirs of the "Kingdom." Let us make no mistake about it... the pathway of SONSHIP leads to none of these. It takes one lower, and lower, and still lower... in order that in the Spirit of Christ we might rise higher... and higher, and still higher...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Selflessness..
I'm including part of an article by Randy Thomas. His article is very enlightening in that it strikes at a deep chord as to what is wrong with our "Westernized" form of Chrisitanity..its a call to grow up and become mature sons and daughters. Selflessness must be part of the foundation of our lives - it is the basis of Christ-likeness....
If you want to read the whole article, its excellent - go to: http://randythomas.org/other-writings/ and then click on the article/testimony: "Same-Sex Struggles". So here it is:
I could sit here and write about the importance of going to church, worshiping the Lord, developing a disciplined life, seeking out mentors and accountability partners, and exposing yourself to edifying art and entertainment. I could make a list of all the authors and speakers who have been instruments the Lord has used to speak into my life.
While all of that is important, the theme that I keep coming back to in life is that we were created to know and be known. And if we want to know and be known by God and others in way that is true to who He is and what He wants, we have to do so selflessly.
Much of what I have seen in the Western Church before and after becoming a Christian is geared toward the believer and helping the believer be a more fulfilled Christian. The problem is that we're so distracted in our efforts toward fulfillment that we forget the greatest commandments: to love our God with our whole being and to love each other as we do ourselves. That Christian axiom is the epitome of a selfless expression of knowing and being known. We live in a great time and place to be edified as much as we are, but such knowledge doesn't become wisdom without selfless application in all of our relationships.
It is selflessness that makes me yearn to know a God who has His own opinion, an opinion that might be contrary to my wishes or desires. It is selflessness that makes me want to defer my agenda and be open to His. It's selflessness that moves me to lift up others in prayer when my soul would rather worry about my own circumstance. It's selflessness that refuses to view men as sexual objects and instead see them as Christ does, and to treasure women for how they uniquely reflect God in a way that neither I nor any man ever will. It's selflessness that drives me to forgive and seek forgiveness.
Every time I come to what I see as the end of the road, I give up my self. I hand Him all of me. That is where every single one of my Christian "greeting card" moments have come from. This is what sustains my walk and transforms my life in so many ways. Romans 5:1-5 states
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
That passage provides a template for developing Christ-like selflessness. It helps us to realize that tribulation eventually leads to hope by transforming our very own character, a character expressed in our relationship with God and others.
I want you, dear reader, to walk away encouraged to know that God knows you and all you have done, and He loves you regardless. I want you to discover what I have discovered: that self-sufficiency never works; the only real freedom is a selfless approach to all of our relationships. By living this way, the Lord releases us to live up to our potential for which He created us.
If you want to read the whole article, its excellent - go to: http://randythomas.org/other-writings/ and then click on the article/testimony: "Same-Sex Struggles". So here it is:
I could sit here and write about the importance of going to church, worshiping the Lord, developing a disciplined life, seeking out mentors and accountability partners, and exposing yourself to edifying art and entertainment. I could make a list of all the authors and speakers who have been instruments the Lord has used to speak into my life.
While all of that is important, the theme that I keep coming back to in life is that we were created to know and be known. And if we want to know and be known by God and others in way that is true to who He is and what He wants, we have to do so selflessly.
Much of what I have seen in the Western Church before and after becoming a Christian is geared toward the believer and helping the believer be a more fulfilled Christian. The problem is that we're so distracted in our efforts toward fulfillment that we forget the greatest commandments: to love our God with our whole being and to love each other as we do ourselves. That Christian axiom is the epitome of a selfless expression of knowing and being known. We live in a great time and place to be edified as much as we are, but such knowledge doesn't become wisdom without selfless application in all of our relationships.
It is selflessness that makes me yearn to know a God who has His own opinion, an opinion that might be contrary to my wishes or desires. It is selflessness that makes me want to defer my agenda and be open to His. It's selflessness that moves me to lift up others in prayer when my soul would rather worry about my own circumstance. It's selflessness that refuses to view men as sexual objects and instead see them as Christ does, and to treasure women for how they uniquely reflect God in a way that neither I nor any man ever will. It's selflessness that drives me to forgive and seek forgiveness.
Every time I come to what I see as the end of the road, I give up my self. I hand Him all of me. That is where every single one of my Christian "greeting card" moments have come from. This is what sustains my walk and transforms my life in so many ways. Romans 5:1-5 states
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
That passage provides a template for developing Christ-like selflessness. It helps us to realize that tribulation eventually leads to hope by transforming our very own character, a character expressed in our relationship with God and others.
I want you, dear reader, to walk away encouraged to know that God knows you and all you have done, and He loves you regardless. I want you to discover what I have discovered: that self-sufficiency never works; the only real freedom is a selfless approach to all of our relationships. By living this way, the Lord releases us to live up to our potential for which He created us.
Thanks to Randy for his transparency and honesty. My prayer is that the "church" will become a place of transparency, honesty and healing...much like a spiritual hospital...that means all of us as the "church" need to become whole and fully integrated as persons (body, soul and spirit)one step at a time, one person at a time.
Acceptance of one another as sons and daughters made in the image of our God & yet not afraid to challenge one another to live a life worthy of the true gospel - this is grace and truth in perfect balance.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
WORD of the Lord for 2008 and Beyond--
January 10, 2008
C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs and many others:
"Released from the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders"
This Word is the compilation of the prophetic words and consensus of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE). Last year, the council met at the beginning of the Jewish calendar, September 12-13, 2007, rather than at the January time period in order to have time to distill and hear the Word of the Lord before the turning of the Gregorian calendar. (Note this in light of several of the prophecies that have already come to pass since this word was given in September of 2007.)
While this is a prophecy for the year 2008, it is difficult at times to put a prophetic word in a certain chronological time structure as the lives of individuals and the choices they make can also have an effect on the timing of what God has shown to us. Some of these prophecies are more appropriately given for the "next season" of our lives rather than simply a one-year timeframe.
2008: The Year to Possess the Gates
"...blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the Heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall 'possess the gate of their enemies.'" Genesis 22:17
"The one who breaks open will come up before them; they will break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it; their king will pass before them, with the LORD at their head." Micah 2:13
This year the Holy Spirit keyed off of the number "8" to us. The number 8 represents new beginnings. God wants us to go through new doors (or gates) to go to a new level in everything we do. The Lord cautioned us that while many want to experience the new wine (i.e., new moves of God), there are some who want to "wear their old robes," or that which is comfortable to them, into this new season of time. This will not work. It is critical that we all are willing to give up old practices, structures, and the influence of relationships that tie us to the old if they refuse to allow us to move into the new things.
As we met as prophets, this was probably one of the most fertile times that we have had in the release of not only the word of the Lord, but spiritual instruction on how to get into the "new things" and "new gates." This includes the shutting of old gates and doors, seeking the Lord for how to move into the new in a proper way, and asking God for wisdom for the move.
Biblical Patterns for the Number 8
Here are some significant aspects we were shown about the number eight for this year from some Biblical patterns:
1. David was the eighth son--new DYNASTY for Israel. (This includes the word ''legacy'' as a key word.)
2. Circumcision takes place on the eighth day--new life through covenant. A new holiness movement that will require personal circumcision or the cutting away of sin issues in our lives, and then the Church will see a national move of holiness.
3. Eight souls on the ark--new beginning of the earth, new revelation of God's judgment and His grace.
4. Eighth note on the piano begins a new octave. Look to God for the release of new sounds and songs.
5. Seven colors in rainbow spectrum--eighth color begins new spectrum.
6. Eighth day is the beginning of a new week.
7. Josiah began his reign at age 8 bringing a new reign in the midst of idolatrous predecessors. He began to seek the Lord for himself in the eighty years of his reign, which later resulted in his purging Israel of the altars of Baal. Look to a new reformation generation arising who will purge their lands of sin and bring Biblical reformation. Solomon also began to purge the idols from Israel in the eighth year of his reign.
8. Jesus appeared to Thomas, the doubter, on the eighth day after his resurrection. Many doubters will convert and be visited by God in special and unique ways.
The Number 8 In "New Beginnings"
Genesis is the book of beginnings in Scripture. Here is a prophetic emphasis from it for us today:
1. The anointing to create
Creative and innovative ideas. God is going to release upon His people many ideas that will lead them to prosper in spirit, soul and mind. This creativity will also help us to "work smarter, not harder." The curse of toiling under heavy burdens with huge moments of frustration has caused delay and exhaustion. Seek the Lord for new ways to do things that will release the finances you need and streamline your life without working to simply get by on a day-to-day basis.
2. The anointing for dominion
This is the anointing needed to fulfill the Biblical mandate found in Genesis 1:28 to "be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion." Seek the Lord for a way to be fruitful in evangelism and fill your cities with the doctrine of Christ (Acts 5:28). New evangelism outreaches will fill our cities along with visitations of God upon young revivalists. Young people will study the lives of Leonard Ravenhill and E.M. Bounds once again--with the fire for winning souls burning in their hearts.
Each sector of society will begin to be touched by the power of God in new fresh ways from government, education, the medical fields, media, the arts and other areas. No longer will the Church bemoan what is going on around them in society but ask themselves the question, "What are we going to do about it?" and "What is my assignment in seeing this happen?"
3. The anointing for creative miracles
The frequency of the miraculous will increase; particularly--unusual creative miracles. In this season, we will see not only churches filled with miracles, but whole cities. "Cancer-free zones" will be the medical talk of the day as some churches and cities have such frequency of seeing cancer healed that it catches the attention of many including the secular news.
The Transfer of Wealth
While many have believed there is going to be a great transfer of wealth, there is a frustration on some that have "believed but not yet seen." In seeking the Lord about this, one revelation came that there has been a demonic "spirit of delay" sent against the Body of Christ; particularly to those in the marketplace. ''Chronos'' under Strong's definition #5550 also can mean "delay."
Therefore, it important to understand that while God means to release the wealth, satan is releasing His strategies to keep the wealth "locked" that we are working to "unlock." God wants to open locked gates in '08. In order to possess the gate of wealth to, among other things, develop plans to eradicate systemic poverty, we need to develop new structures of intercession to do the spiritual warfare necessary to transfer wealth.
Among other things, here are some forms that need to take place:
1. New prayer movements with a focus on marketplace intercession.
2. More businesses hiring intercessors to pray for their workplace.
3. Focused intercession and training for specific targeted sectors of wealth and business. Intercessors need to be trained to understand business so that they can pray intelligently.
New and Greater Emphasis on Intercession
God is going to pour out new wine upon the intercessors and new prayer structures across the face of the earth. Many 24/7 prayer movements will spring up in university campuses. Christians will ask for prayer rooms in their places of employment. It is time for us to "come out of the closet" and let our prayers and voices be heard in society. Teachings that were done in the 80's and 90's on prayer and intercession need to be revisited with a new eye and taught to the Church.
Cyrus Anointing
God is going to anoint in a profound way some of His children with a Cyrus anointing to fulfill Psalm 107:16, "For He has broken 'the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron in two.'"
Spiritual Eldership
God is anointing leaders who will run for political office, become the presidents of corporations and principals of schools, and others who will sit in the gates of influence in society like Boaz did in Biblical times.
Open the Floodgates
"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,' says the LORD almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" Malachi 3:10
It is time to possess the floodgates that will open the doors of favor and influence and finance. As long as we are obeying the mandate to tithe, God is going to flood us in several areas that will help us open these doors. Ask the Lord how to incorporate the word of the Lord for '08 to open your personal floodgates of blessing and influence.
Key Words for You--Full Circle in '08
Revelation: God wants to pour out new revelation on how you are to function in this season of your life. Be flexible in your life at this moment for God's changes and adjustments to occur in your schedule and way of doing things.
Wisdom: God will give you wisdom not of this world, but of His Heavenly wisdom if you seek Him with all of your heart for it. He will give wisdom for the shift, for new ways for new assignments, and how to apply the revelation to go to new levels in your life.
This is a season for things to come "full circle" in our lives. Things left unfinished in your life will be finished. Relationships that were broken will be restored. Broken dreams will be healed and come to life again. It is time to dream again! Go back and revisit the prophetic words that God gave you in the last season and past years that were not fulfilled, and refuse to let go of them until you see them go into fruition. War over the words and believe them (read I Timothy 1:18, 2 Chronicles 20:20).
President and Upcoming Elections
God spoke to us specifically that we had fallen down in our intercession for President Bush, and God wants us to pray that he will finish as the "Burning Bush," which God showed us was his destiny before the elections. He admonished us to pray for him as the authority God had put in place as our President (read I Timothy 2:1). In seeking God for the next leader, we have failed in our intercession for our current one. God wants President Bush to finish well as He spoke to us two years ago.
An interesting word was released for the meeting in September '07 that is particularly pertinent for the elections of '08:
God has provided a righteous man who will begin to emerge towards the end of '07 and begin to shine in '08. We will not be left scratching our heads or feeling like we are throwing our vote away on someone who cannot win. God will put His very apparent light of favor upon this man, and we will know how to pray and to vote.
The Lord also prophetically admonished us to press through to see the courts shifted and that--we cannot fail in our prayers to see abortion overturned in the United States. (As of now, 49 million babies have been aborted since 1973.) This is a "make it or break it" time, and we must not be weary in our intercession.
Admonition for Prayer Cover
God gave us a specific word that satan will try to bring premature death to the Body of Christ. Please prayerfully cover yourself, your family, pastors, and those of influence specifically in your life.
Philanthropy
A new generation of philanthropists will arise out of the Body of Christ. A focus will be on the poor and needy. There will also be a major emphasis on using wealth to gain influence to be a voice in society for righteousness. This will lead to Christians and Christianity in general to be seen in a new light by those who thought that God and the Church were unfeeling and uncaring.
New Emphasis on the Teaching Gift
The teaching gift will once again arise to the forefront as the Lord brings an emphasis on knowing the foundations of Biblical truths. This will mitigate against the Body of Christ going off course and falling into error.
Holiness Movement
Holiness will come to the Church again. With this will come a great exposure of sin in the pulpit. The Lord warned us that many would come under governmental scrutiny during the last half of '07 and '08, and we need to examine ourselves so we are clean in every area of the ministry, financially as well as spiritually.
New Civil Rights Movement
A new generation of civil rights leaders are going to emerge in the nation who will be a righteous voice. Their anointing will be so strong that they will supersede and be stronger and have more influence than those who are unrighteous that align with unbiblical stances. They will speak against the influence of the unholy side of hip-hop and new prayer movements will also arise in the black community.
Kingdom Government of God
The government of God will become a new wineskin for the future move of God (see Matthew 6:10). Reformation back to the original design of Genesis will be a major focus and God's creative anointing will be on those who move in this direction.
Specific Focus on Nations
There were five international areas that we specifically felt God's spotlight on in the coming hour:
1. China.
2. The "Ring of Fire" (Pacific Rim nations).
3. India.
4. Israel and the Middle East.
5. South America and Venezuela.
We felt there was going to be an extreme battle between light and darkness for a season, with increased persecution of believers. On the other hand, great harvest and advancement for the Kingdom of God will also take place. We all need to pray specifically for these regions of the world.
Submitted by C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, and the members of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE)
C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs and many others:
"Released from the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders"
This Word is the compilation of the prophetic words and consensus of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE). Last year, the council met at the beginning of the Jewish calendar, September 12-13, 2007, rather than at the January time period in order to have time to distill and hear the Word of the Lord before the turning of the Gregorian calendar. (Note this in light of several of the prophecies that have already come to pass since this word was given in September of 2007.)
While this is a prophecy for the year 2008, it is difficult at times to put a prophetic word in a certain chronological time structure as the lives of individuals and the choices they make can also have an effect on the timing of what God has shown to us. Some of these prophecies are more appropriately given for the "next season" of our lives rather than simply a one-year timeframe.
2008: The Year to Possess the Gates
"...blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the Heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall 'possess the gate of their enemies.'" Genesis 22:17
"The one who breaks open will come up before them; they will break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it; their king will pass before them, with the LORD at their head." Micah 2:13
This year the Holy Spirit keyed off of the number "8" to us. The number 8 represents new beginnings. God wants us to go through new doors (or gates) to go to a new level in everything we do. The Lord cautioned us that while many want to experience the new wine (i.e., new moves of God), there are some who want to "wear their old robes," or that which is comfortable to them, into this new season of time. This will not work. It is critical that we all are willing to give up old practices, structures, and the influence of relationships that tie us to the old if they refuse to allow us to move into the new things.
As we met as prophets, this was probably one of the most fertile times that we have had in the release of not only the word of the Lord, but spiritual instruction on how to get into the "new things" and "new gates." This includes the shutting of old gates and doors, seeking the Lord for how to move into the new in a proper way, and asking God for wisdom for the move.
Biblical Patterns for the Number 8
Here are some significant aspects we were shown about the number eight for this year from some Biblical patterns:
1. David was the eighth son--new DYNASTY for Israel. (This includes the word ''legacy'' as a key word.)
2. Circumcision takes place on the eighth day--new life through covenant. A new holiness movement that will require personal circumcision or the cutting away of sin issues in our lives, and then the Church will see a national move of holiness.
3. Eight souls on the ark--new beginning of the earth, new revelation of God's judgment and His grace.
4. Eighth note on the piano begins a new octave. Look to God for the release of new sounds and songs.
5. Seven colors in rainbow spectrum--eighth color begins new spectrum.
6. Eighth day is the beginning of a new week.
7. Josiah began his reign at age 8 bringing a new reign in the midst of idolatrous predecessors. He began to seek the Lord for himself in the eighty years of his reign, which later resulted in his purging Israel of the altars of Baal. Look to a new reformation generation arising who will purge their lands of sin and bring Biblical reformation. Solomon also began to purge the idols from Israel in the eighth year of his reign.
8. Jesus appeared to Thomas, the doubter, on the eighth day after his resurrection. Many doubters will convert and be visited by God in special and unique ways.
The Number 8 In "New Beginnings"
Genesis is the book of beginnings in Scripture. Here is a prophetic emphasis from it for us today:
1. The anointing to create
Creative and innovative ideas. God is going to release upon His people many ideas that will lead them to prosper in spirit, soul and mind. This creativity will also help us to "work smarter, not harder." The curse of toiling under heavy burdens with huge moments of frustration has caused delay and exhaustion. Seek the Lord for new ways to do things that will release the finances you need and streamline your life without working to simply get by on a day-to-day basis.
2. The anointing for dominion
This is the anointing needed to fulfill the Biblical mandate found in Genesis 1:28 to "be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion." Seek the Lord for a way to be fruitful in evangelism and fill your cities with the doctrine of Christ (Acts 5:28). New evangelism outreaches will fill our cities along with visitations of God upon young revivalists. Young people will study the lives of Leonard Ravenhill and E.M. Bounds once again--with the fire for winning souls burning in their hearts.
Each sector of society will begin to be touched by the power of God in new fresh ways from government, education, the medical fields, media, the arts and other areas. No longer will the Church bemoan what is going on around them in society but ask themselves the question, "What are we going to do about it?" and "What is my assignment in seeing this happen?"
3. The anointing for creative miracles
The frequency of the miraculous will increase; particularly--unusual creative miracles. In this season, we will see not only churches filled with miracles, but whole cities. "Cancer-free zones" will be the medical talk of the day as some churches and cities have such frequency of seeing cancer healed that it catches the attention of many including the secular news.
The Transfer of Wealth
While many have believed there is going to be a great transfer of wealth, there is a frustration on some that have "believed but not yet seen." In seeking the Lord about this, one revelation came that there has been a demonic "spirit of delay" sent against the Body of Christ; particularly to those in the marketplace. ''Chronos'' under Strong's definition #5550 also can mean "delay."
Therefore, it important to understand that while God means to release the wealth, satan is releasing His strategies to keep the wealth "locked" that we are working to "unlock." God wants to open locked gates in '08. In order to possess the gate of wealth to, among other things, develop plans to eradicate systemic poverty, we need to develop new structures of intercession to do the spiritual warfare necessary to transfer wealth.
Among other things, here are some forms that need to take place:
1. New prayer movements with a focus on marketplace intercession.
2. More businesses hiring intercessors to pray for their workplace.
3. Focused intercession and training for specific targeted sectors of wealth and business. Intercessors need to be trained to understand business so that they can pray intelligently.
New and Greater Emphasis on Intercession
God is going to pour out new wine upon the intercessors and new prayer structures across the face of the earth. Many 24/7 prayer movements will spring up in university campuses. Christians will ask for prayer rooms in their places of employment. It is time for us to "come out of the closet" and let our prayers and voices be heard in society. Teachings that were done in the 80's and 90's on prayer and intercession need to be revisited with a new eye and taught to the Church.
Cyrus Anointing
God is going to anoint in a profound way some of His children with a Cyrus anointing to fulfill Psalm 107:16, "For He has broken 'the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron in two.'"
Spiritual Eldership
God is anointing leaders who will run for political office, become the presidents of corporations and principals of schools, and others who will sit in the gates of influence in society like Boaz did in Biblical times.
Open the Floodgates
"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,' says the LORD almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" Malachi 3:10
It is time to possess the floodgates that will open the doors of favor and influence and finance. As long as we are obeying the mandate to tithe, God is going to flood us in several areas that will help us open these doors. Ask the Lord how to incorporate the word of the Lord for '08 to open your personal floodgates of blessing and influence.
Key Words for You--Full Circle in '08
Revelation: God wants to pour out new revelation on how you are to function in this season of your life. Be flexible in your life at this moment for God's changes and adjustments to occur in your schedule and way of doing things.
Wisdom: God will give you wisdom not of this world, but of His Heavenly wisdom if you seek Him with all of your heart for it. He will give wisdom for the shift, for new ways for new assignments, and how to apply the revelation to go to new levels in your life.
This is a season for things to come "full circle" in our lives. Things left unfinished in your life will be finished. Relationships that were broken will be restored. Broken dreams will be healed and come to life again. It is time to dream again! Go back and revisit the prophetic words that God gave you in the last season and past years that were not fulfilled, and refuse to let go of them until you see them go into fruition. War over the words and believe them (read I Timothy 1:18, 2 Chronicles 20:20).
President and Upcoming Elections
God spoke to us specifically that we had fallen down in our intercession for President Bush, and God wants us to pray that he will finish as the "Burning Bush," which God showed us was his destiny before the elections. He admonished us to pray for him as the authority God had put in place as our President (read I Timothy 2:1). In seeking God for the next leader, we have failed in our intercession for our current one. God wants President Bush to finish well as He spoke to us two years ago.
An interesting word was released for the meeting in September '07 that is particularly pertinent for the elections of '08:
God has provided a righteous man who will begin to emerge towards the end of '07 and begin to shine in '08. We will not be left scratching our heads or feeling like we are throwing our vote away on someone who cannot win. God will put His very apparent light of favor upon this man, and we will know how to pray and to vote.
The Lord also prophetically admonished us to press through to see the courts shifted and that--we cannot fail in our prayers to see abortion overturned in the United States. (As of now, 49 million babies have been aborted since 1973.) This is a "make it or break it" time, and we must not be weary in our intercession.
Admonition for Prayer Cover
God gave us a specific word that satan will try to bring premature death to the Body of Christ. Please prayerfully cover yourself, your family, pastors, and those of influence specifically in your life.
Philanthropy
A new generation of philanthropists will arise out of the Body of Christ. A focus will be on the poor and needy. There will also be a major emphasis on using wealth to gain influence to be a voice in society for righteousness. This will lead to Christians and Christianity in general to be seen in a new light by those who thought that God and the Church were unfeeling and uncaring.
New Emphasis on the Teaching Gift
The teaching gift will once again arise to the forefront as the Lord brings an emphasis on knowing the foundations of Biblical truths. This will mitigate against the Body of Christ going off course and falling into error.
Holiness Movement
Holiness will come to the Church again. With this will come a great exposure of sin in the pulpit. The Lord warned us that many would come under governmental scrutiny during the last half of '07 and '08, and we need to examine ourselves so we are clean in every area of the ministry, financially as well as spiritually.
New Civil Rights Movement
A new generation of civil rights leaders are going to emerge in the nation who will be a righteous voice. Their anointing will be so strong that they will supersede and be stronger and have more influence than those who are unrighteous that align with unbiblical stances. They will speak against the influence of the unholy side of hip-hop and new prayer movements will also arise in the black community.
Kingdom Government of God
The government of God will become a new wineskin for the future move of God (see Matthew 6:10). Reformation back to the original design of Genesis will be a major focus and God's creative anointing will be on those who move in this direction.
Specific Focus on Nations
There were five international areas that we specifically felt God's spotlight on in the coming hour:
1. China.
2. The "Ring of Fire" (Pacific Rim nations).
3. India.
4. Israel and the Middle East.
5. South America and Venezuela.
We felt there was going to be an extreme battle between light and darkness for a season, with increased persecution of believers. On the other hand, great harvest and advancement for the Kingdom of God will also take place. We all need to pray specifically for these regions of the world.
Submitted by C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs, and the members of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE)
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