Thursday, June 30, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Beautiful Gospel
Jesus said that signs, wonders and miracles would follow those who believe. It's funny how we can make something that is so simple seem so complicated. The past two weekends have been filled with signs, wonders and miracles just like Daddy promised. Last weekend we had a conference in a place called Miezi where we packed out a large church with local people, pastors, harvest school students and many many children to worship in one accord. Throughout the course of the weekend Daddy manifested His love in many different ways. On one morning the kitchen was at least 1000 loaves of bread short, with no more bread to be found they blessed it and started serving it anyways. They were told to give one full loaf to every person and every person received their full loaf.
God multiplied the bread!
In a place of dependancy miracles break forth.
The same conference there was a young boy who had never walked before, who's name was Omar. After receiving prayer he took his first steps across the stage.
There was also a blind baby who's eyes were white until receiving prayer. Slowly the eyes turned from white to grey to brown and she looked at her mother for the first time.
Just yesterday a group of us prayed for lady that could not walk because of two club feet. As the group prayed we watched as her one leg grew 5 inches to match the other. Her calf muscle began to form and grow where there was only bone before.
All of these people did not just walk away with a miracle but with an encounter with the furious love of God.
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" Luke 12:32
If what your living for isn't worth dying for, then are you really living? God has called us to greatness! To see great things and to experience things that are beyond anything that we could fathom. But to step into our destinies we must first count the cost. In Luke 14 Jesus calls us to count the cost first before we start to build. God has been showing us the costs to fully living for Him and fully walking in our destinies and though the costs may be many, the promised reward outweighs every time. We say YES to you Jesus every time! The mission field has often been romanticized like a hollywood movie. Legitimate, amazing, joyful stories are told (exactly what people want to hear) but we tend to not focus to much on the cost of it all. Stepping into the fullness of what God is calling us to, carries with it a cost of being away from family, friends and comforts. As we dive deeper into His plans and will for our lives we do so knowing that there are costs to be paid but also joys to be obtained. The price tag has not changed but is rarely paid in full if even at all. The price is not silver or gold or precious stones. God requires of us what mankind required of Him.....our lives. May we visit the bank accounts of our hearts and withdrawal every cent and lay it at the feet of the one who will reap back one hundred fold return. May the lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.
"[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!" Romans 8:18
God multiplied the bread!
In a place of dependancy miracles break forth.
The same conference there was a young boy who had never walked before, who's name was Omar. After receiving prayer he took his first steps across the stage.
There was also a blind baby who's eyes were white until receiving prayer. Slowly the eyes turned from white to grey to brown and she looked at her mother for the first time.
Just yesterday a group of us prayed for lady that could not walk because of two club feet. As the group prayed we watched as her one leg grew 5 inches to match the other. Her calf muscle began to form and grow where there was only bone before.
All of these people did not just walk away with a miracle but with an encounter with the furious love of God.
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" Luke 12:32
If what your living for isn't worth dying for, then are you really living? God has called us to greatness! To see great things and to experience things that are beyond anything that we could fathom. But to step into our destinies we must first count the cost. In Luke 14 Jesus calls us to count the cost first before we start to build. God has been showing us the costs to fully living for Him and fully walking in our destinies and though the costs may be many, the promised reward outweighs every time. We say YES to you Jesus every time! The mission field has often been romanticized like a hollywood movie. Legitimate, amazing, joyful stories are told (exactly what people want to hear) but we tend to not focus to much on the cost of it all. Stepping into the fullness of what God is calling us to, carries with it a cost of being away from family, friends and comforts. As we dive deeper into His plans and will for our lives we do so knowing that there are costs to be paid but also joys to be obtained. The price tag has not changed but is rarely paid in full if even at all. The price is not silver or gold or precious stones. God requires of us what mankind required of Him.....our lives. May we visit the bank accounts of our hearts and withdrawal every cent and lay it at the feet of the one who will reap back one hundred fold return. May the lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.
"[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!" Romans 8:18
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Mozambique
We've been in Mozambique for just over one week now and it has been a wild ride. Our first trip to Mozambique began back in October of 2010 when we participated in Harvest School 13 with Iris Ministries as students. We never expected to be returning this soon but God knew better than we did. This time we are back as staff for the biggest missions school that Iris has ever had. The last school had around 150 students, this school will have around 260 students including many beautiful little children.
This last week was filled with lots of preparations, practical and spiritual. There is still so much to be done and students have already started arriving, but the Lord keeps speaking over and over again about our dependency on Him and how He has been preparing for this school long before we even realized it would happen. One of the leaders here keeps saying, if God could lead the children of Israel around the "Egyptian Outback" than I'm pretty sure he can take care of us. We were never created to be ruled by our circumstances but by the Word of God. Some see obstacles but others see miracle opportunities. The Word of God trumps our circumstances every time, if we would only believe that it is true.
Our dependency on God is directly linked to seeing the miraculous in the everyday. The children of Israel were led out of egypt by God to the wilderness, to a place that they had to depend on God. They were led to a place of dependency! When they were hungry he gave them manna, Angels food. As they walked, God made it so that their shoes would not wear out. He showed them where to walk with a cloud by day and a fire by night.
We are dependant on God not only for this school but for our everyday lives, believing that He will do what He said He would do and that He will provide for what He has called us to do. Why would we want to depend on anything else?
This last week was filled with lots of preparations, practical and spiritual. There is still so much to be done and students have already started arriving, but the Lord keeps speaking over and over again about our dependency on Him and how He has been preparing for this school long before we even realized it would happen. One of the leaders here keeps saying, if God could lead the children of Israel around the "Egyptian Outback" than I'm pretty sure he can take care of us. We were never created to be ruled by our circumstances but by the Word of God. Some see obstacles but others see miracle opportunities. The Word of God trumps our circumstances every time, if we would only believe that it is true.
Our dependency on God is directly linked to seeing the miraculous in the everyday. The children of Israel were led out of egypt by God to the wilderness, to a place that they had to depend on God. They were led to a place of dependency! When they were hungry he gave them manna, Angels food. As they walked, God made it so that their shoes would not wear out. He showed them where to walk with a cloud by day and a fire by night.
We are dependant on God not only for this school but for our everyday lives, believing that He will do what He said He would do and that He will provide for what He has called us to do. Why would we want to depend on anything else?
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Voices Arise!
There is a very simple, yet profound, line in the movie "The Kings Speach" where the king admittantly cries out, "...BECAUSE I HAVE A VOICE!". This line keeps coming back to me over and over again because, in the movie, the kings speech therapist was not entirely trying to cure his stutter but to show the king that he had something to say. That he had a voice and when he would only believe in that voice then he could never be silenced, not by a people, a stutter or a war.
Throughout history we see a pattern of courageous men and women who let their voices be heard against injustices and religious persecution. They rose up with one voice saying, "we will not stay silenced!". I love how David put it in Psalm 45:1 when he said, "...my tongue is the pen of a ready writer". Could you imagine what would happen if we all not only had a revelation that we have a voice but if we believed in our voice? There are so many all around the world who have had their voices silenced by circumstances, fear and so on but God has given us the freedom to speak. We all have a voice and now is the time for the sons of the prophets to arise and speak out what the Spirit is truly saying.
Father I pray for a revelation of true sonship over your children and that we would no longer live in silence. We break all fear and isolation and release voices all over the globe.
You have a voice.
Arise and shine.
Throughout history we see a pattern of courageous men and women who let their voices be heard against injustices and religious persecution. They rose up with one voice saying, "we will not stay silenced!". I love how David put it in Psalm 45:1 when he said, "...my tongue is the pen of a ready writer". Could you imagine what would happen if we all not only had a revelation that we have a voice but if we believed in our voice? There are so many all around the world who have had their voices silenced by circumstances, fear and so on but God has given us the freedom to speak. We all have a voice and now is the time for the sons of the prophets to arise and speak out what the Spirit is truly saying.
Father I pray for a revelation of true sonship over your children and that we would no longer live in silence. We break all fear and isolation and release voices all over the globe.
You have a voice.
Arise and shine.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Heaven in Holland
The past week has been a beautiful time of heaven on earth. We were able to partner with Lighthouse Ministries at a conference in Holland enabling the youth to really experience the Fathers love and the presence of His spirit. We had such intimate times worshiping the Lord and allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to these sons and daughters of the King. These treasures were so hungry for more of the Lord and so open to the love of the Father, it really was amazing.
There was a real focus on intimacy with the Father and how He so desires relationship with each one of us. Some of the youth were so blessed and amazed that God wanted to talk to them personally and that they were able to hear His voice and sense His presence. On the Friday night the spirit of the Lord was so heavy in the room many were becoming filled with the Spirit, one young girl around 10 years old had a revelation from the Lord and was taken up into heaven. There were also others who experienced the healing power of God both physically and spiritually.
Thank you to everyone who stood with us in prayer during this time, we appreciate it immensely and can see the fruit of your support.
We have attached a small clip of spontaneous worship from one of the night sessions below. Our apologies for the quality.
There was a real focus on intimacy with the Father and how He so desires relationship with each one of us. Some of the youth were so blessed and amazed that God wanted to talk to them personally and that they were able to hear His voice and sense His presence. On the Friday night the spirit of the Lord was so heavy in the room many were becoming filled with the Spirit, one young girl around 10 years old had a revelation from the Lord and was taken up into heaven. There were also others who experienced the healing power of God both physically and spiritually.
Thank you to everyone who stood with us in prayer during this time, we appreciate it immensely and can see the fruit of your support.
We have attached a small clip of spontaneous worship from one of the night sessions below. Our apologies for the quality.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Uncle Arthur
A couple years ago I sat down with Arthur Burt as he was passing through Florida. This video has been on our own computer, watched by ourselves many times but not yet shared with others. Arthur Burt is the last living preacher from the Welsh Revival. We pray that this video impacts your life as much, if not more, than it has ours.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
The Greatest Force in the Universe
In the words of the Black Eyed Pea's, "Where is the Love?"
Mother Teresa wrote, "If we really want to conquer the world, we will not be able to do it with bombs or with other weapons of destruction. Let us conquer the world with our love. Let us interweave our lives with bonds of sacrifice and love, and it will be possible for us to conquer the world."
If we are really truly honest with ourselves, at the depth of who we are, we are all longing human beings. Longing to be longed for. Longing to be held. Longing to be loved. There is a quote that has been attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi that says, 'Preach the gospel always, and if necessary, use words'. Why is it that we expect to see change in the world if we ourselves do nothing to bring it into being? We talk of the injustices of the world but is not the greatest injustice committed by those who see an injustice and do nothing about it?
We can spend our whole lifetime talking about Christ and His Love only to find at the end that we actually could have been living Christ and His Love. To preach the gospel without words is to reflect Christ's love so much so in our actions that it permeates every social structure of society and tears down the walls of religious judgments, ideology's and theosophy's.
Every day we stare into the eyes of the dying, the broken, the lonely, and the hurting and are faced with the decision, 'Will I Love? Will I stop for the one in front of me?'. We have so twisted the word Love into an emotional lollipop that we have forgotten that Love means action. Love looks like something.
Love is the most powerful force in the universe that has no bounds or limits and as Paul wrote, It will Never Fail.
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength : this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31
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