FOOD - THE CHURCH - & THE FIG TREE

DREAM of FOOD & THE CHURCH (21.12.06)

Very busy, detail-filled dream.
I had invited someone I hadn’t seen in a while to visit and expected them to come with 2 or 3 friends. Instead, the person turned up with 60-70 laid-back, apathetic, noisy friends.
I was frantically trying to put together for them all, and time was passing rapidly – there was intense pressure.
My husband was in the kitchen helping to put together pizza type food on bread bases, we decided to serve it without heating as there was no time for this process.
My daughter suggested getting buns and letting people put it together themselves, but there was no time, and the people were not organized enough to be capable of doing this.
Lunch was late – about 3 p.m. in the afternoon.
I sat down at a table to eat with two city church leaders and the discussion turned to the church.
I asked both men “How do you define ‘church’?”
The first man gave an intellectual answer, using very lofty words that I couldn’t make sense of. He appeared to be answering on behalf of both, but I pressed the second man for an answer. At this the first man got up and left.
The second man grew increasingly uncomfortable, and said “I have to get out of here.” He left, tearing off his shirt and throwing it away as he left.

Are we ready for what is ahead in 2007? The pressure of time and numbers was so intense that we need to have food ready as there will be no time to prepare it. The time is late, and the Lord is wanting to give His servants food to have ready for the many who will come.
He IS going to re-define church, and those who hold to current understanding and mind-sets will become greatly disconcerted, even angry, at what they are presented with.

Right after the above dream I found myself reading the following:

Matt. 21:18-21 The fig tree.
Jesus had opened blind eyes, fulfilled prophecy by riding into Jerusalem as the king ‘ gentle and riding on a donkey, cleansed the temple of ‘buyers and sellers’, and again healed the blind and lame. The religious establishment were ‘indignant’!!
Now as he comes to the fig tree, it is covered in leaves – looking good – and yet he is disappointed that it bears no fruit, to the degree that he cursed the tree and it withered up.

Some rhetorical questions:
Is this what He found in Israel – something that had learnt to survive well and even look good, had enough to live on and get by, but had not borne any fruit?
Is He perhaps speaking to her?
Is this a picture of what He looks for in us – more than the ability to have found life in Him and sustain it – a desire and ability to bear fruit out of this life He has given us?
Is this a picture of the church today – looks good, but having no fruit, therefore no seeds, no ability to reproduce?
It is interesting that the fig leaves were what Adam and Eve chose to cover their shame.

Do we have anything to give to those who come looking – is there fruitfulness, something to eat in the church?

MARRIAGE PROPOSAL (Dream - 23.12.06)

Once again at the end of a dream populated with huge activity and large numbers of people a clear picture and situation emerged.
A young man had been hovering in the background of all the activities, and then as I stood talking to someone he came and stood alongside of me, taking my left hand in his right hand.
I moved off to do something else, and then as I came back to where he was, he knelt down, took my hand, and asked me if I would become his wife.
He presented me with a tray of beautiful diamond rings set in white gold that I might to chose one. He had made all of these rings himself.
I was hesitant wondering if I knew him well enough to marry him, yet he had no doubt at all that this was right and would take place.
I had recognized the young man as someone who had been my ‘first love’ when I was 10 or 11 years old.

This dream is very self-explanatory, but the intensity of activity and feeling in it suggest that the Lord is speaking not just to me but to His Body.
Our first love is coming to us again, and asking us for real commitment to Him forever.

There is great symbolism in this dream:
Right hand – he held my hand with his right hand – the hand of blessing.
Standing beside me – indicates uprightness, holding ground, holding position.
Marriage – “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.1” (Rev. 19:9)
White Gold – Gold tried in the fire – producing faith and divine nature.
Diamond – Precious saints.

He is coming to call His precious saints to a wedding.
He stands in uprightness beside them, giving to them His hand of blessing.
He is offering eternal gifts of faith and His divine nature.
He has no doubt about who He has chosen, even though we may feel uncertain or unworthy of this honour.

This is VERY SIGNIFICANT and VERY PRECIOUS like the beautiful ring that was being offered.

WEEDS AND ANGELS

I'm making my way SLOWLY through Matthew at present, slowly being the operative word as the Lord seems to be opening stuff up on almost every verse. So, in Chapters 11 and 12 I have been looking in a new way at the characteristics of Jesus as they should show in our lives. (Will do a separate blog on that one!)

THEN I came to Chapter 13 and had some serious thoughts about the “WEED PULLERS". I don’t feel we were called to point fingers all the time, and some of it is really throwing the baby out with the bathwater! I wondered why I felt so strongly.

THEN in Matt. 13 I am reminded once again that the ANGELS are the ones who will pull up the weeds THEN bring the wheat into the barn. It kind of ties into the threshing floor stuff, the coming to where the Lord does the winnowing, and sorts the chaff from the wheat. If the original temple was built on the threshing floor maybe we, as the temple in which His Spirit resides, will be built on a process of sifting and refining on that same floor?

The harvest is the end of the age and the harvesters are angels. I wonder why we are having so much angelic visitation right now? Should we be pleased or scared that they are showing up in great numbers?

THEN the righteous will shine like the sun (glory?) in the Kingdom of their Father.
….the ANGELS will come and separate the wicked from the righteous.

Is it possible the angels are showing up as harvesters and looking for the unrighteous weeds to be pulled up now – if so perhaps we should leave the work to them!?

I love it that the seeds of the Kingdom look small and insignificant, but their increase and growth is supernaturally large because they are planted by the Lord (mustard seeds to trees). Heaven forbid that we should pull up one of these sprouting seeds because it doesnt look right or strong to us. The Son of Man is the seed sower, and only He knows what kind of plant and fruit He expects to see!

Matt.13:52 says
THEREFORE every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom NEW TREASURES as well as old.

I feel that in this time we need to know which work is ours and which belongs to the angels ONLY – for our own growth and good. My work is to reflect Jesus, to grow up in all things to look as much like Him as it is humanly possible to do with the help of His Spirit, and have sufficient faith and trust in Him to allow Him to do this same work with my brothers and sisters, praying for them, praying far more than saying anything about the apparent shortcomings of others in His family.

This is all kind of thought provoking isnt' it?

VISION : Wheat Chaff & Fire

In this vision I was sitting on the threshing floor (a place the Lord has been calling me to regularly in the last few weeks).
The pressing cry that came three times was: “Let the chaff go and the wheat remain”, and then straight after that: “Lord have mercy”.
There was a desperation in me that He would blow away the chaff in my own life.
Immediately the question came: “If I blow away the chaff, where will it go?”

I then saw a lake of fire. It looked like a forest fire burning at a low level. The flames were not leaping high but were constant and the wind was constantly blowing on them keeping them at an intense heat. The flames were fueled by the substance they were burning on which seemed like thick oil.

Matthew 3:12 came to mind : “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire”.

Again came the cry: “Lord have mercy”.

Now I saw the fire being held back. There was a wall that it could not break through. There had been something built up that held back the fire.

I could hear only one word : “HOLINESS”.

With this word came the understanding that as the people of God pursue holiness, it is as if they are all turned with their backs to the fire, and they become the wall that holds the fire back.

I saw that the pursuit of holiness allows the RIVER OF GOD to flow, it keeps His people cool and flows over those around them, a cooling, healing stream.

I saw that the people of God had become TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS and were beginning to release life and healing to those around them, and especially to those who were huddled together terrified of the fire.

I saw the LOST. They were no longer ignorant, but were afraid as they saw the fire approaching and also saw those who stood between them and the fire.
THEIR EYES HAD BEEN OPENED TO THEIR CONDITION AND THEIR DANGER.

I saw the RIVER before my feet, it was clear and there were a few small fish swimming in it, but as I looked upstream I saw more, and larger, fish coming.

I saw God’s people STANDING in this place, and those in need coming and picking the fruit of these lives and putting it into their mouths – they were HELPING THEMSELVES to what the Lord had produced.

THE HARVEST HAD BEGUN.

The scriptures that came to mind as I was looking at this were:
Jeremiah 17:7 & 8
Romans 8
Galatians 5-16 – 6:10
Revelation 22

I was aware of the manifestation of the sons and daughters of God, those who chose to walk by His Spirit and turn their backs on the things of this world that kept their souls comfortable.
I was aware that the pursuit of holiness is not the pointing out of the faults of others, but individually coming to the threshing floor and falling on our faces, asking Him to have mercy and remove the chaff from our lives.

We turn towards You, Father, make us Your own sons and daughters in this time. Help us to stand as Your trees with our roots in Your Word, watered by the river of Your Life, always bearing fruit.
We put our trust and confidence in You alone.

WAIT ... THERE IS MORE!

Do not lay down your tools or weapons in this time.
Many have become weary in waiting, and there are those who feel all usefulness is over.
Hearts have lost their fire, and the light of eyes has been dimmed.

He who came to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire is about to pour out again.
Search out the oil for your lamps.

Pray that He will strengthen you in this time.
Do not turn away, do not turn aside, but once again STAND as you have been called to do.
We are called, having done all else, to STAND.

Hold your ground for help is coming.
You will know reinforcement and new strength if you will choose to STAND.

I hear again the words of Joshua 1:6-9, especially v.9
“Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,
For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

This is a day of great winds blowing in the heavenlies,
A day of battle, and a day of victory.
The victory has ALREADY BEEN WON, so STAND.

HEAVENLINESS - A DEFENCE SYSTEM OF A NATION

HEAVENLINESS - A DEFENCE SYSTEM OF A NATION

T. Austin-Sparks

Heavenliness is a tremendous factor in the life of the Lord’s people. Heavenliness, which is spirituality, which is ascendancy, or elevation, and which is faith, is a tremendous factor. All that is gathered up in the concept of the heavenly city, Jerusalem. It means being on other ground than on the ground of this world, on the ground of the natural man. Oh, that the Church had maintained that position all the way through! What terrible tragedy have resulted from coming down to lower ground.

We will give an illustration of the tragedy of coming down from a heavenly position on the part of the Church. I found this written by Sir George Adam Smith. Speaking of the Moslem invasion of Syria, by which Syria and Israel became swept and dominated by Islam, he writes:”The Christianity of Syria fell before Islam because it was corrupt, and it deserved to fall”. And again: ”In an attempt by purely human means to regain her birthplace, the Church was beaten back by Islam because she was selfish and worldly.”

”In neither of these cases was it a true Christianity that was overthrown, though the true Church bears to this day the reproach, and the burden of the results. The irony of the Divine judgment is clearly seen in this, that it was on the very land where a spiritual monotheism first appeared that the Church was first punished for idolatry and materialism; that it was in sight of the scenes where Christ taught and healed, and went about doing good with his band of pure devoted disciples, that the envious, treacherous, truculent hosts of the Cross were put to sword and fire.They who in His name sought a kingdom of this world by worldly means could not hope to succeed on the very fields where He had put such a temptation from Him. The victory of Islam over Christendom is no more a problem then the victory of Babylon over Israel.”

That is a tremendous statement. What history there is in a statement like that! Perhaps the greatest problem today of Christianity, of the mission field, is Islam. I do not think there is a greater problem than Islam for the Church. Why? Well, Sir George Adam Smith puts his finger right on the cause when he says the power of Islam is due to the corruption of the Church at a given point in history; divided, selfish and worldly. Islam gained mastery because of that.How, then, would Islam be overthrown ? How would the mischief be undone? Surely by a heavenly Church, by that which has been wholly separated from this world in all means and methods, and united in one spirit as a great spiritual force, under the government of the Holy Spirit. That, and that alone, will overthrow the forces which have gained their position by reason of the unspirituality and unheavenliness of the Church.

If that applies to the whole, it applies to us individually, that spiritual power over any ground of the enemy demands detachment spiritually from the world, a close walk with God, and a heavenly life, a life which is above with Christ. The Lord lay upon our hearts the tremendous importance of this heavenly fellowship with Him from day to day, for the sake of spiritual power.

T. Austin-SparksFrom ”The City which hath Foundations”

HELD BY TRUTH

As spring endeavours to break forth through the wind, rain and hail of these past few days I am reminded that it is very similar as we move through the seasons of our own lives that repeat time and time again. Only THE TRUTH can hold us steady as we are buffetted by life, and as I read something from the journals of Thomas Merton today it resonated in my spirit.

Thomas Merton, a modern day Trappist monk, writes of following the rules of St. Benedict who

founded the Order (they are: obedience, humility, work, prayer, simplicity, the love of Christ) and goes on to say:

"The light of truth burns without a flicker in the depths of a house shaken with storms of passion and fear. "You will not fear the terror of the night." And so I go on trying to walk on the waters of the breakdown. Worse than ever before and better than ever before. It is always painful and reassuring when he who I am is not visibly destroyed by the hand of God in order that the depths of me, which is His image, may be set free to serve Him in peace.
Sometimes in the midst of this I am tremendously happy, and I have never in my life been so grateful for His mercy. And no more professional spirituality! Terrifically purged of ideas about prayer, and of all desire to preach them, as if I had something!"

How amazingly he writes of these struggles, and it is always good to find another soul walking on the same road! We speak and pray about being broken as if it were some kind of beautiful spiritual experience, but then we find that it is the flesh that breaks down, very painfully and noisily, and in that place only that which has been formed and forged by God holds us.

How powerful are HIs great hands, and how amazing is His tender love and speaking in this desert place. He gently repairs and restores what He created and here we come ... up from the wilderness leaning on our Beloved.

MYSTERIOUS WAYS

God works in such mysterious ways! Each time He surprises me I am reminded that He can do anything at all, and fortunately is not limited by my understanding - what a relief!

Just this week I was reminded again! After praying for breakthrough in someone's life, asking that God would make a way to touch her, He did exactly that - He made the breakthrough through touch!

In the midst of all the pressures of life, there came an opportunity to paint some fingernails, massage a pair of hands and arms ... just to pamper someone who had never experienced that before in her life!

Suddenly there was connection, a smiling face, joy, and a new sense of worth ... whereas it had previously seemed it was impossible to make any connection at all.

I think we make things too complicated. We look for huge cataclysmic events that are earth shaking and shattering, and because we think this way, we never take the first step.

This week a life was touched, and change began, in the very simplest way. Nothing happened because of my cleverness, or my skill, or even the words I spoke. He just allowed His love and His life to flow out of my life as my hands touched another pair of hands.

Please, please, please ... dont hold back because you think you dont know enough, cant speak well enough or dont know what to say. Just be willing to go. All Jesus asked was that we would "Go..." and we have to take a first step to be able to do that.

So, go and do what you are able to, in the place He leads you. Do it with a heart full of His love for the people He has made, and out of His desire to bring redemption and healing to His children. He will most certainly take care of the rest.

FIRE THAT CONTINUES TO BURN

"His messengers are flames of fire" - so how can we continue to be His messengers and servants if we are not aflame with His Spirit, and burning with passion for all that is of His Kingdom.

Jesus promised that because He left this earth the Father would send His Spirit. So, to walk in the ways of God we must be walking in and with the Spirit of God.

How can we live in Pentecost?

How do we come to find this place as natural as breathing so that we truly 'live and move and have our being' in You Lord?

Are we in deeper than we know, or are we still just splashing in the shallows?

We can never be completely filled with the Holy Spirit as long as there is any selfish craving for our own will, for it is His will that is to be done. As long as we remain adept at maintaining and ministering to our flesh then how can we say that we walk and live by His Spirit?

Smith Wigglesworth gave a warning cry many years ago. From a man who moved in the power of God's Spirit for the very great good of others, we should perhaps take careful note of this comment.

"Unless Pentecost wakes up to shake herself free from all worldly things and comes into a place of the divine-likeness with God, we will hear the voice of God saying "Come out", and He will have something far better than this."

It is not enough to call ourselves pentecostal - it becomes merely a name if we do not live it moment by moment and day by day.

We need to remember that in His greatness and holiness God doesnt settle for near enough or second best, they are not part of His make-up, for He is perfect in every way. He doesnt ask us to be perfect in our own strength, but He does say (Rom 8:14) "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

If all creation eagerly awaits the appearing of the Sons of God, then it would seem good to ask the Lord to bring us to this place!

WHERE ARE THE TALL TREES?

Where have the tall trees gone?

Tonight I was in a women's home, surrounded by women and their children, all there because the tall and righteous trees that should be there for them to lean on have fallen over or never existed at all.
Something has failed them miserably - whether it be our society, their family, or the one who should be standing there beside them to give them strength and protection from the storms of life. For these fragile little groups something has gone terribly wrong!

My heart cries out for them that they would find "trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord" under which they might take shelter and begin to gain strength and grow. Like the tall trees that give shelter in the forest, standing high above the others that grow and are nourished beneath.

Are the tall trees missing because our society cuts them down? What are we doing to raise up righteous ones, establishing them as heads of families, leaders in society, righteous men and women who become the pillars of society, keeping it strong and safe?

In a nation where everything conspires against the biblical family unit, and single parents struggle alone to provide for their children the physical, emotional, and (sometimes) spiritual necessities of life, what is being established that will stand strong and tall in the future?

As society is less and less able to build and sustain such lives, the responsibility for those who live their lives as followers of Jesus Christ begins to be highlighted. It is not enough to attend church once a week, have a great time with those of like-mind, and go home feeling set up for the week.
There is more required of us.
There is a need now that we live more than a life that sustains us.
There is a need for us to understand that the daily bread Jesus provides for us must be eaten DAILY and the cup of salvation drunk deeply DAILY in order that we have sufficient to sustain ourselves and then an abundance over and above that to give away.

We are carriers of HIS LIFE. We are carriers of HIS HOPE. We are carriers of HIS HEALING.
We have been made rich in order that we would have a treasure and investment to give away to those who are poor. Are we taking such a treasure and burying it daily so as not to lose it - or are we liberally investing it, pouring it into the places it is needed, in order that we would see it multiplied over and over and over and over....ensuring great fruitfulness and food for all.
What have we done with our fives loaves and fishes today?

I feel embarrassed that with all He has given me, I find so few places to invest this great richness.
Dear Lord, I continue to ask for your divine appointments and opportunities, not just for myself but also for my brothers and sisters in You. Come Lord Jesus and lead us in the paths of righteousness for the sake of Your Name. Begin to establish great trees of righteousness that you plant deep in the soil in order that they will display Your love, Your security and safety, Your hope, Your healing..... Help us to pour out the riches You have invested in us Lord....today....tomorrow........

A NEW SOUND

For years I have spoken and prayed about the new thing I believe the Lord has been trying to bring us to in terms of prayer/intercession/worship that will release more of His Kingdom

and purpose in the earth. There is so much we do not yet understand, and yet, at times we have touched a powerful resonance that excites us to press on. EVERYTHING that worships God is worship, not just music! So there is coming combination of

ALL that we are towards ALL that He is that I seek constantly.

Years ago I had an experience of heaven in which even the molecules of the atmosphere burst open with praise and worship of God - it was incredible and beautiful.

As I read what I will post below there was such a witness in my spirit. I hope anyone who reads it here will also experience this stirring and encouragement. May you be encouraged to press on.

July 6, 2006
The Divine Exchange Between Heaven and Earth--A New Sound Is Being Released

Constant Exchanges
There is at all times, a sound being released from earth to Heaven, as well as from Heaven to earth--a divine exchange, so to speak. In the unseen realm, it is in the form of energy patterns, waves, particles. Although the vast majority of it is not heard with our natural ear, it is sensed by us because we are part of this existence.

What is coming from our end is "heard" by God, and I believe that He has an ever-flowing response back to us, which we need to be aware of and "tune into" with our spirit man, so as to tap into that constant communion we can have with Him. We often refer to it, as does Scripture, "spirit to spirit, deep to deep." In John 17, Jesus prays concerning our oneness with Him, "...that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and you in Me."

Regardless of whether we are conscious of it or not, without that constant exchange, this world as we know it, would not even exist..."in Him all things consist."

When God set up this whole existence of ours, He put it all in motion with the release of His sound, His Word, "Let there be Light."

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (overcome) it." John 1:1-5

Science is just now catching up with the Word, but what they are discovering these days, especially in the quantum world of physics, is absolutely amazing as it pertains to Scripture.

He released His sound...His Word out of Eternity. All we have experienced, all we do experience, and all we will experience, is held together by His Word. Science calls it the zero energy point, which is at the very center of the smallest particle. It is what keeps everything from collapsing all around us. Jesus is the fleshly Manifestation of that Word--He IS the Word.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." Colossians 1:15-17

It is all held together by Him, again, "...and in Him all things consist." I had to look up the word "consist." I've heard this passage misquoted many times. I, myself, have misquoted this passage because of the way I've heard it said so often as "all things exist," rather than "consist." I looked up the word "consist" because the Holy Spirit used that word specifically, and the misquote drew my attention to it. The word consist means, "To be made up or composed, to be comprised or contained, to exist together or be capable of existing together." I found this very interesting--all of this is made capable of existing together only in Him.

There is a sound of BREAKTHROUGH being released from Heaven in this hour that I believe can even be activated by our sounds of worship mixed with the sound of faith here on the earth. Our agreement with Heaven's agenda will truly affect the outcome.

It may be strange to hear the phrase, "the sound of faith" or "the sound of good works," but energy that is released from these things really does have a sound. Worship is a sound, whether it be audible or inaudible to our natural ear, flowing from us to the Father. When we direct our hearts, our intent toward Him, even when we don't verbalize it, there are waves and/or vibrations that are released into the atmosphere that He sees, smells, hears, tastes--that He receives unto Himself.

Obviously, Scripture uses metaphor to describe the exchange between God and His creation--"Taste and see that the Lord is good." Our prayers are as an incense unto Him and He "fills His nostrils" with it. There are so many examples. But if you were to really look at what is happening at a subatomic level, that unseen realm, our words and sounds are releasing energy into the atmosphere that everything around us is affected by.

I am reminded of something Neville Johnson (a father to the body of Christ in matters of the Spirit) shared in a teaching session. He went through a period of time, I believe several months, where the Lord caused him to see and smell the spirit realm--particularly, the realm of emotions. He actually saw the colors and smelled the fragrance that was released from people as they entertained emotions.

If a person was angry he saw red coming from them with a foul scent accompanying it. Jealousy in a person released a greenish grey color, again with a particular foul smell. The most fowl scent of all came with self-pity. Demons would see and smell it and flock to the person to fuel the emotion. It worked as well on the flip side of that.

Positive emotions released particular colors and pleasant fragrances, causing angels to come. My point is that we see, hear, and sense only in part what is taking place in the unseen realm. Actually, Neville begged God to "turn it off" because it was driving him crazy to be constantly aware of all of this. God is constantly aware of all of this, and even more, in all of creation at all times.

I remember John Paul Jackson shared an experience he had in Heaven during a visitation. He said every fiber of his being was illuminated as if it were alive, and he was conscious of how everything in his body was connected--even things science and the medical field are not yet aware of.

In his thoughts, he knew that God was that aware of every aspect of creation at all times--every blade of grass, every particle of every atom, as well as every creature, every human on the earth--not to mention the things of Heaven. What we say and what we do, does not go unnoticed by God. Every intent of our heart, every action, every word, every song, it's all "breathed in," so to speak, by God.

John Paul went on to say that when a word was released in Heaven, with it came music, fragrance, a color of light, and a numerical equation. I was undone by this statement, as I had been studying physics, light, sound, and color for a couple of years, and at that point, I wasn't even sure why.

I would go to the book store, stand in front of the science section and throw my arms up to God, saying "What?! What am I doing here?!" Then a couple of titles would catch my eye, and I would buy the books, go home, and try to read them. Well, when John Paul mentioned the numerical equation with each word I just started sobbing. That's what physics is all about--mathematical equations!

My heart was so relieved, thinking, "This is You, God. You really are behind this!" Many of you have that same sigh of relief, "I'm not going crazy after all, and I am hearing God on all of this." I can't tell you how many people have said the same thing to me in the last few years--God is up to something!

Something's up in the Spirit and it's a spirit to spirit understanding He is giving us in this hour. Things have escalated drastically and there is a divine acceleration going on. I liken it to an earthquake. If you were to say that the end of time as we know, is at the epicenter of the quake, then the closer we get to it, the stronger and faster the ripples will be that pull us toward it.

God is going to be releasing understanding at a greater pace. We are going to be much more acclimated to the unseen realm, and I believe we will be more able to sense and discern what is happening as a result of our actions and our words. We will see and hear more clearly His response and Heaven's response, as we become more skilled in the ways of the spirit and the unseen realm.

I am setting the stage to move into some explanation of just how our words, our actions, our worship affect the unseen realm. The church is finally exploring that which was meant for us as believers from the beginning of time. We lost the understanding of His ways as we trusted more and more in the thoughts and ways of man...the opinions and traditional ways of thinking in Greek-based philosophy.

We need to begin to pray and ask for the fullness of God to be released in our spirits, that we might be enlightened to the way He meant for us to walk with Him even on this earth. He said He would have those who worship Him in spirit and in truth.

There really is something on the horizon in the not so very distant future. Worship will be key in releasing much of this. It will be used to change the atmosphere for the Light to penetrate the darkness "and the darkness will not comprehend (overcome) it."

As He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. God is unlocking mysteries and allowing us to peer into things we've not understood until now.

There is a line in a song that He gave me that goes, "Breaking the sound barrier, breaking the barrier of sound between Heaven and the ground." We've got to get in touch with the power of our words and, yes, even the intent of our hearts. As we align ourselves with the "Sound of Heaven," these things will begin to manifest on the earth.

Grace...grace.

JoAnn McFatter
WhiteDove Ministries
www.whitedoveministries.org

THIS IS MY FRIEND

I would like to introduce you to my friend Stefan whom I have known ever since he was in his early teens.

Now Stefan is 22 years old and has spent nearly four years as a soldier fighting for his country. Right now he finds himself responsible for the lives of other men and in the midst of a war. His parents who love him dearly pray and cry out to God for his safe-keeping in the midst of great danger.

Each time we are tempted to take a self-righteous stance on war anywhere perhaps we could begin to think of individual men and women called to fight and affected by the fighting.

So often we pray as if we can change a war! What arrogance! We can pray, speaking to our loving God about the men and women involved, and affected, with great love in our hearts for each and every one of them. Without doubt we know that God created and loves every single person, and our prayers are far more effective when we have found His great heart of love and pray from that place. Is it not by our love for one another that the world will know who He is?

If you are uncertain about this, have a look at this photo of boy who has become a man, and look at the eyes that have seen things none of us would want to look at ... perhaps...just perhaps...then your heart will break as mine does...and you will begin to pray "Our Father Who is in heaven, Holy is Your Name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven .... ".

WHERE IS THE FIRE?

Today I have to ask the question of myself and others:
"When did Pentecost become a denomination instead of a way of life?"

Surely this is not at all that God intended when He sent His Spirit as a flame to the upper room where the disciples were praying and waiting for Jesus to send to them what He had promised?

Are we living today as though Jesus kept His promise, ensuring that there would be a continuation of His life and power in the earth when He had returned to heaven?

I am asking this question of myself, challenging myself, and anyone who reads this, to examine the question. "Am I living a pentecostal lifestyle?"

Is there visible evidence of the life and power of Jesus in my everyday life and relationships?
Is there any evidence of lives changed, healed, restored, as I encounter them and speak and pray?
Is there any evidence of this strength and power in my ability to walk daily in strength and overcome the things I encounter?

In this day, as we see the nations rage around us, it is time to ask again as Wesley did - "O God of burning, cleansing fire ... send the fire ... send the fire today!"

 

THE CURRENCY OF HEAVEN

How often do we think about ourselves as 'heaven's currency'? Each and every one of us has been created and 'deposited' on the earth for a distinct and amazing purpose. God put each of us together in such a way as to accomplish a plan that originated in His great heart - WOW, how amazing is that!

If we consider that when we one day stand alone before Him, the questions asked will not be about our sin (Jesus already took care of that) but rather how we allowed the precious currency of heaven that is invested in us to be spent ... might we view how we live and act a little differently?

Imagine being a big bag of gold coins dropped out of heaven onto this planet. :)
So now, there can be the odd coin scattered here and there, with some kind of minimal effect, OR there can be a bag given back into God's hands. As it is given back, He gets permission to spend the contents EXACTLY as He chooses, and of course, EXACTLY as He always planned. This should have maximum effect for His Kingdom, and leave us knowing that we are living lives that really make a difference.

In this current time, many have been tried and tested, sometimes beyond what we might consider to be a reasonable measure. Now, as we have been tried and tested, and refined by the process, God is going to be able to spend big handfuls of gold - we are just going to love what He is able to do with what has been worked into our lives.

Get ready to see God have a big spend up!! Your life and mine will never be the same. This is time to say "Here I am God ... Your precious currency ... spend me as You will for the blessing and extension of Your Kingdom on earth." Sit back and get ready for the ride of a lifetime! 

THE ENDURING STRENGTH OF OUR SPIRIT

We are both flesh and spirit, but we often consider flesh more real because this is what we can see daily in the natural realm.
We attend to the flesh because it is always there and very demanding.
Flesh is finite and will die and decay, and eventually cease to exist. It is VERY temporary.
Our flesh is merely the earthly temporary container of our spirit.

The spirit is eternal and will continue to exist when our flesh has ceased.
Our spirit connects us to all that is eternal and needs to be attended to and grown towards our eternal life.

Although we cant see our spirit with our natural eyes, it deserves more attention than our flesh because it will live FOREVER.

From a Christian point of view the question is where will the spirit spend eternity, in heaven or in hell?

Therefore, we begin to make choices in life that will take us in one direction or the other.
If we choose, we can be led by God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who He sends to counsel, teach, comfort and help us.
Though we cannot see Him, He is as real as our spirit, but far more powerful. He is the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, now sent to work very powerfully in God's children.

John 14:10 (Amplified Bible)
….what I am telling you I do not say on My own accord; but the Father who lives CONTINUALLY in Me does (His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power).

God has sent His Spirit to work in us as He did in Jesus. He wanted us to have what Jesus had, so that His life would be evident in us and others would believe in Him also.
Why?
Because He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE.

John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby) that He may remain with you FOREVER.
John 14:17
The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart) because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for HE LIVES WITH YOU (CONSTANTLY) and will be in you.

Jesus gives us the ability to know and recognize the Holy Sprit and promises us that He will be with us CONSTANTLY.

(Doves are not skittish birds and don’t fly away quickly! They just step aside quietly til the threat has passed and then carry on as before.)

John 14:26
But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name (in My place to represent Me and act on My behalf). He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (remind you of, bring to your remembrance) EVERYTHING I have told you.

John 14:27
PEACE I leave with you; MY OWN PEACE I know give and BEQUEATH TO YOU. Not as the world gives do I give to you. DO NOT let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (STOP allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and DO NOT permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and unsettled).

Thank you Holy Spirit that You are ALWAYS and CONSTANTLY with me. The PEACEFUL STRENGTH of God, abiding with me.
I choose to stay with You as You stay with me.
I choose to let You guard my heart and mind.
I choose to let you do the works of God, wherever and whenever You desire.
I desire to know You more and more, and to be taught and counselled and comforted by You.
I choose to live in eternal things, not waiting til my life ends, but engaging now with FOREVER and not being bound by the temporary and finite things that surround me.
Thank you for being My Life, My Way, My Truth.

TE HOKIOI

For those who have ever wondered what our extinct New Zealand eagle looked like - here is a picture of a replica in the viewsite in the Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland.
This is well worth having a look at - the bird was the biggest known eagle with a wing span of 3 metres.
Our ministry team has been named after this - not because we want to become extinct or are a bunch of dinosaurs :) especially as some members are under 30 - but because it is a picture of something placed in this country long before any of us came along and messed it up.

Imagine God putting the largest eagle in the world in one of the smallest countries, at the furtherest ends of the earth from Jerusalem. Maybe He wanted us to have a think about the promise and destiny He had for us as nation, and the impact we would have on the nations around us?

The bird may have become extinct in the natural, but the promises and destinies that have been put in place by God will come to pass. What effect would a prophetic nation have on other nations? Is this why we were at one point the highest mission-sending nation per head of population.

Perhaps now as we ponder why He put this huge eagle here, we should also begin to seek Him about the fulfilment of all that is in His heart for us, individually and as nation.

Anyway, good to know what it looked like isnt it!

HAVING FUN

Today has been full of smiles as I have a good look at how seriously I have taken things in the past, and SUDDENLY I get this sense of Jesus walking in, picking some stuff up Himself, and enjoying Himself as I finally begin to get the message.

For years we have tried so hard. We have learnt so much (or we thought so!). We have worked so hard for the Lord, and He has truly blessed our efforts on His behalf, especially as we were beginners, learning to walk in His ways.

Now I have discovered how much fun it can be to walk alongside someone bigger than ourselves, who actually delights to show Himself strong for us! We are little lightweights, and He is the heavyweight who has now entered the arena.

This Jesus, who IS our Peace, and in Himself has taken down the dividing walls of hostility, really wants us to get the picture.

In the past we came up to a wall and we would fire scripture at it, bombard it with prayer and proclamation, and sometimes we would be blessed to see it come down which was great encouragement.

Today the picture changed, now I can walk right up to the wall and say "Hey wall, I want to introduce you to My Jesus ... He has come to take you down!" :)

Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.

To fear the Lord, you have to KNOW Him, and then He begins to teach about His Kingdom, His covenant promises, His mighty power to heal and to save.

We begin to delight ourselves in Him and all we know of Him, and SUDDENLY we find He spoke the truth to us - the joy of the Lord has truly become our strength!

Hope this leaves you peaceful and smiling as much as it does me. :)

THE FRUIT OF DESOLATION

In recent weeks the Lord has been taking me through a process that began with my reading of John 20.

As I read it was as if I 'was' Mary Magdalene coming to the tomb to look for the Jesus she knew and loved. She found Him gone. Suddenly He allowed my heart to feel the desolation of that place, her despair, agony of heart, pain heaped upon pain. She had seen Him crucified, and now even His body was gone! He began to teach me about the place of DESOLATION and the FRUIT that comes from this place when He brings us to it.

First Mary ran to her friends. They came and looked, and far from sitting with her to seek comfort and help together, they ran off back home!

Mary did not leave the place where desolation had met her, instead she remained there weeping and crying out. She had no Plan B, and there was no business as usual for her. She stayed where she had last seen Him.

As she wept before the Lord, His heart was moved to comfort her and SUDDENLY she opened her eyes to find two angels where Jesus' body had been.

SHE HAD ANGELIC VISITATION IN HER PLACE OF DESOLATION.

She turned, and SAW THE RISEN JESUS CHRIST.

JESUS SPOKE TO HER AND GAVE HER INSTRUCTION of what to do next.

She then RAN FROM THE PLACE OF DESOLATION to her friends and was able to say to them "I have seen the Lord!"

The end result of Mary remaining was that she could say "I have seen the Lord" just as Isaiah did in Chapter 6, when he was desolate because King Uzziah had died. Isaiah also was able to say "I saw the Lord".

There is revelation of Christ to be found in the place of desolation as it is found nowhere else, if we will remain and not run from it. Mary's sorrow was out of her great love for Jesus even more than her thoughts for herself, she continued to lookf or Him in her distress. What did she find: His clothes! In the natural scheme of things there was nothing but a remnant and a memory, but as she stayed with that, Heaven saw and found her, spoke to her and led her forward!

GOD'S FAMILY

For a long time I have held a great concern in my heart, but because of age and position have found it impossible, or at the very least unwise, to speak of it. However, recently someone much younger and wiser than I am has given expression to my heart even better than I could, so I feel a liberty to post it here in the hope that others will read and understand!

So here is a quote from a young person I love and respect who wrote about the current focus on youth initiatives:

"And what is the role of the older generation....?
As a young person I love my generation, but I see how necessary it is that we have wisdom, leadership and input from the older generation. It is vital to our success and survival that this happens. Our generation is already unbalanced in its views. The world has put emphasis on us by giving us 'liberation' in so many areas, sex, drugs, lifestyle etc.. we are given so many things and take for granted so much. We are the generation burdened with choices. We have little respect for those that may be in authority or who have gone before us and may have paid a price for us to live as we do. By annihilating moral absolutes the world has declared war on this generation. There is no sense of family unit which adds to the unbalance. We needs spiritual mothers and fathers, leaders in the body. The church needs to even the score and balance rather than further emphasise the imbalance by enhancing the inflated sense of how precious young people are. We need to be understood, released, inspired and given opportunity in the context that this world is not all about us and our generation. Every person alive on the face of the earth is precious as far as God is concerned. A point to remember is that my generation can't be seen through rose-coloured glasses either, as much as the world or people within the church limit our opportunities or put us down and are responsible for shutting us out or down in different areas, we are responsible for our own inability to commit to anything, respect anyone, our laziness and selfishness. We create as many issues for ourselves as the world and church creates for us. We must own our issues, not be excused from them or have someone pass the blame for us."

Ephesians 2:14-18

For he himself is our peace, who has made the TWO ONE and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. By abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to CREATE IN HIMSELF ONE NEW MAN out of the two, thus making peace, and in this ONE BODY to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father, BY ONE SPIRIT.

In the Complete Jewish Bible the word for barrier is 'm'chitzah' - the divider between men and women in the orthodox synagogue, or metaphorically the 5 foot high stone wall between the Court of the Gentiles and the Inner Courts of the Temple where the Jewish people could go. What a wonderful picture this gives us of His great desire to bring together men and women, Jew and Gentile, all to be ONE in Him.

We must take care in placing a stronger emphasis on one part of the Body than another - we could find ourselves breaking down the Family of God rather than building and strengthening it for His Glory.

SHALOM

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

I have a feeling that an answer is coming, but not as we expect – just as the Messiah Himself did not meet the expectations of the religious establishment.

What truly will be the effect of what Joel prophesied? It is so wide open in possibilities and so boundless in God. I think we will only survive if we let everything go into God’s hands and let Him have His way with our screaming flesh.

What does my flesh scream? “This is not the way it is supposed to be…” (Says who?) “This is painful…..” (He knows that!) “I cannot see an end to this….” (He does).
Then we turn around and look at the head with blood flowing where the thorns have torn His flesh, and the scarred hands, the blood and water pouring out of a wounded side, the back torn to ribbons with lashes……..”This is My body broken for you…” takes on new meaning for me in this place, and I run towards the One who is THE ANSWER to all of my pain and all of my questions.

I feel full of tears, but what am I weeping for? Is it that things are not as I think they should be? Is it that my flesh cannot cope with the pressure of it’s own death? Is it that I cannot bear watching others in the same process?

Lord, you know the seasons and times that You have appointed for us. Help us to run into You, again and again and again, for truly You alone are our hiding place, our refuge, our strength. Be the ‘all in all’ that only You can be for us. Be strength in our weakness. Be our light. Be our salvation. Be our deliverer. Over and above all of this Lord, be our PEACE.

THE ANSWER

What does it mean when those who had walked closely with Jesus, had been at many of His prayer times, and seen most of His ministry, suddenly ask Him to teach them how to pray?

Maybe they are just like most of us. We start of with tremendous energy and zeal, willing to take on and move any mountain that presents itself. Little by little we find that the words we have are inadequate, there seems to be no clear way to express what is in our heart with words, the energy is a little less than when we started out.

King David (the warrior, worshipper, and man after God's own heart) comes to a place in Psalm 109 where in the midst of great difficulty he simply says "I prayer..." - how can we get to such a place? A place where there are no clever words any more, and where we begin to reflect all that God is back to Him and realise that He is the One who moves to bring change, He is the only answer we will ever need or find.

I call it the difference between horizontal and vertical praying. When we pray horizontally our focus in on the object of the prayer which we bombard with everything we can find in the Word and in ourselves until we have a sense of something changing. However, vertical prayer pushes us to our knees before a God who is ALWAYS ABLE to do more than we can ask or imagine. He has promised never to leave or forsake us. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He never sleeps. He created all things. He still today sustains all life that exists. He is great, majestic, all powerful, all knowing - suddenly we are no longer looking at the problem but have come face to face with THE ANSWER!!

As we gaze upon THE ANSWER and our hearts fill with love, faith, and joy in His presence, we have drawn near to Him and He draws near to us. His presence begins to invade what we are holding before Him and bring His order into the life or situation - after all He is the One who created everything. As we are in His presence, we begin to become like the One we behold and we are changed, even as He moves to change those things we have lifted before His throne.

We find ourselves now poured out as prayer before the throne of God. The answer Jesus Christ gave to His questioning disciples makes perfect sense to us now:

"Our Father in Heaven,

Holy is Your Name,

Your Kingdom Come,

Your will be Done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive our sins

As we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil,

Now and forever.

Amen.

A DREAM

This week I had a powerful dream.

I had been invited to speak in a very big church, as I stood there in the midst of the ocean of faces there were probably about 1000 people.

The speaking was not from a stage or podium but from the midst of the people. The message I had was the message of Jesus Christ to His disciples in John 10 when He called them to Him and gave them authority (this was given to those who had walked with Him..knew Him intimately) and told them to "Go".

In Matt. 10:7 He says:

"As you go, preach this message: "The Kingdom of Heaven is near."

As I spoke this out, it felt as if the Holy Spirit came over my shoulder and began to proclaim through me "This is Life, this is Truth, this is Bread, this is strength....." It came with the power of a trumpet blast over and into the gathered people.

As this happened I felt a tap on my arm, stopped, and looked down. Beside me stood a man with a clipboard, and he was wanting me to sign something for my message and write down it's scriptural reference!

I sat down and saw in front of me a bundle of church newsletters tied together with string. As I looked inside them I saw that this message had been brought to this people many times.

Saddened I walked outside and my attention was drawn to the carpark. Row after row of cars, neatly parked, locked, going nowhere .... He gently said this was the state of the people inside the building also.

A CRY FOR LOVE

The church reaches towards me

She grasps at me with gnarled fingers

And tears me from the One I love.

She has become like a widow woman

Lost in a world without the touch and closeness

Of the One she once so passionately embraced.

May Love Himself come again and soften her

May Love Himself embrace and draw her to Himself.

RUBBISH ON THE RIVER

Early on the morning of Monday 20 March, I had a short but very clear vision.

I saw people coming to a river and throwing all their junk into it. Their sin, struggles, and burdens.
What was thrown did not sink into the river, but floated on top of it, as black blobs, rather like oil.
A huge demonic creature stepped over the river and stood on the far bank.
He began to scoop up the black blobs, coat them with mud from the river bank, and lay them out to dry like bricks.

Instantly the words came to me “He is building strongholds” and then the vision ended.

I have prayed into this and believe the following about what I saw.

The river was the one spoken of in Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22. This is the crystal clear river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The thing that stands out about this river is that it is pure, clear, bringing life.

The overwhelming sense I had was that the rubbish thrown into the river did not sink because the river is not designed to be contaminated by such things. Our sin, struggles, burdens are to be brought to the cross. It was on the cross that Jesus Christ dealt with these things. God has a specific order in things and this is shown by Jesus taking care of our sin at the cross, His resurrection from that death, and then the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The life of the Spirit was not released until sin had been dealt with at the cross. There must be death before there can be resurrection.

In some areas this order has been overlooked, or perhaps not even taught or preached. This is not an issue of legalism, but of God’s order. Therefore people are bringing their sin to The River instead of to The Cross.

Because the stuff just floats there and is not actually scripturally dealt with, the enemy is beginning to gather ammunition against those who have mistakenly thought that their sin, struggle, burdens can be cast into the river and dealt with instead of being brought to the cross.

I believe the Lord is calling us to begin to focus on His order in our lives, families, churches AND for those to whom He has given the responsibility, to teach it. Where we have mistaken the place of dealing we need to ask Him to show us what needs to be picked up and dealt with in His way.

There is a strong sense that this call is coming in order to make a way for the healing the Lord is wanting to release in these days.

VISION OF A WARM WIND

Recently I had a clear vision of a large, deep canyon. As I looked down on this canyon I became aware of a very strong warm wind blowing through it. As I looked down on it the wind was coming from behind me, in the southern hemisphere that would be from the south – but contrary to what would be expected in this hemisphere, the wind was very warm. This canyon seemed to be travelling across the globe and was not limited to one place or country.

Ahead the canyon narrowed considerably and there were rocky outcrops either side of the narrowest point. On the right hand side was an old wooden house painted dark red. Many little rooms had been added to this house. At first glance I wondered why on earth this house had not fallen into the canyon as it was teetering on the edge of the outcrop; however it clung precariously to the rocks.

Beyond the rocky outcrops, the canyon widened out so far that it was impossible to see any limitations to it at all. There was a sense that as the wind burst out through this narrow point there was limitless expansion and increase.

The strong wind continued to blow, and I had the strong feeling that as it passed the old house it would draw from it everything that was good and useful, and carry this on out into the wide new space.

The sense I had as I looked at this was that the wind was a thread that had been woven through all that God is doing in this time. Even though there were things either side of this thread that looked as if they would disintegrate, the Lord was moving in such a way that He would extract and take all that was good and lovely and carry it on into the future that is held in Himself and known only to Him.

I thought of the Song of Songs, with the knowledge that the wind blowing on the garden would carry its fragrance to the Beloved. In the northern hemisphere where the scriptures were written, the south wind is a warm one, and that fitted with what I had felt and seen.

It is my personal belief that what I saw and felt was a HARVEST WIND. It was bringing change but at the same time picking up what was useful to the Lord as it moved through the old towards the point where this change will take place and its outworking will be seen.

I sensed that what was taken on was beyond our ordering. The Lord would choose what was useful and pleasing to Him in this time.

Song of Songs 4:16
Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden that its fragrance may spread abroad. Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.

Subsequently as I prayed it seemed as if I was almost ‘inside’ the wind that came through the canyon. It was a place of crystal clarity, great strength, and great peace, and was flowing very fast. As I looked out from that place, it was as if the surrounding areas were caught in a whirlwind and I could see people and all kinds of debris being flung around in this dusty wind. I felt that the ‘thread’ was a very powerful movement of God’s Spirit, drawing everything that was of Him into the safety of this ‘eye of the storm’.

The strong feeling I had was that previous moves of God’s Spirit have been about the work He wanted to do in His people to prepare for this time. Now it is as if He was gathering all that had been done into Himself and would draw people into this central, peaceful place of safety in God. This would be very necessary in the days ahead.

There was also a strong feeling that He would flow powerfully in the areas where His people had allowed Him to work in their lives removing debris that was not of Him – it would be tossed aside and they would be caught up powerfully in His purposes for their lives, and He would be able to flow through them with little hindrance to His Spirit.

TEARS AND UNREST

I have such admiration for those who are able to write drafts, edit them, and produce something that is amazingly coherent - and yet I seem to have been blessed with only the ability to fill up with thoughts and feelings that eventually spill out on to a page in a somewhat incoherent manner - how amazing that anyone ever bothers to read those thoughts - it is a source of constant amazement, and high esteem for those who are so patient!

Today is another of those restless days of walking around feeling like a huge well of unspilt tears. The slightest jolt or rocking of my world is likely to bring forth a flood of Noah-like proportions! What I would like to know is where have they come from, and why are they there, and why do I fill up like this? Crazy stuff isnt it?

Every now and then there is a kind of wave that rolls through. Would they be called waves of accumulated grief?

Wave of grief at having experienced and looked at the end results of man's inhumanity to man, woman to woman, man to woman, woman or man to child, it rolls on and on doesnt it.

What went wrong, where and when did we miss the message that love is patient, kind, loooooong-suffering, endures, lays down its life for its friends? Was it when we took up our RIGHTS? Rights to what? To behaving as we please, or feel like at a certain time? Rights to be what I am, and in the process of all that destroying all that someone else is or is meant to be? I thought when we became Christian's we gave away our rights, handed them over to Jesus, so that He could be in charge and draw us up to something higher and of eternal meaning.

Were we meant to become a Body, or a Church, that was so busy keeping all the rules, making the programmes work, managing all the people so well, growing to such impressive and immense proportions, that anything that put a ripple in the pool should be disciplined or even removed? What well built and maintained white-washed tombs.

Where did we lose our radical and beautiful Jesus Christ. The one who healed people on the wrong day, overturned the money-makers tables, ate with the sinners, walked with a bunch of ordinary folk on dusty roads, and did what He saw His Father (the creator of all things!) doing. The One who refused to judge and had the good sense to leave that to His Father, the only One qualified to do so!

The only building blocks he used were people who had been shaped and strengthened by His love and His presence. When did the presence of the Lord rise up to the threshhold and leave the temple? What will it take to entice Him back into the midst of us - into our lives, into our churches, into our communities and nations?

There are pockets of life - precious pockets or places where He is willing to come and have fellowship with His friends - how incredibly important are these precious pockets right now - they speak to me of the righteous men God looked for in wicked cities, willing to spare them because of the righteous. We read in the prophetic books of those who will be marked by the Lord as righteous and spared in the days to come.

Lord, I pray life into the pockets of life, increase and expansion in their number, that more and more homes and cities would be spared for the sake of the righteous who dwell in them.

As I pray the wave moves again, the desire grows, and the well of tears continues to fill.

THE BEAUTY OF THE CAVE

I am so fascinated by 'the cave' experience at the moment. Today I read an amazing NOW word by Holly Moody and it just resonated in my spirit, and then along came something else from David Orton that did the same.
Everywhere I go I find people who have been withdrawn from what they did previously and feel stripped down, being changed and renewed and restored by the Lord, without a real sense of what comes next.
It brought me to thinking about what happens around caves.
We know that David had been anointed to be king, was persecuted by Saul, and then found himself in the cave of Adullam. It was a pretty awful journey, and there wasnt too much that was 'kinglike' about it all! Still, with all his motley crew, living rough, he had a heart that did the right thing by Saul when he came along - shows that something good was going on in that cave! It was part of his journey to being a 'man after God's own heart'.
What about Elijah up there on the mountain top. He'd had great success calling down fire, killing off the prophets of Baal, praying and seeing the drought break, and running ahead of Ahab's chariot for quite a distance, and suddenly everything turns to custard for him. We find him on the mountain top looking for God. I just love it that Elijah goes into a cave in the rock and God puts his hand over it to protect him - who could say God isnt into caves? Elijah then entered the most fruitful period of his life, where he began to reproduce his ministry and anoint those who would bring great change into Israel.
I hear Him tenderly speaking to those He has called into the cave in this present day "my dove in the cleft of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely" (Song of Songs 2:14)
He has called us there to have sweet fellowship with Him. He comes and meets us in the cave, calling us to look at Him, to speak with Him, to hear Him tell us of His love.
Wow, what more could we want? Who cares if the world understands or not, or if the cave doesnt have too many mod. cons. The bridegroom is wooing those who are truly His own, preparing them for eternity.
How beautiful is this cave!

LOVING THE UNWORTHY

How could one possibly describe the freshness of this moment in time. For those with ears to hear and eyes to see, the change has come. The spiritual atmosphere has changed and it is like walking out of the fog or mist into clear sunlight. It is quite wonderful, there is room to breath, it is a place to grow.

In the past week I have been totally captivated by something in Hosea 3 (which is a pretty short chapter if anyone wants to read it and is short on time!). In the midst of the story of the prophet and his adulterous wife, God speaks to Hosea and says that he is to go and show love to his wife again, even though she is having an affair. Hosea is instructed to love her as God loves the Israelites - his own people which includes us because of Jesus!

Isnt this the most incredible picture of AMAZING LOVE? How would you or I respond to a call like that? I figure we would come up with 101 excuses why this couldnt possibly be God speaking and we shouldnt have to do it! And yet, it gives us a true picture of the prophetic life - the life that goes beyond speaking a word of knowledge or wisdom, into a place of obedience in order that God might have his heart revealed by action walked out before a disbelieving world.

Why would Hosea (or you or I) have to do this - the key is in the final verse 4 of this chapter.

For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. THEY WILL COME TREMBLING TO THE LORD AND TO HIS BLESSINGS IN THE LAST DAYS.

When we are unworthy, hard of heart, dull of hearing, cannot see anything except the world around us, He loves and pursues us. The image of this, lived out of our weakness and insignificance, paints a picture that cannot be denied. In the days ahead, the outworking of God's love through our lives will cause many around us to turn, and come trembling to the Lord and receive His blessings.

In the simplest outworking of our lives, when we are able to bask in this love and move out of it in obedience, something of God himself will be reflected to the world around us. If we remain in Him, and He in us, we will bear fruit without even trying! What an incredibly encouraging thought.