Get Your House in Order ...

I realise that I have posted quite a few things in the last few days so I thought I would give some time to reading what is already there and make this a short "housekeeping" sort of post. Firstly can I draw attention to the fact that I have been cleaning! The "Archive" page has been updated so all of Ern Baxter's material that I have posted thus far is referenced and available for browsing.

Some of the more up to date writing of my own has been put there and I have removed links that I feel are less than godly. Looking back and reviewing gives you the opportunity to reflect in objectivity and quite honestly I have been horrified at some of the things I wrote in anger. I've deleted what I thought God just wasn't pleased with. If revival is indeed coming like a cloud on the horizon then I can't allow myself to hold on to any bitterness for any reason. I wrote publicly and I ask forgiveness publicly. David Devenish wrote that anger is a deceitful stronghold. It makes you think that you are strong ... and it lies. Far better to admit you are hurt and be honest.

Some Blogspotting.

1. Regarding yesterdays post, I found a quote of Terry Virgo's again on the vital importance of Apostles and Prophets; "That is what the Church needs. It needs ordinary church members flooded with prophetic vision about the vital role of the church of God in the modern world, apostolically inspired, prophetically invisioned, grabbed and captivated by their understanding of what the church of God is... It takes apostolic and prophetic ministry to release people from regarding the church as a static pastoral community and to transform it into those who are charged with world mission". Amen! And "we don't need them" John MacArthur?

2. On the back of that, a prophet from CCK, Brighton writes of the power of the prophetic word spoken in season; "It would have taken months of counselling to do what God just did in a few moments!’ God is amazing! A few words, at the right time said in the right way can alter a destiny in God!". It's so awesomely true!

3. Community Church, Southampton leader Billy Kennedy writes; "Next Tuesday, I'm spending a couple of days with Terry Virgo. Terry pulls together a group of leaders from the UK once a year for fellowship and prayer. He asked if I would like to be included". Those leaders seem to be THE charismatic church leaders in the UK. They include Nicky Gumbel, Stuart Bell, David Carr, Dave Devenish, Greg Haslam, John Mumford, Dave Richards, Mark Stibbe and David Stroud. I'm so utterly thrilled to know that this is happening. Once again Greg Haslam's prophecy seems to be coming true and other filings are being added into the crucible with us. It would be so easy for Terry to remain devoted inside the Newfrontiers circles spending all his time exclusively with Newfrontiers leaders around the world. Yet Terry shows again and again that his heart is so welcoming and wide to the broader Christian church. I'd love to be a fly on the wall and hear what goes on! May God use this unity and truly pour out His blessing upon it.

4. "A Gospel Primer For Christians" by Milton Vincent. This is a 40 page booklet recommended by Mrs Mahaney. "All Christians should become expert in their knowledge and use of the gospel ... so they can speak it to themselves every day and experience it's benefits".

5. Bluefish writes; "God's people gathered by the cross are a scattered people. We have no 'land' ... and the land we seek is eternal rest". While we do indeed look forward to eternal rest, I am not sure that "the land" is the correct word to use for it.

C H Spurgeon wrote; "It has been generally considered ... that Canaan is a fitting representation of heaven ... but we do think that the allegory does not hold, and that Jordan is not a fair exhibition of death, nor the land of Canaan a fair picture of the sweet land beyond the swelling flood which the Christian gains after death. For mark you, after the children of Israel had entered into Canaan, they had to fight with their enemies. It was a land filled with foes. Every city they entered they had to take by storm, unless a miracle dismantled it ... Heaven is a place already prepared for us; out of it the evil ones have long ago been driven; there brethren shall await us with pleasing faces, kind hands shall clasp ours, and loving words shall alone be heard."

6. And finally Joel Gill begins 2007 in a similar vein but verbally more proficient than I; "The Kingdom of God is a place of excellence, it is not a place of second best, of half measures, or of incomplete promises. Let's refuse to settle for anything other than the fullness of all that God's promised us, let's be continually overflowing with His Spirit. Let's raise our faith, raise our sight, raise our expectancy and dream big dreams". Amen!