2007 is going to be quite a year!! Dare I write that? Even as I do, I can feel unbelief and cyncism rising up within me like bile. How many New Years have I said that and it has turned into a terrible one?! Yet I am so encouraged. The signs seem to be that indeed the tide is turning and the crest of the wave is growing and growing.
Terry Virgo has written his invitation to the "Together on a Mission 2007" and it has some exciting news! He writes:
"Last year those who attended Rob Rufus’s very instructive training track were particularly appreciative not only of the very helpful instruction they received but also the impartation of faith and Holy Spirit activity that was so manifest.
This year I have invited Rob to take three main sessions, with the anticipation that even greater numbers will be further equipped and inspired for our great calling to make Jesus known in our contemporary world".
In an age where paranoia of excess seems to abound in the evangelical world, I am deeply encouraged to be in a movement of churches where the leader and father of the said movement is prepared to make a resounding statement about his hope of the moving of the Spirit in our nation. Far from backing off from men such as Rob Rufus, Terry has given him and Newfrontiers an opportunity that is thrilling. The chance to give three main addresses and the chance for the whole conference to be impacted by the incredible ministry of this servant of God.
My feeling (and it is just that) is that if God is pleased in His grace to visit the United Kingdom again in a tremendous tidal wave of power, I am not sure whether He will be raising up what Ern Baxter called, "Stars shining in their unilateral glory". I think Dave Holden got it right when he spoke at Brighton about our corporate role as "ministers of the Spirit". Dave said himself that he didn't think we should be looking to men such as Rob Rufus or Paul Cain to "do the stuff" anymore. They will indeed set us an example and show us the way in equipping us but the onus rests with us to seek God, to pray for an anointing of the Spirit to move in signs and wonders, to fast, to seek Him and to step out in faith and dare to believe Him!
This wave of new anointing we so long for will come in the corporate. Terry Virgo's invitation could so easily be applied to us as a church inviting the lost in;
"You yourself need nourishment and inspiration. Come and be refreshed in the presence of God. Come and be further trained and inspired so that you can serve God with fresh zeal encouraged by a fresh encounter with Him".
Dare we believe that 2007 will be the year?
6 comments:
YES, we dare to believe. We live believing, and if need be, we die believing! YES, 2007 is the year...just as 2006 was the year. I remember what my husband preached regarding revival. He likened it to a good Southern dinner - and we do some ridiculously delicious dinners here in Tennessee. What part of "dinner" is dinner? Well, sure...the part when we sit down and EAT it! But...we don't eat without shopping for the food. That's part of dinner. (What do you call it?? Supper?) We don't eat without chopping and marinating and preparing the ingredients. That is part of dinner. We don't eat without cooking and grilling. That is "dinner" too! We don't eat in style without setting the table and even creating a beautiful centerpiece for it. Its all "dinner", if you adjust your perspective just a bit. Some parts of "dinner" are more FUN than others, but it is all necessary.
So, in these "times between", as we shop, chop, and prepare (figuratively) lets all encourage each other, and say, "DINNERTIME!"
If ol' Simeon could wait all his life to see what his heart longed for, we can wait one more day, week, or even year.
But I have to believe God smiles at the heart that is forever saying, "THIS IS THE YEAR...I just know it!!" Hope is a winsome thing.
Remember - we hope for what we don't yet see. I am reminded of the words to a Michael Card song:
If your life is sounding now
A dark and minor key
It will one day shift itself to major;
And the rhythm of your life will rhyme with nothing less than joy,
And you will know that hope is from
The One Whom you've believed in...
Hope is like having a tiger by the tail, Dan. It hurts to hang onto it....but it'll hurt a LOT worse to let go!
Joining with you in prayer that this year be THE YEAR...HOPING with you!
You awesome lady you!! :)
Truly God has 7,000 other prophets hidden who still believe in the power of the Name of the Lord and I am so honoured to know you!!
Bring it on Lord! We are desperate and we are ready!! To quote my favourite song of all time;
"You're all I want - You're all I've ever needed!".
The chorus of the M. Card song, my friend:
Hope you in the Lord
And renew your strength!
Soar you up on eagle's wings!
Tirelessly run the long race that's set before you,
Your life's a song the Father sings!
"tirelessly"...."long race"....we so need to encourage one another TODAY, not next week.
I wish we would add some salutations and benedictions to our vocabulary....phrases that carry substance, instead of the trite, "see you later"...or "Take care..." or "Cheerio!" (ACK! That is my attempt at being British...) or even, "Hey, how are you"...
How about, at Christmastime: "God rest ye merry!"
(I studied the origin of that old Christmas hymn, and that phrase would P-R-E-A-C-H)
Or, "Grace and peace!"
And instead of goodbye:
"Hope you in the Lord!"
And so Dan, I have to go finish the ironing and cook DINNER! (whooooot whooooot! "revival"!)
I leave you thusly:
Hope you in the Lord, friend!
Ah you remind me of my growing up years. I used to HATE with a vengance the trite practice of "saying the grace". The words are excellent! But the false smiles and nods were nauseating beyond belief. That's a really interesting and excellent point though - we adopt the practices of the world simply out of habit or tradition. I must admit to have adopted the phrase, "Every blessing" in my emails and letters. Do I really mean it? Or am I just copying one of my heroes who did it?
I think when I get particularly excited about a topic in an email or in a letter sometimes my closing would run into a paragraph of it's own!! "May the Spirit of God pour abudant, lavish, awesome blessing like a river of living water that every drop revives, brings life, hope and joy whereever it touches!!".
Or something like that.
Well I pray God's richest blessing on you as you honour Him by performing such vital tasks as ironing and cooking!! I hope when I come to the USA to be able to perhaps cook for you and give you a night off!!
Great post. Aaron and I have been listening to Rob Rufus a lot lately and we're pretty determined to get to the conference this year. If we weren't sure about God calling us to Newfrontiers, I think we'd seriously consider moving to Hong Kong just to hang out at Rob's church. Have you checked out the sermon archive on his church website? I'll probably be blogging more on some of that stuff soon.
And as for revival, I remain convinced we will experience something greater than any generation before us.
And hi Sheila!
Ah that would be SO exciting if you could make it!! Personally I am pleading with God to let me win the Lottery (even though I don't play it ... is the arm of the Lord shortened?!) ... so that I can pay for all my dear friends to be at this conference!!
My best friend Pete texted me yesterday and said this; "I really believe Brighton 07 will be the fulfillment of our tidal wave dream. Something amazing is about to happen!". That to me is another confirmation that you guys MUST be there.
God's got something in store and this is why I am jumping around at this latest Ern Baxter sermon that I am going to make available. He talks about something I have never heard preachers speak of before ... RETAINING the Revival! Too many have come and gone. Our calling is to make ready that when the tidal wave hits, we don't lose it!
Yes I love Rob's website. His sermons are just God-breathed and I am amazed at his God-centred passion. He just loves God! Can't wait to hear what you have to say about it and him!
Great to have you back online!!
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