Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Manifestations of His Glory and Power!!

Wow I simply must state for the record that if I had heard about some of these events maybe 10 years ago while I was safely entrenched in my proud legalism, I would have turned my nose up and declared; "These men are drunk". But in the last few years God has truly humbled me and I am starting to see things afresh and believe things that I wouldn't have thought were possible or probable. How utterly arrogant! To say "God wouldn't do that". Who says He wouldn't?! I want to start off by highlighting a comment left by an anonymous friend on my post; "Only GOD should have that kind of power?!" - the blog that was inspired by the "Jumper" film. This friend comes from Fini and Isi de Gersigny's church - Jubilee in Sydney - and will be shortly participating in the "Glory and Grace Conference"!

But this person wrote this in response to my comments about "teleporting";

"Wow...I guess I'm going to be another anonymous...not to be confused with the others. Funny what a google search will turn up with! So actually I'm in a church whose leaders are best friends with Rob and Glenda Rufus, and Fini and Isi have had the priviledge of having being discipled under Rob and Glenda. He is also coming to our church next week for the 2nd Glory and Grace here in Sydney! But...what drew me to this Blog was the Jumper theme, loved the film. What I wanted to mention, just one little thing, is that I actually had the priviledge of meeting a missionary couple from Iris Ministries a few weeks ago.

They told our church of an incident where the wife was in Pemba, Mozambique dying from Malaria and the husband was in Northern Ireland. He was praying with the elders in the church and suddenly He was teleported to outside a hut in Mozambique. He went in and God told him to go into a room on the right (she had just been moved so no way he could have done that) She says as she took her last breath she saw him, He laid hands on her and cast out the sickness and she was healed. He was then teleported back to Northern Ireland. Now here is the thing. He was not only seen by her but also be others. Seems that God is still enabling people to teleport for His purpose! Just thought I'd share that".

Well Anonymous - thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for sharing this!! What an awesome testimony and so thrilling! I don't know if you have discovered our "Rob Rufus" blog but you have stumbled on some big fans of Rob and Fini and Isi here!! I first experienced your guys ministry at the "Grace and Glory Conference" in Hong Kong last year and was blown away - particularly by the prophetic edge to their ministry. Just so full of grace and the Father's love! Please do come back more and share with us when you can about what is going on in Sydney and particularly we would all love to hear what happens at the "Grace and Glory Sydney Conference"!

I remember there were a few negative responses to when Rob shared some testimonies about "teleporting" at Brighton last July. Indeed one person called it an "urban legend". However in the post, I noted two Scriptures where what could be called teleporting happens in the Word of God. Acts 8:39 and Ezekiel 3:14. We may be bold and ask well why did God allow that to happen then? I don't really know! But I was pondering this while I was at work last night - for most of the night actually! - and something struck me. God doesn't allow natural laws to prevent or withstand the advance of His Kingdom at times. He wanted Philip to be moved rapidly and quickly for His purposes (as did He want Ezekiel) and nature's law dictated that the only way they could have moved was by horse or cart. God overruled that.

I know that technology has advanced since then and we have airplanes now - but God seemed to impress on me last night that even they are too slow for His quickening and advancing purposes. For example I know it is the will of God that my friends Julie and Aaron Morris are in Hong Kong next month for the "Glory Encounters Conference". At present we are progressing down the "natural law" side of things and ensuring they have the money for air fares. But how absolutely COOL would it be for them to be suddenly "teleported" and arrive in Hong Kong so they could donate the air fare money to City Church International!??! Am I getting carried away here? Am I crazy? Or is this in the realms of possibility?!

I don't know about anyone else but I am going to be watching and listening carefully and with great excitement because I expect to see this happen more and more. Why should British Airways profit from us travelling for the purposes of the Kingdom of God?!

Now secondly - I got an email from a charismatic network I subscribe to and what caught my attention was the mention of "Joshua Mills" - the speaker at the "Glory Encounters Conference" that Julie and Aaron will be at. The email was advertising another conference; "Manifestations of Glory" and there is an incredible video on the link showing some of the manifestations I am interested in. Here's what they wrote;

"Joshua Mills ministers from the cloud of God's Glory. He is an intimate worshipper often seeing visible manifestations and unusual signs such as gold dust, gemstones and other incredible phenomena that point us to the heart of Jesus.

John Crowder is the founder of Sons of Thunder and has a heart to equip the church to move in supernatural Christianity. Unusual signs follow John's ministry such as instant weight loss, healings and creative miracles. He is author of The New Mystics.

The first miracle Jesus ever performed was to turn water into wine: This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory (John 2:11). Come be refreshed with the new wine of Heaven! This is marital wine, and Jesus is giving signs in this hour to point us to the heart of the Bridegroom. This is the hour to birth a manifestation of Heaven on earth. Jesus said: He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him (John 14:21)".

These are exciting days indeed to be alive! I need hardly mention that although it is exciting to hear about such signs, our longing is for the Presence of the Bridegroom Himself. He will choose to manifest Himself in whatever way He chooses and we do not dictate or become legalistic (as is possible) even in hungering after signs of His Presence! We want Him! We want His fire! We want Him!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it is clear to me that you have abandoned all pretences of orthodoxy and have finally veered into "charismania" - I am sure your idol-worship of Rob Rufus is to blame. Teleporting? Gold dust? Oil? Where are these things in the grand scheme of Christ's plan of redemption? What have these to do with the Cross of our Saviour? This is a worrying post in the extreme.

Dan Bowen said...

Thanks Anonymous I will take that as a comment if you mean abandoning all "your" pretences of orthodoxy. If abandoning that kind of orthodoxy means stopping locking God into a box and telling Him what He can and cannot do, whom He can heal and whom He cannot, whom He can anoint and whom He cannot - and what manifestations He can give and those He cannot - then YES YES YES, I proudly state I have abandoned your form of orthodoxy.

And gladly so.

I have wasted 30 years of my life sitting proudly and legalistically safe in a church fearing the excesses of "charismania" that you state - when there was NEVER any fear of those excesses coming into a place so run by control and rules and law!! I have sat on my backside for those 30 years dictating to God in my mind what kind of revival I would get involved in and what I would not, what kind of phenomenon I would allow myself to submit to (tongues and prophecy ... maybe) and that which I would not (gold dust, oil, feathers).

And you know what my 30 years of control and legalism have brought me?


NOTHING!!

Yes I know God is pleased with me because of the imputed gift of righteousness of His Perfect and Only Son. But I certainly haven't invaded the impossible in my life, I certainly haven't seen miracles, signs and wonders accompanying my preaching of the Gospel and I haven't seen unbelievers point and say "God is truly upon you!".

Some people may be happy with being a "Charismatic with a Seat Belt". I'm not. I've done that and it is time to allow God to do what He will, and what He says He will in His Word!! My life is passing by. And I want to leave footprints in the sand of history.

You stay in your orthodoxy if you will.

jul said...

Yay Dan, off with 'orthodxy' on with Christ!!!

lydia said...

I think often times we fear excess out of ignorance. We do not see it happening in our world or sphere so surely it cannot be so. The Bible says test and question everything.... not automatically discard it because we can't accept it!
I personally see some of these signs, like oil, feathers and gold dust, very weird, but who am I to say God can't use it, and if He uses it to bless and encourage people in Him, than I want it, or at the very least I will not reject it because my human earthly mind can't wrap around the Awesome God who has all power and creativity to manifest how He sees fit!
If you read the big picture here of Dan's post you will see that He want's GOD, He wants all that God has - WHY? because if God has more He wants it!!
I respect that, being open to whatever way God chooses to manifest to draw people to HIM!
(Word without Spirit is dangerous, Spirit without the Word is dangerous! I think Dan will be the first to tell you he values both extremely!!!

Peter Day said...

Anonymous seems to be asking "what is the point of these things?"

Well, teleporting is totally clear - God wants His people in a certain place. In the testimony above, in order to minister His healing power. In Acts 8, for someone to hear the gospel.

As to the other things - oil, gold dust etc - these are simply signs of God's pleasure and blessing. God takes pleasure in His people and He delights when we take pleasure in Him.

I think that is part of the problem that many of us have with manifestations like these - what is the point? Does there have to be a point other than the heart of God to bless His people? God is a God who is filled with pleasure and joy - so He delights to bring His people pleasure and joy.

We must surely stop putting God in a mechanical box and say that He can or cannot do particular things. This is a serious problem in life! Dan and I were meditating on these things yesterday in a time of real glory in our office. God laid on our hearts - the point is I want to bring you pleasure, because I love you.

When we see such a revelation of God's heart for us, it frees us to imitate Him in every area of life. What is the point of certain things I have given to my daughter for her birthday today - to give her pleasure.

What is the point of the joy of intimacy in marriage - not the ritualistic "women you must let your husbands have sex at least once a day". No!! Because God loves to give pleasure, and we are like Him in Christ - so intimacy in marriage is for the GIVING (not taking) of pleasure, freely and out of abundant love.

Gold dust, oil, gem stones - whatever God wants to give - He delights to give pleasure.

But the greatest gift of all (these other things are just signs) is the gift of Himself - His awesome presence, and I want it more and more and more. Every droplet of glory makes me desperate for more.