Julian Adams said;
"Our Expectation is God's Invitation".
What do we think is going to happen in about an hours time when we meet together? Do we think anything is going to happen? Do we expect God to show up? Or are we hiding behind the get-out clause that God is omnipresent? Do we expect God to distribute gifts of His Spirit? If so are we prepared that He may want us to get up and bring something He wants saying? Or are we in fast-food consumer mentality? Do we just want the worship over and done with so we can get on and hear the sermon which after all is the main reason why we're here?
I love Julian Adam's latest blog post. He writes;
"Intimacy with Jesus has a spill on effect. It draws us into a radical encounter with the Father. You see He takes us into the rooms of the Father! It’s amazing the heights and depths to which we are called! This is not for those who are prophetic only; it is an invitation to all who are called sons. You can live in the place of His presence and the resource of heaven twenty-four-seven.
A place is prepared for you in the father’s house. It’s a place of intimacy and reve-lation. It’s a place of lives changed and destiny fulfilled! You can go there anytime. Jesus has gone ahead of you and made the way open. You can access heavenly realms anytime in any place. He wants to tabernacle (make a dwelling place) with you. That’s the place that revelation will flow from".
What awesome privilidge! The way has been made open - the veil has been torn in two and we can enter the Holy of Holies today, THIS morning! There is a potential for all of us to encounter God Himself this morning because He has promised that He is building us - His Church - into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit! God Almighty wants to come and tabernacle among us! Don't take His omnipresence for granted. There is a manifest Presence - a cloud of glory - that is there and that will come in response to our hunger for Him.
Showing posts with label Julian Adams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julian Adams. Show all posts
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Mobilise Seminar - Julian Adams!
Because I am too old to get into the Mobile sessions (*sigh*) I am so grateful to be able to listen to the sessions. I love the passion and the zeal you can feel literally coming out the speakers of my laptop! This was the first Mobilise seminar I listened to but it was quite fitting that there was so much reference by Julian to the Presence of God especially in the light of certain evangelical comments that have been made recently (see comments here). God is ominpresent and we worship Him for that! But the Bible shows clearly time and time again that God can and does come powerfully in specific ways and at specific times. (Hebrews 10:19) makes it clear that the Cross has made the way open. But (Hebrews 10:22) says "Let us draw near!". This suggests that the way may be open but we still may stay out of the Holy of Holies - God's Presence.
But I am not going to get into that - that is for another time and another post and another blog!
Here are the notes from Julian Adam's wonderful session at Mobilise.
Frequency – Going Deeper into the Prophetic!”
Julian Adams at Mobilise 07
I am loving how God has been breaking into our meetings! Jesus has made a way for us into the Father’s throne so let’s give Him first place.
I want us to encounter God!
You are all Christians therefore you have free access into the throne room of heaven and you don’t need Matt Redman or Kate Simmonds or Simon Brading to let you in!
Let’s get in the face of God! Give yourself to His wonder, His glory and His majesty! Be filled with His Presence right now! Let Your glory come over this place! Let Your glory rest in this place right now! God is here – some of you need to encounter Him!
[Time of Words of Knowledge and Prophecy to specific people]
God is eager to pour out His Spirit on us – we have had just days of the glory of God being manifested over the meetings we have been having. People have been experiencing oil dripping off their hands supernaturally in past meetings there.
God doesn’t consult us about our theology when He works – He is sovereign and He reserves the right to mess with our cerebral thinking when He intervenes.
Going to push some boundaries – I called it “Going deeper” on purpose because God wants us to push boundaries in the prophetic. I am tired of “sunflower prophecies”. They are great for novices – such words. However when I see people who are baptised in the Holy Spirit, raised into leadership I expect more from them!
We need to raise the bar to such an extent that when we prophecy people fall down and say “Surely God is in that place!”. Those unbelievers become believers in our meetings because of the prophetic!
God wants to bring us into an ever-increasing encounter of revelation and very often we live in the shallow end of the Kingdom of God because we do not know that there is free access into the throne room of God – the very courts of heaven boldly to find what we need for life!
The prophetic isn’t just for Sundays! It is or should be an every day thing! The prophetic is about receiving personal revelation as well as public revelation! The prophetic is about finding out destiny for your life – what job you are going to take, where you are going to live, how you spend your money, what you do with the person you are going to marry! Too often people look for “5 rules for the prophetic” – but actually the prophetic is about an encounter with God!
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters … the voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of majesty … the voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth … all in His temple cry “glory!”.
We need to understand first and foremost that the prophetic is first and foremost is an experience with a Living Person!
“Jesus is not a theology … a doctrine … Jesus is a Person!” – Jack Deere.
When we come into an encounter with the voice of God – it is an experience. Many of us don’t encounter the voice of God because we don’t understand our sonship.
Too many people in the Church today are living with an orphan spirit. An orphan spirit produces legalistic, law-filled religion because if your performance is not good – you are kicked out of the house. But the Spirit is poured out upon us so that we cry “Abba! Father!”. There is something about encountering the voice of God that is just so wonderful because you understand that you are a son.
Too many of you have felt obliged to perform to your earthly parents and have transferred that in your relationship to your heavenly Father. We need to understand our sonship if we are to come into an experience with God.
You can’t be evangelical truly without being charismatic because you understand the Word of God truly!
Prophecy is experiential. Prophecy is alive – it isn’t mere liturgy – it is active and moving. When we need to live to God’s standards we do it because of His grace through His Word. There is a sense of every day encounter with God that causes us to hear Him daily. We need to stop seeking out prophets for a word of direction! Go be with Jesus! He knows us better than anyone! The living Person of Jesus still speaks to us today!
(Proverbs 25:2) “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter … it is the glory of kings to search out a matter”.
(Psalm 25:14). “The secret counsels of the Lord is for those who fear Him and He makes known to them His covenant”. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) “The Spirit searches all things – even the depths of God”.
This is a holy invitation to search out the unsearchable depths of God – to seek out the never ending depth and love of God!
(John 14:1-3) This Scripture is read at funerals! But this Scripture is in the context of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit! This Scripture is about a radical encounter of the Holy Spirit! (v21)
If your encounter with God is merely cerebral – if your encounter with God does not include an experience then Jesus wants to bring a refreshing encounter to you.
We didn’t sign up for just a nice moral lifestyle! So we don’t just do what the world does!
We should be living a supernatural life in a supernatural kingdom that gives glory to the God of glory! God is looking for a people who will come into an encounter of sonship with Him!
Ways God Speaks to Us
1. Impressions.
God will often primarily bring senses that He is speaking to us. This isn’t going to be the way we normally expect it. Left hand gets hot – sometimes a sign that God wants to heal someone.
Our bodies are created to experience God. Every part of our being is engaged with God! “Taste and see that the Lord is good”.
May get a sympathetic pain where that person is experiencing the pain. We are spirit men – created spirit, soul and body – and it is aware of the unseen realm. This world is tangible but temporary and it is going to burn! Everything we see is created out of that which is unseen. It is transient and it is passing away. We are representatives of this unseen world. Sexual abuse often presents itself as a nauseous smell. As we begin to learn and encounter God in these ways patterns will begin to emerge that you can learn. May smell a sweet, beautiful smell – a sign of God’s Presence.
2. Voices of God.
May be audible!
Revelation from God shapes the way you live!
The still small voice of God! Elijah’s experience of God – “Son what are you doing here?”.
3. Thoughts During Worship.
Just a thought that pops into head while loving Jesus! This may be a sense that we should go and visit someone or speak to someone or write to someone.
4. Trances, Visions, Dreams, Angelic Visitations.
Angelic visitations are sovereignly initiated by God. You can’t fake them! It often precludes a specific big revelation from God to step out in faith.
How do we come into some of these encounters? There are some unhelpful examples in the world today. The wrong reaction is to ban all prophetic because of that error and say we won’t have any prophecy and “be safe”. The prophetic isn’t safe! God isn’t safe! The other extreme is to have angelic visitations at breakfast, Third Heaven encounters every day! Paul says to the church at Colossians – “Set your minds on things above even where Christ is seated”.
The antidote to incorrect thinking about the prophetic is the Person of Jesus. When you set your mind on Him you will begin to encounter the prophetic in a very real way.
“Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.
A. Revelation comes by Sovereign Initiation.
It is about encountering a heart – all revelation must lead to Jesus. He is all prophecy fulfilled! All decision making must lead to Jesus! Wrong; “Jesus has given me permission to go out with an unsaved girl”.
B. Revelation must always be connected to the Grace of God.
The minute there is legalism – you know it is not from God. The prophetic can seek out the spirit of religion like an exocet missile. The nature of grace means you know you are a son! You can have a whole book of prophecy written in pictures – but without faith it will mean nothing.
C. Cultivate our hearts to receive from God.
Love Jesus! Love the Holy Spirit! Love the Father! Spend time with Him!
Too many want the kiss in the garden without the cost of covenant.
You cant have the kiss without the cost. You need to spend time with Him. If you want what many prophetic people have got you must pay the price – it isn’t legalism! It is encounter. The key to self-indulgence is to step out in faith. Go pray for someone. Give away what you’ve got. “Freely you have received – freely give”. Study and mediate on biblical encounters with God.
D. Be a people of faith.
You have got to have faith – not passive faith. God is restoring a great theology to the church is His sovereignty. It is wonderful to know that we are not in control but He is. What a release of pressure!
Your expectation of God is the invitation that you need to encounter Him. Become a people that expect God to move.
But I am not going to get into that - that is for another time and another post and another blog!
Here are the notes from Julian Adam's wonderful session at Mobilise.
Frequency – Going Deeper into the Prophetic!”
Julian Adams at Mobilise 07
I am loving how God has been breaking into our meetings! Jesus has made a way for us into the Father’s throne so let’s give Him first place.
I want us to encounter God!
You are all Christians therefore you have free access into the throne room of heaven and you don’t need Matt Redman or Kate Simmonds or Simon Brading to let you in!
Let’s get in the face of God! Give yourself to His wonder, His glory and His majesty! Be filled with His Presence right now! Let Your glory come over this place! Let Your glory rest in this place right now! God is here – some of you need to encounter Him!
[Time of Words of Knowledge and Prophecy to specific people]
God is eager to pour out His Spirit on us – we have had just days of the glory of God being manifested over the meetings we have been having. People have been experiencing oil dripping off their hands supernaturally in past meetings there.
God doesn’t consult us about our theology when He works – He is sovereign and He reserves the right to mess with our cerebral thinking when He intervenes.
Going to push some boundaries – I called it “Going deeper” on purpose because God wants us to push boundaries in the prophetic. I am tired of “sunflower prophecies”. They are great for novices – such words. However when I see people who are baptised in the Holy Spirit, raised into leadership I expect more from them!
We need to raise the bar to such an extent that when we prophecy people fall down and say “Surely God is in that place!”. Those unbelievers become believers in our meetings because of the prophetic!
God wants to bring us into an ever-increasing encounter of revelation and very often we live in the shallow end of the Kingdom of God because we do not know that there is free access into the throne room of God – the very courts of heaven boldly to find what we need for life!
The prophetic isn’t just for Sundays! It is or should be an every day thing! The prophetic is about receiving personal revelation as well as public revelation! The prophetic is about finding out destiny for your life – what job you are going to take, where you are going to live, how you spend your money, what you do with the person you are going to marry! Too often people look for “5 rules for the prophetic” – but actually the prophetic is about an encounter with God!
“The voice of the Lord is over the waters … the voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of majesty … the voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth … all in His temple cry “glory!”.
We need to understand first and foremost that the prophetic is first and foremost is an experience with a Living Person!
“Jesus is not a theology … a doctrine … Jesus is a Person!” – Jack Deere.
When we come into an encounter with the voice of God – it is an experience. Many of us don’t encounter the voice of God because we don’t understand our sonship.
Too many people in the Church today are living with an orphan spirit. An orphan spirit produces legalistic, law-filled religion because if your performance is not good – you are kicked out of the house. But the Spirit is poured out upon us so that we cry “Abba! Father!”. There is something about encountering the voice of God that is just so wonderful because you understand that you are a son.
Too many of you have felt obliged to perform to your earthly parents and have transferred that in your relationship to your heavenly Father. We need to understand our sonship if we are to come into an experience with God.
You can’t be evangelical truly without being charismatic because you understand the Word of God truly!
Prophecy is experiential. Prophecy is alive – it isn’t mere liturgy – it is active and moving. When we need to live to God’s standards we do it because of His grace through His Word. There is a sense of every day encounter with God that causes us to hear Him daily. We need to stop seeking out prophets for a word of direction! Go be with Jesus! He knows us better than anyone! The living Person of Jesus still speaks to us today!
(Proverbs 25:2) “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter … it is the glory of kings to search out a matter”.
(Psalm 25:14). “The secret counsels of the Lord is for those who fear Him and He makes known to them His covenant”. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) “The Spirit searches all things – even the depths of God”.
This is a holy invitation to search out the unsearchable depths of God – to seek out the never ending depth and love of God!
(John 14:1-3) This Scripture is read at funerals! But this Scripture is in the context of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit! This Scripture is about a radical encounter of the Holy Spirit! (v21)
If your encounter with God is merely cerebral – if your encounter with God does not include an experience then Jesus wants to bring a refreshing encounter to you.
We didn’t sign up for just a nice moral lifestyle! So we don’t just do what the world does!
We should be living a supernatural life in a supernatural kingdom that gives glory to the God of glory! God is looking for a people who will come into an encounter of sonship with Him!
Ways God Speaks to Us
1. Impressions.
God will often primarily bring senses that He is speaking to us. This isn’t going to be the way we normally expect it. Left hand gets hot – sometimes a sign that God wants to heal someone.
Our bodies are created to experience God. Every part of our being is engaged with God! “Taste and see that the Lord is good”.
May get a sympathetic pain where that person is experiencing the pain. We are spirit men – created spirit, soul and body – and it is aware of the unseen realm. This world is tangible but temporary and it is going to burn! Everything we see is created out of that which is unseen. It is transient and it is passing away. We are representatives of this unseen world. Sexual abuse often presents itself as a nauseous smell. As we begin to learn and encounter God in these ways patterns will begin to emerge that you can learn. May smell a sweet, beautiful smell – a sign of God’s Presence.
2. Voices of God.
May be audible!
Revelation from God shapes the way you live!
The still small voice of God! Elijah’s experience of God – “Son what are you doing here?”.
3. Thoughts During Worship.
Just a thought that pops into head while loving Jesus! This may be a sense that we should go and visit someone or speak to someone or write to someone.
4. Trances, Visions, Dreams, Angelic Visitations.
Angelic visitations are sovereignly initiated by God. You can’t fake them! It often precludes a specific big revelation from God to step out in faith.
How do we come into some of these encounters? There are some unhelpful examples in the world today. The wrong reaction is to ban all prophetic because of that error and say we won’t have any prophecy and “be safe”. The prophetic isn’t safe! God isn’t safe! The other extreme is to have angelic visitations at breakfast, Third Heaven encounters every day! Paul says to the church at Colossians – “Set your minds on things above even where Christ is seated”.
The antidote to incorrect thinking about the prophetic is the Person of Jesus. When you set your mind on Him you will begin to encounter the prophetic in a very real way.
“Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.
A. Revelation comes by Sovereign Initiation.
It is about encountering a heart – all revelation must lead to Jesus. He is all prophecy fulfilled! All decision making must lead to Jesus! Wrong; “Jesus has given me permission to go out with an unsaved girl”.
B. Revelation must always be connected to the Grace of God.
The minute there is legalism – you know it is not from God. The prophetic can seek out the spirit of religion like an exocet missile. The nature of grace means you know you are a son! You can have a whole book of prophecy written in pictures – but without faith it will mean nothing.
C. Cultivate our hearts to receive from God.
Love Jesus! Love the Holy Spirit! Love the Father! Spend time with Him!
Too many want the kiss in the garden without the cost of covenant.
You cant have the kiss without the cost. You need to spend time with Him. If you want what many prophetic people have got you must pay the price – it isn’t legalism! It is encounter. The key to self-indulgence is to step out in faith. Go pray for someone. Give away what you’ve got. “Freely you have received – freely give”. Study and mediate on biblical encounters with God.
D. Be a people of faith.
You have got to have faith – not passive faith. God is restoring a great theology to the church is His sovereignty. It is wonderful to know that we are not in control but He is. What a release of pressure!
Your expectation of God is the invitation that you need to encounter Him. Become a people that expect God to move.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Seminar 2 on Prophecy - Guy Miller at TOAM 07!
I have just finished listening to the second seminar in the Training Track on the Prophetic by Guy Miller - and once again it was of an extremely high calibre. I am constantly amazed that again and again each session was not about simply impartation of information (although we all did learn lots) but it was about an impartation of the Spirit. Guy Miller (like Julian the day before) seemed so eager to deliver his information so that they could "do the stuff"! Enjoy and may it stir up a greater degree of the prophetic wherever it is read.
TT2 on Prophecy – Guy Miller and Julian Adams – TOAM 07
Julian Adams – It is only appropriate that we start off by loving on Him a little bit. In hearts and minds engage with Him. We are all leaders so we have got free access – we don’t need Kate Simmonds up here! It is our free and wonderful privilege to be sons of the Living God. We can enjoy any part of God that He has to offer us. Let us pack this place with the glory of God. You are a speaking, laughing, loving God! What an exciting time we have had. Feel a personal call to see the level of prophecy and revelation increase among us as a family of churches. Too much dodgy weird mystical stuff going on. We need a clear call for truth as we weigh the prophetic. My Bible says unbelievers should be convicted by the prophetic among us, fall down and say God is among us in this place. It is vitally important that we are equipped in the area of weighing so that we can spot the false. This is prophetic – we will see an increase in the false manifestation of the prophetic. We must be equipped to weigh. Guy is going to speak to us on this.
Guy Miller – At Christmas the great excitement is the wrapping paper with children! The risen ascended King of Kings has given to His church power gifts to allow us to know Him, to love Him and to extend His kingdom. These power gifts can be trivialised like wrapping paper and we are told that they are not really necessary to extend the Kingdom of God. Paul wrote “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire – do not treat prophecy with contempt”. We want to honour the gift of prophecy here today! In the battle for truth we want to look at prophecy in meetings. If we are to fully understand this – we must trace the roots of prophecy back into the OT in order to understand this wonderful gift. (Gen 20:7) Abraham was called to be the first prophet but the normative OT prophet by which all prophecies and prophets were aligned through the OT was Moses himself.
(Deut 18:14). “As for you the people of God … will raise up for you a prophet like me”.
1. There must be clear calling.
He stood before God before he would stand before men. We need face to face encounter with God. The fear of God must grip the prophet’s heart not the fear of man. It will hold the prophet. We all have access to the throne of grace.
2. There must be clear place for prophets.
Prophets were never side-lined. They weren’t incidental to the people of God. They were not weirdoes – they occupy a major role in the people of God! Samuel was sought by the people. These people spoke about future events and summoned the people away from sin and idolatry. This is an important gift!
3. Their role was to be clear proclaimers.
The prophet’s primary call was to bring the living connection and knowledge of a holy God into the worshipping community.
There was to be a connection of the living God into the community. Don’t get so caught up with prediction that we miss out on the fact that God is present and wanting to encounter His people! “Our God reigns!”. (Isaiah 40). His primary task was to remind them that God is on the throne.
4. Clear Prediction (Amos 3).
A clear mark is to see something on the horizon – that God is impressing upon them. Something future and demonstrated now with a present word. In prediction the prophet demonstrates the sovereignty of God and shows Him to be the Lord of history intimately involved in the affairs of man. The scope of the prophet is wide encompassing words of knowledge, teaching, dreaming, and visions. Almost clairvoyant words of knowledge at times! (2 Kings 6:8-12). Sometimes you can think your life is safe and hidden and you come to a meeting where a prophet will read your emails!
5. Clear Prayer.
These were ordinary men who knew where the power came from. They knew how to draw aside and spend time with God. When the battle was raging Moses was on the hillside with his arms raised in prayer. If we want to raise the bar in prophecy we must come to our meetings prepared in prayer.
Prophets come in a number of shapes and sizes. They don’t come all in Julian shapes or Sam Poe shapes!
True or False?
The prophet in the OT was not the final judge on the validity of his message.
False prophets can get it right. The true test to be applied is much more theological. The false prophet will draw people away from a living relationship with God and drive them into sin and self and idolatry whereas the true prophet will draw people into worship and closer relationship with Jesus Christ the Living One.
NT – prophecy and prophets is all over the NT. In Jesus all prophecy was being fulfilled. All around Jesus birth there was prophecy after prophecy. The church promise when the Day of Pentecost approached was covered and marked by the prophetic. The revelation of Moses (Numbers 11) finds it’s fulfilment at Pentecost when the Spirit of God is poured out and the church is birthed into the dynamic of the Holy Spirit.
Questions
(1 Corinthians 14:1-5). NT gift in operation. “Especially the Gift of Prophecy!”.
Who is to prophecy? Everyone and anyone! All men and women – young and old! We want this gift poured out continuously on the Church!
Who are the prophets? – people who move consistently in this gift.
Why prophecy? They are loving gifts given by a loving God to a loving church to be administered lovingly. (1 Cor 13) if we are not motivated by the love of God then the power manifested is a clanging gong.
What is this gift? It speaks to men for their strengthening.
The prophetic is intelligible words given from God administering direction to those it is addressed.
Prophecy is not adding in any way to the Bible. We don’t put prophecy over the Bible – we weigh prophecy by the Bible. But when we go walking – we take a map and a compass. The map is our final authority. It tells of the pitfalls, and the end destination. But the compass sets us clearly on the map. Of course we need Scripture – it’s full and final and everything we need. But we need to know where we are on the map. The compass will direct us when the fog comes in. Of course we believe in the supremacy of Scripture but it’s never either or. Preaching must occupy a high place in our communities but prophecy needs to be released and heard.
How? How do we prophecy? How do we use it and see it in our meetings? Be submitted to authority! We must recognise the importance of biblical authority. It must be in the context of the local church. The prophecy is not authoritarian. God gives us permission to use it but there are boundaries. The boundaries are within the loving community of the local church, under the Word of God and submitted to eldership. Met many people who have been in a meeting and God has spoken to them – they have taken it out of context and run into anti-eldership and eventually into spiritual backsliding. “God told me through a prophecy to marry a non-Christian” or “God told me I need never give to the local church”. It is foolishness! Submit ourselves willingly to those in authority!
The gift is clear. It must be clear! Make sure what you say is intelligible, Scriptural, truthful and in line with what others have spoken! Don’t miss what God is genuinely prompting by getting the language wrong!
How many? 2 or 3. After 23 have been given the power is lost and dissipated. You don’t need to go and add to 2 or 3 if you are saying the same thing. Need to wait after those 2 or 3 – be mindful and let the Holy Spirit speak clearly without overburdening. One person never gets it all. We need to work in a team!
God speaks in visions – a vision of the future which induces passion and faith to change how we live now! Through actions, pictures, the world around us.
Where? Not out in the isolated lone ranger world but in the community – the Spirit-filled community of the Body. There is so much for us to experience in these seminars.
The fruit of prophecy? (v3) “Strengthening, encouraging, edification and comfort”. Tongues is for private devotion.
1. Edification. When prophecy comes it should build something. We should feel closer to God and to our brothers and sisters when we receive this gift.
2. Encouragement. There should be a courage transfusion taking place when prophecy is in action. The prophetic speaks and courage is imparted! A prophet speaks and we feel like we can walk on water!
3. Unbelievers falling down. This is real seeker-sensitive meetings! These are the meetings they need to be in because this is where the power of God is!
We must be a people of the Spirit of God where the spirit of prophecy is operating on a daily basis! More unbelievers have responded to the prophetic than through my Gospel preaching!
Don’t try and tame our meetings – let them be truly charismatic with the wild dynamic of the Holy Spirit!
TT2 on Prophecy – Guy Miller and Julian Adams – TOAM 07
Julian Adams – It is only appropriate that we start off by loving on Him a little bit. In hearts and minds engage with Him. We are all leaders so we have got free access – we don’t need Kate Simmonds up here! It is our free and wonderful privilege to be sons of the Living God. We can enjoy any part of God that He has to offer us. Let us pack this place with the glory of God. You are a speaking, laughing, loving God! What an exciting time we have had. Feel a personal call to see the level of prophecy and revelation increase among us as a family of churches. Too much dodgy weird mystical stuff going on. We need a clear call for truth as we weigh the prophetic. My Bible says unbelievers should be convicted by the prophetic among us, fall down and say God is among us in this place. It is vitally important that we are equipped in the area of weighing so that we can spot the false. This is prophetic – we will see an increase in the false manifestation of the prophetic. We must be equipped to weigh. Guy is going to speak to us on this.
Guy Miller – At Christmas the great excitement is the wrapping paper with children! The risen ascended King of Kings has given to His church power gifts to allow us to know Him, to love Him and to extend His kingdom. These power gifts can be trivialised like wrapping paper and we are told that they are not really necessary to extend the Kingdom of God. Paul wrote “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire – do not treat prophecy with contempt”. We want to honour the gift of prophecy here today! In the battle for truth we want to look at prophecy in meetings. If we are to fully understand this – we must trace the roots of prophecy back into the OT in order to understand this wonderful gift. (Gen 20:7) Abraham was called to be the first prophet but the normative OT prophet by which all prophecies and prophets were aligned through the OT was Moses himself.
(Deut 18:14). “As for you the people of God … will raise up for you a prophet like me”.
1. There must be clear calling.
He stood before God before he would stand before men. We need face to face encounter with God. The fear of God must grip the prophet’s heart not the fear of man. It will hold the prophet. We all have access to the throne of grace.
2. There must be clear place for prophets.
Prophets were never side-lined. They weren’t incidental to the people of God. They were not weirdoes – they occupy a major role in the people of God! Samuel was sought by the people. These people spoke about future events and summoned the people away from sin and idolatry. This is an important gift!
3. Their role was to be clear proclaimers.
The prophet’s primary call was to bring the living connection and knowledge of a holy God into the worshipping community.
There was to be a connection of the living God into the community. Don’t get so caught up with prediction that we miss out on the fact that God is present and wanting to encounter His people! “Our God reigns!”. (Isaiah 40). His primary task was to remind them that God is on the throne.
4. Clear Prediction (Amos 3).
A clear mark is to see something on the horizon – that God is impressing upon them. Something future and demonstrated now with a present word. In prediction the prophet demonstrates the sovereignty of God and shows Him to be the Lord of history intimately involved in the affairs of man. The scope of the prophet is wide encompassing words of knowledge, teaching, dreaming, and visions. Almost clairvoyant words of knowledge at times! (2 Kings 6:8-12). Sometimes you can think your life is safe and hidden and you come to a meeting where a prophet will read your emails!
5. Clear Prayer.
These were ordinary men who knew where the power came from. They knew how to draw aside and spend time with God. When the battle was raging Moses was on the hillside with his arms raised in prayer. If we want to raise the bar in prophecy we must come to our meetings prepared in prayer.
Prophets come in a number of shapes and sizes. They don’t come all in Julian shapes or Sam Poe shapes!
True or False?
The prophet in the OT was not the final judge on the validity of his message.
False prophets can get it right. The true test to be applied is much more theological. The false prophet will draw people away from a living relationship with God and drive them into sin and self and idolatry whereas the true prophet will draw people into worship and closer relationship with Jesus Christ the Living One.
NT – prophecy and prophets is all over the NT. In Jesus all prophecy was being fulfilled. All around Jesus birth there was prophecy after prophecy. The church promise when the Day of Pentecost approached was covered and marked by the prophetic. The revelation of Moses (Numbers 11) finds it’s fulfilment at Pentecost when the Spirit of God is poured out and the church is birthed into the dynamic of the Holy Spirit.
Questions
(1 Corinthians 14:1-5). NT gift in operation. “Especially the Gift of Prophecy!”.
Who is to prophecy? Everyone and anyone! All men and women – young and old! We want this gift poured out continuously on the Church!
Who are the prophets? – people who move consistently in this gift.
Why prophecy? They are loving gifts given by a loving God to a loving church to be administered lovingly. (1 Cor 13) if we are not motivated by the love of God then the power manifested is a clanging gong.
What is this gift? It speaks to men for their strengthening.
The prophetic is intelligible words given from God administering direction to those it is addressed.
Prophecy is not adding in any way to the Bible. We don’t put prophecy over the Bible – we weigh prophecy by the Bible. But when we go walking – we take a map and a compass. The map is our final authority. It tells of the pitfalls, and the end destination. But the compass sets us clearly on the map. Of course we need Scripture – it’s full and final and everything we need. But we need to know where we are on the map. The compass will direct us when the fog comes in. Of course we believe in the supremacy of Scripture but it’s never either or. Preaching must occupy a high place in our communities but prophecy needs to be released and heard.
How? How do we prophecy? How do we use it and see it in our meetings? Be submitted to authority! We must recognise the importance of biblical authority. It must be in the context of the local church. The prophecy is not authoritarian. God gives us permission to use it but there are boundaries. The boundaries are within the loving community of the local church, under the Word of God and submitted to eldership. Met many people who have been in a meeting and God has spoken to them – they have taken it out of context and run into anti-eldership and eventually into spiritual backsliding. “God told me through a prophecy to marry a non-Christian” or “God told me I need never give to the local church”. It is foolishness! Submit ourselves willingly to those in authority!
The gift is clear. It must be clear! Make sure what you say is intelligible, Scriptural, truthful and in line with what others have spoken! Don’t miss what God is genuinely prompting by getting the language wrong!
How many? 2 or 3. After 23 have been given the power is lost and dissipated. You don’t need to go and add to 2 or 3 if you are saying the same thing. Need to wait after those 2 or 3 – be mindful and let the Holy Spirit speak clearly without overburdening. One person never gets it all. We need to work in a team!
God speaks in visions – a vision of the future which induces passion and faith to change how we live now! Through actions, pictures, the world around us.
Where? Not out in the isolated lone ranger world but in the community – the Spirit-filled community of the Body. There is so much for us to experience in these seminars.
The fruit of prophecy? (v3) “Strengthening, encouraging, edification and comfort”. Tongues is for private devotion.
1. Edification. When prophecy comes it should build something. We should feel closer to God and to our brothers and sisters when we receive this gift.
2. Encouragement. There should be a courage transfusion taking place when prophecy is in action. The prophetic speaks and courage is imparted! A prophet speaks and we feel like we can walk on water!
3. Unbelievers falling down. This is real seeker-sensitive meetings! These are the meetings they need to be in because this is where the power of God is!
We must be a people of the Spirit of God where the spirit of prophecy is operating on a daily basis! More unbelievers have responded to the prophetic than through my Gospel preaching!
Don’t try and tame our meetings – let them be truly charismatic with the wild dynamic of the Holy Spirit!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Seminar 1 on Prophecy - Julian Adams at TOAM O7!
I mentioned yesterday that my notebook with all my notes from "Together on a Mission" was stolen from my bag hence blogging the sessions is going to be somewhat disrupted. However I spent a most enjoyable few hours listening to the 1st session from the Training Track on "Prophecy" that my dear friend Nicky went to. It was hosted by Guy Miller and Julian Adams spoke. Here are the notes from that seminar. I was profoundly affected while listening and absorbing the material in the notes. The sense of the Spirit of God on those meetings came through the recording wonderfully and the sense of activation is awesome. Do go listen to it!
"TT1 on Prophecy – Guy Miller and Julian Adams".
Guy Miller -
"TT1 on Prophecy – Guy Miller and Julian Adams".Guy Miller -
Track won’t be just cerebral – we will be ministering prophetically and listening to the Holy Spirit. Begin by standing and lifting our voices to the Holy Spirit inviting Him to be present. As sought God about preparing for track, God wants to take prophecy away from tame and normal and into the realm of battle. The army mentality is with us today! When it comes to the prophetic we can sometimes see it as a firework display and then wonder what it really was all about? We need to understand that God in His great mercy has called us His Church into a battle. We have been given grace gifts to succeed and one of the most important gifts to ensure victory is communication from heaven – hence the prophetic.
Three things seminar will debunk – 1. Myths that prophets are weird. Idea that prophets are looking into you reading your emails, mind. 2. Prophets are stars. Actually they are servants alongside pastors and teachers given to equip the church. 3. Whole super-spiritual aspect that you need a word from God to go to the loo.
Sharing with Julian and Sam Poe – grenades are going to be going off in these seminars! Keith Hazel – friend from outside Newfrontiers who has ministered again and again. Julian will be speaking today.
Julian Adams –
Three things seminar will debunk – 1. Myths that prophets are weird. Idea that prophets are looking into you reading your emails, mind. 2. Prophets are stars. Actually they are servants alongside pastors and teachers given to equip the church. 3. Whole super-spiritual aspect that you need a word from God to go to the loo.
Sharing with Julian and Sam Poe – grenades are going to be going off in these seminars! Keith Hazel – friend from outside Newfrontiers who has ministered again and again. Julian will be speaking today.
Julian Adams –
One of my passions is for the church to be all that she is in terms of things of the Spirit and flowing in the prophetic. The day of superstars is over and we believe in every member ministry. Trusting that today will be a real impartation.
Church is boring without the gifts of the Holy Spirit – in fact without HS! Been to many churches where God did not visit.
Grown up in charismania seeing weird and wonderful things. Grown up with hallelujah hops. There is nothing more exciting than seeing the real thing. Recommend a few books. Good theology shapes good practice and it’s important we have a good theology about the things of the Holy Spirit. “Convergence” by Sam Storms – “thoroughly baptised in HS”. Two classic books “Surprised by Voice of God” by Jack Deere – single most shaping book, read it once a year. Every time read it get more out of it. It is easy-reading theology on why we need the things and power of the HS. “Gift of Prophecy” by Wayne Grudem – more theological. “Growing in the Prophetic” by Mike Bickle. Helps understand how prophets and pastors work. We need happy prophets not weird ones! “When Heaven invades Earth” by Bill Johnson. Helps access and open doors in miraculous. Helps you come into a supernatural lifestyle.
Numbers 11 – the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. He is so breathtakingly beautiful that nothing compares to Him. Get addicted to the Presence of Jesus – without Him our meetings are pointless. Not looking for more information – we want revelation. (v24) “So Moses went out and told the people the word of the Lord. He gathered 70 men … took some of the spirit on him and put it on the 70. As soon as the spirit rested on them they prophesied … Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!”. One of the most exciting Scriptures in the OT speaking of a day when the Lord would put His Spirit on all flesh. Moses passionate desire was for everyone to prophesy!
There are two responses to prophetic ministry – 1. We run after them as though they are fortune tellers, queuing and waiting for a word. That should not be the point of call. The HS has been put on you and in you. It speaks of the prophetic lack in churches today when we fill our churches when a named prophet comes. There is no point prophesying into someone’s life if they aren’t linked into a church because you are prophesying into a void. 2. Joshua’s response – stop it! It makes it messy! Prophecy makes life, church, cell group messy. Because we feel things. It’s not PC – it’s not seeker sensitive. It’s time we became God-sensitive. Too long have we built our meetings around the feelings of people rather than a habitation of God and for His people.
Numbers 11 – the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. He is so breathtakingly beautiful that nothing compares to Him. Get addicted to the Presence of Jesus – without Him our meetings are pointless. Not looking for more information – we want revelation. (v24) “So Moses went out and told the people the word of the Lord. He gathered 70 men … took some of the spirit on him and put it on the 70. As soon as the spirit rested on them they prophesied … Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets that the Lord would put His Spirit on them!”. One of the most exciting Scriptures in the OT speaking of a day when the Lord would put His Spirit on all flesh. Moses passionate desire was for everyone to prophesy!
There are two responses to prophetic ministry – 1. We run after them as though they are fortune tellers, queuing and waiting for a word. That should not be the point of call. The HS has been put on you and in you. It speaks of the prophetic lack in churches today when we fill our churches when a named prophet comes. There is no point prophesying into someone’s life if they aren’t linked into a church because you are prophesying into a void. 2. Joshua’s response – stop it! It makes it messy! Prophecy makes life, church, cell group messy. Because we feel things. It’s not PC – it’s not seeker sensitive. It’s time we became God-sensitive. Too long have we built our meetings around the feelings of people rather than a habitation of God and for His people.
It is so important that we understand we can’t shut down the manifestation of the Spirit in our meetings – it is what distinguishes us.
We can’t shut this thing down because who we are as Christians is simply us responding to the voice of God speaking in our lives. Until we realise that it is the voice of God that is key, we won’t see Him move in power.
God is a speaking, laughing, happy God who wants to speak to you!
Those who are the sons of God are led by His Spirit. We must get this clear – we are sons. Moses said he wished all of God’s servants would prophesy – that was fulfilled at Pentecost and the outpouring of the Spirit is the Spirit of adoption crying “Abba Father!”. We have prophetic DNA in us as part of us. You can’t be saved unless you have heard the voice of God. The Word of God is the ultimate key to revelation. It is not simply the Word of God but also the Holy Spirit bringing personal revelation – not all can read the Word of God. Without the Holy Spirit, the Word is dead. We must see that Moses cry was fulfilled.
Every single one of us could prophesy. There have been too many unhelpful expressions of the prophetic that we shy away. We are called to be a people in constant communication with the Father. The friendship of the Lord belongs to those who fear Him. “Friendship” or “secret counsel”. There is an opportunity today to hear God’s secret counsel. The Bible says in Proverbs 25 that it is the glory of God to conceal a matter but the glory of kings to seek it out. We have the glory to search out the heart and mind and will of the Father.
The basis is not a technological understanding of how we hear God’s voice but an experiential encounter. For many of us we don’t flow in the prophetic because we don’t understand our sonship.
We can read many books but if we don’t get it settled that we are sons then we will live as orphans for the rest of your life waiting for the command of God rather than the heart of God.
The prophetic is not about just hearing words but about an encounter with a real Person.
When we come to seminars we often want the “How-tos” before the “Who is”. The voice of God is about a revelation of His glory – about an experience of His glory. Today God speaks through His Son because He is the exact representation of His glory. When you hear Him speak it is not a cerebral exercise – it is an experiential encounter. That is hard for people who are wired cerebrally and academically but faith requires that we push into that which is not seen. The Bible says that understanding comes by faith not the other way round. The first point is sonship and experience. If you can’t win secret battles, you won’t have public victories. One of the things I find really difficult is hearing God for myself. I can have a line of people and prophesy over them but alone in my closet – it is hard.
Secrets are only revealed to those that are intimate with the Father.
The word in Hebrew “Prophecy” means to “Bubble forth with emotion”. It’s an experience! It’s not about how you say it, but it’s about what comes with it as you say it.
Keys to the Prophetic.
Keys to the Prophetic.
God wants to speak to many, but we are under no pressure to give prophecies. We must move a church from receiving to activation. The prophet’s most important job is not to prophecy but to equip others to prophecy. Most know how God speaks – visions, Word of God, still small voice, trances, dreams, and pictures. Very often see things not just hear things.
Hearing God’s voice is very simple – here’s the key. Spend time with Him.
The promise is “My sheep hear My voice”. I know it’s difficult to identify when God is speaking and this is the biggest thing I find in Christian circles. How do I know it’s God?
There are two other places it can come from. 1. The devil. He is easy to recognise because he’s not very clever. He is rushed, heavy, legalistic, condemning, guilt-ridden, and religious.
The prophetic will always unearth the spirit of religion because religion is the counterfeit that presumes what God would want us to do in any given situation and it blocks off His voice from us.
So if I smell religion I am like a bull in a china shop. I hate religion with a passion! The enemy is the spirit of religion. The spirit of Jezebel is similar to the spirit of religion and it comes straight from the enemy. Light, encouraging good words come from God. Don’t understand the fascination between correcting words and prophetic!
The prophetic always sees the best – even in correction, the prophetic always sees the best!
The discipline of God is like hot malt and honey. It hurts for a while but then the grace of God comes in. God never disciplines apart from grace. He can’t! Because His nature is gracious. 2. Self. The difficulty people find is between hearing whether it is them or God. If it is God it will build up people, the Church, and glorify Jesus Christ. If those things are covered I say “Step out!”. The worst thing that can happen is that you will get it wrong and it will deal with your pride. You must deal with the fear of man if you want to flow in the prophetic – it is a snare. We will see an increase of the prophetic in these days – both counterfeit and the real. We must stay firmly rooted to the Bible.
How to activate the prophetic.
The discipline of God is like hot malt and honey. It hurts for a while but then the grace of God comes in. God never disciplines apart from grace. He can’t! Because His nature is gracious. 2. Self. The difficulty people find is between hearing whether it is them or God. If it is God it will build up people, the Church, and glorify Jesus Christ. If those things are covered I say “Step out!”. The worst thing that can happen is that you will get it wrong and it will deal with your pride. You must deal with the fear of man if you want to flow in the prophetic – it is a snare. We will see an increase of the prophetic in these days – both counterfeit and the real. We must stay firmly rooted to the Bible.
How to activate the prophetic.
1. Expect God to speak! Your expectation is God’s invitation. We have got to have faith when we approach God. We must believe that He is. Many of us don’t expect God to break in. We must believe God is not a silent God. We must believe that He is eager to speak. God will hide Himself not from us but for us. The Father seems to love to hide Himself from us – almost like an Easter egg hunt. The design of the hunt was the enjoyment of our faith when we find it.
2. We need to expect Him to minister and speak through us. Don’t get caught up in religious terminology. God has the ability to creep into any culture. The Church needs to rise in her authority again – we need to realise we have something to say.
3. Allow God to speak spontaneously! Don’t get caught in a rut.
4. Have more faith in God’s ability to lead you and the devil’s ability to deceive you. The Church speaks all the time of seeing demons and caution and guarding and discerning – but the Bible says in Luke 11:11 if we ask the Holy Spirit He will not give anything demonic. We must be indeed wary of the devil’s strategies but have more faith in the Lord’s ability to lead into ever increasing ability than the devil’s ability to trip us up.
We should not be just into speaking words but revealing God’s heart.
We should not be just into speaking words but revealing God’s heart.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Looking to the Horizon
There are many things that I would like to delve into on this blog - especially now that the Ern Baxter website has been brought and is being made ready for all the material to go there. It frees up this blog to document more accurately my thoughts, ponderings and ramblings! But I just can't get away from my dream that the tidal wave is coming to Brighton. Terry Virgo wrote; "Let's pray fervently that God visits us in power at Brighton". Are we ready for God to visit us in power if He so chooses?I have booked to go on the "Holy Spirit and Church" Training Track hosted by David Holden. The speakers are Terry himself, Dave and a guy called Julian Adams who I must confess I didn't know much about. But as he is to be one of the speakers I have been on a research trip. His story is incredible. He writes a blog here. This is his story in brief:
And I LOVED this post that he wrote in November last year. It is entitled "Outpouring" and it is like water to a thirsty soul to read the words of a prophet of God who is seeing the same hopeful, optimistic future that I have been longing for and praying for. Here is some of it:
"I can honestly say that we are living in days of incredible prophetic moments. I am yet to be in another meeting where the eminence of God’s kingdom breaking in was felt so powerfully. The sense of God’s presence and power was electric ... I felt God show me a picture over the Thames. I was hovering over it and saw water levels rising in the Thames. I felt God say that revival was already happening and we were standing in it and the river is about to get deeper. I felt strongly that this would be a physical sign and we would see the water levels rise in the river Thames physically. Just after our time together, a friend reported that his basement was flooding and the water levels were rising, the incredible thing is that his house is situated right on the River Thames! God confirmed His word physically in just a couple of minutes after the word was given!
I then spoke at a youth event called E37. E37 is a prophetic picture the young guys have had about a valley of dry bones becoming a mighty army after the wind of the Spirit has blown on them! The wind was blowing on them that night. It was encouraging to see young people begin to prophesy after I did some activation in the prophetic. So many of them were bringing extremely accurate words over each other! God touched so many and one of the young ladies who were there began to get gold dust covering her hand! It seems as if God is pouring Gold out on many and we are starting to hear about it breaking out all over the place. I love how God treats us as royalty and is pouring out Gold as an incredible reflection of His Glory on His children! I do so love Him!I want to end this by saying we are in a season of Outpouring! God is on the move and touching so many. Just this week at my local church, Church of Christ the King, people have been saved and have been baptised in the Spirit through Alpha courses that are being run. Terry Virgo at one of our meetings bringing so many stories of God’s healing power breaking into his meetings! People in different parts of the UK are experiencing growth and some even seeing gold dust being poured out! The promise is simply that if we ask He will pour out blessing on us! Blessing that propels us forward into radical mission and demonstrations of His kingdom!"
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Together on a Mission 2007 Seminars!
Has anyone noticed that the titles, speakers and subjects of the seminars are now out on the Newfrontiers website and you can book?! Every year there are an outstanding selection of topics covered but this year I am absolutely staggered at the quality and content of the seminars and training tracks available. It is becoming progressively more and more difficult to decide and I found myself wishing for multiple personalities so I could be in many places at the same time! Scott and I have already agreed to divide and conquer - attend different seminars and compare notes! That and accepting the fact that my CD bill is going to be HUGE from the bookshop this year.Here are some of the titles that caught my eye. I'll leave it to Luke to let us know what is in store for Mobilise this year!
Training Track 02 Host: David Holden
Title: The Holy Spirit and Your Church
Synopsis: This track will combine doctrine with practical ‘how tos’ as we consider the vital energy-giving place of the Holy Spirit in the local church.
Wednesday
Speaker: Terry Virgo Leading people into the baptism of the Holy Spirit
Terry will briefly explain the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and its importance in the believer’s life. Out of his many years of experience he will teach us how to lead people into this experience.
Thursday
Speaker: David Holden The role of the Holy Spirit in our meetings
Large or small meetings should experience an invasion of the Holy Spirit, whether in our worship or preaching, or our ministry to one another. How do we encourage more gifts of the Spirit and how do we handle those spontaneous moments?
Friday
Speaker: Julian Adams “Especially that you may prophesy”
The function of the Holy Spirit especially related to prophecy and words of knowledge. How do we encourage people to grow in these gifts and how do we make room for them in our meetings?
Training Track 04
Host: Guy Miller
Title: Prophesying With Power
Synopsis: Every battle the Christian has to face in life is ultimately over the Word of God and whether or not we build our lives on it. These three dynamic sessions will look at different ‘battle grounds’ surrounding the gift of prophecy. They will be theological and practical with plenty of time for ministry.
Wednesday
Speakers: Guy Miller and Julian Adams
The battle for ‘all’A clear trumpet summons to the whole church to engage with this most edifying gift in its many contexts and appearances.
Thursday
Speakers: Guy Miller and Julian Adams
The battle for ‘truth’In the same way that prize fighters are weighed before a contest, prophecy itself must be properly weighed in order to deliver God’s knock-out punch.
Friday
Speakers: Guy Miller and Sam Poe
The battle for ‘team’Any notion of the go-it-alone ‘Lone Ranger’ prophet who fires from the hip will be challenged as we look at teaming of prophets with other gifts and the key issue of authority.
Training Track 07
Host: Stuart Townend
Title: Worship in the Local Church
Synopsis: Is there a Biblical model for corporate worship? If so, are we following it? Is our worship led by the Spirit or the latest Matt Redman CD? How can worship groups and church leadership work together? What are spiritual gifts supposed to look like in the meeting?
Wednesday
Speakers: Stuart Townend and Peter Brooks
Biblical foundations and practice
Content, leadership skills and facilitating spiritual gifts
Thursday
Speakers: Stuart Townend, Kate Simmonds and Peter Brooks
Team players - How to get musicians, worship leaders and pastors to sing (metaphorically) from the same hymn sheet.
Friday
Speaker: Stuart Townend and Peter Brooks
Broadening our horizons - Worship with sight and sound, all-age worship, worship beyond Sunday, worship and unbelievers, and other contentious issues!
Wednesday 11th July - Seminar 01
Speaker: Charlie Cleverly
Title: Martyrs – The passion that shapes nations
Synopsis: There is a passion that shapes nations. We see it on the tear-stained faces of the forcefully advancing Chinese church. We find it in the army of love living in Islamic strongholds of the 10/40 window. But where in the West is the passion of the church, where is its radical and downwardly mobile witness?
Charlie Cleverly draws inspiration from the lives of suffering witnesses, martyrs, down through the ages. Out of these amazing stories he pulls together the thread of a common call to new, sacrificial levels of love for God and love for the world.
Seminar 08
Speaker: John Groves
Title: Spiritual Authority Today
Synopsis: There is a widespread crisis of authority in contemporary society where the only authority acceptable to many is one consciously self-imposed. Sadly, the church is not immune from this crisis.In this seminar we’ll be looking at the principles of Spiritual Authority and how they should operate in the church. This subject will be relevant to all who exercise any sort of authority in God’s Kingdom.
Seminar 10
Speaker: Rob Rufus
Title: ‘Competent ministers of the Spirit!’ (2 Cor. 3:4-6)
Synopsis: Our Father has called us to minister the Spirit with competence! Someone who is called to be a bricklayer needs to become skilled in his trade. So even more urgently we are to become competent, skilled, even experts at ministering the supernatural power, presence and life of the Spirit. This is our New Covenant inheritance. This seminar is for those seeking to grow in a closer partnership with the Holy Spirit and His ways.
Friday 13th July - Seminar 12
Speaker: John Groves
Title: Leadership in the Age of the Spirit
Synopsis: How does leadership operate under the New Covenant? In this exciting and thought-provoking seminar we will explore the issues of local church leadership and deacons!‘It is my hope that this seminar will lead to ongoing and fruitful discussion which will result in practical moves forward in church life.’
There are prizes for guessing which one I'm booked into ... ;)
Thursday, January 18, 2007
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!
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