It’s easy to say, ‘We are to be like Christ’, it is RADICAL and yet it a common statement, we may also hear folk say we are to be incarnational, what does that really mean? Someone once said that ‘Jesus put a face on God’ by coming amongst people and touching, lifting, embracing and caring for them in their hurts and needs. I find the scripture in John 1:18 very important for the day in which we live, it states that Jesus “came to explain the father”. He put a face on God for all humanity and this is continuing in the family way, explaining and making people aware of God, being the image and likeness of God to our homes, streets, work and educational establishments. We embrace Christ’s radical mission, recognising that the Father sends us even as he sent Jesus, [John 20:21] then we too can wear the face of God in…

God’s intention today is to step into the cities, towns and rural areas of the nations to touch and lift the fallen, broken, hurting and dying in humanity. We must refuse to fossilize if we’re to avoid becoming a church, a called out people ‘having form without power’.[ 2 Timothy 3:5]

In reality Christ, the supreme restorer, was the most RADICAL man that ever walked the earth. Jesus’ radical actions were not moments of human weakness or intolerance, but expressions of God’s heart. The radical Christ is at all times the perfect image of God the Father. Radical Christianity will always be passionate, jealous as well as zealous, and white-hot for the divine interests involved. Being radically committed to the restoration of the church to God’s full intention brings us into inevitable conflict with custom and tradition.

Before we move on “Radical” a much used term that has often been taken to mean the way out, those who extremely different on the edge kind of people, those that don’t easily belong to cultural or norms. But RADICAL actually means “foundational”, Jesus is radical as he has always dealt with humanities foundational issues. We are radical as we carry a foundational message, life and implication.

I mentioned being radical is being committed to radical restoration, restoration challenges any misplaced sense of loyalty to religious heritage, or sentimental attachment to a religious past. Radical commitment to the restoration of God’s church keeps us moving forward in the direction of the Spirit in our day, and prevents us from falling by the wayside with the religiously comfortable. Its only by being given to a radical restoration will the progress of the church be achieved. Standing radically to break through the restraining religious walls and forces of our time, this is the radical ministry of the people of God.

Our world today and tomorrow will be affected by radical men and women who live as saints from bygone years in the light of God’s purpose.

RADICAL CHANGES

Changes are occurring at a fast pace, the world we live in is getting unrecognizable, shifts are happening, things are changing in this generation; we are growingly aware that what we have now is no longer sufficient for what presently is, or for what is coming. We cannot settle for the average, accepting conventional wisdom. We must do more than merely think of changing; we must change our thinking. We cannot just uphold the same. We cannot just drift by but the need to be foundation-ally radical is there. The kingdom of God is the reality of God’s ways, God’s order, God’s government and pattern in our “time/space” world. The kingdom of God is a very radical experience.

We are being radical when:

· We embrace the gospel that joins us to others and their need, and cuts us free from the destructive influence of our independent self-will.

· We embrace the consequences of following his direction and Spirit regardless of possible consequences, which frees us from self-preservation.

· We maintain an attitude of pioneering, journeying onward rather than settling in self-comfort zones; we are pilgrims, not settlers.

· Living free of any domination of consumer world and the passing unimportant things that try and make themselves important via group pressures. Money can enslave; decisions, actions, directions, relationships, even ministry can be controlled by the desire for the temporal or money.

· Confidently confront the powers of darkness that oppose us rather than allowing them to paralyse us in fear.

· Making things happen is our way of living It is not for others to cause something to happen but for you to make it happen.images

· We refuse to compromise the truth to accommodate religion, or cultural norms.

· We remain committed to Christ as head of the church refusing to get stuck.

Crisis is defined as a time of difficulty or danger, our worlds seem to move form crisis to crisis in peoples lives, in political environments Crisis seems to frame our lives.
When crisis comes near we need to be a people who understand what we require to face and address the situation. Gaining an understanding in times of crises is particularly required by influence or leaders. Whether you have been appointed in the good times or appointed and handed a crisis not of your making, given a task with all its challenges, we will have to learn what it is to make difficult decisions, to decide on direction of action, the biggest challenge to every one is to see the decisions through.

I would suggest  that the responses we require to be able to negotiate the terrain that lies before us will really challenge you and see and asking us to be very flexible in thought and action. Asking us to be flexible in maker and leadership avoiding running the real of an old fashioned not willing to adjust of move autocracy. Asking of us to be empowering to all and flexible.

I remember Charles Simpson once outlining that the church should be flexible fluid and digital. I would say that in any circumstance in dealing with young children, teenagers, in our working environment, relationships, and leadership it is the person who can keep principal yet be fluid to negotiate the ups and downs, in and outs of constant change, those who can hold onto the purpose of God while being flexible to the seasons and the winds of change. Realising that God puts everything within us that we require, yet it does not find its fullness until we are connected to others, that the digit finds itself connected into the motherboard. That makes it all possible.

Let me offer some thoughts in the midst of our crisis

Be visible, be calm, be available
do not run into a corner, be seen across the environment you are responsible for,  be the one that inspires hope acknowledging the tough terrain of the road ahead.

Give continual input
find and tap into new resources of information, re-assess who you are and the gifts you have, discover the shape God has made you and be it rather than think you have the answer to everything. Show flexibility that you can move from plan A to B or C knowing that the end goal of what God is after is most important

Be decisive
communicate a sense of urgency however never make decisions in panic, commit to your way forward once you clear. Remember we’ve discovered that without action words mean nothing. Always be ready to develop a change.

Be focused
identify what is the goal of God, what is God after in the light of this what is the call of God on your own life after, what will your contribution be? Asks yourself then given yourself fully to it. Never forget what you’re good at, be ready to establish your priorities

Be a relational builder
we are meant to be in the together, the corporate people of God. Be one that sets their goal to build relationships remember that individuals never win wars. Find new connections while being faithful to those that God has related you to.

Be a motivator
communicate constantly and positively, meet face-to-face with people, explain, gather feedback. Remember a manager tells people what to do, a leader motivates and encourages the best, be the ambassador, live up to the mission, be the example

be empathetic
share in all things with people around you, share in the world God has placed you, the pain, understand the fears. We all may have to work longer and harder for little reward. Work to inspire and produce a people that will say we are all in this and together in this. Remember it starts with you first.

Celebrate every little advance it will build people up as they see their advance. Unfortunately for most it is quite difficult to see any advance and any gain be the Gain Storyteller

just remember crisis is a time of gain, it’s the ‘kairos’ moment of opportunity in danger, it’s the turning point, it brings about change, a crisis will always bring a new wave of people to the forefront.

Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the ‘supreme moment’).

We have Finally secured our new site in Western Cape.     Its been several years in the preparing and planning stages, and TODAY we excitedly announce we have finally competed on the transfer of this 4 hector site in Gordons Bay to our ownership.    It will be a place to firstly restore the property in order to bring about a place of transform of people as well as places of our world.  A place of training where Covenant College South Africa will be established – an apostolic training base on the southern tip of Africa.

A place where community uplift can be inspired from, where people can fully realise their destiny in Gods will while bring the Kingdom of God to our world.    A place where Apostolic RoundTables will gather, apostles and prophets flowing from a community together being an expression of God in covenant relationship.

A place where Restoration – the purpose of God can be celebrated; the Kingdom – the order of God established; Covenant – the necessary environment for God to bring about the Restoration of ALL things will be seen and declared.

Rejoice with us a see celebrate God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

 

I have a destiny?
I have a purpose?
Do you?
These are common statements, yet we discover many frustrated people chasing or advancing themselves to the degree that nothing else matters. While I believe in destiny, each one of us being created, as the scripture puts it ”…for good works…” I see that the context of the arresting of the Divine in our lives is sometimes sidelined and misquoted which brings about frustration.
We have been born and set in place to fulfil the will of the Father, our destiny, never mind what we think it might be, finds its source and positioning in the will of God. Our names have been included in the bringing about of the Father, Son and Spirit’s will, this is where we find the most fulfilling and a destiny that is true. A destiny that is not self willed, self-centred, or self-seeking but being poured out for the Divine Call that is on every ones life.
I believe it is time to re-orient ourselves so we can fulfil the will of God.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
Eph 1:3-6
This passage explodes into the life of the Christ follower, it pulsates, it moves at a pace. Just as Paul whose thoughts inspired by the Holy Spirit he lets lose in a 10 verse explosion of vocabulary with out a pause in Eph 1. Some say this is the longest sentence in written form, no breath, no commas, no fullstops!

THE EXPLOSION OF “BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRISt WHO HAS BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS

An excitement over what God has done for us. Paul says it is glorious, it takes your breath away what has taken place in Christ with us.

Can you feel Paul’s revelation, can you feel his passion as you try read the 10 verses without commas, and pauses?
We are included! we are Involved! See it with Paul! Paul communicates all history has changed and he is inspired by it.

Paul says this is our destiny, to give ourselves not to gain position, quotas, elevation, greater church numbers, more books or TV, bigger and better (is this not competition), events and churches, but to be a part of Divine Destiny. I have a destiny, you have a destiny, it is to be inspired with God’s Destiny and give our selves to it, so we can fulfil the good works set for us as we pursue the destiny of God we embrace our personal destiny. My Destiny is found in pursuit of Gods’.

So what do I do find people who are giving themselves to “Making God Great”,by following the eternal set ways, setting Father, Son and Holy Spirit goal as first order and not promoting their church, their ministry but giving all they have to serve the Destiny of God. Let us be part of a transformation that releases a fulfilled people of God as they give all to Gods’ Goal

In the next few blogs I will look at this inspiring destiny, all our initiatives, all our transformation, missional involvement and everything we involve with must find its source in the destiny of God, not simply caught on achieving my Destiny, but achieving Gods Destiny is actually achieving my Destiny God has a goal!

I have an appeal, I have a cry of the heart to make known. It commenced as I was skipping along Facebook and Twitter submissions recently. Watching the one line soundbites flooding in and being deeply aware that in no man or woman’s heart is the desire to separate or divide, but watching as the submissions pass by, some unknowingly even innocently will bring this about, asking people to stand on right or wrong sides, best or better, are you this persuasion or the other, do you subscribe or don’t you, this experience is the now way, it all sounds a little gnostic, I am saddened. My cry is let us be united, I am so aware that God has done all in order that we are united with God, should we not do all to maintain this, for this is my cry.

We live in an age where other word carries more weight in our soul than the WORD of the Father, Son and Spirit, or at least that is how it seems. The immense word that comes out of the divine circle, the dance that unceasingly goes on that we have been invited to participate with, and is not our passion our desire is for us to fill up this world with the life and therefore the Word of God. I read a submission recently, which seemed so good on the surface but I must admit it left me with a question, are we splitting hairs, through this it appears to be acceptable to separate once again on experiences. As one who has been baptized into belonging, like many of us through baptism, we are a people who are desirous to see the one body of Christ in our world, to see Christ filling all in all, allowing various viewpoints without undermining our heartfelt desire to be united as God is. John 17 surely must become our priority not our theology, or experience, a question should it not all constructively direct us to the will of God?

John 17:21-23

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.

23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Now don’t get me wrong I strongly hold to diversity in every aspect of our faith and life, in our thinking and practice without being given over to every one doing what is right in their own eyes. How can any one view, any one theology, any one experience deliver or fully describe our vast and wonderful God. We live in a world where we recognize that every culture, every colour, tribe and tongue is necessary to express God. There is no one person, no one age, no one culture that can faithfully express God in fullness, we are in need of every difference to make up the full testimony of the Father, Son and Spirit. For is God not always presented to us in more than the one, God is covenantal.

Now back to my first thought, this submission that kicked this cry to the forefront of my mind was a quote that we do not need an encounter with the Bible but with the love of God. Whereas I can agree and support the thought to a degree, it is the life encounter that transforms, appealing that we stay in the life of God, being sons of God ‘led by the Spirit, however here is my heartfelt plea, are not the Scriptures, the Word of God, the Bible the love of God, the Father made manifest? Is not the word we can carry on our arms, hands, hearts and tongues, the Scriptures, the Bible the manifestation of the love of God, otherwise the love of God becomes an emotion, an encounter, an experience, whereas I experience the love of God and find my emotions stirred by the love of God through the Bible as I encounter their words, Christ is made manifest as I encounter him as the Word. My appeal is simply let us not downgrade the Bible, the Scriptures but only love them, as yet another expression of the love of God, where we can encounter the Fathers love. God’s words, Father Son and Spirit show their love through the Scriptures and in the Scriptures.

I am one that believes that the love of God through history has given us two Testaments the New Testament and Old Testament I also see God in the new covenant is writing a Third Testament. You and I are to be a Testament written by the spirit and read by all men, letters that all can read and encounter Father, Son and Spirit.

Let us see the wide expression of vast different ways of the love of God, rather than set up what is right and wrong, person against person through our experience. I know that is not our desire but unfortunately we do add to the practice the experience of who, what is superior or lesser on these matters. God is love and his Word, the Scriptures, the Bible as we read it, is one place where we can, and do, encounter the Fathers love as in and through so many other vehicles

The love of God is delivered to us through many facets creation, scriptures, even modern-day films, anything really, we can encounter the love of God in so much and we do!