Author: 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty

Essential, Primary for our TIME

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Three seasons of time are spoken of in relation to Jesus, “… yesterday, today and forever…” I would suggest to you that time is a gift created by the Father and given to you along with a place, both are creational gifts given to humanity.     We make the mistake of seeing eternity as a long period of time but actually it is no time, a place where time is not, the place that time was created from as a gift to you and me.      Place and Time are to be celebrated, let us focus on Time for now, time is to be redeemed, time is to be accounted for, we learn to “…number our days…”, asking the Father to teach us to make them count. This is not a heavy judgment but a celebration, looking forward to making each day full in destiny and purpose.

Hebrews 13:8 tells of three seasons whether Christ of God should be found in yesterday, today, or forever, in other words in every day, hour, minute, even second, it encourages us with the statements of “For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.” (Message).

Within yesterday, today, tomorrow we engage in many activities, many focuses, many visions, all of which require us to draw upon the three resources we have in life, these three resources, time, money and of course people.  In the three seasons of yesterday, today, tomorrow we have three resources people, time and money, it is  the way in which we take hold of these resources and combine them in the seasons that  have a major impact and influence on what we call the Kingdom of God.

Let me suggest to you a further ‘threesome’ that is necessary in life’s scope, to make sense of what would sometimes appear to be a senseless world and bring clarity to confused circumstances. I will offer this threesome as questions, firstly asking  you to ponder them, and consider your ways in the light of each answer

What is the Primary purpose of God in History?

What is the Essential purpose of God in Christ?

What is the Essential message of God for our time?

I have a one word answer for you to ponder, it is the answer to all three what’s –  RESTORATION

What do I mean by that?       Simply as a definition one could say “ bringing things to their final state” or “Progress of God’s purpose to its fullness”. We are not looking to restore back to any particular moment in history or time, but restoration embodies the restoration of Gods full intention when he spoke into being seasons and time.    Restoration to Gods ‘ultimate intention’, what He had in view when he said “Let there be…”

In order to understand the message of God for our time, lets call it the “now” time and word of God we must first note the phrase “Times (seasons) of restoration” Acts 3:21.    We must take note that in the midst of such a time, a season of restoration all that the Christ will see the culmination of God’s plan with him calling an end of this age.  

Seasons – what picture does this word cultivate “times of refreshing” what has been established in our perception as we think of this phrase?

There is much talk about Revival along with the necessity of Revival to transform our world, which I could completely concur with. However Revival alone is not enough and we must keep hold of this, it must flow into Reformation, which in turn must bring Restoration, anything less would be a distraction and a loss of the full intention of God.     Revelation must flow to first find its continuity of thought and practice then it will turn to a season of being established so that every revelation becomes part of life, each previous flowing into the other, each one leading, directing us forward from one to another to achieve the climax of God in order that advance and continuation are walked together.   For far to long the so called new negates and departs from the old by saying “for the sake of the new”, yet in the new is the essence of the old that propels us forward, certainly in understanding and renewing our image of God as its all progressive and accumulative is it not?

Although we look through history, history that we can appreciate unraveled when a season flowed from one season to another such as Luther, Wesley, and Whitfield each had its impact and made its contribution.   In our lifetime we see a variety of seasons, baptism, gifts of the spirit, healing, moving in the supernatural, worship and praise, disciples, faith, restoration of apostles and prophets, kingdom,  all these have had a season, and we have watched as they have flowed, one to another. Yet we are still waiting ‘…times of restoration…’, of fullness. The seasons are accelerating by, rushing into each other, and becoming a part of each other. each one building on the last,  with each  revelation and experience belonging to the whole.

As we look through history, history that we can appreciate as it connects and is clearly continuous, unbroken as we look at season moving form one to another such as Luther and Reformation flowing and the Wesley’s taking advance with Whitfield contribution and so on to toady, each had its impact and made its contribution.    What about in our short lifetime we have see the recapture of truth regarding baptism, gifts of the spirit, healing, supernatural, worship and praise, discipleship, faith in life, restoration of apostles and prophets, Kingdom focus all these of being seasons that I have been involved with and transformed by the truth caught in the season. Yet we are still waiting for the ‘…times of restoration…’ of fullness. These seasons are accelerating by rushing into each other to become part of each other as each one of these revelations and experiences belong to the whole.

This is an unstoppable move of God, as we see the rushing of the Holy Spirit to complete the eternal purpose, bringing the church to its fullness and the final glorious condition where all of creation would see the Christ of God (Heb 11:10,16; 12:22; 1314; rev 21:2, 21:10).    The Holy Spirit is working to bring maturity in the church, making her the instrument of blessing worldwide, not so much as all of us becoming evangelists, although we must all share our faith, but becoming a corporate evangelist, communicating the life of God to mankind in a way that draws them to become the Disciples of Christ. In an incarnational way while being culturally relevant “…explaining the father…” John 1:17 (NASB) to our generation and time is part of our task as well.

This is the Essential message of Jesus.

God fully expressed in mankind “Word became flesh”, you and I might become the incarnation, in order that our Neighbours and work colleagues find the full expression of God in their daily routine of life. This is no science-fiction story but a truth, God’s ‘Tomorrow-Age’ mankind, mankind in its final condition, in the image of God, will rule and fill creation (mankind the lover of mankind, mankind the communicator of God, mankind the disciple maker).    The essential message of Jesus brought mankind and God together to be engaged together, to become one, to be in finally partnered with the Godhead.

The message of God to our time is not so much what we are saying but it is what you and I are becoming.    Are we becoming the word made flesh again? Our words becoming tangible, effecting lives, two questions to ponder and open up conversation on are as follows I think you will be surprised at some of the answers as you listen to the debate.

What we are becoming as individuals in Christ?

What we are becoming as a corporate Christ the church, ecclesia?

This tomorrow aged people flesh out the:

Love of God

Life of God (happy, content, excited, fulfilled)

Nature of God (Light & Love also what he is like Creator, Saviour, Father, James 5:20 disciple)

Being as he was, he is “ perfect” – complete, holy, righteous, well-adjusted

Perfectly at home in humanity

Perfectly at home in God likeness

All this brings demands upon us as we seek to become mature in the fullness of Christ we are to:

Know Godright concept

Know ourselves

Live in reality

Live as a community of the King

Live in the power of God’s life

What is the message of our time?   WE ARE TO BE LIGHT ON A HILL LOVE IN EVERY DAY ACTION WE ARE TO EXPLAIN GOD. 

A closing thought, If ours does not prove to be the final generation of TIME, let mankind look back on who “WE BECAME, WHO WE ARE”, not what we taught in information only but what we walked and hwo transformation and Restoration came to God’s creation. As we serve God in our generation.

His purpose: his interests: his will and goals.

We pray that history of our day, remember yesterday is now part of history, will have more to say about the many, the mature, the full corporate people of God rather than of just about one or two but the full body of Christ being who they are.

Apostolic Family

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What amazing days we now occupy, days of supernatural advance, days of activity and advance, the kingdom of God is being established in our years, right before our very eyes, on earth as it is in heaven is coming to pass.     I recently was presented with a Christ fact that in the last 6 years 1.2 million church families have been established and over 250,000,000 people have found their faith in Christ.    Amazing days the Holy Spirit is moving now its time to see the “Restoration of all things!”

In these days where the rule and the order of God is being established and rolled out, it is more important than ever that we bring the order of heaven, that which is in the heart of God for the whole cosmos.    Bring the order of heaven on earth has always been the goal of the Father from the beginning of creation and this time space world.   Adam was planed in a purposefully order place, the garden where the order of the Father was evident.   All of creation pulsated with life and green broke out everywhere, the Earth was full of seed bearing plants, I once has a picture of a volcanic Earth and the only thing lush was the garden then realized how foolish this was, so what was the difference in the garden simple the order of the Father, the Kingdom of God was there.   Adam, humanities shadow was commissioned to fill and extend not only with children and family but taking the order he was accustomed to live by and under whiles he enjoyed this provision and protection he was to export taking this order to the rest of the creation, what’s changed for you and I?    For this is extending the Kingdom of God.

It is very clear from the scriptures that God has a cause, a cause that was foremost in his invasion with creation. A cause that he has invited you and I to participate in, to be fully involved with. God always working in partnership with humanity this he outline constantly from the first picture that we have in Genesis 2:5 that there was no growth on the Earth as no man to till along with no rain sent from heaven, both necessary for advance and growth, mans tilling and heavens rain.   This cause the apostle Paul simply summed up in the book of Ephesians & Colossians with one line “…Christ filling all in all…” Knowing that the culmination of this age will be through seasons of refreshing and revival, until a season of Restoration (Acts 3:19-21) The Christ of God will remain in heaven until this season arrives.

The Father has therefore given to humanity the task of restoring all of creation, beginning with themselves back to God’s 1st cause and 1st utterance of rule, fill, multiply and extend, that is the Kingdom of God is not only in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17) but the Kingdom of God is the Christ.

God has a desire to have a family, a family where Sonship is seen and experienced, where the people of God know that they are heirs of eternity and live as sons bringing the order of God into our Cosmos.

This cause will be achieved by the dramatic transformation of humanity, forming them into the family of God that the church the called out ones of God are a family, not an organization or network but families birthing new families, extending families and therefore filling the Earth with Christ like people. It is our conviction that this work, the called out one’s of God, the ecclesia, the church of God is to be established by the foundations of the apostles and prophets. They must build according to the pattern of heaven, a family. Creating family models of the universal family of the Creator God.

To this end we believe that the kingdom of God is a relational kingdom and not a structural kingdom.    That Gods cause and therefore the context of every person with a call, ministry etc., is summed up in this statement Restoration is the goal of God, the vehicle of this is the Kingdom of God and Covenant is the atmosphere that is necessary to walk this cause.

We believe therefore in the necessity of apostolic relationship, that every community of God should have a relationship with apostles and prophets that carry the burden of the “ecclesia”, church, as we move towards maturity and the realization of God’s goal.   It’s a relationship born out of knowing one another, the gathered people and the leadership those with influence knowing each other.    Where each ministry knows their connection as fathers, mothers (1 Th 2:7) along with as the apostle Paul put it to know the burden or weight of the churches (2 Cor 11:28).   It would be detrimental not to find apostles and prophets who do not know the weight towards the churches they have relationships with, it certainly would be less than God desire for family, otherwise the churches become a commodity to let go take on as a business deal rather than a charge of God.

Every believer will realize the necessity of belonging to a people, the ecclesia, and acknowledge that it is necessary to have a full complement of the ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher and pastor (Eph 4:11) functioning with this people in order to gain maturity and be the vessel of Christ in our world.   The requirement of these ministries is for maturity sake that will elude us if we do not embrace the fullness of Christ in the gift of himself Eph 4:11.

Every community, church will belong in the sphere of an apostolic oversight with a desire to produce and multiple apostolic families in the earth, each one belonging and rooted to our heavenly Father.

God is moving in this hour to bring this to pass, we see the onward advance of the kingdom through miracles, signs and wonders and through lives being laid down as lovers of the Christ, with many being born again

In the day where we see unprecedented advance and the holy spirit movement, we are more aware than ever of the challenge for the ministry that we have been called to, knowing that Christ has one absolute victory, now we as the church, the “ecclesia” of God, must advance his rule into every walk of life. Education, business, care, home life, industry must all feel the effects of the kingdom of God in our day. In this day it has become so necessary that the people of God find their place of placing; the place where God has caused you to be responsible for bringing his kingdom.

We move as the family of God, not a hierarchical family, but a family of servants, believing, empowering and maturing each other in the advance of the kingdom. The apostles and prophets here to serve and uphold the people of God in their works of service, restoring society and the cosmos back to Gods first intent. The task is so great, it is more important than ever that every ministry finds its place of belonging, its joint flow, so that it might increase and grow. Becoming part of an apostolic family is about being more effective and displaying Christ in his wholeness.

Christ ascended and descended and give gifts of himself to the body, I believe it is the first responsibility of these ministries to find one another. For these fivefold/fourfold gifts (Eph 4:9-11) are the Christ, and they must first find one another to be the full presentation of the ascended Christ.  Their call is to bring the body to maturity and impart themselves into the corporate people, so that the people of God might become the Christ and be apostolic, prophetic, instructive, caring and evangel in function in our world. The “ecclesia” being the full Christ.

Being part of an apostolic family is an imperative, that we might become the all of God in our society. This is not an association or network but a true belonging, a place of mutual support, accountability and empowerment for each other, where there are apostolic Fathers to bring about a family.  For its is necessary that the people of God should mature and grow up along with our world being released to god’s full thought in creation.

To BE in your TIME

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Between the Lines, Between the sheets, Between the pages, Between a rock and a hard place, BETWEEN TIMES…

Much of our lives are spent in a certain kind of mind-set, and experience.  it is often necessary to learn the skill to be able to enjoy the times of our lives.   How many of us are living between promise and accomplishments, between being told it’s coming and the arrival.   the Scriptures are filled with this, are they not?    We read the accounts and stories and miss one fundamental tool in Gods equipment, that is, a word comes but the distance between the utterance of the word and the arrival of that word, can be soooo looong!    take even the promise of the Messiah 100’s of years, and if you include the promise to Adam and Eve of the “crushed head” of the garden experience, 1000’s of years.   yet the words and the promises are no less relevant and potent, it is the skill of staying in and holding on, or better said it is learning to live in  the BETWEEN TIMES.   we are all, if loving God, between the times people, actually all of humanity are living between the times when it comes to Gods love and promise fulfilled, along with his intent and cause arriving.

There is a skill for between the times, the learned skill of trust, of continuing, of setting your face like flint when that which comes towards you looks different from the promise.   stay with the times by fully encountering the between times.

A classic  picture of this is Acts 1, having lost, the Christ gone, and being told to wait , setting in order the loss and appointment of Matthias, yet they were between times, were they not.   Christ had ascended and the Holy Spirit had not come, the fulfilment of Old Testament promise.   Living with each other while between times.   who would not say that’s enough, or I’m not sure if its true, let’s get out of here, long enough, certainly we miss heard, did God say?

Acts 1 is the story of 120 people in a room waiting for release along with arrival, it’s a skill of attitude and keeping faith, how many give up and change their theology because it’s not come quick enough, or even come as we determined it, between times are dangerous times and empowering times.    we have heard many expound the ‘Kiros’ moments, the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment) and direct it to a particular event, i would suggest to you that we live in constant ‘kiros’ moments, dangers and opportunity, always between the times – danger and opportunity

The dangers of when we see nothing happening, in these between times we try to make it happen, Abraham did it  with the promise of a child, he tried to make it happen in the between times.   I wonder about the appointment of Matthias, was that God breathed or were they also simply trying to make things happen.   You can not say that, well it is interesting that we hear nothing of him from that moment on?   be careful in ‘In between times’, if the command is wait, then wait, hold to the promise don’t let it go by trying to make it happen with your own with effort.

The lessons of between times must be, when God speaks, when simple direction is given, take hold of it  with both hands and live in it, not in another moment or event, simple really, between times is a time to keep to the directions given.   this opens up the reality when nothing is happening and there is a God creating between times.   it is the  Fathers problem not ours, hold to Him.

Like many at the beginning of any new year the question of what God is saying comes up and the pressure to say something of significance comes upon us, let us thank and celebrate the workings of the Holy Spirit in our world.  Lets stop being CSI Christians, scientifically looking into more and more detail of where God has been, and oh yes honour the past, but the past is surely for the future, learn  to live in the light of the promise, so that we can say where God will be and not where he has been, a truly prophet people.     I read recently some 1.2 million communities – families – churches have been established with 250 million people coming to Christ in the last 6 years World wide WOW wonderful testimonies of God at work,   yet in all that if I compare with whats happening to whats coming it is still a drop in the ocean, as Christ fills all things and the church moves towards its goal of Christ everywhere with creation transformed to be like heaven here and now, restoration to Fathers first intent, there is so much more to come.   As the old saying goes, made famous by a USA president “you ain’t seen nothing yet” we are between times!   The awakening, the times of refreshing, revivals that will bring the Season of Restoration is still breaking in on us, it is happening but  we are still  between times.   So what do I do, just do  what i have been directed, keep it simple, do what God has said, get on with it and nothing more, keep my thoughts, don’t try to make it happen and loose.  live and enjoy the in between the times, help others to live and welcome the promises fully with both hands and with excitement.

Some might say, well I am going to get it now, i trust you will,  but the bible narrative is too full of lessons of having to hold the promises, just as Mary did with Jesus in hearing the coming promise of a son she learnt not only to say “be it unto me”  but also to “ponder it in your heart” and make it living, there giving room for the promise to be cultivated and grow.    It is important this year ahead, I believe much will come to pass this year, people are believing, faith is raising and much will break forth, but we have to live between the times, to see the promises of God come to pass in our ‘kiros’ day.  Are you willing to put your trust in God… even when nothing is happening?

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.       Albert Einstein

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.                  Albert Einstein

Distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.        Albert Einstein

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.               Steve Jobs

Two what smile today

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A woman had just returned to her home from an evening of church services, when she was startled by an intruder.. She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled: ‘Stop! Acts 2:38!’ 
(Repent and be Baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ , so that your sins may be forgiven.) 



The burglar stopped in his tracks.

The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done.



As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar: ‘Why did you just stand there?

All the old lady did was yell a scripture at you.’ 

’Scripture?’ replied the burglar.. ‘She said she had an Ax and Two 38s!’ 



How safe is your FUTURE?

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 Not a welcome question in the times we live in.  With people concerned about work, finance, health and many other things.   So how safe is your future?

Perhaps safety and future are strange bed fellows yet they do fit, security can be found in little really work, relationship, finance, security seems to be the incorrect term to use, I think safety is more apt today.   If my future is safe, I will take risk or chose to walk trusting God.

So how safe is your future?  The Psalmist I see often asked himself questions of future and questions of safety he would often cry out, then somewhere in his cry he would find the answer.  “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path” he said in Psalm 119:105 that the power of these words, certain words that is, bring safety.   Words that are the nature of the speaker, light that illuminates, God begins with “Let there be light” (his condition – see earlier blog) and here the writer still encounters this same pulsation, crafted, uttered words that cause pathways to be seen.   Words that do not breakdown but build up, words that raise up the pathway, the safe footed ways in front of each of us.

These safe words have the ability to direct, to show you where you are going, they are certain words not throw away comments but “your words”.  For safety sake, I better make sure I am hearing “…your…” words, making sure I can distinguish “…your…” words Lord.   So many say that, this and that are your words, but can I hear them form the source of light?   I recently sat in a gathering where it was declared strongly that the main event, the focus of all Gods working was this ………… and yet no mention of Christ or the filling up of all things in Christ was mentioned.   It really was the produce, or the in teaching for now, they were not “…your…” words, not safety bringing words but simply fashionable words, gathering people around the fashionable point.  Not light that illuminates and brings safety but so-called light that only builds our own events.

Make us able to distinguish true words in so much noise ”…your…” words safety words, perhaps that is why there is the lack of a safe future, we are not sure how to distinguish good words, successful words from safety words.

Safety is YOUR words in YOUR people so that YOUR community will ensure that YOUR words and will be done!

These words not only inform us of the Fathers will but also shows us how to follow the right and avoid the wrong ways, safety pathways, safe futures.

Ancient lamps were filled with oil to illuminate, their shapes changed with the potter and fashion and what was practical for purpose, we as the people of God change our shape, and it really does not matter,  it’s the light that illuminates and that matters rather than the changing shape, safety is not in the changing shape but in the words that illuminate.

Safety words bring a safe future “Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.  I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my mediation.   I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts” (119:98-100) it is mentioned three times, these illuminating words make us “wiser” and gives us “more insight” and “more understanding”.   This is not the boast of a ‘smarty’ a superior human, but it is some one who has discovered safety in this word “…your…” words.   If we learn what God says you will know things that will amaze the people around you.

Wisdom wiser than mine enemies!

If you want this kind of wisdom we are going to have to switch off the TV, stop getting distracted give ourselves in response to a Father that loves us, pick up his spoken word and listen to the spirit as we turn to the book.   I can discover the wisdom that delivers me from my enemies as I hear the word.

Wisdom wiser than my teachers

Human wisdom can only take you so far but those who know how to take in the words of the Father and the Son will truly take in wisdom.   The reason for this wisdom is simple, a disposition learned of “your testimonies are my meditations” this learning is not by chance or  a wow experience, but by turning and considering, the way I ponder and what I mediate upon, all that I fill my mind and heart with.

Wisdom wiser than age

I have stuff to say that is older than me!    There is always much to learn from those who are older than us however age by itself does not equal wisdom there is such a thing as “old fools” who started as “young fools” and just got old.   Wisdom comes from years of obeying the words of the Father.  The “understanding” mentioned here means the ability to penetrate with insight into difficult issues.   You know how to tackle life and its hard edges as you have seen God at work in the word and in his illumination.

Again the reason this is possible is simply “I keep your precepts” wisdom does not come by osmosis or magic, simply superior wisdom comes by doing what the word says.

So lets read, and obey so we might find a safe future.