Musings

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!’ 



He Stole My Bible again…

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I am not sure how you read your scriptures and what you draw from the arranged letters that are offered to us.    A number of years ago I was presented with a new translation of the scriptures every year, it was a planned and purposeful exchange, so i would change the way i read and listened to what I read.  It took me a few years to realize what was going on, I was a little slow, rather funny really, every year the question came “What bible are you reading?” I offered my translation and by the end of our conversation, in those first days of each new year my old bible walked out of the room and  a new translation was let in return.   Excuse me I said but my notations are in that bible, the reply was “Yes” my comment was  “Hmmm” and his “that’s exactly why I am taking it”.   But it instructed me to read from different a different vantage point the same word, it brought the scriptures alive again as I saw the different angles of the diamond of this book.   It was a challenging lesson initially, then every first of the year meeting I learned to present my old 1-year-old bible and open my hand for the new one to be exchanged.

One of the lessons of reading the Scripture is to grasp the fuller story, the panoramic view of Gods dealings with his people, some times we get so caught up with this and that little thing, and  we have not understood the over all panorama of Gods working, cause and purpose.   I long for more people to catch what God is doing from a distance rather than getting into the minutiae, when we don’t understand the wide aims of his purpose.   For instance You can look at the book of Joshua and see all the in’s and outs – all good stuff walls falling, inheritance gaining, conquering armies, trust and obedience, establishing a people etc.   But one thing that encourages me in the narrative is simple when we get across from the deliverance from Egypt the victory of transferring from supply upon supply, that is food, water, clothes never wearing out etc., to a place, as we enter the promise and realize there is still unfinished business!    The book is the story of unfinished business, the settlement in the land is the account of unfinished business. We often wish it was not so, why did God not do it all?     Perhaps its the issue of God making us partners with him in everything, he has done his bit, now we have to take hold of the unfinished business and bring it to pass “earth becoming like heaven, his likeness and image in you and me.   That’s another blog.

Unfinished business.    Each new episode of life, each new year each new day is the account of unfinished business.

So you wake up each day with unfinished business, not procrastination on yesterday’s stuff but today is the continuation of completing the purpose, the set course that God has for humanity and creation, your story and mine is the story of unfinished business until a generation comes to see Christ filling all things.    The small reading of Scripture can so easily introduce to us a narrative of me and the immediate, yet we are about a course of direction the Father has begun and we are involved in unfinished business.   I wonder what your unfinished business looks like?

Lets’ Keep Moving Hitting the Mark

You cannot get away from Paul’s encouragement to have one goal in mind and heart as we travel through our Christian journey, the goal to become more and more like Christ until ‘he fills all things’ or until he has the pre-eminence in our lives in book of Philippians he says we are to ‘press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus’.    It was with this in mind that we set out every year to so call Hit the Mark, to get entwined with unfinished business of the cause of God.

As ever Now in our journey we take steps forward, to grow from strength to strength, glory-to-glory, faith-to-faith and favour-to-favour, it is not the time to settle back and simply enjoy the inheritance we already have.     There is Unfinished business here.

The children of Israel had to be ready at all times to up stakes and move on whenever the cloud or the pillar moved, they moved, sometimes they stayed a month in one place other times a day, they had to be ready and willing at all times to be obedient to the call of the Lord.   As soon as they heard the trumpet sound they were to up camp and move on.    I wonder how they felt about the trumpet sound, did they wait eagerly to hear it knowing that they would be moving closer to Gods purpose for them, or did they dread the sound knowing that once again it would mean uprooting and change.     They journeyed and crossed into the inference which was full of unfinished business.

The trumpet of the Lord is certainly sounding across His church in these days calling us to wake up and step into the fullness of our calling.    It is calling us to move on and not simply camp around our experiences of the past whether good or bad, it is calling us to press on and embrace the revelation that is being birthed in this day.     Unfinished business prevents us from stopping around anything that is not the full cause of Christ.   People say this and that is the main event, the thing God is doing, this is the structure and pattern, it’s that theology and practice, it’s this experience and encounter, yet the main event has always been one thing God’s cause “Christ filling all things” and all is unfinished business until that happens.

Each generation have their own journey to walk, their own milestones to reach, and we are so aware of the continuity of the body of Christ knowing that the achievements of each generation build on the last and prepare the way for the next.   I remember once being told that God had no grandchildren, meaning that each generation will have their own encounter and task to fulfill in the great scheme of things.      It is our joy to be in the position to build on what we have received whilst knowing that we will advance a greater unfolding of what we had received – faith-to-faith.

We recognize that the children of Israel had certain milestones in their journey, and likewise we know that the Lord has given us certain milestones that we must reach towards in our journey together.   These are marks for us to hit, things for us to reach towards together and see achieved in our day and generation.

You and I have unfinished business and the grace and supply of god is there as we make his cause our unfinished business!    As you move further and further into this year may you truly finish unfinished business for this is the draw of God s work.  Complete that which is in our day to finish.

Interesting ‘New Wine’ Facts…

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There is a wonderful verse found in Is 65:8 which states that “…as new wine is found in the cluster…” it is a verse that has been in my heart for many years.   We live in a world of individuality and the success of self-made people, we so often make these individuals the pinnacles of life.   This simple scripture reminds me that true newness is found not in individuality but in the many.   New wine, the wine of God is not in a single grape but in the cluster all the grapes on the vine being worked together to become the new wine of God.

Unfortunately we have been so taken with achieving at any cost we forget that God is after cluster people, relationship, people who are willing to change their shape being pressed into each other to become the “New Wine”

Here are some wine facts I came across while being in our beloved South Africa, you may find it interesting to see how it takes a cluster to produce a single glass. The cup we must drink must be the cup of a cluster!   A TOGETHER life, a corporate body and people group, not individuals we so often see in our day with individual Celebrities, but a whole people given to become the new wine of God,  the church has to become the cluster of God.

1 grape cluster = 1 glass     

75 grapes = 1 cluster

4 clusters = 1 bottle

40 clusters = 1 vine     

1 vine = 10 bottles

1200 clusters = 1 barrel

1 barrel = 60 gallons

60 gallons = 25 cases

30 vines = 1 barrel

400 vines = 1 acre

1 acre = 5 tons

5 tons = 332 cases

 Determine that in 2012 you will invest into the cluster, and not only your own ministry or status.    

Be a part of the cluster of New Wine!