Musings

Here’s A Though

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / 2 Comments

Here is one of my early morning musings.    Most of us want a peaceful and quiet life, being left alone, however in these days of economic turmoil producing future insecurity, not knowing what will happen next or what turn of events will affect our lives, changes that i have no control over.    Often we find ourselves longing for a life removed from the reality around us, a place where we would not have responsibility or accountability.

Let me lay down a morning musing to suggest some things that will bring peace, from Psalm 119. The longest Psalm that deals with the love of Gods word, verse 119:41 says “Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I’ll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word”.  

The way to begin our days is set out right here.   Allowing myself at the dawning of my day to be overwhelmed by your love, the knowledge of your love, the experience of your love.   This love that is everlasting, unchanging love, this love that is so vast and covers all creation, creation itself being a manifestation of the love of God.     The love of God was manifested in creating a provision for humanity in providing a place and time, gifts from the Father, gifts to live in this is love being manifested.                              

Its time to chase after Gods essence LOVE and realize that all things, such as, creation, signs, events and experiences are simply manifestations of the LOVE of God.     We become passionate about His LOVE with the knowledge that we will become the expression of His LOVE as we love one another John 13:34–35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another.    In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

This love becomes so real in us and about us, that this love is manifested towards others through us, we are recognized as Jesus followers as we become of the same stuff, the same love, love becoming the indicator of who we are like.  Actually we become this LOVE in our world and manifest its out working to the world around us.

People of God let us become those who deepen our love and let God manifest that love in healing, signs and wonders, miracles and like, it is our responsibility to be LOVE, desire LOVE, chase after LOVE this essence of who our Father God is, LOVE that we might be like HIM.

Asking such questions of us, “how have I loved to-day? ”       Start each day asking, “who shall I love today – ALL? ”    How much more can I fill my heart with his LOVE? 

It is said that God poured into hearts the very essences of who he is, this LOVE he gave through the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit came to pour our the essence of God into the hearts of mankind.   That is why the Holy Spirit always directs us and makes known the Christ of God, as the days of Jesus become the manifestation of God’s LOVE to us.    That Jesus being the “…exact representation of God…” he was and is a LOVE revolution, a LOVE out pouring, a manifestation of LOVE, “…for God so loved the cosmos he gave…”

I have a personal conviction that everything we see in the seen world, and the unseen is just a manifestation of the LOVE of God.   That which we see with the eye is that which was once in another place – the unseen now made known and that unseen place is God himself.   He took from within himself and brought out what we see, therefore all creation was in him.   Every resource every provision is inside the essence of the Father and it becomes manifest through who he is, God is LOVE!

“Let your Love” the writer says, may I know your love, may I peruse your love on life’s journey, may my focus be your love, may I be your love in the cosmos.    May I chase your love, deepen in your intimate love.

“Let your love” may it fully overwhelm me, may your love ravage me inside and outside and may I see my daily walk founded in your love!

For the Love of God is generously, freely given to us that our hearts become the very gift we are given.    Consider the free giving of God in who he is God is Love.

Romans 5:5 “…And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

This gift of love, this gift of God himself, this gift of the manifestation of the Father, the love his Son is not to be put in a book or on a bookshelf, or in a decorative setting so that it is displayed as prized ornament in our homes and lives.   Far from it, this LOVE has a work to do and a task to advance.   The primary and first is “let your LOVE, God, shape my life…” with LOVES tool begin and continue.

We are to have shaped lives, sculpted lives, lives that have had the hands of the Father applied to us, as a great artist shaping us out of dust and clay, a form that is LOVE shaped.  The final work will be God shaped that way we will testify and explain the Father (John 1:18 (NASB) Jesus came to “explain the Father” so do we) as we are God shaped by his very essence LOVE and become the shape of LOVE and LOVE shaped.

We pursue LOVE and are LOVE shaped by the tools of salvation and promises.

This love shaping allows me to stand through all that comes and helps me to fully trust the God of creation.    A love shaped life is a trusting life.     

Loves shaping does not come in ways we might welcome, some times we have to realize that his love allows, discipline, all being freely outpoured.     Salvation, trust overcoming are the practical tools and skills developed as we live a love shaped life.     We are not called to avoid things in life but have the love of God in us to face life’s shaping.      We find the wisdom of knowing his inner voice and Holy Spirit, which is nothing more than a love manifestation, giving us the ability to hear God and to know when to overcome, when to step over and when to withstand.

Love brings to us situations to temper and enlarge our trust of the Father, when we do not see him at work so to speak, when he is slowly working and so little change is apparent, yet love is shaping my life, so I shall TRUST.

Let you love, God, shape my life – with the tools of salvation, promises that I might trust, stand, overcome and be of your very essence, Let your LOVE be in my life and heart that the Cosmos may know you.

Freedom II

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / 1 Comment

In all our travels and connections, in all the meetings I have attended, I am thrilled to see how God is moving so many lives are transformed, thinking is being re wired and whole persons are being healed, we truly are in transformational times.    People  are maturing in every place, admittedly at different stages but maturing, little by little, big leaps towards growing up into God.

We find ourselves sitting with people from all walks of life, from lowly settings, from bush huts in small clearings, to large meetings with 1000’s of believers celebrating, to business men and women, giving advice and counsel to organizational heads, to CEO’s of huge companies as well as sitting with high level offices in world governments and royal palaces.    This gospel is amazing it reaches to all people in all spheres of life and breaks in with freedom.

Through the variety of places we visit we find that the large issues of life we find ourselves peeking into are quite similar, even when cultures are so different, people at heart level are the same, the same never mind where it is, or who it is with.   One of these issues, that can appear to be fleeting and sometimes even elusive to people is the issue of LIBERTY/ FREEDOM.    The desire for this freedom is high, we all know that freedom  belongs to us, it just a matter of where, how and  when, do we encounter it.     At every level and with every person we find the deep conviction that they should be free.

We often find that as we join churches, congregations, organizations and events that should be liberating that we are put into a straitjacket, and liberty and freedom is again curtailed.

A clear and recurring theme of Apostle Paul, spoken of in many ways is the cry or the shout of “Freedom“, Romans 8:14-19, 21, 28-39 Reminding us that all of creation is waiting for this liberty, the liberty of the sons of God to fill the world completely.

It is not only Pau that speaks of freedom but it is also in the red stuff, the red ink that is, it is a recurring theme in Jesus vocabulary John 8:31-32, 36.    It is there for it to become the recurring theme of our life as well

We are promised freedom, socially, politically and in our in attitudes.     Our world continually presses fantasies of freedom upon us:

Buy this….

Have this….

Use this….

Belong here….

Our experience however even with all the products available, is a world lacking in freedom, with all its promise it’s freedom it is fleeting and most people give in to living in lack, slavery, bondage and or boredom.

We have freedom of religion but it has not made us free – cults and other religions pressing enslaving superstitions continue to proliferate.    We meet only to be regularly inhibited, defensive, subjected, enough the world around us can say you are like this or that, they stereo type us and freedom passes by again.

In the middle of all this there are realities of freedom around us that are there to enable us to enjoy this freedom.   “God is free”.    He created the world in freedom and the people in it freely not out of need but in his own freedom, putting his freedom into all he created, all creation is an extension of him.    Creation came from within him, from that other place that is Him, from the unseen into the seen realm.     This creation has in its fabric freedom and liberty just like the creator.   I see it as the reason that creation Is waiting the reveling of the sons of God as they long for that very freedom given to us.    At the center of all is Jesus the free-est person that you would ever come across.     He was so free that he was able to declare “…I have overcome the world…” (John 16:33; 18) a chapter or two later we read how he stood chained during his arrest and yet was clearly able to clearly recreate for us what it looks like to be free, a overcomer, to the eye these chains certainly did not give the outward appearance of freedom!  But he was FREE!

The Holy Spirit is free, he is like “…the wind that blows where ever it wills…” this Holy Spirit produces freedom, liberty as once again the Spirit reproduces His nature.   When the Spirit leads me, when I live in faith, I live FREE – our testimony is this, when Christ is the center of my life vast FREEDOMS and surprising spontaneities begin to be seen.

When life becomes centered in my will, my freedom is diminished.

Our lives are to grow into the FREEDOM of the Kings Rule, of the Kingdom of Christ, as we pray your Kingdom, come freedom, come so I can be me!

How can I awaken your appetite, hunger and thirst for a free life?  This freedom found in Christ is a gift we can offer the world. Slogans, dogmas, great sayings and quotations don’t really do anything.

Discover freedom and receive it, as Paul “…took hold of that which had taken hold of him…” has this freedom taken hold of you?   Freedom is a gift; it is also a skill; a gift provided for us in Christ.   A skill that must be experienced and walked out by each person

Paul a specialist in the matters of freedom 28 times he talks about it and brings it to our attention in his writing, there are only 8 other mentions in the NT remainder books.   The book of Galatians brings us face to face with the freedom Paul has found and wants the whole community of God to participate with and be filled with.  A book aimed at restoring vigor and passion to a life of faith to confront the world with the free life of Christ.

I have heard it said that the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen was filled with treasure, and people said “Wow that’s living”, contrast that with the empty tomb filled of the Christ of God filled with freedom – Jesus out of emptiness poured out a freedom to live, rather than leaving us lifeless gems that will disintegrate.

In the creation story of Genesis 1, God creates Freedom that is LIFE, the new testament tells us he gave us “…life and this life MORE ABUNDANTLY…” the story in Genesis 3 tells us that humanity chose death, which by its nature is bondage, but we have been delivered from this death to a new life of liberty, freedom. Romans 7:24 “who will deliver us from this death”

In order for the story of FREEDOM to be told we must begin with God (Genesis 1) we have been brought unto a FREEDOM TO LIVE.   Therefore LIVE.

We are to show men and women today the beginnings of the pathway that leads to freedom, that moves credibly and concretely into the freedom of God.   Have no doubt the goal of God is to unite such as heaven and earth, man and God in union Christ in us is the expression of the united life and this life is fully expressed by Freedom, becoming a measurement of a restored, redeemed world, the church of God producing that very freedom, in all people and creation.      Union with God is freedom for this is true liberty.

Leonardo Da Vinci when he sculptured great forms from large block of marble or stone would say he saw the from, the shape, the body, the person in each stone or marble his goal was to simple liberate the shape/person from that block, to bring form to the unshaped rough stone, bringing liberty to what he saw inside.   God did the same to you and me and we are to continue in the same vein, through our words, actions and sayings liberate and bring freedom to ALL that we touch every day.

Da Vinci showed again in the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, the painting of the creation, in which humanity and God sits in the exactly same position, depicting that mankind is created in the image and likeness of God.   Looking behind the depiction of God he painted a shape that is somewhat like a human brain, in that mind are other faces, the first of a woman and many others, showing that God had humanity in his mind from the beginning.        The picture is there to display the liberation of a freedom group called mankind that would be his church bringing freedom to whom ever and where ever they go

Let me shout Freedom, Liberty into YOU!

Feel it, let it break you out; let your inner person arise…Freedom!

So what should I do?

Feel it.

Dream it.

Ask yourself what does your freedom look like?

Take pen write what it looks like, and then add a strategy to bring it about.

Ask yourself, what needs adding to you in order that you can experience this?

What needs removing in your life form around your life to launch it?

Start your life with it Now.

What will you notice if you begin to walk in Freedom, and liberty?

YOU ARE FREE DO NOT SUCCUMB TO SLAVERY AGAIN IT IS NOT THE HOLY SPIRITS WAY NEVER MIND HOW GOOD IT SOUNDS.

“Lunga” A Rivers View

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

The morning sun broke through the bedroom window a new day opened; I got up and sat on the front porch bathed in warm winter sunlight.   I looked out over the flowing ‘Lunga’ river, I am in Mwinilunga Zambia, sitting watching a

Smoke that Thunders

deep river moving slowly but unabated, a deep green rich and constant movement, unabated and withstanding all that stood in its way over the centuries.

As I mused the flowing river I realized I am not only sat on the edge of this river but some 35 miles (56 Kilometers) away we find the conclusion of one of the most historic missionary searches throughout southern Africa by a European, a Scottish missionary that had walked many miles to search for the source of the Zambezi river, from the powerful overwhelming Victoria Falls he names he continued north.     David Livingstone a Godly man had stood here many years ago and I am just a short distance away, he found the source of the river, the mighty Zambezi.    Today the river stands as a border between Zimbabwe and Zambia in some places, at the time of discovery it had become a source of joy, yet then same joy of commencement and discovery brought a conclusion and ending of one life’s goal, the source of the might  Zambezi.

As you direct your imagination south from this source of the now trickling Zambezi it grows and grows until you come to the ‘Victoria Falls’, some may have had the pleasure of visiting this natural wonder if not you must have seen its pictures.  A 1,708 meters (5,604 ft.) wide fisher in the face of the planet, a natural wonder, a 108 Meters (360 ft.) drop of water, this Zambezi source with its small beginnings breaking out of the ground, leads to the “Mosi-oa-Tunya” locally know “the smoke that thunders”, water crashing into an open fault along a high plateau.   In the rainy season you cannot stand close to it, without getting drenched and as you travel towards it can be seen from 30 miles (50 km) away, from a distance it looks like a bush fire roaring, with its smoke rising, hence its local name.   At full moon, a “moon-bow” can be seen in the spray instead of the usual daylight rainbow.  A great river and a major natural immense view that is still tumbling, rushing, working its way towards its joining into the Indian Ocean .

Lets return not to the effects of this river, its life-giving course and its terrain transforming affect, but to a small beginning a source that just trickles out of the ground.   Men down through ages had searched for this source, now it is easy to find, it is even marked on local maps for us all to enjoy.   As I looked out that morning on the river and my position so close to a historic beginning my thoughts began to consider Gods grace.

In every beginning there is also a completion, or there should be or better said there must be.   If we are to start anywhere we have to finish something at the same time.   Start a new way of life and we have to cease an old way.   New things learnt always bring about the conclusion of old patterns.   Is this not the nature of revelation to us, is that it concludes and begins new vistas; new eyes in seeing that do not allow us to go back.

I have come to a point in realizing that every new word, every prophecy, although they might have painted pictures with inspiring words but really what every prophecy and word says is “YOU CANNOT STAY HERE ANY LONGER”.    You are ruined in the place you are in, prophecy comes and if I have ears to hear it says strongly you cannot remain, you cannot stay here!    Genesis 1 concludes some things, and yet with great explosions begins other seasons, new beginnings as a Christ follower begins a new journey and certainly concludes another journey the one I travelled to that time.   A time of change of transformation.

Back to my morning view, as I watch this constant flow of the river ‘Lunga’ so close to the source of Zambezi, right in front of

Old Days

me I noticed a dugout, a wooden canoe carved from some tree that once stood by the river, it looked old as if its day has ceased, inside a wooden carved paddle, inviting someone to use it.  However this old dugout now filled with water.    It will not be travelling anywhere any longer; it’s just an idyllic scene.    A once travelled river by this means now stopped finished its course and yet the river continues on unabated.   A dugout that man once commanded the surface, fished to feed a family, travelled the region by river, plunged from it into the rivers depths and man brought his rule to the section of the river form it.

The reality is that stopped a long time ago but the river still continues on, un-ruled as it wished unaffected by mans attempt to control, the river had a course to chart and the cycle continues unabated.

On the back of the unaltered course of this water flow I was reminded to be careful in all we do, all we dream of being involved with that we find the source of life, that will give us a reason for being, a beginning to our way, give time to know our beginnings the source of our flow.

We have to understand that wherever we are, we cannot disconnect a new thing from the constant flow of the Father, always flowing towards a goal and an end.   Too many people are looking for the new thing that is disconnected to this continual flow.  Individuals ready, it seems to disregard the unabated direction the Holy Spirit flow for the new thing, the “this is it” cry the next thing we have found.    I considered that God does not what people to shout “this is it” the thing, the ministry, the center is the ultimate but wants a people who would join Peter’s Acts 2 cry “…this is that…” and that being the Christ.     A good thing must never become the ultimate never mind how good it is for this is idolatry the ultimate to the Father is the Son, the Christ of God.

For the source, he began and will continue.    Even when we try to control and make ours, a section of that flow of this river of God and call it our revelation and our gift or ministry be careful as we stand on a might course that will find its end.     Always find the source, and never disconnect your onward course from its original source.  I have seen so many people who try to disconnect themselves for, what they say is ‘for the sake of the new thing’, they attempt to cut off, or even worst undermine the continuity of Gods grace.    Giving up all they have come from to take hold of the new thing.

I hear people say “we have to be faithful to the new move”, yet every move of God is faithful to the continuity of flow, for it all comes from the same source, there is a beginning a continuity and completion to every moment in Christ, for he knew where he came from and where he was going to.

1          Know your source, find the cause of your flow

2          Know that we are here to work with a continual flow of the cause of God

3          See the relics of the past and know they contributed to the flow of God, connect and flow your course with knowledge of continuity, it did not commence with you and probably will neither finish with you

4          Be sure we contribute and not clutter the embankments of life with the clutter of our own agendas, mission, visions and goals.

5          Honour the flow that came to you, yet be sure we live our lives, not that which came to you, LIVE YOUR SEASON

6          Look for the continuity of the river of God in revelation and understanding.

7          Understand that each part of the flow is different to the last part

8          Pass on, lay down for the generations still to take the baton what is legitimate to the continuity of flow rather that what began with you and what you feel to maintain.

Sitting by the banks of ’Lunga’ River I am thinking of source and its search.   The unabated constant continuity of the flow of the river that flows directly in my view, while seeing the patterns of the past attempts to ride its course now long gone

The need to reset and work with the river of God in the front of my life rather than looking right of left to other but be myself and fully express the Father before my house

I am concerned to ensure that I will pass on and add to the continuity of flow rather than only be concerned with my flavour my type or my agenda.

As we consider that each of us are the beneficiaries of the flow of others from our past.   My thoughts go to the wonderful story and picture in the Old Testament as Abraham sends Eleazer, his trusted servant to find a bride and prepare a bride for his son.   This picture outlines a type of Holy Spirit for us, preparing a bride for the Fathers Christ.    It was the fact that Eleazer said to the Lord as he came to a well, the woman who serves his camels by watering them will be the bride to ask for.    Little did Rebecca know that the camels she would water, she would serve, would become the vehicle that would carry her towards her own destiny?    That which she served was her continuity, to connect in the unabated flow of Gods plan.      Be careful and know the camel that will carry you in the continuous flow of Christ, don’t remove yourself from the continuity of Gods grace.

We are often told that the last move of God became the first obstacle to the new move of God, history may add to that thought, but let us consider it is not always so.    Let us be those who take hold of the flow of God and add to, continue on, rather that to be in the new feel we have to serve the flow of God for the asked of the new God wants a continuity of flow.

It flows on and on!

Be careful we step on board to the continuity and the very vehicle of your destiny, know what is your camel and give yourself to maintain Gods grace unabated.

“…My Tipping Point…”

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

Watch Ahead

As we take stock of life and take a look towards the future and being wise looking back over the events of days gone, for this is true wisdom when we can draw from our past and now to mold the future.  As we do this I am sure we all have different thoughts of what the future holds.  Even as we consider the past we would have different thoughts about what got us to this point.

We all get asked in the light of world events what does this mean?   I have to say some times I don’t know helps us Lord in the changes that are rushing towards us all.   Several years ago I picked up a book called “The Tipping Point”, I am told it has become rather a buzz statement for many, with many taking it up to sum up their feelings of now.    The notion is that everything comes to a point of balance, one that is ready to tip and throw its weight towards a certain direction.   Many things can tip the balance, it could be  a reasoned thought, an emotional response, or a circumstance that tips the balance and takes you over an edge.    In other words the statement we often used to hear of  “its got to break” has now moved into a roller coaster a movement, beginning a direction that seemingly has its own momentum.    So many people I talk to feel as if they are either on the approach to or at the point of just starting over, on the edge of their own “tipping point.

Whatever way we consider, the past, the present and the future I have come to one conclusion, that echoes out loudest over all my thoughts, and I have shared this in several settings over the last 3 years.  It was so loud in my thinking that it drowned out every other thought in my mind; it is “what got me here will not get me there”.   An understanding formed in me, that what ever brought me to know what I now knew, whatever had positively assisted, empowered and served me/us, was not sufficient to carry me/us into tomorrow.  A now, new moment had arrived, in every new moment there is a new encounter, which is necessary to envision and equip the day.   Moses saw God in the burning bush, Abraham met God for his journey and new pilgrim life style, even Jesus encountered the Father in the Garden to face he cross, earlier he encountered the Father at his baptism in preparation for the wilderness and the 3 ½ years of function.

Wherever you are, I think the tipping point is becoming a life-style, not just a moment but also a way of life that we are always negotiating.  There is in fact a cost to be considered in every tipping point, be it into an event, a way of life, or a life choice, that will not even allow us to return to where it all began.

A place of no return so to speak, a rub-icon crossed?, this all sounds high and mighty, but we make these kinds of decisions daily.    Decisions effecting people and relationships, how we use our money, our job/vocational choices, we even see it in the small events of life as they may be.    Please realize that most lives are a sequence of small events and we cross rub-icons daily that have no pain attached but certainly are transformational in terms of our friendships and families – people, what we do – time, and the final resource in our lives, money and how we dispose of and work our money – finance.

Can I encourage you to think out of the box before you negotiate the “tipping point” and set your roller-coaster along life’s chosen pathway. Clear the house, your life first with start by determining I QUIT!   This I Quit will help the process of going over the edge taking that step forward I will give you just 4 “I Quit”

Quit making excuses

Quit complaining

Quit living in fear

Quit complaining 

Having chosen to negotiate my “tipping points”, having then welcomed them these “tipping points”, they have in turn set up various directions of life for me over the last 8 years.   It has caused much re-evaluation of resources, hearts, and direction as events and situations continue to present themselves.   I have had to remodel my view of life and more than that, remodel my view of God himself.    Which of course allows the remodeling of how we function.  Knowing this discovering View of God that will determine how well we all live.

Following all that I am excited over the phase we have now began to live though, a phase that clearly brings multiplication in a new way into my thinking.   Seeing Apostolic networks possibly becoming Apostolic families, heavily relational rather than organizational, realizing that we should not replace the single grace that so empowered many and much in last 30 years + with another grace, endorsing a Papal system again, but seeing the release of multiplication of apostolic graces across the countries and world in this phase.    Many networks or movements are giving way to family expressions with a relationship life flowing across them and through them, which is releasing the possibilities of continual multiplication.    It must then continue to fill the world we live in with organic family expression of Christ.

It’s a time not to be nostalgic in any way but to seize the new phase and take hold of the circumstances that now face each of us.

Mission – Missional – Missionary

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

Face our Mission

Mission? What’s it got to do with me?

How, and where do you start when you are asked to write something on mission,  my thoughts go to the challenges of a coming Kingdom and the changing of the  world around us, causing me to conclude  that mission has to have a focus towards  the Ultimate Goal of God,  i.e. “all things summed up in Christ”, “Christ filling all things”.

I was once asked by a well know teacher  “are you doing anything today that will continue when time is finished and Jesus returns?”,  “yes” I replied, he continued with a further question, “are you doing anything that you will not be doing after his return?”  My answer was “yes” his reply  “why?”   In others words keep your eye on the ultimate, in all you put our hand to.

I cannot read any scripture without realising that the Father and the  Holy Spirit have a preoccupation with the Christ.    Our work and involvement must therefore, have this same preoccupation, we must be fully occupied with Christ, other wise the task ahead will overwhelm us and we will lose our way.   As a matter of fact the entire occupation of the heavens is Christ.    It is so easy for us to focus and emphasise one particular spiritual truth, value, virtue, gift, or good work and yet miss Christ, Christ who is the embodiment and incarnation of all these things.

All mission and commission looses its way and purpose without holding on to the ultimate of goal of God.

I was recently provoked by the following question “why was I born in the West, with all  the privileges of the culture  I find myself in?”   As I pondered on this question my first thoughts were ones of a great gratitude for all I have been given and entrusted with.  Then, I compared my lot with the 2/3rd of the world around me and began to ask why, why God was I born here?   As I considered the privileges we are surrounded by I was amazed at what God has made available to us.  The privilege of freedom, the privilege of finance, even in a world that is in the middle of recession we have so much compared to those that live on less than a $1 a day.

I cannot depart far from the scripture story that started with the debate for position amongst the young men and women that followed the Christ,  debating who would get the best seat in the house.     While this debate went on Jesus told them of a landowner who distributed money to each of his servants, for them  to invest /steward the entrustment in-order that on his return a profit would be seen.   This profit in turn would open up  further entrustment opportunities, not of finance but of city rulership – those who are faithful with little becoming  rulers of much.

This narrative deals with a number of thought patterns, for example the disciples idea of Kingdom coming NOW.  The immediate and sudden NOW, putting Jesus on the throne NOW.  The story is however a story of PROCESS, this being working with and stewarding our entrustment to bring about Gods’ full intent.   We are living in days when regardless how much or how little we have been given, we have to see this PROCESS OF STEWARDSHIP.  We must deal correctly with what we have been given in order to see the influence of God, and Christ filling all in all taking place, as we do, so we will be entrusted further.

So why were you and I born in the nation you were?  which ever nation that may be ,  we must  steward correctly that with which we have been entrusted, so that we might bring an end to poverty,  never mind how tight things are in the midst of recession, we still have a charge to steward the little and the much.

We have been positioned and entrusted with ability to

1          Redistribute – wealth, justice, liberty

2          To bring Christ into every sphere of life and society

3          To break poverty – and dependence for all

Poverty is not fundamentally the  lack of money, but it is the imprisonment into a dependence on others for liberty, finance and personal freedom.   I would like to eradicate ‘dead aid’, where money has simple been poured in time and time again with no sense of building creating only  future dependence.   I would like to  invest in people, and take away the cause of  dependency on some one else for resources. Through our kindness and giving of money  in some cases, often unknowingly, we have added to the poverty mindset and sustained  imprisonment.    We have given much, equipment, tractors, seeds, houses, computers, etc., when our hearts and emotions moved us.  What we failed to realise was that  when what ever we gave  broke down, needed  new tyres, parts or repairs the people once again became dependant on  another hand out – lets break poverty and take away dependency.   It is  not about ceasing giving, far from it, but it is about wisely entrusting to men and women, training in self sustainability and providing them with the mind-set of continuing long after the initial help.  This is long-term empowerment, this is our mission.   Giving people the ability to advance handing them the stewardship of their own advancement.

 After all the advancement of each person in a way that is Kingdom of God thinking will bring about heavens occupation “Christ filling all in all”