Whats the Spirit Saying

Giveaway God

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Focus on Free

Consider the Fathers challenge it is his Great Story this is his Great Challenge, Gods Great Challenge is how to give away God.  God has great difficulty doing this, you would think everybody wants God but the response goes something like this “Lord I am not worthy I would rather have religion and morality which gives me the impression I can do it on my own”.    The response often is to out line with various reasons why I am not up to being “spiritual” or to say “I have to get more spiritual” or chase after God to show I am worthy before I am able to get you.     It seems that is better if God gives me the structured, institutional church rather than me being the church the Ecclesia of God, a people who are an outcome of the given-ness of Gods life to humanity, it’s better that I control than to give myself to your given gift, your free gift, no strings attached gift.   Let us learn to receive what you give away freely your kind-of-life!

Mary’s response shows how we should respond to this great grace and gift, it indicates she had an egoless response.  It was not a cry of “I am unworthy” but a “How”, she simply asked for clarification and has become Gods and therefore our picture of how to be receptive and that we should follow.
She shows us how to be a person who can respond with a resounding YES, an unquestioning YES to a free gift.
Catch this worthiness has never been the question put to us, of course we are not but God is giving himself to you no strings attached free, for freedom we were set free to say “be it unto me”.

A Necessary Focus – part 3

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Keys of the Kingdom

Here we go the last section of this article, it is my concluding thoughts on the reason why we must proclaim the same message of Jesus Christ – Kingdom of God, we will complete this session with the implications if we agree in any way on the thoughts presented happy reading and i trust you will be stirred as I am to see the Kingdom of God in fullness in your home, town, city, and world!

-The message of the Kingdom of God  empowers and involves everyone, it stimulates the world changes (entrepreneurial, leaders, managers, politicians, statesmen and women) that come into the churches to come on board.   When these world changers are told that their highest calling is to minister for two hours on a Sunday it disengages them. The Kingdom of God gives the why of our salvation.

-This message brings about the necessity for every believer to search the scriptures so that they might have a voice to their particular marketplace, ensuring a demand to think biblically and gain an ability to speak into their world.

-This Kingdom message brings about a world view and challenges each minister not to continue to preach a therapy gospel making people feel good, but takes each servant of God and empowers them in their works of service with all its challenges.

-The message of the Kingdom of God would release the creativity of God, releasing writers, actors, artists. Once again the church preaching the kingdom of God would become the founders of universities, hospitals and our governments would be affected by this kingdom message, because the people of God are bringing kingship and rulership after possessing the gates of the Worlds once again (Genesis 17:5-7)

-The Kingdom of God proclaimed, will deliver our preaching from being a single message dealing with life after death which alienates world changers  sending them into the world with a feeling that their gifts were not appreciated by the church. The message will deliver us from only nurturing platform, ordained preachers to appreciating and endorsing people called to our culture as profits like Joseph –  Genesis 37 to 50 and economists will save the nation; Daniel –  Prime Minister profit brought national transformation, as well as city bodybuilder such as Nehemiah

  • Proclaiming Kingdom message will empower parents to “ bring up the child in the way they should go” discipling them to be ministers of the kingdom.
  • A Kingdom viewpoint  empowers the theologians just see an entire view of both Old and New Testament to bring about a model, to see and establish judicial laws and thus herald the coming of the Kingdom as a means of bring a relevant structure to our society
  • The kingdom of God demands a reinterpretation of many passages from the scriptures that have been traditionally practiced with an individualistic application, it demands a corporate body application.     Luke 4 passage is a great mandate declaration of King Jesus and it has been used to release individuals that have been oppressed and held captive yet it cannot be just for the deliverance of the individual, it has at its central core a Kingdom concern for justice in re reading Isaiah 61 we see that communities and cities are lifted by a Kingdom message not just individuals.

If we take up the message of the kingdom, and agree in any way in the list outlined, it has an implication on you and I as the readers, it has practical hands and feet that have daily implications on each of our lives.

The message of the kingdom of God has therefore brought:

  1. An understand that being born again is not about going to heaven but more about bringing the Lordship of Christ to the whole cosmos.
  2. An  understanding the word doesn’t have spiritual and non-spiritual things but brings us to a place of realization that everything is spiritual whether in the unseen or in the material world and we must bring the will of God. Paul was not Christ the “ word made flesh” which must have an implication that flesh is not evil.
  3. An understanding that the ministry of Ephesians 4:11 are equipping ministries for life and its marketplace to fill up all things, Christ all in all (Eph 4:10-12)
  4. An understand “ that God so loved the world”  has an implication which is much more than the and about the redemption of the “cosmos” –  world
  5. An understanding that the people of God, the ecclesia is to be the primary agent of the kingdom to be salt and light in this world, to realize that your light resides in darkness and is not hidden away (Matthew 5)
  6. An understanding of the body of Christ is to nurture world influences and changers not just to find a place for ourselves.
  7. An understanding of the Christ as the king of the Earth as well as the head of the body – The church.
  8. An understanding that we as the Christ must be in our world, not delivered from our world. The kingdom means being immersed in our cities and serving our cities and not anxiously waiting to escape and be delivered from our world, hence seeing our Sunday gatherings as a respite, a temporary escape from our evil world, but understanding that God and his Christ loves this world that we have seen as evil for far too long.
  9. An understanding that  the scriptures were never written as a book about heaven but more about heralding the kingdom of God and therefore the stewarding of Peoples and nations and the Earth
  10. An understanding that we have an ultimate call, not for revival but for Reformation which ultimately will bring Restoration

We discovered that the scriptures are blueprints for people, grouping people in localities, forming faith communities, to be first in the household of faith then moving out to structure society and be salt and light, bringing Christ to our world.

We have before us the challenge of society, realizing that it will either be under the rule of godless human religions and biblical traditions, or under the rule of the kingdom of God, we have the responsibility to preach, teach, and be the hands and feet to the message of the kingdom of God

Embrace – Announce – Herald the Kingdom of God

A Necessary Focus – Part 2

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Eye Eye!

A Necessary Focus – I wonder with what mind are you reading these crafted thoughts, with an open mind or a preset mind, a perception that is heavily walled and set, I pray that you mind find a freedom to hear the voice behind the printed words and hear the Spirit through the few words on this electronic page.

I have taken time to write not to give me something to do, as we all have enough on, or with a hope that I get better at writing, but with a conviction that what I pen has significant weight in our day to bring a now gospel impact that will transform people to become world changers, transformers.

I admit that I am a bit of a science fiction buff, I like the films and programs and am looking forward to the next sequel in the Transformed film due out the end of June 2011.    How ever that film will cost million and make millions and pass on but these words will bring around transformation when we take on its focused message, the single life style and message of the Christ and make it the first cause of our lives, this is why I write to be a TRANSFORMER and to inspire others to TRANSFORM their life, home, street, community and world.   TRANSFORM WITH ME AS YOU READ ON.    These words will not pass by like the film but will bring about the goal of times work

As previously mentioned I am laying out my reasons why I proclaim the Kingdom of God, I trust this will firstly clarify my own thoughts, secondly I trust it will be of benefit for those who read.    My appeal is that we once again strongly announce, herald and preach the Kingdom of God with open hearts, not as those who have heard it before, or done it in the past, got the tee-shirt, rode the ride, but with new eyes looking and listening again.

Here are my reasons I trust that you will join and agree with me:

– It is only the Kingdom of God that seeks to release all of God’s people, that are part of the ecclesia, to serve as ministers in his kingdom in their works of service set for us all before the foundation of the earth. We understand that the Kingdom message empowers people to take up their various callings, to mature in their roles in the marketplace. The Kingdom has need of educators, politicians, economists, social workers, factory workers, builders, lawyers, etc.

-The Kingdom of God saves us from misrepresenting the cross for individual redemption, rather the kingdom understanding brings back the focus of the cross to the purpose of reconciling, bringing back all things, including the created order back to God’s full purpose (Col 1:20)

-The proclaiming of the Kingdom of God cannot be done holistically outside of releasing the Holy Spirit which will bring a wave of creativity with it. The first “day of Pentecost” let me suggest is when the Spirit hovered and in the beginning was sent forth at the creation of all things (Genesis 1, 3). The Holy Spirit is still hovering in creativity in the image bearers of God as we work and function in our marketplaces. To proclaim the kingdom without the Holy Spirit  would not be a full Kingdom message.  Therefore to preach the Kingdom is to be the spoken word that releases the Holy Spirit, to be the “Let there be” once again.

-This message is the only message that Jesus, Paul and John the Baptist preached it is also the primary focus of the New Testament (Matthew 3:2, 4:17, Mark 1:15, Acts 28:31)

-The kingdom of God is the only message that is generational. It connects all the seeds throughout the Scripture (Genesis 3:15 – seed of the woman; Galatians 3:29 – seed of Abraham who would become the church; Genesis 12:1-3 –  children of God who called to bless the families of the Earth; Genesis 17:5-7 – rulers of the kings of the earth;  Genesis 22:17 –  possesses the gates of our enemies, this only outlines an application that our children’s children should be engaged in our world and the practical affairs of this life are to be under the influence and blessing of the kingdom.

-The Kingdom message demands the church to consider its collective stewardship to manage the cosmos and the Earth, it challenges us not to preach escapism but to be accountable for the world that he has planted,  to extend and increase the garden of God. For we are the first garden, i.e. the garden of our lives under the order of God (Kingdom of God) that we are to take the seeds of our lives and go forth and rule extending the garden into our families, streets, communities and marketplaces.

–If the ecclesia, the church, the called out ones of God would once again embrace and preach the message of the Kingdom of God it would most definitely result in cultures being transformed, cities being transformed, and Reformation would come to the nations.

The nations of the world do not need governments, PM’s, presidents, or healing crusades but primarily they need the people of God to be in government, the apostolic government would bring the King in order, therefore allowing the rule of God to root out corruption. By preaching the kingdom of God and making it practical, wisdom for building and for the restructuring of nations under the rule of God would soon follow.

– Psalm 2 outlines the inheritance of the Messiah which the Kingdom of God continues to announce. Jesus died to redeem all nations and people groups not just the individual this sits along with our inheritance of saints (Eph 1:10-11, Matthew 28:19) being commissioned not just to reach individuals but to disciple all people groups and disciple nations,  once again we will see all nations baptized and born again  as outlined in the narrative of Jesus’s conversation with Nicodemus they “might see the kingdom of God”.

 

Here is another 8 reasons added to the 3 already outlined in Part 1 still have a few more to challenge you with let me know whats it stimulating in you!

A Necessary Focus

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Focus

In all our travels I have gained a sense of what the Holy Spirit is highlighting in various places, in saying this, I am fully aware that it is impossible to say ‘the thing’ ‘the one thing’ that people often want to hear of what God is saying, as I believe just as we are introduced to God speaking in the book of Revelation he is shown to be speaking seven different things to seven different churches in one region, therefore it is impossible to say the one thing he is saying,  but we can have some grasp of the constants, truth or focus that is being spoken or seen in many places across our globe. Seeing what is presented in many places, I think we should pay attention to this as “things are confirmed in the mouth of two or three witnesses”.

Sandra and I travel to the USA, Africa, India, Sri Lanka as well as in the UK and I would have to say that in all the noise of debate regarding the various aspects of truth that come and go, alongside the things we make the ‘fashionable sayings of Jesus’ as I call them, if there are such things, yet the church does appear to have its fashions, also the cyclic experiences and insights that come around every decade or so, there is, I believe, in our small world a sense of God’s focus on the one message that Christ carried and proclaimed.

I believe that until we grasp hold of this central message of Christ we will be confronted constantly by the Holy Spirit, until we embrace it in every possible way, through confession, teaching, and practice the central message of the kingdom of God will be spoken out constantly in the heavens.

In the opening chapters of the book of Hebrews we are told that God has spoken in these last days, making these words important for the last days, our days, and he has “spoken in his Son”, his Son, the Christ of God being the King that brings his kingship which means the Kingdom of God is on the front burner in the last days along with all the related details and implications.

Therefore it is imperative that we teach, preach, and practice everything possible to bring about the domain of God, “Heaven coming to Earth”.   We are encouraged to pray “your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” but it is not enough to pray, we must pray and work until our world is one with Christ, which is kingship and rule. To some degree the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, the same thing, is still to come to Earth, but on the other hand, heaven has already come in those who have welcomed Christ into their lives and they have to extend the kingdom rule of God. It’s about bring the implications of the Kingdom to bear in the cosmos first in our lives.

My aim in writing is to lay out the reasons why I proclaim the Kingdom of God, I trust this will have two implications, firstly it would clarify my mind and secondly I trust it will be of benefit for those who read.    My appeal is that we once again strongly announce, herald and preach the Kingdom of God with open hearts, not as those who have heard it before,or done it in the past. Got the tee-shirt, rode the ride, but with new eyes looking and listening again, before we all get lost in a sea of a ‘church only message’ or ‘church gospel’ which is around us all, but step up to re state the ONLY message of our Christ, the Kingdom of God.  Once again the message is required to be announced to empower, advance and deliver the people of God and our world.  Here are my reasons I trust that you will join and agree with me:

-The Kingdom of God reconnects us to the purpose, the why of all creation and the activity of God our Father. It confronts  us with a narrative of Scripture rather than getting lost in our fashions, fads, “now words”  but keeps is rooted in the ultimate purpose of God giving the reasons the cross, the ecclesia, the call of God in bringing everything under the rulership of Christ (Ephesians 1)

-The only message of Christ – the Kingdom of God gives Christ his proper place as King of Kings, the proclaim of the Kingdom and the rulership of God. To separate the gospel from the Kingdom is to take the Christ out of our message. ( BOY DO I WANT TO SHOUT THIS FORM THE ROOF TOPS)  In separating the Gospel from the king to only introduce people to a gospel that deals with an escape into the next life. To have a message without the kingdom is to deny the prophecies that speak of Jesus as the ruler of nations (Genesis 49:10, Psalm 2:9-11, 110:1-3, Isaiah 9:6, 7 Daniel 2, 4, 7). It is to bring a covenant with the father made with creation into practice.

-This sole message is the connection to the original mandate spoken to all humanity through Adam in Genesis 1:28, this passage must be seen as the starting point of the kingdom mandate, that of Christ proclaimed with the church continuing its proclamation.

NOW THAT IS JUST THREE REASON FOR YOU TO FIRST THINK THROUGH MORE TO FOLLOW I HAVE A GOOD LIST FOR YOU TO CONSIDER!    
WATCH THIS SPACE!

What a WONDERFUL World

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Natural Wonder

I wonder what world  you and I awake to every day, a world that confronts you or a world that gently wows you?    I have learned over the years not to compare each persons world as we can so quickly dismiss other Peoples world though our own coloured view-point.    What seems so insignificant to you may be so large and debilitating to others,  yet in this world there are some things that flatten the field of play, so to speak, and we can all empathise, the birth of a child, the loss of a loved one, the securing of some future event,  having the supply of food on your table.

My aim is to encourage you to consider the world you awake to today, perhaps an exciting event begins todays adventure or perhaps an unsettled issue hung over from last night, or even the concern on how  we will get through the next day and survive it.   So many worlds we awake to each morning.   What is the world before you? how is it rolling out in front of you?    A small decision, a huge event, a life changing or even a threatening day “……..this is my day……..”
Stop now and have a look at your world, the people who occupy it with all the movement of life, the events that create the terrain before you, the valleys and mountains to walk.   Stop for a moment and think what is my world like, what will I see and experience today?
The Psalmist in Psalm 98:1 (Message) says “Sing to God a brand-new song.    He’s made a world of wonders!    He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right.    The context of the song is important here, to sing a brand new song is a good thing but some times  as life is overwhelming we can not find a new song.   I am told in our travels in Africa that we should understand that “Africans sing if they are happy and sing if the are sad, so they sing at all times”  Celebration and song is a way of life there, happy or sad it’s  a song, I don’t find that in the West however perhaps it is something  we should learn.   One of the many things I love about my wife is that she carries a song within her constantly and when she looses that it changes her view and her inner ways, I see the impact of carrying an inner song in her which is wonderful and one of the many things i love in her.    OK back to the context of the song,  do you not see it here its, “he’s made  a WORLD OF WONDERS” this has to be a good way of life, realising that my life and my  song has a connection to a WORLD OF WONDERS.      With my every turn, as I open my eyes there are wonders to be seen and found, our Father has filled a world out with wonders for us to see, find and encounter so that we become those that anticipate wonders with every new day.   Perhaps “new mercies every day” have a direct relationship with realising and seeing a world of wonders as well.

Christ of the clouds

Our song Is through the medium of his wonders, I will say it again our new song has a direct relationship to the wonders we see.   May be songs are not sung when we do not account for the “…world of wonders…”.    O Lord I want to see your wonders at every hand not a narrow band but  be overwhelmed at every hand, seeing your wonders all around us, circulating our lives a “…world of wonders…”
“The wonders of our God” the old hymns sung, it is the record and impact of God with his rolled up sleeves creating wonders, these are the impact of this hymn.    Charles Wesley saw “O for  a thousand Tongues’ to declare the wonder of our God, he grasped and saw.
Oh That we might see the world of his wonders, just as Charles Wesley seeing  every aspect of God coming through  and causing us to shout with him,  with the shout of the deaf and the leap of the lame, shout wonders of our world to God.
Our world is his palette, his brush stroke as he lays down his mark throughout our world, can I be one that will see the world of wonders around me constantly.  O God I ask for a life filled by the world of wonders – then push for it son, I feel and hear  a cry inside me, for the world of wonders, your world your creative order where you are.
We are  invited as the readers to sing to the Lord a new song (cf. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 144:9; 149:1) because in His strength (right hand and arm are symbols of power) He has provided salvation and revealed His righteousness. God’s great salvation is possible because of His loyal love (ḥeseḏ) and faithfulness (these may be trans. “faithful, loyal love”). Remembering His covenant with His people Israel, the Lord delivered and saved them.    A WORLD OF WONDERS surrounds us waiting for us to pay attention even in the midst of life and challenges of struggles.    
LET ME EVEN GET TO THE POINT, LET ME  CHALLENGE YOU TO SEE THE WONDERS THAT AWAITS YOU IN THIS DAY, not just the miracle of healing which is magnificent in its self but wonders of life, growth, change, wonders in every way.  My cry is that we do not lose the wonders of our world for one wonder only but that we are able to encourage each one of us to be awakened to the wonders of our Father
In view of the wonders of grace and righteousness displayed in God’s salvation, the whole creation is invited to unite in praise.    My spiritual father loved the song by Louis Armstrong “What a wonderful World” and every time I hear this song sung  I think of him,  but even with out that thought I find that song moving me to appreciate the wonders of the world he has planted us in.   I am fully aware that there are human horrors taking place that many encounter each day yet in the midst of the world, shocked as we all can be of human atrocities, just t stop and wait and begin to part those things to see and look at the wonderful world that the Father has given us, he has and will enable us to see himself in our day.    I pray Lord that though the dim light sometimes of life we will see the world of wonders so that we may see our immediate world transformed through the palette of your brush strokes our lives.     That you might see the wonder of s simple life, that you might see the wonders of God at every hand throughout your day, how he involves in daily actions in and through you and those around you

Water Wonder

Open your eyes to the world of wonder!