The Prophetic Savant
by A. W. Tozer
(*The use of the male pronoun in this writing is for convenience only.
We mean no partiality to our brothers, and no disrespect to our sisters.)
The prophetic savant is a person afflicted with a heavenly autism,
making him nearly incapable of normal relations with those around him.
Accused of being aloof, cold, and distant, he is apt to hide himself from people,
withdrawing into a world of his own. He never seems to be all “there”.
Even if he forces himself to come down to Earth for a moment,
those around him may have the sense that there is an unspoken dialogue going on somewhere inside of him,
a secret communion carried on beneath the surface that never allows him to be fully “in the moment”.
How do we explain this? As a prophetic savant he sees, hears,
and relates to the world differently than the rest of the population.
They have not seen what he has seen; they have not heard what he has heard.
And so he finds very little camaraderie, very little sympathy or understanding,
no one with whom he can open his heart and share his soul,
because he no longer speaks the same language, and they no longer speak his.
Of course, he may have surface-level exchanges with anyone: he is approachable, not haughty,
or high-minded. He may even be personable and likable.
Yet there is something so other-worldly in his demeanor that he is more often frightening than friendly,
in spite of his best efforts. He is a spiritual autistic,
and no matter how hard you try to know him, he is generally unknowable,
and to a certain degree, he resists all attempts to know him.
If a prophet is anything, he is extra-terrestrial – above the Earth.
He walks the Earth with others, but he is not of the Earth. He is from beyond; he is from above.
If we trace his history we will find that he may or may not have had a normal childhood.
He may or may not have come through extraordinary experiences.
But at some point in his life, either as a child, or as a young adult, or as an old man,
something from another realm broke through the thin membrane between Heaven and Earth
and took hold of him. It may have been a burning bush, or a Voice crying out to him from beyond the veil,
or a Heavenly Vision which brought him briefly into contact
with something and Someone that he could not completely fathom.
However it happened, for one moment at least, the clouds parted and the veil was rent,
and he saw something that is unseeable; he heard something that is unhearable;
Heaven itself was opened up to him, and he saw into another world.
The thing he saw and heard now burdens him like a mantle that has been draped over his shoulders.
He feels its weight, for it is with him day and night, whether he is eating or drinking, working or resting.
It is the impression that everything around him is a lie,
and what he has seen and heard is the Truth, and this Truth is not static,
but it is living, growing, and increasing within him from the day it comes to him in the form of a seed.
For a long time he struggles to find words and vocabulary to express the inexpressible.
He cannot explain why he feels the need to try and express it,
but for some inexplicable reason something drives him to open his mouth,
or take up his pen, and make it known. Whatever it is, it will not permit him to savor it or keep it to himself,
and it seems intent on coming to the surface and interrupting the normal course of his life.
This process can be frustrating and painful, so much so that he may give up several times,
content to simply walk in what he has seen and heard and leave it at that.
But try as he might, he cannot run away from what he has seen and heard,
and he cannot deny the compulsion to bring it forth.
On the one hand he cries out for a “normal” life,
while on the other hand he knows he cannot deny what has been revealed to him.
When he does achieve some modest success in articulating something of Heaven he is pleased for a time,
but soon grows impatient with it, and eventually is dissatisfied with it altogether,
because it cannot do justice to what he has seen and heard. And so the process begins again,
the continual search for words to more perfectly express what he is trying to communicate
(and a subtle fear in the back of his mind that he may never be able to adequately express it),
which leads him to invent words which may have never before existed,
or to look for Spirit-inspired words in some unknown tongue
that can be translated into something others can understand.
The prophets of old correctly called it the “burden of the Lord”,
for it is like a woman who must live the rest of her life being in perpetual labor,
delivering the same child over and over again. What relief there is only comes in discharging the burden,
but that is not to say it ever really leaves:
it merely allows the prophet time to catch his breath until the next contraction doubles him over again.
The burden is with him the rest of his life, and he never fully discharges it.
Even when he tries to be disobedient to the Heavenly Vision
and flees from the presence of the Lord he is pursued and hunted down like some kind of a wild animal
who has gotten loose, knowing it is only a matter of time before he is captured again.
The Voice never leaves him, the Vision never lets him go.
When he refuses to speak then the fire which is already kindled only burns hotter,
until he ends up doing what he has resisted doing all along,
just to relieve himself of the unbearable tension and inward pressure.
He cannot extinguish or quench the fire no matter what he does,
he can only be obedient and find temporary relief,
until the next word comes, and then off he goes.
He may beg God to send someone else, and may protest his inability to speak, or to write.
But he is already ruined for anything else,
and even when he denies the Lord Who called him and returns to his former occupation,
it is all dull and lifeless, and he meets with nothing but frustration and failure.
There is no way to escape it. He knows he is called to something Higher,
even when he is clinging with everything he has to something Lower.
Like a wild horse, he resists the dealings of the Lord and must be broken before he will obey.
Eventually he learns not to resist the Lord, but to cooperate with Him.
He becomes pliable and bendable in order to survive.
His very life now is bound up with what he has seen and heard.
He cannot be disobedient to the Heavenly Vision, and if it means he dies, then he dies.
If it means a renunciation of everything he once believed, then he renounces it – reluctantly at first, then cheerfully.
If it means suffering the loss of all things, then he lets them go.
Over time the one who has seen and heard becomes the very essence of what he has seen and heard.
The Man becomes the Message. He bears the Testimony in himself,
and becomes one with it. He needs no preparation to speak; indeed,
preparation does nothing to help the message he brings, and it often gets in the way.
His whole life is the preparation, and since he is the Message, it is with him constantly.
He can no more separate himself from the Message than he can separate his head from his body.
If there is an “On/Off” switch then it was long ago turned on and then disabled so that it can never be turned off again. After many seasons of God’s dealings he finally perceives that this is what the Lord has sought for all along,
not just to GIVE him a Message, but to MAKE him a Message;
to gain for Himself a Messenger and capture him completely,
embossing the Message into his very being.
And so he goes about his daily business, constantly haunted by that Voice,
torn between the menial task at hand which calls for his physical and mental exertion,
and the Higher Calling which seeks his undivided attention.
He knows he should do all things, great and small, as “unto the Lord”.
But he also knows that Heaven and Earth are locked in mortal combat over him while he stands there in the middle,
torn between the two, desiring to depart the Earth altogether and be with Christ,
but knowing that it is more profitable for his brethren if he remains.
Heaven calls him to rise up, but Earth tells him to keep his feet firmly planted.
His heart is constantly breaking and longing to go, to ascend,
to rise up, to stop seeing through a dark glass, and see face to face,
without the distraction of the natural, the fleshly, the temporal,
because he knows the Earth is not his home.
Yet he struggles with the fact that Earth is where he must live and work.
This accounts for why he may sometimes seem difficult to be around.
As a savant he possesses insight and skill which others do not possess.
But it is a gift, not anything of himself, nothing of which he could boast of.
If you were to ask him if he considers this to be a blessing,
he would probably say it is more like a curse,
because it sets him apart from others even when he tries his best to be hidden and to blend in.
He cannot read the Scriptures as others do,
for after only a few verses the Heavens are opened up to him again and he is lost in its depths.
A single passage may keep him occupied for months as Heaven unfolds it to him,
and he cannot tear himself away from it.
His preaching is affected, because he cannot decide in advance what he will say,
and even when he would like to bring forth something new and exciting,
he usually ends up saying the same thing, like, “Repent!”
He often does not say what he wants to say, and does not say it in the way he would like to say it.
If he wants to be serious, he finds himself laughing.
And when he wishes to be friendly, he finds himself screaming at the top of his voice
to a startled congregation of people,
who wonder how this fellow was ever allowed access to their inner sanctum in the first place.
When he leaves a place he almost never sees the result of his labor,
and only eternity can reveal the true significance of what was said.
For now, it is all hidden, and he has to live with the fact that his fruitfulness will never be measured in terms that human beings, including himself, can see and appreciate.
He cannot go through the motions of religion like most mortals.
It is a dead, shallow thing to him because it cannot compare to the reality of what he has already experienced.
He finds it difficult to listen to another person preach
when he knows they have not yet ascended to the heights nor plumbed the depths that he has already navigated.
And when he tries to lead them into these heights and depths himself he is often misunderstood or rejected altogether. So either he attends the meeting and suffers in silence,
or stays home and suffers in solitude; but either way, he suffers.
His seeing is affected by a sort of “spiritual dyslexia”.
While others view things from a one or two dimensional viewpoint,
he sees them through several dimensions at once – forward, backward, reverse, upside-down,
right-side up: life and death, light and dark, Spirit and flesh, Heavenly and Earthly
– which often puts him at odds with his more pragmatic and doctrinally-correct brethren.
He is so at one with what he has seen that he speaks of it as having already happened,
because he has, in essence, already experienced it and lived it.
It is the Prophetic Tense, which calls those things that be not as though they were.
In his world, the world of the Spirit, they exist already.
We call it “prediction” because we cannot yet see it with our natural eyes,
but he simply stands outside of Time and views Past and Future as one unbroken and continuous Present.
His hearing is affected so that he is increasingly sensitive to his surroundings,
even though it seems as if he is not paying attention.
He is listening, but he is listening inwardly.
He no longer trusts his natural ears, because the Heavenly Voice and the inner witness are more reliable.
Thus, he is able to hear God speaking,
while the rest of the crowd says,
“It thundered!” or “It was an angel!”
He is also able to hear when God is not speaking,
and does not get carried away with the multitudes who claim to speak, see,
and hear things from God when they have not heard or seen anything from Heaven.
He cannot bear to listen to them.
His concentration is affected in such a way as to make him appear obstinate and unyielding to others.
The truth is that he is actually quite flexible and pliable before the Lord,
but before man he is as solid and impenetrable as a rock.
No amount of persuasion or argument from man will move him
– but the slightest touch from the Lord will bring him to his knees.
Having discovered the One Thing that is needed, he will tenaciously
and ruthlessly shun the “many things” which crowd in to seek his attention,
for he sees everything else as a distraction. Indeed, he is quite willing to sacrifice the good in favor of the holy.
And when the Lord has him focused on a particular thing
he is as a beam of light fastened upon a singular point until everything melts before it.
Even his praying is affected, for he can no longer pray as he wills and for what he wants.
He seemingly has no will of his own.
Instead the Heavenly Voice bids him to pray with a Heavenly perspective,
and all too often the Heavenly perspective is at odds with the Earthly perspective.
So when his brothers and sisters pray for blessing and increase,
he finds himself praying for destruction and decrease;
and when they are resisting and praying against something,
he finds himself asking God to perform the very thing the rest of the world is against.
To the rest of the world, the autistic savant is a bit of a retarded genius,
an unfortunate mixture of idiocy and brilliance, caught up in a world of its own.
The prophetic savant bears a similar stigma.
But if you engage him at all, you soon discover that he sees all of this as absolutely normal;
the way it is supposed to be. He no longer wishes for a normal life,
because the life he has now IS normal: he has lost his own life in exchange for a new life.
He lives in the Heavenlies while he walks on the Earth.
He does not think of himself as special, as anything other than a regular person,
but often wonders aloud why others cannot see what he has seen when it is all so self-evident and plain.
To him, maybe; but the rest of us are blinded by the Light he exudes without knowing it.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Eagle dream
soooo... had a crazy, funky dream last night about two eagles flying alongside each other and then one turning in mid-flight so that they were, instead flying at each other. They were beautiful from a distance but when I looked closer they each had two heads (one neck was shorter on each) and they were molting on their face so they looked more like vultures. Suddenly, an airplane/rocket ship with Eagle 9 written on it came through the space in between and both eagles were judged insufficient - ugly even- compared to the wisdom of revelation that the ship brought with it. It landed at the airport next to me and I was impressed with the idea that the Eagle 8 was a dud but Eagle 9 represented the fullness of God.
I was just reminded about it and I thought "What do the two eagles represent, Lord?" The impression in my head was "They represent Egypt and the United States." My other thought was that the airplane/rocketship represented God's revelatory prophetic words spoken/prayed in power. I think perhaps it was communicating that His words and intentions are far more powerful than either of the double-minded/two faced? nations.
I didn't know if an eagle was a symbol for Egypt - turns out it is!!! Who knew? Thoughts?? love, t
I was just reminded about it and I thought "What do the two eagles represent, Lord?" The impression in my head was "They represent Egypt and the United States." My other thought was that the airplane/rocketship represented God's revelatory prophetic words spoken/prayed in power. I think perhaps it was communicating that His words and intentions are far more powerful than either of the double-minded/two faced? nations.
I didn't know if an eagle was a symbol for Egypt - turns out it is!!! Who knew? Thoughts?? love, t
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Love Your Neighbor: A Movement
Yesterday, in the House of Prayer, we were praying for local and global missionaries. I believed it was the right direction but I could not lift my eyes off of Long Island/NYC and her needs. We prayed for the Church to see herself as a missionary to the region. Suddenly, The Lord dropped an idea in our hearts and it dominated our thoughts in prayer. The idea? Love your neighbor.
The needs of our region are so overwhelming that they can be paralyzing. The result is that although our hearts are moved with compassion, we often withdraw from volunteering or affecting change in our communities because we feel like we can barely keep our own heads above water. Thoughts of mobilizing large projects are often immobilizing. Often, instead of focusing on the mission field right in front of us, we look elsewhere. Don't misunderstand me... There are people that the Lord has called to other nations and regions and we truly believe in their mission and support it financially and in prayer. However, there is a whole "Church" (big C = big Body) that has been planted right here on LI/NYC, a mission field that has the potential to reach the nations naturally, and we ARE missionaries!!!! We represent a King and His Kingdom! We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven here on LI/NYC.
So... on to the idea that dropped... what if all of the leaders in the Christian Community prayed a release of the first and second commandment (in its right order) and we started a simple movement. "Sons and Daughters, Love the Lord Your God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength. Then, love your neighbor as yourself." What if we all just loved ONE neighbor with God's help? Not the whole neighborhood, (at least not right now)... just one neighbor.
Well, anyway, that's how we're praying. In the meantime, entirely without foreknowledge I ran across this video this morning and thought, "Wow, can God confirm a word or what?"
Monday, January 17, 2011
Thoughts on MLK Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
If you have not read this prophetic letter from MLK Jr., today is the day to do so. In prayer, on the morning of the 2008 Elections, the Lord brought this letter to light - at least a portion of it. He let us know that we were, as a generation, experiencing the results of our inaction to injustice as a body.
In this letter, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. prophesied this: "But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust."
Although many of us, because of our concerns regarding abortion, cast our vote for Senator McCain that day, the clarity of Lord came with power that evening - way before the election results were in - and He let us know that Senator Obama would be voted in and that President Obama was, in fact, a gift of mercy and redemption. It became clear that how we responded to Him - by praying for him and honoring him respectfully even though we were free to disagree about issues - and how we dealt with other injustices that would be coming into the light during his term would also bring to light what else still needed shaping (in love) in the heart of the Church.
It is clear that MLK Jr. articulated God's judgments in regard to our injustices. Take a good long look around. We are currently living them. However, as a result, we are uniquely repositioned to turn the tide. The kindness of God's righteous judgments have directed our attention to seeking His heart in worship, prayer, mission and the related answer of God's kinetic acts of justice/mercy in us and through us. Remember, the manifold wisdom of God is meant to be expressed through the Church. Lord, help us to finally do exactly that! The Lord is showing us yet again that Love and justice is still, as always, the issue of the hour. "His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."
Don't pass by this opportunity to read this letter and allow it to poke around in places of fear, inaction or even anger. It will force you to ask the Lord, "How shall we now live?". We CAN make a difference in our time frame and do a stunning thing: "Love our enemies, bless those who persecute us, do good to those who hate us and pray for those who use us and persecute us. love, t
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
If you have not read this prophetic letter from MLK Jr., today is the day to do so. In prayer, on the morning of the 2008 Elections, the Lord brought this letter to light - at least a portion of it. He let us know that we were, as a generation, experiencing the results of our inaction to injustice as a body.
In this letter, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. prophesied this: "But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust."
Although many of us, because of our concerns regarding abortion, cast our vote for Senator McCain that day, the clarity of Lord came with power that evening - way before the election results were in - and He let us know that Senator Obama would be voted in and that President Obama was, in fact, a gift of mercy and redemption. It became clear that how we responded to Him - by praying for him and honoring him respectfully even though we were free to disagree about issues - and how we dealt with other injustices that would be coming into the light during his term would also bring to light what else still needed shaping (in love) in the heart of the Church.
It is clear that MLK Jr. articulated God's judgments in regard to our injustices. Take a good long look around. We are currently living them. However, as a result, we are uniquely repositioned to turn the tide. The kindness of God's righteous judgments have directed our attention to seeking His heart in worship, prayer, mission and the related answer of God's kinetic acts of justice/mercy in us and through us. Remember, the manifold wisdom of God is meant to be expressed through the Church. Lord, help us to finally do exactly that! The Lord is showing us yet again that Love and justice is still, as always, the issue of the hour. "His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."
Don't pass by this opportunity to read this letter and allow it to poke around in places of fear, inaction or even anger. It will force you to ask the Lord, "How shall we now live?". We CAN make a difference in our time frame and do a stunning thing: "Love our enemies, bless those who persecute us, do good to those who hate us and pray for those who use us and persecute us. love, t
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Why Do We Pray ~ Truman Faulkner
Why do we Pray... Truman Faulkner
I love how kids are unafraid to ask the simplest questions of life that adults are sometimes too proud or too “smart” to ask. In the CEC (Children’s Equipping Center), as I was teaching a class on the Apostolic prayers in the New Testament, a seven-year-old boy named Spencer raised his hand and asked the question, “Uh, why do we pray?” I sought to answer that question in the class this Friday morning. I started by drawing a simple diagram on the board.
Here is reality according to the Bible (see diagram I put together based off a diagram from my friend, John Harrigan):
Because the Church (those people circled in the diagram: sealed with Holy Spirit, or “HS” [Eph. 1:13-14, 2 Cor. 1:22], and chosen to inherit the Kingdom [Mt. 25:34, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, Gal. 5:21, James 2:5, Rev. 21:7]) lives in this present evil age, “saved in hope” for the Messianic age (Gal. 1:3-5, Titus 2:12-13, Rom. 8:24-25), as wheat among the tares (Mt. 13:36-43, 1 Pet. 2:12ff), it conducts itself as a sojourning nation (1 Pet. 2:9-12), waiting, praying for, and preparing for the coming of the Messiah and His Kingdom (Mt. 6:10, Luke 18:1-8, 1 Pet. 1:13, 1 Cor. 1:7, Phil. 3:20-21, 1 Thess. 1:9-10, Titus 2:13, James 5:7-10, Jude 20-21, Rev. 19:7). The tool that keeps us in this posture of repentant faith, so that we may inherit the promises of the age to come (Heb. 10:36-11:6), is the power, or grace, of God. As 1 Pet. 1:4-5 says, “to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are protected by the power (grace) of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
The grace of God through the Holy Spirit is given to the Church to strengthen us not only in our sojourning, but also in our witness (Acts 1:8) of God’s absolute sovereignty over the Heavens and the Earth. His absolute sovereignty is expressed presently in amnestic patience toward the wicked (Luke 6:35-36, Rom. 2:4ff) and subsequently in recompense when the Day of the Lord is executed at the hands of the Messiah (Mt. 16:27, Rom. 2:4ff, 2 Thess. 1:4-10, Rev. 22:12). The Holy Spirit is given as a “gift” (Acts 1:4) and a “helper” (Jn. 14:16), that the Church might remain faithful and perseverant in her calling.
I then gave two mental pictures of our relationship to the Lord according to the Bible:
1. A Betrothed Bride
“…for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin” -2 Cor. 11:2
As I was teaching the kids the basic contours of this age and the age to come and how we need the power of God to prepare us for that Day, the picture of an engagement ring came to mind. I’ve seen three of my sisters get engaged and then married. Watching the daily emotions and preparations that go into that transition is truly exciting. For a betrothed bride, or fiancée, her role is simply to keep herself in love (see Jude 21). The ring says it’s going to happen, but she just has to wait and get ready. What a tragedy it would be for a bride to get to her wedding day ill-acquainted with and indifferent to her groom as everyone realizes that she had spent her whole engagement period flirting with other men, totally unconcerned with this most important day of her life. As a betrothed bride, we should get up everyday, look at our finger, and concern ourselves with the most important day of our lives. The Holy Spirit is our pledge (2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:14), our “ring”, so to speak, who daily reminds us of our Bridegroom’s faithfulness as He pours out His love within our hearts (Rom. 5:5-11), glorifying Jesus by reminding us of His words (Jn. 14:26, 16:13-14), so that on that day, “His bride has made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7). The metaphor of “bride” is chosen in Rev. 22:17 to describe the Spirit’s preparative work in producing longing love for the Bridegroom in the Church—”The Spirit and the Bride say ‘Come’ “. In this engagement period, “when the Bridegroom is taken away” (Mt. 9:15), perseverant longing is required (“Maranatha” of 1 Cor. 16:22-23). If we don’t order our life in this way, everything, even legitimate things, will choke out the remembrance of the words of our Beloved (his “love letters”) and distract us from the simplicity of devotion to Him (Mt. 13:18-23, 2 Cor. 11:2-3).
2. A Placed Orphan
“You have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God… having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved…” -Rom. 8:15-24
According to Romans 8:23, “we wait for our adoption, the redemption (or resurrection) of our bodies”. Though the Bible emphatically declares, “Beloved, NOW we are children of God” (1 Jn. 3:1-2) and the Spirit testifies to this (Rom. 8:16), there seems to be at times an ambiguous distinction between our present calling and its future realization. Like the picture of an engagement unto a wedding, there is a process in adoption. I gave this analogy to the kids to help solidify the often-etherealized function of “the Spirit of Adoption”. My sister and brother-in-law, Rachel and Marcus Meier, are in the process adopting eight-year-old twin girls from Ethiopia. On March 31st, the girls will legally be theirs. They would have had to fly out to Ethiopia to do that legal transaction, but thankfully they don’t have to anymore (Regardless, what a picture that is of the First Coming of Jesus! I’m getting ahead of myself…). Even though they will legally have the girls on the 31st, they won’t be able to fly over to Ethiopia (Second Coming in the clouds!) to get the girls and actually “have them” for another four to six weeks because of legal processing. So, there is this period of waiting and preparing (“already/not yet”).
For a moment, imagine the excitement of these two girls. They are getting adopted! They found out someone wants them, and they have a new family. They may be thinking things like, “Wow, they are Americans, so I will become an American. I want to live like an American now. I wonder what my new parents like to do, what food they like to eat, what their house looks like. What will my bedroom look like?” Now imagine this: upon Marcus and Rachel’s first visit for the legal transfer, they give these twins a telephone so that the girls can talk to them during the waiting period. The girls are tired of the loneliness of orphanhood. They want to live in the family now. They like their new parents and they want to talk to their new family everyday.
Marcus and Rachel then call the girls on the phone and tell them, “We are so excited to welcome you into our home! We have your room ready. You are going to have a sweet bunk bed. We painted it for you. We’re going to give you this and this and this…” The girls express their gratitude and even call Rachel “Mom” and Marcus “Dad”. Then they ask questions about the family. Marcus replies, “Well, Isaiah, Zion, Rees, Hudson, they are all so excited too. Now, in our home, the family loves each other and shares with each other. Love and sharing in the home is something that’s rewarded. You can get ready by practicing sharing with each other, because those are the laws of this home. I know you may not be rewarded for those things in the Ethiopian orphanage, but you will here. You can get ready now so that it will be a smooth transition and entrance into our home. And if you show long-suffering love towards one another now, we will give you special privileges in the home, just like Isaiah has.” The girls resolve to share with each other right there on the phone and then end the conversation asking their new parents to come to Ethiopia soon. They repeat the conversation each day as anxious expectation grows for their new home and new family.
According to Romans 8:13-25, The Holy Spirit (“of Adoption”) presently works four things in us. He:
1. Orders our life to imitate our new Father; we are now under obligation to live according to Him [vs. 13] and follow His lead [vs. 14].
2. Testifies with our spirits to the acceptance of our new Father by crying out, “Abba! Father!” [vs. 15-16] He pours out the love of the God in our hearts, testifying to the present peace and reconciliation we have with the Father [5:1-11].
3. Testifies to the implications of our sonship, the future glory of being revealed as a co-heir with Christ on a restored earth [vs. 17-22].
4. Produces a groaning longing for that day of our adoption [vs. 23-25], when we get to be with Him, see Him, and freely receive all the things [looking to vs. 32] He’s prepared for us in our “new home”, that is, the restored home of the earth [see climax of Rev. 21:1-7].
Like the imagery of a telephone, the Holy Spirit is dialogical. He is a person. As He fellowships with me and I talk to Him in prayer and worship, I receive grace and strength in my inner man (Eph. 3:16) to persevere in the present age unto the day of my adoption and wedding. The grace that is imparted through the Holy Spirit (“Spirit of grace” Heb. 10:29) is what preserves me unto the Day of Christ (1 Cor. 1:3-9). Therefore, talking with Him and receiving grace from Him is my primary function in this age. This is why I pray.
I love how kids are unafraid to ask the simplest questions of life that adults are sometimes too proud or too “smart” to ask. In the CEC (Children’s Equipping Center), as I was teaching a class on the Apostolic prayers in the New Testament, a seven-year-old boy named Spencer raised his hand and asked the question, “Uh, why do we pray?” I sought to answer that question in the class this Friday morning. I started by drawing a simple diagram on the board.
Here is reality according to the Bible (see diagram I put together based off a diagram from my friend, John Harrigan):
Because the Church (those people circled in the diagram: sealed with Holy Spirit, or “HS” [Eph. 1:13-14, 2 Cor. 1:22], and chosen to inherit the Kingdom [Mt. 25:34, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, Gal. 5:21, James 2:5, Rev. 21:7]) lives in this present evil age, “saved in hope” for the Messianic age (Gal. 1:3-5, Titus 2:12-13, Rom. 8:24-25), as wheat among the tares (Mt. 13:36-43, 1 Pet. 2:12ff), it conducts itself as a sojourning nation (1 Pet. 2:9-12), waiting, praying for, and preparing for the coming of the Messiah and His Kingdom (Mt. 6:10, Luke 18:1-8, 1 Pet. 1:13, 1 Cor. 1:7, Phil. 3:20-21, 1 Thess. 1:9-10, Titus 2:13, James 5:7-10, Jude 20-21, Rev. 19:7). The tool that keeps us in this posture of repentant faith, so that we may inherit the promises of the age to come (Heb. 10:36-11:6), is the power, or grace, of God. As 1 Pet. 1:4-5 says, “to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are protected by the power (grace) of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
The grace of God through the Holy Spirit is given to the Church to strengthen us not only in our sojourning, but also in our witness (Acts 1:8) of God’s absolute sovereignty over the Heavens and the Earth. His absolute sovereignty is expressed presently in amnestic patience toward the wicked (Luke 6:35-36, Rom. 2:4ff) and subsequently in recompense when the Day of the Lord is executed at the hands of the Messiah (Mt. 16:27, Rom. 2:4ff, 2 Thess. 1:4-10, Rev. 22:12). The Holy Spirit is given as a “gift” (Acts 1:4) and a “helper” (Jn. 14:16), that the Church might remain faithful and perseverant in her calling.
I then gave two mental pictures of our relationship to the Lord according to the Bible:
1. A Betrothed Bride
“…for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin” -2 Cor. 11:2
As I was teaching the kids the basic contours of this age and the age to come and how we need the power of God to prepare us for that Day, the picture of an engagement ring came to mind. I’ve seen three of my sisters get engaged and then married. Watching the daily emotions and preparations that go into that transition is truly exciting. For a betrothed bride, or fiancée, her role is simply to keep herself in love (see Jude 21). The ring says it’s going to happen, but she just has to wait and get ready. What a tragedy it would be for a bride to get to her wedding day ill-acquainted with and indifferent to her groom as everyone realizes that she had spent her whole engagement period flirting with other men, totally unconcerned with this most important day of her life. As a betrothed bride, we should get up everyday, look at our finger, and concern ourselves with the most important day of our lives. The Holy Spirit is our pledge (2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:14), our “ring”, so to speak, who daily reminds us of our Bridegroom’s faithfulness as He pours out His love within our hearts (Rom. 5:5-11), glorifying Jesus by reminding us of His words (Jn. 14:26, 16:13-14), so that on that day, “His bride has made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7). The metaphor of “bride” is chosen in Rev. 22:17 to describe the Spirit’s preparative work in producing longing love for the Bridegroom in the Church—”The Spirit and the Bride say ‘Come’ “. In this engagement period, “when the Bridegroom is taken away” (Mt. 9:15), perseverant longing is required (“Maranatha” of 1 Cor. 16:22-23). If we don’t order our life in this way, everything, even legitimate things, will choke out the remembrance of the words of our Beloved (his “love letters”) and distract us from the simplicity of devotion to Him (Mt. 13:18-23, 2 Cor. 11:2-3).
2. A Placed Orphan
“You have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God… having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved…” -Rom. 8:15-24
According to Romans 8:23, “we wait for our adoption, the redemption (or resurrection) of our bodies”. Though the Bible emphatically declares, “Beloved, NOW we are children of God” (1 Jn. 3:1-2) and the Spirit testifies to this (Rom. 8:16), there seems to be at times an ambiguous distinction between our present calling and its future realization. Like the picture of an engagement unto a wedding, there is a process in adoption. I gave this analogy to the kids to help solidify the often-etherealized function of “the Spirit of Adoption”. My sister and brother-in-law, Rachel and Marcus Meier, are in the process adopting eight-year-old twin girls from Ethiopia. On March 31st, the girls will legally be theirs. They would have had to fly out to Ethiopia to do that legal transaction, but thankfully they don’t have to anymore (Regardless, what a picture that is of the First Coming of Jesus! I’m getting ahead of myself…). Even though they will legally have the girls on the 31st, they won’t be able to fly over to Ethiopia (Second Coming in the clouds!) to get the girls and actually “have them” for another four to six weeks because of legal processing. So, there is this period of waiting and preparing (“already/not yet”).
For a moment, imagine the excitement of these two girls. They are getting adopted! They found out someone wants them, and they have a new family. They may be thinking things like, “Wow, they are Americans, so I will become an American. I want to live like an American now. I wonder what my new parents like to do, what food they like to eat, what their house looks like. What will my bedroom look like?” Now imagine this: upon Marcus and Rachel’s first visit for the legal transfer, they give these twins a telephone so that the girls can talk to them during the waiting period. The girls are tired of the loneliness of orphanhood. They want to live in the family now. They like their new parents and they want to talk to their new family everyday.
Marcus and Rachel then call the girls on the phone and tell them, “We are so excited to welcome you into our home! We have your room ready. You are going to have a sweet bunk bed. We painted it for you. We’re going to give you this and this and this…” The girls express their gratitude and even call Rachel “Mom” and Marcus “Dad”. Then they ask questions about the family. Marcus replies, “Well, Isaiah, Zion, Rees, Hudson, they are all so excited too. Now, in our home, the family loves each other and shares with each other. Love and sharing in the home is something that’s rewarded. You can get ready by practicing sharing with each other, because those are the laws of this home. I know you may not be rewarded for those things in the Ethiopian orphanage, but you will here. You can get ready now so that it will be a smooth transition and entrance into our home. And if you show long-suffering love towards one another now, we will give you special privileges in the home, just like Isaiah has.” The girls resolve to share with each other right there on the phone and then end the conversation asking their new parents to come to Ethiopia soon. They repeat the conversation each day as anxious expectation grows for their new home and new family.
According to Romans 8:13-25, The Holy Spirit (“of Adoption”) presently works four things in us. He:
1. Orders our life to imitate our new Father; we are now under obligation to live according to Him [vs. 13] and follow His lead [vs. 14].
2. Testifies with our spirits to the acceptance of our new Father by crying out, “Abba! Father!” [vs. 15-16] He pours out the love of the God in our hearts, testifying to the present peace and reconciliation we have with the Father [5:1-11].
3. Testifies to the implications of our sonship, the future glory of being revealed as a co-heir with Christ on a restored earth [vs. 17-22].
4. Produces a groaning longing for that day of our adoption [vs. 23-25], when we get to be with Him, see Him, and freely receive all the things [looking to vs. 32] He’s prepared for us in our “new home”, that is, the restored home of the earth [see climax of Rev. 21:1-7].
Like the imagery of a telephone, the Holy Spirit is dialogical. He is a person. As He fellowships with me and I talk to Him in prayer and worship, I receive grace and strength in my inner man (Eph. 3:16) to persevere in the present age unto the day of my adoption and wedding. The grace that is imparted through the Holy Spirit (“Spirit of grace” Heb. 10:29) is what preserves me unto the Day of Christ (1 Cor. 1:3-9). Therefore, talking with Him and receiving grace from Him is my primary function in this age. This is why I pray.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Can People in Severly Damaged Relationships Reconcile ~ Clive Jackson
Can people in severely damaged relationships reconcile?
by Clive Jackson on Monday, January 3, 2011 at 6:50pm.
If an enemy were insulting me.
I could endure it;
If a foe were raising himself against me,
I could hide from him.
But it is you, a [person] like myself,
My companion, my close friend,
With whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
As we walked with the throng at the house of God. (Psalm 55 vv. 12-14)
When your relationship is fractured, you may fear that it is beyond repair. Whether that relationship is with a long-time friend, business colleague or other family member, you may wonder about the feasibility of reconciliation.
What picture comes to your mind when you think about reconciliation? You may consider the wonder of your own reconciliation with God through the cross of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes reconciliation is like a cease-fire in which warring parties stop their barrage of negative exchanges. Did your parents ever tell you to tell someone you were sorry? In this case a more powerful external authority imposes reconciliation on the contentious relationship. Or did a serious ideological argument threaten a friendship? To preserve your connection without abandoning your ideals, you may have decided to settle your differences by agreeing to disagree. In these examples, the external fighting ends but the internal tension remains. These unresolved issues may smoulder for years under an apparently banked fire, ready to ignite when the conditions are right.
At other times reconciliation implies that you have achieved some degree of friendliness with the person from whom you are estranged. Here we add a positive element to reconciliation. We not only call a cease-fire (end negative exchanges) but also create a treaty (begin positive exchanges).
A definition of reconciliation: Reconciliation is the active commitment to the restoration of love and trustworthiness by both injured party and transgressor so that their relationship may be transformed.
Why should we resolve differences between our brethren?
1) To maintain peace in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:1-3). Whenever there is friction and turmoil in the body it hinders people from entering into worship and receiving from God's Word. It hinders people from coming to Christ, creates an uninviting atmosphere for visitors, and can even grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30-32).
2) So Satan cannot gain advantage over us (2 Cor. 2:10-11). For our own spiritual well-being, we must be quick to resolve our differences with brethren and forgive. Satan can hinder our spiritual life, and even deceive us into apostasy, through harboured bitterness or unforgiveness (Matt. 18:35).
3) To restore a Fallen Brother (Gal. 6:1). Christians must make every attempt to restore brethren who fall into sin. Especially when the transgression has been committed against you personally, your love for your brother's spiritual well-being demands that you confront the brother so that he might be reconciled to God.
Many people foolishly allow themselves to become offended by misinterpreting other's intentions, or listening to rumours and second-hand information which always contain distortions or exaggerations. Many offenses could be immediately resolved by confronting the offending party and hearing their explanation. You'd be surprised how many people are so immature that they don't even bother to investigate the facts or hear the other side of the story.
There would be far fewer misunderstandings in the body of Christ if people would be firmly devoted to love for their brethren. Love for the brethren gives us a desire to believe the best in our brother. Love gives them the "benefit of the doubt," instead of jumping to conclusions and always expecting the worst. The Bible says "If you love someone... you will always believe in him, always expect the best of him" (1 Cor. 13:7 -- The Living Bible).
A church is very much like a hospital. It is for sick people - people sick with sin and hurt. Jesus is the Great Physician and He uses the church to show us the way to get healed of our spiritual ailments. Wouldn't it be ridiculous for a doctor to be frustrated because sick people kept coming to the surgery, for him to expect only the well to come and visit? Yet, many Christians want only the "righteous" to come to church. The Pharisees of Jesus' day had the same wrong thinking (see Luke 7:37-50). That is why Jesus told them, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance
In Luke 5:32. The church is filled with sinners, including you!
Wouldn't it be just as ridiculous for one of us to go to the hospital with a broken leg and spend all of our time and energy focusing on the ailments of others? Why did we go to the hospital? We went to get help for our hurt. Jesus warned us about the tendency to look at the sins of others in many passages, but especially look at Matthew 7:1-5. When we attend the house of God, we should be seeking God's help with "our" ailments (sins, trials, frustrations, wrong thinking and wrong behaviour), not looking at the ailments of "others". Until we are 100% right with God ourselves, living for Him and serving Him with all of our heart, we have no place to be concerned with whether or not "others" are as right with Him as we are. That is between them and God! They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise, II Corinthians 10:12. Everyone grows at different rates, and we cannot see the hearts of others. We must be careful about making character judgments based upon the externals. The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart, I Samuel 16:7.
My friend, even Jesus' disciples let Him down. One of them betrayed him. They argued about who should be the greatest. They wanted to kill those that were not with them. They wanted to chase away the children that desired some time with the Saviour. They did not understand the spiritual lessons Jesus tried to teach them along the way. They even forsook Him during His darkest hour! There is no perfect church and there won't be until heaven! How can an organisation filled with sinners ever be perfect?
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Oh, may we all go to church with the attitude of David in Psalms 122:1, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. May we go with the intent of helping someone rather than hurting someone, Galatians 6:2, Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. May we look forward to the opportunity to serve the LORD with gladness, Psalms 100:2
by Clive Jackson on Monday, January 3, 2011 at 6:50pm.
If an enemy were insulting me.
I could endure it;
If a foe were raising himself against me,
I could hide from him.
But it is you, a [person] like myself,
My companion, my close friend,
With whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
As we walked with the throng at the house of God. (Psalm 55 vv. 12-14)
When your relationship is fractured, you may fear that it is beyond repair. Whether that relationship is with a long-time friend, business colleague or other family member, you may wonder about the feasibility of reconciliation.
What picture comes to your mind when you think about reconciliation? You may consider the wonder of your own reconciliation with God through the cross of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes reconciliation is like a cease-fire in which warring parties stop their barrage of negative exchanges. Did your parents ever tell you to tell someone you were sorry? In this case a more powerful external authority imposes reconciliation on the contentious relationship. Or did a serious ideological argument threaten a friendship? To preserve your connection without abandoning your ideals, you may have decided to settle your differences by agreeing to disagree. In these examples, the external fighting ends but the internal tension remains. These unresolved issues may smoulder for years under an apparently banked fire, ready to ignite when the conditions are right.
At other times reconciliation implies that you have achieved some degree of friendliness with the person from whom you are estranged. Here we add a positive element to reconciliation. We not only call a cease-fire (end negative exchanges) but also create a treaty (begin positive exchanges).
A definition of reconciliation: Reconciliation is the active commitment to the restoration of love and trustworthiness by both injured party and transgressor so that their relationship may be transformed.
Why should we resolve differences between our brethren?
1) To maintain peace in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:1-3). Whenever there is friction and turmoil in the body it hinders people from entering into worship and receiving from God's Word. It hinders people from coming to Christ, creates an uninviting atmosphere for visitors, and can even grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30-32).
2) So Satan cannot gain advantage over us (2 Cor. 2:10-11). For our own spiritual well-being, we must be quick to resolve our differences with brethren and forgive. Satan can hinder our spiritual life, and even deceive us into apostasy, through harboured bitterness or unforgiveness (Matt. 18:35).
3) To restore a Fallen Brother (Gal. 6:1). Christians must make every attempt to restore brethren who fall into sin. Especially when the transgression has been committed against you personally, your love for your brother's spiritual well-being demands that you confront the brother so that he might be reconciled to God.
Many people foolishly allow themselves to become offended by misinterpreting other's intentions, or listening to rumours and second-hand information which always contain distortions or exaggerations. Many offenses could be immediately resolved by confronting the offending party and hearing their explanation. You'd be surprised how many people are so immature that they don't even bother to investigate the facts or hear the other side of the story.
There would be far fewer misunderstandings in the body of Christ if people would be firmly devoted to love for their brethren. Love for the brethren gives us a desire to believe the best in our brother. Love gives them the "benefit of the doubt," instead of jumping to conclusions and always expecting the worst. The Bible says "If you love someone... you will always believe in him, always expect the best of him" (1 Cor. 13:7 -- The Living Bible).
A church is very much like a hospital. It is for sick people - people sick with sin and hurt. Jesus is the Great Physician and He uses the church to show us the way to get healed of our spiritual ailments. Wouldn't it be ridiculous for a doctor to be frustrated because sick people kept coming to the surgery, for him to expect only the well to come and visit? Yet, many Christians want only the "righteous" to come to church. The Pharisees of Jesus' day had the same wrong thinking (see Luke 7:37-50). That is why Jesus told them, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance
In Luke 5:32. The church is filled with sinners, including you!
Wouldn't it be just as ridiculous for one of us to go to the hospital with a broken leg and spend all of our time and energy focusing on the ailments of others? Why did we go to the hospital? We went to get help for our hurt. Jesus warned us about the tendency to look at the sins of others in many passages, but especially look at Matthew 7:1-5. When we attend the house of God, we should be seeking God's help with "our" ailments (sins, trials, frustrations, wrong thinking and wrong behaviour), not looking at the ailments of "others". Until we are 100% right with God ourselves, living for Him and serving Him with all of our heart, we have no place to be concerned with whether or not "others" are as right with Him as we are. That is between them and God! They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise, II Corinthians 10:12. Everyone grows at different rates, and we cannot see the hearts of others. We must be careful about making character judgments based upon the externals. The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart, I Samuel 16:7.
My friend, even Jesus' disciples let Him down. One of them betrayed him. They argued about who should be the greatest. They wanted to kill those that were not with them. They wanted to chase away the children that desired some time with the Saviour. They did not understand the spiritual lessons Jesus tried to teach them along the way. They even forsook Him during His darkest hour! There is no perfect church and there won't be until heaven! How can an organisation filled with sinners ever be perfect?
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Oh, may we all go to church with the attitude of David in Psalms 122:1, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. May we go with the intent of helping someone rather than hurting someone, Galatians 6:2, Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. May we look forward to the opportunity to serve the LORD with gladness, Psalms 100:2
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Eyes on Jesus ~ Oswald Chambers
If a teacher fascinates with his doctrine, his teaching never came from God. The teacher sent from God is the one who clears the way to Jesus and keeps it clear; souls forget altogether about him because the vision of Jesus is the only abiding result. When people are attracted to Jesus Christ through you, see always that you stay on God all the time, and their hearts and affections will never stop at you.
What has crippled many a church, many a Sunday School class and Bible class, is that the pastor or teacher has won people to himself, and the result when they leave is enervating sentimentality. The true man or woman of God never leaves that behind, every remembrance of them makes you want to serve God all the more.
So beware of stealing the hearts of the people of God in your mind. (2 Samuel 15:6) If once you get the thought, ‘It is my winsome way of putting it, my presentation of the truth that attracts’—the only name for that is the ugly name of thief, stealing the hearts of the sheep of God who do not know why they stop at you.
Keep the mind stayed on God, and I defy anyone’s heart to stop at you, it will always go on to God. The peril comes when we forget that our duty is to present Jesus Christ and never get in the way in thought.” --Oswald Chambers
(Thanks Carol)
What has crippled many a church, many a Sunday School class and Bible class, is that the pastor or teacher has won people to himself, and the result when they leave is enervating sentimentality. The true man or woman of God never leaves that behind, every remembrance of them makes you want to serve God all the more.
So beware of stealing the hearts of the people of God in your mind. (2 Samuel 15:6) If once you get the thought, ‘It is my winsome way of putting it, my presentation of the truth that attracts’—the only name for that is the ugly name of thief, stealing the hearts of the sheep of God who do not know why they stop at you.
Keep the mind stayed on God, and I defy anyone’s heart to stop at you, it will always go on to God. The peril comes when we forget that our duty is to present Jesus Christ and never get in the way in thought.” --Oswald Chambers
(Thanks Carol)
Thursday, November 04, 2010
S.O.I.L. : School of Intimacy and Love internship
We're working hard at developing an initial internship for IHOP-LI that has depth, challenge and intimacy built into it's structure. It will be raw, immature and transparent but we believe that it will be worth every effort on our part and yours to "endeavor to persevere" (Chief Joseph and then "Outlaw Josey Wales").
You may ask yourself ....(And you may ask yourself How do I work this ?And you may ask yourself Where is that large automobile ?And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful house !And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful wife !Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down Letting the days go by/water flowing underground Into the blue again/after the money's gone Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground - Talking Heads) I DIGRESS - I know - I'm easily entertained. As I was saying.... You may ask yourself "Why would I do an internship" at a House of Prayer?" (Particularly this one...) Well, you shouldn't do the internship unless you speak to the Lord about it and together count the cost.
I'm not really speaking about finances (although that is part of it). Instead, I'm referring to a commitment of time and the reality of how hard it will be to sit still in the fire of God's Love in the Prayer Room. It will seriously stretch you as you allow the pain and perseverance of a season sitting before the Lord help you gain insight into His heart for the world and pray into the field of love He wants you to sow into. I'll be posting the curriculum and time frame soon. In the meantime, I thought I'd start the conversation in your soul for you by bringing the idea up in the first place. As you ponder whether you are able and willing to engage in this particular "endeavor", perhaps you'll find the following post somewhat inspirational.
"Why Story? by John Eldridge
The deepest convictions of our heart are formed by stories and reside there in the images and emotions of story. As a young boy, around the time my heart began to suspect that the world was a fearful place and I was on my own to find my way through it, I read the story of a Scottish discus thrower from the nineteenth century. He lived in the days before professional trainers and developed his skills alone, in the highlands of his native village. He even made his own iron discus from the description he read in a book. What he did not know was that the discus used in competition was made of wood with an outer rim of iron. His was solid metal and weighed three or four times as much as those being used by his would-be challengers. This committed Scotsman marked out in his field the distance of the current record throw and trained day and night to be able to match it. For nearly a year, he labored under the self-imposed burden of the extra weight. But he became very, very good. He reached the point at which he could throw his iron discus the record distance, maybe farther. He was ready.
My Scotsman (I had begun to closely identify with him) traveled south to England for his first competition. When he arrived at the games, he was handed the official wooden discus-which he promptly threw like a tea saucer. He set a new record, a distance so far beyond those of his competitors that no one could touch him. He thus remained the uncontested champion for many years.
Something in my heart connected with this story. So, that's how you do it: Train under a great burden and you will be so far beyond the rest of the world you will be untouchable. It became a defining image for my life, formed in and from a story.
As Eugene Peterson said, "We live in narrative, we live in story. Existence has a story shape to it. We have a beginning and an end, we have a plot, we have characters." Story is the language of the heart. So if we're going to find the answer to the riddle of the earth-and of our own existence-we'll find it in story. "
(The Sacred Romance, 38-40)
You may ask yourself ....(And you may ask yourself How do I work this ?And you may ask yourself Where is that large automobile ?And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful house !And you may tell yourself This is not my beautiful wife !Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down Letting the days go by/water flowing underground Into the blue again/after the money's gone Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground - Talking Heads) I DIGRESS - I know - I'm easily entertained. As I was saying.... You may ask yourself "Why would I do an internship" at a House of Prayer?" (Particularly this one...) Well, you shouldn't do the internship unless you speak to the Lord about it and together count the cost.
I'm not really speaking about finances (although that is part of it). Instead, I'm referring to a commitment of time and the reality of how hard it will be to sit still in the fire of God's Love in the Prayer Room. It will seriously stretch you as you allow the pain and perseverance of a season sitting before the Lord help you gain insight into His heart for the world and pray into the field of love He wants you to sow into. I'll be posting the curriculum and time frame soon. In the meantime, I thought I'd start the conversation in your soul for you by bringing the idea up in the first place. As you ponder whether you are able and willing to engage in this particular "endeavor", perhaps you'll find the following post somewhat inspirational.
"Why Story? by John Eldridge
The deepest convictions of our heart are formed by stories and reside there in the images and emotions of story. As a young boy, around the time my heart began to suspect that the world was a fearful place and I was on my own to find my way through it, I read the story of a Scottish discus thrower from the nineteenth century. He lived in the days before professional trainers and developed his skills alone, in the highlands of his native village. He even made his own iron discus from the description he read in a book. What he did not know was that the discus used in competition was made of wood with an outer rim of iron. His was solid metal and weighed three or four times as much as those being used by his would-be challengers. This committed Scotsman marked out in his field the distance of the current record throw and trained day and night to be able to match it. For nearly a year, he labored under the self-imposed burden of the extra weight. But he became very, very good. He reached the point at which he could throw his iron discus the record distance, maybe farther. He was ready.
My Scotsman (I had begun to closely identify with him) traveled south to England for his first competition. When he arrived at the games, he was handed the official wooden discus-which he promptly threw like a tea saucer. He set a new record, a distance so far beyond those of his competitors that no one could touch him. He thus remained the uncontested champion for many years.
Something in my heart connected with this story. So, that's how you do it: Train under a great burden and you will be so far beyond the rest of the world you will be untouchable. It became a defining image for my life, formed in and from a story.
As Eugene Peterson said, "We live in narrative, we live in story. Existence has a story shape to it. We have a beginning and an end, we have a plot, we have characters." Story is the language of the heart. So if we're going to find the answer to the riddle of the earth-and of our own existence-we'll find it in story. "
(The Sacred Romance, 38-40)
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Musings on IHOP-LI/ The Burn & The Pearl of Great Price
This morning, Sherry Hawk posted an expansion of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. At first glance, it appeared simple. However, it began to ping pong off of all sorts of things inside me and it made me stop what I was doing to engage in it.
~ " The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price" ~ Author Unknown
As a jeweler by trade I'm always interested in the gemstones listed in the scriptures. As I was meditating on 'Matt 13' and the parable of the 'pearl of great price' I began to think of our Lord. Why did He come to claim a pearl? Why not a diamond?
Matt 13:45...' "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls."
'Matt 13:46' "When he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it." In the parable of the merchant, we see that he sold all he had and bought the single pearl.
It speaks to us of the tremendous price the Lord paid for our redemption. The God of glory, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords left the splendor of Heaven to claim a pearl, and gained the pearl through paying the price that was far more than any here could pay.
As a jeweler I would question the choice the Lord made choosing to leave the Father's side for a pearl instead of what we would think of as having greater significance, the girl's best friend, the much coveted diamond. You probably know that the diamond is graded in 'value' according to the 4 C's: Cut, Color, Clarity & Carat-weight.
The answer to my pondering was right there! The diamond receives a substantial portion of its value from the way a person cuts it. The work of man's hand! The only natural gemstone that has more value when it is found than when men finish with it is the PEARL. Like the pearl, men can add nothing to the value of out salvation, through Jesus Christ.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are we saved through faith; and that not of yourselves -- it is the gift of God -- 'Eph 2:9' Not of works, lest anyone should boast.
The pearl is formed when a foreign object somehow enters the inside of the oyster, and instead of ejecting the object or irritant out, as most humans would try to do, the object is covered by the oyster with layer upon layer of a substance secreted from its own body. The object that came into the life of the oyster as an irritant, instead of being cast out is turned into something lovely within the oyster.
"We are all an irritant (through our sin) to God, but He accepts us, in spite of our sin. He covers our sin and brings us into His Holy kingdom.
Think about other details of the pearl. The longer the pearl stays in the oyster the more valuable it becomes. God is using our time now to conform us into a beautiful image of His dear Son. The pearl is formed in a Living Object! No dead rock is the pearl, it comes from life. The very life of the oyster is given to the pearl.
The true value of the pearl is not seen from the outside. To the world around it the pearl is just another barnacle covered nasty looking shell.... To see the true beauty of the pearl the oyster must die. The oyster is ripped open with a knife in the side, before the true treasure is revealed.
The analogy in the Pearl here is like Christ's death, so that all who trust in Him will be able to see and be with Him in His beautiful Kingdom, for eternity....
***********************************
A friend … included as follows; A pearl comes from an "unclean" as per diet laws, item, an oyster; so the Lord was also emphasizing here that He had others that He was seeking, not just the house of Israel, but from the nations too.
In Acts He told Peter 3x via vision , to not regard as unclean what He declared clean re Cornelius and the Gentiles joining in in worship
Have a wonderful Saturday YOU GLOWING PEARLS!
♥ mucho Hugz ooooxoooo, Sherrry
I have always loved this parable – especially when I realized He was, in fact, talking about us in it. In the brilliance of God, He always offers a simple analogy that we are then delighted to find contains inexhaustible treasures to discover and ruminate upon - a little like the gum Violet Beauregarde eats in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" - it changes flavor, adding more delight until one is transformed by it ... and then we're squeezed for the juice.
In this case, I began to ponder the many observations of those who participate in IHOP-LI/The Burn. At nearly every meeting I am challenged by the different ways, IHOP/The Burn succeeds or falls short or needs to do or be whatever. I have more people than I can recount come to me and say, "I'm all about this - I love it." and then they never show up again. Others who expect us to be a hot bed of activity and are disappointed with what appears to be pedantic, liberal, conservative, low-key, radical, un-balanced, religious, casualness that they simply don't understand or can't (for a hundred reasons) connect with or find the appeal to dig in and build a House that worships and prays night and day on Long Island.
Truthfully, there is nothing appealing about our meetings unless you understand the privilege and power of agreeing in Prayer with The Holy One of Israel- Who is even now making intercession for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25). It's bogus unless you know there is an unseen impact upon the atmosphere and even upon your own soul as you wrestle with the Truth of God's thoughts, heart and words; coming through transformed as you pray blessing over your "opponents" and love for those who hurt you. It is ridiculous unless you like growing in transparency, vulnerability and the potential to be exposed in/for your weakness. It's a stupid waste of time unless you have the tenacity to hold out and stick with it until lives are changed and circumstances are shifted and you truly know the "thrill of victory as well as the agony of defeat". It is meaningless, folly and vanity unless you come to the conclusion that Jesus IS the House of Prayer and there is no One - ever - Who is as worthy of our absolute abandonment and worship and honor. Worship, prayer, biblical justice, power... all elements of the gospel of the King and His Kingdom.
Then, there is The Burn... a garage-band conglomerate of musicians who love to worship, play and lead but sometimes, the game is "king of the hill" rather than "tag". We sometimes overpower each other and the temptation is always there to quit and go home and not play with those kids any more - they're too rough. Truly, in something as simple as the Burn, we all still find offenses to trip over. A "rough play" or an "offensive" street kid has landed more people than I care to mention on my radar and I am regularly told or even thinking about who or what needs "fixing" (which truly most certainly includes me).
After some prayer through the night and then reading this little article, I realized that perhaps we do more harm than good when we judge other pearls as those who need correction of some sort. Perhaps we are encountering unseemly "shells" with rather obnoxious looking barnacles because of environment and prying open the shell will do tremendous harm; possibly marring the beauty that Father is cultivating. I'm beginning to see more and more that Father is the parent - not any of us. Fathers who represent our Heavenly Father really well are some of the rarest creatures on the planet. Although I remember that Paul said you have few fathers, Jesus said call NO ONE Father.(Matthew 23:9)
I realize that I have a responsibility to love and strengthen my brothers and sisters. Sometimes that requires uncomfortable conversations where we work through our growing pains together. However, I’m slowly learning that doing so needs to come from genuine love, care and especially well-timed cooperation with the Holy Spirit. He alone knows when something is ripe for the picking or pruning and when our ignorance will cause harm. Yay! I don't have to be the "sin-police". I get to be the sister that prays for my brothers and sisters, grows in love and hopefully in gentle patience. I'm beginning to think perhaps the "fruit of the spirit" are actually what Father wants to take place between siblings - rules for the play-pen.
True story - I'm tired of being a referee. Tolkien once said that children require justice while adults require mercy (because they know their need). I know my need. Honestly, I have two voices that compete for my heart's thoughts every time I engage in anything to do with IHOP/The Burn: 1.) Rejoicing over every drunk, stoned, broken, loud human being that walks through the door and still chooses to worship God and 2.) grieving over every fleshly, self-exalting, judgmental, religious, "holy ground" "where is the power and presence of God???" fiber of my screwed up humanity. Know what? Every time I look for the presence of God's Love and power there, it is surrounding the broken, unsightly addict of whatever sort; it is on every humble heart that steps out of the way of those who step on them and blesses them in the midst of it; it's on those who are coming with commitment to minister to the Lord and serendipitously Long Island/NYC at great cost to their time and energy. The truly shocking part is that eventually I discover this aspect in every single human being that walks in. The more mature Christians who lead and serve the body of Christ and the super duper broken types are all fatally beautiful because they all fall into the category of “The object of Jesus’ Affection,, i.e., the “pearl” surrounded by and transformed by Love”.
Those with whom I personally struggle with the most are those who are looking to step on IHOP/The Burn to fulfill their own journey to fame and recognition - the ones who so desperately want to present their talent, good works or their moral behavior to Father .... and then I am suddenly appalled because deep in their hearts I suddenly am shown their cry to be known and loved and once again I am confounded by the hidden glory, the pearl of great price because it is there …. that I see myself.
Years ago, I had a dream that I was standing at the mouth of a cave high in the mountains. Those who were caring for me were actually untrustworthy. A great eagle bound them and then, rather than escaping through the mouth of the cave I fell backwards into a deep pit. When I got my bearings, I saw a strange human-like creature beckon me. I discovered I was being led into a deep, deep cave with hidden treasures. Suddenly, I saw Jesus (three of Him to be exact). He was dressed in three different garments/robes. I was told I was going to be introduced to three aspects of His personality: The Hebrew Priest, the Feminine Aspect and the Bar Room Jesus. I didn’t understand that until now. You see, this ministry is ALL about the “Hebrew Priesthood” and the LONG preparation for it has challenged me to search out the “feminine” nurturing aspect of God like no other aspect of my life. Ah, but now the Bar Room Jesus…
We were instructed very early on to not seek out the Church but the broken, bar room and college musicians/intercessors. However, I have consistently wobbled in that arena because I welcome those that fit that description but I know more “churched” musicians and for whatever unknown reason, I have found myself appealing to the Church community to lead worship to God in the House and it is the most arduous task I have ever engaged in. May God help me frequent more bars!
If we readjust and stick well to the master plan, there will never be a day when broken, addicted, disenfranchised human beings are turned away as sincere ministers to the Lord. In fact I will always advocate for them to be part of the worshiping intercessors called IHOP-LI. Immersion in the Presence of God is a far better rehab then the Betty Ford Clinic will ever be - although I honor their work there. These saints are pearls of great price and I have found that Father is never ashamed to be the God of those who come to Him in sincere love or need. He is not appalled or infuriated by broken, irritating, fragile human beings who know their weakness and come to Him anyway - because they know His love and strength. They come boldly to the throne of Grace to find mercy and grace in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) Who are we to trip them on the way with our assessments?
“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12) He is fully able and willing to help them (us) grow in their new identity in Christ. He is FATHER. His is a seed that is relentless in its reach for maturity. When we see something our siblings are doing that may be sin, our role isn’t to “tell on them” but to seek what Father is doing in their life. Maybe He is just fine with where they are at the moment. It is doubtful that we know each other and love each other intimately enough to know the motivations of their heart or what great battle they have just engaged in. Our job is listen to them and to Him, Who is the Great Physician; to prayerfully look for His wisdom and kindness to take the plank out of our own eye so we can see the splinter in our brother’s/sister’s eye and gently remove it, i.e. to restore gently so they/we can heal.
I suppose the reputation of IHOP-LI and all who associate with us is at stake. I suppose you all have to choose to associate with us or not. I realize now, though, that if we get this right, we will be a “highway/by-way” ministry (Matthew 22:9) and that may, in fact, turn out to be our greatest joy. Remember Jesus reclining at the table of the Pharisee's? It was the "sinful" woman who worshiped Him and kissed His feet, washing them with her tears. He never stopped her. He didn't even "fix" her or correct her for approaching Holiness in such decadence. Instead, He vindicated her and forgave her sins. She, as well as the Pharisee, were both His pearls of great price.
Luke 7:31ff
"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
" 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by all her children."
~ " The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price" ~ Author Unknown
As a jeweler by trade I'm always interested in the gemstones listed in the scriptures. As I was meditating on 'Matt 13' and the parable of the 'pearl of great price' I began to think of our Lord. Why did He come to claim a pearl? Why not a diamond?
Matt 13:45...' "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls."
'Matt 13:46' "When he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it." In the parable of the merchant, we see that he sold all he had and bought the single pearl.
It speaks to us of the tremendous price the Lord paid for our redemption. The God of glory, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords left the splendor of Heaven to claim a pearl, and gained the pearl through paying the price that was far more than any here could pay.
As a jeweler I would question the choice the Lord made choosing to leave the Father's side for a pearl instead of what we would think of as having greater significance, the girl's best friend, the much coveted diamond. You probably know that the diamond is graded in 'value' according to the 4 C's: Cut, Color, Clarity & Carat-weight.
The answer to my pondering was right there! The diamond receives a substantial portion of its value from the way a person cuts it. The work of man's hand! The only natural gemstone that has more value when it is found than when men finish with it is the PEARL. Like the pearl, men can add nothing to the value of out salvation, through Jesus Christ.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are we saved through faith; and that not of yourselves -- it is the gift of God -- 'Eph 2:9' Not of works, lest anyone should boast.
The pearl is formed when a foreign object somehow enters the inside of the oyster, and instead of ejecting the object or irritant out, as most humans would try to do, the object is covered by the oyster with layer upon layer of a substance secreted from its own body. The object that came into the life of the oyster as an irritant, instead of being cast out is turned into something lovely within the oyster.
"We are all an irritant (through our sin) to God, but He accepts us, in spite of our sin. He covers our sin and brings us into His Holy kingdom.
Think about other details of the pearl. The longer the pearl stays in the oyster the more valuable it becomes. God is using our time now to conform us into a beautiful image of His dear Son. The pearl is formed in a Living Object! No dead rock is the pearl, it comes from life. The very life of the oyster is given to the pearl.
The true value of the pearl is not seen from the outside. To the world around it the pearl is just another barnacle covered nasty looking shell.... To see the true beauty of the pearl the oyster must die. The oyster is ripped open with a knife in the side, before the true treasure is revealed.
The analogy in the Pearl here is like Christ's death, so that all who trust in Him will be able to see and be with Him in His beautiful Kingdom, for eternity....
***********************************
A friend … included as follows; A pearl comes from an "unclean" as per diet laws, item, an oyster; so the Lord was also emphasizing here that He had others that He was seeking, not just the house of Israel, but from the nations too.
In Acts He told Peter 3x via vision , to not regard as unclean what He declared clean re Cornelius and the Gentiles joining in in worship
Have a wonderful Saturday YOU GLOWING PEARLS!
♥ mucho Hugz ooooxoooo, Sherrry
I have always loved this parable – especially when I realized He was, in fact, talking about us in it. In the brilliance of God, He always offers a simple analogy that we are then delighted to find contains inexhaustible treasures to discover and ruminate upon - a little like the gum Violet Beauregarde eats in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" - it changes flavor, adding more delight until one is transformed by it ... and then we're squeezed for the juice.
In this case, I began to ponder the many observations of those who participate in IHOP-LI/The Burn. At nearly every meeting I am challenged by the different ways, IHOP/The Burn succeeds or falls short or needs to do or be whatever. I have more people than I can recount come to me and say, "I'm all about this - I love it." and then they never show up again. Others who expect us to be a hot bed of activity and are disappointed with what appears to be pedantic, liberal, conservative, low-key, radical, un-balanced, religious, casualness that they simply don't understand or can't (for a hundred reasons) connect with or find the appeal to dig in and build a House that worships and prays night and day on Long Island.
Truthfully, there is nothing appealing about our meetings unless you understand the privilege and power of agreeing in Prayer with The Holy One of Israel- Who is even now making intercession for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25). It's bogus unless you know there is an unseen impact upon the atmosphere and even upon your own soul as you wrestle with the Truth of God's thoughts, heart and words; coming through transformed as you pray blessing over your "opponents" and love for those who hurt you. It is ridiculous unless you like growing in transparency, vulnerability and the potential to be exposed in/for your weakness. It's a stupid waste of time unless you have the tenacity to hold out and stick with it until lives are changed and circumstances are shifted and you truly know the "thrill of victory as well as the agony of defeat". It is meaningless, folly and vanity unless you come to the conclusion that Jesus IS the House of Prayer and there is no One - ever - Who is as worthy of our absolute abandonment and worship and honor. Worship, prayer, biblical justice, power... all elements of the gospel of the King and His Kingdom.
Then, there is The Burn... a garage-band conglomerate of musicians who love to worship, play and lead but sometimes, the game is "king of the hill" rather than "tag". We sometimes overpower each other and the temptation is always there to quit and go home and not play with those kids any more - they're too rough. Truly, in something as simple as the Burn, we all still find offenses to trip over. A "rough play" or an "offensive" street kid has landed more people than I care to mention on my radar and I am regularly told or even thinking about who or what needs "fixing" (which truly most certainly includes me).
After some prayer through the night and then reading this little article, I realized that perhaps we do more harm than good when we judge other pearls as those who need correction of some sort. Perhaps we are encountering unseemly "shells" with rather obnoxious looking barnacles because of environment and prying open the shell will do tremendous harm; possibly marring the beauty that Father is cultivating. I'm beginning to see more and more that Father is the parent - not any of us. Fathers who represent our Heavenly Father really well are some of the rarest creatures on the planet. Although I remember that Paul said you have few fathers, Jesus said call NO ONE Father.(Matthew 23:9)
I realize that I have a responsibility to love and strengthen my brothers and sisters. Sometimes that requires uncomfortable conversations where we work through our growing pains together. However, I’m slowly learning that doing so needs to come from genuine love, care and especially well-timed cooperation with the Holy Spirit. He alone knows when something is ripe for the picking or pruning and when our ignorance will cause harm. Yay! I don't have to be the "sin-police". I get to be the sister that prays for my brothers and sisters, grows in love and hopefully in gentle patience. I'm beginning to think perhaps the "fruit of the spirit" are actually what Father wants to take place between siblings - rules for the play-pen.
True story - I'm tired of being a referee. Tolkien once said that children require justice while adults require mercy (because they know their need). I know my need. Honestly, I have two voices that compete for my heart's thoughts every time I engage in anything to do with IHOP/The Burn: 1.) Rejoicing over every drunk, stoned, broken, loud human being that walks through the door and still chooses to worship God and 2.) grieving over every fleshly, self-exalting, judgmental, religious, "holy ground" "where is the power and presence of God???" fiber of my screwed up humanity. Know what? Every time I look for the presence of God's Love and power there, it is surrounding the broken, unsightly addict of whatever sort; it is on every humble heart that steps out of the way of those who step on them and blesses them in the midst of it; it's on those who are coming with commitment to minister to the Lord and serendipitously Long Island/NYC at great cost to their time and energy. The truly shocking part is that eventually I discover this aspect in every single human being that walks in. The more mature Christians who lead and serve the body of Christ and the super duper broken types are all fatally beautiful because they all fall into the category of “The object of Jesus’ Affection,, i.e., the “pearl” surrounded by and transformed by Love”.
Those with whom I personally struggle with the most are those who are looking to step on IHOP/The Burn to fulfill their own journey to fame and recognition - the ones who so desperately want to present their talent, good works or their moral behavior to Father .... and then I am suddenly appalled because deep in their hearts I suddenly am shown their cry to be known and loved and once again I am confounded by the hidden glory, the pearl of great price because it is there …. that I see myself.
Years ago, I had a dream that I was standing at the mouth of a cave high in the mountains. Those who were caring for me were actually untrustworthy. A great eagle bound them and then, rather than escaping through the mouth of the cave I fell backwards into a deep pit. When I got my bearings, I saw a strange human-like creature beckon me. I discovered I was being led into a deep, deep cave with hidden treasures. Suddenly, I saw Jesus (three of Him to be exact). He was dressed in three different garments/robes. I was told I was going to be introduced to three aspects of His personality: The Hebrew Priest, the Feminine Aspect and the Bar Room Jesus. I didn’t understand that until now. You see, this ministry is ALL about the “Hebrew Priesthood” and the LONG preparation for it has challenged me to search out the “feminine” nurturing aspect of God like no other aspect of my life. Ah, but now the Bar Room Jesus…
We were instructed very early on to not seek out the Church but the broken, bar room and college musicians/intercessors. However, I have consistently wobbled in that arena because I welcome those that fit that description but I know more “churched” musicians and for whatever unknown reason, I have found myself appealing to the Church community to lead worship to God in the House and it is the most arduous task I have ever engaged in. May God help me frequent more bars!
If we readjust and stick well to the master plan, there will never be a day when broken, addicted, disenfranchised human beings are turned away as sincere ministers to the Lord. In fact I will always advocate for them to be part of the worshiping intercessors called IHOP-LI. Immersion in the Presence of God is a far better rehab then the Betty Ford Clinic will ever be - although I honor their work there. These saints are pearls of great price and I have found that Father is never ashamed to be the God of those who come to Him in sincere love or need. He is not appalled or infuriated by broken, irritating, fragile human beings who know their weakness and come to Him anyway - because they know His love and strength. They come boldly to the throne of Grace to find mercy and grace in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) Who are we to trip them on the way with our assessments?
“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12) He is fully able and willing to help them (us) grow in their new identity in Christ. He is FATHER. His is a seed that is relentless in its reach for maturity. When we see something our siblings are doing that may be sin, our role isn’t to “tell on them” but to seek what Father is doing in their life. Maybe He is just fine with where they are at the moment. It is doubtful that we know each other and love each other intimately enough to know the motivations of their heart or what great battle they have just engaged in. Our job is listen to them and to Him, Who is the Great Physician; to prayerfully look for His wisdom and kindness to take the plank out of our own eye so we can see the splinter in our brother’s/sister’s eye and gently remove it, i.e. to restore gently so they/we can heal.
I suppose the reputation of IHOP-LI and all who associate with us is at stake. I suppose you all have to choose to associate with us or not. I realize now, though, that if we get this right, we will be a “highway/by-way” ministry (Matthew 22:9) and that may, in fact, turn out to be our greatest joy. Remember Jesus reclining at the table of the Pharisee's? It was the "sinful" woman who worshiped Him and kissed His feet, washing them with her tears. He never stopped her. He didn't even "fix" her or correct her for approaching Holiness in such decadence. Instead, He vindicated her and forgave her sins. She, as well as the Pharisee, were both His pearls of great price.
Luke 7:31ff
"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
" 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by all her children."
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Honor and Confrontation by Danny Silk
Honor and Confrontation
Posted: 19 Oct 2010 11:13 PM PDT
Have you ever wondered what a culture of honor really looks like? On Friday morning at the School of Transformation and Strategy in Anderson, CA, Danny Silk shared a key message to understanding and maintaining a lifestyle of honor.
“The heart of honor,” Danny said, “is to take the strength of my life and pour it into you.” We honor our children by giving them powerful choices; we honor our friends and spouses by helping them maximize their potential; we honor our leaders by supporting and strengthening them. It is all about empowering the people around us, whether man, woman, young, old, leader,
or follower. And we do all this because of love. When we honor, we’re protecting our connections with each other, not controlling each other. My relationship with you is more important than you doing what I want you to do. The result of a culture of honor is powerful people running together, all bound together by covenant relationships. Sound good? It is - in fact, it’s heavenly! But like everything in God’s kingdom, there’s a divine tension.
“Having a culture of honor is like having a whole stall full of Clydesdales!” Danny laughed. “Big butts and big shoulders… and it hurts when I step on you! There are messes everywhere!” When you give the people around you permission to be powerful and control themselves, there’s the definite possibility that they will use that freedom to excuse selfish behavior. Because of that, Danny pointed out that the skills of confrontation are indispensable.
For most people, confrontation of sin is very scary, possibly even disastrous in their experience! But it doesn’t have to be that way. Danny said, “Confrontation is strategically applied pressure to expose areas that need strength and grace.” When we confront someone,we’re letting them know, “When you do this, it scares me,” not, “Stop doing that, or else!” When we confront, the goal is to find the problem (if there is one), not to get a confession. Danny gave an example from his years of working at an auto shop: when a tire came in with a leak, he would hold the tire under water until he saw bubbles rising from the tire, showing him where the hole
was. Yelling at the tire, threatening to throw it into the fire, or dashing it into pieces was NOT going to help Danny find the problem. So what is the problem? Until we know the problem, the healing can’t start. So rather than using judgment or punishment to gain control of a mess, we
honor each other by “restoring gently” (Gal. 6:1). To dishonor someone is to say or imply, “I have all the power - you have no power.” Jesus doesn't use his power to control us, nor does he want to. “If you want to be a control freak, control YOU!” Danny said. When we confront, it must be motivated by love and a desire for the success of the other person, not a need for control of the situation.
A culture of honor will be messy at times, but ultimately exquisite in God’s sight, because we are valuing the power He’s put in each of His creations. Are we all about seeing the success of the person next to us, no matter who they are or where they’re at? What will honor look like
for you?
If you’d like more information about honor and confrontation, check out Danny’s messages, “Keys to Confrontation,” “Community of Believers,” and the “Honor Among Us” series. You can find them at the www.lovingonpurpose.com store.
Posted: 19 Oct 2010 11:13 PM PDT
Have you ever wondered what a culture of honor really looks like? On Friday morning at the School of Transformation and Strategy in Anderson, CA, Danny Silk shared a key message to understanding and maintaining a lifestyle of honor.
“The heart of honor,” Danny said, “is to take the strength of my life and pour it into you.” We honor our children by giving them powerful choices; we honor our friends and spouses by helping them maximize their potential; we honor our leaders by supporting and strengthening them. It is all about empowering the people around us, whether man, woman, young, old, leader,
or follower. And we do all this because of love. When we honor, we’re protecting our connections with each other, not controlling each other. My relationship with you is more important than you doing what I want you to do. The result of a culture of honor is powerful people running together, all bound together by covenant relationships. Sound good? It is - in fact, it’s heavenly! But like everything in God’s kingdom, there’s a divine tension.
“Having a culture of honor is like having a whole stall full of Clydesdales!” Danny laughed. “Big butts and big shoulders… and it hurts when I step on you! There are messes everywhere!” When you give the people around you permission to be powerful and control themselves, there’s the definite possibility that they will use that freedom to excuse selfish behavior. Because of that, Danny pointed out that the skills of confrontation are indispensable.
For most people, confrontation of sin is very scary, possibly even disastrous in their experience! But it doesn’t have to be that way. Danny said, “Confrontation is strategically applied pressure to expose areas that need strength and grace.” When we confront someone,we’re letting them know, “When you do this, it scares me,” not, “Stop doing that, or else!” When we confront, the goal is to find the problem (if there is one), not to get a confession. Danny gave an example from his years of working at an auto shop: when a tire came in with a leak, he would hold the tire under water until he saw bubbles rising from the tire, showing him where the hole
was. Yelling at the tire, threatening to throw it into the fire, or dashing it into pieces was NOT going to help Danny find the problem. So what is the problem? Until we know the problem, the healing can’t start. So rather than using judgment or punishment to gain control of a mess, we
honor each other by “restoring gently” (Gal. 6:1). To dishonor someone is to say or imply, “I have all the power - you have no power.” Jesus doesn't use his power to control us, nor does he want to. “If you want to be a control freak, control YOU!” Danny said. When we confront, it must be motivated by love and a desire for the success of the other person, not a need for control of the situation.
A culture of honor will be messy at times, but ultimately exquisite in God’s sight, because we are valuing the power He’s put in each of His creations. Are we all about seeing the success of the person next to us, no matter who they are or where they’re at? What will honor look like
for you?
If you’d like more information about honor and confrontation, check out Danny’s messages, “Keys to Confrontation,” “Community of Believers,” and the “Honor Among Us” series. You can find them at the www.lovingonpurpose.com store.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Still want to be a Leader by Ed Underwood
Still want to be a Leader? by Ed Underwood
I’m the first to admit that I’m not good at a lot of things.
I can barely hang a picture. Well, really I can’t hang a picture and stay in fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
I’m lousy at small talk. No, it’s worse than that. I suck at small talk. I marvel at people like our assimilation pastor, David Anderson, work a room and make everyone smile.
I have no idea how I made it through the general education science classes at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Maybe it had something to do with the braniac dude I chose as my lab partner. We fully admitted our codependence. He couldn’t tell a verb from an adjective, and I couldn’t find the spleen on that frog to save my life. “You do the experiments, Buddy. I’ll write ‘em up”
But when it comes to leadership, I just get it. Always have. From the fireline to the tank platoon to the local church, I’ve always been a leader.
So when I was preparing my sermon from 1 Peter 5:1-4, one of the classic leadership passages in the New Testament, the guys on staff asked me to “give my speech.”
“I don’t know. That’s a pretty in-your-face speech. May overload people a little.”
“Come on, Ed. This is an in-your-face paragraph. And so many church leaders don’t have a clue about leadership. They’re reading books and article written by people who have never led. It’s all theory.”
I had to admit that 1 Peter 5:1-4 is counter-culture to most church leaders’ expectations to leadership. So many church “leaders” view themselves as entrepreneurs, administrators, Bible teachers, or visionaries. What they never seem to get is that none of those terms describe a New Testament leader. Really, in my opinion, they don’t describe a leader in any arena. The problem with these words is that they all drip with an expectation that leadership is about getting other people to do what you want them to do, to follow your plan, to build your empire or church.
True leadership is about giving your life away to those you lead to release their giftedness and to guide them toward a common goal. It’s all about personal sacrifice and hardship to encourage, guide and release others.
This is why Peter chooses the verb “shepherd” to exhort the leaders of the church. “Shepherd the flock,” Peter says, “willingly, enthusiastically, and by example—because Jesus will reward faithful undershepherds when He comes” (1 Peter 5:1-4).
The more I studied the paragraph, the more comfortable I felt sharing the speech I give to every prospective leader at Church of the Open Door. So, if you’re a leader, buckle your seat belt, and hear me out:
•Don’t thwart the ministry of the Holy Spirit in these people’s lives.
•Have you counted the cost of discipleship—everything— in Luke 14:25-35?
•Do you trust grace enough to risk letting go of your dreams and plans for these people so that you can embrace God’s dreams and plans for these people?
•It’s never about you; it’s always about Jesus.
•It’s never about you; it’s always about team.
•It’s never about you; it’s always about the sheep.
•It’s never about your giftedness; it’s about releasing the giftedness of others.
•Finally, when it comes to the hard things—you go first. But when it comes to the good things—you come last.
Still want to be a leader?
http://edunderwood.com/2010/10/13/still-want-to-be-a-leader/
I’m the first to admit that I’m not good at a lot of things.
I can barely hang a picture. Well, really I can’t hang a picture and stay in fellowship with the Lord Jesus.
I’m lousy at small talk. No, it’s worse than that. I suck at small talk. I marvel at people like our assimilation pastor, David Anderson, work a room and make everyone smile.
I have no idea how I made it through the general education science classes at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Maybe it had something to do with the braniac dude I chose as my lab partner. We fully admitted our codependence. He couldn’t tell a verb from an adjective, and I couldn’t find the spleen on that frog to save my life. “You do the experiments, Buddy. I’ll write ‘em up”
But when it comes to leadership, I just get it. Always have. From the fireline to the tank platoon to the local church, I’ve always been a leader.
So when I was preparing my sermon from 1 Peter 5:1-4, one of the classic leadership passages in the New Testament, the guys on staff asked me to “give my speech.”
“I don’t know. That’s a pretty in-your-face speech. May overload people a little.”
“Come on, Ed. This is an in-your-face paragraph. And so many church leaders don’t have a clue about leadership. They’re reading books and article written by people who have never led. It’s all theory.”
I had to admit that 1 Peter 5:1-4 is counter-culture to most church leaders’ expectations to leadership. So many church “leaders” view themselves as entrepreneurs, administrators, Bible teachers, or visionaries. What they never seem to get is that none of those terms describe a New Testament leader. Really, in my opinion, they don’t describe a leader in any arena. The problem with these words is that they all drip with an expectation that leadership is about getting other people to do what you want them to do, to follow your plan, to build your empire or church.
True leadership is about giving your life away to those you lead to release their giftedness and to guide them toward a common goal. It’s all about personal sacrifice and hardship to encourage, guide and release others.
This is why Peter chooses the verb “shepherd” to exhort the leaders of the church. “Shepherd the flock,” Peter says, “willingly, enthusiastically, and by example—because Jesus will reward faithful undershepherds when He comes” (1 Peter 5:1-4).
The more I studied the paragraph, the more comfortable I felt sharing the speech I give to every prospective leader at Church of the Open Door. So, if you’re a leader, buckle your seat belt, and hear me out:
•Don’t thwart the ministry of the Holy Spirit in these people’s lives.
•Have you counted the cost of discipleship—everything— in Luke 14:25-35?
•Do you trust grace enough to risk letting go of your dreams and plans for these people so that you can embrace God’s dreams and plans for these people?
•It’s never about you; it’s always about Jesus.
•It’s never about you; it’s always about team.
•It’s never about you; it’s always about the sheep.
•It’s never about your giftedness; it’s about releasing the giftedness of others.
•Finally, when it comes to the hard things—you go first. But when it comes to the good things—you come last.
Still want to be a leader?
http://edunderwood.com/2010/10/13/still-want-to-be-a-leader/
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Rejoicing Increases Faith
Important Concept that must be put into action!!
REJOICING INCREASES FAITH
by Graham Cooke
Thanksgiving creates blessing. Continuous rejoicing opens us up to increase. Life is about possibilities not negatives. Jesus said, “All things are possible, only believe” (Mark 9:23).
Thanksgiving has a creative power to produce good. It is good for us to rejoice. It creates energy, enthusiasm and strength. We are expanded on the inside. Our eyes are bright, watchful for blessing, increase and favor. Goodness is drawn to us as we lift up Jesus in our hearts. We make ourselves attractive to favor and blessing. We are able to look at life and circumstances differently, therefore we see the good in everything.
Exercise produces endorphins which can escalate our sense of wellbeing making us fitter, sharper and more alive in ourselves. Rejoicing increases faith which is the spiritual equivalent of endorphins. Faith increases our focus and readiness to see God in everything and lean into Him. When we give thanks our ability to trust and believe increases dramatically, because praise produces power Rejoicing overcomes any inherent negativity and aligns our heart with the continuity of favor.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). The will God is always linked to His nature. All our main experiences of life, good or bad, should be connected to thanksgiving and rejoicing. When we rejoice as a lifestyle then life is less of a roller coaster. It flows. It is more stable and even. We experience more rest, more peace, more joyfulness and our capacity to believe cannot be diminished by events.
When we refuse thanksgiving as a lifestyle then we ensure that our lives are unprotected from doubt, fear and unbelief. We are susceptible to any negative from any source or direction. We can be brought low by people, circumstances and enemy activity. We are assailable; a sitting duck for all that is detrimental to life, faith and happiness. People can be so fearful that they become pessimistic. We can have an outlook on life that is so counteractive to simple trust that we can become cynical towards those who want to believe God for something.
Rejoicing is linked to God’s nature. He is good. His lovingkindness endures forever. Thanksgiving empowers us to rest in an attribute of God’s nature. What is God showing you about Himself at this time? Rejoice in that! Give thanks for who He is towards you. When I was learning peace and rest as a lifestyle attribute, all my rejoicing flowed in and out of those virtues. I was so restful, I lost the ability to worry. Rejoicing increased my peace and thoroughly diminished my anxiety. On difficult days I began to discern goodness around me. In adversity I saw favor standing over me. Whatever attribute God is declaring to you will be increased in you by thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is like a heat seeking missile. It hones in on a certain signature. It is drawn to connect with goodness, favor and faith. If that is true in one of a kind circumstances then it must have a greater power in multiple situations. My contention is that a lifestyle of rejoicing not only increases the power of favor over our circumstances; it also attracts favor to us from the future. We are present/future people because we are filled with the Spirit who discloses that which is to come [John 16:13]. It is absolutely possible for us to occupy a place in faith that increases our awareness of future possibilities in the heart of God towards us. “For I know the plans I have for you” says the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope” [Jeremiah 29:11].
Thanksgiving keeps us present to the moment with God and increases our expectation of the future. It creates a space around us that negativity cannot penetrate. In this context our prayer life is empowered. We pray in faith not desperation. There is nothing wrong in prayerful desperation, if that is where you are and all you have. However, it is the prayer of faith that produces life and health [James 5:15]. If prayer is surrounded by celebration [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18] then the will of God has to become abundantly clear, no matter what is happening around us. Confusion is simply not possible when we have a lifestyle of thanksgiving and rejoicing.
We are a people of identity and destiny, founded in Christ within, the expectation of glory. Our lives are always governed by something or someone. In Christ rejoicing increases His Presence within. In Christ, thanksgiving expands His power and influence upon all our situations. Our ability to discern God’s will and pray through it is dramatically expanded through thanksgiving. Rejoicing is a way of life. Without it, we are diminished in stature, power and enjoyment of God.
REJOICING INCREASES FAITH
by Graham Cooke
Thanksgiving creates blessing. Continuous rejoicing opens us up to increase. Life is about possibilities not negatives. Jesus said, “All things are possible, only believe” (Mark 9:23).
Thanksgiving has a creative power to produce good. It is good for us to rejoice. It creates energy, enthusiasm and strength. We are expanded on the inside. Our eyes are bright, watchful for blessing, increase and favor. Goodness is drawn to us as we lift up Jesus in our hearts. We make ourselves attractive to favor and blessing. We are able to look at life and circumstances differently, therefore we see the good in everything.
Exercise produces endorphins which can escalate our sense of wellbeing making us fitter, sharper and more alive in ourselves. Rejoicing increases faith which is the spiritual equivalent of endorphins. Faith increases our focus and readiness to see God in everything and lean into Him. When we give thanks our ability to trust and believe increases dramatically, because praise produces power Rejoicing overcomes any inherent negativity and aligns our heart with the continuity of favor.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). The will God is always linked to His nature. All our main experiences of life, good or bad, should be connected to thanksgiving and rejoicing. When we rejoice as a lifestyle then life is less of a roller coaster. It flows. It is more stable and even. We experience more rest, more peace, more joyfulness and our capacity to believe cannot be diminished by events.
When we refuse thanksgiving as a lifestyle then we ensure that our lives are unprotected from doubt, fear and unbelief. We are susceptible to any negative from any source or direction. We can be brought low by people, circumstances and enemy activity. We are assailable; a sitting duck for all that is detrimental to life, faith and happiness. People can be so fearful that they become pessimistic. We can have an outlook on life that is so counteractive to simple trust that we can become cynical towards those who want to believe God for something.
Rejoicing is linked to God’s nature. He is good. His lovingkindness endures forever. Thanksgiving empowers us to rest in an attribute of God’s nature. What is God showing you about Himself at this time? Rejoice in that! Give thanks for who He is towards you. When I was learning peace and rest as a lifestyle attribute, all my rejoicing flowed in and out of those virtues. I was so restful, I lost the ability to worry. Rejoicing increased my peace and thoroughly diminished my anxiety. On difficult days I began to discern goodness around me. In adversity I saw favor standing over me. Whatever attribute God is declaring to you will be increased in you by thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is like a heat seeking missile. It hones in on a certain signature. It is drawn to connect with goodness, favor and faith. If that is true in one of a kind circumstances then it must have a greater power in multiple situations. My contention is that a lifestyle of rejoicing not only increases the power of favor over our circumstances; it also attracts favor to us from the future. We are present/future people because we are filled with the Spirit who discloses that which is to come [John 16:13]. It is absolutely possible for us to occupy a place in faith that increases our awareness of future possibilities in the heart of God towards us. “For I know the plans I have for you” says the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope” [Jeremiah 29:11].
Thanksgiving keeps us present to the moment with God and increases our expectation of the future. It creates a space around us that negativity cannot penetrate. In this context our prayer life is empowered. We pray in faith not desperation. There is nothing wrong in prayerful desperation, if that is where you are and all you have. However, it is the prayer of faith that produces life and health [James 5:15]. If prayer is surrounded by celebration [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18] then the will of God has to become abundantly clear, no matter what is happening around us. Confusion is simply not possible when we have a lifestyle of thanksgiving and rejoicing.
We are a people of identity and destiny, founded in Christ within, the expectation of glory. Our lives are always governed by something or someone. In Christ rejoicing increases His Presence within. In Christ, thanksgiving expands His power and influence upon all our situations. Our ability to discern God’s will and pray through it is dramatically expanded through thanksgiving. Rejoicing is a way of life. Without it, we are diminished in stature, power and enjoyment of God.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
My ranting, raving love for Long Island & NYC
OK - I'm gonna vent a bit with deep appreciation for any and all of you who pray for Long Island and NYC. God love you and bless you for that. I know this may seem out of the blue but it is something that has been building up for me over the past few decades.
Today, I recieved a critique of the region's desperate need for prayer from someone I know has no real understanding of the region. Time after time, we have hosted or invited people who have a heart to minister here and they have been terrific, yet naive. Because of pre-conceived notions or a misreading of what they are encountering, they have often missed great opportunities because of an immature view of the region and her needs. We so appreciate the hearts of those who pray for this region - really we do. It's just that there's more than meets the eye and we so desperatly need you to have "eyes that see and ears that hear" in order to be a help, rather than a hindrance to the efforts of those who labor here.
I remember, back in 1990, taking a group of beautiful young believers out to Missouri for a youth conference. After a grueling 28 hour journey in a bus that was too small for the amount of people and luggage we had, a short stint sleeping together in one bedroom at a hotel we didn't have enough money for and junk food out the wazoo, we collapsed in the dorm hallway of the college we were going to be staying at - waiting for our room assignment. We were smelly, pierced, punk, tattooed and hungry for Jesus. Not a pretty picture at first glance but beautiful in God's eyes. A group of welll-dressed, clean cut, blond-haired, bible raised young people came up to us and said "Where are ally'all from?" We replied," Long Island and NYC." Their answer was honest but brutal. "New York?? I didn't think there were any Christians in New York!" That says it all..... They didn't mean harm but it stayed with all of us. Of course a few years later we got our revenge at that same conference when we named our volleyball team "Pray Naked" and then proceeded to win game after game - with our offensive name announced every morning as the winners - but that's another story....
ANYWAY....as someone who was born here, returned time after time after moving away to come back here and will most likely die here, I need to go on record as saying I LOVE LONG ISLAND, NYC and the TRI-State Region in the deepest places of my heart. I know her short-comings. I have died a million deaths and prayed a million prayers while sitting in hours of traffic on every parkway and expressway within 50 miles of here (which are never clear enough to truly be an "express way" -btw). I know just about every short cut to by-pass traffic, every decent Deli and Bagel place at least from Exit 68 on the LIE to the Queens Border (although I do know some from both the North and South Fork too) and some really great ones in and around the City. I know our weaknesses and I know our strengths. I know what kills us and what thrills us. I know what makes us appear ugly and I know what is truly beautiful. I know our aggression and I know our deep and powerful affection. There are truly no better huggers and deep lovers than the beautiful people of this region.
As some one who prays for this area regularly, I have seen and heard all sorts of ideas about how to best "save" this area as well as what is wrong with it, the many demonic strongholds, etc. and every time someone comes from outside of the region to do missions, I hear assessments of our need and the darkness over our area. Can I ask all of you to please take a step back, contact someone who labors over this area in prayer and LIVES here and ask them what is needed?? You can NOT effectively intercede for this region in any truth or with any power unless you love her enough to lay down your life for her. You MUST know and love this region in order to serve her with a right and humble heart. You MUST approach the skyline of Manhattan EVERY time and say "Blessings on the Beautiful City" or else you entirely miss God's Beautiful, Tremendous, Courageous love for the "City that Never Sleeps". She IS (among many places) The "Big Apple" of God's eye and He LOVES HER!! … Along with every one of the almost 19 million people who live in the Metro-plex of NYC/NEWARK and call her "Home".
There are literally HUNDREDS of Churches and Synagogues in this region that serve and bless her. (As an FYI... The Synagogues are part of the believing community! GOD LOVES THE JEWISH PEOPLE!!! Remember His promises??? Their time of awakening is coming!!! ) There are millions of lovers of Jesus Christ who express themselves in quirky, brilliantly unique, often self-centered and sometimes annoying ways in this region and YES, we need love, friendship, trust, unity and AWAKENING in a profoundly deep and powerful way - BUT ( and yes we often have big ones - butts that is) .... when that happens- look out because LOVE will be on the Loose and there are no lovers like those who hail from this Region. We are relentless, driven, unyielding and desperate for the King and His Kingdom. We all expectantly pray for and long for the Church to walk in mature love and bless the socks off of every living creature on the planet. When we are prayed for with life and love, we will be some of the most generous people on the planet and there is no end to the variations of food, music, missionaries and kisses that will flow from this region.
Please, don’t concentrate on all that is wrong with us… we already know!! Instead, please pray us into our Father's intended purpose for the area. Pray for prayer and worship to DRENCH the area by those who are indigenous and love her deeply. Pray us into life, love, generosity, peace, wisdom, blessings for governing the nations in true righteousness and justice, wisdom and responsibility regarding the eco-system of the planet, blessing and honor upon the First Nation Peoples here, care for the poor, the immigrant, the orphan and the widow. Pray that we would be a Waterfall of Love and Power to transform lives through the blessings of the Kingdom of God. Pray that our educational system would be fountains of ingenuity, creativity and mutual responsibility. Pray that our love for the nations would pour love INTO the nations. Pray that our media resources would champion truth, humility and kindness. These, my friends, are the gifts of Long Island & NYC that are meant to be called into fruition.
I have to add this....I recently had a friend who hails from out of state write a letter grieved that there were so few “bible-believing” churches in a certain area that they had visited here. They were, in particular, grieved that the same area is instead filled with Jewish and Catholic Communities. My friends, the fact that those neighborhoods are Catholic and Jewish is a beautiful thing. The truth is that both of these communities have been part of a large, long, deep history of birthing the believing culture here on LI/NYC. There is more here than meets the eye. The Jewish people are loved by God and are beautiful neighbors who we enjoy and bless. We have been praying deeply for our Jewish brothers because we trust that the Lord is faithful to His commitment to them. They are the “tree” we gentiles were grafted into, remember??? They are awaiting their Messiah. YAY – So are we.
The Catholic Church has sent up round the clock prayers for LI and NYC for a century and although many Catholics have some of their theology weighed down by doctrines that are man-made, they have birthed many, many people on Long Island into a deep faith and walk with Jesus. For many, they are the only ties they have to an active faith and I have met plenty of wonderful Catholic believers through the years who demonstrate God’s love in great beauty – not the least of which constitute a great many of the clergy who have honored roles in schools and hospitals in the region. (BTW - Many of these same schools and hospitals have either Jewish or Catholic Foundations!!)
In essence both of these communities are “mothers” to many of the followers of Jesus here in the region. We honor our "Fathers and Mothers" and in this case, both of those communities have been a source of blessing, not cursing for us. Not everything is as it may appear. If you want to pray for them, please pray that His love would overwhelm these communities and awaken them into a deep revelation of His beauty, grace and truth - that they would come alive in their faith and fulfill their original call in the Lord's heart and dream for them. If they have an awakening, they will be a powerful blessing and conduit of the Kingdom of God here on Long Island/NYC.
Alrighty then, Let’s get to it!! Love, grace and blessings on you. Pray Naked. love, t
Today, I recieved a critique of the region's desperate need for prayer from someone I know has no real understanding of the region. Time after time, we have hosted or invited people who have a heart to minister here and they have been terrific, yet naive. Because of pre-conceived notions or a misreading of what they are encountering, they have often missed great opportunities because of an immature view of the region and her needs. We so appreciate the hearts of those who pray for this region - really we do. It's just that there's more than meets the eye and we so desperatly need you to have "eyes that see and ears that hear" in order to be a help, rather than a hindrance to the efforts of those who labor here.
I remember, back in 1990, taking a group of beautiful young believers out to Missouri for a youth conference. After a grueling 28 hour journey in a bus that was too small for the amount of people and luggage we had, a short stint sleeping together in one bedroom at a hotel we didn't have enough money for and junk food out the wazoo, we collapsed in the dorm hallway of the college we were going to be staying at - waiting for our room assignment. We were smelly, pierced, punk, tattooed and hungry for Jesus. Not a pretty picture at first glance but beautiful in God's eyes. A group of welll-dressed, clean cut, blond-haired, bible raised young people came up to us and said "Where are ally'all from?" We replied," Long Island and NYC." Their answer was honest but brutal. "New York?? I didn't think there were any Christians in New York!" That says it all..... They didn't mean harm but it stayed with all of us. Of course a few years later we got our revenge at that same conference when we named our volleyball team "Pray Naked" and then proceeded to win game after game - with our offensive name announced every morning as the winners - but that's another story....
ANYWAY....as someone who was born here, returned time after time after moving away to come back here and will most likely die here, I need to go on record as saying I LOVE LONG ISLAND, NYC and the TRI-State Region in the deepest places of my heart. I know her short-comings. I have died a million deaths and prayed a million prayers while sitting in hours of traffic on every parkway and expressway within 50 miles of here (which are never clear enough to truly be an "express way" -btw). I know just about every short cut to by-pass traffic, every decent Deli and Bagel place at least from Exit 68 on the LIE to the Queens Border (although I do know some from both the North and South Fork too) and some really great ones in and around the City. I know our weaknesses and I know our strengths. I know what kills us and what thrills us. I know what makes us appear ugly and I know what is truly beautiful. I know our aggression and I know our deep and powerful affection. There are truly no better huggers and deep lovers than the beautiful people of this region.
As some one who prays for this area regularly, I have seen and heard all sorts of ideas about how to best "save" this area as well as what is wrong with it, the many demonic strongholds, etc. and every time someone comes from outside of the region to do missions, I hear assessments of our need and the darkness over our area. Can I ask all of you to please take a step back, contact someone who labors over this area in prayer and LIVES here and ask them what is needed?? You can NOT effectively intercede for this region in any truth or with any power unless you love her enough to lay down your life for her. You MUST know and love this region in order to serve her with a right and humble heart. You MUST approach the skyline of Manhattan EVERY time and say "Blessings on the Beautiful City" or else you entirely miss God's Beautiful, Tremendous, Courageous love for the "City that Never Sleeps". She IS (among many places) The "Big Apple" of God's eye and He LOVES HER!! … Along with every one of the almost 19 million people who live in the Metro-plex of NYC/NEWARK and call her "Home".
There are literally HUNDREDS of Churches and Synagogues in this region that serve and bless her. (As an FYI... The Synagogues are part of the believing community! GOD LOVES THE JEWISH PEOPLE!!! Remember His promises??? Their time of awakening is coming!!! ) There are millions of lovers of Jesus Christ who express themselves in quirky, brilliantly unique, often self-centered and sometimes annoying ways in this region and YES, we need love, friendship, trust, unity and AWAKENING in a profoundly deep and powerful way - BUT ( and yes we often have big ones - butts that is) .... when that happens- look out because LOVE will be on the Loose and there are no lovers like those who hail from this Region. We are relentless, driven, unyielding and desperate for the King and His Kingdom. We all expectantly pray for and long for the Church to walk in mature love and bless the socks off of every living creature on the planet. When we are prayed for with life and love, we will be some of the most generous people on the planet and there is no end to the variations of food, music, missionaries and kisses that will flow from this region.
Please, don’t concentrate on all that is wrong with us… we already know!! Instead, please pray us into our Father's intended purpose for the area. Pray for prayer and worship to DRENCH the area by those who are indigenous and love her deeply. Pray us into life, love, generosity, peace, wisdom, blessings for governing the nations in true righteousness and justice, wisdom and responsibility regarding the eco-system of the planet, blessing and honor upon the First Nation Peoples here, care for the poor, the immigrant, the orphan and the widow. Pray that we would be a Waterfall of Love and Power to transform lives through the blessings of the Kingdom of God. Pray that our educational system would be fountains of ingenuity, creativity and mutual responsibility. Pray that our love for the nations would pour love INTO the nations. Pray that our media resources would champion truth, humility and kindness. These, my friends, are the gifts of Long Island & NYC that are meant to be called into fruition.
I have to add this....I recently had a friend who hails from out of state write a letter grieved that there were so few “bible-believing” churches in a certain area that they had visited here. They were, in particular, grieved that the same area is instead filled with Jewish and Catholic Communities. My friends, the fact that those neighborhoods are Catholic and Jewish is a beautiful thing. The truth is that both of these communities have been part of a large, long, deep history of birthing the believing culture here on LI/NYC. There is more here than meets the eye. The Jewish people are loved by God and are beautiful neighbors who we enjoy and bless. We have been praying deeply for our Jewish brothers because we trust that the Lord is faithful to His commitment to them. They are the “tree” we gentiles were grafted into, remember??? They are awaiting their Messiah. YAY – So are we.
The Catholic Church has sent up round the clock prayers for LI and NYC for a century and although many Catholics have some of their theology weighed down by doctrines that are man-made, they have birthed many, many people on Long Island into a deep faith and walk with Jesus. For many, they are the only ties they have to an active faith and I have met plenty of wonderful Catholic believers through the years who demonstrate God’s love in great beauty – not the least of which constitute a great many of the clergy who have honored roles in schools and hospitals in the region. (BTW - Many of these same schools and hospitals have either Jewish or Catholic Foundations!!)
In essence both of these communities are “mothers” to many of the followers of Jesus here in the region. We honor our "Fathers and Mothers" and in this case, both of those communities have been a source of blessing, not cursing for us. Not everything is as it may appear. If you want to pray for them, please pray that His love would overwhelm these communities and awaken them into a deep revelation of His beauty, grace and truth - that they would come alive in their faith and fulfill their original call in the Lord's heart and dream for them. If they have an awakening, they will be a powerful blessing and conduit of the Kingdom of God here on Long Island/NYC.
Alrighty then, Let’s get to it!! Love, grace and blessings on you. Pray Naked. love, t
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Days of Noah ~ Corey Russell
When we first received the invitation to plant a House of Prayer, we received lots of "words" and references to Noah that we had little to no understanding of. I would say that's still the case. However, for what it's worth, it's one the reasons that Patti felt so strongly that we give IHOP-LI the secondary name of "The Ark House of Prayer" - that and because we believed it should be an Ark of Refuge as well as an Ark of His Presence. Corey Russell gives a greater articulation of this though in his article "The Days of Noah"
Days of Noah ~ Corey Russell
Jesus made it clear that “As the Days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37) He told us that in the same way God raised up a preacher to warn the earth for 100 years of a flood that would cover the earth by the building of an ark, so God would raise up a prophetic generation that would prophesy of an outpouring of the Spirit over all the globe and the return of Jesus Christ to the planet.
This is the generation that we believe will witness the greatest revival that the earth has ever witnessed and will also witness the rage of Satan, the sin of man, and the judgments of God. This will all culminate in the literal return of Jesus Christ and His establishment of His kingdom on the earth.
God is raising up and training an army to stand in these days that will come forth with power, authority, and intimacy with God. They will come from every tribe, tongue, and people to call the church and the earth to the knowledge of God. These people will know their God, they will be strong and they do will do great exploits. They will be a people of understanding that feed people on the knowledge and understanding of God Himself. They will feed people on what God is like, how God feels, what we look like to him, and what He is doing in this generation.
It’s with this conviction that my family and I have given our life to prepare ourselves and as many as the Lord will allow us to prepare for this glorious hour of human history. Jesus continued in Matthew 24 by stating that the ark or place of safety for our generation is call to growing and increasing in the spirit of revelation and the spirit of prayer. He commanded us to Watch and Pray! He commanded us to cultivate a watchful heart by the Spirit of Revelation and a faith-filled heart by the Spirit of Prayer.
http://www.coreyrussell.org/?page_id=4
Days of Noah ~ Corey Russell
Jesus made it clear that “As the Days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37) He told us that in the same way God raised up a preacher to warn the earth for 100 years of a flood that would cover the earth by the building of an ark, so God would raise up a prophetic generation that would prophesy of an outpouring of the Spirit over all the globe and the return of Jesus Christ to the planet.
This is the generation that we believe will witness the greatest revival that the earth has ever witnessed and will also witness the rage of Satan, the sin of man, and the judgments of God. This will all culminate in the literal return of Jesus Christ and His establishment of His kingdom on the earth.
God is raising up and training an army to stand in these days that will come forth with power, authority, and intimacy with God. They will come from every tribe, tongue, and people to call the church and the earth to the knowledge of God. These people will know their God, they will be strong and they do will do great exploits. They will be a people of understanding that feed people on the knowledge and understanding of God Himself. They will feed people on what God is like, how God feels, what we look like to him, and what He is doing in this generation.
It’s with this conviction that my family and I have given our life to prepare ourselves and as many as the Lord will allow us to prepare for this glorious hour of human history. Jesus continued in Matthew 24 by stating that the ark or place of safety for our generation is call to growing and increasing in the spirit of revelation and the spirit of prayer. He commanded us to Watch and Pray! He commanded us to cultivate a watchful heart by the Spirit of Revelation and a faith-filled heart by the Spirit of Prayer.
http://www.coreyrussell.org/?page_id=4
Thursday, September 30, 2010
A System of Guilt - John Eldridge
A System Of Guilt - John Eldridge
God speaks to Israel through the prophet Isaiah when she is surrounded by enemies and making every effort to appease them through diplomacy, gifts, treaties, and bribes, and says this to her:
"You went to Molech with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors far away;
you descended to the grave itself!
You were wearied by all your ways,
but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.'
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint" (Isa. 57:9-10).
God calls Israel to repent by admitting her weariness and fainting. Instead, she looks for ways to use her personal assets to redeem herself. Jesus spoke to the people about rest and thirst. The Pharisees demanded that they obey a constantly growing weight of religious laws and traditions, and chastised them for staggering under the load. They led people in the exact opposite direction from where their salvation lay-in admitting their weariness and fainting. As long as they hoped in their self-sufficiency, they would not call out to God and receive forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
So many of our contemporary churches operate on this same system of guilt. When our people are crying out for communion and rest, we ask them to teach another Sunday school class. When they falter under the load, we admonish them with Scriptures on serving others. One wonders what would happen if all activity motivated by this type of guilt were to cease for six months. Much of organized Christianity would collapse even as the Pharisees saw happen to their own religious system. As Jesus talked about thirst and rest, he brought people to the reality of their own heart.
(The Sacred Romance , 169 )
God speaks to Israel through the prophet Isaiah when she is surrounded by enemies and making every effort to appease them through diplomacy, gifts, treaties, and bribes, and says this to her:
"You went to Molech with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors far away;
you descended to the grave itself!
You were wearied by all your ways,
but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.'
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint" (Isa. 57:9-10).
God calls Israel to repent by admitting her weariness and fainting. Instead, she looks for ways to use her personal assets to redeem herself. Jesus spoke to the people about rest and thirst. The Pharisees demanded that they obey a constantly growing weight of religious laws and traditions, and chastised them for staggering under the load. They led people in the exact opposite direction from where their salvation lay-in admitting their weariness and fainting. As long as they hoped in their self-sufficiency, they would not call out to God and receive forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
So many of our contemporary churches operate on this same system of guilt. When our people are crying out for communion and rest, we ask them to teach another Sunday school class. When they falter under the load, we admonish them with Scriptures on serving others. One wonders what would happen if all activity motivated by this type of guilt were to cease for six months. Much of organized Christianity would collapse even as the Pharisees saw happen to their own religious system. As Jesus talked about thirst and rest, he brought people to the reality of their own heart.
(The Sacred Romance , 169 )
Effective Pre-election Prayer by Pastor David Harwood
Hello friends,
Here's a tender admonition from Pastor David Harwood on having a right posture before the Lord as we come to pray for the elections (and really at all times). I found this article to be so well written and theologically on target that I believe it should be mandatory reading for all of us as Papa's Children. Strong statement I know - but it's true. Of course, I am biased because it touches the roar in my heart for the priesthood of all believers to step into their identity and then, as we engage in that calling, for all of us to speak according to Our Father's Identity.
The article is really all about love and I want to steal a moment to update you on where we are at the House of Prayer so you will read this article with a clearer understanding of why I am endorsing it. (Not that my endorsement means anything, but I'm endorsing it none-the-less.)
At the House, we have been regularly praying that our leaders would know love. It is an overwhelming engagement of the heart and I can't shake it. In particular, we have been praying that our leaders would be surrounded by people who love them and are communicating love in every way. Most importantly, we are praying that they feel loved. I believe with all my heart that you think differently, speak differently and feel differently when you are deeply loved and you know it in your inner man. When you can't feel love, very little can contend with the emotional insecurity you are grappling with.
When President Obama, as a human being, is under a constant barrage of anger and criticism.... how much love do you suppose he feels? If he doesn't feel loved, how will his decisions reflect or model the God who IS love? So, we have been praying, "Love over you President Obama. We love you and honor you and we pray that there would be people all day long that tell you they love you and that help you feel loved." We're doing the same thing over The White House, his family, The Senate, The Supreme Court, etc.(As an FYI, we pray the same thing over YOU, Long Island, NYC, the State, The Nation, Israel and the Church)
At this last Tuesday's meeting, I shared that I was praying the evening before for the Holy Spirit to come pull us into more depth of encounter in our prayer meetings. I pointed out that in the middle of the night prior, I found myself (in my sleep) praying blessings over someone that I love dearly and have great brokenness in my heart over. I woke up doing that and then fell asleep and then woke up to an awareness that the Lord wanted to speak to me about that prayer time. He was letting me know with impressions, rather than words, that He was orchestrating the prayer I had prayed and that He was holding back the deeper encounter I had asked for regarding HIS depth of encounter at the House for Love's sake. I believe He wants us to understand the power of our love, our forgiveness and our tender prayers and words. He wants us to mature in them first before we pray for "power encounters". Not because one comes before the other but because one facilitates the values of His heart more than the other.
As I understand the impressions He left, if we are to respectfully honor the fire of His Presence we need to know that soft words over people's lives, meek and tender hearts, quick forgiveness and blessings are the only things that can live well in the environment of His "fire". We were cautioned to expose our hearts to the Lord's heart and light exhaustively in order to facilitate healing so we would not stumble with angry, critical or careless words regarding our brothers and sisters (i.e., humanity) or harbor cutting thoughts in our hearts that can often manifest in our attitudes toward others, regardless of how sweet our words may sound. If you don't want to be near someone, anyone, that's a pretty clear indicator that something needs to be resolved regardless of how your words come out (or don't but are still felt). Can you think of anyone's company that you are avoiding? That's the person the Lord will start with in your prayer life and the one that He will gladly walk through fire with you for .... so that you are reconciled in love.
People that are in a position of leadership are in extra need of this TLC - especially because they often are known of .....but not "known" with a commitment from others to be loved and I mean loved no matter how badly they screw up. It's so easy for us to criticize someone we don't know or love or commit to love... and that's the problem. However, the problem points to the solution... we grow in our Love as we hold them before the One who IS Love and we ask Him how we can pray for them. As soon as we enter His love and begin to pray, they are no longer a stranger and we care deeply about the outcome. That is at least one reason why Jesus admonished us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us... because once we do, they are no longer our enemies!
Anyway, we were gently warned that His desire is that we:
I could go on....
My point is that LOVE is very much at the forefront of Jesus' thoughts at all times and it is definitely on His lips in this hour. May it be on our hearts and lips as well. I care deeply about Father's dreams over all of you and I care about your true effectiveness in the arena of prayer.
Prayers in Love and true conflict resolution really are vital issues for our generation to grapple with and then teach. I honestly know the challenge that it can be to be sure to bring the pain you carry before the Lord in order to pray for those who you have hurt or been hurt by. I know it is not an easy process to sit before the Lord and let Him speak into your heart - often uprooting your perceived "rights to be right". I also know that it is the only way forward in following Jesus and there is no better answer to our pain. It is also the only way to be effective in prayer.
Thank you so much, David...You ROCK!!! love, t
Effective Pre-Election Prayer by Pastor David Harwood
Called to Pray:
and from Jesus (the Messiah) the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father… (Revelation 1:5-6a)
In Revelation 1:5 the Messiah Jesus is identified according to His authority. He is the faithful, resurrected witness, the ruler of the governments of this world. This glorious king is also a priest, our “great priest.” (Hebrews 10:21) According to His inherent power and authority, He has made us to be a kingdom of priests. (Revelation 1:6)
Apparently, the believing community has forgotten this primary calling. Generally speaking it is not considered a good thing if someone wakes up and cannot remember where they work or what they do. It is important for every believer to recover and live in this aspect of our identities. We really are priests. (1 Peter 2:5,9)
The Spirit of God, through the Scriptures, shows us our identity and reveals the nature of our Creator. As spiritual priests we know, and freshly discover, Who we worship through the Scriptures. Let us know and rediscover our intercessory priestly priorities as well. For direction in prayer, the first place we go to receive our assignments are the Scriptures. Since we are submitted to God through His Scriptures, let us be attentive to enscriptured apostolic guidance.
Paul gives a doxology in 1 Timothy 1:17 - To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
In the light of the reality that the Messiah Jesus is king, (five verses later) Paul prioritized prayer for governments. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
We are called to pray for the social and economic climate in which we find ourselves. We are called to pray for the structure of civil society to be amenable to the manifestation of the Kingdom of God through the church. To pray for the Kingdom’s purposes to advance in our nation we must identify with the King’s heart for those who govern. First, we must renounce wrath, rebellion and resentment.
Renounce Wrath, Rebellion and Resentment:
Here’s a principle offered by an apostle: Peter wrote that husbands must live “in an understanding way” with their wives “so that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7b) There is an analogy to be made concerning prayer for our government. We must make sure that our hearts are right with God before we can expect to be heard.
To wisely pray we must have hearts that are free from wrath and rebellion.
Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. (1 Timothy 2:8)
“Wrath” in this context has to do with being angry at the repressive Roman regime. The dissension spoken of in this verse is not referring to rebellion within the church. It is speaking directly to the priestly call to pray for those who ruled a godless, amoral, idolatrous, tyrannical empire. This follows the instruction of the Messiah Jesus. He told us that if we are to effectively pray we must have hearts that are free from resentment.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)
Anger, rebellion and rancor pollute the streams of our relationship with God and revelation from God. Let us rid ourselves of the deception that we will be enabled to maintain holy intercessory interaction while ignoring this important injunction.
Honoring God’s Heart:
We must diligently watch over our hearts.
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Many who read this may view President Obama and this administration as adversaries of important godly priorities. I am not contending with that perspective. However, let me ask us a question - what is it about loving our adversaries that we don’t understand? Jesus shed His blood for those who were adverse to God’s righteousness. He loved His enemies. He died for sinners. He expects us to reflect this love, even in the light of serious political oppression.
The degree of despotism experienced by Israel under Roman occupation and what we are enduring in our nation is not worthy of comparison. Yet, Jesus said this, “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:41) What a test this verse provides for many of us in this current political climate. Look at this section of Scripture that follows:
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)
How serious is the oppression we are enduring? In comparison to what believers suffer throughout the world, we are not suffering. If we cannot walk in love during this season, how can we hope to do so in a time of serious tribulation?
Here’s something else to consider for those seeking to fulfill their role as priests: Can we come before God, through the blood of Jesus with an attitude which is antithetical to the motive which caused this blood to be offered? Dare we come with a different spirit? His blood speaks love and cries out for forgiveness. If we are to effectively pray for our nation’s leaders we must have a similar spirit.
To pray effectively there must be a thorough, heartfelt, renunciation of anger and rebellion. To be heard in heaven, we must honor the heart of God by embracing His love for His enemies.
During this time before the elections, let us consider our ways, return to the Lord and pray that righteousness would be exalted.
Effective Pre-Election Prayer
http://voiceofrevolution.askdrbrown.org/2010/09/10/effective-pre-election-prayer/
Here's a tender admonition from Pastor David Harwood on having a right posture before the Lord as we come to pray for the elections (and really at all times). I found this article to be so well written and theologically on target that I believe it should be mandatory reading for all of us as Papa's Children. Strong statement I know - but it's true. Of course, I am biased because it touches the roar in my heart for the priesthood of all believers to step into their identity and then, as we engage in that calling, for all of us to speak according to Our Father's Identity.
The article is really all about love and I want to steal a moment to update you on where we are at the House of Prayer so you will read this article with a clearer understanding of why I am endorsing it. (Not that my endorsement means anything, but I'm endorsing it none-the-less.)
At the House, we have been regularly praying that our leaders would know love. It is an overwhelming engagement of the heart and I can't shake it. In particular, we have been praying that our leaders would be surrounded by people who love them and are communicating love in every way. Most importantly, we are praying that they feel loved. I believe with all my heart that you think differently, speak differently and feel differently when you are deeply loved and you know it in your inner man. When you can't feel love, very little can contend with the emotional insecurity you are grappling with.
When President Obama, as a human being, is under a constant barrage of anger and criticism.... how much love do you suppose he feels? If he doesn't feel loved, how will his decisions reflect or model the God who IS love? So, we have been praying, "Love over you President Obama. We love you and honor you and we pray that there would be people all day long that tell you they love you and that help you feel loved." We're doing the same thing over The White House, his family, The Senate, The Supreme Court, etc.(As an FYI, we pray the same thing over YOU, Long Island, NYC, the State, The Nation, Israel and the Church)
At this last Tuesday's meeting, I shared that I was praying the evening before for the Holy Spirit to come pull us into more depth of encounter in our prayer meetings. I pointed out that in the middle of the night prior, I found myself (in my sleep) praying blessings over someone that I love dearly and have great brokenness in my heart over. I woke up doing that and then fell asleep and then woke up to an awareness that the Lord wanted to speak to me about that prayer time. He was letting me know with impressions, rather than words, that He was orchestrating the prayer I had prayed and that He was holding back the deeper encounter I had asked for regarding HIS depth of encounter at the House for Love's sake. I believe He wants us to understand the power of our love, our forgiveness and our tender prayers and words. He wants us to mature in them first before we pray for "power encounters". Not because one comes before the other but because one facilitates the values of His heart more than the other.
As I understand the impressions He left, if we are to respectfully honor the fire of His Presence we need to know that soft words over people's lives, meek and tender hearts, quick forgiveness and blessings are the only things that can live well in the environment of His "fire". We were cautioned to expose our hearts to the Lord's heart and light exhaustively in order to facilitate healing so we would not stumble with angry, critical or careless words regarding our brothers and sisters (i.e., humanity) or harbor cutting thoughts in our hearts that can often manifest in our attitudes toward others, regardless of how sweet our words may sound. If you don't want to be near someone, anyone, that's a pretty clear indicator that something needs to be resolved regardless of how your words come out (or don't but are still felt). Can you think of anyone's company that you are avoiding? That's the person the Lord will start with in your prayer life and the one that He will gladly walk through fire with you for .... so that you are reconciled in love.
People that are in a position of leadership are in extra need of this TLC - especially because they often are known of .....but not "known" with a commitment from others to be loved and I mean loved no matter how badly they screw up. It's so easy for us to criticize someone we don't know or love or commit to love... and that's the problem. However, the problem points to the solution... we grow in our Love as we hold them before the One who IS Love and we ask Him how we can pray for them. As soon as we enter His love and begin to pray, they are no longer a stranger and we care deeply about the outcome. That is at least one reason why Jesus admonished us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us... because once we do, they are no longer our enemies!
Anyway, we were gently warned that His desire is that we:
- diligently guard our hearts in and with love
- reconcile quickly
- not refer to people or churches or leaders with sharp tongues or critical hearts
- know that it will hurt us as much as it would hurt those we spoke about and it certainly would not serve to communicate the love we profess and believe in.
I could go on....
My point is that LOVE is very much at the forefront of Jesus' thoughts at all times and it is definitely on His lips in this hour. May it be on our hearts and lips as well. I care deeply about Father's dreams over all of you and I care about your true effectiveness in the arena of prayer.
Prayers in Love and true conflict resolution really are vital issues for our generation to grapple with and then teach. I honestly know the challenge that it can be to be sure to bring the pain you carry before the Lord in order to pray for those who you have hurt or been hurt by. I know it is not an easy process to sit before the Lord and let Him speak into your heart - often uprooting your perceived "rights to be right". I also know that it is the only way forward in following Jesus and there is no better answer to our pain. It is also the only way to be effective in prayer.
Thank you so much, David...You ROCK!!! love, t
Effective Pre-Election Prayer by Pastor David Harwood
Called to Pray:
and from Jesus (the Messiah) the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father… (Revelation 1:5-6a)
In Revelation 1:5 the Messiah Jesus is identified according to His authority. He is the faithful, resurrected witness, the ruler of the governments of this world. This glorious king is also a priest, our “great priest.” (Hebrews 10:21) According to His inherent power and authority, He has made us to be a kingdom of priests. (Revelation 1:6)
Apparently, the believing community has forgotten this primary calling. Generally speaking it is not considered a good thing if someone wakes up and cannot remember where they work or what they do. It is important for every believer to recover and live in this aspect of our identities. We really are priests. (1 Peter 2:5,9)
The Spirit of God, through the Scriptures, shows us our identity and reveals the nature of our Creator. As spiritual priests we know, and freshly discover, Who we worship through the Scriptures. Let us know and rediscover our intercessory priestly priorities as well. For direction in prayer, the first place we go to receive our assignments are the Scriptures. Since we are submitted to God through His Scriptures, let us be attentive to enscriptured apostolic guidance.
Paul gives a doxology in 1 Timothy 1:17 - To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
In the light of the reality that the Messiah Jesus is king, (five verses later) Paul prioritized prayer for governments. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
We are called to pray for the social and economic climate in which we find ourselves. We are called to pray for the structure of civil society to be amenable to the manifestation of the Kingdom of God through the church. To pray for the Kingdom’s purposes to advance in our nation we must identify with the King’s heart for those who govern. First, we must renounce wrath, rebellion and resentment.
Renounce Wrath, Rebellion and Resentment:
Here’s a principle offered by an apostle: Peter wrote that husbands must live “in an understanding way” with their wives “so that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7b) There is an analogy to be made concerning prayer for our government. We must make sure that our hearts are right with God before we can expect to be heard.
To wisely pray we must have hearts that are free from wrath and rebellion.
Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. (1 Timothy 2:8)
“Wrath” in this context has to do with being angry at the repressive Roman regime. The dissension spoken of in this verse is not referring to rebellion within the church. It is speaking directly to the priestly call to pray for those who ruled a godless, amoral, idolatrous, tyrannical empire. This follows the instruction of the Messiah Jesus. He told us that if we are to effectively pray we must have hearts that are free from resentment.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)
Anger, rebellion and rancor pollute the streams of our relationship with God and revelation from God. Let us rid ourselves of the deception that we will be enabled to maintain holy intercessory interaction while ignoring this important injunction.
Honoring God’s Heart:
We must diligently watch over our hearts.
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Many who read this may view President Obama and this administration as adversaries of important godly priorities. I am not contending with that perspective. However, let me ask us a question - what is it about loving our adversaries that we don’t understand? Jesus shed His blood for those who were adverse to God’s righteousness. He loved His enemies. He died for sinners. He expects us to reflect this love, even in the light of serious political oppression.
The degree of despotism experienced by Israel under Roman occupation and what we are enduring in our nation is not worthy of comparison. Yet, Jesus said this, “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:41) What a test this verse provides for many of us in this current political climate. Look at this section of Scripture that follows:
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)
How serious is the oppression we are enduring? In comparison to what believers suffer throughout the world, we are not suffering. If we cannot walk in love during this season, how can we hope to do so in a time of serious tribulation?
Here’s something else to consider for those seeking to fulfill their role as priests: Can we come before God, through the blood of Jesus with an attitude which is antithetical to the motive which caused this blood to be offered? Dare we come with a different spirit? His blood speaks love and cries out for forgiveness. If we are to effectively pray for our nation’s leaders we must have a similar spirit.
To pray effectively there must be a thorough, heartfelt, renunciation of anger and rebellion. To be heard in heaven, we must honor the heart of God by embracing His love for His enemies.
During this time before the elections, let us consider our ways, return to the Lord and pray that righteousness would be exalted.
Effective Pre-Election Prayer
http://voiceofrevolution.askdrbrown.org/2010/09/10/effective-pre-election-prayer/
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