Day 6 and 7 22/02/2012
Day 6 was Monday and is our day off but things happen anyway. We went to Costco with our daughter and her husband to pick up a few things. At the checkout Bonnie asked the cashier if she was well or had any pain in her body. She said she did have pain in her abdomen which the doctors thought could be appendicitis but were unsure. Bonnie asked her if she could pray for her and she said, 'yes'. After Bonnie prayed she asked the young lady how she was. 'Better,' she said. 'Well, what is the pain level at now?' asked Bonnie. She said on a scale of 1 - 10 she was at a 2. So Bonnie prayed again and she said the pain was gone. She was quite stunned and said she would be going to church on Wednesday.
Day 7 was different. We felt like all hell was coming against us. The local neighbourhood watch newsletter had an article encouraging people to watch out for faith healers, etc,.. It was like something leapt on us and we were so irritable. We went to the church office but everything was wrong. At that point we decided to go back to the city centre. As soon as we got there the irritably started to lift and we prayed for the rest to go, which it did. As we were going to the post office to mail yet another letter there was a young man walking with two crutches. I asked him what was wrong with his knee. He told us it was his hips actually and then explained that he had an inoperable brain tumor, had had many operations, and treatment with radiation therapy that had shrunk it. He would stop periodically to catch his breath. I asked him about prayer. This did not make him happy. He said a woman had stopped him on the high street, told him that if she prayed Jesus would take away the pain, which made him very angry. He said if that was so why hadn't Jesus taken it before now. He was angry about religion and not open to it at all. I was at a loss of what to say. I patted him on the shoulder, said we were for him and left him to get on with his business.
Bonnie and I had been reading in John where Jesus went to the pool of Siloam where the people waited for the angels' to stir the waters for healing. He asked the man: "Do you want to get well?" I think that is an important revelation. Do all people want to get well? Or has it become part of their identity to be ill? Or are they mad at God because of this affliction and all the suffering? All we can do is pray that God would reveal His love and mercy to this young man. I don''t know if I would be any different if it was me in his situation.
Day 7 was different. We felt like all hell was coming against us. The local neighbourhood watch newsletter had an article encouraging people to watch out for faith healers, etc,.. It was like something leapt on us and we were so irritable. We went to the church office but everything was wrong. At that point we decided to go back to the city centre. As soon as we got there the irritably started to lift and we prayed for the rest to go, which it did. As we were going to the post office to mail yet another letter there was a young man walking with two crutches. I asked him what was wrong with his knee. He told us it was his hips actually and then explained that he had an inoperable brain tumor, had had many operations, and treatment with radiation therapy that had shrunk it. He would stop periodically to catch his breath. I asked him about prayer. This did not make him happy. He said a woman had stopped him on the high street, told him that if she prayed Jesus would take away the pain, which made him very angry. He said if that was so why hadn't Jesus taken it before now. He was angry about religion and not open to it at all. I was at a loss of what to say. I patted him on the shoulder, said we were for him and left him to get on with his business.
Bonnie and I had been reading in John where Jesus went to the pool of Siloam where the people waited for the angels' to stir the waters for healing. He asked the man: "Do you want to get well?" I think that is an important revelation. Do all people want to get well? Or has it become part of their identity to be ill? Or are they mad at God because of this affliction and all the suffering? All we can do is pray that God would reveal His love and mercy to this young man. I don''t know if I would be any different if it was me in his situation.
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Day 5 18/02/2012
Bonnie and I spent a couple of hours on the High Street today. The man in the post office was perfectly healthy without any aches or pains. Then I talked to a woman working McDonalds whom I noticed on Thursday but didn't get a chance to talk to her. I felt the Lord had said she had a servant's heart and that He was well pleased with her. She said, 'ok, I'll take that.' and walked off. Hm! We then talked to some more healthy people in Poundland, Starbucks and Tesco's. As we were about to leave Tesco I saw some croissants for sale and dragged Bonnie back to them. We decided they would be a nice treat for our kids who are coming up this week. We stood in the queue for under 10 items and a women joined us with a bottle in her arms. I used it as a point of conversation and she started pouring out her life to us. Bonnie told me to pay as she kept conversing with her. She then said a short prayer with her before we had to move on. Funny, she too is totally healthy and well physically.
Truly Knowing God’s Grace (Pt.7) 18/02/2012
Colossians 1:10 - 12 “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”
When you lead a life that is pleasing and worthy of the Lord there are four outcomes that Colossians 1:10-12 states will be displayed in your life. The final outworking of the Spirit that Colossians speaks of is joyfully giving thanks. To me this is interesting because saying thank you and saying it from a heart of gratitude are very different.
You can see this truth in children and hear it in their tone of voice. Thankfulness comes from a heart of gratitude. Give a gift to a child that doesn’t have much and you will hear gratitude. On the other hand give a gift to one that has everything and you may get a “gee, thanks”
An attitude of gratitude needs to be cultivated in our lives. I Thessalonians 5: 16 and 17 says, “Be joyful always: pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. This is an interesting statement. It’s not saying, “If you feel like it be joyful”. It says be joyful always! That means we have a choice. I know this is true in my life. There are days when I don’t feel much joy and I have to make a decision. Am I going to let self-pity lure me into “feeling” depressed or am I going to choose life and be joyful?
The way to be joyful is to give thanks. We have SO much to be thankful for. When we do that we are saying, “God, you are bigger than my problems and you are in control. Your love never fails and so I give you thanks.”
Thanksgiving coming from a joyful heart does please the Lord in every way. Do a check up from the neck up and if you have forgotten to give thanks say, “Sorry Lord, please forgive me”. Then give thanks because He is a loving God, gracious and compassionate. He has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints. For that we are very grateful and so we give thanks!
When you lead a life that is pleasing and worthy of the Lord there are four outcomes that Colossians 1:10-12 states will be displayed in your life. The final outworking of the Spirit that Colossians speaks of is joyfully giving thanks. To me this is interesting because saying thank you and saying it from a heart of gratitude are very different.
You can see this truth in children and hear it in their tone of voice. Thankfulness comes from a heart of gratitude. Give a gift to a child that doesn’t have much and you will hear gratitude. On the other hand give a gift to one that has everything and you may get a “gee, thanks”
An attitude of gratitude needs to be cultivated in our lives. I Thessalonians 5: 16 and 17 says, “Be joyful always: pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. This is an interesting statement. It’s not saying, “If you feel like it be joyful”. It says be joyful always! That means we have a choice. I know this is true in my life. There are days when I don’t feel much joy and I have to make a decision. Am I going to let self-pity lure me into “feeling” depressed or am I going to choose life and be joyful?
The way to be joyful is to give thanks. We have SO much to be thankful for. When we do that we are saying, “God, you are bigger than my problems and you are in control. Your love never fails and so I give you thanks.”
Thanksgiving coming from a joyful heart does please the Lord in every way. Do a check up from the neck up and if you have forgotten to give thanks say, “Sorry Lord, please forgive me”. Then give thanks because He is a loving God, gracious and compassionate. He has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints. For that we are very grateful and so we give thanks!
On the Streets: Day 3 and 4 17/02/2012
Day 3 was very different than the previous two days. I met a fellow pastor who loves to do street evangelism at the Mc Donalds while Bonnie and Marg went off on their own. While I was waiting for my friend to appear, I ended up talking to a lady who works in the restaurant. She actually initiated the conversation with me as I guess I looked a wee bit lost. Turns out she has arthritis in her right ankle. I prayed for her and she said the pain was better but not gone. I prayed once more and she said it was going but had to work. I then met my friend and we went out on the street where he mounted a Jesus sign on a straw. The sign is small, made of laminated paper and is light. The reason for this is so your arm doesn't get sore holding up a great big sign. Makes sense!
In the meantime Bonnie and Marg went into the Body Shop where they encountered a young lady who had very sore ab muscles from Zumba dancing. They prayed for her and the pain left immediately. She was quite shocked. They then prayed for a lady with polio who welled up with tears which we take as an indication that the Spirit of God touched her. From there they prayed with a young mother who had been traumitized through an emergency caesarian to deliver her baby. She was not interested in ever having any more children.
My friend and I continued to walk down the High Street passing out tracts, getting some odd comments, the occasional shouting out of "Jesus", and some folk who knew my friend stopping for a quick conversation. He has a definite gift in evangelism and something unique about the way people respond to him. He would simply say, 'God loves you, sister or brother!' and hand them a tract. For me it just didn't roll off my lips the same way. But a young woman hobbled across my path to one of the benches along the street. I asked what the problem was and she said it was her hip. She was in so much pain she couldn't walk. I asked her if I could pray for healing. She responded that she had prayed but nothing had changed. I said it wouldn't hurt to try again. With that I prayed while her girl friends teethered next to me. I asked her to move her leg and she had such a look of surprise on her face. She said it feels better. Then she looked at her friends and said, 'no, really it does! I'm not kidding!'
I asked her if there was still some pain and she said there was. So we prayed again and she said it was better but still a bit of pain remained. At this point my friend asked to check her leg length and I explained to her why he prayed for them to be the same length. Before he finished I turned and started talking to her friends. They were quite shocked when she walked up texting on her phone and off they went.
Day 4 did not happen. I taught on the Father's Love last night and prayed a father's blessing on 9 of those attending the meeting. It was very good but very draining. When I got up today, I was wiped physically and later had prayer for my relationship to the Father. Wisdom seemed to be to rest and not hit the streets weakened. By the way the Father's Love for next Thursday is postponed until March 8. We are having a prayer meeting for the healing conference instead. Church, please come and pray! God's doing great things.
Late breaking news! Margaret went into the Tesco to buy some groceries on the way home from Walsall. The cashier had back pain, Margaret prayed and the pain went. God is on the move. Yahoo!
In the meantime Bonnie and Marg went into the Body Shop where they encountered a young lady who had very sore ab muscles from Zumba dancing. They prayed for her and the pain left immediately. She was quite shocked. They then prayed for a lady with polio who welled up with tears which we take as an indication that the Spirit of God touched her. From there they prayed with a young mother who had been traumitized through an emergency caesarian to deliver her baby. She was not interested in ever having any more children.
My friend and I continued to walk down the High Street passing out tracts, getting some odd comments, the occasional shouting out of "Jesus", and some folk who knew my friend stopping for a quick conversation. He has a definite gift in evangelism and something unique about the way people respond to him. He would simply say, 'God loves you, sister or brother!' and hand them a tract. For me it just didn't roll off my lips the same way. But a young woman hobbled across my path to one of the benches along the street. I asked what the problem was and she said it was her hip. She was in so much pain she couldn't walk. I asked her if I could pray for healing. She responded that she had prayed but nothing had changed. I said it wouldn't hurt to try again. With that I prayed while her girl friends teethered next to me. I asked her to move her leg and she had such a look of surprise on her face. She said it feels better. Then she looked at her friends and said, 'no, really it does! I'm not kidding!'
I asked her if there was still some pain and she said there was. So we prayed again and she said it was better but still a bit of pain remained. At this point my friend asked to check her leg length and I explained to her why he prayed for them to be the same length. Before he finished I turned and started talking to her friends. They were quite shocked when she walked up texting on her phone and off they went.
Day 4 did not happen. I taught on the Father's Love last night and prayed a father's blessing on 9 of those attending the meeting. It was very good but very draining. When I got up today, I was wiped physically and later had prayer for my relationship to the Father. Wisdom seemed to be to rest and not hit the streets weakened. By the way the Father's Love for next Thursday is postponed until March 8. We are having a prayer meeting for the healing conference instead. Church, please come and pray! God's doing great things.
Late breaking news! Margaret went into the Tesco to buy some groceries on the way home from Walsall. The cashier had back pain, Margaret prayed and the pain went. God is on the move. Yahoo!
On the Streets! Day One and Two! 16/02/2012
I know you are all dying to hear how our ministry on the streets is going. (If you don't know, we(JIm) announced that Bonnie and I were going to go down daily to the Walsall High Street and look for opportunities to pray in preparation for the upcoming conference.) We took Monday off as the Lord has been really on our case about taking a day of rest.
So, day one was Tuesday, which was quite bitter due to the wind. Our first place was the HSBC bank. I have been processing how to do this whole thing so that anyone can do it. My first decision is it should be in the midst of doing normal daily things. We needed to make a deposit and to get some info for the church so it seemed like a good place to start. We engaged the young teller in some conversation about Valentine's Day but couldn't find a link to healing with him. Then I talked to another bank employee about some forms. While she completed that she asked me where I was from. We had a good conversation but didn't turn it into healing. Now you have to remember that we are looking for opportunities to pray for healing! That changes the dynamic for me in regard to conversations. I can talk to most anyone, it's this praying thing that is more awkward and threatening. (You know, 'what will they think of me?' 'What if nothing happens?' And I'm an experienced pastor!) The thing to do is 'doubt our doubts'. Turn them around and say, 'yeah, but what if they are healed?' or 'what if they really like me because of it?' Bonnie talked to a mother and her two daughters, found out a great deal about them but didn't get an opportunity to pray for anything.
We, then, walked down the High Street. There was a woman hunkered over with two crutches leaning against a store front. Bonnie asked her if she was in pain. She said she was, in her back due to osteoarthritis. Bonnie asked if we could pray for her and she said 'ok'. After a quick prayer Bonnie asked her how she felt. 'Good' was her response. Bonnie asked if she had any pain and she said 'no'. As we talked to her she literally straightened up before us. It was cool. But she did make it clear that she had a stroke 18 years ago and that wasn't going to change.
We went on from there and engaged in some more conversations but did not get another opportunity for prayer. When we got home, Bonnie was expressing her disappointment with our results. I told her that we had talked to 5 people and prayed for 1 who got relief from her pain. That's 20%! I think we build it up so much that we expect everyone should have a divine encounter which isn't even really biblical. I know people quote that Jesus healed them all but the situation in Nazareth indicated that their unbelief kept Him limited to a few miracles. The crippled man at the Gate Beautiful that received the miracle through the hands of Peter and John was 38 and sat there everyday begging. What happened? Did Jesus never enter the temple through that gate or did He miss the occasional person?
Day Two!
Still with me? You probably noticed that Bonnie was the initiator with the lady with two crutches. The Lord conspired that today was my day. We had a friend drop in who wanted to go with me on to the streets and Bonnie had to drive a family to the airport.
My friend and I went to the city centre and followed the pattern of doing natural daily activities. We went to the post office to post a letter to Canada. Whilst at the counter I talked to the lady serving me. She was the picture of complete health. Nothing wrong, no pain, completely well! I got into some banter with the gal working next to her as well. Then her stamping machine jammed, so she passed me to the next fellow who finished up the posting. He told me she was grumpy because she didn't get anything for Valentines. At the end of it I had 3 of the attendants and the supervisor involved in banter but no healing opportunity. As we left the post office we passed an elderly lady with a cane but I didn't feel at all inspired to talk to her. (I mentioned to my friend, 'what's the point? she's old, could die tomorrow!') Then we went to the bank to turn in the form I got the day before. The two employees that greeted us were hale and hearty. Not a problem, two thumbs up! Ok, we went on to the pedestrian area of the High Street. We passed a different elderly lady with a cane and I felt that I needed to talk to her. I went back to her and asked her, 'how she was?' She told me that the cane was for osteoarthritis in her lower back but that she had a large growth in her abdomen. While I managed to get her talking and then couldn't get her to stop. Finally after finding out that she was 91, I managed to pray for her and she was off before I could ask if she noticed any difference.
We went from there to Starbucks as you do in a normal day. Again I got the staff in conversation but it is very hard to engage people who are busy making coffee in prayer. (Add that to your list of what to do and not do in praying on the streets!) My friend ended up sharing with a lady that she had a gift of friendship and the Lord was blessed with her faithfulness. He prayed a blessing upon her and scurried back to join me. I then got into a conversation with a young man working on a computer. We talked about Apples, his work and finally asked him if he was in pain from his work. He's a fitness instructor and in perfect health.
When we left, we discussed our time and what we learned. My friend said he thought he was so nervous that he rushed everything instead of engaging in more genuine conversation. I felt that I missed the opportunity when the young man expressed that the Midlands had the most obese people in the UK and he was on a mission to change that. I should have asked him why? What's inspired the mission?
I think that part of becoming effective in this has to do with a bigger canvas than just healing. It probably for me has to do more with genuine interest in people. They are God's children and he's interested in everything they do as I am with my children. I think if I am going to show God's power I need to show God's love and care for them.
So, day one was Tuesday, which was quite bitter due to the wind. Our first place was the HSBC bank. I have been processing how to do this whole thing so that anyone can do it. My first decision is it should be in the midst of doing normal daily things. We needed to make a deposit and to get some info for the church so it seemed like a good place to start. We engaged the young teller in some conversation about Valentine's Day but couldn't find a link to healing with him. Then I talked to another bank employee about some forms. While she completed that she asked me where I was from. We had a good conversation but didn't turn it into healing. Now you have to remember that we are looking for opportunities to pray for healing! That changes the dynamic for me in regard to conversations. I can talk to most anyone, it's this praying thing that is more awkward and threatening. (You know, 'what will they think of me?' 'What if nothing happens?' And I'm an experienced pastor!) The thing to do is 'doubt our doubts'. Turn them around and say, 'yeah, but what if they are healed?' or 'what if they really like me because of it?' Bonnie talked to a mother and her two daughters, found out a great deal about them but didn't get an opportunity to pray for anything.
We, then, walked down the High Street. There was a woman hunkered over with two crutches leaning against a store front. Bonnie asked her if she was in pain. She said she was, in her back due to osteoarthritis. Bonnie asked if we could pray for her and she said 'ok'. After a quick prayer Bonnie asked her how she felt. 'Good' was her response. Bonnie asked if she had any pain and she said 'no'. As we talked to her she literally straightened up before us. It was cool. But she did make it clear that she had a stroke 18 years ago and that wasn't going to change.
We went on from there and engaged in some more conversations but did not get another opportunity for prayer. When we got home, Bonnie was expressing her disappointment with our results. I told her that we had talked to 5 people and prayed for 1 who got relief from her pain. That's 20%! I think we build it up so much that we expect everyone should have a divine encounter which isn't even really biblical. I know people quote that Jesus healed them all but the situation in Nazareth indicated that their unbelief kept Him limited to a few miracles. The crippled man at the Gate Beautiful that received the miracle through the hands of Peter and John was 38 and sat there everyday begging. What happened? Did Jesus never enter the temple through that gate or did He miss the occasional person?
Day Two!
Still with me? You probably noticed that Bonnie was the initiator with the lady with two crutches. The Lord conspired that today was my day. We had a friend drop in who wanted to go with me on to the streets and Bonnie had to drive a family to the airport.
My friend and I went to the city centre and followed the pattern of doing natural daily activities. We went to the post office to post a letter to Canada. Whilst at the counter I talked to the lady serving me. She was the picture of complete health. Nothing wrong, no pain, completely well! I got into some banter with the gal working next to her as well. Then her stamping machine jammed, so she passed me to the next fellow who finished up the posting. He told me she was grumpy because she didn't get anything for Valentines. At the end of it I had 3 of the attendants and the supervisor involved in banter but no healing opportunity. As we left the post office we passed an elderly lady with a cane but I didn't feel at all inspired to talk to her. (I mentioned to my friend, 'what's the point? she's old, could die tomorrow!') Then we went to the bank to turn in the form I got the day before. The two employees that greeted us were hale and hearty. Not a problem, two thumbs up! Ok, we went on to the pedestrian area of the High Street. We passed a different elderly lady with a cane and I felt that I needed to talk to her. I went back to her and asked her, 'how she was?' She told me that the cane was for osteoarthritis in her lower back but that she had a large growth in her abdomen. While I managed to get her talking and then couldn't get her to stop. Finally after finding out that she was 91, I managed to pray for her and she was off before I could ask if she noticed any difference.
We went from there to Starbucks as you do in a normal day. Again I got the staff in conversation but it is very hard to engage people who are busy making coffee in prayer. (Add that to your list of what to do and not do in praying on the streets!) My friend ended up sharing with a lady that she had a gift of friendship and the Lord was blessed with her faithfulness. He prayed a blessing upon her and scurried back to join me. I then got into a conversation with a young man working on a computer. We talked about Apples, his work and finally asked him if he was in pain from his work. He's a fitness instructor and in perfect health.
When we left, we discussed our time and what we learned. My friend said he thought he was so nervous that he rushed everything instead of engaging in more genuine conversation. I felt that I missed the opportunity when the young man expressed that the Midlands had the most obese people in the UK and he was on a mission to change that. I should have asked him why? What's inspired the mission?
I think that part of becoming effective in this has to do with a bigger canvas than just healing. It probably for me has to do more with genuine interest in people. They are God's children and he's interested in everything they do as I am with my children. I think if I am going to show God's power I need to show God's love and care for them.
Truly Knowing God’s Grace (Pt.6) 10/02/2012
Colossians 1:10 - 12 “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”
When you lead a life that is pleasing and worthy of the Lord there are four outcomes that Colossians 1:10-12 states will be displayed in your life.
Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience is the third effect of asking God for spiritual wisdom and understanding.
We need to be strengthened by the Spirit of God on a regular basis. Ephesians 5 says, ‘Be filled with the Spirit’. What the verb tense is really saying is, ‘keep being filled with the Spirit’. Jesus told the disciples to wait for the gift the Father would send and that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. How encouraging! Who doesn’t need the power of God being activated in our lives?
But there is also a purpose in receiving strength. Through it we will be able to endure and be patient. I personally do not enjoy either of these words, patience and endurance. We live in an instant society where patience is not seen as a virtue. We do not like waiting for anything. However, this is not the way of the Spirit.
James 1 says that we will have trials of many kinds and that they will test our faith. This testing develops patience or perseverance. It goes on to say that this patience is working in us to make us mature and complete, lacking nothing.
The picture that I see in this process is one of making bread. The yeast causes the bread to rise but it needs to be kneaded down. As it rises it is punched down so that the bread can have the right texture and taste. In the same way patience is worked into us through believing God in the midst of life’s trials. Yeast silently goes about the business of producing dough. You can’t hurry the process you just have to let it do its thing.
Patience is the quality of suffering without complaint. It bears the troubles of life without complaint in looks, manner or speech. I don’t know about you but there is one thing I don’t tolerate very well and that is whining. Who likes to be around people that are always complaining? But patience is the result of what the Spirit is doing in your mind and soul.
Endurance on the other hand not only bears suffering and hardship with determination and firmness but requires physical stamina as well. Now wonder we require strengthening with His Mighty Power!
When you lead a life that is pleasing and worthy of the Lord there are four outcomes that Colossians 1:10-12 states will be displayed in your life.
Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience is the third effect of asking God for spiritual wisdom and understanding.
We need to be strengthened by the Spirit of God on a regular basis. Ephesians 5 says, ‘Be filled with the Spirit’. What the verb tense is really saying is, ‘keep being filled with the Spirit’. Jesus told the disciples to wait for the gift the Father would send and that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. How encouraging! Who doesn’t need the power of God being activated in our lives?
But there is also a purpose in receiving strength. Through it we will be able to endure and be patient. I personally do not enjoy either of these words, patience and endurance. We live in an instant society where patience is not seen as a virtue. We do not like waiting for anything. However, this is not the way of the Spirit.
James 1 says that we will have trials of many kinds and that they will test our faith. This testing develops patience or perseverance. It goes on to say that this patience is working in us to make us mature and complete, lacking nothing.
The picture that I see in this process is one of making bread. The yeast causes the bread to rise but it needs to be kneaded down. As it rises it is punched down so that the bread can have the right texture and taste. In the same way patience is worked into us through believing God in the midst of life’s trials. Yeast silently goes about the business of producing dough. You can’t hurry the process you just have to let it do its thing.
Patience is the quality of suffering without complaint. It bears the troubles of life without complaint in looks, manner or speech. I don’t know about you but there is one thing I don’t tolerate very well and that is whining. Who likes to be around people that are always complaining? But patience is the result of what the Spirit is doing in your mind and soul.
Endurance on the other hand not only bears suffering and hardship with determination and firmness but requires physical stamina as well. Now wonder we require strengthening with His Mighty Power!
Today - a Day of Significance 01/02/2012
The title may be a little melodramatic but this week is very significant to Grace Vineyard Walsall. On Monday night at the NL Conference in Nottingham our church was officially recognised as a church plant of the Vineyard UK. I know a year ago it was announced and it was a huge disappointment to all of us who attended the conference. This year they officially recognised the planting of the Lord in 2011 which actually gives me a distinct advantage in accomplishing more with my five year goals.
Two weeks ago Bonnie and I attended the Walsall Pastors Christmas Lunch courtesy of Colin Gibson, the rector of St. Matthews. Through that meeting we were invited to the pastors' prayer meeting every second Wednesday. Bonnie and I attended today and were asked to share our story of the church. We were very honoured to have that opportunity. At the end of the meeting they gathered around us in prayer, laying on hands and welcoming us as co-workers into the city. It is truly a blessing!
We also heard a fellow from the Aurora Vineyard in the US at the conference last night. He was very, very enjoyable: humorous but powerful. He shared on healing and raising the dead. The ministry time at the end was great with many pastors getting physical healing. I believe we are going to see some great breakthroughs in healing during the next month.
Remember the Supernatural Healing Conference with Bob and Sue Brasset the first weekend of March. Invite your friends, your neighbours and anyone who is sick. Be bold and watch what God will do. Expect great things.
Tomorrow night is the prayer meeting at the church office, 102 Queslett Road E, across from the Queslett pub. The week following we will be teaching a 3 week (Feb.9,16, 23) course on 'The Father Heart of God'. This will be at the office at 7:30. Everyone is welcome. There is no cost or registration required. If you're not part of Grace Vineyard you are still very welcome.
I want to welcome Joel Inkster back from Canada arriving Thursday morning. Remember Margaret and Phil Bristow are still praying in South Africa and will not be back until Monday. Please pray for their safety, health, traveling and clear effective hearing the voice of the Lord. Pray for Bonnie and Jim as they are ministering in Luxembourg this weekend with the Portuguese speaking church and the English speaking church.
Remember we meet Sunday at 10:30 for an 11 start at St. Matthews Church Centre
Truly Knowing God’s Grace (Pt. 5) 01/02/2012
Colossians 1:10 - 12 “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”
When you lead a life that is pleasing and worthy of the Lord there are four outcomes that Colossians 1:10-12 states will be displayed in your life.
The second result that will be produced in your life is that you will grow in the knowledge of God. This is so vital to our spiritual life because we have an enemy that will constantly question God to us.
In the garden the serpent came to Eve and said, “Did God really say?” The more we get to know the very nature of God the easier it is for us to surrender to His will and ways. Over and over in the Old and the New Testament God’s character is revealed and confirmed. Ps 103:8 states that the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. ! John 4:16 says we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
I love that we can rely on this one thing – that God loves us. His love is not judgmental it is not conditional and it is not finite. It never wears thin and it never runs dry. In fact, His love never fails, it says in 1 Corinthians 13.
We need to know who God is so that we can trust him with what is happening in our lives. He loved us while we were yet sinners. Once we are born again of the Spirit of God we become sons and daughters.
We need to see the love God has for us. How do we learn and grow in that love? We read the word, we listen to the word, we ask the Spirit to reveal the love of God to us and we listen to others’ testimonies of how this great love has touched their lives.
As we grow in the knowledge of God we can be assured of what God does say to us and about us. So, when the enemy comes prowling around your door you can resist him, stand firm and rely on the love He has for you.
When you lead a life that is pleasing and worthy of the Lord there are four outcomes that Colossians 1:10-12 states will be displayed in your life.
The second result that will be produced in your life is that you will grow in the knowledge of God. This is so vital to our spiritual life because we have an enemy that will constantly question God to us.
In the garden the serpent came to Eve and said, “Did God really say?” The more we get to know the very nature of God the easier it is for us to surrender to His will and ways. Over and over in the Old and the New Testament God’s character is revealed and confirmed. Ps 103:8 states that the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. ! John 4:16 says we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
I love that we can rely on this one thing – that God loves us. His love is not judgmental it is not conditional and it is not finite. It never wears thin and it never runs dry. In fact, His love never fails, it says in 1 Corinthians 13.
We need to know who God is so that we can trust him with what is happening in our lives. He loved us while we were yet sinners. Once we are born again of the Spirit of God we become sons and daughters.
We need to see the love God has for us. How do we learn and grow in that love? We read the word, we listen to the word, we ask the Spirit to reveal the love of God to us and we listen to others’ testimonies of how this great love has touched their lives.
As we grow in the knowledge of God we can be assured of what God does say to us and about us. So, when the enemy comes prowling around your door you can resist him, stand firm and rely on the love He has for you.
What Now? 27/01/2012
Well, I have worked my buns off today emailing about Bob Brasset and the Supernatural Healing Tour as well as typing up blogs, posting, sending newsletters, etc,.. You get the idea. I've been busy, I mean really busy! Unfortunately I am not going to blog on Being Fishers of Men today as I have to do my self assessment tax forms. I am almost there. Yesterday I made Bonnie sit with me as I worked on all the bookkeeping to get the figures for the tax form. That is one thing I will avoid if at all possible. The only way around it is to have someone there so I don't feel all alone in my misery.
Please pray for Phil and Margaret while they are in South Africa as well as Joel and his sister, Becky, who are visiting grandparents in Canada. Bonnie's father will be 90 tomorrow. Scary to think how old that makes me! Do any of you remember the days when you looked at your parents and thought 'oh, I hope I never look like them!' and now you are them?
Church this Sunday at 10:30 for the world's best church coffee, courtesy of Starbucks Walsall, worship at 11. This week we have the incomparable Jared Inkster all the way from Buckinghamshire to lead us into God's Presence. Bring it on!
Today I reached 194 tweets on the Grace Vineyard account. I popped on another 2 when I saw how close we were to 200. Oh, the temptation to sit there and put any silly thing down to get over the two hundred level. I M-8 break the barrier.
Congratulations to Claire Skinner upon the appointment to her new job! Way to go, Claire! Go out and celebrate, especially now that you are a two income family. Wahoo!
Please pray for Phil and Margaret while they are in South Africa as well as Joel and his sister, Becky, who are visiting grandparents in Canada. Bonnie's father will be 90 tomorrow. Scary to think how old that makes me! Do any of you remember the days when you looked at your parents and thought 'oh, I hope I never look like them!' and now you are them?
Church this Sunday at 10:30 for the world's best church coffee, courtesy of Starbucks Walsall, worship at 11. This week we have the incomparable Jared Inkster all the way from Buckinghamshire to lead us into God's Presence. Bring it on!
Today I reached 194 tweets on the Grace Vineyard account. I popped on another 2 when I saw how close we were to 200. Oh, the temptation to sit there and put any silly thing down to get over the two hundred level. I M-8 break the barrier.
Congratulations to Claire Skinner upon the appointment to her new job! Way to go, Claire! Go out and celebrate, especially now that you are a two income family. Wahoo!
Truly Knowing God’s Grace (pt.4) 27/01/2012
When you lead a life that is pleasing and worthy of the Lord there are four outcomes that Colossians 1:10-11 states will be displayed in your life.
Firstly, you will bear fruit in every good work. When I was a child, my family lived on an apple orchard for many years. Those trees never lifted a finger to produce all the tons of apples that came off those them. However, my father worked hard: pruning, watering, protecting and picking. And so it is with our lives! This very analogy is used in John 15. We see that the Father is the gardener of our lives and he knows exactly what we need to produce the best fruit.
One thing we need to recognise is the times and seasons of our lives. With the apple trees the winter season didn’t look pretty, just dead. There will be times in our lives when the Father is at work in you even though you feel dead. For He knows what is coming and what you is necessary to bring about the fruit for the next good work.
When you are in a winter season it is important to stay plugged into the Lord. Keep your roots covered in Him or you’ll not survive. I remember being in such a season and the last thing I wanted to do was go to church. However we went. I remember Jim and I taking long walks and praying. Everything felt dark and hard but then “suddenly” the Spirit of God hit me. And I truly felt like I was born again, again. Song of Songs says, “the winter is past, the spring has come”. It was a “suddenly” but I still had to live through the darkness.
God is at work in you because His desire is for you to be His planting and a display of His splendour. If you find yourself in a winter season rest in the fact that it is for a “time” and spring will come.
