Holy Spirit Permeation

          I declare that I am permeated with the Holy Spirit.  Just as I once possessed a sinful nature that so dominated me and dictated who I was, and which was rotten through and through with every type of corruption, infinitely moreso is my life now dominated and dictated by the Holy spirit. And since Christ is supreme, EVERY part, EVERY area that constitutes Thomas Goodwin is whole and filled through and through with the Spirit.  Everything that is Thomas has been soaked and is completely permeated by the Holy Spirit.

          Paul says in Ephesians 5:18b "...let the Holy Spirit fill and control you."  Paul goes on to say that the result or the evidence of letting the Holy Spirit fill and control is singing songs, hymns and spiritual songs.  Speaking, which includes singing, is evidence of a Spirit filled life.  And not just any speaking, of course.  You speak Spirit-inspired words that constitute the language of the Kingdom of God.  A language filled with substance and prophetic unction.

          There is a learning (and possibly an unlearning) that happens when you are being taught the language of the Spirit, which by the way, is not only tongues.  As you are put in various situations, your actions, especially your words, become Holy Ghost tempered and Biblically justified.  But they become more than just Biblically justified, they become Biblically founded.  As you continue to chew on God's Word and experience the reality of Christ in His resurrection AND His ascension, you will discover that the foundation of your very selfhood is the Word.  In fact, it will constitute your identity.

          As Dr. Brown said, "We try to go through the day without leaving God out instead of having Him as the foundation of who we are."  THAT is deeper.  We should no longer wear our faith like apparel.  Jesus inhabits our very being, and His will is that our words, actions, and thoughts all flow from a place of rest in Him.  Our dispositions and even our complexions should reflect a deep, unshakable assurance of a place prepared by God for His faithful PEOPLE.

          To Him who is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, the Amen who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands, may the full reward of His suffering be given.  And to God, His Father and ours, be Glory, Honor, and Power forever.  Selah.


 MAY HIS SHALOM BE KNOWN AMONG HIS PEOPLE...THE KING'S PEOPLE!!!


Also posted here

Making the Father Happy

          Just recently, I had a simple revelation: I can make the Father happy!  I realized that I have an opportunity in my uniqueness to give the Father something that no one else can; that is my individual, unparalleled worship, and unparalleled simply because He, in His wisdom, crafted my heart like that of no other.  He delights in my genuine, heartfelt praise, and he takes pleasure in the devotion of my heart, simply because it's MY worship that I'm giving Him and it's the devotion of MY heart to Him.

          I say it again: He delights in my uniqueness. The very thought that I can bring a smile to His face by the pouring forth of my unique portion of worship on Him is more than I can stand.

          In light of this, my pursuit of Him will be all the more passionate and focused.  He is beckoning me to run after Him.  And I will do so with the knowledge that my violent pursuit of Him makes Him happy!

I had an interesting conversation today that really sparked some needed revelation for my life. As the launching of the first installment of 8 orientation classes for the King's People began this last Sunday, I have started to ask myself some questions about the meetings.

I spent most of that first session tag teaming with my wife--child wrangling. That is our full time occupation. So sitting down and listening to a message or teaching for an hour and a half is not in the landscape of possibilities at this point. Even at our Thursday night home group we face challenges; its clearly the nature of this season of life. We didn't move from Idaho to North Carolina to attend meetings, home group or corporate, established or grass-roots apostolic. We moved here to live life. We moved here to practice and establish a way of life that becomes the Christian culture we've longed for in our hearts.

A question in the air...

"Where is the community I was hoping to find here?"

A Statement of paradox...

“We want the leaders to tell us what to do, and we want the the leaders not to tell us what to do.”

A thought...

What if we saw ourselves as a leader of spiritual servitude?

A consideration...

Is there really a church structure or model that hinders and quenches my ability to love and reach out?

Could it be that, even if we found ourselves in the most family structured, community-oriented church, we could still complain that there is no family or community if we don't understand that family and community come from within?

We can't look to an outside structure to dictate what should originate and be released from our own renewed hearts. Until we believe that community development must come from our depths, we will continue to look to an outside church model that satisfy an internal longing. I am sure you have heard it said, “Even though Israel was taken out of slavery, slavery wasn't taken out of them.” Even though Israel was delivered from an outside bondage, they remained in bondage on the inside. A change in outside circumstances doesn't always mean a change in heart. But when the heart is liberated, our outside circumstances bow their knee to a greater reality—inner freedom.

Check out Paul's inner freedom:

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 2 Tim. 8-10

There is no worldly law which can be applied to the life in the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Gal. 5:22-23

We need to be convinced of some deep truths: I am the one who is control of my love, my service, my giving, my community, the fruit of the Spirit; It will not be bound up or stopped by what goes on around me; I am now made free on the inside to freely love, freely give.

Have you allowed outside circumstances to put the fruit of the Spirit, which is being produced in your heart, to be put under some form of law?

Just some things to consider...

mjh

Acts 19.

I believe Paul's missionary work in Ephesus speaks volumes to the mission of The King's People. Paul asked the disciples in Ephesus, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "We haven't even heard that there was a Holy Spirit." This may very well be the case for many who are disciples in this city. " We haven't heard that there was a Holy Spirit."

It is our job to communicate with Spirit speech, King's speech, through our lives and community expression, as a living demonstration of our core values, and introduce many to the precious person of the Holy Spirit. It is time to hear and be introduced to the Holy Spirit in a fresh new way. Paul then asked, "What baptism did you receive?" They told him it was John's baptism, which was a baptism of repentance.

Repentance is a vehicle of the Lord to lay a foundation for Life in the Spirit to begin. As Bill Johnson would say, "Repentance is not complete if we don't introduce people to the Kingdom." After the Spirit is poured out on the Ephesian's disciples, they spoke in tongues and prophesied, their new speech an evidence of a new goal and focus, Spirit life, which is intended to translate into Kingdom Life.

Paul then spoke boldly, arguing persuasively, about the Kingdom of God. This is the reason for the baptism of the Holy Spirit--to boldly speak about the Kingdom. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not made available to us to have good Sunday, or any day, meetings, or even charismatic services. We have the Spirit to express the Kingdom. "Let your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven" is carried out in the fullest expression when a people are possessed by the Spirit.

In a sense, the Spirit brings the Kingdom because His is the Kingdom. No one can say Jesus is Lord expect by the Spirit. The Spirit's job is to reveal Jesus to us as King and to bring the Kingdom through us. We ask for the Kingdom to come by the Spirit because it is by the Spirit that we cry out ABBA Father. It is by the Spirit that God is our Father. Paul, filled with the Spirit, demonstrated Kingdom invasion in Ephesus. God did many extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and evil spirits left them.

Even the Name of Jesus became held in high honor after it was found out that not just anyone had the authority to Speak his Name and bring kingdom reality. One had to be filled with the Spirit. The exaltation of Jesus' name caused many to repent and make confession of the evil they had done. Even those practicing magic openly burned their books.

It is my heart and my prayer for the churches in this area to come into revelation about Kingdom, Spirit Life. Many are only walking out what they know. It's time to increase in the knowledge of God as the Holy Spirit. Paul didn't mess with the obstinate people who refused to believe. He simply left them. But there are many who are doing church the way they are because a Type of Paul has not approached them with the question, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"

Come on King's People, let's do this thing!

Revelation 1

I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man, in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

I am convinced the process which the Lord brings us into a new season must go into another phase because the gear to gain speed and momentum is different than the gear which maintains that speed.

I set my heart on all the benefits made available to me by taking this step. I was Convinced this new endeavor would satisfy in me everything I was disappointed with currently, as great potential was now afforded me. I was about to embark on something radical, new, exciting, with great opportunity, apostolic, fresh and organic, a fulfillment in the dreams and ambitions of my God. I looked to all those lampstands. God bless each of these wonderful reasons, but when we try to draw eternal life from lampstands, we will find ourselves frustrated and disappointed. In all my preparation for the move I didn't consider I was coming to Concord, Charlotte, NC to met with Jesus! Who is just past the lamp stands. I was coming to have my heart satisfied by a church movement that is radical and apostolic. Praise be to God who puts all things in my heart in order. His order. That is why He has assembled us. He wants to be our main attraction. Let's look to Him!

We can so easily have our focus of worship distracted by the variety of “churches” or lampstands. All churches in Revelation had somethings right and somethings wrong, but Jesus has it all right all the time. We should worship Jesus. Jesus will not be in competition with His churches when it comes to worship focus. Our hearts will come up empty if we seek ultimate satisfaction from a certain style of church. Granted being with the people of God is great and does bring satisfaction to our hearts, but there is a satisfaction our souls long for that can only be found in Jesus that often gets misdirected to a style of church. Yes even good old fashioned apostolic church. Let's look past the lampstands and Be overcome with Jesus. Let's worship Jesus.

mjh

He brought me out into a spacious place....2 Samuel 22:20

Whenever you get somewhere you haven't been before, you can be assured that it will not be at all like you assumed. We have this uncanny habit of referencing everything we're experiencing back to something we've experienced before, and can find ourselves disappointed when the new thing isn't anything at all like the old thing. But, funny thing is, that is exactly why it's called "a new thing."

• new   [noo, nyoo] adjective, -er, -est, adverb, noun –adjective unfamiliar or strange: ideas new to us; to visit new lands: Ring out the old, ring in the new.

So, fancy that this new place, with new people, new experiences, new ways of living, new everything, would be so entirely different from the old things we were so nicely used to.

Don't get me wrong, I would be the one that would intentionally go to a restaurant I've never been to, eat the strange food I can't pronounce, sit somewhere I never sit, and visit different countries just because they are different. But get me just a little bit too uncomfortable and I start looking back at what was.

The word I felt God was giving us as we moved was 2 Samuel 22:20 - "He brought me out into a spacious place." Sounds exciting and promising and...big! What I didn't realize that once the boundaries of what had become so comfortable were removed, and I was faced with that "spacious place," I would want to default back to whatever looked familiar, just because I don't yet know how to be here.

There are things that make me uncomfortable here. No job. No permanent home. No idea where things are. But these things have been strategically placed in my life to make me uncomfortable so that I learn peace and trust and rest. Because who needs those things when life is easy?

And for this I have Jesus.

r.

Also posted here

Heaven's Provision

I was reading Genesis 22 after praying one day about provision. The word provision was highlighted to me. Pro-vision. I looked up the word and saw it meant foresight. To look ahead.

In the story of Genesis 22, we see that the provision for worship was already provided. God had arranged for what is known in eternity to break into earth's time-line.

Abraham packed up his provisions for worship. He packed the donkey and gathered and split the wood. He then set out towards a predetermined mountain set up by the Lord. God already had in mind what he was about to do. Issac asks, “We have the wood and the fire, but where is the sacrifice?”

Abraham prophetically declares, “God will provide a lamb for Himself.”

If you are wise, provision is something you have in your possession on the outset of the journey, not something you come into along the way. With every turn in the journey you acquire provisions for the days ahead. That is why the word means foresight. You look ahead and see what is going to be needed and you pack it and take it with you.

When I used to fight forest fires, we would take our provisions with us when we were flown into a fire. Those provisions enabled us to work for a set period of time. On one occasion the job was longer than what we had provisions for, so we had provisions flown into us via helicopter.

I see that God sent Abraham on a journey of worship in which heaven already possessed the provision. The Lamb that was slain. Abraham was about to unlock and come into the knowledge of that provision.

Through Abraham's obedience heaven's provision was released. The provision for the journey is given to you before the journey begins. God saw fit to look ahead and in grace satisfy our needs with well thought out provisions, which He hid in Christ. We now have Christ, which means we are not coming into provisions with don't yet have, but that we are on a journey to discover the provisions we now possess.

mjh

Seek First...the Spirit

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Joshua 1:8

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Here are some thoughts on the passages above for your consideration. I believe David picked up on key points of the life of Joshua and took them to heart. Both equated a blessed, prosperous and successful life with the delight and meditation of the Book of the law. How do we come into a lifestyle and capitalize on the benefits of law mediation?

God's law is His sovereign rule. Law has to do with government. We know that His government is one with a King and a Kingdom. To meditate on the ruling of God (his law) is to understand the kingdom. We know that the kingdom of God has everything to do with the Spirit. I believe that by mediating on the rulings of the King against the kingdom of darkness and making decrees in the Spirit (prophecy) is one aspect of seeking first the kingdom. I also believe that mediating on the law day and night can now be done by praying and speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is done by the Spirit which is kingdom. Another aspect of seeking first the kingdom is to make a concerted effort to speaking in Spirit (kingdom) speech, which must include prophecy. Cheers.

mjh

Treasures of Grace

Treasures of Grace.

I believe there are certain seasons, when what has been known in eternity has its beginning in time. Treasures of grace were buried inside of us the day we came into the faith in Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority

Just like a buried treasure is found by someone only because it was first buried by some one else, so it is that our Father packed into us the wealth of His Son because we are now found in Christ.

There is abundant provision of grace made available to us who receive it. (Rom 5:17) Even though we have all of Christ and grace within us it take the event of time to come into an experience of what has been granted us in the kingdom. It takes time to reveal all the grace which has been poured over us.

Ephesians 1: 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

When the times have reached their fulfillment...the eternal manifests in time at that moment.

Ephesians 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

It is going to take the coming age of eternity to see the depth of the incomparable riches of his grace which God worked on our behalf in Time. And yet heaven is ruled by Grace, which means there is a view and experience of grace reserved for us in a timeless eternity.

We need to realize that we have a grace filled future because we have a grace fill past. Everyday we have encounters in life which call up the grace God has granted us. He is eternal and knows the end from the beginning. He has thoroughly equipped us with everything we need in life and godliness. A grace from heaven as been revealed which teaches us to deny ungodliness to live godly, self-controlled, upright lives in this present age as we wait with anticipation for His Return.

In God's wisdom, He has buried grace within our hearts, and certain life situations activate that grace and call it into action. It is because of our glorious past, what we entered into when we came into Christ, that gives us confidence and hope for glorious days ahead. I believe that is why at times we have a deja vu experience. Who we are known as in eternity breaks into our experience in time and testifies to His grace. We are living in time and eternity at the same time. Eternity is not something we are coming into, but something we have access to now. It is good to ask ourselves some questions. Who am I in eternity? When in time will that person be revealed as though I have always been that way? I had a friend tell me that once you have kids it is like you always had them. Memories before you had kids seem to include your kids after you had them. The eternal “us” is the mature accomplished us. If we could look back from our end to our beginning, we would see how God has set up our every step, because that is his perspective. I don't know how to end this, so I will leave here for your consideration...

mjh.

Pentecosts--david

He crowned the mountain with fire

With a never setting sun

and scribed stone with laws all angle and edge

that men and mankind would fear him and draw close

Did they know that when they in unlawful fashion forged His face in bronze and moses shattered the tablets against the hard rock of their hearts?

So, he set a flame on us. Crowned us with a fire, this second moses, descending from the mountains of High Heaven to give us law of livingbreathingflesh—growing—curved like the branches of a tree of Life once denied

That we would forge ourselves (even as he forges us) in his image

That men and mankind would fear him and draw close

An ever encircling, tightening embrace that no chisel could etch or sever

HS.

I was in a time of prayer with a close friend when I had a flash of a vision of a characteristic of who Holy Spirit is.

I saw Him sitting in a white, wicker chair with his back toward me. He had long brown hair and was wearing a white suit coat, white slacks, white shoes. The place was white and it was all very pure.

I knew that He was looking over the whole earth, although I couldn't see it. He was reclining in a relaxed fashion, legs crossed, left arm resting on the arm of the chair.

In a moment He shifted. His weight moved, He uncrossed and recrossed His legs and leaned over onto the right arm of the chair. And in that one confident, comfortable, simple move, the earth shook. Things were set right. Set in motion. Released.

Pure Simple Ultimate Powerful
He is beautiful.

Also posted here

Psalm 68 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God may they be happy and joyful.

I am willing to bet this is a Psalm packed with prophetic declaration. Jesus is the God who has risen. Risen from the dead and risen from the earth and ascended above all powers and rulers and dominions. With the rising of the Lord, His enemies have been scattered. Death, sin, hell the devil have all been scattered forever. They will remain scattered forever because Jesus will always and forever be the risen Lord. That work will never ever be diminished or undone in effectiveness and power and importance. He will always be risen ascended even if he descended into the deepest parts of hell or the sea. His status of being risen and ascended always accompanies Him.

When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

The earth shakes because an eternally risen Lord walks in the Land, even through his people. We don't just have the Lord living in us we have the Risen Lord extending His risen reign through us. Which means shock waves of His ascended reality radiates through the earth as his people move on the earth while embracing the result of Jesus' ascended work.

When you ascended on high,
you took many captives;
you received gifts from people,
even from the rebellious that you, LORD God, might dwell there.

This is where Paul gets this revelation for Ephesians 4 wisdom:

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned , this is why it says: “When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”

What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe. So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The power and authority of Jesus' ascension scatters His enemies before our feet, because He enforces His risen status through a Church that embraces the result of His work.--gifts. When we embrace and value apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching gifts, our enemies which are His enemies scatter. I will give you every place where you set your foot. He has risen! His enemies are scattered!

m.

The Waters of Life

Matthew 14:22-32

²² Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. ²³ After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

²⁴ Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. ²⁵ About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

²⁷ But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

³¹ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said.“Why did you doubt me?”

³² When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³ Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

With all that has been happening in life for our family over the last couple of months the Lord has been speaking to me a great deal through these verses found in Matthew 14.

I admire and am inspired by Peter's cry to come out of the boat and go walking on the water! I mean he is asking to go walking on the water?? Yet I find that Jesus is in no way whatsoever intimidated or overwhelmed by his request. Jesus responds and grants Peter's crazy request!

Could it be we have not seen that which we believe to be impossible in our lives overcome by the power of God because we have been too timid to ask? Does fear or unbelief win over in your heart every time you consider the things in your life that seem too big or complex for the Lord to work out or provide for?

Is there a cry within you that lifts up to the Father for something more? I am glad that Peter had a cry within him for the impossible! That request could have been made by any of the other 11, but it was Peter that sensed the voice of Jesus and understood that a window of opportunity had opened to experience something miraculous!

Peter walked on the water while the other 11 were satisfied to stay afloat in a structure built by human hands...

At best the other 11 were just going to remain afloat on the water...but that wasn't enough for Peter...are you satisfied with life as you know it to be? Are you okay with just floating along in a life that is being held up by human effort and ability alone?

Peter abandoned his common sense and made up his mind that his time was now! If your next step always has to be one that is logical or one that makes perfect sense to you, then you are going to miss out on some of the most amazing opportunities that the Lord will put before you!

Peter was stepping into something that hadn't been done before...it wasn't supposed to be possible for him...it defied all reason and wisdom...yet he climbed out and walked!

Peter wasn't walking on the certainty of his situation...he was walking upon the certainty of the words of the one that called him to the water top!

What does the water represent for you? What is it that the Lord has been speaking to your heart and tugging at you to trust Him for?

Are you willing to live out the rest of your days to see impossibilities bow to the name of Jesus? There is no limit to what the Father can do through a trusting heart and a submitted life!

Your time is NOW to climb out and begin to walk!

mdow.

Full.

Breath
Word
You
Spoke the empty full
Darkness drowned by light
The void made whole
Breath
Cry
You
Sorrow answered
Child Son Savior
Abounding in favor
Breath
Dying
You
Wore sin clothing
Perfect atonement
Plunged and arising
Breath
Giving
You
Head Priest and King
This love surpassing
Fully filling
Breath
Worshiping
You
A body rising
His Bride maturing
Measure not wanting

Ephesians 1:22 - 23
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 3:17 - 19
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 4:11 - 13
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

r.

Also posted here

11.11

Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)
We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.

Whenever I see 11:11 on the clock (which tends to be pretty often) I am reminded of a word God spoke to me several years ago after seeking out the reason I was seeing elevens everywhere. He said, in a voice quite not to be mistaken, You are not ready for what I am about to do. And thus followed the most incredible chain of events my 20-some years had ever seen. Boy howdy!

Fast forward about five years...

This morning as I was planning all these steps in my mind to get us moved, and then all the steps that would follow finally setting foot on NC soil, I looked at the clock and, as I once again saw 11:11, heard so clearly, You are not ready for what I am about to do. It was not a rebuke. Not a "pay attention, kid." Not even a fanfare heralding the entrance of a Wonder. No, there was a twinkle. A hint of a smile. A teasing.

And I realized, here I am (albeit using the God-given gifts of administration and planning that I possess), trying my hardest to map out every minute of the next few months so that nothing can take me by surprise. No way do I want to be caught unawares! And yet the whole beautiful mess is that I can plan all I want, but my steps are absolutely directed by YHWH YHWH God. And that should excite me!

Isaiah 40:12-14 (NLT)
The Lord Has No Equal
Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth
or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?
Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
Does he need instruction about what is good?

It's laughable, really. That I would think I need to advise the God that created me and mapped out my entire life, that I would need to remind Him of this or that...just in case He would forget some important detail!

I would be terribly embarrassed if we weren't enjoying the absurdity of it all together, Him and I.

Oh goodness.

So, I really am not ready for what He is about to do, but I want to be. Spirit of God, make me one who is waiting and watching and aware of Your every move in order to move with You.

And thank You, again, for the reminder.

r.

Also posted here

Holy Spirit -david

new moon Faceless

yet his hand shapes every wave with unyielding gravity and keeps every tide’s time with mathematical perfection.

He sings the song that makes every atom dance their quantum dance

calls the time that sergeants every planet marching elliptical towards the fulfillment of—

All things

Every thing

meanwhile He strives

with the hard hearts of marble eyed men

the wicked hearts of scorn mouthed women

they who have torn-twain lives that quiver out pathetic beats

the ones too dead to know they’re dead

till the Day

the Day when he takes Adam’s discarded crown and rests it light upon Another’s brow.

when the lion no longer feasts upon lamb

when mankind no longer feasts upon each other

when all these lives so recklessly colliding sing in the perfect harmonies He, before all times, composed.

-david

Habits

Saturday, Rachelle, Rael and I went to see our beloved midwives in Hamilton. We just wanted to touch base with them and bless and thank them again for being such an incredible part of our lives. So we took them out to lunch. We love driving to Hamilton Mt. It's a 90 min drive through the snow covered mountains. It's a well traveled road for us. We generally have some blessed revelation and prophecy emerge in our conversation. This trip was no different.

Shell and I had a great conversation about culture. We want to experience a supernatural culture in our family. How do we do that? What does that look like? How is culture created and sustained? Through our conversation the Lord began to breakdown the concept of culture in a way that it works for us (to at least talk about it and get our minds wrapped around such an enormous word). It really breaks down to customs, traditions, habit. If we don't see that our habits are forming a culture now, we won't see the encouragement we should have.

This came to me as I thought about how we put Rael to bed. There's a culture hidden in our habits. My wife and I pray over Rael, sing and pray in tongues over her, and sing worship songs about His Presence and His Name over her. Through our habits, our culture is created. As we repeatedly practice this family custom, we will have created a culture for Rael to pass on to her kids. Really, a culture is a family practice passed down through the generations. When more than just an individual or family operates and functions with a certain custom of habits, and you have those habits influence a greater population, you now have a culture in a specific geographic area.

What's my value of prayer? What's my practice or habit of prayer? What's my value of worship? What's my habit of worship? What's my value for prophecy? What's my habit? Go through the list and ask these questions. What is my habit of speech in all manners of circumstances? If our values are disconnected from our habits, we are not in unity with ourself, and we are prone to deception because we think we are practicing our values when all we've really done is make a statement of them. The value placed on these disciplines are demonstrated by the time and effort we put into practicing them. Now we may say we have these disciplines of the faith and highly value them, but our actions really determine the depth of our belief. In some instances, people think they live by the values defined in a Christian culture, but in practice, at home, their values are really immersed more in the secular culture. We are touched by its emotional energy more so than the godly culture. Our words and our actions tell what culture is really influencing our heart.

Be encouraged, beloved. Your actions, words, habits, and practices are building the culture of your God in your homes this very minute. With focused intentionality, do what you're doing all the more!

m.

The Benefits of Thankfulness, part 1

Thankfulness Releases and Awareness of God’s Presence...

When I am mindful of what he gives and thoughtful enough to pay attention and say thank you, it positions my heart in a place of looking for him.  

My eyes are open to the next thing he might do, the next gift he might quietly leave - while he gazes intently to see if I’ll notice.

As I find these gifts and unwrap them, I feel his nearness, and I realize - he’s here now.

These little gifts are his signature, his “I was here” graffiti.  As I pass throughout the day looking for those trail marks, I find that I’m really looking for him.  And with each one that I take into my heart and return a nod, a prayer, or a sigh of thanksgiving, I think I hear him; the crunch of his stepping on a nearby fallen twig gives him away.  He’s very close.  He’s watching me.  He’s trying to see if I’ll discover all those love notes he posted along the path.  

Below is a song I wrote while pondering these truths...

You Put it There for Me

Something, something’s pulling me forward

Giving me an expectancy

Something, something’s pulling me closer

Opening my eyes to see

Maybe it was just the song of a thousand birds in the trees

Maybe it was just the sun lighting up the sky at sunset

Maybe it was just the voice of child singing so purely

But I know whatever it was

You put it there for me

You put it there for me to see

A gift for me to hold

You did it so that I would know

You’re just that close

And I see your beauty

And I hear your voice

And I feel your presence

All around, all around me

~ Jeana

Also posted here

And This Is Church.

I love watching the Body of Christ, when each member knows what their specific functions are, fill up the space Holy Spirit created just for them. It's like when the square peg fits just right into the square hole, leaving the triangle to fit in where he belongs. Or when you've been searching for that one elusive puzzle piece, and the finding of it brings a greater clarity to the whole picture.

And the best part is that when each one becomes the member they are, all the best is drawn, compelled even, out of the rest. It's beautiful. Perfect. A reflection of the Perfect Beauty.

The temptation to crawl inside oneself when introduced to a new equation is often sadly much more inviting than the discovery of where to fit in order to fill up the whole. At least, it can be for me. And where does that intimidation come from? Who else would love nothing better than to keep the Body from being built up until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ*? Who else is petrified of the Bride becoming everything she is intended to be? Hmmm....

When I keep eternity in perspective, I am truly excited to watch us become the measure of the stature which is the FULLNESS of our Christ. The complete picture. Beautiful.

(From 1 Peter 1:13 - 23)
Gird your minds for action
Keep sober in spirit
Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
Be obedient children
Do not be conformed to former lusts
Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior
Purify your souls for a sincere love of the brethren
Fervently love one another from the heart
Conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood; as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ

(*From Ephesians 4:1 - 16)
Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called
Be humble and gentle and patient
Show tolerance for one another in love
Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
Speak the truth in love
Grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love

To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift...for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

(From Philippians 2:1 - 18)
Be of the same mind (as Christ)
Maintain the same love (as Christ)
Be united in spirit
Be intent on one purpose
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit
Regard one another as more important than yourselves
Look out for the interests of others
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling
Do all things without grumbling or disputing
Be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach
Shine as lights in the world
Hold fast the word of life
r.

Also posted here

Reflections on the Father - Chloë

Reflections on the Father

As I sat before my Father, I was reminded of a vision I had in worship on two different occasions. The following are from my journal entries:

10.12.08

I closed my eyes and saw a baby sleeping in its Father’s arms, completely sinking into him, collapsed, at peace, so trusting…in an absolute state of complete rest and comfort, completely limp in his Father’s arms, utterly folded into Him.

10.14.08

In worship I saw the baby in his Father’s arms again. And though I didn’t see the face of the One holding it, I sensed Him looking over at the baby, checking, watching it sleep, then smiling, perhaps even laughing.

Then I saw all my disappointment, rejection, and hurt – I offered it to Him; it came out of me like liquid falling heavy to the floor beneath me, becoming solid and glossy like marble. Then these huge drops, like giant tears, came and fell on the floor, making it liquid again and it all poured toward this drain in the floor and down the drain until it was gone. Then I held out my hands and said, “All the love I have, I offer to You.” And it poured out of me like liquid – out of my chest, into my hands and it went upward and poured down like rain. And I stood there in this room as my love for Him poured down on me.

(back to the present)

The kind of trust and peace and security that the baby felt in the arms of its Father and the great love the Father had for His child, that’s my relationship with my Father – the deeper I rest in Him and lean into Him, the more He releases me from my fears and insecurity and the freer my heart is to love Him. And He rains that love back down on me.

I’m thankful God’s the only Father I’ve known in that way.

An aim toward apostolic arrangement

arranged for presence

“ When everything had been arranged like this...” Heb 9:6. God gave Moses specific instruction to build a place where His presence could dwell and live among His people. In His sovereign wisdom, He prescribed the arrangement and established the process to bring it to fulfillment. Prior to the specific arrangement of the tabernacle furnishings the glory could not rest because the work was not finished.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel. Ex. 40:34-38

Having the tabernacle, or house, arranged and in order creates a context for blessing. God could now fill and occupy the completed arrangement. Through obedience he entered into a finished work (a rest). Moses did everything as the Lord had commanded him. In Ex. 40:33 the last statement tells us, “and so Moses finished the work.” Similar language is mention in Hebrews. “...and on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” Heb.4:4 His resting from what he had arranged was the result of the finished work. God, in his six days of arranging creation, set an order in motion. The stage was set, the table was laid.

a new order

Now we are the tabernacle, the house, God wants to rest upon. Just as the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night rested on the finished arrangement of the tabernacle, even so Jesus, who is the Apostle and High Priest of our faith, declared it is finished.

John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

That Spirit has now settled on the heads of living tabernacles! "They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them." Acts 2:3 That "resting" of fire on the heads of obedient followers signified His accomplished work. He set another stage of creation in order--the birth of the Spirit people.

the way is opened

Remember the regulations for worship in the old covenant? "When everything had been arranged like this", the priest entered and worship could now happen. Worship involving sacrifices, but now a heavenly arrangement of a perfect sacrifice gave the forgiven people of the earth the right to become sons of God. Christ obtain eternal redemption, through the eternal Spirit, by offering himself as a sacrifice once and for all through the shedding of His blood. The way into the Most Holy Place was now opened. Worship could now happen in Spirit and truth, not to perform sacrifice, but to celebrate with thanksgiving for the sacrifice set them free from the old system of powerless animal blood and sin. With the conscience of the worshiper now cleansed from the guilt of sin, he can serve the living God.

time for rearranging

The arrangement of the current Christian culture doesn't have the capacity or enough runway to adequately illustrate the face of Christ in the church. We need to have a rearranging of our spiritual values our actions and words to create the culture of the kingdom. Unfortunately, we have depicted an image of God to the world by our current arrangement that's not in sync with heaven's image. It's time to put the puzzle on the table, set aside the old order, and properly arrange the pieces the way He has prescribed it. Then the face of Christ will be revealed to the world through us: His Bride. Without an apostolic arrangement our meetings, services and worship at times remain earth bound; we fail to enter into the Most Holy Place. Much of what we do is "shadow" practice. We practice setting the table over and over again, but never sit down to have the purpose of the arrangement. The meal of His Presence.

Hebrews 10:8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

We don't have a framework for the reality that is here now. The Son says, "Here I am." Quite frankly that scares us and we would rather set the tables than sit down and communion with the King. We miss the bottom line which is Christ and eternity. We want the blessing on earth because that is as far as our range of vision can see. The current arrangement in most churches lacks the framework to hold to the set of values defined by the apostles. The last verse in Hebrews 9 tells us of Christ's return a second time to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. There is a lot of values and life to be expressed in that phrase “waiting for Him.”

Our Father Who Art In Heaven.

r.

Also posted here

Sufficiency for Supremacy

Sufficiency is defined as: the state or fact of being sufficient; adequacy. Although it can also be defined as: Adequate provision or supply, esp. of wealth.

The Psalmist in the book of Psalms 37:4 pens, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart"

We must be able to connect with the sufficiency of Jesus for our lives before we will be able to submit to the supremacy of Jesus in our lives.

We live in a world that identifies people with the accumulation of possessions...the prestige of positions...the ability to hold influence with or power over certain crowds of people...

When we allow ourselves to live in such a way it becomes extremely difficult to submit to the supremacy of Jesus in our lives because we have found value in other sources than that of the person of Jesus. This is not to say at all that you can't be submitted to Jesus and have these things, however, when you are able to find, like the definition states, an adequate provision or supply of all that you need in this life in the person of Jesus it becomes irrelevant the things that this life may have attached to you that you used to find value or substance in.

John Calvin said “The human heart is a factory of idols...Everyone of us is, from his mother’s womb, expert in inventing idols.”

To truly delight yourself in the Lord means to prioritize the person of Jesus and intimacy with him above all else that this life and world may attempt to offer to take that place in our hearts!

Until you find that Jesus is enough, you will not be willing to separate yourself from the people, places and possessions in your life that have become an idol in your heart...but when Jesus becomes enough you can declare like Frances J. Crosby, the hymn writer of old, "Take the world, but give me Jesus!"

mdow