Ways of the Mustard Seed

When Hope and Despair Coincide

2017-01-02T18:26:00.000+11:00

Once upon a time, the world was in HD, with clear colours: black was black, and white was white. As I grow older, I realise we see much less than we suppose, and that there are many areas where it is grey, in varying shades. Whether we see it as white tainted with black, or black with some white, or just a mess, grey is taunting, confusing, uncertain - at once both mysterious and maddening.

Some may think of the concept of 'grey' as purely relevant for controversial issues where the answer is unclear and the lines or boundaries are blurred. I like to also think of it as periods of times in our lives where we walk in a kind of shadow. There is light, and yet not enough. The path ahead is unbearably murky.

Such is a time of hope and despair. Whether it is a broken relationship, lost dreams, no end in sight, repeated failures and dead-ends, or a life-sentence that hangs over us, we live in a revolving half-light where we simultaneously desperately hope and expect for the day and yet are most times overwhelmed with black despair.

Where is God in these times of utter lostness and brokenness?

I cannot speak for others but I can draw from my own story. I would pray passionately, and for a brief moment see with clarity that God is infinitely greater but as I turn to look at the problem, at my inadequacy, at the pool of help and answers I should be able to draw form, all is dark, dry and dead. The rains refuse to come. My opponent overwhelms me. I am alone, and my soul dies a thousand deaths choked in silent screams. Not once but again. And again. And again. Until non-existence seems like paradise.

From each death, somehow eventually, without knowing how or why, I would sit up, bundle up the puddles of my heart, set it like stone then stumble on. Looking back, I know there were brief reprieves where I would find a trickle of water, a patch of blue sky, a faint whisper of comfort - from the strength of which, like the elf-bread of Middle Earth, I would wander far, always shifting between grey and blackness until eventually it gave way to a better paradise than I could have imagined. It took many years. I don't know why.

After some time of healing, I realised I was changed. Steel had been forged in my soul. I learned that those that launched assaults against me in the night were demons that could be caught and destroyed in the name of Jesus. I learned that if I followed the instructions of that still, small, voice no matter how hard it was, small victories would add up into larger ones. Instead of turning the sword on myself, I had learnt to sharpen my sword in the blackness and fight the opponents that would pounce in the gloom, yes always with tears, often still failing, but increasingly less so.

I did not know that God could be so present, so steadfast in love throughout my unfaithfulness. I did not know how strong He is. But now I have witnessed His love and power firsthand. I will have no other God.

Today, the former foes do not have the same power. I notice their tell-tale signs as soon as they appear in the horizon and I remember the pain they dealt me, then their defeat. I give them no mercy. I remember the lessons of the night, and I teach others how to fight. There will be other foes, but I am now trained.

If the struggle I described is familiar to you, my message to you is: hope in God does not disappoint. It carries you far. His Name is far more powerful than you can imagine. Despair is a dark foe that you do not have to listen to. Know how to wield Jesus' Name and His Word. When you fall, He catches you and gives you strength to face another day. Know that there is purpose in the battles you face. Satan means for them to destroy you completely but God is with you to both overcome and help others overcome. Then the world will see the greatness of the God who has carried you.

Beyond the Grey

2016-05-27T17:26:00.000+10:00

There is a person in your mirror who looks back at you every day in the yawning light of dawn. Most days that person wakes up with a kind of dread at the greyness that stretches ahead. Busy greyness. Sometimes that person looks back at you with a long question that starts with 'Why...', and ends with a sigh.

But what if, underneath the clean (or not so clean) shirt and shadowed eyes, lay the heart of a warrior? A warrior who warred with the weapons that are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4) - because they know that the weapons of that realm far surpass the most lethal of weapons fashioned by human knowledge.

What would change if they knew that they, like Aaron, were called to stand between the living and the dead (Numbers 16:42-48)? How would they live if they discovered that life wasn't about staying comfortable but to bring comfort to the broken (Matt 10:8)? What if they, like Nehemiah, were the ones to care deeply enough about the broken walls of a family, community or nation, then station themselves in the midst of the debris with both sword and chisel to defend and rebuild it (Nehemiah 4:17-18)?

For we are all called with a high calling and are either in the midst of being prepared for our destiny, or are already in it but have not yet seen the gleam waiting beneath the murk of grey - or once did see it but sank in the miry sloughs of life and lost sight of it still waiting behind the hills.

Life is messy and dirty. That's why it needs the Saviour housed in your heart. The world is pervaded by the infection of death in all its forms and many are in danger of being swallowed up by it. This is where you come in: the Saviour King who came to live in your heart has already won the war against death and wants all the weary and broken restored to full strength. He wants light to overthrow the every shade of grey, to throw out death where it still stubbornly holds ground. To do that, He'll restore you, and in the process enable you to restore others.

In a world crawling with the battles between the Kingdoms of Light, and of Darkness, you are a warrior whether you think you are called for it or not.

He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor... Isaiah 59:16

I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. Ezekiel 22:30

REPORT ALERT - Part 2: Fruitfulness

2015-10-20T00:43:00.001+11:00

God Wants Us to Be Fruitful

Jesus says in John 15:

v. 5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing...

v.8 - By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples...

v.16 - You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name he may give you.

It's clear here that God is interested in fruitfulness. He wants you and I to be fruitful in the areas of responsibility and purpose that we have been assigned.

How to be Fruitful

Good stewards are always…

Awake and Alert to know and respond to seasons, purpose, requirements, expectations, patterns, timeline, deliverables, current and projected status of resources etc. Glean from those with more experience, and remain prayerful and watchful without fear. Fear paralyses; love empowers.

Learning
Understand your subject thoroughly. The more you learn, the better you can get at doing something. Then, you should teach others how to do it too so you can multiply yourself in others

Efficient Effort

Get the right thing done via the best strategy, and use of resources, time and effort. Always receive God’s counsel for the best way in everything

Ready and prepared

If you are alert, you will know what is coming up ahead. Prepare ahead for expected upcoming requirements, increases in demand etc. We aren’t omniscient therefore be sensitive to God’s nudges.

Terrifically excellent

Do everything at the best possible standard with your available resources and ability. Be able to balance ideals with practicality. All this requires wisdom, and is gets better with experience. Completing tasks with excellence honours God and opens doors but you can’t generate excellence out of yourself; ask for God’s guidance, seek His favour, obey His statues & principles.

The More Excellent Way

This is a good start but there is a game changer that can take the above and make it super-effective. It will take your ability to bear much fruit to a supernatural level that is the "more excellent way" (1 Cor 12:1): LOVE.

Jesus said, "He who abides in me and in Him bears much fruit" (John 15:5). How do you abide in Him?

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:15-16

How do we abide in love?

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandment and abide in His love... this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15: 10, 12

This generation has relegated love to either a soppy, cotton-candy emotion, or a sexually charged drive when nothing could be further from the truth. The love that God defines in His Word is a determined, long term commitment despite the odds, difficulties and hurts; it is sacrifice of self for the benefit of others; it is a power that changed the world. In the beautiful prose and rhythm of the New King James Version, this is how it is defined:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Cor 13: 4-8a

In a situation where you want to have a burst of anger and say something rude, love is the decision to speak kindly instead. Every time you feel selfish but you choose to put a colleagues needs above your own, that's love. If you are consistently making these sorts of decisions, you're abiding in love. And love has a way of making good results in any situation.

In terms of stewardship, if you choose to operate with love (the way/strategy), because of love (motivation, drive), and through Love (God's, not ours because ours doesn't last!), you will bear much fruit, fruit that will remain.

Here's to a abundantly fruitful harvest in the times to come!

For more on this topic, check out our MixCloud playlist by searching for 'covenantyouth'.

REPORT ALERT - Part 1: Accountability

2015-10-20T00:43:00.000+11:00

The Bible makes clear that we are all stewards of the gifts God has given to us, and that the Master is returning one day (Matt 24; 25). On that day, we will be called to report the earnings and losses, the ways we have spent the time, resource and skills He has given to us.

This isn't to say that we should live each day under burden and stress; instead we need to understand that God is a good boss and work WITH Him. His Word details principles that if we would take up will help us to stay accountable and achieve all that God has for us.

Accountability is the noun of 'accountable'. The definition of "accountable" according to the Cambridge English Dictionary is:

"someone who is completely responsible for what they do and must be able to give a satisfactory reason for it."

Who defines what is a 'satisfactory reason'? The very definition implies that there is an authority to whom an accountable person must answer to, and whose demands and questions they must satisfy. Employees are accountable to their bosses; children are accountable to their parents; spouses are accountable to each other but all of us are ultimately accountable to God.

To be able to stay accountable, you need to understand the following concepts:

Responsibility & Purpose
You will be judged on the responsibilities and purposes God has given to YOU (see Matt 25) - not what He's given others, you. Take ownership of them. See the other post on Responsibilities and Purpose

Expectations
You can only get good marks in an assessment if you understand the teacher’s expectations and requirements. Find out God’s expectations with His Word.

Prioritise with God’s priorities

Doing first things first will set you up for the others. Ask God for His wisdom and insight.

Obedience rather than results

This world is performance based but in serving God, there is no way that we understand and see everything God sees. How do you measure your performance when you don’t know all the variables? God requires our obedience first and foremost (1 Sam 15:22). Obedience will ensure that the results He wants will be achieved.

Relationship
Your Master is strict but good, and altogether wonderful. Your relationship with the Master determines your sense of accountability, and how well you will carry out His work.

Tenacity
Keep at your current instructions until you receive new instructions.

Stewardship of the Stuff of Life

2015-10-20T00:40:00.005+11:00

NB. This article (images and text) is © Copyright Melissa Yong - All rights reserved - Ways of the Mustard Seed. You may cite or reference this article or publish translated versions of this article on non-English language blogs provided you acknowledge Ways of the Mustard Seed as the original source.

There are three main areas of purpose in our lives, and each purpose contains a set of responsibilities.

Areas of Purpose

General: God's purpose for everyone regardless of personality, skill set, circumstance or season.

This includes but is not limited to:

Knowing God personally and intimately (Psa 27:8; Jer 9:24; Jer 31:34)
Salvation for all (Matt 28:19; John 3:16; 2 Pet 3:9)
Living a holy life that testifies of His power and reality (Mark 16: 17-18; 1 Pet 1:13-16; 2:11-12)
Loving one another as Christ loved us (John 15:12-14; 1 John 4)
Walking in the Spirit to combat the ways of the flesh (Rom 8:1-11; Gal 5:16-17)

Personal: the God-ordained purpose for the combination of personality, skills and passions you have

This may seem obvious but for some reason we don't think of our God-given abilities and passions as being an area of purpose and responsibility.

Do you love to bake? Bake to give away to the needy, to encourage, to open doors to meaningful relationships and discussions. Do you love to write? Write about your passion and mobilise, inform, teach, reveal to honour God. Is your skill building rapport and creating networks of relationships? Find the disenfranchised, the lonely, the rejected and create around them a loving circle of friends that can become the family they need. What are you best at doing? People all around you need what you do best.

God has given you that particular set of gifts, that particular personality for a reason. Use it to reach out with God's love to the people He died to save and life will take on a shine that lasts through storm and fire.

Seasonal: every season of our lives has a purpose that feeds into future seasons

Student? Your purpose here is to learn and be trained with skills and knowledge that you'll need one day. Working and single? There are relationships to hone, experiences to gather, knowledge to glean from others, stuff to achieve while you have some maturity and an abundance of time, health and energy (comparatively) that is unmatched compared to most of the rest of your life.

Married with kids? You have future Great Ones under your tutelage; work with your spouse as a tight team to hone their character, equip them with skills and understanding, be role models of the kind of people you want them to be. It won't be that long till they don't need you. Married without kids? Your marriage has an incredible purpose; God put you together because you need one another, and because you are more effective together in the work that God has called you to. You are not defined by what you do or do not have. Run diligently in the track God marked out for you and you will find beautiful, powerful things that He has prepared that are better than what you ever dreamed.

Retired? Now's not the time to make it all about you or think that you've become useless. This could be the most fruitful time of your life as you focus on a marriage of your accumulated connections, passion, experience and skill to do what you love best; use this time to impart history, experience, knowledge, skills to the next generation. They need you more than they know; and you need them more than you think.

God is a skilful Writer. There is nothing in anyone's life story that is worthless.

Prioritising It All

Usually, people have responsibilities that are a mixture of the above major areas of purpose.
But things can be streamlined if you have a tool to prioritise the responsibilities.

General + Seasonal= Duty

If your tasks fall within an area where it touches on the General Purposes of God for you and is typical of the season you are in but is missing your passion, these are tasks of Duty. They are good things to do; you just don't really love doing it.
Examples: arranging your day around school drop-off, pick up times; washing the bed linen too many times a day because of a sick loved one you are caring for.

How do we deal with these? These are tasks that you want to get out of the way quickly so that you can focus on what truly matters most. Find ways to deal with them quickly and efficiently, and/or find ways to inject your passion, your special touch into it so that it is less burdensome.

General + Personal = Surrender

These tasks embody both God's heart and your passion. They will be tasks in your life that you wish you could do/ step into but just don't have the time, money or inspiration even though it's what you'd gladly spend all day doing. Or it may be a dream that you hold dear but seems far away.

Examples: waiting to find Mr/Mrs Right; that book you've had half written for years; that music you've written and/or recorded but don't know what to do next with; those pictures, paintings you've made that friends and family have oohed and ahed over but don't seem to have an avenue to go; that awesome business you've dreamed about building; that trip you are waiting to go on but never seems to be the right time for.

Often, there is not much you can do about tasks in this area. For these, it is their time of incubation. Bathe these dreams and hopes in persistent prayer and thanksgiving, waiting before God for the green light, the open door, the command to 'go!'. When He speaks, obey. If He hasn't, continue to wait and surrender it daily. God is preparing the paths and doors for you in ways you cannot see.

Seasonal + Person = Chaff (Rubbish)

These tasks may be specific to your season, and you may enjoy it but if it does not have God's heart and purpose for the world in it, it's not worth your time. They are distractions that will eat up your time, effort, energy from the things that you should be focusing on and will lead to frustration. Discard them or refocus it so that God's purpose

Examples: You love to sing so you've been learning to sing all sorts of songs, and performing at some friends' functions. It makes you feel great but it's really all about you. OR you love playing computer games; it's great to connect with friends online and you love the games but after the late hours, you make yourself frustrated because you can't keep deadlines and aren't sleeping as much as you would like. OR you are lonely after dinner and watch hours of entertainment or catching up on the latest season of a show. You don't get much else done but at least you don't feel as lonely.

An example of re-focusing might be re-evaluating why you love to sing. Is the feel-good aspect the distraction or is it the wrong season? If you are able to surrender your own need for applause and develop the self-discipline to allow wise counsel to guide you, use it only to honour God and bless others, then you have refocused this area. If you cannot genuinely honour God or serve others in a way that points them to Him through this area, then it must be discarded.

Sometimes, such areas as ones that once it's clear where God fits in it, needs to be put into the surrender bucket.

General + Seasonal + Personal = NOW

These are the tasks where the season, God's heart and your passions all align. These are what matters most right now. Make time and effort to focus on these and make the output as fruitful as possible through obedience to the Spirit of God (our own efforts and plans are piddling in comparison - work with Him to turn on the 'turbo').

The Next Steps

Do a brain dump of all your current responsibilities and tasks. Evaluate them for whether they have aspects of general, season and/or personal purpose then categorise them into Duty, Surrender, Chaff or NOW tasks.

For all the Chaff tasks, decide which ones to bin/remove from your calendar, and which need refocusing and surrendering to God.
For those in Surrender, bow your heart to God. Don't negotiate. Just lay them aside and make time to pray about it regularly. God will make the way for you, not you.

When you get to the Duty box, choose one task to find faster ways to do at a time and experiment until you are able to whiz through them so that they don't clutter up your day. If they are not something you can do faster, pray and ask God how to add a fresh view of His heart and your passion and personal purpose to it for a new perspective.

For those in the Now box, make these your priority and do them efficiently, do them well.

May God's hand be with you powerfully as you prayerfully consider your stewardship and seek to complete it all with Him, His way. There are great things yet to come!

To hear the audio sermon for this topic, check out our MixCloud play list and search for 'CovenantYouth'.

His Promises are to YOU

2015-10-17T11:51:00.001+11:00

What promise of God have you left in a corner, afraid of failure? Unsure if it's for you?

Are you measuring possibility based on your ability or knowledge? God is not bound by the natural and physical laws of this world, nor by people's personality. Quit measuring possibility that way!

If you're unsure that God's promises are for you, I can assure you that God has no favourites. Yet, it is only those who ask and believe that will experience the kind of life and joy that God intended all His children to have.

If you want to know more about a promise, ask Him (Matt 7:7). Look into it. Find out what God is saying about this promise in regards to you - and you don't necessarily have to wait for someone knowledgeable to tell you the answer. Search God's word for yourself too. Become fully persuaded about it (Rom 4:19-21)!

The Almighty Creator is your Heavenly Daddy - why not ask Him directly and sincerely? He will always answer a sincere plea for understanding (James 1:5). In fact, He waits to be asked because He's been wanting to tell you (Jer 33:3)!

Your head may say "it's impossible" but down in the depths of your heart, perhaps there is a tug. Faith in its purest form is childlike, uncomplicated. It doesn't have to understand how or why - it just knows that it IS: that God would never promise something contrary to what He is willing to do, and that He can do exactly what He said He can do.

In all your searching, remember this:
1. All the promises of God are in Him 'yes', and in Him 'Amen' to the glory of God the Father. 2 Cor 1:20
You know what 'yes' means. 'Amen' is 'i sincerely mean what I have said'. If God says 'Amen' to ALL His promises, then there are no exceptions. If you were to ask, "Did you make this promise to me, too?" Then the answer is "Yes. AMEN." As far as He's concerned, if He promised it, He'll do it.

2. God will make sure that His Name is glorified. His character demands that He is faithful to His Word (Num 23:19): the 'yes' and 'amen' is "to the glory of God the Father." And He'll set things up so that only He can get the credit.

Just be aware that because He can see all the jigsaw parts of every life and you can't, His way of accomplishing it, and when may be different to yours:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts your thoughts."

His part is to get it done; your part is to believe that He will.

Stand on His promises

2015-10-17T11:28:00.001+11:00

When you believe a chair can hold you, you sit in it; if you believe a table is strong and stable, you'll put heavy things on it without hesitation, you'll even stand on it.

You've read the promises of God, now you need to stand on it. No more testing with the toes because that will never prove that your faith was well placed, nor the fullness of joy God has prepared for you. Put your WHOLE WEIGHT on God and you'll find that He is stronger than you ever dared to believe.

Holiness and Love: are they mutually exclusive?

2015-07-25T14:34:00.000+10:00

Holiness at its very foundational concept is the abhorrence of sin, hating even the smell and the slightest sign of it; it is the separation of oneself from such and holding ourselves apart from it with the fear of God, and all humility.

God is holy. Previous generations have worked hard to dispel the hideous lie that this holiness equates to God being like unmerciful schoolmaster waiting to punish us. Yet in so doing, things have swung too far and our generation has somehow lost the understanding that God is an exacting judge of fearsome majesty and righteousness who will not budge from His standards one iota. And yet again, it would be a mistake to stop there: God is not uni-dimensional. He is not love or holy; He is both.

He nudges our hearts and pulls on our conscience to turn us from sin; if we reject that, He may change circumstances to wake us up and give us time and opportunity to turn and repent. However, if we refuse and insist on our own way, there will come a day when we must give account for all our works, thoughts and attitudes. If there is no such day, God would not be a just judge. Families of victims of crime cry for justice. God hears them and will make sure there is justice - but He has no favourites. The same standards apply to all, including the very ones who cry for justice.

On that day, we will realise that we had no excuse; we were given opportunities, He was good to warn us time and again - but we were blind or wilfully rejected those opportunities. Then each must pay for their own folly, each idle word, each wayward thought.

However, we are not at that day yet - unless your name has been called (how will you know when your name will be called?). Today there is still time to do something about those things that will visit us with regret and shame: we can call on God's love and mercy.

See, God is so loving and merciful that He is willing to overlook our sin if we are willing to own up, ask for forgiveness and commit to turning 180 degrees away from that sin: He will wipe the books and pronounce us completely blameless. He doesn't stop there either - He will pour out His love to help us up and enable us to overcome and stick to that commitment. It won't be easy but it will be more than possible with Him. That's the magnanimous nature our loving, holy God whose exacting nature demands retribution and judgement for sin and yet provides a way to waive judgement if we are willing take it. However, unlike our family or friends, He can hear our thoughts and see the depths of your heart; He knows the difference between a sincere apology and a I'll-just-say-this-now-but-do-my-own-thing-later lip service. Each will get their reward.

God's standards have been made clear in His Word. They are unyielding both for those who say they believe in Him, and those who don't. His love is just as unyielding for all. Jesus Christ was tortured, suffered and died a gruesome death on the cross on your behalf - that is the kind of death our sins make us worthy of but God knew that we could not both pay the price for our sin and live again - so He paid it first and in His resurrection provided the power to live free from the pulled-by-the-ring-in-the-nose regime of sin. The offer of His sacrifice on your behalf still stands today, 2 millennia later if you will accept it.

So take yourself up on the provision He has made in His love to get your books wiped clean - And it shall come that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Joel 2:32); and again "in Him [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace" (Eph 1:7).

If you believe this good news and don't know how to pray, it is as simple as talking because prayer is simply talking to God. Here is an example of a prayer you can follow if you don't know what to say:

Dear Father in Heaven,
I have done lots of things that are wrong, and that you probably hate. I have __[describe your sins]___. I understand that you are an exacting judge but that you are merciful too. Will you have mercy on me? I've tried and failed to make up for it. Please forgive me and wipe my slate clean. I don't know how to go from here but I ask for your help to live right according to your standards. Show me what I need to do and I'll do it with all my heart - but I you need to help me. Here I am. Make me clean, God and put in me a new heart!
I ask all this in the Name of Jesus Christ who died to make forgiveness possible for me,
Amen.

Not Knowing What to Do

2015-07-25T13:42:00.000+10:00

I may be lost and not know what to do - but why should it be reason for sorrow of heart? We have never known what to do on our own. And even if we think we know, we find that we still have much to learn. So isn't it normal - expected - to feel uncertain about our future and next steps?

Haven't we always needed the hand of our tender Heavenly Father to know the way, to reveal each step as they come? Any correct turn we make goes back to a nudge of His hand, a voice in our ears. Therefore, in the misty paths of today, we can turn to the One who holds our hand and let Him lead the way. He is not one to abandon us in the middle of the road without instruction. If there is no instruction yet, it means we still have a standing order that has not yet expired.

Even today, there is instruction, there is light, there is purpose - but it is not on the road, in those we meet, or in ourselves. So we do not need to feel perplexed when we look at the road ahead and feel that it seems unfathomable. That instruction, light and purpose is in our Guide and Heavenly Father.

He knows the best way there, and all the tricks required to traversing the path we trod because He has already gone before us to prepare it. He knows our failings, therefore He knows how to make the journey possible for us. Sometimes, He leaves certain obstacles that we cannot overcome - but they are there because they are necessary and yet, He will be with us.

So today, if you do not know, take heart. The answer is in the One who has got you here in the first place. Look to Him again and trust Him to lead you like a good hiking guide. With Him, you will complete your own epic journey on these great and narrow paths of life.

Stepping into your Destiny

2015-03-09T00:47:00.005+11:00

If you are not familiar with the story of Esther, you can read it here.

Why did Esther go to the King against the law?
Was it because Mordecai told her to? It began as that - but there was more at stake than her relationship with Mordecai, close as it was.

Was it because she needed to save her people? Yes, and yet no; she had one thing stopping her: the fear of death. Straight after Mordecai calls on her to plead with the King for the future of her people, she protests that this action carried with it the high probability of death:

All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

In other words, she was afraid to die - and this is entirely natural. Mordecai's reply was two-pronged (in Melissa's paraphrase):

If you are afraid of death, keeping silent will only prolong it; it will not deliver you.
What if...this is your destiny?
What if you have been strategically placed?
Divinely positioned?
What if...your beauty was not given you for yourself but because it would position you to be Queen?
What if...your queenship was not given to you for your beauty, but because you have a job to do "at such a time as this" (Esther 4:14)?

So why did Queen Esther step out to face death? The driving motivation would eventually be the love for her people, but she was only able to do so after sacrificing her own relative safety. She walked out of her safe place with the goal of saving her people because she had chosen to step into her destiny - for good or for ill:

...and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16)

For every person stepping into their destiny, it generally means facing your greatest fear, and taking a deep breath to step through the fear instead of backing away. Once that occurs, it becomes apparent that although the danger may be real, the lie behind the fear is actually trumped up, and that the grace available to all who choose to accept their God-given destiny is greater than the fear.

That same grace will help us overcome our fear, and then carve a path of safety through any danger. If we will keep to the path with wisdom and dependence on God to show us the way, we will not only accomplish our mission but we will fulfil our greatest passion: for God does not position without the passion.

Notice that after Esther took the plunge, she had work to do. Her work was not over when she faced the fear and acted despite it - in fact, it had only begun. So she was cautious and wise, and expended her energies in the intercession she had been born to perform. Now that the fear had been dealt with, she could do so effectively without fear for herself.

I would also say that she worked within that path of safety - that is why she was careful and did not put her real request out until the time was ripe. So, because she operated within that wisdom available to her through that special grace, the doors were open and she had great favour. The King was willing to give her up to half his Kingdom if that was her request. The beginning of Esther tells us that his kingdom at the time stretched from India to Ethiopia - this was no small offer! It is evidence of an enormous store of grace available to this woman who had chosen to step into her destiny.

Now after the inspirational stuff, here's some soul-food to chew on:
1. Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matt 16:24)
Esther could have tried to save her life by not going to the King in the first place. However, in the end, she would have lost it with much grief. Instead, she chose to throw away her life for a greater cause - and by doing that saved it. Consider the parallels in our lives, and the deeper meanings Jesus is alluding to. You'll only truly find LIFE when we let go of the status quo and let God take the reins: we were not born for the status quo. Each of us were made for the extraordinary.

2. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. John 15:12
Every God-given destiny has at its heart the love of God so great that He lay down His life to give it to others. His command to us is to display this same level of love to others.
How can this be done if you want to 'keep' your life?

3. If you are not yet on your path of passion, you are being positioned.
Think of Moses, of Joshua who both had a dream but could not pursue it till their character had been honed and sculpted. Then, when the time came, it required a leap of faith right through their greatest fear. And once they landed on the other side of that fear, they found an unlimited source of strength, wisdom, power to do the very thing they had been prepared for all those years. If you are thinking that you have never faced the kind of fear and favour I am talking about, it's because you're still being positioned.

4. There are others with the same passion and dream; we all have different roles in fulfilling it.
Not all of us will live to see our dream fulfilled. Consider the many scientists dreaming of a certain possibility but 'only' finding the one important principle that made it possible in future generations (I can't think of a great example but if you know one, put it in the comment below!).
Moses led the great exodus out of Egypt and thought that he would also take them right into the Promised Land - but it would not be so because Joshua would end up doing this. Joshua, however, could not have done so without the training and experience under Moses.

You may or may not see the fulfilment of your dream - but don't take this to be a negative thought. If we make our dream The Point of Living, you will be severely disappointed. You will end up feeling betrayed. The dream will continue to drive you, and yet it will seem a most hopeless lunacy that both breaks your heart and makes you get up to keep going. Some people can't take that. Why this happens is because of this: behind every great, noble dream is the One who dreamed it first, and is much more passionate about it happening than you are. Life has to be about this One, ie God. You are sharing that passion with Him because He wanted to share it with YOU. So let Him take the reins.

Because most great dreams are much bigger than an individual, it is rare that anyone is ever really alone in their great dream; there is usually someone somewhere who has a similar one and will have a part to play in fulfilling it with you. Whatever yours is, do it with your utmost diligence because the success of those coming after you will depend on yours.

5. Focus on being a reliable, good quality instrument through which God can do all that He needs to.
This is important no matter which side of your greatest fear you are standing on. My brother has several guitars. One of them is a small travel guitar that is never in tune, even 5 minutes after you have tuned it: it rapidly becomes untuned. It's unreliable. Consequently, my brother will rarely choose to take that guitar with him on a trip, even though that's what he bought it for.

Paul says in Rom 6:13:

Do not present your members [of the body] as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

In other words, don't go using your physical faculties to commit sin; instead, make them available to God to do acts of righteousness. We don't want a hammer which, after each blow, comes loose and threatens to fly off the handle - we love a tool that is able to do its job well.
We can be reliable tools in God's hands, or we can be unprepared, unreliable, difficult to use. What makes us unreliable? Unbelief, pride, fear, jealousy - just a few of many things that can get in the way.

God wants to be able to nudge you and (for example) say, 'That person over there is being rude to you but what they really need is encouragement and kind words. Do that for me.' If we are prepared and reliable, we are swift to hear this, to let go of any indignation or fear, swift to stand to attention and say, 'OK God, what do you want me to say?' And then deliver it exactly the way you heard it. When you deliver it that way, without embellishing it with anything of your own, or removing anything, you are being a reliable instrument delivering God's message to that person.

How do we become reliable? That's really a topic for another post but consider these quick points:

become as proficient as you can in the things you can do.
Every gift is from God and was given so that it can be a gift to someone else. Whether this means a well baked cake, an excellent financial analysis or being a reliable babysitter, hone it, and do it as unto the Lord and not as a token job (Colossians 3:23-24), and be ready and willing to do these things in season and out of season - you never know when God may call upon you to be His hands and feet, His mouthpiece, His comfort, His ever-present help in time of trouble.
cultivate the ability to hear God's voice. All God's sheep know His voice whether they think they do or not (John 10:27) Many of us just need practice tuning in to the right station. The best way to start is to study and memorise the Bible. God's character and way of thinking is revealed in it. As you study it, you will get to know who He is, and what He sounds like and therefore be able to discern whether the thoughts you get are from Him or not. God is usually speaking to us - it's whether we receive it or not.
DO God's Word.
You need to apply the lessons, concepts and principles revealed in the Bible. Adopt the way God thinks of things, the way He does things, and ask Him to help you do this. As you allow God to shape you through His Word, it will transform you to become more and more like Him. You will have more patience, more strength to resist temptation, more gracious etc. This will help you to be a more reliable instrument in His hands to help those waiting for Him.

God has a good plan for your future, and it involves a destiny that includes your greatest passions, and your gifts. He is even now positioning you - so make the most of every opportunity. If you have already taken the plunge, make sure that you follow the path carved out for you by His grace by letting Him show you where it is - then the doors will be opened for you and you can be like Queen Esther who was faithful in the calling she had accepted, and prospered in it.

Church is Family: Learning from the Book of Ruth

2014-05-02T00:55:00.000+10:00

In a bid to give their family security during a famine, a man and his wife relocate themselves to a well-to-do country that was relatively unscathed. Children are born, a house is built, weddings blossom and life is good when suddenly, as if the zip around their careful lives becomes undone, one by one, the father and both sons fall ill and die. The women, who were previously in a whirlwind of worry, bustling Doctors, and round-the-clock nursing suddenly find themselves inexplicably abandoned. The beds are curiously empty, the house silent. The neighbours look askance at them.

This is the situation Naomi, Orpah and Ruth found themselves. In a culture where husbands and sons meant security and protection while widows begged for food, were bullied and forgotten, Naomi and her daughter in laws were suddenly of the latter category. It was a disaster. How could it be?

Naomi's heart turned bitter as she thought about the bleak future she now faced. Who could blame her? Her daughter in laws must remarry to give themselves a secure life so she tries to ensure that by letting them go. However, Naomi herself was too old to remarry; she would not know that kind of security ever again. The years stretched before her as a yawning chasm. She would return to her people. At least she would be among her own in the twilight of her life, even if she would sit alone in a silent house until the end.

After all those dark months of clinging to one another, Orpah and Ruth would not hear of parting. They were all they had left of the memories of their husbands. Must the women also part and let time scatter these remnants of a once happy family to the wind?

And they said to her, “Surely we will return with you to your people.”But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?Turn back, my daughters, go—for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and should also bear sons, would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me!”(Ruth 1:10-13)

Meditate then on the ramifications Ruth was bringing upon herself when she clung to Naomi and said:

“Entreat me not to leave you,Or to turn back from following after you;For wherever you go, I will go;And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;Your people shall be my people,And your God, my God.17 Where you die, I will die,And there will I be buried.The Lord do so to me, and more also,If anything but death parts you and me."

The Lord do so to me... these are the words of an adamant vow that cannot be broken, since they were made in the name of the God of Israel. But Ruth was not an Israelite. She was a Moabitess, a stranger to the covenant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She was from a line produced by incest from Lot's family, Abraham's nephew. Lot's daughters had thought that they and their father were the only beings left on the Earth after the catastrophic destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Her people had always been at war with the Israelites.

Yet, after life with Naomi and her family, Ruth was willing to adopt and be adopted to the most complete degree posssible, despite the grief she had experienced with them. Here, we learn our first point about family: family is life-long commitment to each other through thick and thin. A commitment that is held by the strength of the name of the God of Israel. Ruth somehow still saw grace and hope in this God while Naomi only saw punishment in her pain.

'Naomi' means 'pleasant' but she could not see anything pleasant about her life and instead asked to be called 'Mara' which means 'bitter'.

“Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

Here is our second lesson: family is the lending of strength. We lean on each other in times of need but sometimes when life is difficult, we can to push people away. Ruth was wise and knew to lean in and lend her strength although Naomi clearly did not appreciate her in the beginning, saying that she had come back 'empty' even while Ruth had stayed by her side unconditionally at great price. Bitter hearts don't need nagging; they need sacrificial love to help them heal.

Ruth threw herself into caring for her mother-in-law. In the culture of those days, daughters no longer belonged to their father's house once she becomes married. She becomes members of her husband's family. Ruth could have returned to her own people but she left all that was familiar, all that was dear from her pre-marriage life because now Naomi was all the family she had, and this family bond was the most important thing to her.

Naomi and Ruth had returned to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest and it happened that a wealthy man named Boaz was in the process of harvesting his fields. It seemed that the whole town knew who Ruth was, but none had taken any steps to welcome her. Like any new immigrant in an unfamiliar garb and pronunciation of speech, it was likely that she stuck out like a sore thumb. Yet, when Ruth found herself gleaning in Boaz's field, she came face to face with kindness.

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.”

At the lunch hour, he made sure she felt at home.

Now Boaz said to her at mealtime, “Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed parched grain to her; and she ate and was satisfied, and kept some back. And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

Boaz knew who she was but didn't leave it at that: he decided to treat her like family. Learn from him as we watch how he reached out to her:

You will listen, my daughter, will you not?
Family is adoption
Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women.
Family is taking you under my wing
Have I not commanded the young men not to to touch you?
Family is to look out for your well being
And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.
Family is making sure your needs will be met
Come here, and eat of the bread, and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar
Family is giving the right to belong
He passed parched grain to her
Family is to make meaningful contact
Boaz commanded his young men, "Let her glean among the sheaves, and do not reproach her..."
Family is making sure others see you as family too

There are many people around us without family, or who are disconnected from community in one sense or another. They may be in our classes, workplaces, Church halls, in the same shopping aisle as we pass each other. We may notice that they are down, disconnected, or in need, but are we reaching out like Boaz did for Ruth, who was new to the town and had not yet found her feet?

Church is family, the family of the One who paid the price for our freedom, gave us His Name and gave us a place in His house. We need to look out for each other. However, God not only paid the price for our freedom, but also for all who will trust Him. Our Heavenly Father calls us to go to the highways and by-ways and compel those we find wandering to come in so that His house may be full (Luke 14:23).

How will you be a Boaz today, and everyday?

Source: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/files/2012/06/waiting-for-a-harvest.jpg

Anointed

2014-03-09T02:17:00.000+11:00

We tend to only look at ourselves through the lens of our abilities and limitations but we would realise how much more is available to us if we would look through the work of the Cross.

Ephesians 5:29-30
For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the Church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

So there it is - we all know in our heads that we are His children but did you realise that God, when He created in us new spirits in the image of His Son (2 Cor 5:17; Rom 8:29) made us part of Himself? We are "of His body, of His flesh and of His bones" which is a very Jewish way of saying "you are part of me. I am yours, and you are mine".

When we became part of the family through Jesus' redemptive work on the Cross, we were not just adopted: God took the old you, put it out of the way and created in you a new spirit, a brand new creation (2 Cor 5:17) filled with His Spiritual DNA. This expression first came about when Adam realised that Eve was made from his rib and pronounced, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."(Gen 2:23). The saying 'of His flesh and of His bones' in Ephesians has the same intimate meaning.

Here's something else: if you have the Spirit of God residing within you (1 Cor 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16), if you have opened the door of your heart to Jesus the Christ (Rev 3:20), then the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and did all those mighty miracles in Old and New Testament is available to you. Why? "For I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal 3:6) and 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever' (Heb 13:8).

Luke 4:18-21 tells us that when Jesus first began His ministry in Galilee, He visited His home town's synagogue and read Isaiah 61:1-2a, saying:

the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor, He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord... Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.

Jesus was proclaiming Himself to be Saviour, Healer, Deliverer. If you have Jesus as YOUR Lord and Saviour, He is still fulfilling that same mission statement through the members of His body. He is still healing, saving and delivering, but are you working with Him, or shying away?

The word 'anoint' in Hebrew means to smear, anoint or spread a liquid but in the Old Testament, when someone was anointed to become a priest, or king, being anointed did not mean a ceremonial dab - it meant a drenching.

The first time the same Hebrew word for 'anointed' was used in the Old Testament was in Genesis 31:3 where God reveals Himself to Jacob and said:

I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me.

If we go to Genesis 28:18, this is how Jacob anointed the pillar:

Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.

When Elisha instructed one of his pupils in how to anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be King, he was told to take a flask of oil and pour it on his head (2 Ki 9:1-3).

This anointing was symbolic of their consecration for service, and the power they were endowed with to fulfill their calling. This means that when Jesus declared Himself to be the Anointed One of Isaiah 61, He was also saying, "the Spirit of God has poured out on me the power to do these things."

Paul's prayer for the Ephesian church (among other things) was:

...that you may know...what is the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (Eph 1:15-23)

John 3:34 tells us that God does not give His spirit by measure, or with a limit. ALL His Spirit and power has been given to us without limit, without holding back. He is able to do mighty things today just as He did for Israel in the days of Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel and for the believers in the Early Church. The only thing stopping Him, as it was in Jesus' day (Mark 6:5-6), is us.

Can you see yourself drenched with the same anointing that He has as you spend time with the One who loved you so much He died in your place on the Cross, then rose again to give you the power to overcome every difficulty set before you? What holds you back now if God tells you to go pray for that friend who's not feeling well? To send that message of encouragement to someone you haven't seen for so long? To start that organisation you've been dreaming of but don't know how to? Nothing is impossible to him who believes.

All of heaven and God's power is ready and able to work on our behalf when we know how to walk with God, hear from Him and step out in obedience. However, while we all have the same level of power available to us as part of our Sonship and God's spiritual DNA in us, we are not all called with the same giftings. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Teachers or Evangelists? The answer is no, and therefore we also cannot compare our abilities to another's.

Be faithful with the giftings and opportunities YOU have been given by being:
1) available
2) willing
3) obedient to God's promptings

Step out in obedience and let God do the work - after all, it is Christ the Anointed One in you who lives and does the work. It's not up to what you can do - it's up to the power of Christ in you, and He can do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think. Let the adventures begin!

Getting Ready for Summer

2014-02-27T22:51:00.000+11:00

We live in momentous times. As we move towards Easter, it is also coming to the time of Passover. This year and in 2015, the times of Passover and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) coincide with solar eclipses that will result in the moon taking on a fiery shade of red. They call this a 'blood moon'.
Joel and Revelations both talk about blood moons as one of the signs of the Day of the Lord. Blood moons are relatively common but rarely do they coincide smack-bang on Passover and Sukkot. Just as a great star heralded the birth of the Messiah, could these signs be saying something to us today? Jesus said that just as people of His day could read the sky and foretell what kind of weather was on its way, or notice the fig tree sprouting for summer (Matt 24:32-33 in context of 24:3-44) and that we are to likewise watch the signs of the times to know the season of His coming.

Our Pastor has called our Church to prayer and fasting as we move towards this significant season so I asked Enoch to explain a bit more about these signs in the sky and what they mean for us. Here is his offering. I hope that we take it prayerfully and prepare ourselves dilligently to draw nearer to God and live lives pleasing to Him.

Davo's Big Break

David - or Davo as his mates called him - was over the moon. After years of patiently developing his business, his business ideas had caught the eye of the prominent Chinese business leader Mr. Wang. Mr Wang had announced that he was going to make a special trip to Australia to see David and find out more - and they had excitedly arranged to meet at the airport.
There was only one catch - they were to meet on Chinese New Year and Davo had no clue what this meant. “I reckon it must be on the 1st of January”, Davo said to himself, “she'll be right mate!”
So on the 1st of January, Davo got up early, put on his best business suit and even combed his usually unkempt hair. “Today's the day”, he thought to himself excitedly. Getting to the airport just in time, Davo was surprised to find no sign of Mr. Wang. Davo waited for hours, looked up and down the different parts of the airport and asked repeatedly at the information desk, but no one could help him. Finally Davo headed home. Disappointed, he thought to himself: “Why didn't Mr. Wang come as he said he would?”
Soon Davo settled back into his ordinary routine and forgot all about Mr. Wang and his appointment. Then one February morning Davo was wakened by his phone ringing. With a sleepy voice he discovered to his surprise that it was Mr. Wang himself. Today was Chinese New Year! Mr. Wang asked with a disappointed tone in his voice: “David, why weren't you ready for my coming?”
We all have an important appointment coming up with THE Mr. Wang Himself - Jesus our Lord and King. He is indeed coming soon! But to be ready for this once-in-a-lifetime divine appointment, we need to make sure that we too are on the King’s calendar.

The King’s Calendar

Many of us have a hard time reading the book of Leviticus, but in it are contained some very important treasures. Leviticus chapter 23 outlines for us the King’s calendar.

Let’s read verses 1-2: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”
The word translated ‘feast’ here, does not really refer to parties, food and celebrations – although God does indeed through some great celebrations. The Hebrew word for ‘Feast’ is actually better translated as ‘appointment’ – a ‘divine appointment’.

Note that God describes them as ‘My feasts’. They are not some antiquated Jewish customs to be brushed aside – they are His Divine appointments with us. We will be learning more about the Divine Appointments later this year, but it is sufficient for us to now know that: • There are 7 Divine Appointments and they all prophesy and foretell a future event that is important in God’s calendar • The first 4 Divine Appointments where fulfilled on the Day during Jesus’ first coming in great detail • The last 3 tell us of His Second coming – and warn us to be ready for the soon coming King

The big questions for us to consider are: How close are we to the last 3 Divine Appointments? Will we see them in our lifetime? Are we ready for them?
Signs in the Sky on the Divine Appointments There are many things happening in our world that we should watch – including significant developments concerning Israel, the Nations, and concerning the great harvest of people coming into the Kingdom from every tribe, tongue and kingdom. All this points us to the fact that we are living in a time where Bible prophecy is being fulfilled at a scale that has not been seen in history since the time of the Book of Acts. I believe we are indeed getting closer to the Lord’s return! The Bible tells us to look for signs in the sky as we get closer to the Lord’s return.

Acts 2:20 says: The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
The most literal way of interpreting this is that there will be solar and lunar eclipses around the time of the Lord’s return.

A Pattern of Signs in the Sky

A few years ago, a Messianic Pastor called Mark Biltz made a startling discovery of a pattern where from time to time 4 consecutive lunar eclipses take place – precisely on the first and last ‘appointments’ or Feasts of the Lord for 2 years in a row. This is an extremely rare event, and what is even more interesting is that it appears to happen at times when there are prophetically significant events taking place on the earth.

Let’s have a look at an overview of when it has happened in the past when these signs have been in the sky:

Around the time of Jesus death there were 4 partial lunar eclipses in a row on the ‘Divine Appointments’ – as if God Himself was signalling to all of mankind the importance of this event!

Since then, it has occurred 7 times – coinciding with:

Major Persecution of Jews and or Christians
Islamic attempts at conquering Europe (and the World)
The Restoration of Israel and Recapture of Jerusalem

As we enter into 2014/2015 it is therefore important to watch and pray for Jews and Christians, for Israel and for the Islamic World.

Returning to the pattern, it is extra interesting to note that the 7^th lunar eclipse cycle happened at exactly the time when Jerusalem was being recaptured by Israel – and 7 is the number of ‘completion’. It was truly a time of Divine completion of ancient prophecies!

The next time this will happen will be in 2014 and 2015!

Check out this exciting video to learn more:

Sounds interesting – now what?

As a Church, we are being encouraged to fast, pray and spend extra time to seek the Lord at this time. Make sure your own life is in order with God. If you are struggling with issues, take them to the Lord and maybe get one of the leaders to stand with you in prayer that you might be able to live fully for the Lord.

Also, please pray for Israel and the Middle East at this time – her sworn enemies would like nothing less than the extermination of Israel and hope and dream for that day to come. Iran seeks to clandestinely build nuclear weapons and recently released a video proudly showing them launching a nuclear strike. At the same time other terrorist networks are seeking biological and chemical weapons to add to their arsenals. Daily anti-Semitic propaganda is being published across the Middle East, and the level of general hatred for the Jews is comparable to the situation in Germany at the time when Hitler came to power.

So, let’s fast a meal when we can and spend extra time to seek God at this crucial time in history. We are called to be history-makers and we have a role in interceding for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

by Enoch Lavender

Enoch Lavender is a graduate from Harvest Bible College (B.A. 2008) and is actively involved with several ministries that have a focus on Israel and the Middle East in the End Times. Enoch is available to share at churches / youth groups and can be contacted via www.shalomisrael.com.au

The Intolerance of Christianity

2014-02-24T17:48:00.000+11:00

I've heard people say that Christians are intolerant. I don't know if that's the best description - but if 'intolerant' means 'refusal to acknowledge that other gods and religions could also be the true god', then so be it.

This is why.

The Bible says that there is only one true God. There are plenty of lesser spirits that would masquerade as a supreme deity - but any showdown between them and the Lord will reveal who is infinitely greater. There are some powerful spiritual beings out there but there are none that can stand before Jesus Christ. All bow the knee or flee.

I've experienced the instant obedience of a demonic spirit to the name of Jesus. My parents have been involved in deliverance cases where the power of God prevails. There are lots of reputable people who could give you account after account on the supremacy of Jesus Christ over every other so-called god. There is no Saviour other than the God who first revealed Himself to the Jews, then clothed Himself in flesh to be called Jesus Christ, the Anointed One.

Anyone who misuses the name of Jesus and mocks Him has something coming. They simply just don't know Who they just slandered. They will one day, and it will become painfully clear who is the real fool. The Lord is a formidable foe, and one to be reckoned with.

The whole of salvation and faith in the Word of God all rest on the foundational truth that this God is the one, true God, the only one. If this one point is not upheld, the rest becomes a sham.

C.S Lewis got it right in his book Mere Christianity:

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse."

"You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

It is both possible to seek Him and personally experience how real God is. He looks upon all those who love and seek the truth of any matter, and He said that He draws near to those who draw near to Him. He is not afraid of our questions or doubts, and He will show Himself to those who sincerely want to know whether He's the real deal or not. He is and He can. Will you?

I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek Me shall find Me.
Proverbs 8:17

For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
Who is God,
Who formed the earth and made it,
Who has established it,
aWho did not create it in vain,
Who formed it to be inhabited:
"I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth;
I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain';
I, the Lord, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

Isaiah 45: 18-19

The Greatest Pursuit

2013-07-20T13:12:00.001+10:00

Amidst all the clamour in the world today, there is one thing that remains when all else fades: your relationship with God. God will always be there but will you really know Him?

Whether we know it or not, most of us live our lives in two parts: the private, and the public. The public face is difficult to maintain, and the area that we usually devote the most time and effort into. Yet while our public face is important, your private life is actually the most important because it will also drive your public one.

If we are happy in private, then we will be happy in public; if we are discontent or unfulfilled, the public life may appear happy but lose a certain spark and we gradually spiral into a darkness and disconnectedness that we were not created for. Such a life is destructive. You have not truly lived if you are not alive in your own private life: "Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

The Amplified version puts it this way: "keep and guard your heart with all diligence and above all that you guard, for out of it springs the issues of life."

So I bring this back to a question that I also ask myself: do you truly know God in your private life? Not just a list of facts and an acknowledgement of His presence but a heart-to-heart link, an affectionate devotion that is growing to eclipse other things in your life, an ongoing daily experience of hearing His still, small, steady voice in the hubbub of life, then finding the joy of obeying it because He is always right. It is in the awareness of His presence through daily life, the little sideways glances and smiles that true friends share, a likeness in the things you love - is it there?

For when you meet Him as Judge and King, you will be judged on your private life -- your heart: how you lived it, how you guarded and tended it, whether you looked to Him to order it for you and renovate the dark and jumbled places, whether the nice words you said, and the good things you did came from that deep place in your heart that is the spring of all things sincere.

Moreover, what were the contents of your heart - this private life? Is it full of sunshine and space, light, Life and strong, sturdy things founded in faith in God? Or is it cluttered with the dirty, the tattered and broken, the rotten and maimed, myriads of unnamed, unlabelled items that you have not dealt with?

When we face the last moments of life, it is the contents of the heart that will look you in the face - but we don't have to wait till then. We can live with clear, light hearts daily as we commune with God and live WITH Him, not just around Him. Only God can order our hearts and clear it for us on a daily basis -- and it is only possible if you truly know Him in your private life. Then only can you truly live, be truly free, and be the same in public AND private.

Yet, living free and happy is not the end goal. If it were, life would still be empty, and you would find yourself so close, and yet just out of reach of truly knowing God. The ultimate end of all that we seek and desire is found in Him: "for you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3).

If you will pursue anything, pursue Jesus Christ. If you will strive in anything, let all else be lost to the pursuit of knowing the One who finds His greatest reward in the love and devotion of those He suffered and died to save. For to know Him is life's greatest adventure, the deepest, sweetest joy and most valuable treasure that one could have. It is the greatest pursuit one could have.

Consumed

2013-06-29T14:34:00.001+10:00

O I need Him
the unquenchable Fire
The One who consumes all that is not His
I need Him
the Deliverer of my soul
The One who transforms one that is nothing into His Might

I have naught to offer Him
Nothing of value to give
Any love I have is a sigh in the wind
Even in that do I need Him
Fo I have not the love to love Him
And yet...
I have a strong yet flickering desire
to leave all of this behind
to be totally consumed
Enveloped, possessed
by the One who left all for me
as He said, a pearl found in the mire

O I need Him
how I need Him
the unquenchable fire that consumes all that is not His

Not Troubled

2012-09-04T22:29:00.000+10:00

Fear and anxiety are entrenched in our society. We can't help it! Or can we?

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isa 41:10

When you go out against your enemies, and you see horses and chariots more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Deut 20:1

Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

It seems to me that if God fills His words to us with such instructions as 'fear not', it must be possible to do so. Could it be that fear has become such an innate, automatic response that we would think of 'fear not' as a laughable suggestion?

Full-blown fear is as hard to control as an enraged bull, a stampede of elephants, a train at full speed: containing such a thing takes a lot of force, some serious time, and a lot of work. God is strong enough to commandeer your speeding train - much stronger than what we could ever be but from what God is saying, it seems that we could stop it from starting in the first place. I like that!

What strikes me most after the idea that fear could be a choice rather than an uncontrollable force is that our Heavenly Father hates the idea of us being afraid. He really really really doesn't want us to have troubled hearts. He is so serious about it that He would have Jesus invite us to go to Him and receive rest, that he would leave us His peace - as if it were a present on our doorstep, a key under the flowerpot, a loving note on the kitchen bench; He gives it to us.

Most people reading this would say, "Wow that's awesome!" then go away without really taking Him seriously and picking up His gift for keeps. What if we were to take Him seriously? Own it forever for ourselves? How different would life be?

Hebrews chapter 4 talks about entering the rest that God Himself is in today. He set the world in motion, He prepared the futures of billions of lives, pressed 'start' then sat back. He knows how things will end. He has put measures in place along the way to help us and be there for us - but He's not sweating it. He's not anxious about what will happen. He's at rest. And Hebrews chapter 4 says that God has promised that we can enter this same rest. The Israelites missed it by disobeying and not trusting God's strength, plan and ultimately His character. They didn't trust Hin, and therefore had no faith in the promise 'I am with you.'

But we can learn from them. We can live in the same measure of peace and rest that God is in, that Christ left with us, and lives in within our hearts. Will we take Him up on the offer?

This image courtesy from http://switchgaming.blogspot.com.au/2009/03/open-letter-to-game-developers.html. No copyright infringement intended - this image was found without copyright information.

Redefining

2012-08-31T14:21:00.000+10:00

I am reminded today that anything we do for God without His leading and power is like blowing at the wind.

All the words a person could say of themselves - no matter how skillfully crafted - can never do what one word from God can.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you might prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Rom 12:2

Heart with Excellence

2012-05-16T00:12:00.000+10:00

On Sunday, around our worship team Evaluation table, we talked about engaging in worship so that the congregation are able to be encouraged and led by the way we connect with God on stage. It brought up the age-old question about keeping the balance between technical excellence and sincerity. The following points came up during our discussion:

It is no testimony to the world when a band is out of sync, out of tune and out of touch with the congregation
The worship team can be the thermostat for the rest of the service

On the other hand:

Not everyone engages in worship by singing or playing music
if we focus too much on 'looking' engaged, it can build a sort of fakeness, a spiritual facade that is actually more dangerous than honesty about how one is feeling
God has all the perfect music in heaven He could want, and yet He prefers our worship
God is more pleased with a sincere worshipper who is out of tune than a slick performer who does not engage their hearts with Him

If God wanted perfect performance, He already has plenty of it in Heaven and yet, He comes down into our little gatherings, sits with you in your car as you sing to Him and treasures those moments far more than the heavenly music around His throne. I have heard of cracked, off-tune voices that bring down the glory of God. Why? It is because He loves the music of our hearts when we engage in spending quality time in His presence: He responds to our hearts cry,a the music we make deep within our souls as we turn our eyes on Him and behold His majesty and goodness in awe.

The way we worship may not be through music. It could be, for example, through prayer, acts of service or gratitude. We should practice worshipping God in all these ways throughout our lives precisely because worship is not a pose or activity - it is a sincere offering of acknowledgement and adoration through a personal connection with God in whatever form that might take. All these acts of worship produce a beautiful harmony of music that is sweet to the ears of God.

This leads to a question that God challenged me with, and that I now challenge you with: could you enjoy your time of worship with great music in a big Church as equally as when you are in a small group of people who all sing off-key? If our answer is 'maybe not!', it means we have not tuned our hearts to the key of heaven. We miss the point of worship if we rely on good music to connect.

I've written previously about we may end up worshipping the music rather than God Himself - and it is a very real danger in our secular, performance-driven society.

At the same time, it would be wrong if a band does not make the most of the skill they have been given, and hone it to the best of their ability. Not every band is world-class but I believe in stewardship of the gifts we have been given. If you are using some kind of skill in a worship team - whether it is musical or technical - neither look down on it nor serve it: use it to bless the Lord, and the people He loves. In order to do so, you may need to improve your technique so that you are more able to match what you hear inside your heart to the sound that reaches people's ears.

I have concluded that a band that stewards their gifts well does so as a testimony to the world to their sincerity and love for God. If they happen to be amazingly gifted and produce albums that not only compels the secular entertainment industry to respect them but also moves people closer to God, then that is their gift, their anointing and their lot, and this too is also a testimony. Music, after all, first comes from God. It is only logical that those closest to Him should also be some of the best at performing it. And yet, not everyone is gifted in this way. Every band has their gift and their place - but all are called to honour God and connect His people to Him. All are called to bring heaven down to earth, and God's presence to the needy. Worship teams are not your regular band: they are instruments of God connecting the divine to the earthly.

The heart comes first, but at the same time, we must steward our gifts well. If you are part of a worship team, I encourage you to reflect on where both your heart, and your skills are at when you worship God.

Source: http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-new/ehow/images/a07/mh/nm/church-band-instruments-800x800.jpg

Let the Redeemed Say So

2012-05-05T23:14:00.000+10:00

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the army. Psa 107:2
Speaker: Ps. Jasmine

You are redeemed! The redeemed of the Lord are then His temples where His Spirit dwells (1 Cor 6:19-20). As His temples, we are called to be instruments of righteousness (Rom 6:13).

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who carry His presence (Rom 8:1) because you are justified by Jesus' Name; know for certain now that you belong to Jesus and He belongs to you - and not only this: He also makes you able to serve Him.

To serve Him is to carry out His mission for which you have been sent: to manifest the Kingdom of God to those around you and introduce Jesus to those who do not know Him. Your mantra becomes "share, live for Christ and see souls saved". Your mission field is first your family, then your friends, classmates and work colleagues.

Revelations 12:11 tells us, "[the saints] overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

On a practical level, we overcome when we do not live for ourselves but for the One who died for us, and rose again, and stand in the power of His blood. Yet, we are also conquerors by identity because we are co-heirs with Christ, who has put all His enemies under His feet. If you know that you are a conqueror, then you will not be affected by rejection or the opinions of people and will continue to carry out your mission with faithfulness and His power.

Jesus is always with you. You ARE an overcomer. You will be a great minister in His Name. And God has called you to be you - not anyone else. You do not need to meddle in other people's mission fields or try to minister the way someone else does. You need to do it the way God has already equipped you: that is where you will be the most effective.

How do we introduce Jesus? When someone finds a great restaurant, or new singer or game that they admire, they recommend it to friends and rave about it. Let's introduce Jesus to our friends and rave about Him!

You are beloved servants of Christ. You are not your own (1 Cor 6:19). Your life and your body is for the Lord to serve Him (1 Cor 6:12-13). So be alert throughout your day and be available to share, encourage and introduce Jesus to others so that they may have a living, powerful hope, and see God's light in this dark world.

Camp 2012 S5: Loving Obedience =>Christlikeness =>Power

2012-05-04T20:58:00.000+10:00

Loving Obedience => Christlikeness => Power - Melissa Yong
Camp 2012: The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me, Session 5

Acts 19:13-17 gives an arresting account that goes like this:

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying,
"We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"
The the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of Jesus was magnified.

Bear in mind that the Bible is not just a bunch of made up stories - it inclues historical accounts of events that actually happened, many having being verified by contemporary historians, manuscripts and archaeological findings.

This passage tells us something that is very key to living and demonstrating the power of God: we must resemble Jesus. How do we get there? First of all, you need to understand that the nature of Jesus Christ was birthed into you when you accepted Him as Lord and Saviour; you are ABLE to be like Him! Next is obedience.

Loving Obedience
There are different levels of obedience: there is reluctant obedience, dutiful obedience, and obedience borne of love for the Lord and the desire to make Him smile. We all need to start somewhere but we all need to come to the point of loving obedience: we obey because we genuinely choose and want to.

Obedience isn't just about keeping the 10 commandments; it is about keeping the heart of God's law, surrendering our own right to do what we want in order to live the way God has commanded. The one thing that ties the whole of His commandments together is love: love for God compels us to live sanctified lives dedicated for His purpose, not ours. This will in turn be demonstrated by love for others

A lifestyle of consistent obedience to God transforms us into Christ's likeness.

The Reason Why
Why does it have to be the progression from obedience to Christlikeness before we can wield the kind of power that Jesus had, that the disciples had? Because: 1) it is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God (Zech 4:6), 2) we are not of this world.

The power of God is not in effort, nor in intent. It is by His Spirit that people are transformed, made whole, relationships and lives restored. It is also by His Spirit that our new nature - that provides the access to God's power through identity as children of God, and through legal right as co-heirs with Christ - was created.

If we want any hope of operating in His power, we cannot live contrary to its nature - otherwise, we just get in the way of what God wants to do. The nature of the power of God is the nature of God himself: love, justice, truth, righteousness, meekness - and the list goes on. Jesus' Name is powerful but just wielding His Name like the seven sons of Sceva is not enough. The person who is submitted under authority has the authority of the person they are submitted to.

It is the difference between being one of James Packer's innumerable employees, and being his best friend or executive associate. The employee cannot say 'I know James Packer' or act in his interests with as much authority as his best friend or executive associates.

In the same way, many Christians know ABOUT God but have not made the time to know Him intimately and carry His presence. Many Christians haven't consciously experienced the leading of the Holy Spirit in everyday life. How can we expect to see miracles everyday, face demons and display the Kingdom of Heaven if we don't really know it or its King ourselves?

The Purpose
The purpose of power is not for self-fulfillment, but for fulfilling the desire of our King to find and restore the lost, needy and hurting. He calls it 'reaping the harvest'. There are so many out there who need to be brought into His Kingdom in order for them to experience the fullness of life He meant for them to have. He has called you and I to bring in the harvest.

Let's commit to consistently and purposefully laying down the right to govern our own lives in order to bring it under the authority of Jesus Christ. As we do this, we will find that His unbounded power is waiting to be unleashed on the works of Satan and bring restoration to a hurting world.

Camp 2012 S4: Redefining Success

2012-04-26T22:57:00.000+10:00

Redefining Success - Jonathan Poh
Camp 2012: The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me, Session 4

Success is not in what you do; success is knowing your identity in Christ [and living it out]. The following three 'P's illustrate what His Church looks like, and the calling which we have been given.

Pursue His Presence
Pursuing God's presence is the greatest and most principal thing. The fruits of such a lifestyle establishes our foundation, grounds us in His love and is our primary calling - Psa 27:4. It is in His presence that we find the most fulfillment, and the centre of God's heart for the Purpose He sends us to accomplish.

Pursue His Purpose
Purpose helps define what you do and who you are.
Purpose comes out of intimacy with God - Matt 28:17-19

Pursue His Power
John 14:12 says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
Power is needed to complete the Purpose God created us for.

Ekklesia - it is a Greek word that is translated in the Bible as 'Church' or assembly. To the Greeks, however, it connoted a group of people who governed a people and made laws - like a parliament. To the Romans, it was people who infiltrated and transformed spheres of society to change them and make them like Romans.

Christ-followers should be reaching the "seven mountains of influence" in society and transforming them into areas of integrity, godliness, justice and truth - like the Kingdom of Heaven. And it doesn't end there - we are called to disciple the nations: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations..." (Matt 28:19

If you want to be a person of significance, it is important to re-align our definition of success with God's: it is knowing and living out your identity in Christ. Pursue His presence, purpose and power with all your being.

Just Step Out

2012-04-25T15:18:00.003+10:00

Sometimes we wait for God to act before we do; but this isn't always the way God works!

I listened today to a message where a guy called Ray Vander Laan explained social, geographical and historical background to passages in the Bible in a Focus on the Family series called 'That the World May Know'. He explained that because of the nature of the Jordan River, once you step in, you're in, possibly over your head!

He brought out an important point that I want to share with you today: if the priests of Joshua's time had said, "I'll wait here till God parts the water, then I'll step in," they would have never entered their Promised Land. The Bible says in Joshua 3:15:

"as those wo bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city beside Zarephath.
So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho."

God acted as He said He would when they stepped into the river, not before. It requires faith and total commitment - but that's exactly what God responds to. Just as in Daniel's day when Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were willing to go all the way into the furnace because they refused to compromise on their obedience to God, God stepped in when the situation had gone to the stage where they would have been impossible to rescue (see my post From the Fire to see more on this).

Let's not be afraid to give God our total commitment when He calls you to do something: just step out in faith and obedience; He's waiting to show Himself strong to you. Step in and watch Him work on your behalf!

image sourced from http://trainingwithmatt.com/archives/908

Marriage in Australia

2012-04-20T22:23:00.001+10:00

It's time to make your voice count for an issue that will affect the social fabric of Australia for the generations that come after us: marriage.

Australia is poised to make a decision about whether the definition of marriage should be revised to include same-sex marriage. The current definition is: "the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life". This nation was built on Biblical principles - yes there have been mistakes about racial equality - but the Bible is clear about same-sex relationships:

Rom 1:24-27:

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator...for this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

Likewise also men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

1 Cor 6:9:
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, not homosexuals, nor sodomites...

Lev 18:22
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.

Anyone who tries to prove that the Bible says otherwise twists the truth to their own hurt. God designed us in a specific way; perversion of our natural design causes physical disease, spiritual and emotional death. Every nation that built itself on Biblical principles has prospered; when these nations move away from their founding principles, they open the floodgates to the consequences of rebellion against our original design and grieves the heart of our Creator.

Let every Christian who has a heart for this nation now fight on their knees to move heaven and earth so that its people live in righteousness, blessing and power. And let the government know - because they want to hear from you!

Go to this website and complete the survey: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House_of_Representatives_Committees?url=spla%2Fbill+marriage%2Findex.htm

Camp 2012 S3: God Qualifies the Called

2012-04-16T23:48:00.000+10:00

God Qualifies the Called - Rachel Poh
Camp 2012: The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me, Session 3

God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called. He is looking for people who just take Him at His Word and act on it. He wants people who put up their hand and say, 'Pick me!', then He will change you and mould your character.

Rachel shared how before she caught hold of God, she was a very quiet, shy person. Then, when she realised that God was more real than she thought, she decided to act on His words. When she heard that if she prayed for people, they would be healed, she decided to do just that.

The first time she set out to do this, she spotted a girl limping along in a car park with her knee in a bandage. Rachel explained that she had just found out that she could pray for people with healing and asked if she could pray for her. The girl did not seem very convinced but allowed her to pray. After the first time, the girl tested her leg and announced that nothing had changed. Undaunted, Rachel prayed again - but again, nothing changed. Disappointed, Rachel let her go. Later, she spotted the girl again walking normally without the bandage.

"Hey!" she called, "what happened?"
"Oh hey," replied the girl, "it's all good now so I took off the bandage. Thanks."Then she strode away.

Rachel was left scratching her head. She wasn't sure if the girl was actually healed or not. She looked for a second person to pray for. She found a second girl with her leg elevated and her knee under ice, obviously in great pain, and asked if she could pray for her. The girl assented.

Again, the first prayer brought no immediate change. Rachel prayed a second time, but this time the girl tested her knee with a very perplexed look on her face. She jumped up, flexing it without difficulty, then exclaimed, "What did you do to it?!" She too could throw away her ice.

Later on, Rachel found a guy who had injured his thumb so that the joint in his palm had ballooned significantly. Rachel laid her hand on the swelling and asked the Kingdom of Heaven to come upon it. As soon as she took her hand away from the boy's hand, she jumped back in astonishment - it had reduced in swelling by at least half. This was the beginning of a habit since to look for people to pray for and release the power of God on their behalf.

She shared how we could look for opportunities to do this in everyday life. One day, she was at a tram stop with a friend who seemed to have some neck pain. Rachel asked about it, and her friend said, "Oh, don't worry about it. It's just some mild pain - no big deal." However, Rachel encouraged her and the friend let her pray for her.
Rachel positioned her hands some distance from her friend's neck without touching it and prayed - nothing. She prayed again, and felt suddenly very warm, and her hands burned hot although she was not touching her friend. She thought perhaps that it was the weather.
When she finished praying, her friend's expression was of shock and surprise: "The pain is gone - and - my neck got really hot!" Rachel was amazed, "My hands got really hot!"

We serve a mighty, living God who is waiting to back us up with signs and wonders if we step out in faith! Will you be one of those who makes themselves available and just says, "Pick me!"?