It overwhelms me to attempt to summarize last Saturday and Sunday with Pastor Patricia Bootsma and her interns from Jubilee Christian Fellowship, Stratford, Ontario. In four amazing teaching and ministration workshops we were as a church (and visitors), brought into prophetic transformation.
Perhaps this is Prophecy 101..., more like 201: Enter in, prophecy demystified. And so we plunged into scriptures and teachings and probably a century or at least fifty years of prophetic revelation with reference to North America. We also practiced prophesying. "Is Saul too among the prophets?" I hear you ask. The answer: "Indeed!"
We met the prophets of the old and new testaments, highlighting their words particularly and learning the ways and purposes of the Father through the awesome Holy Spirit gift of prophecy. In short Jesus said it was better for him to leave earth so the Father would send the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the call answerer who reveals the intent and will of God through the RHEMA Word. Hold your breath, it is really simple, the Rhema Word is simply the now word of God, the word stirred up by the power of the Spirit. Oooh I love this word: Dunamis.
Our operative scripture, I believe, is found in 1Corinthians 14:1 "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts especially the gift of prophecy."
How do we activate and practise the desiring of this gift? This lies first in practising the love of God. Desire to spend time with God, rested and listening in quietness. It is closet time, quiet time, worship and the inclining of that spiritual ear He made for listening to His voice. "My sheep know my voice."
Prophecy must follow the way of love. The way of love is the way of redemption. Prophecy must align itself with scripture. Prophecy must be discerned and corroborated by the counsel of God.
Prophecy is foretelling and forthtelling, employing the gifts of the word of knowledge, word of wisdom, visions and promptings. It serves the body of Christ and individuals by alerting them to the will, purpose and intent of God. The response of the recipient should not be passivity or que sera, sera but meditation, discernment, prayer, faith and appropriate action.
In my words, don't be a dodo and don't be a scoffer! Prophecy comes to teach, encourage, warn, prepare and deliver. It should not intimidate or manipulate. Again, "Follow the way of love!"
The bible says "Eye has not seen nor ear heard nor mind understood what God has in store for His children." But He reveals by His Spirit. "The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth." Be equipped to hear from your Heavenly father. Be equipped to encourage others and build them up on His most Holy word.
If I took nothing away from the weekend, I know I must spend time in the Spirit's presence. I must learn to love Him more.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
PRAISE from the Barren Place
SING O BARREN WOMAN! An exhortation to praise God while you wait for the manifestation of a dream, breakthrough or promise.
All the promises of God are Yes and Amen, we read in the scriptures. Such a bold and uncompromising statement which believers must grasp by faith. God stands by His word and it is the believer's choice to receive it by faith and fulfill the conditions of asking and receiving.
In River of Life International Fellowship, we have been talking about praising our God as Jehoshaphat's army did in the Valley of Beracah when they were overwhelmed by the deliverance and blessing of God. This week we considered Isaiah's exhortation in Isaiah 54:
Sing, O barren woman! What would cause the barren unfruitful unfulfilled person to sing and shout for joy? The sure promise of God is the reason, once given and once received. But what about the wait, the many months and years which sometimes pass between a promise received and its manifestation?
One of the things to do is: Sing and Praise God the giver. Rejoice in Him and worship Him with thanksgiving and praise. If you've tried to do this before you know it get's very hard sometimes. It needs a strong resolve and much meditation on the promises, which are the will and intent of God. The process of walking our faith requires meditation on God's goodness, grace and faithfulness. This is the fight of faith: believing, walking, confessing, and thanksgiving! Prayer and meditation supply us with spiritual might during the process.
The Barren woman's reason to praise and give thanks is that her Maker is her Husband and He never fails. Notice she is exhorted to praise (while still barren), on the basis of the promise and on the basis of her relationship with her God. The order of things is praise, exuberant joy and thanks giving, then actions based on the promise, "Enlarge your tent." Her assurance is a promise that "She would not be ashamed!"
The road of faith is exceptional, as you'll find when you walk it. It is not the natural way of doing things. As believers in Jesus Christ, we grow in the knowledge and ways of God and we step out and do His will. His promises are sure and if there is a barren area in your life, trust Him with it. Do things His way. The promise is you will not be ashamed!
Praise toward the manifestation. We can rely on Him!
All the promises of God are Yes and Amen, we read in the scriptures. Such a bold and uncompromising statement which believers must grasp by faith. God stands by His word and it is the believer's choice to receive it by faith and fulfill the conditions of asking and receiving.
In River of Life International Fellowship, we have been talking about praising our God as Jehoshaphat's army did in the Valley of Beracah when they were overwhelmed by the deliverance and blessing of God. This week we considered Isaiah's exhortation in Isaiah 54:
Sing, O barren woman! What would cause the barren unfruitful unfulfilled person to sing and shout for joy? The sure promise of God is the reason, once given and once received. But what about the wait, the many months and years which sometimes pass between a promise received and its manifestation?
One of the things to do is: Sing and Praise God the giver. Rejoice in Him and worship Him with thanksgiving and praise. If you've tried to do this before you know it get's very hard sometimes. It needs a strong resolve and much meditation on the promises, which are the will and intent of God. The process of walking our faith requires meditation on God's goodness, grace and faithfulness. This is the fight of faith: believing, walking, confessing, and thanksgiving! Prayer and meditation supply us with spiritual might during the process.
The Barren woman's reason to praise and give thanks is that her Maker is her Husband and He never fails. Notice she is exhorted to praise (while still barren), on the basis of the promise and on the basis of her relationship with her God. The order of things is praise, exuberant joy and thanks giving, then actions based on the promise, "Enlarge your tent." Her assurance is a promise that "She would not be ashamed!"
The road of faith is exceptional, as you'll find when you walk it. It is not the natural way of doing things. As believers in Jesus Christ, we grow in the knowledge and ways of God and we step out and do His will. His promises are sure and if there is a barren area in your life, trust Him with it. Do things His way. The promise is you will not be ashamed!
Praise toward the manifestation. We can rely on Him!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
THE DREAM
Evangelist Mark Davy visited ROLIF on April 20th 2008. During the evening service, he inspired believers about "The Dream" in their hearts, placed there by God. He spoke of how he had at last chosen to give up the convenient lifestyle, to follow his God given dream of evangelizing the world. In essence if you have the dream then stir yourself up and follow it and if you don't, then find the dream by finding God in that special way. The hope of glory is Christ in you. Start with what is in your hand and He will show you what next to do.
Here's a poem by the well respected Pastor John Osteen, late father of televangelist Joel Osteen. In the second stanza, Mark Davy completes it in his own words.
Great it is to dream the dream,
When you stand in your youth
At the starry stream
But a greater thing it is to fight life through
And to say at the end
The dream is true!
The dream is true
The dream is true
And so I said I'll follow you
I will not sleep and dream on the dream
But I'll arise and follow the Spirit's stream
To fulfill each task that you call me to
While You whisper in my ear
The dream is true!
Here's a poem by the well respected Pastor John Osteen, late father of televangelist Joel Osteen. In the second stanza, Mark Davy completes it in his own words.
Great it is to dream the dream,
When you stand in your youth
At the starry stream
But a greater thing it is to fight life through
And to say at the end
The dream is true!
The dream is true
The dream is true
And so I said I'll follow you
I will not sleep and dream on the dream
But I'll arise and follow the Spirit's stream
To fulfill each task that you call me to
While You whisper in my ear
The dream is true!
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