So its now cold here and the rain is coming in sheets. This type of weather depresses me because I feel trapped inside. I am gonna start off with a prayer request today. I have been feeling a bit sad today. California is not my home and even as great as this place is I still haven’t seemed to settle in. I also don’t really get alone time because I share a room and it is starting to ware on me. I am an introvert when it comes to recharge time because I need to be alone and after two months of zero alone time I am spread a bit thin. So pray.
I wish I had time to share with you everything God is doing in my heart but there is not enough time or paper I don’t think, besides its good to keep secrets with God. So I will share with you one of my favorite things I learned this week. We have been learning to study the Bible and have been focusing on the story of Abraham in Genesis. Now I have grown up with the story and I wasn’t sure what else there was to get but God is very multi dimensional and always has something to teach. We focused in on the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. Now since my first Sunday school class when I actually quit screaming and went into the class I have learned about the terrible internal struggle of Abraham at God’s terrible request to sacrifice his only son! It has also been used to illustrate the need to sacrifice our dreams to God. Well I think that is all wrong. If you have your bible turn to Genesis 22 and read from verse 1 to 19. What I found was that the narrator doesn’t comment on emotions at all. In fact when they get to the place where Abraham leaves his servants he says we will go and WE will come back. What I realized is that in the larger context of Abraham’s life this story is not that crazy. God has been telling Abraham to do crazy things from the beginning. God also has been providing for Abraham even when Abraham decides he knows the best way to make God’s plans work, i.e. Hagar and Ishmael. This is not the story of an angry God who demands unrealistic things. This is the story of a beautiful relationship between God and Abraham. Abraham knew God so well he knew he could trust Him with his treasure his promise. This is a story about trust and reveals how good God really is. If you have some time ask God if there is any thing you have put on the altar to kill when really you should be looking for the ram in the bushes. God cares for the promises He has given us because He gave them to us.
I am sure all of you people know this but it absolutely blew my mind. God is good, even in the Old Testament:) So that’s all I got for today, drop me a line if you like. I would love to hear from ya’ll. Also thanks to anyone whop sent me a picture I am still getting them in so I will do judging soon. Also if you would like to send me one but missed the deadline that’s ok send it anyway. I love you all.
P.S. We had a pray for our nation rally that was awesome this week!!! But one of the coolest parts was that Jesus Culture led worship. It sure was a treat!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Prophecy, Gold Dust, Getting Touched (Appropriately)
Ok so I just realized it has been two weeks since my last post, yikers. No I am not dead just busy. I have a lot to say so bare with me. Just read as much as you can and then when your eyes start melting out of your head call me for the rest.
The week following retreat was totally dedicated to the prophetic. Kris Vallotton taught everyday for many hours on the subject. It was extremely eye opening. There is so much to say about that I am finding hard to find a place to start so maybe bullet points will be best.
• Anybody can prophesy. Some people are Prophets while some people have asked for the gift of prophecy. Unsaved people prophesy through a spirit of divination or they had the calling of a prophet and aren’t walking in it. (1 Cor. 12:4-11, Acts 11:28)
• Heaven isn’t the only voice you can here when listening into the spirit realm. Yourself and the demonic realm like to talk too. (1 John 4:1)
• Prophecy is meant to encourage and comfort so beware of negative words. They could be true but God will have a positive answer. Sometimes it’s the devil’s plan we are hearing so we should turn to the Lord and see what he wants to do about it.
• Our job is to find the gold inside people. We get to look past the sin trash and find out how God sees people and then call it forth. That is prophecy.
• Prophets under the new covenant of Christ are to bring reconciliation not doomsday prophesies.
• The gift of prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit and any one can have it. The office of a prophet is chosen by Jesus and is an assignment. (Ephesians 4:7-13 and 1 Cor. 12:4-11)
I realize this is general but if you want more scriptures call me or get the book yourself, Basic Training for the Prophetic Ministry.
Also that week I started my extra class, which is a Prophetic class and so that was cool. I also received my outreach assignment. For the rest of the year I will be doing Sidewalk Sunday School! So after many years away I will again make my début on the Kids Church stage. The difference being that the stage will just be attached to a bus and in a neighborhood. I will be assigned to the same neighborhood all year and I am excited for the relational opportunities that will provide.
This past week, if it’s possible, was even crazier. It was a short week because there is a conference going on. We started worship and that was great. The students started a fire tunnel, which was crazy powerful. The Bill Johnson comes on stage to speak and reads only one verse, “When an evil spirit is cast out of a man he goes and wanders in dry aired places seeking rest.” The he said, “Stay in the River. I don’t want to become dry and provide a place for the devil to find rest.” Then he got us all to line up and the staff did impartations. Bill walked around the room and prayed for every person. As he came close to where I was in line you could feel the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has trusted him with much. When he touched me I went down. God is so good. As I lay there I felt this overwhelming peace and rest. When it was time to go I was a bit grumpy, like I had been woken up from a nap just a tad to soon.
I wish you could feel what I feel. It is so much more than crying or falling over. These are only outward manifestations of what God is doing on the inside of me. My whole life I was taught never to chase a feeling but I know that to be slightly untrue now. When I am in these places where God radically moves the feeling of His love is over whelming and I do believe I will be chasing that feeling for the rest of my life.
Well that’s all for now I guess. I might post again tomorrow so be on the look out for that! I really should post everyday but I think they still might end up just as long.
Thanks to all for your prayer and support. I truly am honored. I love you all.
P.S. The Gold dust found in the title is because the day of impartation I got gold dust on my hands during worship. Cool right?
The week following retreat was totally dedicated to the prophetic. Kris Vallotton taught everyday for many hours on the subject. It was extremely eye opening. There is so much to say about that I am finding hard to find a place to start so maybe bullet points will be best.
• Anybody can prophesy. Some people are Prophets while some people have asked for the gift of prophecy. Unsaved people prophesy through a spirit of divination or they had the calling of a prophet and aren’t walking in it. (1 Cor. 12:4-11, Acts 11:28)
• Heaven isn’t the only voice you can here when listening into the spirit realm. Yourself and the demonic realm like to talk too. (1 John 4:1)
• Prophecy is meant to encourage and comfort so beware of negative words. They could be true but God will have a positive answer. Sometimes it’s the devil’s plan we are hearing so we should turn to the Lord and see what he wants to do about it.
• Our job is to find the gold inside people. We get to look past the sin trash and find out how God sees people and then call it forth. That is prophecy.
• Prophets under the new covenant of Christ are to bring reconciliation not doomsday prophesies.
• The gift of prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit and any one can have it. The office of a prophet is chosen by Jesus and is an assignment. (Ephesians 4:7-13 and 1 Cor. 12:4-11)
I realize this is general but if you want more scriptures call me or get the book yourself, Basic Training for the Prophetic Ministry.
Also that week I started my extra class, which is a Prophetic class and so that was cool. I also received my outreach assignment. For the rest of the year I will be doing Sidewalk Sunday School! So after many years away I will again make my début on the Kids Church stage. The difference being that the stage will just be attached to a bus and in a neighborhood. I will be assigned to the same neighborhood all year and I am excited for the relational opportunities that will provide.
This past week, if it’s possible, was even crazier. It was a short week because there is a conference going on. We started worship and that was great. The students started a fire tunnel, which was crazy powerful. The Bill Johnson comes on stage to speak and reads only one verse, “When an evil spirit is cast out of a man he goes and wanders in dry aired places seeking rest.” The he said, “Stay in the River. I don’t want to become dry and provide a place for the devil to find rest.” Then he got us all to line up and the staff did impartations. Bill walked around the room and prayed for every person. As he came close to where I was in line you could feel the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has trusted him with much. When he touched me I went down. God is so good. As I lay there I felt this overwhelming peace and rest. When it was time to go I was a bit grumpy, like I had been woken up from a nap just a tad to soon.
I wish you could feel what I feel. It is so much more than crying or falling over. These are only outward manifestations of what God is doing on the inside of me. My whole life I was taught never to chase a feeling but I know that to be slightly untrue now. When I am in these places where God radically moves the feeling of His love is over whelming and I do believe I will be chasing that feeling for the rest of my life.
Well that’s all for now I guess. I might post again tomorrow so be on the look out for that! I really should post everyday but I think they still might end up just as long.
Thanks to all for your prayer and support. I truly am honored. I love you all.
P.S. The Gold dust found in the title is because the day of impartation I got gold dust on my hands during worship. Cool right?
Saturday, October 2, 2010
RETREAT!
I realize that as you read this title you might be thinking I have hit an obstacle and I am now running full force in the opposite direction. To this thought I say oh ye of little faith. The title is actually in reference to our Revival Group retreat we had this past week. To the left is a picture of said revival group. (I am the one with my eyes closed at the bottom right.) And let me tell you something: IT WAS AWESOME! We went up to this place called Richardson Springs in Chico, CA. It is an old 1920s hotel turned into a YWAM base. There we pray, played, and prophesied. Actually the Bethel staff did most of the prophesying but it was still great.
My favorite memory from this past weekend happened on the second night. We ended the evening in worship and then did a fire tunnel. A fire tunnel is when the staff forms a tunnel in pray over you as you go through. That part was cool the spirit gets so tangible and heavy that I fell down a couple of times. But that’s not even the best part. The bets part was when we finished the tunnel we cleared the room of chairs and danced. People pulled out flags and the room was filled with vibrant twirling colors. It is awesome to see men dance and twirl flags before God with total freedom and no shame. God is good. We danced for maybe half an hour in a room with about 300 people. It was powerful dance with a purpose. Stuff broke off people as we danced that night.
All this to say, if you need freedom dance. Don’t wait for the freedom to dance because as you worship you are in warfare and as you dance you are given your victory. It is like the story of Ester. God told the Israelites to celebrate victory the night before the battle. The next day they of course won the battle. We too should put this method into practice.
Thank you for your continued prayer and support. Drop me a line if you ever want to chat I would love to hear from you. I love you guys.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)