by Trish Whelan
‘God is not dealing with sin…He is establishing your righteousness’ - Graham Cooke
Then the ability to become ‘righteous’ in God’s eyes (to do the right thing) over temptation (the voice in your head that says ‘Go on, no-one is looking.’, or ‘Who cares - I am not accountable to anyone.’) then becomes an established eternal and internal change, and not a constant guilt trip of human failing…
We are then ‘by Grace’ given the ability to resist temptation by engaging our will to align with God’s. This is true Love because we have not lost the ability to choose, a religious spirit does not harness us, nor are we cornered by guilt or shame to correct a habitual ‘base level’ nature of sin.
We are given an opportunity to step into the light right here, at this point in our decision making process, to become an act of resurrection, when the old nature died with Christ on the cross. This is our ‘choose life’ moment to be a new creature of righteous moral fibre, and so by this act we are now deemed fit for an expression of kingdom power.
Our ‘Free will’ is now preferring good, ushering in the new, adhering to the right decision, allowing our mind, will and emotions to be at rest. It has given up a soulish need to sin and acquire tempting surroundings and has been wooed by LOVE to LIVE a righteous way.
The ‘To Do List’ now becomes purposeful and fully outweighs the ‘What not to do’ list.
Monday, 24 June 2013
God Just Wants To Communicate With Us
by Tony Clark
God just wants to communicate with us, interaction, give and receive, to and fro, like a dance. And how we communicate with Him can be so varied; it can be a song, in prayer, by journaling. He wants to know our hearts, wants us to express ourselves to Him. It’s what He finds most important, most precious.
God doesn’t want us to be isolated, stuck within ourselves, with no one to speak with or share. He has come to abide with us, in our innermost heart. We don’t need to be alone. When Jesus drew aside and prayed to the Father, He communed with Him, in His innermost parts, He drew life from Him and made an exchange with God. He took His concerns to Him and He took His joys. Remember God said “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!” There was nothing in God that didn’t want to be with Him, be near Him. He was the delight of God’s heart.
God doesn’t look at our flaws or failings, He looks at our hearts and He loves us. We look at our failings and withdraw, feeling worthless, but that’s when we should turn and push into God because He is our strength and He is our perfection, and He heals us. He is not a God that cannot empathise with our weakness because He also was tempted and subject to weakness. This is the victory! That in our sin, in our weakness He saved us! And because Christ paid for our sin we can come boldly to the throne in grace and seek mercy. It’s the only gospel that can save us, it’s the only good news that will liberate us to go to the world. To know that you are forgiven is the greatest power on earth. When we can believe that we are forgiven it will be easy to believe God for healing, or to meet our needs, because the forgiveness of God displays and reveals His mercy and favour towards us. And His desire to unleash His goodness upon us.
God just wants to communicate with us, interaction, give and receive, to and fro, like a dance. And how we communicate with Him can be so varied; it can be a song, in prayer, by journaling. He wants to know our hearts, wants us to express ourselves to Him. It’s what He finds most important, most precious.
God doesn’t want us to be isolated, stuck within ourselves, with no one to speak with or share. He has come to abide with us, in our innermost heart. We don’t need to be alone. When Jesus drew aside and prayed to the Father, He communed with Him, in His innermost parts, He drew life from Him and made an exchange with God. He took His concerns to Him and He took His joys. Remember God said “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!” There was nothing in God that didn’t want to be with Him, be near Him. He was the delight of God’s heart.
God doesn’t look at our flaws or failings, He looks at our hearts and He loves us. We look at our failings and withdraw, feeling worthless, but that’s when we should turn and push into God because He is our strength and He is our perfection, and He heals us. He is not a God that cannot empathise with our weakness because He also was tempted and subject to weakness. This is the victory! That in our sin, in our weakness He saved us! And because Christ paid for our sin we can come boldly to the throne in grace and seek mercy. It’s the only gospel that can save us, it’s the only good news that will liberate us to go to the world. To know that you are forgiven is the greatest power on earth. When we can believe that we are forgiven it will be easy to believe God for healing, or to meet our needs, because the forgiveness of God displays and reveals His mercy and favour towards us. And His desire to unleash His goodness upon us.
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Prophetic Design
by David Robinson
Noah’s Ark… When it was built, the world must have thought, “WHAT IS THAT???” (that’s the polite version)
Constructed inland? to massive dimensions? Why? What for? It would have seemed an insane venture.
However, when the environment, SUDDENLY changed, the ark’s design and purpose, SUDDENLY, made sense! Those that mocked and scoffed at what God had required of Noah, laughed no more!
Individually and corporately, we can sometimes wonder, what on earth we are meant to be, in this life?
We don’t fit in, we don’t seem to function in the place we stand. Others may not know what to do with you? We are of course looking for that city to come, but while we are here, it can be frustrating if we are not positioned where our talents, gifts and heart-call need to be.
Take heart, The Lord is clear with His friends! “Shall we not tell Abram, what we are about to do?”
If He hasn’t yet shown you why HE is reforming you in Jesus Christ, the way He is currently choosing to, He will do soon.
Do you feel like a fish out of water? Well let God sanctify and change you from glory to glory (for His glory). Don’t misinterpret, what is actually training!
His design for you, right now, might make you feel unusable, quirky, grounded all the time - like Noah’s Ark?
At some point, if we are faithful in the small things, God will bring about the specific environment we were made for!
A boat is designed for the water; a space shuttle is designed for journeying beyond earth’s atmosphere; a motor car for driving on roads. However a boat on dry land and a car in the sea… awkward !!! ha ha.
We all, as PART, of the body of Christ, have a bespoke arena that we are called to. Receive God’s training with Thankfulness and Joy! Then, when God places us into a different scenario, like the ark, it will make sense what God designed us to be!
There are “prototype people” and ministries, who are being trained and formed for “landscapes”, (social, spiritual and physical), that no one has ever seen yet… like the sudden world flood in Noah’s day. It is, therefore, understandable that they feel like a square peg in a round hole. Again, take heart… what you were born for is, like a change in weather or terrain, about to introduce itself, IF you obey The Lord in everything; then you will be who He says you are.
Ask God for further revelation about His plans for you and others; that will also help us be patient and bear with others, when we see them as God intends.
Noah’s Ark… When it was built, the world must have thought, “WHAT IS THAT???” (that’s the polite version)
Constructed inland? to massive dimensions? Why? What for? It would have seemed an insane venture.
However, when the environment, SUDDENLY changed, the ark’s design and purpose, SUDDENLY, made sense! Those that mocked and scoffed at what God had required of Noah, laughed no more!
Individually and corporately, we can sometimes wonder, what on earth we are meant to be, in this life?
We don’t fit in, we don’t seem to function in the place we stand. Others may not know what to do with you? We are of course looking for that city to come, but while we are here, it can be frustrating if we are not positioned where our talents, gifts and heart-call need to be.
Take heart, The Lord is clear with His friends! “Shall we not tell Abram, what we are about to do?”
If He hasn’t yet shown you why HE is reforming you in Jesus Christ, the way He is currently choosing to, He will do soon.
Do you feel like a fish out of water? Well let God sanctify and change you from glory to glory (for His glory). Don’t misinterpret, what is actually training!
His design for you, right now, might make you feel unusable, quirky, grounded all the time - like Noah’s Ark?
At some point, if we are faithful in the small things, God will bring about the specific environment we were made for!
A boat is designed for the water; a space shuttle is designed for journeying beyond earth’s atmosphere; a motor car for driving on roads. However a boat on dry land and a car in the sea… awkward !!! ha ha.
We all, as PART, of the body of Christ, have a bespoke arena that we are called to. Receive God’s training with Thankfulness and Joy! Then, when God places us into a different scenario, like the ark, it will make sense what God designed us to be!
There are “prototype people” and ministries, who are being trained and formed for “landscapes”, (social, spiritual and physical), that no one has ever seen yet… like the sudden world flood in Noah’s day. It is, therefore, understandable that they feel like a square peg in a round hole. Again, take heart… what you were born for is, like a change in weather or terrain, about to introduce itself, IF you obey The Lord in everything; then you will be who He says you are.
Ask God for further revelation about His plans for you and others; that will also help us be patient and bear with others, when we see them as God intends.
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Challenging Conservative Thinking
by Glenice Mills
Recently I was in New Zealand and was very aware of the huge resistance to change, particularly to infrastructure and proposed change to building redevelopment in their largest city, Auckland.
There was such public opposition that the voice of the people has again held New Zealand back and kept them the same. The problem is - there is no resolution to existing issues, such as housing and transport.
So how does this relate to us as Christians? Perhaps one of the most subtle oppositions to the powerful move of the Holy Spirit is conservative thinking.
I was very mindful while over there that there is little change in Christian circles, that this conservative thinking is resistant to the ongoing release of the rise of the Apostolic/Prophetic in New Zealand.
In the big picture I saw this conservative thinking as a ruling stronghold over not only New Zealand, but many other nations also.
If we think of conservative nations, Britain would be our first thought. Conservatism is rooted in our colonial past and could in fact be related to our western culture. Perhaps this is a reason why we don’t see powerful miracles of God taking place that Africa and other nations see.
To be conservative means to be averse, opposed to rapid changes. It is moderate in thinking, avoiding extremes.
Perhaps like no other time in history we need to look at where conservative thinking has held the church back and in particular where we have been innocent victims of this wrong way of thinking.
So what does conservative thinking look like and how does it manifest in and through the body of Christ?
IT IS RESISTANT: Scripture tells us to resist the devil and he will flee. However we are more likely to resist the leading of the Holy Spirit if He wants to come in a way that is not familiar to us. We tell ourselves things like, “This has never been done this way before,” or “This cannot happen this way as I don’t feel comfortable with what is happening.” “This is the way I like it and I want it to stay the same.”
IT OFFENDS: Because it unsettles our sense of comfort we feel challenged and will react in offence. This offence will be directed at the leader or the one instigating the new thing. Why does it offend? Because it challenges the status quo.
WE LIKE TO SETTLE: We put our roots down, become secure, and think that is all that is involved. Like the pot plant in its pot, it looks good until it withers because it has grown out of its space. Its roots become twisted, the plant starts to lose nutrients, and before long it is dying from the inside out. The good news is if the plant is transferred to a bigger pot it can begin to grow and flourish again. It does need to be taken out of the old pot and into the new. So it is with us and our walk with the Lord.
We dare not settle.
CONCERN FOR OUR REPUTATIONS: Perhaps one of the biggest ways we can oppose the Holy Spirit is by being concerned about what others think. This holds us back as we place man’s opinions higher than wanting to please the Lord. It is in fact disobedience and is grounded in selfish thinking resulting in bowing to others.
IT IS A CULTURAL PROBLEM: Culture resists the Spirit of God. When culture says that ‘we must keep things the same, that we should stick with what we know’ then we have subtly bowed to an ungodly way of living and being. Culture must bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and so our conservative thinking must have no stronghold over us.
TRADITION DICTATES US: We always need to be checking ourselves and seeing where we have subtly come in agreement with wrong thinking that says ‘we need to do this the same way as it always works.’ Tradition is man’s own thinking and has nothing to do with the leading of the Holy Spirit. Tradition takes on many forms and guises.
Who says church should go for an hour and a half following set formulas? Perhaps the Holy Spirit wants to have permission to move upon His people and come in ways that would upset our sensibilities? Tradition is doing the same things over and over again expecting the same results. How does that work when the Holy Spirit comes to bring change in the hearts and minds of those who are His?
FEAR RULES: Sadly we easily submit to ungodly fear - fear of being different, fear of what others think, fear of looking foolish. This holds us back and keeps us in conservative thinking. Fear has rulership over our lives rather than submitting to what the Lord wants.
SUSPICION: Conservative thinking is always suspicious of anything new and will find any excuse to keep things the same. It is mistrusting of any who would be different and are often the greatest resisters to any who want to bring change. They do not believe that anything good could come out of something new.
REBELLION: When we know what we should be doing and don’t do it, we are in rebellion. When we settle for what feels good we are in rebellion. It is sin. The Lord will come to us in many ways to try and make us uncomfortable, but we have choices.
It is about whether we are prepared to count the cost, to be different and to choose to change. There is risk, it takes faith, but it can be done.
The challenge is: WHAT ARE WE HOLDING ONTO?
Conservatism is birthed in and out of a selfish desire to hold onto something because it feels good.
This is opposite to the message of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The truth is: someone has got to go first. Jesus, His disciples, and followers were change agents. They were radical and wherever they walked they challenged the culture, and religious thinking of the day. Throughout history men and women have been raised up to bring change whether it be through inventions or the proposing of new ideas. Whatever it is and through whom it comes it brings radical change in the present time and for generations to come. If we look back in history and we think of ones such as William Wilberforce and his law banning the slave trade or Martin Luther King and his stand against racism, the world today would not be where it is without these radical men. We dare not be a resister when the Lord is challenging us in this hour to embrace the new things He is wanting to do. The Holy Spirit is ever changing and for Him to have His way we must be flexible. Perhaps it could be said that the opposite to conservatism is flexibility. It is being prepared to go, to do and to be obedient to follow and obey all that is required of us in this time. It will mean being different, standing out and perhaps coming at great personal cost.
The choice is yours. Do you want to stay under conservative thinking or be one who is prepared to be different?
Recently I was in New Zealand and was very aware of the huge resistance to change, particularly to infrastructure and proposed change to building redevelopment in their largest city, Auckland.
There was such public opposition that the voice of the people has again held New Zealand back and kept them the same. The problem is - there is no resolution to existing issues, such as housing and transport.
So how does this relate to us as Christians? Perhaps one of the most subtle oppositions to the powerful move of the Holy Spirit is conservative thinking.
I was very mindful while over there that there is little change in Christian circles, that this conservative thinking is resistant to the ongoing release of the rise of the Apostolic/Prophetic in New Zealand.
In the big picture I saw this conservative thinking as a ruling stronghold over not only New Zealand, but many other nations also.
If we think of conservative nations, Britain would be our first thought. Conservatism is rooted in our colonial past and could in fact be related to our western culture. Perhaps this is a reason why we don’t see powerful miracles of God taking place that Africa and other nations see.
To be conservative means to be averse, opposed to rapid changes. It is moderate in thinking, avoiding extremes.
Perhaps like no other time in history we need to look at where conservative thinking has held the church back and in particular where we have been innocent victims of this wrong way of thinking.
So what does conservative thinking look like and how does it manifest in and through the body of Christ?
IT IS RESISTANT: Scripture tells us to resist the devil and he will flee. However we are more likely to resist the leading of the Holy Spirit if He wants to come in a way that is not familiar to us. We tell ourselves things like, “This has never been done this way before,” or “This cannot happen this way as I don’t feel comfortable with what is happening.” “This is the way I like it and I want it to stay the same.”
IT OFFENDS: Because it unsettles our sense of comfort we feel challenged and will react in offence. This offence will be directed at the leader or the one instigating the new thing. Why does it offend? Because it challenges the status quo.
WE LIKE TO SETTLE: We put our roots down, become secure, and think that is all that is involved. Like the pot plant in its pot, it looks good until it withers because it has grown out of its space. Its roots become twisted, the plant starts to lose nutrients, and before long it is dying from the inside out. The good news is if the plant is transferred to a bigger pot it can begin to grow and flourish again. It does need to be taken out of the old pot and into the new. So it is with us and our walk with the Lord.
We dare not settle.
CONCERN FOR OUR REPUTATIONS: Perhaps one of the biggest ways we can oppose the Holy Spirit is by being concerned about what others think. This holds us back as we place man’s opinions higher than wanting to please the Lord. It is in fact disobedience and is grounded in selfish thinking resulting in bowing to others.
IT IS A CULTURAL PROBLEM: Culture resists the Spirit of God. When culture says that ‘we must keep things the same, that we should stick with what we know’ then we have subtly bowed to an ungodly way of living and being. Culture must bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and so our conservative thinking must have no stronghold over us.
TRADITION DICTATES US: We always need to be checking ourselves and seeing where we have subtly come in agreement with wrong thinking that says ‘we need to do this the same way as it always works.’ Tradition is man’s own thinking and has nothing to do with the leading of the Holy Spirit. Tradition takes on many forms and guises.
Who says church should go for an hour and a half following set formulas? Perhaps the Holy Spirit wants to have permission to move upon His people and come in ways that would upset our sensibilities? Tradition is doing the same things over and over again expecting the same results. How does that work when the Holy Spirit comes to bring change in the hearts and minds of those who are His?
FEAR RULES: Sadly we easily submit to ungodly fear - fear of being different, fear of what others think, fear of looking foolish. This holds us back and keeps us in conservative thinking. Fear has rulership over our lives rather than submitting to what the Lord wants.
SUSPICION: Conservative thinking is always suspicious of anything new and will find any excuse to keep things the same. It is mistrusting of any who would be different and are often the greatest resisters to any who want to bring change. They do not believe that anything good could come out of something new.
REBELLION: When we know what we should be doing and don’t do it, we are in rebellion. When we settle for what feels good we are in rebellion. It is sin. The Lord will come to us in many ways to try and make us uncomfortable, but we have choices.
It is about whether we are prepared to count the cost, to be different and to choose to change. There is risk, it takes faith, but it can be done.
The challenge is: WHAT ARE WE HOLDING ONTO?
Conservatism is birthed in and out of a selfish desire to hold onto something because it feels good.
This is opposite to the message of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The truth is: someone has got to go first. Jesus, His disciples, and followers were change agents. They were radical and wherever they walked they challenged the culture, and religious thinking of the day. Throughout history men and women have been raised up to bring change whether it be through inventions or the proposing of new ideas. Whatever it is and through whom it comes it brings radical change in the present time and for generations to come. If we look back in history and we think of ones such as William Wilberforce and his law banning the slave trade or Martin Luther King and his stand against racism, the world today would not be where it is without these radical men. We dare not be a resister when the Lord is challenging us in this hour to embrace the new things He is wanting to do. The Holy Spirit is ever changing and for Him to have His way we must be flexible. Perhaps it could be said that the opposite to conservatism is flexibility. It is being prepared to go, to do and to be obedient to follow and obey all that is required of us in this time. It will mean being different, standing out and perhaps coming at great personal cost.
The choice is yours. Do you want to stay under conservative thinking or be one who is prepared to be different?
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