You will be hated by everyone

You will be hated by everyone - oh yay!

I am reading some 'meaty' scriptures this morning from Matt 10

v16 "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard, you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. ....v22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." v26 "So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known.
v32 "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my father in heaven."

For many I believe we have this image that in Christ and in His love and showing his love to all around that it is just going to be wonderful. But what I have found, and perhaps this is just my experience, but the more I have gone deeper in the Lord, in His love, the more I have been persecuted, hated by people I come in contact with, spiritual challenged at every corner, threatened with all sorts of things.

For me, the more I love on Jesus, the more I get opposition, people walking away from me, and I wonder, ponder and question with the Lord about what I am doing that people have walked away? And what I am learning is that there is a clash of Kingdoms. Light exposes the darkness. Often times it leaves me feeling hurt, rejected, not wanted, questioning, but what the Lord is showing me is the overwhelming pure love of God, the unconditional love of God, the forgiving nature of God, the freedom found in God can be too much for people at times.

In the quiet He is there

And so when reading these scriptures this morning, I am reminded once again, "It's okay Sarah, what is happening is part of what it is being a Christian. This is the walk of those who follow me, what you are going through is to be expected and a part of life. I am teaching you how to be shrewd, I am teaching you how to forgive and to love those who persecute you, I am teaching you not to be afraid".

So I share some of my encouragements from the Lord this morning.
Have a great day!

"A man's enemies will be the members of his own household" Matt 10:36

Recently we have been pondering how to deal with situations in our family that don't line up with the word. What action do we need to take? Are we being too harsh? Do we accept the behaviour or be considered by those around us as "too radical" or "too black and white"? "Where is grace in all of this? How do we love the sinner but hate the sin? What about forgiveness? What is the role of discipline? What makes that sin any worse than lying? What is true love? And there are a lot more questions going through the mind in how to work through this and know God's will and desire for the situation and the person. And firstly to say we have not come to any conclusions and are growing and learning day by day in this but I want to throw it out there. In Matt 10:34-39 says "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn "a man against his father, ...

"I am ruined for the ordinary"

“I am ruined for the ordinary” A statement that can possibly be to some, come from a place of judgement, or it can be from a place of there is more in the Kingdom of God that I am yet to experience or understand, revelation that I have tasted of something that actually shows me that I have not tasted of anything yet. A place where there is such a contentment and joy in what I have seen and longed to see and yet a revelation that there is way more "beyond what I think, ask and imagine" (Eph 3:20) and one that spurs me on to seek and discover all the fullness that could be ours in the Kingdom of God. When we as Christians see other Christians going places or experiencing things that we don’t understand or perhaps we have not yet moved in, we can either become jealous of that person and judge and bring them down to our level, exclude them from our lives or we can choose to be excited by what is happening and be encouraged and spurred on in the Lord for the more than ca...

Prophetic pictures: Burnt Flesh, Big Fish, Expansion, Signs and Wonders

A couple of weeks ago I have had several visions which I believe is a prophetic picture of what God is currently doing and what He is about to do. Fi rstly, I saw ahead on the highway a huge explosion with black smoke billowing up and as I came to it I saw people had been burnt and I could smell the smell of burnt flesh. Our God is consuming fire (Heb 12:29). His love is in the fire. Something the Lord has been talking to us about is the fall of the acts of the flesh, the strength of man. This vision I saw was a representation that of the fire of Gods love is coming and going to burn away the things of the flesh, the things that were not of the Lo rd, the things that may have been good in their time but today is a new day. Perhaps the familiar things we are so used to that we don't even know it's there. The way we might speak, the way we might act, the way we might respond that are familiar with us but aren't necessarily of the Kingdom natur...

What do Kingdom finances look like?

I was asked by someone the other day what Kingdom finances looked like and I realised that this is an area that needs some discussion. This is my opinion of what Kingdom finances look like according to what the Lord has taught me over the years and to scriptures I have been shown, but I am not the be all and end all to thinking, so it is something you might want to check out for yourselves. The way of the world is to store up riches, to save for a rainy day, to have enough to protect themselves should something happen, that I have earned this and it is mine and therefore I can do what I want with it. The way of the Kingdom is a way of giving to the poor, giving to God's people in need and practicing hospitality, of not worrying about tomorrow, of trusting God for the future and His provision in that time of need when it arises, of everything is His (God's). I believe that if you see a need in front of you and you have something in which can help with that need, whatever it is,...

Kiwi Culture verses Kingdom Culture

The above is the title of a book that I have on my heart. Whether or not it ever makes it there we will see but in the process I want to put some thoughts down and see what it opens up. I grew up with phrases like "God helps those who help themselves" or "Too spiritually minded to be any earthly good". There are many many more that I am sure you know of - I would love to hear them so please blog me about them or Facebook me so I can add them. But phrases like that that we grew up with that actually have become a part of world view and things we base our lives on. Things of our culture that are so much a part of culture that we think is actually a part of the bible or at the very least is no big deal in God's eyes; like sarcasm. I have had to question some of these phrases - "where does it say in the bible God helps those who help themselves?" "What actually is sarcasm and does it build up and encourage people?" etc. Jim and I lived ...

Guest Ministry

Wednesday the 14th of August at Puketaha Hall at 7pm we have a guest ministry coming and all are invited to come along and hear these special people. Because of security I am not telling you his name but He is from China where he has served 23 years in a labour camp because he would not denouce his leader who was a contemporary of Watchmen Nee. He is still active in diciplining and mentoring the leadership of the underground church. He is joined with another person who has planted a chinese church in in Laos and now working with church plants. There will be a love offering taken so please come prepared. We also have Nicky Moran joining us in leading worship. So should be a great night to come along and fellowship together and see what the Lord would say to you. Bring others along and if able bring some supper to share. Look forward seeing you there.

Glory Release Ministries

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