Do you feel like you are under fire at the moment?

For the past several weeks there seems to be some real challenges and trials going on in peoples lives including our own. But I want to encourage you that it is all for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8).

Last night I was asking the Lord about some things that were going on with us and with those around us, and why it was happening. During the night, Luke 4 came to my heart. So this morning I looked it up and it is the story of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by the devil. And as I read it I thought too of the scripture in 1 Peter 4:12 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Just like Jesus, our hearts are tested. Prov 17:3 "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart." and James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."
The testing needs to happen so that we know what is actually in our heart and what we truly believe. Sometimes the things that come out and are shown are areas that may need some renewing of the mind, and other times they are things that show us actually our heart and motives are pure. So the testing of our faith is all for the good and the promises that come with that testing is the crown of life, is His glory and joy.

In the Luke 4 story where Jesus is tempted by the devil after the temptation he comes away walking in power and authority as it says in Luke 4:14 "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside." v 32 "They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority." v36 "All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area."

I know for myself I want to be walking in this way, walking with power and authority, so that news about Jesus spreads throughout all of New Zealand, through all of the world and in order for this to happen I need to undergo some testing of my heart, some refining of the fire, so that I am a weapon fit for its work (Isaiah 54), so that I am a vessel useful for every good work (2 Tim 2:20-21).

Recently I was given a picture by two people, the same picture, and it was of grapes being pressed but in the pressing the oil was coming forth. I know that this is happening, that the pressing is happening but I am also believing that the oil of the anointing that sets the captives free will come forth even more, to see cancer flee, to see the lame walk, to see the blind see and so I encourage you allow whatever pressing may be happening in your life and believe that through it all the oil of the anointing will come forth, that like Jesus, the power and authority will come forth, and Jesus will be glorified on the earth and we will be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.

"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, ...

Obedience and Commitment are big things in Gods Kingdom

Reading in Acts 7 this morning the story through Stephen of Abraham being told by God to " Leave your country and your people and go the the land I will show you" So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child." As I reflected on this and the journey of Abraham stepping out in faith into a land that he received no inheritance in but a promise of what was to come for his descendants of which we live in the fruit of that, I thought of todays generations in which often is only doing things that we want to do or that will benefit us personally as we live for 'today' not worrying about tomorrow. A sense of if it feels good then do it, if it doesn't then we will move on - perhap...

"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...

There is an army rising up!

Are you struggling in your family? Are you struggling with people in the body of Christ? Keep going in love and you will see the breakthroughs you long for. Over the past few months the Lord has been showing me some scenes where the enemy has been trying to attack and destroy families, and so I believe it is a time where we need to be alert of the devils schemes and counter attack with the truth and the love of God. Three areas we ourselves as a ministry are currently contenting for breakthrough in are: 1. the unity of the body of Christ, 2. for whole families to come to Christ 3. for mental health issues to be overcome .... and so of course the enemy wants to come and try and destroy in whatever way He can within churches, within families, in individuals and so I/we need to be alert to the schemes of the enemy. Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." One vision I share with you I ha...

Are you feeling frustrated, discouraged, discontented - then be encouraged to keep going for at the proper time you WILL reap a harvest.

Many are the voices I am hearing of frustration, of when, of what is going on, of disappointment, of wanting more but getting discouraged but the Lord would say, do not give up in doing good for at the proper time you will reap a harvest - and I believe that harvest is not long off. The enemy's tactics are to wear out the saints but I want to encourage you - keep going, don't give up, only believe. In looking at why sometimes frustration etc is there, the Lord showed me that sometimes its because we are looking more at the dreams and visions we have that aren't being fulfilled than looking at the source of our true fulfillment which is only found in Jesus. Philippians 3:7 “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ a...

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 ...

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