I am excited about what the Lord was stirring up last night at the Sunday night gathering, encouraging people to step out in the gifts in faith as that is what Ewan Blair (guest speaker) brought in the spirit as he stepped out in faith in what he believes God is calling him into - preaching. But I saw the Lord was encouraging many gifts and callings last night. And wanting people to step out and let go of the things that they have been holding onto. Some of those things were 'needing to be in control', 'fear of man above fear of God’ and ‘doing things in the strength of man', 'false humility and understanding true humility' and stepping into 'freedom' to be who you are called to be.
If you find yourself not flourishing in who God has called you to be and not functioning in the gifts and talents he has given you, then I would encourage you to take some time with him and ask the questions as to why this might be and when we ask, we know we will receive. Perhaps you may need to grow in the things God has given you and if that is so, then stepping out in faith in those things may look like learning through books, through people, through whatever means then I would encourage you to do so.
The other week in the spirit I saw a warehouse full of clothes that people were wearing only once or twice and then there were unused clothes that I was offering to others as people weren't using them. Many times the Lord has given us garments to wear and we are only using them once or twice and then leaving them on the shelf and moving onto new clothes. But these are garments the Lord has given for us to wear, garments that we are easily throwing away. In which case we are not actually honouring the garments the Lord has given us, we are not taking the time to learn and grow in the clothes, or the gifts, that God has given us. We are squandering the things we have been given.
We live in a user society, were we use things once or twice and then throw it away in search for the latest and greatest and don't look twice at what we already have. We have been given so much already and yet we are throwing away without a second look, as to what we have been given. The Lord has given us many gifts and garments to wear and we are not thankful for what he has given us wanting to move onto the latest and greatest but actually there is so much more in what He has already given us. Like a computer, you can use it like a basic person or you can get really skilled in using it and find out there is so much more it you can do, if you knew how to use it properly. Or like in your kitchen cupboards you think there is no food in there but actually if you used what was in there instead of restocking you could find there are many different things you could cook with what you already have, but we get so familiar with what we cook and use that we don't expand our capabilities. A couple of weeks ago I said to someone that they were ‘lazy’ in their gift of prophecy and the example I used was like playing tennis, if we want to get good at something then we need to practise it, not just play one game and then not play for a long time. So it is with the gifts and garments the Lord has given us, if we are only using them occasionally then we become lazy and complacent with what we have and those gifts are not for our edification but actually for others. People are missing out on what they need because we are not using what the Lord has already given us.
In Matthew 25:14-30 is the story of the Parable of the Talents that I encourage you to read if you don’t know it as it speaks to the vision I had.
“To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability…..The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the round and hid his master’s money……….
So I encourage you today to step out with what the Lord has already given you and to be thankful for them because there are others out there who would love to have what He has given you. If you are unsure how to use what you have, take the time to learn and to grow and practise in the things He has given you.
And so this morning I felt the Lord say to have 'discussion nights' and so keep an eye out for those discussion nights that will cover various topics that you may want to be a part of. Discussions on the gifts of the Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher & Evangelist, discussions on the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues etc. discussions on many different topics. You don’t need to be a part of the Glory Release Church to come to these, they are open to any one. Feel free to come along and join on the ones that would interest you. So keep an eye out when these might be held, they will be posted on the Facebook page or the webpage.
Bless you all today as you learn and grow and step out in what the Lord has already given you.