Private or Public? Kiwi culture or Kingdom culture?

The other week I had a dream and I was taking my child to a new private school and while there, I was invited by the teachers for lunch. But just before lunch I decided to go to the toilet, along with other teachers. But what I noticed was I was on a toilet that was like that of those we have had experience on in the Tibetan Plateau in China, open, exposed and very public, no embarrasement but a part of every day life, but the other teachers were on the style we have here in New Zealand, private and a personal cubicle.

As I pondered this I was reminded of a book title the Lord gave me a while ago about Kiwi Culture vs Kingdom Culture. And the picture in the dream above illustrated a wonderful of example of how easily people can be misunderstood because of the culture that they have lived in and by the experiences that one has had which determines world view, verses that of what is actually a Kingdom culture.

In dream interpretation, going to the toilet often represents a place of cleansing, a place of repentance. And here in Kiwi culture, often that is a very private thing, a place of embarrasement and perhaps even shame, certainly not something that is discussed with others, and where everyone can see you. So we can often get clashes in thinking. In a Kingdom Culture mindset there is no shame, there is no embarrasement and no hiding, but rather a people walking in truth and fellowship with one another. In Gen 2:25 in the garden of Eden there was no shame, it was all open relationship. It was only when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil did their eyes open and they felt shame and embarrasement and wanted to cover themselves up. So in the Kingdom of God in the garden, which is the place the Lord through Jesus has returned and restored us too, we once again have the freedom to feel no shame in our repentance, in the cleansing, but rather see it as a part of ordinary everyday life and walk in relationship with others.

There is so much in this to ponder and reflect on, as this can go across many situations in life, for example marriage, govt, forgiveness, finances, everything. But the main point I am trying to get across is that we need to be careful that we are functioning, reacting and responding, and growing in, that of the Kingdom mindset as seen in the word of God. The plumbline of God, rather than the worldviews and cultural mindset of the world in which we live in or have grown up in, or the experiences we have had, that we think perhaps are Christian, that are in fact our own worldview. We need to learn to change, grow and develop to be more like Christ in everything we do and everything we say.

So I bless you in this new season with eyes to see and ears to hear what Jesus would say and do, respond and react, to what is taking place in the world in which we live right now.

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...

Don't worry, you wont miss the bus.

Last night I had this dream and there were a bunch of people at my house and we all decided to go somewhere by bus. Because we had to lock up the house, Jim and I missed the bus, while the others managed to make it. I found myself getting a little frustrated with Jim as he seemed to be so slow in locking everything up. Jim & I got there just in time to see their bus drive away. We were left standing in the rain. But then the thinking came, its alright, we will just catch the next bus. Some of us may feel at times like we have missed our opportunity. That we have missed what The Lord would have us do, and in that we can get a little frustrated by people around us and even perhaps blame people for where things are at, at least I know I do at times. :) But I believe The Lord wants to encourage people today, including myself, that you don't need to worry, just rest and be at peace and you will soon get another opportunity. Like wa...

A Powerful Testimony of Gods Healing Power

A testimony has just come in that is so exciting that we have been given permission to share and tell. Dawn Tilbury a lady crippled by pain of Fibromylagia & Osteoarthristis in the spine and for the past seven years has been in agony, bedridden for four months this year and the possibility of not being able to walk is testifying after prayer and the power of God being released, to complete healing since then. That was a nearly a month ago that prayer was given and she has been pain free since. She is now cleaning her shower, mopping her floors, doing things she couldn't do. Has complete new perspective on life. So exciting!!! THANKYOU JESUS - ALL GLORY TO YOU!

The baby's been handed over

Several weeks ago the Lord shifted us out of the 'home office' into the 'market place' and in the process a spiritual shift happened - one of letting the 'baby' go, a releasing and handing over the batten, so to speak to others. In this process the nests that WE ALL have been in have been stirred up, shaken about, and pushed out, to fly in ways that perhaps we were too afraid to do previously. The amazing thing with God is that He knows the timing of all of this and where each one of us is at and what we can handle. Yes there has been a fluttering of wings in panic. Yes, we have had a few weeks of challenge as authority and structures get changed and challenged, frustrations coming to the fore, but love helps us overcome, love helps us to forgive, love helps us to see the good and not the dirt, love helps us remember our own failings and yet forgiveness and grace that the Lord has for me, that I can give to others, remembering it's the glory of G...

Regret.....Pass on what you have.

This morning I had a dream of a woman who was a warrior, who was well used to going into battles and one day someone gave her a jewel case with some ancient jewels in it, a huge ruby that was set in an intricate gold setting, and other jewels that were beautiful that were being passed down to her and that had originally come from someone before her. She put them away in a safe place and went out into battle again for it only to be her last battle. In looking back her regret was that she never told anyone where the jewels were before she went out to battle that she was given and so they were going to be lost and no longer being passed on, hidden forever in history, the beauty of what she had been given lost and of no value. I believe there is a word in this dream that I saw this morning. Many of us have fought many battles in the spiritual and natural realm and in that we have received jewels from the Lord through the things we have learnt in those battles and the training ...

Our latest update, next steps and prayer needs

Dear friends, supporters and prayer partners of Glory Release Ministries, & of Jim, Kate & I. Its hard to believe its over a month since our return from Africa. Time flies when you are having fun. Some things are developing that we would appreciate your prayer on. Earlier in the year we had the conference "Step Up & Step In" as we believed the Lord was saying to step out by faith into those things that you believe for so we did, not only for ourselves and what we believe but also hopefully to encourage the body to do the same in their/your own worlds. And then the Lord challenged us again with Africa and stepping up to a whole another level and the things we saw and all that God did, blew us away. It's been a time of growing this past year, from one level into another level. And that leads us to now and what we believe him for now. Some more detail to share within that bigger vision of : Evangelistic Gathering...

Glory Release Ministries

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