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.

Christmas Gifts Fundraiser

We are excited to be able to share with you some of the dreams and visions that God has given us for a long time now which are beginning to come into fruition. The calendar are photos I have taken throughout the years in mission, faces of the nations. It is my desire it would be a prayer calendar both for the nations and for the ministry. The wheat bags are the product of the beginning of the sewing business believing to create small business ideas for those in need so that as a body we lack nothing and have something to share. It is hoped that we will train others in sewing to be able to help themselves create a small income. These are just two of the ideas that we have been able to step into and believe to see these grow into more business ideas and opportunities. Please support us as we sow into what we believe God would have us do. Blessings - Sarah and the team

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...

"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, ...

2018 in Reflection and where to in 2019?

Firstly a huge thank you to all who have journeyed with us this past year. It has been a great year of growth and expansion in many stepping up and stepping into new things that the Lord has encouraged each to step up into. You all have been amazing! Some of the growth this year has been: A year of two services on a Sunday Shifting into two different buildings New groups formed - Wednesday Womens, Thursday Evenings and Mens Ministry Interns Guest Speakers School of the Spirit Labour Weekend of Worship Financial Increase Invitations within New Zealand and Overseas for teaching and training. None of this would have been possible without your support and encouragement practically, spiritually, financially and emotionally. Some of the words of the Lord in brief over the past year. "Restructuring of the Body of Christ" "Change is coming and it will happen quickly." "How long will you wait before you enter the promised land?" ...

6 legged sheep???

In the weekend I saw a vision of a sheep that had six legs. And what I believe the Lord is saying, there are many sheep, (followers of Christ), but they are trusting in their own strength and not in mine. When we trust in our own strength and abilities we forfeit the grace that can be ours, the enabling that comes from stepping out in faith in the impossible, the testimonies that give God the glory rather than the expectation of what should be because we have put our hand to something. God is the God of the impossible and in order for the miracles, the testimonies, we need to be a people that step out in what we can't do and allow God to come in and do the impossible. That may simply be asking the Lord to help you to forgive someone that has hurt you so much, to getting on a plane with no finances because the Lord has asked you to, to continue to stay in a job/church/marriage/relationship you don't want to because that is where God has placed you, to pra...

Now is the time for the power of God

This morning I was woken with a picture of electricity in one room that seemed to go out but then there was electricity in another room that should not have had electricity as there was no connection and yet it was full of electricity. I felt it was a picture of the power of God of supernatural things taking place that you could not explain. That there had been a little of it in the past to that seemed to go out but now it is about to increase. Then the scripture Isaiah 41 was loud and clear in my heart. So I got up and read Isaiah 41 and it is all about those who worship idols and those who put their trust in the Lord who will be protected. He encourages his faithful ones to trust in him, with an assurance that he would take their part against their enemies, making them victorious over them, and bring a about a good change of affairs in their circumstances. In praying into this is what I believe this is what the Lord said to me. "What you have s...

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