When You Are Forced To Slow Down and Retreat!

It has definitely been an interesting week to say the least with the spread of Covid19.  I know it has forced many of us into a place where we have had opportunity to self-reflect.  Questions like the following may become more real to us than ever before:

Am I using my time wisely?

Am I taking anything for granted?

Am I employing a healthy perspective?

Am I living true to myself?

Am I waking up in the morning ready to take on the day?

Am I thinking negative thoughts before I fall asleep?

Am I putting enough effort into my relationships?

They are all really good questions to ask ourselves more now than ever before.  So, many of us can easily let our lives slip into auto-pilot and then something like this outbreak happens and we are forced to question everything that we have come to know.  Some have said that the warning signs for something like this happening have been there for years.  We have been more focused on climate-change to our demise at the expense of understanding the spread of viruses that are a more imminent threat to our world. 

I’ve been really encouraged by the ministry of Steven Furtick and Bill Johnson in particular and some of my insights that God is showing me in this time have come through their teaching.

It’s an easy prayer request just to ask God to get us out of this mess, but we must learn the lessons that He is teaching us in the midst of this pandemic.

Out of the biggest mess, He can create the greatest miracle. We are being prepared for the miracle of empathy.   God shows us who we are by what He has brought us through. Sometimes we are stuck because we haven't learned to stop!  He makes me lie down in green pastures.

Sometimes to get us to green pastures, he has to get us to stop!    Steven Furtick

Steven preached on Joshua 3 yesterday.

Early the next morning Joshua and all the Israelites left Acacia Grove and arrived at the banks of the Jordan River, where they camped before crossing.

He pointed to the fact that God had to first stop the nation and get them to camp. God is already in my tomorrow. Our faith often grows in unfamiliar places.  Jesus was sleeping through a storm, the disciples were stressing... In the same way, those who don’t put their trust in the LORD run around and worry and stress about everything; however God speaks to our anxious hearts, His children and He says stop to patterns of pessimism.  We will get through this!  He challenged by saying that God is preparing us for a miracle!  Let’s learn to really lean into that.  I have read others who are challenging us to fast and pray one day this week for our nation.  There have also been prophetic declarations that the LORD will bring a revival through all of this.  So, many have just come to a place of self-reliance and this virus has shown all of us just how vulnerable we all really are.  There have also been encouraging messages that the LORD will bring a symbolic end to this crisis at the time of Passover or Easter.  Let’s pray into that as well!  This is such an amazing opportunity for us to share the hope and trust that we have in Jesus that Francis Chan has reminded us.  This is not a time for believers to be spreading the contagious message of fear!  We need to pray for healing, there are great prayers to proclaim with confidence on the YouVersion App.

2 Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, 3 giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about half a mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”

Steven reflected on the fact that right now we are in the midst of all this social distancing; however look at this passage and you will see that God is talking about spiritual distancing with the Ark.  Testimony starts with test.  He's giving us the gift of distance.  He is teaching us that though we may feel He is distant, He is not.

He is using distance in our feelings to bring us closer in our faith.  He is calling us to spiritual depth. I don't want to just get through this either, I want to be an overcomer!  I want to be confident and say, It is well with my soul, like I did at my father’s funeral and mean it.

Sometimes we see God better in the distance. The ark was called the ark of testimony, the ark of the LORD, Yahweh, the ark of the covenant, the ark of His presence.  Remember the new covenant was not dependent on you, it's dependent on God, it was His Son, His sacrifice, His blood.  A mighty fortress is our God, He is my safe place.

5 Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”6 In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people.

Everything is found in His presence!  Tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things.  Let God be in your tomorrow, consecrate yourself today.

God promised me the grace for today and the hope for tomorrow

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:16,20

8 Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”

Why did the priests stop in the middle of the Jordan River?

He doesn't want you just to get through this. He wants you to stop in the middle of it, discover Him, His presence, His peace, His life. The spirit of fear is trying to rob you.  You tell it to stop in Jesus' name. Go deeper in your walk with Him, He is more than enough! He declares miracles over your children, over your home, over your provision!  The Spirit of the LORD is here!   Steven Furtick

My prayer is that you find real encouragement through reading this and please pray the following Psalm over yourself as a declaration.  

Psalm 91

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 This I declare about the Lord:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

    he is my God, and I trust him.

3 For he will rescue you from every trap

    and protect you from deadly disease.

4 He will cover you with his feathers.

    He will shelter you with his wings.

    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies in the day.

6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,

    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

7 Though a thousand fall at your side,

    though ten thousand are dying around you,

    these evils will not touch you.

8 Just open your eyes,

    and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,

    if you make the Most High your shelter,

10 no evil will conquer you;

    no plague will come near your home.

11 For he will order his angels

    to protect you wherever you go.

12 They will hold you up with their hands

    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;

    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.

    I will protect those who trust in my name.

15 When they call on me, I will answer;

    I will be with them in trouble.

    I will rescue and honor them.

16 I will reward them with a long life

    and give them my salvation.”

Bill Johnson asks, “How does God show up in a virus, a pandemic?  God shows up opposite to the surroundings.  This is the ignition point for a massive healing revival!” Download the anti-virus software, the power of the Holy Spirit!”

What if fear threw a party and no one showed up.  This virus is riding the wings of fear.

Abiding in the love of God is what keeps us immune!

The manifest presence of God on his people is the place of healing.

There is a wonderful element of safety and security found in this Psalm. 

Ok, that’s enough for today.  I’ll share more insights on Psalm 91 in a future blog.  Be blessed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6aygmvzM4  This is such a powerful song to soak in right now!

Hungry For Change

Joey and me, the beard brothers...lol

So, my son Rylan begged me last month to grow a beard...I guess I've been clean shaven for too long and it was a good time to do it because it represented my time apart from Sharon.  So, yeah, she's not crazy about the beard and it had to go when she arrived home. If you want to see the beard transformation, check it out on instagram...lol @pastorjack9

Often we do things to create change in our lives and changing our appearance is certainly an easy one to create.  The change that really takes effort is the one that is created from the inside out!  Real, inward change is hard, difficult and challenging and Jesus raised the bar for change incredibly during His Sermon on the Mount as recorded in Matthew 5 -7

Some have looked at the expectation and lifestyle set out in this message and have said that this message is an exercise in hopeless depair.  It is impossible to live this way and really , it is, apart from a new birth and the inworking power of the Holy Spirit.  Also, understand that this message is spoken to those who have experienced forgiveness, who have found the pearl of great price, who have experienced the “lavish” love of God.  It is a message for those who have been invited to the wedding, who know that they are a new creation.  In many ways this sermon is the outworking of our faith, the gospel in its fullness.

The word blessed (the AMP defines it as “spiritually prosperous” to be admired.  Here listed are eight fundamental attitudes.  There is a present and future fulfillment being spoken of in this passage.  I would like to present these eight into two sets of four.  The first four focus on

Our Attitude Towards God

V3 The poor is Spirit -  The poor are the ones with a contrite and humble heart, those who have realized that without Jesus they have nothing.  They are parched, seeking water with a desperation, looking for flowing rivers of

An old hymn

Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling

Naked, I come to thee for dress, helpless I look to thee for grace

Foul, I to the fountain fly, wash me Saviour or I die.

It is the same experience that the church at Laodicea felt although they weren’t aware of their condition.  Here, this attitude is completely embraced by the follower of Jesus.

It is the opposite of pride… where we think that we have attained it somehow or have arrived spiritually.  This teaching is only for those who realize that they can’t possibly live by it in and of themselves.

The reward for being in this place of humility is to have the riches and the resources of the kingdom at your disposal. It is the confidence to know that you walk with the authority of the kingdom and be spiritually prosperous in all that God sets before you.

V4 blessed are those who mourn

The context of mourning here is not in relation to the loss of life or the loss of a family member, but in their repentance and recognition of how far their sin can separate them from a loving relationship with the Father.  Paul groaned over his own struggle with sin when he cried out, “oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death” Romans 7:24  Jesus also wept over the sins of others and the bitter consequences in judgement.

The recognition of the destruction of sin and its far reaching consequences will allow to be in a place where we experience the healing oil of Christ poured into our wounds.  We also know that there will be a day when Christ will wipe away ever tear and sin will be no more. Revelation 7:17

V5 blessed are the meek

These are the ones who completely have become devoid of striving.  The don’t try to attain status or position out of their own abilities and qualities.  They lay down in a place of servant leadership and trust God to lift them up.

Meekness as it is defined here speaks to a gentleness that is under control. Again I love how the AMP expands on this by stating they are inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure and worthy of respect.

They will inherit the earth – they are the ones who will be trusted with places of leadership and lead from a place of care and genuine concern.  They are the ones who will truly reign with Christ.

Self-renunciation is the pathway to real greatness because it places the needs of others before itself.

God took on a powerful journey of meekness in my ambition to become a pastor.  My journey took me to a place where I actually gave up on being a pastor. I had worked very hard to prove myself through all my education, my ministry experience and my pursuit of degrees.  I had built up what I thought was an impressive resume only to come up empty handed and confused.  I was so confused that I thought I had made a wrong decision and pursued teaching instead.  I was working with the young adults ministry in my church and during that time the church posted two pastoral positions vacancies.  I didn’t even apply because I was convinced that I was on a different path.  However, the path that God took me on was the place where I completely came to the end of myself.  It was then and only then that God used the lead pastor to approach me about a pastoral position that I was ready to serve.  God made it very clear to me that it was all about His timing, His enabling, His grace and I will never take for granted a position that God places me in.  It wasn’t about my education, my experience, my training.  While all those things were good and certainly profitable in my journey, He needed to teach me meekness.

V6 blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

It is believers who are not caught up in the world’s system of all things material blessings.  They are not chasing the self-fulfilling dreams.    Hunger is about appetite and as Mary spoke in Luke 1:53 “God has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty-handed.”

What satisfies your cravings?

How hungry are we for change, how serious are we about our pursuit of righteousness.  I recognize that even sometimes we have to pray that the Holy Spirit would place in us real hunger for the presence of the LORD.  It is so easy to become lacksidasical in our spiritual walk and become stagnant.  You know the  attitude…I heard all this before. Sometimes it takes a huge wakeup call in our life like when your wife tells you that she doesn’t love you anymore or your boss tells you, I’m sorry, we are downsizing and we are going to have to lay you off. 

When I made the decision to go to Bible School, I was hungry.  My brother Lloyd was certainly instrumental as well.  I had come to a crossroads in my life and he really challenged me about what my life pursuit was all about.  He told me that all I was learning in HS was secular humanism.

I started reading the book of Matthew and I came to chapter 6, a latter part of the sermon on the Mount and the focus was on treasure and what are we really going to chase after.  I read v21 “for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” and I knew at that moment that I didn’t want to be caught up in pursuing earthly gain. I had found my life verse and knew that my heart’s desire (hunger) was to focus on things that would last for eternity.  In the end that wasn’t things, it was people.  I prayed and told the LORD, I want to invest my life in people.   I want to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

God can give you a burning sense of satisfaction out of the calling He has placed on your life, don’t ignore it.

The first four of these beatitudes follow a natural progression that presupposes the one prior to it.  We are taken on this journey to a complete and total sense of spiritual bankruptcy before God.  We come before Him

POOR  -empty,  IN MOURNING  - sadness,  MEEK – helpless and  HUNGRY –desperation…

We have to get to the place of our own emptiness before there can be a filling of the Spirit.  It is a feeling of personal desperation, a sense of coming to the end of our own resources that allows us to come to faith and trust in Christ.

And then God says, alright!  Now you are READY to be used and the shift is on in the beatitudes to our

Our attitude towards others

Luke 4:18,19  The Spirit of the LORD is upon me…

V7 blessed are the merciful

Mercy has been defined as compassion for those in need.  Mercy in many ways deals with the pain, the misery and distress of sin. 

We can’t just stand pat and be happy that our sins are forgiven, mercy cries out to our heart and tells us to get involved in the mess and the brokenness of the lives of others. 

It is the very reason our ministry has formed a “To.Get.Her” team.  They enter the strip club as part of our Manor ministry that Sharon and I have been involved with for the past six years.  It’s a messy ministry, but there they were faithfully reaching out to the dancers, bouncers, servers at the club and displaying the love of Christ.  They have had meaningful opportunities to reach out to the girls and gained their trust so much so that when they are not there, the bartenders tell our team that were missed.  As a team, we have taken them to rehab, sat beside them in the hospital with their daughter, helped them move on numerous occasions and brought them to special events where they have felt so loved. 

Where is God calling you to? Who is God calling you to?

We will receive mercy in our time of need because we are all broken and we all have baggage that we are working through and it is my firm belief that there is a safe landing for the person of mercy that they too will find a place of refuge, a place of inner healing, a safe place to cry out and be heard.

V8 blessed are the pure in heart

The pure in heart is not so much a reference to having our lives cleansed with the blood of Jesus.  It is more than just a focus on our inward cleansing.  It is more precisely focused on our heart attitude while in the midst of serving others.  There is a genuine love for others, a completely sincere desire to care without recognition.

The realization that it is the place that maybe you feel overlooked and not even seen that God sees you and you have an incredible revelation of God Himself in that secret place.  So, don’t loathe the place where God has put you in even if it feels like it’s an obscure place,  a very ordinary place, an unseen place, because He sees you in your faithfulness and He will reward you.

V9 blessed are the peacemakers

The transition from a place of purity to a place of peace is seamless.  Purity of heart enables us to deal with conflict.  It is when we come from a place of openness and transparency,  a place where we can be trusted to bring real reconciliation.

Peace-making is divine work and in its ultimate fulfillment we see Jesus Christ reconciling us to God through his death on the cross. 

When we listen, we listen sympathetically, seeking to understand both points of view.  We also seek the wisdom that comes from the Spirit of God to enable us to be wise in our discernment. 

A revelation that the Spirit gave my wife, Sharon, while facing criticism from others was to see it for what it really was.  Doing a time of conflict in her life with those who were opposed to her teaching on the Holy Spirit of all things was a prayer for insight.  So, God gave her a dream and in that dream she noticed how the ladies  around the table were picking her dessert apart.  She then tried to look at see their faces but she couldn’t.  However in the dream she recognized the way that they spoke and there was fear and anxiety on their part.  As she reflected on the dream, she realized that she wasn’t fighting against these ladies, it was actually the spirit inside of them.  There was almost a change in the way that she saw them recognizing that they were speaking out of a spirit of fear and anxiety.

When we learn the art of reconciliation we are doing exactly the ministry that we are called to as followers of Jesus.  Ultimately our desire should be to reconcile them to the heart of the Father.

We are the sons of God, the ones who are an extension of His family, doing His work.

v10-12 blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake

We should not be surprised if anti-Christian hostility increases, but rather be surprised if it doesn’t

John R.W. Stott  1978

It was also Luke who said, “Woe to you, when all men speak well of you.” 6:26

It was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great theologian who wrote the classic “The Cost Of Discipleship”  who never wavered in his outspoken disapproval to the Nazi regime.  It brought about his imprisonment, the threat of torture to his family and his death being executed under the direct order of Heinrich Himmler in April 1945 in the Flossenburg concentration camp only a few days before it was liberated.

The persecution of the believer for taking his stand for Christ will be an opportunity to “show forth the supernatural radiance of the Christian life”  James Montgomery Boice

 This was seen more clearly from the life of Stephen in the book of Acts.

It is one of the most powerful recognition and demonstration of our identity with Christ.

There reward will be great in heaven!

The Sermon on the Mount calls for a pure righteousness that can only flow from a regenerated heart that has experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit.

The secret to blessing is first recognizing we must give up trying to achieve it through our own effort.

The next realization is that it begins from a place where we experience the forgiveness of our sins.

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you and through you.

For it is by grace through faith…for we are God’s workmanship

Once and For All

Rylan and I enjoying some snorkelling in Guardalavaca, Cuba this past week! 

I saw a great meme in my facebook feed this week.  It said “Religion: I messed up.  My Dad is going to kill me.  The Gospel: I messed up.  I need to call my Dad.

I think it does a really good job of the sense of fear and trembling that most people of the OT had when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies.  I still think it’s the way a lot of people think about God today.  When I talk to some people about attending church, there attitude is “no thanks, I might get hit by lightning!”

I’ve been meeting pretty regularly with Roger at the Manor and today we talked about “mitz-vah”  This is a good deed done from a sense of religious duty.  The goal is to of course complete as many mitz-vahs as possible in order to obtain a good standing before God.  There is certainly nothing inherently wrong with performing one, but here’s the big difference.  If it is being done to secure a better standing with God that we have completely missed the point of why Jesus died.  We could never be good enough to earn a right standing before Him.  Now I recognize that those who aren’t Messianic Jews don’t believe this. However it was good to have that moment with Roger to say, you know what, there is a different motivation for a person of the new covenant.  We serve God from an incredibly secure place where we know how much has been done for us.  It comes from a place of overflow, out of thankfulness!

Hebrews 10 contrasts the Old Covenant vs the New Covenant and it’s where I’ve been reading and listening for the last few weeks.  The author makes a very clear contrast of how the old was so limited in its ability to create real change in a person and for that matter a sense of intimacy with God.

A shadow isn’t a bad thing, it often tells you a lot about what is looming or what is ahead; however a shadow is not substance.  There was never a full sense of guilt being removed or the conscience becoming completely clean.  A shadow is like a really good photograph, but nothing can really capture the essence of being right in the moment of being there.

The very repetition of the sacrifice displays its inherent weakness

Verse 5-10 are prophetically spoken of in Psalm 40:6-8.  Jesus declared the insufficiency of the OT

On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest could enter the Holy Place (Leviticus 16) but he had to ‘in essence’ strip right down to a simple linen tunic.  He was also barefoot as he entered into the most Holy Place.  Now there is nothing that is stated in the OT about a rope being attached to the ankle or leg of the priest; however according to the ancient Jewish practice, this was certainly done.  In the event that he said or did something wrong, it was generally believed that he would be struck dead for his offense and the only way that the servants could deal with this was to pull him out of the inner sanctum with a rope.  Furthermore, he was only allowed to enter into the Holy of Holies once a year to make an animal sacrifice for the sins of the Jewish people.

Hebrews 10:5-10 are prophetically spoken of in Psalm 40:6-8.  Jesus declared the insufficiency of the old covenant.

Now contrast that with the new and we also have a wonderful threefold revelation of God here.  It is the will of God v9; the work of Christ v12; and it is through the testimony of the Holy Spirit.

Just as Jesus’ flesh was torn on the cross, so the veil in the temple was torn that day when Christ was crucified.  He opened up a new and living way.

“This is the new covenant I will make
    with my people on that day^, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.”

God never wanted this relationship with Him to be static or just carved out in stone.  He didn’t just want His followers to know all the right answers; He wanted them to experience real life change. 

He wants us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind and the motivation to serve Him and follow Him to come from a place where we are overwhelmed by His goodness and His extravagant love for us.

“I will never again remember
    their sins and lawless deeds.”

He never wanted us to be stuck in this place where we are constantly reminded by our past failures and shortcomings. He longs for us to live in a place of total and complete forgiveness, the slate wiped clean.  He wants us to know that He is not going to drag up again and again or tell us something cruel like “your past behavior is an indicator of your future performance” NO, He wants us to believe that it really can be different, that there is real hope for real change and He is going to do it in us through the power of the Holy Spirit!

¹⁹ And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. ²⁰ By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. ²¹ And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, ²² let us go boldly  right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

This understanding of coming into God’s presence is really so radical and so completely different in its approach from the old covenant.  This must have been such an overwhelming revelation for the people of God in the early church.  The idea of being bold, seriously, running into God’s presence, is really so foreign for most people, but this is what God longs for us to experience!  He wants us to never again doubt Him, doubt our forgiveness, doubt trusting Him.  For me the greatest experience of understanding this has been a revelation that I experienced almost ten years ago.  I’ve shared about it before, but it is the awareness that God wants us a two-way conversation with us.  He wants us to come and pour out our hearts and our needs, but He also wants us to slow down enough to come and listen.  He wants us to come, be still, fix our eyes on Jesus and hear what He is saying.  He speaks to us through His Word, through creation, through worshipful singing, dancing, but also through His still small voice.  He impresses people and truth on our heart and mind just like the new covenant that He is writing on our heart and mind.  Take time to ask Him, 

“Father, what is it that You want me to know today?”

He may also remind you of some mitz-vahs too, but they will be born out of a sense of love not duty!

²³ Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. ²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

So, Rylan and I just returned from a week of vacation/missions trip to Cuba.  It was so wonderful to reconnect with Pastor Ridael, Manilito, Riveron, Jose and their families.  It was three years ago that I was part of a very special soccer camp that saw so many youth come to Jesus there.  This time it was a family reunion and we brought gifts but the most meaningful was a suitcase of running shoes that were donated to us.  A lot of children at best have worn out flip flops down there.  In the first poor community we visited, we found perfect fits for every child that we met along with Jose and his wife.  We then went to an orphanage and after each youth found a pair that fit them, everyone in the room clapped in joy.  It was such a beautiful moment. There was a perfect fit for every youth except one older boy with really wide feet, but Rylan brought some of his clothes and he had a great outfit for him.

So, here’s my motivation for you to love and good works.  Everyone wants to escape winter here in Canada, right?  So, if you are one of the fortunate ones, take a humanitarian suitcase with you, figure out what is needed and don’t just stay on a resort.  Get a taxi and meet the people in the surrounding area and be amazed how God can use you!!

The Power of A Genuine Connection

so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.  1 Thessalonians 2:8

One of the most personal and touching moments for me while I was in Uganda was hearing from Jeslor, the young man who leads Trust Future Uganda, that Sharon and I were. “part of his inner circle of 3”.  During our time there we had come to a deeper level of family and partnership in ministry with him and the bond that we now share is undeniable.  When it comes to the gospel and the good news of a relationship with Jesus, it is recognizing how deep He longs for our connection to grow with Him and with each other as His followers. 

A little background on Jeslor…when his father left, his mother named him Jeslor (standing for Jesus is Lord). Jeslor's mother died around the time he was 3.  He was raised by his grandmother until she passed away when he was 15. Shortly afterwards he became a street child sleeping on a cardboard box.  However, he knew one day he would have a school.  He started the school when he was 17 and now here he is, an orphan, becoming a spiritual father to over 200 children at 25 years of age!

Here is a recent quote that Jeslor shared on his page and for me this is the gospel and true religion being lived out!

In the first place my goal was to help the orphans and the vulnerable kids I meant but after years of living with them, dinning and sharing meals with them, hearing their stories and who they wish to become in future, my new goal is to be a real friend and relative to them. That's gonna be my life.

James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world

There is something very powerful in understanding that we are called not just to an individual relationship with Jesus, but at the very core we are part of an amazing family.  Jesus told us he would not leave us as orphans in John 14:18 and our Heavenly Father said He would never leave us nor forsake us.

HOWEVER the reality of us experiencing this is through the connection we have with one another and the importance of recognizing that we are spiritual sons and daughters. We are called to be spiritual brothers and sisters and as we mature in the faith to become spiritual fathers and mothers. 

We read in 1 John 2:13-15

I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome the evil one.

 I write to you, dear children,
    because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,
    and the word of God lives in you,
    and you have overcome the evil one.

We absolutely need to lean on each other and find that strength in the beauty of a loving community.

I am presently reading the book, “Created For Connection” by Dr. Sue Johnson and learning so much about the power of attachment.  Here are a few excerpts from the first chapter on a new love.  While this book is focused on the relationship between husband and wife, there is some powerful truths that is explores and emphasizes for healthy relationships with each other.  

The book states

·         Love drives us to bond emotionally with a precious few others who offer us a safe haven from the storms of life.

Without that bond and connection, we wither, we dry up and we are emotionally cold. When we don’t initiate that sense of bonding with others, we fully don’t understand what is means to love one another.

Here’s another excellent point from the book

·         Distress in a relationship adversely affects our immune and hormonal systems and even our ability to heal.

Profound healing can occur when we seek out each other and not avoid others especially in our own personal pain.  The natural response when we are suffering is to avoid contact and withdraw from others.  However, that just compounds our problem.

Here’s a final thought

·         God longs to have a face to face and breath to breath relationship with us and in the same way He wants us to have deep and meaningful relationships with one another

As we enter 2020, my prayer is that I would be more connected than ever before.  I long for real intimacy with Jesus, with Sharon, with my children and within my spiritual family.  I don’t want to check off boxes and say I did it.  My desire is just to be present, to be in the moment and discover that intimacy in the midst of enjoying the depth of relationship.  I want to stop being so goal oriented and project driven and just start learning to be!

Here is a powerful reminder to really be in His presence and to allow His Word to take root in our heart.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1416796051820408

Being Bold In Our Prayers!

One of the things that has really struck me about the Lord's Prayer or as some say the pray Jesus taught His disciples to pray is this profound phrase, "your will be done on earth as it in heaven."  Well, what is the will of God in heaven?  It is the absence of sin, disease and torment.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Jesus didn't just die to give us life in heaven.  He died to bring us new life here on earth.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  We also know that there is healing in the atonement.  We can pray with confidence because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.  No longer should we doubt what God's will is in a given situation.  For me knowing this gives me incredible boldness and confidence when praying for others.

This past month I have been reading the book, The Way of Life by Bill Johnson

Bill writes, “Heaven itself thrives on the presence of God.  Our commission is only possible with the increase of the overwhelming atmosphere of the glory of God that increases as we pray our assignment with faith.  Those prayers must be followed with the risks necessary to display His will on earth.”

God longs for His kingdom to influence this one.  I believe with all my heart that we are called to bring his life giving presence to places of darkness, places of dread and disappointment.  We are called to true religion and that is ministry to widows and orphans in need.  God has continued to engrave on my heart how important it is to show His Father’s heart to a broken and fatherless generation.  It is also the reason that God is continuing to shift Sharon and my focus on to the incredible opportunity to be a blessing and bring life to schools and orphanages in Uganda.  

As you may know we have just returned from spending three weeks there and we have been so inspired by world changers there like our African son, Jeslor along with Shaka, Pastor Patrick, Pastor Elijah and his amazing wife Naomie.  It amazes me to see the incredible sacrifice, the commitment and passion that they serve with.  There is a genuine love and commitment to the next generation. They pray bold prayers like the ability to take more children in, to purchase 3 acres of land for their school to expand, to believe God for provision.  They sacrifice building their own home so their church and schools can thrive!  They start schools even when they don’t know how the LORD will provide, but He does, He shows up and we capture glimpses of heaven on earth!

The world changer that invited us to Uganda was Pastor Grace and he is an amazing father to so many. Here is a post that he recently shared on Facebook.

For the last 10 years we have been in the place, Entebbe Lunyo the home of My People Ministries. In that scope of time; Christ City Kayabwe came into exisistance now giving hope to many girl and boys. Through this place more 27 churches have been planted in different parts of Uganda - giving hope to million lives of people......!!! Through this place many souls have come to Christ through monthly crusades, conferences and outreaches; alcoholics, bandits, drug-addicts, thugs, thieves, hopeless etc....Through this place we have seen supernatural healings, miracles, signs and wonders, the home of Shalom Healing Rooms...  Jealousy developed in the Landlord and all who saw us from scratch to grace.... what came up is to receive ANOTHER LAWYER LETTER OF VACATING THIS PLACE OR THE CHURCH WILL BE BROKEN DOWN WITHIN FEW MONTHS!!!!!

The amazing news is that is God is answering the prayer for new land and provision is already being made for the purchase of their own property.  We had the joy to walk and pray over their potential new landing spot.

Sharon and I also had the joy of dedicating two trees in the prayer garden of Pastor Grace’s school / orphanage that is home to over 600 students in Christ City.  It was on October 26th Rylan’s birthday that we named one tree after him and prayed for the success of our businesses here in Canada to generously support these ministries.  We also named another Jeslor and dedicated it to his vision for Trust Future Uganda.  It was an amazing experience!

Bill Johnson closes one chapter in his book by asking the following question, “How much of the prayer “on earth as it in heaven” are we willing to pursue?

It is a question that I am wrestling right now with and my Ugandan brothers and sisters have certainly stretched me in every way to be a giant risk taker for the kingdom of heaven!!

The Water of Life In Uganda!

Sharon and I have been in Uganda for the last 10 days and are just at the halfway point of our visit here.  We have had the incredible joy to serve along Pastor Grace and My People Ministries in Entebee participating and being involved in a conference and an evening crusade here.  There have been many here who have been praying and fasting for 14 days prior to us coming… it’s humbling. At the conference I was able to speak on the Father heart of God.  It was a powerful opportunity for me to break off the orphan spirit for a fatherless generation and focus on receiving the Spirit of sonship into the Father’s family.  (see my blog from last month). At the crusade, we have been told that over 75 people came to faith in Jesus Christ during our time there.  A number of people were healed as well and we also dealt with demonic spirits and that brought intense deliverance ministry as well.  It was so encouraging to hear reports of the incredible freedom and release that people experienced afterwards. 

We brought over 500 Bibles and were able to distribute them. We met with the mayor and city council to pray over them and I was able to share a devotional on seeking God for wisdom and decision making from James 1. We did a number of church visits and the passion and worship is like I’ve never seen before!  There is such a hunger and thirst after God here and it is so obvious.  We also participated in a graduation of students into their secondary school program at My People Ministries orphanage/ school that is home to over 600 students.

Yesterday we switched gears and made our way up to Kampala and we have been spending time with Jeslor Ssozi, the head of our Manor ministries mission partner, Trust Future Uganda.  TFU is a school to over 200 students of which 40 live in the orphanage there.  I have already had the opportunity to teach here, play sports, hug so many children and just lavish the Father’s love on them.  I’m adjusting to showers from a bucket and squatting over a pit latrine!

Ok, on now to a devotional reflecting on what I’m discovering here…

Revelation 21:6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

It has often been said that when you go on missions trip that you are changed more by going than the people you minister to and I certainly agree.  I am humbled and in awe of the people that we serve with here and the way that they go after the LORD.  We even feel like what possibly could we say to people with such great faith, but as was shared with us, some believe that making it to our part of the world is the biggest miracle.  We were there to say that even in our world there is incredible brokenness and dissatisfaction and how we even more need to desperately seek His presence in our life amidst all of distractions.

The real water, the rivers of living water are the power of the Holy Spirit and it is undeniable here.  I have just finished reading Revelation and some of the inspiration at the end of the book is what I have shared here.

Jesus is the beginning, the “arche” where we get our word architecture.  Jesus is the pattern for everything in our lives and the lives of others.  Creativity, design, initiation all has their source in the Alpha, our Jesus!

He is also our end, the “telos” meaning He is the inherent destiny of every human being.  May we fully rest our plans, purposes in the hands of the one who holds the keys to us fulfilling our destiny!

Revelation 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

The Morning Star as I have been reading appears when the night has reached it greatest degree of darkness.  The Morning Star appears between 2-3am, some say closer to 3am and when you see it, you know that the night has been defeated!!  The Morning Star pulls the morning behind it and likewise Jesus pulls the kingdom in behind HIM! 

It is that very reason that we don’t have to fear the night.  There were times in the prayer ministry following the services that the demonic oppression that people were experiencing was really intense.  They were flailing about and slithering around and it took incredible effort to hold them down and then to pray for their deliverance in the name of Jesus and by His blood shed on the cross!  However the deliverance came, eyes were opened and freedom came flooding in!  I was so blessed to be a part of it.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to:

1.       Embrace the agenda of the day

2.       Resist the agenda of the night 

Here’s a prayer to keep our focus.

Jesus, you are my very beginning and end.  Cleanse me and make me clean in your righteousness alone.  Thank you for your living presence and keep me from straying from this place of intimacy where my joy, purpose and passion is found. Draw me closer, deeper.  I want to know your heart for the people that you will place in my path today.