There may be times as a Leader, where you are left feeling all alone. In particular when you are given a vision or revelation to do with your current ministry. There are some things that you know deep down within your spirit, that the people around you are not ready to hear. One of the elements of ministry that requires great patience is to interpret visions and revelations in a way that will be understood by the hearer.
Daniel 10:7 (KJV)
And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
Monday, 17 March 2008
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Ahead of Time
Matthew 24:25 (NIV) See, I have told you ahead of time.
One of the fascinating aspects of the Word of God is its historical accuracy. Written over thousands of years, the central theme, and contents have not diminished, or wavered. The evidence of life events being written ahead of time have only confirmed that the Bible is truly the Word of God.
Examining the words of Jesus, they were relevant for the people of his earthly ministry time, and they are also relevant for the world of today, 2008. Jesus said, I have told you ahead of time, so what did He say about today?
One of the fascinating aspects of the Word of God is its historical accuracy. Written over thousands of years, the central theme, and contents have not diminished, or wavered. The evidence of life events being written ahead of time have only confirmed that the Bible is truly the Word of God.
Examining the words of Jesus, they were relevant for the people of his earthly ministry time, and they are also relevant for the world of today, 2008. Jesus said, I have told you ahead of time, so what did He say about today?
Monday, 3 March 2008
Leaders
The use or misuse of position is an important aspect of leadership.
I have known leaders who have been supportive and encouraging, and others who have been bullies. There are also leaders who . . . !!!
Let me say at the outset that I am an introvert with a big “I”. It does take time to loosen up, it does take time to cope with a room full of strangers, it does take time to process questions and formulate the answers. If you are my leader, please wait with me, and do not run off. I know that I’m not the life of the party, but be courteous, do not walk away when I’m halfway through a sentence.
Micah 6:8 (Msg)
But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.
It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbour, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don't take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.
I have known leaders who have been supportive and encouraging, and others who have been bullies. There are also leaders who . . . !!!
Let me say at the outset that I am an introvert with a big “I”. It does take time to loosen up, it does take time to cope with a room full of strangers, it does take time to process questions and formulate the answers. If you are my leader, please wait with me, and do not run off. I know that I’m not the life of the party, but be courteous, do not walk away when I’m halfway through a sentence.
Micah 6:8 (Msg)
But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.
It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbour, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don't take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.
Monday, 18 February 2008
What the World Needs Now
I thought that I would share one of my favourite, challenging passages of Scripture, Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Christians. In a world where violence, hatred, maiming, murder, and suicide, are all too frequent occurrences. Where does our influence take root and sprout?
Ephesians 3:16-19. (NIV)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians. 3:16-19 (Msg)
I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength— that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19. (NIV)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians. 3:16-19 (Msg)
I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength— that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
Has Burt Bacharach got it right?
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone.
It s not a new song, but one that people need to hear!!!
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone.
It s not a new song, but one that people need to hear!!!
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Adar
The Hebrew Calendar is quite complex, being lunisolar, and complying with the Hebrew religious traditions. The Calendar has a nineteen-year cycle, which includes leap years in the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, and 19th years.
Today is the 7th day of Adar, 5768. As this is a leap year, an extra month Adar II is added between Adar and Nisan.
Adar is mentioned in Ezra 6:15, where work of restoration of the house of God was completed.
I am reminded that as humans, that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. From brokenness, and exile, restoration puts us at the time and place of great celebration.
Ezra 6:15,16 (Tanakh Translation)
The house was finished on the third of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign King Darius. The Israelites, the priests, and the Levites, and all the other exiles celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.
Today is the 7th day of Adar, 5768. As this is a leap year, an extra month Adar II is added between Adar and Nisan.
Adar is mentioned in Ezra 6:15, where work of restoration of the house of God was completed.
I am reminded that as humans, that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit. From brokenness, and exile, restoration puts us at the time and place of great celebration.
Ezra 6:15,16 (Tanakh Translation)
The house was finished on the third of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign King Darius. The Israelites, the priests, and the Levites, and all the other exiles celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.
Friday, 25 January 2008
IS MAN RIGHT?
Reading the news of each day, I am continually amazed at the destruction, of people’s lives. It isn’t a new thing happening in our country or around the world. The Scriptures give plenty of good advise for us humans, however, we are free to exercise our own will.
For many who are thrust into public positions, which have a high profile, their lives are all too evident of wrong decision-making. It could be in the areas of leadership, finances, relationships, emotional outbursts, substance use or any other aspect of the life they live.
O man, how reliable are your thoughts?
Proverbs 16:25 (Tanakh Translation)
A road may seem right to a man, but in the end it is a road to death.
For many who are thrust into public positions, which have a high profile, their lives are all too evident of wrong decision-making. It could be in the areas of leadership, finances, relationships, emotional outbursts, substance use or any other aspect of the life they live.
O man, how reliable are your thoughts?
Proverbs 16:25 (Tanakh Translation)
A road may seem right to a man, but in the end it is a road to death.
Saturday, 5 January 2008
REVIVAL
For many years now hundreds of prayerful Christians have been using the intercessions of the “Jerusalem Chamber Fellowship of Prayer,” among which are the following:
That the Church may see the whole world’s need of Christ, and may be ready for any sacrifice in order to make Him known to all mankind;
That the Church may be willing at whatever cost to follow and bear witness to the way of Christ as she learns it;
That the Church may learn to preach the eternal gospel by word of life in terms that the men and women of this age may understand;
That a great number of men and women may offer themselves unreservedly to do Christ’s work at home and abroad in our generation;
For the removal of all hindrances in our lives to the manifestation of God’s redeeming love and power.
I believe that the Oxford Group Movement is God’s outstanding answer to these petitions, and all that longing for revival and renaissance which lay behind them. I believe this with increasing conviction the more I see of the movement.
THE CHURCH IN ACTION ~ Jack C. Winslow
Hodder & Stoughton (1st Printed, 1936)
Introduction ~ Page 12, 13.
Some within the body of Christ have maintained a fervent desire to have meaningful connections with their communities in ways that will not only bring men and women to a relationship with Christ, but also that the communities themselves will be transformed under the rule and authority of Christ.
Lord, fulfil the prayer points in this age. Amen.
Luke 13:28-30 (Message)
"That's when you'll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You'll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God's kingdom. You'll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God's kingdom. And all the time you'll be outside looking in—and wondering what happened. This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last.
That the Church may see the whole world’s need of Christ, and may be ready for any sacrifice in order to make Him known to all mankind;
That the Church may be willing at whatever cost to follow and bear witness to the way of Christ as she learns it;
That the Church may learn to preach the eternal gospel by word of life in terms that the men and women of this age may understand;
That a great number of men and women may offer themselves unreservedly to do Christ’s work at home and abroad in our generation;
For the removal of all hindrances in our lives to the manifestation of God’s redeeming love and power.
I believe that the Oxford Group Movement is God’s outstanding answer to these petitions, and all that longing for revival and renaissance which lay behind them. I believe this with increasing conviction the more I see of the movement.
THE CHURCH IN ACTION ~ Jack C. Winslow
Hodder & Stoughton (1st Printed, 1936)
Introduction ~ Page 12, 13.
Some within the body of Christ have maintained a fervent desire to have meaningful connections with their communities in ways that will not only bring men and women to a relationship with Christ, but also that the communities themselves will be transformed under the rule and authority of Christ.
Lord, fulfil the prayer points in this age. Amen.
Luke 13:28-30 (Message)
"That's when you'll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You'll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God's kingdom. You'll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God's kingdom. And all the time you'll be outside looking in—and wondering what happened. This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last.
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