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Living in the Reality of Jesus’ Finished Work

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:33:45 GMT

I have often wondered why we keep asking our Lord for so much, when we have been given everything we need to live for Him. In 2 Peter 1:3 we read, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (NIV).

I then discovered a Prayer, taken from Mark Bubeck’s book The Adversary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1975) and was written by Dr Victor Matthews and lightly edited by Dr Neil T Anderson. The closing portion of the Prayer reads as such: " Again, I now cover myself with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and pray that You, blessed Holy Spirit, would bring all the work of the Crucifixion, all the work of the Resurrection, all the work of the Glorification, and all the work of Pentecost into my life today. I yield my life to You. I refuse to be discouraged. You are the God of all hope. You have proven Your power by resurrecting Jesus Christ from the dead, and I claim in every way Your victory over all satanic forces active in my life, and I reject these forces; and I pray all this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving. Amen."

I reworded this prayer for my daily devotions, which I read aloud each morning: Again, I now cover myself with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and thanking You, blessed Holy Spirit, for bringing the full effects of the finished the work of the Jesus’ Crucifixion, the full effects of the finished work of Jesus’ Resurrection, the full effects of the finished work Jesus’ Ascension and Glorification, and all the finished work of Pentecost into my life today. I yield my life to You. I refuse to be discouraged. You are the God of all hope. You have proven Your power by resurrecting Jesus Christ from the dead, and I claim in every way Your victory over all satanic forces active in my life, and I reject these forces; and I pray all this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving. Amen.

As I have prayed this prayer I have seen/experienced changes in my life. This brought me to the writings of A B Simpson (1844 – 1919) , and a chapter on “What is it to Walk in the Spirit?” Here is what he wrote:

“Generally, it may be said, it is to maintain the habit of dependence upon the Holy Spirit for our entire life; spirit, soul and body. We know what it is at times to enjoy His conscious presence. We live in the Spirit, we have felt the touch of His quickening life, now let us walk in the Spirit. Let us abide in this fellowship. Let us lean continually upon His strength, and drink unceasingly from His life, a babe from its mother's breast. But more particularly:

1. To walk in the Spirit is to recognize the Spirit as present and abiding in us. How often, after we have asked His presence, we treat Him as if He had deceived us, and cry to Him as if He were afar off! Let us recognize Him as having come and address Him as a present and indwelling friend. He will always meet our recognition, and speak to us as the ancient presence, not from the mount, or the pillar of fire, but from the tabernacle, and from the holy of holies in our inmost heart.

2. It means to trust Him and count upon Him in the emergencies of life, to regard Him as one who has undertaken our cause and expects to be called upon in every time of need and will unfailingly be found faithful and all-sufficient in every crisis. The very name Paraclete means one that we can always call upon and find at our side. We must trust the Holy Spirit and expect Him to respond to our need as implicitly as we expect the air to answer the opening of our lungs, and the sunrise to meet us in the morning. And yet how many treat the Holy Spirit as if He were an unpredictable and most unreliable friend! How many of our prayers are despairing groans or scolding reflections on His love and faithfulness!

It was for this that Moses lost the Promised Land; instead of quietly speaking to the rock and expecting its waters to flow forth to meet his call, he struck it with hasty and unbelieving violence and spoke as one who did not fully trust the love and faithfulness of God. There is no need that we should strike the rock, or cry, like Baal's priests to the distant heavens for help. Let us gently and implicitly claim the love that is always in advance even of our prayer. Let us speak in the whisper of childlike trust to that bosom which is ever ready to pour its fullness into our empty hearts, and lo! the waters will gush forth, and the desert of our sorrows, doubts, and fears will blossom as the rose.”

Out of these words, I have discovered that we do not spend enough time just thanking the Holy Spirit, each moment, each day, for bringing the full effects of the finished work of our Lord Jesus and Pentecost into our daily living - acknowledging the reality His presence (the presence of the Holy Spirit) in our lives in the here and now, thanking Him in faith that He is present in us, and living out this REALITY in our daily lives.

Blessings

Jono

Our thanks to Jono for this month’s Blog contribution

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The Most Important Thing

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:03:55 GMT

The most important thing is to keep the most important thing the most important thing!

Reflecting regularly on the basics of our relationship with the Lord is healthy. So, my aim is for us to create a healthy platform from which we can enjoy a loving and dynamic relationship with God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord through Holy Spirit’s facilitating our communication and intimacy.

As we become partakers of God’s nature and be transformed, we present not only our bodies, but also our spirits and souls as living, dedicated burnt offerings to the Lord, so that we can undergo that metamorphosis – absorbing the mind and will of God, becoming more and more like Him. And as we embark on this wonderful journey, we must cast aside all subtle prejudices and traditions that seem godly, but become hindrances to obtaining the maximal transformation.

The key is twofold: to fulfil all the promises and, secondly, to escape the world and its allure, but especially its seemingly kosher religious methods.

Peter wrote in his second epistle, “Because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

An excellent practical example of this would be Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 , “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.”

As the Lamb’s Bride and Wife, we are to be subject to Him in all things. Our collaboration must surely come from the Head, even though in time we gain the wisdom, insight, truth and discernment to act entirely on His behalf as Holy Spirit guides us (1 John 2:27). That beautiful paradigm that Hosea spoke of concerning the new covenant, “And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’” that is, referring to the mystery where Christ and the Church become one.

And it’s really simple, as nothing impure can persist into eternity after the Day of the Lord. Only that which has been conformed and transformed into His holiness can persist. A change that Holy Spirit brings about as we remain in His Presence and abide in His Person.

The process is simple, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 , “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Let’s consider this from a very real Scriptural account. Making food for at least 13 people on what seems to have been an impromptu visit in Jesus’ day was quite an effort. Enough water had to be drawn from the well and carried back to the house; the fire had to be stoked; enough mutton, venison, or poultry (probably for a broth) had to be bought from the market, killed, and properly prepared. And if any herbs were amiss, they had to be acquired as well. Were there enough vegetables? And who would peel, cut, or prepare them? Bread had to be baked for all involved. Did they have enough barley or wheat, and did the recipe for baking it have to be made? There had to be enough bowls, cutlery, and the table had to be set, while the cooking utensils needed washing up as things went along.

So maybe we can understand a little better why Martha was literally up in arms about the whole situation, as her sister didn’t care for anything or helping out at all. All she desired was to absorb as much as possible from Jesus’s words, the bread of life feeding her perfectly, cocooned in the reality of encountering the Presence and the words of eternity – love and truth poured out for her and the disciples.

Perhaps as we now read the account, we can see our own frustrations as we try to navigate our way in our daily tasks and even believe we are doing it for the Lord, while those who know that the most important thing is to keep the most important thing as the most important thing benefit most.

Luke 10:38-42 , “As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’ But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (ESV)

Love and divinity are not always “fair”, but they are always filled with mercy, grace and beauty.

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution

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Living by the Breath of God

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:57:37 GMT

(This Blog is an extract from a Sermon Toby recently preached).

In both the Old Testament (Hebrew) and the New Testament (Greek), “breath,” “spirit,” and sometimes even “wind” are closely linked—often by the same word. Some Key Biblical Words are:

Hebrew: ruach – breath, wind, spirit

Greek: pneuma – breath, wind, spirit

Scripture uses physical breath to point to God’s life-giving presence. Breath = Life from God.

In Creation we see that human life begins only when God breathes. Dust alone is lifeless. God’s breath transforms matter into life. This shows that life is received, not self-generated.

Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God… breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

In Job we see that we have ongoing life and Job understands that every moment of life depends on God’s Spirit continuing to sustain him.

Job 33:4: “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Job 27:3: “The breath of God is in my nostrils”

Isaiah reminds us that God’s breath can give life—or remove it and so we see that God’s breath is powerful - it creates, sustains, judge or humble.

Isaiah 40:7 “The grass withers… when the breath of the Lord blows upon it”

Ezekiel 37:1-10 (Valley of Dry Bones) shows that God’s breath does more than animate bodies—it restores a people spiritually. This passage powerfully shows that:

- Structure without God’s Spirit is still death.

- We cannot live physically without God’s breath,

- and we cannot live spiritually without God’s Spirit.

Breath in Scripture symbolizes God’s creative power, God’s indwelling presence, God’s sustaining grace, Humanity’s complete dependence on Him. When the Bible speaks of breath leaving and returning to God, it is not poetic exaggeration—it is a declaration that life itself belongs to Him.

Just as the Old Testament uses ruach (breath/spirit), the New Testament uses pneuma, carrying the same meaning.

Jesus and the Breath of New Creation

J ohn 20:22, “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.” This moment with Jesus and the Disciples is intentional and powerful and it echoes Genesis 2:7, which signals a new creation. Just as Adam became alive through God’s breath, believers receive new spiritual life through Christ’s Spirit.

At Pentecost, we see Breath as Power.

Acts 2:2 “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven…”

Wind = breath = Spirit. The Church is not born through human effort, but through God’s breath filling His people. It is the Spirit who gives life. Romans 8:10–11 “The Spirit gives life… He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.”

Breath and New Life

2 Corinthians 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”

New creation requires new breath, so as the Holy Spirit comes to live within the believer, we are new creations in Jesus.

From the first page of Scripture to the birth of the Church, God reveals a profound truth: life begins, continues, and is restored by His breath. When God formed humanity from dust, He did not simply create a body—He breathed His life into it. That same divine breath reappears throughout Scripture, reviving dry bones, sustaining the faithful, and ultimately breathing new life into believers through Jesus Christ.

When Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” He was declaring the beginning of a new humanity—people no longer animated merely by physical breath, but by the Spirit of God Himself. Without God’s breath, bodies are lifeless. Without God’s Spirit, souls are barren. But when His Spirit fills us, we move from survival to true life.

The Christian life is not about striving harder—it is about remaining filled with the breath of God.

How does this apply to a Christian’s Spiritual Life Today?

1. Dependence, Not Self-Sufficiency . Every breath reminds us: We are not self-made. Spiritual life cannot be manufactured. We must receive, not perform. John 15:5 “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

2. Prayer as Spiritual Breathing. Prayer becomes more than words—it is inhaling God’s presence and exhaling trust.

Inhale: receiving the Spirit’s guidance

Exhale: surrender, repentance, praise

3. The Holy Spirit as Daily Sustainer. The Spirit is not only for salvation moments but for: Wisdom, Comfort, Conviction, Strength to live faithfully.

Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

4. Hope for Dry Places. Ezekiel’s vision reminds believers: God specializes in reviving what seems dead. Spiritual dryness is not final. God’s breath can restore joy, faith, and purpose. As long as the breath of God is in us, life—true life—is possible.

As Breath is God. He breathed within us to give us life and life in abundance. What are you doing with that breathe… are you praising and glorifying Him with it or not?

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution

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Loyalty

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:36:36 GMT

What does ‘ Loyalty ’ mean to you? Has it, over your lifetime, changed in meaning or even how you now live within your understanding of the word?

It is my opinion that the true meaning of ‘Loyalty’ is a word that is ‘going out of fashion’. We no longer seem to be loyal to anything - other than ourselves, our own needs and desires. Even within marriage loyalty to each other seems to have diminished. Loyalty among friends seems to now rely on ‘whether you are doing what meets my needs’. Many shops and supermarkets have ‘Loyalty Schemes’, but they want us to be loyal to them so that they can continue to make a profit and keep trading, all the while it’s disguised as their ‘rewarding loyal customers’.

I feel that I have become quite cynical about loyalty. But is it because it’s been so watered-down that we no longer understand ‘Loyalty’. Or have I become caught up in the ways of the world? How about you?

But more important than our loyalty to each other, how is it with your relationship with God? Has the world’s understanding of loyalty affected your understanding of what being loyal to God looks like?

The Bible is quite clear that loyalty is one of God’s attributes. God remains loyal (faithful) to us, so there is an expectation that we should remain loyal to God. The loyalty we express should be a reflection of God’s loyalty to us.

What does it mean to be loyal as a Christian? The website GotQuestions.org is quite helpful. “The word loyalty brings to mind a powerful sense of belonging and solidarity. With it comes the idea of wholehearted fidelity coupled with unswerving devotion and duty. In the Bible, the concept of loyalty is purely relational. This means our whole being is thoroughly committed to someone (Joshua 24:15). Such loyalty is expressed to us in both the divine and human realms as given to us in the first two commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” and “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:29-31; cf. John 15:13; 1 John 3:16).

God established the very essence of loyalty through His covenant relationship with His people: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9).”

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-loyalty.html

It should therefore stand to reason that if we sow disloyalty, we will reap disloyalty. If we sow loyalty, we will reap loyalty.

Not only is God completely loyal to us, and this is expressed through His covenant with us and the promise of never being separated from the love God (Romans 8:38-39), but we see how loyalty has shown itself throughout the Bible.

The story of Ruth shows the loyalty of a daughter-in-law to a mother-in-law.

Jonathan showed loyalty to David – the loyalty of a friend to a friend.

Joseph showed loyalty to his brothers, in spite of what they did to him.

Esther showed loyalty to her Nation

Moses showed loyalty to the people of Israel – even when they turned against him.

Lydia showed loyalty to Paul and Timothy by being a good host to them.

Timothy and Paul remained loyal to each other in Ministry

Luke remained loyal to Paul as he served Paul

Paul speaks of his ‘loyal companion’ in requesting that person helps the women who laboured with him in the Gospel.

Daniel remained loyal to his God, even when it meant persecution and possible death.

And then there is the ultimate demonstration of loyalty – that of Jesus showing loyalty not just to us, but to His Father too.

GotQuestions.Org continues “As Jesus’ disciples, we demonstrate our loyalty and self-sacrificing allegiance to Him by following His command: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Mark 8:34). But even when we fail to be completely loyal and steadfast to Him, we have His assurance that He will be loyal to us: “And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).”

As I’ve been seeking God for 2026 in these past few weeks, the word ‘ LOYALTY ’ keeps coming back to me. I have such a deep sense that God is asking us to consider what that word means to us and how we are going to pursue loyalty, not just to each other, but to God.

So I leave you, at the start of 2026, to consider this:-

• What does loyalty mean to you? Do you receive it from the people around you? Do you show it to those in your life?

• How loyal are you to God? How is your relationship with Him going? Can you echo what Psalm 119:33-34 says - “ 33 Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart . ” Loyalty is following God’s ways and being obedient to Him.

Being loyal to God also means loving Him with all of our being, living for Him alone, seeking His Face and bringing praise and adoration to Him. Our gaze should be fixed on God and we will be transformed into His likeness.

We need to, every day, study the Scriptures to build ourselves up in the faith, pray and where possible pray in the Spirit so that we will be guided into the truth, keep ourselves in God’s love and staying close to Him, receive mercy from Jesus and show mercy to others. Then we will become more like Him in every part of our lives, especially in the area of loyalty.

May we remain loyal to God and to each other throughout 2026. Let us allow Holy Spirit to teach us afresh about the meaning of Godly loyalty. And may our prayer this year be: ' God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting way— the path that brings me back to you.' Psalms 139:23-24 [TPT]

Have an amazing 2026.

Be blessed

Jean

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Are You Gold or Bronze

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:28:07 GMT

Recently I read a Bible passage and in it God highlighted something to me which stirred me and led me to write this Blog.

The Lord had been speaking to me about whether we are ‘ Gold ’ Christians or ‘ Bronze ’ Christians. So, I did a tiny bit of research, and discovered that Gold is a pure metal and is hard to mine and expensive to refine. Did you know that the visors on Astronaut’s space helmets are coated with a layer of Gold – thin enough for the astronaut to see through, but thick enough to reflect sunlight?

Gold and silver do not require another metal in an alloy to prevent rust/oxidization. Gold is a very soft and malleable metal. It is also very unreactive, so it resists corrosion and stays shiny. Gold is dense and so feels heavy when you hold it.

Bronze on the other hand is an alloy (a mixture of two elements where at least one element is a metal) of tin (usually 12%) and copper (usually 88%). Bronze was the first alloy to be made by humans, around 6000 years ago. ( Remember the Bronze Serpent – Numbers 21:6-9 ).

When you shine Bronze, you can bring it up to look like Gold, but eventually you will wear it away. Polishing etc can produce a bright reflective surface that appears ‘golden’ at a glance. Gold plating is sometimes put over bronze objects.

Jewellery – because of the high copper content of bronze, jewellery will tarnish and develop the green patina (green ring). This occurs because copper reacts to moisture and air from the body and the environment which causes oxidation.

Bronze can be mistaken for gold under many realistic conditions. The two metals share some visual similarities, but do differ in colour, lustre, weight (being lighter than Gold), corrosion and physical properties. You can tell a bronze object when you put it against a gold object.

This got me thinking about our own lives as Christians. Are we, and is the Church, a Gold or Bronze people?

When we first accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we got the whole download from Heaven – we were refined into the finest Gold. But I wonder how many of us can take a good, hard, honest look at ourselves and see where we have become ‘Bronze’ Christians – where we’ve been corrupted by the world and are happy to stay that way. Where we want to live with an ‘alloy’ of the Kingdom and the world. Where we have substituted the Gold in us and been quite happy with being Bronze.

We remember in the Old Testament that the finest Gold made so many of the items in Soloman’s temple. But after Israel was invaded and the Egyptians took all the gold items, King Rehoboam replaced the Gold with Bronze. He substituted the best for a second-best.

I see the Gold representing the purest and finest of Heaven – and that’s what we actually have. But I see the Bronze representing an alloy of Heaven and the world. And the thing with Bronze is that it is difficult to separate, and you will never get it back to the original forms of Tin and Copper.

I think many of us are still so attracted to the things of the world that we have mixed the world and the Kingdom and are parading it as the finest that Heaven has to offer us. We shine it up, and hope no one will see the difference. But we have to remember that no matter how much we try and shine up Bronze, it will never be Gold. No matter how much we try and convince ourselves that our ‘bronze life’ is ok, it will never be the true representation of the Kingdom of Heaven that God wants us to display.

Have we kept the appearance (Bronze) that we are amazing Christians following God and doing His will, when actually we’re not because we still live sinful lives deliberately? Have we tried to keep hold of the things of the world we like and twisted the truth of Scripture to justify our decision and lifestyle? If we are doing that we are saying, in effect, that the Kingdom is NOT ENOUGH, and that we have to ADD TO IT .

But eventually the truth will out and we will be exposed. Because just as Bronze Jewellery being passed off as Gold Jewellery tarnishes and develops the green patina (and I’ve had many jewellery items that have done that to me, and it’s caused problems on my skin), so our pretending to be pure Gold when we’re not will eventually be exposed.

Something to ponder – is your life pure and can others see the purity of that life in you? Do you have the kind of relationship with God where you allow Him to change you more into His image? Do you have a lifestyle that cannot be corroded by the world? And a character that makes you unique and others will see Jesus in you? Are you holy and set apart to do the will of the Father? Has your heart been purified and cleansed from sin so that other will know that they have been in the presence of Jesus when they come into your company? Are you a Gold Christian?

The way I see it is that if we want to become ‘Gold’ Christians, then we need to destroy the ‘Bronze’ in us and start afresh, by confessing our allegiance with the world, by repenting of wanting the ‘best of both worlds’, and by receiving Jesus’ forgiveness and allowing Holy Spirit to make us into new Creations, ‘Gold’ people. It’s our choice!

As we approach the Christmas season, we think of the Christmas Story that is traditionally told at this time of the year. The Wise Men brought Jesus gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. What do we bring to Jesus – a life of Gold, or a life of Bronze? Surely God is worthy of our lives of Gold being presented to Him and shown to the world.

May this Christmas be a blessing to one and all.

Be blessed

Jean

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Let Love have its Way

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 09:11:39 GMT

Hebrews 2:1-3 : “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?” Remember, this was written to believers.

In a practical sense, prudence can be defined as taking a step back when confronted with an issue and asking the Lord, “ Lord, what is Your take on this? ”

This step, once cultivated with the gifts of discernment, wisdom, and revelation, will lead us successfully on the path of righteousness. But the Lord also exercises prudence; He always considers our point of view, not tempting us beyond what we can endure, and endeavouring to gain His perspective, without always spelling it out for us.

When we look at Solomon, called Jedidiah by the Lord, and at their very close-knit relationship, we can glean a precious truth from their encounter at the tabernacle on Mount Gibeon.

Let’s read 2 Chronicles 1:7-12 “That night, God appeared to Solomon and said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” Solomon replied to God, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. O LORD God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people properly - I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”

Like Solomon, we will all face such an encounter, where the Lord will ask, “ What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you! ” And this is crucial for us to stay focused on what is really important for us to be effective kings and priests of the Living God. We are kings of the King and priests in Him after the order of Melchizedek. So we do not come without standing and acceptance; in fact, we are encouraged to realise that we can come boldly when we do so!

So bringing these two thoughts together. The writer in Hebrews exhorts us to focus, to listen very carefully, but also to discern when we encounter the truth, for we will hear many voices in our devotion to God, and then, once understood, our loving obedience is the demonstration of our sincere love for Father-God and our Lord Jesus Christ. If we lose the ability to operate simultaneously in both the spirit and the natural world, we will default to an autopilot mode. And that is what the writer is warning us about, for then we will drift away from the foundational truth of the message of salvation, not just the moment of redemption, but the call to transformation.

The same writer later exhorted, Hebrews 12:1-2 , “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” in keeping with his call, in chapter 2.

So, imagine the Lord asking you, sometimes daily!, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” and it comes with a subtle test or examination from the Lord, desiring to know what is really important to you. Do you truly live out of your first love? Still seeking first, above all else, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Then what is it you would ask from Him? The one in Whom we have our life. For He will most certainly answer the prayer, as He is generous at all times. And yet, may we ask for that gift that would bring Him the most glory as we seek to enrich His Body and effectively represent Him at all times. This, while we enjoy the fullest measure of drinking in the intimate moments with Him, every moment of every day!

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution

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What is the Difference between Salvation and Discipleship

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 09:36:51 GMT

Salvation is the foundation, while discipleship is the building process. Salvation gets us into God's family, while discipleship grows us into Christ's likeness. Both are essential aspects of the Christian life, and they complement each other in our walk with God.

Salvation :

- Is a free gift of God's grace (Ephesians 2:8-9)

- Received through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16, Romans 3:24-25)

- Forgives sins and reconciles us to God (Romans 5:8-10, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

- A one-time event (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7)

- Secures eternal life and justification (Romans 6:23, 8:1)

Discipleship :

- Is a lifelong process of following Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20, Luke 9:23-24)

- Involves learning from and obeying Jesus' teachings (Matthew 11:29-30, John 8:31-32)

- Requires denying self, taking up the cross, and following Him (Luke 9:23-24, Matthew 16:24-26)

- Aims to conform us to Christ's image (Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18)

- Demands a daily surrender and obedience (Luke 9:23-24, Romans 12:1-2)

Contrast :

- Salvation is a gift, while discipleship is a call to obedience.

- Salvation is a one-time event, while discipleship is a lifelong process.

- Salvation focuses on justification, while discipleship focuses on sanctification.

- Salvation is received through faith, while discipleship is lived out through faithfulness.

Having the gift of salvation is the most precious gift that can be given to us. Discipleship is the works of the after-works of salvation. Not working for our salvation but working after our salvation in order to learn who this Jesus is that we have given our lives to.

Prayer

Father God as you tell us to go out and make disciples of all the nations help us to understand the meaning of discipleship within the boundaries of salvation in Jesus Name

Amen

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution

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Crucify the Old Man

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 08:54:27 GMT

Galatians 5:24-25 [AMP]

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

25 If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].

Romans 6:1-2, 6 [AMPC]

6 What shall we say [to all this]? Are we to remain in sin in order that God’s grace (favor and mercy) may multiply and overflow?

2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?

6 We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin.

2 Kings 14:3-4 [NLT]

3 Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the example of his father, Joash. 4 Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.

(This is just one of the many verses in 1 Kings and 2 Kings that say the same thing)

Why have I chosen these three passages of Scripture for this month’s Blog - because there’s an urgency on the heart of God at this time that His people need to be pure, holy and worshipping Him alone. Not following the ways of the world, or be tempted to go back to the ways of sin.

‘ But I don’t have any idols in my life! I’m serving God with my whole heart ’ I hear you cry. That’s my cry too! But let’s stop and take a moment to consider that maybe we are doing what the kings in the Books of 1 & 2 Kings did – that we are doing what is pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but there are still ‘idols’ in our lives that are tempting us back into sin.

Unless we slay the giant, and CUT OFF ITS HEAD , we will leave opportunities for the giant to rise up and come and tempt us into the sin that we are supposed to have left behind.

Here’s what Nicky Gumble writes in his and Pippa’s devotional ‘ The Bible in a Year ’:

“’They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”’ (2 Kings v.15). The result of not listening was that the people of Israel lost the presence of God and were sent into exile in Assyria: ‘he thrust them from his presence… the LORD removed them from his presence’ (2 Kings vv.20,23).

Like us, so often, they had not been ruthless enough about sin in their lives: ‘They honoured and worshiped God, but not exclusively... They don’t really worship God – they don’t take seriously what he says regarding how to behave and what to believe’ (vv.32,34 MSG). ‘They didn’t pay any attention. They kept doing what they’d always done’ (v.40, MSG).

Do you sometimes find that your heart is divided between following God and following your own desires? Guard yourself against complacency or carelessness – allowing sin to creep in. Don’t let the enemy lead you into disobeying God.

The truth is that God’s desire is always to bless us. His commands and instruction are given so that you might flourish (see Deuteronomy 6:1–3).”

Do we see ourselves flourishing – or do we keep going back to the sin and the idols in our lives because they are our ‘comfort zone’, or because ‘it’s familiar’, or because we have an issue with addiction to the sin?

When Jesus went to the cross, He took upon Himself ALL OF OUR SIN – and when He went to the depth of hell, He left our sin there and, in essence, locked the door to our sin and took the keys with Him. He did not give us a set of keys so that we could go back and claim back the bits of sin that we like doing. He cut the head off of the giant!

You know how you enjoy cake, but you know you should give it up. But you think that NOTHING will EVER come close to the enjoyment you find in eating cake. And so you convince yourself that a little slice every now and again won’t do anyone any harm, especially not you. But what it will do is satisfy the craving, and give just enough of a sugar-rush that you will be able to leave it be – until the next time. But the next time that piece of cake may harm you to such an extent that your life is changed forever, and not in a good way.

Well that is what it is like with the sin, the idols, the bad things that we do and convince ourselves that it’s only a ‘small sin and God won’t notice’. Eventually it is going to harm us, bring us down, destroy us and our ministry.

When God says in Scripture ‘ CRUCIFY THOSE SINFUL PASSIONS ’ He means it!! Let the old man – that is the carnal, worldly, ungodly man – the man that can still rise up from time to time, be crucified, because the new man – the spiritual man, the man that is one with Jesus – has been raised to life in Christ. We can’t serve two gods – the god of sin AND Jesus. God is a jealous God, He’s jealous for us and wants all of us.

God intends that we should live in a right relationship with Him. God has committed Himself to us totally – therefore we should commit ourselves to Him totally, and be sanctified, guard our hearts and flourish. The Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we can walk in a restored relationship with God.

So each day wake up and resolve to “walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]” {Galatians 5:25}.

Be blessed

Jean

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Character and Attitude in Our Walk of Faith

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:16 GMT

A Reflection on Character and Attitude in Our Walk of Faith

The many references to Scripture will make the beautiful aspect of character and attitude clearer.

As we explore the beautiful facets of character and attitude within our faith journey, it becomes clear that our judgment will be based on these critical elements, symbolised by gold, silver, and precious stones. These precious materials represent how thoroughly God's image and character have been woven into our very identity.

Gold signifies the divine purity of our character, while silver illustrates our capacity to graciously receive and cultivate the gifts and anointing that God has graciously bestowed upon us. Precious stones, meanwhile, reflect the integrity and patience we develop under pressure; it is through life's challenges that our character is refined and crystallised into something truly valuable.

Jesus frequently emphasised the importance of our inner attitudes. He taught that a transformed heart inevitably leads to lives that reflect His nature. In the Sermon on the Mount, He addressed the significance of attitude, highlighting that mere adherence to the Law is insufficient—what truly matters is the spirit behind our actions. Jesus sought to identify incorrect attitudes and to illuminate the characteristics of godly character.

Before we delve deeper into the commendations from Jesus, we must recognise the distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant from God's perspective. For both John and Paul, the transition from the Law to grace is fundamental—redemption frees us from the constraints of the Law, allowing us to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Law and grace. However, the Lord declared, “For this is the covenant that I will make… I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) . This new covenant is profoundly personal, as it emphasises an intimate relationship with God, where all, regardless of status, come to know Him directly, i.e., personally.

This is an exhilarating revelation, as Paul noted: “Nothing outwardly avails, but faith which works by love!” (Galatians 5:6) . While obedience is important, it is the identity of sonship—or, more deeply, espousal—that fosters a loving relationship capable of nurturing true, devoted obedience.

Here lies the importance of having the right attitude and walking in prudence. Jesus illustrated this vividly in Matthew 25 when He spoke about those welcomed into the kingdom. He said, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” (Matthew 25:34) .

Not only did He target physical acts of service, but He also urged us to see beyond the surface—to feed the spiritually hungry, welcome those into the kingdom with love, quench the thirst for truth, and clothe those exposed to shame, to set people free who are imprisoned by strongholds. In this teaching, we see that every act of kindness we engage in for the least among us is indeed an act done because of Christ Himself.

The righteous will respond, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You...?” and He will affirm, “Assuredly, I say to you, since you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:37-40) Jesus also warned that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom, but only those who do the will of the Father. Genuine actions of faith arise from a deep and intimate loving relationship with Him— “whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…” (Matthew 7:21-26) .

Ultimately, we uncover a key truth: love and prudence draw us toward a sincere loving relationship with our Saviour. When we know Him intimately and become one with Him, our transformation unfolds as we behold Him and His glory. This deep connection empowers us to fulfil His will effortlessly, with our actions reflecting that intimacy. Rather than striving for power and influence, we find strength in walking in love and sincerity, abiding in Him, while seeking only His face and His purpose in all we do.

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution

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Letting Go and Letting God Lead

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 10:58:59 GMT

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.

Psalm 55: 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Letting go and letting God lead can be one of the hardest things to do. We hold on tightly to our worries, plans and expectations, trying to control the outcome. But 1 Peter 5:7 calls us to cast our anxieties on God. He cares for us and is capable of handling everything we face.

Surrendering control to God doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility; it means trusting Him to guide us through life’s challenges. When we let go, we create space for God to work in our lives. Trusting in His leadership brings peace, as we stop carrying the weight of our worries. Letting God lead means following His direction, even when we can’t see the full picture.

In the midst of life’s hardest battles, there are moments when the weight of our struggles seems unbearable. The world feels dark, our hearts feel heavy, and hope seems so distant. But in these very moments, we are often reminded of one undeniable truth: God provides. Even when it feels like we’re walking alone in the wilderness, He is right there, with us, providing in ways we might not always see but will always feel.

There are times when we are overwhelmed by pain, when the road ahead seems uncertain, and when we wonder how we will make it through. But God in His infinite love and grace shows up in the smallest, yet most significant ways. He provides us with unexpected strength to take the next step, even when we don’t know where it will lead. He sends people to lift us up when we are too weak to stand, and He whispers His love in the quiet of our hearts when the world is to loud.

It’s often in our deepest moments of despair that we find His presence the most. He doesn’t promise that the storms will never come, but He promises that we won’t face them alone. Like a parent who sacrifices everything for their child, God doesn’t hesitate to carry us when we can no longer walk. In the darkness, He is the light. In the grief, He is the comfort. In the silence, He is the peace. We may not always understand the reason for our suffering, but God’s provision is never absent.

Sometime, it’s the simple things like a word of encouragement, a quiet moment of peace, a gentle hand reaching out, that remind us that He is always with us, filling the gaps where we feel empty. And slowly, over time, we see that very hardships we faced have shaped us, strengthened us, and brought us closer to Him. God provides, not only with material things but with the most important gifts: love, peace, strength, and hope. In our pain, He whispers that He is with us, and His provision is more than enough.

Dear Lord Jesus, I confess that I often hold on to my worries and fears, thinking that I can handle them on my own. But today, I choose to let go and trust You. I cast all my anxiety on You because I know You care for me. Help me to stop trying to control everything and surrender to Your will. Lead me, guide me and show me the way. Fill me with peace as I release my fears to You. I trust that Your plan for me is better than anything I can imagine. Thank you for Your constant care and guidance. In Jesus Name. Amen

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution

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Are You A Cracked Pot

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:00:20 GMT

There is a story that I’ve heard before, and you probably have too.

“ There once lived a water carrier. Every morning, as soon as the sun rose, she walked from her home to collect water in two earthen pots that hung from a long pole that she carried across her shoulders. One pot was perfectly formed, the other, although the same shape and size as its counterpart, had a crack in its side. So, whenever they returned to the water carrier’s house it was only ever half full.

For years, the water carrier repeated her journey to and from her house collecting water from the river. As the years passed by, the cracked pot created a story in its head about its level of worthiness and inability to properly perform the job for which it had been created. Eventually, the pain and shame that it felt about its own perceived imperfections, became too much for it to bear. So, one day as the water carrier knelt beside the river and began her usual task of filling the pots with water, the cracked pot found its voice and said;

“I am so sorry. For years and years, I have watched you fill me with water and I can only imagine what a fruitless task it must be for you. As whenever we return to home, I am only ever half full. While in comparison, the other pot is perfect, rarely does it lose a drop of water on our long walk back to our home, but me, I am far from perfect. This crack in my side, not only does it cause me so much hurt and shame, but it must also cause you to want to get rid of me. Surely, I am only making this long, arduous job that you do each day, that much more difficult? I can understand if you are thinking of getting rid of me and replacing me with another perfectly formed pot.”

The water carrier listened to these words with both care and compassion. The cracked pot’s story of unworthiness and shame was not one that she recognised. For this was not what she thought of the pot. She knew about the crack, but did not see it as an imperfection, or as something that made it less worthy than the other pot that hung from her shoulder.

Gently she turned to the pot and said, “On our return walk home, I want you to look up and to the side of you. For too long, it would seem you have been looking down, comparing yourself to others and not noticing how you and the crack that you have in your side has brought untold beauty into my life”

Puzzled, the Cracked pot wondered what on-earth her words meant. She seemed to be suggesting that its story of lack, unworthiness and shame, was in some way faulty. As to how this could be, it could not comprehend.

However, the Cracked Pot trusted the water carrier. It occurred to it that in all the time that it had journeyed with her, she had never said a harsh word, never scorned or ridiculed it, but had always shown a sense of gratefulness and care when filling it with water.

So, on the return journey it heeded the water carrier’s words. It looked up and it looked out. In its former depressed state, it had not noticed that along the path that they travelled there was a dazzling array of beauty, colour and life. The water carrier in her wisdom, knowing of the crack in the pot’s side, had sprinkled seeds along the path. These seeds were duly watered every day as a result of the crack in the pot’s side and the path that had once been barren and devoid of life was now resplendent with an array of beautiful wild flowers.

Now, the cracked pot understood. Now the cracked pot began to see itself in a new light. Now it understood that indeed it had been telling itself a faulty story. If its experience of being a ‘cracked pot’ was going to change then it would have to change the story that it was telling itself. ”

I wonder how many of us have to ‘change the story that [we] are telling [ourselves]? How many of us are a ‘cracked pot’, but have been so focussed on our faults and issues that we have never given ourselves the opportunity to see the beauty that comes from us?

2 Corinthians 4:7-8 AMPC “7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.

8 We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;”

In spite of us not yet being ‘perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48) but working at our sanctification daily (Hebrews 10:14 AMP “For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity]".), we are still able to demonstrate - through our love and actions, generosity and kindness, etc. – the beauty of the Kingdom of God.

Just as a pot is designed to hold something, so we are created and designed by God to hold His glory – something very valuable. So when we understand that, and in spite of all our ‘stuff’, we will realise just how special we are to God, and also how much of a purpose we have here on this earth. God has filled us in order that we overflow, and it’s really ok if we ‘leak out’ all the Godly stuff on our journey through this life. Because God is making everything beautiful in its time – and He uses you and me to do that.

Romans 8:28 TPT “So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.”

Everyday decide to be a ‘Cracked Pot’ sharing the love of God with all you meet.

ACTIVATION

Spend time with God asking Him to show you where you have been focussing on the wrong things, where you have been stopping yourself from seeing the beauty that you are spreading because you are so inward focussed. Ask God for forgiveness. Then go out and be a lover of God who has been called to fulfil His designed purpose for you.

Be blessed

Jean

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Intercession - A Miracle in Every Prayer

Mon, 05 May 2025 11:12:23 GMT

Let us first remember that Jesus said, “My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations” Or, as NKJV reads, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” [Isaiah 56:7; Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46]

Then Paul and Peter affirm that each one of us hosts the Holy Spirit, personally being “the temple of God.” “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” [1 Corinthians 3:16]. “For you are the temple of the living God.” [2 Corinthians 6:16]. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” [1 Peter 2:5-6].

Let’s take a fresh look at Luke 11:1-13 where Jesus teaches on prayer.

“Once, Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, ’Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ Jesus said, ‘This is how you should pray: ’Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.’

Then, teaching them more about prayer, He used this story: ‘Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this - though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

‘And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.’

‘You fathers - if your children ask for bread, do you give them a stone? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.’”

The key portion that I would like to highlight is the paragraph where the intercessor has a friend with a real issue or problem, i.e., needing divine food (three loaves of bread at midnight). He or she is struggling to survive in the darkest moment of their life. The intercessor, fully fed and at peace, first of all, reacts when he or she becomes aware of their friend’s plight. The intercessor then goes to the One who can resolve the issue, and in the allegory, he represents God and the angels and/or fellow believers (i.e., the children). Then Jesus interjects an extraordinary expression, “I say unto you”, or “Let me tell you”! When Jesus emphasises a truth, we need to sit up and take a second look at what He conveyed. Jesus gives us not only the guarantee that God will respond and step into the situation to minister to the one in need, He will supply above and beyond what the intercessor is praying for (as much as the person in need needs will be supplied)!

This is incredible! This whole teaching has deep spiritual truths and implications for us, but here Jesus guarantees us that when we intercede or pray or minister to another person in His Name, i.e., in an authentic, dynamic, continuous dialogue and relationship with Him, He will always come through with more than what we can anticipate or expect. We can be bold and assured of God’s provision every - yes, every - time we pray, minister or intercede for another person we care about and/or minister to.

Have the eagerness, zeal, and desire to come alongside all who need God’s provision in their life. What a guarantee of God’s abundant blessings that rests upon our role as “a house of prayer”, as kings and priests of our God, to bring heaven down to earth and distribute His unfailing love to those who ask and who are in need.

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution

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Keeping in Step with God

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 08:47:52 GMT

We are always amazed of the incredible love God has for us, that Jesus died for us while we were sinners, then God raised us up and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 2: 4 – 6

In preparing to write this blog I, Kevin, felt the Lord give me the following word:

"The Lord is calling us back, back to His plan, back to the narrow way. He is wooing us.

He says, “Come my lovely ones, my precious bride. Come close that you can feel my heartbeat, hear my voice and feel my breath when I speak to you.

Come let us run together. At the moment you are out of sync, out of step with my plans. My body, my bride needs to realign with me and my plans, so you are synchronised with me, moving as one in the direction I have for you.

At this time my body is in disarray. You must think in military terms. You are my beautiful bride, but you are also soldiers in my army, the army of the Lord and I am your Commander in Chief. You must align yourself and be trained for battle. For you are my precious ones, but you are not ready for what is coming.

There are many who will be taken out by the enemy because they are not trained and aligned with me and my plans. Know the times you are living in, see the darkness all around you. Precious ones, you must wake up and realise who you are, what your true identity is, and what I have saved you for.

We are in the end times, and you are part of my end time army. You are familiar with passages in my word about your armour and weapons of warfare but you, my bride, my precious ones, are ignorant of how to use them. You are dishevelled and in disarray and doing your own thing. You must come close and learn to hear my voice, only do the things that I tell you to do and not your own plans and ideas.

I will give you the strategy for warfare. Without listening to me you are just ‘shadow boxing,’ waving your weapons around in the air and trying to hit a target you cannot see.

I love you my bride and more than anything I want relationship with you, but you must come close to hear what I am saying.”

Kevin Luck 20/03/25

As Christians we are on a journey and our goal should be to become more like Christ and reflect Him to those around us. In the great commission we are called to go and make disciples, which ought to include not only teaching but also training & equipping. Unfortunately many churches are paralysed as they are full of immature Christians who have not moved on from spiritual milk to meat. True discipleship builds maturity by dealing with the roots of issues and healing the core pain within our life, allowing us to grow and develop an intimate relationship with God.

Matt 28: 19 – 20; 1 Cor 3: 1 – 3; Heb 5: 12 – 14.

In the word above, the Lord said we must think in military terms. We are all familiar with ranks in the army, well, it is the same in the spiritual realm. In Ephesians we read about the ranks within the enemy’s kingdom. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Eph 6: 12 NKJV (see also verses 10 – 17)

When it comes to spiritual warfare, many of us have a wrong mindset of God and how powerful He is. In the mid 90’s there was a popular song by Rob Critchley which begins with the line, “Great big God, little bitty devil,” but so many of us have it the other way around, “Great big devil, little bitty God!”

Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, and we are assured of victory!

We are spiritual beings but so often we live unaware of what is happening in the spirit realm. Remember in 2 Kings when the servant was fearful of the opposition and Elisha said, “Do not be afraid… those with us are more than those with them.” Elisha prayed that the Lord would open his eyes that he may see. The Lord opened his eyes, and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6: 15 – 17

We need to recognise the incredible love that God has for us, that He sent Jesus to die on the cross. In the above word, He has emphasised that He loves us and desires relationship with us. In the scriptures He tells us that, He created us; He knit us together in our mother’s womb; He knew us before the foundation of the world; He has a plan and a destiny for our life; He watches over our going out and our coming in; He rejoices over us with singing; we are the apple of His eye; His thoughts for us outnumber the grains of sand; He knows the number of hairs on our head.

God knows us intimately and has said He wants us to know Him intimately. So let us draw close to Him and let Him heal our wounds with the healing balm of His love, align our lives with the truth of His word and follow Him. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. "

Rom 8: 14 NKJV

Blessings

Kevin & Anne

Our thanks to Kevin & Anne for this month’s Blog contribution

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Five Truths about God's Blessings over You

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:43:48 GMT

Numbers 6: 24 – 26 “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”

The people of Israel had been camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai for almost a year after leaving Egypt. They had received God’s 10 commandments and his full law and built the Tabernacle according to God’s precise instructions. Now, on the cusp of moving toward the promised land and going into battle, God commanded the high priest Aaron to pronounce this blessing over the people. Because we hear these words recited so often, we can lose the awe that God would bless extravagantly.

Let’s dig out 5 truths in God’s blessing over you:

1. God is the source of all blessing.

Although often referred to as the priestly or Aaronic blessing, these words were not written by men. They are God’s words spoken through His priest to His people. God is a God who blesses. In fact, when God created Adam and Eve, the first thing He did was to bless them. (Genesis 1:28) And the last thing Jesus did? He blessed His apostles - as Jesus was taken into heaven, He was blessing His apostles. (Luke 24: 50 – 51)

2. God blesses us personally.

Six times these verses repeat “you”, and each time it is in the singular form. Rather than blessing Israel corporately in these verses, God of the universe blesses each one personally. In a crowd of more than 2 million, God saw each one. God sees you. God knows you intimately, cares for you individually and blesses you personally.

3. God bends down to benefit us .

The Hebrew word for ‘bless’ means to “kneel down”. Used metaphorically here, it shows that God bends down to give us Himself, and with that all of His benefits – His faithfulness, mercy, forgiveness, grace, love, comfort, joy, hope, guidance, redemption, adoption, acceptance and more. Ephesians 1:3 tells us we have every spiritual blessing through Jesus. Because God is infinite, we can never reach the end of His blessing.

4. God blesses as a father to his child.

How can God lift His countenance upon us if He is in heaven and we are on earth? Doesn’t He look down upon us? These words are a picture of a father lifting his child in his arms above him. Just as a father lifts up his beaming face to that child, God shines His full pleasure, His full goodwill, and His full joy over you as His child.

5. God’s blessing brings peace.

Who does not want peace? But God’s peace is more than the absence of strife. The Hebrew word for peace, “shalom”, stems from the word which means ‘restoration back to the original state’. God’s peace means not just harmony, but completeness and wholeness, rest and welfare, soundness and safety.

Take heart today. In a world that is often hard and chaotic, God has bent down to bless you personally. God of infinite benefits gives them to you. And though the world may frown, God’s beaming countenance is upon you.

Today, child, walk in the fullness of your Father’s extravagant blessing.

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution

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The New Covenant our Marriage with our Lord Jesus.

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 09:45:17 GMT

It is time for all of us to cast off the traditions of men and erroneous views that was passed on to us. The worst of this is creating a misconception about the very basis of our faith and relationship with God.

The aim is to gain a full and permanent understanding of the highest level of our relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and the paradigm that enables us maximum intimacy with the One who died for us. Paying a dowry that only God could afford.

The most important reasons for the avoidance of the truth are primarily two-fold. Firstly, bad eschatology - distancing the kingdom and intimacy to “one day in the future”. The greatest culprit here classical dispensationalism.

Secondly, for years pastors have asked of women to understand that they are “sons of God” and that women are included in most exhortations directed at men. But now, the insight will require of men to also adapt to the truth, and for most of them in my environment, they find it difficult to do so.

So, what are we talking about? We are talking about Genesis 1: 21, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” It is the union and composite relationship between a man and a woman that fully reflects the glory of God’s image.

The first prophecy identified in Scripture is quoted in Ephesians 5:30-32, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Literally, Paul took this very first prophecy and promise in the Scriptures and applied it to the church – not as a future event, but as already active. The union and its process still remains a mystery (and therefore intimate). Now this is crucial to understand, especially so in the light of 2 Peter 1:3-4, “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Notice the word for ‘partaker’ in Greek is “ koinonos ”, i.e., “partner, associate, comrade, companion, sharer in everything.” Very much a covenantal relationship. So, we must ask ourselves, “What is the most intimate relationship that can fulfil this quality, this partaking of God’s nature? The one we can have with Our Lord Jesus, while we are seated in Him at the right hand of the Father?” This divine marriage union must important as the Scriptures also end with the marriage in Revelation 21.

Let us now consider Jeremiah 31:31-34, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband , declares the Lord.”

Clearly, here we see God’s perspective, template and paradigm use of the Old Covenant and equates to marriage in the natural. This “unfaithfulness” with the promise of another “marriage” is then prophesied by Hosea, who wrote in chapter 2, (Hosea 2:16-17, 19-20) “And it shall be, in that day,” Says the Lord, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master,’ For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, And they shall be remembered by their name no more… “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord.”

Two things to take note of here. She will call Him Husband, once this betrothal is formalized, and the end of this covenant will be that “she” will know the Lord intimately. And this is borne out by the same “knowing the Lord” as with Jeremiah 31.

“In ancient Hebrew culture, knowledge was not merely intellectual but was deeply relational and experiential. The concept of "knowing" someone or something involved a holistic understanding that included emotional and spiritual dimensions. This is evident in the use of "yada" to describe the intimate relationship between a husband and wife, as well as the covenant relationship between God and Israel.” (//sermons.logos.com/sermons/1427963-the-hidden-things)

So perhaps now we are ready to look at the better covenant a “marriage” covenant between Our Lord Jesus Christ and the church! But if Israel was married to God, how could they “re-marry” into a new covenant with Him?

Paul explains this beautifully in Romans 7:1-4, “Now, dear brothers and sisters - you who are familiar with the law - don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. o while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries. So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead.”

Please note that the symbol of death for us in baptism is crucial to understand here - we die to self and are raised by Holy Spirit to live in union with Christ. Baptism is the declaration before heaven and earth that no other God and Husband will do, we belong to Him alone.

Likewise, when we take communion, when we eat His flesh and drink His blood, do we not at that moment celebrate the intimate union as being one with Christ? Is that not how the two become one, as originally prophesied in Genesis?

Paul also wrote to the Corinthians, (2 Corinthians 11:12) “I have betrothed (*) you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” *“the verb ‘harmozó’ primarily means to join or fit together, often used in the context of arranging or preparing something to be in harmony or unity. In the New Testament, it is used metaphorically to describe the act of betrothing or engaging in marriage, indicating a union or covenant relationship.” (https://biblehub.com/greek/718.htm)

All of this affirms this relationship, especially Ephesians 5:30-32 “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

Isaiah 54 in totality refers to the new covenant of eternal peace with God, but our attention is drawn to verses 1-5, “Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not laboured with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord… For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your Husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.” Paul identifies the new Jerusalem as this covenant of marriage in Galatians 4:26-27 – and quotes this portion of Isaiah to substantiate that. Interesting that he also used a mixed metaphor, for being part of this covenant and being a citizen of the new Jerusalem, which makes a believer and “Isaac”, a child of promise.

More importantly, it is necessary to understand that we are already citizens of the new Jerusalem as the writer of Hebrews explains, (Hebrews 12:22-24) “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.”

Please note that this is past tense, as with Ephesians - this is not hoping for fulfilment, it is already our inheritance . When we then read in Revelation 21 , we find the fulfilment of the promise of the new covenant already fulfilled, and the Angel did not show John what is to come, but what already was a reality! Because “it is stepping down” out of heaven! The Bride and Wife is already being populated by believers, those who are united with the Lamb. “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming (stepping) down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” We already have God indwelling us and we are already a habitation for Him. And then, [the Angel] “came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” The high mountain is figurative for seeing the covenant from a high or spiritual kingdom perspective.

So what does this mean for you and me?

When we understand the true meaning of baptism and communion, being one with Christ and so one with each other, we would manage our lives accordingly. We can then understand why Paul exhorts, (Ephesians 5:24) “Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ [as His Wife], so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”

Our faith is demonstrated by our loving, devoted obedience to our Husband [Jesus], and we can only reflect His Person and perfection as believers when we fully yield ourselves as His Wife, both corporately and individually.

The paradigm is extremely important. As the Wife of Christ, I already have full authority in Him, as His Wife I have access to the Father through Jesus Christ His Son.

“I am seated in Christ!” What does that mean, what paradigm best describes that union? Marriage! Complete authority in a totally submitted relationship, where all heavenly blessings are ours. We are one spirit with Jesus, “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”

One in Christ - when you now approach the Lord, He is your Husband, who laid down His life for you, you are His now! The promise of Hosea is now true, you can call your Maker your Husband. And when you approach the Father, you have access! (Ephesians 2:18) “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.”

All the paradigms that describe our spiritual relationship with God are important, being His body, a son, or child of God, being a brother to Christ, being His bond-slave, ambassador, priest and king – but the one that outshines and empowers one more than any of these is “the marriage”, being the Wife of God already.

It best describes the promises God made in terms of covenants, it even explains the demise of the old and the establishing of the new covenant!

It removes the “what must still come”, and it focusses us on “what already is”. Especially in terms of our intimacy with Jesus.

It will also align one’s understanding of the book of Revelation, as in 19:7-8, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” We know that we have already been made righteous by faith through grace in our Lord Jesus Christ!

So go ahead and call your Maker your Husband!

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution

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Be Light in the Darkness

Sat, 04 Jan 2025 16:24:05 GMT

In late November last year I started asking God what He wanted to say to us about 2025. Immediately He started speaking to me about being the light in the darkness of the world.

I believe that we will need to be light in many areas this year. But we can only be light once we know the True Light.

Reading and meditating on Psalm 73 I saw how, as Christians, we can allow the darkness to encroach on our lives, our faith, our relationship with God and our relationships with others. We can allow darkness, in fact, to consume us without us even realising it.

Many times we think that we will be aware of the darkness closing in on us – however, I want to say to you what I heard God say to me at the beginning of this new year ‘ Beware of the subtlety of the darkness closing in on you ’.

Psalm 73 describes how we can be jealous of other’s success, their prosperity financially, the way that those who don’t know God seem to do better than those of us who do know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We can be envious of other Christians who seem to be doing better in their walk than we are. That’s all darkness – yes, we allow the darkness to close in on us and then the light of Christ in us diminishes.

Light is also diminished in us when we allow fear to consume us. There is, in the natural, much to be fearful of in this current day. The media is full of fear, and the more we listen to it and believe all that they say, the more we will succumb to fear. There are wars and rumours of war – that instils fear. There are rumours of more pandemics – that brings an element of fear. And then, before we even realise, the darkness has subtly closed in on us and the light goes out.

BUT , Psalm 73 encourages us that as we seek God in His sanctuary, as we fall at His feet and gaze upon His beauty, things change in us. We are reminded in that Psalm that in spite of all that we fall prey to in this life, we still belong to God and He is the One who holds us and guides us. He allows us to see His glory. He allows us to stay in His presence even when we fall. It’s because we trust in Him and realise that we have no-one but Him that we will shine brightly with the light of Christ in us. It’s because we put our relationship with God above all other things, that the light of Christ will shine through us.

Psalm 73:28 (TPT) “ But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord Yahweh , for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God! ” reminds us that drawing closer to God is the only option we have.

At about the same time, Lana Vawser put out a prophetic word, in which she said “ For there will be much shaking that will take place in 2025 and as you stay low before Me in the place of intimacy and humility in 2025, you will find a strength, grace and empowerment in Me in 2025 that you have not known. You will find as you stay close to Me and deep in My Word in 2025, a stability of being grounded and founded in Me to not be shaken, in ways you have not experienced before. There will be unexpected empowerment for the unexpected places in 2025, and a grace to stand and stand in boldness like you have not experienced before in 2025. ” (to read the full prophetic word - https://lanavawser.com/i-heard-the-lord-say-listen-closely-i-am-releasing-clarity-for-2025/ )

I also have heard God tell me and warn me that there will be much shaking in the world in 2025 and there will be much that will allow the darkness to overcome the light. However, we are to keep seeking God and to keep the light shining bright in us.

I also heard the Lord say “My people, who are called by My Name, must come together as one voice, in unison, and declare and decree that the light of Christ shines bright in this world. My people must rise up out of the darkness and come together as one voice to declare that there is only One Name, and that is the Name of Jesus. Many people will do things and declare that it is in the name of god – but that’s it, it will be in the name of their gods, not in the Name of the Almighty. Because much of what the world is saying is done in My Name, is in fact being done by the Prince of Darkness. Do not listen to the voice of the world – learn to discern which voice you are listening to. My Voice will be heard, and when you hear my voice, then the battle-cry will sound. Your voice is the battle-cry in the world. Use it well.”

Psalms 1:2 (TPT) “His [the person who follows God’s ways – vs1] passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,” meditating day and night on the true revelation of light.”

The commentary from The Passion Translation for this verse says “To mediate on the revelation of light day and night means to meditate 24/7 on what is good and delightful. However, day signifies a period of enlightenment (Eph 1:18) and night signifies a period of obscurity. Both when we have the light of insight and when we seem to be in the dark, meditation is the key to unlock the revelation of God.” A second commentary adds “ From Ps. 1 we learn that the righteous and the wicked are distinguished by what they delight in. ”

Unless we have the Trinity in us, what we see and hear will either be enlightened or obscured. We need the truth of the Word to set us free from the darkness we succumb to and we need to meditate on the truth. And then when we hear the truth of the Word, we need to declare it out loud, with voices that must be heard. That is what will get us through 2025.

Start the new year well by recognising that nothing can push you down or get the better of you when you remain in Christ. That His mercy, loving kindness and faithfulness is ours. That in Christ you will feast on the abundance of the Kingdom. That in Christ is the fountain of life, and in His light do we see light. That it is the loving kindness of God that will come upon those that truly know Him and His righteousness will come to the upright in heart. (Psalm 36:5-10 [AMPC])

Be blessed

Jean

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Do We Limit God

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 09:34:24 GMT

Recently we listened to a talk, and I was challenged by this question. Do we limit God?

This is not a new revelation to me because I’ve spoken on this and ‘searched myself and my motivations’ on this before. But this certainly was one of those challenging moments. How am I doing in allowing God to use me to bring about His purposes. Can I ask you the same question? How are you doing in allowing God to use you to bring about His purposes?

Andrew Womack (who was the preacher of the message) says this “How can finite (limited) man adequately represent an infinite (limitless) God? This question presents a dilemma that has caused most people to not even try .”

How often have we had a dream, but deemed that dream to be impossible? How often have we envisioned things in ministry, but decided that we are not capable of fulfilling the vision? I know I have.

And I have because I’ve looked at the situation with my finite limitations. I’ve looked at the resources I have and decided we can’t possibly do that because what if God doesn’t provide, whether it’s financially, or equipment, or resources, or opportunity.

We limit ourselves when we limit God. More than that, we prevent ourselves partnering with God when He gives us a prophetic word, or an instruction, or a strategy to move in an area.

Psalm 78:41 New King James Version – “Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. ”

On our recent trip to Albania, Holy Spirit revealed some things to me. This is what He said to the churches and Christians in Albania:- “You have heard My plans, and have been shown the strategies. Yet you do not align yourselves with Me in order to do and accomplish My Will for the Nation. You have heard My heart, yet you wait for it to happen supernaturally, without you having to participate in the programme. While I am the God who moves supernaturally, I choose to use you to bring about My plans and purposes on the earth. Why do you hear, and yet not do? Why do you think it must all be up to Me to make things happen, when I have asked you to partner with Me and accomplish My will, plans and purposes. When are you going to start moving so that the land and the nation can be taken back for the Kingdom. If you do not align with Me, then the evil one has an open door to do what he (Satan) wants. He has a foothold in the nation now, but unless you, My People, who are called by My Name, who are My holy Nation, My peculiar people, My chosen ones, start moving and declaring & decreeing the truths I have revealed to you, start putting into practice the strategies I have given you for bringing Heaven to earth and taking back the nation for the Kingdom, then the nation will be lost to the evil one.”

I truly believe that this is not just a word for Albania, but a word for every nation of the earth, and every people of the earth.

Let’s stop being responsible for limiting God. Let’s stop limiting and stopping the plans and purposes God has for our lives because we think too small. Let’s start WORKING WITH GOD and accomplishing what He wants done.

Are you complacent? Are you satisfied with what you have right now? Are you scared to move in case it goes wrong? Are you limiting God by your small thinking?

If you answer ‘yes’ to even one of these questions, then it’s time to get rid of the limitations and start to dream big. It’s time to ask God what your role is in His plans and purposes for you, and for the nation you live in. It’s time to renew your minds to come in line with Him.

Start by remembering to build with God (Psalm 127:1) and to know that everything is achieved according to His power working in us (Ephesians 3:20). That everything we do is through Him who gives us the strength to do it (Philippians 4:13) and as we commit our plans to God (Proverbs 16:3), His will bless us abundantly and we will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8). So, as you choose to stop limiting God, remember to take delight in Him (Psalm 37:4) and to be strong and courageous in all that you do (Joshua 1:6,7,9)

I’m not sure who to acknowledge for this quote – but I leave it with you to mull over “ Turn you CAN’TS into CANS, and your DREAMS into PLANS ”.

I bless you to dream big in the Lord, and to allow God to use you to accomplish what He has called you to accomplish. I bless you to walk on water with God as you bring Heaven to earth.

Be blessed

Jean

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Where to from here???

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:24:23 GMT

When this generation is so busy trying to prove that women can do everything men can do, women are losing the unique qualities that set us apart. The God-given femininity and unique way our Creator designed us.

Women were not created to do everything a man can do. Women were created to do everything a man cannot do. The lioness does not try to be the lion. She embraces her role as the lioness. She is powerful, strong, and nurturing. She does not mistake her meekness for weakness. The world needs more kind, compassionate, humble, faithful, persevering, confident, fierce, bold, pure, and tender-hearted women. Be one of them.

Proverbs 31 asks if our husbands and children can call the mothers and wives blessed. Can they??? What a scary question! What is more disturbing is the fact that it is actually a question that needs to be asked.

In my counselling of young married couples, I am amazed of how many young women do not even know how to sew a button on a shirt. They cannot knit, they cannot crochet, they cannot sew and they cannot even cook. I am amazed at how much the ability to be true women of God has become so scarce within the next generation.

I then have to look to the mothers and say “What are you teaching your children”. We need to get back to basics and start to teach the next generation the ways of the Lord.

Men have not taken their place either in the world. They are stepping back and allowing the women to do the man’s job. They have become lazy to stand up and be accountable for what God has given them. The focus has been so much on making money instead of building families that the Godly family is breaking up.

We need to get our knees bent on prayer and start to focus on the family relationship instead of how much money we need to be better than our neighbours!

The scripture Matthew 6: 24 [“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”] is often overlooked or used as an excuse for pastors and ministers to be poor, but in fact it is telling us to serve one or the other.

Yes we need money to survive in this world, but we are using it wrongly and not for the purpose we suppose to use it for. It’s to just live here till we get to heaven.

We need to be building our treasures in heaven not here on earth. Please do not see this that I am saying we cannot have nice stuff and live well. No, in fact Ecclesiastes tells us to eat drink and be merry. In other words enjoy life.

But we have turned it into obesity, drunkenness and sinning through evil doings. We are calling evil good and good evil. Our time is running out. Once the next generation gets to be in control in a full time mode, our youngest generation will be lost. We need to pray hard for the next generation, and I mean really hard. We need to call the five-fold ministry back into the church to grow God’s Kingdom.

Prayer : Father God, we ask for Your guidance into the lives of the next generation that will be leading the younger generation. Let Your will be done for the Kingdom of God to expand. Help us Abba Father to be bold and strong and to be examples for the young to lead them into Your Heavenly Kingdom in Jesus Name. Amen.

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution

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The sacrifices that are well-pleasing to God - Prudence and Wisdom

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 15:38:00 GMT

Ecclesiastes 5:1 (a) “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God.”

This is so relevant for the church today!

There is a corporate and personal understanding of “the house of God” in this Scripture. In the corporate sense, Peter wrote, {1 Peter 2:5} “You also, as living stones , are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” And for us individually, Paul wrote, {1 Corinthians 6:19} “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own.” It is important to consider and apply this exhortation on both levels.

When people come together to worship and honour God, especially in a church setting, whether it’s in prayer, songs, offerings, teaching, ministry, celebrating the Lord’s Supper or just doing what needs to be done, they most often have a set agenda to work to – the one set out for them by the leadership, congregation or of their own design.

Solomon is very clear here, doing so without first consulting God is foolish. And not only that, it is considered evil!

When people come together to worship God and bring the sacrifices of their hearts, the most important thing is to be quiet, i.e., waiting upon the Lord and listening. The most important “mind” that should matter is the mind of God. Another way to put it would be, {Ecclesiastes 5:1(b)} “to draw near, to hear and obey is better than to give the sacrifice of fools (carelessly, arrogantly), too ignorant to know that they are doing evil.”

As we endeavour to do what we think is right and do not consider God - in any form or act of our worship - when we omit Him and disregard Him, we fulfil exactly what foolishness is defined as.

We find a good example of this in Isaiah 58 too. A very religious, self-righteous Israel complained to the Lord, and God responded, {vs 2-3} “Day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?’” Whereafter God pointed out that He’s always after people’s hearts and not what they should sacrifice or ritually do.

He desires loving obedience and complete devotion. That is the essence of true fasting, not eating the “food” of the world, but living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

When we realise that we are the house of God, the house of prayer, individually and corporately, it is wise to consult Holy Spirit first, in fact prudent to do so, and wise to act on His leading. Before we speak on behalf of God, or even on behalf of ourselves, always ask, “Lord, what is your take on this?”

Initially, it might prove difficult as we so easily react as we did before, and bring what we consider sacrifices worthy of His attention, just as Cain did. That is why we must choose to wait upon the Lord, wait upon Him first, as an active discipline. And as we collaborate with Holy Spirit continuously, the process can become so cemented that one can eventually follow Jesus’ example and say, {John 14:24} “These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” And, {John 6:63} “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you - they are full of the Spirit and life.”

That’s prudent and discerning, and you will then avoid doing things that the Father never required of you. You will avoid being foolish, and you will stay in step and on track with Holy Spirit.

When we approach God, it should always be about His agenda and the things He has on His mind. Our thankful, loving response is to obey, to follow Him and to worship Him in ways He truly appreciates.

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution

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Obedience

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 10:09:58 GMT

Nita and I just celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary. In that time, we have had hundreds of opportunities to argue. Now, I’m not saying that we did or didn’t argue, just that we’ve had hundreds of opportunities.

When you argue with a person, do you have the possibility of winning that argument?

Now for an important question, and please answer honestly.

How many of you have ever argued with GOD?

How many know that is a futile attempt?

John 5:1-9a - NLT 1 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” 7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” 8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 9 Instantly, the man was healed!

There is a really big point here. There is a great number of us that, when God speaks to us, we have an excuse why what He wants either won’t work or we’re not capable of doing it. This is equal to telling God that He doesn’t know what He’s talking about.

Can you imagine that!? Would you stand face to face with God and tell Him that He doesn’t know what you’ve been through, that He doesn’t know what you’re facing!?

Would you tell Him that He doesn’t know your limited talents and abilities!?

No one knows us better than our Heavenly Father.

Psalms 139:13 - NIV For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

There was a period of a couple days when I first heard of the possibility of moving to Albania where I had to pray and seek God. I would see things that I wouldn’t have anymore, like a beautiful forest to hunt in or a river to kayak in and I would say to myself, “I’m not going to have these things anymore. And then I would grieve it, with heartache and tears (This was my arguing with God, sort of). ” Then God would immediately say, “I have something better.” After those two days I conceded and agreed to move to Albania. God did indeed have something better!

Even Jesus had to learn obedience.

Hebrews 5:8 - ESV Although He was a son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

I want to talk about one of the least mentioned characters in the Bible but what we do know about this person tells us volumes about what our relationship with God should be like.

Joseph, the step-father of Jesus, has become one of my favourite characters in the Bible because of his immediate obedience.

Matthew 1:18-21 - NIV 18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

What an awesome responsibility to be the parent of the Messiah.

But, Joseph didn’t know what was coming in his future, even his near future.

The Bible says, that at the birth of Jesus, three Wise Men came from the east to worship the New King. They went to the Roman king and asked about Him. They actually tipped Herod off that Jesus had been born.

Matthew 2:13-14a - NIV 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,

Every time we see Joseph get a command from God he obeys right away.

Isaiah 41:10 - NASB1995 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

The angel told him “Do not fear”! That phrase is in the Bible 365 times!

You do not have to be afraid to obey God.

HE has said so many times in His word that He will take care of us.

Matthew 6:25-33 - NIV 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Let’s all make an effort to, Get to know God, Learn to hear His voice, and Do what He says, right away! Let us dispense with that awful resistance period.

Abundant Blessings,

Ted

Our thanks to Ted for this month’s Blog contribution

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Does the enemy swallow you up when God gives you a Command

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:58:47 GMT

Jonah 1

When God gives you a command and the Holy Spirit convicts you, you learn a lesson that you just cannot ignore. Jonah learnt this lesson in a very hard way. He did not like what God was instructing him to do and he tried to avoid the assignment by running from God. And really!!! Who can run from our God?? We can never outrun God or His commands.

By running we are actually rebelling, and rebellion toward our heavenly Father so often happens either by our outright disobedience, or by quietly pursuing our own agenda while disregarding the very commands that we do not like and what God gives us unction to fulfil. And whatever way we pursue our running away from God, we cannot silence Him because His Holy Spirit convicts us and will follow us to the end of our life. No distraction will make a difference.

We need to understand that our Lord is willing to strip away all the distractions and will allow negative consequences to happen in order to get our attention. He is a loving Father, but He also disciplines us if we continue to run the path of disobedience.

Our God will never leave us nor forsake us, but our relationship with Him depends on our willingness to do what He tells us to. Jonah is such an example that running away causes suffering and consequences that are really unnecessary if we had to just promptly obey the commands He gives us.

When Jonah was swallowed up by the whale, he had nowhere to run. Sitting in that dark, wet belly and having regrets and feeling sorry for himself, he called out to God and came to the decision that obedience is better than being swallowed up by the enemy. It caused him to reconsider his actions.

Today we have the world and the distractions that is around us (including our finances) that swallow us up and keep us in rebellion. It also keeps us from following our calling. The enemy will use whatever means around us to swallow us up so that we will not fulfil our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to be obedient and promptly do what God commands us to do so that we don’t need to first be vomited out of that dark place before we will be obedient. We just need to be obedient and do as He commands us. It is as simple as “Yes Lord Jesus”.

Prayer : Father-God we call upon Your Holy Spirit to bring obedience into our lives in every area that You need us to be set free of rebellion in. May we move the moment you command us to so that we can stay in the will of the Father. We rebuke the enemy’s strategies that keep us from following what you deem right for us to do. Help us in our doubt and rebellion Abba, and may we know the blessing of obedience in our lives. In Jesus might Name. Amen

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution

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Satan Cast Out

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:33:10 GMT

It is so important for us to recognize our true eternal identity, as it will affect our very eternal existence. But part of that identity entails our position or station - where will you spend your eternity? Before attempting to zoom in on that prospect, it is important to zoom out first.

Many leaders would want to propose that the main reason for Jesus’ incarnation was and is to reveal the Father, but surely, as John put it, from the eternal sense, putting Sin aside forever must have been foremost in His mind. John wrote in 1 John 3:8b, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” In essence, the “priority” is of no real importance for us, but the revelation of Father-God is just as important. His meticulous plan and mystery also unveiled an eternal Wife for the Lamb who made the ultimate sacrifice for Sin.

So, as we return to the issue at hand, we still encounter too many ungodly beliefs concerning the enemy and their ability to induce deception, shame and guilt.

I found it so enlightening to highlight the truth that the devil has lost his access to third heaven. Why? The first of these we see when Jesus told His disciples, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” in Luke 10:18. And then three times, yes THREE TIMES, this truth is attested to in the book of Revelation.

Firstly, “The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water - the name of the star is Wormwood [or Bitterness]” (Revelation 8:10-11). And no other creature is as embittered as the devil himself.

And then, “Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:1). Bearing in mind that the devil tempted Jesus in Luke 4:6-7 - “ I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” As the king of the demonic realm, he had the key to inflict pain on the inhabitants or dwellers on earth.

But then, gratefully, we see the Eternal Woman of God protected in Revelation 12. And we are told without a shadow of a doubt, that access to the third heaven is denied the enemy, “Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. The dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.” Ezekiel foresaw this victory, in [Ezekiel] chapter 28:16, “So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire.” This is then borne out by Paul defying the accuser of the brethren in Romans 8:33, “Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one - for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself.”

Why is understanding this crucial? Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 2:14, “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.” And in Romans 8:37, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Again, why is this pertinent to our identity and function? We must realise that we are seated in third heaven in Christ, where the enemy is denied any access, and we must begin to appreciate who we are in Him, and what authority we carry, even though we are still at war here on earth as pilgrims and sojourners. When we grasp the immensity of the situation, I believe so many more believers will be able to overcome, lifting their vision beyond this world, appreciating their access, victory and intimacy with Almighty God and rule and reign effectively in Him, able to spread that fragrance of life wherever they go.

And the key to accessing and releasing this authority does not only lie in understanding and embracing these truths, but it also becomes reality and it is activated by unified, heartfelt worship, adoration and loving obedience to Holy Spirit who has befriended us eternally.

Be blessed

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution

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Choosing Life Today

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:04:39 GMT

Are you still aligning yourself to Generational Curses or Sins? Are you still allowing them to affect your life and the lives of your children and those generations after them? Have you gone down the route of blaming your parents, grandparents, etc for the issues in your life? Do you use your bad behaviour or your misfortune as an excuse – ‘I can’t help it, it’s just something in my family line’? Or have you chosen to stop the curse or sin and take responsibility for your part in perpetuating the curse in your life and in the lives of the generations after you through forgiveness and changing the way you speak and do things?

My testimony is that for about 40 years of my life, I chose to believe that I was the victim – the one who had been hurt by the emotional abuse of people in my ancestry and was justified in my hurt, anger, hatred etc. Until I learnt the truth about Inner Healing, and God revealed to me that I was complicit in allowing the Generation Curse to continue in my life and into my children because of my choices – or lack of choices.

Because I had aligned myself with the hurt, pain and anger, I was, in turn, speaking death and curses over myself and the generations to come because I was saying things like ‘I hate what they’re doing to me’ and ‘I hate them’. It was only when I chose to forgive those in my generational line for what had been done to me and what had been passed down to me and made a choice to put a stop to that kind of abuse, did I see and know the start of freedom and the life Jesus created me to live. I also saw a change in the relationship between myself and my daughters.

However, I still today have a choice to make – I need to be aware of my responses and reaction and be mindful of not falling back into that way of life - the way of curses, death and destruction. I still need to choose to, of course renounce the sin, but speak life and blessing over my generations past and the generations ahead of me. And I am learning how to bring forward the Generational BLESSINGS.

Ezekiel 18 (read it in the Passion Translation because of the very helpful commentaries that come with it) makes it very clear that we cannot keep blaming everyone else for the sin, curses, wrongs, imperfections in our lives. We are solely responsible for the sin, wrongs, aligning with curses and imperfections in our lives and we have to make a choice to confess them, repent of them and receive God’s forgiveness. Then we need to choose to move forward in the way of blessings and life.

Ezekiel 18:4 (b) says “The one who sins is held responsible and will die” . Thank goodness for Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, because if we have Him as our Lord and Saviour, His grace is extended to us along with forgiveness. So the only thing that needs to be put to death is the sin/curse in our lives.

Ezekiel 18:30-32 continues “'So from here on, you people of Israel, I, Lord Yahweh , say to you: I will judge each of you by what he does. Repent, turn away from all your sins, or your own wickedness will be your downfall [or “so that iniquity will not be a stumbling block to you”]. You must get rid of all the guilty sins you have committed and clothe yourselves with a new heart and a new spirit. People of Israel, choose life! I find no pleasure watching anyone die, so repent and live! I, Lord Yahweh , have spoken.”'

We must all “stand or fall according to [our] relationship with God. The sins of others can never determine your destiny” (TPT comment on verse 4).

How about you? Are you allowing generational sins/curses to impact your life? Are you allowing the comments or thoughts of others about you affect how you live? Are you battling with your relationship with God and with others? Are you using those things as an excuse for bad behaviour or ‘bad luck’? Are you living with a Victim mentality?

Don’t allow generation curses/sins, your own sin, the effects of the lives of others to affect your destiny. Choose today to repent of your alignment to those things and receive God’s forgiveness. Choose today to put a stop to the curse/sin and to move forward in the plans and purposes of God. Choose today not to speak curses and death over your life and the lives of your children and children’s children and choose today not to believe the lies of the enemy.

We each have a destiny that has been prepared in advance for us by God. Move forward in that, run the race set before you and know God’s blessings, favour and honour on your life today.

Be blessed

Jean

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When a Piece of Wood is Enough

Wed, 08 May 2024 14:45:49 GMT

2 Kings 6:6 “So the man of God said, ’Where did it fall?’ And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there and he made the iron float.”

Moses had a rod which he raised up… he hit the rock with his rod to let the water flow from the rock.

The cross is enough… it took Jesus upon the piece of wood to be raised up and conquer death.

A piece of wood, what does that have to do with it? Every part of the Bible is significant to the piece of wood. It points to something that happened that was significant for us on wood. It points to the cross which was a piece of wood on which Christ was crucified for us. God wants us to realize that Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary was enough to take care of all our problems and to restore us to the Father so that our sins can be forgiven.

It’s enough to cleanse us and reconcile us so that we have an open portal in which we can enter heaven through Christ Blood. If we apply what He did on that piece of wood, it sure is enough for us no matter how far we have fallen away from where we should be. Jesus took all our failures and he allowed it to be nailed to that wood, he arose from that wood victorious and gave that victory to us.

If you have lost your will to carry on or feeling that you are too far from Christ to move forward, then just pick up a piece of wood and look at it and begin to realize that Christ and His piece of wood was more than enough for you.

Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. He has conquered all your fears and all your problems through that piece of wood. The piece of wood is enough, just as Christ’s Grace is sufficient for you. So that piece of wood is sufficient for your life in Christ.

We should stop making the Bible so complicated that is scares people away from God instead of towards Him. We need the unsaved to know that the piece of wood is more than enough to make it right in life. That Christ’s life is the only Way and it is the Truth of what life is and it is the Life which we all long for.

John 20 is our victory in Christ!

Prayer

Father God, forgive me for allowing the pressures of the world to cloud my vision of who You are in my life. Jesus, I believe that Your work on the cross was enough to restore me. Abba Father every time I see a piece of wood may it remind me of what you did for me on the cross. Thank you for saving me through your love for me. In Jesus Name Amen

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month's Blog contribution

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Be Still

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:16:40 GMT

Be Still, and Know that I am God.

I think that’s one of the Bible verses that is commonly quoted – but how are we doing with it?

Here’s some things to consider:

· Be still (Psalm 46:10), Enter His rest and rest from works (Hebrews 4:10) does not mean stop and do nothing!

· Meditate on the Word (Joshua 1:8) does not mean we are to choose to do the meditation bit the Buddhist or New Age way.

· Know God (Psalm 46:10) does not mean filling your head with so much head knowledge that we don’t put anything into practice!

Recently I read an e-mail from James Goll (God Encounter Ministries) where he spoke on the importance of prayer, one of the types of prayer we should practice is ‘Contemplation’. As I read that bit, I felt the Spirit of God stir something up in me. I felt that the Spirit of God wants to know from me and from you how well we are doing in the area of ‘Being Still’.

Contemplate: To gaze at intently, to think, to study, to expect, to muse, to meditate

This definition of ‘contemplate’ is helpful, but let’s dig deeper into some these words:

• Muse : To think on, to consider deeply, to meditate.

• Meditate : To plan, intent, to think deeply, reflect.

• Reflect : To throw back light, heat, or sound, to give back an image or mirror, to bring or come back as a consequence as reflected glory.

• Reflect on : To contemplate, to ponder on, to cast blame or to discredit, to meditate, to be thoughtful.

(From the contents of his e-mail)

I wonder if we have become shaped by the world in a couple of areas that it is difficult for us to ‘Be Still’ in God’s Presence, contemplate the Word and meditate on it.

For many of us we are so busy doing life that the thought of being still or finding solitude in the Presence of God irritates us. We have been indoctrinated into the ‘Microwave Society’ where we have to do things fast and instant. I wonder if we also use busyness as an excuse to run away from the reality of our lives? Which then makes the thought of entering God’s rest and being still in His Presence, considering Him deeply, pondering and being thoughtful about His Word and His Ways something that we struggle to do.

Lucille Zimmerman, author, writes “Humans may be social beings, but solitude has been shown to have great societal value. Jesus was a great healer and teacher, but he took time to rest and pray. Solitude is essential for our spiritual experience – it is where we hear the still, small voice”

Could it also be that our minds are whirring so fast that when we do try and stop for a moment, our minds just won’t let us?

I wonder also if the wording puts us off – meditate, contemplate. I have to confess that for a very long time in my Christian walk I really did not like it when Christians used the word ‘meditate’. Why? – my mind went straight to Eastern Meditation and my reaction was ‘that’s not of God’. Well, let’s consider this – God gave the command to meditate on His word long before the other religions and ways of life caught onto this. And to meditate is entirely Scriptural. So, let’s break off the lies of the evil one and recognise that God wants us to meditate on His word day and night. (It may be a good exercise if you researched the difference between Christian meditation and other meditation) .

Why does God ask us to be still before Him, to enter His rest, to meditate (contemplate) on His Word? There is only one real answer - to get to know Him and the ways of the Kingdom through intimacy and communion with Him. To stop trying to do things our way, and to do life and ministry and service HIS WAY! To know His Word and to live by it.

One way to Be Still before God is to pray contemplatively. I find this quote on how to pray contemplatively from Madam Jeanne Guyon so helpful:-

“Whatever truth you have chosen, read only a small portion of it, endeavouring to taste and digest it, to extract the essence and substance thereof, and proceed no farther while any savour or relish remains in the passage: when this subsides, pick up your book again and proceed as before, seldom reading more than half a page at a time, for it is not the quantity that is read, but the manner of reading, that yields us profit.”

― Madame Guyon, A Short and Easy Method of Prayer

As I continued to contemplate why God was bringing the importance of Contemplative Prayer to my attention again, I felt the Spirit of God stirring within me that it is one of the most important things we can do. How else do we get to absorb the Word of God unless we not only study it, but allow it to come to life in us.

I also felt the Lord say that unless we are ready and prepared, we (yes even those who are strong in the Lord) will miss the signs and the times that we are entering into. I heard Him say that it is important to hear His voice and know His heart in these days. I heard Him say that He wants our full attention and not just when we have time to give Him a few minutes that will appease Him. He’s not impressed by our token Quiet Times. He wants all of us, all the time, seeking Him, knowing Him, contemplating His Word and entering into His rest. He wants us prepared and ready to align with Him when He moves.

“In contemplative prayer we seek to become the person we are called to be, not by thinking of God, but by being with God. Simply to be with God is to be drawn into being the person God calls us to be.” - John Main

Cease striving, enter His rest and get to know the God who created you, the God who loves you, the God who has chosen you to do good works for Him, the God who is calling you out of the darkness and into His wonderful light.

I bless you to become the person God has called you to be. I bless you to enjoy being in the Presence of God each moment of each day. I bless you to be still and enter His rest today.

Be blessed

Jean

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Faith

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 10:38:55 GMT

Let’s consider faith for a moment, and how we can have more of it. But like the Lord does, He loves to contrast things, so, before we consider faith, we must consider fear.

Fear is the negative expectation of something to come or happen and can be a good thing when we have a realistic fear concerning dangers to ourselves or those whom we care about. Fear is imposing, controlling, and intimidating – so unless it is realistic, it is very destructive in our lives. And from early childhood fear can become a stronghold in our lives, especially through abandonment and rejection. Why is this important? Faith needs a foundation of trust, which is why perfect, yes, perfect love casts out fear. Love is the key. All our considerations of how to gain faith will rest on the processes of gaining trust and feeling, as well as operating in God’s love.

Perhaps we should just take a moment and ask ourselves, “ If faith was so inherently part of our new being, why did the writer of Hebrews write a whole chapter dedicated to bringing it to life ”? The reason is that it is not so simple. The currency of heaven is initially granted to us, as Paul wrote, “ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ” ( Romans 12:3 ) .

So we are gifted faith as we start believing … that’s interesting in itself, the seed we bring is immediately blessed and increased by God. We also read that faith is also a fruit of Holy Spirit, which means that as we spend time in His presence and as we are conformed to His image, faith increases.

What is faith then? In the Bible the word “faith” comes primarily from “pistis” or “pisteou” - meaning primarily “a firm persuasion” or “a conviction” based upon hearing. It is also used in context of “trust”, “trustworthiness”, “that which is believed” or “the contents of belief” as well as “the ground for faith as an assurance” or “the pledge of fidelity”.

But for us, our primary sources are the trust we have in God and His love, as well as His willingness to be involved in our lives.

It would be good to consider Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” Hupostasis [Greek] , for me, is best defined as “standing under a guaranteed agreement.”

The normal process in Hebrews 11 is:

hearing or seeing what God‘s plan or intention is, then hope is born (a positive expectation of things to come or happen), and then faith takes that word (seen or heard) and brings it into reality, mostly through speaking or announcing it, or acting on it.

This is important, as there are two mutually dangerous misconceptions.

Just acting on a Scripture verse, or a godly principle, will only produce a golden calf - a godly principle dressing the desire of one’s flesh, even if it is well intended. However, if we take the promise to God and wait upon Him, so often He will realise one’s faith because of our involvement with Him. Just trying to blackmail God into acting upon His word is detrimental, ignorant and a real form of presumption. The other is to assume it all depends on the sovereignty of God, e.g. I stubbornly believe for something, while living in denial of the prerequisites of employing prudence and God’s wisdom and Will in the matter.

I have seldom heard sermons on Jesus’ answer when His disciples asked Him, “Lord, teach us how to have more faith” in Luke 17. The key to His answer lies in being vigilant to serve Him above and beyond what is expected (even when He desires to bless others), to become prudent, and serve the Master and His guest(s) with the table He requires for them. That’s when the miraculous overflows and faith is increased.

Why do miracles, signs and wonders increase faith for many? Because it demonstrates the authenticity of the gospel of reconciliation with God. His love is not just demonstrated on the Cross, but also by His interventions in this world to heal, restore, bless and deliver.

For us faith must become the lifestyle of living out of His Presence in and through us, saying what He wants us to say and doing what He wants us to do. And then faith is that promised fruit that comes from a lovingly devoted “one who is one” with Him who is Love. Now and forever.

Be blessed

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month's Blog contribution

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God's Wisdom Will is Important

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 10:04:41 GMT

Psalm 10: 4 “The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God: God is in none of his thoughts.”

There was a very successful corporate manager who said, "It's not that I don't believe in God, it's just that I don't have time for Him. If I did all the things that God wanted me to do, I'd never have time left for business." What a sad statement to make about doing works for God!

Being a Christ follower means so much more than just believing in the existence of Christ. There are many who believe in Christ, but they are determined to remove Him from their hearts and minds. They don't have the time for Him. What a sad day for Christ after all He has done for them.

Too many people see life in Christ as slavery rather than freedom. They feel oppressed by the only true One that can free them. That is on the church and religion.

Why do I say this? Well, we evangelise to them on setting them free from hell and sin and then we put a whole lot of traditional rules of the church on them and just make them slaves to the church instead of servants to Christ.

To understand on how to have a relationship with Christ, we must spend time with Him. If we reject Him without even getting to know Him, we rob ourselves of any chance at redemption and salvation. As Christ followers, we need to keep God close in our hearts and minds. We need to read His Word, dwell upon Him in our hearts, and speak to Him and of Him wherever and whenever possible. By keeping the Lord close you will never feel alone.

1 John 2: 17 “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever”

Derek Prince once said that we are living in a very impermanent and changeable world. Nothing that we see is going to last permanently. The ambitions, the desires, the passions of people of this world who are immersed in time and the things of the flesh are all going to pass away. There are forces at work in the world – spiritual and material forces much more powerful than we are, forces that we cannot control. We are just like a little speck on the surface of a river being carried along.

Is there any way to find permanence? Is there any way to find security? Yes, it’s simple. Those words contain the answer: “But the one who does the will of God abides forever.” In the last resort, God’s will is going to stand whether we agree with it or not. When everything else collapses and falls away and becomes impermanent and insecure, disappoints us, and maybe even deceives us, there’s one thing that’s going to stand secure, that’s God’s will.

God is in control; He’s supreme. And if you continue to keep yourself within the will of God, if you make it your purpose in life to do the will of God, then you are just as strong and just as permanent and just as secure as God’s will. Circumstances will change, the world will change, but the will of God stands firm, enduring and unconquerable and you can be just like the will of God if you set your mind to do it.

PRAYER : Father God, we ask that You place Your Will in our hearts and minds that we call upon Your Wisdom to lead us and guide us into eternal life. Precious Jesus be our Guide and our Comforter and our Leader as we draw near to You to follow in Your path of righteousness. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this months Blog contribution

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2024 - The Year of Kindness and Compassion

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 13:54:45 GMT

“When we think of best business practices, what first comes to mind probably aren’t qualities like kindness and generosity. But according to entrepreneur James Rhee, they should. In Rhee’s experience as CEO at a company on the brink of financial ruin, prioritising what he calls “goodwill”—a “culture of kindness” and a spirit of giving—saved the company and led to its flourishing. Putting these qualities at centre stage gave people the hope and motivation they needed to unify, innovate and problem-solve. Rhee explains that “goodwill . . . is a real asset that can compound and be amplified.”

In daily life too, it’s easy to think of qualities like kindness as vague and intangible, afterthoughts to our other priorities.” ‘Building Up Goodwill’ 2 ^nd December 2023 Our Daily Bread Devotional

As I read the above in the devotional of that particular day, God spoke straight into my heart and He said this:-

“Even My people, called by My Name, have forgotten how to live in a culture of kindness. Yes, My people have forgotten how to put others first in this world where it is the ‘me, myself and I’ culture. My people have forgotten that hope and motivation are desperately needed in this day and this age. My people have forgotten how to be kind and compassionate to one another and to lift each other up.”

As I contemplated this statement from the devotional and the word that the Lord gave me, I felt God impress on my heart that if we thought things were tough now, they are going to get tougher. But I also heard the Spirit of the Lord say that this would also usher in His Glory in unprecedented ways. Because then the Christians who have fallen out of love with Jesus and forgotten that He is their first love will return to Him like the Prodigal Son. And the people in the world who don’t want to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would begin to accept that the God who created the universe is real, alive and wants a relationship with them.

I believe that as Christians it is time we stepped up and, as I said in a previous Blog, bring Heaven to earth. I believe that it is time that Christians stopped being selfish and thinking only of themselves and their own needs and started being the kind of people who bring hope to the hopeless, love to those who feel unloved, kindness in a selfish world. I believe that the time has come for the Church, and Christians, to stand on and live by the truth in the Word of God, and not twist the Word of God to suit their own ends. I believe that loving our enemies and praying for them is part of the solution to the problems of the world. I believe that instead of criticism and judgement, we need to show love and compassion, grace and mercy. And I believe that God is reminding us of the importance of praying for the Peace of Jerusalem so that we can be people who prosper (and not just financially!) according to His riches in Glory (Psalm 122:6).

I also read this statement in the Devotional entitled ‘Fierce Days’ from Wrapped in Christ: 365 Devotions from the Pauline Epistles (The Passion Translation Devotionals) by Brian Simmons - “You need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce. 2 TIMOTHY 3:1 Paul goes on to describe the fierceness of culture by describing how people will become more self-centered and looking out only for themselves. Others will become obsessed with money. Pride and arrogance will run rampant. Ungratefulness and disconnectedness will increase. This is not the whole of the story, though. There are also those who love goodness and kindness, who seek to share the mercy-kindness of God, and who live with integrity. We get to choose whom we will spend time around. When we choose to surround ourselves with those who care more about pleasing God than pleasing themselves, we choose wisely. The days are fierce, but the love of God cuts through with even more force. Let’s align ourselves with the power of his resurrection life and remain faithful to his loyal love.”

God has put us in the place that He has so that we can be people who influence the atmosphere and people around us with His love and Kingdom Culture. God has been asking us more than ever to ALIGN ourselves with HIM, and not with the ways of the world. Will you choose to join me as we choose and purpose to bring Heaven to earth, and influence the people around us with Kingdom Culture?

My prayer is that 2024 will be the year that we see God move in unprecedented ways and that His glory is released on this earth. I want to align myself with the move of God in 2024 – I hope you will want to as well. May this year be a year that is noted for the kindness and compassion of Christians. May this year be a year where we see God’s goodness in the land of the living because we have aligned ourselves with Him and are working with Him to bring Heaven to earth.

I hope this prayer from the ‘Fierce Day’s' devotional blesses you and sustains you in this year.

“Mighty God, your love is more powerful than the grave, and it is more powerful than the wickedness in the world. I choose to follow your path of mercy, knowing that there is renewal, peace, and life in your presence. You are better than any self-serving dream I could ever achieve.”

Be blessed

Jean

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Perspectives

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 09:31:21 GMT

The truth of our spiritual and eternal realities in God.

Let’s glimpse this truth by understanding Isaiah’s open vision. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’” ( Isaiah 6:1-3 ). And this vision concurs with what Ezekiel and John saw in Revelation.

What is the practical implication? The throne of God, and the Ancient of Days sitting on it, is also in the Temple as Isaiah saw. In other words, because of God’s desire to help us understand things better, we are given representations and paradigms. Romans 1:20 substantiates this – “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature.”

Returning to Isaiah, in a vision, people might perceive the Throne room - the Court of Heaven, the New Jerusalem and the strategy room - quite vividly, but the reality is that God does not go from one room to another, He is endeavouring to help us understand the concepts and realities of heaven.

Our problem is to overthink things – trying to categorize God and heaven, instead of absorbing the truths coming from Him. Analysis can be useful, and we must base our faith on a thorough understanding of His being, nature and kingdom. And for most of the time, we have used the written word to achieve this, allowing the Scriptures to introduce us to the things of God. This is valid - but the calling is much higher, to enter the eternal Presence you must “come up and see”.

Paul taught that the foundation or basis of our faith is the Person of Jesus Christ, not the teachings of or about Him. Faith is love-based, love creates the trust for vision, and then hope which will give birth to faith. Faith comes by hearing the spoken word (rhema) of God. And we enter the [Sabbath] rest of God when the spoken word discerns us.

The spoken word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, revealing the true intents of our hearts. This means our “eternal-faith” must be based not on understanding, as important as that is, but on personal revelation and divine wisdom, encountering Holy Spirit as Paul taught the Ephesians.

But to assimilate the truth and absorb His person, we must understand His language. This is a problem for many Christians. For instance – The Cross. Jesus is represented as a goat when His blood atones for us at the Ark of the Covenant on the Day of atonement, He is a Serpent when He is high and lifted up on Moses’ rod, bringing salvation and healing to His people, He is the Lamb that was slain from before the foundation of the earth, and in the Gospels, He is characterized as the lion, the eagle, the ox and as the complete man. On the Cross even the perspectives and facets are of a composite understanding – He saved us from this world and death, He made it possible for us to be adopted to Father-God, He atoned for our sins and reconciled us with Father-God, He triumphed over the enemy, He made us righteous by paying the penalties we were due, He absolved us from the requirements of the Law by redeeming us and He glorified us by encapsulating us in Him on His eternal throne.

The key is that even though we are called the spouse, the Bride, the friend, the child or captive and/or bondslave of Christ; it means nothing if I am not one with Holy Spirit, one with God and becoming more like Him. All of nature and the diverse aspects of life, and in particular the Scriptures, are of no use when we artificially try and overthink and over-analyze it.

Identity is not what the Bible says who you are, your identity is rooted in who God says you are, which will most certainly be affirmed in Scripture. The best reality I can give to demonstrate what Holy Spirit wants to convey here is that we are called the friends of God in Romans 5, but I assure you, knowing that is very different when God actually speaks and says to you personally, “You are my friend!”

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month's Blog contribution

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ON EARTH as it is in Heaven

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 08:44:08 GMT

There’s a saying that I’ve certainly used many times “They’re so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good”. We need to be heavenly minded, but I believe that we also need to be earthly good !

We ‘recite’ the Lord’s Prayer, but do we actually PRAY IT, I wonder? One of the lines in the prayer is “ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN” (Matthew 6:10). But do we actually do ‘on earth, as it is in heaven’? Or are we so caught up in being ‘spiritual’ that we actually miss the boat? Do we truly “manifest Your Kingdom realm, and cause Your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is in heaven ” (TPT) ?

Please understand that I’m not talking about praying about worldly things, and then twisting heaven’s perspective to suit worldly ways. I’m not talking about trying to entice people of the world into the Kingdom by lowering ourselves to doing worldly acts and actions. I’m talking about living our lives in such a way that we bring the Kingdom of Heaven TO EARTH so that the people of the world can see that the Kingdom of Heaven is a glorious place to be in.

How do we be salt and light to the people of the world? How do we bring heaven to earth and demonstrate the things of the Kingdom here in this world? We have to remember that we are in the world, not of the world . Yet we are still to do ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN . We still need to live for the glory of God and manifest His power and the things of Heaven in our day to day living.

We must not be so caught up with earthly things that we lose focus of Heaven. But we must not also be so caught up with Heavenly things that we lose the opportunities on earth of showing the glory and power of the Kingdom. God is to be glorified in all things.

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition] “ ¹⁹ It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.”

This verse from 2 Corinthians reminds us that Jesus came TO EARTH so that He could demonstrate the power of the Kingdom of Heaven to the people of the world with a message of reconciliation. Therefore, if we are Christ’s Ambassadors (vs 20) (Ambassadors represent the ruling authority of the country they are citizens of), then we are His representatives and are expected to represent the realm that we are citizens of, i.e. Heaven, in a ‘foreign place’, i.e. earth. How is that not ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN?

Sadly, we have allowed our culture to shape our understanding and perspective of God’s will and the things of Heaven. Sometimes we are more interested in defending and representing the Nation we are citizens of that we forget that the Kingdom of Heaven has different values. We must allow God’s Word and Holy Spirit to reveal to us the ways of the Kingdom of Heaven so that we can demonstrate that in the world we are in but not of.

Maybe, however, we are too scared to bring Heaven to earth for fear of retribution and condemnation. Maybe we are so caught up with a worldly lifestyle, that we can’t actually see the difference in our own lives between Heaven and earth – and certainly those of the world can’t see us being Heaven’s Representatives.

Again, I re-iterate, I’m not advocating that we live in the ways of the world – because that is against Kingdom Culture. We are also warned not to have a foot in the world and a foot in the Kingdom. What I am advocating is that we do indeed become Heavenly Minded by pursuing the things of God, by seeking Him first, by living for God with our whole life, by knowing the ways and the purposes of the Kingdom of Heaven, and then demonstrating that on earth so that the people of the world will see the goodness and love of God.

Let’s get PRACTICAL.

Living a Kingdom lifestyle and being ‘Heavenly minded’ means making a choice to embrace the ways of the Kingdom. It means giving up our worldly mindsets and “being transformed by the renewing of our mind” (Romans 12:2). It takes time – and it involves drawing near to God as He draws near to us. It means that we surrender our lifestyles and thinking processes to Jesus and allow God’s Holy Spirit to work in us, lead us and guide us. It means that we need to study the Word and seek Him and His Righteousness first. In a way, being heavenly minded is a learned behaviour that becomes a lifestyle.

How are we earthly good by being Heavenly Minded? (These are just some things, you will think of more I’m sure)

Our character is transformed as we draw near to God, and we approach the things on earth with a lifestyle that reflects the fruit of the Spirit.

We become a people who are filled with faith – people in the world will see our faith and it will, hopefully, cause them to ask us questions about our faith.

We are filled to overflowing with love and walk in forgiveness. The world doesn’t often believe in sacrificial love, and it certainly doesn’t often offer forgiveness to others. When we demonstrate these two attributes, we are showing a lifestyle that is contrary to what most people practice.

“It’s only after being loved by God that we can truly love others. Without encounters with the heart of the Father, we are incapable of living selflessly. Pride is the natural state of all those who aren’t consistently encountering the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. But through God’s grace and receiving a heavenly perspective, we can step outside ourselves and the fleshly desires of this world and truly love others with the heart of God.” (First15 Devotional – ‘A Lifetime of Love)

I bless you to continue to go deeper in your relationship with God and to gain a deeper understanding of His will, plans and purposes for your life. I bless you to grow to be more and more like Jesus every day. I bless you walk in love and forgiveness and show the world the peace and joy that comes from having a Heavenly perspective. I bless you to be a people who show the world the goodness and love of God in a way that transforms their lives too.

Be blessed

Jean

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Renewed Thinking

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 10:55:21 GMT

While we were in Bulgaria recently one of the places we stayed at was in our friends’ apartment on the first (or second – depends whether you count the levels from 0 or 1) floor. On opening the main door to the apartment block, it was immediately noticeable that there were no bannisters for stairs. What was my immediate reaction? PANIC !!

I realised that my brain and thinking was conditioned to think that without banisters on the staircase, it was unsafe. Fear immediately set in – because, again, my brain told me that if I ventured too close to the unprotected side of the stairs, I was like to tumble over and injure myself severely. So how did I counteract that fear – by hugging the wall side of the stairs, and walking up and down the stairs SLOWLY. Once inside the apartment, the fear also told me that I didn’t want to leave the safety of the apartment so that I didn’t have to go through the panic again.

But we needed to negotiate that staircase in order to go out to the meetings, shopping and just to get around. I had to overcome the fear somehow.

After about 5 days I realised that I felt more confident. “ A ” commented I was getting faster on stairs and I realised that as I moved up and down the stairs and didn’t have an accident, I ‘renewed my mind’ as to the safety factor. It took confidence and trust to renew my mind. And experience and repetitiveness was changing my reality. (By the end of our stay there I still wasn’t entirely confident, but I was more confident than on the first day).

I often refer to Romans 12:2 {Amplified Bible, Classic Edition - “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”

The Passion Translation – “Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”} , but I think I began to understand this verse a little better after having climbed stairs without bannisters.

Renewing our mind is so important in the Christian life. Too much of what we do or say or believe is based on our worldly upbringing, knowledge or habits. Too much of how we apply Kingdom Culture is tainted with worldly culture.

How do we renew our mind – well it’s a little bit like how I had to adapt to walking up and down stairs with a great chance of falling over them if I wasn’t careful.

1. Become aware of the dangers – Scripture warns us that there are many dangers surrounding us, not least the danger of the devil trying to convince us that living a Kingdom Lifestyle is not worth it. We overcome this by knowing the Word of God, and by believing the truth of the Word.

2. Declare the Truth – We only believe the truth of the Word when we apply that truth. Making spoken declarations of the truth is what helps us to renew our mind. When we speak out (not just think it) what God and the Word says about us, our faith gets released and we grow! “Declaring the word is loudly speaking the word over yourself and speaking the truth of God’s word into your life. When you say it like you mean it, you will notice the spirit stirring up within you.” (https://dudedisciple.com/renew-your-mind/)

3. Act on those truths – Begin to put into action what you are believing and declaring. Just as I had to walk up and down those stairs a number of times in order that the things I was thinking could change, so we need to put into practice the truths of Scripture so that we start living them out.

It takes a choice, confidence and trust in order for us to live out the truths of Scripture. Sometimes we don’t even realise that we are living ungodly lifestyles because we’re so in the habit. We need to check with Holy Spirit if there is anything we are believing and living that is contrary to Scripture. We seem to be very good at twisting Scripture to suit our own ends and needs, thereby endorsing our lifestyles – but that isn’t Kingdom Living. We use the ‘reason’ that some things were for Old Testament times and not relevant today. A very good place to start in these instances is to ASK GOD and then to start applying to our lives what He says.

Renewing our mind to Kingdom thinking and living also takes repetition. They say it takes 40 days for a new habit to form – why then do we think we can do it in one day? Let’s give ourselves grace and work out the new Kingdom thinking and living on a DAILY BASIS.

Fear can stop us. Familiarity can stop us. Lack of trust in the outcome can stop us. Bad habits and wrong thinking can stop us. That’s why Bible says to renew our minds to a Kingdom Culture and to be transformed by Holy Spirit, which will empower us to live a beautiful, Godly, and confident Kingdom life. Let’s come in line with the Word and live our lives to the glory of God.

Be blessed as you do.

Jean

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Fear of Failure

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:49:55 GMT

Instead of avoiding challenges because of the fear of failure, God wants to teach us to view failure as an opportunity to grow. God is giving us eyes to see with faith, not fear.

We need to choose to listen to the promises of God over fear or intimidation. Come to God exactly as you are and give Him your weariness and discouragement in exchange for hope and strength. It's time to rise up and step out in bold faith.

We need to exchange fear for faith, discouragement for hope, and heaviness for joy. God is with us.

We need to be unafraid of Failure. Failure is just a stepping-stone to rise up further.

"He helps those who are in trouble; He lifts those who have fallen." (P salm 145:14 )

In our perfected culture that's obsessed with success and status and fame in social media, the idea of failure can seem like the worst possible thing. Failure can feel like the ultimate defeat. And, if we're not careful, the fear of failure can keep us living in a caged state and prevents us from ever taking risks. Fear binds us. It causes us to stagnate in our walk with the Lord.

Even though none of us wants to fail, when we set out to do something, failure isn't the worst thing that can happen to us. With failure comes learning opportunities, such as fall of pride, humbleness and growth which comes down to Kingdom values. God does not see failure the way we do. His ways are higher than our ways.

The Bible is full of people who "failed." Some of them we have even been labelled as "failures," and yet God used them. King David had an affair with a married woman and then had her husband killed to cover up his tracks. Moses killed a man and then fled out of guilt, and so fled for his life. Abraham was afraid of the king, so he lied about his wife. Sarah laughed at God when He promised her a son. They people that failed, but failure did not define their stories. They succeeded in what was to be their outcome of God’s plan for their life even though they failed in certain aspects of life.

Moses, after living for years in the wilderness, which he brought on himself. Our actions have consequences. He tried to avoid God's call on his life. He felt inadequate and was embarrassed by his speaking abilities. But that did not stop God’s plan. He would use Moses' and his brother Aaron to speak for Him. Moses' fear was did not stop God’s plan.

The fear of having failed can cause us to pro-long in our action. Moses fled to the wilderness after killing a man. He went from being the adopted son of Pharaoh to being a man on the run for his life. This was quite failure! And after forty years in the wilderness, he no longer saw himself as a powerful son of Pharaoh, but one who had been a failure. However, God did not see him as failure but of one that was now humbled enough to be used by God.

So often we see ourselves as failed based on our limitations or past mistakes, but God doesn't see us this way. The fact that He has chosen us is exactly what makes us fit and able for what He's calling us to do . Sometimes the fear of failure is rooted in what we believe others will think of us, or in what God will think of us. We need to get out of that belief that if I have failed I can no longer do what God has called me to do. Grace from God reminds us that He loves us as we are, with all our failed attempts. There is nothing you can do (or not do) that can separate you from His love, and there is no way that you can earn more love .

Spending time in God's presence and giving Him your Praise and Worship is what He longs for from us.

Prayer : Father God, in the Name of Jesus Christ I come before you and repent of using my failure as a means to not do what You have called me to do. Holy Spirit I surrender my insecurities to you in all humbleness and ask that You send me into my calling with the fierceness of one called by God the Lion of Judah my protector and guide. I will soar like an eagle and pursue the call on my life with the Love and worship that you have decreed to me. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month's Blog contribution

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Faith – Why is faith the currency or “money” for us in spiritual terms?

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 14:17:11 GMT

For most of us faith is either a concept, principle, or verb (hopefully!). But I was curious after reading Hebrews 11, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken, he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:5-6)

Why is there this parenthesis here, after Enoch? From our earthly perspective, faith opens the door to rewards when we believe that God is who He says He is and that He will reward – give something in return - when we seek His face. James affirms this, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith , with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-6) . So again, faith obtains, fulfils, or “purchases” the thing we need.

And this is again reiterated by Paul, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) . Grace is not earned by effort or works, but it requires faith - grace for salvation must be appropriated or “bought” by faith. Which is why Jesus said in Revelation, “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” (Revelations 3:18)

What are we required to “pursue in heaven’s market and purchase” (i.e. [Gr.] agorazō)? Divine character, righteousness and spiritual insight and revelation! Which we already have at our disposal in Christ, so He is advocating faith and heaven’s purchasing power.

But there is a problem! Paul wrote very succinctly, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith , so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2) . This is such a contrast, and yet … they are connected! Paul also wrote, “And now what avails, faith which works through love.” (Galatians 5:6) . The grace we receive is because of God’s love and we appropriate that loving grace by faith.

Ever wondered why, if faith is the exact opposite of fear, it is that perfect love casts out fear, and not faith per se? Love creates an environment conducive to faith, security, and the acceptance of perfect love. Divine love can give us the trust (faith) to overcome any fear. Now this idea becomes more interesting.

We see that faith must be love-based, but faith also has an allegiance to obedience, which is why we must strive to enter into God’s grace, to obediently believe that grace has done it all! Which is exactly why Jesus said, . The fruit of love is faithful obedience! “If ye love me, keep my directions, precepts, commandments.” (John 14:15)

But there is more! “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) . Our intimate relationship with God, and in particular, Holy Spirit, cultivates faith as a gift and as a fruit. And it starts with vision – you must see what you hope for, you cannot hope what you don’t envisage, for hope is the positive expectation (of a promise) to come, to be realized. Then our faith takes a hold of it and converts the unseen hope into the seen reality, giving it substance here on earth. Our hope is built on an already accomplished and granted reality in heaven, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) .

But faith, because of our mutual love, brings the eternal substance into reality into our lives and here on earth – faith, based on a word from the Lord, because of His love will manifest the rewards or blessings from heaven, now it’s easy to see why this followed after Enoch’s testimony! “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken, he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Faith the purchasing power, the money of heaven! Spend it wisely and bring more of heaven down to earth.

Blessings!

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month's Blog contribution

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Called To Give It Away

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 08:39:13 GMT

Transfiguration

Matt 17.1-21 Mark 9.2-29 Luke 9.28-43 (Read one or all of these)

"Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white."

Jesus called his friends to go up the mountain with him. Climbing can be hard but when Jesus invites us, we do it. At the top Jesus is transfigured, shining in all his glory, and speaking with Moses and Elijah. Great men of God.

The Glory

Peter wanted to stay in it.

The church, you and I, can be like that, wanting to remain in the glory when we are at a special meeting: maybe Spring Harvest, New Wine or any other church meeting where the Spirit touches us wonderfully. Perhaps you went to Bethel or somewhere that you had heard that the Spirit was moving and you wanted to experience it for yourself. There can be something in us that makes us want to soak up the glory, feel his presence and to stay in that place. How often have we said; “if only church could be like this?”

Then the Father spoke; “This is my Son, listen to him.” The Father affirmed his son.

What did Jesus say? He said come back down the mountain. He knew that the glory was wonderful but not the place to remain in, so down they went.

At the bottom of the mountain there was another father, another son, and they needed help. The glory was not present where they were. The father’s love for his son wanted him free from demonic hold, throwing fits and spoiling his life potential. “Help us, if you can” cried the father. If I can? Jesus asked him, “anything is possible if a person believes”

The Father wants to affirm you and I, his sons and daughters, yet he knows that our place is not to remain on the mountain top, in the presence of his glory but our place as his children is down where the people are, where the needs are for hurting humanity. Too often we can experience the wonderful presence of God, a place we want to enjoy and where we feel secure and filled with his love but our purpose is to take that infilling into the dark places, to those in need.

But do we? How many of us look to others to be the ones who reach out, to pray for healing, for deliverance in the name and authority of Jesus, just as he told us to do? How often do we block the work that God has for us through fear and self doubt?

It seems to me that we long and love to be filled but that we have a “plug” that we let remain firmly within us so that the glory we experience remains but of course it soon disappears. And we wish it didn’t.

The channel for the free flowing of the Holy Spirit gets blocked and we permit no outlet for the Spirit. Maybe this is why we don’t see the marvels that we read about in our bibles?

We doubt our son-ship, our commission from God to “do even greater things than these”.

Jesus’ disciples could not cast out the demon and bring healing for the boy and Jesus berated them for having such little faith. Do we want to have this said of us or would we rather hear him say; “Well done good and faithful servant?”

Here in Turkey just 5 years ago a young Muslim man came to faith in a miraculous way. As he knelt to receive Christ as his Saviour he was saved, healed, delivered from the hold of drugs and filled with the Holy Spirit. Over the next two years he led 42 of his Muslim family to faith in Jesus. What is even more interesting is that the people didn’t have a local church to go to so they met in homes, a fluid church that met frequently as they ate together and worshiped. No-one had told them how to “do” church, no-one had told them they needed a pastor, a worship team or a service plan. They just met together and were led by the Spirit as he wanted; one shared a scripture, another began to sing a worship song and others joined in. The Holy Spirit led them. As they shared Jesus with their family and friends, no-one had told them that these healing scriptures were not for them, no-one told them that they couldn’t see cancer healed, broken bones mended, demons cast out. They simply believed what Jesus said in the scriptures and did it. They expected healings and saw them. They expected to see the oppressed set free and they saw it. They had no knowledge of a “plug” that prevented them doing all they had been told to do in scripture. They just did it. Because Jesus had told them to.

John 14.12 “Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works because I am going to the Father”

Luke 4,18-19: (Jesus’ manifesto)

What is yours? The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon you and he has anointed you (with his spirit) to do . . . even greater things in the power of his Spirit and the authority of his name which he gave to us to be used. To bring healing, freedom, to open the eyes that cannot see and to set prisoners free.

Do not block the free flow of the Spirit but be a conduit to others around you.

John 7. 37-39 Streams of Living water

We are filled so we can pour out

The church (you and me) too often has a “plug” of unbelief and doubt that prevents this.

Get back down that mountain, reach out to the lost and the hurting, cast out your fears and doubt, bring deliverance to a needy world, set people free! That’s the glory of Christ in us - Our hope and the hope of the world.

Take that plug out. After all, Jesus has told you that if you believe, you can do it, and he is relying on you to obey.

Blessings

Paul

Our thanks to Paul for this month's Blog contribution

Who to Commit/Hold On to

Wed, 31 May 2023 07:46:29 GMT

Psalms 37:5-9 “Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. ⁷ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. ⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. ⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the Lord, They shall inherit the earth.”

There is but one person with whom we can hold on to and that is Jesus Christ. People will let you down at some time or another but the one that will not let you down that will never leave you nor forsake you is God, the very One who created you. Even if God allows satan to come near you to test you, He still will not leave you.

Job was a man who certainly knew trouble and temptation, and yet he boldly claimed, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him". Job 13:15. That is commitment. Job had lost his children, his fortune, and his health, but he refused to abandon his faith in God. He was a stricken man who was determined to hold on because he trusted the Lord to do right. He hoped and trusted enough to just hang in there till the Lord turned things around for His good.

Unwavering commitment to trust the Lord in all situations is a cornerstone of unshakable faith. This kind of commitment and faith is an advantage point of the foundational rock solid stand point, especially when we can focus our eyes upon God alone. It is easy to be distracted by circumstances and allow them to dictate our emotions. But if that's the case, then when life is good, we're happy; when times are tough, we're frustrated; and when hardship pours in, we're downright miserable and looking for escape. This is when hope is out the window and our emotions manipulate us.

Unlike Job, we are fortunate to have Scripture, and Holy Spirit to guide us and reveal God's nature and promises. And it is a wise for believer who claims those promises when enduring hardship.

His Word tells us that our Father in Heaven is always good, always just, always faithful, and always trustworthy. When we take our eyes off the turmoil of day-to-day activity and concentrate on honouring Him and following in His way, we find a consistent peace that carries us through both richness and poverty. In order to hold on to God through any trial or temptation, commit to trust and follow Him all of your days. Lay claim to His promises.

The unchanging Lord and Saviour (Hebrews 13:8 ”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.) is committed to caring for you in all circumstances (1 Peter 5:7 ” casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.) and will never leave or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”)

Commit to Jesus Christ as He is the Way the Truth and the Life.

Pray : Father God, help me to never trust in flesh but in Spirit, and in Truth. Lord Jesus I lift my eyes up unto You and You alone. Be my author and perfecter, help me Lord not to look at my day with disdain but to trust in Your unfailing love and hope. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month's Blog contribution

Manifold Wisdom

Thu, 04 May 2023 10:10:08 GMT

Sometimes we find that when we come to the full realization of the truths contained in a paragraph in the Scriptures, it brings such immense understanding that for a while we need time to digest it adequately. Before we look at such a portion of Scripture found in Ephesians 3, I felt some days ago saddened by the fact that many Christian programs, where prominent people are featured, do not reflect the “norm” or “core values” of what it means to come to the full stature of Christ as His Body, Wife or Church (ecclesia). The people interviewed had such dramatic encounters and function at such levels in particular ways that it becomes impossible to just preach “what is normal”. And perhaps that is why I personally appreciate Bill Johnson for explaining normalcy, while highlighting profound truths.

So, when we look at this portion of Scripture, Paul was advocating exactly that to the Ephesians, explaining the purpose of his calling to them. And the same is now applicable to us, the process he declared to them in Ephesians 3:8b-11 : “this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”

Three aspects are of note here, but first we acknowledge that Paul is declaring the Father’s pre-ordained will and plan in the verses, which He had kept hidden until the right time, i.e., when our Lord Jesus Christ was made manifest. Even when Jesus was alive, the true mystery of why He came was not fully disclosed. What He said was that Father God so loved the world that He gave or sent His own Son, that whosoever believes in Him might be saved, have everlasting life, and will not perish.

Paul added earlier in the letter all the while, God also had our adoption in mind, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:5). Part of the mystery could only come to reality when Jesus accomplished His primary goal, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8(b)). Once Christ redeemed us from the Law, we were saved by grace through faith. How? By dying to self, to live in Him!

As Paul wrote to the Colossians, “the stewardship from God which was given to me [Paul] for you [gentiles], to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. (Colossians 1:25-27).

The eternal mystery he therefore referred to earlier is God inhabiting His people. We are the temple/temples of God, we house Almighty God eternally and we are being transformed into His image as partakers of God’s [divine] nature!

That’s already a lot to handle, and is core to God’s eternal plan. Jesus destroyed the works of the devil, He also revealed the Father and His nature and desire to the world, and Jesus won to Himself a people called out of the world to be His eternal Wife and people.

But there is just one thing more we must consider in that verse, a profound truth that made me think twice about why we are called to walk as He leads, governed and guided by our Paraclete.

Paul wrote to the Romans, “And the God of peace will shortly (tachei – imminently) crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (Romans 16:20). With all of God’s primary objectives fulfilled, He added this, “To the intent that now that the church will make known (in practical terms demonstrate) the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heavenly [places].” (Ephesians 3:10). We are the instruments of God, who make known and who are called in a collaborative way, to subject the enemy to His rule and wisdom, crushing them underfoot. That is profound!

Our lives must not just testify to the world, but also to the enemy that he and his entourage are a defeated foe. These truths are core to our lives and must be part of our daily realities.

May we embrace the grace from our Father in heaven to manifest His manifold wisdom as He intended from the beginning of all time! Amen.

Our thanks to Ben for this month's Blog contribution

Start Revival in My Circle

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 11:01:43 GMT

This is extracts from a message I preached recently in Albania. I believe this is a Word of the Lord for this season. Be blessed as you read it, and may Holy Spirit speak to you through it.

If you would like to listen to the full message, please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DApvvJjXTU .

Do you want Revival? Do you pray for Revival? Are you excited about Revival? What is Revival?

From an article ‘ What is Christian Revival ’ www.gotquestions.org/Christian-revival.html - “Revival refers to a spiritual reawakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer.”

“It is initiated by a prompting of the Holy Spirit, creating an awareness of something missing or wrong in the believer’s life that can only be righted by God. In turn, the Christian must respond from the heart, acknowledging his or her need. Then, in a powerful way, the Holy Spirit draws back the veil the world has cast over the truth, allowing the believers to fully see themselves in comparison to God’s majesty and holiness.”

In a devotion we read at the beginning of the year, the writer suggested that we go into our Prayer Closet, kneel down, and taking a piece of chalk draw a circle around us, and then pray a prayer that says “Start Revival in this circle”. In other words - Start Revival with ME!

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Let’s take a closer look at 2 Chronicles 7:14

1. ARE WE CALLED BY HIS NAME?

Do we know Jesus as our Lord and Savour and do we have a relationship with the Trinity? That’s the first step.

Key to Revival – Be called by His Name.

2. HUMBLE YOURSELF

Rick Warren wrote in ‘ The Purpose Driven Life ’ “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

Humility is foundational to the Christian life, but too many Christians have the wrong idea of humility. They think that humility is putting themselves down and making other people seem greater than them. They think that by doing this people will think they humble. But humility is NOT that.

Philippians 2:3 (TPT) “Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves.”

Key to Revival – Humility

3. PRAY

We know that we need to pray. Prayer is the means by which we connect directly with God and it positions us for greater things. How can we develop relationship without communication?

My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers , “Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished. . . . We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God himself.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 (AMPC) “Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!”

Key to Revival – Prayer

4. SEEK HIS FACE

Seeking God follows closely from Prayer – but more than just talking to God, it’s spending time meditating on His Word, it’s spending time resting in His Presence. It’s passionately pursuing God and waiting on Him to reveal more of His ways, plans and purposes to us.

Psalms 63:1 & 8 (TPT)

“O God of my life, I’m lovesick for you in this weary wilderness.

I thirst with the deepest longings to love you more,

with cravings in my heart that can’t be described.

Such yearning grips my soul for you, my God!

8With passion I pursue and cling to you.

Because I feel your grip on my life,

I keep my soul close to your heart.”

Key to Revival – Seeking His Face through Intimacy and Communion

5. TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS

Confession and Repentance is foundational in partnering with God for Revival and it is our responsibility to respond to the Holy Spirit with confession and repentance.

When Holy Spirit convicts us, it’s for our good and God’s glory. It’s not meant to make us feel shame, rather it’s meant to set us free and to live in victory.

Psalm 139:23-24 (AMPC) “ ²³ Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! ²⁴ And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

In My Utmost for His Highest , Oswald Chambers wrote: “The old puritans used to pray for ‘the gift of tears.’ If ever you cease to know the virtue of repentance, you are in darkness. Examine yourself and see if you have forgotten how to be sorry.”

Key to Revival – Turning from our wicked ways

CONCLUSION

A.G. Osterberg - “The Azusa revival began where every revival should rightly begin—in repentant tears. It began in tears, it lived in tears, and when the tears ended the Azusa revival ended.”

We, in ourselves, cannot make revival happen, but we can partner with God in bringing Revival if we choose to. We also have the power to stop a revival when we turn away from seeking God and looking to ourselves again, when we decide to get in the way of the move of God.

Revival leads to an Awakening, and the world needs an Awakening right now. I believe that God is positioning us and preparing us for Revival and another Great Awakening.

I am ready for Revival, I hope you are too.

Be Blessed

Jean

Born Again by the Blood of the Lamb

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 16:08:31 GMT

Do you know that sometimes there will be people in your life who just cannot see who the Lord has made you to be, the real you in Christ. Their lens is of the past or a mistake you made somewhere back in the day and some old history that they once knew. Some people will never have eyes to see the real you that God has made you to be. They could be too familiar and maybe too blind. They may even relate to you as the old person they were once familiar with and they still see that person and not the miracle that God has made of your life now.

You have to bless them even though they might see you through an old lens. Sometimes these people are loved ones or old friends from school or somewhere in your past. Bless them… they have not had their eyes open to see what God has done in your life. Their paradigm is one of past history. You cannot allow their opinions and off-the-cuff comments to penetrate your heart.

They know the old you. They have an unrenewed unredeemed picture of who you are.

Bless them anyway. They may be the first to point out flaws or mistakes from the person “you used to be” and it may sting when they do so. You know in your heart that old person died and you are a born again man or woman of God….That old person is not who you are.

You are a child of God. You are NOT that old person. You are redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb. You are born again from above. You are washed in the blood of the Lamb, YOU are blessed, saved, sanctified, justified and made brand new.

Do not allow the enemy to place accusations against you that are no longer true and are not even the person you are today. The enemy wants to point out your past, but we know his future. Do not let his words hurt your heart. You are made new and perfected in Spirit and Truth in the eyes of the Father.

2 Corinthians 5: 17 says that You are a New creation in Christ. Behold old things are passed away and all things are made new. Romans 8:1 tells us “There is therefore now No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!” You are a son or a daughter. You are the Light of the world. You are a king and a priest. You are the blessed of God and, most of all, you are forgiven.

Bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you. They just don’t know how good God has been to you and that you are not that old person. You are redeemed and blessed and have a hope and a future and calling straight from Heaven. You are a miracle work of Grace! Shine and keep on shining! You are one of His bright shining stars in His Kingdom! Do not look back on your past as it is not worth the stiff neck…. Keep looking forward to a golden future with Jesus Christ.

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month's Blog contribution

It's Time to Step Out of the Boat

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 08:41:36 GMT

Peter walking on water (found in Matthew 14:22-33) was an amazing thing. I remember once seeing one of those Science How Do They Do It type programmes where a swimming pool was filled with custard and because of the consistency of the custard, a person was able to ‘walk on water’. The thing is, Peter didn’t walk on custard because Science proved that it was possible because of the molecules, and all that stuff (Science Scholars, please forgive me, but Science was not my strongest subject at school). Peter walked on water because he, at that moment in time, kept looking at Jesus and trusted in the God of the universe who knew that outside of a miracle, it wasn’t possible for man to walk on water!

But Jesus wanted to show Peter, the Disciples, and us that with God, all things are possible. With faith we can do greater things than what even Jesus did. So, if Jesus walked on water, and we can do greater things than He did, then we can walk, dance and do whatever we like on water.

Now I’m not in any way trying to be flippant here. And I’m not suggesting that you go and find a swimming pool and literally try and walk on water. I’m trying to convince myself, and hopefully you too, that we are more than able to do what God asks of us. That when we keep our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus, then we won’t have our eyes fixed on the circumstances or storms of life that are buffeting us from every side. When we keep our gaze on our Beloved, then we will see only the possible, and we will have faith for the signs, wonders and miracles that we long to see Jesus doing today. When our whole lives are focused on the Father who loves us with an everlasting love, and Who knows the plans that HE has for us, then being in His Will and following Him obediently will be the greatest joy in our lives.

That’s a great encouragement for our every-day lives. However, I believe that God is asking us to position ourselves so that we are ready to step out of the boat and walk on water because that’s the kind of radical faith we’re going to need in the coming days, months and years.

I believe that God is positioning us for Revival like never before seen. This Revival is for EVERYONE , not just a select few. ALL CHRISTIANS need to be prepared and ready to participate in this Revival. How, then, do we prepare ourselves for what is coming soon?

One of the greatest areas we need to deal with is that we need to be careful what we’re influenced by. We need to not have our eyes on the ‘storms’ around us, or even our successes and achievements, but to gaze purely on the face of Jesus.

We are so easily influenced these days - yes, even as Christians. We have Social Media convincing us all the time of ‘stuff’ that is of the world. We have ‘Gossip Rags’ that gossip about things and we take that as absolute truth. We may read a report about how an actor was cast in a role to play a real-life person, but how they were influenced, positively or negatively, about that person and now believe a different report about that person. All the more reason to be influenced by Jesus alone, and to only take the report of Holy Spirit and the written Word and not to cast our eyes to the right or to the left, but to follow on the Highway of Holiness and run the race that’s set before us with our eyes on the end goal, which is eternity with Jesus.

Another area that I believe God is asking us to deal with is the idols in our lives. What possession or position are you holding onto above Jesus? Is your bank balance more important than your ability to be generous? What’s holding you back – fear, jealousy, poverty, etc.? What’s stopping you from getting out of the boat? And, are you aware of the idols in your life that you are looking at more than you are looking at Jesus?

An idol is anything that holds our focus and attention, and takes it off of Jesus. An idol is not always a physical thing (i.e. a statue of a ‘foreign god’), it can be an emotional tie, it can be a position in Ministry, a Job position. It can be pride.

When we hold onto the ‘idols’ in our lives we cannot move into that place of FULL surrender and submission to the call of God on our lives.

I believe in the Revival that’s coming God needs our full surrender and for us to trust Him with all of our hearts. He needs us to be certain of our giftings and callings and for us to operate in those, and not try and imitate other people. He needs us to realise that our giftings, calling, talents and abilities are unique to us. And that EVERYTHING and EVERYONE works TOGETHER for good and the glory of God. More than that, He wants us spending time in the Secret Place with Him, getting to know His heart and ways so that our thoughts align with His thoughts, and when we do things or say things, we won’t need to question if they are of God because we’ll know that they are.

As we move into 2023, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, give up our own agendas, mindsets and philosophies and only look to Jesus and the Kingdom of God. When we’re obedient to Him, we will step out of the Boat and Walk on Water for the Kingdom. We will see Revival and rejoice in the Harvest that He’s promising us.

Be blessed

Jean

True Happiness is only found in Complete Submission to God

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 10:15:45 GMT

Who wants more joy/happiness in their life? We can have it!

Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the Kingdom of God and ALL these things will be provided for you.”

John 10:10 “Jesus came to give us more and better life.”

The main reason we don’t have the life we want is because we try to have a part-time relationship with God .

Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Here is the key!

James 1:5-8 “ ⁵ But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, ⁸ being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

I believe that this is a commonly misquoted scripture. This is not an ‘ask for what you want and get it’ thing. This is talking specifically about wisdom. Ask believing that you will get Wisdom, and you’ll get Wisdom!

Wisdom from God will lead you into His perfect Will. But you cannot ask having already decided what you want. That’s not asking His will. We must ask God for his will and then obey. Either He knows best, or He doesn’t.

While reading this Psalm, God opened my eyes to an interesting truth. Psalm 139:7-8 “ ⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? ⁸ If I ascend to heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in Sheol (Hell) , behold, You are there.”

When I refuse to live according to God’s will for my life, it doesn’t work, and I become frustrated with the outcome. Honestly, this what we do. We make our bed in hell by being double minded between our dedication to God and the pleasures of this world. (James 1:8)

A Personal Story

I never dreamed that I would be a missionary in Albania, or anywhere else for that matter. When my wife asked me if I would come to Albania, I was a truck driver working 12-14 hours a day. Despite that, I told her that I needed a couple days to pray and ponder what it would mean to move 5,000 miles away from home. So, for the next 2 days I drove around northern Wisconsin (USA) seeing and thinking about things that I would have to give up.

I love the woods! I was a hunter. I mean I really was a hunter. I lived to deer hunt, especially hunting with bow and arrow. I would spend hours and hours in the woods looking for deer sign, picking the right tree, and then sit in a tree stand for long periods of time, sometimes all day, waiting for deer to come by. Giving up hunting was a big deal for me. So, the next day when I was driving and thinking about moving to Albania, one of the first things I saw was a beautiful Oak Forest, which is perfect deer habitat, and something I was very familiar with. I remember thinking, “I’m never going to be able to hunt again.” I grieved, literally, with tears and everything. Then God spoke to me and said, “I have something better.”

I loved kayaking! I drove across a bridge that went across a gorgeous river and I thought, “I’m never going to kayak again.” I grieved again and God spoke to me again and said, “I have something better.” I love animals and we have always had one or two dogs in our home. I thought, “I cannot justify using other peoples (Partners) money for dog expenses. So, “I’m never going be able to have a dog again.” I grieved again and God spoke to me again and said, “I have something better.”

For two days this process went on. I finally realized that this was my choice. I could continue with my life, working 12-14 hours a day and make my wife come back to the States and disrupt what God was using her for, or I could trust God really did have something better and go live in Albania.

God had prepared the way so it wasn’t the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. And I must say that after 8 years of living and serving His Kingdom in Albania, I am living the “more and better life” that Jesus promised in John 10:10. I get to see women come to know and live in their God created identity through my wife’s ministry. I get to see their inner wounds healed.

I get to teach young people about worshipping God in Spirit and Truth. I also get to be involved in changing the spiritual atmosphere over this country through Worship Nights and Worship Camp and the School of Worship.

I can honestly say that I would not return to live in the US so that I could hunt or kayak anytime I want. I’m living my “More and Better Life” here in Albania! By the way, God gave us a street dog to adopt!

I recently came across a recording of Rich Mullins . This is what he said “The big mistake that everybody makes is they think there’s going to be a tomorrow. They think, things are bad today, if we just live long enough everything will be fine. Sometimes that’s true, sometimes things get worse. Look at the history of the world. Things have not in fact gotten better. In fact, it’s looking pretty grim. A Lot of people just want to wring their hand and say, Oh what are we going to do? Things are getting so bad! We’re so alone and people are doing such desperate things. Racism is still a thing and now we have terrorism. You add racism to terrorism, and you’ve got real problems. You’ve got people wanting to kill each other in Asia and in America and everywhere. Everybody says, What can I do? They get depressed because they think there’s nothing they can do about it. Maybe there’s nothing you can do about the situation in Afghanistan, or some other troubled spot in the world. The real tragedy is that most people don’t do anything about the situation in their immediate proximity. I think it all comes back to a lack of faith. I think we want a cheap God, a God who is easy to follow, easy to believe in, and easy to set aside whenever we’re ready to do that. Then, when we have to live with the results of that kind of faith, we don’t like HIM so much. If you don’t really believe HE's there, then you can’t believe that He can really change anything.”

Practical Application

If you read the Bible from cover to cover enough times so that you get the basics of the message, I believe this is what you will get.

1- Get to know God

2- Learn to hear His voice

3- Do what He says!

It’s very simple, but not always easy.

So I leave you with this: Who wants more Joy/Happiness in their life? I believe we all do. So let’s take some advice from Jesus - Matthew 16:25 “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Be blessed

Ted

Our thanks to Ted for this months' Blog contribution

Building a Firm Foundation

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 08:19:02 GMT

2 Timothy 3: 14-15 “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Timothy was pastoring the church of Ephesus, where the Apostle Paul sent him. His letter is filled with advice and motivation.

Paul’s love for Timothy is very evident; his letters are filled with encouragement, friendship and hope. Although Paul was not Timothy’s biological father, Paul referred to Timothy as “a true son in faith” (1 Timothy 1:2), so Paul saw Timothy as his “Spiritual son. And as Paul concluded his second letter to Timothy, he encouraged him with the words of 2 Timothy 2:14-15.

In the beginning of the letter, Paul recounts to Timothy the Godly influence of Timothy’s mother and grandmother as they taught the Word of God and nurtured his spirit, soul and body with Godly faith from a baby. He had this teaching right through his childhood.

Paul reminds Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:5 “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.” Timothy’s grandmother and mother diligently studied the scripture, and shared their knowledge of the gospel with Timothy from a young age right through to his young adult life. They never gave up on Timothy and I am sure Timothy went through the normal stressful young adult complications in life as with every teenager and young adult does. They persevered and were faithful to do what God tells us to do when He says in Deuteronomy 6:7 “You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when rise up.”

When we can persevere through these times of troubles with the Word of God being placed within our children and grandchildren and not give up, we have a generation that will continue to serve God. Although Timothy experienced many challenges in his ministry, by teaching him the Word of God, his mother and grandmother laid down a strong spiritual foundation for him to stand upon.

We as mothers and fathers and grandmothers and grandfathers need to seek to do the same for our children and grandchildren. By laying down a solid Christian foundation of knowledge and faith with trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are enabling our children to face difficult circumstances that will not let them fall but stand firm on solid rock of faith bound lessons in life. Never give up praying for your children and grandchildren. We must teach our younger generation to love Jesus Christ and to get their guidance from the Word of God.

Timothy experienced many challenges in his ministry, just as our younger generation are challenged with what the world has become. We cannot give up hope. Just as Paul encouraged Timothy so we are to encourage our young ones. Maybe there are young Timothy’s out there that need to look up to a Spirit filled mother or father or grandparent to guide them. Take them under your wing and don’t give up on them even when they seem to be impossible. Jesus loved Judas even though He knew that Judas was to the one who would cause the start of His crucifixion. Don’t stop praying for the younger generation.

PRAY : Heavenly Father, we ask that You give us strength and perseverance as we teach our children and younger generation about You and Your Word. Guide us in all seasons, and direct us as we seek to pass down Biblical Truths to the next generation. Jesus, help us to never depart from your Holy Spirit and to keep our focus on You and You alone. Help us, Abba Father, to motivate and encourage our young generation to trust in You and to believe in You through every season of their lives. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen

God Bless

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for this month's Blog contribution

But This I Have Against You .......

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:52:21 GMT

“But this I have against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning.” Revelation 2:4 [TPT]

Have I caught your attention yet? Are you wondering what’s coming next?

This verse has been stirring on my heart for a while now and it got me thinking to my early ‘Christian’ years. I realise now that I was so busy ‘doing’ that I didn’t give myself chance to fall in love with Jesus. I was always busy doing work for God – I helped here and I served there. I did, did, did.

I wonder how my pride would have taken it if I heard God say to me “This is what I have against you – you didn’t even fall in love with Me at the beginning because you were too busy serving Me and thinking I was impressed with your good works”.

Fast forward many years to about 16 years ago, when I believe I truly fell in love with Father and Jesus for the first time, and Holy Spirit opened my eyes, my ears, and most importantly, my heart to the truth of the relationship I was pursuing with the Trinity. I say ‘truly fell in love’ because I believe that I did love God in the early years, but not in the way that He wanted me to love Him.

As we read through Jesus’ words to the Church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7), we see that Jesus acknowledges the good works that the Ephesus Church did for the Kingdom (just like me), how they recognised imposter and how they had endured trials and persecutions in His Name. But it seems to me that they got so busy DOING that they forgot to BE – BE in the Presence of the One who loved them and saved them. BE in the arms of the Father who was passionate about them. BE doing the works that God has called them to do BECAUSE OF the passionate love that they had for God.

How many of us have been so busy doing the works of the Kingdom, that we’ve forgotten about the passionate love that we should have for God BEFORE we even start doing the works of the Kingdom?

Scripture helps us to remember that being passionately in love with the Trinity is the highest calling that we have. God wants us to love Him first, and do the works of the Kingdom after that.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (AMPC) “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.”

1 John 4:10-19 (TPT) [Commentary included for some verses]

"10This is love: He loved us long before we loved him. It was his love, not ours. He proved it by sending his Son to be the pleasing sacrificial offering to take away our sins. [4:10 The Greek term hilasmos can be described as “a cleansing, satisfying sacrifice that provides a covering shelter.” A form of the word is used for “mercy seat” in Heb. 9:5. God’s love provides the answers for life’s greatest questions: (1) Why was I created? To receive and experience God’s love. (2) Does God care about me? God’s love is indiscriminate; he loves everyone and cares about every detail of our lives. (3) Am I really free to choose or reject God’s love? Yes—love must be a choice, freely and without compulsion. (4) What is the way of salvation? Love became a man, Jesus Christ, who died as our sacrificial offering and by believing in him we receive the gift of salvation. (5) How can I really know that I am saved? When we respond with faith to God’s loving invitation and then demonstrate it by loving others, we have the assurance of our salvation. (6) How can I know that God loves me? His love prompted him to send his unique and beautiful Son to the earth to be our Savior and Redeemer. He offers to everyone the invitation to experience even deeper measures of his love. And he gives us his Holy Spirit as confirmation that he loves and cherishes us and gives us the power to love others. See Eph. 3:14–21.]

11Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life! 12No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor. But if we love one another, God makes his permanent home in us, and we make our permanent home in him, and his love is brought to its full expression in us. 13And he has given us his Spirit within us so that we can have the assurance that he lives in us and that we live in him.

14Moreover, we have seen with our own eyes and can testify to the truth that Father God has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15Those who give thanks that Jesus is the Son of God live in God, and God lives in them. 16We have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and we trust in the love he has for us.

God is love! Those who are living in love are living in God, and God lives through them. 17By living in God, love has been brought to its full expression in us so that we may fearlessly face the day of judgment, [4:17 The Aramaic can be translated “we will have open faces on the day of judgment.” For the true believer filled with God’s love, the day of judgment is not to be feared but looked forward to, for perfect love will have made us completely like Christ. Love provides us with no reason to fear the future or to fear punishment from God. See 1 Cor. 4:5.] because all that Jesus now is , [4:17 Or “because we are what he is in this world.” The verb tense is important. We are not like Jesus was, but because of grace, we are like he is now: pure and holy, seated in heaven, and glorified. See Rom. 8:30; Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1–4. Faith has transferred his righteousness to us.] so are we in this world. 18Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment [4:18 The immediate context shows that it is the fear of correction, “punishment,” or rejection. The Aramaic can be translated “Fear is suspicious.”] has not reached love’s perfection. 19Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us."

Going back to my testimony – I loved doing the works of the Kingdom. I loved serving others and I loved seeing others being blessed because of what I did. Sadly, that was all about ME. It was about me feeding my own needs and desires, and maybe even fear of not being loved enough by God. Today, I still love doing and serving, but now I do it from a position of loving God and being loved by Him.

It seems to me that there may be a very thin line between BEING PASSIONATELY IN LOVE WITH JESUS and doing the good works to which He’s called us, and BEING IN LOVE WITH HIM BECAUSE we do the good works to which He’s called us and hope that He recognises us and rewards us.

Let us fall in love with Jesus, and recognise that passionate love that He has for us. Let us do the good works that He has called us to do, but not because that’s what makes us love Jesus passionately, but because we are passionate about Jesus in the first place.

Be blessed in your journey with Jesus.

Jean

From being Childlike to being a Mature Person in God

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 08:35:22 GMT

Jesus called us to be childlike in our faith and that’s the way we accept the kingdom of God. But we are also called to manage our faith by becoming mature.

Jesus spoke about this, repeatedly, in two of the Gospels, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” [Mark 10:15] . And in saying “Truly", or, “verily”, Jesus accentuated or stressed the important truth that was to follow. He was about to underline and assert something of moment and importance, which He would have the disciples attend to. “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God; the Gospel and the mysteries of it: as a little child” referred to implicit trust and the willingness to embrace whatever Father was asking of him or her. It entailed laying aside all doubt, prejudice, and pride, attending thereunto with humility and meekness. Otherwise, “he or she shall not enter therein.”

This is crucial to understand - we need a childlike, sincere faith, based on the truth of what Father-God is saying. A quality that is of great importance to the Lord. We must continually have the willingness to receive God’s truths with a receptive, humble heart and with an open, trusting mind. Bear in mind, that the word paedion in Greek refers to “a young child”, just as Jesus said elsewhere, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:14] . There is a distinct connection with love, trust, and humility attached to its use by Jesus.

On the other hand, we are called to manage the kingdom we have received as fully grown, being able to use discernment, understanding, knowledge, wisdom and revelation. It is exactly why Isaiah wrote, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” [Isaiah 9:6]. The ‘child’ is also called ‘the everlasting Father’. How wonderful!

And Paul, in his most well-known treatise, wrote, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.”

[1 Corinthians 13:11] . The Greek word here for “childish” is nepios, and includes to be “childish, untaught, unskilled and simple-minded.”

The writer of Hebrews also wrote along similar lines, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about baptisms and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits.” [Hebrews 5:12 – 6:3]. We see this juxtaposed childlikeness and maturity in Christ - or are they?

They are not mutually exclusive! We need to receive the word from Holy Spirit with willingness of heart, and if we have any doubts, we should exercise our ability to search the scripture to ensure what we hear is of God. Therein lies our practical keys - Listen, Hear, Receive and Obey like a child as we yield ourselves to become mature in God, having our minds and hearts transformed in order to know and exercise the mind and will of God with authority in love.

And that calls for spiritual maturity!

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month's Blog contribution

Waiting Upon Our Purpose

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 08:49:27 GMT

Do we give the lies in our head more power over our life than the truth of God’s Word?

Moses also understood feelings of inadequacy. In the book of Exodus, God uses Moses to free the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and give them the Jewish laws they followed for centuries. Moses was one of the most important leaders in Israelite history, but when God called him to step into his purpose, Moses didn’t believe he was qualified for the job. Even when God promises to be with him, Moses insists he’s not good enough and asks God to send someone else.

Think about that, here Moses is talking to the all-powerful God who isn’t bound by time, knows everything there is to know, and still wants to use him, yet Moses wants to tell God “ ummm no, I think you got the wrong person ”. God alone talking to him should be enough to give Moses confidence. Yet, how many times do we do the same thing?

Right now, you and I might be feeling unsure of our purpose or even incapable of doing what we feel led to do. But we can believe God’s Word that says we do have unique gifts and talents . Maybe we can’t recognize our gifts because they seem insignificant in comparison to someone else’s, or maybe we take them for granted because they come so easily. The truth is, those things that come naturally to us are not things that everyone can do. What we have to offer is special, and we’re meant to play an important role in God’s plan. We need to ask Him what that is and He will guide you and me into our purpose.

Jeremiah 29 : 11 is a verse that is often used for our financial prosperity, but in fact it does not say anything about finances. “For I know the thoughts (Plans) that I think (Have) towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God has a purpose already set out for us to accomplish our purpose here on earth. He wants us to live in peace without sinning, He wants us to have hope for a future that He has destined for us. We become so heavy laden with the things of the world that we cannot hear God’s voice. But never give up. Even though Moses doubted himself, God never doubted Moses. We give more power to the lies in our head that satan feeds us than feeding on the thoughts that God has for us.

Instead of stressing or obsessing about it, embrace the time in the waiting. Maybe He wants to teach us something before He shows us His plans for us. So we need trust Jesus in our walk of faith so that His plan for us can come about in His time while He teaches us in the processes of our waiting.

God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways - they are higher than ours and if we will wait upon the Lord, He will renew our strength and we will be in His will according to His plan for our purpose in this life on earth.

PRAY : Father God through your son Jesus Christ we ask that you renew our minds to the purpose you have called us to and to keep our minds on You so that the peace of our future and the hope of our purpose will manifest in our lives through Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen

Blessings

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for being this month's Blog contributor

The Presence and Purpose of God

Sat, 02 Jul 2022 11:40:21 GMT

It has been said that “Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread” and so I write this Blog in the full knowledge and understanding that I am hungry for more of God, hungry for his presence and hungry for his plans and purposes for me day by day. It is my hope that my hunger may connect with yours and that, together, we may find sustenance in his word and power in his presence.

Recently I have been drawn to the story of the Transfiguration in Matthew 17 and Mark 9 where Jesus calls Peter, James and John, his closest friends, to join him and to go up the mountain. In some translations it says “a high mountain” although that may mean different things to different people. Either way they went with Jesus, climbed the mountain and reached the top where an amazing event happened: they saw the Glory of God as Jesus was transfigured before them and was speaking to Moses and Elijah.

Jesus “shines like light” where his face shone like the sun and his clothes as white as light. What a sight! Here the writers are describing the indescribable to us as Jesus is shown in the Glory of God and a glimpse of his heavenly person. Oh, to see him like this and to soak in his presence!

We read a similar description of Christ in His Glory in Revelation as he comes to John in a vision and imparted information that he wants John to share with the churches: “Hair as white as snow, eyes of fire and feet like bronze in a furnace. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance”

This is similar to Matthew and Luke’s description of Jesus on that mountain top and, just as he told John a message that mattered to the churches, we hear a message of God as he says that “This is my Son whom I love. Listen to him”. We are to listen to the voice of Christ and, by association, obey him.

Jesus allows us to see him in his Glory for the purposes of the Kingdom to be imparted to us. Now, not many of us are able to climb the mountain with him and see him speaking with Moses and Elijah but there are times for most of us when we have experienced his Glory in tangible ways. For me it has been at Bible weeks such as New Wine or Spring Harvest, or in times of prolonged worship at our Vineyard Churches conferences. You may have other vehicles that lead you into that place of intimacy and glory, but whatever and however we experience this I am sure that just like Peter, we want to remain there and soak up the wonder of the presence of God.

At these times we move into a place where he speaks into our very being, our Spirit is lifted and soaks up the love of God for us and for others. For God has a purpose for us in these glory times. To hear more clearly his voice, his purpose, his plan for us in the here and now.

In his glory we are uplifted to sample a taste of Heaven, His Kingdom come.

His purpose is to encourage and equip us for life here on earth where the lost and the broken are in need of a Saviour.

When we “listen to him” he tells us that our place is to be his witness, to obey his call on our lives, to be kingdom carriers to a hurting world.

We need the mountain top times. We are uplifted when we see his glory, re-charged spiritually, but our home is not at the top of the mountain but down below, in the valleys and dark places, ministering his love and power as we reveal him and his love to others.

The story moves immediately from a place of awe and wonder of God on the mountain top to demonic encounter at the bottom of the mountain where another father and his son need Jesus. “Lord have mercy on me and my son” he cries. “Your disciples could not heal him" (I have experienced that too!) and so Jesus speaks: “You unbelieving generation” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

It is here that we find the challenge for us as we too reach out to other sons and daughters in need of healing and freedom, yet our unbelief can dilute our effectiveness. That is why we need to be in his presence, experience his glory, recognise his power in us and reach out in faith and obedience to those around us.

We too can experience the glory of God, we should seek to be in that place, but we must remember that his plans and purposes for revealing his power is so that we can listen to his voice and obey him.

Jesus tells his followers that with faith even as small as a mustard seed that nothing will be impossible for us. Let us all build our faith and move into greater belief, greater love and greater power as we demonstrate God’s love to others.

“As the Father sent me, so I send you” he tells us. What an honour. Let us go and do as Jesus did.

Blessings

Paul

Our thanks to Paul for this month's Blog Contribution

Crowns, Our Reward

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:38:58 GMT

Esther is such an encouraging book of the Bible. It shows us that God foresees situations and position us for His purposes. Esther seemed an unlikely person to be appointed Queen (Esther 2:17-18), but she found favour with everyone around her, especially the King. Her background did not hinder her appointment as Queen – we need to learn that lesson, that our background does not hinder our future.

Esther was appointed Queen, and the symbol of the title was placed on her head. A Crown. There are five crowns mentioned in the Bible, let’s have a look at them, and see how they affect our lives:

The Crown of Temperance (incorruptible crown)

1 Cor. 9:24-27 (NIV) “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Merely observing from the grandstand is not enough – it takes daily commitment and training to run the race. Since God's primary desire for His children is to become more Christlike in character, we need to keep our eyes on Him, and mould our character after the Lord. As we meditate on the Word of God (Joshua 1:8; Ps.1:2,3), and allow the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and discernment (I Cor. 2:14; James 1:5), then our lives come into conformity to God's design for us

The Crown of Righteousness

2 Tim 4:7-8 (Amplified) “I have fought the good (worthy, honorable, and noble) fight, I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith. [As to what remains] henceforth there is laid up for me the [victor's] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me and recompense me on that [great] day--and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing (His return).”

Paul was faithful to his call. We are expected to keep on keeping on, no matter how difficult it seemingly is getting. It will be worth it.

As Christians we anticipate Christ's return. To those who long for and anxiously await His coming, God promises this reward. In these days of increasing wickedness, it should be an even greater desire in the lives of those who know Him to seek His righteousness and live our lives faithful to our call.

We will be rewarded according to how we have lived. God’s reward in the present is His presence and power through the Holy Spirit, and in eternity we will be rewarded for our faithfulness and service.

Crown of Life (Crown of Trials)

James 1:12 (Amplified) “Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.”

Rev. 2:10 (NKJV) “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Suffering, no matter the cause, is painful. We are still going to face hardships and persecution and suffering - at times it feels like we are wearing a crown of thorns more than a crown of life. There are people around who don't know God and will ridicule us for our faith. The Devil has limited power to attack us, yet he does. In this reality God wants to continue working within us to develop our character so we can live His way. We need to learn to increase our faith in suffering. We must be more determined to draw closer to God and trust God for our heavenly reward – that of eternal life. James reminds us that God is in control and His promises are reliable.

The Crown of Glory (Crown of Teaching)

1 Peter 5:1-4 (NIV) “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

1 Peter 5:2-3 (Amplified) “Tend (nurture, guard, guide, and fold) the flock of God that is [your responsibility], not by coercion or constraint, but willingly; not dishonorably motivated by the advantages and profits [belonging to the office], but eagerly and cheerfully; Not domineering [as arrogant, dictatorial, and overbearing persons] over those in your charge, but being examples (patterns and models of Christian living) to the flock (the congregation).

Those in spiritual leadership (no matter what the leadership) have a great responsibility to those under them.

There is a clear instruction to care for those whom we serve. There is also an exhortation to serve in humility and not lord it over people in our care. Leaders need to work alongside each other. God is not unmindful of the influence we have in shaping other's character for the Lord Jesus Christ

Esther spent a year being pampered and prepared before she was brought before the king and chosen to be queen. She was ready for such a time as this. We need to embrace the times of preparation that God leads us into – so that we can be ready for such a time as this.

Crown of Rejoicing (Crown of Treasure)

1 Thes 2:19-20 (NKJV) “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”

Lives of others are changed by God through the proclamation of His Word. Because of our ministry to others, people will change and our reward will be the Crown of Rejoicing. We are to let the light of the Gospel of Christ shine through us to others, so that they may see Christ in us (Matt. 5:16). A Christ-like life is the best witness, for others are more impressed by who we are, than by what we say.

In Conclusion, Revelation 3:11 reminds us “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”

We have all been created different. We all have different gifts and talents. God has called each one of us to a unique ministry. He does, however, expect all of us to hold on to what He has given us and to persevere in doing His will in our lives. God has begun a good work in us, there is no reason why He shouldn’t complete that work.

Our reward will be our crown in eternity. God will crown us with glory and honour (Psalm 8:5), and we will hear God say to us “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

Esther’s obedience, courage, perseverance, favour and wisdom meant that the right person was put in the right place at the right time. We need to know that when God places us, we are in the right place for the right purpose, for such a time as this.

Be Blessed

Jean

The Mystery of God - has been Revealed!

Mon, 09 May 2022 10:52:54 GMT

The concept is so simple, yet so evasive to the Church. God’s eternal plan. And the issue at hand is that the Gospel of reconciliation is not only about God allowing us into His kingdom, redeeming us to be His people, justifying us to enter boldly into His Presence, or adopting us as His children, all of which are true. But the mystery is greater. Jesus was made manifest to destroy the works of the devil, John made it clear. But then most would add that Jesus also came to reveal the Father, both of which are true. Yet that is not the mystery of the Father, and if those two were the main themes, why did God add the book of Revelation as His means of unveiling our Lord Jesus Christ?

Unveiling, after all, is to reveal that which was hidden, and if that is true what is the value of the unveiling in the last book of the Scriptures if it is seen as an end-time plan? How is Jesus Christ revealed throughout the book as promised in Revelation 1:1? So, to understand this – the revealing of God’s eternal mystery - we must follow Paul in Colossians Chapter 1:17-22 , “He [Jesus] existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him, God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God … Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.”

This perfectly describes what was said earlier. But look at where he went from here! “This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: CHRIST LIVES IN YOU . This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.” (vs 26-28) .

This is key, God reconciled you not for you to be with Him, but for Him to inhabit you! Or, as AMPc put it, “To whom God was pleased to make known how great for the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ within and among you, the Hope of [realizing divine] glory.” (vs 27) . “Christ in you, the hope of glory!” But TPT captures the essence perfectly, “There is a divine mystery—a secret surprise that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded and manifested for every holy believer to experience. Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it! Christ is our message! We preach to awaken hearts and bring every person into the full understanding of truth.”

The realisation that God is already inhabiting me, I am the temple of Holy Spirit. And corporately we are already part of Mt Zion, the New Jerusalem, and God already dwells among His people! No wonder John says “Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world!” No wonder Paul continues that if we are in this divine marriage, unity with Christ, then as much as He is in me, I am seated in Him at the right hand of the Father, the place of highest authority in existence.

So, the mystery that God has come to inhabit us (as Jesus said He is the Temple) we must grasp that we are truly temples too, tabernacles housing the very life and spirit of the living God. So few realise the truth of God’s main purpose. Peter stated it very clearly, when we escape the corruptibleness of this world and focus on God, we become partakers of the divine nature, that in itself is immense. If God is manifesting more and more of Himself in me as part of whom I am becoming, it means that I am becoming divine. If the two will become one in marriage and we are the wife of God, then I am becoming like Him!

John makes this point clear - when Jesus returns we shall be like Him, not a little bit like Him, but like Him! We must raise our expectations of change as we are changed from glory to glory. If Enoch walked with God to a measure when God took Him, before Christ was made manifest, then surely in Christ, with Holy Spirit’s infilling, in God’s love, grace, and empowerment, we can become the same!

Pursue Him day after day. Be changed into the divine from glory to glory. Stay on track and in step with Holy Spirit all the time – then the Church will rediscover the truth concerning God’s eternal mystery and the book of Revelation will unfold the greatness of what He had done and we will live out of the eternal truth – Christ in us the hope of Glory!

Blessings

Ben

Our thanks to Ben for this month's Blog contribution

Trees Planted Along the Riverbanks.

Sun, 03 Apr 2022 10:40:43 GMT

How firm are we planted along the riverbanks of prayer and supplication? So many of us have become complacent in our prayer that they have become just ritual sayings with no rooted course to them. How many can hear the alarming roar of the change of the tide of the flow of the river? The spiritual river that is about to change is pulling us deeper into the flow of what Holy Spirit is calling us into. Even God’s generals who have been wading in the river are getting exhausted with the warfare that has had to happen, especially through these last two years of this pandemic. There is no more time for games as the spiritual river is drawing us in deeper and deeper as we await something to happen. Those that are hearing the Lord’s call are feeling the pulling of the tide enticing them to even go deeper to hear instructions and guidance.

Revelation 22:1,2 “And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

It is a Tree of Life. Holy Spirit is Omnipresent, He is on both sides of the river as well as in the middle, He is truly our ever-present Guide. He is our life giver. Our comforter and Leader. Through Him our God hears all our prayers.

There are so many that have been stripped of everything they own through this covid time. So many have given up on life, that all they have left to hang on to is Jesus Christ to get them through. So many have lost all yet not given up on God Himself and this big test has made them the very vessels that God is using to push through their roots into the riverbanks of prayer. Their commitment to serve Jesus goes beyond the norm. They are prepared to go deeper, to be cleansed by the Holy Spirit so they will turn with the tide of the river and receive the more from Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 47: 7-12 (This scripture is so similar to Revelations 22.) Are you a tree planted by the River of Life that flows from the Throne of God? If not, then I suggest you get into the Word of God and get yourself planted on the banks of the river of God and you will soon see things change. You will receive gifts from Jesus, gifts that will manifest in your life as you pray with all your heart. The cleansing water of the Holy Spirit will bring you to the very Throne of God. When you have got so deep in the River of Life, you will see God’s Power at work in your life and you will see how your prayers are answered. Not according to your will or way, but according to the Will of God. The Lord will trust you with more and more the deeper you go with Him.

Read the word and get into the presence of Holy Spirit and see the miracles of hope and Glory take place.

"...who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness..." Malachi 3:2-3

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Luke 21:25-27

"You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons." 1 Corinthians 10:21

"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 .

God Bless

Toby

Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD

Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College

Our thanks to Toby for being this month's Blog contributor

Coming Home

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 16:05:00 GMT

Home is what our heart longs for. It’s the place where we are supposed to be safe to be ourselves and celebrate those bonded to us. A place to experience warm memories, receiving support and strength when the going gets tough. A place where we are welcomed with joy and gladness, where we see ourselves reflected in God’s eyes.

The Bible has a lot to say about our hearts. Here is one of my favourite scriptures, from the Gospel of John:

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:1

I would say that in my life, I have never really had a home, or felt entirely at home anywhere. In my family home growing up, no one talked about all the ‘elephants’ that were in the house- my mother’s terrible boyfriend choices and my father’s drinking, for example. As a family, we talked only about safe subjects that had little emotional attachment, such as the neighbours, the weather, or the grocery list. It was not a place where my heart could be at rest.

Living in a relational desert causes a relational drought, and this drought brought me to Jesus. I was looking for answers for how to live...and how to love. Slowly, slowly, slowly, His Word, His presence and His people have been thawing me out and and showing me examples of how to love. I was diagnosed with CPTSD about eleven years ago, and it has been a wild ride learning what that is and what to do about it, ever since.

One of the unfortunate consequences of trauma and a feature of CPTSD is something called dissociation. When something extremely traumatic has happened to a person, it can trigger a flight / flight / freeze or fawn response. If you are unable to physically escape that situation, your mind will literally split off part of your emotional awareness, so that you can survive the overwhelming terror. People can be living with many scattered pieces of themselves that are not integrated with each other, and may not be connected to Jesus either. However, Jesus specialises in mending broken hearts.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives…." Luke 4:18

Until four months ago, I lived in a permanent state of dissociation. As I had always been that way, I didn’t know it wasn’t a normal state of being. I have always been ‘somewhere else’. My attention, personality, and being present within a situation, had always been ‘somewhere else’. And so, I was never at home- anywhere. It hasn’t mattered what house I’ve lived in, what area, or what country, with people, or by myself, because I was never totally present. But where had I gone? Well, it turns out that the Father and Jesus knew. Two crucial experiences recently occurred, over the space of two weeks.

The first was where Jesus drew me back to the memory of a traumatic event, where He had already ministered into some years before. I was hiding with Jesus, and I said to Him, “Will you take me somewhere safe?”

The next thing I saw in the vision was myself, drinking hot chocolate, in a hospital bed. Jesus was sitting nearby on an upright chair, with a notepad and pen.

He asked me, ”What does this girl believe about herself?”

I thought for some time, and then replied. “She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know how to live and she doesn’t know if anyone’s listening.”

Jesus smiled at me, and then wrote down my three statements. He looked at me again, smiled, and wrote down His response with three replies, underneath the statements I had made:

“I know who she is. I will show her how to live, and I am always listening.”

The next thing I saw was Jesus and I coming up out of a dark place, and then walking down a busy, sunlit street.

The second event, a week later, was with the Father and Jesus. I suddenly saw a very little girl, maybe three or four years of age, and I immediately realised that I was looking at myself. Jesus and the little girl were standing next to a baggage carousel in an airport. I was trying to push a trolley piled high with heavy black cases.

Jesus said to me:

“My Father has been taking care of you here. These black bags are bags of bad things that people have said to you. He has stopped you from coming back from this place to yourself, because if He had allowed you to return, you would have believed that these black bags of ‘bad’ were actually who you were.”

I suddenly realised that I was looking at my original ‘self’; the person the Father had created in the beginning. I looked back at Jesus, who was unpacking the trolley and putting the bags on the conveyor belt. The little girl tried to help a little, and Jesus let her help Him. Soon, all the bags were on the conveyor, and we watched as it started moving. However, instead of leading to a window and the aircraft, the conveyor led to a roaring fire. All the bags disappeared into the flames. Jesus picked the little girl up and she snuggled comfortably into His arms.

I have been different ever since. I no longer permanently feel as though part of me is ‘somewhere else’. I actually feel totally here, properly present, by myself and also when I am with others. And what is the most beautiful, is that I am now fully present with Jesus and can engage fully in conversation with Him and the Father. Jesus’ words in John 14 are becoming my experience:

^" Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." John 14:23

Is it time for you to come home? The Father’s house is waiting for you.

Heather McGavock 12 / 03 / 22

Our thanks to Heather for being this month's Blog contributor

Authentic Christianity in 2022

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:11:33 GMT

This Blog is written by Ben. We are thankful for his contribution.

Covid has forced the church to develop new strategies to stay on board with God’s plans for humanity. And the plans are simple, first, we are called to preach the gospel of peace, we are to spread the fragrance of God and we are to demonstrate the reality of His kingdom wherever we go. Secondly, we are to live as His people in unity and support the Body of Christ until we come to the fullness of the stature of Christ. But for us to do so according to His will, we must first be thoroughly rooted and grounded in His love.

And because COVID closed the doors to the assembling together of the saints, there has been a sifting. Those who relied on weekly church services and gatherings as their only way of expressing some kind of faith had to deal with their position and identity in Christ all on their own. Leaders, especially prophets and preachers, soon learnt the need for effective social media contact, and the Church universally did well in picking up on this cue, even locally. Our gathering together became more tangible with Zoom or Team meetings, and regular encouraging words and prophetic signposting became part of our WhatsApp communications, more so than before. Speaking of which, WhatsApp calls became the order of the day as people were forced into quarantine.

The irony is that good teaching remained a little behind, not surprising, as we were in “survival mode”. Too many people got caught up in bad end-time teachings, trying to align the global threat with their lives, trying to make Scriptural sense of it all. Sadly that just gave rise to a lot of fear-mongering, especially with the non-scientific vaccination imposed on so many, rightly or wrongly – time alone will eventually tell.

We seem to be coming out of this ongoing issue better and better. And I have a deep, deep conviction that this year will bring more than usual breakthroughs for the people of God.

Those who have faithfully stayed in His Presence, living lifestyles of worship, will have come closer to Him because of the season we found ourselves in. More so than ever before, we need to demonstrate the Father’s love through Christ Jesus.

James must be our guide here - we have to remain very practical in demonstrating God’s love. During this time, I have met several people who know Jesus generally, but they do not know, discern and love Him intimately. We must discern Holy Spirit’s active Life from within. This year we must do everything in our power not to quench Him or grieve Him in any way. Seek authentic encounters with Jesus, and use all the tools at our disposal to do so, but in particular, we must return to soaking in His Presence. We need to feel and know Father-God’s heartbeat, and know that when we lavish our love on Him, He will consistently pour more of His love into us, which will enable us to follow and obey Him better. We must stay in step and on track with Him in our inner chamber, and His glory will flood our life and all with whom we come in contact with.

There is an atmosphere for spiritual breakthroughs all around us, and it is up to us to enter into the fullness of what God has planned for u this year. 2022 promises to be an exceptionally good year for most of us and for the Church as a whole.

Remain in His love, drink in His Presence, seek His truth, gain divine insights and exercise discernment all the time. But above all, “Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and be thankful in all things.” God’s grace and peace be multiplied to you all!

Blessings

Ben

Looking to 2022

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 10:25:34 GMT

Happy New Year to you and yours. May 2022 bring you joy and peace in abundance.

As 2021 was drawing to a close, and my thoughts turned to the year past and the year still to come, I reflected that many of us had thought at the beginning of 2021 that it would be a different outcome at the end of the year to what it actually became.

Yet more restrictions, face masks were the ‘in thing’ again. And despite some of the things that the Government said they would never do in England, they landed up passing into law. There was still much fear, yet there was also a sense of people being really fed-up and wanting to get back to doing things the way they always did it. So what would become of 2022? Was there a sense of hope among people? Were Christians becoming complacent again and not praying the virus out? Are we as keen to be praying Psalm 91 over ourselves and our loved-ones as had been the case at the beginning of 2020?

While these were high on my list of thoughts – God kept pointing me to two Scriptures. And as I reflected on these, I felt strongly that God was giving me a word for 2022 that needs to be shared.

The first Scripture that God pointed me to was the Feeding of the 5,000 . Although the Gospels have slightly different accounts, I noticed four things in common:

i) Jesus was healing the sick

ii) Jesus had compassion

iii) Jesus took the bread and fish, blessed it and got the Disciples to distribute it

iv) There were 12 baskets of food left over.

Jesus was always about the Father’s business and his heart of compassion was evident, particularly in this story. Jesus did nothing out of selfish need or a desire to prove Himself. He was concerned for the people. We also notice that Jesus used the resources to hand – he didn’t send anyone off to the shops to buy the supplies – and that was because He knew the power of the resources of Heaven. When Jesus supplies, there’s always abundance.

The second Scripture God pointed me to is in Exodus 16 – Manna from Heaven . Here we read how God supernaturally supplied food for the Israelites out in the desert.

What did I notice from this passage?

i) God demanded obedience from the Israelites in that they were required to only collect enough for that

day, except on the day before the Sabbath where they could collect double because they were to rest and

honour God on the Sabbath.

ii) Even as the people complained, God had mercy and showed them that He was willing to provide.

iii) What God provided was nutritious and life-giving, it sustained the Israelites and fed them.

The Israelites who tried to collect too much manna each day found that it was inedible by the next day – which led me to see that disobedience brings destruction and loss. Obedience brings provision.

Reflecting on these two passages of Scripture I felt drawn more and more to the provision of Manna while the Israelites were in the desert. Studying the passage, I felt Holy Spirit highlight the following to me:

If the Israelites didn’t know what they were looking for they would have missed it completely. Sometimes the things of God are obvious, and sometimes we have to know what we are looking for. And the only way we will know what we are looking for is to get to know the One who is providing at a greater degree of intimacy that will enable us to see the direction of Heaven.
Even if something is right in front of us, we can dismiss it as not being from God because it doesn’t look the way we expect it to, or are accustomed to. Lack of intimacy and communion with God can dull our spiritual senses.
Whilst the Israelites were complaining and grumbling, it took their focus off the God of miracles, and they soon forgot what He had already done for them. In contrast, the 5,000, who had come to hear Jesus were willing to be with Jesus, and they got fed. Hence, abiding and communion with God brings spiritual food and provision.

As I contemplated this, and asked God what He was saying through this for the year ahead, I sensed that God is asking us to shift our way of thinking.

I believe that we are in times where, instead of us having the resources of Heaven at hand and being able to ‘store them up’ for a time when they will be needed, God is shifting us into a place where we will need to rely more and more on Him and His provision (this is not about financial provision – as many associate the word ‘provision’ with ‘money’ – rather this is about being prepared for Ministry, having the Gifts of the Spirit, knowing our calling and how to walk it out) AT THE TIME . It’s not that God is removing provision from us – but rather that He wants us to be more aware of Him and how He wants things to be done, and that He will provide what we need when we need it – i.e. to KNOW HIS STRATEGY . There is a real sense that we have begun to take God for granted, that we have just presumed that when we need to do ministry everything will just fall into place.

I believe that this will take an increased level of faith and trust in God from us. I believe that this will take a deepening of our relationship with Him. I believe that we will consciously need to draw nearer to God, and that we will need to rely on Him more than ever before. The time has come for us to STOP taking things of God for granted, to STOP grumbling and complaining because God isn’t doing things our way and instead to move into a place of TOTAL RELIANCE on God. To STOP being arrogant and thinking we know it all and to BECOME SO CLOSE TO GOD that sitting at His feet will mean we will have the resources of Heaven at our fingertips.

This is a time when we must seek God and know His plans and provision for our lives, our Ministry, our service to Him (Matthew 6:33) . This is a time when we will need to move in step with God and therefore our relationship, communion and intimacy with God will count for more than our good deeds. This is a time when wisdom and understanding of the ways of God will be paramount (James 1:5-6) .

I believe that things are not going to be easy in the coming time, but I believe that God has already prepared and equipped us, we just have to find out what we have in Him and therefore in ourselves. Let’s not diminish what God has put in us, but let’s use it for God’s glory and for the furthering of His Kingdom. Let’s be bold, strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6-9) . Let us know that we can do ALL THINGS through Christ, who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13) .

I also believe that in the coming time we need to be very clear about God’s strategy, and we must not rely on the way things were done, or in the way that we have always done it because we saw results in that. This is the time of New Wine in New Wineskins – the old wineskins will not hold the New Wine.

By spending time with Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit we will learn from them, we will grow in faith and trust and in eagerness to do as they do. As we grow in our Praise and Thanksgiving and Worship of God, we will see the Kingdom of God multiplying in front of us.

I leave you with these words from Passion and Fire Ministries – “Watch as God launches you into an entire year of sacred encounters with Him” .

I bless you to encounter God and to know Him deeply in 2022.

Be blessed

Jean

Letting the Gardener bring Life to Dead Places

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 11:57:48 GMT

Mark 16:1,2 “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb.”

We can turn our dead tombs into gardens of fullness of life.

When Mary discovered the empty tomb, she turned and thought the person she saw was a gardener. He obviously looked the part. This is why we cannot judge in what we see because it causes us to misjudge and to work in the flesh.

In truth the tomb was transformed from a dead grave to a resurrected garden of life forever. The Gardener of life who was resurrected from a dead garden to a life in abundance, was already on His way to Galilee. Jesus was off to meet the disciples to show them He is alive. Those dead bones were very much alive and walking. Just like Elisha brought the Power of life to dead bones, the miracle working God brings life to dead places.

None of us can truly transform ourselves into all God wants us to be. There is nothing we can give up that will make us as Holy as Christ, no works that we can do that will make us as good as Christ. None of us can overcome our sins and shortcomings on our own, this can only be achieved by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Before His crucifixion Jesus said to His follower, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth and that He lives with you and will be in you” John 14:16,17

With all that has been going on in the world these last few years, there has been dead areas in our lives that have come in to make us despondent, but, when we allow our Gardener to resurrect our garden of Eden, from within, we will start to see the fruitfulness of His love pouring out upon us. The fruit of our garden must be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22). If we don’t give off these fruits from our garden then our garden is nothing but a dead grave with no life.

Jesus was in the Garden of Eden when we were created, He was there when we destroyed our garden with our sin. Our Gardener came and paid the price for us to restore our garden. Jesus went into the garden to fast and pray for us often. There are many scriptures throughout the Word of God about Him slipping away to have His prayer time for us. He was in the garden when He was betrayed and sent to be crucified. He did this so that He could bring true life into our gardens through salvation.

He is our Gardener who shapes us by pruning us and grafting us into His family, so that we can bring life and fit into His Garden which is the Kingdom of God. Pruning at time can hurt but it will not destroy us unless it is done by one who does not know what they are doing. BUT, our God is a professional Gardener and is Perfect in all of His ways and will shape us according to His will to give us fullness of life so that we can live life in abundance.

He gives beauty for ashes, restoring Hope in dead places. Now let His breath turn your grave into a garden of life. Let the Spirit of Life destroy all dead works and turn your grave places into beautiful gardens that produce the fruits of the Spirit to overcome all dead areas in your life. TO KNOW CHRIST IS TO KNOW LIFE.

PRAY : Father God through Your Son Jesus Christ we come before you with our dead places that are destroying our walk with Your Holy Spirit and we ask that you prune us and shape us into the fullness of what You have called us to be. Lord help us to take hands off the dead areas in our lives and allow you to be our Gardener to graft us into You and to restore us into that which You have purposed for us. Thank you, Jesus, for your mercy and grace that reigns in our lives. We thank you for our salvation through You. Father God help us to release ourselves into Your Hands and to trust in You for fullness of life. In Jesus Mighty Name. Amen

Dr. Toby Paton

Melqowsh Ministries

The Father's Invitation

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 08:43:32 GMT

This Blog has been written by Heather, we are grateful for her contribution.

I was soundly asleep. And then I was sitting bolt upright in bed.

“Would you like to call Me Pops?”

I looked wide-eyed at the wardrobe in front of me. The air was full of Him.

Every nerve inside my body was quivering with excitement and anticipation. The Father. His voice…I had heard His voice ringing like a bell in my heart. His voice was commanding, yet tingling with excitement, love and invitation. Above all- it was a voice of love, warm and honey-sweet. Seven words- seven perfect words, inviting me into an adventure of relationship with Him.

“YES- yes, I’d like to call you Pops! YES!” I said, excitedly, into the air.

That air seemed to be dancing and alive and I didn’t want to move for several minutes. The Father has just spoken to me…He wants me to call Him Pops…my mind was trying to catch up with my tumbling heart. He wants a personal, living relationship with me!

This event occurred about eighteen months ago, and every day since, He has been expecting me. It’s as though His question has become the background theme to the desktop of my life. If I look for Him, He is there, waiting. Smiling- and loving. He is always loving.

At first, that week, I tried talking to Father directly. I explained that it did feel odd to call Him Pops- too chummy and irreverent. I thought about Jesus calling His Father, Abba. Jesus prayed in Gethsemane: “Abba, my Father, all things are possible for you. Please—remove this cup of suffering![a] Yet what I want is not important, for I only desire to fulfil your plan for me.” Mark 14 v 36 (TPT) Only obedient children can pray this prayer- expressing both intimacy as a son or daughter, and obedience to the Father’s authority.

It is perhaps impossible for us to think of God the Father without the experiences of our natural fathers colouring perspective, even if we fervently wish that were not the case. My natural father was a captain in the Merchant Navy and was therefore often away at sea. I grew up in a tiny island fishing town, and my dad had achieved notoriety as one of the town’s perennial drunks. I didn’t want that notoriety and I was deeply ashamed of him. Other potential father-figures crowded in on top of that shame to create layers of negative issues regarding fathers. I know I am not alone. No earthly father is perfect, so probably everyone reading this will have some father baggage in their closet.

I felt strange talking to Father, full stop. Addressing my prayers to Father has usually seemed artificial and impersonal- because my relationship with my earthly father was artificial and impersonal. God the Father had been more of an abstract concept to me, and I have not been aware of experiencing Him as a living, loving part of the Trinity.

Over the last thirty-five years, I have learnt about the Father through Jesus- which is just what Jesus promised us. Jesus prays to the Father for His disciples in John 17 v 23:
23 You live fully in me and now I live fully in them
    so that they will experience perfect unity,
    and the world will be convinced that you have sent me,
    for they will see that you love each one of them

with the same passionate love that you have for me.” (TPT)

I have experienced tremendous healing and restoration in my relationship with Jesus, which has powerfully accelerated during my time in Australia. However- despite hearing many Father Heart messages, the penny is only now starting to drop…If you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father…

So- why Pops? Pops is a term of endearment that seems particularly prevalent in Australia. When I first arrived, I made friends with a family who had a devoted Granny and Pops. I spent many happy weekends with the family and Pops would do grandfatherly things, such as chasing us with the hosepipe and reading stories in silly voices. Therefore, when I think of the word Pops, I still think of Peter chasing his grandchildren and his obvious love and pride in their developing characters. He would give clear boundaries but was safe and warm as well. The Father is downloading a blueprint to my heart…

Just this week, I’ve had some heart-wrenching conversations about fathers. I teach a Year 8 boy we’ll call Simon. He’s a foster child, very small for his age and has that pinched, slightly malnourished look that many foster children sadly seem to have. Simon also has a deep love for Jesus. He told me that his foster parents are bullying him and asked me whether he should tell his respite carers. I told him that Jesus would show him; that the Bible says that God places the lonely in families, and that He will be a Father to the fatherless. He replied, ‘Miss- I know that God has a plan for my life. I keep seeing it written down, everywhere I go- God has a plan, God has a plan for you.’

He does indeed. Simon is battling something that we all face- our broken world with its broken experiences of fathers. But the Father, Jesus and the Spirit are waiting to give us new experiences of fathering and mothering, to show us that we are part of their Family and… ”that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. 39 There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!” Romans 8 v 38-39 (TPT)

My Heavenly Pops knows me intimately and He knows you intimately. He knows just what you and I need to fill in all the gaps in our experiences, which prevent us from coming up close to Him. He wants us to be caught up the Divine Dance, in His river of Life. Without spot, blemish or wrinkle. His Bride in blissful communion with Him. I wonder- would you like to call Him Pops too- or whatever name may have emotional buy-in for you? Why not give it try and see what happens...?

Heather McGavock

17 / 10 / 2021

Be a Shining One

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 08:27:24 GMT

Recently God has been speaking to me about shining for Him. Do others notice that we are different? Do we reflect Jesus?

For years I had heard people say that you could always tell a Christian because there was something different about their countenance. I never could see it, so I presumed I just moved in circles where everyone shone for Jesus. But then we went to a Church and suddenly it was noticeable. There was a couple there who ‘shone for Jesus’. Their countenance reflected Jesus, and that was very noticeable compared to the others in that church.

I often pray that Graham & I will shine for Jesus everywhere we go, that we will be noticeably different in our being, our personality, the way we treat people. That even if we don’t say a word verbally about Jesus, that we will ‘speak’ about Jesus through the things we do and the way we go about it.

There are, for me, two notable accounts of people shining after an encounter with God. Moses and Jesus.

Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, had an encounter with God, and came back down again. What he didn’t know was how his encounter with God made him stand out from the crowd. His face shone so brightly that he had to wear a veil when he was with the people, but yet could remove it when he was with God.

Jesus also went up a mountain to meet with God. Again, it was while on the mountain meeting with God that Jesus was transfigured and the evidence of the transfiguration was that He shone. It was also during this trip up the mountain with three of the Disciples that God reaffirmed Jesus as His dearly beloved Son, who brought Him great joy.

It’s often been said that we do our best growing in the valleys of life, and that we shouldn’t hanker after mountain-top experiences with God. I do agree that the valleys of life is where we learn so much, where we do grow, where we encounter the God of healing and restoration. But I wonder if we, as those seeking after God, have become so focussed on growing in the valley that we have forgotten to be transfigured on the mountain?

We see that both Moses and Jesus had to withdraw from the crowds to meet with the Father. They both had to move away from people to be alone with God. Of all people, Jesus knew the value of retreating and withdrawing.

In this busy world we are now living in, how often do we withdraw to meet with God? Do we make it a regular practice to retreat? Do we set time aside, away from the busyness of life and people to just spend time with God? I do believe that the art of alone-time with God is becoming more and more difficult because we are becoming more and more caught up in the “To-Do” list of life that we always have an excuse (as someone once said – a reason stuffed in a lie) to not go up the mountain, spend time with God and be transfigured by Him.

And being transfigured by God will mean that we will shine – our countenance will be changed, our doing will become so God-filled, our presence will transform everywhere we go. We will shine the light of Christ into the darkness of the world. We will stand out from the crowd and share Jesus with those around us. Our words will be flavoured with love and peace and joy. We will ‘speak’ about Jesus even if we don’t say a word.

Let’s be encouraged by Scripture to make spending time with God and shining for Him just an every day part of our lives….. (All Scripture taken from The Passion Translation)

Psalm 27:4 “Here’s the one thing I crave from Yahweh,
    the one thing I seek above all else:
    I want to live with him every moment in his house,
    beholding the marvelous beauty of Yahweh,
    filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace.
    I want to contemplate in his temple.”

Psalm 27:8 “I heard your voice in my heart say, “Come, seek my face;”
    my inner being responded,
    “Yahweh, I’m seeking your face with all my heart.””

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 “16 But the moment one turns to the Lord with an open heart, the veil is lifted and they see. 17 Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom.
18 We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 4:5-6 “5 We don’t preach ourselves, but rather the lordship of Jesus Christ, for we are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said,
“Let brilliant light shine out of darkness,”
is the one who has cascaded his light into us—the brilliant dawning light of the glorious knowledge of God as we gaze into the face of Jesus Christ.”

Matthew 5:13-16 “13 “Your lives are like salt among the people. But if you, like salt, become bland, how can your ‘saltiness’ be restored? Flavorless salt is good for nothing and will be thrown out and trampled on by others.
14 “Your lives light up the world. For how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? 15 And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. 16 So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.””

Romans 12:1-2 “The Transforming Power of the Gospel
12 Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship.
2 Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”

Be blessed as you shine for Jesus

Jean

Divine Love Requires Teachability & Humility

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 10:26:25 GMT

This Blog has been written by Ben, we are grateful for his contribution.

To learn the truth you must long to be teachable, or you can despise correction and remain ignorant. Proverbs 12:1

A fool is in love with his own opinion, but wisdom means being teachable. Proverbs 12:15

Senseless people learn their lessons the hard way, but the wise are teachable. Proverbs 21:11

Listen to the truth I speak: Whoever does not open their arms to receive God’s kingdom like a teachable child will never enter it. Mark 10:15

But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form. James 3:17

A general principle that has stood me in good stead is, “I am wrong until proven right”! The definition of humility, to which we are all called to, means “to assign a lower rank or place to yourself” and in spiritual terms, that means dying to selfish ambition and submitting to God’s will and plan for your life. In this season where we have experienced great changes in terms of COVID and a lot of uncertainty that came alongside it, we need to remain humble and teachable. So much nonsense was and is being circulated concerning “end-time”, as people look to the Bible without consulting the Author first.

When I once looked at a photograph album containing a photo of my dad in uniform, I thought he had been in the army, until he explained to me that he dressed up for a fancy dress party! The accuracy of interpretation relies heavily on a personal, dynamic relationship with Holy Spirit. There is too much intellectual collectivism about, which is a fancy way of saying that people quote one another, and it sounds so convincing, but they’ve all sourced the same person who started the ball rolling. That is not just about end-times, it is also about crucial matters in life.

More crucially, we should experientially know the fullness of the depth and breadth and length of the Father’s love. And a primary aim of our lives, even when it seems difficult, should rather be to get “cleaned-up” from the messes in our life experiences. This purification process is more commonly known as progressive sanctification or inner healing. And it requires of us to have a yielded heart that remains teachable at all times. It relies on one’s willingness to undergo the intended transformation and restoration as Holy Spirit desires. When we fully yield ourselves to Holy Spirit, we will avoid ever grieving Him or quenching His power in our lives. Then we will be able to stay in step and on track with God’s intended path and destiny for our lives continuously.

There is a great difference between hyper-grace and extreme grace. Hyper-grace originally stems from Romans 5:20, as AMPC put it, “But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favour) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded.” The word here in Greek describing grace is huper-perisseuó (Strong’s Definition : to abound more exceedingly ) , hyper-abundant or “hyperhyper” grace! and is therefore Scriptural. Receiving the fullness of such grace keeps us from self-righteous legalism. Whereas extreme grace negates one’s ultimate accountability to God, self and man, and it is but another form of antinomianism, or more simply put, anything goes, “I’m forgiven, and I’ll always be forgiven no matter what”. But that is deep deception - we will all appear before the Lord and give an account of our lives even though we are saved by grace.

That’s why humility brings us to a place where we seek inward change, to remain teachable, open to change because our love for Jesus constrains us to love and honour Him in all things. Not just going into “automatic pilot” living, praying, worshipping, preaching, soaking and fellowshipping for the sake of it, but seeking His impending will moment for moment. “Lord what is Your take on this?”

Let us not forget that the Israelites wanted to worship God when they insisted that Aaron had to create the golden calf for them. Their desire to worship became the object of their worship. They thought they were pleasing God when they were worshipping - what the golden calf represented, i.e. the glory of the flesh. They should have waited upon God, His Person and His instruction, but by following the emotional need to worship rather than the One who is to be worshipped, they incurred God’s displeasure. Let us not fall into the same trap, believing that we are on track when in fact we have left His intended plan for our lives. One of the key issues in spiritual growth is to learn how to bring one’s emotions in total subjection to one’s spirit in Holy Spirit. When David wrote, “Commit your way unto the Lord and He will bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5) , He did not say dump your day on the Lord and continue as “normal”. No, the Author calls for collaboration. A commitment of one’s life will call for the need to be in constant communication, it is the path of love and wisdom. It calls for prophetic living, discerning God’s mind because you are in love with Him and His mind has become your mind.

Here my call is for all of us to take heed of what Solomon had written, once we’ve positioned ourselves in loving obedience before the Lord, “As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1-3) . Let us remember that our obedience, as sons and daughters, comes out of our love and exuberant joy in Him, not of obligation, which is just a subtle form of legalism. Any form of spiritual legalism will produce one of the two sons as in the parable of the Prodigal Father. Humility born out of love and a teachable heart will be manifested in our obedience to His gracious will and desire for our lives.

And that will bring great fruit not only to our own lives but in the lives of all those who enter our realms of influence. The King and the kingdom will benefit in the small and in the great. For a humble, teachable, submitted heart the only thing that matters is to fulfil the Father’s will all the times. To adequately respond to His amazing, unending love for us.

One last word, humility requires us to love ourselves as He loves us, for that’s where it starts. The way you see and honour yourself will determine how you extend grace and love to others in the Father’s name.

Blessings to you all and I love every one of you! LOVE – keep the most important thing being the most important thing, always!

Blessings
Ben

Be Kind to Yourself

Sun, 23 May 2021 10:15:15 GMT

A s I looked at some Oriental Lilies in the vase, I noticed that on one stem there were four stages of the flower opening. God spoke to me about how we all develop in different ways and at different times.

I immediately thought about how quickly we can judge others because they appear to not be where we are.

We judge people in church, because they’re not worshipping the way we worship.
We just others prayers because they’re not like our prayers.
We judge others walk with God because it’s not as deep as ours, or they don’t do mission like we do, or they don’t evangelise enough people, etc., etc..

We also judge ourselves, because we don’t measure up, we don’t do mission like others, we don’t worship like others, we’re not strong enough, not talented enough, and the list goes on. Some people actually have a false humility – where they think they’re humble, believe they’re humble, but actually it’s pride manifesting in a deformed way.

But God doesn’t want us to judge – not others, and certainly not ourselves. God wants us to see others as He sees them. God wants us to come alongside those that He puts in our lives and on our paths, and He wants us to learn and grow from the testimony of others about what they’re experiencing on their walk.

The more I thought about our reaction to others, the more Holy Spirit spoke to me about my own life – about how I’ve developed spiritually in some areas, and yet in other areas I’m still just a bud waiting to open fully. How hard am I on myself because I don’t do things the way I perceive they should be done? How much guilt do I live with because I don’t appear to be up to God’s standard? How much false humility do I walk in?

How about you? What is there in your life that you are being hard on yourself because you ‘don’t measure up’? What is there that you are beating yourself up about? What is in your life that you have seen victory in, and then feel frustrated because you don’t have victory in every area of your life? Have you checked yourself lately to see if you’re operating in false humility?

As I looked at that stem bearing the four stages of the Lily opening up, I came to see so clearly that the flowers weren’t striving to reach that glorious stage of being open, full of fragrance and beauty. They simply rested in the knowledge that they would develop at the pace that they needed to. Each bud didn’t try and outdo each other, they didn’t beat the other bud up because it was further developed than itself. Those that were fully open didn’t stand tall and proud, denouncing those buds that were still on the journey. They did what they had been created to do – grow, develop and flourish.

Let’s take our lesson from the Lily today – and be kind to ourselves as we walk with God every day.

As I encourage myself, I encourage you – take time to grow in your relationship with Him. Psalm 1:3 reminds us that in order to bear fruit, we must be firmly planted and rooted in Him. In order to grow in our relationship with God, we must be in relationship with Him. Not just attending Church once a week and thinking that’s enough, but each day spending time with God, seeking Him, learning about Him and learning from Him, and then applying that to our life. In order to bear fruit, we must be rooted in the good and nourishing soil of relationship with God, and receiving all the good that Holy Spirit pours into our lives. And when things don’t go according to plan – don’t give up, don’t go on a guilt trip, don’t compare and don’t give in to temptation. Simply try again, one step at a time. Growth sometimes happens quickly, and growth sometimes happens slowly. But keep growing.

Developing our relationship with God takes commitment. But it also takes resting in the secret place. Developing our relationship requires us to not just read the Word, but have Holy Spirit revelation of the heart of God in Scripture. Hebrews 4:9-13 [TPT] “9 So we conclude that there is still a full and complete Sabbath-rest waiting for believers to experience. 10 As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works, just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them. 11 So then we must be eager to experience this faith-rest life, so that no one falls short by following the same pattern of doubt and unbelief. 12 For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, like a two-mouthed sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts. 13 There is not one person who can hide their thoughts from God, for nothing that we do remains a secret, and nothing created is concealed, but everything is exposed and defenseless before his eyes, to whom we must render an account.” encourages us to be eager to experience God in the place of rest so that we can develop and mature in the ways of God, and get rid of the things that hinder us, allowing Holy Spirit to search us and reveal the ungodly in us, and let God minister to us through Scripture, and through the Spirit.

Finally we flourish in our walk with God. We bear the good fruit that God has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10) because we have chosen to abide in the True Vine (John 15). We are fragrant because we are saturated with Jesus, and all who come near us will have a sense of the love of God for them (2 Corinthians 2:15, Ephesians 5:1-2). We will be beautiful, because the Beautiful One is resident in us, and we will arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is risen upon us, and the blessings that come to us will be blessings that we will share with others (Isaiah 60).

I bless you to be kind to yourself as you grow, Little Christ. I bless you to be mindful of yourself, and to not compare yourself with others. I bless you to grow in grace and compassion, and to develop into the person God has created you to be. I bless you to declare over yourself that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, that you have been created in the image of God, and that God cares for you and is mindful of you. I bless you to walk in the calling God has on your life, that you do all things through Christ who strengthens you. I bless you to be the light of Christ to the world, and to love all people with His love. I bless you to know that ALL things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I bless you to be a blessing, and to bring beauty and fragrance and hope to everyone around you.

I bless you in Jesus’ Name
Jean

The world turns the water into blood but Jesus turns the water into wine.

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:38:08 GMT

When the world crushes us we bleed, but when Jesus crushes us we turn into wine. That’s the big difference when we are trusting in our God. This is why we need new wine skins as the old wine skins become raisins, dried up and for waste.

In Exodus 1:22 we see that Pharaoh fed the boy babies into the Nile river to the crocodiles and their blood made the river turn red. So God allowed Moses to curse the river and turn it into blood with the plague. This caused the fish to die, which was a part of the people’s diet. They did not only lose their drinking water and bathing water, they lost food as well. But what does Jesus do to counter act this act?? Where they were celebrating with food and drink, He turns the water into wine.

In John 2 we see that Jesus says to his mother “woman what does your concern have to do with Me?” It’s a question He asks her as He feels it is not His time yet to reveal who He truly is. Their celebration had nothing to do with honouring His Father but Jesus was all about honouring God His Father. He states “My hour has not yet come.” But, look at how God’s timing works here - this is why we need to have our lamps filled at all time, because God’s timing is in a blink of an eye. Jesus says His hour has not come and not long after that, He is telling them to fill the jars with water. Are you ready??

We need to stop worrying about what people think and start being concerned about what Jesus thinks. Are you a grape ready to be squeezed by Jesus to make you into the fine wine He has destined you to be, or will you continue to allow the world to turn you into a raisin?

The servant knew what happened, not the master, the master was too busy having a party and enjoying his life and being the master. Being a servant for Jesus you will reap the finest wine that there is for you to reap.

So many Christians want to be the master and not the servant, that they forgo their anointing so that they can be up in front either to be the preacher or pastor or leader. They want to be a bigger and better grape, but that grape is just a grape until it is squeezed and the juice comes out to be made into wine. It is no wonder that the Word says there are few labourers. The harvest is so great and the coming of Christ is so close that we ought to be concerned for the lost. Jesus did not say ‘go make leaders and pastors and preachers’, He said ' go make disciples '. We need to inform the people of God’s Word and to ready them for the Coming of Christ.

We need to put down man’s doctrine and pick up the new wine skins and allow Holy Spirit to lead us into God’s Kingdom. The servants knew more about the wine than the master. The master knew it was the best, but the servants knew Who made it the best. God is calling us to account right now for the Greatness that He has placed within us. We will be victorious by resisting the lack of belief and the distractions of life. We will be blessed by opening our ears to the voice of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. To become a new wine skin, we have to let go of the old wine skin which is wrinkled and dried out with lots of holes in it.

Turn your attention to Christ and allow Him to create in you a new heart and a new spirit. Let the old go and let the new come pouring in. Allow the process of being squeezed by Jesus to take place in your life so that the greatness that He has placed within you can be poured out and used to make disciples of all nations.

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May you walk in the divine favour of God. May everything that you put your hands to prosper and be blessed of God because you hear. Be it unto me according to Thy Word. And as the Word of God - the will of God synergizes in your life, you will know joy that is unspeakable, peace that surpasses all understanding, and accomplishment beyond your wildest expectation in Jesus Name. Father God give us the ability to let go of the old so that you can bring in the new into our lives. May we be Your servants according to your will and be obedient unto You in all that we do. May You find favour in Your servants as Your Blood covers us.

In Jesus Name we pray.
Amen

Dr.Ps Toby Paton

[Image Credit - beautifulinjesus.com (found on Pinterest)]

The Key to Releasing God's Anointing at this Time is UNITY

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 09:03:18 GMT

Psalm 133
How truly wonderful and delightful
to see brothers and sisters living together in sweet unity!
2. It’s as precious as the sacred scented oil
flowing from the head of the high priest Aaron,
dripping down upon his beard and running all the way down
to the hem of his priestly robes.
3. This heavenly harmony can be compared to the dew
dripping down from the skies upon Mount Hermon,
refreshing the mountain slopes of Israel.
For from this realm of sweet harmony
God will release his eternal blessing, the promise of life forever!

Covid-19 has changed our worlds into more of a virtual world, and because of misinformation and fear, the enemy has brought in a lot of doubt and differences of opinions. Let us not forget, there are six evils God truly hates and a seventh that is an abomination to him: ploys of the enemy to undermine our kingdom, of which chief of all is to stir up strife between the brethren and therefore the family and/or friends.

In the Song of Songs we read that the aroma or fragrance of the Anointing is released when we are in harmony with our God and King, while we recline at His table, in His glorious Presence, “While the king was at his table, My perfume gave forth its fragrance.” Within that context, Jesus prayed to Father-God, “Father, I am about to leave this world to return and be with you, but my disciples will remain here, so I ask that by the power of your name, protect each one that you have given me, and watch over them so that they will be united as one, even as we are one … I pray for them all to be joined together as one even as you and I, Father, are joined together as one. I pray for them to become one with us so that the world will recognize that you sent me.”

In a Church with so many denominations, it is time for us to come into unity concerning the core values of our faith. Faith in the fact that Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no one can come to the Father but by Him. Faith that we need to die to self and rise into a newness of life by the indwelling power of Holy Spirit, given as Father’s Promise to us. And living in an authentic, loving and devoted relationship entirely consecrated to God and His people.

Let us take Paul’s words to heart, “I’ll know that you stand united in one Spirit and one passion—celebrating together as conquerors in the faith of the gospel … So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy. Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves.”

If we can add to that John’s heart on the matter, “Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then ‘loving one another’ should be our way of life!” And how do we love? By keeping in harmony with God and His heart for every person we encounter! Love is agape love, laying your life down for another according to God’s will and purpose, to edify, exhort and to comfort, to bring others into the full measure of Christ’s destiny and purposes for them. That means extending limitless mercy and grace, and blessing others as Jesus would and commanded, without prejudice. Treating people with compassion and kindness.

The key remaining, regardless of our circumstances which would include Covid-19 and all of its issues, is knowing that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.

Love you all!
Ben

Shadows and Giants

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:31:11 GMT

Have you ever noticed how sometimes a shadow can seem like a giant? Now I’ve seen plenty of shadows, but I’ve never come face to face with a giant. And yet, sometimes I look at a shadow I’ve cast and it seems like I have seen a giant.

So what does that have to do with our Christian Journey?

We are quite aware of the “giants” mentioned in the Bible, in fact God brought to my mind the two most popular stories recently. The first one was when the 12 Spies went into the Promised Land, and they encountered the Giants, but they also saw what great produce was in the land and just how beautiful it was. But only Joshua and Caleb came back with a ‘good report’ ( Numbers 13-14 ) in that the goodness of the land was greater than the threat of the Giants. But the people listened instead to the 10, and as a result God caused the Israelites to wander in the desert for 40 years.

Then there was David, the young shepherd boy who took on the Giant, when the rest of the well-trained army of Israel were unable to ( 1 Samuel 17 ). He wasn’t afraid of Goliath because he had been so close to God in tending the sheep, that he had learned all the “tricks of the trade” in order to keep the sheep safe.

God also reminded me of Psalm 23:4 – where He tells us we will walk through the Valley of the SHADOW of Death. That says to me that even though our situation may seem bad, we have to keep moving through it and not be overwhelmed by it. And the promise is that God will be with us.

I believe that the ‘Giants’ and the ‘Shadows’ in our lives prevent us from seeing God at work, and prevent us from drawing nearer to Him. They become what we focus on and cause us to be distracted. Even if we know God and spend time with Him, the ‘Giants’ in our lives can sometimes become the central focus, displacing God. I’m not denying that sometimes those ‘Giants’ or ‘Shadows’ are very real issues and can cause great trauma in our lives, but depending on where our focus will determine whether we walk in victory or defeat, have a good report or a fearful report.

Just as David was sure he could defeat Goliath because he had a strategy in place, so we too can defeat our ‘giants’ when we seek God and when we know His plans for the fight. The ‘Giants’ in our lives can stop us from reaching our victory, just as Goliath stopped the Israelite army from defeating him. They were scared of him, and all they saw was the giant in front of them. They couldn’t see the victory even with all their training and preparedness. They were distracted by the sight of Goliath, whereas David concentrated solely on God and his preparations for the battle, and only focussed on Goliath when he stood up to slay him.

In the same way shadows can overwhelm us and make us think things look worse than they are. When we focus on the wrong thing, our attention is drawn away from the power and the authority of Christ in us. As the shadow at noon is the shortest of all shadows, so when we are so close to God and are walking in relationship and intimacy with Him, will the effects of the issues and problems in our lives be minimal because our focus is in the right place.

2 Corinthians 5:7 TPT “for we live by faith, not by what we see with our eyes.” What a great reminder that we need to live by faith, because what we see with our eyes, whether it is our physical eyes, our emotional eyes, our minds-eye, it will stop us from believing and trusting God for the outcome of the situation.

Giants and Shadows come into our lives in many forms, and we have to defeat those giants and ignore those shadows. We have to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. We have to first seek God with all of our heart. We need to praise and worship God which draws our focus to Him. We need to ramp up our ‘secret place meetings’ with the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit because when the Giants come and the shadows overwhelm us, we need to be ready with a good report. Like Joshua & Caleb and David, we need to be ready to see things from God’s perspective. We need to have Heavenly Armour in place. We must trust God and believe He can deliver us.

I bless you today to seek God, to know God, to have His thoughts and know His ways. I bless you today to walk by faith, and see the victory that Jesus has won at the cross for us. I bless you today that if you are facing your own ‘Giants’ that you would gaze upon the beauty of God, that you would know the plans He has for you and that you would use every weapon He has given you to fight. I bless you today to be drawn back into the arms of the Father, and to rest in His Presence, receiving His love and His healing and His breakthrough. I bless you today to sit at the feet of Jesus and be restored and renewed by Him. I bless you today to know that Holy Spirit is your guide, counsellor and helper.

I decree and declare over you that no weapon formed against you is going to prosper because that is God’s promise to you. I declare that every tongue that rises against you in judgement or accusation will be refuted by you. I declare over your life that peace, righteousness and security in Jesus triumphs over opposition. I declare that this righteousness is imparted to you from the Lord as your justification and because this is your heritage as servants of the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17)

Today be Bold, Strong and Courageous and know that the Victory is yours in Jesus Name.

Blessings
Jean

To Judge or Not To Judge

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 14:42:09 GMT

A few weeks ago, as we began to listen the worship song that was part of our daily devotional, I heard the first few notes and in my mind said “I don’t like this - it’s not my kind of music” . To my surprise as the music continued and the lyrics started I realised that it’s one of my current favourite worship songs. It had been recorded by another artist who had put a slightly different emphasis on the tempo. I didn’t like that – it sounded to jazzy for me, but as we got further into the song, I realised that actually, I really enjoyed the way they had recorded the song.

At once I felt a conviction in my spirit that I had judged something before giving it a chance! Then God reminded me of somewhere we had been just the weekend before. We went for a walk around a lake, but the Himalayan Balsam was growing so tall and ferociously that there were only a very few spots from which we could enjoy the lake and all the bird activity on it.

According to the RHS website “Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a relative of the busy Lizzie, but reaches well over head height, and is a major weed problem, especially on riverbanks and waste land, but can also invade gardens. It grows rapidly and spreads quickly, smothering other vegetation as it goes.“

When I first saw the plant, in my little knowledge of plants, I assumed it to be a type of orchid. It looked just like one, and it is such a pretty flower. But then I used the plant identification app to discover it is in fact a weed, and a voracious one at that.

The RHS website continues “Himalayan balsam is a tall growing annual, 2-3m (6-10ft) in height. Between June and October, it produces clusters of purplish pink (or rarely white) helmet-shaped flowers. The flowers are followed by seed pods that open explosively when ripe. Each plant can produce up to 800 seeds. These are dispersed widely as the ripe seedpods shoot their seeds up to 7m (22ft) away.”

God tied my thoughts on my judging that song to these flowers (weeds) together by showing me so clearly about judgement and how it affects our lives.

I believe that a thought or observation can turn into a judgement simply by the attitude of our hearts. We may think something and will justify it by saying something like “I’m not criticising, I’m just making an observation but …. “. Usually that means we are judging! And that can stem from pride, anger, insecurities, jealousy - which prompts us to have a heart attitude of judgement.

And just like I thought those flowers were beautiful orchids, we can think that we are justified in making our ‘observations’, or ‘thoughts known’ because we believe that we are ‘helping to make things more beautiful’. But instead we are walking and thinking in judgement, and judgement can soon take over our lives, just like those weeds have taken over the edge of the lake.

Judgement is not healthy for us. It causes us so many problems. The Bible speaks about judgement and tells us that we condemn and judge ourselves when we do that to others but we cannot escape God’s judgement, even though we think that we can (Rom 2:1-3). The standards we use on others will be applied to ourselves, because we can’t see others past the judgement that we have passed on them, whether it be in thought or through words (Matt 7:1-5, Rom 14:3-4).

“None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves.” - Charles Spurgeon

Just like the Himalayan Balsam, judgement spreads so quickly and before we know it, we have a huge problem. But we also start thinking that it is ok for us to have such an attitude – a lie straight from the devil. Get rid of judgement. Ask Holy Spirit to search you and reveal to you any areas of judgement, then deal with it quickly, before it spreads in your life.

Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) “23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalm 139:23-24 (TPT) “23God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares.
24See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—
the path that brings me back to you.”

God wants us to be sanctified and live holy lives. Judgement is one of the things we can so easily get entangled with, but it has to go. Again, the Bible shows us that we should be living in harmony with one another, being mindful of their worth, as we are mindful of our own. We shouldn’t overestimate ourselves, or consider ourselves to be wiser than others. We should never hold a grudge, criticise or blame and pass judgement on others, or want to repay evil with evil, nor should we become a stumbling block to others. We should do everything above reproach and live in peace and harmony with all (Rom 12:16-18, Rom 14:13).

1 Peter 3:10-12 (TPT) “10 For the Scriptures tell us: Whoever wants to embrace true life and find beauty in each day 11must stop speaking evil, hurtful words and never deceive in what they say. Always turn from what is wrong and cultivate what is good; eagerly pursue peace in every relationship, making it your prize. 12For the eyes of the Lord Yahweh rest upon the godly, and his heart responds to their prayers. But he turns his back on those who practice evil.”

I bless you to embrace life and find beauty in each day. I bless you to bless others by your words and deed, and to love them. I bless you to cultivate what is good, to pursue peace in every relationship. I bless you to live holy lives, becoming more and more like Jesus every day of your life.

Ephesians 4:26-32 (TPT) “26 But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day. 27 Don’t give the slanderous accuser, the Devil, an opportunity to manipulate you! 28 If any one of you has stolen from someone else, never do it again. Instead, be industrious, earning an honest living, and then you’ll have enough to bless those in need.
29 And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.

30 The Holy Spirit of God has sealed you in Jesus Christ until you experience your full salvation. So never grieve the Spirit of God or take for granted his holy influence in your life. 31 Lay aside bitter words, temper tantrums, revenge, profanity, and insults. 32 But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love.”

Be blessed

Jean

New Wineskins

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 08:55:32 GMT

In recent years, God has been speaking to Graham and myself about New Wine. In recent months, He’s been stressing the importance of New Wine Skins. Because, as Scripture tells us, we cannot put new wine into old wineskins.

I believe that this has been a time (during Lockdown) that God has asked us to prepare New Wine Skins in our lives so that when He pours out the New Wine, we are prepared and ready.

I sensed God saying to me that there are some people who have their Wineskins ready. They are new, pure and ready for the outpouring of the New Wine. How have they got their New Wineskins – they have spent time with God, they have had their ‘search me God and reveal to me any wicked ways’ moment. They have dealt with the things in their lives that are not of God, and they are now continuing their journey of sanctification.

Then I heard God say that there are people who don’t think a new Wineskin is necessary. They are happy to continue with their lives just the way they are. They believe that they are ok and that they are doing the will of God. I believe that God will continue to use these people in the furthering of His Kingdom. I believe that His grace is sufficient that these people will still bear fruit in the Kingdom – but they will miss out on the fullness of what God is doing in this new season.

And the third thing I heard God say is that there are some who feel that they have a good enough Wineskin, but it just needs a bit of patching up. I then heard God say that the New Wine will not last in these people, because it will be contaminated by some of the existing issues in their lives that God has asked them to deal with and they are not dealing with them. And contaminated Wine is of no use and so it will be wasted.

So I did a bit of research –

How are [natural] Wineskins made?
An animal, usually a goat, is carefully selected and sacrificed. The skin is removed and dried and tanned. The skin is then cut to shape using a pattern, then stitched together to form an air-tight seam. After sewing, it’s turned inside out. This process apparently required the expertise of a craftsman – the skin is blown into to inflate it and then ‘turned on the rod’. At this point the wineskin is sealed on the inside using a resin which is heated and then applied to the interior and allowed to cool. Finally, after checking, cords are put on, and the wineskin is ready for use. (www.botasdevinojb.com/index.php@option=com_content&view=article&id=35&Itemid=27&lang=en.html)

Old wineskins will not be pliable whereas new wineskins are pliable. New Wine is still in a state of fermentation – bubbling and expanding as the gases are released – so the new wineskin absorbs the expansion and ages with the wine. Old wineskins are brittle so the new wine will stress the skin and it won’t yield to the fermentation etc.

How do we get our New [Spiritual] Wineskins?
New behaviours and new results do not go with old mindsets and old behaviours. They clash, and therefore the new behaviours will fall by the wayside very quickly. That’s why we need to walk out the truths of the new behaviours and new results daily.

During this time of ‘Reset’ I believe God has asked us to prepare our new Wineskins. And some of us will continue to spend time with God for a period of time preparing our new Wineskins, whereas others are ready to receive the Wine when God pours it out. Only we will know when we are ready, because having spent time with God, He will tell us.

Psalm 139:23-24 (TPT) “23 God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. 24 See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways—the path that brings me back to you.”

We must allow God to search our hearts and reveal to us the things in our lives that need to be ‘sacrificed’ – the things that we need to let go of, the things that are idols, the things that prevent us from moving forward in the fullness of relationship with Him. Don’t be concerned if this takes time or involves emotional pain, just be assured that the Master Craftsman is doing His job, and therefore the job will be done perfectly.

When we have the revelation of what’s in our hearts and lives that God wants to deal with, we must:

Repent – let go of old ways and things God shows. Confess these things and turn away from them. Receive God’s forgiveness, and it is necessary not just receive God’s forgiveness, but also to forgive others for the part they may have played in our doing these things. We may also need to forgive ourselves. If so, then do these things to be free and to be able to walk in freedom.

Conform – to God’s ways. Renew your mind and thinking to come in line with what God is saying and showing through His Word (Romans 12:2). Seek Him, Know Him and come into agreement with what He’s showing you and telling you. Ask God to help you to change and then trust in the process that God is showing you. Walk out these new truths in your life daily.

For some people change is not easy, and they resist change. It’s important to work with Holy Spirit in this area. It’s crucial that we communicate with God, and it’s vital that we do what He is asking us to do. Ask Holy Spirit to help you with the process – He is willing to. It’s only by working together with God that we will be able to walk into the fullness of what God has prepared for us.

In conclusion, we can draw a parallel spiritually with the natural process of making a new wineskin. We need to sacrifice some of our old habits and old ways. Now this isn’t what is used to make the new wineskin spiritually – I believe that the new ways and new things God is asking us to do is what will form the new wineskin in us. But there’s a process of waiting and being changed from one form to another – and we need to allow that process to take place in us. Then there’s the preparation of making the wineskin able to take the new wine – this is where God is ministering to us and we are working with Him in the process of change. And finally, the wineskin is ready. We too will be ready, in God’s time, to receive all that He has for us in this new season.

I bless you to work with God in this process, and to be the bearer of the finest of Wine that God is pouring into you in this next season. He is pouring this Wine into you so that you can pour it out onto others. Don’t keep it all for yourself. Pour it out, share it, bless others with it. And remember to do this in God’s timing, for His glory, and for the furthering of His Kingdom.

Be blessed
Jean

Are We Prepared

Wed, 20 May 2020 14:40:46 GMT

Are we prepared? “For what?” I hear you ask? “For what God is going to do next”, is what I believe the answer is to my question.

I know that God is doing something, even though I have had moments of wondering if Christians, those who are called by His Name, are taking Him seriously. I know that God is shifting and changing and preparing and doing something new. The question is, are we prepared?

God has asked me if His light is shining in me – and I would like to think that it is. But in pondering that, God has taken me to study the parable of the 10 Virgins.

In the story, the 10 virgins were waiting for the Bridegroom to come, but he was taking a long time, so they fell asleep. Suddenly the cry went out “The Bridegroom is coming”! The virgins woke and jumped to action, but 5 of them realised that they did not have enough oil in the lamps, whilst the other 5 had come prepared. They had enough oil, and when asked to share, they said “No!”.

I believe that we are like the Virgins awaiting the Bridegroom. ‘Nothing new there’ is the comment I hear. Well, you’re right, but I think that right now God is asking us if we are the 5 who are prepared for the Bridegroom’s arrival, or the 5 who aren’t.

Have we chosen to spend time with God, preparing our hearts and lives for what is to come after this season in time? Are we prepared to shine for Jesus, and will people notice? Are we prepared and ready for the new things that God is going to do? Have we heard what God has been saying to us - not in a corporate sense, i,e the Church, but as individuals? What has He shown us about what we are doing and where we are going in our own lives, and how will that look for us as we prepare to re-integrate into the world when lockdown is fully lifted?

“And He has a perfect plan every day for our transformation, healing and freedom if we will simply make space in our lives to spend time with Him and receive all He has to give. May we as the body of Christ learn what it is to live in light of the glorious inheritance of redemption, freedom and abundant life secured for us by the precious blood of Jesus”. First15 Devotional

If we will only make the space …. It’s our choice. And I believe that we have been given the opportunity. Have we taken it? Have we “filled our lamps with oil, and taken extra along?” Have we set aside time to seek God in a deeper, more meaningful way? Have we asked God to prepare us for the new things that He is doing?

I believe that God is also showing us through this parable that we cannot shine without oil, and we cannot rely on anyone else’s oil. The oil representing Holy Spirit. We need to get to know Holy Spirit for who He is, and not what He can do for us. We need to KNOW Him, not just know about Him. Kathryn Kuhlman famously said “He’s more real to me than you – more real than anything in this world.”

Another thing I believe that God is asking of us is that we become pure and holy. We are the Bride of Christ – are we worthy of Him? If not, now is the time to become more and more like Jesus. We have been given the opportunity.

We need to be ready for the Bridegroom’s coming. We don’t know when it will happen, but we need to be ready. We also need to be prepared to do what He’s asking us to do now – go into all the world and preach the Gospel. “All the world” may not necessarily mean that literally you will travel the world preaching the Gospel, but “all the world” is our family, our friends, our neighbourhood, our work colleagues. Are we prepared to share Jesus with them? We have been given the opportunity to get prepared and ready.

Are we prepared for what’s to come? We have been given the opportunity to be prepared. Have we taken it?

James W Goll (Revelatory Gleanings: A Journey with the Holy Spirit) – “The people with insight will cause people to look towards heaven. These shining ones will lead many to righteousness. We need people with true insight to arise in this global hour of chaos and confusion. I refer to these Spirit-filled believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as Hope Ambassadors or Hope Solutionists. The time is now for those with insight to arise and be a guiding light.”

He goes on to say “I repeated the following declaration from place to place from September of 2019 into January, 2020. “This is not just a New Day. It is not just the passage into a New Year or even a New Decade. No! We are crossing over into an entire New Era in the body of Christ with far reaching effects into all seven cultural mountains of the world.” Folks we are crossing over into an entirely New Era!”
https://godencounters.com/revelatory-gleanings-a-journey-with-the-holy-spirit/

We have been given the opportunity to get ready and be prepared? Are you ready and prepared?

Be blessed as you spend time with God, getting ready to arise and let the light of Christ shine through you. Be blessed as you share Jesus with those around you. Be blessed as you grow in your own relationship with God and become more holy and pure. Be blessed as you walk with Jesus every day. Be blessed.

With my love
Jean

LOVE SO GREAT

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 08:52:02 GMT

I write this Blog in Holy Week – the week where we see Jesus go from Hero to Zero to Conqueror in the space of 7 days.

Palm Sunday was a day of great celebration, celebrating the King who had come to save the world. Good Friday was a day of sadness and disappointment, because the Hero King had become just another thief on the Cross, or had He? And then there was Resurrection Sunday – a day where something happened that still confounded the masses, even though it had happened a couple of times in history already. Someone rose from the dead. The King had come and accomplished what He had come to do – save the world. Just not in the way that the masses had expected. But in a way that the Father had planned.

The cross, the grave, the resurrection, all part of the Father’s divine salvation plan. Because of the cross our sins are forgiven. Because of the resurrection our relationship with Father and with Jesus is back to the way God intended. Jesus did what no other sacrifice has been able to achieve. But Jesus did this not out of duty, but out of great and amazing love. Love that took Him to the cross. Love that held Him in the grave. Love that took Him to the gates of hell and took the keys away from the devil. Love that caused the stone to be rolled away on the third day. Love that showed the world that Jesus is King and Jesus is Lord, and Jesus is the only way to the Father.

Love – a word that can be used with such flippancy at times that we have lost the true meaning of it. Love – a word that describes what Jesus feels for us. Love – a demonstration of the Kingdom in the person of Jesus.

As I reflect on the journey to the cross, I reflect on Jesus and His emotions, feelings, desires. I believe that He demonstrated both His deity and His humanness in the days leading up to the Cross. The human side of Jesus asked Father to take the cup from Him. Why would He ask this if He knew that the outcome was going to be good? Why would He voice such a request to the Father? Because I believe that in human form, He could only but perceive the extent of the trauma He would experience. But yet in His deity – not My will but Yours be done – He knew there was only one way. A sacrifice that would cause an exchange to happen. Because “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.” (quoted by C. S. Lewis, in “Mere Christianity”).

Psalm 103:8 (NIV) “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Psalm 103:11 (NIV) “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him”

Reading Psalm 103 – these two verses really stood out at me this time. I see reflections of the journey to the Cross.

Compassionate – Jesus showed such compassion throughout the week leading to the Crucifixion. He had compassion on His disciples (even though they let Him down). He had compassion on His mother and brothers. He had compassion towards the man on the cross that cried out to Him. The list goes on.

Gracious – In everything Jesus did He was gracious. To everyone He met, He showed Himself to be gracious.

Slow to anger – If anyone had a reason to be angry at the injustice He was being shown, it was Jesus. Even when Peter tried to defend Him against the soldiers, He was slow to anger.

Abounding in Love – Jesus is love, and He abounds in it. He overflows with love. He has more love than we can even begin to comprehend. “An intense emotion of affection, warmth, fondness, and regard towards a person or thing” (ReversoDictionary). An INTENSE EMOTION – that’s my Jesus.

And then verse 11 gives us a picture of the vastness of Jesus’ love, compassion, grace and mercy. As high as the heavens are above the earth … We have flown a number of times over the last decade or so – and it always amazes me that even at 36,000 feet above the earth, the sky still seems unreachable. How vast is the love that Jesus has for those that fear Him that He would pour it out on the cross for us?

Psalm 8 reminds us that God is mindful of us, and that He cares for us. I’m so grateful that He cared enough to send His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, to go the gates of hell and then to rise again on the third day for me. So that I can experience the compassion, grace, love and desire of the Father. So that I can be in relationship with the Father, seated with Jesus at the right hand of the Father, filled with the Holy Spirit who leads, guides, and counsels me into ALL truth.

As we reflect on these verses from the Psalms, may God bless us, and reveal to us the vastness of His love for us as we draw near to Him and worship and adore Him with all of our hearts.

Be blessed today, and always.

With my love
Jean

Arise Dry Bones

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 10:03:07 GMT

Things are getting more interesting (for the want of a better word) in the world right at this moment. ‘Social Distancing’ and ‘Self Isolation’ are the ‘new’ buzz words. It’s all because of a virus - a virus which we agree is before it’s time. A virus which is causing mass panic and fear. A virus which seems to be doing the devil’s work for him.

But even in this time we can still praise and worship our Awesome God. We can still pray and bless others and we can still seek God with all our hearts.

As I’ve been thinking about things, I have felt the Spirit of God stir my spirit to look at things through the eyes of experience.

In this time of isolation (whether it be by choice, because of contracting the virus, or because people and Governments have decided everyone should be isolated), we will have time to reflect inwardly. We may suddenly realise how much money we spend on coffees - because we can no longer go to coffee shops for a treat. We may suddenly realise how much we spend on take-outs or restaurant meals – because we will have to cook for ourselves as restaurants, etc. are closed. And we may even start to realise how much we rely on others around us to assist us in our walk with God.

Let me tell you about my testimony. When we were in South Africa, in Richards Bay, we were part of a vibrant Church. We both were involved in many ministries, and we were busy all the time. We did grow, and we were so honoured to be used by God in these ways. Then we left South Africa and came to the UK. Suddenly we were alone. The only people we knew were Graham’s cousin and late Aunt. We went to Church, but we didn’t really get involved. We met people, but it took a while for us to form relationships and for them to become friends. The reality of moving country hit home for me, and it took me a few months, but I realise it had affected my walk with God.

And the reason why it affected my walk with God was because suddenly I was having to do this God-Relationship thing BY MYSELF. I didn’t have anyone carrying me, encouraging me, spurring me on. I was isolated spiritually, and struggling with it. Now don’t get me wrong, having people encourage us in our walk, having people to gather with to worship and praise God, those are good things. We all need encouragers around us. But when we have to rely on others to get our relationship with God going, then that’s not such a good thing.

This season of isolation taught me well though. I realised that my walk with God was dependent on ME walking with God – not someone else doing it for me. I had to seek God, and I had to learn how to seek Him by myself.

We have to pursue our own relationship with God. Jeremiah 29:13 – 14(a) (NLT) reminds us “13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.””

Here God was promising Israel a release from their captivity. But I think God is promising us a release from our captivity of reliance. He will find us, He will restore us, He will set us on the right path. All we need to do is partner with Him and trust Him in the journey.

So where do the ‘dry bones’ come in, I hear you ask? As I have continued to seek the Lord on this, I believe that the Lord is saying:

“In this day I am raising up an army of Co-Labourers. I am raising up ones that will be reliant totally and wholeheartedly on Me. I am raising up ones that will speak into the valley of dry bones, and cause them to come together. I am raising up ones that will prophecy breath to the bones, and that they will live and breathe again. I am raising up ones that will seek to spend time with Me and to find their rest in Me. I am raising up ones that will know My heart, and My thoughts, and My ways in this season. I am calling those who love Me to learn to lean on Me in new and fresh ways. I am calling the Harvesters. I am calling you to be part of the Harvesters. There is a harvest coming – and I need you to co-labour with Me. But I need you to be ready. “

"With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence." A.W. Tozer (The Knowledge of the Holy).

I know that God is calling us all into a much deeper relationship with Him in preparation for what is to come. I believe that the harvest that is coming is going to be preceded by a great evangelical move. But not everyone is going to be going out and evangelising. Some of us are going to evangelise. Some of us are going to pray. Some of us are going to be back at the storehouse awaiting the harvest. But I believe that ALL OF US should be already speaking into the dry bones of the unbelievers. We should already, through our prayers and proclamations, be calling in our family members, work colleagues and friends who are not yet believers into the Kingdom of God. By faith they will hear the voice of Jesus in their lives saying ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. But it will take us to be in relationship with God ourselves first and foremost, and it will take us prophesying into those dry bones.

That means we need to be spending time with God, seeking Him and growing in Him. We need to be worshiping Him and lifting up the Name of Jesus. We need to become the Holy Nation that God has called us to be and become a people of His possession. We need to be withdrawing into the secret place to meet with God. Through that we will bear the testimony of God in our own life through our words and actions. Through our withdrawing to the secret place and worshipping God and spending time with Him letting Him speak into and bring life to our dry bones we will be able to reflect Jesus to this broken and hurting world.

I believe God is calling the dry bones within us to arise, to have flesh, and to have breath and for us to be so close to Him that we know His thoughts and hear His voice and do things His way so that we can co-labour with Him in this next outpouring.

Are you ready?

With my love
Jean

Dependent or Independent

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 10:24:46 GMT

DEPENDENT OR INDEPENDENT?

God has been stirring my heart on this question in recent weeks.   Are we dependent on God – totally? Or do we still have a streak of independence?

Have we got ‘independent strongholds’ i.e. have we ever thought along the lines of ‘I’m going to make it on my own in this area. No-one is going to control me or my thoughts or my actions ever again’. ‘I’m not going to be dependent on anyone just like my mother/father/sister/brother (and so forth) is’.

These are but 2 scenarios that come to mind when I think of independence, of course there are so many more scenarios. But whilst that might work in life and in this world, we, as born again believer of Jesus Christ, are not of this world. We are of a higher Kingdom, and we are very much DEPENDENT on God.

The Bible is full of scripture that leads us to that conclusion –

Jeremiah 29:11-13 – 11(AMPC) 11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.   12 Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. 13 Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (AMPC) 7 [Most] blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (TPT) 5 Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. 6 Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go.

Proverbs 19:21 (AMPC) Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand.

Psalm 121:1-2 (TPT) 1–2 I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. But then I realize that our true help and protection come only from the Lord, our Creator who made the heavens and the earth.

John 15:5 (AMPC) I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

Isaiah 41:13 (TPT) I am Yahweh, your mighty God! I grip your right hand and won’t let you go! I whisper to you: ‘Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you!’

A couple of years ago Graham & I were at a Conference and staying overnight at a local hotel. On my way to the hotel (which we had stayed in a couple of times before), I was so confident that I knew where I was going that I actually got myself into quite a pickle getting there. You see, the road layout had changed. Now I should have known that and checked before I confidently went on my way. Because the previous couple of times we had been there, they were doing the roadworks. And so in my own confidence I drove, completely ignoring the road signs telling me about the new road layout. I drove the way I had gone the time before. And instead of being able to turn right to go towards the hotel, I could now only go straight, because there was no longer a right turn lane or option. So I had to try and figure out how to get to the other side of the road, which led me to ‘going the scenic route’.

But as if that wasn’t bad enough, instead of checking which way I should have actually gone on the new road layout, I kept going the way I had discovered which was complicated and long-winded.

What does that little illustration show and tell? Well, our independence can get us going along roads that we should never be going along because they lead to nowhere. But as we lean on God, as we come totally dependent on Him in ALL areas of our lives, we will be walking in His will and ending up where He wants us to be. Because in Jeremiah 29 (oft quoted verses), we know that He has plans for us, to prosper us and to give us a hope and a future.

When we go through life holding onto our independence, we miss out on so much. And very often we miss out on Holy Spirit leading us because we are determined we know the way to go. When we live with an independent attitude, we may never seek God with our whole heart. Independence can give us just the excuse and reason we need to stop pursuing God and stop ourselves from truly knowing Him.

It is only when we humble ourselves before God, and declare to Him and to ourselves that we cannot be independent of Him any longer, that we will see things start to flourish in our lives. This takes faith and trust, and a change of mindset. When we have an Independent Mindset, we don’t want to change, but God wants us to.   Because He knows that His ways are better than our ways, and it is best for us to go His way.

As we commit ourselves to the process of renewing our minds and changing our mindset we learn to truly love God and rely on Him totally. We become moulded and transformed by His truth.

This paragraph from the First15 devotional sums it up – “To place your faith and trust in God alone is not to free yourself from the need to act, be responsible, and work, but rather to position yourself to receive empowerment, guidance, and grace for every action, responsibility, and work. To place our faith and trust in God alone is to humble ourselves before God as our King, Shepherd, Helper, and Provider so that all we do is done through him. May your life be filled with his loving presence, guidance, and power as you place your faith and trust in him alone.”

My desire for myself and for you today is that we become totally dependent on God, because He knows the plans He has for us, and as we trust in Him and walk in His ways, we will benefit and our testimony will be one of prosperity in EVERY area of our lives.

I bless you to commit to growing in Him and in His ways so that we become more and more like Jesus in every area of our lives.

Blessings upon blessings
Jean

ALBANIA MINISTRY TRIP SEPTEMBER 2019

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 09:06:08 GMT

God is so good, and once again we feel so privileged to be His Ambassadors as we travelled to Albania in September to do Ministry there. It’s the longest visit we’ve done to Albania, and it certainly was worth it.

God did some amazing things. He also opened new doors for us and we got to meet some more amazing people who love the Lord, and seek to do His Will and His purposes and to bless the people of Albania.

So the highlights of our 2 week visit:

We preached and ministered at 7 Churches, of which 6 were Albanian. They were such wonderful times, and we both went with messages on our hearts. We both preached at most of the Churches and shared God’s heart for those we ministered to.

We were invited to speak and minister at the Tirana Pastor’s Alliance. A small gathering of mainly Albanian pastors, but also some Missionaries who work with the Church, or Christian Organisations there. What an amazing time, and we keep praying for this group of people who love the Lord.

Jean spoke at the Women’s Meeting. The message she shared with them challenged them – and we trust that there will be fruit from the message and ministry.

We also had a visit out to Bathore where we were taken to visit families in the community before going to the Centre. Once again, it is the story of great poverty – families living off of what little money they can get. In small houses and once again having been affected by the elements. Not only had we had the earthquake, but on the Monday night we had the most intense thunder and lightning storm with heavy rain that lasted all night. So these families were dealing with damage and flooding in their homes too. How do we help them? At times during those visits we felt so helpless. We could leave some money – but what they really needed was someone to come in and do the repairs and sort things for them. One of the ladies had gone to the local council for help, but was turned down. Things are not good in Bathore, but we continue to admire and commend Evis and the team at the Centre for the amazing work they do there with the children and the women in the community. At the Centre we had lunch with the staff and then Graham shared some encouragement with them. A really good, thought-provoking day out.

Then there were many one-on-one visits with people, some divine appointments, and good new connections. Every one we spoke with wants to see God come and do a work in Albania. They are hungry for Him. That is great news! We also heard on numerous occasions the words “too busy”. People were too busy to go to Church, too busy for God, even too busy within the Church trying to play God. As we heard this – we recognised that it’s not just a problem in Albania. Being “too busy” and not needing God is a world wide problem. But we will continue to pray that people’s hearts and attitudes to God will change.

There is so much more to tell, but the summary of all of what happened is that God opened new doors for us, gave us new connections, and most of what we did and who we saw were Albanians. We are thrilled about that because that’s our heart for our ministry in that country. We want to continue to work with and encourage the Missionaries and foreigners too as that is also part of our Ministry there – but we have always longed for more Albanian connections. If we were there another week, we could have preached in Albanian churches a few more times.

But we believe that what happened during this visit is merely the foundation being laid for the building of what is yet to come.

Our thanks must go to God first – for He did wonderful things for us. He managed our finances, He gave us the Divine Appointments, He sustained us, He equipped us. So we praise Him and thank Him for this trip and all glory must go to Him.

But we are also so grateful for those who have faithfully prayed for us in our Ministry, and for those who prayed for us for this trip. We are thankful to Barry, our Ministry Partner in Albania, for hosting us and for all he did for us during this visit. We are thankful too, to those who invited us to preach in their Churches, for those we had meetings with, for those who blessed us with hospitality and meals. We are so blessed and thankful for the Stephen Center Bed & Breakfast and Restaurant.

We look forward to the opportunities God will give us to return to Albania for more Ministry Trips in 2020 – please be praying with us for the doors to open and the appointments and invitations to come in.

And to those who sowed financially to the Ministry and the Trip – thank you. You have planted seeds that will bring a harvest. Bless you in abundance.

With our love and blessings
Graham & Jean

ABIDING IN GOD

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 14:03:11 GMT

“Growing closer to God is not the result of "trying harder" but of surrendering more! Surrender to the Lord and you will be greatly blessed!” I came across this quote a while back, but I have no idea who to give the credit to – because I want to honour the wisdom of that person. God wants us to surrender to Him – He’s not interested in how hard we try, but how quickly we surrender.

One of the ways that I want to suggest making surrendering to God easy is by learning to abide in Him.

John 15 is so clear about the benefits of abiding in Jesus – and the consequences of not abiding. Verse 4 (AMPC) tells us “Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.”

One night I couldn’t sleep, so instead of tossing and turning, I got up, made myself a warm drink and sat in the lounge contemplating this thing of ABIDING .

The next thing I knew, I was writing down a revelation from God. He was showing me how we should abide in Him

A – Adoration . Praising and worshiping Him. Praying and listening to Him. Focus on Him FIRST.
B – Being . Choosing to spend time with God. Stop the doing, and BE. There is a time and a place for the doing, but first BE.
I – Intimacy . Seeking after Him. Developing relationship with God. Getting to know God for WHO He is, and not for what He can do for us.
D – Devotion . Loving Him and receiving His love in return. Not just knowing about it, but EXPERIENCING that Love.
E – Expectant . Expecting that as we come to God we will hear, receive, grow, deepen our relationship with Him, connect with Him. Expecting that something good will happen.

Unfortunately, as humans, our default is to limit God because of our past experiences, especially when they’ve been bad or negative experiences. What is the attitude of our heart? Is our heart a heart of stone or flesh? I believe that abiding in God can change all these things and we can start having great experiences of Him, and have our hearts changed.

Augustine wrote – “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”

“There is no more life-giving pursuit you can embark on than the pursuit of God's presence. Spending time resting in him is meant to be the satisfaction that lays a foundation for you to live the life of abundance made available to you through Jesus. Your role in encountering God is simply seeking him. If you will make time to encounter him, open your heart, and have faith in his word, then you will discover the wellspring of life, joy, love, and transformation that is the presence of our heavenly Father.” (First 15 Devotional)

1 John 4:16 (ESV) “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever ABIDES in love ABIDES in God, and God ABIDES in him.” [Emphasis mine].

Today, I bless you to abide in God. I bless you to experience His love in greater measure. I bless you to know His peace surrounding you and for you to understand His vast and overwhelming affection for you. I bless you to respond to the presence of God as you abide in Him. I bless you to ADORE Him, to BE , to develop INTIMACY in a greater way than ever before. I bless your DEVOTION for God to grow and to be EXPECTANT of the goodness and greatness of God manifesting in your life. I bless you to not just see fruit in your life, but to be fruit-bearers. I bless you to find surrendering to God easy, and to find your rest in Him.

I bless you in the name of Jesus.

Jean

Turning One's Back

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 11:34:08 GMT

A couple of years ago I realised that I was Gluten Intolerant. This was after 4 years of being ill and not knowing exactly what the problem was. I kept thinking it was one thing – but in spite of trying to follow a diet that should have solved that problem, I just kept getting ill.

What a relief to figure out what was wrong with me. But it meant that my diet had to change. I had to be very much more aware of what I was eating, and what I now can’t eat.

So when I’m faced with a situation where Graham picks up a lovely big slice of delicious looking Carrot Cake, and all I can get is a much, much smaller Chocolate Brownie (at the same price as the big slice of cake), I have to remember that I am doing this for my benefit and my health. Because the pain and discomfort (and some of the other symptoms) of having that gluten and wheat affect my body is just not worth the delicious taste and flavour of the thing that is wrong for me.

I have had to turn my back on a way of eating that I knew for all of my life in order to pursue a better and healthier way of life.

Isn’t that the same with our Christian walk? How easy is it for us to turn our backs on something that looks so good and so tempting? Because, after all, some sin is looks really good and is very tempting. And sometimes we don’t see the harm in it. Some of the things God tells us in Scripture to lay down is obviously evil, but some of the things seem good.

Recently we went to Standen House (a National Trust property), and as we walked around I noticed the beautiful views over the countryside. But I noticed on the patio area outside the house there were benches facing the house, away from the views (that’s the photo at the top of this blog). My reaction was that I would rather have the benches facing the views so that I could enjoy that. Who would want to look at a house when you had THAT view? But I felt God drop into my spirit that what I was looking at was an allegory of a spiritual principle.

God requires that we repent of the sin in our life. Repent, as I understand it, is to turn away from that which isn’t good for us. To turn our backs on that which we do do, and to face the way God wants us to live.

Colossians 3:1-17 encourages us to look to the things of God and turn our back on the things of the world. To clothe ourselves with the virtues of God and to do everything in love. 1 John 2:15-17 warns us about loving the things of the world, and encourages us to do the will of God.

How do we get our focus to be on the right things and turn our backs on the wrong things?

We pursue God as He pursues us (Psalm 23:6 NLT – “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”) ,
We hunger after Him (Matthew 5:6 (AMP) – “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.”) ,
We grow in our relationship with Him (1 Corinthians 1:9 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition – “God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”) ,
We make a choice to this every day of our lives (Luke 9:23 Amplified Bible (AMP) – “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].”)

I’m not sure I fully understand how much God delights to spend time with me, but I know that He does. Only by spending time with Him and growing in my relationship with Him will I comprehend that in greater depth. And this I also know – that the view through God’s eyes of the beauty around us far surpasses anything I could ever imagine.

My prayer for you and for myself is that we would daily pursue God and seek Him. That we would have God’s wisdom so that we will live our lives well. That we would repent quickly of the things that are not of God, and that we would turn from that way of life. That we would remember that God loves us with an everlasting love and that we can boldly approach God and be in His Presence where we can hear His voice, where we can sit at His feet, where He can bring correction into our lives and bring healing to us - body, mind and spirit.

God bless you
Jean

WHERE IS GOD IN BREXIT?

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 17:53:57 GMT

God is amazing!!! I never cease to be amazed as to how He answers and intervenes in our questions and prayers. I have been wondering where God was in all the goings on about Brexit. I want to share what I sense God has been revealing to me today.

On Sunday I was sent a link to a prophecy by Emma Stark (Founding Director of Glasgow Prophetic Centre) about Brexit. I only got around to listening to it last night.

https://www.facebook.com/1550156658580957/posts/2256950024568280/

This morning while listening to the music CD from The Revival Alliance Conference 2017 I heard the prophetic vision that was given at the conference which in essence was:

“She saw Angels descending into the House of Commons and touching members in an alarming and unexpected way and were depositing Kingdom revelation. We were also called to bless all members of Parliament.”

I do not believe that the timing of these prophecies being brought to my attention and combined with the Speaker’s announcement in Parliament yesterday (Monday) “just happened”, but there is a message there.

I asked God what this all meant and this is what He said to me - “As per the vision I gave and the prayers offered since the Revival Alliance My Angels have indeed been in the House and have being depositing Kingdom values in them but they have not fully understood what I have being doing because the time of My revelation to them has not yet fully come.”

God then reminded me of two things from Emma’s prophecy.

1. The Ireland issue must be resolved first by the people of Ireland and they need time and must not be pressured. He reminded me that He has anointed people to rise up and come up with His solution for Ireland. His solution!! They must be given space to accomplish this. His solution is more than just trade relations. The speaker of the House in his ruling on Monday has unwittingly enabled more time to be given to allow God’s solution in Ireland to be found.

2. Also it was not time for Brexit now. The Brexit solution, HIS Solution, must be allowed to come in His time. “Do not be concerned for I have a plan for the UK.”

We must pray unceasingly for His will to be done and to bless all the members of the House to have His wisdom and that they will see the revealed will of the Father for the future of the UK. DO NOT pray for the outcome we want, but pray that God’s solutions will come about.

God bless you

GRAHAM

Do You See Him?

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 19:00:28 GMT

Let me tell you about a vision I had a while back. I saw myself driving our car on one of the main roads here in Tunbridge Wells. Suddenly I saw myself as an observer on the pavement near a Pedestrian Crossing on this road. I observed that there was a smartly dressed man in a dark suit standing at the Crossing. He stepped into the road to try and cross, but the car approaching the Crossing didn’t see him and drove straight through. So he stepped back to wait.

Again he tried to step into the road to cross, and again the car approaching just drove straight through without seeing him, and he had to step back onto the pavement. This happened several times.

When I came out of the vision I felt that this was from God, and He was showing me how we can be towards Him.

We want a relationship with God, but we can be so busy working for God and serving Him, trying to impress Him, or even just doing our own thing, that we don’t set our eyes towards God. We don’t observe that which is right in front of us – even spiritually. Maybe it’s because we’re looking for the BIG things that we miss the SMALL AND OBVIOUS things.

I was reminded a couple of weeks ago of the Scripture of the two men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). There they were walking down the road, and Jesus joined them. They didn’t recognise Him, and Cleopas even asked Him “are you the only stranger … who is unaware?” Obviously they thought he had just arrived in Town and had missed all the excitement.

Oh, we’ve heard this account so many times in sermons, and no doubt read the account many times, and we marvel at the fact that these two men who had obviously known and been with Jesus before the crucifixion didn’t recognise him after the Resurrection. But aren’t we like that sometimes? We know Jesus, yet we don’t KNOW Him.

God has really challenged Graham & myself over the last few months to spend more time with Him. To get to know Him more, but also to SEE Him, not just HEAR His voice. To SENSE Him and to ENGAGE with Him more.

“I don’t think we, as God’s children, understand the joy our Father feels when we spend time with Him. I don’t think we understand the depths of His love that He would pay the highest price simply to have unhindered relationship with us again.” “Don’t let the opinion of others sway you from your firm foundation of God’s love. What is the opinion of man in comparison to the perspective of God? If God counts relationship with you worth the death of Jesus, you are that valuable. Cast aside the fickle thoughts of others for the truthful, life-giving love of your heavenly Father. Rest in His presence and find hope and security in the truth that His arms are always open to you – ready to embrace you just as you are.” [Quotes from First15 Devotional, 22nd January 2019].

God paid the highest price for us, and He desires to have a relationship with us that goes beyond anything we can ever experience. I believe that God is challenging us to look for the small and obvious things that He does for us on a daily basis, and to turn away from the need to always look for God in the big things, the big miracles, the big blessings.

My prayer for you, as it is for myself, is that you would grow to love spending time with God even more than you currently do, and that you would know, in greater measure, the blessings that come from abiding in Him.

I bless you to seek God’s face and presence as your greatest need. I bless you to call on Him and to hear His voice with clarity. I bless you to know the thoughts and ways of God as He reveals them to you through your abiding with Him. I bless you to seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and then to know the abundance of blessings and life being added to you. I bless you to recognise God in every situation, and to see His goodness and mercy and grace being poured into your life daily.

I bless you in Jesus’ Name.

Jean

Pondering Hearts

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 18:57:17 GMT

“Christmas is not about me – it is about Christ revealing Himself in me and to me!” (Joy! to Your World! A Countdown to Christmas devotional)

For the last few years, as we enter into this Advent Season, I am pulled between the hype of Christmas and the spiritual meaning of Christmas.

According to those that have done research, Jesus would not have been born around 25th December, but somewhere around the summer or even early Autumn. But apparently there was a pagan festival which was celebrated around 25th December. So somewhere along the line, someone decided that 25th December was a good time to make it formal and celebrate Jesus’ birth.

But whatever really happened, and whenever it really happened, Advent certainly is a time to get caught up in something. For a lot of people (Christians included), Advent is a time of getting really caught up in Christmas shopping. Going into the shops, or going online, and spending money. Buying gifts. Spoiling people. Getting in all the food necessary to feast for days on end.

Now I’m not against all that. I am one who loves buying gifts for people and spoiling them. I love the ‘challenge’ of trying to find the gift that will really bless the person that I am buying for. I love watching people’s faces as they open their gifts and respond to the gift by their facial expressions. I love spending Christmas with family and friends and eating and fellowshipping together.

But the last few years God has stopped me short, and questioned me on how I approach Christmas.

Do I bring Him in on every decision I make, or is this a time that I forge ahead on my own and do what I want to?

Luke 2:19 has become a special scripture to me – “But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant.” (The Passion Translation).

“But Mary treasured all these things, giving careful thought to them and pondering them in her heart.” (Amplified Bible)

As Mary, after the birth of Jesus, stopped to think about all that had happened to her in such a short time, I now stop and think about Jesus, the Christ-child, and what His birth has meant to me. What His coming into this world has done for the world. What His life has shown me and what His death gave me. The Father has given us the greatest gift of all – Jesus.

But this morning as I was reading my devotion for the day, God took me back to when He, through the Angel Gabriel, came to Mary and told her she had been chosen to give birth to Jesus. And He showed me that when I read this account, I always only read it from Mary’s perspective. And God then dropped a question in my heart – “Have you had a ‘Mary-Experience’”? Well, of course, my initial response was ‘No, of course not’. But then God made me really think about it.

And so I give you my account of Luke 1:26-38

“One day, God sent His messenger to me, Jean, who was, even as a young teenager, married to the world. In spite of going to Sunday School and Youth Church, the things of God were not yet real. And God’s messenger spoke to me, about the love of Jesus, and told me that Jesus wanted me to be His very own.

But I was not sure at first, and kept on asking God if this was really real. And He comforted me and told me that God has chosen me to carry His Son, Jesus, in my heart for the rest of my life. That I would live for Him and serve Him as He called me to. And He would reign in my life, and His light would shine through me. I would be a carrier of His Kingdom, of which there is no end.

And I asked God how He would use me. I was young, and was scared of being in the public eye.

But He reassured me that when I accepted Jesus, His Holy Spirit would come and live in me, and guide me into all truth, and give me everything I needed to do the work that God has planned for me. “For Nothing is Impossible with God”.

My response was “As his servant, I accept whatever he has for me. May everything you have told me come to pass.” (Passion Translation of vs 38(b)

And so I accepted Jesus into my heart, and we are still writing history together.”

God showed me that I had indeed had an encounter with Him, just as Mary did, when I was told about the good news of Jesus Christ. I was chosen, and highly favoured, just like Mary. I was anointed to carry a message of God to the world, and to be the one who would share Jesus with the world.

Everyone who has accepted Jesus into their hearts has had an encounter just like Mary. What a wonderful thing to ponder in our hearts and treasure as we continue to prepare for the celebration of Christmas, with the giving of gifts and the sharing of Hope.

Take time this Advent Season to ‘give careful thought to them and pondering them in her heart’ as you prepare for the joy of the season.

May you be blessed this Christmas time. May you find favour with each other as you share the love of God and the Hope of Christ with people. May you draw closer to God as you ponder Him and treasure Him in your hearts. May you find Him as you seek Him with all your heart.

God bless you.

Jean

xxx

'Follow Me'

Fri, 22 Sep 2017 17:54:53 GMT

When Jesus calls us to leave everything and follow Him, how easy is that for us to do?

Luke 5:4-11 is the account of Jesus calling Simon (Peter), James and John to follow Him, and they would become fishers of men. But just before Jesus called them, He told Simon to put out his nets. Well, Simon had the biggest catch ever. He must have looked at that and wondered if there was enough fish there to keep him in good living for a long time. Surely this would have given him lots of opportunity to 'do the Lord's work'

But when Jesus said 'Follow Me', Simon left everything and joined Him as His disciple.

There is a price for us to pay when we follow Jesus. Are we willing to pay that price? Is the price too high for us sometimes?

The things we have to give up could be comfort & security, family, bank accounts, leaving the place we love, or the people we love.

But Jesus is worth giving it up for. I am amazed that the things we hold on to thinking that we could not do any better than that is often nothing compared to what Jesus has in store for us.

Gal 6:9 - 'Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up doing it God's way.' (Emphasis mine).

God calls us - and even when we don't respond immediately (like Simon did), He always prompts us to reconsider.

Many times Graham and I have taken weeks to agree that it was God calling us and that we need to listen and follow Him. But when we have finally agreed to do it His way, the harvest has been great.

So be encouraged today - when God calls you, follow Him. It's the best plan after all.

Be blessed

Jean