You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November 2010.
Let it rain, open the floodgates of heaven!
Come Holy Spirit!
you will come like the rain!
i hear the sound of approaching rain!
- dream 1st December 2010
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us John 1:14 NKJV
And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. John 1:14 AMP
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 NIV
The Word became a human being and lived here with us. John 1:14 CEV
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, John 1:14 MSG
i just wanted to say, again, i so love God.
there arent words to adequately wrap around how much i love Him.
appreciate doesnt measure up.
grateful and thankful dont describe enough.
adore, love, delight in, rejoice in, in awe of, capture just a fragment.
He is so good.
i am glad He chose me and called me and saved me and adopted me and loves me.
i am glad He lavishes His love on me, its so undeserved. but i receive it so gratefully. i welcome it with open arms.
amazed that despite all i am and all i do He loves me. that is grace. undeserved favour and wonderful kindness and lavish love.
i am so blest.
Let me declare with this declaration:
Nothing is impossible for God
Nothing is impossible with God
All things are possible for God
All things are possible with God
He is higher, greater, more awesome than we can wrap words around. There is no limit to His power and there is no limit to His love. He is out of time and eternal. He breathed out the stars and knows how many hairs we have on our head, His name is above every name and power and principality that ever was and ever is and ever will be. He is the undisputed champion of the world, king of kings and lord of lords, the beginning and the end.
I begin with this declaration because we live in a world limited by impossibilities. We face things that seem like mountains and we meet people facing impossible odds that need a literal miracle.
The world says that God is dead and not real and or that He’s santa’s 2nd cousin tucked away on a cloud somewhere having bacon and cheese toasties…
The world is blinded by a demonic strategy by our enemy who covers up the greatness of God and shuts Christians down so that people stay captive, stay sick, stay lost.
But I come to you to declare that nothing is impossible for God and that we should live a life with audacious faith, taking Him at His Word and doing it. I come to you saying that impossible is not part of God’s vocab… it’s not part of His DNA… its not part of His heart, character, ability. With God it’s all about possible. It’s all about YES and AMEN and Him working in amazing ways in peoples lives.
It’s about time we stopped agreeing with what the world – who DON’T know God – says, and believe what God says about Himself.
We need to lift our eyes and expand our vision, and trust.
Who is God?
He’s the biggest my dad is bigger than your dad Dad.
He’s the creator of the universe. So He knows stuff.
Not being able to fully understand God and who He is and why He does stuff or doesn’t do stuff can sometimes be frustrating, but think of it like this: God is so big and amazing and powerful, that it is impossible for us to limit God down to all that we can understand. Lets put it this way. If my mind is the size say, of this coke can, and God is the size of the oceans, it would be a bit epicfail.com for me to say that He is only the small amount that I can scoop into my little can. He is so much bigger and more wow than I can understand and comprehend with my mind.
Isaiah 40:25-26, 28 says “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. “
That sure gives ME confidence.
God doesn’t have a too hard basket.
All things are possible for Him.
All things.
So I was very studious this week aka I was been a geek:
I like doing word studies. I like to find out what a word means.
Impossible means:
Incapable of having existence or of occurring.
incapable of being done, undertaken, or experienced
incapable of occurring or happening
Not capable of being accomplished
absurd or inconceivable; unreasonable
insurmountable, unsurmountable
unthinkable – incapable of being conceived or considered
totally unlikely, unrealistic
inconceivable, out of the question, unimaginable
hopeless – without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success;
The bible strongs definition for the word impossible has this implication: without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled, unable to be done, impossible
We do not believe in a God who is without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled, unable to do things.
We believe in the all mighty, all powerful God – who rules and reigns, who has all power in the universe… who says that all things are possible.
Possible : adj
1: capable of happening or existing
2: existing in possibility
3: possible to conceive or imagine;
4: something that can be done;
The implication. God is mighty. He can do the job. He has the power.
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]- Ephesians 3:20
Faith is a mind-set – a heart-set – that approaches God with confidence & believes him for the impossible.
I love what Kristen said last week – as you see Him, as you hear Him, you’ll love Him. You want to know God – you want to know who He is – then spend time with Him. Read the Word. Encounter Him. Remind yourself, over and over and over again WHO He is and what He does. In your life. In the bible. In great men and women living it in history. As we see Him, we’ll love Him. As we see Him, we’ll believe Him. As we see Him, we’ll know who He is and what He does and be totally confident and comfortable with that. ‘Faith comes and grows by hearing the Word” Romans 10 – that means faith comes as we read/hear/process the Word of God. The same God that spoke let there be light speaks to you in your quiet time.
As Christians we often get this terrible disease.
It’s really terrible.
Worse than Verrucas. BREATHER:
It’s called spiritual amnesia.
You know what amnesia is eh… forgetting something.
Spiritual amnesia is when we totally forget who God is and His promises. And worse still – that affects how we totally live our lives.
You’re looking at me like I’m bonkers…. More bonkers than usual.
Okay, turn to psalm 78.
The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows,
turned back on the day of battle;
10 they did not keep God’s covenant
and refused to live by his law.
11 They forgot what he had done,
the wonders he had shown them.Psalm 78:9-11
THEY FORGOT! They had a terminal case of spiritual amnesia!
They forgot who God is and what He had done in their life.
Psalm 78 goes on and lists some of the things these men KNEW and then poof FORGOT.
The miracles in Egypt – like the boils and the hail and the flies and the rivers of blood.
The parting of the Red Sea so all of Israel could pass through on dry land.
The pillar of fire and cloud that guided the tribes day and night.
Water from the rock, manna on the ground.
Not your everyday miracle. Full on supernatural things.
Interesting to note that it was their ancestors that had lived through those times – but that this bunch of hightailing ephranites themselves had no reference points of encounter with God. You can’t rely on what’s going on with your parents or even your best friend or even your pastor – you have got to have YOUR OWN encounter with God. You have got to build your own relationship with God. You’ve got to YADA – know tangibly, by experience, personally – God, not just know about Him. How do we do this: it takes practice, it takes time, it takes doing.
And the remedy sounds simple – and you’ve probably heard it over and over again. Read your Word as regular as you can. Read it and think about it and let it transform the way you think from doubt into faith, from stranger to friend. Pray, talk to God, listen to God. Come to church, be involved. Simple things – but they build a practice of encounter and relationship and faith.
Because the eprhainites didn’t know God and had puny faith, even though they were fully equipped for battle – even though they had weapons at the ready – they turned and ran. They didn’t have confidence in God for the battle. They were defeated and didn’t get the breakthrough. The victory was at the ready and if they had had faith in the God who does impossible they would have won… but they didn’t, so they ran.
We all face battles, but I don’t want to see anyone running. We stand and fight not by our own power and skills and abilities but because of WHO GOD IS in us and to us and through us! We have hope and strength because we know WHO God is not just 10 fascinating facts about Him. We overcome by knowing the truth we stand upon, by knowing the promises of God – what He promises personally He will do to us and for us and in us.
I want to be more like Esther who said for such a time as this I will believe God. I want to be like Shadrach Mesach and Abendego who said you can throw me in the fire I will not bow, I will not turn and run, I will stand by faith because my God is the God of impossibilities!
Our God is the one who stopped the sun until the battle was finished for Joshua, who split the Red sea, and the river Jordan three times – for Joshua, for Elijah and Elisha, who made fire fall on an altar at mt carmel, who had a whale at just the right place and just the right time to swallow Jonah and not eat him… who tore the walls of Jericho down after the Israelites marched round it 7 times in silence.
Our God is the one who raises the dead, healed the lame, made blind men see, touched lepers and healed diseases left right centre… he freed those who were possessed with demons and feed thousands with one boys lunch.
Our God is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be tomorrow.
He uses ordinary people to be part of extraordinary supernatural encounters.
Elijah is a man just like us. Well just like you guys. But a person, ordinary, just like me.
Yet he prayed and it stopped raining for 3 years and then he prayed again and it began to pour.
"Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience."
Ordinary acts of obedience make room for impossible things to happen.
You get the picture.
Nothing is impossible for God.
Nothing.
All things are possible for our God!
When it comes to the things of God, you know what I think, I think God is saying YOU DO IT.
The impossibilities are things that can be possibilities for us because of the great power of God.
Now I’m not saying that it is ME – who heals someone by my power – because I have none – but it is ME who says “can I pray for you right now” and then slaps a hand on them and prays. God is The Healer. Its not in the too hard basket for Him.
And I’m not saying that it is ME – who saves someones soul by my power – because I have none – but it is ME who opens my mouth to talk and share and speak and it is then God who uses that to reveal truth to that person and open their heart and then bring them to that point of YES GOD FORGIVE ME AND LOVE ME AND SAVE ME.
Do you know what the bible says in Mark 9:23 – anyone know it off by heart?
Mark 9:23 “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Do you see the connection… if we believe then all things are possible. If we believe everything is possible. If we believe then nothing is impossible.
Why? Because we’re having faith in the One for who all things are possible, we’re having faith in God – for Him nothing is impossible.
When we believe in Him we’re living out His plans and purposes.
When we believe in Him we’re activating that power that He has put in us – HIMSELF – the Holy Spirit – we’re releasing the Holy Spirit within us to BE God in us and through us to the world!
Don’t be like the ephrainites. Prepared in every way except one. They had no faith. They didn’t believe that God was who He said He is. They didn’t trust Him. They didn’t have faith.
What does God want you to know: why is this important?
Because when we limit God we reduce Him and doubt Him. When we have unresolved doubts we’re doubting not only His power but His love.
When we trust Him and have faith in Him we’re trusting in not His power AND His love. He is our loving Father who loves us so much that He sent His son to be broken and bashed and executed on the cross to pay the punishment that we deserve.
He is more kinder and loving than we can fathom – the word God Himself uses to describe His love for us is LAVISH.
If you’re facing something that you think is an impossiblitity – you know what – that’s just the right size for God! That’s what He specialises in! Invite Him to come and Be God in your life. Open up wide and let Him come in and work that miracle and bring that change and sort that stuff out. It may not happen overnight but if God is with you then you’ll overcome! This is your moment – these are the things that MAKE life and MAKE history!
The world around us is hurting, broken, rebellious. Eternity is real.
We’re called to glow in the dark to those around us – to shine – to demonstrate His love and grace, to be like a living walking talking billboard advertising the reality of God.
There are some things that only God can do. Impossible things. But He chooses often to do them THROUGH us – people who BELIEVE in Him.
"What you believe about God will directly determine the legacy of your faith and your impact on the world for the glory of God." Steven Furtick
So it’s real important to catch this – to expand beyond the boundaries of your mind how BIG you think God is.
NOTHING is impossible.
ALL THINGS are possible.
That dream you have that you haven’t told anyone. It’s possible.
That person with asthma that you sit with – it’s possible.
That stranger at the bus stop that looks alone and worried – it’s possible
Your brother that doesn’t believe in God… yet… it’s possible…
Dare to ask God for amazing things in your life and through your life… its possible
Dare to ask God to heal your friend or a complete stranger… its possible
Dare to tell someone the amazingly fantastic good news that they can be forgiven and new and born again and be totally sure beyond 100% shadow of a doubt that they’ll go to heaven… its possible…
There’s no age limit, height restriction, gender discrimination, qualification required with God… its POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF HIM and HIS LOVE and HIS POWER!
This is our destiny. This is who we are.
Because that is who God is.
NOTHING is impossible for Him.
ALL THINGS are possible for God.
Will you take up His challenge? Will you take Him at His Word?
Remember, God must first set our hearts ablaze with radical passion for Jesus. Intimacy is what ignites revolution. Is the presence of the living God fully taking up residence in your heart? Revival starts with you! Personal transformation must precede city transformation. Let a revolution begin today-and may it begin with you! -J. Austin
my fav tweets from the week:
come follow me as i follow Jesus and live to make Him known
fireball3316 this time last week #pikeriver New Zealand changed forever
Sword4Christ Doesn’t matter what you believe you were born as, you must be born again…..
MarsHill RT @jamiemunson: "When we are afraid we don’t have enough money, money is probably enthroned in our lives." –Ed Welch
WisdomMoments To be SHAKENED by God is to be AWAKENED by God!
EddiePoole Lives are changed through relationships. And relationships take time. – Tim Eldred
ashleymmc You’ve never lived until you’ve lived by faith
Knotta4real I honestly don’t know why God loves me like he does…but I’m so thankful for it. So undeserving…
stickyJesus His light will shine when all else fades. Amen.
JarridWilson We are a generation of Change. We are a generation of Hope. We are a generation of Love.
louiegiglio We should weep w/ those who weep, rejoice w/ those who rejoice, but church should be an unquenchable celebration. We’ve seen a resurrection!
PaulTripp Corporate worship is an invitation to remember again that you are not in the center of your world and a welcome to worship the One who is.
BearGrylls ‘I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with my right hand.’ isaiah 41 10
mattolthoff Does marriage make you happy? Thoughts from a married guy who is broken and has issues: http://bit.ly/d4iqn6
TonyGWood Easy when preaching the Word AT others to forget what the Word is saying AT me. Only disciples can make disciples.
davidstarlingm "If we have been born again, why do we fill our lives with the concerns of those who have only been born once?" (Brother Jeff)
aheartforgod The tomb wasn’t opened 2 let Jesus OUT. It was to let others IN 2 c He wasn’t there!
Benjamin__Linus Spotted a Dharma shark while fishing today.
craiggroeschel Don’t TALK about what you believe. LIVE what you believe. Actions reveal true beliefs.
stevenfurtick New blog – 3 things this generation demands. http://bit.ly/dwMBbG
PaulTripp You will never live up to the life-shaping call of the Gospel if you are not first living out of the heart-transforming grace of the Gospel.
matthewprewett "All that I have been able to do, I owe to Jesus Christ. I feel I am a spectator watching what God is doing." ~ Billy Graham
Frothy43 You cannot embrace both light and darkness and still think you have a great relationship with God. -John Paul Jackson
theramp "Passion for God is not youth thing. It is a hunger thing." -Karen Wheaton
JustinBuzzard Christian, you already have HIS approval, Jesus took care of that.
OneForerunner Information may inform the mind, but revelation sets a heart on fire.”—Matt Redman
Kevin_Lammons "Between the promise and the payoff there’s always a process" "Without the process, there is no progress" @stevenfurtick #sunstandstill
unscriptedlife Sometimes God wants you to be in the midst of the miracle, but sometimes he wants you to be the miracle. #SunStandStill @stevenfurtick
AlexaRaeBailey "Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience." #SunStandStill
this week twitter took on a new role for me.
it brought me news, and reaction, to the Pike River mining disaster.
it was a way to connect and share what all of New Zealand, and then the world, felt.
i dont think i’ve tweeted so much, or read so many tweets, or RT so many times…
it was a way to process and share. ordinary new zealanders took to twitter in droves, as well as media. it was our way to have a voice.
these are some of the tweets that touched my heart regarding #pikeriver
Andy_Shudall Last thought as I fell asleep. First as I wake. God draw near to comfort as people, families, communities and this nation mourns. #pikeriver
noozeeland #pikeriver has now been etched somewhat unwanted into the minds of us all for many years to come. Aroha nui to all down there.
Gratitude is such a wonderful “virtue” to cultivate – to intentionally be aware of the good things that God is doing in our lives, the big and obvious, the small and obtuse. When we appreciate the good we realize we’re blest in so many ways, esp us westerners! and gratitude cultivates happiness and joy and encouragement – it cultivates courage to face the obstacles and mountains and darkness, because we know God is with us and will restore us each step of the way.
When we’re living our lives with intentional gratitude we’re fixing our eyes upon Jesus and agreeing YES He is good and YES He is faithful and YES He is Lord and YES He is the one who loves us! Gratitude is an expression of faith.
917. my friends and family.
918. being able to tuck my kids into bed each night, kiss them, stroke their foreheads and tell them i love them
919. a wonderful husband who “gets” me, and loves me anyway…
920. God who also “gets me” and loves me lavishly – and *arranges* Lost S6 to be available through our dvd rental place when *i need it*. seriously, i’m crediting Him with that.
921. our lovely doctor who confirmed for me that i’m in the progress and process of healing!
922. this week has been shadowed with the Pike River mining tragedy – but in that people have shone, God has been our hope and it has the weight of destiny on it… can a nation be born in a day?
923. U2 doing a tribute to the pike river miners… in doing that they stand shoulder to shoulder with us. incredibly moved. and i wasnt at the concert even.
924. the bravery of the leadership involved making decisions at pike river, esp pike river coal CEO peter whitall, and supt gary knowles who fronted al the media briefings and family meetings. they made a stand with honour and compassion.
925. the compassionate sensitive media reports – esp reporters peter williams (who actually broke down while interviewing someone), jack tame (a young reporter who used words in a brilliant, moving way to paint the picture of emotion and feeling in greymouth), wendy petrie (on the news desk, giving us good summaries and commentary)
926. the way the country has wept with each other and stood shoulder to shoulder…
927. God our comfort
928. Psalm 121. i look to the hills, where does my help come from. it comes from God, maker of heaven and earth.
929. 72000 new zealanders clicked ATTENDING on a fb group that said they would light a candle and pray for the pike river families and miners and our nation. thats huge. i’m not going to underestimate what God can do.
930. lovely cuddles from my wee girl when she was sick. she just had a virus thing, but it made her extra cuddly. always like that.
931. jesus. so grateful for his love.
932. time at home alone today. to write, think, listen, pray.
933. generous family.
934. evangeline’s new divan bed. i’ve always wanted one. seriously.
935. breakthrough.
936. the courage of some people i know. i’m so blest to know amazing people.
937. book covers. i really like book covers.
938. steven furtick – i love his preaching and his book, not that i’ve read it. but i’ve googled quotes. particularly resonate with this one: We’re not interested in looking good, we only want Jesus seen & glorified through our lives.Steven Furtick
939. my brothers health – he had a collasped lung last week – yikes!
940. christmas is coming!
941. buying the perfect christmas gifts.
942. expressed love
943. reconcilliation. restoration. renewed relationships. wow, God does beautiful things!
944. prayer – knowing that even though i am not with a person at the other end of the country that God is.
945. philippians 2. awesome passage.
946. kumera. i like kumera. and strawberries. not at the same time though.
947. i like this blog. it satisfies all my visualness. A Beautiful Mess – i can so wish to go there one day. i really enjoy going to the blog – its like escaping to another beautiful world…
wow, nearly at 1000…
listening to: really enjoying rick pino, jesus culture, hothouse flowers and gateway worship… just a random mix of good worship that draws my heart to trust God more
coming up: am preaching at our young adults service this sunday night and so spending the next few days focused on praying and preparing…
on my heart: really captured by the pike river mining disastor – 29 men trapped, and then died. been watching the news updates every day for 5 days and praying. praying for hope. praying for rescue. praying that God would use this to turn our nation to Him. praying for the rescuers. praying for all those involved in a leadership capacity in making the hard decisions. praying for the church leaders and christians in greymouth that they would shine and have the right words in this time. terribly heartbreaking to be watching something else and have normal tv interupted with the news that a 2nd explosion had happened and that it was believed that the 29 men lost their lives. i even cried about it with my mum on the phone today. news men wept while giving interviews. 72,000 new zealanders said they would light a candle and pray in response to this event. continuing to pray that God would use this to turn our hearts to Him. praying also for the families of the 29 men lost.
watching: well right now the kids are watching Honey I Shrunk the Kids. quite funny actually. hubby and i watched The Blind Side the other night and i really enjoyed it and was moved by the tenacious spirit of the family and “big Mike”.
on the box: the event has started here in NZ. am enjoying it.
thinking about: the impossiblities of God:
"And he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27).
Joshua prayed and the sun stopped unti the battle was finished
Moses parting the red sea
The river Jordan parting for Joshua, Elijah and elisha
Fire falling from heaven upon mt carmel
Jonah and the whale
Noah’s ark
Sarah conceiving at the age of 100
The walls of jerico falling down
The supernatural deliverance of jehosaphat
The pillar of fire and cloud that led the Israelites in the desert
preaching: on sunday. about the impossibilities of God. hence my thinking about it lots. today i have been wriitng and worship and listening. listening to God and catching His heartbeat – catching what He wants me to say and why.
working on: like said, preaching on sunday, so working on my message. also working on our church mag – loving loving LOVING my new computer (a gift from some of my housegroupies) as its making it a wizzy job! and love how God draws me to images that create an emotional response in me – they’re the ones i choose.
read: have read blue like jazz by Donald Miller and the christian atheist by Craig Groeschel in the last week or so. both excellent books that i got heaps out of. both saying similar things in a way – that ordinary pew sitting christianity isnt real or right and that our belief in God isnt just a head thing but a heart life changing thing. now reading Heaven’s Wager (one of Ted Dekker’s books) which is very good and about to start Crazy Love by Francis Chan. i like books.
moved by: the courage and determination of my housegroupies. i so love them!
Recent Comments