I love your presence (Jenn Johnson)

Franklin D. Roosevelt - strength of spirit

A couple of weeks ago, I was channel surfing, and landed on the History Channel. It was airing the tail end of a documentary on Pearl Harbour, and I lingered because the story has always fascinated me. But the next programme was what got me hooked. It was about Franklin Delano Roosevelt - then President of the United States - at the time of the Pearl Harbour bombing.

Before watching the programme, I didn't know anything about FDR. After watching it, I was really taken by him, and felt that I needed to study more about his life. Throughout it all, I felt God was saying something to me - about how to develop a strong spirit.

But first, here are some nuggets about FDR, and why I consider him to have incredible strength of character:

1. He was president of the United States from 1933-1945, which meant he was leading the nation through one of its most difficult periods of history (The Great Depression, and World War II). The people were frightened, the nation was in an unprecedented and very troubled time, and he gave them leadership and hope.

2. At the age of 39, he was diagnosed with polio, which left him paralysed from the waist down. In the book "Character Above All" (Edited by Robert A Wilson), it is written: "The actor Gregory Peck recalled waiting at a harbor when he was a boy to catch his first glimpse of the President. Like most Americans, Peck had no idea that Roosevelt was a paraplegic. While he knew that Roosevelt had had polio when he was younger, he had no understanding of the full extent of his disability, no idea that he had to call for his valet every morning to help him get out of bed. Because there was an unspoken code of honor on the part of the press never to photograph the President looking crippled, never to show him helpless, never to show him on his crutches or in his wheelchair, most people simply assumed that the polio had left him a bit lame but that he could still walk on his own power.

"So when the young Gregory Peck stood on the dock that day and saw Roosevelt being carried off the boat like a child, he was so stunned that he started to cry. But then, Peck recalled, Roosevelt instantly put everyone at ease. As soon as he was placed in his chair, he put his hat on his head, placed his cigarette holder in his mouth, waved to the crowd, and smiled his dazzling smile, and suddenly Peck said, 'I started clapping and everything was fine. He seemed with every gesture to be saying, 'I'm not pitying myself, so why should you worry about me?"

His wife Eleanor Roosevelt called the polio "his trial by fire". "I think probably the thing that took most courage in his life was his mastery and meeting of polio. I never heard him complain. He just accepted it as one of those things that was given you as discipline in life." After his struggle with polio, he seemed less arrogant, less smug, less superficial, more focused, more complex, more interesting. "There had been a plowing up of his nature" Frances Perkins commented. "The man emerged completely warm-hearted, with new humility of spirit, and a firmer understanding of philosophical concepts."

When he died, the nation mourned greatly for him, which underlines just what a strong, well-loved leader he was in a time when the US was in the crucible of fire (and despite he having to deal with his own disability). The New York Times editorialised that "men will thank God on their knees a hundred years from now... that FDR was in the White House."

All this was fascinating to me. What gave FDR so much strength, that he could not only carry himself but an entire nation through a troubled time; and give himself and them hope to overcome? It is said that one of the most significant achievements of his presidency is "the renewal of courage and hope and faith of the American people".

In an essay of FDR by author Doris Kearns Goodwin, she says the strength came from "an inner well of serenity ... which proved to be an unending source of spiritual refreshment for Roosevelt".

An inner well of serenity. Those words jumped out at me. It is a stillness, a calmness, an inner peace in spite of the outer turmoil, an unshakeable confidence. It is about having an anchor for the soul.

The verse that keeps coming back to me is:
"I have set the Lord always before me,
Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved (shaken)." (Psalm 16:8)

I am definitely not there yet. But I know this is a quality that God wants to cultivate in His people. We cannot be spiritual warriors unless our hearts are still even when there is trouble all around.

This is an old song by Don Moen that I started to sing tonight - God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Amen.

I need you more (Kim Walker)

Beautiful, beautiful song, which expresses a deep, heartfelt love for the Lord!



I need You more, more than yesterday
I need You Lord, more than words can say
I need You more, than ever before
I need You Lord
I need You Lord

More than the air I breathe
More than the song I sing
More than the next heartbeat
More than anything
And Lord, as time goes by, I will be by your side
Cause I never want to go back to my old life.

We give you the highest praise...

Prophetic Worship (Views by Matt Redman)

There's a sense in which the prophetic flows from that place of Intimacy. You have to be close to God to hear His voice... He speaks with a whisper. He maybe shouts to His enemies but to His friends He whispers. If you want to sing, play or dance prophetically, it has to come out of place which is close to God.. where you hear His voice, you become His spokesperson.

The prophetic is that which reveals Jesus. In Revelation it tells us that the spirit of prophecy is "the" testimony of Jesus, it's that which reveals Jesus. We often think of the prophetic about revealing the future; but the prophetic is far more about revealing Jesus. The heart of the prophetic, the heart of God is to reveal Jesus. That can come about in so many different ways; you could reveal the heart of God through dance, a spontaneous song - 'a song of the Lord'. The effect of that spontaneity is that people are drawn closer to Jesus.

The prophetic could be that you really feel to play a song one day, an old song maybe, but you feel this is the song the for tonight; and you play it and it is the song for tonight That's prophetic, something happened there which revealed Jesus; it brought us into His Presence more and more... it revealed the heart of God. We mustn't fall into the trap of thinking that the prophetic is just one thing... silence could be prophetic. You hear the voice of God and you act in such a way that it brings people closer to Jesus. Prophetic playing may bring a time of intercession or compassion for the lost, but the effect is always ultimately to glorify Jesus.

Prophetic worship is not a new thing; the Psalms are great example of prophetic worship, they revealed the future and they also revealed Jesus. In 2 Kings 3:15 Elisha said, "Bring me a harpist, and while the harpist was playing the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha." People may have experienced that in a meeting; all you're doing is playing and it's revealing the Lord; the Presence of the Lord is being ushered in... just through playing.

Just in the same way that God speaks through creation; you see a lovely landscape and you think 'now I know there's a God, I can sense Him speak through these things'. It's the same in music; you can hear Him speak through music which is just another part of creation. God created it for His glory and His honour but it can be used in many different ways; even sometimes when someone is not playing it for the glory of God (example Dave Gilmore with Pink Floyd playing a big guitar solo) it points you towards the Lord. How much more so, we who are saved, with our music point people towards the Lord; usher them into His Presence. It allows peoples minds and their hearts and their spirits be stirred, even by the music alone. Again in the Old Testament; I Chronicles 25:3 it talks about Jeduthun's sons. It says they prophesied using the harp, thanking and praising the Lord.

It doesn't always have to be spontaneous. You maybe preparing for the meeting and you write a little song, and that song will only ever get sung in that meeting; it seems to be the song of the moment.. addressing something that is on the Lord's heart for that night

Sometimes we're just playing along, the worship time is just normal; and then into the worship leaders mind, or a dancer or musician, comes something. And because that's the thing on the Lord's heart for that moment, and that's how He's chosen to reveal Himself, suddenly something happens... there's a dynamic... you change gears as it were; you find yourself even deeper in the Lord's Presence.

A prophetic word will break through into your life. In the same way prophetic songs, dance, music will cause a breakthrough in a time of worship. People sit up and listen when you prophesy over them, a change occurs. It's the same in worship. People get ushered into the Lord's Presence through the prophetic in our playing or in our words. That's what we should be aiming for. Our aim is to put people in touch with God.

Playing or singing prophetically is like walking a tight rope; sometimes all I have is a line in my head and I think 'OK then, here we go'. The thing about walking a tight rope is that you mustn't look down. In the same way when stepping out in the prophetic keep look 'straight ahead' towards God. Keep focusing on the Lord, focusing towards Jesus. I keep my eyes shut personally, because there will always be a few people giving you a weird look. lf you lookdown and worry about falling you probably will.

The Bible says we only see in part when we prophecy. One day we'll see in full. Often with the prophetic we won't understand the whole of what we're singing or be consciously cognizant that we're not seeing the whole picture.

I was in Norway once and in the middle of the worship time I felt the Lord put the Michael Jackson song 'You are not alone, I am here with you' into my head. So I sang this song out and at the end of it I felt 'Oh no, what have I done', I thought - at least I'm in Norway, we'll be going home in a couple of days'. At the end of that I felt 'that was not from the Lord... your a prat.'. But then this lady comes up to me at the end and says 'I've been desperate for the Lord, I've been crying out for him and I came tonight In the car I said to God I felt so alone, where are You... You're not with me.'. That seemed to be the heart of God for that day... God will often leave the 99 to go after the 1.

The Throne Room (Graham Cooke)

Completely love this sharing by Graham Cooke - as it gives a new perspective on what to do with people who offend us. "God allows in his wisdom what he can easily prevent by his power." The difficult people He puts in our lives are there, many a time, to shape us. Lord, give us the grace to see things the way you see them.

Child of God (Kathryn Scott)

Beautiful beautiful song about the greatness of the Father's love for us.
Been attending the Father Heart conference in Singapore, and am once again reminded that it is only in knowing His love for us that we will be sustained through life's journey.
Love is the only thing worth living for and dying for.
It is such a privilege to be known and loved and held by God, now and forevermore. May we know this and drink of His everlasting love deeply.



With every breath, with every thought
From what is seen to the deepest part
I offer all that I’ve come to be
To know Your love Fathering me

Father You’re all I need
My soul’s sufficiency
My strength when I am weak
That love that carries me
Your arms enfold me, till I am only
A child of God

With every step on this journey’s walk
And wisdom’s songs that the soul has sought
I give myself unreservedly
To know Your love fathering me

The Way of the Warrior (Graham Cooke)

At the YWAM retreat, the Lord spoke to me about spiritual warfare - namely, that if we can be at rest in the spirit even amidst a storm, that is when we will overcome. It's something I still need to process, but Graham Cooke's The Way of the Warrior helps immensely in making sense of many things I am still pondering...



Spiritual warfare is primarily about discovering the sovereignty, supremacy and the majesty of Jesus and learning to track from heaven to earth, rather than earth to heaven.

The fruit of the spirit is a more powerful weapon against the enemy than the gifts of the spirit. The nature of God, which makes us Christ-like, is the very thing that overwhelms and defeats the enemy. Our circumstances are not the problem; it’s our perception of that which is the problem. When you are a warrior, you start with a perception that comes direct from heaven.

When you deliberately align yourself with how you are known in heaven, how you are perceived in heaven, what your identity is that comes to you from heaven, you step into a place of agreement, you step into that place of alignment, and the intentionality of that identity. And it is your identity that opens up a way for you to experience and come into your destiny, what you were created for, what your role is in the earth, what your persona is in terms of how you’re known in heaven. When you begin to deliberately align yourself with how God sees you, that’s when you notice that the intentionality of God himself flows into your life in such a powerful way that you become significant even when you’re not trying to.

I find the last quote, in particular, very interesting. How does God see you? Ask him! I have found that His view is always refreshing! And He always think of us very highly, because we are much loved by Him.

Reflections on YWAM The Call (One Body, many parts)

Attended the YWAM - The Call retreat over a week ago. It was an awesome four days with the Lord, and I count it a great honour and privilege to have journeyed with the organising committee and walked with them as a prayer partner throughout this time. It is especially a privilege for me because despite my rather tenuous link with YWAM, they took me into their fold. It gave me a behind-the-scenes picture of the preparation work behind this amazing retreat, and has taught me so much!

One big reason the retreat was so awesome is that from the start, the Holy Spirit was given plenty of room to have His way. Unlike pre-planned or pre-programmed meetings, there was a large dose of listening to God, to hear what He wanted, before moving out. It was, as far as we could, letting God set His agenda. It required a new paradigm to how we Singaporeans, consummate planners that we are, do meetings. As an example, on Day 2, I asked the organising team who would lead worship on Day 3, and was shocked that they hadn't yet firmed this up. I was panicking on their behalf, but they hadn't finalised the team because God hadn't spoken. Hence, they weren't going to move in presumption. Wow.

Because I had the privilege of praying with the organising team, and was privy to their pre-gathering discussions, one thing that struck me was how we sometimes had to launch out in faith with God alone as our safety net. Before one particular session on worship, the team had met (like we always did), to pray and ask God how He wanted us to run the session. The collective, corporate revelation we had was probably only 50%, when it was time for the session to begin. Again, if I was leading this session, I would have panicked! The Lord had given us revelation to start the session, but no sense of how to run the middle or end part! We had to trust that He would take the reins and glorify Himself through it. It turned out to be one of the most breathtaking sessions of all, because I believe the Holy Spirit honoured the team for giving Him the freedom to move.

One other big learning is something the Lord has been teaching me these past months -of the preciousness of the Body (One Body, many parts) walking together. For me, this was just precious to behold:

1. Prophetic minstrels - the sessions were phenomenal because the worship was incredible. The worship leaders, with their talent and giftings, yielded up to the Lord, were able to bring us into the Holy of Holies, the very throne room of God. They were hearing God as much as the intercessors were, and ushering in the presence of God through song. One worship leader, a friend of mine, broke into prophetic song for the very first time in her life, and it was one of the most ministering songs I've heard in a long time. They blessed us with their anointing.

2. Intercessors - In "The Kneeling Christian", which I have been recently reading, one quote has just stuck in my head. The author said, "All fruitfulness in service is the outcome of prayer - of the worker's prayers, or of those who are holding up holy hands on his behalf." Before one of the sessions, the worship leader asked the intercessors to pray during the worship. In his words, he said, "Throughout the entire practice session, I feel that the arrow has been missing the mark, and what is needed for the arrow to hit the target is intercession." I was floored by his humility, of his recognition of the importance of prayer fuelling worship. It turned out to be one of the most incredible worship times over the four days.

3. The teachers - After the worship, we had the word, and this was brought to us by very anointed teachers, who knew how to rightly divide the word of truth

4. The "grandparents" - In a meeting that is run so much by hearing God's voice, how is abuse prevented? How do we know we are hearing rightly, and not being deceived by our hearts? This is where the "grandparents" come in - the ones who have walked with the Lord for many more years, who have developed a deep intimacy with God, who have honed their discernment. They are there to protect us, and it is to their wisdom and counsel that we submit.

5. The nations - In this meeting, there were over 20 nations represented, and one thing the Lord is increasingly showing me is that there is a glory that is unveiled when the nations walk together. He has gifted each nation with its own unique anointing, and when we serve each other (as individuals, corporately, or as nations), it brings delight to His heart. As a case in point, on one of the days, the teaching was on freedom, and the breaking of chains. There were 4 Samoans in the meeting, and in one of the sessions, they felt led by God to do a Haka (a warrior dance), to symbolically war for the breaking of strongholds. When they did so, the spiritual atmosphere changed; it was highly charged, and I believe chains were broken that night.

"God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body." (1 Cor 12:18-19)

I have been greatly blessed because all the members of the body, diverse as we are, walked in our various giftings, and served the others according to our anointings. That partnership is precious, and I believe, brings the corporate church into a greater measure of the fullness of Christ.

The Father's Love (Matt Redman)

I heard this song at the YWAM Associates retreat over the past four days, and have been playing it over and over again since. I find it so incredibly ministering ... and have broken down in tears just listening to it, and to know just how much God loves us. Over the last few days, one of the things I discovered about God is that what pleases Him is to see His children be just who He created them to be. At the meeting, we had 4 Samoans. These indigenous people have a special anointing, I believe, as a warring tribe. When one of the Samoans, a huge man, danced his native warrior dance in honour of the Lord, I could feel God's delight all over. It breaks my heart to know He loves us, he loves us, he loves us. We don't need to perform to earn that love, He loves us because we are His.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

The Father's Love

I have heard so many songs
Listened to a thousand tongues
But there is one
That sounds above them all
[Sounds above them all]

The Father's song
The Father's love
You sung it over me and for eternity
It's written on my heart

CHORUS

It's Heaven's perfect mystery
The king of love has sent for me
And now you're singing over me
The Father's song

The ACS Clock Tower Revival of 1972

For a while now, I've heard snippets of the Clock Tower Revival at ACS Barker in the 1970s, but they have just been bits and pieces. So when a friend passed me a little booklet "The Clock Tower Story: The Beginnings of the Charismatic Renewals in Singapore" (edited by Michael Poon and Malcolm Tan), it was exciting to me. Finally! Here was the complete story of what transpired at ACS so many years ago, when the Holy Spirit fell upon a bunch of young boys, whose lives were so indelibly changed, that a number of them became pastors in the Methodist Church in Singapore.

In a nutshell, the ACS Clock Tower was a place where groups of students gathered together for regular prayer. In 1972, the Holy Spirit moved upon the students "in a dramatic way ... the result was similar to the experience of the apostles at Pentecost". Nearly 30 years later, the students described it as "a move of God", "outpouring of the Holy Spirit", "baptism of the Holy Spirit", and "speaking in tongues". It was such a big thing at that time that two articles appeared in The Straits Times.

Given I have been thinking about revival for some time, here are some thoughts as I read this account that happened in Singapore nearly 40 years ago:

1. A prayer movement preceded the revival. As Malcolm Tan recounted it, "It cannot be denied that there was a very powerful prayer movement that was going on here in school prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And if you walked up Barker Road Hill in those days, you will see groups of ACS boys - five, three, four - just praying in the sanctuary of the Barker Road Methodist Church. Not only was the church full, but also the clock tower was full. Boys were meeting and praying."

2. There was such a tremendous zeal for prayer, the students used every opportunity -recess-time, before school hours, after school hours, to cry out to the Lord. I believe that God cannot resist the hunger and thirst for Him. As Noel Goh put it, in 1971, "we started to gather to pray, and we prayed every recess. Every recess, we would run to the clock tower. And when we hear the bell, we would quickly say 'Amen' and run back. It was quite a distance back to the Pre-U block. We would just be on time there panting away in the classroom".

"Sometimes, we would come before seven o'clock to pray before school starts. If we did not have prefect duties, and other duties, sometimes we would also stay back after school to pray. I remember we used the church garage. We took chairs there after school and would kneel there to pray until four or five o'clock and then go back."

3. Conditions must be right for the Holy Spirit outpouring. Some lay down their lives to lay the foundations for this, and it is only the ones that come after who enjoy the fullness of God. We must always honour the ones who go before us, because truly, their ceiling is our floor. Revival comes when the different generations are as one.

Malcolm Tan: "I wish you could feel the spiritual fervour in those days as people like Noel Goh, who led us in the Christian Fellowship. They were into Scripture memory, personal evangelism and prayer. And they influenced us in the younger generation."

Tan Khian Seng: "Rev Noel Goh was like John the Baptist who blazed the trail in the prayer movement. When he vacated the clock tower because he was slightly older, we took over."

4. If our experience does not square with the Scriptures, it is not because the Scriptures are wrong. The boys, who came from a Methodist background, did not know the Holy Spirit, having come from a more traditional conservative environment. But "they searched the Scriptures", and were convinced that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was right and true. Given this, they pressed in to God, asking that if this was true, that He should make it real in their lives. God responded to this, as He would. I love the simple faith expressed by Tan Khong Chew, "We went into the Word, took it at face value, and claimed the promises that God has given us. We began to see things happening in our lives."

5. Genuine moves of God can meet with tremendous opposition, both from the world and even the church itself. The Straits Times on 7 Nov 1972 reported that "some students who have been taking part in religious meetings after school hours have ended up either in hysterics or in a trance".

This doesn't surprise me. The world doesn't interpret the church, the word interprets the world. So when the world interprets the church, is it any surprise that it condemns or derides that which it doesn't understand?

But what was stunning to me was that the church condemned this movement too. In the ST report on 11 Nov, it was said that church leaders at 4 mainline Protestant churches likened the renewal to "a certain religious cult with unhealthy practices ... the trouble with young people is that they think it is a great experience to end up in hysterics".

6. God works behind the scenes to take care of all our needs. He prepares the way in advance, knowing what we need. After the clock tower revival, the school authorities clamped down on the boys meeting, so that they could mostly only meet with a teacher present. As one of the boys said, "Because most teachers were not willing to be with us, we could not meet."

Funny thing is that at this time, a Rev Hugh Baker, a veteran Pentescostal preacher, had his beautiful premises at Clemenceau Avenue taken away and he and his wife had to move to Bukit Timah. Said Rev Baker, "My wife and I were talking about this move, and we said certainly God must be going to do something great. We did not know about all of what was happening in ACS at that time." Because Rev Baker's centre was near ACS, he was the one who opened his house to the boys, and ministered to them often, teaching them about the things of the Holy Spirit.

7. Ps Melvin Huang: The hunger for the word, the hunger for prayer and the desire to preach the Gospel were the hallmarks of the revival.

8. I thought this musing by Rev Baker sums up this little known but glorious moment of history in ACS, which then spread across Singapore, and across denominations, beautifully:

"There is nothing in ourselves that merits anything from God. But God in His mercy and his grace and love sees the hunger of our hearts and the channel that is open for the moving of His Holy Spirit. And He begins to pour His Spirit into that channel and that begins to spread out. God was looking for channels.

"He found channels in ACS. He found channels in Swiss Cottage. He found channels in the Anglican Church. He found channels in the Methodist Church. He found channels in the Catholic Church. He found channels in the Baptist Church. And that's a miracle. He found people who were willing to be channels the Holy Spirit could move through. And in moving through, we begin to touch lives."

Finally, love this prayer as prayed by Rev Baker.

"Father, here I am. I just want to be the channel that you can use to ignite the revival that will not only spread across Singapore but will spread out to the rest of the world. And the world will come to know the glory, the majesty and power of your name. And the free flow of your Holy Spirit will demonstrate to the world the power of a living Christ. Thank you, Father, thank you, Father, thank you, Father."

To read about how the ACS clocktower revival was the epicentre of the 1970s charismatic renewal, click here.

The Cambridge Seven

Today, I found out about a group of men known as the "Cambridge Seven", who gave their lives to the cause of Christ and became missionaries in China. Am deeply, deeply inspired by this, since they are from my alma mata. At their lives' end, all of them had run the race well, having stayed true to their original vision to evangelise Christ.

But what is equally inspiring is the story of Harold Schofield, of whom it is said prayed "night after night" to God to send labourers into the harvest field. Surely he who prays (and moves the hand of God) - and he who is sent - both labour equally. Am praying that I, like the Cambridge Seven, will view with right perspective the all-surpassing greatness of giving my life to His cause. He is worthy.

------
The Cambridge Seven (Reproduced from an article by Anthony B. Wong)

The seven young men who came to be known as "The Cambridge Seven" were all Englishmen, but the story of how God used this handful of students really begins in China, with a medical missionary named Dr. Harold Schofield. Dr. Schofield was a member of the China Inland Mission, the first Protestant mission allowed to penetrate into the interior of China and it was the mission pioneered by Hudson Taylor in 1866. Dr. Schofield had been a brilliant young doctor at Oxford who gave his life to Jesus and at the age of 29, God sent him to China as a missionary.

There was nothing glamorous about missionary life in the interior of China. The stench of dung, mingled with the stench of unwashed bodies was everywhere. Disease was common, especially among the poor, peasant class, and in fact, Dr. Schofield would later die from typhus, contracted in his mission field. At the time, few in England were interested in China mission. Fewer still had even heard of Hudson Taylor's China Inland Mission and the handful who did go to China were not university men, "trained in mind and body for leadership." Students in the universities were not interested in foreign missions and actually, there were not many students who were deeply interested in Jesus. Of the university students who had answered God's call to be missionaries, they wanted to follow the paths blazed by Dr. David Livingstone in Africa or the footsteps of William Carey in India.

As Dr. Schofield surveyed the province (Shansi) in which he lived, with its nine million unsaved heathen Chinese and only five or six missionaries total, combined with the sleeping church back in England, he should have packed up his bags and went home in utter defeat.

However, Dr. Schofield was a man of prayer and so night after night, "leaving behind food and leisure," he got on his knees and prayed that God would raise up Bible teachers and shepherds, especially from the universities and send them to China as missionaries. When Dr. Schofield died, he did not physically see much answer to his prayer. But God was working in such a way as not only to answer one man's faith and prayer but to awaken an entire nation from its spiritual slumber.

Brian Doerksen: Resting place

This beautiful song is based on Isaiah 66. It blows my mind that God desires to dwell among men. He says "where will my resting place be"? In Genesis, God walks with men in the garden in the cool of the evening. After man sins, the entire bible chronicles God's singular mission to reconcile man to Himself through the death of Christ, so He can dwell with us once again.

Rev 21 shows His heartbeat and what happens at the End of the Age: "Then I saw 'a new heaven and a new earth' for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."

I am just awestruck by the Father's great love for us!

While that is what happens at the story's end, in the meantime, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. What an amazing privilege that God Himself should dwell with us, in our hearts!



Heaven is my throne
And earth is my footstool
Where is the house you will build for me?
Whom of you will hear the cry of my heart?
Where will my resting place be?

Here Oh Lord
Have I prepared for You a home
Long have I desired for You to dwell
Here Oh Lord
Have I prepared a resting place
Here Oh Lord I wait for You alone

Running in a time of acceleration

Of late, there seems to be an acceleration of events around us. A sense of the need to fasten one's seatbelt, because of the time compression all about us. God is fast-forwarding events, and also His saints, because time is short.

I am reminded of a couple of verses where God says RUN! (not meandering about, or taking a leisurely stroll, but RUN!)

In Habbakuk 2:2-3, for example, He says, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

Or Jeremiah 12:5, which is all about running with horses. Horses! "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

Interestingly, Elijah in 1 Kings actually outran King Ahab in his chariot... which must surely count as a miracle. It is a lesson in the supernatural strength and enablement that only the Holy Spirit can give.

Then there is what I call Holy Spirit transportation, which is even faster, as illustrated in Philip's encounter with the Ethopian eunuch in Acts. After Philip explained the gospel to him, and baptised him in a pool of water, "the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus."

The closer we get to the end of the age and the imminent return of Jesus, the shorter time becomes. The time is coming when seed time and harvest will be the same time. The speed at which souls are swept into the kingdom will take place at an unprecedented pace!

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman, and the planter by the one treading grapes." (Amos 9:13)

God says in 2 Tim 4:2 "Be ready in season and out of season." If we are called upon to be ready even out of season, then how more so in this season of acceleration. Lord, make us ready to partner you for this great work of yours that is coming upon us! In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living your prophetic destiny (Graham Cooke)

All of the tests you presently face are there to develop you into the person you need to be to live your destiny. Everything you are going through has been aligned by God to forge you into the person He has called you to be. Your destiny is unfolding before your very eyes. You have a battle to win, and He must prepare you for it.

When we embrace the idea that God has a plan for us, no issue should be able to stop us. The statement, “This situation will be the death of me,” is completely incorrect. The truth is that this situation will make you into who you are destined to be.

God partners with our present situation to prepare us for the future He has designed. He uses every test, every challenge, every hurdle, every issue to sharpen us for what is to come.

We can use the prophecies over our life to navigate our way through our present circumstance. God wants to establish intimacy as a way of life. He wants to cover us in His favor. This process starts by God establishing the fact that He is our source. Quietly and deliberately, God will strip away every crutch we have been relying on and obliterate anything that detracts from His ability to provide for us.

He wants to take away the false sense of security most of us have been clinging to. God is not in the business of playing second fiddle to anything—and certainly not to the many ways we try and take care of ourselves.

Lesson one is to go into the future and bring back the traits and intimacy we will need to fulfill our destiny. We must understand what that intimacy will look like. How must our relationship with God evolve and grow in order for us to become the person He has destined us to be?

When I was 31 years old, I had a dream about the kind of relationship with God I would have when I was 45. It was so alluring, so magnificent, so amazing, that I did not want to wait 14 years to get there. I was so hungry when I woke up that I immediately began to pray for that kind of intimacy to happen right away. I discovered something in the process of fighting for that word—I didn’t have to wait until I was 45 for it to come to pass. I had been looking prophetically at a 45-year-old who had lived in that intimacy for ten years!

Our timeline is not always God’s timeline. He often wants to bring breakthrough far sooner than we dare hope. I wanted that intimacy at age 31, thanks to God creating a deep hunger in me for it. I thought about it, meditated on it, prayed for it, and began to come into powerful times of worship. An hour worshipping God would turn into two and then three and sometimes six. I desperately wanted to know God, and God always answers an extreme desire for intimacy.

Prophetic words come to pass as our intimacy and reliance on God develops. Intimacy is a part of our destiny. Look at the prophetic words over your life and ask yourself about the intimacy you will need to live in that kind of wonder. Become hungry for that relationship, and your destiny will come into focus.

In Genesis 18:9, God says a remarkably simple thing about Abraham, His dear friend: “I have known him,” (NKJV). God wants that same intimacy with us, and has guaranteed that it can occur through the love and motivation of Jesus. Intimacy draws us and keeps us in the presence of God. Jesus taught on the importance of this relationship in John 15:4-5—Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Intimacy is a reciprocal act; there is exchange and dialogue. It is not a one-way street. There is interaction between us and the Lord Jesus, and that interaction results in us staying, dwelling, and remaining where God has put us in Christ.

The enemy wants to knock us out of that place of intimacy. He knows how key that relationship is to everything the Lord wants to accomplish, so he tries to poison it from the start. Without water, a seed won’t grow; the enemy wants to kill the seed of our destiny before we grow even a single inch. But our job is to be so established in an intimate relationship with God that nothing can come between us and Him.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,” David sang in Psalm 139:23-24. That is the very crux of intimacy—allowing God to look deep into us and remove any blockage between Him and us. Everything in our lives, every situation we go through, is about growing our intimacy with God.

Tough love

Just last week, a tumour started growing on the foot of Tom Yam, my pet hamster. Took him to the vet, and because he's a small creature, surgery isn't quite an option. Amputation is, and the vet assured me that Tom Yam's quality of life would still be pretty good even if he were down to three legs. But we thought we would defer that drastic move. In the meantime, I am to swab the tumour every day with a disinfectant to prevent an infection.

I know it hurts or stings badly when I swab the foot because Tom Yam struggles and winces every time. The other day, this mildest of hamsters even bit me because I insisted on putting him through the pain for his own good. It was the first time he ever bit me, probably because he really wanted me to stop putting him through pain.

It reminded me of this principle: In the fire, and trial, it really is about understanding and trusting God's love. It may be tough love. But it is love alright.

Graham Cooke writes:

"If we really are going to rise to a place where our own personal anointing and faith level is high, then we need to know what real communion with God is. All ministry comes out of relationship. Power comes out of suffering and anointing comes out of intimacy. It is in communion with God that we learn how to humble ourselves under His hand. There is no point in complaining.

In communion, the Lord works a new level of intimacy into our lives. Standing still under the hand of God, wanting His will to be fulfilled no matter what cost to ourselves, is one of the most intimate responses we can make to Him. Kneeling down to kiss the hand that hurts creates an intimacy that truly glorifies God."

I baulked when I heard the line "kneeling down to kiss the hand that hurts creates an intimacy that truly glorifies God", because it is so hard to do! When God is stripping away the things in our lives that hinder love, it will hurt. And it will hurt bad. The human tendency is to resist, to decry the process. Would it be that we will have the grace to endure, knowing that when God puts us through a stripping process, it is only out of love.

Revival: Don't Substitute Praying for Obeying (Tozer)

So Samuel said: "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." (Samuel 15:22)

Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of
late-and how little revival has resulted?

Considering the volume of prayer that is ascending these days, rivers
of revival should be flowing in blessing throughout the land. That
no such results are in evidence should not discourage us; rather it
should stir us to find out why our prayers are not answered....

I believe our problem is that we have been trying to substitute
praying for obeying; and it simply will not work....

Prayer is never an acceptable substitute for obedience. The sovereign
Lord accepts no offering from His creatures that is not accompanied
by obedience. To pray for revival while ignoring or actually flouting
the plain precept laid down in the Scriptures is to waste a lot of
words and get nothing for our trouble.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; show me any wicked way that
needs to be corrected in my own life before revival can come. I'm
praying for revival; help me to also be obeying. Amen."

Longing for the fire to fall

Many of us long to be baptised in the Holy Spirit - for His fire to fall on us - the same way it was at Pentecost.

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:1)

The Old Testament equivalent is this: after Solomon had finished dedicating the temple through prayer, "fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple". (2 Chronicles 7:1)

In the New Testament, we are meant to be that sacrifice. "I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1)

Tamara Winslow writes: "OT worshippers expected fire to fall. Heavenly fire fell on acceptable sacrifices, and if it didn't fall, for some reason, heaven didn't approve of the offering. The acceptable sacrifice is like a magnet, attracting God's approval and fire (Acts 2:1-3), Holy Spirit visitation and outpouring."

Here are some questions to ponder:
1. Why doesn't the fire tangibly and visibly fall today?
2. Have we failed to offer sacrifices that are pleasing to God?
3. Per AW Tozer's devotional message below, if the fire were to fall, will it give off a sweet smell or a rancid one?

Worship with a stench - AW Tozer

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil. --Isaiah 1:16

Let us suppose we are back in the old days of the high priest, who took incense into the sanctum and went behind the veil and offered it there. And let us suppose that rubber - the worst-smelling thing I can think of when it burns - had been available in those days. Let us suppose that chips of rubber had been mixed with the incense, so that instead of the pure smoke of the spices filling the temple with sweet perfume, there had been the black, angry, rancid smell of rubber mixed with it. How could a priest worship God by mixing with the sweet-smelling ingredients some foul ingredient that would be a stench in the nostrils of priest and people?

So how can we worship God acceptably when there is within our nature something that, when it catches on fire, gives off not a fragrance but a smell? How can we hope to worship God acceptably when there is something in our nature which is undisciplined, uncorrected, unpurged, unpurified - which is evil and which will not and cannot worship God acceptably? Even granted that a man with evil ingredients in his nature might with some part of him worship God half acceptably, what kind of a way is that to live?

"Purify my heart. Bring to my remembrance anything that might be a stench in Your holy nostrils. Cleanse me, that my worship this morning might be a sweet perfume, pleasing to You in every way. Amen."

Whom God confides in

Today's reading from Ellel's Peter Horrobin is a great reminder of the privilege that we as children of God have - that of hearing the voice of our God. But it is also a reminder that the measure by which God confides in us is in proportion to the measure by which we are in right relationship with Him.

In Genesis 18, God says something that is remarkable to me! God has decided to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. And this is the Lord of all the Earth. But before He carries out his plans, it seems that He feels compelled to share His heart with a man. Not just any man though, but with Abraham, whom God says will "keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just".

Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[c] 19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

Here's what Peter Horrobin says:

“The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
Psalm 25:14, NIV

When you confide in someone, you are doing two things. Firstly you are trusting them and secondly, you are sharing with them things that you wouldn’t necessarily want anyone else to know about. This remarkable verse expresses an incredible and amazing truth - that the living God, the Creator of the Universe wants to trust us and share with each one of us personally in just this way!

He wants to trust us and then He wants to share with us things that are precious and important to us that are not for anyone else to hear. But if we want to be one of those who is able to hear the Lord speaking in this sort of way - and sharing His heart with us, then there is a condition that we need to fulfil. It’s a very simple one - have we learned to “fear the Lord”?

When someone fears the Lord, they are not afraid of Him because he’s a frightening person. But because they love Him they will always seek to walk in His ways. Their first choice will always be to do those things that please Him. And it is to these that the Lord reveals the blessings that are to be enjoyed through understanding His covenant. Someone who has the ear of the Lord will not need to be alarmed, in case they accidentally transgress the commandments of God - for they will constantly be aware of the Lord’s gentle confiding voice showing them what is right and what is wrong, what is within God’s covenant provisions and what is not.

It is through this profound principle of covenant relationship with God that we are able to enjoy the guidance of the Lord in all of life’s many different circumstances. I can think back to times when I chose not to listen to God’s confiding voice and do my own thing - always those were proven to be bad decisions. I learned the hard way that the only key to guidance that really matters is also the key to being in relationship with the Lord - enjoying life living in holy fear of a holy God. Then the promise of the second part of the verse can be fulfilled - as our eyes are always on Him, the Lord will release us from snares laid on our pathway by the enemy of souls. No wonder Isaiah said that the Sovereign Lord would come to “proclaim freedom for the captives” (Isaiah 61:1)

Prayer: Lord, I would love to hear Your confiding voice, as you share with me Your truths and lead me along the path of righteousness. Help me to desire above all else to walk day by day within the provisions of Your covenant blessings. In Jesus Name, Amen.

The Secret Place

It's interesting that in Matthew 6, Jesus teaches that giving, fasting and prayer should be done in secret.

In reference to these three things, He says, do them in secret. "Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

There is a place of hiddenness, a secret place, where God builds character, in order that the man of His choosing might be able to carry the anointing. It is a place where away from the gaze of others, He builds a deep foundation in His children, in order that they may carry His giftings.

It was so with Elijah, whom God hid at the Brook Cherith and in the widow's house for 3 years, before he came forth in power to take on the prophets of Baal on a single day.

It was so for Moses, who was hidden in the desert for 40 years, before he was used as an instrument to liberate the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery.

It was so for Jesus, whose preparation took 30 years, for 3 years of public ministry.

I like this quote by Leonard Ravenhill on the prophet.

"He walks before men for days but has walked before God for years."

It is in the place of hiddenness, the secret place, in communion with the Lord that God prepares His children to do mighty exploits.

It is only they that know their God who do mighty exploits for Him (Daniel 11:32). Would it be that we are a people of the secret place.

Blessings (Laura Story)

Blessings

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

At the foot of the Cross (Kathryn Scott)

As sinners, we are a people bound for eternal damnation. As a holy and righteous God, God cannot let sin go unpunished. According to the Bible, the wages of sin is death. But in His great love, God decides to spare the sinner. So He finds a substitute instead. Someone to take our place. Someone to bear the punishment in our stead. God the Father chooses to crush His son, Jesus, to reconcile ourselves to Him. Not only does He save us out of darkness into His marvellous light, when we give our lives to God, and accept His gift of life, He adopts us into His family. And calls us sons and daughters of God, with a full inheritance, and the resources of Heaven behind us. Imagine that! Truly, now we can trade our ashes in for beauty!

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5)

Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved (Acts 2:21)

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

We are saved into God's family!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

Intimacy with God

Oswald Chambers says:

"It is an incontrovertible fact that some Christians seem to experience a much closer intimacy with God than others. They appear to enjoy a reverent familiarity with Him that is foreign to us. Is it a matter of favoritism on the part of God? Or do such people qualify in some way for that desirable intimacy?

Both Scripture and experience teach that it is we, not God, who determines the degree of intimacy with Him that we enjoy. We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be. We are now, and we will be in the future, only as intimate with God as we really choose to be.”

When I think about the Lord

When I Think about the Lord
How He saved me, how He raised me
how He filled me, with the Holy Ghost
How He healed me, to the uttermost

When I Think about the Lord
how He picked me up and turned me around
how He placed my feet on solid ground

Chrous

It makes me wanna shout
Hallelujah
Thank you Jesus
LORD, you're worthy, of all the glory, and all the honor
and all the praise

God hear the prayers of the humble (Peter Horrobin)

Then (the angel) continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel.. Since the first day when you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.”
Daniel 10:12, NIV

Our first thoughts when someone mentions the name Daniel are usually about the story of what happened when he was thrown into the lion’s den as a punishment for not bowing down to an idol. Daniel was more concerned about his relationship with God than he was about his own personal safety. Daniel’s relationship with God was lived out at an unusual level of intimacy and fellowship. He wasn’t interested in protecting himself if it meant that he would be betraying the God he loved. What an example he is to us all.

Through his well-established pattern of living in relational obedience to the Lord, Daniel had grow into having an unusual level of awareness of the spiritual realms. He was able to hear and understand what God was saying through dreams and visions and at times he was able to see the angelic beings and hear what God was saying to him through them. And when Daniel prayed it was as if there was an open door into the heavenly realms - he had an exceptional level of earned authority with the Lord. When he prayed - things happened!

In our Scripture for today we discover the key to Daniel’s effectiveness as an intercessor - as a man who could not only speak to God in prayer, but who also heard God’s answers with amazing clarity - whether those answers came to him directly from God or through the intervention of God’s angelic messenger, as happened here in Daniel 10.

The key is one that is there for each and every one of us to use! The key of humility! Humility is the opposite of pride. Pride says, ‘I know best’. In pride people rise up in their own authority, oblivious to the fact that there is a higher authority than any human authority. Humility recognises that God is the source of all power and all authority and that as we come before Him, in holy fear of the Lord, then we are putting ourselves in the place where our ears can be open to hear His voice in response to our prayers and intercessions. Derek Prince used to say, ‘The way down is the way up.’ Daniel was a dynamic example of how when he humbled himself before the Lord, God raised him up!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the example of Daniel and for his humble submission to your authority. Help me, Lord, to walk in a similar way in my own life, recognising that pride is a barrier to effective prayer and that humility opens the doors of the heavens to those who know and love the Lord. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Today's Writer : Peter Horrobin Peter Horrobin is the Founding and International Director of Ellel Ministries. He has now written and is currently developing Ellel 365 – a completely new online training school. This is specifically designed to help people understand and apply the practical truths of God’s Word into their lives. Already there have been many remarkable testimonies of what God is doing in people’s lives. The Ellel 365 website has now been completely updated. To take a look for yourself click on the Ellel 365 link on this page.

Show me your face, Lord (Paul Wilbur)

It says in Exodus 33, "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." Wow. Would I want to be known as God's friend.

What was Moses' secret? I believe that it is that above all things, He wanted to know God.

And Moses said to God, "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you."

Would we yearn, above all things, for intimacy with God.

This song by Paul Wilbur just beautifully captures the prayer of my heart.



Moses stood on the mountain
Waiting for You to pass by
You placed Your hand over his face
In Your presence he wouldn't die
All Israel saw your glory
and it shines down through the Age
and you call us to boldly seek your face

Show me your face Lord
Show me your face
And then gird up my legs
that I might stand in this holy place
Show me your face Lord
Your power and your grace -
I will make it to the end
If I could just see your face.

David knew there was something more
than the Ark of Your presence
In a manger Messiah was born
amongst Kings and peasants
All Israel saw the glory
and it shines down through the Age
Now you've called us o boldly seek your face

Parable of the 10 virgins

For a while now, I've been attending classes held at One Thing Ministries in Singapore, which seeks to set up a 24/7 prayer house in the land. The ministry emphasises two streams - the End Times, and intimacy with God. Both resonate deeply with me, the first because it's hard not to sense through world events that we are in the last of the last days. And the second, because as Ps Kay Cheong of One Thing Ministries would say, How can we be sure, when we see the unprecedented darkness of the last days, that we will not get offended with God? The God most of us know is a God of mercy and love. But Jesus when He comes again will also be Judge, King and Bridegroom. In Psalms 2 and Revelation 19, Jesus is described as having an iron rod and an iron sceptre, respectively. So how will we be sure we won't be offended by Him when we pray for mercy and see judgement, destruction and carnage? By knowing His heart, growing in intimacy, or in other words, "buying oil" now.

Ps Kay Cheong's teaching on "The Parable of the 10 virgins" is what the Church desperately needs to hear in this hour. It is a heart piercing teaching about what we need to do to prepare ourselves, so we don't miss out on partnering Jesus in the greatest revival the earth will see. It pierced my heart. Listen to this teaching - it will change your paradigm about living in these End Times.

Making sense of what's happening in Egypt in light of End-Time prophecy

In February, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in an uprising. Despite being a strongman, under his rulership, Egypt was an ally of Israel. It will be interesting to see what next for Egypt, now that he is no longer in power. In Isaiah 19, there is a verse that speaks of Egypt's redemptive place in God's plan. What is notable is that God calls Egypt "my people" and it says that Egypt and Assyria will worship together with Israel the third.

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. 24 In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing[b] on the earth. 25 The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:23-25)

Ps Kay Chong of One Thing Ministries helps to distill God's End-Time plan for Egypt, and to make sense of what will ultimately happen in fulfilment of Biblical prophecy. To listen to it, click here.

Love Came Down by Brian Johnson

What a wonderful song!



Love Came Down by Brian Johnson

Verse 1

If my heart is overwhelmed and I cannot hear your voice
I hold onto what is true, though I cannot see
If the storms of life they come, and the road ahead gets steep
I will lift these hands in faith, I will believe

Pre-Chorus
I remind myself of all that you’ve done

And the life I have because of your son
Chorus
Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am yours
I am forever yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out and remind my soul
I am yours
I am forever yours

Verse 2

When my heart is filled with hope, and every promise comes my way
When I feel your hands of grace, rest upon me
Staying desperate for you God, Staying humbled at your feet
I will lift these hands and praise, I will believe

Prepared for the Coming Tribulation (Corrie Ten Boom)

“The world is deathly ill. It is dying. The Great Physician has already signed the death certificate. Yet there is still a great work for Christians to do. They are to be streams of living water, channels of mercy to those who are still in the world. It is possible for them to do this because they are overcomers.

Christians are ambassadors for Christ. They are representatives from Heaven to this dying world. And because of our presence here, things will change.

My sister, Betsy, and I were in the Nazi concentration camp at Ravensbruck because we committed the crime of loving Jews. Seven hundred of us from Holland, France, Russia, Poland and Belgium were herded into a room built for two hundred. As far as I knew, Betsy and I were the only two representatives of Heaven in that room.

We may have been the Lords only representatives in that place of hatred, yet because of our presence there, things changed. Jesus said, In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. We too, are to be overcomers – bringing the light of Jesus into a world filled with darkness and hate.

Sometimes I get frightened as I read the Bible, and as I look in this world and see all of the tribulation and persecution promised by the Bible coming true. Now I can tell you, though, if you too are afraid, that I have just read the last pages. I can now come to shouting Hallelujah! Hallelujah! for I have found where it is written that Jesus said, He that overcometh shall inherit all things: and I will be His God, and he shall be My son. This is the future and hope of this world. Not that the world will survive – but that we shall be overcomers in the midst of a dying world.

Betsy and I, in the concentration camp, prayed that God would heal Betsy who was so weak and sick. Yes, the Lord will heal me, Betsy said with confidence. She died the next day and I could not understand it. They laid her thin body on the concrete floor along with all the other corpses of the women who died that day.

It was hard for me to understand, to believe that God had a purpose for all that. Yet because of Betsy’s death, today I am traveling all over the world telling people about Jesus.

There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false teachers that Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days. Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on across the world. I have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution. In China, the Christians were told, Don’t worry, before the tribulation comes you will be translated – raptured. Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death. Later I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly, We have failed. We should have made the people strong for persecution rather than telling them Jesus would come first. Tell the people how to be strong in times of persecution, how to stand when the tribulation comes – to stand and not faint.

I feel I have a divine mandate to go and tell the people of this world that it is possible to be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in training for the tribulation, but more than sixty percent of the Body of Christ across the world has already entered into the tribulation. There is no way to escape it. We are next.

Since I have already gone through prison for Jesus sake, and since I met the Bishop in China, now every time I read a good Bible text I think, Hey, I can use that in the time of tribulation. Then I write it down and learn it by heart.

When I was in the concentration camp, a camp where only twenty percent of the women came out alive, we tried to cheer each other up by saying, Nothing could be any worse than today. But we would find the next day was even worse. During this time a Bible verse that I had committed to memory gave me great hope and joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part evil is spoken of, but on your part He is glorified. (I Peter 3:14) I found myself saying, Hallelujah! Because I am suffering, Jesus is glorified!

In America, the churches sing, Let the congregation escape tribulation, but in China and Africa the tribulation has already arrived. This last year alone more than two hundred thousand Christians were martyred in Africa. Now things like that never get into the newspapers because they cause bad political relations. But I know. I have been there. We need to think about that when we sit down in our nice houses with our nice clothes to eat our steak dinners. Many, many members of the Body of Christ are being tortured to death at this very moment, yet we continue right on as though we are all going to escape the tribulation.

Several years ago I was in Africa in a nation where a new government had come into power. The first night I was there some of the Christians were commanded to come to the police station to register. When they arrived they were arrested and that same night they were executed. The next day the same thing happened with other Christians. The third day it was the same. All the Christians in the district were being systematically murdered.

The fourth day I was to speak in a little church. The people came, but they were filled with fear and tension. All during the service they were looking at each other, their eyes asking, Will this one I am sitting beside be the next one killed? Will I be the next one?

The room was hot and stuffy with insects that came through the screenless windows and swirled around the naked bulbs over the bare wooden benches. I told them a story out of my childhood.

When I was a little girl, I said, I went to my father and said, Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a marty for Jesus Christ. Tell me, said Father, When you take a train trip to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks before? No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we get on the train. That is right, my father said, and so it is with Gods strength. Our Father in Heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need – just in time

My African friends were nodding and smiling. Suddenly a spirit of joy descended upon that church and the people began singing, In the sweet, by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore. Later that week, half the congregation of that church was executed. I heard later that the other half was killed some months ago.

But I must tell you something. I was so happy that the Lord used me to encourage these people, for unlike many of their leaders, I had the word of God. I had been to the Bible and discovered that Jesus said He had not only overcome the world, but to all those who remained faithful to the end, He would give a crown of life.

How can we get ready for the persecution? First we need to feed on the word of God, digest it, make it a part of our being. This will mean disciplined Bible study each day as we not only memorize long passages of scripture, but put the principles to work in our lives.

Next we need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of History, but the life-changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right hand of God.

We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it.

In the coming persecution we must be ready to help each other and encourage each other. But we must not wait until the tribulation comes before starting. The fruit of the Spirit should be the dominant force of every Christians life.

Many are fearful of the coming tribulation, they want to run. I, too, am a little bit afraid when I think that after all my eighty years, including the horrible nazi concentration camp, that I might have to go through the tribulation also. But then I read the Bible and I am glad.

When I am weak, then I shall be strong, the Bible says. Betsy and I were prisoners for the Lord, we were so weak, but we got power because the Holy Spirit was on us. That mighty inner strengthening of the Holy Spirit helped us through. No, you will not be strong in yourself when the tribulation comes. Rather, you will be strong in the power of Him who will not forsake you. For seventy-six years I have known the Lord Jesus and not once has He ever left me, or let me down. Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him, for I know that to all who overcome, He shall give the crown of life. Hallelujah!”

Hearing God on the Job (Os Hillman)

This is a great story by Os Hillman. I've learnt that when God asks us to do something, we may not always understand, but He calls us to obey anyway. His ways are truly higher than our ways. Amen.

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong" (1 Cor 1:26-27).

God is raising up a new kind of workplace believer who is experiencing the power of God in their daily work life. My friend, Emeka Nywankpa, was a barrister (lawyer) in Nigeria. Emeka spoke at a conference a few years ago on the subject of how the spiritual impacts the physical.

Emeka shared a story about arguing an important Supreme Court case in his country. There were five points to argue in the case. The morning the trial began, he prayed with his wife and junior lawyers in his chambers. During his prayer time, he sensed that the Holy Spirit was telling him, "Do not argue points one through four. Only argue point five." Imagine making such a change just before you are to argue a case before the Supreme Court!

In the courtroom, Emeka announced that he wished to drop points one through four and only wished to argue point five. The judge was shocked, but gave him permission to proceed. He argued point five and sat down. The other attorney got up, and then for twelve minutes stumbled around trying to defend his position, unable to get a coherent word out.

Finally, he approached the bench and said, "Your Lordship, it is unfortunate that my learned friend has dropped the first four points. I wish to yield the case." The other attorney had only prepared for the first four points. Emeka won the case. God had given him a strategy to win his case supernaturally. It made no sense to him, but he obeyed and God gave him victory in a very unusual way.

Isaiah 48:17 tells us "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.'"

When is the last time you allowed God to give you a strategy to be successful in your work life call and bring glory to His name? This is his desire for you.

Longing for God's presence

Thursday and Friday, I attended a healing conference. It was a powerful time, and we were all so blessed! God desires to heal. We know it from Psalm 103. "Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul and forget not all his benefits — who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases." We were asked: What is the scope of diseases that God heals. The answer: He can heal any disease. Every disease. Nothing is outside the scope. He heals all our diseases.

But Thursday night, at 3am in the morning, the Lord spoke clearly to my heart. I thought there was even a sadness in His voice. He said: "My people long for my healing. Oh, that they would long for my presence."

I was so convicted by that. It drove me to repentance myself. For that morning, my neck was in acute pain and I had also sought the Lord for healing. Nothing wrong with that, but I believe the Lord is sometimes grieved that we (I) have a greater longing for the gift than the Giver.

And then I was reminded by how foolish we are. For in His presence is fullness of joy. At His right hand are pleasures evermore (Psalm 16) When God visits us His presence, every need is met. Every disease healed.

God called David a man after His own heart. And I believe it was because David walked with God in a certain way. The New American Bible translates it as such in 2 Chronicles 7 - where God tells Solomon:

"As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David did, doing all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and ordinances, I will establish your royal throne as I covenanted with your father David when I said, 'There shall never be lacking someone of yours as ruler in Israel."

Oh that we would seek His face, and live in His presence.

As I considered these things, we sang this song "Here in His presence" at Cornerstone the past two days. It totally echoes what is own my heart.

The Gospel Song - An Animation

Louie Giglio - Laminin

No Greater Love (Rachael Lampa)

"We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19) If only we would be able to grasp God's stupendous love for us, this will completely transform us, and the way we live.

This song by Rachael Lampa - "No Greater Love" - speaks of Christ's love for us, and is simply gorgeous.



Before I knew Your Name,
You knew my ev’ry breath.
Before I found my way,
You knew my ev’ry step.
Before I knew everything that I need,
You gave it all to me.

No greater love than this…
That You should lay down Your life
For someone such as me;
I’d spend a lifetime wondering why.
The Beauty of Heaven
Is here in my heart
And I know there can be
No greater love than this.

I never understood
How merciful Love could be,
Until I felt His Flame
Light every part of me
And I would give everything that I am
’ Cause I have been saved;
Yes, I have been saved!

No greater love than this…
That You should lay down Your life
For someone such as me;
I’d spend a lifetime wondering why.
The Beauty of Heaven
Is here in my heart
And I know there can be
No greater love.

Oh, oh oh, oh oh, woah…

The Beauty of Heaven
Is here in my heart
And I know there can be
No greater love...
For someone such as me.
No greater love...than this.

Pentecost (Leonard Ravenhill)

These words by revivalist Leonard Ravenhill have been resounding in my heart: "A fire is self-announcing. A conflagration needs no publicity." Would it be that the church of Jesus Christ would draw all men to Him, by the sheer witness of His fire in us. Amen.

Pentecost
By Leonard Ravenhill

Lord Montgomery, that unpredictable British field Marshall, said recently that England went into the Second World War equipped to fight the First World War. This was a polite way of saying that in World War II England was way behind the times in battle equipment and strategy.

When Sir Christopher Wren designed the great St. Paul's cathedral in London, he planned a thing of lasting beauty and unfading charm, but did not order it air-conditioned. When George Stephenson built his rocket engine, it was not smooth, herculean diesel, but a low-powered hissing machine. In other words, both Wren and Stephenson underestimated the needs of our day, and designed for their day.

Many today have a benevolent patronage of the church of Jesus Christ (or what they mistakenly think is the church of Jesus Christ). These "wise ones" think that the psalm-singing saints are as much out of line with the atomic age as a penny-farthing bicycle would be on a motor-crowded four-lane highway. Was Jesus Christ guilty, then, of underestimating the need of this twentieth century? Is the Church which Christ founded a cumbersome, slow-moving thing, badly needing a gigantic overhauling and a government subsidy to get her up to date and moving? No! The church does not need state support.

We concede, however, that the Church does need a mighty overhauling by divine Hands, that is, she needs the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. When the Lord Christ ascended into heaven from Mt. Olivet, He charged the disciples that they should "wait for the promise of the Father" - the "baptism of the Holy Ghost" with its resultant power.

This promise was exclusive - "Ye shall receive power." Who was to receive the promise? Only the followers of Christ.

The promise was exciting - "Ye shall receive power." In eager anticipation of this blessed enduement, the waiting ones could see all their weakness evaporating in the baptism of fire.

The promise was explicit - "Not many days hence."

The promise was expanding - This thing was not to be done in a corner, nor whispered among the redeemed. It would reach out through them to Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth.

This promise was exalting - In the whole world of created things there is no greater power than that of the Holy Spirit of God. They were to be filled with the Spirit of the living God. Earth has no greater honor than that.

Angels, behold and wonder!

Every thing in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters above the earth - all these are the work of His fingers and this Mighty one is He who condescends to come and indwell mortals.

But though Pentecost meant power to the disciples - it also meant prison to them. Pentecost meant enduement - it almost meant banishment. Pentecost meant favor with God - it also brought hatred from men. Pentecost brought great miracles - it also brought mighty obstacles. Pentecost brought anointing for the upper room preachers - it also brought appointing a deacon and under the enduement he turned Samaria upside down.

In Europe Pentecost Sunday is always called Whitsunday (White Sunday), and the children usually dress in white. The disciples were "made white" at the first Pentecost - that is, their hearts were "purified by faith" (Acts 15:8, 9). This purification is a lost accent these days in interpreting the Baptism with Spirit. Under the title of Spirit-filled churches, there are some weird and wanton things operating at present.

If too much stress has not been made of the gifts of the Spirit, then too little has been said of the fruit of the Spirit. Note how few books are available on the fruits of the Spirit, but how many on the gifts of the Spirit. Yet the Son of God said, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

The first essential for the coming of the Holy Ghost into a heart today is that the heart should be cleansed from sin, for the Holy Spirit does not fill an unclean heart. What God has cleansed, He then fills. Finally, whom God fills, He uses. A holy life is the authentic sign of being filled with the Spirit.

Today we need a revival of holy living. Why do we have to hang a sign outside our church to announce that we are Fundamental and Biblical? Because without a sign, no one could identify us? When I passed through a town that a few days before had been torn apart by a tornado, I assure you I had not to be told a mighty wind had cleaved the place. A fire is self-announcing. A conflagration needs no publicity. When the fire of the Holy Ghost falls again and the mighty wind of the Spirit comes (I am positive He is coming), then our "bush" will burn too, and a Moses will turn again to see the great sight. Even so, come Holy Ghost! Come quickly!