[Journey to Israel] In the garden, Pools of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa

We woke up early in the morning to take a walk to the Garden of Gethsemane. This garden overlooks the Golden Gate (east gate of the Old City) which is called so because of a scripture in Ezekiel 33. It stands in a straight line between the Gate and the Temple Mount.

But first, I would like to share a story of how God healed me!

Dream of praying for persecutors

I recently had a dream where in I was held at gun point but said "do what you want I can't die" Would you consider watching the video and praying for those involved? This is an incredible opportunity to partner in with the Lord in this city.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy80odDyIOk

Invitation for free stuff

Hello, I have just placed a video on youtube. I am expecting for large growth and multiplication. It is a call out to everyone that I am going to give away all that I receive from the Lord for free, poems, songs, teachings, testimonies, because that's not my heart, my heart is to love my Lord and He gives me that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF6aIZakwUY

JOY is the change beholding change

"Joy is the change beholding change"
This is a thought that came as I was reading a book, God's Passion for His glory, by John Piper. This book is freely downloadable from daltonlifsey.com. I wish to share this with you!
Who is it that will be most excited about seeing change in people. Is it not the one that loves them? So let it be that I always seek to motivate this change in whoever I am talking to because this change is GLORY. This change is inextricably connected with God's glory and will never be separable! set my heart a flame with JOY.

God's way of providing for you

"The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook." (1 King 17:6)

There was famine in the land but God saw fit to give Elijah portion from the ravens during the morning and evening, and drinking from the brook.

I have forgotten the day, but sometime this year I heard clearly from the LORD "your outstanding debts have been cancelled" I immediately rang my parents and said "I believe that God wants to cancel your debts" From here I have seen God provide for me in remarkable ways.

Testimony: glory and praise to God

On Thursday the 25th November after going to church to help with cleaning I waited around and left to goto North City church because I had heard from my friend Peter that Jason Westerfield was conducting meetings at said church and evangelizing in the city during the day times. So because my whole point in being in Christchurch was for God's purposes the thought occured to me to join in with them and see what happens. I rocked up to the church at about 12:30 (prayer meeting went later than expected) and lo and behold they were having worship time. That is good news. Wesley was on the mic praying and so were many others (just not on the mic) I sat down with my bag and started praying also thanking God for how amazing He is, how beautiful, wonderful, I love you. I wouldn't have really expected them to be worshipping so that they were before evangelizing is good. When we had prayed and met with God we piled in cars and I asked "has anyone done this before" everyone in my car had never done it before! God uses anyone it doesn't matter who.

Spiritual smells part 2

"The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!" (Song 2:13)

Each time you are excited about a new development, change, experience etc the effect is that it gives off an aroma. Each time you discern that you are growing in compassion or faithfulness or that you are any number of emotions it lets off a fragrance of new life. The more that you discern these changes the more excitement and more rejoicing that happens!

Positioning yourself to hear from the Lord

Hello everyone, this night I'm moved into something that's really changed the way I read the bible and encountering Jesus on a daily basis. It's also meant that I have increased desire and urgency and excitement to read and to study the word of God. Because it's not a document, it's a person. It's not just words on a page but like the disciples we echo "where else would we go, you have the words of life" these words of life are seen clearly in every place in scripture. Such as when Jesus speaks later in John

"Most Assuredly I say to you, He who believes in me, the things that I do he will do; and greater than these because I go to my Father, and whatever you ask in my name, I will do, that the Father maybe glorified in the Son, if you ask for anything in my name, that I will do" (John 14:12-14)

Steps of healing

I would like to share with you a series of healing steps that Jesus gave to me which totally tore me up to no end as regards to expecting and praying for healing! What would breathe in you if you knew that regardless of the circumstance you knew that you could encounter Jesus. This is really a pursuit of Jesus himself. As He comes and ministers to you in your weakness you find that you are coming closer to Jesus himself. Because everything happened at the cross.

Pleasure and the Pursuit of

I was going to call it God's Passion for His Glory - after the John Piper book of the same name. Let me recommend it to you. It will blow your mind (Hopefully more than that-) take you deeper in the Lord Jesus. Here is a humble teaching on Philippians 2 which I would like to offer up so that your hearts are rewarded with true riches. Lets start...

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

What kind of love is this?

1 John 3:1 "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." NKJV
NASB adds in - and such we are.

Help me to find the riches of the kind of love that makes me your child. I do not want anything else. To be loved by you and to love you is where my identity and value lies. The revelation of Your love is the source of all delight and pleasure. Do not withhold yourself from me, my Beloved. You have said to my heart, "Seek my face" my heart says to you "Your face, Lord, I will seek" Help me into the deep places of God. You see my heart. You started it, I have an answer to those who ask me "He started it" This kind of love which my heart yearns for.

Functionality

Having the functionality to talk about something that you have sinned in or fallen short on as if you are the specialist of it

I hope the rest just comes from "and this is the end" there I have said it, definitely all I need to say, right! If i have just been "beaten down and trodden in the ground" can I turn round and say "I am the perfect confrontation specialist" sure I can, and I will. Is this cowardice? No. Because my God turns everything around for me. The person with the issue isn't me, it's the person. So i will make these my strengths. And have done. Would you dare speak a callous word to someone that is hurting, then why do you go home and pray for that person? Do you have no dignity? In fact I will be treading down these problems so I will do that today. People probably think I am crazy but it's not the first time.

A testimony that keeps on going

I have been reminded of several things recently. One is a scripture in Isaiah 56:5 which says:

"Even to them I will give in My house
And within My walls a place and a name
Better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
That shall not be cut off."

I have a testimony to share regarding a podcast I watched on Thursday the 22nd of July, 2010. The podcast is from the Fascinate II conference at IHOP. I am not sure at what time the conference finished, but they were streaming live sessions from their website while the conference was on.

Calling

While i was in Tauranga - back up a few steps. I believe you have an anointing for your calling and an anointing for your personal relationship with the Lord. I will not develop a theology on that. While I was in Tauranga I received a Moses anointing - when my hands are raised, then there is battle being fought, and victory is coming to our side. But when my hands are lowered, then we have trouble. God himself is the one who battles for us - this is important. Anyway... I received two pictures during my prayer time for someone. One of them was of an empty casket - i knew that both of the pictures where for this person. Then when I came to Church yesterday when the talk progressed to talking about "building coffins - a new experience for us"

Living to the Glory of God

I know that i need stimulus. every second, every minute, every hour, every day, ever week, every month, every year. If i do not receive any i am going to explode. God knows this. So i'm going to go after everything that i want! at every possible moment i'm going to be looking for the highest joy. We were born adrenaline junkies. the moment you breath your first, the moment you are fed your first, the moment you stretched yourself to the limit and then release came.

What to look forward to

On the way to lunch after Church yesterday, I ended up having a conversation with Lyndon while in the car - which i would like to share with anyone that wants to know. So without further ado... "What to look forward to"

Fasting and praying... is a partnership. How did we start talking about this? Prayer aint even what i'm good at - but i've picked up a fire. it's hot! can i pass it to you! this is hotter than hot potato! The reason I am praying like I do is because God sees that I want Him. If i can say that, who is a machine in doing things and will not stop that's got to count for something. I'm doing what I absolutely love doing and that's all I'm doing! When you fast, don't do it for a purpose. Do it because you want Jesus. In Mark 2:18

"Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"

"A Mint of My Mouth"

This started a few weeks ago, before Steve left to goto Uganda for 5 weeks. It suddenly occured to me that so many of my friends whom I have met and since parted ways with are off in the remotest parts of the earth. These people that I know! That are excellent. And unique, and have no fault. I was thinking of my friends in the Around the World and 80 days school from YWAM Oxford in New Zealand. So i decided I better do an update to them sometime! (what did I have to say back then except that my friends are in another country. Good on them!) I really want to see them.

How He Loves

Greetings. Right now i'm mulling over a phrase that I wrote in one of my old notebooks- this is because I am compiling alot of what I have written and remember into a form that people will be able to understand. Love that you have cannot be given. But the love that you receive you can give. For we accept his Love" This comes out of thinking about giving the love that is self oriented. I am not saying "that love which you have in you, which never leaves, which comes from God, cannot be given" The point is that the love that is in you, if you have believed in Jesus and confess him, comes from God, it is not because of love that you have found by "loving yourself"

His Commitment To You

I have been saying how great you have to commit to God. But as I was singing today I thought of a poem. Here it is. It's been inspired by a song called "Never Let Go"

You Never Let Go
Your mercy,
your commitment maybe weak
But His commitment;
He will never;
Not for a moment
Not for a second
Not for a twinkling of an eye
(the reflection of light off your eye)