“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!”

We sense being in a time where God invites and desires for us to share His emotions not in Luke warm lack of sensitivity but in fully on passion. 

For us to repent of where we have compromised by not attuning to what is of importance to Him. 

When we feel His heartbreak and anger and recalibrate our hearts to His we receive fresh revelation and a right perspective. We recognise how out of cinque we may be.

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.”

We recognise the gap between what we long and hope for and the common identity in God’s heart. 

Tears are not a sign of weakness but of a powerful liquid language in the spirit.

God redefines comfort. It is not just to make us feel better in difficulty but in training to expand our capacity in oneness with Him and Christ so that we can bear and attune with His heart. Be on the same frequency, wave length and emotionally in cinque.

“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”

Our revelation from entering in that space is our greater understanding and comfort gained from abiding in that desolation and thus making it a victory and gain. Our experience of this enables and becomes powerful then for others. 

Lamenting is not complaining. We sit and recognise loss and accept it as there is loss of good alongside loss of bad in moving on to new. That is just the reality of the situation. 

Our tendency is to look for safety in our saviour. For true fellowship we have to share in His suffering in our own suffering and corporately as living stones fitted together and not by seeing it as abandonment but greater closeness.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,”

We are privileged that God shares His heart with us in lament. That we can then carry His light forward from that place of unity. 

His love is steadfast. 

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

The illustration shows God holding us up close in the spirit to share His heart and emotions to recalibrate and extend our heart’s capacity in suffering and to carry and emanate light forth to push back the darkness.

Five Scriptures that come to mind:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” Isaiah‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

““Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.” ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,”‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song              So Will I.                         Benjamin Hastings

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.””

We sense God clapping us into His rhythm.

 To set His syncopation to ensure the timings of heavenly and earthly realms flow together and we are not in discord with what He is doing. 

Nothing is slack or untuned.

The place for provision and for God to supply our every need as we step through into His riches and means to fulfil. 

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Taking on fake responsibilities that are not our own wears us out. 

God calls us beyond the parameters of ourselves to be relational and reflect Him. 

Horizons are vast. We are wired for the promises of heaven, not found on earth but imprinted in our soul from Eden. It remains our desire for the future. 

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”

Our journey will take us to our best version and from the ‘I’ to the ‘We’ redefinition. 

We are tested people grown and mature in personality because we have walked out challenges. 

We instinctively become relational and liberated to mirror God  and for His thoughts and feelings to become dominant in us in this hour. 

The illustration shows our recollected walk in the cool of the evening in Eden with God synchronised as one, as spirit, in light and no darkness no pain or shame but in peace and joy as was intended.

Three Scriptures that come to mind:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.””Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song           Ancient  Gates.                 Brooke Ligertwood

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;”

Jesus has fields ripe for harvesting but needs us to turn up  with our truck for  it to then be filled to be brought home. 

The question He asks is do we have compassion for the harassed, confused and helpless. Do we spend the time selflessly on these or on our own agendas and platforms? 

He feels for those helpless. They are on His heart.  If we are tuned into His heart we also would be. 

Our partnering has to be with the mindset of Jesus. He says “it is finished”, the victory is won.

Like a runner in His race, who knows when he touches the tape it is won and completed. The running is over we are free to take the harvest we are conquerors.

Our anchor is steadfast to be seen and extended to others. Jesus is there like the pilot boat ready to steer them into safe harbours just as the ship turns off her engines and submits or yields to being drawn in.

The deep waters of His Holy Spirit can not be navigated by the control of any vessel within it. All control is relinquished as we as the vessel are carried and corporately become as His body.

Engaging upon the one draws in many. It’s like contagion everything touched catches it and it becomes unstoppable.    

“that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

The illustration shows the many Jesus has ripe and who we could touch with our fire and testimony and co labour with Him to draw into safety. Light emanates to push back the darkness.

Four Scriptures that come to mind:

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;”. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭37‬ ‭ESV‬‬

““If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬-‭3 ESV

“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song             Who You Say I Am.                  Hillsong

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”

We are in a world where increasingly we cannot be exhibiting that we are Christian in the public eye. 

Where any breakout of God is regarded by many with suspicion. 

Where we teeter on a knife edge in Nations and in our dealing with gender crisis.

Where 75% of the Anglican Church withdraw support over blessing new policies.

Yes, it is a painful time but equally, one of opportunities. 

God has extended decades of grace and mercy over our adherence to biblical principles but the warning culminates with the consequences of Him evacuating what is not of His rulership and kingdom. 

His kingdom come His will be done has been our prayer. 

God cries out “ let My people go “

We are in a wilderness world where we need liberating to work rule and reign in heavenly realms. 

It is a time of church split as the axe falls. Those who fear Him as Lord as well as saviour and who focus on Him turning only to Him for leadership and guidance. 

He is God we are not.

 Our decision making is based on His truth and agenda not ours. 

Where we have built towers of Babel their roots are axed.

We have crowned ourselves with moral legislations that He never placed upon our heads. He is in descending mode. Coming down to dethrone and destroy what is not His. 

Unless He builds the house the labour is in vain. 

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”

Where we have taken our focus off Him, fallen or built false towers He will remove our light. We have to sacrifice the world to greater partner with Him in the heavenly realm, the kingdom life. 

“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

What have taken hundreds of years to form can be demolished over night if we fail to be directed by the truth and clarity of His Spirit’s guidance. 

We are not a body here blinkered to deal with our Holy huddle but with the mess  beyond us. 

Either we fix our focus and where we are lead or abandon and move on and cease to misappropriate our resources and energies.

We are unified by Christ as our head not by small minded controllers. 

To still reap its harvest heaven needs to destroy structures of man. Be birthed into the new that God wants to build. There is loss before gain and now is the time to be ready for action.

The illustration shows the axe falling where we have built towers of babel. Their roots are cut to release us from their grip. His desire is to set His people free to return to worship Him. For them to be untethered and without persecution. Their choice be that of righteousness in His sight where His light emanates to push back the darkness.

Three Scriptures that come to mind:

“Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” Psalm‬ ‭127‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song              God Is In This Story.              Katy Nichole

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”

Interestingly when we hear God’s or Jesus’ voice in whatever way it is never accusingly only enquiringly. Despite them being in a place of authority over justice and therefore judgement.

Accusations come only from the enemy and man. 

There is a very strong spirit of accusation in the world at present within all systems that has to be avoided and not partnered with.  

It is the spirit of this era and we are called to be different and to be atmosphere changers. In transitional times we are no longer where we were nor where we are going to be. 

This can open up a lack of clarity and certainty. We must at all costs not allow the enemy or others to define who we are.

Sin is when we reject our identity in Christ. 

The reason the son of man was made manifest was to destroy the works of the devil 

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

As believers our identity is in Christ.

Suspicion is the first step towards being judgemental. God says “judge not “.

The enemy tries to create suspicion and questions even God. 

In our shaken form of today we have lost trust in what is normal any more, in all institutions. We are increasingly suspicious, accusatory, judgmental. 

This has to be dealt with first internally and then externally in the atmosphere. 

Jesus reveals Himself to His disciples at the point when He asks them 

 “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

Revelation cannot come if you are operating from a place of accusation. 

Jesus never defended Himself because of its luring of a defensive argument and judgement. He instead asked the questions that would draw out our own answers and ultimate choices.

We are blessed when we get the answer and the source of the answer right and it adds to the revelation of the spirit of God.

Jesus came to lay His rights down not to protect and defend them. 

When we feel we have done something wrong and don’t know what, or that God is displeased with us it often stems from the feeling of not being understood and not having laid our rights down.

We sense a need for reconciliation and restoration and hence to a blessing. Our Father restores our soul. Jesus washes the soles of our feet.

We are freed from condemnation and reclothed in righteousness overcoming all accusations. We must allow our blessings to overflow from our lives for others.

Judgement wants payback.Justice is about buying back to restore what is robbed or lost. We live not in panic but in power.

The illustration shows the example of the woman stoned at the well and the decision of the accusers to throw no more in the light of Jesus questions of righteousness. Light emanating to push back the darkness.

Three Scriptures that come to mind. 

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song             Justice.                             Luke Finch

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

There is a magnitude to the task ahead. A need to stand firm against all that the enemy attempts. To see beyond the separation to be able to unite with God’s mind and discern the Godly shadow as we rise up above and beyond.

Now is the time to connect and bless each other with the ability to see far off and take on responsibility for what we discern coming in the dynamics of the spiritual. Take command of the atmosphere to divert the demonic chaos

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

We have to be open to what is different from any previous experience and to be pivotal in not rejecting it but allowing ourselves to partake of what we do not understand. 

Just as Moses when he was drawn towards the burning bush and experienced the presence of God in it. 

“When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”

To be super attentive to not miss what God may have us tussle with to make our response. To have humility but not be overly afraid or disabled from giving our yes in the tussle. Time to get over shame, to show instead resolve and determination.  God is reflected in other things but remains existing only in Himself. 

“And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”

The kingdom of God often defies logic there being no division between logic, temporal and spiritual. What we see as strange and irrational is in the realm of the divine. Man has to accept he cannot usurp God. 

We are to be led by God not ourselves. 

Sanity and wellness is to know the mind of Christ and not our own mind. We must not be prisoners to logic.

God breaks down walls and giants.  This is the wildness of God that we are part of if we come under His shadow and unite in. 

The illustration shows us under His shadow and emanating light that pushes back the darkness.

Four Scriptures that come to mind: 

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song This Is Our God Phil Wickham

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

We praise God for who He is, thank Him for what He has done and enter another realm of His presence to know Him.

What matters to God must matter to us.

He is raising people to hear what He is doing and to know its significance in His heart. To interpret His heavenly voice and sound as He sings over us a new song.

Corporate worship draws us together and unifies the direction in which we are pulling for breakthrough not fragmentation and separate ways.
Worship anoints our prayers as we see testimony of impossible situations turned around.

It delays spiritual warfare hindering what comes from the enemy or ourselves so that God’s will prevail. Worship of adoration turns our mind and spirit towards the source of our affection. Our intercession connects oneness with others and God.

Our communion brings us to the abiding grafted into the vine. The place where we can ask of Him what He wants to do and love time in His presence soaking in His essence.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

We find Him manifesting to thicken the atmosphere with His presence. Our gratitude for His service for us  are rewarded with blessings.

 His will for us is to be joyful and thankful not in the panic mode of hell. His church stands on the gates of hell so that it may not prevail. 

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

We are not alone in our worship The Holy Spirit within us also intercedes with us. His promise is to continue to pour out His Spirit.

Our prayer through worship, spirit and scripture bring about our abiding closeness and connection to have knowledge of what He wants and for it to matter to us. 

The illustration shows us worshiping in praise and prayer building His kingdom combating all warfare. Light emanating to push back the darkness.

Three Scriptures that come to mind:

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭100‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song.        It Is Well./I Exalt Thee.           Celtic Worship

“The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!”

Jesus weeps over His sheep in pastures where there is no grazing ground left only dangerous rutted bare earth. Sheep left there because they are deaf to their master’s voice urging them to move on. Stuck in familiarity as their preference ignoring the urgency of the call to move on.  

New call to selflessness in giving not just receiving. The new pasture has a fresh smell and atmosphere not stale. 

Jesus as shepherd in that place with rod outstretched to correct going in the wrong direction. 

Like the orchestrator of the winning chess game His plan having always the mind of preservation of the King.  The moves may to another look as if they are doomed with losses but the losses are strategic to the ultimate goal. Just as God’s positioning is to protect His bride and are not of man’s logic but that of a higher wisdom, knowledge and overseeing. 

The wisdom of God can look foolish to man because it is seen through the lens of logic and not the Spirit.  We are in the days of reassessment, of being Spirit led despite a lack of understanding. 

We have preconceived ideas of how the Lord will move. He may want to turn things around. We limit God by our own thoughts. He is not bound by our logic or values. 

Biblical battles were illogically won. For example the walls of Jericho fell as men circled and chanted. The giant Goliath was slain by a stone not a typical weapon.

When the widow had nothing left to eat she was told to give what she had away.

Time to break off our self sufficiency and God control.

We too may look foolish in man’s eyes but we are inhabiting God’s wisdom the requisite is humility. 

Faithfully we align with Him to accomplish what He is doing. 

He is establishing the reign of Jesus and His kingdom. 

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,”

Our responses do not only have immediate impact but they have multigenerational impact.  Who we are led by impacts first us and ultimately others. 

We rule and reign with Christ in being led by Him in all things. 

The illustration shows the sheep in the pasture of Jesus’ kingdom not the Barron. Led by the Spirit, feeding from Him. With the integrity that emanates light to push back the darkness.

Two Scriptures that come to mind:

“The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!” Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules,”. ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭9‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song              Now To Jesus.                         Philippa Hanna

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Our ways of preference are ousted as we stand and put God first above all other criteria. Our connection and stepping into encounter and dispelling confusion. 

We give Him the fullness of our time and are prepared to rearrange all other schedules for His purpose.

 Prepared to linger with no one eye on the clock. 

Get comfortable, linger and reconfigure not dash off to tick things off on our list of to do.

From the place of giving the fullness of our attention God will orchestrate the new season,  the old is already dated and requires interruption.

Divine reorder. 

The invitation to be abiding in Jesus for fresh revelation is strong. Immediate obedience, an expectancy of simplicity and all clutter laid aside.

Timing to push and birth a new move of God ignoring any undignified , raw or messy labour in the midwifery urgency window of time. 

The alarm rings out time on exposure and compromise and complacency.

The new posture from surrendering with clean hands and pure heart a preparing of the way of rebuilding and restoration for a new generation coming out of the wilderness.  

The place of preparation not of residency. Not about survival but about breakthrough and breakout. Training a generation to have grit in the spirit.

We are not called to deliver what has already been delivered. We are called to deliver a new form and expression. Displacement now causes miscarriage.

We are in a place of battling through but dancing with joy. David was a warrior and a dancer before the Lord.

Denomination divisions dissolved as a new alliance and allegiance is generated to unite and form kingdom relationships and purposes. 

A coming together, occupying and taking land. Advance the kingdom and expose the enemy.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The illustration shows it’s time to not be controlled by the alarm clock but to linger and seek what is ready to be birthed in the spirit that will emanate more light to push back the darkness.

Two Scriptures that come to mind:

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song              Love Will Never Fail.              Lesley Jordan

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

We recognise when God stirs us and it is always a moment of choice. Your will or mine as to whether to act in obedience. 

Obedience is the call irrespective of how else we perceive or feel or what mood we are in. We will disqualify if we don’t make the choice to fan into flame God within us. 

Often we pray for and beg for what we already have. His in dwelling. 

“But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.”

At salvation our spirits fused as one. Therefore we can perceive and understand with God’s heart. Therefore we can choose to do what He wills without any other signs and symbols although He is gracious to give us more. 

We only see in part but our part is enough for His purpose and our need. 

It is more common in our seasons of needing rescuing that we recognise Him as our saviour. In seasons of blessing we are prone to forget. 

God needs to provoke and shake us to remind us to look up always to His face. 

To fan into flame the gift that abides in us. 

God is within us. In the spirit our spirit is fused with His. 

Generosity triggers God’s provision. We can never out give God. Giving of ourselves and not withdrawing to only consume can be our offering.

When we give our all God gives His all as a response of generosity. 

Consumer Christianity can become our expectation of church for our own needs and pleasure instead of a gathering place for unity, serving and generosity. 

Our own journey and growth is not principally for us to develop opinions but to enable us to meet with God and in that meeting draw others too. 

We discover that our opinions and beliefs change and evolve daily but in that we have more clarity of who  God is. 

With this clarity we live differently we become more within the kingdom. 

The illustration shows God laying on His hands with the gift of the Spirit placed in us to be fanned into flame and emanate His light to push back the darkness.

Two Scriptures that come to mind:

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him”. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song              God of Awakening.           Lakepointe  music

“God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”

All barriers down and fully merged. There is change in a moment spiritually that would take a thousand of years in the natural. Pivotal change like that of the day of Pentecost.

We have to keep pace with God. 

Our upbringing and journey will be responsible for how we think. The lens through which we see it is as we are. We are prone to life style thinking.

The kingdom however has to be built on God’s thinking not as our version. 

We need Jesus as the lens through which we see this. Look afresh at the world as Christ does, we have example of this in the Word.

My rights, my needs, my self dependence my self righteousness melt away and evaporate. Hardness, judgemental, prejudices, negativity and offence are not polluting the kingdom. 

The kingdom continually overwhelms and astounds us by its love and wisdom in all circumstances. The hurt and sin being perpetually washed away under even more outpouring of God’s generous love. 

A God who is not impervious to wrong and sin but who still wants our choice to be made by us however upside down that may be related to ugly world thinking. 

“God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”

God loves righteousness in His kingdom more than He loves people.  The story of the expulsion from Eden, of Noah being, examples of this. 

Now our choice is but one. To believe and follow Jesus who has redeemed us and provides the open door and way to the kingdom of heaven. 

“For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,””

There is no other side for us to have allegiance with but God’s. 

We allow God’s thinking to take over to build His future. Then it is leaps and bounds no longer small steps as we break through.

No more containment by our need to control but freedom in His mysteries. Billions of souls ripe for the harvest.

We have to embrace risk, we do not like the unknown. The supernatural is more natural than the natural.

God is beyond our fathoming but He has equipped us with discernment for all else. 

We know the difference between Holy, demonic and our own flesh. We have this fullness of who Jesus is within us if we do not reject Him.

Our character breaks agreement with the world. We declare instead the will of God.  

When we live the Kingdom life others witness something desirable that they are then jealous and hungry for.

The illustration shows us seeing the kingdom lit by the lens of Christ in the Trinity. Enabled to reflect that light that emanates to push back the darkness.

Two Scriptures that come to mind:

“God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”Psalm‬ ‭7‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”. ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song           Miracle Time.                  Matthew West

“It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.”

Some would say that from the onset of the pandemic God has been warning us of days similar to those of Joseph’s times. 

We are heading for a global reset. From prosperity to famine. The church warned can like Joseph advise ways to survive what the world remains in ignorance of. 

Heaven makes provision and space for us to remain sustained. Solutions created from the beginning of time for such a time as this. Hidden for God’s glory. 

“But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.”

Ours is to seek out the God of love, to call out to Him and He will answer. 

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

The kingdom of God is a mystery awaiting God to reveal. We are given access to these mysteries. 

“And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,”

The gospel is made known to everyone but the kingdom only to those with the keys to access the door. This may be Christians and Non-Christians. The kingdom belongs to Christ and as Christians we think we are entitled but we have to take. What we refuse to take hold of others with faith may eat. 

“She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”

That which the kingdom offers has to be taken.

Christian people wait for more kingdom people become a move and step into more.

Belief in God not self righteous works is key. Good can disqualify if we just settle for goodness as our right and expectation. 

Doing right does not always feel good but it is done in fear of Him and in obedience. We see this in Abraham who was to offer his own son Isaac as a sacrifice in a test of obedience.

As Christians we are not victims but conquerors. How much do we fear and trust the Lord?  Grief and blessing can come at the same time. 

Are we a sower or a blackmailer? We can never out give God. God gave His everything for us.

We have to be turned around from being the taker to being the giver. How can we bless the God?

Rahab the prostitute was considered righteous. She was in right standing with the Lord. Man pleasers are not pleasers of God often they are idolatrous. 

The illustration shows us in Christ becoming a key to the kingdom, light emanating to push back the darkness.

Seven Scriptures that come to mind:

“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭41‬:‭17‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.” Genesis‬ ‭41‬:‭28‬-‭32‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭33‬:‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,”. Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” Matthew‬ ‭15‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

 The song.        We’re Here For You.                       Jeremy Riddle 

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

God never changes whether we are surrounded by a storm or calm. Our sight set on Him He is our peace. 

Peace is a person and resting in Him becomes a weapon. In Him we are hidden from the enemy and our mind is transformed and in the right place. We become in a place where we can do an act of violence upon the enemy. 

Spiritual war is less about screaming at the enemy and more about resting in the Lord.

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

Victory is when the grace of Jesus is within us and anchored there we can take every thought captive. 

He will keep In perfect peace he whose mind is stayed in Him. 

It transcends and overrides our understanding. 

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In this place of forgoing our right to understand but instead trusting we are in the strong tower and safe. 

A mindset of understanding that stops at that of a peaceful day does not cover the kingdom peace that we can live in. 

Jesus provokes the enemy with His peace that is born of victory not from retreat. 

The season we are called into is trusting in psalm 23. The world is in turmoil and we have the shepherd not only tending our needs but spiritually at warfare protecting us from the giants of bears and wolves. Equipped to slay the Goliath giants as was David because we know God well. 

Peace takes ground and damages the darkness. It is not passive but effective to flood darkness with light. The world in the season of chaos and God laughs and knows we shall lack nothing.  

“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”

Those we saw as shepherds pasturing their flock’s needs are arising now with the sceptre of power and authority held as well as the familiar crook.

Jesus, the good shepherd must not be limited but allowed to move forward. 

We lack nothing. We lack lack. Having everything we need we will fear no evil.

We are at peace. Peace is our weapon. The God of peace reigns. 

The illustration shows us resting in peace within the strong tower, the Shepherd with the sceptre to rule His kingdom and crook to provide for His flock. Light emanating to push back the darkness.

Four Scriptures that come to mind:

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.”Psalm‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The song          Peace.                           Bethel