Sunday, October 31, 2010

Day 294 - Divine Intervention

I went down to Bethel Atlanta because I really wanted to hear Randall Worley teach. He is one of the most anointed teachers that I know and I knew it would be good. Well, I’ll have to wait for school tomorrow night to hear him teach. But that’s OK, because the Holy Spirit had other plans and instead of hearing him teach, worship was so good and so prophetic that He wound up sharing prophetically. It was an amazing experience. The unity of corporate worship and the level of what God is doing at Bethel Atlanta and through out the city is overwhelming. Randall had words for the church and we were going after breakthrough both corporately and individually. God was speaking to me even more about moving into new seasons as Randall spoke about that. I know that this is a season of transition. I know in part what I am transitioning out of, but I even think that there is more to that. The question is what am I transitioning into? How does that look five or ten years from now, let alone next week. A lot of questions, and not many answers.

One of the first year students, Trevor, went to lunch with me down in Little Five Points. We ate at a Mexican place and it was pretty good. Then we met everybody for outreach. That was fun. I’m beginning to really like and have a heart for L5P. We spent the day sort of hanging out and talking to people. We were passing out balloons to a few people with prophetic words on them. A couple of our groups were talking with a couple of homeless guys playing their guitars trying to get some money. They got to pray for one of them and the pain in his knee went away. When we first started going down, we were asking the Lord to grant us favor with the area and it seems that we are beginning to see that favor. I was really expecting it to be wilder there than usual since it is Halloween, but in fact it was quieter. That could be because there were parties last night and I’m sure there were parties tonight.

There was one guy dressed up with horns and makeup. He was down on the main drag. I went up to him with a balloon in the shape of a heart and said “He needed some love”. He looked at me almost frightened and said that he didn’t. Then he vanished. We were out there for almost two hours and I never saw him again. It’s almost like he couldn’t stay as long as we were there. Too bad, because he really did need love. So the outreach really was a success today. It’s been so much more fun than what I did last year. We have a good team and we are all on the same page.

So tonight at work was easy and I’m home early enough to get a good night’s sleep before I get up for work tomorrow morning. So even though it has been a full day, it has really been an easy one. You know that to run the race we are called to run really takes a heart after Christ, a big heart. Secratariat had a big heart, that’s why he was able to win the Triple Crown. We are called to not only run, but to win. We fight from a place of Victory. We have already won, so we need to fight like it. Run to win, because we do. Don’t worry about the pace, just ask Papa tp expand your heart. He will give you His in exchange. We will run, and we do win!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Day 293 - Sitting by the Fire

Yes, I’m sitting here in my rocking chair next to the fire going in the fireplace. When I came back in tonight there was a chill in the house so that gave me an excuse to light the fire. I have to admit it is nice sitting here by it. I had forgot how much I love a fire. I know that Julia and I used to discus what was best. I would like to leave the heat off and just use the fireplace at night, while she had rather use the furnace. Of course she liked toe fire too, but I think I used it more. I know that last winter when I was alone I used it constantly, so I probably will again this year.

Work was OK this morning, I really am grateful to have a job; especially a job that I can enjoy doing. I didn’t get through until after 2:39 and I went to Harry’s on the way home. So it was after 4 before I got everything unpacked. I had some clam chowder that I had bought at Harry’s for supper and them went to the movie with Bud. We saw “Afterlife” with Matt Damon. He is a great actor and I usually enjoy his movies, but this one was just OK. Probably one to wait for the DVD for. Anyway it kept me out of the subdivision just in case any trick-or-treaters came by. After I got home I finished watching the Ga -Fla football game. It was an exciting game. Both teams look like they would have no problem beating GT. I’ts not going to be good the next few weeks. Well, hope springs eternal, and you never know when you get a bunch of 18 year olds playing a game.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. I can’t wait to hear Randal Worley at BA and I know it will be fun in L5P afterwards. Work will be OK. Hopefully with only one student we will be done early tomorrow. It will be a full day, but I’m sure it will be fun. I have to begin Christmas Shopping. I used to rely on Julia for almost all of the shopping. I would just give my opinions and let her do the buying. I no longer have my own personal shopper. I’ve gotten to of my granddaughter’s presents, but no one else’s. Here it is Halloween tomorrow and I have to have everything ordered and delivered by Dec 18. Pressure is mounting. Hopefully I will able to get something done next week. I’ve got three A periods, so hopefully in the afternoon one day, if I can stay awake. I can’t believe that October ends tomorrow. Thanksgiving will be here so fast. Time just flies by this time of the year. I was looking at the front door tonight. I think that after Halloween, I’ll have to go downstairs and find some fall or thanksgiving decorations. I know that Julia wants me to put something out. Also there is so much yard work I need to get done in the next few weeks when I have some days off. It seems that every time I look at her picture she is adding things to my list. I know I have been lax, but I have been busy.

I’m listening to Kim Walker sing “How He Loves us” and I just get goose bumps thinking how much Papa loves me and how much He cares about everything I am doing. His love for my family and me is overwhelming. The good news is that He is so big that He loves you the same way. Although I know that I am His special kid! With that, I think that I will call it a night. Big day coming up tomorrow.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Day 292 - Riding in Traffic

I got all of my homework for the month complete! That’s a good thing. It probably took me a couple of hours, maybe more to get it all done. I had done all the reading, but I had to answer questions on the Bible reading, and do my book report. So it’s complete and sent off to be graded. Now I can go to school Monday night and not have to worry. So that was the big project for my day. I did sleep in this morning until about 9AM, and I do feel much more relaxed and rested today than I did last night.

Looking back on yesterday, I feel like the week had just caught up with me. I hadn’t felt that tired in a long time. But I am much better today and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow is October 30th. The big question in my mind is: when are the kids going “trick or treating”. It’s hard to know this year because Halloween comes on a Sunday night. In years past, people would go on Saturday. But now they might do both. At any rate, I don’t plan to be at home. I don’t do Halloween and I’m not starting now. So Bud and I are going to a movie tomorrow night. I’ll be working on Sunday night, so I don’t have to worry about it then.

I guess the highlight of my day (not counting tonight) was my ride down to Town Center and then having lunch with Jason. Jason and I went to Australia together, and we wanted to stay connected. It worked out that he was up in the area with work, so we decided to meet for lunch over on Barrett Parkwy. I had wanted to ride the Harley today, so I decided to ride it down to the mall. It’s about 17 miles down, but the big thing is the traffic. I haven’t ridden in that much traffic before, so I knew that the ride would be a challenge. Well, it was a beautiful, sunny day. It was still pretty cold though. I think it was in the low forties when I started and then in the low fifties when I finished. The wind chill makes it feel much colder. But I was determined to get my ride in and this seemed like the only opportunity for the weekend. It was a good ride, and I did some things that I would have found very hard a few weeks ago. I can tell that I am growing used to the bike because some of the things are coming more natural. The traffic, while pretty heavy, wasn’t as big of an issue as I thought. If everyone had been driving much faster then it would have been a bigger problem. The only thing that I didn’t get to do today was to get a run in. I was just to busy finishing the homework and going to lunch.

Tonight I finished the day with a Sozo. First Bud and I went to have a bowl of chicken soup at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. Then we went to the church for Sozo. It was interesting tonight. I was giving a sozo to a “psycho-analyst”. He heard about sozo from one of his patients. At first I was almost intimidated, but I realized that Papa had him here for a purpose. It was a great night and he gained much freedom. It is so much fun to see God move in peoples lives. Anyway, that’s my day off in a nutshell. I’m very refreshed and ready for tomorrow. I think I’ll watch a little TV before I have to go to bed.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Day 291 - Am I Crazy?

Tomorrow I’m off. That’s a very good thing. I’ve worked 15 out of the last 20 days. That doesn’t sound so bad until you add all the school, outreach and Sozo into the mix. So I have been pretty busy since I returned from Australia. I just realized that I really haven’t had the time to recover from the Australian trip. Well I’m off tomorrow and then start another 6 straight days of work. November starts next week, and although I’m only working 13 days, the first four start right away. Then I go to Greenville SC for the weekend and then back to work. I’m just glad I’m still young. I don’t think an old man could handle this pace.

Seriously, I am a little tired. It’s probably from work today and then Healing Prayer tonight. I will probably work on homework mainly tomorrow morning. I might ride the Harley down to Town Center for a Lunch appointment, and then see what tomorrow brings. I do have a Sozo tomorrow night, but that should be fun. I’m glad that Saturday morning is at 9:20 instead of 5AM. So I should be able to get ome more rest on Saturday. I know Sunday will be super busy, with work starting at 6PM.

Am I Crazy? Maybe, but I really am having fun doing all the things that I am involved in, and work does taper off next month, and I am only going to work about 6 days in December. So I think that I am almost over the hump. I do know my limits, and I will pull back if I think that they are being exceeded. I know that I am approaching the edge right now, and if I feel that I need to, I’ll cancel the trip to Greenville next weekend and stay home and rest. I’ll probably make that decision by Tuesday night.

Isn’t it funny how grief sneaks up on you? I was driving to work this morning listening to the radio (Oldies of course) then a certain song came on. I don’t even remember the song right now, but I found my eyes tearing up as I thought about Julia and how much I missed her. It was over in an instant, but once again I realized how the healing of a heart, and dealing with loss really does take time. I know that I am doing very well. I know that God is good, and He has been so good to me and my family in this time, but what I have learned is that grieving is a process. I do believe that process can and should be shortened by the strong presence of God in our lives. But it is still a process, nonetheless. That means that no matter how good I am doing, I still have certain moments. That’s OK and healthy. I need to let them happen, embrace them and then release them. That’s easier now than it was a few months ago. I no longer feel the deep lows trying to pull me down. Now it’s sort of like turbulence on a flight. It really feels like more of a nuisance than a danger. However, I know there are some rough patches ahead as we approach and deal with the holidays. That’s OK. We will be together as a family and I know that God has us together as a family for a purpose. I’m awaiting that purpose.

So, I think that’s all for tonight. I really feel more relaxed than I did when I started tonight, but I am going to bed soon. I will definitely enjoy tomorrow! But, I really enjoy every day!!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Day 290 - Keeping the Fire Burning

So, how do you keep the fire burning when things are not going well. You get news that yhour investments have gone down the tubes, or you have a sick child or a loved one dies. Things happen. We live in a fallen world. I wish that the Kingdom of God reigned in every case, but it doesn’t, yet. So bad things do happen. They happen to both good and bad people. How should we respond? Better yet, how will I respond, or how will you respond? It’s easy when we keep it generic. It’s harder when the love of your life dies suddenly, or a child gets deathly ill. How do we respond?

I truly believe, after almost a years worth of experience, that you will respond on the basis of your core beliefs. If you are angry with God, or in any way think that He is out to judge you, you will blame Him. Why not, He’s an easy target. Surely you must have done something wrong. Is this His judgment? Why is He punishing me in this way? We here it all the time: “It must be His will, after all, all thing come through His hands.” I mean even the insurance agencies call tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes “an act of God”. So here is the real question: What is the nature of the God you believe in? Do you see Father God as a being standing with Lightning bolts coming out of his hands, and fire in His eyes waiting to judge you? Do you believe that He wants to judge you for your sins? If you do, then I can understand why you could believe that He caused your mother to get cancer so that your father would come to Christ.

I’m sorry, that is not the God that I believe in. That is not the God that I read about in the New Testament. I read of a loving father who sent His son Jesus to diei and spill His blood to cover all of my sins. I read about a God who wants me to come and sit at His right hand as a son, not to perform as a slave. My Father loves me, and wants to hang out with me. He would never do anything to hurt me. Sure. Things happen. We live in a fallen world. There are accidents, sickness and disease, but He brings healing and joy to counteract all of that. I am a child of the King, but it is a different Kingdom, and as much as I want, His Kingdom is not always in control here in earth. It will be sometimes, but for now, we have to fight to bring it into existence.

How do I keep my fire burning? First, I KNOW that He is good, and He wants good things for me. Secondly, I refuse to spend my time focusing on my lack. Lack could be anything. It might be a problem in my finances, or the need for a job. It could be the illness of a loved one, or the death of a spouse. What ever it is, I acknowledge it. It’s true that it is happening to me, but I refuse to let it be my focus. Instead, I make the choice to focus ho His love and His goodness. I know that He loves me! I know that He is good! I know that He will turn everything into good, and I have to believe Him and continue to press for the Kingdom of God to be released into the situation that I find myself in.

The fire in your heart will only burn as long as you keep providing the fuel. Knowing that God is Good, all the time helps keep the fuel moving into my heart. That keeps the fire burning. It’s not about what I see or don’t see in the natural; It’s about who I believe He is, and more importantly, what I believe about Him. Do I question why? Sure I do! Have I ever questioned Him about His goodness? No! He is good and His mercy endures forever. Maybe it’s naïve, but I don’t think so. I think it is knowing His heart and choosing to believe it. So the question of the night for you is this: Are you going to choose to keep the fire burning in your heart, or are you going to turn away from the very one that can save you?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Day 289 - November Schedule

Well it’s 11:15 and I’m just starting this. School is great, but it makes for a long night. I was driving home thinking about where I was this time last year. We were beginning to get ready for Thanksgiving. Julia already had the house decorated. I would probably decorate it a little bit if I was going to be home very much. I would walk in form school and she would be on the couch with the TV going. More than likely she would be asleep, waiting for me to come home, but she would wake up and I would tell her about the awesome things that happened at school. She had already started Christmas shopping, but so have I, so I’m OK there. But she would wrap the presents. That will be a challenge for me this year.

Enough of that! Now to the present, I got my November schedule and I’m only working 13 days. That’s great. What’s even better is that I have from Thanksgiving to the end of the month off. So I will try to get to Lisa’s for Thanksgiving Day and the Friday following. Then I will fly to Jennifer’s for a couple of days. This way I will get to see all my family over that weekend. That’s good, because Julia’s birthday is on the Friday after Thanksgiving and I want to be with all of them as much as I can for that weekend. It will be a good time to see everybody.

Also I’m off the first weekend in November so I can go on a BSSM trip with Scott to Greenville SC for the weekend. It will be fun and another opportunity to minister. I had to work late tonight, so I was late for school. I missed about an hour, not too bad, but I wish that I had been there. We were practicing more of the prophetic in second year. School is definitely my high point during this time. I enjoy all the gueat speakers and the time it takes to do all the homework. I know that with work it makes me extremely busy, but I couldn’t imagine life without it right now. More and more that’s where my life revolves around. We do have our monthly Night of Healing Prayer at RiverStone this Thursday night, and that should be a lot of fun too. Randall Worley is going to be at school next week. He is one of the best, most thought provoking teachers that I have ever heard. I really can’t wait to hear him. He will be at Bethel Atlanta this Sunday morning, so I am definitely going down there to church this Sunday. I’ll see if John and Biddie and Bud and Cathy want to go. Shoot, I might ask some more people to come down for the service. He is so good.

It looks like we got some more rain tonight. That’s good; I’m ready for a little cooler weather. Fall would be nice. Maybe in November I will have time to get out in the yard and do all the things that “Julia keeps telling me I need to do”. Right now I still don’t have the time. Only working 13 days should give me more time to get it done. Besides, when the weather is good, I need to be riding my Harley to stay in practice. Yes, I know I will have to do the yard work. Someday I will have a Condo, maybe. Although, doing without a yard might be too hard. I really do like a yard; it’s just the upkeep that I don’t like.

Well, that’s enough rambling for tonight. The good news is that God is Good, and I am so blessed to have a job and be in school and to be able to see my family over Thanksgiving weekend. I will sleep deep in His love and mercy tonight

Day 288 - Mission Statement

I’m sitting here in my rocking chair. It’s already after 11PM, but I don’t have to work until 1PM tomorrow afternoon so I will be able to sleep a little later tomorrow morning. The past two days have been busy but good. I was off work both Sunday and today. With the early finish on Sat morning and the late period tomorrow, that’s the longest I have been of since I got back from Australia. Yesterday was really busy with church, outreach at Little Five Points and then a training class for our Night of Healing Prayer. I left the house at 10:30 and didn’t come back until about 9. A long day considering I was “off”.

Today was better. I got up about 8:30 and read for a couple of hours. I have a book report due next Monday night at school and I’m almost through with the book. Then I got a good run in before I went down to the mall to start Christmas Shopping for the Granddaughters before I went to class tonight. Tonight’s class was very interesting. We watched a short video of Danny Silk talking about life mission statements. The bottom line was if you don’t know your mission you will say yes to anything and never accomplish anything. However if you look toward your 90th birthday and plan your life’s mission that you want to have accomplished at that point, then you will know what to say yes to and what to say no to as life happens around you.

We were then given a sheet with three groups of words. The sheet was filled on both sides. We had to pick ten verbs from the list and narrow them down to three. Then we picked five service words and narrowed them down to two. Then we picked three names of who we were going after and narrowed it down to one. Then using the words we picked, we started a sentence. “My mission in life is to (verb) (verb) and (verb) (subject) by (service) and (service). It’s amazing how it all comes together. Here is the Mission Statement that I cam up with. “My mission in life is to reconcile, restore and empower the next generation through exhortation and deliverance.” I was amazed at how I came up with that. Danny Silk is one of the smartest counselors that I know. Anyway that fits well within my vision of “A Company of Fathers”. Can’t you see it, dream with me for a minute: men and women going to cities all over the world. Their only agenda is to teach identity and share the goodness of God and His Father heart to this fatherless generation. Then we connect them to the trinity: Jesus, Papa and Holy Spirit, so they can hear and learn for themselves. All it would take is a few, at first, men and women willing to give themselves away to the next generation. Some who would be willing to travel and give up a life of “retirement” to see the Kingdom of God advanced. This really can be done in my lifetime.

I’ve never been one to want to live long; I just want to live well. However last week our guest speaker was declaring over me “30 more years”. He even had me repeat the declaration. I want 30 more years, only if they can be productive years. So I am going after Divine health and 30 more years of full ministry. When I can be productive, I want to go on home. But 30 years would be nice. I remember the chorus of a song that I heard as a child. I think it was an opera that dad had the record. “Desert Song” I believe was the name of it. The chorus went like this: ‘Give me some men who are stout hearted men who will fight for the rights they adore.” It went on, “shoulder to shoulder, bolder and bolder”. I really can’t remember the rest, but that’s what I believe God wants to raise up. Men and women who know the Goodness of God and want to share that with the next generation, to empower them to run farther and faster than we were ever able to run. This is something that I could give 30 years to and not even know that they had passed by.

So I guess Danny Silk stirred me up once again. He always does. How does all this work out? I don’t know right now, but if I continue to press into it, I’m sure that Papa will show me how. After all, it’s His heart too.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Day 287 - "Flaming Associate"

It was late fall in 1995. NE Metro was going well. Now we had moved in to a little warehouse space right off Jimmy Carter Blvd. God was showing up at all of our meetings. We had a worship team and a children’s ministry. I think we were up to over 100 adults. We were really a radical church. Tony was more of a prophet than a pastor. His sermons were right on target for what God was doing and it was an exciting time. Julia and I were there at least three times a week and although it was a long drive, God gave us the grace for it. We were still having renewal meetings, but they were all at Mark Lawson’s church. By now the Atlanta Vineyard had basically turned away from renewal along with most of the other Vineyard Churches. There were still a good number who supported Toronto, but it looked almost inevitable that the Vineyard was going to kick Toronto out, sooner rather than later.

There was a particular renewal meeting when Jim Goll came to Atlanta to minister. Now if you don’t know Jim Goll, you can just imagine a wild eyed prophet from the Old Testament showing up at your church. He was totally wild. You never knew what he was going to do. For that reason most pastors really didn’t want him in their pulpits on Sunday mornings. But He is so anointed by the Holy Spirit, and so accurate with his words. He was perfect for a renewal meeting because He values the Presence of God above anything else. So here he was and we were all excited to have him minister. I don’t remember anything about the message or the worship, but the ministry time I remember like yesterday, and that was almost 15 years ago. Jim was giving words to people right and left. The anointing was so strong on him that he could hardly stand. I remember that I was standing with Tony when Jim came up and started prophesying over him. It was so strong, and so right on that Tony could hardly stand. I was holding Tony up while Jim kept on and on. I was praying for a word, but I normally don’t get many words from people, so I really wasn’t looking for one. But just then as Jim finished Tony he pointed at me and started yelling “Flaming Associate, Flaming Associate. You hearts is on fire, you carry fire in you heart.” Then he looked at Tony and asked: “Is he your associate?” Tony said no and Jim then said: “He is now” and turned and walked away.

Now Julia and I were Tony and Sandy’s best friends. We were closer to them than anyone and we did everything that associate pastors would do. I felt that God had told me that I would become an associate pastor, but I figured that it would be in a couple of years. I wasn’t pushing for a title; I just wanted to serve. Tony and Sandy were perfect role models for Julia and I. We were learning about team ministry by being around them both. We were just happy to be involved and happy to watch Holy Spirit continue to show up. But when Jim spoke that over me, it resonated as truth to me. But more importantly it resonated as truth to Tony. As we left the meeting that night, Tony looked at me and said that we would need to talk later in the week.

Julia and I met with Tony and Sandy to discuss what Jim had prophesied over us. Tony and Sandy both agreed that it was time for us to be recognized for what we had already been doing. He wanted to ordain us as associate pastors. The question was really to Julia. Did she want to be ordained, or did she just want to work with me as a team. Sandy had been ordained so ordaining women wasn’t an issue. But Julia felt more comfortable with just me being ordained. It really didn’t matter. We all knew that she was just as much an associate pastor as I was. So, on December 17, 1995 I was ordained as a Minister in the North East Metro Vineyard Christian Fellowship. It was a powerful service. Mom and Dad were there, and I tried not to fall under the power of the Spirit, but it was just too much and down I went.

You know that God has a great sense of humor. All these years in planting Vineyard churches, I had dreamed about someday being a Vineyard pastor. I had asked God if that were possible, and He and said it was. Well here it is. My dream of being a Vineyard pastor was fulfilled. But the next week Toronto, under extreme pressure, left the Vineyard. By the end of the year, we left the Vineyard too. Although we made the right decision, and followed what God was calling us to do, I still laugh when I think that I was a “Vineyard pastor” for less than two weeks. I still laugh about that even now. God is so good. We were at NE Metro until the summer of 1999. I cherish our time there. Julia and I grew so much under Tony and Sandy. He was and is like a brother to me. I will always cherish our time with them. It was probably one of the most enriching times in my life. I know that Julia would say the same thing.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Day 286 - A Day By Myself

I got up early to go to work this morning. Work was easy, I started at 5:30 and was finished by 9AM. That’s the good thing about getting up early. So, I drove home, and made breakfast and then started a load of clothes in the washer and began to clean house. I did the dishes and folded other clothes. The only thing that I didn’t do was to iron my shirts. I’ll have to do them on Monday. It was nice being through so early. It was almost like having the day off.

This afternoon after it warmed up a little I rent for an hour run. I don’t know exactly how far because I didn’t look at my GPS distance. Over the last 10 years I have gotten slower, buy at least one to two minutes a mile. The problem is that I tend to judge my distance by the time I ran 10 years ago. It’s very evangelistic, but not very accurate. So, I just ran an hour, I don’t know how far. After I had cooled down, I went for a ride on my Harley. It’s the longest ride that I have had since I got the bike. I rode through some back roads up to the Harley Davidson Dealership north of Cartersville. I also got on I 75 for about 4 miles. That was not fun. I was going 70 in the right hand lane and it didn’t really feel comfortable. I know that I will have to ride on the expressway sometimes, but it will be out of necessity, nor for the fun of it. Anyway, I rode for about two hours and I had a great time. It was such a beautiful day.

I had a surprise tonight in the back yard. I was going to marinate some chicken and then grill it. But I realized that I didn’t have any Jalapeño peppers. So I went down in back to check the two plants that I had. Now I haven’t been in the back since before I went to Australia. So I figured both the plants were dead. Well, to my surprise, both plants were loaded with huge peppers. I think that I picked at least ten big peppers. So I was able to use one in my sauce for the chicken. I grilled about three chicken breast tonight. That should last me for a few days, maybe longer.

The only negative about today was watching Tech play so badly against Clemson. But after that I watched a movie and then some of my TV shows that I have taped on the PVR. I’m so far behind, I’ll never catch up, but that’s all right. So here I am, staying up too late. But tomorrow will be a full day. I have church; reach out at L5P; and then training for Healing ministry. But I am off from work both tomorrow and Monday. It is going to be a good day. I can’t wait. Today, I was home all by myself, and that’s OK. Nine months ago, that would have been hard. I am growing!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Day 285 - Releasing Destiny

This was a good day. I started out giving an “oral” to two girls who we are training at Delta. An oral is an oral exam testing their systems knowledge of the airplane. It is standard in pilot checkouts, or at least it used to be. For real Delta pilots, they now take a computerized test on systems. If they pass that, then they move on to the simulator training. These girls, who are not Delta pilots, are being trained under an older FAA regulation that requires the oral. In order to give an oral or a rating ride, you have to be certified by the FAA to do it. That means you have to be signed off as proficient. That was what was happening to me today. Later in the month I will be signed off to give their check ride in the simulator. Giving oral exams is nothing new to me, I do it every day almost in our recurrent (yearly) check. But that oral is very short. This one is comprehensive and should take between an hour and a half and two hours. That’s a lot of talking and a lot of questions. Anyway, I did two of them today and they both went well.

Both the girls are 23 and have been flying since college. They have around 2000 hours and their dream is to fly with an airline like Delta. Maybe I’m just too old, or maybe I have seen too much, but I don’t think that I would have that dream anymore. It’s probably because I have seen the “good ole days” and things in the industry have changed so much. But today I was looking through their eyes. Their heart’s desire is to fly; to fly and actually get paid for it. They know the negatives, but it doesn’t mater to them right now. They just want to fly. They don’t look at flying as work, but a privilege to be able to take a plane up in the sky and do something that still very few people will ever be able to do. So, they had my vote, I was pulling for them, praying for them to do good as I asked them the questions. I didn’t pull any punches; I didn’t have to. They were both well prepared and ready for any question that I might ask them. You could just see the passion in their eyes and the dreams in their hearts

Tonight we had a sozo team meeting at RiverStone. I was so proud of Ben, Kerry, Mike and Tonya. They have taken hold of the leadership of the ministry and are doing a great job. I felt like a proud Papa watching them lead. I know that Julia was watching as well. It’s interesting to watch them work together. Both couples are so strong, and both have such different gift sets. I’m sure that sometimes they probably don’t see eye to eye. But they lead with honor. They honor each other and so it works. I think the best legacy that Julia and I gave the Sozo team was developing a culture of Honor. I think that we learned it by ministering with and being so close to John and Biddie. We learned that even when we disagreed about something we could still release honor and love. So it got to be a joke that if I went one way, John would go the other, or vice-a-versa. Anyway, we learned that it was OK to disagree as long as we still loved. That’s a very good lesson that we all need to learn.

We had Sheryl Geddis come to talk about sozoing children and so Lacey came with her. It was great because we all got together to have dinner before the meeting. At the meeting Sheryl’s teaching was awesome! She gave a lot of good principals and generated a lot of thought. There were tons of questions. Then Lacey and I got to talk a little about our experience in Australia and then I talked about my favorite current topic: Stepping into your destiny with God. It’s all about faith. Faith that you hear God, and that if you are seeking after Him then your thoughts are His thoughts. So follow your heart and step into destiny. If you are seeking Him, then your heart is in rhythm with His heart, so your dreams must be His dreams. Don’t let the enemy derail you. Press into all that God has for you. That is what I am saying to everyone right now. That is what I am trying to do.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Day 284 - Reflections

I’m sitting here tonight in my rocking chair listening to Love Came Down. It’s a nice comfortable place to be. This week has been very busy and I still have work tomorrow and Saturday morning. The good news is that I don’t have to be at work until 8AM tomorrow morning. So that’s only a 5:45 wake up. It’s one of those nights when I could just sit for a long time and just reflect on my life with Julia and all the love that we had together. I will do this for just a few minutes, then it’s time to look forward. I was emailing back and forth with Biddie this morning and she was saying how much Penny in the movie reminded her of Julia and the way that she attacked life. I agreed. It did remind me of her too. But that’s not my focus or my mood tonight.

As I listen to the album, I think of some of the quieter times that we had together. I remember in Hawaii there was a season when every Friday night we would go to this one restaurant on the other side of the island. Just the two of us would go, have dinner and then stay and listen to this singer who was one of our favorites. We would listen to him for a couple of hours, sipping on some wine and eating popcorn. We were just enjoying each other and the moment. Never regret taking those special moments with your special someone. They are what make memories. There were other times later in life when we would go by ourselves to Chastain Park to concerts. I love being with friends, but sometimes the special times alone make the best memories.

Memories are OK, and sometimes you need just to pause, step back and remember where you have come from before you charge the hill again to get to where you are going. I had 38+ wonderful years with a wonderful woman. Not many people can say that. I am so blessed to have two lovely daughters, two wonderful son in laws and four precious granddaughters. I’m so blessed to have a strong relationship with my God, and to have the passion and desire of someone much younger. I’m blessed to have good health and the ability to do most of what I want to do. I thank God for all the blessings that He has given me.

I don’t know if I would have any of this if it hadn’t been for Papa arranging the marriage with that beautiful young blond. I know that we weren’t seeking His face then, but I still believe that He divinely put us together. In many ways, she is the springboard to the next step in my life. It’s like we rode together in space until her race was run and she set off the booster rocket to take me farther into places that only I would walk into. Sometimes it’s very lonely, but as Capt Kirk said; “I go boldly where no man has ever gone before”. Well, other men might have walked this way before, but I haven’t, and probably wouldn’t if Julia was still here.

But she is not here, not in the flesh anyway. So, I do choose to move forward because that is the way she would have liked it. So as I take this little pause tonight, I do it knowing that there will be no pause in my passion or my desire to step into all things new. I know that because that’s who I am, it’s who we were. I am someone who embraces change, and so was she. Change is inevitable, and it’s change that I am in the midst of. Change in almost every area of my life. I didn’t want this change, and I didn’t cause it, but it is here now, so I choose to embrace it. I embrace it all.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Day 283 - Secretariat

I worked today, but went straight to the movie from work. I have heard very good things about this movie (Secretariat) but I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Well, I was blown away. This is so much more than a movie about a horse. It's about following your dreams and having the heart to go after your destiny no matter what the odds. The theme song in the movie “It's Who you Are” is all about identity and the willingness to be who God made you to be. No excuses, and no regrets.

The movie leaves me with many thoughts to ponder. One of these is “How big is my heart? Am I willing at all costs to follow my dreams and go after the destiny that God has placed in front of me? Am I willing to pay any price, knowing that He has good intentions for me, and even though I might be giving up a lot, it will all be worth it in the end. You see the movie was about a horse with a heart too big to lose. But it was so much more than that. It was about a woman who was willing to pay the price to be who she had been raised to be. She was willing to risk the status quo to follow after a dream, even when all the odds were against her. At the same time, she never lost sight of who she was before the dream.

I guess it hit home for me because it’s where I am right now. I really feel that God is refining and defining my dreams and I need to have the heart to run as hard as I can after them once I know the clear direction. I truly do feel like a kid sometimes wondering what he will be like when he grows up. It seems pretty ridiculous for someone my age, but at the same time pretty exciting. How much heart do you have, do I have? Do we have as much as a horse that loved to run? We have to learn to love to run. To run the race that Papa calls us to. The thing is, we all run different races and my race will probably look nothing like your race. But it takes passion. Passion is the wood that fuels the fire in our heart. Don’t ever let your passion die out.

Some one asked me the other night this question: How do you know if your dreams are from God? Good question and it’s really hard to answer. The only way I could answer it was to tell them this. Keep your focus on Him and His love. The more you spend time with Him, and He becomes your passion, the more His dreams for you become your dreams. Don’t wait for a green light to move. Keep moving until you get a red light. You will get much more accomplished that way. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is not in failing; failure is in not trying! Are you willing to go after your dreams? If you are not, no one else will!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Day 282 - Believing the Promises

What are you believing God for today? Is it for healing? Is it for provision? Maybe it’s for a new job. Maybe your child is sick or you are sick. Maybe you are believing for the salvation of a loved one. The big question for all of us tonight is this. Have we got promises from God that haven’t been answered? If so, what are we believing? Are we believing what God promised us, or are we believing what we are seeing right now? We are living in a world that is constantly bombarded by fear. Fear of losing our job; fear of losing our house; fear of cancer and all the other fears that are pushed upon us by CNN, FOX and all the other news stations.

We as a people are bombarded constantly by bad news. Bad news sells. Good news doesn’t make the headlines. I have to ask myself, sometimes more than once a day, where I my focus. I want my focus to be on all the promises that God has given me about my family and myself. Many of the promises that He gave Julia and I have been fulfilled. But there are many that are still out there, waiting for the fulfillment. I have a choice to make. Do I believe that the promises are real and will come to pass, or do I believe what my eyes tell me right now? Which is the greater reality? The promise that has yet to be fulfilled, or the situation that I see right now in the “natural”?

The scripture says: “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” Do we? Do I? I would like to think that I do, but if I did then fear would have no hold on me. I have to admit that sometimes fear does have a grip on me. But every time that I realize that I am walking in fear, I have to repent and choose to walk in faith, believing the promises. So as I go to bed tonight, I want to meditate on some of the promises that He has given me. I want to just rest in His goodness and His love for me and everything that I love. He is good, and He is in a good mood. I just want to see His face smiling at me as I fall asleep tonight. What are you going to choose to believe today?

Monday, October 18, 2010

Day 281 - A New Week

I had a lot of plans for today. My main plan was to get the tag for my Harley and to get a run in before school. I got those done, but nothing else. I have learned to listen to my body and even though I probably abuse it with the hours that I sleep, I do know when to slow down and take it esay. Today was one of those days. I went to bed at 10PM last night and knew that I really wanted to get some good rest. I woke up at around 6:30, but I felt that I still needed more sleep. So, I just turned over. The next thing that I knew was that it was after 10AM. I had slept over 12 hours and I woke up feeling great. The only bad thing about it was that I wasn’t going to be able to get all the things that I wanted to do accomplished. That was OK, deep down I knew that I really needed the sleep that I had just gotten.

So, it was a beautiful day and after I had my shower I got on the Harley and drove over to the Paulding County Government complex outside of Dallas. It’s probably between 15 and 20 miles from the house, so that made it officially the longest ride that I have taken to date. I got my tag and them came back towards home. I detoured of the path to go show the bike to John and Biddie. That was fun, and John had the screws I needed to get the tag on. Then I was able to go home and take a run. It was such a beautiful day. The run was fun although not long enough. But that was all the time that I had. It was time to get ready for school. I did get to Costco and get gas. A quick trip to Starbucks and then I met Brad to ride together.

Tonight was really good as usual. It’s always good to have a guest speaker. I got prayer from Paul and he was declaring 30 more years of having fun riding on the edge over me. I receive that. I want to be on the edge in the Spirit. We talked about the false line that we draw separating the natural from supernatural. For example if we cut ourselves deeply and go to the Doctor, He will clean the wound and stitch it up. It might take multi layer stitching. But what the stitching does is it brings the wound together so the body can begin the healing process. The body heals itself “naturally” because that iw the way God made our bodies.

But what about the man whose leg was amputated years ago and then he is prayed for. Since then the leg has grown 6 inches and now a kneecap is beginning to form (true story!) We call that supernatural, but the body is healing itself just like the person with a cut. Which is natural and which is supernatural. They are both using the same bodily process. Why do we divide them? A cut healing is really as supernatural as a leg growing out. They both take the power of God. It’s just that we see one of them more than the other. Anyway, that was just one of the things we were talking about tonight. It is really good food for thought.

Well, that’s my day as I start a new week. I’m glad I got all the sleep, because I’ll only get about three and half hours tonight. I have an early morning sim period. So I guess it’s good night.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Day 280 - Little Five Points

My weekly outreach for BSSM is in Little Five Points. Little Five Points is in East Atlanta, right off Moreland Ave and Euclid Ave. It’s an eclectic area with coffee shops, bars and restaurants. It has some neat shops and is probably the new age center for the Atlanta area. This makes it a very exciting place to minister the love of God. Because most of the people are open to any type of spirit, it is sometimes easy to get to talk to them and get them to open up to what God is doing. At the same time, it can be a very dark place spiritually. That sounds hard, but when you know that you serve the God who is the real God, then you know your authority and what you carry. Isaiah said that the light would triumph over darkness and we need to bring the light into Little Five Points.

This afternoon was an afternoon of contrasts. First, there was a big Halloween parade in Little Five Points that drew over 15,000 people last night. I’m sure it was a celebration of darkness and that there were many spirits stirred up. So today as we walked around, you could just feel ”heaviness’ in the area. It was much different than last week. So when we started walking around, we began to pray just to release the Kingdom of God into the area. We have about 12 on our outreach team, and almost all were there today. We divide up into groups of tow or three and then just walk around, sharing with other people. It is our mission to bring the Kingdom of God into Little Five Points. We do that by walking around and releasing God’s love. We release His love by being friendly, developing relationships and meeting both physical and spiritual needs to those in the area. For example, today my group helped a girl change a flat tire, just talked and hung out with a few other people and prayed for healing of a guy’s shoulder. It never looks the same. It’s not a pattern or a program. Our goal is not to “save souls”, although that does happen. Our goal is to bring the presence of Light into the darkness. It is to release the Kingdom of God wherever we go.

The greatest testimony that my group had to day was when we prayed for healing. We were at one of the coffee shops getting coffee. Brandy heard the guy behind the counter tell a friend that his right shoulder was really hurting and he had pinched a nerve. We asked if we could pray for him. He was very hesitant, an said that we could after he finished making a coffee drink. Then there was a long line, so we just said that we would come back later. We continued walking around and talking with other people, trying to release the love of God where ever we went. As we were heading back to meet up with the rest of the team; we decided to try once again to pray for this guy. So we went into the store and it was empty. Rob asked him if we could pray and then Rob and I put our hands on his sore shoulder. I prayed about a 30 second prayer asking the Kingdom of God to be released and commanding the pain to leave. We also jus declared healing in his arm. Then we asked him how it felt. He started moving it, and then moving it some more. He sounded surprised and said that it was much better but there was still a little pain. We asked if we could pray again. We prayed for about 30 seconds this time commanding it to be healed and all the pain to cease. We asked him to move his arm again and he looked shocked. He began to smile and his eyes got big. He told us that all the pain was gone. We all were excited and we told him that Jesus loves him and healed him because he was special. He just smiled as we left.

Later we found out that this particular coffee shop is very anti Christian. But today Father God used us to bring His light into that dark place. Isn’t it just like Jesus to heal an unbeliever to leave a sign of His mercy and Love? So today was fun. It’s always fun when you get to partner with Holy Spirit to bring the Kingdom of Heaven down to earth. Well tomorrow school begins and it should be fun. I’m off tomorrow too, so I can get some things taken care of.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Day 279 - A Lazy Day

Last night was short and this morning came early. Three and a half hours sleep is definitely not enough. I was awake at 3AM, no problem, and work went well. I got home around noontime and I made myself some eggs for a late breakfast. Then I sat down in front of the TV to rest. I figured I would take a quick nap and then go for a run. Well, three hours later when I woke up, I realized that the day had passed me by. I didn’t get to run or ride my bike. But that’s OK. I probably needed the nap, especially since I have to do it all again tomorrow.

I did get some clothes in the wash and I went to Starbucks to read and have a Latte. I had it in a real cup and stayed at the store to drink it. There is just something about drinking a good hot Latte in a big ceramic cup. It holds the heat for a long time and allows you to sip it slowly as you read. That was a special pleasure that I don’t normally indulge in. I then had dinner with John and Biddie to catch up with them and I got home about 8. I watched a little football and here I am trying to get my blog done before bed.

Tomorrow I get up early again. Then after work I will go over to BA to church because going back to RiverStone is too far. After church we go to out reach in Little Five Points. It will be a busy but hopefully good day. I wish that there was some way that I could ride my bike, but it will be to cold to drive it to work. Oh well, I am off on Monday so I will definitely get to ride it then. In fact I might ride it to the city courthouse. I have to register it and turn the title in next week. That would be an interesting drive during the middle of the day.

I really need a day to just do yard work, but I’m working six days next week after working six days this week. I still have another five days before the end of the month. I miss Julia’s decorations around the house. I know that she would have Thanksgiving stuff up now and Christmas is coming soon. I’ll be out of town in Hilton Head for most of that, but I still plan on putting up some of the same things that we had up last Christmas; definitely her little green tree on the table in the front, along with the two outside trees on the front porch. Maybe I won’t be working somuch in November and I can get to the yard then. It’s all a matter of priorities, and right now the yard is pretty low on my list.

So I guess that it’s OK to have a lazy day every now and then. I do feel refreshed and ready to take on the world next week. School is back in session on Monday. It will be good, I know. Well, it’s off to bed for an early morning. The story of my life : > )

Friday, October 15, 2010

Day 278 - Night Ride

I’m sitting here about to start writing. It’s been a long day but a good day. I had small group last night and Sozo tonight. So that means that Wed night is the only night I have had off this week. I’ve got an A period both tomorrow and on Sunday, so I don’t know when I’ll get any rest to speak of. It all starts again Sunday afternoon with outreach in Little Five Points. Scott and Lacey are in Daytona ministering there during bike week. If I wasn’t working I would like to be there with them. It should be fun. Well, tonight was fun. I rode the Harley to church for my Sozo and then rode it home. It’s amazing how cold it gets on a bike at night. One thing is for sure; I don’t have to worry about falling asleep while I am riding. I can tell that I am going to be a “fair weather” biker. Why torture yourself by riding in the rain or cold? Well, maybe in the clod as long as the sun is shining brightly. Tonight even in 60 degree weather, the wind chill factor going 45 MPH is 42 degrees. But if it’s 50 degrees outside then the wind chill at 45 MPH is 23 degrees, Big difference! That’s why I will probably stay a fair weather rider. Even though it is late, I’m glad that I am working early tomorrow morning. That means that I have the afternoon free. I can maybe get another run in and watch some football,. Who knows, maybe I can get another ride in this weekend. I know the weather is going to be beautiful.

Tonight I worked with Doug in the Sozo. It’s always interesting to see how God uses each of us in such different ways. Life is like that. Wee all get worried thinking that we won’t be used, or aren’t good enough, When really God has His plan worked out, and if we would just allow Him to move in our life, we would see great things happen. He went a different route that I would have taken. But the end result was that God showed up and freedom came. I’m beginning to learn, slowly sometimes, that my way isn’t the only way. It’s taken me a long time but it’s finally sinking in. Well, I don’t think my way is the only way all the time. If I did, I would never be any good as a team member. But still, you know what I mean. We all think that we are right most of the time. And even when we let some one else do it differently, it still bothers us. We have to realize that a God who creates millions of galaxies also creates millions of different ways to do things. The good news is that He lets us be a part of his plan. That is the good news.

I got to talk with Jennifer and Lisa today. I sure do miss seeing them and all the grandkids. Hopefully in November I will be able to get to both homes to see them all. The are the real treasures in my life. I know that they are going through the same things I am on a different level. Just today at work I wanted to call and talk with Julia. Instantly I realized that wasn’t going to happen. I know that releasing their mom must be very hard. I remember when mom died, it was like she was still around, but I just hadn’t seen her. I don’t know how long it took to really sink in that I couldn’t call her and I wasn’t going to see her on the weekend. My prayer is that in the timing of the Lord, they will be able to release Julia and the pain of their loss will subside. But I don’t think that will happen until after Christmas. I am so glad that we will all be together for Christmas. According to Lisa, Anna Roan is planning out each day, what we are going to go, what we are going to eat and what we are going to bake. This should be interesting.

Well it’s 11:15 and I have to be up at 3AM, so I had better stop and get some sleep.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Day 277 - 1995: N E Metro Vineyard is Planted

As the summer of 1995 approached it was obvious to those of us that were going to plant with Tony and Sandy that it was going to have to be soon. There was becoming more and more of a distancing between Tony and Johnny. I don’t think either one was necessarily at fault, it is just they were beginning to go in different directions. We were still having weekend renewal meetings, but more and more they were at Mark Lawson’s church and not at the Atlanta Vineyard. The pressure on the Vineyard to renounce Toronto was getting stronger by the day, and there were rumblings that it was about to happen. John Wimber was fighting throat cancer and other ailments along with some family problems. He was distracted and more and more was turning over day to day leadership to others.

At home, Jennifer was getting married in June and Lisa was about to graduate from High School. Julia was making wedding dresses and I was taking Lisa to visit colleges. It was a very busy time in our lives. Then to throw the new church plant in on top of that was almost too much. I don’t remember the exact time frame, but I remember talking with Tony and we knew that we had to plant sooner rather than later.

So, that summer about 45 men women and children were prayed for and released to start the N E Metro Vineyard in Norcross. Here we were planting another church across town. I wondered if God was ever going to let us go to a church close by. Our first meeting was on a Sunday morning in a little hotel right off Jimmy Carter Blvd. We had a banquet hall for the meeting and 2 rooms for the kids. I remember walking into the rooms early only to find about two dozen empty beer bottles and a mess. We cleaned up the rooms, got the sound system running and were ready for our first service. The church began to grow and it wasn’t more than a month that we were looking for some type of building. Our services were so sweet. The Holy Spirit seemed to like what we were doing because from day one, He kept showing up in power. Our worship and our facilities might not have been the best, but the presence of God was always strong in our meetings. People who wanted more began to come.

I believe it was late fall when Tony and Sandy invited Julia and I to go with them to a Vineyard pastors and leaders meeting in Anaheim. We were excited. I had secretly always wanted to be a Vineyard Pastor and to be able to go and hang out was a great honor. But the night before we left Julia had one of the most significant dreams of her life. She had never been to LA and had no idea what the city and surrounding area looked like. In her dream, she saw a “river whose bed and sides were all concrete. In the river were vines, big thick vines, like grape vines. They were over running the river. The four of us were in the river, but the vines had us tangled up where we couldn’t get out. We were drowning in the river because of our entanglements. If you have ever been to LA, you know that the LA river runs through the heart of the city and it looks like a concrete river. So we knew that the setting was in the LA area. The vines had to be the vineyard, but why we were entangled and drowning, we didn’t know.

We found out at the conference. This conference was the beginning of trying to make the Vineyard a denomination. The main speakers were focusing on “servant evangelism” and other programs to grow the church. From a movement that had focused on Power Evangelism and Power Healing this was devastating. Most of the time John Wimber didn’t speak. When he did, it was a broken old man talking. He was saying what his advisors wanted him to say. Not much was mentioned about Toronto or anything that was going on in the spirit. On one of the last nights of the conference, Wimber did speak. He started off saying what he had been saying all week, but then the anointing kicked in and all of a sudden he was the old John Wimber and he started saying things completely different that had been said all week. He was talking about the Holy Spirit and power evangelism and going after the fire of God. But just as quickly as it had came, it left and all of a sudden he was back undoing everything he had just said. We left the conference devastated. We were still a vineyard church. That was our heritage. The question was how long would we stay one. We had been warned in Julia’s dream not to get to tangled up in the vineyard, lest we drown in all that is going on with them.

So in the final analysis, John Wimber let the fear of what others think cause the Vineyard movement to turn away from the raw power of the Holy Spirit. But as I look back, it probably wasn’t his fault. He was tired, sick and worn out. It was his advisors that ruined the Vineyard. At least ruined the Vineyard I knew and loved.

Back in Atlanta, we were still rocking along with the power of His presence and still having renewal meetings. It was still a good time, and the best was yet to come.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Day 276 - Changing My Profile

I was planning to go back to 1995 and finish out that story, but Holy Spirit had other ideas, so I’ll do that another night. The other night when I rode my bike out to Bud and Cathy’s for dinner, Bud made me go out and get some pictures with his camera. He casually said to ne that I needed to change my picture on facebook. We had fun taking some pictures and then we went to eat and talk. I didn’t think anything about it at the time, but it seems like every time I got on facebook I kept thinking about those pictures of me on my Harley. It was like Holy Spirit kept prodding me that it really was time to make the change. So when I talked to Bud tonight, I asked him to send me a couple of the best pictures. He did, and tonight I changed my picture from one of Julia and I in Hawaii to just me on my bike. No big deal, right? No wrong!

It didn’t seem like a big deal as I did it. I wrote what was on my heart, I loved Julia but I have to look to the future an not my past. That was all OK, pretty easy. Then it hit me. You all know that when I started this blog I told you that I would share my feelings, both good and bad. As soon as I finished posting that in facebook, a very strong wave of grief just overwhelmed me like a 40 foot rouge wave would overtake a sailboat. All of a sudden I found myself in deep distress, crying out in the pain of my loss and missing Julia just so much. I just cant describe the pain and the agony that I felt. It only lasted for about 30 seconds, but it seemed like an eternity. Then it subsided, but it came back again and again. It probably lasted about five minutes before it subsided for good.

I really couldn’t understand why that changing of the picture would cause that response in me. When I stopped wearing my ring there was none of that. I was asking Holy Spirit, why now and not then. The answer I got was that this was the last public connection that I had with Julia and my ring was just the beginning of my releasing her. Anyway, after about five minutes I was fine, but I was shocked at the level and depth of grief that was still within me. I guess that means that there is more to be released. I know that her birthday (Nov 26th) and Christmas are on the horizon, so I’m sure there are still more levels.

The good news in this is that it passes, and God continues to pour out His presence and His goodness in my life. I know His plans for me, and they are good. I know His plans for my kids and grandkids, and they are awesome!

I also watched the new version of Alice in Wonderland tonight. If you haven’t seen it, you need to watch it. It really is a good movie and it has a number of highly prophetic lines. As believers, we sometimes lose our “muchness”. You see, we have “much “ within us. God has given us all the tools we need to conquer the enemy. But we forget, and don’t realize all we have. We lose our “muchness” and believe ourselves to be less than we are.

Another thing is our destiny and our dreams. In the movie, Alice is told to stay on the designated path. Her spirit rises up and she says “I make the path”. That’s what God wants us to do. He has put things in our heart, dreams and visions. The world wants us to stay on our designated path, but Holy Spirit is crying out to us “You make the path! You make the path!” In order to reach our destiny, we can’t just follow what the world would have us do, we have to chose to make the path ourselves.

Lastly, we have to choose. We have to choose to be a champion. We have to choose to fight and not to run. We have top choose to stand for something. It’s our choice, but when we choose, we get the sword of the Spirit and He will lead us into the victory. Part of that choice is choosing to believe six impossible things wach day that God says are possible. As we choose to live for the impossible, the impossible becomes the possible.

So, tonight as I chose to change my picture on facebook, I had to take the sword of the Spirit and slay the dragon of grief and pain. I had to choose to step into life and destiny and not remain in the past. My love for Julia hasn’t changed, I h=just have to look at it in relation to my calling and my future. I thank Holy spirit for revealing all these truths to me and helping me to walk forward into my destiny. God truly is good.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Day 275 - Releasing Heaven's Roar

I’ll try to go back and piece together what happened last night at school. I’m sorry that I couldn’t finish last night, but I found myself going to sleep in mid sentence.

Last night after worship, second year went down stairs while first year stayed upstairs in the main room. Scott shared on the value of impartation and the difference between anointing and a mantle. He talked about the impartation that we had received in Australia and that how the more hunger you had, the more you received from impartation. He then had Lacey, Jason and myself join him and pray for all the students to receive everything that we had received. Well, we have a hungry bunch of students and pretty soon the Holy Spirit was moving as we prayed and gave out prophetic words to those we prayed for. Things were going pretty well and personally I was happy with all that God seemed to be doing when Scott came to me and gave me the microphone. He told me to release what I had birthed in Australia. My initial thought was how do I do that? But I began to pray the same thing that Nuno had initially prayed over me: “Use the tools! Use the tools! I’ve given you the tools, all you need, now use them!” I prayed that Destinies would be birthed as we prayed. As I began to speak that it seemed that Holy Spirit kicked into another gear and more and more people seemed to begin to press in deeper for more of God. Then Scott put his iPhone up to the mike. He had videoed me when I was being prayed for and you could hear me roaring in travail as Nuno was praying.

Then I took back the mike and explained that I was going to release a roar in the Spirit and the Lion of Judah was going to move on those who wanted more. So, as I roared over the microphone it was like a whirlwind entered the place. I can’t tell you what went on. All I can say id that God showed up in power and when that happens, no one is the same. We continued to stir up and fan the flame in people’s hearts. People were all over the room in all kinds of disarray. It was totally wild, and if you didn’t understand what was going on, you would probably have been scared to death. People were manifesting in so many different ways. This went on for over an hour. I think we started praying the first time around 8PM, maybe earlier because we didn’t have a break.

It must have been about 8:45 when I looked up and there were 8 students facing each other with their hands touching like a bridge. I was pretty wiped out and I thought to myself, wow a fire tunnel. It looks like London Bridge. So I just walked through. The anointing was very strong. Other people lined up behind me and all of a sudden we had a real fire tunnel. It was probably one of the most powerful experiences that I have had and the more people who joined in, the more powerful it became. It kept on going and getting stronger. Probably around 9:15, the first year students came down and started joining in. The presence of God was so strong that people just kept pressing in. I think that I left the building around 10:40. Normally school gets out at 9:30. Nothing like this ever happened last year. I can’t explain what happened except to say that Papa wanted to download something special to us and we were hungry enough to receive it.
So, I have been hoarse all day. I told the class tonight that whenever I roar, it is because I feel the jealousy of God over a situation. Last night He was jealous for our hearts, and I believe He got them all. School tonight was good, but back to a more natural supernatural. I am just so blessed to be able to have been a part of this week. Luckily I am off tomorrow and then work Thursday, Friday Saturday and Sunday.

As for me, I have to accept what was birthed in Australia because it is totally going to change everything as it comes to pass. I have had a new ministry on my heart, asking Papa if I was supposed to start it. At first all I got was the name. But I am getting a clearer picture of how it would work and what we would do. So, I think that this year will be preparation and training to start “A Company of Fathers”. We would travel around the world teaching on Identity and the Goodness of God. Each of us would be trained in Sozo as well as the prophetic. I’m asking God to show me how to use some of the Sozo tools in a mass setting. That way we could set more people free and then deal with the harder cases individually. I believe He will download all the information that I need. Grand plans! It’s obviously much bigger than I could ever accomplish. That’s why it is probably His idea. He will have to accomplish it. Nuno said that I was birthing a movement. He said that I would be the Father of a movement. He had no idea what He was saying, but Papa did.

Now having put this out on the internet for the world to see, let me say this. Only God can do something like this, not me. I also could be totally wrong. Only time will tell. But I have declared it, and spoken it out. After all, words do make worlds, so who knows. Well, He does.

Day 274 - Prophetic Words

It’s after midnight and I am just starting to write this. Not good, since I got up at 3AM this morning and have been going ever since. Oh well, at least I’m off tomorrow. My plan for tonight’s blog was to continue the story from last night. Maybe I will be able to pick it up tomorrow, but tonight’s plan was changed by the Holy Spirit at school. I need to write about what happened tonight. It is too important to pass it by.

School started out like normal. First and second year were together for worship and that was good. During the worship someone prayed for me and then spoke over me prophetically. They said that on 10/10/10 a door was closed to the past and that the pain and suffering was over. They went on to say that there was a new path and destiny that had opened up and I was to press into all that God had for me. They said that I should get ready for new things and the anointing on my like and ministry was increasing. It was a good word, and it really made me listen up because it was almost just like another word that Peter had emailed me while I was in Australia. Peter said that he saw me in front of a big dark black wall (representing Julia’s death). My path that I had been traveling on stopped at that wall and I was stuck there. But God had made a crack in that wall and I could see the light. But I couldn’t open the crack big enough to go through with out help from someone else. But when I did open the door in the wall, my path went in a totally unexpected direction. With both these words together, I believe that I did come to the wall, and had made a crack. I believe that when I was being prayed for and “birthing” something in the spirit, that Nuno was helping me open that door. Now I am just waiting to see where my path goes, and I can already tell that it is going places that I haven’t been before.

Both of these words ring true in my Spirit. This is what I believe happened. When Julia died, my path for the future was stopped. It was stopped by her death because it was totally tied to her. We were one, and we had a destiny that was being fulfilled. So for months I have been seeking my new destiny,, but still looking straight ahead, walking where we were walking and thinking that I would just fulfill it without her. But in Australia ,when Nuno prayer for me, my new destiny in the Spirit was birthed. That is what was going on with me that was so powerful. Nuno is the one who helps me open the crack into a door in Peter’s word. That new door is what I walked through and then was sealed on 10/10/10. Now I am free to be blown by the wind to find my destiny, wherever it will be. So tonight I went after it. I know that I am different. Like I said, I sensed that difference since I got back from Australia. Now all I have to do is to be wise enough to know that, and dumb enough to know that God in Australia has his on methods. I’ll finish this tomorrow. I cann’t think straight right now

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Day 273 - 1995; Renewal in Atlanta

The renewal that was started in Toronto in 1994 finally made its way to Atlanta in 1995. Julia and I were still at the Atlanta Vineyard. We were leading a small group, having a small group for leaders and then monthly meeting with Tony and Sandy who were over all the small groups. All our small groups were moving in renewal and the Holy Spirit was moving in them with great authority. We were having meetings on Friday and sometimes Saturday nights at either Mark Lawson’s church in Alpharetta or the Atlanta Vineyard. Many special guests were coming in to visit. We had many Vineyard Pastors who had been to Toronto and were bringing in impartation. The meetings were awesome. Worship was great and the messages were good, but the Presence of God was what was drawing everybody in. It seemed that Ministry time took on a life of its on, most nights lasting until well after midnight. In fact, it seemed like the most important stuff seemed to happen after midnight.

These meetings were where Julia and I first met Bud and Cathy. It seemed like they kept turning up for prayer and always wanted more, just like we did. It was at one of these meetings when I was prophesied that my life verse was “Fan into flame” I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was so true. We have always been ones to fan the flames of revival in anyone who would receive. That is still true today. I have such a passion to release His presence anywhere I go. On another night at the Atlanta Vineyard, John Paul Jackson was preaching and the Holy Spirit came in like a visible mist. It was like a fog bank that started in the back of the room and moved slowly forward. As it moved, laughter, spontaneous laughter broke out as the wave passed over. This went on until it reached the platform where John Paul fell out laughing. Needless to say, the organized portion of the meeting ended.

This was the good part. The bad part was that we were under intense criticism from other “religious” groups. The Vineyard as a whole was being called a “cult”. Every conservative religious group was slamming Toronto. I know that Johnny and other Vineyard pastors were concerned. Personally, I didn’t care what was said. I knew what had happened to me and to others. I had seen the fruit and it was good. But for some reason the Vineyard as a whole began to pull back and try to justify what was going on in Toronto. They even wanted John Arnott to “tone things down”. He refused and then there was talk about kicking Toronto out of the Vineyard. I had seen John and Carol Arnott and I had seen John and Carol Wimber. Personally I felt that the Arnotts had the Wimber’s anointing. John Wimber had been sick, fighting throat cancer and other ailments. He was weak and tired of fighting. I could also begin to sense that Johnny Christ was beginning to pull the Atlanta Vineyard back away from the edge that we were on. I was determined top press on and Julia was right there beside me. Tony and Sandy were pressing on. We were with them.

Early in the year, Tony had felt it was getting time to plant a church. He had talked to Johnny and received his blessing. The timing was going to be in mid 1996. But it’s hard to stop an idea when it has been hatched. The more Johnny pulled back, the more Tony and others like myself were wanting to plant. Finally in late summer, Tony announced that they were going to plant a church in Norcross. That was even farther away from our house, and we had been pushing for something closer, but when he announced it, we knew that we would probably go. We loved Johnny and Anne. We had really connected with them. In fact, I was running with Johnny every week and we were going out with them socially. But I knew where God wanted us to go, and so did Julia. When Tony said he was going to plant, I was meeting Johnny the next morning to run. As we talked, he said that he wanted me to come on staff and take Tony’s place with small groups. I think one of the hardest things I have ever had to do was to tell him that we were going with Tony and Sandy.

That next couple of months was devastating. It was really hard to leave, yet we knew that we were supposed to. I had said that I would be there always. Never say never and never say always, except to your spouse. We loved Johnny and Anne; we loved the Atlanta Vineyard. But we loved the Presence of God more. We knew where Tony was going; after the Presence. We could tell that Johnny was pulling back. Our decision, though very hard, was simple. The next step in the Kingdom of God will cost you everything you have gained to date. John Wimber was right. It’s too bad he forgot his own saying.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Day 272 - Moving in His Presence

I’ve had a good first day back. I woke up this morning feeling very good. Right now there don’t seem to be any lingering effects from the time zone changes. I seem to be adjusting back to Eastern Time pretty well. I was at work around 8:45 and finished by 2:15. I am so grateful to have the job that I have. It provides the income that I need to help supplement my retirement. But at the same token, I wish that I didn’t have to work tomorrow. It would be so much fun to be able to go to church. Well, that’s the price I paid for all the time off for Australia. Hopefully I will get to cut the days down next month. But for now, I work tomorrow morning at 9AM and then an early get up on Monday morning.

Ga. Tech one today, and I am really trying hard to get excited about football this year. I was able to watch part of the game and I taped the rest. There was no football in Australia. Well, I take that back. Soccer is their football and even though I played Soccer in High School, It’s not too exciting to watch. Rugby on the other hand; now that’s a game. As I learned some more of the rules I began to really get into the game as a spectator. I could enjoy watching that. I might have to see whether DIRECTV has any packages to watch during the season.

I’ve been on enough mission trips to know that there is always a culture shock and reintegration when you come back. I expect that. However this time it feels totally different. It’s not like the culture was so different. I don’t feel like I need any reintegration. But I’m sure I do. What is reality? Ministering in 12 meetings in 9 days watching Holy Spirit move in power or going back to work and then watching football. I guess they are both real and each has it’s place. But my heart is longing for the tangible presence of God like I saw last week. I guess it’s true: I really am a “presence junkie”. Well, if I’m going to be addicted to anything, I’m glad it’s the Holy Spirit.

I have outreach tomorrow afternoon down in Little Five Points. That is my home ground and I am claiming it back for the Kingdom of God. I have the title deed and authority in the Spirit to call forth the Kingdom of God in that area. This is the beginning of an assault by the Kingdom of God against the gates of hell in this area. It’s going to be a fun year. School is in session on Monday and Tuesday so it should be a good week. I have homework to finish, but that should be no problem.

Tonight I went over to Bud and Cathy’s for dinner. It was a great time of fellowship and we were able to spend some time in prayer. I rode the Harley over and back. It was the first time that I have ridden it that far and the first time I have ridden it to someone’s house. It was also the first time that I have ever ridden a motorcycle at night. I felt at ease while I was riding it. Any apprehension that I had had before I went to Australia was gone. It felt natural and right to be riding it. Something has changed. I don’t mean it just because of the way I felt riding, but that is a result of the change. No, something has changed in me, in the Spirit. It is like I am an arrow that has been shot. I’m flying straight and true, with lots of power. I have been shot out of my Master’s bow. Right now it’s too soon to see the target, but I know that I am on track to hit the target. I’m flying straight and true. It is a good thing and I don’t have to know all the details. I just have to be obedient and fly straight.

I don’t really mean to sound mystical, but I really have a hard time defining the change. I know that it is there, but things on the outside look the same. Maybe as I press into more of Him, it will be revealed. Right now all I know is that I have changed and it is good. Hopefully in the future it will become self-evident what the changes are. But until then, I just have to know that I am in His will, and pressing into even more of Him.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Day 271 - Journey Complete

This is the third blog that I have posted today. The others were written earlier, but I couldn’t post them until I got home.

Well, I’m sitting in my favorite place to write, listening to my still favorite album to write by. I’m home after fourteen days in Australia. It was an unbelievable trip as I have already said. I just can’t believe it’s over. As I look back on today’s journey, it is pretty evident that my guardian Angel was watching out for me. First, I still am shocked that I got business class on the leg from Sydney, but what is even more shocking is that I even got on the first flight to Atlanta. I got the last seat, and it didn’t look like I should have gotten that one either. But things went very smoothly and I landed about 3PM. All in all it took about 24 hours from the time we got to the Brisbane airport to getting off the plane in Atlanta.

With all that happened the day before, I haven’t been in a real bed in about 60 hours straight. I did sleep well on the plane, but that doesn’t count. So it’s about 9:30. I will probably go to bed as soon as I finish this blog and get it posted. I’ve got a load of clothes in the dryer and I’ve checked all the mail. The house is fine, and I will get to the bills this weekend.

When Julia and I bought this house almost 6 years ago, we were downsizing significantly. We did it for two reasons. First, after what Delta did to our retirement in their bankruptcy we really couldn’t afford to keep it for the long term. But just as important was the fact that we wanted less responsibility in upkeep. Specifically, I didn’t want all the yard work that the other house required. But it required a lot of other time for upkeep in different areas as well. We looked at this house as a temporary stop. We had no idea what was going to happen to the housing market. But we both felt that we didn’t need a big house in Atlanta. We both felt that God showed us that Atlanta was going to be a “home base”. A place to come rest between travels. Obviously we thought it was because both girls and the grandkids were living out of town. Now I am seeing that word to be true. It is a home base, but not just because of the girls. It’s a home base because of ministry as well. This year in school with all the travel is becoming a year of connections in the Spirit. I know that this trip was very important to my future and that I will be in Australia many more times. But this is just the beginning. I have to sort out what it is God is doing with me right now. But I’m too tired tonight to give it much more thought. I think that my bed is calling. I know that it will be very comfortable.

Day 270 - Ground Hog Day

I’m typing this at 35000 feet over the pacific sitting in Business Class. Praise God, He knew that I have to work on Sat morning and really needed to sleep. This is my first Friday blog. I’ll do another one at home, hopefully sitting in my rocking chair. I don’t know how long I can type. This battery is really going bad and tends to quit suddenly. I still have to get on the plane in LA to make it to Atlanta. Hopefully that will go well. I’ve been able to sleep. After I had dinner I slept almost 7 hours. Business Class is a lot better than it used to be. The seats lay flat out now, so you can really sleep pretty well. I watched Knight and Day with Tom Cruise. I will probably watch another movie when this computer dies. Which is now. Maybe I’ll type some on my iPhone. Well my computer did die but I'm finishing it on my iPhone. It's been 15 hours since we got the airport shuttle in Brisbane and we only have about 9,5 hours until we land in Atlanta.

It's been a great trip. Lacey said that we were involved in more ministry on this trip than any second year student got all last year. As I look back, God really put this team together. We all worked so well together and never had any issues.

Looking back I was involved in two schedules sozos and I don't know bow many mini sozos. A couple of them were actually Shabars with totally fractured people. We were prophesying to almost everybody we met and then in almost every meeting. Then praying for healing and other needs almost constantly. But as much fun as ministry was, probably the most important thing was the connections that we made. Jim, Nuno, Grant, and T are just a few. I know that I will definitely be going back. This is not a one-time deal. There are too many connections.

I'm still processing all that has happened and all that I felt Holy Spirit say. I'll write about when I unpack it more. I do know that I will be traveling as much as I can, my focus seems to be shifting and how that looks I'm not sure

When we were walking on the beach the other day, Scott asked me if I thought if I would ever remarry. It is a good question and I gave him the best answer that I could. I don't know. I do know that I'm not even thinking about that right now. I really want to keep my life as simple and as free as possible. Right now I would say no, but I don't know all God has for me in the future. One thing I do know: if I were to remarry it would have to be to someone with the same passion for ministry and same passions as I have. That's going to really limit the field. I'm definitely not looking now and I don't see any change in the horizon. I'm having too much fun the way things are. I know that many men really need a wife. They are helpless without one. That's not me. God has allowed me to adjust to being single very nicely. So for now, things are fine. I’ll just have to see what God does in the future. I’ve learned never to say never and never to say always. Change is always inevitable.

Well it's time for a nap or maybe a movie. Hopefully the next time I write I'll be in Atlanta. It will be good to be home.

Day 269 - Finishing Strong

This post is for Wednesday Oct 6th USA. We spent the morning body surfing again. Today the waves were much rougher, and we really didn’t get but one or two good rides. The rest of the time we were just getting beat up by the waves. We were then picked up by pastor Nuno and take to his house for lunch. It was a great time, and we really didn’t want to leave, but we had promised to do a sozo on pastor Jim that afternoon. I was first and Scott was second. Once again Holy Spirit showed up in power and we were so blessed by all that He accomplished through us. That took about 2 hours and then it was time to drive back to Brisbane for the evening meeting.

Our meeting was with the young adult group from Nexus church. There were also some of the youth leaders from camp coming as well as young adults from Kenmore Baptist and the COC church. All in all, we expected a group of around 150. We really wanted to release something that would jump-start them into the next level. Scott pulled us together after we had had sandwitches with the leadership team to discuss whart we would do tonight. It was decided that he would share a vision that he had at a Jesus Culture worship event. It was about a big monster that controlled all who focused their gaze on it. There were keys to bring it down and Jason, myself and Lacey were all going to get to share those keys.

It was a great talk and Holy Spirit was evident as we spoke. We then ended with probably the most powerful fire tunnel and time of impartation that we had seen during this whole trip. This was really encouraging, because before we started and ecen before we met to talk about what we were doing, you could sense that we were all very tired. This was our 12th meeting in 9 days. I know that Scott was very tired, but we all were. When you add all the personal ministry and sozos we had been very busy. So it was a great joy to see Holy Spirit kick in once again when we were running on empty. The meeting went on until almost 11. We hsd to catch a shuttle to the airport at 4:30.

One thing that I didn’t mention was that T was able to join us. He came in in a suit and tie from meeting with Government officials all day. We blasted him during worship and then he joined in with us during the prayer tunnel. We have found a new friend. He is just so genuine and so hungry for all that God is doing. He wanted to go out with us after the meeting so we all went to a pancake place. The feeling was that we may as well be pretty tired when we got on the plane so we could sleep. All of our luggage was in the back of Jim’s truck so we had to put it all in the cab when we got to where we were going to eat.. Obviously we didn’t want to leave the luggage where it would be stolen. We had a great time of fellowship until about 12:30 and then we figured we had better get a couple of hours sleep. We went out to the truck, but it was pouring down rain, harder than I had seen it rain since we had been in Australia.

We all got into T’s BMW and Jim took the luggage in the truck. We were on our way to the hotel, or so we thought. The streets were flooded in many areas. All of a sudden we hit very deep water that rushed all over the hood of the car. The engine died and we were stuck. Not good! Trucks, bib trucks were whizzing by us throwing waves of water over the car. It was an interesting time. Jim got soaking wet trying to find a towing point to tow us to higher ground. We got out and tried to push. Hi tech cars are great until they die. There is no key to start the car. There is no way to put it in neutral and push it. We were just stuck. After about an hour the wrecker came. Jim had taken our luggage to the hotel, and unloaded it all. He then came and we all got in his truck. We got tot the hotel at 3AM and we had to get the van at 4:30. So it has been a long night. I’m definitely looking forward to sleeping on the plane.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Day 268 - Body Surfing on the Gold Coast

This post is for Tuesday Oct 5th USA. It’s late, or early depending on your point of view and time zone. Here on the Gold Coast it’s a little after midnight and I. just starting this post. It probably will not be posted until tomorrow because there is still no Internet access here on the 66th floor. So I’ll post this tomorrow morning when I go down for coffee. Anyway, today was a very good day. We didn’t have to travel very far for the meeting, but more on that later. I slept in until about 8AM and then went down for coffee and to check the Internet at the coffee shop across the street. I was able to call the girls and read all my emails and post my blog. Then I came back and met everyone else for breakfast. Before breakfast we all went down to check out the spa. We all signed up for massages during the day and then we went to breakfast. After breakfast, it was after 11AM, Scott and I went to the beach while Jason went for his massage and Lacey went shopping.

Scott and I went body surfing in the ocean. The water temperature had to be no higher than the mid 60’s. But once you got used to it, it was OK. The waves were very high and rough. We were able to get a number of good rides, but we got beat up a little too. After about 40 minutes we were wiped out. It was fun, and I felt the word from the Lord was that we were going to be riding waves of the Spirit tonight.
After we got back to the apartment, I read a while and then went to get my massage.

The spa was very nice. I got there early and soaked in the hot mineral water for about 30 minutes and then had a great hour-long massage. It was a nice relaxing experience. While I was just chilling out in the mineral water, I felt an expectation for the meeting tonight. It was a church named Revolution Church and they had really been having a lot of great things happening to them. I knew nothing about the pastor, but I had heard that he was a radical and that the church was “crazy”. It sounded like it was going to be fun.

I don’t even know where to start telling about the service tonight. The pastor’s name is Nuno. I’m not sure about my spelling. He is from Toronto Canada and was at the Toronto Christian Fellowship before coming to Australia. He was telling us about all that God had been doing for the past few weeks. Last week they had had Stacey Campbell. Stacey and Wes Campbell are well known through out most of Canada and the US for their ministry, especially in most charismatic churches, I remember them from years ago, and I know the anointing that they carry.

When we got to the church, it reminded me a lot of NE Metro, the church that Julia and I went to for five years before we came to RiverStone. I could sense that radical, wild edge that we carried then. We walked into the back room to find the worship band wasted in the Spirit. We immediately started praying for them and we began to be drawn into the strong presence of God as well. It was then that Nuno grabbed my hands and told me to “use the tools”. He kept saying that over and over. He said that I had all the toold, just to use them. All of a sudden, I was totally lost in the spirit. I found myself down on the floor, roaring as Nuno was over me, More things happened that I will write about here, but I knew that something had shifted in the Spirit. The flavor of all that happened to me was a flavor that I hadn’t tasted since Toronto in the 90’s. When he was praying for me it was like the old days when Carol Arnott prayed for me. It was so powerful and so impacting. One thing he did say at the end as we just bear hugged each other in the Spirit. He said, “You can’t go back”. I’m still sorting that one out. I know that there was a big shift, but what is it that I can’t go back to, and why would I even want to go back anyway. That’show the night started for me. We ministered until after 10:30 and then hung out until after 11PM. It was an awesome night as we bodysurfed in the Spirit. Tonight was the night that I came to Australia for. Now all I need to do is unpack everything that happened.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Day 267 - Brisbane School of Supernatural Ministry

This blog is for Monday Oct 4th USA time. I’m sitting in a 2.4 million dollar condo with no Internet access. That’s really hard to believe, but the truth. So I’ll get this posted as soon as I can in the morning. I really am in a 3 BR, 2.5 bath condo on the 66th floor of the Q1 building on the Gold Coast of Australia. If this condo was for rent, it would rent for 1000 dollars per night. That is the going rate right now. Obviously there is no real estate downturn here in Australia. In fact the Aussie dollar is ont of the strongest currencies in the world today. Their government until the past year or so has run a completely balanced budget and their total government debt is less than 400 Billion dollars. Total debt! Amazing! You can readily see the difference between a lender nation and a borrower nation. Well that’s enough about governments.
This condo is one of five that T owns in the Q1 bldg. He uses them for business and when they are not in use, he lets pastors and their families stay in them for a holiday; a very generous man. We met his wife today and she is just as nice and as strong of a believer. One of the main principals he was talking about last night was the importance of obedience in the Kingdom of God. He was talking that obedience to the Holy Spirit is a key spiritual currency that we need to learn to use to advance in the Kingdom of God. Jo, his wife drove us to Brisbane today. She is a gentle woman full of faith and power. We were able to give her prophetic words and the all had meaning in her life.

It was a busy day for us. Pastor Reg and his wife met us as we moved our stuff up to the 66th floor. They were getting ready to leave and had asked us to speak prophetically into their lives too. So we all sat around the living room sharing. They were sharing stories of how they met, and how they escaped during World War II. We were able to speak into their lives, but they gave us so much more the night before when they had prayed over us. I was amazed at how fast we had established a bond in the Spirit with them. It was as if we had known them for years.

Tonight was the BSSM school back at Nexus church in Brisbane. There were probably 120 people there as it was the first night of their new term and people were able to come free to check it out. Their school is primarily based on the DVD curriculum that Bethel Redding sells. Scott and Lacey drew out a much bigger crowd than they had expected. We knew that we were going to do the prophetic again and once again God was so good. Holy Spirit gave us words, quick words for people as we called them up. Then when we prayed over them, the power of God fell all over them and they were filled with even more of His love and power.

Scott spoke on getting keys to take the city. It was really about being obedient in the small things to earn trust in the large things. Then we had ministry time. We had a time of impartation that was powerful and lasted until around 10:15. Then we were praying for individuals until after 11PM tonight. It was a powerful time of ministry. Scott say a girl with no arches since birth and who had her foot bones fused together get total healing with new arches and all. In the mean time I seemed to get all the inner healing cases. I think I did three or four mini sozos all with very good results. It was a very good night and we are so blessed to be here and minister when we can. I know that I have been stretched prophetically. Lacey has had us give a prophetic word to every one we come in contact with. I now ohave no fear that God can use me in the prophetic at any time and any place.

Tomorrow we are goping to be on the Gold Coast all day and then go to minister at Revolution Church tomorrow night. We will be doing more of the same. It should be wild. They had Stacy Campbell there last Sucday and are having Wesley Campbell there this Sunday. God has been moving powerfully. So, it’s very late, I think I had better get to bed. It will be fun listening to the waves of the ocean from my bedroom on the 66th floor.