Saturday, November 26, 2011

God of Wonders

We welcomed Pastor George Ewald and his wife Karen at the Powell River Healing Rooms last night. They, along with Sharon, their youth pastor, ministered to a small crowd of people - as many as we could fit - sharing testimonies of the power and love of God and the miracles and changed lives they have seen as a result of the revival at their home church, Port Hardy Christian Fellowship. They also imparted gifts to us through words of knowledge and the laying on of hands, and once again, I was blessed beyond measure and amazed at the goodness of God.

The anointing on Pastor George is so powerful that even as I stood before him waiting for him to minister to me, I felt the presence and power of God so strong I had a hard time standing. And I received such comfort and encouragement, and a couple of powerful impartations for ministering in the power of God. I might share what I received in another post, but right now it feels too deep to put into words.

These are people who have submitted their lives completely to God and who continue to surrender their wills and their ideas about what revival should look like and how they need to minister. They are ordinary people who carry a powerful anointing for breakthrough, and their faith in God is so joyful it is contagious. They are like little children in their expectancy, and isn't that just what Jesus taught, that "to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14)

The Port Hardy team are ministering at a local church tonight and I look forward to more of what God has in store for me, and for our community.

"Prepare the way of the Lord!"

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Gateway for God's Glory

On Monday as I was worshipping and praying in the sanctuary of my church God showed me something I feel I need to share with others who are hungry and seeking after God.
I saw something celestial and active, like a portal or a black hole. It was huge and it seemed as though it was far out in deep space. I saw ribbons of light pouring, or being sucked down, into a bowl shaped structure with a flat bottom. The ribbons of light were like streams of molten gold that were drawn into the bowl from outer space. They poured down along its walls and across its bottom flowing into a hole in the middle of the bottom which acted like a drain, and became one concentrated stream of light which was then pulled down through space to the earth. It was so magnificent: the flowing golden ribbons, the colours, the contrast of dark and light, the beautiful shape of the magnificent portal, and the steady movement of the flow of molten light.

I asked the Lord why He was showing me this amazing thing, and He said He was trying to show me how my hunger, my desire for Him, brought His glory - the streams of light - down from the heavenly realms into the church sanctuary.

That our longing for more of Him is a force which draws, or pulls His glory down onto our earthly plane. As we continue to hunger after Him and long for His Presence and His glory, we draw down the power of heaven to earth, and our lives and our churches are transformed by the power and the glory of God.

I wish I could draw or find an image that would do justice to the heavenly vision that I saw, but these at least give some idea. My prayer and my hope in sharing this is that as you seek after God,  you too will receive a revelation of His glory. That your hunger to know Him more will draw the glory of heaven down to earth into your life and church and community.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea

I have been spending Monday mornings alone in the sanctuary of my church - Kelly Creek Community Church - in obedience to a "call" or assignment God gave me at the beginning of the summer. This time apart is my weekly offering to the Lord, and as I continue this practice, my experience and knowledge of Him is going deeper and deeper; this past Monday it went so deep that what I experienced is truly beyond words. I'm still experiencing it. It is a new "understanding" - although I don't fully understand - of the omnipresence of God, of the Holy Spirit, and of what it means to be "in Christ".

In Acts 17, as Paul was addressing the Athenians who had gathered in the Areopagus, he explained that the "unknown God" they had dedicated a popular shrine to was actually not remote, but very near (vs. 27). "In Him we live and move and have our being," (vs 28). I've always thought I understood the meaning of the apostle's words, but after what I experienced on Monday and continue to experience today, I know that I understand very little. I continually ask God to open the eyes of my heart and my understanding - my spiritual eyes - so that I can comprehend what it is that He is trying to show me, and what my experience means.

It is very human to want to understand. It's a comfortable place, a more secure place, to live with understanding, than it is to live in the mystery. So, realizing this, and although there is a deep longing and an unsettled-ness in my soul as a result of my recent experience of God, I am content to live with and to live in the mystery until such time as God makes my understanding complete.

Today as I sat in His presence, experiencing His closeness and His love, I began to weep with a sorrowful longing for my family, especially my sons and my closest sister, to be able to know the love and the closeness of God as I do. When you know Him intimately and sense Him so close to you - even though the understanding is lacking - all your worldly cares melt away. Nothing else matters.

I read Psalm 16 today and it speaks to my experience so beautifully. Perhaps David experienced God's presence and love as I have? "...in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

So, what was this experience I had on Monday?

As is my practice, I worshiped the Lord with music and using my flags; I prayed for Mike (our pastor) and the church and for a few individuals; I bowed down at the "altar" and prayed in my prayer language; and then I sat quietly and asked my Father in Heaven to speak to me. Usually He leads me to a passage of scripture or speaks words to me about a situation that then lead me into scripture, but not this time.

Instead of hearing words I became aware of a palpable presence, God's manifest presence in the church with me. I could feel it pressing on my skin. I could "see" it in my mind's eye. It was invisible "matter", it had substance and dimension and it filled up every inch of "empty space" between me and the walls and floors and furnishings of the sanctuary. There was no empty space, it was ALL filled with Him.

I wrote, "He bumps up against me - although of course He is in me and I am in Him. I realize that, although I don't always feel His presence, or "see" it, He is ALWAYS here - or there. He fills up everything. There is no "empty" space."

As I sought to understand the meaning of this experience, I turned to my Bible. Colossians 1:17 says that "in Him all things hold together." In The Message that verse reads:"He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment." This is a better explanation - at least it helps me a little. Then I asked God to help me my understanding, asking,"Is this for me, or for KCCC (our church)?" and He responded with these words:

"'Show me Your glory.' That's what you asked of Me. It is all around you. Open your eyes and see."

I reply, "It is like a sea, Father! As though we live in an ocean of Your presence and your glory! It surrounds us; we breathe it in! We take our life from it! It is available to all! The Kingdom of God is here! It surrounds us. Wherever I go I walk in it, - and in You!"

As I typed those words the words of Psalm 139 came to my mind:

5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.


Thank You, Father! You love me! Oh how You love me!

I've been remembering my first experience of His glory. It was nine or ten years ago as I was my baptism in the church was approaching. I asked God to help me to prepare myself for this rite. I wanted to be spiritually, emotionally and even physically ready. But instead of giving me something to "do" to get ready, God began showering me with His presence and His love in such a powerful way that I could barely stand up under it. I wept and wept for days on end. It was so intense I could barely stand it, but it was so ecstatically beautiful that I couldn't bring myself to ask Him to stop.

He prepared me for the ritual of baptism by convincing me beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was with me and that He loved me. I wonder if perhaps He is preparing me for something that is to come?

"You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it."


Lord, who am I that I should be so highly favoured as to know You in this way?

PS: To learn the amazing properties and shape of Laminin, the protein which holds all of our bodies' cells together, watch this video. It is fascinating! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4



Friday, June 24, 2011

Free Indeed!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Jesus was talking about sin when he made this statement. What it means to me today is freedom from death and disease. He has healed me! He has rescued me from a death sentence that was pronounced over me last fall when I received a diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma. The doctors told me there is no cure, that all they could do was give me more time if I followed their treatment regime.

That is why I have not posted for so many months. Many things have happened and God has shown up in so many amazing ways, but the journey seemed very personal, and the more people I invited into it, the more confusion and doubt I experienced in my faith walk. It wasn't anyone's fault, it was just that I was desperately seeking direction and wasn't able to hear clearly from my Father because of the fears and doubts I had. I was hoping someone else could tell me what to do, but no one could.

But right from the very beginning of this journey, God gave me encouragement. He spoke promises to me that I clung to - sometimes only with a grain of faith as small as a mustard seed - promises that He has upheld. I plan to share my journey of faith here in the coming weeks. There are so many tender mercies, so many amazing moments, so many big and small ways that God has demonstrated His compassion, His patience, His love, His power and His faithfulness in my life. And today I received the results of a recent CT scan: there is no sign of malignancy in my body!!!! Thank You, Jesus!!!! It amazes me that He did it all for me, that He set me free! Who am I that God should care about my life, about my feelings, about my needs and desires?

Oh, people! His word is true! His nature is good! The Bible says that God is love, and we see his love expressed through the Incarnation, Immanuel: God With Us, the Only Begotten Son of the Father - Jesus Christ.

If you are not walking with God, if you want to know His amazing grace and love too, come to Jesus. He is the way to God. In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

If you are hurting and confused, if you find life hard to bear, come to Jesus. This is His invitation to you: "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30 from The Message)

If you are sick in your body, you can be made well. Have faith in The Healer. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." Mark 5:20-29;34

I can testify to the truth of all of these statements; I have experienced this supernatural reality - and so much more! And I promise that you will NEVER regret making the decision to come to Jesus and invite Him into your heart and your life. I did one day almost eleven years ago and I was changed forever in an instant and set free from a crippling addiction. I can't promise it will always be an easy road, in fact the Jesus walk can be quite challenging, but He knows what you need to flourish in this life, He knows where your heart and your body need healing. He came and died on the Cross and then rose to life again in order to overcome the powers of darkness, sin and death - in order to set you free. He longs to give you comfort and rest. He is good. He is gentle. He IS love. I pray that you will come to Jesus. You can trust in Him. He is waiting for you.

Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in
...Revelation 3:20

Here is a simple prayer that will help you open the door to Him:
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for dying for me on the cross. I’m sorry for the things in my life that have been wrong. I now turn away from everything that I know is wrong and I now receive your gift of forgiveness. I put my trust in what you did on the cross for me. Please come and fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me the strength to lead the kind of life that deep down I’m longing to lead. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen