Hi this is our Blog on Grace. We hope and pray that the Grace of God will flood into your life like it has ours. A good place to start is to listen to the mp3 messages, they will not only turn your world around, you will feel like you have just been saved all over again!
New Nature Publications

Thursday, 01 May 2008

Antidepressant...(1May08)

GOOD NEWS IS GOOD NEWS INDEED II
 
Spirit of Testimony.
Ps 76:5-13 - jewel I found.
 
Spirit of Prophecy – last week.
 
End Time Promises standing today:
Joel 2:28 – " In last days …. pour out my Spirit on ALL people ….everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved …."
Ez 30:29 – " …. no longer hide my FACE for I will pour out my Spirit …."
Num 6:22 The LORD said to Moses, 23 "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 "'"The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face towards you and give you peace."' 27 "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
 
Was a time He hid His face – coz of idolatry, stubbornness, faithlessness ….
However The Face of God has turned towards us & He is shining upon us.
Doings so now in, "The Latter (Last) Days", & in more & more powerful displays of His glory. 
Bringing us "face to face" – He turns our face to face Him:
 
Possible, coz thro Jesus – removed:
1.)The terror of judgement & the Holiness of God –> fear of reproach = thro justification (see Scripture list on justification).
2.)The awful burden of the law – impossible to fulfil -> terror & dread.
3.)The arrogance of self-righteousness – can't have honest open relationship –> it demands & we feel we are owed (reverse demant). Counted against us.
 
Jesus takes us into the "Face to Face" with God – He is the "Face to Face" with God:
2Co 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
 
To be face to face with God is to be in His presence – is possible & is a benefit we inherit at rebirth – adopted as children with a birthright – face to face in His presence.
 
We need to learn to find rest in His presence -> from a place of rest we "work" for Him -> doing what pleases Him.  We do coz we have favour with God in Jesus Christ – we realise (have revalation) that we have favour we "become" pleasing -> to Him, to our siblings & to those searching for the "desire of the nations".
(Heb 4:9, 1 Jn 3:19)
 
So onto Gifting and Manifestation of the Spirit (fruit of face to face):
"Spirit" of Pastoral Gifting.
Of receiving a heavenly download for loving care!
How to Pastor each other:
Shepherd – What about the Good Shepherd (Jn 10) = basis & key.
What was it about a shepherd that he would lose his life for his / masters sheep.
"A shepherd in the Near East was responsible for watching out for enemies trying to attack the sheep, defending the sheep from attackers, healing the wounded and sick sheep, finding and saving lost or trapped sheep, loving them, and sharing their lives and to earn their trust."
A shepherd "lead", walked in front & his sheep followed coz they knew him & trusted him – of Jesus & the same of pastors in the faith:
Pastor <-> Teacher Gifting (Eph 4):
In the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man
Of those who by their great power as teachers draw crowds around them i.e. John the Baptist, Jesus.
Of Jesus & the apostles, and of Paul.
Of those who in the religious assemblies of the Christians, undertook the work of teaching, with the special assistance of the Holy Spirit
Jesus = perfect Theology (Bill Johnson) – He is the perfect study of God – if you want to know about God, study Jesus -> in word & in Spirit (under His council = very NB – awareness of this opens the door to ).
Jesus = what a "man" can do when filled with the Holy Spirit -> why He said we would do greater things …. He know what He was talking about!!!!.
To excel in the gifting of Pastor / Teacher -> needs to come from the heart.
Could teach 10 / 20 / 50 principles on pasturing & mostly likely will – all good – all from scripture, but that would just be head knowledge.
Knowledge puffs up – encounters humble.
Need heart impartation -> in His presence, under "ministry" & time in the Holy Scriptures.
We need openness before the Holy Spirit -> for impartation (heart change) & the gifting to flow.
Product = a heart conviction -> for God -> resolute / steadfast / faithful = all fruits of conviction -> impartation & inspiration.
We are "all" sheep & we all need leading, protecting, feeding, watering etc etc -> even Jesus was shepherded -> only did what His Father did!!!  The Father lead and Jesus followed -> knew His voice etc etc.
Jesus is OUR Good Shepherd (Jn 10) & as we hear and follow Him, we "shepherd" and serve each other.
Holy Spirit puts us into community – kind of pasture -> safety, shelter, unity etc.
There is a "shepherding" function and then a "shepherding" lifestyle.
1 Tim 3:2 = set heart -> overseer (shepherd) -> desire a noble task.
Comes with qualifications -> all pre-done -> "… must be…" etc etc.
Key = "just set your heart" -> before God so that He can powerfully work.
We want to live in the lifestyle of looking out for each other -> is who we are and not a set of rules & principles.
Our lives and not just a function -> function slips way to easily into fundamentalism / law -> function breeds ownership -> shepherds become lords … etc etc.
 
Where are the Pastor / teachers?
On who is resting the manifestation of the Spirit?
Who wants impartation of the Gifting.
We are a community built around an awareness of & love for each other..
Our intention …. commission & release!!!!

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