Wayne's World...(29Sep09)

Last 2 weeks preaches

http://www.citychurchinternational.net/mp3_2/2009_09_20.zip

http://www.citychurchinternational.net/mp3_2/2009_09_27.zip

Love Louisa...(29Sep09)

Hi everyone

 

I was contemplating having eyes that can 'see' clearly. I thought of all the wondrous things we are seeing and experiencing, and I was grateful but wondered why we are not seeing more miracles and being more effective as Christians. Suddenly I saw a picture of multitudes of desperate people drowning in a brown smelly dead river. They had their arms out crying out for help. They were looking to leaders-church and government, gurus, experts, bankers and doctors for help. However, the 'leaders' also were up to their necks in water. They looked desperate, helpless, and so very tired too. However, they were trying to help by looking under the water to find help.

 

I wondered what this meant and I felt the Holy Spirit say, "They're looking in the world for worldly solutions and even the Christians are doing this".  I thought about what this meant and what was wrong and I felt that if we want the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth, and God wants the Kingdom of heaven to come to earth. Then it makes sense that we need to look into heaven to "see' what's there and how heaven works. In order for the Kingdom of heaven to come to earth, we have to be 'spiritual' and heavenly minded.

 

That is why God is opening our eyes to help us 'see'. I believe God wants us all to 'see' what God sees.

 

I was reading the introduction to Zechariah in the Message Bible, because I believe this a prophetic picture of what God is doing now. Prophets Zechariah and Haggai had the task then of pulling God's people out of self-occupation to get them working together as His people. The self-identity of the people of God was in ruins. Their heads were down and they felt helpless and hopeless. They had been kicked around, lied to and abused by their enemies and leaders but Zechariah invigorated the imaginations of the people with his visions and messages. This gave the people insight, energy and hope and gave credibility to the long-term purposes of God being worked out again in their lives. They began to believe God again. They once again lifted up their heads to look into the face of God.

 

I believe God is doing the same thing now, but He is using us all to see.

 

Lots of love
Louisa

 

 

From Mich Bass...(28Sep09)

Hi there,
I've just listened to an extract from Beni Johnson's preach - She quotes something from James Goull's book -
To put the paragraph into context -he lost his wife to Cancer last year -a great loss for anyone.
But we all experience loss in one form or the other from one extreme to the next - each loss is a blow to our hearts. And we often don't understand the reasons why we have to endure the hardship. This is his quote:
 

"IN OUR TIMES OF PERSONAL LOSS THERE ARE A FEW BASIC THINGS THAT I WILL NEVER LET GO OF:

"GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME; AND ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD"

SOMETIMES MY LACK OF UNDERSTANDING SCREAMS AT ME

BUT IN THOSE VERY MOMENTS I MUST YIELD MY RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND AND PUSH THE BUTTON CALLED TRUST"

If my heart is anything to go by - I've had many moments where the confusion screams at me - but I  guess there's alot we can learn from surrendering the weight of unanswered questions to all life's circumstances and to keep declaring God is Good all the time; and it's a freeing thing!
My circumstance or  my inner turmoil, doesn't change God's Character or His good intent towards me -
To  paraphrase Bertie Brits " Our bad circumstances sometimes force us to align with the devil's lies that God is not good - and the lies convince us that He has abandoned us";
with that comes a whole lot of "Why's"  and if answers or solutions don't arrive in our timespan, we automatically distance ourselves from Him and put our walls around our hearts.  Suddenly God's to blame for all the wrong in OUR world. How did the One who loves us beyond measure become our enemy?
 
Don't fall for the enemy's wicked schemes - keep standing in the reality of a "Good-Mood God" smiling over us.
He is for us !  If there are no answers, yield the right to understand.
Keep trusting - keep loving Him, and let His love convince your heart again.

Love Louisa...(27Sep09)

Hi everyone,

I've just come out of a really tough time. I had breathing problems and after repeated doctor's visits and being on many different medicines, I was no better. People were praying for me and I kept on laying hands on myself and praying, but it seemed that as one symptom went away another took its place. I've always felt that I would live to be a 100 and one day I seriously doubted that. I suddenly thought maybe I wouldn't make it to 50! I started thinking that maybe I had never heard from God in any area of my life as well. Including the fact that I had a desire to pray for people and see them healed and in fact raised from the dead. Amazingly, Lez, one of the leaders of the community of believers I belong to, woke up with my face before her and she prayed for complete healing for me!

My dilemma was, "How can I pray for people, when I'm sick?"
 I prayed to God for insight and was led to listen to two sermons I'd previously downloaded but not listened too, and they really spoke to me about healing.
One was a preach by Bill Johnson on dealing with disappointment with God. It was about John the Baptist, and how he was called to be someone who would set prisoners free, and here he was in prison and never rescued by Jesus. In fact, he died there! I learnt that often the thing we are called to do is often the biggest struggle. In addition, if we use our disappointment and struggle as a seed it often produces an amazing harvest of success-IF we persevere and have the right attitude! John the Baptist was the forerunner of great things, even though he never saw them happen in his life. I am learning that this is not all about me. I believe this is the beginning of a time in God never seen before. And we are forerunners in a battle that we cannot fully understand.

This whole struggle happened over a period of weeks and once again, I was shown the importance of people in my life. At one of the ladies meetings Lez prayed for me and I suddenly could hear! And the funny thing is I didn't realize I couldn't hear as well as I should. I felt and almost saw a band fall of my head and the mucous leaving my head. My hearing stayed clear. But I was still coughing and my hands, feet and stomach area were still swollen. My husband prayed and said, "Enough and no more!" And things definitely improved.

I went to a 'firefest' on Friday night and was greatly encouraged by God's presence.

Then on the Sunday during the morning service while Lez was, prophesying about awakening I suddenly could see clearly, but this was almost a supernatural 'seeing' as everything was bright-hard to describe…and this didn't last for very long.

On Tuesday, I went to a specialist for a check up on an unrelated matter and she said you must to go and see a chest specialist. She didn't like the sound of my chest at all. I got home and said, "Devil this is enough, nothing will stop me from praying for the sick and believing that the dead will rise too." Almost as suddenly as the breathing problems began, I felt better and I am!! Praise God so wonderful to breathe and not think about it!!!

Lots of love
Louisa

Love Louisa..(27Sep09)

Hi everyone

I'm reading a book 'The Ultimate treasure Hunt' by Kevin Dedmon, and in it I read that his son Chad, heard god say that if the church will be the light and take ownership of the world, then god would open the eyes of the unsaved. In other words if we will open our eyes, then he will open theirs.

I got so excited when I thought of how, last week in church, I suddenly saw so clearly! In 2 Corinthians 4:4 we read that, The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of Christ. Chad learned that it's not so much about physical healing as the removing of spiritual blindness! Physical healings point people to Christ, God does and will heal, but He ultimately wants to open people's spiritual eyes to see the Kingdom.

Luke 4:18-19 Jesus said, "He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and for the blind recovery of sight, to release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. Jesus said, "As the father has sent me, I am sending you."

So exciting as we 'see' more others will also 'see' more! Praise God for all he is doing and revealing.

Lots of love
Louisa

Raging with Ryan...(27Sep09)

Dear all

It's a great pleasure to present to you the latest book release for New Nature Publications by Cornel Marais called 'So you think your mind is renewed?'

Please check it out at: http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product_detail&id=6

Here's what Curry Blake of John G Lake Ministries had to say about Cornel's book:

"Your life is transformed to the degree that your mind is renewed. Cornel's book goes a long way toward removing the hindrances to that renewal."

And Rob Rufus, Pastor of City Church International, Hong Kong:

"This book will practically equip you with clear simplicity on how to renew your mind so that the fullness of Christ which is already resident in you as a son of God, will manifest on the outside of you."

And Wayne Duncan, Pastor of Coastlands Christian Church, South Africa:

"All you need to know in order to heal, save and deliver! Cornel clearly shows how easy and possible it is to have constant miracles follow every believer...read it slowly."

Cornel is a very dear friend to City Church International. In his time with us he saw numbers of miracles of healing and ran training classes which released others practically to go and minister to the sick and lost. He now lives in New Zealand with his wife Rensia responding to a ministry call there by God. Cornel is an amazing teacher of the word with a deep understanding of grace and the gift of righteousness. You can also check out his new website called :
http://www.charismaministries.org/  
 It has loads of good teaching, questions and answers, testimonies and more!

And visit:http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product to see all our resources currently available with many more to come!!!

NB:
New Nature has been building up some stock of products in South Africa, UK and Australia for churches and bookstores that are interested in buying wholesale or getting some copies to sell on consignment and avoiding shipping costs. Wholesale is around 40% off the RRP.  Please drop us an email at: enquiries@newnaturepublications.com or reply to this email if you are interested and would like further details.
We would love to get these books and CD's into your church bookstores as well as Christians bookstores in your area and would appreciate your help with that!!!

Please send on to as many others as you feel may be interested in these resources! That would be a huge blessing!!

God Bless
Ryan Rufus

Antidepressant...(21Sep09)

Morning Good People!
Here is and interesting note I took from a book I am reading.
Helps keep perspective on who is causing what ....!!! & why.
Keep strong and stay free.
LoveUguys
Ant

The D Tactics – James W Groll.
We need to be more tenacious and determined coz the enemy of our souls

will do everything he can to defeat us.  He cannot often succeed in taking one

of us out of the battle completely, but he will always try delay, deceive, distract

& disappoint us – these are his four favourite tactics.

 

But God can turn these tactics inside out & use them to make you stronger.

When attacked you become desperate – very desperate.  Be desperate for God

and pursue your enemy.

We must be willing to release hold of our old "cloak of security" long enough to

receive a new warriors mantle.

Delay, deceit, distraction & disappointment when turned to the Lord

can make you even more desperate and determined to keep

perusing God. 

Remain in pursuit of the anointing and do not give up along the way.

 

Why does the enemy attempt to attack us: because he is jealous of the attention

that we receive for the Lord of Host.  We are the potential source of the pleasure

of God. 

God not only loves you – He takes pleasure in you.

The enemy cannot stand this. Have you considered that you are a threat to the enemy?

Yes a threat to the kingdom of darkness. 

The Anointed One live inside of you, & you are close to His heart. 

The enemy aims his attacks at those closest to the heart of God.

The enemy hates those who are close to the heart of God. 

But we must press into the Lord coz greater in He who is in us

that the one who is in the world – 1 Jn 4:4.

 

The enemy despise breakthrough. 

Satan and his league of demons also attempt to prevent arrival of supernatural

assistance from the Lord – he want to paralyze your planning,

abort your dreams and dilute your hope.

He opposes anything that will give God glory.

So lets put delays, deception, distraction & disappointment under our feet in

Jesus name. 

Pursue your strong enemy until ….

Antidepressant...(21Sep09)

A real Gem:

I read this in Galatians and it was "fresh" to me - so I want to share it
with you and pray it would ReFresh your Spirit.

Gal 3:7 "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all the
nations be blessed. 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with
Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is
written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the
Book of the Law, and do them. 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified
before God by the law, for The righteous shall live by faith. 12 But the law
is not of faith, rather The one who does them shall live by them. 13 Christ
redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us written,
Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree< 14 so that in Christ
Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might
receive the promised Spirit through faith."

Especially this line: " ...so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham
might come to the Gentiles ..."

This is what John Piper shared on this Scripture:
"The second thing is that the promises that come to you as part of Abraham's
covenant are more spectacular than anything you will see or hear this
season. Just consider Gen. 17:7, "I will establish my covenant between me
and you and your descendants after you throughout this generation for an
everlasting covenant to be God to you and to your descendants after you."
The heart of the Abrahamic covenant is that God will be God to us. He will
be our God. The longer you meditate on that deceptively simple truth the
more spectacular it becomes. Jeremiah tells us what it means. He quotes God:
"They shall be my people and I will be their God S I will not turn away from
doing good to them S I will rejoice in doing good to them S with all my
heart and with all my soul" (32:38-41). It boggles the mind to try to
imagine what it must mean if the God who made the planets and stars and
galaxies and molecules and protons and neutrons and electrons rejoices to do
you good with all his heart and with all his soul. If God is God for you
then all his omnipotence and all his omniscience are engaged all the time to
do good for you in all the circumstances of your life."
© COPYRIGHT 1983, 1998 John Piper.

This is the Gospel Paul preached and this is the Good News Jesus came to
release - God's message to man: God is in a good mood!

Be encouraged, be ReFreshed coz  you are a Son by your faith in Jesus.
We are blessed, we are whole, we are "rich", we are free ....its part of our
blessing.
LottaLove
Ant

 

Wayne's World...(20Sep09)

New Covenant Victory

Why Grace Junkies sin less.

"It's not just the removal of one thing but the replacing with something infinitely more powerful and effective."

Romans 6V14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 7:Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

1.    The law has been cancelled

2.    There is a regenerated new nature

3.    The power of God flows in our veins through the Holy Spirit

1. The law has been cancelled.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.(Or end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified) 

Galatians 2:19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ.

Colossians 3:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross 

Ok so here we have some language to describe how we relate to the law.

Christ is the end of the law to all who believe.

I died to the law.

God cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.

I am so happy that the apostle met together to ebate and decide this matter, and we have their conclusion recorded in the boble to read.

Chapter 15V1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question... 5But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses." 6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." 12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 19Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. 27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell." 30So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

So it's totally and unquestionably clear that the law is no longer alive to us, has ended and the demands are over.

That's great but why is that such good news? What's the benefit to me?

Simply put, trying to live under the law is a curse.

Galatians 3:10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."  

What is the curse of the law. The law was not designed to be obeyed. It was released in the earth to crush, to condemn, to create a consciousness of sin and highlight the need for a saviour.

Ok before you shoot me here lets substantiate this biblically.

Galatians 3V23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith

Law was replaced by faith. The law held us captive, imprisoned us until the coming faith could be revealed. It was our guardian until faith would be revealed through Christ. Christ came, faith was possible, and results in justification. Now there is faith there is no longer a guardian. Now we are sons, by faith. This settles that the law was until Jesus.

So the law was not for obedience, by for guidance to a greater reality. It was to highlight sin to stir up sin. To create sin and define sin.

It's purpose was to show us that we are not ok. It was to sober us into the reality that we cannot keep the rules. It was specifically to show that we have no strength to obey all the rules, leaving us hopeless and dependant on a source of holiness and right standing with God that would be outside of our selves. The law paved the way for the good news. The good news would not be good news without the law highlighting our sin, and then Jesus cancelling the law against us.

Let's study a few scriptures that show the purpose and nature of the law. Remember trying to be right with God through the law is a curse. 

The law does not give life but death.

2 Corinthians 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life

The law does not save us or produce righteousness, nor can it.

Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law

2 Cor 3:9 the law is a ministry of condemnation

9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.

the law brings an awareness of the wrath of God,

Romans 4:15 b

 

because law brings wrath

Through the law we become conscious of sin

Romans 3:20:

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

the law's to stir up sin, to provoke sin and arouse sin in you,

Romans 7:5:

For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. 

The old testament document of the law is the most used manuscript, and its main user is the devil. How can I say that. What is the devil called? The accuser of the brethren. How does he accuse? He attacks our failings. How does he define our failings?  

Ok so let's pull them all out from these scriptures

Curse of the law  
 
Ministry of death  
 
To crush you  
 
Guardian/schoolmaster  
 
Consciousness of sin

(self conscious)
 
Awareness of wrath
 
Condemnation
 
Unbearable yolk
 
To trouble you
 
Sinful passions aroused by law
  
This is what makes the opening scriptures such good news for the believer.

Romans 10:4:

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.(Or end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified) 

Galatians 2:19

19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ.

Colossians 3:13-14

13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross

When we come to Jesus the law has worked, the faithful guardian has done his job. We are broken crushed and in realisation that we are not ok. We cry our for forgiveness for our sins, and accept the only way to be right with God. We believe that Jesus is the saviour and the only way to get right standing with God. We believe and receive faith, and righteousness as a gift to those who believe.

Can you se the curse of the law? Trying to keep that relationship with God through the law always leads to condemnation and a feeling of being crushed. Unworthiness is the land of the law. Guilt is the economy of the law. Fear of judgement and a perception of an angry God is the climate of the law. In this state...wait for it. You sin more!

It's not just the removal of one thing but the replacing of an infinitely more powerful and effective way.

The removal of the law as the means of relating to God introduces the new way, the new covenant.

Curse of the law
 Blessing of faith
 
Ministry of death
 Ministry of life
 
To crush you
 To build you up
 
Guardian/schoolmaster
 Graduation to faith
 
Consciousness of sin

(self conscious)
 Righteousness conscious
 
Awareness of wrath
 Awareness of love and acceptance
 
Condemnation
 No condemation
 
Unbearable yolk
 Yolk light and easy
 
To trouble you
 For joy and peace
 
Sinful passions aroused by law
 Rom 6:14

14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
 

Being free from the law, according to this scripture means sin will not dominate us. Being under law strengthens sin. Being under grace breaks the dominion of sin. So more law, more sin. More grace, less sin. So where there is a sin problem, the solution is more and more ...grace.

We will see how important this becomes when we look at the next two reasons that grace junkies sin less and not only sin less but be more effective!

Romans 7:6

4Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

The removal of the law allows and positions us to bear fruit to God.

1.    The law has been cancelled

2.    There is a regenerated new nature

3.    The power of God flows in our veins

 

 

Wayne's World...(14Sep09)

The preaching of the Gospel always opens it's self up to this charge.

"IF you preach the grace of God it will lead to wild living and people just running around sinning"

Grace produces sin…

Grace does not produce sin. It produces testimony. The gospel is the gospel of grace. Grace is the single word that defines the new covenant, and the gospel.

In the KJV of the bible. Faith occurs 229 times in NT. Love 157 times, and grace 122 times.

God will punish you occurs 0 times. Gods angry with you 0 times.

Grace restores intimacy with God. It reopens the channels between us and God. Through these channels flow life and power.  The Christian life is about love and faith, in the climate of grace.

The heart of the concern is good. No-one wants  or is comfortable with harmful destructive patterns in our lives. (You know like pride or self reliance hee hee). Having no desire to see the power and love of God transform us would just be weird, the absence of change in the life of a believer would be bizarre, and would highlight a concern. Grace accelerates change.

God's climate for change is grace. Under law it was fear. Fear works to a degree but, any relationship based on fear, is floored fundamentally. Our relationship with God is based on love and faith, not on fear and rewards.

Grace produces testimony. Once you see who you are in Christ, and see every disqualifying voice against you cancelled at the cross, your liberated to fly to new heights.

Col 1v5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing - as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth

Every where the Gospel goes and is preached in truth it bears fruit, and grows. Everything about the gospel is life, its growth, its fruit. 

Secular physiologists, philosophers all agree the most powerful environment for change in a persons life is love. People who come from loving homes are generally more stable, whole, peaceful and happy. People who come from homes where there is fear are harsh, destructive, and wild.

Here are some testimonies from last weekend.

Irene's Testimony...

On Friday night we prayed for Irene, who works for Jeff and Lynn. Irene has cancer. She suffers from constant pain in the stomach area, and battles to sleep as a result. Irene also battles to keep food down, and would vomit after drinking tea or coffee. She also battled to urinate as it was extremely painful, this has previously resulted in Irene being admitted to the hospital. We laid our hands on Irene and rebuked the sickness. Immediately I felt heat and anointing go out my hands and into Irene's body. I asked Jeff to ask Irene if she felt anything happen. Jeff translated our English into Xhosa. Irene said she felt heat come into her body, and said the pain had left. We prayed for her again, releasing more anointing power. Irene was crying, and we knew something significant had happened.

The next day as Irene arrived at work she gave us the good news. The said that as she was sleeping "pastor" appeared to her in a dream, she said "pastor" told her not to worry but to go to sleep and when she wakes up in the morning she will be healed. Irene also said that "pastor" put a white robe on her.

Irene said that when she woke up she felt well. She went to the toilet and for the first time in ages was able to have a wee without it being painful. She then drank two cups of coffee and did not throw up. All the pain was also gone, and she had slept through the night.

On the taxi her friends remarked that she looked much better, Irene told them that she had been healed. Irene insisted on coming to testify at the church on Sunday morning, which she did do (after eating two big bowls of porridge, and not vomiting).

I then had the awesome privilege of telling her that the robe was the robe of righteousness, the symbol of the gift of righteousness to those who believe. She loved learning that she is holy blameless and perfect in His sight!

Jill's testimony 

I was at home and the presence of God came on me. I felt power and energy building up on the inside of me. Eventually I had to go preach the gospel. I went to the local taxi rank where i preached the glorious gospel of grace. While I preached one guy took out his knife, which had been used on several crimes and threw it down on the floor. Another person took out a packet of drugs, pills, from his pocket and threw them down on the floor.

I prayed for them and it was amazing...I cant believe God used me like that, I don't even have it all together.

Tom's testimony...

(Name has been changed)

I saw Tom at the back of the church crying and being ministered to very deeply by a prayer team and the Holy Spirit. Afterwards I spoke to Tom, keen to know what Father had done for/to him. Tom said

" I have never been touched before, but today I encountered God for the first time"..

Tom was released from jail a week or so before, and is a recovering drug addict.

Praise God.

Tyde's Encounter

When I got back from the Port Alfred trip on the 7th September 2009, Tyde told me of his angelic encounter.

"Dad I had a vision, but it was not a vision because I really saw it. I saw an angel standing in the blue light, and I was lying on the bed feeling like it was preaching to me. And I was feeling happy when I saw the angel standing in the blue light. The angel said "no matter what bad things you do, Jesus will always love and forgive you". His whole body was blue, but he had wings and they were blue and white."

Tyde Duncan 6.

 

Grace produces testimony. When wee see the unconditional love and acceptance of God, we become intimate. Intimacy releases power and encounter.

Almost without fail what restricts encounter with God is guilt, unworthiness and a sense of not deserving. Grace peels back the layers of disqualification.

Grace is a ministry of qualification. Grace says "you can".

You can live the way you want!

You can heal and perform signs and wonders.

You can share the gospel!

You can encounter God.

You can be used by God.

Grace produces testimony.

After much pondering I have finally worked out how to balance grace.

If we just preach grace, grace, grace there is the possibility that people will just run out and sin…

So the balance is the Holy Spirit. We must receive and release the Holy Spirit. He is the power of God in our lives. He leads and guides. He teaches councils and empowers. He is called the spirit of grace. How can the increase of the presence or God and His ministry in our lives lead to an increase in harmful behavior. It cannot.

Many people do not realize that what God is doing through establishing churches in the gospel, it that it is not just a theology. Not just a text book philosophy. It's an experience. It's an invitation into the realm of the power of God in believers. The law is just a text. Grace is a person. The law was given and written on stone. Grace came. Jesus is grace, grace is an experience.

Paul said  "I'm not ashamed of the gospel it's the power of God unto salvation". The gospel releases the power of God into our lives. Acts 1:8 says and you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.

So grace, or the truth of the gospel does not increase sin, it releases the power of God to destroy patterns of sin, and to be accelerated into greater realms. Realms of victory and of signs wonders and miracles. Grace qualifies every person for the life of the miraculous! You can do miracles.

Paul preached the Gospel.

Col 1v1 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation(Or to every creature)  under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister

We were separated alienated from God. We were hostile in mind. We did evil deeds.

But in Christ's body we were reconciled to God. Do not underestimate the power of that reconciliation. When this happens we are made a new creation! We die to our selves, and become a new person. That new person is holy, and blameless and above reproach in His sight. Above reproach means free from accusation.

Now continue in that faith. Continually believe your holy, blameless and free from accusation in His sight. Not seeing this will lead to doing evil and becoming hostile in mind.

Stay in the faith, continue in the faith. Faith in what? In Jesus and the work of the cross. You are forgiven, you are healed, you are prosperous. Because of Jesus! Continue in the faith. Hold to that hope.

Our only hope is in the Gospel. We cannot trust ourselves for goodness. We cannot make our selves holy and blameless and free from accusation in His sight. Only He can, through the sacrifice of Jesus. The father accepts us as holy, for we are Jesus' and he presents us to the father. We are in Christ.

Romans 1v15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,(Or beginning and ending in faith)  as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."]

The Gospel reveals a right standing with God by faith. This is grace. It's by faith, we believe in our savior. Now the power of God is working and released in our lives. It's that power that releases testimony in our lives.

Grace produces testimony!

 

Views on testimonies

Hi All

 

I was on my way back from work this afternoon,

listening to a teaching from Jubilee Church in Sydney.

Fini De Gersigny was going to teach, but as usual they start

their meetings with a few testimonies on what God is doing out there.

I was very tempted to forward to the teaching when I caught myself and

though, "Gee how quickly we take things for granted"

 

Not even that long ago we were crying for mighty moves of God and miracles.

These days we realise we are living in a move of God and miracles are flowing freely.

God help me never to take His goodness and love for granted.

 

I really believe testimonies are key. Not as a formula, but as a livestyle.

Boasting continually of what He has done/doing.

Being thankful at all times.

Noticing His dynamic kindness.

 

Bless you all.

 

Wayne's World...(9Sep09)

Some Testimonies

 

1) Irene's Healing 

On Friday night we prayed for Irene, who works for Jeff and Lynn. Irene has cancer. She suffers from constant pain in the stomach area, and battles to sleep as a result. Irene also battles to keep food down, and would vomit after drinking tea or coffee. She also battled to urinate as it was extremely painful, this has previously resulted in Irene being admitted to the hospital. We laid our hands on Irene and rebuked the sickness. Immediately I felt heat and anointing go out my hands and into Irene's body. I asked Jeff to ask Irene if she felt anything happen. Jeff translated our English into Xhosa. Irene said she felt heat come into her body, and said the pain had left. We prayed for her again, releasing more anointing power. Irene was crying, and we knew something significant had happened.

The next day as Irene arrived at work she gave us the good news. The said that as she was sleeping "pastor" appeared to her in a dream, she said "pastor" told her not to worry but to go to sleep and when she wakes up in the morning she will be healed. Irene also said that "pastor" put a white robe on her.

Irene said that when she woke up she felt well. She went to the toilet and for the first time in ages was able to have a wee without it being painful. She then drank two cups of coffee and did not throw up. All the pain was also gone, and she had slept through the night.

On the taxi her friends remarked that she looked much better, Irene told them that she had been healed. Irene insisted on coming to testify at the church on Sunday morning, which she did do (after eating two big bowls of porridge, and not vomiting).

I then had the awesome privilege of telling her that the robe was the robe of righteousness, the symbol of the gift of righteousness to those who believe. She loved learning that she is holy blameless and perfect in His sight! 

2) Jill's testimony 

I was at home and the presence of God came on me. I felt power and energy building up on the inside of me. Eventually I had to go preach the gospel. I went to the local taxi rank where I preached the glorious gospel of grace. While I preached one guy took out his knife, which had been used on several crimes and threw it down on the floor. Another person took out a packet of drugs, pills, from his pocket and threw them down on the floor.

I prayed for them and it was amazing...I cant believe God used me like that, I don't even have it all together. 

3)Tom's testimony...

(Name has been changed)

I saw Tom at the back of the church crying and being ministered to very deeply by a prayer team and the Holy Spirit. Afterwards I spoke to Tom, keen to know what Father had done for/to him. Tom said

" I have never been touched before, but today I encountered God for the first time"..

Tom was released from jail a week or so before, and is a recovering drug addict.

Praise God. 

4) Tyde's Encounter

When I got back from the Port Alfred trip on the 7th September 2009, Tyde told me of his angelic encounter.

"Dad I had a vision, but it was not a vision because I really saw it. I saw an angel standing in the blue light, and I was lying on the bed feeling like it was preaching to me. And I was feeling happy when I saw the angel standing in the blue light. The angel said "no matter what bad things you do, Jesus will always love and forgive you". His whole body was blue, but he had wings and they were blue and white."

Tyde Duncan 6.

 

Quote from Dayspring

"I've got a God who loves me and seeks my highest good.

He will guide me.

He will protect me.

He will provide for me.

I will not say the Lord is my Shepherd and

live like I don't have one."

 

 

 

A quote from Dayspring

"Worship is a crucifixion of the priorities of self interest.

Religion is self interest in the guise of worship and

good works."

- David Crabtree

 

 

Love Louisa...(3Sep09)

Hi everyone

I've been meditating on what I wrote last time, about longing for the presence of God that happens when we meet together. I've given it a lot of thought and I'm trying to work out how I feel and what I mean. And I've come to a sort of conclusion that it's not just a meeting with people for meetings sake but for His presence sake. I listened to Bertie Brits speak this weekend-highly recommended-www.dynamicministries.co.za, and he said he loves to meet casually with Gods people but if God and His ways and glorious doings aren't discussed he gets frustrated and disappointed! I understand what he means-we are just so desperate for a touch from God and evidence of His glory that sometimes nothing else will do.

But for me there is a tension between Word and Spirit on the one hand and people for Glory sake and people for relationship, for love sake. Rob Rufus teaches on the importance of hearing Gods Word and experiencing His powerful glorious presence-being drunk and recklessly joyful, in gay abandon experiencing all that He has for us. We need both equally.

And I'm beginning to understand that the desperate need for His physical presence and all that brings can override every thing else. I feel desperate and hard to live with. And it becomes almost a striving to get to that place no matter what it takes and then it becomes work…and I'm back in law. I begin to feel tired, inadequate and sometimes frustrated, with myself and those who haven't yet experienced and become addicted to this Glory experience, as I have. Forgetting how patient people and God are with me!! Does this make sense to anyone?

This is when I have to go back to Gods word and once again realize what grace really means and that I don't have to desperately, work at seeking His presence but that He Himself dwells permanently in me!!!!

When I meditate on His word, both in the bible and in my ear, my love for him and others wells up and out of me. And I begin to realize the preciousness of people and the importance God has placed on relationship. Then I can enjoy being with people, feel powerfully God in me, because I believe what he has promised and already done AND be gloriously drunk in His presence. This is the gospel of peace. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on His own, with no help from us! Then He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus our Messiah.
Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in the world to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. Ephesians 2: Message Bible.

Thank goodness it's not an all or nothing move of God, but a lot of everything, all working together to make me and the world a much better place…

Lots of love
Louisa