There has been a recent shift in the moving of God's spirit in the lives of those He has chosen for service. Many are feeling a draw to do work for Him, but not just any work, a work that has been cultivated in prayer and intercession. Many are feeling the need, the absolute need to give all that they have to the cause of Christ and many cannot understand it. I've spoken with scores of people that have been thrown from the safety and security of commonplace and have been thrust into frustration and discomfort, all the while yearning to inhabit their Canaan and to fight for the promises and proclamation of God.
Those that are feeling this are not feeling something borne out of a desire for prestige or affirmation, they are feeling this because God has ordained a purpose and a path for them and God has decided to speed up the process of preparation for the sending of many to do His will.
If you have felt a deep, almost unexplainable urge to defect from all things you know and do, a deep dissatisfaction with the work of this Earth and a hunger for the work of God, please know that you are not alone. The desire you feel to leave all things and to give yourself completely to God, though you know not where you will find food, money, or provision is a desire given by God.
He has begun a work in many of His children...He has created in us something that organizations, training seminars, and people cannot create themselves. He has placed within us the same thing that was placed within Elisha, Peter, and Andrew. The need to not only experience the power of God and the call of God, but to work directly for Him in impacting and changing the face of the world.
We've all heard that we have a 'purpose' in God and that we can be used of God. Some of us know that and have been seeking the face of God, praying, worshiping, studying, and doing all that we can to realize our purpose in action. I believe that God has rewarded those that diligently seek after Him and His purpose for our lives. He has rewarded us with the ever nagging frustration of not being where He has called us to be...yet.
It is as if we were in a delivery waiting room, knowing that something was being born, that some thing miraculous was happening and that we were a part of it...but unable to attend to the event. The sheer delight, knowing that something awesome was happening and was going to happen, but that we could not take hold of the outcome until we were released to do so.
So do we wait on God, holding to our values, continually seeking Him, continuing steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. All the while, frustrated, eager, and willing.
Be of good cheer, through this process God has changed you...He has shifted you from a mindset of materialism to a mindset of spirituality. He has replaced worldly need with spiritual necessity. He has created in you a willingness to sacrifice everything you have and everything you are for the cause of Christ and when you get to the point that you are willing to give up anything and everything that He asks of you, He will open the door and call you to walk through it into destiny.
That is what this process is about...those that give up are like he that was asked to sell all and to follow Jesus, but could not give up life for life. God is creating new Christians...Christians that are willing to give up everything, Christians that so desire to do something meaningful that they will sell what they have, they will cut their expenses, they will sacrifice comfort, they will do what ever it takes to prepare themselves for the purpose of God.
Be joyful if you are going through this. If you are to the point of breaking, the point where you want to give up everything just so you can be with Jesus Christ, just so you can do His work. In due time, God is going to propel you into your purpose.
And this all I say to say the following:
God's time frame has changed for many if not all of us feeling this way. God does not want organizational politics to rule His spiritual purpose in the earth. He wants to have free reign to impact, lead, and guide His workers to His purpose.
For this He has prepared many of us. For this He has led us through the battle for our own minds. For this He has solidified us in His spirit. Not for the work of man, but for the work of God.
God is propelling us into ministry...He is desiring a greater change in this Earth at a pace that we have not yet seen, primarily because we have weighted down the purpose of God with our own agendas.
Be ready and willing...eager to follow Him at all costs.
When He walks by and you are working on your figurative ship or plowing the fields and asks you to drop everything and follow Him, what will you do?
He's been preparing us for this day to come...when it comes let's know that He will provide all if we only do what He has purposed us to do.
In servitude,
James Rennard
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Greetings,
My wife, Rachael, and I just returned from a visit to Cuba! We are glad to report that God is doing miraculous things there!
For those that do not know, my wife's grandfather, James Ball, started an Apostolic organization in Cuba in the 1950's prior to the revolution by Fidel Castro and other sympathetics. It is pretty commonly accepted that he also baptized the first people in Jesus' name there!
Well, fifty years later, God has miraculously reconnected us to the same organization of churches!
This was our second missionary journey there, though we only stayed a short time. The prophetic word of God spoke through us on many occasions and confirmation was in the mouths of many of the Apostolic church leaders that we met with.
During our trip 26 people were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ! The week before, 22 were baptized in Jesus' name and next week they are baptizing at least 15 more people!
God is doing wonderful things in Cuba. We heard reports of healings, miracles, and wonders and the power and anointing of the Holy Ghost were on so many that ministered.
It is our goal as a family to return soon, however we are not sure of the time frame yet. Please pray for us and for God's purpose for us in this journey...we are truly being sent and there is no greater feeling than walking in the Spirit and on the perfect path of God.
God is pouring His spirit out and many are believing on Him! Continue to pray and seek God and He will open doors and make paths known to you! Let's turn this world upside down!
James
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Abiding in the Love of Jesus Christ
John 15:9-13
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love .
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love ; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love .
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
In prayer the other day the Lord began to deal with me about Love. Love can be very perplexing at times. When many of us think about love we think of feeling all warm and fuzzy. We think of the butter flies that stir in our hearts when we look into the eyes of someone we are falling in love with.
On the other hand we can think about the pain of Love. Love is not supposed to hurt, love is not supposed to leave pain in our heart, but at times love can be very painful. We can read in the Bible that Love is what led Jesus to perhaps one of the most painful experiences ever endured by a human being. It was love that led Jesus to a cross. It was love that saved all humanity from death and the grave. Love is a very powerful thing. The Bible explains the characteristics of love in
1 Corinthians 13.
13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The word charity is agape in the Greek. I heard a preacher talk about the love that Jesus portrayed on this earth; the preacher said that the love of God was so powerful that the Greek language did not have a word to describe it so they had to come up with the word agape. I looked up the meaning to the word agape and it means “love feast”. This is a feast where everyone can freely eat of it and there are always free refills all the time. In fact the psalmist said that “God has gone before us and prepared a table in the presence of our enemies. While I was reading over these verses the Lord impressed upon my heart that we can abide in this love.
To abide in something means to live in it. We can actually get to the point in our walk with God on this earth that we can live, breathe, walk, and make our home in his love. How do we live in his love one might ask? The answer is simple, obey his commandments. Have him in your mind throughout the day. Surrender your will to him and walk with him, you will abide in his love. I cannot think about anywhere else I would rather be, than in the love of Christ.
This love is like no other love on this earth. When we make our home in his love then we can posses the peace that surpasses all understanding in our hearts. When we make our home in his love everything just seems to fall into place. 1 Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him . When we abide in his love, his love becomes a part of us, and when we obtain his love we are then able to offer his love to others. God’s love has this wonderful power to draw people. I have noticed the greatest soul-winning tool is not some block party, a giveaway, Sunday school drive, or a mass mail out. The greatest soul winning tool is the Love of Jesus Christ that we can all have in our hearts. It was love or compassion that moved on Jesus to heal the sick during the Bible days.
As stated earlier in 1 Corinthians 13 the Bible tells us that Love will never fail. If we as Christians will allow Love to govern our lives the Bible tells us that we will never fail. I have made up my mind that I am going to allow love to lead me in every step of my life. When tough times come I want to ask the question “what would love do?” I believe that I can hear the voice of love and act upon the request of love, thus leading me into a path of life that is without failure.
It is possible to abide in the Love of Jesus Christ; I believe that it is the will of God that we all live in the love of Christ. I believe the church today could walk in greater power if we lived in the love of Jesus. In fact I would speculate that the enemy wants to take us out of the love of Christ. He wants to separate us from the Love of Christ, because he understands that if we are separated from the love of Christ two things will happen. One we will not be able to experience the love that God has for us. The second thing that will happen if we are separated from the Love of Christ is that we will not be able to show his love to others because we are absent from his love. I was encouraged by the word of God in Rom 8:35-39 to not let anything take me away from the love that God has for me.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
My prayer is that we do not let anything take us out of the Love of Christ. I pray that we all find ourselves lost in his arms of love. My hope is when we make our home in his love that we receive his love, his healing, his power and then take it to this world to show them there really is a true love that is unconditional and free to everyone. God bless you all and continue to abide in his love.
Josh
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Matthew 18:15
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Over the past few months I have witnessed and heard Christians talking badly about other Christians. I have heard pastors ridiculing other members of the body of Christ. I have read exchanges where a brother in God will directly challenge the character, morality, and intelligence of another brother....All of this in the presence of either people other than the ridiculed or in the presence of the ridiculed and a group of bystanders.
Each and every time I am astonished at the lack of spiritual integrity that these individuals have. Jesus teaches us to love and show compassion....he also teaches us to rebuke, but within the bounds of His word. The passage above gives us those bounds.
The word 'alone' is startling.
How much clearer can it get? We are to take up issues, confrontation, and seek clarification directly from the person we are concerned with...not involving other people, even if they are close to the situation.
If I do not like something that a fellow leader says, I have the Biblical right to talk with him about it, hopefully we will work out our differences and we will gain each other. This does not involve other people.
There is a major issue in the Christian church today. I see leaders in all positions and authorities that speak badly about others to others, either too afraid to confront the issue or seeking to increase their self at the expense of someone else.
It is time that we mature in God and look out for the greater good of the church of God and not ourselves, our agenda, or our opinion.
With love...God exposes faults to heal the wounds...If you are in a situation where someone, even a leader, ridicules, gossips about, or speaks ill about or to another human being, it is your responsibility to quote the above scripture and hopefully the two that are at ought will resolve the dispute between themselves, alone, as God requested.
Let's be real...Let's live what we claim we believe.
In servitude,
James
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Prayer in the schools
I observed a headline yesterday at Virginia Tech University that said “Prayer Vigil at Virginia Tech Campus”. I thought in my mind prayer has returned to campus. The horrific event that took place at Virginia Tech took place just four days before the eight year anniversary of another tragic event at Columbine High School in Colorado. There are many similarities between these two events. One of the main similarities that stuck out in mind is prayer took place on campus following the two chilling events. Even though Columbine took place eight years ago I can remember observing television images of prayer taking place on campus. There were administrators, teachers, parents, and students all praying together. Prayer had returned to campus for a season. This week at Virginia Tech prayer has returned to campus.
I cannot seem to get the thought off of my “what if prayer would have taken place on campus before the shocking events took place?” Would we have seen the same headlines or would we have heard of great things that God has done and is doing on campuses across the nation. When I speak with my grandparents about their school they talk about how they would pray at the beginning of the day asking a gracious God in heaven to protect them and to provide for them that day. Today when students want to tote their Bible to school they are ridiculed, when a student wants to pray they are expelled or threatened with a lawsuit. The US has turned away from a God that loves, protects, and provides. As we venture further away from God, our creator, Jesus Christ the United States will continue to read about these horrific events.
We need to be a nation that humbles ourselves, prays, seeks the face of God, and turn from our wicked ways so that God will hear us in heaven and then heal our land. I have decided that I am not going to be a Christian who does not pray, will you do your part today. Make it your mark that you are going to pray everyday. Make up your mind that you are going to bring prayer back. Bring it everywhere that you go. If you are a student bring prayer to your schools. There has never been a better time.
God bless you and have a great week.
Josh
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