Travel in the new culture

Photo i have taken myself, for the “jeepney” gallery. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For those of you who have just joined us –welcome. Let me explain the things us ramblers are chatting about. We are looking at the way God is bringing us from an old culture into a kingdom culture. To help us do this we are looking at the Philippine culture and seeing what God is saying to us through it.

With the heat soaring up to 100°F and humidity around 80% the Filipinos find it uncomfortable to walk. It was amusing trying to explain to our Filipino friends that some Britains enjoy walking for fun – they couldn’t believe it. Because few people walk in Manila there are lots of differing transport to choose from. You may want to travel on a Jeepney, a taxi, a tricycle, a motorbike, car, horse and cart, bicycle or coach. Take your pick. The roads in Manila are full of traffic, swerving, beeping their horns and finding their way from A to B. The road markings are guidelines and marked lanes are not mandatory. Vehicles are joining roads, changing lanes, overtaking and turning from everywhere, it is a real experience to see!

If you did choose to walk along the roadside there are rarely pavements. There may be one for a while and then a few market stalls, or a ditch with rubbish in, or it might just disappear.

The journey in this new culture, we have been exploring together, is different from anything we have experienced before. There is not someone telling us where to go, what to believe and what to do. In my Christian walk I feel that I have always had authorities giving me white lines to travel within, markers that define what I think and how I should behave. There has been temptation to clone thinking and behaviour, to count as dangerous or an alien anyone with differing thoughts and to restrict movement so that it is containable. Now I feel the white lines are optional. I can choose, think and behave according to the real me.

No longer are we travelling on mass. There is still unity, still co-hesion, but there is also a new freedom to explore. Some may wish to take a Jeepney to the market, others a tricycle to the mall, others a taxi to eat out. Different groups of people have the freedom to go where they want without judgement.

Even those that chose to travel together they will not find they walk in single line behind a leader. They will explore different things and come back to share what they have found. One may go to the cloth stall to feel and explore the colours, one may go to the bakery to try the cakes, one may go to the book stall to find some further knowledge – then the individuals will cross paths, share stories and perhaps take each other to the best places. The adventures then meet up with a unity of spirit to share the exciting treasures and truths they have found together.

What stops this turning into chaos? It is the heart connection. The honouring and respecting of authority that pulls everyone together and sets a direction for the next area of exploration. For the desire of the travellers to honour each other and put each other first. Togetherness is no longer the fact that everyone is in the same room doing the same thing, but a connection of heart in their various stages of advance. It is being real, honest and sharing a common vision and purpose. There is a compass of God’s word, there is a direction to head for, but there are ways of exploring all that Jesus has done for us.

Today: What area of God are you exploring right now? Why is it you are exploring that? Who are you meeting with to share your new found treasures?

Panic strikes! The Golden Calf is born

Dont Panic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4 months into the journey and crisis hits! What is the dramatic news? Enemy attacks, drought, famine, pestilence? – no Moses goes up a mountain for 40 days. The people see him go up – but now don’t know what to do.

The people are learning to stand up on their own for first time. In Egypt they were always told what to do, where to sit, where to sleep – they had no choice of there own. Moses then led them with a strong arm out of Egypt – they followed him and his faith in God. Now they have been left on their own with their own thoughts, time on their hand and choices to make. Panic strikes!

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain,they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt. Exodus 32:1

Why did the people struggle so much?

In the next few days we will unpack what it was that caused this crisis and how we can learn from it. We will draw parallel with Jesus time in the wilderness. It is interesting that even the Son of God has his training time in the wilderness. A time where God called him close for intimate, undistracted fellowship.

1.        Make us = doing

Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’ Luke 4: 3&4

The Devil was saying to Jesus “Don’t just sit there Jesus listening to Gods words spending time with God – do something”.

The Israelites were bored from spending day in day out working until the dropped – now they have so much time on their hands. They felt useless, a spare part, not valued because they were not doing something.

Doing is where I have found solace sometimes. I can  find or hide myself in doing. I can find on days when I am angry, upset or confused that I just want to clean and tidy – or do something to distract myself. Do I measure my self worth on what I achieve. I have notice that when people greet each other they ask “What have you been doing?” The underlying message is “How have you demonstrated your usefulness? What have you achieved? Are you worthwhile? We give labels we give ourselves as doers as this adds meaning to our life – I am a gardener, a cleaner, a children’s worker, a steward etc.

Business is not godliness. We were made for spending time with God throughout the day– not meeting God in meetings. If we can’t fit time in our day to meet with our Father then we are doing something wrong and need to adjust our lives. We were made to be children of God, to be new creations, to be lovers of God

Today: think soberly about your life. Do you find identity in what you do or do you find your identity in the presence of God. Make sure that being with God is prioritized over doing.

Presence of God

English: Crop of File:Souvenir Seller – Moscow – Russia.JPG focusing on woman. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have been struck recently as to how ordinary most days are for most people. We try to fillour lives with exciting moments – but our every day life can be mundane. I wonder how ordinary it must have been to wander around the wilderness. There must have been a lack of fun places to go, things on tv to watch or coffee places to hang out in. This is why when God shows up the ordinary day turns into something amazing

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled.  Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. Exodus 19:16- 18

In the middle of the empty landscape God comes down and it was rather dramatic! Thunder, lightening, billowing smoke, earthquake – what a sight. I don’t think you could have missed God’s entry into the Israelite camp even if you were the doziest of folk!

Here comes God letting all his people know that shop is open, he is town, the show is on the road and He is in the business of spending time with his people. Tragically the people did not want to spend time with God.

When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear. And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” Exodus 20: 18&19

The people had become so fixated on the mountainside dramatics that  they had forgotten the tender words of the Father holding them and loving them. God comes as a Father with power. This is who He is. Let us not be so desiring the big experiences, the healings, the manifestations that we miss the Fathers face and His voice. Both come together. The gentle loving Father full of power and wonder.

We sometimes hide from God when he comes to speak with us face to face. Just as Adam hid in the garden afraid to face up to God it can be due to feelings of guilt, shame, having let him down and thinking we are inadequate. Sometime it can be afraid of the demands we feel he will put on our life or of feeling unworthy. But He is the one who calls us by our name, holds us close and  carries us when we are weak. He only wants the best for us and to help us in our troubles. We need not fear his response to our mistakes, failures or lack – He only has compassion and love for us.

God calls us up the mountain and wants us to come to meet with him. Spend time with him. Share heart with him. He turns the mundane walk of life into something else! The ordinary becomes exciting, the intimate becomes powerful, the plain becomes a wondrous adventure – 3D into 9D!

Today: Ask the Holy spirit to show you if there are any hindrances in your life that stop you freely talking to God face to face. With his help deal with these issues.

We are the Prophetic Message

 

Gan Eliezer, Rehavia, Jerusalem (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What a strange man. Eating locusts, dressed in camel hair, no wife, no kids, no house – what was he thinking?  His name was John the Baptist. He was a man declaring that there was something coming far more important that this life, these pleasures. He showed his message in his life he lived.

Moses second son was prophetic too – by the name he carried.

Exodus 18:4 Eliezer – which means ‘God was my helper, he rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh‘

Moses sent his wife and 2 sons off to stay with Jethro (his father in law) to keep them safe. This was sometime before the Israelites escaped from Pharaoh. One month into the journey around the wilderness and Moses sees his children and wife again. What a fantastic re-union. How he must have missed them. Moses tells them all that has happened and about the amazing miracles God did – the way he helped them cross through the sea.  Eliezer heard all about his name being fulfilled. He understood who he was. He had found his identity.

The name of his son shows what faith Moses had that God would rescue the Israelites. Even before the mass exodus Moses named his son “he rescued”. This was a brave step to stake his belief so clearly in the name of his child. Everyday when Moses looked at ‘he rescued’ he must have wondered when his freedom was going to come.

Jethro is delighted at the testimony Moses brings.  He sees the hand of God in all that had happened. The testimony takes him to the presence of God in worship. Aaron and all the elders feast in God’s presence.

My name means noble and for years I only felt shame. God brought me out into a place of freedom where I saw his grace on my life and I understood who I was. I discovered my identity as a noble princess of the King. It is something that I am still discovering and coming to an understanding of. As I change and tell my story I am the message. I rub off God’s love and goodness into other peoples’ hearts.

Your story (testimony) of all that God has done for you will turn peoples hearts to God. You will cause them to desire a relationship with God. Be generous in sharing your story around.

Today: What does your name mean? Feel free to adopt a prophetic name that you see being fulfilled. Eg loved of God, free son, adventurous daughter etc Share your story with someone today and be the message to them.

Father who loves to walk (with us)

Get your boots on! We are off for a walk. It will take effort but you will see and hear things

holding hands, se 39th ave (Photo credit: cafemama)

to delight you on the way. The birds singing, squirrels scurrying and the trees whispering to one another. It will make you feel alive and your heart vibrate with life!

I love walking. I feel close to God when I walk. I have been learning, however, that he enjoys walking with me also. In fact He has called me out of bed recently to go on a walk because His heart is to spend time with me. I have been shocked some mornings by His excitement.

 Ex 17:1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, travelling (walking) from

place to place as the Lord commanded.

Nehemiah 9:12 By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, what is good. To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

One of the first things we see God doing with mankind in Genesis is walk and talk with them. He would spend time with Adam and Eve wandering around the garden.  How does a spirit God walk? Has he special legs? Anyway, it seems that He still likes walking with us. He likes to wander with us through the paths of life keeping a conversation of intimacy open. He does not ask us to journey or adventure alone – He is with us all the way. He is in not rush to be anywhere – he is just enjoying your company.

He will even walk with you (escort you) for a good night out. Perhaps a feast in a great hall. He just wants to be with you – because he loves you.

He escorts me to the banquet hall;

  it’s obvious how much he loves me. Song of Songs 2:4

Today: Perhaps go on a physical walk with the knowledge that God walks with you.  Or sit down with God. Make an effort not to pray but just enjoy his company.

The rock with a tap?

Who on earth would have expected this? – it is like a Harry Potter film. How did flowing

Old Razorback Mountain at the Black Rock Desert (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

water suddenly appear out of a dry rock. Not just a little dribble but enough for a whole nation to drink, bathe, cook with. In other words a gushing stream.

 Ex 17 :6 I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai.Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.

 1 Corinthians 10:4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.

On this adventure we are going to see some strange sights. Sights that will make our eyes pop out of our heads. Things that will make no sense our your brain but every sense to our hearts.

We know there is one that travels with us. He is a rock. He is Christ. This rock not only has the normal characteristics of a rock being solid and dependable, a sure foundation but also has heavenly surprises   Even in the hardest, driest place this rock travels with us so we know we are safe and then the rock overflows with water to refresh our thirsty souls.

Today: In the heat of today, in the hard parts of this week turn to the rock and know you are secure. Then drink deeply refreshing waters that flow out of Christ

Elephants don’t forget

I am not suggesting we should all become like elephants – but they never forget!!

English: The eye of an asian elephant at Elephant Nature Park, Thailand Deutsch: Das Auge eines indischen Elefanten im Elephant Nature Park, Thailand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the moment you read this I will be on an adventure to the Philippines. I am going to keep on writing to catch up with all that God has placed on my heart to share. I want you to continue the journey as I am on mine 🙂

If I can I will add extra blogs into the ones I have written for each day. You will have to excuse any typos or communication bumbles as I have had to write them up in advance.

We have already seen that Psalms 78 is a poetical version of the children of Israel’s adventure. Psalms 78:42-55 is all about the lack of the people of God to remember all God had done for them.  Asaph lists of things God had done and that  the people had forgotten. They forgot about their freedom from slavery, the plagues, the crossing the red sea and all the mighty miracles God performed.

I have been challenged recently by God  to write down all the healings I have seen. I was shocked as I started to write  how many I had forgotton about and how many I could recall. I am excited that I God is moving so powerfully in our generation that healings are becoming more and more common. I have now been challenged to write all the people I have seen change, all the times God has provided what I needed and all the outstanding prophecies that I have heard. This is still a job in process.

I would like to share one from last year. On my first trip to the Philippines. The leader of the church had a large gall stone and the hospital was loosing hope that it would move. A friend on mine had just ‘passed’ a small one and told me of the excruciating pain it caused him for days. He promptly showed it me in a glass bottle (LOL). Anyway back to the story. My Philipino friend, a mighty man of God, knew that it was going to cost over £500 for the lazer treatment the hospital were now advising him to have. I laid hands on him and prayed and on his next trip to the specialist the week later they were surprised as they couldn’t find anything. He was surprised as he hadn’t felt anything. They insisted on checking him again to make sure!!

The other story I love from the Philippines is the word from God the group were given before we left. We were told that ” As you sing a rainbow will appear over your heads. As people walk through the rainbow their heaviness will go and their lives will be full of colour.” On the first Sunday the group sang together in front of the congregation and one of the older men came up to me afterwards to speak to me. He told me that as we were singing he saw a rainbow appear over the whole group. He knew nothing of the word given to us back in England.

God is good. He is faithful

Today: List all the times God has been faithful to you. All the times you have seen a miracle, provision or fulfilment of a word. These are your stories that will be a springboard of faith to greater things.

God is up to new things

I am sorry but I can’t resist putting this on! My kids crack up at it every time it is soo funny!

 18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.20 The wild animals honour me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland,to give drink to my people, my chosen. Isaiah 43 (NIV)

Why do we feel so stirred, so challenged, so apprehensive – all into one? This is an adventure of a life time and that means there will be some scary bits as well as exhilarating moments. I remember when we took our kids to Florida – I was so scared about the big rides but excited about the fun. I remember the strange mix of emotions and I feel a little like that now.

We are so used to familiarity – doing things a certain way, thinking in certain patterns, going through the same old motions that we don’t realise we are doing it until someone challenges what we are doing. When a challenge happens and we feel uncomfortable we can either run from it, take a stance against it or go with it. Let us be aware of what reaction we feel to what God is doing right now and make sure that we are  malleable before God and willing to change. I would hate to think that we were compared to the Israelites who had hard and stubborn hearts.

I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way.              Isaiah 42:16 (NLT)

This path is unfamiliar – no wonder it feels so strange to us, no wonder some of us are thrown off balance a little. Don’t panic – just learn. God is shaking things up and asking you to think completely differently.

Do you see it?  What can you see? What is new and springing up around you? Where is the water gushing out from in this place? Where should you gather to drink – it wont be the old familiar watering holes. It is important you find the water flow and the people to spend time with as this isn’t something you can learn in books; this experience is personal and can only be caught. Books are helpful as they can help formulate your thoughts but the understanding of the new thing only comes through revelation. We each have our own journey to travel.

God provides us with all the refreshing we want on the adventure so that we have the

Old and New (Photo credit: TheOnlyAnla who is taking a break until her math t)

strength to concentrate on our hearts and our lives. I am finding that it isn’t a passive training camp. This wilderness training college takes hard work, homework and thoughtful reflection.  After all this is about transformation of our culture, heart, leadership, worship,  freedom, identity, relationship with God and the  way we love, honour, respect. We have spent too long aligning ourselves to thing we thought mattered – but now it is time to align ourselves with heaven.

Today; Tell God that your heart is open to him. That you are willing to be challenge because transformation is far more important that hurting your pride. 🙂 (its ok that goes for me too!)

Walk With Me is…

Walk With Me is a website to explore the adventure that I am on right now. I have a church family that I am travelling with and together I would like us to chat as we walk . The next 6 months is is a special time for us. Let’s discover truths and ideas as we look around at our changing landscape.