Free to Act

Matthew 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”

Many dedicated disciples of Jesus have ‘stepped out of the boat’ and embarked on journeys that have literally change the spiritual face of individuals, towns, regions and countries. This kind of transformation in the spiritual, manifests in the natural as Jesus is crowned LORD of all.

We may look at hugely successful local and international ministry organisations with awe, feeling that the work they do is so stunning and that we could never compete with what they have quite obviously been called to do.

I agree that there seems to be sheep out there that are so spiritually together and in line with the LORD’s plan for their lives that the rest of us feel completely ill-equipped for even attempting a simple task for Jesus and the growth of His Kingdom.

The question that needs answering is: What would you do if you suddenly received one of His gifts ? Would you act then ?

The Great Commission is clear:

Matthew 28: 18-20 ” 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I believe that we are all called to participate in the growth of the Kingdom of God. As His disciples we are meant to become active members in His plan for the world and humanity.

If we waited to be perfect before we acted for Jesus, nothing would ever get done because the Word is clear that ‘all have fallen short of His glory’. But know this... our sinful state does not exempt us from action.

In John chapter 13, there is a beautiful scene where Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. This scene brings a very strong spiritual truth to us all. The LORD told Peter that only his feet needed to be washed, not his entire body; that his body had already been cleaned. So, if you are His disciple, then your body has been cleaned. You may need your feet washed, but never again will you need to have a full body wash again... spiritually you have been set free.

John 13:10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.

We need to walk in victory knowing that we are new creations. And yes we will make mistakes and we will need our feet washed often, but we will never need our bodies washed again. We have been translated from darkness into light. The old has gone and the new has come – Praise Jesus !!

Don’t delay. Use who you are just as the LORD made you and decide what you can do to build in the Kingdom of God. We are all different, but together we all make up the ‘Body of Christ’. Together (with Jesus) all things are possible.

Every great journey starts when the first step is taken ... no matter how small that step is.

Step out and then you will find Jesus right there with you.

CHRIS

Hope of Glory

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

We started an evening service recently after recognising that the LORD wants a place to allow His Spirit to move and touch the lives of people around us, so that they can in-turn transform their areas of influence for His Glory... a place where we worship Him in ‘Spirit and in Truth’.

Many people who are coming are actively involved in Kingdom Work themselves and they are using our service as a time to ‘recharge’ and connect to the ‘Spring of Living Water’; It is amazing to see the LORD at work when like minded individuals gather together in the Name of our ever Faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Initially we were happy to just meet as a small group and any extra people would have been a bonus, but our excitement is growing as we see lives being changed and transformed not only from death to life, but Life in Abundance.

We are seeing the same faces attending each week and people are starting to bring their friends and family along. We have such a long way to go, and we will rely on Him for each step as this is new ground for most of us. In fact maybe our utter reliance on Him is what is working in our favour...

Something to consider though, is that if we are called to worship Him in ‘Spirit and in Truth’, I guess the opposite would be to worship Him in ‘Flesh and Lies’ ... now there is a sobering thought.

With the LORD there is no grey area, we are either firmly on the Rock or we are standing on the shifting sands of life. The more we die to self, the more we live in Him.

So, just what does it mean to worship Him in ‘Spirit and in Truth’ ? Perhaps you get to a place much like Caleb and Joshua did (Numbers 13) where you know that there are giants in your path, and the only way that you can conquer them is total reliance on Him and His ability, not yours.

At what point do we start looking at our situations through His eyes and see limitless possibilities, knowing that He alone is all we need to be ‘more than a conqueror’.

I encourage you to look to Him as your source in all things; embrace His work and embrace life, knowing that you work for eternal treasures ... and His benefits are many.

Colossians 1:26-28

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. “

CHRIS

Jermaine

Acts 4:12

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Last night I was led to talk with a couple of security guards at the prison. They were guarding the main gate for the night shift. I explained that although we often preached inside the prison, tonight I wanted to chat with them.

They were both pleased that I had a bible for them. Jermaine was quite taken aback because although he explained his ‘backslidden’ state he said that he had asked Jesus to help him over the last two days and he had actually just asked Jesus for a bible; then I walk in and hand him one ...

I always get moved by testimonies like this because I think I am doing something out of my own choice and it seems like Jesus has had things arranged long before I ‘decided’ to go out ...

We began chatting about Jesus and how ‘His Kingdom is near’ and why sometimes we as practising Christians miss the very things that Jesus wants us to know about Himself. We had a great discussion about why people are so scared of things that cannot be reasoned with human logic and science. In fact the LORD led us along a very special thread that seemed to illuminate and take root at precisely the moment Jermaine needed to excuse himself and let a vehicle gain access through the boom-gate; as he walked away, he limped ...

I asked Jermaine if he had a problem with his leg and he explained that he had a sharp pain in his heal that would not go away and it makes his duties unbearable, in fact he said that he had just been complaining about the pain to his colleague Pretorius.

We prayed in Jesus Name for his pain to go. Jermaine then proceeded to repeat the words “No Ways !” a few times and laugh contagiously. It was great. Jesus is so awesome. His pain had gone completely.

We then prayed for Pretorius because his one leg was shorter than the other. In fact before praying I asked Jermaine to ensure that he was comfortable with what I saw by lifting Pretorius’ legs up and looking at his heals. Jermaine agreed that he could clearly see the problem of one being shorter that the other.

We prayed and Germaine looked in amazement when Jesus sorted out Pretorius’ leg length/hip issues. This followed with more “No Ways !” , contagious laughing and an occasional 360° spin. What a cool time of fellowship ...

Mark 1:14-15

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Romans 8:28

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I left two new friends grinning and holding tight to their bibles; both with firsthand experience of the mercy extended by Jesus Christ our Saviour.

CHRIS

Pure Love

After healing a cripple in the Name of Jesus, Peter and John found themselves in front of the authorities having to explain this seemingly strange (yet wonderful) event. Peter declared the following to the authorities:

Acts 3: 16

”By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ Name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.”

After being flogged, Peter and John realised that they needed assistance to fulfil the very task at hand - to build the LORD’s Kingdom. They prayed for certain things to be in place ...

Acts 4: 29 -31

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

Peter, John and the other believers who prayed this prayer knew that peoples’ hearts were as hard as stone and that it would take the very Name and Hand of the LORD to reveal mysteries in the physical, to get the spiritual attention of people. That is why they prayed for (amongst other things) for the LORD to ‘Stretch out His hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of His holy servant Jesus’.

In the same way and with the same mandate of the Great Commission, so too should we pray this prayer; knowing that without Him, we are nothing, but with Him, we are everything.

There have been so many examples of peoples’ lives being changed within the Ladies Prison Ministry after they have witnessed the LORD’s hand of healing. We have seen over 50 physical healings in the Prison alone. Things seem to have moved into a new dimension where our expectation and trust (faith) in Jesus is really starting to move mountains. He never fails to amaze us with His love, grace and tenderness.

Often I sit quietly at night and find my heart thumping with a feeling of excitement mixed with a deep appreciation for being able to witness Him at work. Then I start to consider the balance of being a husband, a father, an employee, a soldier for Jesus, a leader at Church ... in my own strength I would have burned out long ago. By His Grace I somehow find the balance.

One thing I know for sure is that it is His plan and when we submit to Him and make ourselves available to be part of growing His Kingdom, for His Glory and not ours, incredible things start to happen.

So much has happened in the last 3-weeks that I just could not find a way to describe it all. The more I look, the more He is there. The more I trust, the more He blows my mind.

Even last night at the evening service at Muizenberg, a young man’s neck was healed and a ladie’s knees were healed. She giggled with excitement ... that is our Jesus. Pure Love.

Praise Him!

Romans 12: 1-2

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

His Kingdom, His Power, His Glory.

CHRIS

New Life

Yesterday at my office, a young Muslim lady approached Kerrigan and I to mention that she was going home to rest. She explained that she was suffering from a very painful right-shoulder and she could not lift her hand/arm very high at all.

Generally she has a happy and bright personality and she looked to be in so much pain that I asked if I could pray for her.

She smiled and said “Yes”.

I asked if I could pray for her in the Name of Jesus and hold her hands while praying. She smiled and said “YES absolutely”.

This is certainly a huge decision for any person who is a Muslim.

Kerrigan and I prayed for the LORD Jesus to release her from the pain that she was suffering from. I commanded satan to leave her alone and spoke words of healing in Jesus Name. The LORD blessed her, not just by removing her pain but also by pouring Living Water into her.

She said, “ My shoulder is getting warm and a tingling is spreading throughout my body ... this is so weird ... thank you my pain is gone ... thank you “

He face shone and she was absolutely dazzled by the experience. Yes, she still went home and yes, she had a huge amount to think about ... praise Jesus for He is so awesome.

I saw her this morning again and she said that she was still ‘tingling’ and when she watched the waves on her way home yesterday she was struck by the beauty of His creation. She said that Jesus had healed her and her arm and shoulder felt perfect. But she felt different ...

Our Lord is not concerned with cultural or religious boundaries; he poured out His love for her and in her own words ... “Chris, I feel complete, like I am connected to Him somehow”

John 7: 38

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Revelation 1: 15

“His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.”

Revelation 7: 17

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

CHRIS

Kallie

There are so many reasons to worship the LORD Jesus. I find myself constantly being reminded about His Grace and Love. He is so limitless and sometimes the very thing that limits Him is us. We have a misguided perception of what He can do ... why we do this is beyond me. But I can testify that when Jesus moves, He moves like a rushing wind, like a raging fire and He strikes like a hammer; smashing doubt into shards. Leaving us standing in awe ... asking forgiveness for not trusting Him; even with the small things.

We embarked on a great project. In fact our first project under the Jireh-Seed banner; where the LORD revealed a church in Khayelitsha to us with a pressing need for seating. I will link you to our project detail later in this message for you to see the stages of planning and the LORDs hand of blessing.

I want to draw your attention to something that seemed like a minor event on the special day of delivery when we were in Malmesbury collecting the 22 church pews from a small church that had moved to new premises. Praise Jesus for providing the exact size, style, and quantity of pews, at a special price. Thank you LORD for all that you have done in helping our project be a success.

So there we were, being introduced to various people when I noticed a small slight man standing in the background, stooping forward with a neck-brace on. We were introduced and we spoke for a while.

He was moving as though his upper body was fused completely and his waist was his only mechanism to rotate – stiff as a board. I asked him what was wrong and he said that he had been in a car accident and that he had plates and screws to assist his neck. He was in constant pain and had rejected a final operation that had a 50/50 chance of success or complete failure due to the seriousness of his injury.

It was Ascension Day. He was injured. All the excitement going on in the background and all I could think of was that Jesus had brought him to us for prayer. In all the commotion we could so easily have slipped on this very important item on the LORDs agenda.

A few of us moved off to the side and asked if we could pray with Abraham (‘Kallie’) to which he said “Yes”. We lifted him up and after praying, he said that he felt a warmth in his neck and his pain was gone. From not being able to move effectively, let alone being able to sleep, he removed his neck-brace with a grin and said “ I have been healed”.

The one thing I cannot get out of my mind is that the weight of his head on the neck-brace caused rolls of skin to fold over the neck-brace before we prayed, and when I open my eyes, his ‘neck rolls’ were gone – his neck was standing firm and upright.

Luke 11: 13

“ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! ”

We give Jesus all Praise, Glory and Honour for healing ‘Kallie’ before our eyes. How wonderful and selfless is our Saviour.

To see the pictures, click HERE and look carefully in the background for our new friend ‘Kallie’.

CHRIS

GOD IS

There is so much happening around each of us at the moment that I feel compelled to not only offer words of encouragement to you but also to give thanks to our Father in Heaven at the same time.

These words are not mine; they are more than a declaration of His Glory in fact these are words of war ... a war already won by our Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Praise be to Jesus !

CHRIS

Jesus is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End! He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all! He is the Architect of the universe and The Manager of all times. He always was, He always is, and He always will be... Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone! He was bruised and brought healing! He was pierced and eased pain! He was persecuted and brought freedom! He was dead and brought life! He is risen and brings power! He reigns and brings Peace! The world can't understand him, The armies can't defeat Him, The schools can't explain Him, and

The leaders can't ignore Him. Herod couldn't kill Him,

The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and The people couldn't hold Him! Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him, The New Age can't replace Him, and

Donahue can't explain Him away! He is light, love, longevity, and LORD. He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God. He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure. His ways are right, His word is eternal,

His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me. He is my Redeemer, He is my Savior, He is my guide, and He is my peace! He is my Joy, He is my comfort, He is my LORD, and He rules my life! I serve Him because His bond is love,

His burden is light, and

His goal for me is abundant life. I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, The power of the powerful,

The ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, The leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and

The Sovereign LORD of all that was and is and is to come. And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size. His goal is a relationship with ME!

He will never leave me,

Never forsake me,

Never mislead me,

Never forget me,

Never overlook me, and Never cancel my appointment in His appointment book! When I fall, He lifts me up! When I fail, He forgives! When I am weak, He is strong! When I am lost, He is the way! When I am afraid, He is my courage! When I stumble, He steadies me! When I am hurt, He heals me! When I am broken, He mends me! When I am blind, He leads me! When I am hungry, He feeds me! When I face trials, He is with me! When I face persecution, He shields me! When I face problems, He comforts me! When I face loss, He provides for me! When I face Death, He carries me Home! He is everything for everybody, everywhere,

Every time, and every way. He is God, He is faithful. I am His, and He is mine! My Father in heaven has crushed the father of this world.

So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this... He said it and that settles it. God is in control, I am on His side, and

That means all is well with my soul.

Everyday is a blessing for GOD IS !

Letting Go

I have been pondering something that happened at the ladies Prison Ministry for a few days now. I know that from my own experience, we as humans are the single biggest stumbling blocks in our own growth and relationship with the LORD.

We have every right to combat the enemy and take authority over his plans against us but more times that I can remember, real breakthrough has happened when I have spent some quality time looking in the mirror and asking the LORD to show me the truth about myself. Sometimes these realisations are painful and hard to hand over to Him; but dying to self makes space for living in the LORD Jesus Christ.

We had a stunning service on Tuesday, which started with praise and worship that was so alive with passion and a yearning to be touched by the LORD that our emotions were deeply touched and softened.

There was a particular girl who was right at the beginning of the queue to receive Jesus ... she repented, she prayed and she begged for mercy. She said that some peace came upon her but that she did not feel His Living Water flowing inside her.

As I moved onto others for the same prayer, they were being deeply touched by the Holy Spirit and you could see their hearts of stone being transformed into hearts of flesh. I literally see their faces change and the hurt and hardness drop away leaving eyes of love and wonder. They know that Jesus died for them and that His Holy Spirit has filled them.

I always confirm if people have received a touch from the LORD that is real and tangible; something that they will be able to draw on for the rest of their lives ... have they physically felt Him take their burden and do they have an inexplicable joy that is new and yet feels almost familiar, like this is what they have been missing all along ... born of the Spirit at last !

The girl I mentioned above stepped forward and said “No, I still feel nothing like those around me are feeling”.

We spoke and prayed some more and she eventually said “Jesus and I have a journey to travel and I still need to be a better person before He accepts me”.

The prayer that I led her through was something like this:

LORD Jesus Forgive me for thinking that I need to be perfect before You will accept me; Forgive me for not understanding the depth of Your love for me; Thank You that on the cross where You died for me, you took all my sin upon Yourself; Past, present and future sins of mine ... I cannot do anything to earn that which is freely given. I know that I am a sinner and that without You I will go to hell. Accept me and the offering I give of my life, broken before you ... Fill me and transform me for eternity. AMEN

The Holy Spirit poured into her in a massive way. She had removed the lie that was standing between her and Jesus through the realisation that she will never be perfect.

Matthew 11: 28-30

“ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Only Jesus is perfect. That is why he is our Saviour.

CHRIS

Jeremy

After church on Sunday I was at home with my family preparing lunch and the doorbell rang. It can be really frustrating and inconvenient when you are about to slide a sandwich onto a plate and there is someone at the door asking if you have anything for them to eat. It kind of changes the excitement you were building about having lunch.

I spent some time listening to him and to be honest, I was struggling with his story a bit, facts were mixed up and I could not understand how he ended up on the streets when he had been destined for a Christian hostel. His left hand was lame and his left leg was stiff and dragged on the ground as he walked. He needed money to get home and he was running low on epilepsy medication; he was desperate for the nightmare he was in to end. This man Jeremy just wanted to go home to his family.

The feeling I had was one of confusion. How do you know who to help and who is taking you for a ride ? I said to the LORD that I was not sure what to do. I then got a sense in my spirit that it was not my job to judge this man and that I had the means to assist him; all I needed was to be obedient and act in the Name of Jesus.

During the drive to the station, where he had a seat part-paid on a local transport bus, I started to pray for him. I felt the LORD’s presence very strongly and started to pray for his epilepsy. I commanded the illness to leave his body in the Name of Jesus ... he looked at me, evidently touched by the Holy Spirit, and said that his body was going hot inside.

In my heart I said “ Yes LORD, this is happening”, so I pulled the car over and not aware where I was stopping, I jumped out of the car and told him to do the same.

I had my back to the road and I carried on praying. I knew that Jesus was reaching to him and I could see his face soften as the stress he was carrying inside left him. The power of the LORD was upon him and he then said that he could feel his hand and that the ‘pins-and-needles’ were completely gone; he kept scratching his forearm and saying that he could feel his skin ...

I held his hands and prayed for the LORD to heal his leg. His hip suddenly started to ease up; I instructed him to ‘walk it out’ and he paced back and forth ... I could see his hip moving forward and his stride strengthened, he began to lift his left leg off the ground ... he looked at me and laughed, he said he had never walked like this, his ankle began to loosen and although his hand was still very tight and crumpled, he was able to extend his fingers open which he said was something he had not done in years.

Psalm 146: 7-8

“ He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. “

Thank Jesus for His mercy and grace. He is so limitless.

It was then that I turned around to see a bunch of people standing right behind me. Their eyes wide open. I noticed that I had actually parked my car in front of an entrance for taxis; I guess they had been standing there the whole time we had been praying – the LORD knows how to get people’s attention !

There was a man on crutches who had broken his ankle a week or so before and we prayed for him. His toes began to wiggle without pain and he said his ankle was suddenly very hot inside the plaster cast and the pain had gone. Praise the LORD !

We were all amazed at what the LORD had done. Many just stared when I drove off, some waved, but the lasting vision I have in my mind is Jeremy grinning as he waved and shouted “Jesus has healed me, I will never be the same again ...”

Zephaniah 3: 17

“ The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. “

I drove off and repented for having such a hard heart toward Jeremy when he first arrived at my home. I felt completely humbled by the LORD.

CHRIS

Freedom

The word of the LORD says that ‘faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God’ and many of us will testify that when we spend time reading the bible there is an incredible spiritual awareness and security that permeates our entire being and enables us to be grounded in Him to receive His revelation and peace.

In contrast, are those tough times where something seems to grab us and hold us back from our LORD and His Word, which leaves us feeling famished, guilty, dry in spirit and often a bit disillusioned.

I find that it is during these times that many of us tell the LORD about our problems, when in fact, we should be telling our problems about the LORD.

In some way we humanise the character of the LORD and forget that 'He is the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come, The Almighty'.

Exodus 15: 3

“ The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name.”

Deuteronomy 7: 21

“ Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.”

Deuteronomy 11: 25

“ No man will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God, as He promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.”

Stepping into the Ladies Prison Ministry has taken on a whole new dynamic as more and more are giving their lives to Him. We are so grateful to be able to see Him at work and witness his gentleness and love.

There are also times when we are reminded about the battle that is going on around us and how the enemy has come to ‘steal, kill and destroy’ as many of us as possible.

Yesterday a lady prayed to Jesus with words of submission, repentance and humility. I could sense a conflict within her; on one side she was reaching for Jesus but on the other side she was being held back ... something else was at play here.

I laid hands on her in Jesus Name and commanded the enemy to release her ...what happened next is something that I have seen time and time again.

Her whole body shook and convulsed so I said the words “come out in Jesus Name, I command you to release her in the Name of Jesus “ ... she started to lose balance and almost like there was a big jump in her spirit, she flinched and the shaking stopped. She had been free. We came around her in love and support and explained that she had been set free from captivity.

There were tears as the realisation of the Truth dawned on her, which then led to joy and laughter as she rejoiced and thanked Jesus for His love and power that had set her free.

We all have a heritage in the LORD and we are able to walk in His authority as His agents of change, reaching out to others and giving Him the Glory.

Revelation 5: 12

“ Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise ! ”

If we repent and believe in Him: in our most broken, sinful and undeserving moments, He pours out His Grace upon us. ‘To all who receive him, to those who believe in His Name, He gives the right to become children of God’ .

1 John 4: 4-5

“ You dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you, is greater than the one who is in the world… “

Nothing is bigger than the LORD.

So, let us tell our problems about the LORD and stand firm in His Authority, knowing that He is above all things.

CHRIS

Crown Him

I have been deeply touched by the incredible relationship that we can have with Jesus and how when we respond to Him, He moves with us and enables us to accomplish more than we can imagine.

Colossians 1: 18

“ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. “

Jesus is the head and we are the body...this makes perfect sense; together we are one. We take instruction from the head to effect His will; we are the hands, feet, and other elements that make us the body of Christ.

So, if we are not responding to the will of the LORD, then we are like a hand that is not responding to the electric impulses of the nervous system; and we risk being labelled ‘disabled’ (crippled; injured; incapacitated).

Now we know that the Fruit of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; and long may we represent Jesus well, internally within ourselves and externally to those we encounter.

We have a great commission from Jesus, one that cannot effectively take place unless the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ are flowing from within us ...

Matthew 28: 18-19

“ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Our LORD Jesus came to save sinners from eternal hell. He is the way, the truth and the life and it is only through Him that we can be saved from this terrifying destiny. We give Him all praise and glory for what He has done for all of us; our Blessed Saviour.

It is only the HEAD of the body that can wear a crown – the Glory belongs to Him. We are merely the elements that make up the body of Christ.

The question is: can we afford to be a disabled part of the ‘Body of Christ’ ...

John 15: 1-4

“ I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “

To be effective, we need to be a unified body under His instruction. In fact if we were all individually unified with Christ, we would automatically be unified with each other. It is His plan, and His vision. Let us reach out in obedience to Him and continue the work of the LORD with urgency. We cannot risk complacency and inactivity.

Be encouraged to trust Him and know that He is your source of Living Water and eternal nourishment.

CHRIS

Weapons of Love

At the Prison Ministry, Mildred and I went to meet with a new group of convicted ladies that are part of a much larger group of prisoners. Although we only met with 30+ of them, there is a huge amount of potential for Jesus in this particular section.

Each time we go into the depth of the prison, we are reminded of our freedom contrasted with the hardships that face the prisoners and wardens alike. Budgets are low and facilities are not what they should/could be. But in this place, the LORD Jesus continues to flow and we are continually amazed at His timing and Grace.

This time, the LORD guided us to leave all our technology behind and to allow His Spirit to move in a special way and touch the hearts of all present with no support props … this was going to be great !

We preached a message on Living Water and towards the end of the service, open repentance started to happen; hands were up and hearts were open. They were touched by the vision that the LORD needs them to be intercessors for Him and even though they are physically bound in this place, they are free to break down strongholds for the Kingdom.

2 Corinthians 10: 4

“ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Jesus then healed a young ladies knee and ankle from pain. She went back to her seat in wonder … the LORD then moved His Spirit and defenses broke down one after the other. His Fire fell and we all left changed and deepened by the experience. A particular lady put her hand up to say that she had felt nothing in her spirit, so we brought her to the front and laid hands on her and prayed. She described her heart thumping in her chest and then she was touched in a special and loving way. She said that she could feel the forgiveness of Jesus.

We are all precious to the LORD and He will use us right where we are at; for these prisoners to know that they are a critical part of the body of Christ and that they can effect global change in the Name of the LORD, as long as they ‘rest in the shelter of the Almighty’ not only a brings in a new dimension of freedom but a major burst of excitement from being part of His plan.

Isaiah 54: 17
” no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.”

It seems to me that if we are 'weapons forged fit for our work' and the greatest command is ‘to love one another’ then perhaps we are actually weapons of love.

CHRIS