| Last week at our prayer meeting, Lios Friedrich shared a dream that the Lord gave her, and I was immediately reminded of another prophetic dream that was given to Beve Place in 1993 (16 years ago!). The message of each was similar, and each I believe is a call to us as a Body to get our eyes off ourselves and look to the Fields, for the are ripe for hearvest, and look also to the Lord of the Harvest, because He’s calling us out as laborers.
Matthew 9:35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” .
John 4: 34″My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
I suppose it would be prudent to ask the Lord and ourselves: have we done this? In Lois’ dream, she saw herself walking into the church building, and as she did, she suddenly realised that she had a supernatural deposit of milk to feed newborn babies. The meaning of this dream comes easily. Lois, a woman well-past her baby-rearing years, would not likely be expecting to nurse newborn babies ever again. Yet, suddenly had the means to do so, and knew that she must be ready to do so. It could be easy for many Christians to feel as if their “prime” years of ministry are over and not being expected that they would b ecalled upon to care for and nurture those who may soon be “born” into the Kingdom of God. Or, you may just not feel that you are “called” to do that. But, if you suddenly realised that you were being called to do so, would you be ready and willing? If you are, the Lord will give you the ability and the means to do so! We live in a Day when things are rapidly changing, structures are crumbling, and moral fabric continues to erode. The people we see day to day may not seem frantic (yet), nor are they running to us for answers (yet). But, how many do you think are troubled in their souls and asking “why? why? why?” and wondering where all this is heading? I think they are MANY. Will you be ready in the unexpected moment when they turn to you asking for the reason for the hope you have? 1 Peter 3:14-16 I believe that as Jesus looks at those all around us, He says “open your eyes, the harvest is RIPE!”. This should give us urgency to PRAY, and to heed the call/need for Laborers in the harvest field! Both are needed and necessary — prayer and labor! This should be the Church’s finest hour! Open our eyes, Lord! -Jessie Beve’s dream went something like this: The people all around were in chaos. There was a great shaking of the things that they put their confidence, and they were frantically looking for answers. They came running to us (God’s people) but we were not prepared! We were not ready to respond to their needs and we did not have the answers they were looking for. There was a very heavy URGENCY to the dream. But, she indicated that it wasn’t that God was angry, there was a very real sense of His love to the dream. She felt the Lord that we were to give ourselves seriously to developing our intimacy with God (“filling our lamps with oil” as in the parable of virgins, see Matthew 25), so that we would bef ully prepared and “full” when the time came to give out to the masses who would come, and be searching. |
October 2009
Monthly Archive
October 30, 2009
October 13, 2009
How Jesus Frees Captives
Posted by Jessie under Friends, God, church, faith, freedom, social issuesLeave a Comment
So, I believe it was my Junior year at Eastern Michigan University. I had made friends with a guy named Matt* (this story is real, but the names are not) who was in my Choir class. My friendship with Matt started in an interesting way. I did not know him, but one day the Lord gave me a prophetic word for him. I shared it, it was true, and he was stunned. Basically, I had “read his mail”. He had been brought up Christian, but here in his first year at the University, he had decided to finally live his homosexuality “out”, after hiding and sneaking around for many years. I sought to share God’s love with Him, and encouraged him to seek the Lord for freedom. He was torn and didn’t really seem ready to give up the gay lifestyle. One evening, he introduced me to his boyfriend, Dan*. It was an awkward encounter. Dan was extremely quiet, and I had the impression that he didn’t like me at all, perhaps that he was even mad at me, for trying to influence Matt this way. The meeting was brief (I felt uncomfortable and left).
The next day, I found a LONG email in my inbox from Dan.
I was shocked as I read, “I see God in you, and I want that. I don’t want this life.” He poured out his heart and soul to me — someone he barely knew! God had brought that encounter to his life. Dan also was torn. He knew homosexuality was wrong, but didn’t think that he could change it. As I reached out to Dan, he began seeking to know God, and asking God to fill the deep needs in his soul, where brokenness was leading him to sin. He broke off the relationship with Matt. We spent many hours talking and praying together.
And, guess what? God set Dan free!! Completely!! He was able to walk in holiness and not be ashamed of himself before God. A few years later, Dan got married. Today he is a Pastor at a large church in St. Louis, and has three beautiful kids. He is happy and restored. Change is possible. I’m blessed that I got to be a part of God’s healing work in his life, and we are still in touch as friends today.
But, it’s important to understand that the answer for those who struggle with homosexuality is not heterosexuality, it’s really HOLINESS. It’s about coming into union with the One who can make them into His perfect image. In our efforts to reach out to those who may be in this lifestyle, we want to point them to Jesus, not try to “make them” heterosexual. Heterosexuality can be just as sinful, if a person is acting out and trying to fill unmet needs in unholy ways. Jesus is the goal. He will restore the person to wholeness in EVERY area, and sexual orientation is only ONE area that needs healing. The goal is healing, not just behavior modification. Does that make sense?
So, I stated in my message that I believe that the Church should be the BEST place for a struggler to find healing and that we really have ALL that is needed to see someone find freedom. What do you think is needed? Well, according to those that have left the gay life and come to freedom in Christ, THEY say what they most needed was:
1. Loving Community: To be embraced and loved, even in their sinful state. Healthy friendships with those who know Jesus is one of the most healing things that can be shared.
2. Honesty: To not feel that they have to be perfect or pretend that everything’s ok. They also need to be able to share what they are going through without being treated as “gross”. And, they need us to not change our standards (God’s Word) about what is right.
3. Prayer and Accountability: Don’t we all need this?
As you look at that list, it really applies to what ANY of us need and what ALL of us SHOULD offer to each other and anyone that comes into our lives! Anyone can do this! Again, perhaps part of our “failure” to reach the gay community is our failure to love and find healing in OUR OWN struggles?! If we can begin to love, be honest, get accountable, and pray each other to freedom, perhaps then the Lord will grace us to bring freedom to the captives outside the church whom we so easily judge and/or cast aside as “impossible”.
I know it works. I’ve seen it. Jesus loves to heal!
Jesus took this as his job description:
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
And, His Spirit is now in US!
And, His Spirit is now in US!
-Jessie
If you interested more in this particular topic, visit Exodus Ministries at www.exodus.to
October 9, 2009
This weekly word post is taken from Francis Frangipane’s book, “Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God”. Enjoy!
“You shall not worship any other god, for the Lord Whose name is Jealous, is a Jealous God!” (Exodus. 34:14)
The Lord did not say He was, at times, jealous; he said His Name, which reveals His nature, is Jealous. Right next to His Name, “I AM” is His Name “JEALOUS”. His love is not some ethereal principle of “higher cosmic consciousness”. His love is focused upon us, actually jealous for us as individuals. He “calls His own sheep by name” (John 10:3). Jesus knows your name. he loves you personally. The fact that Christ is jealous for us as individuals, caring and providing for each aspect of our lives; and that the suffered humiliation and death on the Cross to pay for our sins, demonstrates how great a love is with which he loves you. He gave all. He deserves all.
His jealousy for us is perfect. It is not he same as human jealousy; petty, possessive, and insecure. He is not sitting in Heaven wringing His hands, wondering what we really think of Him. his jealousy is based upon His pure love for us and His desire to bless us ad fulfill our lives in Him. he understands us, yet knowing our weaknesses, he still “jealously desires the spirit He has made to dwell in us” (James 4:5). His promise to us is faithful: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). he refuses to stop loving us. You may think of yourself as a sinner, as unlovable; as though no one wants you, but Jesus desires you.
Early in my ministry, upon occasion I gave up on certain individuals, people who seemed to me hopelessly unreceptive to God. As the years passed, I would later discover these same individuals were now walking with God. Jesus is faithful. he loves you with a love that is jealous for you as a person.
God knows, however, that in order for you experience his love, the idols of self and sin must be destroyed. And to prove our intentions and love for Him, He tells us to smash these idols.
Exodus 34:12 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. 13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
Would you [desire to] be holy? Then remove the idols of self and sin from within you. For holiness exists in a soul purified by love; is exudes like incense from a heart without idols.
