Pastors R Us! Debra Green evening talk

February 14, 2010

Debra Green : Equipped. Pastors r us?

What is the pastor gift? Shepherding? Can mean someone with divine enabling of others, taking responsibility to model & establish trust, lead, protect those within our span of care.

We can’t abdicate caring to pastors who are paid. We all should take responsibility to respond to need.
Pastoral care; 4 things to remember- CARE

C. Compassion. It starts here! Jesus looked at the crowd and had compassion. He saw they were hungry. Went to meet the need. Went to rescue the lost sheep. Moved to reach out. In your gut, you are moved toward a need. Splancnizomai. Not just a sense of duty, it’s more powerful. Break my heart for what breaks yours. We don’t all have the same concern about the same things & that’s OK.  Sometimes we just have to get involved, being spontaneously compassionate. You don’t need permission or a word from God to do that. But bigger issues, like ‘should I go to Haiti?’ we need to check that and run through a bigger filter.
A. Aid (or Action). It’s not just a fluffy feeling – go to work! Cf Good Samaritan. Lk 10. Compassion got him to cross the road. He was a neighbour because he showed mercy. He came to his Aid, a stranger! There were all kinds of reasons why we has the last to be expected to help but he was there, doing what was needed: for a stranger: Mt 25:35-40. We are doing it as unto Jesus! He receives it himself. As a church we are to extend our pastoral care beyond the walls of the church! When someone dies, what can you do? Best thing is just be there with them & be kind. Send notes. Help practically. Offer to pray, sensitively! Give them space too.
R. Relationships. Jn 19:26 Jesus is in agony on the cross, he has nothing more he can give it seems, but then he sees his mother & best friend. Says, ‘Mother- here is your son.’ thinks of them above himself. Putting people together. We have to love & care for people. The bigger the church, it’s easier for people to fall through the net. Ring the person who’s missing, tell them you missed them! Nobody will be attracted to a church where there’s no love. People long for extnded family.
E. Empathy. So much more than sympathy. It’s a rich thing. Hebrews 4:15 , says Jesus knows how we feel, fully. So, he can fully empathise with us when we struggle. You can say, ‘I know someone who is able to know how you feel.’ in fact, when you have been through something – God can use you to help others with the same or similar pain or experience. You may have wondered why God allowed it? It’s valid to ask that. But one day you see it.

How to deal well with conflict in church.
10 steps
1. Come to me privately if you have a problem with me.
2. I’ll come to you privately
3. If someone comes to you with a problem about me, send them to me
4. If someone consistently will not come to me, say, ‘let’s go together.’
5. Be careful how you interpret me, i would rather do that myself! You might not fully understand my intentions.
6. I will be careful how I interpret you
7. If its confidential, don’t tell even one petson unless it will lead to harm to someone or danger.
8. I do not read unsigned notes, don’t bother sending them.
9. I do not manipulate, I will not manipulate, don’t let anyone manipulate you to try to manipulate me.
10. If in doubt, just say it. If I can answer without misrepresenting something or breaking a confidence, I will.

Pastoral care is just caring for everyone who God brings into your world. It’s not just for the church!

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Posted by Anthony Delaney

From Trash to Treasure

February 2, 2010

I happened upon a link today from Fast Company’s twitter feed which is well worth a read, about three ways to make gold out of garbage.

I was particularly grabbed by the third way. It’s all about someone seeing ‘worthless junk’ and reimagining it – better. Follow the link to Matt Brown’s own page and he tells us how he saw these old plastic horses in a junk store bargain bucket, repackaged and rebranded them  as “Night Horses” – like, ‘Nugget the life liver,” and “Sotirius, the silent Duke.”

I love it! It’s just like what God does with us! This designer says he gives the objects a story of significance again. It’s part of a project called Significant Objects.

We might feel worthless, neglected, useless or left out. But the Bible says to Christ followers that we should “think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are...”

It’s not our strengths, our cleverness, our influence or power that qualify us to speak for Him or stand for Him. But God reaches into the rubbish bins and bargain buckets of the world, to people otherwise without hope and without God in the world – who need a new story to be told.

He gives them a new name, he calls us ‘Son.’ ‘Daughter.’

He calls you ‘Glorious beloved, lovely and loved, useful and trustworthy and precious in my sight.’

And we ARE what He calls us.

4 Comments | Bible, Christianity, Father God, Grief, Haiti, Healing, Prayer, Religion, Significant Objects | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Delaney

Doug Addison on Prophetic Evangelism

November 8, 2009

What a great night at Ivy Manchester!
As promised – here are my notes from Doug’s teaching tonight.
The talk will be up on the church website for download in a couple of days.

People say ‘I’m spiritual, not religious’
The world has changed, evangelism hasn’t caught up.
This is an addition to the toolkit: Prophetic Evangelism. 2 scary words!
He’s been PRACTISING this for years.
If we have a good product, with eternal benefits – but people don’t want it, we need a marketing meeting!

We have had good intentions – but that’s not enough.
We have to become missionaries to the UK.
What do missionaries do? Figure out what people already believe. Study the language and the culture – fit the message into where people are. Not changing the message, just changing the way you share it.

Most people are open to Jesus, and to the power of God. We have to come up with ways to connect with people.
Today, if people are spiritual, that’s half way home – cos God is spiritual – and he’s in a good mood! He’s really into loving people.

People say, ‘Do you believe Jesus is the only way?’
(Jn 14;6) – how do they know that verse? Someone else told them – ‘How to get a Christian off your back.’
Because people value choice. They value making choices.
To connect, you don’t major in what they don’t believe; because they’ll shut you out & not listen to the rest.

Look at the context of John 14:6
He’s having a meeting with the insiders group there. Not his preaching message to the world.

There was a time when we just had to draw them back to their Christian memory, in most of our society, there’s no memory of Christianity.

So if they ask, emphasise the WAY: ‘You’re on your own journey, you need to find that out for yourself.’

Not everyone who followed Jesus believed in him.
We need to let people follow.
So when we hear from God (which we should – we got an upgrade a while back – the prophetic is back).

WAY – TRUTH – LIFE = a three step process.
Show them the way, the truth takes care of itself, & we end up leading them to life.

In NT – they were followers of the WAY. Show people the way!
Jesus at a wedding- doesn’t give them a message or a Messiah- gives them what THEY think they need – the wine.
Give them what they need, time, love, service.

Doug found that decisions don’t necessarily make disciples.
Used to be people would make a decision then get an experience. Now people now want an experience and then they make a decision.

Look up the encounters where Jesus & disciples met unbelievers –
Eg Jn 1:47f When Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him, he said, “Here is a true descendant of our ancestor Israel. And he isn’t deceitful.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael said, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God and the King of Israel!”

How do you KNOW me?

2 words of knowledge. It’s not that tough – all he told him was, ‘you’re an honest man.’

Word of knowledge = something about now, that gets impact. Encouragement. Opens people up to the gospel.
Word of wisdom = something that sounds too smart to be you
Word of prophecy = something about the future.
If you’re in the shallow end, it’s only 2 kicks to the deep end. Anyone can give encouraging words from God. It’s so easy, you’ll think you’re making it up, until they start to cry.

1) Use the gift to find the people. Wait for one who looks open. ‘I just took a course in encouragement, can I try it with you?’
2) We’re much more anointed OUTSIDE than inside.
3) People need to be encouraged everywhere!

John 4:16
He’s been talking about worship. At Jacobs well.
Jesus told her, “Go and bring your husband.” The woman answered, “I don’t have a husband.” “That’s right,” Jesus replied, “you’re telling the truth. You don’t have a husband. You have already been married five times, and the man you are now living with isn’t your husband.”
Not judging here!
He’s finding something to COMMEND. She’s got a mixed up relational life, but he finds something to commend – she’s honest!

If the enemy is having a go at you – it’s because the Lord has a great destiny in line for you!

We see people being pushed down – but the Lord has a great destiny for them – what they need is the power of Spirit to live it out.

Think about a person in your life who really needs God the most. Someone messed up. Now picture them saved, and filled with the Spirit. What ministry would they be drawn to? Worship? Evangelism? Finance?
Pray for them, see them as God sees them – potential.
This is what Jesus was doing.
See yourself like this.

People these days are into reality tv.
2 types:
1) You’re voted out – mean spirit, negative,
2) Makeover shows. Positive.
We need to have extreme prophetic makeover. Pimp my life! Do things to encourage people.

It worked for Jesus. A lot of Samaritans in that town put their faith in Jesus because the woman had said, “This man told me everything I have ever done.”

Jesus was only ever angry at religious people who pretended to know God but didn’t love.

OLD WAY vs New Way
Program vs Organic
Head knowledge about Bible vs No bible value, but may still love god
Prove it vs Experience it
Jesus is the only way vs Choices
Must pray the prayer vs Prayed it- no change
Truth!! Vs Absolute truth
Get conversions! Vs want to be loved.

We have to walk with people. Become the Bible for them.

What people think of Christians
Judgemental, narrow minded, out of touch, irrelevant, intolerant, no fun. After your money.
That’s not us.
We have to redefine this, one person at a time.

Tipping point; Malcolm Gladwell. 30 people can cause great change.
Paul stayed 3 or 4 years in various people’s

MASH units
MOBILE, ARMY, SURGICAL, HOSPITALs.

We need to be churches like that. By love and encouragement.

1. Get the wall down- word of knowledge. Something positive. Dream. Practical. Kindness.

2. Go from head to heart – Notice things they value. Clothing, tattoos, piercings. Music. Ring tones.

3. THEIR felt needs. Loved, listened to, practical help.

FOCUS on their experiences, gifts, calling/ passions.

Jesus operated in all the gifts the disciples did.
You should. Holy Spirit toolbelt. Pull out what‘s needed.
Practice!
The more you practice any gift, the better you get.

God is speaking all the time. Find something positive in their lives, because God created them.

You are strategically placed – and you didn’t even know it.

It’s the still small voice – learn to trust it.

If you see the –ve over people, you get a check in your spirit = a discerning spirit. How do you use that?
You’re seeing satan’s will. Don’t tell them satan’s will. Tell the opposite. To destroy the works of the enemy: ‘I can see that you’ve been under attack, been through a rough time – but God…!’

FLIP IT!
The kingdom of God is extremely positive.

Put words of knowledge into a sentence that makes sense to them. “When I look at you I see…’

Go out in twos or threes. Encourage people, and if you’re able to – tell them about God. Col 4:4 Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible. When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time. Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.

Be salty – don’t throw salt in their wounds. Not insider language. Don’t speak Christianese.

Honour the process. Coming to Jesus happens over time. Find out where they are. Ask fact finding questions.
‘You seem spiritual.’
- I grew up in church
- I pray all the time
- I mediate…
Gauge where they are at and meet them there.

There’s an ANGEL in evangelism.
We need to bring the angel back into evangelism. Be the angel.
Ask God for the supernatural encounters!

2 Comments | Bible, Comedy, Faith, Healing, Heaven, Jesus, Manchester, Prayer, REVIVAL, Religion, Theology, angel, dreams | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Delaney

A way in the desert

August 12, 2009

There are a lot of desert experiences, in life and in the Bible. Jesus himself went through it. In fact Mark’s gospel says the Holy Spirit ‘threw’ him there!

It’s natural for us to complain about being in the desert. It’s a bit of a Christian catchphrase – when you want to moan about God, but sound holy about doing it. “I’m going through a bit of a desert experience at the moment.”

What do you do in the desert? There’s no map (you could try a piece of sandpaper I suppose). You don’t know where you’re going, how you got there or when you’re getting out. Can I make a couple of suggestions?

1) Listen to God.
You’re in that season for a reason. It’s a test – but you’ll be blessed! God wants to teach you something – are you learning the lesson? The desert is where he breaks us of self sufficiency, or the need for self promotion. The desert is the place he teaches discipline and dependence on him. But our God makes a way in the desert! There is a voice in the desert! It’s calling out, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” The Lord can still make a way!
desertflower

2) Get thirsty.
The desert is where we get serious, we got solitude and we get silent before God. Here there is no ready source of any substance or distraction to slake our thirst. We realise here we don’t need more stuff, more company, more money, more of anything that doesn’t satisfy. We just need more of Jesus Christ , who cries out “If anyone thirsts – let him come to me and drink!”

2 Comments | Bible, Christianity, Failure, Faith, Fasting, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prayer, bereavement, leadership | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Delaney

Signs

February 16, 2009

People saw Jesus and his miracles, but didn’t follow him. I wonder whether I would have. We’re very good at coming up with alternative explanations to justify unbelief and just keep on going as if nothing really happened. I remember one person who was prayed for at a meeting and experienced a significant healing, quite amazing – but didn’t want to know Jesus at all afterward; no interest in God – she just wanted healing, not the Healer.

The disciples recognised the miracles as ‘Signs’ – that’s what the apostle John called them. You know what signs do? They point beyond themselves – to something or perhaps to someone.

If I’m going to meet someone in another city and I see a sign pointing to that city I don’t get out and hug the sign – I follow it and it helps me get to the person (and I hug them because I’m a huggy kind of bloke).

I’m praying for signs. I’m praying for signs and wonders and miracles today because I believe Jesus is alive and still does them. Sometimes the signs are healing, sometimes they’re transformation from a broken life to a whole one. Sometimes it’s an addiction broken, or a hard heart softened. I’m praying for him to do that kind of sign here in Manchester – if you want to pray that to go to 1millionhours.com to sign up.

In John 2 we read about Jesus’ first ‘sign.’ It says when those closest to him saw the sign they followed it to its logical conclusion; ‘they put their faith in him.’

3 Comments | Christianity, Church, Comedy, Faith, Healing, Jesus, Prayer, Religion | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Delaney

Father helps us finish

February 3, 2009

I had an amazing response and many emails following this Sunday’s talk about the importance of knowing the love of God the Father. I finished by saying that any good glimpses of fathering we’ve ever had are like icons to help us see Abba Father better. It seemed to stir up lots of feelings for many people, whatever our experience of an earthly Dad might be.

Funnily enough a friend’s just posted on Facebook this fantastic video reminder and I wanted to share because it reinforces much of that.

The 1992 Olympics semifinal 400m heat in front of 65000 spectators. Derek Redmond had smashed the British record at 19 and was destined to join the greats, but had been forced to withdraw at the ’88 Games only 10 minutes before the race, because of an Achilles tendon injury. In the next year  he underwent five surgeries . This was his big moment.

You’ll see how he breaks from the pack and is flying, a cert to make the placings, when the injury fells him again. His Dad Jim was watching from the top row of stands.He had pass to be on the track, but nobody is going to stop him getting to his despondent, seemingly defeated son, who then rose – to finish the race.  The only thing you can’t hear too well but what anyone who was there recalled – was the roar of the crowd’s applause and cheers.

Jim told his son, “I’m here, son…. we’ll finish together.”

Interviewed immediately after he said, “I’m the proudest father alive…  I was with him at the start and it’s right that I was there at the end… I’m prouder of him than I would have been if he had won the gold medal. It took a lot of guts for him to do what he did.”

It all reminds of a poem ‘The Race’ which my friend Andy Economides put in one of his books – which I reproduce below the video. there are various versions around but the song fits well I think.

If you’ve been tempted to give up recently or it’s just too hard – remember FAILURE ISN’T FINAL – let the Father who loves you help you along today as you read the poem.

Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face,
my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
A children’s race, young boys, young men; how I remember well,
excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn’t hard to tell.
They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race
or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.
Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son,
and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire,
to win, to be the hero there, was each young boy’s desire.
One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd,
was running in the lead and thought “My dad will be so proud.”
But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip,
the little boy who thought he’d win, lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everyplace,
and midst the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face.
As he fell, his hope fell too; he couldn’t win it now.
Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win that race!”
He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that’s all,
and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
his mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.
He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace.
“I’m hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn’t try to race.”

But through the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face
with a steady look that said again, “Get up and win that race!”
So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last.
“If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to run real fast!”
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight, then ten…
but trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.
Defeat! He lay there silently. A tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense running anymore! Three strikes I’m out! Why try?
I’ve lost, so what’s the use?” he thought. “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.

“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “you haven’t lost at all,
for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
Get up!” the echo urged him on, “Get up and take your place!
You were not meant for failure here! Get up and win that race!”
So, up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit,
and he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been,
still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win.
Three times he’d fallen stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place,
head high and proud and happy — no falling, no disgrace.
But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, in last place,
the crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud,
you would have thought he’d won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me, you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.”

And now when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face,
the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face,
another voice within me says, “Get up and win that race!”

(DH Groberg)

2 Comments | Bible, Christianity, Church, Failure, Faith, Family, Father God, Friends, Healing, Religion, perseverance, sport | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Delaney

How much to get rid of a demon?

January 24, 2009

Following a few links, I was intrigued to stumble across demon-slayer.org

These people (I don’t think you can find out who they are other than first names, but they have a great line in anonymous recommendations) will travel the world and use secret knowledge revealed to only 7 people to get rid of your demons, apparently.

How do you know you have demons? Well they list  ‘creepy feelings,‘ or ‘feeling like someone is pressurising you to do certain acts‘ on their SYMPTOMS page.  I got that off their site!

Every day now I pass a big billboard advertising the new ITV Demons programme where Philip  Glenister (the guy who played Gene Hunt in Life on Mars) has some new – more other worldly opponents to take on. This stuff is on people’s minds in our culture.

Now don’t get me wrong…

1) We don’t battle against flesh and blood. When we see some of the evil in the world I don’t think many of us would think it too much of a stretch to believe the Bible’s warnings of a personal malevolent force at work, as well as a great and good God. My recent visit to Haiti confirmed that for me.

2) I think a lot of what we struggle through is because of spiritual attack. I’m grateful for the prayers of protection many pray for me and my family – we have over the years been on the receiving end of spiritual attack; it should be the norm if you’re being any kind of threat to the kingdom of darkness.

3) People often come to Christ with all kinds of oppression and torment in their backgrounds and often need prayer to walk in the full measure of freedom Christ has for them. In many parts of the world this spiritual reality is just a given, though we rationalistic westerners ignore it at our peril.

4) I have personally seen many people taken from depression and gloom to joy and freedom; destructive habits and overwhelming guilt has been defeated by simple prayer and declaration of who they are in Christ (often with Communion). I have also prayed in many homes and other places having been invited in by people in fear because of ‘ghostly goings on’ etc. There has never been any contest by the way – we have victory in Christ!

The answer is not to call in the New Age demon-slayer guys, who cobble together various religions and none to combat evil with own  their goodness. By the way, they charge $15,000 for an exorcism, or $3000 to clear a room of bad smells etc., and replace it with ‘beautiful energy.’ That’s a lot of money for air freshener – and travel costs are on top. Or they’ll sell you a candle that keeps demons away for only $150 (plus shipping). They are very clear that ‘you are paying for their time and not any guaranteed results.’

Read Mark 5 and compare the Jesus method:When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. No contest!

You want freedom? It’s in Jesus. Knowing him and being known by him and walking in obedience to him. Not just knowing about him.

Acts 19:13-15 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day) the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

Want to know a real secret? 1 John 4:4

He that is IN US is greater than he that is in the world.

No contest. The key to being free (and setting others free too) is to know Who you serve now – and who you are. To help that we’re about to start an evening course by Neil Anderson which I’ve found really fantastic. Here’s what it says about itself: The Freedom in Christ Discipleship Course is designed to help every Christian grasp the truth of who they are in Christ, resolve personal and spiritual conflicts through genuine repentance, and move on to maturity.

The course is free and we give free nibbles and coffee. By the way, results are guaranteed.


demons-pics-from-the-show-8e0a47c2-1688-48ca-a967-d54b90279b79

Leave a Comment » | Bible, Christianity, Church, Demons, Faith, Healing, Heaven, Jesus, Prayer, REVIVAL, Religion, angel | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Delaney

Thinking Bigger

December 9, 2008

Supersize me!

Our God is able to do more than all we can ask or even imagine. That’s what my Bible says. Surely if we believe it, we should be thinking bigger and believing bigger?

Ask something.

Now ask bigger!

Imagine something.

BIGGER!

We had a great prayer meeting here last night for our Christmas services.  As part of it we’ll be doing two carol services in the Trafford Centre, the 4th largest shopping centre in the UK! We’ll be there a week on Sunday in ‘The Orient’ – their 1600 seat food court.

How cool is this?

How cool is this?

The 21st will be the busiest shopping Sunday of the whole year and they expect there’ll be more than 7000 actually there on the day.

The fact is, that first Christmas Jesus came to a very busy place, where people were gathering and crammed in! We will do some events that are attracting people to come to us here at Ivy, but these two events are us taking the real message of what Christmas is all about to where people are – not where we’d want them to come.

The Trafford Centre staff and management could not have been more helpful to us, we’ll be having a great orchestra and choir, loads of good videos on the big screen and and area for people to be prayed with just off to the side of the stage about anything they want to.  I’m looking forward to a fantastic day.

Isaiah 54

2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.

3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.

4 “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.

1 Comment | Christmas, Community, Faith, Family, Healing, Heaven, Jesus, Manchester, Prayer, REVIVAL, Religion, angel, leadership | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Anthony Delaney

Lakeland visit

May 18, 2008

Great worship time, God\'s presence strong - nothing to write home about in the \'teaching\' that night though!

The top shot is ‘Tiger Town,’ the baseball park we went to the first night. The journey of about 20 hours in total from the UK flight to finally finding it!

The other is the Lakeland Center, where night after night we saw the most amazing healing miracles.

I have a video of the moment when Hannah gave her testimony about having had her back healed, just minutes before. It was on God TV too, but I captured it. It’s 77mb so over the amount I can upload (?) unfortunately! This healing happened independent of anyone, just in the worship – like we read about when Jesus healed a paralytic, ‘the power of the Lord was present to heal.’

She felt the power of God go through her and sensed that she was healed (if you wonder whether such ‘feelings’ are biblical please read what happened to the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment).

Now you could feel that, and do nothing to test it, but she wanted to make sure – and she’s brave – so she bent down and touched her toes three times in front of me! Amazing! If God hadn’t healed her I’d have told her off because the physio said that was the last thing she should do with the way her back was damaged. On the video she’s got this amazed look on her face as she’s bending down and touching the ground, doing what we were told she could not do having had the diagnosis (confimed by MRI scan) of degenerative disc disease. Her mum cleared out her room – it was full of boxes of strong pain killers! She doesn’t need them now – praise God.

This coming Friday evening at 7.30pm we’re having another meeting with prayer for healing, at East Horsley Village hall.

I know some people think I\'m goofy

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Posted by Anthony Delaney

GODISNOWHERE

May 18, 2008

Yesterday morning, as part of our “40 Days of Community,” our L1FEgroup (what we call our midweek groups) went out around the village, picking up litter. The parish council here provide the bags and the grabbers, and the faithful few from the village who usually do it were, I think, encouraged to have the extra hands. So much so they gave gloves to put on those hands.

I ended up outside Cranmore, my designated patch being a lay-by just set off Epsom Rd to clear up. I’d passed a few places on the way that were fabulously litter free already, so I was looking forward to having little to do but feeling good about civic duty done. But when I arrived, this spot really was a mess.

I was with Zoë and our friend Clare, they had their yellow jackets on and my ‘grabber’ didn’t work so I stood there watching for a bit – in supervisory capacity – until they realised passersby may have thought the ladies were on day release from nearby HMP Send, and sent me off for one that worked. When I came back they were off up the road a little. Then I saw it - tucked into a bush, the wire bin provided by the council was, old, broken, and completely overflowing. Somebody really should do something about this!

Well there’d be no point leaving it and just in picking up the bits around it, as soon as I left and the wind blew all this stuff would go everywhere – so I set about transferring the contents into bin bags.

It wasn’t long before I found that some dog loving person had decided that although this was not a dog-poo bin, it was on their route, so they’d been throwing the mess in there. Lovely. They had a big dog (sorry).

Not a pleasant job, and I started thinking, ‘I could be at home now, I’m preaching tomorrow and hadn’t had the time I’d like to be able to prepare the talk.’ I took a break for a minute and got my little Bible out of my pocket. I ended up mainly preaching on Matthew 3 and I had a look at that. But my other reading, Isaiah 6, kept drawing me – as I picked up old McDonalds wrappers, fag packets and bags of dog poo.

My last post looked at this passage is some detail (When God Comes to Church), but one phrase kept on coming as I looked at the bin in the bush.

Literally, the angel’s song goes, HOLY HOLY HOLY is the Lord God of Angel armies…

The whole Earth is FULL FULL FULL of his GLORIOUS GLORY.

Now it’s the second line of what the seraphs called to each other that grabbed me- The whole earth is full of his glory. God is nowhere? God is now – HERE! John N Oswalt in his commentary writes on this section; “This statement indicates that God’s presence (his glory) is not restricted to a temple.”

There’s no doubt Horsley is a nice part of the world. Lovely actually. But this layby was a mess, and this bush was the worst of it, spoilt by lazy drivers and dirty dog walkers. Yet as I just got to work on the mess, tidying it up, I became aware of God - right there. Like Moses at a burning bush one day – because there was nothing special about the bush, just the glory of the God who inhabited it. The whole earth is full of His glory.

It may have been that what we were doing really was kingdom of God thing, clearing away the rubbish and beautifying the earth in a simple way, I don’t know. But as I stood there, bin bag in one hand and grabber in the other, I suddenly became as aware of the love and presence and power of God in that place, every bit as much as any worship meeting I’ve ever been in. I felt myself starting to shake a little, close to being overwhelmed by the love of Jesus. Some people came up and I had to kind of hold myself together – instead of shaking more or speaking in tongues or generally going mad for Jesus (next time I might not repress it)!

Anyone who thinks this unusual or strange needs to read Brother Lawrence’s classic, The Practice of the Presence of God. This soldier turned Carmelite monk wrote in the C17th: “I make it my business to rest in His holy presence, which I keep myself in by a habitual, silent, and secret conversation with God. This often causes in me joys and raptures inwardly, and sometimes also outwardly, so great that I am forced to use means to moderate them, and prevent their appearance to others.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we don’t need church. William Haig said a few years ago he didn’t need church – he could go for a walk instead. But people who withdraw from church end up too often self centred rather than God focused, we only learn to love God and others in real (messy) relationships, anyway scripture is clear as to whether Christians need to belong in church or not.

I love St Mary’s Church that’s a short walk from that lay-by, and for 1000 years people have worshipped him here; it’s a prayer soaked place. But God’s glory isn’t contained in any building. God “does not live in temples built by human hands.” The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it! Isaiah saw the train of the robe of God (some scholars think he was actually referring to the hem), filling the temple, because God can’t be contained in what we make – whether Westminster Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral, a baseball stadium in Florida, or our imaginations. But we get to touch the hem of his garment, and his glory flows to us and through us. I have said elsewhere that this recent meeting with God in Lakeland felt like liquid fire and lighting and lava flowing through me. Weird? Wonderful!

It can happen anywhere! Maybe that’s why healings and impartations are being reported from Lakeland by people all over the world watching on TV or the internet? God’s with you now! He is not contained by geography. Jesus sometimes said to people, “I don’t have to go to the house to heal the sick, go home and you’ll find it’s been done.” Maybe our God can’t be contained? Maybe the only limitation we can put on him is our lack of faith!

Steve Turner wrote in Being There : “We imagine a sacred part of our lives which involves praying, attending church, singing hymns, and reading the Bible, and a secular part involving eating, drinking, reading the newspaper, and painting the house. Is that the way God sees it? Does he wish we’d hurry through the mundane but necessary activities of sleeping, child rearing, and earning our keep until we get down to the real business of Bible study? Would a really ‘spiritual’ life consist of a seven day week full of church-centred activities, or was the Dutch art historian Hans Rookmaaker right when he said that Christ didn’t die in order that we might go to more prayer meetings but in order that we might be more fully human?”

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Posted by Anthony Delaney

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