Tag Archive | Jesus
January 22, 2011  

Books I’d Like To Read

Yesterday I discovered myself leafing through my copy of “Houses that Change the World” (Affiliate Link).  In my head I added it to an imaginary list of books I’ve been wanting to read or re-read for a long time.

So I thought I would share my list of “need to reads” and see if anyone else wanted to share theirs.

If I had all the time in the world to read, here’s what I’d be reading:

(Those are all affiliate links, by the way.)

So, just out of curiosity, what have you been hoping to read lately?

Photo Credit: Stack of books, Ballard, Seattle Washington by Wonderlane

January 17, 2011  

On Sonship (Part I)

If you’ve never seen someone adopt from a third world country, let me give you an all-too-common story: Very loving adopting parents bring a child home from a third world country. When they arrive home they give the child all the food he or she needs. But despite the generosity of the parent, the adopted child instantly begins to hide and store food. Food will be stored in the craziest of places for later use. Why? Because all of his or her life, that child has had to live in circumstances where he was the only one to look out for himself.

There’s no sense in trying to convince the child to stop, either. Even though the adoption is complete and the food (at least from the child’s perspective) is never-ending, it takes months and many times years before a child understands that the situation has changed and he no longer needs to hoard. Realities have changed but fundamental ideas about their identity as sons or daughters take time to shift.

Much of this is the same in the realm of the Spirit, as well. If you’re a Christian, you are an adopted son or daughter of God. However, it can be many years (and unfortunately, many decades) before some believers experience that same shift in relationship to God.  They have all the rights and responsibilities of a true son, but they go on acting like they have no father. This orphan-like thinkings has dramatic practical applications for us as believers, applications many of us might not be aware of.

Over the next couple of weeks my hope is to look at the topic of sonship.  For the time being, let me ask a question and get your thoughts in the comment section: How have you seen someone’s understanding of sonship affect their understanding of their walk with God?

Photo Credit: Mareike by eflon.

January 5, 2011  

My Take on our African Over Night Prayer Meeting

If you hadn’t caught my twitter feed you probably didn’t know that I spent Friday night (New Year’s Eve) and Saturday Morning with my friends from Full Grace Ministries as they held their over night prayer meeting.

If you’ve never been to Africa, let me explain the idea of an “over night prayer meeting.” First of all, while there is prayer that goes on, it is not just a prayer meeting.  When I’ve  been in Africa in the past, a common question they ask is “Where do you pray from?” What they mean is, “Where does your church gather and have their meetings at?” So an African over night prayer meeting is more like an extended church meeting that goes through the night.  My first over night was in Uganda.  The rest I’ve participated in here in America with Full Grace Ministries.

My job, as I understand it from the Lord, is to continue to encourage my African friends who gather that they have something to offer us in America.  They carry a deposit of Jesus that we cannot understand as Western Americans apart from their help.  So, I join them as often as I can and when the Lord allows, I encourage them to become everything Jesus designed them to be.

That said, here is my take on what happened on Friday night:

What I Learned

This particular night I was able to hear a number of speakers who where truly African in their message and their mindset.  One of the things that I noticed about these speakers was that their version of Christianity is a very “now-centered” Christianity.  They do not wait for God to move some time in the future.  They believe God is a God who acts now.

How God Met Me

I knew that there was the potential for me to end up addressing the gathering.  I was also somewhat nervous after hearing the first two speakers.  They were definitely fiery and it was obvious that their style of preaching was more what the folks gathered there were used to.  I even leaned over to my buddy Sean (who has joined me for previous over night prayer meetings) and said “Now I understand why everyone is so quiet whenever I talk.”

But God met me, ironically, during the intermission.  John, a new friend of mine, came up to me and introduced himself.  He went on to tell me how last year when I spoke, he said to himself, “This man is quiet but the Lord is with him,” and how excited he was that I was back.  It was encouraging to hear that my friend could hear the Lord even without me changing my speaking style.  It definitely gave me courage when it was my turn  to speak.

What God is Doing

One of the things I was privileged to share with Full Grace Ministries was that God has placed them very strategically where they are.  They carry a genuine prophetic African anointing that we Americans know very little about.  I believe the Lord desires to use them as messengers and missionaries to a declining American church and an increasingly secular culture.  We need the spiritual DNA that they carry and I strongly sensed the Holy Spirit empowering them to be a voice to us that night.

Summary

I’m thankful for everything the Lord did.  I believe that what happened will be a picture of what you can expect to see increasingly in the years ahead: Americans receiving from the Lord things our African brothers walk in, while we get to come alongside and encourage them as well.  The result will be a stronger church in America, empowered by the Spirit to be a voice and to walk in the supernatural power of Jesus.

Photo Credit: Africa in Hearts by futureatlas.com

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