Welcome to the Hand of God!

This is a special welcome to every new member of the Hand of God, especially those personally invited by my new family at the Daily Audio Bible community.  I have made a whole new set of friends on the chat rooms there, and want to shout out AmariNanny, Calico, Dennis, Servant-Ken, Newme, Jai, Southampton and all the others that I’ve started to connect with.

So, if you’re new, you’re wondering what this blog is all about, right?  Right?  Well, according to my About page (didya see that coming? Didya?…):

The purpose of the Hand of God is to chronicle God’s hand in my life, and testify of the things God does when I pray for others.  Here you will see slices of heaven on earth, where the miraculous meets the mundane.  I also share parts of my life and try to be as open online as I am in person.

Here there are several testimonies of God working supernaturally in my life and in the lives of others around me:

My Supernatural Stories series

• Supernatural Stories
• First Encounter with a Demon
• Alex’s Deliverance
• Reacting to the Presence of God
• First Prophetic Word
• Called to the Deliverance Ministry
• Weather Control – 1
• Weather Control – 2
• Blessings and Curses
• Instantaneous Healing

Here is my series on deliverance teaching – Deliverance Foundations

• A Christian – Possessed?
• Strongholds and Legalism
• Deliverance – The Purpose
• Deliverance – The Process
• Deliverance – Epilogue
• Deliverance – Q & A

Here’s another series I’ve done – Life Together series

• The Shape of the Church
• The Shape of the Church – 2
• Life Together – A Shared Life
• Life Together – Authentic Friendships
• Life Together – Mutual Dependency
• Life Together – Showing Mercy
• Life Together – Relationship is Key!

Ok! That’s a lot!  I’ll post another links page for more forays into the innards of the blog.

Please comment in the blog if you find something you like, or contact me at handofgod.blog (at) gmail (dot) com.

Gestation

Coming off of my last post and the thought of being hidden away in the secret place, I found a chapter in this book I’m reading that resonates along that line.  The book is “Living Water” by Brother Yun – the second book from this author.  He is a Chinese Christian who detailed his testimony of being persecuted in his home country in his first book “The Heavenly Man”.  This, his second book, is a collection of his own teachings which, as the book says, “have evolved from his life experiences of persecution and revival in China.”

This book is deep. So much so that I can only take it in small doses!  In fact, I’ve gotten this book as a gift (thanks Phillip!) since January 13th this year, and I’ve only just gotten to chapter 6.

I have been stuck for a while on chapter 5 – “The Pregnancy of the Holy Spirit”.  Yun starts off with the account of Jesus’ incarnation – of him taking on human form to be our example.  He comments how God the Father orchestrated this event and protected his Son from the evil Satan was throwing at him in Herod’s murder of thousands of baby boys to get rid of him.  Yun mentions the shepherds on one end of the social scale  and the Magi on the other – all come to worship Jesus.  Next, he recounts the meeting of Mary with the angel Gabriel.

After this account, he states this:

Do you realize that God wants all Christians to be pregnant with the Holy Spirit today? He wants to give you a vision of His kingdom that originates from heaven, not from yourself.  He desires that all of His children would be overshadowed by His presence in such a way that they are changed and give birth to something in their lives that brings many into His kingdom.

He also comments that, “The message I want to share with you is that you must be willing to become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. When a heavenly vision comes to dwell inside your innermost being, the entire direction of your life will be changed.”

This is the season I am in.  I am crying out to the Lord for his birthing in me as I stay in his secret place.  I’m in a period of gestation.  I am seeking God to be formed in me, so that I can express his life through mine!

Brother Yun next speaks to the effect of people allowing themselves to be pregnant by the Spirit.  He starts of by speaking of the persecution of the Chinese Christians after the Revolution in 1949, where churches were destroyed or turned into “gymnasiums, granaries or government offices” and where all of the foreign missionaries were expelled.  The Christian church was forced underground.

Then God started to move in the 1970’s.  Yun used the analogy of seeds scattered on the ground and growing into thousands of trees as a few believers became many.  He said, “Thousands of believers became millions as revival swept our nation, and millions turned into tens of millions, and now even 100,000,000!”

He comments that, “This great revival happened after God found people who were willing to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  They were available and willing to preach the Gospel to every part of China.”

He complains that much Christian activity “seems to originate with our human plans, and it is then carried out in human strength, with human results.”  He mentions that “God is only interested  in His work, not our work. He oversees and empowers those things that originate in His heart.”

This is why I have come to a place of peace concerning this season in my life. Where I was champing at the bit like an over-eager stallion, now I am learning to rest in him and let him do the work in me.  I am not wanting another thing to spring up that is “our work.”  I’m only interested in “God’s work.”  I’m seeking his rest, as he builds me and forms me in the secret place.

I like what he says here:

If you become pregnant by the Holy Spirit, it is very important that you go and visit someone else who is also pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  Only people who are going through this experience can provide encouragement and comfort when others are attacking you.

Mary visited Elizabeth, who was also pregnant.  And what happened? Elizabeth blessed her, and the unborn John the Baptist leapt in the womb at the sound of her voice!

He continues:

When you become pregnant with a vision from the Holy Spirit, seek out your Elizabeth.  Such a person will not mock or condemn you for obeying God’s call on your life…. Spend as much time with others who are pregnant by the Holy Spirit. I know that each time you see them, something will jump in your spirit!

Brother Yun warns next that birth is a very painful process, but he encourages us not to be afraid, for “God will sustain you and complete the birth of that which is inside of you.”  He says that for the “joy of being pregnant by the Holy Spirit, I have been called to endure persecution and torture for the sake of the gospel”, but “[a]ll of this was worth it for the great joy of seeing God glorified as he blessed and saved people through that which He placed inside of me.”

This gives me encouragement, and I am ready to go forward – whatever the cost.

He ends his chapter with a challenge:

Our loving heavenly Father is looking for people who are willing to become pregnant with His presence, vision and power.

Are you willing to surrender control of your life into the hands of God?

Will you be like Mary, and pray, “I am the Lord’s servant; may it be to me as you have said”?

You will never regret such a prayer.

Lord I am willing.  Make me pregnant by your Holy Spirit.  May it be unto me as you have said.  Hear my heart’s cry, Lord JESUS! As you have hidden me, I submit to your hand upon my life.  I pray for all those reading this as well, that they will be moved to cry out in the same manner – Be it unto me, according to your word!!!!! May those that read this also become contagious, so that the revival fires will continue to rage, and many more will know the Saviour of the World!  AMEN

Personal Devotions – Hiddenness

The Wise and Foolish Builders

²⁴“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.²⁶But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”²⁸When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

God led me to this passage as I was asking him whether I could be released from my sabbatical from ministry in order to intercede for one of my best friends, who’s going through a rough patch. God was talking to me about my foundations – that they need to be on the solid rock.  The ‘rock’ represents the revelation of Christ – see Peter’s confession ‘Thou art the Christ….” and Jesus’ reply, “… upon this rock I will build my Church….”  Matt. 16:15-18

The lady helping me through this area in my life said to me that ministry attracts attack from the enemy – every time I pray for someone or even encourage them prophetically it invades enemy territory – and he won’t take that lying down!

The reason for the sabbatical’s extension, even although I have repented of my past sins, is not to punish me. (I was starting to feel that way, honestly!)  What was revealed to me was that every life that carries ministry must have firm foundations.  I am in a season where I am rebuilding my walls and re-laying foundations.  If I take ‘pot shots’ at the enemy by continuing to minister while being restored, then Satan can use the weaknesses in my defense to take me out! She said that the frustration I feel at not being free to minister to others like I want to is a motivator to get out of my broken state and be completely set free.

While in prayer with a new intercessor friend today,  as I shared the details of my sabbatical, I felt that God was telling me about being hidden for a purpose.  The Scripture was dealing with foundations. Foundations are hidden things.  The foundation is under the earth, and it anchors the building that is resting on it.  God was telling me about the foundations of my faith and my life, but I also heard him say, “Hidden for a season.”  The thought came of being formed in the Secret Place, like a baby being formed in its mother’s womb – Psalm 139:15-16

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

So, I’m now settled.  I understand what I need to do.  God has me hidden. It’s time for me to seek his face again.

Please – pray for me.

Father, I thank you that you have answered my prayers.  Thank you that you have explained your will to me. I love you so much.  Please help me to make the most of my hiddenness… I want to be completely hidden in you!  Help me to be patient, and not to chafe at the bit wanting to run out of the racing stocks. I want to be complete in you, and when you are ready, you will release me to do what you have called me to.  I ask you to draw people to pray for me and your work in my life, so that I will be able to get your will done through me.  Thank you for your hiding place! AMEN

Table Churches

Stumbled onto this blog post Fulcrum Express, and this post,  Improbable Church, where the author starts off with

The church that meets together at my home each Friday evening to share a meal, encounter God and minister one to another is an improbable assembly of believers and even not-yet believers. We cut across races, cultures, nationalities, social status, and so many other lines — producing a rich tapestry of interwoven lives.

I love his explanation of how the church meets in his context – share a meal, encounter God and minister to one another.  That is so simple, yet so profound!  A mottley crew of people of all walks of life – even people who have not yet committed to the faith… that’s so awesome!

It makes me remember my friend Archie, who’s starting a whole new expression of the body of Christ called Fresh Connection.  He told me the first time people are meeting is this Wednesday – I told him I’d love to be there online.. maybe we can see how that can work.  God’s doing some great things!

His post references another post on the same blog site, “Table Church, Podium Church and Facilitating Leadership” which has an interesting ‘twist’ to the New Testament church model, made popular by the proliferation of ‘house based’ or ‘cell based’ churches that are gaining popularity.

The first part of this new post speaks to the author’s having to deal with a controlling pastor and how this experience made him search the Scriptures to find Biblical evidence of leadership.  He says, in part:

“Church” as it’s come to be is now largely pastor led and podium focused, with professional “ministry” and largely passive pew sitters. We have lost the New Testament pattern of a community of believers served by local elders and other leaders, who function in a collegial framework of diverse gifts to sacrificially equip all believers for works of service as we all minister to each other. See Eph. 4:11-12 & 16.

So there’s the challenge of our day: Do we want New Testament leadership that is facilitating rather than controlling, elders who are engaged rather than pastor-centric, and ministry that is diversified rather than centralized? Are we willing to take back our churches and once again be the church?

He coins an interesting term for traditionally styled churches – podium churches.  I don’t want to beat the dead horse of traditonal vs non traditional churches specifically… I want to get to how the church is shaped in his context – what he  calls ‘table churches‘.

The home-based model for the first three centuries of church history was firmly rooted in the New Testament, where believers met, fellowshipped, shared communion and a meal together in each other’s homes. Interestingly, and contrary to our current male dominated “churches” where women are typically excluded from key roles, those home fellowships were often hosted by women such as Mark’s mom in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12), Lydia in Philippi (Acts 16:15 & 40), and Priscilla in Ephesus and then Rome (Rom. 16:3-5 and 1 Cor. 16:19).

That’s the beginning of his context.  He mentions that Jesus himself orchestrated the home based model

Jesus himself established this pattern of home-oriented fellowship in Luke 10:1-11. He sent seventy disciples, two by two, to find houses of peace (likely headed by those who were not yet believers) to serve as focal points for bringing the Kingdom of God into a new town or village.

The author says that he focused this text – wrongly – on the disciples, but that the fulcrum was the homes of peace that the disciples were to use to operate from:

For too long, I wrongly focused in this passage on the disciples. After all, they were the ones sent out by Jesus himself and I thought they were the most important element for advancing God’s Kingdom. In reality, however, the key was those homes of peace, where hospitality and blessing could flow forth and draw people in. Absent such households, the disciples could do nothing and were commanded to shake the dust off their feet as they left for the next town.

Again, he says

I don’t think this focus by Jesus, Peter or Paul on using peaceful homes as the foundation for authentic fellowship, discipleship and church growth was an accident. It simply is not possible for people to feel the intimacy and security needed to open up, share with each other, develop their gifts, and minister one to another in larger, podium-focused meetings. Plus, homes of peace are the ideal setting for being the church, because the gift of hospitality naturally draws people in and fosters authentic relationships.

So how does he express the meeting of the believers? These are the points in his article that are expanded on:

New Testament churches typically met in homes where people shared communion and fellowship over a meal.

When New Testament Christians gathered together, they each were to come with something to contribute so they could minister one to another.

Table churches are not supplements or tack-on’s for podium churches. If anything, it should be the other way around!

Jesus told us to go out into the world to gather the harvest, and that’s what New Testament Christians did.

I will encourage you to read the article, but basically I will end with one more quote from this author:

Go! Find a household of peace or, if there are no households, then a person of peace — even if they are not yet believers. Bless them by asking what they need Jesus to do for them, then pray for them. If the Lord confirms his blessing by meeting them in their needs, you don’t have to “organize” things. They, instead, will call their friends and neighbors to come and share a meal at their house as they exclaim what the Lord has done for them. They will be excited and God will use their natural gift of hospitality and peace to attract people into the Kingdom.

From there, it’s easy — ask those who come (even if they are not yet Christians!) to share with each other what God is saying to them as he draws them to himself. They just sort of naturally become Christians without needing to be pushed!

In fact, I’m seeing on average about two to three people testify each week, sitting around various tables, that God met them over the prior week and they committed their lives to Jesus. Others in that fellowship will quickly come beside them to help them to find their own gifts, teach them to expect that God will continue to speak to them, and to lean that God will give them whatever is needed to minister one to another. Sometimes I jump in, but mostly I just sit back and watch ‘em take off!

Celebration!

Today is January 21st, Errol Barrow Day in Barbados, where I live.  Just like the American’s have Martin Luther King Day, Barbadians celebrate the birthday of the man who led Barbados to Independence from Britain on a rainy night on the Garrison Savannah on November 30th, 1966.

First Prime Minister of Barbados

Here is a picture of the life sized statue of the Right Excellent Errol Walton Barrow – one of the ten National Heroes of Barbados.

The Errol Barrow Statue

Here’s some more details about him – and you can search the underlying site to find out more about Barbados, too.

Ok! Off to my holiday for the day!

Bajan Tidbit – Because we were colonized only by the British, we drive on the left side of the road, rather than the right, like the majority of the road.  It’s always hard when I have to drive in the US…   haha!

Personal Devotions: Sobering Word

³⁷“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  (Matt 27:37-39)

Sobering words.   Anyone who loves father or mother…. son or daughter… more than God is not worthy of him. How easy is it to love other things more than God?  To what do I owe my allegiance?  Anyone who does not take cross and follow Christ is not worthy of him. What does that mean?  How do I take up my cross?  Do I want to take up my cross to follow him?

I have decided to follow Jesus.  Behind my failures and successes, behind every time I mess up, behind any time I share a wonderful powerful testimony of God’s glory – there lies a heart that is sold out for God.

But yet – being sold out for God still means little if I don’t choose to be a disciple.  NO MATTER THE COST.

On Sunday I am sure I heard in my heart – I think I was coming out of a dream – the term ‘Band of Brothers.”  I had no reference point for the term, so I just left it alone, let it simmer in its own juices, as it were.

A couple of days ago, I found myself surfing and found this website – the Band of Brothers Ministry.  One of their tenets is to covenant among the men of the Body of Christ – a band of brothers – to intentionally be more like Jesus, a disciple.   The covenant on their About page is as follows:

I will surrender my all to God – no matter the cost – so that I can become more like Jesus Christ – my brother and King.  I will seek out a band of brothers, for whose lives and legacies I will fight, so that together we can fulfill our mission to know, love and glorify God our Father.

This covenant has resonated with me.  I WILL SURRENDER MY ALL to GOD – NO MATTER THE COST.

This is my prayer.

Guest Posts Wanted: The Hand of God

I’m thinking of doing a series of guest posts on my blog.  I wanted to have several different perspectives on people’s definitions and experiences with the hand of God – however you felt like elaborating on it.

Is anyone interested?  How has the hand of the Lord been moving in your life?  I know this blog almost has a ‘niche’ for the supernatural and testimonies, but I had this idea and wondered how it would ‘fly’.  I’m thinking of writing having the posts under the main heading “The Hand of God” with whatever you want to title it as the sub-title. “The Hand of God: My experience with God” or something like that.

I was thinking of doing it starting in two weeks time – give you all time to come up with something in the spirit (or should that be Spirit 😉 ) of the blog. Respond if you are interested! I’ll add every single one I get, so it might go beyond a week , but in the spirit of community, it will get more people who visit here to interact more – and we will all learn about God and each other!

Calling for a Counter Culture

I’ve had a message the Lord gave me about 3 weeks ago that has shaken me up – again.  God has been speaking to me about the fact that he wants to create what he called a ‘counter culture’ of Christianity – which is not the same thing as the religious culture of having Christian music, Christian apparel and stuff… but really, really impacting society by bringing in Kingdom thinking and Kingdom principles.  I emailed it out to a couple friends (okay, about 20) asking for input, and Archie put it straight on his blog – go to it here –  http://wp.me/pwYvw-w.   I am also attempting to attach the document itself here – until I do get it done sucessfully, you can get it from the above link.  (Update: Here is the link to the Counter Culture document itself. Finally figured out how to get it done!)

Disclaimer – For those who read the text of the email on Archie’s website I wasn’t thinking at the time I sent my original email that it would go beyond the Caribbean – at least not yet …. so the original wording is specific to that region.  (“Yeah, right,” I can hear some of you saying. “You didn’t think it would get out?”)  The other thing is that the wording seems to single out my Christian experience at my tertiary institutions, but underneath God is really speaking to the fact that he wants to interact with society in a real way, in a new way.

The other thing I want to say about this you will not get from either the email or the article.  The words God actually told me were, “Counter culture is dangerous!”  Then he showed me that Jesus was into counter culture – he interacted with society where it was at – without the religious body of his day – and the religious people killed him. As the article shows, Jesus’ followers continued to radicalize the faith and were killed as well!

What God was telling me – and what I’m passing on to you – is that this direction is where his heart is, but that whoever decides to seek the new thing God is doing will be at least questioned by the more traditionalistic thinkers … and, in the worst case scenario, you will be persecuted for it.

However, this is what God is saying in this time.  It’s not like God is saying, “This is too dangerous for you.”  He is saying, “This is dangerous – but this is where I am.  Follow me in spite of the danger.“

Please comment.  This is not about stats for me. This is about getting God’s word into as much hearts as possible – and finding out what God is doing to extend his Kingdom.

Life Together: Authentic Friendships

Continuing on our journey of discovery, this is the second installment of the Life Together series, where we are exploring corporate life together, with Rev Rick Warren and Purposed Driven Life.

Here’s the devotional in its entirety.

Now, to my thoughts.  The first thing that jumps out at me is this quote:

Authentic fellowship is not superficial, surface-level chit-chat. It’s genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level sharing.

Now I know that most people cannot even fathom this level of intimacy in their assemblies, but to me that is a shame – a travesty!  To be known completely and to know completely – oh the JOY of it! You would not know until you stop how limiting living behind masks is.  This goes far deeper than, “How are you?” “Fine.” “How are the children?” “Oh they’re good…”  This level of authenticity is not for the faint-hearted. It is challenging…

It happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. They share their hurts, reveal their feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, admit their fears, acknowledge their weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer.

My church family know my weaknesses, my sins .. just recently there was a great healing of my own personal emotions when I went to them confessing something I had done which was pretty serious, but having them all surround me and pray. As fear of rejection is one of the things I struggle with from time to time,  one member prophetically discerned that I was still carrying guilt about the past actions (which went against what I was saying with my mouth!)  

Then,  on behalf of the group, she  publicly recieved me and accepted me … that broke me – I fell on my face sobbing, as the guilt poured out in tears! After a long time of them literally surrounding me and praying over me as I was crouched on the floor, I was able to stand, whole, healed – and accepted! 

Authenticity is the exact opposite of what you find in many churches. Instead of an atmosphere of honesty and humility, there is pretending, role-playing, politicking, superficial politeness, and shallow conversation. People wear masks, keep their guard up, and act as if everything is rosy in their lives. These attitudes are the death of real friendship. 

It’s dangerous to be this open:

Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection, and being hurt again. 

That’s the sad truth.  Instead of havens of holiness… most churches represent political parties – bickering and one-upmanship abound!  It’s disgusting…  rather than a place of peace and safety – a ‘city of refuge’ where those hurting can come to be healed and protected, most churches attack more than they assist – especially their own.  Thank God it is not all like that!

Echoing the devotion’s question – who would want to take the risk of being ridiculed, ostrasized and hurt – again?

Because it’s the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. The Bible says, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed” (James 5:16 MSG)

My own experience bears this out.  My prayer is that for those hurting, the Body of Christ would again represent healing and wholeness rather than separation and pain.  Like others (Jonie, Jennifer, Annie, to name a few….)

And you don’t have to look into a ‘traditional’ gathering in a building to fine authentic friendship in the Body of Christ!  I have found authentic friends for life right here on the blogosphere – either by commenting on their blogs or having them commenting here on mine!  The friends I have found here have borne me through some crises in my own life and have become wrapped around my heart – all without seeing them face to face (yet!)

Is there authentic friendship in your life?  Do you see life together either with a group, either online or offline?

 

 

 

Rhythm of Life – Walking with God with the Church

I had the privilege of reading this great post recently at From Eden to Zion, where the author speaks to his rhythm of life that he commits to as a bare minimum to interact with the body of Christ. You can read the article here.

He also mentions here how he incorporates rhythm in his daily life – his daily rhythm.

For his weekly rhythm he said, “My weekly church rhythm mirrors the following verse from Acts 2:42 – “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.””

He intentionally builds these aspects into his weekly rhythm and into his interactions with the body:

“I know many of you probably would like to ideally see these four things happen in your life by accident as you value them more but I’ve found, for myself, if I commit four time periods to these elements every week, they actually happen pretty much every week. In the past, when I committed myself to these things but refused to design them into my rhythm (hoping they would “just happen”) I would look back at months where they just didn’t happen.”

The intentional building relationship into his life and ministry is so interesting … I am trying to work out balance in my own life!

What you might find missing are leadership meetings, worship services etc. which are a part of my monthly rhythm but not weekly.

What I like about this is that he has specific things that he has designated to be done and specific times. Reading his post about his daily rhythms is also interesting as well.

I also like what he said shows us what we are committed to

I love comparing rhythms instead of mission statements because what we do in a week better demonstrates what we are actually committed to.

Makes me wonder what I am committed to!

I will echo his question at the end – I commented at the end of his blog, but I don’t think I answered it!

Read the articles, post a comment on his blog, but come back here and discuss:

What elements are a part of your weekly rhythm with other disciples? How do you engage in these areas? How have you determined what elements are essential to do every week?