Pray Northbridge

Pray Northbridge - 24 hours of prayer and worship from 5 PM Friday, 23 July 2010

We were invited to gather for 24 hours to worship our Lord Jesus and pray for Northbridge and all who go there. Northbridge is a busy and popular part of our city, just across the train tracks from the CBD. It comprises many bars, cafes, restaurants, video arcades, tattoo parlours and places of sin. It is the seedy part of town. Thousands of people go there to eat and drink, party, hitch up, and get high. Some go to fight or do violence. On a weekend night there may be ninety cops on duty in these few blocks, as well as bouncers, emergency medical crews, and many people, including street chaplains, who are there to help the needy and the hurt.

When our 24 hours began with singing to our Lord, He showed me the streets of Northbridge as though I was standing 100 metres in the air just a block away. I could see all the buildings and streets, the busy people and the cars. Laid over the whole area was a pair of lungs, they were a healthy pink colour, translucent; they rose and fell as Northbridge breathed.

I did not understand, I asked: "Jesus, what does this mean? If 'the life is in the blood' (Leviticus 17:11), why do I not see a heart?"

Jesus answered: "The spirit comes on the breath" (Genesis 2:7). "These lungs breathe for the whole city. They breathe in spirits, and these flow out to the whole city through the arteries of the various cultures and lifestyles of the people".

"The spirits over Northbridge are not Godly. As Christians you are to fight against these spirits with the authority I have given you (Luke 9:1, 10:19). This is vital. It is one of the major tasks for My church in these times".

It is true that Godly people minister in Northbridge. The number of Christian ministries and businesses there has about tripled in the past four years. Much Christian prayer pours out over the whole city, some specifically for Northbridge. Yet the moral decline in our city continues. This decline in Australia and all Western countries has been well documented for some decades now.

What I believe the Lord was saying to me was this: "My Spirit, which is poured out over Northbridge, by your devotions and your prayers, is becoming part of the breath entering the lungs of the city. Together you are countering Satan’s legal right to rule in this area. Now My Holy Spirit is being poured out to overcome the evil spirits who have prevailed here for so long. Persevere (Ephesians 6:18). These times of prayer are very good (1 Thessalonians 5:17)".

Amen.

Favourite Bible Verses

(Ephesians 6:18)  .. praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

(1 Thessalonians 5:17)  .. pray without ceasing.

Praise Jesus.

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Amen.

Our Precious Young

A Parable of Today’s Young People as Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel

While I was at prayer for all of our young people, Jesus gave me a "today" picture of the Bible account of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and Daniel.

•  Daniel was a captive from ancient Israel and a committed follower of the God of all creation.

•  King Nebuchadnezzar was a "mighty king of kings, powerful and glorious; he dreamed dreams, his spirit was troubled, and he could not sleep" (Daniel 2:1,37). He needed to know the truth.

•  Daniel's friends were also captives in Babylon. They were young men who knew and worshiped the God of heaven (Daniel 2:18), they were from the elite of Israel.

Today the "king" is the young people of our city, many of whom are living out a dream at least as scary as Nebuchadnezzar's. He dreamed about a mighty and awesome statue, made of gold and silver and brass whose feet were of iron and clay. This represented his kingdom and power. The feet were smashed by a rock, the statue toppled, completely ruined.

Many youth today are troubled, uncertain, without clear direction, even though their lives seem to be wonderful. Youth are not “king” just because they are young and vigorous but also because they have greater power than any generation before them. They are educated, they have great disposable wealth, they direct it where-ever they will.

But, like the statue’s feet of iron and clay, our young have a divided kingdom which can be smashed by any crisis they encounter.

Much news has been very bad since they were born. Vast numbers of people throughout the world have been, and are being, over-run, addicted, robbed, ignored, bought and sold, left behind, killed.

The leaders they see, in government, business, crime, sport, law enforcement, entertainment (and sometimes the church) are generally selfish and dishonest. A primary goal in their lives is to seek wealth, influence, and celebrity.

Political correctness appears much more important than truth. Ours is a culture of fear. As a result many young people have no interest in the events of the world. They spend their money on clothes and entertainment.

Our youth are post-modern and millennial; the truth I may tell them is fine, but they see it as my truth, a product of my life and my experience. As a father and grandfather I cannot get to these kids, my love for Jesus, my years of living and learning and experience is irrelevant to them. They do not understand how I think or reason, I believe I am typical of the older generations. These kids are like the feet of the mighty statue, at the same time strong, yet brittle.

King Nebuchadnezzar was troubled and wanted to know his dream. He was desperate to know its interpretation (Daniel 2:9).

Today, many of our youth know that their lives are out of balance, their intense anger and high-risk activities with drugs, promiscuity, cars, violence .. the suicides .. all tell us this. Until our young people know what the dream is: what life means, what is worth living, or even dying, for, the interpretation is worthless to them.

Daniel asked his friends Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego to "plead for mercy from the God of heaven" (Daniel 2:17-18) to reveal the truth to Daniel who was then able to satisfy the king. This opened the way for Daniel to give the interpretation. King Nebuchadnezzar’s life was changed (Daniel 2:27-47), he said to Daniel, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this to me". He immediately accepted our God of heaven and earth as his Lord!

Today’s intercessors and prayer warriors are "Daniel's friends". They are to plead with the God of heaven to reveal His "truth", (John 1:14), to many, many, young Christians who will become today’s "Daniels". These may then bring a clear saving gospel to the "king", the young people of our city, our nation, our world. Our Daniels will show the truth to our young, show them what these truths mean, demonstrate and witness to the saving effect of Jesus on all lives (Isaiah 40:31; Romans 6:4; Ephesians 4:22-24; Philippians 4:6-7), to forgiveness of past sins (Romans 4:5), to sharing the freedom to be free in Christ (Galatians 5:1), to the joy of living in daily relationship with Jesus (Psalm 23:4).

The biblical Daniel was young, committed, knowledgeable about the Lord and lived for Him; he was very able to express truth .. Lord Jesus, raise up many of these!

I pray that our young will soon come into a knowledge that there is a truth beyond this present culture, a truth of love, of forgiveness and salvation (Ephesians 2:8), of hope, of fellowship, of life (John 10:10). Jesus is for every person, for all humankind, for all the universe; He is not beyond reach, but near (Revelation 3:20). "God .. is not far from any one of us" (Acts 17:27).

(The harvest in our city is hundreds of thousands. Is this "marketplace evangelism?")

Amen.

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Amen.

Restoration - T8

Testimony 8: 12th July 2006: My Left Knee
Supernatural Healing and Restoration

Trish, my wife, and I went to a daytime healing meeting, more as an opportunity to fellowship and praise Jesus than for any other reason. We were half way there when I thought: "Healing meeting! I'll ask for my knee!"

Several months previously my left knee had begun to ache. It got very painful and I developed an involuntary limp. I saw my doctor who sent me to an orthopaedic surgeon who had x-rays and an MRI scan done. He said "look, you can see that the cartilage is worn like an old blanket, there are clear signs of arthritis here and here and here; your knee is finished, it will continue to get worse. I will send you back to your GP who will manage the pain for you. I'll see you again in six years or so, to fit a plastic knee". My own doctor said nothing to help this situation, she offered no encouragement, in fact she made it clear that physiotherapy, exercises and taking fish oil and glucosamine from health shops was just wasting time and money.

At the healing meeting we had a wonderful time of worshiping our Father and our Lord Jesus. Then the leader, Pastor Phil, asked for people to stand who had received "bad reports from doctors". I had never heard such a request before. I and four others stood. Phil asked questions and prayed for each one. When it was my turn the meeting would not accept the bad report for me but claimed healing in Jesus' name.

Soon there was a clearly noticeable warmth manifesting in my knee; I could definitely feel something going on inside the knee. Soon after that, a similar sensation occurred within my right knee; there had never been any symptoms for that knee but I knew, "without any doubt" (James 1:6), that the right knee was also very worn and was being repaired before it got bad enough to show symptoms. Both knees were being healed! At the end of the meeting a number of people came up to me to ensure that I understood that this healing was a spiritual victory. I was told to cleave to my healings, to hang on to them with everything I had, because Satan and his demons would try to get them back; I would feel pain and other symptoms in my knees and must immediately tell the demons that I and my knee belonged to Jesus, that Jesus had healed me and that I was going to stay healed.

Many times this has proved true, I might twist my knee or it will become tired and sore, then I will speak to Satan, the symptoms will go and I will have no further trouble for a time. I have clung to the healing in Jesus' name and am still healed, after some years I still have great mobility and vitality. Praise Jesus!

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Amen.

Smoking Healed: T7

Testimony 7: 1988: Smoking Addiction Healed

About thirty years after I started smoking I was still trying to quit. I had succeeded in stopping many times, twice for a year and several times for more than a month. My smoker's cough was an established part of my life and I was sick of the whole business. The office where I worked in New York organised a quit program with professional motivators. My office room-mate was in the program so I joined. I did not have much faith in these motivators, or in myself to stop smoking; I had failed too many times.

At our church prayer meeting I mentioned this program as a prayer point. Here's the advice I got from my prayer group friends:

"Give the whole thing to Jesus; the addiction, the cough, all the smokey smell of your clothes, curtains, car. All the wasted money. All the negative effects on your health, even your enjoyment of a smoke. Give the program to Jesus and your will, give your office mate so that she too will stop and you won't have to share with a smoker, give the whole thing, as a gift, mentally gather everything and pack it into beautiful paper with a ribbon. Give it to Jesus".

So I did. I can still see myself gathering all these aspects together, it is visual to me like a dream, but I was awake and conscious of what I was doing. The parcel I made was beautiful, and the ribbon prettier than those I tie around my family's gifts! I can still see myself giving the parcel to Jesus and His very gracious and loving smile as He received it .. we both knew what ugly things were inside the gift ..

Never was stopping so easy. The addiction fell off me. I kept busy and didn't think much about wanting a smoke. The motivators were full of psychobabble and I do not credit them with helping much except that they kept the group dynamic going. I've never had another smoke. I don't ever want one. I'm healed from smoking. It's nothing like earlier when I stopped and could be tempted and experienced desire until I cracked and started again. Nothing like that. People smoking nearby do not drive me crazy. It is just a nothing thing. I am healed. Jesus healed me. Praise Him!

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Be blessed in your prayer life!

Jesus’ Faith in Me

Five Visions of Jesus and Me on a Mountain Trek

A wonderful gift of love and confidence from Jesus came to me in a series of visions. Since that time I have known the level of intimacy in His relationships with the Twelve Disciples, with Lazarus, Mary and Martha, with Paul, and many others in Scripture. I received five visions over a period of weeks in mid 2009 and early in 2010. Each is burned into my consciousness and I believe I'll remember them forever.

These visions are particularly poignant to me because as a boy and young man I was a very keen mountain and wilderness trekker and I still love the outdoors.

Vision 1

We are in a clearing, just Jesus and me, high on a mountain at the tree line. It is morning and we have finished packing our camp for the next big push up the mountain. I'm aware that this is a very important mission we are on. I am fastening my backpack and Jesus is a few metres away tying His boots. Jesus glances over His shoulder at me, there is a very soft look on His face, loving. At first I am puzzled - Jesus says nothing, He clearly wants me to follow Him; we are on this walk together. I am part of His team. Then I realise, He doesn't have to say anything, doesn't have to encourage me or give detailed instruction. He knows me so well and loves me so much that He can go about His plan knowing that He can trust me, knowing that in my clumsy imperfect way, I'll be sufficiently prepared and fully willing to follow where-ever He leads. I know that I am His beloved. Then he simply turns and starts walking up the mountain trail.

Vision 2

The second scene is a few minutes later. Jesus stops and waits for me to catch Him up. He steps up to me and hugs me, puts His cheek on mine, leans back so He can see me, smiles. Then He turns and continues to walk up the mountain path.

In none of these five visions does Jesus speak, neither do I; the whole point is that our relationship has reached the point that we no longer have to talk to be with each other or to share our thoughts and hearts.

Vision 3

Jesus gave me this third vision some weeks later. Jesus is leading, I am following. We are walking up the same path up the same mountain. This is simply later on that same day, a little further on our journey together. I remember that Jesus is showing me these things for a reason: I am His, He loves me, He has complete faith in me, He knows me so well that He can trust me completely, He can trust the work He has done in me that I will follow and we will accomplish His goals - I don't even know what these are, neither do I care, for I am with Him and He is leading me.

A gap of several months passed between the 3rd and 4th visions. In that time I was growing in my gifting in the prophetic and in teaching. The Lord lead Trish, my wife, and me into a new work which began in January 2008 and has been a delight to many. Our children are growing in Christ, five of the six belong to Jesus. The sixth, and his wife and kids, have been promised to us.

Vision 4

We are much further up the mountain. Jesus is still leading. Conditions are much harder. The path is steeper, indeed it is almost non-existent, it is comprised of big stones and boulders so each foot must be placed with precision so as not to slip or turn an ankle. The sky is grey, everything is wet, it is cold. Our sense of purpose and direction is unchanged. We press on full of confidence and a certain hope. This journey is immensely satisfying.

Vision 5

At last, we round a bend in the path, we are now very high, we can see the valleys and other lesser mountains around and below us. We are very near to the summit, indeed we can see it, over there, ahead of us, up and to the right. I feel a surge of excitement. Then I realise that between us and the mountaintop is a rock ridge. It is narrow with almost sheer falls to both left and right. We are so high that the sky is pale blue. It is very cold, nearly freezing, but there is no snow or ice for us to cut steps into to climb the ridge. This is much more difficult climbing than I have ever done. This is technical. Dangerous. All I have are my simple trekker's skills and Jesus. Jesus' confidence is unbounded. He knows that we will succeed and reach the goal He set; the summit of this mountain. He knows, so I know. I am ready to follow ..

Praise Jesus.
Amen.

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Be blessed.

Good Gifts – T6

Testimony 6: 1988: God Gives Good Gifts

Our fourth child, Patrick, was born in March. He had all the normal tests and appeared fine. In July of that year, on the eve of our huge holiday trip, we heard from the New Jersey Health Department that his test for galactosemia showed that Patrick was at high risk of brain degeneration leading to mental retardation; he should be checked immediately and we should be ready to take him to hospital at a moment's notice. Our station wagon was all packed. We were planning to leave at 2:30 the next morning and drive to Rhode Island to house-sit for a lady who was flying to Europe. This had all been planned for months. What should we do?

We called our local doctor who was away. We called the local hospital who immediately went into great lengths about stuff we should do over the next few days, at huge expense. Clearly they were telling us to do every possible thing, so that if a problem arose and we sued them they would be covered. We had no idea where to go for practical advice as we were many thousands of kilometres from our own Australian network of friends who included doctors, midwives and nurses. Meanwhile, we were aware that our Lord Jesus had been teaching us to trust Him in all circumstances.

So we prayed. Lord? Is Patrick at risk? What shall we do? We felt a great peace. Patrick was a wonderful baby boy, a gift from our loving Father. This was the Lord's reality. We were to press on and go on our month-long house-sitting and camping holiday.

We didn't forget about this threat and wondered if we had heard aright from God. Soon we learned that the neighbour of our house-sit was a doctor. After my prayer time next morning I walked over to the doctor's house to speak to him. Praise Jesus, he answered the door with his Bible in his hand; he was Christian! The doctor was part of a "walk-in centre", a new concept in 1988; they have much diagnostic equipment and offer a wide variety of medical services besides simple diagnosis and prescription. 

Our doctor arranged some tests and then saw Patrick immediately the results were in. He was God's man for Patrick, he had the courage to say the truth rather than fudge his answer to be safe from a lawsuit. Beaming, he told us that Patrick was perfectly well and we could ignore the results of the original test. To this day Patrick has been a perfectly normal kid; he's now a young Christian man, at university, studying to be a primary school teacher, he has the most wonderful affinity with little kids and will be a blessing to many.

Amen.

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Be blessed in Jesus.

David & Goliath Today

A Vision of the Present Cosmic Battle

Emailed to many from Perth, Western Australia, on 24th January 2009:

At a recent church meeting where many from different Christian congregations were gathered, a visiting pastor was leading. He asked a young local man named David to come and stand in the centre, as representative of all those under thirty, and lead us in prayer in tongues. This David did. The whole meeting was in unity, and, as we prayed, Jesus gave me a vision.

On my right, on a vast field cleared for battle, were legions of huge men, like the family of Goliath. These were warriors, wild eyed, immense in size, with faces like crags, muscles like boulders, legs like oak trees, hands the size of dinner plates and fingers like steel claws. Their clothing was full Bible times military dress as described in Ephesians 6. They were battle hardened. These are Satan’s forces today, demons on the earth, equipped and ready on their chosen battle field.

Across a narrow strip of land were a myriad of young men. No. Young men and young women together. These are the Lord’s army. Jesus’ chosen ones. The ones who have offered themselves. They were standing alert and bright eyed yet relaxed, dressed in the clothes of our own young generation; boardies, tees, jeans, sweats. Clothed with Christ. Each carried a slingshot and a few small stones; these were their weapons, the Words of God himself. Ready. Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God.

As I watched, a clear line appeared in the earth between the two armies. "Lord" I asked, "what is the line?" 

"That line represents the greatest advance Satan will ever make against humankind in all of history, see, his demons have almost reached that far. We will see greater advance but they cannot go beyond the bounds I have set, which you can see". As I continued to watch the Lord went on: “the demonic forces have never been better equipped. You can see no weapons in their hands. They will fight with every weapon from the present age:

* media power of Fairfax and Murdoch and other mammoth conglomerates
* behaviour examples set by celebrities and royalty
* radical attitudes and behaviours espoused in today’s music
* corruption of promiscuity, homosexuality, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases
* loss of purpose and death from drug use
* chemicals and additives in food and drink causing allergies and illnesses
* corporate, executive and government greed for wealth and power
* cultural demands for conformity and "political correctness".

In my spirit I knew that the final battles are now, they will continue long and hard. Many who were represented in this vision will die fighting, as many around the world are dying daily for Jesus and his gospel. My overwhelming emotion was one of gratitude and hope and awe; the church is rising up, Jesus is assembling his forces. Victory, already won in the heavens, is assured on the earth. We can rejoice, even as we commit everything for our Lord. Praise God, Father, Son and Spirit.

Amen.

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all blessings in Jesus ..

Smallest Thing – T5

Testimony 5: 1988: Even The Smallest Thing

"He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

During a two year period when we lived in the U.S.A. we went on holiday to Rhode Island. We found a lot of Christian activity there so took advantage, seeing as I didn't have to go to work every day.

One night as we were preparing to go out Trish had a really rotten headache. We battled through and got the kids ready and we were nearly out the door when Trish said that her headache was so bad there was no point going. I was a typical husband. Now? She tells me now? We are all set to go! I said I would ask Jesus to heal her head. I had no faith but was going through the motions, I don't even know why. So I laid my hand on her head, my memory is that we were standing in a doorway upstairs. I prayed quickly. Then I dashed off to do the next thing.

Within minutes we were in the car and heading out. I asked Trish how her head was. Fine. Completely fine. Jesus healed her despite the lack of faith, despite the casual approach, despite the rush. And, as Trish has said, this was really not a very important thing. But He did it. A gift. Because He chose to. He even gives parking places! Jesus our King. 

Hallelujah!

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Be blessed in Jesus!

Jesus Calls Me – T4

Testimony 4 - (1985)
Jesus Call Me To Himself

We were expecting our third baby when we attended an Anglican charismatic conference in Manjimup (a country town in the Southwest of Western Australia). This was where I finally gave in to Jesus.

The keynote speaker was Father Terry, then the parish priest at St Paul's, Darien, Connecticut in the USA. Terry talked about John Baptist announcing that Jesus would come and baptise His people with the Holy Spirit and with fire, and what this means in the light of the Book of Acts, the Gospels, the New Covenant and the whole Word of God. He was talking about the charismatic element in Christian life and the life of the Church.

By now Trish, my wife, had been an enthusiastic born again Christian for a few years, but I was not. In truth I was "sitting on the fence", with one foot either side. Really I just went along, I enjoyed the singing and fellowship. We were familiar with "life in the Spirit" that was why we were at this conference.

Terry's teaching was very compelling, it had a certain academic and scriptural rigour, I saw things more clearly than I had previously. On the Saturday night, as we drove to our friend's house where we were staying, I told Trish that for my birthday I wanted one of the new NIV Bibles. She immediately asked "so you are ready to give your heart to Jesus then?" "No", I replied, "not yet", I knew that I would have to bow my knee to Jesus when I became Christian, and I didn't think I was able to do that. "Maybe next year".

Next morning we did Sunday Church at the conference. At one point Terry asked if there were any present who wanted to give their heart to Jesus that day, who wanted to become Christian right then and there. I had thought this through the previous night so stood quietly, a bystander, with my hands clasped behind me. Soon, very clearly, I felt strong fingers encircle my right wrist and tug me backwards. "Very funny", I thought. Trish had gone out to check that our kids were ok; no doubt this was her having fun with me as she returned to her seat. Imagine my surprise when I turned and nobody was there. No Trish. No-one was near enough to have reached out to touch me.

Who held my wrist? Who tugged my arm? In my innermost self I knew that it was Jesus. "Come now", He seemed to be saying, "don't wait till next year, I want you now".

Straight away I went to the front, I did whatever was asked of me, probably I prayed a "sinner's prayer", it was all just "extra"; I already had said "yes", I already knew that I belonged to Jesus, I was in a cloud of love. I was almost forty-three years old.

I have never for a minute doubted that Jesus actually came and took hold of my arm, and drew me to Himself. No matter how tough things have gotten over the years: how my life seemed to be inconsequential, how I was unemployed for long periods, how spiritually I was stuck, how I seemed not to be growing in Christ, not going anywhere for years at a time ..

Trish and I had serious trouble with our marriage for a time. My memory is that neither of us moved out because we both wanted to keep the children. Truth be told, I was more scared of God, who had given me Trish, than I was of Trish herself. After much prayer we decided to link up with Jesus into a three strand cord (Ecclesiastes 4:12). He has kept us together, bonding us ever stronger and closer.

Now, thirty (in July 2010) years later, I see Jesus' plans for me, for Trish, our marriage, our family, our salvation, and His Kingdom, all working out. There was never no progress. But it was always His progress. It is His plan, He equips and makes ready in His own time. Patience and perseverance are fruits of Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). We do not grow and become patient by living only in gratification. God is love (1 John 4:16), Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9).

Amen.

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Be very blessed in our lovely Lord Jesus.

Our Lord Will – T3

Testimony 3 (1983)

Our Lord Will Find A Way

I got this fantastic job where the computer people were located in the countryside near the mine, instead of in the State capital as was the normal practice. We would move south in a few months time.

We wanted to buy a beautiful country place to raise our kids, that was the whole idea! But first we needed our equity from our two city properties . . .

A couple of years previously we had bought this lovely family house when we were expecting Thomas, our firstborn. Because of the market we couldn't sell our apartment, so had bought the house on a bridging loan. We had to sell an apartment and a house in a slow, depressed market. We were very reluctant to lower our prices because we needed their cash equity . . .

Our real estate agents were discouraged and discouraging. . it looked like we would head south leaving two managed properties and having to rent down there with no roots anywhere. The men at Trish's church were sympathetic to the times and the difficulties; "pray", they said, "when there's nothing else to do, all we can do is pray". "How? I don't know how to pray" I replied. So they made it plain: Father God already knows everything, simply talk to him every day, find a quiet place, tell him what you want, talk detail, which houses, how much money, what conditions, what dates. 

As I learned more about our movements, I was to pass these details on to Father God in our daily talks. I found this very hard. I did not have a quiet time in my day where I could give that time to our Father and Jesus. In the event I prayed in the shower; we had a shower with a window looking down from our house, over the trees and roofs of two suburbs to our "ocean glimpses". It was one of my favourite places. At first it felt strange praying while naked and soaping up and shampooing but I got over that. I stumbled over the words. God didn't care, He is our Father, after all! Love and intimacy is what He does!

Soon we found a really dynamic real estate agent, Richard Ridge. We called him "Ridgy Didge"; this is an Australian expression which means "a real straight shooter, a keen, hard working person, a person who can cut through to the essence". This was good. Ridgey Didge went to work.

On the day we moved South for my work, the apartment was finalised, money went into our bank. On the Friday of that same week the house finalised, that money also went into our bank. We got excellent prices for both properties so were able to buy our country acres. Miracles! The Lord gave us rainbows over our land; we called our hobby farm "Rainbow Downs".

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All blessings in Jesus.

My Lungs: T2

Testimony 2: Supernatural God-Given Healing In My Lungs (1983)

The first time God impacted my life (where I was aware that it was Him) was after my wife, Trish, was “born again” (John 3:3; 1 Peter 1:23). I didn’t know that that was what had happened to her, but she had certainly become excited about her faith. She said she felt that Jesus was “real today”, that He speaks to us, that we can know Him personally, that He is still doing what He did in the Bible. A few months later she attended a charismatic Christian conference in our city. She told me that the conference would close with a healing mass at the Catholic Cathedral; the Archbishop would be there, with exciting visiting bishops, priests and other Christian leaders who were part of this new charismatic life in the church.

I needed to pass a tough medical exam for a job I really wanted. Years of heavy smoking had given me an awesome smokers cough. An earlier chest x-ray had shown a shadow in my lungs and I was warned that this could easily become lung cancer. Trish invited me to the healing mass to ask for healing for my lungs and for the ability for me to stop smoking; the kind of things Jesus did in the Bible. She assured me He still does these things today. Trish asked that I would give a definite undertaking to go; not a half-promise that I could winkle out of on the day.

Well, what a business! We got there just in time for it to start. I had never seen such a crowd at the Cathedral, it was packed and we were with the overflow in the gardens. Loudspeakers were set up outside but were too few to reach all the crowd. This clearly was not going to work so I suggested that we go home. I felt that I wasn't actually at the mass, and wasn't near the Archbishop, or at least one of the famous people, and it was obvious that nothing would happen. Trish looked at me, in that stern and disappointed way that wives have, and said "you promised". So we stayed. The mass took it's course, not that we were able to participate much, and then it was time for the prayers, my prayers, the special "Jesus" prayers for my body. I expected that everyone who was there for prayer would gather and the Archbishop would do whatever he was going to do. 

But practically everyone wanted prayer and there was no way that so many would be able to get in there to get a touch from the bishops and the Christian leaders. Then there was an announcement that prayer teams had stationed themselves around inside and outside the Cathedral. We were to find the team nearest to where we were and they would do the praying. I just looked at Trish, she looked back at me: “You promised”.

A sweet young couple were the prayer team near to us. Sweet is good, but I felt that these two had little life experience, they were hardly more than kids. What would they know? They introduced themselves and asked us to line up so they could pray for us in turn. We formed a big line. Trish and I were not near the front. The young couple looked at us all and conferred with each other. They decided that we were too many to pray for one-at-a-time so they wanted us to form a circle and hold hands, then they would pray for us all together.

My disappointment was like a heavy weight. You have to remember that this was all Trish: she was excited about Jesus and this Christian life she had found, I just found it scary. We didn't even get into the Cathedral so had effectively missed the mass. Trish was the Catholic one, I was kind-of Anglican. The Archbishop was not going to pray for me, we hadn't even seen him, or any of the bishops, or the famous visiting leaders. We just had the young couple; and they were not even going to present my case to Jesus as being special. I had absolutely no faith that anything could or would happen. None. So I told Trish. You know what she said. “You promised”. We stayed, we didn't think it would take much longer, so why not?

The young couple started to pray, in a general way, that each of us would be healed. I do not remember what they said. Then it was over. As we were walking back to our car, Trish, clearly apprehensive, asked me what did I think? Why was I so quiet? Had something happened?

I was in a kind of shock but eventually was able to tell her: “God put his hand inside my chest, into my lungs, I could feel His fingers as they gathered together all the black tar and gunk that was there, then he removed His hand and all the gunk went with it. Now my lungs are clear and clean”. I was stunned and awe-struck. I can still remember this happening. It was a miracle! It is still vivid in my mind. I passed my medical exam and got the job, my lungs showed up clear in the x-ray pictures. 

It was years later that Jesus healed me from smoking as I was not able to do that in my own strength. I do have some lung damage from all those years of thirty-a-day, but I know that I will not die from lung cancer. God healed me. Trish's lovely Jesus healed me.

Praise Him, our Saviour!

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Blessings in Jesus.

Greatest Gift: T1

Testimony 1: The Greatest Gift - Intimacy With Jesus

A couple of years ago I was amazed to learn that intimacy with Jesus is not only possible for every Christian, but it is Jesus' great wish for us that we would "come to Him" and receive "life" (John 5:39-40).

After coming to know that the spiritual world is real (John 4:24). After being Christian for decades. After knowing that I belong to Jesus and being fully committed to Him. After receiving and being empowered to use spiritual gifts (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and 14). After receiving healings and seeing many miracles from Jesus (Matthew 8:16). After encountering Him many times, encountering the living God of all creation, I realised that what was missing with me was intimate time and companionship with Him, my lover, my Saviour, my Lord, my Jesus (Song of Songs 2:2-6).

So I began to put time aside and call to Him. "Jesus" I would whisper as I sat in our garden, "I've done my work, I have some free time, will you come and be with me? Please come".

He came. Now Jesus often comes to be with me. Usually nothing much gets said; we do not work at solving the problems of the world, or even of my family or my life. This is our time. My wife Trish and I set aside time for "dates" and simply "be" together, this is wonderful and very good for our relationship and our family. So with Jesus, my bridegroom. We walk together by the river, we sit together. He will come up to me unexpectedly, give me a hug or touch my arm, and He's gone; but for that moment He is there, just with me, my Jesus, and I absolutely know that I am His beloved. This has changed my life. My faith is becoming boundless. Praise Jesus.

Amen.

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Blessings in Jesus.

Testimony Intro

Encountering God

My testimonies are a collection of stories of how I have encountered the living God,

God our Father and His Son Jesus and Holy Spirit, our counsellor, comforter and help, 

God of the Bible.


"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this" (Isaiah 9:6-7).

"Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live" (1 Corinthians 8:6).


Really, it is always Him encountering me, rather than something I do.

He does something, and I, and people I know or who are in my family, are simply delighted and blessed participants and recipients.


Jesus loves you every bit as much as He loves me!

Amen.

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All blessings in Jesus.

Fav Bible Verses

Jesus' Love:

Jesus' love, grace and glory knows no bounds, so I am able to live, day by day:


(Philippians 1:6 NIV) "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus".



It is all Jesus:

(Colossians 1:15-20 NIV) "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 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. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross".

Amen.

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All blessings in Jesus.

Trish's New Job

Testimony About Trish Becoming A Home Economics Teacher 

My wife Trish just started work as a High School Teacher. She will teach those many and varied subjects which make up Home Economics. It took a whole string of miracles for her to reach this point and I, (Trish’s husband, John), am writing this not just to tell you how wonderful and committed and persevering and talented she is, but also to give glory to God, our Father in Heaven. He chose Trish, but without His constant help, encouragement, intervention and love she would never have even started on these four years of study, let alone completed it with many "distinctions" and even "high distinctions". And then getting this job! Well, here is my story about this adventure.

About seven years ago our smallest kids reached that age where it seemed like a good idea for Trish to stop being a full-time Mum and homemaker and get a job. After a time of prayer and deep thought she chose to teach swimming. She would do a course of training then work for the Department of Education for three terms a year (but not the winter term) and teach primary-school kids to swim. Trish has always been a great swimmer. At high school she was so good she trained with the boys' team. She has an effortless style and speeds through the water looking relaxed and gorgeous.

We knew that Jesus was with Trish in all this because such unlikely things all worked out. Just the thought of going to school and learning to teach was pretty scary for Trish. Then the job she got was just the Lord! She got to teach in an indoor pool just seven minutes drive from our home, so she knew some of the kids she taught, others we would see in local shops or at our boys football games, they would all smile and wave to her. Her boss was recognised as the very best supervisor for several counties round about. Trish loved the work and came home full of stories about the people and funny things from her day. She delighted in how she was able to help the kids progress from abject fear of the water to confidence and joy and actual skills which would add to their lives for decades.

After three years Trish knew it was time to move up. By the end of each autumn term, she was invariably pretty sick with a chronic cough and general flu symptoms; it would take her several weeks to recover. Also, swim teaching had serious responsibilities, the teacher was personally liable for any drowning or injury, and the pay was about one third of that for a regular school teacher.

So, something easier? Something with similar money? Something less demanding, Something which would allow her to give more time to the Lord's activities like prayer and helps? Something more of a career? Teaching? No, not teaching. Teaching home economics? No, not teaching, not home economics!

Trish had just turned fifty. She knew that she did not want to work in a café as our youngest daughter did, nor in a shop or department store as our daughter-in-law did. A chemistry teacher friend shared with Trish about teaching: "It's not so much about the subject, though you do impart some knowledge to the students; no, it is mainly about life; in your time with these kids you impart life, you give of yourself, this helps prepare them for the world". The life he was talking about, the life Trish would impart as a Christian teacher, would be Jesus.

Four years of university? But not home economics. OK.

Much prayer. Jesus was speaking into Trish. He guided her, brought her to His thinking. OK. Home economics. Decision made. Is this even possible? Can Trish even go to Uni or does she need to do pre-admission studies?

When she enquired, Trish found that there was just one university teaching Home Economics in our state. Could she enroll now to start in four weeks? This seemed impossible, certain important enrolment dates had already gone by. Trish had graduated High School in New Jersey and matriculated for university in New York City decades previously. Cathleen, Trish's sister was contacted; she is a very "can do" kind of person, she got busy. 

Such a flurry of activity. Suddenly Trish was enrolled at Edith Cowan University and starting a four year course "next week"! Our second son, Daniel, said Trish could have his old (very old) laptop for her studies, it no longer worked off its batteries but only had mains power supply, one USB port, and a port so she could connect to the Internet.

First Year: Oh the excitement! Home Economics was such a great choice - there was such a shortage of teachers, Trish would almost be able to choose the school where she would work. Was Jesus telling us that she would work in the country? This was one on those thoughts we have that will not go away. The country? First there were four years of study. The country seemed likely, and, if He wants it, we will go. Trish's studies went well. Trish gained so many learning skills, communication skills, computer skills. She could already type like the wind but that was on typewriters. Now everything was computers and bit by bit she learned: Microsoft, email, Word, files, documents, folders, PowerPoint, Google, Excel. Her schoolwork was great, right from the get-go Trish got great marks and her enthusiasm was infectious amongst her classmates and teachers. Trish started to shine. She was very busy and had to put some things aside. It was hard for her to rely on John and the children to do most of the meals and housework; we did not meet her standards and it was hard for her to live in a partly messy house.

Second Year: There was still a big shortage of home economics teachers, Trish was assured that she would get to choose her job and the school where she would work. Her work went well. Her grades were much better than when she was at high school or attending classes at New York University: distinctions, high distinctions, she worried if she got a Credit (C+ B- or B). She was loving it.

It was about this time that a prophetic preacher came to our city. He gave a word that a group of people were going to gather around John and Trish "in a farmhouse, all supplied, near the city". John had completed a Bible College degree a couple of years previously and was beginning to teach; it seemed clear that this was Jesus' work for him. Was this God's framework in which Trish's country service as a teacher would fit?

Third Year: Trish was getting to be senior at the Uni now. More than half way! There was still a serious shortage of home economics teachers, Trish would definitely get a great job. She excelled at her work; for her prac work she was sent to the best public school in the state. This had to be a great honour and a recognition of the kind of work she was doing in the classroom. 

Somewhere along the way John and Trish had become very involved in our new and exciting church. This was important to us. Our children were getting involved in churches too. The middle kids, Kate and Patrick, were starting Uni and the twins (our babies, Peter and Rebecca) were in their last year at high school. Our oldest son, Thomas, was married, we had a lovely daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. So, five kids living at home - four students, and Daniel who had finished his degree and was working. We no longer believed that the Lord would move us to the country just yet, maybe after a year or two of Trish teaching in the city?

Year 4: Final year. Suddenly the whole world of education was turned on its head; the Global Financial Crisis had hit and many people planning to retire no longer could afford to do so. Now there were too many teachers, including home economics. Many of the graduating class had no hope of getting work. None. Others would get bits and pieces of fill-in and relief work, possibly at primary schools or in an entirely different subject. The Uni work went on but in an atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty. Trish had a couple of very difficult units to do in the last semester with much humanist material and a strong humanist emphasis from the Uni. It was a very hard year for her.

Our Lord directed Trish to request that she do her big final prac at a pretty tough high school a couple of suburbs away from our house. She knew some Christians working there so felt comfortable that this would work, especially as it was His will. The prac project lasted a whole term and was such an adventure! Every day Trish came home with great stories, especially about the students. Grace abounded. Many of the kids came from disadvantaged circumstances but they responded to Trish in amazing ways. It became clear to us, who heard all the stories, that something precious was coming from Trish and into the kids. This was God's plan. The school where Trish worked was going to be her mission field, this prac showed that in just a few weeks.

As this final year of study was ending Trish missed an exam. She was home studying and the phone rang. Her friend asked "Where are you?" "Home studying for the exam tomorrow" Trish replied. "Well we've all just come out of the exam, it was today". On checking her notes Trish discovered that this was true. She had made a mistake on her calendar. Universities take these things very seriously. Trish immediately contacted her teacher, the one whose humanist class Trish had so struggled with, who said that arrangements could be made and Trish would have an opportunity to sit that exam later, however, this would probably mean that her paper would not be marked at the same time as her classmates and she may not be able to graduate with them. Four years work. Trish was devastated. We prayed that the Lord would find favour at the university for Trish. Soon enough the phone rang. It was the teacher: "can you come in tomorrow?” She had found a group Trish could sit with while they did their exam. Yes. Trish sat the paper and it was marked with those of her classmates, she passed and was able to get her (essential) teacher's accreditation and graduate at the proper time! Grace!

Once all her pass marks came in Trish arranged for her WACOTT teacher accreditation number and started looking for work. The Education Department arranges all postings to Government schools. For casual or temporary work (to cover teachers who are sick or absent) the teacher must make her own arrangements to be in the available pool. Teachers must also find their own work in the private school sector. Trish was very aware that her chances of getting a Government school posting were very small. She started applying to Christian schools and for casual teaching work, anywhere and everywhere. It was hard going.

With just three weeks to go before the new school year started Trish noticed an anomaly; a new private school was advertising for a home economics teacher on a general employment web page, but there was no parallel vacancy listed on their own School web page. We figured that the position had been advertised and filled and the general Internet site had neglected to pull the add. Trish phoned the school to find out the state-of-play; no answer. So she wrote: did they still have the job? She was qualified and very interested, here was her resume.

Imagine her surprise when Trish got a call requesting that she comes for an interview. Her first! She prepared carefully and headed out for what she thought, at best, would be the first of two or three interviews. But, glory be to Jesus, Trish was offered the job!

And what a job it is! Trish is not the new junior teacher in a team of eight. She has a senior position because her department head is also the school principal; Trish must carry some of the load to plan studies and programs, she has considerable independence and is expected to implement the newer approaches to Home Economics as she learned them at university.

The school was established by local people in the community who felt that their kids were having to travel too far to Government schools. It is a Christian school yet is independent of any denomination; they are free to be simply Christian. The school is almost brand new, it is still growing with new classes starting each year. 

And . . the school is in the country. It is just south of the city but far enough away that it still has a country feel. Most homes have acreage and there are farms in the region. There are cows in the pasture right next to the school. All this and it is just a twenty-five minute drive for Trish, each way, against the rush hour traffic! Favour! Grace! A permanent job where Trish will have the same kids every week, some for years. Trish loves children and will teach life-skills to teenagers! She can surely be that river of living water for the students our Lord is giving her!

And another thing. Jesus has such a sense of timing. Once she had finished her final Uni year, Trish tidied up her computer files so they would be ready for when she was actually teaching. We made a backup onto a memory stick and turned this into a CD. Solid. Trish checked everything again, all was tidy and complete. Next day she wanted to check her email – the laptop acted funny. It never worked again. This old laptop which Daniel had used for his degree and had given to Trish, lasted by God’s grace exactly long enough for Trish to earn her teaching degrees and get her fantastic job. It is dead, finished. Trish now is a teacher who loves her work and loves her students. She has a brand new laptop. 

Praise Jesus.

February 2010 – John (with Trish’s help) – Perth, Western Australia.

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God's Father Heart

Written in June 2009 – Posted to PsalmsOfJohn in February 2010 – My first post !!

The Father Heart of God

Testimony – My Dad and Me

I was a wartime baby, conceived during that poignant time when my mum and dad knew he was going to war, but he had not yet left. My parents were very social. They wore formal clothes often! They loved the outdoors, trekking in the bush and skiing with friends. I think Pop was a happy, fun, guy.

My Dad was a navigator on bombers during WW II, he directed the plane to the target and pulled the trigger to release the bombs. A few years earlier my mother and he had had a wonderful honeymoon in the cities he bombed. He returned home from the war when I was about three. He was very saddened; he was not able to talk about the war. Most of his fellow airmen died. He bombed cities and people he had loved.

Us kids remember him as stern, distant, authoritative, bitter and without worldly success. We knew that he had at least one affair while we were teenagers. Once I was adult we rarely spoke.

When he was dying his sister said that I must go and visit him in the hospital, to see me was the only thing he wanted. The hospital registrar assured me that he would quickly get better and I should save my money until he was really sick. My aunt insisted. I went. We had about eighteen hours together. He could not speak, except with his eyes and his hands. We had eighteen hours of loving one another. Then he was gone.

What a waste . .

The Big Question

I’ve always been interested in discussion of the “big question” . . what are we here for?

When I became Christian I thought I had found the answer . . then I realised that I had not !! What I had found did not seem to be enough.

I really like preaching when the message includes Genesis One and Two, and John Chapter One, the beginnings of everything. A couple of years ago the lord had me looking into these three chapters for a whole year. I couldn’t have a quiet time without turning there and pondering in my heart.

I believe that He (the Lord) gave me some answers. I am convinced that God, the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, created the universe from love. The whole thing was, and is, from love and for love (1 John 4:8).

The Creation And It’s Purpose

Before “the beginning” there was just God

•  Our God.
•  Not the Muslim god, all alone.
•  Not Buddha, all alone.
•  Not millions of Hindu or Roman gods fighting and back-stabbing for power.
•  God. Father, Son and Spirit. Love. Eternally pouring out for one-another. Giving.

Family . . that’s why Father God is called Father. And why the Son is called Son. Family. Intimate.

Then they, Father, Son and Spirit, decided to make room for more. Clearly whatever they were going to bring into their presence would have to be very special:

•  The Father so loved the Son; it would be good to bring the Son a glorious bride, one who would be his delight.
•  The Son so loved the Father; it would be good to give the Father many sons, and bring them to glory with God (Hebrews 2:10).

They decided they would create creatures in their image. But not just spiritual. Physical. And call them “man” and “woman”.

There had never been anything physical at all. Nothing. So God created an entire universe as a place for these physical creatures. They would be the image of God and their destiny was to be included in God’s glory. They would participate in God’s life, eternally in the God-head; in heaven, ruling and reigning with God.

So God did. They created the whole universe just so that this tiny planet, Earth, would be safe and filled with colour and variety, and seasons and everything for life.

(Job 26:7) “He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing”.

(Genesis 1) God said “let there be . .” “let there be . .” “let there be . .” then, breathing out the words, said “let us make man . .” (God here, in the original language, was Elohim, which means "God" but is a plural word. So, God said - the three persons comprising the One God, together decided!

We are hand made. From his breath! His children. His.

Genesis 1:27-28) God created humankind in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

(Romans 8:19-21) the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

God designed the universe so it would have kids in it. This is a huge part of his plan. And you are one of those children; you were when you were little, and now that you are big, he still delights in you as being one of his kids!

So this should be a fantastically happy place full of fulfilled children, delighted in the family they are in . . Right ??

What went wrong ??

Sin. Humankind were separated from God. The family with Father God being Father, and the Son showing and sharing sonship with all the people is not realised.

We were born into a sinful world. Until we become Christian the sinful world is our home.

As we become Christian our parentage changes. Our whole DNA. God becomes our Father:

(1 John 3:10) This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

We know sin – it is not a stranger to any of us.

Some comments:

•  Sigmund Freud: “I could not point to any need in childhood as strong as that for fatherhood”.
•  Dr James Dobson: “Low self esteem” is by far the biggest problem among Western women, including Christian women ..
•  Dr Fiona Stanley: "All children need parenting and education to have a future in the world; until this happens for indigenous children they will continue to live chaotic lives".
•  Lucille Ball of the “I Love Lucy” TV show when discussing the collapse of Western society: “Where are the fathers?”
•  James Baldwin, African American novelist: “Children appear to not be good at listening to their parents, but always grow up imitating them”.

But God’s intention is clear:

(Galatians 3:26; 4:5; 4:6) You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, and receive the full rights of sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father”.

(Romans 8:16) The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

(Romans 8:17) Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

Jesus and Father God chose you and me:

(John 6:44) "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day”.

Words Have Power.

Some words have great power; they come with their own baggage. Today we see this with words like “terrorism” and “climate change” and “economic downturn” although this last appears to have more impact in the U.S. than here, because things are tougher and more threatening over there.

“Father” possibly has the most impact of any word. Certainly vast numbers of people have been negatively impacted by the fathering they received, or even, didn’t receive.

The Persistent Neighbour

“Jesus” is the answer to every question:

(John 14:9) "Philip .. he who has seen me has seen the Father".

After Jesus teaches his twelve disciples the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4), he goes on (Luke 11:5-8) to tell about the “one of you” who goes to a neighbour, late at night, to ask for bread for a surprise visitor. The neighbour says: “Don't bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to you”. Eventually, because the “one of you” is very persistent, the neighbour gets up and gives the bread.

Most people read this as though the “one of you” is the Christian of today, being persistent with God to meet real and present needs. But this story was from Old Covenant times. Jesus was not yet crucified and risen. The disciples were not yet Christians, not yet adopted as “my children”, so had to bang on persistently to receive from God.

Today, we are in the New Covenant. Every Christian is a child of God. God is our Father. We are fully adopted and fully heirs of god’s kingdom. Jesus is our Saviour, and also our Brother. We are in intimate relationship, he is in us, and we are in him.

We are the “children” inside, with the Father safely in bed, fed, bathed, safe, all our needs met without question. All we need is to say “Abba”. Friends and neighbours need to bang and knock. But not the beloved children of the house. All we need is to say “Abba”.

God chose you, drew you, brought you to Jesus who brings you to his Father. Jesus is our redeemer and our Lord. We are told this over and over in the Scripture. What does it mean?

REDEEMER: one who regains possession by paying a price.

LORD: one possessing great power and authority.

Our Father says about our Jesus:

(Psalm 2:7-8)  I will tell of the decree. The Lord said to me, "You are my son. Today I have become your father. Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession".

This is what our redeemer and Lord says:

(Matthew 16:19)  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

(John 14:12)  I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do . . even greater things than these.

(John 21:25)  Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Jesus’ Family and Ancestry

How is Jesus is introduced in the Bible? The Old Testament closes with the prophets who are trying, unsuccessfully, to get Israel to have a change of heart towards God who, they freely admitted, had brought them so far. Then there were 400 years of silence.

Then in our Bible we next find the Gospel of Matthew. How does that start? Matthew was written for the Jews, for Israel. When meeting someone, Jewish people want to know: “who is his father”?

(Matthew 1:1-2) The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren
. . The “begats” of Matthew One!

Why start such an important and exciting account, the birth and life of the Saviour of the world, with pages of “begats”? Who were these people? Jesus’ ancestors?

•  Judah: slept with his daughter-in-law thinking her a prostitute. When it becomes known who she is, and that she’s pregnant with twins, he tries to kill her.
•  Rahab: a spy and a prostitute – treacherous with two bob each way on the outcome of the war – Rahab became Boaz’ grandmother.
•  Boaz: married an immigrant girl, Ruth, from the hated Moabite country – later when David was under dire threat he was given sanctuary in Moab because of his wife.
•  David: adulterous with Bathsheba who becomes pregnant and bore Solomon. David murdered her husband Uriah to cover up the adultery, then married Bathsheba.
•  Solomon: David's and Bathsheba’s son of their adultery - loved many foreign women, Pharaoh’ daughter, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites who “turned away his heart”.
•  Manasseh: a prodigal son; an occultist and murderer.
•  Joseph: a good man, found that Mary was pregnant and not by him. Stood by her. Took her to Nazareth where Jesus was born in conditions of poverty in a stinking manger. (John 1:46) "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?"

These are in Jesus family tree! How often do we think that our family was so bad, God can never see me as lovely . .

Jesus’ Delight In His Fear Of The Lord

Jesus loves his Father. We see this throughout the Scriptures and in everything he did. We know that this continues to this day.

(John 5:17) Jesus answered, "My Father works even until now, and I work".

Isaiah wrote about Jesus: (Isaiah 11:2-3) The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord - and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

Jesus’ considered that being God’s Son was something more precious and majestic than anything else imaginable. The purpose of holy fear of the Lord is to preserve humanity in the glorious liberty of the children of God as royal sons and daughters (children) set over the entire created order.

(Romans 8:21) that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to corruption and decay, and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

The Son Who Was Lost Then Found

(Luke 15:11-32 My paraphrase) A man had two sons. The younger demanded his share of the inheritance, went to a far country and squandered the money on fast, immoral, living. Soon the money was gone and times got tough. The young man had to work for a farmer, feeding pigs.

He realised that he had made a bad mistake and determined to return home and repent before his father: “I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men”. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The father put his best robe around his son, sandals on his feet, the family ring on his finger and arranged a great feast for him.

Meanwhile the older son was angry because he had continually been with the father working the farm, and had never asked for special favours.

What Jesus is showing us:

•  The father never stopped loving the young son (Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 4:8) God is love.
•  The son’s sins paled in light of the father’s love (Romans 5:8), but God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
•  Upon the son’s repentance, the father restored him fully into his inheritance (Colossians 1:12) the Father . . has qualified you to share in His inheritance.
•  He cloaked the son making him clean – we are clothed with Jesus’ righteousness (Galatians 3:27) you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
•  He received sandals as befitted a son (Romans 8:15) you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!
•  He received the ring as we have the authority of Christ (Colossians 2:10) you have been given fullness in Christ.
•  He was welcomed fully into fellowship with the father (2 Corinthians 13:14) the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.

The older son:

•  The older son did not enter into intimate relation with his father (Matthew 3:17) "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased".
•  He never accepted his position as son or as heir (John 15:15) no longer do I call you a servant.
•  He did not value or use his authority (Ephesians 4:14; Col 2:10) in him you have been made full.

We are positionally children of our heavenly Father.

So, we are truly in a place of great intimacy with our heavenly Father.

We can therefore expect to be experientially children of our heavenly Father.

We began today with my testimony of my relationship with my earthly father, Frank.

Now, we’ll conclude with my testimony of my relationship with my heavenly Father and my Lord, Jesus Christ.

My Testimony – Me Finding Jesus

A few years ago, when I had been a Christian for nearly twenty years and my kids were growing up, I realised I was stuck.

Already I was at Bible College. I had been a prayer leader, Parish Councilor, and lay preacher.

There was definitely something there, I was very committed, married to a wonderful Christian woman. Most of my kids were showing signs of “catching” Jesus and his salvation. But I knew that there was something missing.

I was told to read Watchman Nee, "The Normal Christian Life", which simply reinforced what I knew but could not express.

(Another great book: "The Three Battlegrounds" by Francis Frangipane).

With all my words I could not articulate this thing that was missing that I knew was vital. This “something” which was to do with Jesus and Father and me. That thing which was probably more than simple understanding, which would answer all the questions and quiet all the pain and yearning.

Well. It took a while but it happened. I’m still on the journey, praise God, I know it will never end. Many people helped. Many saw that I was searching and were so very kind, gracious and generous with their love and time for me.

Ultimately it was Jesus who did whatever was needful.

•  "As God changes me, he changes my concept of him"
•  "As my concept of him changes, my concept of myself changes"
•  "My concept of myself continues to change - I can look into a mirror and not be ashamed"
•  "Father God, you did a good job after all!"  (Ken Symington – 2006) 

I had many encounters with Jesus over many years. I even had an encounter with Father God, even though I knew that if I saw his face I would die (Exodus 33:20).

Both me and family members and people I know have received many healings and deliverances that I am completely certain about.

I learned that it was intimacy that I lacked. A preacher came, her name is Priscilla. She experienced what I recognised in myself. She sought and found the Lord and can now speak of little else, she is so excited, and so in love!

So I tried to find Jesus.

When I had some time; I might have put in a load of clothes and have a half hour while they washed. I would sit on the patio, in my favourite rocker. No Bible. No books, no note pad. Just me. I would say (and still do, to this day), “Jesus, I’m here. I have some time and I long to spend it with you!” then I would wait.

Later, when I walked the dog by the river, I would clear my mental decks: “Jesus, I’m here. I have some time and I long to spend it with you!”

Jesus started to visit with me. He really did (does!). I become aware that he’s there. He’s so completely normal. (Well, he is a person, after all!) I’ll be aware that he has come up and bumped shoulders with me. Or there he is, grinning at me, completely relaxed, my Friend come simply to hang out. We spend quite a bit of time together – this is limited by me, I get too caught up in stuff and forget. Can you imagine anything so dumb!

But Jesus is now my intimate Friend. I am reminded that John was the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20), and am very blessed to be called John. This is not an accident.

Jesus often comes to me:

•  He gives me amazing dreams.
•  He brings me gifts of visions of himself and me, and of the world and the church.
•  He opens up the Scriptures for me, in unique ways, ways I’ve never been taught.
•  He makes promises about the future. He has made it very clear that he trusts me, and has plans for me, plans of me giving and giving and giving; being his person in many situations.
•  No meeting is an accident.
•  He has brought me to our Father and healed my suspicions and fears.
•  We hang out together – he is my most beloved companion.

There was still something missing. Over the past two or three years I have been blessed to go on two Father Heart Of God courses. After each one I reported to Trish that “nothing had changed”, but that was not true. I was changed, profoundly, in ways I cannot describe but others can. Our Jesus changed me, Jesus who loves His Father beyond all else. He did it. I can take no credit for this and cannot look to any person. It was him. My Father, he came to me, he melted my heart.

Father and Son. They are keeping their promises to me.

I was justified when I was saved. Fully, Completely. All my sins were washed away and I was set free from sin and death. But now Jesus has brought me into sonship, the same Sonship that He knows, and has always known. Hallelujah!

Sonship and Intimacy Are For All God’s People

I pray the blessing of intimacy with Jesus for all of you who read this or hear it.

Thank you Jesus.

Why not pause for a few minutes. Talk to our Father, knowing that Jesus is right there with you; meditate on our family in Christ, about the Father’s love and our life, together with Jesus, here on earth.

Amen.

• Permalink to web page

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"Father Heart of God 1 and 2" are now a podcast on Spotify under PsalmsOfJohn

• Public links to podcasts

https://open.spotify.com/episode/episode/2GhGdSKu4XKfmc652hgo9J

https://open.spotify.com/episode/episode/1coFc3RgOhdtb6WtCczE9m

Be blessed in Jesus.