Thursday, October 13, 2011

OUTPOURING IN GERMANY!


                                        OUTPOURING IN GERMANY!
Volume 9 - Issue 111                                                                                                   October - 2011
 
             As we flew into Dusseldorf, Germany this past month we both were anticipating our trip into Germany, which is actually the place of Rex's heritage from both his mother and father.  This was our first opportunity to minister in Germany and we were in for an amazing time. It was both a blessing and an honor to be invited to be a part of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in this church in the neighboring town of Duisburg.

                From experience I have come to know that a true outpouring of the Holy Spirit is present when you see that the youth are on fire.   Immediately as we entered the doors we witnessed the youth worshiping and loving His presence in complete abandonment !  There was so much joy, laughter and love between the people and it was obvious that they were hungry for more of Him!

                What beautiful music this was to our ears!  As I watched these youth worship I was taken back to the stories I read of Evan Roberts and how he had a youth band travel with him bringing high praise and worship before he spoke throughout Wales and the amazing revival that began which changed his nation and quickly spread around the world. There was that kind of atmosphere in this gathering of people in Germany. Which manifested itself in the tangible presence of our living God that loves with an unending and intimate love. I could sense it with all of my being and I was quickly taken into His presence.  That is the place every heart was made for, to be in that place of intimate communion, being totally captured by Him.   Once you have been captured by Him you will always seek to be with Him in that place of total acceptance and grace for it is the only place our hearts can find true rest. This is the place of Heavenly Bliss here on earth.
  
THE HEART OF OUR FATHER

                We taught, preached, prayed, and imparted throughout the 6 days we were with them.  We were so delighted to have been there and gave what we believe the Lord had for us to give in this season.  I imagine if you asked them what was most notable it would be the last message where Rex ended his preaching with the personal stories about his German grandfather and his own father.  Many were touched and weeping on the floor as the Lord healed their hearts and delivered several from unforgiveness or disappointments they had toward their earthly fathers.  There were so many that were overcome with the heavenly Father’s love, as the Holy Spirit revealed His true nature to them, that it was awesome to witness the transformation that took place within their hearts. He is so good!

                One of the things we enjoyed the most about being there ourselves, second to the presence of God in this place, was the true family atmosphere we experienced with them.  Every day we ate together in one of the churches families home next to the church, as well as in Pastor Martin and Heike’s home.  We “broke bread” with them every day as we got to know one another better, it was just as one would imagined it to be during the days of the early church.

                 It really is hard to have that same kind of fellowship when you go into an American Restaurant where you can hardly hear each other above the noise and you know hardly a soul. Rex told our daughter’s I loved it so much that I was ready to move there after we got home.  But then I love that kind of fellowship! Food, conversation, laughter, love and all of it surrounded by families comprised of all ages of people! I think that is part of what we were made for! Not to impress anyone but to just be ourselves and enjoy each other, living together in His love and unity! And yes I think that includes food in every culture! And the German people, their culture and food were wonderful! Yeah God!

                Again I want to say how honoring it is to go and be used of Him in such a place and in such a time as this! May He go out from that place and spread throughout Europe bringing another Awakening of the Fire of His love and changing the fabric of society once again. May He have mercy on us and bring an Awakening no man can stop in this nation and throughout the earth as well! And may He be glorified and worshipped as King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s! For He deserves all Praise and Honor now and Forever!

                This was really a ‘God Trip’, not only for us but as many shared it also was for them as well.  From the first moment we were there we connected with the people in a very powerful way.  The message of the Father that we were privileged to share with them pierced their hearts and brought healing to so many.  It is also very interesting to us that this was the first place we came to minister after our book was published, ‘Our Father’s Heartbeat’.

THE HARVEST IS HERE IN THE FATHERS-LAND

                You may not realize this but at the heart of the revival we have been apart of called ’The Father’s Blessing’ has at its primary foundation the message of “The Father Heart of God’.  Speakers like Jack Frost, Ed Piorek and James & Denise Jordan are the primary speakers on this subject.  They in turn were powerfully impacted by Jack Winter who was impacted by Major Ian Thomas, a British officer in WWII who was so overwhelmed by the scenes of hopelessness on the faces of the orphaned roaming the streets of Germany after the war, that he began a ministry based on the heart of the Father that still is in operation in Germany. 

                How fitting that we should go to Germany to be used to spread the love of the Father to so many that are crying out for His love and acceptance.  That is why it is so important for each of our partners to realize how integral they are to this ministry and the message it is bringing to not only Germany but around the world.  Pastor Spreer has asked us to come back next spring and speak at a meeting he host every year comprised of pastors from not only Germany but other countries so they may hear the message of the Father’s heart.  He feels that it is time for Germany and neighboring countries to be impacted by this message.  What an opportunity!

                That is why we need our friends who have witnessed our heart to pray and consider coming alongside of us and financially partner with us to go and minister in these churches.  The harvest is at hand. 




FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY!



                 The first Bible I read was one Lois loaned to me, called, ‘The Way.’ It was written in contemporary English, which was nice because it was easy to read and understand.  It was the Bible that she had as a young girl and was also very popular among the hippies during the Jesus Movement.
                 Later I found it interesting that ‘The Way’ is what Christians were called before the term Christian was used.  They were known as followers of ‘The Way’ and used this descriptive phrase to describe themselves after the passage in John 14:5-6 in which Thomas asked Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”
                In Acts 9:2 we find that Paul, went to the high priest and asking him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”
                Later in Acts 22:4 we find Paul saying, “I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,”

WHICH WAY DO WE GO!

                We lost our way when Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the Garden and from the daily intimacy they had with our Father, In Genesis 3:23, after our Father banished them, he place a flaming sword which flashed back and forth to guard or keep us from  the way back to the Garden which contained the Tree of Life.  V.24
                Adam and Eve’s children have been trying to find their way back home since the day they were banished from the garden.  The garden was our home and the last place we experienced any peace, tranquility and rest for our spirits.  Deep within our heart is the desire to return to that place our Father created for us, that place of perfect rest, our home.
                Mankind asks, “Where do we come from?” followed by “Why are we here?” and “What happens to us when we die?”  These questions have plagued our hearts since Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the garden .  There is something in our hearts that knows that if we could just find our way back home, if we just knew where to go, everything would be all right.  We have truly lost our way back to the Father.  Right after Jesus told Thomas that he was the way to the Father, Phillip continued the conversation, in verse 8, and asked Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  The disciples knew that Jesus was the way back to the Father but weren’t sure yet how they were to get there.

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

                The truth of the matter is this, “How did we lose our way?”  We lost our way because Adam and Eve didn’t believe or trust in what our Father told them.  Father told them in Gen. 2:16, You are free to eat from any tree in the garden’ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”  Pretty straight forward wouldn’t you say?  Don’t eat of it because if you do you will die.  But the sad part is they didn’t believe him and did what he asked them specifically not to do and lost their way, crossing over from life to death.
                 Seems astonishing doesn’t it, that we would lose our way by not believing?   But not believing goes hand in hand with not trusting our Father.  We willfully disobeyed him because we did not trust him anymore.   But what is it to ‘believe if trusting is not a part of it’?  It says in James 2:19, “You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”  Even the demons believe, but the difference is whether or not we trust our Father enough to turn our wills completely over to His perfect will.  Even Jesus required his will to be subject to his Father’s will, “Not my will but yours be done.”  The sin nature is considering equality with God something to be grasped but in Phil. 2:6 it says, “Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.”  Our wills in line with His will is the only way to trust and obey.
                If the way out was by not trusting and believing that our Father had our best interest at heart  then it stands to reason that we can find our way back by believing and trusting in our Father once again.  Jesus said in John 5:24  Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”  And again in John 12:44 Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.”
               Mankind has been offered the opportunity to accept the truth, providing us a way back home and out of this sin filled life.  We are slaves to the sin nature because we were born into bondage, into a prison that we cannot taste, smell or touch.  A prison of our mind, will and emotions.  We can tell you what the truth is but you can only enter in and fully experience it when you believe and trust in Jesus by faith.
It says that Jesus stands at the door and knocks, what door is he knocking on?  Could it be the door that leads us back to the Father that same door that Adam and Eve exited when they were banished from the garden.  Mankind asks the question, ‘What work does our Father require of us so that we can return home?  Jesus answered them in John 6:29, “The work of God is this; to believe in the one he has sent.”
Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks, Rev. 3:20–21.  When we answer he asks us, “Do you believe that I was sent from the Father and will you trust me to get you back home again?

LIVING THE LIFE!

                The way back is by believing and trusting in Jesus.  Once we accept not only are we guaranteed to spend eternity with our Father again in our new home, but we are also guaranteed a better life while we remain here on Earth.  Jesus said in  John 10:10  “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full; till it overflows).”  Not our will but yours be done, Jesus said.  The translation is simple, ‘Not my way but yours Father.’  Only then will we find the abundant life promised by Jesus.  Whether our life goes through seasons of good or bad, rich or poor, health or sickness it doesn’t matter because we have entered into a supernatural life of abundance with Him.

                Being, ‘Followers of the Way’ has a good sound to it doesn’t it.  We pray that your will is aligned with His perfect Will for your life and that each one of us will experience the Abundant Life!