what just happened?

This past week has been an amazing on at CCC. We had nine, two hour sessions of prayer Tues to Thurs, and personally without doubt, this has been the most ground-breaking.

So often we come into prayer with needs. That's just because we're needy people, that's what you get for being human! so it's very tempting to come before God with our needs, our hurts, our convictions and, with the purest of hearts, pray in a manner that almost dictates to God how He should act. It's very easy to find yourself doing it. But on the flip side, it's just as easy to fall into the trap of 'what is God's will for my life' type prayers, where we pray about His destiny for us, both personally and corporately.

These things in themselves are not bad, in fact we're encouraged to bring them before God. After all he's a father who loves and cares us beyond anything we could imagine.

But something special happens when we just come before God, to just worship and wait.

On this past wednesday night, we had a dilemma. We pulled up to our venue for the evening prayer session (where we usually turn the volume up and blast out some energetic songs and worship at the top of lungs!) at the power was out. Apparently someone was digging outside and cut the main power line for a section of the city. great news! all our equipment was set up already and ready to go. so a few phone calls and church wide texts later we were on our way to a hotel in the city with a keyboard and a guitar, 45 minutes before lift off.

8pm we started to worship, as lead by Ramona. we did 3 songs and then suddenly there was a God moment. we read out Revelation chapter 5, and suddenly found ourselves in the presence of God. People were laying on the floor worshipping him, and He began speaking through his people. We were at the throne-room of God. After I got up from the floor, all i could say was "I'm wrecked!". And I was. What can you do when you're in the presence of Jesus, except worship him. The lists were gone. The plans were gone. In the throne room of God all we could do was worship, and then wait.

As we waited, He started to touch and work in peoples lives. laughter, tears, you name it, we were awe-struck. and so the night continued! I woke up the next morning still in awe.

One thing I've learned is that, it's always good to have dreams and ambitions (after all God puts them in your heart), but what he wants is our attention. We prayed all week, "less of us and more of you Lord". and that's what happened.

It's a prayer that's easily said, but sometimes not so easily lived. like me, you might have to lay your own plans before God.

Joshua met the commander of the Lord's army, who told him to take off his shoes. Shoes signify purpose. if we want to start taking the Jerichos for God, then we first need to surrender ourselves to Him, and be humble enough to say "Lord, more of you and less of me" and "I surrender to you".

This is not a formula, it's a way of life.

Paddy

Anybody love danger? get a buzz out of living on the edge? the idea of going skydiving, bungee jumping or sometimes even getting on a plane seems absurd to me. Sometimes I like danger, most of the time anything that has a sniff of it will keep me well away. It's funny then, how it's our mandate (as christians) to be living right in the middle of danger. The old saying 'you're safe when your at the centre of God's will', do you actually believe it? Erwin McManus discusses in his book 'the unstoppable force', that when we're in the centre of God's will that's when there's the most danger! Just to encourage you. Perhaps thats true. Look at the life of Paul, beaten, shipwrecked, homeless, foodless, clothless, whatever-you-can-imagine-less, he says he went through it for the cause of the Gospel. Rumour has it that all the apostles bar John were martyred for the cause of Christ, and John spent the last days of his life exiled on a greek island. Safe? Secure? our souls most definitely are. And that, I believe, is what spurs us on. There are moments in our life where extended prayers and meditation, waiting patiently for answers are the prescription, and prayer should always be a constant in our lives. But I think our God is in the doing. The image of Jesus as a servant, he was trying to teach us something. You really want to see miracles happen, people healed and the like? you want to see people coming to know Jesus? well you must be prepared to do, to go out in the danger and do. what is your "do" and go and do it.

"We are in danger when we are outside of God's will, but when we're in it, we become dangerous" (paraphrase - Erwin McManus - The Unstoppable Force)

November. I know. It's now March, it's sunny outside and the guys are serenading each other with Phil Wickham's beautiful downstairs. I can Definitely see a human video being born. Time to blog again. 

It's been quite a few months, we've had a change of senior Pastor, moved house, been to California, ridden in a Ferrari, just to mention a few. Andrew is heading to the East Coast. Brian is stepping up. There's a sense of expectancy, as we believe God is bringing everyone at this church into a new season. It seems that He's not just changing leadership at the church, but He's taking us all to new levels. In the face of economic deterioration and global celebration as the newest saviour of the western world arrives, there's a freshness about God's people. Whether or not we agree with the direction in which God is showing us, all we can do is follow. I have to say, though, that right now the direction in which I find myself in is like having the wind at your back. I'm excited about the future of this city, more about how His Kingdom starts to manifest itself; the Release, Refresh, Restoration of the people. As he has been clearly indicating, this is the year of His Favour.

Tc//Px