I just wanted to blog really quickly about a couple of things that the Lord has been teaching me this past couple of days.
Firstly we’ve been at the Passion for Jesus conference here at IHOP these past couple of days. We haven’t made to all the session for various reason but the ones we’ve been at have been amazing. The teaching from Mike Bickle, Lou Engle and Misty Edwards (the ones we’ve made it for!!) have all been so good and so important to where Becci and I have been journeying this last little while. You should check out as much as you can here. If nothing else watch Tim Reimherr’s worship Friday morning…so good!
Anyway, the reason I tell you about the conference is because on the Thursday after we had found seats and were about take the kids to the CEC a guy came over and signed us up for prophetic ministry on the Saturday. I’ll be honest with you and say that I kind of felt like God had something to tell us!! So we went today and came out feeling so encouraged by the Lord. The words we got today were confirmation of words we’ve received whilst we’ve been here and also of some of the things God has been speaking to us about. God is setting us free of some wrong mindsets and it’s sooo good! Jesus love us so much!
One thing I’ve realised about our time here is that God has had us on a real journey each month and it is only now that we are beginning to get a feeling for what He is calling us to on our return to Manchester. Each month has been a different phase of the journey. February was like our tourist/honeymoon month, everything was good, God was challenging us a lot but it was all to do with how much He loves us, how He views us and was just really joyful. March was our month of struggle and testing, not that anything really happen but I think for various little reason we came under attack and found things a challenge which before has been coming quite easily. This month has become our month of vision. God is speaking to us so much about what He has called us to and how that should affect how we live. So much if not all of IHOP’s messages are really about intimacy with Jesus and that is what we are hearing from the Lord. I’m am more excited now about Jesus and what He has for us that I was before we came here. My priorities are shifting, the eyes of my heart are being enlightened and I’m just more and more in love with Jesus and am experiencing more of His love for me. If you’ve even heard “Jesus, let me see your eyes” by Cory Asbury then you’ll know what I’m talking about, His eyes, burning with passion for me. My heart is stirring just typing this!!
The last thing I wanted to mention was a phrase Mike Bickle said today that really resonated with me. I’ve heard him say it before but today it really caught me. “If we don’t have a right view of heaven, then we won’t think about it at all.” The gospel message is all about Jesus and the gift of eternal life, but if I’m honest I’ve only really ever been excited about Jesus and what He did for me. And yes, this is enough for me to gain salvation, but if our gift is eternal life then surely it should be important to know about that. I have never really been taught what heaven will be like and have just assumed that we’ll be on clouds floating around kind of bored and lonely. I’ve never considered what the scriptures actually say about what eternal life is. I’ll post some more stuff up here some scriptures and some thought is anyone is interested but otherwise let me encourage you to get a new, fresh and accurate view of what eternal life will look like and I’ll almost guarantee it will give you a new energy and love for the word and for the man Jesus.
Sorry to go on for so long, that was lots more than I intended to write. For now, I just pray that as you read this God would reveal Himself a fresh to you through the power of His Holy Spirit that you’ll encounter anew His love and that He would grant you the knowledge of how wide, deep and long His love is!!!
Be blessed, God loves you and He really likes you too!!
