Love you - see you at wordpress. theraws.wordpress.com
Robert
Hi there world! I created a draft wordpress blog site. It seems more is offered on wordpress. BUT - I would like some feedback before moving - please provide criticism. I haven;t put everything up - just some of the main stuff. One of the bummers is that you cannot paste a media player right on the blog page - but I have link in there to my public media folder.
Take a look and see.
Coming Saturday afternoon about 67 000 Christians will come to Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, SA to worship the Lord Jesus and also to listen to a message by Angus Buchan. This event will be broadcasted live on God TV globally. Millions will watch it.
This event at Loftus is one of the answers to the prayers of hundreds of thousands of Christians over the last decades for South Africa. God is doing new things in our nations. This is one of them.
We want to encourage you to pray for this event during the next 2 days. Let us pray with faith. God still answers prayer: Mark 11:23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
· Pray that God in His grace and mercy will touch the hearts of people on Saturday: for changed lives, that He will heal people spiritually, emotionally and physically.
· Pray for the worship team – that they will minister in the power of the Holy Spirit and with much brokenness and joy.
· Pray for Angus Buchan, that his message will be a word in season and that it will be in the power of the Holy Spirit. Eph.6:19-20: - Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel…pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
· Pray for the sound equipment, the flow of the traffic and for an atmosphere of peace and the presence of the Lord.
· Pray that God will have mercy on our nation.
· Let us confess and declare God’s sovereignty (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) over South Africa. “I confess and believe that the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is sovereign and rules from heaven and is in control over South Africa!” Ps.47:8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
· Let us pray and confess that nothing is impossible for God. “I confess and believe that God sees and responds to everything that is happening in South Africa and that nothing is too difficult for Him.” Gen.18:14: Is anything too hard for God?
· Let us confess that God knows our situation in South Africa and that God listens to our prayers. “I confess and declare that God sees everything in this nation, that God has good purposes for this nation and that He answers our prayers.” Gen 16:13 So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God of seeing," for she said, "Truly here I have seen him who looks after me." Act 14:16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Act 17:26-27 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.
· Come boldly to God’s throne of grace and ask Him to help us. “I confess and believe that God answers prayer! Isa 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. Isa 58:9-10 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. Matt.7:7 Keep on asking and it will be given to you.
· God sent His Son for the salvation of the world. Pray for the salvation of thousands this coming Saturday. “I confess and believe that God will bring salvation!” Ps.79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake! Joh.3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
· God want people to be saved and reconciled with Him. “I confess and believe that God wants the wicked to repent and turn to Him!” Eze 18:23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
· God is a God of grace and mercy. With Him there is forgiveness available for all people that will humble themselves and confess their sins. Ask the Lord to have mercy on us, forgive our sins and turn away His judgement on this nation. “I confess and believe that God’s mercy will triumph over judgment!” Jas 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. Luk 24:46-47 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
· God always wants to use His church. Pray that Christians will humble themselves, confess their sins, turn from their wicked ways and pray that God will heal our land. “I confess and believe that the church in South Africa will bring glory to the Name of Jesus!” 2 Chron.7:14.
· Pray for God’s protection against all the attacks and plans of the evil one to discredit this meeting on Saturday or any backlash on the work afterwards. “I confess and declare God’s victory over the evil one and the He will strengthen us and protect us against the evil one.” 2 Thess.3:3: But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
· Pray for the mighty work of the Holy Spirit: to convict people of sin (Joh.16:8-11), for boldness to preach the gospel, the healing of the sick and that God will work with signs, wonders and mighty deeds. (Acts 4:29-30; Heb.2:4)
by Catherine Van Schoor http://www.littlealmondtree.blogspot.com/
Before God surrounds the nation with crisis, in his kindness he will always surround the nation with a prophetic witness (Corey Russell).
South Africa is in the midst of crises and with each new crisis, our situation becomes worse than before. Is God speaking? Does he speak to us? What is he saying? When Mozambique had the floods of 2002 when the country was devastated and all the infrastructure that had been built since the end of the civil war was destroyed, Heidi Baker made the comment that God had perhaps allowed that to happen to bring that nation to its knees - to at last turn around and seek God, repent and seek him. And that is what happened, starving people ran past food to ask for prayer.
Revelations 9:20 “the rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood- idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts”
Revelations 16:9 “they cursed the name of God who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him”
Rev 16:11 “men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done”
Who says that the Lord would not send plagues and disasters? Yet it is so offensive to so many to think that a God of love could send his “judgements” to man in this apparently cruel way. Is it not more offensive for God to witness the wickedness of man, to have to endure their cruelty and refusal of his love? There is so little knowlege of God, so little love for Him, and even for one another, so little reverent fear of him - that we would rather be offended on man’s behalf than on the Lord’s - and yet it is he who never does wrong, who longs to “never stop doing good to us”, and who “rejoices in doing good” (Jer 32:39-41). God is love. Who are we to be offended? What is man’s defence? We should sing with heaven “you are just in these judgements” (Rev 16:5). And if judgement bothers us then we should come to the Father’s house to repent and ask the Lord for mercy. I have heard it said that the state of the nation is a reflection of the state of the church. If this is so - then WHERE IS THE PROPHETIC WITNESS TO THE HOLY AND MERCIFUL NAME OF OUR GREAT GOD?
Who is He talking to?
The question perhaps then is not what is God saying to South Africa so much as what is he saying to his church in South Africa. We after all are the ones in covenant with him, we are called his children, we are loved and strengthened by him. He is our inheritance and our cup of blessing (Psalm 16:5). He has given us “everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3) Together with the Holy Spirit, we represent Jesus on earth. So it falls to us. We are his bride, called to partner with Him for his Kingdom to come - that’s his plan right?
The Lord’s message to us - is I suppose nothing new. Only there is a gaping hole in the world, and in my own heart where the knowledge of God should be - where reconciliation with Him should be there is estrangement, where there should be freedom there is captivity. There is no fear of God. How will they know if we are all keeping mum? Which brings me back to this question: where is the prophetic witness to God in this nation, to our politicians, to all the tribes and tongues, to the church itself? To Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe? Where is the witness to the name of God? I believe God is raising up that witness - he is bringing forth Daniels to interpret the dreams of pagan politicians to bring glory to God. Daniel revealed not only the meaning of the pagan kings’ dreams but in that bore witness to God’s purpose to “set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Dan 2:44)
That’s news you can use. I am asking God for a prophetic voice to establish that truth in the halls of our own government. Let their answer be what it will be - but we cannot be silent. We know what the future holds, and who holds that future. But how, who and when? you and me - that’s why I am writing. I believe the Lord has his hand on the church in South Africa just like he had his hand on Ezekiel (1:3c, 2:9, 3:14, 3:22, 8:1, 8:3, 33:22, 37:1 40:1).
I ask the Lord to choose the church in this country, not a generation, not a city, not a denomination - but the church in this nation. I ask him to choose us, to put his hand on us, to give us grace to proclaim his truth in the marketplace, in the government, in the churches and schools, in the city and in the country, and in every language of this country. I ask him to put his hand on us so that we may prophesy what he said he would do: “I will set My glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see My judgements which I have done, and My hand that I have laid on them.” (Ezekiel 39:21)
If you agree, then pray this with me: “Lord, lay your hand on me, as you did with Ezekiel, show me visions of your glory so that I also may be overwhelmed and say “May the glory of the Lord be praised in his place!”, persuade me fully of your glory, fill me with the knowledge and the vision of you, and use me Lord to proclaim your word and your truth here and wherever you send me. Lord establish your truth in the government, the marketplace, the schools, the church, the city and the countryside of South Africa. Establish your name here Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may be glorified, honoured and loved as you deserve.”
This is a challenge to every believer in the church. As I've started out on this journey of prayer, my faith is more and more challenged. Looking around, there seems little obvious reason to believe God for change such as the ending of abortion, the toppling of evil forces within governments such as in Zimbabwe, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, Algeria, Egypt, South Africa and more.....but God still issues the call and has made promises of His Kingdom coming to the Earth. Actually it's already here. The Kingdom of Christ wars with the Kingdom of Darkness. God breaks in daily into the lives of the oppressed. He's moved for His Heart is full of mercy. The Light cannot be put out by the darkness.
What if the entire world-wide church was in perpetual corporate prayer around the world? We hold our global day of prayer once a year - as if God should miraculously change our world in a day.....as the old saying goes "If the whole of China jumped at the same time the earth would shake..". What if the church of Jesus did that every day - not just for global change or the global "shizam" - but in love-sick worship for the Living God.
I'm issuing a challenge - dare to believe God for macro-level transformation. You will find that the struggle will challenge you and press you into Him. As you struggle you're forced to become more dependent on His strength. It becomes wonderful to be weak - and your mind becomes more fascinated with Him. This is the object of true Christianity. Prayer is just the vehicle to get us there. I'm wrestling to be hungry enough to actually do it.
Dare to Believe the Father for change. Listen to the mp3 by Lou Engle on our "Resources" page. Take up your Sword. It's not like you need to live out of this place of strength out of default - but let's believe enough to actually do it. Most try it and stop. I don't want to be found in the sleeping and slumbering majority.
Hi there, We will be on mission to Cape Town, South Africa starting early November 2008. I (Robert) just got back from a weeks training with Desert Stream Ministries - receiving healing and training to become a more wholesome healer in sexual / relational brokenness. Oh.....what a week. I am by no means now suddenly qualified. At the same time, Christ qualifies us by the strength of the testimony God gives through His work of progressive healing in our lives. We are all sinners - saved by Grace - but some just need a lot more work!!
All this to say we are excited and by no means "ready" to head out to South Africa. We will likely be there for at least a year and half.
Our main vision for this time is to serve the local church and therefore extend the Kingdom by means of innner and physcial healing and daily prayer / intercession. The context that we will be doing this in is work-in-progress. We have some opportunity so far - but the details are being worked out.
Please pray for energy, grace, major financial covering and provision - and for God to break in miraculously on every level as time marches on toward Nov 2008. There is much to organize in this time - such as our house rental and much much more.
I've many times wondered to myself - what am I doing here at what could be called a modern-day monastery - where humans worship and pray as an occupation. I mean, be honest, say it as it is - it looks weak, unmaterialistic, of no value to society, where the buzz - what's the impact. I count myself amongst those that have scoffed at it - and I even LIVE here.
BUT - God is winning the battle of my mind - and imparting revelation.
Here's the truth. The TRUTH is that Christ Himself uttered the words "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.". Other TRUTHS of similar reference have been spoken. I want to live for a higher calling and I want to pass on the baton that was handed me by my predecessors (parents) to my children. I want to teach my children things that cannot be taught by the best schools & universities in the US or South Africa. I want to pass on to them things of eternal significance / reward.
This calling takes much more than my frail heart and body can offer it. The fact of the matter is that I want to be a history shaper - by the power of the Spirit of God. Let Your Kingdom come God! The glorious reality of this Priestly pursuit is that it takes God to fulfill it - through us - only by His Divine Power can it happen through my life.
What better way to do this than to tap into the ultimate power of Christ and call down the Kingdom of Heaven upon the earth! My desire for that is growing stronger. It's a glorious calling but at the same time it confronts ALL of my weakness and ALL of my insecurity buttons.
Christ be glorified on the earth! Will you answer the Call?
More musing from me pet mouse.......
God impressed something interesting upon me today. It's like He was saying to me "Do you dare to dream? Do you dare to have the faith that will tear down strongholds? Do you dare to believe I can manifest my Kingdom and overcome evil in the Earth? Do you dare to dream to see youth in South Africa (or any other nation) following after Jesus with raw passion?"
I am SEVERELY challenged. At times I feel my faith wilting and being blown around in the wind by the circumstances of life. I'm not a Christian superstar at all! I haven't written a book - I haven't preached that life-defining sermon. God has pursued me to the point that I'm provoked to live beyond the normal strata of the 9-5 life. I'm an average Joe with a weakness for God - and a severe weakness for His affections toward me.
Let him pursue you - let him have your HEART. Cast off restraint. Let Him take you to his banqueting table. This is way way more than a flamboyant verse in Song of Song. Consider this........it means letting him take YOUR HEART - your INNERMOST part of you. It means responding with EMOTION to his EMOTIONS. Cast off restraint toward Him.
I certainly don't claim He has ALL of me - but I know I've surrendered much - and it's fearfully wonderful!
Greetings again,
I've felt God impress upon me to build a culture of prayer (in my own life first). Well it's not a simple task. It requires a shifting of priorities in my life.
I desire to see the Church of Jesus Christ live out a culture of prayer. This is a prayer more than an article. It's way way more than just fulfilling a prayer program or a series of prayer meetings.....it means going back to the original lifestyle of the Acts Church - being fascinated with the Person and Presence of Christ. The Apostles devoted themselves to prayer and the study of the Word.
I believe the House of Prayer movement offers a chance for the church to become the Bride - fascinated with the beauty of Her King. Fascination only comes from spending time with Him - it's as much a corporate reality or practise as it is an individual practise. What I mean is this....corporate prayer is important to the coporate lifestyle of the Church - and individual prayer is important to our inner life. We need to nurture BOTH.
Lose the odd prayer meeting - dedicate a place to start a place of consistent (daily) prayer. And we wonder why Islam gains momentum in the earth.......my prayer is that the Church of Jesus Christ would partner with Her God in intercession and worship in the cities of the earth. Every day in Cape Town, South Africa - prayers to Allah get spewed out over whole neighbourhoods in by the mosques in that city. Jesus is greater and the only one worthy to be worshipped - let the host of Heaven be loosed over Cape Town to declare victory over sin and death - again and again and again.
Have mercy on this nation God. Give your intercessors power to dispel the darkness. Let your Church in Kenya have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying - and the courage to act upon it.
