The day has not been what we maybe expected. On the one hand, wonderfully, where Christine & Alyssa are gathered there is frequently laughter - so there has been amusement in the midst of everything - but on the other hand there is a heavy soberness in my heart and a reverence for God as He answers prayer and deals with His children.
Today it felt a little like I was singled out by the Lord to be dealt with, but in His economy it is never just the individual - we are so connected with the Body that the Lord dealing with one cannot help but affect others. Many of us have been praying & crying out as we have been surrendering our lives to God, 'Lord, cleanse me, purify me, strip me of everything that hinders Your work, let me, my self-nature, die so that You - who are the Hope of the Nations - might live and move in me'...and indeed, this has been my cry, especially as we came on this mission and into a new place of dependency and faith for what God is going to do here in this time. Our God is faithful to answer, yet the answer doesn't often look like what we want it to look like.
The warfare was intense as we came to worship this morning and I felt a desperate need to push back darkness by exalting and proclaiming the name of Jesus. As a slight aside from the point, one passage of scripture that has been speaking so deeply to me these last weeks is Ephesians 3:8-12
"To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him."
What especially struck me, which the Holy Spirit has been teaching me about, is that the intent of the church is that it should make known the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. I won't go into all that now, suffice to say, this morning there was great need to make God's power, wisdom, truth & name known to the powers of darkness in the heavenly realms!
Paul (of Paul & Kath fame, as oppose to Paul the apostle) said during the morning that 'we can be our own worst enemy'. Sometimes that seems to be so. If there is darkness dwelling in you, darkness in the heavenly realms doesn't seem to act so quick to flee, because even as the name of Jesus is being lifted up, a part of you harbouring darkness is attracting darkness rather than the Light. Our God is faithful to answer and to shine His light on His children who, blinded at times, He promised to set free and deliver and save to the uttermost.
I praise God for the gift of repentance, for the gift of Jesus Christ who died, taking my sin on Himself and making a way for me to be reconciled to the Father, and for the forgiveness He grants as we confess our sin. The exposure is painful. It is humbling. It reminds me of God's grace and mercy. It encourages me that the Lord will not relent until He has all of me. I am blessed to have brothers and sisters who forgive me and release me from debt, and by God's power to restore and heal everything that the enemy has intended for evil and worked in our relationships. Our God is always faithful and never fails.
"For His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
A note of encouragement - Christine and Alyssa are doing just wonderfully. Christine wanted me to tell you that she is perfect, but she knew that many of you knew her... Still, she's definitely heading that direction!!! As is Alyssa. They are a joy to be around.
A note for prayer - back home in Cleveland, the Christine's garage was broken into yesterday and a number of bikes belonging to her and her housemates were stolen. Please pray against the distraction tactics of the enemy!
A note of thanks - to you, our faithful friends, intercessors, supporters and senders-of-love - we love you and pray God's blessing on you as you bless us with your prayers & love.
A note of hope - weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Please pray for the fullness of repentance, rooting out, tearing down of strongholds and restoration - and the expectation of joy in the morning.
Goodnight all!
Clare
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