God’s Punctuation

As 2007 comes to a close and the New Year draws ever nearer excitement builds about the new season in life that lies ahead. It is commonly believed by many that a New Year offers new opportunities, new possibilities and new goal and targets. And as the commencement of January looms, the main thing running through my head (and probably the heads of spiritual leaders up and down the country), is what is God saying for 2008? At this time of the year the focus for the leader always turns to discerning God’s agenda for the new season. Congregants look expectantly for fresh vision and fresh direction for the fresh year that has arrived. Christians turn out looking to be energised and excited about the new thing, the new task and assignment that God has given to be fulfilled. I suppose one of the main questions consuming my mind is – What if there is no fresh vision? What if the vision remains the same? What if the message that God is saying isn’t about new direction but essentially is about discovering the original direction that He set out for his church centuries ago? What if the task and assignment remains the same as it’s always been- seeing heaven changing earth. That being said I do sense a new season in God and now more than ever before I really sense an excitement about the New Year. In the midst of the excitement bursting within my spirit is the challenging task of trying to take the information and insight and piece them together to discover the message that heaven is writing upon the heart. This task is one that I find is never easy, never happens over night and normally involves a holy spirit light bulb moment where suddenly the final piece comes into place and the mosaic of information shows the final, bigger picture.  The picture that I see right now isn’t one of drastic change of direction or new revelatory vision but rather one that involves rediscovering our identity as a church. I have been somewhat confused, maybe challenged is a better word, by what I believe God is saying. My approach in ministry has always been to build for His presence believing that when His presence is in His house His will will be done and His Kingdom will come. This approach has always seemed to have been met with the grunting ‘amens’ of approval and always seemed to fit well my theological approach of not seeking manifestations but seeking the manifestor. However my confusion arises from what I perceive to be a call from God to chase after a particular manifestation of His presence- healing.  Life at Greenock Elim has been going well recently. We have seen a measure of growth within the church in all areas; worship, gifts, ministries, numbers and most importantly the sense of God in the place. If Greenock Elim were to continue on this trend then the church would slowly build itself up into a reasonably strong church but I believe that God’s agenda is for bigger and greater, to fulfil his agenda on a much more rapid timescale. This is both exciting and challenging, and if honest frightening, as I immediately begin to stress and panic about the coping mechanisms that need to be in place if God were to move to such extents and at such a speed. As I pray about these things the response always seems to be the same; a gentle redirecting to what is identified as the key to unlock this dream as a reality - healing! God does desire to grow Greenock Elim, and His church in general, rapidly and the mechanism He plans to use is healing. I suppose it strikes me as obvious that this would be God’s divine key as this was what He used time and time again in the gospels to initiate the growth of His kingdom which happened at a phenomenal rate and speed. But despite this I remained challenged by the fact that that which God plans to use to unlock His kingdom isn’t some new vision and direction, it isn’t some new theological revelation that is filling the book stands and religious TV shows just now- its something really rather original and obvious and well … old! Again I ask the question do we sometimes complicate what God plans to be simple? As I’ve been chewing on the revelations in my spirit trying to avoid spiritual indigestion, the verse that I constantly return to is one I heard recently being preached on the TV. As we have heard, so have we seen Psalm 48:8 I have heard so much about healing and miracles but I believe God is calling for a new season in which we begin to see it and realize it, a time in which the supernatural returns to being the natural within God’s house. When His people start talking the language of His kingdom which isn’t debates, discussions and theological mind numbing arguments but is simply and purely miracles, healing, deliverance, forgiveness and life! This I find to be the language of Calvary and the words that Jesus pronounces over His subjects and this I find to be the message that we are called to communicate. Jesus message on this earth was clear- repent of your sins and turn to God- but His message was one that was punctuated with the miraculous. Could it be that if we simply just started speaking the message of God in the language of God that growth and harvest could be unlocked? I think so and well… I plan to find out! Fraser