Yesterday @ NewSpring we got to hear from the heart of God via the ever entertaining mouthpiece of Claytonn King. I wrote a lot in my journal yesterday as i listened to CK bring the sauce-- His main question posed yesterday was 'wether we had gathered @ church to celebrate a MEETING or a MOVEMENT?'... I love the way he unpacked the 4th Chapter of Acts (v. 1-22)-- GO READ IT--

CK then pointed out 3 characteristics of MEETINGS:
-Constant Questions
-Frequent Criticism
-Battle For Control

And then 3 characteristics of MOVEMENTS:
-Spirit Initiated
-Jesus Centered
-Undeniable

*But like many of us... i'm thick-headed and hadn't really grasped the depth of what God was trying to say to me yesterday-- He had to reiterate and emphasize it another way*

He used a friend and co-worker to do so. Lindsay Owens or "Lili" as she's known around the NS crew gave me an article by John Piper that she had read last wk... and to be honest it had sat on my desk for the better part of 4 days (sorry Lili) - but i read it last night and God slapped me around a little bit.

WHAT REALLY SEPARATES MEETINGS AND MOVEMENTS? 1 Thing... the HOLY SPIRIT...

Marinate on that for a moment....... Here's the traction in my life... I ask for the Holy Spirit to bless our meetings ALL THE TIME... but How Much Time do i spend looking to see WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALREADY "DOING WORK" (like my boys Rob & Big) and then I MOVE TO JOIN HIS WORK??? This concept is not contemporary... but i definitely needed it to be revived in my life. God reminded me of the WHOLE OF EXODUS... In this book we dont find God's people in control... They dont move as they please... THEY ARE COMPLETELY ENSLAVED! They are beaten... exploited... dominated by their world... a force that has control over them. The book is not a story of how they prayed and God blesses their present condition. GOD HAD MUCH BIGGER PLANS IN MIND FOR THEM!!! God HAS MUCH BIGGER PLANS IN MIND FOR US... God sends HIMSELF in SPIRIT FORM on MULTIPLE OCCASIONS to PROVIDE REDEMPTION... FREEDOM... LIBERATION... DELIVERANCE --- But God's people HAVE TO ACT! They have to paint their doors with lamb's blood (Ex 12)... or they have to "MOVE" in Exodus 14:15... WHY... BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS DOING WORK... (Parting the RED SEA) AND IF THEY WANT TO BE DELIVERED THEY HAD BETTER MOVE!!!

*WE HAD BETTER MOVE*--- GOD MOVES --- WE MOVE! God reminded me that He doesnt want to 'Bless' my current condition. He HAS MUCH MORE IN MIND! In our lives we TOO ARE ENSLAVED... ADDICTED... AND GOD WANTS TO DELIVER ME!!! US... Be BOLD! LEAN ON God's POWER!

One Love

One Love