Jonathan David Helser, his wife Melissa and his team kicked off the School of Worship last night hosted by Central Parks at New Covenant Church Bryanston (NCCB) with a strong clear message about the love of God and being found in Him as the basis for how we worship.

“Our job description is to be known by the radical love that the father has for us. This is what the school of worship will be about,” Helser said in opening and quoted a passage from the Message

Matthew 11:28

^28-30“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Helser went onto to say that rest comes from the Greek word which means recreate and emphasized that there would be a strong focus on creativity at the school, something he spoke about this morning.

Melissa seconded everything her husband said saying she landed in South Africa and felt joy.

“I feel the presence of God here tonight. I felt a tidal wave of joy as we landed and my kids and I just ran through the airport.”

Melissa added her heart for the week was to see people look for His presence and not focus on how to achieve breakthrough in worship.

“As worship leaders we feel if we don’t have breakthrough we have failed. But it is not about breakthrough, but about His presence.

“I believe worship is the space where we sit across the table from Jesus. His love will change you. His gaze will woo you in and you leave renewed,” she said.

Her verse for the week from PS 18 in The Message:

^16-19 But me he caught—reached all the way from sky to sea; he pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit me when I was down, but God stuck by me. He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved—surprised to be loved! 

After some further introductions comments from the band, the team entered into a time of worship.

It was a prolonged time of worship where few songs were sung but the Helser and the team moved from refrain to refrain, singing prophetically over the people.

Jonathan on Creativity:

And so first up this morning, Jonathan spoke on creativity and the heart of worship. He began with some stories about the importance of knowing God.

For example he and Melissa started a photography business a few years ago. They started the business because they loved capturing beauty and they decided they would stop being photographers when the job became more about the science of photography than about capturing beauty.

“You see the scariest thing when leading people is that we can become familiar with God. We can know so much about him, but not know Him.

“As musicians we know so much about music and leading worship but how many of us have come to the place where we don’t know how to play from the heart?”

He then began to unpack the importance of knowing the Father who is our creator.

“You see my son looks just like me. Because he was made by our love and he has our blood in his veins. We look just like God who is a creator. We are made in His image. And so we are doomed to victory, condemned to look just look like our Father,” he said.

What Helser was emphasizing is that if God is a creative God and we are made in His image, and we are therefore by nature creative beings.

“Bill Johnson said recently: what the enemy is most afraid of is God’s children dreaming. The enemy is terrified that the creator will create again but this time through us as we reflect God’s nature.”

However Helser stressed that creativity flows from a place where God has our hearts. He referenced David who broke five of the ten commandments in the incident with Bathsheba and broke many of the rules of worship when bringing the Ark into Jerusalem.

“But God had David’s heart and He is interested in our hearts – He wants a heart connection with his people. And for me that’s what the restoration of David’s tabernacle is about – people’s hearts being turned towards God, where they are defined by what the Father says.

“When we are five we are probably at our most creative, but as we grow older creativity fades. And we become more self conscious and reserved. We let other voices in to define us. But we are no longer slaves to fear!”

And just as Adam named the animals in the garden, partnering with God during creation, so Helser said we have a part to play in defining of the destinies of others – from our kids to those around us.

While the Helser’s ran a photography business they did a wedding for a woman who they described as incredibly insecure. And as they worked with her they focused on the beauty within her.

“And as she got the photographs, she started to cry because she saw she was beautiful. You see we had a part to play in her seeing she was beautiful.”

Helser relates the concept back to the Garden of Eden, where Satan duped Adam and Eve and when God spoke to them, he said, “Who told you, you were naked?”

When Helser was 13 he believed he could not sing because the choir mistress said so.

“Who has told you you cannot sing? Who has told you you’re not an artist? Who has told you you’re not creative? We need to be defined by what God says about us and not what people say about us.”

The school of worship continues this week and finishes on Saturday afternoon. For a list of the sessions, click here.

He’ll blog on the LifeHouse site and you can also check out the following feeds:

http://www.facebook.com/LifeHouseChurchZA

http://www.twitter.com/lifehouseza

The school begins tonight and ends on Saturday. The sessions he expects to attend are in bold. Photos will also go upon Facebook and he hopes to get some video footage too.

20:29 the atmosphere is electric at the school of worship at NCCB as Jonathan David Helser, his wife Melissa, and their team let rip on stage. The focus has really been on free worship and just worshiping Jesus for who He is.

20:31 Its awesome to see musos who’re so in touch with each other and just being sensitive God, to the song, the moment, the people and the moves of the Spirit and what God is doing in people’s lives.

20:32 If you haven’t seen it yet, tweets going out on http://www.twitter.com/lifehouseza.

20:35 seeming endless refrains going out. “”You’ve never given up on me.”

“My feet were made to walk on water”

“Your love it never fails it never ends. Your love it never quits it never stops chasing my soul.”

20:38 if you haven’t see it yet pics up on http://www.facebook.com/lifehousechurchza

20:40 Earlier in the evening it was interesting to see the Helsers speak about their love for South Africa and how they’ve seen several South Africans come to their community and go through their school of worship.

The couple are wild and abandoned people who are anything but conventional. And yet their passion for Jesus is infectious.

They have a growing ministry having just come from a conference in the Middle East in Dubai.

20:44 “Unfailing love met me in my brokenness. You came running and you won’t let me go. You set me free when you shone over me.”

20:48 Earlier in the evening Melissa was talking about how her kids felt safe, saying that the house they were staying in felt like home. She said its a great sign and that whenever her kids feel safe they call somewhere home.

Its a profound picture of the family of God. That actually we can worship with people from across the world. People who have no frame of reference for what church we come from, who we are, where we work… but we can still worship together because we worship the same Jesus.

20:52 Signing off. Check the program below for more information. You can register for a day and the evenings are free.

21:02 It goes on. Albums been given away…

21:05 school of worship: any prophetic words for the week email to admin@centralparks.co.za

21:09 Helser says they’ll go for another hour.

21:10 Melissa takes up Jonathan’s guitar to sing a song she’s written on their latest album.

21:11 Melissa sings Redemption Rain.

Couldn’t find it on YouTube, but here is a song from Melissa:

22:01 More photos posted on Facebook.

19h00-22h00
School of Worship kicks off. Worship followed by
TEAM INTRO AND INTRO TO SOW 2012 BY JONATHAN AND MELLISSA HELSER

THURSDAY 12 APRIL

09h30
Worship followed by
SESSION 1: CREATIVITY & THE HEART OF WORSHIP (JONATHAN HELSER)
Main Auditorium

14h00-15h30
Electives – Set 1 (Delegates to sign up for one in the morning at the registration tables.)

ELECTIVE A: SONGWRITING: MARRYING MUSIC WITH STORYTELLING (JAKE STEVENS)
Main Auditorium
Learning to document the seasons of your life through song: writing in proclamation, writing process, and writing in repentance; song structure, time signatures, lyricism and rhyming schemes. Followed by Q & A session.

OR

ELECTIVE B: DRUMS (JOEL CASE)
Breakaway Room 1
This is for drummers and those aspiring to be! Come to listen and talk about anything regarding drums and rhythm: practically and technically in worship. This is about crafting your sound, and your passion. Followed by Q&A.

15h45-17h30
SESSION 2: WORSHIP: THE JOURNEY OF GETTING TO KNOW GOD (JOEL CASE)
Main Auditorium
Explore creative and practical ways to worship and engage God. This is all about who God is, and who He wants to be for you. Our worship is in response to who He is for us along our journey.

19h00 – 22h00
ENCOUNTER EVENING
Open to the public. City wide celebration.

FRIDAY 13 APRIL

09h30
Worship followed by
SESSION 3: DISCOVERING YOUR BREAKTHROUGH SONG (MELISSA HELSER)
Main Auditorium

14h00-15h30
Electives – Set 2 (Delegates to sign up for one in the morning at the registration tables.)

ELECTIVE C: LEADING WORSHIP (JONATHAN HELSER)
Main Auditorium
Exploring the heart of worship and the joy of leading. We’ll talk about keys to sustaining the heart on and off stage, and how to cultivate your own sound. Followed by Q&A.

OR

ELECTIVE D: ELECTRIC GUITAR: DISCOVERING YOUR SOUND: (JAKE STEVENS)
Breakaway Room 1
This elective will explore the role of an electric lead player musically; the importance of being influenced; gear; prophetic times of worship; instrumental worship; agenda free worship; and cultivating your sound on your instrument. Followed by Q&A.

OR

ELECTIVE E: PROPHETIC ART: (LISA FLAUM)
Breakaway Room 2

15h45-17h30
Electives – Set 3 (Delegates to sign up for one in the morning at the registration tables.)

ELECTIVE F: CREATIVE AUDIO MIXING FOR WORSHIP (STEPHEN PRICE)
Main Auditorium
This elective will explore some of the depths of creatively mixing music in worship. It will cover setting oneself up for a creative mix, mixing from the heart, and the cultivating the peace of the Lord in everything.

OR

ELECTIVE G: DISCOVERING YOUR SOUND (MELISSA HELSER)
Breakaway Room 1
This workshop will explore the beauty of the sound of your life and finding the spontaneous song that lives inside.  We will practically do an exercise on opening your well.  This is not a workshop only for singers, but for anyone desiring to find their voice.

19h00 – 22h00
ENCOUNTER EVENING
Main Auditorium
Open to the public. City wide celebration.

SATURDAY 14 APRIL

09h30 – 12h30
Worship followed by
SESSION 4: LIFE AS A TEAM: (JONATHAN, MELISSA, JOEL, JAKE & STEPHEN)
Main Auditorium
In this interactive session, the whole band will share on how to be a team, to flow in the spirit and cultivate community. Followed by Q&A.

14h00-15h45
SESSION 5: MARRIAGE & MINISTRY: (JONATHAN & MELISSA HELSER)
Main Auditorium
One can put a thousand and two ten thousand…Jonathan and Melissa will talk about enjoying the Lord and working together in ministry, finding the power and beauty of friendship ministering along side one another.  This will be a time a stories and sharing from there life experiences in marriage, parenting, pioneering and leading schools and internships, leading worship and doing full time ministry with a family.  Come ready to discover the beauty of marriage in the Kingdom.

16h00-18h00
SESSION 6: PROPHETIC WORSHIP AND WRAP UP WITH Q&A: (JONATHAN HELSER)
Main Auditorium
This class will be a time to dive deeper into the adventure of prophetic worship, to break off the fear and activate the voice you have been given.

By Steve Whitford

Watching Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, featuring Russell Crowe, again on PVR I realised the movie has some profound thoughts on sonship and inheritance.

You probably wouldn’t think that an action movie about a thief in the middle ages, where the long-time partnership between the director and lead actor of Gladiator is renewed, would have anything to do with the gospel. However the messages in the movie and the gospel are strikingly similar.

The movie is a departure from the traditional Robin Hood story. Robin Longstride (Crowe), is the son of a visionary. His father sought to limit the powers of the King and his ability to tax the people through a legal charter. The movie pulls from history, while adding the generous brush of Hollywood.

Back to Longstride – after his father is murdered in front of him by the King’s men, Longstride grows up and becomes an archer in Sir Richard the Lionheart’s army. However he carries few of the values his father taught him.

When Longstride is unjustly singled out by the Lionheart for discipline and the king is killed the next day in battle, he becomes a deserter and heads back to England. On the way, he encounters an ambush on the the Lionheart’s right hand man, Robert Loxley and several of the king’s knights who are taking the king’s crown back to England.

There Longstride promises a dying Loxley that he will return the man’s sword to his father in Nottingham.

In Nottingham, Longstride finds Sir Walter Loxley to be a blind old man with no heir. As it turns out, Walter was a friend of Longstride’s father. An amazing thing happens in the movie at that point. Walter realises if he dies with no heir, his land will be ceded to the crown, so he announces Longstride as his son, claiming he has returned from the crusades.

Longstride’s not about to pass over the opportunity for ownership of land and a beautiful wife in the form of Marion, so he agrees to the deal. In many ways Walter’s decision is an act of adoption. And as Longstride lives as Robert Loxley, he becomes him.

The gospel

How is this like the gospel? We, like Robin, have the ancestry of Adam, whom God created. But through circumstance we inherit an unfavourable life.

And then one day we meet a loving father who adopts us as His children. We receive an inheritance that we never asked for, nor could we ever have imagined.

As Longstride’s past unfolds before him, he starts to remember his father, he recalls how he died. And as he lives with Marion, he becomes a loving husband to her. He becomes Robert Loxley and is no longer Robin Longstride.

In the beginning of the movie when the real Robert Loxley dies in the ambush, he asks Longstride to return the sword for the sake of a love between a father and a son. Longstride says he knows no such love.

Yet as he becomes Robert Loxley, he begins to fight for his new family and more than that, for the ideals Walter Loxley and his father stood for. He begins the journey to having his birthright and his calling restored.

Robin’s journey to become Robert is a difficult one. He goes from being fatherless to being a son and husband. He goes from having no responsibilities to having to provide for the people on his land. He has to leave his wife and family to travel to confront King John. And he is outlawed for what he believes in.

Our journey can be just as difficult as we walk out our salvation (Phillipians 2:12), but as sons and daughters we have gained more than we ever could have dreamed of.

And our Father in heaven is committed to seeing us transformed into the men and women He always intended us to be.

When Israel traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land they changed from being slaves to being a people who God has chosen. They went from owning nothing to owning their own land. They went from living in a land God did not intend for them, to living in the promises that God had given to Abraham.

I finished the movie inspired to live as a son in the inheritance God has for me, to live like Robert Loxley and not Robin Longstride.

Prizing the Presence of God (morning)

Serving Others and Your City (evening)

As LifeHouse Church goes through a challenging season around finding our own venue and walking into the things God has for us as a local body of believers, I’ve had several things stirring in my heart around following the cloud and what’s required of us as His church in this season as we follow God into our future.

(Before we get too spiritual, when I mention the cloud I’m referring to Exodus where God’s presence went before the people as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The themes below are pictorial in nature to illustrate the point.)

Let me begin by saying that we should not forget that desert seasons are actually all about the Promised Land. This is my fifth point, but in many ways it should be my first point. If you think of the promise given to Abraham and his descendants, this is what God had predestined for them.

In many ways I think the desert is about preparing people for the Promised Land on the inside before they experience it on the outside. So, here we go: five things to remember when you’re following the cloud in the desert.

1) It’s a season of the supernatural.

In Exodus 13, it says God did not lead people through the land of the Philistines, but God led them straight to the Red Sea. In other words, He led them straight into an impossible situation, caught between the ocean and the Egyptians, who would later pursue them.

 While it might be hard to understand at first why God would put them in an impossible situation, the story reveals God’s wisdom because in the end, Israel was rid of their enemy forever. The miracle of the Red Sea was not only the parting of the water, but total freedom from Pharaoh.

 It set the precedent for God’s supernatural intervention in the lives of His people. It was a season of His provision and the breaking of chains that had held His people back for so long. I refer not only to the way of life Israel had adopted in Egypt, but also to the Egyptians.

 When we follow the cloud through the desert, we become as reliant on God breaking through for us supernaturally as a baby relies on a mother for food and care.

 2)  The cloud (God) goes where it wants.

 No doubt every one of us wants to take the shortest route with the least amount of pain, but God understood His people and what they needed.

 The cloud led the nation to Mount Sinai where a new dispensation was received and the people had to follow the cloud wherever it went – they had to move when it moved.

 This is, of course, inconvenient. What if we wouldn’t choose this route? What if the rest periods are shorter than we’d hoped for and the journey between stops is longer than we’d like? What if we go over mountains and through valleys and don’t follow the contour lines?

 When we follow the cloud, we have to go the way it goes, whatever the implications.

 3) It all looks the same.

 Another challenging thing in the desert is that everything looks the same. Sand dunes look like sand dunes, look like sand dunes look like mirages of sand dunes.

 Seeing the same thing over and over again when we are so desperate for change often leads to us seeing things that aren’t there.

 This can end in disappointment when we realise we have not reached what we were hoping for.

 Having said that, let’s not forget that God provided manna from heaven, quail to eat, clothes that did not wear out and water from rocks.

 We need to allow God’s provision to sustain us and to encourage ourselves with what He is doing – not allowing the seemingly perpetual season to discourage us.

 4) ‘n Boer maak ‘n plan.

 While we may have to adapt to being in the desert, it’s not the time to take matters into our own hands – it’s not the time for ‘n boer maak ‘n plan.

 A golden calf (Exodus 32) and Moses striking the rock (Numbers 20) are examples of where what God wanted was not followed. In both cases the consequences were dire. In Exodus, 3000 men died as a result of Israel’s idolatry and Moses did not enter the Promised Land, well not until he stood with Jesus in it anyway on the mount of Transfiguration.

 It’s similar to point 2 in that it’s about us taking control.  Being in the desert is not about being in control, but allowing God to take us through to the Promised Land.

 5) There is a destination He will lead us to.

 Coming back to the Promised Land, of course the Israelites reached it. But how you enter and how you win the battles in the Promised Land are really important.

 In Deuteronomy 22 God promised to drive out the nations before the Israelites saying that no one would be able to stand against them, if they loved Him and followed His ways.

 One of the reasons for the desert is it teaches us to do it God’s way and not our own. And God’s way is to drive out the giants before us, not for us to do it in our own strength.

 I love Ryan Matthews’ response to a question at LifeGroup on Wednesday night – why are we here on earth and not in heaven?

 He said Jesus taught us to pray – Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

 Ryan said God has placed us here to bring heaven to earth and if you think about it, in heaven every knee bows to Jesus. He has all authority and in Revelations 19 rides a white horse in front of the armies of heaven.

 It’s an exciting season for LifeHouse Church because although it has its challenges, God is meeting us in an amazing way, and taking us through the desert to the place He has for us – spiritually and physically.

And so to finish, here’s an exhortation:

Hebrews 12:1-3

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

1) Where did you grow up?

Johannesburg , on a small holding in Farmall.

2) Where did you go to school?

NOOITGEDACHT PRIMRY SCHOOL; AND PARKTOWN BOYS’ HIGH [Eds note: In caps too... I think he was trying to make a point ]

3) Did you study at University? If so what did you study?

University of Pretoria and University of Zululand: Human Movement Science and Biokinetics.

4) Where have you/do you work?

I own my own practice. We operate out of Rivonia , Park Town Boys, Fed Group, and we do home visits. [Eds note: Justin does a lot of work with people who have been seriously affected by car accidents.]

5) How did you meet your wife?

At my house. Braai. Friend brought her along to a Springbok vs Engand rugby match. I can’t remember the score

For more Jeffery charm, check out the video below of Justin sharing some thoughts on the Marriage Matters course.

6) How long have you been married?

In our seventh year. We were married in October 2004.

7) When did you become a Christian?

Brought up in a Christian household. I fully declared my love for Christ at a fairly young age. Not sure when, always been there and there abouts.

Book in the bible which you’ve been impacted by and why?

Isaiah – find the history and character of the book amazing. I can’t believe so much written so long ago parallels our life today.

9) A tough lesson you’ve had to learn in your faith?

Some people find Christians and our faith offensive.

10) Where do you hope LifeHouse Church will be in a year’s time? How might it be different from now?

Never given it much thought, but I would like it to remain family orientated and personal and hopefully situated on our destined land on Cedar road.

Fun Questions

1) Favorite holiday destination?

San Diego.

2) Best holiday you ever had?

Botswana 2008.

3) Country you would most like to visit?

Antartica or Southern Chile

4) Favorite movies(s)?

Rudy, and Braveheart.

5) Favorite Book?

The Shack, and any John Grisham book.

6) Favorite restaurant?

Currently Celestinos.

7) Favorite meal?

Mozambican prawns.

Favourite dessert?

Not big on sweets.

9) Best coffee shop excluding LifeHouse?

Gecko Lounge – Port St John’s Transkei.

10) Hours per week spent on Facebook? Be honest now.

One. 10 min per day.

Our Life Groups meet on Wednesdays. The venues and contact details of the leaders and hosts are as follows:

BRYANSTON

Darius and Kay Agenbag

Contact: 082 802-7135 (Darius); 082 456 6102 (Kay).

Darius on Facebook.

Kay on Facebook.

Venue: 5 Balmoral Drive Extension 8 Bryanston. To see the address on Google maps, click here.

DOUGLASDALE

Steve and Helen Stavrou

Contact: 083 262 1505 (Steve); 083 650 7379 (Helen)

Steve on Facebook.

Helen on Facebook.

Hosted by: Kerrin and Kerry Lynch 011 467 3583 (home);  083 381 0702 (Kerrin); 083 365 7349 (Kerry).

Venue: 28 Redberry Hill, Crawford Ave Douglasdale. To see the address on Google maps, click here.

FARMALL/CHARTWELL

Justin and Minnie Jeffrey

Contact: 072 952 4824 (Justin); 082 825 8112 (Minnie).

Justin on Facebook.

Minnie on Facebook

Venue: Plot 43, Rietvallei Road, Farmall, Chartwell. To see the address on Google maps, click here.

FOURWAYS

Ian and Katie Dornan

Contact:  083 296 5842 (Ian); 083 668 6604 (Katie)

Ian on Facebook.

Katie on Facebook.

Venue: 9 Plover Street Fourways. To see the address on Google maps, click here.

JUKSKEI PARK

Gary and Louise Bradshaw

Contact: 083 648 3210 (Gary); 082 885 4679 (Louise).

Gary on Facebook.

Louise on Facebook.

Venue: 15 Chroom Street Jukskei Park. To see the address on Google maps, click here.

Hosted by: Steve and Bron Whitford – 083 459 7755 (Steve); 083 501 4868 (Bron).

And as always, please use the share buttons below.

God’s definitely highlighting something around the biblical story of Gideon and His desire to move supernaturally on behalf of His people.

Gary ministering at The Tribe

The Gideon reference has come up twice in two weeks for me. First off was at The Tribe where the Bradshaws and a small team of LifeHousers went to minister to Stu and Jen Agnew, and their congregation.

While praying that Sunday afternoon before the Tribe’s meeting, I thought about Gideon (Judges 6) as he is called by God and breaks down his father’s alter to Baal. The story continues with the Midianites coming to attack Israel.

While Gideon starts with 32 000 soldiers, God tells Gideon to let everyone who is afraid go, which results in 22 000 men leaving. Then God shows Gideon who He will select to fight the battle and picks 300 out of the remaining 10 000 men.

After Gideon scouts the Midianite camp and overhears a soldier talking about a dream about how God is about to hand the Midianites over to Gideon, Gideon and 300 Israelites gather around the Midianites and break open jars, shouting, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” God then throws the Midianites into confusion and we later find out that 120 000 Midianites kill each other.

Gideon and his 300 men chase down the remaining 15 000 in Judges 8 and rout them, capturing their kings. Gideon was outnumbered 450 times over (300 Israelites vs. 135 000 Midianites). But God still won the victory for them.

From this story I felt three points pertained to The Tribe:

1) That people would be freed from idols and snares.
2) That people would be freed from their fear.
3) That God would move supernaturally on behalf of the Tribe.

It seemed therefore a little more than coincidental when Steve Stavrou called the church to pray for Gary and Louise on Sunday,and the people ended up praying, “A sword for the Lord and a sword for Gary.” (Judges 7:19)

It’s a time of big things for LifeHouse Church and I’m not just talking about securing a permanent venue to meet at.

I believe God is spearheading something through the Bradshaws for LifeHouse Church. Gary ministered the same message he preached two weeks ago at LifeHouse Church at the Tribe and then moved on to pray for people and share what he felt God wanted to say to them at that time. God really used him and the team to lift the heads of the people at The Tribe.

There was a similar sense yesterday with the Gary and Louise ministering amazingly around loving God. There is such a sense of God using them to spearhead us into something new.

And so I find myself wondering what were the 300 men who God chose like? How were they different? Was God being random or did He pick men of faith who were prepared to follow Gideon into anything?

As LifeHouse Church gathered around Gary and Louise on Sunday, I found myself wondering how will we be different? Will we be like the 300 men who believed in God and followed Gideon against ridiculous odds! Let everyone at LifeHouse choose to be like those men, for surely God will break in for us, just as He did for them?!

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I’ve been feeling quite strongly that the Church and its people are entering some critical battles. It’s crunch time for many congregations, businesses, marriages and even people’s belief in God.

Amidst all of this, I’ve really felt God start to speak in the most amazing way. Firstly, I have had the below song – Burning Ones – on my heart for some time now.

The song is sung by Jesus Culture and while the words may be a little ambiguous, they’ve explained it nicely here.

The song draws on scriptures like Ps 97 where God is described in the context of fire and how it consumes His enemies and melts the mountains like wax. And in Joel 2: A people who burn like God is described.

Along with the song, I’ve also been drawn to the story of Jehosophat in 1 Kings 22:

When the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat, he prays to God for deliverance and gets a word of assurance. So he leads the Israelite army into battle, but uses an amazing strategy, sending a choir at the front of the army! And God moves on His people’s behalf and they don’t even have to fight the enemy.

And while God speaks amazing encouragement, things aren’t easy. At Lifegroup on Wednesday several people spoke about how they are in a tough place financially or are facing several ‘giants’. As we prayed there was a strong focus on doing everything to stand, but also on focusing on God and allowing Him to change us through the situation into what He wants us to be.

The next day, news broke of the Arena Royale being closed by the Broadacres Shopping Centre and the sheriff of the court.

But as we enter these critical battles, this is the time to set ourselves on fire spiritually and worship God because He will do great things for us. And it has already begun. Gary sent out an email late on Friday night telling the church that we have secured Dainfern College to meet at on Sunday.

In our Lifegroup, testimonies flowed in after Wednesday of deals being signed and funding being secured.

As per Gary’s email to the church, God is moving like the cloud in the desert and we need to move with him. And like Jehsophat and the Israelites, I think a key part of moving through this season is going to be worshiping our great God.

So whether its putting a CD on at home, or picking up your instrument if you are a muso, I believe it’s time to go to war (worship) in both a personal context and corporately. It’s time to burn!

Let us be like the people in Joel 2:

6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;
every face turns pale.
7 They charge like warriors;
they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,
not swerving from their course.
8 They do not jostle each other;
each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
without breaking ranks.
9 They rush upon the city;
they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;
like thieves they enter through the windows.

10 Before them the earth shakes,
the heavens tremble,
the sun and moon are darkened,
and the stars no longer shine.
11 The LORD thunders
at the head of His army;
His forces are beyond number,
and mighty is the army that obeys His command.

And now for something a little more light hearted… thinking of burning ones reminded me of this so I had to include it!

See you Sunday!