Friday, February 19, 2016

Technical difficulties

My sincere apologies.  Blogger and I are in a battle right now... I just lost over 2 hours of typing for my Friday morning post and I'm a bit frustrated.  I even saved as I went! Grrrr...... Anyway, it will be far easier and quicker to post when I get home tomorrow evening.  This iPad is very challenging to work with.  Rest assured we are being blessed beyond measure here at Winterfire 2016!!

Winterfire 2016 - Thursday evening

So... here we are again at Winterfire ministry conference!  So excited that God has allowed us to be here once again!  Although I am not particularly a fan of the music this year, the messages from the first two of nine preachers did NOT disappoint... The voice of God was very clear this evening.  

Bro. Jon Petoskey - Transformed

The theme of this conference is "Transformed".  Bro. Petoskey kicked off the service addressing the process of transformation.  Being transformed By God means being vulnerable.  It means you have to be willing to change.  It means upsetting your comfort zone.  Transformation is a painful process.  When you are in this process, others will not understand it.  They will wound you with their hurtful, even hateful words, and if you let it, it can poison your attitude and cause you to reconsider the process.  
     Some people resist being transformed by God, and would rather allow their ministry to die than endure the pain of transformation.  They are unwilling to be vulnerable, and they cave in to the haters.  
      What makes the process successful is when you can say "God, I don't like this pain, I don't like this path, but I trust You!"  His grace is sufficient because His strength is made perfect in weakness.  
     In a moment, God transforms darkness to light, rivers to dry land.  You will NEVER be spiritual enough, your programs will NEVER be effective enough, to do the work of God in this last hour.  You will need to rely on the transforming power of God to do the work.

Bro. David K. Bernard - So,  Build the Wall

Nehemiah 4:6
     The devil fights against revival, but God has a plan and a purpose, and if we will connect with God's plan and purpose, we WILL have revival!
     The people of Israel were trying to do God's work but the devil (Sanballet and Tobias) showed up to hinder them, to try to put a stop to God's plan and purpose.  They were naysayers, telling Nehemiah "You can't do this."  They were angry that the work of God was being accomplished, and breathing threats, and mocking them and God.  But the people of Gid did NOT stop their work!    You don't win the battle by compromising or giving in to the threats and mockery of the enemy.  You win the battle by continuing the work!
      The world is hungry for something real.  And while we are busy stage- managing our production so as not to offend anyone, they are actually WANTING the power of God that we possess!  They want the demonstration of power of the Spirit of God to touch and change their life.
     One of the devil's tactics is to bring an argumentative spirit to interrupt the work of God.  But our response should not be to entertain that spirit with a response, but to say "I'm not here to argue or debate, I'm here to do the work God called me to do,". That work includes prayer meetings, bible studies, church services, soul winning, interceding, etc.  I don't have time to write a treatise about the culture of the Northeast...I don't have time to be discouraged...I'm too busy win I g souls and building a church!  I'm building the wall!
     The only power the devil has is bluff.  However, he is already defeated.  If you can call his bluff, he has no power against you.  You just go to God in prayer.  He knows the strategy needed to call the devil's bluff.
     It's not always glamorous. It's daily work.  Work and pray.  Work and pray.  Work and pray.  Unity is the key to revival.  We need to rally around churches that are struggling.  The devil will wish he had left us alone, because now we're stirred up!  Now we're praying like we've never prayed before!  
     If you have a mind to work, God will fight for you and back you up.  so... Build the wall.