Grace In Flood

A Grace church in Newcastle NSW

2011-08-06T03:52:00.001+02:00

Hi All

Some great news.

A grace based church has opened in the Newcastle area, New South Wales.

Address: 13 Kelton Street. Cardiff.

Meeting times:Wednesday @ 19h00.

Saturday @ 16h00.

Contact: Michael on 0421 274 770.

The Love Of God

2010-09-20T12:02:00.001+02:00

Romans 5v5 (NKJ): Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our

hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Does this blow anyone elses mind. The love of God in our hearts?

The same love that is love. The same love that sent His Son?

In your heart. In your new creation heart.

Wonder what we are supposed to do with all this love?

book

2010-03-08T06:49:00.001+02:00

UPCOMING RELEASE: 'A Matter of Life and Death' - Wayne Duncan

This new 196 page grace bomb is about to make things hectic for legalists!

Official release date:

17 March 2010 at the Glory and Grace Conference South Africa
Contact duncansportedward@telkomsa.net
Wayne Duncan's new book 'A Matter of Life and Death' is an insightful look at how to read the Bible through New Covenant lenses. Packed with revelation and solid grace-based theology, this is another sequential building block in the grand masterpiece that God is unveiling across the world today - His grace revolution!

This book will effectively show you how to distinguish between the two ministries of the old and new covenant, and equip you to read the Bible in a whole new way. It will bring you into a deeper understanding of who Jesus is, what He did and who you truly are as a result.

Steve Wheeler -"In 'A Matter of Life and death' Wayne Duncan does a superb job of unpacking the Bible as a 'dangerously' powerful book."

Upcoming book release! He Qualifies You! by Chad Mansbridge

2010-02-02T18:50:00.001+02:00

Hey guys

We're happy to announce our latest book release that will officially be launched on 14th February 2010!

Click cover to check out the back cover and contents page + more info.

'He Qualifies You!' by Chad Mansbridge (Hardcover! 80pages)

Official launch @ City Church International Hong Kong, 14 February where Chad will be ministering.
Check out: www.baysidechurch.org.au for great teaching mp3's by Chad (free!)

Here's what some are saying about Chad's book:

"Chad Mansbridge illuminates the Cross as the great divide in human history. His book is intelligent, challenging and important. Read it and experience the freedom of God's grace like never before."

Andrew Farley - Bestselling Author "The Naked Gospel"

"It is impossible to be an effective, true to the Bible, Jesus follower without reaching one's own convictions on this majestic subject. Chad has provided a most outstanding outline for every believer to explore their faith around. It is not just a read. It is a journey of revelation."

Chris Weinand - Pastor, Southlands Church International, California

"This presentation is precisely what is needed to precipitate perfect peace for those who have been ambushed by ambiguity, scarred by schizophrenic religion, and blurred or bullied out of their inheritance."

Rob Rufus - Pastor, City Church International, Hong Kong

"I would recommend this book to anyone who has any confusion about how the law covenant is completely obsolete, and especially those who are struggling to grasp grace. this book clears it all up and releases a wonderful joy that comes with the discovery of the truth. It is my absolute pleasure to publish this book and I look forward to Chad's next!"

Ryan Rufus - New Nature Publications

$95HKD Free delivery!

Blessings

Ryan Rufus

A prophetic word from Cathy Moolman...

2010-01-25T20:32:00.001+02:00

We feel this is the voice of Father at this time...awesome!

A Word From My Dad

Firstly, my Child I want you to know how High, how deep and how wide my Love is for you. You seem amazedWhy? Would I have sacrificed

My only Son if it were not for Love No certainly not. You will one day know the full extent of My Love for you. But I am teaching you about love. The Love that I hold in My heart for you. I see that look on your face and I see the excitement fill your heart when you have new fresh encounters of My Love, but I want you to know that My Love never slows down, My Love never fails, My Love never stops, My Love never comes to an end. No My Love for you is like a well that never runs dry. It's new every morning. My Love is forever the ultimate Love ever known. My Love is JESUS. Rest in the knowledge that My Love WILL sustain you.

Love Dad x x

Mind Warp

2010-01-07T21:57:00.001+02:00

So I'm driving to work today, listening to a teaching by David Crabtree from Dayspring.

He is teaching from Joshua 1 and at one point gets his guys to stand up and shout

"be strong and courageous!!!!" and then repeat the phrase.

So I decide to join in and shout at the top of my voice "be strong and courageous!!!!"

I eventually get to a toll gate, after another two "be courageous and strong's!!!!" and

look to the right on me and see an yellow Mazda start driving off from the booth next

too me.

On the back of his car is a bumper sticker that read.....wait for it....

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.

Another case of Jehovah Sneeky

COMPITITION! MAKE AN ADVERT FOR NEW NATURE AND WIN PRIZES!

2010-01-05T20:34:00.001+02:00

Adverts can be any length.
The higher the quality the better.
Send as many ads as you want.
Please do not use any illegal music, pictures, videos, logo's etc that you do not have permission for!!!
Feel free to incorporate any music or pictures from New Nature Publications.

Winners determined on things like: quality, coolness, humorous, wow factor, uniqueness and most importantly usability.

Email ads to enquiries@newnaturepublications.com
If file size is too large, then please host them privately on youtube or something similar and send a private link to us.

Closing date: 5 March 2010
Winners announced: 7 March 2010
Through: www.newnaturepublications.com
Prizes sent out shortly after that.
Adverts will be used for future promotional purposes.

If your advert doesn't win but we decide to use it in the future, you will be entitled to a New Nature book of your choice.

For more information, please email us at:
enquiries@newnaturepublications.com

Well hurry up and get cracking on your advert!

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"Funny advert"

2010-01-01T18:37:00.001+02:00

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CCIRyan has shared a video with you on YouTube:

Funny advert!

Funny advert

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Good Advice

2009-12-29T20:38:00.001+02:00

Hey Guys

Some good advice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPJ9xkm22LI&feature=player_embedded#

Go and check out these guys at:

http://www.thenewmystics.com/Groups/1000036024/Home_Page_of.aspx

Wayne's World...(20Dec09)

2009-12-20T14:01:00.000+02:00

Malachi Par 3
The law shuts and curses, Christ qualifies and blesses.

The word curse occurs 175 times in the bible.
4 of them in Malachi.
In the new Testament, and in the New Covenant, there is only one way listed that a believer can be cursed.

John 7:49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."

Gal 3:9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." 11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."(Or The one who by faith is righteous will live) 12But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them." 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" - 14so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The law is a curse.
How is the law a curse?
Well like Malachi teaches us, when we don't keep the law we are declared guilty, and we are cursed and punished.
10You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.
Please note that the law declares all guilty. There is a picture of this in Malachi.
What did God say? You are cursed with a curse, the whole nation of you!
Was God saying that the every person was not tithing and bringing offering?
No, under the law, many who are innocent are made guilty in the ministry of disqualification.
17Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. 18"They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my trea sured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. [ (Malachi 3:19) Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. ]

There was a remnant of those who feared the Lord! Whose names were written in the book of remembrance.
How can you say that innocent suffer under the law?
Well when woman had a period, they were considered unclean? Was that unfair?
Lepers were considered unclean!
If a priest touched a heathen gentile woman he was unclean, and had to bathe and ceremonially wash and was banned from temple for the day!
The law even disqualified all other nations from the blessing of God. The law celebrates war and hatred against others.
Under Christ all are qualified, even the guilty.
All are loved, are forgiven in Christ, as soon as faith comes, there salvation will be a reality.
How's this? We have a lady come to Jesus, she has an issue of blood. She is a heathen. Could she be more disqualified under the law. She touches Jesus and is healed!
The law disqualifies, and is a curse, Jesus qualifies.

Christ enables. Under the law if you sinned, you became a target for the demonic. You required Christ to rebuke the devourer for you. If you were disobedient, He would not rebuke, and you would suffer.
How does this work under the new?
In the new every believer is empowered, by the supernatural inheritance and Devine order of God to have authority over all the work of the enemy, to have power over the demons!
We don't need Him to rebuke the devourer for us; we can do it ourselves through Him!

Under the old God would at times not even hear or answer prayer of the unfaithful! The heavens were shut!
Under the new we have powerful promises about prayer.
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Wow what a promise.
Look at this carefully it teaches us much!
It says that when we come to Him in prayer and ask, we can believe that we will receive wisdom.
Look how he gives, generously, without finding fault.
Under the old first you had to find wisdom and remove your fault, under the new he gives wisdom and power to remove the fault, all the while answering our need in prayer.

Note this when we ask we must believe. It's called faith and the promises of the new covenant are received through faith.
What destroys faith, what removes faith and makes you think God will not?

It's the law.
God wont speak to me. I cant hear His voice. I've don't things wrong so He wont speak. There is no faith here. We must ask and believe, the new covenant is a covenant of faith.
What do we believe when we pray? We believe in the finished work of the cross. That through Jesus our prayers are always heard and answered. Why are they answered? Because we are righteous.
James
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.(Or The effective prayer of a righteous person has great power) 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit

Why were His prayers powerful? He was righteous.
Believing you a are righteous will release faith into your prayers and your prayer life will explode.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.(Or creature) The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling(Or God was in Christ, reconciling) the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

You are righteous through Christ, he will always hear and answer your prayers! Generously, without finding fault!
Because we have been reconciled to God, made sons. Beceause Christs perfect righteousness has been credited to our account, we are a blessed people. All we need do is lay hold of the promises.
The gospel does not benefit until there is faith.

Hebrews 4:2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.(Some manuscripts it did not meet with faith in the hearers)

The new Covenant is, when you believe it you receive it!
What will you choose to believe.
Choose to believe you are healed!
Choose to believe you are victorious in every area of your life!
Choose to believe you are in perfect right standing with God through Christ!
Believe that He hears and answers your prayers!
Believe you have power over all the work of the enemy!
Believe you are loved!
Believe you are forgiven!
Believe you have power and anointing in you!
Believe you are generous!
Believe you can operate in all the gifts of the spirit!
Believe you can enter the presence of God and receive the Holy Spirit at any time!
What do you believe?
He says you are holy blameless and perfect in His sight!
Believe it!
He says He will never turn away anyone from His presence or throne room!
Believe it and receive it!
He says He gives us His peace and we need not be anxious about anything!
Believe it.

Christ Qualifies.
Col
11May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks(Or patience, with joy giving thanks) to the Father, who has qualified you(Some manuscripts us) to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by(That is, by means of; or in) him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Christ Jesus has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints of light!
You are qualified! Christ has qualified you!
You are in Him the one who hold all things together, and He hold you in Him. You are qualified!
Now go you righteous son and daughter, and life in faith, live in belief.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15( John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") 16And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The more you see Jesus, the more blessed you are.
Discover more of Jesus!

Connor's Dedication

2009-12-16T21:28:00.001+02:00

Hi

We are having Connor Perez Booyens dedication this Sunday, 20 Dec09, at Northway Church.
Venue: Northlands Girls School hall
Time: 09h00.

Wayne's World...(13Dec09)

2009-12-13T09:34:00.000+02:00

Prophecy

I am restoring the bride to the bridegroom. I will do this by overwhelming them with my goodness.

I want my church to be caught up with my love for them. I am not looking for the bride to adorn herself, for I will adorn her with the most precious gems and diamonds.

I am so jealous for my bride. The religious and the lost will be amazed by the abundance that I will pour our on my bride. My overwhelming love for you will shut every critic's mouth and every religious demon, for I am building my church and a religious system will not get in my way.

My bride, the church will begin to see my beauty again and I will irresistible to them. The time of being caught up in the traditions of man is over; my bride will be captivated by me again.

The time of rejoicing is here, dance with me again and see how my eyes burn with passionate love for you.

Dylan Lottering

2009-12-09T20:41:00.000+02:00

Glory and Grace South Africa 2010

2009-12-09T18:38:00.000+02:00

Glory and Grace South Africa 2010.

Coastlands Christian Church will be hosting the 2010 Glory and Grace Conference in South Africa.

In October 2007 we went to Glory and Grace Conference in Hong Kong to learn how to accelerate into more glory and operate at a greater degree of anointing, with an increase of His presence and power.

Two years later as a direct result of what we learned and received there, we have had the honor of seeing revival and the increasing activity of God amongst His people.

As we have all celebrated His grace and enjoyed the river of His Glory, we have been transformed as communities. We've seen signs and wonders, healings and deliverances, and a growing sence of confidance to be ministers of the new covenant, bringing heaven to earth. We have had angelic encounters and a sense of an ever increasing Glory.

Many of you too have had similar experiences as you've celebrated our glorious inheritance as beloved sons.

The idea of the Rob & Glenda, and Fini & Isi team, was to bring friends into a greater degree of glory and revelation, and then to multiply that into the planet. Now a few friends in South Africa are hosting a Glory and Grace Conference here in South Africa without the original team.

This is not the forming of a new team or movement, but simply a conference where people with a passion for the gospel, for His presence and all the wonders that follow by celebrating who/where we are, as a result of what He has done for us. This conferance is open to all denominations and churches.

Ministry will be from various people who have been partnering together as friends in relationships of honor and an accountability of kindness.

Ant and Les Redman, Steve and Janet Wheeler, Craig and Dawn Glenn, Graham Kay Jones and Wayne and Jennifer Duncan will be ministering over this time.

Were believing for glory encounters, acceleration, power out pouring, prophetic explosion, transformation revelation, as we worship and adore Him, and as He captivates us!

The dates are the 17-20 March 2010. Port Edward.

17^th March Registration 17:00 Evening Meeting 19:00

18^th March Morning meeting 9:00 until 13:00 (two sessions) Evening Meeting 19:00

19^th March Morning meeting 9:00 until 13:00 (two sessions) Evening Meeting 19:00

20^th March Morning meeting 9:00 until 13:00 (two sessions)

Children's ministry.

We would like to offer ministry to the Children to, we believe they carry the same power and anointing Jesus did, for they believe in Him!

Each Morning on the 18^th-20^th there will be a half an hour lesson.

Laying on of hands.

Soaking (waiting on Him)

Praying for the sick.

After the lesson entertainment will be provided with water slides, castles and the like.

Tea, coffee and juice as well as some light snacks and fruit will be provided for between morning sessions for children and adults.

Registration Costs:

R150 per single adult

R225 per couple

R100 for students and pensioners.

Children under 12 will be free.

Registration will be on a first come first serve basis, and there are a limited amount of places.

Registration for attached.

Any Queries, Contace Wayne Duncan on 084 616 3295 or duncansportedward@telkomsa.net your local church leader who should have all detail on hand.

Wayne's World...(21Nov09)

2009-11-21T19:28:00.001+02:00

Hold onto Jesus.

He causes you to grow!

Col 2 :19 NIV He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Chapter 2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. 6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits(Or elementary principles; also verse 20) of the world, and not according to Christ. 9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15He disarmed the rulers and authorities(Probably demonic rulers and authorities) and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.(Or in it (that is, the cross)) 16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,(Or about the things he has seen) puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. 20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations - 21"Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" 22( referring to things that all perish as they are used) - according to human precepts and teachings? 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Hold onto the head....

We want you to know that we love you and are knitted together with you. We struggle for you in prayer and we love you. We are knit together!

to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

In Christ are hidden all the treasures.

Being in Christ brings great assurance.

In Christ is hidden all mystery.

We have such an incredible inheritance in Christ. Great treasures, more than we will ever know or understand. Great mysteries, an ever unfolding journey of golry. There is an ever unfolding increasing glory over us. We have all the fullness, and God is showing us what it is and what it looks like. When we finally see it in its fullness, heaven will be here.

There are treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Treasures.

Here is wisdom. The greatest wisdom a person can ever have!...here it is, are you ready for it, it's very complicated. Wisdom is to believe in Christ. To have knowledge of Christ, and his life, death and resurrection is wisdom. It's the greatest knowledge!

1Cor 1:30

27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29so that no human being(Greek no flesh) might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

We do not boast in ourselves. No flesh, no human can boast before His presence. It's all about Him. He is our righteousness, he is our wisdom. He is the source of our sanctification and our redemption. Believing this is the crowning jewel of wisdom.

To understand that Jesus died for us, unlocks the treasures. To know Christ, the mystery. The great mystery that God would become flesh, the one whose name is "I am" the one who is "holy holy". Becoming flesh, and dying in my place, this mystery. How would this act put me in a treasured place of assurance before the father? How is that possible, its a mystery. Foolishness in the eyes of the unsaved and the religious.

How wonderfully this mystery unfolds, treasure upon treasure.

This mystery, that a man could die, so that I would not.

This mystery, that he would be wounded, whipped and srtiped, so that I could be healed.

This mystery that he would receive the very wrath of God so that I would not.

This mystery that he would for a moment be guilty, filthy and rejected by God, so that I would be innocent, cleansed and accecpted by God.

This mystery that God made him who had no sin to become sin, so that I might become the righteousness of God.

This mystery that by His humiliation of the powers and principalities, I would have authority over all the work of satan.

The mystery is that by simply believing is Jesus, we will spend all eternity enjoying the glory, wonder and splendour of the king of glory, the light of lights and the lover of my soul, the author of love, love Himself.

In the mystery of Christ on the cross, is hidden all treasures and all wisdom.

Wisdom is to believe in Jesus. When we believe in Him, all this becomes ours.

4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.

Do not let anyone delude you. Hold onto Christ! Be wise! Wisdom is to believe in Jesus.

5For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

Stay firm in the faith. Hold onto Jesus, continue to believe in Jesus.

6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

We are to continue in Christ the same way we started with Christ.

How did we receive Christ? Was it not by simple faith. We came to Him as we were, and believed that he would receive, forgive accecpt and cleanse us.

Now continue in Him, with wisdom, wisdom is believeing in His goodness. Continue to come to Him always with simple faith. Believing he will acccpt you, wash you, forgive you.

Be rooted and build up in him, established in the faith.

Let your root be in the mystery, this is what builds you up!

Don't move away from faith. As you received him, continue. In faith. Simple faith. Become established in faith. We believe in Him and His performance on our behalf.

This always causes an abounding of thanks giving.

8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits(Or elementary principles; also verse 20) of the world, and not according to Christ.

Christ has His own way. Its not the way of clever philosophy. Its not empty deceit. Its not according to human tradition, not the elementary teaching of the world, but according to Christ.

Hold onto Christ and do not be distracted by anything that says add to the cross, add to Jesus.

9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

God wants us to know that all the fullness of deity, all the fullness of God dwells in Christ. Thats great, but here is the point. We are in Christ! We have been filled in Him. And he is above all rule and authority.

He is above all, He is the one that decides how things work. He sets the rules. He is in charge of how things operate. He set the divine order. He says how it is. How wisdom is to believe how he says it is!

We hold onto Him, the head. We keep the faith, we believe Him.

11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

In Christ we are new creations. The old has gone and we are made new. We died, and something new was created, of which the head is Christ. He is our head. How did this happen. It was through faith in the powerful working of God. What was our part? We believed in the foolishness of the mystery, that this would happen by simply believing in Christ.

I died and then was raised with and in Him. In His image. With His power with His authority.

13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

We were dead, and God made us alive.

He forgave us all our trespasses. All of them. Christ who is outside of time, in the past forgace us all our sins. Christ who was salin in the foundations of the earth, 2000 years ago, died to purchase our forgiveness. His forgiveness reaches into the future, past the yeaterday where our sins are forgive, into the now where our sins are forgiven, into the tomorrow where our sins are forgiven. Oh how great the mystery!

Now how did he forgive us our sins?

He cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with it's legal demands. He set it aside and nailed it to the cross.

All our offences to God, all our sin, all our failures

CANCELLED THE RECKORD OF DEBT AGAINST US

SET IT ASIDE

NAILED IT TO THE CROSS

Cancelled

Set aside

Nailed

15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities(Probably demonic rulers and authorities) and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.(Or in it (that is, the cross))

There is no longer any legitimate attack, influence or power of the enemy towards us. They are disarmed.

Accusation, disarmend!

Sickness disarmed!

Look here, they are shamed. Before the cross we were ashamed of our sin, not they are shamed!

Rulers and authorites are triumphed over in him, and we are in him.

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,(Or about the things he has seen) puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,

Let no one pass judgement on you.

Hold onto Christ, hold onto the mystery, hold onto the head, as you began continue, don't loose faith, be established in faith, do not fall for the judgement that would pronounce you disqualified.

Let no one rewrite Christ's rules, and rule. He says were qualified, and he cancelled the record against you, don't let anyone reinstate it. He set it aside; don't let anyone re set it. He nailed it to the cross, don't let anyone take your qualification off the cross.

19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations - 21"Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" 22( referring to things that all perish as they are used) - according to human precepts and teachings? 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

As soon as you let go of Jesus, there are those who can disqualify you! Even seemingly very spiritual people.

When you let go of Christ you want to submit to regulations.

When we let go of Jesus, we go back to do not taste...do not handle. Do not touch.

When we loose hold of Jesus we go to man made religion.

These things add no strength to living well. They do not help you overcome in any way. Paul says these things do not have value in strenghting the flesh.

How do we get strength? We believe in the mystery of Christ. We believe by faith in Jesus. We let hem grow us with a growth that is from Him.

What Paul is saying that the way of God is not about regulations, not about right doing, but abouyt right believing.

We are children of faith. We are children of the mystery. We are children of promise, assured.

19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

Hold fast to Christ.

Hold fast to his work in us. Hold fast to his work for us.

Be nourished by the goodness of Him who loves us.

Grow with a growth that is from God.

So we come to Him with hearts established and rooted in faith. Faith in the head, in Jesus. We trust him.

We are forgiven.

We have rule over evil.

We have qualification for every good thing.

In this environment we are nourished!

In this environment we grow, with a growth that is from God.

20% off sale on all New Nature resources for Christmas!

2009-11-11T21:52:00.001+02:00

Hi guys,

Just letting those interested know that New Nature Publications is offering a 20% off sale on all resources until the end of December, through the website!!!

Click on image below to check out the new smoking hot prices!

To have a look at our new homepage go to: http://www.newnaturepublications.com/?page=index

Warmest Regards

Ryan and Kylie Rufus

'Echoing the truths of Heaven on the earth below and drowning legalism in a flood of grace!'

(Reply 'Please remove' to be taken off this mailing list.)

Wayne's World...(29Oct09)

2009-10-31T19:46:00.001+02:00

Jesus Changed Everything

Wayne Duncan

Jesus changed everything. One of the greatest challenges for us is to see the degree to which things were changed, by the obedience of Jesus life, and the resulting new covenant in which we now stand.

Jesus changed everything

Jesus lived a life and by the time he was finished, by the time he cried out "it is finished", everything would be different.

So we see the attempt of the enemy to block the ministry and intervention of Jesus in the world. We see the attempt of Satan.

King Herod learns of the prophecies and the coming messiah. He becomes concerned, inspired by Satan, he issues a decree to have every baby killed. Jesus is protected however. It's not long until we see Herod dead, and Jesus can return. No matter what comes against you, it must die to make way for the reality of Christ.

Satan failed to stop Christ.

Jesus was the most radical man that ever lived.

He was the most radical Jew that ever lived.

Everything Jesus said and did had implications for us as believers today.

What are some of the things that Jesus did and said that made Him so revolutionary?

Here is one. Jesus said "I came to for fill the law". This was extremely radical. No one had ever said such a thing.

Jesus came to change everything.

Jesus changed the law. Jesus said "you have heard it said, but now I say". What authority did this man from Nazareth have to change the holy law that God himself had issued?

Could it be that when Jesus made these claims he was not being blasphemous, but rather obedient?

He was changing everything.

Here is another one.

Jesus forgave sin.

Mary, the great sinner comes and worships Jesus. She anoints Him with oil, perfume and kisses.

Then he says to her "your sins" are forgiven. Who was this man to be able to forgive sin?

Now did she even ask for forgiveness? What came first worship or forgiveness?

This was not the traditional or legal way for forgiveness to come.

Jesus changed everything.

If Jesus could forgive a woman like this, under the old covenant, without even blood, how much more can he through the blood of Jesus and the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, wash and cleanse us, making us pure and holy and blameless in his sight?

Your forgiven, justified...just as-if-id never sinned.

Jesus spoke about the shift that he was ushering in.

Matthew 9 (also Mark 2 and Luke 5)

16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

This one of the earliest parables Jesus tells, he releases into his ministry in early stages of his teaching. He wanted people to know from early on in his ministry that he was ushering in a new way that would require new wineskins. Jesus was saying that the new and the old are not compatible. He was saying that the mixing of the old and new ways would be destructive and harmful.

Mixing the old and new, by refusing to embrace the fresh, causes two devastating effects

1) The hurting of the individual, church, organisation.

2) The wasting of the wine, a picture of the Holy Spirit.

It's never a good idea to grieve the Holy Spirit, and this is what we do when we mix the old and the new. This explains the reason why there is often a very low level of anointing in people and individuals who mix old and new.

Here is what Clarks commentary says about this passage:

Matthew 9:17: New wine into old bottles] It is still the custom,
in the eastern countries, to make their bottles of goat skins: if
these happened to be old, and new wine were put into them, the
violence of the fermentation must necessarily burst them; and
therefore newly made bottles were employed for the purpose of
putting that wine in which had not yet gone through its state of
fermentation. The institutes of Christ, and those of the
Pharisees, could never be brought to accord: an attempt to combine
the two systems would be as absurd as it would be destructive.
The old covenant made way for the new, which was its completion
and its end; but with that old covenant the new cannot be
incorporated.

Here is a golden key concerning the change Jesus brought.

Matthew 5:20: For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Here Jesus says that we need a righteousness that is greater than that of the Pharisees in order to see heaven.

How could that be?

Jesus was introducing new covenant righteousness. The gift of righteousness by faith. New covenant righteousness works like this. When we believe in Jesus, he calls us righteous, as a gift. His perfect obedience is credited to our account. His perfect obedience to the law is given to us. Now we have His righteousness. 2 Cor 5:21 god made Him who had no sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.

Towards the end of His ministry on earth, Jesus continued to say things that were just totally off the charts.

He said "its to your advantage that I go"

How crazy is that? Here we have Jesus. Healing the sick, raising the dead. Turning entire regions and town around. Multitudes follow Him. How could it get any better? Then He says that it's better if He goes? How could it be?

Jesus was saying that by the time he had changed everything, a way would be created that would be more powerful and effective would be released in the earth. That would be released through the holy spirit.

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you

Because he went, the Holy Spirit can be released onto every believer, enabling every believer to do what Jesus did.

Jesus was saying that a bunch of people filled with the Holy Spirit, is better than him being here!

Now here is another thing Jesus said that is totally off the charts.

John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father

What is the qualification to do what Jesus did? To believe in Jesus.

To believe that we can do these things? No.

To believe in Jesus? Yes.

Do you believe in Jesus?

You can then do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

Your belief in Jesus makes you righteous, and you receive every blessing and power freely from heaven as a gift, through faith.

Jesus then goes to heaven, and the new covenant starts.

The Holy Spirit is poured out, and power is released on the earth.

Now through the Holy Spirit that lives in us, we can operate in great power in the earth.

This is our inheritance through the finished work of the cross, righteousness, power fellowship with the spirit.

Jesus came to show us Gods love, to destroy the power of the enemy, to forgive our sins and release righteousness, to give us power, and to release the ministry of the Holy Spirit in and through us.

Now we live by the Spirit.

Wayne's World...(25Oct09)

2009-10-26T19:40:00.001+02:00

Born from Above

Wayne Duncan

Possibly the most underestimated aspect of Christianity , is the understanding of the degree at which we were changed when we became born again.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Here we see a number of things.

John is talking about being born again.

It cant happen from flesh, effort or the will of the flesh.

It cant happen by blood, you cannot be born, born again.

We also see here that there is power involved in bringing life. This is a powerful act of God. The power is not from or in us, but the receiving and believing releases and activates the power of God and we are born of God.

This power is released over those who receive and believe.

Many receive Jesus teachings, but do not believe in Him. Ghandi honored Jesus teachings, and encouraged people to receive Jesus. But there was not belief. Many today in the world call them selves Christians for they have received some aspects of Christianity.

Here is the Greek word for believe

G4100

πιστεύω

pisteuō

pist-yoo'-o

From G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit; by implication to entrust (especially one's spiritual well being to Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

When we believe in Jesus we place our faith in Him. We trust Him.

We do not trust ourselves, we do not trust what we can do, we trust Him. We cannot save ourselves, we have not the power. We have no goodness of our own to offer God as a reward for eternal life, so we trust Jesus finished work on our behalf to be enough to entirely satisfy God on our behalf. This is to place our trust and faith in Him. We believe that Jesus is able to save entirely those who come to Him. This is trust.

We need to trust Him with our sin. We need to know we have missed the mark, fallen short of Gods holiness. Then we trust Jesus to destroy that barrier between us and God. We place our trust in His promise to do that for those who receive and believe in Him.

Now we rest in confidence in the hands of our powerful savior.

When we have this faith, this belief. When we believe this we are born from above.

Here is the word in Greek.

G1080

γεννάω

gennaō

ghen-nah'-o

From a variation of G1085; to procreate (properly of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively to regenerate: - bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.

We are the literal offspring of the trinity. God is our father and mother, and we are His Children.

We are regenerated, made new by the secret act and power of God.

He has brought us forth, something new.

He has conceived us.

We have been delivered of, we are out of all the old and placed in the new.

We have been made new.

We have sprung forth as new creations and new life.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The new is not a mere mentality. It is a literal powerful new creation. A new creation. Not a new mentality. Not a new awareness, no, a new creation. A new creature. New. Never before existed.

At this moment of being born again we are placed in Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

How do you become in Him? When we believe. When are we born again? When we believe.

How do we know we are in Him?

I John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

We know we are "in him" and he in us for we have the Holy Spirit. The seal, and guarantee of our salvation. He is the one who convinces and convicts us of our salvation and righteousness.

Is everyone "in him". No. Only those who have the spirit.

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

All were included in His work on the cross, but until you receive Him, and believe in Him, you do not become a new creature, you will not be born from above or receive the Holy Spirit, or the new nature, or the power of God in you.

Some preach that all were included in Christ, and all are born again, and all are new creations, they just need to see it, to discover it. This is not biblical, these tings are available, but it has not yet happened to them until faith comes, and a person believes, and is powerfully changed into a new creation, and the seal of the holy spirit is placed on and in the believer.

Now what do we call people who are born from above, with power. Those who are in him. Those with the seal and presence of the Holy Spirit, what are those called?

We are called sons.

Ladies you too are sons. The reason is that there is no disqualification for you, you have the full inheritance and equal co heirs with Christ. Were all sons.

14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons(See discussion on "sons" in the preface) of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,

What can a new creation do?

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

You can do anything.

So this is who you are.

A powerful new creation, with the power and righteousness of God plowing in your veins.

You are filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit, he is quickening your body, leading you telling you who you are, and what you can do.

You are a son, with an inheritance from God, a co-heir with Christ.

You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

You have a father in heaven who loved to do you good. He is for you, and what can ever be against you that cannot be destroyed?

Have you received Him? Do you believe in Him?

From Ryan

2009-10-24T19:17:00.001+02:00

Hi guys

Just a quick update on New Nature if you're interested. We now have a facebook page with lots of cool stuff on it.
Become a member to keep up to date with latest book releases and worship albums + read reviews on books as well as first chapter of each book.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=307403895003

Also we've made some changes to our products page to include a new payment method for those who don't have credit cards and would prefer to make a direct bank transfer.
Check that out at: http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product

Also look out for upcoming books and albums
Including:

- A new worship album from Bonnie. It's Bonnie at a whole new level! Look out for it this December!

- Anneline Breetzke' debut album! Look out for it early 2010.

- A booklet by Chad Mansbridge on the Abrahamic, Mosaic and New Covenant. I read it and was blown away by Chad's revelation! Look out for it early 2010

- A book by Wayne Duncan on how to read the Bible through grace. Out early 2010

- A childrens' book by Milly Bennitt titled, 'A Lamb called Love'. Simple, powerful and full of glory! Early to mid 2010

- A new book co-authored by Rob and Ryan Rufus called, 'Establishing People in Grace'. Out 2010.

Thanks guys and God bless!

Ryan Rufus

Wayne's World...(18Oct09)

2009-10-19T20:08:00.001+02:00

Confusing Toxic Cocktail

Wayne Duncan

Matthew 9 (also Mark 2 and Luke 5) 16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

Mixing the old and new, by refusing to embrace the fresh, causes two devastating effects

1) The hurting of the individual, church, organisation.

2) The wasting of the wine, a picture of the Holy Spirit.

Here is what Clarks commentary says about this passage:

Lets look at another scripture:

2 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV) And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.7Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. 12Since we have such a hope, we are very bold"

What a stunning piece of scripture.

Just take a moment to analyze this portion of scripture.

It clearly speaks of two ministries. An old ministry (of Death), and a new ministry (of Life).

Let's see what the characteristics of these two ministries are:

Ministry of Death
Ministry of Life

V3/7 carved in letters on stone
V3 on tablets of human hearts.

V5 For the letter kills
V5 but the Spirit gives life

V11 11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory
V11 , much more will what is permanent have glory

Has ended
Is Permanent

V9 ministry of condemnation
V9 the ministry of righteousness

V9 ministry of condemnation
4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.

V9 ministry of condemnation
12Since we have such a hope, we are very bold

5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us
but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us competent to be ministers

Old Covenant
New Covenant

Ok, so based on a basic reading of this passage we see that there is a ministry of death; that it is carved in letters of stone; it kills you; it has a fading glory; it has ended; it is a ministry of condemnation and it disqualifies you from being a competent minister.

Wow, now come on friend, do you really want to ever sit under that ministry. I don't want to receive any ministry from that ministry, and if it is so devastatingly dangerous I want to know exactly how to avoid the release of any of this ministry in my life. This is the burst wine skin. This is the torn garment that is worse off.

But then, praise God, there is another ministry. This ministry of life which is written on my heart, is spirit and life, has a permanent glory, a surpassing glory, much more glory, gives me righteousness, gives me confidence, gives me hope, gives me boldness and makes me competent to be a minister.

OK, so here are some questions (no geniuses needed).

Which ministry do you want? Which ministry is better? Which is better - life or death?

Say it with me friends "Life.Good", "DeathBad".

Imagine now that a person approaches the bible looking for help (which is the right thing to do), and drinks from the ministry of death. Then that person applies that death solution (or theology) to his/her situation. What will happen? There will be death, there will be condemnation. The person may become very frustrated and become totally disillusioned, finally proclaiming "The bible does not work!"

No, the bible does work, the wrong ministry was used!

Imagine the devastating consequences of ministries in churches, or pastors releasing this ministry of death?

But imagine that the person drank from the ministry of life. They would have been liberated, made confidant, assured of righteousness, tasted glory and ultimately extract the life that God wants to flow from His Word.

We need to become experts. We must rightly divide the word of God. We need to test what we know and believe to see if it passes the covenant of life test. The longer you've been a Christian the more there will be to evaluate and test.

Any and all mixture is confusing and harmful. Even a tiny bit of mixture affects the whole batch. A little doe works through the whole batch.

I like what Joseph Prince says: "what man call's balance, God calles mixture". I like what a pastor friend of mine says even more "what man calls balance, god calls vomit"

Revelation of John 3:16: So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Learn all you can about the covenants. How do they work? When did they start? Which ones are finished, which one is still in effect? How does a covenant work? What are the obligations and responsibilities? What are the rewards and punishments?

The success of walking into the fullness of grace rests upon rightly dividing the word, and separating the covenants and then never mixing them.

One drop of arsenic in a cup of water is still the ministry of death.

God is looking for a people who will live in the fullness of the finished work of the cross.

The old is about earning and deserving.

The new is about receiving through one who earned and deserved on our behalf, and the glorious gift of righteousness.

The old is of curses, the new of blessing.

The old is our obedience, the new is His obedience on our behalf.

The old is about right doing, the new is about right believing.

The old is in and out, the new is always in.

The old is condemnation the new is confidence.

The old is bondage, the new is freedom.

The old is open and closed heaven, the new is open heaven and an increasing glory.

Mixing the old and the new destroys anyonoe who that mixture touches.

Wayne's World...(10Oct09)

2009-10-11T21:39:00.001+02:00

Maturity

Wayne Duncan

How do we mature as Christians?

Hebrews 5v12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic

principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13for everyone who lives on milk is

unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14But solid food is for the mature, for

those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from

evil.

The bible calls those who do not understand the word of righteousness children. The KJV says "he is a babe".

The NIV says

13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about

righteousness

The NIV say that not being acquainted with the teaching about righteousness, means you are still an infant.

Here we see that maturity comes to a believer in the skill of understanding the word of righteousness.

So if maturity comes by this, what is the word of righteousness? If avoiding infancy, and being an immature babe is linked to this teaching and word of righteousness, then it becomes of highest importance that we become acquainted with this teaching as to avoid becoming dwarfed and stunted and immature in our Christianity.

So lets look at this word here in the original Greek.

Righteousness

Here we see that righteousness is related to our character and our justification.

It's interesting to note that justification and righteousness are used interchangeable in the bible. And the Greek synonym for justification is righteousness, and the synonym for righteousness is justification, check it out.

Justification
Righteousness

Greek
G1344δικαιόωdikaioō

dik-ah-yo'-o

From G1342; to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: - free, justify (-ier), be righteous.

G1343δικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē

dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay

From G1342; equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification: - righteousness.

The essence of justification and righteousness is this. Justification has to do with the removal of our sin, resulting in our innocence. This places us in right standing with God.

Where there is justification, the result is righteousness. Where there is righteousness it is due to the presence of justification.

So understanding justification and the resulting right standing with God is the teaching that Paul insists is necessary in order to be mature.

Ok so how does justification and righteousness work?

It's actually very easy.

When we believe in Jesus we are justified and declared righteous as a gift.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

When we place our faith in Jesus, we freely by grace receive Justification, and this is now our position in which we now stand.

Justification is just as if id.

Just as if I had never sinned. With the removal of the obstacle of sin, there is no longer and division or separation between me and God. Through faith and trust in Jesus he presents us:

Colossians 1:22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his

sight, without blemish and free from accusation--

We are reconciled to God and holy blameless and without blemish or accusation before Him.

This is our permanent position. We cannot earn this. It is a gift.

Romans 5 receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man

Jesus Christ.

Romans 4 says its apart from works.

This understanding about our relationship towards God is pivotal in becoming mature. We do not have to work for right standing, we do not have to obey the law for right standing. The only thing needed is to believe in Jesus. Any effort to be in right standing with God apart from this is moving away from maturity.

Not understanding our perfect position before Him, leads to much useless effort. It leads to crippling condemnation. All this is a curse that binds us up, and we do not grow or mature. Knowing and believing we are in right standing with God through simple faith in Jesus, accelerates growth and we move into maturity.

2) The second avenue to maturity.

Ephesians 4v11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,12to equip the

saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of

the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,to the measure of the stature

of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, 16from whom the whole body,

joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly,

makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Here we see a number of key ingredients that will bring us into maturity.

We see the 5 grace gifts. Apostles, pastors, prophets, teachers and evangelists.

Here Paul says exposure to these gifts breeds maturity.

Exposure to the 5 gifts does various things:

It equips the saints for the work of the ministry

It builds up the local body.

It brings unity in the faith.

It builds our knowledge of the son.

It makes us mature.

The gifts protect us from being children tossed to and from bad doctrine, and schemes of man.

Instead these things help us grow up.

The 5 gifts are no there essentially to serve you. But to equip you, so you can serve.

Please know and understand that your pastor cannot mature you. I cannot bring you to maturity! I do not have all it takes to bring you to maturity. But I can expose you to a range of gifting, and create the environment where you can grow and mature, and then play my role in that maturing process.

So we take seriously the role of exposing this local body, which you are in, to then wider gifting profile. Thats why we get in Rob and Fini. That's why Ant and Les come. We had Dane, and Bertie, and Craig and Dawn. Martin and Shirley Burndt. Why? To expose you to a wider scope of gifting, to bring among other things maturity.

It goes even deeper than that. There is partnership. We partner with these other churches. We are standing together and working and growing together. We are helping each other with our churches.

We are serving each others churches. We are part of more than just a local church.

There has been a lot of misunderstanding about church leadership.

Who leads a local church? Yes Jesus is building his church but which people does he use. Here is a statement that might rock your world of church understanding. The pastor does not lead the church. In a church there are some who will have a gift of pasturing. What is a person who has the gift of caring, and shepherding people? That is a pastor. Ok, here it is. A church is lead by a team of leaders. Biblically it is elders who direct the affairs of the local church. A team of elders is the ideal biblical picture.

On that team it's good to have pastors. Others can also be pastors. Home group leaders are also pastors.

Usually what happens it that a body looks to one person to be the pastor and leader of a church. That one person is seen to be responsible for the preachning and teaching. He is seen to be responsible for doing all the accounts and banking, and book keeping. He is seen to be the one who visits the sick, feeds the poor. He is seen as the one who must meet very need in the church. Thats all fine but let me ask you a few questions. What if that person is a terrible leader, how well will he lead the church, and who will suffer?

There are two main reasons that churches has one pastor.

1) The in church history the priest was there to communicate the religious organisations decisions to the public. They were told what to believe, what to preach, and how to conduct a service. You only need one person one priest to do that.

2) The second reason why many churches have one pastor is that one person like to have all the power and call all the shots.

Both of these reasons are dangerous, and open a door for hurt in the local church.

The pastor mentality has done a lot of damage over the years.

What if the pastor is actually primarily a prophet, how will this effect his pasturing? What if he is clueless at teaching, or a terrible preacher.

You could be a superb teacher, but a terrible pastor. You could be a talented counsellor and lover, but a terrible preacher.

A person could be able to preach up a storm, but be terrible at uncovering the prophetic direction for a church.

Apostles have a gift to build and establish churches. A person could be a fantastic church planter built for expanding, and establishing churches. Make this person a permanent pastor over a community for the rest of His life, and he would be very frustrated, how will this effect His pasturing?

Every time a person shows the calling of God on their lives, they are made a pastor and given a church, but are they called to lead a church?

Are all people who lead churches good with finances and financial decisions? We need transparency and accountability and a team of responsible people involved in finances, so the pastors son does not get a motorbike when the offering is a good one.

If the pastor does not have a dynamic heart for the lost, as an evangelist does, the church can become very inward focussed. If the leader is an evangelist, sometimes everything about the church becomes about reaching out.

So Gods way is a team of elders, with a spread of gifting. Then we release people to be who they are. When we have leaders here, we want them to be who they are, we believe this is for your benefit as a body. The best gift anyone can be is to be their authentic self.

This also builds away from the guru mentality. This builds a wider team of people who can all minister. This positions a church for long term success, and a stable succession of leaders over decades.

When a leader of a church moves on, there is no tragedy, for the body is not solely dependent on that one person.

So we see a team of elders with a scope of anointing. Some churches have the most gifted leaders, but they are in row 8, coming as spectators to church every week. Release them, and watch them as well as the church come into maturity.

Then there is also the apostolic input. People who have an anointing to accelerate churches into a preferable future.

If you spend time with some guys, your church will change, and be influenced. That is the apostolic gift. Apostles make sure the presence of God is in a church, and ensure that the doctrine is correct.

They never override the local eldership, or it becomes a denomination.

This is why partnership is so essential. Local churches need to embrace apostolic gifting, as well as share the gifting they have.

So we enjoyed Rob, Fini and Isi, Ant and Les, Brad etc..but do you realise that there was a cost involved in them being here. Not just financially, but another cost.

There local church had to release them. In order for us to receive the blessing of their gift, the local church had to release them to minister.

On this elder team and in this church we have all the gifts operating. We need them released in full measure in the body. We also need to release them to the churches we partner with. But don't worry, next time, we will be receiving from them! This is partnership.

But we see it's not just the 5 gifts that build a local body. There is also every believers role.

We see the body

when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

When we are serving each other, when we are using our gifts for one another, we release growth over others.

So we have a role to play in each others growth and maturity.

Every one of us play a role in encouraging each other. Some may say "but I have nothing to offer". Do you know there is one thing we can all do to encourage each other?

Hebrew 10v24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25not neglecting to meet

together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day

drawing near

Ok here it is, this is what every believer can do to encourage another. Meet together. When we meet we encourage. Your very presence here today is encouraging to me, and to others.

Now that you are here, who knows what may happen to you or through you.

You could have a life altering revelation.

You may encounter Him in powerful or new ways.

You may receive a life changing word. You may give a life changing word. He may use you to bring a vision, or picture.

He has gifted every one in some way. You could hug someone. You could make a visitor feel welcome, and so they come again.

You can bring joy to worship, and encourage us to join your freedom. You could encourage the preacher. You could pray fro someone's need.

How to make the most of a meeting, and so grow and mature.

1) Arrive

2) Be ready to give who you are

3) Receive

Being part of a local body, brings a person into maturity. It's where we learn to use our gifts. It's where we discover what they are. It's where we receive encouragement and ministry. It's a place of revelation, encounters and transformation.

Gentle reminder : You Raise me up to more than I can be

2009-10-09T19:43:00.001+02:00

Great lyrics - I'm sure we all know the song - but here's a reminder: hugs mich

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

Wayne's World...(8Oct09)

2009-10-08T22:41:00.001+02:00

New Covenant Victory

Part 2

Why grace junkies sin less.

1. The law has been cancelled

2. There is a regenerated new nature

3. The power of God flows in our veins through the Holy Spirit

In part one of New Covenant Victory we looked at the fact that the law has been lifted off us, its legal demands cancelled at the cross in Christ, and that under grace sin no longer has dominion over us.

Colossians 2:13,14 having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Today were going to look at reason number 2.

There is a regenerated new nature.

We are those who have passed from life to death.

When we were not in Christ, we were dead.

Colossians 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him

Romans 5v12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned

15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18Therefore, as one trespass(Or the trespass of one) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness(Or the act of righteousness of one) leads to justification and life for all men. 19For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So we see here that sin entered the world through one man Adam, and as a result all that followed entered into that sin. We are born into sin. The result of that sin, was spiritual death, separation from God and broken relationship with Him.

BUT verse

17If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ 18Therefore, as one trespass(Or the trespass of one) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness(Or the act of righteousness of one) leads to justification and life for all men

When we receive the gift of grace, we receive life.

So we were dead and condemned, but now through receiving Gods grace, we receive the gift of righteousness and life.

This is also called being born again. Our spirits literally become alive. This is rebirth and renewal.

Look at what Titus 3 says

3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus says we were once foolish, disobedient and given to various forms of sin, but that has changed. We have been washed clean, we are regenerated, and renewed, made new.

Last scripture here:

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.(Or creature) The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Ok so here it is. If you believe in Jesus, you pass from life to death. This new creature, this new creation is regenerated and renewed. It is a new life. This new nature lives for God, the old nature was bent towards sin, the new nature made alive to God is bent towards life, light and goodness. The most underestimated aspect of the Christian experience has been the degree at which we are changed at the point of being born again. We are literally a new breed on the planet, something that did not exist before the cross. We are filled with all the power of God. We are placed in Christ and co-seated with Him.

The effect of the new nature is that we live differently. We sin less for who we are has changed. And the clearer we see who we are, the more we will live as we truly are. The old has passed away.

It's critical that we see ourselves as we truly are. One of the most staggering scriptures in the bible is in 1 John it says "as he is so are we in this world".

Now this belief in who you are simply cannot be understated for "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he". What you think about yourself, will be your reality. Even amongst secular physiologists and motivational speakers, they agree. How you see yourself determines how you behave. I remember in business they said "dress like a professional, speak like a professional, believe you are one, and you will be one!" and it is true.

See who you are. You are a new creature, a holy creature, a powerful creature. A creature dedicated to God at its very core, a creature madly in love with the giver of life. A creature of light, a creature of anointing. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You can do anything you want! What do you want to do?

The New Creation changed by God has desires, and expressions. The new you wants out. It wants to live, it want s to express it self. Let it. The new you loves to love. The new you loves worship, the new you is addicted to the presence of God. The regenerated renewed you lives for fresh revelation. The born again life filled you, wants others to taste this life too. Your new nature loves to be with God. You want to do these things. If you do not want these things, you are still dead!

John Piper says:

"The commands of Jesus are a description of the way new human beings behave, who have been born again, and enabled supernaturally, to the glory of God"

Man I love that were new human beings.

Titus 2v14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good

He gave Himself for us, He has redeemed us from the grave, He has purified us, He has made us His very Own, He has made us eager to do good.

So He has done something to us that makes us live differently, He changed who we are. Were now a New Regenerated Creature.

This new creature sins less than the old. Seeing who we are, seeing the work of grace in us, helps us sin less. The more we see and the clearer we see, and the more we know about who we are, the less we will sin. Sin is not who we are, that person died.

Worship CD

2009-10-07T19:47:00.001+02:00

Hi Everyone

Michelle Bass has an incredible cd out "Deep is calling".

Please check out her site http://www.myspace.com/michellecbass

to listen to a sample and for information on how to get your

hands on this gem.

Love

Gregg

Latest updates to the Links page of New Nature Publications

2009-10-07T19:39:00.001+02:00

Dear all

When you have the time, please check out the latest updated changes to the New Nature 'Links' page!

http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=link

You'll find even more amazing resources now including blogs, church websites with free sermon archives, various ministries, online resource stores, sermons on Youtube etc.

Feel free to bookmark the page as a resource reference as well and share it with others.

Also please check out the latest changes to the products page if you haven't already and just so you know, if you click on any book or CD cover you'll be able to see the contents page and the back cover.

http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product

God bless

Ryan Rufus

PS if you would like to be taken off this mailing list then please just reply with: 'Please remove my email from the mailing list.'

Also if at any time you would like to make changes to your details on the links page or be removed from it please just email.

Good News

2009-10-03T19:33:00.001+02:00

I grew up in an average income community and went to an average goverment school.

I met some great people along the way, and even kept in contact with some of them

until now.

About ten minutes ago, I just received a phone call from one of these friends telling me

that he and his wife went to an outreach last night in Johannesburg, and both of them

ended up giving their lives to Jesus.

This is from an sms that I just received from him

"Im so glad to know that i will see you in heaven" and

"I feel like a new person. Its such a good feeling"

This is what it is all about. This is why Jesus came and this is what we are to help with.

I am so encouraged.

Heaven is having one huge party and so are my tear ducts.

Thank you Jesus is all I can say. You are wonderful.

Wayne's World...(29Sep09)

2009-09-29T19:46:00.001+02:00

Last 2 weeks preaches

http://www.citychurchinternational.net/mp3_2/2009_09_20.zip

http://www.citychurchinternational.net/mp3_2/2009_09_27.zip

Love Louisa...(29Sep09)

2009-09-29T19:42:00.001+02:00

Hi everyone

I was contemplating having eyes that can 'see' clearly. I thought of all the wondrous things we are seeing and experiencing, and I was grateful but wondered why we are not seeing more miracles and being more effective as Christians. Suddenly I saw a picture of multitudes of desperate people drowning in a brown smelly dead river. They had their arms out crying out for help. They were looking to leaders-church and government, gurus, experts, bankers and doctors for help. However, the 'leaders' also were up to their necks in water. They looked desperate, helpless, and so very tired too. However, they were trying to help by looking under the water to find help.

I wondered what this meant and I felt the Holy Spirit say, "They're looking in the world for worldly solutions and even the Christians are doing this". I thought about what this meant and what was wrong and I felt that if we want the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth, and God wants the Kingdom of heaven to come to earth. Then it makes sense that we need to look into heaven to "see' what's there and how heaven works. In order for the Kingdom of heaven to come to earth, we have to be 'spiritual' and heavenly minded.

That is why God is opening our eyes to help us 'see'. I believe God wants us all to 'see' what God sees.

I was reading the introduction to Zechariah in the Message Bible, because I believe this a prophetic picture of what God is doing now. Prophets Zechariah and Haggai had the task then of pulling God's people out of self-occupation to get them working together as His people. The self-identity of the people of God was in ruins. Their heads were down and they felt helpless and hopeless. They had been kicked around, lied to and abused by their enemies and leaders but Zechariah invigorated the imaginations of the people with his visions and messages. This gave the people insight, energy and hope and gave credibility to the long-term purposes of God being worked out again in their lives. They began to believe God again. They once again lifted up their heads to look into the face of God.

I believe God is doing the same thing now, but He is using us all to see.

Lots of love
Louisa

From Mich Bass...(28Sep09)

2009-09-28T20:54:00.001+02:00

Hi there,
I've just listened to an extract from Beni Johnson's preach - She quotes something from James Goull's book -
To put the paragraph into context -he lost his wife to Cancer last year -a great loss for anyone.
But we all experience loss in one form or the other from one extreme to the next - each loss is a blow to our hearts. And we often don't understand the reasons why we have to endure the hardship. This is his quote:

"IN OUR TIMES OF PERSONAL LOSS THERE ARE A FEW BASIC THINGS THAT I WILL NEVER LET GO OF:

"GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME; AND ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD"

SOMETIMES MY LACK OF UNDERSTANDING SCREAMS AT ME

BUT IN THOSE VERY MOMENTS I MUST YIELD MY RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND AND PUSH THE BUTTON CALLED TRUST"

If my heart is anything to go by - I've had many moments where the confusion screams at me - but I guess there's alot we can learn from surrendering the weight of unanswered questions to all life's circumstances and to keep declaring God is Good all the time; and it's a freeing thing!
My circumstance or my inner turmoil, doesn't change God's Character or His good intent towards me -
To paraphrase Bertie Brits " Our bad circumstances sometimes force us to align with the devil's lies that God is not good - and the lies convince us that He has abandoned us";
with that comes a whole lot of "Why's" and if answers or solutions don't arrive in our timespan, we automatically distance ourselves from Him and put our walls around our hearts. Suddenly God's to blame for all the wrong in OUR world. How did the One who loves us beyond measure become our enemy?

Don't fall for the enemy's wicked schemes - keep standing in the reality of a "Good-Mood God" smiling over us.
He is for us ! If there are no answers, yield the right to understand.
Keep trusting - keep loving Him, and let His love convince your heart again.

Love Louisa...(27Sep09)

2009-09-27T19:34:00.001+02:00

Hi everyone,

I've just come out of a really tough time. I had breathing problems and after repeated doctor's visits and being on many different medicines, I was no better. People were praying for me and I kept on laying hands on myself and praying, but it seemed that as one symptom went away another took its place. I've always felt that I would live to be a 100 and one day I seriously doubted that. I suddenly thought maybe I wouldn't make it to 50! I started thinking that maybe I had never heard from God in any area of my life as well. Including the fact that I had a desire to pray for people and see them healed and in fact raised from the dead. Amazingly, Lez, one of the leaders of the community of believers I belong to, woke up with my face before her and she prayed for complete healing for me!

My dilemma was, "How can I pray for people, when I'm sick?"
I prayed to God for insight and was led to listen to two sermons I'd previously downloaded but not listened too, and they really spoke to me about healing.
One was a preach by Bill Johnson on dealing with disappointment with God. It was about John the Baptist, and how he was called to be someone who would set prisoners free, and here he was in prison and never rescued by Jesus. In fact, he died there! I learnt that often the thing we are called to do is often the biggest struggle. In addition, if we use our disappointment and struggle as a seed it often produces an amazing harvest of success-IF we persevere and have the right attitude! John the Baptist was the forerunner of great things, even though he never saw them happen in his life. I am learning that this is not all about me. I believe this is the beginning of a time in God never seen before. And we are forerunners in a battle that we cannot fully understand.

This whole struggle happened over a period of weeks and once again, I was shown the importance of people in my life. At one of the ladies meetings Lez prayed for me and I suddenly could hear! And the funny thing is I didn't realize I couldn't hear as well as I should. I felt and almost saw a band fall of my head and the mucous leaving my head. My hearing stayed clear. But I was still coughing and my hands, feet and stomach area were still swollen. My husband prayed and said, "Enough and no more!" And things definitely improved.

I went to a 'firefest' on Friday night and was greatly encouraged by God's presence.

Then on the Sunday during the morning service while Lez was, prophesying about awakening I suddenly could see clearly, but this was almost a supernatural 'seeing' as everything was bright-hard to describe…and this didn't last for very long.

On Tuesday, I went to a specialist for a check up on an unrelated matter and she said you must to go and see a chest specialist. She didn't like the sound of my chest at all. I got home and said, "Devil this is enough, nothing will stop me from praying for the sick and believing that the dead will rise too." Almost as suddenly as the breathing problems began, I felt better and I am!! Praise God so wonderful to breathe and not think about it!!!

Lots of love
Louisa

Love Louisa..(27Sep09)

2009-09-27T19:22:00.001+02:00

Hi everyone

I'm reading a book 'The Ultimate treasure Hunt' by Kevin Dedmon, and in it I read that his son Chad, heard god say that if the church will be the light and take ownership of the world, then god would open the eyes of the unsaved. In other words if we will open our eyes, then he will open theirs.

I got so excited when I thought of how, last week in church, I suddenly saw so clearly! In 2 Corinthians 4:4 we read that, The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of Christ. Chad learned that it's not so much about physical healing as the removing of spiritual blindness! Physical healings point people to Christ, God does and will heal, but He ultimately wants to open people's spiritual eyes to see the Kingdom.

Luke 4:18-19 Jesus said, "He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and for the blind recovery of sight, to release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. Jesus said, "As the father has sent me, I am sending you."

So exciting as we 'see' more others will also 'see' more! Praise God for all he is doing and revealing.

Lots of love
Louisa

Raging with Ryan...(27Sep09)

2009-09-27T19:05:00.001+02:00

Dear all

It's a great pleasure to present to you the latest book release for New Nature Publications by Cornel Marais called 'So you think your mind is renewed?'

Please check it out at: http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product_detail&id=6

Here's what Curry Blake of John G Lake Ministries had to say about Cornel's book:

"Your life is transformed to the degree that your mind is renewed. Cornel's book goes a long way toward removing the hindrances to that renewal."

And Rob Rufus, Pastor of City Church International, Hong Kong:

"This book will practically equip you with clear simplicity on how to renew your mind so that the fullness of Christ which is already resident in you as a son of God, will manifest on the outside of you."

And Wayne Duncan, Pastor of Coastlands Christian Church, South Africa:

"All you need to know in order to heal, save and deliver! Cornel clearly shows how easy and possible it is to have constant miracles follow every believer...read it slowly."

Cornel is a very dear friend to City Church International. In his time with us he saw numbers of miracles of healing and ran training classes which released others practically to go and minister to the sick and lost. He now lives in New Zealand with his wife Rensia responding to a ministry call there by God. Cornel is an amazing teacher of the word with a deep understanding of grace and the gift of righteousness. You can also check out his new website called :
http://www.charismaministries.org/
It has loads of good teaching, questions and answers, testimonies and more!

And visit:http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product to see all our resources currently available with many more to come!!!

NB:
New Nature has been building up some stock of products in South Africa, UK and Australia for churches and bookstores that are interested in buying wholesale or getting some copies to sell on consignment and avoiding shipping costs. Wholesale is around 40% off the RRP. Please drop us an email at: enquiries@newnaturepublications.com or reply to this email if you are interested and would like further details.
We would love to get these books and CD's into your church bookstores as well as Christians bookstores in your area and would appreciate your help with that!!!

Please send on to as many others as you feel may be interested in these resources! That would be a huge blessing!!

God Bless
Ryan Rufus

Antidepressant...(21Sep09)

2009-09-21T18:54:00.001+02:00

Morning Good People!
Here is and interesting note I took from a book I am reading.
Helps keep perspective on who is causing what ....!!! & why.
Keep strong and stay free.
LoveUguys
Ant

The D Tactics – James W Groll.
We need to be more tenacious and determined coz the enemy of our souls

will do everything he can to defeat us. He cannot often succeed in taking one

of us out of the battle completely, but he will always try delay, deceive, distract

& disappoint us – these are his four favourite tactics.

But God can turn these tactics inside out & use them to make you stronger.

When attacked you become desperate – very desperate. Be desperate for God

and pursue your enemy.

We must be willing to release hold of our old "cloak of security" long enough to

receive a new warriors mantle.

Delay, deceit, distraction & disappointment when turned to the Lord

can make you even more desperate and determined to keep

perusing God.

Remain in pursuit of the anointing and do not give up along the way.

Why does the enemy attempt to attack us: because he is jealous of the attention

that we receive for the Lord of Host. We are the potential source of the pleasure

of God.

God not only loves you – He takes pleasure in you.

The enemy cannot stand this. Have you considered that you are a threat to the enemy?

Yes a threat to the kingdom of darkness.

The Anointed One live inside of you, & you are close to His heart.

The enemy aims his attacks at those closest to the heart of God.

The enemy hates those who are close to the heart of God.

But we must press into the Lord coz greater in He who is in us

that the one who is in the world – 1 Jn 4:4.

The enemy despise breakthrough.

Satan and his league of demons also attempt to prevent arrival of supernatural

assistance from the Lord – he want to paralyze your planning,

abort your dreams and dilute your hope.

He opposes anything that will give God glory.

So lets put delays, deception, distraction & disappointment under our feet in

Jesus name.

Pursue your strong enemy until ….

Antidepressant...(21Sep09)

2009-09-21T18:46:00.001+02:00

A real Gem:

I read this in Galatians and it was "fresh" to me - so I want to share it
with you and pray it would ReFresh your Spirit.

Gal 3:7 "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all the
nations be blessed. 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with
Abraham, the man of faith.
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is
written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the
Book of the Law, and do them. 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified
before God by the law, for The righteous shall live by faith. 12 But the law
is not of faith, rather The one who does them shall live by them. 13 Christ
redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us written,
Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree< 14 so that in Christ
Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might
receive the promised Spirit through faith."

Especially this line: " ...so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham
might come to the Gentiles ..."

This is what John Piper shared on this Scripture:
"The second thing is that the promises that come to you as part of Abraham's
covenant are more spectacular than anything you will see or hear this
season. Just consider Gen. 17:7, "I will establish my covenant between me
and you and your descendants after you throughout this generation for an
everlasting covenant to be God to you and to your descendants after you."
The heart of the Abrahamic covenant is that God will be God to us. He will
be our God. The longer you meditate on that deceptively simple truth the
more spectacular it becomes. Jeremiah tells us what it means. He quotes God:
"They shall be my people and I will be their God S I will not turn away from
doing good to them S I will rejoice in doing good to them S with all my
heart and with all my soul" (32:38-41). It boggles the mind to try to
imagine what it must mean if the God who made the planets and stars and
galaxies and molecules and protons and neutrons and electrons rejoices to do
you good with all his heart and with all his soul. If God is God for you
then all his omnipotence and all his omniscience are engaged all the time to
do good for you in all the circumstances of your life."
© COPYRIGHT 1983, 1998 John Piper.

This is the Gospel Paul preached and this is the Good News Jesus came to
release - God's message to man: God is in a good mood!

Be encouraged, be ReFreshed coz you are a Son by your faith in Jesus.
We are blessed, we are whole, we are "rich", we are free ....its part of our
blessing.
LottaLove
Ant

Wayne's World...(20Sep09)

2009-09-20T21:29:00.001+02:00

New Covenant Victory

Why Grace Junkies sin less.

"It's not just the removal of one thing but the replacing with something infinitely more powerful and effective."

Romans 6V14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 7:Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

1. The law has been cancelled

2. There is a regenerated new nature

3. The power of God flows in our veins through the Holy Spirit

1. The law has been cancelled.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.(Or end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified)

Galatians 2:19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ.

Colossians 3:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross

Ok so here we have some language to describe how we relate to the law.

Christ is the end of the law to all who believe.

I died to the law.

God cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.

I am so happy that the apostle met together to ebate and decide this matter, and we have their conclusion recorded in the boble to read.

Chapter 15V1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question... 5But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses." 6The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." 12And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 19Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. 27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell." 30So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

So it's totally and unquestionably clear that the law is no longer alive to us, has ended and the demands are over.

That's great but why is that such good news? What's the benefit to me?

Simply put, trying to live under the law is a curse.

Galatians 3:10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them."

What is the curse of the law. The law was not designed to be obeyed. It was released in the earth to crush, to condemn, to create a consciousness of sin and highlight the need for a saviour.

Ok before you shoot me here lets substantiate this biblically.

Galatians 3V23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith

Law was replaced by faith. The law held us captive, imprisoned us until the coming faith could be revealed. It was our guardian until faith would be revealed through Christ. Christ came, faith was possible, and results in justification. Now there is faith there is no longer a guardian. Now we are sons, by faith. This settles that the law was until Jesus.

So the law was not for obedience, by for guidance to a greater reality. It was to highlight sin to stir up sin. To create sin and define sin.

It's purpose was to show us that we are not ok. It was to sober us into the reality that we cannot keep the rules. It was specifically to show that we have no strength to obey all the rules, leaving us hopeless and dependant on a source of holiness and right standing with God that would be outside of our selves. The law paved the way for the good news. The good news would not be good news without the law highlighting our sin, and then Jesus cancelling the law against us.

Let's study a few scriptures that show the purpose and nature of the law. Remember trying to be right with God through the law is a curse.

The law does not give life but death.

2 Corinthians 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life

The law does not save us or produce righteousness, nor can it.

Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law

2 Cor 3:9 the law is a ministry of condemnation

9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.

the law brings an awareness of the wrath of God,

Romans 4:15 b

because law brings wrath

Through the law we become conscious of sin

Romans 3:20:

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

the law's to stir up sin, to provoke sin and arouse sin in you,

Romans 7:5:

For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.

The old testament document of the law is the most used manuscript, and its main user is the devil. How can I say that. What is the devil called? The accuser of the brethren. How does he accuse? He attacks our failings. How does he define our failings?

Ok so let's pull them all out from these scriptures

Curse of the law

Ministry of death

To crush you

Guardian/schoolmaster

Consciousness of sin

(self conscious)

Awareness of wrath

Condemnation

Unbearable yolk

To trouble you

Sinful passions aroused by law

This is what makes the opening scriptures such good news for the believer.

Romans 10:4:

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.(Or end of the law, that everyone who believes may be justified)

Galatians 2:19

19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ.

Colossians 3:13-14

13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross

When we come to Jesus the law has worked, the faithful guardian has done his job. We are broken crushed and in realisation that we are not ok. We cry our for forgiveness for our sins, and accept the only way to be right with God. We believe that Jesus is the saviour and the only way to get right standing with God. We believe and receive faith, and righteousness as a gift to those who believe.

Can you se the curse of the law? Trying to keep that relationship with God through the law always leads to condemnation and a feeling of being crushed. Unworthiness is the land of the law. Guilt is the economy of the law. Fear of judgement and a perception of an angry God is the climate of the law. In this state...wait for it. You sin more!

It's not just the removal of one thing but the replacing of an infinitely more powerful and effective way.

The removal of the law as the means of relating to God introduces the new way, the new covenant.

Curse of the law
Blessing of faith

Ministry of death
Ministry of life

To crush you
To build you up

Guardian/schoolmaster
Graduation to faith

Consciousness of sin

(self conscious)
Righteousness conscious

Awareness of wrath
Awareness of love and acceptance

Condemnation
No condemation

Unbearable yolk
Yolk light and easy

To trouble you
For joy and peace

Sinful passions aroused by law
Rom 6:14

14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Being free from the law, according to this scripture means sin will not dominate us. Being under law strengthens sin. Being under grace breaks the dominion of sin. So more law, more sin. More grace, less sin. So where there is a sin problem, the solution is more and more ...grace.

We will see how important this becomes when we look at the next two reasons that grace junkies sin less and not only sin less but be more effective!

Romans 7:6

4Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

The removal of the law allows and positions us to bear fruit to God.

1. The law has been cancelled

2. There is a regenerated new nature

3. The power of God flows in our veins

Wayne's World...(14Sep09)

2009-09-14T19:28:00.001+02:00

The preaching of the Gospel always opens it's self up to this charge.

"IF you preach the grace of God it will lead to wild living and people just running around sinning"

Grace produces sin…

Grace does not produce sin. It produces testimony. The gospel is the gospel of grace. Grace is the single word that defines the new covenant, and the gospel.

In the KJV of the bible. Faith occurs 229 times in NT. Love 157 times, and grace 122 times.

God will punish you occurs 0 times. Gods angry with you 0 times.

Grace restores intimacy with God. It reopens the channels between us and God. Through these channels flow life and power. The Christian life is about love and faith, in the climate of grace.

The heart of the concern is good. No-one wants or is comfortable with harmful destructive patterns in our lives. (You know like pride or self reliance hee hee). Having no desire to see the power and love of God transform us would just be weird, the absence of change in the life of a believer would be bizarre, and would highlight a concern. Grace accelerates change.

God's climate for change is grace. Under law it was fear. Fear works to a degree but, any relationship based on fear, is floored fundamentally. Our relationship with God is based on love and faith, not on fear and rewards.

Grace produces testimony. Once you see who you are in Christ, and see every disqualifying voice against you cancelled at the cross, your liberated to fly to new heights.

Col 1v5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing - as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth

Every where the Gospel goes and is preached in truth it bears fruit, and grows. Everything about the gospel is life, its growth, its fruit.

Secular physiologists, philosophers all agree the most powerful environment for change in a persons life is love. People who come from loving homes are generally more stable, whole, peaceful and happy. People who come from homes where there is fear are harsh, destructive, and wild.

Here are some testimonies from last weekend.

Irene's Testimony...

On Friday night we prayed for Irene, who works for Jeff and Lynn. Irene has cancer. She suffers from constant pain in the stomach area, and battles to sleep as a result. Irene also battles to keep food down, and would vomit after drinking tea or coffee. She also battled to urinate as it was extremely painful, this has previously resulted in Irene being admitted to the hospital. We laid our hands on Irene and rebuked the sickness. Immediately I felt heat and anointing go out my hands and into Irene's body. I asked Jeff to ask Irene if she felt anything happen. Jeff translated our English into Xhosa. Irene said she felt heat come into her body, and said the pain had left. We prayed for her again, releasing more anointing power. Irene was crying, and we knew something significant had happened.

The next day as Irene arrived at work she gave us the good news. The said that as she was sleeping "pastor" appeared to her in a dream, she said "pastor" told her not to worry but to go to sleep and when she wakes up in the morning she will be healed. Irene also said that "pastor" put a white robe on her.

Irene said that when she woke up she felt well. She went to the toilet and for the first time in ages was able to have a wee without it being painful. She then drank two cups of coffee and did not throw up. All the pain was also gone, and she had slept through the night.

On the taxi her friends remarked that she looked much better, Irene told them that she had been healed. Irene insisted on coming to testify at the church on Sunday morning, which she did do (after eating two big bowls of porridge, and not vomiting).

I then had the awesome privilege of telling her that the robe was the robe of righteousness, the symbol of the gift of righteousness to those who believe. She loved learning that she is holy blameless and perfect in His sight!

Jill's testimony

I was at home and the presence of God came on me. I felt power and energy building up on the inside of me. Eventually I had to go preach the gospel. I went to the local taxi rank where i preached the glorious gospel of grace. While I preached one guy took out his knife, which had been used on several crimes and threw it down on the floor. Another person took out a packet of drugs, pills, from his pocket and threw them down on the floor.

I prayed for them and it was amazing...I cant believe God used me like that, I don't even have it all together.

Tom's testimony...

(Name has been changed)

I saw Tom at the back of the church crying and being ministered to very deeply by a prayer team and the Holy Spirit. Afterwards I spoke to Tom, keen to know what Father had done for/to him. Tom said

" I have never been touched before, but today I encountered God for the first time"..

Tom was released from jail a week or so before, and is a recovering drug addict.

Praise God.

Tyde's Encounter

When I got back from the Port Alfred trip on the 7th September 2009, Tyde told me of his angelic encounter.

"Dad I had a vision, but it was not a vision because I really saw it. I saw an angel standing in the blue light, and I was lying on the bed feeling like it was preaching to me. And I was feeling happy when I saw the angel standing in the blue light. The angel said "no matter what bad things you do, Jesus will always love and forgive you". His whole body was blue, but he had wings and they were blue and white."

Tyde Duncan 6.

Grace produces testimony. When wee see the unconditional love and acceptance of God, we become intimate. Intimacy releases power and encounter.

Almost without fail what restricts encounter with God is guilt, unworthiness and a sense of not deserving. Grace peels back the layers of disqualification.

Grace is a ministry of qualification. Grace says "you can".

You can live the way you want!

You can heal and perform signs and wonders.

You can share the gospel!

You can encounter God.

You can be used by God.

Grace produces testimony.

After much pondering I have finally worked out how to balance grace.

If we just preach grace, grace, grace there is the possibility that people will just run out and sin…

So the balance is the Holy Spirit. We must receive and release the Holy Spirit. He is the power of God in our lives. He leads and guides. He teaches councils and empowers. He is called the spirit of grace. How can the increase of the presence or God and His ministry in our lives lead to an increase in harmful behavior. It cannot.

Many people do not realize that what God is doing through establishing churches in the gospel, it that it is not just a theology. Not just a text book philosophy. It's an experience. It's an invitation into the realm of the power of God in believers. The law is just a text. Grace is a person. The law was given and written on stone. Grace came. Jesus is grace, grace is an experience.

Paul said "I'm not ashamed of the gospel it's the power of God unto salvation". The gospel releases the power of God into our lives. Acts 1:8 says and you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.

So grace, or the truth of the gospel does not increase sin, it releases the power of God to destroy patterns of sin, and to be accelerated into greater realms. Realms of victory and of signs wonders and miracles. Grace qualifies every person for the life of the miraculous! You can do miracles.

Paul preached the Gospel.

Col 1v1 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation(Or to every creature) under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister

We were separated alienated from God. We were hostile in mind. We did evil deeds.

But in Christ's body we were reconciled to God. Do not underestimate the power of that reconciliation. When this happens we are made a new creation! We die to our selves, and become a new person. That new person is holy, and blameless and above reproach in His sight. Above reproach means free from accusation.

Now continue in that faith. Continually believe your holy, blameless and free from accusation in His sight. Not seeing this will lead to doing evil and becoming hostile in mind.

Stay in the faith, continue in the faith. Faith in what? In Jesus and the work of the cross. You are forgiven, you are healed, you are prosperous. Because of Jesus! Continue in the faith. Hold to that hope.

Our only hope is in the Gospel. We cannot trust ourselves for goodness. We cannot make our selves holy and blameless and free from accusation in His sight. Only He can, through the sacrifice of Jesus. The father accepts us as holy, for we are Jesus' and he presents us to the father. We are in Christ.

Romans 1v15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,(Or beginning and ending in faith) as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."]

The Gospel reveals a right standing with God by faith. This is grace. It's by faith, we believe in our savior. Now the power of God is working and released in our lives. It's that power that releases testimony in our lives.

Grace produces testimony!

Views on testimonies

2009-09-09T20:13:00.001+02:00

Hi All

I was on my way back from work this afternoon,

listening to a teaching from Jubilee Church in Sydney.

Fini De Gersigny was going to teach, but as usual they start

their meetings with a few testimonies on what God is doing out there.

I was very tempted to forward to the teaching when I caught myself and

though, "Gee how quickly we take things for granted"

Not even that long ago we were crying for mighty moves of God and miracles.

These days we realise we are living in a move of God and miracles are flowing freely.

God help me never to take His goodness and love for granted.

I really believe testimonies are key. Not as a formula, but as a livestyle.

Boasting continually of what He has done/doing.

Being thankful at all times.

Noticing His dynamic kindness.

Bless you all.

Wayne's World...(9Sep09)

2009-09-09T19:58:00.001+02:00

Some Testimonies

1) Irene's Healing

2) Jill's testimony

I was at home and the presence of God came on me. I felt power and energy building up on the inside of me. Eventually I had to go preach the gospel. I went to the local taxi rank where I preached the glorious gospel of grace. While I preached one guy took out his knife, which had been used on several crimes and threw it down on the floor. Another person took out a packet of drugs, pills, from his pocket and threw them down on the floor.

I prayed for them and it was amazing...I cant believe God used me like that, I don't even have it all together.

3)Tom's testimony...

(Name has been changed)

I saw Tom at the back of the church crying and being ministered to very deeply by a prayer team and the Holy Spirit. Afterwards I spoke to Tom, keen to know what Father had done for/to him. Tom said

" I have never been touched before, but today I encountered God for the first time"..

Tom was released from jail a week or so before, and is a recovering drug addict.

Praise God.

4) Tyde's Encounter

When I got back from the Port Alfred trip on the 7th September 2009, Tyde told me of his angelic encounter.

Tyde Duncan 6.

Quote from Dayspring

2009-09-04T20:06:00.000+02:00

"I've got a God who loves me and seeks my highest good.

He will guide me.

He will protect me.

He will provide for me.

I will not say the Lord is my Shepherd and

live like I don't have one."

A quote from Dayspring

2009-09-04T20:03:00.001+02:00

"Worship is a crucifixion of the priorities of self interest.

Religion is self interest in the guise of worship and

good works."

- David Crabtree

Love Louisa...(3Sep09)

2009-09-03T22:25:00.001+02:00

Hi everyone

I've been meditating on what I wrote last time, about longing for the presence of God that happens when we meet together. I've given it a lot of thought and I'm trying to work out how I feel and what I mean. And I've come to a sort of conclusion that it's not just a meeting with people for meetings sake but for His presence sake. I listened to Bertie Brits speak this weekend-highly recommended-www.dynamicministries.co.za, and he said he loves to meet casually with Gods people but if God and His ways and glorious doings aren't discussed he gets frustrated and disappointed! I understand what he means-we are just so desperate for a touch from God and evidence of His glory that sometimes nothing else will do.

But for me there is a tension between Word and Spirit on the one hand and people for Glory sake and people for relationship, for love sake. Rob Rufus teaches on the importance of hearing Gods Word and experiencing His powerful glorious presence-being drunk and recklessly joyful, in gay abandon experiencing all that He has for us. We need both equally.

And I'm beginning to understand that the desperate need for His physical presence and all that brings can override every thing else. I feel desperate and hard to live with. And it becomes almost a striving to get to that place no matter what it takes and then it becomes work…and I'm back in law. I begin to feel tired, inadequate and sometimes frustrated, with myself and those who haven't yet experienced and become addicted to this Glory experience, as I have. Forgetting how patient people and God are with me!! Does this make sense to anyone?

This is when I have to go back to Gods word and once again realize what grace really means and that I don't have to desperately, work at seeking His presence but that He Himself dwells permanently in me!!!!

When I meditate on His word, both in the bible and in my ear, my love for him and others wells up and out of me. And I begin to realize the preciousness of people and the importance God has placed on relationship. Then I can enjoy being with people, feel powerfully God in me, because I believe what he has promised and already done AND be gloriously drunk in His presence. This is the gospel of peace. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on His own, with no help from us! Then He picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus our Messiah.
Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in the world to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. Ephesians 2: Message Bible.

Thank goodness it's not an all or nothing move of God, but a lot of everything, all working together to make me and the world a much better place…

Lots of love
Louisa

Wayne's World...(30Sep09)

2009-08-31T20:41:00.001+02:00

"Laying on of hands"

Wayne Duncan

Laying hands on people and praying with faith for a transference and impartation of power and presence is a part of the normal Christian experience.

Hebrews Chapter 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Here the laying on of hands is listed among the elementary doctrines. It's part of the primary school concepts of Christianity, and an essential ingredient in order to move onto maturity. If we want to be well schooled in ministry, we have to graduate to fuller understanding in this area.

For the receiving of the Holy Spirit

Acts 8:14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

They had heard the Gospel, and believed it, but had not yet received the promised Holy Spirit. By the laying on of hands the Holy Spirit was received.

There is no age limit.

Matthew 19:13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." 15And he laid his hands on them and went away.

Jesus showed that the laying on of hands is also for children. There is no junior Holy Spirit, only one Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. Children, I want you to know that you have the power of God in you, just like Jesus did. You can heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead and encounter God in powerful ways if you believe in Jesus.

The children were brought to Jesus, so he could lay His hands on them. Jesus not only endorsed this act, but taught us that we can learn from these little ones.

Simple acceptance and faith in totally part of the laying on of hands. There is as aspect of humility in receiving ministry from others. Children simply come to receive. We should also have a simple faith that says "I want to receive".

The Holy Spirit is for everyone.

Acts 2:15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.(That is, 9 A.M.) 16But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17"'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

38And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

There is a blessing.

Mark 10:16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

When hands are laid on you, you are imparted a blessing.

There is healing.

Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Here we see healing by the laying on of hands.

Please see the promise here. These signs will accompany those who believe! This is the only qualification. If you believe in Jesus you can do this!

There is power

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you

It was extra ordinary.

Acts 8:18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit

Something very profound was released over the believers through the laying on of hands, why did Simon want this ability? First look at what Simon already had, and what he already could do.

9But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great." 11And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic

What the apostles were seeing through the laying of hand s was more that what Simon had, more than what he could already do. Simon wanted to buy this ability in order to mkae4 money.

Look at what Simon's inferior ministry could produce:

Magical results.

Amaze all the people.

All paid attention, smallest to greatest.

Had great power.

Has great reputation in the City.

People paid attention.

All were amazed at the constant results.

Now the apostles through the laying on of hands were producing a superior ministry of signs and wonders and power. Simon was so blown away he wanted what the apostles had, for it was superior.

That same ministry is now every believer's inheritance. We can release and receive it freely.

Releases gifts.

II Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,

Many various kinds of gifts can be imparted and received.

There must be an expectant faith.

I Timothy 5:22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands

There must be an expectation, a faith that something will happen. There is a holy and supernatural element to the laying on of hands.

We need to engage our receptors, and realise that we are receiving through a mere person, but from God himself through that person. If a person has no desire for God, and no expectation to receive, no desire to receive, then laying on of hands would be wasted. Don't be hasty with people like this.

The laying on of hands is a sacred, special gift to believers. Let's pray often, receive often, and enjoy every benefit this powerful ministry has to offer.

To deny yourself or a community this elementary experience, on a regular basis would be to deny a great source of power and joy.

Wayne's World...(28Aug09)

2009-08-28T19:45:00.001+02:00

Some of my thougts on Heb 12

One of the reasons i changed from NIV to ESV is that NIV says God punishes us, where ESV says chastise, as does KJV thats quite a huge translation error in the NIV!

Chastisement is a loving father teaching, training and instructing us. Another definition is child rearing. This is for our strengthening, preparing us for hardships of life and maturing.

ESV Study Bible Commentary

Discipline (Gk. paideia) was a common term for childrearing through instruction, training, and correction;

Yes Father corrects, trains and instructs us. He does not punish us, for He punished Jesus in our place.
If Father punished us for our wrongs He would have to punish us everyday! That would not be good news! But if we are in permannat training thats good news for then we are constantly being strengthened, and our effectiveness will grow untill we die. This training is in the context of the new covenant, where our sins are not counted against us, where His throne is approachable, where He has qualified us for ministry and where we can do all things thoguh Christ. It's important to remember the backdrop of Hebrews 8, 9, 10, 11 before we go to chapter 12. The backdrop is all the great promises and the new covenenat.

Some say Hebrews 12 menas God can give you cancer and sickness to punish you and teach you? Does this hold up to new covenenat promises. Remember in Isaiah 54v15If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you.
God does not cause us strife in the new covenant!

WHEN there is strife, He will turn it to our advantage! What the enemy purposed for evil, the Lord will use for Good. But the evil is not from God!
17no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication(Or righteousness) from me, declares the LORD."
So Hebrews 12 for me is such a classic example of how we need to see every scripture in context. Every scripture comes in a passage, a chapter, a book and a covenant!

Some maintain that when you are being disciplined, God stops blessing you? Well does our disobediance undo the Abrahamic Covenant? Meaning do we loose the blessing when we sin? Well did Abraham? No. We are also chidlren of Abraham.

Hebrews 10:
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," 17then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin
And in Romans 4
7"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."
Well Does God count our sin against us or not? Are they covered or not?
Or sins are covered and they are clearly and scripturally forgiven.

On that canvass of security the Father is training His sons, correcting and leading them!

Wayno

I'd like to add that the main way he teaches and corrects us is by showing us who we are in Christ, and by the conviction of the holy spirit that we are righteouss.

Wayne's World...(23Aug09)

2009-08-27T20:35:00.001+02:00

Law demands, grace enables.

Wayne Duncan

We can achieve now under grace what was never possible under the law.

Not only did the law set a standard that no one besides Jesus could ever keep, but it did not lift a hand to help. The law and commands with the many requirements demanded much but provided no means, no power to effectively do what it so adamantly demanded. Law demands. No matter how well you do, the law always confidently asserts "I demand more". And because the law is the law, and God gave the law, which is perfect, the law is always right, which makes us always wrong. The result is a pending condemnation, and certain sense of failure. At times the condemnation will be to much to bear and we will resort to a false righteousness called self righteousness. A false sense that we are meeting the grade. Then scriptures like James 2:11 10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it, sobers us back into reality, and the law does what it is designed to do. The law being a composite whole, declares us guilty at every failing no matter how great or small, making our every success a failure. This was the purpose of the law, to stir up sin, to crush us and kill every self righteous notion we may have.

But thank be to Christ Jesus, who rescues us from this by fulfilling the law, thanks be to God who cancelled the law, with its demands and legal requirements at the cross.

Colossians 2:13-14 (ESV) And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

This staggering act of Jesus on the cross cancelled those legal demands that stood against us.

Grace enables.

Obedience to the law could never set you free.

Acts 13:39(ESV) Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything 39from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

What could we not be freed from?

Condemnation, and a conscience of evil. The law could never produce a residing sanity in our relationship with God. This old way required perfect obedience that would only produce a temporary confidence before God.

Hebrews 9 contrasts the old covenant and the new covenant the opening words of the chapter are... 1Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship...it speaks about the old covenant. The writer then goes on to say something that should attract the attention of every reader.

8By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. 11But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, 14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 15Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant (ESV)

There is so much here, but one thing it teaches us is that the old covenant was inferior to the new covenant. That the blood of goats only provided temporary covering for sins. Jesus blood provides a permanent residing forgiveness.

Why is this so important?

The old never cleansed the conscience. It left you always feeling guilty, unworthy and sin conscious. We now have a clear conscience before God. He does not want us to be sin conscious, that was the role of the law. Now He wants us to be righteousness conscious, for that's what are, and how He sees us through the blood of Jesus.

The glorious new covenant provides a cleansed consciousness and a constant pronunciation from God that we are righteous, pure and holy before him, for we believe in Jesus. Guilt is now gone!

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes

Its not just the removal of the law, but the replacement of something infinitely more effective and powerful.

14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God

Grace enables. We can do now what we never could do when we were stuck in dead works, which is trying earn the love acceptance, and favour of God. You need a clear conscience if you want to serve God effectively.

Now that we know we have the love acceptance and favour of God, we can believe for the power needed to live a supernatural life.

Galatians 5:18 (ESV) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

We now can do what we never could under the law. We now have a new nature, that is righteous, wants to please and serve God, and has the power to do so. Every believer is placed in Christ, and the same power that raised Christ from the dead is living in you. You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Its done its yours. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

What do you want to do? What do you want to see? How do you want to be used? It's yours.

What do you want to change, what patterns, strongholds, destructive habits, addictions?

The change is certain and possible, for you are in Christ, the disqualifying accusations of the law and its demands are removed, and your qualified for every good and perfect gift from the father.

Living with a residing confidence will keep you confidently entering into greater degrees of His presence. Every time we encounter the presence of God we are being refreshed, we are being strengthened, we are being changed from one degree of Glory to another. Every time we are filled and refilled with the presence of Holy Holy, something is happening to us, and we come away with a greater revelation of God. A greater revelation of His love and power and will. Every time we encounter the person of the Holy Spirit we come away more aware of our righteousness, and more aware of who we are, for the Spirit points to Jesus. Jesus always points us to the Father, and there we will always find love and acceptance. At the throne we always find help in our time of need...His throne is the throne of mercy and grace. This is all part of the normal Christian experience.

Grace makes it all possible. Grace says its all ours freely through belief in Jesus. Grace qualifies. Law disqualifies. Jesus has qualified you.

Colossians 1(ESV) 11May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks(Or patience, with joy giving thanks) to the Father, who has qualified you(Some manuscripts us) to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins

He has strengthened you.

He has given you patience and joy.

He has qualified you to share the inheritance.

You are a saint of light.

He has delivered you from the kingdom of darkness.

You are in the kingdom of the beloved.

You have been redeemed, one and for all.

You have been forgiven.

You are positioned for victory and superior effectiveness in life.

Bertie's in the house

2009-08-24T19:12:00.001+02:00

Bertie Brits will be in town at the following

venues and times:

Place: Salt Rock.

Date: Saturay 29 August.

Venue: Salt Rock Country Club.

Time: 09h30.

Place: Northway Church.

Date Sunday 30 August.

Venue: Northlands Girls High School.

Time: 09h00.

Hope to see you there.

From the mouth of babes

2009-08-22T18:53:00.001+02:00

A couple in our church Darrly and Janine, have a two and a half year old daughter..Kaitlyn. Kaitly prayed for someone with a wart of their finger ...now the wart is falling off! wow

Raise up and release 5he children Lord.
Imagine a generation who know who they are in christ from such a young age!!!??

Wayno

Heads Up

2009-08-19T19:59:00.001+02:00

Just to let you know that Ant and Les will be in Port Alfred this

weekend ahead.

Catch up with them at The Station fellowship and around town.

We will be meeting at the Salt Rock Library opposite the Salt

Rock Beach at 19h00 on Thursday evenings.

To date I have not received any testimonies of what Jesus is up

too in your lives.

Please send these to testimony.goodnews@gmail.com

That is good news.
Love

Gregg

Wayne's World...(16Aug09)

2009-08-16T21:06:00.001+02:00

Relational Wholeness

Wayne Duncan

I'm going to be talking about relationships today. Not because were weak in this department, but because this is part of the superior reality we want to be anchored in. We want this to be a place of health and wholeness. At the centre of health happy communities, are good strong relationships. To be clear were not doing this preach to put out many fires, or to address many issues. Of coarse at any time in the life of the community there are a few relationships under pressure. That is normal. If this is helpful for those situations, great. What were really wanting to do, as we establish a desired culture for us and the next generation, is to build relationships of wholeness on this foundation.

Relationships are at the heart of life. If I could tell you about something that would position us to be in whole relationships in our lives at every level, would you be interested? If we grasp this revelation, it will help in every relationship you have. Think about the multi layer forms of relationship.

Between you and God. Between friends. Between spouses. Between parents and children. Between work associates. Between other family members. Between church folk. Between people of influence (mentors, pastors, apostles etc)

Relationships affect every area of our lives. Were always going to be with, and around other people.

Learning to have good relationships, good friendships or the ability to get along with others, is such an essential ingredient to life.

Today were going to look at something that can help greatly in this area.

It's love, acceptance and forgiveness.

I also want to paint this as a back drop for what were contending for as a church. Last week I said were contending for a superior reality. Were developing a kingdom culture in the church. This lies at the heart of that culture. How do we relate to each other? How do we treat each other?

It's love and acceptance and forgiveness.

The good news is that when were born again, and given a new nature, the holy spirit comes to live inside of us and the result is that we love.

1 John 4V7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Loving one another is easy, for this reflects who we are. God is love, and we are in God, and He is in us, so we too love. It's one of the evidences of being born again. In fact this is the fulfillment of the commands of Jesus and the law itself.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Romans 13v8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

"The commands of Jesus are a description of the way new human beings behave, who have been born again, and enabled supernaturally to the Glory of God" John Piper

If I love you I won't kill you. If I love you I won't steal your wife. If I love you I won't lie to you or cheat you. If I love myself I won't smoke, or do drugs. If I love God I won't worship other Gods.

Can you see how love fulfills the law?

Now were not saying prove your love, common, if you love God thenno that's a manipulation. Your motive if moved that way would be impure. A relationship built on this is never healthy. A pure way is I love, and as an overflow I behave.

Love is who we are. Loving comes easily, and all its fruit is sweet!

Two things that follow in love are acceptance and forgiveness.

We've purposed to be a church that accepts people no matter what. You're free to be you here without coming under judgment. If we do not create the culture of acceptance, then were creating a culture of cohesion and conformity. We can't say "be like me, or become like me, and then you'll be more accepted". We are all different, and the greatest gift you can be to the world is to be the unique you God created you to be.

How does God love us. Unconditionally, and all the time. What if we believe something that's wrong, well he still loves us, but wants us to change that belief. It's the climate of love and forgiveness and acceptance that creates that environment to change. The same is true for behavior. Does Gods love me if I make a mistake or sin? Yes, He still loves and accepts me, but he wants me to be free from that thing. But love acceptance and forgiveness are the ground on which that freedom comes.

It's the same with us. If we disagree with someone, or their behavior towards us, we need to create to atmosphere of love, acceptance and forgiveness. This will bring healing to the relationship.

When loving you gets hard.

Demanding love. Legalistic love.

This is a very dangerous environment that some create around them selves. It says I have certain criteria that I expect you to meet. In my mind when that list of expectations are being met, then I can believe that you love me.

This creates some serious relational tensions. Lets call this chap Mr Dam Manding.

Here is are symptoms associated with Mr Manding.

Insecurity creeps into his relationships, this is due to the fact that with Mr Manding, you never know if you are doing enough, you never know if your keeping him happy. Often the rules for satisfaction changethis creates really tricky relationships where you feel your constantly walking on egg shells. The result is that Mr Manding constantly feels unloved and un respected. Those around this person feel insecure. This also opens the door for manipulation and controlling others.

Mr Manding feels it's his right to demand respect and sacrifice from others, and if his demands are not met, he feels his rights have been violated. Now others are guilty of an infringement, and Mr Manding feels his offence is legitimate.

Its often subtle. Sometimes conscious, sometimes unconscious.

We need to be so careful that we decide what love is and what it looks like.

If you do this.then you love me, if you don't, you don't love me.

This creates the environment for disappointment.

Mr Manding robs the beauty of giving. What do I mean. Well if I show you love, and give you relational effort. The attitude could be one of, "well I expect that, or I deserve that". The person is not grateful for the attempt to share love. This in turn makes the person who made the attempt at love feel rejected. This may result in a lessening of the attemps at love, which enforces the downward cycle, or upward performance pressure.

It's legalistic love and law crushes, and points out fault constantly.

These things can be present in every type of relationship in our lives.

In church, if you make me an elder, then you love me. If you believe what I believe, then you love me. If you visit me then you love me. If not you don't. How silly are these things.

Wife, if you do this. Husband if you do thisand we end up running around trying to please everyone to prove our love.

Mr Manding is actually difficult to love. We create rules and criteria. When someone does not measure up to those rules, hes become hurt disappointed. But if those rules and measures and controls were not there, there would be no hurt, and Mr Manding would be so much easier to love, and he would clearer see peoples attempts at love.

Here is a fact. Hurt and disappointment will happen in every relationship. That's normal in life. Love and acceptance, forgiveness reduce the frequency and the pain of those hurts.

How we respond when were hurt or disappointed is so key.

Listen friends we go through much unnecessary pain and turmoil by not having maturity in this area.

Questionwhat's the opposite of forgivenessits offence.

I was thinking about this. When I think about people who leave church. If I think about people who become isolated. Almost without fail the problem was unmet expectations or offence. I guarantee you every relationship will have unmet expectations. I guarantee you every relationship will have the potential for offence, often.

Picking up offence is devastating. Holding onto that offence will cause all sorts of negative symptoms in our lives. It's just so much better to live in the freedom of forgiveness.

Offence is something we pick up. You see this bible here on the pulpit. I can choose to pick it up, or not to. When disappointment comes, and it will, we have to choice "to pick it up or not to pick it up" that is the choice.

When we now hold onto that offence, it's called unforgiveness. Unforgiveness releases negative power in our lives. That relationship is then affected. Offence has taken root. It's a dangerous root, that can produce negative fruit if not quickly dealt with. Now a stronghold, a fortress is present.

Symtoms:

In the church context unforgiveness blocks the receiving of the gifting on a person. What that means is our hearts don't want to receive what is being released. If your offended at a preacher, you hinder the revelation you can receive from preaching. If you're offended at a person who is praying for people, you may not come forward for prayer to receive. Even if you do you may be closed. Preaches who preach with unforgiveness develop a harsh edge. When you pray for a person you have not forgiven, your passion and sincerity is compromised. Can you see why it's important to build this culture of forgiveness?

Remember that it's just a matter of time before you will be hurt or disappointed. If we don't develop this forgiveness ability we can also get into unhealthy cycles. Some people go from church to church. It's always the same, they get offended, pick up offence, unforgiveness sets is. They say, "no we left the church for they hurt us" or "there was no love". I know people who have gone from church to church like this, but the root is immaturity in dealing with disagreement or offence, its unforgiveness. Some eventually just stop going to church. Here there is only one winner. The enemy. Here a person retreats into isolation. Isolation will produce dark and miserable fruit.

It's not only church. For some its friendships. An examination of life will find a long string of broken friendships. Or a person ends up with no friends.

Some people get offended all the time. I mean it's amazing. This is a destructive habit that will leave a person lonely and isolated. People don't like to be around people who get offended easily, it's hard work. Then cycles come again. You get offended all the time, so people avoid you. Then you get offended because people avoid you. So the cycles develop. All this can be stopped in it's tracks by embracing Gods freedom. Acceptance and forgiveness.

I mean its quite funny, I've seen this in every church I've been in. Someone gets offended because someone prayed for them Someone gets offended because someone did not pray for them. Someone gets offended for the way someone prays for them. People get offended when there is the presence of God, people get offended when there is not. People get offended when you preach to long, others want long preaches. Some get offended at slow songs, others at fast. Some want loud others soft. People get offended because the picture is fire, and not waves. You greeted the and not me. You looked at me funny. Some pastors run around trying to please every offence and demand, and the half die from exhaustion. But we are building a superior reality where people are healthy and secure, slow to anger, and slow to take offence. Love acceptance and forgiveness.

Friends were here to change the world by bringing the gospel of power to lost people. We've goto keep the focus that were here for others, to be ministers of the new covenant to a lost world. Becoming to inward focused, to "my needs" orientated, distracts from what's really important.

As a church we are not here to meet your needs. Were here to train and equip you to be powerful and effective in the world. Our needs are met in Him. Here we contend for the reality of who you are to manifest, so you will effect and infect every environment in which you find yourself.

Isi taught us about fortresses at the conference. Here is a fortress. "everyone in my family, school, church..dislikes me". This lie from the enemy is a fortress and believing it will cause you so see it, and live it. You will attract the negative environment you believe in.

Destroy the fortresses!

Were encouraged to forgive as God has forgiven us.

Colossians 3V12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive

How has God forgiven us?

Unconditionally, fully, permanently freely.

Knowing that we sin, but are forgiven by God, no matter what, tenderizes our hearts to act the same way. We are imperfect people making mistakes, but were forgiving and accepting each other.

So we purposefully purpose, I will love and forgive you no matter what. This breads a security. This breads a culture of strength and health. This releases Gods best over us. This releases sanity. This undoes relational anxiety. This releases peace and joy, and sweetens fellowship.

This makes you a person people want to be around. Its produces a healthy cycle, I love you so I want to be with you. Then your good to me so I like you more and enjoy the environment more. This is light, this is life. Some of you are like this, everyone wants to be around you. Your always happy, never offended, always embracing and accepting, you attract people like a moth to a flame.

Does love and acceptance make us soft. No. If someone is repeatedly doing something to hurt us, we can tell them. We can tell then that it's not good. That is hurtful or destructive. We can ask them to stop. But we forgive. If they do not stop we still forgive. If they still don't stop, we may even leave the relationship, but we forgive.

Acceptance of a person does not mean you just accept their every belief and behavior. But rejecting their belief is not rejecting them. Rejecting the behavior is not rejecting them.

Let's say someone joins the church. They want us to believe that there is no born again event. We would disagree, we still accept them but we disagree. If they continue to proclaim that truth, we would refute it. We still love and accept them but we refute it. Eventually they would leave, or be asked to leave. This is not rejection of them. We still love and accept them, but not their belief.

Let's say someone joins the church and starts sleeping with all the single ladies. We will talk to that person and bring correction. We will love and accept them. If they go on and on, we would put them out the church. Outside of that type of dramatic repetitive unrepentant sin there is total love and acceptance. In fact this would be love.

Ok so here is a quiz..

Which is better, option A or option B

a) Pain, hurt, offence, unforgiveness, bitterness, insecurity, rejection, anxiety, stress and isolation.

b) Love, acceptance, forgiveness, peace, joy, fun, togetherness, health and friendship.

Which is better a or b?

Lets abandon every offence, be slow and difficult to offend. Lets let go of every claim we feel we have to be offended and carry unforgiveness. Freely we have received, lets freely give.

Lets purpose to be slow to anger, abounding in love, gracious and compassionate, patient and loving to each other and to a dying world. After all this is who we are.

Living as those who are free, living in the freedom of forgiveness will release such joy and peace and contentment over our lives.

Love Louisa...(14Aug09)

2009-08-14T21:45:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone,

So glad the blog is up and running again, after a bit of a lull. Like the good news emphasis too!

It's so exciting to be part of what God is doing at the moment. What a change from the doom and gloom of a few years ago

Recently God has renewed in me a hunger and thirst for His presence and for meeting with other like minded people.

I feel this describes me-As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? - Psalm 42; 1-2

In the Old Testament the presence of God was mostly felt in the Temple. But now I ask 'where' can I go and meet with God?

In the beginning of this born again again experience, I was content-with me and God-and what an amazing time I had filled with many different wonderful experiences. BUT now Psalm 63:2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory! I keep on thinking Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. Psalm 84:10 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young-a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Psalm 84:1-4

To me dwell speaks of not just a quick in and out, but an extended period of time-in His presence.

At the moment it seems there is a greater dynamic and depth of the glory of God, when people meet together. I have experienced and felt the presence of God more than ever before, in church, conferences and smaller meetings. Even casual get to gethers where God and His doings are discussed, outbreaks of His glory and His tangible presence occur. Much more so and differently to when I'm alone.

I'm not sure if this will always be the case, but for now I'm so hungry for God's presence I long to be in His presence and if that's where people meet, then that's where I'll be.

What a change from hating the thought of going to church.

I'm convinced that the more we learn and experience His glorious presence and power the more naturally we will live in it. Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things in your house, of your holy temple. Psalm 65:4

Lots of love

Louisa

Back Healed

2009-08-12T20:11:00.001+02:00

During our Sunday evening meeting, Les was praying and

prophesying over me.

I felt the Holy Spirit's presence all over me, moving me

from side to side.

After the prayer, I felt like a million bucks, but an added

bonus is that the back ache I had been experiencing the

previous three days was gone.

God just thought it was a good idea.

Thank you Jesus

Love

Gregg

Letters from Les...(12Aug09)

2009-08-12T19:37:00.001+02:00

The Glory River

Peace is like a mighty river flowing down from the thrown.
As it rushes over us it demolishes strongholds, pushing down walls.
It unearths the secrets of Gods heart deposited in us and unveils the foundations of the temple, which we are.
It comes with a loud crashing of the heavens, letting earth know its Master.
It shows no favourites, it holds back for no man.
It thunders, it rolls from the heavens and embodied in it is all the gifts of the heaven.
It wipes away the shallow plans of the enemy.
It gives strength to the weak and feeds the poor in spirit.
It tells no lies.
Who can this river be?
But the great I am.

Letters from Les...(12Aug09)

2009-08-12T19:35:00.000+02:00

I had a vision of a white stone, like a cobble-stone, smooth and white and it was in the hand of God.
Each stone had a persons name written on it.
I saw God breathing on these stones and as he breathed over them, big white butterflies flew out, they just kept on coming out.
The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said that just as caterpillars become butterflies so his ongoing glory to glory keeps transforming us, we are his Glory that covers the earth. I saw the breath of God keep blowing and transforming us from Glory to Glory.
I saw the Lord keep blowing and blowing, the more he blew the more the Glory filled the earth.
As the coble stones paved the streets of heaven so are we his glory in all the earth.

Something New

2009-08-10T20:15:00.001+02:00

Hi Everyone

We are keen to share some thoughts on the direction we see Grace in Flood

going for the next little while.

The idea is that Grace in Flood be a platform from where the Gospel (Good News)

is shared. Where people are encouraged by the goodness of God.

There are many sites where sharing of opinions have just turned into bitter arguments

or an outlet for hurt.

I would like to encourage you to spend time at those sites if those are your motives.

For starters we want to continue posting teachings from Wayne at Coastlands,

and include teachings that we have at our fellowship, Northway Church.

Next we have asked Ant, Les, Louisa and some others to post their revalation,

prophetic words, and thoughts etc.

Thirdly I want to have a Revelation 19v11 approach.

"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

We want the world to hear what Jesus is doing in peoples lives.

We want you to tell how Jesus has healed you physically, emotionally or mentally.

How has he provided for you lately?

So send all your testimonies to testimony.goodnews@gmail.com.

Love

Gregg

Wayne's World...(9Aug09)

2009-08-09T21:15:00.001+02:00

Contending for the superior reality of the Gospel.

Wayne Duncan

We need to carry the soberness of the awareness that we are constantly establishing a culture in everything we give ourselves to. Were contending for a superior reality for the church. Were contending for a church that will be more that what we are, were contending and partnering with Jesus to build a church that demonstrates who God is and who we are as a result of the finished work of the cross.

Every church has a culture

Every church has a belief system

Every church has a flavor

Every church has a theology

How did the church get these things?

What we release into the church will bear fruit into the future. Now that includes good and bad seed.

Day by day, week after week, month by moth there is a steering, a guidance of the church. Years later there is a place, a result.

Much of what was pronounced over the church has lead to a decrease in power, and an incapacitation of the average believer. You tell someone year in and year out that they have a sinful nature, they will believe it and become it. You tell people they must work to be accepted by God, they will believe it and eventually become discouraged, never entering the rest. You tell people they must qualify for the anointing, they will believe it and strive. Generations of faulty pronunciations has left the average believer disillusioned, weak, miserable, unconfident, striving, immature, disconnected and powerless. But praise God there is a Gospel revolution, and Jesus is rescuing His glorious church by bringing us back to the Gospel, and our inheritance through the finished work of the cross.

So we carry the soberness of the reality of ensuring that what we sew into the life into the church results in a preferable culture. We cannot be dictated to by the current culture, we cannot accept the current culture as a place of satisfaction and arrival, and we cannot commit the same mistakes previous generation made, we must learn, we must see by revelation what Jesus is saying to the churches, and make the relevant changes.

In this time Jesus is strengthening His church in the world and raising Her up to be the most powerful force in the earth today. To the churches who hear His voice at this time, there will be a partnership that arises that will effect and infect every corner of the earth with the Gospel of freedom and power.

So what culture do we want in the church?

What are we contending for?

Here are a few things we have identified as part of the preferable culture, the superior reality we feel Jesus is calling us to. These things explain much of what we do, and were we are wanting to go in God. Were wanting to grow in these areas, and establish the superior reality of a normal church, for generations to come.

So here are a few things in no order of priority, and not an exclusive or exhaustive list.

We want the culture of the Gospel of truth, liberty and freedom preached, with a demonstration of power.

We want a culture of love acceptance and forgiveness.

Were wanting to see a culture of the Holy Spirit coming on people and changing lives.

Were building a culture where God presence is honored and desired above all.

Were wanting a culture of life changing revelation released over eachother.

A culture of signs wonders and miracles.

Were contending for a culture of growth in people, growing into the fullness of Christ.

Were contending for a place of safety.

Were building a culture that transcends Sundays meeting.

Were looking for a culture of authenticity

A culture of salvations.

A culture of maturity in the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit by every believer.

A culture where every royal priest and king carries an anointing to minister and serve.

A culture where worship transcends words and music, but ushers in the Glory.

A culture of demonstration of the teaching.

A culture of openness to hear, learn and to change.

A culture of "we are well".

A culture of unity, were in one accord.

A culture of meeting in homes.

A culture of favor with all people.

A culture of honor.

A culture of dignity.

A culture of acceptance.

A culture of love.

We want the culture of the Gospel of truth, liberty and freedom preached, with a demonstration of power.

We want the truth that emulates from this place to be Christ centered, cross honoring gospel truth that has the power to change lives and bring freedom from every bondage there is. There are many false and fake Gospels out there. We want the real Gospel, and we want this to be a place of truth.

We want that Gospel to have accompanying power. We refuse to go to the world with just a book, and a message, but with power. Power ushers and promotes the preferable future.

Romans 1V16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith

Acts 1V8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

1 Cor1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God

John 14 The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 12"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Jesus would say believe my message, and if you cant, then believe based on the miraculous works I do.

Today the church says, believe the message, and maybe one day there will be miracles. We need to get back to normal supernatural Christianity that has the power of God flowing through the veins of every born again spirit filled believer.

The good news is that that power is already there. Every believer has the power of God in them for miracles and healing and acts of power.

Jesus said:

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do

So were on this journey of discovering who we are. When we were born again, we were made new creatures, we were given a new nature, a nature that as Bill Johnson says "has the very righteousness of God flowing through our veins". As were transformed by the renewing of our minds, and more clearly begin to see who we are as a result of what He has done to us, we begin to see the power within us.

Our contention becomes to destroy every argument and pretention that sets it-self up against the knowledge of Christ. We demolish the demonic lies that disqualify us from seeing who we are.

This year God spoke to us clearly about seeing who we are in Christ, and we are learning.

That's why the Gospel of grace is so essential. The word clearly teaches us that God qualifies every one of us for ministry. God freely gives us everything we need fro life and Godliness. There are no levels, there are no favorites, there are no super hero's. Were all qualified, were all hero's.

Religion wants to disqualify you, legalism wants to disqualify you, lying demons want to disqualify you , but God has qualified you. Every one who believes is qualified!

2 Cor 3V4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us competent(Or sufficient) to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Who has qualified youGod, and what God has qualified, let no man disqualify!

You are qualified to minister life! You are the life and light of Christ. Everywhere you go you carry the power and presence of God. Arise shine for your light has come, and the glory of the lord has risen upon you. Jesus has qualified you, your life is now hidden in Christ, and You are in Christ. You have become a son. You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. There is no condemnation for you. Every hindrance is removed. We used to believe that sin hinders the ability to minister. Believing that leaves every believer neutralized. For every believer has sin. God uses imperfect people to minister to imperfect people, growing us all the while.

Were contending for a culture where people be who they are. Be who you are. A righteous spirit made perfect forever by Christ. Hebrews says "you are the spirit of the righteous made perfect"and "by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever". We don't look to the discouragement of our condition, but to the joy of our position in Him.

Every contention flows from faith. If we need out perfection and performance to minister, we will loose faith every time we fail. But if our faith is in His performance on our behalf, we can have a permanent sustained faith that can produce superior results.

Imagine a Church that operates with this revelation. Imagine every believer having power flowing out of their every pronunciation of the Gospel. Who ever though it would be so simple all we need to do is preach the Gospel, and then watch God back it up with signs wonders and power.

Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

All we have to do is preach the Gospel. Wow, and signs will follow!

I started by saying this We want the culture of the Gospel of truth, liberty and freedom preached, with a demonstration of power.

Preach the message, the Gospel, the Gospel of the glorious grace of God, and signs will follow. I'm not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation. For in it a righteousness is revealed from God! Preach the Gospel of righteousness by faith. When you believe in Jesus you are made righteous. You are saved, and now made right with God forever! The power of God is in this message of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf! Now God is with you and in you. You can do anything, all things are possible with Christ.

Were positioned for victory, when we preach the Gospel there is accompanying signs.

When we believe in Jesus there are miracles through who we are. Were infused with supernatural sanctified steroids. Now through the preaching of the Gospel, and the revelation of who we are in Christ, we will never be the same, the church will never be the same, and the world around us will be effected like never before!

Waynes World...(7Aug09)

2009-08-07T22:31:00.001+02:00

check out this 5 min justification by faith teaching by Piper wow!

http://www.new-testament-christian.com/justification_.html

Price changes to New Nature books and CD's!

2009-08-07T22:25:00.001+02:00

Dear all

Just a quick email to let you know that New Nature has decided to cover most of the shipping costs for each product to make the products more affordable to people.

After all it's more about a message than a profit!

So please spread the news!

Also if you are really wanting any of the materials but are struggling financially at this time, them please send an email to enquiries@newnaturepublications.com and we will see what we can sort out.

I will try and not send too many emails about New Nature, I know what it's like!!!! Please let me know if you don't want to receive anymore. I won't be offended!

Blessings to all!

Ryan Rufus

It's another boy

2009-08-04T19:54:00.001+02:00

This is boy number two in the Booyens collection arriving early December

Meeting

2009-07-26T18:52:00.000+02:00

Hi Guys

I am very please to let you know that we will be meeting at

the Salt Rock Library (opposite the Salt Rock Beach) on

Thursday evenings - 18h30 for 19h00.

Starting this coming week.

Love

Gregg

New Nature Publications on youtube!

2009-07-26T18:49:00.000+02:00

Please forward this on to everyone.

Lots of love

Gregg

Hi guys

I made a promo for New Nature Publications. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JbEv0Kotgg (Hope it works - it's on youtube under New Nature Publications)

Bless you guys

Ryan

New Nature Publications on youtube!

2009-07-26T18:38:00.001+02:00

Hi guys

I made a promo for New Nature Publications. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JbEv0Kotgg (Hope it works - it's on youtube under New Nature Publications)

Bless you guys

Ryan

Wayne's World...(28Jun09)

2009-07-06T20:18:00.001+02:00

Destroying stress and anxiety, and abiding in peace, rest and trust Part 2

Wayne Duncan

4 keys to seeing your peace.

4 keys to destroy anxiety.

4 keys to destroy stress.

4 keys to entering rest.

4 keys to abiding in the realm of trusting God.

Key number 1, God swore by an oath that he will not be angry with us, and we are in an eternal covenant of peace. Isaiah 54.

Key number 2, Gods will for you is wholeness, he has a hope for you and God is in our future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Today we look at key number 3 and 4.

Key number 3. God promises to provide for us, for we are His sons and daughters, who he loves greatly.

God has promised to provide our every need!

Much problem enters our lives for we over estimate our needs!

In a world dominated by materialism and competition we often loose sight of what we really need. God promises to provide our every need, and not our every greed!

This does not mean that Father might not unexpectedly bless us with something extravagant, you can be sure there will be those times, and how sweet they are, but in terms of this topic, living free of anxiety and stress, and finding that place of abiding in rest, peace and trust, all we need to do is rest our minds and hearts in this simple fact. God promises to provide all we need!

Paul says he learned a great secret, he learned to be content in times of plenty and times of want.

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Look at this, God says he is able to look after the birds of the air, and the lilies of the field, now how much more precious are we than those. God created the world and said "it is good", but when he created man, he said, "It is very good!". You are much more precious that the birds and lilies! God did not die for the birds and lilies, he died for us, and our inheritance is wholeness.

This verse also implies that the potential for constant stress is there. You say what? Well look at his verse

34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

God says each day will have trouble and anxiety. Consistent with all of what the bible teaches us, is that problems will not disappear, but we will live with a peace and a rest, abiding in the rest, while life continues, knowing that God works all things for the good, and knowing that God is in our future, knowing God is good!

So you can choose, you can worry and stress and have anxiety every day of your life, or you can choose not to worry about life and rest your heart and mind in God!

So the realm of abiding in the rest, is the choosing to see Gods goodness, and love to you, this releases Joy and peace.

What did the birds do to deserve their supernatural provision and care?

They did nothing! The text says they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns…

The birds do not sew seed, they do not gather, they do not reap, they do not plan or save, or give to receive, they are simply cared for. Jesus said, the birds did nothing to deserve the care for needs, he provides there need. Remember Jesus said these things. Why? What was Jesus purpose in saying these things? Well the text tells us. It's so that we are not anxious about life.

So much damage has been done with the prosperity teaching that many of us may be left believing that if we do not sew we will not reap. Here God says His care and provision for us is outside of the law and principle of sewing and reaping.

There is a place for sewing and reaping, and soon I plan to do a series called "Generosity, Tithing and Stewardship" …I promise it will be like nothing you've heard before!

But when it comes to life…when it comes to our peace, and worrying about provision, God wants us to know we are under His care.

What about the lilies?

27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life 28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

God wants us to have faith in Him. Now who can remember our definition of faith from last week?

Faith is believing that God is good.

It's such a simple passage; God says I'll care for you for you are more precious to me than the birds and lilies.

Jesus conclusion is also simple 31Therefore do not be anxious

If we become anxious, we need to repent. Repent means to change our minds. We change our thoughts, we change our thoughts, we keep changing them until we think like God thinks. Remember that beliefs fashion attitudes, and attitudes fashion behavior. So thinking like God, addresses the root of the problem, our thoughts. When the thoughts change, the attitude changes and the behavior adjusts. Then repentance is complete! The natural result is peace and rest!

Philippians 4 The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Look here Gods solution to anxiety, starts here..God is at hand! Now that's good news if you know and realize that God is good, God is for you.

Give God thanks; this is the language of a person that sees Gods thoughts. Thank you lord that you have promised to look after me, thank you that your seeing this through for me, thank you that you've got this situation in your hand…seeing God as Good positions your heart for peace, and brings a rest to your mind.

If you choose not to believe God, your mind will not rest and your heart will be troubled!

Faith is not believing in God…faith is believing that God is good! It's easy to imagine a good God would never let us down.

We can walk through troubled times with peace in our hearts, and on our minds! That's the promise!

Romans 8:31-32 If God is for us, who can be(Or who is) against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ESV

32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things KJV

How do we know God will give us all things freely, graciously? He killed Jesus!

What will God give us? All things…

How will God give them to us? Freely!

Believing in the Goodness of God and resting in the knowledge of who God is and how much He loves you, and how committed he is to you, positions us to rest from stress over our futures.

Hebrews 14:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear;

Phil 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Key number 4. God is in your today.

In the previous point we looked at Matt 6 which had the following verse in it.

33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you

Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Notice that it does not say your righteousness, but His righteousness. How do we seek get His righteousness? We receive it as a gift. When we see that we are righteous, we destroy every obstacle of doubt that God would be good to us. We then release faith in it's place and we position our hearts and minds for the promise…all these things will be added to you.

Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

Knowing we are righteous before God brings the reality of key number 1…we are in an eternal covenant of peace with God.

The knowledge of the gift of righteousness brings us to peace with God. Peace with God produces great joy in us. We were created for fellowship with God. There is nothing more rewarding for the human being that fellowship and intimacy, oneness with God, for this is who we are, its what we were created for. When were with God we receive Joy, this is the work, the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Outside of the Holy Spirit there is not real deep heartfelt joy in this life. The gift of the new covenant is the gift or righteousness, the promise is the Holy Spirit. They two working together brings us into our fullness as believers.

Seek the kingdom of God…seek understanding about your righteousness..

Seek peace the kingdom of God, the kingdoms is righteousness, peace…seek peace with God...this is only through Jesus, only through the gift of grace…

Seek the kingdom, its joy in the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit provides the substance of the peace and joy in our lives. It's more than a philosophy or a mental condition. It's a deeper experience, some things only He can do. The supernatural realm of peace, of abiding can only come with the presence of God finding a regular place in you!

For the fruit of the spirit is..

22But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, 23meekness, self-control;

God is in your today…

Everyday you'll be forgiven…

Everyday His presence, His goodness and mercy will follow you.

Psalm 23:6 Surely(Or Only) goodness and mercy(Or steadfast love) shall follow me e all the days of my life, and I shall dwell(Or shall return to dwell) in the house of the LORD forever. (Hebrew for length of days)

He will never leave you or abandon you, he will always be there for you through every situation and he will never let you be tempted beyond what you can endure.

He is with you.

God is in your today.

Knowing these great truths releases the heart from stress and fear and anxiety, and releases the kingdom. Peace and joy. Meditating on who God is, on who we are as a result of what God ahas done to and for us. Seeing ourselves through the love lens that God sees us, seeing the power and promise of God, positions our lives for the abiding realm, where we live in rest, live in peace, and live free from stress and anxiety.

God is Good and He is our God.

Wayne's Wold...(21Jun09)

2009-06-21T09:09:00.001+02:00

Destroying stress and anxiety, and abiding in peace, rest and trust.

Wayne Duncan

4 keys to seeing your peace.

4 keys to destroy anxiety.

4 keys to destroy stress.

4 keys to entering rest.

4 keys to abiding in the realm of trusting God.

1) We are in a covenant of peace.

It's essential to understand the covenant were in. Under the old covenant, God was angry for His people for their disobedience towards Him. He would be angry with their sin and rebellion, and would hide himself from them. God would raise up enemies against Israel. He would cause famine, he would cause lack. There was often death and destruction for disobedience! There was wrath, there was judgement!

Through the perfect sacrifice and propitiation of Jesus, were now stand in permanent right standing with God. We've entered the eternal covenant of peace.

Lets look at Isaiah 54, set against chapter 53, all about Jesus, and what He did.

Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. 6For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. 7For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. 8In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer. 9"This is like the days of Noah(Some manuscripts For this is as the waters of Noah) to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. 10For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. 11"O afflicted one, storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires.(Or lapis lazuli) 12I will make your pinnacles of agate,(Or jasper, or ruby) your gates of carbuncles,(Or crystal) and all your wall of precious stones. 13All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. 14In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. 16Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; 17no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication(Or righteousness) from me, declares the LORD."

We see a few things here.

7For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. 8In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer

God says there was a time when he looked at man in anger, and Hid His face.

This was the age of the law, the old covenant.

But through love and compassion, he created redemption, where the anger could be removed in Jesus.

9"This is like the days of Noah(Some manuscripts For this is as the waters of Noah) to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you.

Here God takes an oath, never to be angry with us, through the finished work of the cross.

Now we need to see that it was an oath. There is a difference between an oath and a covenant. A covenant requires two parties. It has obligations, requirements, demands, and then promises when those demands are met. An oath is different. An oath is sworn by one party. It is only as strong as the person who makes the oath. Here God swears by Himself. When God makes an oath, nothing can stop it from happening. If God were not to fulfill His oath, he would have to cease to exist to be God, fro he would have become powerless, unfaith full and a liar. But praise God, as the scriptures say, "even if we are faithless, He is faithful."

Here God says, this is like the days of Noahwhat happened then? God made an oath to never again destroy the earth with water!

So an oath sworn by God happens no matter what!

What did God swear by oath here?

God swears that he will not be angry with us! Wow how amazing is that! Because our failing and sin fall on Jesus at the cross, we go free and do not sit under the anger of God.

Let me ask you a question.have you ever seen a mountain removed? No, and you never will.

10For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

God says that this eternal covenant of peace will never be removed.

Here we see that love, peace and compassion are the eternal permanent inheritance to the believer.

But Wayne, surely God will harm me, and bring disaster to me to teach me to be better, to teach me to be a better Christian? Lets look at verse 14-17.

. 14In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. 16Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; 17no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication(Or righteousness) from me, declares the LORD."

This says, God will deliver us from fear, from terror and from strife. How'[s this verse"if anyone stirs up strife, it is nor from me". This is great assurance.

You see if we don't understand this, when strife comes we accept it instead of reject it. Turmoil and strife are illegitimate authorities in our lives, we can resist them, and partner with eachother God to see them destroyed. But if we say "God has caused it", we move out of faith into a realm where there is no contention for change.

This also causes loss of relationship with God. For every bad thing that comes along is from God. Therefore we do not draw near to God, for we have all always fallen short somewhere in our lives. No the Good News of the gospel is that even though we have made mistakes, we still have peace with God for it is an eternal covenant!

Even while he is working powerfully in us, helping us to change, helping us to grow, teaching us to become who we are, empowering us to overcome sin and bondageseven as all that happens we have peace with God, and His anger is removed from us, for it fell on Jesus.

What God had effectively created is the environment for change, without the loss of relationship.

17no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication(Or righteousness) from me, declares the LORD."

Do you know that no weapon fashioned against you will succeed! Faith in this promise releases power into the promise, and that power is released into the situation. Even in the absence of power there is Gods great power permanently at work, guarding and fighting over us, and Jesus is our permanent intercessor.

This is our heritage, this is our vindication from God.

So know and see this, we have entered an eternal covenant of peace with God. The dividing wall of hostility has been removed, we have peace with God in which we now stand.

This is understanding is essential to destroying stress and anxiety in life. For we must believe that God is not punishing us with stress and anxiety for our wrong, but that instead, His will for us is to live in the peace and love and acceptance Jesus bought us through the cross.

Knowing this positions our minds and hearts to see and fight for the promises we see in the bible.

How can we fight for joy when we believe God is making us sad?

How can we fight for healing when we believe God is making us sick to punish us?

How can we trust God for our futures when we believe He is still angry with us.

Not seeing the finished work of the crossrobs the faith God wants us to have in our future.

Key 2God is in your future.

God wants you to have faith in Him.

Faith in God is not believing that he exists. Faith in God is believing that God is Good, and that His every intention towards you is Good!

Much stress and anxiety comes when we look forward into our future, and we anticipate a day in which God is not good. We project a day ahead where God will not be our provider, lover or father. Not seeing the Goodness of God in our future then manifest in fear and anxiety.

But seeing God in our future, and knowing that in that future he will always be a good God, faithful to His covenant, to be our God and to love and care for uswe see all strife dissipate, all anxiety over the future dissolve, and we enter rest over the fear of an uncertain future.

Oh beloved if only we could see how precious we are to Him, and how much he loves us, and how committed to us he is!

This is how God sees your future.

11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, 14I will be found by you, declares the LORD

Friends, God has a plan for youhis plan if for your wholeness!

That means that every area of your life will be whole. Every area mentally, physically and emotionally..wholeness, this is His plan.

God has hope for our future, for he has a future for us! He is in our future. There will never be a day or a moment where He will not be there right beside us.

Does this mean we will not face hardship, or storms or turmoil? No not at all! In fact Jesus said, in this life you will have turmoil. But we know that the turmoil is not from God, ne does not cause it for us, and he certainly does not abandon us when we go through hard times.

The power of this promise is that while storms rage and hard times are real, we can carry peace and joy. That is a sign and a wonder.

This scripture tells us that any heartfelt cry to God will release His presence over you.

I also love that its God initiative that causes the response in us to want Him more. He says when we see that he has a plan, when we see that he has hope , when we see that He is in our futurethen we will come to Himthen we will call on him with all our heartswhen we see who He is clearly, we run to Him to find strength.

Have faith in God, know that He is Good. Know that he is not angry with you, but had made drastic plans to ensure our eternal covenant of peace with Him.

Know that everyday, God will be in the day. His love and favor is with you, His protection is with you, His love and guidance are with you, and if He is for you, who can be against you?

Get this, God loves you. That's the hope of our future

Romans 8:39

32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Were being drawn by His perfume, His love for us, His pure Goodness!

Wayne's World...(14Jun09)

2009-06-14T14:09:00.001+02:00

Sin and the sinner.

Wayne Duncan

There are essentially two problems with fallen man. One problem is what separates man from God. The other problem is the effects of that sin on man. The good news of the Gospel is that God himself took the initiativeJesus has effectively dealt with both these problems through the finished work of the cross.

Lets look firstly at the problem of sin.

The bible says all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. So the sin problem is common to all man. Everyone has sinned. This sin becomes a problem when it comes to the reconciliation of man to God. No-one who is contaminated by sin can stand before a holy God. This creates quite a problem for every person. So in His great love and mercy, God the father made a way for reconciliation between God and His created, man. He removed the barrier that sin made.

What did God do?

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

God reconciled us to Himself, not counting mans sins against him.

God did everything need to restore the broken relationship, and remove the dividing wall of hostility. Father was in Christ reconciling us to Him. How, by making Christ sin, so we might become the righteousness of Christ.

Our sins have been forgiven at the cross. Past present and future sins cancelled at the cross.

At this point I'd like to enter an explanation of the difference between mercy and grace.

Mercy is us not getting what we deserve!

Do we deserve punishment for our sin? Yes.

Do we deserve rejection from God? Yes.

Do we deserve God wrath? Yes.

Do we get those thingsNo!

Mercy means we don't get those things, for they fell on Jesus at the cross.

It's the part in the above scripture where Jesus becomes sin for us.2 Cor 5

When he became sin Jesus got what He did not deserve!

Did Jesus deserve punishment for sin. No!

Did Jesus deserve rejection from God? No!

Did Jesus deserve rejection from God..No! Did he get it, Yes!

Because of what Jesus went through, we receive mercy from God. We do not get what we deserve.

But there is more. It does not stop there!

We also receive what we do not deserveand that is grace.

Do we deserve to receive right standing before God?

Do we deserve every blessing?

Do we deserve healing?

Do we deserve wholeness?

Do we deserve reconciliation with God?

Do we deserve abundant favor with God?

Do we deserve power to live the normal Christian life?

We don't deserve any of these things, yet God gives them to us freely through the finished work of the cross. How awesome is God mercy and grace?

Our sin is dealt with, and the sinner receives the blessing.

Another way to look at it is like this. When we believe in Jesus we become justified, and we become righteous.

Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about--but not before God. 3What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 4Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

Here we see God justifies the wicked. This is our Gospelour God justifies the wicked! He declares guilty people free through Jesus!

We also see we are made righteous through faith.

What does this mean.

Well let's get back to the two problems. Sin and the sinner.

Justification deals effectively with the problem of sin. Were justified. Which means "Just-as-if- id" never sinned!

: 7"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

These are some of the sweetest words in the bible, "God does not count our sins against us".

That is mercy, that is Justification. That is the problem of sin effectively dealt with!

Does that mean we just go on sinning...no because of who we now are, the new creation. Righteous and eager to do good. We don't carry on living foolishly or be in bondage to the devastation effects of sin, for we've received grace to live how we desire to live. We have the literal power of God running through our veins, and we can live by the law of the spirit written on our hearts.

Justification deals with the sin, but righteousness deals with the sinner. When we are made righteous, we are literally changed. We are changed into new creations whose default setting is to do good and follow God. We are set free from the power of sin so that we may now freely follow God and be lead by the Holy Spirit in all we do. As we are lead we be who we are, we be who we were created to be, slaves to righteousness.

Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

So justification deals with sin, effectively removing the sin. Righteousness gives us a new nature, actually a new spirit, that spirit is made perfect forever, and is in perfect fellowship with God.

Do you know that. Your spirit is perfect. It lacks nothing. God will do nothing to your spirit when you go to heaven. It's perfect. As you see who you are you'll become it. Live from who you really are.

Before we go on we need some scripture here, because I can hear someone saybut am I truly perfect?

Hebrews 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly(Or church) of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,

Through Jesus we are made perfect forever. By one sacrifice we are made perfect forever.

Hebrews 10, were perfect and we are being sanctified. Yes, although we are perfect, His work continues in us.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

His work continues in us. But the way this whole thing works, is that while he works in us, while by His grace we are changed. He sees us as perfect.

Know this the work is not in the spirit. It's in the mind and the flesh.

The flesh has appetites, the mind has stinking thinking. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, as He brings correction to that thinking, and gives us power over the desires of the flesh. That work will continue until we die!

But in our spirits we are made perfect forever.

So "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. " makes perfect sence.

This is how God sees us.

What we need to see is this picture. Jesus holds us in His hands, and presents us to the father. The Father sees us a blameless and perfect in His sight. For he sees us through Jesus perfect sacrifice.

Jude 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Ephesians 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him

Sin is removed by the mercy of God, were now blameless this is Justificationsin effectively dealt with.

Were made righteous, given a new nature. Full of the power of God, eager to do what is right and good. Power over sin, power over the flesh. The spirit now actively involved at destroying stinking thinking.

Were now presented blameless and perfect by Jesus, before the father. Made perfect forever and perfect in His sight.

The two problems sin and the sinner changed, powerfully, effectively forever! This is our great salvation. This was always the intent of our God that this day would come, where we are now reconciled and one with Him, through Jesus. Amen.

Why did He do all this? He loves you! He desires intimacy and friendship with you now, and fellowship forever, with you, for He loves you.

Well Done

2009-06-01T22:00:00.001+02:00

Col 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and, bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

The scripture was read to us last night and I had such joy at the thought of how the Holy Spriit has caused the wonderful gospel of grace to spread so rapidly over the past two years and how the grace revalution is gaining more momentem.

I salute all you Gospel of Grace warriors. You are fighting the good fight of rest. Allowing Him to labour well through you.

Your effort and sacrifice has brought much freedom. God bless you, even more.

I feel that the Father would say well done my sons.(p.s. we are all sons and brides...)

Grace and peace to you all.

What do we tell the unsaved?

2009-05-19T19:04:00.001+02:00

Do we preach grace or law to the unsaved?

Wayne's World...(17May09)

2009-05-17T21:11:00.001+02:00

"Good Works" vs "Works"

Wayne Duncan

The bible talks about works in a positive and a negative light.

How do we know which is which.

Ephesians 2 :10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

And...

Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

So what are the works that are useless filthy rags, and which acts (works), are "good works"?

If Christ has good works prepared for me, to walk in, then the new nature that resides in me wants to walk in those good works.

God has prepared things for me to do, to see, to taste and to feel. I want to walk in them.

Even that desire to do good works is as a result of grace, which is God working in me. It's God Himself working in me. The transformed spirit working with the power of the living residing Holy Spirit

Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure ESV

13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose NIV

There is a natural desire in the hearts and spirits of born again believers. We became new creation upon conversion, that new creation loves God. That new creation loves to serve God, to be obedient to God, to do for God, to will and to act.

Four points from Phil 2:13

1) The work in us is a work of grace. It's God working in us. We can claim nothing of ourselves. Any desire or work we have is as a result of His work in us. That's why we're His workmanship.

2) We will. We desire. We want. What do we will and desire and want? We want to do His will. He creates that will.

3) We want to work for God. He creates that work in and through us.

4) The will and work that is present, and that results is pleasurable to God.

14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good NIV

Grace is a powerful force, it teaches us.

Jesus has purified us, now zeal rises up to do what he wants us to do. It's because were pure that desire is birthed!

I want to say that this is a very powerful force with in us. It's the type of dealing in our hearts and spirits that can cause some real substance within us. It could look like radical obedience. It could produce faithfulness. It could release a commitment to a cause that is staggering. What makes a person lay down their lives as an act of commitment? When the motive is pure, the work is good.

So why the bad rap?

Works has become a swearword in the church today. And for good reason.

Here are some of the reasons:

It's got to do with earning.

Legalism teaches that if I do these works, then God will love me more. The truth is that there is nothing that I can do to make god love me more or less.

Legalism teaches that the more works I do the more mature I am. The truth is maturity comes with an understanding about the gift of righteousness, and exposure to others gifts, and by the ministry of the spirit.

Legalism teaches that if I do works, I can earn favor with God.

Legalism teaches that if I do works I can manipulate God into blessing me or answering my prayers.

Legalism saysyou must work. Take must pleasurehave to be zealousbe eager, do do do.

Legalism says "where are your works, are you doing enough, you must do more"

Any attempt to earn Gods favor, a reward, a blessing, love, acceptance, reputation, self righteousness etc will make the work a "work" instead of a "good work".

When we work for righteousness it is a dead work, or a work that is a filthy rag ofr it denies the work of christ, the only legal calim to righteousness.

Can you see the difference? "Good works" flow from a healthy desire to do what you feel you want to do. That want comes from heaven. It's who you are, expressing it's self. It's what gives you the deep conviction to carry on even when it gets tough. It's what empowers and inspires you to keep on until the "good work" is finished.

Who I am as a result of His powerful work in me, as a result of His divine workmanship, says..

I take pleasure, I want to, I am passionate, I am zealous and I am eager.

Look at what Paul said about His driving passion that helped Him endure persecution and torture, stoning and whipping

1 Cor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Ephesians 2 :10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God has prepared things for every one of us to do. Even if you think you're doing nothing, that's fine, for your still loved, accepted, and righteous. BUT know this you're being prepared, you have been prepared! "Good works" are part of who you are.

There is a God given grace inside you just busting to get out! How beautiful it will be, it will be a God pleasing "Good work".

Wayne's World...(10May09)

2009-05-12T20:23:00.001+02:00

We were made to be loved!

Wayne Duncan

Our eternity will be spent in the glory environment of our God. We cannot conceive the splendor of it. There will be no night as the light and life of God Himself will fill all of heaven. The angelic hosts worshipping, all the redeemed celebrating and living in the eternal inheritance. Our wildest imaginations cannot perceive what God has prepared for those who love Him.

There is an aspect of heaven often passed over. The Glory of God is who he is. All eternity will consist of the experience of who God is. One of the aspects of who God is...is this. God is love. As true as it is that we will spend all eternity beholding the king of Glory, equally we will spend all eternity being loved, and literally seeing and feeling the love of mighty God.

He will lavish His love on us in supernatural outpouring and demonstrations. We will undoubtedly know that we are loved!

Well that's a wonderful thought, but what about today? The future hope of Glory does strengthen me, and help me today, in no small way but there is more.

Look at this quote from John Piper's book God is the Gospel…pg 31 (the gospel-the biblical scope and meaning)

"The Holy Spirit is the down payment, a guarantee of the fullness of joy we will know in the perfected fellowship with the father and son in the age to come (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5). What makes the gospel good news is the end enjoyment of the glory of God in Christ. The Holy Spirit provides the present experience of that enjoyment. Therefore the promise of the spirit in the Gospel is what makes it good news."

What a stunning picture of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1 says the Holy Spirit is the down payment guaranteeing the full inheritance. BUT we get to get the deposit now! We get to taste some of heaven on earth through the experience of the Holy Spirit. A bit of heaven on earth. The realm of heaven invading this realm.

One of the ways the Holy Spirit produces this joy in us, us by convicting and convincing us that we are loved and accecpted. He literally convinces and convicts us to believe we are right with God. This positions our hearts to experience the love of God in an unhindered manner.

Jesus went through great measures to show His love for us. He left the father, and was faithful to death, to demonstrate His love to us.

The father Gave His only son for pain, punishment and separation, so we could know we are loved.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

God gave Jesus, as a demonstration, that there is no limit to what He will do to show us love.

1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are

The bible uses the strongest example know to man to describe His love for us. He speaks of theyoung powerful love of loves expecting marriage….a bride and groom..

He tells us that he has lavished love on us, and loves us like children.

God has done everything possible to demonstrate, explain and prove His lover for us…but there is more.

There is revelation and experience.

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family(Or fatherhood) in heaven and on earth is named, 16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

God wants you to know His love for you. Not for us, as true as that is, but for you!

He loves you. Knowing this, beyond knowledge will effect and change you in many ways. His love strengthens us, washes us, encourages us. It brings heaven to earth.

More than this could be said, but what I want to do is move out the way, and let the Holy Spirit come and do what he does, and be who He is. As we worship God, let Him love you, and show you His great love. We don't have to wait for heaven to begin experiencing some of heaven!

Romans 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Fire Festival

2009-05-11T19:20:00.001+02:00

Fire Festival 2009

When: 29th-30th May

Where: Gracelife Church will be hosting the event. (Gracelife meets at St Georges - See directions at the bottom)

Last year's Fire Festival was hosted by Coastlands Church in Port Edward, and it was a stunning event. God came amongst us wonderfully, there was such a demonstration of His Goodness and power. We saw so many healings as He came and loved us. Cancer was healed, backs were healed, limbs grew; there were just so many miracles. Some people received gold teeth, and there was a generous outpouring of sparkles and Gold dust. The Father was showing off multiple dimensions of His Glory and Grace. Signs and wonders! Some meeting went on for hours as we enjoyed His manifest presence amongst us.

This year we will focus on understanding, receiving and releasing the presence of God, by pointing to what Christ has done to make our inheritance freely available to all who believe in Him.

Ant and Les Redman will be joining us again. They lead a Northway Church, and both release the realities of heaven in a very real way. They carry a prophetic gifting that follows the leading of the spirit, and results in edifying the body and individuals in many ways.

Wayne Duncan leads Coastlands Christian Church and ministers with signs following, and equips believers to see who they are as a result of what Christ has done for, and to, them. His heart is to see every believer come into a deeper revelation of their inheritance through the finished work of the Cross.

We'll also have Brad Dearlove joining us. Brad is from Dubai, and preaches the kingdom message with a demonstration of power. In the last year he has seen many people healed of cancer, the dead raised as well as dozens of Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims come to faith in Jesus.

Michelle Bass, Craig Glenn and Dylan Lottering are all anointed worship leaders. They will be assisting in our worship times.

Many different Churches will be attending the Fire Festival, and all churches are welcome. The goal is to equip believers and leaders to operate in the anointing, and to "preach the Gospel with signs following", and "not just with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of power".

Were believing for miracles, were believing for demonstrations of power, were believing for Glory encounters, were believing for break through, were believing for deliverance, were believing for healings…were believing that God wants to do these thing more and more, and that this is freely available to believers through the finished work of the cross!

We believe that in Christ every believer has the inheritance of wholeness in every area of life. This will be a time of revelation of who we are in Christ, and how this positions us for the fullness of life now and forevermore!

Programme (as the Spirit leads J).

29th Friday Night 6:30pm onwards Session 1

30th Saturday Morning 9:00am-1:00pm Session 2

30th Saturday Night 6:00pm onwards Session 3

For further information contact:

Wayne Duncan 084 616 3295 or mail duncansportedward@telkomsa.net

Ant Redman 074 140 1247 or mail antredman@telkomsa.net

Craig Glenn 082 870 3888 or mail craigglen@telkomsa.net

For a you-tube clip of last years Fire Festival see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxBa3BmUhNk

Directions to Gracelife:

From Edwin Swales, take a left into Bluff Rd.
Follow bluff Rd up the hill and then down the hill, at the bottom of the hill the road forks to the right, take the right, this is now lighthouse Rd.
Come to a set of robots. Go straight.
Travel +- 1km, Come to a T-junction, take a right go straight.
Travel past "Grobbies Butchery" and other shops on your left.
After traveling +- 300m you will come to a stop street (go straight (stop first)), you are now in Admiral Rd
St Georges is on the corner of Admiral Rd and Wellfreer Rd (about 100m past the said stop street)

Wayne's World...(5May09)

2009-05-05T19:37:00.001+02:00

Justification by Faith- The heart of the Gospel.

Wayne Duncan

What makes this the great anchor of Christian theology? What is it about this biblical cornerstone that has caused riot and revolution in the Christian Church throughout history?

We see that when this truth is lost the church spirals downward into darkness, the dark ages bearing witness to this fact. Deviation from this central truth will always lead to devastation.

Why is this statement of truth, so crucially important to the world? It's imperative to see this clearly for it is the way in which God had decided to bring, and keep His created into right relationship with Him. Seeking this reconciliation outside of this, is a wasted hope. Attempting to be in right standing outside of this truth is futile.

"The confession of divine Justification, touches mans life at it's heart, at the point of it's relationship to God. It defines the preaching of the church, the existence and the progress of the life of faith, the root of human security and mans perspective of the future" John Piper in "God is the Gospel" page 44.

Born out His love, God had a council in heaven ( Eph 1:11). It was decided, the terms, the condition of reconciliation unto eternal life. That eternal life was then made available to all who would believe in Jesus. Upon believing, coming to faith in God's provision of life, activates your Justification, you are then given righteousness, and seen as holy, blameless and perfect in His sight ( Eph 1:4), having been made perfect forever by the sacrifice of Jesus ( Heb 7:28). Were saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). When we come into this life, we are born again (John 3 ). Our dead spirit comes alive, all the fullness of God dwells within this spirit, it's a new creation ( 2 Cor 5:17), alive to God, totally surrendered to God, eager to do what is good ( Titus 2:14) fully in love with God…

"All of the people I've know who have experienced gods peace were those who had a revelation of Justification by faith. That's the only way to ever have peace with God."

Andrew Wommack.

Those who do not believe the message and place faith in Jesus are not made righteous. A day is set where very person will appear before God ( Acts 17:30, Rev 20), and they will be judged ( Heb 9:27 ), those who believe in Jesus, and are therefore Justified ( Gal 2:16), will have eternal life ( John 3:16) in the presence of God. Those who are not reconciled to God, through the acceptance of Jesus punishment, judgment and death on their behalf, will themselves be judged, punished and given eternal death and separation from God.( John 3:16, Mark 16:16 2, Thes 1:6-10 )

"Justification by faith", protects the Gospel from the left and from the right. On the left or those who say we need the law, and works to be justified, even if we have faith. On the right are those who claim everyone (all humanity) are justified already, apart from faith.

A closer look at the definition of Justification.

Please note that as we explore these definitions, you will see the correlation between justification and righteousness.

Definitions:

"Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he 1) thinks of our sins forgiven and Christ's righteousness belonging to us, and 2) declares us to be righteous in our sight."

"The verb justify in the New Testament (Gk. Dikaioo~ ) has a range of meanings, but a very common sense is "to declare righteous"

Wayne Grudum…Systematic theology, page 723

" justified. Paul uses the Greek verb for "Justified" 27 times, mostly in Romans and Galatians. It is translated "Justify" in all cased except two ( Romans 2:13, and 3:20, where it is translated declared righteous"). The term describes what happens when people believe in Christ as their Savior: From the negative viewpoint, God declares them to be not guilty; from the positive viewpoint , He declares them to be righteous. He cancels the guilt of their sin and credits righteousness to them"

"The legal declaration is valid, because Christ died to pay the penalty for our sin, and lived a life of perfect righteousness that can in turn be imputed to us. This is the central theme as stated in Rom 1:17 "a righteousness from God"

"The central thought of Justification is that, although people clearly and totally deserve to be declared guilty (vv9-19), God declares them righteous because of their trust in Christ. This is stated in several ways here.1) "freely" (as a gift for nothing) ..2) "by His grace", 3) "through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" and 4) "by faith"

NIV Study bible commentary from Romans 3:24 page 1750

Justification is when we are legally and relationally placed into right relationship with God.

This includes :

The total forgiveness of sins, the absolution of wrath, the imputation of Christ's righteousness, a creation of new life, the entrance into eternal life, the adoption as sons, the receiving of the inheritance, the removal of guilt, the destruction of shame, the removal of accusation, our perfection, our pardon, our freedom, our confidence, the removal the dividing wall of hostility and our hope of Glory. The ultimate prize resulting…His presence now, and forever more.

The "Twins"

Did you see how Justification and righteousness cannot be separated?

If your Justified, your righteous. If your righteous, your Justified. Technically, were Justified and then righteous, but they still accompany eachother.

An examination of the two words in Greek clearly presents this "twinship"…

Justified G1344

Δικαιόω dikaioō dik-ah-yo'-o

From G1342; to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: - free, justify (-ier), be righteous.

Righteous G1343

Δικαιοσύνη dikaiosunē dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay

From G1342; equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification: - righteousness.

The Greek word for Justified means Righteous, and the Greek word for Righteous, means Justified.

Sometimes you will even find the words used interchangeably in the bible.

Have a look at these scriptures.

Romans 4:5 ESV And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness

Romans 5:1 ESV Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

The above two scriptures show righteousness and Justification by faith.

The following scriptures show justification and righteousness apart from the law.

Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it -

Romans 3:28: For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

This clearly shows that although these are different words with different meanings, they both serve to explain what has happened to us when we step into right relationship with God.

So how do we get Justified?

The simple answer is "by Faith", or by believing.

Galatians 2:16-17 ESV yet we know that a person is not justified(Or counted righteous (three times in verse 16); also verse 17) by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ,(Or through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ) so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

(note that the foot notes here also include righteous in this explanation)

So here we clearly have it. When we believe in Jesus, we are Justified by faith in Christ.

Abraham was a shadow of this, he believed God and was declared righteous. (Rom 4)

Galatians 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify(Or count righteous; also verses 11, 24) the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed."

This is supported by further scripture.

Romans 3:26 ESV It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Rom 3:28 ESV For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Rom 5:1 ESV Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we(Some manuscripts let us) have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith(Some manuscripts omit by faith) into this grace in which we stand

This is consistent with Jesus appeal to "believe" in Him.

Have a look at what Jesus says about believing in Him in John. All passages are from the ESV bible.

John 1:12: Bt to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 3:15: that whoever believes in him may have eternal life

John 3:16: For God so loved the world,(Or For this is how God loved the world) that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life

John 3:18: Woever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God

John 3:36: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him

John 5:24: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:29: Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

John 6:35: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

John 6:40: For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

John 6:47: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

John 6:69: and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."

John 7:38: Whoever believes in me, as(Or let him come to me, and let him who believes in me drink. As) the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

John 7:39: Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 8:24: I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."

John 10:26: but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.

John 11:25: Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.(Some manuscripts omit and the life) Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

John 11:26: and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

John 11:27: She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."

John 11:40: Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"

John 12:46: I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

John 14:1: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;(Or You believe in God) believe also in me.

John 14:12: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

John 20:29: Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

John 20:31: but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Jesus spoke a lot about "believing in Him". These passages clearly show that Jesus was the Son of the loving Father God ,come to earth, so that whoever believes and receives Him, shall pass from death and judgment and condemnation, into eternal life, where steams of living water, the holy spirit and power will now flow. When we "believe", these come to us by grace through faith in Jesus. When we believe, were Justified, and made righteous. It's this Justification that results from believing in Him that positions us for every promise from God.

Is it our faith that Justifies us?

No were justified through faith in Jesus, it's not our faith that justifies us, it's faith in Jesus.

722 grudem

When do you get Justified?

We are justified the moment we believe. It's an instant event.

Galations 2:16 so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ

Galatians 3:8: And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify(Or count righteous; also verses 11, 24) the Gentiles by faith

This is evidenced by a new birth, and a new creation by the power and working of the Holy Spirit (and the Father) through regeneration.

Ephesians 1:13: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Who is Justified before God?

Those who believe in Jesus to be Savior, and trust in His sacrifice on their behalf. Those who have placed their faith in Him. This is clear from the passages we have studied.

No one can be Justified apart from belief in Jesus, there is no other way available to man, this is Gods prescribed, predestined plan of redemption.

Errors resulting from not understanding Justification.

1. A person is justified by obeying the law. (leads to legalism)

2. A person is justified by doing works. (leads to performance and ritual)

3. A person is justified by Jesus' faith. (undoes need for personal belief, no free will)

4. All humanity is already justified. (undoes Judgment day and Hell, no free will)

5. All will be justified. (leads to inclusion, cancels eternal hell, no free will)

6. There can be Justification without belief. (allows 3-5)

7. Jesus was Just a man ( Jesus came to show us who weve always been)

Wayne's World...(3May09)

2009-05-03T17:06:00.001+02:00

What is the Gospel?

Wayne Duncan

Romans 5:19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

John 3:16 ESV For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

These scriptures catch the heart of our Gospel message.

Adam (the first Adam) sinned, and all humanity fell. All mankind bore the consequences of Adams fall.

Jesus came and was perfectly obedient to the Fathers requirements to make redemption available to all. Jesus was perfectly obedient, and as a result all who place their trust in Him will be made righteous right relationship with Him).

John 3:16 ESV For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God

This further captures the Gospel message.

God is a loving father, He loved the world so much that he gave His only Son.

Jesus is Gods only Son. Jesus is the Son of God…he is Lord, He is divine, he has always been and always will be. He is worthy of worship, all creation was made through Him…he is the uncreated one.

The heart of the Gospel is not a message of condemnation but a message of salvation.

Salvation means forgiveness of sins, healing, wellness of body soul and spirit. It contains elements of protection and guarding. It also means we have been declared innocent by the Father through Jesus perfect obedience and sacrifice, through belief in Him.

When we believe righteousness come to us. We are declared righteous. This means we are given Christ's perfect obedience, as a gift, and this is how the father sees us. Righteous, for we have been Justified.

We see too that there is condemnation and perishing for those who do not believe in Jesus. The bible clearly teaches that there is a lost eternity for those who do not believe in Jesus. There is hell awaiting those who do not place their trust in Jesus, and it is eternal.

But for those who believe in Jesus, there is eternal life. All eternity will be spent in heaven with the king of kings and the king of glory.

When we believe in Jesus, we are using faith. God helps us to have faith but at the end of the day each individual has to respond to the fathers drawing, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In responding we receive salvation. In that moment we pass from death to life, a new creation is born within us. This creation, this new life is alive to God, and is perfect. This is the core of who we are, made perfect forever. This new creation carries the power of God, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. This new creation is who we are in Christ. Living from this place is our new way of life.

Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment

Every person will appear before God one day on a day called the day of Judgment. Every person will be judged. Those who do not believe in Jesus will be cast into the eternal lake of fire, along with the angels and demons. Those who do believe, will be declared innocent by Jesus, and will spend all eternity with God, the angels and the redeemed in Heaven.

Friends salvation is available to all who will believe in Jesus. If you do believe in Jesus you are saved, declared innocent and blameless before the father. If you do not believe in Jesus, turn to Him today, and he will receive you. He will declare you innocent and not count your unbelief against you. He loves you, he demonstrated this by the giving of His son. The reward is God himself. We will have fellowship with God in this life and in the life to come. You'll enter eternal peace, eternal rest and be loved by the great lover for ever.