Independence Day! All of our American friends seemed rather sad that not much was made of the day – but we were in the middle of Asia day at the World Race training camp... so besides them saying the pledge (there was no flag to salute – so they made do with one of our 18Inchers representing the flag, complete with acting out undulations in the breeze), there was not much we could do. We found chopsticks at our breakfast table... and FISH SOUP for breakfast. Can I hear an EW? Noodles, sardines (it was supposed to be some other kind of fish, but that’s what they had) and broth. Won’t make it onto my list of top ten all-time best breakfasts! After breakfast, a guy called Jimmy spoke about bitterness and offence, and how important it is to deal with those things in our lives. Highlights:
· “Sooner or later, we have to choose between what is right, and what is easy.”
· Forgiveness is not contingent upon remorse or apology – if we had to wait for that, we’d wait forever in some cases. We have to be quick to forgive.
· When we hold onto offense and bitterness, it’s us trying to make a cage to trap the person who hurt us in. But that cage does nothing to them – it doesn’t help the situation at all! All it does is remind us of what happened, which hurts us even more... and we ourselves become imprisoned in that cage. We need to release others so that we ourselves can be released.
There was another great time of ministry – where people had the opportunity to release the people they had been holding offence and bitterness against. It seemed quite fitting that this was all happening on Independence day!
In the afternoon, Michael Hindes spoke again:
· Romans 8: Good news! Imagine if Paul had died before writing Romans 8? Phew! Glad he didn’t! The good news is: when God looks at me, He sees Jesus, because that is who I am hidden in.
· But: Jesus expected us not just to be regenerated, but also to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
· When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, He told her that He would give her water that would well up within her to eternal life. One version speaks about the water “bubbling” within and then “gushing” out. Michael told us his testimony about the Holy Spirit. He said when he was saved, he knew that there was something bubbling within him. A few years later though, he had an encounter with the Holy Spirit – he was baptised in the Holy Spirit (by himself at home! He had never before heard anyone speaking in tongues until strange words came out his own mouth!). When his wife came home, he prayed for her, and she received the same gift. And after that, people would come to be prayed for – people were healed, released of depression etc. now the water that had been bubbling inside was gushing out. God had empowered them!
We went into another amazing time of ministry – praying for people to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. My highlight from this time was when Mel said something about God releasing a new voice within everyone... this spontaneous sound began welling up and out of everyone. I have never heard such a thick, juicy sound arising from a congregation! It was possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever heard – each voice there raised and freed: allowed to be its own voice, worshipping our Father!
This evening was a crazy celebration time of worship. We started by praying for a team of people who are going to Kenya. Suddenly my African heart was pounding, as I heard all these fervent prayers for our continent. Before I knew it, I was up on the stage, singing things like “Vader, ons bid vir U hand oor die land van Afrika”, “Woza Moya, uyingcwele” etc etc! The two other South Africans ended up joining me, and we were singing bits of “Bambelela” and “Jabulani”! And doing some crazy dances! The place erupted into a party celebration for Africa – interceding for her in her own style! It was so great! What made my heart the happiest though was hearing my 18Inch family cheering me on, and then surrounding me and giving me huge hugs and pats when I got down again – it felt good to be supported by them, and hidden and protected by them! YAY for family! The rest of the evening was such a celebration of God’s love for us, and everything He had done in people over the weekend. I loved seeing our family worshipping madly, and the World Race family going for it with all their hearts too. My highlight was near the end when Molly began singing a song about being a free bird, and then she started whistling a melody. It brought so much joy, and even more freedom. What a weekend!
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