Oftentimes, it is ungodly soul-ties with something or someone that prevent us from advancing. The Israelites were so “tied” to Egypt, they would not enter into God’s full promises. Ungodly relationships form one of the worst hindrances to fully entering God’s purpose for our lives. If we want to fully serve the Lord, we need to stay single. Why? 1 Corinthians 7 encourages the single life, unless we find that one person who is totally devoted to what God has called us to be and to do. We will be judged for what God has purposed and plannedfor us at the judgment seat of Christ. By marrying out of loneliness, sexual frustration, etc, we have chosen to disobey the Bible. Once we are married, God says that marriage covenant takes precedence over all others. If we are married to someone who is not called to our purpose, we will probably end up never fulfilling it! (We will still have to give an account before God for the gifting, calling and graces.)
Today, we know little about the process of discipleship. Whatwas it like to be a disciple of a rabbi in Jesus time? Paul was a discipleof Gamaliel, a leading authority in the Sanhedrin. If you were chosenby a rabbi to be his disciple, you were to sit at his feet and bearhis yoke. When Jesus chose the disciples, he did not choose them so theycould be the best that they can be and do what they thought was best! Thedisciples were chosen to bear His yoke with their dominion gift. Whenwe become a part of a local fellowship, God is joining us together soour dominion gift will help that local expression to accomplish whatGod desires to bring forth from that body of believers, and in thattraining, to eventually release it to the surrounding culture to impact itfor the kingdom of God. As powerful an anointing as Daniel had, theLord did not set him alone…he placed him in community with at leastthree other friends!
How do we prepare for destiny? It is not accomplished independently. It is attained through community and a joining of the generations. Just as we are transitioning as individuals, God is transitioning generations. The generation that has led us is now shifting to an advisory capacity. Like Moses, they have been forerunners; they have led the way into the depths of God. Now they are needed to counsel and advise the next generation. Leaders like John Paul Jackson, Lou Engle and Mike Bickle represent a transitional generation that can join generations together. They are “raising up” the next generation to recognize their destiny before they are ensnared by the cares of this world.
Transition is very confining. It is the place of surrender where we give up our own way. It is uncomfortable. It is disciplined and constrictive. He’s taking us to a place where we have not walked. Marketplace transformation leader, Lance Wallnau, describes transition this way: “I’m going through hell, and I think God’s in it!”
Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines transition as the:
1. “Movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another.
2. In music, (a) a passing from one key to another; modulation, (b) a sudden, unprepared modulation.
3. Passage from one scene to another by sound effects, music, etc., as in a theatrical production.
What is your dominion gift or gift mix? We are in a kairos (God’s right time) moment. We must get in line with God’s order and His timing. Now is the time to begin to walk in our dominion gift. Until intercession is established, things never fully work correctly, and therefore operating in our dominion gifting in the culture is greatly hindered. God created man first for intimacy and from that position we are to rule and reign. The word “mediocre” literally means “half way up the mountain,” which is a picture of those who will not accept the discipline and dedication necessary to see the fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose. Part of this discipline is character development and learning to prevail in prayer. “Halfway up the mountain” is a picture of those who do not completely answer God’s call and quit somewhere in the process of training and discipleship. Most people quit during this transitional phase (between the actual change, and the full enactment), because it’s the place where our relationship, character and commitment is tested.
What is transition anyway? It is a defined leaving the familiar we have been in, and going through a narrow, confining passage, to an unfamiliar place. It’s a place that holds no name because it is the space between where we were and where we are going. If we observe a bundle of smashed grapes, we can no longer identify the distinct, beautiful, plump, ripe fruit. It is not what it was; it is not yet what it is to become — juice or wine. More grapes, additional ingredients and time all play an integral role in the transformation of the grapes to the desired, new state. Many of us are like these grapes; we are ripe fruit presently being squeezed through a narrow place. Just like the grapes, the Lord is changing us into who He has called us to be. Transition is what we pass through to become; it is the place of transformation.
Transition is explained in the scripture but not defined. Joshua 3:1-5 provides a clear picture of transition. As 2008 unfolded, the Lord strategically placed His finger on this passage to show us His work at this time. As we inch ever closer to the spiritual Jordan, our eyes and hearts must be fixed on Him if we are to reach His intended destination (our destiny, His plan for us fulfilled).
Romans 11:22: “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.”
The Lord can at times seemingly be the most gracious and compassionate Being in the universe and also seemingly, the most “severe.” His severity only appears to be so severe because we are seeing Him through the eyes of the fallen Adamic nature. Adam, and all pertaining to him, is under God’s curse. There is no good in it, and it must be eradicated. God’s “severity” is only such as we dwell in fleshly lusts and carnality. His discipline comes into our lives to grow us up, and cause us to be literal partakers of His nature and divine attributes (2 Pet. 1:3-4).
When the “severe” disciplining hand of the Lord begins to be bared in our lives, it is imperative we have a foundation laid of His overwhelming kindness, compassion and delight in us. If we have not got a foundation laid in our lives of the absolute delight and joy the Father has in us as His children, when the Lord begins to bring maturity into our lives, we will lose heart, at best, and lose faith, at worst.
It is necessary that we dwell on His goodness and kindness, focusing in on His great love for us as we pass through tests and trials. It’s only as we “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2), will He complete that which He has started, and bring us into ever-deepening realms of intimacy, friendship and glory.
I write this short note knowing that I could be labeled "doomsayer" by some, and possibly even "racist" by others (which I have been by some of my closest African-American brothers because of my call to prayer and repentance for where the nation is heading). But if the intercessors in our nation do not rise up and cry out, things are about to get very bad in the U.S., the U.K. and Israel.
The U.K. and BP
We need to be praying for the U.K. and BP. Many prophetic voices are saying that if BP, as a company, will humble itself and pray, the Lord will answer with a miraculous sign of stopping the well disaster in the Gulf. The Lord has been intimating the same thing to me, only it must extend to intercessors and officials in the U.S. and the U.K. We need to be praying for President Obama and his administration, because the administration could ruin relations between the U.S. and our closest friends and allies, the Brits. Finger-pointing, strong-arm threats and political tactics will not help what's happening, and we need to heal divisions and relationships, not make them worse.
The U.S. and Israel
The ruination of our relationship with Israel was well on its way because of certain policies and practices that happened under President Bush, and many more overt and outrageous things that have happened under the Obama administration. We have thumbed our nose in God's face many different ways over the last few decades. We have already legalized the shedding of innocent blood in this nation and promoted it worldwide (abortion). We are now one of the greatest practitioner nations of idolatry (self-worship, pornography, etc.) on the face of the earth, and going deeper into bondage by promoting homosexual lifestyles and making it "normal." Occultic powers rule at the highest levels of legal and political structures in our nation. We are in a sex-saturated society now where pre-teen children are practicing sexual activities they can see on virtually any cable channel and the internet. I believe there is one thing that has kept the hand of God (His protective grace) from being completely lifted off this nation: we have historically stood by the nation of Israel in its right to exist and its right to regain and live in its God-given land. This is being eschewed and turned back on with amazing audacity and speed.
Pastor John Kilpatrick has pointed out that President Bush's administration's demanded Israel relinquish part of its land back in 2005. This took place just days (literally hours) before hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast areas. This is NO coincidence! If we continue down the path we're on in relation to Israel, very, very bad things, will compound the Gulf oil crisis. If a hurricane were to hit the Gulf right now with the well disaster, poisonous gases, chemicals and oil could be spread over the entire eastern part of the U.S.
This is a Time for Humility
What we are experiencing is far beyond the capacity of men, scientifically, militarily, politically and even economically, to deal with, much less remedy. I believe we are under the judgment of God. And by this I mean He's removing His hedge of grace and protection around our nation because of our continued idolatry, rebellion and fist in His face!
Right now, no one but the Lord Himself can stop the Gulf well disaster, and bring healing and restoration to our nation. We must, as God's people, take ownership of what's happening just like Nehemiah did in his day (Neh. 1). The Lord promises to hear us and answer if we meet the conditions (2 Chron. 7:14). This does not mean life as we've known it - ease, comfort and abundance - is going to continue. This was the root sin of Sodom (see Ezek. 16:48-49) that led to the spiritual, moral and societal degradation they (and now we) found themselves in. It eventually led to direct intervention by God who could not allow it to continue. Before He acted, He went to Abraham, knowing Abraham's heart (who had become acquainted with God's heart by now), to allow Abraham to intercede for God's mercy to be shown. I believe we're in such a state and the Lord is coming to many spiritual fathers, like Abraham, to call them to council and intercession. They, in turn, are to call those under their care to humble themselves and seek His face and intervention. This is the sweet-smelling savor for which I believe He's looking!
May the Lord grant us abundant grace and provision to answer His call and intervene with His mercy and His justice. His judgments are good, because by them, we, and the inhabitants of the earth, learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9-11). But, we want remedial judgment to correct and restore!
“Have you heard the latest prophetic word?” “Have you heard the latest revelatory teaching?” “The move of God at (fill in the blank) has to be the beginning of the final move of God in the earth!” “There’s no need for the local fellowship anymore, your business can be your ‘church’ and missions organization!”
“The ‘Bridal Paradigm’ has fulfilled all my longings and questions! The ‘SevenMountains’ teaching has finally set my heart to rest because now I know my destiny! Praise the Lord, we can now all come to rest because all our questions, desires and destinies have now been answered!”
I have literally heard with my own ears statements like these. Such is my personal observation of how many in the “charismatic” wing of the body of Christ have acted and reacted for many years. Everyone is looking for “IT” – the one thing that will bring revival, rest, healing, fulfillment…again, fill in the blank. The enemy continues to keep hungry, but deceived Christians from coming to rest on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ by the excitement that many leaders continue to foment. I know this, because I have done “IT” in the past.
This is NOT to say that these revelations, teachings and experiences are not true. It is a case where what is true replaces The Truth…the True and Living God. I believe they are all scriptural and need to be prayed over, received and embraced. But they are still “ITS” and not Him! Christians continue to live in the deception that there’s going to be a McDonald’s-drive-through “IT” happen, and every problem will be solved, the demonic power over cities will be broken, and everything will be okay. If it’s not a prophetic word or teaching, then it usually begins to revolve around the latest anointed personality that God has chosen to use. We remain much like the Corinthians - worshipping personalities, anointings or teachings rather than letting the anointing, person, teaching, etc, lead us to a deeper, intimate relationship with the only One who can only fulfill our desires. We subtly continue to substitute the “IT” for Him. Unfortunately, when the emotions settle down, and the newness of the revelation or experience wanes, the same boredom, disillusionment and feeling of incompleteness returns.
One of the main things that keeps us from union with Him (fullness and fulfillment) is: everything - teaching, revelation, giftings, etc, - is taken as being related to me and not to the Lord. Anything the Lord does or imparts has at its core the purpose of drawing us to Him and not to the “IT”. The enemy has continually kept the body of Christ from fullness by keeping us focused on the “IT”. Instead of keeping us in a constant search for the next revelation, experience, conference, warm-fuzzy or the like, we should be growing in maturity, endurance, character and steadfastness with a desire to share, serve and give. It should not always be me at the center of “getting”, but taking a servant’s role of giving out!
The Lord recently told me that much of what is happening in the world is an exaggerated reflection of what is happening in the church. There is monumental shaking taking place all over the earth, but the scripture is clear in 1 Pet. 4:17 that His remedial judgment will take place in His own house first. The Lord told me that He has never had “members” (as it relates to contemporary church “membership”) as a part of His eternal body/church. There is a great difference between someone who joins as a member and the planting of the Lord.
In Matt. 15:1-13 we have the incident of Jesus rebuking the religious crowd of His day for honoring God with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. They were using scripture and tradition as a means to control people and manipulate the culture for their own advantage. God’s people could never truly find what they so desperately needed – HIM – because of all the trappings, hype and deception (the “ITS”). They were not whole because they were continually given “ITS” to follow and pursue instead of training and instruction to lead them into Abba’s presence and Abba’s ways. After rebuking the religious leaders, His own disciples admonished Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” (Matt. 15:12). His reply was, “But He answered and said, ‘Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch’” (Matt. 15:13-14). The planting of the Lord have settled down. They cannot be moved by fads, storms or fears, and will begin to produce a harvest of righteousness, a harvest of souls and a harvest of many other kinds of fruit.
The Lord told me sometime back, If you are not committed to the process, you are not committed to Me. In our culture, we are always looking for a quick fix, a shortcut, or some other advantage (an “IT”) that does not cut into our comfort/convenience-lifestyle. Proverbs 10:4 says, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Abba is a seasonal Entity (Acts 1:7). He does things in seasons, or cycles, until the work is complete. The word “path” in the Hebrew in Psalm 23:3 (“He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake”) literally means cycles, not our western concept of going from point A to point B on a path. We stay on this “path” (the cycle we’re currently in), until we are fully trained and fully matured in that cycle. We do not go on to the cycle of God’s plan and destiny until that work is complete in our character and equipping in our present cycle. The closest example we have to this nowadays is in the military and organized sports. Those who have participated in organized, competitive sports or the military know that you do not move onto the next phase until you have successfully been trained in the current season. To do so would mean to lose in the sport in which you are participating, and possibly dying in military conflict.
Now is the time to forsake the cult of ‘IT’ and become rooted and grounded in the Lord, His will and His process. The storms that are coming are going to need the “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:3) to be restorers, suppliers and a covering of protection in the ensuing years.
I am very thankful for those pioneers of the kingdom of God, going all the way back to Abraham, who braved the unknown and the scorn of others to press forward in their obedience to God’s call and leading. We owe everything we are and have to the spiritual and natural pioneers who faced misunderstanding and death at almost every turn to pave the way for those of us in this day to settle and enjoy the blessings and benefits both from the spiritual and natural dimensions. There are many pioneers still moving forward into realms yet unreached for no other reason than they heard the voice of Abba call them, and they’ve left all to pursue Him, out of love and simple obedience. This is a lonely, misunderstood and often dangerous place to be, fraught with spiritual, mental, emotional, financial and relational pressure and warfare that most do not or care not to know. I have a message for those pioneers that answered the call of God to press into the unknown…you are NOT a failure.
Having been on the cusp of pioneering a work hitherto unknown in the region we are planted in, I know of what I speak. Besides the warfare that comes from many in the body of Christ that think you’re crazy at best, and walking in heresy, at worst, those who are called to be pioneers face demonic warfare in the “outback” that those who have settled for comfortable Christianity have never faced…YET. That time has changed, and the invasion of demonic darkness into western culture is now rising to the levels we’ve only seen in third world countries in Asia and Africa. It is unfortunate that the indictment of Ezekiel against the leaders and prophets of his day stands as an indictment against us in the western church today. Ezekiel 13:5 (NKJV) says, You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. The corporate church and the individual believer have not been prepared for battle and it’s evident by how quickly believers cave into pressure, get offended, break their word or fail to be faithful to serve the Lord and one another. Pioneers who have pressed past their own comfort to embrace the cross of Christ within, in order to prepare a way, a place and a people for His presence and His purposes are having to deal with a great sense of failure. A lot of this is because of the lack of response by God’s people to the Holy Spirit’s message and work through these pioneers. My word from the Lord, again, to those pioneers…you are NOT a failure!
Pioneers have failings but if they have obeyed and endured, they are NOT failures. Pioneers make “all” the mistakes, because they have gone into places no one else has gone, except for the Lord Himself. Pioneers are not promised they will not make mistakes, but just like Moses, God promises to “be with them.” Pioneers are called by God to follow Him, and, if they make mistakes, LEARN from them, recover, adjust and press on.
As a pioneer, have you ever gone into a boxed canyon? You might have thought, “What have I done? How did I miss God? If I were only more (fill in the blank), this would not have happened.” You have not failed. Repent for any self-pity, come out of the boxed canyon and place a sign there that says, “Boxed canyon…don’t go in there!” You’re seeming failure becomes a path that succeeding generations and followers will not have to take. Having failings does not make us a failure. If we learn from them, it makes us wise, vulnerable and ever more sensitive to the leadings and voice of the Holy Spirit.
Recently I was dealing with this very same question of appearing to be a failure because the success of the ministry seemed in great doubt. While out prayer walking and seeking the Lord, He asked me a question: Was Abraham a failure? Remember Elijah, son! That’s all He said to me, but every failing I have experienced and every burden I’d been under was instantly lifted off my heart. I have had many failings, both personal and ministerial, but the Lord was letting me know that I was not a failure in His eyes because I kept moving forward in obedience to Him.
Both Abraham and Elijah obeyed the Lord and launched out as pioneers into unexplored territory filled with incredible demonic activity. They simply obeyed in love, not knowing what to expect but knowing who called them and they were convinced He was faithful to keep them. Both men had personal struggles and failures. I would say that Ishmael is a pretty big failure that we’re still reaping the consequences of today! But, in spite of Abraham’s failings, he was not a failure in God’s sight. Both Abraham and Elijah received God’s “stamp” of approval for their faith and obedience.
Like Abraham, there are many daring to tread into uncharted wilderness territory where nobody has gone before. “Abe” was told to leave his family, who were idolaters who practiced child sacrifice. He had to leave the familiar to engage God’s presence and promises. He had to find the fatherhood of God, and be trained in His ways, so he, in turn, could become the father of many nations the Lord had promised (not to mention, the salvation of the whole human race through the child of promise – Jesus – who would come forth!). There were no fathers on the earth at that time who were examples of the Father in heaven! None. Abraham was not only being called to go to a land Abba would eventually give to a covenant people, but to bring a transformation to human fatherhood by revealing His own Fatherhood, in type, through Abraham. Abraham was a pioneer, not just of a land and a people, but of bringing the Fatherhood of God back to the human race, so He could be known and experienced as Abba. Abraham had many failings, but he was not a failure!
To all those pioneers who have answered God’s call to uncharted spiritual or other territory: you may failed in certain ways or certain things, but you are not a failure!
Eph. 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
It has often been said (as quoted in the "four spiritual laws") that God has a wonderful plan for our lives. This is most definitely true, but I think that we have not consistently looked at this statement through the lens of scripture and reality, but mostly through the lens of western cultural thought. We need to rethink all of this to get to the essence of true living and kingdom impact that the Lord intended for us in fulfilling His desires and plans, and in being fulfilled in our destinies.
The above scripture is clear that we believers are His artwork - His masterpiece of poetry and art - that He desires to use to impact the people, culture and world around us. This does not only mean living according to "moral" good works, but the using of our lives, time, talents, graces, giftings and anointings to put His glory, power, beauty and redeeming/restorative love on display in creation. It means being fully developed in the image and likeness of Christ that all we are becomes the vehicle of His kingdom and will in heaven being manifest and done on earth. But, as is likely with most western thought, even though it's been religiousized by quoting scripture or put in elegant or exciting sermons/teachings, this "God has a wonderful plan" has in many ways, been turned to be a self-centered, self-serving opportunity to do our own independent thing apart from wholehearted submission and obedience to Him as Lord and King.
My question is: Where is the cross in all the "wonderful plan for your life" teachings? Has all the teaching about God's "wonderful plan for my life" (albeit true in its core meaning), been turned into a justification for self-serving ambition and "finding myself?" Where is the cross of self-denial and self-sacrifice in all the "wonderful plans for my life?" Where is the call to lay down our plans and pursuits to fulfill His heart, His will and His plans for His glory alone? Is it possible, like the past generation's Dr. J. Harold Smith, that one would go to medical school and graduate, only to be called by God to preach and evangelize and never spend one day seeing medical patients? This is not to say that God never wants us to be happy or fulfilled. Just the opposite. But, the joy, happiness and fulfillment we are ever striving for can never be found in finding satisfaction in anything that pertains to the old Adam or the old creation. It seems the enemy does not have to tempt us with overt evil and rebellion with "worldly" things any longer. There is a subtle temptation more prevalent than ever that plays upon the "unfulfilled self" that even scripture is now being used to justify.
My greatest talents, even though God-given, and even those spiritual gifts that He bestows at salvation or Spirit-baptism, will never produce His fruit, life and kingdom until they have been purified by the cross. Death purifies everything from sin and self.
As God's masterpiece (workmanship), am I trying to paint a picture, write a poem, preach a message, sing/play a song, ad infinitum, FOR God? Or am I allowing Him, by yielding myself, my talents, my ambitions, my desires, etc., to an inward cross, make me into a masterpiece in the midst of a world gone ugly? I guess it depends upon your perspective....
Lionheart Restoration Ministries/The Prayer Furnace of East TN is starting what we call A Sabbath Season of Rest and Renewal. Effective immediately and for the next five months, our focus as a ministry will be to allow the Lord to bring rest and refreshing to members and associates, and our staff. Though this might seem like a sudden shift of direction, in the context of the larger season the Lord has had the body of Christ in, renewal makes sense.
At the beginning of 2010, during Lionheart/The Prayer Furnace’s annual 21-Day fast, the Lord began to speak about the formation of a “new/old” wineskin in the Body of Christ. This mysterious phrase was grounded in Matthew 9:17:
“Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
The Lord revealed that He was taking His church through a time of transition like never before, where one of the keys to shifting into the will of God for this new season would be reconnecting with the original designs of His calling (“new/old”). Because of this word, and many other confirmations, the Lord guided the leadership of Lionheart/The Prayer Furnace to shift in several dimensions as a ministry. This included changing our name and adjusting several aspects of individual ministries within Lionheart.
This is what I feel the Lord is speaking to the Body of Christ and to Lionheart/the Prayer Furnace, specifically. In order to handle the new wine the Lord is about to pour out, and the new battles we are about to face, we must make time for renewal. It is time to soak in the oil and water of the Holy Spirit to bring back our original elasticity. It is time for a Sabbath.
The Sabbath of the Seventh Year
Our current season is similar to the nation of Israel as the Lord trained them in the wilderness. As the Lord prepared the nation of Israel to inherit the Promised Land, He told Moses to instruct the people to keep a Sabbath year every seven years.
"1 And the LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD. 3 Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather its fruit; 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5 What grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine, for it is a year of rest for the land. 20 And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?” 21 Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years.” (Leviticus 25:1-5, 20-21)
Note that the Lord’s purposes were larger than simply the comfort of the people. God gave Israel the Sabbath year to provide rest for the people, but He also desired rest for the land. Over-farmed land loses all nutrients after so many seasons. In His wisdom, the Lord designed a time of rest for both the stewards and the stewardship.
At the same time, we should consider that this was a command from the Lord, not just a good idea. As a part of the original covenant with Abraham, the land of Canaan was God’s promise to Israel and a blessing for them, but it was also Israel’s responsibility to steward properly. Part of all Godly stewardship is accounting for and fulfilling the need for rest. For Israel, the stewardship was the natural land, however, for New Testament believers our stewardship can be whatever the Lord has called us to accomplish and/or have dominion over. And as with Israel, we are in sin to neglect the need for rest.
Recently in prayer, I heard the Lord say to me, “The rest of the year is to be a Sabbath year of rest.” I also felt the Lord spoke in terms of the Hebraic calendar, which ends in September with the Feast of Tabernacles. As a confirmation of this word, Lionheart Restoration Ministries has just entered its seventh year of occupying our current facility.
So in accordance with the wisdom of the Lord in scripture and in prophetic indication, Lionheart Restoration Ministries is starting what we call A Sabbath Season of Rest and Renewal until September 2010. During this time, some of our services will change; others will take a break completely and return when this season is over. The ultimate desire of this time is to experience the renewal process of our spiritual “wineskin,” to be soaked in the oil and water of the Holy Spirit allow the Lord to bring back the elasticity and flexibility of a new wineskin.
Here are a few of the initial changes that will take effect beginning April 12, 2010:
• The Prayer Furnace of East TN will be open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays only. On these three days, we will cut back on our intercessory watches and hopefully add more devotional watches. While the exact adjusted schedule is still forthcoming, the desire is to make more time available to minister to the Lord and to simply enjoy His rejuvenating presence. • Tuesday night Corporate Intercession will become a time of training. Look for upcoming teaching tracts. • The current Friday 7pm-9pm Prophetic Intercessory Watch will become a time of worship and renewal, where anyone who needs refreshing is welcome to come and enjoy the presence of the Lord. Starting at 7pm every Friday night, the Lionheart Worship Team will minister and a ministry team will be available to pray for any who need ministry. Also look for special upcoming speakers to minister during this time. • Lionheart Fellowship services will continue as normal. Our Sunday morning service begins at 10:00 am. We will be having combined Care Group meetings on Sunday afternoon/evenings usually at 6PM, but may vary with the planned activity.
So we encourage you join us in seeking healing, renewal and refreshing of the Lord during this time. We trust that when by the time this season is over in September, the Lord will have refreshed us and our stewardship where we will be stronger and better able to fulfill His calling for us.
