"Take nothing for the journey except a staff..."
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Jesus told his disciples to take almost nothing
with them
when they were going to share
the Gospel of the Kingdom
with new towns
and peoples.
Matthew 6:8
Don't know about you but, I've marveled at this.
NOTHING?
Nothing material that is?
What happens when we follow the Spirit and.....
Don't book a hotel.
Don't plan out the whole day?
Don't plan all the meetings we'll be in at churches?
Spontaneous divine plans unfolding before us.
Basic Assumption #1 The Father is already working here
In the world of human endeavor this sounds nuts as a development model/mission model?
In the Kingdom of God it is natural and normal operations.
Philip and the Ethiopian
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopiana eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”b
34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37]c 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. Acts 8:26-40
When we plan it all...
Typically we don't find the new open doors and avenues the Spirit has planned, avenues waiting to be opened for the Gospel.
Understanding and seeing in this Way, is a fundamental and baseline reality of being sent. Walking in the Spirit from town to town requires a whole new set of eyes.
So, let's do some math.
In our average day, how much time is simply set aside to wait on God's spontaneous revelation, serendipitous connections?
In our "life plans" how much of our plan is given over to waiting on God, acting on simple leads and following spontaneously the promptings of the Holy Spirit?
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| Do you see the patterns? |
Generally, if I am not intentional about being available, intentional to wait on God, and looking for him, I don't see the opportunities he presents. He's been talking to me about this for a while now. I find myself seeing everywhere, in my town, in my family, in my neighborhood, when I intentionally let the Spirit lead me. Amazing things take place.
Riding on my scooter in Bali, the Lord said to me, "What do you see?" Later, I stood in a huge waterfall. As it cascaded down on me, I was laughing and really enjoying it. Unawares, the waterfall pounded out the lenses on my glasses. Later when I put them on and assumed they were good I couldn't see correctly. I kinda freaked out. Thinking something was wrong with my eyes. Rather it was the lenses in my glasses. They were gone!
I definitely see differently when I stay awake. When I'm distracted, passive, just trying to get through the day, I don't see the divine doors open around me. The pace of American life can swallow us whole. We can easily just survive our day or our week, looking for some relief on the weekend. Where we simply fall into another pattern of apathy and indifference.
Awake oh sleeper!
God's heart is beating over the world and in his sacrifice he purchase every single soul. The Cross, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus tells the story of the Kingdom life we are invited into. An unshakable Kingdom that never ends.
We are helping people come home!
The math of mission and moves of God is...
Available real time x
Sending and Kronos Kingdom Time x
Responsive spontaneity and intentional motion x
The voice of God and promptings of the Spirit x
the Gospel of the Kingdom in present power
Seeing Patterns in the Planing and Orchard.
A soundcloud reflection on "seeing in the Spirit"
So what are we looking for in such open times and seemingly pointless travel?
Jesus pointed the 12 and the 72 to
Find a person of peace and lodge with them.
I've seen this approach open up a whole group of people and months of fruitful work in the Spirit.
In a local RV Park in which we were invited to come and share Thanksgiving meals, our person of peace ran around the whole park telling all her neighbors we were there to pray for anyone who wanted it or needed healing.
We were there for hours praying with people and ministering as people welcomed us into their trailers or lives to pray for them for healing, restored relationships, places to live, God's encouragement. The Holy Spirit moved in that place and there were tears, healing, hearts encouraged and a stream of salvation grew from the open doors.
I've been Circuit Riding for 2 years now. Not super consistent but definitely getting in the swing of things. Purposely letting the Holy Spirit lead me through a geography has produced multiple divine appointments and connects. This has occurred overseas and right here in America. Everyone who welcomes us welcomes Jesus. And he is so good and pours out grace and power on their lives in real time.
I believe the Holy Spirit has given people sight and keys to open up whole new avenues of Kingdom grace and love, streams of salvation leading to awake and alive believers.
So what are we really giving away?
When we enter a very poor country most often we bring something with us to give away.
Commendable. We took 250 new pairs of clothing to kids in Uganda and and Orphanage in Bali. God's heart for sure.
Yet.
Jesus wants us to give away his Kingdom as the primary mission task.
Can we give away nothing material and still bring the Kingdom?
I say a resounding yes.
Is this the only way to proceed. Resoundingly no.
But we could use a few more people simply carrying the Gospel of the Kingdom?
A few more simply available to unlock new pathways in the Spirit and step into the places wide open that others don't see.
People who front-run frontiers in the Spirit.
When we go to new cities with the Gospel, I believe,
Jesus wants us to establish the work on the Kingdom and the truth and power of the Gospel. Not on material provision.
In the worst form that can be bait and switch?
So, I recognize the challenge of trying to bring to light exactly what it is we bring and carry, when we are carrying and bringing the Kingdom of God.
Here's the message Paul brought with him....
I Corinthians 2:1-5
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.a 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,5so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Why? Take Nothing?
Few people realize that taking the Kingdom of God is more than enough.
When we take nothing but the Kingdom we.....
Actually establish the Kingdom of God when people welcome us.
When they welcome us they welcome Jesus and the Father in the Holy Spirit.
When they welcome us they welcome the message of the Gospel.
Power of the Gospel of the Kingdom - It changes lives for ever. Yes. Eternity gets changed when people respond to the Gospel of the Kingdom and surrender to Jesus.
So how spontaneous and Kingdom focused is your sight?
Look forward, eyes filled with Abundance, Boundless, Victorious vision in Jesus.
How's your 24?
How's your prayer walk?
Sowing into prayer is the greatest avenue for consistent joy in Jesus than any other thing out there.
Take a new step into the depths and riches of knowing Jesus. Pray.
Start today. 5 mins listening to or reading the Scripture and Psalm 27:14 wait for the Lord.
Grab some time and steal away with Jesus.
He is remarkable to be around.
You will tap into the grace of God.
The Father sent Jesus to restore us to him and he is longing to know us in Christ. (John 17:3)
1. 10 Keys to Praying with Power
http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-keys-to-praying-with-power-moving.html
2. 10 Keys to Sustaining Supernatural Life
http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/12/10-keys-to-sustaining-life-in.html
3. Why is the Prayer House Empty?
http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/11/why-is-prayer-house-empty-or-is-it.html
4. Intimacy with Jesus Beyond Religion?
Thanks for Reading!
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Please share em.
Re-shares are great. thank U.
Here are some other blogs posts that may interest you.
The dialogue is awesome. Thank you. Testimonies? Share em with me. Re-Shares lov em. Thank you! With much love in Jesus
You can do this thing! He's got you.
Jeff Reynolds ---
Brother Jeff
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