RAINMAKERS

  "Pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:17 How many of us have struggled with this verse? The thought of never ending prayer can be daunting, especially if we feel like we're not doing it correctly. Do we repeat the Lord's Prayer forever? Do we constantly reel off our shopping list of requests until God gets bored with our incessant repetition? The Bible can't seriously be saying that we are to pray without ceasing, right? Well, Yes and No! Look  at these other Bible translations that help give us a rounder image of this verse: "Never stop praying" NLT "Be unceasing and  persistent in prayer" AMP "Continually be prayerful" ISV That last one is especially helpful, "be prayerful", or, be "full of prayer"! Here is where I find people struggle. From all of my years as a Christian, then as a leader, then as a Pastor, all of the struggle comes down to definition, what is "Prayer"? Fortunately for us the Bibl...

  Photo Credit: Brothers of the Book Blog "For this I toil, struggling with all his energy (En) that he powerfully (D) works (En) within me" Colossians 1:29 There are several words used to describe the "power" that God provides for us to live out our Christian witness. They range from power to live moral lives all the way to power to heal cancer and raise the dead.  Here are the main Greek words describing power. Dunamis (D):  Power through God's ability - dunamis is needed in every scene of life to really grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven (HELPS Word-Studies). The power to perform miracles. The power to live with moral excellence.  Energeia (En) :   The efficient harnessed release of power for controlled purpose, performance, or operation, such as changing a life or healing the sick. Ischuos (I) : The might or muscle power that overcomes, binds up, and sets free; both physical and spiritual strength; power that overcomes the strong man and demon...

  The protestant reformation took about 130 years to fully happen. It was not an overnight occurrence. Many voices spoke out and this reached a tipping point with Martin Luther. We are in the genesis of another reformation in the Church today, a new reformation.  In 2005, before I moved to America, I was walking across a field on the mountain where I lived, I believe the Holy Spirit spoke these words to me, "The coming move that you will see will be a Reformation of Practice" I asked, "What do you mean by a 'Reformation of Practice'" To which He did not reply. I therefore concluded, from what I knew of reformation, that it may mean that God would reform the way the Church practiced her Christianity.  Three years later, whilst living in America, I read a book by an unknown author to me at the time called Bill Johnson. The book was called, "When Heaven Invades Earth". Reading the introduction story of a perculiar wedding, and the miracles that follow...

  "Can you not discern this new day of destiny breaking forth around you? The early signs of my purposes and plans are bursting forth. The budding vines of new life are now blooming everywhere. The fragrance of their flowers whispers, 'There is change in the air!' Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place. For now is the time to arise and come away with me" Song of Solomon 2:13-14 The best description I have heard of what the "prophet's reward" is (Matthew 10:41), can be summed up in this statement, Eyes to see, and Ears to hear! When I first heard this explanation, I was hooked, "I'm using that definition from now on!" My most favourite of Paul's apostolic prayers, is the one found in Ephesians 1:15-23. I have personalised his prayer for my daily devotions to pray over others. For me, it is such a selfless prayer, in that it doesn't seek to coerce God with what I think a person needs, or how they s...

  Jesus said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:13 The other night I attended a weekly gathering in a city. We had a wonderful time of fellowship, worship, prayer, and prophesying over people.  During the time of worship the host played a song that I had never heard before. It is a new song in the Christian world, and I pulled up the lyrics on my phone to follow along. It's not the kind of song that you could probably sing on a Sunday morning, but I was blown away by the lyrics. The host played it a second time, and I sang along gently, reading the lyrics out as I sang. I had the thought, "This is like a Mission Statement in a song" I wept, and was moved, and my thoughts were stirring. I mused how if the church adopted these lyrics as their tenets, we would be a lot closer to where we need to be. I also personalised it—IF I ADOPTED THESE LYRICS AS MY TENETS THEN I'D BE CLOSER TO WHERE I ...

  I love autumn. I am an October baby, so each year I love the connection between the changing of seasons and celebrating another year around the sun. This is my first year back in Wales since moving home last November, so, I have been enjoying the transition from summer to autumn. In the States we call this time "Fall", and I like that word too. Autumn is a warm word, but Fall is an expression. The leaves fall from the trees. It can be a time of shedding what we need to in order to prepare us for what God has next. I'm not a new year's resolution kinda guy, I want to move and make decisions as the Spirit leads, not the calendar. However, there is something about autumn that revives me. I always like to do something significant on my birthday. For example, I started my publishing company on my birthday in 2021, as I have other ventures. This year I did something like that too. It feels right to start my next journey around the sun with establishing something.  This br...