Standing out like a sore thumb

In Australia we have the saying: “It stands out like a sore thumb” -meaning it is ‘painfully’ obvious. Well it stands out like a sore thumb when traveling through my home state of Queensland that all the older houses are high set, built on stilts a storey above the ground, while most newer houses are built at ground level. It is strange that you can live for decades with this ‘staring you in the face’ and not let the reason behind it influence your decisions in life – until it floods. Modern engineering tells us where to safely build, based on flood peaks of the past 100 years. ‘No need for stilts at these heights’ -that is until the flood records are broken.

Queensland occupies 25% of Australia’s land mass. It is bigger than twice the size of Texas, four times the size of Japan and six times the size of the UK. And for the past week most of it was underwater. Every river from the tropics to the dry outback has been in flood. In each part of the state, houses have been under water. Video and photos show house and shop roofs sticking out of the water. These floods are breaking records – in some areas they are the greatest ever. The Government estimates the total cost will be $6 billion.

The “Old Guys” were right. Build your house on high stilts.

If you look around you ‘it also stands out like a sore thumb’ that some people, and some families have built their lives on stilts that raise them up to a higher level. They see things from God’s perspective rather than their own. When life floods them with problems they are not relying on their own strength, rather they rely on God who lifts them up. Being lifted up they are filled with hope for the future. Even in times of flood.

How high is your life off the ground?

Psalm 18:1-6 (MSG) I love you, GOD— you make me strong. GOD is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight. My God—the high crag where I run for dear life, hiding behind the boulders, safe in the granite hideout. I sing to GOD, the Praise-Lofty, and find myself safe and saved. The hangman's noose was tight at my throat; devil waters rushed over me. Hell's ropes cinched me tight; death traps barred every exit. A hostile world! I call to GOD, I cry to God to help me. From his palace he hears my call; my cry brings me right into his presence— a private audience!

Psalm 40:1-3 (MSG) I waited and waited and waited for GOD. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to GOD.

Psalm 62:6-8 (MSG) He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life. My help and glory are in God —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God— So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be.

Bob Lipsys, Australia

Bursting with God - news

I was contemplating writing our 2010 Christmas newsletter to family and friends, when I came across this passage in the Message Bible. It is words of Mary, spoken before the Birth of Jesus. But it is also prophetic words for us to shout to each other this Christmas. Be Blessed…You are loved. ……….Bob Lipsys, Australia

Luke 1:46-50 (MSG) “I'm bursting with God-news; I'm dancing the song of my Savior God. God took one good look at me, and look what happened— I'm the most fortunate person on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten, the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him.”

healed and unashamed

i came across a communion song by Leeland. I've provided a "compilation" of a few words from 3 verses. Visit their website at http://www.leelandonline.com/

I was carried to the table …. Seated where I don't belong…… Summoned by the King..Lifted by the Savior..and I don’t see my brokenness anymore…when I’m sitting at the table of the Lord…in His holy presence I am healed and unashamed…

©Words from “Carried to the table” by (Leeland)

The Lords supper has always been a place of healing for believers. A place where we can be touched by God. A place where forgiveness overflows. It is good to remember that Jesus both invites us and carries us there so that we can be healed and unashamed in God's presence...Bob Lipsys - Australia

Hungering for the impossible

Here are 3 quotes I'm "devouring" at present. I was going to write "Meditating on", but it seemed too weak. Long ago I came to the conclusion that our experience in the Church is not to be merely an educational event, but an encounter with the Living God. The evidence of such a meeting is the "impossible" happens. Church must be more than Good Words, Good feelings, and Good works. If we really do gather with Jesus then the impossible must happen. I am hungry for the impossible.
Bob Lipsys, Australia.

It is abnormal for a Christian not to have an appetite for the impossible. It has been written into our spiritual DNA to hunger for the impossibilities around us to bow at the name of Jesus.
Bill Johnson

Many of us can feel the vacuum of this vortex drawing our hearts into this divine destiny. We find our inner man longing, stirring, and burning for the great adventure. Live or die, we must press through the walls of mediocrity and find the Promised Land of our souls. We live with a passion to be numbered among those who have gained fame in the halls of Heaven and are feared among the prison guards of hell.
Kris Vallotton

The reason God didn't take you take you to be with Him when you were born again is because you have the divine assignment to invade the impossible. The reality of the Christian life is measured by the impact of the impossible.
Bill Johnson

God Sings

God sings. He sings songs over his people. If you are one of His people, he sings with joy over you. If you are not one of His people, He wants to be your Savior, he wants to pour his love into your life and sing over you too.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Psalm 32:7 (NLT) “For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.”

God sings. But what is it like when He sings? What does it sound like?
Sometimes when God speaks, I not only hear His voice within me, but I also see images or explosions of color. I sometimes feel “liquid excitement” cover me like oil. If that is my personal response to His Word, what is it like when He sings songs of victory over us? Wow…

I once took some ‘relatives’ to a Vineyard Church in Strathpine Qld. Our Church was a long way away and quite “Pentecostal.” I thought at the time they needed some gentle worship, and as they were suspicious of our Church, I thought a neutral venue would be best.

What a service: beautiful, gentle worship, lovely presence of Jesus, no hype or emotionalism. Then suddenly, during the worship, God joined in. The first sign was on the worship team. Gradually they fell one by one under the presence of God. From memory, even the drummer went down. Musical instruments fell on the ground. Microphones dropped. The presence of God overwhelmed the whole room. A minister, or worship leader grabbed a microphone and called people forward. I rushed forward. I wanted all that God had for me. I wanted more of Him. I no longer worried about what my relatives thought. God overwhelmed me. I don’t know how long I stood at the front. I don’t know if anyone was saying anything. God was singing in my heart.
“He will rejoice over you with joyful songs”….. Sing Lord Sing

Are You Single?

Psalm 68:6a (NLT) 6 God places the lonely in families;

God knows you. He loves you. He desires that you be totally fulfilled. Jesus said “I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 Some Christians are happy to be single. Others agonize over it. God knows and loves you. If you are lonely, even with your great bunch of friends, then seek God about it. He cares and He places the lonely in families.

Years ago my wife had a good Christian friend who was single. This lady desired to be married. One day God “told” her to write a list of “attributes” she desired in a husband. She carefully created a list of desired characteristics she would like in a husband. One was that he would have blue eyes. She then prayed over the list.
God brought a loving Christian man into her life. They were married. The fascinating thing was that he met every “characteristic” on her list except for blue eyes. He had gray eyes. That did not matter. These two were made for each other.

One day after they had known each other for a couple of years, the man’s mother pointed out that his eyes looked different. She realised that they had changed color. They had turned blue. The list was complete.

God knows and God cares.

I will end with a great word of advice from Danny Silk of Bethel Church:
Don't waste your time looking for your better half. Become a whole person looking for another whole person. -Danny Silk

A song and prayer for Christchurch New Zealand

My Brother David and his wife Janine pastor a Lutheran church in Christchurch New Zealand. The Earthquake (RS 7.4) buckled their home, yard and road, like ever other one in this city. They are OK and thanking Jesus that no lives were lost even though buildings collapsed. The city has damage in the $Thousands of Millions. It is a real mess and will take years to repair. Lets pray that rather then depression and hardship, the result of this earthquake is a Christian revival.

I found this song by Godfrey & Gill Birtill, on You tube. Here is a link and the words. If you are feeling down, this will pick you up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLs6Kl3wgtk


Just One Touch From The King

There's battle raging over this land
A deep damage in the people
Yet pride stops us
Stretching out our withered hand
Yet God has stretched out to heal us
This I know, this I know,
This I know, this I know that

Just one touch from the King
Changes everything
Just one touch from the King
Changes everything

There's a great darkness over this land
A deep darkness on the people
But a light shining
That the dark can't understand
Light of the world King Jesus.
Do you know? Do you know?
Do you know? Do you know?

Just one touch from the King
Changes everything
Just one touch from the King
Changes everything

O land O land O land
Hear the Word of the Lord

Godfrey & Gill Birtill
© Thankyou Music 2006

CBC PRAISE & WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR 2008, UK

Beautiful Worship

I was worshiping in church on Sunday. I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit as I do most weeks. We were having a good time together as we worshiped and thanked God. Joy filled the group. For a just moment I saw the people as a forest of trees - without leaves or fruit. Instead the trees were covered in large transparent blue spheres. As we worshiped many of these spheres rose up like bubbles towards heaven. It was absolutely beautiful.

Getting together to worship in our rural church was something really special. I got a glimpse of the beautiful experience we were giving God.

I believe we often do things: eg. acts of love, worship, honor, and care; without realizing the significance behind them. God sees a beauty in these things beyond our imagination. Wow.

Do something beautiful for God today.
Bob Lipsys, Australia

Theology and the presence of God – Some Quotes

Many Christians miss out on God encounters because they are satisfied with good theology Bill Johnson

I’d like to propose to you that revelation is not the product of laborious study, but it is the fruit of friendship with God Kris Vallotton

In the absence of experience, bad theology is formed Bill Johnson

God never violates His word. But He’s quite comfortable violating our understanding of His word Bill Johnson

When a Christian tries to live by reason he is moving out of God’s country into the enemy’s land. We belong in the miraculous and the supernatural realm John G Lake

Jesus is perfect theology Bill Johnson

Our theology is not to be built on what God hasn't done. It is defined by what He does and is doing. The will of God is perfectly seen in the Person of Jesus Christ. No one who came to Him was turned away Bill Johnson

Journal

How is this for a God moment? I reading my Bible outside this afternoon and began with the following passage. Jeremiah 30:1-3 (NLT)
1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you, Jeremiah. 3 For the time is coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people of Israel and Judah. I will bring them home to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and they will possess it again. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

I then continued reading and meditating on the next 2 pages. At the end of it my wife came out and we had a chat. I noticed in the clouds what looked like a clear letter “O” ...in front of it was a “J” ..Finally we realized it spelled out “Journal”. The “u” and “a” were not as distinct as the other letters but they were there. The letters were seen in a bank of cloud to the east. The letters were spaces of blue sky in the cloud itself. I had never seen letters in the sky so clearly formed.

When my wife left, it struck me that my reading had began with God asking Jeremiah to “Write down for the record everything I have said to you”. He was asking Jeremiah to Journal. I have been keeping a journal on the computer of many of the things God has been speaking to me. I am going to be more diligent now.
Bob Lipsys, Australia.

Is yesterday’s manna good for today?

Here is a post on the Junction J Christian website by yolies51 http://www.junctionjcommunity.com/ . I reckon that there is some deep treasure here worth thinking about.

“I was listening to some lady speak on manna this morning and this thought occurred to me Is yesterdays manna good for today? I would say that it is not. The Israelites daily collected the manna for the day and the bible says that it supplied all of their needs and was satisfying for the day. In the Lords prayer, Jesus taught the prayer in which he also said give us this day our daily bread ... This is a daily thing. Everyday is different and everyday we need fresh manna to sustain us through the day. Some are turbulent days and others are not, but each day can be satisfying if we seek the fresh bread daily. I think that this is what is going to sustain us in our daily walk with God and overcoming all obstacles.” By yolies51
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I really enjoyed this blog post and it stirred something within me. Too often I live with yesterday’s miracle, yesterday’s provision, and yesterday’s Word from God. Manna is for each day...Get yours today.... Bob Lipsys, Australia

Praying like Paul....How it "sounds" in New Testament Greek

Have you ever wanted someone to pray for you? Or, ever felt you should pray for someone? Read the quote at the end of this blog entry. It may change your view on prayer.
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Rick Renner, a Missionary (Apostle) to Russia has a great grasp of New Testament Greek. His daily devotion book, “Sparkling Gems from the Greek”, is a valuable resource for anyone who would like a deeper grasp of the words used in the New Testament. In it, 1000 New Testament Words are studied, most in depth.

Today I read Rick’s devotion on 2 Timothy 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, (NKJV)

After examining the passage from the NT Greek perspective, Rick comes up with his summary, or amplified version of the passage:
"Timothy, my intention is to pray, pray, pray, and pray for you until I have set the record straight about your activities and until I have stacked the throne room of God with your name! Anywhere God looks, I want Him to see a living memorial of you! I don't want God to ever forget you; therefore, I am loading Heaven with statues, monuments, and memorials of you. My prayers for you will stand as an everlasting memorial before God!" (by Rick Renner- Sparkling Gems)

See Rick’s Web site: http://www.renner.org/

Bob Lipsys, Australia

I did not know

I did not know that I was blind until I looked into Your eyes
I did not know that I was lost until You found me
I did not know I was a fool until I heard the words You speak
They are spirit, they are life, they are
Fire, holy flame

This quote comes from Randy Stonehill's 1990 CD "Thirst". It is from the song "Fire."

Whenever God powerfully touches my life, my reaction is always the same: "Lord, I did not know what I have been missing." So my prayer of faith is "More Lord, more." Father, please keep pouring your Holy Spirit on me, and keep me close to Jesus. Speak your words deep into my heart so that I have something valuable to say to others.

Whenever God speaks to me, deep into my heart,deep into my spirit, I realize just how foolish I've been, and how little I have had to offer others. But with His words comes His Spirit, His colors, His life. A-ha. Now I have a treasure to give away.

Bob Lipsys, Australia

A prophesy for James

James, about 4 weeks ago in Church:
I saw a young falcon holding on to a fence post. The wind was blowing over the bird. The falcon stretched out each wing, one at a time, letting the wind blow over them. It moved each of its flight feathers twisting and turning them, adjusting them for maximum speed and efficiency. The bird was looking into the distance. With its incredible eyesight it could see clearly what was to come.
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James, I believe that the Holy Spirit is blowing over you at this time. He is calling you to make adjustments to areas of your life so that you can live fast and accurately for God. Prepare yourself, so that you are ready when He soon calls you deeper into your life’s purpose. I believe that there is a prophetic calling on your life. This is a call to speak out accurate words from God. This will include both speaking into the present and also speaking the future into being. The Holy Spirit is blowing on you, in you and through you. He is giving you distant sight, wisdom and understanding.
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The falcon will suddenly take flight. The time is soon.
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Bob Lipsys 26/2/2010

Tomorrow, even less control......

Isaiah 9:7 (NKJV) "Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end."

If God's Kingdom is increasing on the Earth without end, then it must be true that the kingdom of darkness is decreasing without end. Each and every day the enemy's authority and hold on this world and its inhabitants is diminishing.

This week I have been speaking out this verse where ever I go. Lighting up the darkness. Flooding the streets with truth. Reminding the spiritual hosts of wickedness that Jesus is Lord and their days are coming to an end. Tomorrow they will have even less control.

Bob Lipsys,
Australia

Sideways movement is wasted movement

Australian sprinter, Matt Shirvington, recently stated during a training segment on TV: “Sideways movement is wasted movement. You must keep all your energy going forward.” It struck me that we Christians have lots of sideways movement. Worry, fear, busy-ness, strife, regret, sin. Yes. A lot of sideways movement.

Proverbs 4:25-27 (NLT) Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.

Hebrews 12:1-4 (NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

“Sideways movement is wasted movement. You must keep all your energy going forward.”

Do you wish you had great faith like others?

Do you wish you had greater faith, so you could make a difference in this world? Mountain moving, life changing, healing faith. Let this quote by bill Johnson soak deep into your spirit:

‘It is the most normal thing in the world for believers to have faith. For some reason it has either been so hyped or held up out of reach that people have this approach to faith: “Man I hope that I come into it some day.”
Faith is the evidence of surrender not striving.
It is the fruit of yieldedness to the Spirit. It is not the result of self discipline.
Faith reveals that you have encountered the Faithful one. It is what sticks to you in the embrace with the Faithful (God).’

A great quote by Bill Johnson, Bethel Church, Redding CA. (January 2010)
See http://www.ibethel.org/

God touching our lives

Here is a great quote I read today:................
“I thought this journey was about preparing me to stand before God, when it was actually preparing me to be a witness of His existence and the reality of His intricate, interactive, moment by moment, involvement in my life and the lives of all who will follow Him.” John Paul Jackson......... see ......... http://www.streamsministries.com/