How to get close to God...

This is the tabernacle.
I have been thinking about the tabernacle for the last couple of years and I feel like I'm going to explode. There is so much to share.
You know, a wiser man than me once said that the Old Testament of the Bible is Jesus concealed and the New Testament of the Bible is Jesus revealed. I agree.
As I look at the tabernacle and everything about it it is all about Jesus. Every part, every socket, every board, every skin, every material, every colour, every precious stone, the gold, the priest's garments, the sacrifices, the ritual, the process, the procedure, every altar, every article of furniture, the bowls and the jars and the incense and the blood, and the...everything, EVERYTHING POINTS TO JESUS.

Now I said I was about to explode and that is because there is so much to share and nowhere to share it.
I could write loads here but no one would read it.
(Apparently for anyone to read it it must be short and with lots of pictures. I write a daily post on my Facebook page and I'm told that people sometimes read it when it's not too long. Please quantify 'too long' for me.)
I'm digressing.

There is so much to say about the tabernacle, it is full of type and symbol, it is laced with grace and beauty, it is bubbling over with the revelation of God to His people, JESUS; HE is everywhere in the tabernacle and I could write a lot but I feel this morning to say this.

I have a friend who told me that he wants to be close to God and asked me to help him.
So here's a question.
Do you want to be close to God?
Do you want me to show you the way to be close to God?
The Way, it's in the tabernacle.
The tabernacle is made up of three sections; the court, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. In the Bible the Holy Place is called the  meeting place with God, where the people 'meet' with God.
I suggest that to be close to God you must meet Him at the meeting place. Make sense to you?
We are going on a journey, are you coming? This is the journey of 'getting close to God.'
Okay, off we go.

You enter the court of the tabernacle. The first thing you see is the Brazen Altar.

It is here the offering is offered. You lay your hand on the head of the offering and in that act the purity of the unblemished offering is transferred to you in the case of a burnt offering, or your sin is transferred to the offering in the case of a sin offering. Either way you receive purity and forgiveness as the offering is consumed by fire on behalf of the offerer...you.
Can you see Jesus?
This is the moment you believe.
The next thing you see is the Laver.

It is a big bowl of water. This is where washing occurs. The priest has a wash regularly. You, having received Jesus are now the priest, that is scriptural. You need to wash in the water. I would thoroughly recommend baptism but whatever you need washing, regularly. The water is the Word. You want to get close to God you need to seek Him. Where do we seek Him? You might try in your feelings, or your emotions, or in your mates, or in the counsel of your friends, you might even in the counsel of your mentor or coach, you might through the pastor of your church but...the best place, the only place is in the Word. If you want the Word you need the word and you need to wash in it regularly. Not because it's a law but because you want to get close to God.
Can you see Jesus?

Next we have a tent with a veil. Not THE veil but you enter through this veil in to the Holy Place. Remember this is also called the 'meeting place' in the Bible.
Firstly, in this place, we see two things, the table of Showbread and the Lampstand.

Now I could go on and on about this and about the oil for the lamp and about the bread that is to be perpetually on the table and about the drink offerings that are made on this table but typically here we have two often overlooked but two exceedingly wonderful things in your journey toward God, light from burning oil and bread.
Can you see it? Holy Spirit and Holy Communion.
Why do we take Holy Communion once a month in our churches? Because we miss the point, we are blind to the point and think it is just about remembering Jesus in His death and we struggle to do it because we have made it about our remembering when it is truly about a daily receiving of Him in all His wonder and beauty.
In our journey to be close to God we need burning oil and we need to receive Him in His covenant feast every day. We need to be Acts people breaking bread from house to house, having fellowship not around our stuff but around Jesus, HE is our bread and wine, He is everything!

Next we see another veil, a big, heavy veil.
Inside this veil is the Holy of Holies. Here is the dwelling place of God, the shekinah glory. No one can go in here because the only thing that can stand here is absolute holiness and we aren't.
Now I need to remind us all that Jesus made some changes to the layout. As He hung on the cross of Calvary He took the big heavy veil in His hands and He tore it from top to bottom. The place that was no-go for the Israelite is open to YOU in Jesus Christ. Oh yes some dude probably sewed it up again but the point is that God tore it in two. The Holy of Holies is open. Wow!
Now for us, this side of the cross, in our journey to be close to God we have arrived in the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of God.
This is the right place to be 'close to God'

In front of us is the Altar of Incense.

It was here that incense was burnt perpetually. Remember that fact.

Beyond this is a big gold box, the Ark of the Covenant, over which is the mercy seat of God with two cherubim at either end and within their wings is the dwelling place of God, God is here! GOD IS HERE!

The incense burnt perpetually. Praise Him perpetually.

Mercy seat, come to His mercy. The priest came once a year with blood. He had to come with much smoke from the incense altar because he couldn't see the glory of God and live and he had to have blood of the atoning (atoning means covering) sacrifice which he sprinkled on and before the mercy seat.
Can you see Jesus?

Do you know what was in the box? It contained the tablets of stone, the Law (symbolising man's rejection of God's standard), Aaron's rod that budded (symbolising man' rejection of God's priesthood) and manna (the stuff that fell every day from heaven symbolising man's rejection of God's provision).
Wow!
Man's rejection of God was in the box covered by the mercy seat of God.

Can you see Jesus?

Remember when Jesus lay in the tomb after His death? He lay on a stone bed and was overlooked by two cherubim, one at His head and one at His feet.
Can you see it? The mercy seat! The place to meet God! JESUS.
Nothing to do with us but everything to do with Him.
Jesus went in to the Holy of Holies on our behalf. His life was perpetual praise, His blood eternally worthy, His priesthood fully accepted, His provision totally complete, Himself completely holy. He is God with us.
So much to share. I could go on and on but this might be too long!

Want to be close to God?
Take the journey.
Receive Him at the brazen altar. Wash regularly with the water of the Word. Enter the Holy Place and receive Him in His Spirit and in His Covenant through His covenant meal. Praise Him perpetually at the altar of incense and come to His mercy seat and see Jesus. You are welcome to come in Him because He took away it being about your performance and made it about His performance and His performance was, is complete, finished, and perfect and wonderful.

Want to meet God? Want to be close to God?
Come to His mercy seat, and this is the Way...believe, wash, receive, praise, meet in the meeting place, receive Grace.
JESUS!
Oh...perpetual praise...shout the Victory Call.

'GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD, HIS HESED (His lovingkindness, His love, His grace, His mercy) ENDURES FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER...

Go on. shout it, and watch the walls of Jericho come down, watch the giant be slain and the Philistines be put to flight, watch the the enemy destroy themselves and it will take three days for you to pick up the spoils.

Which mountain?...

Years ago I was thinking of buying a house. I found one that was on the top of a hill and had a magnificent view into the valley below and down the river towards the sea. The view was awesome and I liked it.
When thinking of real estate they tell you that position is everything, and so being on the right mountain is a distinct advantage.
The same applies to blessing.

What are you talking about, I hear you say.

I was reading...

'For you have not come to a mountain that may be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken. For they could not bear the command, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned." And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "I am full of fear and trembling."

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, and to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.' [Hebrews 12: 18 - 24]

So, the question is, which is your mountain?

Do you remember Pentecost? Most remember the Pentecost of Acts 2 but maybe you don't realise Pentecost is a Jewish celebration, celebrating the giving of God's law. Pentecost occurs 50 days after Passover in the Jewish celebration calendar and commemorates the Law being given fifty days after the Passover when the Lamb was taken and its blood applied to the lintel and doorposts, the angel of death came through the land and the firstborn of all were slain, except the houses with the applied blood of the sacrifice, for the angel said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." You remember the story?

Isn't the perfection of the Bible, God's word, amazing? The Passover was followed after fifty days by the giving of the Law. THE Passover, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us all in His death, burial and resurrection was followed by THE Pentecost, the giving of the Holy Spirit. The perfection of it all is just wondrous to me.

Now think about the two Pentecosts. At the first the Law was given and 3000 people died! Check Exodus 32: 28. At the second, the Pentecost recorded in Acts 2, 3000 people were saved. Check Acts 2: 41. Are you amazed by the precision?

2 Corinthians 3: 7 describes the Law as the 'ministry of death engraved on stones' and it certainly is as 3000 people died at its giving. In verse 9 it is described as 'the ministry of condemnation.' Verse 6 speaks of the second Pentecost and contrasts the letter and the Spirit saying that 'the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life' and He certainly does because 3000 people were saved.

Now let me say this; If you are trying to keep God's commandments in order to be blessed you come under Law, you are resident on the mountain of Law, Mount Sinai, and your 'view' is a mountain that cannot be touched, to 'a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to blast of trumpet and the sound of words [whose] sound [is] such that those who [hear beg] that no further word should be be spoken.' Not a good look!

Do you know that many people receive Christ and are saved by grace through faith and having been saved on Mount Zion immediately pack up their bags and move to Mount Sinai and pursue 'life' by trying to keep the Law. Worse still this pattern is taught in our churches every week of the year. Don't get the idea I'm against church but I am definitely very challenged by churches that spout salvation by grace and living by Law. It is lukewarmness and God is pretty clear, He doesn't like it to the point it makes Him sick! Check Revelation 3: 16.

Let me ask you a question. Do you want to be blessed? Make sure then that you reside on the right mountain. Make sure it is Zion, the mountain of the giving of the Spirit of Grace, the mountain of Life, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, the mountain of myriads of angels, the place of our enrolment in the roll of Eternal Life, the place of righteous men made perfect, the mount of JESUS, the mediator of the new covenant, and to sprinkled blood, which is better, once offered for the sins of all, offered and accepted once for all for our atonement and which makes atonement for all those who apply it thereby bringing righteousness, not righteousness from our works, but the righteousness which is of Jesus, under which we can declare in truth, 'I am the righteousness of God in Christ.' We are clothed in His righteousness the moment we receive Him, Jesus Christ is our mediator, our Way, our Truth, our Life.

The Bible is very clear if we reside on the mount of the Spirit, Mount Zion, we will see miracles worked among us. Galatians 3: 5 says so! Often we hear preaching counselling us to pursue the fruits of the Spirit as listed in Galatians 5: 22 - 23 when truth is that these things are automatic fruit for those who reside on Mount Zion. You see Mount Zion is also the restored Eden, restored in Christ, and all the trees are available, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control. I list them in capitals because they are all Jesus. Jesus resides with you on Mount Zion.
So do you want to be blessed?
Yes?
You must reside on the right mountain.
Listen to this...

'The Lord bless you from Zion, and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.' [Psalm 128: 5]

Wow!

Which mountain is yours?
The mount of Law, pursuing blessing by your law keeping, or the mount of Grace, receiving favour because of the finished work of Jesus?

Choose Zion.

Is belief important?...

Strange question you are probably thinking.
Is belief important?
Yes, it is important.

'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved...' [Acts 16: 31]
'...if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.' [Romans 10: 9 - 10]
Belief is important. It is important that we believe in Jesus. That is God's commandment to us. Amazingly it is His only commandment. It is found in 1 John 3: 23, but that is another post.
This one is about belief.
God has given me a 'POW' moment. You remember the Batman show that we used to watch on TV?
'KAPOW!'
God has 'kapowed' me.
Last Sunday I was sitting at a WTL committee meeting and a friend shared something that was good and I went away from that meeting with that shared thought sitting in the back of my mind.
Then, the next day God came along a sucker-punched me.
In Mark 9 there is a story from the life and ministry of Jesus. It is a true story.
Jesus has just been transfigured. God, Almighty God, has just declared,

"THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, LISTEN TO HIM!" [Mark 9: 7]

As Jesus returns from the mountain he sees the disciples having an argument with some scribes. Jesus asks them what's going on and a father answers. His son has a spirit which causes him a lot of grief and the disciples weren't able to deal with the problem and Jesus gets a bit frustrated. "Oh dear, why do you always continue to try and do stuff yourself? Just bring him to Me!" As soon as the boy arrives the spirit has a fit and the boy goes into an attack.
The father of the boy says to Jesus, "...if You can do anything..."
Jesus' reply is classic.

"'If You can! All things are possible to him who believes." [Mark 9: 23]

The story goes on but let's just sit here awhile, because it was here that God 'kapowed' me.

Now, it's like this. Forever preachers and teachers have taken this verse and made many great sermons telling us we need to believe and not doubt. Much could be said about this but the bottom line is that the result is that many have accepted that our miracle is based, and subject to, our ability to believe.

Now think of the story in Mark 9...who believed the boy would be healed?

Did the boy? Nope! He was busy having a fit!

Did the father? Nope! He was busy telling God 'if You can'.

Did the disciples? Nope! They were saying nothing because they couldn't do anything no matter how hard they tried and they were peeved. They said nothing.

Did the scribes? Nope! They had had plenty of time to help but didn't. Potentially they were telling the father at the synagogue that he should believe more!

Did the spirit? Oh, yes the spirit believed, that's why it was having a fit!

So who believed?

Jesus! He believed!

In that 'kapow' moment I saw it.

This verse has been incorrectly translated in my Bible. 

As I reeled from the 'kapow' I wrote a Facebook post...

'And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can!' All things are possible to him who believes." [Mark 9: 23]This is a direct quote from my Bible. I have written it exactly as it is written in my Bible. I want us to see something really interesting. The way this verse is written in my Bible gives a view that is taught everywhere but is wrong! What? I hear you say! Please read on.This simple thing that I feel to share this morning could be the most liberating, burden-lifting truth that I can share. Received and embraced it will totally change our lives. It is changing mine.We read this verse and we believe and are often taught at great length that Jesus is saying that all things are possible if we can believe. This belief and teaching puts the responsibility for our breakthrough and our miracle on us; on our faith. We believe that 'all things are possible to him who believes.'Now I'm going to quote the verse again but this time correct one thing and totally change our lives. This correction will give us the true translation of what Jesus is saying in this verse. It will Grace fill it.Ready?'And Jesus said to him, " 'If You can!' All things are possible to Him who believes." Can you see the difference? Can you see the capital 'H' on the word 'Him' in the verse?Our miracle, our breakthrough, is not determined by our belief. It is determined by His belief, the belief of Jesus Himself. In the story in Mark 9 the miracle for the little boy was not determined by the boy's belief, or the belief of the boy's father; they didn't believe at all! The miracle was determined by the One who believes!Wow! Can you see it?Let me ask you, do you think Jesus 'believes' for your breakthrough?Do you think Jesus has sufficient faith for your miracle?Do you think that Jesus has your good at heart?I don't think there is any doubt He has our good at heart, He gave an awful lot for our good - HIMSELF!Who do we really think Jesus is?Who do I think He is?He is our Way and that way is not determined by our faith it is determined by our One who never wavers in His faithfulness, never deviates in His belief, never doubts. Never!I'm not surprised Jesus was a bit frustrated with unbelief in Mark 9. He wasn't frustrated with the fact that the people didn't believe, He was frustrated that they had Belief standing in front of them and they didn't receive Him.Belief for our breakthrough, faith for our miracle, is standing in front of us, He is in us.Let's not look at our belief, let's look at our Belief. 'All things are possible to HIM who believes!'Looking at my Belief I will have my breakthrough because I am that breakthrough, He is in me; I am that miracle, He is in me. My belief isn't the issue, I have Jesus and He believes and with belief like His, is anything impossible?

'Jesus said to him, " 'If You can! All things are possible to Him who believes."'

As we seek breakthrough, a miracle, whatever it is that you seek, it does not matter what it is, whose 'belief' is important? But the important belief is not your belief! His is the important belief! I am pointing at Jesus. Why? Because He is our Belief and He came to declare God is good.
Do you think God is good?
Yes. God is good.
Do you really think that for the goodness of God to flow it is important we believe?
Most would answer 'yes' but this focuses our breakthrough on us.

Let me then share this story.
It is found in John chapter 5. There is a crippled man. He has been lying beside a pool called Bethesda for 38 years waiting until an angel stirs up the water because when that happens the first person in gets healed. Thirty-eights years! Long time.
Jesus comes by and sees the man and says to him, "Do you wish to get well?"
Now please note the man's reply. He says, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool..." He obviously doesn't know who Jesus is. He isn't like the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years who had heard about Jesus. The crippled man didn't know Him.
Jesus says to him, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk." The man does.
There is more, he gets collared by the religious dudes who give him a hard time for carrying his bed on the Sabbath and he tells them that he was only doing what he was told to do. They demand, "Who told you?" His answer is astounding! He did not know who it was!
Do you see?
Let me ask you, was the man's miracle based on his believing? No way! It is not possible for he had no idea who Jesus was, it was only later that he found out.

Is the distribution of God's goodness based in our faith? Is our breakthrough, our miracle, based in us? No. No more than it was for the crippled man, or the boy, or his father!

Now don't get me wrong I absolutely endorse trusting in God. I am the first person to encourage you to have faith but don't have faith in your faith. Put your trust in Jesus and His faithfulness. He is our shield of faith. He is the author and perfecter of faith. He is our Belief. Give it to Him.
This blog has got long. I will finish with this. I would like to share another of my Facebook posts.

'And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.' [Matthew 8: 25 - 26]
The storm was savage; Jesus slept on. That has always amazed me. When a storm rages outside the house at night I, generally, find it hard to sleep.
The disciples were alarmed and came to Jesus, woke Him with the words, "...we are perishing!"
Jesus asks them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?"
Some say that Jesus is saying, 'why are you bringing this to Me, you can deal with this.' but I cannot agree.
Jesus smiles and says, "You have a little faith but it is enough, don't be afraid, I am here."
You know Law says, 'I can do it!' but we can't; Grace says 'I can't do it, but He can!'
The storm rages, sleep on. Many would encourage you to get up and rebuke the storm yourself but do you have enough faith? I don't know. It doesn't matter because Jesus has enough for us all!
He is our shield of faith and we need to 'take up our shield of faith' (Ephesians 6: 16).
Jesus wants you to look away from yourself and look to Him.
Fix your eyes of Him, He is the author and the perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12: 2). He has perfect faith sufficient for any storm.
So what are we to do?
Believe in Him!
Bring it to Him. Don't be encouraged to test your faith by challenging it yourself, bring it to Him, He will rebuke the winds and the sea and it will be perfectly calm; Peace will reign!
Shalom.

Jesus is the answer. Our faith is not the key. He is the key. I really don't know how many more ways I can say it. Jesus is EVERYTHING.

Healing or Wholeness?...

What would you prefer? Healing or wholeness?
I like that question.
I have to tell you it's wholeness for me and better still it's wholeness for God as well.
His heart for you, for us, is wholeness.

Now, I don't think any of us would disagree that in some area and to some degree we all need healing. It's true. Wow! I could go on and list all the stuff that invades our lives and tries to steal, kill and destroy but let's not sit there, lets move on.
Recently, I received a Facebook post that included a picture of a painting by some dude I can't remember. It's a beautiful painting, so rich in its expression, even if it is perhaps a little dubious in its accuracy. However I'll share it with you...

Now, as you look at this picture, what do you see? Is your attention drawn to the bloke with his finger stuck into the other bloke's side, or maybe you are drawn to the attentive onlookers, or perhaps you are drawn to the man with the gash in his abdomen? The fellow with his finger in the wound is Thomas, often called doubting Thomas, and the other two are other disciples of Jesus. The One with the wound is Jesus, of whom the Bible clearly says, "...He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed." [Isaiah 53: 5]
So, rather than focus on the areas that need healing, or on our strategy to not be doubters, or even on our often and regular 'doubt' let's focus on Jesus, our everything, our answer for all our need.
Now as I was thinking about all this, and about this picture, my attention was drawn to a story, a true story, about ten lepers.
Leprosy. A dreadful disease and surely a most graphic picture of the ministry of the evil, the complete disfigurement of God's greatest creation. A picture of our need for healing and wholeness. Can you see it?
I have seen people suffering from leprosy and they have parts of their bodies missing. I remember one man whose face was literally falling to pieces, he had no nose or ears! Dreadful picture of need.
Now, most reading this will know the story of the ten lepers but in case not I will give a brief re-cap. The story is found in Luke 17. Jesus was travelling toward Jerusalem and He entered a village and ten leprous men called out to Him, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priest and as they went they were cleansed...they were healed. Hallelujah! Now, a strange thing happened, one turned back and glorified God with a loud voice, falling on his face and giving thanks to Jesus.
What happened to other nine? Not sure! Even Jesus asked the same question. I suppose they went to the priest and the priest gave them something to do, some work maybe, perhaps some strategy to get closer to God, perhaps a strategy for Christ-likeness. No probably not that, that's what would happen in church-land, but I digress.

The one man returned to Jesus and he glorified God, he fell on his face, he gave thanks to Jesus and he received at the feet of Jesus. He received in a place of prostate rest, a place of thankfulness, at the feet of Jesus, the very same place Mary rested and received, the place described by Jesus as the 'good part.'
Now, I want us to see an amazing thing.
This one healed man received more as he thanked Jesus and praised and glorified God. He received wholeness!
Jesus said to Him, "Rise, and go your way; your faith has made you well."
Another translation describes it this way, "Arise, go thy way: Thy faith hath made thee whole."
He was made WHOLE!
Now I believe the nine were healed, no problem, but the one was made whole. The nine no longer had leprosy but the one got his nose back! And his ears!
Whether or not I am right is not the point. We could debate that forever! I'm not a scholar just a listener to God.
The point is the one returned to give thanks and he received the greater blessing. He went away WHOLE, whatever that means!
The nine I am sure rejoiced in the healing, they saw the blessing and rejoiced in the blessing but the one saw the person and rejoiced in Him and returned to thank Him.
The one looked at the picture above and saw the One with the marks of Calvary in His side and could see nothing but Him. Oh, yes, there is a lot to learn from Thomas, who doubted, but so much more to be found in Jesus who is everything.

Let's return and give thanks, glorify God and prostrate ourselves at His feet for it is there we receive the greater blessing. You know, yesterday, I had a conversation with my beloved brother in Christ and he talked about being happy, wherever we are, whatever we are doing. From where does this happiness come? From being with Jesus, from receiving truth that He is with us and in us and for us and not against us and in the knowledge that, yes, in this world we will have trouble, tribulation, but FEAR NOT, I, JESUS, have overcome the world and with me you are overcomers. With me you are miracles and breakthrough and blessing.
So which do you prefer? Healing or wholeness?
Wholeness for me!
Have a wonderful day.

Madness?...

I'm not really sure who reads this blog or why. To be honest I write here (and also on my Facebook page) as much for myself as for others who may read it as I feel the need to unload the things God speaks to me about and I have little venue to do this. However, if you do read my writings I want to thank you, it means a lot to me, and I pray that in some way you may be blessed for my thoughts and sharing.

I have something very much on my mind and I want to lay it out and if God prompts you to respond with something from Him then I would love it if you would share it with me.
My email address is graemeshephard@cambodiawtl.org.au.

I have been engaged by God in Cambodia for thirteen years.
It was April 2001 that God called me. I have shared that story before.
As I consider all that God has done with me, and with WTL, I am quite simply astounded.
In 2000 I met God who said to me that He would restore the years the locusts had eaten and He has not failed in that. Thousands have received Christ, hundreds of churches have begun, thousands have been baptised, children, elderly and many in between have been ministered to, wells have been dug, local Cambodian ministries supported, pastors helped, the army and prisons opened to the gospel...I could go on.
It astounds me, and I am so thankful.

Recently WTL has been given NGO status in Cambodia and we, myself and my team, have so much opportunity before us with dreams so big and tasks so extensive and we have a God of promise who has poured out His prophecy and word over us so we sit today in a place of great expectation.

I could share with you all that God has spoken over us through many, many people but suffice to say we have received God as THE God of all Grace and we believe without doubt that He will never fail us in all that He has promised. He has shown us that His promises are completely fulfilled in the finished work of Jesus and that the Bible, the words He has spoken from His word over us, are no longer promises but provision as they are completely ours in the completed work of Jesus. We rejoice in Him and there is so, so much I could say about this but it would make this very long so I will stop there.

Can I share then about me?

As I have already said what I am about to share has been very much before me for some time and I feel that it is very much coming to a head, almost like a kettle coming to the boil.
I have never amounted to much in my personal life. I have taken significant criticism about this which has hurt me but in truth I cannot say I have had any great success in life. I have never made a lot of money. I have had no real career to speak of. I have spent significant years just 'bumming' around, years that most of my peers were spending establishing themselves in a career or business. That's the background to the background.
For significant years of my life Christianity has been a source of great frustration to me as I have bumbled along trying to be a 'good Christian' until a few years ago I was introduced to a God of radical grace. God has spoken great and marvelous things over me which I embrace wholeheartedly. Things have happened which have astounded and surprised me and in it all I have waited for the breakthrough God has promised.
You see for WTL to pursue the road before us funds are required. It is a fact. God has shown clearly that the bounty will fall on me and as it falls on me it will fall on those around me, those that God has given me, Benjamin's, sons of the right hand, totally sold out to the God of all grace. He has shown us that He will touch the world, not just Cambodia, through our ministry. But still we wait.

Recently the Lord showed me that while we may feel that we are waiting on God He, in fact, is waiting for us. God is waiting for me!
Much could be shared around this but I will get to the bottom line and if you read this and have encouragement and edification from the Lord please use the email address above.

The Lord has called me out.
Yes, out of my work, out of paid employment but more importantly to Himself.
He has asked me if I really believe that He is God and is able to provide.
He constantly impresses on me that He wants me to step out into His fullness.
He gently challenges me that I am to practice what I preach and throw myself totally and completely at His feet.
He has given me a special task to 'have the people sit down' but within that He calls ME to sit down.
Still I wait.
Like most would, I guess, I wait for the bounty with the intention that when it comes I will then step out. Sounds sensible to you? Yes, I think so.
But hear me today, 7th May 2014. Today I feel that God is waiting for me and when I step out He will open the floodgates but He is waiting for me. I feel that for me to step completely into His call on my life I must be totally, TOTALLY, undoubtedly reliant on Him. I must completely decrease for Him to have His increase in me. It is years ago that I had this overwhelming sense that I had to die for LIFE to be fully revealed in me.

Now I am no different to you. I have a mortgage. I have some debts. I have a wife and family. My daughter is at school and has a massive God-filled path before her. I feel the pressure of the financial burdens we all feel. I often see lack. I'm no different to you.

But in the midst of all that God is calling to me to step out. Come away. Trust in Me, He says, with ALL your heart, lean not on your own understanding, trust not in your own plans; acknowledge Me, He says, declare that I am God and that I can provide when you are totally sold out to Me, believe that I can do it; He calls me to believe that He is God and He will make my paths straight, He will take out the valleys and the mountains, He will take out the bends and the curves; God says, your paths will be straight and you will follow.

I feel that God is saying to me that I must take a faith step, like Abraham, and leave on a journey to which I cannot see the destination. Abram began his journey as Abram but in the hand of God became Abraham, the father of many nations. That is my call. I am like Jeremiah who God called and set apart and appointed and, like Jeremiah, I am appointed to the nations and despite my lack of qualification wherever God sends me I will go, and what He gives me to speak I will speak, that He has put His words in my mouth and He has appointed me over the nations and kingdoms to pluck up and break down, to destroy and overthrow and to build and to plant.
I do not share this to in any way inflate myself. I take my call so seriously but today, this day, I am so challenged that for the rain of blessing to fall I must step on a journey with a destination I cannot see and until I step the breakthrough will be withheld.

So, I entitled this post 'Madness? Am I mad? Or can the Lord give you that one thing that I need to step through. I really, really appreciate any who choose to pray for me. I know I speak often in riddles, I find it so hard to speak plainly but I feel that I, and WTL, stand on the edge of glory and I want to step through but I am afraid. Lord, give me strength, and peace and hope and be glorified.

I'll say no more...this must sound like the ramblings of a mad man but frankly I am happy to be mad for the glory and purposes of God to be realised completely in me. I know that without Him nothing is possible and that with Him the impossible is mine but still I stand on the threshold of the door. Can someone, prompted by the Lord, come behind and push?

Graeme Shephard
graemeshephard@cambodiawtl.org.au
www.cambodiawtl.org.au

PS: I have never been one to have night dreams. I never remember my dreams. But in the last week I have had two dreams which I have vividly remembered.
The first...I have in my hand a tiny seed. It is tiny. God holds out His hand to me and I put the seed in His hand. He closes His hand and then immediately opens it again and standing in His hand is a fully grown oak tree. Now the oak tree is fully grown but it has no soil around its roots, for it is completely rooted in God's hand. Can you see it? If you check the WTL website you will see our logo...a tree. I'm a bit slow for someone had to point that fact out to me even though I look at that logo almost every day.
The second dream was this...there are two armies facing one another. My army is made up of children, many, many children. Both armies have old fashioned style cannons into which they can load cannonballs, and all manner of shrapnel. We have chosen not to use our cannons to fire on the enemy but the opposing army is firing cannonballs into the sky so the sky is black with the cannonballs but as they fall they don't appear to hurt the children. I build a cover of steel over the children, in fact, in the night I sneak into the opposing camp and steal a truck full of cannonballs and I melt them down to make the shield over my children. As the cannonballs from the enemy fall they make a horrible sound on the covering so I give all my children ear protectors so they can't hear the noise. At that point the alarm went off!
Interesting? What do you think?

The Withered Tree...

Do you remember Jesus and the withered fig tree?
The story is found in Matthew 21 and in Mark 11.

I have a question.
As you read the two records of this incident there appears to be a discrepancy.
In Matthew the tree withers immediately, in Mark the tree is withered the next day.
There are no discrepancies in God's word so what is this about?

It is about our eyes.

No one likes delay, least of all me.
God promises breakthrough for me, for WTL, for the families of WTL.
God has said that the rain will fall on me and will fall on those He has given WTL.
God has said that the burden will be lifted because of fatness [Isaiah 10: 27].
If I shared with you all that the Lord has spoken over us you would be astounded.
We believe it.
But we see a delay, why?
It's about us.
He waits for us, not we wait for Him.
Read on.

In the Mark record we see a verse that has always intrigued me.
I have spoken of it before.
It goes like this:

'And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen. it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THEM, and they will be granted you."

Don't you find this intriguing? I do!
We'll get back to that in a minute.

Firstly the two fig trees stories.
In Matthew Jesus says the fig tree will no longer bear fruit and it says that the fig tree withered immediately.
In Mark Jesus says the same but we see that the fig tree was withered the next day.
Why the difference? Is there a mistake in God's word?

There is no mistake but there is a great revelation.
I often say, Jesus is Everything.
I didn't make this up all on my own. I once asked a precious brother how he would describe in a few words the message of Grace to which God was calling me and his reply was...

"JESUS IS EVERYTHING."

I have never forgotten it.
But the truth is that my brother didn't make it up on his own either because God, the Father, said in Colossians 1: 19 that it was His 'good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him.'
In the next chapter of Colossians it says that 'in Him [that is, Jesus] all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.'
If you want you can write over those two verses, and there are many more, the blessed words, JESUS IS EVERYTHING.

Now the two accounts of the withered fig tree.
One is spiritual and the other physical.
Matthew records the spiritual reality, Mark records the physical.
What do I mean?

When Jesus speaks over your life in the finished work of the cross it is done.
He said, "IT IS FINISHED."

(Listen to me, when Jesus says 'I have come that they might have life, ABUNDANT LIFE' it is done in the finished work of Jesus. No if's, no buts! Please ignore those who would tell you that the abundant life of Christ includes this but doesn't include that. When Jesus restores He does a complete job. I have spoken of this truth in previous posts on this blog. If I go there now this will be very long!)

When God says bounty is poured out on WTL in the spiritual it is done. The fig tree withers immediately.

(That will be why God continues to unfold the immensity of His plan for WTL...beloved, it is IMMENSE! I have to ask, do you want to partner with us? Please contact me. As partners we will stand together in glory surrounded by millions and millions who God has shown me are our inheritance. Do you want to stand with us in that day? Then stand with us now and the rain will fall on you too! Don't stand with us looking at us, stand with us and look at Jesus. We point you to Him. Our message is simple, He is EVERYTHING.)

In the physical it is delayed. But it WILL wither the next day and when it does it will wither roots and all!
What is done in the spiritual we will see physically fulfilled far greater than we can hope or imagine! It will be roots and all!
Beloved, what is released in heaven IS RELEASED on earth.

What am I saying?
When we pray we must believe the finished work of Jesus, we believe in HIM. Nothing else. No strategy on our part, no action required, nothing to be done, we are given the Kingdom, already given, not coming, we don't have it but not yet...WE HAVE IT because we have Jesus and He is EVERYTHING! Do you see? God is Love and He revealed it in Jesus. When He gave His only Son do we really, REALLY believe that there is a limit to the out-pouring of His Grace? Really? Is His favour limited? NO way! Despite what is preached everywhere telling you what you should do to merit the favour of God I have to tell you that you already have His favour because Jesus completed the work! What we see with physical eyes isn't important. In HIM it is done. The mountain is cast into the sea even though it may appear to be still there.
When we pray we BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED IT even though the physical fulfillment is delayed.

That is where we are at WTL.
Breakthrough is delayed but does that make it uncertain? No way!
It is certain because in the spiritual it is done because Jesus is the fullness of God and the Bible clearly declares that in His fullness we are complete. That is Colossians 2: 10.

I speak now to my WTL family everywhere, all those God has given us and those who are still coming.
Our breakthrough, our completion, is certain because the tree is withered immediately in Jesus Christ.
Yes, we see delay until the morning but the delay does not make its fulfillment less certain.
The enemy would like us to believe that it may not come but we reject that and we declare: 'The tree is withered immediately, in Jesus finished work, in the provision of the promise of Jesus Christ our breakthrough is certain.'
All of you join with me brothers and sisters and believe that we have it even if our physical eyes don't see it because based in His GRACE it is done. It is certain. It is complete.

What should we do now together?
We should give thanks to the Lord for He is Good. His Love, Mercy and Grace endure forever and ever and ever. Amen and amen.
This is our Victory Call!
Give Him your thanks as if we already have it and it will be granted.
Amen, Lord Jesus.
We believe it and receive it.

HALLELUJAH!

Kingdom Building...

Recently I was sitting in church and God asked me a question.
The Holy Spirit spoke into my mind and the question was...
"When Jesus was on earth why did He not talk about the church?"
Hmmm?
What did He talk about then?
He talked about the Kingdom.
A lot!
Search the gospels, the kingdom is a regular theme.

Now, when God asks I know He has something to say.
Also, I know that what He has to say will be just the beginning of a long, wonderful 'onion peeling' time as He peels back the layers of His revelation.

You know onions? They come in layers and it is possible to peel each layer back and as you do you are impacted. Mostly I cry!

So, as I contemplated God's question I knew He wanted to start me off so I said, " I don't know Lord, why did Jesus not talk about the church?"
His answer?
He began with this little taster just to get me started.
Jesus' lack of talk about the church is a very good blueprint for our young people. As our young people grow to adults they often get quite worried and concerned (desperate?) for boyfriends and girlfriends. The Lord said that Jesus, in the selection of His bride, was happy to leave it to God. I think God smiled as He 'suggested' that this is a good strategy for young people. Leave the choice to God, He will get it right.
An interesting thought but I knew there was more to come.

One of the thing's about the Lord is this. He doesn't have the same clock as me. In fact, He doesn't have a clock at all. He is eternity and is above the time constraints that often plague us and so I have learnt that waiting is one of His great and wonderful communications to us.
I have learnt that this time is not us waiting for Him, but Him waiting for us. I am waiting at the moment but not for God, His breakthrough is sure in the the provision of the finished work of Jesus Christ, but He waits for me to be ready to receive it. 
Somebody once said that I am a very patient man because I have waited and waited as God has unfolded His call on my life to preach Grace to the world. I laughed when this was said because you wouldn't say I was patient if you saw me driving down the road behind a car doing significantly less than the posted speed limit; then I am definitely not very patient!

But I have learnt that if we wait God always has more to share.

It has recently been strenuously asserted that the absolute primary purpose of the church is to be sent. To support this it has been said that 'sending', being 'sent,' is the primary theme of John's gospel. The basis for this is that it is in John's gospel where Jesus says that as He was sent by the Father so He is sending us. I always thought the primary theme of John's gospel was about Him, His love, not us and our being sent! That may be a simplistic precis but that is the essence of what has been spoken. In the midst of this churches that minister by 'attraction', that minister to the 'needs' of its people, that exist for the 'benefit' of its people have been vaguely criticised as missing the mark of the calling of God to 'mission', to being sent. I have struggled with this significantly, which is strange because I have a clearer vision of what it means to be 'sent' than most people I know. I am called and I believe in that call and I have declared and will continue to declare that where God calls me to go, I will go.

The church is the body of Christ.
Ephesians 1: 22, 23 and other scriptures are clear on this.
Jesus is the head and we, the church, are His body. We can then read 1 Corinthians 12 where gifts and ministries are discussed and we will see all the functions of a body. Consider for a moment all the parts of your body and we see a beautiful picture of God's view of the church. It is beautiful and is there any wonder that the Bridegroom, prophetically speaking of His bride in the Song of Solomon, could exclaim, "How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful you are!" [Song of Solomon 4: 1]
You know, I don't dispute at all that the church is sent however I struggle with the view that this is the absolute primary purpose of the church. Yes, this is the primary purpose of members of the church but this does not diminish the purpose of others who are called and gifted to care, and encourage, and provide. Those members have great value. Someone once told me that I would continue to go and share Jesus and I would return to my church to rest and be fed and encouraged. The Bible, in 1 Corinthians 12,  is clear that if every member of the body were eyes, where would the hearing be? If everyone was hearing, where would the sense of smell be? If all are sent, where is the encouraging, caring, prayerful, providing place of rest? Just my thoughts.

It is into this thinking and meditation that God asks me His question.

I am a 'cud chewer.' If you have never had anything to do with cows you will probably have no idea what I am talking about. I grew up on a dairy farm and have long observed cows who chew the cud. They eat grass, they regurgitate it, and they chew it again, over and over. I do this with God's word. I chew over it.

So I have been and will continue to chew over God's question.
This post is probably just one in a long line of things God says to me about His question.

The point is that Jesus spoke of the Kingdom, not the church.
I, therefore, must conclude that the building of the Kingdom is the primary task, not the building of the church.
In fact, church building, bride selection and preparation, is God's job, not ours.
Just as Jesus was willing to leave the preparation and selection of His bride to His Father (not once did He say 'I wish I had a girlfriend!') so are we to leave church building to Him. It is here that I have to respectfully suggest that we have devoted our energy and resource to church building rather than Kingdom building and in that pursuit we have lost our way.
It is some time ago that I felt that God was calling me out of the church where I have long had fellowship and I have struggled because I have not had any clear sense of where I should go. Recently, as I contemplated this dilemma I had given myself, the Lord said to me, "Graeme, don't worry about what church you should 'go' to, that isn't your purpose; you just 'seek Me' and I will deal with the church issue, that is My role. I build the church, I have called you to Kingdom building."

We used to wear wrist bands with W.W.J.D? printed on them. 'What Would Jesus Do?'
I suggest that was the wrong question and the correct question is actually, 'What is Jesus Doing?'
Has His sent task changed?
He clearly declares that He came to establish the Kingdom.
Has that changed?
Is it now about church establishment? I think not!
On the basis of that is my role, our role, church building? No, I think not.
Jesus is my Leader. I will follow Him. He is a Kingdom builder so I am Kingdom builder!
So it's not about the church, we are to leave to God.
We are Kingdom builders, just like Jesus.

Last Sunday I had the privilege to visit a little country church. The speaker gave a very detailed sermon on the Kingdom. Wow! What a wonderful academic exercise it was! In essence we were told that the kingdom is here, but not yet. I absolutely respect his preparation and delivery but I just couldn't help hearing the question, 'Why did Jesus not talk of the church?' Why did He speak about the Kingdom? And what is the Kingdom anyway?

You know, I am very simplistic. I struggle to engage in academic debates on scripture because I find a great sense of bondage in those debates and, for me, looking at every verse through the lens of the cross of Jesus, looking through eyes of Grace, everything is clearer, simpler, more wonderful and complete in freedom.
An example.
Matthew 6: 33 is an often quoted verse.

I clearly remember the last sermon I heard on this verse where we were encouraged to apply our action and energy to seeking the kingdom and our action and energy to being righteous. Oh, the bondage of it, no wonder the Bible says that the Law brings death. I choose Life! Jesus is Life and He fulfilled completely the demands of Law to release us to the freedom of the supply of Grace.

We are KINGDOM builders! What is the Kingdom?
Listen to this...

'...for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.' [Romans 14: 17]

The Kingdom of God is not about the things we do but about righteousness, peace and joy as revealed by the Holy Spirit. What is the role of the Holy Spirit? To reveal Christ, to exalt Him.
I know God has much more to say around His question but I cannot avoid declaring this.
JESUS CHRIST, He is the Kingdom. He is our Righteousness, He is our Peace, He is our Joy.
You know I absolutely believe and am convinced that we have laboured ourselves with all sorts of stuff that is designed to build the church and in the midst of this we have missed the freedom of the truth that He is the Kingdom and as we pursue Him and Him alone, 'all these things will be added to you.'
Wow! That is freedom for me.
My role in life is to declare Him; His Love, His Mercy and His Grace and to GIVE THANKS for He is Good; His Love, Mercy and Grace endure forever.
That is a LIFE of PURPOSE.

I am sure God has more to reveal.
Have a great day.