It was a fitting conclusion to the "Doing the Stuff:101" class that I've been teaching at the Vineyard. The class has gone for fourteen weeks and the participation has been exceptional. As I told the group, I pray that what we have experienced during these fourteen weeks would be more than simply some notebook full of information that was placed on a shelf and forgotten. That the idea of us being called to do the works of Christ would become a normal part of our daily walk with Him.
Too often we boil relationship with Jesus down to the notion that it's all about keeping rules and regulations. That the ultimate call on our lives is to be good men and women for the Kingdom. While we have been called to a standard, and empowered through the Holy Spirit, holiness is something that is given to us. We are called to walk and be filled with His holiness, not perfect our own.
To me real relationship with Christ is about living with a continual desire to please Him. To do what He wants done. To carry out the Kingdom mandate to do the works that Jesus embraced when He walked here on this earth. To live in a state of constant contact and communion with God the Father. To be every listening for His instruction on how to pray for someone. Is their problem a physical condition? Or are they suffering from demonic oppression? Such requires us to "hear" from God on how to pray, rather than filing the air with words that offer no relief. That is the heart of Doing The Stuff.
I found it somewhat ironic that our last class was the day after the anniversary of John Wimber's homecoming. John died on November 17, 1997. I didn't plan the meeting to end on the 18th. This was just the date God told me shut it down on. Wimber was the driving force behind the idea that everyone who is saved gets to "play" in the kingdom. Everyone has the capability to hear and operate under the Holy Spirit's direction to pray and see God move and work in the life of the one receiving prayer.
So this morning, I am confident that there is a group of people who will wake up and move out into the world looking for opportunities to Do The Stuff.
A very heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended over the last 14 weeks.
Let's go be the body of Christ that He deserves.
To win for the Lamb the rewards of His suffering!
Isaiah 55:11
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper every where I send it.
God on you...
mb
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