A word for Metro given to Bill Parker, shared on Sunday, Feb 18, 2007 during morning worship.
During worship I saw a lady worshiping and praising the Lord. I knew this lady and knew of her brokenness in life, issues in her heart, shame, weariness and need for healing from hurt in her life. She had gone through rough seasons. As she was worshiping, I saw this brilliance of the Lord come over her, and what came from shame became a garment of light, a garment of praise. It was just brilliant. As I saw this the Lord showed me that this woman represented Metro. The past seasons that we’ve gone through and the barren times even and just how we’ve gone through rough seasons … the Lord’s going to take our shame and where we’ve been and He’s going to begin to give us light and He’s going to give us a garment of praise, and hope, and peace.
Then that light I saw became a candelabra. It became a single candle at first and then it became many candles. The Lord said, “I’m going to restore the candle of the Lord to the nations for Metro.” I felt like that candle represented many things. I felt like the Lord said, “I’m going to make this a candlelight (which is prominence & favor) church again.” We have a purpose beyond just Metro in the city. We have a purpose to the nations.
As I was asking the Lord what that was, He showed me that He’s restoring the prophetic flow in our church. I saw a big stream coming down a mountain side. As this stream came down I intuitively knew that this was the stream in Revelation and Ezekiel or Isaiah which has life and healing in it. This stream flowed into a large pond or small lake in which the middle of the lake was a rock, right dead in the middle of that lake, and I felt that was Christ. He’s been put in the center of our church. Around the rock was almost like a pond. I felt like the Lord said, “I’m restoring also my presence. I’m restoring my presence to my church. Out of that presence, out of my presence I’m going to restore healing and deliverance in the church, the anointing of healing and I’m going to bring that to the nations.”
Then I felt like the Lord also showed me that as we’re doing worship on stage, “I’m also restoring the songbirds back to Metro.” I felt that’s the prophetic worship and that anointing to go deep into the Lord and come back out.
So I just wanted to share these things and hopefully that’ll encourage you.
Grandpa's in Taiwan
We decided to celebrate the Jewish holiday Purim by doing the 3 things Esther & the Jews did – feast, give gifts & give to the poor. On Purim we invited people over for a good meal & wrote cards to encourage each other. After praying several times we felt the Lord wanted us to give traditional Chinese sausages to some of the elderly poor who recycle for "pennies". At first it was hard for us to even know how to give them sausages, because they weren't sure how to "pay us back" since that's culturally expected. So they didn't want to accept our gifts. Upon receiving them they could hardly believe we'd give them a dozen little sausages. They were grinning from ear to ear. It was such a joy. I love the poor. I need the poor. It was by far a highlight so far here!I met another elderly man while walking with a friend in a nearby park. I noticed Mr. Ruan was limping from a stroke & started praying while still behind him. We caught up & I started talking with him. I've never quite shared like this but here's how it came out: "I have a friend that's a famous doctor. He has healed many people. His name is Jesus Christ. Have you ever heard of Him? Would you like me to ask Him to heal you?" The man responded, "I think I've heard that name somewhere, but can't really remember who He is." Mr. Ruan didn't want us to pray then but agreed that we could ask Jesus Christ to heal him & then come back to the park and see him again.
-Lynn (one of our Metro Missionaries working in Taiwan)
Hiding God's Word
I have vivid memories of my mother, sitting on the edge of my bed, rehearsing my memory verse with me in preparation for Sunday School each week. Today I’ll run into someone at Wal-mart and in our conversation I’ll pull a scripture out of my memory that speaks into their situation.
“Where did that come from?” Isaiah 55:11 says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Even as a five year old, I knew that I was partnering with God, sowing all that seed deep in my heart. But I am still amazed when I see the fruit; when I am tempted or when I am in despair and the Living Word of God echoes the truth into my life! Who I am today is the result of all that scripture sown into my heart . . . how I behave, reason and live. Is the fruit of your life the evidence of God’s Word growing in the deep places?
“Where did that come from?” Isaiah 55:11 says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Even as a five year old, I knew that I was partnering with God, sowing all that seed deep in my heart. But I am still amazed when I see the fruit; when I am tempted or when I am in despair and the Living Word of God echoes the truth into my life! Who I am today is the result of all that scripture sown into my heart . . . how I behave, reason and live. Is the fruit of your life the evidence of God’s Word growing in the deep places?
-Jason Ellsworth
God's Word is Available
I have always had a love for old books. Among other things, I get excited that they have existed before me and are still present, and I get to experience them too so many years after they were bound together. None of these could compare, however, to the enduring word of God. I recently had the opportunity to go see the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are bits of manuscript containing handwritten scriptures that had been stored in clay jars for ages. Standing inches and a pane of glass away, I was fascinated that thousands of years ago these mighty words were carefully preserved, and today I have the opportunity to experience their Truth whenever I choose.
The scriptures are an expression of God, and He fashioned them for us before we existed. I am so grateful. I love joining God in the scriptures. I find that when life gets really busy or I get tired with my days, that is when I most want to soak up the Lord’s words to me. I find inspiration, direction, comfort, Truth, joy, guidance and more. I am amazed by the knowledge that His word is living and powerful, and He has given it to me.
The scriptures are an expression of God, and He fashioned them for us before we existed. I am so grateful. I love joining God in the scriptures. I find that when life gets really busy or I get tired with my days, that is when I most want to soak up the Lord’s words to me. I find inspiration, direction, comfort, Truth, joy, guidance and more. I am amazed by the knowledge that His word is living and powerful, and He has given it to me.
-Jessica Siems
Does God Heal?
Does God heal? This is a good question. I know what the bible says, “by His stripes you are healed”, “He bore all your sickness and diseases”, etc., etc., etc. Ok, I know that I am sounding kind of cynical. But tell me, doesn't the Bible say “lay hands on the sick and they will recover”? And, “call the Elders of the church and anoint the sick with oil and the prayer of faith shall heal the sick. What if…what if I do all of this and still no healing? What if I confess, confess, confess and still no healing? What if I believe with all that is in me to no avail? What if I believe with the faith of a mustard seed and still… no healing? Where does that leave me? Where does that leave you? Or even better, where does that leave God?
Is God a man that He should lie? Then what is up with this deal? Do I know people that have been healed? Yes! Even I have experienced healing personally, but why not more? Why not every time I ask? I was faced with this dilemma recently… again! I sat at home “confronting” God, “why do you tell us to do this stuff, you know, pray for the sick, and you don't do your part?” And I felt He led me to Habakkuk 3:19a
Lord, You are Sovereign! You do things differently than I would do them. Your ways are higher than my ways, your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. You know the big picture, you know the heart of man, you know the secret places of each of us, you know how to refine us and make us in your image. You know how to be glorified in our lives, or in our death. Who am I to tell you what to do? So, what do I say? Lord, You are Sovereign and I will believe your Word for healing and continue to pray and believe for it, but also, I will trust You in all your ways. What will you do?
Is God a man that He should lie? Then what is up with this deal? Do I know people that have been healed? Yes! Even I have experienced healing personally, but why not more? Why not every time I ask? I was faced with this dilemma recently… again! I sat at home “confronting” God, “why do you tell us to do this stuff, you know, pray for the sick, and you don't do your part?” And I felt He led me to Habakkuk 3:19a
“The Sovereign Lord is my strength;”What do you mean? The Sovereign Lord is my strength? I am asking about healing. I felt He said read it again. The Sovereign Lord is my strength…again, the Sovereign Lord is my strength…again, the SOVEREIGN Lord is my strength…again, the SOVEREIGN Lord is my strength… Sovereign, Sovereign, Sovereign. Oh, I get it!
Lord, You are Sovereign! You do things differently than I would do them. Your ways are higher than my ways, your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. You know the big picture, you know the heart of man, you know the secret places of each of us, you know how to refine us and make us in your image. You know how to be glorified in our lives, or in our death. Who am I to tell you what to do? So, what do I say? Lord, You are Sovereign and I will believe your Word for healing and continue to pray and believe for it, but also, I will trust You in all your ways. What will you do?
-Tammy McDonald
On Reading the Scriptures
Before I knew the Lord, I somehow got it into my head that the Bible was an ancient mystical book that no ordinary person could understand--maybe it was the old English that intimidated me! I imagined that there might be some enlightened souls hidden away in far off and benighted places who might possibly be able to decode its secrets. What a shock I encountered when, at 18, I began to read the Bible (beginning with the New Testament) and discovered how it spoke so clearly and incisively into my heart and mind--even the KJV came alive to me. (Fortunately, I had studied a bit of Shakespeare in High School and had learned to comprehend a bit of Old English.)
After my birth from above and having received the power of the Spirit into my life, I literally began to drink in the passages of the Bible. I suddenly realized that there was an invisible Companion hovering over me and speaking within my heart regarding the meanings of the texts that I was reading. He was acting like the Author Himself! That was well over 30 years ago that I began this love affair with Scripture and I am still amazed by the grace and truth that grips my soul when I study it with a heart that is willing to learn and obey.
I love to read the Scriptures with others and then share our impressions and insights and questions with one another. There is something special about the public reading of the Bible and its stories. We don't get enough of this anymore, since we all have our own personal copies and the ability to read it silently. I'm not much on liturgies, but I secretly hope that we, as a congregation, might think about ways to weave the public reading of the Scripture into our gatherings--large and small. With all the voices in this world that are clamoring for our attention, it's so refreshing to hear "the Word of the Lord." Let's keep reading our Bibles--even as the 90 Days comes to a close!
After my birth from above and having received the power of the Spirit into my life, I literally began to drink in the passages of the Bible. I suddenly realized that there was an invisible Companion hovering over me and speaking within my heart regarding the meanings of the texts that I was reading. He was acting like the Author Himself! That was well over 30 years ago that I began this love affair with Scripture and I am still amazed by the grace and truth that grips my soul when I study it with a heart that is willing to learn and obey.
I love to read the Scriptures with others and then share our impressions and insights and questions with one another. There is something special about the public reading of the Bible and its stories. We don't get enough of this anymore, since we all have our own personal copies and the ability to read it silently. I'm not much on liturgies, but I secretly hope that we, as a congregation, might think about ways to weave the public reading of the Scripture into our gatherings--large and small. With all the voices in this world that are clamoring for our attention, it's so refreshing to hear "the Word of the Lord." Let's keep reading our Bibles--even as the 90 Days comes to a close!
-Michael Sullivant
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