March 11 2011
WALKING FREE NEWSLETTER- March 11, 2011
Hi everyone
Last Sunday was the end of one Christian season called Epiphany which is a time of celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles epitomized by the visit of the Magi. It can also mean a revelatory manifestation of a divine being like the visit of Gabriel, the angel, to Mary. It is also a comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.
This season concludes on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday with the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mt Tabor where Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain. You can read about this in Matthew 17:1ff.
Jesus was transfigured and his face shone like the sun. Then Moses and Elijah appeared and they talked to Jesus. Only Luke 9:28-36) tells us the content of the conversation. Peter wants to stay and build three tabernacles and bask in the experience. But before he can get going, the cloud of God comes upon them all and the voice of God comes out of it and shakes them to the core. God affirms whom Jesus is and adds the command; Listen to Him.
By the time they had come to their senses, Jesus was leading them down the mountain strongly telling them to keep this experience to themselves until He had been raised from the dead.
In 2 Peter 1:16ff, Peter recounts his experience on Mount of Transfiguration and declares that He was an eye witness to the glorious transfiguration of Jesus and He heard God’s voice telling him that Jesus was His Son and God was very pleased with Him.
Not only Jesus had an Epiphany but so did Peter (James and John). Frank Maier described an Epiphany as "I experienced an epiphany, a spiritual flash that would change the way I viewed myself".
For the disciples, Peter James and John, experienced an epiphany that only changed the way they viewed themselves through the experience of the Resurrection.
The word transfiguration translates the Greek word: metamorphoomai (from which we get (metamorphosis)). It means
- Transformation
- Marked change in appearance, character, condition, or function.
For Jesus this transformation where he shone like the sun was to prepare Him for his walk into Jerusalem to be crucified on the cross.
For the disciples (Peter, James and John) it was to prepare them for the road ahead that only became clearer once Jesus was raised from the Dead and the Holy Spirit had been given to them in power. This transformation was through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit where their face shone like the “Son”!
Paul put it this way: And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
We as Christians and as a church need a new face lift where the glory of the Lord increases inside us but cannot be contained by us. We need a new face lift because the spiritual body has unsightly wrinkles, eye bags, creases, and sagging facial and neck skin. We do not need a “nip and tuck” but a complete spiritual makeover so that God’s glory can be revealed in and through us and people will come up and say “What have you done with yourself? You look different!”
All of us need a transformation (transfiguration) from time to time so that we start to look more and more like Jesus and people like what they see! All of us need to allow the Holy Spirit to work deeper inside of us so that the glory of God increases inside us and emanates from us to touch people.
Let me encourage you to admit yourself to the Holy Spirit’s “beauty salon” so that he can give you a complete makeover and thus become a different person which will be quite noticeable! The difference to this kind of makeover is you don’t have to pay and “arm and a leg” for it. It’s free!
We have accepted the invitation from pastor Devadas to come to his part of the world in India to teach the pastors and pray for the sick so that people might meet Jesus and be saved. We are looking to go in early November (the dates are to be finalized). Pastor Devadas is inviting 70 pastors for teaching and training, organizing visits to minister to local Christians in the villages and rallies for people seeking the Lord’s healing for their sicknesses.
We will need to apply for visas from the Indian Government and monies raised for our cost of going and Pastor Devadas’ costs of holding the event. Further details about the venture will be given in upcoming letters.
We are meeting with a small group each fortnight on a Friday to pray for a healing centre as well as learning to pray for the sick. A member of my congregation at Twin Towns UCA, John, enthusiastically recited his experiences of praying for the sick amongst his friends in recent months and seeing God heal their infirmities. We prayed for Margaret, this morning, and God touched and healed her.
We look forward to what God will do in our midst. We need to pray in more people to come on team.
Our retreat last Saturday went well. We looked at two talks from 2010 Global Leadership Conference. Jeff Manion spoke on“The Land Between” (reflection on Numbers 11) where the land between was fertile ground for Complaint; Emotional Breakdown; God’s Provision; God’s Discipline and Transformational Growth. We then went off and reflected with Jesus about the issues that were raised. The second talk was from Christine Cain who spoke about Leading on the Edge of Hope and her work in rescuing the 27 million slaves throughout the world today.
We were gifted by God with our worship time when the Retreat’s owner’s son, David Mibus, was home and he played the piano for our worship time. It was a special time with Jesus. He will be playing with his brother at the Easterfest in April.
We will be doing 18-20 ministries this month. It is wonderful to see God work in their lives and they come back for a second or third ministry different. Healing is always a process and a journey. It is a privileged to work with Jesus as he brings healing to people. We heard from one lady whom we prayed for last year and she is now ministering with her husband to spouses/partners of prisoners through Kairos Outside. She is a changed confident woman!
Liz is going to Colours Conference in Sydney next Thursday with a lady from the church and friends from SA. She is looking forward to seeing what God will do with her and the ladies who will go with her. These conferences are always special. Though they do cost some money, it is an investment into our spiritual life and we get a great return from our investment!
Let me encourage you to go to the Lord’s ‘beauty salon” to have a free makerover so that the glory of God can shine through you and all that you say and do.
May you continue to make a difference for the sake of the God’s Kingdom every day in 2011!
If you would like to donate to our ministry and receive a tax deduction, direct debit using the bank details below or make out your cheque to Walking Free Renewing Ministries Gift Fund.
Bank Details: Walking Free Renewing Ministries Gift Fund. National Australia Bank: BSB 084-959 Account Numbers 82-215-5845
Thank you for praying for this ministry that continues to be one of many God has started to heal people. May you be blessed by God as you pray.