New Caledonia, Longleat and the PC

On Saturday the four of us going to New Caledonia in April met up at the travel agent and after MUCH deliberation (3 hours, in fact)we eventually decided on the best dates, times and routes. As it is a flight-only journey it had to be paid for in total there and then and is non-refundable. There is no going back now. We all left feeling quite excited and looking forward to it. We will be meeting regularly to pray between now and April. Your prayers on our behalf will be most welcome.

Yesterday, Sunday was spent with friends looking around the huge Longleat estate. This trip was to see the things we missed the last time we were there - there is so much to see. The weather was really good for this time of year and it was good to catch up in person rather than by emails or blogs.

Since going on Broadband, I've been trying to get a wireless network set up so that I can use the PC while others in the house can play games online. We bought all the necessary equipment and as I couldn't figure out how to set it up, got a friend who does to come and do it for us. It seems that something was not set up correctly as we still cannot get the network up and running. I'm sure we'll get there in the end. Seems strange how a click or a digit in the wrong place can make all the difference and can be very frustrating. Couldn't help thinking this morning that God must feel a bit like that when He thought that His Church would do a job but it hasn't turned out the way He wanted!

Confirmation, yet again!

My life at the moment is in a time of transition. I have felt God moving me on to do something completely different - to be involved with prayer teams travelling to different places to stand with and support people wherever God happens to send me. That means giving up the part time job I have at a charity shop, and as someone who is retired, the extra cash always comes in useful. You know with your mind that God is in control and has got everything planned but in your heart you can't help wondering just how this is going to work out in practice.

I am one of a group of four who are going to New Caledonia next April on just such a prayer mission and this Saturday we are meeting up at the travel agency to book and pay for our flight. I wasn't really concerned about the finances. I know God will provide and had already received prophetic words about this but what I still kept wondering was if I am really hearing God's voice telling me to do this or is this just something I quite fancy being part of. A couple of days ago I received a phone call from a couple who told me that God had told them to give me a (quite substantial) amount of money towards my flight - over 50% of the cost! After the initial shock I found myself saying to God 'You really DO want me to do this, don't You?' and I sensed God replying 'Yes, now just go and get on with it. How much more confirmation do you need?' I repented of keep asking for yet another form of confirmation and was grateful once again of His gracious patience with my doubting mind. Isn't He just awesome!

World Prayer Centre

Was up at 4:30 this morning to go to Birmingham for the day to the World Prayer Centre training day. Just arrived back (10pm) a little tired. It was a day that made me feel at peace and confirmed that I was going in the right direction. Whereas before I felt an urge, a pulling in this direction, this seems to have shifted to another level. I now feel connected, as though I'm not now just on the fringe wondering what or where or when. But I feel more that I've arrived at the first stage of the journey and I am now part of it. Feels good!

A busy weekend

Tomorrow I'm off early to Birmingham to the World Prayer Centre for a training day for all who want to be in a prayer team with a view to travel in Britain and abroad. I did join 150 others in Scotland in July to pray for the G8 summit. For some time I've been sensing that this is the direction God wants me to take so I'm looking forward to tomorrow with an open mind and see where it leads.

I have been asked to speak at church on Sunday and the Bible reading and theme I have been given are right on the lines of some things that I have been sensing God saying to me over the past few weeks. This will be an opportunity to share these thoughts with the rest of the church. And it is a reminder that when God gives us something, it's not just for our own benefit.

Afterwards we have Diane, Ben and Tabi for lunch and a relaxed afternoon. Let's hope the weather is fine so we can go for a long walk.

Quite a while

I realise it's quite a while since I last posted anything on my blog. I have enjoyed some time on holiday and have now upgraded my PC to Broadband so plan to get back blogging soon.

I have just had my first instant chat online with Christ Hogben who is at the moment in Bethlehem. (Check out his link on this blogspot) I feel like a child at Christmas with a new toy. Isn't this technology stuff amazing!

A very good day!

Today being a Bank Holiday meant that we were free to do as we pleased. The weather was glorious (now there's a change for an English Bank Holiday Monday!) so my son and I decided to have a day out at the Swannery, about an hour's drive from home. We got there in time to see the hundreds of free-flying swans gather to be fed. What an amazing sight. Then we walked among the various pens where injured or young cygnets were cared for. There were other water birds also. It was a day of special events. We saw sheep shearing and two falconry displays. We had taken a packed lunch and just took our time walking and enjoying the different activities that were going on.

I am aware that this post is quite different from my previous one. In fact I had been tempted to delete the previous post. It seems quite negative and I thought doesn't show me in a very good light. But on reflection I decided to leave it. It reminds me of how fickle I am at times and how my feelings are influenced by the events that take place. I am so pleased that God is not like that and I wish I could be more like Him. He never changes and as my days can be so different, He is the only constant that I can depend on. That's why I can trust Him. He is always the same. He always has time for me and cares about me. He is just sheer pure love.

Not a good day!

I was woken up at 5.20 this morning by the phone ringing. The ensueing conversation went something like: 'Hello', 'Mrs Andradez?' 'Yes', 'You ordered a guinea pig', 'No, I didn't'. 'Yes, you did', 'No I didn't' 'Yes you did from ....'s pet store.', 'It's 20 past five in the morning and I'm asleep!'. 'No you're not. You're talking to me on the phone.' At which point I thought 'O, no I'm not' and put the phone down. Of course I couldn't get back to sleep after that so got up at about 6:30 and read a bit. Of course then I fell asleep in the chair!.

Later I did a load of washing and as it was dry and the sun looked as though it was going to appear, I hung them outside to dry. About 10 minutes later, it started to rain! So out I went to bring them all in again.

In the morning post I received a letter from our electricity provider asking for a meter reading so they could work out my future monthly payments. I got the reading and phoned them only to be put on hold. I listened to music and was interrupted every 30 seconds or so by a voice thanking me for my patience and assuring me that it wouldn't be long before an advisor would be able to take my call. After over 10 minutes of the same music and the same voice I hung up.

I thought I would try their website instead and switched on the computer only to be informed that an error had occurred and it all came up in 'Safe Mode'. So I waited, logged off and tried again. Couldn't contact them with the information they required via the PC so decided to click on my blog and write this instead!

I'm thinking of going back to bed and starting again. (It is now just after midday)

I wonder, did Jesus ever have days like this? WWJD??? I'm sure He would just smile (or maybe sigh a bit) and then get on with the things that really matter. But at this moment I really don't feel like doing that!

Bread or no bread!

This morning I thought I was really organised. (I can be sometimes!) I was going to be out all day so I prepared the bread maker, planning to have some cheese and onion bread to accompany our evening meal. I set the timer and out I went. When I arrived back home at about 5:30 I was greeted with the lovely smell. I opened the bread maker and to my horror discoverd that the bread looked just the same as when I had put it in the machine in the morning except the liquid in the base was now solid! I couldn't understand what had gone wrong. This had never happened before. Then I discovered on the work bench the kneading blade that I should have fixed in the mixer in order to knead the dough! Hence I came back to a floury mess that had cooked underneath but hadn't been kneaded. Yuk!!! I'm sure there is a lesson in here somewhere - having all the parts in the right place; even the small parts are important; nobody is perfect, etc. (Not to mention getting old and ga-ga!) You learn from your mistakes is the one that came to my mind.

Hugs and compasses

Yesterday I had a very in-depth and interesting conversation with someone about 'church' and where I'm at. It was not at all criticising in a negative way but was constructive and helpful. In the end we both came to the same conclusion and likened our situation to that of being a parent. Our children know the things that please us and when they want to make us happy they try to do the things that they know will please us. But as parents we know that there are those precious, intimate moments when they snuggle up and just want to be with us, sometimes whispering secrets in our ears and other times just relaxing. Those moments say far more than the 'good deeds'. In other situations we can all try to please those in authority but we don't have the same relationship with them. It's those precious moments of just being together that make the parent/child relationship so special and the bonding deepens.

As a church we can be so focussed on doing things that we think please God when God really wants to give us a big hug. There is nothing wrong per se with doing things for God and wanting to please Him but that in itself does not give us this special relationship as His children. This is true not just in private moments when we are on our own but it is important in our corporate setting. We don't come together as a church just to do things for God but to meet together corporately to be in His presence and deepen our intimacy with Him. If as a church we do not have these times then our relationship with God is simply as a person in authority and not Father.

I also had another picture - completely different. Our journey together as church is a bit like going on a journey guided by a compass. We can be facing in the direction we need to go but if our compass is only 1 degree off course then we will end up in a completely different place. We need to keep our focus fixed on God and as soon as we shift our focus, even ever so slightly to what we are doing, even if that is in the same direction, then that slightly out-of-focus attitude will mean that we end up somewhere where we really don't want to be and never really intended to be. 'Jesus be the centre'.

Gracious confirmation

Isn't God just so gracious yet encouraging the way He nudges us in the right direction. Last week I was at a couple of the Family Fun days held at the church I go to. I had promised to go, not to participate and help with the children or activities but to go into a small room to pray all the time the event was taking place. I had been approached by one of the event organisers to ask God if there was a particular message He wanted to convey to someone who was present. I did this and did receive some words from God which I felt was appropriate for someone although I had no idea who.

Near the end of the morning I relayed to the organiser what I felt and was asked to write it down so that it could be read out at the end and invitations given for prayer. And so in due time it was read out but no-one knew that it was me who had given these words. At the time there was no response when the invitation was given that if anyone felt that if any of the words given were for them (there were more than just mine) they could go forward and be prayed with and helped in whatever way was appropriate. I felt a little disappointed and thought that maybe I had been wrong.

This week I met an acquaintance who had been at that gathering and she said that those words had been for her but she was really waiting for someone else to go forward. I then told her that it was I who had given those words believing that God wanted a specific person to hear that message. She answered 'Well it was me!' So we were able then to talk about what God had said and the implications for her life.

I was grateful that God, although He knew all along that that lady knew it was for her and accepted the message as from Him, He was also gracious enough to encourage me by letting me know that I had heard correctly. This just spurrs me on to want to be used more and more by God in this precious prayer ministry of intercession.

There's nothing wrong with your shoes.

I was waiting today to meet up with a friend to have a coffee and a chat. I have lately been feeling a bit out of place (see post on Exiles) and was really asking God for a word of encouragement. While I was waiting for my friend a young mother passed with a small child. She kept stopping and touching her shoes as though she was trying to adjust them when her mother said, 'Just leave your shoes alone. There is nothing wrong with your shoes. Just keep walking.' I felt God say the same to me, 'There's nothing wrong with what you have. Just keep going.' I was really encouraged. Isn't God so amazing. He speaks when we least expect it.

The God Chasers cont'd

Got up early this morning to finish reading Tommy Tenney's book 'The God Chasers' He goes on (among other things) to comment how often even in the 'new' charismatic churches, we spend so much time seeking after the gifts of God and not seeking His face. We are content and comfortable with the 'toys' (Tenney's word) that Father allows us to have but we don't spend time just sitting on His lap and looking into His face and knowing that deep, special relationship of Father and child. We ask for the 'things' but then stop there. And God who is always generous with His children gives us His gifts in abundance but so longs for us just to get close to Him and tell Him we love Him and allow Him to pick us up and embrace us.

This book is the best read I have had in some time. I couldn't put it down until I had read the last page. I want to be counted among the God chasers. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

The God Chasers

I have just started to read Tommy Tenney's book 'The God Chasers'. Just wanted to share three quotes.

1. Talking about people who don't want to go to church and don't call themselves Christians: 'You can't tell me they're not hungry for God when they wear crystals around their necks, lay down hundreds of dollars a day to listen to gurus, and call psychics to the tune of billions of dollars per year. They're hungry to hear from something that's beyond themsleves, something they are not hearing in the Church of today. The bottom line is that people are sick of church because the Church has been somewhat less than what the Book advertised! People want to connect with a higher power!'

2. 'We're like bakeries that are open, but have no bread. We just like the chit-chat that goes on around the cold ovens and empty shelves.'

3. 'I believe that God will literally destroy the Church as we know it if He has to so He can reach the cities. He is not in love with our imperfect versions of His perfect Church. He is only out to claim the house that God built. If our foul-smelling, man-made monstrocity stands in the way of what He wants to do, then He will move our junk pile aside to reach the hungry. His heart is to reach the lost, and if He spared not His own Son to save the lost, then He won't spare us either. We must move in agreement with what God wants to do.'

(Italics are as in the book)

Although it is now 7 years since this book was first published, it is well worth reading if you have not already done so. All that he says resounds deep within my spirit.

Exiles

One of the friends I met up with the other day reminded me of a tape I had of some teaching by Martin Scott that he gave at the Target Europe Event in Portsmouth in April this year. This morning I listened to it again. His teaching was based on Ezekiel 24:15-21. He spoke of Ezekiel being in a place of exile and mourning not for his own loss but of the loss of the nation and the future generations. God was going to destroy the sanctuary in which the Israelites took so much pride. WOW!!

I guess that's why so many of us feel the way we do. It's like being in exile, in a foreign place feeling a bit lost and not quite knowing what to do or where to go. It would be so easy to think 'Wouldn't it be good to have things back the way they used to be?' and even praying that our church would have a revival so it would grow again. But it is not a time for hankering after the old ways but of mourning that we have had to come to this point of exile so God can reclaim His church. It's like having a great big ache deep inside, like mourning for a loved one. We have to accept that the old ways have gone and that God is wanting to make all things new. Sorry if this all seems a bit pessimistic but I guess I'm feeling like I'm in exile, not quite fitting in where I'm at, in a place I don't quite understand but knowing I'm going to a better place but don't know yet just when or how or what it will be like.

Being church

These past few days I have been able to catch up with some people I don't see much of and I've been able to spend some real quality time with them talking about God and what He's doing in our lives. 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name... '

This morning I read these word that have lingered with me all day so I thought I'd share them with you: 'Thank God that church is something you are part of when you get revelation that Jesus is the Christ, not a group or organisation you join.' It went on: 'Determine that you will encourage and pray for relevant new forms of the body of Christ to emerge in every sphere and area of society ...'

The thing is that old habits die hard as they say and so I still go to church on a Sunday morning when I can but going to the building is no longer a priority. The church of God is built with flesh and blood not bricks and mortar. For how many centuries have we called the building where we meet God's House? Yet the Bible tells us that WE are the temple of the living God. We only limit our own relationship with Him when we try to confine Him into our human structures. Death could not hold Him how much less can a building?

I thank God that He is showing me new ways of being His church and knowing that meeting with friends for a coffee and chat is as important as worshipping with others in a building on a Sunday morning.

Reactions

This morning I was walking in the town when a man passed me. He was wearing a denim jacket and on the back was a picture of a panther snarling and just beginning to pounce. When you looked at it, it appeared to be looking directly at you. My immediate reaction was to snarl back! But I managed to compose myself enough not to actually do it. But I did realise how quickly we sometimes react to things, almost automatically without thinking and then manage to hide our true feelings and reactions and appear something quite different. It made me think of Jesus' words about overcoming evil with good and coming in the opposite spirit. We make excuses about 'only being human', 'it's only natural' and 'anyone would'etc. We know we shouldn't and probably think we don't but how easy it is!

Holiday

Since my last post I have been on holiday visiting my elder son in Cheshire. It was SO good to see him. The thing is that he works 2 days a week in London and 3 days from home in Cheshire. When he is in London he uses the Aldgate station as the bank where he works is just nearby. He was on 'that train' just 24 hours previous to the bombings on 'that station' at 'that time'. My heart goes out to the families of all those affected by the events of 07/07/05 but also in a big 'Thank You God' that my son was spared. If it had been only one day earlier ... ...

So you can understand why I say that it was SO good to see him last week. The weather was glorious all week and with my younger son we all enjoyed a lovely week of being relaxed and enjoying just being together. One day we visited Chester and walked all around the old boundary wall of the city that dates back to Roman times - very interesting reading all the plaques at various points along the wall that explained different events throughout the history of Chester. We discovered a wine shop in some vault-like cellars that date back hundreds of years (the cellars not the wine or the shop) You have to go down steps to get into the shop. So we just had to buy some wine to enjoy later back home.

My younger son and I arrived back in Yeovil on Sunday afternoon ready to go back to work on Monday - well, having to rather than ready to. And now three days on the week's holiday is just a memory, but a nice one.

More on G8

I have been trying to put into words some of the things that we experienced and prayed about. There was no written agenda or set discussions or talks. We just gathered and prayed into whatever we felt God was saying. That sounds terribly chaotic but in fact it wasn't. It was very corporate and we moved as one body. At one end of the marquee where we met, there was a table set for 10 people - each of those who would be at the summit (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, UN, EU, Japan, Russia and USA). At some point over the three days we prayed for each of these men as God led us and their relationships with each other. After the news of the Olympic bid going to London we prayed for humility of spirit and the destiny that God has for Britain in these next few years.

The next day brought news of the bombings in London. We prayed for a while about that but then realized that God had brought us to Scotland for a specific purpose and we sensed that the enemy was trying to deflect us from our purpose. So we left the situation in God's hands knowing that there would be others praying for that and we returned to pray for the summit at Gleneagles. Interestingly we received phone calls from others in other groups around Scotland who were also called to pray for the summit and they had experienced exactly the same. And so God's leading was confirmed.

We prayed much for Africa against a spirit of slavery and prayed for the release of the captives and a victory over the occult. We declared that it was a time that Africa would walk out from the tomb of darkness and being held in chains to a freedom in His light and take their place as light in the world.

We sent many arrows of prayer targetted on individuals, nations and situations and believe that God will accomplish what He led us to prayer about. Rereading this, it doesn't seem much but it is difficult to capture into words the whole spirit of the event. All I know is that God led us throughout and much has been accomplished in the spiritual realm. One word to summarize the whole thing - AWESOME.

G8

I have just arrived back (About midnight last night) from Gartmore, a village in Scotland, near Stirling and Gleneagles. There were about 120 of us who spent the three days of the G8 summit in prayer, worship and intercession. We were in the flight path of the helicopters as they arrived bringing the heads of state to the summit in Gleneagles. As we were praying we could hear them flying overhead. So we prayed them in and blessed them as they left again yesterday.

My head is still full of all sorts of emotions and thoughts about what went on there. I think overall was the overwhelming sense that God was in that place as sovereign ruler over all earthly authorities and so we worshipped Him and declared and sang many times over the three days: 'We are standing on holy ground, And I know that there are angels all around. Let us praise Jesus now. We are standing in His presence on holy ground.' There was a real corporateness in the worship. Sometimes in church we each retreat into our own space with God and it is very intimate and personal but these three days have been totally corporate. All personal, local and even national issues and agendas were set aside. We were there on global territory interceding for the planet and so we were all together in one place with one accord.

Over the next few days I hope to share a little more of what went on in the prayer summit as God directs. For now I would like to say a big 'thank you' to all who were supporting us in prayer and upholding our families against any tactics the enemy might have to try to sabotage what we were about. I believe that much was accomplished in the spiritual realm.
In the words of a Godfrey Birtill song: 'YOU'RE STILL GOD!!!!' ALLELUIA!!

We see in part and we prophesy in part

I want to say 'thanks' to Vance and Diane for their comments on my previous post about my dream. I was going to respond the other day but changed my mind . Now after more comments I feel it's time to update the situation.

I am aware that Heidi is always saying that we all see in part and we prophesy in part. I guess that's why I posted it on my blog in the first place hoping that others would help to complete the picture. The thing is that lately I have been in the place of questioning 'do I go to church or do I not go?' I have been seriously questioning just why I go - a lot of it is to catch up with friends. I get so much more it seems out of meeting up with friends out of church and spending time together praying and worshipping and yet I feel that God is not giving me permission at this moment in time to not go to church. I accept that for many this is exactly what God is saying - that they must opt out of congregating in a 'church' building. As I have commented in previous posts, my son has also felt this but for me it's not so clear. I am concerned that in not going to church but needing connections with other like-minded people, we end up doing the same thing all over again. I guess that's how church started in the first place - people meeting together to worship and encourage each other - but got twisted somewhere along the way.

So when Diane commented that she was concerned not so much for those outside of the church but for those inside the church system who don't seem to know there is anything wrong. When I read that, I felt a stirring in my spirit. It was as if God was saying that is exactly what He meant by the dream - that I could see what was wrong and as a 'scout' (See Gaz's blogspot) I could and should be doing something about it. So thanks guys for all of you contributing and sharing the part that God gave you so that I can make more sense of the whole picture. For me the dream means that for the moment I need to continue in church with those I know, helping those who realize there is a problem with the way they are journeying and trying to point this out to the others who are either unaware or don't seem to think it is a problem or care about it. I also get a sense that when God really shakes the church system, as He is doing and will do more in the near future, then He needs people in place to help others to hang on to so they don't fall. It's not meeting together per se that's wrong but what we allow it to become with organisation, human plans and hierarchy systems.