militant

My name is Michael.

I discovered recently that the Archangel Michael was considered by Medieval Christians as the symbol or emblem of the Church Militant and as the patron saint of soldiers.

The feast day of St. Michael is 29th September - the day after my birthday.

So what? I am clearly not an angel of any kind let alone an Arch one.

On 31st May 1992 I was given a prophecy by someone I had never met before, who was leading a service at the church I was attending. I am fortunate enough to have a copy of that prophecy on tape, and the full text of it is below.

My reason for sharing it is to make myself more accountable and to publicly renew my commitment to the call God has given me.

I felt I couldn’t contain what God showed me.

When I saw you earlier and I said, “Who is king?” you were going, “Jesus, Jesus”. You were really shouting it out, and I saw a militant for the kingdom, a militant for the kingdom. I don’t know anything about you and I saw a militant for the kingdom and God says do not let anybody pour water on it. Do not let anybody pour water on it Mick.

God wants you militant and some people are going to struggle with it because at times you’ll get angry, but it’s a righteous anger that God’s going to put in your heart.

Don’t let anybody put water on it.

You need to go for what God gives you in your heart, and He’s going to put burdens on their and He’s going to put things in your heart which are going to stir you, and you are going to do battle in the heavenlies.

And when I saw you come forward you like to be where it’s at, you like to be where it’s going on and God says, “Yeah, I put that in your heart”. You like to be at the front, God says, “Yeah, you don’t ever sit at the back”. You need to be up the front where it’s happening you need to be going to meetings and places and things where the Spirit of God is moving.

You need to be getting to places where God is bringing warfare because you are going to be a man of warfare. You are going to be somebody who will break things. You are going to be a mover and shaker. You are going to cause the kingdom of God to come by violence and you are going to shake the enemy. You are going to make things happen, you are going to make things happen in people’s lives.

Don’t sit at the back. Don’t let people pour water on it.

The fire that you have in your heart is there because God has put it there, and sometimes you’ll weep and you won’t know why you’re weeping, that’s because God is stirring your heart and you have touched something of his heart, and you’ll weep, and you’ll weep, and you’ll weep, because God’s put it in your heart. You are going to weep over people, but as you do God’s going to break some things in their lives because you will hear and know the heart of God that’s weeping for people.

Don’t be frightened of that, don’t be frightened of that. Just allow God to tune your hearing, so that when you stand up and pray things are going to break, and when you stand up and go, “yeah Jesus” it’s going to break.

Go for it Mick. Don’t sit at the back, go for it.

waiting

One of the hardest things about praying for other people is waiting.

Last September some friends bought me a hyacinth bulb and a vase for my birthday.

I like hyacinths and was eager to see the bulb become a beautiful fragrant flower.

Unfortunately the instructions stated that the bulb should be kept somewhere dark and cold for ten weeks. That didn't sound to me like conditions that were conducive to growing anything, but I followed the instructions and put it in the fridge.

Just before Christmas it was time for the bulb to come out of the fridge and be placed somewhere lighter and warmer. Ten weeks in the fridge had produced a lot of roots but only a small green shoot.

Last week the hyacinth was in full bloom and smelling wonderful.

Even though waiting is hard and at times it feels dark and cold, it is often necessary if we are to witness the best that is to be had.

How long, O LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, "Violence!"
but you do not save?

Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Habakkuk 1:2-3 (NIV)

intercession

A few weeks ago I was asked to lead the junior youth group at church. Yesterday morning was my day and I had been given some verses in Nehemiah 6 to base our time on, thinking about building and prayer.

We tried building with spaghetti and marshmallows and we tried building with newspaper and sellotape. We talked about building with prayer and fasting.

This morning the Scripture Union WordLive passage was Nehemiah 6. Interesting.

My mind was drawn to a verse in Ezekiel that has been significant to me for many years.

I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.
Ezekiel 22:30 (NIV)

More on this in the next day or two.

dare to dream

In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr delivered his now famous 'I have a dream' speech.

A little over 45 years later there is a black president in the White House, who wrote in a letter to his daughters:

"These are the things I want for you - to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world".

And what about the rest of us?

Make me, Lord, a dreamer for Your kingdom
Plant in my heart heavenly desires
Grant faith that can say, impossibilities shall be
And vision lest a world should perish not knowing Thee

Make me, Lord, a dreamer for Your kingdom
I would aspire to greater goals in God
So cause faith to rise, to motivate each word and deed
A faith that's well convinced that Jesus meets every need

Make me, Lord, a dreamer for Your kingdom
Dreams that will change a world that's lost its way
May dreams that first found their birth in Your omnipotence
Come alive in me, becoming reality
(Chris Bowater)

it's a...

baby!

Justine had her 20 week scan today, and everything is as it should be!

Priase God that, from the President of America to our unborn child, he knows us and loves us.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV)

one man

Like millions of people around the world, today I have feelings of hope and excitement.

Can one man really make that much difference to the nation of America - to the world?

Rather than standing on the sidelines watching and waiting, and analyzing and criticising, let us join with this one man.

Support Barack Obama in prayer and share in the responsibility for making this world a better place to live for everyone.

what a day

According to some psychologists today is Blue Monday.

Today is also Martin Luther King day.
Not a day to be blue.

But best of all, today is Abby's 6th birthday.
Happy birthday beautiful.

What a day!

sixty fork handles

Yesterday my Dad reached the grand old age of 64, and we all had a fun evening celebrating with him.

People say that things happen in threes.

Over the last three days I have had three pairs of things brought to my attention.

Yesterday morning the phrase 'Save trees - eat a beaver' popped into my head. The book Abby brought home from school yesterday was all about beavers.

Yesterday afternoon I was thinking that having a best man at a wedding can be limiting. Perhaps 'a few good men' would be preferable. Incidentally that is the title of one of my all time favourite films. I was awake in the wee small hours last night having cleared up two lots of sick. Not pleasant. I put the TV on because I was wide awake and found myself watching A Few Good Men on ITV2.

On Sunday morning our minister read out 2 Chronicles 7:14 which talks of humbling ourselves and prayer. The introductory note on wordlive this morning reads, 'Humble yourself and ask for God’s help in prayer.'

What does all that mean?

I have no idea.

In the meantime, while I'm trying to figure it all out, I will humble myself and pray.

advice

If you are struggling to stay warm during the current cold snap you could try:

1) Turning up the heating

2) Putting on an extra jumper

3) Leaving the fridge door open

4) Going on holiday

ashamed?

This morning I was talking to the grandparent of one of Abby's school friends. He is a Jehovah Witness and therefore doesn't celebrate Christmas. So we talked about what we did over the holiday and during the break. I didn't mention the word Christmas, and of course neither did he.

Whislt waiting at the Cusotmer Service desk this afternoon in Sainsbury's I picked up a copy of the Times newspaper. I had a long wait and plenty of time to read. As I flicked through the pages something caught my eye. At the top of the section headed Births, Marriages and Deaths there is a bible verse. Mark 8:38 to be precise.

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.

Had I been ashamed of mentioning Jesus during my conversation that morning? My intention was merely to be tactful and recognise the view held by this particular individual. I honestly felt no sense of trying to hide my allegiance to Jesus. But what if I had? Would Jesus have been ashamed of me when he returns?

On three occasions Peter denied he had any acquaintance with Jesus whatsoever. When Jesus returns I don't think he will be ashamed of Peter.

That's grace.

think

I like a challenge, I like change.

If you want to challenge the way you think and are open to change then have a look at the websites below everyday!

WordLive
h2g2

Happy thinking.

president

John Atta Mills is the new President of Ghana.

Being one of the few African countries to have a stable democracy let us pray for the new President and all the people he will serve, that they may be an example to all their neighbours.

begin

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
(John 1:1-5 ESV)

How will you begin this year?