A different Men's retreat

Well over Friday night and saturday, I was able to spend sometime with some Christian men. Saw the most outrageous water baptisms that I have ever seen. I have never seen God manifest Himself like it, as people were being raised in Christ (raised out of the water). Out of the group that were baptised, 4 started shaken violently as they came out of the water. Actually one guy, who was a huge guy, started to quake and others had to TRY and drag him out of the water. But he wasn't going anywhere quickly, as he just settled down in the water and was just resting in the Lord. He looked like a little baby, as he had his peace all over his face. It was just amazing to see, what God was doing in these guys. You knew it was God, as they had a time to share after dinner, and as the Word says you can tell by the fruits, and these guys had fruit!!!

I'm enjoying this!

It is amazing how when we unload our burdens, even if no one is listening, a refreshing comes. I say this because after my last post, I was in a better mood then when I started writing. Thank you Lord!
Had cell group last night, it flowed well but there is a desire in me for it to flow better. One thing I learnt was that the members of my cell group are NOT animal people! I am still learning how to release people to share what is on their hearts. When to give them space to think and when to specifically ask them to share, and what questions to ask that will help them to share their heart. I wish I had the wisdom and the insight that Jesus had, He knew when to speak and when to be silent and what to ask. (See John 4)
I guess God loves seeing us learning how to walk, I suppose it gives Him great joy to see His children trying to walk and falling and getting back up. Just like a real parent enjoying their child's first step.
As I type, I sense the Father smiling over His stumbling children as they are reaching out to Him.
It is good that we serve a loving Father!!

Not the best of days

Well I have to confess that today was not one of my better days (spiritually speaking). I guess I wanted to 'ignore' God today. Didn't really connect with God in the morning with prayer, actually I feel asleep and during the day my heart was not really focused on God. An example is a conversation I had with one of my workmates, wasn't dirty/evil but it was not something I would have talked about had Jesus been there in the flesh.
I feel that this 'ignoring God' day comes from my recent failures. As I am struggling to walk in the miraculous, or more to the point to take the step of faith into the miraculous.
My pastor is trying to encourage us all to step out and to expect the miraculous. To pray for people that we would meet at the shops, who are sick and expect the miraculous to happen. Now at work during the last couple of days, there has been at least two people who in general conversation shared of physical pain. And when it arose the thought comes 'I could pray for them' and then fear rises up (fear of man and fear that God wont show up) and then comes the thought 'no, not now' and the momment passes.
So disappointment and frustraion, feeling like a failure - you know the thoughts that floods ones soul when we don't pursue God to the full.
But it is like the 'penny has not dropped' for me in this aspect of the miraculous side of the Kingdom. I know the truth in my head but it's like it hasn't descending into my heart and become life changing revelation. The type of revelation where there is no turning back, you know, the revelation of our need for a saviour etc...
Lucky for us all that the grace of God is so full and so complete that He looks pass our stuff ups and just sees His child!

It's time to start

As I have been reading some of my friends blogs, I felt that it is now time for me to join this phenomena known as blogging. Also I feel that I need a place to voice my thoughts about His bride, the Church, as it is something thatis dear to my heart. This has been started by seeing a book in the local Christian bookstore called "Becoming Conversant with the Emerging church". I saw this and wonder what is the "emerging church"? I tried to find an answer by quickly glancing through this book, to no avail. But this has started me on this journey, and I feel that alot of things are going to be challenged and shaken. So it is with great trepidation that I take my first few steps of discovery into the beautiful and the mysterious.