Post from Josh: I’ve been thinking about our awesome church back home lately. God has flooded my heart with love for all of you. I am so proud to call Vineyard Meridian my church home. I am blessed to have such amazing leaders in my life. Could you agree that Randy and Reeni Rodes are astounding?? I can’t wait to get back and worship our Almighty Savior with you. We miss you tremendously and are so thankful for each and every one of you.
Here on the IRIS base, our Harvest School is currently in the midst of a 24/7 prayer time which lasts for 7 days. We have been assigned a few 2-hour slots throughout the week but can go to the prayer hut any time to intercede. We were specifically asked to pray for Pemba, the IRIS base, and our Harvest School classmates. My first slot was yesterday afternoon with a group of people we are very familiar to. One person brought a guitar and another person a violin. As they started to play, His presence fell on the open-air prayer hut we were in. I could smell a sweet aroma like flowers and could feel Him just residing with us. I immediately picked up my bible and started to read. As I read through Philippians, Holy Spirit prompted me to intercede for Vineyard Meridian and all of the staff. I prayed for all of you fervently. Know that intercession was going up for you from the other side of the world.
After a very intense prayer time which lasted quite some time (I’m not really sure how long), God told me to pick up my bible again and open it. I asked Him where I was to open to and He said to just open it. I kind of chuckled in the back of my mind thinking that it was just me having a conversation with myself instead of God speaking. However, He got my attention again and said to open it quickly. How many of you know that God knows you better than you know yourself? He knows how you think, knows your self-imposed inadequacies, knows the mistakes you will make before you make them, and knows how you will respond to His prompting. But God (I love this!!!) still calls you His beloved, still says you are seated at the right-hand of the Father, and will still change the world through you!!!! Amen? Okay, back to the story.
I took my closed bible in my hands and with a large smile on my face, I opened it. Page 739 was at the top of my bible. It was Lamentations 3. The very first verse on that page is verse 21. God said read 4 verses and then go back to read all of chapter 3. Here are those 4 verses:
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion’, says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him’.”
I went back to read all of chapter 3 and would encourage you all to read it. I feel like God is saying that He is the God of healing, He is the God of prosperity, and He is the God of grace. However, He is also the God who said that trials and tribulations will come. I feel like God is saying that Vineyard Meridian is about to see something new, something never seen before. God says to prepare your hearts. Prepare to experience a new joy, prepare to experience a new grace, and prepare to experience a new peace that surpasses all previous understanding.
God is so faithful to His word and I know we are in store for something new and awesome! Take just a few quotes I’ve heard here in Mozambique and chew on them a bit. I hope a little taste of the teaching here can be imparted through this post. These are just a few of the ones that have completely blown me away. I am not going to give the names of the speakers but they are legit and anointed.
Here they are:
- “It’s time to stop asking questions and start releasing answers.”
- “It doesn’t matter if we take a nap or raise the dead, the pay is the same.” (Just for Randy)
- “Trust and strength come from rest and quietness with God.”
- “We can have truth but not be free.”
- “God doesn’t ask for more than who you are. He just asks for everything.”
- “If we have access to all heavenly blessings, what are we going to do with them?”
- “ EVERYTHING in the kingdom begins with desire.”
- “Our conviction has to be stronger than our comfort.”
- “The true fear of the Lord is being absolutely obedient no matter the cost.”
- “It’s just not that bad to be saved.”
- “How about instead of praying for revival, let’s have one!!”
- “Don’t judge God and how He feels about you by what He did for someone else.”
- “Trust God for everything and give Him the credit.”
- “The obedience to the Word of God opens heaven.”
I have so many more that I hope to share with you when we come home.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. We love you very much and look so forward to serving God with you when we return. Our hearts desire is for you to be blessed today, and every day!!!
See you all very soon!
Josh Mason
No comments:
Post a Comment