What I'm hearing from God lately

What I’m hearing from God these days:

James 4.2b “You do not have, because you do not ask God.”

• This seems so easy, but it is true. There are some personal things of late I have been worried over. And it has been amazing over the last month or so as I have prayed for them, God has given me what I needed. So simple, but we so rarely simply ask. I believe The Gallery community has to be asking now what we need for our next steps in God’

Jesus is the well from which we must drink as a church plant. This is a no-brainer, of course, but you’d be amazed how much pastors and churches look first to the ways of the world to grow their church. Jesus says those who drink from Him, “streams of living water” will flow from them. This is the Holy Spirit [John 7:37-39]. I believe the Spirit alive in us is to be our testimony. Churches build around many things--a great speaker, a well-crafted worship service, signs and wonders, people barking, high-tech, cirque de soleil entertainment, whatever. I believe The Gallery’s testimony should be Christ alive in us. 

John 15 speaks of Jesus as the vine. We are only branches. We can bear no fruit outside the vine. Yet, if we remain in the vine, we may ask whatever we wish and it will be granted. The implication being that anyone remaining in the vine would only ask for what is the will of the Vine. 

• This passage is confirmation of the direction we are now heading. The first year of The Gallery was filled with a great deal of “what do other church planters do to grow their church.” These things are not necessarily bad, but they are not definitively God’s call to The Gallery. Throughout the scriptures God calls different people and communities to spread the good news differently.
• Our deep abiding in Christ is that which allows fruit to grow. There is no grey area here. Apart from the Vine we can bear no fruit. Yet, abiding in the Vine leads to much fruit. 
• I had to read the book of Acts last week for a class. It’s fascinating. The early church did nothing that bore fruit without first receiving counsel from the Spirit on their calling for that time and place. Everything came first from the Spirit. Over and over again the people came together to pray and listen to God. 

I went to Living Streams prayer ministry at Bethel Christian Fellowship. A former pastor and his wife prayed with me for two hours. They brought great confirmation of a deeper abiding on behalf of The Gallery. They gave me some passages I found relevant to our present circumstances.

• Eph. 4.15-16
• 5Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
• Eph. 6.19-20
• 19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
• Col. 4.2-6
• 2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
• Matt. 9:37-38
• 37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
• Eph. 2.10 
• “We are God’s Masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
• This is the theme verse for The Gallery, but there is a part of it I simply had not apprehended. We have been renewed in Christ to do fulfill a plan God mapped out for us long ago. This means (and I know this is a no-brainer) what God desires for The Gallery’s future He already knows. He is not living in mystery as to how The Gallery might fulfill its mission. He simply desires that we ask Him, abide in Him, trust Him and not the ways of the world for The Gallery’s future. 
• Again John 15 
• “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”

Another truth God has spoken to me has brought me great peace. As I mowed the lawn yesterday listening to a Tim Keller sermon I heard loudly and clearly that God loves me and The Gallery whether there are many people or few people. 

• I have recently imagined what it would be like to have the world end. My thought was then, “That’d be great! Then all my striving would cease and I could just rest in the arms of God.” But then it hit me. I can do that now! I don’t need to worry or strive. I am God’s beloved right now. 
• This has led me to remember that God does not wish to create a ministry called The Gallery. He wishes to create a loving family called The Gallery. The two greatest commandments are love God and others. This is what eternity looks like. It’s what living on earth as it is in heaven looks like. Therefore, our call is to love God and love others and everything The Gallery does should be molded around that love. 

Last night I was invited by two friends to a ministry on the west side. The ministry has a prophetic gifting unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I’m still processing it through my theology. Not quite sure what to think of some of it. However, at one point two leaders asked me to stand and they prophesied over me. The fascinating thing was how what they said echoed what I believe God has been speaking to me. 

• The first image given was me at a baseball game up to bat. I thought it kinda silly at first, but it rang true. At the plate I long to hit a home run. And I do! And as I run the bases the Father, Son, and Spirit are cheering for me and throwing up confetti for me. But then the second time I get up to bat, I strike out. But as I do, the Father, Son, and Spirit cheer for me in the exactly the same way. This confirmed for me what I had heard earlier in the day. God’s love for me doesn’t change depending upon my success in ministry. I am loved without striving and home runs. This gave me rest. 
• The second person then spoke to me of my passion for abiding and trusting in Christ. He even mentioned my longing to see God move as He did in the book of Acts. He confirmed this passion, this abiding as exactly what God desires in me. He also said the living streams of the Spirit would flow through The Gallery in a deeper way than we have yet imagined this year. He spoke of me being turned on my head, my life being turned upside down, but he spoke of this as God’s doing indicating a greater surrender. He then spoke of that which I’m already receiving--a deep peace about the direction of The Gallery. This peace would result in a living strength as I lead this year.

All the above is leading us toward some steps for The Gallery in the coming months. 

• I would like to bring my advisory team and other staff to Living Streams to be prayed for in August. 
• We are going to bring my spiritual director John Ackerman in to lead my advisory team in a “Listening to God” day’s retreat in either August or September.
• The Gallery is going to enter into 40 days of prayer and fasting dating 40 days back from the first day of school at the Obama school. This is because I believe a big part of our ministry this year will be at the school. 
• Once school starts, we are going to assign different members of The Gallery to pray for specific classes at the school. Think about the stories God will write by a church praying specifically for teachers and students!
• There are many things we could do this next year for the school. However, we are going to wait for God’s direction on our next steps. 
• The Gallery worship leaders will be joining me in a deeper study of what it means to abide in God. 
• We are going to record this year the “Acts of God” in The Gallery through audio, video, etc. And then come together next May 22 with family and friends to watch Living God’s Masterpiece--the acts of God in The Gallery Covenant Church (year 2). 

I believe we are just beginning a walk with Christ that will take us to places we’ve never imagined. I have a greater peace than ever about the direction of The Gallery. God has pruned us this first year for greater fruit in year 2.