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Ps 127:1

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WORD FOR THE WEEK

"… like Christ, his body now becomes the dwelling of God: In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. Ephesians 2:21–22 ESV The organic joining of the head and the body, of Christ and the believer, is integral to God finding a place in which to dwell. The outshining of God’s glory is manifest from the head, through the body. Consequently, corporate life will only flow from inner life. This is why any attempt to build church life without the Spirit is doomed to failure. And by this, I mean failure in God’s eyes. Many build churches, which by man’s estimation are successful, but in heaven’s eyes have failed. What Christ obtained as the forerunner of the new order, as the firstborn from the dead, and as head of the body is only ours through vital union with him." Excerpt from "The Dwelling of God" FORWARD TO A FRIEND or share on social media

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A return to the ‘heart of David’

WORD FOR THE WEEK

"… As we have seen, a lot of what is happening today is an emphasis on new paradigms of ministry. The contemporary church landscape is littered with a multiplicity of conferences and books on new apostolic structures, cell structures and so on. We think all we need to do is change the system. …

The new covenant, though, is not a promise of new paradigms but of new hearts (Ezk 36:26). While there are certainly paradigms of church life that more adequately facilitate spiritual life, heaven’s priority is on the wine, not the wineskin – on the spirit, not the structure. No amount of superimposing new paradigms – new methods, techniques, or programs on the old problem of idolatry will produce revival. It will simulate renewal for a short while, but never stimulate revival.

Only a return to the ‘heart of David’ will produce the revival we are longing for. Like David, God give this generation a cry for a 'new spirit' (Psa 51) – for a clean heart – a heart that will not bow to another god."

Excerpt from "Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church and Pointing the Way to Spiritual Breakthrough"

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Lita på Herren

WORD FOR THE WEEK

"Anxiety either drives us to the Lord or to Mammon. It presents us with the clear choice of either finding comfort in Mammon or in God. Resolve and progress in the kingdom is only found by obeying the clear injunction to not be anxious. The choice is ours, to trust in the Lord or rely on our own understanding (Pro 3:5-6). … Anxiety will either press us into the Lord, or into relying on ourselves. By leaning on our own understanding we rationalise our self-reliance, and thus, find our own life. In contrast, trusting in the Lord requires that we lose our life: Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39 NIV The Greek word used for “life” is psuche, referring to our soul life — our mind, will, and emotions. And so, to “lose our life” demands the laying down of our soul-realm — that is, what we feel, think, or want in the face of life threatening circumstances." Excerpt from "The Law of Spiritual Riches" FORWARD TO A FRIEND or share on social media

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Davids tabernakel

WORD FOR THE WEEK

"Apart from God giving us a revelation of his own holy nature, we have no yardstick to measure the church, or the culture. Fortunately, though, this is exactly what is happening.

God is bringing back the plumbline of worship 'as it used to be' (Amos 9:11; from the passage quoted by James in Acts 15). Worship not according to our traditional patterns or even our contemporary culture, but according to the Tabernacle of David.

So, what does this mean? To have worship restored as it was under David's Tabernacle for Amos's generation and ours, was to be cleansed of idolatry – to have our heart fixed on the Lord (see Psa 57:7 KJV) – to worship only him. As David so poignantly asked – 'Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false' (Ps 24:3-4 NIV). Every false allegiance and affection – every false god was thrown to the ground in his passion and pursuit of the true and living God. It means laying down every priority, agenda, and value system that is contrary to the heart and character of God. ...

Let us be assured that Christ is returning for a worshipping Bride — a perfect and mature church, moving in the restoration of David's Tabernacle, and experiencing the full realisation of all he purchased at the Cross (see Eph 4:13; 5:27). At this glorious climax she will offer to him a world renewed in the power of the kingdom (see Mtt 13:33; 1 Cor 15:24, 25)."

Excerpt from "Restoration of David's Tabernacle"

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The warfare of brokenness and pure devotion

WORD FOR THE WEEK

"The Western church, like a ‘passive smoker’, has inhaled the toxic fumes of its culture. Like Israel of old, she has bowed at the altars of the surrounding nations. And, like her, has inevitably come under a discipline of God. Unlike Asia and large regions of Africa, the West is apostate. Having embraced the creator-God as her Bridegroom in the first several centuries she turned to other lovers – to false gods. But to whom much is given much is required. Because of the light she received in those first several centuries her judgements will be that much more intense. Therefore, until the Western church falls on the rock, the rock will continue to fall on her. The reason we are not seeing the breakthrough in the West, in my view, is simply because God is resisting it! ... If we persist in our pursuit of other gods we will continue to be resisted. The idolatry of technique and the frenetic pursuit of new and better models of doing church will only continue to provoke his displeasure. Even “spiritual warfare” will fail if the underlying sin is not dealt with. Our controversy is not so much with “principalities and powers” as it is with God! As the creator of the earth, he is the ultimate ‘territorial spirit’. The earth is his and if we return to him as the one true and living God he will give it to us – he will bring down every prideful demonic stronghold over cities and nations, because they have first been brought down in us. Our warfare is, therefore, the warfare of brokenness and pure devotion." Excerpt from "Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church and Pointing the Way to Spiritual Breakthrough" Purchase ‘Snakes in the Temple’ UK & International | Australia & International FORWARD TO A FRIEND or share on social media

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Övergångstider

WORD FOR THE WEEK

"… the mark of the new order is not membership of a particular group or movement. It is whether we have yielded to the processes of God in the perplexity of prophetic delay and learned the lessons of the cave (see the full article for an explanation of these terms).

We stand at a transitional point in history – the overlap between an old order and the new. There is right now a new move of God being prepared in the wings. But before it breaks forth, we are being faced with a time of prophetic delay, and therefore with decisions – will we find refuge and dream fulfilment through human ability, 'head and shoulders' government, or in the Lord? Will we cast ourselves in brokenness on him or merely resolve to overcome in our own strength depending on our skill, training, and programs - on human strategy and planning? The purpose of prophetic delay, of transitional times is probationary - we are being weighed in the balance - but will it fall to the old order of human control or to the new order of humility and brokenness.

We are talking here about an inner quality of the spirit that is supernatural. It cannot be faked – it is more than cultural graciousness and good manners. It is something deep in the human spirit that only God himself can create. It comes in the extremity of our circumstances – when we are either crushed by the weight of God's awesome presence or overwhelmed without emotional, physical, or financial strength – when in utter weakness we call on the Lord.

Therefore, let us cry with David, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me'; for 'the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart…' (Psa 51:10, 17).

And in this moment of prophetic delay let us also be confident that the One who lives in a high and holy place lives also with 'he who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite' (Isa 57:15)."

Excerpt from "Lessons from the Cave: Responding to Prophetic Delay"

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Gör upp med samfundstänkande

WORD FOR THE WEEK

"The apostolic church knew nothing of denominational division. It was not denominated by theology or celebrity, but only by geography. Geographical boundaries and civil jurisdictions alone determined the church's boundaries. When the apostle wished to address a church he would speak to the whole church of the city – for example, the `church of God in Corinth' (1 Cor 1:2). Evidently, the church, even in these large cosmopolitan cities, was functioning as one unified whole. (See also 2 Cor 1:1; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:1; Rev 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14; Rom 1:7; Eph 1:1; Phil 1:1; Col 1:2). Anything less was an aberration, provoking apostolic rebuke. Paul had clearly taught, '...all the parts, though many, form (only) one body, so it is with Christ...' (1 Cor 12:12; see also v 20, 27; Rom 12:5; 1 Cor 10:16, 17; Eph 2:14-16; 4:4, 16, 25; 5:30). And so, when the church of God in Corinth violated this unity he wrote, 'I appeal to you, brothers...that there be no divisions among you... One of you says, `I follow Paul'; another, `I follow Cephas'... . Is Christ divided? ... Do you not discern and understand that you (the whole church at Corinth) are God's temple.... If any one destroys it, God will destroy him because God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple'. (1 Cor 3: 10-13; 3:16-17 Amp. & author's paraphrase). Need we wonder any more at the destruction of the contemporary Western church! The scandal of our denominational divisions has invited the displeasure of God. Now is the time to return to him – to repent of our pride and false value systems. To dismantle the mindsets and structures that are inimical to the spirit of Christ and the unity of his body. And together we will become a dwelling in which God is pleased to live. All heaven will then erupt, declaring over our cities and nations – 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God'. (Rev 21:3)" Excerpt from One Church of the City – The Dwelling of God FORWARD TO A FRIEND or share on social media

Copyright © David Orton 2004

Lifemessenger Inc · PO Box 777 · Mount Eliza · VIC 3930 A

Copyright © David Orton 2004

Lifemessenger Inc · PO Box 777 · Mount Eliza · VIC 3930 AUSTRALIA

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USTRALIA

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Överlåtelse

WORD FOR THE WEEK

"... the condition that releases the formation of Christ within is surrender — the surrender of our will and our way. And even this is a work of the Spirit. It was only through relying in humility on the 'eternal Spirit' that Christ could offer himself to the Father (Heb 9:14). This is the same Holy Spirit who, in a moment of time, overshadowed an obscure Hebrew girl, implanting a divine seed and bringing forth a miracle named Emmanuel – God with us – the incarnate Son of God.

God the Holy Spirit, in our time, is again looking for a womb. For hearts that can, in humility, surrender to the seed of a prophetic destiny, that like Mary can say, 'Be it unto me according to your word'. Hearts that through surrender resist the seduction of human works — of instant results and worldly success. That can say to the Lord, 'No matter what it takes – the loss of reputation, of prestige or position – whatever it is, use me to bring forth your Son, to display your glory in the earth'. ...

Just as Mary surrendered to the divine seed within her, bringing forth the incarnate word, again in this hour, the sound of travail is being heard as the Spirit of God calls forth the 'corporate Christ' — a church attaining to the fullness of the stature of Christ (see Eph 4:11-13). The failures and disgraces of two millennia of Christian history will pale into insignificance compared to the unsurpassed glory of what is imminent. As Christ is formed within each one of us, we are rapidly approaching a turning point in history when the earth will see an unprecedented display of God's glory."

Excerpt from "Travailing in Birth – Christ in You"

Copyright © David Orton 2002

Lifemessenger Inc · PO Box 777 · Mount Eliza · VIC 3930 AUSTRALIA

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