Day 35
It's Day 35. I had a great prayer time this morning over by the fountain between Union Station and the Capitol. That is becoming one of my favorite places of prayer. I'm able to pace which is the way I pray.
I've noticed in the gospels that Jesus had three places he loved to pray--the mountains, the wilderness, and the lake. And he would usually get up and pray while it was still dark and everybody else was sleeping.
I've found that I need places that become altars. And I need times that become sacred. During this 40 days it's been 7:14 as a reminder of II Chronicles 7:14. I think that was missing for a long time for me here in DC, but Union Station and the Fountain are becoming my mountain, wilderness, and lake.
Prophecy
I had lunch with a prophet today. I don't know how else to describe it. I don't think I would have been ready to have this discussion two months ago, but I'm so much more sensitive to what the Spirit is saying to me these days--almost hyper-sensitive. He is the kind of person that when you're in his presence you know you're in the presence of God.
He talked, without interruption, for an hour about the way the Lord has used him in prophetic ways. I've really wanted for some time a more "prophetic edge" in my ministry, but listening increased my appetite.
I've always known that there is a difference between a timeless word and timely word. The truth is timeless, but there is a kind of prophetic preaching that is timely and timeless. That's what I desire. I don't want to just pray. I know to know what to pray. I want to pray with a confidence that can only come from praying the will of God. I don't want to encourage people with nice sentiments and aphorims. I want to see into people's souls and speak into their life.
That is really what happened to me today. I can count the number of prophetic words that have been spoken "over me" or "into my life" on one hand so this isn't a regular occurence. I remember one prophecy when I was a teenager that I still fall-back on. It was a definining moment in my life. And I remember a pastor prophecying that Lora was pregnant with Parker.
Right in mid-sentence, this friend began prophecying into my life. It was almost like he was looking into my eyes and into my soul at the same time--very surreal. God's timing is impeccable. It's tough to describe, but I'm as hopeful as ever because of the things God has done in my life the last 35 days. I believe they will bear fruit. I've always felt like whatever God was doing in my life was a harbinger of things to come for NCC. So I'm hope-full.
But the last six months have probably been the toughest six months of my ministry. I haven't been able to put my finger on it, but I've experienced discouragement like never before. I think the Lord will use that in my ministry to church planters because church planting is full of discouragement. God uses our weaknesses and struggles to encourage others! So I've felt like God has allowed this season to season me.
But this friend prophecied that I was coming out of it and it's really what I needed to hear. I can't remember all the specific words, but he prophecied that people would be lined up to get in. He prophesied and prayed for a "whirlwind." He prophesied that NCC would be a vacumn sucking people into the kingdom. And he said the Lord would give back to me what the enemy has stolen. I was tearing up as he was prophesying because I knew it was a word from the Lord.
This certainly doesn't mean I'm "out of the woods" or immune to discouragement. The enemy will still attack. I'm still imperfect. But I believe this will come to pass in God's timing and God's way!
I keep coming back to what I blogged about yesterday. C.S. Lewis said, "When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him." So in some ways the better you get the worse you feel because you see sin you didn't even notice before.
A few months ago I didn't know how far "off center" I was, but the Lord is revealing and healing those parts of me that are off. I still have lots of issues, but it's almost like God is isolating them and helping me deal with them one by one.
I've never had such a desire to be a man of integrity on every level. I think integrity--which is really another word for purity--is the key to joy and freedom and power and peace.
I've noticed in the gospels that Jesus had three places he loved to pray--the mountains, the wilderness, and the lake. And he would usually get up and pray while it was still dark and everybody else was sleeping.
I've found that I need places that become altars. And I need times that become sacred. During this 40 days it's been 7:14 as a reminder of II Chronicles 7:14. I think that was missing for a long time for me here in DC, but Union Station and the Fountain are becoming my mountain, wilderness, and lake.
Prophecy
I had lunch with a prophet today. I don't know how else to describe it. I don't think I would have been ready to have this discussion two months ago, but I'm so much more sensitive to what the Spirit is saying to me these days--almost hyper-sensitive. He is the kind of person that when you're in his presence you know you're in the presence of God.
He talked, without interruption, for an hour about the way the Lord has used him in prophetic ways. I've really wanted for some time a more "prophetic edge" in my ministry, but listening increased my appetite.
I've always known that there is a difference between a timeless word and timely word. The truth is timeless, but there is a kind of prophetic preaching that is timely and timeless. That's what I desire. I don't want to just pray. I know to know what to pray. I want to pray with a confidence that can only come from praying the will of God. I don't want to encourage people with nice sentiments and aphorims. I want to see into people's souls and speak into their life.
That is really what happened to me today. I can count the number of prophetic words that have been spoken "over me" or "into my life" on one hand so this isn't a regular occurence. I remember one prophecy when I was a teenager that I still fall-back on. It was a definining moment in my life. And I remember a pastor prophecying that Lora was pregnant with Parker.
Right in mid-sentence, this friend began prophecying into my life. It was almost like he was looking into my eyes and into my soul at the same time--very surreal. God's timing is impeccable. It's tough to describe, but I'm as hopeful as ever because of the things God has done in my life the last 35 days. I believe they will bear fruit. I've always felt like whatever God was doing in my life was a harbinger of things to come for NCC. So I'm hope-full.
But the last six months have probably been the toughest six months of my ministry. I haven't been able to put my finger on it, but I've experienced discouragement like never before. I think the Lord will use that in my ministry to church planters because church planting is full of discouragement. God uses our weaknesses and struggles to encourage others! So I've felt like God has allowed this season to season me.
But this friend prophecied that I was coming out of it and it's really what I needed to hear. I can't remember all the specific words, but he prophecied that people would be lined up to get in. He prophesied and prayed for a "whirlwind." He prophesied that NCC would be a vacumn sucking people into the kingdom. And he said the Lord would give back to me what the enemy has stolen. I was tearing up as he was prophesying because I knew it was a word from the Lord.
This certainly doesn't mean I'm "out of the woods" or immune to discouragement. The enemy will still attack. I'm still imperfect. But I believe this will come to pass in God's timing and God's way!
I keep coming back to what I blogged about yesterday. C.S. Lewis said, "When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him." So in some ways the better you get the worse you feel because you see sin you didn't even notice before.
A few months ago I didn't know how far "off center" I was, but the Lord is revealing and healing those parts of me that are off. I still have lots of issues, but it's almost like God is isolating them and helping me deal with them one by one.
I've never had such a desire to be a man of integrity on every level. I think integrity--which is really another word for purity--is the key to joy and freedom and power and peace.
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