What a week. In fact, the last couple of months have been the most busy of my life. But as I said in a previous blog post entitled “is your faith being tested”; I knew it would. I doubt it will slow down all that much, although I look forward to stepping into more of what God has for me, and in that, I firmly believe I will be freed up to do more of that which He has called me to focus on. But all in His time. I will always serve Him, no matter what. He is too good not to serve!

Back to this week... it's been a tough one. My wife's grandfather passed away on Wednesday evening. Us South Africans often use the Afrikaans term “Oupa” for our Grandfathers, and that's who he was to most of us. He was 85. He lived a great life, and died so peacefully in his sleep in his own bed. The way most of us would like to go. Right?

It saw me doing my first memorial service as a “pastor”. It was an immense privilege. Evert de Jager, or Oupa, was an incredible man who taught me so much. My wife Corinne, myself, and my brother in law had many moments together with him praying over him, praying for him, and sharing the love of God to him. They were special moments.

So being asked to do the memorial service was an honour. He was a man who accepted Jesus' free gift of salvation, and that of course makes death so much more peaceful. Death was not the end, by no means! It was simply a passing from one life to another. A passing from this life to Real Life. (Capitals intended). So we celebrated a life well-lived, and a New Life begun. What a joy. Of course, as a family, it still remains somewhat of a shock, but there is a Peace that rests upon us in this time.

The other news that came through just this morning was that of a good friend, Jeremiah*, who passed away after months of battling with cancer. Jeremiah was a man with so much of life left to live; and at a fairly ripe middle-age he leaves 3 incredible children and a beautiful wife.

My grandfather was ready to go at the age of 85; and there of course surely isn't too much point in praying for a man who wants to enter his New Life. But in stark comparison, Jeremiah didn't deserve to go. It surely could not of been his time. We rebuked that cancer, but alas, to no avail. I believe Scripture promises that God has gifted us with 70 years on this Earth. Anything short of that is not God's will. God is good, all the time, and it is not God who takes people to be with Him before their time. It contradicts His nature!

So while we mourn the death of Jeremiah, we again celebrate the fact that he is with his true Father in Heaven. Despite his early passing, we don't question God's goodness. And neither should we question the authority we have over that which is not of God. Cancer for one.

I don't live in a fantasy world. This is real life. But I refuse to allow experiences change the Truth that has been revealed in THE Truth, God's Word. We have been every authority. Nothing should stand in our way. Nothing.

Sure, the questions remain. I'm a real guy with real questions. But I don't allow questions to change my revelation of God's Word. He is Good. More than we could ever know. Nothing, nothing, nothing! Nothing can ever change that!

Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family of Jeremiah. We love you, and grieve with you in this deeply painful time. Rest in the truth that he is with the best Father in the Universe. The One True God. Yahweh. Wow.

One love forever in the Kingdom.

Until next time,

James

Well, since the conference "Increasing Glory", I have not had much free time on my hands. And right now, as I sit at my laptop at home, the same applies. So I'll make this short.

I just wanted to enter this one into cyber space...

We are entering history's finest hour.

Sure, we are currently facing some of the greatest disasters and tragedies ever seen by man. But to quote one of my most admired films... "The night is darkest before the dawn." Oh how true that is.

The stars are most clear in the darkest environment. God is releasing His stars upon the earth in a way this planet has never before seen or experienced. And I DO NOT want to miss out! If it means keeping my criticisms to myself, so be it! I welcome anyone that comes in the name of bringing God glory. The church is rotting with infighting.

For crying out loud! One of the world's greatest theologians, RT Kendall is open to the move of God that he watched a tattoo covered crazy man in Todd Bentley for weeks on end! (Note: I have nothing against Todd. I love him, and pray for his restoration)

But my point is, if the great DR RT Kendall can be open to that which so many are so careful, how much more should we!?

I leave with a quote off DR RT's website...

"A genuine Awakening is coming to the Church." (Capitals as quoted)

Man oh man! I could quote his entire website. But I won't. I'll leave that for another day. Until then, chew on that...

It was fun having Curry Blake minister at Highway recently.

He ran a “Divine Healing Technician’s Training” conference at our venue during the week, and then we had the privilege of having him share at our morning service.

For those that don’t know, Curry Blake is the general overseer of John G. Lake ministries, a ministry founded, as the name suggests, by John G. Lake in the late 1800’s. John G. Lake was a great “revivalist” and saw signs and wonders follow the Gospel wherever he went.

Curry Blake now carries a similar “anointing”.

Personally, when I did hear him share, I enjoyed what he had to say. (I only sat in on his messages on Saturday night and the Sunday morning service.)

But I have heard of a few people who didn’t enjoy his teachings, and were rather opposed to the message he preached. This brings me to the reason for this post.

As a culture, I think we are far too critical.

These criticisms of Curry Blake made me think... We so often have something to say about a person or their message because it doesn’t fit within the box of our understanding, our interpretation, or even the doctrine of our respected mentors.

And it is here where we must be careful!

I too had issues of my own! I had to repent. I will be downright honest with you… After a few incidents at the start of this recent conference, I asked God: “God, surely revival cannot come through someone like this? Surely not, God?”

This is a huge thing to say! And dangerous ground to walk.

Immediately I felt the Holy Spirit say to me: “I will bring revival through whomever I choose.”

As obvious as it may seem, I was reminded… I am not God! Who I am to make decisions, judgments and criticisms on His behalf?

He is in Heaven, and He does as He pleases! (Psalm 135:6)

Now, these were minor incidents and absolutely irrelevant to the message Curry was teaching. But it is amazing how quickly one’s heart hardens.

And here is where we must be so careful.

When we hold an opinion of a particular person or theological subject, it is very difficult for that opinion to be changed. Yet I believe it is these opinions that can prevent us from enjoying the sweet wine God so often wants us to drink.

Like large blockages in pipes, these opinions we hold so tightly prevent the flow of God’s wine in our lives. And we only allow those who hold the same opinions as we do to minister to us and thereby miss out on so much else God is doing through so many others!

We are all merely jars of clay. And no jar is perfect. Let us not look at the imperfect jar and miss out on the treasure God has deposited within those jars!

We all know this verse well:

Matthew 7:1 – 5 (ESV)

"Judge not, that you be not judged. vs2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. vs3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? vs4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? vs5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”

What could those logs in our own eyes represent? We so often interpret them as issues of sin. But could I propose another interpretation? If the context Jesus is using in the illustration is judgment, could these logs represent our own opinions and traditions?

Are these opinions, understandings and interpretations we hold so dear preventing us from seeing everything God is doing on the earth today? Instead of enjoying everything God is doing around the world today, we only enjoy that which fits into our man-made, traditional boxes!

I am not saying throw your God-given intelligence and intuition away! Not all! Neither am I saying throw your opinions and interpretations away! Keep them!

But don’t let them get in the way of what God could want to do through a vessel you may not necessarily agree with!

Next time you find yourself under the ministry of someone you really battle to relate to or agree with; reserve all criticism (because it’s not Godly) and instead ask the Holy Spirit what He can teach you through that someone.

After all, Jesus did say that to inherit the Kingdom we must all be like little children.

It is the “pure at heart” who shall see God (Matt 5:8), not intelligent minds.

Pure heart or intelligent mind?

As much as I would love intelligence in its abundance, I would far prefer a heart that is pure before my God. Free from all cynicism and callous.