Creativity through photography

Celebrating God’s creativity through Photography

Photographers do not create the best photography merely by their relationship with their subject matter – though that is exciting, photography is much more than that! What sets the material on fire and brings out true passion for beauty is the realization that God created it all, and put each in its proper place. The best photography is therefore a journey into the unknown matched by the creator’s desire and delight to reveal it all to us. As the Scriptures say, “it is the Glory of God to conceal a matter, to search it out is the glory of kings” (Proverbs 25:2). Loys

Sent to the Sinner’s Door (excerpt: Follower – Part 2/Chapter 3)

A great release comes to every saint when they understand God’s heart for people – both saved and unsaved, but especially when they see how God sees every sinner, and what God feels for every broken relationship, and every sick person! It causes them to align their bodies to fulfill God’s desire to reach them, to save them, to rescue them, and to invite into the eternal dwellings all that would welcome and hear the message that the kingdom of God is near. Bringing the kingdom near is tied together with the choice to “go and make disciples,” since to tell them “the kingdom of heaven is near you” is also a request that we be the ones to go and tell it. Paul explains the need for our ready sacrifice to “go” as follows, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Saints are being awakened out of sleep all over the world, as fresh fires are being stoked on knees everywhere. A new sense of urgency has gripped the hearts of many toward work produced by faith; labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ!
I have set out some keys of that evangelistic journey as follows:

• The fire of evangelism is the Holy Spirit’s compassion released into the world. Jesus explains compassion at work in the parable of the Samaritan, Levite and priest, where the Samaritan was commended for his compassion.. God’s love is stunning. He heals all those who come to him, and He reserves the works of Christ for those who walk in Him (in purity; have clean hands, and are righteous in Him).

• No one has to perform for God’s love – He freely gives himself to all who will choose Him. As a song says, “What can I do for you beautiful King, coz I can’t thank you enough… (Jesus responds) you don’t have to do a thing, simply be here with me, and let those things go… this moment is too sweet, stay here with me…”

• God’s anointing is contagious – it will cause a person not to want to take their eyes off Him. God loves to use those who have caught the fire of His love. People on fire for God, are the best evangelists – they do not fear men, and will go anywhere to find a lost person who needs Christ. Elisha refused to take his eyes from Elijah, and received a double mantle. It is the same today for those who will not allow their situations to remove them from God’s presence. It is that relationship that pulls heaven’s jewels down – someone said that God does not hide them from us, but for us!

• There is no hard ground that cannot be overcome by a soft heart. Those who meet hard ground, learn to go deeper into God. Jesus went in (led by the Spirit) different to how he came out – “in the power of the Spirit!” We each learn to mine the fruit down from the father’s lap. We take responsibility to set aside our distractions, to press in, and not to be content to live off the ‘grapes’ of others! The first idol that probably has to go for each of us is the “clock” idol!

• The waves of God’s revival fires that are sweeping the globe will include both wine and wineskin before the bride can be prepared for Jesus’ return – in other words, the wisdom of the wineskin (God’s family) melded together with the wonder of the wine (God’s fire)!

• When we experience breakthrough, we should not build a “booth” there, but we should keep pressing forward to the next and to the next victory… and let us testify to someone about what God has done, because when we do we establish a lifestyle of the supernatural.

• We should not fear the pressure of the call, for the fruits of the kingdom are made available to those who forcefully lay “hold of it.”

• All that we need in order to do our work in God’s field is received in prayer and in the Word of God. I have set out some keys that I find helpful, as follows:

i) Begin the day in the Word of God
ii) Write down the ideas and thoughts that come to mind, and the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit highlights
iii) Expecting God to speak will create anticipation for what God is planning for you for that day. It will make you eager to see all that God has, and provide direction for your steps.
iv) Take what God has told you into your prayer time. Let it fuel the passion in your heart
v) Take what God has spoken into action that day. Remember that if you keep what God gives you for others inside you, it may die there – so, give it away! It is better to risk making a mistake than never to try!
vi) Do not give up as you seek God. Someone said that one person and Jesus are a majority. Keep going, and you will break through a little more each day… God waits full of wonderful things for each of us.

• Always prepare for more than you think is possible. Remember that God exists beyond the realms of our prayers and imagination. If you have faith for one, trust God for 10, if you have faith for 10, trust God for 100, if you have faith for 100, trust God for 1000 and so on. Ask God for an increased “measure of faith.”

• Ask God for boldness in the face of every situation. Remember that the fear of man is a snare, but those who trust in God are kept safe.

These principles are not conditions – they are divine instructions designed to make more certain our walking. God does not speak them to us at the heat of the day (in anger), or in the dead of night (in guilt), but, as He did to Adam, in the cool of the afternoon (in grace).

Click here for a short clip from Bethel Church, Redding, CA

Call to a supernatural life

Francois Botes prophesied on Wednesday 28th May at the Canada Leaders Training in Toronto, on His first ministry visit to Canada, that the power of indifference was broken from our land. If this word is indeed true (I believe it to be so) let us imagine the significance of this for this nation and for the world. If it was spoken to a church that would have been amazing, but for a city, and then for a nation! Wow! if we saw the immensity of that prophetic transaction we would not be able to get off our chairs of intercession, or off the floor. My heart is truly glad today at the beckoning voice of Jesus to come into the secret place to hear His voice, and to delight to remain there. after 30 years of ministry I have never been more convinced that nothing will build the kingdom outside of God’s presence and our responding prayers. It had also become more clear to me that our joy does not come from our efforts, but by the swell of love that surges when He beckons us and calls us into His arms, so that we can say “Oh Lord I am spending time with you, because you have captivated me with your love” – let us not wonder whether God has spoke so clearly, but rather embrace it for it is a word worthy of believing, and acting on. March on Dear Soldiers of Christ! Loys

PS: the audio of this astounding 9 minute prophecy is well worth listening, we have added the link in the left side or click here. Love you all.

 

The Danger of Envy to Unity

In the 680 News this morning it was reported that 77% of people envy others in the workplace. They envy perks, titles, promotion, office space, the size of people’s pods, what they drive etc. It was reported that this accounts for most of the problems occurring in production. It seems that these days people are looking in the wrong places…

Prior to receiving the above news report this morning from a friend, I was up early to prepare for the Wednesday team training time, and as is my custom, I had asked God to help me, and us. He took me directly to the story of Pilate at Jesus’ judgment in the book of Matthew: “For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him (she had to have been either a Christian, or immensely influenced by them). But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed… When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”(1)

The story is made more glaring by Pilate’s refusal to heed a proper warning from his wife. It may shock some to know that it was probably not God’s intent to seal Pilate’s name forever in infamy and notoriety! His own choices shaped his legacy. Here are the ingredients of the problem caused by his failure to acknowledge the danger of envy…

The rest of this article can be accessed on the Freeway Church website (via “Resources”)

The Value of Simplicity

Now and again we’ll see an ad that makes us think, “Wow, where did that simply fabulous idea come from?” Like the one where the man fell off scaffolding backwards toward the ground 100 feet below, but at 20 feet from certain death eight air bags suddenly popped open from his safety jacket and he landed safely… I got the message, but somebody somewhere had foreseen the simplicity of taking something designed for motorcars and redesigned it to suit a human frame! A story was told to me many years ago of a semi truck and trailer that had gotten stuck under a bridge. While the city’s best stood perplexed and indecisive, a young 10-year-old child walked up and suggested that they let the air out of the tires! The dispensers of simple ideas have a way of recalibrating the behavior of all those they influence! On a recent flight, I was treated to a delightful film about the life of an eleven-year-old girl. Starbucks and Lionsgate Films financed the production, a story about a spelling competition. Laurence Fishburn played the part of her spelling coach. At a crucial point when her frustration at studying simple and uncomplicated words, threatened to dash the dazzle, he asked the question: “Where do big words come from?” His answer: “little words; ‘Solterraneous’ is made up of two little words, ‘sun’ and ‘earth,’ in other words ‘where the sun and earth live together!’ “So let us learn the little words,” he taught her, “and then you will understand the power of language.”(1)

The moral of this film is mirrored through how simple people overcome impossible odds, by doing the simple things well – He, the coach, by allowing this girl into his life as salve to the pain of having lost his own daughter; She, the young girl, by reaching out to him in spite of losing her father in a shooting. They both stepped out of their prejudices about themselves and about others to win the game of life by doing an end-run around the opinions of those around them. Winners do not wait for the consent of everyone, but by doing what they must, they become the glue that holds entire communities and cultures together. No one can fail to look back on the effort of the intrepid without a certain glow in the heart that says, “I wish I could have done that.” But those “wishes” all began with a choice to work at it. John Maxwell pegged great leadership at the door of choice. Choice is what differentiates merit from mediocrity. Without effort there is no fait accompli. To a wise person even defeat is a teacher. Before a life can become La Nouvelle du Jour, it learns its lessons on the sidelines. Thomas Edison was reputed to have had more than 2000 failed experiments before he invented the light bulb!

There can be no greater choice in life than to live our life for the benefit of others…

The remainder of this article can be accessed on the Freeway Church website (via “Resources”)