Friends – Part 1 – Facebook Friends and Levels of Friendship

What are friends? How many friends should we have? What makes a good friend?

Facebook has changed the meaning of friends. Unlike the expert “Facebookers” most of my Facebook friends are friends who I actually know; but then there are those that are friends because we are have something in common and then there are those who are friends of friends, or “friends” who are part of a group . I appreciate all those connections but when the power goes out, the computer freezes and we loose our iphone, according to Proverbs 18:24 “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”.

I have recently be reading about the health of having three levels of friends. Even Jesus had close friends (John, Peter and James); He also had His 12 disciples and then a wider circle of disciples (the 70). If we included His mother and perhaps a few others in the closest group that would probably still only be about half a dozen. There was then of course the multitude who He loved but who would never be His personal friends while He was here on earth. Of course that changed when He went back to heaven and put on His ability to act fully as God. Now He can be everyone’s friend if they desire it.

Studies have shown that people need all three groups to be socially healthy. When we confuse the groups we can create problems for ourselves. The outer groups of friends will come and go – and that is quite normal. We shouldn’t be devasted when people come into our life and then leave. This is seasonal and happens naturally as we go from primary school, to secondary school and to university or the workplace; or as we change houses, employment or even nations.

(To be continued…)

Testimony from Pastor Dube in Zimbabwe

I am posting this testimony from Pastor Dube and my reply. Read and be blessed. And let’s continue to be “carriers of God’s kingdom” wherever we are. (Richard Kerridge)

Sent: Monday, 8 August 2011 from Pastor Richard Dube Subject: FW: Arise! Women`s Conference

Dear Ps Kerridge,

It`s 3:40 in the morning and I cannot wait until sunrise to tell you what wonderful things God did at the just ended Ladies’ Conference.
The conference was very powerful and women and the male pastors present were blessed. God use Dianne and her team in a very mighty way. Many miracles happened. People were healed. God also did a miracle to me. My ankle was very painful and swollen and I could not put my shoes on. They prayed for me and now I am totally healed. There was a lady from Ps C. J. Dube`s church and her right hand had been paralysed for a couple of years and she could not even use it to write. She had to leave her job as a teacher because of that problem. She was
also among many ladies healed. Surely your church is blessed. We are praying that God will allow them to come back to Zimbabwe.

We give God all the glory.

Ps Richard Dube

___________________________________________________________________

Dear Pastor Dube,

Thank you so much for your email. I join with you in thanking God for His grace and power. The testimonies you shared are powerful. God has been using the members of our church to heal the sick for a number of years now. We have always prayed for the sick and would see SOME results; but NOW we see far MORE being healed. We have discovered that God’s way (the Bible way) is simple.

I am sure that Dianne and the others have shared about it. We simply command sickness and pain to go in the name of Jesus – like in the early church. We DON’T wait for any special feeling or anointing. We don’t do anything to earn it. We don’t complicate things by making long prayers to God or push or shout or shake people to make something happen. We just act in faith believing that 2000 years ago Jesus, not only carried our pains and sickness, but gave us authority in His name to heal the sick. We just do what God told believers to do and leave the miraculous part to God.

It is our great desire that the pastors and believers that live in the places where we go will also start doing what we have been doing. It is their privilege as much as it is ours. Healing the sick is NOT only for the special evangelists, apostles, pastors and certain specially gifted Christians!

We are not the only church that is seeing this happen. God is doing this all over the world. We are increasingly hearing of believers everywhere healing the sick, casting out demons and ministering the supernatural gifts of the Spirit. These miracles are a demonstration of God’s love and open up people’s hearts to listen to the gospel that also provides salvation for their spirits and souls.

We are all still learning and the more we learn to do what Jesus told us to do, the more we are increasing in faith and confidence. We are seeing a greater percentage of people being healed and as a result we are praying for more people.

Please keep me informed of the various healing that take place as this continues to encourage us all.

Pass on my love and regards to Grain and all our friends in Zimbabwe.

God bless you,

Richard Kerridge

Scripture – Habukkuk 3:17-19      SOAP 6-8-11

Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
¹⁸ Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
¹⁹ The LORD God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

Observation

I am always greatly encouraged by these last three verses of Habakkuk. It is interesting to compare them with the first three verses in which Habakkuk is questioning God about why He allows so much violence in the world and why so much strife and contention surround him. What has happened? Habakkuk’s focus has changed. He has moved his focus from himself and the circumstances surrounding him to an intentional focus on God.

By intentional focus I mean that Habakkuk makes a decision. He says, “I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” He then declares the truth rather than moaning about his circumstances. “The Lord is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet…”

Application

I am not going to pretend that difficult circumstances are not there but I am going to intentionally rejoice in the Lord who has saved me and who strengthens me and enables me to live above those circumstances.

Prayer

Father, thank You so much for Your strength, Your joy, Your love, Your goodness and Your amazing grace. I am so glad that in spite of the wickedness in the world at present, I know “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (2:14).

(From the Faith -building Series – Sent to Christian leaders in Africa and Asia)

Why are people not more open to God and His people?

Why aren’t more people rushing to give their lives to the Lord and to enter into our churches?

There are obviously many reasons; but let me suggest a few.

• Perhaps it is because they do not know how much God loves them
• Perhaps it is because they don’t have any evidence that we love them
• Perhaps we have given them the impression that God is angry with them and that He will never accept them
• Perhaps it is because we have never demonstrated to them genuine love that gives time, help and healing to those in need
• Perhaps it is because they think we just want them in our churches to add to our numbers and to increase our tithes?

People usually only open up to those they trust. A wife will soon close her heart to a husband that has been unfaithful. He may say, “I love you and I promise to be faithful” but it will take a lot of time and a consistent demonstration of his love to win back his wife’s trust.

We have recently been to the Philippines and we were invited to visit a number of houses, businesses and a hospital. In some cases it was very unlikely that those we went to see would have attended our church meetings. Many were Catholics and so they were already suspicious of us Protestant Pentecostals.

They reason they welcomed us in was because they were sick and we came to heal them. They had heard that people were being healed by a few ordinary Christian people from Australia. They may not have thought that they needed our religion; but they knew they needed healing.

Once such people are healed they know they have experienced the love of God in their live. We tell them, we haven’t come to condemn you but to heal you. They experienced the power of God flowing through ordinary Christians who were not priests, pastors or evangelists and were shocked.

We may feel that people need to come to our church and commit their lives to Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit; but in many cases they don’t believe that. They are just sick, lonely, depressed or destitute and need help. Once we meet their felt needs they are far more likely to be ready to hear and receive what their real need is.

In one of the homes in the Philippines there was a 50 year old deaf lady who had been deaf and dumb from birth. As we simply commanded the infirmity to go in Jesus’ name she was completely healed. Joy and gladness entered into that house. Suddenly everyone in the house wanted prayer. The love of God opened the way. Word soon went around and we were invited to other homes.

Pastors are often too busy building their church to have time to touch the many hurting people who desperately need healing of one kind or another. Pastors often think only they or the elders can heal the sick and that there are too many to pray for anyway.

Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were sick and oppressed of the devil because God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). His way is still the best way. People definitely open up when they know that you love them and they know that they can trust you.

WISDOM from James 3

One of the greatest blessings to come into my life in recent years has been SOAP[1]. There are times when I genuinely feel sorry for those who are not receiving this “daily bread”. The word of God cleans us, heals us, protects us, builds our faith and gives us wisdom for living.

During the last few days the Lord has been speaking to me through James – especially about wisdom. There are obviously two types of wisdom. There is worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. James says that worldly wisdom is sensual and therefore based on our senses or how we feel. I am sure you have experienced those time when you are angry or upset and speak without thinking of the consequences. I have and then been sorry for opening my big mouth.

Did you realise that to allow how we feel to determine what we say and do is opening our lives up to demonic activity? James points out that it is demonic and therefore deceitful and definitely not based on the truth. It ends up creating bitterness, envy, self-centredness, self-seeking, pride and confusion. So many people live their whole lives this way and then wonder why their lives are so difficult.

James especially points out the great danger of using our tongue unwisely. He says that a tongue, although only small, is like a fire that can set a whole forest ablaze. When our tongue is not kept under control or unruly, it hurts us and others.  He also describes the tongue as a deadly poison.

We read that the wisdom that is from above is first pure. It is not polluted with any of the impure works of the flesh. Because it is from God it has all the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit. It is peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. The tongue, when used wisely and under the control of the Spirit, brings forth peace and righteousness.

In case someone was to think it is easy to control the tongue, think again. James says that no man can tame the tongue; that it is unruly and has the potential for great evil. We need the Holy Spirit’s help. He lives within us to help us with our weaknesses.

When our feelings are hurt, we are angry, we are offended and our emotions are upset we should as soon as possible bring it to the Lord. Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 gives the way to deal with such times. He says that though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.

The enemy knows that when we are upset and our thinking is out of control he has an opportunity to use us and abuse us and create strongholds in our lives.  Paul’s advice is to immediately bring our thoughts and feelings to Christ. He calms the storm and gives wisdom on what to cast out and what to do in any situation.

Wise and happy are those who place their thoughts and their tongues in the Lord’s hands.

SOAP – A Bible reading plan that takes you through the Bible in a year at a level that best suits the individual.

The acronym SOAP is  S- Scripture; O – Observation;  A – Application; P – Prayer.

Maasai Warrior Charging

I was just watching the Animal Planet Channel and saw two young Maasai warriors confronted by a pride of five lions. One of them explained that you must not turn and run from the lions. If you do they will consider that you must be prey, chase you and kill you. The next thing you see are the two young men running towards the lions, shouting and waving their spears in the air. The lions immediately run away. The Maasai explained that one must not show any fear and face the lions.

The devil isn’t a true lion; he just walks around roaring like a lion trying to intimidate the believer. But the truth is, he’s had his teeth pulled, and we have authority over him anyway. When opposition confronts us and fears tempt us to run; we should stand fast, then run straight at it shouting and waving God’s weapons (the Word of God) in the air.

Everyone at Liberty I just wanted you to know how much you are appreciated. Apart from the support of Liberty members we just couldn’t do what we do overseas. The prayer, the giving and the going are all making a great difference to many people around the world.

Many thousands of pastors from many nations and many churches now meet together in love and unity because of ACMI. Many hundreds are being taught God’s word through Liberty Bible College and are teaching what they are taught to their churches. Many hundreds have been healed and are being trained to release their congregations to heal the sick. Many people are being greatly encouraged because of Liberty and its various ministries.

On this trip to the Philippines one of the most satisfying things has been the way the Lord used everyone on the team to heal the sick. Pastors were constantly amazed at the simple, Biblical way we spoke to sickness and pain and saw so many immediate results. Numbers of Baptist pastors with real doubts about healing were healed. They have been transformed, encouraged and given hope. After last year’s team returned from the Philippines, numbers were launched into healing the sick and this year many more have been launched into a greatly needed ministry.

We ministered at the provincial prison to around 400 inmates. At least 200 of these made commitments to follow Christ.

Over the next months we will be posting details of the many miracles that took place during the last two weeks in Cebu and Bohol. Check out this website and be encouraged. Also we will be posting some photos. Here are a few interesting ones.

Kaye Makes it to the Top

Pastor Rolly with Phil and a Tiger

A Renewed Mind is One That Will Not Contemplate a Single Day Without Favor excerpt from “Radical Perceptions” by Graham Cooke

When the Father puts us into Christ, He envisages the same relationship with us that He enjoys with Jesus. We are in Christ so that all the favor He enjoys now comes to us also. We are not given favor because of who we are, but because of who Jesus is. His favor is ours because we too are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). We are not given favor because of our performance as believers but because of our placement in the Lord Jesus.

Favor is a special preference of one to another. It is an advantage given from the greater to the lesser. Favor is an intentional bias. It means to consider someone as your favorite. Favor allows us to be esteemed, approved and highly loved by the Father. Everything that the Father has given to Jesus now automatically becomes part of our relationship also. Favor is a relationship.
It is the currency that provides all we need in our fellowship with God. It is a lifestyle of walking with God in Christ.

As disciples we understand that favor is our highest position in Christ. It is favor that empowers us to step out of need into provision with absolute confidence that God will provide. Favor is assurance of God’s heart towards us. Favor is the strongest part of our fellowship. It is the evidence in Christ that we are powerful in how we face life and circumstances. Favor makes us alive to God and active in faith. It makes us defiant against the enemy and assertive in our circumstances. Favor makes us receptive to change and available for any upgrades and increases. In favor we become energetic about who we are in Christ. Favor empowers us to be joyfully confident and expectant on life’s journey.

We are never without favor; it is the means by which we cultivate intimacy and become bold in prayer. Every day carries a fresh experience of favor. A true disciple is never without it.

One of the major reasons for Liberty’s existence is MISSIONS.

Hear the latest about what is happening through our missions ministry.

Come ready to be a blessing.

We have been blessed to be a blessing to others.

Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMg4jyhG6YA