JULY 12
Trail of joy report
The Trail of joy Prayerforce is an initiative designed to pray into being a redemptive move of God to bring blessing to all those people groups who suffered the tyranny of the trail of tears. It is based initially in the vicinity of The Hermitage Estate of former President Pandrew Jackson who signed off on The trail of tears and was founder of the Democrat Party and the KKK. The Trail of joy also aims to release God’s blessing into people groups around the world and bring reconciliation by the blood shed by Jesus on the Cross at Calvary
Healing of the nations song:
While out on our week 3 Trail of joy prayerforce walk the phrase "The leaves on the trees of life on the banks of the riverside for the healing of the nations’’ came to mind. Then on Monday the 6 of July a further flow of additional lyric gist came during the day of fasting. Being my birthday, I took this as a special gift from God. Esther said she loved the lyrics, got inspired musically and now we have the draft song. I believe this is God’s way, God’s Megamorphic way of encouraging us to press in and press on with this Trail of joy prayerforce initiative. We will be taking up the song in our fan the flame and God band prayer jams plus of course on our Sunday night Trail of joy prayerforce walks.
These lyrics are drawn from Revelaiton 22:1-2 and other Biblical portions. They read as follows;
The leaves on the trees of life
Right there on the banks of the riverside
Just as your word describes
All thanks to you Lord most high
You went to the cross and died
By your blood we’re reconciled
So we lift these holy hands
Sing your praise from every land
For the healing of the nations
And we shift the atmosphere
As your love Lord we declare
For the healing of the nations
We thank you for this revelation
From Father to Son to the angel to John
And your chosen generation
You promise we’re blessed when we read
So fruitful, so truthful
So filled with your love that flows from calvary
You went to the cross and died
By your blood we are reconciled
This healing will come to pass
This healing just as we ask
This healing is sure to last
You’re revealing the healing to us
Put them on your phone, hide them in your heart and prophesy them over the nations Yes God uses song to release the spirit of prophecy and God uses the Spirit of prophecy to testify to all He has done, is doing and will do with His Son in through and as the Church. The new song of the Lord part of the Megamorphic mandate Back in the day God wrote on tablets of stone today, He writes on the tablets of our heart.
Theme: Great congregation, Holy convocation
Now in previous weeks Caleb and Esther have provided some important insights as to the purpose of this theme. These include; check their topics and Berean note highlights
Caleb week 1 In the midst - For God to be in our midst we must gather
Esther week 2 more and more mega return policy - Jesus will return, we will find out the full details when it happens but God’s word says gather more as the return gets closer.
Caleb week 3 Mega return policy part two - The Jews missed out on recognizing jesus as Messaiah the first time He came because they didn’t know the details. So lets make sure we knowo the details the Bible gives us so that we are ready and prepared when Jesus next comes
This week there is a factor I am raising which both enhances the overall purposefulness of our theme and brings out a specific factor that carries quite some subtle intrigue.
That factor is to remove the tears from God’s eyes.
It is a reasonably common understanding to believe that God will wipe away the tears from our eyes however by implication we can wipe away God’s tears. As we read in John 11:35, God cries. Similarly, in many other passages, Jesus expresses deep feelings about how both individuals and groups of people from couples to nations are or are not responding to God as God would have them. A couple of New Testament references along these lines are Matthew 23:37 [ref whole chapter] and Luke 13:34 [ ref 31-35]
Thus when we respond as God desires we make Him happy when we don’t we make him sad and even very angry. Why? Be cause when we disobey we miss out on the blessing God has for us and we demonstrate great disrespect for God
When we think of God do we think mostly or entirely of what we want God to do for us, or of what we can do for God?
Better still is, what can we do with you God?
That’s God’s heart for us and that’s why God loves us to gather, even prefers it when we gather
What makes God happy?
- Obedience
- Winning souls
- Praying - being a joyful house of prayer for the nations
- Giving of ourselves for God and the gospel
- Gathering
TOPIC: NORMAL TO BE FORMAL
So we know gathering unto God makes him happy but how does God like us to act, what kind of atmosphere God look for, and what kind of things does God like us to do when we gather? As with all things to do with God His word the Bible is where we find the answers to these questions. God’s word itself tells us that when we receive the promise of the Father, which is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, we receive power to witness.
One of the realities of this is that we are free to put God’s wonder, worship, word, will, ways, works, and wisdom into our own word. This doesn’t give us any license to alter Biblical truth in any way, however, it does mean we can use our God given creative capabilities to communicate that truth in ways that reflect the times we live in and that fact the Creator himself lives within. With this in mind, we at Megamorphic when communicating what God has done, is doing and will do in our lives we talk about being Affirmation Zone tone setters and relational go-getters. There is much more to say about this however for today I am going to focus on tone setting in the context of gathering. I encourage you to contact Maghan Eversmith my daughter in love who oversees our relationship ministry called Create to relate. You may well find we can help you grow in your tone setting including being a Create to relate volunteer.
When it comes to tone setting and relational creativity then there is one candidate for the greatest actor and one case for the greatest action – Jesus Christ and His death on the cross.
So in line with this tone setting focus, I have chosen as a topic for today it is normal to be formal. To get us started on this topic I have a story to tell which I have titled ‘’a tale from the world of tarianisms’’
Antidisestablishmentarianism and antidisentertaimentarianism
(Note: Review live on our facebook page for details of these words and the story)
Our perception of formality: When you think of Church and the way it's run, what do you think? What is the appropriate tone of voice, manner of behaviour, style of dress? These are but a few questions as to what determines the atmosphere when we gather as Church.
We are commanded to love with all our mind. To be transformed through the renewing of our mind, we know that Jesus demonstrated love in person during his first time on earth including laying down his life for his enemies on the cross.
Do we know how Jesus loves us today, each day, every day?
Ephesians 5:26 renewing our minds by the washing of the water of the word.
Yes, that is one important way Jesus outworks His love for us. So clearly we need to be in His word each day to experience this vital aspect of Jesus' love for us.
We also need to recognize that in order to experience Jesus' love this way, we need to read, study, meditate on his word prayerfully. Where we are not just going through the motions of reading words on the page, limiting our thinking to receiving information but rather engaging in listening for God’s voice, allowing ungodly, unbelieving and other negative thoughts to be washed away so that our minds are filled with fresh God honoring faith, willingness to obey and ideas as to how we can serve others in, through and as the church
Many believe becoming a Christian requires committing intellectual suicide. However, that is far from the Biblical case. Acts 17:11 - it's more noble to think and check things out.
Thinking propaganda, nanny think, Berean think aka noble think, stinking thinking
Think – thinks, thoughts references
Proverbs 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are right, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
Proverbs 15:26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, But the words of the pure are pleasant.
Proverbs 16:3 Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.v“Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
1 Corinthians 8:2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 13:5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
1 Corinthians 14:37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord
Gal 6:3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Phil 3:4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so
James 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.
More references
GREAT CONGREGATION HOLY CONVOCATION MEMBERSHIP
Gotta be in the team if you want to experience the fulfillment of the dream. Yes, there is all manner of factors that help to determine the overall vibe of Church gatherings but unless we are Church, then in so many ways all those contributing factors are meaningless.
The “you don’t have to go to Church" lie: if we are born again Bible believers we are Church. There are some who say they are against organized religion – what do they want? Disorganized religion?
Local morning radio host previously stated he didn’t believe in organized religion but when the massive tornado struck Nashville including his place and he experienced the highly organized way local Church people served the community he was persuaded to rethink.
GREAT CONGREGATION HOLY CONVOCATION CONTRIBUTORS
GLOSSARY OF TERMS - all of these help paint a picture but vital to take these definitions on board in the context of the full counsel of God’s word knowing God’s kingdom is in power not just word and power that releases righteousness, peace, and joy
Great congregation: a group of people assembled for religious worship
Holy – whole, wholesome, wholehearted – dedicated or consecrated to God, sacred
Convocation: a large formal assembly of people
Formal: done in accordance with rules of convention or etiquette suitable for constituting an important or official situation or occasion
Convention/ Etiquette: the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group.
Important: of great significance or value. Likely to have a profound effect on success, survival or well being
Official: relating to a public body and its duties, actions and responsibilities
Polite: having and showing behavior that is considerate and respectful of other people
Doting: extremely and uncritically fond of someone, adoring – Timothy doting over words including using big words for the sake of seeming profound but not using them to actually think.
WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE
Lots of ways, all of which big or small are important but are only a form of godliness without loving power of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 3:5-7)
Power contributor factors:
- When you pray, say
- Rice test
- God spoke the various facets of creation came into being, mountains move, healing happens
- 1 Cor 4:20- Not in word but in power
- Faith and power of the Holy Spirit
- Romans 1:6 - the gospel is the power
- The promise of the Father the Baptism of Holy Spirit – dunamis
- Acts 1:8 filled with power
- Fasting Luke 4 Matthew 4 Biblical fasting focus on feeding on word, God’s kingdom purposes and worship
GREAT CONGREGATION HOLY CONVOCATION GATHERERS
Jesus said if we are not gathering we are scattering!
GO of great commission
Acts: Daily in the temple and from house to house
B.I.D.
Are you a member of the great congregation?
Are you a; loving, faith-filled Holy Spirit empowered contributor to great congregation Holy convocations
Are you a gatherer of others into great congregation holy convocations
Notes by: Philip Smith