SHARE Magazine October 2020 by The SHARE Magazine

Share Truth Change Lives

Behind

Oct 2020

Closed Door

The

lTHE COVERT HEART lTOTAL SURRENDER lIN THE SECRET PLACE

lWHEN THE WEDDING NIGHT GOES WRONG! lGOD GETS JEALOUS TOO?

lBEYOND THE CURTAIN lTHE TWO WOMEN OF REVELATION lCOME IN, ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OPEN A Select Arrow Publication www.thesharemagazine.com

lTESTIMONY lREFLECTIONS

MyDevotion.today Bride and Bridegroom God uses earthly concepts to, as it were, paint pictures in our minds that could help us humans understand heavenly things. Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ is conveyed by the use of different concepts such as gardening, nationality and marriage etc. Here we will use the example of the bride and bridegroom a concept God uses in scripture to help us understand the commitment and bonding between ourselves and Jesus. The human marriage commitment is very serious because we are connected to and belong to one person until death, how much more the spiritual commitment where we never part for all eternity. Jesus is the love of our life, our thoughts, affection and desires are towards him. We long to be with him and he longs to be with us. John saw the Lambs wife in Revelations Revelation 21:9-11 “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God...” This marriage, unlike some earthly marriages, is for love and not for convenience, fame or fortune. We will indeed be showered with many gifts but we are not marrying for that, we are marrying for love. The groom wants to be certain about this and that is why, for a season, we will have to go through all kinds of trials, the type that only love can endure. Devotion For October 1st 2020 By Homer Slack

inside EDITORIAL

TESTIMONY 24 Come Away With Me

Total Surrender No Groom Wants to Force His Bride to Marry Him

REFLECTIONS

The Covert Heart Secret Sins That Separate us From our Beloved

Did you Know? 16 That the Feasts Foreshadow the Redemptive Work of Jesus?

FEATURE ARTICLES

In the Secret Place 10 The Value of Being Alone with God When the Wedding Night Goes Wrong! 12 Do we Realise the Divine Mystery of Marriage and What it Means? Come in, it’s Open 14 We Have Access Into the Secret Place why Aren’t we Using it? Behind the Closed Door 18 An Invitation To Intimacy With God God Gets Jealous Too 20 Why Does Fidelity Matter to Him? Beyond the Curtain 21 The Curtain has Been Ripped we Have Full Access to God

#YouthSHARE 26 Examining Barriers to Worship World in View COVID-19: Locked Down Or Locked INto God?

Think Film 32 Review of One Night With the King

Storyteller 36 Do You Know Him Intimately? Poem: Blackberries and You 38 By Jo Kay In Praise Of Hymn Within the Veil

The Two Women of Revelation 22 Are we the Harlot or the Bride?

14 20 October - December 2020

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EDITORIAL

SHARE|MAGAZINE Volume 8 - Issue 4

About Us

PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF HIS PRESENCE

This issue will examine all the facets of our relationship with God and we will be provoked to move on from the starting point of salvation to realising deep intimacy with God as our husband. We have studied The Tabernacle over the course of this year. It’s been a guided tour of intimacy with God, it showed us the way to His heart. It is the ‘litmus test’ of whether we are truly- Ecclesia, The Bride or Babylonia, The Harlot. The true Bride is desperately looking out for her Bridegroom’s return, she aches for Him and she will do everything to protect His honour and so submits to the discipline necessary to serve Him to her very best. She shuns all other pretenders and remains pure. Signs and Symptoms of True Love: Perpetual promptings - The Shulamite woman in Song of Songs is the best picture we have of the young and ’in love’ bride. Like her, You can’t wait to see your lover. You are busy making preparation for His return. Secret rendezvous - When you begin to pursue God we have a set-apart time, 4

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place and space that only we know of, it’s dedicated to God only. Our prayer room/ place. Pillow talk - Time with the Holy Spirit gives us deep insight into who God is and His secrets. We can tell Him anything and have the confidence that you can be completely vulnerable and honest. Trust His willingness to listen and His ability to solve it. Come away in His presence and relax into His loving embrace. Touch therapy - Only His touch will do, one-touch from Him will heal anything even a broken body, wounded heart or a shattered spirit. Keen to please - We are willing to do whatever He asks or desires just for His sake. We don’t ever want to let Him down. It’s been quite a transformational journey. I pray that you will maintain your passion for His presence and purpose. Knock and enter in and find Him waiting Behind the Closed Door!

Angela Slack

October - December 2020

SHARE MAGAZINE is a FREE Christian quarterly that deals with challenging Christian topics that have been mostly ignored or left unanswered. The magazine includes written articles, poems and thoughts etc. Read our online version at www. TheShareMagazine.com where you can go to our blog to discuss articles or order a printed version. If you would like to submit articles, join our writers group, or to get involved in any other way kindly email us. SHARE MAGAZINE is produced by Select Arrow, the publishing arm of United In Christ charity number 1140448.

Disclaimer

Throughout this magazine the editor & contributors seek to present a balanced and accurate view of Scripture’s teaching. We are all on a journey of studying and understanding God’s Word. Because of this, all we can offer is as balanced an understanding as the Holy Spirit has offered us at this time. The views or opinions represented in this publication are personal to each of our contributors and may not fully represent those of any other contributor or editor. Some writers may use UK spelling while others may use US spelling as our writers are from different regions.

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Have you ever felt that you were a spiritual and moral failure? You had been so defeated by lusts of the flesh, anger, hate and other terrible sins? If you were living in Old Testament times you would have had to bring to the temple a lamb, goat or turtledove to be sacrificed in order to appease the anger of God, Who hates and despises sin so much, He makes no excuses for it. The blood of that innocent creature would have had to be shed. The priest would slit the throat of the animal and sprinkle its blood on an altar before forgiveness could even be considered. Once a year the high priest would enter the Holy Place then pass through a thick curtain and enter the MOST HOLY PLACE. There stood a wooden box known as the Ark of the Covenant. Over it carved Cherubims spread their wings. Inside the ark were stone tablets on which God had written the TEN COMMANDMENTS. Within the ark were also samples of manna, a kind of bread with which God had fed His people in the desert, and also the budded rod of Aaron, Moses’ brother. If the high priest had offered a

You have questions we’ve got answers

WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TORN TEMPLE VEIL? lamb that was not perfect, if it had a broken foot, a sore, or infection anywhere, the priest would fall down dead in the MOST HOLY PLACE. Thereafter, he would have to be dragged out by a rope or some cord attached to his robe that reached outside. The veil of the temple prevented anyone from entering the presence of Israel’s God without the blood of a perfect substitute lamb. If you ever felt depressed by your failure to live right before God, then you know that Satan, “The accuser of the brethren,” has been on the attack, and your mind has been the battleground. However, there is now tremendous hope! John, the apostle, wrote that “if any man sins, we have an advocate, a lawyer for our defence, Jesus Christ, the righteous” (1 John 2:1). How did He become our defence lawyer? When did He take up the work of defending and protecting sinners? Once every year, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies. There he offered the blood of an innocent animal before the presence of Almighty God so that every sin committed by the people of Israel

for the entire year could be blotted out and forgiven. Scripture declares that Jesus Christ offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, once for all. He did not need to enter the Most Holy Place every year. No, He had no need. The sacrifice of Himself on the cross of Calvary was sufficient. Besides, once the blood was shed He became the High Priest of a New and better Covenant. Since the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, the way into the presence of God was open for anyone who placed their faith in the sacrifice of Christ. When He cried out, “It is finished!” the temple’s veil was ripped in two. Anyone could then enter boldly and begin to serve God. Anyone could become a New Covenant priest and represent others in intercession before God and represent God before others. Now the temple of God is no more a building made by human hands, but the multitudes of believers in Christ joined together as one nation, which He calls “the Church.” p By C Richard McCaw author, music teacher and many years as a Bible teacher

October - December 2020

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No groom wants to force his bride to marry him. No way is that what Jesus had in mind when He made us His Bride.

Total Surrender

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October - December 2020

God will never coerce our choices. In the beginning – that’s a good place to begin God created the first man and then the woman. His instructions gave such a wide cross-section of goodness and just one limitation. He gave mankind a choice. All throughout the ages, He says, “Choose.” In the word, we constantly see the rewards of choosing God’s way and the consequences of walking in our own humanistic, natural dictates of the flesh, which comes because of the Adamic Nature. Alas! There is a better way. The best way to inherit all of God’s best is the way of surrender. God is not, as many view, our “genie in a bottle” who will do all we ask. Prayer is not about invoking man’s will in heaven but instead, prayer is about provoking God’s will on earth, as It is in heaven. Instead of giving God the obeisance He is due, one will automatically surrender to our Abba father when we have a true encounter with God. Let us move from the place of telling God what to do, like some of these declarations we make, border on witchcraft as they come from the soulish realm, with a motive of gratifying the flesh. Instead of humbly asking God, in awe, “what can you do for me?” In total surrender and the reverential fear of the lord, we should ask Him “what would you have us to do a good father?” That is the place of total surrender, where we ask God and listen carefully to Him before we move. He leads and we follow. Surrendered to the leading of our Lord and king. Now here is a point to consider, many

of us may surrender some areas – prayer, worship, giving alms but yet we hold back a bit, maybe not consciously and willfully. We give way to anxiety, doubt, fear about the temporal things of this earth. This is a season where it is as if the very hosts of hell have been unleashed on this earth with the COVID-19 Pandemic, the #BLM (one needs to know God, as though many of their points of interest are relevant, this organization is founded On New Age, LGBT Agendas, please research for yourselves). There is also the conspiracy theories of the one world order movement, which vows to adopt a cashless system and supports agendas of worldwide Communism and Marxism, where the rich and only a few “elite” will have the power to control world affairs. Of even greater concern is the pending vaccination with it’s proposed, nanochipping, many say this could be the “mark of the Beast” and the winding up of the ages with the fulfilment of the biblical prophecies; outlined in Daniel and revelations. You don’t have to look far, evil seems to proliferate our world from all angles. One has many reasons to be fearful and anxious but what can it help us? Though our faith is being tested, we have got to hold fast to our living God, trust Him in all and surrender all to him. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him and our faith will Lead us to the place of total surrender is the only way to please God may these words encourage you: Psalm 46 Amp 1 God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its roaring.

Selah. 4 there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the most high. 5 god is in the midst of her [his city], she will not be moved; God will help her when the morning dawns. 6 the nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered and were moved; he raised his voice, the earth melted. 7 the lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah. 8 come, behold the works of the lord, who has brought desolations and wonders on the earth. 9 he makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow into pieces and snaps the spear in two; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 the lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold [our refuge, our high tower]. Selah Trust God no matter what you are facing and surrender your all to him. He is worthy of no less than our best, our all. God gave his best, his only begotten son the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ gave his very best on That cross suffering so we would no longer live a life of separation, but one through salvation Can experience reconciliation with God and to enjoy a life of worship Ie. Worship, in spirit and in truth. Worship even in the face of adversity Because we are with God and we live, move and breathe in him. May God move us from the place of faith with just Believing in the place of faith which involves Sacrifice, that is the place of total Surrender giving God our all and our best. Walk good in Christ my friends. ‘Till we meet again. p By Jacqueline Chin-Depass Founder of Walk Good in Christ Ministries, broadcaster UKCC radio

October - December 2020

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Covert Heart

The

Hide-and-seek is a popular game I was quite fond of during my childhood years. The game was full of mystery and excitement. The rules of the game require the seeker to close their eyes, count to 100, while their back was turned to the hiders who scurried to find a hiding place. At the end of the count the seeker would announce, ‘ready or not, here I come!’ The first one found would be the next seeker and the game was repeated. The last would be the winner of the round. We could concede that the strategy of the CIA, FBI, Secret Service, MI6 are like the game of hide-and-seek. Highly classified, undercover, behind-the-scenes, and unexposed are descriptive of ‘covert operations.’ Special tactics 8

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are used to preserve the secret schemes and operations as they are planned and executed by these sects. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, Covert means, ‘undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others.’ Some synonyms used to describe the word Covert are hidden, secret, isolated, secluded, and sheltered. Would you agree that the heart plays hide-and-seek and operates equally to that of a covert operation? There are several popular stories in the Bible that portray covert

October - December 2020

operations, such as; Adam and Eve’s, hiding from God; Cain killing his brother Able; Judas betraying Jesus; and one not so popular story of deceit and covetousness by Gehazi (Servant of Naaman). The flesh nature of man is born into sin and the evil tendencies of our heart are therefore covertly maintained, while waiting for God’s unveiling. “Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion: And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude].” Ephesians 4:22-23 (AMP) When we encounter God, ask Him into our hearts, accept Him as our

personal Savior and give our will over to journey with Him, we are instantly born again, forgiven of our past sins, and we become the children of a loving Eternal Father! Now that we have acknowledged and accepted Him, He can work in us. First, we need to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all things will be added to us. He knows we have need of earthly things, which He provides, but He implores us to aim for, and seek His Kingdom, to learn of His mysteries and His desires for us. He also implores us to follow his commandments, to love Him and love our neighbour as we do ourselves. When our natural man is self-centered, proud, haughty, and vainglorious, how can we execute this love? Inadvertently, these are the spirits STILL holding us captive. We cannot assume our old ways and habits have miraculously disappeared because we have been born anew. But how do we strip ourselves? In our own strength and ability, we cannot, but, hallelujah Holy Spirit! “Would not God discover this? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” Ps. 44:21 (AMP) I asked God to ‘Search my heart ‘thoroughly’, try me and know my thoughts, and reveal all wickedness and hurtful ways in me and lead me in His way everlasting.’ (Psalm 139:23-24, AMP). Over several months, it was this very prayer that launched the unveiling of my heart as I was stirred by the Holy Spirit’s revealing of the covert depot of my heart. I often questioned Him “Lord, am I really like this? Am I vehement, belligerent, superfluous, a bigot, a heretic? At first revelation I wanted to believe He was speaking to me

about someone else’s heart, not mine! It was difficult to accept this was my heart. But, as the Holy Spirit uncovered the pomposity of my heart, I was overwhelmed with anguish. My covert heart was unveiled. I was deeply wounded and broken. Unknown to me, my storehouse had become a cozy dwelling place for the enemy, causing an albatross in my walk with God. I was repentant, sorrowful, penitent, and humbled. This was a ‘valley of death’ experience for me…, of ‘death to the flesh.’ “But He gives us more and more grace, (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace (continually) to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it). So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you. Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].” James 4:6-8 (AMP) I felt destitute and void, but the Holy Spirit brought me comfort and led me to restoration. There is no doubt that the evil tendencies in our hearts war to remain, hidden, isolated and hinder our relationship with God. But God! Because of His incomprehensible love for us, He unveils the hidden depots of our hearts and instigates an eviction. Then, and only then, He fills our lingering void with His righteousness. And, as we are tempted with a desire to return to our former ways, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to practice resistance, thereby given

the opportunity to overcome and be victorious over the evil plots and schemes of the enemy. “Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul.” 1 Peter 2:11 (AMP) You may have by now asked God to unveil the covert depot of your heart, but if not, I challenge you today to ask Him to search your heart, and reveal your evil ways so He can restore your heart. Draw closer to the Shepherd so He can feed, guide, shield, refresh and restore your life and lead you in the paths of righteousness (uprightness and right standing with Him). For though you walk through the deep valley of the shadow of death, you will not fear or dread evil, for He is with you, His rod (His Word, to protect) and His staff (His Holy Spirit, to guide) and to bring comfort. He will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies (evil tendencies). He will anoint your head with oil and your cup will run over (with joy and exaltation) because He has been manifested in your heart, bringing you joy and peace and into an intimate relationship with Him. Be bold, be courageous and ask Him today to reveal your covert heart. Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]. Revelation 3:19 (AMP) p By Karen Daley, mother, cake artist, event planner and amateur to inspirational penning as led by the Holy Spirit.

October - December 2020

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In The

SECRET PLACE The Value of Being Alone With GOD

It’s been three decades of my experience in seeking God’s help to run Praise Academy of Dance Jamaica and to be an effective minister of the Dance etc. If you asked me, what is the cornerstone of my ministry? I would say time ALONE away with God. What are the benefits of time away from all distractions in God’s presence? As I reflect on my journey as a minister in the dance I can truly say that the pages of one’s life, once totally sold out to Christ comes with a price. Based on Ezekiel 47:1-9, which speaks of a river, whereas you step in there are different levels of the water that you experience as you go deeper- ankle, knee, waist and chest. This is where you experience the anointing of God and you find yourself in total abandonment in God. God established Praise Academy of Dance, The first and only Christian dance ministry in Jamaica and the Caribbean and He used me as the vessel to help to steer this ministry.

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October - December 2020

Romans 12:1-2, speaks about a renewed mind, a living sacrifice which should be holy unto God. Not conforming to world systems but total dependency on God. It’s on these two scriptures that God shared His heart with me about the importance of going away with Him for a season, In order for that intimacy to be developed. Intimacy with Him leads to a committed soldout life, that wants to be away from all distractions. What are these benefits that I have learnt and have passed on? 1. That reading and applying His word to all areas of my life enables me to exercise the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 It’s important to know that being in God’s presence, I discovered that the reading and application of His word gives me the knowledge and the how of developing and maintaining relationships because it’s dependent on the fruit of the spirit. Love being the first peg, sets the foundation for peace, joy, kindness etc and the essence of the fruit in ministry paves the way for visibility and the anointing. 1 Corinthians 13 is the love passage for long-lasting effectiveness of horizontal relationships. When you’re in ministry the only way the fruit can be evident is if the impact is lasting, it will carry a rippling effect, which is transferable. So here is where the signs will follow and you will see the salvation, healing and deliverance of souls taking place. 2. Reading of the word and applying it brings you into maturity

and transforms you into adopting the attributes of God to be holy, compassionate, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. Having the attitude of Christ where there’s an incense that pleases the nostrils of a great God. 3 Learning how to pray, and PRAY His word develops the spiritual gifts so that I am able to know when and where to minister. In His presence, He fine-tunes you so your spiritual eyes and ears are open to hear His voice and have a sharp spirit of discernment. 4. Living in His presence is living a life of sacrifice, without thinking of my immediate situation and needs; in His presence, there is fullness of joy. Here is where I learnt like Paul to be content in everything and depend on God for sustenance. 5. This is where I learnt that the Ministry is not about the ‘glamour and glitter’ but it’s effective, hard work and leaving a spiritual legacy for the generations to come. 6. It helps you to rely on the Holy Spirit to remove the SELF by destroying all the mindsets of how you value yourself, fear, insecurity and intimidation. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. He will not leave you without guidance and encouragement. So make time to receive daily instructions and transformation from Him so that you can demonstrate His power and glory and draw men unto Him. p By Dr Cynthia Patricia Noble Founder of Praise Academy of Dance, Jamaica & Barbados

October - December 2020

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When the Wedding Night Goes Wrong!

Wedding Nights are usually the most anticipated of all events, especially for first-time couples. Unfortunately, many couples have never been taught that marriage is a covenant between them and God, physically and spiritually, enacted by the shedding of blood in their consummation. What to expect on the Wedding Night A newly-wed couple who I knew, had just returned from their honeymoon. I asked the couple for feedback on their marriage so far. The wife blurted out, “Sex is overrated!” What was she thinking? She had just given more than enough information, that both of them

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simply had no idea on what to expect, and what God had intended sex to be for the Christian couple. I secretly pulled her aside and admonished her never to speak like that again, as she had just embarrassed her husband. Was she thinking that sex would operate on its own, didn’t she have a part to play in it? Was there a friendship or even a love relationship to begin with? Paul had mentioned that Christian couples are to come together as often as they can to give no place to the devil. On the other hand, the devil would want Christian couples to be upset with each other so often, that they would neglect their sexual relations, which is such an important part of the

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marriage. When Christian couples have sexual intercourse, they continue to agree to the one-flesh union that the Bible speaks about. For Christian couples, sexual intercourse in marriage is a beautiful experience in giving praise to God. Sex was not meant to be used as a tool to dominate each other saying, “Your body is now mine and I can do anything that I want” but it is to ensure that our prayers are not hindered by the poor ways that we are treating each other, 1 Peter 3:7. Sex in Non-Christian Marriages For Christian couples, the wedding night is totally different from unbelievers. Quite

find themselves dissatisfied emotionally on the wedding night. Those who were active with each other, have breached the laws of heaven and can be experiencing mistrust. Even though couples can seem emotionally satisfied because physicality and passion are exuded during sexual intercourse; there is an underlined guilt that operates within their relationship. Doubts set in, “could my spouse actually cheat on me, the same way they broke their vows to God to abstain until marriage?” is graphically illustrated in the anatomy of both the male and the female; we see that the difference in the design of the male and female anatomy is completely complimentary.

often, unbelievers are already sexually active with each other and sometimes with other partners on an ‘on and off ’ basis. Therefore, having no moral/ spiritual gauge for what governs their lives, unbelievers determine themselves what is acceptable in the bedroom. The Wedding Night-for Christians On the Wedding night, for those who practised biblical abstinence, sex can be either scary or exciting depending on how they have been educated on the topic. One wife hid in the bathroom all night from her husband as she was told how painful sex would be. The Bible speaks about ‘two becoming one flesh.’ Gen 2:24. This ‘one-flesh union’

The first experience for the couple cannot be forced and so there needs to be sensitive foreplay and tender loving care taken, making it comfortable for both persons. During intercourse, the level of intimacy is paralleled, in its physical closeness, transparency, honesty and sensitivity, to entering the Holiest Place of the Tabernacle, where there was a veil that needed to be torn in order to encounter God. The same happens in the marriage covenant where the physical hymen that is broken is symbolic of the torn veil in the Tabernacle. Indeed something needs to be broken for blood to be shed. This is where the marriage is proven to be consummated and the covenant actually begins in the natural realm and the spiritual realm. Jesus Christ shed His blood for us and so we have been made one with Christ. So it is, with the marriage bed, blood is shed between both persons and a covenant has also been made. Heb 13:4

For those who had repeatedly made covenants with others sexually, unknown to them at the time, by the act of breaking the hymen which invoked a covenant; they have had to go into prayer and fasting to break these resistant, ‘soul ties’ which haunt them continually. Mark 10:8; 1 Cor 6:16. Note, the soul realm is where ties of the mind, the will and the emotions are made. Two souls literally became one and a breakup causes ‘heartache’, emotional pain and spiritual severing. Another issue with premarital sex is the matter of comparing the initial encounter to their current married partner. Sometimes during sexual activities within marriage, their mind is focussed on someone else in their soul. This running comparison between partners causes a spiritual divide that widens incrementally. It becomes a problem where demons can use it to tempt the couple mentally whilst in the matrimonial bed and ultimately creates an insatiable lust for deeper sexual pleasure. This can lead to deviant sexual practices and immorality that do not honour God. p

Often, Christian couples who have been sexually active before marriage, whether with each other or with external partners, October - December 2020

By Michelle Goulbourne Business Administrator, Educator, Counsellor, Motivational Speaker and Worship Leader.

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Come in, It’s Open We Have Access Into

The Secret Place

If you’ve ever played hide and seek as a child, you know that finding the perfect hiding spot is priceless. You can always hide there and never be found. In the same way, it is important for God’s children to understand that we have a hiding place in our Lord and Bridegroom that is impenetrable by the enemy. As I reflected on Psalm 91, it occurred to me that there are specific conditions under which we can claim the protection afforded there. Let’s define our terms To dwell means to remain for a time or to keep the attention directed at. A Secret place is one that is kept hidden from others. It is a location that is just for you and the Most High. Verse one states, we are to dwell or remain in the secret place of the Most High. This means that there is an action that needs to be taken by us in order to get to this specific place. Only those who make the choice to dwell or stay in this place get the privilege of ‘abiding under the shadow of the Almighty.’ We don’t come for a summer vacation, Christmas and Easter break, we stay/linger in this secret place everyday.

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October - December 2020

WHAT WE NEED TO DO If we : • • • • • •

Dwell Abide Rest Trust Believe Do not fear terror of night, arrows of day or pestilence in darkness • Love the Lord • Acknowledge His name • Call on Him We will: • Observe the enemy’s defeat • Tread on lions & serpents WHAT GOD DOES God is our : • • • •

Life giver and sustainer Refuge/fortress Savior/rescuer/deliverer Covering/ protector (no harm with overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent, commands his angels regarding you, they know who you are and are assigned to you) • Husband He will: (Honors you, satisfy your desires) • He answer your prayers • He be with you in trouble What is this secret place and how do we get there? I believe this secret place is in the presence of God. Psalm 31:20 NIV says, “In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.” In order to dwell in His

presence we need to know and meditate on God’s word; worship; pray and speak to our Father and be obedient to His commands. Once we are in right standing with God, we can then continue to dwell in His secret place. As we remain in the secret place, we have the awesome privilege of abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. Have you ever walked on a sunny day in sweltering heat? I imagine God being that majestic tree that shelters you from the heat of the sun once you step into the shadow of His branches. As long as we remain in His shadow we are safe. Even more important is knowing what we mean when we talk about His presence. When we come into His presence is this a literal/physical place? Do we need to be in church in order to be in the presence of God? Is it even true worship if someone has to prompt us to do it? God longs for us to continuously reside in His presence, not engage one day per week when we gather together to worship as a community. Worship is the key that unlocks the door into His presence. Worship means to give reverent honor to; bowing to God. It means we place God’s worth/ value above anything we can think or imagine. It’s about what you do when no one else is looking. “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” John 4:24 NIV. This scripture points us to the truth that true worship is done in the spirit realm. This can be expressed in prayers, supplications and thanksgivings. God wants our spirit, influenced by

His Holy spirit within us to worship, not just the superficial outer praise that comes from the body or our lips. This means that true worship is more of a one to one exchange between God and man rather than what we are used to in a worship service where a leader encourages us to worship as a community. More often than not this is praise as it is an expression of gratitude for what God has done. In order for us to truly worship, we need to spend time alone with God. Communicate with Him in the Spirit. Once Jesus died and rose again, the Holy Spirit was then able to dwell within us instead of in the Holies of Holies in the temple. This means while we live a physical life daily, we should also live a spiritual life. We now have access to the presence of God, if we so desire, on a consistent basis. We can experience His nearness, love power, peace and joy “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11 NIV Although the ultimate goal would be to consciously dwell in His presence all day and all night, we sometimes become distracted by the burdens of life and step away from/ignore His presence. God desires true intimacy with us, for us to know what true love is. Can you hear His voice softly, saying, “Come in, it’s Open?” p Cheryl Williams Author, Educator and Church Administrator.

October - December 2020

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THE FALL FEASTS T

The Feasts are a foreshadowing of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, beginning with His death on the cross as the Passover Lamb (redemption and cleansing), and Pentecost (the provision of the Holy Spirit), to the Feast of Tabernacles (Glory) of God dwelling with His people. The last three Feasts will be fulfilled at the Second Coming when the Yeshua the Lamb returns as the Lion, to rule and reign over the earth.

1. Trumpets (Yom Teru’ah) – Tishri 1 (Rosh Hashanah) – Fri 18 Sept 2020 sunset The Feast of the Trumpets Lev 23:23-25. The blowing of the shofar is to signal a reminder for the harvest field workers of Israel to finish their harvest and go up to Jerusalem for worship at the Temple. It is to alert the people to go before their holy Creator in humility and repentance, who will judge sin and all who fall short of His righteousness.

2. Atonement

(Yom Kippur) – Tishri 9 - Sun 27 Sept 2020 sunsetsunset

The Feast of Atonement takes place after the 9 days of repentance and typifies the judgment of God on the sins of Israel Lev 23:26-32. In ancient times, two goats are brought before the High Priest, one is sacrificed and its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat (lev 16:15), and the other released into the wilderness (Lev 16:20), to atone for the sins of Israel.

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October - December 2020

3. Tabernacles

(Sukkot) – Tishri 15-22 (Sukkot) – Fri 2 to 9 Oct 2020 sunset

The Feast of Tabernacles Lev 23:33-44. It begins five days after Yom Kippur and lasts seven days as Israel gather the fruits of the land and branches from trees to make booths to remind them of their temporary dwelling in the desert. It reminds them of God’s provision and dwelling among them during their wilderness journey.

For Us Today These three feasts are interlinked together – from repentance (Feast of Trumpet) to redemption (Day of Atonement), and finally, the remnant will be partakers of the Feast of Tabernacles of which the last great day of this last feast will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! It signals the beginning of the final phase of God’s redemption plan. It points to a picture of the Rapture of the Church, the second coming of Jesus and the last great harvest and the resurrection of the saints. Will We Be Ready? The sound of the shofar reminds us to awake from our slumber to self-examination, repentance and restoring our relationship with God. “Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you. (Ephesians 5:14)”. So we also ‘blow’ the Trumpet to tell others of the salvation of God. The Day of Atonement, a day confession, and reminds us that the access to God has been opened and our sins are completely removed by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. Reconciliation

has already been provided! The Feast of the Tabernacles typifies the Lord’s thousand-year reign on earth. This will be the Holy Place, that God said, “Let them construct a Mishkan (Holy Place) for Me, that I may dwell (Shadchan) among them”. “Behold the tabernacle of God is among them, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them…. And I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.” (Rev 21:2-7). This is the Shekhinah or manifest Presence of God Himself, dwelling permanently with man, the Bridegroom and the Bride dwelling in the bridal chamber. The last day of the feast is called “the great day of the feast.”Jesus, on the final day of this Feast, said in a loud voice, “IF anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”. John 7:37-38. These feasts point to a time to look ahead to the day when Jesus returns. It points to a messianic

hope. A reminder to be ready for the soon coming appearance of King Jesus, our Bridegroom coming for His bride, who, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”. I Cor 15:51-53). We are the bride, waiting to be united in marriage to the Bridegroom Lamb. Happy Sukkot! I pray that your ears will hear the sound of the shofar – the call of the Holy Spirit, to draw you closer to Him. May you continue to behold our Lamb, whose blood sacrifice and atonement have enabled us to look forward to the day of the marriage supper of the Lamb, as we continue to enjoy living with God’s presence daily. May you rejoice that your names are written in the Lamb’s book of life as you prepare by His spirit, to enter His soon coming kingdom. p

By Suyin Sutherland Business owner, a lover of God’s presence, loves to introduce others into God’s secret place.

October - December 2020

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BEHIND THE CLOSED DOOR

This is the last in the series on our journey through the Tabernacle. The journey has been about experiencing the intimacy of the love relationship between God and His covenanted people, the Bridegroom and His Bride. We were created for intimacy with God. We have been given a spirit that can communicate with His Spirit. His love for us is intense, passionate and stronger than death: a love that nothing but Love alone can quench. As a husband does, He has chosen to love and ravish His bride with beauty, glory and splendour. As we understand this imagery our perspective of who God is to us, changes and we understand why He so desires us. We are created for His pleasure. The Invitation To Intimacy The Lord invites us to identify with the words of King Solomon “Arise, my love, my fair one and come away” (Song of Songs 2:10), as a Bridegroom would speak to a bride. The time has come for the Bridegroom to take His bride to His Father’s house, to the wedding bed-chamber and the ceremony. Preparation For intimacy Preparation is so important.

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Revelations 19:7 says, “The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” So how does one prepare for this wonderful invitation from the Bridegroom? For me, I prepare myself in several ways. I like to adorn myself with the jewels of God’s word (Isa 61:10). I like to think of my wedding gown dazzling with the attributes of pure love, obedience, and personal holiness. And, with excited expectation. Can I say as King David said, “my flesh yearns…thirsts for You” (Psalm 63:1-8). Am I consumed with passion, like David, with a heart full of desire for his Lord? Am I so in love with my Lord, that I experience an aching for more of Him? Do I yearn to walk, and live and breathe His presence all day long? Getting to know Him—who He is, what He does, how He thinks, and what He desires – becomes the centre of my affection. I have longed realised that knowing Him is much more than knowing about Him. Intimacy with the Lord comes from knowing Him and His word. Out of that intimacy flows security, dependency, and a willingness to submit to His will,

October - December 2020

knowing that He loves me even more than I love myself. The beauty of intimacy with the Lord is in knowing Him and being known by Him. Inside the wedding chamber Each person’s experience of intimacy with God will be unique. I will never forget how a visiting speaking said to me: The Lord just told me to give you a kiss you. So, he kissed me on my forehead. That is intimacy from God! And it happened when I saw God as a wooing Bridegroom (Song of Songs 1:2). Many times, the Lord has given me a picture of Him taking my hand and drawn me away to Him and we have walked and strolled through the meadows of His abundant sweet promises. During these times I have received words of love, a knowledge of being loved and valued and a sense of well-being released into my heart. I have had visions and revelations of His glory and power. I have a certainty that I am wanted by a Father in heaven who adores me. Encouragement, warnings and a deeper understanding of His word happen when He speaks to me in the secret place. He has shown me some secrets that He says I cannot share. When I open up the innermost part of my soul, being willing to be vulnerable and transparent with Him, He can unlock any roots of besetting sins where I have been hurt or damaged, and give me empowering ways of escape. Here in this space, I experience His deep healing and transformation.

Intimacy with God often occurs in places where I must trust Him most. As I open my heart I hear from God as He births dreams of what is on His heart, visions and plans for my life. He shows me how He is tightening up all the loose bolts in my life, so I can function as a complete vassal for His kingdom. Often In this time of intimacy – I can receive an impartation of the Holy Spirit through the intentional yielding of my heart, as He fills me mentally and physically with a refreshment that lifts up my soul and spirit and I feel like I am walking on air. He showed me how to dive into the deep waters of His glorious presence, and then how to soar with Him on an eagle to fly above the storms of my life and enjoy the beauty of His creation from the air. As intimacy deepens, I progress from saying “My Beloved is mine” ie You belong to me first and then I belong to you (Song of Songs 2:16) to “I am my Beloved’s AND His desire is for me.” (Song of Songs 7:10) ie I do not need to claim Him anymore because I know He desires me. Can we hear His voice calling and inviting us to enter into the bridal chamber? Will our response be: “Come, Lord Jesus. You are our Bridegroom, come and take us to Yourself as Your beloved bride?” p

October - December 2020

By Suyin Sutherland Business owner, a lover of God’s presence, loves to introduce others into God’s secret place.

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Did you know - God gets jealous too? (Ezekiel 16) ‘What????’ I hear you say, ‘God can be jealous? Surely you have got that wrong, isn’t jealousy a sin?’

God Gets Jealous Too

How can a God who is Holy and loving, full of Grace and Mercy be jealous? Just maybe we need to revisit our understanding of the We word ‘jealous’ and how it is used to very describe the nature of God. often are guilty ‘you shall not bow down to them of taking the nor serve them. For I, the Lord your things that should God, am a jealous God’ be reserved for God Its use here, in Exodus 20:5 to and giving them or describe God is different from how using them for someone it is used to describe the sin of else. Think about how we use our jealousy (Galatians 5:20). “Jealous” time. On many occasions, we give is often used in the context of being God the last five minutes before envious or covetous of someone we fall asleep, having given away who has something we do not everything else, the best part of our have. That something could be day. We expect Him to be satisfied looks, ability, possessions or even with that. I have news for you, He their partner or spouse. It is in the is not. setting of this last example that Think about how we use our ‘Godwe may want to consider God as Given’ skills and abilities, think being ‘Jealous’. In Ezekiel 16, about how we use the things we it is not that God is jealous or possess. envious because someone has something He wants or needs God What God is ‘jealous’ of belongs is jealous when someone gives to to Him; our worship, our service, another something that rightly our devotion belong to Him alone. belongs to Him! The word used Anything or anyone we put ahead for ‘jealous’ Kana is often translated of Him, in front of Him, assumes or re-interpreted as ‘Zealous’ the position of an idol. and is perhaps a better way of understanding its use in Scripture. ‘I am the LORD, that is My name; Ezekiel describes Jerusalem as an I will not give My glory to another, unfaithful wife giving favours to Nor My praise to graven images,’ several other suitors, in fact giving Isaiah 42:8 favours to anyone except her When we relegate God to less than husband, God! God is responding first, we hurt and damage ourselves as someone who catches their because it is like exchanging Gold for partner in the act of cheating on tin. God desires the best for us and them. It is not jealousy as in the is zealous about it. His zealousness sense of coveting someone else but is a reflection of His love for us. A indignation at someone taking what love so intense, so zealous that is yours and spoiling it. John said ‘For God So Loved the 20

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October - December 2020

World… that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ. This is the ‘ jealousy’ Paul described in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “I am jealous for you with godly jealousy...” p Bishop John Jackson, Senior Pastor NTCG Muntz Street. Married with children and a keen lover of music and Arsenal Football Club!

Beyond The Curtain “You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy it shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim.” Exodus 26:31 The Tabernacle of Moses only had a linen curtain or veil between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. Imagine you are in the Tabernacle and that you are part of the Priesthood. Your duty today is to service the Altar of Incense, to sprinkle it on the Menorah and to offer up prayers for Israel. As you stand there you are lost in the moment, you can see the shadow of the Ark of the Covenant through that veil. You desperately want to go in the Holy of Holies and touch the Ark. You know it is where God meets with the High priest AND YOU WANT TO MEET WITH HIM too, to see His Glory and experience His presence. The only obstacle in your way is a veil and of course it is the High Priest’s job and His only to enter the Holy of Holies, and that once a year. When you read in the book of Exodus of the fabric the wonderful embroidery and colours used it must have been a real temptation just to even touch this veil.

“No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy; only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries; for I the Lord sanctify them.” Leviticus 21:21-23 The desire in you is so strong you almost draw back the veil BUT then you stop knowing if you do you will die. IT IS NOT YOUR PLACE. I cannot imagine the disappointment and frustration you would feel but the one thing that really matters here is obedience to God. Just a thought I wonder how many times the Priests would have asked God the question why? The veil itself is a sacred furnishing if you remember they were all sanctified by God through the sprinkling of blood sacrifice at the completion of the Tabernacle. The Jerusalem temple, built by Solomon, is a replica of the wilderness tabernacle, and this had a curtain/veil that was about 60 feet in height, 30 feet in width and four inches thick. As Jesus cried out in victory, “IT IS FINISHED” it was torn from top down, meaning this must have been God’s doing. As the veil

was torn, the Holy of Holies was now exposed; a way was made for the world to be reconciled to God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Yeshua) The veil they were not even allowed to touch has now been ripped away and we can enter the Holy of Holies, we can experience the presence and glory of the Lord as we can meet with Him. There is a condition of course for this wonderful privilege of meeting with God and that is, we need to accept that Jesus suffered and died for our sin; that He and He only has made a way through the veil. For those of us who have done this and believe in the Lord, we no longer look through a veil dimly, now we have access to that Holiest Place ro meet face to face with Him. There is of course a third Temple or Tabernacle and this is the one we can look forward to: it’s the Heavenly Tabernacle. “Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the Ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thundering, an earthquake, and great hail” Revelation 11:19 There is no veil there either, that is for another time... p

October - December 2020

By Barbara Payne intercessor, evangelist, minister, holds Women Unite events in the UK

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The 2

Women of Revelation T

To begin to understand Revelation you must have some understanding of the symbolic language often used in scriptures. This kind of language dominates Revelations. As we look at the two women of Revelation we must appreciate the fact that it is not speaking of literal women but is using them as metaphors to explain something much broader. There are actually three women mentioned in Revelation, they are: 1. The woman who had the male child (Revelation 12:1-2). 2. The prostitute/harlot who also rides the beast (Revelation 17) and 3. The bride who will be at the marriage feast of the lamb. In this article we will focus on the later two.

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We’ll start by looking at their mention in Revelation 19. Verse 2 states (NIV) “He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” Verse 7-8 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” The Harlot To understand who she is we must note how she is described above in Revelation 19:2. The NIV describes her as an ‘adulterer’ other translations call her a

October - December 2020

‘fornicator’. Both are correct. A fornicator is having an affair outside of marriage an adulterer is having one with someone else while married. In Bible days when a Jewish woman was betrothed to a man their commitment was sealed and they were considered as good as married and simply awaiting the marriage ceremony so the consummation and life together can begin. The harlot therefore, as one betrothed to Christ, has made a marital commitment to Him but is having an affair with someone else. She is in the company of Jesus during the days but in the bed of the devil at nights. She is defined by her deception, she’s the ‘great harlot’ and represents

another false Jesus and gospel says, “For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 (NKJV) “...But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 (NIV) Conclusion

those who say they love Christ and perform in public but secretly love the world in their hearts. John in 1 John 2:15 says we cannot love God and the world. Our hearts do not have the capacity to fully love two people. If we love the world we do not love God. James says when God’s people become friends with the world we become the enemies of God (see James 4). The harlot is truly an enemy of God purporting to be His lover. She also hates the true bride and is constantly trying to kill her. The Bride The bride, the one Christ chose over the harlot, has remained faithful to Him during the betrothed period. She prepares and keeps herself as she waits for the return

of her bridegroom. She is keen to see to it that her dress is kept clean and ready without spot or wrinkle etc and that she is pure. Revelation 19:7-8 says she has made herself ready and speaks of her fine linen that is bright and clean. John goes on to explain the symbolism, he says, “...the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” The bride spoken of here represents those who truly love Christ. This love is made manifest in their living, how they have kept themselves from the corruption that is in the world and their acts of love that flows from a genuine care for others. Paul, warning the Corinthian church against those false apostles and teachers who will entice them away from the love of the true Christ to

An important distinction between the harlot and the bride is this… The harlot wants her pleasure now and cannot wait so, though betrothed to Christ, she finds another lover and defiles herself. She is in love with instant gratification not Christ. Paul tells Timothy what people who claim to belong to God will be like in the last days, he says they “...will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:2-5 (Read all of it) The bride is in love with Christ so she waits for that great coronation. She will endure the hardships of chastity now as she keeps herself for that moment behind the veil, alone with the one she loves as they consummate the marriage and begin a life together for eternity. It won’t be long now, the groom will soon be on His way so get ready and continue to keep yourself pure.

p By Homer Slack Author, preacher, Bible teacher, IT tutor, programmer & graphic designer

October - December 2020

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TESTIMONY COME AWAY WITH ME...

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October - December 2020

by Louise Willard

invitation to a deeper place than I had experienced up to that point, in my relationship with Him. What a journey it has been! Is it over or, indeed, has it even come to the fullness of the depth of relationship that is possible? Of course not. But one thing I can absolutely assure you; I will do whatever the Lord requires of me to cooperate with Him and allow Him to draw me to where He wants me to be. So, He has spoken once again and said, “Come away with Me…” At first I struggled a little with accepting that it really was God, and not just something within myself. And because this is going to be a longer time of being “shut in with Him,” some questions started coming up, and I wrestled with them for a while. Why would the Lord say this to me now…in the midst of a very “active” time in my life? He has given me some answers. One, when there are too many voices, vying for my attention, there needs to be a sifting or sorting out of those voices. Seeking God and allowing the Holy Spirit to do that for me is the only solution. He said so! Two, when all those voices press in on me, I become “reactive.” That is not God’s plan for my life!

So many times, as I have walked with God, He has said those words to me. At first, it seemed like just a casual statement from somewhere in the deep recesses of my own soul. But, as the years went by, and God started teaching me about Himself, it changed. About 28-29 years ago, He spoke something to me that took me into the Song of Solomon. It was an

The Lord spoke something else to me earlier this week, by way of something that happened here at my home. I was trying to share something I thought was important with my husband. He wouldn’t really turn and take the few moments it would have taken to listen to me. I wanted his attention, for just a minute, and hopefully, a response from him about what I was trying to tell him. He couldn’t, or wouldn’t, pull away from the nonsense he

was watching on TV long enough to hear what I was trying to say. I was so frustrated! And, yes, a little hurt that the things I want to share with him have so little value to him. I went back into my little office and, of course, talked or maybe “complained” to the Lord about the way I was just treated by him. Do you know what He said to me? He said, “I know EXACTLY how you feel! I experience it every day!” I was shocked by the intensity with which He spoke those words! Then my heart was so grieved, as I realized the depth of what He was saying about how hard it was to get His people’s attention. He said a lot more concerning it, but those things will remain with me until He tells me to share them. He has my attention! I have chosen and will continue to choose to make Him my top priority! So, I will answer His call to “Come away with Me” for however long it will take to accomplish what He desires for it to accomplish. I already know it is going to be for a longer period of time than it has been in my past experiences. I don’t have a problem with that. My heart is excited about it and I am filled with a wonderful sense of expectation for the things that will come out of it. As soon as I said “Yes, Lord” an overwhelming joy flooded my soul! So, I will see you when I “get back.” I am trusting and rejoicing in Him for the invitation, and honouring the privilege He has given me to spend time shut-in with Him! I am truly blessed! p www.faithwriters.com/article.php?id=25

October - December 2020

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# youth

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Trade

Intimacy for Piety 26

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October - December 2020

Passion is most readily recognised as a hallmark of youthfulness. The vitality and excitement of young love prizes intimacy and companionship above all other pursuits. So often this is true for those who newly come to Christ, but there is, unfortunately, a tendency if left unattended, for intimacy to be replaced with something that seems otherwise noble. I can recall the earliest days of my walk with the Lord as a teenager, those times where I felt prayer was more like a conversation, where I couldn’t wait to share what was on my heart and listen to what was on His. Eventually, as I had less time available to enjoy His presence with legitimate responsibilities like my academics, sports and typical teenage distractions, I started to feel distance in the relationship and knew that something was amiss. As I grew up in the Lord I became busier in the work of ministry, and this increased time spent doing this work started to compensate for the spiritual distance I was feeling. Doing more for the Lord was like my justification for the increasing lack of intimacy. Like days away from the gym makes it harder to find joy and progress in working out, disaffection with the Lord made it even more difficult to sense His presence and ultimately created the climate for disillusionment and burnout. I got to a point where I recognized my faith wasn’t producing fruit in my life nor making me a better person on a consistent nor particularly outstanding basis. I expended more moral energy wrestling with the guilt and shame, than really making a moral mark on the world around me. Shame about my inadequacy was such a disempowering force

and it made it increasingly difficult to muster the courage and humility to seek the comfort and admonition of the Holy Spirit. It frequently occurred to me that something must be missing, dysfunctional or disconnected but I was too embarrassed , perhaps too conceited, to admit it. I suspect the dissonance was too much to bear any longer and this moral impotence led me to re-envisage the source of my moral intuitions and where the responsibility to direct them ultimately laid. I then started to struggle with the conspicuous discrepancy between my life and that of the earliest followers of Christ, the courage, power, and the miraculous they experienced seemed alien to my life. How had the drama that unfolded in the lives of the believer’s recounted in the book of Acts been so far removed from the relative mundanity of my life? I figured it was either a symptom of low expectations or spiritual disconnection that led me on an oscillating yet unfulfilling pursuit for more of this kind of power. Ultimately, the lack of intimate connection with the father cost me a disruption and confusion about my core identity. When you don’t functionally know and experience WHOSE you are, you forget and ultimately reinvent WHO you are. Then came the desperation met with experimentation to find identity in what I did or what felt good which was frustrating and unfruitful. It’s so important to pay attention to your desperation, as even pigslop can look appetizing if you are hungry enough, as we learned from the famous prodigal son. Desperation can lead you to re-envision who you are and your convictions in order to

justify compromise. Many people appear to change their behaviour out of character in a moment of desperation; so it’s so important to pay attention to your desperation. What you are desperate for can become a vice and a yoke of control that can prove detrimental to your destiny. One act of deviance in desperation can destroy an entire legacy. What you are desperate for might indicate a genuine need, but don’t let it change who you fundamentally are in order to achieve that thing. As you are aware of situations that drive you to desperation, be guided by the compass of your convictions and not the intensity of your desire. In closing, if your works FOR Christ have greater priority than an intimate relationship WITH Christ then you have missed it and could be on the way to spiritual shipwreck. The disciplines and duties in the Christian life must flow from the primacy of devotion to Christ for it to be authentic, sustainable and pleasing to Christ. I knew this in theory but too often neglecting it in practice, thinking that my works, ministry responsibilities and activism would compensate for my lack of desire to wholly pursue His presence and Kingdom. This only led to buyers remorse when I realized I traded intimacy for piety. If this in any way speaks to you, ask the Lord to search your heart and repent for making idols out of even good things, in the neglect of the one thing that matters above all. p

October - December 2020

By Joel Brown. Worshipper, disciple and physician

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# youth

SHARE Continued

Barriers to Worship Survey

We have unconditional access into the VERY Presence of God one on one, why aren’t we ALL experiencing it?

Rev Patrice Butler

Have you in all your born again experience ever had a personal encounter with God? I can say I have experienced God’s guidance in my life and divine direction.

1b.

Can you describe it? Had my own plans to go my own way and God ordered my steps when I ran like Jonah from his plans. I went overseas planned not to return at one point running away from doing ministry; had an encounter in my vision I saw myself looking at a church without a Shepherd so I asked, “Who is the pastor?” I heard a voice saying what are you doing up there I didn’t send you overseas to stay. At another instance, in my vision, I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Preach my word in season and out of season.” Does the Bible have any reference for what you have experienced? Yes, Isaac had a vision when he was sleeping on the stone he heard God instructing him and he saw angels ascending and descending. Peter had a vision of the sheet coming from heaven and God spoke to him as well.

What are the barriers that are currently in our culture that are hindering us on a whole congregation level from experiencing a personal encounter with God? Some of the barriers in church culture today are: we at times limit God to what he revealed to our fore-parents in the past; we have our way how we think God should manifest Himself; lack of unity in the body, lack of knowledge of who God really is, lack of true repentance, lack of fervent prayer individually and collectively, some persons not recognizing that the body is not to be divided.

4. 28

Is encountering God something that you have been taught to desire?

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October - December 2020

I could say maybe our leaders implied that we seek God but personally my prayer was always to have an encounter which transforms my life as he did with Paul and many other men of the Bible.

Are you at all curious or desirous of getting to know God in a deeper more personal way? Y/N explain Yes, I’m both curious and desirous of experiencing God more than what I’m experiencing now because I’m yet to experience the Acts church in our generation; I’ve seen some things as a child coming up right through to adulthood; I long for that supernatural move or encounter from God knowing Him even more than how I know Him now.

Apostle Jamin Wedderburn

Have you in all you born again experience ever had a personal encounter with God? Yes

1b.

Can you describe it?

Does the Bible have any reference for what you have experienced?

On one occasion, I felt like something tangible was pouring into me - my body was being filled up literally. It was so intense that I had to ask for it to stop. However, it was the most beautiful feeling at the same time.

Not sure... I haven’t really searched.

3. 4. 5.

What are the barriers that are currently in our culture that are hindering us on a whole congregation level from experiencing a personal encounter with God? Ignorance of the possibility of us having encounters with God. Then those who know refuse to access these encounters. Is encountering God something that you have been taught to desire? I believe it’s a part of who I am. I’m not entirely sold on theories without the evidence of their reality. I like manifestations. Are you at all curious or desirous of getting to know God in a deeper more personal way? Y/N explain. Sure! I’m always hungry for more. As I write this response, I’m on another journey seeking encounters with God. I want the more that God has in store!

We encourage you at #YouthSAHRE to answer this questionnaire personally and then earnestly pray for the grace to encounter God in a deeper more meaningful way in your life. If we ask, He will surely hear us.

October - December 2020

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World

W COVID - 19: Locked Down Or Locked INto God?

What has been your response to COVID -19? Have you seized the chance to get off the treadmill that we have been frantically running on like a gerbil and find quality time with God? We have a golden opportunity for a REAL intimate knowledge of GOD, not to be missed! We can choose to ‘dance in the desert’ or die in despair because whenever we are God is there and He will provide for us, He doesn’t change. Lately, while I was in the throes of domestic chores and business tasks, multitasking as we women do, God asked me: “When last have we been intimate? You haven’t been to Church per se but have you been to me?” We can send God the type of communication that I call ‘e-prayers’. We just quickly send God a voice note, text or email and we don’t even wait to hear the ‘ping’ in God’s inbox; we have moved on to the next task, ticked our box, we are done. Meanwhile, God is thinking,

When will I get a word in? When will they actually spend some time listening to what I have to say? Since COVID, there has a been a paradigm shift from, ‘Going to the Church’ to getting together with God and that growing phenomenon has manifested itself in the ‘House Church movement.’ In 2006, this headline caught some attention: “1 in 5 adults attend house churches,” according to Barna.com “...about 5% of the adult population is currently engaged in a house church based upon the most stringent of the questions we have developed. With growing numbers of conventional churches attempting to incorporate both the house church concept and language into their ministries, it becomes increasingly difficult to get an accurate reading, but we are confident that the longer, more detailed question we use gives a realistic, perhaps even an undersized estimate of the number of people who rely solely on or partly on a house church experience. All research is simply an estimate of reality, but our preference has

always been to use conservative measures rather than questionable or exaggerated figures.” What the stats are showing us is that there is an increase in church activities happening in the privacy of people homes. Unfortunately what the stats don’t show us is if this increase is from extracurricular church activities from a “traditional” church or if these are house groups or their own individual churches. What is clear is that the Biblical pattern of meeting in each other’s homes was the pattern that the Apostles worked from and it gave room for the Holy Spirit to build the Church globally, witnessing unprecedented exponential growth. In short, God’s way was ‘effortlessly fruitful’. “Our planning puts man and money to work but our praying allows God to work.” H. Slack I believe that COVID is that golden opportunity for the ‘Church to Get back on track with God. What could God possibly have to say to us, today, that is so important that He has not already

https://www.barna.com/research/how-many-people-really-attend-a-house-church-barna-study-finds-it-depends-on-the-definition/?fbclid=IwAR02oqmoD56PhQnXghfY0vT MBcvPMLbUnL0p4N1pC6GcJiZGyP28a36jci8 30

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October - December 2020

In View

said clearly in the Bible? Actually not much that is ‘new’. The real question is, why haven’t we listened to and obeyed what He has already clearly said again and again to us in The Bible and though numerous prophets throughout the ages? The answer is we are rebellious and often stiff-necked. So God patiently forbears with us and keeps reminding us but He will not always strive with humanity and the appointed time set for our judgement is running out. So I have shared below one more attempt by our heavenly Father to bring us back into alignment with His will. The Pattern of Church Building and Evangelism Jesus commanded the apostles on the day of Pentecost to wait on the Holy Spirit once the anointing came they had the power to then go out and church plant with the blessed assurance and the tools to then preach salvation. Modern-day church planting has taken on a ‘franchiselike’ spirit where church organisations are planting churches for economic or soulish purposes (sometimes with good intent) but without waiting on the Holy

Spirit’s instruction. Causing churches and their leaders to be born out of the will of God and causing chaos within the body

of Christ. Is 2020 the year of return to the Acts 2 pattern? p

A Prophetic Word by Pastor Jacqueline Chin-Depass I am writing prophetic words to you today: “All around the world, I see God bringing promotion and at the same time exposition in the body of Christ. I see him increasing ministries founded on HIS TRUTH exponentially and closing the doors and putting on the “back burner” those in halfway obedience or those who chose to only promote a “speak nice and feel good” gospel. If God has not increased your fruit-bearing and sphere of influence in this season (he is causing the message of repentance and hope in Christ to proliferate the four corners of the earth) then stop and come to God in brokenness. Do not be deceived any longer check carefully your beliefs, have you somehow missed the voice of God in a particular area of your life. Or is your living lining up to the message you preach?

Those who God has exposed in this season, many of them, God prompted his people to pray. We discerned! Yet when we warned others they refused to listen. These individuals who God exposed were so convinced they were in truth and knew God. They were far away from God. Please come to God in brokenness and ask God to purify you in the inward parts. Ask him to show you if you have any wrong beliefs or are operating out of the soulish realm. He welcomes brokenness and repentance. I pray God’s truth would saturate us from the crown of our head to the soles of our feet. His truth would be in our inward parts and his truth would set us free.” Article by Dorian Slack Angela Slack & Jacqueline Chin-Depass

October - December 2020

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October - December 2020

Genre: Historical, Romance, Faith-drama. Award: 2007 CAMIE Award for Luke Goss’ portrayal of King Xerxes. “A 2006 American historical epic film produced by Matt Crouch and Laurie Crouch of Gener8Xion Entertainment, directed by Michael O. Sajbel, and starring Peter O’Toole, Tiffany Dupont, John Rhys-Davies and Luke Goss.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_ Night_with_the_King

A dramatisation of the biblical story of Esther formerly Hadassa a Jewish commoner among the exiled immigrants living in Susa, Persia (modern Iran) at the time of King Xerxes, The Great. She finds herself at the centre of Persian political intrigue and crisis when she, though a mysterious set of circumstances, is selected as the New Queen of Persia; in replacement of the recently dethroned Queen Vashti. To say that the promotion was a ‘hot seat’ would be putting it lightly but with the encouragement of Her insightful and prudent uncle Mordicai and later under the guidance and favour of the chief Enoch in charge of the Royal Harem, she becomes a great success. That is until undercurrents of hate and revenge against the Jewish people plotted by the

kings’ newly appointed and highly favoured ‘Prince Offical’ of the Court [Haman] brings the threat of annihilation of her people to rest squarely on her shoulders. She battles with the conundrum of being the Queen and yet a subject and she has to process and work out for herself how to best approach the King to save her people, without embarrassing the King before his peers and officials as the previous Queen had done. She had to prudently find a resolution without sealing her own demise and that of her people. We are fortuitous that this female character of the Bible doesn’t flinch and in the end, she is willing to face even martyrdom to secure Her people’s survival. Interestingly, what strikes the viewer is the delicate marshalling of the King’s Heart and affection that Esther has to perfect; it’s a great power and responsibility he has placed in her hands and she has to figure out how to strike the balance between her Lover and Her Lord in order to be a successful Queen. Also, she has to maintain the King’s favour and not neglect her filial duty to her people and Her devotion to Her God.

Practical Today

Application

for

Queen Esters’ story has left an indelible spiritual lesson and we have the same conundrum to consider and we must also choose. At the pivotal moment, everything was delicately balanced upon the amount of favour that she had won in the king’s heart. He had to be confident that Esther had his heart in mind as much as she was desperate to save her people. In the end, love won. The film brought out the vulnerability of both lovers in that, their survival on all sides is dictated to by the strict Medo-Persian laws and protocols that are irrevocable once written down. Esther feared God first and sought His guidance in prayer and fasting. He reassured her and delivered her enemies into her hands. I encourage to you watch the film and allow it to assist you in your own search for the secrets of God’s heart for you and to experience the intimacy that His stretched out sceptre bequeaths you. p

October - December 2020

By Angela Slack educator, curriculum/literacy specialist, technical author, editor and publisher

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BLACKBERRIES AND YOU I sometimes felt that I was like The new blackberries on the branches, I’d been so green, hard and yes, bitter But suddenly in the early summer sun I was awakened by you as a tender gentle rain, and a heavy shower awoke in me a misremembered power.

A way to swell and ripen after ‘winter’ chill in the warmth of your care for me. And now I’m full-bodied and sweet ready to pick, to eat, to savour. But be careful, there are prickles and stings from nettles that can cause pain. And sharp, tart, cruel and pungent memories of previous hurts that are hard to fully erase. So harvest my bounty carefully and wash the mature ripeness clean. Help me to recover from the trauma of being picked so late in life. But far better to be chosen and eaten than to stay on the bush and decay. All my ripe sweetness will drip from your lips and colour them purple. Do not wipe it away-it is my gift to you. © Jo Kay - August 2020

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October - December 2020

In Praise of Hymn Within the Veil

1 THE veil is rent: our souls draw near Unto the throne of grace; The merits of the Lord appear, They fill the holy place. 2 His precious blood avails us there As we approach the throne; And His own wounds in heaven declare The atoning work is done. 3 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tis finished: here our souls have rest, His work can never fail; By Him, our Sacrifice and Priest, We pass within the veil. 4 Within the holiest of all, Cleansed by His precious blood, Before the throne we prostrate fall, And worship Thee, O God. 5 Boldly the heart and voice we raise, His blood, His name, our plea; Assured our prayers and songs of praise Ascend, by Christ, to Thee.

Reviewing Great Christian Hymns By James George Deck (1802-1884) Was was born in 1802 and became an officer in the Indian service. Retiring from the army, and having joined the Plymouth Brethren, he undertook, in 1843, charge of a congregation at Wellington, Somerset. In 1852 settled in New Zealand. His hymns were published in Hymns for the Poor of the Flock, 1837-1838; Psalms and Hymns, &c, London, Walther (containing those in the former collection), 1842; the Wellington Hymn Book, 1857; Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1860. https://hymnary.org/text/the_veil_is_rent_our_souls_draw_near October - December 2020

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Do You Know Him INTIMATELY?

I will never forget my wife telling me about a documentary she watched on tv about doppelgangers. These are strangers who look exactly alike. In this documentary the tv station set out to find the exact match of a small group of people they invited on to their set. My wife explained how an identical look alike was found for a female member of the group. This female member had a young daughter so they decided to do an experiment to see if this little girl could tell the difference between her mother and her mother’s identical match. While the little girl was at school her mother’s look-alike was done up to look exactly as her mother would. They considered every detail including hair style, clothing, perfume and mannerism etc. After rehearsing how the mother would normally greet her daughter when she arrived home, they positioned the look-alike

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and waited. When the little girl arrived the look-alike gathered her in her arms, sat her on her knees and asked her about her day just as her mother would. The little girl started to answer but soon (within seconds) stopped, looked up at this woman and surprisingly asked, “Where is my mother?” She knew her mother so well that not even an identical look alike could fool her. I often asked myself if, like this girl, I would be able to tell a deceiver different from my Lord? Paul says the devil often comes like an angel of light. He does this to fool the unsuspecting that he is the Lord or is sent by the Lord. Jesus said of His sheep, “They never follow a stranger but will run away from him, because strangers’ voices are unfamiliar to them.” John 10:5 (CJB) Are you so intimate and familiar with your Lord? p

October - December 2020

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October - December 2020

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First runner up in ‘THE SENSATIONNEL’ BLACK BEAUTY HAIR AWARDS 2013

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