Words for the Vineyard - Old & New
Old structures are coming down
New structures will be flexible
These words from 2020 are really ringing true as I go back and look over this list! During those months of praying and listening another common theme we sensed the Lord speaking was "the old structures are coming down and the new structures will be flexible". A few months ago we were honored to host Roger Cunningham for a weekend of teaching. During the first session on Saturday, Roger asked Bruce, Beau and I to stand up as he spoke a word he felt the Lord was releasing over the Vineyard church. He quoted Isaiah 43:18-19
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland."
The Lord wants to do a new thing in our body so we have been continually praying and seeking the Lord on what He wants our gatherings to be like. The church is His bride and His love so we want to come together and be sensitive to the moving of Holy Spirit. Jonathan Edwards, an American revivalist in the 1700s, once said, "The task of every generation is to discover the direction in which the Sovereign Redeemer is moving, and then to move in that direction.” We desire to be a people who actively follow our Living God day by day. Lord, let Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Can you imagine what that would look like if we all started sincerely praying and desiring that in our hearts/thoughts, homes, relationships, workplaces, etc. That's our heart motive as we move forward. Old structures of religion and traditions of men that weren't the plan of God have to come down while we all work with Him to rebuild structures of flexibility and freedom. Completely build on the unmovable foundation of Jesus Christ our LORD. From this we will not compromise.
The scripture doesn't refer to the former things as bad or insufficient. I think there's a temptation to believe that in our culture. There is a definite war against aging in everything we see. The fear of not being effective or needed comes without warning at any stage of life. Being pushed to the side or irrelevant starts sounding more and more like a logical outcome. But Vineyard Church, hear me.... That's not the kingdom of God or the heart of the Father. We honor the past and those that went before us so we can all take these next steps forward, Age was never a limiting factor to the miracles of God! The only thing that stops us from experiencing the breakthrough power of God in our lives is the condition of our hearts. Not our age, race, relationship status, financial situation or anything else humans deem as important .. Nothing shall separate us from the love of God except our own hardened hearts. Jesus talks about a people that have eyes but do not see, ears but cannot hear, hearts but they do not perceive... Sounds like Isaiah 43... My paraphrase would be "Hear Me, Don't get stuck looking back on the past, look up!. See what I'm doing right now. Become aware of My miracles! I'm doing the impossible and you haven't seen it before" Let's fix our eyes, ears and hearts on Him and keep walking forward together.
As we are celebrating this week with our families, friends and maybe new acquaintances, lets be aware of what He is doing around us.
Look for God activity. What you look for, you will find.
Let's break up with the lies that __________________ (Fill in the blank) keeps us from moving forward and seeing miracles. There are no limits on our God!
Ask the Lord if there are any "old things" in your life that need to come down to allow Him to do a new thing in you.
Try something that you've never done before.
Take time to be thankful. Oh so thankful. This life is such a gift! The air in your lungs, the movement of your body, the world and colors all around us. Make a list and breathe out thanksgiving to the Good, Good God of Heaven and Earth.
Remember there are NO LIMITS on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control Let it flow!
For His Glory,
Rachel Burnham
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland."
The Lord wants to do a new thing in our body so we have been continually praying and seeking the Lord on what He wants our gatherings to be like. The church is His bride and His love so we want to come together and be sensitive to the moving of Holy Spirit. Jonathan Edwards, an American revivalist in the 1700s, once said, "The task of every generation is to discover the direction in which the Sovereign Redeemer is moving, and then to move in that direction.” We desire to be a people who actively follow our Living God day by day. Lord, let Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Can you imagine what that would look like if we all started sincerely praying and desiring that in our hearts/thoughts, homes, relationships, workplaces, etc. That's our heart motive as we move forward. Old structures of religion and traditions of men that weren't the plan of God have to come down while we all work with Him to rebuild structures of flexibility and freedom. Completely build on the unmovable foundation of Jesus Christ our LORD. From this we will not compromise.
The scripture doesn't refer to the former things as bad or insufficient. I think there's a temptation to believe that in our culture. There is a definite war against aging in everything we see. The fear of not being effective or needed comes without warning at any stage of life. Being pushed to the side or irrelevant starts sounding more and more like a logical outcome. But Vineyard Church, hear me.... That's not the kingdom of God or the heart of the Father. We honor the past and those that went before us so we can all take these next steps forward, Age was never a limiting factor to the miracles of God! The only thing that stops us from experiencing the breakthrough power of God in our lives is the condition of our hearts. Not our age, race, relationship status, financial situation or anything else humans deem as important .. Nothing shall separate us from the love of God except our own hardened hearts. Jesus talks about a people that have eyes but do not see, ears but cannot hear, hearts but they do not perceive... Sounds like Isaiah 43... My paraphrase would be "Hear Me, Don't get stuck looking back on the past, look up!. See what I'm doing right now. Become aware of My miracles! I'm doing the impossible and you haven't seen it before" Let's fix our eyes, ears and hearts on Him and keep walking forward together.
As we are celebrating this week with our families, friends and maybe new acquaintances, lets be aware of what He is doing around us.
Look for God activity. What you look for, you will find.
Let's break up with the lies that __________________ (Fill in the blank) keeps us from moving forward and seeing miracles. There are no limits on our God!
Ask the Lord if there are any "old things" in your life that need to come down to allow Him to do a new thing in you.
Try something that you've never done before.
Take time to be thankful. Oh so thankful. This life is such a gift! The air in your lungs, the movement of your body, the world and colors all around us. Make a list and breathe out thanksgiving to the Good, Good God of Heaven and Earth.
Remember there are NO LIMITS on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control Let it flow!
For His Glory,
Rachel Burnham
Click the link below for the worship playlist for Sunday. Can't wait to see you then!
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