Coming Home For Christmas in Suffern, New York

We were blessed on November 24 to speak at our old church in Suffern, New York, Living Waters Fellowship. It was a tearful reunion laden with sadness and anticipation for where God is leading that church, to merge into a Redeemer Church Plant, All Souls Community Church. Here’s a link to the message I shared with them:
Coming Home For Christmas

Eviction, Typhoons, The Holy Spirit and Father's Justice

Yesterday while running/prayer walking around 30^th St in Newport News I saw a strip of homes partially boarded up, and a couple houses with city stickers on them condemning them. One had an order to vacate by 11/13. Today. The house was clearly occupied, children’s toys on the porch but dark inside. Where will this family go, what has happened to them that they would be living in such destitution? I also ran by the house where a young woman was murdered a month ago, in the front yard, about ½ mile from our home, at Greenbriar and Kecoughtan. Right next to her memorial of flowers and candles and teddy bears was the garbage collection pile, ready to be hauled off and dumped. What is the value of a life? Even as my heart thinks of the Philippines now, so many killed by the typhoon and so many more in grave threat because they have no clean water, shelter or food.

Reading Isaiah 59-60 this morning-

We love the quotes about the Holy Spirit coming upon us in power to speak words of Truth and knowledge. Words that set people free from sin and bondage. We love the power that comes on us to heal, to restore, to bring hope, love, and joy. That’s the privilege of ministry. In Isaiah 59 there is no justice, no righteousness, no truth, no honesty in the land. But God Himself will come with a vengeance, wearing a breastplate of righteousness and a helmet of salvation to restore justice and righteousness in the land.

Is not our call in the ministry of the Holy Spirit to be doers of the Word also in our social systems? One by one people come to know Christ, are set free, empowered and then whole communities are transformed. In Isaiah 60 we see that though the whole world may be covered in darkness, our light has come and that light rises upon us and God’s glory is over us. Because of this we are a light to the nations who will come to us and be made glad. Sons are brought from afar, daughters carried on the hip.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is for many to come and experience the joy of the Lord, the joy of love, of righteousness, justice, truth, and honesty. The joy of provision. The joy of God Himself being our Savior. The security of knowing experiencing God as Abba, our Father, our Healer and Protector. Yes, our light has come, may we now be Father’s light, a city on a hill, a beacon of righteousness and justice that shines love, mercy, grace, provision, healing, and salvation.