Day 8 Bethel School of Worship

Today the worship was loud and we danced a lot.  It was great.  Jeremy Riddle was praying that we would be stubborn and have faces set like flint to God.  I am so pleased I got a picture of him saying this:

Then Steffany Frizzell prayed that we would lose our own minds and take on the mind of Christ. 

After this Christa Black Gifford came and talked about ‘Perfection V’s Excellence’.  It was one of the most amazing talks I have ever listened to.  In fact I went to the book shop and bought her book.  I tried to upload the talk on here but is not working so I will have to try tomorrow.

Her main points were:

• Perfection is the fruit of performance but excellence is the fruit of sonship.
• If you only think you are loved when you do well, you will be a perfectionist.
• Adam and Eve were in the garden in the beginning, before the fall they walked with no shame.  Even in their nakedness they had no self awareness, they were outward looking and had intimacy with God. 
• When the fall happened they then became aware of their nakedness.  They became self aware and inward focussed.
• Some of us are wearing a cloak of shame too.
• But, in the garden of Eden God walked with them.  Now, he lives in us.  So why are we still wearning the cloak of shame?
• Why are we not living like God is inside of us?
• Shame makes us focus on what we don’t have and not on what we have been given.
• When we judge ourselves we also judge others. 
• 1 cor 4 v3-5 says that we are not allowed to judge ourselves or others before Jesus comes back because we are in a supernatural period of grace.  Even when we reach judgement day we will receive praise from our God.
• John 16 v7-11  Christ lives in me.  My sin is dead because Christ lives in me.  Because my sin is dead, I cannot receive judgment for it. 
• The Holy spirit is here to convict you of your righteousness not your sin.  When God points to an area of your life – He is not pointing at your sin, He is pointing you towards the truth about Him you have not realised.  For example instead of pointing at you in your food binge saying ‘you disgust me’ he is pointing at His love saying ‘You just don’t know yet how much I love you.  Bask in my love’
• Again she told the story about the man who was dwelling in his misery of years ago.  Jesus said “I want my stuff back.  I paid for that.  I want it back.  It is not yours anymore!”
• She gave a testimony of how one day she needed a binge fix.  So she snuck into the kitchen and started to devour food.  Suddenly she heard a pop behind her: It was her new husband opening a packet of crisps.  She stood full of shame at being caught.  He said to her, ‘oh honey.  If you need to binge I am just gonna sit here and binge with you.  I don’t want you to be alone in this’.  She said this is what God does in our sin.  He comes to the darkest place, shines his light and loves into wellness.

I have to say I just sat after and cried.  Not in sadness but in relief … as condemnation left me.

 

After lunch I went to a Spoken word class.  I went to this one for my friend Rachael… I have recorded it for you lovely friend.  This is mike last year at Bethel School of Worship:

He gave the history of the spoken word and then performed some of his spoken word stuff.   It is basically dramatic poetry.  He is very good.  I would love to see some of this in our church: another creative expression.  I would also love to see dance and art incorporated into our services too.  I watched a lady paint a picture in the service a few days ago and it spoke so clearly to me prophetically.  

Also he endorsed getting an iPhone to record lyrics and to record poem and song ideas.  I am going to have to save up for one of these.  Might take me a while.

Next I went to another class with Christina Black Gifford.  She was talking about leading in rest.

God does not expect Christains to give every minute to ‘the cause’ at the expense of their families.  God wants us to rest in Him and love our families. 

• God will not ask you to give and give at the expense of your health – we do not need to strive in the Kingdom.
• We get the wrong idea about work and striving though our culture (you must be the 1^st in and the last out to be successful), our families (you have to get good grades, you have to be the best), and the structure of  religion and Church (all about the Sunday service and meetings).  But God modelled rest to us in Genesis 2 v 1-2.  God rested on the 7^th day.
• Jewish people have a day off one a week – always.  But they are very productive.
• When you rest in God He will give you all you need for the rest of the day. You will be more productive. 
• 2 Cron v20   We don’t need to fight the enemy – he has a third of the angels, we have 2 thirds and Jesus, and God and the Holy spirit.  We are on the winning side…  When we rest and praise God defeats our enemies for us.
• Soak and still yourself in the Lord and He will bless you and keep you.

After one more main session we went out to celebrate July 4^th.  I will post about that later.  It was awesome!!!!