This week…
A prophetic dream about rest, the signs of the times, cancer-fighting video games, and worship to God erupting on national television.
The wine of sweet bliss (and skipping class)
This week I had a dream and there were two things that seemed to explode from the heart of Jesus. (This is Nick P. talking, but Dylan Demarsico helped with the interpretation).
In the first scene I was drinking wine that was called “Sweet Bliss” and as I drank I was reminded that my sinful nature is completely gone! Crucified and buried with the body of Jesus. This was producing a heavy level of holy intoxication.
Next, I was going to school, but I was late for Science and Math class and went straight to lunch time. In the final scene I was resting in a bed but I was worried about the church parking lot. God told me to not worry about the parking lot, that it would be okay.
First, God is saying that we can skip “Science and Math” class and just go straight to lunch time. In other words, don’t worry about making the gospel a fancy theology full of nice, clear, and neat principles, but instead, open your mouth, heart, and mind wide open and receive the FULLNESS OF GOD THAT IS YOURS IN CHRIST JESUS. Receive the “bliss” of His salvation – the new wine of the new covenant.
Next: In that place of FEASTING on JESUS’ FINISHED WORK, ministry will seem to “park.” You’re used to “driving around” in ministry and doing lots of stuff, but it’s time to park the car, feast, and REST in what God has accomplished for you through the blood of Jesus. Don’t be worried about your “parked” ministries. Don’t be concerned with needing to impress people and needing to bear fruit in order to prove your new-found rest. Instead, just keep resting and feasting and God will certainly take care of that in the long run.
Remember, the gospel is all about what God did in Christ. Believe and receive and your peace and joy will increase. Over time you will bear fruit hundredfold more than fruit you’ve previously bore. Just don’t push it and don’t rush it, your REST IS YOUR TESTIMONY. Your PEACE is YOUR TESTIMONY TO WHAT GOD HAS DONE ON THE CROSS. Trust God with the fruit! He’ll bear it Himself when the time is right.
This week we feel a fresh reminder from Jesus that our primary vocation in life is to FEAST on the Lamb. This is a word for the worldwide church in this season. In the past, we’ve been distracted by the “why” and the “how” of the cross, but in this season our heavenly Dad is calling us to simply feast on its fruit (what the cross accomplished) and receive every spiritual blessing through it.
Tangible signs of Jubilee and reconciliation
Daddy’s heart of reconciliation poured out this past week as the leader of Japan visited Pearl Harbor, marking the first time an active Japanese Prime Minister has gone to the Hawaiian naval base since the fateful attack on December 7, 1941. Both the US President and the Japanese Prime Minister acknowledged that this was to “send a message of reconciliation.” Reconciliation between nations who have gone to war with each other is the heart of God for planet earth and it is the heart of the Gospel itself.
This event is coinciding with something happening later this month: The US is returning a portion of Japanese land that they have controlled since WWII. It will be the largest return of US-controlled land since the war.
It is interesting that the nation of Israel just completed a Jubilee Year (culminating this past September) and the biblical year of Jubilee is all about the return of land and the release of debt forgiveness…
But it doesn’t end with the deep wounds of JapaneseU/S conflict. This week, the Native American community won a decisive victory in keeping their land safe from a pipeline that was set to run through one of their water sources. This was accomplished with the help of US veterans who served in the same types of units and divisions that once took land away from the Native people!
Surrounding this victory was a reconciliation and forgiveness ceremony, where these same US veterans kneeled before Native Americans leaders and asked forgiveness, especially for the land that was taken from them. This request of forgiveness was beautifully received and can be viewed here. This video has gone incredibly viral, and it seems as though God used the controversy of the pipeline to really highlight this amazing act.
A few weeks ago we reported on another ceremony in D.C. where Native people released forgiveness to the US (we had also subtly hinted that the Cubs would win the World Series in their athletic battle against the “Indians,” a type of reverse sign of curses being broken and forgiveness being released, especially surrounding the Native peoples)… All of these things point to a movement of freedom and reconciliation. Even between the Pope and evangelical/charismatic leaders, movements of reconciliation have been occurring this past year. These are all signs of the times… And not “end” times, but a new beginning time of Jubilee and healing.
Emotions and grace filling a video game award show
This week, the video game “That Dragon, Cancer” was given the Impact Award at the annual Video Game Awards ceremony. The game was made by a Christian father who lost his son to cancer and developed the game for people to use faith and prayer to overcome things like cancer. It is a beautiful sign of God’s healing creativity coming out in all areas of society.
The creator of the game gave an emotional acceptance speech where he called people to see others through the eyes of grace! It can be viewed here.
Worship and praise filling a major television show
The Voice, a major musical competition show on NBC, is in the semifinals this week. One contestant who has made it this far is a worship pastor. He used his allotted time to sing a song of praise and worship, which culminated in participation from the crowd and one of the judges. The lyrics of the song called for people to leave “the noise” and come away to be with the Lord and hear His voice!
. . . What a powerful thing to happen on the show “The Voice.”