Do this, or else

make a bogus account ont his site, and nominate it as a worthy project, and AMEX will donate 1.5 million. This would help adopt a bunch of kids with Downs syndrome.

http://www.membersproject.com/project/view/H1LEJ0

Just what breakfast is like

I sat in my hotel restaurant eating food that I probably shouldnt, and my mind began to wander. I began to think about my wife, and I got so teary eyed I was debating getting back to my room and letting myself have a real good cry.

It is obvious to everyone who knows me how fortunate I am. They tell me this. They can see it. But the benefit to me is even less profound (if possible) than the reality of living with such a wonderful woman. I cannot explain how well she mediates love and affection and partnership to me. I guess we are still considered newlyweds, but it doesnt ever feel like it. It feels like a part of myself exists in another body, somewhere else.

Im not talking saccarhine sweet, sentimental type stuff. Im talking about the reality of being with someone, andit feeling o normal and natural, you dont always consciously experience being separate. Yet she is "other", because Im not loving myself, I am being loved. And being loved by a trustworthy, respected, safe, sincere person. She doesnt love me because she needs me, it would be silly to think that she needs me, as there is nothing I have to improve her. She doesnt love me with a hint of condescension, or fear. Just loves me, with quality, as if she isnt even trying to, just does.

All I could do is cry. All I could experience at that point was a real sense of Gods affection for me. I think GOd loves everyone He made, but it is hard to believe He loves anyone as much, or as well, as me. And I understand that more now than ever.

Then I think about my kids. About Israel, a woman who is my daughter. That is far different than a daughter who is a toddler, or a preteen etc... All this quality, wrapped up in such a wise, and personable heart. Such a good listener, and an even better advisor. She is far more perceptive than anyone else in the family, and she ha never bee anything other than joy for me to be with. I wish my own heart was easier to communicate, because the emotions I feel seem to be so deep, and hard to put simple words to.

Then you look at Judah. A living party. She is a daughter who is a preteen, and my second. I have a little advantage with her, because she is like me, but much more enjoyable She has a brain that is fascinating. She is as special and dear to me, as if the pieces Israel isnt, Judah is. Like a big complimentary piece of pie with ice cream. Judah has never hit her capacity that I know of. She is simply tremendous potential mentally, and personally, and it keeps peeking at me from around a corner. My life is full with her.

Then I realize Havah is here too. I have been so long with my 2, that I forget my baby. Yet another girl, and as cute as God made her sisters (if indeed that is possible for even Him to do it 3 times). This child is seeming like a personality mix between my olders, yet totally different as a person. She is appearing and emerging with quite a personality, a squawker, a friendly silly face that will almost always give a smile to you if you ask for one, and sometimes lately, without asking. IT is amazing to see a child with older sibling like Beba and Judah. The delight she is seeming to have with her sisters, and their attitude and behavior towards her is beyond price. I dont know what it is like to have older siblings, but I can only imagine the exerience as I see her.

I just get brought to tears. I am the man who did everything wrong, most of the time willingly, defiantly, even leading others. I seem almost crushed with Kindness. IT swarms at me emotionally at these times, seemingly out of the blue.

And all I can do is enjoy it. I dont even have confidence that I will respond in any true, effective way with righteousness or holiness. I have tried m best, and come up with nothing. I never seem able to do anything other than just get hit by a wave of realization that I am indeed fortunate, for reasons I dont seem able to understand or control.

And I ask God "I dont understand how you work. I want to understand how you think and work because this is to much for me" and I feel like He says "No. I made you to receive this, not comprehend it. Besides, if I told you how I work in this, you would take it and use it to run and direct and manipulate others."

I think I understand that. IT makes sense to me. It takes faith just to receive it, and enjoy it, and not have to understand it, and not try and position myself to direct it. I just need to be thankful, and enjoy it.

Finally back home...well....

We got back Monday eve from Washington D.C. It was quite a relief. We have been on the road over 2 weeks. The day after school ended, the girls and us packed up with gram, and went to Orlando/Lakeland for a week or so. Then te girls went to California for 3 weeks. Then we went to DC for 2. We got back 2 days before school started.

It was a hard trip on many levels. Had I known in advance the disorganization, stress, and physical element, I wouldnt have gone. Im glad I didnt know.

I hit the wall with some of my personality quirks. I dont like chaos and dysfunction (that isnt of my own making), and I had to stop flodding and endure rather than solve. I a strategic guy by nature and by vocation. Not neccesarily a good one, but I have unique niche that IW ork in, and Im used to analyzing problems, making plans and solutions,a nd then watching other people execute them towards a know, quantifiable goal. This was like hitting a target that kept shrinking, and moving, and changing dimensions.

It all came down to trust, and hope. If it werent for the sincereity, and earnestness of the planners and people involved, you would have quit too. But when you press through the surface, and start working with people, alongside them, and see their hearts, enduring outside chaos is made easier by an offsetting comraderie.

Israel had a great time, and Danie did too. We met Benjamins brother Jeff, and the girls had 2 older brothers for the week that were wonderful. In fact, Havah did too. Thse guys we the best people I have been with for a long time.

I didnt attend The Call much, and didnt plan too anyway. Im not much into it. Judah and I stopped in for about an hour, I got carried away ito birthing intercession for about 30 minutes, and had to practice breathing and relaxing I had learned in Bradley classes! LOL. Then we skipped off to see the Hope Diamond.

The drive was hard, but mitigated be seeing Danies sister and her family. This was another highlight of our trip. Any opportunity to see them is well worth it.

Now Im in ahotel in atlanta, trying to figure out how to excercise, and then go to a trade show. Ths is a different scenario than Im used too. Im here with a partner, and we are exhibiting for ourselves. Im hoping to generate some business here and start breaking away from the previous stuff I have been doing with Planit.

Updates From DC

Well we have been here in DC for a week. We stayed the first half of last week in Maryland, right by Annapolis. We had sucha pleasant time, Danie and I remarked how we felt like it was a luxurious vacation!

Then we moved into the DC area, and things got rough. We knew going in we were going to be part of an IHOP/Cal type situation, and we were certainly on target! Organizing this scale of an event is hard. Doing it with free labor (interns) is even harder. Doing it with no budget is even harder still.

Things have stablilized. It is far more consuming then even we expected. I doubt we will get to do anything we hoped, even on a small scale. That is a real dissapointment, but it is part of the deal.

Irael is having a GREAT time! We drop her off int he morning, and get her back at dinner, and can see the wildness and the fun she is having as only parents can. I have to interpret her behavior and actions, ask questions, and try to figure out what it is like to be 13 years od and galavanting all over the Capital with 100+ other wild eyed teens. All I know is she is flying, and it makes me content.

Judah went to the Smithsoniam yesterday, and saw the Hope diamond. She reported it was a complete disappointment! LOL. It is the size of a walnut. This is the grls who found out about the gems and minierals at the Smithsonian online, and absorbed herself in them and decorated her computer with all sorts of pictures.

All said, you hit a point as a parent where you are far more content seeing your kis having fun and doing exciting things than you could ever feel doing them yourself. It is sincerely worth it. These opportunites are so wonderful, and I am so grateful. I am living in a townhouse in Capitol Hill, with great people, watching my kids grow and explore. Im not sure I could contain any more than this.

Plant a Church?

I read a recent post on Randys blog, and it linked to another blog that was really funny. A story about being stuck in a location that was rife with bigotry, and Randy's remark was "So this guy says "We need to plant a church here!""

What I am about to say is no reflection on either of them. I am sure that someone whom Randy esteems so much by definition must be someone worth esteeming.

However, I couldn't get that thought out of my mind. As I was driving through North Ohio, among unbelievable stretches of corn fields, I kept running that thought over and over in my head.

Why am I so bothered by the idea? I understand the sentiment, and in fact agree with it. However, it is the WAY the sentiment is manifested that just sticks in me. What has starting a non profit corporation got to do with the Kingdom expanding in manifestation in a local area? What has creating structures and systems and "planting" them in an area have to do with following Christ?

I have to believe it is simply programming and conditioning. It is how people think the church is, so they want to do more of it. Im sure God sees the intent, and loves it. But I think it is time to break away from thinking and practice that doesnt have any significant model in scripture, and has proved by most estimates (Barna for example) to be far less relevant than we think.

Planting a church in a place is like planting a barn in the middle of a cornfield.

The reality is the church is all around us. It needs to be encouraged, strengthened, edified etc... but what I believe it DOESNT need is more event driven, centralized, hierarchies to "gather". Im betting (and did a little asking around) that the person references int he blog post, is probably the most giving, generous, and sincere man. So I would bet he will be successful. That why this isnt a commentary on him or the post. It is my thinking through the concept.

Putting a building, or a gathering, or a movement, or anything, in a community is like taking a cornfield, and rearranging it to put a big fat barn in where the corn was growing. And then its effect is to create dependency on the barn and the infrastructure. The barn becomes the point of the farm, regardless of what it says. It is inevitable.

But the point of a farm is the corn. IT is the corn growing and developing and giving itself to the harvest. Whatever that means.

Im not sure Im being clear enough, and it might come across wrong. But I will say this again:

Planting a church in a city is like planting a barn int he middle of a cornfield.

Sometimes forwarded SPam is funny

THE IRISH - SUCH CLEAR THINKERS

Leave it to the Irish to cut through the crap and make the whole

issue crystal clear...

Thoughts from across the pond.

 An email from Ireland to the brethren in the States..a point to

 ponder despite your political affiliation: 

 We, in Ireland, can't figure out why people are even bothering

 to hold an election in the United States. 

 On one side, you have a pants wearing lawyer, married to a

 lawyer who can't keep his pants on, who just lost a long and heated

 primary against a lawyer who goes to the wrong church who is married

 to yet another lawyer who doesn't even like the country her husband wants

 to run.

 Now...On the other side, you have a nice old war hero whose name

 starts with the appropriate "Mc" terminology married to a good

looking younger woman who owns a beer distributorship.

 What in Lord's name are ye lads thinking over there in the

 colonies??'

Now that is funny....

Cute Girls

Some of my girls are away, and some are here. All are cute.

Here is some really cute pictures

Wow Wow Wow

This is a wild group of people. SOunds a lot like people Im around, only with slightly different agendas.

While I cannot say Im entirely connected to all they support (peaceful demonstrations against the industrial military complex hasnt grabbed me yet), they WAY they do it is incredible. And the infrastructure they seem to have built over a 10 year period is very intriguing.

http://www.thesimpleway.org/PSC/index.html

Wheeeeee Haaaaaaa

"Charity wins awards and applause, but joining the poor
gets you killed. People do not get crucifi ed for charity.
People are crucified for living out a love that disrupts
the social order, that calls forth a new world. People
are not crucified for helping poor people. People are
crucified for joining them."

http://www.thesimpleway.org/shane/sampler.pdf

My secret is out....

I didnt want to say anything to anyone, but Jason Babcock "outed" me. I will be relying heavily on Randy Bohlender, who successfully lost a failed campaign recently with his awesomely patronizing "Together we can make a mess" slogan, as well as "Come on now, dumber things have happened". He should provide great insight into the irrelevant movement where I am indeed the strongest.



I think my eclectic policy will have an equal amount of people both curiously satisfied and revolted:

1. Im not sure what my primary colors are going to be, but they will probably be primary.

2. Im pretty sure my theme song might just be "Dance this mess around". I think it speaks to the people I really care about, because Im not anyones Limburger.

3. I am for arming deer, mostly just to make things more interesting and fair. They dont have arms, so it is both a gift, and a privilege. If you have arms, you should have some guns.

4. I subscribe to the late George Carlins combo solutions to immigration/gas price policy. I think it is fair, and I dont mind ripping of dead comedians.

5. Im somewhere between an ultra-zionist (I love our friend Zion, and want the est for him) and mildly anti-semitic, it just depends, like it does to my opponent, who I am talking too, and how much $$ they have. The odd thing being, the Jews (self admittedly) have all the money, and the media, so Im pretty sure where my affections stand.

6. I hate Rap, and will probably declare it unpatriotic so I can get Bill O'Reilly on my side.

7. I believe in raw milk, soft, ripened cheese, regardless of the risk on strange bacteria and/or parasites.

8. Im against underage drinking, therefore I intend to manipulate the drinking age indexed to my relative age in dog years. This should make most people besides me under the age, which provides me a glut in the fine wine market ensuring good cheap read (like me) for anyone that "I roll with".

Im open to any suggestions, especially how to erradicate grammar and handwriting, foie gras, and mowing lawns.

More cute pics

Maybe Im not aware of my heart...

I just took my kids to the airport, and dropped them off. I have never done this before. Their mother has already been in California, and they are joining her for a vacation.

I was fine until I put htem on the plane, and then walked away. I thought I might lose it. Im not against losing it, in fact, I appreciate the ability to feel highly. I just didnt feel it coming on.

I think maybe, Im not as connected to my heart as I think. I wondered if I would cry. I figured it would be ok if I did. But as I got to the airport, it didnt seem like it was going to happen. Then, by the time I got to the car, I ad to wail a little bit, and yell a bit, and then felt immensely better.

It kind of snuck up on me.

I love my kids. Thankfully, their phones werent on, or they didnt realize as I was staggering down the hallway trying ot call them, because I think then I would have REALLY lost it, and that might have bothered them!!

I now have to stay busy doing things until they get here.

what my kids do at a party

found this on the secret stash....

secret stash...

I found a secret stash. Of pictures... and I took a movie of my own...

Toys Toys Toys

None of you care, but I do....

I sold all my guitar gear, except my guitars! Well most of it anyway. I was getting tired of hauling this huge wood pedalboard around. As much as I liked my setup, and was dialing it in, it was becomging difficult to use.

As friend, widely considered by this friend to be the "Eric Clapton" of IHOP-KC, helped me through something I had always struggled with; namely using the old school, MAGNETIC PICKUPS on my hyper expensive, custom guitar.

You know what these are, most every electric guitar has them. However, I never used them. I used the digital pickups secretly installed, and controlled synthesizers and "modeled" guitars and amplifiers. For the last several years, I used these pretty much all the time. And when I tried to use my own normal magnetic pickups, it sounded awful.

Then I took my guitar to Guitar Hell----I mean Center. I plaed it through the next generation of my gear, as well as through a normal old electric guitar amp.

What a difference! Even though this amp was a little beat up etc... the sound was sweet and rich. So then I took it over to Claptons house, and played it through his super cool and expensive amp. Wow. Then Mr Clapton played it! LOL. Then I realized what I was missing. Mostly talent and skill, but also real electric guitar tone!

So I realized it is probably time to update. But how? Then Mr friend says "Check out this stuff". I demoed it, and Im sold.

Then I checked out the synth they offer. Native Instruments makes what seems to be the industry standard Sampler and Synths. A Sampler is essentially a toolt hat plays back samples of sounds. And the samples are insane. There is over 50 GB of samples. Just to give you an idea, I have a flute sound. Each note is "sampled" 8 times, at different dynamics, or volumes. This sound is so realistic that as I change volume and aatack, the tone of the flute changes. When I play soft, you can actually hear the air and the click of the keys. As I play harder, the flute gets more sharp and bright.

There are tons of insturments, sampled Grand pianos, somuch stuff.

The synths that come with this are too wild. There is 11 different ones, so modeled after classic analog synths, and some wild digital stuff that IC ant even explain. Think The Matrix movies, because they were made using the same synth.

Then I have Hammond B3 organs that are so realistic, and a drum sampler that is far beyond what I ever thought to get.

This all adds up to an incredible palatte of sounds, that are far more realisitic and at a level of quality that is far out of my league. This is going to be very fun.

However, after selling most of my stuff, Im finding that I might not have scaled my set up down. Although I have a laptop, I also have a foot controller, and a midi converter, along with an external hard drive! SO I might have made a bigger mess, but I do have an awesome setup,a nd I will work on simplifying it.

All this just to play for intercessors! LOL. I cannot wait to get out into the regular world as well.

A strange Sense of Gravity

I found out Sunday that there is a meeting for all musicians cleared to be on teams here at IHOP. Every month they have a meeting on the second Monday for the musicians and "worship leaders". Every even month all musicians attend.

When I got there, I had a strange sense. I didn't expect it. I looked around the room, and I realized that this whole machine of IHOP/FOTB, as big as it is, was really only staffed by a couple hundred musicians. That may sound like a lot, but if you look at 2 prayer rooms, and almost constant 24 hour sets (JPR isnt always 24 hr), broadcast all over the world, you realize how much is getting done with far less than it seems.

Then I also had another interesting sense. I began to realize, I was a part of this. Albeit in a very small, almost insignificant way. I play on a few teams, but I play electric guitar primarily. If I dont play, it really doesnt change anyones experience of the music.

But the point was, Im in a room full of people, who have about the only 24 hour, mature, and focused prayer room I know about. And there is a tremendous prophetic history to this. And my personal history is tied event wise to this. Lou Engle spoke about having significant events in his life occurring at the same time that events were happening at IHOP. I have several scenarios like that I have come ot realize since we have been here.

Im actually a part of something, and it is a pretty cool something. It is significant, and helps people all over the world. It has a history, and a prophetic future that is integral to the work of the Kingdom. How did I get here?

And then I began to realize how comfortable I am with leadership here. This is the first time I know of personally, where I can look right at people who are leaders, and see the elements of leadership and servanthood God has described and related to me over the last 7-8 years. Im actually very comfortable with claims and directions and actions taken by the people here. It really doesn't have that sick and twisted element that communities I have been involved with before have had.

There is an ongoing self critique of leadership style and content, doing everything possible to make sure it is about God, not us. On every level. From the way things are set in vision, tot he way correction is handled, to the way ministry is conducted.

I especially like the emphasis on not adding anything to the work of Holy Spirit. Staying out of the way as much as possible, and keeping theatrics and "signature" exhibitions of charismatic behavior out of day to day ministry. I love a good old Holy Spirit swamping, but I also feel comfortable knowing Im free not to draw any attention,a nd my goal tis to help someone be as focused on God as possible, staying out of the way. Mike said it very well "We just dont want anyone doing anything that could, in anyway, draw attention or intrigue to ourselves. We dont need to do anything to demonstrate how special we are during ministry to someone. We need ot be people who ALREADY KNOW HOW SPECIAL WE ARE, and because of that, dont have to exaggerate or distract. "

That isnt his exact quite, but it was very similar.

Im really blessed. Danie and I have talked about this a lot. We both feel so comfortable being here, and a part of this community. The way God leads here, via people as well as His own direct communication, is so helpful, and so easy. The goals and objectives are consistent with what we believe and understand. The openness to Holy Spirit, as well as the call to personal integrity is wonderful.

I cannot believe Im a part of this. All I can do is say thank you to so many, who have spent so much of themselves, to provide me with such opportunity. And I might never get to.

My thoughts on Florida/Lakeland

We are here in Florida for the last night. We have had the opportunity to go for 3 nights and 1 day service here in lakeland. It has been interesting, and progressively powerful.

The reality is, I agree with a few other people I know in that the experience has all the earmarks of being truly a move of God, coming through human vessels. And the humanity seems to be the biggest stumbling block for me, but doesnt seem to be any problem for most other folks.

For instance, there is a lot of talk about "not being religious". However, there is so much religious rhetoric it is silly. Last night, there was a 10 year old boy who was brough up on stage, and he was aksed " Do you love Jesus" to which he replied "Yes", and then "Do you love the anoiniting" to which he replied "No" and stunned a few people. However, when the term was explained, he replied "Yes"

There is so much culture in this, but in reality there is so much in my everyday experience. Just being at IHOP requires a handbook for terms (Literally. In the Harp and Bowl handbook there is a glossary of terms and phrases that are so common people outside the bubble need help).

But this has really forced me to look past my own religiosity. I have to make a concerted effort to come against it. This is small thin. It has revealed how much effort I spend in trying to get things ordered in my own mind, which is very quirky and suprisingly eccentric.

It took me 3 nights to warm up. Only by last night did I actually experience a significant connection.

Our first day Israel and I wentforward for prayer, and a guy essentially thumped me on the head, and moved on. I didnt feel a thing. All intensity, and no anointing I have no clue, but I have to assume I am far more responsible for that than anyone else in the equation.

The second nioght, during the music, I sensed a strong anointing come in for a time, and I actually had faith. To the point Ic ould easily have prayed for anyone sick and beleived. I dont know if that would have healed them, but I had faith.

The 3rd night, I began to drink it all in. Ithas been some time since I have done that. There was a child in a stroller next to us. I did not realize she was in need of healing. After a poit when I realized she needed healing, I looked at her. And a wave of what can only be called compassion hit me very deeply. It hit me, and I realized I had faith for her to be healed. Then it hit me. I have had so much impartation over the last few weeks, yet have not been healed. But at that point I felt something happen.

The little girls ended up suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, meaning essentially her muscles are not developing properly, and she cannot stand at all. As I looked up, her mother and her aunt were helping support her as she was beginning to stand. Her feet were actually pushing against her seat, and they were both crying.

They ended up going forward to the front to soak etc... and I went up with Israel later. More on that in the next post.


The point is, there is much going on, and there is much humanity trying to interpret it. There is lots of hype, I feel confident. However I realize more than ever how much hype there is to all of us. We just do it in different ways. The hype in this case is simply people being very excited, and wanting so badly for something so significant come out. Todd Bently is definitely in his element, and he is being as faithful as possible. I beleive he is earnest, and very much doing everything he can to invite, sustain, and nurture anything that he can to continue. I dont agree with where he is trying to head with all this, but I respect him, and beleiv he is called ot this far more than I ever am. YOu dont see me up there with that kind of faith, leading and marshalling the rsourcesneeded to allow thousands of people to visit nightly. And MUCH to his credit, he does not take offerings on TV except for 2 nights a week. The rest of the time, he takes it far too late for any business minded person to agree with, after most of his offerings are walked out.

Im looking forward to Kansas City getting hit with this. Im wondering what it will be like, and how IHOP will respond. I feel more at peace and more connected to the model of ministry IHOP intend now than ever. As conservative as it may seem, it is far more radical, and has far mroe room for full exdpression than people realize, while at the same tim removing every block to hype and exhibitionism humanly possible. I hope IHOP gets touched with this.

My life is so fun right now

YEsterday, we had 6 people from Poland over for food. How fun. The experience of meeting people that come from the other side of the world, and experiencing the fellowship of the Spirit together. WOw. 30 years ago, I would never have been able to emet them, they were inside a communist country closed to the West. Now, we are going to email! LOL. We hope to help them bring 150 people in November to IHOP for training.

We are leaving for Florida tomorrow. We are celebrating a few things. A family honeymoon we never took, and we are going to see the Revival. I need healing on a few different levels, and the girls want to see and feel the power of God. After seeing my student Kelsey so radically, and undeniably healed, I have greater faith than ever. A few things have popped in my spirit the last few days, and God is setting up for a visitation here, and hopefully, even more like "in my house" that is a great thing to hope for. Mike Bickle had an excellent practical teaching on this yesterday, and I encourage anyone who can to hear it. I have had visitations at my home, by myself, and with friends at their hous in varying degrees of intensity. Im excited about the ones coming soon again. Im ready to persevere more and steward them even better.

Plus DisneyWorld! And Gram is coming too!

It has been so wonderful having Gram with us. We want to keep her forever. My daughter gets to have time constantly with her Grandmother. You can see what a special thing it is, especially in the mornings. She goes in there, and becomes the center of the world. And it makes a huge imppact on her, and makes Danielle and I so blessed. And at nights Judah goes in there, and likes to listen to Adventures in Odyssey while Gram sews and such. They kind of have a little "date" I think.

I just bought new guitar stuff, and the sound is incredible. Im selling off my current gear,, so if anyone wants some great stuff let me know! All of my new things are in a laptop,a nd the ability I have to play now is hard to believe. The Guitar Rig 3 is the best sounding stuff I have ever played through, and the synths and samplers I bought are so powerful, I really cannot touch much more than 10% of it. The sound quality of the samples is going to be incredible.

I dont deserve any of this. I know it, but I plan on enjoying it for all its worth. There are truly seasons, and I have had several hard ones. Even if I werent so blessed, God would still be good. This is true. But it is so much joy to experience it. And I think He likes to watch us enjoy the good gifts.

I think we are missing something...

Im grateful for what I see and hear in Lakeland. Same thing for Charlotte, and anywhere else God is choosing to localize Himself. When you connect with that, it is radical. I have hours of testimony of God visiting me, and changing me radically. There is no substitute.

What I dont like, and dont agree with, is the emphasis on stadiums and meetings. It is a concoction of human minds. The idea that if something is happenning, we must therefore get as many people around the man with the strongest personality, and keep this machine going as long as possible, is not only bizzare from a scriptural standpoint, but ineffective for the long run.

I love Todd Bentley. I love his childlike heart, and his willingness to go for it. But it is a strain for me to watch new wine coming through an old wineskin. The intensity of charismania (and I is one) is not an indicator of difference, only intensity. It is too easy to suggest that because someone yells, screams, has angelic experience, shakes, laughs etc... that the "wineskin" is different. The wine might be, but the vessel doesnt have to be qualified.

I have made wine. Surprisingly good wine. I made it 2 different times, using the same vessels. The last batch is really good, but different. Same glass bottles, and similar oak casks.

So I am all for this thing. Im going. I want impartation, I want the wine. Im a lush at heart. But I dont see anything different at all yet except the duration. And every time I hear about building a center, or a building "for this move of Gawd", or similar language, I just groan.

Im not against meetings, Im not against gathering. But I am against setting up tabernacles on hill tops to try and keep everything going. As impressive as Moses and Elijah are, they arent the Son. We have to abandon the old things (the Law and the Prophets) as the focus when the Son is there. The old things pass away, and they still serve their purpose, but they were to point and lead to the full one.

In addition, the primal church wasnt built via meetings. They had them, and it was an effective tool, btu the reality is the church. the body, the ekklesia, were a living organism going about their day. They gathered house to house. Im not a fan of "house church" any more than I am a fan of any other form. They all have people in em, and they all get sick. Im a proponent of "the Church", wherever it is, wherever it goes.

The numbers dont work. I know about the prophecies about stadiums. It hink they are great. But I dont beleive those visions are the sum of what is going to happen, only a sign of what will happen. When we see those things, then we will know a move is afoot. But you couldnt get a significant part of the population exposed via stadiums.

Think of the numbers. Lets say each state has a stadium that can seat 100,000. Thats 5,000,000 total. The population is 350,000,000. It would take protracted meetings, over 70 days, non stop, with 100% turnover (people only coming to one meeting and going home) before the population would be touched. All dya,e veyr day, no stopping. Ask Randy Bohlender about the sheer finances needed to pull that off.

Now take that into perspective. There are 6,500,000,000 people worldwide. So if what I just said above happenned, less than 5% of the world will have been touched.

Yes we have media, yes we have communication mechanisms. But there is no way 50 anointed people can run long term meetings in the US, let alone outside it, for long enough, to touch a huge % of the world.

God never did it that way. Not when we was here in the flesh.

This whole idea of meeting centric Christianity has got to finally die. When the Body stops understanding itself primarily as an entity when gathered, the power and ability to sustain a tremendous wave of grace, mercy, healing, love, affection, deliverance, justice etc... i.e. "The Kingdom" will be simple. I beleive it is already here, just with an "old wineskin".

End of diatribe.... for now.

Odd thoughts...

Life is good. Havah is growing,a nd learning to sleep. My lovely children (Havas "big sister" and "bigger sister") are ending their semester at The Daniel Academy. Summer is coming for them, and all of us. Looks like trips next week to Florida, then back here for summer camps and visitors, then possibly back on the road for a few weeks for Danielle and I while the big sisters go to California.

We had a Skype chat with the Phillips, and got to see Hope, their new baby from China. I need to get there and hold her. I hear she is great at head bonking.

Im enjoying playing music at the Justice Prayer Room. I played Bass Monday, and will again Thursday. As soon as you do that around here, you get asked to play a lot more. I really feel like Im doing about all I can, and will burn out if I play too much, or too often. Yesterdays set went by very fast, which is a trip. My playing ability is at the peak in my memory, which is wild. Putting my hands on my instrument a couple hours a day a few times a week has pushed my skill set up (for me). Im selling all my current gear, and investing in a laptop based system where I wont have to drag around a bunch of things, and get even better sounds.

I am waiting for the revivial/renewal thing to hit here. Things are percolating a bit, but not what I have hoped for. I have actually seen undeniable miracles, which is awesome, and Im excited. But when I think renewal or revival, it is a lot more intense and widespread than this. I have a few thoughts to share in the future about the problem of the math for people who really think stadiums are going to be the wave. It just doesnt compute.

Lou Engle had quite a direct word to IHOP, and then Terry Hartley did as well. I LOVE Terry. She is awesome. She helped me all year with my cooking class. There is a lot to that lady. Big things in tiny packages!

Work is plodding along, and I would like to get some serious revenue going. We are looking at beginning to adopt, starting the process sometime at the end of this year and seeing where it goes. I have sown into this for years, and beleive God will give us a harvest, and allow us to continue to sow. This is the main palce to give right now, widows and orphans.

On other fronts, we LOVE having my mother in law here. Kathy is an absolute joy. Randy Bohlender told me before I was married "Everything they say about Kathy Wheeler is true". It is. She is so fun to be with, and the woman is so creative. You should see the sewing and embroidery projects floating around the house. Ive never seen this type of thing. The kids all love her, and Havahs first word is sure to be "Gram!". What a blessing.

Off to JoCo prayer.