March 30, 2009
Where was the Mom???
Where is the mother?? These children are not only playing in the street, but they are laying down in the street.....and on a day with 'slightly diminished visibility'!! The mom must be doing something important like.....taking pictures of them laying in the street.
KP
Monroe Avenue in the "spring"
Well, I am not sure where this writing will actually fall when I upload the post, but here is our house and our street sign, and I guess you know the people!
Southerners!!
What a wild weather day!! First it was dry. Then came sleet and freezing rain. Then it poured rain for about 2 hours. Then it snowed about 4 inches. Then it rained 3 inches in 1 hour. Then it snowed about 4 inches, while thundering!!
Needless to say, 6 inches on the ground and our evening service canceled because of ice....means playtime for a bunch of southerners.
I will try to upload more pictures as time permits. If you get tired of a photo album, just say when.
Love, Kristian
March 26, 2009
MP: Awesome
MP writes:
Hi,
Okay, so right now I am so happy because on Tuesday I was able to hear Ron Downing's team, Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team. I love her voice, :) And then I heard Grace Kim!!!!! It was absolutely wonderful. Then today, Thursday, we get to be in the prayer room while Tim Reimherr's team, Nathan Panke's team, and Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team are playing.
Now for something I have learned. I am going to tell you something that you may already know but it really just hit rock bottom with me one day this week in the prayer room. It is a diagram so it may be a little hard to understand the way I put it.
1)Here it is: God the Father is two things. One is easy. He is like your earthly father. So whatever picture you have of your dad is the picture you have of God the Father. The second part of that is He is the "body" which is the identity, protection, and provision.
2)Jesus, the Son of God, is like your siblings or your friends. Also He is like the "soul." That means companionship and communication. Y'all this is amazing once you let God help you think about it.
3)The Holy Spirit is like your mother. Also He is like the "spirit." (hehehe) The Spirit is comforter, nurturer and he teaches us. Seriously think about that for a moment. If you went to Sozo that is where I got the diagram. This diagram is called the father ladder. Pray about this whole diagram and see what God tells you through it! I love you guys!!!
Love ya,
Mallory :)
Hi,
Okay, so right now I am so happy because on Tuesday I was able to hear Ron Downing's team, Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team. I love her voice, :) And then I heard Grace Kim!!!!! It was absolutely wonderful. Then today, Thursday, we get to be in the prayer room while Tim Reimherr's team, Nathan Panke's team, and Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team are playing.
Now for something I have learned. I am going to tell you something that you may already know but it really just hit rock bottom with me one day this week in the prayer room. It is a diagram so it may be a little hard to understand the way I put it.
1)Here it is: God the Father is two things. One is easy. He is like your earthly father. So whatever picture you have of your dad is the picture you have of God the Father. The second part of that is He is the "body" which is the identity, protection, and provision.
2)Jesus, the Son of God, is like your siblings or your friends. Also He is like the "soul." That means companionship and communication. Y'all this is amazing once you let God help you think about it.
3)The Holy Spirit is like your mother. Also He is like the "spirit." (hehehe) The Spirit is comforter, nurturer and he teaches us. Seriously think about that for a moment. If you went to Sozo that is where I got the diagram. This diagram is called the father ladder. Pray about this whole diagram and see what God tells you through it! I love you guys!!!
Love ya,
Mallory :)
March 25, 2009
Pictures From Before the Parade
Believe it or not, I (Kristian) am really an active participant in all these activities you see in the pictures! I just happen to be on the other end of the camera lens. But if I put the camera down or give it to anyone else, you won't have any pictures to see!!
Love ya,
Kristian
KP: Ask Yourself Why?
KP writes:
Ask Yourself Why?
In my previous blog I wrote about the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade and our participation in the actual parade. However, the parade itself was several hours into our fun and excitement of the day.
Prior to March 17th each IHOP participant had signed up to minister in a variety ways on the streets of KC for approximately 2 1/2 hours before the parade began. It takes quite a while for 200,000 people to park, get their souvenirs, get their refreshments and secure their spot on the side of the parade route. So they were a captive audience and we were on assignment. Some were street preachers in costume. Others were clipboard survey teams. Some were video interview teams.
Some were prophetic teams. Some were dream teams. Some passed out St. Patrick's Day pamphlets (ie tracts)....
Originally, the four of us had signed up as part of the prophecy teams. But, we had to bail on that because of logistics. (Only one 'prophetic person' went with a clipboard survey person. We didn't think it wise to turn our daughters over to the streets of KC, green beer and all, with one other person...who we didn't even know, who could be 18 or 80.) So we bailed and ventured out on the task of passing out tracts. Not really my style, but I must say the Lord really impressed something on my heart, hence this blog entry.
These tracts had one page of facts on Saint Patrick, then a gospel presentation, prayer, and follow up info. Kind of standard. Well, we learned quickly that the people don't want to take anything you are trying to hand them. And, the people coming to the parade were on a mission and that didn't include slowing down to talk to us. Ashton and Mallory had a little more success....hum? I am not sure why.....Then Jeff came upon strategy that made them slow down, listen, and take a tract. He began calling out loudly things like, "Do you know where St. Patrick was born?" Well, it is not Ireland, but don't feel badly because 85% of the people didn't know. They really didn't know anything about St. Patrick.
That is when the Lord really began to speak to my heart. Here we have 150,000 plus people who are wholeheartedly into this event. They have taken the day off work and school. They have gone all out and bought green attire and are all decked out. They have driven downtown and paid to park, lugging children, coolers, dogs, blankets, chairs....They are buying $3 hot dogs and overpriced drinks. They are buying boatloads of junk "souvenirs". They are fully into this.
Fully into this. But what? They don't know who St. Patrick was. Many didn't know he was even a real person. They don't know anything he did. (Me either, but I do know all about why I was there!) They didn't know what the holiday was celebrating. They don't know why they are wearing green. They don't know why they are supposed to drink green beer, and at 9AM, with the kids.
150,000+ people, put on their green clothes, and came to line the streets on a given day at an appointed time because someone, possibly on the media, or maybe a friend, announced that it was the thing they should do. So they did.
Mostly there is nothing innately wrong with what they were doing. But for me, I saw a very frightening correlation to their participation and to the end times. I envisioned a newly prominent world leader, promising peace and safety. Somebody, maybe the media or a neighbor or friend or family member said, "Let's go out. There is going to be a parade. It should be fun. We will all wear our red shirts. There will be music and maybe a speech."
And, not having a clue why they were going, what they were going for,or what the 'guy' stood for, they went. It became apparent to me 'the blind following' that we, as a people, do. Just going. Just because. I don't know why. No particular reason. But supporting it just the same. Like cattle. Coming in droves. Following the herd, but to where?
I don't know about you but I intend on asking why? Why, when I make choices. Why, when I make decisions. Why, when I make statements. Why am I doing what I am doing? And what does it mean? What is behind it? There is coming a day when it will be a matter of life and death to be informed and make appropriate choices. I don't want to be a 'dumb cow', just following , just because.....Will you ask yourself why?
Love ya,
Kristian
Prior to March 17th each IHOP participant had signed up to minister in a variety ways on the streets of KC for approximately 2 1/2 hours before the parade began. It takes quite a while for 200,000 people to park, get their souvenirs, get their refreshments and secure their spot on the side of the parade route. So they were a captive audience and we were on assignment. Some were street preachers in costume. Others were clipboard survey teams. Some were video interview teams.
Some were prophetic teams. Some were dream teams. Some passed out St. Patrick's Day pamphlets (ie tracts)....
Originally, the four of us had signed up as part of the prophecy teams. But, we had to bail on that because of logistics. (Only one 'prophetic person' went with a clipboard survey person. We didn't think it wise to turn our daughters over to the streets of KC, green beer and all, with one other person...who we didn't even know, who could be 18 or 80.) So we bailed and ventured out on the task of passing out tracts. Not really my style, but I must say the Lord really impressed something on my heart, hence this blog entry.
These tracts had one page of facts on Saint Patrick, then a gospel presentation, prayer, and follow up info. Kind of standard. Well, we learned quickly that the people don't want to take anything you are trying to hand them. And, the people coming to the parade were on a mission and that didn't include slowing down to talk to us. Ashton and Mallory had a little more success....hum? I am not sure why.....Then Jeff came upon strategy that made them slow down, listen, and take a tract. He began calling out loudly things like, "Do you know where St. Patrick was born?" Well, it is not Ireland, but don't feel badly because 85% of the people didn't know. They really didn't know anything about St. Patrick.
That is when the Lord really began to speak to my heart. Here we have 150,000 plus people who are wholeheartedly into this event. They have taken the day off work and school. They have gone all out and bought green attire and are all decked out. They have driven downtown and paid to park, lugging children, coolers, dogs, blankets, chairs....They are buying $3 hot dogs and overpriced drinks. They are buying boatloads of junk "souvenirs". They are fully into this.
Fully into this. But what? They don't know who St. Patrick was. Many didn't know he was even a real person. They don't know anything he did. (Me either, but I do know all about why I was there!) They didn't know what the holiday was celebrating. They don't know why they are wearing green. They don't know why they are supposed to drink green beer, and at 9AM, with the kids.
150,000+ people, put on their green clothes, and came to line the streets on a given day at an appointed time because someone, possibly on the media, or maybe a friend, announced that it was the thing they should do. So they did.
Mostly there is nothing innately wrong with what they were doing. But for me, I saw a very frightening correlation to their participation and to the end times. I envisioned a newly prominent world leader, promising peace and safety. Somebody, maybe the media or a neighbor or friend or family member said, "Let's go out. There is going to be a parade. It should be fun. We will all wear our red shirts. There will be music and maybe a speech."
And, not having a clue why they were going, what they were going for,or what the 'guy' stood for, they went. It became apparent to me 'the blind following' that we, as a people, do. Just going. Just because. I don't know why. No particular reason. But supporting it just the same. Like cattle. Coming in droves. Following the herd, but to where?
I don't know about you but I intend on asking why? Why, when I make choices. Why, when I make decisions. Why, when I make statements. Why am I doing what I am doing? And what does it mean? What is behind it? There is coming a day when it will be a matter of life and death to be informed and make appropriate choices. I don't want to be a 'dumb cow', just following , just because.....Will you ask yourself why?
Love ya,
Kristian
March 24, 2009
Picture subtitles
Well, I am having a horrible time making my picture posts work like I want. I have spent way too long uploading and now trying to make captions. So, if you want to know who and what, here it is:
1) Banners in the parade
2) Jeff with Rich, another INTRO intern
3) The beautiful Price family
4) Mallory and Cory W. Cory and his wife Paige, completed Intro last semester and are helping to lead our Team #1.
5) Mallory and one of our 'adopted' sons, Chad
6) Ashton, Mallory and our good friend and 'adopted' daughter, Chastity
In the second posting of pictures:
1) Ashton, Mallory and Jeff waiting for our float's turn to enter the parade. (We were #92) Our large mountain float with Saint Patrick on top is in the background)
2) A & M with Jeff in the background talking with Paul, a fellow INTRO intern. His wife Angela is Prayer Room staff at IHOP. We have enjoyed getting to know Paul, Angela and their two young daughters.
The rest are self explanatory and I am going to bed. Good night.
KP
1) Banners in the parade
2) Jeff with Rich, another INTRO intern
3) The beautiful Price family
4) Mallory and Cory W. Cory and his wife Paige, completed Intro last semester and are helping to lead our Team #1.
5) Mallory and one of our 'adopted' sons, Chad
6) Ashton, Mallory and our good friend and 'adopted' daughter, Chastity
In the second posting of pictures:
1) Ashton, Mallory and Jeff waiting for our float's turn to enter the parade. (We were #92) Our large mountain float with Saint Patrick on top is in the background)
2) A & M with Jeff in the background talking with Paul, a fellow INTRO intern. His wife Angela is Prayer Room staff at IHOP. We have enjoyed getting to know Paul, Angela and their two young daughters.
The rest are self explanatory and I am going to bed. Good night.
KP
March 23, 2009
KP: If Not You, Then Who?
KP writes:
If Not You, Then Who?
Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day. Not a big deal in the lives of most of the people I know. For those who live in Savannah or Chicago, yes. For all the establishments serving green beer, yes. But in my little world, not so much. However, this year was different for the Price family.
St. Patrick's Day is a huge deal in Kansas City, MO. The parade downtown is enormous with 150,000-300,000 in attendance each year...it is a big deal, with a lot of people...a lot of people who don't know Jesus!!
So, as a outreach ministry IHOP has entered the parade for the last 4 years entering as their float a large green mountain. Atop the mountain is "St. Patrick" himself delivering 45 second "sermonettes". These messages are straight forward simple gospel messages. We are all sinners. Jesus Christ came to save us from our sin. Confess with your mouth, believe with your heart. Repent(turn from your sin) and be saved from eternal separation from God.
Then a worship band rode on a trailer behind the mountain. At the end of each of the sermonettes the band played, "Grace Like Rain....falls down, all my sins are washed away...." which was projected out from the 8 large speakers facing the crowds in every direction. The voices that sang to the music were the 700-1000 worshippers and dancers walking behind the float. Each of us had dowels with green/yellow crepe paper streamers attached which we waved in the air overhead. Staff members, interns, students, old, young, walking, riding in strollers, people from all walks of life, from many different geographic locations. The worshippers stretched across 4 lanes and trailed 4-5 blocks long. It was a very moving sight. I will try and upload some pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words... but yet a picture cannot capture the essence of a moment in time.
As we worshipped along that 1.2 mile stretch, I looked deep into the faces of the crowd. So many expressions. Disbelief. Disdain. Confusion. Disgust. Sheepish smiles on ones longing to openly participate. Then, the one, all alone worshipping the same Jesus with great passion in great abandonment. So many people. So few worshippers of the King.
I have asked myself many questions. Why were the majority there? What are they giving themselves to? What are they living for? Do they not know? Has anyone told them? Have we told them? Do we live our lives in a way that they will know? Do we live our lives in such a way to give a single, clear message? We very well may be the only one standing between life and death for them.
What will we say to that person at Walmart, Wendy's, the doctor's office, at school, or at the office? It is a matter of life and death.
I know the streets of Kansas City are lined with those who are perishing. What do your streets look like? We have the answer they are dying for. Will we tell them?
Blessings,
Kristian
St. Patrick's Day is a huge deal in Kansas City, MO. The parade downtown is enormous with 150,000-300,000 in attendance each year...it is a big deal, with a lot of people...a lot of people who don't know Jesus!!
So, as a outreach ministry IHOP has entered the parade for the last 4 years entering as their float a large green mountain. Atop the mountain is "St. Patrick" himself delivering 45 second "sermonettes". These messages are straight forward simple gospel messages. We are all sinners. Jesus Christ came to save us from our sin. Confess with your mouth, believe with your heart. Repent(turn from your sin) and be saved from eternal separation from God.
Then a worship band rode on a trailer behind the mountain. At the end of each of the sermonettes the band played, "Grace Like Rain....falls down, all my sins are washed away...." which was projected out from the 8 large speakers facing the crowds in every direction. The voices that sang to the music were the 700-1000 worshippers and dancers walking behind the float. Each of us had dowels with green/yellow crepe paper streamers attached which we waved in the air overhead. Staff members, interns, students, old, young, walking, riding in strollers, people from all walks of life, from many different geographic locations. The worshippers stretched across 4 lanes and trailed 4-5 blocks long. It was a very moving sight. I will try and upload some pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words... but yet a picture cannot capture the essence of a moment in time.
As we worshipped along that 1.2 mile stretch, I looked deep into the faces of the crowd. So many expressions. Disbelief. Disdain. Confusion. Disgust. Sheepish smiles on ones longing to openly participate. Then, the one, all alone worshipping the same Jesus with great passion in great abandonment. So many people. So few worshippers of the King.
I have asked myself many questions. Why were the majority there? What are they giving themselves to? What are they living for? Do they not know? Has anyone told them? Have we told them? Do we live our lives in a way that they will know? Do we live our lives in such a way to give a single, clear message? We very well may be the only one standing between life and death for them.
What will we say to that person at Walmart, Wendy's, the doctor's office, at school, or at the office? It is a matter of life and death.
I know the streets of Kansas City are lined with those who are perishing. What do your streets look like? We have the answer they are dying for. Will we tell them?
Blessings,
Kristian
March 20, 2009
JP: Pity Party
JP writes:
Ever have one of "those" days. Sure you have. One of those days where you just want to crawl back into bed and just pull the sheet up over your head and shut out the world. I recently did. However, God wouldn't let me enjoy it. My journal entry for that day was titled, "GOD WHAT'S YOUR DEAL!!!!!!!!!" Let the rant begin. It seemed that morning everything just piled up - lack of sleep, low self-esteem, lack of faith, feeling of inadequacy, family strife (I know, hard to believe!), and abandoned by God. So, I thought that I would just let Him know what I was feeling. Like He didn't already know - Psalm 139 1-4 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up: You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all."
Basically God was saying, "I already know, but if it makes you feel better, go for it." So, I did. During worship that morning before class, I let it fly. Kristian said there was smoke coming from my pen. Two pages and many !!!!!?????!!!!, underline, underlines later, I finished with "Jesus, show me today, not tomorrow, but today that you love me. And if I really am valuable and worthy to be listened to, prove it today." Sounds like a demanding 3 year old, huh?
Well, our loving Savior didn't leave me hanging for long. At 2 PM that day we began our time in the prayer room. Precious Mallory asked God what He wanted her to do that day. "Write your Daddy a love letter" was the response. So, at 2:45 I receive this beautiful, colorful love letter from Mallory and God. It begins, "Dear Daddy, I love you so much!" and proceeds in detail to let me know how much He loves me, how proud He is, how precious I am to Him, and that He has plans for me.
We all have days where we feel abandoned by God. But the last thing Jesus said was a promise to us, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). Will He always answer quickly? No, but that doesn't mean that He does know and care. How many times did I stand silently on the other side of the bedroom door as my children cried out in the middle of the night. My heart ached but I knew this trial was necessary. But other times when they were hurting or needy, I responded immediately. His timing is perfect. God tell us that we have ravished His heart (Song 4:9) and that we are the apple of His eye (Zech 2:8). Even though we may forget these truths in our despair or pity party, He never does.
Call out to Him during your times of trial. Don't you know that you've caught His eye? His eyes are aflame with fire, a fire that reflects His love and zeal for you as the coming Bridegroom and King.
Ever have one of "those" days. Sure you have. One of those days where you just want to crawl back into bed and just pull the sheet up over your head and shut out the world. I recently did. However, God wouldn't let me enjoy it. My journal entry for that day was titled, "GOD WHAT'S YOUR DEAL!!!!!!!!!" Let the rant begin. It seemed that morning everything just piled up - lack of sleep, low self-esteem, lack of faith, feeling of inadequacy, family strife (I know, hard to believe!), and abandoned by God. So, I thought that I would just let Him know what I was feeling. Like He didn't already know - Psalm 139 1-4 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up: You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all."
Basically God was saying, "I already know, but if it makes you feel better, go for it." So, I did. During worship that morning before class, I let it fly. Kristian said there was smoke coming from my pen. Two pages and many !!!!!?????!!!!, underline, underlines later, I finished with "Jesus, show me today, not tomorrow, but today that you love me. And if I really am valuable and worthy to be listened to, prove it today." Sounds like a demanding 3 year old, huh?
Well, our loving Savior didn't leave me hanging for long. At 2 PM that day we began our time in the prayer room. Precious Mallory asked God what He wanted her to do that day. "Write your Daddy a love letter" was the response. So, at 2:45 I receive this beautiful, colorful love letter from Mallory and God. It begins, "Dear Daddy, I love you so much!" and proceeds in detail to let me know how much He loves me, how proud He is, how precious I am to Him, and that He has plans for me.
We all have days where we feel abandoned by God. But the last thing Jesus said was a promise to us, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20). Will He always answer quickly? No, but that doesn't mean that He does know and care. How many times did I stand silently on the other side of the bedroom door as my children cried out in the middle of the night. My heart ached but I knew this trial was necessary. But other times when they were hurting or needy, I responded immediately. His timing is perfect. God tell us that we have ravished His heart (Song 4:9) and that we are the apple of His eye (Zech 2:8). Even though we may forget these truths in our despair or pity party, He never does.
Call out to Him during your times of trial. Don't you know that you've caught His eye? His eyes are aflame with fire, a fire that reflects His love and zeal for you as the coming Bridegroom and King.
March 16, 2009
AP: Jesus as our Bridgegroom King and Judge-Pt 2
Ashton writes:
Okay. So in the last entry I said that fasting is a sign of mourning. Matt. 9:15 defines how we are to mourn for the Bridegroom. There has to be a heart and love behind prayer and fasting or it is useless. Mourning for the Bridegroom is born out of relationship with Him. How much we mourn for him is how much we know him. Do we REALLY want Him to return? He wants our hearts to really long and mourn for His return. To know Him is to love Him---to love Him is to mourn for Him in His absence. We've been given a little of Him which is why we want more of Him. Mourning is a passion for more of Him. Jesus always keeps getting sweeter the more we discover about Him. We must have more of Him. It is built into our being. We will be satisfied with nothing less than all of Him. We will never have all of Him until we are in His presence for all of eternity, but that is a whole other topic. We don't like to feel hungry, weak, humble, and useless but that is what He demands so that we will turn to Him for strength and satisfaction. To know God deeply we must be radical. Fasting is expressing our mourning for His return. Matt. 5:4-6 says, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." The absence of fasting is the measure of our contentment with the absence of Christ. Did you catch that? The absence of fasting(food) is the measure of our contentment with the absence of Christ. Wow. That is really scary. Do we really miss Him and long for his return?
Fasting is done out of desire and love. In fasting we are tenderized to receive more of God faster and deeper. It enables our hearts to grow in capacity and be tenderized in love. We want the place of encounter. Fasting gets rid of false stimulants we lean upon. The purpose of fasting is love. Enjoying fasting comes out of love. When you begin to love fasting and even long for it and look forward to it you see God's work in you. Fasting can be done by fasting things other than food, but fasting food is the highest form of all fasting. Fasting and prayer always come in a context of loving God. Prayer and fasting make us more open to the word living in us and working in our hearts. Our effectiveness in prayer and fasting is drastically connected to our depth in the Word. Fasting tenderizes and sensitizes our hearts to receive more of God. It enlarges our capacity for a righteous and focused life. Though we may not see the changes now we will see them later on in life when we look back. Fasting illuminates the mind with the spirit of revelation.(meaning you are able to understand the Word more during your fast) It strengthens a deep sense of our spiritual identity. Fasting equips our bodies and enhances our physical health and spiritual intimacy. Whatever the motivation is for fasting is what will be strengthened in us during this time---good or bad. Fasting sensitizes the human spirit to the spirit realm. When fasting you must stay in the Word and be with other believers because the enemy will try to tell you that what you are doing is useless and you are the only one doing it. Our desire is to position ourselves to encounter Jesus as the Bridegroom King. Regular fasting IS part of the normal Christian life. It allows us to enter into depths in our relationship with God beyond what we normally experience.
Sometimes during our fast we get major revelation and other times feel nothing. But what matters is that we said yes in our hearts and obeyed His call. We fast in order to encounter God more intimately and more profoundly and to change the world. We desperately need more revelation of Jesus as our Bridegroom who has burning desire for us and fiery affections toward us. As we live in the truth of the Bridal paradigm we fast out of longing for Jesus. Fasting is for the weak, humble, ordinary people. When we are physically weak from not eating we become more sensitive to God and the things of God. Fasting is born out of a zealous love to know the Bridegroom King more. We are weak people who can never earn God's favor or rewards but can only receive them. We give ourselves to the grace of fasting by positioning ourselves before his infinite goodness. Fasting is one of the most practical ways to posture our hearts to experience more of God's affection and love. Being the Bride of Christ is not about being male or female but rather is an invitation to experience God's affection and desire for us. As sons of God we are given the position that allows us to experience His throne. As His Bride we get to experience His heart for us. (emotions, affections, and desire) We need to be active in intimacy with God. This result is fasting. We must become lovesick for God---become His friends---mourn for His return. He has tender mercy, gladness, fiery affections, and zealousness toward us. He is lovesick and is hoping to get the same response out of His Bride. How awful it must be to be lovesick for someone who is not lovesick after you. His passion burns hot with love for us. By knowing Jesus as our Bridegroom and seeing ourselves as His Bride we will become energized with a spirit of prayer and filled with courage to live lives abandoned to God in holiness. Only then will fasting seem appropriate, reasonable, or wise. The grace of fasting is God's answer to our cry for "more". Fasting enlarges our capacity to receive truth taking root in our hearts. In order to grow in love we must grow in capacity---to grow in capacity we must fast regularly. Fasting fuels our experience of God's love. We must be intentional about fasting. We move God's heart when we fast and pray. We want to be burning and shining lamps. We don't want to live life with just good intentions to fast. We must actually do it.
Here at IHOP Mike Bickle and the leadership strongly encourage the students, interns, and staff to fast at least 2 days every week and do the Global Bridegroom Fast the first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of every month and 7 days in December. They have the staff fast every Tuesday as part of their 2 days. I am challenging you to partake in this. The benefits from giving yourself to this are innumerable. Don't worry if you accidentally break your fast. Jesus loves that you are willing to do this thing that he has called you to. Just push delete and start again next time. Don't be hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Don't listen to the enemy when he tries to tell you that you are a failure and can never do it. Practice makes perfect. You must stick to it. Sorry this was so long. I'll try to make it shorter next time. But next time is a long subject too! :) We will just have to see what God puts on my heart next!
Love ya'll!
His forever,
Ashton Price
Okay. So in the last entry I said that fasting is a sign of mourning. Matt. 9:15 defines how we are to mourn for the Bridegroom. There has to be a heart and love behind prayer and fasting or it is useless. Mourning for the Bridegroom is born out of relationship with Him. How much we mourn for him is how much we know him. Do we REALLY want Him to return? He wants our hearts to really long and mourn for His return. To know Him is to love Him---to love Him is to mourn for Him in His absence. We've been given a little of Him which is why we want more of Him. Mourning is a passion for more of Him. Jesus always keeps getting sweeter the more we discover about Him. We must have more of Him. It is built into our being. We will be satisfied with nothing less than all of Him. We will never have all of Him until we are in His presence for all of eternity, but that is a whole other topic. We don't like to feel hungry, weak, humble, and useless but that is what He demands so that we will turn to Him for strength and satisfaction. To know God deeply we must be radical. Fasting is expressing our mourning for His return. Matt. 5:4-6 says, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." The absence of fasting is the measure of our contentment with the absence of Christ. Did you catch that? The absence of fasting(food) is the measure of our contentment with the absence of Christ. Wow. That is really scary. Do we really miss Him and long for his return?
Fasting is done out of desire and love. In fasting we are tenderized to receive more of God faster and deeper. It enables our hearts to grow in capacity and be tenderized in love. We want the place of encounter. Fasting gets rid of false stimulants we lean upon. The purpose of fasting is love. Enjoying fasting comes out of love. When you begin to love fasting and even long for it and look forward to it you see God's work in you. Fasting can be done by fasting things other than food, but fasting food is the highest form of all fasting. Fasting and prayer always come in a context of loving God. Prayer and fasting make us more open to the word living in us and working in our hearts. Our effectiveness in prayer and fasting is drastically connected to our depth in the Word. Fasting tenderizes and sensitizes our hearts to receive more of God. It enlarges our capacity for a righteous and focused life. Though we may not see the changes now we will see them later on in life when we look back. Fasting illuminates the mind with the spirit of revelation.(meaning you are able to understand the Word more during your fast) It strengthens a deep sense of our spiritual identity. Fasting equips our bodies and enhances our physical health and spiritual intimacy. Whatever the motivation is for fasting is what will be strengthened in us during this time---good or bad. Fasting sensitizes the human spirit to the spirit realm. When fasting you must stay in the Word and be with other believers because the enemy will try to tell you that what you are doing is useless and you are the only one doing it. Our desire is to position ourselves to encounter Jesus as the Bridegroom King. Regular fasting IS part of the normal Christian life. It allows us to enter into depths in our relationship with God beyond what we normally experience.
Sometimes during our fast we get major revelation and other times feel nothing. But what matters is that we said yes in our hearts and obeyed His call. We fast in order to encounter God more intimately and more profoundly and to change the world. We desperately need more revelation of Jesus as our Bridegroom who has burning desire for us and fiery affections toward us. As we live in the truth of the Bridal paradigm we fast out of longing for Jesus. Fasting is for the weak, humble, ordinary people. When we are physically weak from not eating we become more sensitive to God and the things of God. Fasting is born out of a zealous love to know the Bridegroom King more. We are weak people who can never earn God's favor or rewards but can only receive them. We give ourselves to the grace of fasting by positioning ourselves before his infinite goodness. Fasting is one of the most practical ways to posture our hearts to experience more of God's affection and love. Being the Bride of Christ is not about being male or female but rather is an invitation to experience God's affection and desire for us. As sons of God we are given the position that allows us to experience His throne. As His Bride we get to experience His heart for us. (emotions, affections, and desire) We need to be active in intimacy with God. This result is fasting. We must become lovesick for God---become His friends---mourn for His return. He has tender mercy, gladness, fiery affections, and zealousness toward us. He is lovesick and is hoping to get the same response out of His Bride. How awful it must be to be lovesick for someone who is not lovesick after you. His passion burns hot with love for us. By knowing Jesus as our Bridegroom and seeing ourselves as His Bride we will become energized with a spirit of prayer and filled with courage to live lives abandoned to God in holiness. Only then will fasting seem appropriate, reasonable, or wise. The grace of fasting is God's answer to our cry for "more". Fasting enlarges our capacity to receive truth taking root in our hearts. In order to grow in love we must grow in capacity---to grow in capacity we must fast regularly. Fasting fuels our experience of God's love. We must be intentional about fasting. We move God's heart when we fast and pray. We want to be burning and shining lamps. We don't want to live life with just good intentions to fast. We must actually do it.
Here at IHOP Mike Bickle and the leadership strongly encourage the students, interns, and staff to fast at least 2 days every week and do the Global Bridegroom Fast the first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of every month and 7 days in December. They have the staff fast every Tuesday as part of their 2 days. I am challenging you to partake in this. The benefits from giving yourself to this are innumerable. Don't worry if you accidentally break your fast. Jesus loves that you are willing to do this thing that he has called you to. Just push delete and start again next time. Don't be hard on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Don't listen to the enemy when he tries to tell you that you are a failure and can never do it. Practice makes perfect. You must stick to it. Sorry this was so long. I'll try to make it shorter next time. But next time is a long subject too! :) We will just have to see what God puts on my heart next!
Love ya'll!
His forever,
Ashton Price
March 14, 2009
AP: Jesus as our Bridegroom King and Judge-Pt. 1
Ashton writes:
(I wrote this in January but have been editing it and adding to it.)
Hi Everyone! Okay. So while I was still in Georgia my mom got weekly email updates from Ashley Gillam who was at IHOP doing the FSM track. I read them and was amazed at the things that God taught her and taught me through her. So I'm copying her example and starting emails of my own. (I still read hers every week!) Wow. There is just so much we don't know. As I read the word of God and meditate on what it means something new will be shown to me I had never seen before. God is just so huge. He has so many attributes. Every time I think I know them all He shows me another and another. My mind is blown by his majesty and holiness. Just recently He has been showing himself to me as the Bridegroom King and Judge. Well there are a couple of different topics that I want to share with you so I will try to fit them all in. First of all, I was in the prayer room last week and I was thinking what it really meant to be a lover and friend of the Bridegroom. I had heard a little at the OneThing conference and it really connected with me in my spirit that I was called to be a friend of the Bridegroom. Just to sit at his feet and learn what he is feeling and share in that. Basically to be his friend. Then I was at the EGS (Encountering God Service) where Dana Candler taught. She said several things that really struck me. In the Bible in Rev. 22:17 it says that "the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) and the Bride (us as the church) say come". If we were really honest with ourselves, do we really and truly want Jesus to return? Or are we too comfortable in our life right now and don't want it to change? That really hit me. I don't want to be passive when He returns. I want to be one who was faithfully longing for His return.
Then she spoke about Matt. 9:15. "The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast." If your friend is away from you, the natural response is to long until you get to see them again. You don't choose to long, it happens naturally. So I figured if I was to be a friend of the Bridegroom, Jesus, I want to long for His return. Part of longing is mourning. And a way to mourn is to fast. Mourning is a passion for a person that leaves us unsatisfied with the things of this world. Mourning comes from having knowledge of a person. So in order to mourn and long for Jesus, I need to search the scriptures to learn more about him. Jesus wants us to know a man who is like no other and then we long for His return because life isn't right without Him. Longing is loving him. If we really want Him to come back we will show it through how much we love him and long for him. How much we long and mourn for His return shows us how much we really know him. Mourning comes out of love, relationship, and intimacy. We are in a time to mourn. Jesus is returning soon. Will he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8) Or will he find bored Christians who do not have a relationship and do not know him? Love mourns in absence. Mourning is what Jesus is looking for. He will not return until He sees a Bride longing and mourning for Him that comes from knowledge and loving Him. We can't be okay with business as usual. We must ache for His return. Longing is an ache of the heart crying to be filled. We will know true joy when we put our affections in place. We have an incurable demand for love that end's up crying for Jesus' return. Jesus is longing for us and wants us to long for Him. Do we really miss him? Can you imagine longing to see someone and when you finally see them realize they didn't care if they saw you until they were old? That would be crushing. That is what we are doing to Jesus. When we long it is not a one sided longing---it is a fellowship with the Man Christ Jesus. Longing, yearning, and mourning are gifts from God that help us learn more about him. He is the one who put the longing inside of us---causing love to yearn within us. He will not return to the earth until He sees such a groan from His church. Philippians 2:1-2 says, "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." God has called us to place our affection on one person. There is love and unspeakable joy in knowing Him and mourning when He is absent.
I want to be one who longs for the return of Christ. I want to be one of the reasons for His return to the earth. I don't know about you but this puts a huge desire on my heart to really and truly long for my creator to return. As I stated before, fasting is a sign of mourning. That will be my next topic of writing. I just want to leave you in suspense so you have to come back for more.
Anyway, have a great day wherever you are. And may the glory of the Lord shine upon you and fill you with a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
I love y'all!
His forever,
Ashton :)
(I wrote this in January but have been editing it and adding to it.)
Hi Everyone! Okay. So while I was still in Georgia my mom got weekly email updates from Ashley Gillam who was at IHOP doing the FSM track. I read them and was amazed at the things that God taught her and taught me through her. So I'm copying her example and starting emails of my own. (I still read hers every week!) Wow. There is just so much we don't know. As I read the word of God and meditate on what it means something new will be shown to me I had never seen before. God is just so huge. He has so many attributes. Every time I think I know them all He shows me another and another. My mind is blown by his majesty and holiness. Just recently He has been showing himself to me as the Bridegroom King and Judge. Well there are a couple of different topics that I want to share with you so I will try to fit them all in. First of all, I was in the prayer room last week and I was thinking what it really meant to be a lover and friend of the Bridegroom. I had heard a little at the OneThing conference and it really connected with me in my spirit that I was called to be a friend of the Bridegroom. Just to sit at his feet and learn what he is feeling and share in that. Basically to be his friend. Then I was at the EGS (Encountering God Service) where Dana Candler taught. She said several things that really struck me. In the Bible in Rev. 22:17 it says that "the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) and the Bride (us as the church) say come". If we were really honest with ourselves, do we really and truly want Jesus to return? Or are we too comfortable in our life right now and don't want it to change? That really hit me. I don't want to be passive when He returns. I want to be one who was faithfully longing for His return.
Then she spoke about Matt. 9:15. "The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast." If your friend is away from you, the natural response is to long until you get to see them again. You don't choose to long, it happens naturally. So I figured if I was to be a friend of the Bridegroom, Jesus, I want to long for His return. Part of longing is mourning. And a way to mourn is to fast. Mourning is a passion for a person that leaves us unsatisfied with the things of this world. Mourning comes from having knowledge of a person. So in order to mourn and long for Jesus, I need to search the scriptures to learn more about him. Jesus wants us to know a man who is like no other and then we long for His return because life isn't right without Him. Longing is loving him. If we really want Him to come back we will show it through how much we love him and long for him. How much we long and mourn for His return shows us how much we really know him. Mourning comes out of love, relationship, and intimacy. We are in a time to mourn. Jesus is returning soon. Will he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8) Or will he find bored Christians who do not have a relationship and do not know him? Love mourns in absence. Mourning is what Jesus is looking for. He will not return until He sees a Bride longing and mourning for Him that comes from knowledge and loving Him. We can't be okay with business as usual. We must ache for His return. Longing is an ache of the heart crying to be filled. We will know true joy when we put our affections in place. We have an incurable demand for love that end's up crying for Jesus' return. Jesus is longing for us and wants us to long for Him. Do we really miss him? Can you imagine longing to see someone and when you finally see them realize they didn't care if they saw you until they were old? That would be crushing. That is what we are doing to Jesus. When we long it is not a one sided longing---it is a fellowship with the Man Christ Jesus. Longing, yearning, and mourning are gifts from God that help us learn more about him. He is the one who put the longing inside of us---causing love to yearn within us. He will not return to the earth until He sees such a groan from His church. Philippians 2:1-2 says, "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like minded having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." God has called us to place our affection on one person. There is love and unspeakable joy in knowing Him and mourning when He is absent.
I want to be one who longs for the return of Christ. I want to be one of the reasons for His return to the earth. I don't know about you but this puts a huge desire on my heart to really and truly long for my creator to return. As I stated before, fasting is a sign of mourning. That will be my next topic of writing. I just want to leave you in suspense so you have to come back for more.
Anyway, have a great day wherever you are. And may the glory of the Lord shine upon you and fill you with a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
I love y'all!
His forever,
Ashton :)
March 12, 2009
MP: Yeah
MP writes:
Hi,
Okay, so right now I am so happy because on Tuesday I was able to hear Ron Downing's team, Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team. I love her voice, :) And then I heard Grace Kim!!!!! It was absolutely wonderful. Then today, Thursday, we get to be in the prayer room while Tim Reimherr's team, Nathan Panke's team, and Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team are playing.
Now for something I have learned. I am going to tell you something that you may already know but it really just hit rock bottom with me one day this week in the prayer room. It is a diagram so it may be a little hard to understand the way I put it.
1)Here it is: God the Father is two things. One is easy. He is like your earthly father. So whatever picture you have of your dad is the picture you have of God the Father. The second part of that is He is the "body" which is the identity, protection, and provision.
2)Jesus, the Son of God, is like your siblings or your friends. Also He is like the "soul." That means companionship and communication. Y'all this is amazing once you let God help you think about it.
3)The Holy Spirit is like your mother. Also He is like the "spirit." (hehehe) The Spirit is comforter, nurturer and he teaches us. Seriously think about that for a moment. If you went to Sozo that is where I got the diagram. This diagram is called the father ladder. Pray about this whole diagram and see what God tells you through it! I love you guys!!!
Love ya,
Mallory :)
Hi,
Okay, so right now I am so happy because on Tuesday I was able to hear Ron Downing's team, Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team. I love her voice, :) And then I heard Grace Kim!!!!! It was absolutely wonderful. Then today, Thursday, we get to be in the prayer room while Tim Reimherr's team, Nathan Panke's team, and Justin Rizzo AND Laura Hackett's team are playing.
Now for something I have learned. I am going to tell you something that you may already know but it really just hit rock bottom with me one day this week in the prayer room. It is a diagram so it may be a little hard to understand the way I put it.
1)Here it is: God the Father is two things. One is easy. He is like your earthly father. So whatever picture you have of your dad is the picture you have of God the Father. The second part of that is He is the "body" which is the identity, protection, and provision.
2)Jesus, the Son of God, is like your siblings or your friends. Also He is like the "soul." That means companionship and communication. Y'all this is amazing once you let God help you think about it.
3)The Holy Spirit is like your mother. Also He is like the "spirit." (hehehe) The Spirit is comforter, nurturer and he teaches us. Seriously think about that for a moment. If you went to Sozo that is where I got the diagram. This diagram is called the father ladder. Pray about this whole diagram and see what God tells you through it! I love you guys!!!
Love ya,
Mallory :)
March 10, 2009
AP: YEA!!!!!!!!!!
Ashton writes:
Hi everyone! Guess what I did on Monday????
I GOT MY DRIVER LICENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was our day off and Daddy took me to go get my driver's license before my learner's permit expired. You can't bug me now Uncle Tuffy!
I will write later!
Ashton :)
Hi everyone! Guess what I did on Monday????
I GOT MY DRIVER LICENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was our day off and Daddy took me to go get my driver's license before my learner's permit expired. You can't bug me now Uncle Tuffy!
I will write later!
Ashton :)
MP: Out of the Ordinary
Mallory writes:
Hey,
You all know how I like a little change every know and then, right??? Well, if you did not now you do. So every day we usually go to the prayer room in the afternoons from about 1pm to 6pm. I do love that time allotment but I sometimes want a little change in my schedule! This week on Tues. and Thurs. our schedule is where we have prayer room time in the mornings (about 9am to 3pm) which is cool because we get to be there when different people sing. I love you guys!!!
Christ's forever,
Mallory
Hey,
You all know how I like a little change every know and then, right??? Well, if you did not now you do. So every day we usually go to the prayer room in the afternoons from about 1pm to 6pm. I do love that time allotment but I sometimes want a little change in my schedule! This week on Tues. and Thurs. our schedule is where we have prayer room time in the mornings (about 9am to 3pm) which is cool because we get to be there when different people sing. I love you guys!!!
Christ's forever,
Mallory
March 4, 2009
KP Writes:
Well, my image is shattered. Tonight was our home group (cell group) night. Up to this point we have each taken turns sharing our testimony and the "story" behind how we ended up in KC. Then we would pray over the person sharing.
Many people are out right now with the flu so we decided to play Catch Phrase for a lighter evening. Because of my personality, unless I really know you or I am really sure of what I have to say, I don't talk a whole lot. So I have been mostly shy and reserved for the last 8 weeks. Well, playing a game is a whole different story. Needless to say I am very competitive. Our cell leader made the comment that he was now seeing "the real Kristian". Needless to say...my team won!! Go team #1. Oh well Jeff, Ashton and Mallory, maybe next time. We had a great evening!
We have actually made plans to teach our cell leaders how to play Spoons once we "graduate" from INTRO. (We want to be sure to successfully complete INTRO so that we can join staff before we whoop-up on them in a ?friendly? game of spoons.)
On a more serious note, I have been captured by a verse I have been pondering for the last several weeks. John 15:9 says "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love." Y'all, Jesus said He loves me (and you) in the SAME WAY that God the Father loved Jesus!!! The same way!! But all my faults and shortcomings....no, the same way. Now that moves me.
I love you guys!
Love,
Kristian
The #1 Team on Team One
Well, my image is shattered. Tonight was our home group (cell group) night. Up to this point we have each taken turns sharing our testimony and the "story" behind how we ended up in KC. Then we would pray over the person sharing.
Many people are out right now with the flu so we decided to play Catch Phrase for a lighter evening. Because of my personality, unless I really know you or I am really sure of what I have to say, I don't talk a whole lot. So I have been mostly shy and reserved for the last 8 weeks. Well, playing a game is a whole different story. Needless to say I am very competitive. Our cell leader made the comment that he was now seeing "the real Kristian". Needless to say...my team won!! Go team #1. Oh well Jeff, Ashton and Mallory, maybe next time. We had a great evening!
We have actually made plans to teach our cell leaders how to play Spoons once we "graduate" from INTRO. (We want to be sure to successfully complete INTRO so that we can join staff before we whoop-up on them in a ?friendly? game of spoons.)
On a more serious note, I have been captured by a verse I have been pondering for the last several weeks. John 15:9 says "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love." Y'all, Jesus said He loves me (and you) in the SAME WAY that God the Father loved Jesus!!! The same way!! But all my faults and shortcomings....no, the same way. Now that moves me.
I love you guys!
Love,
Kristian
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