Are you aware?

I am afraid we are dreadfully not.

To His glory alone,
JG

Afflatus:Cease

Certain phrases stick with us over time...they are those things that we can't rid our minds of. The idea of stopping has been in a sense the reoccuring theme over these past few weeks.

While I was in Seattle I got the chance to attend two of the local churches:

The lessons I learned while at Mar's Hill will be mentioned a little later on.

But tonight I was reminded of what a very wise man spoke on when I met up with one of my good friends at a local Seattle church, that second church.He talked on the holy spirit in Acts: specifically what it looks like to actually have it, what the scriptures declare about such a thing.

See tonight,a question that I have been formulating for a couple of years now as to whether or not there is this thing known as "baptism of the holy spirit" finally came to an answer. I am firmly convinced it does and that a large majority of christendom lives without annointing and what the church should have through such a "promise of the father."

I understand perfectly why things seem to be so confusing and chaotic as of late it is because we have forgot to be still and let a period of preperation come into a period of realization.

I stumbled upon an interesting quote tonight:

The church would be better off if we called for a moratorium on activity for about six weeks and just waited upon God to see what He would do for us. Just wait on God.The early church did that very thing. They cleaned up the loose ends and were united...The holy spirit did not come upon the disciples to unite them. The holy Spirit came upon the disciples because they were already united,"being of one accord and in one place"...we have yet to see what God can do with a man if He can get him together in one place."

- A.W. Tozer

Every great preacher who has lived and every man who has been used to start revival was still and ceased and was filled, read their biographies every one has it in them.

Search the scriptures there is something dreadfully off.

Let God teach you to cease and be fully in one place. That we might be one as the Triune Godhead is one.

To His glory alone,
JG

To Simply Stop

The first words are always the hardest. They always are. They always are!

As often I write here” there is no way I can write it ALL!”

For a while now I have not written much, infact I flat out haven’t written anything.

I have been so preoccupied and consumed as of late. Infact I really hadn’t stopped till I went to Seattle this past week. I finally got my Sabbath when I met God in the city.

There is this place in Seattle called Pike Place Market, it is where musicians perform and Seattleites buy produce and other handcrafted things, the place intrigued me.

There was this man playing his fiddle there one of the days.

I am a couple days removed now but I think I finally get why I was so captivated. This man was playing his fiddle still and beautiful even though the world around him buzzed hummed and scuffed by.

It was as if the world was still for just a moment when I heard the music he was playing.

It was a remarkable thing.

But I think the thing that I find so remarkable is the fact that this man in many respects is what I desire to be.

I am so tossed here and there as of late. I need to remember to gaze into the eyes of Jesus and learn to play my fiddle and let all of this simply be still although it is chaotic and crazy.

This quarter more than any other I have been literally unraveled to the very core of the honest me one who can’t manage everything gracefully at all. There is a new understanding in realizing just simply to stop.

Attempt at Summary

I fear if I do not write now…it probably will be a long while before I sit down and actually write something.

I could probably start with my trip down to LA to go to the Passion Conference. How in the city I feel strangely at home. How I find more enjoyment by sharing pizza with the homeless than anything else I have ever done. How I gain more by staying in the ghetto than in the safest of places. How I have learned that scripture alone speaks more than all other things. And God’s grace speaks equally if not louder. But I feel all really needs to be said about such a weekend is God is not allowing His name to be belittled, this is I find phenomenal.

I could probably start and explain how God has been redefining my idea of worship ministry. How He has taught me about the difficulties men have in approaching God and declaring their love for Jesus. How He has taught me to create an atmosphere where God can speak in the whisper and yet we declare God as He is as well . How I have learned that worship can no longer simply be about music but need to be just as much about justice. How He has taught me the greater gift I can give God’s people is the wisdom He has graced me with. But honestly I don’t know how to even attempt such a redefinition so I will let that come in it’s entirety at a later date.

I could probably start and talk about a new calling I feel led to participate in and how everything I once new has been thrown out the window and God has begun as He does making all things new! But that too…I would do it such an injustice at this time.

I could probably start with a desire to pray more and more and how prayer is what holds the world together: this driving beautiful relationship and conversation/intimate encounter between God and man.

I could talk about architecture and culture and how these are tied. About housing and how one can totally flip everything upside down and make a culture lend itself to believing God to be as Big as He is. But what is knowledge and action without God going before us in it? NOTHING is done!

Know I probably will not write here for a while .I feel my time spent here is changing. So until my fingers would move and dance to create words out of clicks and clacks…I bid you all a temporary farewell and pray that God may richly showcase Himself :He who knows no beginning or end.

To His Glory alone,
JG

String Theory

When all things small
and all things great
Find themselves wrapped in infinite praise

Tis where dust and the ordinary
cannot contain Your Spirit

When the infinite galaxies
are held in the palm of Your hand
bursting into starlight

When the smallest of things
becomes Your pursuit

tis You my God
The God of all things
small and everything

JG

Honesty at 1AM

Life is busy and hectic. This has not changed. To be honest I am beginning to tire and even despise these 20 hr days. There is a necessity for rest in life.

And as these days march so effortlessly on I've found myself more and more in realization of how incredibly aweful this flesh is inside of me. Things that I would have said I would have conquered a long time ago...well...they still are there. When I do not have sabbath and rest in my life they pop up.

Today I was thinking of quitting my job, yelling at my roomate, kicking stuff, crying into my pillow and saying goodbye to anything church related. It was a rough and aweful day.

Yet despite that fact the Spirit of God still testifies within me that God is doing a great work in this place. I cling to this because, He is. I may be too low to the ground from running so long to see currently but I know He is sovereign still.

To His glory alone,
JG