10's, 50's, and 100's

“If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full.”

We are those of a Movement of Hope, and we are giving all we have for generations to live the full joys and glories of all Christ provides.  Each step in that direction is evidence of God moving things to a better and better condition in the earth.  Lives improved, families improved, cities improved, and nations improved are displays of His glory and grace. 

God is bringing us into a deeper revelation and further understanding of His rest.  He did not intend for those of His covenant to strive.  Striving produces thorns and thistles that is the revealing of the curse (Gen 3:18-19).  Rest in Jesus is the faith filled life of hope that results in fruit and leaves that heal/make better (Rev 22).

Here are some thoughts to help us see a place of rest provided through Jesus:

He designed us as leaders to tend curtained measures of influences.  As He enables us to see that and live it, we experience a restful place of fulfillment instead of pressured striving.

Moses father-in-law, Jethro, gives Godly insight to Moses that some leaders are called to 10, some 50, some 100's (Ex 18:21).  This speaks to us that not all are called to the same thing or the same “amount”.  When someone called to influence and lead 10’s gets into the pressured striving of trying to lead 100’s, frustration becomes the way of life.  We are to aim for and go after the fullest of what God has given us.   When we are unsatisfied with our lives because we don’t see what the media or our unmet needs project as success, we end up outside His rest and produce thorns and thistles.

We must see that success is not in the numbers or money, but success is in the faithful stewarding of our call.

Jesus told the story, in Matthew 25:14-30, about servants being given different amounts of talents (responsibilities).  Notice again, not all given the same measure.  This lesson from Jesus was that the amount was not the measure of success but tending to the assignment revealed success.  The servant with 2 talents didn’t strive to generate 5.  The servant with 5 talents didn’t strive to generate 10.  They lived in the “grace” given to them and brought forth a full measure.  These servants succeeded in stewarding the assignment they were given.  The one that didn’t steward the assignment was the unsuccessful servant.  As a leader in a Movement of Hope, you can’t get pushed into striving for “more”.  You live in the “rest” of what you have and steward that well so there is glorious results. 

As the 1^st Century Ecclessia was developing, Apostle Paul was lead to a new strategy.  He adjusted from traveling and large group teaching to teaching in a single location with the same handful of people (Acts 19:1-10). Paul taught these 12 in Ephesus and recognized his success wasn’t in the size of the crowd, but it was in the faithful efforts in the assignment.  He didn’t strive to keep some status of fame, notoriety, and being a “highly demanded speaker”.  He was at rest in the grace of each phase of his journey.  From what I can tell, Paul wasn’t aware he was writing Holy Scripture as he wrote letters to those he was influencing.  Those letters became canonized later.  As we are restfully faithful to what we are assigned to, we never know the far reaches of impact we cause.  We get to rest in releasing out of us what we are given and be settled that God will use it as He intends.  If we strive to create the degree of impact, we are taking matters into our own hands as if we are God.  That leads us back to the work of Adam and the result being thorns.  Because Apostle Paul moved in what was needed in each moment and didn’t strive to stay within a certain paradigm of perceived success, he found the place of being content/at rest (Phil 4:11).  We all know the magnitude of Paul’s impact now because he carried out the call without attention to numbers or notoriety.  We see from Paul the reality of needing to use the right measuring device to indicate his success (more on that later).

As a leader in a Movement of Hope, you can’t get pushed into striving for “more”. 

We are often thrown out of rest and step into striving as we give into the pressure for more and being something outside who we're called to be.  There can seem like a constant demand for more. Do more, reach more, build more, make more, get more people, get more known by more people, etc. But what if the calling is to 10 or 50?  What if your highest impact is only in the ones of your family? What if you're called to lead only a few? What if your business isn't huge or the #1 in its field? What if it’s not called to be? What if your congregation only has 25, forever?  What if your name is never in lights and you are never celebrated?  What if you are called to 10,000’s?  Does that make you more of a success than someone called to 10?  If called to 10,000 then steward that call well and live in rest.  Don’t strive for 100,000.  If called to 10, then steward that call well and live in rest.  Don’t strive for 100’s. 

This challenge to rest in what Jesus has given you isn’t about being lazy or living something less than what God has given you. This is about living to the fullest of your calling which may be 10 or 50 or 100’s. Can you live in rest as you giving your all for His glory in that capacity, or will you fight back against His design and strive to do something "more"?

From where do you gain your sense of success?

These questions push us to consider the measuring stick we are using to see if what we are building is on point and successful. From where do you gain your sense of success? Where do you look to gauge your impact? What must things be like to know you've hit the mark? If 10 is your call, live that to the fullest! If 50, find your heart overwhelmingly thrilled to rock that assignment! Stop living in the pressure of "more", and live in the rest of fulfillment.

The quote at the top about living gladly (in rest) to cause others to be glad in God is a powerful statement to use as you measure your success.  Lead all those you are to influence to be glad in God and rest in whatever amount God has given you to lead.  Rest!

Perfecting in Christ / Mandate of Hope - RISE Training Series Jan 2015

Perfecting in Christ - "Where are We?"

by Pastor Mic Cox

The Anchor Church, Parkersburg, WV

One thing we as leaders have to recognize first and foremost is that people are trying to find their identity. The big question in our hearts is “Who am I?” As leaders, spiritual fathers and mothers, we must be able to help sons and daughters navigate their hearts and find purpose and direction. Help them find out who they are. If not the culture around them will tell them they are what they do: their job or their hobby. It will define them by what they do right or wrong and it will lead them to believe they are defined but what others think.  This leads to always trying to achieve more and trapped under the weight of constantly trying to please people.

As leaders we need to change the question from “Who am I?” to “Where am I?” When Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden they were duped by the serpent into finding their identity from someone or something other than God -

            "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5

What was the result:

            “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.”  Genesis 3:7

They no longer saw themselves as God saw them and immediately covered themselves. God shows up and what is the first thing He says?

            “Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?”  Genesis 3:9

When you understand that you can't hide from God that question begins to stand out: Where are you?

The world asks “Who am I?” God asks “Where are you?” That's the question we have to challenge those we are discipling with. Paul, in his letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, basically wrote a manifesto of where the Christian should be – In Christ. Peter in his first letter writes that:

             "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9,10

Peter declares that we are:

1. Accepted – Chosen by God Himself

2. Extremely Valuable -  A Holy Nation, A People Belonging to God

3. Eternally Loved – Once we were not a people, Now we are God's People

4. Totally Forgiven – We did not know God's mercy, Now we have received His mercy

5. Fully Capable – We are royal priests – Chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God

This is where we are now. This is what we now have to teach and train those who are following us to understand. If we do not disciple them the culture will.

Non- Kingdom culture disciples:

From faith to doubt

From Love to insecurity

From Contribution to consumerism

From Rest to exhaustion

(Consumerism and exhaustion are the biggest reason why it is so heard to help people find their purpose and direction and why it's so hard to get them to buy into vision)

I want to bring up a way the church in the past has helped people find where they are. During the Reformation, men like Martin Luther and John Calvin and others began to rediscover what Paul and Peter were talking about when they spoke of being “In Christ”. They highlighted 5 key points they called the 5 Solas:

Sola Fide, by faith alone

Sola Scriptura, by Scripture alone.

Solus Christus, through Christ alone

Sola Gratia, by grace alone

Soli Deo Gloria, glory to God alone.

We will dig into these more in the upcoming weeks. But just a simple understanding of these 5 puts the christian in a new perspective. Just knowing that EVERYTHING WE DO IS TO THE GLORY OF GOD changes everything. They way we carry ourselves, the way we interact with other people, the way live together as a family – all of it is affected by this statement. The Reformers held a high regard for the work of the Holy Spirit, so when you tie in these five and the Holy Spirit you have a powerful punch. It's no wonder that once the Bible was printed in a common language once again and the man on the street could encounter it and his pastor was teaching these 5 main points combined with the power of the Holy Spirit, that the Renaissance was birthed as well as democracy and missionary work to the ends of the earth. It was out of this explosive moment that our nation was eventually founded.

Now I do not want to hold the Reformers up to high. They had their hangups and there are those who profess being reformed that have done some harm (complementarianism being one) but like any movement there are some hang ups. That is why I like the 5 Solas so much – When I use scripture alone backed by the Holy Spirit the things that need weeded out get weeded out! If it is not for God's Glory alone – weeded it out!

Our mandate as leaders is to equip. Those that are following you are looking for identity. Help them change the question from “Who am I?” to “Where am I?” Help then see they are now found In Christ. Use things like the 5 Solas as a base line or walk people through the book of Ephesians to help them find their way. The answer to the hopeless wanderer (see Mumford and Sons) is being found In Christ.

MANDATE of HOPE

by Michelle Harding

Church of the King, Easton, MD

The word mandate come from the Latin word "mandatum" meaning something commanded. It is derived from two root words: "mandu" meaning hands and "dare" meaning give. So in a very fundamental way it is "that which we put our hands to".

Mandate is defined as an authoritative command or instruction; a formal order or commission granted by a superior; or an authorization to act given to a person to represent another.

So an apostolic mandate is the divine directive given by God to His sent ones. Not just His apostles but to His apostolic people; us His sent ones. (from Matt 28:19-12: "Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all I have commanded you...)

 An apostolic mandate comes with the delegated authority to carry out that very decree or order and comes with Kingdom authority and power to complete what He has commanded. Just prior to Matthew 28:19-20; Jesus states in verse 18; "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth'" and in verse 20 says "Lo' I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

So, we can conclude that Jesus is our Commander, our Superior; and we have received authorization to act on His behalf and to represent our King; Jesus the Christ and His Kingdom.

Hope in the New testament is defined by two Greek words; "elpidos" (Strong's # 1680) and "elpis" (Strong's numbers 1679). The first meaning; "The desire of good with expectation of obtaining it" and the second meaning "To expect with desire."

So in its simplest verbiage, we could say that the "Mandate of Hope" is God has released a commissioning to restore the desire and expectation of obtaining good.

Col. 1:3-8

We can see from this passage that the church in Colossae's faith in Christ and love for others was rooted, planted and springing forth out of hope. The passage says that their hope came from the gospel, the good news and that it was bearing fruit and increasing in them and throughout the world.

Perhaps one thing we must do to restore hope is to once again begin to declare the authentic gospel as the Apostles did. When looking at the pattern of the first messages over and over again, you see Jesus fulfills the promises of Abraham, David, and the prophets. Jesus is risen from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God and now enthroned. The thrust was the centrality of Christ and His throne. His overcoming of sin, hell and death.

(Some to check out in the book of Acts: Acts 2 Day of Pentecost; Acts 3 the healing at the gate called beautiful, Acts 4 Peter and John are arrested by rulers , Acts 13 Paul, Acts 17 Paul in Thessalonica)

                The Apostles; like the church of Colossae were bearing fruit and seeing increase in the Kingdom because their hope was rooted in the Gospel, the Good News;  the message of the resurrected, overcoming, reigning Christ.

                Increase through hope happened in the midst of some of the darkest times in human history. In the midst of religious persecution and under the rule of the demonized nation of Rome; their faith and love were known because of its deep roots in the living Hope; Jesus. When our hope is put in political spheres and who is holding power and officiating in the offices of our nation we find ourselves overwhelmed by hopelessness. The Apostles advanced the Kingdom and the cause of our King while Herod and Caesar ruled. Their hope was alive reigning, alive ruling, alive releasing His power and administrating His Kingdom through signs, wonders and miracles.

                His victory ensures Hope for the nations and the people of the earth. The Cry of His coming, the proclamation of the Angels and the heavenly host in Luke 2  was; " we bring you GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY! Which will be for all the people (no one was excluded) for today in the city of David there has been born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, (The Messiah, The Anointed King!) And further on the heavenly host appear and sing this glorious and too often over looked verse! Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He (God) is pleased! He is pleased and He has sent the good news, our Savior, who died for our sins; carried them away; rose again and overcame sin, hell, death, the devil; bringing forth with Him healing, salvation, freedom, love, grace, peace, joy, and ascended to the right hand of God reigning, with all power, all authority, in dominion and glory at the right hand of God! Now and Forever!

He then sent His Holy Spirit in power so that we would lay hands on the sick and raise the dead. We would see the deaf hear, blind see, lame walk. Through His Holy Spirit; nations will be drawn to Him.

Hope is alive. Let us take up this mandate and see hope released, see Hope arise and see Hope founded in our lives, church and communities! HOPE IS HERE! HOPE IS NOW! HOPE IS REIGNING!

Push Out Further

Sometimes good movies start with the ending and work backwards to tell the story. It allows you to see the end result and then the process of getting there. I find that as an enjoyable method. You know where you're going in the story and it allows the mind to gather the details and connect dots as the story progresses. God knows the end from the beginning and continues to unfold aspects of our story as we go.

I remember my English Professor from my freshmen year of college encouraging us to read our papers in reverse as it would cause us to see errors and grammatical mistakes. He said reading it from start to finish gives opportunity for our minds to read what we know is coming next and often insert what we know instead of what's actually there. When we read in reverse it demanded the mind to see only what's there because it's out of the normal flow. I think it can be good advice to get out of the normal flow and look at things to gain better insight. As you approach the year, consider getting outside the typical and usual flow to see what you can see.

This past Saturday night I heard in my heart, "push out further". I remembered Luke 5 telling how Jesus said to the fishermen, "put out into the deep." This morning I spent time looking at Luke 5. After reading the account in verses 1-11, I instantly saw meaningful insights as I worked that story backwards. I remembered preaching this story many years ago, and the points I made then came to mind, but when I worked it in reverse I enjoyed what I saw. I looked at the end result and worked the process backwards to see how it all happened.

The end result was that they left everything and followed Jesus. Nothing more valuable than that. The abandoning of ourselves for the joys of Him is of the deepest value. Seeing Him will always cause us to walk away from everything else. He is so captivating, intriguing, compelling, glorious that He eclipses anything else in our view. I'm asking God to allow all of us to see Him increasingly and that we let go of our hold on things of lesser value.

Working backwards through Luke 5, I saw aspects that I believe apply to us as we have shifted seasons and are looking into the hope before us. Many, if not all of us, have had some very challenging situations in the last few years or so. Those things brought us to this point. All of it is working to see us abandon more and follow Him deeper into Himself. Here are the points of the process from the end to the start:

• A fuller measure of abandonment
• Be what attracts people
• Amazed by Him and recognized their own short comings
• Brought others into the effort
• Did things differently then had been done
• Heard His directive
• Pushed out deeper
• Returned to boat - got back to their gifting
• Had disappointed times with empty results
• Had parked their passion

These fishermen had parked their boats after a season of effort that came up empty and surely caused disappointment and discouragement. They were standing on the banks of an amazing breakthrough, but were not aware. They were washing their nets and probably feeling the frustration of having to start over another time. The ache of feeling like we have given our all to end up empty is a deep pain. Often, we muster up enough strength to try again another day. But these guys ended up not doing what they perceived they'd be doing the next day. In the midst of disappointment and sense of loss, a greater measure of destiny came forth. A previous season that seems to end empty is actually full of gain as it gives way to progress.

These fishermen ended up returning to their boat/gifting, but this time it had a new reason. Things were different. They were going to be doing the same thing but their gift was going to be utilized in fresh ways. I'm sure it had to be uncomfortable to get back in that boat. It had to be a very doubtful situation. We all face those doubtful moments when we feel drawn to engage again, but past disappointments cause us to shake our head as we take steps again. These are the times our hearts can only find assurance in that Jesus is in the boat. We have no idea how it'll turn out, but He asked. So here we go.

From that, we see some measure of impact. People are taught and get to see Jesus. That floods our hearts with joy and encouragement. Those moments feel priceless and like we finally got past the place of feeling empty. But He's not done. He is crazier than just that. He has more in mind and wants to take us further. He intends to disrupt our doubts, our fears, our disappointments, our arguments that He won't be enough. He plans to show us that all the empty nets aren't the end of the story but the beginning of a fuller story. He tells us to "push out further".

Inside, we hear directives we feel afraid to admit we've heard. We feel drawn toward something more than we want to admit. We have a burning sense that we are more than we want to let on. He has spoken, and we are to go further. But what about before? What about the agony of empty nets and the disappointing clean up? How can He be saying go further?

As He is telling us, "Push out," we see He tells us to do it differently than before. "Put it to the other side." So we look to what is needed for now instead of continuing in the way it's been. Something in our heart feels hope. We are in our gifting, but have a new way of going at it and all the sudden weight is pulling on us as nets begin to fill. This is bigger than us. This is more than we can handle, and we have to invite others into what is going on. The new way of going at it has created the opportunity for others to be involved so they are part of the miracle.

What God is saying to us is that we are at a place others need invited in. What are you doing that you need to have others carry with you? We are being called to bring others into the movement. You going deeper/further requires having others involved in fresh ways. This isn't really about us or how well we lead or gather others. This is about opening the avenues for others to be involved in displaying His greatness. By going further, Jesus was revealed and worship and repentance was the result.

The goodness and greatness of Jesus was revealed and it was attractive. We are all seeing how hope is what people are starving for.  People have had empty net after empty net and need to see Jesus. They need to see goodness, glory, grace. We are the ones to abandon the old efforts of religion using fear, control, anger, legalism, condemnation, obligation, and detachment as our means of leading. We are those that are throwing the nets of hope, grace, freedom, future, life, joy, and progress. Nets are being filled. Others are being called in to support the load. It's a new day!

All of this is the results of further abandonment of everything else to follow Him in this movement of hope that is igniting the generations for a brighter day. You can see yourself in this Luke 5 account. You can feel how you belong in this movement. It's burning in you! You hear the words "push further". We're in this together. We are aligned to support the load and see the nets brought in. Disappointment and discouragement of last night's empty nets won't stop us. We will live in a new way that has nets on the other side. We are those abandoning our excuses, our fears, our questions, our heartache, our loneliness, our reasons to doubt, and we are following Him in what is to be for now. In everything you feel anxious about, say I'm going at that "in Hope", and push out further.

Hope is Here. We are in this together. We are abandoning hold backs and pursuing seeing Him more in the unknown victories ahead. We want to see Him. We want to know the strength of His victory and the ability of hope.

It's time to rise!

Thoughts for Growth

"Sustaining is not an option.  It's grow or die."

The pulse of pioneering hearts and passionate leaders is to grow and serve those following their leadership so they grow.  As you do this, the congregation, business, or family you lead advances and sees higher measures of success. 

To grow we must understand and act on something we didn't know and do prior.  Apostle Paul called that "stewarding a mystery" (This is how one should regard us, as servants of God and stewards of the mysteries of God - 1 Cor 4:1 ESV).  This is the reality of seeing what was once unknown and then moving in that revelation.  Leaders are driven to see from God what they have not realized before and then put it into practice. 

I want you to advance in the mysteries of who God made you to be and increase your influence/impact as a leader. 

Here are some thoughts to consider so you don't just sustain, but grow.  Over the past month, I've been writing down some points I've heard or read that challenge me to grow.  The quote above about sustaining not being an option was from a great friend of mine.  It resounded in me deeply.  I know you don't want to just sustain but grow and lead further.  I trust these points will spark insight into a mystery for you. 

Take some time to consider and pray over these thoughts:

* What will you look at to measure if you've had a successful year?
* Why are you doing your business or ministry? (Example: Starbucks didn't start in order to be a coffee company.  They started as an effort to create a place for people to connect and interact.  Coffee was just the element used to help do that.)
* Who are you aligned with in your life and Kingdom endeavors? Who is aligned with you? How are you honoring your alignments?
* Are you using your authority as a leader to honor or control those you lead?
* What mystery has God shown you to steward?

Rising Above

Colossians 3:1-2 has instructions to set our minds and affections in a certain place.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (ESV)

This is important for pioneering hearts and passionate leaders. For those that are full of hope, this becomes a reality for progress. I looked into the Greek words in this verse that gives some further insight that we can use as we move forward in our assignments.

So much of the New Testament is the original apostles giving revelation for those of the Old Covenant to open their hearts and minds to the realities and implementation of the New Covenant. When we look at New Testament Scripture through those lenses, we can clearly see God's call to all people to go beyond the covenant that was to pass away and set focus on the Covenant Christ implemented and mediated.

To get the most out of Colossians 3:1-2, we need to see some of the Greek words used and then tie it all together. This will fuel your heart!

The Greek word used that is translated "seek" is "zeteo" which means - to seek in order to find or crave. That shows us a sense of "longing for, desire, passionate pursuit". Some Bible translations use the English word "focus".

Some Bible translations state the verse to say "seek the things of heaven". The Greek word for heaven/above is "ano" which means "above or on high". The cool thing with the word ano is that is comes from the Greek word "anti" which means "against or opposite".

Putting this together allows us to see the instructions here is to put our focus on things that are higher or above or opposite the way it has been. This point is driven home even more as verse 2 emphasizes to put our mind/affections on things not of the earth. The Greek word for earth is "ge". It's meaning is "ground, abode of man, material from which things are formed with the implied idea of frailty and weakness".

You and I are being told to put our focus/affections/pursuits on things above/opposite the frail/weak things that are passing away. Paul was writing to those that had to move from an Old Covenant mindset as it was passing away. They were being told to wrap their heart and mind around the higher work of Christ and the New Covenant that wasn't frail but everlasting. The work of Christ has provided all that is needed for us to rise above an old/passing season and era. Christ has made the way into that which is beyond what has been.

For us now, we need to be those full of hope that there are things we are to move into that is higher, more glorious, then what we've done so far. We are glad for and appreciate what we've been doing as it has been something higher than what was before that. But the reality we see here is that there is still more of Christ to be seen and glory to be displayed.

As pioneering hearts that are passionately leading businesses, congregations, homes, and ministries, you are hearing His voice drawing you into what is next. We are being called to rise above what has been. I believe you carry what is needed for this season. I believe God has put in you the revelation, strategies, vision, and desire for what is to come forth now. Don't let your mind and emotions stay parked or attached to a past day, but be open and crave what can be in this day. I think these verses are needed because we all have opportunity to struggle through change and transition. We need encouraged and reminded to not be so attached to what we've already seen that we opt out of leading in new directions. Our businesses, congregations, and families can not thrive by holding to what we have grown comfortable with. We are challenged to seek something higher, something above the frail things that are passing away. It's in you to progress. Christ is seated high above and His Kingdom is ever expanding. This is the time to rise.

Forget what is behind, press toward what's ahead, strive for the goal.... Phil 3.

Promised Wine

As RISEnetwork gathered August 1, 2014, we had a time to receive from God and corporately express worship. Generations of leaders gathered and had a great time. Eric Lynch was used strongly to speak prophetically to individuals and later wrote a blog about what he saw the Spirit showing him about RISEnetwork. His blog was very encouraging. Read it here. 

I shared from Numbers 13:23-24 that explains how the 12 Spies where sent to see what was promised. They ended up with a cluster of grapes so large it took 2 men to carry them. As I look through the lenses of covenant, I see grapes being the promise of wine. Jesus is the Promised One. He is where we dwell. Jesus held up the cup of wine and said it displays His blood for the New/Better Covenant. The promise of wine from those grapes spoke of the promise of a Better Covenant through Jesus. That covenant would come through the violence of the cross. It would be a painful and heart aching work that would press the grapes into wine. The pressed Fruit of the Vine (offspring, son. God is the Vine, Son of God) would be pressed and crushed at the cross. He endured this for the prize of the new wine/covenant. 

Yet when the 12 Spies returned to give a report, only 2 felt the promise was worth the battle. (let every word be established by the witness of 2-3). The "2" (law and prophets) witnessed that the promise could be obtained. The "2" (Love God, love neighbor) would be obtainable. The "2" (Old Covenant, New Covenant) would display what is available. It was these 2 Spies that stated we could have what's available. 

Today, God is calling together and aligning leaders of each generation that see the promise, that know what's available, and are passionate to pioneer into it. Leaders in the Kingdom are being challenged into new territory for the glory of God and revealing of His ways. 

These leaders are not looking to fit into the established, but are identifying the hungry and leading them. 

These leader are not focused on the way things are but on the way things can be. 

Everyone knows many things are going wrong, but God is aligning those that know things can go right. 

We are those that see wine is available and fresh wine is being released now. It's the requirement for a new wine skin that has us passionate to come together. God is causing RISEnetwork to develop as a new wine skin and carry our portion of new wine in this moment. You are part of that. 

You are being stretched, pressed, drained so you bring forth a cup/container of enjoyable wine. You are one that's like the 2 Spies. You see it. You are hungry for what can be. This is your time to go after it. You are the kind of leader that shows it's possible to rise above what's been and come into what can be. Lead on!  Lead your home. Lead your business. Lead your congregation. Lead your community. Lead your generation. 

The grapes are the promise of wine. Let's be a wine skin for now so there is a taste of freshness in the earth. 

The Power of a Purchased Threshing Floor

During our RISEnetwork gathering on August 1, 2014, an awesome leader that is part of the network shared an impacting word of prophecy. Eric Lynch from Charleston, WV starting talking about the Threshing Floor and what it means for RISEnetwork.

Eric Lynch is a powerful leader that is functioning in many avenues. He travels speaking prophetically to church congregations and conferences. He's an author, singer/songwriter. He does missional assignments overseas. He holds capital city prayer thrust targeting the civil arena. God has graced Eric with many abilities and has strongly gifted him in a prophetic way. You can connect with Eric on Facebook and see his ministry focus called Ram's Horn Ministries here.

I asked Eric to write out his understanding to what the Spirit was revealing. The following is what Eric wrote.

// The Power of a Purchased Threshing Floor //
Written by Eric Lynch

As I was preparing my mind and heart to come to the August 1stRISE meeting, The Lord took my mind to a passage of scripture in the Old Testament found in 2 Samuel. In 2 Samuel 24 David had sinned against The Lord by taking a census of the able-bodied men in Israel and Judah. As result, The Lord sent the prophet Gad to King David and Gad gave him three options for the judgment that would come on Israel because of David’s sin: 1. Three years of famine, 2. Three months of running from their enemies, or 3. Three days of plague. The cry of David’s heart was to be found in the hands of God and not the hands of man, regardless of what judgment took place.

So a plague came on the land and in three days time 70,000people died. What takes place next is where I want to first direct our focus…2 Samuel 24:16-17 states,  16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of theLord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.When The Lord finally instructed the angel of The Lord to relent, the angel was standing on the threshing floor that belonged to Araunah.

The Lord spoke a prophetic word to Gad the day the angel was standing on Araunah’s threshing floor and Gad said to David:“Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor ofAraunah the Jebusite.” When David went to ask Araunah for his threshing floor, Araunah wanted to offer it to the King for free, but David refused to give God a sacrifice on a floor that cost him nothing. After David bought the threshing floor, he made intercession and offered sacrifices on it. The Bible says The Lord answered his prayers and the plague that was afflicting Israel stopped.

Now, some of you may be asking, ‘What is a threshing floor?”The threshing floor was a flattened outdoor surface, in a place exposed to the wind (so the chaff could be blown away), and used during times of harvest, as a place where grain was harvested from the wheat. The word “threshing” basically means, “To tramp or stamp heavily with the feet”, which originally were the feet of oxen or people.

The threshing floor, biblically, represented a number of things: 1. Victory, answered prayer, and supernatural, accelerated miracles (2 Samuel 24:24-25) 2. Place of gleaning and divine connection (Ruth 2:14-19) and 3. Harvest (Matthew 3:12).

If you will, follow me for just a few more moments, because I’m going somewhere with this…There are a few key things I want to highlight about what God was showing me with this topic of “The Power of a Purchased Threshing Floor.”

First and foremost, God is saying do not take a census of those who are with you, because I will cause you to have victories that some haven’t experienced with thousands. David sinned against God when he took a census of the fighting men in Israel and Judah. I believe The Lord’s admonishment to RISE Network is for us not to be concerned with a census, but allow God to add or take away from this army as He sees fit.

Secondly, my mind is taken back to a prayer gathering that took place in 2012. Myself, along with the prayer group I’m a part of in Charleston, WV had been spending weeks and weeks praying and preparing at a place called the Levy, for a day of prayer that was going to take place on October 20, 2012. Just nights before this prayer gathering, where hundreds of believers would be assembled, our prayer group was meeting to consecrate the grounds, and that particular night The Lord spoke to me and said: “You all have purchased a threshing floor.” The significance of this word God gave me that night goes back to 2 Samuel 24:24-25, where it tells us that David purchased a floor to build an altar for prayer, and as a result the plague on the land completely stopped!

When you purchase something that means you own it! When a person buys a piece of land or property, they become the owners of that piece of property and therefore have a certain measure of authority over what takes place on that land! The power of a purchased threshing floor is that it gives you legal right (in the Spirit) to have authority over what takes place on that land! The day of August 1, 2014 when God spoke to me about how RISE Network had “purchased a floor”, He was showing me how in a very literal sense, RISE (by way of Zak Huffman who leads Spirit of Adoption Ministries with his wife Amy) owns the building that we meet in every 6 weeks! Additionally, each time we meet at 404 Market St. to pray and worship it further consecrates that land, and because we own it, and have paid the price in prayer for it, we un-arguably have a say so in what takes place in that city and within the network!

The power of owning a threshing floor is the power to see accelerated answers to prayer…2 Samuel 24 says that once David built an altar on Araunah’s threshing floor THE PLAGUE STOPPED! As a result of RISE owning a floor, we have the ability to see the same kind of supernatural, immediate answers to prayer as David did.

The power of a purchased threshing floor, is the power to glean in fields of blessing and to make divine connections. In Ruth 2, a divine connection of favor was made with Boaz and as a result, Ruth had access to the harvest of Boaz’ floor! God is saying because RISE has found favor in His as (our kinsman redeemer) the harvest and overflow of His threshing floor is ours!

Lastly, the power of a purchased threshing floor is the power to bring in a harvest of souls! In Matthew 3:12 when John the Baptist began prophesying about the coming of Christ, John said that Christ was coming with a winnowing fan (a tool frequently used on the threshing floor) to gather the harvest and get rid of the chaff! Because RISE  has relationship with Christ, we also have the ability to purge the chaff out of our cities, churches, ministries and homes and claim the harvest that awaits!