A Sunday in the Fall

The colours of our clothing are changing with the seasons. New people are singing all the time. And we are so thankful that God would allow us to be part of something like this...

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

More On Staying Steady

We at Sanctuary have a keen interest in the Sermon on the Mount. Giving ourselves to a lifestyle of worship and intercession for our city can put us in a dangerous place, one that could cause us to lose sight of the big picture of the kingdom and its advancement. Someone said one time that it is easy to pray for "revival" in the city and forget that we are praying for actual people! "We don't pray for people, we pray for revival...". Now that is a scary way of looking at this.

The passages in Matthew 5-7 give us lots to consider about how we live our lives in and out of the prayer room. Meeetings are meetings, and should never be mistaken for a life well lived in and of themselves. Jesus was serious when he walked through this most amazing of sermons that living this way will make a difference before God.

My favourite part of the sermon is actually the final section, subtitled "the wise and foolish builders".

24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

A few things are clear from his closing counsel. He tells those who were there listening that they need to take it seriously...all of it. It is often missed in teaching I have heard that Jesus means for them to take the words He has just spoken and build on them in a lifestyle redirected. There is no suggestion that you can pick the parts you like and employ only them. He presented in one block of thought and then counsells them to take it ALL and build well.

As well, Jesus makes it clear that you will be tested in your life and building well on this will allow you to stand firm. It is not question of IF you are tested, but WHEN! Everyone is going to experience the storms that can shake the foundations of life and send us adrift. Sickness, tragedy, economic loss...you name it. It comes to all of us at some point. And, death is a guarantee for absoultely everyone regardless. You will stand before the "ultimate storm" that is a Holy God determined to review your life and reward for how you lived.

The return of Jesus to the earth is another "storm" that some generation will be chosen to live through. Increasingly we believe it is much closer than you think and are choosing to live like great trouble is coming for the earth. Living well is wisdom in any hour of history but is really wise in the face of a crisis unlike any the world has seen.

Living a life of hidenness and intergrity is critical. Killing someone is obviously wrong. But, Jesus said that the same spirit is at work in you when you have anger in your heart against someone. Jesus said: "when you fast...", not if you fast. These are hard teachings. They can be easily turned into law and be used to beat us further into bondage, the very thing Jesus was working against. But, they are HIS teaching on how best to live and they produce good things in those who will build on them.

Staying steady in Sanctuary is all about living this out in secret AND in the prayer room. Be generous with the needy. Don't worry about money. Don't judge but pray and keep praying for those who need the help. Watch your heart. Love God with passion. Go for meekness. Live well. For a long time. Do it for years. Decades. Don't give up. Ever. Stay steady.

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

Seven Years!!

Our good friends and "heroes" in the prayer movement, the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (www.ihop.org), have reached a remarkable milestone. This week they were able to celebrate that they had corporately worshipped and prayed for their city and the nations of the earth uninterrupted for 7 years! Yes, you read it correctly...they have not stopped singing, playing and praying 24 hrs a day, seven days a week, for 7 years. What started as a modest effort in an elementary school trailer with a handful of singers and musicians has blossomed into over 500 full-time intercessory missionaries and an extended community of over 2000 (at least that is how many came out to eat and party with them earlier this week). They have fasted for what amounts to a total of over 7 months in that time, gone without lots of sleep and lots of money, but stayed steady and were bold in their lifestyle and their dedication to the kingdom. And, they have paved the way for people like us!

My first encounter with IHOP dates back to year #3 for them. They were still in the trailer at that time and it was crowded. I was entirely unprepared for what I was to see and feel in the next two days. It was filled with passion and zeal, but was nothing wonderful to look at. It was, as they are fond of saying, "a little rough and ugly". But, it was real. I sat in a meeting as one lady shared of a spiritual encounter she had with God earlier that day. She said "...and the voice of the Lord thundered" and, as if on cue, one loud clap of thunder was heard over the top of the trailer. I looked at my friend and we were both stunned. "Did you just hear that?", I said, but there was no mistaking it. It thundered on cue! We were even more surprised when a minute later she said something about the reign of God and again, right on cue, a downpour opened up that pounded on the roof for maybe a minute and then was gone. Maybe things like that happen in KC, but where I come from this was pretty amazing.

Of course, IHOP is about more than unusual experiences and goosebumps. They are young people convinced that they can and should know God more than they do. And they are willing to do something about it. They hold the bible in the highest regard and strive to know it and find God in it. They pray because the know that the changes that will really impact a city or region come from the all-powerful King of Heaven and Earth. They believe in prayer! The power dimensions of the kingdom have followed consistently as they have pressed forward into Him. They have lots of healing, among their prayer community but more importantly in the neighbourhood as well. People have come to know Jesus. The poor have been fed, clothed and served with consistency. In fact, one of our good friends is working mostly with a group who is in the inner-city and amongst the broken for many days each week. And there is much more to come, she tells me.

We are encouraged as we think about their journey. They were just folks like us who felt a call to do something a little different. Most of the time it is in hiddenness. But staying steady before God in this has been their highest achievement. I feel challenged, energized and so thankful.

Great blessings on IHOP and what the Lord has for you next. We are celebrating with you!

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

How is it Going?

We are just wrapping up the summer season here in Winnipeg. Things really slow down in the summer here, probably because the winter is just so long and you can't pass up getting out in the heat when you feel it. It's just part of life here and we roll with it. Sanctuary has been less affected by this than most churches, though. We have had a steady stream of people participating and have only once had to reduce our hours. And, that was as much about needing a rest as it was about lack of people to make it all happen.

Two Sundays ago we had a big surprise waiting for us during our 6:30 Intercession set. We had been going since 2:30pm as usual, but we had also gone to the Village Vineyard in the city for their morning gathering. We had a good time leading worship, speaking and then conducting a short but intense prayer meeting for their church and neighbourhood(Lord, let your Spirit fall in the Village and let them lead the revolution they are seeking). By the time 6:30 came around, though, we were pretty tired. As usual it was also very warm in our building so it made staying energized all the more difficult.

But, just when I was thinking about maybe encouraging the folks to just "stay steady" despite how they felt, the Lord drew closer and He had other plans. He spoke through one of our people and invited us to experience Him in a specific way. His power was really present and lots of people were significantly impacted. Our intercession meeting was really on hold as we went with what the Spirit was doing with us. It went on for about 45 minutes. For those who remember the Toronto Blessing, think back and you know understand a little of what was happening.

The challenge for us is to remain focused on the larger purpose that he has given us in being a house of prayer, all the while embracing the wind of the Spirit and the "divine disruptions" that sometimes come. A wise man once told me of these kinds of moments: "You wait your whole life for God to draw this near. Do you really want to control and administrate it at this point?" Amen to that, brother! It is just exciting to have God come in new and fresh ways, strengthening and empowering us for devotion and service to Him. Wonderful.

In other news, the intership classes are going well and we are having a blast going deeper into who God is and how we can better know Him. Our study of mercy and justice, combined with our times helping out at WCV are taking us somewhere. He is a very good leader. It is quite thrilling to consider God in terms of His attributes of mercy and justice and then watch for ways to embrace these in our own lives. He is endlessly, infinitely and eternally merciful. He doesn't just act with mercy according to His moods or circumstances...His IS merciful! It never lessens, it never changes, it is never hidden and it is never earned. He is merciful. He is!

Of course the same holds true for justice (and a whole bunch of other attributes). Our God is complex and endless. Being with Him is going to be so much fun. We will dwell and gaze forever, love every second of it and never reach the end. I love it!

Brian Creary
Ministry Director