46 days to go...

We are getting very excited around here. The Onething conference is starting to appear on the horizon and the word is spreading everywhere. Recently, we had an excellent meeting with a Young Adult Pastor who is excited to spread the word in his area. We are off to his church this Friday for a regional gathering of under-30s and we are going to have some time to promote the conference. This is a HUGE opportunity and we are truly grateful for it.

As well, we have been to a campus ministry joint meeting at the University of Manitoba and spoke for a few minutes to 200-300 students and friends. And, of course, our friends at the Link have been awesome to promote this at the Awakening whenever possible. Loads of churches now have the promo cards, posters and even promo dvds and one of the local bible bookstores has put up the poster and passed out cards for us to those who would look interested in attending. There is some excitement brewing!

But, there is more happening. A while back one of our guys had a significant dream. In it God spoke clearly that if we would build the conference on Him and making it a place for His dwelling, He would come and draw the people.

And, that is how it all works anyway. We are not really going to accomplish anything of eternal value if left to ourselves. How can anyone really connect someone to the eternal and transcendent God unless God Himself do the work of revealing Himself and drawing them by their hearts? We fool ourselves if we think that doing an event, no matter how big and flashy, will produce change in the hearts of people that lasts.

Building on Him and His presence is critical. It is our mandate in Sanctuary and it is our goal for this conference as well. There really is only one person in the audience who matters, you know. There might be 1000 people in the room, but what God thinks and feels about it is all that really matters. We are looking to know what is on His mind and heart. We want to agree with Him in EVERYTHING! Tell us what you are thinking about this city, God. We are after your heart in all things.

God desires to dwell with people and in physical locations much more that we realize. I believe Winnipeg is marked for such an encounter, not just a brief wave of His Spirit but a permanence that changes the city as the spiritual atmosphere over this place is changed forever. Big dreams, I know. But, God is so much bigger.

May this conference play a role in establishing a place for God to dwell and may the hearts of all who say YES be encountered and changed forever.

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

Onething is coming!!!

We are pleased to announce that we are hosting a Onething Regional conference in Winnipeg, with the help of Trevor and the gang at The Link, in late October. This is an event for youth and young adults, focused on the theme of "being people of one thing". There are a few key times in the scripture where this phrase is used and it shows us a brilliant picture of wholehearted devotion to God as the primary goal of life.

The team that will speak and lead worship is coming from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. We love these guys! I expect this to be an excellent weekend, one that will challenge as well as open a pathway to greater encounter with God. Anyone who has made their way to the huge yearly Onething conference in KC in late December knows what is waiting us in October.

The dates are Friday and Saturday, October 26-27. The kind people of Calvary Temple in downtown Winnipeg are allowing us to use their facility. To register, you MUST go to the web page and do so online...www.ihop.org/onething

And one more thing: it's FREE!!!!!

More info as we get it.

Blessings,

Brian Creary

Ministry Director

Who Are You?

Recently, we have been looking again at what God has built in the midst of us and the commission He has placed before us as a house. We were studying the passages at the beginning of 2 Chronicles where Solomon steps forward to complete the building of the temple for the Lord. If you recall, it was David (his dad) who had longed to build the temple for God as a place where worship and offering would go before Him night and day. This was a deep desire in Him and was referenced a number of times in his writings. In Psalm 132, it states that David vowed before God that he would not allow himself in his own house until he established a house for God to dwell...in essence, the temple where God's presence would manifest and where the priests would worship Him. Unfortunately, the job fell from David to his son in the end. David acted wisely, though, and determined that he would support the efforts of his boy in getting this most loving of projects completed.

Following David's death, Solomon called the people to actively complete the structure, and upon completion, put out the call across the land for the people to come. The priests consecrated themselves, the musicians prepared themselves for the ultimate worship service and Solomon moved in all the appropriate furnishings for the temple itself. The final item, the ark of the covenant, signified that they had built this structure as a place for God to dwell. They were ready...

As Solomon prayed to God before the people, He expressed the obvious: "The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!" (6:18) And He was right. He was asking for the eternal and unrestrained God of all creation to come and dwell in a building made by human hands. Yet, knowing that somehow this was what God had wanted, he asked of God: "May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive." (6:20-21) As he concluded, fire from heaven came down and consumed the offerings and the presence of God in a cloud descended into the temple. The presence was so strong that the people could not enter or stand in the midst of it.

Shortly after, God came and visited Solomon. He gave to him one of the most famous verses in the Old Testament, the wonderful promise of 2 Chron 7:14. But, even more, He ended the encounter by promising "Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." (7:15-16)

God wants to dwell with people. In His holiness, it is appropriate that His people draw near consecrated before Him and aware of the their fallenness. Singers and musicians offered Him worship and thanksgiving then because it was His idea. He still loves it today. It was designed to go around the clock because He is worthy of it all. And, His promise is that those who would turn to Him with a repentant heart and love for Him as the motivator will see Him act on their behalf. He will heal the land. He will hear the prayers offered up in a place such as this (ie. the place of worship and devotion). And, His eyes and heart will always be looking this way.

So, do you know who you are? Has God asked you to stand before Him as one who would minster FIRST to Him above all other needs and demands? Are you called to be in a place of dwelling where God is raising up those who will seek Him on behalf of the city they live in? Are you a musician or singer and you feel you NEED to be offering your gift to the creator and lover of your soul in a more direct way? God is raising up Sanctuary and many other prayer expressions right now so these people can find each other and fulfill what God is calling for. Make your way forward and stand before God alone. It matters! And He is worthy of it all.

Blessings,

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

No Building? No Problem!

The date for our building purchase financing for the deal to come together has come and gone, but we are not discouraged. In fact, we had some significant moments where God encountered us in our efforts and REALLY showed us things about ourselves and how we are living. It was a treasured time, one that was exciting and humbling all at once. We continue to look for a permanent home but now with a greater sense of God's intimate working in our midst. We have a new confidence that this journey is not about acquiring property, building infrastructure or feeling like we are accomplishing something that people will think is pretty cool.

Recently, God has been pressing us to think more deeply about what it means to be wholehearted. The more I study the concept, the more I realize that God is looking for wholeheartedness from us more than anything. Its not about what you do for Him but how much you are willingly saying YES to Him on the inside as you step out and try. Even in our weakness, in our immaturity, He looks for the YES! His heart is moved by people fully turned to Him. He relents from sending calamity when people turn with their whole heart back to Him and His way. Check out Joel 2 and 2 Chronicles 7:14 as good examples of this.

Jesus taught that we needed to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind and all of our strength. It leaves little room to think there is much else that should occupy our mind, emotions, will and spending habits. He follows this with a direction to love our neighbour as ourself, something that is obviously connected to the first statement. In my view Jesus is saying "its all about me, guys". In our relating to our neighbours, the people in our sphere of influence, treat them as you want to be treated, but love God as you love them. Everything in life that we give ourselves to can and should be an expression of our love and devotion to God. We want to be known as people who loved God with everything we had in us and allowed that love to be manifest in our role as parents, co-workers, actual neighbours and servants of those in need. The One we serve will meet us in eternity one day and our eyes will meet. We will know so much more about Him than we ever thought possible. He will know everything about us. It's all about love for God, folks.

Blessings,

Brian Creary
Ministry Director

HELP!

This is a very exciting time for Sanctuary. We are closing in on our one-year anniversary and plan to celebrate a little bit on May 7th! Thank-you God!! We are still here and still doing what you asked of us, and for that we are so grateful.

At the very same time, we are in the process of buying a building. We found the building above a few months ago sitting empty and crying out for some worship and prayer to happen once again inside it. We talked and prayed, kept taking steps forward and now we have an agreed-upon price, an accepted offer and are now looking for the finances. What a ride! This building would be a great fit for us. It is the right size and shape, has classrooms and a kitchen ready for use and even has a parking lot! The stage is HUGE...this was a Salvation Army church building so they needed room for the brass band. We'll take it, though...we need the space.

I knew things were looking up when, during our first walk-through of the place, I asked Joel (one of our worship leaders) "How would it feel if we set up a keyboard for you right now? Does it feel good in here and can you imagine worshipping Him in this place?" His eager response of "Oh yeah" was just what I was thinking...there had been lots of worship in this place in years past and you could feel it.

So, now we are putting the word out to any who want to help us in this. We need to raise money, plenty of it, for the purchase and we have 45 days to get it together. If you are interested in sowing into this adventure and helping this part of the prayer movement in Winnipeg find a permanent home, you can send us a cheque and a donation receipt will be returned to you. Go to the "Donate" tab on the upper right of this page and you will find info on ways you can give.

We are moving forward toward our goal of 24-7 night and day worship and intercession for this city. Imagine...a place in the city where you can go any time of the day or night and find a team of people singing, praying and ministering to God, the source for all good things to come in our city! We are thrilled at what He is establishing and invite you to be a part of it in this hour of history. God is doing something significant...when people turn to pray, when the cry goes up night and day, justice comes to a city speedily (Luke 18). God is getting ready to do something unprecedented here. Let's do it together!

Blessings,

Brian Creary

Ministry Director

It's a Promise!

Still studying the Sermon on the Mount. I counted the number of verses in the sermon. There are 106. We are currently on verse 3! This is rich stuff...

Shane spoke again recently. He gave us an explanation of mourning and what it means for us to embrace this feeling in a heart lovesick for God and not where we were created to be. He showed us that mourning was not uncommon even for Jesus. There is a greater future coming, a culmination of a journey bigger than you or I, that will "bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ" (Eph 1:10). We were created to love Him and be loved by Him. Our future home is with Him forever, joined in intimacy and moving in step with His heart. The King of Heaven is going to split the sky and come to this earth for His people, His bride made ready for the wedding day seen in Revelation.

The key to the time in between is to know the end of the story. Though we mourn our own lack now, realizing the wickedness of our own hearts and how easily we give ourselves to lesser pleasures than to the One who loves us, there is an amazing future ahead. Embrace the lack in your life, He says, for you will be comforted. It's a promise! The Son of God has said it is so.

Embracing the Sermon and building well produces changes now. But, they are not always what you expect. Jesus said you are blessed when you realize your povery of spirit. He said you are blessed when you mourn your lack. The word for "blessed" is an interesting one...from the Strong's concordance, it says:

G3107
μακάριος
makarios
mak-ar'-ee-os
A prolonged form of the poetical μάκαρ makar (meaning the same); supremely blest; by extension fortunate, well off: - blessed, happy (X -ier).

Hmmmmm...supremely blessed! Well off. Happy. Some have even translated the term "extremely happy". Embracing your lack, knowing that there is more and longing for it, from the viewpoint of Heaven, is being well off, happy and supremely blessed. I love it! It's what we don't know about God and His kingdom that makes me excited and hungry for more. As a friend of mine loved to say, His kingdom is upsidedown!

Be blessed to embrace your weakness before Him! He is so wonderful. And, your future is secure and wonderful as you press forward into the One who waits for you. He is doing a good work in you and you are going to love how it ends :)

Brian Creary

Ministry Director

For HIM!

I love this photo. It is a recent shot taken from one of our sets. These are just some of the many singers whose main task it is to "prophetically" sing through and in response to scripture passages prayed for this city, the church found in it and the lost who need Jesus. They are a crucial component to our house of prayer. They are much more than back-up singers. We rely on them to hear the words the Spirit is speaking and bring that forth in song. We need them to know the scriptures for they are helping us as we sing and pray through the written word of God. They often carry us as we pray. The help us connect our weak and sometimes cold hearts with a God who loves us more than we know. They are people just like the rest of us, with the same weakness and struggle that presses in on them daily as it does to all of us. But, they are bold! They are willing to take the lead and minister to the heart of God as their first purpose in our house. They have seen something of their bridegroom that has captured their hearts. And they are convinced that they are to sing it out to the Audience of One! Sing, Zion, sing!!

Brian Creary

Ministry Director