While I may have been quiet on the blog front recently, God has not been silent!
A few weekends ago we had another wonderful FREEDOM! retreat, where we saw Jesus setting captives free!
The verses we build the retreat around are from 1 These. 5:23,24
“Now may the God of PEACE, sanctify/marry you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of the Lord. The one who has called you is faithful, and He will do it!”
The Hebrew word translated ‘sanctify‘ is a word used in the Jewish marriage ceremony so the intention of the God of Peace is that His Son, the Prince of Peace, find a compatible Bride!
Toward that end this is a ‘prepping’ weekend not in the sense of storing physical things in anticipation of a natural disaster (not that we shouldn’t be wise in this regard) but in the sense of ‘taking out the trash’ spiritually speaking, in anticipation of this glorious, holy wedding!
Over the past two months Hilary and I have conducted two wedding ceremonies.
At the First Wedding, during the service, 2 unusual things happened.
Firstly as the bride processed to the front to join her husband to be, there was a wave of amusement, when people saw that her veil had disappeared! It had fallen off her head, and had to be unceremoniously reattached!
Secondly, at one point in the service everyone was startled as a man at the back, let out a roar, and seemed to ‘fit’, falling to the ground!
The proceedings were of course halted as people came to his aid, but after a brief pause, he thankfully came around and was able to stand up and walk out into the fresh air, unaided.
At the reception afterwards as I took my assigned seat I discovered I was seated beside a Mark. The man who had disturbed the service, now fully recovered, came by and introduced himself. He was also a Mark!
Huh! A double Mark!!
It then occurred to me that the point at which the disturbance had happened was the precise moment when Hilary and I had just finished our re-marks to the couple.
Hilary had charged the bride about being an “Ezer Kenegdo”, a much more substantial partner than the usual translation, ‘helpmeet’ would imply. Ezer means strength and power. It is the word used in scripture to describe God as our helper, our rescuer and deliverer. Kenegdo means equivalent, a corresponding counterpart and balance, She said. “As his companion you are not just ‘his rib’, but ‘a whole side’ of this new union!”
I had then drawn attention to the groom’s two ear piercings, and referenced the law of Deuteronomy where a slave who could go free, but wanted to remain with his master, would have his ear pierced to signify an open ear to hear and obey his master, for life.
“So you need to have one ear open to hear and obey God.” I said to the groom, “…And the other ear open to hearing and understanding your wife, realizing that you will often hear God speak through her. Then as you come into agreement about God’s will, his order will be established in your marriage and family through your Double Witness, for 19:15 says” “A matter must be established by the testimony of two witnesses.”
Then….
“RRRAAAAAARRGGHHH!!”
….…………..The first of God’s two exclamation ‘Marks’!!
It was as if he wanted to announce that our message was not only for the man and woman standing before us, but for all those on earth who aspire to be part of the bride who is being prepared to become ‘one’ with the heavenly bridegroom.
The Second Wedding, last Sunday, was between our son Robin, and Cori Robinson, his bride.
The significance of the two Robins did not escape me. Robin means ‘Bright shining one’
When we arrived at the beautiful venue on a friend’s farm I discovered they were to be married on the banks of the SUNRISE river.
The scripture I had been given in advance to share with them was “Arise, Shine for your light has come…and the glory of the Lord is risen on you………”
Cori had requested I sing “How Beautiful You Are”** taken from The Song of Solomon. Solomon was a type of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. It speaks of the sweet intimacy between the heavenly bridegroom and his earthly bride, that is God’s desire…
one verse goes…..
“How delightful is your love my sister my bride
How delightful is your love more pleasing than wine
And the fragrance of your perfume.
Your lips drop sweetness and milk and honey are under your tongue
How delightful is your love.”
Each guest happened to receive as a gift…….. a little jar of honey :- )
(By way of another confirmation Stephen Jones (knowing nothing about the wedding) wrote a blog two days later about ‘two Robins’ being a double witness! https://godskingdom.org/blog/2021/10/red-sea-update )
“The Spirit and (rather ‘in’) the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.’ (Rev.22:17)
I believe these two weddings signaled that the time is upon us for,
………the Bride, to be ‘unveiled’, as the Sons of God ‘arise’.
The Funeral Note.
Last week I heard of the sudden death of Gideon Mulinde, the son of John Mulinde whom God has used to bring about revival and transformation in Uganda and in many other nations of the world. Gideon was an anointed worshipper and leader in his generation. His ministry was called ‘Melchezidek’ and he was in the process of merging with his father’s work, “World Trumpet Mission”
A friend sent me Gideon’s last worship experience because the final song he sang was Lord Jesus We Enthrone You. He sang it as an impassioned plea from one representative of the Gideon Company of Overcomers, for Jesus to come and take his rightful place as King of the earth and as the Bridegroom of his Bride.
You can join the worship experience here. (Jesus We Enthrone You begins at the 26 min mark.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV_jNOYvJK4
** From the album, “O Ireland”