The assignment for this newsletter was to share something related to operating from the place of Jubilee, God’s rest. However, being this is February and our minds turn to matters a bit more straightforward, love for example, I have decided to talk with you about the most powerful force in creation, God’s love.

For God so loved… is the beginning of John 3:16, a verse most all of us learned either as a child or as the first verse we memorized when we were first saved. It is familiar and comforting, God loved. But take a minute and really let the words sink in, God so loved the world, (read your name instead of the word world), that He gave His only begotten Son. If you are a parent or have someone in your life you love, what circumstances would warrant your giving, freely giving no forcing, your child or loved one’s life for someone else?

We are not talking about giving your own life, there are many brave men and women who freely give their own lives to save another’s, but this is giving the life of an innocent family member or loved one for another. But, you may argue, this was for the redemption of all mankind. God’s love for you is so complete, so unconditional, so absolutely unswerving, that if you were the only human being He created, He would have given His Son for just you. God loves you! But this needs to be more than knowledge. It needs to be a revelation in your deepest belief system, in the inner most part of your being. You don’t need to know God loves you, you need to breath, live, move and exist in the revelation of the truth, God loves you!

If you can receive the revelation of this truth, your life will never be the same. You will walk through life not problem free, but knowing in the most inward parts of your being that you are loved, accepted and you do not face any problem or challenge alone, your heavenly Father walks beside you.

So, as we pause to consider those we love around us, let Jesus warm your heart with His everlasting love and let it minister to your spirit and soul so that you can grow and blossom into the person He destined before the foundations of the world were lain.

Testimony - Mary Van Maaren

God has been amazingly good to me. How could I ever try to capture that in half a page? My time at Singing Waters has been life-transforming; five rich years… seasons of revival and times of dying. It has all taken me deeper into the heart of the Father. I can truly say that I’ll never be the same again.

God took a girl out of her comfort zone by calling her out of Switzerland. Once I arrived at Singing Waters, I felt very stretched. Lovingly, Jesus exposed some very difficult areas in my life that He wanted to deal with; however, the pain made me want to run.

Looking back, I am filled with awe at the grace of the Leadership here. They continually covered my weakness, yet helped me to walk through it. As they encouraged me and cheered me on, I chose to press deeper into the healing arms of Jesus.

The last two years have been a journey of surrender, growing continually and becoming accustomed to deeper waters. My heart is filled with joy as never before. Learning what it means to be a daughter of my Father in Heaven has brought an immense freedom in my life. He is lavishing love upon me day by day, and His faithfulness only amazes me. How good it is to trust again!

As most of you know, I am expecting my immigration papers any day now. Once those papers arrive, I am planning to take a sabbatical of eight months. Jesus has challenged me to take a time of “just sitting at His feet and being with Him”. I am very excited that He would ask me that. It’s been a long journey, but I can honestly say I am celebrating freedom because He has taught me that all is well as long as He is with me.

Healing from the Place of Rest
Will and Madeleine Walker
Ministry Centre Managers

In Luke 4:19 Jesus read from Isaiah 61 which says that the Messiah would preach the gospel to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, heal the blind, set free those who are downtrodden and proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. After Jesus read this, he sat down and said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

In the following chapters of Luke we see Jesus doing just these things. Of significant interest is that many times we find Him doing them on the Sabbath in the year of Jubilee to boot! The Favorable Year of the Lord was the year of Jubilee, which was the 50th year. It was the Sabbath of Sabbaths. Jesus is stating that He is the fulfillment of the Sabbath and ultimate rest is found in Him. He is saying and demonstrating that all of Kingdom work flows out of Him, that place of rest. So He goes around violating the rules of the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath to show that He is the Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath, as they know it, is over. But notice that it is always in a context where Jesus is providing for someone’s needs – whether hunger or disease, etc. He is bringing relief and rest to the people.

Jesus’ freedom in observing the Sabbath illustrates our freedom in Christ. In our ministry of healing, we must not fall into the tendency towards “works” and “legalism” - to set up rules or establish formulas, or to determine the place or time to heal. The fact is, we live in the favourable year of the Lord where healing and ministry must flow from Him, the place of rest anytime, anywhere, as He directs.

I came to know and love Kay Goldbeck in early 1976. We were involved in a Monday night fellowship group that periodically held our meetings at Singing Waters because some of the people living there were part of our group. Kay was always able to put everyone at ease with God’s love that radiated from her.

In August of 1986, the fellowship group was invited to Singing Waters for a Saturday retreat to hear Hubert Jones, an evangelist from the States. It was a hot, muggy day, and we met on the lawn in front of the house, under the fruit trees. After giving his testimony, he invited us up for prayer. When I arrived at the front, he asked me what I wanted prayer for. I responded, “You said something about the Holy Spirit; maybe that’s what I need.”

He asked if I was a Christian and I answered, “I think so.” He said, “ I guess if you have to think about it, you are not sure. Would you like to be sure?” So on that afternoon, at Singing Waters, I both became sure that I was a Christian and was baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Since 1995, Sandra and I have attended many teaching sessions and have learned a lot about ourselves, the spirit world affecting us, and how to help others. We have also benefited immensely from the personal ministry we have received. We have seen many emotionally wounded people set free because God cared enough to give Singing Waters and those associated with it the tools to see people healed. May God continue to richly bless Singing Waters with the gifts of knowledge, wisdom and discernment.

I am back to that old familiar theme of “standing” and “resting”.

“Having done all, stand…”

The “New Living” translation says it this way, “Stand your ground…”
It is worth the effort to stop and read Eph. 6:10-18. You may have fresh insight if you use a version that is different than the one you are used to.

It is all too easy for us to repeat these words that have become oh so familiar to us, not stopping to hear afresh the crucial message they convey.

Right now you may be caught up in a mighty struggle, and all you can see are the people involved in causing your hurt and pain. These words in Ephesians 6 are meant to help focus us and expose to us our true enemy.

We are also given the weapons with which to fight this enemy. They are spiritual weapons that vouchsafe to bring us victory.

I am constantly reminded of another mighty weapon of our warfare, the oft forgotten weapon of “rest.”

The Amplified Bible gives this rendition of Isaiah 30:15:
“For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel. In returning to Me and resting in Me you shall be saved. In quietness and in trusting confidence shall be your strength…”
Hebrews 4:1-11 deals with the matter of striving diligently to enter into God’s rest.

Verse 3, “For we who have believed and trusted in God do enter that rest.”

I hear God calling over and over again to come into this place of rest. He waits for us there. I continue to find staying in this place of rest, a greater challenge than any other spiritual discipline.

Let this be the year that we find and stay for longer periods of time in this place of rest in God.

God’s grace attends our progress through 2006. The Holy Spirit stands ready to guide us along this path to find perfect rest in God.

Thanks for your continued prayer support for Singing Waters.

Your Singing Waters Prayer Team