Hi, I don't find it's that often that God's seasons parallel man's mapping of the years, but this time for 2010 it would seem that His plans are matching up with our marking of the new year… At least for me I see that very evident. For this year is bringing me back "home" to Singing Waters. This place has been literally in my life since I was a babe in arms. My teen years it was my home as my Mom served in the role of director here.
In some ways I could be considered a prodigal as when my life and Singing Waters parted ways in '94 I had no intentions to ever come here again. I wanted to get on to whatever it was that Father had for me to do with my life, which for a season was being a part of the TACF team, then moved on to other things.
Then at the start of '09 while in a bit of funk, really got to a place of seeking what Father would have me do. Found He was waiting to get my attention and before I knew it I was taking part in last year's Isaiah 61 School here at Singing Waters. As a side note I would highly recommend it to anyone! Anyways, while on the school the Lord revealed so much to me, including how much I truly missed the Orangeville area, but it wasn't until late in the spring after reviewing what I had received from the school as well as going over prophetic words I'd received in life that I truly realized that, for me to see the fulfillment of my calling I had to once again be at Singing Waters, a bit of a different path than what I had in mind to be honest. However, ultimately I want what Father has for me, so basically it's a case of "okay, whatever."
To add to this, instead of doing a New Year's resolution, I seek out Father for a scripture verse that He would have specifically for me for the year. Initially, I find the verse sometimes odd, but then in faith as the year goes by its application becomes evident to me. As last year was coming to a close I was finding myself often saying to Father, in reference to the Orangeville area in general, "I just want to go home." Then at the start of this year the scripture verse I feel is for me this year is from Matt. 9:6, now I know there's a lot there the Father would have for me, but it was the tail end of this that made me stop and go wow because the last portion of this verse says, "Get up, take your mat and go home."
So, now here I am in this new season back at Singing Waters with one of my tasks being the editor of Singing Waters newsletter. What excites me is this challenge, but also knowing that this is only the tip of the ice berg for what Father has for me this year.
God bless!
Jason Knox
Bart de KrijgerLooking into 2010; I looked and I saw the following: "I saw that it was summer. It was the middle of the dry months. The grass had barely any colour left and the leaves of the trees were starting to dry up. As I passed in to the driveway my eyes caught a 'For Sale' sign (Don't get upset now, hold on!) and I noticed that everything was very quiet. People are usually not outside during these hot and dry days, but this time it really felt that the place was almost empty.
Next thing I found myself in the middle of the riverbed. Where there once was a continuous flow of water, now there was just dry dirt. I looked up to where the river used to come from, but as far as I could see... no water, not even mud. I picked up a rock and saw little critters huddled under it in the faint pockets of humidity that the rock was shielding.
A desolate feeling filled me as I looked around. Where was the water?
Then someone from the riverbed called me and said, "You are looking for the water to come, aren't you?" As I turned to reply, he already told me, "Don't worry, it's just the dry season. Happens every year, but you know, rain will come as it always has, just wait and see."
So, I waited. The season passed, but no water.
Then someone said, "Don't worry. After the winter when the sun will melt the snow, the river will be full again. You wait and see!"
So, I waited. The season passed, but no water came to the river.
Next thing I saw us standing in the riverbed where the river enters the property and we were looking up stream, waiting for the water to come.
So, we waited, but the water did not come..."
--
Have you ever felt like that? You are dry. You try to hold on to your faith with all that you have left, but one glimpse at your bank account or your circumstance makes you almost give up... The feeling of hopelessness and being deserted starts to overwhelm you as you try to find some glimmer of hope in anything that might perhaps one day come your way. All you need is someone to tell you, "Don't worry, it's going to be OK. The water will come." But the picture showed that the water did not come: The rain didn't come to fill the river and the snow didn't fix it either. The water did not come.
--
Then, from behind me a huge yet gentle voice said, " Believe in ME and Streams of living water will flow from WITHIN you!"
Next thing I am back in the riverbed where I was turning over the rocks. Instead of listening to voices that brought my focus to look for hope from the outside, I looked up from the valley to the hillside where Well #3 is located. And from the hill I could see a trickle of waterappearing. A trickle that quickly gains momentum and starts to pour into the valley, flooding it before I realize what is happening. In what felt like a second the valley is flooded and this abundance of water is gushing down the hill into a massive basin of water.
Even before the news reaches the people that are inside the buildings, they see cars and water trucks race down the driveway - crashing the 'For Sale' sign as they speed onto the property to get to the valley and fill up."
--
Let's read that again:
"Anyone who is thirsty may come to ME! Anyone who believes in ME may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" John 7:38
Don't look to your right or your left. Look up to the One Who gave it all. And the wells from within us will flow with rivers of living waters!
P.S. As a side note: Over 50 years God has miraculously provided us with the water to run an operation of this size. Even our direct neighbour cannot stay year round based upon their own water
resources. Over the years we have drilled 3 wells on the property and we have had enough water to host the nations. Thus far Well #3 has not been used yet.
LIVING WITH AN "ALMOST" MINDSET
I have never really been one to board the societal train of making New Years
resolutions for 2 reasons; 1.Statistically over 80% of the resolutions made are
never kept and 2. I believe that our commitment to change and to progress as Kingdom people should be a daily practise rather than a once a year decision. The other day I spoke with an individual who was asking if I had made a resolution and then proceeded to tell me that this year he was going to stick to his since last year he ALMOST made it.
When he shared that with me the words ALMOST seemed to jump out and grab my attention. Almost
means "nearly, but not exactly or entirely". It would seem as though almost has become a common acceptable trend in our culture.
- I almost had a successful marriage
- I almost completed my education
- I nearly kept my promise
How often do we learn to become content, just doing the bare minimum. Col 3:23 says "Whatever
you do, do it with all your heart as though working for the Lord not for man".
Almost convinces us we should do something but never converts the should to a must. It's not until we
believe we must change, must breakthrough, must commit to excellence rather than SHOULD we
will always live one step short of our destiny, a place where mediocrity and passivity reign. When I was thinking about this idea of ALMOST, I thought of the story of Naaman the leper. It made no sense for him to dip in the Jordan once to receive healing not to mention 7x since 1. it was polluted and 2. there was no historical account of that polluted river ever having any great medicinal value. The point being Naaman almost didn't do it !!! I wonder how many destiny's have been left unfulfilled because an individual almost believed, almost stepped out, but couldn't go that last little bit maybe due to fear, or the hauntings of past mistakes. The problem with fear is that fear will always betray
us, it is a black hole that keeps us from our God given potential. Sometimes we miss out on the
simplicity of our breakthrough because we get hooked by our history and our past condition creates
present limiting and disempowering beliefs.
Let me ask you as we embark on a new year with new opportunities. What if you were to cut off all of your negative past conditioning, no longer bound by your past reference points. WHAT WOULD THIS NEW YEAR LOOK LIKE.... How would you act if you were living free from the shackles of your yesterdays and were beginning to live your dream, living out the life that God has for you operating in the gifts and talents He has given you as a gift to yourself and for others. That's what we at Singing Waters want to help you move into this year of 2010 with our weekend courses, schools, healing encounters, and our new Signature Series that will begin Sat Jan 23 at 10:00 a.m.
This series will be a time of powerful ministry, equipping, and training; followed by lunch and then our Gathering of Praise. To all our friends and ministry team, I want to encourage you to be at these once a month events of breakthrough.
This 1st gathering on Jan 23rd we have some of the senior team coming from IHOP in Kansas. They have been experiencing a powerful outpouring of God with thousands coming from around the world and receiving healing. On New Years, they had well over 20,000 in attendance. They will be joining us to share what God is doing in Kansas and to pray an impartation of this to Singing Waters. We are excited for this coming year, 2010 "The year of Breakthrough". I believe the Lord is saying we have
been in a season that is similar to a sunrise where the sun hasn't fully risen, but the sky is lit up. Maybe this has been your testimony; maybe you have been in a place where the sky has been lit up, but was not yet complete. Prophesies yet to be realized, breakthroughs yet to be experienced; almost, but not quite there. The good news is there is a gradual emerging that is now taking place. This year is the year for breakthrough a year for the SON to rise high and light up our lives with healing, favour, and increase. I want to encourage you to join us for our breakthrough encounter, our
signature series and gathering of praise. Make this the beginning of this new year a must and not a should. See you there.
Happy New Year.
Russ & Leesa Irwin
HOW DOES GOD SPEND CHRISTMAS?
Well he started by giving me a prophetic word for the city of Sarnia or more importantly some of the churches. Suzie and I were blessed to be invited to a church in Sarnia to share the word on Friday night, but before we could give it God had other plans wanting to do some physical healing. After praying for several people and seeing God move in healing we gave the prophetic word then we prophesied over the leadership team.
God was still busy on Saturday morning when I gave a message on judgments at the men's breakfast and was able to pray for a few men. Sunday morning proved God hadn't gone on a Christmas break when after the message on identity we prayed for the rest of the congregation giving prophetic words
and releasing them into their destiny.
May God Bless you in this New Year and may you walk into your destinyfor 2010!
May God's blessing be upon you.
Love,
Norman and Suzie
MY TRIP TO IHOP - One Thing Event Dec 27-31, 2009
My recent visit to IHOP in Kansas City can be described as memorable and valuable. I was so excited and happy to see more than 20,000 people who have really passionate hearts for Christ and worship him with everything in different ways; not mentioning another 50,000 people doing the same via web-stream.
IHOP started its non-stop prayer, intercession, and worship over ten years ago with a group of young
people and it has been continuing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Since then, more and more people from all over the globe have joined in their 24-hour prayer rooms and the fire just went on and on.
While I was at the One Thing conference, a three day worship event that's usually held at the end
of each year, I learned that the focus of the conference was on prayer, intimacy with God, radical Christian living, and Sermon on the Mount lifestyle. The size of the building itself was overwhelming and it was an amazing conference. I strongly feel that this conference can change lives. Our God is real, and he listens to our prayers. He took me to Kansas City for a reason and I'm here at Singing Waters because He wants me here, and for that I am thankful.
During the worship there, I felt the love from our beloved Father and He is so real. Mike Bickle spoke about our need to raise up more people like king David, who was a worshiper and hired 4,000 men on his prayer team. I really feel that I also have a similar dream/vision too. I highly believe that in the near future, God will raise up a group of people who will work as full-time praisers in churches, ministries, the work place, and government through different means such as art, media and education. In addition, some of the value of life concepts that I learned from the Isaiah 61 School at Singing Waters Ministries was repeated again during the conference, and this has strengthened my spiritual life.
All in all, I would highly recommend others to attend the One Thing conference if they have the chance in the future. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
Eric Liu
There is so much trafficking of Christians going from one conference to another conference; from one ministry place to another ministry place. All in an earnest, honest attempt to satisfy this deep ache and void we feel deep inside. But I have become totally convinced that the only thing that will heal our heart is a revelation of God's personal love
for us as individuals.
I am prompted to write these few words because of what just happened to me, as a confirming note to my own heart. Every week I look forward to read what the Holy Spirit will say to me through Bill
Burns, "The Trumpet" (found on his web site www.ft111.com ).
The week January 5, 2010 was a very lengthy one; I felt excitement and anticipation swell up from within me. I felt it was going to be good. Like a thirsty man I began to drink deeply of God's word, as if they were sent for me and me alone. I felt the life and power behind the words and desperately desired to believe and receive fully all the Holy Spirit was speaking to me.
I came to these words in the second paragraph, "…So, I say, get ready for the blessings. You would say, what blessings?" I felt a shock wave go through me as I read these words, because immediately I thought of Psalm 139:4:
"For there is not a word in my tongue (still unuttered),but behold, O Lord you know it altogether."
Weary with the long years of waiting to see God's promises fulfilled in my life, I struggle many times as I read another prophetic word promising blessings. I have many, many prayer
journals filled with recorded prophetic words; God promising to bless me in certain ways, which have remained unfulfilled for many years. It is not that I do not believe God's promises, what I find most difficult to bear is the long years of delay. The Bible agrees that unrelenting disappointment truly makes the heart sick.
This exposure of my heart did not bring condemnation, instead it spoke to me a sweet message; God knows me so well. He is intimately acquainted with all my ways. How He hastened in this article, to let me know all the ways in which He is now ready to bless me. He lets me know that the enemy lives under the realm of His authority and when He says, "ENOUGH!!!" the enemy knows the meaning of that word and is forced to withdraw his purposes and armies from me. I was reminded that the God of Peace, Who lives inside of me, will crush Satan under my feet. We are not sitting ducks at the mercy of the evil one, to do with us as he pleases.
My heart was revelling and delighting in all this revelation and spiritual insights, when I just "happened" to look up at the clock, it said "2:04". There is a little game I sometimes play, so I thought of Psalm 20:4. I could no longer hold back the tears, as I turned and read this verse of Scripture. My heart melted at this wonderful expression of God's love and kindness to me. It said to me, God sees me! God knows me! God loves me!
Ps. 20:4, I turned it from a prayer into a promise:
Hazel (put your name) I will grant you according to your heart's desire, and fulfill all your purposes."
Dear reader, this is the message I bring to you at the beginning of this New Year. God sees you! God knows you! God loves you! He knows all there is to know about you, even your unuttered thoughts, and He still loves you.
My prayer for you is that you come to discover in many unique and wonderful ways, God's great love for you, YES YOU!!!
The word "serendipity" comes readily to mind: -the gift of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, from us here at Singing Waters Ministries.
Thanks to all of you who support andpray for us.
Hazel Jones, for the prayer team here at Singing Waters.
YOUNG LEADER IN TRAINING
Wow how time flies! This is my second year staying at Singing Waters. Looking back over the past year, I am amazed by God's work and healing in me. When I first came here, I found it challenging for me to be still. It was because my life back in Taiwan was too busy. By God's grace, I slowed down and had a chance to
examine my life and find my identity in God. I learned that I did not even know myself very well and that my identity came from how people viewed me and their opinions of me.
In the world, people always evaluate you based on career success; they base your self-worth on that. I grew up in a pastor's family, therefore there were a lot of expectations and restrictions in my life and I also put a lot of pressures on myself. I had to perform well otherwise my family would be shamed. I became a people pleaser instead of pleasing God first.
One time when Barry Adams came to teach about our Father's love; during the worship time, I was laying on the ground when Father spoke to me. He said that I can just "be" and not do anything just like I was lying still, on the floor. I realized for the first time that He really loves me so much, simply because I am His precious daughter and He wants to give His children good gifts.
Before I only knew in my head that God loves me, but that day that revelation came alive in my heart.
After God's love came and touched me, I knew I was different. In 1 John 4:18 it says "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love." You cannot get this revelation by studying alone. It's something you can only experience!
I also had some areas that I could not surrender to God. Before I came to Singing Waters I said to God: "God, you can control some parts of my life, but there are some areas that you cannot touch." After experiencing this love, I submitted my whole life to God. He is too good to me and my trust in him is increasing.
His ways are always better than our ways and His thoughts are always higher than our thoughts. I also
prayed the Lordship prayer: Confessing my sin, submitting my life and allowing Him to control my life. God's encountered me in a deep way at Singing Waters and I really appreciate my time here. The
healing journey is like peeling layer by layer. I know my healing journey continues on and I am excited about walking with God and serving Him in whatever I do.
Melody Chen
