randomz-tephiee

Live each day in content because your blessing is enough for one day.

Last week was the Hillsong Conference 2009. I didn't buy any tickets but was fortunately blessed to go for free when my uncle's friend had unused tickets.



The conference started on the Tuesday night and through to Friday night. I wasn't able to go on Wednesday because I had my learner's driving test and in the evening I had cell group so I went on the Thursday. The day Joel Osteen was to preach. It was awesome!!! I knew that God had pulled all the stops in getting me to Hillsong Conference on that Thursday. From the beginning of the day until the end I was really blessed and so many things had been revealed to me. Things that really opened my eyes to the greater picture. I never knew how much a conference could change a life but I learnt that it wasn't the conference that brings change because it's only a platform for change to happen. But it's God's spirit that moves us to cause the change.

I had previously posted about how I had been uncertain and unhappy I was with my life in general. I didn't what was going on with me. I didn't have any "purpose" in my life because I was afraid of God's word for my life earlier this year: 'your plans are not my plans. Your plans will destroy you.' And because of this I have been afraid of doing anything. I was afraid of planning to the extent that I was "waiting still" for the word of God to happen in my life. But I recently realised that when God speaks into your life it doesn't mean we have to be still and do nothing and be afraid and wait until God works to make His word happen in our lives. But rather we must do what we can and God will lead us into the fulfillment of His word.

So I'm now taking charge and not "sitting" around and waiting for His word to happen in my life but rather be active in looking into ways to make His promise come to life in me.

So what did I learn at the Hillsong Conference?
First service:
- a great leader's constant companion is pain
- because of pain we tend to avoid the ministry God had called us into
- 2 Corinthians 11: 23-28 -> Paul: besides all the physical pain pain, Paul had the daily burden of the churches on his shoulders
- we in the ministry may have daily burdens for our church
- the difference of where you are and where God wants you to be causes us to endure "unwilling pain"



The 3 points from Ps. Craig Groeshel's sermon:
1. God wants to increase the threshold of pain, rejection so we can enter into higher levels.
- If you're not being criticized/persecuted then you're not following Christ
- May God increase our threshold for pain and criticism
- The quickest way to forget what God says about us is by listening to what others say about us
- Have the attitude: I can't please everyone but I can please God.
- Don't be afraid of being criticized but be afraid when you're not being criticized for what you're doing in you're ministry => this is a leader
- you are called by God to go up but people tend to pull you down but remember that your "hall pass" is the Bible and be confident in saying " I am on a mission from God."

> I have been thinking alot about my ministry in Sunday School lately. I feel as though I speak up for change but nothing really happens because the opposing and negative side is overpowering me. I feel as though I'm "belittled" because my "vision" is too drastic and too hard to achieve. But after listening to this sermon, God reminded me of who I am in Christ. I have been called as a leader (just as my name 'Stephanie' describes: a leader with queenly actions, she flows into a room and people take notice, energetic and enthusiastic, she is eager to complete a task and giver her all, agreeable, witty and knowledegable, thinking before she speaks or acts, one knows her by her ever present smile and her desire to please.) And my baptism name: Deborah, a prophetess, a judge and a military leader all in one - a powerful triple combination of authority and responsibility held by only two other Israelites, Moses and Samuel.

> I believe that a name has a purpose and I choose to believe that everything above will come to pass for the glory of God. And as my names describe I know that I should not be afraid because I am on a mission from God.

2. God wants to increase your threshold of pain in making difficult decisions.
- in our ministry we are often faced with a situation where difficult decisions need to be made but look forward to the greater plan.
- for businesses their bottom line is money but our bottom line is the Kingdom of God
- sometimes we have to step into the pain and make the decision to "remove" that one problem for the greater good of the ministry and for them too
- step into the pain of obedience rather than the comfort of disobedience

3. God wants to increase the threshold pruning.
- God maybe pruning us and it hurts
- God maybe doing more pruning in you before He can work through you
- sometimes God takes you backwards so you can move
forward
- 1 Peter 4:16 -> when you suffer for the name of God don't whine but praise His name.

His sermon really spoke to my heart about my ministry in Sunday School. It cleared up alot of my concerns about my ministry and gave me answers to my questions.

Ps. Joel Osteen's words opened my eyes most about my life, what I'm going through at the moment and where I'm headed. I learnt:
- you'll never see yourself any higher until you look into yourself and see the person you want to see. [Here I have to learn to believe that the person God has called me to be is true and start putting my faith in it.]
- God wouldn't put you into situations or places or jobs or a calling unless He knew you could do it. [I must start believing that everywhere I am placed, I am placed there for a reason. He never makes the wrong decisions, we do.]
- I'm too blessed to be stressed!!!
- get your mind in the right direction each day because your life will follow your vision. [Must learn to fill the mind with positivity and faith in my vision.]
- our visions are bigger than our resources. [When we think we can't do it because we have no resources He will come and provide.]
- see your vision and speak words of faith into it. [Start throwing words of faith into my visions and it will surely come to pass.]
- prove to be faithful in the wilderness and then you'll be taken into the promised land. [When I can prove to be faithful through every trial I am sure the Lord will bring me into the fulfillment of my destiny.]
- the deeper your roots are the higher you will grow.
- put action behind your faith.
- I wouldn't be breathing today unless God has another victory He has decided for me to win!!!!

And most eye opening revelation for me was learning that I am currently in the "process/preparation stage" in my life. When Ps. Joel Osteen was telling us the story about him serving in his father's church for 17 years in the production side of their television program. He shared with us about how God had placed him 'behind the scenes' and editing his father's sermons every week, listening to the sermon 7-8 times to cut it down and finally after 17 years he knew what was going on. God had placed Joel 'behind the scenes' to listen to his father's sermons and preparing Joel for the pastoral role. Joel shared about how he didn't go to Bible school but listening to his father's sermons thousands of times had become his background.

From this the Spirit taught me:
- that I'm at that stage now. I'm in the process stage where all my wants and desires are being "pruned." And in replacement I'm growing and maturing in His desires and wants for my life.
- that all the media work I have learnt from uni from editing video to podcast to everything production is to prepare me to work in the media production side in my ministry. For example my Pastor's book project is preparation for me to maybe write my own book some day.

And through all the things I've learnt through the conference, I know that I am called, I can do everything He has called me to do, when He speaks it will surely come to pass. And in the meantime until His word comes to pass just be content with today's blessing!

posted by tephiee @ 6:19 PM