Kingdom Calling Blog…

Having just finished one of my latest books, on Smith Wigglesworth (a fantastically inspiring read about a great man of faith who performed healing miracles) I have been reflecting on what has happened to me as a reader. I realise I have turned into a prolific reader and can read two or three books at a time (not unlike the Lovely Mr B). I have read the majority of them on my kindle which I have come to love (never thought it would happen as I love the feel of real books) and I no longer have to turn the pages over in the corner or write in them (using a highlighter).

I used to read a lot of magazines but I have stopped buying them over the last couple of years, friends who know me are probably fainting!! I don’t have any problem with them per se but just don’t seem to have time or the inclination to read them (except at the hairdressers).
As I started on my exciting adventure with God I have found the books I have been reading have fuelled the fire inside me for learning more about God and the gifts of the spirit. They have been equally thought provoking and challenging. The strategy I have employed as I have read them is ‘chew the meat and spit out the bones’, which has been helpful.

I have also been getting into the word and felt prompted by God through the passage in..

Ezekiel 3:1-3, And he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.  Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’ So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

I felt God wanted me to submerge myself in His word so I got stuck in. This has made a huge difference in my life and impacted the way God has been using me to encourage others with scripture or through a prophetic word that often starts with scripture and to pray truths back to him. It is a weapon to be used on a daily basis and God speaks to us primarily through His word.

Heb 4:12 ‘For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart’.

I have also found the daily BIOY (Bible in a Year) written by Nicky Gumble at HTB really helpful and I choose to read it daily on my phone. I love the format of a psalm, a New Testament and an Old Testament scripture linked together in a relevant and timely way. It’s just enough each day to get God’s truths into me and something to mull over all day.
If you feel like you have a calling or a hunger to be used by God in a particular area I have found reading about it helps and equips you. When God has given you a hunger for something I have found that all I want to do is to get more knowledgeable about it and learn from others how they have stewarded the gifts they have been given and the journey they have been on in using their gifts.

2Tim 1:6 ‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands’.

I will use this page to write book reviews from time to time so watch this space.

Happy reading.

The Lovely Mr B is thinking if only Kindle had a loyalty card 🙂

27th July 2016

I’ve just bought two new books that came out this week that I am going to take to Newday to read. I can hardly wait to start them.

The first is written by Phil Wilthew who is based at The Kings Arms Church in Bedford and is called ‘Developing a Prophetic Culture‘.  Phil unlocks some of the keys to building environments that develop prophets and prophetic people in a healthy, Bible honouring and Jesus-centred way.

I absolutely loved this book by Phil Wilthew and it is heavily highlighted on my Kindle. There is page after page of truth and pure nuggets of goodness to chew over. I will need to re-read this a bit slower and take it in again as the content is so rich.

There is a backdrop of theology about the prophetic and practical tips for developing a prophetic culture in your own church.

I particularly loved the idea about the importance of recording or journalling prophetic words you have had over yourself so that you can remind yourself and pray into them. It’s a good idea to pick out some of the themes of the words and ask God about them and if he wants to say anything else about them in this season or anything he wants to add to them.

He also suggests a ‘Prophetic Wall’ where you pick out key words/themes and have them up where you can see them all the time to remind yourself that this is what God has said and your current circumstances don’t change that! Phil says that “prophetic words are like a sword to do battle with” and I strongly agree!

On the back of that I had a go and went through my journal (where I record any prophetic words over me) and picked out the key words that have come up many times and turned it into a display board so I can see them every time I sit at my computer to remind and encourage me that this is what God has said about me.

I highly recommend this book to anyone you know who is interested in anything prophetic and it’s a great book for church leaders too in how to manage the prophetic in their church.

The second is written by Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft from Soul Survivor Church in Watford. It is called ‘Everyday Supernatural’.  Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft believe that God wants each of his followers to know the work of the Holy Spirit. In this book they explore how to go about doing that in your every day life.

Having just finished Everyday Supernatural, I can highly recommend this book if you would like to ‘step out’ more in your everyday life.

It is a collaborative book, written by Mike and Andy who write their own sections, coming at things from their own perspective (as they are wired completely differently) and sharing their different approaches to everyday situations where they are being led by the holy spirit to step out. I love that there are lots of anecdotes which are amusing, helpful and incredibly encouraging. They write not as experts who have got it all sewn up (although they are rather amazing at doing the stuff) but, as keen amateurs who themselves experience doubts about hearing clearly just like we do, so you immediately connect with them.

They give lots of practical tips on how to hear from God and different ways you hear from God. They walk you through the different gifts of the spirit explaining what they are and how they manifest and give practical application for using them.

I really enjoyed the book and feel encouraged that I am heading in the right direction and that God really does want to partner with us in seeing the supernatural in our everyday lives. This is a book I will be buying for my friends.