COLOUR CONFERENCE 2014: BRINGING IT HOME-CITY SERVE

“BUT MARY TREASURED UP ALL THESE THINGS AND PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART!” LUKE 2:19

I was blessed to go to the Colour Conference 2014 this past March in Sydney, Australia. Colour is a Hillsong Women’s Conference that began in 1997 and continues annually to gather, equip, and mobilize God’s global daughters! I was a last minute addition to a group of women who had been planning the trip for at least a year and within a month of my initial “I want to go” statement, I was on a plane “to the land down under”. Nothing takes the Lord by surprise but lots of stuff takes me by surprise! This trip was the best kind of surprise! It was a proverbial “Emmaus Walk” for me, a Jesus encounter that left permanent fingerprints!

The heart behind Colour is so incredibly humble. This sisterhood is a beautiful example of:
(Phil 2:3)-“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

Every detail of this “divine appointment” was designed to equip daughters to return to their local churches and respond to the needs in their communities, as well as the world. Not once did they promote themselves or their own body of believers. As amazing as all the speakers and musicians were, you exited those doors imprinted by Christ and excited to share HIM in whatever sphere of influence the Lord chose to give you! Each message filled my cup to overflow and since we are not to be “hoarders of the Gospel”, I decided it was time to “overflow” my take-aways on “THE BLOG”-bringing COLOUR 2014 home with me!  Tomorrow is City Serve for my church, Church of the Highlands.   This is where #MYSTREETCARES (Colour) meets #SERVEday14 (Highlands)!

I chose Luke 2:19 to start this blog installment because I have been treasuring and pondering all that I took away from Colour and I connected with “Mary” in an unexpected way.  While I took copious notes,  one of my biggest take-aways ,that the Holy Spirit whispered to me and is still revealing to me, was the realization the we are all “MARY”-Mary who birthed Jesus!  Mary had a specific job to do.  She was to deliver Jesus to the world and the way I see it, that is exactly what we are called to do!  We, like Mary, are “highly favored! The Lord is with us.”  We have The Savior within us to birth forth in a hurting, lost and desperate world!  How do we do that?  What does that look like?  When do we push? What happens if we are torn in the process?  Will it hurt?

Even with all these questions, I pray we still answer like Mary: “I am the Lord’s servant.  May Your words to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38)  We have the Holy Spirit within us and we will give birth to Jesus!

HOW DO WE DO THAT?  LOVE GOD-LOVE OTHERS-By sharing HIS WORDS,  seeking justice, loving mercy, walking humbly with God, walking in the spirit producing HIS fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control), turning the other cheek, giving generously, loving our enemy …can you come up with more?

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?  Praying before we speak-“Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!”-letting HIM fill and flow from our mouths,  rescuing the victims of Human trafficking, fostering or adopting a child who has no earthly parents,  taking the widow cupcakes and simply staying for a cup of tea, listening to the stories of the aged and often forgotten, constantly praying for the Lord to examine our hearts and reveal anything that is not pleasing in HIS sight, saying we are sorry and then turning from it,  loving God TOO(because HE LOVED US FIRST), trusting God which leads to joy and peace, slowing down (Be Still and know that I AM GOD!) sitting with a friend in Chemo, holding the hand of a loved one as they pass into glory, daily spending time in the Word(meeting with the best friend we could ever have-Jesus), and saying NO to the things that tempt us most(and it is different for everyone!) visiting a prisoner who has hurt our family, giving water to the thirsty and food to the hungry, and praying for those who betray us.

WHEN DO WE PUSH?  1 Peter 3:15 says “worship christ as Lord of your life.  And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.”  To me that means we “push”constantly by a lifestyle of worship(worship defined: to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission) and we “push” verbally when asked( and the Holy Spirit may be the one asking at times, as opposed to another person:)  Basically, we are to deliver Jesus at all times!

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ARE TORN IN THE PROCESS?  It is not “if” but “when” we are torn in the process, the process of delivering Jesus to world around us!  Jesus tells HIS disciples “you will be arrested, persecuted and killed.  You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.” (Matt 24:9) BUT Jesus also says, “You are blessed” when persecuted because of  your commitment to HIM!  HE asked HIS disciples to feed HIS sheep, to be salt and light and a city on a hill!  All ,but one, of the disciples were martyred (torn ) for their commitment to Christ!  When we fix our gaze on what is unseen, when we focus on the city that HE has prepared for us, a city with no need for the sun or the moon, for the glory of the Lord illuminates it, we are able to stand firm, endure and press on!

WILL IT HURT?  Yes-BUT only for a little while!  “So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.” (1 Peter 1:6)  “…You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.” (John 16:20) “I have told you these things so that in ME you may have peace.  You will have suffering in this world.  Be courageous!  I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)

How badly do we want to see the power of God manifested in our generation?   When we are compelled by love we will “push” to deliver Jesus!  Sharing our faith is not easy but it is not optional!

Matt5:14-16-The Message

14)Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.  God is not a secret to be kept.  We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.  15) If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you?  16) I’m putting you on a light stand.  Now that I’ve put you on a hilltop, on a light stand-SHINE!  Keep open house; be generous with your lives.  By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with GOD, this generous FATHER in heaven.

Get creative!  Get excited!  Get moving!  Deliver “That Jesus” to your sphere of influence!  Pray all the time-stay in the Word-share HIS message with your mouth and show HIS message in serving!

This is just the tip of the iceberg that I brought home from Colour 2014.  Who knows, I may blog more “Holy Spirit Downloads” from Colour as I continue to treasure and ponder these things in my heart:)

God willing, I will be at Colour 2015-A New Day, A New Era-BE FOUND!  I love the way Bobby Houston worded this future focus:

Be found in HIS STORY

Be found in HIS IMAGE, wisdom and grace

Be found in HIS magnificent salvation

Be found, in order that others may be found also!

GoGod
Katie