The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. (Romans 8:15)
As Love: a week of 24-7 prayer has come to a close, we are discerning so many different things that God has done in our midst. One specific deepening has been in the area of sonship.
We opened Love and simultaneously welcomed Ben Pasley, who is one of the Boiler Room's overseers along with Joe Steinke and Jon Petersen through our 24-7 Prayer family. Ben brought life and laughter as he spent a couple days with us. He helped us with our understanding of the essential link between sonship and walking with the graces that the Spirit brings to all of us sons.
One of the invitations that Charis and Emily constructed was to gaze into the mirror and see us as the Father sees us. Folks were then invited to write down what they heard the Father speaking to them.
While others wrote
We are sensing that understanding our identity as sons with inheritance and a legacy is so important for the long term family life that the Father is setting out before us here on the Westside.
Throughout the week, so many people were realizing the Father's love for them and coming back for more and more time. Cam, who has recently moved into the neighborhood, is so hungry for the Father's heart. His passion for time with our Papa inspired many of us to lean into more time in the prayer garage. Throughout the week, folks returned for more and more. The simple act of "covering" 168 hours of prayer was restful and effortless for the most part. The thing that seemed key was that people were not thinking as slaves who had a duty to fulfill but rather as heirs who had the Father's presence to rest in.
Keith showed up for the Love Feast this past week because Jordan Cooper was trying to act like a son. As a son, Cooper was listening to the Holy Spirit and the Spirit prompted him to cross the street and engage a stranger in conversation, inviting him to the Mission Church. Coop said to Keith, "The Lord prompted me to talk to you." Throughout the Love Feast, Keith, a professional chef, had this dazed expression on his face. "I don't understand any of this; but I like it. I want to help." The extravagant love of the Father was hitting Keith in the most bewildering way. And we bless the Lord for this holy bewilderment.
As the week drew to a end, we had closing prayer on Sunday night at 7p.
We had multiple generations of sons there at the last prayer session. So in closing we asked a representative of each generation to pray for another generation. To hear the very words of God spoken in blessing for the many sons in the room was a powerful testimony to the love that the Father poured out on us this week. And as we ended, we got to meet three missionary minded friends from Cornerstone who had prayed in the garage for the first time this week and were interested in hearing more about ways that they could also step into family.
We bless the Lord for His deep and faithful love for us.
::tony::
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