subscribe to this Newsletter Plans of the Heart - Part 3 Permission - Have a King or Be One To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. Prov 16:1 In Plans of the Heart Part 1, we shared that spiritual maturity is reaching a place where your heart's desires and the will of God become the same thing. In Part 2, we shared some practical tips on how to encourage your heart. This week we're targeting one of the big obstacles to accessing the place in your heart where God lives - your dream or destiny. Our desire for a King - The man who led me to the Lord (Bob Hagstrom) sent me a book entitled Mega Shift by James Rutz that is worth reading. Jim does a artful job of painting the essence of church as the interpersonal ministry in small or open groups. He cites examples of church planting and miracles around the world happening via small groups in a house setting. Here's a quote from page 213. God's original blueprint was that all His people would be responsible followers with a personal relationship to Him and direct access to His holy presence. One of the highest point for Yahweh in the Old Testament was in 1447 B. C., just two days before he gave the ten Commandments. In a moment of joy and excitement He said to Israel, "You shall be my prized possession, dearer to me that all other peoples! for all the earth is min, and you shall be for me a kingdom of priests" Exod 19:6 Access to the Throne Room - So God's goal is to have us be Priests and Kings and relate directly to him. Now, to get there, the discipleship process involves having a few Godly schoolmasters that help us learn to relate directly to Jesus. Pastors, mentors, and leaders all have a big role in that process. Here's the rub. We often naturally desire to retain the services of priests to seek God for us and Kings to take care of us... forever... because we're a little afraid to get out of the boat. Here's the result. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." Ex 20:18-19 NIV Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says. Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you. We will listen and obey." Deut 5:27 NIV 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." 1 Sam 8:19-22 NIV Accessing your Heart - Gaining entry to what God has written in our heart regarding our destiny starts the moment we're willing to be both Priest (hear God ourselves) and King (take responsibility to make it happen - fight the battles). When you take on both your Priestly and Kingly mantle a number of changes occur. Here are a few. 1. Vocation - The description of what's happening around the world in Mega Shift is really exciting. I'll have the book on our list of recommendations. What was conspicuous by its absence is any mention of vocation. The stories of ministry, miracles, church planting and fellowship are in the context of overtime; Everyone does this stuff after a 40 or 50 hour week at work. Although it's very good and worth reading, its a priestly view of ministry without any integration with work. Here's the bottom line. There is a place in the Spirit that touches your vocation and the blessing of God on your finances as well. We disciple people not just in the traditional "spiritual things" but we teach them how to touch God for prosperity as well. That usually translates to work, business, investments, or real estate... unless your a priest - then it translates to receiving an offering. You have a Kingly call. You can raise the dead "and" you can raise the finances. If you can't connect your ministry and your vocation, you run the risk of burnout. You'll lose vision for one or the other. Keeping your job and ministry in separate categories puts you on overtime for ever. Instead of becoming spiritual, you'll start to become religious. 2. Church - I think others have done a good job of defining the essence of what church really is. Jim does a wonderful job in Mega Shift. It's all about relationships. Once you become priestly (hear from God yourself) and Kingly (responsible to implement your calling) then it becomes very difficult to sit in rows and listen to a sermon and call it church. You'll be gripped with the vision God has put in your heart. Note: Please hear me. I'm not down on the brick and mortar church. I have too many friends that love going to church and I've been in too many churches meeting in big buildings that really touch the presence of God and bless people. I'm just pointing out that if your concept of church is faithfully attending and tithing for an hour on Sunday as the goal, you'll eventually get bored and quit. The church is really a disciple-making organ in the Kingdom. Someday you graduate to take on the call God placed in your heart. You may not leave your brick and mortar church, but your vision will greatly exceed giving God that hour a week and tithing 10%. PS: you won't be more fulfilled by attending more services or giving more money. 3. Knowing God - Here's the real frosting. Once you start operating as both a King and Priest you'll begin to reign with Jesus. You'll have influence over both the spiritual realm and the natural realm. When that happens you're touching God and your intimacy with the Father will take on an entirely new dimension. 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.  Rev 5:10, see 1:6 and 20:6  (John is quoting Exod 19:6) You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!" 7 Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. Gal 4:5-7 Message   You can raise the dead and you can raise the finances - I like it.    Life is an adventure. People are a blessing. God is amazing. We're winning.   Love, John & Harold     (are dancing - Join us) New Book - Our goal in Releasing Kings was to articulate theological basis for Marketplace ministry such that people naturally mature toward being more entrepreneurial and more generous. Harold has continued that theme in a new book that I really enjoyed. This book is a brief explanation of Resurrection-based Christianity entitled Jesus Came Out of the Tomb, So Can You. It also appears on our Recommendations Page. There are four other books that tie closely to the chapters in Part 2 of Releasing Kings that are all worth while. 4 No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.  Isa 62:4-5 www.releasing-kings.com Conferences - The Last trip to the Netherlands was a real eye-opener! I greatly underestimated the value of our book, the impact of the message on individual lives, and the value of live conferences. I witnessed the power of God being unleashed in the hearts of men and women by simply explaining the theology and experience behind releasing their heart's desire to expand the Kingdom. Seeing the lights come up in the hearts of God's people feels like sponsoring a jailbreak. One of my goals is to equip others to help us share the message in conference formats before we get overwhelmed with the momentum of what God is about to do. If your church or organization is ready, we can help you start a fire... a big one! Send us your feedback! johnsue@clearwire.com We get blessed by your emails at "You Wrote Back"  Past newsletters are now Indexed to Chapters in Releasing Kings! Newsletters associated with chapter 12 relate to this week's theme    _____________________________________________________________________ Interested in your own WEB? We've posted information on the software we use to create this web site. If you survive the learning curve without losing your sanctification (mine is barely intact), it really is easy to use and the cost is $299 a year - much less expensive than hiring someone. The primary benefit is the ease of making your own changes. Additional info is at: http://www.releasing-kings.com/releasing-websites.html     Progress - Kingly Bio's are Up We've completed the first round of interviews with Kings.  These are real people that have been blessed by God in the Market Place and have hearts for ministry.  Check it out at http://www.releasing-kings.com/Interviewing-Kings.html.  If you have a success story, we'd like to post it by giving you a web page on our site.     Progress - A Teacher's Guide We've completed the first version of a study guide that targets those teaching the material in Releasing Kings.  It includes a page of notes on each chapter, all the graphics suitable to make overheads, and a PDF file of the book with the key points highlighted that includes marginal notes, comments, and questions.  This material is available for purchase on the teacher's guide page of the web. johnsue@clearwire.com 509-308-6873     Friends Tell Friends God has given us a great tool to communicate a message that sets people free in an amazing, contagious, life-changing way.  If you haven't read it - get it.  If you have read it - give it.  http://www.releasing-kings.com/Ordernow.html   We've gotten a ton of positive feedback on the newsletter too... get it, give it.  Reloading Seniors was powerful.  Pass the link on. http://www.releasing-kings.com/Newsletter.html   PS: don't forget to look at the free reports - show your pastor the article on marketplace ministry from the pastor's perspective.  You can simply email him this link or print a copy to give him. http://releasing-kings.com/pastors-perspective.html     ____________________________________________________________________ You can get your copy of Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace at 1-800-308-5837 (or) http://www.releasing-kings.com/Ordernow.html