MINISTERS MATTER

CONFERENCE COMMENTS - Crimea, Ukraine

UNITY IN DIVERSITY IN CRIMEA, UKRAINE - relationships first!

I have just completed a 3-day conference in the Crimea with David Schneier, Director of IAMCS Europe and with Jewish and Christian leaders from central and southern Ukraine who represent both messianic congregations and local churches.

The cost per person is up to $100 USD which includes their travel, lodging and food. I appreciate LifeMISSIONS of The LIfe Centre in Ottawa and Sid Roth’s Messianic Vision Canada for funding this conference and enabling 150 people to attend.

The conference has grown from 3 key leaders from 3 major cities in 2007 to 150 leaders from 27 cities now in attendance. Growth is taking place relationally through friendships with a gospel agenda.

What a wonderful group of men and women who love the Lord and each other!

(I am third from the left and David is next right.)

Here are a few of the comments from leaders during a debrief after the conference.

1) What was your impression of the conference?

We are becoming more of a family as we gather together twice each year. It feels more like a reunion than a conference. We are enjoying a safe place to interact with one another, ask questions, and receive answers from our peers. We enjoy a spirit of encouragement without anyone trying to control anyone else. God is working deeply inside of us. It is a relief that our gathering is not about numbers but building friendship and relationships. Seeds are being planted and God is making them grow. The Name of the Lord really is our Strong Tower/Fortress. A very positive experience. With each conference, we see ourselves moving forward. Wonderful how leaders longed to be together with other leaders. It is not about money as leaders helped other leaders attend. Lots of confirmations as talks were given and we shared with fellow believers. Loved the Jewish focus on messianic truth. Each talk and the following group discussions really helped us understand clearly what we were hearing.

2) What are some of the highlights?

A greater understanding of our Jewish roots. The challenge of Yeshua’s word about leadership like the nations rather than like the kingdom. A fresh appreciation of the contrasts between Jewish and Greek thinking. Loved learning more about the Person of God - the desire He has to enjoy relationship with us. Enjoyed free time with other team leaders. Great time in small groups as we shared openly. Going back to scripture to learn the old ways where there is peace. A very peaceful place, very relaxed and relational. Really feel like we are moving forward.

3) What hopes and dreams do you have for the future?

Not becoming a copy of anything else but an original move of God. Continuing to focus on genuine authentic relationships. Developing true servant leadership amongst congregational leaders. Taking time to confirm that God is directing our steps by hearing what the Spirit is saying to the churches present - maturely listening to each other.

Some of the final comments included dreams being realized by Jewish believers joining with other Jewish believers. Amazing spirit of worship in song and congregational dance. We have really participated in what the book of Ephesians calls One New Man -  Jews and Gentiles celebrating the Lord together.

Ukraine is experiencing a move of God unprecedented anywhere else in the growth of messianic congregations.

One request mentioned was that in between the conferences, it would be great to have regional meetings amongst the congregations who have attended and are building relationships. Ah, what a great future in the Ukraine.

HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS - a humbling experience.

http://gallery.me.com/pastorbarry/101390

Today was spent with Roman Markovich, President of the Holocaust Survivors Association of Odessa as friends from Canada and the USA.

We took time to fellowship together and listen to their plans for the Memorial Park to the Jews - Victims of Nazism on ground still containing the remains of people killed in WWII.

While it has been in the planning stages for the last 10 years they have been active in raising money to fund the building project.

Lots of progress has been made since the election of the new Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych and this is so encouraging to them.

It is always a humbling experience to sit with survivors and hear their painful stories. Also, to see their diligence in honouring the memory of those who have died. They represent the slogan, "Never Again".

Just knowing that their lives could have been a statistic was overwhelming. Mankinds inhumanity to man still offends me.

I had the honour of sharing the story of the St. Louis Ship and what the government of Canada is planning to do to honour the memory of those who were lost.

This was one of THOSE days that you don't soon forget.

Check out some of the photos above.

UKRAINE UPDATE - an overview.

Photo gallery of items covered in this update:

Ukraine Conference - Crimea: http://gallery.me.com/pastorbarry/101341
Crimea Messianic Congregation: http://gallery.me.com/pastorbarry/101349
Zaporizhzhia Conference: http://gallery.me.com/pastorbarry/101357
Deaf & Mute Children’s Orphanage Odessa: http://gallery.me.com/pastorbarry/101357
Children with Heart Conditions Orphanage Odessa: http://gallery.me.com/pastorbarry#101382

UPDATE

I landed in Odessa on Sunday, April 18th., and was met by Sasha, George and Maria. What a joy to see their faces once again. Sasha is the rabbi of Gate of Zion Congregation in Odessa and George and Maria are a retired couple who do short term missionaries. They are from Ohio.

We had to wait for David Schneier’s plane to land and in the meantime caught up on all the happenings in Ukraine - God is moving relationally amongst His people here for sure. Once David arrived, we left for our flat for a night of final preparation and anticipation of the upcoming conference in Yevpatoriya, Crimea with rabbi Viktor, his congregation and visiting leaders from eastern Ukraine.

Our journey from Odessa to the conference would be a challenge and we would travel over 247 kms of wild, wild, roads, if you can call them that, with little or no pavement. Talk about a shake down.

The conference is our 5th gathering of messianic leaders and local pastors. In the beginning we started with 3 cities being represented and it had grown to 18 cities last year and this year we were at 27 with 150 leaders in attendance. Thank You Lord!

David spoke on challenging leaders to move beyond the same old, same old traditions, to a genuine relationship with, and belief for, a move of the Holy Spirit amongst Jewish people.

I spoke on Joseph and the personal journey each of us face through family issues, being slaves to ‘something’ and then working through personal ‘prisons’ to eventually a time when God promotes us into His plans and purpose for our life. When we look back it is then and only then that we can identify His hand upon us.

We had an amazing time reconnecting with so many leaders and building relationships with many new ones. Truly, these leaders desire authentic relationships and are being drawn to others who yearn for the same.

The conference ended on Friday, April 16th., and we enjoyed an evening at Viktor’s home with his family for shabbat. Saturday was spent speaking at the Hava Naglia congregation - my talk is in another blog under, ‘The Freedom to Make Choices’.

Sunday morning I left with 14 others to drive the 304 kms to Zaporizhzhya to speak at the Charismatic Union Conference under the direction and leadership of Pastor Anatoly. What a wonderful time with all these brothers and sisters in central Ukraine. I believe God arranged some strategic relationships that will further the work we are doing in the messianic community. My talk will follow in another blog under ‘Blessing and Cursing’.

Monday was spent travelling all day back to Odessa, another 488 kms on wild roads. I was anticipating speaking at Sasha’s leadership meeting Monday night then on Tuesday visiting two orphanages, Wednesday spending the day with holocaust survivors, fellowship and training of local leaders and finally attending the wedding of Oleg & Tanya, a young couple we have known now for 6 years. They will be married on Saturday after shabbat service and I have been asked to participate in this Jewish wedding.

Thank you for investing in LifeMISSIONS. What you are doing is having an eternal return as 27 cities in Ukraine have leaders who are ready to serve their cities with the Word and the Spirit in authentic relationships with leaders from their communities. Answering the prayer of Jesus in John 17 that we be one is exciting.

THE FREEDOM TO MAKE CHOICES

I shared this message in the Crimea, at a local Ukrainian messianic congregation on Saturday, April 17th.

Introduction: Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. It is a fact of life that is not always easy to process.

Joseph, Jacob’s youngest son with Rachel, is the love of his life. Joseph represents an extension of that love he shares with her.

Joseph is a favoured son. Dearly loved by Jacob. Blessed by his father who has prepared a special coat for him to wear. It sets him apart.

BUT

Joseph is hated, rejected and abandoned by his half brothers for all this attention and eventually sold into slavery.

Bad things do happen to good people.

There is another son in Luke 15 called the prodigal son.

He also is favoured. Dearly loved by his father. Lives at home with his family...

BUT

He hates his home life, wishes his father dead by asking for his inheritance now instead of waiting until it is time.

In his mind, he wants his pockets filled with cash, be on his own, have no one to tell him what to do. He has lots of friends now, can do whatever his heart pleases and feels like good things have started to happen in his life...

BUT

His actions at home have shown him to be less that good.

Joseph chooses to live with integrity, no matter what situation he finds himself in and he has many difficult challenges ahead of him.

He still chooses to live for God everywhere and all the time.

Bad things keep happening to him but he knows that God alone has the last word on his situations.

He has chosen to live honourably.

The prodigal has chosen to live without integrity by being self-centered and selfish. He wastes his life and the gifts given to him by his father.

Good things, he thinks, happen to him until the money runs out and reality sets in.

He is living dishonourably.

Both these sons had God’s greatest gift to humanity - the freedom to choose how you live regardless of circumstances.

It is at points like this that we get confused about the love of God. We often feel that good people deserve a break and bad people don’t. While that is true in some cases, these two sons can be used to reveal the amazing love of God.

In Genesis 3, we read about some bad choices on the part of Adam and Eve. In the 1187 chapters that follow we see something amazing.

Genesis 1-2. Creation begins and God calls it good yet from chapter 3 onwards, life is messy and we see God on every page choosing to work out His plan of redemption in everyone’s mess.

Divine appointments come to all of us. Moments when we need to make good choices because we love the Lord.

Joseph chose to be a godly man and God blessed him.

The prodigal chose to turnaround, called repentance, and head home. Blessings were awaiting him for this decision.

While he is still a far way off his father sees him and runs to meet him.

The Father’s Love is so unconditional.

What is the end of the story?

An unseen Father in Joseph’s life moves upon Pharaoh with a dream needing interpretation which brings prominence to Joseph’s life.

He is given a ring, a robe and a grateful nation pays tribute to him.

A seen Father in the prodigal’s life weeps as he holds his returning son close. He holds no grudges and lavishes him with favour.

He is given a ring, a robe and a grateful family pays tribute to him.

Both these sons are on the receiving end of God’s favour. Did they deserve it or earn it? No. But God is rich in lavishing his forgiveness upon us.

Both stories show us how loving and careful our God is to reveal himself as a father who cares about the smallest details in our lives.

We are called to respond to his love - it is our decision to make. We have the freedom to do what Joseph did or choose to do what the prodigal son did.

What about you? How are you choosing to live your life? How well do you know him as Father?

UKRAINE CONFERENCE - Session Five - God meant it for good.

Session Five. Crimea. 2010

1 John 5:9-13 put the focus on the life we have in Jesus.

Christianity is about service, and you capture that by emphasizing how Joseph found his purpose, his place, his peace... in serving God and others.

Serving teaches us how to handle various adversities of life rather than dwelling on them as we see in the life of Joseph.

God sees our life as completed, and He'll get us through all things!

THINK ABOUT

1. Jealousy is an evil emotion that can lead to terrible consequences.

2. When God wishes to prosper someone, nothing can stop this blessing as long as that person remains true to the teachings of God, no matter what seems to be happening.

3. Brothers and sisters protect themselves by loving each other and doing good things to each other.

4. When we do something wrong we should be sorry, confess our wrongs and ask for forgiveness.

When others who have wronged us repent and ask for forgiveness we should forgive them quickly and show them love and kindness.

Keep the main thing the main thing and don’t get caught in the minors.

"Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to manage hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly."

"Watch your thoughts; they become your words.

Watch your words; they become your actions.

Watch your actions; they become your habits.

Watch your habits; they become your character.

Watch your character for it will become your destiny."

"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about." Scripture says it this way, “as a man thinks, so is he.”

Having character means having enough courage in your convictions to stand up for them - to stand up no matter what the opposition.

"Character" has come to mean the combination of strengths and weaknesses that form and reveal who we are.

Our character does not consist of a single statement or a random act but of those qualities that we practice consistently -- both good and bad. Assessing our character means taking an inventory of our dominant thoughts and actions. As Aristotle once said, "We are what we repeatedly do."

Just as a mountain is constantly being reshaped by weather patterns, our character is reshaped by the different choices we make and the virtues we choose to practice.
 In much the same way, our choices develop our character -- and our character determines our choices.
A popular definition of character is "what we do when no one is looking."

We often think that a person's character is "tested" in response to various temptations and challenges ("No! I won't cheat, even if nobody is looking.")

Other definitions emphasize character as the capacity to draw a line where none exists.

Indeed, people of good character are usually described as having strong principles such as truthfulness and fairness. As Mark Twain once wrote, "In matters of opinion, swim with the fish; but in matters of principles, stand firm like a rock."

Question: How is your character developing?

UKRAINE CONFERENCE - Session Three - Joseph's Special Day.

Session Three. Crimea. 2010

Joseph the dreamer was cast out by his brothers and sold into slavery when he was only 17 years old.

Think of the challenges he had to face over the next 13 years.

-to live by faith as the great grandson of Abraham and not by the circumstances he found himself in.
-to trust God as things went from bad to worse.
-to work through the feelings of being favoured on one hand and despised on the other.
-to remain free from bitterness when your own family rejects you and your walk with God.
-to stay sweet in your spirit when you falsely accused as a rapist when you are a man of purity and morality.
-to process losing everything and becoming a slave instead of a free man.
-to keep your faith in God while abandoned, forsaken, lied about, mistreated, and even fighting the inner battle of saying to yourself, “What has serving God got me anyway?” Just problems and more problems.

BUT GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH.

In his personal problems as he grew from immaturity to being ready to rule alongside Pharaoh in Egypt.

In his family problems as he goes from rejection to the opportunity of restoring his brothers and entire family.

In his calling as he maintains his walk with God through it all.

In his destiny as he eventually, in the fullness of time, God’s time, steps into his destiny as promotion comes from the Lord.

During this entire ordeal, Joseph has shown himself as a man of God.

He was always willing to serve others and not himself.
What a difference a day makes when the knock comes to Joseph’s prison door!

A very special day has arrived in the plans and purposes of God.

A day for which God has been preparing but Joseph is unaware.

God gives Pharaoh a dream. Not unusual in Egyptian culture to trust the gods for dreams. The difference - no one could interpret.

Two years earlier Joseph had said to the cupbearer, “remember me” and that time has arrived.

Joseph is summoned. The call came for him to step into his destiny has come. God uses the familiar - dreams.

Genesis 41:9 -16

Dream One
7 cows from the Nile are sleek and fat and grazing.
7 cows from the Nile are ugly and skinny and they eat the fat cows.

Dream Two
7 ears of good grain on one stock.
7 thin and scorched ears eat the plump ones.

Joseph interprets 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine.

Recommends that Pharaoh needs a wise supervisor, a faithful overseer of this project, someone trustworthy. ( He is not promoting himself)

Genesis 41:33 - 36, 37 - 57.

What a difference a day makes!

From prisoner to Prime Minister in a day.

Signet ring.
Clothes fit for royalty.
Second-in-Command.

God has positioned him to fulfill his destiny.

The arrow has struck the target on time and on purpose.

Three things about Joseph that are a type of Yeshua.

Rejected by his own.
No record of sin in his life.

He saves his generation.

Question: How does God communicate best with you?

UKRAINE CONFERENCE - Session Two - Joseph's Journey into Slavery.

Session Two. Crimea. 2010.

We ended the morning sessions talking about the difference between externals and internals.

I used Richard W’s experience in prison when he wanted to have communion but he had no bread or cup. Did I have communion Barry?

God is a master archer with a bow, arrow, target and path for us to follow.

Once Joseph’s brothers set out to destroy him there is nothing he can do to stop them. He is powerless.

From the beloved son of Jacob in Canaan to the slave of Potiphar in Egypt.

Do you think being bought from the Midianite traders by Potiphar was a divine appointment?

Genesis 39:1-6 and the Lord was with Joseph and he was successful in all he did.

Joseph passed the ‘attitude’ test when he was rejected and abandoned by his half-brothers.

Now he will face the ‘morality’ test as Potiphar’s wife tries again and again to seduce him.

He refuses her advances and she becomes angry.

He has been brought up correctly to love the Lord first.

He will not sin against God.
He will not betray the trust Potiphar has put in him.
He will not act irresponsibly.

She grabs his coat as he flees from the house. She then accuses him to her husband. He puts Joseph into the king’s prison.

Could this be another divine appointment?

Joseph has once again only done the right thing and it has got him in trouble.

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake there’s is the Kingdom of heaven.

Joseph is not given a trial but a sentence to be served right away.

He is innocent yet framed and guilty.

Years go by and he arises to the top to lead the prison.

Genesis 39:20-23

Joseph is fulfilling part of Abraham’s promise of blessing all the families of the earth.

Time for dreams.

Cupbearer - dream, three vine branches, producing grapes, squeezed for juice and given to Pharaoh.

Joseph - three days from now you will be recalled by Pharaoh.

Baker - three baskets of bread for Pharaoh on his head, birds come to eat it. You will be executed in three days.

Does Joseph have a divine appointment with destiny.

Question: Can you recall some divine appointments in your life?

Is he willing to serve the unwanted?

He demonstrates care.

UKRAINE CONFERENCE - Session One - Joseph's Journey Begins

Session One, Crimea Region, April 2010.

Illustrate with a bow, arrow, target and path.

God has a purpose and plan for each and every life.

For Joseph, it represents a life of faith and trust in God no matter the circumstances he finds himself in.

He is only 17 when things begin to happen in him and to him.

He is about to see the fulfillment of Genesis 12:1-3.

Abraham is his great grand-father.

I will make you a great nation.
In you all the families of the earth will be blessed.

The Abrahamic promise changed everything in the world. We can now become people of faith.

We will look at four stages in this journey of fulfilling God’s plan for his life.

His family background. Dysfunctional.
Becoming a slave. Unjust treatment.
Prison to praise. Servanthood anyway.
Promotion if from the Lord. Destiny.

We see a journey that takes him from a favoured position with his father Jacob to slavery amongst Midianite traders who are heading to Egypt.

Bow & Arrow

Hebrews 11:1 The people of faith.
Jeremiah 29:11 The people who affirm God’s plan for their life.

Romans 8:28-29 The people who know that all things work together for good.

God is the Master Weaver. Corrie ten Boom’s illustration.

We only see the tangled mess of thread and it doesn’t make sense to us.
He sees the finished image and it is a golden crown.

God is shaping Joseph’s life for an intended future.

Genesis 39:2 And the Lord was with Joseph...

Family - experienced rejection.
Slavery - experienced fear and uncertainty.
Jail - experienced injustice.
Promotion - experienced favour.

What are some of the leadership issues Joseph experienced?

Preparation time is never wasted time. God never wastes anything in our journey.

Dreams have a purpose in God. The activated him and caused his half brothers to reject him.

He is being matured and made ready to become a ruler in Egypt.

Joseph is about to pass the attitude test.

Jacob is led to believe his son is dead. Grieves and mourns while God is silent.

Question: How has God worked in and through your family background?

UKRAINE CONFERENCE - Summary of Joseph's Life.

I walked the leaders through the life of Joseph. The blogs that follow will contain the five messages I spoke and this is a summary.

If I were to write a summary of Joseph’s life, I would need to include three amazing facts showing him to be an early type of Jesus Christ.

One, there is no record of sin in his life.

Two, he is rejected by his own.

Three, he is sent to prepare a place for his family.

Jacob has 12 sons and Joseph is born to him in his old age.

Jacob has a special love for him which does not go over well with his brothers. To make matters worse, God gives him a dream of sheaves, representing his family, bowing to him. He shares his dream with them and they are offended. His brothers think Joseph has too high an opinion of himself.

God has done what Jacob has done - shown him favour.

I am sure Joseph is pleased with all this attention yet when things start to go against him, he must have wondered if he had misinterpreted God’s plan for his life.

In obedience to his father, he is sent to serve his brothers but they plot to kill him. Eventually rather than killing him they resort to throwing him in an empty pit. At this point in his life, he is the source of the expression, “in the pits”.

As Midianite traders pass by, he is sold to them for 20 pieces of silver. They also turn this into a family secret and lead their father to believe that Joseph is dead. They cover his special jacket in goat blood and Jacob is left to grieve over the loss of his son for the next 16 years. God is silent with Jacob the patriarch for all these years.

God is threading His masterpiece in Joseph’s life but all Joseph can see is the thread of rejection by his family and being sold into slavery. The bible reminds us that the Lord was with Joseph no matter the circumstances.

Divine appointments prevail and Potiphar, an Egyptian official who serves in Pharaoh’s court, purchases Joseph. Over time he trusts Joseph with the leadership of his entire household. Joseph is young, handsome and a real leader. Potiphar’s wife, the original cougar, wants to sleep with him.  He refuses, she is scorned and accuses him of trying to rape her. As a result of doing the right thing by running out of the house, he is put into prison. Joseph’s character will not let him sin against God or his master.

It seemed to be going from bad to worse for Joseph. Yet God was weaving a masterpiece with threads from his dysfunctional family, the despair of a lonely pit, and now being thrown into prison.

No matter his circumstances, Joseph would do his best and rise to the top. Now in prison, he is given responsibility to oversee the prisoners. He was trusted with sheep as a shepherd boy now he is being trusted with people as a young man. Preparation time is never wasted time.

God is about to change Joseph’s whole life by first moving on Pharaoh’s servants then in him.

Joseph knows that dreams come from God so he seeks Him for the interpretation of Pharaoh’s cup bearer and baker. Both have been imprisoned so this is yet another thread. While Joseph serves the needs of these officials, the cup bearer is released from jail and forgets all about Joseph for the next two years when suddenly Pharaoh has a dream and Joseph is remembered for interpreting them.

God enables Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. He is promoted to Prime Minister for his wisdom and servanthood. As famine spreads over the world, Egypt, under Joseph’s leadership, has stores of grain. This bring his brothers to seek food. While they fail to recognize him, he remembers them and through a series of encounters, he reveals himself to them.

Everyone is amazed. Joseph reminds them that what they did was evil but God meant it for good. The master weaver has been at work to bless Joseph, his family and the entire world. God even speaks to Jacob and comforts his heart. Where there  had been grief it was not replaced by joy.

UKRAINE CONFERENCE - Joseph's Life at a Glance.