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Today my testimony will finish - I think! Not because I am on my last legs (as far as I know!) but because we have come to the present, and none of us knows what the future will bring.

Today, as I look back at my life in Jesus, I can see huge changes that He has made in me. Probably the biggest though, is in my perception of me. Let me explain.

I come from a background of success. My father was a 'Sir', a knight of the realm, honored for his work to the city of Napier where he was Mayor for 18 years. And an exceptional one too!

At school I was successful. Not the best at any one thing, but good enough at most things to become the Best All Rounder of my final year.

In business I had great success but also big failure. It was through bankruptcy that I came to Jesus.

When I entered the Christian world, this success looked destined to continue. The Walking With Jesus course was written with amazing leading from the Holy Spirit and widely distributed. A series of evangelical meetings was held and the Holy Spirit came in power. The Lord was with me.... until!

Until it was time to break me! Criticism came after the meetings, followed by despair and depression, followed by a break from public ministry, followed by a call, several years later, into 'full time' (sic.) ministry, followed by a second bankruptcy through attempting to make financial provision for myself.....

The Lord was breaking me, changing me, taking a little - maybe a lot - of the me out of me.

Nearly 14 years ago now(now 18), PGIM started. Through PGIM, public ministry started again. Travel and overseas ministry opportunities arose. Although the Holy Spirit accompanied me with His presence and power, it was as if I was hitting my head against a brick wall with the revelation and understanding the Lord had given me. It wasn't until more recent times, firstly in South Africa, then in other places, that the Lord finally put me in touch with others with a similar understanding.

During the times of my travels, in many places, I was placed on placed on a pedestal, particularly when the Holy Spirit moved powerfully. Others, of course, tried to use me, and the Spirit, to meet their own agendas! Through God's grace and His work in breaking me in the experiences I have mentioned, I was able to resist most of this. Also, sending a Westerner to Africa on 50 cents a day helps keep pride under control too! For one cannot easily be self-reliant or proud in such circumstances!

However, within each one of us, there remains the natural human attitude of a king. A hunger for bigger things, a bigger ministry (or church), all of course, to 'help' the Lord more. But the Lord doesn't need help! Well, help of our making, that is!

Since being led back into business over the past 8 months, I have had even more of these 'king' attitudes removed from my life. And the attitude of 'the kingdom' installed to a greater degree. "Lord, use me as you will. I am all yours. My life is not my own but yours, Lord." If I don't minister in public again, that is okay with me. If He uses me to minister to millions, that is okay too.

Don't get the impression I am perfect or that my submission is complete, for the 'me in me' still rises up. But, as I look back over the years I can see that it is getting less in my life.

I don't know what my personal future will bring. While none of us do, the more we submit our will to the Father's, the less control we have over our future direction!

I had no expectation to go back into business. Currently the pressures are huge as we are faced with the repercussions of our hugely over regulated society, here in New Zealand. I am not sure what the next week will bring. But I do know that the Lord has my future in His hand. All He has told me is to work through the challenges one step at a time. If I am to stay in business, that is okay, if not, that is okay too. May His will be done.

Now, I am about to embark on my first trip to Africa for 10 years. I will be a different person to when I last traveled, and hugely different than when I first visited.

I am attempting to be obedient, one day at a time. What God chooses to use me for tomorrow, and the day after, is up to Him. My desire to be a 'spiritual king', as seen in the eyes of the world is dead. Gradually, I am learning that 'Jesus (truly) is Lord'.

Lord, you are the only King in my life. May Your kingdom come upon the earth.

Amen.

We commence the final part of our study on the Transformation of the Church, by looking at the characteristics of kingdom people.

I would like to be able to say that I had 'made it', but that would be a lie and a definite sign that I hadn't!

Learning submission to the will of the Father takes a lifetime. Sometimes we are right there, other times we fall far away.

'Lord, may I truly become more like You.'

JESUS: BACKGROUND
Historical Overview

Hebrew and Aramaic
In the period between the writing of the Old and New Testaments HEBREW was replaced as the everyday language of the Jews by Aramaic. But the rabbis continued to use Hebrew in their learned deliberations, as we see from the Mishnah, the book of law written in that language. The majority of the Essene sect documents found among the Dead Sea Scrolls were written in Hebrew. When the actual words spoken are quoted in the New Testament they are often Aramaic, not Hebrew.

Source: Bible History Online. http://www.bible-history.com