Dear
friends,
Today I preached the last one of my
7 sermons in preaching class. It was more a time of sharing today, and
somebody interpreted me into Spanish (so we get that experience too).
Ready To Launch
Jesus was thirty years old when He
started His ministry - I am turning 30 next Wednesday (May 14), and the Lord
has been speaking to me about the significance of that birthday, of this time
in my life. It is no coincidence that my birthday is at the same time I'm
completing my classes and launching into ministry. Jesus had been in training
all His life. In the Jewish culture, you were a disciple until the age of 30
when you yourself became a rabbi. At that age, two rabbis would lay hands on
the disciple and impart semikah (authority) to the disciple. It was
like an ordination service. Jesus' baptism was that ordination service - the
Father spoke, and the Spirit came down like a dove. I like looking at Jesus'
baptism like a kiss from heaven.
Over the past two years the Lord has
been kissing me. My two greatest desires coming to Kansas City were (1) to
find that place of intimacy with Him, His abiding tangible presence at all
times, (2) to be empowered and equipped to do the works He did, to be
prepared for God's call on my life, so that I would go to Mali in the power
of the Spirit. Two years later, I can truly say that the Lord has fulfilled
those desires.
Yet, after Jesus' baptism, we would
expect Him to start His ministry right away, right? No - Holy Spirit led Him
(the Greek in Mark literally saves drove Him which is the same word as
casting out demons) into the desert where He fasted for 40 days.
I have nearly completed my forty
days until my birthday, and it has been a tremendous time - a time of seeking
the Lord, of pouring out, of divine appointments, of strategies and guidance
concerning Mali, and of temptation with good things that could get me off
track.
What did Jesus do after He victoriously resisted temptation?
He started His powerful ministry -
one He said we would do also. He commanded us to go preach the gospel to all
nations, to make disciples, to heal the sick, to cast out demons, to raise
the dead, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim the year of the Lord's
favor. Are we doing that?
As I go from here, I'm going with
His power to do all these things. I have tremendous opportunities ahead of me
to be His extended hand, His vessel, to advance His kingdom.
God wants to use each and every one
of us powerfully. He is looking for those who are ready to lay down everything
to follow the call, who are ready to pay the price since the value of His
kingdom is so much greater. Do you desire to be that one? Are you willing?
God responds to your heart's desire - He will make a way! I would have never
ended up in Kansas City, obeying the Lord's call in faith, had I not been
hungry for Him and willing to give up everything. And see what He has done!
Glory to God!
My Sermons Online To Listen To
I'm really excited that you can now
download my sermons as mp3 files from my website and listen to them. So far
three of the seven are up, the others will follow shortly. My favorite one
(because it's my heart-message) is BEST FRIENDS WITH GOD. I encourage you to
listen to it. You find descriptions and a link to click on (only if you
receive this in HTML format) below. These are also on the website if you want
to do so at a later stage.
Be blessed abundantly!
Claudia
Sermon 7: Ready To Launch
- May 5, 2003
This sermon is not downloadable yet!!
A few days before I'm done with all classes, I reflect back on the last two
years of my life, on God's calling and the way He has been preparing me, and
where He is taking me next. I compare that with the beginning of Jesus'
ministry. This sermon is more of a sharing time.
Sermon 6: Thirsty For What?
- April 21, 2003
This sermon is not downloadable yet!!
This is an exposition of Isaiah 55, where the Lord invites us to come to Him
and eat and drink freely. We see God's invitation, God's promise, God's word,
God's thoughts, God's mercy, God's reward and God's reason.
Sermon 5: Attaining Perfection
- April 11, 2003
This sermon is not downloadable yet!!
Jesus commands us to forgive unconditionally, as He did for us. We are to
love even our enemies, and we do not have the choice to love or not love
them, or forgive or not forgive. By the end of this sermon you will
understand how you will attain perfection that way.
Sermon 4: Best Friends With God
- March 28, 2003
Jesus has called us to be His friends, and He wants to call us friends also.
Listen to what He is saying, and what it means to be a friend of God.
Sermon 3: Feed My Sheep
- March 10, 2003
I'm sharing God's heart for the hurting and the lost, and what He told us to
do about it.
Sermon 2: No Matter What
- February 3, 2003
Moses did what was right in the eyes of God, no matter the cost. While Aaron
did not care about God, Moses cared about God's honor, as did Joshua. Listen
to the events at Mount Sinai from a new angle.
Sermon 1: Empty, Full, or Living?
- January 13, 2003
This sermon is not downloadable yet!!
I'm talking about Jesus invitation to all the thirsty to come and drink from
Him, and then have rivers of living water flow out of us.
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Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your inheritance. (Ps 2:8)
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Mag. Claudia R. Wintoch
10808 Fremont Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64134
USA
(+1) 816-966-9294
claudia@healing2thenations.net
www.healing2thenations.net
www.glorywebservices.com
Talk to me online - I'm "healing2thenations":
yahoo/msn messenger
Your support - whether by prayer or giving - is
greatly appreciated.
In Europe:
Bank name: BA/CA
Bank number: 12000
Account number: 509.101.468.00
Online (it will say Glory
Webservices):
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