Just after the Winnipeg Gathering in 1999, the Lord spoke clearly to me and said, “The day is coming when the government will look to the Church for godly wisdom and counsel, but the church isn’t ready yet”.
I knew that for the church to be ready to wield the true authority of God would first require a critical mass (a remnant) of leadership from across the nation – from different denominations, generations, and ethnic groups – coming together in unity. In obedience to what the Lord had spoken in September 1999, we convened our first leadership gathering in the Ottawa Valley. This began a journey for a remnant of leadership in the nation to learn what it really means to walk in the John 17 unity about which Jesus prayed.
As we gathered, it became quickly apparent that God was not interested in our strengths, our gifts, our abilities; instead He was looking for our humility, our brokenness and our willingness to sacrifice and die to our own ways, agendas and timelines. As we gathered over the years that followed, time and time again the Lord challenged us again to lay down our identities that we might more deeply embrace Christ, the fellowship of His sufferings and allow Him to mold and shape us into an example of the one body His heart desires. I wish I could say the journey was easy – it was not. We were tested, stretched beyond a measure. There were many times we were sure we would not survive to another gathering. Yet systematically and by His grace God exposed deep issues, mindsets, heart attitudes and as He brought us as individuals into alignment with His heart, He brought us into deeply alignment one with another.
In my heart I know that it is because of the commitment of these leaders who walked together faithfully, as well as the faithfulness of the remnant across the nation who would heed the call to gather year after year that the Lord released such grace to us at the national gatherings. From Kelowna to One Heart, from the La Danse tour to the Homecoming over and over the Lord manifested Himself in ways that both broke and healed our hearts.
Now, in this season, the Lord is issuing a call deeper in Canada. This time He is not satisfied with just a remnant of leadership walking in unity; He is looking for a remnant of His whole body throughout our nation to commit to own His heart for our cities and provinces. Even as we proclaimed “whatever.. until” (whatever it takes until the glory of God rests) for Canada, He is looking for that same cry to be heard for Saskatoon, for New Brunswick, for Prince George, for Manitoba. He is calling us to gather in our provinces and cities regularly, to take the principles that He has tested and proved in our walk as a nation and begin to walk them literally where we live.
We just finished the first provincial gathering in Alberta last week. It was a wonderful time where the Lord challenged the believers in Alberta to lay hold of the righteous inheritance that is theirs. A more detailed report on the Alberta gathering will be released in the next few days.
Also while we were in Alberta the Lord spoke to us an interesting phrase that I believe is the rallying cry for this season: “rest in no rest”. This refers to David’s well-known commitment in Psalm 132
He swore an oath to the LORD and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: "I will not enter my house or go to my bed-- I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob." Psalm 132:2-5
But it also refers to the fact that we’re in a new season. Yes we are entering the Promised Land to possess, but not as an army fighting in our own strength but as an army that is resting in its commitment to absolute obedience to the Commander and Chief, the Mighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is thundering at the head of His army.
This coming week we will be gathering for the Quebec regional gathering in Montreal. The following week (October 18-20) believers will gather in Charlottetown, PEI. If you are in these provinces or if you are from another province and the Lord is speaking to you about standing with your brothers and sisters, I encourage you to believe God to release whatever is needed – finances, favour from your employer etc – that will enable you to come as we gather together to seek the Lord.
For more information on these gatherings and how to register please go to our home page www.watchmen.org. I also want to encourage those who are coming, to posture yourself not in a passive mode of receiving but in an active ownership of the gathering and God’s heart for the province. Seek the Lord as to what He wants you to do. If it’s to pray, then pray with all your heart. If it’s to give, then give to the best of your ability. If it’s to help out by serving in any area, then serve as if you are serving the Lord Himself. (If you would like to help in a practical area of service at the gathering, click here to fill out an online volunteer form that will be sent to the admin team in that gathering).
There will be one more provincial gathering in 2007, in Gander, Newfoundland, November 22-24. Gatherings are also being planned for early 2008 in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Ontario. More information and registration will be available for these gatherings in the days and weeks that are coming.
It is a new season in our nation – a season of possessing. We have been circumcised, the shame and reproach of the past has been rolled away. Now the Lord wants to teach and train us, Himself, how to enter the Promised Land as one army, walking in a unity of heart and passion for the glory of the Lord like we have never experienced before.
I look forward to walking with you in the provinces!
All my love
David
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