“High
Places” has not been about the weak-hearted and weak-kneed.
It has been about
brave hearts that are not afraid to meet God, on His terms.
It is about
worship that offends the flesh and The Word that slays the same.
It is an
army of people that are tired of all compromise, all half-hearted attempts to
serve God and just call anything that we offer Him, “good enough.”
It is people
that understand covenant and keep covenant with those that they come together
with.
They
understand the value of pure and holy strength that endures the test of time and
circumstances.
They
understand that what they vow to God
and man, they must keep.
They
understand that obedience is mandatory with no room for leaning left or right or
looking back.
They
understand that God has required all that they are and all that they have as His
own.
Their eyes
and ears are open spiritually to hear the Holy Spirit speak and are obedient to
any call that He makes.
Their ears
are attuned to the Clarion Call that summons God’s army to a certain place for
God’s sovereign purposes.
What I am
saying is that High Places is about a radical people who are not afraid to be
number among those who have sold all to follow Jesus.
*They have
laid down “their nets” to become “fishers of men.”
*They have
no fear of the Body or the Blood of Jesus Christ and His call to “Eat and Drink
all of it.”
*They have
stayed when others have walked away because they know that Jesus alone has the
Words of Eternal Life.
*They have
embraced the Sword of The Lord, which is The Word of God and revel in its truth.
*They
have no fear of criticism and persecution but have determined to pay the price
to keep on going when the going gets tough.
*They have
an understanding for Worship with a cutting edge, laying aside even the religion
of music to worship in Spirit and in Truth.
Their
dignity is unimportant when it is
time to humble themselves to dance
as David did or get on their faces
prostrate in the Presence of King
Jesus.
Many
have come through the doors of High
Places over the 5 years that we have
been having them, with two a year,
spring and fall. Some have
come one time while others have come
repeatedly seeking God’s strength
and wisdom to take back with them to
battle for breakthrough in their own
cities and churches.
They
have been aware that there are no
experts here, but just people like
themselves who are so hungry for God
that little else matters.
They
have witnessed the power of God in
this small church time and time
again, aware that each time they
come that a transition has happened
in worship and the intensity of the
Word.
We
have battled together for your
cities and ministries. We have
worship extravagantly. We have
dove deep into the river to explore
the depths of the Spirit of God and
where He wishes to take us. We
have searched for the priceless
treasures of God’s Word, enriching
our lives beyond measure. We
have sought after God’s heart for
souls, deliverances and healings.
We have seen God move in power and
majesty until the roof seemed to
have risen with the praises of God’s
people. We have taken the
hands of over 70 ministries to enter
a covenant of prayer with many of
you But most of all we have
see God move in His Sanctuary and
there is no better place to be than
in the House of God for these few
days.
High
Places was not a man or woman’s
idea. It was birthed in the
Spirit and planted within the hearts
of not only those who prepare and
lead here in Clatskanie, but also
into the spirit of those who have
been foundational to what God is
doing. We believe that this is
bigger than any of us and only
eternity will tell what God has done
across the region in the lives,
cities and churches of those who
have entered these doors.
We
have had those who have come from
far and those who have come from
near, but all have found God here,
powerfully transforming them for the
next season that we enter.
Even
the months of May and October, the
times that we have High Places, is
not an accident. Both are
strategic in the preparation of
God’s people.
High
Places is definitely a God Encounter
in Worship, Warfare and The Word.
For
those who come, be prepared to know
that at Gateway Worship Center we
follow the definite guidelines that
the Lord sets down for us for this
time.
We do
not make any path for ourselves, but
listen and prepare for High Places
to meet Heaven's blueprints.
We
dearly love what God is doing in the
season of revival and renewal, but
we also know that God is interested
in making disciples.
Can we
just lay down our preconceived ideas
and say,
"It's You or nothing, Jesus?"
I feel
that the direction that we will be
taking is going to be fairly extreme
for some, but good meat for many to
grow on. Jesus, when He laid
down the pre-requisite for the
Kingdom, left no stones unturned.
He spoke with clear definition of
what He was looking for in His
disciples. He offered little
more than the Cross, along with His
Body and Blood to those who gathered
around Him. He spoke of obeying "all
that He said" and told them that
this was the ground upon which they
were to build to insure that their
house would stand when the shaking
storms came. The Church today
really needs to learn obedience to
the call, Jesus style.
We are
entering the Harvest Time and it is truly growing late. The storm clouds are
all around us and some are not aware that a flood is coming, that the dam has
broken. We as a Church must prepare ourselves so that we can prepare others who
have never known the Lord. We must come out of the wilderness as John The
Baptist did, with a word in our mouths and prepared hearts to meet the
multitudes standing in the Valley of Decision.
Could we
encourage you to set aside these days to come together with us? We look forward
to what God is going to do during this time. We anticipate a great move of
God’s Holy Spirit, transforming us and healing us.
