When God says He is doing a new thing, He means He is doing a NEW thing! He is not doing the next thing, this relates to the former things. He does a new thing.
We awoke with the induced slumber of jet lag. It was Russia 2002. As we rose, looking out on the busy city street below us, the Lord spoke and said, “I am doing a new thing!” That was the moment, we learnt it is a literal thing when God says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for this who love him.” (1 Cor 2:9).
At the time we were working for Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia. The Lord began to capture our hearts and dreams, with the little book of Haggai. For months, the whole 42 verses of this book stirred in our spirits as we read it over and over and over. In particular these words echoed in our spirits, “Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.” (Hag 1:8)
We knew the Lord was speaking to us, but we had no idea of what this would mean.
God loves adventure and this was the beginning of a new one with Him. It was also the beginning of God teaching us about space. Space it seems is important to God, be it physical, relational or time space. Who owns it, what we do with it, how we see it, what we put into it, He cares about. It is critical for new things to grow and develop. It is not possible to plant and grow a new crop in the same space as the old crop, without pulling the old up first.
Within a year of God saying He was doing something new, we would be in a new country pioneering a new ministry with the Lord. Supernaturally God had confirmed and called us to Europe. It was here that He continued to birth in us a greater revelation of the dwelling presence of God, His holiness and our worship.
We were confronted with a worldview in Europe where God had done things in certain physical, geographical spaces that He had not done elsewhere. The presence of God marks geographical locations and groups of people. They are never the same again.
In taking us to Europe, we saw what the presence of God can do to a group of people hungry for Him. In ‘dwelling’ with Him, He transforms people to transform the world.
Acts 1-2, Bangor in Ireland, Herrnhut in Germany all testify to this. As Jesus’ disciples met together worshipping and praying, over two million people says the Historian Josephus, were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, heard their testimony of what God had done, and God’s spirit was given to the Gentiles.
After 300 yrs of worship and prayer, Bangor released a wave of Monks that transformed Europe to Christ.
For 120 years people in Herrnhut worshipped and prayed in the presence of the Lord, and this delivered the first Protestant Missions Movement.
It was clear. God was rebuilding His house, His way for His glory. We are living testimonies of this. Whether it is in a small apartment, a private family home, in the offices of a Dentist or in a separate building open to the public, God is establishing His presence is a new way, drawing all men to Him.
Specific set apart ‘dwelling places’ in many different shapes and forms are now exist today in Israel, Germany, England, India, USA, Canada, Korea, Singapore, Australia and Indonesia and we are sure many more. This is what we now call ‘The Tabernacle.’
“2017 marks 19 years of Christian ministry and mission for Mark and Helen. Their ministry to us as a congregation and movement has been a great blessing, encouraging and impacting in the teaching and building up of our church family. We love and affirm the Ministry to which God has called them here in Australia and overseas. It is critical for the days we all live in.”
JOHN ARNOTT | National Director of Catch The Fire Australasia
“Pursuing intimacy with God and His presence both individually and corporately is the desire of so many people today all over the world. The Tabernacle is the dwelling place of the Spirit, a place of relationship, refreshing, renewal, restoration, and strengthening. In the years we have known Mark and Helen we have seen a tremendous apostolic call of leadership on their lives to establish His Tabernacle where God has led them. They are people who have persevered through many trials and have been tested by fire. Their very breath is to be living Tabernacles of God’s presence and to impart the power of knowing God through worship to the emerging generations. We embrace Mark and Helen and their vision as they have been proven faithful and steadfast in their love of God, their commitment to relationship with people and their call. They also have a love for Israel and a balanced Biblical view and understanding of God’s covenant purposes for the Jewish people in these extraordinary times.”
STEWART AND MILLIE LIEBERMAN | Pastors Or Chaim Messianic Congregation, Denver Colorado USA