Celebration for the Nations

Update June 2012

Those who look to HIM are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed (Psalm 34:5).

Look to Jesus! Don’t look at the problem, don’t see the impossibility, but look to the One who created the world by his word, and breathed out the stars that no man can yet number!

Radiant in Hebrew is nahar. It means light and flowing water. It is often the word that is used for river in the Old Testament. Psalm 24:2 says that he established the earth upon the nahar (the rivers). God has a great purpose flowing through eternity. His River of Life is full of light, it is nahar. The vision I saw that caused us to start the Celebration was of this wonderful water, full of light. Psalm 46:4 says

There is a river (nahar) whose streams make glad the city of God, the Holy dwelling places of the Most High.

I believe that River is flowing though us today, that radiant river that causes our faces to shine. As we believe in Jesus, rivers of living water flow from our inner most beings. Our little streams join together and swell the River of Life that feeds the Bride of Christ, even those yet to hear and respond to the gospel, from every tribe and tongue and nation.

It is time to reap
The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

The Lord does not want anyone to perish! What a mandate we have to preach the gospel! As we worship, the Lord is enthroned, and people are drawn to him, even when they do not yet know him.

During our Spring Celebration at least three people made decisions to follow Jesus. Thank you so much for those of you who were praying for us. Two of them are coming now to our Monday night worship times, as well as going to church. They are so hungry for God. One of them, a young man, has three friends that he is also bringing along to our Monday night meetings. One of these friends has already given his heart to the Lord and the others are close.

A couple of weeks ago I was on the train going to catch a plane to Ireland and join the Celebration Mobile Team. The train was delayed (I caught my flight with just five minutes to spare). However, because of the delay I got talking to a man sitting near me. He told me the doctors had given him only three months to live because he had cancer. I asked if he believed in an afterlife. He said that he believed in re-incarnation. When I asked what he based this on he didn’t know, but just hoped it was true. I was able to share the gospel with him and my own testimony. Part way though me doing that, he grabbed my arm and asked if I was serious that he could have a personal encounter with God. When I said that he could, he began to get quite scared as he said he had not lived a good life. He said he felt like a hypocrite turning to God at the last minute. I told him about the thief on the cross, and his eyes welled up as he said, ‘So there is hope for me too!’ We prayed together and he confessed his need of salvation and his faith in Jesus just as the train was pulling in to my stop.

This is the day of salvation!

Worship teams
Praise God for new worship teams joining us this year. A London-based African team will join us from the Apostolic Church. We have been missing an African sound. Remanate the Latin team from London will be with us again. We also have a YWAM team from Herrnhut, Germany, who will help in the 12-hour day of worship, and of course the Indian choirs. Please do pray for each team coming, and those that are still uncertain if they can join us. We bless the Lord for our faithful regulars: Revival Korea, and teams from Llanelli, Nottingham and London (with Jun). Praise God too for the Father’s Love dance worship team and the artists who will be joining us.

Many of us have felt quite a fierce battle this year, and these teams are on the front line. Let’s stand together and breakthrough with our Lord!

You!
We are hearing about more and more booking in to the Celebration all the time! We are quite overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord. We thought the numbers would be smaller this year. The Olympic Games are making flights so expensive and many people said that they would wait and come in our seventh and final year next year. However we heard this morning that there are now 180 coming from Korea. We have more than 60 Koreans coming from France too! Teams are also coming from Northern India (please pray they get their visas).

Prayer and fasting
Our sixth Celebration is so near now. Will you join us in taking a day a week especially to pray and fast for this Celebration, asking the Lord that we may worship him in spirit and in truth, and that he will be free to do all the wonderful things he has in his heart. We will trust the Lord that as each of us respond to his calling, we will have a continual chain of fasting until we meet!
2013
We have important decisions to make, especially about location for the seventh and final Celebration for the Nations in Llanelli. The Rugby training ground or the Festival Fields? Both have advantages and disadvantages. We need the Lord’s mind. Please pray with us as we seek HIM.

Spring up O well!
Do you ever feel as though you are digging and digging, and the only thing that is happening is that you are getting deeper and deeper into a hole? That is a terrible situation if the Lord is not with you in it. However, I believe that in this worship intercession, we are deep inside the well. We are hitting the hard rock that keeps the water from springing up. Each song, each prayer, each act of obedience is a strike against the rock. We are so near, yet there is no way to know unless we use the eyes of our heart.
The well will spring up because God who has called us is faithful! Please pray for all of us working here in Llanelli. Praise God for Jihun who has just joined us when we were feeling overwhelmed!

The Queen’s Jubilee Song
The whole of the UK was focussed on Queen Elizabeth’s celebration of 60 years on the throne at the beginning of this month. A special song was commissioned to be written. I am putting the words below, because, though written by those who don’t yet know the Lord, I think there is something prophetic of God’s heart that they have accessed. See what you think.

Some words they can’t be spoken only sung
So hear a thousand voices shouting love
There’s a place, there’s a time
In this life when you sing what you are feeling
Find your feet, stand your ground
Don’t you see
Right now the world is listening to what we say
Sing it louder, sing it clearer
Knowing everyone will hear you
Make some noise, find your voice tonight
Sing it stronger, sing together
Make this moment last forever
Old and young
Shouting love tonight
To sing we’ve had a lifetime to wait
And see a thousand faces celebrate
You brought hope, you brought light
Conquered fear, it wasn’t always easy
Stood your ground, kept your faith
Don’t you see
Right now the world is listening to what we say
Sing it louder, sing it clearer
Knowing everyone will hear you
Make some noise, find your voice tonight
Sing it stronger, sing together
Make this moment last forever
Old and young
Shouting love tonight
Some words they can’t be spoken only sung
To hear a thousand voices shouting love
And light and hope
Just sing
Just sing
Just sing
Just sing
Come all and sing
Sing it louder, sing it clearer
Knowing everyone will hear you
Make some noise, find your voice tonight
Sing it stronger, sing together
Make this moment last forever
Old and young
Shouting love tonight
Hear a thousand voices shouting love
Many nations were involved in the making of this song. You can see it on
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ah_Yf7ey1Q

Looking forward to seeing you all soon. Sorry for the lack of news. We have been really busy, and I was hoping for answer about 2013 before I sent this.

In Christ’s over powering love,
Gail and the Celebration Team.
P.S. One more 16-year-old young man gave his heart to Jesus last night!