On Fire For God

The most powerful force on earth is the human soul on fire for God.

In Revelations a verse that stands out to me is chapter 3, verses 13 to 15. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches...I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."

John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (See Mat.3:11-14.) To preach Christ is to preach what He is. “Our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29.) Without fire, there is no Gospel, only deep frozen words. In His house, God wants a blazing altar, not a refrigerator. God is a fountain of flaming glory. God does not send out His messengers as cold spirits from the grave. "He makes His ministers a flame of fire." (See Hebrews 1:7.) Jesus said, “I have come to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” The physical effect of God upon Moses was that his face shone with God’s radiant glory. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 that the glory on the face of Moses faded away, but the glory that God gives us now remains and is much more glorious. Are we His ministers on fire for Him?

“I believe God’s ministers are to be flames of fire--nothing less than mighty instruments, with burning messages, and hearts full of love. They must have a depth of consecration, so that God has taken full charge of the body, existing only to manifest the Glory of God. A Baptism into death in which the person is purified and energized…”  --Smith Wigglesworth

I remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the gift of God [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of hands. 
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity--He has given us His POWER! 
(See 2Timothy 1:6,7.)

Brian Simmons Undistracted devotion to Jesus will brand the heart with burning passions. Nothing can be compared to this love. Intense, unyielding, like a million nuclear reactors of blazing fire....This is the seal He invites you to place over your heart! It is a seal that will brand you for life...God says: My love for you will be consuming as the very flashes of fire from My burning heart. Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over all your being until you are consumed! 

(See Song of Songs 8:6 The Passion Translation.)

Real Christianity is truth on fire. The Christian faith itself is the Holy Spirit at work. The truth excites the mind and makes the heart to burn. These are the days Joel foresaw, that the Spirit of the prophets, the Holy Spirit, would be outpoured on all believers. It’s happening right now. We cannot do God’s work without the Holy Spirit. --REINHARD BONNKE

May our hearts be ablaze for You, O God, with Your consuming FIRE!‎
Wherever we go, let us leave revival fires in our wake! 

 You never have to advertise a fire. 

Everyone comes running when there’s a fire. --Leonard Ravenhill

Many crucify their flesh daily. 
Few know they died with Him. 

 Many people strive for holiness. 
Few live sanctified. 

 Many beg God to 'show up' or 'come.' 
Few know He never left. 

 Many cry out for God to send revival. 
Few live revived. 

 Many tell God they are hungry. 
Few eat the Bread of Life. 

 Many can't wait to go Heaven someday. 
Few bring Heaven to Earth. 

 Many pray for healing. 
Few command it. 

 Many hope people will be healed. 
Few believe. 

 Many point out obvious sins. 
Few set captives free. 

 Many try to be 'good Christians'. 
Few walk like Christ. 

 Many want to change the Church. 
Few will risk speaking out. 

 Will you be assimilated into the status quo? 

 Or, will you usher in a reformation? 

 History is waiting.

 ~Joel Adifon

Complete in Him

The Lord spoke this to me while flagging with my gold flags one night: 

"I began a good work in you & I will bring it to completion. 

I see you as complete already, perfect in every way, flawless. 

You are so beautiful to Me! TRUST ME," says the Lord. 

(See Phil.1:6 & Song of S.4:7)

Ocean of Love

“We are like ignorant children who are content to go on making mud pies in a puddle in the parking lot, even though the ocean is across the street. We cannot imagine what is meant by the offer to plunge into the ocean of love in Jesus. We are far too easily pleased." –Jenna Silliman (My own adaption of a quote by C.S.Lewis.)

Destination: GERMANY!

“I am my Beloved’s and He is mine and His flag over me is LOVE!”  

~Song of Songs

August 2012

Dear Friends, 

In two weeks I fly to Germany! There are several people who have said they would like to donate finances, so I am posting this letter again. Also want to remind everyone to be praying for me to receive the Lord’s preparation that I would be fully ready for this ministry trip. Please also pray for the hearts of the German people that I meet, to be ready to receive from the Lord. I hope to be inspiring, encouraging, and equipping. I also would like to invite you to support me financially, as the Lord leads. Even five dollars or one dollar will be received gratefully!!! Here is my address for mailing a check or if you have PayPal here is my account info.

Oceans of love in Jesus,

Jenna Silliman, 931 S. 7^th Ave, Sequim, WA  98382 USA

Paypal: JennaVickSilliman@gmail.com

Destination:  GERMANY!

All followers of Jesus are “ministers” wherever they go, but sometimes God has a special assignment. God has shown me I’m going to Germany. In October I attended Bethel’s Open Heavens Conference in Redding, California and a BSSM student there gave me a prophetic word from God. She saw the word “UNLIMITED” on my forehead. Then I kept meeting people from Germany. People from all over the world were there, but everywhere I turned I met Germans. It was amazing.

I met a German pastor named Rudiger. He said, “You should meet my wife, Stefanie--she is a dancer, a dance teacher, and a flagger like you.” He told me the name of their ministry is UNLIMITED. That caught my interest! On their website www.unlimitedgod.de it says, “Experience the Unlimited God.” Stefanie’s quote about dance on her page resonates with my heart as a worship dancer, “Dance is the art of touching the heart, where our language is no more words.” Rudiger extended an open invitation to visit. My son, Daniel, is getting his PhD in Germany and his wife, Beth, is a part of a campus ministry among the students at Tuebingen University. They have invited me to visit them also.

It was a dream, because I didn’t have money for such a trip, so I put it in God’s hands. Shortly after I got home I received a check in the mail for $1,000 for an insurance settlement for repairs for a scrape on my car from a minor accident. Then for Mother’s Day my children all chipped in another $200. They didn’t know it, but this was exactly how much more I needed to buy a round trip ticket to Germany. I bought my ticket and now my dream is coming true. On August 26^th I am flying to Germany for two weeks for my first overseas ministry experience!

Rudiger and Stefanie have invited me to stay with them in Nuremburg, where they are planting a church, and to help teach a worship dance class. I am bringing my flags and have some ideas. I don’t know all that God has planned for me, but I am excited to be “sent out” overseas for Jesus. I love the Lord and I am thrilled to share the abundant LIFE wherever I go. We truly are UNLIMITED, for Jesus said, “All things are possible with God.” (Mat. 19:26) For more information, photos, and updates visit www.TheDanceofLifewithJenna.blogspot.com . It is so fun to share my adventures with you!

Color

I LOVE COLOR! Here in far Northwestern Washington State the skies are often cloudy and grey, so to cheer up the day I usually wear colorful clothing. I especially love colorful twirly skirts! I go and exercise at SARC (Sequim Aquatic Rec Center) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. One day I wore a grey shirt & black sweats. Two people stopped me and asked, "What happened to your colorful clothes?" I didn't know people were counting on me to add color to their day!

I like colorful feathers!

Thank You, Lord, for a beautiful, colorful world!

Crystal Palace, Madrid, Spain

How Powerful are We?

My question of the day: If we have the same Holy Spirit that rose Christ from the dead living in us, and the Lord Jesus Himself resides within; are we therefore more powerful and anointed than the Prophet Elijah??!!!

Performance

To those who flag and dance for the Lord Jesus:

Flagging, dance, our very lives, are a performance of worship and adoration and devotion to the Lord. We are performing for an audience of One—our King and Lord, Jesus. Everyone else may enjoy the performance for the King, if they wish. Sometimes the Lord likes to show off His children. He lives to share. We should never doubt ourselves, we showcase God’s handiwork. We are the Father’s fashion statement; He clothes us in His glory! HALLELUJAH! I delight in delighting You, my beloved Lord. You have ordained my mouth to praise You and my body to dance for You!!!

My Eyes are On You, Lord

Looking to Jesus, I lay aside everything that hinders. (See Heb. 12:2.)

Don't look to the things that are seen, but to the unseen, for things that are seen are temporary, 

but the things which are not seen are eternal. (See 2Cor.4:18.)

Our hope shall be fixed on Him. (See Hebrews 2:13.)

My eyes are ever toward the Lord. (See Psalm 25:15.)

Stand firm in the Lord. (See Phil. 4:1.)

 Set your minds, and keep them set, on things above, not on the things of earth. 
(See Colossians 3:2.)

 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable & fixed.
(See Psalm 91:1.)

I've set the Lord continually before me. (See Psalm 16:8.)

The Lord God helps me...therefore I set my face like a flint. (See Isaiah 50:7.)

We have fixed our hope on the living God Who is our Savior and Deliverer. (See 1Timothy4:10.)

I held Him & would not let Him go. (See Song of Songs 3:4.)

I continually behold Your face. (See Psalm 17:15.)

My heart is fixed, O Lord God, my heart is steadfast and confident in You. (See Psalm 57:7.)

Those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, 
but those who are according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. 
For the mind set on the flesh is death, 
but the mind set on the Holy Spirit is life and peace. 
(See Romans 8:5-6.)

Phillip Beard wrote: "In Christ, the mind is the difference between spiritual elevation and spiritual decline. If the mind is allowed to think on the negatives, the hopelessness, the impure, doubts and fears it will produce self-inadequacies, faithlessness, lusts, anxieties and depression. However, the renewed mind thinks only on the positives, the all things possible, the pure and the word of truth. The renewed thinker has a gatekeeper strategically placed at the mind gate. The renewed thinker only thinks from the spirit-man. The fact is ‘what you dwell on is what you will dwell in.’ Practice renewed thinking and you will live a transformed spiritual existence (See Romans 12:2)."

Destiny

I have a destiny I know I shall fulfill

I have a destiny to be a City on a Hill

I have a destiny and it's not an empty wish

For I know I was born for such a time as this!

Praise Him With Dance

"Praise Him with dance!" Psalm 149:3 & Psalm 150:4

The Patience of Love

(Photo used with permission, courtesy of Carissa Michelle.)

I love the saying, “Please be patient, God is not finished with me yet!” As a detail oriented person, I tend to notice a lot of things about myself and others that need improvement or change. Perfectionistic and critical are not two traits I admire, so my personal solution is to simply give over the steering wheel to God. Our Father knows what He is doing! I try to remember to pray about the things I see and leave all in His capable hands.

God is so patient with us—He waits till we are ready and willing to receive from Him. He has so much for us, our brains cannot even fathom it. My husband and I have experienced this on a small scale. Cliff and I have eight children and have gone through pregnancy, home birth, and breastfeeding eight times. With eight children, we have a lot to share with young couples expecting a baby, but we can only share as much as these young couples want to hear, or what they are willing to receive. I realized this must be a little bit of what God feels like when He knows all and has all we need, but He patiently waits until we are ready. He stands at the door and knocks and waits for us to open the door for Him.

Patience goes hand in hand with love. A good example of this is the picture of a father teaching his four year old son to ride a bicycle. He shows him and helps him over and over until he gets it. Because of his love, the father doesn’t give up, doesn’t get critical or impatient, he just keeps on with patient endurance until the boy finally takes off pedaling on his own.

When I fell in love with my husband, I heard God say he was the man I was to marry. I didn’t tell anyone, but kept praying and waiting to see what would happen. It took six months for Cliff to realize I was the woman God had for him for a wife. If it wasn’t for the patience of my love for him, I don’t think I would have waited around that long. That is a good example of patience in my life. Of course, after 32 years of marriage there are plenty of times my husband has had opportunity to practice patience with me too! We won’t go into those. Hahaha!

I used to dread quiet, alone time. I didn’t like myself very much and my own thoughts were not very good company. I would be sure to fill those quiet times with reading, watching a movie, or talking on the phone—something to occupy my mind. A big part of that, I think, was my critical attitude about myself, but now I see myself differently. God has changed me a lot and I trust He is at work still. “He who has begun a good work in you, will bring it to completion.”  (See Philippians 1:6.)

The other day I had a couple of hours alone to reflect on my life and it was a pleasant experience. I suddenly had a startling thought—I actually enjoy my own company now! Hahaha! Of course, I still see things that need work, but I can be patient with myself and know God will take care of them. Instead of mentally beating myself up, I am grateful for the good things I see now. I simply like myself and who God has made me to be.

Reading in the Bible I’ve found many verses about how God sees us as already complete and perfected. He delights in us! We still see ourselves as diamonds in the rough, but He sees us as perfect as sparkling diamonds. When the Lord Jesus, our bridegroom, sees us He exclaims, “O My love, You are so beautiful to Me; there is no flaw in you!” Song of Solomon 4:7

Like Mary I say...LET IT BE.

Behold your bond-servant, Papa. The reason I live is so You can live thru me. LET IT BE done unto me according to Your will. Here I am, Lord. Unhindered. Unentangled. Unencumbered. In pure and holy consecration and devotion, I YIELD TO YOU! –Jenna Vick Silliman

Called to be His Royal Bride

The train arrived in the Redwood City train station at 5:50 a.m. In a rush, as usual, and wearing a dress, nylons and heels, I climbed the three steps of the passenger car with my purse, my lunch sack, and my Bible. Men in black suits, with white shirts and ties, filled the seats all around me. They read the San Francisco Chronicle and I read my Bible. 

For one year I commuted to my office job at United Pacific Reliance Insurance on Market Street in San Francisco. I was twenty years old and my dad got me the job. I typed information  on insurance forms all day—one of the most boring jobs you could ever have—but I grew a lot spiritually that year.

I was not happy at home. My dad had just gone through his second divorce and my three younger siblings and I were not good friends at this point. Most of my friends had gone away to college so I was floundering about who I was and what to do with myself. I didn’t have anyone to talk to—no one except the Lord Jesus that is.

My favorite was Psalms. My heart resonated with the poetic King David crying out to the living God. Each morning I read a page or two of the New Testament, a bit of the Old Testament, and a Psalm.

One day, it was a summer day, the Lord spoke to me through Psalm 45. I was stunned. Could it be true? Could the God of all creation speak to little ol’ me? Yes! There was NO denying it. This particular passage in Psalm 45, verses 10 to 17, jumped off the page and spoke directly to me.

In my New American Standard Bible the heading says “A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage…A Song of Love.” This is the passage that spoke to me: 
"Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear; Forget your people and your father’s house: Then the King will desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him. And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will entreat your favor. The King’s daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her pure companions who follow her, will be brought to Thee. They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing; They will enter into the King’s palace. In place of Thy fathers will be Thy sons; Thou shalt make them princes in all the earth. I will cause Thy name to be remembered in all generations; therefore the peoples will give Thee thanks forever and ever."

My King Jesus spoke to me about being ready as a part of His royal bride, His chosen princess. Just as He called Peter to leave his nets and follow Him, He called me to leave my family and follow Him, day by day. The divine romance between my Lord and I began on the train that summer’s day. Reading now in my old Bible I see I marked down the date, “July 13, 1978.”

Shortly after that, I did leave my family. I rented an upstairs bedroom, for a hundred dollars a month, from a Christian family in a house called The Birch House—right down the street from the train station. Within a few short years I was married and began a family of my own—after twenty-three years of marriage we had one daughter and seven sons! The Lord truly has made them princes, and one princess, in all the earth for they belong to Him too, and they live all over the world. One son lives in Germany, my daughter is in Chicago, and another son is in Redding, California.

The Lord has given me spiritual children as well. I am privileged to help lead a youth group for our church, Deep River. I love those kids like they are my own! I take them with me folk dancing at the Sons of Norway every Sunday night too. We have such a good time together. I tell them I am the biggest kid--after all, I am the tallest at 5’ 8”. Hahaha! I have enjoyed their company in my travels to hear speakers, go shopping, and once we drove to California together to go to Bethel Church for the Open Heavens Conference.

One of the highlights of my Bethel experience was receiving a prophetic word in the healing rooms on Saturday morning. I was stunned to receive Psalm 45—again emphasizing my identity as a part of His beloved royal bride. Whoohoo!

I am good friends with my pastor’s oldest daughter, Camille, age 15. She and I are both the oldest of our siblings, we share a love of dance and colorful, twirly skirts for dancing, and she is also a teacher/leader type, a writer, and a devoted follower of King Jesus. We both love the colors purple and turquoise. One day last summer she told me she was going to paint her bedroom these colors and then paint a rose and a Scripture verse. When I saw her gorgeous art work I shrieked. She inscribed Psalm 45 on her wall!!! I realized another part of Psalm 45 has come true. The Lord has given me these awesome “pure companions.”

For over thirty years I have kept going back to my favorite Psalm, Psalm 45. I also, spiritually, continue to be led forth with gladness and rejoicing to enter into the King’s palace—His very presence! The Lord Jesus loves me and desires my company!

The Lord says, “You are My beloved. You belong to Me. You are a part of My radiant, royal bride—pure, holy and without spot or wrinkle. I remember your lawless deeds and your sins no more. (See Hebrews 10:17.) I love you just as you are 100%. Oh how beautiful and perfect you are to Me! Come away with Me! (See Songs of Songs 4:7,8.) My lover, revel in My Presence; drink My sweet wine and feast on My goodness. Drink, yes drink abundantly of My love, My dear one. 

Peace Everlasting, A Testimony of Salvation by Cliff Silliman

The world was a different place in the late 1960’s, especially in Berkeley, California. There were demonstrations and riots over the war in Vietnam, the student uprising in France, and a decision that the University of Berkeley made that students did not like--any excuse would do—that led to “The People’s Park Riots.” Berkeley was the gathering place for about 100,000 hippies—most of whom were using drugs. On any given Friday night 25 to 30 thousand young people would descend onto Telegraph Avenue looking to buy drugs. LSD was the drug of choice. In 1969, at age 20, it was here that I saw myself as king, for I was the main connection for LSD.  

Cliff Silliman, July 2012

It was on Telegraph Avenue, the main street in Berkeley, that I encountered Holy Hubert, a bold street preacher for Jesus. He told me daily, as I passed by, that I was going to hell and that I was not only destroying my life but others lives as well, and that God was going to hold me accountable. I laughed. I was raised as far away from church as possible. Holy Hubert quoted any passage of the Bible from memory—he actually had the whole Bible memorized. It seemed like a complete waste of time to me.

My organization consisted of me, two body guards, a driver, a courier, and a woman named Linda, who had flipped out on an LSD high and thought she was a frog for about seven months. We drove around in a VW van painted with red and white stripes down the sides, and a blue top with white stars. I wore a leather fringed jacket, a purple shirt, and bell-bottom jeans. In June of ‘69 our house was raided by a newly formed federal drug task force. During the raid an undercover police officer was shot by “friendly fire” while he was shooting at me. When the dust cleared, my two bodyguards and I were in jail awaiting trial, and Linda was loose on the streets.

No one knows how Linda ended up at the Baptist Student Union, a fraternity house a few blocks from the University of California, Berkeley campus.  The fraternity brothers came home from a Bible study and found Linda squatting like a frog on top of the kitchen table trying to figure out what to do by throwing I-Ching cards, an old Chinese fortune telling trick. The fraternity president said, “I rebuke you in Jesus’ name.” The result was that Linda got instantly healed, no longer thought she was a frog, and came into her right mind. A month later, when I was finally able to get out of jail on bail, Linda’s story was circulating on streets, but I did not see Linda for another nine months.

As soon as I got out on bail, I went straight back to dealing drugs, adding cocaine to my inventory. My daily drug use increased to at least five tablets of LSD and up to three grams of coke a day to stay high all the time. Sometimes I’d take more to party in the evenings. We mixed the powdered LSD or “acid” with Kool-Aid and drank it—never knowing how strong it was. These parties were called Electric Kool-Aid Acid Parties. Once I tripped out on 21 tablets of LSD and three glasses of Kool-Aid acid, and went to a Terry Reed, Ike and Tina Turner, B.B. King and Rolling Stones Concert at the Oakland Coliseum.

I was arrested three times, but I always got released. The police had made errors in their strategy every time. Finally we made a deal where I would plead to lessor charge and could possibly get up to two years in jail. When I went to court the judge scolded me about how I was a menace to society, but then he suddenly switched and put me on probation to the dismay of everyone in courtroom. (I now know this was the hand of God!) I got out of there before he could change his mind. When my mom found out she was shocked. My old friend Jimmy, that first turned me on to drugs, had just come back from Vietnam. We celebrated my release and Jimmy’s homecoming with sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Purple Earthquake was the live band at the party—they were also our LSD connection.

In December of 1970, fed up with hypocrisy and dishonest dealings, I decided to retire from drug dealing and move to the backwoods of Oregon. I had found out my connections were stealing from me, so I wanted to do one final deal and get back at those guys and rip them off in a big way. I got one group to front me a literal ton of marijuana (100 pressed bricks each weighing a kilo) and another group to front me the money to pay for it, but instead of doing the transfer I took the money and the pot and took off.

As I drove north up Highway 101 in Northern California, in my brand new tan V.W. bug, I happened to stop in Petaluma to get gas. I had heard Linda became a Christian and moved into Zion’s Inn, a Christian discipleship house for women. She had converted my friend, Jimmy and he moved into a guy’s house called Berachah House. As I waited at the gas station, I realized Linda and Jimmy lived in Petaluma somewhere with some Jesus People. I asked the guy at the gas station if he had ever heard of Berachah House. He just happened to live next door and gave me directions.

I showed up at dinner time and was invited to stay. Jimmy and Linda announced they were getting married on Saturday. They asked for my help so I delayed my move to Oregon. I was in turmoil because of the light in them and the darkness in me. No one witnessed to me about their new-found faith, probably because they were afraid of me. Restless, I decided to drive around the San Francisco Bay Area for a day and a half not staying in any place long, since the drug dealers I ripped off would be looking for me.

I stopped for gas in Martinez. An off-duty policeman I knew came over to say hello to me. I told him I was retiring and moving to Oregon. He said, “I probably will not see you again, so I need to tell you something. God told me that I was to protect you since He had plans for you. This is why I applied to be the lone beat cop on Telegraph Avenue.” I was dumbfounded. The inner turmoil in me could not cope with the information that God had plans for me! After driving back to Petaluma on Friday morning, I had finally calmed down enough to deal with being around these Jesus freaks. I did not know that when I left they began praying around the clock and for 36 hours they had prayed for my salvation.

While eating breakfast at Beracha House, I saw a newspaper on the coffee table called “Right On” put out by Christian World Liberation Front. Down in the left hand corner on the cover was this highlighted box that said, “If you are not sure if Jesus is real and died for your sins, ask Him. If He does not answer you, go on your way. If He answers, give Him your whole life.” I noticed that uncomfortable feeling again. During the course of the day as I helped Jimmy and Linda move their stuff into an apartment, I continued to feel this weird stirring inside. While Jimmy and I drove up Highway 101, on December 11, 1970, I decided to pray and do what the newspaper suggested. I decided if Jesus showed up, I would want to get to know Him better. So I prayed quietly in my head, “If you are real, Jesus, be real to me.”

Immediately, my heart was flooded with a peace that passes all understanding, quite different than any drug high I had ever experienced. I knew that Jesus was real for nothing could duplicate what I was experiencing. I quietly said to Jesus, “I am Yours.”

About ten minutes later, still driving north on Highway 101, Jimmy realized that this would be our last time together before I left for Oregon. He shared with me about his faith and “the Four Spiritual Laws” (a pamphlet he had memorized). Jimmy asked me if I wanted to pray to receive Christ.

I said, “I already did that about five miles back.” God’s peaceful presence has been my constant companion these 41 years. Jesus has always been there for me, in good times and bad. The turmoil was replaced by peace—peace everlasting.

Jenna and Cliff Silliman, July 2012