Writing in the Glory & Keeping the Fire New Releases
December 17, 2015
New release by Rolland Baker Keeping the Fire is sure to cause you to burn for the One Thing (Psalm 27). I remember reading his doctoral thesis a year ago and how much I burned for more of Jesus after. I am so excited that his book is now available to the world! I am also in awe at the Holy Spirit’s creative synergy in the midst of the family of God. When I look at the covers of these two new releases, I celebrate God’s goodness.
That Writing in the Glory and Keeping the Fire came out only months apart and that these covers were done separately without the other knowing causes me to praise Jesus because of His goodness and the synergy that happens in family. I love that simply by being a part of the same Iris family, we are tapping into a similar current of the Holy Spirit without even needing to talk about the aesthetics of our projects. Not only in appearance and timing are these books similar but also in heart. Both of these books are rooted and grounded in intimacy with Jesus and focusing on the One Thing (Psalm 27).
In Writing in the Glory, I talk about the importance of being rooted in Jesus as the source of all creativity and about writing from a place of intimacy to light a fire that will impact the world. I share a few excerpts below.
Works that are birthed from a place of intimacy with God can have ripple effects for eternity. As you feast on God and contend for the One Thing (see Psalm 27:4), your covenant love with Him will naturally birth life.
Now is the time to strip of offenses, let go of bitterness, unforgiveness, doubts, or anything that might hinder you and run fiercely into the arms of the One who love you more than you could imagine. Now is a time to have no other lovers but Him. Today is the day to be single minded; to press in so you can release what God is about to birth in and through you. The time of awakening and birthing has come. It is here. It is now. Step in. Rise up. Don’t look back. Arise and shine. You were born to release this book.
In Writing in the Glory, Heidi Baker also writes
Apart from Him we can do nothing. But as we abide in Him and as we remain connected to the vine, we bear fruit that remains. All lasting fruitfulness flows from the place of intimacy and deep connection with God.
The fruit that remains might just be a book that impacts generations with the love, healing, and power of God.
Ask to be a holy habitation, a resting place for Him to come and abide. Open yourself up now to the glorious presence of God. Invite Him to capture your heart again.
In Keeping the Fire, Rolland, a leader in this generation and has seen the lame walk, blind eyes opened, and even the dead raised, shares about the core values of Iris and how Jesus is the key to sustaining of revival. A few excerpts are below.
Iris is not about us. It is about Jesus. Revival is not about manifestations or miracles; it is about the Reviver, Jesus our Savior. We only have one destination, one home, one reality, one resting place, one source, one motivation, one reward, one possession, one point of contact with God, one source of real satisfaction – and that is Jesus. We cannot overemphasize Him in any way. He is all we have and everything we need.
Love is a gift of relationship, not just self-sacrifice. The secret place is not necessarily found in a prayer closet or a posture of soaking, or in battling for a just cause, or in a massive prayer and fasting effort. Even the most amazing miracles can leave us lonely and without relationship. We can run out of motivation advancing the noblest ideals and working at all levels to transform society. We can minister until we have no more strength, and still go home and lie in bed without the relationship for which our hearts are made.
Everything is okay with relationship. It is all that Jesus cares about, all that motivates Him. He could do many more amazing miracles and dazzle the world with His powers, but He is interested only in relationship.
I wonder what the Holy Spirit is trying to say by birthing these two works with creative synergy in family at the same time. Maybe it’s another Ephesians 3:20 exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or think or imagine moment. Maybe there’s something about intimacy with Jesus and living for the One Thing that will cause us to burn in this generation like never before. Maybe there’s a powerful synergy when reading these two works together. Either way, I encourage you to explore and receive this piece of our hearts. These can both be ordered on irisglobal.org's bookstore HERE. May our words start a fire inside you and cause you burn for the One Thing like never before. May Jesus truly be what this season is all about. Happy Christmas and may the fire burn hotter than ever before.
To read another account of crazy synergy that happened within the context of the Destiny House family, go HERE.