“It is my deep conviction that we must be wholly prepared to abandon anything that retards our moving toward the place where Christ is all and in all, where we come to overflow with that which has flowed over us. This is true even though we may have to forsake things we have been taught or conditioned to believe are essential ingredients of church life.” – John Beaumont in Revelatory Adventure.
A God-filled Nobody
By John Beaumont
$12.00 (Paperback – 280 pages)
We’re out of books here, but some of his other contacts at left might still have some. As well, you may find a copy here.
Book Description
Sara and Wayne met John Beaumont and his wife Mary during their 2004 trip to New Zealand. These are some of God’s pioneers who have helped blaze a trail for believers who yearn to live outside the box of religious obligation and embrace the fullness of God’s life and freedom. They are as genuine as people that Sara and I meet on this journey. They words and their lives line up as they have grown in Christ. If you’d like to read more of the things we shared during our time with them in New Zealand, check out these summaries that I included in my blog. I’ve also included an article drawn from a previous book of John’s that is now out of print about the Jetty and the Raft. I think you’ll enjoy it too! I’ve also included an experience John had caught up in a vision to God’s glory and a song he heard while there that I think will bless and inspire you.
This is a book about the amazing grace of God as John shares heart-warming experiences in his own life and ministry over the years. He writes of first-hand participation in outpourings of revival and shares personal lessons has learned on a journey that has taken him all over the world to help God’s people live in freedom and reality.
John has written other books including Revelatory Adventure and God In My Dreams. You can download copies of his books here.
In 2012 Wayne reconnected with John to glean some of the lessons of his journey. Out of that conversation John wrote a brief article about Passing the Torch to a new generation. You can download the PDF here. A couple of months later, he added a new article entitled, Jesus is Building His Church, which encourages us to rejoice in the work Jesus is doing, instead of being discouraged by that which most people call ‘church’.
Table of Contents
Foreward
Introduction
1. Childhood and Youth
2. India
3. New Zealand
4. Africa
5. Europe
6. United States of America
7. Retirement
Overseas Distributors
In the United Kingdom:
John Langford
1 Harness Close
Wimborne, Dorset
BH21 2UF, England
Email John
In the Republic of Ireland:
David Rice
“Four Seasons” Ballylusk
Ashford, Co Wicklow
IRELAND
Email David
In New Zealand:
John Beaumont
27/472 Linwood Ave
Christchurch, 8006 NEW ZEALAND
Email John
In South Africa:
Jamie Campbell
P.O. Box 5
Wellington, Cape Town
South Africa, 7654
Email Jamie
In Australia:
Bruce Kerr
34 Highview Avenue
Nambour, Queensland
4560, AUSTRALIA
Email Bruce
Foreward
I have just finished indulging in a huge feast. The table was groaning with goodies, and I sampled everything! Instead of feeling overfed and lethargic, however, I feel greatly invigorated. In fact, I feel slimmed-down for action. I was running a race, and I know I am all the more ready to continue!
…These are the best words I can find to describe my experience of reading this new book by John Beaumont!
Over the twenty years I have known John, any recollections-of-the-past he has mentioned, in preaching or in conversation, have always been something of a treat. His anecdotes never failed to be worth listening to: amusing, or intriguing – and yet invariably nourishing. They fed our spirits. They strengthened our responsiveness to the Lord Jesus.
Now, in these “memoirs” John has, as it were, provided us with a banquet – a table laden with his recollections from many different parts of the world. I have feasted at this table with great pleasure, and I know that I am stronger, and spiritually fitter, as a result. There is no doubt whatsoever, in my mind, that many Christian people, across the globe, are going to be richly blessed as they read the pages ahead.
I would like to mention three truths of which I have become much more sure, as a result of reading this book. I am not saying that God will necessarily underline exactly the same principles in every reader’s heart. I merely want to emphasise that John’s reminiscences seem to highlight priceless biblical truths.
The first is: “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” It is clear throughout the book that John always made a determined practice of listening-to-the-Spirit before replying or reacting in any situation. He consciously set aside the expectations of those involved, or his own opinions based on previous experience, and listened for the Spirit’s voice. Over and over again, there was a remarkable outcome. (You will find numerous examples in what John has written.) Most of us pay lip-service to this principle, of course – but very few of us really put it into practice. I think this book will help us to deeply desire to be “led by the Spirit”.
The second principle which came across powerfully to me was this: “Speak the truth in love”. John was always willing to speak the truth, even if it was going to be very hard for the hearer to take. However, each time he first-of-all sought the Spirit’s guidance on how the truth spoken could become up-building in the person’s life. Speaking-the-truth-in-love doesn’t mean presenting the truth in a palatable way. (Sugaring the pill, which is what most of us try to do!) It means presenting the truth in a productive way.
Lastly, I want to mention the unusual biblical phrase “married to another – even to Him who is raised from the dead”. (Romans 7:4. A.V.) John’s happy marriage to Mary shines through these pages – but so does this other marriage of his! (Isn’t it wonderful that the love-relationship with one’s spouse, and the love-relationship with Jesus, are not mutually exclusive. In fact, we learn lessons about each partnership from the other partnership.) Whether we are married or single, however, I am convinced that reading this book will help us all understand more clearly what the Authorized Version meant when it said we should be “married to another…that we might bear fruit to God”.
Well! You are at the starting-end of the table. I have tried to give you a glimpse of some of the good things that lie ahead. I know that, in the end, your plate may carry a different selection to mine. But I genuinely believe you will step out, after you have finished, renewed and refreshed, and better prepared than ever to run the race that is set before you.
Stan Firth – Sutton, Surrey, England
Introduction
This is an attempt to share some of life’s experiences and lessons in such a way that it becomes solely a testimony to the grace of God. The credit is all His for anything worthwhile coming out of my life. On the other hand, the blame for every flaw, fault and failure is mine alone. Over the years I have asked Father to allow me to be, and remain, a hidden man, even though frequently in the public eye, only aspiring to be a God filled nobody.
Years ago I dreamed that I saw people gathered for a memorial service at the end of my earthly life. It was being held in a community hall rather than in a church building.
As everyone became quiet just before the start, a man I knew rushed in and asked, “Where is he?” No one answered, and so he asked the same question louder and louder. In moments everyone was exclaiming as if it were a chant, “John is not here. John is not here!”
All eyes turned to a friend – not a minister – who slowly walked forward and said, “John is not here, he is with the Lord. We are here to celebrate the grace of God in John’s life.”
I joked with one or two that it wasn’t surprising that the Christian man who rushed in, and who will remain nameless, asked that question. I often felt that he didn’t know where I was even when we were together!
Possibly the first time I shared at any length about the grace of God was in a meeting in Kingston, New York. One of the elders there, Dale Rumble, told me afterwards that for them such a topic had extra significance. They had noted over the years that whenever the Lord intended taking them into new realms of Christian living and serving, it had been preceded by a heightened emphasis on the grace of God.
To me the grace of God is the active expression of all that He is in His intrinsic nature, being extended to a totally unworthy person such as I am. This is in order that we may live a Christ-honouring life as we walk in the fullness of God’s purpose and provision for them.
To put it a little differently, divine grace is all that God is, made available for all that I lack, to enable me to be all that He chooses.
I am most grateful to the Holy Spirit who not only stirred me to write this book, but who has also been my Encourager throughout. My wife Mary has been very supportive as we have shared memories together and discussed the best way to express them. David and Nina Rice have willingly undertaken the task of editing and proof reading. This has been most helpful and is deeply appreciated. At the end of that process I received this letter:
“At a personal level may I say that this has been a very enjoyable and stimulating exercise. The more I read the manuscript the more absorbing it becomes. I do think it is worthy of wide distribution in whatever form seems best to you.
“I would also like to put on record the enormous impact that your life has had on me. I was initially hugely helped by the clarity of the word of the Lord that you spoke in Donegal. Subsequently the biggest impact that your life has had on me was in the way you responded to the Spirit, usually at great cost, when you were staying with us during Mary’s illness, and when we were in Sweden together.
“At that time I learned to stand up in the strength of the Lord and not be afraid of the consequences of obedience. Such things cannot be taught, they must be caught. By the overflow of the grace of the Lord in your life, I caught some things which totally changed and re-formed me and continue to do so. I will always be grateful to Jesus for those experiences as well as the many other evidences of His grace in our fellowship through the years.
Bless Jesus for His faithfulness, grace and love. David”
In the Scriptures, the Apostle Paul didn’t simply follow the custom of his people in wishing others, “Peace.” His greeting was always, “Grace and peace.” I greet you thus today. May you, who-ever you are, ‘be blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ,’ by the grace of God alone.
Excerpts
“The idea that the more we do the quicker God’s kingdom is established is a very common point of view, is it not? Earnest believers strive valiantly to do as much as possible for God. Add up all the gatherings, meetings, rallies, crusades, conferences, retreats, seminars, and like events in every church and every city and town throughout any of our countries and throughout the whole year. Include all of the preaching, teaching, prophesying and exhorting plus all of the singing, praising, worshipping, praying and charitable activities that are undertaken.
In the church as in the world, this is a generation of words, noise and endless activity that is mostly quite futile. Surely, if such things as those I have enumerated could bring the church of God to maturity and fullness, and vast multitudes to repentance and faith, we would be there before now.
No, no, no! What God declares is that he responds to faith rather than to human effort. Man’s best will never do, even if a myriad of us worked ourselves to death almost. Throughout history, again and again God has shown what he can accomplish in a moment, so to speak, that wonderfully pleases and glorifies him.” (pages 35-36)
“Let the younger generation hear this: ‘This is a tremendous day for adventure and discovery. Go for it!’ I take the counsel of a highly esteemed and deeply loved brother in Christ, Dr. Jack Gray, who is many years my senior. He has wisely and rightly written that ‘there are many today whom some have described as church-forsakers, but who are actually church-discoverers.’ We refuse to blindly follow the traditions of men, choosing rather to seek and find for ourselves exactly what God’s plan is for us at the present time.” (page 37)
“This brother, who had not heard me speak in a meeting, told me very earnestly that he believed that God wanted me in South Africa at that time.
I told him that I would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in that regard, knowing that, if it was the ‘now’ word of the Lord for me, an inner conviction about it would grow in my heart. We should not accept something as the word of God to us simply because someone declares that it is. In the final analysis, only the Holy Spirit within us can declare that.” (page 119)
