Archive for April, 2014

Is Our Heavenly Father interested in nutrition?

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014

An unequivocal yes!

Mankind has been sold a bill of goods concerning nutrition.  The pharmaceutical companies would have you believe that an ailment arises from the lack of one of their products.  They tout “quality of life” as their mantra when selling you drugs to sleep, relieve pain, or deal with chronic inflammation.  When you respond to their arguments, you simply put more toxic substances in your body.  Don’t get me wrong, there is a time to pick the best of two outcomes.  Our bodies are overloaded with toxins from the air, water, and the food we ingest.  Our body’s immune system becomes overloaded and at some point, chronic health issues surface.  Often, the root cause of the health issue is not obvious.  The physician’s diagnosis is only as good as his or her training.  They are not “GOD” even though some of them would have you believe that they are.

As you increase in your sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and hear Our Heavenly Father’s voice, you can improve your health. You can start by asking if a particular food is good for you.  You can look at produce at the market and ask which fruit or vegetable should be picked.  This may not seem important to you but these small acts help you develop a sensitivity to your body’s needs.  Instead of satisfying your appetite, you begin to satisfy your hunger.  That is one aspect of dying to the old man.

Our Heavenly Father directed me to help Doug Evers in his nutrition business.  Though I thought I already had plenty on my plate (pun intended), HE wanted me to help Doug.  We’ve been taking Doug’s supplements for about 15 years and I suspect the fact that neither my wife nor I are taking any medication at this point in our lives is a testimony to that path we chose.  This year I expect the Remnant will begin to manifest notably improved health.  Some will be healed miraculously.  Others will be healed by hearing HIS Voice and responding to a change in diet, exercise, and supplements.  Some will lose weight to a more desired level.  All of this will be due to being led by the Spirit.  Allergies will no longer be a problem to those who respond.  Chronic inflammation will cease.  Overall wellbeing will improve.  In light of this, let’s look at the daughter of Jairus.  His name means “Whom GOD enlightens”.   Jairus was an overseer or ruler of the synagogue.  It was his duty to select the readers or teachers in the synagogue, to examine the discourses of the public speakers, and to see that all things were done with decency and in accordance with ancestral usage.

Jairus heard Jesus speak and knew that Jesus could heal his 12 year old daughter.  He asked Jesus to come and heal her.  Jesus responded and proceeded to Jairus’ house.  On the way to the house, the woman with the issue of blood enters the picture:

Mark 5:25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

Does this scenario sound familiar?  Our current healthcare system is designed to extract all your money from you whether you get healed or not.  In her case, she grew worse.  The physicians were obviously not led by the Spirit or she would have improved.  At any rate, her faith healed her.  Jesus did not have to formulate some long prayer of petition toward Heaven.  Virtue or power flowed out of Him into her and the result was a full restoration.  As Jesus was speaking to the woman:

35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

Jesus was not moved by the troubling report:

36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”  37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

Jesus raises the little girl from the dead but He didn’t stop there.  He commanded them to giver her something to eat.  Jesus was specifically concerned about her immediately eating after being raised from the dead.  His focus on her nutrition necessitates our focus as well.  The story could have ended without this little fact.  However, Our Heavenly Father placed it there so we would be enlightened to the priority of nutrition as subtle as it may be.  We tend to think that our spiritual walk has little or no consideration for our physical wellbeing, that we must somehow “suffer for Christ” in the physical.  Jesus is in the physical healing business.  He fed the multitudes.  Our Heavenly Father is as concerned about your daily nutrition as HE is in other aspects of your daily walk.  HE is sufficiently capable of dealing with you in all areas.  Each of us has a unique ideal weight.  Ask Our Heavenly Father what it is, then ask HIM to guide you to that weight.  Be sensitive to HIS direction and HE will instruct you on what to eat, what to abstain from, and what supplements to take.  Out of HIS Love for us, HE gave us food Laws to live by.  It is a challenge to testify of HIM when we are chronically sick.  This must be an area of interest to HIM since HE directed me to write about it today.

The Nuns sing!

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

Enjoy the unity of Love in song!

 

Fruit Bearers to Our Heavenly Father

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014

Our end result is to bear fruit unto Our Heavenly Father:

Romans 7:4   Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.  NKJV

In order to bear fruit unto HIM, we must die to the flesh and walk in THE SPIRIT.  Otherwise we bear fruit unto death:

:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.

Thus in the final analysis, we are going to bear some type of fruit for inspection before the Throne of Our Heavenly Father; either good fruit or bad fruit.  The Law is in effect to oversee its enforcement of inspection.  The Law of Equal Weights and Measures is still in effect and executing judgment over diverse situations today.  Our Heavenly Father’s judgment is based on HIS Divine Intent and HIS Divine Intent arises out of HIS Love for us.  It is HIS plan for us to be delivered from death which the Law demands:

:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Our old man was judged against the righteous standard of the Law given at Mount Sinai.  That standard was raised up on the first Day of Pentecost.  We should honor that Day with great reverence.  On that day Our Heavenly Father spoke forth HIS Divine Intent of Love to the people.  HIS Standard of life and death was expressed so that all men would know where they stood.  Without setting an expectation of performance and maturity, how could we really bear righteous fruit in the end?  What good is a race if there is no established finish line?

In the beginning of the earthly ministry of Jesus, He was tempted by the devil.  The first temptation was to compromise the complete Word of GOD:

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’

Jesus established that we must honor and focus on the entirety of the Word, not just portions of it.  The devil’s first attempt to dilute Jesus’ ministry was by tempting Him to compromise the Word (The Law).  The pattern Son established the important of the Law given at Pentecost in His response.  He quoted Deuteronomy 8:

:3  “So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

Our carnal man would have us compromise the full Word of GOD by reasoning that the Law is no longer in effect.  It is clear that Jesus disagreed with that view.  He came to fulfill the Law, not do away with it:

Matthew 5:17  “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

“Fulfilling” does not mean ending something.  It means to bring to a fullness.  How?  By providing us a full picture of what has been spoken and prophesied by the Law and the Prophets.  The carnal mind would have you believe that Jesus finalized or completed the use of the Law.  Jesus specifically said that He did not come to destroy, abolish, or do away with the Law.  If the Law is not abolished, it is still in effect.  That standard which was raised on the first Day of Pentecost remains the standard by which all men are judged.  Their carnal nature is judged to die according to that standard.

The Feast of Pentecost is known by two major events: the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and the “giving” of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  In Romans 7:14, Paul clearly states that the Law is spiritual:

:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

The Pentecostal Age depicts the process of growing into full maturity as a Son.  It is the bridge between Passover (justification) and the 8th Day of Tabernacles where the mature Sons are presented as firstfruits to Our Heavenly Father.  The Age of Pentecost is the age of growing and maturing.  We are to rise up (leaven) into mature sons during this Age.  Our maturing process does not occur during the Age of Tabernacles, it occurs during the current Age of Pentecost.  Ruling and reigning occurs after we have been presented and accepted on the 8th day.

A mature Son will honor the process required to achieve the end result as being good fruit unto Our Heavenly Father.  This process is celebrated at the 2nd Feast designated by Our Heavenly Father:  The Feast of Pentecost.  These feasts are HIS feasts and we should reverently honor all three of them, that is if we truly live by every Word that proceeds out of HIS Mouth.

The old man would like to bypass the process of Pentecost and move directly to the glory and honor of glorification.  That will not happen for the old man must die during the process of maturity that Pentecost represents.  The initial giving of the Law sentenced the old man to death whereas the giving of the Spirit provided us the solution to death: walking in and serving in the newness of the Spirit.

We will honor and celebrate this Feast of Pentecost on June 8th.  It will no longer be viewed as a lesser feast day than the others.  We must embrace the feast that requires us to mature in stature and prepares us for presentation on the 8th Day of Tabernacles.  As we near full maturity, we begin to appreciate the process that was required to mature us.  Let us honor Our Heavenly Father by honoring HIS Feast: The Feast of Pentecost.

Joint Nourishment

Monday, April 28th, 2014

Being 63 years old, people might ask how I can still be a runner at this age.  Most my age are sitting on the sidelines watching rather than participating.  I thought I would be one of those back in 2002.  That is the year I began to suffer pain in my right knee.  An orthopedic specialist told me my running days were over and I should pursue a “no impact” form of exercise to stay in shape.  I bought an elliptical machine as a result.  My friend Doug Evers suggested that I begin taking Super Limber to nourish my joint tendons and ligaments.  Since then my wife and I have been taking this product.  Two years ago I was able to start running again, culminating in running the 13.1 mile half-marathon yesterday.  I believe Our Heavenly Father wants us to be healthy and active as HE prepares us and places us in our calling.  Jesus was in the healing business and Our Heavenly Father will use many diverse methods of healing, even vitamin supplements.  Our diets today are missing many of the vitamins and minerals our parents received from their food.  Much of today’s food production does not following Our Heavenly Father’s Law on growing.  We can’t expect the food to contain as many nutrients as previous generations.  Those who have researched organic growing know all about this nutrition issue.

We take vitamin supplements to encourage wellness and have followed this avenue for years.  I have specifically taken the advise of Doug and personally believe that it has benefited me greatly.  I will be sharing these personal beliefs going forward.  Obviously I am not a doctor and you should consult with your healthcare professional before taking any new supplement.  The FDA has not analyzed my results.  Does that mean I should withhold my belief or success?  The core ingredients in Super Limber have been found to be beneficial.  Do I believe that this product was the sole reason I could run today?  No.  I simply believe it played a major role in nourishing my joints.  I still had to focus on diet, exercise, rest, and other factors in preparing for the run.  As for me, I will continue taking Super Limber and other supplements.  The results speak for themselves.

To help Doug, we created a little company to market his products to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Not that I needed another thing to do, I simply want to serve as a conduit to help people move toward wellness in their lives.  Creation’s Nutrients is the result of this desire to help.  This little company is evolving as we speak.  The website is now operational at a minimal level and you can order products to be shipped to you.  You can also designate that 5% of your purchases support a ministry.  Currently God’s Kingdom Ministries, Servias Ministries, and Whole Heart Solutions are listed.  The website is www.creationsnutrients.us   Is the website as robust as we want it?  Not by a long shot.  However you can at least order and get shipped products you want.  Over time we will provide more information on the site to help you make better decisions about nutritional needs.  Bear with us until then.  Greater usage will uncover any weakness in the development of the website.

Each of you is responsible and accountable for your own health.  Our Heavenly Father provides physicians as the need arises.  HE also moves upon us to focus on healthy nutrition so that we are able to carry out our mission.  Many of you are already taking supplements.  Why not buy from those who share the same Spiritual goals as you?  My goal is to help support the brethren in the area of my calling.  After being on Doug’s supplements for fifteen years, I can bear witness of his intent to help in the area of wellness.  I will share other products we take and why we take them in forthcoming blogs.

Unity in action

Monday, April 28th, 2014

Yesterday, my daughter, son-in-law, and I ran the half-marathon run (13.1 miles) at the 14th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.  There were roughly 25,000 people who participated in the event.  All shapes and sizes were there.  My grandson participated in the kid’s marathon.  In an event of this nature, everyone was in unity.  We all paid our fees to run (or walk) the event.  There were no individual agendas, no divisions among the runners, and everyone was accepted for who they are.  Each runner had a focus.  Some ran to remember a person who died in the OKC bombing, 168 perished on that day.   It is a shame that it took such a dastardly event to bring a level of unity among the people.  How much more should the Remnant of Our Heavenly  Father be in unity!

Our unity should supersede the unity of any group around the world.  Our unity is one designated by the Creator of Heaven and earth.  As we become mature, we will accept the fullness of our calling to be “one” in the Spirit.  How much more should our Love for others be than the 25,000 who ran the race yesterday.   We have a common goal that is much greater than an annual event commemorating those who died in the bombing.

Ultimately people want to be connected to others.  This is what fellowship is all about.  This is what communion is all about.  We want to be fully associated with Our Lord Jesus Christ.  As we mature and become an expression of HIS nature, people will be drawn to us more so than any running event.

Yes, the three of us crossed the finish line together, in unity.  That was our goal.

Six Weeks to the Feast of Pentecost

Sunday, April 27th, 2014

We will be honoring the Feast of Pentecost on June 8th with a special broadcast.  On that day was the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.  Later was the Holy Spirit sent as our Comforter.  Both the Law and the Spirit were given on this Feast Day.  How appropriate that we honor Our Heavenly Father for HIS Gifts of Love.

We will provide the broadcast details soon.

Today’s Online Bible Study Broadcast: Raising the Remnant

Sunday, April 27th, 2014

We will have our Sunday afternoon Bible Study at 3PM CDT in Bethany.  Kemper will be directing the discussion today.

To participate live or watch this Bible study as a recording afterwards, go to http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-baptism-of-love  The chat room will be open again today for your comments.  We look forward to your participation during our live broadcast.

The Ultimate Giver

Saturday, April 26th, 2014

Philippians 4:8   Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.  NKJV

Our Heavenly  Father is the Possessor of Heaven and earth.  HE knows where all the resources are and reveals them as needed.  HE is the One Who established gold and silver as having value.  Man has substituted HIS value for their own, a counterfeit so to speak.  There have been many attempts throughout history to dilute the medium of exchange by those in power.  Each and every time they failed.  Greed was the source of their motivation and thus we are warned to be vigilant when dealing with money and not allow greed to take root in our lives.  Greed is a primary attribute of the self-preserving spirit and oh my it is subtle.

Men have convinced themselves that Our Heavenly Father cannot or will not be involved in their finances as HE is in other aspects of their lives.  They can believe in salvation yet they can’t seem to believe that HE might prosper their work and increase their provision.  Their unbelief in this area keeps the storehouse door closed.  They are of little or no faith in this area, they are void of HIS Word.

Our Heavenly Father reserved the Promised Land for HIS people.  It is the land of milk and honey, the land of sufficiency.  The people were in bondage to Egypt (the world) and HE was their Deliverer.  HE performed mighty miracles to set them free, HE moved upon the Egyptians to finance their journey, yet they still walked in unbelief.  Why?  They didn’t listen and believe HIS Words.  They could not or would not overcome their state of bondage.  They left Egypt physically speaking but in their minds they were still slaves to the system.  They believed in their bondage more than they believed in their Deliverer.  They feared death more than they believed Our Heavenly Father and HE revealed that to them in a test:

Exodus 20:18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

We must be willing to die to the flesh.  As we put off the old man, we are ready to properly receive from HIM and this includes receiving and distributing needed assets for the spreading of the Gospel.  We are to be pure conduits but until we believe that HE is able to provide ALL things, we will defer to other brethren who have overcome the bondage of Egypt.  If men’s hearts would change due to miracles, the entire nation of Israel would have been spiritual giants for they witnessed great miracles of deliverance by Our Heavenly Father.  You must HEAR His Word and believe on it and this includes acting on it.

Do you dare to come boldly to the Throne of Grace?  The prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Our Heavenly Father sets aside assets to be distributed through the “givers”.  HE moves upon men and circumstances to insure that HIS givers have sufficient means to operate.  HE assesses their intent to determine if they qualify as givers.  A giver is simply imitating Our Heavenly Father.  A mature son takes on the same characteristics as THE FATHER.

In Malachi chapter 3, HE nets it all out:

8 ​​“Will a man rob God?

​​Yet you have robbed Me!

​​But you say,

​‘​In what way have we robbed You?’

​​In tithes and offerings.

9 ​​You are cursed with a curse,

​​For you have robbed Me,

​​Even this whole nation.

10 ​​Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,

​​That there may be food in My house,

​​And try Me now in this,”

​​Says the LORD of hosts,

​​“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

​​And pour out for you such blessing

​​That there will not be room enough to receive it.

11 ​​“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

​​So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,

​​Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”

​​Says the LORD of hosts;

12 ​​And all nations will call you blessed,

​​For you will be a delightful land,”

​​Says the LORD of hosts.

The “takers” are in bondage to the devourer.  They look at ways to satisfy their lack and address their needs.  They rely on the old man to try to somehow fulfill their needs.  They look to the system of bondage rather than honor Our Heavenly Father by aligning their intent with HIS.  You say “How can I give when I am broke and can’t pay my bills?”  My reply, “Start giving something, anything.  You have time, give some time to benefit someone else.  Help an elderly person, help a neighbor.  Change your focus of being a taker to a giver.  You must start somewhere.  Bake cookies for your neighbor.  Write a letter of kindness to a neglected person of the past.”

People use the excuse that they need money to be givers thus they are in a “catch 22” situation.  Our Heavenly Father uses just weights and measures to determine HIS distribution channels.  You may give time and receive money from a different source.  You may give money and receive an idea for a new venture, a restoration of relationship, or a Divine healing of a chronic health issue.

The blessings of obedience found in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 apply to us spiritually, financially, emotionally, and physically.  To omit one of these areas is to say that Our Heavenly Father is insufficient to meet a need.  Possibly the one thing that needs to change is the subtle intent in your heart.  Are you a giver or a taker?  Your actions, time, and your checkbook reflect your fruit.  Maybe its time to inspect the fruit.  The mature firstfruits are presented and offered at the Feasts.  The immature must wait…  It’s time we dealt with the tougher areas of being an overcomer.

Maturing the Saints

Friday, April 25th, 2014

Our goal at Servias Ministries is to promote the maturing of the saints of the Most High to the point where they are drawn to serve mankind.  Only mature saints want to serve and give.  Everyone else in varying degrees wants to be served.  An infant wants and demands your full attention in order to meet his needs.  Life is all about him.  The mother is sleep-deprived for the first two or three years and then finally the child starts growing out of the phase of needing constant attention.

What is the ultimate goal of maturity as a saint?  Jesus provides the answer for He is the pattern Son.  We are to be bread to the world and minister life, we are to be HIS Disciples.  Paul wrote to Titus about walking in sound doctrine, or mature teaching without error.  It is my deepest desire to convey sound teaching in each blog I write.  I am given topics to write on which can easily be misinterpreted by the “ego” of the reader.  I must rely on the spirit man to receive the teaching.  Paul explains a fundamental truth to Titus:

Titus 1:15  To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

My calling in part deals in the financial aspects of the Kingdom.  At the age of 21, Our Heavenly Father directed me to the largest bank in Oklahoma when I was looking for a part=time job while finishing my degree.  The banking industry was not in my Top 100 places to work.  HE spoke to me and told me to go into that building on Friday afternoon.  At the time, I had no idea what was in the building.  In looking over my professional career, HE directed each change, without exception.  I therefore must be true to where HE has prepared and placed me.  To do otherwise would deny my gifts and calling.

One of the biggest challenges a maturing saint is to hear Our Heavenly Father in the area of money.  People have used, abused, manipulated, stolen, defrauded, and exploited others for the purpose of getting more money.  I purpose to distance myself from those whose intent is to extract money.  However, that creates a dilemma.  One of the most critical areas to mature in is the proper intent of distributing and receiving money.  Though Judas performed his calling by selling out Our Lord, that did not negate the need to have a treasury for funding the Gospel. 

Money is simply a store of value that represents your past fruitfulness.  You worked for an hour and you received ten dollars.  The money isn’t inherently evil, it simply represents a store of your fruitfulness.  You cannot separate your past labor from that payment.  It is my responsibility as a brother in Christ to share “sound doctrine” to those with ears to hear.  The topic of money can easily alienate those who want to protect their “self-preserving” old man.  Those who Love me will receive and assess any words I speak to see if those words are for them this day.  Otherwise, they simply place the teaching on the shelf until they get a witness to act or respond on the teaching.

Titus 2:1 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

Do people see you and me with those qualities?  In pursuing a sound doctrine of giving to the ministry of spreading the Gospel, we must first learn to give.  People have no problem in giving away unneeded clothing or goods.  They have no problem in giving to their children, even to an excess.  However, the moment you make them aware of a need for the Gospel’s sake, they stiffen up and erect a wall.  Remember, to the pure all things are pure.  To the impure…

It is my responsibility to you to address the deeper issues that would prevent us from attaining the high calling.  Lack of cheerful giving is high on the list.  You can rationalize all day long why you shouldn’t be a giver, but in the end you simply don’t believe that Our Heavenly Father will supply your need according to HIS riches in glory.  That is the old man hanging on inside.

How do I deal with the old man in this regard?  When in doubt, give.  Practice giving, make it a custom to give, be known as a giver.  You don’t wring your hands in extended prayer when your child asks you for money.  You don’t “wait on the LORD” when your son or daughter needs a little extra assistance.  I’ve seen this double standard in people’s lives throughout my life.  There are those who would claim that Our Heavenly Father’s sovereignty has dictated their current financial state.  Could it be that until you have a change of heart concerning money that you will continue in lack?  Our Heavenly Father managed to move upon men to fund the building of the Temple.

Until the saints overcome the old man in the area of finances, full and complete unity will not be attained.  That is the one area 95% of you struggle with.  How did I come up with the number?  That is roughly how many participated but did not help fund the Passover Conference.  Listen closely!  My wife and I would have funded the cost on our own without issue.  Why?  Because Our Heavenly  Father told us to participate and HE has a history of supplying our need and reimbursing us for whatever HE required when no one else chose to participate.  I understand how the storehouse in Heaven operates thus it is my responsibility to you to share the revelation.  Had each person simply given $10 to the effort, our expenses would have been more than offset.  It is ironic, people have a PC and have Internet connection but don’t contribute at all.  It is a heart issue.

Many are waiting on the Iraqi Dinar RV to give.  If you are not a giver now, I doubt that you will become much of one if and when a financial windfall occurs.  In the meantime, people will live in scarcity.  In times past, I simply took the position that I would prefer Our Heavenly Father to simply provide me with the finances to fund the Kingdom since I had a willing heart.  I had no problem giving as HE directed.  However, HE wants all the saints to get the revelation of giving.  If you won’t give your money, you won’t die to the flesh either.

Don’t give money that you don’t possess.  If you have a rent or house payment, you don’t direct that money to other destinations.  That is being lawless.  You alone can determine what money is lawfully available to give.

Another question arises: How do I know that they will do the right thing with the money I send?  Your accountability and responsibility ends when you are obedient to give.  The recipient now has the sole responsibility to properly handle the funds.  I would suggest that there is a greater ramification to the recipient for failure to proper handle the funds than the giver.  Our Heavenly Father rewards intent, or judges it as the case may be.  By the way, misuse of money does not limit HIS ability to bless you.  HE will use just weights and measure to bless you in your cheerful giving, independent of the recipient’s actions.

I encourage you to revisit the Scriptures dealing in provision.  Do not give because you think Servias needs your money.  We knew when we agreed to financially backstop the conference that there may be insufficient giving.  How did we know this?  It is my understanding that past conferences were not fully funded by the attendees.  It is time that we stepped up to the reality that spreading the Gospel isn’t free.  We seem to acknowledge that reality in almost every other aspect of our daily lives.  Today’s blog is a hard word to some.  If it offended you, you might want to study the Scriptures on Love again.  If it convicted you, you might want to start practicing giving until you can hear HIS Voice in that area.  Is it possible that you could not hear what you were not ready to receive?

Read 1 Chronicles 29.

By the way, is Our Heavenly Father a cheerful Giver?

A Citizen of Heaven

Thursday, April 24th, 2014

In our weekly Bible study, Kemper has mentioned Heavenly citizenship several times.  Citizenship is the status of a person recognized under the Law of the jurisdiction that bestows on that person (called a citizen) the rights and the duties of citizenship.  What prevents us from receiving our Heavenly citizenship status?  At the core, it is the spirit of “self-preservation”.  The false self wants to preserve its current way of life even though it is one of scarcity.  It is always in lack or need.  Peace is a distant reality always out of reach to one who focuses on “self”.  Paul discusses Heavenly citizenship in Philippians 3.  He first gives real examples of himself and others:

17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

A pattern is a specific example to imitate with the purpose of achieving the same result.  Jesus was the pattern Son as our example.  Everyone wants to achieve the result of a glorified body, but how many are truly walking out the path to get there?  People need examples that promote Love, maturity, and lawfulness.  The examples must minister life to others, not just your “vertical” relationship with Our Heavenly Father.  We are called to Love mankind in whatever capacity and opportunity we have as individuals.  If we simply sit in our prayer closets all day, we have done nothing for our brother (except of course if you are called as an intercessor).  Don’t get me wrong, quality time with Our Heavenly Father is critical.  However, if you do nothing on the “horizontal” side of ministering to others, you are missing the point of being a disciple of Christ.  We are called to serve mankind.  Paul continues….

18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

Who is an enemy to the Cross?  The one who serves “self”, whose god is their belly, one who focuses on earthly things.  It is that spirit of self-preservation.  Those who fail to place their carnal nature on the Cross will experience destruction.  Those who deny “self” will satisfy the requirements of citizenship in Heaven and attain the rights given to all of its citizens:

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

A primary enemy to “self-preservation” is giving.  How do I know this?  Simply look at the qualities of the lawless.  They are “takers”, not “givers”.  Their goal is to extract as much from others as they can.  In contrast, Our Heavenly Father gave HIS Son.  Giving is a primary characteristic of a mature son or daughter of Our Heavenly Father.  What better example of this than Jesus giving Himself on the Cross.  Jesus said: "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure–pressed down, shaken together,and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."  I have found that this Scripture applies to many facets of life.  If you give kindness, you receive kindness.  If you promote hatred, you receive hatred.   Yes, if you give money, you will receive money.  People want to stay away from the money topic because of its past abuses.  That does not change the reality of this Scripture.  Those who are givers know what I am talking about.  Your responsibility is to give and your blessing isn’t determined by the recipient’s proper use.  Your blessing is determined by your intent.  Our Heavenly Father will reward your willingness to give with the proper intent.  Your carnal nature cannot understand this reality and thus will convince you to hold on to your money.  It will rationalize away any unction to give.  When Jesus spoke those words in Luke 6:38, He had just said to judge not.  One of the greatest hindrances to giving is judging the recipient.  When Our Heavenly Father tells me to give, I must not judge the person receiving the gift.  That is HIS job.  My responsibility is to be obedient to giving.  The test of giving is to see if you are led by self-preservation and rationalization.  I have found over the years that if HE says to give and I delay, my old man will begin to provide a myriad of reasons not to give.  Instead, I have learned to respond quickly.  HE has blessed my family accordingly.  If you are a reluctant giver, whatever blessing designated to you will be hindered to the same degree.  Just weights and measures apply to giving as they do to other areas.

In order to mature, each of us must deal with this topic and its ramifications.  To be a citizen of Heaven, we cannot omit certain requirements because people are sensitive about them.  Don’t let your belly dictate your direction.