Archive for February, 2019

Judah

Thursday, February 14th, 2019

My friend Alan wrote:

 
Judah; The Power of Praise

The ongoing saga of Jacob, and the revealing stories of his two wives and eventually his two concubines, has all the earmarks of a modern day soap opera.  Indeed, it could have the makings of a successful television series, with all of the necessary victims, villains, dupes and stooges.  But it is also the unveiling of many carnal trappings, with the ensuing Spiritual lessons, that can and do affect us all.  For none of us are immune from the lows and highs expressed in these events, and many of us can identify with these situations in our own Spiritual growth.  First the natural, then the Spiritual.  In this, Our Father seems to be very consistent.

The idea of ‘praise’, throughout the Old Testament, is one of varied events, consequences and eventual responses.  We rarely, if ever, discover someone offering praises before a stupid and avoidable incident.  Praises are usually reserved for responses to ‘deity’, or some excellent benefactor, for bailing us out of a blunder we should have seen coming.  Praise is normally a response to being rescued from the consequence of carnal and selfish behavior.  Hence, praise usually expresses relief from the powerful repercussions of mindless blunders.  I speak from experience.

In the continual saga of Jacob and his first wife Leah, the story seems to take a turn from the pattern of the first three sons given birth to by Leah.  In the naming of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, Leah attaches monikers to her sons that are descriptions of how she deems her relationship with YHWH, and what she hopes will be the resulting response from her husband Jacob.  Leah ascribes names to the first three sons as responses to revelations she is learning about YHWH, and what she understands as the nature of YHWH.  And Leah also hopes that the names of these sons will draw Jacob closer to her.  Alas; the heart throb of Jacob is Rachel.

NKJ Genesis 29:35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

There are numerous Hebrew words that are translated as ‘praise’ throughout the Old Testament writings.  Each of these words has a unique implication and meaning, and rarely does the verse containing a specific word, translated as ‘praise’, communicate the unique expression of the Hebrew word being used.  The English word ‘praise’ is used over 250 times in the O.T., including  showing up as ‘praised’, ‘praising’, ‘praises’, etc.  Most of these occurrences, by far, are in Psalms.  There are at least five different Hebrew words translated as ‘praise’ in the O.T., and the most prolific of these is the Hebrew word ‘hal-lal’; Strong’s # H1984.  This word ‘hal-lal’ is also translated numerous other ways than ‘praise’.  The basic inference of this word ‘hal-lal’ is that of being obvious and conspicuous.  This verb ‘hal-lal’ is often used to describe the shouts and oral praises elicited from those that offer up worship through words and phrases.  The word ‘hal-lal’ normally is describing the loud and boisterous verbal activity of those in audible ‘praise’ to their God.  This word is used when someone or something is easily and readily understood for what it appears to be, or what it intends to communicate.  There is very little room for ambiguity when this word ‘hal-lal’ is used.  Strong’s Concordance lists numerous descriptions of how this word has been used in scripture.  In my opinion, Strong’s Concordance doesn’t adequately communicate the simple clarity that this word ‘hal-lal’ is describing.  Again, Strong’s is not a dictionary, but a reference work listing how Hebrew and Greek words are translated into King James English.  ‘Hal-lal’ is a loud and clear and blatant proclamation of what you intend to communicate.
   
Another word prolifically translated as ‘praise’ is the Hebrew verb ‘zamar’, referenced in Strong’s Concordance as # H2167-8.  An easy ‘give-away’ to the use of this verb ‘zamar’ is when this word is translated into English as ‘sing praise’, and sometimes simply as ‘sing’.  While there are other words also translated as ‘sing’, and ‘song’, the emphasis of the verb ‘zamar’ is that of a song of praise, elicited from the heart of worshippers.  I find it very interesting that the Hebrew word translated as ‘psalm’ is from this root verb ‘zamar’.  The Hebrew word for ‘psalm’ is ‘miz-mor’ (Strong’s # H4210), and is described as a ‘melody; psalm’.  The emphasis of the word ‘miz-mor’, translated as ‘Psalm’, is the song of praise that ascribes glory and honor to the Spirit of God that prunes us of our shabby excesses of carnality and selfishness.  A ‘song of praise’, or ‘zamar’, is an expression of gratitude and thanksgiving for having been tenderly and compassionately pruned of our carnality.  Of this we can all probably agree.  Also, this word ‘zamar’ is translated several times simply as ‘prune’, or ‘pruning’.  But neither of these two words, ‘hal-lal’ or ‘zamar’, that are most often used to be translated as ‘praise’, were the word used by Leah in Gen. 29:35.

There are several other less familiar and more scantily used words translated as ‘praise’.  We won’t delve into those here, for now we need to recognize the word that Leah used when she declared “Now will I praise the LORD (YHWH)”, and more importantly, what did Leah mean by this phrase?  The word used by Leah, and translated as ‘praise’, is also the word that is used to express the name ‘Judah’, or more accurately pronounced, ‘Yahudah’.  And that word is the simple expression of ‘ya-dah’ (Strong’s #H3034).

The Hebrew word ‘ya-dah’ is described in many different ways.  Strong’s Concordance has a long list of descriptions of the use of this word, and most of them are illustrated as the sending forth, or shooting forth, of the hand.  ‘Ya-dah’ is a rather simple feminine expression of the activity of using the hand, for all activity is a feminine expression of masculine ability.  ‘Ya-dah’ is the feminine expression of using the masculine ability ascribed to the hand; the ‘yad’.   In Hebrew the word for hand is ‘yad’, Strong’s # H3027.  But simply describing ‘yad’ as ‘hand’ dismisses the weightier importance of this word.  For the ‘yad’ is more accurately a representation of an individual’s power, might, authority and ability.   Throughout scripture, the hand, or ‘yad’, is used to represent a person’s authority and/or might over another.   The word is used to describe having power over another person, or a situation or condition.  ‘Yad’ represents the ability to be in charge of a situation, and to exert influence over the outcome of events.  This ability and authority, referred to in the hand, is the basis of the word we translate as ‘ya-dah’, which also sometimes gets translated as ‘praise’.  Leah is about to teach us something valuable.

“Now I will praise (‘ya-dah’) the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Yahudah. Then she stopped bearing”. 

The spelling of the Hebrew verb ‘ya-dah’, as used in this verse, unveils much.  Leah wasn’t declaring that now she will ‘praise’ YHWH in the context of the words ‘hal-lal’ or ‘zamar’.  Those words are descriptive of oral praise and adulation by words and shouts and songs.  That wasn’t what Leah was declaring.  The very use of this word ‘ya-dah’ in this setting indicates that the very act of conceiving, and giving birth to another son, was a ‘praise’ to YHWH who enabled her to conceive and give birth.  Leah wasn’t verbally giving up praise to YHWH.  She was proclaiming that her very conception and delivery was an act of praise to the LORD which enabled her to do so.  Leah was announcing to all that this fourth son, sired by Jacob and birthed by her, was a declaration of how close her life was interwoven into YHWH.  Leah was affirming to all that her conception and delivery was testimony to her righteous relationship with the LORD.  Leah was broadcasting her deliverance from the negative emotions of rejection and hurt that elicited the names of her first three sons.  She was announcing that her very presence and activity was praise to YHWH, because it was YHWH that had empowered her to conceive and bare again.  Leah was taunting, with the implication that “if you aren’t conceiving and baring sons for your husband, there must be something amiss in your relationship with the LORD.  There must be something wrong with you, and my fruit of the womb is praise and confirmation of my relationship with YHWH.”

There is something inherently out of balance in the heart/mind that takes solace in the idea that I am more righteous than you because of my ability to do something that you cannot do.  For me to ascribe praise to God because I was enabled to do something that you were not is very untenable.  This attitude will inevitably have to be exposed, and then addressed, for the purpose of Spiritual cleansing.  In this Our Father seems to be very consistent.

“Now I will praise (‘ya-dah’) the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Yahudah. Then she stopped bearing”. 

Did YHWH, or the LORD, cause Leah to cease conceiving and bearing because of her self-righteous attitude?  Or, did Leah’s heart condition cause her to cease conceiving and bearing?
I will leave that up to you to sort out for yourself.  However, I find it most interesting that the name ‘Yahudah’ has been adopted by an entire clan that claims direct descent from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and which now calls itself simply ‘Jew’.  The name/word ‘Yahudah’, that which we pronounce as Judah, means “…my very presence and activity are praise to YHWH.”  Jacob had eleven sons while embracing the name of Jacob.  How ironic that those from this ‘lineage’ still refer to themselves as ‘Jew’, and none from this culture/mindset refer to themselves as descendants of Israel.  Leah, Leah!  Girl, what have you done?

…to be continued    
    
 

 

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift ofprophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[fn] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these islove.

It’s All About Love

Thursday, February 14th, 2019

Everyday should be about Love!  FATHER will not be denied of filling the earth with HIS Love.  Reflect on this as you celebrate St. Valentine’s Day with the one’s you love.

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 Corinthians chapter 13:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift ofprophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The Path To Full Restoration

Wednesday, February 13th, 2019

Luke wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 17:

11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.

13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?

18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

As we saw yesterday, Abraham glorified GOD prior to the manifestation of Isaac being formed in the womb of Sarah.  Abraham walked in great faith.  We can conclude in the above passage that the ten lepers heard the teachings of Jesus even though they would have been afar off.  This was sufficient to establish faith in the power and authority of Jesus.  Once Jesus responded to their request for healing, their faith to be healed was sufficient as they headed out to see the priest.  Yet one of the ten lepers went a step further and returned to Jesus.  With a loud voice, he glorified GOD in a similar manner to Abraham.  To glorify means “to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate”.  This clearly differentiated him from the others as he expressed great appreciation and gratitude for what FATHER had done in his life.  This act was rewarded with full restoration.

As our faith increases, the fruit of our lips will further empower our faith to a higher level.  Let us not settle for less.  Let our focus remain fixed on Our Heavenly Father rather than the noise of the world.

Strengthened In Faith

Tuesday, February 12th, 2019

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 4:

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”

19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

FATHER is not reluctant to do the miraculous when it comes to HIS Divine Intent and HE expects us to waver not at HIS promises to us.  HE expects us to become strengthened in faith.  As we are strengthened in faith, we will give glory to Our Heavenly Father because we have become fully convinced that what HE has promised to us, HE is willing and able to perform.

What is the fruit of your lips?  Are you giving FATHER glory prior to the physical manifestation of HIS promise or are you remaining silent?  In Hebrews chapter 13, it is written by THE SPIRIT:

15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Abraham did not consider what he saw or felt as he was remaining steadfast in The Word given to him by FATHER.  How many of us would expect our body to perform in a youthful manner at the age of 100?  How many of us would expect a dead womb to come alive?  Yet Abraham continued to give glory to GOD resulting in him being strengthened in faith.  As we continuously glorify FATHER and HIS Word toward us, we activate an expectation of manifestation of The Word to come forth in us.  The fruit of our lips then erases fear, uncertainty, and doubt from our consciousness.  Faith expresses itself in an increasing strength within us.  Our spirit hears The Word coming from our lips thus reinforcing the promise given to us by FATHER.  So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God!  Let our confession be pure so that our hearts hear only the pure Word coming from our lips.

Let us not be moved by others who would confess over us  that which is contrary to The Word.  We must excuse ourselves and distance ourselves from their negative confession for the fruit of their lips is based on what they see in the temporal state.  Abraham did not consider his own body and allow the temporary state of his body to rob him of a blessing.  Neither should we so let us give FATHER the glory for the promises HE has given us.  Let us patiently become strengthen in faith as we await the manifestation of HIS promise.

Restricting Access

Monday, February 11th, 2019

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Genesis chapter 3:

22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—

23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.

24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

FATHER instituted the idea of restricted access in Genesis chapter 3, when HE placed cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life.  Since then, FATHER instructed man to build walls, fences, and doors to restrict access and only allow those who were given legal access to enter through the barriers of separation.  It always gets back to the simplicity of intent and to provide a barrier of protection against those who try to place self interest above the intent of ownership and rights of the restricted area.  Our Heavenly Father owns the tree of life and has the right to restrict access to it.  The cherubim were instructed to enforce that right of restricted access.  This is a continuous theme throughout Scripture and Jesus reconfirmed the need for walls and doors when He spoke in John chapter 10:

1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

Walls function to protect us from lawlessness and provide a means of assessing transparency of those who wish to enter in.  Jesus exercises His right to protect His sheep from those who have self interest as their guiding force.  The Creator of Heaven and earth was the first to utilize barriers to entry thus we should embrace HIS methodology as well.  The basic function of a wall is to direct us to a door… Jesus Christ.

Discerning Intent

Sunday, February 10th, 2019

In this time of increasing complexity, It can be very challenging to determine the intent of those who impact us, especially those who are in the political and financial arena.  I have lived long enough and have had substantial exposure to the rich and famous to become somewhat cynical of the intent of the rich and powerful.

In Matthew chapter 9, Jesus encounters a young wealthy person:

16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”

17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’

19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Did Jesus know the what was in the young man’s heart?  Yes, as the Son of GOD, He could discern what was in the hearts of men.  Did the young man really keep all the commandments based on their intent?  Once again, Jesus is assessing the fruit of the rich young ruler by exposing the intent of the heart.  Notice the last commandment mentioned- ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  Here you have a young man of great wealth yet he was unwilling to give up his great wealth to show his unconditional Love for his neighbor.  Typically, the issue with the intent of most people boils down to money.  I found this out when FATHER had me take various trips to Europe with the intent of helping third world countries fund infrastructure projects.  I saw first hand the selfishness of people who would sacrifice the funding deals in order to get “their cut” out of the deal while people who were to receive help were in abject poverty.  How sad!

The rich young ruler did not have faith in Jesus nor the Divine Intent of FATHER.  His trust was in his own riches and great possessions.  How many of us would respond to Jesus and submit to His Word: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me”?  This Word will either instill fear or faith, depending where you are at as far as becoming a mature Son or Daughter.  FATHER has challenged my wife and I over the years in our giving.  In each case, HE took us out of our comfort zone in order to expose what was in our hearts.  I would suggest that as you become more mature, HE will expose your heart in a similar manner.

We are to walk by faith in GOD and come to understand HIS Divine Intent for our specific situation.  FATHER isn’t a harsh taskmaster who wants to place us in abject poverty in order to confirm our willingness to follow HIM.  HE wants to expose any impurity in our hearts so that we are able to grow and mature as Sons and Daughters.  HE wants us to trust HIM rather than the world’s riches.  HE wants us to walk in and exercise the commandment of Love toward others.  When we become a cheerful giver, we are being trained to be led by THE SPIRIT rather than being led by self interest which is often centered around money.  One of the most direct methods of discerning intent is done by watching the flow of money in a person’s life.  The rich young ruler’s response is an excellent example.

Corresponding Actions

Saturday, February 9th, 2019

James wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 2:

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

FATHER challenges us to walk in great faith by reading, studying, and dwelling in HIS Word, then expressing The Word by corresponding actions.  I discovered this Truth many years ago and have exercised my faith accordingly.  However, I also found that walking in faith is similar to exercising my body.  If I fail to continue in The Word and cease doing good works, my faith will suffer and I can and will become “void” in HIS Word.  FATHER expects us to stay well-rounded in HIS Word and not allow ourselves to become weak in any area.

In 1984, I contracted hepatitis from shellfish while on a business trip to New York.  I had been so busy with work, I became lax in the study of FATHER’S Word.  I had walked in Divine health for several years then suddenly… I became deathly sick, literally.  I had the worst case of hepatitis the local clinic had seen.  I was mad at FATHER for I had studied many facets of HIS Word, listened to teaching tapes, etc.  When I enquired about this situation of getting sick, HE replied “You are void of MY Word”.  Then HE said, “When was the last time you studied MY Word in the area of healing?”   Oops!  It had been sometime ago because I had not been sick.  After I repented, HE instructed me to immerse myself in HIS Word concerning healing.  I literally did so all day long since I was off work.

The doctor had said I would be off work for six to eight weeks because of the severity of my case.  FATHER intervened and I was healed and back to work in eleven days.  I paid a price to learn a valuable lesson.  I purpose to stay well-rounded in my study of FATHER’S Word.  Unfortunately, I have had to “re-learn” this lesson a few more times since then.  At least I know now what to do when I have grown weak in an area.  Faith comes by hearing, reading, studying, and dwelling on FATHER’S Word.  Then we must take corresponding action to become mature and complete.  This is true for our health, our finances, and other areas.  Faith and corresponding actions bring forth abundance in the focused area because we become fruitful in that area of our lives.  As we become well-rounded, we will have sufficiency in every area of our life.  Faith without works is dead. 

Let each of us do a personal assessment and identify the weak areas where we have become lax.  The problem is correctable and today is the best today to address those weaknesses.  Take corresponding actions.

Today’s Prayer

Friday, February 8th, 2019

My Prayer for us all who are patiently waiting:

FATHER,

We understand the end and culmination of all things is near. Therefore, being of sound-mind and self-controlled for the purpose of prayer, we stay balanced and focused on the things of God so that our communication will be clear, reasonable, specific and pleasing to YOU.

Above all, we are learning to have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins for it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others.

We purpose to be hospitable to one another without complaint.

Just as each one of us has received a special gift, a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by YOU, we employ it in serving one another as is appropriate for good stewards of YOUR multi-faceted grace, faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to us by YOUR unmerited favor.

Whoever among us speaks to the congregation of believers, is to do so as one who speaks the oracles, that is the utterances, the very words of spoken to us by YOU. Whoever serves the congregation of believers will purpose to do so as one who serves by the strength which YOU abundantly supply, so that in all things YOU may be glorified, honored and magnified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.

Amen.

Faith Versus Flesh

Thursday, February 7th, 2019

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Galatians chapter 3:

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—

6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

Let us not be foolish and trust in the works of the flesh.  There are many who started their walk in faith and then digressed to do works based on their fleshly understanding thus they no longer walk in faith.  They have moved from revelation to tradition.  What FATHER may have revealed 20 years ago may have only been intended for that particular time so we must not allow ourselves fall into a rut, failing to hear any of HIS fresh directives for our life.

As we mature, FATHER expects us to become more sensitive to HIS directives and walk according to what HIS Holy Spirit directs.  As changing events occur, we must navigate accordingly and not count on old manna.  As our understanding increases, we become equipped to walk according to a new set of directives which we were unable to follow in an immature state.  We should mature into great faith and no longer waver when FATHER instructs us to take certain actions.

We must resist the tendency to convert revelation to rituals.  FATHER told me to start praying  for one hour before work every day beginning in the year 1990.  I faithfully did so until HE told me at the beginning of the year 2000 that season was over.  It is as important to hear HIM when HE directs us to stop as it is when HE directs us to begin.  Both require faith in HIS Word.  That ten year period was filled with major changes, upheavals,  and challenges that required me to be fully equipped to handle them in an appropriate manner.  That time of prayer was central to my preparation.  FATHER allowed me to experience an 18 month journey into the “wilderness’ from March of 1995 to September of 1996.  I had been prepared for such a time due to HIS directive to become a prayer warrior.  During that 18 month period, I had to put my emotions in check virtually every morning lest I be moved by what I saw occurring in my life.

FATHER honored my faithfulness and delivered me many times during that ten year period.  My faith was strong and I did not rely on fleshly works to deal with the challenges at hand.  I share these personal events not to bring attention to myself but to encourage you that FATHER is more than willing to see you through similar challenges.  You are not alone in times of suffering but know that many of us have endured similar tests and trials of our faith.  The point is that we must purpose to hear the directives of Our Heavenly Father and not allow ourselves to count on man’s fleshly works of the law or any tradition to see us through such challenges.  Faith comes by hearing HIM!

The True Treasury

Wednesday, February 6th, 2019

Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 4:

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

In looking back over the past 45 years, FATHER has positioned me to be a teacher on behalf of the Kingdom.  While in church, I was sought out to teach the high school class and later the young married couples’ class.  I never volunteered to teach but was always asked to teach.  After leaving the church in 1996, I was content to simply seek the Kingdom and study the Word but FATHER led God’s Kingdom Ministries to have me speak at the conferences they held.  This occurred for ten years then FATHER instructed me to focus solely on the revelation of Love and start Servias Ministries.  HE provided me the funds to set up the operations with the intent for me to write blogs and instruct those who had eyes to see and ears to hear.

In the early 1970’s while working at the largest bank in Oklahoma, I taught a few night courses on  Economics and  a course on “Money and Banking” at a local small college.  I have always had a desire to impart what I knew to be facts and truth to those who wanted to learn.  It is clear that FATHER instilled this desire to teach in me as a gift and part of the calling when HE formed me in the womb.

Over those same years, I have received literally hundreds of prophetic words about a financial-based calling centered around being a “treasurer” for the Kingdom.  Several prophets from various areas around the country would prophesy similar prophecies to keep me encouraged.  At first, I was excited about these prophecies for I had excelled in banking and knew the industry inside and out.  FATHER placed me in banking for it was never my idea to go to work at a bank.

As I have pondered the various positions HE has placed me in as well as the prophecies given to me over the years, I see the greatest honor to be given is the revelation of Love.  Within that revelation is the treasury where moth and rust cannot corrupt.  In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus spoke:

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

And in Matthew chapter 13, Jesus again spoke:

44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Over the years, FATHER sent me on multiple trips to London, Switzerland, Spain, Toronto, and even to a mine in Panama where I had the expectation of those prophecies being fulfilled.  I even have a covenant in place for accessing the wealth of China held in various secret caves.  FATHER orchestrated that as well.  Yet being exposed to the world’s wealth does not compare to the revelation of Love and Its inherent benefits in the Kingdom of GOD.  The treasury in the Kingdom is infinitely greater than any treasury found on earth.  Yesterday’s link provides us with great insight to the preparation of the Sons and Daughters for what FATHER has in store for us.  Let us keep our focus on what will never pass away… It is all about Love.  Everything else is temporary by comparison.