This book is the fifth of my father's books, written in 2002. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are my father's words.
Acknowledgments 
In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023
We are deeply indebted to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for allowing us to experience and understand a small measure of His Truth, as written in the Word and as revealed by the Holy Spirit. NO man can understand the Word of God or the ways of God unless they are revealed to him by His Spirit.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14
I would also like to acknowledge my wife, Linda, who provided me with great encouragement and support. She also gave me her valuable comments for improvement.
All verses quoted herein are taken from the Authorized or King James' version, except as specifically noted at the appropriate places.
Permission is freely given to anyone to copy all or parts of this book and to distribute this word in any way that you desire to whomever you desire, PROVIDED that you do so without any monetary remuneration. The word of God is free (or at least should be). "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8).
The Unfolding: Volume 5
This book represents the fifth in a series of books centered around the unfolding of the word of God and the revelation or manifestation or unfolding of His great grace and glory.
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Luke 12:2
God has revealed more of Himself and His word over the years. But there is coming a time when God is going to roll everything back up into Himself. A possible analogy is that of unrolling a scroll so as to read what is written thereon and then rolling the scroll back up. That was the inspiration for the front and back covers of this book and for those volumes in the series yet to come.
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll ... Isaiah 34:4
God's purpose is to manifest His glory. Everything is designed to show forth the glory of God.
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isaiah 40:5
Some verses that clearly show that God has chosen to reveal more of Himself and His word over a period of time are:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. 1 Peter 1:20But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Romans 3:21The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. Hebrews 9:8Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. Ephesians 3:5
God's revelation, by His Spirit, is not simply TO us, but WITHIN us. The Word of God must become flesh. For example,
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace,16 To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Galatians 1:15‑1626 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:26‑27
There is still more that God intends to reveal of His glory.
Father, glorify Thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. John 12:28For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Romans 8:19
But there will come a time when God folds everything back up. Many believers sense that folding up is near at hand.
And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed ...
Hebrews 1:12And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:28
"For our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29), and everything shall be consumed by the fire of His Spirit, that God may be all in all.
The five books in this series are:
Volume 1: The Love of a Man for His Wife
Volume 2: In the Beginning
Volume 3: A Sure Foundation
Volume 4: Let Us Go On
Volume 5: Children, Have You Any Meat?
Foreword
1 After these things Jesus shewed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed He Himself.2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.6 And He said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. John 21:1-6
First of all, we might ask why this Chapter, John 21, was added to the already finished gospel. The last two verses in Chapter 20 seem to be a natural ending point. The event in John 21 (of catching 153 great fishes) is NOT called a miracle. However, John 21:14 states that this was the THIRD time that Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after that He was risen from the dead.
... that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Matthew 18:16
Perhaps Chapter 21 was added to demonstrate once and for all the reality of the resurrection of Jesus.
Once more, let us not try to interpret the above verses strictly in the natural sense. It makes no sense to the natural mind that there would be NO fish on one side of the boat and a super abundance of fish 20 feet or so to the right. We believe that Jesus used this real-life example to try to illustrate some significant spiritual points.
The seven disciples (in verse 2) had gone fishing, based on their own logical reasoning, at NIGHT, which technically was the best time for fishing. But they caught nothing! At morning, Jesus told them to cast on the right side of the ship and they would find fish. There is NOTHING in the scripture that indicates that the seven disciples had NEVER cast their net on the right side during the night. Since they had caught NOTHING, we would assume that they had cast the net on BOTH sides of the boat, looking, somewhat anxiously, for fish. What made the difference? It was hearing the word of Jesus and being obedient to His word!
It is the same with us today. All of our efforts, even though properly motivated, to accomplish anything through our logical reasoning, our minds, common sense, or our own efforts, will produce NOTHING! We must likewise hear the word of the Lord for ourselves and be obedient to His word. In John 21:6, Jesus told the disciples to cast the net on the RIGHT side of the ship. In scripture, the left signifies the flesh and the right signifies the spiritual side.
And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
Matthew 25:33
Furthermore, the RIGHT side of the ship is WHATEVER side the Lord tells us to choose. The natural man chooses the WRONG side.
Now let us consider John 21:11, which says that the disciples caught 153 great fishes. The disciples caught the fish from the sea. The sea refers to the world; the fish refer to men. Jesus told His disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Now, why 153 rather than some other number, say 152 or 154? Obviously the number 153 has some significance. We have read three different interpretations, but we do not have any specific revelation from the Lord about this number. However, we can be safe in a general interpretation. The number 153 undoubtedly refers to what Jesus said in John 12:
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. John 12:32
The number 153 may refer to the fulness of the Gentiles (100), the remnant of Israel (50), and the Trinity (3 in one) to whose glory all things are done. We have not researched this, but we suspect that there also may be 153 different nations in the world.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14
In any event, the 153 probably signifies that some day men of all nations will be gathered together to Jesus Christ. WE must be fishers of men, but it MUST be by the direction of the Lord!
We should also note that Jesus (in John 21:9) had ALREADY prepared fish and bread for the seven disciples to eat. Jesus said, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of” (John 4:32). We must eat from the table of the Lord, then feed His sheep (as Jesus told Peter three times in John 21:15-17).
Peter said,
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.
1 Peter 2:2
But the question before more mature believers is:
Children, have you any meat? John 21:5
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:14Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work. John 4:34
* * *
This fifth book of unfolding contains a number of individual chapters whose motivation is the edification, exhortation, and comfort for the believer who has been walking with the Lord for some number of years and who desires to move on in the Lord.
As you read this book, a good question always to keep in mind concerning ANY Biblical topic is, "How does this relate to the Lord Jesus Christ and how does it relate to furthering the kingdom of God?"
In addition, readers should ALWAYS be encouraged to hear what the Spirit is saying to them as they read ANY written book or article, such as this one. Most of you will find a few insights in this book which are a little different from “standard” teaching. NO MAN IS PERFECT and NO MAN HAS ALL OF THE TRUTH; but I would NEVER put into print anything that I do not believe is truth. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead us into all truth. Many years ago a brother asked me if I had believed every word that two men had prophesied over me. I replied that when I eat a grape I eat the pulp and spit out the seed. A major key in Christianity is that each believer should be fully persuaded in his/her own mind.
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Romans 14:1‑3, 5
Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets. Amos 3:3
It is significant that both “servants” and “prophets” are plural. This seems to imply that the Lord does not reveal the whole picture to any single person. It takes the combined revelation from ALL of His servants to reveal His secret.
This word simply represents that which we have received from the Lord on the enclosed topics as of this point in time. Our sincere desire is that this word will be a blessing to all who read it. We all learn some things through personal experience. Hopefully, we can also learn through the experiences of others.
We believe in progressive revelation. The Lord is unfolding more and more of Himself and His Truth. Peter said,
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 2 Peter 1:12
We have believed for years that there should be fresh revelation from the Lord through the Holy Spirit in EVERY assembly of believers, whether 2 or 3 or 300. We do NOT think that the Lord is pleased when ministers rehash the same word for 20 years.
If any thing be revealed to another [prophet] that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 1 Corinthians 14:30
When we first starting writing this series of books, we believed that there would be only five books. Shortly after the Lord apprehended me, I remember thinking to myself that I would NOT like to be a pastor in a denominational church. I thought it would be very difficult to come up with a different sermon every Sunday. After writing these five books I have changed my mind. I have found that EVERY time that I sit down to write a chapter on some topic, the Lord gives me more insight ... truth that I have never heard nor seen in print. Therefore, we fully expect, the Lord willing, that this will NOT be the last book that we will write.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. John 21:25
Chapter 1: The Presence Of The Lord
The Omnipresence of the Lord
Where is the Lord? He is seated at the right hand of the Father; but He is also the Head of the body. The body of Christ does not run around on earth missing its Head. The Lord is omnipresent by and through His Spirit.
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? Saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? Saith the Lord. Jeremiah 23:24Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?
Psalm 139:7
Jonah tried to flee from the presence of the Lord (Jonah 1:3) but was unsuccessful.
No Sin and No Flesh in the Presence of the Lord
First of all, God is holy and that which is of sin cannot be in His presence. Immediately after the fall of man in the garden of Eden,
Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord ... Genesis 4:16
When David prayed for remission of his sins, in Psalm 51, he said:
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Psalm 51:10-11
Further, scripture indicates that separation from the presence of God may become permanent if there is no repentance.
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power ... 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
In addition, we know that no FLESH can glory in His presence. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
That no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:29
The Importance of the Presence of the Lord
Moses understood the importance of the presence of the Lord.
14 And He [the Lord] said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.15 And he [Moses] said unto Him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Exodus 33:14-15
After the Lord reassured Moses that His presence would go with Moses, Moses said:
And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. Exodus 33:18
His Presence Is Accompanied by His Light and Glory
Two aspects that go along with the presence of the Lord are His Light and His Glory.
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Revelation 18:1
The verse above describes the angel (who proclaims doom on Babylon) coming from heaven filled with great light. Those who come from the presence of God bring with them the light of God. “Come ye out” rings out several times throughout the Bible as the Lord calls His people to cut their connection with sin and stand pure and holy in His presence. We come out first in our heart and a certain “aloofness of spirit” is maintained while we are in the world but not of the world. We are citizens of a heavenly kingdom.
The same thing happened to Moses. After Moses had been in the presence of the Lord in Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights, he came down to tell the people what the Lord had said to him.
33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.34 But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.36 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with Him. Exodus 34:33-36
Mark 9:2-10 records the account of when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into an high mountain apart, and Jesus was transfigured before them. Immediately after they came down from the mountain,
And straitway all the people, when they beheld Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him saluted Him. Mark 9:15
When the people were amazed, Jesus had not done anything and He had not said anything. He was just there! Why were the people amazed? Because they saw a different light in His countenance! They saw the glory of God in His face. Apparently this light continued for quite some time because we see the same statement in Mark 10.
And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid. Mark 10:32
Again, at that point in time, Jesus had not said anything nor done anything. We believe that the residue of the glory of God still could be seen in the Person of Jesus from His transfiguration.
Chapter 20 of book 4 of this series, Let Us Go On, speaks very briefly about “Experiencing the Glory of God.” Obviously a whole BOOK could be devoted to speaking of the glory of God. One such (good) book is “The Grace and the Glory of God.” by Charles Jarman and Carmen Benson, published in 1968. I am sure there are many others. One aspect I should have mentioned in our book 4 is that there is NOTHING “magic” about the two specific songs that I referenced. In other words, you may sing those two songs and experience NOTHING! It is the anointing of the Spirit that makes the difference.
The glory of the Lord denotes the revelation of God’s being, nature, and presence to mankind, usually with physical phenomena. Or more simply, the glory of the Lord is a manifestation of His Person or His power. Christians often speak of the MANIFEST presence of the Lord.
Glory and honour are in His presence ... 1 Chronicles 16:27
In addition to the experience described in Chapter 20 of Volume 4, I remember another occasion, somewhere in the mid-1970s, when I was in a house group assembly of believers in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. That day we sang one of the versions of the song “Holy, Holy, Holy” about 8 or 9 times ... over and over again. The presence of the Lord was so strong at that time that I felt like I might be carried away in the Spirit.
A third occasion when I sensed VERY strongly the presence of the Lord was in the room of my aunt in a nursing home in Charlotte, North Carolina, one Sunday morning in mid-June of 2001. We had been called by my aunt’s daughter and told that if we wanted to see my aunt on earth again we should come to Charlotte as soon as possible. My aunt was much like my grandmother (see Chapter 14 of Volume 4 of this series, titled “Let Us Go On”). She was 87 at the time that she went to be with the Lord. She had a very simple relationship with the Lord. She never made a “name” for herself. She just had a tender heart for the Lord. She also had picked up the mantle of intercession from her mother (my grandmother). When my wife and I and our oldest daughter, Lisa, went into my aunt’s room in that nursing home on Sunday morning, about 9 days before the Lord took her home, my aunt was very pitiful in the natural realm. My wife said that at first she could not recognize my aunt, who had lost a lot of weight, could scarcely speak or eat, and certainly could not stand or even sit up in her own strength. A beautiful CD was playing at her bedside ... some VERY beautiful instrumental songs of praise and worship. (Lisa gave us that same CD as a Christmas present this past year.) At one point I prayed for my aunt, a beautiful, Spirit-filled Christian. The Lord also gave me a word of prophecy for her. The only problem was that I had difficulty speaking myself because I was so overcome by the presence of the Lord in her room and in my aunt, that I was weeping. My aunt struggled to speak. She said, “Don’t cry, Bob!” My aunt glorified the Lord in her dying days perhaps more than ever in her life. She was not sad! She was rejoicing that she was going to be with the Lord! My wife and I and our daughter Lisa were ALL weeping, not so much because it was time for the Lord to take my aunt home, but because we were so overcome by the presence of the Lord. A little later that morning, my aunt’s daughter came into the room. She told me that there was a group of people in the dining room who were conducting a church service. After all, it was Sunday, and that is the day that you are supposed to do those things, right? She said that the people in the dining room were singing “Victory in Jesus,” and she suggested that I might want to go join that church service. I just nodded but said nothing. But what went through my mind was, “Why would I want to go to that church service? They may have all the right words and all the right songs, but the presence of the Lord is right here in THIS room.” Dearly beloved, I don’t know about you but I don’t care about all of the right forms, traditions, doctrines, etc. I want to be in the presence of the Lord!!! If the presence of the Lord is not there, then all of our church services are but wood, hay, and stubble! As an aftermath, my wife and I frequently listen to that same beautiful CD that was playing in my aunt’s room that Sunday. Almost EVERY time we hear that CD, it is like the Lord has translated us back to that Sunday morning!
The presence of the Lord is powerful and all encompassing! If you are not deeply moved by the presence of the Lord, then either you need to have your spiritual senses awakened or you have hardened your heart. Jacob said:
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. Genesis 28:16
What a TRAGEDY it is to be in the presence of the Lord, and not know it!!!
Results of His Presence
Two results of the presence of the Lord are fulness of joy ... joy unspeakable and full of glory ... and pleasures for evermore ... pleasures that FAR exceed any that we could ever have in the natural realm.
Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11
Another result of the presence of the Lord is that things HAPPEN! In the beginning, God said ... and it was so. Even the devils tremble at the presence of the Lord (James 2:19).
Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. Psalm 114:7The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. Psalm 68:8
Note that the earth trembles at the presence of the God of Jacob (Psalm 114:7), the natural man, and the God of Israel (Psalm 68:8), the spiritual man. So ALL men tremble in the presence of the Lord.
How Do We Enter Into His Presence?
First of all we can NOT enter into His presence or be aware of His presence by our own works, strength, or power. We enter into his presence by His grace and mercy and by keeping our garments clean.
24 Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 24-25
Jesus, Himself, intercedes for us.
Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24
We also have a responsibility in order to enter into His presence.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. Psalm 95:2Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100:2
Further, because no flesh can glory in His presence and because no sin can be in His presence, it is vital that we keep our garments clean.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. Psalm 140:13
We need to be quick repenters, like David. We are sure that you have experienced some meetings of believers that never seem to get off the ground whereas in others the presence of the Lord is manifested. If you want to sense the manifest presence of the Lord and bathe in His Light and Glory, we suggest before EACH and EVERY gathering of believers that EVERY believer do the following:
(1) repent of any sin that you are aware of in your life;(2) repent of any and all fleshy desires, such as self-pity, self-seeking, or ANY needs of self; and(3) go to the assembly of believers with ONE thought in mind ... to praise and worship the King of kings and Lord of lords and to give Him the glory.
In other words:
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and ALL these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Chapter 2: Let This Mind Be In You
The theme of this word can be stated very clearly by what immediately precedes Philippians 2:6-11:
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:4-5
The word "mind" in verse 5 (King James version) is translated "attitude" in the New American Standard version. The Greek word is "phroneo," which means to think, to be minded in a certain way, to think of, or be mindful of. The word implies moral interest or reflection, not mere unreasoning opinion.
These verses (in context with all scripture) seem to present a progression, from least important to most important. He who looks after his own things may be justified; he who minds the things of others does better; but who is interested in something for the Lord, rather than for you or for me? If we fulfill verse 5, then verse 4 MUST result. However, we can fulfill verse 4 and not necessarily fulfill verse 5. What is sometimes called "the Lord's Prayer" (Matthew 6:9-13) begins and ends with a focus on God. The last words are "for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory." So the glory belongs to God whether or not we give Him the glory. Another verse which is very appropriate to this word is, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). This implies a distinct focus on the Head.
New charismatics learn the (natural-level) "language" quickly. We learn the right words to say, particularly in the presence of other charismatics. This is partly because of the vast array of "Christian" books on the market, which charismatics usually devour quickly, since that approach is easier than receiving from the Lord Himself; partly because of exposure to other charismatics; and partly because of a new-found zeal and "excitement" of learning and telling some new thing. One of the first phrases that a new charismatic "learns" to say is, "and Lord, we will give you all of the glory." This phrase is typically added at the end of some prayer request for something for me or for some other person. Is there something "wrong" with that? Not necessarily. But, "Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that shouldest vow and not pay" (Ecclesiastes 5:5).
Human nature has never changed. Man is interested in, "What is in it for me? What do I get?" One of the clearest expressions of this is in John 6. Some people followed Jesus because "ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled" (verse 26). Others followed Jesus because they wanted to see His miracles (or receive some healing, deliverance, or miracle for themselves). Even Herod hoped to have seen some miracle done by Jesus (Luke 23:8). But when circumstances became more difficult, "many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him" (John 6:66). (Do you think it is a mere coincidence that it is in 6:66 that many disciples “went back”?) Finally, "And they ALL forsook him, and fled" (Mark 14:50).
There is no instant change from that (self-centered) attitude after someone accepts the saving grace of our Lord or even after being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Proof of that is the (steady) parade of off-centered doctrines that "charismatic" man has brought to the body of Christ, with tens of thousands (or more) believers running after each error. This speaks of "children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:14). The most popular themes, of course, are those which emphasize what I as a believer GET. I will never forget one (of many) words that a certain believer shared with me many years ago. To paraphrase: There seem to have been many breech births in the body of Christ - those who have come to Christ, but for the wrong reasons and in the wrong way - where the Head does not come first.
Furthermore, without any reservation, EVERY doctrinal error is caused by this self-centered or self-seeking attitude, which originated with the five "I will's" of Lucifer, as recorded in Isaiah 14:12-15. Yes, the enemy is still at work, trying to push his "I will" attitude into the minds of believers at every level.
We often hear of someone driving hither and yon because "a prophet will be there," and they hope to get a word of the Lord (for themselves) through that prophet. Literally thousands of believers (undoubtedly charismatics, for the most part) flock to the big "faith healer" meetings today. I recently heard of a woman who drove to Atlanta this past summer, hoping to be healed by an increasingly well-known person with a gift of healing. When the woman was not healed, she experienced much disappointment (and perhaps much more). Sounds like a re-run of John 6.
Of the thousands of believers who went to the healing meeting in Atlanta, the motivations probably ranged from A to Z. Of course there is a real place within the body of Christ for the various gifts and ministries. Neither do we question that God has set these gifts and ministries to be of service to the body. And we readily accept the fact that the Lord may very well have a believer seek out a particular ministry. We are simply trying to emphasize the importance of our ATTITUDE in approaching such gifts and ministries as compared to seeking the Head. Sometimes, even when our motivation may not be rightly focused on the Lord Himself, the Lord, in all of His compassion, may STILL allow the healing, word of wisdom, or whatever we were looking for to occur. Yes, a believer who is self-seeking MAY get what he/she requests to satisfy self interests. But that would be because of the Lord's compassion. Jesus healed many who later departed from him. In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus cleansed 10 lepers. One of them turned back and glorified God, fell down at Jesus' feet, and gave Him thanks. To the one, Jesus said, "Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." Being made whole was far more than simply being cleansed of leprosy. Only the Lord knows our hearts. But experiential evidence and observation indicates the self-seeking attitude in too many cases. *For more detail, see Chapter 13: The Kingdom Of Self.)
We have also met some believers who have some obvious maturity, but seem to be almost obsessed with some lower-level goal, perhaps even a God-given ministry for them in their lives. How much better it would be to run a different race of loving "the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matthew 22:37). Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus - the mind or attitude to do the will of the Father.
A number of years ago, while reading Isaiah 6:1, I "read" this verse: "In the year that king SELF died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple." Now "Uzziah" does not mean "self." However, the Holy Spirit can take something out of context and put it into context. Moreover, there is a real connection between Philippians 2:5 and this "different" translation of Isaiah 6:1. "Uzziah" is a combination of two Hebrew words which, taken together, mean "the strength of Jah" or "the strength (security, force, majesty, or praise) of the Lord."
The key is easy to state - not so easy (in fact, impossible) for man to implement. But all things are possible with God. The answer can be found in Philippians 2:5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." So now the question is, what mind or attitude was in Christ Jesus? Or, to rephrase the question in terms of the meaning of the name "Uzziah," what was the strength of the Lord?
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work. John 4:34I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. John 5:30For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. John 6:38If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. John 7:17Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Hebrews 10:7
And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Matthew 26:395 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8
T. Austin Sparks wrote a little booklet in the 1950s entitled "The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ." Although I do not remember any specifics from that booklet, the title (and undoubtedly the contents) speaks loudly and clearly that God has designed that everything must center in and around the Son, Jesus Christ. "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to Whom be glory for ever" (Romans 11:36).
Jesus had only one focus, one objective - to do the will of the Father. He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant. He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That is the mind or attitude that Paul exhorts all the saints in Christ Jesus to embrace. Let this mind also be in you and us. This is the mind or attitude that characterizes the overcomer.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:111 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.2 Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
So it really is somewhat insignificant whether or not I receive this thing or that thing. The important thing is that God be glorified. Notice also that the last part of the verses in Philippians 2:4-11 end with "to the glory of God the Father."
I recently heard of a man who is traveling around the country preaching a message of repentance. Many (believers) might say, "repent? of what?" Perhaps for starters, we could repent of any self-seeking attitude. Repent of any obsession to fulfill some lower-level goal. Repent of any attitude that falls short of, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God."
Yes, to qualify as an overcomer we must identify with Jesus in Philippians 2:7-8.
Nevertheless, "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
Chapter 3: A Tender Heart
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
The words translated “heart” in scripture has at least three types of meanings. The heart may refer to strictly a natural level human organ; or it may refer to the middle or center of something; or the heart may refer to a person’s innermost being ... the essence of that person. It is the latter significance of the word “heart” that we wish to address in this Chapter.
We must understand that only the Lord knows our hearts.
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him [Eliab]: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:79 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:9-10
The above scripture says, in effect, that we do not know our own heart; only the Lord knows our heart.
In scripture, we have found, through a very quick search, more than FIFTY different adjectives which are used to describe the heart. Some of these adjectives are a broken heart, a clean heart, an evil heart, a hard heart, a pure heart, a perfect heart, a willing heart, a merry heart, a wise and understanding heart, a tender heart, a proud heart, a stony heart, a proud heart, a wicked heart, a heavy heart, a good heart, an impenitent heart, a fearful heart, and on and on. We found, with our brief search of adjectives used to describe the heart, that about 50% are “bad” adjectives (describing a man whose relationship with the Lord is not in the right place) and about 50% are “good” adjectives. In this Chapter we want to discuss only TWO of those adjectives ... a “hard” heart and a “tender” heart.
When Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, He said:
And when they had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. Mark 3:5
Four times, in the book of Hebrews, Chapters 3 and 4, a hard heart is mentioned, with an exhortation to us NOT to harden our hearts.
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His voice,8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: ... Hebrews 3:7-8
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, Hebrews 3:12-13
While it is said, today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:15Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. Hebrews 4:7
In scripture, whenever something is said TWICE in the same verse, there is an emphasis that we need to heed. A repetition of the same word(s) occurs many times; e.g., Jesus many different times says, “Verily, verily I say unto you.” Whenever a word or phrase is mentioned THREE times, it is VERY significant; e.g., “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord” (Jeremiah 22:29). In Hebrews, Chapters 3 and 4, within 20 verses of each other, we find the exhortation to “harden not your hearts” a total of FOUR times. Could this exhortation be important? Yes!
Note that WE are the ones who harden our heart. The verses in Hebrews, Chapter 3 and 4, also give the RESULT of a hard heart. We do NOT hear His voice (Hebrews 3:7,15; Hebrews 4:7); and we can NOT enter into His rest (Hebrews 3:11, 19).
What causes a hard heart? Two causes are the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13) and unbelief (Hebrews 3:12,19). Pride is also a big cause of deceitfulness, which leads to a hard heart.
The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Obadiah 3
Another cause of pride, deceitfulness, and then a hard heart is materialism.
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day.12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, ...17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. Deuteronomy 8:11-14, 17
What would be the opposite of a hard heart? perhaps a SOFT heart? From the many different adjectives used in scripture to describe the heart, the closest opposite we have found to a hard heart is a TENDER heart. A tender heart seems to imply compassion and forgiveness. Moreover the Hebrew word that is most often translated as “tender” comes from a primary root meaning “to soften.”
Several people in scripture are described as having a tender heart. One such is Josiah, who reigned as king of Judah for thirty-one years, beginning around 640 B.C. The reign of Josiah was characterized as the last religious revival before the disintegration of the Southern Kingdom, which ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. In the eighth year of Josiah’s reign, he began to seek after God and four years later initiated reforms. Images, altars, and all manner of idolatrous practices were destroyed, not only in Jerusalem and Judah, but also in Manasseh, Ephraim, and as far north as Naphtali. The king himself led this reformation movement. Huldah, the prophetess, brought a word from the Lord to Josiah, as follows:
Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. 2 Kings 22:19
David was another man who was described as having a tender heart before the Lord. David himself said:
And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness. 2 Samuel 3:39
The word translated as “weak” should more appropriately be translated as “tender” and comes from a primary root word meaning “to soften.” David was called a man after the Lord’s own heart (Acts 13:22). Why? One reason was because David had a tender heart before the Lord.
As we might expect, a tender heart is also a characteristic of the Lord Jesus Christ. David prophesied of the coming Messiah as follows:
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.4 And He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tendergrass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 2 Samuel 23:3-4
Have you ever noticed that newly planted grass, when it first comes up out of the earth, is always the greenest, most tender, loveliest grass of all? After the grass has been exposed to the world, it begins to lose some of its luster. Jesus, of course, never lost His luster of the Father. The prophet Isaiah gives another prophecy about the Lord Jesus.
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. Isaiah 53:2
Also,
Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James 5:11
In the summer of 2001, my wife and I went on a three week trip into Canada. Toward the beginning of that trip, the Lord had opened up some scriptures to me concerning the woman who had washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and dried His feet with her hair (Luke 7:36-50). We visited two sets of Christians in two different, large cities in Canada. One man and his family we stayed with for four days was an Arabic speaking Christian pastor. He had opened up his home to us even though we had never met before. The highlight of that visit for me concerned a family transplanted from their native Iraq. On a Saturday afternoon, the pastor related to my wife and me the story of the family from Iraq. Apparently the father, mother, and three children had come to know the Lord while they were living in Iraq. The father had a very profitable jewelry business. When Saddam Hussein heard that this man had become a Christian, he sent his men to the father and told him to go with them to inspect his jewelry store. The man never came back. The mother and three children, ages 14, 17, and 19, fled for their lives. They managed to escape out of Iraq and then to Canada with little more than the clothes on their back ... no money. They still hope that the father is alive somewhere in Iraq, but there is little realistic hope of that. The oldest child is a girl, now 19. The pastor we stayed with told us that the girl had developed an unusual case of diabetes after arriving in Canada. When this Arabic-speaking pastor told us that story, I KNEW that I needed to pray for that family. I asked the pastor if that would be possible. He indicated that yes, it would be possible.
On Sunday, we all went to their regular church service, which was held at 3 p.m. After the service was over, the pastor invited another family over to his house to eat dinner. They stayed until after 9:30 p.m. We were supposed to leave the next morning. By 9:40 p.m., I was feeling very uncomfortable and said silently, Lord, it looks like we will leave without being able to pray for that family from Iraq. I knew, however, that I could not tell the pastor to ask his guests to leave. Finally the guest left. I quickly asked our host if it was too late to go and pray for the family. He called and spoke, in Arabic, with the mother, who evidently said for us to come over right away. So my wife and I and the pastor walked two blocks to the family’s home, which was an apartment above a convenience store. The mother and all three children were there. Everyone spoke English. After a few minutes I explained why my wife and I were there ... to pray for their family and particularly for the daughter with diabetes. The mother and daughter were very receptive to that. Linda and I went over to the sofa where the girl was sitting, knelt down on the floor in front of her and prayed for her. The mother was sitting in a chair next to her daughter. After a very short time period, the girl started weeping; so was the mother; so were Linda and I. The only people who were NOT weeping were the two young boys, who had NO idea what was going on, and the pastor. I am not entirely sure that the pastor knew what was going on either because he never participated in praying for that young girl.
Shortly after we left their apartment and went back to the pastor’s house, I was reminded of the woman in Luke 7 who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped His feet with her hair. I was also STRONGLY impressed that this young Iraqi girl, as evidenced by her weeping, had a very tender heart before the Lord. There has NEVER been a doubt in my mind that because of her tender heart, the Lord healed her of the diabetes. Praise God!!! Hallelujah!!! The Lord is waiting to pour out His richest blessings on those who have a tender heart before Him!
Chapter 4: The Ways Of The Lord
There is a distinct difference between the ways of the Lord and the ways of man. Natural man cannot know about His ways. Indeed, the ways of the Lord are not automatically revealed even to believers.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8, 9
10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.11 Unto them I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Psalm 95:10, 11
We cannot find out the ways of the Lord. He must reveal His ways to us.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out. Romans 11:33He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.
Psalm 103:7
We must DESIRE to see His ways.
Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Psalm 25:4
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3
Many years ago, I went to an assembly of the saints in the home of a close friend. The man in whose home the meeting was held had invited an elder from another Christian fellowship to be the "guest" teacher for the evening. At one point in the meeting we began to praise and worship the Lord in the Spirit. At that point the visiting teacher did his best to interrupt us. The teaching of his particular fellowship was that praising the Lord in any tongue other than English was anti-scriptural. He succeeded in interrupting our singing in the Spirit. The host then turned the meeting over to the visiting teacher, who taught on the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Well, I looked around the room and did not see anyone who was not already baptized in the Holy Spirit. So that seemed a little strange to me; but worse still was his attitude and tone of voice. He displayed an attitude of "let me tell you folks all about this subject." And he exhibited a very real harshness through his legalistic teaching. When the visiting teacher finished, the host turned to the man and said, "I have heard that one of your daughters is going to have open-heart surgery next week. Can we pray for her right now?" Well, no one could turn down that offer, so we prayed for the visitor's daughter. The meeting ended shortly thereafter.
A day or two later, one of our local elders (who had not been at that particular meeting) called me and asked, "What happened at that meeting Friday night? Many people have told me how bad the meeting was." I replied that I thought it was one of the best meetings we had ever had. I told him that the visiting teacher had interrupted our praise and worship of the Lord and had exhibited a very harsh, legalistic teaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Further I said that the teaching subject seemed to be very inappropriate but that the visitor obviously wanted to teach us a thing or two. Then I told the caller about how the visitor had exhibited harshness and arrogance to us, but received the love of God in return, when we all prayed for the man's daughter. To me that was a great lesson that the Lord had designed for us. Apparently, very few of the believers who had gathered that night saw the ways of the Lord in action. They could only see the harshness and legalism ... the superficial aspects. His ways are higher than our ways! The two great object lessons that the Lord was trying to teach that night, through example, were:
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Matthew 5:11But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
Matthew 5:44
Another example ... many young, single believers seem to be looking for the "perfect" marriage partner, one who has similar qualities to him/herself. Unfortunately, they may be disappointed. The Lord wants to use our spouses to help to shape us and mold us into the image of Christ ... to form the fullness of His nature within us. This may mean some chafing for a season ... until we see what the Lord is really after. He is primarily interested in "Christ in you, the hope of glory," not simply instant marital bliss. So a young, single believer who is interested in marriage should NOT look for someone with SIMILAR interests; neither should he/she look for someone with DIFFERENT interests. The ONLY criteria should be, who is the person the Lord wants to be my spouse?
One of my favorite scriptural examples which illustrates the ways of the Lord concerns Abram. In Genesis 13, the Lord told Abram,
17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord. Genesis 13:17-18
“Mamre” means “vision” and “Hebron” means “joined together” or “communion.” Now who can argue with vision and communion with God? However, Abram slipped, although very subtly. Why? Because the Lord had told Abram to “walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it” (Genesis 13:17). Instead, Abram pitches his tent and settles in comfortably in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and builds there an altar to the Lord . Very admirable, but that was NOT what the Lord told Abram to do. “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). But God in His sovereignty stirred up the first war recorded in the Bible, involving perhaps hundreds of thousands of men. For what purpose? To get Abram to do what Abram had neglected to do ... to walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it. Abram, in order to rescue Lot, had to walk from Hebron, in the southern-most part of the land, all the way up to Dan, in the extreme northern-most part, and over eastward close to Damascus (Genesis 14:14-15). In doing so, Abram finally fulfilled the word of the Lord to him. The ways of the Lord are higher than our ways!
One personal example. I taught Computer Science and Computer Information Systems (CIS) at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia for twelve years. I was a tenured faculty member in the School of Arts and Sciences. Toward the end of the twelfth year I heard a word from the Lord that it was time for me to retire. The Lord said that He had “new and exciting things” for me to do elsewhere. Well my wife did NOT think that I should retire, so I agreed, rather reluctantly, to teach one more year. Just prior to starting my thirteenth year of teaching, our family all went to the beach together (in August of 2000). When we returned from the beach, I had a letter from the Marymount administration which said they had moved the CIS program from the School of Arts and Sciences to the School of Business and they had also transferred me to the School of Business. That was the first word about the transfer that I had heard. I had been instrumental in developing the CIS program and I knew more about that program than everyone else combined; but no one ever bothered to ask me what I thought about moving the CIS program to the School of Business and no one ever asked me if I would be willing to be transferred. I wrote several letters of appeal and talked with the Vice President of Academic Affairs twice, outlining many specific reasons why I thought the move of the CIS program was a mistake, not only from my personal viewpoint but also from the University’s perspective. I also said that I thought their method of handling the move showed a lack of courtesy to me. Then I turned in my letter of retirement, although I agreed to stay through the academic year (my thirteenth year of teaching) to make it easier for the administration to find a replacement for me. The point is that I recognized the ways of the Lord at work. The Lord wanted me out of there and arranged all of those changes JUST FOR MY BENEFIT! To get me to do what the Lord had told me to do on the first place ... namely to retire from teaching computers. His ways are higher than our ways!!!
Oh that we might be able to see the ways of the Lord in every aspect of our lives and cooperate with His Holy Spirit.
Chapter 5: Patience
One of the most obvious characterizations of American culture today is our fast-paced way of life. People hurry to get to work, hurry home after work, and just hurry everywhere. Automobile drivers routinely drive 70-75 in a 55 mile-per-hour speed limit zone. Drivers of automobiles weave in and out of lanes, trying to get ahead of other drivers. Road rage is everywhere. It is dangerous to drive on the Beltway around Washington, D.C., during non-rush hour because of the typical excessive speed of most drivers. This hectic “rat race” on the asphalt jungle greatly contributes to stress in the life of people. Prolonged stress can cause all sorts of physical problems and will eventually kill you.
I remember one time I was driving North on I-395 from Springfield, Virginia, toward Washington, D.C., during rush hour traffic. An oil tanker truck was in the lane just to the left of me. The driver of the car in front of me, a man perhaps 60 years old, saw that he could pull over in front of the truck and maybe save two seconds. Since the truck could not accelerate fast enough, the car successfully cut in front of the truck with no chance of an accident. However, traffic was still bumper to bumper so every lane was moving slowly. The truck driver, who looked to be about 35, jumped out of his truck, ran up to the car who had just cut in front of him, yanked open the car door, and started cursing at the older man. I thought that the truck driver was going to beat up the older man. Fortunately, the older man did not respond in kind, probably apologized, and the truck driver finally got back into his truck and continued on. That incident, of course, is a mild example of more serious confrontations that occur on the highways every day. People in the world just have very little patience.
Even Christians get caught up in this frenzied, hurry-up pace of life. The pull of the world is VERY strong. Christians tend to go along with the ways of the world. I have personally observed Christians who speed excessively and use a CB radio to listen for locations of state police and/or radar traps.
I am retired from a “secular” job and rarely get into rush-hour traffic, but I am not completely immune from the hurry-up attitude. One of the areas in my life that the Lord has been working on is patience. It may just be possible that this is an area that many Christians are lacking.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promises. Hebrews 10:363 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience,4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:3-4
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1
The natural man is NOT born with a characteristic of patience; neither can the flesh bring forth patience.
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
The word “longsuffering” may be translated as “patience.”
The true prophets, as well as Job, are mentioned as those who had patience.
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James 5:10-11
David said,
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1
Moses had to wait in the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights (twice) to receive the commandments of God. Moses also had to wait for 40 years after he had received a God-given burden to deliver his people. Abraham had to wait fourteen years from the time of Ishmael to the birth of the promise of God in Isaac. Why all of this waiting? It runs counter to our natural flesh. Man is a “doer.” Christian man, wants to “do” something for God. Meanwhile, God waits patiently for us to cease from our works of the flesh so that He might work patience within us.
Patience is one of the many qualities that is required of a bishop.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous. 1 Timothy 3:2-3
As with any other fruit of the Spirit, patience is primarily exemplified by the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father.
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until He receive the early and latter rain. James 5:7
The “precious fruit of the earth” is NOT apples, peaches, or pears or any other natural fruit. It is the fruit of the Spirit developed with the earthen vessels ... you and me! It is the grace and mercy of God to wait patiently for us.
Lord, work your patience into us ... that we might cease from our own works and our own ways ... that we might see your glorious work done within us and through us.
Chapter 6: Clouds
The Lord would exhort His people to no longer dwell beneath a cloud, but to walk out from beneath that cloud into the fullness of His light. For this cloud both conceals and distorts the true vision, which is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This cloud is neither black nor white ... herein lies the deception.
Webster's Dictionary has multiple definitions of the word "cloud." First, a cloud is a "visible mass of particles of water or ice in the form of fog, mist, or haze suspended usually at a considerable height in the air." A cloud is perhaps the least substantial of all visible forms and therefore easily suggests spiritual being. So it is not surprising that clouds are a major scriptural pattern by which supernatural appearances occur. For example:
Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud. Isaiah 19:1And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Ezekiel 1:4
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
Revelation 14:14
A cloud is also a figure which sometimes represents something transitory. We frequently think of a cloud as a wispy, puffy mass in the air which appears today and is gone tomorrow; for example:
Terrors are turned upon me; they pursue my soul as the wind; and my welfare passeth away as a cloud. Job 30:15O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Hosea 6:4
Webster's second definition of "cloud" is "a great crowd or multitude." This brings to mind,
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses ... Hebrews 12:1Behold, He cometh with clouds: and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: Revelation 1:7
This last verse, "Behold, He cometh with clouds," is probably most often thought of strictly in the natural realm (puffy white clouds that we see in the air on a hot summer day). But surely the greater significance is in the spiritual realm, as in Jude 14, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints."
A third definition for "cloud" given by Webster is "something that has a dark, lowering, or threatening aspect." This quickly brings to mind the judgment of God against man in the time of Noah in the form of the flood. BEFORE the fall of man:
for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. Genesis 2:5-6And a river went out of Eden to water the garden. Genesis 2:10
The first occurrence of the word "cloud" in the bible is not found until Genesis 9:13, AFTER the flood. There is no mention of clouds before or during the flood itself. Since man rejected the River of Life, the streams whereof which shall make glad the city of God, and rejected the well that was designed to spring up from the heart of man, therefore water came down in the form of judgment.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.11 ... the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. Genesis 7:10-12
Did God cause the rain (flood) for forty days and forty nights to occur WITHOUT clouds? We do not know. But we do know that,
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. Genesis 9:13-15
The last meaning of the word "cloud", as given by Webster, is "something that obscures or blemishes." The fact that a cloud conceals or hides something may be looked upon in two different ways. A cloud may provide strictly natural level benefits, such as shelter from the heat of the sun. Consider the following:
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.
Exodus 13:21
The pillar of a cloud by day undoubtedly did diminish the heat of the desert sun during the day time. More importantly, it was a provision of God to conceal the Israelites from the Egyptians.
A cloud also offers a promise of the refreshment of rain. Clouds without rain or without water speak of a promise without performance, or of a natural, man-developed gift without the blessing or anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.
Proverbs 25:14These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Jude 12
But God never intended that a cloud should conceal or obscure Himself from His people. Any such cloud conceals or distorts the true vision, which is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And this cloud is neither black nor white ... herein lies the deception.
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.
Joshua 5:13-14
Another, less obvious example of this principle is found in Genesis 14, which relates a war of the "good guys" (four kings in verse 1) against the "bad guys" (five kings in verse 2). In Genesis 10:22, Elam is the first born of Shem (hence the "good guys"); in Genesis 10:19, Sodom and Gomorrah was the country inhabited by Ham (hence the "bad guys"). In that war, which undoubtedly involved tens of thousands of people, the "good guys" won and in the process captured Lot, who had been living in Sodom. Abraham was not a part of EITHER side. Moreover, Abraham rescued Lot from the "good guys," but refused to take anything from the king of Sodom, from a thread even to a shoelatchet. Most importantly, Melchizidek told Abraham:
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. Genesis 14:20
It is vital to see that "thine enemies" delivered into the hands of Abraham were the "good guys." In Hebrews:
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:14
Note that we must have our (spiritual) senses exercised to discern BOTH good and evil. Natural senses do not get the job done. More importantly, the word "both" cannot be translated "between." It is not too difficult to discern "evil" (unless our conscience has been seared) but to discern "good" from the perfect will of God is another matter. That takes "the word of God, which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).
There are many other examples of this dichotomy, both sides of which miss the point. Is the scriptural pattern for church government the church at Antioch or the church at Jerusalem? Neither. As soon as we settle for ANY static pattern, we have missed the point. (See Chapter 9: Church Government, for another vivid example.) Is the day of the week that is holy on Saturday or on Sunday? Again, that misses the point, because Jesus is our Sabbath and our rest.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Galatians 6:15
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
Here, we will be bold enough to touch on a very sensitive area. We believe that those who use Galatians 3:28 as "proof" that females can "do" anything in the church that males can do - have missed the point as much as those who oppose this view. The question is not "what can males do;" neither is the question "what can females do." Consider the following:
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth;) Romans 9:11
So the real answer to this delicate area is NEITHER male nor female, but of Him that calleth. For many years we have said that good teachers are a dime a dozen. There is no lack of bible teachers to set forth correctly the principles of the doctrine of Christ. But it is not mere (true) words that nourish the soul, but God Himself. Unless God calls, sends, and anoints His word through a minister, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, then the result is as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. If we look at the bible as a whole, it is hard to deny that God has chosen, for the most part, males to be in positions of prominence to the natural eye (such as teaching doctrine in a public assembly) and females to have more hidden ministries (for example,1 Peter 3:1-6). However, I tread on very shaky ground if I dogmatically assert that God never has and never will elect a female for certain ministries. God is sovereign. He can do anything that He chooses. It is up to me (us) to recognize the calling and election of God through whatever vessel He has chosen.
In the final analysis, it is Christ in you, the hope of glory! It is, Thy will be done, O God! It is not I, but Christ who liveth in me. The ONLY thing that matters is that God be glorified!
The Lord told Jonah (Jonah 4:11) that Nineveh had "more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand." But the Lord had mercy on those people because they repented and believed God.
Lord, we ask that your grace and mercy might be upon us. Increase ever more within us so that we "may discern things that are excellent; that we may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:10).
Lord, we ask that we might be enabled, by Your Spirit, to walk away from every cloud that conceals or distorts who You are - every cloud of self, traditions of men, pride, a lukewarm attitude toward You, all of the many enemies of the cross of Christ. Lord, may our senses be exercised to discern both good and evil. For "we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2).
As it was in the beginning, so shall it be at the end. In the beginning there were no clouds; at the fulfillment of time, there will also be no clouds.
And He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 2 Samuel 23:4
Chapter 7: The Jordan River
This word concerns the significance of the Jordan River, particularly as it applies to the Body of Christ today. But first, let us look at the situation in the world today, somewhat of a state-of-the-union synopsis. The word on the Jordan River complements several other thoughts that we have received over the past few years. We have had a growing awareness that the United States may well personify Babylon, as described in Revelation 18. But concerning the Jordan River ...
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.14 But John forbid Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Matthew 3:13-15
At one time, the major thought that we had received from the above verses was that Jesus was baptized in water and so we (all believers) should also be baptized in water. Although that is true, we have received a new perspective. It was not so much the fact that Jesus was baptized in WATER, but rather the PARTICULAR water, namely the Jordan River, that has the greater significance. When the mother of Zebedee’s children came to Jesus and asked that her two sons might sit beside Jesus in His kingdom,
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto Him, We are able. Matthew 20:22
Jesus was NOT talking about being baptized in water. Once again, the carnal, natural mind tries to pull scripture down to a level that the natural mind can understand.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.4 In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 1:1-5
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved. John 3:19-20
You all know, from the witness of the Spirit, your personal observations and experiences, and from the most superficial level of Scripture, that there is a rapidly increasing distinction in the world today between darkness and light. The events of September11, 2001, loudly proclaim this truth.
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 1 Timothy 3:12-131 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Isaiah 60:1-3
This is a day that people in the world have a short fuse! I remember an occasion a few years ago as I was driving home from work. I noticed that the right lane ahead was closed, and that the driver of a car was trying to move over from the right lane to the center lane so that he could proceed. When I approached the car, I slowed to almost a full stop and motioned for the driver to get in front of me into the center lane. When I did so, the driver of the car behind me became enraged (at the thought of having to wait a few extra seconds) and blew his horn loudly. This type of event, of course, is rather commonplace.
There are many documented instances, particularly in California, when motorists have shot at other motorists because of apparent driving habits, similar to the one noted above. In the December 29, 1987, issue of the Washington Post, a Baltimore woman was reported to have been shot in a crowded movie theater after her companion asked a man blocking their view to move. Even these types of events are becoming more common. But everything seems to take on more significance when you experience it for yourself.
The course of my work from 1986-1987 frequently took me to a site in the District of Columbia, which has a gate and guards. I had a pass to get into the gate, a parking sticker on my car, etc. One morning, as I turned in my car into the area where the main gate is, I noticed that there were two cars in front of me, waiting for the gate to fully open before I (and they) could proceed. So I slowed, normally, to a stop behind the car in front of me. I recognized the man in the car in front of me, although I did not know his name, and never had reason to work with him. I also recognized the woman in the car in front of him, but likewise did not know her name. Then, after I had stopped, I noticed the man in the car in front of me waving his arms furiously. I had no idea why he was waving his arms. I assumed that he was upset with the woman in front of him, and wanted her to hurry up and drive through the gate. I happened to park next to the woman who had been two cars in front of me. She was a very gentle, black woman, who may well have been a Christian (at least she exhibited the outward characteristics). We walked into the building together, exchanging pleasant conversation, until we arrived at the location where I picked up the computer listings that I needed. At that point, the man who had been between our two cars suddenly appeared, obviously very upset, and asked me if I worked there. Before I could answer, the woman said, yes, I did. Then he said to me, “Back there at the gate, you missed hitting me by that much (indicating one inch with his fingers). If you EVER get that close to me again, I will kill you!” Then the man left as suddenly as he had appeared. The black woman, who had been standing with me all of this time, said that she did not understand why he had said the things that he did, that she had seen what happened at the gate (which was nothing), and that she thought that I should report the incident. She also said that she would be my witness.
I have been driving a car for about 55 years; I have stopped behind probably thousands of cars waiting for lights to change (or gates to open). I believe that I stopped a good five feet behind the man that day; and I have never experienced any such event before or since. That was also the first time (to my knowledge) that anyone has ever threatened to kill me. So when he said what he did to me, I was literally speechless. I really did not know what to say or do. Then the supervisor of the black woman walked by. She proceeded to tell her supervisor what had just happened. He laughed. I did NOT laugh.
After reflecting a short while on the incident, several thoughts came to my mind. One thought was that perhaps I could talk to the man and help him. A second thought was that he was obviously a very disturbed man. Although I had no fear of him physically (he was perhaps 55 years old, about 5'8" tall, and about 135 pounds), you never know what a disturbed man with a gun might do. And if I just ignored the incident, who knows but what the next day he might actually kill someone else?
I received three different levels of light shortly after the incident. The first, or superficial level, had to do with the event itself. The second, and more meaningful, level was also a personal word for me with respect to my work situation at that time. Neither of these two levels are of any real significance for you. However, the Spirit of God began to quicken some scriptures to me. This continued over a period of about one month. One of the first scriptures that came to my mind was,
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5
So we are concerned with the Jordan River, and particularly the SWELLING of the Jordan. This verse is current events. This is a time of contending with horses; a time of the swelling of the Jordan.
In 1999, I had another very dramatic experience at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, where I was teaching at the time. I had an occasion one day to walk over to an administration building. As I walked into the building, I recognized the catholic priest who was assigned to Marymount. He was talking to a young, attractive, smiling woman who worked there. I spoke to them both briefly. She told me that she was in a graduate catholic theology program. The next day I had an opportunity to witness to that young woman about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how the Lord had apprehended me. I also told her that I had written several Christian articles and would bring her a few (that I thought she could more easily digest). Then she emailed me and told me that one day God would bring me back into the “fold.” By that she meant, of course, that I was a “lost” soul and needed to get back into THE church. A good catholic, of course, believes that anyone outside of the catholic church is in danger of hell fire, needs to repent, and join up with them. Well I made a tactical error, I suppose, when I emailed her back and said, in essence, that elephants would fly before I would join the Roman catholic church. Then I walked over to her office and knocked on her door, which was open anyway, and told her I had brought a few articles for her to read. She was doing something at her computer at the time. When she turned and looked at me, I saw the SAME hatred in her eyes that killed the Lord Jesus 2,000 years ago. NEVER in my life have I ever seen such hatred in the eyes of any person. I believe that if she had had a gun she would have shot me! That brought to my mind the scripture where Jesus said,
1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.2 They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. John 16:1-2
The above verses also bring to mind the events of September 11, 2001, and what has occurred since then.
Now let us return to the Jordan River. The Jordan River is first mentioned in scripture in Genesis 13, when Abraham told Lot to choose whichever way he would go and he (Abraham) would go the other way.
Then Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Genesis 13:10
So Lot looked with his natural eyes and was led by his natural flesh to choose a way which led, except for the grace of God, only to destruction. Note please that the plain of Jordan looked, in the natural realm, like the garden of the Lord and like the land of Egypt in the time of plenty. This speaks of the great deception that is already upon the earth. We MUST have discernment to be able to distinguish between the unclean and the clean ... from that which is holy and that which is profane. Chapter 16 addresses this need for discernment in great detail.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
One of the most symbolic chapters in scripture is 2 Kings 2. This chapter relates the events that occurred just prior to the time when Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into heaven. In that chapter, Elijah says that the Lord had sent him from Gilgal to Bethel, to Jericho, and then to Jordan. This represents a progression in the spiritual life of a believer. Gilgal was a place of circumcision and passover; Bethel represents anointing and revelation; Jericho always speaks of spiritual warfare; but the Jordan came AFTER Jericho. Quite a number of years ago, one of the Lord’s servants related that Jordan speaks of inheritance. That is close. But perhaps to be a little more accurate, Jordan speaks of ENTRANCE into inheritance. It was at the Jordan River that the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land. And what about the entrance itself?
The last words recorded in the Gospel of John that Jesus spoke to his disciples before being taken, prior to His crucifixion, were:
32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.John 16:32-3321 And when they (Paul and Barnabas) had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:21-22
Thus, the Jordan River is symbolic of TRIBULATION. We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), just as the Israelites passed over the Jordan River into the Promised land. It is also significant that Paul and Barnabas did not speak that word about tribulation to the believers in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch until about six years AFTER those believers had been apprehended by the Spirit of God. There is about six years time difference between the first part of Acts 14 and the last part of the same chapter. This may signify that this word on the Jordan River is not milk for new believers.
Another chapter filled with symbolic significance is 1 Chronicles 12. The first part of that chapter speaks of those who came to David when David was still being hunted by Saul; or when things were the toughest. After naming many who came to David, we read:
These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west. 1 Chronicles 12:15
In other words, they came when the Jordan had overflown all his banks; they came during the swelling of the Jordan; they were the firstfruits. The second part of that chapter relates those who came to David to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel. It is much better to come to Jesus late than never at all!
But perhaps the key scriptures are found in Joshua. In Chapter 3, the people are told that
for ye have not passed this way heretofore. Joshua 3:4
To continue,
14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for the Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even to the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. Joshua 3:14-16
Chapters 3 and 4 both speak of taking a man out of every tribe. This says that ALL Israel is involved in passing over Jordan. ALL believers must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. However, perhaps the MOST significant aspect of the above verses is that which is in parentheses.
(for the Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) Joshua 3:15
The greater significance of the swelling of the Jordan (which time is upon us) is that it is a time of HARVEST; a great harvest of souls for the kingdom of God! The two go together ... the swelling of Jordan and a great harvest. This parallels the spiritual relationship of suffering and glory. Every time that suffering is spoken of in scripture, the glory is not far behind! But there will be NO great harvest without the swelling of Jordan; no glory without suffering.
If you likewise witness to this being a time of the swelling of Jordan, then what must we do? One received word of wisdom is that which Jesus told his disciples before He sent them out to harvest.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16
Because of the short fuse in the world, and because there are numerous deceived people in the world today (the perpetrators of the events of September 11, 2001, are by NO means the biggest threat to us), we need to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves in our working, driving, and in every encounter with those of the world. Certainly a key verse for us is,
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isaiah 40:3-5
So what should we do? Prepare ye the way of the Lord ... in our whole being ... and all that this preparation involves. We could easily expand on this word “preparation” at length. But there is only one safe, secure place of peace in the time of tribulation ... in Christ! Should we focus on the tribulation ... the great tribulation which is upon us? Of course not! But we should know of its coming, even as Jesus knew what He was to endure. Should we focus on the great harvest that will follow shortly after the swelling of Jordan (or rather parallel it)? Not at all! But it will surely come! Shall we focus on the glory of the Lord that shall be revealed? Here again, we might miss the mark! There is only ONE focus; and that is the Person of the Lord Jesus.
The word of action for us today is the same as that which Joshua gave to the people before they crossed over the Jordan.
Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. Joshua 3:5
We like to focus on the Lord doing wonders among us. But there is a word which precedes the wonders ... sanctify yourselves! We like to focus on the glory of the Lord being revealed. But who likes for our personal mountains and hills to be made low, our crooked places straight, our rough places plain?
Preparation! That which has been, has been to prepare us for this day. That which is, is to prepare us for tomorrow. And that which shall be, is to prepare us to walk with the Lord in His kingdom for eternity! The swelling of the Jordan is at hand!
Chapter 8: Subduing Kingdoms
32 And what shall I say more? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jepthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of aliens.
Hebrews 12:32-34
Let us look at the kingdoms which Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jepthae subdued. There may be some value in seeing the faith of those men as they subdued natural kingdoms. If that is ALL we see in their lives, then we fall far short of their significance for us today. The kingdoms that they subdued represent very real SPIRITUAL kingdoms that we today must subdue if we desire to be overcomers.
Gideon means “a great warrior.” Gideon came from a rather obscure background. He was threshing wheat for his father, Joash, when he was called to be the deliverer of his nation, Israel. Likewise, the Lord is going to call and use a bunch of “nobodies” in these last days to do His real work. Israel had been oppressed by Midian for seven years. Midian means brawling, discord, strife, or contentious. We have a fairly lengthy discussion about Gideon and the Midianites in Chapter 15 of Volume 3: A Sure Foundation. We will not repeat that discussion here. The Church at Corinth was characterized by the Midianites. Gideon was characterized by humility, which is a major quality needed to be used by the Lord.
And he [Gideon] said unto him [the angel of the Lord], Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. Judges 6:15
Gideon is also characterized by obedience.
Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. Judges 6:27
Gideon was moved by Divine inspiration.
But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him. Judges 6:34
Just as Gideon defeated the Midianites, in like manner the Lord is raising up a bunch of nobodies, with faith and obedience to the Lord, anointed by the Spirit of the Lord, to subdue the SPIRITUAL kingdom of discord and strife within the church today, at BOTH the personal and corporate level.
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
* * *
Barak, which means “lightning” or “thunder,” was a Naphtalite, who, along with Deborah, were involved in defeating Sisera, the leader of the Canaanites, whose king was Jabin. “Jabin” means “God discerneth” or “intelligent.” At the word of Deborah, Barak led his men into battle and the Lord completely defeated the enemy.
15 And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite. Judges 4:15-17
However, Barak did not receive the honor and glory of victory. That honor went to Deborah, the prophetess, and Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. “Jael” comes from a root word meaning “to ascend” or “to be valuable or useful.” Note that Deborah was used by the Lord to initiate the deliverance of Israel from the Canaanites and Jael was used to complete that deliverance.
Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him [Sisera], and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. Judges 4:21
This account prophesies the forthcoming subduing of the spiritual kingdom of INTELLIGENCE ... the reasoning and intellect of carnal man. Jabin, the king of Canaan means “intelligent.” The forces of intelligence were defeated and utterly slain through the God-directed efforts of two women and one man ... Deborah, Jael, and Barak. Although Barak performed all of the “heavy” work by doing battle with the forces of Sisera, captain of the host of Jabin, without the faith and actions of Deborah and Jael, complete victory never would have been achieved! Deborah gave the word to Barak to go forth to battle; Jael finished the work by hammering a nail through the temples of Sisera.
It is MORE than interesting that in Hebrews 11, only Barak is mentioned ... neither Deborah nor Jael receives any outward credit. However, their work did NOT go unnoticed by the Lord!
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel....
Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. Judges 5:7, 12Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. Judges 5:24
The mention of Barak, but not Deborah or Jael, in Hebrews 11 is consistent with the ways of the Lord, as set forth by Peter. Men, in scripture, in general, are used for visible ministry; women are used in hidden ways, such as intercession, and by their example and behavior..
1 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.2 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold.3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation [or behavior] of the wives;, or of putting on of apparel;4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
1 Peter 3:1-4
The Lord also used two women to build the house of Israel.
The Lord make the woman [Ruth] that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: Ruth 4:11
The kingdom subdued by Deborah, Barak, and Jael, represents a spiritual victory of revelation over reasoning. When Jael hammered that nail into the temples of Sisera, the intelligence of man ... the reasoning of man was dealt a death blow. One more Canaanite oppressor was subdued.
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them.16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him.
. . .
30 And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave it to them.31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him; and He vanished out of their sight. Luke 24:13-16, 30-31
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Samson was the son of Manoah, which means “rest.” The name of Samson’s mother is never mentioned in scripture; but she was highly favored by God. She is yet one more of the women who were unknown to man but well known by God. “Samson” means “distinguished,” “strong” or “sunlight.” Samson was used by the Lord to deliver the children of Israel from the oppression of the Philistines. “Philistines” comes from a root word meaning “to roll in dust” or “to roll or wallow in self.” “Self” is a HUGE oppressor of the man who would follow the Lord and become a spiritual man. For more details, please see Chapter 13: The Kingdom of Self. Self cannot stand in he brightness of the Son. As long as Samson remained a Nazarite, as long as he kept his vow to God, he was unconquerable.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
Romans 8:37
Note that we are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM! In our natural strength, when we allow any of the many faces of SELF to rule, we are as weak as a wet noodle.
Samson is one of the very few men in all of scripture who did everything ALONE! God plus one obedient man can defeat ANY enemy!
It is somewhat ironic that Samson fell prey to the very enemy that he had once conquered. When Samson started to relax and rest on his laurels, he succumbed to the many faces of self. Samson’s slow but sure slide away from the Lord began with a woman ... a Philistine woman. This was followed by another woman ... a harlot (Judges 16:1). The lust for sex has taken down far too many Christian ministers. The third woman, who brought the finishing touches to Samson, was Delilah. He who plays with sexual relations and other temptations plays with fire and will surely get burned.
After Samson finally revealed his secret to Delilah, she shaved his head and his strength in the Lord was gone. Samson fell back on the many aspects of self. He evidenced self-confidence when he said, “I will go out as at other times before” (Judges 16:20). What a tragedy when Samson never knew that the anointing of the Lord was no longer upon him. He relied on self-awareness or human intellect when “he wist not that the Lord was departed from him” (Judges 16:20). He demonstrated self-weakness when the Philistines took him (Judges 16:21). The Philistines then put out his eyes (judges 16:21), leaving Samson in self-darkness. When the Philistines bound him with fetters (Judges 16:21), he was put into a place of self-bondage. Finally, Samson suffered self-humiliation when the Philistines said, “Call for Samson, that he may make us sport” (Judges 16:25).
How tragic that the man who had such a noble beginning ... the man who conquered the kingdoms of self by faith and obedience to the Lord ... came to a sad end. He, himself, became a complete victim of self! The moral of the story of Samson is very clear! Self, in all of its many ugly faces, must be conquered ... must be overcome ... but ONLY through the power of the Spirit.
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The last example from Hebrews 11:32-33 that we will look at is Jephthae, which means “he doth open or set free.” Jephthae was an illegitimate child of Gilead and a harlot. Gilead’s legitimate sons cast Jephthae out, telling Jephthae that he would not inherit in their father’s house. When the Ammonites made war with Israel, however, the elders of Gilead sought out Jephthae and promised that he would be their head and leader if he would come and fight against the children of Ammon. Ammon was the younger son of Lot by his younger daughter. The name “Ammon” means “inbred.” “Ammon” comes from a root word which means “to overshadow by huddling together.”
Jephthae accepted the call to lead the Israelites against the Ammonites. After “the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthae” (Judges 11:29), “the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel” (Judges 11:33).
Back in the “hey-day” of the “Charismatic movement,” a major criticism lodged against Charismatic groups was that they quickly became in-bred, with very little outreach to the unsaved or other Christian groups. This same trend can be seen today in the extensive emphasis on mega-churches. Each mega-church seems intent on building huge brick and concrete structures, complete with everything needed for a nice in-bred community. Mega-churches today incorporate gymnasiums, ice-skating rinks, cafeterias, libraries, auditoriums to seat thousands, and only the Lord knows what else. The mega-churches have all sorts of “programs” designed to make every age group happy and self-contained, or in-bred. When this happened at the tower of Babel, the Lord came down and sovereignly scattered the people (Genesis 11:8). When the same thing happened at the Church at Jerusalem, the Lord sovereignly arranged for great persecution to come upon the Church, such that they were all scattered abroad (Acts 8:1).
Jephthae subdued the natural kingdom of Ammon. Today the Lord is raising up deliverers, anointed by the Holy Spirit, to set free His people from huddling together, such that all the world may hear the good news of Jesus Christ!
And saviours [or deliverers] shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s. Obadiah 21
Chapter 9: Church Government
The Holy Spirit seems to have revived (and increased our understanding of) this word, first received in the late 1970's, as being quite pertinent to all believers today. The title could just as easily be "The Normal Christian Life" or "The Walk of a Believer" because the same principles apply in the life of every believer as in the subject of "Church Government."
The first teaching we received (through a human believer) on the subject of church government came around 1969, as follows:
(1) A (local) church government corresponds to a (local) civil government. Paul writes to The Church at Ephesus, The Church at Corinth, etc. Since the house church that we were a part of at that time was located in Fairfax County, Virginia, and since the government was (and is) Fairfax County, therefore we (wanting to be scriptural) called ourselves "The Church at Fairfax County."
(2) The pattern for church government is typified by The Church at Antioch. The teaching went as follows. In Acts 15, after no small disputation, James (the pastor at Jerusalem) said (verses 13-21) ... and that ended the discussion. So The Church at Jerusalem typifies the pastor and the elders, which is still very much present in denominational churches and a few house churches today. In this pattern, the pastor basically is the dominant authority, subject (more or less) to input from the elders. The Church at Antioch, as illustrated in Acts 13, represents a plurality of ministry, where no one person stands out above the rest. In Acts 13:2, "... the Holy Ghost said ..." The teaching was that "the Holy Ghost said" is better than "James said." Therefore The Church at Antioch is the scriptural pattern.
Some years later the Spirit of God quickened that the above is not quite the way that it is. Furthermore, we (our house church) were NOT The Church at Fairfax County because The Church at Fairfax County consists of all genuine believers who live in Fairfax County. And so we were rather presumptuous and prideful (albeit ignorantly so) in taking on our "name." Further, The Church at Ephesus most likely NEVER called themselves The Church at Ephesus or any other name. That was only how Paul referred to them. As a matter of principle, whenever a church group takes on ANY kind of name (which is usually in order to get a bank account and an IRS number, with the subsequent "tax deduction"), that is the first step in the wrong direction, toward stagnation, tradition of men, the ways of the world, the leaven of the Pharisees, etc.
More importantly, NEITHER The Church at Jerusalem NOR The Church at Antioch is the scriptural pattern for church government. Both groups have missed the point. Church government, like the life of a believer, CANNOT (or at least SHOULD NOT) be a static pattern. Surely, somewhere toward the bottom line of God's purpose for the Church is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." God desires that the fullness of Christ be formed within each member of the body of Christ, which is His true church.
No instant maturity is available. Paul said, "I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31). John the Baptist said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). It is amazing how many ministers REVERSE the order and quote the verse as, "I must decrease, but He must increase." The order is significant. If we concentrate on Christ increasing within us, the result is inevitable, namely that I MUST decrease. No man can serve two masters. However, it is possible for me to decrease with no increase of Christ within. The pattern for church government, as well as the life of a believer, must be DYNAMIC, a daily "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).
One day (in the late 1970's), the Holy Spirit began to quicken His word on church government from the book of Acts. In Acts 1:15, "And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) ..." Then in Acts 2:14, "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said ..." The Holy Spirit instantly correlated the 120 in Acts 1:15 with the 11 in Acts 2:14. Then the Spirit revealed that in Acts, Chapters 3 through 8, Peter and John are ALWAYS mentioned together. You never see one without the other. But in chapters 9-28, you NEVER see Peter and John mentioned together. So there is a progression in the life of Peter, as recorded in the book of Acts, which parallels the dynamics of church government as it is meant to be. Peter with the 120, then Peter with the 11, then Peter and John, and finally Peter and no man, but the Lord. Of course this does not mean that Peter never saw or related to John or any of the other disciples again. It simply is not recorded in scripture.
Compare this with the transfiguration of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 17. Peter, James, and John at first saw Moses and Elijah, as well as Jesus (verse 3). But after the word from God, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (verse 5), and after Jesus touched them (verse 7), "when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only" (verse 8). Compare also 1 John 2:27, "But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you ..." We must get our eyes off man (no matter how spiritually mature the man may be), and look only to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
An excellent scripture pertaining to church government is:
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.7 Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:6-7
Verse six lists a progression of 4 stages:(1) unto us a child is born(2) unto us a son is given(3) the government shall be upon His shoulder (NOT the shoulders of elders or a pastor, but upon HIS shoulder)(4) and His name shall be called ...
These SAME 4 stages are typified in the life of Peter, as recorded in the book of Acts. Stage one MAY be typified by The Church at Jerusalem, but the error is in staying there forever. Stage two MAY be typified by The Church at Antioch, but the error is in staying there forever. Stage 3 takes a lot of maturity (seldom, if ever seen in a group as a whole) and can be typified by the "father" stage in 1 John 2. This stage can rarely operate except in individuals who have a revelation of what lies beyond Pentecost. Stage 4 can be summed up as "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
The major point is that church government is NOT patterned after the Gettysburg address - a government of the people, by the people, and for the people (where people in our context signifies genuine believers). Church government must always be a progression TOWARD the government OF God, BY God (sovereignly), and FOR God, and AWAY from government of, by, and for believers. Again, the order is significant. We can move away from the government of, by, and for believers and be nothing more than a rebel.
Compare, please, 1 Samuel, chapter 8, when ALL the elders were in error (verse 4) by asking Samuel to make them "a king to judge us like all the nations." (Just in case you think that it is not possible for modern-day Spirit-filled elders to ALL be in error, the Lord has allowed me to see it happen in five different churches.) In verse 7 the Lord says, "... they have not rejected thee (i.e., Samuel), but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." Church government has no relationship to democracy (one elder - one vote - majority rule).
A pertinent question at this point might be, "Well, how do you IMPLEMENT this dynamic pattern of church government?" First of all, you DON’T implement it; the Holy Spirit does. Second, if this revelation does not produce a corresponding vision, then don't even try. Third, this pattern cannot be implemented if your vision of the church is The Church at Antioch. As far as the MECHANICS are concerned (if there is any such thing), "Whatsoever He sayeth to you, do it!" The Holy Spirit must have a freedom to operate.
Now we need to be very careful, lest we fall into the snare of becoming a rebel. This word does NOT propose that there is no place for elders, pastors, teachers, etc. Quite the contrary! Each of the four stages in church government (or the life of a believer) is necessary. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). As a new believer, we need to see and be fed by visible, human ministers; we feel comforted by symbols that we can see (such as a little metal or wooden cross). A pastor who truly exhibits the love of God is a source of much comfort to us.
We know of some believers who seem to pooh-pooh the idea of “elders.” The impression received from these younger men is that they are past that stage in maturity and do not need elders any more. We believe that kind of thinking represents rebellion to God-given authority. We recognize that the office of an elder has too often been abused and mis-used and misunderstood. An elder, of course, should be an EXAMPLE to the body, not a dictator. But how, for example, do you explain the TWELVE verses in the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to the apostle John concerning elders? Such as,
And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. Revelation 4:4
John was told that these were “things which MUST be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1). It appears that the concept of “elder” may, in fact, be eternal! These elders sit around the throne of God, clothed in white robes and wearing crowns (4:4; 14:3); they cast their crowns before the throne (4:10); they continually worship and praise (5:11-12); they bring to God the prayers of the saints (5:6); one elder encourages the seer when he is sad (5:5); and one of them acts as interpreter of one of the visions (7:13). Isaiah speaks of God reigning in glory among the elders (“ancients” in the King James, but it is the same word). We have no specific revelation from the Lord concerning these 24 elders referenced in the book of Revelation. We DO know that there were twelve tribes of the Jews and twelve apostles. The one true Church is composed of both Jews AND Gentiles. So the 24 elders may well be symbolic representatives of the faithful people of God ... those who one day in glory will praise and worship in the presence of God Himself. Many are called, few are chosen, and even fewer remain faithful! God-given, earthly types and offices may pass away, but the spiritual counterpart will remain eternal.
In any event, there comes a time when we must put away childish things (even things ordained by God) and move on to the second stage (typified by the "young men" of 1 John 2). This is when we begin to function in the gifts and ministries that the Lord has given to us. Symbols start to lose some of their significance to us. It is time for the "plurality of ministry." If we persist in staying in the first stage, then the increase of Christ within us as a believer is severely restricted.
By the same token, to stay too long in this second stage will cause severe restrictions in the growth of Christ within. Have you ever noticed that very few people have straight feet and straight toes? Most toes are bent inward, due, no doubt to the shape of the shoes that we wear (particularly women’s shoes, which are very narrow at the toes). This is symbolic of the great restrictions and constraints placed upon us from the world AND from the religious arena (or perhaps restrictions that we place upon ourselves). But we read in Ezekiel 1:7 concerning the four living creatures, "And their feet were straight feet ..." Also, in Ezekiel 1:12, "whither the spirit was to go, they went ..." The Lord desires to slit our shoes such that our toes have room to wriggle around, with no human restrictions - neither from the world nor from any static religious environment. As a result, we will sense a dramatic increase in freedom ... a liberty to follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth ... a freedom to go whither the Spirit leads.
Many at stage 2 have been persecuted and maligned by those at stage 1. Some at stage 3 have been persecuted and maligned by those at stage 2. Do you really think that it will ever be otherwise? But there is a visible, natural church, and there is the church which is His body, in the realm of the Spirit. The latter will prevail, but not until after much persecution and suffering. Like everything else as a believer, we must count the cost.
Of the increase of (secular) democracy there will come an end. Of the increase of (Christian) man's church government, there will come an end. But of the increase of HIS government and peace there shall be NO end. The zeal of the Lord of hosts WILL perform this!
Chapter 10: Names
Man, even Christian man, seems bent upon names. About 25 years ago, someone told me that there were 435 denominations in the United States. If that were true then, there must be more than 500 by now. We like to name, title, and stereotype almost everything, particularly church groups. But the Church at Ephesus, for example, most likely NEVER called themselves The Church at Ephesus or any other name. That was only how Paul referred to them. As a matter of principle, whenever a church group assumes ANY kind of name (which is usually in order to get a bank account and an IRS number, with the subsequent "tax deduction"), that is the first step in the wrong direction, toward stagnation, tradition of men, the ways of the world, the leaven of the Pharisees, etc. Yes, God is merciful and often "winks" at our ignorance, for a season.
It appears that The Church at Corinth (unlike The Church at Ephesus) DID call themselves by some name (or rather names, plural). In 1 Corinthians 1:11-13, "... every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ." Again, in 1 Corinthians 3:4, "For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" How does this differ from the modern-day version of: "I belong to the First Baptist Church; I am a member of The Church at Fairfax County; I am a member of the ________________"? (Fill in the name of YOUR group.)
First Corinthians, of course, is primarily a letter of correction that Paul wrote, concerning a variety of errors (at least seven) that had crept into that church. It is worth reflecting that this situation (members of The Church at Corinth calling themselves by different names) is the FIRST error addressed by Paul. He addresses this problem even before the (rampant) fornication, which he first mentions in chapter 5. Why the order? Perhaps because "he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body" (Chapter 6:18), but the naming process had affected EVERY believer (Chapter 1:12).
In the beginning, when God created man, "Male and female created He them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created" (Genesis 5:2). "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:28).
BEFORE the fall of Adam and Eve (the timing is significant), "the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof" (Genesis 2:19). Adam also gave his wife her name (Genesis 2:23). Then AFTER the fall, we read, in Genesis 9:1, "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." After the fall, man no longer had the charge to "subdue the earth: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." As a result of losing his God-given dominion, man also lost his authority to give out names.
Of course, man has continued to exercise the function of giving names, even though he no longer has that authority. This is an external outworking of the rebellion of man. For example, in Genesis 4:16-17, "And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, ... and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch." Another example is recorded in Daniel 1:7, where the Babylonian prince of the eunuchs gave (different) Babylonian names to Daniel (renamed Belteshazzar) and three other chosen men of God. Everyone remembers the Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Who remembers their REAL names?
There seems to be at least four categories of giving of names:
(1) Man (in his rebellious state) still exercises the lost charge to give names or to make a name for himself/herself.(2) Man (in his rebellious state) still exercises the lost charge to give names, but this is later overturned by the sovereignty of God. For example, God changed the name of Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel, and Saul to Paul.(3) Man, in a right relationship with the Lord, seeks the will of God for the name of an offspring, and gives the God-desired name.(4) God sovereignly provides the name, without man asking. Two prominent cases in this category are John the Baptist (Luke 1:13): "and thou shalt call his name John"; and Jesus (Luke 1:31): "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS."
So the dominion (and the right to "name") originally given to Adam, but lost in the fall, now belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ as a result of the redemption purchased at the cross of Calvary.
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and in earth, and things under the earth;11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. John 10:2-3
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Isaiah 62:2
Any believer walks in a very precarious position when he/she begins to make a "name" for himself or herself. It is a very easy thing to make a name for yourself, but it requires some compromises along the way. Anyone who has an apparent gift that appeals to the senses (such as healing or miracles) or a reasonable message of "truth" (or even a word that sounds pleasant to the ears) can relatively quickly establish audiences in numerous places. Before long, you can become a speaker at the large "conferences" and make yourself nationally known. There are currently, in the United States, dozens, perhaps hundreds, of such "names" that will one day be humbled by God in the sight of man. Some already have been. Many of these "names" will surprise you. I remember one such man who years ago had developed a nationally-known "name." Then he was humbled (because of his own deeds) in the sight of other believers. Apparently in a state of repentance, the man received a word from the Lord that, "the Lord has allowed this thing to overtake you such that you will be less known to man, but more known of God." Unfortunately, after a season of repentance, it appears that man has fallen into another snare. How do I know? Because the Lord sent me one Sunday morning to “his” church to see for myself.
Even if man begins to acquire a "name," but not through his own efforts, there is still potential peril, albeit of a different variety. Such a person is subjected to significant attacks by the enemy. There is no better example than Jesus Himself. Not only did Jesus not make a name for Himself, He MADE Himself of NO reputation (Philippians 2:7). In Mark 1:34-38, after Jesus had healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils, Simon and those with him came to Jesus and said unto him, "all men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth." Jesus never sought the applause of men.
John 6 records the height of Jesus' popularity, because of His miracles and because He provided natural food for the multitudes. But in that same chapter, Jesus said some things that no man understood. In verse 53, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." Those who heard Him considered this to be heresy, since Moses had told them numerous times not to eat flesh with the blood. This was the start of the conflict that the Jews had with Jesus. And "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him" (John 7:1). Not long afterwards the Jews succeeded in their mission. Those "hard" sayings in John 6 have no natural-level meaning. Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (verse 63).
The "best" name for any believer may be summed up by Revelation 2:17 and Revelation 3:12.
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Revelation 2:17
In Revelation 2:17, the OVERCOMER (not just anyone who has accepted the saving grace of our Lord) is promised a new name - the believer's new name.
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 3:12
In Revelation 3:12, the OVERCOMER is also promised a new name - but this new name is the Lord's name. In both verses, the word "new" is the Greek "kainos," which means new as to quality, not "neos," which means new as to time.
But even better than that is the name of Jesus ... name above ALL names! the name to which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Why is the name of Jesus even better than the new names promised to the overcomer in Revelation 2:17 and 3:12 ? One of the best answers to that question can be found in Philippians 2. Because Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:6-8
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11
In Acts:
16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.18 This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes! Acts 15:16-18
Chapter 11: First Principles
In the King James version, only two places in the bible use the word "principle" or "principles." These are found in Hebrews 5:12 and Hebrews 6:1, just 3 verses apart from each other.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. Hebrews 5:12
Perhaps a better translation of "first principles" in Hebrews 5:12 is "rudiments of the beginning."
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, ... Hebrews 6:1
Perhaps a better translation of "principles of the doctrine" in Hebrews 6:1 is "word of the beginning" or "the word of the beginning of Christ." The word "principles" in Hebrews 5:12 is NOT the same Greek word as the word "principles" in Hebrews 6:1. In Hebrews 5:12, the word translated "principles" is stoicheion; whereas in Hebrews 6:1 the word translated as "principles" is arche. But the Holy Spirit has a way of taking things out of context and putting them together into context.
Whenever, whether we are Christians or non-Christians, we get out of the harmony and order of God, bad things begin to happen. When we persist by being out of tune and out of harmony and out of order with the principles of God, things begin to snowball in the wrong direction. This disharmony and disorder is a very subtle thing. Our adversary knows that we will not bite or swallow something blatantly different from the harmony and order of God; so our adversary leads us very slowly and subtly in the wrong direction, just as a snowball rolling down a hill gets bigger and bigger.
Whenever we finally see that our snowball has become too big (whenever the Holy Spirit convicts us of some tangent in out lives) it is a solid first principle to go back to the place where we first lost touch with the harmony and order of God. Perhaps the first example of this in scripture is found with Abram in Genesis 12:8 through Genesis 13:4.
And he (Abram) removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord. Genesis 12:8
Certainly at that point in time, Abram was in a "good" place with the Lord. But then "Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south" (Genesis 12:9). Now the Lord had promised Abram that "Unto thy seed will I give this land" (Genesis 12:7). The Lord NEVER promised Abram that Egypt would ALSO be given to Abram. But when Abram saw (with his natural senses) a famine in the land (Genesis 12:10), "Abram went DOWN into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land" (Genesis 12:10). And so Abram slipped ... his snowball began rolling DOWN hill ... all based on Abram not trusting the Lord but trusting his natural instincts. The rest of Genesis 12 describes how Abram ALMOST lost his wife. Sarai was "very fair" and was taken into Pharaoh's house (Genesis 12:14-15). It is important to note what Abram received from Pharaoh in "exchange" for his wife ... the mammon of unrighteousness ... wealth and possessions.
and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. Genesis 12:16
BUT GOD! The sovereignty of God came to Abram's rescue and warned Pharaoh with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife (Genesis 12:17). It is a rather sad commentary when non-believers discern the will of God and His order and harmony BEFORE we as Christians see it.
So when Abram had been convicted of how his snowball had rolled down hill, he went back to the exact place where he had first got off on a tangent (Genesis 13:3) and repented (Genesis 13:4).
3 And he (Abram) went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Genesis 13:3-4
In like manner, if we want to "rightly divide the word of truth," a solid "first principle" is to go back into scripture and see where God first talks about a particular topic. The book of Genesis contains MANY such "first principles." In the beginning, God!
As one of these many "first principles" let us look at today's economy and the decline of the American family. I have been impressed for many long years that one of the very first causes of the decline of the American family has NOT been the proliferation of sex, alcohol, drugs, violence, etc. that we have in our movies and television shows. Certainly those things have contributed to the snowball as it has rolled down hill. But they are not the original cause. Likewise I have been impressed for many long years (and I believe by the Spirit of God) that our very fragile economy in the United States was NOT caused when we went off the gold standard. Furthermore, I see a common root to both of these modern-day "problems" (the decline of the American family and the fragile economy). Obviously to us as Christians it is because we have moved away from God's will and order and harmony. But let us be much more specific than that.
Again, let us turn to Genesis and look at some "first principles." In Genesis 3 we read about the fall of man (Adam and Eve). We read in Genesis 3:1 of the subtlety of our adversary (the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made). Eve saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise. Please note the order and harmony of God, because these three tangents are repeated in the SAME order in 1 John 2:16.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John 2:16
We as Christians like to quote John 3:16. You even see large placards at many sporting events on television which proclaim John 3:16. I am certainly all in favor of John 3:16. But if we are to move on past the first principles of God, we better start noticing 1 John 2:16.
Now permit me to be still more specific. In our modern American society, we see a prolific increase in the number of "career women." I have been impressed for many long years (and I believe by the Spirit of God) that this increase of "career women" in the United States has been a big root cause in BOTH the fragile economy AND the decline of the American family. I have rarely shared that statement with anyone. Certainly I would be branded very quickly by non-Christians and, unfortunately, many Christians as "sexist" or a "male chauvinist" for making such a statement. Paul said, in Acts 20:27, "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." That is a very bold statement! Think about that ... ALL the counsel of God! Now Paul was a man that was greatly misunderstood. Even Peter said that Paul said some things that were hard to understand. Moreover, I think that Paul was saying that everything that he had received from the Lord, he had passed on to other believers. This was NOT the ABSOLUTE "all" of the counsel of God. I believe in progressive revelation ... that God has been revealing more and more of Himself and His Word to those who have ears to hear and a heart to understand. What happened to Paul? Well basically the same thing that happened to Jesus ... almost everyone left him. "That fellow Paul ... he has gone too far now in what he is saying ... besides, I can't even understand him most of the time!" From my experience over the past 34 years and by the witness of the Holy Spirit, I am firmly convinced that if ANY person DARE come to our charismatic churches today preaching and teaching ALL the counsel of God, they will be quickly ushered to the door and never invited to speak again! So I have been somewhat convicted by the Holy Spirit of not sharing this little part of the counsel of God.
If you have recovered from perhaps an initial shock, let us go back to some first principles. Let us return to Genesis 3 and look at the result of Adam and Eve's disobedience (fall). The Lord told Eve:
I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Genesis 3:16
I believe there is much in that verse, most of which I will not go into now. But there is a clear implication that God's order and will and harmony are for a woman to marry and have children. Paul said, in 1 Timothy 5:5, "I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, ..." The world today belittles you young women when all you are is a housewife. Well I believe that is 100% contrary to God's order and will and harmony. I can think of NO nobler "career" for a young woman than to marry, be a good, faithful wife, have children, and guide the house. There is NO NOBLER CAREER for a woman than that! WHY is it the most noble career for a woman? Because it is in accord with the will and order and harmony of God. Have you ever thought about what would have happened if Adam and Eve had not had children?
In Ruth 4:11 the Lord gave Boaz a word of prophecy (probably through one or more of the elders): "The Lord make the woman (Ruth) that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel." Now certainly there is a natural, physical-level interpretation to that word. Rachel and Leah DID bear 12 sons and one daughter (Dinah) to their husband Jacob (four of the sons came from the maids of Rachel and Leah). But there is also a spiritual significance. It is easy enough to see from scripture that a woman is more sensitive to the realm of the Spirit than is a man. At the same time, a woman is more sensitive to the other side of the spirit-realm (Eve was the first to be seduced by the adversary). But there is no greater power in the human race than a husband and wife who are rightly related to the Lord and rightly related to each other. The prayers of such a couple will result in mountains being moved! There is an extra strength in two. A three-fold cord is not quickly broken (husband, wife, and the Holy Spirit). The male has physical strength; the woman has spiritual strength; they unite to create a dynamite couple. But it is the wife (like Rachel and Leah and Ruth) who builds the house spiritually.
If you go back and read 2 Chronicles carefully, you will see, time after time, verses like, "Joash was seven years old when he began to reign ... His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba" (2 Chronicles 24:1). The verses do NOT say, "and so-and-so was his father." The impact of a woman on a man can be tremendous. Such an impact can also be negative. Jezebel was a huge negative impact on Ahab. In 2 Chronicles 21, Jehoram wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Why? "for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife" (2 Chronicles 21:6).
About 25 years ago, the Spirit of God quickened to me the role of two women in my life. The first was my grandmother. Chapter 14 of our fourth book describes her in some detail. My grandmother was a real saint when she was on this earth. She still IS a real saint, except now she is with the Lord. My grandmother never knew about speaking in tongues but she exhibited the fruit of the Spirit as much as about any person I have ever met. She was also an intense prayer warrior ... a real intercessor. She prayed for all of her children and all of her grandchildren. After she went to be with the Lord, in 1972, I scanned through one of her many bibles. She wrote many little gems in her bible that she had heard from the Lord. The day I was born she wrote in her bible (speaking about me), "Lord make him Your minister."
The second woman that the Lord used mightily in my life (and is still using) is my wife. It would take a book to write about the positive effects my wife has had on me, so I will not go into that further here. Furthermore, the Lord quickened to me that here was NO gap in the intercession ministry of these two women in my life. The Lord had been preparing my wife for a number of years to intercede for me. After the Lord took my grandmother home, my wife started standing in the gap for me.
Let us return to Genesis 3:16: "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; ..." The apostle John says, in John 16:21, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that man is born into the world." Now let us look at 1 Corinthians 11:8-12.
8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
We know, of course, that God took a rib from Adam and made woman and brought her to Adam. So the woman is OF the man. God made Eve to be a help meet for Adam. But the man is also BY the woman (NOT OF the woman). God intended that the woman should bring forth the man spiritually. How? By her intercession and her behavior ... by the hidden man of the heart. The man "gets the spotlight" ... the man is out in the workplace. The man gets the applause of men. The woman receives little credit for being "just a housewife" and being out of the limelight. But it is the woman who builds the house. The woman gets the applause of God, PROVIDED that she walks in the word in 1 Timothy with a clean heart:
Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 1 Timothy 2:15
Does the above verse mean that as long as a wife bears children that she shall be saved? Hardly!!! We have to cease trying to interpret scripture in the natural realm. Let us digress only slightly here to mention another comparable scripture. Jesus said,
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! Matthew 24:19
A few years ago, as my wife and I were driving to Lexington, NC, my wife referred to the above verse and said that 30 years ago the Lord had revealed the significance of that verse to her in terms of her ministry to me. She said that verse means that the Christian woman in the last days whose husband is a child or a babe SPIRITUALLY will experience great tribulation and suffering, because her husband has never matured in the Lord to be a proper covering for her. The verse in 1 Timothy 2:15 says the same thing. The greatest ministry a wife can have is to help to bring her husband forth SPIRITUALLY by her intercession and her behavior, NOT by her words! When my wife shared that with me, I said to myself, “WOW! That is a real revelation!” When we got to Lexington, NC, I shared that word with a mature believer who was our host for the evening. He said, “WOW! That is a real revelation!” Neither of us had ever heard that meaning before.
So now, you may say, why can't a woman have both? Why can't she have a good husband, have children, AND have a career? I suppose it is theoretically possible, but I rather doubt that you young women can have your cake and eat it too. Either your "career" or your marriage, or your children, or all three will have to suffer. More often than not, a divorce (particularly for non-Christians) is the result of a woman trying to juggle all three. So for any young women who may read this word, and who are contemplating a decision as to whether to pursue a "career" or to marry and have children, please think carefully on these things. I recognize the distinct possibility that not ALL women and not ALL men are called to marry.
Returning to Genesis 3:17-19, the punishment for Adam clearly implies, I believe, that the husband, not the wife, is to be the breadwinner of the family. Yes, I realize that there are exceptions. Yes I realize that a young, unmarried female must be a breadwinner for a season. And yes I realize that there are a number of other exceptions after the children get older. But as a generality, the will and order and harmony of God is for the younger women to marry, bear children, and guide the house.
So how did we get off on such a tangent in the first place? What has caused the proliferation of women who are working? I think much of the answer goes back to greed. "For the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). At some point in time a few young married women became greedy for more material possessions. So they started working ... got a job just like their husband. It was a snowball rolling down hill. As more (married) women began to work, more income flowed into the families, more money was available to be spent, and prices went up. Supply and demand. As prices went up, women felt more of a need to work to make more money. As they worked more, prices went up more. The snowball rolled down hill. Result today? a very fragile American economy shot through with ever-increasing inflation. One more time ... will we EVER learn that the Lord is sufficient for all these things? Will we EVER learn that "All I have needed Thy hand has provided?" You may say, but I have to work ... we need the money ... we have bills to pay. Who told you that??? Maybe you need to adjust your life style. Maybe you need to hear instead that if you are rightly related to the Lord and seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then ALL these things (certainly including money) will be added unto you. May God help us! Lord, increase our faith!
A number of years ago the Lord ordained for me to get a Ph.D. degree. The Lord put me into that program and the Lord got me through that program. I could NEVER have made it without the Lord. Compared to most people I have seen who get a Ph.D. degree, I am very ignorant in the academic realm. My advisor would not let me write my dissertation on what I wanted to do. My proposed topic was, "The Spiritual Dimension of Decision Making." I had the full blessing and approval of TWO department chairs, one in Computer Science and the other in Electrical and Computer Engineering to proceed with that topic. But my advisor, the dean, said "NO." He gave me another topic for my dissertation in the field of transportation. Well I knew nothing about the field of transportation at that time and had never had ONE course relating to that area. But the Lord had me to submit to the deans wishes, so I wrote my dissertation in the field of transportation. It took me three years longer to get the Ph.D. than if I had been allowed to write on my proposed topic. But Jacob served seven years and got Leah for his wife, when he really wanted Rachel. Then he worked seven more years for Rachel. Perhaps the ONLY reason that the Lord allowed my dissertation heartaches was to see the effect of "career" women on transportation. I see career women as a major contributor to the gridlock we experience on our roads today. With many more women working there are many more cars on the road. More cars means higher prices ... higher prices for cars ... higher prices for gasoline, and on and on ... back to the economy again.
But perhaps the greatest impact of so many "career" women today is the effect it has on the decline of the American family. Both husband and wife work (to "get ahead" ... to "make ends meet"). They cart their small children off to a day care center. A number of years ago I read about a college professor in Pennsylvania who had been doing research on the effects of day care centers on the American family. He said that at that time he had no "proof" but he really believed that children would suffer greatly in their lives as a result of being put into day care centers. Well those children have grown up ... they are teenagers now. You know as well as I do what teenagers are doing today ... rebellion against their parents, sex, alcohol, drugs, shootings, and on and on.
One final word about the effects of "career" women (although I am sure there are many more effects). I firmly believe that a major reason why so many young married women are working today is because they find no fulfillment at home with their husbands. Every human being is looking for fulfillment (or happiness) in their lives. Men (and sadly to say even Christian men) do NOT love their wives as Christ loves the church. (That is the thesis of Volume 1 of this Series: The Love of a Man for His Wife.) Men do NOT show their wives the affection, tender loving care, kindness, gentleness, and tenderness that their wives long after. Far too many married women are starved for true love from their husbands. So the wives look aggressively for fulfillment in other ways ... through a "career," which many times leads to an affair, and then divorce. So all of us men need to sincerely ask the Lord to deepen our love (actually His love through us) for our wives. Back in the 1970's, there was a big movement which emphasized submission of a wife to her husband. Well that certainly is scriptural, but that teaching of submission was misused and stretched out of proportion. Hindsight, if instead there had been a big emphasis on husbands loving their wife as Christ loves the church, there probably would have never been any need to stress the submission of a wife to her husband. Most Christian wives would be delighted to submit to a husband who really loves them deeply.
The above are just a few of the many things that a young woman needs to seriously consider when trying to decide between a career and a husband and family. What is written above, remember, are generalities. There CAN be exceptions. There is NEVER a substitute (or perhaps I should say there never SHOULD be a substitute) for hearing the voice of the Lord for yourself.
Let us return once more to the thoughts from 1 Corinthians 11:8-12, particularly "the woman is of the man ... but the man is by the woman." In Revelation 12:1-6 we have:
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven: and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne.6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
The woman represents Israel, the true church. The man child represents the manifestation of the sons of God. So here we see the same principle as in 1 Corinthians 11 ... the woman brings forth the man and then the man ministers to the woman to bring her forth. The relationship of husband and wife is a microcosm of the man child and the church. It is our snowball effect once more. Except this time, the snowball is rolling UP hill, powered by the Spirit of God.
Is it time for us to return to the first principles? Have we tried all of man's ways now and seen that they do not work? Man's ways do not work because they are not in accord with the will and order and harmony of God. God help us all! Lord we thank you for your great love and grace and mercy towards us!
Chapter 12: The Feast Of Blowing Of Trumpets
Background
Leviticus 23 records seven feasts of the Lord, as given to Moses: passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the sheaf of firstfruits, pentecost, the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and the feast of tabernacles. The last three feasts (trumpets, atonement, and tabernacles) have not yet been fulfilled. Leviticus 23:24 states that the feast of blowing of trumpets is in the seventh month (October), in the first day of the month. This also corresponds to the first day of the civil year for the Jews.
The initial reasons for blowing the trumpets is given by:
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets: and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generation.
9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God. Numbers 10:1-10
So the four (initial) reasons for blowing the trumpets were:
(1) to call an assembly,(2) to signal the journeying of the camps,(3) to prepare for war, and(4) to herald the celebration of the feasts themselves.
In addition, after Israel demanded an earthly king (about 378 years later) a trumpet was sounded when a king was anointed (2 Samuel 15:10, 1 Kings 1:34, 2 Kings 9:13).
The feast of blowing of trumpets is followed by the day of atonement, which occurred on the tenth day of the seventh month, and the feast of tabernacles, which began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and lasted eight days. The fulfillment of the day of atonement corresponds to the manifestation (or unveiling or revelation) of the sons of God as recorded in Romans 8. Also, see the discussion below about Gideon’s army.
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. Leviticus 25:9
Note that Numbers 10:2 says, "Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them." Silver in scripture signifies redemption. As stated above, the silver trumpets for the feast of blowing of trumpets heralds the start of full redemption or the unveiling of the sons of God. The "whole piece" undoubtedly refers to the one true body of Christ. "Two" in scripture signifies difference. Bullinger says that if two different persons agree in testimony it is conclusive; otherwise two implies opposition, enmity, and division. Moreover, the two trumpets probably gave a different sound, else how could the Israelites distinguish between an assembly (Numbers 10:4) and an alarm (Numbers 10:5‑6)? Note also, in Numbers 10:3, "when they shall blow with them" (both of the trumpets). Some have indicated that the two trumpets signify the body and the Head. The two trumpets may also signify Israel and Judah, even though those two camps did not exist at that point in time. It may also signify Jew and Gentile. In any event, God is making "in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace" (Ephesians 2:15).
Significance for Today
The major word that I believe the Lord is saying to His people today is "prepare ye the way of the Lord." In Isaiah 40:3‑5, we read:
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
We need to compare these verses with Isaiah 6:1‑3:
1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.3 And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.
Many years ago as I read Isaiah 6:1, I found myself reading, "In the year that king SELF died I saw also the Lord ..." Now Uzziah cannot be translated "self." But the Holy Spirit has a way of taking things out of context and putting them into context.
In Isaiah 6 we read of a voice which came from the temple. In Isaiah 40, the voice came from the wilderness. Isaiah 6:9‑13 very clearly indicates that this voice from the temple signified a SCATTERING of the people of God. The scattering was a result of the idolatry, rebellion, hypocrisy, humanism, etc. of Israel. They had a form of worship (in the temple) but denied the power thereof. The temple today represents organized Christianity. In Isaiah 40, the voice of him crying in the wilderness represents the start of the GATHERING of God's people.
This comparison between Isaiah 6 and Isaiah 40 is also seen in Hosea 2. Hosea 1‑13 represents the scattering. Hosea 2:14 declares God's select company to be in the wilderness; and the rest of Hosea 2 corresponds to the gathering, as in Isaiah 40. Notice that the Lord says, in Hosea 2:15, that He will give His remnant in the wilderness "the valley of Achor (trouble) for a door of hope." The Lord today has scattered His people into the wilderness for the same reasons as in Isaiah 6. But the Lord is using suffering, trouble, and difficulties of all kinds to press those in the wilderness into Christ. He is refining His people in the wilderness as silver is refined by the fire.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, all quote the verses in Isaiah 40, EXCEPT they all say "the voice of ONE crying in the wilderness" (Matthew 3:1‑4, Mark 1:1‑4, and Luke 3:4‑6). Isaiah 40 was fulfilled the first time by John the Baptist. Jesus said (Matthew 11:14) that John the Baptist was Elijah which was for to come. But John the Baptist and Jesus were rejected by the religious elite of the day. So there awaits a further fulfillment of Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3 concerning the voice of ONE crying in the wilderness. Malachi 4:5 confirms that Elijah is yet to come "before the coming of the dreadful day of the Lord." That dreadful day has not yet come. That ONE voice crying in the wilderness will actually be a company of some number of believers. Only the Lord knows how many and who specifically will be a part of this Elijah company. This group of believers will constitute ONE voice, from the wilderness. Their unified message will NOT be as a result of conferring with one another. They will all get the word of God from the Source, directly.
George Warnock, in 1951, published an excellent pamphlet called "The Feast of Tabernacles." It is well worth reading. In this pamphlet, he shares his revelation of all seven feasts, with particular attention to the feast of tabernacles. Warnock states that the trumpet call in the feast of blowing of trumpets will be made by the five‑fold ministries listed in Ephesians 4:11. He says, "God is raising up His own ministers who shall sound the Trumpet with such clarity, that men will know the voice of God and the meaning of the voice, and they will prepare for battle. ... Ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are being established in the Church, established moreover by God Himself, and their Trumpet‑call shall not go unheeded." That is standard teaching, and was certainly correct for a season, but I am not at all sure it is right anymore. The Church has certainly NOT heard one trumpet call from those ministries. And there have been many more FALSE ministries than true. If anything, their trumpet call has definitely been unheeded. Each man seems to do what is right in his own eyes.
We need to recognize that the time of John the Baptist was a time of transition ... a transition from the dispensation of law to the dispensation of grace. The time of the new Elijah company is ALSO a time of transition ... a transition to the age of the KINGDOM. We are on the verge of the dawning of a NEW dispensation. And with a new dispensation, that which was divinely given in the previous dispensation is divinely set aside in the new dispensation. Abraham had THREE wives ... Hagar (the law), Sarah (the church age), and Keturah (the age of the kingdom). Keturah means to "turn into incense, as by fire." God is raising up a people who have been tried by the fire and turned into an altar of praise to our God. The new Elijah company will not necessarily consist of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor and teachers. Rather it will consist of people like Amos, who said, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit. And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel" (Amos 9:14‑15).
So Amos was a herdman who followed the flock. By following the flock he could see all of them. He was a true shepherd. He had compassion on the sheep. He was genuinely concerned for their well‑being. He was also a gatherer of sycomore fruit. The sycomore, or fig‑mulberry, is a tree of great importance and extensive use in Egypt and Palestine. It grows fairly tall, has wide‑spreading branches, and provides an excellent shade. Therefore it is frequently planted by the wayside. The fruit grows directly from the trunk itself on little sprigs and in clusters like grapes. The value of these trees was so great that David appointed for them a special overseer, as he did for the olives (I Chronicles 27:28). So the job of Amos was no trivial one. But Amos had proved faithful in a few things and the Lord gave him a bigger job ... to prophesy unto the people of Israel. And Amos did not let the Lord down, for Amaziah the priest of Bethel said to Jeroboam, king of Israel, "the land is not able to bear all his [Amos'] words" (Amos 9:10).
Many years ago my wife asked me to dig up a little seedling of a sycomore tree which was growing too close to our house. The tree was no more than three feet tall, with very few branches and leaves, and the thickness of its trunk was about the size of my thumb. Well I dug and dug and worked and worked trying to dig up that little seedling. The problem was that a sycomore tree has a very deep tap root and is very difficult to uproot.
And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. Luke 17:6
The sycamine is a variety of the sycomore tree. For a sycamine tree, even a very small seedling, to be plucked up by the root is a very difficult task indeed. For a full grown sycamine, it would almost take a stick of dynamite to uproot the tree. No wonder the disciples said, "Lord, increase our faith."
Significance of the Wilderness
Today, we personally know a number of mature ministries who are all in the wilderness. They have been tried by fire, tried through much suffering in a variety of forms, tried by a lack of (human) fellowship that is common to the temple. But they have been counted worthy by the Lord to suffer in His Name. They have found that the Lord Himself is sufficient for all of their needs. They have been chosen as a tenth of a tenth of believers. Many are called but few are chosen. It depends upon our response to God.
And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Malachi 3:3As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.
Proverbs 27:21
The New American Standard says "the crucible is for silver." We are being tried in a crucible, in the wilderness. Certainly the Lord is waiting to provide for all of our needs in the wilderness: food (manna), water (Moses struck the rock), money (Matthew 17:27), healing, guidance, protection, and on and on. Lord, increase our faith!
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. Isaiah 35:6
Consider the example of Jesus. In Matthew 4:1, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” The wilderness is God’s proving ground. Notice, please, that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. So it is also with all of you faithful believers who are suffering in the wilderness. You have been led into your place of suffering by the Holy Spirit. Now when we are in the wilderness, our response to God leading us there is crucial. We can murmur and complain and just die in the wilderness, as did all of the Israelites (except two) when they came out of Egypt. Or we can patiently endure, just waiting for relief. Or we can be overcomers. Only YOU can make that choice. It is YOUR decision. It is abundantly clear from Matthew 4 that Jesus was the prime overcomer. What happened as a result? Well, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Also,
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Matthew 4:23
So it shall be with YOU as an overcomer. When the Lord blows the trumpet, there will be a new release of a healing ministry. This healing ministry will NOT be like what we have seen to date. It will be a complete healing of body, soul, and spirit. That is a topic of another word. We will not go into that further here. In addition, the message to be preached is the gospel of the KINGDOM.
Gideon's Army
Gideon's army started with 32,000; was then reduced to 10,000; and finally reduced to 300, which is less than 1% of the original. The Lord said that by these 300 men He would deliver the enemy into their hands. And he did.
16 And he (Gideon) divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a TRUMPET in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. Judges 7:16‑18
Gideon is a type of the Lord.
And the Lord shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. Zechariah 9:14
When the Holy Spirit signifies to blow the trumpets, the Elijah company (Joseph company, overcomers, a tenth of a tenth, the man child, etc.) will all blow their trumpets, as of ONE voice.
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. Judges 7:20
The breaking of the pitchers so that their lamps would INSTANTLY be seen represents the manifestation of the sons of God. One possible translation of the manifestation of the sons of God, in Romans 8, is the UNVEILING of the sons of God. The word translated manifestation is "apokalupsis" and is the same word that is translated "revelation" in Revelation 1:1. This will be like a valuable work of art that has been covered with a veil by the Master painter ... to be unveiled at the time appointed by the Master. "The kingdom of God cometh not by observation" (Luke 17:20). God has been doing a hidden work in the tenth of a tenth. The lamps are in process of being prepared. And when the trumpets sound, the unveiling will occur, and the pitchers will be instantly shattered so that the lamps of God can be unveiled.
Behold, I will send my messenger, and He shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall SUDDENLY come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 3:1
The State of the Church
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show My People their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Isaiah 58:1
Certainly there are many, diverse voices today, not only in the world, but in Christianity as well. Each voice declares something slightly different.
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 1 Corinthians 14:10
Just as Paul admonishes the church at Corinth, this multitude of different voices is causing confusion and uncertainty in the church. We see disunity, strife, bitterness, sin, carnality, and division. And we have seen, in our own lifetime, a parade of false tangents such that literally hundreds of thousands of believers have been "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:13). This parade of false teachings include submission, discipleship, faith and prosperity, the apostles and prophets "movement," mega-churches, the ecumenical "movement," the Willow Creek program, and on and on. It seems like God's people have no more discernment than Nineveh, which had "more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand" (Jonah 3:11). The reason that all of these false teachings have so much appeal is that they all have an element of truth to them. There IS such a thing as submission, there IS such a thing as discipleship, there IS such a thing as faith and prosperity, there ARE such ministries as apostles and prophets. But these movements all appeal to carnal self and have not been led by the Spirit. They all represent man's approach to the things of God. Many years ago I read that rat poison is 99% pure wheat ... it is the other 1% that gets you.
An article on the front page of the Washington Post, August 20, 1999, described the decision of the U.S. Lutheran bishops to unite with the Episcopal church. Such an ecumenical movement has been brewing for many years. This merger follows a similar merger in 1997 between the Presbyterians and Lutherans. The ecumenical movement has received support from some of the "big names" in both the Christian denominations and charismatic circles. Now who is opposed to unity? Not me. But all such attempts thus far are man's attempt to bring UNION, the very word used by the Washington Post article. It is a work of the flesh ... a repeat of the tower of Babel recorded in Genesis 11. This ecumenical movement will eventually succeed, with the Roman Catholic church swallowing up all organized Christianity, bringing about the one (false) church, with a beast as its head. I have experienced, first hand, the intense desire of the Catholic church to bring all of the Protestants back into the "fold", resulting in "one" church. A few years ago, I had an opportunity to share my testimony with a 27‑year old Catholic woman, who was in a graduate Catholic theology program. She is an intense Catholic. She told me that one day God, hopefully, may bring me back into the "fold." I told her that would never happen. Then I saw on her face the same anger and hatred that killed Jesus! I will never forget that look.
The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
John 16:2
Mega‑churches seem to be in vogue today. Church group after church group is intent upon building something bigger and better, all in the "name of the Lord."
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. Hosea 8:14
Almost every day, millions of dollars are spent to build bigger, grander temples of "worship" and to have plush facilities for all of the many "programs" to appeal to the masses. These mega-churches have gymnasiums, large cafeterias, ice skating rinks, and of course large libraries where the flock can BUY lots of “Christian” books. And so the message in such churches are to "keep everybody happy," "don't rock the boat," "keep the people coming in," and "keep the money coming in." And so, once again, the Lord is saying
Seek ye me and ye shall live: But seek not Bethel (the house of God). Amos 5:4‑5
Hindrances to the Maturity of the Body
On a divinely‑ordained trip two summers ago, as my wife and I were driving along the highway, I asked a question about what are the major hindrances to the maturity of the body of Christ today. Certainly self, in all its many facets, such as self‑centeredness, self‑pity, self‑confidence, etc, is a major root hindrance. Chapter 13 discusses the kingdom of self. A major driving force associated with self is money. There is a clear lack of understanding of the place of money in the life of a Christian. This is discussed in Chapter 14. But we also came up with the following list:
(1) reluctance to change,(2) lack of discernment,(3) lack of vision, and(4) substitutes.
These hindrances are inter-related and not at all mutually exclusive.
Reluctance to change is widely accepted by the field of psychology as a phenomenon of people. Christians are NOT immune to reluctance to change, which also is thoroughly documented in many scriptures. “We have always done things this way” is an often used expression, both in the world and in Christian circles. I have heard a number of rather mature ministries say, "I know God put me into this specific ministry in this place." My comment is "fine, I agree, but did God tell you to stay there forever?" Reluctance to change is discussed in more detail in Chapter 15.
Lack of discernment is abundantly clear from the many false tangents that spirit‑filled Christians always run after. A good principle is that when you see a lot of Christians going in the same direction, look at it very carefully again. The Lord never worked with multitudes. Lack of discernment is the topic of Chapter 16.
Lack of vision is also well documented in scripture. "Where there is no vision the people perish" (Psalm 29:18). Habakkuk said "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it" (Habakkuk 2:2). Obviously, vision could be the topic for a very lengthy chapter. Vision is discussed more in Chapter 17.
Substitutes involve substituting that which is natural or that which is motivated by the flesh for the spiritual. This category could be called idolatry and includes materialism, a major stronghold in the United States This is the topic for Chapter 18.
God's Response to the Apostasy
But God is not asleep. God has always left Himself a witness. He has always left a remnant.
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.
Jeremiah 3:14
And so God has all the while been preparing this remnant, the Elijah company, the Joseph company, overcomers, the man child, the tenth of the tenth. He has scattered them into the wilderness and has refined them as silver is refined in the fire. He has used suffering of all different kinds to press his remnant into Christ. And He has a timetable for the true to emerge. Only the Lord knows when that time is. But surely that time is close at hand. Only the Lord knows who these people are.
One characteristic of the Elijah company is that they will trouble all Israel because of the apostasy of the church. Darkness hates the light.
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? I Kings 18:17
Preparation
Isaiah 40:3 says "prepare ye the way of the Lord." John the Baptist was to have been the fulfillment of preaching the word of preparation. But repentance is never a popular word ... so John the Baptist was rejected and executed. Mark 1:2 says
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee.
So what kind of preparation occurred right before Jesus was rejected and crucified? It was a NATURAL preparation. On what we now call Palm Sunday, upon Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people strewed their garments and palm branches and palm leaves in His path. Although there are many varieties of palm trees, what we see in scripture refers to the date‑palm.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he (John the Baptist) said unto them,
O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. Matthew 3:7‑8
But there was no genuine repentance. There was no fruit, just branches and leaves. Even the common people were simply looking for a NATURAL king to deliver them from their oppressors.
But the preparation for the second coming of our King will no longer be purely natural ... it must be a SPIRITUAL preparation. We must prepare His way in our HEARTS. There will still be garments, palm branches, and palm leaves. But there will also be the FRUIT of the palm tree, the fruit of the Spirit. We must prepare His way with the garment of PRAISE (Isaiah 61:3), wearing linen garments, the garments of His righteousness.
The date‑palm tree is very striking in its appearance ... upright and beautiful. The tree is very fruitful, its foliage is perpetually green, and its foliage grows very high, as if reaching upward toward heaven. It grows ever upward, even when loaded with weights. And "the righteous shall flourish like the palm tree" (Psalm 92:12). The fruit of the Spirit must become a manifested reality.
Our preparation is to allow the Holy Spirit to mold us into that which He desires. Our attitude is critical. Sometimes I get the impression that we are an "I know that" church. We have received so much (good) teaching and read so many books that "we know that." So we are no longer flexible and pliable in the Lord's hands. We have crystallized our doctrines, got it all down pat, searched the scriptures, and lead our own lives. We have built three tabernacles and here we stand. It is no wonder that after an initial spurt of growth, the real life of the Spirit departs from charismatic churches. From scripture, this initial testing period is twelve years (that is the topic of another word). After twelve years, the Spirit of God is no longer in our churches. We are running on our own steam, following our own traditions, having a great time, and never knowing that something is wrong. Our preparation can be characterized by the following two scriptures, although there are many, many more we could use.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Micah 6:8
Now, are YOU chosen to be a part of this new Elijah company? Am I to be a part? If anyone asks this question, then there is some more refining that the Lord must do in that person's life. That kind of question focuses on man. But the IMPORTANT aspect is that God have His way ... that God's will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. We MUST identify with the heart of God. The pathway to the kingdom of God MUST go, sooner or later, through the valley of Baca ... the valley of weeping. (See Volume 4, Chapter 15.) Because if you have been allowed to see in some small measure the heart of God, His purposes, His ways, then you must weep at the current state of affairs in the church. BUT GOD!!!
Final Word
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 1 Corinthians 14:8
The trumpet has been giving uncertain sounds for many long years. It is time for the trumpet to give a CERTAIN sound, a SURE sound, ONE sound. But this sound MUST be the sound of the Holy Spirit, and NOT the sound of man. Just as trumpets were used in the old testament to herald the anointing of a natural king, so will the feast of blowing of trumpets herald the second coming of the King of kings! It is time to "set the trumpet to thy mouth" (Hosea 8:1). For the fulfillment of the feast of blowing of trumpets is at hand.
May the Spirit of the Living God encourage those elect who find themselves in the wilderness in this hour! REJOICE! for your redemption draweth nigh!
Chapter 13: The Kingdom Of Self
This word is in three parts. Part 1 concerns an event we witnessed in Hawaii concerning some Java sparrows; Part 2 is about partaking of natural food; Part 3 discusses a common problem which results from focusing on self. There is a common thread to the three parts. Then we discuss the ANSWER to the problem of self.
Part 1: The Java Sparrow
Over the Christmas 1997 holiday, Linda and I, our son Robert, and our daughter Laura all descended upon daughter Lisa and family (husband Ted and four children) at their home in Kailua, on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. Ted had been stationed at Pearl Harbor in the Navy for two years. Since sleeping arrangements were at a premium for those two weeks, Linda and I slept in the family room on a pullout day bed. The family room had many windows, so we were showered with the sunlight early in the mornings. We also heard the sound of many birds every morning right outside the family room. Ted and Lisa had several birdhouses and one good‑sized bird feeder. The first time that I heard the birds, I looked out a window and saw 30 or 40 birds of the same variety, all trying to roost on the bird feeder. Lisa said they were called Java sparrows. This variety of sparrow is a little larger than the sparrows that we are accustomed to seeing, but definitely smaller than a robin. They also are very pretty, with a touch of blue on their heads. We also saw several doves on the ground below the bird feeder.
The interesting thing about those Java sparrows is that they were pecking each other and fighting in any way that they could to push the other Java sparrows off the bird feeder so they could hurry up and eat. Lisa noted that undoubtedly some of these Java sparrows were siblings ... brothers and sisters. In quite a contrast, the doves were content to peck on the ground at the bird seed that the sparrows spilled from the bird feeder during the course of their fighting one another. The doves had no part in the fighting. Those Java sparrows were an example of the fallen nature of creation.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Romans 8:22
This event also brought to mind a situation about which we have first‑hand knowledge. We know of a family, which consists of three brothers and one sister ... siblings just like some of those Java sparrows undoubtedly were. Although all three brothers attend a denominational church, we have no reason to believe that any of the three has ever experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The sister is a Spirit‑filled believer. After their father's death a number of years ago, the three brothers have acted just like those Java sparrows ... fighting each other over their father's estate. None of the brothers will even speak to each other now. Even worse, one of the brothers sued another brother over money from the estate. This made the headlines in a newspaper where they live. Meanwhile, the sister has been like the doves on the ground, quite content to receive whatever spills over from the bird feeder, if anything. One of the three brothers manipulated things to obtain the majority of the estate. He has his earthly reward, but he has no idea what he has missed in the process.
5 Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe ye, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.7 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Consider your ways. Haggai 1:5‑7
The brother who has manipulated all of his siblings to gain the majority of their father’s estate has put his material gains into a bag with holes. But we all know that non‑believers frequently fight and peck one another just like those Java sparrows.
Unfortunately, the Java sparrow nature, which we witnessed, spills over at times to some born‑again, baptized‑in‑the‑Spirit believers. Do you really think that those verses in Haggai were intended for non‑believers? We remember, a number of years ago, when two Christian families, who lived next door to each other, went through a long series of very childish incidents, each designed to "get back even" with the other. Unfortunately, the Christian family who had received the most light seemed to be behaving the worst. We tried to be intermediaries between the two families, but had no success. The last we heard was that the Spirit‑filled family was going to sue the other Christian family. The apostle Paul writes about these things.
1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 1 Corinthians 7:1, 5-8
Paul also writes, in Galatians:
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. Galatians 5:15
Part 2: Eating and Drinking
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of Christ:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Philippians 3:18‑19
Note that Paul says that MANY [Christians] walk in this manner, whose God is their belly. Paul says that such people are the enemies of Christ, whose end is destruction ... VERY strong words of admonition to us. Christians, in general, have NOT been diligent enough to take reasonable care of their bodies. We are to be good stewards of everything we have received from the Lord, including our bodies.
19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Corinthians 9: 27
In Volume 4: Let Us Go On, Chapter 18, we discuss briefly the Baal religion that Elijah, among others, came up against. In essence, Baal worship glorified both food and sex. In the United States today, there is no small amount of Baal worship ... food and sex are glorified by MANY. Unfortunately, this spills over FAR too much to Christian circles. My wife and I both have been taking distinct steps in the past two months to get our physical bodies into better shape. We have our own plan for weight reduction, which takes will-power, as follows:
(1) Three or four days a week we limit our food intake to fruits and vegetables, plus cereal, cottage cheese, skim milk, and bread with no butter or jelly; NO sweets or soft drinks and no meat. The remaining days we still minimize sweets and red meat.(2) A moderate amount of exercise. For us we use brisk walking for 30-40 minutes a day plus using a stair-stepper to tone the leg and thigh muscles.(3) A minimum of four large glasses of water a day.
We believe that after we reach our target weight we will then be able to eat most foods in moderation without adhering to a specific food plan. So far my wife has lost seven pounds and I have lost nine pounds. The Lord willing, I hope to reduce by another fourteen pounds. There is nothing magic about our diet plan. Ask the Lord what He would have YOU to do if you find yourself overweight, sluggish, tired, etc. There is NEVER any substitute for hearing the voice of the Lord for yourself!
Traveling ministries have a much more difficult time with food intake and exercise. Christians who host such traveling ministries always want to feed the Lord’s ministers with the best of the best, including yummy desserts. Bless your hearts, dear saints, but you do NOT do traveling ministries service when you set forth lots of good, high-fat food.
There is much more to eating and drinking than just a natural-level approach. Our attitude ... our motivation is CRITICAL! Many years ago we were part of a house church that really flourished for a season. During the early hey‑day, growth period of that house church, we were meeting on Sunday nights in the home of John and Jane Smith for a potluck dinner, followed by a teaching given by John Smith (the names have been changed). Jane Smith had a distinctive "Martha" ministry. She always tried to ensure that everyone had enough to eat. And of course she was always the last one to partake of the food, after everyone else had eaten his or her fill. I will never forget what I saw one Sunday night. I was in line just behind a brother who I will call Tom. There were several other believers behind me. Most of the believers had already been through the food line in the kitchen. By the time that Tom and I got to the kitchen table, the food was running quite low. It was obvious to me (and to the hostess, Jane Smith) that there would not be enough food for everyone unless Tom and I, and those behind us, took only small portions of food. I saw Jane open her cupboard doors and bring out a jar of applesauce and a jar of peanut butter. Well, I watched in utter amazement and disbelief as Tom piled his plate to overflowing. He obviously had absolutely NO thought that someone behind him might want a little food. He was just totally insensitive to anyone other than himself. Guess what Jane Smith had for dinner that night? A peanut‑butter sandwich and some applesauce.
Was this just an isolated event? Hardly! I have seen other, similar events at meals with Spirit‑filled Christians, but none quite so dramatic as that Sunday night with Tom.
Now let us consider the verses in 1 Corinthians 11:20‑34.
20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread:24 And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.25 After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come.27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
We believe that the apostle Paul is addressing in these verses in 1 Corinthians 11 essentially the exact same situation that we saw with Tom. Paul is addressing the carnality of the Church at Corinth concerning when they came together TO EAT A REGULAR MEAL. Please remember that the book of 1 Corinthians is a major letter of correction. Paul makes a contrast between the behavior exhibited by Tom (and MANY others) in verses 20‑22 and partaking of the Lord’s supper, in verses 23‑32. Then Paul says, in verses 33‑34, how the believer SHOULD behave at meals.
So now we have to ask, what is the Lord’s supper? Well, we do NOT believe that the Lord’s supper consists of some natural‑level food of ANY kind. If you believe otherwise, then we suggest that you start eating lots of butter and honey.
Butter and honey shall He [Immanuel] eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. Isaiah 7:15
he Lord’s supper is an attitude; it is a mind set; it is the nature of Christ that He exhibited throughout His ministry on earth. (For more detail on this topic, see Chapter 18: Substitutes.) Even though Jesus knew who was to betray Him, He still denied Himself and served others, even the one who was to betray Him.
Part 3: Depression
Several unfortunate things can happen if we focus on self too long. One of these is depression. I am not a psychiatrist and I have no formal training in psychology or mental disorders. But I firmly believe that depression is largely caused by focusing on self in one or more of its many manifestations. Depression results in a “woe is me attitude.” It also results from listening to the lies of the enemy for too long instead of putting our trust in the word of God.
A good scripture that illustrates both the cause and the cure for depression is Psalm 77. In the first 8 verses of Psalm 77, the psalmist complained, was troubled, and his spirit was overwhelmed.
1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and He gave ear to me.2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.5 have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.7 Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favourable no more?8 Is His mercy clean gone forever? Doth His promise fail for evermore?
Psalm 77:1-8
Notice, please, the emphasis on me, my, mine, and I, which occur 20 times in those nine verses. Furthermore, he could find no answers from God. It was as if the Lord had abandoned him. But the psalmist had a revelation in verse 10 of that Psalm.
10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the most High.11 I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid; the depths also were troubled.17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Psalm 77:10-20
As soon as the psalmist got his eyes off of himself and starting focusing on the Lord, he climbed out of the miry pit. Conclusion? Stop wallowing in the mud pit; stop thinking about yourself and all of your problems, faults, shortcomings, etc., and start thinking about the grace and mercy of the Lord in your life. Count your blessings that you DO have, not those things that you appear not to have. You may have to FORCE yourself to change your thoughts. When you are in the presence of other people, ask the Lord how you can minister to THEM.
NO man can prevent thoughts from the enemy from coming to his mind. Jesus was tempted of the devil SIX times during the forty days that He was in the wilderness, right before His earthly ministry began ... three times in Luke 4:1-14 and three additional times in Matthew 4:1-11. The real issue, however, is what do we do when those temptations form the enemy come?
Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
Jesus refused the lies of the enemy by quoting the word of God, saying, “It is written.” We must do the same thing. That is one reason why it is VITAL that we have a good understanding of the word. The enemy knows the word also and he will try to twist the word to get us to fall.
Another good scripture if you think that you are having undue problems is in Hebrews.
3 For consider Him that endureth such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Hebrews 12:3-4
In other words, if you think that YOU have it bad, woe is me, etc., then consider Jesus and what He endured.
2 He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed Him not.4 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:2-4
Therefore, the solution to our problems of depression is to get your eyes off yourself and get your eyes onto Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for YOU so that you might have eternal life. No man has ever suffered like Jesus suffered. Just thank and praise the Lord for all of your many blessings. We MUST agree with the word of God despite all of our thoughts that would try to pull us down. The more that I cast down vain imaginations and agree with the word of God, the easier it becomes. After some time period, the enemy will see that we are NOT going to fall for his lies.
The Common Thread
So what is common about the Java sparrows, the eating habits exhibited by Tom, and depression? SELF! Each Java sparrow was, at that particular time, interested ONLY in getting food for ME! And poor Tom when it came time to eat was totally insensitive of anything or anyone except him SELF, just as was the Church at Corinth. Depression is largely caused by focusing on SELF.
Many years ago, as I was reading Isaiah 6:1, “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple,” the Spirit seemed to interpret it in a different way: “In the year that king SELF died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.” To the best of my knowledge, Uzziah cannot be translated self. But is there any sincere believer who would doubt that SELF is our greatest enemy? The serpent did not cause the fall of man through Adam and Eve. Man has a free will and can make a free choice. Adam and Eve caused the fall of man. Eve first ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because she "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise" (Genesis 3:6). Sounds exactly like 1 John 2:16: “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” Can we agree that the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life speaks about SELF?
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:3‑5
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; Romans 12:10I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father, which hath sent me. John 5:30Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1‑3
Let us re‑visit the verse in 1 Timothy 6:10. “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” Some translations have pointed out that that verse should more accurately be translated, “For the love of money is a root of all evil.” If we think about a few scriptural events, we must agree. When Lucifer stated his five evil “I will’s” in Isaiah 14, there was no such thing as money. When Adam and Eve sinned by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there was no such thing as money. This is not to deny the strong pull of money, only that there is a stronger pull ... SELF! Money in itself has no intrinsic value except in terms of what it can obtain for ME! Jesus said,
Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24
Now what is the end of the matter? We need to “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing. Without me ye can do nothing” John (15:5). Also,
Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. John 5:19
So Jesus had complete faith and dependence upon the Father. This is the same “mind that should be in you.” We are totally dependent upon the Lord. When Peter asked the Lord about whether or not to pay tribute, Jesus said:
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Matthew 17:27
God is Sovereign. God is doing a sovereign work just as he did when the Israelites were delivered from Egypt into the promised land. We must cooperate. In the time of Moses, God led the Israelites into a position at the Red Sea in which they were not able to save themselves and they could only depend upon Him for their salvation. It is the same with us today. The Israelites needed not only to observe the mighty works of His power, but also to depend upon Him in a practical way for the very necessities of life. At Marah they needed water, but that which was available was not fit to drink until God acted. Then God fed them with manna and quail. The day is approaching when we will HAVE to depend upon Him in the same way for the necessities of life. Ultimately, the Israelites needed to understand that all would be accomplished by God’s own power and not by their own ability. It is the same with us today. May His grace and mercy be upon us as we learn to be totally dependent upon Him.
Chapter 14: The Christian And Money
Shortly after the Lord sovereignly apprehended me, He stressed two things to me. The first was the sovereignty of God. The Lord has chosen to deal with me very sovereignly from the very beginning and still does so. My experience has been somewhat like that of Paul, who said,
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace,To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Galatians 1:15-16
The second area that the Lord has emphasized to me, from the beginning, has to do with money, or material possessions. The lack of understanding of the place of money in the life of a believer is a topic that needs MUCH revelation. Even the vast majority of so-called mature Christian ministers do not seem to understand what God is after when it comes to money. This is a word that few Christian ministers want to hear. Money is a very sore spot with too many Christian ministers.
We are aware that this topic is one that needs to be carefully presented, with much wisdom from the Lord because it is SO easy to misunderstand. To the best of my knowledge I have spoken publicly about the topic of money only TWICE since the Lord apprehended me in 1967. However it is time to be silent NO MORE about the things of the Lord. The Lord’s people have been seduced for too long away from the truth of how a Christian should look at money.
I have NEVER made much money in the 46 years that I worked in secular jobs. My wife has never worked. We put four children through college without borrowing money; we have hosted rather elaborate weddings for all three of our daughters; our utility bills are consistently MUCH lower than those of other Christians in our same area in the same kind of house (a number of years ago I made specific comparisons). I seriously doubt if there are many Christians who have given away a higher percentage of their income than we have. The Lord knows that is NOT a boast! I only say these things to personally substantiate the ways and the faithfulness of the Lord.
The Current State Of Affairs
The spirit of Balaam runs rampant, unchecked in the church world today. Balaam was a prophet who dwelled in Midian and who was hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the people of Israel (Numbers 22-24). Apparently, Balaam had made quite a reputation for himself and made a profitable living by “selling” his prophecies. Balaam had a strong self-will and went back to the Lord several times in an effort to reap a reward from Balak; but he DID have SOME kind of relationship with the Lord because he finally would speak only that which the Lord told him to speak. The Israelites later slew Balaam. Peter speaks of Balaam as an example of those who walk after the flesh and are self-willed.
Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children;Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 2 Peter 2:13-16
If a dumb ass speaks to you with a man’s voice, that will get ANY one’s attention!
Jude likewise says,
Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Jude 11
Suppose I were to tell you that I have a word from the Lord for you and that I will tell you what it is if you give me $100 (or ANY amount of money). Does that sound absurd to you? I sure hope so! Now what is the difference in principle between that scenario and charging you $25 for a Christian book? or charging you $125 to attend a “great” prophetic conference, where “important prophetic revelation comes forth at this significant gatherings [sic]” (quoted from one of many such real advertisements)? Let me state VERY clearly and EMPHATICALLY ... if ANYONE charges money to hear any kind of prophetic revelation, then I am NOT interested; it is too tainted with flesh. You can NOT mix the ways of the Lord with the ways of the world! Oil and water do NOT mix! If someone wants to charge $25 for a secular book on art or politics, that is fine. However, the last time I checked, the word of God is free.
The heads thereof (of the houses of Jacob and Israel) judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. Micah 3:11
It seems that far too many ministries, ordained by God, have never learned that our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). So they proceed to "help God out" when it comes to their income. About one year ago I heard of one ministry that charges $2000 to pray for someone! And far too many ministries "sell" the word of God and have become materially rich thereby. Far too many ministries beg and plead for their audiences to give them money. Some friends of ours said they stopped going to a big Assembly of God church when they passed the collection plate four times during one service. Meanwhile the Lord grieves and waits for us to repent in order to bless us in ways which FAR exceed our imagination! How do I know? been there, done that. I know from the word of God and from personal experience!
Do you remember the very FIRST thing that Jesus did upon His entry into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday? He went into the temple of God, cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of them that sold doves (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:11, Luke 19:45, and John 2:15). The Jewish priests taught the people that only Jewish currency was fit for worship, so the money changers made a very profitable business for themselves, exchanging Jewish money for Roman money, making a nice profit at both ends. Doves were a necessary part of sacrifice under the Jewish law. So why did Jesus overthrow the seats of them that sold doves? Because they were preying on the people to make money for themselves.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1 Timothy 6:10
Some have noted that a better translation may be: “For the love of money is a root of all evil.” Actually we tend to believe that THE root of all evil is SELF. Money, however, is certainly a huge driving force behind the desire to exalt self.
6 He [Amaziah] hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.8 But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. 2 Chronicles 25:6‑9
There are those like Amaziah, and like Ananias and Saphirra in Acts 5, who just did not understand the ways of the Lord when it came to money. Unfortunately, there are many believers today who likewise do not understand. Many times in the past we have been "ripped off" by other believers, or at least by those who claimed to be believers. A few years ago we had a plumbing problem that seemed to require about 30 minutes of work. We found a plumber who claimed to be a Christian, and so we hired him to fix our problem. We never asked what his price would be because we had predetermined to give him $100, simply to bless him. Well, after a few minutes, he said that he forgot to bring a certain tool with him, so he called his son and asked his son to bring the tool over. Well, his son took almost 30 minutes to bring the tool. Meanwhile, the Christian plumber did no work. When the plumber completed the job, we asked him what we owed him. He said ... $100. We said nothing and wrote him a check for the $100 (for his 30 minutes of actual work). So the man got the same amount of money that we had predetermined to give him, but he probably never knew about the blessing of the Lord that he lost in the process. In addition, we never asked him to do any more work for us.
On another occasion, many years ago, we heard about a Christian young man in the clock repair business who was having a difficult time making ends meet. We decided to give him some business. We had an old wall clock that did not run. We invited the young man to have dinner with us and gave him the clock to repair. We never asked about the price. After a few weeks he came back, said the clock was fixed, and presented us with a bill for $93. I doubt that the clock cost even $50 when it was new, but we never said a word. We just gave him a check for the $93. What blessing did he miss? Only the Lord knows! The incidents above are only two of very many similar events that we have experienced (there have been a few exceptions).
Then there are those who have a very legalistic approach to things involving money. Many years ago, the Lord gave me a dream about a certain brother. In the dream, it was obvious that this brother had a real hang‑up in things pertaining to money. I never would have believed that the brother had such a hang‑up because I am essentially positive that the same brother tithed his income. But man looks on the external appearances while God looks on the heart. I believe that the Lord gave me that dream so that I could pray for that brother in a very specific way. In like manner, the following two verses are certainly both true, but it is our approach to verses like these that make a difference.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
It is NOT possible to understand the truth of God concerning money without laying a firm foundation first. It is our ATTITUDE, the state of our heart, that MUST be correct before we can understand what the Lord is after with respect to money. When Jesus was tempted by the Pharisees and Herodians concerning tribute money, Jesus replied:
Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
Mark 12:17
When Peter was asked whether Jesus paid tribute money, Jesus said:
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Matthew 17:27
Yes, today we live in a world that still requires tribute to Caesar. If the Bible dictionaries are correct, there was NO coined money in Israel until after the Exile. Before this time exchange of values took place by bartering, by trading one thing for another without the exchange of money. Although there is some dispute, most historians believe that the earliest money pieces came into existence about 700 B.C. in the small kingdom of Lydia in Asia Minor. In any event, it seems a certainty that coined money originated with heathen nations. Jesus said:
9 Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? Mark 16:9-11
Please reflect on those verses long and hard! As a minimum, that seems to tell us that we better know how to appropriate the use of money.
It is true that today we can seldom avoid the use of money to buy and sell. HOWEVER the time is approaching, QUICKLY approaching, when we can no longer buy or sell. You don’t want to even THINK about the alternative!!! With the start of the EURO dollar on January 2002, it is just a question of time before the United States follows suit and NO man can buy or sell without using the world-wide money system.
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Revelation 13:17And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:20
Therefore it is IMPERATIVE that we understand the truth of God concerning money and that we allow the Holy Spirit to develop within us the right attitude toward money.
The big faith and prosperity teachers have seduced far too many Christians concerning money. Oh, what they preach has a small element of legalistic truth. But Christianity does NOT consist of following rules and laws. Moreover, Christianity does NOT consist of blindly following what some faith preacher interprets (wrongly) as the word of God.
As long as I am motivated by “what do I get?” or “what’s in it for ME?” I am in big trouble. Yes, it is true that if I give freely to others, then I will receive a much bigger blessing in return from the Lord. But ONLY if my attitude and motivations are correct. As long as I am self-seeking I will greatly hinder the Lord’s blessings in my life. Abram certainly needed some refinement in his understanding. After defeating the four “good” kings and rescuing Lot,
1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward,2 And Abram said, Lord God, what will thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? Genesis 15:1-2
Could this immature attitude have been part of the reason why Abram had to wait another 15 years for the promise of God which came in the person of Isaac?
I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38
Jesus said,
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:33-34
And all that believed were together, and had all things common.And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Acts 2:44-45
A few years after the Lord apprehended me, I wrote and cashed in a $10,000 whole life policy that my parents had taken out for me when I was 21. The life insurance agent who had sold my parents that life insurance policy was a good friend of my parents. I also knew the man fairly well. When he got my notice to cash in the policy, he wrote me a letter back. He was strongly trying to discourage me from cashing in the policy. He told me that EVERYONE knew that after the disciples sold all their possessions and had all things in common, they quickly saw the error of their ways and went back to normal individual living. Of course what that life insurance agent did NOT tell me was that he was receiving a cut out of each of my insurance premiums and he did not want to lose the money for himself.
What About The Tithe?
The first mention of a tithe occurs in Genesis.
And he [Abram] gave him [Melchizedek] tithes of all. Genesis 14:20
Please note that at that time there was no such thing as money as we know it today. So the tithe consisted of animals, foodstuffs, etc. The Lord told Moses:
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. Deuteronomy 14:22
Therefore it should be no surprise when Jesus said:
But woe unto you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Luke 11:42Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Matthew 23:23
Jacob likewise said to the Lord,
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth uno thee. Genesis 28:22
How magnanimous of Jacob!!! Lord if you give me $50,000 a year, I will give $5,000 back to you.
Furthermore,
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Malachi 3:8Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10
There are those who quote the verses in Malachi 3 in an attempt to mentally and emotionally coerce believers into giving them money. This approach is commonly mixed with preaching a prosperity doctrine. Such, of course, are false teachers.
Some have said that the practice of tithing is never mentioned in the New Testament. That is basically correct, except for the times when Jesus addressed the Jews who were still trying to abide by the law. We believe that the tithe is part of the LAW.
The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24We have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19
Should a Christian tithe? YES! but only as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ ... UNTIL the day dawn, and the day star arise in our hearts. There is a place for taking heed and taking heed and taking heed. But unless you see what the Lord is REALLY after then all of our taking heed amounts to little more than walking in the law. Whenever you KNOW that EVERYTHING that we are and seem to have belongs to the Lord, then the law has no more effect.
In the days of the house church in Annandale-Springfield, back in the late 1960's and 1970's, we had a guiding principle with respect to the corporate distribution of money from the church. We almost NEVER gave money to any minister who asked for money. We preferred to provide financial support for those whose heart was more pure.
Have you ever heard anyone say, “You should pay tithes where you are fed”? Many churches like to state that saying in order to extract more dollars from the “flock.” If you are going to abide by the legalistic tithe concept, then that is a reasonable statement. What do you do, however, if you are fed by the LORD, not by man?
Many years ago, a precious brother in the Lord, who was also an accountant and prepared tax returns for many people, made the following observation. He said that he had noticed that when people had very few charitable contributions on their tax returns, they had a lot of other expenses, like medical bills, etc. He also said that when people had a lot of charitable deductions, then they had very few other expenses. In other words, he said that the tithe belonged to the Lord. Either we could voluntarily tithe or the Lord would take it some other way. Perhaps there was a lot of truth in his observations, but what about those believers who give a tithe or more and never claim it on their income tax return?
The Proper Use of Money
So what should our approach be to the mammon of unrighteousness? It starts (and ends) with the Lord Jesus.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favour rather than silver and gold.The rich and the poor meet together: The Lord is the Maker of them all.
Proverbs 22:1‑2
23 Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:24 ut let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord Which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
To the best of our knowledge, there is no place in scripture, which explicitly refers to a "gift of giving." Yet we believe very much that there is such a gift. Every ministry and every gift was and is embodied in the Person of the Lord Jesus. Jesus certainly demonstrated a gift of giving.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
We know several brethren who have such a gift. A few years ago I was talking with one brother with such a gift. He said that many years ago, a verse jumped out to him about giving.
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again. Proverbs 19:17
The brother was deeply impressed with how it could be possible to "lend unto the Lord," considering the fact that our God owns "the cattle upon a thousand hills" (Psalms 50:10). That is something worth pondering. Jesus gives an answer:
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40
1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:2 How that in great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 2 Corinthians 8:1‑5
And so God does not need and does not want our money. He wants YOU and ME!
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:20
Once we give ourselves to the Lord, everything else, including the gift of giving will follow. If I am providing some service to you, I should do so as unto the Lord, with absolutely NO thought as to what, if anything, I might get from you in return. Likewise, if I am receiving some service from you, I should ask the Lord what I should give you and be obedient with joy. For example, a Christian plumber, when doing some plumbing project for another Christian, if asked what price he/she expects for the work, should say, “I will leave that entirely between you and the Lord.”
Freely ye have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8
And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house, Nehemiah 10:38
Under the Old Covenant, the tithes were in the natural realm and consisted of animals, foodstuffs, etc. Under the New Covenant, the tithe of the tithes are the OVERCOMERS ... those believers who follow the Lamb whereever He leads.
Now is there anything wrong with being rich? Not if the Lord makes you rich! However, if the Lord makes you rich without your seeking riches, then the Lord has a reason. You MUST ask the Lord how He wants you to use the riches! Genesis 13 is the first place that wealth is mentioned in the Bible. Abram had riches (Genesis 13:2) but the riches did not have Abram. Moses, likewise, esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt (Hebrews 11:26). Abram’s eyes were on the promises, while the things of earth grew strangely dim. Abram had flocks but the flocks did not have him. Lot also had flocks (Genesis 13:5) but the flocks possessed him. It is a terrible thing when a Christian is possessed by his possessions. If riches are honestly obtained, held as belonging to God, and used by us as good stewards, they are right. But if they are falsely gained and/or held and used for unrighteous self, they are wrong. Lot’s riches were the occasion of strife (Genesis 13:7-8). Since he represents a believer he will have to learn by losing them all. A faithful God will see that they are taken away from him.
Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Proverbs 23:4
May we share an illustration from first hand knowledge. Many years ago a woman was cut out of her father’s will because she was a Christian. She and her husband did not know of this until the reading of her father’s will after his death in 1986. Her father was a very wealthy man, just like the king of Sodom, but was possessed by his possessions, just like Lot. Her rightful inheritance from her father’s estate would have easily exceeded one-half of a million dollars. But that never happened. One of the woman’s brothers told her that their father “was afraid that she might give away his empire to the ‘church’.” So her father cut her out of his will. Now there is no greater “hurt” than to be rejected by your father. This was also the greatest agony that Jesus experienced. Just prior to the death of Jesus on the cross, Jesus became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). And sin cannot be in the presence of God. This is why Jesus cried on the cross, “my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). At that instant Jesus experienced the rejection and separation from His Father, something He had never known before.
Around the same time period when the woman had been cut out of her father’s will, her husband experienced a similar situation, but on a much smaller scale, involving a few tens of thousands of dollars. In recalling this series of events I am reminded of the principle first illustrated by Abram, in Genesis 14:23, and how no man can say that they have made this couple rich. They have the true riches ... Christ Himself ... and He is quite sufficient.
Two more examples, please. In the world, many musical “artists” have made millions of daughters through their musical gifts. So it has seemed “normal” that Christians pursue the same. Many Christian vocalists have also made millions of dollars through the gift given to them by God. Is that wrong? Well we are in no position to judge anyone. But we do believe that in music, as in all other areas, there is a more excellent way. We have not been given gifts by God just to use them in the same manner that those in the world use their gifts with the corresponding monetary rewards! Certainly we should all seek the Lord as to how HE would have us to use the gifts that God has given to each one.
A similar area has to do with books. Many people in the world have made millions of dollars writing books. So since everybody does it, Christians have assumed that it is proper for them likewise to write Christian books and make millions of dollars in the process. This probably gets rationalized by Christian authors as a way that God has blessed them for using their understanding of scripture and their gift of writing. Again, we do NOT want to seem like we are judging Christian authors who sell their books for the normal going price. But again, we must insist that there is a higher, more excellent way! Such Christian authors need to honestly ask the Lord whether they are writing books for a mixed motive that INCLUDES personal fame and fortune. Yes, we are aware that,
For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward. 1 Timothy 5:18
But we need to be very careful here. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). I do not find ANY scripture that says that we should TAKE! The Scripture does NOT say that we are to extract money from out fellow believers! The attitude ... the motivation ... is CRITICAL! I should be MORE than willing to share with you that which I have received with NO thought on my part as to what I may get in return. We believe that the word of God is free! Any ministry, in whatever form it expresses itself, whether preaching, teaching, intercession, healing, deliverance, books, tapes, music, etc., should be freely shared with no thought of “what do I get in return?”
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1 Timothy 6:921 Jesus said unto him [a young man], If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.23 Then said Jesus unto His disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.25 When His disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:21-26
15 And He [Jesus] said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16 And He spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou has provided?21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luke 12:15-21
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.43 And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury.44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Mark 12:41-44
No serious Christian could ever doubt whether or not Jesus provided for that poor widow’s material needs the rest of her life on earth.
When Jesus and His disciples were at Capernaum, they that received tribute money (fifteen pence per person) asked Peter whether Jesus paid the tribute. When Peter in turn asked Jesus about the tribute money, Jesus said,
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Matthew 17:27
With respect to money, consider the global economic crisis, the steep fall in stocks world‑wide, the move in Europe to use the Euro dollar as the common currency (which materialized in January of 2002), and the swift merger of banks in the United States. Alan Greenspan once stated that “there is no end in sight to the global economic crisis.” I heard a news report a few years ago that Americans lost 1.5 TRILLION dollars in the stock market in just a few months. You do not need too much imagination to see the rush toward a common world‑wide banking system, where those who do not accept the mark of the beast can no longer buy or sell (Revelation 13:16‑17).
So what should be the believer’s mind‑set concerning this imminent economic problem? Start saving a lot of money? Take whatever money you have and hide it in your house? Hardly! “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
Some Practical Aspects
Scripturally, God designed for the man to be the primary breadwinner in a family (Genesis 1:17-19). Obviously there are exceptions. Pre-nuptial agreements have no place in the life of a Christian husband and wife. Part of the love of a man for his wife includes his provision for her natural, material needs. The man (or woman, if single) should be diligent to provide financial support for the family, as the Lord opens up the appropriate doors.
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than in infidel. 1 Timothy 5:8... if any would not work, neither should he eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him who is a great waster.
Proverbs 18:9
We see no problem with the use of credit cards PROVIDED the man controls the credit card and the credit card does not control the man. In other words, we strongly suggest that if you use credit cards that you pay the full amount each statement without accruing the horrendous fees and interest that credit card companies charge. We MUST learn to live within our means! NO one can spend more than they receive. Paul said,
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Philippians 4:12
In times of lower income, we must adjust our life style. We must be good stewards of that which we have received.
What about life insurance? The answer to that is simple. Whatever the Lord says to you, do it; and according to your faith, be it unto you. I am NOT avoiding the issue! Personally, I have not had any life insurance for 30 years; but it is a mistake to be dogmatic and/or legalistic about life insurance. After Abram had rescued Lot from the “good” kings, the king of Sodom came to Abram with a request.
21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre: let them take their portion.
Genesis 14:21-24
In other words, Abram said he COULD not and WOULD not impose on the young men the same beliefs that he [Abram] had concerning material possessions. Abram recognized that the young men might not be able to walk in the same place that he walked. The big modern-day faith teachers should take heed to this!
Another practical aspect concerns buying a house. Should a Christian go into debt to buy a house? Paul said,
Owe no man anything, but to love one another. Romans 13:8
Some have interpreted that verse to mean that we should pay cash for everything, including a house. What about those who are not able to pay cash for a house? (which must be at least 95% of all Christians). We tend to look at buying a house as an investment. It is not the same as an item with no continuing value. However, we should ALWAYS live within our means. Moreover, there are THREE overriding considerations. First, whatever He saith to you, do it. There is NO substitute for hearing the voice of the Lord on ANY matter! Second, be it unto you according to your faith. What is right for one person may be wrong for another person. Third, be prepared, in your heart, to walk away from any and all material possessions (including a house) if need be.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)16 Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains:17 Let him who is on the house top not come down to take any thing out of his house:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Matthew 24:15-18
At the time of the Exile, during the ministry of Jeremiah, the Lord said,
43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.44 Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 32:43-44
Religious Contributions and Tax Deductions
This is undoubtedly the most controversial aspect of this chapter on “The Christian and Money.” This is an area that VERY few Christian ministers want to hear, whether they are in a denominational church, an independent non-denominational church, or a charismatic house church. Let us state our thesis very clearly. We see NO place for the Christian, whether individually or corporately, to itemize tax deductions for contributions to religious organizations. When Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek he did not ask for a tax receipt. This whole issue can be resolved by a church group not adopting a “name;” for without a name you cannot get a bank account or an IRS tax-deductible number. See Chapter 10 on “Names” for more insight on this topic. Jesus said,
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. Matthew 6:1-3
At tax reporting time, what does the typical Christian do? He sits down with all of his tax deductible receipts from religious organizations in the left hand and enters those as deductions on a tax form with the right hand. So the left hand knows EXACTLY what the right hand is doing! Jesus said,
Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. Matthew 22:21
We might add to that verse, “but don’t ever mix them up.” Oil and water do not mix. The things of the world do NOT mix with the things of the Lord! The Church today has very little power BECAUSE the Church has allowed all sorts of mixture to co-exist within its ranks.
Yes, I know the typical response: “But it is perfectly legal to take a tax deduction for contributions to religious organizations. If I take the tax deduction I will have more money to give to the Lord’s work.” That response is a product of logical reasoning ... a product of the carnal mind. Did you forget that our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills? Did you forget that Jesus told Peter to go take up the first fish that comes up and you will find a piece of money in the mouth of the fish? The little bit of money that you “save” as a result of taking a tax deduction is PEANUTS compared to that which the Lord is ready to pour out upon you if you walk in His ways. How do I know? from revelation, not reason; and from personal experience. I could go into GREAT detail about that last statement but I will not do so here.
I remember very vividly an elders’ meeting one Sunday morning about 27 years ago. There were quite a number of brothers from various other geographical locations at that elders’ meeting ... about 25 Christian men in all, supposedly all with some degree of maturity (at least enough to be called an elder). Very early at that meeting, a question arose as to whether the house church of which we were a part should renew its “covering” through an Assembly of God church in California in order to continue to have tax-exempt status. Some said one thing, others said another. Then one man, who had been the treasurer of the house church from the beginning said, “let me give you a background of what has happened in this area in this house church.” He proceeded to do so, including how the house church had initially received the “covering” in order to have a tax-exempt status. More debate followed about whether or not we should renew this tax-exempt status. Finally someone said, why don’t we pray about it right now? No one could argue with that. So several different men voiced prayers that the Lord would show us what to do about our tax-exempt status. After a few minutes, someone said to the group, “what did you hear the Lord say?” The responses were almost comical! Each person had “heard” the same thing they had heard before we had prayed. There was still a disagreement. Finally, one prophet spoke up and said: “Let me share with you what I heard from the Lord. Here we have spent more than one hour with 25 men talking and debating about whether or not to renew our tax-exempt status. What I heard the Lord say was, ‘What does all of this have to do with the kingdom of God?’” There was silence in that meeting for what seemed like half an hour (but in reality was probably about one minute).
The problem, of course, is that Christian man is always trying to reason how we can DO more FOR God. But God wants to do a work WITHIN us! Lord have mercy on us!
The End of the Matter About Money
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isaiah 55:1
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Chapter 15: Reluctance To Change
Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. Jeremiah 48:11Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria.
Amos 6:1
Reluctance to change is widely accepted by the field of psychology as a phenomenon of people. Max Planck, who received a Nobel prize for discovery of the revolutionary quantum theory in physics, once stated:
This experience gave me also an opportunity to learn a fact - a remarkable one in my opinion: A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.
Christians are NOT immune to reluctance to change, which also is thoroughly documented in many scriptures. “We have always done things this way” is an often used expression, both in the world and in Christian circles. I have heard a number of rather mature ministries say, "I know God put me into this specific ministry in this place." My comment is "fine, I agree, but did God tell you to stay there forever?"
A striking example of reluctance to change is recorded in Acts 10 with Peter. The Lord had arranged for Peter to visit and preach the gospel to Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian band. Up to that point in time, Peter was convinced that the good news was only for Jews. Peter also believed that no good Jew should ever eat anything that was common or unclean. After all, that was the law as given through Moses. Peter had a vision, or trance, of a certain vessel descending unto him, like a great sheet let down to earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. Then Peter heard the voice of the Lord to him, saying:
13 Rise, Peter; kill and eat.14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
Acts 10:13-16
When the messengers from Cornelius knocked at the door, the Spirit told Peter to go with them. The end result was that Cornelius and all of his house were saved, baptized in the Spirit, and baptized in water.
As with most topics, we do well to look at the life of Jesus on earth, as recorded in scripture. The religious elite of the day branded Jesus as a reactionary, a revolutionary, a heretic. FIVE times, in Matthew 5, Jesus said:
Ye have heard ... But I say unto you ... Matthew 5:21, 27, 33, 38, 43
The religious elite of the day bristled as they heard Jesus say things that seemed to be contradictory to the law, as given through Moses. When Jesus was healing people, working all sorts of miracles, and feeding people with natural food, He was generally well-received, at least by the common people. The religious elite of the day objected strenuously when Jesus healed anyone on the Sabbath day because that was contrary to “their” law.
Jesus also came saying some words hard to be understood. His words were greatly MIS-understood. The major turning point in the ministry of Jesus on earth is recorded in John 6. In that chapter, Jesus said some things that NO man understood.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.38 For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me.41 The Jews then murmured at Him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. John 6:35, 38, 41
Note in John 6:41 that the Jews murmured at Him. From there, Jesus went on to say some even harder words.
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? John 6:53, 56, 60-61
Now note that in John 6:60-61 His disciples murmured at Him. The more that Jesus spoke in the spiritual realm, the more opposition arose. SO IT IS TODAY!!! As a result,
From that time many of the disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.
John 6:66
We believe that it is NOT a mere coincidence that many of the disciples went back or left Jesus in John 6:66. The carnal man, with his natural reasoning, sooner or later must depart from the Lord.
A MAJOR characteristic of our walk as Christians is (or at least SHOULD be) change. There is nothing static about Christianity. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever; but we BETTER be changing! (For another example of change, see Chapter 9: Church Government.)
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
The closer you walk with the Lord ... the more you allow the Holy Spirit to reveal His Truth to you ... the more you allow the Holy Spirit to change you into His image, the more you will be misunderstood and the more difficult it will be for you to try to explain to others what you have experienced. Any one who really seeks only the will of God is a person who marches to a different drummer. That person will be marked as “different.” People do NOT like to be branded as “different.” There is a price to pay to walk on with the Lord. That walk took Jesus to Calvary. It will take you to that same cross, not physically, but spiritually. Are you really willing to pay the price? If so, a crown of glory, rather than a crown of shame, awaits you. Count the cost VERY carefully!
Chapter 16: Discernment
Perhaps the greatest lack in the Christian world today is lack of discernment. The starting text for this Chapter is in Ezekiel 44, which describes two type of priests. Please keep in mind that these verses have a CURRENT and FUTURE prophetic fulfillment as well as a past historical fulfillment.
10 And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.11 Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity.13 And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.14 But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein. Ezekiel 44:10-14
Christianity today has MANY such priests, who have ministered unto the people before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity. The scripture says that they have committed abominations. However, the Lord says that He will still use them to minister to the house. What grace and mercy!!!
The second type of priests, the sons of Zadok, are discussed in Ezekiel 44:15-31.
15 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me, to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God.16 They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge. Ezekiel 44:15-16
. . .
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Ezekiel 44:23
. . .
And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. Ezekiel 44:28
In verse 28, above, the Lord says that He is the inheritance and the possession of the priests, the sons of Zadok. This is PRECISELY what the Lord had told Abram: “I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward” (Genesis 15:1).
The verse in Ezekiel 44:23 has NOT yet been fulfilled. To confirm that statement all you have to do is look at the hundreds of thousands of Christians who have been pulled in to one off-tangent “movement” after another. We have described in numerous places, in several different Volumes, the off-tangent “movements” of submission, discipleship, faith and prosperity, “apostles and prophets,” mega-churches, and on and on.
Jesus said,
I am come in my Father's name and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. John 5:43
Charismatic Christians flock by the tens of thousands to hear the false apostles and prophets. In some cases charismatics even pay $125 (or $175 after the pre‑registration date) to hear these false apostles and prophets. Of course they get a good "deal" of only $75 for their spouse! How sick can you get? The spirit of Balaam once more runs rampant in charismatic circles.
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Jude 11
Please read all of Jude. Jude 16 says "their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage." Some Spirit‑filled friends of ours told me they stopped going to a large Assembly of God church when they passed the collection plate four times during the same service.
The same believers who flock after the false apostles and prophets run the other way when a true prophet appears. In the old testament, the people hated to see the prophets coming, because they knew it signaled a threat to their carnal way of life. Darkness never likes light. Many years ago a true prophet of the Lord came to our area a number of times. We were the only people who would house him, but we did so with great pleasure! I remember dozens of nuggets of gold that he shared, informally, with my wife and I in our living room. I will never forget all of the truth that he shared. So my wife and I were greatly blessed and received a prophet's reward; the other believers received little.
Consider Jonah and the people of Nineveh. I know of no reason to suspect that the people of Nineveh represent Christians; but when Jonah, who came from hundreds of miles away and preached "yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown," they repented. Today, the voice of true prophets is largely ignored by charismatic Christians. Christians today seem to be saying,
Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Jeremiah 30:10
Let us return to the key verse.
And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Ezekiel 44:23
In the BEST of charismatic circles, we have done a fairly good job in teaching the difference between the holy and the profane. Clearly, based on the fruit in evidence, we have NOT caused the Lord’s people to discern between the unclean and the clean. The fruit, as stated above, are the thousands of Christians who have been tossed to and fro from one off-tangent “movement” to another. NEVERTHELESS, this verse MUST be fulfilled ... with or without you and with or without me. Fulfillment of Ezekiel 44:23 requires five separate, but related, works of the Spirit.
(1) Christians need to see the NEED for discernment. Unfortunately, the masses who are caught up in so many off-center movements and tangents do not know what they are in.(2) Christians need to earnestly pray that the Lord will raise up the priests, the sons of Zadok. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy will be done.” Ezekiel 44:23 contains a part of His will. It can NEVER be wrong to pray that the will of the Lord be done!(3) The sons of Zadok, themselves, must be raised up. We believe that the Lord is not asleep! He has 7,000 more that we do not know about. He has been preparing His chosen vessels in the wilderness. Please see Chapter 19: Current Events, for more on this aspect.(4) The sons of Zadok, themselves, must have discernment. You can ONLY pass on to others that which you have received. From my limited observation, some priests who THINK they have discernment are going to be surprised one day.
(5) There must be an openness on the part of the Lord’s people to HEAR and RECEIVE from the sons of Zadok. From my limited observation, that openness does not currently exist, except to a limited degree. For FAR too long, the Church has been listening to whatever soothes the soul and emotions ... don’t rock the boat ... keep everybody happy ... have some nice programs for everyone ... keep the money coming in. As it was in the Old Testament with apostate Israel, so it is today. Sugar-coating the word has accomplished very little. Is it time for the Word of Truth to be spoken?
Let us first go back and look at the natural priest, Zadok, whose name means “righteous.” Zadok, the son of Ahitub, was one of two priests who helped David (2 Samuel 8:17). Zadok also helped bring the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 15:11-13) and supported David against Absalom (2 Samuel 15:24-36). Zadok was also a prophet (2 Samuel 15:27).
Zadok had one son ... Ahimaaz. The name “Ahimaaz” means “brother of anger” or “brother of closed eyes.” Ahimaaz was one of two young men appointed by David to bring him news of Absalom after Absalom had usurped the kingdom from David. David said to Hushai:
Behold, they [Zadok and Abiathar] have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. 2 Samuel 15:36
After Joab killed Absalom (2 Samuel 18:14), Joab called Cushi to go tell David what he had seen (the death of Absalom). Cushi had not been one of the two young men appointed by David to be a messenger. Ahimaaz TWICE asked Joab to let him run also to bear tidings to king David. After all, Ahimaaz must have thought, that is my calling and function.
19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou has seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing thou hast no tidings ready? 2 Samuel 18:19-22
There is a great object lesson with Ahimaaz. Even though Ahimaaz had a calling and a function, he had SEEN nothing. So it was not yet his time to run. We must minister out of what we have seen and heard. That was the message of the Apostle John.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
. . .
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1, 3
There is another truth to be gleaned from Ahimaaz. From scripture, Zadok had only ONE son ... Ahimaaz; but Ezekiel 44:15 speaks of the sons (plural) of Zadok. Verse 23 of Ezekiel 44 says THEY (plural) shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In 574 B.C., during the time of Ezekiel, there was ONE son; in these last days, the Lord is raising up a COMPANY of sons to fulfill that prophecy. It is the same with Elijah, who is yet to come.
Now are YOU part of the sons of Zadok? Am I? If anyone asks that question then they have missed the point and have need of further refinement by the Spirit of God. The important point is NOT who is going to be a part of the company of deliverers (Obadiah 21) that the Lord is raising up. The ONLY thing that matters is that the will of the Lord be done ... that He might be glorified.
Chapter 17: Prophets And Wanna-Be Prophets
If we are to believe all of the reports from supposedly Spirit-filled Christians, there must be tens of thousands of prophets (as a minimum) in the United States today. A number of prophets (?) have schools of the prophets where lots of new prophets are being trained. If you believe that, then you are in TROUBLE! (I have adopted that phrase from a REAL prophet in his recent letter of admonition to the church). You CANNOT teach or train anyone to be a prophet. Ministries such as prophets are given by God ... foreordained from before the foundation of the world ... shaped by the hand of the Master Potter through many sufferings, trials, and conflicts ... ALL designed by the Lord to mold that man into his calling as a prophet. The Lord orders ALL of our circumstances and experiences to help to mold us into the person and ministry He wants us to be. NO amount of effort on our part will EVER re-form an eye into a foot. About 20 years ago, one local elder called me and asked if I knew that Sam (not his real name) recently had received prophecy to the effect that Sam was a prophet. I said, “No I was not aware of that.” Inwardly, however something else flooded my mind. I knew that Sam could NEVER be a prophet unless the Lord, after 60 years of molding Sam to have pastoral qualities, dramatically and radically altered Sam’s entire disposition. Pastors and prophets are on two opposite ends of a spectrum, different in MANY ways.
I am only aware of ONE time in my life that I have prophesied over some one that the Lord has called him to be a prophet. This was not because of some special revelation I received from the Lord (although some ministries DO function that way). It was because I KNOW the qualities that the Lord works into those whom He has called to be prophets. So when I see those qualities in a person, it is easy for me to see the calling on that person’s life. In other words, I look at the FRUIT of the tree in order to recognize the type of tree. Likewise, when I see someone who claims to be a prophet but who is involved with all sorts of mixture of the world, then I have difficulty calling that person a prophet of the Lord. In the day of Elijah, there were MANY more prophets of Baal than prophets of the Lord. So it is today!
First of all, let us make perfectly clear that there is a distinct difference between the ministry of a prophet and the gift of prophecy. All may prophesy but NOT all are prophets (1 Corinthians 12:29). Let us look at some verses in 1 Corinthians 14:
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
1 Corinthians 14:29-32
We must remember that the entire book of 1 Corinthians is a letter of correction from Paul to the Church at Corinth. Chapter 14 is a word of correction concerning the use (or rather MIS-use) of the vocal gifts in their assemblies. Verses 29-32, above is a word of correction about the use of prophecy in the assembly.
The function of a prophet in an assembly of believers is to set forth or proclaim the word that the Lord desires to speak during that gathering. The prophet lays the foundation. That is the reason for verse 29, above, which states, “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.” Verse 31, “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted,” means that other believers may then prophecy, PROVIDED it is in the general framework of the word set forth by the two or three prophets. (I am NOT a dogmatic or legalistic person. I understand that God can do anything He wants to do, using anyone He wants to use. I am speaking of general principles.) In reality, from my experience and observation, far too many charismatic meetings are peppered with “popcorn” prophecy, usually of the variety of, “Oh how the Lord loves His people. You are doing everything right!” Whenever I hear that kind of prophecy, I want to either jump up and shout, NO, NO, NO! or else just get up and leave. I remember distinctly a few meetings when there were TWO separate and distinct words flowing ... a carnal word from the flesh and a spiritual word from the Lord. It was like a seesaw with Christians prophesying on both sides.
Almost everyone is familiar with the verse in 1 Corinthians that seems to set forth the purpose of prophecy.
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 1 Corinthians 14:3
Everyone is also familiar with the verses when prophets are used to foretell what the Lord will do in the future. One rather dramatic illustration of this came from the mouth of Elijah in a written form to Jehoram, king of Judah, because
10 He [Jehoram] had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers.11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.
2 Chronicles 21:10-1112 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself:14 Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:15 And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day. 2 Chronicles 21:12-15
The most interesting aspect of this prophetic writing from Elijah to Jehoram is that the writing came LONG after Elijah had been taken up by a whirlwind! How could Elijah write such a prophetic foretelling? We believe it was because Elijah had a word from the Lord AND because he had seen something set in motion. Suppose we consider any given rifle, whose characteristics are fully known. We could know the range of a bullet for any given elevation of the rifle. If the rifle were pointed in a certain direction, with a given elevation, we could accurately predict where the bullet would fall. The same is true of a bow and arrow. Elijah had seen something set in motion. He knew what the end result would be unless there was a sovereign intervention by God. This is a time when every thing is going to its own place. Water seeks its own level.
That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. Acts 1:25And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. Revelation 12:14He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Revelation 22:11
However, another, often overlooked function of a true prophet is to set forth a higher vision of the Lord and his ways. It was, and still is, the grace of God to raise up prophets to SEE and hear a word from the Lord and to warn His people.
The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jereboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. Amos 1:1
The vision of Obadiah ... Obadiah 1
The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah 1:1
The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. Nahum 1:1The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. Habakkuk 1:1
The Lord told the prophet Habakkuk to
Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Habakkuk 2:2
“The Vision” is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and His ways. For more on “vision” see Chapter 8 of our book called, “A Sure Foundation.”
Jesus warned,
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matthew 7:15And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:11
Note that Jesus spoke of MANY false prophets who shall rise. They shall all speak the same thing. In the time of Jeremiah all of the false prophets were speaking of peace and safety. Only Jeremiah spoke of destruction of Jerusalem. The same was true with the prophets of Baal in the time of Elijah.
Now, how can you tell the difference between a true prophet of the Lord and a false prophet? Jesus said that false prophets will appear to be sheep, mild mannered, gentle, etc. So you can NOT discern the difference by outward observation or by your natural senses. It takes DISCERNMENT, which is given by God (see Chapter 16 for more details on discernment). You MUST have your senses exercised to DISCERN both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). The best way that I know of to discern between the false prophets and true prophets requires an understanding on your part of the ways of the Lord. For example, whenever I see ANY ministry who claims to be a prophet and who also charges money to attend their prophetic “conference” or charges money to receive their books, tapes, etc., then I would not touch it with a ten-foot pole. It is too tainted with flesh. Another clue is when you see a large number of “prophets” all saying the same thing, as they did in the time of Elijah and Jeremiah. Now if prophets ALL get their message directly from the Head, then that is one thing; but when prophets get their message from each OTHER, through their network of “prophets,” then leave it alone! Of course, a good approach is to observe the fruit of their ministry, if there is enough time for such observation.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Matthew 7:16-17
Chapter 18: Substitutes
Perhaps the first mention of substitutes is found in Genesis.
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. Genesis 11:1-3
Brick for stone and slime for mortar ... substitutes.
Although the King James version of the Bible says that “they journeyed from the east,” the correct interpretation is that “they journeyed TOWARD the east.”
Man, even Christian man, is FOREVER trying to pull down that which is spiritual and holy to the natural level. Why? So that man can understand the ways of the Lord and the mystery of God with his own natural, carnal mind. The book of 1 Corinthians is a letter of CORRECTION to the Church at Corinth. Paul tells them that they are carnal, babes in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1). Paul also says,
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14
I remember when I was very young in the Lord ... a babe in Christ ... I allowed, unknowingly, the enemy to deceive me into believing that I might die. I even had the natural symptoms, brought on by fear of death, of a heart attack. I called a good brother in the Lord at about 3:00 a.m. He came right over to our house and prayed for me. Before he left, he put a little metal cross over the top molding on the inside of our front door. A few days later, either my wife or I glued that little metal cross to the wall board above the door so it would not fall. For a year or two, every time I looked at that little metal cross, it gave me comfort. I believed that I was being protected by that cross.
Then there came a time that I removed that little metal cross and threw it away. The Lord made me to understand that there was NO power in that little piece of metal. That cross had NEVER protected me! It was the Lord Himself who protected me and gave me comfort. Is there anything evil about a little metal cross? No. But it was a substitute in my life for the real Protector, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11
When a Christian is a babe in Christ, he/she needs milk, not meat. A new Christian needs to see the love of God through a genuine pastor ... a man. The Lord graciously provided that to me and my wife when we were young in the Lord. Before we have a chance to develop our spiritual senses, we need the comfort of seeing, through our natural senses, the love of God in action through people. But there comes a time in our walk as a believer that we MUST see that the LORD is our Shepherd ... our Pastor ... and NOT a man, not flesh and blood, not even a godly man. Does that eliminate the need for a ministry of a pastor? No, not as long as there are new believers who need nurturing.
There is a real place for kindergarden. Kindergarden is actually a very nice place ... you color in coloring books, have punch and cookies, perhaps learn about numbers, and someone reads you nice stories. But the error is in staying in kindergarden FOREVER! There is NOTHING static about our walk as Christians. Christianity is DYNAMIC! a daily walk with the Lord Jesus. Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). By that he meant, of course, that we should die daily to SELF. John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
Church groups make the same mistake as individuals. Christian man is forever searching the scripture to find the pattern for this and the pattern for that ... how to do this ... how to do that ... and then crystalizing their doctrine into a hard and fast set of rules and dogma, all set into concrete and then written down in pen and ink for all to see. This is what Peter did when Jesus was transfigured and Moses and Elijah appeared. Peter had almost NO spiritual understanding at that point in time.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. Matthew 17:4
Do you find it rather amazing that there so many different slants on the word of God? Why are there more than 500 different Christian denominations, each one with some different beliefs? Why do so many different church groups affirm that they believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that they believe ALL of the Bible? yet there are widely differing view on the one, eternal, never changing word of God! Some Christian groups believe that if you do NOT build a “church” building then you are part of anti-Christ. (Yes, I saw that in print one time.) Their argument was based on the verse,
Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Haggai 1:8
Do you find it strange that groups such as that do NOT build a “church” building out of wood, but use brick and concrete? That seems to contradict their literal interpretation of the verse in Haggai which says to build the house out of wood! I wonder what such groups do with the scripture,
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples. Hosea 8:14
Yet some church groups cling dogmatically to their natural-level interpretation of scripture. In fact, there are MANY scriptures that can NEVER be interpreted literally or in the natural realm! Jesus said,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. John 6:52
When the Jews heard Jesus say that, they branded Jesus as a heretic. They KNEW that Moses had told them they must not drink blood. The problem with the Jews, of course, was that they had NO spiritual understanding ... they tried to interpret everything in the natural realm, using their carnal minds.
So a lack of spiritual understanding ... trying to interpret everything with the natural mind ... plus a dogmatic, static approach to the word of God ... all combine to create hundreds of different denominations. Unfortunately, we Christians tend to accept the most common interpretations of scripture, never bothering to ask the Lord to show us the real Truth! We grow up in some environment where certain beliefs are set forth as truth and never realize what the Spirit is actually saying.
We believe that there is NOTHING that you can wear or not wear that will make you more holy. We believe that there is NOTHING that you can eat or not eat that will make you more holy; likewise there is NOTHING that you can drink or not drink that will make you more holy.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17
Is there anything wrong with symbols? not necessarily. But if they become substitutes for that which they symbolize then they need to be discarded. Earlier in this Chapter, I related the time when I took down a little metal cross from over our front door and threw it away. There was nothing evil about that metal cross. It was just a symbol. But it was a symbol that played NO part in my life. If I trust in symbols, that is called idolatry.
Webster’s Dictionary defines idolatry as “the worship of a physical object as a god.” The Columbia Encyclopedia uses the following definition:
In theological language, however, idolatry is often made to include the adoration of what is seen and tangible as opposed to that of an unseen spiritual being.
The idols today are NOT golden calves but Christians today still have their idols, perhaps unknowingly.
Many years ago, the Lord gave the following poem to Don Murphy, a prophet of the Lord.
Symbol to Substance(Reprinted here with permission of the author)To reach the substance through the symbol I must dancetil leaving my shell, for the higher I advance.When the source I have found, the cup I no longer take;the eternal bread I eat, the wafer I forsake.At my Father’s table, feasting from the vine,I forget grainless husks and pulp void of wine.I must know the silence to reach the musicwhere the cords of life lie in passive state -Ready to vibrate with eternal harmonyawaiting the instrument which is me.
Chapter 19: Current Events
What is the hour in which we now live? What is the Spirit of the Lord saying to the churches today? From my very limited observation, I see that the Lord is raising up an Elijah company today (but BEWARE if you see a group of people who call themselves by that name). The true Elijah company consists of a FEW good men. These men are also characterized as was Jeremiah, who is sometimes called the “weeping prophet.” Jeremiah was mocked, persecuted, and made a reproach in the eyes of his fellow Jews; but Jeremiah NEVER wept for himself or for his sufferings. He wept because of the love of God which he had in his heart for backslidden Judah. Jeremiah at one point said,
7 O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.9 Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. Jeremiah 20:7-9
The hour in which we live is the same as in the time of Jeremiah. In this hour, the Lord has fanned the flame; He has stirred up the hearts of an Elijah company. The word that He has given to this company can also be summarized by the word of the Lord to Jeremiah in Chapter 1.
9 Then the Lord put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Jeremiah 1:9-10
Note that there are four “negatives” or more accurately what most folks would call negative: to root out, to pull down, to destroy, and to throw down. In reality, there is NOTHING negative about removing that which is displeasing to the Lord! These four “negatives” must be accomplished before the two “positives” can be done: to build and to plant. It is like the verse in Nehemiah just before the wall around Jerusalem was to be rebuilt.
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. Nehemiah 4:10
The rubbish has to be cleared away before the wall can be built.
The state of the Church today is the same as in the time of Jeremiah. All of Jeremiah 13 is applicable to the current church world. Let us look at only half of that chapter.
15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.16 Give glory to the Lord your God, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.19 The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?21 What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?22 And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.24 Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.26 Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? Jeremiah 13:15-27
In verse 15, PRIDE is stated as the big pile of rubbish that must be set aside. Pride is evidenced in the big mega-churches. I recently heard one pastor of one such mega-church publicly exhort “his” flock of thousands to make the “_________” Church great. He also stated that “their” church was the premier church in the United States. God, help us! If that is true, then we are ALL in BIG trouble! The Lord will NEVER make ANY mega-church great, except perhaps in the eyes of carnal men.
As in verse 17, above, the Lord’s flock is carried away captive. As I sat and groaned at the “sermon” by the pastor of the mega-church referenced above, I wept inwardly for the 2,000 or so who sat there. What a tragedy for so many people to receive NOTHING in the way of spiritual food! The really sad part is that many of those present probably never knows there is something better! They have been fed a steady diet of smooth words by a smooth-talking, polished speaker, who has NOTHING to say! I also feel sorry for those pastors! One day they will face the judgment of God. It is better to be no pastor at all than to lead thousands down a path that leads to nowhere!
The answer to the off-center tangents is also given in verses 18 and 27 above: Humble yourselves ... repent ... and the Lord will give you light and life. The word of the Lord to the true Church today is the same as that given by John the Baptist and by Jesus Himself. “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 and Matthew 4:17
Chapter 20: Epilog
11 Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Amos 8:11-12
Surely the day is coming, and even now is, when the Lord is going to take away all the “things” we have trusted in. Unless there is a true repentance, God is going to profane His sanctuary, just as He did at Shiloh ... the churches with their programs, traditions, off-center doctrines, shadows, symbols, tapes and books for sale, ministries for hire, big brick and concrete buildings and on and on. No longer will you be able to buy and sell. No longer will you be able to trust in man, but ONLY in the Lord. No longer will you be able to depend upon physicians for your health, but ONLY upon the Great Physician.
At the same time the Lord is building up a group of unknowns ... 7,000 more that we don’t know about ... an Elijah company. Those who escape the great mixture will be those who really want to serve the Lord. The Lord will bring those who have been taken captive to you and you will speak and no longer be dumb.
And in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 14:21He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Revelation 22:20-21
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