Clutter of the Soul Part 1

Clutter we all have and seemingly want to get more and then even more. We spend hard earned money to rent storage places so that we fill them up with what, more clutter. The stuff of our lives, but does it really speak of our lives or is it just stuff. We spend a life time on acquiring our stuff and when it is all done and over we will the stuff to someone else to be caretaker of it, and they do the same. Eventually the stuff gets old and useless yet we still hang on it as valuable antiques.

 

The acquiring of the clutter might have given a moment or two of joy or comfort or relief to some problem or situation but within a few days the problem is right back and still in need of a resolution and the only thing that has been resolved is that there is more stuff cluttering up your life.

When it comes to stuff, clutter may or may not be a good thing but what happens when clutter happens in the soul, it is never a good thing and always needs to be cleaned out and swept away. Clutter in the soul can be transferable but should be never given to another, why burden another with clutter and soulish stuff?

So over the next few entries of this blog we will consider some things that clutter the soul and possible ways to gain relief. The stories you read are all true (only the names have been changed) and are used to give examples of what may clutter the soul.

First we may want to define what the soul is, the residence of the mind, will and the emotions. I think of it as a depository. The place where we keep something for safe keeping.

So here’s the problem, why do we want keep safely the heart wrenching emotions that have caused so much hurt and anxiety within our lives. Anger, hate, resentment, guilt, grief, bitterness all have no place in the soul and certainly have no place being kept safe. Yet these and other harmful feeling and emotions are often held on to and nourished becoming more and more harmful. It is these feeling that “darken the soul” Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: What is the definition of the soul? So then the darkened soul is alienated from God, without Him nothing is possible, with Him all things are possible.

When discussing the salvation of the soul the disciples of Christ were left in amazement, struggling with the fact the soul may be set free, yet Jesus reassured them that with God nothing was impossible. Matthew 19: 25-26, When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. So then what is that you are keeping safe, fearing to let it go? What have you decided God can’t handle? With God all things are possible.

Look at the Strong’s definition of this word possible: powerful or capable (literally or figuratively); neuter possible: – able, could, (that is) mighty (man), possible, power, strong

So that which holds you in bondage will be removed in a powerfully strong way by He is beyond our capabilities. Why then do you choose to keep it safe? Those feelings you harbour against another have no affect or effect upon the other, THEY ONLY DO DAMAGE TO YOU. So why not let the All Powerful Loving Father destroy them forever. Stop stopping God. His greatest desire to show you His love. What’s more is that it is right there in you already. It is the Holy Spirit living in you, God’s love is already there ready to push out anything that may hinder you from receiving His best. Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

Lonny and Lenny got up really early, today was blueberry picking day. Fifty cents for a 6 quart basket and Mrs. Wright would surely buy six baskets if she had them by noon. That would mean they could actually make three whole dollars for just a few hours of picking the biggest wild blueberries in Capreol region. Lonny knew exactly the right spot, half way up a small hill just through Myers Marsh. Here the blueberries grew as big as cranberries so filling those 6 baskets shouldn’t take much time at all.

Help, many do not realize that help is just a cry away, a prayer spoken from the heart, uttered from the soul cluttered or not. Psalms 22:19, “But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.” We all too often forget that the Lord is the nearest one to us, and should be the first one we seek relief from. There is no-one and nothing that can release the soul from it’s clutter like the Holy Spirit can.

 

Many tend to forget that it is at the throne of God that all our help is derived. Just because the soul has become cluttered and our heart is broken we need not be shy or bashful in approaching God. We have the right and privilege in freely walking into the very presence of God and requesting from Him the help we need. No fault to be found, no condemnation to be given, just freedom for living in the love of God. Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

 

The three dollars were already spent in the minds of the boys. Lenny knew for just five cents he buy a whole fist full on penny candy, another nickel got a bottle of orange Crush and ten cents a box of Cracker Jacks with a prize. He thought if he was really smart and with his penny bottle deposit he could stretch his dollar fifty out to last until next week and then maybe pick another three baskets of berries.

 

Lonny however had other things on his twelve year old mind. Just last night Mom had called. She has been ill and in the hospital for a bit so she was missing her children (all nine of them).

She called to just talk, to be the encourager she always was. She knew that the kids went through a lot everyday just getting back and forth to school. It was less than two blocks from home yet all the kids took awhile attempting to avoid the other kids from C.R. Judd school. Trying not to be bullied, beat, tortured for their stand of faith, that being the only Jehovah’s Witness family in the town. Everyday Mom could be found bandaging one child or another right after school. So today she was calling just to be sure all the children were okay, if they got through their ordeal of the day. She was calling just to hear their voice, just to say “I love you”.

So one by one each of the nine took the phone and with their excited voiced told Mom all about what was happening, everything that was going to be happening. Lenny told Mom about Mrs. Wright wanting the blueberries and what he planned to do with his money. Then he handed to phone to big sister and she to the next in line and so it went. Each one briefly talking to Mom and each one missing her more. Each one except one, Lonny. He had been bad that day, once again he had gotten into a fight coming home, once again it was because of being a JW and JW’s are not suppose to fight. So Dad had punished him, and that meant a spanking, a hard and sometimes brutal spanking.

It didn’t make much sense to Lonny, to be beat at school for your faith then get beat at home for defending that same faith. But Mom would always be there, she could make him better no matter how badly he hurt, just that hug and everything seemed to fade. Tomorrow would be another day, but today Mom could make it a little better if only she was home and not in some hospital far away. But she wasn’t home, she was just on the telephone and who can hug on the phone, Lonny needed the hug, so in his anger he refused to talk to Mom, It wasn’t fair, at least in his mind.

So the next morning picking all those berries Lonny discovered the blues and they weren’t from the berries. He had never felt so badly before, why didn’t he just talk to Mom last night, if only he had he knew he’d be feeling much better today. So with his money he planned to buy mom a really nice present and bring it to Mom tomorrow when the family got to go to the hospital and visit her. Maybe they would let her come home soon too, just maybe, Lonny really missed Mom terribly.

Lonny was just finishing topping up basket number four when he thought he heard someone calling, they sounded distressed yet anxious, It seemed to him they were calling his and Lenny’s name, but why would someone be looking for them. Everyone knew they were off picking berries. But then panic set into both of the boys, had they remembered to tell the neighbours that they were going to borrow the bike in the morning so they could leave nice and early? We they going to be in trouble again, Lonny just couldn’t take another beating, not today, the blueberries had to be picked, Moms present had to be purchased. What could they possibility want with them?

“LENNY, LONNY” the calling got louder and louder, finally both boys decided they better answer, trouble or not, it may be far worse if they didn’t answer.

It was Uncle Will and he looked frantic. “Well at last” he said. “You boys get in my car RIGHT NOW, I have to get you back to the house at once.”

“What about the bikes and our blueberries” asked Lenny.

“Forget them for now, you can come back later for them” said Uncle Will.

“But why, we have did anything wrong” argued Lonny.

“Never mind what you did or didn’t do, you are wanted at home and that’s where your going, so get in the car now, and stop arguing with me” said Uncle Will.

From that point all the way home no one said another thing. Lonny just couldn’t help dreading the beating he knew was coming but he couldn’t figure out why, he knew he hadn’t did anything wrong.

As they pulled up to the little house on Lincoln Crescent they saw a least a dozen other cars belonging to other uncles, grandparents and friends. Lonny now wondered if he was in trouble for missing a JW meeting, usually held in the house, but never on a Monday morning. This was strange indeed.

Walking into the house there had to be fifty people there but it was so quite. Hardly anyone was talking and grandma was there in the corner crying. Still Lenny couldn’t help but wonder what he had done.

Dad looked cross, “where you boys been” he barked.

“Picking blueberries on Myers mound” relied Lenny.

“Well you shouldn’t have been, your supposed be home, GO to your room, I’ll be there in a minute” snapped Dad.

The boys went to the room still wondering why all those people were there. When they opened the door to the room the rest of the kids were in there just sitting. Nobody talking, all with the same worried look on their faces. Soon Dad walked in, “okay everybody sit down” Dad said.

Everyone sat, no one said a thing. Then dad spoke “last night” he choked, “last night your Mom died, she won’t be coming home ever again.” There was just stone silence in the room.

“How could this be, she just talked to everyone of last night except Lonny” cried Suzy, “she can’t died, she promised us she’d be home soon.” No one else could say a thing, they just sat on the floor and cried.

Time didn’t seem to pass and deep inside Lonny knew that life now was going to get so very much harder, he was right.

After about an hour just sitting there Uncle Will came into the room and told Lenny and Lonny to go get in his car. This time no debate, no questions, no talking, just tears. Uncle Will drove the boys twenty miles away from the rest of the family at the house and pulled into a friends auto wreckers scrap yard.

“I called Big Joe and he said you boys can stay here today, just get out and play in the cars, I’ll be back to get you soon.” The boys got out and Uncle Will drove off. There wasn’t any playing, the blueberries long forgotten, the boys just crawled into a beat up old Desoto and there they sat for nearly six hours.

They cried a long time, but the hurt didn’t go. Sitting in the scrap yard seemed to Lenny to be a picture of what he had done with his young life, everything now wrecked. Why didn’t he talk to Mom last night, why didn’t he? How could he have caused her to die, he must have, after all didn’t she die because he didn’t talk with her? He really has a terribly bad boy. He felt empty, lost and in pieces, just like all these wrecked cars.

To be continued……………………………

Faith is our path. Hope is our motivation. Love is the destination. Lonny didn’t see anything that would give him any kind of hope. His soul in a matter of moments became cluttered with some very strong and powerful forces that he may never be free from, not following a religion (any religion) and certainly not on his own. Lonny needed a very special intervention, one called the love of God.

Lonny suddenly lost his life, grief, anger, bitterness, hate, loneliness, inferiority and so much more all attacked a young boy in the span of just a few hours. Filling his soul with emotions that would shape his future. Could there be any help?

 

Story 2

Uncle Will finally returned and without a word Lonny and Lenny got in the car and returned home. The silence thick. At home there were still lots of people milling around and the rest of the kids huddled in the room where no-one seemed to care or wonder what happening with them.

What was happening was the memories flashing through their minds, but no matter what was said or who thought what, Lonny’s mind was rehearsing just one thing. Why, oh why hadn’t he talked to Mom last night, now there was no way he could ever make it better. Soon Dad came in and told the kids to go to the kitchen and get something to eat from all the food the visiting people had brought with them. None were really hungry and none ate very much, they all just wondered what now?

Lonny decided that the neighbours bike had to be brought home and Mrs. Wright should get the berries they had picked, go he called Lenny and off they went to retrieve what was left behind. It was getting dark now with lots of grey clouds so the boys hurried through Myers marsh to get the baskets of blueberries, past the cat tails, through the Lilly pads some with croaking frogs some not, past the beavers dam and on to the hills where they left the baskets. Still there four full two empty, then Lonny looked at the two empty ones and then gazed over the marsh and knew he could relief his guilt just a little.

There on the side of hill just where the marsh met the shore grew Moms favourite flower, although considered a rare wild orchid flower they seemed to like Myers marsh and in July bloomed in bright white and purple red, the Lady Slipper. Lenny filled his other baskets with the flowers knowing Mom would cry when she got them. Well………she would have cried if she were still alive to receive them.

They got the bikes, headed to Mrs. Wright where they just left the berries on her door step and got the bikes back to the neighbours and all that before anyone even realized they had left.

Mom was great gardener and half of the back yard was her garden. She was practical though most of the garden was for vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots even cabbages any thing which could help stretch a big families budget further. Although most of it was given over to the vegetables one small area Mom grew her flowers. The flowers which once in bloom always scented the house like nothing else could.

Mom loved that garden and everyone of the kids had their chores in it along side of her. Lenny had one job (other than weeding, everyone did that) his job was to help Mom with the flowers, hoeing around them, tying them up when they got droopy. When Lonny was in trouble or when he just felt bad he would come to this little corner of the garden and just sit in the flowers. He hid there after the beating he received for inviting kids over after school to celebrate his birthday in grade two, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays and Dad was very angry that Lonny would invite kids to a party for his, knowing that it would never be. He would hide there after the attacks from all others, afraid to come out knowing that there would be another beating for being in a fight. This was Moms place, it was Lonny’s too. So this place was where Lonny would give Mom her Lady Slippers, she would be surprised too see them. Lonny found some tomato stakes and tie the Lady Slippers to them planting them in the ground as if they grew there. Mom really would have been surprised.

The next few days were just a blur, until the funeral. Every one of the kids put on their best suits just as if they were doing their Saturday morning door to door service. Lonny put on the one he was wearing when that big grizzly man threw him through a screen door right into the lake. He swam to shore and walked back to the car soaking wet from head to toe. He should have known not to knock on that door, they had a sign on their lawn shape like a tomb stone which read;

Ma loved Pa,

Pa loved wemen,

Ma caught Pa,

With two in swimin,

Here lies Pa.

Somehow it wasn’t as funny after being thrown through the screen as it was before. The suit was brand new and Lonny knew he was going to get it and good when Dad heard about it, he was right. Mom though took the suit repaired it and cleaned it, so it was the one Lonny went to her funeral in.

The hall was packed, so many people and most of them Lonny had never seen. He made his way to the front and sat there with the other kids, grandma, grandpa and Dad. Uncle Will came along and ordered Lonny from his seat and made him sit at the back of the hall, nothing could be seen for all the people so Lonny missed most of the service. Lonny missed his last chance to say goodbye, something that forever would be imprinted upon his mind. He almost missed the grave side service because of the amount of the people and no one was really watching after the children. Lonny just made the car in time to get in. Aunt Betsy slid over and Lonny sat in the crush of the car.

The service was short at the grave side, Lonny couldn’t understand why they would be putting his Mom into that hole, no-one explained to him, no-one even notice he slipped away and walked back home on his own. Her grave was left unmarked as it stays to this very day.

 

 

Healing From All

 

Sickness, disease and infirmity, all suffered constantly by the people of God. Many believe that this is God’s will and that their suffering has been given to them so that they might learn something inspired by God. 

What they actually learn is that sickness, disease and infirmity does little or nothing in drawing them closer to the Lord, but rather causes them to be distant and become cold to God, His Word and the anointing of Jesus Christ.

These people should be reminded of what scripture says, Matthew 22:29, “You do err, not knowing scriptures, nor the power of God”.

Scripture is in fact clear on the subject, it never changes as God never changes. We must understand that once God has put His word upon a subject or regarding a matter it is unchangeable.

Job 22:28, “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee”. God does not want His name brought into reproach by any, suffering with sickness or disease does just that.

Often when someone dies of some sickness or disease, it is God’s name that is brought into reproach, much like natural disasters, neither are ordained by God and it is the ignorant of these facts that will bring their destruction along with their foolish railing words against God.

There is absolutely no basis for such accusations against God, blaming Him is tantamount to accusing Him of the most gross kind of child abuse.

The basis of ALL sickness and disease is Satan, therefore all accusations should be placed upon Him.

Does the fact that this comes from Satan mean that the Christian is free from his attack? No, what it does mean is that when the attack comes the Christian has a strong base to defeat the enemy completely. Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all”.

When one is attacked by sickness and disease one need not go from the Lord but actually go in the reverse. Seek God in all that you are in, Psalm 34:9-10 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. In God there is no want for any good thing, healing cannot be viewed as anything but good.

When you are attacked with sickness and disease you must keep in mind that you are in the midst of a battle, a battle that encompasses every facet of your life. But we must remember that the battle is not ours but God’s and within Him there is assurance and peace that we win. Psalm 55:16-22. As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

As we serve God and if we serve Him with all our Heart, soul and body we can readily expect Him to keep heart, soul and body well. Psalm 103:1-5 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Although the battle may be hard and harsh, if we will not give up and give in we will conquer, by hanging onto the ordinances of the Word of God. Psalm 119:93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

One such ordinance is found in Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. which was repeated and confirmed by Peter in 1 Peter 2:24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. The final result is that through the shedding of Jesus’ blood we are made free, and He Himself has said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall free indeed”.

Psalm 97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Jesus has declared that He came that we might have life and that more abundantly, having that life means that we live in the laws that govern life, sickness and disease are not of life but rather are of death. Romans 8:2 & 32 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Know that you triumph in all that you do when you do it in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:14, Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 1 John 3:8b, For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 5:14-15, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 3 John 2. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Never take what God has given you for granted for he has given you the very life that you believe you have. Check what you believe then go for it.

HEALING THROUGH WISE PLANNING AND PROSPERITY

Many of us often find that the healing we require is slow in coming or may not come at all. Once we have examined ourselves and found that we have defeated sin, are operating in forgiveness and have set aside all worry, then we MUST begin to live in the final area of healing.

That area is: to operate the plan of God in our lives. JEREMIAH 29:11-13 N.I.V. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (KJV)

There is a plan of God for all who would seek out that plan and live therein. All too often many believe that their lives were meant just to drift around like lost sheep without a definite direction. After all doesn’t scripture say “all we like sheep have gone astray”, yes, but it also declares that Jesus is our shepherd and we are no longer lost but have obtained salvation because of Him.

In this passage of scripture we find many things dealing with the healing that we require.

First we find that “God knows”. He is fully aware of the situation that you are presently living within, and He is aware that unless there are changes in your life that your situation will not improve one bit. His desire is that you enter into life through His Son Jesus, He is the gateway to the plan of God. No-one would ever be able to obtain from God unless they first came through Christ Jesus.Psalm 118:20-25 “This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22 The stone [which] the builders refused is become the head [stone] of the corner. 23 This is the LORD’S doing; it [is] marvellous in our eyes. 24 This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. (KJV)

Next we see that what He knows is the “PLAN”, not just any old plan, but the plan that He has. Don’t you think that if God has a plan for you and your life that He is not going to see to it that it comes into action and fulfils.

But what kind of plan could it possibly be. It is a plan of PROSPERITY”, God plans to prosper you. Plans that could not possibly fail, for failure is not found in God. If this is His plan then rest assured that it will work out for your prosperity. In order to know the plan once must spend time in the presence of God and learn from Him and His Word what exactly the plan is.

Once the plan is revealed, then we must do everything in our personal power to live within the plan. In the King James version the scripture reads Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will harken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart”. To give you an expected end. How does one receive healing or any other plan of prosperity from God, by expecting it. Without expectation in God no plan will ever work. We must learn to see what it is that God sees for us and in us, then expect to receive exactly that.

Then the Lord goes on to reveal to us the methods that we must use in following the plan through.

A) First we call upon Him, this is not prayer but rather the association of ourselves with the Lord. We name ourselves with Him, we take upon ourselves the personality of the God. To call upon God is to designate ourselves as His. Jeremiah 33:9 “And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it”.(KJV)

B) Then He says we pray with Him, prayer is communication. In order to obtain the proper plan of God we must spend much time in communication with Him. Today’s business is introducing a communication revolution called the information super highway. The Christian has always been able to obtain such information by having a direct up-link with the Father through prayer. By operating in Lord the answers and the plan come and bring us into prosperity. 2 Chronicles 26:5 “And he sought God in the days of Zachariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper”. (KJV)

C) Once we have established ourselves in continual communication with the Lord we find out from Him what His direction for our lives may be. Then we must follow that direction in order to obtain the prosperity offered. Job 36:11″If they obey and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. (KJV)

Psalm 35:27 “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant”. (KJV)

 Once we have learn the above then we continually serve the plan, never wavering from it, always holding onto to it with determine faith. Regardless of what we may see, if the plan is from God we must not waver from following through.

Joshua 1:7 “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it [to] the right hand or [to] the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest”. (KJV)

1 Kings 2:3 “And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself”.(KJV)

1 Chronicles 22:13 “Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed”.(KJV)We gain the best example of one who would not waver from God’s plan, despite adverse circumstances and attacks placed upon by Satan. He hung onto the walk of faith and save the known world at that time.Genesis 39:3 “And his master saw that the LORD [was] with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand”.

 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing [that was] under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and [that] which he did, the LORD made [it] to prosper. (KJV)

We must follow after God’s plan and rest assured that he will fulfil it in our lives.

Hospitaility The Staircase To Heaven

HOSPITALITY, FAITHS FORGOTTEN PARTNER

There is a great misconception that has spread throughout the church community that the walk of faith is one that is most successful when one walks it alone. Just you and God, you in constant touch with Him and He with you, going through life’s situations together, seeing God overcome for you through all those negative circumstances. Yet this is not what the walk of faith is meant to be.

The faith walk is not a walk to benefit one’s self but rather a walk that is meant to bring the power of God into one’s life so that all who may come into contact with you may benefit from God’s displayed power within you. If we are to do the “greater” works of Jesus then we must never neglect the area of hospitality. John 14: 12 ,”Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father”. (KJV) But how shall one show such displays of power if in fact they are not given over to hospitality, they can not.

So what exactly is hospitality? The word for hospitality is a compound word from the Greek, “philoxenos”. Broken into two we would first have philos, which means: a friend, an associate, a companion. This is followed by xenos, which means: a foreigner, a stranger or having no share in. Together philoxenos would mean: creating a friend from a stranger, being an associate to him who I have no share or part in, becoming a companion to a foreigner. Any form of these would be showing hospitality. More accurately stated, hospitality is to be “a lover of the stranger”.

This is exactly what we see in the Lord. He chose of His own free will to become our friend and companion, an associate of all we are, giving all He is so that we may have all. No greater example can be found then that of Jesus showing continual hospitality to all.

In ancient days, to not show a stranger hospitality could mean your death. In fact people would rather die than violate the law of hospitality. When a stranger would come their way they would at once set into motion the law that they would not bend for any reason.

 HOSPITALITY THE MINISTRY OF PEACE

They would begin with a greeting such as “Peace be with you”. Giving the stranger assurance that they would find rest from their journey. For one to offer such peace one would in fact be saying, “Completeness, safety, soundness, health and prosperity may be found within, come enter into tranquility and contentment, here you will have rest from your toilsome journey.” Not exactly what is seen or heard today from few if any. Today we chose not to become involved in another life, giving no place to the needs or requirements that they have, giving no place for our faith to grow.

Our example of offering safety and security to another is Jesus Himself. One need but turn to the first page of the Gospel of John, here we will find that the Lord didn’t wait for any to offer him hospitality, but used the first opportunity given to Him to offer hospitality to others.”John 1:35‑39 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!  And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?  He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.” (KJV). He chose to give such hospitality even before any record of a single miracle, healing or deliverance is mentioned by the writer. How many do we know who are willing to open their homes to two strangers on a first meeting? How many are like Jesus, shouldn’t we all be? These disciples found Jesus would change their lives forever, this is not unlike His ministry of  hospitality today, those who use hospitality will always be a reflection of Jesus, allowing Him to change their lives forever as well.

So then hospitality is where one is to find rest, peace, health, prosperity and contentment, a rebuilding of  one life’s great assurances, “dignity of the soul” making a person know that they are important to themselves.

 HOSPITALITY THE MINISTRY OF FULFILMENT

 The next step of  hospitality would be “taking responsibility for all their wants”. What a commitment, taking upon one’s self the wants of another. But don’t get carried away with a wrong attitude, we are not the source of the answers the needy may require, but we are the way to the source, Jesus Christ is more than able to supply all the wants or needs anyone may have. Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (KJV)  But that says need not wants, there can be a vast difference between the two, yet our assurance of God meeting our wants hold just as true as His supply of our needs. Psalm 34:9‑10 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. Everyone may not be capable of supplying the wants of another, all are capable of introducing the stranger to the supplier and source of their wants. We must have a deep understanding that our entire reason to be here is to be but a channel that the Lord may use in bringing another into the victorious lifestyle.

2 Corinthians 8:14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: (KJV)

 HOSPITALITY THE MINISTRY OF COMFORT

The next charge of the host was and is to minister to the comfort of the guest. We often forget that what we are facing is not always the most important thing, the most important thing is to be certain  that the Holy Spirit always has the opportunity to minister to our guest as well as ourselves. It is vital to the well being of our faith that we always be sure that it is the Holy Spirit who is leading and guiding us. Comfort must be the middle name of the Holy Spirit, He is called the Comforter for this is the centre focus of his ministry. John 14:16‑26 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (KJV)

There within the confines of your home the Holy Spirit brings His comforting ministry through your outstretched hands of hospitality. All to often the answer to our circumstances, situations and problems are within the comforting hand of the Holy Spirit when it is offered to another through hospitality. 2 Corinthians 1:3‑4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  (KJV)  It  is impossible for one to minister to another in their trials and tribulations unless we are given over to hospitality. The encouraging words needful to bring comfort and solutions can only be spoken by those who know the ministry of the Holy Spirit through His gift of  hospitality.

Look at the same scripture but  this time as translated by Kenneth Wuest,  Eulogized be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassionate mercies and a God of every consolation and encouragement, who consoles and encourages us in our every affliction and tribulation in order that we may be able  to console and encourage those who are in any tribulation by means of the consolation and encouragement with which we ourselves are being consoled and encouraged by God. If your like me, I would prefer that the one praying for me is  one who really has more than just a  concept of what I am going through,  I want some one who really understands and has sought God until they received the answer they required. Nothing can take the place of experience and certainly the experience of the Holy Spirit is to comfort, console, encourage and bring victory and deliverance.

Hospitality is then the ministry of the Holy Spirit in bringing the stranger comfort to all their situations and circumstances, and yet it is still more.

HOSPITALITY FAITH’S LIFE 

I could have said the faith lifestyle, but it is not a style, a style is something that comes and goes. Hospitality is life, it is something that you live day by day. It is something not that is practiced but rather is lived, many are the errors that are made as one lives their life before others, but greater are the results that come as your life is seen as an open book. Others will read the book and desire to live a similar life as you do. Then you will have the opportunity to show them that the book that is open before them is the Word of God, a living example of all what the Lord meant them to be.

Find a modern day example who you may pattern your life after, one that emulates all the power of the faith life including the ministry of hospitality. Why even Paul listed hospitality as part of the pattern a minister is to emulate, 1 Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Titus 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; (KJV)

Given to hospitality? What could that mean, then to deepen it by extorting them to be a lover of hospitality, why? Given to hospitality means to be a provider or a supply to those who require the gifts found in hospitality. One might think of it in a manner of being sure your guest wants for nothing and while under your care requires no expenditure from their resources, given to hospitality means exactly that, your entire being is given over to being the lover of the stranger. Thus is answered part two, when others needs are met through your giving then you will love giving and thus the true results of Luke 6:38 enter into your life. Luke 6:38 Give, 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. (KJV) Do not allow the last line of this verse to slip past you, the same measure, your direct answers to your situations are tied to how you deal out to others. Sure we here this scripture used mostly for taking offerings in church, but the greater meaning is not what we give once or twice a week at some congregational meeting but rather what we give all week long in our own homes (and the meetings too). Giving must be the life principle, giving must be a synonym for hospitality.

Some may say “well that is just for those who desire to be ministers”, no, it is for all who call themselves Christians. Romans 12:1‑21 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. (KJV) A Christians anointing is to be given to hospitality, to a lover of it. This is not Paul’s advise to ministry only, but the pattern of daily living. Settle in your hearts that hospitality really is a key to living the victorious life then go out and live it.

 IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ABRAHAM

Abraham is knowen to all nations as the Father of Faith, he made hospitality his way of life, if then it was good enough for him it should be good enough for us as well. Abraham’s entire life centred on faith and in every act of his faith was the evidence of dealing with others through hospitality. Genesis 18:1‑33 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:  Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:  And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.  And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.  And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.  And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.  And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.  And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.  Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?  And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?  Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.  And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;  Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.  And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;  I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.  And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.  And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:  Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.  And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.  And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.  And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.  And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.  And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. (KJV)

Through the offering of  hospitality  to the Lord, Abraham was able to bargain with God for the salvation of these two cities. But there were not even ten righteous men to found within the two cities, and death was about to fall. But why? The general reason given for the destruction of  Sodom  is that these were vile sinners, given over to all manner of wicked sins. If then God was to destroy them for this reason should he not have destroyed most of the earth, for they too were equally as vile. Why would have He allowed Abraham to save them when they were taken into captivity, should He not just have let them go into slavery and just set Lot and his family free. Why wait until now to bring destruction, there must have been some other reason to bring the sentence of death upon  them now. And so there was, turn to the next chapter in Genesis and see. Genesis 19:1‑13 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. (Lot offers the angels hospitality) And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.  And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. (The angels accept Lot’s offer making him completely responsible for them). But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:  And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  (The men of  the city chose to treat the angels inhospitable). And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,  And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.(Do not break the laws of hospitality).  Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. (Lot was willing to anything to protect these angels, thus not breaking his vow to them). And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.  But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.  And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.  And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:  For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. (KJV)

There can be no doubt that this was a wicked city, full of all the things that are detestable to God, but notice how Lot treats the angels and how the city treats them. One full of hospitality right down to being willing to turn his own daughters over to wicked men for abuse and possible gang rape, Lot would not break a rules of hospitality. In converse, these men so used to breaking all the laws of God were ready to violate even this one, the law of hospitality. There can be no doubt that part of the reason for the destruction of these cities was that they gave up on treating all in a hospitable manner.

Notice too, that Lot did not completely escape without paying a price, association with death will yield death. Lot entered into Sodom a wealthy man, yet he left with just that which he and his daughters could carry, paying dearly for giving up on the life of faith and choosing the associations of destruction. Lot lost much, he lost his sons, he lost a married daughter and her husband, possibly grandchildren, he delayed in acting on the word of the angels and lost his wealth. His life was spared, but how much greater would the victory have had been had he held fast to that which he had learned all the years he travelled with his uncle Abraham and departed the city a victor of faith instead as one who had to hide in mountain caves.

This is not the only record in scripture where a lack of respect for the laws of hospitality helped to bring about destruction, another clearer example can be found in Judges 19:10-30. Not only are the laws of hospitality violated here by like vile people, the results are death, destruction, and a civil war for the nation of  Israel, how much better would it have been just live with honour and obey the simple rule to treat one another in hospitable manner.

Finally Peter gives us a word of encouragement to those who will guide their lives through this faith principal or possibly a warning to those who will not.1 Peter 4:8-10  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  As every man hath received the gift (hospitality is a gift to receive), even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (KJV) Have white hot burning love for one another, using hospitality without any kind of murmuring, this is truly a great gift, make wise use of it.

Some may complain that it is not for them, or they do not have the right home or some other reason not to be given to hospitality. But scripture tells us to be given to it, to be a lover of it, so,  we should search for every available opportunity to give ourselves over to hospitality, just do to others as you would have done unto you.

There is no better example of the laws of hospitality than that of what men call the golden rule, Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.(KJV) If then this was a rule given to us by the Lord as a completion of all that is written with His word, then we must complete it in our lives. Do not look for the reason why you cannot live a life given to hospitality but rather look for those around you who need your hospitality.

In fulfilling this you fulfil all of what 1 Corinthians 13:1‑13 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 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. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (KJV)

 I am firmly persuaded that faith, hope and charity when combined have a name and that name is hospitality.

 

GOODBYE DAD

 

Goodbye Dad

 

As many of you now know my father made the next step in the great journey on May 03, 2009. I wish him well.

It is very hard to write about ones father for there are so many directions you can take. Memories both pleasant and not so pleasant play into what the heart must say. Times long forgotten come rushing into the soul as if they were playing out before your very face, yet these too are not what need be said. His passing moments kept for those who held his heart in their hands as he stepped over and then beyond. Or, perhaps about his adventures shared with you, (but you were only a spectator within the story) longing to have been there to have the thrill of the experience.

Should you write about troubles long over? Some difficult others sown in bitter words or ones of the imagination. Should you count the tear drops shed over the lost of his first love and the one from were you gathered the very blood that flows through your heart now hurting from confusion. Do you hold him guilty without charge for that which could not have had a choice ending. Do you hear his words over and over, those same words which for years passing have echoed through your soul yet you fought to not heed refusing to take them to heart.

Perhaps your write on the views, beliefs and stands he took. Only to discover many were your own after all and those which were not still belonged to him and therefore are more valuable than sliver. Write about his stand in religion but wouldn’t that be in fact be attacking his faith for which no man should judge another. To believe to is live to be convinced is to vacillate.

You could write about those left behind and what he meant to them yet those are words which they should write themselves. Write about pains unbearable yet carried through strength, courage and raw determination. Write about hearts broken or hearts enthralled. Write about those whom he loved or loved him, those who he hated most likely none for hate was never shown and could surely not share within a heart of piety.

So when the words have failed and story remains in a incomplete state there becomes but one word left to perform and to live it regarding him forever. Honour, my commitment to you dad, and so for now a fair journey to you. Deuteronomy 5:16

 Hard are the ways the times and the fears when the great man has to say goodbye,

THE GREAT MAN

 

Many are the pains, the hurts and the tears of his loves which are left to cry,

Living that which held in store, short is his life in seventy or eighty years,

To accomplish the chores having victory over the pain and the smears,

The great man is wonder which is soon taken away,

He is feared and he is awed never is he swayed,

His heart is a stone in an unbreakable faith,

His heart is of love, a solid true mans trait.

He is a leader has been a follower a man who will not change,

A teacher, a lover, a hater rearranged,

The great man is now gone I long of him to emulate,

I am but who I am and there lies my fate,

Great men cry alone but for their mistake,

Tears of little crystal very real never fake,

But for others those seem to fade,

Flowing down cheeks of fear of the victories they have laid,

Great men make their buckets lists and then forgo their wishes,

Giving smiles to strangers and to grandchildren golden fishes,

Great men are rarely alone yet so very lonely,

True to their love, their one and only,

Great men give roses not say I’m sorry but just because they do,

They pick bachelor buttons in the morning dew,

Great men kiss faces both young and old,

Then away they slip to be great in another world.

 

His legacy, my future. Joel and Claire

A Marriage Seminar

A good marriage is the foundation of the successful family.  

Proverbs 18:22

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

Now the word thing does not appear in the original text and was added by the translators, therefore the verse should read AHe who finds a wife finds good, and obtains favour from the Lord@.  

Good is the Hebrew word towb which means: good, pleasant, agreeable, excellent, rich, prosperous, good understanding, right.

Favour is the Hebrew word ratsown (raw-tsone) which means will acceptable, delight, pleasure or goodwill.

Therefore we may translate this verse as: He who obtains and earnestly seeks to have a wife finds she who is good, pleasant, agreeable, excellent, rich, of good understanding and who is right, and in so doing obtains the favour, acceptance, and will of God who will express to him His delight and pleasure in their marriage.

A good marriage has many different keys that make it strong, these include:

Prayer

Marry your best friend

Communicate

Patience for one another

Say something nice to each other each day

Be best friends first

Stay honest with each other

Be true to your heart

Trust

Love

Laugh along with each other, not at each other

Understand

Cherish each other

Give 100%, no marriage ever succeeded on 50%

Always have an open mind

Compromise

Never go to bed angry at the other

 

               THE FOUNDATION OF MARRIAGE

 

Please give special heed to the Word of God Ephesians 5:22-31 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. These are the Words of God that the Holy Spirit will honour as you place them before you and stand upon them in faith. Marriage is much more than a legal binding contract, (a contract has limited liability) it is a spiritual covenant, an unbreakable covenant (covenant has unlimited liability). A covenant means: a strong commitment, loyalty until death.

God has enabled man to make and keep covenants with Him and with others.

2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 

 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 

The first marriage covenant was spoken by Adam over Eve as God presented His creation to him for his care and keeping. Thus establishing the pattern for all marriage covenants to come.

 Genesis 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 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. 

Here the Lord shows what His commitment to man would be forever, His covenant, which says that man is ever to be exactly like God. He created man to be creatures of integrity, so that covenant was build right into his inner being. That was the reason the moment Adam saw Eve the words he spoke to her were those of eternal covenant.

 Genesis 2:21-25 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.   24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

When Adam spoke these words he was proclaiming that no longer should man just be a single identity, but like his creator man may be a triune being, not only having spirit, soul, and body, but also having the outward expression of three, God, Man and Woman become one in spirit.

 

Notice what Adam says upon seeing Eve, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. When you examine the scripture closely you find several interesting things beyond his proclaiming covenant.

First you find that Adam was looking for what was missing within himself, AThis is now@. Adam knew that he was not complete until that very moment. He knew that what he required and actually desired was now given over to him.  This is born out in verse 18 when God Himself says Athat it is not good that man should be alone; I will make for him a help meet@ or an aid or one who surrounds. So Eve was to surround her husband, but surround him with what. Adam answers that in what he says next, Abone of bones@the word bone means: essence, the very life, the strength@ so he was saying Athis is now is the very life I require, the essence of my being, that which will be my strength@.

Then he said she was Aflesh of his flesh@ or she is the one who will share in all that is vital to me, all that I am she is, my covenant shall be with her and ours will be with God. So Adam actually performed marriage vows there before God as their witness. From that point forth mans duties were changed, from looking after the garden, to replenishing the entire world.

Notice to the word both, meaning that before God there was equality, husband and wife were in fact the same in the eyes of God, as seen in Genesis 5:2.  Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.  In doing so God was recognizing the covenant of marriage that was put into place by Adam and Eve.

The marriage covenant is based upon the principles of the Word of God and formed in the heart through the power of  Love, Faith, Acceptance and Forgiveness, it is only through the practice of such will you ever endure and grow with one another. When you come into agreement of such a covenant and base it upon the Word of God then the power of God goes into action ever keeping your covenant from being broken.

The miracle that takes place in this covenant is the formation of oneness. The Word declares that a man and his wife become one. This is an act of the spirit within faith causing the miracle of being one. This oneness remains forever. Should the union be broken  and the one return to being two then the spirit broken and the heart damaged, therefore the power of God is required within the covenant enabling you to keep it forever. Should the covenant be made upon unfaithfulness within your word then the seed of destruction is already placed within your marriage and this covenant will not have any validity.

As God through His Word has shown you an example of a unwavering ever faithful covenant to all who will have faith in Him, so must your covenant with one and other be, just as unwavering and ever unchanging through your profession of faith in each other. Just as He loved us without condition, you too must love each other with a complete unconditional love. A love without conditions is a love that will pass all the tests, trials and circumstances that you will face together. But keep that in mind, together you will endure when necessary and prosper at all other times for the love of each other is your bond of faith within each other.

Just as God accepts us for who we are not what we may become, never demanding or forcing us to change, you also must accept each other for who you are, accepting one another as they are causes strength in the other to improve on their strong points and allows that one to change (on their own) their weakness’.

The power of all unions is that of forgiveness, God showing us His forgiveness by sending Jesus to become our saviour and wiping clean all that we committed against Him that was hurtful. Then too, forgiveness must be the cornerstone of your marriage, through a readiness to forgive you instill into your lives a guard from that which may be hurtful.

Marriage then is your covenant of Love, Faith, Acceptance and Forgiveness, a covenant that is unbreakable.

Let us examine each of these on their own.

                                         LOVE

Who can really define love, for it is an ever changing, always growing powerful force. Created by God to bring all closer to Him and to one another.

We know from scripture that there are two kinds of Love, agape and phileo. Phileo love is responsive love, love that responds to a some kind of stimulus.  Most people experience this kind of love when they first meet another, but it cannot be the kind of love that one bases a marriage upon. Phileo love will be shown throughout the marriage but can never be the foundation of the Christian marriage. It is an expression of agape love. Love is in the nature of man, corrupted love is hate, it is Gods nature to love. Therefore it is our nature to love, for we are created in His image, His very nature. His nature is agape love, or love in action.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Love will produce action, it will consider the other before self and it find a way to produce the desire result from the nature of the giver.

That is a very important point the nature of the giver, some may say that it is not their nature to be kind, or patient, or loving but that is a lie from the devil. For any who have Jesus as their Lord of their life have received the nature of God within their hearts by the giftings of the Holy Spirit. Therefore your nature is God=s nature. What God is so are you.

 1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

How is the agape love of God placed within our hearts, just go back two verses.

1 John 4:15-16 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Agape love is prefect love, you say Ano one is prefect@ yet if God says it can be so then it must be so. He would not make a statement that cannot be. 

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

So then what is prefect love. The word prefect is the Greek word ATΈΛΕLOS@ telios which means, brought to it=s end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, complete in conformity.

So to have perfect love, is to have love that is completely finished, love that only could have been created by God. The God kind of love or Agape love.

 1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

From this we find that this love is the kind of love that requires action, it cannot be a passive love, it must be an aggressive love. It is a love that:

Proves that God is with us and we with Him.

It is love of sonship, or that of fellowship.

It is the evidence required as proof of our knowing God.

It is the evidence of the other parts of the covenant in action.

For the best description of agape love we must turn to:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1} Verse 4, suffers long means this love is patience, is passive love, not in a hurry.

2} Verse 4, love is kind, kindness, love in action, never acts rashly or harmful, never abusive.

3} Verse 4, love envieth not, generosity, love in competition

4} Verse 4, love vaunteth not itself is not puffed up, humility, love in hiding, no parade or boasting

5} Verse 5, does not behave itself unseemly, courtesy, love in public, always polite, never rude, at home or ease in all classes of people.

6} Verse 5, seeks not her own, unselfishness, love in essence,  quintessence of love (loves in its most purest and essential form)

7} Verse 5, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, good tempered, love in disposition, never irritated or resentful.

8} Verse 6, righteousness, love in conduct, hates sin, never glad to see another fall, always gladden by good things occurring to others, always slow to expose and judge, always eager to believe the best.

            9} Verse 7, sincerity, love in profession, never boastful, always leaves the impression of exactly what is true.  

 

The next part of our covenant is that of:          FAITH

One definition of  faith is trust, one cannot have any kind of marriage without trusting their partner.

Trust is: the reliance on the integrity, strength, ability and surety of a person, it is the confident and continual expectation of the fulfilment of one’s word. It is the confidence and surety of a good future. It is the committing of one’s self to another based strictly upon ones word and reputation. It is the care of one’s hope placed within the heart another.

It this reason that one’s faith is shaped into something that may grow when trust is honoured or destroyed when trust is broken. No marriage can be successful if one of the partners has no trust within the other. Now many have lost trust with their partner and have had great attacks upon their hearts, we will examine this later in the study.

Another definition of faith is: the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person and their promises. This is why it becomes very important for one to stand guard over the vows they make when they get married, for their word is their bond of faith. If your word is worthless then so will your marriage become for you will not honour what you proclaim, causing riffs in the heart of your partner. This is the place most marriages fail, those who will not honour their word to their partner.

The covenant of marriage must be establish with faith, no marriage can become everything the partner’s desire without faith being applied. For as with God it is impossible to please either Him or your partner unless faith is applied in all that is said and done.

 Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 (Wuest Version) ” Now, without faith it is impossible to please Him at all. For he who comes to God must of the necessity in the nature of the case believe that He exists, that He also becomes a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him out.”

Hebrews 11:6. [ a expanded verse by R.  Kalenuik ] AWithout  faith, a firm persuasion, a moral conviction, reliance upon Christ and constancy in the profession of Christ and His system of truth, assurance, confession, faith and fidelity. It is impossible, you become unable, you could not do anything, to please, or gratify entirely, GOD,  Jehovah, Father and Creator of all you are and shall become, the one who supplies for you your every need. He who is , was and shall always be. The great I AM, He who answers every request and grants your every desire, He has given over to you His very Son that you may be free from all the works of the enemy. He who has destroyed the thief from adversely affecting you. You must approach, come near and visit, worship, assent to, come unto, consent to, draw near to and go unto Him, you must believe, be needful, committed to, and find it necessary to trust in the fact that He is all and everything. However not only that He is all and everything but also in the fact that He is a rewarder, a remunerator, a gift giver, a prize awarder, a refunder of goods lost or stolen and that He brings adequate compensation to you, one who has justified you and brought unto you profitable and lucrative return for this faith. As  well as for seeking  after, for thoroughly investigating, demanding, craving, worshipping, enquiring, requiring, for committing to a careful and diligent search of Him.@

                                 ACCEPTANCE

Acceptance is the act of taking or receiving something offered. Thus acceptance in marriage is the act of receiving the other as they are. Many people believe that once they marry they will be able to change the other into what they desire. This is wrong, if who you marry is not what you desire after, long for, seek to be with, is not completely acceptable in your sight when you marry, don=t marry.

Each partner offers to their mate themselves as they are, they cannot be something they are not for they will soon be discovered and a lie will be revealed. One cannot and should not place upon their mate pressures to change, we accept our partner in their entirety, flaws, disappointments and all.

Now God has placed a simple system to cause change within our mate, that system is simply prayer. We should never try to change our mate into what we want them to be but rather pray that God creates within them what He wants them to be. This may mean we will have to change before our mate does.

Acceptance says Ano matter who you are, what you have, or where we end up. I will love you@. When one is ready to receive one does not place conditions upon how they receive, they just reach out and take what is offered. Thus in marriage one readily accepts their mate as they come, with the good or not so good qualities.

Acceptance also means allowing your partner to grow, explore areas that become new and exciting to them, and going along with them even though it may not suit you exactly, or is not the method that you may choose to follow.

One of the best way to show another acceptance is to walk in compassion. The Hebrew for compassion is racham which means “to fondle, to love, to find, have, obtain, show mercy, to have pity.

The Greek words are splagchnizomai this means “to have the bowels yearn” and eleeo which is “to receive compassion by divine grace”. This is what moved Jesus, the very heart of God went out from Him when he saw the people overrun with the enemy.

Jesus did nothing without compassion, yet He accepted everyone just as they were. They received what they required from the Lord because of His acceptance of them.

The best definition of compassion is: to experience what another undergoes and have the power to change it. Acceptance of a person’s weaknesses and strength shows forth the compassion and understanding that is required to make your life in marriage successful.  Jude 20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

                                 FORGIVENESS

The remaining element necessary to make a successful marriage to the powerful instrument of forgiveness.

Without a willingness to forgive no marriage will last beyond the honeymoon, some not even that long. We must remember that everyone will make mistakes, and it is the forgiving of those mistake that will keep us free, no matter how great the mistake maybe.

Forgiving causes hope to rise up within the heart of your mate for it brings a release in the heart, in fact that is exactly what forgiveness means. It comes from the Greek word žφεσις (aphesis) which means to release from bondage or imprisonment. Who is in bondage, both the person who does not forgive as well as the one who does not have forgiveness granted to. Forgiveness as already stated builds hope within the heart of the mate.

Hope anticipates that which is good, genuine, real, sound and valid. Hope knows that the substance of its desire is gotten only through genuine, real faith. Faith which is sound, complete, entire and flawless in the Word., Faith which has been validated by the Word through the blood of Jesus. Faith which is authoritative, binding, effective, effectual, satisfactory, and satisfying.

Romans 8:24‑31

24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Hope is built on four major ingredients:

Harmony: to be in accord or agreement with. When one is in complete agreement with the word of God, hope becomes the action by which faith can work. The words of your mouth and the meditations of the heart must also harmonize with the Word. The prayer of agreement gets its power from to people harmonizing together, agreeing that God’s Word will create the desired answer.

Optimism: the doctrine of, everything is ordered for the best. A tendency to look on the bright side. Hope bring an optimistic view point on all, God has our best in store for us and has blessed us with all spiritual blessing. Yes everything is going to come for the best, we are above ONLY.

Prospect: a future probability based on present indications. The chance of future success based on present facts. The fact is that Jesus has given us the brightest possible future. The present indication’s are A) Satan has been overthrown. B) Sickness and disease have no hold upon us now. C) We are seated on right hand on high with Jesus, therefore we can go right in to the throne room of grace, boldly. D) we have no need of worry or fear, for they too were defeated by Christ and everything that is named in heaven and earth must bow before the name of Jesus. E) We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. F) Our every need has already been supplied for us by God through Jesus. G) Every earthy and spiritual blessing is ours because of the death of Jesus, we can say that as he “is” we are also in this world.

Expectancy: to look forward to as a certain. In the Word there are certain facts that make it possible that we can look forward to a life of victory as a certain. When we apply the Word into any given situation, it becomes a certainty that God will perform His Word. No situation in life is hopeless for we have the Word to bring us into the certainty of a life full, rich, blessed, healthy, and prosperous.

Therefore hope is the catalyst of forgiveness, when applied in marriage this tool truly solidifies the heart toward one another.

 

            THE MARRIAGE ANALOGY

EPHESIANS 5:22‑23 The Word teaches about two kinds of love:  AGAPE and PHILEO.   Also the Word teaches how these types of love operate between people and God.  God loves you because it is His nature to love you.  He doesn’t love you based on anything you do or don’t do.  God’s love is based on His own nature and His nature is always to give.  Right now, God is aggressive toward you and abounding toward you in love.

You might say, “I’ve failed Him”.  It doesn’t matter.  His love isn’t based on what you do.  He first loved you.  You had nothing that He wanted.  You were lost in your trespass and sin, unfit, a child of the devil, and He searched out, found, and loved you.  That is real love.

God’s love for you is AGAPE love.  We talked about God being the aggressor in this relationship.  That is exactly what AGAPE love is.  AGAPE love is aggressor love.  It is always abounding.  AGAPE love, like grace, is always based on the nature of the giver.  God loves you because it is His nature. God doesn’t love you because you serve Him, and God doesn’t quit loving you because you fail Him.  He always loves you. It is His nature.

There is not one sin you can commit to make God quit loving you, because His love is not based on what you do.  He loves sinners, and they certainly are not doing anything to merit His love.  AGAPE love is an aggressive love.  It is always abounding, always producing, and it is never based on the receiver.  It is always based on the giver.

AGAPE love is glorified in PHILEO love.  When you respond, God is glorified.  God is abounding right now with all things that pertain unto life and godliness.  But what is it that pleases the Lord?  FAITH.  Faith is responding to His love. Faith is responding to His grace.  The Lord’s love for us is seen in the husband and wife relationship.  The husband represents Jesus Christ, the wife, the Church.  As Jesus Christ loves the Church, He is glorified when the Church responds.

Titus 2:11 says, FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN.  Right now God’s grace is appearing to all men bringing salvation.  The sinner doesn’t have to earn or deserve salvation.  God’s salvation is FREE.  It is a gift in His hand.  God is always “aggressing” toward him with salvation.  And when the sinner responds, God is glorified.

The same analogy is set up in the husband and wife relationship.  Look at I Cor. 11:7; “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God; but the woman (wife) is the glory of the man (husband).  This does not mean that every woman is the glory of every man.  It means the wife is the glory of her husband. This does not mean that every woman is the glory of every man.  It means the wife is the glory of her husband.  Jesus Christ is glorified in His Church, and the husband is glorified in his wife.  The husband is used in the marriage relationship to typify Jesus Christ.  The husband is the aggressor.  The woman is the responder.

God is always aggressing, always abounding, and is glorified when we respond to Him.  he AGAPES toward us, and we PHILEO back to Him.  AGAPE love is glorified in our PHILEO love to Him.  In the Word of God, a woman is never told to love (AGAPE) her husband.  Husbands are told to love (AGAPE) their wives.  Titus 2:4 says, “That they (older women) may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.  Both times in that verse the word for “love” is PHILEO.  Respond to your husband.  Every time the husband is told to love his wife, the word “AGAPE” is used.  Do you know what that means?  Husbands, you are to love your wife as Jesus loves the Church.  You are to love her whether she looks pretty or not, deserves it or not.

In the Bible, young Christians are never commanded to love God.  When you first become born again, you have no capacity to AGAPE the Lord, you can only PHILEO Him.  There are Christians today, just born again, singing, “Oh, How I Love Jesus.”  Do you know why they love Him?  Because He answers their prayer, gives them possessions, and supplies all their needs.  That is PHILEO love, a responsive lobe.  Their love is based on something done to them.

You can tell when you have moved from PHILEO love to AGAPE love with the Lord when you no longer love Him simply because He does something for you, but because He is your Father.  He is God.  You would love Him even if He never gave you anything else.  That is mature love, AGAPE love.  This type of love comes through more knowledge of Him.

It is the same way with husband and wife.  When they first get married, they think they could never be more in love than they are at that moment.  But several years down the road, they begin to realize that what they had in the beginning was just puppy love compared to what they have now.  The more you get to know her, the more you love her.  The more she gets to know, the more she loves you.

The more I get to know my heavenly Father, the more my “PHILEO” love matures into “AGAPE”.  I can only experience this type of intimacy with Him through His Word.  I have the ability in me to love God.  His nature has been infused into my nature, and His nature can flow out of me.  I now have the ability on the inside of me to love people the same way God loves.  I can now love people, despite what they do or don’t do.  If they love me, or slap me, it doesn’t change my love because I have “AGAPE” love for them.  “AGAPE” love is based on my nature, not theirs.

The World can’t have AGAPE love because it is super natural love.  The best the world can have is PHILEO, a rapport love. God likes PHILEO love.  He likes you to be friends with Him. He enjoys being a friend with you.  The world says, “I’ll love you if you love me.  Treat me right, and I will treat you right.”  But what happens when one fails the other?  The whole basis for the relationship crumbles.  Too many marriages are built on PHILEO love.  God has promised believers a supernatural marriage in Eph. 5, a marriage that will not fall apart even in the worst of circumstances.

VERSE 22 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”

Submission is a most misunderstood word.  It has been abused until many people today shy away from the use of the word. The problem comes from a lack of understanding the difference between SUBMISSION and OBEDIENCE.  They are not the same.

SUBMISSION is an ATTITUDE.  Obedience is an ACT.  When a husband demands that his wife submit, he usually is telling her to obey.  The husband has turned into a dictator, a master.  Jesus is never a dictator.  A wife does not have to obey, but she is to submit at all times.  If the husband demands that the wife not to go to Church, she should still go.  In love, she should respectfully decline his demand.

“If ye be willing (submissive) and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”  (Isa. 1:19).  “Jesus HUMBLED (submitted) Himself and became obedient unto death…” (Phil. 2:8). Rebellion is not a lack of obedience.  Rebellion is an unsubmissive attitude in a person, even though he might obey. I would much rather a wife, employee, or congregational member be submissive and not obedient, than to be obedient and not submissive.

The reason we can be submissive and obedient both to the Lord is because He is always right.

We are to be submissive to our government (Rom. 13:1,5), but not always obedient.  If our government told us not to witness anymore for Jesus, we should not obey it.  That violates God’s command to us.  (Mark 16:15).  We should still be submissive towards them and not rebel.  The disciples faced this same situation, as recorded in Acts 5:27 ‑ 29 and 40 ‑ 42.

The best marriage exists when the husband does not violate God’s Word in his headship to the home.  Many husbands do not give their wives anything to respect.  Even submission becomes difficult.  The main responsibility in the home is on the husband to love and provide for the wife as Jesus does for the Church.  The wife can then submit and obey in all things.

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord”.  The husband is her lord in the NATURAL (Peter 3:6), just as Jesus is her Lord in the SPIRITUAL.  A wife is privileged:  she has two lords.  When a wife quits fighting her husband and submits to his lordship, she becomes doubly blessed and protected.  This again puts much responsibility on the husband to treat the wife as Jesus does the Church. Husbands, give your wife something to submit to.

AN ANALOGY ‑

VERSE 23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church; and He is the saviour of the body.”

The Greek word for “saviour” means PROVIDER OF EVERYTHING. Just as Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, the husband is head of the wife.  Both the husband and Jesus Christ are providers of everything for their bride.  The husband should provide love, protection, finances, comfort, companionship and conversation.  That is what Jesus provides for His Church.

VERSE 24 “Therefore as the Church is subject (submissive) unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything (every situation)”.

Again, submission is always commanded in the Word.  Husbands should never use this verse to abuse their wives.  This verse is not teaching obedience in everything, but submission.  Wives are always to maintain a correct attitude of submission.

VERSE 25 “Husbands, love (AGAPE) your wives, even as Christ also loved (AGAPE) the Church, and gave Himself for it (Her).”

The Greek word here is not “it” but HER.  Jesus Christ gave Himself for the Church and there should be such an undying love in the husband wife relationship that the husband gives himself for the wife in everything.  When you give yourself, you give everything that belongs to you.  It belongs to the whole family.  Jesus never hoards anything.  I am a joint (equal) heir with Jesus and an heir with God the Father. Everything that belongs to the husband belongs to the wife and family.

VERSE 26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”

The Greek word for “word” is RHEMA.  Rhema is the spoken Word of God.  We are cleansed by the rhema, the spoken Word of God.  When we were born again, we were cleaned by the Word of God.  The communicating of the Word produces faith, for “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word (RHEMA) of God.”  (Rom. 10:17).  When you speak the Word of God, you are cleaned by it.

The husband should speak words to edify the wife and encourage her.  She will receive correction quickly when she is constantly encouraged for here strengths.  Love‑making begins with words.  Edification during the day brings satisfaction at night.  Jesus Christ makes love to His Church through the Word.  When we receive His Word, He is glorified. There are many analogies in the Word of God between the sexual relationship of a husband and wife, and God’s love relationship with us through His Word.

VERSE 27 “That He might present it (HER) to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it (SHE) should be holy and without blemish.”

RHEMA takes out spots and wrinkles.  Marriage breaks down when communication breaks down.  Fellowship breaks down because communication is cut off.  As long as husbands and wives talk out their problems and differences and keep love as the motivating factor, they can work out all of their spots and wrinkles.  The little foxes spoil the vine.  Jesus’ end result for the Church will be glorious.  Forever we will be with Him in heaven, purified and cleansed, without spot or blemish.

The Church will not be totally without spot or blemish until we have gone through the judgment seat of Christ.  Then, and only then, will all of the wood, hay and stubble be burned out, and gold, silver, and precious stones be all that are left.   There will be those in the Church who have followed the Lord in a deeper way than others, and they will be as close to perfection on earth as possible.  There will also be a large number of new converts at all times in the Church, and carnal believers who will be babies.  The Church as a whole will reach total perfection at the rapture when we all receive a resurrection body, which will be without the nature of the flesh, and then stand before His throne to be judged.

VERSE 28 “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.  He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”

Husbands, you would wash your body and keep it clean.  Your wife is as much a part of you as your arm or leg.  She belongs to you and is a part of you.  you became one flesh when you accepted each other in marriage, just as you became one spirit when you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in salvation.

You, as the Church, are the body of Christ.  When Jesus loves you, He loves Himself.  When the husband loves the wife, he loves himself.”

VERSES 29, 30 “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church.For we are members of His body, of His Flesh, and of His bones.”

Husbands, just as you take care of your own body by giving it food and love, you should take care of your wife in the same way.  You are to see to it that all of her needs are supplied.  The marriage relationship also helps us to understand the Godhead.  How can God be three, yet one?  How can a husband and wife be two, yet one?  The husband and wife are two separate people, but they have been joined in marriage to think and react alike.

God is three separate and distinct individuals Father Son and Hold Spirit yet, He is one in His thinking and reactions.  All of the members of the Godhead make up a team. Just as a sports team is made up of many members, yet they all strive for the same goal.  Each plays his part to attain that goal.

Jesus is not me, and I am not Jesus.  But we are joined together at the point of the new birth as the Head and the Body.  This is the same thing that happens in marriage.

VERSE 31 “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”

“This cause” is the joining together and becoming one flesh. Marriage is the very first teaching given in the Word of God. The Lord gave instructions to Adam and Eve that the man was to leave (the authority of) his father and mother and cleave to his wife.  I think it is interesting that in-laws were told to stay out of the couple’s affairs before in-laws existed.

“And shall be joined unto his wife” is a direct reference to sex.  Sexual relationship is the physical expression of being one flesh.  You and I have communion with the Lord because we are one spirit with Him.  The daily intake of the Word of God and praying in the spirit is an outward expression that we are born again.  Sex is for marriage only.  Praying in the Spirit, worship and praise are for believers only.

VERSE 32 “This is a great (magnificent) mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.”

This doesn’t mean that this is some mysterious thing that cannot be understood.  This means that this is a DYNAMIC mystery.  Marriage helps us to understand a tremendous spiritual revelation.  God’s infinite love can be more easily understood through the relationship of a husband and wife.

What if Jesus treated the Church like you treat your wives, husbands?  What if we treated Jesus like wives treat their husbands?  It makes you stop and think.  Jesus has set up an analogy in the natural world to show a spiritual truth. Women should submit to their husbands just as they submit to Jesus Christ; and, husbands should love their wives just as Jesus loves the Church.  With that kind of relationship the marriage cannot do anything but succeed.  There is no devil that can break up that marriage because Jesus said,..”I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  (Matt. 16:18).  With that kind of marriage relationship, divorce is not an option or a consideration.

VERSE 33 “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular (as individuals) so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

“REVERENCE” means HONOR, RESPECT and ADMIRE.  Wives, just as you honour, respect, and admire the Lord Jesus, you are to envision and love your husband.  Look at your husband and imagine that you are looking at Jesus, the provider of everything.  (Look at him in FAITH.)  You can have what you believe God for.  Husbands, start loving your wife as Jesus loves the Church.  She belongs to you.  She is part of you.

                         HUSBAND\FATHER

Father; not only one who is the originator or creator but one who cares for, protects, defends, provides, gives security and strength. He loves, shows kindness, charity, compassion, grace and mercy.

He is an example of God the Father create in His image. Any man who looks to emulate God as a father does himself and his family a great service.

A father is responsible to see that his wife and children;

A) Live in satisfaction, Psalms 103:2-13

B) Guide them in discernment, Eccl.2:26 (results of discernment)

C) Lead them in the knowledge of God Proverbs 2:1-7, Hosea 6:6 (fathers to teach)

D) Provide not only with the necessities but to leave them an inheritance Proverbs 13:22

E) To be an example of the salvation of God (to walk in the authority of  Jesus) salvation is deliverance, preservation, well being (prosperity) health and healing Timothy 3:15

F) They are to ameliorate (improve or make better) the quality of his family’s life Psalms 68:6

G) He is to increase the joy of his family, or he is to lead his family into the divine blessedness of God. Proverbs 15:23, 23:24

H) They are to lead and follow after the direction give to via the Holy Spirit of God Luke 11:13, Romans 5:1-5

I) He is to teach his family as how to be a blessing to others, or in other words the principals of being a giver. 2 Corinthians 9:5-11, Luke 6:38

God’s Plan For The Family The Woman

This is not going to a discussion on the role of the woman in today’s world.  Our intention is not to seek after whether a woman has a place in the working world or not.  It is a simply economic reality for most families.  What we do want to look upon is what her role may be in today’s family. And surprisingly it has not changed is its inception by God with the creation of Eve.  Her role remains the foundation or the bond of the family, which in fact is exactly what the word mother means, the bond of the family.

So then we look toward scripture to receive the knowledge of the Word regarding the wife just as we did for the husband.  hers as well as power none which she abuses.  She use h Proverbs 12:4, “a virtuous woman” what could she be?  this woman would be best described from the meaning of the word itself. She would be a force to be contented with as in the force of a army. She is one who shows forth strength and valour. Her strength can be found in her substance, riches are her power to bring praise to her family especially her husband.  This woman is settled in herself never struggling to find herself for she knows she and her husband make up all she is.

She is a woman of great intelligence, for she has settled the Word of God deep within her heart. Her struggles are settle at the gates of heaven so that when she enters the throne room she may do so boldly having nothing to weight her down.  She has learned to cast all her care upon the Lord knowing that He will look after the problem.

This woman has developed the ability to watch over and protect her husband.  Leading him from danger often when he is not even aware of it himself.  She likewise watches over her children leading and guiding and developing them into responsible adults.  She will never be found demeaning her husband or children.  Praise for her husband is all any other person will hear come from her lips.

Proverbs 31:10‑31, The charters of a virtuous woman;

(1) morally perfect  v11

(2) invaluable  v10

(3) trustworthy  v11

(4) inherently good & true  v12

(5) ingenious & proficient  v13

(6) thrifty  v14

(7) considerate  v15

(8) versatile  v16

(9) tireless  v17

(10) joyful  v18

(11) watchful  v18

(12) skilful  v19

(13) charitable or benevolent  v20

(14) generous or merciful  v20

(15) fearless  v21

(16) clever with interior design  v22

(17) refined in taste  v22

(18) respected and popular in the right circles  v23

(19) industrious and prosperous  v24

(20) dependable and honest  v25

(21) confident and hopeful  v25

(22) wise and discreet  v26

(23) kind and understanding  v26

(24) prudent and practical  v27

(25) energetic  v27

(26) an ideal wife and mother  v28

(27) honoured by her family  v28

(28) excels in virtue  v28

(29) God fearing  v30

(30) Deserving  v31

(31) honoured by the public  v31

The virtuous women’s husband has complete confidence in her.  He knows she is not wasteful and therefore has no hesitation in providing all she desires. He receives much blessing from tireless efforts in the operation of their home. There is great peace that is within their home because of his wife’s efforts he is therefore exalted amongst his associates. Her efforts never go unnoticed by him and he gives due praise, reverence and adoration to her.

This then is the woman the Word declares to be the right woman.  It takes nothing away from the woman as an individual or from her rights. It hold her in high praise.  If nay desire to be such a woman she need only to begin a life of belief, action and confession of just this type of woman.

 Gods Plan For The Family, Sexual Relations               

In an examination of the marriage one must never down play the role of each partner in their expressing their love for one and other in the act of intimate sexual relations.

Some may say that sex should not be discussed in a church.  However we say that if it had been openly discussed in the church, then Satan would not have had the ability to pervert it as strongly.  One must always keep in mind that God created it and it therefore should be examined like all other areas that he desires us to have victory in.

In order to examine this topic we must first go to the Word and see if there is any scripture strength for this discussion.

The most potent scripture text is one entire book which we will use as our bases for our discussion.  Look to the bible book known as the song of songs, the book of the Song of Solomon.  This entire book of 117 verses should be read and studied thoroughly by any couple desiring to marry.  But not only those, it should be considered a aid to marriage by all couples. When one faces down the enemy in his attempt to destroy ones marriage then this book should be used as the weapon to destroy the weaponry of the enemy.

The song of songs makes the reader realize from the very opening line that this one stands alone.  Many are the songs written about love and lovers yet no other has a comparison with them this is the SONG OF SONGS the song only true lovers can sing and harmonize with.

This then brings us to the statement then what is a true lover. The first clue comes from what you call your spouse. The word of your mouth will be the thought of your heart. If your “pet” names are a put down to your spouse then your attitude toward that person is not healthy and needs attention to correct it.

Solomon called the Shulamite “my love” that was the cry of his heart. Abishag was his heart’s desire, he wanted her to be the Queen of all the queens. First in his house of over 1000 women. “My Love” was not spoken once but many times. This is found in 1:9,15, 2:2,10,13, 4:1,7, 5:2, 6:4. the speaking forth of what your heart sees is the first and most important step in the lover’s life. True love see’s beauty even though others may not.

Notice to that Abishag calls Solomon “my beloved” 27 times in the book. The power of the heart always comes out of the mouth. The fact that couples call their mates nasty things during the heat of an argument usually refers to the fact that is what they have form as an opinion of their mate and have kept it hidden some place deep within.  It needs to be eradicated, for that seed may take root and grow into a destructive force.

Even her words of their intimacy are words that will create the desires effect. Look at 1:4, the word there love comes from the Hebrew word “dodim” which means love making. This is also found in verses 4:10 and 7:12.  Her words will begin the desired result. Today many people make comments about the love making of their spouse, but few speak words of praise or encouragement. Most speak of discuss, no fulfilment, and desire for others who are not their mates. Women refer to their husbands as lacking and leaving them longing for others like they see on tv. Men refer to their wives as cold and unattractive. If they would only see that what they speak over their spouse is what they become.  It is of great import that the other agrees with what the speaker says they are. The word says where two agree they shall have it.

Once we’ve spoken love into our hearts it must be kept in the fore most of one’s mind. This one is usually referred to as a romantic. To be romantic does not mean the bringing of flowers and candy alone. A romantic is the one who has learned to “communicate” romance with all he or she does. Communication of course begins with the words spoken over your loved one.  Romance is the action constantly used toward the loved one.

Romance has high ideals of what the other is. It is this ideals which the lover sees even though others may not. It is the clinging to these ideals which keeps the flame of passion burning throughout the marriage. We see the high ideals Solomon had of the Shulamite maiden. To him she was the most beautiful in all the land even though other saw her as nothing more than a grape vine dresser. A farmer. Solomon saw beauty. Romance’s ideals are the seeds of love and planted in the action of the lover’s.  Chapter 1:5‑11.

Romance is pure. Nothing can come between two pure loves. Romance will purify the one in the others mind. One may do the other wrong or even harm, yet if they are romantically involved with the other they will be quick to forgive and even to forget. Never remembering the hurt and never reminding the other of the hurt. The romantic sees only the pure. Purity is fidelity, neither would even have thoughts of not being true to the other. The romantic is secure in the other. There is never deceit, manipulation, or exploitation of the other, only purity.  Chapter 1:7 she is not secure in his absence.

The romantic is devoted to his (her) loved one. The devotion runs so deep that it becomes impossible to know if there is any separation between the two. No one devoted to another can live apart from that one. One devote to the other draws a life force from the other and imparts a life force to the other. The devoted one sets themselves apart and keeps themselves for the other. He or she deeply dedicated and consecrated to the other. They are ardent and zealous about their devotion.  The devote one will often see the beauty in the other even though the other does not. Chapter 1:14‑2:2.

The romantic is somewhat adventurous we say that our hero’s are romantic’s. The adventure of living life with someone whom we love must never wear in complacency and boredom. Even sexually, if there is no fascination with the other sexually there will be a tendency toward boredom and an opportunity for the enemy to sow seeds of discontent. Sex in marriage can and should be adventurous, something looked forward to and desired by both husband and wife. Sex outside of marriage is not adventurous. It is cheap, sinful and degrading. The adulterer seeks ways to hide the adultery and to ease the conscious. This is not adventurer it is discuss with self and the other person caught with in the adultery. The adventure in marriage is the continual desire to fulfil and complete the other, one can never become completely familiar with other when they are an adventurer. Chapter 4:1‑11.

The romantic is possessive of the other. There can be no sharing of him  or her. This is not jealousy, which is fear or suspicion of being displaced by another. To be possessive in this sense is to be protective, not desiring any harm from any source to come upon what is viewed as most precious. The romantic knows what is his (hers) own. He (she) has no desire to go beyond the scope or borders of this. He knows that possessing his own nurtures and edifies the other.  The other takes comfort and strength in this security.  No one owns the other but they do own the love that has been given to them from the other and so should be possessive of it. Chapter 4:12‑15.

They in turn welcome the moments of intimacy and encourage them. They seek to give over themselves more and more. The more romantically intimate a couple becomes the stronger their marriage becomes. The less likely are they to seek ways of destroying their marriage. Wives should encourage husbands and husband should encourage their wives in intimacy. Chapter 4:16.

The romantic is tender. He’ll speak words of tenderness. He’ll touch his wife tenderly. His sexual action will be of tenderness. His touch will be soft, his caress satisfying and delicate. To be tender is to sensible and sensitive. Aware of the needs of the other and attentive to those needs. Knowledgeable to what is displeasing and avoiding those areas.

The romantic would never consider themselves before the other. They are always aware of what the other is experiencing or undergoing and seek ways to relief those areas. The romantic tenderly and softly stands guard over the other and prevents others from harming or disturbing the other. Chapter 3:1‑5.

The romantic knows how to make and maintain the other in friendship. They are those whose marriage is strong when they are the best of friends. The romantic knows that through all and in all his friend will always be there. The sexual relations do not demean the friendship but strengthen it. The adulterous relationship always creates an enemy of the other. One views the other not as friend but as lover meaning simply that this is the with whom I have sex. No friendship, no kinship only loneliness and envy for the others spouse desiring that they could take the others place but knowing that it is not possible. Even in divorce if the other manages to replace the first the lacking of friendship will remaining for quite some time. The battle for trust is hard coming.

The romantic knows and clings on to his friend. Chapter 5:10‑ 16.

The romantic is kind. Not meaning that they have nice feeling toward the other but that they are useful to the other. A person of whom others place no value will also place no value in himself and therefore can be of no use to any. So then the romantic is kind always seeking to use his skills to the benefit of the other. Rarely seeking reward for their impute or work. They are happy to serve the other and look forward to every opportunity to do so. Their kindness shows even in their love making for they seek to fulfil the other and to do that which will. They are kind in that they will not make unreasonable demands on the other and will not lead the other into what they may not willing choose. The romantic knows that each are the others. Chapter 7:10‑13.

The romantic has no fear of committing for he knows that this will only lead to great happiness and joy. To commit to another is to seal the love that one has for the other. Most caught in adultery are not so and fear committing greatly. When one gives one’s self over to the other then they are committed if this is done in love then that love will grow and become strong. If it is done in lust then that will develop fear and attempt to destroy the one caught in it. There is no such thing as casual sex, the proper term is causality sex. For sex outside of marriage will make you a causality.

Those committed to one another will enjoy each other to the fullest. Will not allow anything past, present or future to steal away that which they share.  Marriage makes that seal permanent. Chapter 8:6‑13.

 

GOD’S PLAN FOR THE FAMILY, The Children       

Ephesians 6:1‑4, Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Colossians 3:17‑24, And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. 22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  

Today we need to return to the family, to understand that the family is the establishment of the world. Much of the worlds focus is placed on the family today. Alberta has a February holiday called family day. The media portray the family in more and more events. The return to the family has captured the eyes of the world. They try their very best to establish what they believe to be normal relations within the family unit. This of course is difficult for many come from broken homes and do not know what normal even is. Only a relationship within Christ can bring what is normal.

However, we see even in the church today the worlds thinking prevailing in the family and not the Words thinking. One must centre themselves on the Word if their family has any chance of success in today=s world. Satan has not changed his goal of the destruction of the family unit. His desire is to see a continuation of single parent units. Knowing that one parent does not have the ability or the mandate to raise children alone. The mandate has been given to both father and mother. Most of the responsibility has been place on the father. Therefore if Satan can tear apart the family and have the father live away from the home unit he can bring into that home much of his evil work.

Many children today are growing up in such places without one of their parents. They then become resentful, bitter, lonely, rebellious, hateful, angry, disobedient, withdrawn, and much more. Children of single parent families feel great stress to grow up and move out believing that then they will have better lives. This of course is usually not true for if they are not set free from the many hurts and learn what togetherness is their own family units are doomed for failure and separation.

Parents who separate and bring upon their children such works of the devil are sure to answer to God for their actions. To offend and mislead and otherwise harm the children is viewed as having a milestone hung around ones neck. C\F Matt. 18:2‑6.

 

Parents caught in the middle of divorce battles usually use their children as weapons to bring hurt and resentment upon their ex‑mate. This is absolutely wrong and they will answer to God one for their action if they do not repent and seek forgiveness for it, even from their children whom they offend.

What of the family that does remain together. Well the first thing they must do is to practice much love within their home. Children watch and learn as to what the home should be.  If they see love they will grow in loving persons, if they in turn see anything else they will grow in to that.  A abused child usually grows in to a abusive parent.  A child in a house full of arguing will grow into a argumenative person. A child from a house of strife will carry that strife with him the rest of his life. This is of course it is not broken off of them and they then centre themselves on the Word to learn how to stay free.

Ephesians 6:1‑4, says to bring up a child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Well what could this mean. First to nurture a child is to provide a wholesome living environment for them, this can only come from the Word of God. It is to provide a healthy life for the children, constant bickering and fighting is not such a life. Abuse is not such a life. To have a wholesome home is to provide a safe and secure home. Many children do not feel safe from the world in their own homes. Single parents must often leave their children alone enforcing the unsafe feeling. Today usually both parents must work to provide even the basics for their families. This too will cause the children to feel unsafe, to bring stress and worry on the children and rob the child of their childhood.

To have a wholesome home is to have a sound home. To have a sound home is to have one established on the Word. Children must learn the Word just as a adult, but they must learn it from their parent’s example. The parents who says “do as I say not as I do”  is no example to follow. It is not a sound home if you expect from your children that which you are not willing to do yourself.

It also says to bring up the child in the admonition of the Lord. This means that we are to correct are children when they are wrong. We see many parents today who allow their children to control them, even though the child is a destructive force in the parent’s life. He’ll grow out of it is poor parenting. For they never do grow out of it. Bad children grow into bad adults. Children need correction. To correct a child is to show affection, love and concern. Correction is not punishment, punishment is plain and simply revenge.

Now this is not to say that the child may not be disciplined and that discipline come in the form of spankings. Proverbs 13:24, to spare the rod is to hate your children, to use it wisely is to have the best interest of the child at heart. And that is what correction is all about.

Proverbs 22;15, Foolishness‑ is evil, silliness, perversions, and carelessness of body and soul. This must be driven out of a child. The rod will work as the form of deliverance. Proverbs 23:13‑14, This form of correction cause a child to grow and to realize that the principals of the Word are eternal life saving. It will cause the child to think before becoming involved in the works of the enemy and possibility losing his soul. The parent whom believes otherwise shows no love to his child and will share somewhat for their life. The child who rebels against the parent for this discipline makes the parent guiltless.

1 Timothy 3:4 and Proverbs 20:7 shows that the man of integrity brings blessing upon his children, this is how children learn integrity.

Proverbs 23:24‑25, The wise son is the one who was corrected and grew into wisdom. He shows forth the following characteristics.

Proverbs

A) Hears and obeys his parents        1:5, 23:24

B) Increase in knowledge              1:5, 12:15

C) Profits by example                 6:6

D) Profits by rebuke                  9:8, 15:31

E) Increase’s wisdom                  9:9

F) Is diligent in business            10:5

G) Welcomes commandments              10:8

H) Lays up knowledge                  10:14

I) Controls lips and tongue           10:10,17:28

J) Rules well becomes a leader        11:29

K) Is a soul winner                   11:30

L) Love the company of right people   13:20

M) Builds for the future              14:1

N) Departs from evil                  14:6

O) Utter knowledge correctly          15:2,7

P) Makes parents happy                23:15

Q) Seeks knowledge                    18:15

R) Not given to drugs and alcohol     20:1

S) Solves the problems of others      21:22

T) Increase in strength               24:5

U) Is law abiding                     28:7

V) Turns away from contention         29:8

W) Keeps free of strife               29:11

Confession of the Word over the children and the implanting of the word into them will cause them to grow in the son of Proverbs. This works for the daughters as well.

This then concludes this study in recapping we have found that the Husband is the head and spiritual leader of the home and should lead and guide his home just as Christ leads and guides the church. He is to love his wife and children and give himself for them as Christ gave himself to the church.  The husband has the responsibility to implant the word into his family and to hold the family together.

The wife is to submit to such a husband and will do so freely when he shows himself to be the example he is to be. That the wife and mother is the bond of the family and holds the family together. That she is to be a virtuous woman as indicated in Proverbs 31 and such a woman is worthy of love and respect.

We must always remember Psalms 68:6, where it says ” God setteth the solitary in the families: He bringth out those who are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.”  God unites the family brings it together while Satan divides and destroys it. Go Gods way.

 

 

              VOWS, ALMS AND OFFERINGS

 

In this chapter we’d like to discuss the life of the giver. Giving is what causes a person to become  successful in life, there is a direct comparison to those who do not give.

When we use the word GOALS as an acronym we would readily see;

GO

ACHIVE

LIFE

STYLE

The lifestyle you chose to live can only be accomplished as direct result to the way you give. This then is what we need to examine in the next few pages.

Throughout scripture we find that God has established a pattern of finance for the family.

In this chapter we will see that our vows; are our savings account against the day of trouble. Our alms giving;  brings to the works of our hands prosperity. That tithing;  covers our day to day needs and finally that offerings; are what brings the abundant supply.

We are talking about developing within you the life of the giver, not the life of a user.  Many people do not understand what an offering and a tithe are, nor do they understand alms giving or keeping vows.

“I thought there was only two.  There is only offering and tithing.  Now you’re going to tell me something I already know.  I don’t want to hear it.”

 If that is your attitude, you can close this book and miss God’s blessings.  Your giving determines the success you have in life. It will set you free in your finances.  Your life should be a life of giving.  If you are not a giver, then you are a user.  You can only be one of two.  You need to decide, which one you are going to be.  These areas will work in your life if you apply them properly.

 

                             VOW

A vow is a solemn promise to God to perform some act or to follow out some line of conduct.  It is also a pledge of faithfulness.  It makes a binding agreement between you and God.  Did you catch that?  It becomes your word to God.  It is a swearing of an oath and it becomes your responsibility to perform your oath.

                        UNDER PRESSURE

You see different ministries today on various media, where they apply stress or pressure.  “You vow this before God and God will do this for you.”  Listen, let me tell you something.  God has already done everything He is going to do for you.  It is done. You cannot buy God. When you make a vow before God, it’s between you and God only, no man has the right nor the power to put you under any stress to make oaths pledges or promise giving to their ministry. What you do is between you and God.

When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the  Lord thy God will surely require it of thee;

 and it would be sin in thee. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it should be no sin in thee.         Deut 23: 21,22

When you make a commitment you put your word on the line. It’s your word! What is your word worth?  If it’s worth anything, you will keep your word.  If you don’t put your word on it, then you don’t have to keep it.

If someone said to me, “I’ll be here at such and such a time.” I expect that person to be there.  If they are not, it takes away a bit of their integrity.  That is what these scriptures are saying. Keep your word.  When you make a vow or put your word on something, keep it, or don’t vow.  People will often do that. They put their word on something and they’ve done so out of pressure.

Have you ever made a bargain with God?  Be honest!  I know I did.  “Oh God, if you’ll get me out of this situation, I’ll do this and this and this.” You are lying.  I know it and you know it.  When He gets you out of it, you don’t live up to your word.  Your word is worthless.

I remember having a dozen guys chase me for blocks and blocks.  In those days I was doing some long distance running and was out running them. One guy jumped in a car and began chasing me.  I crawled into the back of another car and lied down on the floor of the back seat.  These guys were all standing around the car and they didn’t see me.  I remember praying, “God, if you get me out of this. I will give my life to you.”  I didn’t, not right then anyway.  I did so later in my life.

We have all said this kind of stuff at one point or another in our lives.  Making bargains with God and then go back on our word.  What did we just read in Deut 23:21,22? When you make a vow, keep your word because if you don’t, it is sin unto you.  It’s your word not someone else’s.

Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him  that ought to be feared. Psalms 76:11

 It is good to make a vow, but again it is something personal.  The Catholic Priests and Nuns make certain vows that they are going to live a certain lifestyle before God. It’s a personal word committed unto God. We are no different. Your word is your word.  Your integrity and honour is on the line and for that reason no one can pressure you.  

Some Churches fund raise and say, “Listen guys, we need this and this.”  If they would trust God for their need they would receive it, instead of placing their eyes on the people and asking them to vow.  “I’ll give so much money every month beyond my tithe to do this and this.” That is wrong!  It is wrong to put pressure on people to give.  It’s not scriptural.  Many preachers won’t like that statement, but too bad!  From Psalms 76:11, they mount big, fund raising campaigns.  The scripture is not saying that.  It says, if you vow, you pay, but it is your vow to God not to man. Again, I must bring up the point that it’s your decision, not someone putting any pressure on you to give.

In 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Every man give as he purposeth in his heart, so  let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for  God loves a cheerful giver”.

It instructs us to give as we have purposed in our heart. Therefore we should realize that if someone places pressure on you then it is not the original intent or purpose that you had in your giving.  To give as you’ve purpose is to be obedient to the Word.  This will provide God pleasure in your giving, giving through pressure does not. No man ever has been the “cheerful giver” when they’ve been place under pressure to give.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Ecc 5:4,5

Now, you can make a vow, and I say it again; it’s between you and God.  You decide.  What you are going to do?  If you decide you want to vow, what does that become.  We are speaking financially.  If you decide you are going to give so much above your tithe, then that becomes an offering. A special offering unto God I like to call it the offering of commitment. You are committing your word, money and lifestyle over to God. It is doing something beyond what God asks and you show yourself committed to the things of God in this form of giving. What do you suppose God is going to do with your commitment? We see in Ephesians that He can do things beyond our highest desires.

Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto Him that is able to do  exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or  think, according to the power the works within  us”.

Never forget that when we commit one hundred percent to God, he’s committed the same to us.

A vow is a faith promise commitment before God, and it is for this reason that God commands that when you vow you should pay. For it should be with a clear mind and honest heart that your vow is given.

Should the Christian vow unto the Lord today?  Yes, every Christian should be seeking God as to what they can do on a consistent basis.

He through the Holy Spirit will reveal unto us as to what we are to do. Then be obedient and follow through with it. God has great love for those who are obedient unto His Word. He will move heaven and earth to see that they live a blessed life.

Isaiah 1:19;”If you willing and obedient, you shall eat the  good of the land”.

If you willing to hear what the Spirit of God is saying unto you in this matter then be obedient to it God will see to that you live in the good of the land.

There is a place that the offering of commitment (vow) brings you to that no other seemingly does. It is a place of moving the hand of God in times of trouble.

Psalms 50:14,15; Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most high: And call upon me in the day of  trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt  glorify me.

The reason for this is that it usually in a time of hardship when someone vows something unto God. God is saying “it is through your praise of me that I will move on your  behalf, and it is through your own fulfilment of your  promise to me that you bring glory unto me”.

It is not unreasonable for you to expect God to move on your behalf when you commit your way unto Him, for it is through the power of the Word that you will be established and it is through your vows that God releases the answer to prayer. This is one area that many Christians  have left behind simply because of the abuse they have taken from unscrupulous leaders and pastors.

By your acquainting yourself with the Word and having a full understanding of the things of the Word you will be able to make and pay vows receiving the answer in your day of trouble.

One final scripture on this topic before we move on to alms giving.

Job 22:21‑28; Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace:  thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray  thee the law from His mouth, and lay up His words  in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty,  thou shall be built up, thou shall put away  iniquity far from thy tabernacles. Then shall thou  layup gold as dust and the gold of Ophir as the  stones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be  thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.  For then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty,  and shalt lift up thy face unto God. Thou shalt  make thy prayer unto Him and he shall hear thee,  and thou shall pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree  a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and  the light shall shine upon thy ways.

Living a life commited to all of what the Word declares including our vows will always produce for us the highest quality of living. Being acquitted with God brings peace, surety, riches (gold & silver in these verses), delight, audience with the Most High, and then He establishes you in all your ways.

         ALMS GIVING

Some people are a little confused of what alms giving is. The Greek word for alms is eleemosune (el‑eh‑ay‑mos‑oo‑nay),  which means compassion, to show compassion upon the poor. When you give alms, you are showing compassion upon the poor.

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 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. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand  know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. Matt 6:1‑4

It does not say here that you do not give alms.  That is an important part of our giving, above the tithe. It is not part of the tithe.  It is above it.  The first 10% of your increase belongs to the Lord.  So if you are going to give alms, which is assisting or helping the needs of the poor, it’s above the tithe.  

“Why should I give alms?”

Well, if you’re a smart person, you would have seen in the scripture twice, you have a reward. The Father which sees  in secret shall reward you openly.  Obviously, that means it’s well worthwhile to be helping the poor.  There is something else in there more than just giving to the poor.

“Well, if I gave the poor $600.00 that is seed faith giving. I can believe that it will grow up and become something more than that $600.00, can’t it.”  No, that is not actually true.  Proverbs 19:17 says, He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the  Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him  again.

 If you gave that $600.00 to the poor, you gave it to God. God is not going to be in debt to you or anybody for anything.  He is going to give it back to you.  That is all that scripture is saying there.

 

                 A REWARD

All we, were the poor, one way or another.  Until you got saved, you were the poor.  You might have been a millionaire. Until you got saved, you were the poor.  Christ had pity on you.  Christ had pity on the poor.  His whole ministry, spiritually, physically and financial was to the poor.

The scriptures are talking specifically about the financially poor in certain areas of their lives.  When you give to the poor there is a reward in it for you.

Let’s look in a couple of places where it talks about that reward. Note that Jesus is speaking this.   

And seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye    shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these thing do the nations of the world  seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have  need of these things.  But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all  these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s  good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  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. For where your treasure is, there will your heart  be also. Luke 12:29‑34

When you give alms, you are setting yourself up for a treasure in heaven.  What’s your treasure?  I have no idea. I have not been there.  I have come to believe that if Jesus Himself said there is a treasure there.  Then there is a treasure.  Think of some treasures that are either buried in the land or the oceans of this world.  They don’t compare with the treasure that Jesus has in store for you, when you give to the poor.  It is part of the ministry of Christ.  To meet the needs of the poor.

                     DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART

“Oh, Brother Ron, I know that I can give … I need something now. I can’t wait to get to heaven.  I want to give to the poor, but …”

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou

shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

This command of God is not under the curse of the law. This is how to live your life.  It’s fulfilling what Jesus said.  You will not harden your heart to that poor man.

But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

You are to give to him.  Remember what it said in Proverbs.  When you give to him you are giving to God. God will repay you.      

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him:

Be a cheerful giver.  Freely and not begrudgingly.

because that for this thing

For you operating in alms giving. the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy  works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand  unto. Deut; 15:7‑10

 If you have lack of blessing, check yourself.  Are you giving to the poor?  Are you ministering to the poor?  Are you meeting the needs of the poor?  We need to wake up and realize that the ministry to the poor, is the main reason for the ministry.

 When we minister to the poor, the Word of God says that God will bless you in all that you set your hand to do,  everything. Again, your ministry of alms giving is to the poor.  It is above your tithe.

At the end of three years thou shall bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same  year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor  inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be  satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.        Deut 14:28,29

The Lord your God may bless you in all that you set your  hand to do.  Underline those words in all.  Giving to the poor and to those who require it, brings upon you the blessing of God, in all that you set your hand to do.  We must understand the reason of giving to the poor.

It must be clearly understood that had the church continued in this area of ministry (some have, most do not) then there would be no need for the welfare systems. The governments of the world would not have a need for as much tax as they demand. Yet the church did not so the government extracts more than what is needful form you and I. We end up paying a tithe unto them beginning at 30% instead of the 10% that God required.

There really is a place that giving to the poor is needful, we should never turn away a poor person. Does that mean that we allow the poor just take anything they demand. No, if they are in true need they will be willing to what is required to help meet their own need. The lazy person, rich or poor, need not look to the church nor the government for support, scripture says “if a man will not work, neither let him eat”. I have no sympathy for the lazy poor person. Work and you may eat.

However the true needy, poor or destitute will find a place always in the heart of God. If God looks after them then He must do it through you and I.

In our church after we tithe (yes even as a church) then we set aside another 10% for assisting in meeting the needs of the poor. It is a good practice, and one pleasing unto God.  It also make the people of the congregation feel good knowing that they help feed some persons this week.

                   OFFERINGS

The way to describe an offering is that it is an act of the free will: for today. In the Old Testament there were all kinds of offerings but we are beyond that. We do not live in the Old Testament any longer.  An offering today is an act of free will to bring pleasure to the Most High God. It is given above the tithe and is usually something of cost.

                        SOMETHING OF COST

And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting  their gifts into the treasury.   Imagine in your mind that picture of Jesus. Your finances are of interest to Jesus. Here, He is sitting right beside the offering. He’s watching people put their money in the treasury.  His interest is in your finances. He is sitting in the synagogue watching.  Picture that scene in your mind … And he looked up and saw the rich men casting their gifts  into the treasury.

And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

He is talking to His disciples and those people sitting around him.

For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury  hath cast in all the living that she had.

Luke 21:1‑4

This woman gave everything.  It cost her.  Do you think God is not going to bless that women with Him sitting right there, watching it?  An offering is usually something that costs you something. If it means little to you, it must also mean little to God. Jesus Christ was the highest offering for God gave His very best as offering to you.

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling

savour. Eph 5:2

Himself!  The highest offering ever possible, He gave Himself to God as a sweetsmelling savour.  That meant it was the highest offering that would please God.

His offering wasn’t to God.  His offering was to you, to you for God.  You have the choice to receive it or reject it.

How do you accept His offering?  What kind of offerings do we give God?  Is your offering costing you something?  Is it done freely and willing?  The scripture says that He walked in love.  Is your offering done through love, or is it done because someone put pressure on you?  Don’t ever give under pressure! Anytime someone applies pressure to the seed, it kills it.  The seed, cannot endure pressure.  Your offering is seed giving, which means it is going to grow for you and produce a return.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and  offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice  for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of  God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made  his footstool.

What was He expecting?  Expecting His enemies made His footstool.  No!  Jesus had already wiped them out. He was expecting you!  He gave His life for you.  He expects every one of us to except Him.  Then walk on His enemies by taking and using His authority. That is what He was expecting.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.         Heb 10:10‑14

The one offering made you perfect.  We really need to examine the offering within ourselves and understanding its power.  God fulfilled the covenant He has with us.  When you bring an offering unto God, you are worshipping the Most High God.

                 THE FIRST OFFERING

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from  the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain  brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto  the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his  flock and of the fat thereof.  And the Lord had  respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not  respect.  And Cain was very wroth (Angry), and his countenance fell (he sulked). And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth?  and why is thy countenance fallen?             If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?  and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.  And unto thee shall be his desire, and                        thou shalt rule over him.            Gen 4:1‑7

God was warning Cain about sin. In verse three, it says, and in the process of time … That meant when Cain and Abel became old enough to believe God, they were to bring God an offering.

Why did God look at Abel’s offering with favour and Cain’s offering with disfavour?  Cain brought the first fruits of his ground. Was there a problem with that?  The ground was cursed.

Do you think that something cursed could bring freedom from the curse?  Of course not.  Cain brought the first fruits of the ground.  He wasn’t bringing the offering.  He was bringing the tithe.  There is a difference.  It was already God’s.  It didn’t cost Cain anything.  He brought the tithe and brought it out of a cursed ground.  Are you getting the point?

We must understand the difference between  offering and tithing.  When you bring your tithe, you make certain declarations before God.  It is already God’s.  When you bring an offering that is above the tithe, you bring it to worship God.  There is a difference in  that. Cain brought the tithe that had already belonged to God.

And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord. Lev; 27:30

Who said it was the Lord’s?  He did!  Who are we to argue?

Abel did something different.  Abel knew inside there had to be the shedding of blood to make atonement for sin.  He brought the lamb unto God.  There is also an interesting phrase in there as well.  He brought the lamb and the fat  thereof.  Abel brought the finest unto God and he didn’t hold anything back.  He gave it all.  That animal was surely to be the finest one he had.  It cost him something, the animal. Abel knew within him because he learned from Adam and  Eve the Word of God.

“One day we are going to stand free of the curse that we had brought upon ourselves.” Eve thought for sure that it would be one of her sons.  Her joy when Cain was born. “I  gotten a man child from the Lord.” She thought. “Oh boy, this is the guy.”  She put faith into action.  “I’ve gotten a man who is going to crush the head of Satan who deceived me.” She was operating in faith, living under the curse they had brought upon themselves. Teaching the children God’s Word, that in all you do, you live by faith. “I’ve gotten a man.” There is hope in that.  So when they grew, and in the process of time, to bring God an offering that would be acceptable.

Cain brought upon himself dishonour by making an offering that was not acceptable to God.  He knew different.  He knew what belonged to God and what didn’t.  He also knew that the fruit came from a cursed ground.

Abel brought a live animal that shed blood to cover the sin, the curse.  The offering cost him something.

What is the attitude in bringing an offering?  “I’ll just bring my tithe to cover myself.” That is okay. You don’t have to bring an offering unto God.  You don’t have to say vows before God.  You don’t have to take care of the poor in alms giving.  You don’t have to do any of these giving’s.  However, if you don’t, God doesn’t have to bless you either. You can believe for that tithe to grow and it will.  Still you are missing out on a whole lot more in your life by not taking part in the others.

                         WHERE DO I GIVE?

Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your  sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord:        Deut 12:11

“God, where do I give?”  That is always the big question in people’s minds.  “Where do I give?”  The scripture says that you are to bring it to the place the Lord your God shall  choose to cause his name to dwell.  If the presence of the Lord is not there, don’t bring your tithe, vow, alms and offerings.

Ever listen to some people, “Oh this is the church God has for me.  Nothing ever goes on.  We don’t get fed.  We don’t get taught.  The spirit of God never moves, but he has me there.”  You are so blind and so foolish and so dull-witted. If God has left, then He doesn’t have you there either. You belong where the Spirit of God is moving.  If the Spirit of God has left, so should you.  What are you doing there?

 “Well, we are giving to other ministries.”

 The tithe belongs where you are fed, the church.

 “Yes, but I get fed off the television.”

That is not the church.

“So what do we give to television?”

You give the offerings.

“You mean I can’t divide my tithe?”

 Have you ever seen a broken seed grow?  I haven’t. Dividing your tithe breaks the seed.

And this have ye done again, covering the alter of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with  good will at your hand.   Malachi 2:13

“Oh God, (sob) you just got to help me in this situation. I’m going to bring an offering (sob) and I’m going to give it to you.” (sob)

Does that sound like some of those guys on television? “Yes, give your offerings down here.”

Don’t do it.  They cover the alter with tears and crying, and it says here that God will not receive that.

 “Do you mean that you are not going to receive my offering!” An idiot trying to buy God.  God has laid out certain rules that when you bring your tithe and offerings you do it His way.

Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast Dealt  treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. Malachi 2:14

Treacherously is the Hebrew word bagad (baw-gad) which means: to act faithlessly, deceitfully, to offend. When you deal treachery with your partner that is not honouring them God will not receive your offering from you. But also when you deal treacherously against your church God will not receive your offering (oh, the church will, but God does not and it is He that causes it to grow). Watch that you deal circumspectly with all those around you including your church.

                  WHO SHALL STAND

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall  prepare the way before me: and the Lord, when  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

Behold I will send my messenger.  He is talking about Jesus and to the Church of God, the Christians.  This is a prophecy, a foretelling.  I am going to send my messenger and  he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye  seek, shall suddenly come to his temple.  Where is His temple?  You are the temple of God.  Even the messenger of  the covenant, whom ye delight in … Understand where you stand in the covenant of God.  It is the most forceful agreement. If you don’t understand what blood covenants are about you don’t understand the Word of God.

Verse one is a clear reference of the coming of the Lord. Now we have become His temple.  It is our delight to remain within it.  This chapter of Malachi is also for the entire body of Christ.  We have the completion of the covenant of God within ourselves.  Christ Jesus is that completion.  The Lord becomes our happiness, our delight, our joy and pleasure.  He, raptures and gratifies us … that whom we have delight in.

In verses 2‑4 it shows the power of Christ when He returns at His second coming.  Who shall stand at His return?  Those who are His.  Those who have already gone through the purifying and those who have received His Word into their heart.  They become pure as  gold, because of the power of the Holy Spirit working within them.

 But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? for his is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of  silver: and he shall purify the son of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in  righteousness. And I will come near to you to judgement; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers,  and against the adulterers, and against  false  swearers, and against those that oppress the  hireling in his wages, the widow, and the  fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from  his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:2‑5

You bring oppression upon people by not meeting their needs. The judgement is against His enemies.

For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.  Malachi 3:6

That is protection.  The Lord changes not.  He keeps His covenant that he made with Isaac, Jacob, Abraham.  Christ said that He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.  He had a covenant with them.  We have that same covenant.  The covenant He made with Abraham was before the Jewish nation ever existed. We have the inheritance of Abraham.  Part of that covenant though, is our giving and our tithing.

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them.  Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.  But ye said,  Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Malachi 3:7,8

This is the real cause of the problem in the church.  “I don’t want to do the giving stuff.  It is under the Old Testament and under the law.” Well, we have already mentioned how much Christ did.  One third of Christs ministry dealt with finances.  It is not under the curse.

Bring 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. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit  before the time in the field, saith the Lord of  hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye  shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of  hosts.              Malachi 3:10‑12

We are cursed with a curse if we withdraw from our giving. Who cursed you?  Did God curse you?  Is God going around cursing His children?  No. You brought it upon yourself. Satan has laws of withholding, as there are laws of seed time and harvest.  He has laws of withholding.  Satan is there to rob, steal, kill and destroy what you have.  Don’t let him. Become a giver, learn to give.  Don’t live under the curse, live in the blessing.  I, myself, would have the blessings we have just read…. that I will open the windows and pour out a blessing,  there shall not be room enough to receive it. These are same windows that He opened for Noah’s flood.  Enough water poured out upon the earth that Noah sailed around the world for a year. God said, I am going to open the same windows and pour you out a blessing.  There shall not be room enough to receive it.  It is the same windows with water and I’ll take the same windows with blessings.  “Here I am Lord! Start the down pour.  I am ready to receive it.  I’ve been giving my tithes and offerings.  I’ve been giving my alms and vows.”

He qualifies it a bit here.  … bring ye all the tithes  into the storehouse.  Now the offerings are history.  Bring them to the place where I have placed my name so there will be meat in my house.  What does that mean?  So it could fulfil the job that of the ministry that He has set for them to do.  We are all called to do the work of the ministry, to meet the needs of the people.  Take time to study through tithes and offerings, alms and vows.  Every one of them bless. Not only upon the one who receives, but also the one giving.

                  A GIVER OR A TAKER

Give, 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

Learn the life of a giver.  Become a giver.  There is no question about it, it shall be given unto you.  Many people quote that scripture and stop at shall men give into your  bosom.  They don’t want to take the rest of the verse, the key part of the verse.  For with the same measure that yea mete withal it shall be measured to you again.  Everything you do in your life should be to give.  There are certain people who have developed a life of giving.  There are certain people who have developed a life of taking.  If you are one of those takers, I suggest you change your pattern and learn to become a giver.  You don’t have money, so what!  This is not just talking about money.  It is speaking of your entire life style.  Prosperity is not just finances.

I have seen people bend over backward for others. Being in a pastoral position, there is much you give that people know nothing about.  You do everything.  You change your schedules.  You go across town to meet with them and they may or may not be there.  Even take someone across town that does not even bother to thank you.  There is a life of a giver and there is a life of a user.  Don’t become the user. Become the giver.  Don’t give because of what the result would be.  Give because you want to be a giver.  The result will come.

When you plant a seed into the ground, you don’t have to  worry about it.  You just know that it is going to grow and produce for you.  Don’t dig it up.  Give it time and it will grow.  Just keep planting.  Keep planting.  Keep planting. God will see to the harvest.

                        HEALING FOR THE BROKEN HEARTED

Luke 4:18-19; (Amplified version)

Today my desire is not only to bring to you a testimony as to what the Lord has done for me but also to bring the anointing of the Lord to heal many of the broken hearted.

It is the broken hearted that are the ones who ever give in and lose in the life of God which is supposed to be very victorious. There are many ways that one may become the broken hearted, such as strife, rejection, sin, abandonment, betrayal, calamity and others.

Isaiah 38:14‑19 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me.  15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. 16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.   18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

OPPRESSION **** to burden or keep in subjugation by harsh and (or) unjust use of force or authority; tyrannize. To lie heavy upon physically or mentally; weighted down, depress, dispute. To crush or trample, overwhelm, abuse.

Hebrew **** to distress, afflict, crush, force, hold fast, affliction, unjust gain, cruelty, extortion, something gotten through deceit, slaughter, to drive, tax or tyrannize. To tax is to; burden, encumber, overload, overwork, strain and tire.

Oppressor **** one who drives for taxes or a taskmaster.

2 Timothy 2:22-26  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife’s. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.  

Satan as the oppressor causes his captives to tire, which is; to drain, exhaust, wear down, exasperate, irk and cause to become weary.

Oppression has always been taught as an attack of the mind. In this lesson today I will present to you oppression first’s place of attack, it is not the mind. Oppression will find its way into the mind and thought life of its victim but it no way begins there.

Oppression first and fore most place of attack is the heart of man. If oppression can burden down the heart of man then man will not be capable of rational decision making.  To understand this principal we need to examine the scriptures and view them from what they say not what we think they say. Let’s first look at the word heart, it appears some 830 times in 762 verses as compared to the word mind which appears 95 times in 93 verses. It generally understood as the centre of  man, not just a circulatory muscle.  Hebrews 4:12.

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 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.

The New Testament Greek word for heart is kardia (kar‑ dee’‑ah) which means the thoughts and feelings. The Hebrew word is lab, and carries the meaning of the feelings, the will, and even the intellect. It is known as the conscious of  man. The heart of man is most simply defined as the centre of man.

Where mans soul and spirit borders is impossible to define. However the word say that it can divide the soul and the spirit, therefore it is most important to be in the Word.                       

If then the heart (not the mind) is the principal place of the thoughts, feeling, will and intellect then we must put a guard around it to prevent the enemy from oppressing it. Proverbs 4:20‑23.

20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.  23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 

So then oppression will put unjust force and burden down its victim, oppression will tyrannize its victim until they become weak in the heart. When they do oppression will lie heavily on its victim in order to crush, trample and overwhelm the victim and lead that one in self abuse as in the case of all who are dependent on anything other than God Himself. This is when the spirit of possession moves in.

I am firmly convinced that both oppression and possession are spirits and make use of all other spirits of Satan to perform their evil work. I am equally convinced that both can work within a person as much as without. Most ministers teach that oppression comes against the person from the outside, yet if it is to attack the heart then it must do its work from the inside as well. It does most of its damage once it is within the person.

The spirit of oppression works very much in the following pattern. First the oppressive spirit working in conjunction with other spirits causes some type of hurt to take place in their victim’s life.  This is usually caused through the person giving the spirits licence through careless speaking.

Once the hurt is established the victim begins to repress the feeling of the hurt instead of dealing with it when it takes place. This (#2) repression is in fact the next spirit to move in. It is a lesser spirit performing its job. The repression cause’s a small crack to appear in the victim’s heart through which all the others enter.

The third spirit working with oppression and repression is, regression. Regression is; the medical term is the subsidence of disease.  The victim slowly gives way to the disease that they are experiencing, first in the heart then in the mind and finally in the body. Through this regression the crack in the heart is now much larger. If the victim will return to the Word and the things of God healing is usually quite easily come by in this stage. If they do not act on the things of God another harsher spirit is usually called in to action, forming the strong hold even harder. Forcing the crack in the heart wider yet.

 The (#4) next spirit stronghold is; suppression, the term means; the deliberate exclusion from the consciousness of any action, emotion, or desire. So then this spirit drives the person to just annul any thought of the hurt, but to annul something is not to heal or even forget it, it is to vacate or make empty and that is exactly what this suppression spirit wants . For if it can make a vacate place in the heart of man then all other spirits can move in. Matthew 12:45

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Often the next spirit in the line from oppression is (#5) bitterness.

Once suppression has made a vacate place bitterness  moves in. Through bitterness comes a poison into the person’s life which all who come in contact with choke at the taste of it, except the bitter person themselves.

Turn to Acts 8:20‑24: But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.  

“The gall of bitterness” this means poison in your temperament which is sharp and cutting. c\f Ephesians 4:31

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  

Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 

The bitter person becomes unwilling to be close to any using a sharp and cutting tongue to be sure no one and nothing ever gets close to them again. The crack in the heart is now weakening to the point where the strain has the person almost ready to break and become broken-hearted.

 

Now the next spirit to come on the scene is called, (#6) depression.

The depressed person becomes a lonely person for they seek only the company of themselves and their depression, and yes they do become very possessive of their own demon spirit of depression. This spirit keeps them from associating with other so that he will not be discovered himself. So they become reclusive and withdrawn making their associations with others as brief as possible not wishing discovery.

The depressed person always has themselves in mind and is easily offended when any other seeks to go any other way but theirs. They concentrate totally on self. They choose not to share in others lives and feel others should be inputting into them while of course they reject any outside input. They soon lose the values that life had for them and consider others values as worthless and unfulfilling. They’re mind become weak and passive and they exercise the reasoning process as little as possible. In other words they become unreasonable. Once the depressed person succumbs to depression, the victim is ready for Satan’s next on slot that being (#7) distress.

As the Hebrew word for oppression bears out, oppression purpose is to place the victim in a place of distress. This is; acute or extreme suffering, it is agony, worry, extreme pain, trouble and harassment. The distressed person loses quickly all hope and slip into the grip of the enemy even harder. They suffer so much inward pain that they convince themselves that no cure or help will ease them out. 

This is the group of people who are most likely to commit crimes against themselves and others. Death, murder and suicide often follow after distress. As it’s description says this is acute or extreme suffering, the reason for the suffering being so acute is that this is the final stage before the heart breaks.

Before we examine the final stage turn to Psalms 55. The distressed person is a complainer and his complained is baseless. He complains of:

 Psalm 55:1-23 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.  Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. 2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.  6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. 9  Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. 11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. 12For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.  14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.  15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. 16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. 17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. 18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. 19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.  20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.  21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. 22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.  23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.  

A) The voices he hears believing it to the enemy.

B) He complains of his oppressions but does not take any action to defeat the oppressor.

C) He complains about the accusations and the accuser but does not use the Word to defeat him.

D) He complains about the anger and hatred but it’s locked in him.

E) He complains about the condition of his heart feeling helpless to change it.

F) He complains about the terrors of death for his heart is breaking and he knows a broken heart will lead to death.

G) He complains about horror knowing that it is extreme fear and dread and it overwhelms him to no action.

H) The storms (trials) and strong winds (circumstances) of the enemy blow hard against him and he complains.

1) He knows that others speak against him and wag their tongues in gossip because he is so pitiful. He is powerless to defeat the words, for he is in the centre of violence and strife.

J) Wickedness, deceit, guile, and treachery are working against him all spirits of oppression and destruction.

As distress places it’s lock on its victims life the final attack is about to take hold. For if left to do their evil work and distress occurs the crack become a tear the tear become a break.

As one examines this one can readily  see that a person does not become possessed by Satan easily but the fact remains that one can become possessed. This procession works, the fact that the person is a Christian or not has no bearing on Satan. He will do his utmost to take possession of the person in the heart. This is what becomes known as a  broken-hearted person.  

For one to become possessed by Satan he must first oppress the person and that person must give way in the heart to oppression, giving way until the heart breaks. It is necessary to look at meaning of the word possession; to occupy  by  driving out the previous tenants, and possessing their place.  It also means to seize, to rob, to expel, to inherit, to ruin, cast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, to be or made poor, to come to poverty. The broken-hearted is truly a Satanically ruled person.  That’s the bad news.

The good news is Christ Jesus himself, look to Isaiah  61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified, and Luke 4:18.The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

It is taught that Jesus quoted Isaiah when speaking however he changed it slightly but that slight change makes all the difference in the world. In Isaiah the verse say “to bind up the broken-hearted”, the word bind here means to wrap firmly or compress, to hold together until healing takes place. If you break a leg you place a splint or cast around the leg to bind it up and keep the bones together. Yet even after the bone mends there is always a weak point. The break will always have a hair line crack in it, it will still show itself in a x-ray years later.

In Luke however Jesus changes the word from bind to heal, meaning; to cure or make whole. If something is whole there are no cracks or faults, the item is entire. Christ is saying “I make you entire”. The broken-hearted before my coming could at the best be held together, now with my coming I make the broken-hearted entire and whole again. Therefore the heart is whole and the enemy has be driven out. You are delivered, whole and free. Possessed by my love.

The broken-hearted must make that love real in their lives. Christ has already healed you from your broken heart by the love and blood He shed for you. Your trust and hope must be in Christ. 

Turn to Romans 8:35‑39, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written,  For thy sake we are killed all the daylong; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All these heart breaking things cannot separate us from the love that is Christ Jesus, meaning, He loves so much that our hearts will not become overwhelmed and break.

Be sure of this however that Satan is out there seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8,8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ^[i] He cannot devour any who remain in the Word. Turn to 2 Timothy 4:17,

17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.  In Christ Jesus we have deliverance from the mouth of the lion (Satan).

Job 4:8‑11, Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. 9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.  10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. 11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion=s whelps are scattered abroad.

Sums it up best. Praise God the lion young or old is defeated.

You with a broken heart there is healing in the Word, there is healing in the name of Jesus and there is healing in the blood of Jesus just come to Jesus for it.

Isaiah 53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  2 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. 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. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  

He carried our griefs and sorrows. In the Hebrew the word here for griefs is, “choliy”, it means; malady, anxiety, calamity and disease. Sorrow comes from the word, “makob”, it means; afflictions, pain and sorrow. Through the love that Jesus showed to us, we are healed.

Look to the final verses in this study, Acts 10:38, How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Jesus healed ALL who were oppressed by the devil. You are or can be one of the ALL.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17:  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. (KJV)

 

 MARRIAGE VOWS

We need to begin our marriage through the Word of God. The marriage then begins in success.  Speaking doom and gloom over your marriage, you can expect to have exactly that. Isaiah 55:11 says, so shall my word be that goes forth from  my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall  accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the  thing whereto I sent it.  Having the proper words spoken over your marriage is important.

Here is a couple who have chosen a better way.  They have chosen to give unto God marriage vows that are from the Word of God.  What you declare over the beginning of your marriage makes a difference.

Oneness in Christ Jesus creates the ability to go through all that life has.  This couple have oneness in Christ. The woman was not taken from the head of man so he could lord over her.  Nor was she taken from the feet of man so he could trample on her.  She was taken from the side of man as an equal to man. Taken from under his arm to be protected by him. And close to the heart to be loved by him.

                        THE CHARGE TO THE HUSBAND

Pastor speaks:   ” (Husbands Name)I charge you this day before the Lord God with the keeping of His daughter, to watch over her in your oneness. To love her, cherish her and protect her. To complete her just as she is the completion of you”

                 THE CHARGE TO THE BRIDE

Pastor speaks:  ” (To the women).  Man completes you. You are fulfilled in him.  You are to be an encourager, a lover and a friend. Only oneness in Christ will make this possible.  So, I charge you, (name), with the care and keeping of God’s son.  Watch over him well in your oneness.”

                 THE CHARGE TO THE CONGREGATION

Pastor speaks:   “(To the congregation).  You are also responsible.  These are your brother and sister.  It is your charge to see to it that they never fall.  You are to love, accept and forgive them as they have expressed to one another today.  It is your charge to see to it that they never decrease but ever increase in the Word and fellowship of God and brethren”.

                         Profession by the Man To His Wife

“This day I make a solemn profession before Jesus my Lord and Savoir.  I have received Him.  He has received me.  He has loved me to the giving of His very life.  Then rising from the dead, He defeated Satan so I may be free.  Free to live a life in love, always above every circumstance, giving love freely as I have received it.  For this reason I commit my love and my life to you.

My Lord has accepted me as I am, without any reservation. He has accepted all of what is within me.  Causing Himself to come  through in the areas that I know I may have to improve. This means that He caused me to become fully agreeable to Him, so then I become well pleasing to Him.  For this reason I present myself acceptable to you.

In many areas I have failed, yet through those failings, I am still acceptable to Him.  For His forgiveness covers all of my short comings, failures, and sin.  His forgiveness is completely unreserved and unrestrained.  It is the fulfilment of His love.  Therefore, I am strong in Him and for this reason I present myself as security for you.

For as I have received love, acceptance and forgiveness in all areas of my life, I offer myself to you with love, acceptance and forgiveness.  I love you with the same life giving love that has been given to me.  In every situation, within all circumstances you from this day forth will know you are the loved.

I have accepted you and you are one with me.  In your weakness find strength in me.  In your short comings know that in me you will be complete. You are the accepted, just as you are.

Know too that no matter what we may go through, or what you may do, you are the forgiven.  I choose to offer you forgiveness before it may ever be required for then we have unity in our oneness.  You are the forgiven.

From this day forth, you will know in all areas of your life that you are the loved, accepted and the forgiven.

I commit myself to you as Christ committed Himself to me. I give you my life so we may in all things always be one.”

                        Profession the  Wife gives to Her Husband

 

“This day I make a solemn profession before Jesus my Lord and my Saviour.  I have received Him.  He has received me. He has loved me to the very giving of His life, then rising from the dead defeated Satan so I might be free.

As you have received me to be one with you, I too receive you.  You are the loved.

I will show you the respect that one who loves as Christ loves is due.  In all, I will show my partially towards you. Seeing Jesus in you, I will always favour you most, as my Saviour has favoured me.  You are the accepted. As the grace of God has in filled my life and equipped me for our future in oneness.   I will show you that same grace. In all, I will express my gratitude toward God for His provision of a man lead by His Spirit.  Joy will be established throughout our home and within our lives, for Jesus has given us His joy, and because we are His joy.

I will find within you my pleasure. You are suited to me and I to you.  We will be liberal to one another in all areas of love, acceptance and forgiveness.

You are precious unto me for it is within you that I see Jesus.  I commit myself to you as Jesus has committed Himself to me.  From this moment forth, you are one with me. Know that from this day forth you are the loved, accepted and the forgiven.”

                        Communion  

Communion should be taken with the couple and the congregation, bringing Jesus into remembrance of what He had paid for on the cross.  The marriage begins with Jesus as the centre.  Taken as often as need be, communion will keep Jesus at the centre and Satan under your feet.

 

                        The Blessing

Now (Names) if you will have fellowship with God and be faithful unto His management of your life then the Lord God will transform you into a great and mighty people for His name sake.

His blessings shall come unto you, around you and upon you overtaking you in all you perform.

For wherever you may travel you will find God’s blessing and divine favour, you shall be favoured in cites and in the country side.

Your children shall be blessed and great shall be the peace that is upon them.

Your business shall provide ample supply because God has favoured you as a good man who will leave an inheritance to his grandchildren.

You will find that God has favoured your storage places, home cupboards, bank accounts and the greatest storage place of all your heart.

It will occur to you that all your movements and travels will be favoured by the Lord your God whom you love and serve.

When you find yourself favoured when you are faced by those who had only adversary in their plans for you, they will run from you confused and bewildered as to how their plan could have failed.

In your faithfulness and trust of God you will prosper in all that you set your hand to do. This prosperity will fall upon your marriage, home, children and business for the Lord has already authorized and approved it for all who are dependable, reliable and trust worthy with the administering of His Word.

                        Pastor to the Congregation

 

By the authority placed in me by the Province of Alberta and by the authorization granted to me as a minister of the Word of God and a under shepherd of Jesus Christ’s children I present to you Mr. & Mrs. (Last name).

 

                       IN CHRIST REALITIES

Within a few day=s we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus, what is it that we celebrate? That is often a question that goes answered only from the point of the experiences that one has had in the past concerning this time of year. Yet, Christmas is not dependent upon the experiences of life, good or bad. Christmas is dependent upon Christ and relationship with Him. Therefore there are certainly realities we must learn to place within our lives in order that we become the overcomers that He intends us to be.

 Revelation 12:11 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.

Your testimony is restricted to the knowledge that you have of Christ Jesus and whether or not you reside within your rights as a born again AChristian@. You cannot overcome the enemy on his grounds you must overcome him on your ground, that ground being Jesus= blood and Christ as the anointed one residing in you.

If you are born again then you qualify for the life of the overcomer  John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Salvation is a free gift to all would receive it, yet as many have chosen salvation; most walk not in the rights that salvation brings. It is those rights that Jesus as the Christ also died, shed His blood then rose again so that His anointing may never cease in the life of the one who has excepted Him.

Just as receiving salvation comes through the confession of mouth fuelled by the faith of the heart. The anointing of Jesus also comes in your life the same way.  Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

We must first understand what salvation means to us in order that we can believe it and make it a reality within our heart so that we may be able to confess it.

                                SALVATION

Salvation is the Greek word sozo which means: to deliver, to preserve, to be safe, to make whole, to have health, to prosper.  It is freedom from the molestations of the enemy in all areas of life. To exercise this kind of salvation we must continually be speaking forth it=s realities into our lives.

A reality is not something that is manifest in our life but rather it is the truth and it is the final result as seen by God, who see=s it without limitation. Therefore if salvation is the truth according to  what God see=s and say=s we must except it and place that truth into our life. From God=s view point everything He says you are, you are, everything He say=s you have, you have, everything He says you can do, you do. From God=s view point the anointing that Jesus had upon Himself you have, the exact same anointing is upon you. For what purpose? So that you may be free from the molestations of the enemy.  Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. 

Whatever becomes a burden, whatever becomes a yoke is something that molests you, and therefore it=s power is broken because of the anointing of Jesus. That anointing flowing through you from Jesus the anointed one.

Know that all harassment, disturbances, trouble, plague, torment, attack, hector (torture, persecution, or badgering) any amount of harrying (to harass, torture or annoy by constant and repeated attacks, to ravage, any attempt to devastate) are all types of molestation by the enemy in order to induce his burdens and yokes upon your life. The anointing of Jesus operated through you breaks them all.

                                   ABIDING

It for this reason that we must quickly learn that our lives must find a place of abiding in Him. Kenneth Weust gives us the revelation of this in John 15:1-8 from his translation of the New Testament: I, in contradistinction to anyone else, am the vine, the genuine vine, and my Father is the tiller of the soil. Every branch in me not bearing fruit He takes away. And every branch bearing fruit, He cleanses it in order that it may keep bearing more fruit. As for you, already you are cleansed ones because of the word which I have spoken to you. Maintain a living communion with me and I with you. Just as the branch is unable to be bearing fruit from itself as a source unless it remains in a living union with the vine, so neither you, unless you maintain a living union with me.

As for me, I am the vine. As for you, you are the branches. He who maintains a living communion with me and I with Him, this one is bearing much fruit, because apart from me you are not able to be doing anything. If anyone is not maintaining a living communion with me, he is thrown outside as the branch is and was caused to wither. And they gather them and into the fire they throw them, and they are burned. If you maintain a living communion with me and my words are at home in you, I command you to ask at once, something for yourself, whatever your heart desires, and it will become yours. In this my Father is glorified, namely, that you are bearing much fruit.

There more than 100 expressions found in the Testament such as AIn Him@, AThrough Him@, ABy Him@, AIn Christ@ and AThrough whom@ which when studied with due diligence will cause you always to remain in Him having that Living communion.

                                    IN HIM

Romans 3:24, In Him we have redemption.

Romans 8:1, In Him there is no condemnation.

Romans 8:2, In Him is freedom from sin and death.

Romans 8:39,  In Him is perfected love.

Romans 12:5,  In Him is oneness.

1 Corinthians 1:2,  In Him is sanctification.

1 Corinthians 1:30, In Him is wisdom, righteousness and sanctification.

2 Corinthians 2:14, In Him is triumph over the enemy.

2 Corinthians 5;17, In Him old things die away.

Ephesians 1:3, In Him are all spiritual blessings.

Ephesians 2:6, In Him we are seated in heavenly places.

1 Thessalonians 5:18, In Him is God=s will for you.

                                    THROUGH HIM

John 3:17,Through Him we have salvation.

Romans 5:9,Through Him we are spared from wrath.

Romans 8:37,Through Him we are more than conquerors.

Romans 11:36, Through Him all things have their existence.

Ephesians 2:18,Through Him we access to the Father.

1 John 4:9,Through Him we have life.

                                    BY HIM

Luke 5:15, All infirmities are healed by Him.

Luke 13:17 All that is glorious is done by Him.

John 1:3 All things were made by Him.

Acts 3:16 By Him is prefect soundness through faith.

Acts 4:10 By Him is wholeness.

Acts 13:39 By Him all that believe are justified.

1 Corinthians 1:5 Enrichment in everything is by Him.

Colossians 1:16 By Him were all things created.

Colossians 1:17 By Him all things consist. (To be made up of).

                                 IN CHRIST

Romans 3:24 Redemption is in Christ.

Romans 8:1 There is no condemnation in Christ.

Romans 8:2 The law of the Spirit of life is in Christ.

Romans 12:5 We are one body with Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:30 Christ is wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification to all that are in Him.

1 Corinthians All hope is in Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:22 All are made alive in Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:21 The anointing and establishment of the anointing of God is found in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 The ability to become totally new is in Christ.

Galatians 2:4 There is liberty in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 All spiritual blessing are in Christ.

Ephesians 2:13 You are brought near to God because of the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 3:16 You partake in the promises of Christ through His gospel.

Colossians 1:28 Perfection is obtainable in Christ.

 

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Is Sorry Ever Enough

Forgiveness: what lies within it ’s power, when one trangress’ against another is sorry ever enough? What damage has the transgression done to others heart and who then can bring that healing to those damaged hearts?

Everyday there are battles and battles lines drawn, mother against daughter, son fighting father, husbands hurting wives, wives breaking husbands hearts. Some through choice, some through error, others through confusion, some who simply do not care. The result remains the same someone will end up broken hearted. Although we have dealt with healing for the broken hearted it seems as important as ever to remind ourselves that the power that is most important to bring that healing is the choice to forgive.

Forgiveness is not an emotion, in fact our emotions will speak strongly to us not to forgive. Forgiveness first and foremost is a choice. When we make that choice is are first speaking to our heart, saying things like “heart you will be whole for I have chosen to walk a path that is higher than the hurt you are experiencing now.” Forgiveness has the power to bring much more than just that healing though, first it addresses all the hurts deep within and sees to it that they are eradicated from our heart, there maybe never be forgetting but the mind is so much weaker than the heart and once it has been healed the memory of the injury becomes less painful each time it is renewed or rebooted in the computer of the mind.

Our example of course is Christ and the Father Psalms 86:5   For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

It becomes easy for the “churchy” person to quote scriptures as the above and expect to receive the forgiveness of their trespass allowing them to continue to operate in their wicked ways. No the truly repentive person does not seek forgiveness they seek how they may bring healing back into the relationship they have just injured. The forgiveness is for the gift the injured person offers for his or her own benefit, the one who has caused such injury simply becomes the benefactor of such.

Our relationship with God is in crisis when we retain the injury and chose not to to forgive.   Matthew 6:12   And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Every injury has a price therefore every injury becomes a debt and our freedom from the bondage of “debtor” is the path of forgiveness. Notice however that it subject to one tiny two letter word, “AS” another way of reading this scripture would be. Forgive us our debts in the same manner and after the likeness that we forgive those with whom we have a debt.Notice that God is willing to forgive us but the qualification is that we set the terms and the conditions as to how we will be forgiven, as. we forgive. What we retain is retained unto us what we release is likewise released from us.  The greater is to be free and willing to release the injury no matter how severe and move forward.   Matthew 6:14   For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  15   But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

It of course is never the action we want to offer in the middle of our injury, we want to lash out and magnify the hurt cause the trespasser to experience as much pain as we just have. We ask such questions as” how could he do that to me, does she not realize that our friendship is now over, but I never did anything to deserve this kind of treatment? Our questioning just leads us deeper into the the injury and thus deeper into a pit of that has many more traps lying in wait for us.

Our minds so want to be a judge and when the injury is against our person then we want to be judge, jury and the one who administers the punishment. But that really is contrary to healing and will drive us deeper into the injury and whatever consequences that may lie therein. Luke 6:37   Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

So then our hearts are subject to our actions and even when we are wronged and believe we are right in retaining our injury we must offer and operate the spirit of forgiveness.   Ephesians 4:32   And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Notice the word kind, many associate with a feeling of sympathy yet it’s meaning really is to be “useful” to one another. In other words together you find a way through the maze that injury has caused. For if the the two parties will be “kind” to one another then when the end comes (as it must) it will be one of joy and victory for both.

The one who causes the injury has the responsibility to confess not just to God but to the injured soul, for together healing has more power. 2 Corinthians 2:2  For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? So then sorry truly can be enough and so very much more.

Here is the catch so to speak, can you believe?????????????? Once you have sought and received forgiveness from both God and the soul which you have injured can you really live with yourself? Many people have the gift of forgiveness granted to them on;y to reject it and live a  life in torment and turmoil because they have not moved forward with their own lives.

At this point one must ask themselves are they close to the “unpardonable sin” what is the this any how. “Matthew 12 :31: Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”  Wow, what could this mean, it is really simply, once you know what God can do for you, Do you deny His ability to perform it? If He say “I forgive you” do you receive His forgiveness, or just fall into the trap that your not worthy of the forgiveness.

When Christ gave His life to make you worthy of all that God has to offer THEN YOU ARE WORTHYstop using your error as your weakness, begin to believe all the LOVE that has been granted to you. Sure your sin may be great and terrible in your sight but is it greater than God the creator of heaven and earth, or greater than His Son who gave His very life so you may live in the that LOVE that you never knew before. Stop denying God and begin to enjoy all that is yours.

You must at all times keep the price that Christ paid foremost in your mind and heart, as we go into the Resurrection week we keep in our heart the Cross and the freedom that Jesus’ offering brought into our lives. His forgiveness to us cost Him and His Father the highest of prices then whatever price we pay to grant forgiveness pales in comparison to theirs.

Many have an issue of what Jesus suffered on the Cross so I need not go into those details except to say, it was more than enough. Many are our errors, and those hurt by them, sometimes it is crushing to both ourselves and those injured, alone, WE CANNOT CORRECT WHAT WE HAVE DONE, we cannot erase that which has already been commited, so it is imperative that we forgive like Christ and quickly. Forgiveness is for our own freedom as much as it is for the injured one. Forgiveness allows both to walk free.

Great Recipe to Live Everyday

A GREAT  RECIPE  to live by, came to me by my good friend Gary West.                            

1.   Take a 10-30 minute walk every day.  
      And while you walk, smile.  
      It is the ultimate anti-depressant.  

2.   Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.  
      Talk to God (whoever or whatever that may mean to you) about what is going on in your life.  
      Buy a lock if you have to.

3.    When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement,
      ‘My purpose is to __________ today.  I am thankful for______________’

4.   Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is
      manufactured in plants.

5.   Drink green tea and plenty of water.   
      Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6.   Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7.   Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, 
      issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.   
      Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8.   Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid
     with a maxed out charge card.

9.   Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

10.  Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11.  Don’t take yourself so seriously.     No one else does.

12.  You are not so important that you have to win every argument.   
       Agree to disagree.

13.   Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

14.   Don’t compare your life to others. 
       You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15.  No one is in charge of your happiness …… except you.

16.  Frame every so-called disaster with these words:   
      ‘In five years, will this matter?’

17.  Forgive everyone for everything.

18.  What other people think of you is none of your business.

19.  GOD heals everything  - but you have to ask Him.

20.  However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21.  Your job won’t take care of you when you are in need.   
       Your friends will. 
       Stay in touch!!!

22.  Envy is a waste of time.    You already have all you need.

23.  Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: 
       I am thankful for __________.   Today I accomplished   _________.

24.  Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.  

25.  When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.   
       You’ll be smiling before you know it.

26.  Send this to everyone you care about.

–
A smile is the same in every language……

God is A Good God

GOD IS A GOOD GODEvery – one enjoys the goodness of God, yet not every- one believes that God is a good God, yet His Word declares Him to exactly that, good. In fact he even got real excited with Moses over the fact that He is a good God.

Look at:

Exodus 34:5-7 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generationOne must consider that God is full of goodness, you might liken the goodness of as if you to bake a Carrot Cake to do so you require:

CARROT CAKE

4  eggs

1 cup  sugar

1 cup  vegetable oil

2 cups  all purpose flour

1-½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp  salt

2 tsp  cinnamon

2 cups  carrots – grated

1 1\2 cups  apples – pared, cored, grated

1 cup  raisins

1 cup  slivered almonds

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until very light and frothy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until very light. Gradually whip in the oil.

Sift together the flour with baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Slowly add to the egg mixture. Stir in the carrots, apples, raisins and nuts.

Pour into a greased 9″ spring form pan and bake in a preheated 350NF (180NC) oven for 1-½ to 2 hours or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in the pan 10-15 minutes before removing, turn cake out and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

 Now that you mix the entire cake take go back and try to remove the egg yolks. You simply could not, that is the same with trying to remove something from the goodness of God, God personality is goodness so for someone to believe that God causes something opposite to His personality to happen within their life is to try and remove that from Him, to try to remove the egg yolks. 

So what does God’s goodness consist of, well we find that the word for good means:

Pleasant and agreeable to the senses. Malachi 3:3-4

Pleasant to the higher senses. Malachi 3:3-4

Excellent of it’s kind. Hebrews 1:1-6

Rich, valuable in estimation. 1 Peter 2:9

Appropriate and becoming. Philippians 1:26-27

Comparatively better. Philippians 1:23

Happy, prosperous to mans nature. Psalm 1

To have understanding. Proverbs 4:5-7

To be kind, benign, right and ethical. Isaiah 26:3-4

 Psalm 106:1-4Notice that when they talk about God being good the writer declares that God’s mercy endures forever.

 Mercy is God’s expression of His personality infused within the heart of man. Mercy means goodness, kindness and faithfulness.

Psalm 136:1-26

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. 3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. 4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever. 10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: 11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: 12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. 13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: 15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. 16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever. 17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: 20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: 21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: 22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever. 23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever: 24 And hah redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. 25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Look at Psalm 107:8,15,21,31 (the only places in scripture that this expression is found).

Psalm 107:1-43 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever As we worship God His presence is ushered into the place where we are at and He beginning to express Himself. In order to do that He must express Himself through His personality. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14

17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. 20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. 23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. 36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; 37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. 38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. 41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hah redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he hah broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

 

So as you walk in the goodness of God keep in mind that as you spend time in worship and praise His goodness and mercy remains in you for as

Psalm 118:6, The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? One of the most powerful ways that God uses to express His favor on man is to watch over him through providing for him.

.Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. 19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

God’s provision is never limited to what we think, it is limited only to the goodness of God. What His nature is, His nature is always that of giving. From the moment that God gave His Son for our redemption to the giving us everlasting and eternal life.

Now Jesus says in John 10:10b, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.Now notice that His desire is that we experince an abundant (bounteous, generous, lavish, ample, plentiful, substanial, and sufficent) life. The greek for abundant is perissos, which means: something beyond measure, superflous, very highly, superior, extraodrinary, surpassing and uncommon, more excellent, more remarkable.

This then is the life that Jesus would have us live, yet many of do not, why? Well He answers that question as well in the first part of the verse, he says: The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: so that answers the very question as to why. Yet it brings us to yet another question and that is “who is the thief”. For many years preachers have always taught that the theif is none other than Satan himself, and of course that holds true, Satan is a thief, but that is not the context of this passage of scripture. Therefore the thief must be someone or something else, if not Satan then who. Look at verse 1 John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, The same is a thief and a robber. The pharse a “thief and a robber” refers to someone who gains something unlawfully through violence. Here Jesus is saying that any teacher who teaches us that His life of abundance is contrary to His desires is one who steals from us in a violent manner.

We must be sure that what we are hearing is the Word of God and then allow nothing, not what famous writers, preachers or teachers have to say about to steal from us what Jesus has already said. If Jesus says you should have an abundant life life, why allow someone less than Jesus to teach us otherwise.

Remember too that the abundant life begins the moment we choose Jesus, at that very second His abundance is poured out upon us. Not just when we get to heaven. Heaven is going to be a place that is fantastic, but God’s goodness is for us in the here and now as well as when we get to heaven.

So then what is this abundance for, let’s look at

Deuteronomy 8:18

18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

 Here we find several keys to living the abundant life in God. The first is for us to recognize that we play a large part in it, the command is that we are to remember the Lord our God. Sometimes we tend to forget that the responsibility is on us too continue in fellowship with the Lord. We want everything that God has to offer but not spend any time with Him. God’s blessings do not come upon those who do not know God, and the greatest blessings come upon those who spend the greatest amount of time in His presence.

Scripture actually shows us that we live under the curse of the law when we do not serve God for the abundance that he has provided us with.

Deuteronomy 28:47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;The provision of God is not something one should lightly upon, for God foresaw all you would require then send Jesus to pay the highest price in order that your lif eof abundance could be maintained.

One of the Greek and Hebrew meaning for the word provide is: to foresee, to perceive, to think of beforehand, and you should know that is exactly what God was doing when he send His Son to the cross to die on your behalf. He foresaw all you would need, all you would require he had the ability to look alkong the time line and see that as of today you would require an anwser to your need, then in foreseeing it, He send His Son to meet it.

When we understand that we will understand why our salvation is so important to Jesus. Our words saved, salvation basically are dervied from two Greek words sozo and soteria which carry the meaning of deliverance, preservation, safety, health and healing, to be whole or to prosper, to rescue from danger or destruction and to be free from the molestation of an emeny.Jesus then would be the soter (so-tare) the one who enforces the rights and privledges of salvation, the one who confers upon his subjects the benifits of salvation.

Your abundance is wrapped within the salvation of Christ the Anointed one of God, all you need to is to move from your present dwelling place to dwelling with Him.

 

Prosperity Factor 1

The Prosperity Factor I

What is prosperity.

Foundational scripture 2 Peter 1:1-10.

“Simon Peter, a servant

Our goal in this series of studies is obtain LIKE PRECIOUS FAITH. The same faith that the apostle had, we can have too. If it wasn’t obtainable then Peter wouldn’t have said the word “obtain” to those to whom he was writing. So, if others can obtain it, we can to! The obtain means to have a strong determination. So Peter is writing to those who have a strong determination in acquiring faith. That then is our goal, having the unwavering determination to move in the things of God. One of which is prosperity.

and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us, through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”. 1:1

GOAL: GO ACHIEVE LIFE

HAVE OBTAINED LIKE PRECIOUS FAITH WITH US

It is important to note that we are not alone in this. What others have received Peter gives us a hope that we too may receive. THROUGH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD AND OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. This like precious faith comes to us through the righteousness of God. we are not made righteous by our own works or by our efforts and planning that we put forth. We were made righteous by the works of Jesus Christ on the cross, and only through that do we stand righteous. However, we must obtain or have a strong determination to believe and receive it as ours. Looking to God who is our righteousness, to complete the work of righteousness in us.

KNOWLEDGE

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ.

1:2

GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED TO YOU

…Peter is now telling us several things in a few short words, so then we need to understand those words and see what it is that he is referring to.

 

First “GRACE” what is it. The word is from the Greek word charis which means; to be acceptable, to have benefits, to come into favour, to receive or be a gift, to have joy, to exercise liberality (board minded in generosity), to take pleasure and to have thanks worthiness (be thankful).

So Peter is saying that we become acceptable, favoured and gifted through the knowledge of God. This favour will show forth in our liberality. Giving ourselves and others pleasure and causing us the thanks worthy unto God because of the knowledge that we have of Jesus Christ. Surely this must sound like prosperity, yet examine the next word.

“PEACE”, here too is an interesting Greek word, it is the word eirene, which means; prosperity, quietness and rest.

So as we are the acceptable in Christ and are enjoying all His benefits we are to receive prosperity as well. Causing us to live a quiet and restful life. Free from problems, no, but having the where withal to overcome them. All this is found in the knowledge of God. Or in others words through the Word of God.All this is great and the life that it provides is magnificent, yet Peter doesn’t end it there. He goes on and says that it should be “MULTIPLIED“. To just have this kind of life for some would be good enough, but not when it comes to God moving toward you. He wants you to be multiplied in it. Do you know what it means to multiplied, it means to be ever increasing. Four plus four is eight, but four times four is sixteen. Multiplication is better. Peter is saying the multiplying of grace and peace is better for your life. Come and live in the prosperity found in the God who is known to multiply His favour toward us.

The Greek translation of the word “KNOWLEDGE” means: to become fully acquainted with; to acknowledge; to perceive; and to have full discernment. If you have the full knowledge, if you’ve become fully acquainted with, if you acknowledge God’s grace and peace in your life, you must be ready to move into the abundance of God. The abundance called PROSPERITY.

 EVE

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue”. 1:3

RYTHING

We have been given “EVERYTHING” It is already our’s. Simon Peter states here that ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER HATH GIVEN US ALL THINGS… through His power, not by anything we do on our own, except…accepting. You have to accept what God has done for you. You must receive what God has done for you. You have to receive it and then believe it. He say’s that He has given to us all things that pertain to life. That means now…in this time… this present age! Not some day when we get into heaven or in some sweet by and by. It is for the here and NOW.

BREAKTHROUGHPsalms 91

In everyone’s life there comes a time when a breakthrough is just on the edge of coming. However there also comes in everyone life the enemy to steal or destroy the break through and thus we loss out.

That breakthrough may be in any area of life, spiritually, financially, physically, or mentally. However when the enemy comes we need to put forth a fight and be sure that the break through remains with us. What most are doing are taking the word break and leaving off their life there.

No, it’s Satan that wants to break you and steal the breakthrough. So what does breakthrough mean: an attack that penetrates through the enemies defences in the rear area, any sudden important success. You need to turn around and give chase to the enemy and breakthrough and gain back what he has stolen from you. Come down suddenly and hard upon him and you gain that important success that he’s being trying to withhold.

Remember you are strong in the Lord and the power of His might. It is your strength or power that is necessary to stand and defeat Satan with. It is God’s.

Turn to Matthew 12:25-30 you are the strong man, you hold the key to your breakthrough, yet if you do not do the thing that are spoken of in you will become the weak man and Satan will breakthrough and steal from you. c/f Luke 11:20-23Just quickly the strong man will continue in the following strength building exercises. He will; pray, seek God continually, praise God, take up his cross (become a giver), live in holiness, continue in one accord with the brethren, read the word, study the word, speak the word and exhort others. Through these he develops strength and can with stand the wiles of the enemy.

You need also come to a place where you are completely convinced that Satan has been destroyed in your world and therefore is just a thief doing what he can to steal. The word devil appears only in the New Testament.

It is our assignment in life to overcome the enemy. We are to just as Jesus was defeating the enemy in all that we do. John 16:33, Jesus overcame the enemy.

To overcome is to; subdue, conquer, to prevail, get complete victory. To render helpless as by emotions, sickness or poverty.

Romans 12:21

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”. We must learn to stay out of the things of the past so that we can operate as an over comer. 2 Peter 2:19-20.

1 John 5:4-5,

The over comer will posses certain traits that allows Him to be victorious in all that He sets out to perform.He has given us all things that pertain to life. But what kind of life, just getting by. No, this word form life is the Greek word ZOE, which means “THE GOD KIND OF LIFE”. God has already given us all things that pertain to living His kind of Life. Can you actually picture God living in some kind of little shack when you get to heaven. Of course not, neither can God picture His children living far below the standards He has set for us to live in. Just examine what kind of life God lives then decide that according to this scripture you too will live in that ZOE life of GOD.

He has given us godliness. Godliness is the living of the gospel scheme or living God’s plan, getting with the program God has designed for us. We get on with eternal life, eternity we spend with Him but life we live NOW! The verse say’s that He has given us, not will give us so we already have. Get excited these great promises are your’s now.

PRECIOUS 

PROMISES

 

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside this, giving all diligence (earnest seeking), add to your faith virtue (morality and excellence), and to virtue knowledge;

And to knowledge temperance (self restraint in action); to temperance patience (composure and forbearance); and to patience godliness;

And to godliness brotherly kindness (usefulness); and to brotherly kindness charity (love).

For if these things be in you, (and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ).

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall”. 1:4-10.

Peter now explains that we can have the promises that he show’s us in verses 2 and 3. He tells us that we are to share in that very nature of God. Participating in God’s life (His divine nature or Zoe) setting us into a position of being free from the depravity of this world.

Then Peter lists a gradual growth process, adding to faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, kindness and then love. As we develop each of these we become ready to grow into the next attribute. This growth process causes you to enter into prosperity. The verse says “if these things be in you and abound, they make you neither barren nor unfruitful in knowledge of our lord jesus christ”‘ To abound is prosperity, to be barren is poverty, to be fruitful is prosperity. We can enter into a life of prosperity in Jesus. This study is to reveal what prosperity is, settle now however that prosperity is of God and it is for you.

Peter shows us that all prosperity is obtained through knowledge of Jesus Christ, He is complete prosperity. Set yourselves to acquiring knowledge of the Word of God, of the Father and of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:33

“But seek ye first the kingdom God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.  

If we were to translate this verse into modern english it could read like this ” Hunt eagerly, give everything that you have in pursing Jesus’ Kingdom Th e kingdom that has been handed to Him by God. When you enter in you will do what is right. You will live in His protection. When you’ve found these then you can expect every need and desire to be granted unto you”.Many believe that if only they could live a prosperous life then they would seek after God and the righteousness of God. This is backwards, Jesus tells us to make a diligent search for God and the things of God. Make Him your first priority in all that you do. That’s ALL you do. Never allow anything to put God in second place, not family, recreation, work, sports or even ministry, all must come after God. Why, because when He is placed first, then all else will be more abundant, richer and satisfying.

When we speak of “SEEKING AFTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD” we must receive the knowledge that we can live in God’s kingdom now. That means everything that the kingdom of God has, we can live in, at this present time.

 

1 John 4:17b 

“because as He is, so are we in this world”.

You need but examine how Jesus is, is he sick, broke, blind, lame or poverish. Of course not, nor should we be. This verse says that we are to be exactly like Him. If living as He does isn’t enough look at  Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore prefect, even as your Father which is in heaven is prefect”.

The Greek word for prefect is teleios which means complete in conformity. Conforming our lives to His makes us complete in Him. In Him there is no lack only prosperity. What we must do is be more like Nehemiah and pray an honest prayer.

 

 Nehemiah 1:11 “O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man”. “AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS“. It is a good thing Jesus said to seek after God’s righteousness and not our own. Had He said that we would make it based on our own right works, none of us would make it. Yet He says that we are to seek after the right works of God. It is through God doing right unto us that we are able to live in that Zoe life of God. Righteousness is the medium through which grace governs.

When we walk by faith we leave our sinful, carnal, fleshly nature and acts behind, realizing that we are the forgiven. Our changing from carnal actions to chaste and pure actions, or to spiritual actions moves us from unrighteousness to righteousness. Yet it is not our endeavour’s of right doings that make us righteous. It was through the shedding of the blood of Christ Jesus on our behalf that bought us righteousness. So then our endeavour’s should be those which will bring Him glory. Those endeavour’s are to live by faith, operate in His love, move in grace, show mercy and to be quick to live in forgiveness. Your life can be controlled through three callings, love, acceptance and forgiveness. To do these would constitute seeking after His righteousness.

By studying the entire chapter of Matthew 6 you will see that it discusses the requirements to live on earth. This verse gives us a great assurance that by placing the seeking of God’s kingdom and His righteousness first we live in the answers to our every day needs. Is this not prosperity in itself, of course. As we delve deeper into this study you will be completely convinced that “GOD”S WILL IS PROSPERITY” in your life, too.

Just Enough To Get BY, Lord

 

You need to make the decision “I want to live in those things that give me life”. But what kind of life, we’ll we’ve already stated that it is the God kind of life, ZOE. Yet some people have the idea of “Lord give me just enough to get by, just me and family, Lord, just enough to survive”. They actually pray such prayers, and God cannot answer it. Why? Because it is very greedy.

You see what they are doing is only focusing in our their own needs, on self. The kingdom of God is established through our giving of self to others. If we are self focused then we will not have enough to meet the needs of others. That was exactly what Jesus came to do, meet the needs of the lost, hurting, poor and needy. He can still only to accomplish this you and I believe Him for the answers, not only for our situations, but for the answers to the circumstances others are in as well. We need to relieve all sorrow, grief, poverty, sickness, disease, lack and every other form of Satan’s grip in the lives of the hurting of the world. This can only be done through prayer, the power in the name of Jesus, through His blood and through His prosperity.

You may pray very effectual prayers, yet you need prosperity to help meet the need of the person you are believing for. Jesus didn’t say that when you saw the hungry your prayers for them was what brought you favour with Him. No, He said

 

“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me…. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:34-40  You see the prayer’s are good but it is actions behind the prayers that obtain the results, in today economy that takes prosperity. He said doing it to one of the brethren made a difference, yet if you have not the where withal to do it to one, you are cheated out of the blessing. If you have the ability to do to one then you’ll desire to do it to many more, and that will take prosperity for more than just yourself.

More Than Just Riches

Prosperity is far more than just having riches and material wealth. It is having a successful life in God in every area of your life. There many people today who are dying, yet very rich. They would freely give all their wealth for just one more day of life. Their money cannot buy them their peace of mind, health or eternal life. Should they die with out knowing the Giver of true wealth they die in abject poverty.

One such person was Howard Hughes, one of the riches men ever to live. Yet he died as a fearful, broken, isolated, lonely old man. He lived to be an old man but couldn’t enjoy his life for he was ruled by a fear of the very air he breathed. His money could do nothing to bring him freedom, he was in poverty in this area. One the world’s richest men financially, one of the poorest men spiritually. Had he known the prosperity of God he could have gone to God and received deliverance from his fears and lived a full life.

Here’s a tip for you: Fear stands for: False Evidence Appearing Real.

Mr. Hughes believed a lie, he believed that everyone and everything was out to destroy him, right down to the air he breathed. When you believe the false evidence that Satan puts before you, he’ll see to it that it appears real to you, then control you by it.

God however desires to destroy all your fears and lead you into what really is a prosperous life. He wants to see your whole person prosperous. This means your spirit, soul and body.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace (eirene, prosperity, quietness, and rest) sanctify (sperate you from the evil ways) wholly (completely), and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it”.

God’s desire is to see to it that your entire being is brought into prosperity, rest and quietness as He delivers you from all of Satan’s ways.Prosperity Defined

Let us now examine the definitions concerning prosperity.

The dictionary defines prosperity as:

- to thrive

- to flourish

- to cause to succeed

These are good but there must be something greater to it than just these alone, there is and we need to examine scripture for that answer.

The Word of says:

“And whatsoever he does shall prosper” Psalm 1:3b

Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant” Psalm 35:27

In scripture the english word for prosperity is translated from four Hebrew words and one Greek. They are: - towb, appears 590 times, Job 36:11 translates as prosperity

- shalom, appears 236 times, Psalms 35:27 translates as prosperity

- shelevah, appears 8 times, Psalms 30:6 translates as prosperity

- tsaleach, appears 67 times, Psalms 118:25 translates as prosperity

- euodoo, Greek word appears 5 times, 3 John 2 translates as prosperity

The study of these words will reveal to you their deep meanings, one of which is prosperity, these words corporately carry the following meanings:

- to push forward – to break out – to go over

- to do good – to experience or undergo – to be profitable

- to be intelligent – to consider – to become an expert

- to instruct – to deal wisely – to be prudent

- to be tranquil – to be secure – to be safe

- to be happy – to be straight – to be right

- to be acceptable – to be well – to progress

- to be skilful – to be successful – to be teachable

- to guide wittingly – to be pleased – to succeed in business

- to be circumspect (attentive and watchful in all directions)

- to have understanding and wisdom (to get the broad picture)

All of these speak of living successfully, which is prosperity. If God has this in store for us, shouldn’t we delve into the word to find out how we can live in God’s prosperity for us. What these are showing us is the prosperity of God or the Zoe life of God, which He desires for us. We should be spending more time studying God’s prosperity rather attacking or rejecting it (as some books do).

From our definitions we can readily see that our entire being can become prosperous. Spirit, soul and body, prosperity is for the entire man. whether it be our spiritual, sourish, physical or financial man, all should be prosperous.

Prosperity is for the spirit of man first, then all other areas will follow. however if you leave off your spirit being all other’s will fail. No-one today envy’s Howard Hughes, he’s dead and is great wealth is still tied up in the court systems. What good is it, no good. If he’d been spiritually prosperous perhaps the world would be different, for he could have made a difference in many lives with that money. Look out for your spirit by feeding on the Word of God and all else shall follow.

 

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, all these things shall be added to you”.

Prosperity Factor 

To understand prosperity we need to examine it from God’s point of view. However we can’t even do that without knowing who God is. Is He Jehovah, or Jesus? Is he the Holy Spirit? These are important questions and require serious study to gain revelation knowledge of God and the Saviour whom we serve.

Would you say God is prosperous? Of course He is, He is the most prosperous being in existence, who ever has been or ever will be. What’s more, He desires His children to share in prosperity. We should be living the Zoe life of God. As we will see He has already promised it to us, therefore we should possess it as ours. To gain such prosperity we must first know Jehovah, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Who they are, what they do, what they say, and how they do it.

Jesus said

“He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father”. John 14:9

Therefore the Father and Jesus are one, when we examine each we see each accordingly.

Jehovah, The God of Prosperity

Our Father

 

 You may have a relationship with the Father, but to really get to know Him you must have fellowship with Him. Through the course of this chapter you will develop a understanding as to who the Father is so that you may have great fellowship with Him.

Paul said

He said boldly, not cowardly. He did not ask you to look through the door and expect to be struck with a lighting bolt when you wished to speak to the Father. If God were to do that He would be a tyrant not a Father. A Father is one who cares and is concerned with the well being of His children. He loves and nourishes them. God is no different. He desires that you succeed and do well, he’ll give you all the tools to do so. He will set the example for you to live, saying “this is my life, see how good it has been, you then emulate what I do and you will also have a good life”. This is of course what Peter was saying in 2 Peter 1:1-10, which we examined in our previous chapter.God in the bible means, deity, the Supreme Being, the Divine One. everybody will except that, however very few people will understand Him because they leave off getting to know Him as the Father, Jehovah. Why even the people who call themselves witnesses of Him don’t know who He is (for the most part). Which is surprising, after all you’d think that those who are going to follow after someone’s name would at least understand who that one is. However this syndrome is not just found in that group, but many who claim to be followers of Jesus they too have not learned who He is. Many Christians have not taken the time to know the Father as well. In fact in most circles of faith just mention His name and you will receive responses from, “who”, to “that’s God”, to “that’s the name of a religious group”.

Most people look at the name of Jehovah and assume that it’s the name of a religious group, when it in fact spells “relationship” and cries “fellowship”. That was the reason He sent Christ Jesus to man to have that relationship with fellowship, in fact that is what the name Christ Jesus and Jesus Christ means.  Christ Jesus is “The anointed of God to man” while Jesus Christ is “man to God’s anointed one“, Jesus being the centre of the fellowship for both. We worship Jesus and have fellowship with Him, He then takes that worship and places it the feet of the Father as our gift to the Father. In return the Father gave us Jesus and His Holy Spirit to strengthen and encourage us. Christ Jesus and Jesus Christ the prefect bond of unity for man and his God.In

 

 

Isaiah 19:20 we read “And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He shall sent them a saviour and a great one, and He shall deliver them”.

Of course the Saviour and deliverer is Jesus Christ. He is our Sign, Witness, Saviour, Lord, and Deliverer. What further need do we have living in the land of oppression, the land where Satan brings upon us his hard bondage? Of course the answer is, none. His redeeming work is to be a witness to the Lord. How Jesus saves man is a confirmation of the Lord Jehovah’s plan for man. Simply accepting Him (Jesus) into our hearts as Lord and Saviour, then living for Him, will bring you into all His redemptive works.

His Name

 

 Jesus is not the only witness of Jehovah, we are also to be witnesses of Him:

 Psalms 83:18   Isaiah 12:2If your a witness, you are either a true witness or a false witness. in a court of law some will witness of what is true and factual, others will lie. The true witness will have a relationship (a full understanding) of what they are discussing, the false witness will be found as a liar. We, as true witnesses of Jehovah must understand who He is to develop our relationship into fellowship. This fellowship is performed through Jesus Christ in worship, study of the Word and in prayer.

The Title

Many people make the mistake that “God” is the name of God, of course this is not so. God is a title, just like any other title describing a position. I am a Chef by trade, once you hear chef, you think of someone well experienced in the preparation of fine cuisine. So the thing that must be understood is “God” is also a title. A title held not only by the Father, but by His Son Jesus and by their Spirit, the Holy Spirit as well. Three beings hold the title God only. No others hold that title, many today believe that they are god’s, no only Jehovah- The Father hold’s the title God, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Satan is known as the god of this world, yes, however he must bow to the Name of Jesus, so his title as a god has no value. God is a position of deity, a Supreme Being, Satan can never be a deity, for he is not divine nor supreme to anyone, even you when you are in Christ Jesus have rule over Satan. How then can he be a god?

How is it then that this three all can be God? Well remember that God is a title, restricted to only these three, yet they all may hold that title. How is that you are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body? Because that is the way God created you, and you were created in His image. The image or likeness of God is a triune being, you. So if you are a triune being why can God not be one? The only answer is that you just can’t comprehend it in you limited mind. Don’t bother trying, except that God is, and you’ll begin to understand God Himself.

Don’t accept what I have to say about it however look at scripture and allow it to be your final authority. 1 Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy (no argument) great is the mystery of godliness: God (Jesus) was manifest in the flesh, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up to glory”. Here it is Jesus receiving the title God, not saying “Oh no don’t call me God” because He has earned and been given the right to be called God.

In this scripture we find seven truths.

A) The word “great”, shows us the magnitude of the statements that will follow.

B) “God was manifest in the flesh” this shows us the incarnation of Jesus, or that He personified God, God indwelling within His person, His personality was that of God.

C) “Justified in the Spirit” to be justified is to be confirmed, vindicated and to become a champion. Through the Spirit of God Jesus was vindicated and became our champion defeating Satan, confirming His entitlement to the position of God.

D) “Seen of angels” Here Jesus in His authority of God ascends to His throne on high, taking His position on the right hand of the Father.

E) “Preached unto Gentiles” Salvation of God came to all men through God in the sacrifice of Jesus, God.

F) “Believed on in the world” reproduction of Jesus’ Spirit is now granted unto all men through faith.

G) “Received up into glory” finishing the work forever, man now ever able to come unto God because God had come unto man. 

Next look at:

Hebrews 1:1-10 “God (the Father) who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom He also made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and express image (Greek word charakter, meaning exact likeness) of His person (what made the Father or His essential substance), and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son. And again, when He bringeth in the first begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne O God,(the Father calling Jesus God) is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God (Jesus), even thy God (Jehovah) hath anointed (Christ means this) thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord (The Father calling the Son Lord) in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands”.  

Never has there been any stronger scripture to reveal to us the deity of Christ and how that they (Jehovah and Jesus via their Spirit) work together in their positions as God. You’ll never understand this with a religious attitude, religion will kill you. This comes through relationship with God, developed through fellowship in Christ Jesus. There is a fine line between religion and relationship and that line is called fellowship. If man is ever to enter into the prosperity of God man will have to come into fellowship with God, all of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Fellowship with Him will have you living breathing and walking in God at all times, which is prosperity.

In addition we must look at 

These three operate as one, all have the title God, for all are God. What a tremendous gift we have when we see God as each of these, knowing that in all three, there is peace. We run to the Father God when we face difficulty, then Jesus our Lord takes us into a position of victory over the situation, and the Holy Spirit brings us peace, comfort and gives us wisdom to see it through. Only God could do this, only God has done this, is not that prosperity?

The Prosperous God

 T

 

he title God is translated from the following seven names. The first six are Hebrew and the last one Greek. This is the beginning of our understanding of the prosperous God.

A) ELOHIM – is translated God or Lord 2,701 times. It means the Supreme God, the Creator.

B) YEHOVAH – Jehovah is translated God or Lord 6,437 times. It means the Self Existence One, The Creator who keeps Covenant and fulfils His promises.

C) EL – is translated God 200 times, it means strength, there is nothing stronger than God, this where He acquires the Name The Almighty.

D) ELOAH – is translated God 56 times, it means deity, the Divine One.

E) ELAH – is translated God 76 times, it means God.

F) TSUR – is translated God 1 time, Isaiah 44:8, it means the rock or refuge.

E) THEOS – is translated God 1,284 times, it means Deity, Supreme One, Supreme God.

You can see that it is certainly necessary for one to examine scripture closely to gain a full understanding of exactly which reference to God you are studying at any given time. When examining scripture you must ask yourself, how does this reference relate to me? Is this a reference that will assist me in understanding the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit closer? Will I grow into deeper fellowship through the knowledge that this text gives me?

THE GREAT I AM

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto to them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they shall say to me, what is His name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you”. Exodus 3:13-14

The enslaved people of Israel had an understanding of God, so when Moses shows up on the scene and says “Hey, you all, God sent me” they’re going to ask “which God”. You see they were enslaved in a country that had thousands of Gods. They knew Moses was raised in the Pharaohs courts, and were concerned that maybe he didn’t understand who God might be. What’s going on in Moses mind is; “oh Lord, they’re going to doubt me. They’re going to ask me, what god? What is his name, what am I going to say. They will think that maybe the god that sent me is the god of the Nile river, or maybe the god that was in the frogs, or maybe the god of the flies, what do I say”.

God knew the heart condition of the children of Abraham and He knew just how to reach them. That was why He sent Moses saying “I AM”, the Israelites knew the “I AM” as everything that they could ever require, anything that they would ever need. To them that is what I AM meant. Moses coming under that name got their attention at once.

Do you want to know a secret God is still the I AM today. God hasn’t changed He is still everything you could want, everything you desire. The I AM is the answer to your every situation and circumstance. The Father said in,  

Malachi 3:6a “For I Am the Lord I change not” then in Hebrews 13:8 we read, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever”. No worries, when the same Great I AM is still meeting all our needs today. We need be more like King David when he said, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”. Psalms 23:1Why not, because the I Am was on the scene with everything to answer any want. What are you wanting today, maybe you need to look to the “I AM” for your answer. That is prosperity.Any time you have any situation in your life, if you don’t take it to the I AM, as the I AM, then you do yourself an injustice. If you take it back, through worry, without allowing Him to solve it, you do yourself an injustice. He did not declare Himself as the I AM to the Israelites and then change later on, no He is still the same, if He met their needs (and He did) then He’ll meet yours as well. As heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus the strength of the “I AM” is still our’s today. Jesus even showed Himself to the “I AM” as we can read in 

 John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM”. We must not forget then that as we continue to examine the God of prosperity we are talking about Jesus as well.

Anthropomorphism

 

c/f Psalms 83:18 Having fellowship with God takes on a whole new light when we see God as an individual that we can see, walk with and talk with. Anthropomorphism is simply the seeing God as we see ourselves, with human like parts, thoughts, emotions, and passions. A study of the Word reveals all these to us.

God has a: Spirit body Dan. 7:9-14.

Shape, Jn.5:37 Form, Phil.2:5-7

Back, Ex.33:23 Heart, Gen.6:6

Hands, Ps.102:25-26 Fingers, Ps.8:3

Mouth, Num.12:8 Lips, Isa.11:4

Tongue, Isa.30:27 Feet, Ex.24:10

Eyes, Ps.11:4 Ears, Ps.18:6

Head, Dan.7:9 Hair, Dan.7:9

Arms, Ps.44:3 Voice, Ps.29

Countenance, Ps.11:7 Soul, Mt.12:18

God has soul passions, as grief (Gen.6:6), Anger (1 Ki.11:9), Repentance (Gen.6:6), Jealousy (Ex.20:5), Hate (Pr.6:16), Love (Jn.3:16), Pity (Ps.103:13), Fellowship (1 Jn.1:1-7), Pleasure (Ps.147:10), Joy (Ne.8:10), Peace (Gal.5:22), Longsuffering (Gal.5:22), Gentleness (Gal.5:22), Goodness (Gal.5:22), Faith (Gal.5:22), Meekness (Gal.5:22), Self-control (Gal.5:22).

God has spirit faculties, as a Mind (Ro.11:34), Intelligence (Gen.1:26), Will (Ro.8:27), Power (Eph.1:19), Truth (Ps.91:4), Faith (Ro.4:17), Hope (1 Cor.13:13), Righteousness (Ps.45:4), Faithfulness (1 Cor.10:13), Knowledge (Isa.11:2), Wisdom (1 Tim.1:17), Discernment (Heb.4:12),

God, Wears clothes (Dan.7:9-14), Eats food (Gen.18:1-8), Rests (Gen.2:1-4), dwells in city (Jn.14:1-3), Sits on a throne (Isa.6), Walks (Gen.3:8), Rides (Ps.18:10).

One of the greatest difficulties a person may face in relating to God is that they simply do not see God as someone they can relate to. They believe God to be this great power in the universe (which of course He is) and that if they are to come into contact with Him then they must do so in complete righteousness and holiness. They have forgotten that the only way that they can be righteous and holy is to come to God through the son of God, Jesus. c\f Ephesians 1:17 & 1 John 5:20Unless you see God in the light of scripture you may never come to Him as God, let alone the Father. You can however come to God, not just as God and Father but also as one who understands exactly what it is like to live in the situations and circumstances that you are living in.

Comprehending God as someone you can talk to is not really too difficult. Just look in the mirror, what do you see, a person with hands, and fingers, mouth, head, back, eyes, etc. God is the same, if you view God in light of what He looks like it becomes much easier to have a discussion with Him. If you view God as this large glowing cloud in heaven you will not be able to relate to Him.

The Face of God

 

 God has a face, so that He might be seen of man, and man might be seen of Him.

 

 

1 John 5:6-7 “This is He that came by water and by blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and by blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost and these three are “ONE”. Genesis 32:30, And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life was preserved.

Look for the face of God in all that you do, and in all that you require. When you see God, all else will pale in comparison. Notice that Jacob said, “my life was preserved”, God wants His children’s lives preserved. All what the enemy throws against us is meant to waste us, there is no preservation in your trouble. In the face of God is the light of freedom, look into it and enjoy the liberty that will come your way.There is an expression that goes “in your face”, it usually means something negative or disagreeable. However in the face of God is everything that is good, positive and fitting. When you face a problem go to God faith to face, take on the glory of God, then look into your trouble and say “in your face”, then watch the enemy flee.

Another expression is, “having face value”, it means that your worth is based on your name. In the names of God there is great worth, this we will see as we examine the names of the “I AM” later. That name brings great comfort, it’s value is priceless. You can take God at face value, never looking for any other solution, He is it.

The Eyes of God

 

We have heard it said, “That God will see that” in order that we do not go out and do something displeasing. Why is it, that if God will see the negative things, He does not see that which is positive? He does, man is just so programmed to be negative that they only imagine God from a negative view point. Sure God may be watching and seeing all that is happening, so show Him your faith, love and how much you enjoy being watched by Him. Give Him good reason to watch, have Him say of you as He did of Job,

 

“Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a prefect man and upright man, one that fears God and esheweth evil”? Job 1:8 How did God know Job was such a man, He watched him. Job had some trouble but in the end he came out strong and prosperous, and God watched him become a victor (in Him) over Satan.

 2 Chronicles 16:9 , “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is prefect toward Him”. 

There you have it, God is constantly looking out to bring protection and favour on behalf of His children. God looks, searches, for an opportunity to do wondrous works for those of the prefect heart. Can you just picture God saying “I’ve got to be at Ron’s to do a favour for Him, then I’m at Dianna’s, then I’m at Larry’s. After that I’m just looking for others to do wondrous works to”. God eyes are upon you, but not for harm, to do good to you. Ins’t that prosperity?

Now someone said, “Oh, sure that okay for those who are prefect, but I’m not prefect”. Don’t allow that word to get you down. A study of the Hebrew shows the word comes from the Hebrew word, “shalem”. The word means: friendly, peaceable and complete. Surely anyone can show themselves friendly to God. Once you do, He grants to you His great peace which causes you to be complete in Him. There is no need to be concerned as to whether or not you stand complete in God, for His Son Jesus has already made you complete.

 

 Colossians 2:9-10, “For in Him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power”. As a complete person Jesus makes you to be entire, whole, and settles once and for all that the favour can come on you from God looking upon you. The eyes of the Lord are looking for Shalem (Shalem is also a name meaning, “whole”) why don’t you change your name and gain the favour. To change your name accept Christ and become a Christian, giving God’s eyes something great to watch, you living in Him.

The Mouth of God

 

The mouth of God is often considered as a blast of destruction, fire and vapour, dark words of judgement. But ask yourself the question, “Does not God’s Word bring life, and if so, did not His mouth speak those words”? Of course the answer is yes, God has spoken much more than judgement. He has spoken thousands and thousands of promises bringing to us a life that is just as His is, the Zoe life of God. We need to open our ears and listen to what God is saying to us. It is sure to bring life.

 

Numbers 12:8a, “With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not with dark speeches”.  Have you ever heard of artificial respiration, of course you have. You know it to mean placing your breath into another in order to revive back to life (a very simple explanation, I know). Here, however, is a scriptural example of true respiration nothing artificial about it, God breathing His words into the mouth of Moses. For you he has done much greater. We not only have His words breathed into us but His very Life source, Jesus, The Word living within us. John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”.

By living in Him we get the advantage of all His Words coming out of our mouth. Keep in mind that His Words will not be dark or mystifying, but clear and concise. Giving you a crystal clear picture as to how to proceed. c\f Isaiah 55:11.

The Shoulders of God

Have you ever heard of “a person with shoulders so big that they could handle any problem”, that’s our God. From the beginning of time it would seem that anyone with big shoulders would be strong, stable, reliable and victorious in all they set out to do. They were the ones people ran to when there was a problem, mighty men of steel, men that would cover us, where we find safety.Can you remember riding on your daddy’s shoulders, at first you where a little afraid being so high up in the world, but daddy held on tight to you and you didn’t fall. Soon whenever daddy would put you on high you wouldn’t even hold on, you knew you were absolutely safe. Well God has shoulders to ride on too, He can take on the whole worlds problems and you still come out absolutely safe. It just makes good sense to ride on God for your safety.

There is another thing a the person with large shoulders does, that is he covers you so that no-one or nothing can get at you. God is very much like that,

 

 Deuteronomy 32:12, “The Lord shall cover him all day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders”. Many are the problems that everyone faces each and every day, yet the person who has learned to hide behind God knows he is safe. Jeremiah 23:6, “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jehovah-Tsidkenu)”. Allow God to be your hiding place, allow God to shoulder all your problems, He’s got shoulders big enough. c\fPsalms 20.

 

 

The Hand of God When we were children there use to a song that said, “He’s got the whole world in His hands”, you could just sit back and relax thinking of how big God’s hands were. Nothing has changed, you can still sit back and relax, God’s got you in His hands. “How can you say that”, you ask? Well I like to think of it in these terms, picture a man with very big hands, strong hands. You know that within those hands is the power to crush another man (his foe) with one blow. Yet there is also an ability for the same mans hands to tenderly cradle a baby until she sleeps. God’s hand is like that, His hand protects you from the foe (Satan), yet when you hurt, He cradles His baby (you) until you come into rest. 

 

Some times we will slip and fall but by the hand of God we are picked up and no harm comes to us. Just learn not to repeat the same errors again, and ever trust in the hand of God for deliverance.There comes a time when it is the hand of God that will deliver, that means He has the ability to so.

 

 Psalms 95:7, “For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand”. With the hand the shepherd gently leads his sheep to fresh and abundant pastures. With his hand the shepherd firmly deals with all who may come to bring harm to his sheep. We are the sheep and Jesus is the shepherd, we’re in His hand. John 3:35, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand”. All things means you and I, however it also means all the situations you and I face. If the Lord Jesus has us in His hands, do you really think He would allow anything of harm to come into His hands as well? Of course not, your safe and secure in the hands of Jesus, that’s why we call Him Lord and Saviour.

The Finger of God

Psalms 8:3

, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained”. With the finger of God, He created the very heavens. He spoke forth His Word, pointed His finger and said “BE” and it “WAS VERY GOOD”. One of the things that He created with His finger and declared that it was good, was you. Now if the finger of God has enough power in it to create all of the heavens and earth, do you really think that there isn’t enough power to create a solution to your problem? We need to understand that there is more than enough in God.

Jesus had learned that with just the finger of God, nothing would be impossible to Him.

 

Luke 11:20, “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you”.

The finger of God is against the devil, he is responsible for ALL your troubles and problems. You can be set free from all circumstances that are against you just by knowing your authority in Christ, pointing the finger of God at him (Satan) and commanding him out of your life, in the Name of Jesus.Notice that Jesus said in doing so that “the kingdom of God is come upon you”, that’s good news. Never again will you have to wonder if you are in the will of God when you have used the finger of God against the enemy.

The Feet of God

 

 Many times when we hear about the feet of God we think of God stamping upon the powers of evil, this is of course true and we will look at that in a bit. First however consider the feet of God as what His eyes did, “run to and fro, seeking whom he may show Himself strong”. God is always on the move, creating answers to your problems, notice that the verse does not say that he walks about, He is in a hurry bringing to you your answer. As quick as God can move, he is moving on your behalf. When all is going well then you and He will do as Adam did, walk together in the cool of the day. When the heats off and the answer has come, then it time to take leisurely strolls in the garden of God’s glory (your answer).

The idea of walking with God means that you and He have great friendship, of course this can only be accomplished through fellowship with Him. That fellowship is sure to carry you along the paths that will be best suited to you. When you stray from the path then that’s when the shoulders of God come in, for that is when He’ll carry you in protection from harm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 43:1-2,

“But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear Not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee”. 

Why no harm coming upon you because God is carrying you. You soon develop a relationship with God that is so solid that God decides that He just can’t get along without you, you’ll receive the Enoch treatment. “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took Him”.

 

Scripture shows us that at the feet of God all His enemies will be found. This is of course that they willing or not submit their authority to His rule. How very foolish it is for any to think that they will escape judgement of God, they too will be found on their knees before the feet of The Almighty God. There has come the day when all darkness will be found beneath the feet of God.

 

2 Samuel 22:10, “He bowed the heavens also, and came down, and darkness was under His feet”.

All the works of the enemy come under the feet of God. Now here is a comforting thought, if you are riding on the shoulders of God how can the darkness under His feet affect you? The answer is, it can not.Do we see the same of Jesus, does He place His feet on the head of the enemy as well? Of course, whatever Jehovah does, Jesus does. It was Jesus who went into the very regions of darkness and destroyed them, subjecting them to His authority, causing them to kneel before Him.

 

 

Colossians 2:15, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it”. All the enemies control comes completely under the feet of Jesus.

“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church. Which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all”.Ephesians 1:22-23.

 

Now did you catch that phrase, “which is His body” if you are part of the church you are the body of Christ. What’s under His feet are under yours, as well. All the troubles and problems and destruction that Satan has set up for you are under your feet. Walk on him instead of allowing him to walk on you.

The authority that Jesus has, all His power can be found in you.

 

Ephesians 1:19, “And what is the greatness of His power (dunamis) to usward who believe, according to the working (energia) of His mighty (kratos) power (ischus)”. We will explain the Greek words later in this chapter, for now the scripture shows clearly that His power is our power. Why not walk in it? Settle once and for all that the authority that places Satan under the feet of Jehovah and Jesus, also places him under your feet. So walk on into the victory of Him. Psalms 8:6, “Thou madest him (man) to have dominion over all the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet”.

We need to forget our idea of God as a terrible, unapproachable deity, and see Him in the same shape (bodily) as we are. We were create in His image, therefore if you want to see God, look in the mirror, that is what He looks like. You and He are the same shape, giving Him the ability to completely understand you. God has a face, mouth, ears, hands, fingers, shoulders, back, waist, legs, and feet, you and He are alike. For this reason it is easier to come to Him than what the world has to offer as a god.

A block of wood, a chunk of stone, a bird or a cow cannot relate to you, for you are created higher then they. Only God can relate for He created you in His image. He can understand exactly what you think, feel, taste and how you hurt, for He is the same as you.

Name Change

“And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El), but by MY name Jehovah was I not known to them”. Exodus 6:2-3

 

Why not, why was He not known to them by His name? God had only given Abraham, his son and his grandson His promises, He had not fulfilled them. Now He was getting ready to fulfil His promises to all of man kind. Remember what we said His name Jehovah meant “The Creator who keeps covenant and fulfils His promises”. So now the beginning of all the promises for man was about to take place, beginning with the Israelites and through the Atonement of Jesus handed unto us as well. You need to allow that name to sink deep into your spirit, never forgetting it, for all His promises are still your’s today. Whatever the situation, His promises are the answer, He’ll fulfil them. All you have to do is believe them, then receive them, that’s prosperity.

We requote now

 

 

Psalms 83:18 “That men might know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most High over all the earth”.

Out of the millions of so called gods in this world today, those that have come and gone, there is only one that is MOST HIGH over all the earth, His name is Jehovah.Japan has over 6000 gods, the new age people will tell you of their god, all you need do is say, “would you like to meet the God who is over your’s and all others”, then take them to Jesus and He’ll introduce them to the Father Jehovah. Remind them there is coming a day when all false gods will be done away with forever by the one and only true God, Jehovah, the God who fulfils covenant and keeps promises.

Some people (actually a lot of people) put up other gods before them. They may not understand it, but, alcohol, drugs, arguing, children, husbands, wives, sex and more can be gods to them. You see anything that will take first place in your life is an idol or god and will detract from the promises of Jehovah. If we understand who the I Am is, who Jesus is, who Jehovah is, who the Holy Spirit is, we can eradicate all other gods out of our lives. “Confidence in any thing other than God is an idol, an idol that will always fall, will you fall with it”?

Let’s now look at the redemptive names of God, and always keep the I AM in the centre of your mind in this study.

Jehovah Elohim

This name means; The Supreme God, The Eternal Creator.

In chapters one and two of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and in the 51 st. book of the Bible, Colossians chapter one and verse fifteen through eighteen, you will see Jehovah and Jesus as Creator. Revelations 3:14, claims that Jesus is the Creator, so how can both be the Creator.

It’s very simple, think of it in the terms of the following example; You have a Chairman of the Board of a company, but you also have the President and a Director of Operations. The company is liken to heaven, God the Father, Jehovah is the Chairman, Jesus the President and the Holy Spirit the Director of Operations. Jehovah has the idea, Jesus is given the task of coordinating the job, and the Holy Spirit carries out the operation of it. All are Creators for all share in the implementing of the creation. Just as all are God, all are the Creator.

The facts have not changed, Jesus and Jehovah and the Holy Spirit are the Creator. Why is this important for us today? After all everything has been created already, right? No, not everything, the answer that you require to your need, circumstance or situation needs creation in your life. Jehovah-Elohim can create it for you.

When in your darkest moments, when all looks hopeless, you can go to Him and say

“Lord God, Jehovah Elohim, you can create in me and for me a solution to this problem”. There is never a time in life when things get so bad that God, the Eternal Creator cannot create an answer for you. As long as Jesus is seated on the right hand of Jehovah-Elohim he remains the creator, Lord and Saviour for you from your problem.

In

 

 

Revelation 22:13 Jesus said “I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last”. Begin and finish your troubles with Jesus and He’ll see to it that a solution is created for you in it, freeing you into His blood bought victory. This is prosperity, of The Great I AM.

Jehovah Adonai

This next name of God means “The Lord Our Sovereign, having Supreme Authority.

When you are in deep need and all things are closing in around you, fear not for Jehovah Adonai has Supreme Authority over the pressures. No matter what those pressures may be, sickness, disease, poverty, bankruptcy, it doesn’t matter. Turning it over to Jehovah Adonai will cause it to come to a quick end.

 

Psalms 40:17

Psalms 41:1-2

“Blessed is he that considereth the poor: thee Lord (Jehovah) will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord (Jehovah) will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou (God) will not deliver him unto the will of his enemies”.

How often have you felt like David, poor and needy? Yet when the Supreme Authority comes on the scene, deliverance comes with Him. Poverty, lack, withholding spirits flee when Jehovah Adonai arrives. Deliverance from trouble, preservation from diseases, freedom from your enemies all are found in Jehovah Adonai.

This Supreme Authority that is with Jehovah Adonai was given unto Jesus, and then Jesus passed it onto you. We are to use that authority against Satan. If we understand the Jehovah Adonai as the Great I AM, we will understand where we receive our authority from.

To have authority is to have power, Jesus demonstrated His power in His defeating Satan, (

 

Colossians 2:14-15) in His creation of all things,(Colossians 1:16-19) in His ability to love all who may come unto Him, as shown through His shed blood for our atonement.(Colossians 1:12-14)Now in verse 19 of chapter one in the book of Ephesians we find the secret to maintaining our power (which comes from Jesus) from our darkest hours. Here we find four of the five Greek words used for our word power. It is imperative that we understand these words so that the meaning of this verse is clear to us.

 

The five words are:

dunamis, meaning: power stored up in something, this is the miracle working power of God stored up in His Holy Spirit, it flows from Him and explodes in us, dynamite comes from this word.

energia,

meaning: outward power or overt power, our word energy comes from this word. Energy comes from His Word

kratos

ischus

exeusia

, meaning: authority., meaning: endowed power, or the power that is given due to the position held or the ability contained within one., meaning: ruling power, or the one who rules or has dominion.

Each of the first four words are found in the 19 verse.

 

“What is the exceeding greatness of his (dunamis) power (the power stored up within Him)to us ward who believe, according to the working (energia, the power that flows out of his stored up power) of His mighty (kratos, the power to rule) power (ischus, that was given to Him from the Father because of His Sonship).

Understanding this scripture will allows us to always move within the power of God. The scripture could read as:

 

“And what is the surpassing greatness of His miracle working power contained in us who have faith, respect and trust in Him. Infusing us with the energy found in His forceful ability to rule in full dominion”.

We have no need to be worried or concerned over our situations, knowing that all power is given unto Jesus and then placed within us. We readily receive what the I AM gives to us, power to defeat what the enemy may bring.That power is the Name of Jesus, The Blood of Jesus, The Word of God, and the Spirit of God. When God says “I AM” the strength that you require over your circumstance” we move into prosperity.

Jehovah Jireh

The name Jehovah Jireh means, “the Lord will see to it or the Lord will provide“.

 

 

Genesis 22:14, “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen”.

How is it that many people do not grasp the importance of the name Jehovah-jireh. They live lives in struggles and doing without, even though the “I AM” has said that He will provide. Many frustrated persons go without receiving the answer to their circumstances because they have not allowed the Lord to provide for them. They worry and fret and give the problem their complete attention instead of turning it over to Jehovah-jireh.

The Israelites came to know that Jehovah would provide for them, they saw shoes that never wore out for forty years, clothes that couldn’t fade or wear thin, food that came by miraculous means twice daily, water from rocks, and the list just continues. We could not list all the provision that the Lord has given to man (just the documented cases) without filling 1000’s of volumes of many books like this one.

Jehovah-jireh has the heart to provide, all who ever came to Him, He provided for. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Job, David, Solomon, Jesus, Peter and Paul and the list goes on down through time showing how God made sure that His man of the moment was provided for by Him.

For man He has provided the greatest provision ever known, He provided for us redemption in His Son. We soon come to understand that through Jesus’ provision we are never without, we are never alone, we always come into victory in all areas.

Does this mean that life will be without trial or temptation, of course not, what it does mean is that through the trials and troubles we always come through in victory. Every provision has been made to be victorious in every situation.

We need but go to the Word of God and receive the promises that have been given to us, for the situation we may find ourselves in. In the New Testament alone there are at least 250 promises, that God will fulfil.

Some of these promises found just Matthew are:

Salvation from sin. Mt.1:21 Life by the Word. Mt.4:4

Protection by angels. Mt.4:6 Earth as an inheritance. Mt.5:5

Blessing for persecution. Mt.5:11 Forgiveness from sins. Mt.6:14

Necessities of life. Mt. 6:30-33 Answers to all prayers. Mt.7:7-11

All good things. Mt.7:11 Punishment in hell for all rebels. Mt.7:22-23

Bodily healing. Mt.8:18 Answers to prayer according to faith. Mt.9:29

Exposure to secret things. Mt.10:26 Power to bind and loose. Mt.18:18

Rewards according to works. Mt.16:27 Unlimited power. Mt.17:20

Material blessing. Mt.19:29 Eternal life. Mt.19:29

All the promises of God are provide for us and to us by Jehovah Jireh, The Lord will see to it. Are there any guarantees, only the greatest guarantee ever written, the Word of God.

 

2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God”.

Now did you catch that, every promise God has given has a yes answer to it. There can only be success IN HIM, that is where the key to every promises lies, in Him. So just take up your residence in Him and receive all the promises of God.Keep in mind always that Jehovah-jireh is the Lord who provides, the Lord who will see to it. Jehovah means, the God who keeps covenant and fulfils promises. Then He said that He meant every promise by saying yes to it. What promise is it that you need today, take it to Jehovah-jireh and see it achieved.

Jehovah-Nissi

This name or title of God means; The Lord Our Banner or The Lord Our Captain.

 

Psalms 35:1

“Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me”. Exodus 17:15,”And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-Nissi”. 

Have you ever seen groups of people in a march demanding their rights, they boldly hold high their banners declaring who they are. Yet the banner carries no authority with it, it is the leader of the group that is the true representative of authority. Drawing attention to themselves will bring no good what so ever, if their leader is powerless to deliver what they are demanding.

Jehovah-nissi becomes our Banner, our Leader or our Captain. His power certainly is not limited to what the government of the day may allow. He sets up and pulls down governments, their power is limited to what He declares to be so. Jehovah-nissi always draws our attention to Christ Jesus, giving Him the authority to do battle on our behalf as our Captain.

 

Malachi 3:11,

“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground”. 

Jehovah-Nissi will get involved as our leader and set a rebuke against all who would devour our hard labour. He established that in Jesus, Jesus brought all to their knees on the cross and after the cross. Colossians 2:15 “And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it”.

 

 

 

 

We prepare ourselves at all times to enter into battle, yet we know that it is through Jesus, Jehovah-nissi that we gain our great victories. How very foolish it is for those who understand that their Captain is ready to fight for them, yet they call on Him not.

 

Hebrews 2:9-10, “But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation prefect through sufferings”.

Jesus created all things and He certainly has brought all things into a position that is subject to Him. Make Him your Captain and see the delivering hand of Jehovah-Nissi work for on your behalf. Never forget the question asked of you in

 

Romans 8:31 “If God be for us, who then can be against us”?

The answer of course, no-one and nothing, because Jehovah-Nisi through Jesus has won every battle for us by His love.Are you tired of the struggle or the striving or the fighting, then give up, by giving it to Jehovah-Nissi, and don’t worry, He knows just what to do. When you turn your struggle over to Jehovah-Nissi it is you who comes out as the winner, you have God on your side. Now isn’t that prosperity.

Jehovah-Ropheka

 

 Now we see a new title for Jehovah, Jehovah-Ropheka, here the Lord is declaring “I am the Lord God that healeth thee”.

 

 Exodus 15:26,  There has never been a time that Gods desire was not to see His children living in great health. Sickness, disease and death should not be a lifestyle with anyone of God’s people. He ask’s only that we follow His pattern for living, in doing so we receive the benefits of divine health and healing.

Psalms 103:2-3,

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases”. 

Of the 30 benefits found in this passage of scripture for your serving the Lord, the very first two are forgiveness and healing. How foolish it is for people to believe that God is the one who brings sickness and disease upon them for some sin they may have committed. No, instead Jehovah-Ropheka is bringing freedom from sin by granting forgiveness and then healing them out of His desire to see them well and in love with Him. No man ever was brought closer to God through sickness, sickness may have come upon them and that was when they decided to get close to God, but they could have come unto Him in the time of health as well. How much greater would their experience with the God of all have been if they came when all was well (including themselves)? God never uses something that is foul and of the devil to bring people to Him.

Sickness is the tool of Satan to draw man away from Jehovah. That was the reason that Jehovah sent Jesus to redeem man, part of that redemption was the healing of all diseases.

 

 Isaiah 53:5, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed”.

Every sickness and every disease was borne by Jesus on our behalf,

 

 1 Peter 2:24, says, “by His stripes we were healed” Isaiah says “are” Peter says “were” anyway you want to look at it, we have been granted freedom from sickness and disease.Jehovah-Ropheka, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit all desire greatly that you remain free from the devils tools of sickness and disease. What kind of healing do you require, mental, physical, spiritual or financial, all healing has been granted to you.Scripture lists 37 seven diseases, of the 37 none are excluded from God’s promise to bring healing to all who will follow Him. Many of the 37 are diseases that have spawned other diseases that man suffers with today. The good news is that every disease is brought to destruction by the shed blood of Jesus. Look to Jesus and Jehovah-Ropheka to bring deliverance from every sickness and disease, certainly this is prosperity.

We must never allow the Redemptive names of God ever slip from us, God could never stop being what He says He is, we should never stop believing in Him, seeing Him reveal Himself in ourselves. Each redemptive name is a promise to be exactly that to us, knowing therefore that Jehovah is the “God who keeps covenant and fulfils promises” we should run to Him during times of sickness, seeing Him bring our healing to us.

Jehovah-Shalom

In this next title we find “The Lord our peace”.

In a world of utter turmoil, peace really seems to be a fleeting thing. In this century alone we have had 2 major world wars, 160 minor wars, and numeral conflicts. The home is in continuous contentions, children verses parents in a struggle for control. The work place is no different, employee against employer, just where is one to find any kind of peace at all. The only peace that is possible comes from God, He has said that He will be our peace, our Jehovah-Shalom.

 

 Judges 6:24 Peace is a servant given over to man to help him establish himself in the Son. John 14:27, Here Jesus is not only leaving us peace but also giving us His. However if we have no understanding of what exactly peace is we will have no way possible to live within it. So let’s examine peace to know what Jesus gave us.Peace comes from serval different words in the bible. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom it means; to be safe, well, happy, to have health, prosperity, and to fare well It is very much like the Greek word charia. .

The Greek words for peace are; phimoo (fee-mo-o) which means to muzzle,

 

Mark 1:25. Siapao (see-o-pah-o) which means a involuntary stillness, a hush Mark 4:39. Eirene (i-ray-nay) whichs means; A) a harmonious relationship, B) friendliness, C) freedom from molestation, D) to have rest and contentment, E) to be prosperous.So then when Jesus said that His peace He was leaving us, He was leaving us all these attributes. To live in less is to live outside of the goodness of God Himself (Jehovah-Shalmon).

To have peace we must live in Christ Jesus. His words are to abide in Him. Turn to

 

 John 15:4-11, AMP, Abide in Me (this is a command not just a good idea).

The operation of peace comes to us in the form of what we have in Him when we abide in Him. So to understand peace we must know our place of residence, or what we have in Him.

Romans 3:24,

In Him we have redemption.

Romans 8:1,

In Him there is no condemnation.

Romans 8:2,

In Him is freedom from sin and deathIn Him is freedom from sin and death

.

Romans 8:39,

In Him is perfected love.

Romans 12:5,

In Him is oneness.

1 Cor. 1:2,

In Him is sanctificationIn Him is sanctification

.

To abide outside of Christ is to chose confusion over peace, and that of course will never do. 

 Psalms 29:11,Peace is a blessing.

Psalms 37:11, Amp,

Peace in abundance. Peace in abundance.

The “meek” refer to those who have a good or positive attitude toward the things of God, and perform from within that attitude without disputing or resisting.

Psalms 85:10,

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 

 

Truth

is sent forth to man so that he might know the will of God.

Mercy

forgives man from all sin and disobedience, giving man the peace with God so that he is able to kiss (embrace) righteousness.

Psalms 119:165, Great peace to those who love the law (Word) of God.

Righteousness

demands obedience to the truth.

The quickest way for one to lose his peace is for that one to enter into a life of compromise.

1 Corinthians 9:24-26 

;

We are to run the race to win. No second best.

You must prepare to run.

You must prepare to win.

You must prepare to finnish.

Colossians 2:9-15

 

 

There is no compromise with God toward Jesus.There is no compromise in Jesus toward you.There is no compromise in the attitude and actions that Jesus took against the devil.

Colossians 1:9-19.If Satan wants a fight give it to him. Don’t settle for less than the best. Be single minded about the quality of life that you expect to live. Meet every challenge that the devil places before you with the Word that God has placed in you.To live without compromise is to live by faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith not by sight”. Hebrews 10:35-39To compromise is to cast away your confidence (your beliefs, trust, faith or reliance), (compromise means; discredit, endanger, jeopardize, risk, concede, yield) what is that you are putting at risk “your faith“. Notice verse 38 says that if any man draws back that Gods soul is given displeasure. There can be no peace in the soul of the compromising person.

Galatians 6:5-9

,Where does one carry his burdens? To God.

Philippians 4:4-9. 

Peace of God can only come as one decides that there can be no compromise in His life.

Psalms 37:1-40.

Here is most likely one of the greatest list of promises ever given to any man who will live after the word of God. It is through the word that you will ever operate the peace that we have been talking about for the last three weeks.Before we examine the promises lets look very diligently at verses 3-8 which gives us the ways to peace. Remember too that these are not rules that one must follow but rather they are steps of life.

Trust ; lean on, rely on, and be confident in, take custody, have guardianship over. Become liable for your actions, in other words you become justly or legally responsible for actions and results. You are officially obligated to that trust. You are in a covenant of trust, to break it would result in your down fall. You carried the trust, your responsible to it.

Delight; have enjoyment, happiness, joy, pleasure, and triumph in the Lord. In another word be glad (encouraging, cheering, inspiring, pleasing) in God.

Commit ; Amplified says “roll and repose each care of your load on Him” Make your pledge and promises in Him, dedicate your ways, assign to Him your worries and frustrations, then lock them up with His Word and see your way come to pass.David gives to us in Psalms 37 certain guarantees of God.

1) (vs 3) You dwell in a good land forever.

2) (vs 3) You shall never go without feeding or food.

3) (vs 4) God gives you the desires of your heart.

4) (vs 5) He brings things to pass.

5) (vs 6) He brings the righteous to light.

6) (vs 6) He brings judgement as noonday. No darkness.

7) (vs 9) The evil doer will be cut off, a promise of Satans defeat.

(vs 9) You receive the earth as an inheritance.

9) (vs 11) There is an abundance of peace.

10) (vs 17) You are upheld by God.

11) (vs 18) You receive an eternal inheritance.

12) (vs 19) You are not ashamed in evil times, God protects.

13) (vs 19) You are satisfied in times of famine.

14) (vs 24) You are not brought to ruin (cast down) when you fall.

15) (vs 28) You are not forsaken by God.

16) (vs 28) You are preserved (maintained, perpetuated, sustained, and upheld) by God forever.

17) (vs 28 )The seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

18) (vs 31) All decisions (steps) will be sound.

19) (vs 33) The Lord gets involved when the wicked attack.

20) (vs 33) The Lord will not condemn.

21) (vs 37) The result will be peace.

22) (vs 39-40) Salvation will come.

23) (vs 39) Strength from God in a time of trouble.

24) ( 40) Help from God.

25) ( 40) Deliverance from Satan.

When we have so great assurances from God there is little wonder that the peace of God can be settled forever in our hearts. There is nothing that can steal that peace away from us.

This peace was once and for all sealed in Christ Jesus when He gave His life and His blood for us. Sealed forever by the Holy Spirit of God.

 

 

Ephesians 1:131 Corinthians 11:24-30,

the communion of Christ, our covenant fulfilled in Him.

Jehovah Tsidkienu  This title means the Lord Our Righteousness. 

Jeremiah 23:6, “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness”.So what is righteousness, it simply doing right. Why would God be our righteousness? He will always do what is right to us and for us, he becomes our righteousness as we live in Him.

Psalms 119:142-144,

In Jehovah Tsidkienu you can place your entire trust, during your hardest times, He will do right by you. Notice that the verse says that His righteousness is everlasting, when troubles and adverse circumstances do come, God will see to it that you come through in victory. Do not allow your problems to turn you from God but rather to Him, He knows what is right and will do what is right in your situation.

Yes, circumstances may be difficult, yet in Jehovah Tsidkienu you can be pulled through.

 

 

There is a freedom that comes when you get involved with God in a certain manner, lets look at this manner from David, then emulated him.

A) Don’t just pray, but rather pray whole heatedly. Put everything you have in your prayers. The Hebrew word here for cried actually means “a proclamation”. Make a whole hearted proclamation to God, or in other words, an unchangeable decision. To make a decision of the heart that no-one and no circumstance will ever change.

B) Keep the statutes of God. A statute is an ordinance, law or a commandment. God has given every one to us not make our lives more difficult, but rather to keep us from harm.

C) Believe in the saving grace of God. The righteous always in all circumstances look toward that grace of salvation. He knows that in God there is deliverance, health, prosperity and eternal life.

D) God’s testimonies are for our keeping. He testifies according to the faith that is presented to Him by us. we transfer each area of life’s problems to Him in salvation.So what are the testimonies of God, whatever it takes to bring you into His righteousness.

E) Hope in the Word of God, hope is not wishful thinking. Hope is the strong determination that sees the results of faith working in our life. To hope in the Word is to know that there can be no failure in Christ Jesus.

Hope as an acronym:

H) Harmony to be in accord or agreement with someone or something  

Matthew 18:18-19

O) 

Optimism cheerfulness, confidence, enthusiasmColossians 1:15 

P) 

Prospect a future probability based on present indications1 John 4:17b

E) 

Expectancy to look forward to as a certainty Proverbs 22:21

So Jehovah Tsidkienu is the Lord our Righteousness the God of all hope. It is not through our works but rather through His works. Jesus Christ by His offering of Himself on our behalf became our righteousness.

An old English word for righteousness is “right wiseness”. Be wise, do right. Jesus Christ is the only one that is our wisdom, righteousness and sanctification.

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”.

Psalms 119:145-149, “I cried with my whole heart: hear me, O Lord: I will keep your statutes. I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy Word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy Word. Hear my voice according unto thy loving kindness: O Lord, quicken me according to thy judgement”.

 

This title means the Lord our Sanctifier.

Sanctification means to: set apart for God. God sets each and everyone of us apart for whatever He desires.

 

 

The process of being set apart for God is one that cause you to come in the cleansing of the blood of Jesus. You are “washed in the blood” which makes you pure, clean and holy. As a sanctified person your desire is that you will always do that which pleases God, if and when you fall, run to Him He has the power to clean you up and set you apart again.

Sanctification comes through the continual use of the Word of God. Many change in their lives as the Word cleans and purifies the heart of the person.

 

 

Paul taught that through sanctification that ten things might be gained.

 

John 17:17-19, “Sanctify them through thy Word: thy Word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth”. Separation of ones life come through the word of truth. Jehovah Mekaddishkem cleans the life of His servants through His Word, they are able to come before God regardless of past lives and be viewed as clean, pure and holy. God sent Christ to insure this on our behalf, in turn Christ sealed the separation by returning the work of it to Jehovah.

 Romans 15:13-16, “Now the God of hope fill you with all (1) joy and (2) peace in believing, that ye may abound in (3) hope, through the (4) power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are (5) full of goodness, filled with all (6) knowledge, able also to (7) admonish (minister) one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more (8) boldly (boldness) unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the (9) grace that is given to me of God. That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles might be (10) acceptablebeing sanctified by the Holy Ghost”. 1 Samuel 1:3, “And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and sacrifice unto the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh”.

When in need look to Jesus and Jehovah Mekaddishkem they will set you apart for their victory. 

Jehovah Sabaoth

This title means the Lord of Hosts.

The Lord of Hosts is used 281 times in scripture. One example is found in  

So what is this Lord of Hosts? People say “oh it’s the angels of heaven”, well yes it is, but it is also the people of God as well. We are a host. It is also the Christian church who know their authority in Christ Jesus.

The word hosts means: masses of people organized for war. We as the body of Christ are a people ready for war. We’re to walk on the devils head, we are fighting Satan and tearing him down by the power granted unto us by the Lord of Hosts. We are the people organized for war and we are the ones winning.

Jesus already won the war for us, we may fight the odd battle form time to time, but the war is over and we won because of Jesus.

 

Colossians 2:15, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it”.

Christ won the victory, we need but walk in it as ours.In

 

Psalm 84:12, we read

“O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee”. Why, because when you face your enemy you know that you have the backing of God and all that are armed for war.This is a title not repeated in the New Testament, it is a title that Jesus took upon Himself and thus became the Lord of Hosts.

 

 Isaiah 9:6-7, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon the kingdom, to order it, and to establish it from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will preform this”. 

If you have not yet made Jesus your Lord, you need to. He is your King and the entire world will someday see Him as the Lord of Hosts. The Lord of all the people ever to stand with Him. He carries all the above quoted titles, yet the best one He carries where you are concerned is “Lord and Saviour”. The Lord over you, part of His Host.

JEHOVAH SHAMMAH

This title means: The Lord is present or the Lord is there.

 

Ezekiel 48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. (KJV)

Many people feel lost, alone, depressed and dejected. Loneliness is one of the greatest scourges that the world has ever faced. Yet there is absolutely no need for it. The promise of God is to be there.

To ever be present during every circumstance and within every situation. Not as a spectator but rather as an the answer:

 

 

He is present, He is right beside you in every problem. Are you allowing Him to solve it, or are you compounding it by getting in His way.

The problem is that we haven’t taught ourselves to listen to God during the trials that we are going through. Because of this we miss what God is wanting to do for us. The verse in Psalm 46 was written during a great siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib, David wasn’t thinking of God in a mode of defeating the enemy, he was viewing God as a successful defence. What David and his people may go through God was right there as well. Learn when to attack and when to defend, but know that regardless of the plan is right there with you.

Jehovah Shammah is present to show you that with Him there is no fear,

 

 

 

Psalm 46:2a, “Therefore we will not fear”. Rise up and know that when God is present there can be no fear or any kind. So then it would behove us to see to it that God is always present in all that we do.Psalm 46:1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (KJV)

When you walk into adverse circumstances settle in your heart that the hand of Jehovah Shammah is upon you to see you through.

 

Ezekiel 3:22, “and the hand of the Lord was there upon me”. Jehovah Shammah’s hand upon you, why? To gently and methodically lead you away from those circumstances.Present means serval different things, it means: favour, nearby, current, and to demonstrate, Jehovah Shammah is the fullness of each of these meanings.

He is and grants to us, favour, Proverbs 3:4, “so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of god and man”. This favour comes upon us not because of our works but rather because of His work. The work that His son Jesus performed upon the cross, the work of redemption. When we learn to walk in Him, an He says to “Abide in Him” we will find that no matter what we in Him, His favour comes upon us.

 

Psalm 5:12, “for thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield”. The shield of favour is upon you and I, the righteous of God, it will never depart when we’ve chosen to live in Him. Next we see that present means: nearby; god is only as for away as your ability to trust Him is.

 

Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”. There is no need to live a life without the warmth of knowing Jesus and jehovah shammah for off. Here we find that they will never leave us, in all situations, over every circumstance Jesus is we find that they will never leave us, in all situations, over every circumstance Jesus is there. He will see to the answer for us on our behalf. This brings us to the next meaning of present, current.Current can be two things, “up- to-date” or “an even flow”. God is both. He is up-to -date on every circumstance you are going through, He knows how you are acting or reacting within the trouble facing you, but what is better He is up-to -date on the answer your going to need to solve the situation. To be up-to-date is to prevail, Jesus prevailed in all things over the enemy on our behalf. Sure your circumstances and situations will give you trouble, but He has prevailed against them all. Not only prevailed but overcame them so that your life may go on with His help.

 

John 16:33, (weymouth New Testament), “I have spoken all this to you in order that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction. But keep up your courage: I have won the victory over the world”.

Now that’s the good news, but what is better is what Jesus has done, you can do as well. You too can be a victor over the world, you too can prevail against the enemy.

 

 

Jesus prevailed into victory then handed it to you through your faith in Him, no other except the believer has this victory.We also said that presence means: to demonstrate, or a demonstration. God is present to demonstrate His power upon the enemy for our freedom. Jehovah Shammah has revealed to us His power through His son Jesus. His intent was and still is to establish

 

 Acts 10:38, (Weymouth New Testament), “It tells how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, so that He went about everywhere doing acts of kindness, and curing who were being continually appressed by the devil-for God was with Jesus. He is also with you, still demonstrating His power as Jehovah shammah, and ever present help in a time of trouble.

 JEHOVAH ELYON

Means the Lord Most High. PSALMS 7:17, 47:2, 97:9 the Lord Most High.

Why is that important? Why do we need to understand this, the Lord Most High? Some say, “Yup He’s off in heaven and I’m down here on Earth, way up – high, high above.” No No – that’s not what this means. It means He’s high above your situations, he sees them from a perspective that you can not see and he has the answer to them because he is the I AM.

Do you ever notice how things look different when you can get above them and look down. Go to Jasper and go up Whistler mountain in the gondola. The mountains look nice when you are standing in the town of Jasper but there is something you can see much greater when you are on top of the mountain and you’re looking down. That’s what the Lord Most High is. He’s on top of the situation and he’s looking down and says, I’ll seed it into you so you can have faith and trust in me to get you through this, because I can see what you can’t. I’m high above the answer and I’ll see you through it.

 

 

 

1 John 5:4-5, (Weymouth New Testament), “For every child of God overcomes the world; and the victorious principle which has overcome the world is our faith. Who but the man that believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world”?JEHOVAH

Means the Lord my Shepherd.

How many of these things do you see. There’s fear coming upon you like most of the religions teach. Got to fear God!! Do you see any of that. I don’t see any of that. I see someone who wants to care for me, look after me, the Lord my shepherd.

We’ve already mentioned King David. Understand him. Go to Psalms 23 and meditate on who He was. What’s a shepherd? Someone who looks after and watches over you, someone who is interested in your well being. Not only interested on where you’re going, or what your financial situation is, but interested in your entire life scope.

A shepherd who herds sheep – what does he do. He watches out for the enemy, he goes after the enemy. David did he did not say that when a lion and bear are after his lamb and when he went out and killed them both. So what was this Goliath guy compared to a lion or a bear. David had no fear because he trusted in the Lord his shepherd – he’ll guide me, he’ll lead me to the right places, he’ll look after me, he won’t give me no snow job.

There are preachers out there who are giving their people a snow job. They’re leading them right down the sweet garden path teaching them nothing, feeding them oatmeal, nothing to chew on. It just slides down the throat. It has a little bit of nourishment, but not a lot. A shepherd gives you nourishment, something to live on, watches out for you. That’s Jehovah Rohi.

JEHOVAH

HOSSEENU

Means the Lord our maker. Psalms 95:6-7 I’ll make for you a way when there looks like there’s no way. I’ll make for you an answer where there looks no answer. I’ll create for you the solution. If you understood the Lord our Maker with the eternal creator how could you face any situation in life and not go through it in victory. How could you? …you can, if you have the relationship with Jehovah God.

 

 

Exodus 31:13b, “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doeth sanctify you”.

Psalms 37:24, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand”.

“Behold God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, He is also become my salvation”.

Isaiah 26:4

“Trust ye in the Lord forever: for the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength”.

From these three scripture verse’s we establish the name by which the Father has given unto Himself. This was not always so, and we will examine this later in the chapter. Here we now know that Jehovah is God and we need to be witnesses of Him.

 “therefore come boldly into the throne room of grace”. Hebrews 4:16

ntroduction

Prosperity 101

God is a God of prosperity. He’s not some way-off distant God, nor is He a thing. He is not an idol sitting on a shelf or on a wall some place. He is an individual God and He call himself the Great I AM. The reason He calls himself that, is that He is everything that you require. The 16 Jehovah titles really bear up. He is a personal God, and we have a personal relationship with Him through Christ Jesus. For that reason, we need to understand who He is.

Is it God’s will for us to prosper? What is that prosperity? Does He want , as many people are today, teaching the church to live in poverty? Does He want the church to have just enough to get by without need for any more?

Let us examine what the Word of God has to say about it. Forget about what other people have to say about it. We are not interested in what we have to say about it either. We are interested in what the Word of God says about it. Whether it comes from me or some one else, if it does not line up with the Word of God – don’t accept it. You ought to be studying the Word on your own, and not relying on others to hold you up and support you. It’s your life. Your the one who is on the line here. So don’t buy everything you hear and don’t accept everything you see. Get into the word of God and find out for yourself. On the other hand receive the teaching that is Bible based and Word based. The Word of God will set you free, not mans teachings or thinking.

 

GOD’S WILL IS PROSPERITY

 

God’s will is prosperity! We make that statement boldly and without apology. Did you ever wonder why some preachers get up to speak and then say;

“Well, I’m sorry for having to do this but …” If they are sorry about it, why should they have to say it at all. We don’t make any apology, nor are we sorry for saying, God’s will is prosperity!

God’s will is for you to live a prosperous life, financially, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. First and foremost – spiritually. If you are living a spiritually prosperous life, all else will come into prosperity.

CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE

 

God created man in who’s image? In His image. We are created in Gods’ very image. Is God not prosperous? Think about it! Is there sickness, disease, blindness, deafness or lameness in heaven? Why then would God create man to be anything less! It’s simple reasoning, is it not! We are created in His image.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him: male and

female created he them. Genesis 1:27

 

What does that mean “His image”. We are to be an exact duplicate of what God is, and to reflect that image. Meaning that we are to walk, talk and act in the same manner. There is simply no poverty in heaven. As you read and study through this book, you will discover that there should not be poverty on earth for the children of God. The many people who live in it should not.

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 thatmoveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:28

The theory that, “Well, it was just Adam who was blessed”, just flew out the window. Some men like to project that theory. It does not say that. It says that God blessed them, It also says; He created them male and female and He created them and blessed them. The woman is blessed just as much as the man. I don’t like to burst some peoples’ bubble, but it’s the truth.

DOMINION

 

God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowls of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. That is a statement of prosperity! Have dominion over, rule over it! Everything! He didn’t leave anything out. If we are to have dominion over it, that means that nothing should have dominion over us.

Lack, poverty and debt are all spirits. If we subject ourselves to these spirits, we fall into those three categories. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the world is being controlled by the spirit of debt. Look around. Every country in the world is in debt – every one. More than half the nations of the world are in complete lack. They don’t have enough to feed themselves.

It is interesting to note that the world nations who give to the need when ever a need shows up, are the ones that always have to give to supply the need. Ever notice that? When ever there is a tremendous need, who do they call on? The Americans. Why? America is based on the Word of God. Their original history is based on the Word of God. They are a giving country. Therefore, as giving countries, they have the necessary and the wherewith all to give. Give and reap – give and reap – and the cycle continues. We are a blessed nation. We are a blessed people that the prosperity of God belongs to us and should be on us.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house unto a land that I will shew thee. Genesis 12:1

 

 

Have you ever wondered why God asked Abram to move? Abram lived in an ungodly land of doubt, despair and poverty. God did not want Abram influenced by the enemy. Instead, God was going to lead him into a better lifestyle and to create a prosperous whole nation out of him.

Sometimes we have to get out from what we’re surrounded by so that we can hear from God. Sometimes we have to turn off things and turn off people so that we can hear from God and get away form their negativity.

“Well that will never work for you. That is just name it and claim it stuff. I tried that one time and it did not work for me. I prayed to God once that he’d help me out and five minutes later, I still had my bill and it was unpaid.”

The world is full of negative people. We need to get out from among them and get to some place that will put into you the Word of God and support you that way without the negativity.

 

 

FAMILIES OF THE EARTH

And I will make of thee a great nation,

and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth beblessed. Genesis 12:2,3

Who does not belong to the family of the earth? We are all from the earth – right! We were created out of the earth and are part of the families of the earth. Alone that one promise is ours.

People say, “Well, that is just for the Isrealites”.

The Israelites were not even around yet. This was just the beginning of them. Abram was the father of them. The scripture did not say just your nation, it said all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

POWER

 

 

For those that don’t know, the word BLESSED means POWER. Power in you, on you and around you. What power? God’s power that gives you ability to prosper. In order to tap into that power, you have to do two things.

People have said, “I thought I had to do a bunch of things, like get into the Word of God and study and study and study.”

You do! But that is not a whole bunch of things. It’s only one. You must believe the Word of God as the Word of God. You must be in the Word. The Word will not work for you if you ave not made it real to you. We have seen it and done it. You have done it time and time again.

“Well I heard brother so and so preach on this and I tried that.” As soon as you make that statement, “I tried it”, you are saying that it didn’t work for you. You either try it or you do it.

It takes two things to operate in God’s prosperity and you get it the same way you got saved.

1. Believe in the Word of God.

2. Confess with your mouth and you shall have it.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth

the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confessionis made unto salvation. Romans 10:9,10

One of the definitions of salvation is prosperity, and an important one. You shall be saved for with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. You have to believe it in your heart and get your mouth in line with the Word of God. All God’s promises are hinged on these two facts: faith and confession.

 

SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Mark 11: 22,23

 

HAVE FAITH IN GOD … HAVE FAITH IN GOD. Where faith is, there can be no fear. People are afraid to confess the Word of God. They are afraid to speak up and be heard.

“I don’t want to say that faith stuff, somebody might hear me saying it.” Yeah! The devil! When he hears the Word, he flees!

For verily I say unto you, that whosoever … you are the whosoever … shall say unto this mountain … the problem you face, the circumstance in your life regardless of what it might be, the situation that you’re facing today … SAY … you have to speak something. The scripture says that right here. It does not say, think about it or meditate on it. It says to speak to the mountain. be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart … the enemy works on the mind. If he can confuse your mind, maybe, then he can bring doubt into the heart. But if he can’t confuse it, and if you can keep your heart on the Word of God and you won’t doubt in your heart, what happens? … but thou shall believe that those things which YOU … thought. No! Those things which you have in your heart. No! Believe that those things which you … says shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he says.

Remember the guy who said, “I tried that and it didn’t work for me”. He got what he said. Right! If you think about it, that has been the problem of most people. They have been speaking their problem and creating it with the words they say, instead of speaking the solution in the same way God created everything else. God created all by His Word. We are created in His image so we ought to speak the Word to get the desired answer. When nothing else seems to be working, speak the Word or shut up. When you do not speak the Word, you license the enemy to steal the ground that you have gained.

Therefore I say unto you, What things

soever you desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall havethem. Mark 11:24

We’ve gone from the mountain to the desire. These are Jesus’ own Words … and ye shall have them. No question! No doubt! It’s yours!

So the requirements of believing or receiving the prosperity of God are these two.

1.Believing the word.

2.Speaking the word.

God’s will is for us to have the things of God. People do not understand that. I don’t know why some people fight this so much – it is the Word of God. There is testimony upon testimony of people who have received from God in this way.

After this manner therefore pray ye; Our

Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9,10

“Oh, that’s just the Lords prayer.” Some say.

“Yeah, that’s the Lords prayer … for you.” He is teaching you how to pray. This statement always comes back to us.

“Well if it’s God’s will then he’ll do that. If it’s God’s will he will get us out of this poverty syndrome. It it’s God’s will he’ll heal me. If it’s God’s will etc …”

How do you figure out God’s will? How do you get a conception on the will of God? We just read it. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. If you can’t picture something in heaven, it should not be that way here on earth. If you think there is sickness in heaven, then you’ll continue in your sickness. If you think there is poverty in heaven, then you’ll continue in poverty. If you think starving and being put down and under is in heaven, that’s the way you’ll continue in life. You won’t get any better until you change your thinking. The attitude that the poverty syndrome is from God, smells. You slap God right in the face and insult Him when you say anything less. You need to change your thinking. God’s will is God’s Word.

CONFIDENCE

 

 

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything

according to his will, he heareth us: 1 John 5:14

The scripture reads that this is the confidence, not maybe, not second guess, but is the confidence that we have in Him that if we ask anything according to his will … How did we find out what his will is? By conceptualizing it. Ask yourself, “Is it in heaven?” If we ask anything according to his will he hears us. If we know that he hears us whatsoever we ask, we know we have the petitions that we desired of him. First off, we found out that if it is His will, secondly, we know that he heard us when we came boldly into the throne room of grace, we have those desires. It is just that simple. All we need to do is hang on to that promise until the answer comes. Don’t back off from it.

SOMEDAY NEVER COMES

 

 

Some pray and then say, “Yup, I know God heard me. I sure “hope” its going to take place someday.” Someday is today. I used to be fooled by that lie, and that lie stole from me about 10 years in the ministry. So I waited for someday. Someday never ever comes. It doesn’t. If today we say someday then tomorrow we say someday. That someday will not appear.

This is the day of our salvation. Today is the day. Christ said it is finished, it is complete. Therefore, it is done now, not some time in the sweet by and by. It is finished and done today. When you begin to put God’s Word forth, it works for you now.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped

for, the evidence of thins not seen.Hebrews ll:1

NOW FAITH IS … not today … now!

 

IT SHALL NOT RETURN UNTO

ME VOID

 

So shall my word be … Whose word? God’s Word … that goeth forth out of “my” mouth, it shall not return unto me void … It shall not return unto me void or emptied or unfulfilled … but shall accomplish that which I please and prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

How does God speak His Word? Through His people. How do the angels of God act on His Word? They’ve been all assigned ministering angels They’ve been sent forth to minister unto us. (Hebrews ) How do they do that? By action on the Word of God, fulfilling the Word of God. The only way they can do that is by you speaking the Word of God. You don’t order angels around, they won’t listen to your order. They listen to the Word of God. The Word of God is fulfilled by you speaking and it prospers whereunto it is sent.

Prosperity must be examined through the Word of God and you can’t balance that with anything less. Correct? You can’t say God’s will is prosperity if you haven’t established the fact that God’s will is prosperity from the Word of God. We live in that. We live in prosperity. How? Look at the blessings in Dueteronomy 28:1-15.And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:And it shall come to pass… it will happen, there is no doubt about it. … the LORD YOUR GOD will set you on high above all nations of the earth.

 

And all these blessings shall come on thee,

and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken untothe voice of the Lord thy God.

And all these blessing … the power to prosper … shall come upon you and overtake you if you hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God.

Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessing thalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of they cattle, the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep.

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in,

and blessed thalt thou be when thou goest out.

… if you hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord your God.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his

righteousness and all these thing shall be

added unto you. Matthew 6:33

 

The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smittten before thy face:they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

 

Some will rise up against you, others will say ” no thanks, I had that smitten stuff, I don’t need it anymore. I’ve had enough of it.” Satan has not figured that out yet. Christ defeated him, Colossians 2:15 says he was defeated. He hasn’t figured out yet that Christ has empowered you to continue to defeat him. I guess he likes to be smote. When he rises up against you, you have the Word of God.

The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine had unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways.

And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

 

It is interesting to see that people will fear you. What people? The people of the earth. When you start operating in the power of God, there are certain groups that will flock to you or run from you. Some of them do not want to deal with what is happening in their lives. Some of them don’t want to face the fact and the reality of the Word of God operating in their lives. They don’t want to receive that so they stay away speaking negative and badly. That does not change the fact that God’s Word works. If they are afraid, so be it. That’s their choice. Don’t compromise the Word of God for what people think or say.

And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of they body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto they fathers to give thee. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand; and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

 

Stay out of debt. It is a captive tool of the enemy to bring you down and to keep you under.

And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

 

When you borrow, you become the tail instead of the head. When the bank loans you money, you have to repay it. If you don’t, what happens? They call the repo man and he takes it away. So don’t borrow. Be the head and not the tail.

Thou shalt be above only and not beneath. You can come under heavy pressure by being beneath the weight of debt. Depression means to be put low, to be cast down and put under, to be pushed down. When you get into the borrowing syndrome, that’s what happens. You get pushed down and the weight comes very heavy. Look around the world today. People are losing their jobs by the thousands. If they had heard this they wouldn’t have to worry. They would be set free.

… If you hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God which I commanded thee this day to observe and to do them.

And thou shalt not go aside from any of the

words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after othergods to serve them.

Now, if you start at verse 15 and read all the way to verse 68, you will be reading the curses of what happens to people who do not listen to the Word of God. It is a bit depressing but one ought to read them. It becomes very simple. Make a choice. Decide today to either serve God or not serve God. If you decide to not serve God, understand that the curses will come upon you. That is not my opinion. It is the Word of God.

 

 

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not

hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God,

to observe to do all him commandments and his

statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, andovertake thee:

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

 

 

Job know prosperity. “He did? I thought he was the guy who lost everything.”

“Yeah, he’s the guy who lost everything and he’s also the guy who got it all back again.”

If they obey and serve him they shall spend their days in prosperity; and their years in pleasures. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. Job 36:11,12

 

What’s the opposite of not obeying and not serving? Disobedience and rebellion. So if they obey and serve Him they’ll spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasure.

If they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge. What knowledge? The knowledge of what it is to live in the prosperity and pleasure of God. A lot of people are dying who have never experienced that freedom. Believe me – it’s freedom.

It is good to study what words mean. Prosperity means:

- To be good and to have good things.

- To have beauty and be beautiful.

- To be cheerful.

- To be at ease.

A lot of people live in turmoil, who are not at ease; even the people who preach against prosperity. Their lives are in turmoil and are in total strife.

- To have good things.

- To be fair.

- To be in and have favor of God and of man.

- To be fine.

- To be gracious and to live graciously.

- To be joyful, kind and kindly.

- To be liked best.

If you are having problems with your job and you are not getting that promotion, or things are not happening the way they should, begin to confess God’s prosperity on your life and you will be liked best. You need favor to get a job. Begin to confess God’s prosperity on your life and that favor will come upon you. You will be chosen first and they will like you best. That’s what that word means – to be liked best.

- To be loving and merry. (Not to be loving and grouchy).

- To be pleasant and pleasing.

- To be precious.

- To be ready.

- To be sweet.

- To have wealth.

If that’s God’s will for me, I want to get into it. I want to be involved in it. God’s prosperity not only means to have the things of life and to be moving along fairly nicely, but it means that we are to be secure.

Psalm 30:1-12

1 A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.

1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

 

There is a key if you want to tap into God’s prosperity.

You can begin to exercise thanksgiving and praise in the midst of depression, in the midst of your circumstances, in the midst of your lack, for the answer to it.

Psalms 91 says that if you abide under the shadow of the almighty, I will say unto my God, He is my refuge and my fortress, means that I have my life secure in Him. If you look at the word prosperity, you an see what David is saying here.

PROSPERITY OF THE SOUL

 

Because this word, prosperity, means to be safe, secure, at ease, peaceable and tranquil, and to live in quietness; you have problems all around you, rushing in from all sides, then how can you have this kind of prosperity? This prosperity is of the soul. God is interested in your entire life.

God’s prosperity is for the whole man, not just certain areas of life. Some believe that mans prosperity is limited to only the spirit man. Others believe that the spirit and soul are to prosper. Most believe that God is not interested in your physical well being. They are wrong!. God is interested in your entire man spirit, soul and body.

David saw Jehovah in many different ways in just these twelve short verses. He saw God, in his prosperity as:

A Deliverer – Jehovah Nissi A Healer – Jehovah Rophka

A Preserver – Jehovah Shammah

A Holiness – Jehovah Medadishkem

A Comforter – Jehovah Shalom

A Provider – Jehovah Jireh

A Protector -Jehovah Saboath

A Helper – Jehovah Rohi

Remember what these mean. David saw God in all these things. His own personal God. God’s will was His prosperity upon David. David knew that God took pleasure in his prosperity.

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. Psalms 35:27

 

Are you shouting for joy in the midst of your problem? Are you even praying? There is evidence of having to say it and say it and say it … say continually let the Lord be magnified which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. Let the Lord be magnified … say this continually. Repeat it and repeat it and repeat it. The Lord be magnified who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

What does God do when we do this? He begins to load us with his benefits. Psalms 68:19 says that blessed be the Lord who daily … daily, not once in a while when He gets around to it, not from time to time, … daily loads us with his benefits. Even the God of our salvation.

What David knew, he taught Solomon and Solomon began to realize that God’s will was prosperity. God’s will is prosperity.

 

TRUST IN THE LORD

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments; For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Psalms 3:1-4

 

If you are looking for work or any other situation you may be facing that you need man’s favor, begin to confess the Word of God … so shall you find favor and good understanding … not only in the sight of God but also in the sight of man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart not with just a little bit.

“I’ll try it today and tomorrow I’ll try something else. I’ll go see my physiologist or my psychiatrist and I’ll get this psychoanalyst and we’ll find out the way to go.”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and forget the things of man. They do not work. The world is in a mess and man has messed it up, not God. We’re getting more and more psychologists and we’re getting worse and worse in life.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5,6

 

Lean not on the understanding of man and get all messed up. Lean onto God’s understanding … in all your ways acknowledge Him … all your ways … and He will direct your paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Proverbs 3:7-12

 

Get into the Word of God and you will experience prosperity. It works.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Proverbs 3:16

In who’s hands? In the Word’s hands are length of days, health, wealth, happiness, riches, and honour. If you are seeking some other way or some other tool to get it, it will not work. Oh yes, you will have it for a season and then you will lose it.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. Ecclesiastes 7:14

 

It’s okay to have prosperity. It’s okay … be joyful. Your joy should be within self control, not showy, or flaunting. “Oh look at me. Look what I got. Look how wonderfully rich I am.”

That’s pride and you’ll fall quickly. Understand what God’s will is in prosperity. It’s for you to be a giver. To create an avenue so that God can work in your life for other people. Those people who pray to God to provide for their need, are praying in a very greedy way and God will not answer that because they are focusing only on themselves. We should not pray that way.

Yes, God is interested in your needs and He is interested in suppling your needs but he is interested in providing through you the needs of others as well. You need to have a larger picture than just your little old self.

In the day of prosperity be joyful and in the day of adversity consider … consider what? To stop and think. Be thoughtful and give some reflection to how to overcome and defeat the adversity that’s upon you.

“How am I going to get myself out of this mess.”

“Well how did you get yourself into the mess in the first place.”

The best way out is to get back into the Word of God and it will work for you.

FULL OF CARE

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing! Don’t be full of care and have the worries, frustrations and anxieties come upon you and enter into your heart and defeat you. Don’t allow that to happen. Understand that the words “careful for nothing” is not misplaced here. When you allow all that worry frustration, anxiety and mental anguish, and care to come upon you, you can not focus in on God. You can only focus in on the circumstances and the problem that is causing that anxiety.

It says … be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. We pray, our spirit to God. We have a request so we can have it be made known. The scripture does not say only spiritual requests. It says let YOUR REQUEST be made known unto God. Why? Let’s read on.

And the peace of God, which passeth all

understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Do you know what peace means? The Greek work for peace means quietness, rest and prosperity. Look it up. Using that meaning you could read that scripture like this:

The quietness, rest, and prosperity of God, which passeth all understanding. Can you understand God’s prosperity? Can you understand God’s security, wealth and heaven? No, you can’t understand or comprehend the whole picture, but you do know its there.

So the prosperity of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Why will it keep it? Because you begin to trust in God not the prosperity of God. God will provide it so trust in Him. Where he gets it from is irrelevant.

The pulpit I use was built by a man I know. I received it with thanksgiving. I did not ask him, where did you get the material to build it. Nor question the his source of supplier of the product or how he put it together. Frankly, I could care less. The fact is he built it and now I have it.

It works the same when using the prosperity that comes from God. It’s totally irrelevant where God is going to get it. Fact is, it’s God’s and he is giving it to you. That is what keeps your heart and mind solid on the word of God.

IN THE MEAN TIME …THINK ON THESE THINGS

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

 

By mediating on the word of God, that prosperity will come, keeping your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

If you need prosperity, you can take this one scripture alone and say that this is the prosperity of God. I can trust in God. He’s going to keep me and look after me. My rest is in God and I’m kept. A father looks after his children. The children are kept by the father. God keeps us for Him and His worship.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:9

 

The God of what? The God of peace, quietness, rest, and prosperity shall be with you.

There are flakes that walk around and declare that prosperity is not for man; that God is not interested in prosperity. I am not a theologian nor am I a genius, but I am smart enough to get into the Word of God and study it to find out that the Word says about prosperity and that God is interested in us being prosperous. How can these flakes walk around and say:

“No. No. That stuff does not work any more. It never really did.”

The only reason they can say that is because it never worked for them. They were not willing to pay the price to stay in the Word of God and seeing them through that God will answer them. So they are flakes.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Philippians 4:10

 

Paul switches from first dealing with the spirit man and the soul man to the physical realm. He is talking about the Philippians and the care of him. They are giving to him. From dealing spiritually and soulishly into giving. The Philippians were giving and they had opportunity, now they had a new opportunity to give.

Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11

 

Too often taught in the church today is to be content.

“Don’t worry brother. I know you are going through a tough time, but God is with you. You just be content. Stay there and try and be happy.” That is just a bunch of bunk!

Paul did not say he was going to stay in that state. He just said, that while I am in it, I will be content. Content with what? Content with the fact the God of peace, the God of prosperity, the God of my rest, the God of my quietness is with me. That is why I can be content. He will see me through. He will overcome this circumstance. I don’t have to get worried. I don’t have to take the care upon me. I am at rest in this. I can be content but I do not have to remain here.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:12

 

We have all heard a lot about this scripture. I am going to say only one thing abut it.

It say, he knew how. He is not saying, you know how, or you stay there. He is writing to you, to the Philippians, and the world. He is saying, I know how to be here. I have learned and I have been instructed by God to be full and to be hungry.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

 

Isn’t it interesting to notice that while Paul is talking about the financial realm, writes that statement that we quote for everything else – but rarely over our finances. While he is writing about the financial realm, he is saying, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

When we face those financial situations in our life, we ought to be quoting the same thing. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Why say that? Because I have to pay this bill. I can do it through Christ who strengthens me. It’s simple black and white.

Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Philippians 4:14

 

Paul was in need and he called that need an affliction. So it’s not good to live in poverty. It’s an affliction.

Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. Philippians 4:15

 

When we get into giving, we are going to come back to this scripture, so you may as well get into it and meditate on it.

For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet small, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. Philippians 4: 16-18

 

He didn’t have to remain in that condition. Where he says that I know how to abase and to abound (verse 12), now says (verse 18) I have all abound and I am full. He is saying I know how to abase and I know how to abound, but abounding is better. Paul called the abasing an affliction and that abounding is better and he is full.

Having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.

That part of the scripture ought to answer questions that people have.

“Well, we give to this church, and to that church. We give to this man or that man.”

If you are giving right, you are not giving to man. You are giving to God and it is a sacrifice, an odor well pleasing unto God. Keep that in mind.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

 

Why did Paul say , my God shall supply. This scripture ties it all together. My God. My God of peace, of prosperity shall supply all your need ACCORDING … Don’t ever forget that word – according. It means when you get yourself in line with the Word of God, with the confessions and beliefs coming out of your mouth, then you are according to the Word of God. And He shall supply all your need according to his riches in Christ Jesus. They are met.

GOD HAS A PLAN

 

We have seen that the entire man is to prosper. Spiritually. Soulishly. Physically.

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Jeremiah 29:4 NIV

 

Did you know that God has a plan for you. God has a GOOD plan for you. Not a plan to live under the works of the enemy, or as Paul called it, a plan of affliction, but a plan of prosperity.

This scripture deals with the Israelites coming up out of Babylon to Isreal to rebuild the city. How does that relate to us? We also were once captive. We came out of Satan’s heavy bondage the same way the Israelites came out of the Babylonian heavy bondage. We need to relate it the same way as we read the scripture. What applied to them, is a promise of God. What applies to them applies to us today because we have come out of bondage and have been set free.

This is the Lord ALMIGHTY, the highest you can go. There isn’t anyone higher that God can go to. The Lord ALMIGHTY. What ever your need is, He is not going to go to someone else and say, “Well, it’s a new one to me. I don’t know where I’m going to get the answer to that from. I can’t answer that. God hasn’t got that!.” He is the ALMIGHTY, and the almighty means he can create it, and create it in your life.

“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have some and daughters; Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because of it prospers, you too will prosper.” Jeremiah 29:5-7 NIV

 

 

Pray for what? Peace and prosperity. For if the city prospers so to will you prosper. You too will prosper. God has planted you.

Do you realize why your country is in the mess it is in now. Almost every person on the face of it degrades it and talks it down, and puts down its leaders. Words carry power. If people would grasp that and start lifting their leaders and praying for their leaders, we would have a different country. Churches fall for that same reason. The people begin to speak out against its leaders with words. The Word says here, that you pray for the prosperity of your city, your country and you too will prosper.

Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. Jeremiah 29:8 NIV

 

There are false people running around among you today. You have heard of the new age and every one seems to focus in on the New Age. Worried of what the New Age is doing. Forget about the New Age – look at what is taking place in the church. Do not’ believe everything you hear. Get into the Word of God and find out if it is fact. That’s what you set yourself on – the Word of God.

They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:9 NIV

 

… the prophets and diviners among you, are not outside you, they are among you. What do they do? They deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams they encourage you to have.

I remember this one guy who came to me. A big tall guy and he says.

“I have a word from the Lord for you.”

“Oh really!” I replied

He continued. “Well, I’m supposed to pray it over you.”

“No way!” I replied. “You tell me what it is first and then I’ll decide whether or not you can pray it over me or not.”

“Well God says that I should pray it over you.” He wined.”

“You tell me what it is. I want to hear it first.” I demanded.

Giving in he finally said, “Okay. We were at our meeting and the Lord said as we were praying for you, that you are supposed to get up earlier in the morning and spend time with God.”

“God said that eh!” I replied.

“Yes.”

“Is that a fact.”

“Yes.”

“Well let’s see here. I get up at 4:00 in the morning and spend from 4 o’clock to 6 o’clock in prayer and worship. I go to work from 6:30 to 7:00 and get my kitchen ready (I am a Chef) From 7 o’clock to 10 o’clock I’m in Bible school studying the Word. From 10 o’clock to 5 o’clock I work and run my kitchen. From 5 o’clock to 9 o’clock I go back and study the Word. Tell me, how much earlier in the morning do YOU want me to get up.”

The guy looked around and then walked away.

Don’t encourage people to have words for you. You seek God to have your own word and he will give it to you. When someone has a Word for you and they give it to you, it should confirm what you already know. Don’t go around asking;,

“Oh brother so-and-so, do you have a Word for me. You must have a Word for me. Has God given you a Word for me?”

What that says is that you are a lazy Christian and you are going to be lead down the garden path. You are setting yourself up for tremendous hurt and a tremendous fall. Stay in the Word of God. Find out for yourself. Do not rely on other people. When they do come and they give you a Word, if it is of God, it will confirm what you already know. Nothing less.

They are prophesying lies to you in my name. There is the answer. I have not sent them declares the Lord. Watch out for people and their dreams.

This is what the Lord says when the 70 years are completed for Babylon:

This is what the Lord says; “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. Jeremiah 29:10 NIV

 

Isn’t that great. God has a plan to give you hope.

But there is much more than just hope.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

 

God greatest desire is that you propser, He has created a special plan to bring prosperty in your life. It’s a good plan for it provides you with hope and a solid future.

Take hold of it and never let it go, God’s paln for you will always be a good one.