TEACHING
To Know Him and to make Him Known
2 Samuel 22:30
" With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall." (NIV)
It was years ago that the Lord first showed me this scripture. It is in a section of scripture known as David's Song of Praise. It is about how the Lord was Faithful to help David in his time of need. As I read through the Psalm of Praise the words of verse thirty jumped out at me. I had to dig deeper.
As it turns out the first part of the verse ,"With your help I can advance against a troop" can also be translated, "With your help I can run through a barricade." As I looked and meditated on the rest of the verse, " with my God I can scale a wall.", I began to think; "That means that; "I can get over it." Now I understand the entire verse to mean; " With your help I can get through it (whatever it is) and get over it (whatever it is)."
Beginning with my own life, I find more and more folks that are crying out to the Lord to remove whatever barricade there is in their life, and to help them overcome (read: scale) the walls set up against them by the enemy, that hem them in.
It seems that even in this psalm of praise, David is speaking from the same experience. Experience that says that their was a time when serious barricades blocked him in from God's anointing in his life. That there were walls that had been built around him that hemmed him in from that which the Lord had called him to walk in. It is also clear from the phrase, "with your help" and "with my God" that David was not able to 'breakthrough' and 'get over' the circumstances in his life with his own strength. David had to learn to depend on the Lord for the strength and the victory.
David had to learn to trust in the Lord's faithfullness. He had to learn to wait on the Lord because "all things work for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28 KJV)
When we as God's people begin to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, and to lean not on our own understanding, as David did, it is then that we become like David who could 'advance against a troop' and 'scale a wall'.
For many today that is God's call on their life. In fact, I believe that that is the call on all Christian believers lives. It is just that some have already understood that and others are going through that process.
Let us then "Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14) and not just be like David, but like his Lord Jesus.
MAC+
The Door of the Heart
1 Corinthians 15:46
But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. (ESV)
The natural is first. All human beings are born of the natural. We are born of the lineage, the type of the first Adam. We have inherited all that Adam was, after the fall, not before. We are of a race that is not all that they should be and they know it. We are of a people that long for, and are in a constant search for, something that we can’t quite grasp, that we can’t quite attain to. Since the dawn of our existence we are a people impaired and searching for that something that completes us. I am fond of saying, “People don’t look up.” We never see the forest for the trees, or, at least not anymore. Perhaps after the fall there were a few generations that looked up, looked for the God that we once knew, but after awhile, it became less painful or just simply ‘easier’ not to look up anymore and to look within eventually replacing God with extensions of ourselves…idolatry. (Of course there were some that looked to God after that, Noah, Abraham, David, and Moses, to mention a few, but that was only after God called them) We filled the God gap in our lives with temporary solutions that were formed after our own fancies. We became lost in the imaginations of our own hearts.
“And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” ( I Corinthians 15:45 KJV)
The ‘soul’ (heart), after the fall and subsequently all of humanity after that time, can roughly be defined as the mind. The mind is made up of faculties such as memory, emotions, thinking processes, and freedom of choice. The first man Adam was made a living soul. He was guided by the soul and its faculties, not by the Spirit. Man was made in the image and likeness of God. We were created in such a way that God, who is Spirit, was supposed to be a big part of our life. We were supposed to be able to communicate with God as we do with one another. The record of scripture reflects that we could do ‘just’ that while we were in the Garden. After we were thrown out of the Garden, our communication with God seemed to be impaired on our part. We began to drift off in the imaginations of our own hearts. The last Adam (Jesus) was made a quickening spirit. It was the purpose and will of God that we should be restored to the place that we were before. The God gap needed to be filled. The last Adam brought a 'quickening spirit' to do that.
THE KEY TO THE DOOR OF OUR HEART IS THE QUICKENING SPIRIT
Jesus redeemed us with His blood. He bought us back from the exile we had sent ourselves on. He gives us new life and fills us with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus we are born again. Not of the perishable seed of the first Adam, but of the imperishable seed of Jesus the Son of God. It is an under statement to say that we are not the same. Scripture says:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Once we are in Christ Jesus, we are no way the same. As different as Jesus was, we are different. In fact scripture says that more and more we are ‘like Him’. Since this is true (truly, truly or verily, verily), then once we are in Christ Jesus, things are necessarily different. As Jesus impacted the world so should we. Most of us know this and believe it, but the world must experience it. We are no longer in the natural. We are in the spiritual. The spiritual man is no longer led by his soul, but led by the Spirit. To be led by the Spirit does not mean that you check your soul (mind, heart) at the door. It means just what it says. We are to be led by the Spirit. Those who follow the last Adam, Jesus of Nazareth, are spirit, soul, and body; that is the order. We are led by the Spirit of the Lord. We believe that He directs our steps. Even though we may make our plans, we allow the Lord to decide our direction, because He directs our steps. We are led by His Spirit. His Spirit leads us through our spirit, our spirit directs our soul (mind, thinking processes etc.) and our body moves. That is Spirit led. All too often believers will run off thinking (soulic), ‘I can handle this one’, or ‘I know best’ only to their own regret and all too often, that of others. This is why scripture says:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds ;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
THE KEY TO THE DOOR OF OUR HEART IS WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
It is when believers move in the supernatural (Spirit) that the natural (First Adam) is impacted. Today Christian believers have come to try and to impact the natural by operating in the natural, not by the Spirit. In some way the thrust of Christian witness (Evangelism) has become more and more a dueling of wits, a secular debate, a soulic event. It seems that we have been led down the road by a carrot of small successes that have somehow convinced us that we are moving in the will and power of God, when we are moving in our own mind, and not the mind of Christ. When the Holy Spirit is allowed to lead, there are immediate responses. That is why Paul has said (quoted above):
But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. (ESV)
God is the one that holds the keys to our hearts. His Spirit leads us into all knowledge and Truth. His Holy Spirit shows us things that the ‘natural’ cannot perceive; that is why we must move in the Spiritual that we are ‘Born Again’ into. By the power of God let us claim the whole creation for the Kingdom of God. I still believe in miracles, I still believe in the power of God!
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Isaiah 51:1-2
Recently, while trying to generate much needed funds for THWNC, I was cutting down some locust trees in the woods when I slipped and fell on a rock fracturing my ribs and the cartilage which joins my ribs to the sternum in the front of my chest. As a result, I have now been grounded from all work and physical exercise except walking on paved surfaces. This period of recuperation is to last at least four weeks from this posting, which is 06-14-07.
For those of you who know me, you know that the lack of physical activity in my life frustrates me to no end. I thought that working to generate funds for the ministry was what the Lord had wanted me to do. I thought for sure that I had heard from Him on the matter. Obviously I was wrong, and now I repent.
My wife Linda, knew that the Lord's favor was not on the work. She told me so, but I felt that I had heard from the Lord and was pressing on. Linda was right and I was wrong!
I don't know if any of you have experienced that kind of thing before. You think you have heard from the Lord on something, and you go full steam ahead just to find out, the hard way, that you were wrong. Then of course you come face to face with the consequences of your actions, your plans, and you alone are left there with it all.
Well, that's where I was just before I turned to the Lord. That's when I asked for help, and He gave me the following scripture from Isaiah 51. The things that follow, are some reflections I have had on the answer the Lord gave me. I hope they may be of some use to you. It is always good advise to turn to the Lord in your time of need.
MAC+
ISAIAH 51:1-2
- 1. "HEARKEN TO ME YOU WHO PURSUE DELIVERANCE (RIGHTEOUSNESS), YOU WHO SEEK THE LORD; LOOK TO THE ROCK FROM WHICH YOU WERE HEWN, AND FROM THE QUARRY FROM WHICH YOU WERE DIGGED.
- 2. LOOK TO ABRAHAM YOUR FATHER AND TO SARAH WHO BORE YOU; FOR WHEN HE WAS BUT ONE I CALLED HIM, AND I BLESSED HIM AND MADE HIM MANY."(RSV)
We need to hear the Lord everyday. We need to walk in the Spirit everyday. Today the Lord gives us this wonderful scripture. Scriptures like the Isaiah 51:1-2 can be a real help in time of need. Solid rock to stand on when things are shaking.
It is always important to remember that when we call, or cry out, the Lord answers. Isaiah's scripture shows that the Lord not only hears us, but answers us as well. Today, the Lord says: "Hearken to Me".
To ‘Hearken' unto the Lord means three things: to hear, to listen and to obey what He has to say. The difference between ‘hearing' and listening' is similar to ‘knowing and understanding.' To know something is to hold information in the mind. To understand something is to grasp the meaning of something, and to be able to apply that information in the way it is intended.
The same applies to hearing and listening. To hear something means to perceive sound. To listen to something means to pay attention or make a conscious effort to hear (understand), and to apply what is being communicated.
Finally, to obey means to follow, to act upon, or to comply. When we call, or cry to the Lord, we should know that He is going to answer and we should be poised to act upon, and/or comply with what He has told us.
As we listen to the Lord, let us show that we have heard Him, by obeying what he answers!
God's word today is for those who pursue His Righteousness, His Deliverance. To pursue one thing is to escape another. Pursuing the Lord's righteousness is to flee from that which the world, the flesh and the devil considers to be right(eous) unto the righteousness which is of God. Pursuing deliverance is the same. If we pursue deliverance it is because there is something that we want deliverance from.
‘The troubles of the righteous are many, but the Lord delivers him (the righteous) from them all' (their troubles, afflictions). (Ps 34:19) This scripture promises that if we pursue the Lord's righteousness, we will be delivered from all that troubles us. Our God is wonderful!
Those who trust that the Lord is a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path (Ps 119:105) are those that trust in the Lord's protection and provision when He sends them to bring the Light of Christ into dark places. They have learned to call upon Him, hear His voice and trust what they have heard Him say enough to follow what He has said. This radical obedience is life, is hearing, listening, and following.
According to Isaiah 51:2, even when we are at our weakest point, when we feel dead, God has provided for our needs. When God promised Abraham that he would have a son, God waited until Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was in her 80's to fulfill that promise. By human standards it was impossible to have children. We could say that Abraham and Sarah were so weak that they were dead (reproductively). So too with us! God speaking through Isaiah in chapter 51:2 tells us to hearken of what he once did with them. He will do it for us also.
So wherever we are, let us turn to the Rock from which we were hewn and to the quarry from which we were digged and walk in the blessing of the Lord and the power of His Holy Spirit.
1 Kings 11-14Recently the Lord opened my eyes to a piece of scripture that I would like to share with you. The story in scripture that the Lord opened my eyes to was the story of Jeroboam who was called by God to be King of the10 northern tribes Israel after the death of King Solomon.
The Lord has blessed me with this scripture and I have been led of the Holy Spirit in several situations two of which I will write about here.
In the first situation some friends of ours called us and asked if we would pray for some of the members of their extended family. My wife told our friends that we would be glad to pray and then she came and told me. As I was getting ready for their arrival a strange thing happened to me. Suddenly a sense of dread and fear came over me and I did not understand why. My wife and I prayed about the dread and fear and asked the Lord to show us why it had come and asked the Lord to be with us as we prayed with our friends.
Shortly after that the people arrived. As we began to talk, my wife and I asked them what they wanted to pray about. They said they wanted to have us pray for a safe move to North Carolina and that everything would go well with them here. It was at this point that the Lord prompted me to teach about Jeroboam.
Jeroboam was recognized by King Solomon as ‘a mighty man of valor’ (1 King 11:28). King Solomon even made Jeroboam ruler over the house of Joseph (1 Kings 11:28). Jeroboam was a very blessed man. Shortly thereafter Jeroboam met the prophet Ahijah that had on a new cloak. He and Jeroboam went to a field to be alone and Ahijah took off the new cloak and tore it into 12 pieces. He told Jeroboam to take ten of the pieces and then explained that he would lead 10 of the tribes of Israel because God was rending the Kingdom of Israel from Solomon’s hand. (1 Kings 11:29-31 ) Jeroboam was blessed by God as well.
There was only one condition to the blessing God had given to Jeroboam through the prophet Ahijah. Jeroboam was to follow God’s ways as King David did, but Jeroboam did not follow God’s ways. To the contrary, through his leadership the 10 tribes of the north went astray and did not follow after God. It was because of Jeroboam that Israel was led away captive by her enemies and kicked out of the Promised Land. ( 1 Kings 14:15-16 )
God sent prophets to warn Jeroboam about all that he was doing wrong but he would not listen. The mighty man of valor had turned to deceitful, ways. Finally it began to all come home on him. When Jeroboam’s son Abijah became sick, Jeroboam’s sin, which he tried so desperately to hide was revealed by God’s light. In a vain attempt to hide his identity, he tried to trick the prophet Ahijah into speaking healing for his son Abijah. Jeroboam was sure that the now blind prophet Ahijah would fall pray to her disguise on pronounce a blessing for his son. But God is not mocked!
God spoke to the prophet about what was happening with Jeroboam and his disguised wife and alerted the prophet to the deception. ( 1 Kings 14:1-20). When Jeroboam’s wife arrived Ahijah called her by name and invited her in. Instead of a good word from God through the prophet, Jeroboam received a word of death and destruction….
After I finished delivering this word, the truth surfaced. Those seeking a blessing through prayer were also seeking council from witches and the like. God will never hear such a person’s prayers brothers and sisters. We must choose who we will serve, we cannot serve both. As it turned out, the word about Jeroboam that the Lord gave me was meant to be a word leading to repentance. Unfortunately that never happened. In this case as in the case of Jeroboam the blessing sought after was never received because neither would repent of their sin and rebellion against God. IF ONLY THEY HAD SOUGHT THE LORD with a broken and contrite heart things would have been different, but alas
The second situation that I want to relate happened in the last few months. As it turns out I have been helping a Pastor friend who has a ministry that provides work for people. At the ministry people come to work and I am free to minister Jesus to them in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
There was a lady working at the ministry and I felt the Lord prompting me to speak to her. As it turns out, the Lord once again used the story of Jeroboam to minister. As I was talking with this woman (she was also a sister in Christ) I began by speaking about how the Lord had blessed Jeroboam with a call, to be King over the 10 tribes, and a ministry, to minister as a pastor to His people. The only requirement for Jeroboam was to remain faithful to God like David had. All of this Jeroboam had received from God at the hands of the prophet.
I pointed out to the sister that the same still applies to us today as members of the Body of Christ. We are called to follow Jesus when we hear the Gospel preached by a minister of the Lord. We walk in that call for and as we begin to mature another servant will come along and us to some type of ministry. Usually the call to ministry consists in something like healing, pastoring, interceding, prophesying and the like. In the same way as Jeroboam, the Lord requires us to follow the Lord our God and do as He would have us do. This we know! God calls and equips us and expects us to do this with 100% commitment, but the truth is many of us commit something less than 100% This is sin!
Like Jeroboam we can go around hiding our sin and fooling men, but God is not fooled or mocked. One day we will need to come to account before God for our hidden sin, and perhaps suffer some or all of the fate of Jeroboam.
At this point I was finished talking and I noticed that this sister was silent. Finally she said to me; “ You have just told me something that I did not want to hear, but I believe that God has spoken through you.” You see my sister had hidden sins too. I hope that she repented, and got right with God. She is after all my sister!
Brothers and sisters, I pray that this teaching has been a blessing. May the Body of Christ run ever faster as the ‘Bride without spot or blemish’ to the wedding feast of the Lamb!.
Miguel Silva
The Body of Christ - Romans 12
One Body – Many Members For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same function: 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 … Romans 12:4-15The Lord is growing us up to be His mature body in the earth with Jesus Himself as the head (Ephesians 4:11). There are two ingredients that are absolutely essential to this process. First we must be in a close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ receiving our life and unction from Him. Secondly we must be able to discern the Lord’s body. This includes how we as individual members “fit” into the body, as well as the ability to recognize one another in the spirit without title, position, false covering or other invented methods of men’s system of religion.
Each individual member has a role to play. Understanding how God has wired you to function in His body will help you understand your part as well as the weakness associated with your function. I don’t believe we should walk on egg shells in an attempt to avoid offending others. I think healthy relationships are manifested when all members function as designed walking in forgiveness and love. Then the Lord is glorified. One thing I am learning in an ever deeper way is how much we need each other. We do not need the systems and rules of men that have only served to make the house of God a prison for the souls of men. We need the body of Christ that builds itself up in love because the members have given themselves to know the Lord and are growing up into Him. This allows us to speak the truth in love, have the Lord’s presence in our midst in an ever increasing way to guide and lead us as He sees fit.
Romans chapter twelve list seven gifts differing according to the grace given individuals to function as God designed. I want to define each of the gifts, discuss the proper function, and relate the inherent frustration and weakness associated with each gift. Understanding the cycle of frustration and weakness will help us uncover the enemy’s snare to cripple us, helping us to resist him and draw near to the Lord. The purpose of the body of Christ is to show forth the manifold wisdom of God unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places. The Lord bringing us into this unity of faith driven by our love for the Lord and our love for one another will be the final blow to the enemy and then we will be able to declare with the angels the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of the Lord and His Christ forever.
It is important you do not confuse these gifts with ministry gifts mentioned in Ephesians chapter four or spiritual gifts mentioned in First Corinthians chapter twelve. Think of these as personality traits. I know there have been many studies along these lines; my hope is what is shared will serve as a catalyst for deeper study that encourages every part to function effectively to the maturing of the body in love.
1. Prophet: Able to see what God is doing and desires to do and calls it forth.
They are very helpful in facilitating the flow of a meeting because of the ability to see what God is doing. They are frustrated when the Lord does not have His way, people hold back, or the word is not received.
The tendency is to become angry leading to rejection. This can become a cycle that hinders further growth. Understanding this tendency and allowing the Lord to provide His love void of compromise will help this gift function properly to the benefit of the body (Romans 12:9).
2. Servant: Sees what needs to be done and does it. Removes obstacles so people can get to God.
They are of great benefit in removing hindrances to the progression of individual faith or the purpose of God in a meeting. They are able to clear the path so others are able to come to God. They are frustrated because they often feel alone in doing what “obviously” needs to be done. They can not understand why others don’t “do their part” or can not see what needs to be done.
The tendency is to be filled with self-pity leading to bitterness. The Lord is able to help them prefer (clear the way) for others with brotherly love (Romans 12:10).
3. Teacher: Gives vocabulary and understanding to what God is stirring in the heart of His people / situation.
God moves upon and speaks to the spirit of man. Often believers struggle to give proper expression to what God is stirring deep in their heart. When the teacher speaks, the hearer is quickened because finally there is expression to this deep stirring of the spirit. Teachers are frustrated when people don’t get it. They think if they see it, everyone should see it just as clearly.
The tendency is to complain which leads to self-righteousness. The complaint is usually in the form of frustration about people not “getting it”. The Lord instructs the teacher to serve the Lord with fervency and energy without grief (Romans 12:11).
4. Exhorter: Able to ascend to the Throne of God and call His people higher.
We desperately need this gift to function as intended. The call to come high by those that have experience imparts hope and faith for the rest of the body to respond properly to the Lord. They are frustrated at the lack of response and lack of interest in what they know to be true and readily available.
The tendency is to be critical leading to pride. The Lord shows them how to rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation and persevere in prayer. Their criticism is turned to intercession (Romans 12:12).
5. Giver: Brings to bear the resources of heaven and earth to advance the Kingdom of God. Able to impart what is needed to move things forward.
Givers give more than money, they give whatever is needed. They have an understanding that everything belongs to the Lord and are able to draw upon that resource. They usually have the spiritual gift of faith and discernment. They are frustrated when the things (physical or spiritual) provided are not used as intended.
The tendency is manipulation leading to control. The Lord reminds and requires them to distribute to the necessity of the saints and be given to hospitality (Romans 12:13).
6. Ruler: Values all the individual pieces / members and is able to bring them together as the building of God.
The ruler builds things. In a meeting they will labor to bring the individual parts together to fit as a whole. They value the individual gifting and see how it fits into the larger picture. They are frustrated when things are chaotic, out of order or fragmented. They are very frustrated if people resist the vision. Things must come together to function as a whole.
The tendency is to dominate in order to assure order which leads to hardness. The Lord will cause the ruler to bless those that persecute or resist the work. To bless and curse not is a great weapon to break the cycle of domination and hardness (Romans 12:14).
7. Mercy: Brings the presence (heart of the Lord) into meeting or situation.
Mercy is able to sense the heart of the Lord and to bring His presence into the seen realm. Mercy struggles to find the right words, but feels the heart and desire of the Lord deeply. The rest of the body must wait upon mercy if they want to know the Lord’s heart. Mercy is frustrated when there is no place made for the Lord’s heart in a meeting or situation. They are frustrated with anything that appears calloused or hard.
The tendency is for mercy to function in human sympathy leading to weakness. Human sympathy drains the life of God and cripples the recipient. The Lord commands us to Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Keeping this balance will help mercy to function in a healthy way (Romans 12:15).
Each person is born with a particular grace. There is one important note. Just because a person has a prophet grace does not mean they do not have to learn to serve or have mercy. It simply means they have a natural disposition towards a particular gifting / grace. The design of the enemy is to cripple us from moving according to divine purpose. If the enemy can not destroy a person’s life, then he will attempt to trap a person to function in a lower level not realizing full potential. All of these gifts have functions that are seen on a lower level then what God intended. For instance the prophet personality may be chosen to serve on a board of directors or other advisory type positions. The Servant may find themselves as laborers, babysitters, housecleaners doing the work others don’t want to do. Teachers will find a way to share knowledge in some capacity. The Exhorter will be found in some type of motivational field, politics, counseling or motivational speaker. The giver is very resourceful probably in some business. The ruler will find a job to manage and direct. I am sure many CEO’s are rulers functioning at a lower level. Mercy will function in social service jobs, nursing or other helping type positions. I am not saying that our current job automatically identifies your gift because many individuals are working in jobs that are not fitted to them. I am only pointing out that we need to lift our vision to what God intended so we can function as designed to His Glory.
By the Grace of God through Larry Fuhrken, Bristol Virginia