James Chapter 3 - If You Must Rule…Rule Well!

1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

For a somewhat clearer understanding, let’s look at verse one in the Amplified version.  (Amp) Not MANY of you should become teachers, self- constituted censors and reprovers of others my brethren, for you know that we teachers will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation.

Matthew 23 makes this even more clear.  “8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” 

If I teach this lesson and allow my own will to enter in I have become a transgressor.  Ministers who teach anything without specific scripture to back them up will receive the greater condemnation.  I know of teachers whose personal beliefs ran against scripture who have gotten involved in the intimate lives of married couples.  The things they taught against were not even mentioned in scripture.  They taught their own opinions based upon what made them uncomfortable and presented it as coming from God.  Some things they themselves practiced went against scripture though I believe we have a grace in Christ that the Jews do not. 

Our prejudices often come to the forefront in our words though God Himself does not subscribe to the same prejudices.  I have read in scripture that righteousness has no place with unrighteousness and a born again saint of God must not marry a sinner.  In this country we would rather teach that God is against interracial marriage when our God says He is against interspecies marriage.  Why interspecies you ask?  Because my Bible tells me that if I am in Christ I am a new creature; old things are passed away and all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).  If I am in Christ I am a heavenly creature and am now living on a higher plane than those creatures I have left behind.  Though we have similar DNA we are no longer what they are spiritually and that is what matters to God.  In His grace God has made an allowance for those of us who are already married to unsaved people, but the allowance is so the sinner may be sanctified by the believers faith in hopes they will themselves come to God for themselves.  God does not allow for a saint to marry a sinner.  Sadly, this not only occurs but is prevalent in today’s church.  We would rather marry into the world than live without carnal affection for a season to allow God to change us or prepare a godly mate. 

Apostle Paul was extremely careful when presenting Biblical truths and when he came to an area where he was uncomfortable or had a personal opinion he was quick to say it was his opinion and not the Lord’s commandment (1 Corinthian 7:6-11).  Jesus railed upon the scribes and Pharisees who according to Him would cross oceans to make one convert and then make that person a worse child of the devil than they themselves (Matthew 23:15).  Not only is it wrong to teach your own opinions in the place of scripture, but God Himself takes personal interest in every word that proceeds out of your mouth in His name.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Once again, let’s look at the Amplified version.  2 For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech never says the wrong things, he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature. 

Perhaps I’m the only one who has struggled with his tongue over the years.  I came from the land of say the first thing that comes to mind and that place will never bring you to any level of maturity and success in Christ Jesus.  Verse two is accurate.  We often stumble and fall and offend.  We are spiritual beings and yet we live in a body that is a bundle of impulses and desires.  It wants what it wants and without proper scriptural training our brains think what our body wants.  We must have our minds renewed by the Word of God.  Out of the abundance of the heart (spirit) the mouth speaks.  The Word of God must go through your mind to get to your spirit.  Living scripturally is anti-common sense.  God wants you to have uncommon senses.

The carnal mind cannot understand the concept and so it must be turned into the renewed godly mind.  Only then will your mouth speak as the oracles of God.  If you renew your mind and thought processes with God’s Word and as the preacher said in service today, meditate day and night, you will have a spirit that allows only the words of life to come forth.

 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses 'mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

You cannot put a bit in a horse’s mouth and expect the horse to obey unless the horse has been trained.  An untrained horse will stomp you into the ground as they did to Jezebel (2 Kings 9:35).  The real point of this verse is that your mouth must be trained.  Your heart must be obedient.  Your mind must WANT to obey God and that DEMANDS training.  Have you ever read the responses that follow online news reports?  There are always a few Christians who offer a godly response to the report.  The posts that follow are usually violently angry and rude toward the Christian.  Our way of life is hated by the earth dwellers (unsaved) and you will never be able to stand in this way of life if you are not fully committed and trained.  Once a saint of God is trained the faintest whisper by the Holy Spirit will move you wherever God chooses.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

I have spoken rashly in my younger days and caused pain to others.  I have been rudely spoken to by others throughout the years and if I had not been strongly committed to God I might have backslidden.  How you mumble and complain about your treatment is a strong indicator of the state of your heart.  That ship in verse four requires an exquisitely balanced rudder to properly guide it.  A badly designed ship’s rudder will make a ship dangerous and hard to steer during foul weather.  Only by intelligence and wisdom is a child of God led by His Spirit.  Without that wisdom and an ear to hear we live in great peril.

One wrong word spoken in the ear of an immature saint will bring their godly walk to a screeching halt.  God expects us to endure hardness and that requires maturity and a heart to serve above all else.  Saints who walk around with a chip on their shoulder will never become successful until they grow up and learn to endure insults and rudeness.  I frequently hear born again saints tell me they do not have to put up with this or that.  Hogwash!  They absolutely DO have to put up with it.  Does this mean you have to accept physical or emotional abuse from someone day after day?  No.  For those who simply refuse to change or grow up there is a time to cut them loose and allow God to lead them down the road of hard knocks. 

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

I think we can see how hard it is to control our tongues.  Far too many saints don’t even try.  They are babes, unable to handle strong meat, drinkers of milk.  To handle strong meat we must learn how to spit out the bones before they stick in our throat and choke us.  In the same manner we must learn to spit out insults and threats before they choke our peace and begin to damage our spiritual walk.  Of all people, Christians should not wear their emotions on their sleeve to be pummeled by others.  Our GOD GIVEN love ought to have a strong enough hold upon us to allow us to walk away with peace.

Does it make us stronger to move against every person who speaks out against us?  I’m not talking about someone who is actually harming us, just about that person who talks about us or cusses us out.  Most of our discomfort will be words rather than physical threats.  Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is full of actual physical danger leading to death.  In these cases you enter an entirely different arena.  In this country the threats are usually to our self-esteem or feelings.  That is a tremendous area of weakness in American Christians.  We believe we have a right to feel good about ourselves and be universally loved.  Anyone who assaults that right makes us angry.  Our spiritual control should be greater than that.  God expects us to walk in His Peace (John 14:27).  If God has told us not to be afraid or troubled He must have given us the ability to walk in that level of faith.

I am adding to this because of a news story from Syria.  A Christian pastor was out preaching the gospel last week when the Muslims came and murdered all four of his sons in cold blood and left them laying on the ground.  The oldest looked to be about fifteen.  He was asked if he would stop preaching the gospel.  He said he would NEVER stop preaching the gospel and in the midst of his weeping said, “I will preach the Gospel of my Lord Jesus with every breath I possess.” 

Would you?

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

We have a tremendous ability to control the world around us.  One powerful example of anti-God attitude is the movement over the past few decades to give animals rights and remove any marks of mankind from the Earth.  Animals were given to us for our pleasure and we have chosen to worship them, humanize them and relate to them.  There is nothing wrong with treating animals humanely but there is a serious problem placing their needs over man’s.  They are here to serve us and make our life better.  It’s foolish to destroy entire species of animals out of ignorance, greed and wanton destruction but it is insulting to God on a personal level to place the needs of an animal over mankind’s.  Man is created a spirit just like God’s Spirit.  Animals are natural beasts without spirit.  They are not in the same league as we are.

It always astounds me how God shows me real life examples to reveal not only how we are supposed to rule this earth but how we might fail Him so extraordinarily.  In the news today was a group called 269life who often heat a branding iron like we use on cattle and brand themselves.  Their purpose is to show solidarity with animals we raise for food.  They call all meat eaters the ‘Nazi’s’ of the animal kingdom.  They drag their member examples from cages by chains around the neck and after heating a branding iron with the number 269 on it, press it toward the member’s flesh.  What caught my attention this particular time was the most recent example was done to an Israeli man in Tel Aviv Israel who allowed himself to be branded. 

The Jews ARE God’s chosen people.  Gentile Christians are loved by God but we will never have that particular status though we are part of the spiritual Abraham.  God specifically told the Jews which animals He was allowing them to eat.  The ones they were NOT allowed to eat were unclean, not more noble.  Only man is created in the image and likeness of God; in other words, we are spiritual creatures and animals are not.  They are carne, flesh, while we are pneuma, spirit.  They have taken a white calf marked with the number 269 as their symbol.  This entire group and their symbolic actions are an affront to God on many levels. 

God demanded the sacrifice of a lamb on the day of Passover so His death angel would pass over the Jews and spare their first born.  The death of an animal for our sins has existed since the time of Adam and Eve.  Animals have always been sacrificed for our sins, a life for a life.  It is something we should not take lightly.  The Egyptians worshipped cattle and that practice caused Aaron and Israel to sin with the golden calf.  The fact that a Jew has placed himself on a level with cattle and has allowed himself to be branded for what amounts to a religious belief of equality must be viewed by God as a terrible sin.  We have chosen to identify with a creature God made us masters over and spit on the living spirit that is a human.  Satan has once again shown his hand by raising up this terrible sin in Israel itself.

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

My parents used to tell me, “If you don’t have something good to say about someone, don’t say anything at all.”  That good advice aside, it rarely prevents others from offering an opinion about those around them.  I can’t recall my father having much to say against others.  He went about his life assisting others whenever he could and I rarely saw him angry toward another person.  Scripture is full of examples of wagging tongues speaking against others.  I have been cursed by people all over the world.  In most cases it came from my inability or unwillingness to help someone financially when THEY felt I should. 

If we trust God to be both the author AND the finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) we ought to trust God to be the preserver and builder of our relationships with one another.  We should also trust Him to ensure our needs are met and direction is given.  That seems to be the most difficult for us, to trust Him for direction and guidance.  Proverbs 3:5-6 is pretty specific.  If we trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him, He shall direct our paths.  Fussing about others because we do not approve of their actions toward us is not trusting God.  Prayer is a much better use of your time.

9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Once again we read that we are made after the similitude of God.  He does not say this about any creature on the face of the earth except man.  We are a living spirit.  Our spirit is made alive, made connected with God’s Spirit by the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus.  We alone are capable of being redeemed.  There is no such gift for the other living beasts on the earth.  They are alive and capable of reproduction in a natural sense but not in a spiritual sense.  God has given us humans alone that blessing.  This is why it so offends God to see us worship animals or place them on the same level as us.  He sent His Son to die for mankind, not animal kind. 

Animals are little more than reproducing machines with limited intelligence.  They used to flee from us until we bred them to be used as food animals.  They have no rights nor can they.  How foolish is it to allow yourself to be branded so you, a higher level being made in the image of God can feel kinship with a dumb animal.  What an incredible insult for our God when we do so.  Treating them with kindness or even dispatching them as painlessly as possible so they do not needlessly suffer is a gracious thing offered from a higher being to a lower one; but do not anthropomorphize them in your mind to being human.  They are not.

You might ask what this has to do with your tongue; but if you esteem mankind to be on the same level as animals and believe yourself to be more noble because of your position, you place yourself in the position of cursing man AND God, telling Him that His great gift to us is unappreciated and that we consider the dumb beasts of the field (who we still worship in parts of the world), to be of equal importance with those He sent His Beloved Son to die for.  If God destroyed us outright for this sin rather than giving us freedom to one day grow up and accept His wonderful gift then there would be few of us left alive to come to Him.

11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

God made us male and female.  He called homosexuality an abomination.  He created animals to serve us as barely thinking servants.  He made us living spirits capable of being reborn into fellowship with His Spirit.  Man has chosen to curse those who tell them they are not free to love and have sexual relationships with whoever they wish if it goes against the Word of God.  They mock us for believing something which God decided millennium ago and tell us we need to get with the times.  If you do not believe there is a press toward this lifestyle of sin and degradation, watch the news and other sites.  Whenever you see a tearing down of Christian standards of living or those calling sodomy and twisted sexual practices noble, you are seeing direct action of Satan in the lives of man.  To see an Israeli on the news this week placing himself on the same level as cattle shows just how much Satan has sought to destroy the work of God.

13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Notice it says the meekness of wisdom.  Wisdom simply states her case and then rests.  She does not strive or insist on having her own way.  You may choose to do what you will.  This is what free will means for mankind.  God will not force you to serve Him, though He will judge you eventually for your decision.  If you are two men and want to have the same opportunities as a married man and woman your hearts are filled with bitter envy and it causes you to bring strife toward those around you.  God is not impressed with your arguments or cute turns of phrase.  He is calling you to cease from your glorying and stop lying against God’s law.  He will always prove His law and calling Him a liar is not the way to survive.  Your time on the earth will end quickly and then the judgment. 

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Where it says, ‘this wisdom’ it speaks of the wisdom of man and Satan’s demonic touch.  Notice it says it is earthly, SENSUAL and devilish.  It comes from your wayward bodies which God has often called you to get under subjection.  That you feel like you are a homosexual is not an excuse nor a reason before God to become one.  It is just a feeling and God is greater than our feelings.  Notice in the previous verse it was bitter envy and strife and now it is simply envy and strife.  The natural man does not want to serve God and fights against His commands.  The natural mind brings confusion and even greater evil to bear against the forces of God and good.   They lash out in ever increasing ways against God’s people and eventually will try to bring an end to the life of God’s children. 

We are even now approaching such a thrust of anger and rage against the church.  Many godless organized churches will welcome those sinners with open arms and not require any change in their lives.  The churches that believe God’s Word will be regularly attacked and held in derision by both the sinner and supposed saint who like the Sadducees believes only in what comforts them and not the truth which will make them free.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

As a saint of God I do not rail on those who have left God.  I pray for them, encourage them to do better and hope they will draw close to God and make proper decisions.  Our motivation is above all pure.  We are not striving to take money.  Giving is part of our walk but not our motivation.  Salvation is.  We are peacemakers and gentle.  The Southern church that has preached so much hatred toward homosexuals is not this sort of church.  They are drama seekers and rage multipliers.  We are easy to be entreated.  You can talk to us, tell us where you’re at and solicit our help in drawing closer to God. 

We are merciful and our lives are full of godly fruit.  We do not judge anyone’s worth or value to God since He Himself has chosen them and is their judge and strength.  We are only here to help and live honestly before you in truth without hypocrisy or lies.  Satan is the big hypocrite.  He calls truth a lie and a lie truth.  He can paint any picture to seem beautiful and if you do not know God’s Word you can be made to stumble.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

I have seen those who lie and do not do the truth.  I have seen them fall short and be filled with hatred and rage.  We are supposed to be peaceful and filled with righteousness.  Our peace is passed from saint to saint but it will also cause the unrighteous to hate us.  They have no peace and will threaten all those who do.  They want what we have and cannot obtain it any other way but God’s.  This is not acceptable to them and they continue to rage against us.

Beloved, trying times are coming to try our faith and labor of love.  I pray you hold to that love and keep your faith.

Bishop J

Forgive!

John 14:27

 

Proverbs 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

Forgive. 

Forgive what? 

Just forgive.

But Lord, they hurt me.

As you have hurt Me. I have forgiven you.

But they have hurt my family.

As you have hurt My Son. Forgive as My Son has forgiven you.

But Father, they have stolen my property.

Have you paid all your tithes; all your offerings to Me? If you missed some; have you paid it back plus twenty percent? Is there not one dollar, one single cent you have failed to give me when it was due?  Shall my Spirit audit you? Forgive.

Father, I want to forgive; I do, but I am afraid. What if they take advantage of me?

I see. You doubt My ability to preserve you. You believe I am like those other gods who cannot save; who need their worshippers to fight for them. Am I a toothless lion; a block of wood? You have suffered because I have suffered. You have endured; because I, the Lord thy God have endured. 

But Lord, You said we must fight.

Your weapons are not carnal. They are mighty only through me. I sent plagues through Israel to punish them; disease, serpents and fierce nations. Your anger and rage are misplaced. I Am The Lord! Vengeance Is Mine and I WILL REPAY! You Forgive!

Pray for the souls of your enemies. Pray for their change of heart. Enlarge your vision! You think small; too small. You pray for your neighbor while you should pray for all Islam. Do you think I have no interest in their salvation? You pray for your mayor and I want to change heathen kings! You ought to do both! Are you afraid to speak against lies or speak the truth of the gospel? Frightened men who refuse to speak lest a terrorist threatens them? Terror is not of man.

I AM stirring up Iran.  I will draw the nations with hooks of iron because of your words of salvation until all hate you; but some will listen. You WILL be hated by all ungodly men, but some will repent! They will curse you in the street, but your words will be upheld. You will turn men and women over to Satan until they repent, and I will uphold your words. Your words cannot be in anger. What you do, you must do for their good, that they may be saved; not because you are angry.

Why do I ask you to forgive? Because I will not have you speaking death where I have spoken life. I insist you believe in Me more than you fear them. You cannot die; I have given you life. No man can take away your life. Even the life of the flesh is Mine to keep or spare! Do you trust your God? 

As the clouds roll across the sky, so does My Spirit go to and fro across the Earth. I did not send My Son only for those who surrender immediately. I sent Him for those who will come kicking and screaming into the truth. Beware lest you curse one who I have called. Forgive.

I have spoken by My prophets. Doors are opening all over the Earth! Do not miss the opportunity because you will not forgive those who persecute you. Do not miss it because you refuse to forgive those who persecute your loved ones. Who will raise you if I no longer forgave you? My forgiveness is eternal. I have forgiven who you are, who you were and who you are becoming. Do the same. Forgive.

If you cannot forgive, cry out to me for strength. When serpents bit Israel , they had to look upon the bronze serpent to live. If you would live, you must look upon My Son to live. You must forgive as He forgave you. Did I make you pay for your sins? No! When you asked; when you repented, I forgave you freely. You MUST do likewise. 

Does someone owe you money? Does the debt cause you pain? Do you return to it time after time? Forgive.

Do not carry a grudge or a chip on your shoulder wherever you go. Forgive and pray for those who have wounded you.

F   O   R   G   I   V   E   !

Because I love you.

James Chapter 2 - Get In The Act!

1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

Consider Israel in the beginning of the first century.  God had ordained that there be priests, Levites and a single High Priest.  The High Priest was for all practical purposes the head of Israel.  Before this time the doctrine of angels, spirits, good and evil was well established.  At the time of Jesus’ entrance into Israel’s history as a human being the priesthood was broken down into Pharisees and Sadducees.  Like many of our Christian churches today, the Sadducees did not believe in spirits, angels or the absolutes of good and evil (Acts 23:2-8).  Serving God was to them a concept of obtaining power and authority.  The Pharisees did believe in the pantheon of spirits as well as in God.  Both believed in Israel’s destiny as a great people and as they considered the Maccabean revolution a century before, believed God or destiny would once again put Israel into power.

Jesus came to save the pauper as well as the prince.  This idea was totally unacceptable to the Sadducees who were the most powerful part of the priesthood at this time.  Things had gotten so out of control that the Sadducees had created an entirely new class of priest called Chief Priests.  These rulers even built raised walkways above the normal walkways in the temple so they would not have to walk among the peons, the lowly ordinary people or even ordinary priests.  They always took the best places in the feasts and enjoyed being respected and bowed to (Matthew 23:1-11).  When Jesus came into the temple and beat the money changers (loan sharks) He was directly challenging their leadership and greed. 

They were everything he was not and so his ideas and words could not stand in their sight.  We should always keep in mind that though most Jews have a reputation for being sharp traders, they also had a powerful, scriptural reputation for giving.  The Sadducees and Pharisees had taken this godly requirement and added bylaws that allowed them to escape what seemed to them to be an onerous requirement.  Jesus had rebuked them more than once for being blind leaders of the blind (Matthew 15:12-14).  Jesus taught that God honored those who were the servants of all.

If this is the case then we shouldn’t be guilty of placing special honor on secular leaders or business people.  We ought to have respect for everyone regardless of rank or fame or wealth.  Verse one does not say we should not have the faith of Jesus the Messiah, the Lord of all Glory.  It says we should not have the faith of Jesus Christ and allow ourselves to have respect for titles and rank.  Scripture says, “God is not willing that ANY should perish,” yet for all His glorious power He will be disappointed on judgment day.  Consider that truth for a moment.  Almighty God has left Himself open for disappointment in order to give us free will in serving Him.  What He wants and demands from us is that we become all things to all men so we might by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:22). 

2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

Notice the word ‘for’ in verse two.  That means it continues from verse one without a break in context.  Verse three begins with and which is a conjunction and joins it with verse two.  Verse four also continues the thought.  These four verses are one single comment.  What are you going to do when an obviously affluent man or woman comes into the church followed by someone who looks like they slept on the street last night?  Will you treat the wealthy person with dignity and tell the smelly one to sit in back?  To God they are one in the same for value.  If you judge your visitors and members by how much they give in the offering then you have become what this verse abhors.

Our financial needs must be met by our faith in God and His ministry upon the hearts of those we touch.  I have had a few opportunities to pay tithes on large sums of money even though my average income has never been much.  While there is always a twinge of fear or doubt when you go against Satan and step outside your comfort zone, it is a thrilling experience…I highly recommend it.  Now, having said that, look at the newcomers in your midst with an eye to what they need from the Lord and what gifts God has blessed them with that might assist the work God has given you.  Never look at wallets or you might miss the move of God. 

5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

1 Corinthians 1: 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Queen Elizabeth once said she was saved by an ‘M.’  The scripture says that not MANY mighty or noble are called rather than not ANY.  She said she was thankful that God made a way even for her.  We who are in Christ must understand that God has a plan for our lives and He fully intends to fulfill that plan.  It’s not about you but about the plan.  He has certain souls who he wants to send your way and unless you are ready, with the correct attitude and open heart, they might well never hear the words of salvation.  My great concern is that on the day of judgment, when Jesus opens the books to see my actions and reward me for the words I have spoken there will be missing names and dates where I was not in the Spirit and did not hear the call of God.

He’s not looking for rich or famous, poor or downtrodden, wise or dull.  He’s looking for obedient souls who will speak the word in season and out of season; who are willing to reprove, rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2-4).  He does have a soft spot in His heart for the poor and downtrodden because He sees they are badly treated by their wealthy brethren.  God will not put up with this (Luke 16:25).

6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

It has often bothered me that I am not a great organizer or a great Bible scholar; that I have struggled for so many years to accomplish what I have.  I have come to realize that my greatest impediment to success has always been my inability to let go and let God.  He didn’t call me because I was a great leader of men or could read the Bible one time and its words would always be at my beck and call.  He called me because I was not a great leader and because of my struggles to memorize and walk comfortably in scripture. 

There is no doubt who any successes in my life belong to.  They all belong to Jesus.  If I fail it is because I put my own skills first and failed to release the work of the Holy Spirit.  I CAN do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).  I shall succeed in everything in Christ who made me and gave Himself for me.  All along the way I will reach out to those He has placed in my path and He will become a miracle in their lives as well.

Because it is not me who has earned these honors I will never allow myself to forget just how far God has brought me and I will continue to reach out to those who need His help.  Wealth is to assist in the building of the body of Christ.  God doesn’t need our wealth since it all came from Him anyway and He certainly does not need our power which also begins in Him.  It is easy for me to be humble.  I know what I am and whose I am.  It is easy for me to surrender to Jesus because I need everything He is offering me. 

In all honesty I do not understand those who believe they deserve God’s gifts.  I understand that Lucifer, the prince of light became the devil, the prince of darkness because of pride.  He believed he could sit on God’s throne by virtue of the extraordinary beauty of his person.  He was all spirit and not afflicted by these frail human bodies; nevertheless he fell by one of the most insidious of vices, pride.  He believed he was worthy.  There are many delusional people in the world who still believe in their position. 

Some will become famous for their voice or business acumen or acting talent.  Others will build military empires and stand before the world declaring, “I have created this great nation!”  Every one of them possessed a gift, given by God and used for their own selfish purposes.  Every one of them like Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30-37) will fall.  The greater their natural gifts, the greater will be their fall.  It is a far better thing to remain humble and give God the glory.

God will have His glory.  You can never die enough to escape His judgment.  When Israel went to battle under Joshua and was badly defeated, Joshua prayed until God revealed that sin was in Achan’s house (Joshua 7:19-20).  Joshua’s statement to Achan was not, “Tell me what you did and you may live.”  His statement was, “Glorify God by telling the truth.”  Achan admitted that he had stolen some gold and clothing during the attack and had coveted.  He took what God had ordained for Himself and God told it to everyone.  There was no plea bargain involved just like there was none in Judas’ life.  He and his family went to hell after honoring God with the truth.

As far as we are concerned, God will have His honor and that honor should be as important to us as it is to Him.  God said of Pharaoh to Moses, “I will get mine honor.”  Pharaoh had stolen God’s honor by claiming to be a god and keeping Israel in cruel bondage.  Whether He works it out while we are alive or after we die, God will get His honor out of our lives.  You may be rich or famous or talented, but one day, living or dead, you will stand before the God of the universe and give God His glory.  Once that happens, judgment comes.  It is far better to give it now while we live than too late after we’re dead.  By that time He will get His honor and we will be cast into Hell.

8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

I have several neighbors.  Most of them wave in a friendly manner as they drive past me and I wave back.  Some just look at me and drive on.  My requirement is to love them all and pray for them.  If I choose to dislike those who dislike me I have become a transgressor.  If I dislike those who actively hate me I am a transgressor.  I am not given a choice.  There are often opportunities to show God’s love to the unlovable and I must always be ready to do so.  If I do not love them and pray for them I am a sinner and transgressor of the law. 

Sitting here I am trying to think of a good example but all that comes to me is a Jew praying for Hitler’s soul before he died.  He was an evil man who killed six million Jews during the Holocaust and yet by God’s Word, we should have prayed for him every day.  Why?  Because vengeance belongs to God.  Hatred is too strong a spirit for us to manage.  God can hate and love perfectly but we tend to hate everything that is not like us.  This is unacceptable to God.  We must care enough to pray and He will make the final decision and dispensation of justice.

10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

The whole point here is that nobody can keep the law of God.  Paul has expressed this over and over again.  The hard work is to continue to press toward the mark in holiness, study, prayer, fasting, love, grace, mercy and all the spiritual gifts while doing your very best to obey His Word.  You cannot allow the fact that you will not be able to live up to God’s standards prevent you from trying.  The Word is clear…PRESS!  Do not allow the fact that what you would not do you do (Romans 7:15-17).  You will fail from time to time.  Study to show yourself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15).  The Holy Spirit will bring what you learn to you when you need it (John 14:26).  Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10).  According to the Law, the 613 Torah commandments and a host of New Testament instructions you have already failed if you are trying to succeed in this thing by your natural abilities or even your own spiritual ones.

12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

I said earlier that you must love those who hate you.  That’s not so difficult but when you consider loving those who have grievously hurt you, it gets much more difficult.  What about loving those who have grievously hurt those you love.  Now them there’s fighting words!  I’m gonna…  You’re going to what?  Cuss them out?  Kill them?  Destroy them?  No.  If you are sold out to Jesus and dead to sin and the flesh, you are going to LOVE them.  Have I opened up an entire can of worms here?  I’m not saying you hold the bullets while someone kills a family member but I am saying that after the deeds are done you are required to love that hateful person and try to win them back to God. 

Am I the only one in need of some stretching?  Now, if you are saying it does not take all that and God would not require that of you…you’re wrong…hopefully not DEAD wrong.  It takes your very life and soul and spirit to serve God.  Your brain and every feeling too.  For with what measure you meet, with that measure it will be meted unto you (Matthew 7:2).

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

This is one of those rubber meets the road verses.  It’s not about lofty thoughts or passionate prayers, it’s action that makes your prayers and faith real.  The next verse is going to give examples, but let’s look at a few others.  You’re needed in a specific place but it makes you uncomfortable.  Do you stay or press until God says you’re done or do you take the out?  Do you even ask?  In many areas, we flit from circumstance to circumstance without even a thought to prayer.  One of my favorite teachers, Chuck Missler once said, “If you are a woman looking for a dress; do you take God to the store with you?” 

We often quote, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).”  It’s a wonderful scripture but do you ask for guidance before making these momentous decisions?  Yes, feeding the poor is an act, and so is helping little old ladies across the street; but prayer, fasting and knowing God’s Word is also an act.  It takes faith to operate the weapons of God’s warfare but if you do not know how to use the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit, you can have no faith to use.

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Pay your tithes.  Simple, yes?  Find out how much income you have before your government takes it from you.  Take ten percent of that amount and give it to the Lord.  You say you don’t make enough to live on without that ten percent?  God says you do.  Who is right?  If you trust Him and receive His blessings then He is.  If you cheat Him and still can’t make ends meet, He is.  God is always right and so is His Word.  If we spent less time justifying why we don’t do the scriptural thing and more time just helping one another then God would have some incentive to make the money flow.  Until then, we keep ourselves in poverty.  You will always prosper in direct proportion to your faith and that faith requires action.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Faith without works is dead.  Work without faith is just work.  Work motivated by faith is miraculous.  We need to be working miracles.  Let’s take this faith out for a spin and see what it can do.  Faith is never invisible if you know what to look for.  Whenever we press toward the mark against all odds it shows.  There is strong confusion in the eyes of those who watch us as they wonder why we are always in a position to fail … but don’t.  What is it that makes our path like butter?  We know it’s faith but they only know we have some source they do not understand.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

It’s not enough.  Just knowing that there is one God is not enough.  The demons who afflict us regularly believe and tremble at the name of God.  They know their time is nigh.  You cannot serve God in the privacy of your own mind.  Serving God requires outreach in love, mercy, grace, service and more service.  Without this service and outreach your faith is in vain.  It has no power and no future.  I’ve run into those who believe in the live and let live attitude of someone who doesn’t care what anyone believes because the grace of God is sufficient.  Yes, the grace of God is sufficient as long as you are pressing toward the mark of the calling.  If you are living in your sin with no desire to improve or press closer, that grace will wave at you as you break open Hell.  Faith drives you to do the works of God as you rise higher.  You backslide as you cease climbing.  There is no static position in Christ, you are either rising or falling.

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

Some people read Romans 4:2 and James 2:21 and say the Bible contradicts itself.  Paul’s statement in Romans is somewhat incomplete because while we are not justified by the works of the Torah (law), our faith is activated by works.  Even Paul specifies in Galatians 2:16 that he is speaking about the Jewish adherence to the 613 Old Testament laws.  As I stated earlier, “Faith without works is dead.  Work without faith is just work.  Work motivated by faith is miraculous.”  It doesn’t even matter if it is strictly speaking, “Ministry stuff.”  If you walk before God in faith, God honors your faith.  I once asked my late apostle why he could give someone advice that wasn’t specifically scriptural.  It wasn’t unscriptural, just not a scriptural promise of God.  He told me that when you have a relationship with God, He will answer just for the relationship’s sake.

Abraham could have stayed at home with his wife and said, “Lord I believe.”  He would never have received anything.  He left his wife (who he never saw alive again) and climbed a mountain alone with Isaac.  He believed to the point of raising the knife to slay his son when God stopped him.  It was enough.  The foundation of Israel had been established, not in blood, but in something stronger.  His faith SHOWED in his actions.  There are Jewish historical accounts of Isaac and his wife climbing up the same mountain where his father offered him because after years of marriage his wife was still not pregnant.  That ACT of climbing to the place of his being offered to God moved God to act on his behalf and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.  Isaac and Rebekah had CONTENDED for the faith.

Jude 1:3 says we should earnestly CONTEND for the faith.  Part of this is to pray effectually and fervently (James 5:16) which in itself is an ACT of faith.  God will give us responsibilities to accomplish and these responsibilities, these actions, reveal our faith. 

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus said that unless our righteousness exceeded the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees we could not enter the kingdom of heaven.  Christians have an arrogant disdain of the Pharisees.  We often fail to recognize just how hard they worked to be sinless and holy before God.  What we do by the unction of the Holy Spirit, they tried to do by obeying the Law.  These men poured their lives into serving God but without the cleansing work of Jesus it was largely wasted.

Abraham didn’t have all of Moses’ laws to follow.  For him, service to God was easier AND harder.  It was easier because there were fewer laws to obey and as long as he faithfully obeyed and trusted God everything worked out.  It was harder because while he had fewer laws to obey, just having the laws took away much of the question of, “Am I doing the right thing.”  He struggled by being a trailblazer of faith without knowing exactly what God wanted.  God made the rules to make sure Israel knew that He was interested in EVERY aspect of their lives.  Instead of all those little rules we have been given His Spirit to lead us. 

It should be much easier to serve God with His Spirit in us and yet we rarely make the effort to develop an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the church (Revelation 2:7, 17).  If God gave all those rules to Israel to make sure they knew how serious He was, doesn’t it make sense that we should learn to hear and obey His indwelling Spirit even more so we can more accurately obey His commandments?  Does God expect us to follow Him less now that we are in Christ?  God forbid.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Hebrews 11:1 says that, “…faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.”  If I only hope to be healed, I am not healed.  If my faith gives substance to my hope then I will behave as if I am healed until the manifestation of that healing comes.  This means that I will not walk around moping or sad or unbelieving.  It also means that if there are steps I can take to bring this healing to pass I should take those steps.  If I know that eating too much and not exercising will make diabetes and high blood pressure worse then I should exercise and eat properly so God can heal me.  We used to sing a song that says, “You take one step and He (God) takes two.”  The English word ‘wait’ has many meanings.  One means to sit and do nothing until it is time to act.  The  other is to serve someone and is where we get our word, ‘waiter,’ someone who serves.  You’ll never get what you want from God by sitting around doing nothing.  We are God’s waiters.  We serve.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Rahab, living in Jericho, committed treason for hiding the two spies and helping them get away.  She understood that their God was stronger but her actions were not completely altruistic.  She helped them in order to be protected when Israel came to destroy the city.  Christians are more and more in danger in this country and many others.  One day open persecution will break out against Christians and we will have to decide to obey man or God.  I don’t say we should sell our nation’s secrets to our enemies (something Rahab did not do anyway), but we should never forget that God comes first in our life and our allegiance. 

All the Christians in Rome had to do to satisfy the emperor and live another year in peace was to go to the courthouse and offer a pinch of incense to Caesar.  They didn’t have to make loud public proclamations or dedications to him, just that little pinch of incense signifying worship.  A few did.  Most did not.  Christians were terribly persecuted by Rome for failing to honor the king.  We may well be coming to a time where this nation and others, perhaps even the office of Homeland Security, will require every American citizen to be chipped (to accept a digital nametag).  They will be injected under the skin and every citizen will be required to swear faithful allegiance to their country and to serve it and the president above any other leader, king or potentate.  Failure to swear will constitute treason and you will not be allowed to buy, sell or work.  What would you do?  Is your active faith strong enough to make the right decision?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

It is quite obvious that we must serve God with action and not just a mental touch of faith.  Spirit makes the body live and action brings faith alive.  I pray you all believe powerfully beloved.

Bishop J.

Apt To Teach?

We were out for a drive today and as often happens, an idea put forth by someone in the car caused a stirring in my spirit.  It says in Genesis 1:26 that God made man in His image and His likeness and gave man dominion over all the Earth as He Himself is over all creation.  He didn’t give Jews and Christians dominion over all the Earth because those groups of people did not exist yet.  This is not a bid to say that God has multitudes of ways to come to Him.  That doctrine is false and comes from the pit of Hell.  For human beings on this planet called Earth, Jesus is the only way to come safely before the Father and live. 

My point is this:  mankind as a whole was created in the image and likeness of God.  The requirements for each of us are not less because we may or may not know God.  If we raise our children outside the church and turn them loose on humanity with no knowledge of God and His requirements and they die in their sins, their blood rests on our hands.  If you are an unsaved heathen down to your toes and you raise your child to be the same, their blood is on your hands.  It doesn’t matter that you didn’t know better.  At some time in your life God sent someone to try and reach your hard heart.  That you turned your back on the person or persons does not free you from the guilt of that act.

I have often heard men and women say, “I am going to let my children find God for themselves.”  Several years later when the child is in their teens and a hellion you drag them kicking and screaming to church and say, “I need your help.”  Okay.  Build a time capsule and go back ten or fifteen years and bring them to me.  King Solomon said, “Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).”  Of course he then went out and had 250 wives and 750 concubines.  His children eventually tore the kingdom apart.  It does no good to teach and not practice what you teach.  People know.

2 Timothy 2:24 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.

I know young adults who are in prison right now because one or both of their parents used the bright, happy child they once were as a pawn in their fight against an ex-husband or wife.  All the examples that a child was proud to emulate at four or five became a time of deliberate disobedience against the parent who used them.  Sadly, an angry child or teen will turn against their own life to hurt the parent who hurt them.  Satan himself will keep them blind to the stupidity of this action until it is too late. 

2 Timothy 3:2 Now a bishop (superintendent, overseer) must give no grounds for accusation but must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, circumspect and temperate and self- controlled; [he must be] sensible and well behaved and dignified and lead an orderly (disciplined) life; [he must be] hospitable [showing love for and being a friend to the believers, especially strangers or foreigners, and be] a capable and qualified teacher, 3 Not given to wine, not combative but gentle and considerate, not quarrelsome but forbearing and peaceable, and not a lover of money [insatiable for wealth and ready to obtain it by questionable means.

A bishop in this context is someone who superintends or oversees more than one ministry in service of an Apostle in the house of God.  In its absolute context, a bishop can be a father or mother, aunt or uncle, teacher or preacher, boyfriend or girlfriend and anyone else who has been awarded the ability to help direct someone’s life.  A bishop is a shepherd who brings order into the lives under him or her.  A pastor is a bishop of the flock God has given him.  An elder is the bishop of those who are in his sub-flock.  These are obvious examples from the church.  Teachers and evangelists can move as a type of bishop in those they teach or minister to.

There is a secular type of bishop as well.  Every mother and father is the bishop of their children’s souls.  You oversee, direct and guide them toward the goals they will fulfill in life.  Some of these mother or father bishops sell their little girls or boys to a pimp or dealer for a fix.  We already discussed a couple weeks ago how drugs and a lack of proper bonding have often destroyed the love of a mother or father.  The point here is that as an overseer a parent is the most responsible person to teach a child and raise them up in the Lord.  God won’t want to hear that they didn’t know or that I had to leave my wife because I couldn’t stand her.  All God wants to know is what did you do with that living soul I placed inside you to grow?

A little girl came into a classroom recently and when it was time to pick a gift from the gift box asked the teacher, “Are there any 40’s in there?”  For you who don’t know this reference, 40’s are large bottles or cans of nasty malt liquor that alcoholics drink.  The child was trying to act all grown up, just like her parents.  The bishop of her soul (parents) had failed her.  I brought my daughter into the hospital with appendicitis and the nurse ran my wife and I out so she could ask her questions about her sex life and drug habits.  My daughter told the nurse, “I don’t do drugs and I live for the Lord.  You can let my parents back in here.  I have no secrets from them.”  As she left the nurse told me my nineteen year old daughter was immature for her age because she’s not a sex pot, addict or a drunk.  What a world we live in when they call evil good and good evil.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

It’s not always convenient to teach.  Sometimes you want to smack the person in the head to knock some sense into them and other times they are gracious and listening to every word you say.  We have no excuse to teach lies or half truths.  We have no excuse to teach nothing.  We have no excuse to give our God given responsibility over to someone else.  Men cannot forsake their children out of anger or because they do not like the mother.  Just because you were foolish enough to find yourself in a situation where you and the mother of your children can’t stand one another does not free you to abdicate your parental responsibilities.

I knew a fairly religious Catholic woman who married a fairly religious Jewish man.  I spoke to her before they married and asked how the children would be raised.  She said they would just let the children find their own way as if it was some noble action that would ensure the happiness of their offspring.  My personal belief is that Hell is too good a place for a parent that abdicates their parental responsibilities because they can’t control their passions and have destroyed their marriage or because they no longer want to serve the Lord.  Hell IS the final place for the unsaved that lead their own children astray.  In the case of Madyln Murry O’Hare, she fought to have prayer removed from the school classrooms and after successfully doing so was murdered with her unsaved daughter and buried in an unmarked grave.  Her son, who she did all this damage for, was befriended by some gracious Christians and became a Christian himself.  He is still living.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

God is not slack in what He expects from mankind.  Sadly, many will die in agony without Christ, some even having Christian parents who could not be bothered to raise them properly or perhaps chose to ‘let them decided when they were older.’  Their saved parents will live an eternity in Heaven knowing they failed their children and children’s children.

Matthew 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

The Word of God is alive and powerful.  It doesn’t lack power or ability, just a committed, submitted servant vessel who will get the Word OUT!  God’s problem today is many churches have watered their doctrine down to the point where Christ’s name isn’t even mentioned and the miraculous power of God can’t be felt.  Everything is an allegory or story, when God knows it is a literal interpretation.  We’ve traded the miracle working WORD OF GOD for psycho-social mind games that help no one. 

Mark 6:33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

People will go out of their way to touch the real and living God.  Jesus is looking for one of us to become the shepherd who will teach God’s doctrine without apology and without question.  These people had shepherds.  The scribes and Pharisees taught all the time.  What it means is they had no blood bought holy shepherds.  I may not have been the best father in the world but one thing is certain; my children know who Jesus is and from little children have always known He loved them.  Even today I still strive to speak into their lives and hope and pray they will live the same life so their children can grow up to the standard of excellence God requires.

John 14:26 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.

What a wonderful gift.  God’s Holy Spirit comes into our lives and just serves.  He expects no special honor, only that we listen when He speaks and for that very minor thing He will recall all we have ever learned for us and present it to the forefront of our minds at the right time.  He teaches in nudges and moments of sorrow.  He reveals the will of the Father in so very many ways. 

How about you?  Are you a comforter?  I’ve seen school teachers who treat the children like trash.  Some have even said, “I moved into administration so I don’t have to teach or deal with those nasty kids or their nasty parents.”  I suppose I ought to say, “Thank God for that.”  At least they won’t add to the poison the parents pour into their kids or try to defeat the good things a good parents is trying to develop in their children.  God’s requirement is for you to be good teachers.  He doesn’t care that you aren’t saved or know His Word.  You are a teacher.  You work for Him.  You have a requirement to pour all the love and grace and training that you can into these damaged children.  You may never be able to overcome the years of abuse some of these children receive from their own parents but you have a responsibility to try.

Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows 'houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Remember, if you are a teacher or in a teacher’s position (parents, siblings, boyfriends, girlfriends, teachers, pastors, etc..), you are working for God whether you believe in Him or not.  All teachers are working for God because teaching is a gift God gives.  One day you will be judged for every word you spoke to those children or adults.  Every angry word and every pathetic word you will answer for.  Every act of kindness and grace will be added to your account.  There is no place for unbelievers.  God requires that all teachers believe.  There is no place for absentee fathers or mothers.  All parents are required to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  There is no place for angry, wounded, underappreciated teachers.  God does not forgive devilish teachers in any venue.  He does not accept a complaining spirit. 

This one thing I promise; if you pour your heart into your teaching God will honor it.  Scripture says that God would rather you teach in the wrong areas well than to be a lukewarm teacher in the right area.  He can work with a passionate teacher who is in error.  He can get you saved and delivered like he did with Apostle Paul and the physician Luke.  God has given you this talent and expects you to use it fully.  Parents, you are all given a teaching spirit whether you use it or not.  The window of opportunity is a narrow one of only several short years and you’ll be shocked how quickly they go by.  You can’t teach your children from prison or another address because you couldn’t control your actions.  You can’t comfort the crying child in the middle of the night and become their hero when that child lives somewhere else.

There was a report of friends who have chosen to raise a child together.  Some of them have produced a child together and some through artificial means.  The point is that they have agreed to raise that child together even though their relationship is one of friendship and not passion.  They each take responsibility to train up the child in the way he or she should go so that the child never lacks either parent.  While I do not think God is particularly honored by someone who is not willing to be husband and wife, I do believe He is honored by their joint passion for raising that child.

Whether you are a preacher, pastor, parent, public educator, private person or just an ordinary guy or gal you are a teacher.  Someone is watching you and God Himself will hold you accountable for what you have taught.  For the man who teaches a woman pain and degradation by forcing her into prostitution, there is a particular place in Hell where you will never again be cold.  If you are the school teacher who detests the black children and showers affection on the white children or vice versa, you will be his neighbor.  There is no greater sin than one who takes the ministry of the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things and pollute those lessons until a life is lost or destroyed. 

Never forget that you are not your own property.  You were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23).  A doctor should teach us how to live healthy.  A woman should teach men how to respect her and treat her with honor.  A man should teach what responsibility is and how to stand against the world to support the family.  A child should teach those who come after and make their journey easier. 

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This verse says it all.  God is not impressed with your insistence that He does not exist.  You will be judged.  He is not impressed that you were angry and kept a son or daughter away from a loving parent.  You will be judged.  He is not impressed that you will not meet the needs of your husband or wife because you aren’t feeling it.  You will be judged.  He will judge the crooked preacher and the false teacher.  He watches over the innocent to protect and guard them.  All his judgments are true and thankfully His mercy endures forever.  You can start over and begin again.  It’s harder than doing it right the first time but He will help.  Do not trust in your salvation to whitewash your devilish attitudes toward others and don’t insult God’s intelligence by faking that smile toward them.

It is your Heavenly Father’s good pleasure to give you the keys to the kingdom.  He will help make you the best teacher in the world by His Spirit.  On the other hand, if your heart is set on mischief and sin, He never forgets a face.  He’ll remember at the gates of the city you will never enter. 

Beloved be a teacher.  Be one who is likely (apt) to teach and loves the lessons God has placed within you.  Reach out to as many as He will place in your path and never forget…He is watching YOU.

Bishop J