Lucifer - The Covering Cherub - Lord of the Grammys

Ezekiel 28:13-19 - Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets (tambourines) and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Satan has always been the god of unsanctified and unsaved musicians.  He was filled with pride over his own beauty and musical skills even though he received them from God.  The life of a musician or singer is fraught with danger because of these Satanic temptations.  They must guard their hearts more than any other lest his influence poison them and destroy their souls.

He is called, “Lucifer (light bearer), son of the dawn.”  Satan does not seduce us with ugliness or filth, but with beauty and great talent.  He can recognize talent because it is his signature ability.  He was so extremely talented that pride finally destroyed his soul. 

This year at the Grammys, the American music awards there was no restraint at all.  One artist performed a number with a witches broom and demons and finished by being burned at the stake.  There was a wedding as well that included homosexual couples.  The entire night was designed to spit in the eye of God and any of His people.  One Christian performer was so grieved in her spirit that she left early to spare her soul the poison that was being poured out. 

Beyonce’ and her husband sang a song that honored spousal abuse and the list just went on and on.  There was blatant sexuality, homosexuality and any other sin you might want to mention.  It is apparent that as we draw closer to the time of tribulation the Holy Spirit is allowing these brute beasts to wallow in their sins to their hearts content.  The world blames God for allowing all this to happen but in reality it is the world’s fault for bypassing the God of heaven for the god of pride and arrogance. 

Each of these people will answer for their sins and unless they choose to change it is likely that all these ‘well respected’ performers will one day languish in Hell.  God does not desire this end for them.  He hopes they will repent and ask His forgiveness.  One thing is certain however, they will either repent and withdraw from this terrible lifestyle or they will rush to meet Hell at full speed and they and their petty satanic god will both burn in unquenchable fire together.  This is not God’s will but He will respect their decisions.  I pray those decisions will change.

Parents, raise your children to know God.  Do not trust that they will one day miraculously make the right decision.  God’s word can be proved if someone is honest and truthful.  Pray for them beloved or their fall will be great.

Bishop J.

That's Abominable!

Hebrew – TONEBAH

Something disgusting.  Abhorrent to God.  IDOLATRY.  A failure to TRUST God.  A failure to OBEY God.  Wickedness.  (Leviticus 18:22 specifically mentions – Homosexuality).  Interestingly, the reasons given in the New Testament for rampant homosexuality is a refusal to surrender to God’s will in favor of your own feelings.  It continues to say that God gave them over to be swallowed up by those improper and destructive lusts to perform what is shameful (Romans 1:21-32).

That is not the end of the matter.  This conscious removal of God from ones thought life leads to unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, God haters, full of spite, prideful, braggarts, evil, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, covenant breakers, lacking even natural affection, unreasonable and without mercy.  This central truth is clearly seen in society today.  As long as we who believe His Word fail to spread that word so it can grow we will continue to see men and women grow worse and worse. 

If someone should speak against these lifestyles they are called INTOLERANT or HOMOPHOBIC.  If they approve they are called ENLIGHTENED or said to understand TRUE LOVE.  These purveyors of unnatural affections and passions will allow no words to be spoken against their lifestyles that might negatively affect the strides they have made in today’s society.  You MUST agree with them.  You are not allowed to have a personal opinion that is different from theirs.  They may say they just want equal protection under the laws but what they actually demand is full acceptance and public approval of their lives. 

Oddly enough I have never seen a homosexual couple that does not have a male and female member.  There is almost always a masculine and feminine woman, one who wears suits and has masculine mannerisms and one who wears dresses and is more feminine.  In couples made up of two men, one is usually more calm and take charge and the other more submissive and feminine acting.  These people may or may not go as far as wearing gender marking clothing which some call cross dressing but the mannerisms are usually quite obvious.  Even those who cross dress are an abomination to God because He has specifically addressed this in Deuteronomy 22:5.  It is TONEBAH. 

It is impossible to completely remove ourselves from our true natures of man and woman, male and female, husband and wife.  When He removed a rib from Adam to create Eve, it was His intention that mankind follow this intimate union of man and woman in a loving and nurturing relationship for all time.  Once we have left this place and have been accepted in the Beloved “JESUS” we will no longer require the physical bonding of male and female for procreation and passion.  Our passion at that time will be a much higher plane of existence and we will be free from the bondage of flesh.

There are several words translated ABOMINATION in scripture.  Just a few others are…

Hebrew – TAME, pronounced Tom May.

Utterly unclean.  Defiled.  A violation of nature AND God’s nature.

(Leviticus 18:23 – Bestiality.)

I have heard men brag about having sex with farm animals and women with large pets.  All of these things are an abomination “TAME” toward God.  Most people consider this action to be ‘wrong’ but not all.  For some who have completely surrendered themselves to the ‘flesh’ there is no experiment too obscene nor act too terrible to be considered.  These are they who prey upon others and have gone beyond criminals who might rape a woman or man to one who would molest children and even murder and eat another human being. 

These brute beasts are no longer in God’s image.  They have become the ‘Earthborn.’  They are those for whom this existence in this temporary place is everything.  There is no punishment in their eyes for these acts since life is over once the body ceases.  They do not understand that one day every man, every woman will answer to God for their life choices.  Sadly, we have allowed these perversions of God’s gift to become rule makers and society shakers.  They have taken prayer and patriotism from our schools and now children prey upon other children in games that have no limit because no limits are placed upon them by a righteous God who we have abandoned.  There is no absolute right and wrong in their eyes.  Whoever they hurt, whoever they kill matters little against their own lusts.

Hebrew – PIGGUI, PIGGUL

Stink, fetid, smell of death and decay.  Foul thing, unclean.

Spoken of unworthy, unclean sacrifices and failure to follow God’s directions. (Leviticus 7).  Leviticus 7 is all about what God will accept from us.  It has changed in Christ only in that His sacrifice has taken the place of the blood sacrifices of lambs and bullocks.  He still expects us to serve and obey Him.  He has not abdicated His position in our lives; we have abdicated ours. 

Isaiah 64:6-8 says:  But we are all as an unclean thing,

and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

and we all do fade as a leaf;

and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

 And there is none that calleth upon thy name,

that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee:

for thou hast hid thy face from us,

and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

 But now, O Lord, thou art our father;

we are the clay, and thou our potter;

and we all are the work of thy hand.

This is God’s question for us.  When will we realize we are consumed because of our failure to obey God?  When will we realize we are burning our souls in the fires of iniquity?  When will we call out to our God and repent for our terrible sins? 

He is calling out to us each day.  Some of us hear but others have become completely deaf by the multitude of transgressions.  If you no longer hear His voice or desire His touch; I pray you will repent and ask God to open your eyes and unstop your ears.  Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrew 12:28-29).  Fortunately He is also a God who suffers long with us in love (1 Corinthians 13).  For this brief moment we may call out and He will hear.  I pray you do not waste this moment beloved.

Bishop J.

Jesus Is GOD!

This scripture ended the prayer I posted yesterday.  I read it today and it really blessed my soul.  I hope it will bless yours.

Isaiah 12:2-end.

v-2.  Behold, God is my salvation;

*Notice it says GOD (EL) is my salvation.  God is specific and salvation is specific.  Jesus is our savior, the bringer of our salvation.  This verse shows that our salvation (Jesus) is not just Lord but GOD!

I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song;

*What I love about the verse above is that it says that "Yah Yahweh" is my STRENGTH and my SONG.  Whose song are you singing?  I showed through scripture yesterday that Satan was God's cherub of music and worship before he fell.  He was the COVERING cherub who covered the throne of God.  It is vital that we limit our music to those songs that glorify God and the Spirit of God.  When we sing and glorify sexual passions and the works of the flesh we glorify the fallen cherub Lucifer.

he also is become my salvation.

*That one phrase should excite and fascinate you.  He has BECOME my salvation.  Jesus has always been "I AM."  He has always been the pre-existent one.  He BECAME our salvation when he became flesh, dwelt among us, then gave His life and rose from the dead to become our savior.

v-3.  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

v-4.  And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

*Isn't it wonderful that the Holy Spirit has come to give us wells of water?  Jesus asked the woman at the well of Samaria for a drink.  That prompted an entire discourse where He eventually told her that if she would but ask Him, He could give her wells of water that NEVER run dry.  Like Israel, she thought He was speaking about liquid water and not spiritual refreshment (John 4:10-14).

v-5.  Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

v-6.  Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion:

for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Notice it says in verse 6 that we should cry out out and shout for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.  Doesn’t this sound a lot like this:

Matthew 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  GO YE THEREFORE, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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.

Have a blessed day beloved.

Bishop J.

Grace XVI - Grace to Share

Grace To Partake

1 Corinthians 10:27-- If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

I haven’t been writing this week because I’ve been studying.  I recently purchased Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Church.”  I’m amazed how many churches in America follow formulas or doctrines without knowing the underlying purpose of their ministry.  Have you asked yourself, “Why am I here?  Why am I pastoring?  Why am I on the earth?”  I ask those questions frequently and even though I do not have a ‘church’ yet, I realize those questions need to be answered for myself before I can expect others to follow my vision.  A church is more than some people who meet once or twice a week so they can get their dose of faith and then break for life.  A church must be the place where they come FOR life and get their marching orders to reach out to others the rest of the week.

It is vital that every church has clear cut direction and purpose that can be clearly spoken to and understood by a congregation.  When you know where you are going and why it makes it much easier to combat Satan’s attempts to push you off course.  Little things don’t sway you when you know your purpose and life’s direction.  I know a pastor who was called to teach men and women of God to make a strong impact upon their community.  I know a pastor who is called to be a father figure to his congregation in a community that has few strong father figures.  Both callings are scriptural yet both callings are different.  Both churches are soul winners but they meet different needs in the lives of their congregants.  Each is doing exactly what God has required of them.

Back to this scripture.

Today’s lesson is, “Grace to partake.”  Do you have it?  I know of people who can’t eat if they have not seen the utensils boiled and sanitized and the food cooked to exacting specifications.  In today’s lesson, Paul is teaching a departure from the usual Jewish attitudes.  His lesson is all about, “Eat what is set before you without giving it excessive thought.”  I know saints today that would hesitate to eat if you said you blessed the food in the name of Baal or Buddha.  I might not eat because of their weak spiritual walk if someone said that, but it would not be because I am concerned that Baal is anything or Buddha or Allah.  My only concern would be if the person serving believed it made a difference.

Paul said, “Sit down to eat and … eat.  Don’t give it a lot of thought.  Accept it with thanksgiving to God and leave it alone.”  On the one hand, it’s the polite thing to do.  Eating a meal with someone offers you the opportunity to speak and minister to them on a particularly close level.  On the other hand, you don’t have to be so concerned with spiritual baggage that the other might hold allowing them the opportunity to be open about their doubts and fears with you.

1 Corinthians 10:28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof: 29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?

An idol is nothing.  Astrology is nothing.  Other gods, false prophets and faiths are nothing.  As John chapter one says, Jesus is the living Son of God who came to deliver you from your sins.  No other so-called gods or idols in all of history have come to make you acceptable to the eternal God.  That chicken leg you were offered is protein, nothing more.  How can a cooked leg of lamb be anything more?  The coming of Christ has changed everything. 

Having said that, our response to someone who claims the food on our plate was offered to Ra or some other made up god is to politely decline the proffered meal.  Why?  Because the other person may believe and stumble or your own conscience may not be secure enough in the knowledge of God to partake with a clear conscience.  If a man believes in a holy turnip or in the god of blue skies and tells you he has offered this food to those gods prior to feeding you it’s time to lay down your fork and again…politely…decline.

Paul frequently reminds us that we have liberty in Christ.  This is not liberty to sin as some declare, but liberty to live and appreciate the life God has given us.  If something is a sin before Christ (and I am not speaking of the many food restrictions or keeping of special holidays), it is still a sin.  Those things that Christ released us from no longer hold us in bondage.  Jews were not allowed to eat with gentiles but in Christ, that is no longer true.  Some are not able to enjoy this freedom.  In their presence we should abstain so they do not stumble.  When we are alone we may do what we please because we are free.

The works of the flesh which Paul lists in Galatians 5:19-21 are still very much in the SIN category and are to be avoided at all costs.  Christ did not free us so we could sin.  We should understand them well in our chosen language, today’s slang and whatever other words it requires so we avoid them in everything we do. 

1 Corinthians 10:30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks. 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

This verse is quite valuable for us today.  We have a great deal of freedom through grace.  There are some who believe it is a sin for women to wear pants.  Others say birth control is a sin while on the flip side some say that having too many children is a sin.  In all these things we have the grace of God and yet we try to make doctrine based upon what we feel comfortable with.  I know churches in some countries that do not allow their wives to speak a word even though God has given tremendous prophetic gifts to them.  In most of these cases it is a cultural restriction rather than a scriptural one.

Paul says in verse thirty that we should give God thanks for whatever blessings He has granted us.  I am not allowed to judge your grace and you are not allowed to judge mine.  If His Word is not clear on a matter then it is open to grace.

Forgiving Grace

1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Paul never forgot the damage he did to the Body of Christ while acting on behalf of the chief priests.  I’m sure there were feelings of anger at being tricked by both Satan AND the leadership of Israel and embarrassment for allowing himself to be so tricked.  Ultimately the only answer was to forgive himself and the others.  Even those he put in prison were required to forgive him.  This is the life we lead.  Forgiveness is key if we are to receive that same grace from God.

Many during his time must have agreed with his statement.  Certainly the other disciples agreed with him (Galatians 1:20-24) but then acknowledged the change in his life.  From the beginning his ‘flock’ came from outside Israel because the Christian Jews in Israel fled from him and didn’t trust him.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Can you give yourself God’s grace?  Can you say that by the grace of God you are what you are?  How often have I seen those who have lived terrible lives simply give up when Christ comes into their life?  They believe He has forgiven them but can’t believe He will now use them in ministry.  Scripture says that he who has been forgiven much loves much.  That may be true, but it is also true that he who has been forgiven much has a hard time forgiving themselves.  I have heard them say, “You don’t know what I have done.  Jesus can’t forgive me.”  My answer is always the same, “Do you want to be forgiven?”  If the answer is yes then Christ is willing.  How do I know this?  Because if God is not willing to forgive the Holy Spirit will not call you.  If He does not call you then you will not seek God’s forgiveness.  You are cut off.

God can use the meek and quiet men and women but the truly effective and driven preachers are those who God has forgiven of terrible lives and sins.  They know they don’t deserve the forgiveness they have received and desperately want to share that grace with others.  Those preachers are unable to keep the good news to themselves.  It is just too wonderful to hide.  They shout it from the rooftops and rafters to all who will hear.

Rejoice for all your forgiven sins beloved.  They are often the engine that drives you to share God’s grace.  If He can forgive me…He can forgive ANYONE!

Bishop J

Grace XV - The Remains are Most Precious

Foundational Grace

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

If we can just embrace the idea that our God created the universe in seven days we would have the beginning of an understanding of just who He is.  He accomplished an amazing amount of work during that time all by Himself.  He doesn’t NEED us to be alive or active.  It is His FERVENT DESIRE to link up with us, to accomplish something special using our God given, God breathed skills that motivates Him.  This universe is made up of His energy.  It’s not made up of molecules and stars and planets.  On a quantum level it is made up of energy.  The energy is made up of light in its various components; and that light is directly made up by God (1 John 1:5). 

Why does the universe work (1 John 4:8)?  Why is it so perfectly balanced and meet our needs so wonderfully?  Because God cares.  Scripture says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  That’s awesome!  What does it mean?  It means you must believe that God is and that He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him.  If He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him then faith which is the substance (something you can hold in your hand) of things hoped for and the evidence (something you can observe or see) of things not seen then FAITH is the power behind all the miracles (Hebrews 11:1).  Okay, I get that; but what causes faith to work?  I’m glad you asked.

It’s not electricity or light or power.

It’s Love. 

Faith works by love (Galatians 5:6).  It is God’s motivation in everything He does for us.  God loves us so much He sent Jesus (John 3:16).  God loves us so much He made our world.  God loves us so much He has given us time to discover Him in honesty and truth rather than (as many scientists do) try to figure out a situation in which He does not exist (Romans 2:4).  Those of us who know Him and abide in Him know that we are His building and His husbandry.  What does that mean?  It means that we are the gardens of the Lord and He is the one who gives us sun and rain and fertilizes us with His Word and other things we need.  Above all else…God cares.

I want to leave you with this thought.  If you have been wounded throughout your life and do not know how to love or be loved, the Word of God can heal you.  If you have made wrong decision after wrong decision, the Word of God can deliver you.  If you see things differently than the Word, the beauty of His Word is that it is alive and powerful and can separate the wrong attitudes many of us have and set us free to walk in health (Hebrews 4:12).  That means that no matter how abused you may have been, no matter how wounded your life and awful your past, God can heal you (Joel 2:21-27).

1 Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

There is a lot in this verse.  Paul has been given the grace of a WISE master builder.  Notice what he does with that grace.  He doesn’t try to build the entire house on his own, he is satisfied with the foundation.  You can’t be everything to everyone.  The wondrous miracle of God is that one plants and another waters but God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:1-8).  It also serves as a warning.  If God has built a strong foundation and you try to build a rickety house on that foundation, God will not be pleased with you. 

Christians, like natural humans, need a large spiritual gene pool to be healthy.  There is a name for inbred Christian churches that claim to have the only true form of doctrine and keep their members away from any polluting influences.  They call them cults.  Cults are little one sided anemic Hitler worlds that twist the truth and destroy all opposition.  In my travels I have discovered an extremely important fact.  I can get a pure, sure, Spirit filled Word of God almost anywhere.  I have gotten them in Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Interdenominational, Independent, Lutheran and Church of Christ churches.  I have also gotten useless fluff in those same types of churches.  When we are well rounded in our Biblical education we will all be better off. 

Well rounded does not mean believing lies or disbelieving the most important truths of the Bible.  Paul made it clear when he prayed that anyone who took biblical truths away or denied them would be anathema, a cursed soul.  Salvation through Christ alone is a foundational truth and can not be denied (Acts 4:12).  It is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).  Consider that Paul, Peter, Luke, Matthew, Mark, James and especially John all were anointed by the Holy Spirit to give us clear instruction and ALL of them had a powerful burden for a different aspect of God’s law. 

Some taught fatherhood and family, some faith and some the glory and beauty of love.  Each of their lessons flow together by the grace of God and His Spirit.  Our Christian scripture is contained in 66 books written by more than 40 authors over thousands of years and it is all interconnected by the Holy Spirit to the point where Old and New Testament scriptures mesh flawlessly into one another.  Your ministry and mine may not always be in lockstep with one another but they will ALWAYS be in step with His Spirit.  He is not limited; we are.  He is not small minded; we are.  We must learn to appreciate each other along with the diversity and unity we bring through His Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY foundation.  Period.  The foundation has been laid.  If anyone comes along later in history and says that they have a greater purpose than Jesus or deeper wisdom that Jesus gave…they are LYING or DECEIVED.  He is the LIVING, ETERNAL Son of God.  No man, woman or spirit can ever top that.  Accept NO substitutes.

1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Everything we do will be tested in the fire.  When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were tossed into the fiery furnace it was a test.  Their faith saved them.  Their faith convinced Nebuchadnezzar.  Your trials are not just for your sake.  They are often to help draw others in as well.  If your works are based in faith they will survive the trials.  If they are a mix of all sorts of things, only the gold, silver and precious stones will survive.  The wood, hay and stubble will be burned away.  This is why it DOES ‘take all that’ because you have to TAKE IT when your life begins to crumble around you.  You MUST increase those parts that remain (Revelation 3:2) and cast aside every weight (Hebrews 12:1) that tries to drag us down.

1 Corinthians 3:14 If any man's work abide (after that testing) which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

I once had a vision of our church congregation being suspended by hundreds of beautiful, thick columns.  At the bottom of each column was a man or woman holding on for dear life.  Beneath each person was Hell.  I saw God with a torch in his hand and he held that torch briefly under each column.  Some columns flared as if made completely of straw.  The person beneath fell until they were swallowed up by Hell.  A very few flickered slightly as the torch came to bear and you could hardly see any difference.  The person still held on easily.  Most flared with different levels of fire and ten, twenty, thirty percent and more of their column flared into brilliance.  The people below hung safely by slender threads of gold.  A few were left holding on to one single thread of gold and for all its fineness it held them.

I asked God what it all meant.  He said everyone’s works must be tested.  Those without Christ burn completely leaving nothing behind to hold them.  Those who have surrendered their entire lives to the Lord are like those columns that flare just a bit but appear untouched afterwards.  The rest vary depending on how much of their life is surrendered to God but all are saved.  We often blame our trials on the devil when it is God who must test us so we might be made stronger.  Those who keep all their columns have passed many trials and have maintained their faith through many seasons of testing.

When they go to be with the Lord, each will receive a reward for their faithfulness, according to what is left.  The word for reward is misthos.  It means to receive ones wages.  The wages of SIN is DEATH.  The gift of God is eternal life.  You can’t earn it but you CAN refuse it.  Even though the most precious thing we can receive from God is a GIFT, we do receive wages.  These wages are living wages from a living God.  He only gives those wages to the sons whose works survive the fire.  This is why it comes as such a surprise to new saints when their entire life seems to turn upside down.  It isn’t because God doesn’t care or isn’t there for them; it’s because we don’t prepare new saints for the testing process. 

Cain and Abel had the same education and opportunities.  One was a shepherd and the other a farmer but both knew which gifts God expected.  Cain could have offered some of his crop to Abel for an animal to be sacrificed, but HE decided God would accept the work of His hands rather than an act of faith.  God does not accept the works of our hands UNLESS those works are motivated by faith.  Faith without works is DEAD (James 2:18-26) because it is alone and unmoving.   Works without faith are dead because the life of God required to keep them through the fire is missing.  God accepted Abel’s sacrifice because it was based in faith.  He would not accept Cain’s because it was based in pride of accomplishment over obedience.  Cain’s refusal to give God what He wanted was the very first sign of man’s fallen nature overcoming His Word.

1 Corinthians 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Whether you make it in with a smell of smoke or through years of faithful service it is better to trust God in all things.  Your righteousness is as a filthy rag, but the works you have accomplished in His righteousness will endure.  Let your life be a great example of faith filled accomplishments beloved.

Bishop J

This Call Is Eternal

The other day I said we need to keep moving.  I have dealt with fear my whole life.  It has often paralyzed me and caused me to be ineffective in life and ministry.  God had to take me out of my comfort zone in order to force me to press past that fear to a place where the fear of missing God’s best for my life was much greater than any fear of stepping out.  Why am I revealing this embarrassing truth about my character?  Because when I fast my natural man ceases to be in control and my spirit man reigns.  On another post I mentioned Romans 7:15-25 which explains how often we fail God no matter how hard we try to be faithful.  Fasting raises up our spirit man to be able to accomplish much more than we ordinarily can…even though we are in Christ.  Jesus Himself said, “This kind only comes out by fasting and prayer (Matthew 17:21).”

Another thing that makes things possible is God’s Word.  John chapter one says that Jesus is the Word of God and was made flesh.  Consider this.  God’s Word is so perfect and so very much alive that by separating its attributes from His own self and touching those eternal attributes to a young woman it was able to reproduce itself inside a human being and became pure enough and holy enough to suffice as a sacrifice for our eternal lives.  In addition it still contained all the power of the Godhead in human form and was complete enough that this man Jesus was able to grow from a baby to a youth to an adult without anyone recognizing any differences in him.  He chose to live as one of us and the Word that ruled His life and character was more than able to allow Him to live through all stages of life without anyone seeing Him as a freak or peculiar in any way.

So what you ask?  So…if God’s Word is complete enough to live a brilliant human life and to function flawlessly in that manner and still be so very much more, it must also be more than sufficient to meet our every possible need in everyday life.  His Word is sufficient to live.  His Word is sufficient to provide.  His Word is sufficient to prosper you.  His Word is sufficient to begin scientific experiments.  His Word is sufficient to create the universe (no matter what mankind thinks).  His Word is sufficient to judge mankind.  When you have a need and that need is far beyond your ability to obtain help, His Word is there to make up ANY lack on your part.

Let me give you the example I have received.  A couple years ago someone called me up at Faith Temple to tell me God had a Word for me.  He said that I was to read a portion of scripture every single day for a month.  This Word was, I believe, in preparation for the ministry I am stepping into now but it came at a time prior; a time of darkness in my life.  The Word is Joshua chapter one verses one through nine and it reads:

Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses 'minister, saying,

2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise (in other words, KEEP MOVING!), go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses  (It’s YOURS!  No one can take it away).

4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast  (It is a WIDE place, exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think) (Ephesians 3:20).

5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:  as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee:  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee (You will NOT be alone.  You will not FIGHT these battles.  GOD WILL).

6 Be strong and of a good courage (Do not accept Satan’s lies.  Do not accept FEAR):  for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous (I repeat a SECOND time.  Do not accept FEAR), that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee:  turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest (Do what I lead you to do even when it makes no sense.  My wisdom is greater than man’s).

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth (Herein lies your strength.  You have no strength outside My Word!); but thou shalt MEDITATE therein DAY AND NIGHT, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed (For the THIRD time, do not let FEAR overcome you): for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest (I am not sending you out alone.  Whether you see them or not I have sent road levelers and way makers ahead of you.  I have prepared your finances and have lined up those whose needs you will meet.)

In this passage God gave me promises and encouragements.  He did something else.  We all know that seven is the number of completion.  God didn’t tell me to be strong and very courageous seven times.  The work is not complete in me.  I am not done, finished, perfected.  God told me three times, the number of God, the number of the Trinity.  He is telling me that I am not going out as the complete package.  He is telling me that I am going out but I will NEVER be alone.  He is coming with me WITHERSOEVER I go.  He is coming with me in all the dark alleyways and circumstances.  I WILL NEVER BE ABANDONED OR EVEN TAKE A SINGLE STEP ALONE.

Maybe you don’t need this.  Perhaps you’re one of those bold individuals who has never met a stranger in their life and is excited to step out in new and fascinating situations.  That’s okay.  There are verses in this book for YOU!  I’m telling you what gets me up and moving in the morning.  I’m telling you what helps me stand tall when I can hear knees knock.  When I wear the complete armor of God it is His armor, not something made for me.  It is God’s own armor and He personally gave it to me to wear and walk in.

I have a friend in Riverside named Greg Sorrells.  He and I don’t always agree on everything but one thing we do agree on is that God’s Word is ALL we really need to face the worst Satan can throw against us.  Greg has a wonderful uplook.  Whenever things get bad He knows it’s time to look up, up to the Word which is always higher than we are.  Man can fall or stumble but the Word of the Lord is eternal and never fails.

I would like to add one last point to all this.  It is a fact that over four thousand churches close in this country every year.  It is a fact that hundreds of ministers are fleeing ministry because they just don’t believe it any more.  It is a fact that it is much easier to get a job doing something you like or even love than it is to build a ministry for the Lord.  All these things are facts. 

It is also a fact that those four thousand churches that closed have lost their vision.  They ceased to be inspired and empowered by the miraculous God we serve and began to listen to the whispered lies of Satan as he worked discouragement after discouragement into their lives.  I have had a few jobs I loved to do.  God made me quit.  I have had many ideas for a future that did not include ministry.  God changed my focus.  That word FOCUS is vital in this life we live.  Without a vision the people perish and it is the leader who brings the vision.  Vision comes from stepping outside yourself and into God, into the divine, into the eternal.  Vision is not normal.  Ministry is not normal.  Life in Christ is not normal.  It is extraordinary, miraculous, faith filled, passionate, vigorous and lively and above all it is lived with the eternal one filling every inch of your mortal bodies with His own Spirit.

I am a pastor.  I have only one member and three possibles but I AM A PASTOR.  I am responsible for these people and pray for them daily.  I AM A BISHOP.  I was ordained so and have been rebuked for attempting to set it aside.  I have churches in at least four countries who depend on me.  I AM CALLED TO BE AN APOSTLE.  One day I will look in the mirror and see that reflection in my life.  All these things and more I am called to be and by the grace and mercy and love and power of God I WILL BE!  The only way I can fail is to cease to be miraculous, spiritual and peculiar.  Ordinary doesn’t make it in this life.

Beloved, I pray God’s choicest blessings upon you all.  I rejoice in you for the sake of the future God has planned for each of you.  His Word is sufficient.  His Grace is sufficient.  His Love is sufficient.  Nothing else is.  Never forget that.  If your eyes ever get dim and your focus is not what it should be in Christ then there is only one reason.  You are TOO FAR AWAY.  Move Up!

Bishop J

Grace XIV - Grace To Continue

Marking Grace

Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

In the last lesson I said you should always surround yourself with people who support the vision God has given you and believe with you that it will come to pass.  I also mentioned that there are those who disbelieve and would involve others in their disbelief (2 Peter 2:14-18).  Notice it says you should avoid these people.  Satan protects his successes with tremendous jealousy.  The homosexual community consists of less than two percent of adult Americans and yet they have managed to obtain a far higher percentage of public political or media related jobs.  Satan has always been the prince of the power of the air.  He uses the airwaves to promote his agenda.

By one study, Forty-two percent of Hollywood acting positions are held by homosexual actors and we already know that any non-homosexual actor who speaks out against the lifestyle will be loudly and powerfully attacked in media.  Even though it is estimated that 10-15 percent of the shows produced by Hollywood contain at least one gay or lesbian character, this has caused GLAAD to complain that their lifestyle is not receiving enough positive reinforcement.  The number of shows and public media rhetoric has caused many Americans to believe that almost 25% of the public is gay or lesbian when the numbers are less than one tenth that.

On the opposite side, Christians and religious people are met with derision in media.  We are made to look like angry violent people who hate anyone not like ourselves.  One of my favorite Bible teachers, Chuck Missler, has said that the only sure way to get quality news reports in this country is to listen to foreign news networks.  He says that the newspapers in England are far more likely to report accurately than American newspapers.  The London Times is now what the New York Times used to be.  Sadly, words like unbiased and equality are only meant for the media’s views.  As Paul wrote two thousand years ago, these godless people have a clear and focused agenda and they will say and do whatever they must to hide the truth for their purposes.

Romans 16:19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

In verse 19, Paul is lauding the Roman church for their obedience to God.  His concern was directly connected to the fact that people were beginning to talk about that obedience.  When you give all to serve the Lord you will be heard and when that happens your words will be judged and people will speak.  In recent news, Phil Robertson made a very scriptural statement about certain lifestyles.  The furor in Hollywood and media showed just how overrepresented certain lifestyles are in that place.  Every editorialist I read was dumbfounded by the support Phil received from the general public.  They believe that we are a bunch of stupid, uneducated hicks who have no sense at all.  Not one of them considered that it was they who were out of step and not the general public.

Paul’s warning is that we should be wise though the word used denotes mature and full of knowledge.  The reason thousands of churches are closing and pastors are falling into sin is that they are not mature and filled with knowledge of God’s Word.  They are not surrendered but have begun to accept the accolades and compliments of their members as something earned rather than a blessing granted by God’s grace.  When I see families who live fully for the Lord they are often mocked, even by those in the church.  If you see nothing wrong with drinking wine or spending time in casinos watching shows designed for the unsaved, you are too close to the world. 

I have heard it repeated often in the church, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” which is a quote from a popular advertisement.  Certainly what happens in Vegas will haunt your days unless you repent and turn from your wicked ways.  If anyone reads this last sentence and says, “Relax preacher, it’s not that serious,” then you are too far from the position required to live verse 19.  True Christians are not gossipers, they don’t backbite or backstab.  True Christians live to draw closer to the miracle and blessing that is a walk with God. 

Paul says that after becoming mature and full of knowledge in God’s Word, you should remain simple regarding evil and sin.  This word translated simple means pure like refined gold; harmless and blameless.  Pure gold is tried in fire, not produced by mixing with tin, silver or some other substance.  To refine Gold you must heat it beyond what any other metals can endure and then inject it with pure air to burn up those impurities.  Pure gold is soft and malleable and can easily be tainted by pressing impurities into it.  Gold must be protected to retain its purity, it must remain separate from the polluted.  When gold is turned into rings, it is mixed with other metals to give it more hardness.  Tricksters try to tell us we need that hardness to survive.  This is a lie.  In our innocence we must remember that to be open and surrendered to God we must also guard against the wiles (deceitful lies) of the enemy.  Our hearts must remain tender toward God and man while being wise to the wiles of the enemy and therefore unaffected by them.

Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

We have been at war with Satan since Adam and Eve allowed him to slither into the garden with lies full of honey.  Genesis 3:15 gave us the ability to step on Satan’s head.  It actually shows God explaining to Satan how limited his power is.  From the beginning we have had the ability in God to defeat him.  Sadly, he is the prince of lies and has become very good at tricking us into believing those lies.  In Christ, Satan has his head bruised under our feet by the actions of God Himself.  Because of the grace we have in Christ, we succeed against Satan through God’s power. 

This is another reason to become Word Warriors so that when Satan tries to defeat us…like he did with Jesus during His fast…we will experience the living Word of God rising up in us to save the day.

The Grace of God

1 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: 3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are times when you read a salutation at the beginning of a letter and quickly read through it to get to the good stuff.  1 Corinthians is a book FILLED with good things so I had to stop myself and re-read the salutation.  First you have to ask yourself who ordained Paul.  We are always expecting to see someone being ordained in a ceremony before someone of higher rank.  Paul was a Pharisee who received his Jewish title by going through an exhaustive process to be judged by three of his contemporaries.  Obviously Paul was not a Levite since he was of the tribe of Benjamin so he could never be a priest. 

Most people believe that Pharisees and Sadducees were another name for the priests.  They may feel that the two were of opposite political parties but the same job.  In actuality, the Pharisees believed the scripture and sought to live their lives in purity and holiness before the Lord.  The Sadducees were even more political and did not believe in spirit or angels (like the liberal churches today).  To them everything was allegory.  These two groups had a great deal of political clout but they were separate from the true Kohen, the Priests and descendants of Levi.  The only thing all three of these groups could agree on was that Jesus had to go.

Paul, or Saul as he was called before his conversion to Christianity, was a Pharisee of the Pharisees.  This meant he went to all the best schools and managed to live his life perfectly before God as stated in the Torah.  Prior to his salvation he was a young man full of fire and zeal.  When he persecuted the church it was out of a strong moral sense of right and wrong.  Once Christ captured his heart on the road to Damascus he became an Apostle.  I can’t say that an Apostle MUST meet Christ personally, but every true Apostle I have ever known has had that personal one on one meeting with their Lord.  I am not talking about accepting Christ as Savior.  I am talking about having a personal meeting with the visible Christ. 

I am not an Apostle but I have had such a personal experience with Jesus.  It happened many years ago and was one of the most exciting and terrifying experiences in my life.  To this day I am grieved that I left the church and went home because of the awe I felt.  It was too frightening to continue.  I thought my heart would jump out of my chest.  It is my belief that an Apostle knows he is called to be an Apostle more so than any other 5-fold ministry.  A prophet may know his gifts without fully knowing he is called to be a prophet, rather than one who merely prophesy’s.  Not all who prophesy are prophets.  I have no delusions of grandeur.  I do believe I will be an apostle one day.  I was raised by a father in the gospel who was an apostle.  Am I ready?  It’s not for me to say.  One day the Lord will confirm it. 

Paul’s ordination as an Apostle came by Jesus personally and was confirmed by those who came and observed the gifts of God manifested in his life.  It took some time for the rest of the church to come meet him because they were terrified by the man with orders to arrest Christians on sight.  It literally took prophetic gifts to convince some to take a chance on the man from Tarsus (Acts 9:10). 

Sosthenes is something of an unknown.  There was a Rabbi named Sosthenes who refused to arrest Paul at the order of the Jews (Acts 18:17).  He was the chief ruler of the Synagogue in Corinth.  Some believe it was another name for Crispis who was mentioned in Acts 18 and 1 Corinthians 1.  Looking at verse two, do you see that it says, “called to be saints?”  Being a saint is not a snap your finger and call it done prospect.  Being a saint is like being a husband; it involves more than marrying a woman or in this circumstance, marrying Jesus.  Being a saint is a process of growth and learning that never ends, in fact, it is never allowed to end, either by God or us.  Being a saint continues as the scripture says …until the day of the Lord (Philippians 1:6). 

You never arrive because your flesh always fights you.  It is a daily climb up the mountain of holiness with brief pauses in each valley of refreshing.  We are supposed to place our bodies under subjection and crucify the flesh.  Saints who fail to acknowledge the absolute truth of scripture or who say “it doesn’t take all that” have already failed the process by ending it.  God in His faithfulness will continue to press at you but unless your mind is focused on the truth of God’s growth process, you might miss these moments as something else.

The end of this salutation is a prayer from Paul down through the ages to you.  “Grace, unmerited favor from God’s throne to you; not only from God who we have the honor of calling “abba, Father (Romans 8), but from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  What a blessing.  Receive it for yourself and walk in it beloved.

1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 4 begins, “I thank my God CONTINUALLY on your behalf for the GRACE (unmerited favor of God) which was given to you by Jesus Christ.  Because of this grace you are made wealthy BY Jesus through every word you speak, write or read (logos), and in every bit of understanding you have received (gnosis).  This understanding and knowledge makes it apparent (observable and clear) and reveals that the ONGOING testimony of the sacrifice of Christ’s suffering has been confirmed and has taken root in you.  You have come behind in NO gift and faithfully wait for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, even as we do.  This same Jesus will confirm by His Word and His Spirit and His actions in Your life that you are His, even to the end of your life and this world.  His purpose in doing this is that you might be made blameless through His blood and actions until He returns for His church.

What was your reaction when you read this last paragraph?  I saw a sign once that said, “Wrong answers are $ .50  Right answers are $2.  Dumb looks are still free.  If it doesn’t make sense to you I’d like to try and elaborate just a bit.

First of all, Paul thanked God continually (and some might say continuously) for the saints in Corinth.  In other salutations he says, “I NEVER CEASE to give thanks to God for you.  Paul made it a habitual act to thank God for those he was allowed to minister to.  We know grace came by Christ Jesus and that we are made wealthy in word and understanding.  How does this make us wealthy?  Because the Word is LIVING and POWERFUL and sharper than any two edged sword…  God’s Word accomplishes actual work and that work is always found in communion with Jesus.

When I wrote about the ongoing testimony of the work of Christ on the cross, I mean that it is like a river that follows you throughout your life.  It may not appear to change from day to day or to accomplish anything, but to use a word from my brother Pastor Barry E. Knight’s new book “Impactability” on paperback from Amazon, it IMPACTS everything you are and do in Christ.  When Jesus impacts our life on a day by day, moment by moment basis, it causes us to impact others on a day by day, moment by moment basis.  As long as we are MOVING and PRESSING FORWARD in Christ, God will use that motion and guide it in the direction HE chooses.

By Jesus’ actions your actions are made exceedingly lively.  By God’s direction, your movements are made extraordinarily focused, effective and efficient.  As I have been reminded lately, a body or person who is not moving will usually continue to stay still.  A person or body who IS moving will continue to move, especially one who moves in Christ.  He takes what we have to offer and makes it into something extraordinary so that wondrous excitement gives us the push we need to continue moving.  If you must solicit help to begin moving then do so.  Once you are moving…continue. 

People who live out of doors will usually start a fire and never let it go out.  Keeping it going is easy.  Starting a fire from cold wood is difficult, especially if the fire in your life is being rained on by negative people.  Take Paul’s encouragement and make your move.  Once you are moving, never stop; never quit; never cease.  Someone once said, you can rest when you’re dead because when you’re resting you’re dead.  Scripture says that times of refreshing will come.  Refreshing yourself is an action.  Rest is inaction.  Be refreshed but sleep later.  If you examine all the great men and women of faith in scripture they had certain things in common.  They were active, always moving and they were almost always dealing with different crisis. 

Preachers have quit pastoring because trials kept coming and there never seemed to be any end in sight.  The beauty of that is that God tirelessly set them free from their trials and refreshed them between their trials.  Pastors labor in the field of their congregation’s lives.  It’s what they do.  Lives are often messy.  That’s how it is.  Strength and commitment come from God.  It’s a free gift.  Walk in it and you will never find yourself without strength.

Bishop J