Servias Ministries Blog

As you have noticed, we updated the Front Page of www.servias.org

Also, we have simplified the option to give by credit/debit card. If you click on the link as shown below, it will now open a simple window to select your option to give.

We continue to support the impoverished kids in the Bethany area and 100% of your and my giving goes to providing the kids with food, shoes, and clothing. FATHER takes on the obligation to repay those of us who cheerfully give and I trust you are starting to see the rewards of such giving. It’s all about Agape Love!

In Psalm 103, it is written by The Holy Spirit:

17 But the Love of the LORD remains forever

with those who fear him.

His salvation extends to the children’s children

18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,

of those who obey his commandments!

19 God’s heavenly throne is eternal, secure, and strong,

and his sovereignty rules the entire universe.

20 So bless the Lord, all HIS angels, those messengers of power,

for you are HIS mighty heroes who listen intently

to the Voice of HIS Word to do it.

21 Bless and praise the Lord, you mighty warriors,

ministers who serve HIM well and fulfill HIS desires.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1 John chapter 3:

8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus came forth with an active ministry to confront the adversary and take away his dominion.  As mature Sons and Daughters we should have the same mindset and not sit around reading The Word only.  We are to have experiential knowledge and understanding of The Word being active in our lives and transforming us into the same mindset as Jesus.

Moses wrote in Exodus 15:3 by The Holy Spirit:

The LORD is a warrior; Yahweh is his name!

We too are meant to be warriors of THE LORD and be on the offensive in establishing the Kingdom of GOD on this earth.  FATHER equips HIS warriors with power, authority, and use of HIS angels who are listening intently for HIS Word to go forth and “do it”.  With these resources, we are to war with the devil and no longer allow him to take additional territory for his kingdom.

Don’t think you can keep a low profile with the enemy and keep out of his view.  This is exactly where he would like you to stay.

If you will cooperate with your assigned angel, you can and will win the battle with the adversary.  Your angel is given to you for the purpose of fulfilling your destiny and he will war with the demons assigned to you so that you can overcome any and all obstacles before you.  Remember, they are intently listening to FATHER on your behalf and are dispatch to fulfill HIS Word and Intent in your life.

Everyone is assigned an angel and he will focus on directing you to salvation in some manner.  Afterward, he will act on your behalf concerning the “book” written about you before you were formed in the womb.  He knows you and your book so you should not be reluctant to utilize this Heavenly resource.

In Hebrews chapter 1, Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit concerning angels:

7 Regarding the angels, he says,

“HE sends his angels like the winds,

HIS servants like flames of fire.”

14 What role then, do the angels have? The angels are spirit-messengers sent by God to serve those who are going to be saved.

An excellent example of angelic intervention is found in Acts chapter 12.  It is recorded by The Holy Spirit:

6 The night before Herod planned to bring Peter to trial, he made sure that Peter was securely bound with two chains. Peter was sound asleep between two soldiers, with additional guards stationed outside his cell door, 7 when all at once an angel of the Lord appeared, filling his prison cell with a brilliant light. The angel struck Peter on the side to awaken him and said, “Hurry up! Let’s go!” Instantly the chains fell off his wrists. 8 The angel told him, “Get dressed. Put on your sandals, bring your cloak, and follow me.”

9 Peter quickly left the cell and followed the angel, even though he thought it was only a dream or a vision, for it seemed unreal—he couldn’t believe it was really happening! 10 They walked unseen past the first guard post and then the second before coming to the iron gate that leads to the city—and the gate swung open all by itself right in front of them!

They went out into the city and were walking down a narrow street when all of a sudden the angel disappeared. 11 That’s when Peter realized that he wasn’t having a dream! He said to himself, “This is really happening! The Lord sent his angel to rescue me from the clutches of Herod and from what the Jewish leaders planned to do to me.”

12 When he realized this, he decided to go to the home of Mary and her son John Mark. The house was filled with people praying. 13 When he knocked on the door to the courtyard, a young servant girl named Rose got up to see who it was. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so excited that she forgot to open the door, but ran back inside the house to announce, “Peter is standing outside!”

15 “Are you crazy?” they said to her. But when she kept insisting, they answered, “Well, it must be his angel.”

16 Meanwhile, Peter was still outside, knocking on the door. When they finally opened it, they were shocked to find Peter standing there.

17 He signaled for them to be quiet as he shared with them the miraculous way the Lord brought him out of prison. Before he left he said, “Make sure you let Jacob and all of the other believers know what has happened.”

Supernatural guidance and events were provided for Peter by his angel and this isn’t unique to him.  Our angels can do the same thing for us.  Notice how the people at Mary’s house were praying for him but did not expect to see him.  Their faith grew when they saw Peter’s deliverance from the prison.

Now is the time for us to embrace the use of our angels as we go forth as warriors for THE LORD.  We should use every resource available to us and our angels are integral to our individual callings.

I will not give up in my pursuit of walking in the fullness of HIS Immeasurable Greatness and neither should you.  Let us finish the race!

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 1:

17 I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know Him through your deepening intimacy with Him.

18 I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of His calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that He finds in us, His Holy Ones!

19 I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power 20 that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted Him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the Heavenly realm! 21 And now He is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming!

22 And He alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and has given Him the highest rank above all others. 23 And now we, his church, are His body on the earth and that which fills Him who is being filled by it!

At what point does the glorious Church stand up and receive her King?  Are you an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you yet?  These writings are meant to bring us to this level of maturity.  Our eyes need to be illuminated with HIS promises so that we can truly “image” what we are called to walk in.

To imagine means: to have a thought, devise, plan, consider, purpose.  We have been given imagination and it is to be used for good as we imagine ourselves at a greater maturity level in Christ.  FATHER confirmed the power of the imagination in Genesis chapter 11:

11 And the whole earth was of one language and of one accent and mode of expression.

2 And as they journeyed eastward, they found a plain (valley) in the land of Shinar, and they settled and dwelt there.

3 And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly. So they had brick for stone, and slime (bitumen) for mortar.

4 And they said, Come, let us build us a city and a tower whose top reaches into the sky, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the whole earth.

5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

6 And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them.

7 Come, let Us go down and there confound (mix up, confuse) their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.

8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from that place upon the face of the whole earth, and they gave up building the city.

9 Therefore the name of it was called Babel—because there the Lord confounded the language of all the earth; and from that place the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

This Truth is critical for us to understand as we ascend to full maturity in Christ.  Individually, we must be able to see (image) ourselves walking in power and authority granted to us by Our Heavenly Father.  Secondly, as we come into unity with other mature believers, nothing will be impossible for us to achieve as a glorious Church.  The “glue” to our unity is Agape Love.

FATHER is expecting us to bring the harvest in so let us “image” that expectation and remove the perceived restraints.  Let us fully embrace the manifestation of Paul’s prayer above:

We will receive the impartation of the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation.

The light of God will illuminate the eyes of our imagination.

We will experience the full revelation of the hope of His calling: glorious inheritances in the saints.

We will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to us through faith and quickening our mortal bodies.

There are no true limitations for those who fully embrace this Word.

Not only are we to be “starters”, we must also be “finishers” as well.

Isaiah recorded by The Holy Spirit in chapter 55:

6 Seek the Lord Yahweh when HE makes HIMSELF approachable;

    call upon HIM when you sense HE is near.

7 The wicked need to abandon their ways,

    and sinful ones need to banish every evil thought.

    Let them return to Yahweh,

    and they will experience HIS compassionate mercy.

    Yes, let them return to God,

    for HE will lavish forgiveness upon them.

8 “For MY thoughts about mercy are not like your thoughts,

    and MY ways are different from yours.

9 As high as the Heavens are above the earth,

    so MY ways and MY thoughts are higher than yours.

10 “As the snow and rain that fall from heaven

    do not return until they have accomplished their purpose,

    soaking the earth and causing it to sprout with new life,

    providing seed to sow and bread to eat.

11 So also will be the Word that I speak;

    It does not return to ME unfulfilled.

    MY Word performs MY purpose

    and fulfills the mission I sent it out to accomplish.”

Jesus is waiting on us for He has given us the Keys to the Kingdom.  Most Christians are waiting on Him and are trying to ascertain when He is going to initiate some major event which will usher in the Kingdom on earth.  They are attempting to search some hidden “revelation” in Scripture, look for numeric references, and check the star formations and heavenly alignments for some indication of expected action from Heaven which will usher in “the end”.

The disciples asked Jesus “When will all things be restored?”  In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus responded to their question:

9 “You can expect to be persecuted, even killed; for you will be hated by all the nations because of your Love for Me. 10 Then many will stop following Me and fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many lying prophets will arise, deceiving multitudes and leading them away from the path of Truth. 12 There will be such an increase of sin and lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold. 13 But keep your hope to the end and you will experience life and deliverance.

14 “Yet through it all, this joyful assurance of the realm of Heaven’s Kingdom will be proclaimed all over the world, providing every nation with a demonstration of the reality of God. And after this the end of this age will arrive.”

Jesus said “I am willing, do you believe?”

In Mark 9, Jesus spoke:

23 Jesus said to him, “What do you mean ‘if’? If you are able to believe, all things are possible to the believer.”

For a mature believer, there are no limitations.  As we immerse ourselves in the fullness of The Word and embrace the Truths within, we will realize that the only perceived limitations have been found within our thinking.  We have been rejecting the stated Truths spoken by Jesus and looking at the world’s solutions instead. 

Once we take our eyes off of the world and become as teachable children embracing every Word Jesus spoke, our faith increases.  We begin to have an expectation of success in everything The Holy Spirit assigns us to do.  Our success breeds greater success until we have developed great faith.  However, it does require action on our part.

In Matthew 17, Jesus spoke:

17 And Jesus answered, O you unbelieving (warped, wayward, rebellious) and thoroughly perverse generation! How long am I to remain with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to Me.

18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out?

20 He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

The world would have us believe that the impossible is insurmountable and we should not attempt the situation at hand.  Jesus expressed the opposite so who will you believe?  We must quit limiting ourselves and choose to follow the Words of Jesus, our Example.

Luke 1:37  “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in John chapter 1:

12 But those who embraced Him and took hold of His Name and teachings

    were given authority to become the Sons of God!

If I have the authority to be a Son of GOD, then I am meant to be an imitator of GOD for HE is my Example of how to live life.  Am I to settle for anything less once I truly receive the revelation of being a Son of God?

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 5:

5 Be imitators of God in everything you do, for then you will represent your Father as HIS beloved Sons and Daughters. 2 And continue to walk surrendered to the extravagant Love of Christ, for He surrendered His life as a sacrifice for us. His great Love for us was pleasing to God, like an aroma of adoration—a sweet healing fragrance.

As imitators, we are to walk and by motivated by the extravagant Love of Christ, the most fundamental characteristic of Our Heavenly Father.  The authority we have been given includes healing, deliverance, and forgiveness of sins as we walk according to THE SPIRIT.

Matthew recorded by The Holy Spirit in Matthew chapter 9:

1 Jesus got into the boat and returned to what was considered His hometown, Capernaum. 2 Just then some people brought a paraplegic man to Him, lying on a sleeping mat. When Jesus perceived the strong faith within their hearts, He said to the paralyzed man, “My son, be encouraged, for your sins have been forgiven.”

3 These words prompted some of the religious scholars who were present to think, “Why, that’s nothing but blasphemy!”

4 Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts, and said to them, “Why do you carry such evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’? 6 But now, to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk home.’” 7 Immediately the man sprang to his feet and left for home.

8 When the crowds witnessed this miracle, they were awestruck. They shouted praises to God because He had given such authority to human beings.

It is easy for anyone to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” for that cannot be proven. But if someone were to tell a paralyzed man to stand up, and he didn’t stand up, that would prove the person is a fraud. Jesus didn’t do the “easy thing” without accomplishing the hard thing, the miracle of healing. Forgiveness and healing both flow from Jesus Christ.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in John chapter 20:

21 Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you!  Just as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you.

22 And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit!

23 Now having received the Holy Spirit, and being led and directed by Him if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.

23 I send you to preach the forgiveness of sins—and people’s sins will be forgiven. But if you don’t proclaim the forgiveness of their sins, they will remain guilty.”

As Sons, we can announce the forgiveness of sins to those who repent.  People are given hope as they begin their life as believers in The Word.  When we preach Christ to them, their sins are fully realized and we are to lead them into a life in Christ, old things pass away, behold all things are new.  This should be the most primary aspect of ministry, the saving of souls.  We have been given the authority and power as Sons and Daughters so let us walk in this maturity in order to truly spread the Gospel in our assigned areas.

Along with the salvation message comes the aspect of judgment.  Agape Love is a two-edged sword- one side cuts the adversary whereas the other cuts us between our soul and our spirit.  FATHER will not tolerate a persistence of sin in our lives.  In response, we will suffer judgment.  Once a person has fully tested FATHER’S mercy, judgment arrives at the door. 

Paul had to deal with such as issue in the church.  The church had compromised when it came to dealing with lawlessness and sin among them.  It was time for Paul to intervene so that the entire church would not walk in persistent compromise resulting in an unrighteous environment.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians chapter 5:

3 Even though I am physically far away from you, my spirit is present with you. And as one who is present with you, I have already evaluated and judged the perpetrator. 4 So call a meeting, and when you gather together in the name of our Lord Jesus, and you know my spirit is present with you in the infinite power of our Lord Jesus, 5 release this man over to Satan for the destruction of his rebellious flesh, in hope that his spirit may be rescued and restored in the day of the Lord.

6 Boasting over your tolerance of sin is inappropriate. Don’t you understand that even a small compromise with sin permeates the entire fellowship, just as a little leaven permeates a batch of dough?

“Let him suffer the consequences of his actions.”  They had the authority to release a man to the adversary.  Think about it.  Do you think habitual sin among believers is simply going to be overlooked by FATHER because of our incomplete perspective of Agape Love?  HE is Love but also a just GOD of correction.  You don’t get one without the other.  Paul had the obligation to deal with the sin among the believers… we do too.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16:

19 I will give you the keys of Heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in Heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in Heaven.”

We have the authority to bring forth compliance on earth based on what is acceptable in Heaven.  This authority cannot be taken lightly so we must understand FATHER’S Heart is such matters.

Acts chapter 5 provides a prime example of FATHER’S judgment among believers who have chosen a life of compromise.  Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit:

1 Now, a man named Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, likewise sold their farm. 2 They conspired to secretly keep back for themselves a portion of the proceeds. So when Ananias brought the money to the apostles, it was only a portion of the entire sale. 3 God revealed their secret to Peter, so he said to him, “Ananias, why did you let Satan fill your heart and make you think you could lie to the Holy Spirit? You only pretended to give it all, yet you hid back part of the proceeds from the sale of your property to keep for yourselves. 4 Before you sold it, wasn’t it yours to sell or to keep? And after you sold it, wasn’t the money entirely at your disposal? How could you plot such a thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to people; you’ve lied to God!”

5 The moment Ananias heard those words, he fell over dead. Everyone was terrified when they heard what had happened. 6 Some young men came in and removed the body and buried him.

7 Three hours later, his wife came into the room, with no clue what had happened to her husband.

8 Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the sale of your land?”

Sapphira said, “Yes, that’s how much it was.”

9 Peter told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? I hear the footsteps of those who buried your husband at the door—they’re coming here to bury you too!” 10 At that moment she dropped dead at Peter’s feet.

When the young men came in, she was already dead, so they carried her out and buried her next to her husband. 11 The entire church was seized with a powerful sense of the fear of God, which came over all who heard what had happened.

We are to walk in uncompromising power and authority as true Sons and Daughters.  This walk requires us to be uncompromising when we are dealing with unrighteousness.  Opposition to Truth cannot be excused on the basis of ignorance for FATHER for HE has embedded this knowledge of Truth inside every human heart.

As Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 1:

21 Throughout human history the fingerprints of GOD were upon them, yet they refused to honor HIM as GOD or even be thankful for HIS kindness. Instead, they entertained corrupt and foolish thoughts about what God was like. This left them with nothing but misguided hearts, steeped in moral darkness. 22 Although claiming to be super-intelligent, they were in fact shallow fools. 23 For only a fool would trade the unfading splendor of the immortal God to worship the fading image of other humans, idols made to look like people, animals, birds, and even creeping reptiles!

24 This is why God lifted off HIS restraining Hand and let them have full expression of their sinful and shameful desires. They were given over to moral depravity, dishonoring their bodies by sexual perversion among themselves— 25 all because they traded the Truth of God for a lie. They worshiped and served the things God made rather than the God who made all things—glory and praises to him for eternity of eternities! Amen!

26–27 For this reason God gave them over to their own disgraceful and vile passions. Enflamed with lust for one another, men and women ignored the natural order and exchanged normal sexual relations for homosexuality. Women engaged in lesbian conduct, and men committed shameful acts with men, receiving in themselves the due penalty for their deviation.

28 And because they thought it was worthless to embrace the true knowledge of God, God gave them over to a worthless mind-set, to break all rules of proper conduct. 29 Their sinful lives became full of every kind of evil, wicked schemes, greed, and cruelty. Their hearts overflowed with jealous cravings, and with conflict and strife, which drove them into hateful arguments and murder. They are deceitful liars full of hostility. They are gossips 30 who love to spread malicious slander. With inflated egos they hurl hateful insults at God, yet they are nothing more than arrogant boasters. They are rebels against their parents and totally immoral. 31 They are senseless, faithless, ruthless, heartless, and completely merciless. 32 Although they are fully aware of God’s laws and proper order, and knowing that those who do all of these things deserve to die, yet they still go headlong into darkness, encouraging others to do the same and applauding them when they do!

FATHER has given us power and authority on earth as HIS Sons and Daughters.  Are we going to actively promote righteousness toward those whom HE sends to us for ministry or are we going to be silent and compromising?  Doesn’t the above passage describe the situation today? 

Many are waiting for FATHER to initiate some form of judgment over these people but HE has given us power and authority on this earth.  Did Jesus sit around in His house awaiting FATHER’S judgment to come?  No, He went forth and preached the true Gospel with power and authority where He confronted those demons who were plaguing the people and keeping them blinded to the Truth.

If we are not planting seeds of righteousness, the seeds of unrighteousness will continue to grow unabated on this earth.  It is time to deal with the unrighteousness by being an uncompromising doer of The Word and not a hearer only.  Justice and righteousness must prevail!

Where are you now versus where you should be in furthering the Kingdom of GOD?  Consider this, if you were to pass away today and you were standing before Jesus, would you look back and say “I could have done more for the Kingdom?”

In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus spoke:

22 “Then the one who had been entrusted with two thousand gold coins came in and said, ‘See, My Master, I have doubled what You have entrusted to me.’

23 “Commending his servant, the Master replied, ‘You have done well, and proven yourself to be My loyal and trustworthy servant. Because you were faithful to manage a small sum, now I will put you in charge of much, much more. You will experience the delight of your master, who will say to you, “Come celebrate with Me!”’

Add to what Jesus said about judging the multitudes immediately after He shared the above Truth and then expressed the following:

31 “When the Son of Man appears in His majestic glory, with all His angels by His side, He will take His seat on His throne of splendor, 32 and all the nations will be gathered together before Him. And like a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats, He will separate all the people. 33 The ‘sheep’ He will put on His right side and the ‘goats’ on His left. 34 Then the King will turn to those on his right and say, ‘You have a special place in My Father’s Heart. Come and experience the full inheritance of the Kingdom realm that has been destined for you from before the foundation of the world! 35 For when you saw Me hungry, you fed Me. When you found Me thirsty, you gave Me something to drink. When I had no place to stay, you invited Me in, 36 and when I was poorly clothed, you covered Me. When I was sick, you tenderly cared for Me, and when I was in prison you visited Me.’

37 “Then the Godly will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty and give You food and something to drink? 38 When did we see You with no place to stay and invite You in? When did we see You poorly clothed and cover You? 39 When did we see You sick and tenderly care for You, or in prison and visit You?’

40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Don’t you know? When you cared for one of the least important of these MY little ones, MY true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated Love for me.’

Would you rather know now that you can do more for the Kingdom or find out when you stand before Jesus in His majestic glory, with all His angels by His side, and He reviews your life’s work and assesses your fruitfulness?  Is it time to reassess your priorities?

Don’t you realize that when you make FATHER’S priorities your priorities, that HE makes sure you are blessed in everything you pursue?  HE will give you the desires of your pure heart.  I can attest to that reality in my own life.  FATHER has a generous Heart and exceeds expectations.

FATHER does not reward selfishness, lukewarmness, or a life of compromise.  If your agenda is not in line with HIS Divine Intent, don’t expect a positive response when you go before Jesus.  Now is the time to do an assessment and correct your priorities.

It’s not how you start the race, it is how you finish it that counts.  If you do right, it will go well with you.

Each month, my wife and I invest in what is important to FATHER and our investment goes toward establishing HIS Kingdom on earth.  This is exactly why we were led to help impoverished kids and provide them hope and an expectation of a better life.  This applies to their parent (or parents) as well.

A friend is someone whom you have met and share common interests.  How do you become a friend of GOD?  You find out what HE likes and develop in those areas that HE likes and is interested in.  It becomes your deepest desire to please HIM and HE becomes your number one priority.  What pleases HIM?  Walking in HIS Commandments of Love in full unqualified obedience with no delays or exceptions.

Love.  Walking in Agape Love is the first thing that gets FATHER’S attention.

Faith.  FATHER is pleased when we walk in faith, especially great faith.  Understanding authority and being obedient to authority equates to faith.

Hope.  Provide hope for the poor by giving to their needs when they are unable to provide for themselves.  Their angels report your actions back to HIM.

Jesus marveled in two instances and both had to do with gentiles.  Neither one belonged to the Jewish faith.  The centurion sought out Jesus in Matthew chapter 8:

5 When Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a captain in the Roman army approached Him, asking for a miracle. 6 “Lord,” he said, “I have a son who is lying in my home, paralyzed and suffering terribly.”

7 Jesus responded, “I will go with you and heal him.”

8–9 But the Roman officer interjected, “Lord, who am I to have You come into my house? I understand Your authority, for I too am a man who walks under authority and have authority over soldiers who serve under me. I can tell one to go and he’ll go, and another to come and he’ll come. I order my servants and they’ll do whatever I ask. So I know that all You need to do is to stand here and command healing over my son and he will be instantly healed.”

10 Jesus was astonished when he heard this and said to those who were following Him, “He has greater faith than anyone I’ve encountered in Israel! 11 Listen to what I am about to tell you. Multitudes of non-Jewish people will stream from the east and the west, to enter into the banqueting feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the heavenly kingdom. 12 But many Israelites, born to be heirs of the Kingdom, will be turned away and banished into the darkness where there will be bitter weeping and unbearable anguish.”

13 Then Jesus turned to the Roman officer and said, “Go home. All that you have believed for will be done for you!” And his son was healed at that very moment.

And in Matthew chapter 15, Jesus encountered a Lebanese woman:

21 Then Jesus left and went north into the non-Jewish region of Lebanon. 22 He encountered there a Canaanite woman who screamed out to Him, “Lord, Son of David, show mercy to me! My daughter is horribly afflicted by a demon that torments her.” 23 But Jesus never answered her. So his disciples said to Him, “Why do you ignore this woman who is crying out to us?”

24 Jesus said, “I’ve only been sent to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 But she came and bowed down before Him and said, “Lord, help me!”

26 Jesus responded, “It’s not right for a man to take bread from his children and throw it out to the dogs.”

27 “You’re right, Lord,” she replied. “But even puppies get to eat the crumbs that fall from the prince’s table.”

28 Then Jesus answered her, “Dear woman, your faith is strong! What you desire will be done for you.” And at that very moment, her daughter was instantly set free from demonic torment.

Both times Jesus marveled concerned the great faith of Non-Jews.  They received His message about the Kingdom of GOD and embraced it to the fullest.  They were both blessed by the healing and restoration of their children.  The son was healed and the daughter was delivered from the demon, two aspects of Jesus’ ministry.

In his epistle James wrote by The Holy Spirit beginning chapter 4:

Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy!

7 So then, surrender to God. Stand up to the devil and resist him and he will turn and run away from you. 8 Move your heart closer and closer to God, and HE will come even closer to you. But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.

As I have said in the past, you become like the company you keep.  As you embrace the priorities of Our Heavenly Father, you will move closer to HIM.  HE provides you with HIS priorities in The Word.  Jesus’ ministry provided us with insight to FATHER’S priorities as He ministered to those in need.  Once FATHER’S priorities become your priorities, you move toward intimate friendship with FATHER.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Philippians chapter 2:

3 Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. 4 Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests. 5 And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation.

In Acts chapter 1, after the resurrection, Jesus had an extra forty days to teach the disciples.  Jesus could have taught on any subject yet He taught on the Kingdom of GOD.  Shouldn’t His focus be our focus? 

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit:

1 To Theophilus, the lover of God.

I write to you again, my dear friend, to give you further details about the life of our Lord Jesus and all the things that He did and taught.

2 Just before He ascended into Heaven, He left instructions for the apostles He had chosen by the Holy Spirit. 3 After the sufferings of His cross, Jesus appeared alive many times to these same apostles over a forty-day period. Jesus proved to them with many convincing signs that he had been resurrected.

During these encounters, He taught them the Truths of God’s Kingdom realm 4 and shared meals with them.

Jesus instructed them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait here until you receive the gift I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. 5 For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!”

6 Every time they were gathered together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is it the time now for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

7 He answered, “The Father is the ONE WHO sets the fixed dates and the times of their fulfillment. You are not permitted to know the timing of all that HE has prepared by HIS own authority. 8 But I promise you this—the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be filled with power. And you will be My messengers to Jerusalem, throughout Judea, the distant provinces—even to the remotest places on earth!”

Why concern yourself with timing when there is plenty to do in establishing the Kingdom here on earth?  FATHER has it all under control so don’t focus on things you are not meant to know until FATHER sees fit to reveal a hidden mystery.  That will happen in due time.

The deep mysteries of the Kingdom were not given to the world, they were only to those whose hearts were prepared.  In the parable of the soils (aka parable of the sower), the heart is what needs correcting in order to receive the deep mysteries of GOD.  Once the heart is corrected, cleansed, and purified, we are ready to receive those deep mysteries reserved for those who are intimate friends of HIM.

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew chapter 13:

11 He explained, “You’ve been given the intimate experience of insight into the hidden Truths and mysteries of the realm of Heaven’s Kingdom, but they have not. 12 For everyone who listens with an open heart will receive progressively more revelation until he has more than enough. But those who don’t listen with an open, teachable heart, even the understanding that they think they have will be taken from them. 13 That’s why I teach the people using parables, because they think they’re looking for Truth, yet because their hearts are unteachable, they never discover it. Although they will listen to Me, they never fully perceive the message I speak. 14 The prophecy of Isaiah describes them perfectly:

Although they listen carefully to everything I speak,

    they don’t understand a thing I say.

    They look and pretend to see,

    but the eyes of their hearts are closed.

15 Their minds are dull and slow to perceive,

    their ears are plugged and are hard of hearing,

    and they have deliberately shut their eyes to the Truth.

    Otherwise they would open their eyes to see,

    and open their ears to hear,

    and open their minds to understand.

    Then they would turn to Me

    and let Me instantly heal them.”

23 “As for the seed that fell upon good, rich soil, it represents the hearts of people who hear and fully embrace the message of Heaven’s Kingdom realm. Their lives bear good fruit—some yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, even one hundred times as much as was sown.”

As for me, I desire the fullness of a hundredfold return.  Why pursue anything less when it concerns the Kingdom of GOD?  FATHER has offered HIS intimate friends such an opportunity and only our hearts will prevent us from embracing such a level of fruitfulness.  Such willingness to please HIM promotes a deeper relationship based on Love and trust.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 15:

12 “So this is My command: Love each other deeply, as much as I have Loved you. 13 For the greatest Love of all is a Love that sacrifices all. And this great Love is demonstrated when a person sacrifices his life for his friends.

14 “You show that you are My intimate friends when you obey all that I command you. 15 I have never called you ‘servants,’ because a master doesn’t confide in his servants, and servants don’t always understand what the master is doing. But I call you My most intimate friends, for I reveal to you everything that I’ve heard from My Father. 16 You didn’t choose Me, but I’ve chosen and commissioned you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of My Father, for My sake, HE will give it to you! 17 So this is My parting command: Love one another deeply!”

What does for my sake refer to?  The word sake and cause are synonymous and cause is defined as a substance exerting its power into act, to make a thing begin to be.  It is something out of nothing or ex nihilo by FATHER’S Goodness. 

When Jesus spoke the above Words, He established and declared to us that we could be His intimate friends IF and WHEN we obey His Commands in Agape Love.  At the highest level, this is why FATHER has me write to you.  HIS Divine Intent is for us to fully embrace the Words of Jesus and become true doers of The Word and not hearers only. 

If you are just a hearer of The Word, you may be more interested in being entertained rather than being changed.  As for me, I want to walk in the most intimate manner with FATHER, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit because I know “you become like the company you keep.” 

I want to be invited to walk on that sapphire Altar which is before Our Heavenly Father.  I want to see every person HE formed in the womb precisely as HE sees them.  Isn’t this intimacy at the highest level?  Isn’t this what you hunger for as well when you read these words of encouragement?

When I stand before Jesus and He reviews and makes an assessment of my life, I want there to be an abundance of fruit from my activities on earth.  I trust you do too.  Intimate friends naturally do things together, which includes producing good fruit for the Kingdom.

Jesus declared “You didn’t choose Me, but I’ve chosen and commissioned you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for My sake, HE will give it to you!”

Do you truly accept these Words to be full of power and authority?  I do.  FATHER expects us to ask for resources to establish HIS Kingdom and there are no exceptions when asking according to HIS Will.  HE does not intend for us to barely get by as we are fully committed to HIM.  An intimate friend is more than willing to give his best to the other.  Don’t you know FATHER wants HIS best for you?

We are supporting the impoverished kids because that is a priority of Our Heavenly Father and Our Lord Jesus Christ.  What did He say to the rich young ruler in Matthew chapter 19?

21 Jesus said to him, “If you really want to be perfect (or mature), go immediately and sell everything you own. Give all your money to the poor and your treasure will be transferred into Heaven. Then come back and follow Me for the rest of your life.”

The rich young ruler did not pass the money test and Jesus revealed the young man’s love of money.  This young man had the opportunity to become an intimate friend of Jesus but was blind and deceived even though he knew the Law.  Notice that Jesus did not tell young man to give to His ministry.  It was the poor Jesus was concerned about, as we are.

Intimate friends don’t lead each other astray but instead are protective of them and look out for their best interest.  They disclose certain Truths that will make enrich the other person’s life.  In this case, FATHER wants to reveal Truths to us once HE can trust us fully and completely.  We are meant to walk in pure integrity.

Integrity is the entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty; integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfers of property, and agencies for others.  Can you pass the integrity test? 

Each of us must make a periodic assessment of where we stand in the areas of trust and integrity.  Both are enveloped inside the Commandment of Loving your neighbor as yourself.  There is no manipulation to be found among intimate friends who truly walk in Agape Love.

There is a progression from acquaintance, to friend, to intimate friend.  As we continue pursuing full maturity in Christ, we will know the difference in these three.  Intimacy is reserved for the fully mature and it is worth the pursuit.