Servias Ministries Blog

On Friday, April 18th at Noon, through Sunday morning until 11:30 AM, April 20th, we will host an internet-based Live Passover Conference.

Planned speakers include:

Stephen Jones

Dianne Padilla

Ken Reilly

Viola Jones

Thom Mills

Harmon Taylor

Abby Mason

Bob Henley

Others may be included…

We will be broadcasting from several locations.  Each speaker will broadcast from their own locale… Ah, the wonders of the Internet!  Some speakers may broadcast from a host site, as we will from Bethany.

We encourage regional gatherings of Believers to watch this live event together with fellowship afterwards.  In order to assist and connecting those who wish to host a gathering with those who want to travel locally to a hosting site, I have included instructions in a short recorded video.

Details of the Passover Conference and instructions for signing up to host or attend, are included at the following site: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/44586529

We will be providing additional details at this site prior to the conference.

Deuteronomy 30:19   I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

It is really simple, you have a choice of two outcomes: life or death.  In HIS sovereignty and by necessity, Our Heavenly Father enforces the ramifications and results of those two choices.  Thus you do not have unlimited choices without attached consequences.  You are accountable for your choice and should expect to be subject to the laws attached to that choice.  Will you choose death and be subject to the laws of death and destruction?  Or will you choose life and be subject to restoration and the fruitfulness thereof?

In the above passage, there are two witnesses: heaven and earth.  Both will impact your decision.  Since HIS ways are higher than our ways, the decision of life brings forth solutions to problems that are found at a higher level than the specific problem you are currently faced with.  I have personally learned to wait for the solution to a perplexing problem.  It will come from Above.  The solution is always found at a higher level than the problem.  The solution to the problem already exists in the Heavenly realm, but the question is… can you access it?  Those who have pursued life can.  Those who have pursued death are blinded to the solution.  Their ego has chosen temporary self-preservation over eternal life thus they are not able to access the solutions from above.

:20   that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

The choice of life has Love attached to it.  When you choose life, you choose Love and obedience to Our Heavenly Father’s voice  Who are you going to serve?  Our Heavenly Father or self?  You will serve one or the other, there is not really a third option.  As you align yourself with Our Heavenly Father, life and length of days are given to you.  Your inheritance is provided as well.  Man’s flesh must be burned up in the refiner’s fire.  The works of the flesh must be placed on the cross so that we are unencumbered with the baggage the flesh represents.

Let’s back up to the preface of the choice given in verse 19:

:11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off.”

Here we are told that there is no real mystery surrounding the choice.  Anyone should be able to comprehend the question.  There is no deep, dark secret encoding here that requires some special anointing to understand.  You don’t need to go find some “special” person to interpret its meaning.  Life or death, it’s your choice.  His Sovereignty insures the results and the access or inaccessibility of solutions to our problems.

When Love abounds, simplicity and rest result.  When death and destruction are chosen, complexity, control, and exhaustion ensue.  Why do we choose the latter?  Our ego thinks it knows better.  Just as the prodigal son had to come to the end of himself in the midst of the swine, men will ultimately arrive at the same conclusion, life is the better choice.  The only question is “when”.

We are called to be led by the Spirit, not our flesh.  Our flesh wants instant gratification and our current society promotes that sin.  The “Drive thru” mentality has permeated the thinking of modern society.  24 hour news on cable television provides instant gratification of the insatiable desire to know what is going on.  We have simply become responders to stimuli.  So-called reality TV isn’t real but is simply staged scenes to reflect specific personalities that attract new viewers.  Perception has replaced reality in the thinking process of most people.  This is increasing the blindness of society to the point of allowing disaster to arrive at their doorsteps before they are able to respond.  This has created a category of observers instead of participants of life’s reality.  In a subtle form, these are “escapists”, those that prefer to escape reality.

I see that mentality among those who aspire to be overcomers as well.  We are told to let patience have its perfect work and to be led by the Spirit.  However, many want it now, instantly.  We are told that the wheat in the field must mature before the harvest, but many want it gathered before it is ripe.  You cannot bypass the maturing process.  We must allow the tests and trials to come forth and sharpen our faculties.  We must go through the necessary suffering to insure we are mature before empowered from Above.

Romans 8:14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

What portion of your day are you led by the Spirit?  Have you become fully sensitive to HIS Spirit yet?  The trials and tests are designed to reveal what is in the recesses or your heart that needs to be burned up as a tare.  Your response to the fiery trials is the barometer of your maturity.  The vessels of dishonor are ordained to test your maturity.

;15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Our Heavenly Father has provided us with a greater inheritance than the world has to offer.  We must trade in “perception” for reality.  We must reject the world of instant gratification for patience.  We must not fear when the tests come.

:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

As we become sensitive to The Spirit, HE reaffirms our walk by guiding us through the trials.  In the short term, the tests may appear to be unworkable.  But in the end, HE provides the solution.  This tests our faith in believing that in HIM, all things are possible.

:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

The aspiring overcomers want to be glorified but that is not the end game.  It is the needed empowerment to establish the Kingdom and will only be given to those who have matured to the point that they can properly handle the power and authority.  If your eyes are solely on glorification and not on how you can serve mankind, then you will probably end up as an observer rather than a participant.  Don’t let the sin of instant gratification rob you from becoming a mature saint who has developed a sensitivity in the Spirit and a joint-heir with Christ.  Our suffering is only temporary, our inheritance is permanent.

James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.  See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

James admonished us earlier to be swift to hear and slow to speak.  Words convey blessing or cursing.  What are your words projecting?  What are your actions or non-verbal acts communicating?  “Self” projects loftiness and entitlement rather than an “attitude of gratitude”.  We should be thankful for what Our Heavenly Father has given us for “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above”.

To the pure, all things are pure, but to the impure, all things are impure.  Words can build nations, words can topple nations.  Their power is well established.  Words move markets up or down, words promote Love or hate.  Let our words come forth as blessings to others.  Let our acts support our words.  Be not double-minded in your words and actions.  With maturity comes consistency.  Ultimately, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.  Consider your words, consider your actions.  Both speak volumes about what is in your heart.

We saw the movie “Son of GOD” yesterday.  It began with John, the Beloved Disciple, speaking. It was in theatre #16 (Love).  It is so refreshing to see another world-class movie about Our Lord and Savior.  Once again, a standard is raised to expose the sin, lawlessness, and debauchery that it out there.