Servias Ministries Blog

George Hawtin, in his little booklet Mystery Babylon, relates his heart-gripping experience in these words:

“Forgive me if I boast a little, for this boasting is not the kind that savors of pride, but rather brings great sadness to my heart. There may be many men in the world qualified to speak of these things, but few have been more qualified by experience than I both to see and discern the many ramifications of the Babylonish system. I was born into the system many years ago. I walked its streets and wore its garments before I ever knew Christ as my personal Saviour. The denomination was everything. It mattered little how men lived or whether they had any personal experience with God. The thing that mattered was whether or not you were a church-goer. You did not hide the Babylonish garment in your tent; you wore it with pride. Neither did you hide the talents of silver or the wedge of gold. The more you contributed to the organization the better Christian you were.

Then one day I found Christ and my heart was filled with joy because of a love I had for Him. I wanted to be near Him and point other men to Him. He was to me the center of all things and the most important person in all the universe. It was not long, however, before I saw that I was falling into another sect. They wanted me to speak their language and help to build their tower. Was I going to join them? Was I going to preach for them? Was I going to wear their garment? Was I going to be distinctly theirs? But God was leading me on, delivering me from the prisons of Babylon, opening the rusty gates, and leading me out into the broad ways of His grace divine.

“Perhaps it was a miracle. I do not think it was chance. I learned that men could be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So I sought and found this blessed new experience in God, and joys flowed like a river as the Comforter came in. But here again the arms of another daughter of Babylon began to enfold me. Was I going to join their church? Was I going to preach for them? Was I going to take out papers and credentials? This time I was persuaded, and I did, and for seventeen years thereafter I was a faithful slave of the organization, speaking its language and building its visible tower. But I was never fully satisfied, though I loved the work, I loved the people, and I loved the students of my old Bible School. Many dozens of them went out to minister far and wide and many found their way to distant and foreign lands. I am sure their rewards will be many, indeed. “All the while there was a longing for a freedom which I did not know, a relationship with God that I did not have. Many times I taught the people that some day God would send a revelation of truth, but the very denomination we had so faithfully built would not be able to receive it. When finally that revelation did come, they were not able to receive it, and those of us who did receive were vomited like Jonah from the belly of the denominational whale, thrown up upon dry land, for we had sickened his stomach. God does not leave you in a dry land for long if you are bound to be one with Him.

Should my life be very long on earth, I shall never be able to forget the glory, the awe, the reverence, the holiness, and the power that came to our class room as we waited on God that glorious 13th of February, 1948, when God began to do a new thing that was destined for a time to shake the church systems all over America. How we sang the songs of deliverance! How the praises of God echoed down the corridors of the soul and re-echoed among the battlements of heaven! Music of heavenly choirs of earth went sweeping up the sky steeps while angels stood at heaven’s gates and swept their harps of gold. Day after day, month after month the celestial wonder continued. Heaven came down our souls to greet and glory crowned the mercy seat. People came for thousands of miles to drink at the ever flowing fountain of life and it looked for a time like the walls of Babylon were to be broken down and the whole church would come marching to Zion.

“But the Babylonian captivity was not yet over. As I look sadly in retrospect now, I can see with clearness that the great and blessed move of God was not two years old before the sectarian spirit began to show its ugly head and men began to hide the Babylonish garment in their tents together with the silver and the wedge of gold. Much as we may despise the Babylonish garment, let me use this pun: The moment the gold gets its wedge in, we are on the way back to Babylon. It is true that we vociferously denied that we had become a sect. Oh, no! Not we! We had no name; we were not registered with the government as a sect and never would be. We had done away with many of the institutions that had characterized other sects. Gone were the Bible Schools. Gone were the church buildings. Gone were the hireling pastors. Gone were so many things that would have identified us with either the Mother of harlots or any of her daughters. The old Babylonish garment was well hidden deep beneath the earth of the tent, but it was there none the less, and the whole move was becoming more and more enfolded by another tentacle of the great octopus. Stricter and more rigid became the teaching and the discipline. There was to be no fellowship with anybody who was not within the confines of our ever narrowing circle. We were the true church. We were the elect. We stood on the foundation and all other men stood on sinking sand. No man must cast out a devil unless he followed us. No teaching was worth the time it took to tell it unless it originated with us. We were the most spiritual people in the world! We were going to reign in the Kingdom and even now we were beginning to reign! We had the gifts of the Spirit, and we were going to ‘call the shots’ in the tribulation.

“We did not know that through the years false apostles had crept in among us, men who were apostles in name only, who had never founded anything in their lives but were building on the foundation of others. We did not know that the doctrines and deeds of the Nicolaitanes (which God hates — Rev. 2:6) were prevalent among us. The word Nicolaitanes is formed by two Greek words: ‘nikao’ which means to conquer and ‘laos’ witch means the people or the laity. This doctrine had reared its ugly head to the extent that the people had no voice in anything. The elders were no longer fathers, but men who were to carry out the will of those who were lords over the heritage of God. Everything was cut and dried and firmly enfolded in the arms of another of the harlot daughters of the Babylonian system. We boasted of the gifts of the Spirit, but what had become of them? Where were the healings? Where were the miracles? Where was the faith, the gift of languages, the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge? The only thing that was left was prophecy and it became a weariness to the flesh, flowing continually from the mind of man and scarcely ever having any fulfillment. Prophecy that has no fulfillment comes from one of two sources: from the mind of Satan or from the mind of man, but never from the mind of God. How often I have listened to people fumble for words as they prophesied thus giving the lie to their words having been inspired of God. How is the faithful city become a harlot! It was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers (Isa. 1:21).

“I shall never cease to thank God that I was vomited out of the belly of this whale also, for we never know the depths to which we have sunk until we are able to view Babel at a distance. Then and then alone our heart gives thanks to God for deliverance from another of the harlot daughters of Babylon. ‘My soul is escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowler, the net is broken and I am escaped.’ Nevertheless one is scarcely delivered from his bondage until another arm of the Babylonian octopus lies waiting to enfold him again. But the spirit of Babylon goes much deeper than sects and denominations. It is a mystery the spirit of which seems to be deep-rooted in the heart of man. It is like an octopus with many arms reaching in all directions. If it cannot catch you with one of its arms, it will enfold you with another. It is like a demon which, being cast out, will return with seven other demons more powerful and cunning than itself. You do not have to look for the spirit of Babylon in some great and powerful denomination; you will find it in your heart if you look close enough. Mystery, Babylon, is in the forehead!”

As you can see by George’s first hand account of the Latter Rain Movement, Agape Love was missing.  We are warned how quick the anointing can depart if our motivations are not fully enveloped in Agape Love.  We must be mature in Love for the coming movement to be sustained among us.

Brother Eby wrote:

God’s true church is not contaminated with the defiling pollutions of Mystery Babylon. There is a little flock, there is a body of Christ, its members are scattered abroad and almost invisible to the great religious Babylon. They are seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal, and they are the called and chosen and faithful who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. They are those who have turned to God in the spirit from all the religious idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for the glory that shall yet be revealed when God’s sons come into their own. They are those who have not the form, but the power of godliness, those who keep themselves unspotted from the world, and overcome all things by faith.

Its ministers are not robed in material robes of scarlet and gold; they are robed in the righteousness of Christ. They are not trained in the seminaries and teachings of men, but by the spirit of grace and wisdom and revelation from God on High. They are not busy interpreting the creeds of the church councils of man; their very lives are the interpretation of the Christ enthroned in their hearts. They have no interest in persuading people to believe what they believe; their whole ministry is to bring people into intimacy of fellowship and vital union with God and His Christ.

In other words, GOD IS SUFFICIENT for this church He has birthed in the world of men! This church stands in need of nothing outside of God Himself! Because God is sufficient, because the Christ within is ALL, this church is left entirely free from all encumbrances to pursue the work God has given it of developing unto maturity the chosen ones so that the church may be the revelation of God’s manifold wisdom to all the principalities and powers in the celestial realms, and the hope of all creation for deliverance and restoration to the great and eternal kingdom of God! Let all who treasure the beautiful hope of sonship to God know that Christ within IS SUFFICIENT! All else is — Mystery Babylon!

The truth that is set like a diamond in the pages of God’s word is the absolute and total sufficiency of the Christ within. To say that Christ Himself is not sufficient for our whole life as sons of the most High, that the indwelling Spirit is not enough, that there is something we must do to add to, supplement, or somehow improve on what He is within us is an insult to God and an affront to our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet we see men doing this on every hand!

The carnal mind is never able to take God at His word! It continually seeks to initiate some additional actions or services on the natural plane to take the place of pure spiritual reality. Men do not need religion. They need CHRIST. They do not need to know creeds or catechisms. They need to KNOW HIM. They do not need to perform ritual, ceremony, or ordinances. They need to EXPERIENCE CHRIST.

Tradition can do nothing for them but cause them to walk in blindness, but Christ is the light of men and the light of the world, and all who follow Him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. This is why God will judge, throw down, burn, and utterly destroy great Babylon; and this is why God is building up His holy city, the pure bride of Christ and the holy sons of God, New Jerusalem, to shine with His scintillating light of life to lighten all peoples and all nations, filling the whole earth with His glory!

There is a simplicity found in The Way of Christ and we must not allow ourselves to be misled by those who promote Mystery Babylon.  FATHER determines our qualifications, not man nor his systems.  Who better to prepare us and mature us than the ONE WHO created us!  Do not be moved by the customs, traditions and alternative paths of men.  Let The Holy Spirit minister to you and direct your steps on a daily basis knowing that Christ within you is more than sufficient.

What is FATHER’S Divine Intent of music?  Ezekiel wrote by THE SPIRIT in Ezekiel chapter 26:

13  ‘I will put an end to the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps (H3658) shall be heard no more.’

I played in a rock ‘n roll band for six years while I was in high school and college.  We were a very successful local band and played over 250 engagements during that time.  However when I received the baptism of The Holy Spirit, I immediately lost interest in playing in the band and quit.  The desire was totally removed and I thought I would never play again.  Six years later, FATHER told me to play in church though I had no equipment.  I told HIM that if HE wanted me to play, HE would have to provide me a bass guitar.  Forty-five minutes later, a man was moved by THE SPIRIT (without any knowledge of my prayer) and provided the guitar.  I played praise and worship music in church for the next twenty years.  Clearly, FATHER enjoys music.

The Hebrew meaning of the stringed instrument comes from Strong’s 3658.  My friend Alan has provided details of the meaning of the Hebrew word kinnowr:

The Hebrew  rwnk which Strong’s has numbered as #3658, is a variation of the word translated as lamp, or ryn ((nyr) which is Strong’s #5216.  Another variation of nyr in the Hebrew is spelled as nr, with no inserted recognition of vahv or yode, but always with a suffix or prefix added to the word, and most times both a prefix and a suffix is added.  These prefixes and suffixes tell a lot about how the word is being used, but that is too long for this discussion.  This two letter form is usually translated simply as ‘lamp’, or ‘lamps’.  There is a variation of the word with a vahv, the sixth letter, inserted ( rwn ), or ‘nor’, which Strong’s numbers as 5135, but that spelling only shows up in that form in the Chaldee (Aramaic), and then only in Daniel.  And in Daniel this word is translated as ‘fire’, or ‘fiery’.  A further look at the concept reveals that the ‘light’ is given off by the ‘fire’; or, the source of the fire.  Our Father is a consuming Fire by the Light He reveals within us.  Boy, does that really change things.

And now, back to ‘kinnor’, or rwnk.  If we can grasp that the ‘nr’ or ‘nyr’ or ‘nor’ is communicating ‘light’, and/or the source of that ‘light’, then we only have to understand what the first letter in this spelling, the ‘caph’, represents.  The ‘caph’ is the 11th Hebrew character, and its symbolism is that of a hand, cupped so as to hold water or sand, etc.  The cupped hand is the ‘caph’, and should be understood as representing that which you attempt to hold in your ‘cupped hand’.  In that context, the caph, as a prefix (which in this word it definitely is) is usually translated with English words attempting to indicate ‘to be like’; or, ‘to be as’.  Words with the caph prefixed are often translated as ‘like’ something.  An easy example of this concept is Psalm 1:3  “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;”  In this verse, the word for ‘tree’ is ‘eytz’ (#[), Strong’s #6086, a two-letter word.  But the Hebrew spelling in this verse of the word for tree, which has been translated as “…like a tree”, is as this:  #[k  The translation correctly understood the meaning of the letter ‘caph’ as a prefix to this word for ‘tree’, and the English translation in this instance is quite acceptable.  So, how does that apply to ‘kinnor’, or rwnk?   This word, translated as ‘harp’, in my opinion is communicating that the ‘harp’ is used to attempt to express, by the player of the harp, a sound or music that expresses, through the playing of the instrument, the ‘Light’ that the player of the harp feels within.  It is synonymous with saying “The music of this instrument expresses the Light as I understand the Light to be”.  The music or sound of the harp is desired to be an expression “…to be like” the Light (nyr) of God.  I will even say the music of the harp (kinnor) is an expression of the Light of God within.  Remember Bob Marley’s song “One Love, One Heart”?  This was Bob’s attempt to express the Light of God as he understood it.  I think it would be fair to say of Bob Marley’s song,  “kinnor”.  ‘kinnor’ is not necessarily a physical object, like a harp or flute or lyre or drum, but it is the expression from the heart of the player of the instrument, attempting to express Light as he believes Light to be.  We know that Yashua is Light, and Christ in you and me makes us the Light of this dark world.  Marley may, or may not, know that to be truth.  However, my ‘kinnor’ is in trying to share the simplicity and purity of My Father’s Life/Light as revealed in these Hebrew words and verses of the Old Testament.  Marley does the same thing with his music.  I hope you grasp that analogy, is clumsy as if feels in writing it.  The most accurate expression of ‘kinnor’ is “As the Light”; or “To Be the Light”.  For in the Hebrew concept of these verbs, when we are ‘like’ the Light, we are accounted as ‘being’ the Light.

KJV 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.     We cannot ‘see’ him until we can identify with him.  Then we can understand “…be like him”.

When we are Like Christ, we are Christ.  ‘kinnor’.  When we are Like Christ, because the Spirit of Christ has raised us out from among the spiritually dead, then Christ is being manifested in the world.  And ‘the world’ is always darkness, and confusion.  Babylon is not ‘falling’, as some understand the concept.  Babylon is fallen; past tense. Babylon is a fallen mindset, and a fallen lifestyle.  Come out of her, and be ye separate.  I believe the ‘babylonians’ of the fallen world will only understand that when the Body of Christ becomes ‘kinnor’, or Like ‘the Light’ of Christ.  For when we are ‘like’ (kinnor) Christ, we are Christ.  For the Light we have to offer is from the fire of Our Father within.  “If you have seen me, you have seen My Father”.

Let us be a light unto the world in word, song, and deed.

By THE SPIRIT, Mark wrote in chapter 6:

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.

54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him (Jesus),

55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.

56 Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

This is a passage worthy of much contemplation so let us visualize the scene here.  The people of the area had already heard of Jesus’ ministry, especially His ability to heal the sick.  The impact of His deserved reputation was so great, people acted immediately by seeking out all those who were sick and placing them in the expected path of Jesus.  Can you imagine how many sick were at the marketplace vying for a position in close proximity to the path of Jesus?  The people were desperate for a complete solution to their health issues.  Jesus’ anointing was fully adequate to flow out through just the hem of His garment and completely heal those who touched Him in faith.

There has been commentary in the past as to the significance of His hem.  It is said that the hem of the outer garment is where the Law was written.  I suggest that the “Law” of Love is what the people touched.  Love flowed out of Jesus and healed the sick.  The people of Gennesaret heard of Jesus’ ministry of healing the sick and then they saw the ministry in action.  How many who touched His garment were healed?  All!

Was this anointing restricted to Jesus?  Not at all.  In Acts chapter 5:

12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.

13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.

14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,

15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.

16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Once again, people heard of the anointing to heal but this time it was through the apostles.  An apostle is simply “one who is sent”.  To be sent, one must be a committed believer and mature in Christ.  Today, as we mature in Christ, shouldn’t we expect the same anointing to operate as well?  Isn’t Jesus Christ the same today as He was then?  Was this level of anointing restricted to just His and Peter’s ministry?  Not at all.  We must raise our expectations and prayer life so that we can truly expect this level of anointing as well.  It takes full commitment along with the expectation that FATHER will confirm HIS Word with signs following.  It takes both Love and faith to be operating in our lives.  Let us no longer expect anything less.

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 3:

3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?

FATHER’S Love is unconditional thus HIS faithfulness to HIS Word is unconditional.  The Jews were given the oracles of GOD yet many did not believe when they were in the wilderness and their unbelief kept them from entering the Promised Land.  However, Joshua and Caleb kept HIS Word in their hearts and led the next generation into The land of milk and honey.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Hebrews chapter 10:

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

These writings are meant to exhort you to good works by stirring up Agape Love in you.  This applies to me as well.  As FATHER provides me HIS daily topic, I am exhorted to walk according to the Word HE has given.  HE has imparted not only HIS Word in a broad sense, but has provided us with time-sensitive details for us to grow by and walk in on a daily basis.

“So much the more” indicates greater intensity as the Day approaches of Christ’s return.  What will He see in us when He returns?  Will He see and acknowledge great Love and great faith when we stand before Him?  Will our priorities align with His or have we grown cold?  Let us not waver in our daily walk of starting the day with HIS Word in us and then let us go forth minister Love and express the Life of Christ for all to see.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians chapter 5:

20  So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.

21  He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness]. (AMPL)

An ambassador is a person who acts as a credible representative on behalf of the Kingdom.  We have been directed to express FATHER’S desire for all men to be reconciled to HIM.  As representatives of the Kingdom, we are to act accordingly and be ready to minister at all times.  Only those who are mature in Christ are selected for this position as a representative.  Let us immerse ourselves in the nature of Our Lord Jesus Christ by meditating on His sayings so that we will properly represent Him to the world.  Let us rely on the faithfulness of FATHER’S Word to transform us by the renewing of our minds.  What can be a more important use of our time?

Love takes care of those who are unable to take care of themselves.  Love also directs us to support those who are called to serve The Body of Christ by ministering The Word.  Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 Timothy chapter 5:

9  A widow is to be put on the list [to receive regular assistance] only if she is over sixty years of age, [having been] the wife of one man,

10  and has a reputation for good deeds; [she is eligible] if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the feet of the saints (God’s people), if she has assisted the distressed, and has devoted herself to doing good in every way.

In order to fulfill the directive to financially support the widow in this case, there must be infrastructure to do so.  There also must be a willingness for the believers to support those on “the list”.  We at Servias Ministries have maintained the infrastructure to act as a treasury for the Body of Christ and continue in our willingness to act in this manner but it takes cheerful givers to fill the treasury.  We stand ready to function both as a depository and and agent for disbursement to those who qualify to be on the list.  Obviously the giving must occur before distribution can happen so it is up to those who have a heart for giving to take action first.

I admit that I have to overcome a certain reluctance in writing on this topic since I know how sensitive people get about giving.  Over the years I have heard virtually every excuse of why people would not give.  Sorrowfully, each excuse fails to consider Love and faith in FATHER’S willingness to supply all  of one’s needs.  People forget that you leave all those temporary assets behind when you physically die.  Others use the excuse of leaving an inheritance for family members which often means the children do not have to develop their own faith and trust in FATHER.

Paul further wrote:

17  The elders who perform their leadership duties well are to be considered worthy of double honor (financial support), especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching [the word of God concerning eternal salvation through Christ].

It does take time and resources for those who minister to the believers to seek FATHER and deliver a message to the Body.  Should they be less important in the overall scheme of things?  FATHER intends there to be a dynamic flow of resources to all members of the Body of Christ in order for all members to function according to their purpose.  It is similar to blood flow in the physical body.  If blood is restricted to an area of the body, that area begins to die and becomes of no use to the body.  The rest of the body will ultimately suffer and be impaired.  The same is true in the Spiritual.

I don’t choose the topics I write on, FATHER does.  I suppose HE is giving notice to those who have ears to hear.  It is up to each member of the Body of Christ to hear and act in response.  We are truly grateful to those who have given in the past.  Some give on a monthly basis which encourages us.  However, the need is great and we should not allow the burden to be carried by a few faithful givers.  Those who sow sparingly will reap sparingly and Paul had no problem in bringing this issue to the forefront.  Neither does FATHER.

PS: Don’t shoot the messenger.

In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated, He preached to the people.  He began with the Beatitudes and covered several topics.  We have a tendency to compartmentalize the Scripture but we should look at all the topics He covered in this one sermon on the mountain:

We are the salt of the earth

Christ Fulfills the Law

Murder Begins in the Heart

Adultery in the Heart

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding

Jesus Forbids Oaths

Go the Second Mile

Love Your Enemies

Do Good to Please God

The Model Prayer (The LORD’S Prayer)

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

The Lamp of the Body (is the eye)

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

Do Not Worry

Do Not Judge

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

The Narrow Way

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

I Never Knew You (who practice lawlessness)

Jesus ended His message on the mountain in Matthew chapter 7:

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”

Trials and tribulation will come our way for the adversary goes about seeking whom he may devour.  However as we become doers of The Word, we will be able to withstand all the challenges which are set before us.  Our foundation of Love will overcome all obstacles, challenges, and trials.  Jesus intends for us to be well-rounded in our walk and thus He covered many topics in just one sitting.  If we will contemplate those topics He covered and walk accordingly, our foundation will remain strong.  He clearly stated the key to success: we must be doers of The Word.

Jesus shared the reality of those who are hearers only:

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

If we fail to heed His Word, then He warns us of the consequences.  We will suffer in some manner, possibly on many fronts.  Jesus set many detailed expectations in this sermon on the mount but they can all be accomplished if we will walk in unconditional Love.  Our motivation of Love will guide us in our daily walk and we will fulfill each of these areas with a joyful heart.  How did the people respond?

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching,

29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Love says: Be a Doer of The Word.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by THE SPIRIT in John chapter 1:

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right, power, and authority to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

When you and I received Jesus Christ in our hearts, we were immediately given the right, power, and authority to becomes Sons and Daughters of Our Heavenly Father.  Our initial state was that of a baby and thus we needed to go through a maturing process.  This process is not based on time as it is in the physical world but is based on our decision to pursue a growing relationship with FATHER.  This takes commitment and focus on our part.  We are required to make decisions because FATHER in HIS unfathomable Love and wisdom, has given us the choice to walk according to HIS ways or continue walking in the ways of the world.

When we walk according to the world, we walk away from the light and into outer darkness which promotes blindness.  The further you are from light, the less intensity you are able to observe.  If you are a great distance, the light will become dim.  However, if you walk toward the light, it will become bright and remove the darkness surrounding you.  This is true in the Spiritual.

FATHER has given us rights, power, and authority if we will only walk according to HIS precepts.  As we dwell and meditate on HIS Word daily, we will realize and embrace our rights.  As we embrace HIS Love, we will be given power because HE can trust us to not abuse the power.  In this mature state, we will walk in authority in a similar manner to our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ.  We will have achieved the level of faith that embraces all three aspects of being Sons and Daughters: our rights, power, and authority.  This is exactly what the world needs today.  We are not waiting on FATHER, HE is waiting for us to fully embrace The Way.

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Philippians chapter 4:

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:

12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

We all have challenges of varying degrees.  There are times when everything seems to be going as planned, and other times when nothing is working out as expected.  As we trust and rely on Our Heavenly Father to provide for us in all circumstances, we will be able to walk in peace no matter what we face on a day to day basis.

Our circumstances are temporary by nature thus they are always subject to change.  This is why we should place our trust on the Rock of our salvation for He is unwavering in His Love for us.  Paul further wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 15:

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Dealing with obstacles is part of our walk and calling, so let us be steadfast and immovable just like Our Heavenly Father.  We trust in HIM and as the world sees us as being fully trustworthy and walking in unwavering faith, they will begin to trust us in the same manner.  As we are proven to be steadfast and immovable, people will be drawn to us as their world falls apart before their eyes.  We have become long-term in our perspective in a world where short-term thinking is predominant.  Having decades of experience in my walk with FATHER, I know first hand what Paul refers to when he mentions the highs and lows.  I can tell you that the lows will test your faith so it is wise to build your faith when things are going well so you won’t be moved when the world seems to fall apart.

How many of us are willing to rejoice in our sufferings?  Paul also wrote by THE SPIRIT in Colossians chapter 1:

24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,

25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God

Let’s face it, all of us will suffer at some point in our lives as we walk out our calling.  People who promote the world’s way will attempt to belittle us and attack our calling.  This is no different  than when Jesus walked out His ministry.  He was not moved by their criticisms so let us be immovable as well.  We should maintain the same attitude as Paul and “rejoice” in our sufferings for Christ.  In the end, we will receive our reward from FATHER.