Servias Ministries Blog

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 Corinthians 2:

9 But as it is written:

​​​“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

​​Nor have entered into the heart of man

​​The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

​10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Paul had a history of studying the Law relying on his logic and common sense as well as the education of his teachers.  However, he soon found out that he was missing a vital aspect in understanding- The Holy Spirit.  You only have to look at the disciples in the Gospels to realize their inability to walk in faith even though they were eyewitnesses to the miracles and were given personalized instruction by Our Lord Jesus Christ.

How are we to comprehend the Divine Intent of Our Heavenly Father without receiving HIS Holy Spirit?  It is clear that salvation and the baptism of The Holy Spirit are two separate events.  I received salvation and was water baptized years before I received the baptism in The Holy Spirit at the age of twenty.  That night changed the course of my life and all my priorities immediately changed.

I can appreciate the need of praying in THE SPIRIT to receive deeper revelations of FATHER’S Divine Intent.  In the above passage, Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4 with one change from “for the one who waits for Him” to “for those who love Him”.  Paul experienced Agape Love when Jesus met him on the road to Damascus.  Jesus converted the enemy of believers and showed Saul His Agape Love.  Paul’s calling was to write a major portion of the New Testament, being led by The Holy Spirit.  In 1 Corinthians chapter 14, Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT:

18  I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.

Paul discloses the key to being able to write the Epistles- he prayed directly out of his spirit to FATHER without allowing his mind to interfere or alter:

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

The Amplified Version:

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive

[because it does not understand what my spirit is praying]

.

As we received revelation through The Holy Spirit, then our minds can and will be transformed by their renewing as Paul wrote in Romans chapter 12:

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

In order to “prove” something, you must be able to recognize as genuine after examination.  How can you recognize anything if you are blinded?  FATHER opens our eyes of understanding as we pray in THE SPIRIT.  This allows the transformation of our minds to take place for now we can begin to examine everything by the exact Truth of FATHER’S Divine Intent rather than the latest socially acceptable standard promoted by the world.

Paul further wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 2:

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?”  But we have the mind of Christ.

Paul explains the importance of the baptism of The Holy Spirit thus being able to pray in THE SPIRIT.  It is but foolishness to the natural man and he does not have the ability to know the spiritual things.  However, we have been given the mind of Christ to be guided in all that we say and do.  Our understanding of the various facets of The Word greatly improves as we continue our prayer life.

In 1990, FATHER instructed me to spend one hour each weekday morning before HIM, mainly praying in THE SPIRIT.  This lasted 10 years until HE told me I had completed this phase of maturing.  I look back and see how I was sustained through some notable challenges during that decade.  The Mind of Christ became more accessible to me and I was able to navigate the trials which confronted me.

Some people might say that speaking in tongues is not critical but I agree with Paul!

A beloved sister sent me this word to contemplate and I asked my friend Alan to provide the Hebrew understanding:

This word ‘dathan’ is scantily used in scripture, and is most likely an abbreviated form of the verb ‘yah-dah’ (Strong’s # 3034), and in a plural manifestation.  The ‘noon’ suffix indicates, “…repetitive manifestation”; hence, plurality.  There are several Hebrew forms of this word ‘yah-dah’ and translated as  ‘give thanks’ that could easily be associated with the idea of ‘dathan’, though the spelling of these makes the etymology of them difficult, and sometimes a guessing game.  The idea of ‘giving thanks’ is easily recognized as the ‘sending forth of gratitude’, and in that context, becomes the foundation of a ‘law’, or ‘statute’.  These are all ideas that have been associated with the word ‘dath’, and ‘dathan’.  And this is where the Spirit is needed to provide direction and understanding.   The general idea of the word ‘dathan’ is without question founded on the letter ‘daleth’, the fourth letter in the Hebrew alphabet and where we get the letter ‘d’ in English. The ‘daleth’ is generally recognized as a ‘door’, or doorway, allowing access or denying access to another room or arena or dimension.  I have accepted the roll of the ‘daleth’ as that of a portal; an invitation into another dimension, or experience, or level of understanding.  When considered in this venue, words that are built around the ‘daleth’ tend to take on a different perspective than what most traditional translating has allowed.  I consider a portal to be an invitation into a ‘higher level of understanding’.  The ‘daleth’ then becomes an invitation to enter into another realm of thought.  Consider the change that takes place in the heart/mind of man when rather than succumbing to fear or dread in the face of God, he instead ‘gives thanks’ (yah-dah; ho-dah; dah-than; etc.)  To ‘give thanks unto God’ allows the individual to leave the realm of an inferior influence, and instead enter into the presence of God.  That is what I see in the potential of the ‘daleth’; or ‘d’.  In this context, I see Dathan fulfilling a role that fits very well into my own understanding of what the Old Testament is all about.  Dathan bucked the tide of the religious tradition and regimen as dictated by Moses.  As I investigate the Hebrew language of the Old Testament, I find ‘symptoms’ of where the translators followed a particular outline of thought within which to translate.  Many of the Hebrew words of the O.T. can credibly be translated into different meanings than what has been prescribed by our English translations, and many of those meanings give great credibility for the words and actions of Yashua as Messiah.  Judaism ascribed one level of meanings to the words of the O.T. verses, while Yashua came to considerably different conclusions than did the scribes and lawyers of Judaism.  Dathan and Korahk and Abiram, in ‘challenging’ the dictatorial authority of Moses, are critical characters in illustrating this hypothesis.  As defense to the actions and words of Dathan and Korahk, consider the words of Moses in another setting.   Num. 11:26-29  Numbers 11 is a distressful time for Moses, and for the wanderers, and Moses is learning ‘on the job training’, by trial and error.  When the people complain of having nothing to eat but manna, YHVH retaliates in anger and tells them he is going to ram ‘flesh’ down their throats until it “…come out at your nostrils,”  Are these responses from YHVH the responses of a patient and loving teacher and leader; a benevolent god?   Moses is struggling to manifest a Christ-like authority role in the midst of this stress and strife, and even Moses gets a smart-mouthed and sarcastic attitude towards YHVH.  The setting is quite interesting, and Moses is obviously learning what it means to be YHVH.  At this point, the thoughts unveiled in Numbers 11:26-29 take on a higher level of understanding; for Moses, and for us all.  “And then the quails came.”  And according to the words of the next few verses, the wrath of YHVH strikes the people with “…a very great plague.”  To which Yashua (Jesus) responded, “To whom of you, when your son asks you for an egg, will give him a scorpion?” [Luke 11:12]   My paraphrase, of course. Numbers 12 follows this up with the ‘rebellion’ of Aaron and Miriam.  YHVH retaliates by striking Miriam with leprosy.  And when Moses sees what this leads to, he also pleads for YHVH to relent.  Chapter 13 follows this up with the spying out of the land of Canaan by the twelve.  And the following chapters are a recording of similar ‘failures’ of the people to ‘please the demands of YHVH.  In chapter 14, YHVH wants to strike the complainers with retributions, all the while Moses is pleading with YHVH to spare the rebellious violators.  What is going on here?  It seems to me that Moses is learning that YHVH is a very demanding taskmaster, and intolerant of those that don’t comply.  Then in chapter 15 we find Moses hearing from YHVH a further set of instructions that seem to be a little more lenient and compromising where the non-compliant people are concerned.  Are we seeing in this pageant a tenderizing of the demands of YHVH, or are we seeing a softening of the rigidity of Moses as Commander in Chief?  Maybe Moses is beginning to ‘hear’ things in a different understanding than his previous ‘war general’ mind was accustomed to considering?  Even their clothing is now being altered to be a reminder to them of who they are, and what their purpose is to be. [Num. 15: 38-40] I realize this is not a very definitive discussion of Dathan.  However, most of these scenarios and events strike me as being more metaphorical in nature rather than in literal actions and events.  The language of these scenarios very much fits the role of being metaphors.  And for those that insist that these are literal actions and events, how could they ever find the courage to leave the realm of Old Testament literal servitude to enter into the Grace relationship that we have embraced in Christ?  When did YHVH cease being a vindictive and retaliatory ‘god’ as described by the Jew translators of the Old Testament verses, and become more lenient and dismissive of disobedience and rebellion?  At some point I have to follow the leading of the Spirit, and cease being manipulated by the fear of a retaliatory ‘god’.  At some point I have to accept Christ, and following the unctions of His Spirit.  And that very much requires entering in through a higher portal; the portal of The Cross.

For those who understand what it means to be a son or daughter of Our Heavenly Father, what THE SPIRIT gave Paul in Romans chapter 8 is truly exciting:

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

As we mature in THE SPIRIT, we will be led by THE SPIRIT in a greater degree.  This is a progression that takes time as we plant the Seed (The Word) in our hearts and allow It to produce 30, 60, or 100 fold in our lives.  The Word will overtake the enemy and we will see a transformation occur in our minds.  Our interest in worldly matters will decrease as our interest in Kingdom matters increase.

This is a daily walk which requires us to maintain a sensitivity to The Holy Spirit in each activity of the day.  We will experience greater peace as we begin to see people through the eyes of Jesus, even our enemies.  The lawless actions of others will no longer cause us to react in the flesh and we will refrain from speaking or commenting unless moved by The Holy Spirit.

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

We will look back and see how we walked according to the flesh in the past and how those old habits are no longer affecting our walk.  If we do respond according to the flesh now, we are immediately convicted and repent.  Walking in faith pleases FATHER and there is no room for the flesh to lead us in any manner.  Each Son and Daughter seeks to 100% spiritually minded, knowing that the fruit of life and peace will prevail.  What a great expectation to have as we mature in Christ!

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Our mortal bodies are meant to live in Divine health.  The Holy Spirit infuses life into our mortal bodies if we truly grasp this reality and walk in it.  Our minds must be transformed by the knowledge of The Word, especially this verse.  If we walk in unbelief, we limit the power of The Holy Spirit in our lives.  We must have genuine faith to receive the stated benefits in the above verse.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

The word “if” denotes a choice in which path we take: the flesh, or the SPIRIT.  Initially it is an hour by hour decision but as we become more mature, our walk will become more consistent and we will reap the benefits of life and peace.

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

We give an emphatic promise stating who are the Sons and Daughters of Our Heavenly Father.  It is totally conditioned by being led by THE SPIRIT thus it is available to all who are willing to make the commitment no matter what your station in life.

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.”

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

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 Holy Spirit in us bears witness that we are HIS children.  This is why I refer to HIM as FATHER rather than the generic term “GOD”.  We have a relationship of FATHER/son and I know HIS Love for me far exceeds anything I can comprehend.  Will I suffer for Christ?  It does not matter for eternal life and peace are worth any temporary suffering I must endure.  As we are led by THE SPIRIT and produce good fruit, we glorify Our Heavenly Father.  What a privilege!

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Joshua chapter 1:

7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Has FATHER’S Divine Intent for us to walk in prosperity and success changed from when this Word was expressed to Joshua?  Not in the least.  The limiting factor to this area of blessing falls on our shoulders.  Many believers have developed a bias concerning prosperity and good success due to highly publicized abuses among TV evangelists.  Their abuse does not make FATHER’S Divine Intent of none effect.  Additionally, FATHER will deal with those who abuse HIS Word so we don’t need to concern ourselves with such abuses.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 8:

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

To abide in The Word means to continually obey Jesus’ teachings and live in accordance with them and The Holy Spirit has empowered us to do so as we become sensitive to the leading of THE SPIRIT.  In John chapter 15, Jesus spoke:

7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

What is it that we should desire?  Will we ask for anything which would draw us away from FATHER’S Divine Intent for our lives?  No.  FATHER is interested in us producing good fruit which clearly glorifies HIM as a witness to those who observe our fruitfulness.  If we had nothing to offer the sinner, why would he repent?  Jesus also spoke:

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

FATHER will prune or purge any branch (us) that is not producing an optimal harvest.  FATHER will expose our hearts thus allowing us to remove anything in our “soil” that keeps us from optimal fruit production.  This process takes time and we need to embrace what is revealed to us in this manner and respond by cleansing ourselves with The Word.  We should never defend an impurity found in us.  Jesus continued:

3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Jesus’ Words are what cleanses us so we should focus on His Words to achieve a clean and pure heart.  Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 1:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

As we fully embrace the Gospel of Christ, our faith grows into full maturity and this faith expects the anointing in us to manifest and produce good fruit which glorifies FATHER.  The Beloved Disciple wrote in 1 John chapter 2:

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

We don’t know all things in our mental state but we do know all things because of The Holy Spirit in us has provided the anointing to know all things in the Spirit.  Therefore, we will know the Truth and It will make us free.

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Ephesians chapter 3:

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might (spiritually energized with power) through His Spirit in the inner man,

There is the potential of unsearchable riches of His glory in us who have received The Holy Spirit.  In our inner man, there is such potential that few people have dared to pursue its fullness.  Jesus operated in the fullness of this power as it is written in Acts chapter 10:

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

This same power has been given to us through The Holy Spirit and this potential lies dormant in most.  The Holy Spirit energizes The Word when It is planted in our hearts.  As we mature in Agape Love, this Love promotes the unhindered growth of The Word in our hearts.  Paul continues in Ephesians 3:

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

As Agape Love is planted in our hearts where it will develop a strong root system and become fully grounded in us, we will begin to comprehend the fullness of the Love of Christ.  Is there any greater seed to be planted?  When we start producing fruit of Agape Love, we are well on our way to being filled with all the fullness of FATHER.  This Love far surpasses mere knowledge without experience.  It allows us to be filled up throughout our entire being to all the fullness of FATHER which Jesus walked in.  As we study, dwell, and meditate on The Word, our root system grows greater and greater.  This allows a much greater harvest of Agape Love in our hearts.  We must have faith in this process in order to produce such a harvest.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

A very critical point in this passage is the phrase “according to the power that works in us”.  How can the power work in us if it has not been planted in good ground and watered?  There are people who want the results of this power without making any commitment to planting the seed and watering it.  Their focus is based on self-interest thus they are subject to the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches which choke the Word.  The result The Word becomes unfruitful.

In Ephesians chapter 5, Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT:

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word,

27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

The Word cleanses and purifies our heart.  This is what causes our hearts to become increasingly fertile ground for additional planting.  As we maintain a consistent focus on planting The Word in our hearts, we purge out those interferences preventing us from producing a fruitful harvest.  Each day we devote time to studying the Word is counted as faith in the Word else we wouldn’t make it a priority.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 John chapter 2:

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

The Amplified Version:

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error].

And Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 2 Corinthians 2:

 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God

We have the anointing residing on the inside of us to exercise the same power and authority as Our Elder Brother.  We need not go looking for someone to impart some special “anointing” when we already have the potential residing on the inside of us.  Yes, there are times when we may be weak in our walk and need someone who is strong in faith to pray for us.  However, FATHER has given us the key to overcoming the issues in our walk when HE sent The Holy Spirit to live inside us.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 John chapter 4:

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

Consider the brevity of this verse.  Love can be perfected in us and “as He is, so are we”.  We need to lift our expectations to a higher level and not settle for anything less.

A seed contains the miracle of life in it but remains only as potential until it is planted in fertile ground.  Before it is planted, it can remain dormant for years and appear to be of no value.  Once it is properly planted, life begins to be unlocked and within a reasonable amount of time, it will produce fruit which contains even more seed that can be planted.

FATHER spoke in HIS Heart in Genesis chapter 8:

20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 

21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

​22 ​​“While the earth remains,

​​Seedtime and harvest,

​​Cold and heat,

​​Winter and summer,

​​And day and night

​​Shall not cease.”

This covenant continues this very day.  Also included is the reference to time.  With the latest advances in technology, people have become impatient.  Patience is defined as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.  We are to remain steadfast and unmoved as we wait for the Word to grow in our hearts and begin producing a harvest.

FATHER clearly requires time to be considered between seedtime and harvest of any seed we plant.  First of all, many people don’t plant seeds then wonder why FATHER isn’t blessing them in the area of need.  Secondly, they want immediate results without be patient.  They then think of excuses why The Word doesn’t work in their lives when the real reason is found in the mirror.  Thirdly, the think seeds are generic and it doesn’t matter what type of seed you plant thus they end up with a harvest that doesn’t address a specific need in their life.

Being familiar with certain Scriptures is not the same as planting those Scriptures in our hearts.  Some people have developed a bias against some Scriptures because there has been no observable fruit in their life.  I know for a certainty that healing Scriptures produce healing and restoration because I have personal testimonies of their fruitfulness.  I also know for a certainty that Scriptures which refer to finances also produce financial prosperity for I have personal testimonies in that area as well.  Most of all, Scriptures that focus on Agape Love, will produce fruitfulness in that area.  I can see the change occurring in my life and look at people differently now.  I have a better understanding of the Words of Jesus when dealing with the various people He encountered.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by THE SPIRIT in 3 John:

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

What does “in all things” mean?  Are there any exceptions?  John walked with Jesus and heard His teachings thus he would write nothing that would conflict with The Divine Intent behind The Word.  He would not encourage us to expect to prosper in all areas if we were not able to produce fruit in those areas.  He even rejoices when we have Truth in us and walk in that Truth to the point where he exclaims he has no greater joy!

We need to quit making excuses for our failure to walk in the fullness of The Word.  Let us simply repent and recommit ourselves to planting the pure Word in our hearts and expect a corresponding harvest.  Some would defer this harvest to some future prophetic event.  However, John spoke to us in the present tense and frankly, we need prosperity in the various areas of our life while we dwell on this earth.  Jesus always healed in the “present”, not the future.  He multiplied the loaves and fishes in the “now” because the people were physically hungry.

We all need greater revelation in our walk and The Word should be at the forefront of our daily lives.  Let us be patient and allow the time aspect of seed-time-harvest cycle to work.  Then we will be blessed in all we do.

Do you want to walk in perfect peace?  Then sow the Seed into your heart.  It is written by THE SPIRIT in Isaiah chapter 29:

3 ​​You will keep him in perfect peace,

​​Whose mind is stayed on You,

​​Because he trusts in You.

We need to keep our minds focused on FATHER’S Word and protect our hearts from the influences of the world.  Peter and the other disciples heard the parables Jesus spoke to the masses and also received the explanations of those parables from Jesus Himself.  He wrote by THE SPIRIT in his 2^nd epistle, chapter 1:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

Grace and peace can be multiplied to us and in us by The Word, some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred fold.  Can you imagine walking in that level of grace and peace?

3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

FATHER has given us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and Godliness.  In some households The Word is sitting on the coffee table gathering dust yet in It are the keys to life and Godliness.  We have received The Holy Spirit to dwell in us yet some of us do nothing to activate the power of The Holy Spirit in us and minister grace and peace to others.

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The Word has been given to us so that we can be partakers of the Divine Nature.  What is the value of “great and precious promises”?  The value exceeds any worldly treasure man seeks after.  I have personally seen the Crown Jewels of the British monarchy.  They contain no life nor do they promote life.  I saw the coronation chair with the “stone of scone” aka “the stone of destiny” aka “Jacob’s pillow”.  It did not glow or radiate any of FATHER’S Glory… it is a rock and it won’t heal you or provide grace and peace.  Those items will pass away but FATHER’S Word will never pass away.

The Word will protect us from the corruption that is in the world.  That corruption allows the devil to steal, kill, and destroy, whereas The Word brings forth incorruption providing us life and its abundance.  It is so clear that The Way of Jesus is the only path to take yet people are blinded through their own lusts.

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

We are urge to “give all diligence” to add to our faith.  We are to be diligent to the Divine promises and make every effort in exercising our faith.  Are you making every effort by being diligent in studying, reading, and meditating on The Word?  I look back at times when I wasn’t diligent and see the results or lack thereof.  I allowed myself to focus in areas which have no relevance to producing fruit in my life.  FATHER in HIS great grace and mercy showed me the error in my ways and redirected me back to planting good seed into my heart.

Notice that Peter provides us a progressive list of attributes as we give all diligence.  The end result is Agape Love and we are to abound in those so we will neither be barren or unfruitful in our walk.  The focus of these attributes centers around Jesus Christ and no other.  Those who are lacking in these things is said to be shortsighted, even to blindness.  Think about this warning.  If we are not diligent, we can become blinded and forget His benefits.

Exceeding great and precious promises require us to be diligent in The Word.  Those who are at best casual readers will not reap the fruits given to us in this passage.  They want results but make no true commitment to making The Word their primary focus.  They would rather be entertained by the world than to spend quality time planting The Word in a diligent fashion.  It is our responsibility to protect this Word in our hearts and not allow the world to steal It from us.  This treasure in our hearts must be protected from the adversary who would steal it from us if given the opportunity.  These precious promises exceed anything the world has to offer so let us treat them as a valuable treasure in our possession.

Peter continues:

10 Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin];

11 for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you.  AMPL

Amen!

There are four types of hearts as explained by Jesus when He explained the parable of the sower in Mark chapter 4:

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

14 The sower sows the word.

15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.

18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,

19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

It is critical to embrace this explanation for Jesus said to understand all the parables, you must understand this parable.  The issue is not the seed or The Word.  FATHER’S Divine Intent will express itself in It’s fullness if allowed to when entering a man’s heart.  The issue is “us”!

Some will have a wayside heart which has been trodden down and the soil is packed thus not allow the seed to pierce the soil (the heart).  They resist the Word and want to protect their status quo which at best is temporary in nature.

The second group has hearts of stony ground.  This group is reluctant to be associated with Jesus Christ and His teachings.  They are more comfortable conforming to the world’s idols and views thus they have allowed their idols of stone to take up space in their hearts.  The Word has little or no space to form a root system and cannot endure.

The third group allows the Word to be sown but succumbs to cares, lusts, and deceitfulness of riches.  These three areas of self-interest choke out the fruitfulness of the Word and cause the group to become hearers only.

The fourth and final group is made up of the ones who have protected their hearts from the world and have matured in the understanding and importance of maintaining a pure heart.  They are no longer moved by what the world thinks but are trusting FATHER because they have received the revelation of HIS Agape Love for them.  They have come to realize that the riches in Heaven are the only enduring riches thus they have no problem in being cheerful givers of their resources.

The Word of GOD is the seed and if we are in need of healing, we must plant the Word that addresses healing.  If we are in need of finances, we must plant the appropriate Word addressing finances.  Each seed produces after its own kind.  Our faith in a particular area depends on which seed we plant into our hearts.  The most important seed is Agape Love and if you plant and water that seed, you will ultimately produce a well-balanced garden.  It will produce the greatest harvest because it makes the ground more fertile than any other crop.

There are many who hear The Word but produce little or no fruit.  They are found in the first three categories and end up relying on others and “eat” of their fruit.  Their priorities are focused elsewhere, usually on the temporal things of this world.  I can say from personal experience that it takes commitment to be in this fourth group.  One must establish The Word as his or her highest priority.  Jesus has given us the key to being fruitful but it requires sustained commitment on our part.  Faith comes by hearing The Word and without faith it is impossible to please FATHER.

You may now appreciate why it is important for me to write with the frequency I do for I am planting The Word in me as I write to you.

The Beloved Disciple wrote in John chapter 1:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

And:

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus is The Word made flesh and every Word He spoke provides us the Way, the Truth, and Life.  As we read, dwell, and meditate on His Words which establish a definite expectation, we will become like Him and also be lights in the darkness.  In chapter 14 Jesus spoke:

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The Sons and Daughters desire to become mature and walk in the same manner as Our Lord Jesus Christ for Jesus Himself said:

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

This stage of greater works is only accomplished by the continual planting of The Word in our hearts as It relates to the walk Jesus promoted and revealed to us through in the Gospels and Epistles.  In order for us to be as He is, we must place our focus on His Words and acts.  The disciples were eye witnesses and given the power and direction through The Holy Spirit to expound on The Word given to them when they wrote the Epistles.

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

Agape Love is the key to keeping His Word in our hearts and Jesus promised that He and FATHER would Love us and make THEIR abode in us.  What a great promise!

As we continually plant The Word in our hearts then we will produce much good fruit of Love, faith, and hope.  Let The Word prevail in us so that our light grows bright for His promise is sure and will come to pass.

Peter wrote by THE SPIRIT in 2 Peter chapter 1:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 

3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We are partakers of the Divine Nature because we have been given The Word which acts as seed when planted into our hearts. That seed is incorruptible and produces incorruption as it is planted in good ground and protected from being removed. Seedtime and harvest takes time to produce fruit from the seed and thus we need to be patient for the expression of Divine Nature to take place in our lives.

A seed produces fruit after its own kind. If you focus only on healing Scriptures, you will not produce fruit unassociated with healing.  If you focus on prosperity Scriptures, healing fruit will not come forth.  We are meant to lead a balanced life by focusing on all of The Word applicable to our lives today.  Some people focus on prophecy but then get sick and die without ever seeing prophecy fulfilled.  They are predisposed on the future at the expense of their daily lives.

Anointing is fruitfulness of The Word in the area we attend to.  Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 6:

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

And:

47Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 

48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 

49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Notice that we are to focus on the sayings of Jesus, not those of anyone else.  When trials and tribulations come, the Truth found in Jesus’ Words is what will sustain us, not the Law nor future prophecies.  If we fail to get the Word planted in us to the point where It begins producing fruit, we will be at peace when the challenges of life come knocking at our door.

He who hears but does nothing is subject to the storms of life and will suffer greatly.  Christians can hear the Word but if they don’t heed the Word and change, they will not receive the benefits Jesus referred to in His teachings. Abundance and health are two such areas that Jesus emphasized throughout the Gospels.  Both are available to those who walk in Love and forgiveness.  We have been given the right to life and its abundance as we not only hear but do the sayings of Jesus.  His Words need to be the foundation of our walk.