Servias Ministries Blog

As a believer, do you see yourself as a victim or as an overcomer?  The adversary will exploit weaknesses of a believer in order to keep the believer in subjection to his demonic intent.  We have been given the Absolute Truth so that we can be successful in warfare against the adversary and his subtle strategies.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 14:

1 It is good that you are enthusiastic and passionate about spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. 2 When someone speaks in tongues, no one understands a word he says, because he’s not speaking to people, but to God—he is speaking intimate mysteries in the Spirit. 3 But when someone prophesies, he speaks to encourage people, to build them up, and to bring them comfort. 4 The one who speaks in tongues advances his own Spiritual progress, while the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 I would be delighted if you all spoke in tongues, but I desire even more that you impart prophetic revelation to others. Greater gain comes through the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues, unless there is interpretation so that it builds up the entire church.

Though Paul focused on the gift of Tongues to build up the church in the above passage, we must understand that praying in Tongues does two important things at a personal level: speaking intimate mysteries in the Spirit and advancing our personal Spiritual progress. 

As you mature, you become qualified to build up the church by submitting to The Holy Spirit in a public setting.  This is what happened to me.  FATHER has used me to bring forth hundred’s of messages in Tongues with others anointed to interpreted them.  Rarely would HE give me the interpretation… only when there was no other willing vessel to provide it.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 10:

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

A stronghold is a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack.  We have full and complete access to the power and authority required to pull down any stronghold established by the adversary, without limitation.  Our only limitation is our ignorance due to lack of revelation and/or resistance by a contrary mindset.

James wrote in chapter 4 of his epistle:

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

When we submit to GOD, we only respond and act according to what HE instructs.  We no longer take the view that we will take action until HE stops us.  We should only act WHEN HE instructs us.  The faith movement of the 70’s and 80’s tended to promote “faith” actions hoping that FATHER would bless them even though they did not receive instructions from Heaven.  Many crashed and burned thus they questioned themselves rather than the ministries that promoted such a doctrine.

It is critical that we focus explicitly on what the Scriptures convey rather than man’s slanted view of what is written.  In order to be successful in Spiritual warfare, we must discipline ourselves and remove any past doctrines which contained partial truths, mixed with man’s intent apart from FATHER.

David wrote by The Holy Spirit in Psalm chapter 36:

8 All may drink of the anointing from the abundance of Your House.

    All may drink their fill from the rivers of Eden.

9 The fountain of life flows from You to satisfy me.

    In Your light of Holiness we receive the light of revelation.

10 Lord, keep pouring out Your unfailing Love

    on those who are near You.

    Release more of Your blessings to those who are loyal to You.

Is there any limitation to FATHER’S anointing on our lives?  No, HE has an abundance available to all of us who are serious about being fully led by THE SPIRIT.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 5:

19 So Jesus said, “I speak to you eternal Truth. The Son is unable to do anything from Himself or through His own initiative. I only do the works that I see the Father doing, for the Son does the same works as His Father.

Jesus only did acts of Holiness and expressed FATHER’S Divine Intent on earth.  His works were the same works He saw FATHER doing.  Since you and I are Sons of GOD, we should expect to do those same works as Our Heavenly Father.  Do we dare to go there?  Absolutely, Jesus instructed us to go there and set such an expectation. 

We are to be Holy and walk in Holiness.  As Sons, we are to be set apart for FATHER’S directives just as Aaron was set apart once he was anointed as high priest to the children of Israel.  We are intended to receive this revelation of being anointed and Holy just as Jesus was when He walked the earth.  Our past no longer matters for the case is closed against each of us.

Jesus also spoke in John chapter 15:

5 “I am the sprouting vine and you’re My branches. As you live in union with Me as your Source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from Me you are powerless. 6 If a person is separated from Me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned. 7 But if you live in life-union with Me and if My Words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. 8 When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify My Father!

Behavior is a byproduct of Holiness.  Holiness is all about ownership and those who are separated unto FATHER, become HIS.  They receive an anointing from FATHER designating them to be Holy.  As a result, they are fully submitted to HIM thus they are fully obedient to HIS Directives in all areas of their lives.  They have been separated for HIS service and walk in the purity of Agape Love and Truth.

Jesus also spoke in John chapter 17:

15 I am not asking that YOU remove them from the world,

    but I ask that YOU guard their hearts from evil,

16 For they no longer belong to this world any more than I do.

17 “Your Word is Truth! So make them Holy by the Truth.

Revelation brings forth behavioral changes and people around you will ultimately detect those changes.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 8:

14 The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit.

When you are walking in Holiness, you don’t act without being instructed by The Holy Spirit.  You are fully focused on being led by THE SPIRIT in all areas of your life.  Your mind has become a servant and is fully submitted to your spirit.

Whatever FATHER owns, HE blesses it.  Whatever you own apart from HIM, HE is not obligated to bless.  My wife and I tithe thus we have established FATHER’S  ownership of lives as well as our finances.  In response, HE has abundantly blessed us in the area of finances. 

People may argue about tithing but I have seen the fruit of it over the years so I simply let them voice their opinion as I pursue Holiness associated with ownership.

We are at a higher spiritual level than the adversary because we were made in the Image of GOD.   When we are born again, our spirit is restored but our mind must be renewed and then our body will begin to align itself with our spirit and mind.  He knows this reality but often we don’t realize it and the battle is waged in the mind, will, and emotions.  This is why the five-fold ministry was given to the Body of Christ. 

The following passage is critical to our understanding of what it takes to come into corporate unity as Christ’s Body.  Yes, we need each other but we need to walk in Agape Love and unity in order to be effective in becoming One with Christ as His True Church.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 4:

11 And He has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers. 12 And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the Holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ. 13 These grace ministries will function until we all attain oneness into the faith, until we all experience the fullness of what it means to know the Son of God, and finally we become one into a perfect man with the full dimensions of Spiritual maturity and fully developed into the abundance of Christ.

14 And then our immaturity will end! And we will not be easily shaken by trouble, nor led astray by novel teachings or by the false doctrines of deceivers who teach clever lies. 15 But instead we will remain strong and always sincere in our Love as we express the Truth. All our direction and ministries will flow from Christ and lead us deeper into Him, the anointed Head of His Body, the church.

The teacher has been appointed by Christ to bring forth the Truth in Love and mature the believer into perfection.  This is the overriding mandate of the teacher’s anointing and calling.  I believe it is critical for the teacher to seek out what The Holy Spirit wants to convey to the recipients on a timely basis.  The best way for me to fulfill this calling is to give myself to prayer every morning before I write one word to you.

FATHER has me pray at least an hour first thing every morning and I truly look forward to this time.  I assure you that I could not write over 4,000 blogs without The Holy Spirit directing me.  I have never seen myself as a writer.  However, FATHER assigned me to teach and impart revelation given to me, often on your behalf.  Yes, I receive the initial benefit but want you to share in HIS Truth, line upon line, precept upon precept.

In the 50 years since I received the Baptism of THE SPIRIT, I have overcome much which allows me to share for your benefit.  I include my failures so that you can hopefully learn from my mistakes and weaknesses at the time.  I thank FATHER for HIS great grace and mercy in my life.  I definitely needed it!

Without going into detail, I experienced the four challenges I recently wrote about.  Clearly, I would have preferred not to experience each of these challenges but I did.  It is not necessary for every believer to experience these challenges and hopefully these writings will keep some of you from similar experiences.

My deepest desire is for us to come into full maturity and be in unity with one another expressing the true Body of Christ on earth.  I believe FATHER is now quickly moving us into this fulfillment.  Let us simply embrace the Truth and reject those clever false teachings and misdirects by being sensitive to The Holy Spirit.

Each of us needs to develop our character and discernment so that we are to be included in the mature Body of Christ.  Teachers are meant to assist in this process.  If you are not truly maturing in these areas, you need to seek out the reason and make changes to your priorities… this may include the teachers you listen to or read.  Jesus Christ must be at the forefront of teaching.  After all, we want to be a mature part of HIS Body.

All people want is to be loved.  Jesus and His Body are meant to fulfill this need.  As we become fully mature, we will be known by our Love for mankind and the Kingdom of GOD will expand on earth.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 6, verse 63:

The Words I speak to you are Spirit and Life. 

Selah!

The adversary will use vessels of dishonor to infiltrate your house with accursed things such as gifts from others.  Witches will create such gifts and cast spells on such objects thus giving demons the legal right to attach themselves to the objects. 

An unsuspecting person will be drawn to such an object when considering the object as a gift to another.  You receive the gift given as a token of appreciation and set it inside your house.  You think nothing of the potential of receiving an accursed item in the house but later demonic activities seemingly arise out of nowhere. 

In Deuteronomy chapter 7, it is written by The Holy Spirit:

25 You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. 26 Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.

In times past, we have had to “cleanse” our house of certain objects which were identified as we prayed in THE SPIRIT.  We sought FATHER concerning the source of such demonic activities since there appeared no legal right for these activities occurring on our property.  We were directed to certain objects, most often they were gifts.  We either burned them in the fireplace or tossed them into the trash and removed them from the property.  We never gave them to anyone else.

An accursed thing is anything dedicated to destruction of the recipient.

People may have good intentions but if they are not led by The Holy Spirit, they may be used to allow demons to legally be geographically transported to other locations.  Third world “voodoo” is often used for this purpose.  I have seen this many times over the years.  My wife’s aunt and uncle were missionaries to Jamaica and have shared many stories concerning witches and spells they encountered.  Each time they evoked the Blood of Jesus which was the only thing the witches truly feared and caused them to stay away from their house.  They never accepted anything from suspected witches and were careful of all gifts.

In Joshua chapter 6, it is written by The Holy Spirit:

15 But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. 16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city! 17 Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

FATHER revealed to the children of Israel the result of taking accursed things.  They would lose battles and become unsuccessful in walking out FATHER’S Divine Intent.  We must keep our houses cleansed of accursed things in order to eliminate demonic activity assigned to these accursed things. 

Inanimate objects can carry curses else FATHER would not have alerted us through Scripture.  Identifying accursed things in the house requires sensitivity to hearing The Holy Spirit and this is another aspect of purification and being fully devoted to walking in THE SPIRIT without unneeded distractions.

The strategy of the devil is to keep you from walking in the Agape Love of GOD.  If he and his demons can keep you from this revelation and walk, they know you will be of little value in expanding The Kingdom of GOD on the earth.  You and I are meant to produce fruits of perfection!

In the Book of Job, we can identify four strategies that the adversary will use to keep you from serving GOD.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in chapter 1:

12 “All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the LORD’s presence.

13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

Others will attempt to move you to scarcity.  The Sabeans and Chaldeans stole Job’s oxen, donkeys, sheep and camels.

18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

Job’s children were killed by a wind that came from the wilderness.  The adversary uses contrary wind to eliminate people, similar to when the disciples were crossing the lake.  Job’s children were targeted and separated from him using “contrary doctrines of unbelief”, especially the firstborn.

In chapter 2:

3 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

4 So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

6 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.”

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

The third strategy of the devil is to use sickness and disease.  However, Job did not respond as the adversary had hoped.

The fourth strategy is to use close family members.  Notice that Job’s wife challenged his revelation.  When Peter spoke against the revelation of the cross, Jesus responded in Matthew chapter 16:

“Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

The devil has no new methods to challenge us in our walk.  You can expect one of these four areas to be the demons’ focus when attempting to keep us from perfection.  If you haven’t been attacked in all four areas, don’t be surprised if you have to deal with them in some manner. 

When we are aware of those devices, we can circumvent the problem early by walking in the revelation of our authority over them and we understand how to deal appropriately with them.  This describes what being an overcomer is all about!

The strategy of the devil is to keep you from walking in the Agape Love of GOD.  If he and his demons can keep you from this revelation and walk, they know you will be of little value in expanding The Kingdom of GOD on the earth.  You and I are meant to produce fruits of perfection!

Jesus spoke concerning perfection in Matthew chapter 5:

48 Since you are children of a perfect Father in Heaven, become perfect like HIM.”

When Jesus spoke the above, He spoke the Words of FATHER and we need to understand that this directive is attainable for each of us.  Don’t let the devil tell you otherwise.

Whenever you pray in Tongues, you not only build your faith up but you also build up your Love by immersing yourself in HIS Word of Love.  As we reach full maturity in Love, we will fully understand the blindness all around us and will be merciful to the current state of people. 

Jesus provided us with perspective when He was placed on the cross and stated in Luke chapter 23:

33 When they came to the place that is known as The Skull, the guards crucified Jesus, nailing him on the center cross between the two criminals. 34 While they were nailing Jesus to the cross, He prayed over and over, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.”

Our character training requires us to walk in Agape Love in the same manner as Jesus.  He was perfect and we are meant to attain the same perfection or else why would He proclaim that we are meant to do greater works than Him?

Jesus declared in John chapter 14:

12 “I tell you this timeless Truth: The person who follows Me in faith, believing in Me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father! 13 For I will do whatever you ask Me to do when you ask Me in My Name. And that is how the Son will show what the Father is really like and bring Glory to Him. 14 Ask Me anything in My Name, and I will do it for you!”

We must not allow anyone to promote compromise in this Word given to us.  Some will try to water down these Words because they are not pursuing this walk of Agape Love.  Their egos are simply trying to justify their current state of fruitlessness and they desire agreement from others.  Isn’t this what the people did in Malachi chapter 3 when they were challenging the tithe?  FATHER spoke:

13 ​​“Your words have been harsh against Me,”

​​Says the LORD,

​​“Yet you say,

​‘​What have we spoken against You?’

14 ​​You have said,

​‘​It is useless to serve God;

​​What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance,

​​And that we have walked as mourners

​​Before the LORD of hosts?

15 ​​So now we call the proud blessed,

​​For those who do wickedness are raised up;

​​They even tempt God and go free.’ ”

However those who feared and reverenced GOD responded with a different understanding:

16 ​​Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,

​​And the LORD listened and heard them;

​​So a book of remembrance was written before Him

​​For those who fear the LORD

​​And who meditate on His Name.

​

17 ​​“They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts,

​​“On the day that I make them My jewels.

​​And I will spare them

​​As a man spares his own son who serves him.”

18 ​​Then you shall again discern

​​Between the righteous and the wicked,

​​Between one who serves God

​​And one who does not serve Him.

For those who Love GOD, Jesus has taken everything from the god of this world we need to fulfill our individual callings. As He stated, “Ask Me anything in My Name, and I will do it for you!”  Anything means anything.  The only restriction to this is our current level of revelation and understanding.  As we move on to perfection, our revelation will fully align with this emphatic statement made by Jesus. 

The five-fold ministry is meant to move the believers to this level of perfection.  If they are not fulfilling their purpose, then you should move on to where The Holy Spirit is allowed to minister this perfection.  Otherwise how will you be able to produce fruits of perfection?

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 4:

11 And He has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers. 12 And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ. 13 These grace ministries will function until we all attain oneness into the faith, until we all experience the fullness of what it means to know the Son of God, and finally we become one into a perfect man with the full dimensions of spiritual maturity and fully developed into the abundance of Christ.

14 And then our immaturity will end! And we will not be easily shaken by trouble, nor led astray by novel teachings or by the false doctrines of deceivers who teach clever lies. 15 But instead we will remain strong and always sincere in our Love as we express the Truth. All our direction and ministries will flow from Christ and lead us deeper into Him, the anointed Head of His Body, the church.

Smith Wigglesworth was once asked why he attended five different denominations.  His reply, “When The Holy Spirit left the denomination, I did too.”  Interesting comment.

I asked the question yesterday, “Do you want to reach full maturity and perfection?”  In addition to being a giver, you must Love your enemies.

Jesus spoke concerning perfection in Matthew chapter 5:

43 “Your ancestors have also been taught ‘Love your neighbors and hate the one who hates you.’ 44 However, I say to you, Love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them. 45 For that will reveal your identity as children of your Heavenly Father. HE is kind to all by bringing the sunrise to warm and rainfall to refresh whether a person does what is good or evil.

46 What reward do you deserve if you only Love the loveable? Don’t even the tax collectors do that? 47 How are you any different from others if you limit your kindness only to your friends? Don’t even the ungodly do that? 48 Since you are children of a perfect Father in Heaven, become perfect like HIM.”

The Holy Spirit awakened me this morning and immediately spoke, “Life is about winning souls.”

Everything we say or do should move us toward that mandate, whether it be our time of preparation, our plans, or our actions.  Do you think FATHER simply wants us to go through life “doing our own thing” and not HIS?

We are meant to go beyond our time of preparation and allow The Holy Spirit show us the plan given specifically you and me before we were formed in the womb.  As a reminder, The Holy Spirit revealed in Psalm l39:

16 You saw Who you created me to be before I became me!

    Before I’d ever seen the light of day,

    the number of days You planned for me

    were already recorded in Your book.

If needed, I suggest you reread this verse every day until it becomes burned into your consciousness.  Do not allow yourself to become a “wandering generality” but rather be a “meaningful specific”.

Some people are seeking out the spectacular and desire a visitation by Jesus or an angel.  If you have no interest in being a part of the mandate to win souls, why would either come for a visitation?  The purpose of a Heavenly visitation is to promote FATHER’S plan whether it be by encouragement, correction, or other aspects of preparation.  As we align with our individual missions written in our book, we can expect needed visitations.  As we get the revelation, we move toward visitation and ultimately habitation.

Moses recorded by THE SPIRIT in Exodus chapter 34:

10 And HE said: “Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD.

And concluding with a mention of the tithe:

26 “The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

27 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words, for according to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28 So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.

When in the presence of FATHER, your body begins to return to the “pre-fallen” state similar to Adam and Ever before they ate the fruit.  The Glory was being expressed in Moses’ face and was a testimony to the people that Moses was conveying the Absolute Truth to them thus they responded.

As we become fully mature as Sons and Daughters, we should expect the same to occur… even more so since we have a better Covenant than Moses.

Let me encourage you to continue “up the mountain” and move onto perfection.  IT IS ATTAINABLE to those who walk in Agape Love and unwavering great faith.  Enoch experienced it and wrote about the Shining Ones in the prophecies given to him about the future. 

All of my writings ultimately point to this consummation of full maturity for those who are embracing the content of their “books” written before they were formed in the womb.  Now is the time!

Do you want to reach full maturity and perfection?

What would you do if Jesus specifically asked you to give away your accumulated wealth, either a portion or all of it, and give it to the poor?  What about 10% of income received?  What about offerings above the tithe?  These are tests of where we stand in our Spiritual walk as we move toward perfection IN HIM.  If my response is fear, uncertainty, or doubt, then I have more work to do concerning my spiritual maturity in the area of faith in His Word.

The ultimate question to be asked is where, what, or in whom are you placing your trust?

By giving 100% of the contributions received at Servias to the poor, we are embracing Jesus’ command given to the wealthy young man in order for him to be “perfect”.  We provide this structure of receiving so that those giving are assured that their contributions are not misused or misallocated.  My wife and I have given funds in the past to those who started with noble intents but later enriched themselves in a subtle fashion.  Ultimately they are judged for such deceptions.

Jesus spoke concerning the young man in Matthew chapter 19:

16 Then a young man approached Jesus and bowed before Him, saying, “Wonderful teacher—is there a good work I have to do to obtain eternal life?”

17 Jesus answered, “Why would you call me wonderful? God alone is wonderful. And why would you ask what good work you need to do? Keep the commandments and you’ll enter into the life of God.”

18 “Which ones?” he asked.

Jesus said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, 19 honor your father and mother, and love those around you as you love yourself.”

20 “But I’ve always obeyed every one of them without fail,” the young man replied. “What else do I lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you really want to be perfect, go now and sell everything you own. Give 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.”

22 When the young man heard these words, he walked away sad, for he had great wealth.

The word perfect means: perfect, mature, lacking nothing, complete.  This same word is used in Matthew chapter 5 when Jesus spoke about Agape Love:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be Sons of your Father in Heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.”

Agape Love and giving to the poor are both aspects of becoming perfect and mature.  This is why The Holy Spirit has me write on giving.  We must overcome fear, uncertainty, and doubt when it comes to scarcity and place our trust in Our Heavenly Father to provide in all areas… including finances.  The rich young man did not pass the test when he was offered the opportunity to follow Jesus in His earthly ministry.

We continue to distribute monthly to the local school where half of the students are in need. The following are testimonies of the fruitfulness of your giving:

The cards will help this family in every way.  They have no income at this time and they were involved in a car accident that they are now having to pay for repairs.

A family that is trying to assimilate into the community.  They have spent years trying to come to Oklahoma and any help is greatly appreciated.

We gave to a family that has just had some family difficulties and are very appreciative of any help that we can provide.

We have a young lady that is a senior that just had a baby, we were able to give her cards for Crest Food Market and Walmart – she got emotional, the need that was met was so apparent.  Wonderful.

Gave to a family that dad is unemployed and they have financial troubles.

Gave to 2 families that are single-income/single-parent families with special needs children.

We were able to give to a family with 7 children and a family with 8 children to help with food purchases.

We gave to a family that one parent is suffering with disabilities and they just need some support on occasion.

We were able to give to a family that has multi-generations in the family and needs support.

Gave to a family that has had financial troubles and live in a multi-generational family.

I was able to share a Walmart card with one of our senior boys that has had some real struggles with family during this pandemic.  He was extremely grateful and told me that he would be able to purchase sandwich items to help him mom out with groceries and lunches.

We were able to give another Crest card and Walmart card to the young lady we have that just had a baby a few months ago.  She was so appreciative and got tears in her eyes (again).  She was so thankful and said she will use the cards for groceries and diapers.

We were also able to give 2 cards to a new student from Guatemala we received this year.  Her family was stuck in Customs for 2 years before being able to get here.  Her father passed away in the process.  Her family has gone through many hardships, they were so appreciative for the cards. 

I was able to give a Walmart card to a student in need.  This student was so excited and said this would allow him to get a guitar case that he’s been looking at.  I remembered that the other day, he had asked me for a garbage bag….come to find out, the bag was to get his guitar home from HS Band practice without getting wet in a rainstorm.  Perfect.  He was so happy.  

1.  The gift cards have helped us get groceries for our family and also be able to buy diapers and baby necessities. (from student that dad is now on disability, mom is a part-time worker, and student just had a baby)

2.  We are able to buy groceries now and use our limited income to pay for rent. (from a family that has not been able to work at this time and has back pay on their rent).