BECAUSE WE LOVE

God Is Love

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.  Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.  By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?  My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:14-18

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;  does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 1 Corinthians 13:4-9

Love is demonstrated by action and not by words alone. So many Christians use the word “love” so flippantly and say “we love you!” But they demonstrate no action to back up their words and they love you as long as you do what they want or agree with whatever they are espousing!

But God demonstrated His unconditional love for people by giving His only Son, Jesus Christ, and His wonderful Holy Spirit to those who responded to His love!  God did just say “I love you” but He demonstrated by His sacrificial giving! We know love, because Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren otherwise we are not brethren but sons of disobedience.

Christians who have this world's goods when they see their brother in need, they don’t shut up their heart from him, demonstrating that the love of God abides in them. They love not in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And those so called Christians who don’t love their brethren in deed and in truth abide in death.

Yes, whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Unfortunately for them most so called professing Christians are not Christians and they have proved it by not being full of God’s love and demonstrating God’s love in deed and in truth! God has called His people to walk in love and understanding. He wants them to be unified and in agreement because that is when they are most effective for the kingdom. But the enemy stirs up strife and confusion through foolish words from an uncontrolled tongue. God’s word is unchanging:

An ungodly man digs up evil,  And it is on his lips like a burning fire.  A perverse man sows strife,  And a whisperer separates the best of friends.  Proverbs 16:27-28

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.  Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.   Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.  For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.  Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:10-18

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.  1 Peter 3:7

Yes divisions including between a man and wife hinder our prayers when we don’t walk in love and understanding. Our prayers are answered when we walk in the power of agreement and unity.   We are called  to walk worthy of our calling with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are called to balance the gift of the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. God’s word is unchanging:

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:19-26

Yes, the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control,  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh!

God has never planned nor intended that the gifts and fruit of the Spirit lay dormant in the lives of His people. When He gave them His only begotten Son, Jesus, and His wonderful counselor the Holy Spirit, He had planned that they would walk in love and adorn their lives with the single fruit of the Spirit including love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. He had willed that they should be 'filled with the fruits of righteousness' (Philippians 1:11). They should be 'neither barren nor unfruitful' (2 Peter 1:8). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth." (Ephesians 5:9)

God has given His people the fruits of the Spirit only with a view to fill us with the qualities of goodness, righteousness and truth. The gifts of the Spirit and the fruits are to go hand in hand together with love being the unifying force because God’s word is unchanging:

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18

"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Ephesians 1:4

"Let love be without hypocrisy." Romans 12:9

"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith."1 Timothy 1:5

Yes, the fruits of the Spirit come from love born out of a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. That is why God works on us to develop in us a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith so that the great fountain of Love will spring in us, only if Love is genuinely born in our hearts, the fruits of the Spirit will emerge in us. A man with mere 'Gifts' is not an effective man. Only with two wings can a bird fly; the loss of even a single wing will hamper its flight.[ii]

We are not perfect if Gifts and Fruits don’t work together in unison in our Spiritual life. We need to allow 'love' to flow from our minds by the power and anointing of the Spirit. We need to continually walk and live in the Spirit and not in the flesh.  Yes we need for God to fill us with His Spiritual 'Gifts' and decorate us with the 'Fruits' so we can minister by the Spirit to a lost, hurt, and dying humanity that is need of the demonstration of God’s power. God’s word is unchanging:

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.  And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.  And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.  For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.  And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ has authority over all the evils. Many times, the devil brings sicknesses to us. He enters into our body and dwells in us. Lord Jesus Christ came into this sinful world to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). He destroyed the devil on the Cross of Calvary and overcame him. According to Philippians 2:10, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." God wants the might, which was in Jesus, to be in us too! When Jesus sojourned on this earth, He gave His authority to His twelve disciples and asked them to go and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons (Matthew 10:8; Luke 9:2). As He said, they received His authority and performed miracles.

Yes, the power of God operating through a yielded vessel walking love can do in a split second that years of perspiration cannot do including healing a broken heart, removing cancer from a sick body,  giving sight to the blind, and setting free the oppressed and possessed. Yes, Our heavenly Father gives His Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). We need to pray earnestly that the Lord should grant us a mighty anointing of His Holy Spirit and help us to shine as a witness for Christ in the days to come.(Acts 1:8 & 2:17).

We can also receive God's Spirit and do His ministry with signs and wonders.  We can come to the creator of Heaven and Earth, our Almighty God and surrender ourselves completely. We can ask Him to heal all our physical, emotional and spiritual ailments. Relieve us from all the bondages of the flesh. Fill us with His Holy Spirit in Jesus name and grant us His strength and might so that we can be a channel of blessing to others. And meet and supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Our God is an embodiment of great love and compassion. When we fear and obey Him, He will grant us rich blessings. He knows our heart's desires and yearnings. He will fulfill all our desires. We can pour out all our cares and worries at the feet of Lord Jesus. He loves and cares for us. He intercedes for us to the Heavenly Father and meets all our needs. God will always remember us and save us from destruction.

"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. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:12-13

My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation;  He is my defense;  I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory;  The rock of my strength,  And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people;  Pour out your heart before Him;  God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62:5-8 

http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx

EXTRACT FROM Called To Inherit A Blessing
http://walthope.tripod.com/called.htm
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts

REJOICE

"PUT TO DEATH" AND "PUT ON"

In the Christian life there are things which God will not do for you but you will have to do with His help yourself! Things such as putting to death fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness.Putting on the new man and whole armor of God. And Using your faith to stand! God's word is unchanging:

Romans 8:13 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.

Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6    Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7    in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8    But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9    Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10    and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11    where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13    Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14    But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Ephesians 4:17    This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18    having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19    who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20    But you have not so learned Christ, 21    if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22    that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23    and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24    and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12    For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13    Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14    Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15    and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16    above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17    And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18    praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints ---

Acts 8:35    Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36    Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" 37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

Acts 27:25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me


FAMILIAR SPIRITS ARE REAL AND DANGEROUS http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-6x
SELF DELIVERANCE http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-11r
BASIC DELIVERANCE SUMMARY  http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-2nh
A HEALTH AND WEALTH CHRISTIAN  http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-24v
JESUS HEALS  http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-27K
YOU MUST BELIEVE GOD http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-Fc
DELIVERED http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-2ed
UNCLEAN SPIRITS  http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-1KI

NO OTHER

MIRACLE RAIN

I am God, and there is no other. —Isaiah 46:9

Life is hard for the villagers who live on a hilly terrain in the Yunnan Province of China. Their main source of food is corn and rice. But in May 2012 a severe drought hit the region and the crops withered. Everyone was worried, and many superstitious practices were carried out as the people attempted to end the drought. When nothing worked, people started blaming the five Christians in the village for offending the spirits of the ancestors.

These five believers gathered to pray. Before long, the sky darkened and thunder was heard. A heavy downpour started and lasted the whole afternoon and night. The crops were saved! While most of the villagers did not believe God sent the rain, others did and desired to find out more about Him and Jesus.

In 1 Kings 17 and 18 we read of a severe drought in Israel. But in this case, we are told, it was a result of God’s judgment on His people (17:1). They had begun to worship Baal, the god of the Canaanites, believing that this deity could send the rain for their crops. Then God, through His prophet Elijah, showed that He is the one true God who determines when rain falls.

Our all-powerful God desires to hear our prayers and answer our pleas. And though we do not always understand His timing or His purposes, God always responds with His best for our lives.

Through prayer, we draw upon the power of the infinite God.

SEEK HIM ...

... Seek me and live - Amos 5:4

The Bible tells us that Jesus came to give us abundant life. Not only did He come to give you life in eternity, but He desires that you experience abundant life here on earth. He wants your relationships to be vibrant and alive. He wants your dreams to be alive. He wants your body, heart and mind to be alive and full of vitality. God is the source of all life, and when you seek Him, you will find Him, and the result will be everlasting life.

Are there areas in your life that need to be resurrected? Are there dreams that you’ve put on the back burner that you need to revive again? Do you need hope or faith for something today? Seek God and allow Him to breathe His life into you. Seek Him with your dreams; seek Him with your plans. Seek Him in all things, and you will find His abundant life, and everything you set your hand to will prosper in Jesus’ name.

 ARE YOU AFRAID? TRUST GOD!

'You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You...' - Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Fear is a normal part of living. And the most successful and confident people you know experience it. The difference is they refuse to be ruled by fear because they know that, when it gets out of control, it can paralyse you. The Bible says, ‘…fear involves torment…’ (1 John 4:18 NKJV) Neuroscientists at Yale University discovered that patients who expected to experience an electric shock had anxiety levels similar to those who responded to the real thing. Researcher Elizabeth Phelps writes, ‘A lot of our fears and anxieties are learned through communication. If someone tells you to be afraid of a dog, then the brain responds as if you actually were.’ In other words, our brains don’t know the difference between real and imagined threats. This goes a long way toward explaining why the National Institute of Mental Health reported that almost twenty million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Someone who’s perfectly safe, but has a fear of being robbed, suffers just as much as someone living in a situation with a high risk of robbery, or someone actually in the act of being robbed. Because our brains don’t discriminate between emotions that are real or imagined, fear can dominate our lives, and it’s just as devastating as physical injury. Psychologist Marilyn Barrick said, ‘For the most part, fear is nothing but an illusion. When you share it with someone, it tends to disappear.’ So share your fears with God and watch them begin to disappear. The Bible says, ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!’

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD EXPOSES YOUR PERFECTION

John 8:12 - Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

When I was a teenager, I heard preachers saying this: “Jesus is the light of the world. So don’t think for one moment that you can do things behind His back. His light will expose all the bad things that you have done!” So I was afraid to come near God, fearing that His glorious light would show up my faults, weaknesses and shame.

But is this what “the light of the world” does?

The truth is found in the context of the verse. Jesus declared that He was the light of the world right after He had told the woman caught in the act of adultery, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

When she said, “No one, Lord”, He said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then, the Bible tells us that “Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world…’” (John 8:10–12)

How wonderful it is to know that when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” His light was not to show up the woman’s sin because He had just told her that He did not condemn her.

This tells us that we don’t have to be fearful when we come into God’s presence. He is not there waiting to punish us for our mistakes and failures. His light is not for exposing our sins and shame, or for condemning us. No, His glorious light is for showing us how perfectly His Son’s blood has washed away our sins! That is why Jesus could tell the woman that He did not condemn her—because He would be condemned for her sin as well as ours at the cross.

Beloved, Jesus’ light unveils the truth that our sins have been completely removed. It reveals how perfect and spotless we are because of Christ’s perfect work at the cross. When you know this, you can go boldly into God’s presence, knowing that you have the light of life that gives you grace and hope!

 OUR HOPE IS IN ETERNITY

But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. - Luke 21:15-22

Jesus says the disciples were betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, friends, and some disciples were even put to death. Yet, the amazing statement of Christ is that not a hair of their head will perish. The context of this statement speaks of some of the disciples dying, so this is not a promise that no physical harm will ever come. This could only refer to the resurrection.

The Greek word for "resurrection" means "a standing or rising up." The resurrection is a major theme of New Testament teaching. Out of the 13 sermons in the book of Acts, 11 stress or imply the resurrection.

The hope of the believer is the resurrection. The natural, earthly, terrestrial, corrupt, weak, mortal, vile body is said to be raised, changed and fashioned into a spiritual, heavenly, celestial, incorrupt, glorious, powerful, and immortal body. This is the completeness that has been purchased for all of us in Christ.

The Lord views everything in the light of eternity. Man tends to view things in the context of his brief life on earth. From man's perspective, a person who dies for his faith in Jesus has lost a great deal. From Jesus' viewpoint, a martyr hasn't lost a thing. Even the very hairs on our head are numbered.

The patience that Jesus is speaking of here is the calm assurance that God knows every hurt that we feel and He will abundantly recompense us in the resurrection. This knowledge enables us to control our emotions in the face of persecution (i.e. possess our souls) instead of letting our emotions of fear dominate us.

http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx

Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts

PEACE

JESUS HAS GIVEN YOU HIS PEACE

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you…

In Israel, Jews greet each other with the words “shalom, shalom”. Unlike the English word “peace”, “shalom” does not just mean peace of mind, but also wholeness for your entire being—spirit, soul and body. It means having a sense of completeness and soundness. In other words, shalom encompasses your provision, health, safety and total well-being.

When Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 14:27, He did not use the English word “peace”. He would have used the Hebrew word “shalom”, saying, “Shalom I leave with you, My shalom I give to you…” Interestingly, the word “leave” here actually means “bequeath”, the way a rich man bequeaths his estate to his beneficiary.

The disciples must have been excited when they heard that Jesus was bequeathing them His shalom. They must have known that to receive His shalom was to have His health because they had never seen Him sick. To have His shalom also meant never being in lack because He was never broke. Whenever He needed money, money was there. Once, money to pay the temple tax came in the mouth of a fish! (Matthew 17:24–27)

The disciples also understood that having Jesus’ shalom meant having His abundance because they had seen Him meeting the needs of thousands with plenty of leftovers. They saw him feeding 5,000 men (not counting the women and children) with 12 baskets full of leftovers! (Mark 6:34–44)

Jesus wanted His disciples to know that His peace was different from the peace that the world offers. His peace would change whatever trying circumstances that beset them. Even if it was a mega storm, it would have to bow to His peace. The Prince of Peace merely spoke, “Peace, be still!” and the winds and the sea obeyed Him. (Mark 4:39) His peace changed the mega storm into a perfect calm.

Beloved, that is the kind of peace that Jesus has bequeathed to you. Therefore, believe that His shalom which He has left with you will change all your difficult situations, bringing you from sickness, lack and mental anguish to health, provision and total wellness!

OUR HOPE IS IN ETERNITY

But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls. - Luke 21:15-22

Jesus says the disciples were betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, friends, and some disciples were even put to death. Yet, the amazing statement of Christ is that not a hair of their head will perish. The context of this statement speaks of some of the disciples dying, so this is not a promise that no physical harm will ever come. This could only refer to the resurrection.

The Greek word for "resurrection" means "a standing or rising up." The resurrection is a major theme of New Testament teaching. Out of the 13 sermons in the book of Acts, 11 stress or imply the resurrection.

The hope of the believer is the resurrection. The natural, earthly, terrestrial, corrupt, weak, mortal, vile body is said to be raised, changed and fashioned into a spiritual, heavenly, celestial, incorrupt, glorious, powerful, and immortal body. This is the completeness that has been purchased for all of us in Christ.

The Lord views everything in the light of eternity. Man tends to view things in the context of his brief life on earth. From man's perspective, a person who dies for his faith in Jesus has lost a great deal. From Jesus' viewpoint, a martyr hasn't lost a thing. Even the very hairs on our head are numbered.

The patience that Jesus is speaking of here is the calm assurance that God knows every hurt that we feel and He will abundantly recompense us in the resurrection. This knowledge enables us to control our emotions in the face of persecution (i.e. possess our souls) instead of letting our emotions of fear dominate us.

THE KINGDOM ...

...it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom - Luke 12:32, KJV

Our God is an extravagant God! He loves to do exceedingly beyond anything we can hope for or imagine. It gives Him pleasure to pour out His abundance and goodness in your life. It gives Him pleasure to give you His kingdom.

What is the kingdom of God? It’s simply God’s operating system, or His way of doing things. Throughout scripture, God reveals His principles for living the abundant life. When you do things God’s way, you get God’s results; you get His success and blessing and that’s what He wants for you!

Romans 14 tells us that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Do you need more joy and peace in your life? Follow the Word and open your heart to His kingdom. As you do things God’s way, you will get His results and live in the blessing of His kingdom all the days of your life!

SHAKE IT OFF

'...shake the dust off your feet...' Mark 6:11 NIV

Here’s some good advice Jesus gave His disciples. When someone rejects you or won’t listen to you, ‘…shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.’ When you experience rejection, you have two choices: allow it to affect your confidence and self–worth, or ‘shake it off’ and move on. Now, Jesus was not talking about sincere minds that don’t understand, but proud minds that reject the truth. He was saying, ‘Don’t let it break your stride and keep you from accomplishing what needs to be done.’ When Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, he was bitten by a snake while gathering firewood. Immediately the islanders said to one another, ‘…this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.’ (Acts 28:4 NKJV) How did Paul respond? ‘…he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.’ (Acts 28:5 NKJV) What did the islanders say about him then? ‘…they changed their minds and said that he was a god.’ (Acts 28:6 NKJV) Wow! People’s minds change like the wind! So don’t let their compliments puff you up, or their criticisms tear you down. God’s will is for you to help others. If they accept your help, give it. If not, go where you will be accepted and appreciated. Jesus said, ‘…I say to you, he who receives whomever I send, receives Me…’ (John 13:20 NKJV) In the final analysis it’s not you they are rejecting, but the One who sent you. Knowing that, gives you confidence and peace of mind.

BETTER THAN WAKING UP

Today you will be with me in paradise. —Luke 23:43

Have you ever felt that your life was ruined as a result of having done something embarrassing, shameful, or even criminal—only to wake up and realize it was just a dream? But what if it wasn’t just a nightmare? What if the situation was all too real—either for yourself or someone you love?

This is the situation confronted in George MacDonald’s 19th-century novel The Curate’s Awakening. It’s the story of a parish minister who discovers that he’s been speaking for a God he’s not even sure he believes in. Later, he is called to the bedside of a young man who is losing his mind and dying, haunted by a murder he has committed.

In the heart-rending struggle that follows, the minister discovers what we all need to see. The relief of waking up from a bad dream is nothing compared to waking to the reality of God’s forgiveness, which we once thought was too good to be true.

Where will we find the mercy we need? It is found in Jesus, who, from His own cross said to a dying criminal who turned to Him for help, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

We are saved by God’s mercy, not by our merit.

http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx

Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts

SAVED

A Bondservant Of God
Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. 2 Corinthians 12:12

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; Titus 1:1

We have today many preachers of the gospel but few ministers of the gospel, especially with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds and who have come to serve like Jesus did, who did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. True men of God are never be appointed by any man or college, institution or church based solely on their own initiative, separate from the direction of the Holy Spirit. True men of God are anointed ones called and chosen by God Himself.  True men of God don't have to say anything about who they are but the anointing that is upon them speaks for them and it’s demonstrated by character, miracles, signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

Yes, true men of God are God made, not man made! They exist with the purpose of the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11-16). God’s word is unchanging:

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?  But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?  My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:14-18

Yes, true men of God walk in love and have spiritual gifts, especially prophesy - speaking edification and exhortation and comfort to men. True men of God don’t deny the gifts of the Spirit or fight with those who do. They preach the whole counsel of God and lay down their lives for the brethren and not take their lives nor their money, talents or time! God’s word is unchanging:

"For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.  "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.  "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.  "Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.  "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.  "Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.  "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:27-35

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.   Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:3-8

True men of God don’t do anything through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind esteem others better than themselves. They look not only for their own interests, but also for the interests of others. They make for themselves no reputation but are bondservant, and walk in love and humility. They imitate Christ and are not the clone of others! They have an attitude of servant hood always seeking "the profit of many that they may be saved" (1 Corinthians 10:32-33). They are taught by God and not by men (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-15, 1 John 2:20, 27). They allow tribulations to help build character and produce perseverance and hope (Romans 5:3-5). God’s word is unchanging:

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold" Proverbs 22:1

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,  And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.  The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,  The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,  The Spirit of counsel and might,  The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.  His delight is in the fear of the LORD,  And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,  Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;  But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,  And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;  He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,  And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. ” Isaiah 11:1-2

”But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, and the deep things of God. 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. 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. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 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. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-16

True men of God have the Spirit of the Lord resting upon them, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. They judge not by the sight of their eyes, nor decide by the hearing of their ears; but with righteousness they judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. They strike the earth with the rod of their mouth, and with the breath of their lips they slay the wicked just like Jesus did. Woe to you doesn’t mean something good is going to happen to you?  And that is exactly what Jesus told and cursed the false ones.

Jesus was tapped into the ever increasing, flowing river of constant knowledge and revelation.  True men of God flow in the mind of Christ and minister in the mantles of knowledge. They live and move in the ever increasing, flowing river of constant knowledge and revelation.  Since the Holy Spirit is just as much God as the Father and the Son, true men of God are not afraid to worship the Third "Person" of the Godhead as well as God the Father and God the Son. True men of God who have the strongest anointing have developed an intimate relationship and exchange with Holy Spirit! True men of God love and execute justice just like Jesus did. The bible records:

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"  Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up." John 2:13-17

True men of God call forth those things that are not as though they were. True men of God ask God to send angels to work in their life and ministry. For true men of God heaven, the second heaven and the realm of the invisible would are real to them. Heavenly glory along with the spirit of prophecy touches their lives and they have divine wisdom and revelation to see and experience God in the reality of the supernatural. True men of God prophetically call forth reinforcements in the angelic realm and bring healing to many in the ministry who are under attack. Angels were important in the ministry of Jesus and visited Him so often at vital times in His life. They ministered to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and after His forty-day fast. They imparted divine strength and life to Him.

True men of god honor healing and preach healing and get healing! True men of God honor salvation and preach salvation, and get salvation.  True men of God honor and talk about the supernatural or angels, and miracles happen and angels show up. God’s word is unchanging:

“Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.” Psalm 103:20

This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,  And delivers them. Psalm 34:6-7

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:19-20

Yes, it’s the angels job to go and carry out God’s word and deliver God’s trusting ones from destruction and in bringing  them healing. We need angels in healing because many sicknesses and diseases today are caused by demons. So we need angels to come and war and take authority over the demonic realm.  Yes angels do heed “the voice of His word,” the word spoken by God’s saints on the earth. They heed His voice as it comes through His saints who declare His word on the earth. According to Jesus’ words, what we do and don’t do can bind and release heaven. Whatever we loose in heaven is loosed on earth, or whatever we bind on earth is bound in the heavens (Matthew. 16:19). So as we proclaim decree and prophesy God’s will in our lives, a church and in a region, the angels carry out His word concerning His activities on the earth.  Yes, angels are commissioned to carry out the word that God’s servants speak and prophecy.

Yes, true men of God have an anointing on them to release signs and wonders, not just physical healing and miracles. Because we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, we need to see into the invisible realm and use all the ministering angels who are at our disposal. We have authority to release angels to work on our behalf through prayer. God’s word is unchanging:

Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.  And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"  So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:14-17

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Matthew 4:11

And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? "How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?" Matthew 26:51-54

Yes, Elisha, as a true man of God, didn’t trust in what his natural senses felt or saw; his mind wasn’t on the temporal but on the eternal. He was aware that he had a greater army on his side.  And in the same way those who are for us are greater than those who are against us. We are called to a life of signs and wonders and we set our mind on things above rather that the temporal, God will open the eyes of our heart to the invisible realm. And just like the angels came and minister to Jesus they can come and minister to us. We can ask the Father at any time to provide us with more than twelve legions of angels, as we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. But the good news is that Jesus, the Great Commander of the Hosts is above all things that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers He is the Lord of the armies, the Chief, the commander of the army of the Lord. He is also the King of Kings, Lord of Lords and God of Gods. God’s word is unchanging:

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Colossians. 1:16
 
http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx

EXTRACT FROM Called To Inherit A Blessing
http://walthope.tripod.com/called.htm
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts

THE LIVING GOD

Mercy And Justice
 
So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John 20:21-23

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:15-17

The basis of our judicial system is not only whether a person is guilty or not guilty of a crime but the reason he did the crime. Hence we have terms as reckless behavior, negligent behavior, first degree manslaughter, second degree manslaughter, justifiable homicide and acquittal. The Court usually considers the evidence in a light most favorable to the accused. The elements of the crime of manslaughter in the second degree, each of which the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt, are that at the time and place alleged: 1. The defendant caused the death of person. 2.  The killing was reckless. 3. The killing was not excusable or justified.

A person is reckless with respect to circumstances when the person consciously and unjustifiably disregards a substantial risk that such circumstances may exist.  The difference between reckless behavior and negligent behavior is primarily measured by the state of mind of the individual Any reckless killing of one human being, including an unborn child, by the act or procurement of another is neither murder nor manslaughter in the first degree, nor excusable nor justifiable homicide, is manslaughter in the second degree.

A person can be charged with a crime and be acquitted because there was not sufficient evidence  to sustain a  conviction. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t guilty but just that he could not be proven guilty.  In the court of law it has been established “Where a person commits an act without being conscious thereof, the act is not a criminal act even though it would be a crime if it had been committed by a person who was conscious.”  But when evidence has been given to to show that the defendant was  conscious at the time and place of the commission of the alleged offenses for which he has been put on trial and committed the offenses he must be found guilty and sentenced accordingly. God’s word is unchanging:

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.  Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31

Because the earth’s government is on God’s shoulder (Isaiah 9:6, Romans 13:1-4) and has been patterned or  the copy and shadow of the heavenly things (Hebrews 8:5) in judging things we must consider is not only whether a person is guilty or not guilty of a crime but the reason he did the crime.  Each one who has been born again and filled with the Spirit of God has been made a king and priest unto our God. As a king we execute authority and judgments over things including people. As a priest we show mercy and intercede on behalf of others. And not all sins are forgiveable by us even though many Christians believe in unconditional forgiveness  and forgive people unconditionally for anything and everything.  But the bible tells us that woe comes to those who don’t repent:

Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him." Luke 17:1-4

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,  although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.  All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 1 John 5:16-17

Apostle Paul received mercy and forgiveness because he did things it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. He also received mercy and forgiveness because Christians lovingly prayed for his conviction and salvation. And  that in Him first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life

Love is the new and greatest commandment that God has given us today. And we are now commanded to love one another. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. We are commanded in the Word of God in Romans 13:7-9 to  Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.  Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. or the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." We are also told in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 that  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;  does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;  does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. We are also told in 1 John 4:8-11 that  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Most offenses that we do to others result from the lack of love, including the fact that we  don’t love ourselves, don’t love others and don’t believe that God loves or cares for us. As a result we kill or murder  people with our words and or deeds. God’s word is unchanging:

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:44

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.  By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?  My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:15-18

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.  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.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us.   If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:15-21

The lack of God’s love in our hearts and lives and to others through us, is a major cause of many of our sins and offenses to others for which we need to repent and receive love from God because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5).  Otherwise we shall know the judgments of God just as Jesus promised:

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Matthew 5:20-25

"And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:12

In dealing with others who have caused us offenses we must loose the love of God upon all our enemies and adversaries who don’t know what they are doing. We must forgive and release them from their sins. But for those that consciously sin against God's will, we must pray for Holy Spirit conviction upon them that they would turn and repent. Otherwise we should loose God’s righteousness and judgment of psalm 59 and 109 upon them as per the Word of God in Matthew 18:15-20. If we don’t loose righteousness and justice on unrepentant ones, then they will continue causing unrepented offenses to others and we will be guilty for their sins  and share in the judgment of God that follows. God’s word is unchanging:

Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:  "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.  "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.  "Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul." Ezekiel 3:16-21

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19

But all this doesn’t change the fact that God overlooked times of ignorance, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. His  word is unchanging:

 "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.  "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,  "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'  "Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.  "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,  "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." Acts 17:24-31



http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx

EXTRACT FROM Called To Inherit A Blessing
http://walthope.tripod.com/called.htm
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts

BOUNTIFULLY

Write The Vision

I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications.  Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. The pains of death surrounded me,  And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;  I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the LORD:  "O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!"  Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful.  The LORD preserves the simple;  I was brought low, and He saved me.  Return to your rest, O my soul,  For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. Psalm 116:1-7

Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. Habakkuk 2:2

What amazes me about many false pastors and preachers is they write their own rules and doctrines and then are surprised that God doesn't believe in them or follow them? As a result many shall find themselves in places they never expected to be for God gives grace to the humble and contends with the proud. And many of them are sure not humble! They don't seem to understand the purpose of ministry as demonstrated in the life of Jesus. The Word of God has given us God’s vision or definition concerning ‘the purpose of ministry’ by the five fold ministries in the church of Jesus. And it’s very clear:

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,  till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ-  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16

Apostle, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are not called to do their own thing, to build their super ministry, but to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,  till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ-  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Yes, God is concerned that we call come to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. To do or give any less to God’s people is to rob them of their birthright and inheritance for which apostle, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers will give account on the Day of Judgment.

‘The mission of ministry’ is to be like Jesus who in love ministered to everybody without exception and without being a respecter of person.  Jesus Christ, who was no different from you or I, except He was filled with the Spirit from birth and anointed with the Spirit for ministry at the river Jordan, by the power of the Spirit, was able to meet whatever need the people had including casting out demons, healing sick bodies and miraculously feeding five thousand men, not including women and children.

It’s to be noted that Jesus started and finished each day with prayer, even long hours of prayer. And to God the heart of man, including that of the person who ministered, was more important than outward appearance or character.  As a matter of fact Jesus never taught about excellence in ministry. He just ministered to the people! He had a servant heart and came to minister and not to be ministered too. He taught that faith in God will do the impossible, with God nothing is impossible, and according to your faith it will be done for you. He also taught on the importance of heeding His words:

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

"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: "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.

"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:  "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." Matthew 7:21-27

A pastor, who had visited heaven and talked with Jesus there, told the real story of a man who died and went to heaven, expecting Jesus to welcome him at the gates of heaven. He waited there three days before an angel told him that it is pointless for him to wait there since Jesus won’t see him. He was puzzled because he had done a great work for Jesus. He had initiated a Christian businessmen fellowship that encircled around the globe. There are chapters in every city and town in almost every country. There are meetings, magazines for Christian testimonies, souls were saved – surely he had done a great work for God. But the angel asked him one question. When he started the work, did he really get the idea from God or was it from himself? He pondered for a long time before he admitted that it was his own idea. The angel showed him his book of records and he was shocked at seeing the consequences of his actions. “You mean I did that?” was all he could utter repeatedly. His work was actually drawing many Christians from their true callings when they jumped on the bandwagon he started.

 To do things such as prophesying  in Jesus  name, casting out demons in Jesus name, and doing many wonders in Jesus  name not in God’s timing and will is to practice lawlessness for which apostle, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers shall not enter the kingdom?' Also Jesus Christ, the epitome of love, did not have much patience or was kind and benevolent to the religions and political leaders of His day. He called King Herod who wanted him murdered a fox. The bible records:

On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' "Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! Luke 13:31-34

There are real consequences in life for the things that we do or don’t do. Dr. Paul Dhinakaran relayed about one of these consequences:

Once a woman suffered severely owing to some illness. A Pastor requested my father (Bro. D.G.S. Dhinakaran) to offer personal prayers for her. My father visited this woman's house and prayed fervently for her. The Lord revealed the reason for her illness. At once my father looked at the woman and said, "Sister, you don't have to suffer like this anymore. The Bible says in Matthew 6:14, 'For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.' Do you have any brothers?" That woman responded saying, "Yes I do have brothers." Then my father continued saying, "Dear sister! You have not followed the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. You have been unfairly hoarding the possessions and land documents of your dear brothers. They are suffering greatly and are terribly in want of money. Please handover all their documents and make them happy. Surely God will heal you and make you happy too." That woman resented this statement because she did not want to give up the possessions of her brothers that were under her control because she craved for worldly honour, respect and power. Therefore, suffering with that illness she passed away.

Jesus the epitome of love and character didn’t go around blessing people with words. He didn’t bless the religious and political leaders of His day but cursed them. ‘Woe to you’ doesn’t mean something good is going to happen to you.  He called them all kinds of names including hypocrites, murderers, serpents, brood of vipers, liars, blind guides, sons of hell, etc. He told them they would not escape the condemnation of hell (Matthew 23:15, 33, Luke 11:24-25, 23:38-31) and they didn’t!

But when it came to the poor and needy Jesus attitude and approach to such as these was completely different.  The bible says of Jesus ‘A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust’ (Matthew 12:20-21). He demonstrated His love for them by His miracle deeds. He healed the blind and cleansed the lepers. He was and is very kind and compassionate towards those who are poor and needy and need a miracle. When he saw a bereaving widow whose only son had died, he had compassion and brought the son back to life and presented him to his mother (Luke 7:12-15). When He saw a great multitude, He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick (Matthew 9:36, 14:14). When the blind men asked for healing, He had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him (Matthew 20:30-34).

The Word of God tells us in Isaiah 11:1-5 that Jesus was totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct, help and anoint Him, as well as to do the miracles. The power of the Lord was present to heal all (Luke 4:18, 5:17). Everyone who came to Jesus was healed by Him! He had a perfect track record in the area of healing. He unlike others never made an excuse why some were not healed. He didn’t collect the names of people who were healed to show them off or to build a mass mailing list, or see and use them as usable commodities as some Christian ministries do? Jesus’ anointing was unlimited or without measure for the purposes of healing and delivering all that came to Him. And we can all have the same anointing for all that belong to Jesus belongs to the Father, and what belong to the Father belongs to Jesus and what belongs to Jesus belongs to us (John 16; 14-15)? And this includes Paul, Apollos and others. God’s word is unchanging:

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,  each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.  If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.(1 Corinthians 3:5-15)

It’s to be noted that ministry is not to facilitate the vision of the house and its evangelist or pastor.  Ministry is not to get rich off the sheep.  Ministry is not to purse a secret hidden agenda for prominence, fortune and fame like Judas who betrayed Jesus for his greed (Matthew 26:24, Luke 6; 16, Luke 22:3). Yes Judas healed the sick, cast out devils and fellowshipped with Jesus and also stole money from the treasurer and was a betrayer and traitor! Unlike others even of our day, Jesus did not just teach or preach but He did real works such as cast out devils, heal the sick, raise the dead, cause cripples to walk, and rebuked religious Pharisees who didn’t do such things! What Jesus lacked in any area of His life He made up for it by the power of the anointing. Prayer, knowledge of the Word of God and the anointing were the only things Jesus needed to minister to the poor, hurting and needy people. And He did a very successful job!

Because the bible teaches that seedtime and harvest shall not cease (Genesis 8:22) and what we give shall be measure back to us (Matthew 7:22, 23:32), those who are in the ministry must sow the Word of God in the lives of others and do practical works such as opening the eyes of the blind and healing the cripples like Jesus, Philip, Barnabas and Paul did. The bible records:

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.  And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.  And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8

Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. Acts 15:12

Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,  so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Acts 19:11-12

Yes, what God has done for one minister of the gospel He will do for another? He will work with them and confirm the word through the accompanying signs.

Jesus was neither blind nor stupid about the truth that not all will be saved. He told a new disciple to let the dead bury the dead and he was to follow Him. He purposely spoke in parables so that all would not be converted (Matthew 13:14-15).  He did not appear to his murderers because He didn’t want them to be saved but to reap what they had sown. But Jesus explained in private all things to His disciples and gave them miracles like a net breaking boats sinking load of fish when they had fished all night and caught nothing or a gold coin from the mouth of a fish for Peter to pay the taxes when Peter foolishly said Jesus paid taxes. Jesus healed and delivered and anointed all His disciples and they lived in divine health and divine prosperity. He also gave them the Baptism of the Spirit and the anointing and boldness. God’s word is unchanging:

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,  "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."  And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.

 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:29-33

Although God inhabits the praises of His people, Jesus never conducted a mass prayer and praise meeting for the multitude? I wonder why this was so? Jesus never taught on Church structure or leadership - rather He warned to beware of false prophets and religious leaders? Jesus never said He would send pastors and preachers and the Greek version of the bible to be our teacher?  Rather He stressed that the Helper, Guide, Counselor, He would send in His name would lead them into all truth and teach them all things, bring back to their memory all that He had said, and they were to trust the Holy Spirit completely just like He did! He also told us to do what He had commanded us to do? God’s word is unchanging:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:18-20


http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx

EXTRACT FROM Called To Inherit A Blessing
http://walthope.tripod.com/called.htm
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts