Children of God Are Heirs

“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?” (James 2;5)

What Is Heir?
a) An heir is a child of the owner of a property or title
b) One who inherits, (Inheritor)

How Can One Become An Heir?
John 3:1-5 says “Ye must be born again”, to become an Heir of the kingdom.
Nicodemus, a highly placed and influential man came to Jesus and desperately wanted to know how to become an heir, Jesus told him the way to become an heir is to be “born again”

Also in John 14:6, Jesus told His disciples, especially when Thomas sought to know the way, Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one cometh unto the Father but by Me”

You become an heir when you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Make Him the Master and TOTAL RULER of your life. Once you do this, you become a child of God.

What Is There To inherit OR What Are We Heirs Of?
1) We Are Heirs of God’s Promises
Heb 6:17 says “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath”
Our God is unchangeable and trustworthy, so are His promises. It is only a man who can change and with his promises. God does not. When God promised Abraham a son, He took an oath in His own Name. The oath (which was the promise), was as good as God’s Name and His Name is as good as His divine nature. It never changes, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever”. (Hebrew 13:8).

2) We Are Heirs Of Injustice
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith”. (Hebrew 11:7).
Like Noah, you would experience rejection from your neighbors and friends, because with your new life in Christ, you would be different from your neighbors and friends.

Just like Noah’s obedience to God’s command to build a boat on a dry land made him look strange to his neighbors, so also will your obedience to God’s Word in your new life (belief) in Christ will make look strange to your neighbors, friends and even some family members. As you obey God’s Word, you will undoubtedly be positively “different”. Our obedience in Christ will make the unbelievers’ disobedience stand out.

Inspite of all the rejection and name calling Noah might have gone through in the hands of his neighbors, God gave him all the necessary strength and resources to complete the assignment. So also will God give you all-round help you need to complete the assignment He has committed or will commit into your hands, in Jesus’ Name.

3) We Are Heirs Of Salvation
“Are they not all ministering Spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrew 1:14).
As heirs, angels will serve you and me. Angels are our Father’s messengers, spirit beings, created by our Father and are under His authority. As children of God, what belongs to Him (our Father), also belongs to us. They will be subject to us.

4) We Are Heirs Of The Kingdom Of God
The Bible tells us in James 2:5, where we took our reading from, about the “poor” and those whose simple values are despised by much of our affluent society. James thinks that perhaps the “poor” people prefer:
• serving to managing
• human relations to financial security
• peace to power
• This does not necessarily imply that the poor will go to heave and the rich to hell. No!
• The truth is that poor people are usually more aware of their powerlessness. Therefore, it is often easier for them to acknowledge their need for salvation.
• Pride is one of the greatest barriers to salvation for the rich
• Bitterness can often bars the way of salvation for the poor

For the rich, kick pride out of your and for the poor, have nothing to do with bitterness. You both should accept true salvation which only Jesus Christ can give, before you know kit, you will be sinking into your inheritance, the Kingdom of God.

5) We Are Heirs Of God And Co-Heirs With Christ
Romans 8:17 tells us that “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint –heirs with Christ: If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together”
To live like Jesus lived means serving others, giving up one’s rights, resisting pressures to conform to the world- this comes with a big price. There is nothing we can compare to the greatest price He paid to save us and even the treasure that is laid up for us as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

6) WE Are Co-Heirs Of The Grace of Life
“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7).
Our prayers may be hindered if we are not considerate and respectful of our wives or spouses, because, as children of God, a living relationship with God depends on our right relationship with others. In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus admonishes us to reconcile our differences with our neighbors before we come to worship. The same principle applies to families too. If you use your position to mistreat your wife or husband your relationship with God will suffer. Until you ask for mercy, your sonship is in doubt as well as being heir and you might therefore miss the grace of life. That should not our portion, in Jesus’ Name.

7) We, As Over comers, Will Inherit The Earth
Revelation 21:7 puts it this way: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son”
• Those who overcome “endure to the end” (Mark 13:13)
• Over comers will receive the blessings that God promised;
a) eating from the tree of life – Revelation 2:7
b) escaping from the lake of fire (the 2nd death) – Revelation 2:11
c) receiving a new name – Revelation 2:7
d) having authority or power over the nations – Revelation 2:26
e) being included in the Book of Life – Revelation 3:5
f) being a pillar in God’s Spiritual temple – Revelation 3:12
g) sitting with Christ on His Throne – Revelation 3:21

All those who can endure the testing of evil and remain faithful will be rewarded by God.
You can only become an heir if you are a child of the owner. TODAY is an opportunity for you to be the child of the Father, Owner of inheritance, by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and be the Master and Ruler of your life henceforth. Now look for a Bible believing church in your neighborhood to attend and grow in the Word of God. If you believe that you are already an heir of the Kingdom of God, please always tell others about Jesus Christ, the Father and Owner of inheritance.

True Help Can Only Come From Above

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you.” (John 16:23)

If God does not help a man, nobody else can. Don’t be angry with your parents or siblings or friends when they are unable to render you help, promised or not. They might sincerely want to help you, but due to some situations beyond their control, they find themselves unable to. The truth is that if they themselves have not been helped by God, the True Helper, who lives above, they just won’t be able to render you that much-needed help.

The Only True  Helper has your blueprint, not only does He know the appropriate kind of help you need, but also knows how, where, and when to give you such help “until your joy is full” (John 16:24), if you ask Him.

Your Only True Helper says “…I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b). That is why He alone is your True Helper, to help you with spiritual productivity and purposeful life.

However, you can only “ask” for the help of the Father, the Only True Helper by having a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. For example, the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years in Mark 5:25-34, only touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and she received her healing instantly because she believed and had a living faith in Jesus.

TODAY, establish a personal relationship with Jesus, invite Him into your life by saying this prayer: Lord Jesus, I accept You into my life today as my personal Lord and Savior. Forgive me of all my sins, come and be the Master and Ruler of my life.

Congratulations! Now look for a Bible believing church in your neighborhood where you can grow in the Word of God. If you already have Jesus Christ in your life, please make sure you hold tenaciously to Him, tell others about Him and your True Help will always show up.

God bless you.

-PathofLife

The Accident, the Jump and Living Through It

I know that we have all been through something or another. However, none of us has withstood what Jesus Christ did on the cross. He definitely has endured the most. Things may have happened to us at a very young age where we don’t have specific memory. Specific parts of our brain do remember, though. These events definitely form our lives. God knows everything that is happening to us and everything that is going to happen to us. I once heard that we can not question God, so I try not to. Like many, I had a very challenging childhood. We live in a dysfunctional world. My dad suffered from mental illness, poverty as a child and alcoholism. Although our dad was a financial provider, he was not much else. He was seeking something he never found because of the fact that he grew up with a very sparse knowledge of God. He was never taught to develop a relationship with God. He was subjected to nothing but traditions and rituals. I sincerely believe that if my parents were raised in Christian homes that our lives would have been much healthier. My mother, siblings and I now attend Bible believing churches. Praise God for that. Until the time I left for college in 1993, I definitely resided in a broken home. 

On July 8, 1991, I sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury. I was at my brother’s baseball All-Star game and I had left for work. I still don’t know why I went the way I did, but I assume I was taking my passenger home. My paternal aunt suggests that I may have been blinded by the sun. Four pieces of glass went in my head at 65 mph and I was in a coma for around two to three weeks. My Grandpa Flores passed in 1980 and I did see him during my recovery time. He was surrounded by birds and deer and it seemed animated. He asked me if I was ready to go back and I woke up saying my paternal Great Grandpa’s names. The accident happened about a month after I graduated from high school. I was also in summer school at the local college. My plans were to attend the University of Texas in the fall, but that was no longer going to happen at the time. When I was released from the hospital, I went back and took my summer school finals and got B’s. I remember I was like a baby in innocence when I started to recover. I didn’t know a lot about my surroundings, but I adjusted quickly. I had no physical injuries, so I seemed fine. I wasn’t prescribed any medication. I just had a few follow up visits with my neurosurgeons. 

I did start the local college in the fall of 1991 and I started getting D’s and F’s for the first time in my life. I had been in excellent schools since first grade and I had always done well. My parents were fighting still and genetic and organically induced mental illness set in. I jumped off of a significantly high bridge in my hometown and again I survived. I did have some back fractures because I landed on my back. I remember being near the seawall because I tried to climb out. When I jumped, I just drove up to the bridge, parked my car and jumped. Brain injured people are definitely left with impulsive tendencies. I remember just screaming for my Grandpa Flores. I remember hearing the medics say that they couldn’t believe it and that I was so young. Next thing I know, I was in a local mental health hospital under suicide watch. The first of many mental health hospitalizations. My family was in shock and my parents tried to find appropriate care for me. The then Neurobehavioral Institute of Houston accepted my dad’s insurance and I went over there for some time. I did improve significantly through my time there.

In 1993, I felt I was ready to try school in Austin, Texas. I had to start at Austin Community College because my GPA had dropped significantly due to the previous grades I mentioned. I went through some junior college and reapplied to The University of Texas at Austin. Thankfully, I was accepted into UT Austin in the Spring of 1995. Eventually, I moved in with my college boyfriend and that was a waste of four years. God tells us not to fornicate, etc. I still graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in May of 1997. I decided to move back home, which was unthinkable. However, I wanted to continue my studies and my boyfriend and I were going nowhere. I started a Master of Arts in Psychology program the next fall in my hometown. I soon came to see through a related job that that particular degree was not for me. I quickly switched to a Master of Science in Counseling program and finished in December of 1999. My 22 year old is currently pursuing the same degree. Thankfully for me, it was much easier when I got that degree. She and I are very similar and very different. God works in His way.

I gave birth to the daughter I just mentioned in 2000 and I thank God that my mother was there to basically raise my Hannah from age 5 on up. After Hannah’s sister Rachel was born in 2004, the brain injury related medication no longer worked the same. I wasn’t on any brain injury medication initially. However, when depression set in and around the time of the jump, I was prescribed psychotropic medication. I took it from 1992 to 2004 and after Rachel was born, it no longer worked the same. I tried to take my life again after she was born. Rachel was raised by her dad. I visited with her, was there when I could be and I definitely wrote to her from jail and prison. She is now 17 and I have joint custody and visitation with no help from a lawyer. I did it all on my own…through court of course.  In 2009, I gave birth to Sabrina. I was very mentally not there. I met her dad in Austin at a homeless shelter, we drove to Corpus and were married shortly thereafter. We married in 2008 and he is no longer with us. 

From 2005 to 2014 my life was horrible. I was in and out of the local jail. I was in and out of psych hospitals in South, Central Texas and Sabrina was removed from me through no fault of my own two months after she was born. I used to work for Child Protective Services and the supervisor on call did everything she could to keep Sabrina from me. That supervisor did not like me as a co-worker. In 2011, a local political figure terminated my parental rights. Sabrina was adopted by her previous foster mother’s. Hannah found out that they changed her last name to Sass and that she lives in Round Rock, Texas. 

I was finally prescribed medication that worked for me in 2014 and I have been re-establishing my life ever since then. Today is October 31, 2022 and I still take medication. I couldn’t function without it. I also take Milk Thistle to help my liver. It is hard to drive near the accident site. I don’t like driving by the hospital I was taken to after I jumped off of the bridge. However, that is nothing compared to other people I have been hospitalized with. Only God knows the events of our lives. I have actually been in a place during my coma that has shown me that all I need to do is accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I pray blessings on everyone and I just have to say that life is a choice. If I am making it, so can you. God bless you.

TRY JESUS

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

Our present world is full of misfortunes and crises. We wake up every day to a new challenge and adventure. It is terrible and tense, and its effect can not be overemphasized.

There is hardship everywhere. We hear the same news of disasters, rapes, suicides, murders, terrorism, and others every day. We ask, “Is it the end of the world?”

We are besieged by terror and dread. In spite of all the technological advances, we know that we have no solution to our problem. We realize money cannot buy life. The rich people have no peace. They have all the protection they need, yet they worry about assailants.

The poor man is also unhappy because he cannot afford the high bills and exorbitant prices of food and drugs. We are never satisfied with food, and we are not content with enough. There is no justice. There is no peace; lies and covetousness reign; the truth is trumped. And we ask, “shall there be a change or restoration of things again?” Is our world ever going to find peace again? because everything is collapsing and crushing. Our world is hastening to destruction.

Not quite long ago, the coronavirus brought the world to a halt. And there is a fear of monkeypox in the country. Is this ever going to change?

The answer is “YES.”

There is peace in this world of trouble, sorrow, hardship, and pain. There is hope in this devastated, evil-infected world. The answer and solution to our present world is Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, “I have overcome the world,” the world of problems. The world of grief and anxiety, the world of terrorism and disease.

He finished it for you on that Friday afternoon when he exclaimed on the cross, “IT IS FINISHED!”

And he says, through him, we may have peace. In the world, there is tribulation. However, we shouldn’t be frightened because he has overcome the world. ” -John 16:33

In this world, we will have trouble. We are guaranteed to have trouble.

And in the midst of all these uncertainties, God is reassuring us that HE IS THE ANSWER.

We have realized that science and technology DO NOT have solutions to our problems.

 

Try Jesus by Prayer.

When we pray, it literally means that we are telling God we’re finished, therefore we cannot do what we ask ourselves. We surrender to authority and say, “God help”. The Bible says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ” -Philippians 4:6-7

 

Try Jesus by Faith.

God commands us to have faith, faith in Christ and not in ourselves. It is written, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ” -Proverbs 3:5-6.

Hebrews 11:6 says it is impossible to please God without faith. Everything he has said in his words is true.

Have you tried your government yet and found no solution? Try Jesus. Have you tried your country’s security but still there’s insecurity? Have you tried your doctor or your drugs but still can’t quite get over that sickness? Have you tried everything to give yourself joy and be happy, but still there is no joy to be found? You need Jesus. Try Jesus Christ. In “the world you will have tribulations, but in Christ, there is peace for you. There is hope for the hopeless. Try Jesus!

KWESI ABBAN (ELD.)

 

Finding Peace by Removing your Goliath

I had a very interesting dream recently, about a happy puppy that picked up a large egg and carried it to his master. Wagging his tail in energetic anticipation, he dropped the egg at his masters feet.  What happened next was surprising. The egg cracked open and scorpions came out, stinging the puppy!

I asked “what should he do??”  I then watched in amazement as the dog curled up and went to sleep at the foot of his master, resting peacefully.

I then heard his master say “rest now until I give you a new command, then your actions will be from me and you will know it is my command by the peace that I give you.”

I knew immediately upon waking, that the dream had significance.

No doubt my horrible fear of stepping on a scorpion growing up in Arizona, where they frequently show up in desert homes crossed my mind, however I knew there was more to this dream.

While walking into my kitchen a couple of days later you will never guess what happened! Exactly… I stepped on a Scorpion!! What was really amazing is that after screaming loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear and catapulting onto my kitchen counter, it occurred to me…why wasn’t I feeling any pain of it’s sting! How was that possible?

When I looked at the place where I was stung, I realized that there was a huge callous formed where the scorpion’s stinger met my foot. This was because of numerous painful blisters I had received from new hiking boots I had broken in on some treacherous hikes.

What a strange analogy I know, but sometimes God has to go outside of the norm to get His message to sink in with me. As you can imagine this scenario really got my attention!

I couldn’t stop thinking about my dream and this strange incident that followed.

I finally came to understand that the dog in this dream represented me and the egg represented all of my good intensions in trying to handle things on my own; frequently jumping ahead of God’s plan instead of waiting for wisdom and direction. While my intentions were good, the results were never as good. “The wrong thing at the right time, is still the wrong thing” as a dear friend once told me.

Not only have these efforts not been helpful (despite my good intentions) but because of my impatience, they have ended up hurting me.
After humbly repenting for jumping ahead of God’s plan in thinking I knew better, I opened my bible, and turned to Jeremiah 6:14. “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people, saying, peace, peace; when there is no peace.”

I then understood the meaning behind the real scorpion that I stepped on!  I realized that the scars from the battles I’ve fought are there to protect me against the enemy’s sting just as the callous formed from my painful blisters protected me from the poisonous venom of the scorpion.

I have lost so many family members and friends,  many in the most tragic of deaths. However the analogy came to mind where it says in scripture “death where is your sting? “

My horrific lifelong fear has not only been disempowered, but it has now been replaced with a new courage that comes from the lesson I have learned in this strange story.

I have found a new peace that only God can give.

I also realized that this dream not only applies to me but also many others, including many church leaders who have shared similar stories.

We are all going through a time of restlessness, confusion, chaos and loss. Just as I have experienced, many are seeking after God’s provision without necessarily having His direction or having experienced  His peace in the process.

This is not just futile but it can be very dangerous!

I once heard my pastor say “A peace-keeper ignores his Goliath but a peace-MAKER REMOVES him!!!”

This is where we are today!!

Is it possible to engage in the battle that we are called to in this time, yet still do so with an underlying peace? That seems contradictory doesn’t it?
It’s not only possible but it’s imperative!! We can ask for His peace when there is no peace! This is how we will know we are walking by His spirit and not in our own flesh. Doing so with a responsibility to face our Goliath & REMOVE him!
We must understand that being at peace doesn’t mean being passive.

NOW is not a time of passivity!! It is time for us to lock arms and stand for what we know to be true and REMOVE our Goliath!

A shalom that truly passes all understanding in a time where chaos and fear abound, will then go before you and surround you!

So what is your Goliath today?

What is holding you back from removing your fear and stepping into a place of Shalom and removing your Goliath once and for all?

These days are certainly not for the faint of heart. We are in a battle that requires courage, perseverance and to constantly seek God’s wisdom to navigate these treacherous waters.

I pray that you will stand strong today and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you, using your wounds as a protection against the enemy’s plans for destruction in your life and in our nation!

Release your faith with courage and be in peace!

Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Blessings and Shalom

Tell Me Your Name

He sat there waiting for a sign that he had a catch.  Only this time he had no heart to reel it in.  He felt lost and out of place.  This was something that he had done for years.  He knew it inside out.  It used to be so second nature that it was like breathing.  Only now, it felt like suffocating.

I imagine those were Peter’s thoughts after Jesus’ resurrection.  He betrayed the only one who ever made him feel alive.  Now he did not know how to live.

In John 13 Jesus informs Peter that he will succumb to the fears and ways that he left when he became a fisher of men.  It is astounding that Jesus tells Peter that he will fall but does not strip him of his new identity.  He uses the name that he assigns to Simon.  He calls him Peter, his rock.  I am sure that was a shock to Peter.  Nothing in his actions showed the fortitude and stability of a rock. But Jesus reminds Peter to rise up from his failure after it happens and get back to his purpose.  The act of falling did not overshadow Peter’s identity.  Who he was, was not synonymous with what he did.  Jesus knew that, but Peter had to learn to separate his failure from who he was.  He had to distance himself from what happened.  Is there something that is holding you back from being who God created you to be?  Are there weights that are trying to keep you from rising to the new life God has for you?  God’s forgiveness and restoration is more powerful than anyone’s word or anything that you could do.

After his resurrection, Jesus challenges Peter by asking him to finally lay to death the man he once was and embrace who he had become.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

John 21

15After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?e

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

He challenges him with the acknowledgment of who he was by calling him Simon Peter but questions who he chooses to be in the present?  Jesus showed Peter his true character and potential.  He opened his eyes to his purpose. Peter is asked to face his past and make a choice.   Jesus tells Peter, that love means leaving the past behind and living in the fullness of his new life.  What will you choose today?  You can leave the past in the past and walk in your present with purpose.  Let the light of the world be the beacon that leads you to fulfill God’s purpose in your life.

 

The Cost of Evolution

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him” (Mark 8:11a).

Evolution in thinking rarely comes easily or without protest.  As people we like to hold to what is familiar, predictable and comfortable.  So we violently challenge anything that would threaten our world view.  Jesus came to transform our world view.  He offers us a new perspective from which we can evaluate ourselves and the world around us.  We are then called to live from that new place of understanding.

There is great freedom that comes from being able to see without distortions.  There was a particular man who knew this first hand.

Jesus Heals a Blind Man Read more

When Leaders Betray

They were in charge and everyone knew it.  Their influence was almost tangible wherever they went.  The feeling was not positive.  In fact, fear and frustration are the best words to describe how they affected those around them.  Nothing was safe from them and no one stopped their reign of terror.  Eli talked to them about their behavior a few times but talking is where it ended.  He never as much as hinted at taking more decisive steps to reign in his corrupt sons, even though he had the power to stop them.  They brazenly violated the rights, property and women who they were supposed to serve.

It is more than disheartening when corruption sets in, and people take advantage of their authority to the detriment of those they are tasked with serving.  People and systems that are dishonorable and unprincipled undermine the very fabric of society.  Eli hears report after report confirming that his sons are harming the people and dishonoring God.  He confronts them with these words.

Eli called them out: “What’s going on here? Why are you doing these things? I hear story after story of your corrupt and evil carrying on. Oh, my sons, this is not right! These are terrible reports I’m getting, stories spreading right and left among God’s people! If you sin against another person, there’s help—God’s help. But if you sin against God, who is around to help?”  1 Samuel 2:23-24

The account goes on to say that Eli’s sons do not listen to him.  They continue to abuse the people and their power.  Eli had the authority to do more than talk to them about the situation.  He could have exercised his power to stop the abuse.  God’s response makes it clear that Eli could stop the suffering.

27-30 “A holy man came to Eli and said: “This is God’s message: I revealed myself openly to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your family to be my priests: to preside at the Altar, to burn incense, to wear the priestly robes in my presence. I put your ancestral family in charge of all the sacrificial offerings of Israel. So why do you now treat as mere loot these very sacrificial offerings that I commanded for my worship? Why do you treat your sons better than me, turning them loose to get fat on these offerings, and ignoring me? Therefore—this is God’s word, the God of Israel speaking—I once said that you and your ancestral family would be my priests indefinitely, but now—God’s word, remember!—there is no way this can continue.

I honor those who honor me;
those who scorn me I demean.” 1 Samuel 2

Eli chose his relationship with his sons over justice, the people and God himself.  As a result, God pronounces judgement on Eli.  He makes it clear that participation in corruption and abuse is never excusable.  This particular version speaks as if Eli was the one who committed the sins his son committed.  There is no pass for those complicit in corruption indirectly.  The abuser and the conspirators are equally culpable.  Proverbs 24:12 expresses it best.

“Rescue the perishing;
don’t hesitate to step in and help.
If you say, “Hey, that’s none of my business,”
will that get you off the hook?
Someone is watching you closely, you know—
Someone not impressed with weak excuses.”

God cares that much about his children and their well-being.  God cares that much about you.  He will never abandon you to abusive, corrupt systems or people.  You are worth more than that.  You are worth the life of Jesus sacrificed on the cross.

Divine stream (and the prophetic timing for Africa)

Divine Stream

Genesis 2:10; And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
Revelation 22:1; And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

There is a Divine stream that flowed forth from Eden to water the garden, we will come to discover that this stream is central to the move of God in the earth, at the time of Genesis the source of this river was not mentioned and if we were to remain here in our study, we will not see that it has an eternal source from which it flowed from. Journeying to the book of the unveilings, even the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John His servant, we can see that this stream flows right from the throne of God into the earth as captured in chapter 22vs1. When you follow the stream in Genesis to its fountain head, there you will find the throne of God and of the Lamb.
This Divine stream is nothing other than the issuing forth of the Spirit from the throne of God and of the Lamb into all the earth. It is the release of the very triune God as life through the out flow of His spirit, also, it is worthy of note that in the economy of the Godhead in carrying out His purpose, the spirit is perpetually proceeding forth from the father and the son, he is the clear crystal sea that flows from the throne and yet, one with the throne. He flows in the direction of God’s move in the earth to enhance its accomplishment and as of the time of Genesis 2, the move of God in the earth was concentrated in the garden which is eastward of Eden, there we find the spirit. He flows in the direction of the move of God in the earth, the temple in Isaiah, God sought a move and we find the flow of the spirit facilitating the administration of the Angels for the move of God.
Even today where ever the work of God is there, you find the release of the spirit, his torrent flows to enhance God’s work and to bring His eternal will to pass, when the activities of the spirit becomes heightened in a given space to supply fresh grace, it is an evidence of God’s move. He perpetually flows in the direction of God’s move to promote its accomplishment.
Genesis 2:10-14; And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
From our scriptures above, we see that this stream having a single source, flowed into different lands yet the same stream. Even today, this single stream from the throne flows into the continents of the world from Asia to America to Africa to Europe and to Australia; we also come to discover that this stream has some strange abilities, unlike every other natural stream so much so that, to wherever it flows into, it has the divine capacity to release life, a land and even a man remains dead until he has met the with Spirit, only the Holy Spirit of God has the power to impart life to a man, he animates the work of Christ in power and grace to a people who previously walked in darkness; secondly, we also discovered that as the stream flows it reveals the treasures of the land, the precious stones of the land were buried beneath ground.These potentials remained hidden until the stream flowed into them. It is worthy of note that every people or group has a potential to be relevant in the economy of God but will remain barren until they come into the flow of the river, only within its torrent can true relevance in the light of divine ordination be discovered; thirdly, we know that common to every pure stream is its ability to quench thirst. Our current world is in great need of reality, only in the river can human thirst for reality be quenched. Instead of giving men too many principles and laws that may help but a little, it is most expedient we bring them into the flow of the stream, there can their thirst for reality be truly satisfied.
Again we see the flowing all through scriptures, the same stream in Genesis is the same that flows up into the book of Revelations, we must discern the movement in every book and chapter of the bible, so as to remain in the current of the spirit, he is the Divine stream of God’s Eternal Purpose. The same stream that inspired the building of the tabernacle in the old testament, has in the new testament made us the tabernacle of God, the same that inspired the consecration of the firstborn sons and priests to God has made us now both members of the corporate son of God and priests unto Himself, the same that inspired the prophets of old hath in these last days fulfilled them, even concerning Christ, even concerning Israel, and also the nations, we must see that his speaking throughout all scriptures is one not two, scriptures testifies about scriptures that it was given by the inspiration of the divine stream even the Spirit. Many haven’t seen that, though the Bible is a library of books, there is but one single string connecting them all from beginning to the end, this string, is God’s eternal purpose. God is seeking to achieve one thing, just a single purpose not two, that is, to gain a household of people bearing his image and expressing his authority, this purpose is centered in Christ, this is what the spirit testifies about all through the bible. He is moving from Genesis to Revelation in the direction of God’s eternal purpose to see to its accomplishments; first in the eternity past to His hovering in Genesis 1, secondly, with the fathers from Adam to Abraham, thirdly, with Israel as a nation; working through the prophets, judges and kings, fourthly, today in the church the spirit is moving, fifthly, in the millennial age where the kingdom of the heavens will be visible for a thousand years and sixthly, into the New Jerusalem. We should be able to discern the flow of the stream in the direction of God’s eternal purpose in every book of the Bible, only then can we become one with the river.
Ezekiel 47:1; Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
In Ezekiel, we see that the stream flows from the temple, signifying the divine fellowship of the body.There is a fellowship we share in the body of Christ, it is the fellowship of the spirit not of flesh, the same oneness we share in God through the spirit in regeneration, should be the same oneness that is expressed in the communal fellowship of the body but sadly, this is not so today, saints neither give place to the spirit in their lives nor even to the spirit’s flow in the body life. He is mostly locked out from our community. We must see that the body of Christ is something divine and mystical yet real and tangible expressed through of our community life, it is not limited to space and time, yet expressed through them.I must repeat our oneness is not of anything flesh in a pattern of dress code or an encrypted way of speaking it is of the spirit, Paul calls it the bound of the spirit connecting the believers universally together and cannot be broken. This same spirit seeks to make the believers within a community, grow into one mind. We should in all things give place to the Spirit, for when we allow flesh come in, what it would produce will be bitter water of strive, envy, immorality and accommodating false doctrines and apostles. Brethren we must allow the spirit dominate in our fellowship, only then can this pure stream increase into the temple from threshold of brotherhood and communal life, it then over flows into all the earth, bringing life and healing to the nations.
The stream in the temple signifies the divine fellowship of the body, if this divine stream of the body which is our fellowship as brethren increases, we have the more tendencies to release life to the world. The Bible says where ever the river flows, to it brings life, only in accurate fellowship can life be produced; before we say or do anything in the body, we must ask does the spirit permits it? The grounds of accurate fellowship must be secured (Ezekiel 47:9). In the land of Goshen in Egypt, we see how death was stopped through the fellowshipping together as a family, breaking bread and eating meat in the camp of the Israelites, as they took the blood from the meat of fellowship and placed on their door post, God instructed the Israelites to have a feast as families in their houses while death plagued the world around, they enjoyed life (Exo). Accurate fellowship is our defense and relevance as the Church of Jesus, we must allow the river of true brotherhood flow, it flowed in the church in Acts 13, prompting the church’s sending forth of Paul and Barnabas.

Again in the book of Acts, we see the divine flow of the stream as the Spirit, in the upper room a sound came from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. If we trace the fountain head, the source remains the throne. The experiences we enjoy in the body are not earthly, they have their source from the throne of God, if we remain in the flow of the river, we will become more one with the throne. When we go into some gatherings of the Lord’s people, you feel the dryness in the atmosphere, they have locked the Lord out of their meetings, it all then ends in frustrations and shallow level experiences. We must trace the river back to the throne, we must desire the out pouring of the river of God, only when He is out poured upon us, then we can know the mind of He who sits on the throne. The seeking saints should desire the release of the spirit upon them at all times, he is the divine seal upon the Lord’s work Acts 2:2.

Dear saints we must follow the current of the stream to meet the Father and the Lamb at His throne, there he is revealed.

From Acts, we can see that the Divine stream moves in the direction of God’s Divine work and purpose, where ever the present move of God’s work is, there you can find the stream and it moves throughout the ages. It flowed from Jerusalem, to Antioch, it then turned to the west, it flowed to Asia, through to Macedonia (that is Europe).
Note, that there is no end to the book of Acts, this is because, that stream still flows even today. It flowed through Europe in the 1600s and stirred up the Martin Luther reformation from the degradation that occurred in the church at Rome, it flowed through Azusa street, sparking the Pentecostal revival through William Seymour.
In the twentieth century it flowed through Asia, stirring up our beloved brother Watchman nee for the Lord’s recovery work in his body.

Today we see this stream in Africa, yes AFRICA, there is a concentration of the Lord’s move now in this continent, there is a particular emphasis of Heaven over this continent to make her the gaze of the nation, the truth is, God remains the Governor amongst the nation and is not restricted in his move amongst them but we see a unique flow issuing forth from Africa, her treasures consistent with her prophetic heritages are now being rediscovered to bring the attraction of the nations to her, the signs are in the clouds, the divine river now seeks to flood the heart of the young once again to desire God, even the God of Jacob. A new kind of grace is now being released affecting the texture of ministry on ground, the gross economic distress is only but a pointer to reveal to us of satan’s interest to cripple a land with great natural endowment but we see a river flowing to restore our heritage of people mapped out by God, this move will we bring Africa out of obscurity and make her a spot light amongst the community of Nations.
Oh Africa awake, for the river even the spirit now flows through your lands, the once dark continent shall become the bearer of light even the Shekinah glory!
The flowing of the stream captures the current flow of the move of God. If you haven’t discerned the current of the stream you are out of the flow of God’s move; in your nation you must discern where the river is moving towards, because where the river is, there the move of God for his work is.

 

Hymn
¹ Flow forth, flow forth, even from thy throne,
Let your divine stream upon us yet pour.
That the souls of those who thirst will leap for joy,
And our obscurity from reality shall in thee drawn.

² Our fellowship is dry and brotherhood lost
Our hands are weary from work
For the labors of the fields are great
Flow forth, flow forth, even from thy throne
Let your divine stream upon us yet pour.

³ How great is your move amongst the nations,
Affecting every tongue, harvesting every race;
May we in your move be relevant,
Flow forth, flow forth, even from thy throne,
Let your divine stream upon us yet pour.

⁴ How great is your economy oh God,
You are uniquely one yet you are triune
Flowing into us for an everlasting union,
Flow forth, flow forth, even from thy throne,
Let your divine stream upon us yet pour.

 

 

Thank you!
This article is a product of the teaching ministry of
Daniel zadok, he is governed by the recovery
vision of God in His body for this age, which is for
converts to become disciples full of God and the
precise knowledge of His new testament
economy unto conformity to the image of Christ.

He believes in the Holy Apostolic Faith passed
down to us through the first Apostolic Fathers,
upon which the church should be Modelled after
and the individual maturity of the believers upon
this foundation will birth the true victorious
Church.

Contact: Ajahdaniel09@gmail.com

Sanctuary in Plain Sight

I am a bit of an amateur photog. I started the hobby as a young girl, taking photos of my Mom’s absolutely stunning garden, zooming in on those beautiful patches of sprightly and fragrant glory as close as my Pentax K100 would allow, freezing their sublime majesty and detail to memory. I particularly enjoyed taking pictures just past dawn to capture the jiggling dew still perched upon quivering and laden emerald leaves, or at dusk to seize that perfect moment when the warmth of the golden sunset would seep through petals and leaves, and dapple the ground in exquisite glory. There was nothing I wouldn’t take a close-up of, and as I did, my awe would grow. Nothing has changed! I still take photographs in stunning detail with my phone, and I am still astonished by beauty in the tiniest corners of creation, right before our eyes and under our noses, that we’re largely too busy and preoccupied to see! 

Recently, I was looking over photos that I’d long ago taken, and one seemed to stand out in particular. I was transfixed by its every detail. A picture of what I called, The Secret Place: a close-up of two insects settled deep inside the heart of a lily. 

Take a look at it with me! 

How rich and varied in depth and shades of yellow, with tips and licks of melon-orange and buttery blonde! How the sun illumines little patches here and there, enough that the whole is warmly lit, framed in glowing and inviting radiance! Look at how parts of this little retreat resemble somewhat the inside pin-stripes of a lemon. How the different textures all seamlessly wove together: the ottoman-shaped soft and lushly padded cushion punctuating its centre flawlessly sewn together with the raised variegated streaks, all harmoniously flowing into the Tuscan-sun yellow awning of delicate broad petals reaching beyond the frame of the picture.  Look at how the transparent glow of the walls seems to highlight the contrast and draw the eye to the little creatures! How delicate their legs, and how handsome their stripes! How at home they look, and how secure they appear to be as they walk about in freedom in that soft and vulnerable place, totally unruffled by this photographer.

A perfect sanctuary within the expanse of all Creation, created in glorious detail by The Master Gardener! And yet, as the early summer arrives, this bloom will fade and fall, returning to the soft earth from which it grew.

“To notice what is in plain sight requires presence; requires being present,” Holy Spirit whispers. “Presence, my dear one, requires living every moment in the Now, for this is where I am. I do not fail or fall, nor return to dust. I am the I AM, not the “I was”, not the “I will be.” I am present. In plain sight. A secret place of warmth, refreshment, strength, peace, revelation, unconditional and unfailing love, of life itself for your spirit, mind, body and soul. A secret place of safety, refuge, restoration, comfort, healing and where faith is renewed and hope reignited. A secret place to linger, and rest with your head upon my soft breast. A secret place to drink in glory, right in plain sight, tucked away from the bustle and curious eyes, even in the very tiniest corners of your life!” 

Come, my friend. In the midst of all the noise and distraction of our daily lives, let us accept our Abba’s invitation to be present in each moment that is today. Present to marvel His majestic beauty; present to simply be with Him, so that we in turn are fully His Presence wherever we happen to be!