Consider

Today the word “consider” has arrested my attention. The Lord dropped this word in my spirit this morning and has served as a strong source of inspiration for me all day long. Throughout the day rather than making immediate judgments or assessments I simply took the time to consider each matter. As part of my moments of consideration I recognized that I don’t “consider” near enough. Just consider...! I wonder if our busy schedules and technology addictions cause us to not take the appropriate time to just “consider”. Taking time to consider is very important to the believer and is crucial for Kingdom awareness. There is a danger when we fail to consider.

Isaiah 1:3 (NKJV)...
(3) The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider.”

What happened to me today is that I was provided such a profound sense of empowerment as I paused to consider. My thoughts were more enlightened and my decisions were more settled. The misconception is that the time taken to consider will be lengthy and wasteful, but I found the opposite to be true as I pressed into consideration. With each consideration I learned more thus causing the time taken to consider to be shorter and more productive. Just consider...!

Consider what...? There is much to be considered and much of it important, but I am personally making a determination to consider only that which is productive and expansive. I gathered Scriptures with admonitions to consider to be the roadmap for what I would begin in my ongoing quest for purposed consideration. I will share these Scriptures with you. These are by no means exhaustive, but represent those that resonate for me.

Deuteronomy 4:39 (NKJV)...
(39) Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

1 Samuel 12:23 - 24 (NKJV)...
(23) Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.
(24) Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.

1 Chronicles 28:10 (NKJV)...
(10) Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.

Job 37:14 (NKJV)...
(14) “Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.

Psalms 8:3 - 5 (NKJV)...
(3) When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
(4) What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
(5) For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

Ecclesiastes 7:13 - 14 (NKJV)...
(13) Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked?
(14) In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.

Romans 11:22 (NKJV)...
(22) Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

2 Timothy 2:1 - 7 (NKJV)...
(1) You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
(2) And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
(3) You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
(4) No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
(5) And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
(6) The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
(7) Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

Hebrews 3:1 - 2 (NKJV)...
(1) Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
(2) Who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.

Hebrews 12:3 - 4 (NKJV)...
(3) For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
(4) You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

2 Peter 3:14 - 16 (NKJV)...
(14) Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
(15) And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
(16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

-- CONSIDER --

Impartation by Apostolic Grace

Romans 1:1 - 12 (NKJV)…
1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God,
2 Which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,
3 Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,
6 Among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
10 Making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established —
12 That is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

In a new move of God the patterns of ministering also undergo change. By ministering I mean the process by which spiritual resource is transferred into the lives of the saints on an individual level.

In the present reformation of the Church the term “impartation” has come to a place of great emphasis. There is great release of divine resource to the individual lives of the saints as the apostolic word that is impregnated with life-giving power is decreed and proclaimed over the lives of the saints. Impartation is a major dimension of the apostolic. We experience progression by impartation...!

It is wise to company with those who are going in the same direction as you are. If the values that you seek also reside in them then those values will prosper in your own spirit. Find and experience spiritual growth through fellowship and relationship within your impartation community...!

Excerpt from "Your Comfortable Lie"

Excerpt of Bishop Marque E. Duncan preaching "The Creative Crashing of Your Comfortable Lie"

For Kingdom Advance...Face Forward

There is an apparent excitement that comes with the newness of salvation that eventually dissipates once the newness wears off and ultimately disappears once trouble comes. If there is anything of great importance the people of God tend to lack it is staying power...! One of the greatest mistakes we make when this Christian walk gets difficult is we start to look back and we allow circumstances to draw us backward rather than pressing forward.

St. Luke 17:32 (NKJV)...
32 Remember Lot’s wife.

The lesson we learn from Lot’s wife is the danger and devastation that comes from looking back. Many preach that Lot’s wife didn’t want to leave the sin and degradation of Sodom and Gomorrah, but there’s really nothing biblical to support that view, in fact the holiness and righteousness upheld in the household of Lot brings the exact opposite view. It is my belief that what diverted Lot’s wife attention from escape was the “people attachments” she was leaving behind...those she ministered to, prayed for, had become attached to, etc.

St. Luke 9:59 - 62 (NKJV)...
59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”
61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Looking back makes one unfit for the Kingdom of God and usage by God.

Hebrews 10:35 - 39 (NKJV)...
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Looking back will ultimately cause drawing back. “...if any man draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

“But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but to those who believe to the saving of the soul.” The word “perdition” comes from the Greek word “apoleia” {ap-o’-li-a} which means “ruin, loss or destruction obtained through a slow and unnoticeable process”. The drawing back that comes from looking back is a slow and unnoticeable process that leads to ruin, loss and destruction.

It is time for us to make Kingdom advance...so...now...FACE FORWARD...!

The Move of God

St. John 5:1 - 10 (NKJV)...
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

1) The move of God is in the church.

• The move is going to be breaking out at the sheepgate. People are going to be the instruments. The 5 porches refer to the fivefold grace, and the five fold ministry. This move is in the church. The move first takes place in the upper room and then goes to the streets. God is about to visit those who are in place, in position and in expectancy for the move of God upon His people.

2) The move of God is about changing the state and present condition of the church.

• There are all kinds of conditions in the church, but God is going to stir the waters to change the state of the church. God is going to change the state of our lives and ministry. No matter what our present condition is, we have the hope that God is coming to meet us!

3) This move is about those who are waiting for the stirring of the waters.

• One man waited for thirty eight years. We need to press in with persistence until God changes our lives. God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. This man waited expectantly for thirty eight years. This move is for those who are actively waiting. Every day, every hour this man had an eager expectation that God would visit him. Waiting is not sitting around and waiting for the Lord to move – it is pressing in UNTIL you get your breakthrough. When we wait actively we will rise up with the wings of an eagle, we will soar above any earthly limitations which hold us down. This new move is for those who are waiting. We need to be waiting at the right place for God.

4) The move of God is set for God’s kiaros time to be upon us.

• There is certain point in time when things must happen, this is kairos time. When this move takes place, the things that must happen in your life must happen. The time of God’s favour is going to break upon us. There was a certain season when the waters were stirred. That season is coming upon us when our breakthroughs will be at hand. As sure as the breaking forth of a new day, so our righteousness will rise.

5) The move of God is for those who tap on the first anointing.

• The first anointing is the anointing of pioneers. Whoever first touched the water received their healing. Elijah was a pioneer, he was not a settler. He broke the status quo and pioneered into a new area. The reason why some of us don’t break out is because we stay in familiar territory.
• God knows who touches the water first. God knows who touches Him first. We need the first anointing to press in and touch God. Only those who are dead to their flesh can touch the first anointing. There are many that are watching from the sidelines at the work of God, but there are few that press in to touch God first.

6) This move is about establishing new orders, patterns and procedures, more excellent ways.

• There was an old order of getting healed. But Jesus said that when He comes to us, He will establish a new order. We are no longer waiting for the old ways, and old patterns but we are setting new patterns, more excellent ways.

What Is A Move of God...?

Whenever we use the term “a move of God” we are basically saying that the Spirit of God has moved to new positions and we are being called to identify these new positions and move towards them. It’s not that the new positions are new to God; it is that they are new to us. We are called to journey and migration.

A movement or a “move of God” is built upon the core reality that the Church has realized that the Spirit of God is operating in a more advanced and different way and is calling the Church forward to new positions in the Spirit. The key factor to understand is that a move of God requires US to MOVE.

In every move of God the structures and patterns of the Church change. It is important to note that each new move of God does not abandon and reject the prevailing ministry pattern of the move that has gone before but includes and practices it in the midst of the new move. Therefore it is clear to see that each new move becomes stronger and more comprehensive in its spiritual operations.

The Danger of Needing Nothing

An intricate part of our walk with God is the necessity to exercise that which we believe. Faith, in its simplest definition, is that which you really believe. Faith without works is dead. We miss a valuable part of the equation when we do not allow our faith to work for us. You see, properly executed, we do not perform the works, but we allow our faith to work for and through us.

Faith is a necessary ingredient in every aspect of our daily Christian walk. Faith is necessary for salvation, growth, and receiving what we need and desire from God.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)...
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

What is the necessary stimulus to the exercising of our faith...? NEED. What happens when the necessary stimulus to our faith is removed from us...? Our faith decreases and we become self-sufficient and lose sight of the need of God.

We ask all the time...

• Why must I need...?
• How come I’ve got to need so much...?
• Should I always have to be seeking God for something...?
• When will I not need anymore...?

Need is necessary...! Without need we tend to become without faith...! When you don’t need, you don’t need a provider...! Who needs a doctor when they’re not sick...? The interesting thing about need is that need comes with a promise...

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)...
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

St. John the Revelator exiled on the Isle of Patmos for the preaching of the Word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ. Per the direction of Jesus, John writes letters to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor.

1. Ephesus – the backslidden church that lost their first love.
2. Smyrna – the poor but truly rich church.
3. Pergamos – the church of evil surroundings, steadfast, but infected with heresy.
4. Thyatira – the church of good works but harboring a false prophetess.
5. Sardis – the dying church.
6. Philadelphia – the weak, but faithful church.
7. Laodicea – the lukewarm church.

Revelation 3:13 - 22 (NKJV)...
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness
may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

Laodicea – What gets the Laodicean church to its lukewarm state...? (See verse 17)

Once God blesses us to receive the manifestation of our miracle and we receive what we have been seeking God for, we must be careful of becoming self-sufficient. Once we get what we’ve been praying for there is the tendency to slack off in our praying, not worshipping the way we were when we were in need, it becomes hard to get us to the house of God. We get what we want and just go on.

There is a danger in needing nothing. We can’t handle the realm of nothing. We have no rights to the realm of nothing. God reserves sole rights to the realm of nothing unto Himself. That’s why we can’t fathom “nothing”.

Needing nothing is outside of the realm of possibility for the true believer.

(Verse 18): “...counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire...” The important thing about this equation is not so much the gold as it is the trying...! The trying is necessary...it keeps us in the place of need to keep our faith maintained.

(Verse 19): Rebuke and chastisement are intricate components to the love of God.

(Verses 20 – 21): The goal is NOT to “need nothing”, but to OVERCOME...! The real overcomer is the one that responds to the knock. We’re so involved in trying to get God to respond to us, but what He wants is for us to respond to Him...!

(Verses 13 & 22): There’s a necessity in having a spiritually open and hearing ear to keep our faith vibrant and not be found thinking we need nothing. Many are listening to the voice of the Spirit, but only a few are hearing the voice of the Spirit. Having hearing ears are key to recognizing and realizing WHAT we need.

The Technology of Boldness

We are presently in a very tedious place in our quest towards operation in the Kingdom of God. Where we are now, we can either make great advance or totally blow it. I choose to believe we will make great advances.

For our purposes in this discussion technology is defined as a system of internal spiritual principles and laws that make an external manifestation predictable and stable. There is a system of operation which facilitates the effective working out of God’s purposes in the Earth and we have to seek to lock into that system. We have to unlock the technology to bring about God’s ultimate purpose in the Earth.

St. Matthew 11:12...
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

St. Matthew 11:12 (NIV)...
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

The reality is that Kingdom advance is a matter of conflict. The Kingdom of heaven advances against terrible (and even territorial) opposition from satanic forces set up to resist it. There is no way to get around this fact; there is no advance without opposition and resistance.

The problem with those in the Body of Christ is that rather than finding our conflict with the powers of darkness, we find our conflict with each other. While we’re busy fighting each other the real culprit/enemy gets away.

The Kingdom is a conquering force that cannot peacefully co-exist with that which is an oppositional nature of itself: it never retreats; it operates in one gear – forward only. Daniel sees a vision of the activity of the Kingdom of God in the Earth in the latter times and with clarity he discerns its characteristics...

Daniel 2:44 (NKJV)...
44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Kingdom advance has a lot to do with the activity of men (people) in the Earth. These kingdom-advancing people must have a certain biblically prescribed mentality: they are described as “forceful-men”.

Acts 4:5 - 14 (NKJV)...
5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and
scribes,
6 As well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,
10 Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

The events of Acts 4 happen very early in the history of the Church. Great governmental gains have been secured by the Church. Jesus has been working with them in a flow of signs and wonders. The lame man at the gate Beautiful has been wonderfully and miraculously healed by the power of God and the power structure of the religious world is threatened. The response of the enemy is strong intimidation and the apostles are arrested. The priests and the Sadducees see the boldness that is upon the apostles.

Boldness terrifies the devil. It is a quality that he attempts to extinguish in the Church. In our quest for meekness we have lost the importance of boldness, not realizing that “meekness is not weakness, but strength under control”. The devil makes it his business to exploit your weakness.

Boldness is unreserved utterance with frankness, candor, and cheerful courage. It denotes divine enablement that comes to ordinary and unprofessional people exhibiting spiritual power and authority. (This is what satan fears.)

Boldness is a spiritual impartation that gives authority to whatever we say or do. It is the determination to match fire with fire and not to back down from the intimidation of principalities and powers.

Challenge is not sin and to be challenged is not sin. Anything that cannot be challenged is intrinsically corrupt.

The Church must regain it’s tenacity for the advance of the Kingdom of God...! Boldness is the technology for advancement...!

A Couple Abstract, Yet Empowering, Thoughts

Peace is everywhere except where it is suppressed by ignorance (consciously or unconsciously ignoring it).

Per Romans 10:17, faith comes by hearing not by having heard. (Catch it...!)

Revelation Truth and Studying the Word of God

My Personal Musings

It's been a few days since I've posted and I realize I customarily post from the fruit of my studies and teachings. However, today I feel compelled to simply share from my heart, which is where I've been mentally and spiritually the past few days. I have been in prayer concerning the current state of the economy, our nation and the world while simultaneously observing the varying, incoherent, and incongruous response from the Church. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all those who name the name of Christ upon themselves could speak with one voice...? But, I digress. I could speak to the current happenings in the earth from the purview of my own political leanings and postulate from my own religious and spiritual beliefs, however I'm cognizant enough to know that this will only lend itself to adding another opinion into an already overwhelmed pond of varying opinions and stances. So, I wish to address this based upon what I believe God spoke to me from His Word (without unnecessarily burdening it with my own thoughts).

Isaiah 60:1 - 3 (NKJV)...
1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.

There is a breaking forth of light, despite the darkness that is surrounding the earth. There is a refreshing in the midst of crisis, hope in the midst of turmoil. Those who choose light will find life. We cannot focus on darkness, but we must focus on the light that needs to come to us. You must become a recipient of the light. Your portion is light, health, blessing and life...! If darkness hits you, you cannot rise. We must not be guided by what our natural eyes can see. We must gravitate towards the light.

We win or lose by the way we choose. We can choose to see the darkness or partake of the light. The enemy attacks us from the outside. But God blesses us from the inside through the light that is rising within us. When the light comes to you, you need to let that light shine.

Many of us have received so many things, but we don't take that light and let it shine. If we let that light shine, nations and kingdoms will come to us. What God has put within us can affect nations. It has power to influence and impact people around our lives.

The light must continue to grow until nations are attracted to it. Everything that God has given us has the power to draw and influence nations. Kings will come to our rising brightness. We will not only have reach in the nations, but we will affect the men in high places. The quality of my life and light must attract the nations and impress the people in high places. The light that is within us must rise in brightness. Nations and kings will only come to the rising of our brightness.

Light must come from heaven, and we need to be recipients of that light. We need to be responsible for the light, to develop it, nurture it, until kings and nations are drawn to our rising brightness. This is the heart of the portion for Kingdom Believers.

Looking at the current state of affairs, the issue is not a matter of the downward turn of events, but it is a matter of the opportunity these events offer to the Body of Christ. Will we take this opportunity...? Let's not cloud the issue with facts...! Yes, I said it and I'll say it again...let's not cloud the issue with facts...! The Kingdom is the real world and the reality of the matter is swollen with what God says about it and if we have the capacity to receive it this is an exciting time for believers everywhere. All I have to say is..."You better get you some...!"

You will notice that these musings do not arrive at a particular conclusion, but are purposely inconclusive to allow space for the Spirit of God to speak individually to each person who reads this. God has given us a new spiritual position to influence and impact the earth. If we will be responsible to nurture what God has given to us then we will receive this new position. As far as you can see, you can have it. Whatever direction you look in, you will have unhindered sight. We don't want our vision to be narrow; we don't want our perception to be blocked. When we see a clear picture of what God has for us, then we can move into it.

I AM WHAT I AM...!

1 Corinthians 15:9 - 10 (NKJV)...
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

The Apostle Paul is known throughout history as a great preacher and most remembered of the apostles of old. He is a prolific writer as the greatest contributor to the New Testament. Paul is also considered to be one of the most controversial men in Scriptures. Yet even with all his apparent success in ministry, he dubs himself as “least of the apostles” and “chief of sinners”.

Prior to his conversion Paul was named Saul. Born of Jewish parents and reared in a place called Tarsus, his special training was in tent making and Jewish Scriptures. At the age of 13, he became a child of the law and was brought to Jerusalem and placed under the tutelage of the noted pedagogue Gamaliel. He was a brilliant law student and a young rabbi, eventually becoming the rising hope of the Pharisees having been known as the “Pharisee of the Pharisees”. As Saul, he was a staunch enemy of Christ, he persecuted the Christians, he aided in the fatal stoning of Stephen and the record says that he “made havoc of the church”.

While on the Damascus Road, Saul had a personal experience with Jesus Christ, whom he persecuted. Having a very vivid and tremendous conversion experience, Jesus changed his name to Paul and sent him to a street called Straight. Now being called for the cause of Christ, he first went to be trained of the elders and other apostles and then went forth to do great and mighty works for Christ.

Notice the great paradox in the life of Paul. His original training did not match his ultimate destiny. He actually fought against his real destiny and purpose in God. This paradox is our same lot as our past never seems to match the destiny that God has for us and we typically fight against our true destiny and purpose in God.

Paul dubs himself as “least of the apostles” because he persecuted the church, yet he states “...by the grace of God I am what I am...” He did not let his past define who He is, he allows the grace of God to define him. Don’t let anything define who you are, except the grace of God…!

For the sake of clarity, the two short definitions of grace are “God’s unmerited favor” and “the enabling power of God”.

Don’t let your past, your circumstance, your situation, your financial condition, your physical condition, your mental condition, other people, or whatever else define who you are...! Only allow the grace of God to define you…!

God will anoint what HE’S called YOU to do...! Conversely, He will NOT anoint what you are not or what He has not called you to do...! That includes what we settle for because we’re either afraid or feel like we’re unworthy to walk in the actual place God has for us. He’s just not going to anoint the place you settle for short of His real plan for you...it just won’t work...! God is a particular God and He wants what He wants...!

Notice, in the text, what all grace did for Paul... Grace defined who he was in God. The grace was not given to him in vain because the grace worked in him the ability to accomplish all that he accomplished. What grace did for Paul, grace will do for you.

BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I AM WHAT I AM...! There’s nothing wrong with knowing who you are in God. Stop pretending to not be what God has called you to be to accommodate others...! Boldly be who you are in God.

If you make it a habit of celebrating the works of God, how can you neglect the works of God in you to include what He’s chosen for you to be in Him. Celebrate who you are in God. Not a celebration of your flesh or what YOU can do, but of the work of God and the power of God in you as you and the ability of God in you to get accomplished His plan for you. CELEBRATE…!

BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I AM WHAT I AM…!

EXTRAVAGANT WORSHIP

St. Mark 14:1 - 11 (NKJV)...
1 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death.
2 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.”
3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.
6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.
7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.
8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.
9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them.
11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

This woman came bearing an alabaster box (vial). The box (vial) itself was extraordinary and exquisite. It was not some little plastic throwaway container, but something that was in itself expensive. Alabaster is a fine-grained, massive gypsum...an expensive translucent marble, either white, brown or yellow in color.

The remarkable thing is that there is no way to extract the spikenard (precious ointment) unless the container (the alabaster box) is broken. There was no screw-off cap as we know today that could be neatly screwed back on for the next time. It was either break it in order to extract the contents or the contents remained yet enclosed.

As expensive and beautiful as the alabaster box is, it’s not the container that interests the Lord, but it’s the contents (the spikenard / fine ointment) that He desires. So, to get to the expensive contents, the exquisite container must be broken.

The extravagance of our worship is in our brokenness. It is one thing to have the fragrance of Christ formed in us through identification with Him and quite another thing to have the religion of convenience, which is also the religion of betrayal. If our Christianity costs nothing and is convenient, then we are already one with Judas.

The faith is extraordinarily demanding, and that is why Jesus commended what the woman had done, and it was to be a memorial to her wherever this gospel is preached. This gospel is the gospel of extravagant abandonment and pouring out from our brokenness, or it is not a gospel of power. Wholeness is found only at the fulfillment of our brokenness.

Bless The City

Proverbs 11:11 (NKJV)…
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

This is a condensed but very potent word from God. The power of the Kingdom of God through the expression of Kingdom ministry is visible in its ability to impact cities. This is the evidence of the power and ability of the church to actuate spiritual governance in the city and region where it resides.

There are three important things to consider when looking at the governing church’s place in the city in relation to Proverbs 11:11. They are the condition of the city, the people in the city, and the effective activity of the city.


The Condition of the City

Proverbs 11:11 takes us into the true dynamics that determine the factors that impact the governance, morality and spirituality of a city. The city can either be exalted or overthrown. The reality is that the condition of the city can be changed. This realization gives power and confidence to our prayer and ministry efforts. The word “exalted” signifies “movement in an upward direction”. The whole reality of movement is important to the understanding of this word. It is the same Hebrew/Chaldee word used in Genesis 7:17, “…the waters increased and…the ark…rose high above the earth.”


The People in the City

There are two (2) groups of people in the city that have a direct governing impact upon the condition of the city. They are not the Republicans and Democrats. The final condition of the city, as far as the Word is concerned, does not really depend upon the multiplicity of political parties or the power of Congress. But the two groups that have direct governing impact upon the condition of the city are the upright and the wicked. It is these two groups and the power of their spiritual alignment that determine the final condition of the city.

Where you stand is determined by what you are governed by. What are you governed by…? To know this ask yourself, “What do I respond to…?”

The upright are the “just” or those who have consciously and accurately aligned themselves with the position of God. The word “wicked” is a legal term indicating those who are legally guilty of opposition with God. (Recognize that there is a strong legal dimension to the power of governance in the spirit realm.)


The Effective Activity of the City

When the upright begin to “bless” the city or to make powerful, intelligent spoken declarations of the prosperity, rule, rightness and order of God over the city then the upward movement of exaltation begins to take place.

When the lawless, guilty, wicked people open their mouth then the city is “overthrown” or “forced downward with a strong blow”.

Proverbs 28:4 (NKJV)…
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but such as keep the law contend with them.

The upright are in spiritual contention with the wicked over the future of the city. Our warfare and contention is in the spiritual realm of prayer and decrees of the upward mobility of the city released by the mouth of blessing.

LET THE UPRIGHT BLESS THE CITY…!