JESUS – He was and is and is to come, Beginning and the end, Author and Finisher of our faith

IT IS FINISHED…  Complete and total wholeness in Him while we are on this journey here on Earth – we are not alone.  He was with us, He is with us and He will be with us.  He was with us at the beginning and He walks with us until the end.  He is authoring our steps and He is perfecting us until we are finished in our faith walk.

In this process, Jesus is revealing Himself to each one of us in a most beautiful and intimate way so rest assured ALL His creation (including you & me) will one final moment in time come into the full knowledge of the truth… Of HIM, Jesus, the truth, the way and the life.  But for now we are living souls crying out to be delivered from the old creature into the new.

HE PROMISES –

His Kingdom shall not end.  Jesus is in us as that unshakable Kingdom.  As most of us are aware, everything outward is being shaken at the moment unlike what we are commonly used to – some it caught a little off guard and others, not so much – We are in a sort of birthing process in which HE REMAINS INWARDLY, while through shaking OUTWARD APPEARANCES fall off, unless they set the same example Jesus did while walking the Earth as the Word made flesh. 

We too are being raised up incorruptible, so that we walk as He walked, spoke as He spoke, do what He did… Jesus is the only way to the Father, we follow this most precious lamb wherever He goes. 

Sooo exciting – to actually rule and reign with Jesus on Earth!  Aren’t you excited?  What if I told you we are in that process right now?  Beginning with:  Ruling and Reigning with Jesus inwardly to manifest Him outwardly – oh this is so amazing!  We always thought that verse was in future tense didn’t we?  When actually it goes hand in hand with us decreasing and Him increasing within us – dying to self to the point, it is no longer I who live, but Him who lives through me or you, of course…  How do we rule and reign on Earth with Jesus?  Surrender everything to Him, everything. 

For those who are a little frantic at the moment over the going’s on in the World – rest in HIM, seeking Jesus continually – I always feel bad because some of you all have to grow up fast, which some of us have had years of disciplined love at the Father’s hands.  The first thing He usually does is start breaking off all outward influences on our lives, in order to help us serve One Master – our Lord and King.  Since time is so short, the shaking is gaining intensity to remove things quicker.  So for those who are babes or holding onto rebellious ways and such – and have been ruling and reigning with Him OUTWARDLY, this shaking is going to cause you to be a little frantic at times.  But no fear – Jesus knows perfectly what He is doing and will not lose one of His own, ever.  And believe me, as a runaway bride, if He could have lost anyone, it would have been me.  And one of these days – just trust me in this – you will learn to not only not despise the chastisement of the Lord, but long for and love it.  The fullness of the Father’s love includes embracing and instruction – but it takes precepts to accept both.  So hang in there – He is building a masterpiece – YOU!

Our refining is supposed to be more precious than gold, right?  He is burning all rebellion out of us and for some it feels like they are being smothered to death (Oh how I remember those days… thinking He honestly had forsaken me, yep – I convinced myself He had completely rejected me on more than one occasion).  For others, the refining is a way lesser degree (which I think because the process has been much longer for many of us – we have been in the fire a very long time) regardless the end result is the same – A precious and fine vessel.  Regardless, inside the fire (Jesus is with us) so we all feel the purging process – the degree of pressure correlates to just how much faith one has vs. rebellion.

Please do not think I am minimizing this process and saying it is easy, because it is not – but eventually you just get to point where you are at the end of your rope/being end of yourself, realizing just how clueless you are and suddenly you say to yourself…  Lord You alone are God and I am not, you shake your head, sigh, cry and finally let go of all the things you religiously thought you knew, practices you kept, advice you gave and all the opinions of man and you come to the conclusion… I’ve come to far to deny Him now, then you surrender in a free fall, thinking sometimes you will surely die this time.  But you don’t, you get back up and you dust yourself off and you realize – Hey, I have less ashes, dirt and dust on me this time than I did the last time…  So you shake it off and keep walking in His joy – until the next time you fall…  Every follower of Jesus falls, it is what you do after that fall that counts…  Victor or victim?  And really… That is a whole study on its own and involves what “kind” you are of… Caught up in rebellion or caught up in Jesus.  We may have to discuss that one day – when offense is at a minimum.

Have you noticed how this Shaking season we are in is perfectly orchestrated to pull us away individually to be with Jesus?  Before we admit we relied pretty heavily on one another didn’t we?  But right now it seems Jesus is showing up in a new way, a pressing way and when this happens we rely mostly on Him, don’t we?  Like when the chips are all down we know instinctively who we can count on and it isn’t humanity.  It kind of reminds me of us being pulled into the Bridal Chamber, spiritually speaking.  Often the Lord removes those who we place as a go between – between Himself and us.  Jesus is truly the only mediator we need between us and the Father.  In order we see this truth – He removes those who we go to first in our time of need outside of Himself.

Those of us currently in this state are discovering a beautiful simplicity and purity within the abiding in Jesus found only when we are sincerely devoted to Him. 

• Our struggles really increase when Jesus is not enough for us inwardly, even though we may try to cover it up with a smile or scripture.
• His love does not relent, therefore one day we will finally accept fullness/wholeness is only found in Him.
• Counterfeits in our lives and the World for that matter are being plucked up – it is almost as if they are losing “access” to us – I for one am grateful, its been a long time coming.  Jesus as our hedge of protection is literally causing the enemy to flee and we need not do anything but surrender to Him.
• You will find there are some people you just “know” and “click” with and others flee in your presence.  Who you gather with are your kind – being of one spirit and mind. 
• We are binding with those creatures who’s spirit are the same “kind” as us…  I can’t really share all about that today – but this is very important to the Father and is in Genesis if you want to study it more on your own. 
• Jesus as Lord tolerates NO MIXTURE
• He purifies the mixture out of us so our actions do not deny Him before men while our mouths confess Him as Lord.
• To die is gain, only when Jesus is our reward.  Hey, you all remember when we used to think Heaven was our reward?  I am just using that as an example of the difference between outward and inward devotion to Him.  Outward we had our eyes on Heaven, Inward we have them on Jesus.  But we gotta give Him glory – He did all this work within us, thank You Lord and some of us are not so easy to train up, are we?
• To die is gain when it is no longer I who lives to work, but it is He who does works within me first then I may do works to glory only Him.  Again – it is outward vs inward – He flows OUT from within us so the change of us starts inwardly where no eye can see.
• Hard Truth Alert – The old hasn’t passed away for many because it got them what they wanted in the past.  Many right now are so full of mixture they need a lot of prayer, tough love and correction followed by instruction by some firm and elder believers who are not moved emotionally.  They are playing on the edge with fire… walking continually in offense.
• The Father’s shaking is so merciful to secure us, right prior to His indignation passing over the whole Earth.  Never, ever forget He is for us, not against us!
• Please note:  Before the enemy can seed our minds – he has to know it first, which explains why he competes with the Lord for our attention.

All righty… I really have to share a deep concern of mine and I thank you all for listening and praying and whatever else the Lord would lead you to do is great, as well.  Lord I ask that You would speak through me to deliver precisely the message to the little flock You showed me as You prepared their ears and hearts to hear in Spirit and truth before I even came on air.  Amen.  You all ready?

Okay, here we go…  Although I am speaking to a few for a moment, I believe this message is for all who have those they deeply love and are sent to guard and watch over.  After all that is what Shepherds do – whether you are a shepherd over many or just one, if you have the Father’s heart at all – you present a covering over the ones you deeply love – including your family.  Paul and some other disciples spoke of this sort of love in 1Thessalonians Chapter 2 if you would like to read the full story.  But for today, I am just going to share verses 7 and 8:

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherishes her children.  So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear to us.

This sort of love supersedes natural love, it is on a higher spiritual plane and though it may bless the natural, it does not end naturally.  These are they of your own “kind.”  And for me, well that is some of you – the little naïve ones, the hurt and broken, most often love starved who need nursed back to health with love itself.  To those looking in, this sounds crazy, but to those who receive in such a way (you know who you are) please find rest in the truth the Lord did this because if you did not love me in such a way – you could not receive the Lord’s guidance and instruction, leaving you very vulnerable in the midst of wolves who are in sheep’s clothing.  When a sheep has a broken leg, it needs protection until ready to join the flock and be about its own, day and night lest a wolf could devour it.  I realize I am handing over many stones right now to be used against me…  But hey, that’s okay, no worries it is going to be well worth it in the end.  You see, in order to receive from someone you must first find commonality with them – something familiar to what they have walked out in measurement to what you, yourself are experiencing.  Then you must love them enough to hear the truth of what is being shared.  If these two factors are not present, one will quickly fall into a place of rebelling against that person sent and store up a quiver full of fiery darts to use against that messenger, speaking whispers to lure the little ones away so they are confused and scattered.  I have no clue why people do this – but some actually listen to someone just in order to discount everything which is being said. 

The Word tells us – How can they hear unless one be sent?  Anyone who is saved, is qualified, called, then sent out, if they have a willing heart to surrender to Jesus are sent.  Many of you are walking in this very assignment every day and you may not even know it. 

I will warn you – You become someone’s instant enemy when they confess something to you and they don’t want to change, or rather repent so they scatted bitter seeds among the flock.

As for me…  Well, I know you all very well by the Holy Spirit, like Paul, my heart is turned towards you in a most loving embrace, doing all I can for the sake of love, in that you are strengthened in the Lord.

Here is the Scripture I really take to heart striving to the best of my ability in complete surrender to Jesus in Titus 2 and is excellent for some of you as well, because you share in this heartcry – which says:

An older (ONE WHO PRESIDES OVER AN ASSEMBLY/AMBASSADOR/SET APART ONE) woman should be reverent (BEHAVE AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOLINESS) in the way they should live, not slander (FALSELY ACCUSE) others, be of a sober mind and teach only which is good (WHICH IS ACTUALY PHILLIPPIANS 4:8 —  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.).  We also should urge (TEACH) those who are females younger in the faith to be sober, love their husbands and children – to be self-controlled and pure – to be busy (KEEPER) in their homes, be kind and surrendered to Jesus so that no one maligns (BLASPHEMIES) the Word of God.

Now for some of you – that was a lightbulb moment and you smiled…  You have a knowing of pieces of your purpose here on Earth and yet no Scripture to match it with…  Well there you go – Your heart’s desire written in the Word unfolded today.  To be this sort of female was transcribed within the Spiritual DNA of God’s Daughters.  I wonder why we separate from our initially ordained purpose?  Oh well, it doesn’t matter – what does matter is the Lord is purging us from everything that does not align with how we were fearfully and wonderfully made.

Real quick…  In case you are having trouble relating to what I am saying…  If you have children or even a pet – if you saw someone or something coming towards that child or pet to devour it – would you do nothing?  Well I know most, if not all of you would place yourself between the threat and that child or pet.  You would prefer you be torn to shreds than the predator snatch them up.  So for a moment…  I am standing in that gap and now that I have your attention…  let’s go to Jude, because the Word can explain the threat much better than I.

Vs 12 – there are spots at your love feasts…  and when they feast with you, they only care about feeding themselves.

Spots = people who by their conduct damage others morally or wreck them with confusion

Love Feasts = gathering places to fellowship in affection, goodwill, brotherly/sisterly love

***Please do not ever think that because your intentions are pure, others are as well

Some people actually come to fellowship where there is love to only take something from others, not caring if they hurt others or cause confusion and most often they are not even aware the enemy is using them.  Don’t forget that!

In Jude it tells us they “crept in unaware…”  however, sometimes the Lord will show us either by revelation or possibly divine intervention or even experience behind the scenes with that person that they are truly misleading others in a most crafty way.

Let’s go over some of their “fruit…”  I call it revealing fruit, because they may appear to present themselves in love – but one of their signatures is most always they play a victim, just needing someone to talk to, their actions are quite the opposite secretly, yet at times they cannot hold back the truth of themselves and in Jude we can see listed some of that truth:

• They may take advantage of your grace to exploit you for selfish gain without shame
• Full of lust, fornication
• They deny Jesus – often by appearing He is too weak to be enough to save them
• Are seeking revenge from what happened in their past
• They target those who are not like them or rather their “kind” – strange flesh
• Dream up ways to harm others or advantage themselves
• Despise authority and Godly order, in rebellion, unteachable
• Speak evil of those who know the truth of them or elders in the church
• If they do not know something they automatically conclude it is not truth and speak evil against it because they only see naturally and actually corrupt themselves.
• They have gone the way of Cain – meaning they have a murderous spirit and think – Am I my brother’s keeper?  In other words, they only look out for themselves.
• Rebellious
• Greedy – scheming for sympathy and money
• They have no fear of God
• They do not have life because they refuse to partake of Jesus – who is life, rather looking to men to satisfy their desires and needs
• They go to and fro repeating the same patterns
• They have no fruit, will experience the second death when plucked up by the roots – because they are not grounded in Christ
• They will be proven by the Saints when they come with Jesus to execute judgment of all their ungodly deeds their “hard” speeches (meaning: what they said to offend or hurt someone, their harshness towards others, tendencies to be violent and deceit)
• They go around raging, speaking about their own shame – yet accusing others for their wrong doings.
• They murmur and complain always, instead of counting blessings
• They speak words to flatter others to inflate someone’s ego for gain – they only do this to benefit themselves and will often gravitate to leaders openly, while slaying them in secret
• They mock others (complain, find fault, make fun of) because they want what they want and will do anything to get it
• They isolate and separate themselves, laying wait to prey upon the innocent, lurking and pop up out of nowhere
• They are sensual (alluring to draw you in) and you may even believe they have the Holy Spirit within them, but they don’t
• They have a pattern – With words of flattery and service they try to get close to leaders, lying in wait to harm and gain advantage over the little flock who are naïve to their devices

Ugh… That was a lot – and all of it is out of Jude.

Let’s not be like them, okay?  Because their future is eternal death. 

So right now this very moment – We have two types of people among us… Some of you are like wow, thank You Lord for this revelation or confirmation (if you already are aware of this Scripture by the Spirit) and then others are offended.  It seems every single time we gather together at least a few people will wonder why I am talking about them?  I am always shocked, because that is an admission of guilt on their part –knowing the Scripture corrects us all, doesn’t it?  And none are perfected yet, right?  And truthfully, if we hold the candle of what I just read, all of us are guilty of some, if not all of it, at some point and time.  Repentance is such a free gift, thank You Lord.  Scripture corrects, it does not offend, nor is it purposed to do so… If the truth offends us, we are not walking in it.

I have a method to my madness here… As one being sent to warn a few of my gathered little ones, those ones I cherish and they cherish me…  Please be on guard, there are wolves among you – please keep emailing me like you do with concerns, so we can seek the Lord together to insure Jesus is Your guiding example in all your steps. 

It pains me at times to see you all being lured in and entangled with a known wolf.  I see you sometimes getting so close to the edge it takes my breath away… I pray and miraculously it seems Jesus intervenes on your behalf, then I can breathe again. 

The Lord led me to read something to you, it is a familiar story you will recognize right away when I tell you the title – The Boy Who Cried Wolf.  When the Lord gave me this in prayer, I was shocked at how relevant it is – I haven’t read this in over forty years.  It is relevant today while you are watching youtube, watching the news, in various chatrooms – even if they are a love feast, in skype, attending supposed Christian Conferences and wherever you wander to engage with a mixture of people.  He did send us out as sheep among wolves – don’t forget that.

Let’s read this story – you are going to be amazed.

***The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Just to review the parable of this story ~

Often when we are idle and thirsty for love we will seek inappropriate attention and when people surround us – we will gloat in joy they paid attention to us, which only feeds attention seeking ways in others.  We also will sit in a place of rebellion and plug our ears to authority or Elders as they instruct us with wisdom for our own sakes.  When they are upset by our foolish and childish ways we may grin that we got under their skin, which is rebellious craftiness.  In our minds we are constantly planning our next attempt for attention.  After a period of time of tempting God, our covering hand of protection is lifted in that we learn a valuable lesson.  Keeping in mind our words go out to perform, not returning void – if we sow lies, in turn we will reap those same lies upon us – where the exact lie we told will manifest in our own lives.  The Father will allow us to be isolated, removed and vulnerable when the lie we told arrives at our own doorstep, so we can reflect on the harm our stories caused upon others.  We may feel rejected, however, it our childish schemes which are rejected, not us personally.  So a time will come in which we will need those we have lied to in such a way and they will not be there – then the Lord sends someone to comfort us in truth because truth always exposes a lie.  We must remember lies break trust and nobody believes a liar, even when they tell the truth… Just like the serpent did not technically lie to Eve, he was of the wrong source – leading many astray.

You all… don’t you listen to lucifer’s speech believing you can be saved without repentance.  And just like satan entered into Peter preventing Jesus from going to the cross – satan has entered that vessel to sway you asleep into drunkenness mixture. 

John 8 tells us clearly about those who speak opposing themselves and the Lord:

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

⁴⁵ And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Before we wrap it up for today, the Lord led me to share with you Acts 3:

¹⁹ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

To be converted – SAVED – one must repent and our Father is a God of order in such a precious way.  We recognize our sin, confess it, Jesus delivers us from hungering for that sin so that we may turn away from it and not do it again – CONVERTED – from the old creature nature to the new creature and THEN OUR SINS ARE BLOTTED OUT…  In other words, the more we seek Jesus, the less we have that desire to sin – but we must seek Him with our whole hearts in truth and believe me – the fruit is the proof.

When our consciences are seared we don’t even feel guilty or when we love darkness more than light we will make excuses – here is one – Jesus covers me in His blood and mercy (all the while we are thinking – I can do sinful things and it will be okay)  No it is not okay, nor will it be.  It is time to wake up church and have a sober mind.  Stop drinking in the mixture preached by man and study to show ourselves approved before God – read His word, gaining the strength to overcome all things in HIM.

I guarantee us all, if we truly believed Jesus was coming tonight…  We would be so busy repenting we wouldn’t have time to do or say anything to anybody between now and the next ten hours.  Our issue is – we really, really believe He has delayed His coming.  But what if?  He is taking roll call right now?  We don’t know when the time of the Gentiles will close – do we?  He certainly caught the Israelites off guard, didn’t He?  Let that not be any of us.  Please pray about and consider He is marking foreheads with His seal in preparation for His day of wrath.

Sadly, it is likely the ones who need to hear this won’t and those who do not need to hear it are already checking their hearts…  It is just the way it goes.

You can always tell who is seeking to be Holy as their Father in Heaven is Holy – humility and lack of accusation and if they accuse anyone it is themselves.  I know it is impossible offenses not come – but Lord help us to overcome being offended by Your written words.

Do we know what the FIRST COMMANDMENT is? 

Jesus said it is the first commandment and great commandment…  To LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, ALL THY SOUL AND ALL THY MIND.

Well, with all this shaking going on, bringing down idols we are being pressed into a corner to do just that very thing, aren’t we?  This command given by our Father is one in which we no longer serve idols or self, placing anything above Him in our lives.  The first commandment is orienting us away from our idols so that what we won’t turn away from, gets removed…. It is the same way in which the Lord is there in our time of need.  We need Him don’t we more than anything or anyone? 

The Father is surely pleading with His people via manifestations upon the Earth to turn from our wicked sinful ways.

He gave me something I am going to share before I go…  Because I kept hearing the Lord say in my spirit, “I am the storm…”  This is how He is revealing truth of humanity as He is manifesting…

WINDS – The Holy Spirit is blowing and moving upon the Earth

FIRE – People consuming one another

FLOOD – Self-righteousness and pride is being exposed

VOLCANOES – Anger is erupting all over

HAIL – People stoning one another

EARTHQUAKES – Our faith is being shaken

DROUGHTS – Famines in the land for the hunger of the word of God

SICKNESS – Spiritual conditions of souls on Earth

PESTELANCES LIKE GRASSHOPPERS – Reflects how the enemy is devouring the inhabitants of the Earth

So what’s to come – lawlessness?  Why is this happening? 

Are you ready for the falling away?  Can you see the falling away?  Those who have spiritual eyes to see can see it unfolding clear as day…

What is unfolding…  2Thessalonians 2 ~

⁷ For the ^[d]mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only ^[e]He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Please do not look for a MAN OF LAWLESSNESS…  it says MYSTERY of lawlessness, doesn’t it?  It is a mystery because it is within each of us.  We are enduring an internal battle of Spirit vs Old Creature.  I am just going to have to leave this at that for now.

So if we take a step back to take in the beauty of all our Father in Heaven is doing at the moment it is with a grateful heart we can praise Him each and every day – If we look to the forest in awe, saying that is Him and get our eyes off of the tree of self, we will praise Him in this storm and rise above it in a most whole hearted way celebrating with Him in the truth knees that have not bowed to Him before are doing so – lips who have not called out to Him to heal are discovering He is mighty to save.  And we too are learning the greater depths of the truth He will never leave us or forsake us.  In this shaking, we are worshiping Him in Spirit and in Truth – many of us for the first time are bowing before Him fully!

Let’s pray ~

Heavenly and merciful Father, You are the great I am, You are One Who we can always run to and count on in our time of need.  And Father we need You now in ways we never imagined.  Strengthen these dead bones to rise, to be borne of a great witness and testimony to Your mighty Name.  Fortify within us Lord a new and renewed truth and hope in You.  Give us Spiritual eyes to see that You are for us and not against as You overwhelm us with Your love in that we may go forth as witnesses which overshadow others in faith, hope and love.  As You pour in, may we pour out the purity of Your love in whole heartedness, no longer tainted with mixture.  We thank You Lord for breaking every stronghold over our minds and hearts and for the idols we’ve held so near and dear to us to be removed.  Forgive us for times we have participated in entertainment, calling it Holy or sought gain of any kind by taking your Name in vain.  As others point to us as the mighty ones – may we continually point to only You.  Deliver us Lord from every wile of the enemy which seeks to influence or taint us in anyway while we surrender to the shield of faith that only Jesus provides.  Above all else Lord make us instruments of Your peace as You send us forth into a lost and dying World.  Lure us Father with Your love and keep us hidden discretely within that love, knowing it is perfect and casts away all fear.  Sanctify our minds Holy Father in that we no longer invite in weeds of knowledge which so easily ensnare us into distractions.  We surrender all our desires and wills to the completion of You until we are One, just as Jesus prayed we say Yes Lord, have Your perfect way within us.  We ask all this in Jesus’s most precious and Heavenly Name.  Amen.

Thank you all so very much for joining me today!  I thank the Lord for keeping you all centered on Him and protected at each moment while He sends you forth each day.

It is with a grateful heart I honor those of you who support ROF Ministries, whether that be in prayer, words of encouragement, writing inmates or financially.  If you are led to come along beside us, healing hearts His way, please contact me at Markedbyheaven7@gmail.com or go to rofministries.com where you can post a prayer request or send a donation via paypal or through the mail.  Believe me, we could not do this without you all assisting us, however the Lord leads.

Transcript From RING OF FIRE Broadcast ~ March 7, 2020

Today I need to apologize in advance because lately I have been in an extreme mental state of soberness.  Partly due to understanding the gravity of all that is going on in the World around us and partly because many do not understand the severity of that which is to come.  Where my concern lies is not with the World per se… but rather with those in it who are still cutting up, lacking the fear of the Lord and in their careless ways are mocking God.  So today I am sober for that reason, today I am speaking to us about us and pleading that we turn from our wicked ways and repent before the Lord starts His judgment in His own household.  Many like to fool themselves that judgement will start in the World, however, it doesn’t… it starts inside the church.  And if we are not sober right now, this moment, then a time of sifting is going to catch us off guard so suddenly, many will be shaken awake into soberness.  It’s truly rare I get a warning message like this one He gave me today.  Today’s message he titled:  SOBER.  That is all He said to me… just SOBER.  Usually He gives me eloquent words for titles, but today is not like all the others, today is a call to stand SOBER.  You all ready?

Lord Jesus please walk with us today hand in hand.  Our hearts and ears are open to You and we thank You for being the perfect example we are to follow.  Collectively we surrender this teaching to You, along with ourselves.  Have Your way in us Lord, especially today.  Amen

WISDOM…  Which is oil by the way, you know… the oil in the virgin’s lamps is wisdom.  No time to go over all that today.  WISDOM…  Every single person has some amount of wisdom – some more, others less, but WISDOM is granted nonetheless. 

It took a precious letter from my inmate friend, Van Edgar to open my eyes up to an amazing revelatory truth about wisdom.  He was talking to me about Solomon and how he had so much wisdom, that many envied all the wisdom he had.  Then all of a sudden a revelation came to me…  WISDOM everyone wants to attain more and more of it – but that is not what is important…  What is important is HOW WE APPLY THE WISDOM WE HAVE.  Wisdom is gained by suffering and as a result we learn what is allowed and good or bad and harmful in our lives.  King Solomon had much wisdom, however, he did not apply it correctly in his life and was practically a crazy man obsessed with power and women – just as Van Edgar explained to me in his letter. 

So we can know good from evil and yet still choose to do evil…  Therefore, we can have wisdom and yet not apply it.  Being sober minded means…  Applying the wisdom to our lives continually while learning from our mistakes and actually going and sinning no more.  And this is how— we take our oil out to go meet our Bridegroom!  Yayyyyy!  It is all making so much more sense now – trimming the wicks is repentance and now He gave us this pearl to match it with…  Apply what we have learned from past mistakes so we do not repeat them…  Wisdom

Okay… that was the good news… lol…  Well it’s all good news, but today we are focused on being SOBERMINDED.  I just wanted to let you down easy with a pearl.  lol

I really want to talk about drunkenness, but the Lord told me we have done that enough and we already know what is right or wrong, even if we choose to ignore it, we know.  Having a Momma’s heart, I always want to get down on my knees and explain what someone is doing in opposition to Jesus and explain why it will hurt them and to please stop so they do not hurt anymore.  He won’t let me do that today…  He says you already know.  Just like I already know when I am disobedient.  We know, don’t we?

The Father is pleading with His people who have rejected Him.  As a matter of fact, all struggles work together for our good in such a way.  He’s doing this constantly behind the scenes and always has, but for some reason we get really nervous when it manifests openly like it has lately.  Staying sober minded in understanding He is Sovereign – which will keep us from drifting into a place of compromise where if we are not pulled from that place, we will eventually curse the Lord for what He is bringing upon the Earth, so that hearts cry out and knees bow down in worship to Him.  If I would be so bold to say… In such a way – coronavirus is a blessing, not a curse.  And since we serve such a merciful Father, even His judgments as laced with an element of love.  He is seeking to save souls, while we believe if He isn’t saving our physical bodies He is rejecting us, but in truth He is receiving us.  Man’s hearts will fail them, but ours will not because He is preparing them for Jesus to abide within us on the throne of our hearts in a most beautiful way.

Tatum shared a beautiful pearl of wisdom the Father laid upon her heart with the COT Family the other day and I am going to share it with you all since many of you missed it…

I Just Wanted To Flow In The Spirit About What THE LORD Has Laid Upon My Heart. Because I Keep Noticing Something, Not Only Out In The Community, But Also In The Body Of CHRIST. That Ever Since There Has Been An Uptick In This Virus, That It Spiritually Is Revealing Something About People. Well A Virus Makes People Sick & Not Well. This Also Is What I’m Noticing In Many Spiritually, Where Their Minds Aren’t Well Or Sober. And I’ve Notice It Spread Like A Virus From One Believer To Another. Where Things In Their Thought Process Seem Chaotic, Paranoid & No Clarity, Like Drunk In One’s Chaotic Thought Process, Where Justifying Things Also Just Don’t Make Sense. And So I’m Led To Pray, Because I Also Keep Hearing The Word, “Repentance” & “Get Your House In Order Immediately”. I’ve Realized A Serious Truth, That No One Can Save Me But JESUS Of Nazareth Can. And That Now Are Truly Sober Times Needed To Be Alert For When Our Time Could Be Up & To Stand Before JESUS, Before JESUS Returns. And This Truly Is My Hope For ALL Of Us. I Can’t Shake It Off, But Rest In HIM. GOD Bless You All, Thank You For Letting Me Share

• Thankfully He is removing all fear of man from within us at the moment.  Sheep have a tendency to be skittish and due to betrayal and pain, we too are skittish to some degree.  However, Jesus is an awesome Shepherd and we follow Him wherever He goes – WE GROW WHEN THE WORDS OF GOD MEAN MORE TO US THAN THE WORDS OF MAN.
• Right after we finished our teachings on rejection the Lord spoke to me in my heart saying…  You have focused so much on how you were rejected – Have you considered the ways in which you rejected Me?  So after much soul searching I discovered the unmeasurable ways I have rejected the Lord on every level.  This gave me much time to reflect and repent and also to become more sober in the mind.  My eyes were opened to the truth it is not so much I do not know how not to do evil, but rather I choose not to do good.

So let’s talk for a moment about… REJECTING GOD

This may hurt the flesh a little I must warn you – because the flesh naturally opposes surrendering fully to the Lord in every way so we wrestle with it instead of dying to it.  He reminded me how He sends no one to hell, they choose to go there and many are experiencing a living hell right now in their minds.

As He opens our ears and the scales fall off, our hearts will embrace His truth.  When we are still primarily in rebellion we get offended and mad at anything that sears the flesh.

REBELLION is – self-will, wanting things our own way, as disobedient children and we often surround ourselves with others who will join with us to take up our cause and come into agreement with the sin we both share. 

FALLING AWAY is – rejecting God and His moral ways and is becoming more hard to hide now because so many reject the victory over sin found in Jesus.

THE RESULT is – The Lord removing His hand of protection from us when we are in rebellion.  Just like Jesus told Peter – be sober, wake up… Don’t you know the enemy desires you?  And later, He explained the enemy may sift you as wheat.  Remember Job?  The enemy was granted permission to destroy all fleshly, carnal things in his life and steal them.  The only safe place to be is surrendered to the Lord fully, as He is our only protection from fiery darts in that they do not prosper against us.

Currently the Father is pleading with His people by allowing pressures of all kinds of flesh trials to remove all which is not of Him from us.  There are countless times recorded in the Bible where He removed His hand of protection to get a rebellious people to seek and embrace Him.  By denying the full truth of the Gospel, we are tempting God in a way we surely do not want to out of ignorance.

If we do not take captive our own thoughts, our own thoughts will take captive of us.  We are at a point in time Spiritually speaking it is very dangerous to play with fire just to tickle our ears.  We cannot just gloss over what we perceive is bad in the Bible and drink only what is pleasing to the eyes.  If we love Him, all is good and all is beneficial for Spiritual growth.

SEEKING…  It is all about seeking…  For everyone who does not SEEK to surrender all – including self plans, wills, desires, etc… to the Lord fully is a rebellious child and discipline will follow.  Now notice I said SEEK, because the Father knows the intentions of our hearts and tries them.  We may fool ourselves or even one another – but He cannot be fooled in such a way.  He knows, He certainly does know us more intimately than we know ourselves.

The truth is – not only do many refuse to seek to surrender to Him they are opposed to it.  And as a result, they despise His correction.  Which is sad really, because correction really means – Let me correct your course you are on.  It is really non-threatening and very simple. 

Hebrews 12:6 says…

Who the Lord loves, He disciplines and He chastises every son whom He receives.

Chastises means – a calamity sent by God, a spanking to devour or decrease the flesh

Now I understand many of us have been harmed times over by a strong hand which strikes by man.  But please do not compare at all what man has done to God, Himself.  Take captive those thoughts which bring our Father down to the fallen nature of man – so that you learn to love His discipline, not run away from it.

Godly fear is healthy and preserves us in many ways.  We must have a godly fear or we will keep too much rebellion within us.  Godly fear keeps us firmly on the straight and narrow path and insures we do not get a seared conscience in which we will call evil good and good evil.  Remember – the fear of the Lord is only the beginning of wisdom (knowing right from wrong) because it places us into a position of receiving the gift of repentance which delivers us from excusing our sin to going and sinning no more.

Proverbs 3: 11 says…

His children do not reject His discipline or hate it when he rebukes us.

His children know – all He has towards us is love and that He is really infusing His promise to keep us covered and protected, even if at times, it is from ourselves.  I don’t know about you all… But I don’t trust me, do you trust you?  It really helps to know that the Father is so loving and Sovereign He won’t let us corrupt ourselves to the point we perish.  I should have been a lost cause a long time ago… But He intervened.

Finally, Revelation 3:19 is a beautiful promise of love…

Those I love I rebuke and discipline so be zealous and repent.

REBUKE means…  Conviction of the Holy Spirit as darkness is exposed by the light – basically feeling guilty for doing something wrong  – the Lord loves us so much He will allow guilt to come upon us so we know when to ask for forgiveness and not call evil good or hide our sin… this is true deliverance.

ZEALOUS means…  Burn with a desire for and to pursue constantly

How amazing is that?  Let’s read it now in layman’s terms…

Those I love I convict with the Holy Spirit to reveal all darkness by My light and I discipline you so that you burn with a desire for and pursue constantly to repent from all darkness that influences you.

See… Now it isn’t so scary is it?  Now with Spiritual eyes we can see, His discipline is nothing more than a loving Father keeping guard and watch over us because He loves us so very much.  When we remove the heavy hammer of man we begin to receive all that is written, just as it was written in love as love.

Discipline in loving context takes on a whole different meaning and His perfect love casts all fear away from us.  Discipline also is the birthing word for DISCIPLE…

Discipline teaches accountability, accountability teaches good from evil, knowing good from evil teaches repentance and repentance teaches us how to follow in Jesus’s footsteps.  Jesus’s ways keep us on the straight and narrow path which leads us to life everlasting, rather than the broad way which leads to destruction.  One of the most crucial mistakes we can make is not finding the narrow eternal path because we refuse to accept, let alone love the discipline of the Lord.  Again, discipline is instruction and guidance done in a perfectly loving way.

All have sinned just as it says in Romans 3 – But do you know why we keep sinning?  The answer is in verse 18 – There is no fear of God before their eyes.

We all know what fear means – but listen, it also means to revere one’s husband… I found that interesting.  I am pretty sure all our preconceived notions about the Lord are pretty much worthless at this point.  The more I learn the less I know.  All powerful is about all I can say right now.  He isn’t coming as a Lamb this time…  He is coming like a lion – so sober up.  We can pray we are worthy to stand before Him all we want, but right now, truthfully I don’t even know what that looks like to be worthy in such a way, I feel much more worthless than worthy, thankfully it says pray we are worthy – that we can do.

The Father created us all perfectly and He wove into us the freewill to make our own choices in a most beautiful way.  With that comes some responsibility… And a lot of accountability.  But knowing He is a very good Father, He gives us many opportunities to choose good over evil.  For example, every single action we take here on Earth contains the fruit of consequences.  Sometimes good or sometimes bad, but a reaction/fruit is always produced in what we say or do.  Just as His words go out to perform – so do ours or like how one pebble thrown into a lake creates ripples…  So do our actions. 

Remember, when we choose the action, we choose the consequence and as little children learn to walk… often stumbling and falling, bumping their heads and touching hot stoves – so do we.  This is how we often learn to lean on Him through pain.  But on the flip side of that is a heart of brotherly and sisterly love, one to another which produces good fruit… Very good fruit indeed.  For example, when we walk in forgiveness and mercy one to another, we are at peace with one another in a most Heavenly Kingdom way.

The Lord has led an example for us to follow, to not always take the easy way out.  Remember, before He could rise from the dead, He walked the path to crucifixion…  Therefore, we too must die to self, the old nature to be risen and born again a new creature in Christ.  Unfortunately, this process is delayed when we refuse to yield and surrender and choose the sinful ways of death.  And worse is when we deny we even have sin still in us.  Jesus came and called all sinners to repentance.  We cannot say one thing and do another.  Jesus said in Luke 13:3 – Unless you repent you will perish.  It is true some will enter in another way, but only to be eventually thrown out.  We do not want this to be us.

Just to review why Jesus came?  Our answer is found in the Word in Luke 5:32 and it reads as follows:

He came not to call the righteous, but to call sinners to repent.

There is a hint here – Jesus is only calling those who are willing to be disciplined, corrected and purged of anything and everything that cannot enter into His Kingdom.  This Scripture tells us He did not call the righteous – it is because those who think they are already saved are not looking for a Savior.

So there is really something very beautiful about repentance – it is nothing to be shy about or it is not condemning whatsoever, it is a calling forth to be cleansed, healed and made whole.  Jesus is not harsh like man – He is love and all He does is loving in nature.  Man has twisted what the Lord calls beautiful, especially repentance.

You see the enemy does not want us to be made whole, because he keeps tricking us to corrupt ourselves and he knows if we allow shame to separate us further from Jesus we will live a miserable life.

We need to practice every day reading the words of Jesus so what He taught is sealed in our hearts and minds to block out the whispers of condemnation from the enemy.  Just as he told the truth and whispered to Eve, he does the same with us.  And yes, I did say he told the truth… When he said you will not surely die – and she didn’t die physically but spiritually.  In the same way he attempts to lure us away from Jesus, Who is the Way, Truth and Life.  In the Bible when it speaks about those “who love not the truth…”  It is speaks of Jesus, our First love and it doesn’t say… who knows the truth, but LOVES THE TRUTH.  You see, you can KNOW about all the Scriptures like a righteous person – but unless YOU LOVE THE TRUTH Jesus will not know you and say depart from Me you worker of iniquity.  I’m sorry, I know that sounds really hurtful, but remember everyone is given a chance to repent, everyone.  Life or death is the consequence to that action.

As we work out our salvation daily, we see the importance to live a changed life, as Jesus changes us from the inside out… that is the fruits of our labors, so to speak or consequence to surrendering all to Him and this is a good consequence by the way.  He came to give us life and life abundantly and when we follow His ways that is exactly what we will have – an abundant life.

Remember – the Lord only expects your very best.  Whatever you have to offer however small it may be… that is the best to Him.  When you get out of carnal thinking, what Jesus desires is not riches or gold – He has all that anyway… He desires you and you giving yourself to Him is of highest value on Earth, it is eternal – you are priceless like this to Him.

We do not want to reject the Father by rejecting His discipline.  It is very unsafe to live a life like that, we can really get hurt.  Can you imagine a toddler running on train tracks – we would panic wouldn’t we?  Well, the Father wants us to have abundance in His Son Jesus our eternal reward to be content here on Earth in plenty and want.  Many of the precepts He has given us are truly for our good, to keep us safe from heartbreak and fragmentation of the soul.

We are all being transformed by the renewing of our minds, going from carnal mindsets to Christlike in nature – before you know it, you will see you think differently, talk differently, want to do different things than before and soon, as you look back – Jesus changed your whole life, little by little one step at a time.  The renewing of the mind is pivotal in our process to being transformed into a new creature.

I bet you are curious what a non-carnal mind ponders?  Dreams about? Has curiosity about and so forth…

I will let the Word tell you, it is found in Philippians 4 ~

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

⁹ Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

A mind that isn’t focused on carnal things is REJOICING, BALANCED and SELF-CONTROLLED AROUND OTHERS, CONSIDERS JESUS IS ALWAYS PRESENT IN ALL WE DO, IS NOT TIMID AND SCARED, PRAYS TO THE LORD THANKING HIM FOR ALL HE HAS DONE and IS OPEN TO SHARE THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART WITH HIM, HAS PEACE NO MAN CAN UNDERSTAND, TRUSTS JESUS IS ENOUGH SO OUR HEARTS AND MINDS ARE KEPT PROTECTED IN HIM.

A mind that isn’t carnal THINKS ALWAYS ON THESE THINGS ~

TRUTH, HONESTY, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, GOOD REPORTS, VIRTUOUS THINGS & PRAISE WORTHY.

MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!  Here is the clincher of a life lesson of the upmost importance…. Ready?

Jesus said —- THE THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED I DO – YOU DO, WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD I DO – YOU DO & WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN ME DO, YOU DO…  Sounds familiar like… following the Lamb wherever He goes, doesn’t it?

So that the God of peace shall be with you or another way of saying it… YOU WILL LIVE IN PEACE.

JESUS IS OUR BEST EXAMPLE, because HE ONLY DID WHAT HE SAW HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN DOING!  Can you imagine how much we would struggle without Jesus to follow as an Example??? Now you know why some of you are simply starved to know Him and know about Him in a more intimate way.  As we let go of the carnal mind – what we would think upon is just not valuable or filling to us anymore… It is almost like many of us have lost a taste for anything that is not good for us Spiritually.  Remember, there is only one way to the Father – it is through Jesus.

Can you believe it?  We are finally no longer eating from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil… Because Jesus the Tree of Life is all we crave, knowing it is all that satisfies and fills us.

I am doing my best to paint a beautiful picture for you of the truth of the Father’s discipline no longer tainted by the religious who use force to get one to convert.  Because that does in no way replicate the Father’s ways.  His discipline is nothing to fear, but rather embrace – it is not absent of love because it is His love, His guided love to keep us safely pulled close to Him so we do not stray and get hurt or injured in anyway.  To be in total awe and fear of the Lord means to recognize His majesty and all powerful ways to which none can compare.

An example may help…  For those who are parents.  Remember a time when your child was struggling with something or maybe got caught doing something that could bring them much harm.  As their parent, you pleaded with them in love, you patiently never let go as you set consequences in place so they would understand the gravity of their actions – but all this you did in love, because you knew if they could just get past this – brighter days would come, they would remember how painful it was to be in that place of danger and would truly never turn to that thing again.  Love never left you and you spoke to them until it clicked, then one day they realized and began to weep, they were truly sorry and then… You fully embraced them and your heart rejoiced with gladness for them.  Months passed you saw them grow out of that mess, you were front and center to a changed life and how pivotal it was that you stood your ground and you were finally able to see the fruit of your labor of love towards them.  Now… that is how the Father looks to us – with those same loving eyes and guided hand.  He is for you – not against you in this same way.  So please… Do not mix the heavy burdens that others who even call themselves Christians place upon you because they too are laden with sins, which may be different than yours… if the truth was known, they deserve the very stones they throw at you turned on themselves.

With all this being said – it is time to stand up and be accountable to the Lord and take responsibility for our own actions, no longer denying them.  Consequences that do come will come if we do not repent from our ways of old in order to teach us how to walk in the new.

So no more blaming the devil all the time, like he made us do something.  He doesn’t have that kind of power over us anyway.  When we have Jesus living and abiding inside us we are unshakable, which is why we are all being purged of iniquity at the moment.  The Lord is really going deep this time!

• He’s establishing within us His eternal Kingdom
• As He is filling us with the Holy Spirit – it most certainly does require a displacement of self
• He’s making us inwardly ready so that when all is shaken there is nothing left so that in Him we are able to stand and be worthy to stand before Him – unshakable
• The method by which He is doing this is not important – the outcome is

Take the coronavirus for example… Those who seek to save their lives are in a panic, some of us see God pleading with people in order to save a life for all eternity.  It is all how you look at it… Carnally or Spiritually. Sadly others stuck in vengeance are declaring – you are gonna get it.

Psalm 91 is a good place to start daily, these are not words just to read or proclaim but are faith filled words to believe!

The Father is doing only one work with us all – He is conforming us into the Image of His Son.

He uses many means to create the same end result, depending on what is required to get us over to the other side individually.  We are becoming a Bride made ready for her Bridegroom.  However, in order to be made ready we must be emptied of everything and anything which does not reflect the example of Jesus.  We wash our own robes white which leads us to the truth, we do play a part in our own Salvation.

The Father is not looking for righteousness, sacrifice or works…  He is looking for obedience, a surrendered heart He can mold, that is sensitive and broken that needs made whole.  There is no possible way to be obedient unless surrendered and you cannot surrender without being broken and empty of self.  Some of us are walking around in tears feeling empty like it is a bad thing – which is the very thing that Jesus is excited about because to Him that is a vessel that He can fill and occupy.

Either we rule and reign with Him fully or not at all.  If we are not fully surrendered to Him we are divided.  When we are divided, so are our:  thoughts, actions, intentions, hearts, perceptions, everything is divided or screened through carnality to some degree.

A divided house (person) cannot stand.  Jesus wants to flow freely through us – He wants to have His way in and through us – this goes hand in hand and is not divided, but whole.  Will you be made whole?  If so, you must be emptied first.  He does not put new wine into an old wineskin.

What God does not initiate He does not anoint, so we are sifted, disciplined, purged and guided in that we walk as obedient children so that all we say and do is precisely what our Father in Heaven wills to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven through us.

So you see why it is so important we be sober right now?  A sober mind is a mind fixated on one thing – Jesus.  A sober mind is a single mind so that we live like nothing else matters… Nothing.  And then and only then – all things will be added to us.  Remember… Emptied out, so that new can be put in.  He pours into us, we pour Him out to others and we become a well that never runs dry.

So I pray this message blessed you today, I also pray that you no longer fear the Lord’s loving discipline but learn to desire His covering hand of correction.

Before I go I want to thank all of you who do support ROF Ministry by time, talent or treasure.  Your prayers cover us and your support enable us to keep healing hearts His way.  Any prayer requests or ministry needs can be emailed to me at:  Markedbyheaven7@gmail.com or if you wish to support ROF with a love gift you can go directly to our website at ROFministries.com and click the donate link.

You all are just too precious for words…  Never ever forget you are loved with an everlasting, a deep and drawing love that is a rarity to experience.  It is not found anywhere here on Earth, nor can it be compared to natural love in anyway.  My prayer is that we all begin to experience this priceless gift of love to the fullest as we begin to release knowing about the Lord and are transformed into knowing Him.

Thank you for joining me today, love and bless each of you very much!

Angela ~ Ring of Fire Ministries

Transcript from broadcast February 19, 2020

Good Morning Blessings to you all and thank you for joining me today on Ring of Fire Ministries.  What a joyful blessing it is to fellowship with you all today.  It is so good to see each of you and I am thankful the Lord got us through another week!  So we are one more week closer to going Home — yayyyy!

Last week we talked about Rejection and how sensitive we are to it, often stemming from our upbringings.  I hope it blessed you like it did me and that we can just rest in the truth of our Lord Jesus, trusting Him to reveal, deliver and make us complete and whole in Him.  I had mentioned how much the Lord shared with us last week, which was a precept of what we are going to study today – and it is this portion I am most excited for knowing when we study different characters in the Bible we see a unique commonality which brings hope for us – if there was hope for them and the Lord brought them all the way through it is a promised guarantee He will do the same for us.

I was thinking the other day how we are created in His image, being fearfully and wonderfully made and just how precious each one of you truly are to our Father.  I was also thinking about how innocent we all were at birth, trusting, unseasoned by the World – not tried by fire yet or anything like that.  We weren’t skeptical yet, were we?  Some of us lost that innocence way early, while others had more love filled youth so the pains of humanity were delayed a bit.  Regardless, all have experienced some sort of rejection.  When we are formed in His image, I was thinking about how it is way more difficult to “keep that imagine” untarnished when the harshness of life bristles your heart over and over again.  As I was praying the Lord said to me…  It is very true you were created in My image, but whether or not you keep my image depends on your own freewill. 

So here we are again…  Seems like we cannot escape this season of surrender we are currently in – this surrendering is giving up our desires and wills in exchange for His – to keep His image intact, we lose our image and then it dawned on me… Image is the root word of “imagination.”  And where is imaginations conceived?  In the mind.  So it makes perfect sense He is cleansing our minds of all corrupt thinking in order we, as new creatures think just like Him, meaning we contain the mind of Christ.

The words, mind of Christ, get thrown around so much it seems almost common, sort of watered down and familiar.  But if we really think about it…  Our minds are very opposite of Jesus’s in so many ways.  This is a truth we should not take lightly as if we have already reached that goal… Because in truth we haven’t.  It is funny how short we fall in trying to judge ourselves rightly.  In the Bible it actually gives a command that we are to judge ourselves…  Which is a precursor to repentance. 

Repentance is not very politically correct in the manmade church these days…  Sadly, the modernized church of today surrenders to ego and self so frequently the very word repentance bristles the masses.  And every message we hear, we often have names and faces of others who need to hear it – as we discount the word – especially the written word was written for us – not the World.  Soon we are going to be talking more about the Mind of Christ, but I felt led today to just set the groundwork for the future study, Lord willing.  Romans 12:2 Tells us so very clearly to not conform to the World but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and THEN we can test and approve what God’s will is because His will is good and pleasing and perfect.  If our mind is sick and not healed, we cannot think correctly in so many ways and so our lives look out of kilter or off and in chaos. 

I am so very excited to share with you a portion of Jacob’s life, found in Genesis 32 today!  All the rejection Jacob suffered was overseen by the Lord, Himself, just as ours is.  And I hope you will see how similar what Jacob went through so did Paul and many others and you and even me.  The beautiful part about the Bible is that we get to see the end and the beginning – which is quite different from our own lives.  So hold tight knowing our Father changes not and He is One Who does know our end as He orchestrated our beginning as well. 

Old things have no power over the new creature any longer, thankfully.  We sometimes get so caught up in all the details that we overcomplicate the simplicity of walking hand in hand on this journey called life abiding with Jesus the whole way through.  There are way too many words sometimes… like we are over processed with methods that work and don’t work, what instructions others give, corrections and even edifications…  I call all these “religious tricks of the trade…”  These are very very noisy to those who are extremely sensitive in the Spirit, like we are.

The Lord gave me a beautiful Psalm yesterday… I am going to share it if that’s okay with you?  It is simplistic and embracing.

You can read the whole Chapter, it is short… Psalm 15 –

David starts out asking…  Who will abide in You Lord?

And then he gives answer, as follows…  Those who’s daily walk is based in integrity, does righteous works and speaks the truth in his heart – being open and honest when talking – one who does not backbite – talking bad about others, one who does nothing to harm others and never seeks vengeance,  Vile people who practice such things will be condemned but those who fear the Lord will be honored.  He goes on to tell us the importance of keeping our word to others, even if it hurts us to do so and that we are not to change, going back and forth, but stand firm, innocent and true.  This Psalm goes on to say we are to give to the poor and needy, specifically widows and the weak and that it is not to be repaid when giving.  This Psalm ends with those who follow this example shall never be moved. 

Real quick…  Can you see Jesus in this Psalm?  Jesus walked always with integrity, He was righteous and always spoke truthfully, He was open to share His heart, He never was a backbiter even when accused or sought to be killed He sought no vengeance, He had reverential fear towards the Father, Jesus kept His word always, even when it hurt Him to do so physically, He gave to the poor and needy and He embraced females which was forbidden in those days, He comforted the weak and gave all of Himself to tend to everyone else, never expecting to be repaid.  Jesus never wavered and when we abide in Him, we will not waiver either. 

I shared this today for one reason only – Jesus is the only example we are to follow.  No matter who says what… If you cannot picture in your mind or know in your heart that He also would do or say it… Do not proceed any further.  Just stop, take a moment and rest in Him, inviting Him in to lead and guide, always in everything we say or do or think even.  Remember, we are to think upon things which are lovely, true, of good report, etc…  HE SAYS TO THINK ONLY UPON THESE THINGS… He actually used the word… ONLY.  Quite often the reason we do not have the mind of Christ it is because what we are placing into our minds ourselves… Sure we like to blame the devil and all, but the truth is not all things are profitable, though they may be permissible. 

Well that was sort of an unplanned ramble this morning… lol  forgive me!  I need to get back on track here with today’s message.  Before we get started, let’s read today’s Bible passage taken out of Genesis 32.

In this particular chapter we see that Jacob was extremely distressed, he was at odds with his brother – desiring to make amends, not knowing how or if his brother Esau would receive him, so he sent gifts before he went and he prayed that the Lord would deliver him from the hand of his brother who sought to kill him because Jacob had great fear that Esau would not only kill him, but his wife and children.  There is nothing more heartbreaking when your family becomes your foe – I am sure we’ve all had similar type moments… Rejection at its finest.

We are going to read a portion of this Scripture, beginning in verse 24 – because it says it all…

Genesis 32 ~

²⁴ And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

²⁵ And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

²⁶ And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

²⁷ And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

²⁸ And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

²⁹ And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

³⁰ And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Heavenly Father thank You for this opportunity to feast on Your word today as manna from Heaven in that our souls may be strengthened just as you strengthened Jacob.  Teach us Your ways oh Lord and direct our footsteps as we completely surrender to Your will each and every day.  Amen.

Jacob was left alone wrestling with the residue of rejection – many of us have been in that very place time and again.

• Jacob was scared and alone
• Jacob had been tricked and rejected by his own family
• Jacob also admitted he had no endurance left – now this is when the Lord can really go to work on us, when we get so wore out and admit we have no answers anymore – we will surrender to Him as being our answer
• He was up “wrestling” all night with who?  Because here in the word it says he was alone….
• Jacob was wrestling with himself – his mind – ever have one of those nights?  Where you try to be at rest, you desire to sleep and yet your mind is chaotic with fear and worry so you wrestle, tossing and turning over and over – playing out scenarios in your mind of what if’s? 
• This is a real battle, an internal battle of Spirit vs Flesh.
• As Jacob’s thigh was out of joint – it portrays a weakness in the flesh, painful – we too can get out of joint in many ways and if we do not process through our mindset can become “wounded, offended, having a chip on our shoulder” so to speak.

Verse 28 is where the victory lies…  After wrestling all night long Jacob’s spirit won out over his flesh and his identity changed.  Jacob received a new name – he was a new creature, walking by the Spirit.  His old creature was put under subjection, which represents his flesh and the old name which defined him. 

Something so beautiful about this story is how Jacob surrendered in the flesh to God and began walking in the Spirit and was blessed the Word says.  With power which comes from on high we will prevail just like Jacob – but we must be willing to give up our old natures, ways, mindsets, comforts and anything attached to this flesh.

Sometimes we wrestle to much to hold onto the past, that we actually begin to wrestle with God, Himself.  Telling Him what to do and how to do it.  We will often have a battle raging within us at times to the point we are raging within, like a storm brewing between God, Self and Spirit.  The Bible tells us we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities… oftentimes, that principality is US.  Us being cultivated in the mind – our thoughts, emotions, words of man or curses spoken over us by humans.  We weigh them constantly in our minds, which is why the Lord has told us to take captive our thoughts and put them under subjection to Jesus – the living example we are to follow.  He leads we follow and if we get out of step from that and try to lead…  We wrestle, I like to call it floundering – similar to a fish being out of water and sometimes our life looks just like that doesn’t it?

• Everyone is wrestling (struggling) with something – everyone!
• We overcome all things in Jesus… but everyone has something to overcome.

But this is what is so amazing —  When we invite Jesus in – the battle is no longer our own.  Yayyyyy!  Someone should be doing some celebrating with me right now!

• All insecurities, anxiety, hyper-sensitivity, rejection, loneliness, feeling unloved, fearful, workaholic mentality, dependencies on others – the list is endless really – But each one of us has flesh that is yet to be overcome by the Spirit – so we wrestle with it.  Remember – the battlefield is in the mind, some call that the devil’s playground – I can see it.

Although, this can be applied in struggles too many to name – today we are going to finish up our study on rejection, carried over from last week in order to clean up any residue we carry from rejection.  Therefore, today we are going to talk about – WRESTLING WITH REJECTION.  Because if you’re breathing right now – you’ve been rejected at some point and time or possibly even today.

I call that person who you just can’t seem to get out of your heart and mind to the point it gets a stronghold on you – the object of affection.  I saw this a lot when ministering to people so you see, it is not the person they are clinging to, but rather the fear of rejection… so they wrestle in their minds with this person and themselves.  Jesus should be our only object of affection and as we calm down and breathe we accept the truth – for our own wellbeing He places others into our lives and He removes them as well.  It is for our own protection and good, not for our harm or hurt.  This person can be anyone really – a family member, a friend turned foe, a love partner, child, boss… Whoever you wrestle with – it is not them, it is self.  Sometimes it is your past you cannot seem to let go of.  Make sense?  We cannot move forward if we are constantly looking back – remember, we learned last week to forget those things which are behind us today and keep our eyes focused on the Lord, Who is our prize which is our higher calling in this life.

Just to get this in context… Have you ever attainted that object of affection, whether it be a person or dream, only to still be left wanting?  This is because only Jesus is to hold that sort of placement in our hearts – He completes us, everyone and everything else can only compliment what He already established within us.  We abide fully only with Him, no one else.

• Wrestling with rejection is an unavoidable reality – others pretty much refuse to accept us for who we are or who we are not.
• Jesus, Himself, experienced rejection as the first of many brethren, so we will too – remember, He was the stone that the builders rejected?
• If not put down or tended to – rejection will become a weapon the enemy uses to fragment our souls and we will not ever be made whole when Jesus sets before us an offering to do so.
• Rejection means to “throw backwards” which also is how we backslide.  How?  I’m glad you asked…  It is woundedness.  Why?  It causes offense to enter into the soul.
• Soul wounds are different than flesh wounds because the bleeding is inward and internal and it hides itself to the point we sometimes do not recognize it and when we don’t recognize it we underestimate the damage it causes.

Jeremiah said in Chapter 6:14 – that the wounds are tended to a little and people say there is peace when there is none.  We have all been guilty of this, covering up the shame and the wounds and yet… we bleed on others with our mouths all over the place.

Sometimes it comes out as poor me and with others it is an inflated ego to overcompensate – either way, it is there.

Thankfully, the Lord is close to the broken hearted and for those who are full of pride, their fall will be their salvation in the end.

• When a wound is not healed, an infection can materialize – we will call this a “soul affliction.”

What is a soul affliction?  An ungodly personality trait – because out of the mouth flows the issues of the heart.  Remember our issue of blood we studied a couple weeks ago?  It is through ungodly personality traits we bleed on others.

So for today, speaking of the residue of rejection, this is a really good place to stop for now and we will pick up next week right were we left off on SOUL AFFLICTION connecting to infection of the heart and how they manifest in personality traits.  We will also take Genesis 32 line by line and study even more about Jacob being rejected many times over and how to overcome he had to wrestle with his own flesh and even the Lord until he finally surrendered it all and was given a new name as a new creature.

Before I go, I just want to address some of you all with precious hearts who are fearful looking upon all the things affecting the Earth and our World at the moment.  There is no need to rehash all the events pressing us and all the inhabitants of the Earth in one way or another.  I think you would have to live in a cave to not discern the birth pains we are faced with each day.

I also want to encourage you all to keep writing me, so that I can encourage and assist you the best way I know how… By pointing to Jesus, of course.  I have been pondering a lot lately about faith – mine is tested and tried almost daily it seems – I am even wrestling with myself about do I even have any faith?  I know that sounds awful… But I just know in my spirit by the Lord we have no clue what faith actually is – or at least I am finding out I do not. 

I look at it this way…  Regarding faith, it is the same as KNOWING JESUS or KNOWING ABOUT JESUS.  If we have knowledge of all the books of the Bible concerning faith we know ABOUT IT – however, that is not going to cut it in these tumultuous times…  We need to KNOW FAITH on a personal and deep level, intensely and intimately be unmovable in FAITH itself. 

So for three weeks now, I keep going to the Lord and going to the Lord because I had this thirst for Faith itself and I knew I had an understanding of faith and yet… still had a longing inside me because I knew there was way more to it than what I’ve learned or been told.

Refusing to give up… Finally, the Holy Spirit spoke to me in a very small voice saying…  “No one knows what faith actually is in completion because there is only one who in truth knows the end from the beginning.”  That totally settled my heart, but He went on…  He said, “Jesus Alone is the AUTHOR & FINISHER of everyone’s Faith, therefore, being unable to see the end we can never measure our own faith, let alone another’s.” 

And so finally….  I was at rest, infused with peace – real peace too, His… it comes from Him directly pouring into us and we settle.  We can finally breathe a little easier, knowing to be still is to REALLY KNOW HE IS GOD.

Countless times I have tried to author myself and I am embarrassed to say I tried to author many others, mainly those who I love deeply…  It would be an understatement to say I failed on every account.

We need to get out of the way of the Master, which is why we are in this painful flesh process of surrendering.  We welcome Him to abide within us to dwell and be Lord in our lives for real – He knows we need this and He also knows we crave this unity with Him.  I can certainly attest to the fact, the process goes a lot quicker and smoother if we let go and let God, in our own lives and especially with those we hold near and dear in our hearts.

Okay…  I just wanted to share that bit of wisdom He gave me a couple days ago.  Pray about it, seek Him and search for confirmation if you are so led to do so.

Lastly, when in prayer for these poor people stuck on these cruise ships who keep pulling on my heartstrings day and night the Lord gave me something to give in response to those who have more questions than answers.  As a matter of fact, none of us have any answers that are worthwhile, knowing Jesus is the only answer which satisfies a restless heart.

Somehow, someway… the sovereignty of the Father has totally gotten pushed aside.  The church in my opinion is up for a great fall due to this dishonor and disrespect being done to our Master.  It is like they worship at too many thrones..  trying to figure out just who or what is in charge.  Please hear me on this – The Father is not up in Heaven wringing His hands unknowing what to do with this enemy or this rumor of war, or pending financial collapse or pestilence, plagues or anything which portrays itself as evil, rather than good.  If not one sparrow falls to the ground without Him knowing…. Why are we in a state of panic?  We need to look deep into our hearts to search why are we so fearful we are going to extremes to save our own lives?  Those who do this are stepping clearly into the abyss of conspiracy theories, man’s opinions almost to the point of being delusional where you cannot reason with them.  It is very sad to watch from an onlooker.  The grieving of the Holy Spirit is almost unbearable at times because some of the worst ones selling the drama for lucre and gain are those who come in Jesus’s Name pretending to be Christians… or saying they are Jews and yet are not. 

Forgive my ramble…  I need to focus on what Jesus told me… Not what the charlatans are doing – that is way above my Kingdom paygrade…  As I was in prayer, seeking His answer to these troubling emails all He directed me to was His word – which is enough for any soul that truly belongs to Him. 

So I am going to read His word in answer to all our questions… Even mine as we declare as one in Him that we trust You Lord, to the best of our ability we will put all our trust in You for our today and all our tomorrows.  Amen?

Let’s read… And let’s keep in mind, when people come to us we can ease all their fear with showing them His love and patience, while feeding them the truth, His truth because…

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 KJV

Eccesiaties 3 ~

Everything Has Its Time

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

² A time ^[a]to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
³ A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
⁷ A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

The God-Given Task

⁹ What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? ¹⁰ I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

¹² I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, ¹³ and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

¹⁴ I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
¹⁵ That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;
And God ^[b]requires an account of ^[c]what is past.

Injustice Seems to Prevail

¹⁶ Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of ^[d]judgment,
Wickedness was there;
And in the place of righteousness,
^[e]Iniquity was there.

¹⁷ I said in my heart,

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every ^[f]purpose and for every work.”

¹⁸ I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” ¹⁹ For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. ²⁰ All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. ²¹ Who^[g] knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? ²² So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his ^[h]heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

So I challenge us today to really consider the Master’s ways… and trust, trust Him to make all things beautiful in their own time – which is quite often different than our timing.  Whatever He uses, whether that be sickness, lack, abundance or health – trust HIM.  The only one who absolutely knows where faith is found on this Earth, in who it is found and the measurement we need to overcome all things in Jesus, in spite of ourselves.  All we need is faith the size of a mustard seed – that seed is Jesus…. You believe in Him – He’s got you… The Lord gives the increase to that Jesus seed in His timing, His way and His planned out purpose.  It is much better to be that one who is ye of little faith than to be gravely mistaken believing your faith is greater than most, only to be found wanting when the weights and balances are at your front door when the time of testing is unleashed upon all the habitants of the Earth.

Never forget, you are only required to sustain that which you have been given, for those who have a greater measure more is required. 

What season are we in currently?  A season to embrace fully God is God and we are not.

If we truly perceived how fragile the plan of God really is, we would see our lack in attempting to be in charge.

If we imagine this World as being similar to a house of cards and each card is the Father working all things together for the good of those who inhabit the house He is building…  What would we do to intervene?  Would we remove a card titled coronavirus or possibly one named financial collapse or even sickness or death?  Taking this thought, removing a card of sickness for example would cause the whole house to collapse and fall down.  Faith is believing without seeing…  Believing His hand is upon every single manifestation upon this Earth, no matter what it is or looks like with our natural shortsighted vision. 

We forget sometimes that our Father is eternal.  Our beginning starts here but finishes there, so a calling is going out right now to all the inhabitants of the Earth to trust in Him and if we are honest – it is much harder than we ever imagined it would be.  Keep in mind the hairs on our head are actually numbered, which changes constantly by the way – that is just how Majestic He is and He’s got this, all of it – you, me, every situation and calamity is under His charge.  Jesus is not asleep in the boat during this storm we are facing… He is the boat and the enemy has no authority to do one tiniest of things unless granted permission from our Father.  Masterpieces often look messy in the process of creation – He is building a masterpiece, which is us, He is the potter, we are the clay but His mind towards us has not changed or waivered… What we call messes, He sees the end result of perfection, since only He knows our end regardless of what our beginning looked like.

So this morning I was taking a step back in the Spirit, as on outside observer to this whole coronavirus situation.  As I was embracing the truth that the Father wills and lets at His perfect discretion… I began to ponder His ways in all things and as I did I began to wonder what if?  What if the Father is using what we call evil to actually be a call to good?  What if this virus is seeking those with vengeful, angry and hateful hearts to blow a trumpet of repentance so that their knees bow and their tongues confess Jesus is Lord as they call out to Him in the purity of the heart?  What if He is allowing this call to go out one last time before He sends forth angels to gather them like tares and throw them into the fire?  Wouldn’t a merciful Father send a fire prior to everlasting fire in order to capture the lost in His bosom in such a most precious way?  And that the revival we have been looking for all this time is right before us but due to self will we just cannot perceive or see it?

I am seeing more and more everyday His ways are not our ways and that the safest place to be is surrendered fully in agreement to His will being done on Earth, just as it is in Heaven. 

Let’s pray ~

Heavenly and Masterful Father I thank You with my whole heart for Your opening the eyes of our hearts so that our perception of Your mighty ways are being shown to us in a most precious way.  I thank You for settling our minds and our hearts to be at peace as we abide in the presence of Jesus, the King of Glory.  Forgive us Father for our misguided emotions and short sighted understanding which question Your sovereignty.  We are the smallest of creatures, weak in nature, only strong through submission to You.  As You so ever so gently lead us through the red sea of life we humbly bow down before You in thanksgiving and praise saying Abba Father deliver us fully to the place You ordained and appointed us to be before time existed.  We thank You for our blessed hope for all eternity and have the deepest of longing to be gathered together under the shadow of Your wings.  As the Author and Finisher of our faith we will trust in You to do a complete work in us and in those we love and cherish.  You are mighty to save and in Your mightiness You shall prevail.  As Your decrees go out into the Earth, we see Your fingerprint in all adversities while you are working all things together for the good because there is no shadow of turning or darkness within You whatsoever.

Father once again I consecrate ROF Ministries unto You and ask that all we do brings glory only to Your Name.  That we would continue to remain a voice without a name or face as You alone are worthy to be praised.  Lord I ask that should it be Your will that we continue on this path together that You move hearts to support what we are doing here at ROF Ministries, as You go before us each day preparing the way that we are to walk in.  It is both an honor and privledge Lord to visit those in prisons with You.  Continue to guide us Lord as we assist and comfort those the World has turned their backs on.  You already know Lord what we have need of before we ask, so I thank You Lord for the provision released in order ROF Ministries continue to operate just as You ordained.

And Father, I thank You for keeping each one of those who are listening today or will in the future through the archive in Your perfect will.  Hide them Lord under Your wings, guide them daily and protect them when death is at their doorsteps.  Place a wall of fire of protection around their hearts and their dwellings so that they rise above as obstacles set before them, declaring Your majestic works to all those who have ears and hearts to hear.

I pray all this in Jesus’s precious and love filled Name.  Amen.

Recently, I was thinking a lot about what we look like as the Body of Christ and also, how we all fit together in Him and with one another.  I was thinking about what it is like to be “on the outside, looking in” and if I were outside, would I have a desire to be like us?  Would I have a desire to be like me?  If I were looking in…  Do “we” do “I” or even do “you” resemble Jesus, if even in’the smallest of ways?  If we are really supposed to be fishers of men, just how do we “reel” them in, so to speak?  The truth is most of us shy away from harsh people and if we are too harsh for one another, I can only imagine to the lost we appear to be raging heretics.  It seems at every turn, the Lord is directing us at our gatherings to focus once again on being loving rather than a clanging cymbal.  It must just be our divine appointment or something, since this appears the area He works on us the most.  So rather than focusing on what others are doing wrong, we will surrender fully to Him in order He teach us how to be more like Him for our divine appointments He has laid before us.

The other day I was listening to this amazing message from Zac Poonen…  The title of his message was, “You who have failed will be blessed,” so you can totally see why I was drawn to this message from the get go.  Many of us feel like the Lord should have destroyed us many years ago and since He didn’t, we have a debt of love to Him and one another.  He is teaching us constantly now to give, to love and expect nothing in return because He is our return or rather reward.  Aren’t we starting to actually sense more freedom now?  This is why…  We are becoming more like Him in the laying down of our desires and wills so that He truly can operate through us as His hands and feet.  And more importantly, He is guarding our hearts in the process, which is truly a blessing all of us needed.  All it takes is surrender.  I often wonder why that is so difficult for us to do?

Anyway, about Zac’s message…  He compared us to a piece of bread, saying until we are broken into many pieces we cannot feed the thousands.  Isn’t that incredible?  No wonder the Lord said a little leaven ruins the whole lump…  Bread, just think about it spiritually speaking – What are we actually “feeding” people?  And is it something they would want to come back for and eat again and again?  In truth, if it is not love based without condition or anger and such (which equals to leaven) the answer is NO, they instead will seek the one who holds the Bread of Heaven within, who feely gives out that which is freely received. 

A couple weeks ago I shared a message the Lord gave me about the woe coming upon leaders first, out of the Book of Jeremiah Chapter 23.  Because in this World, as we let our love light shine, we are those who lead the way for others – all of us do this, as it exceeds the scope of Earthly titles given by man. 

So in order to build upon the precepts we have learned over time… Today we are going to take a look at ourselves and discern through the Holy Spirit if the leaders we are following truly are replicating Jesus as the source, He absolutely is the only pure source of love and are we?

Initially I titled today’s teaching, when I was in study – Are All Leaders in the Church Godly?  But today as I was in thought with the Lord, I changed it to – Are We Representing Jesus As A Representation Of Him?  Only the Lord knows the details of the change, so we will see how all this unfolds. 

I am sure it goes without saying by now, but just in case…  Like with all studies, we thank the Lord for showing us His ways and receive this teaching for ourselves first, to correct and clean our own walks prior to ever looking to another.  We also thank Him for giving us wisdom to discern when others we follow are not following Jesus in that we be not deceived as He eradicates all leaven within us so that we do not mislead others.  Amen.

Keep in mind we all are “leaders” to some degree, whether that be in our homes, workplace, community, ministries, etc…  Our presence sets an example as a vessel of honor, which is habituated by the One Lord and Savior Jesus.  Therefore, this message is for all of us and I thank the Lord for it, may He prepare our hearts to receive.

What kind of prompted this whole study is a message I was listening to by Francis Chan about division in the church and how it trickles down from the leaders, as their flock who are like minded and of one heart, gather under them.  He then went on to talk about what a Godly Leader is and is not, so I thought to myself – Lord, I do not want to be found out of Your grace and will, so I began on this journey I am going to share about today.  Like I said, this teaching number one is for us to check our own hearts and make sure we are surrendered to Jesus and number two make sure those who are over us are submitted to Him, as well.  Because, none of us want to be caught off guard and hear those dreaded words, “I never knew you” and labeled a worker of iniquity. He is helping us to be Him visiting those who are in prison, sick, troubled and such, through the teaching in His word.  In order to do His will, we must be surrendered to Him, otherwise we are doing our own will.  In Ezekiel 36 it says “When I put my spirit in you to walk in My statutes (ways) and you will be careful to observe my ordinances (commands).”  In the Old Covenant the people performed… In the New Covenant the Lord performs through us.  The only requirement is:  surrender.  He completes this verse by saying – and you will live the life I want you to live.  He said He does this so that He may be glorified through us. 

Shall we get started in our study?

Remember how the Bible tells us – Jesus was poured out as a drink offering.  As He is poured into us and we drink of Him a beautiful event takes place.  We surrender, and He overcomes us with Himself and then…  He pours out to others through us – We water many in such a way.  I find this so beautiful – as a matter of fact I see Jesus within so many of you.  Thank You Lord.

This is why we are going to study today about BEING A GODLY LEADER.  So that we can put down all the characteristics which are in direct opposition to Jesus and replace it with pure water…  As the river of life flows in, it too shall flow out.  Let’s get started!

One of the most distinctive signs of a Godly leader is when we ABIDE IN JESUS, because we are then “set apart” from those in the World.

John 15:14-23 reads ~

¹⁴ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;

¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

²⁰ At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Isn’t that truly something?  So those who abide in Jesus make time daily to be alone with Him our number one priority not some of the time, but all the time.  He and He alone is #1 on our to do list each day.  Not only do we recognize apart from Him we can do nothing, but we no longer have a desire to do anything He would not do or say – or rather, apart from Him.

I was thinking about how we are to PROVE TO BE HIS DISCIPLES and how we can get so withered when we are not abiding in Jesus.  Then I heard this most amazing message from Francis Chan and he was describing that very thing.  I took a few notes because it spoke so much truth into my Spirit, correcting and edifying me to seek His face even more.  He was explaining how if we are not abiding in Jesus we are similar to those DEAD BRANCHES mentioned in the Word and that these dead branches are spiritual branches made up of pride, ego and being somewhat of a know it all.  Humility produces the fruit, fruit of the Spirit, as a living branch dependent on Jesus can bend without breaking, a dead branch “snaps” when moved with the wind.

If we get too comfortable we will often begin to depend less and less on Jesus and more on ourselves or even others.  If we get puffed up it is way easy to go from being a love light in the midst of sinners, to one being a sinner driven by works to save and correct others, as if we are their answer and not Him.  A dead branch will point to self for having all the answers and a live branch always points to the source of life – Jesus Himself.

To teach or instruct others, we must remain teachable and when we are not… We are withered, threatened and unsure of ourselves.  When ABIDING is not our priority, WORKS becomes our centric portion – self.

Knowing there will always be a need, a talk to give, an event to participate in, as it states (the poor will always be among us…) trying to distract, trying to pull us away from our time alone and allotted to just be quiet, making Jesus first to abide in only Him as our focus.

What happens when we slip in this area?  We can easily wither, get dried up and eventually be thrown into the fire and we all know what happens inside the fire – the dross/waste is burned off of us, it is painful and exhausting to say the least.  Jesus is with us inside the fire and we come out all shiny and new.  So this is not the everlasting fire, but a cleansing fire and we know also, there is nothing like a fiery trial to pull us close and back into the abiding place with Jesus.  As a matter of fact… Many of us are in the fire at this very moment and if not, we have been or will be.

Today we just basically discussed the introduction of our study in BEING A GODLY LEADER by abiding with Jesus and what it looks like to WALK IN HUMILITY.  This is so very important because HUMILITY casts out offense, giving it no placement in our lives.

Our souls are longing to be ONE WITH HIM continually.

May the Lord continue to bless you in His Love ~

Angela ~ Marked By Heaven

?DEAD WORKS versus GOOD WORKS

We are no longer dead in sin… But rather are being raise up INSIDE this flesh body to incorruptible BECAUSE Jesus lives within us.

Recently the Holy Spirit has been teaching us about BEING RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE… Just as it dawned on me, through the Holy Spirit, what that exactly means.  I am not so sure we all understand this, because if we did, we would be so full of joy it would not be contained.

The problem is – we have the mindset of a sinner and yet claim we are saved by Grace.  Grace is for those who IGNORANTLY sin.  That is not us, concerning most temptations we face.  We know right from wrong and still continue to choose to do wrong.  But fret not, no worries here, because we all have Jesus, the Author and Finisher of us (our faith walk) and He will complete a total work within us.

I simply love this Scripture right now:

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Do we know what this completed work looks like?  We are becoming INCORRUPTIBLE.

When something is CORRUPTIBLE it is:

Having the potential to be corrupted, tempted, perish, dishonest, one who takes bribes, unclean, immoral.

INCORRUPTIBLE means:

Honest, with convictions, moral, righteous and full of virtue.

So basically here, we see a clear demarcation in something.  Do you see it?  It is the old creature versus the new creature we are becoming in Christ Jesus.

Let’s review the Scripture we discussed last time in 1 Corinthians 15:

⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead (in the flesh) shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

⁵³ For this corruptible must put on in-corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on in-corruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

So this verse is a perfect complement to what we shall be… And we do not even know the fullness of that yet, except to say we shall be like HIM, speaking of Jesus.

We spent much time in Romans 8 the last time I spoke, getting to the heart of the matter in living this life here on Earth as a Child of God, because a child of God does walk in a body of flesh and bone, however, we no longer feed the carnal lusts of filthy flesh for we are counted among the redeemed of the Earth.   Once the heart changes, so do the desires of it and therefore you CHANGE from being of the Earth to a Heavenly body abiding here still on Earth.  A child carries the characteristics/dna of his or her Father. Amen.  Our lives unfold based on the “seed” we carry inside us internally.

I will show you in the Word, where it perfectly gives instruction to this truth.  So let’s get back into 1 Corinthians 15, which we have not discussed in depth before.

³¹ I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Paul is telling us here – we are to DIE DAILY

So it is true we may die a natural death – however, he is clearly speaking spiritually here in this Scripture

Paul is teaching them – he has counted the cost and follows Jesus as his apostle no matter what comes his way or challenges he must face

³³ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

³⁴ Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Paul is telling them it is a choice whether to sin or not.

³⁵ But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

³⁶ Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

³⁷ And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

³⁸ But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

There are actually His children on Earth today that are of His seed.

³⁹ All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

⁴⁰ There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

Some are from Heaven, others are from the Earth

⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

We were ONCE dead in sin, but have been raised up into LIFE ETERNAL because it is only once for man to die.

The following tells us HOW that it is played out:

⁴³ It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Here on the Earth there are natural and spiritual bodies – the actual flesh and bones does not determine the origination of the body, but rather the SOURCE of within that particular person.  There are some seeds which are “tares” and others are “wheat” of which only the Father knows, because only He knows the end from the beginning – otherwise, we judge before the time.

⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

⁴⁶ Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

⁴⁸ As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

⁴⁹ And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

⁵⁰ Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

⁵¹ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.

To be CHANGED here means:

To exchange one thing for another, to transform or to speak or react in a different manner.  To cease from discord through moods, emotions or self will of desires.

So it is in this moment – daily in each circumstance as we die to the flesh, we crucify our wants, our thoughts, our desires and most importantly, our ways and it is no longer us who live but Jesus lives in us and we are changed.  By this we are effectively applying the Gospel to our lives and we are raised incorruptible.  No longer then do we carry out or walk out that which is in opposition to our Father, we become like Him in all manners of our lives.  This is how we move… Glory to glory.

A good example would be when we get upset with someone.  It is our flesh carnal nature that is offended at their flesh carnal nature.  Jesus is not upset with anyone.  He sees past the flesh of us all into the heart and is accepting, forgiving and loving.  When we view others through His eyes we operate in the same fashion as Him, pulling down all strongholds to lash out, have our way or prove a point just to be right – we become righteous because He is righteous.  We will never win a battle fighting flesh to flesh.  All darkness is only overcome by light, in ourselves and others.

⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

⁵³ For this corruptible must put on in-corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on in-corruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

This is a NOW WORD… Not something in the way off foreseeable distance.  He is telling us here NOT TO LABOR IN VAIN, but rather to DO THE WORK OF THE LORD.

The WORK OF THE LORD is done IN US – daily, moment by moment.

THESE ARE GOOD WORKS – and every other WORK IS DEAD.

So today we are going to discuss GOOD WORKS vs. DEAD WORKS.

The Kingdom of Heaven surely is within YOU

LUKE 17

¹⁹ And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

²⁰ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

²¹ Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

We so often look for an outwardly sign of the Kingdom just like the Pharisees, becoming demanding and such, but the truth is – THE KINGDOM IS WITHIN US, a hidden mystery that many cannot grasp.

We often battle internally with these WORKS…  Which is why the Lord placed upon my heart to share exactly what type of works He has spoken of and is looking for – because these WORKS He speaks of enter eternity with us, they do not perish and are so hidden most often He is the only One Who can observe them because they are internal – Wholeness and completed by Him.

I can promise you right now this message will crucify your flesh and your flesh and mind will resist it in parts, just like mine did – But if you can spiritually grasp this concept you will have a pearl of understanding today that you possibly did not consider before.

Sadly, the truth is…  Some people need to get saved for real.  To be truly saved, it is no longer I who live, but Jesus lives inside me.  I am dead.  He is risen within.  And when this happens, repentance becomes natural as He exposes, delivers and consumes all that within us that is not of Him.  We are changed (made whole) from the inside out.

Peace comes into our lives when OUR WILL is ONE WITH HIS and it surpasses all understanding because we should be upset, running to and fro and worried and yet instead we are walking in full submission to His sovereignty…  That is when the peace comes.  One cannot have peace and be inside their own will, it is only when HIS WILL IS BEING DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN that real peace is felt and it is then and only then that we grasp how Sovereign our Father actually is – until that time, we will question everything and worry continually.  In these cases we also will fret over who is saved and who isn’t deceived believing it is a part of our WORKS TO SAVE THEM.  It is the ENEMY who tells us to save ourselves and others while Jesus said TO DIE TO SELF.  We need to get out of the way when God is dealing with another, not intervene to save them from what the Lord is using to save their souls and He uses the pains of flesh to destroy it.  When our labor is in vain, so are our works.

The Now Word for the season we are currently in is:  Die to self because as we decrease He shall increase within us.  The truth of it is – A person is not anointed but rather Jesus is the anointed One and to the measurement that we have decreased – He is increasing within us as a demonstration of truth by what is said through us, not by us.

Today we are going to talk about one part of this process – getting rid of all DEAD WORKS IN OUR LIVES.

As the Lord continues to prepare us to receive Him fully into our hearts, souls and minds it seems like lately not a day goes by that He is not revealing and purging something within…  He is truly “preparing His dwelling place” within us.  It was at this point last week I realized…  The impossibility of no matter how much I gave of myself to others it still was laced with a bit of carnality.  This explains why all of OUR works are DEAD WORKS, they are mingled with —- SELF gratification.  He began to show me just how impossible it is to do anything that does not have fragments of my carnal nature mixed in because even though we may be compassion driven – we are still gratifying something of ourselves and usually it is a self-centered desire to BE NEEDED.

Now before you just throw up your hands…  Hold tight for just a little bit, because there are VERY VERY GOOD WORKS which the Lord directed me to in His Word.  These PERFECT WORKS are actually the only ones that are pure into a transference into our Eternal life.  Jesus set the prime example for us as a demonstration on how to walk continually giving the Father Glory.

But before we look at that…  Let’s look into the Book of Ecclesiastes because for the first time in all my life I am seeing that all truly is vanity.

It is interesting to note that King Solomon wrote this book, even calling himself a preacher.  I don’t think I ever noticed that before.  I encourage you to read Chapters 1 and 2 in Ecclesiastes soon because to save time I am going to use just a few passages and do a lot of paraphrasing.

Chapter 1

Vs. 2 tells all that all is vanity and in Vs 3 he goes on to talk about labor and asks what does it really profit a man?  Then in Vs. 14 he says he has seen ALL THE WORKS that are done and ALL OF THEM ARE VANITY.  In other words – people labor in vain because in the next verse it says – that which is crooked cannot be made straight and there are so many wanting it is a number that cannot be numbered.  It is important to note in Vs. 18 he says – in much wisdom is much sadness and as our knowledge is increased so is our sorrow.  I believe many of us can relate to that even today.  The Father alone makes our paths straight and others to be in line with Him.

Chapter 2

In this chapter he goes into all the things he has done on the Earth:  Like pleasure, laughter, wine, wisdom, folly, great works, building of houses, planted vineyards and gardens, pools, servants, great possessions, silver and gold, entertainment and he did all this so HE LOOKED GREAT – Vs. 9  He also took what he desired (including women) and experienced much joy.  He says in his heart HE REJOICED IN HIS LABOURS.

Vs. 11 is very important because it is here HE LOOKS AT ALL THE WORKS HE HAD DONE by his hands and was shown – all of it was done in vain and his spirit was vexed because what he had done brought NO PROFIT UNDER THE SUN.  (It was all done in vain because the reward was here, not eternal.)

Basically, the whole Book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon coming into the understanding that no matter how much you do or the wisdom you have can interfere with the sovereignty of God and when we do attempt to do such things it is all vanity.

We have all more times that we realize have spoken out of self, lead others astray – even unknowingly and been seduced at times to follow idols – one, being self.  Which is why the Father in this season is wanting us to grasp His sovereignty and how a part from Him we can do nothing.

We all are like flowers of the field who toil and spin and yet… In truth, it is the Father Who tends to us because we cannot even take care of ourselves.  How beautiful is this truth!  So we can all relax now knowing “The Father has this” because He truly does.

Before we go more into dead works, I want to preface this teaching with saying what I am not saying…  Which is – I am not saying we aren’t to assist one another, comfort one another and be used by the Lord daily as His vessels pouring Him out upon the Earth.  We are to do all those demonstrations of love, loving others more than ourselves…  Which is exactly the point here…  It is all about Him and it is all about others and it should be not at all about whatever we do to gratify self.  I know some people will take this to the extreme.  However, just like all Bible studies this is about going deeper into the precepts of the Lord.  So please keep that in remembrance as we study today learning more about how the Father operates so we build upon what we have learned, not forgetting what He has shown us so far.

Let’s get into the study:

In John Chapter 9 it tells a story of when Jesus healed the blind man as a display of the Father’s works because people were trying to blame someone (himself or his parents) for sinning to cause this illness.  In return Jesus said no one had sinned to cause this illness, but rather so that “THE WORKS OF GOD SHOULD MANIFEST IN HIM.”  He was born blind for one reason, so the Father could demonstrate Himself as Healer and He did so THROUGH JESUS.

In vs. 4 it says:

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

It is important to note here – these are not “worldly” works, but rather an act done for one sole purpose – that the Father get glory.   We will learn more about this throughout the study today.

Interesting enough this word “works” is the same word in the Greek of the following Scripture:

Philippians 2:

⁴ Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹² Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

¹³ For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

These “works” we are being taught about concern – obedience and salvation

John Chapter 6 gives us another hint as to what the Father considers worthwhile “works”:

²⁷ Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

²⁸ Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

²⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them,This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Jesus said – The works of God are to believe in Jesus.  This is how we “work out our salvation daily” we do so by FAITH.

He also said here that all other labors will perish but to know Jesus will help us to endure into everlasting life.

What the Lord began to show me is how often we weary ourselves when the enemy convinces us to run to and fro “working” in the flesh to achieve many things that will not sustain our eternal life.  These “works” become some sort of an idol in our lives and goes against what Jesus told us to do.

During my study He reminded me of the CHURCH OF SARDIS in Revelation Chapter 3.  Let’s take a look at what is spoken to that particular church – I think that might bring some clarity as to why the Lord is directling us to study this right now.

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

This church was doing things for others and not only that, they were being recognized for what they were doing.  They thought they were ALIVE but in truth were DEAD.

² Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

They had stopped watching to be strengthened in the Lord Jesus and their works were not PERFECT because they were not strictly for God’s glory, but rather their own.

³ Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

They had taken their eyes off Jesus and if they did not repent from these works, He will come to them as a thief – without notice, they will not even recognize it is Him as He will come without warning.

⁴ Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

There was a small remnant who’s garments were made white and had not defiled themselves in these dead works.

Our “Garments” are actually the FULL ARMOR OF GOD found in Ephesians 6:

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Back to THE CHURCH OF SARDIS in Revelation 3:

⁵ He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

This is telling us we must overcome doing any works at any time that glorify ourselves, otherwise our names will be blotted out of the Book of Life.  To overcome means to: acknowledge our shortcomings and rely on Jesus to help us go and sin no more – with true heartfelt repentance in this area.

So as I was studying this I began to ask our Lord to show me just what would be considered a “good and perfect work” because our works are so imperfect, we need to know or rather I needed to know exactly what He does consider a “perfect work” in order to make a change.

Ironically, I found 7 PERFECT WORKS in the Bible and each one is GOD CENTERED not MAN CENTERED:

• THE WORK OF SALVATION

PHILIPPIANS 2:12

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Please Note:  The ONLY SALVATION we can work out is OUR OWN, not anyone else’s.

• THE WORK OF WATCHING FOR JESUS TO COME

MARK 13:34

For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

• THE WORK OF GLORIFYING THE FATHER

JOHN 17:4

I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

• THE WORK OF BEING AMAZED AT THE FATHER’S SOVEREIGNTY

JOHN 5:20

For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

• THE WORK OF PATIENCE

JAMES 1:4

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Through exhibiting PATIENCE we learn to be made whole, no longer desiring anything on this Earthly plane.

• THE WORK OF REPENTANCE

ACTS 26:20

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

• THE WORK OF OBEDIENCE

HEBREWS 13:21

Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

So you see…  The Father considers the intent of the heart to be fixated on Him and Him alone and this is truly the ONLY GOOD WORK He considers of importance.

Now on the flip side MATHEW 23 speaks about doing WORKS TO BE SEEN BY MAN – these are unfruitful to the Kingdom of Heaven:

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

² Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

³ All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

—false promises would fall into this category, they also want you to watch what they are doing

⁴ For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

⁵ But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

⁶ And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

⁷ And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

⁸ But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

⁹ And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

¹⁰ Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

¹¹ But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

DO NOT PUT ANYONE ON A PEDESTAL… THEY AREN’T WORTHY AND NEITHER ARE WE, ONLY JESUS

These works spoken of here has the same Greek root word as DEEDS.

The deeds which are done for the Lord are done in secret, not openly for man to see.  (John 3:21)

If we want to be seen by men – it is for an earthly reward, but if done in secret the Father will reward us openly.

ACTS 5:38 tells us that – ALL WORKS OF MEN WILL COME TO NOTHING.

ACTS 7:41 warns us about rejoicing in the works of our own hands while in doing so we are actually sacrificing (or rather giving of ourselves) to idols.

Doesn’t this make you want to stop dead in your tracks and search your heart not only for WHAT WE ARE DOING, BUT WHY ARE WE DOING IT?  It surely convicted me and in turn we will gain much about the wisdom of God.  Praise Jesus!

Jesus told us in JOHN 14:12 that greater “works” we shall do.  Partly because Jesus abides within us now and as we decrease He increases.  As a result, our “works” become submissive to His ways and in turn gives all glory to the Father through our own obedience.  What is amazing about this is – It can happen through many of us all at the same time, which was not possible when Jesus walked the Earth – hence, we do “greater” or rather “increased” works here in our day simultaneously.

We must take note on the fact that “MAN IS JUSTIFIED ONLY BY FAITH, NOT DEEDS OR WORKS” as written in ROMANS 3:27-28

So often we have been groomed to serve others to the point we are in direct disobedience into conflict with God.  Many of us, especially me, are learning how NOT TO go against our Lord in this way.  Again, like I said earlier – no matter what condition we are in at the moment, we are decreasing and He is increasing in us.  Therefore, some who SERVE BY NATURE as being halted and OTHERS WHO TAKE BY NATURE as learning to give of themselves.  It is a beautiful process we are in at the moment.

In this process, we are beginning to — Cast off the “works of darkness” in order to put on the armor of light.  (Which is Salvation) as stated in ROMANS 13:12, so that our “garments” are not defiled by the mingling of truth.

We have all at times “Boasted on our own works” written about in EPHESIANS 2:9, but thankfully just as written about the Church of Sardis the Holy Spirit is giving us the gift of repentance in this area, in order that we are worthy and well pleasing in the Father’s sight.

JAMES 2:26 says that “Faith without works is dead.”

• These WORKS are not of the flesh, but rather of the Spirit
• These WORKS do not perish with the flesh
• Through these WORKS we have a securement of Salvation
• Through these WORKS our faith in Jesus is perfected
• Even devils have FAITH IN JESUS AND TREMBLE as stated in Vs. 19 – But these “works” are far more reaching that to just believe in Jesus

If we sow INTO THE FLESH – we will reap FLESH

If we sow INTO THE SPIRIT – we will reap SPIRIT

So please consider this when you assist another.

We must always consider the “source” of why we do something.  Is it self or spirit?

We can do something Spirit lead that will affect another’s flesh, but we cannot be lead by the flesh and expect to reap something Spiritual.  Does that make sense?  Sometimes our desire to be needed overrides what the Spirit is directing us to do.  And other times the Spirit is directing us to do more, but our flesh does not want to cooperate.  What we dwell on – we worship, so if we dwell on others more than Jesus, He is pulling us back on course to fixate solely on Him – then we cannot veer of the narrow path that few find.

We are simply in a beautiful process of learning how to walk by faith and not sight.

This is the dividing line between being chosen to serve or remain in a state of being served.

Remember – It was MARTHA who frantically said to Jesus – CAN’T YOU SEE how busy I am working Jesus?  Make my sister come help me.  And Jesus in His gentle way reminded her how she is WORRIED and UPSET about many things but that her sister Mary had CHOSEN (TO REST IN HIM) WHICH IS THE BETTER PART that will not be taken away.  You see – What was inside Martha (works) was coming out of her and there is no hiding from Jesus what is within.  He is calling us to REST IN HIM and TO RECEIVE OF HIM, where the yokes of burdens are easy and light.  How often the demands of others and this World we easily forget the BETTER PART – resting in Jesus.

Martha represents our FLESH WORKS

Mary represents our FAITH WORKS

Flesh works will all be burned up, however, our faith works will never be taken away.

This surely does confound the wise.

We collectively at COT/ROf recently did a mighty “work” in helping a precious sister and her mom who were in need.  And for all of those who assisted in making this happen, I want to honor you and thank you for your generous obedience to the Father.  This was a prime example of BEING LOVE one to another when one of our family is in need and it is precious.

Here is what happened…  A precious sister in the Lord, who cares for her sickly Mother just happened to mentioned how much they were suffering in the heat since they had no air conditioning.  She did not ask for assistance, except prayer to overcome this heat through Jesus.  Immediately, the Holy Spirit laid it upon my heart for us to come together as one in Jesus to make this happen for them, which we did and the Lord guided us the whole way, opening doors as we progressed in making arrangements for a unit to be delivered as soon as possible.

So, using this example we need to understand the “works” here was not that they got an air conditioner, but rather that her FAITH IN THE LORD INCREASED, knowing He loves her, cares about her well-being and will not forsake her – which is something she will carry with her always.  Even if the air conditioner breaks down, has to be thrown away – she will remember how the FATHER PROVIDED FOR HER and will do so again because HE LOVES HER, that embrace she will always have.

If we focus on the air conditioner – man gets the glory and once the air conditioner no longer works, the imprint it left will fade away too.

If we focus on the deed – The Lord gets all the glory, only He deserves and it is ever lasting – the better part and will never be taken away.

I know she was thankful and we receive her gratitude, always pointing back to Him – but in each email I reminded her it was all Him and we are nothing more than the vessels He used.  In one email I recall telling her to REMEMBER THIS ALWAYS AS AN EMBRACE FROM HIM TO KNOW SHE IS LOVED AND TO NEVER EVER FORGET IT.  She promised me she would.  And then a test came… To insure her walk matched her talk.  For now, I will leave it at that.

Anyone of us can and do many things for others each and every day, but if it is done for any other reason than for our Father to get the Glory – it is consider a “dead work.”  And just as 2 Peter 3:10 says, it will be burned up.  Some key indicators to look for are:  Do we expect a thank you in order that what we gave is “recognized” by the other person?  Are we keeping score, say with a spouse or child, reflecting on how unbalanced the giving and taking is in the relationship?  Do we give something to another expecting the Father to reimburse us 10 fold?  Or even at all?  When we give do we pat ourselves on the back thinking highly of ourselves, even if we do not murmur the thought to another?  There are many other examples, but you get my drift…  The focus is on SELF, not JESUS.

I want to transition a bit and in doing so we are going to go over HEBREWS 4:8-11 as follows:

⁴ For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

⁵ And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

⁶ Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

⁷ Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

⁸ For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

⁹ There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

¹⁰ For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

¹¹ Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

• There is a rest for God’s people
• The Father displaying REST as an example for us to follow as He rested on the 7^th day – when He completed the works of creation
• This Scripture tells us to CEASE FROM OUR OWN WORKS as that is where we have rest in Him
• We are to LABOR to enter into His rest or we will fall into unbelief – our WORKS should be to rest in Him
• Again – as we WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION DAILY – We are becoming co-laborers with Jesus and that truly is the only labor that transfers from this mortal life into our eternal one.

Scripture tells us in HEBREWS 9:14 that we are to PURGE OURSELVES FROM DEAD WORKS TO SERVE JESUS.  I have a feeling He is doing this work inside many of us right now.  Praise the Lord!

JAMES 2:21 says that “Abraham demonstrated great WORKS when he placed Isaac on the alter” which equals to having FAITH IN THE FATHER.  Many of us have some “Isaac’s of our own” we need to place before God and trust Him intently and fully with these cares and concerns.  Me included.

Some of you all are feeling very similar to me lately, resembling the Church of Philadelphia In Revelation Chapter 3.  I am not going to read the whole portion but there are a few key elements I do want to point out.  One being, in Vs. 8 it says that “Only those who WORK out their Salvation enter through the Open Door.”  The open door is Jesus by the way.  But, it also says – SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO DO BELONG TO HIM:

• We have LITTLE STRENGTH
• KEPT HIS WORD
• Have NOT DENIED HIS NAME

This is very telling as to what counts the most in the Kingdom of Heaven.  He is helping us to rest right now in Him while empowering us in this process to NOT DENY HIS NAME, WHILE WE KEEP HIS WORD.  Now that is something to be ever so thankful for right there!  The World says “stand up, be strong” while Jesus says “in your weakness, I am strong.”

Lastly, in Revelation 20:13 it says “The sea (of people) gives up the dead and everyone is judged according to their works.”  The “dead” or rather “tares” are removed first… Tares and their works are in vain and what remains?  Those in Faith.

Before we wrap it up – I just want to thank you all for staying with me during this study.  I know it is complex and cutting to the flesh and I so appreciate your willingness to walk on this narrow path with me.  Before I close, we are going to take a closer look into the Laodicea Church since we have many more precepts than when we first went over this particular gathering of multitudes.

Do you remember when the Lord told us to “Return to our first works?”  And how He compares that to returning to our “First love?”  Which is Him.  This is why – when we are deeply in love with Him, our eyes are focused on Him, we are so close to Him that what He does we will do, where He goes we will follow and what He says we will say.  In being one with Jesus, His way envelopes us to the point that where He ends we begin and vice versa… That is really – a “first love experience.”

So we can embrace the hurting, feed the poor, visit those in prison and do all the deeds of a Saintly calling just as we are commanded.  However, we must love Jesus above, how much we love assisting others.  We say we love Jesus more – but do we?  How many times must He keep asking us if we love Him, not because He doesn’t know, but rather so we can look inside and ask ourselves.  Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him and go figure, Peter proudly said yes and then denied Him three times, to be exact.  Seems there is a message in that as well.

Love is demonstrated, not just spoken.  I know you all probably get tired of me saying that, but I have my reasons.  I just pray you all can hear my heart in all this…  Because I am not saying we shouldn’t give to others, I am saying we need to give all we have to Jesus first then let Him flow out of us to others.

Righteousness only comes by faith, not in what we do or do not do.  This is an extremely hard concept to get, but with Lord’s patience we will overcome all things – especially ourselves.

I know you all are familiar with the Church of Laodicea mentioned in Revelation 3 but I want us to go over Vs. 15 real quick.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Keeping in mind this is written TO THE CHURCH, not the World, it is important to know that our own works are cold and when mingled with a partial truth they become lukewarm.  This Scripture is telling us He would prefer we either do no works or do His works, but to mingle our own with His, will cause Him to spew us out of His mouth.  I was taught this Scripture was about being on “fire” for Jesus, as if the word “works” was not even in the verse.  Clearly, this verse speaks only of “works” which proves the point – WE ARE TO WORK OUT OUR SALVATION DAILY.

We are almost to the end of this study… finally!

Revelation 9 speaks directly about the 5^th and 6^th Angels that sound a trumpet releasing “woes” upon men on the Earth.

If we go down to the 6^th Angel that sounded to release four angels upon the Earth to slay 1/3 of all men, I discovered something very interesting there…  Let’s take a look at Vs. 20 & 21:

20And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

²¹ Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

I do not think I ever noticed before how this Scripture is saying how serious it is for us if we DO NOT REPENT OF THE WORKS OF OUR OWN HANDS.  Notice it does not says repent of SINS here, but rather WORKS.  All has changed now in my view of truth regarding these works, after being shown by the Holy Spirit how serious the Father is about only Him receiving Glory for anything and everything.  I have been so convicted by this truth and am really ripped to shreds over it – which is a good thing, but it sometimes is painful when the Lord shows you what you thought you were doing “In His Name” was really for your own will and not His, equaling rebellion.

Even this study continues on with a pattern here that He has been giving us for the past year at least…  Which is:  Purging us from the PRIDE OF LIFE.

I pray this teaching has been a blessing to you all and that you will take it directly to the Father and ask Him to show you what He would have you to glean from it.  I pray also, that He will continue to decrease us daily so that He may increase within us until we are complete and whole that our joy may be made full in Him and Him Alone.  Help us Lord to stop measuring the pride in others, as a mechanism of denying our own.  May He give increase to the seeds I have planted until the day of Harvest which is growing exceedingly more near with each passing moment.  I give Him all honor and glory and praise for His long suffering nature which guides us on the path of truth so we may walk uprightly in the Spirit void of anything within us that opposes Him, as it is an honor to serve You Lord.  In Jesus’s magnificent Name I pray. Amen

May the Lord Bless You In His Love,

?Angela~Marked By Heaven