#Godly leaders were faithful to the Lord

[thinkingonscripture]

Godly Leadership: A Different Metric for Measuring Success

When considering those called into service by the Lord, success is measured by faithfulness to God, His Word, and the call itself, rather than output or results.

By most standards, successful leaders get good results. Their success is not measured by their output, but their outcomes. If the good results are not there, the leaders are called a failure. This is true in politics, business, sports, academics, nonprofits, etc. Ideally, we like to see leaders who operate by high moral standards AND produce good results. Sadly, there are some leaders who will…

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kiera Butler at Mother Jones (06.11.2024):

During the contentious confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, a self-appointed Christian apostle named Dutch Sheets issued an urgent call for prayer on his website. Sheets is a leader in an enigmatic charismatic movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation, which calls the faithful to fight a spiritual war for Christian control of the United States government. He urged his readers to ask God to grant them “a majority of Justices who are Constitutionalists, literalists (meaning they believe the Constitution is to be taken literally, exactly as it is written) and who are pro-life.” He added, “Let’s also boldly ask Him for another vacancy on the Court soon—I feel strongly in my spirit another is coming quickly. We should be offensive in our prayers, not just defensive and reactionary.”

Apostles, prayer offensives, spiritual messages—by most standards, Sheets’ approach to politics would be considered highly eccentric, to put it mildly. Yet among adherents of the New Apostolic Reformation, the idea that God was involved in anointing justices had already gained traction. Another influential apostle, a Texas-based, self-described “strategist, futurist, and compelling communicator” named Lance Wallnau, declared in a 2018 broadcast that the accusations of rape against Kavanaugh were a “spiritual attack.” The previous year in a YouTube video, apostle and Trump campaign adviser Frank Amedia recounted how, “at 3:30 in the morning, the Lord showed me a broom going up and down the pillars of the Supreme Court building.” The message was clear: God wanted to sweep out the old justices—especially the liberal ones—to make room for new Christian ones. In the midst of the chaos surrounding Justice Kavanaugh’s nomination, the apostles’ visions of a Christian Supreme Court didn’t get much mainstream attention—until they did. Over the last few years, the Christian nationalist movement has gained political prominence, as its influential members have sought to make the case for an explicitly Christian society in public schools, social policy, and even in Congress, led by the ultraconservative and devout House speaker Mike Johnson.

Against this cultural backdrop, calls for a godly Supreme Court have moved beyond the echo chamber of the far-right fringe. Last month, the New York Times broke a series of stories about flags displayed at the homes of US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. Outside of Alito’s main residence was an upside-down American flag, a symbol associated with the effort to overturn the 2020 US presidential election. At his vacation home in New Jersey, the Times’ Jodi Kantor later reported, was an “Appeal to Heaven” flag showing a lone pine tree, an old icon that had been revived by none other than Dutch Sheets. (As it turned out, the flag belonged to Alito’s wife, Martha Ann.) Leonard Leo, the deep-pocketed conservative kingmaker who has extended his largesse to several Supreme Court justices and their families, has also flown the “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside his home in Maine, Rolling Stone recently reported. Perhaps more troubling than the flags, though, is that the idea of promoting a Christian nation seems to be seeping into some of the justices’ legal arguments. Elliot Mincberg, an attorney and Supreme Court researcher at the progressive advocacy group People for the American Way, has documented ways in which some members of the Court espouse the popular evangelical belief that Christians are being persecuted and therefore must be defended. “The far-right majority of Court is very much in the same view as the New Apostolic Reformation folks about religion, about government,” he says. “And, frankly, about the hostility of government to religion.”

[...] One common misconception about the New Apostolic Reformation is that it is a Protestant denomination, like Baptists or Presbyterians. When I first started researching this movement, I googled “New Apostolic Reformation church near me,” naively thinking that I could pop into a service and perhaps ask a pastor to explain the sect. What I quickly discovered, though, is that there is no single leader of the New Apostolic Reformation, no annual conference, nor any website with its statements of belief. Rather, the movement is vast and amorphous, a network of various individual prophets and apostles overseeing their own ministries and issuing prophetic declarations as they go along. It’s safe to say that many people who attend a church whose leaders dabble in the theology promoted by the New Apostolic Reformation have never heard of it. The movement came out of the older and more well-known tradition of Pentecostalism, whose adherents believe that God grants some believers the ability to perform miracles and speak in tongues. The term “New Apostolic Reformation” was coined in the 1990s by an influential evangelical writer named C. Peter Wagner, though the term didn’t get much national attention until a few decades later.

In 2011, National Public Radio’s Terry Gross interviewed a scholar of religion about the movement and referred to Wagner as its “leading architect.” In a rebuttal piece for the Christian publisher Charismatic News, Wagner emphasized that he was not the movement’s leader—because it had none. Rather, he said, it was a coming together of several sects that shared a belief that God appointed apostles and prophets. He noted that it was the duty of Christians to engage in spiritual warfare to establish “kingdom-minded people in every one of the Seven Mountains: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Business so that they can use their influence to create an environment in which the blessings and prosperity of the Kingdom of God can permeate all areas of society.”  This doctrine—sometimes known as the Seven-Mountain Mandate—is a central tenet in the New Apostolic Reformation. Many of the most prominent apostles today—Texas business consultant Lance Wallnau, for instance, as well as Korean-American Pastor Ché Ahn of Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California—regularly preach about its importance. Today, estimates of the number of people whose churches are influenced by the New Apostolic Reformation vary widely, from 3 million to 33 million. Because of the movement’s laser focus on starting a spiritual war to Christianize America, the Southern Poverty Law Center recently called the New Apostolic Reformation “the greatest threat to US democracy that you have never heard of.”

One other distinguishing feature of the New Apostolic Reformation is the belief that God is still communicating directly with people through modern-day prophets, who preach about the messages directly from God that they receive, often in dreams. Since 2016, many of the most publicized prophesies have concerned former president Trump, whom they see as chosen by God. The “Appeal to Heaven” flag that Dutch Sheets popularized was flown by many attendees at the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the Capitol insurrection of January 6, 2021; a few months before, Sheets told his followers that the results of the presidential election were “going to be overturned and President Trump is going to be put back in office for four years.” In 2022, Sheets said that Trump had told him in a dream that he would be a “political martyr” because, he had said, loosely quoting the Bible, “‘God has put the tools in me to tear down, root up, and confront the system.’”

[...] In March, Jauregui instructed his followers to “[p]ray that the Lord would be glorified through the remainder of the Supreme Court session and accompanying decisions.” Some Christian groups are doing more than praying; they’re filing amicus briefs— documents submitted by people outside of a given case who believe their expertise may help the justices in their deliberations. The briefs can be influential. In a landmark ruling last year on affirmative action in higher education, for example, legal scholars noted that a brief from the US military strongly influenced the justices to exempt military academies from the new rules. Previously, those who wanted to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court had to obtain permission from lawyers on either side of the case in question. That requirement was dropped in early 2023; now anyone can file, as long as their lawyer is a member of the US Supreme Court bar. The amicus floodgates then opened, and included in the onslaught of briefs for the current roster of cases were some whose authors had explicitly Christian Nationalist ties. Condemned USA submitted a brief in support of President Trump in the immunity case. Describing its mission as “preserving your rights and freedoms by defending against a weaponized system of justice for all American citizens and future generations,” it is led by January 6th insurrectionist Treniss Evans, who has appeared at live and virtual events with New Apostolic Reformation prophets. Another brief in support of Trump came from the Christian Family Coalition, a Florida nonprofit that says it is “intensely involved in the political process to secure its goals in the public interest.” Among its current projects is advocating for chaplains in Florida’s public schools.

The Mother Jones piece on SCOTUS and Christian Nationalism’s harmful influence on the court is a must-read.

[adracat]

GWitch: A Divine Authority

I was musing on this the other day and after rewatching a few key moments I think this deserves a quick post. Today's topic, the narrative signicance of Cathedra and Dominicus

Cathedra literally means 'seat' but when an authority in the Roman Catholic church is speaking ex cathedra, they are saying their word on faith and morality is infallible. Dominicus punctuates that authority as the 'Lord's Day'. Or as we have come to know, Suletta Sunday.

“Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:1–3).

Coincidentally, the roots of the 'lord's day' coincide with why we refer to a witch's communion with the devil as a Black Sabbath. There are various reasons why it changed historically from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday but for this post only know our weekly ritual isn't an accident.

As for Delling and the show's Cathedra, they are the ones who banned witchcraft using his kingly, and thus god-given, authority. He lampshades this with Prospera and Miorine in episode 2

Delling is, for all intents and purposes, the godly authority who speaks ex cathedra on gundams. His word is law. And those outside the laws of Cathedra and Dominicus are witches, per the witch hunt in the prologue.

It's no coincidence that it's witches who are the very ones who nearly take his life. Sophie and Norea have rebelled against god, becoming apostates. Afterward, we have the greatest victim and threat of god in the form of Prospera. And this is where the Norse Ragnarok, or the twilight of the gods, becomes relevant. Because before the world can become born anew it must be consumed by flame. The gods of the past must die and be reborn in the next cycle.

Delling might not have literally died, but he lost his divine authority in leiu of Miorine. Now thematically you might expect Mio to continue the cycle and restore order to Benerit as its president after SAL is dealt with. But the key difference between her and Delling is that she too is a witch who rebelled, and with that came unjust persecution as the GWitch rosebride.

I have some gripes with how GWitch handles Cathedra and Dominicus, namely with its members not suffering or facing any consequences beyond narrative slaps on the wrist but considering the themes of The Tempest, avoiding the cliche of revenge might be the point

I do have faith that Mio's perspective as both a leader and persecuted witch will mean she has the tools needed to break both the Ragnarok Cycle and GWitch's twist on witch hunts. It is interesting to me that Nika's resolution in episode 21 could very well mirror what Miorine decides. Returning to make amends on Earth and moving forward on her terms, untainted by either Prospera's influence or Delling's ill-gotten wealth

[jfarvin]

https://youtu.be/4fq8ffjcEcU?si=vZBf9kzT4U8-wOAJ1 Timothy 2:1-2  I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Psalm 33: 6-12  “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”Father, In these urgent times, we, as Your church stand in the place of intercession on behalf of our nation and national leader and ask, You, Father, for forgiveness of all sins.  

Oh, Father that we would be a repentant nation and turn back to You.  With repentant hearts, we confess our sins past and present.  We ask in Jesus' name that as the faith leaders gather for prayer in Washington D.C. today You will hear and answer the prayers.  We ask for a breaker anointing on this gathering today. That You God would break in and fulfill the plans that You purposed for our Nation.  Jesus, search our hearts and bring to our remembrance everything that is sin that we can confess and repentant on behalf of our Nation.  Thank You Jesus for Your blood that covers all sin and unrighteousness.  Thank You for Your redeeming love.  Father, we ask that You would redeem our Nation back unto Yourself.  Jesus, Your coming was not for political purposes, Your coming was to save the world.  Jesus, we lift, high Your name, and thank You that You continue to draw people unto Yourself.  Thank You Jesus for Your church.  Thank You for the genuine rise and expansion of Your Church.  Thank You for every nation, every tongue, and every tribe.  Thank You for a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name.  Thank You for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem.  May the Jehovah Shalom favor and blessings cover and keep those who confess You as Lord.  “Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Num. 6:23b–26).  Thank You, Father, that the prayers of intercession coming before You this day will cause a godly turn around that will lead many to and back to You in Jesus' name!

#Pleading the blood of Jesus

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

by J.R. Miller

Jeroboam's Idolatry (1 Kings 12)

Jeroboam had a fine opportunity. He had come up from the ranks of the people through his own industry and efficiency. He was among the workmen engaged on the great public works of the nation when Solomon found him, his attention having been drawn to him by his industry and ability. He had risen, not through political influence but by sheer worth to a high place. Then he had been divinely pointed out as the man to be the king of the ten northern revolting tribes. The prophet had told him that the Lord would give him this responsible place. The people had also freely turned to him and chosen him as their leader. He had the gifts and qualifications for kingship. If only he had used his opportunity aright he might have become a great king and have built up a mighty empire.

But there was a condition, as there always is when God puts a trust into any man’s hands. “I will place you on the throne of Israel, and you will rule over all that your heart desires. If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my laws and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you.” But Jeroboam threw away this magnificent opportunity, and wrecked the possibilities of his own life. He might have made a brilliant story of honor and blessing for himself and the new kingdom if he had been faithful to God.

Jeroboam was a good builder. Building had been his business. When he became king, he set to work at once to build and fortify cities. “Jeroboam built Shechem. .. and built Penuel.” What a pity it is that he did not stay at his building work all his life! We cannot help thinking how different the history of God’s people might have been if Jeroboam had not become king; or if, being king by divine appointment, he had walked in God’s ways.

A trail of sin, however, blotted every page of the nation’s story behind him. He is known as “the man who made Israel to sin.” Every time his name is mentioned, this mark of dishonor is attached to it. He was put upon his throne with a holy mission. He was called to be a godly king, and then was promised honor, divine blessing, and the perpetuity of his throne. But he proved a traitor to God, and failed to carry out the divine plan for his life. He not only wrecked his own destiny but he dragged a nation with him, down to sin and infamy. It seems a pity that he was ever discovered by Solomon and promoted to a place of honor. Better if he had remained all his life in his lowly place. He understood building cities and strengthening fortifications; had he only built morally and spiritually as well as he had built in material things, he would have been a successful king. There are many people who do this world’s part of their life-work well enough but fail utterly of their higher mission.

We must do our common work conscientiously. We are sure that Jesus was a good carpenter and did the work of His trade most honestly and carefully. But He had a higher mission than carpentering. There are fine carpenters, who are neglectful of their spiritual duties. No life is a success which does not build for heaven. Bricks and stones and timbers will not make eternal habitations. It is right to do one’s work well but if one’s work on the heavenly side is neglected meanwhile, the result will be disastrous in the end. The record of Jeroboam’s enterprise, is all eclipsed by the black spots of his great moral failure.

Jeroboam wanted to keep his people loyal and faithful to him, and set about devising ways of encouraging such loyalty and devotion. He thought he saw danger in the people’s returning to the feasts in Jerusalem. He feared that if this were still permitted, that they would be drawn back to their former allegiance to the southern kingdom of Judah. He knew that they would not be satisfied without some system of worship. They had been accustomed to go to Jerusalem to the great feasts, and these observances had a tremendous hold upon them. If they had no place of worship of their own, they would continue to go to the temple and would gradually drift back to Judah. “Jeroboam said in his heart. Now. .. if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto the Lord.”

It is true that old religious faiths die hard. Religious ties are very strong. When bred in the blood and fiber, it is almost impossible to break them. Those who have been brought up with strong religious habits from their infancy can scarcely by any power be turned entirely away from these habits in later life. This is one reason why children should be trained from the cradle to obey God, and engage in His service. They may then for a time be drawn away from good paths by the world’s temptations but they will almost surely come back in the end. Jeroboam was right in his impression that the people would be apt to drift back to the old altars, unless he provided something in place of what they had left. Yet this was no justification for the sin into which he led them. If he had been loyal to God he would have sought the counsel of some wise and godly men, and have devised some plan to provide for his people religious worship, which would have the divine approval.

The king’s device to meet the danger was not God’s way. “The king made two gold calves. He said to the people, ‘It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!’ He placed these calf idols at the southern and northern ends of Israel in Bethel and in Dan. This became a great sin for the people worshiped them!”

Nature abhors a vacuum. A human heart cannot be left empty. “When one object of devotion is taken from it, something else must be put in its place. The king knew that the only way he could keep the people from returning to the old worship was by furnishing some other worship for them. So he was not content to forbid them going up to the old national feasts; he set up new shrines and appointed new festivals.

The old missionaries understood this law of life. When cutting down the sacred groves where the people had worshiped idols, they used the wood to erect Christian chapels on the same spot. If we seek to drive out evil we must do it by getting something good into the heart instead. There is little use in merely urging people to stop doing wrong they must be taught to do something in place of the wrong, and unless they are given something good to do they will continue to do the wrong things.

But while Jeroboam took advantage of this law of life, he erred grievously in the way he sought to fill the vacuum. Turning the people away from the worship of the true God he set up idols and taught them to worship these! Only evil came out of it. “This became a great sin, for the people worshiped them, traveling even as far as Dan!” The king’s plan worked well, according to his purpose. The people took readily to his new shrines. They went even to the farthest off, to Dan, to worship. They do not seem to have had any desire to return to Jerusalem. So Jeroboam had a religion of his own for his new kingdom, and thus one of the strongest ties of the old national life, was broken and the separation was made complete.

Yet this is one of the saddest records in the Bible. It tells of the beginning of a departure from God, which in the end brought bitter sorrow and terrible ruin upon the people, blotting from the very face of the earth the tribes who were thus set going on a wrong path! The man who starts an error never knows to what it will grow. He who sets another’s feet in a wrong path never knows where it will lead at last. To teach one child falsely may be to hurt thousands of lives in the end. Those who start new enterprises open fountains of influence, good or bad, which will flow on forever. Jeroboam gave shape and character to the new departure, and the nineteen kings who followed him all, with not on exception, walked in his evil steps!

There is an old story of an abbot who coveted a certain piece of ground. The owner refused to sell but consented to lease it for one crop only. The shrewd abbot sowed acorns, a crop of which would take three hundred years to grow and ripen. Jeroboam’s one evil sowing, mortgaged the new kingdom for evil through all its two hundred and fifty years of history!

Jeroboam’s evil work did not stop with the setting up of the calves of gold. He established a full religious cult and elaborated a complete system of worship. He made priests, and ordained feasts and systems of sacrifice.

We may trace the course of this man’s sin as it works itself out in the after history. What were the consequences in Jeroboam himself? Trouble followed trouble. His hand withered at the altar. His child died. He was defeated in war. His kingdom was partially torn from him. He was smitten in his person and went to his grave in dishonor.

Then in all the ages since his name has been gibbeted before the world, branded with infamy, as “the man who made Israel to sin.” But his sin did not stop with himself. He poisoned the springs of national life and led a nation into idolatry. The whole history of the ten tribes is one of disaster and calamity, ending in captivity and extinction. Commentators note the fact that in the seventh chapter of Revelation, where the names of the tribes that are sealed in heaven are given, two are missing, Ephraim and Dan, the tribes in whose territories the idol - calves were set up. Is there no significance in this omission? The story of sin is always terrible! “Sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death!”

Jeroboam’s record is preserved as a warning for those who come after him. The red light of the story shines out as a danger signal. Which way are you starting? Are you facing light or darkness? As you start in youth you will likely continue to go forever!

[steveezekiel]

GODLY CHARACTER: A PRODUCT OF PASSION AND DESIRE FOR GOD 1

12 ABISHAI SON OF ZERUIAH DESTROYED 18,000 EDOMITES IN THE VALLEY OF SALT.

13 He placed army garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

14 So David reigned over all Israel and DID WHAT WAS JUST AND RIGHT FOR ALL HIS PEOPLE."

1 Chronicles 18:12-14 (NLT)

• In this piece, we want to look at one or two things that could be learnt and emulated in the life of David—the King of Israel.

- A leader should passionately have a quest to raise others. Every believer is primarily expected to bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18,19). You are saved to serve!

- And beyond leading others to Christ Jesus, you are to disciple or mentor them, prepare or groom them to be useable vessels in God's hand.

- Some people are looking up to you, your life is an example for others to follow, or to pattern their lives after.

- If you compromised your faith in Christ Jesus, you had let God down. Thus, wherever you may find yourself, you are God's representative.

- One thing out of other good things that was found in David's life is, he had the ability to train or raise others, to do whatever he himself had done.

- Our text says, Abishai son of Zeruiah destroyed eighteen thousand Edomites in the valley of salt (1 Chronicles 18:12).

- One of the signs of good leadership is the ability to discover the strength, the hidden or latent potentialities, of the people under your leadership. And being able to help them in developing the potentials and be able to do or more of whatever you do.

• The people under David's leadership, who were said to be Men of valour, were discontented people when they came to him (1 Samuel 22:2), who seemed not to have a future; but their relationships with David brought a change to their lives and destiny. They became mighty and great men—people of great exploits.

- The same thing happened in the earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ. The Disciples who turned the then known world upside down were nobodies, mere fishermen. But their relationship or union with Christ Jesus brought a change to everything about them and their lives.

- It was attested by the Jewish leaders that they, the Apostles, were unlearned men, but what they heard them speak baffled them, then they, the religious leaders, concluded that the association or relationship of the Disciples with Christ Jesus made them who they are (Acts 4:13).

• Another good attribute of leadership found in the Bible passage of our text is that David was fair to everyone (1 Chronicles 18:14 NLT).

- Fairness and justice should be the hallmark of a good leader. David would not want anyone to be treated unjustly. And would not want to expedite what he even knows God wanted him to have.

- A young Amalekite man who attributed the killing of Saul to himself was commanded to be slained by David, despite the fact that Saul was after David's life when he was alive. He could have rejoiced and rewarded the young man for executing his archenemy, who did not want him to be enthroned (2 Samuel 1:1-16; 2 Samuel 4:10).

- Some persons went to killed Saul's son who succeeded his father and brought his head to David, thinking they would be commended, but he, David, instructed that they should be killed (2 Samuel 4:5-12).

- Also, when David and his Men defeated those who invaded their Base in Ziklag, and they pursued and recovered all that belong to them, and with other spoils or booties (1 Samuel 30:18-20).

- Some of his men suggested that those who were fagged out that could not go with them should not be given part of the booties or spoils (1 Samuel 30:21,22).

- But David disagreed:

23 BUT DAVID SAID, "My brethren, YOU SHALL NOT DO SO WITH WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. 24 "For who will heed you in this matter? BUT AS HIS PART IS WHO GOES DOWN TO THE BATTLE, SO SHALL HIS PART BE WHO STAYS BY THE SUPPLIES; THEY SHALL SHARE ALIKE" (1 Samuel 30:23,24 NKJV).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

- If you are sick in your body as you read this piece, I declare your healing now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

- Whatever is not planted in your body, that is working against your health, is cursed and completely uprooted, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Peace!

TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION

• Take notice of this:

IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).

a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).

b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).

c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

- If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!

[wolint]

BE CAREFUL

BE CAREFUL

1 Corinthians 10:1-12

 

DANGER ALERT! Are you a careful person? Are you self-aware and conscious of your actions and surroundings? There are dangers lurking everywhere! We must ensure that we don’t become disqualified from the spiritual race by allowing these dangers to push us off course.

Many Christians Walk a thin line between idolatry and spirituality, full of arrogant pride, failing to realize they are no longer on the path of righteousness. Apostle Paul cautions all believers to learn from past lessons, both good and bad, to help us walk uprightly in godliness and righteousness.

Take heed means “to watch carefully, be vigilant, or be on the lookout.” The word “stand” in verse 12 refers to “holding one’s ground, being alert, steadfast, or remaining firm in our position.” Paul conveys the idea of a person who thinks they’re standing firm in the faith but is overly confident and self-deceived, unaware that they no longer walk with the Lord. “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” Be careful!

God does not desire to harm or punish His people but will discipline us to keep us walking in the path of righteousness and standing in His authority. Paul listed the mistakes made by the Israelites in our text; by doing so, he gave us examples of things not to do, showing us how easy it is to fall if we are unable to exercise self-control and judgment and to walk faithfully with God.

We mustn’t be too over-confident in our spirituality and anointing to the detriment of fellow believers. We can so easily fall into the sin we condemn others for without realizing we are doing so, yet still manage to sound patronizing, condescending, and critical of those we think are sinners.

We see this daily, where Christians and leaders who should know better fellowship with idolators and unbelievers, mixing so well with them that they can’t be differentiated, yet they condemn those who do less out of ignorance. We may think we have the right to do whatever we wish because we think we are “anointed, called, sent, or are leaders” who have a standing with God, but be careful.

We can talk and preach against sexual immorality, deception, stealing, and forms of idolatry, but are these not things the church and many believers are struggling against right now? Choosing to follow the sinful examples of Israel’s wilderness generation?

Don’t be so consumed by your importance without considering that you might fall. As Romans 11:20 says, they were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So, do not become proud, but fear God. And know that it’s only by the grace of God and our faith that we can keep standing and not fall.

Anything in life can trip us! If we’re thinking “not me,” then we’re already setting ourselves up to fall, because we have a mindset that we’re strong enough to overcome any temptation on our own without the help of God. Everyone is susceptible to falling into temptation; otherwise, Matthew 6:13 wouldn’t have asked us to pray against temptation, and 2 Peter 3:17 says we must maintain a stable position in Christ so as not to be led astray since we know how easy it is to fall.

We must learn from the past and take care not to fall. Believers should avoid becoming over-confident in their spirituality. The only way to not fall is to stand firm in faith in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit and to depend wholly on His saving grace to avoid falling.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me humbly acknowledge that I may fall if I don’t stay grounded in Your word. May I always be alert and careful of tripwires. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Shalom

WOMEN OF LIGHT INT’L PRAYER MIN

[vinceleemiller]

The Danger of Rash Judgments and Unchecked Power | 1 Samuel 14:43-46

Have you made a rash judgment lately?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 14. I've titled this chapter "A Contrast Of Leadership Between Jonathan and Saul."

In the latter part of Chapter 14, we are surveying Saul's leadership and comparing it with Jonathan's. There is this hangover from that bad vow of Saul, and because of the vow, Saul does not hear from God. Saul is now hunting down the problem within his camp, and the lot has fallen to Jonathan. Now we pick up with what Saul does when he finds out he is not hearing from God because his son broke the vow he established that Jonathan had not heard in verses 43-46:

Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.” And Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan.” Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die. Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. — 1 Samuel 14:43-46

This underscores the kind of man and leader Saul is: insanely selfish to the point of injustice. And not just any injustice. Injustice that is willing to kill his son. This is sheer insanity. I cannot ever imagine saying something like this to any of my children, regardless of how sinful they were, and Jonathan has not sinned against God. I guess we know why Saul did not hear from God, and the Philistines were allowed to escape. It was the selfish rage within Saul's heart.

This text holds three essential lessons for us. First, we see that there are limits to the king's power in the newly founded monarchy. He is allowed to institute an oath or curse, but he is not allowed to enforce it if the extent of it is unjust. Second, this chapter summarizes the picture of Saul's leadership for the next 40 years. Third, and most importantly, the people stand up against Saul and for what is right to ransom Jonathan from Saul's unjust judgment.

This third point is important. We as believers have a responsibility to speak up for injustice when those in faith are served injustice. This may require us to stand against authority, which is risky but righteous. The saving grace of this chapter is Jonathan's faith. His faith fights two fights: first, a fight for Israel's saving the 600, and second, a fight for his own life before his father.

So, let's go back to yesterday's devotional. We talked about how to hear from God when he was silent. As we see, God was not silent. God, in the end, spoke. And he spoke through 598 godly voices who spoke up for one righteous man of faith and against one unjust judgment of a king. Thus, the sin has been found. God was silent to Saul because of his sin against his son and all of Israel, and God delivered his judgment in the silence.

As we close this chapter, let's remember that sometimes sin lies within us. If you are a leader of any kind, please deal with the sin and selfishness that live within your heart. Don't carry on with sin to the same level of stupidity as Saul. But if you do, or when you do, make sure and listen to the godly people around you. Righteous people will only follow you so far; at some point, you might need to follow them because they might be the voice of God.

#LeadershipLessons, #FaithInAction, #RighteousStand

Ask This:

In what ways might unchecked selfishness or pride be impacting your leadership or relationships? How can you address it before it leads to greater consequences?

When faced with an unjust situation, how can you discern when it’s time to speak up or take a stand, even if it means challenging authority?

Do This:

Test your heart and discern your judgments.

Pray This:

Lord, help me to recognize any selfishness or sin within my heart and give me the courage to address it. Grant me the strength to stand up for what is right, even when it’s difficult or risks challenging those in authority. Amen.

Play This:

Heart of God.

Check out this episode!

[jdgo51]

Prayer is Essential

Today's inspiration comes from:

If My People

by Jack Countryman

Editor’s note: According to our sister site BibleGateway.com, there was a significant increase in searches in 2020 about what the Bible says about politics. Here we are in another very important year politically. Two of the key topics people searched for: praying for government, and obeying government authority. Two of the most popular verses: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2) and “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1). It is a great privilege to press into prayer for the world, for our nation, for our leaders in government, for our leaders in communities and churches! Let us pray not just today, but every day. We hope you find If My People a useful guide for how to pray for our nation. Here’s more from Jack Countryman…

"'In today’s world we are seeking hope as we reckon with a global pandemic, racial injustice, and an economic crisis that is unparalleled in our time. Many of the hardships are being wrapped into our daily challenges.

Today, more than ever, prayer is an essential element in our lives. We should turn to God for direction and the choices He wishes us to make for our nation.

There is tremendous power in prayer.

Since our nation’s first days, God’s greatest movements are fashioned and sustained by prayer. From the signing of our earliest documents to our triumphs over darkness, to the spiritual awakening that sustained our faith and resolve over the centuries. Throughout Scripture and our history as a nation, persistence, prevailing, intentional, and never-ending prayer has always brought the presence of God. Prayer is a wonderful power placed by the Almighty God into the hands of His saints. When we humbly seek His face in prayer, He is moved to act on our behalf and accomplish His desire for us. When we seek God in prayer for our leaders, we impact the very direction our nation will take.

This 40-day prayer journey (If My People) is designed to help quicken your prayers, to encourage you to seek God’s will for our future, and ask Him to continually intercede on behalf of our nation. Prayerfully seek His face every day, believe that your prayers make a difference, and claim all victory that is and is to come. For there is tremendous power in prayer. We should recognize that freedom is never free. Throughout the history of our country, men and women were called to make great sacrifices and give their time and sometimes their very lives so we can enjoy freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With every challenge we have faced, we have risen to defend the nation we cherish. We find ourselves at the crossroads of determining the direction of our country’s future and the role of Christianity in our nation. The devoted prayers of all citizens will impact the future direction of our beloved country. Our prayer is that this book will draw you closer to our Heavenly Father as you commit yourself to pray for our country. Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote, “Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed — else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.”

Our God who never sleeps will hear our prayers 24/7

God desires that this great nation will turn to Him, read His Word, pray and obey His commands for the good of our country. Throughout history, God has faithfully led us through trials, wars, economic crises and social issues coming to boil. Every time He has seen us through and blessed our land with more than we deserve. Let us all seek the Lord in prayer for His direction and for our blessed land. The Bible encourages us to call upon the Lord in every situation in our lives and by extension in our land.

Our God who never sleeps will hear our prayers 24/7.

So, it seems right that the one duty of every Christ-following person blessed to live in this country is to pray for the nation. The One we call to has promised to listen.

When we stand together as one nation under God willing to defend the rights that have been granted to us, we will be blessed. The freedom we enjoy comes with the responsibility of each citizen to defend that freedom. God can also use His people in this land to share His love and offer encouragement to neighbors. May His Spirit be our guide as we move forward as His people and as Americans who should guard our land.

Praising God should be an everyday occurrence in this great country we call home. We are blessed with the freedom to live as we wish, vote as we choose, worship where we want, and express our opinion without fear of retribution. These are the privileges we should not take for granted. May God be our guide as we plan for the future and prayerfully exercise our right to vote."'

Written for Devotionals Daily by Jack Countryman, author of If My People.

[thepitofjob]

"The Manhole." Introduction to the Book of Job.

The Book of Job, included in what is called the Tanakh, "the complete Jewish Spiritual Library" also "the perpetual river of God's Attributes", was written around 6th Century BCE. As with every volume in the Tanakh, Moses is said to be its author.

The word Job means "the manhole, a pit." The name has a Number of 652, םןב, "the spine", which makes sense. Everyone knows the story of a righteous man God threw under the bus to show the rest of humanity what real Jewish perseverance looks like. Of all people Job certainly demonstrated he had a spine.

A spine refers to the resistance mankind shows toward the wrath of God also those who work on God's behalf to transform mankind into a Godly species. Starting from Abraham, God's wrath grows and grows till He starts destroying things, then He establishes the Noachide Laws, then it seems like things go all right until the Israelites start complaining after they are freed from Egypt. Then God and Moses part countenances when Moses says man can be a kind of a complainer, you know how they are (?). God says complaining is forbidden and tells Moses to kill them all and he does.

This exchange costs Moses a chance to live in the Promised Land.

From Numbers 11:

10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.

Numbers 12 says the people rejected the Spirit and God gave up on them:

 6 he said, “Listen to my words:

“When there is a prophet among you,     I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions,     I speak to them in dreams. 7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;     he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak face to face,     clearly and not in riddles;     he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid     to speak against my servant Moses?”

9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.

The Israelites had a spine, and it ruined them. The Book of Job explains how to find one's spine, the Spirit of Prophets and become an instrument.

The story begins like the Book of Genesis with Seven Days. Nothjng about the script can be taken for granted. We are going to translate all the weerd werds and dig into the Angel Math, called Gematria in order to properly explain the real path and meaning of the book.

Job was from a place called Uz, "courage". He possessed Seven Sons, "seven beliefs" aka the Seven Days, and three daughters, "three results", Chochmah, Binah, and Daat. Job knew to respect and trust God and did not incur sin.

His wealth included seven thousand sheep, #1501, אהאֶפֶסא‎ ‎, Ahapesa, "from a little to a lot" and three thousand camels, #840, "he was warm, he was fervent", five hundred yoke of oxen, #2067, ביו‎ז‎, Bios, "he was the Ace of the House of Israel", and five hundred donkeys, #1660, א‎וואֶפֶס‎ ‎, awafes, "and he frowned".

Job was the greatest of all the men in the East, meaning he was awake, he knew right from wrong. This explains Job's frown, he disapproved of the rest and like Moses, knew he was not going to witness Mashiach in his lifetime. Still like the bones in the spine, he knew the pieces of his testimony, found over the course of the Seven Days of his life was essential to the process.

Prologue

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 

2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 

5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

6 One day the angels[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came with them. 

7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

The angels are the words, letters, numbers and their polynomials that comrpise the Torah and the Tanakh. As we have seen above, the Angels tell us "one piece at a time, turn that frown upside down." The script refers to angels and servants, the objective of Judaism is to use the power of the Angel Math to break all sinful habits and turn the mind, the senses, the body and its systems parts into servants of God, which they must learn to do without complaining. They will whine at first until one becomes competent then they will stop and life gets much easier.

Satan is ta'a arabah, טעה ארבעה, "he got his four directions wrong", meaning he turned left instead of right in the desert of Zin, "the desert of the dicks" the place God consigned the Israelites after Egypt to force them to grow up.

Satan is a term used for persons who want to go back to Egypt and this is forbidden.

So the story of Job is an analysis of how to turn the right way, break the sinful habits of the mind and senses and lead them uncomplaining to a Promised Land.

The Values in Gematria are:

v. 1: In the land of Uz there lived a man. The Number is 8145, ה‎חאד‎ ‎ ‎, "The sharpest one."

v. 2-3: He was the greatest man in the East. The Number is 11769, יאזוט‎ ‎, yazot, "He dared to read the letter," AKA the Yod, AKA the Torah.

v. 4: His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 

As with all the stories in the Torah, the point of failure takes place between Day 3 and Day 4, between childhood and sentience. Little kids can be very emotional, a teen boy or girl can be worse. Untempered by empathy, a roid raging teen signified by late in the day on Day 3, becomes a monster and he will not surpass the night and enter a state of sentience, when the stars come out on Day 4.

We say the stars come out on Day 4 as this is when we realize our parents and leaders are not our enemies and have much to teach us. All philandering and schcrewing around in the locker room and bathroom at someone else's house in front their mirror need to come to an end between Day Four and Day Five. Mankind has not once passed Day Three to God's satisfaction.

The Number is 7683, ז‎וחג, zohag, "a gathering for a feces testament."

= they would do work during Shabbat and commit blasphemy.

v. 5: Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. The Number is 9888, טווח‎, "They were range finding, making adjustments."

Shabbat is very confusing to people. Shabbat is the moment the Torah becomes second nature, after all the lessons have been learned. If you've ever cheated on someone or someone has cheated on you and you no longer cheat as a result of the lesson you learned, you have achieved Shabbat. Shabbat is always taking place. Find a way to cheat and not get caught or to justify the behavior is range finding and it is blasphemy against God.

v. 6: One day the angels came. The Number is 4453, דדהג‎‎ ‎, he hesitated. The goal of the study of the Torah is to teach the mind how to pause in its search for wicked pleasures, either to seek that which is forbidden or avoid that which is prescribed. The entirety of the Torah is very little else.

Whereas hesitation is the result of work, during Shabbat one does no work.

v. 7: The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

The answer is Egypt.

The Number is 7103, זא‎ אֶפֶסג, ‎‎this is the summit. Verse 7 represents Shabbat but Satan cannot experience Shabbat, he rose to the heights of Sinai to challenge God and that does not work.

So the above represents the specific path the Book of Job follows and its hopeful final outcome, how to climb to Sinai, hoping to attain to Ha Shem on God's terms, not one's own nor according to society's conventions as this leads back into the darkness.

[ge-anne]

Becoming

I thought my life would never recover after my divorce. The time period after I moved from what had been “our” home and family structure and learned to be on my own again was full of anguish, heartache, the pain of rejection, and necessitated that I deal with some unbeknownst (and previously denied) issues in my own life: things like attachment issues, codependency, and people pleasing.

The Lord was good to me…sending people to walk beside me and to accompany me on this journey. In a matter of months, I had gained a deeper appreciation for those who “show up” as Christian brothers and sisters and was able to identify those who simply send well wishes and offer to pray, preferring not to see or deal with the discomfort of others. 

My closest friend during this time was a Christian brother whom I now call “LilBro”. His prayers, conversations, encouragement, and challenges when I needed them taught me that there ARE people whose word can be trusted. As our friendship formed into a kinship, there were so many teaching moments that the Holy Spirit used both to show me that God’s love surpassed the world’s love and that His people are often called to be His hands and feet in the lives of others. Bro became my teacher at times, and it was through this friendship that I learned healthy love and boundaries. 

My small group leader during this time was also a huge encouragement. A worshiper at heart, he would often send a song that God used in that exact moment to reach my broken or struggling heart. The other small group members were so compassionate and more than willing to step into this season of my life and walk beside me as I processed not only the grief of the moment, but the years lost to my delay in ending what had been a very toxic relationship.

Counseling also made a huge impact. My first counselor, who specialized in codependency and understood trauma was a wonderful mentor and through her work, I found my femininity again. This time, it no longer felt like a weakness, but a place of safety and a place of strength.

Returning to my home church was a process that took a few months. Church hurt is real and I had to allow the Lord to both convict and console me through the healing process that had to occur. I am thankful to have had pastors who met with me during this time and who helped me process my pain and fears, but who also showed me a path to reconciliation and affirmed the Lord’s work in my life.

Slowly, I am learning to release my need for control. God’s plan for me really IS better and more rich than anything I could have imagined. I was willing to settle for a life of single parenting in a Christian community, but He had already made a way for me to experience a full, healthy, and Godly marriage with a man who had lost his marriage due to his wife’s untimely death.

Trusting in an institution where I had clearly failed so many times before was also a process. Knowing that I must be radically dependent upon the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ is no longer a burden, but something I view as a privilege and an honor. I understand that as much as I need people, I, also, am needed. 

I started this series by sharing how the women’s ministry at our church, “The Becoming” had opened the door to healing for me. The Becoming has played a part in our group as well. One year after my first visit, I volunteered to help greet people at the December gathering as did some of the others in our small group. The “table talk” extended into chats in the hallway at church and more friends were made. 

As we planned the spring gathering, one of the women who had befriended me many years ago and I were asked to be speakers. What a joy to get to share our stories with one another and reminisce about how far the Lord had carried us over the past decade or more!

Our theme was on the trustworthiness of God. We both shared how in our darkest moments, we’d found faith and presence. When I shared how, in my pain and disappointment, I had sworn I would never return to some place, I smiled and mouthed the words “Like here!” as I pointed to the stage. But God! Then, I recognized the sound from the audience….They were clapping.

He. Loves. Us.

Loves you.

Loves me.

And He is the Great Shepherd who WILL leave the 99 to bring his lost, wandering, scared sheep home to the fold. 

Thanks be to God!

May God continue to bless our community and our lives to His service. May the world around us know we are His by the way we show His deep, deep love.

[yhwhrulz]

Wayside Chapel Daily Devotional 11th May 2024

5/11 2 Samuel 5:12

12 And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

After Saul's death, the kingdom of Israel was divided for seven years. The house of Saul grew weaker while the house of David grew stronger. Finally, all Israel made David king. Everything David did pleased the people. They could see he was a man of integrity. David's years of being an outcast were over.

David knew his success was all the LORD's doing. God had rewarded David's faithfulness. Ultimately, David was exalted for the sake of the people of Israel. When the people have a heart toward the LORD and desire His will, He will bless them with a godly leader. Of course, the opposite is true as well. When the people turn from God, He will give them the leader they deserve. But that, too, is the love of God to turn the people back to Him.

Because of God's love for His people, He exalted David. David would make plans for the Temple. He would enlarge the borders of Israel. He would create musical instruments and songs of praise to be sung in the worship of God. But the greatest blessing of all was the promise that a descendant of David would reign forever. God exalted the kingdom of David for the sake of all people. One day that descendant, the Messiah, will reign in righteousness on David's throne forever (Isaiah 9:7).

Consider: Is He reigning in your heart today?

[pooma-bible]

Greetings in the matchless Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Third John: DIVISION 01 – The Spiritual & Beloved Leader: Gaius, A Man Who Helped Much!

Rhema Word: 3 John 1:3-4 (NKJV) “For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

Let us pray. Our Gracious Loving Father, thank You for giving us an opportunity to meditate Your Word today along with Your children who have been called to live a holy life, Father. I commit everyone who are all meditating this message into Your mighty hand Father. Bless them and give them the oneness of Spirit and make their heart as a good land to receive each Word which is living and active Father. Thank You Holy Spirit for helping us to understand the in-depth treasure of Your Word and helping us to live a life as per Your Word Lord. We give all the Glory and Honour to You only Father. We pray in the mighty Name of Your beloved Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Introduction: To Whom Written: To dear friend Gaius. Gaius is a dynamic example for the leaders of the local church.

Purpose of this Letter: To warn against rejecting true ministers and spiritual leadership.

Special Features of Epistle Third John:

(a) Third John is “A General Epistle”. That is, it is not written to a specific church. It is written from a pastor whose leadership and authority have been unduly rejected (3 John 9). He now appeals to another leader to hear and receive his instructions.

(b) Third John is “An Epistle Governing Travelling Ministers such as Prophets, Teachers, Evangelists, and Missionaries”. After the apostles died off, a clash arose over the ministers of local churches and the travelling ministers. There were some false ministers who had begun to fill the pulpits of the local churches and others who had begun to travel about taking advantage of the Christians who were kind enough to provide them food and lodging during their ministry and stay (2 John 1:10). Because of this abuse, some within the churches arose and began to oppose all travelling ministers (Diotrephes of 3 John is an example of this).

We will try to meditate Third John on the following two topics in next two weeks:

Third John: DIVISION 01 – The Spiritual & Beloved Leader: Gaius, A Man Who Helped Much!

Third John: DIVISION 02 – The Divisive Church Leader and the Godly Minister!

Let us try to meditate the First topic “Third John: DIVISION 01 – The Spiritual & Beloved Leader: Gaius, A Man Who Helped Much!” today, on the following with the help of our Holy Spirit:

Introduction: Leadership within the church is critical. Church leaders are chosen to lead people to Jesus Christ. Therefore, how leaders live and behave is of critical importance: their lives affect the lives of the whole church. Their behaviour often determines the growth of believers and whether or not the church has a dynamic ministry for Christ. This is what the letter of Third John is all about, leadership within the church. Three leaders are seen, two were godly men and one was a troublemaker. The first leader was Gaius. He is a picture of the spiritual and beloved leader, a man who took the lead within the church by reaching out and helping all those who needed help.

(01) He Was A Dear Friend:

(02) He Prospered Spiritually – Despite Ill Health:

(03) He Walked in the Truth:

(04) He Helped Christian Believers And Strangers:

(01) He Was A Dear Friend:

The Bible says in 3 John 1:1 “The elder, to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.”

Gaius was a dear friend. Note that John calls him dear friend four times (v.1, 2, 5, 11). Gaius was dear to the heart of John. He was deeply loved. Why? Apparently, they were close friends, but their friendship was not the main reason for their bond. The main reason for their close bond was Christ. Gaius had trusted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and was faithful to the call God had given him. He was a leader in the church, and he did his job well. He lived for Christ and performed his functions for the sake of Christ and the church. John loved Gaius because he was both a dear friend and a great servant of Christ.

Our Lord Jesus Christ said in John 13:34-35; 15:12 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” … “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:9; Ephesians 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” … “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” … “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you.”

Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 1:22 “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.”

Apostle John says in 1 John 3:16 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

(02) He Prospered Spiritually – Despite Ill Health:

The Bible says in 3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

Gaius prospered spiritually despite ill health. He was apparently a man who suffered some illness or disease or was at least subject to being sick a lot. His health crosses John’s mind and John wants him to know that he is thinking and praying for his health just as he is praying for his soul to prosper. Note two things:

(a) Gaius’ soul did prosper. John actually says that it “is getting along well”. The idea is that he was growing spiritually, growing stronger and stronger in Christ and in the fruit of the Spirit. He experienced the fullness of God day by day love; joy; peace; patience; kindness; goodness; faithfulness; gentleness and self-control.

Yes, Gaius, the church leader, prospered in that he experienced both abundant and eternal life. He knew God’s care and guidance every day of his life.

(b) Apostle John prayed for Gaius to enjoy good health and that all would go well with him. In this case, John was wanting Gaius to be prosperous and fulfilled and satisfied in all of life in his home; in his work; in his relationships; in his leadership; in his church and in whatever he undertook.

Lesson: We should be praying for one another – for all believers – to be prosperous and fulfilled and satisfied in all that we undertake. We should be praying for success and joy in all of life. But remember success does not mean money as much as it means joy, fulfilment, and satisfaction. Nothing can ever take the place of peace of heart and mind. And peace comes only through Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:8; 6:6-8; Titus 3:8 “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” … “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” … “This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:5; Psalms 1:3; Deuteronomy 29:9 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” …. “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” … “Therefore, keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.”

(03) He Walked in the Truth:

The Bible says in 3 John 1:3-4 “For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

Yes, Gaius walked in the truth. Note two significant facts:

(a) Gaius, the church leader, had a strong testimony among the believers of the church. Some of the believers had visited the city where John was and shared the testimony of Gaius with John. What they shared was this: Gaius walked in the truth. This means that he walked in the truth of Jesus Christ and in the truth of God’s Word.

=> Jesus Christ said that He is the truth in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Jesus Christ is the truth, the very ideal of humanity, the Ideal and Perfect Man. Jesus Christ is everything that a person should be, all that God wants a person to be. Therefore, Gaius walked in Jesus Christ. He patterned his life after the truth, after Jesus Christ Himself.

=> Jesus Christ also said that the Word of God is truth in John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

All that a person should be is also written out in the Word of God. God’s Word spells out the ideal and perfect person, just what God wants a person to be. Therefore, Gaius obeyed the Word of God. He walked in the truth of God’s Word and lived as God’s Word says to live.

(b) Gaius brought joy to the hearts of believers. Not only were the believers joying in the testimony of Gaius, but apostle John himself joyed in Gaius as well. But note again: he was not joying in Gaius’ friendship, although he was bound to be thankful for a friend as close as Gaius. Apostle John was joyful lover the Christian life Gaius was living, over the fact that Gaius walked in the truth.

Note another significant fact; Gaius was apparently standing firm in the truth despite severe opposition from another church leader and a clique that the divisive leader had drawn around him (v.9-11).

Lesson: What a man Gaius must have been! It is difficult enough to stand against the normal temptations and trials of life, but when fellow believers begin to attack us, it makes standing up for the truth even more difficult. The tendency is to back off and just keep silent and let things run their course. But note Gaius. He stood up for the truth of Christ and of God\s Word. He stood against those within the church who were not following the truth and were damaging and destroying the church by their divisiveness.

Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 2:6; 2 Timothy 2:3-4 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” … “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” … “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” … “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Apostle John says in 1 John 2:6; 15-16 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” … “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

(04) He Helped Christian Believers And Strangers:

The Bible says in 3 John 1:5-8 “Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.”

Gaius helped Christian believers and strangers. This tells us why apostle John was writing to Gaius and the church. There were some in the church who did not like the idea of travelling ministers visiting and holding meetings in their church. They were opposed to any kind of minister or ministry that was not settled within the church itself. They did not, therefore, want the travelling evangelists, missionaries, prophets, and teachers preaching and teaching in their church. They saw no use for their ministry. They felt ...

=> that believers could learn all they needed to know from their own ministers and from others in the settled ministry;

=> that they did not need help in reaching out to the lost;

=> that they could carry out the mission of Christ without the help of travelling ministers.

Note three significant points:

(a) Gaius was doing all he could to help the travelling ministers. He was opening his home and supporting them – so much so that he had a strong testimony in the ministry of hospitability. Note that he even opened his home to strangers in order to reach and grow them in Christ.

(b) Gaius is to continue to receive and support the travelling ministers (v.6). Note: it is said that this is exactly what God Himself would to. Gaius is told this is the godly way, the godly thing to do. That is, it is exactly what God would do; therefore, it is what the church leader is to do. There are two strong reasons why:

(a) Travelling ministers should be received and supported as they go forth for Christ. They have dedicated their lives to serve Christ by reaching the lost and growing believers, and the church needs their ministry. In addition, they have made the commitment by faith, without receiving a regular income.

(b) Travelling ministers should be received and supported because we need to be fellow workers in the truth. There is no question: they are workers in the truth. Travelling evangelists, missionaries, prophets, and teachers alike are carrying the gospel of truth across the world. The only question is: Are we in the local church ging to be fellow workers with them? Apostle John says that it is the very thing that God Himself would do. Therefore, we in the local church must labour with all those who walk in the truth of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. We must labour with all those chosen by God to carry forth the Word of truth, the Word of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lesson: Gaius is a dynamic example for the leaders of the local church. All Christian leaders are to:

=> open their homes to strangers: college students who are away from home, single parents with children, the homeless, the needy, the hungry, foreigners, and all others;

=> open their homes in supporting the travelling evangelists and teachers who are faithfully serving our Lord Jesus;

=> open their homes to the various ministries of the church such as Bible Study groups, youth meetings and fellowships.

Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 3:2; 5:9-10; Titus 1:8 “Distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” … “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach.” … “Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.” … “But hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled.”

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9 “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” … “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”

Let us introspect ourselves.

Shall we commit ourselves to be faithful to God’s call and remain trusted His Son Jesus Christ as our Saviour?

Shall we commit ourselves to grow spiritually – growing stronger and stronger in Christ and in the fruit of the Spirit?

Shall we commit ourselves to pray for one another to be prosperous and fulfilled and satisfied in all that we undertake?

Shall we commit ourselves to walk and stand firm in the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the truth of God’s Word?

Shall we commit ourselves to help our believers and strangers, evangelists, missionaries, prophets, and teachers preaching and teaching in our churches?

Let us Pray: Our Heavenly Gracious Father, we thank You for helping us to understand about “Third John: DIVISION 01 – The Spiritual & Beloved Leader: Gaius, A Man Who Helped Much, today, Father. Father, please help us to commit ourselves to be faithful to Your call and remain trusted in Your beloved Son Jesus Christ, to grow spiritually – growing stronger and stronger in Christ and in the fruit of the Spirit, to pray for one another to be prosperous and fulfilled and satisfied in all that we undertake, Father. Father, please help us to walk and stand firm in the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the truth of Your Word and to help our believers and strangers, evangelists, missionaries, prophets, and teachers preaching and teaching in our churches, Father. We thank You Father for filling us with Your joy, peace, and hope, for accepting us when we approach You through Your beloved Son Jesus Christ besides being merciful on us and loving us so much and predestined us to receive Your promise of glory through Your beloved Son Jesus Christ, Father. We give all praise, glory, and honour to Your Holy Name. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

God bless you all.

[princeofgod-2021]

LIGHT OF LIFE 503

John 1:4

DIVINE ORDER 68: Teachers Of The Law 3

Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household AFTER HIM, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. KJV

Generation To Generation 3

Apart from the responsibility of Fathers to Teach their Children, the Church of God must have in place an established structure of Teachers, well versed in Godly things, like Ezra.

Ezr 7:11 Emperor Artaxerxes gave the following document to EZRA, THE PRIEST AND SCHOLAR, WHO HAD A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAWS AND COMMANDS WHICH THE LORD HAD GIVEN TO ISRAEL: GNB

It’s not just a handful of Men needed for this commission but as many as are available, who must be willing, adept and competent.

2Ti 2:2 And ALL THAT YOU’VE LEARNED FROM ME, confirmed by the integrity of my life, PASS ON TO FAITHFUL LEADERS WHO ARE COMPETENT TO TEACH the congregations THE SAME REVELATION. TPT

From one Generation to another, there must be Experts and Leaders, who have more than just cursory glances at the Word of God.

Many times you go to Church, you should learn New things from the Pastor who reads to you from the same Bible you are holding in your hands.

He is expected to know more and lead you into more fervent dedication to God.

Neh 8:2-3 So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly which included men and women and all those able to understand what they heard. (This happened on the first day of the seventh month.) So HE READ IT BEFORE THE PLAZA IN FRONT OF THE WATER GATE FROM DAWN TILL NOON before the men and women and those children who could understand. ALL THE PEOPLE WERE EAGER TO HEAR THE BOOK OF THE LAW. NET

There’s the place of reading - by divine Authority - but very sacrosanct to TEACH them also.

Neh 8:8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, DISTINCTLY COMMUNICATING ITS MEANING, SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND THE READING. ISV

The importance of [Leading] Teachers cannot be overemphasized, as their absence could mean the derailment of a whole Generation of God’s people and failure of the Church.

Isa 30:20 The Lord may give you troubles and hardships. But YOUR TEACHER WILL NO LONGER BE HIDDEN FROM YOU. YOU WILL SEE YOUR TEACHER WITH YOUR OWN EYES. GW

But it’s not only human Teachers God meant here; the Holy Ghost is overall Teacher. Read:

Isa 30:21 IF YOU WANDER FROM THE RIGHT PATH, either to the right or to the left, YOU WILL HEAR A VOICE BEHIND YOU SAYING, "You should go this way. Here is the right way." ERV

Emphatically though, the same Spirit will reveal more to those in leadership positions.

So it is essential for the Church Leader to really seek God for deep understanding of His ways.

Jer 33:3 LET YOUR CRY COME TO ME, and I will give you an answer, and LET YOU SEE GREAT THINGS AND SECRET THINGS OF WHICH YOU HAD NO KNOWLEDGE. BBE

As a Teacher by calling myself, I have immense privilege of wonderful insights.

I simply have to ask and God opens my eyes and keeps me awestruck always. Sometimes I sit with 1 verse of scripture a whole day and get overwhelmed by illuminations too much to handle.

Ultimately though, it is not only Teachers or leaders that receive illuminations of the Word.

1Jn 2:20,27 But you have had the Holy Spirit poured out on you by Christ, and so all of you know the truth…But as for you, Christ has poured out his Spirit on you. As long as his Spirit remains in you, you do not need anyone to teach you. For his Spirit teaches you about everything, and what he teaches is true, not false. Obey the Spirit's teaching, then, and remain in union with Christ. GNB

This privilege has to be available for every single individual who becomes born again so that where we have no human Teacher [with integrity] available, the Teacher “inside” us can work as substitute or plan B.

Conventionally, the Holy Spirit works on both levels.

Joh 16:13 The Spirit shows what is true and will come and GUIDE YOU INTO THE FULL TRUTH. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. CEV

May the full Doctrine of God be revealed, and find full expression in you, IN JESUS NAME.

See you on Wednesday, as we proceed with this Subtopic.

Brother Prince

Monday, April 29, 2024

08055125517; 08023904307

[myhiddencloset20]

Patience.

7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (‭‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. (‭‭‭James‬ ‭5‬‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Today’s sermon was about how Jacob tried to take things under his control rather than surrendering to God and wait for His timing.

Recent cell group meeting, the cell leader shared about being still.

During a wedding dinner yesterday, an ex-colleague spoke about how strawberries are picked early. Even though the colour looks pretty, they taste sour. And today’s daily refresh spoke about

The Sweetness of Patience

Have you ever plucked fruit prematurely?

Perhaps you were allured by its vibrant color and sweet scent moving through the air. But when you took the first bite, you realized it lacked the ripeness you anticipated. Everything seemed right at first glance, but there was one missing ingredient…

Time.

Even the simple act of picking fruit can teach us about time and patience:

"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm because the Lord's coming is near."

James 5:7-8

The author, James, penned these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to a community of new Jewish converts to Christianity, dispersed throughout various regions. These early Christians faced many trials, including persecution and opposition, because of their newfound faith. James’ call to wait patiently and endure was more than mere words on a page; they were a lifeline of hope and encouragement in the midst of adversity.

And just as those early believers confronted trials, we, too, will encounter challenges and suffering in our Christian journey. And, just like those early believers, you can choose patience—allowing the fruit of the Spirit to ripen within you, no matter the season of life. And when you do, your character will mature, your faith will deepen, and your relationship with God will become sweeter than you could imagine. Patience always bears the fruit of perseverance and strength, even today and even for you!

For whatever I’m going through now, waiting for a godly spouse, building my career, repairing relationships, working on myself…

“Be still, and know that I’m God.”

Don’t stop praying.

Update: Life.Church's service today is about slowing down the anxious mind. To be still in God.

BE STILL.

[calebyap]

What was 2023 like?

It was a year of returning to some normalcy post-COVID-19, especially in the area of international travel. More than ever in recent years, I had new experiences seeing the world for ministry, work and personal purposes. I travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona and Tokyo on three separate work trips for exchange, diplomacy and foreign relations. For ministry there was also a teaching and training visit to Tacloban City in the Philippines early in the year, which as encouraging indeed.

This culminated in a new work situation that I began only in April. Along with that came new workplace, new colleagues, new situations, new assignments and new anxieties. Work is one of those things that really consumes so much of your time and energy that it affects all others. I even travelled for this new role this same year.

They say that travel changes a man, and causes you to let go of preconceived ways of seeing the world. In that sense, last year was also a year of saying goodbye to heroes, seniors and family members. The loss of leaders like Tim Keller, Charles Stanley and Harry Reeder will be sharply felt. In particular, the passing of Tim Keller after a long struggle against cancer, was mourned the world over. More privately the passing of my maternal auntie, and R’s maternal auntie, all of whom professed faith in the end, will be sharply felt in our families. Towards the end of the year the surprising passing of a young man from church circles was also full of grief.

There were also moments of profound struggle and hurt as we had to deal with matters of church discipline, and we also saw instances of fruitlessness in life and ministry. These moments can turn us towards doubt, fear and loneliness even from one another as we feel the need to self-preserve and turn in on ourselves. Thank God for the grace of reaching out and being reached in godly community amid these moments.

Still change takes different forms as life moves on into different stages. Dad struggled with mobility this year after his fall and we see the effects of age setting in for our parents. For our friends, we saw more of them move into the N area, while others had newborns enter their lives - some the first child, others the second, and still others, twins.

Change was afoot in the church as we welcomed new members and new pastors. Rachel and I transited from the interim care group to starting our own new care group, and I also relinquished overall leadership of the CG after four years. We started a new conference series on BHC and welcomed MD to Singapore for the first time as we made new networks and friends in the region.

And what did God teach us from His Word? We were in Exodus, Hebrews and Isaiah for most of the year — big books that proclaim the grace of God for us in Christ, that perfect God-Man and faithful Servant of the Lord. At points though we struggled with His Word, we were reminded frequently of His glory and power, His wisdom and plan, and His grace and mercy. The Lord will not fail, His Servant is at work.

2023 was indeed the year of Developing. And how will that development proceed into 2024? More Depth? New Dreams? Or Delight?