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Rediscover Our Healing Mandate

Why HRCO Does What We Do?

What is the foundational motive that drives us to do what we do?

I want to suggest it’s HEALING!

Michael Jr, the famous comedian says: “Give a man a fish and you have fed him for a day, teach a man how to catch fish and feed him for a lifetime.” According to Michael this is quite complicated, because then you have to have a fishing rod , license, boat and a place where fish are, to be able to teach the man. So what if you teach him why he needs fishing, that makes it his job to teach himself? Michael Jr’s ‘ Why ‘ is to inspire people through humor to live their creation goal.  Since he discovered his ‘why’, the ‘what’ he does is no longer so important, because everything flows from his ‘why’.[1]

Simon Sinek explains a simple, yet powerful model for how leaders inspire action, on the basis of a golden circle and the question “Why?” as the core point. His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King and the Wright brothers, and as a counterpoint, Tivo, who struggles. 

The Golden Circle’s core is: Why?; How?; And then What? The above three examples of business enterprises are individuals who market themselves and are driven from the core “why”.  Apple always markets themselves first as innovators who have produced among others, computers. According to Simon, the “Why” we do things is the most basic ingredient that we present to each other. We are obviously grouping around people with the same “why”.[2]

This brings me to the core question about our congregation: Why do we exist? The answer came suddenly one day in my spirit, and suddenly everything fell into place. As an adopted 13-year-old son, my quest for acceptance became an identity. With my encounter with Jesus 35 years ago, He took me on a journey to discover His identity. The more I get to know Him, and do as He leads, the more I discover my true identity. Since then, I have experienced healing as a person in so many levels and have begun to strive to make the world a healed place ~ healthy people, relationships, communities, workplaces, and economy.

In 1989 I saw Dr Andre Pelser perform “Miracle Man” ~ a one-man stage production based on the conduct of John G Lake’s life. I was deeply stirred and inspired to seek healing for the entire human being.  Nearly ten years later, in 1998 I became part of Harvester, and increasingly began to see God heal people completely in spirit, soul and body.

Jesus heals and recovers first our broken relationship with God. Then He takes us on a journey of self-denial, to renew our minds by His word. As a result, we treat people differently, and He teaches us to walk in peace with all people, without compromise.

By making ourselves accountable to His family – the Body, the congregation challenges our behavior.  

Ultimately, we each find our function in the Body, and we become His instruments of healing, while still maintaining healing in us. 

For several years, the Holy Spirit has led us to make Jesus Christ our vision and mission. In 2019 we focused on an awakening to His righteousness. Systematically, the Lord led us deeper and deeper to discover His great “why.”  Jesus is our focus, but why Jesus? Why did Jesus become man, die for our sins, rise from the dead – all wrought for our salvation? The answer is now obvious.

Jesus wants to heal, reconcile, repair, restore, reshape, liberate and enable us to live His creation purpose to the fullest.

Jesus

A tree was made to bear healthy fruit. Likewise, God created man in His image to bear divine good fruit. Sin has malformed us, to sow destruction. Because of man’s disobedience and mistaken identity, our World has become more and more broken.  Sickness, infirmity, pain, discomfort, and their restrictions prevent us from being able to live God’s creation goal. Our cry is therefore for healing! We are all looking for sustainable, real, profound, complete healing! 

Illness is an obstruction, inhibition or limiting of our natural capabilities.  A healthy baby has a definite functionality regarding movement, abilities, and intellect. Illness or disease puts a limit on this functionality. This is why Jesus said: The Kingdom belongs to a child. (Mark 10:15) A child is innocent, uninhibited, free, love easily, forgives quickly, playful, innovative, appetite to learn new things, non-judgmental, and dependent. We often say when a baby is born: ‘it’s perfect!’ 

Why are we sick? What makes us sick?

There are many libraries filled with information about the causes of disease. I only mention a few: some diseases have a genetic cause or are virally transferable, and thus exist due to external causes. Psychologists suggest that 85% of all diseases have an emotional, psychosomatic cause.  Lifestyle choices, in terms of diet and exercise also play a huge role in regard to our overall health.  In addition, a misrelated identity, and consequential convictions, can lead our worldview into dramatic constraints.   Sin is disobedience to God, to decide against His will, and rather do your own thing leads to death and distraction. People living outside of His design, instructions, laws will never find complete health and wholeness. 

Dr Paul Carlin developed the “belief therapy” program after twenty year’s work in a Texas prison, because he said: “People do what they do because they believe what they believe”. Ultimately, these beliefs become a religious tradition, and a culture that keeps people stuck, limiting them to never reach their natural potential. Think how in certain religions, how the role of the woman and the child is still marginalized. 

Right now, we are experiencing a radical information revolution. There are 3.5 billion Google searches per day. About 1.3 billion people are registered on YouTube, uploading nearly 300 hours of video per minute. Most of these searches and information are directed around health and self-improvement.  There are currently more than 250000 apps available to monitor your health. New Smart Watches measure all kinds of aspects of your physical health: sleep patterns, heart rate, blood pressure, sugar levels, and heart rhythm ~ information that can help your doctor make a more accurate diagnosis. New online websites like ‘Hello Dr’ can bring you into instant contact with medical professional’s advice.[3]

People are therefore physically healthier. People are generally living longer! But how healthy are we really? While we are being healed of one thing, we are getting sick again of something else. Health is, however, not merely a physical aspect. We are all becoming older, and so our bodies are not functioning optimally. When you speak with the caregivers in old age homes, they will soon say to you: “difficult youngsters become dramatically more difficult old people.” Health also cannot become a selfish looking-out-for-myself-only survival attitude. Healthy people also need to use their healthy lives to heal others. 

That total human being consists of:

  • Spirit — connection, consciousness.
  • Emotions – feelings.
  • Intellect – thought patterns, values, worldview.
  • Behavior – habits.
  • Social interaction – relationships.
  • Physically – physiologically.
  • Identity – the Self- the I.

In our journey with Jesus we discovered that health is not only the healing of a specific physical illness or condition, but a complete comprehensive healthy lifestyle of the total human being.

Thousands of hours’ diets, supplements, wonder agents, therapy and operations may be effective, but they all only deal with one aspect of our health. You can physically be 100% healthy but emotionally battered due to broken relationships. You can be a good person, with countless achievements and still feel something missing in your life because you haven’t yet made peace with God.   You can physically be healthy, intellectually brilliant, but if you are still broken within yourself, egoistic, self-directed, selfish and on a quest for self-determination, you are miserable and regressing. Think about the self-centeredness of a Hitler, and a yoga guru like Bikram Choudhury who deceived their followers.  

Jesus is Our Healing

Total healing is to be found only in Jesus Christ. Jesus is healing and health! When we awoke to the reality of His person, values, thinking, habits and way of living, we discovered the central core point of all medicine. Without Jesus there is not sustainable health and wellness. For, He does not only heal one aspect of our humanity. He stretches out His hand, asking us to follow Him. As we follow Him, doing what He says, we are responding to a life far healthier at every level, to help others to be healed. After all, there is no disease in heaven. Therefore, Jesus’ heart is His why, to see us healthy. 

Becoming like Jesus is the key to a fulfilled and happy life. You will then be the best spouse, the best business leader, and the best worker for any business enterprise. You will also be the best friend and the best parent. The mature character, values, mindset, ethics, habits, attitude and lifestyle of Christ are like a standard, a pacesetter, a directional standard to live the perfect life. We are the most beautiful people when we live most like Christ.  In other words, we are the best people if we are most like Him, if we do as He does right, follow His ethical and moral example, pursue His unspotted character and dedicate our lives to serving humanity. Living like Jesus is the best way of living! The Jesus-Life is a universal truth, a premise, a blueprint and basis for life. Christ is perfect, blameless, the right standard and median of morality. 

In our journey with Jesus, we also discover His divine paradoxical values: justice and kindness, impartiality and respect for all people, non-reactionary creativity, revolutionary pacifism, servant leadership, supernatural humanity, separated team-player, and so much more!

The moment we receive His life and start living accordingly, everything changes. Our relationships, thinking, work and lifestyle are healthy and healing to others.

Why does Supernatural Healing Have a Bad Name?

Any form of medicine has a certain success factor.  Why does supernatural healing have such an irregular success factor? Why do only some churches and ministries have reasonable success? How enduring is this success?  Someone who is sick is desperate for a solution, for any reasonable chance, even is satisfied with a 50/50 outcome that will give a desperate sufferer new hope. But a form of medicine with such a poor success, will and must be rejected. Even natural medications have a much more significant conversion factor.  To pray for people for healing and describe it as God’s love is problematic, because why are some healthy and others not?

The question is not whether God heals people, but rather why He does not heal everyone.

From various questionnaires, most people, as well as doctors believe that prayer is beneficial to sick people. There are many recorded records of medically verifiable divine healings. The same question was asked of a panel of faith-based physicians and the answer was: to preserve the integrity and the heart of the gospel. Healing doesn’t happen to all but if there are healings, they never happen in the same way, nor by the same person[4] The reason: when a certain person or method is 100% successful in healing every infirmity, humans will worship the person and the method and will capitalize the method without realizing the wonder and depth of God. It is also much easier for people to try any miracle-cure or remedy without the hard work of behavioral change.  Often it is our very behavior that caused the disease.

To ascribe healing to our faith, or its failure is also problematic, because although faith has played a part in most healings, the Lord has healed some without any faith on their part.  If faith alone is the solution, can’t we then just heal ourselves? Should we then also save ourselves too? Understand that salvation is a gift, and that our faith in God ultimately does work salvation. Yet there are many who truly believe, and truly are actively believing, and still have not received healing.  Therefore, praying from the knowledge that God always wants to heal is truly difficult if it does not happen. So, why not? Is it Satan? Too little faith? Have you not kept the faith? We then have a problem. It brings little comfort, especially if you’ve mustered up all your faith praying for healing for someone you love. Although we believed, it didn’t work. Although we had compassion, it seemed not enough. Although we received promises from the Word and prophecy, it is not fulfilled. Where does this leave us? 

GOD IS HEALING

Healing is inherent who God is, the Earth and creation has a self-healing ability. This is precisely the wonder of creation, the medicinal natural drugs that are locked up in nature.   God created us to heal and be healthy “For I am the Lord who heals you” (Exo 15:26) Jehovah-Rapha – The Lord Who Heals. (Psalm 103:3; Psalm 147:3; 1 Peter 2:24).

God is love, this means He is never not love. The same applies to Healing – God is the healer. This means, He is never not healing. Healing is part of who He is. Remember, we are not physically sick! Disease and illness are symptomatic not only regarding our bodies. Our economy is sick. We’re emotionally sick. We are relationally sick as a society. We are spiritually sick. The world is morally sick. Illness is symptomatic of an entire society that has been removed from God.  If all of society serves the Lord, be true to be doing what He says, appropriating everything He has made available to us, and then as Jesus bringing wellness to all people around us, should there be any more illness?

Illness’ Origin:

  1. Sin:
    • Wrong habits and behavior: Miriam (Num 12:10); Gehasi (2 Kings 5:27); Uzziah (2 Chron 26:16-23) and Elymas (Acts 13:11). “Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.” (Prov 3:8 NOT).
    • Your words: The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” (Prov 18:21 NLT).  “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Prov 16:24 NLT)
    • Unforgiveness ~ makes a person bitter and diseased, as if tortured. (1 Cor 11:28-30; Mat 6:21-35)
    • Your thinking: “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. (Proverbs 14:30 – NLT).  “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” (Proverbs 17:22 – NLT)
    • Not all sickness is due to sin. (Job 42:7-8)
  2. The Devil: 
    • Demons: Mat 17:18 to 9:25, 42; to 4:35; 4:39
    • Oppressed by the Devil: “And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38)
    • Spirit of infirmity: Luke 13:11, 16
  3. The Lord, God is sovereign: “Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me. I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!”. (Deuteronomy 32:39),  Gen 12:17, Ex 4:11, 15:25, 1 Sam 25; 37-38; 2 Sam 12:15, Deut 28:15-68, 32:39, 2 Chron 15:5, 2 Chron 21:18, 19, 26:20-2; Acts 12:22, 23; 13:8-12 as well as Job 5:18.
  4. Indirectly, by other people: A person can be infected by someone else through bacterial infections ~ a battle where innocent people become victims.  Therefore, another person’s sin and transgression can sometimes be the cause of your sickness and disease.
  5. The fallen nature: “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:18-22 NLT). Heat waves, plagues, drought, Tsunamis, etc. Sometimes life just happens like breaking an arm by stumbling and falling. 

Although it is important to know the cause of illness, the more important question is how do I become healthy? Ultimately, it is by God’s heart that we will live healthily (Deut. 11:26).

What is God’s Heart for Healing?

REVEALING THE ROOT OF DISEASE

Ever wondered why Jesus often had a firm admonishment to people not to tell of their healing? Was it not the point, that all would believe in Him?

Jesus never did any healing in the same way, but for Him healing was more than simply the healing of the symptoms. He always wanted to heal the root cause, and the whole man. This is why the leper man was asked to go to the priest, so that the quarantine could be lifted, and he was allowed again to be part of the community.  “Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainsideSuddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.  Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” (Matt 8:1-5)

“But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, but he warned them not to reveal who he was.” (Matt 12:15-16). Here Jesus healed a crowd of people, yet He does not capitalize on the supernatural to draw even more people. It is clear as explained earlier: Jesus is not just a miracle guru, magician who heals all the sick! For then we would use Him to receive healing without the cause being revealed, the why we became ill in the first place. 

BEYOND PHENOMENA 

Jesus asked His disciples; “who do you say I am?” After Peter declared openly, admitting that He is the Messiah, they were commanded not to tell anybody about it!  Is it not the goal that people will know He is the Messiah? That’s what salvation is all about, that every man will believe He is the Christ? “Then Jesus instructed his disciples to tell no one that he is the Christ.” (Matt 16:20). Isn’t this an ever- deepening mystery! The principle is this: Jesus doesn’t just want us to only worship him! He wants us to follow Him. It is our obedient pursuit of the person Jesus Christ, who brings healing to the total human being. 

Jesus’ transfiguration on the mount is a sheer proof of His divinity. People are natural doubters.  Why just allow a few disciples to experience it? Would the Pharisees, and all His enemies not come to repentance, if they saw for themselves what was happening there? “As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matt 17:9).  Jesus did not capitalize on the moment of His divine transfiguration and disclosure to man. Think of people who have been together in places of divine phenomena throughout the centuries, worshiping the phenomenon like robots. 

One of the most spectacular miracles Jesus did was the healing of the deaf and dumb man.  The man not only received society’s reintegration, but God restored his speech in one moment.  If someone’s hearing would be healed, it would take a speech therapist months to help the person speak correctly.     “Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!  Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news.” (Mark 7:36). Here is one of the most spectacular miracles, one which if happened today would bring about through today’s marketing techniques, undeniable evidence ensuring a faithful following. Yet Jesus did this miracle in privacy.  

PURSUIT OF HIS PERSON

Many people wondered about Jesus, but the demons knew exactly who He was. Is there no greater evidence of His ministry and authenticity than the demons recognizing him?  “But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered.” (Mark 1:25 – NLT).  Yet He did not allow them to speak.

Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. The healing transpired in secret, and then again “barred from telling it to someone else.” (Mark 8:26, 30)

The authenticity of the Gospel writers’ testimony is the seemingly useless information that is not omitted. The fact that Jesus instructs them to give the child something to eat, has seemingly no purpose. Yet it makes the stories, genuine and credible.  Once again a perfect opportunity to convince people. Jesus is not using an extravaganza to impress people.  Her parents were dumb with astonishment, and Jesus forbid them to tell someone what had happened. (Luke 8:56)

The climax of Jesus’ popularity is when He multiplies the food to the crowd. When the people saw the miracle sign Jesus did, they said: “He is truly the prophet, the one who had to come to the world.” When Jesus saw that they would come to make him king with violence, he went on to the mountain, he alone.” (John 6:14-15)

FAITH BEYOND HEALING

Again, Jesus is fleeing the elevation of people, the worship of men.  He wants to make us aware that there is something deeper than healing, miracles, and food supply.  All of these things are temporary, but there’s more that God wants to give us. These signs and wonders are just that, signs. It is like road signs, direction givers to a greater reality. Miracles are indeed important.  “And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.” (1 Cor 2:4-5- NLT)

What is the greater reality that Jesus wanted them to see? Jesus said to them: “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”  They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:26-29) Jesus is the gift of healing, not only the event of healing. So, if I receive Jesus, I am healthy because I know the Doctor!  

He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”  (Exodus 15:26).  

RETURN TO YOUR PURPOSE OF BEING CREATED

Jesus wants to restore, heal, reformat, reshape and reconcile us to our creation purpose: to represent God, the divine, the good; uplifting, positive and fruitful.  Worshippers who have been worshipping to encounter a divine phenomenon have not yet realized their own divine-expressing purpose in God. They wait and beg for a miracle from above. They don’t realize the miracle is Christ, that He will come to dwell in us, and do so by the miracle of His living and doing right in us.

The healing Christ who is working in us is also more than just the physical healing. He wants to heal our entire humanity. He wants God’s creation purpose for us, in our restoration process.  “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”  (Romans 8:29 – NLT). In all these stories where Jesus admonished people not to tell of the healings for they were amazed and impressed with Jesus. So, they wanted to worship Him, but He disallowed it. He seeks more than our worship; He seeks our faith-filled obedience!

There are two accounts where Jesus was impressed: the one was the healing of the officer’s slave (Mat 8:5-13; Lk. 7:1-10; John. 4:43-54). This man also came to seek healing from Jesus, but when he saw Him, he greeted Him as Lord ~ he saw Jesus as a man with authority like him. So, he asked Jesus to only say the word. Jesus’ response was: “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 8:10-12)

Read this verse thoroughly. Jesus is making a historical, watershed statement! “…many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven…”  God rejects the religious establishment of the day, favoring people who rightfully see Him. For those who see Him, truly see! People of every nation and language who sees Jesus for who He really is, who don’t just see Him as an “architype”, an impersonal machine makes people healthy.  

The other story is of the Canaanite woman who Jesus initially refused to help.   “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.” (Mat 15:28). She didn’t accept Jesus’ refusal, and continued to believe.  

We see that Jesus also wanted His disciples to really see Him, understand Him. Isn’t this the quest of any teacher, leader, or predecessor? Some people are there only for the money, the fame, the position, the healing, the miracle. Jesus finally wanted them to do what He was doing. They had to perform miracles just as He did in faith. (Luke 10:19; Mat 10:8)

Three miracles where Jesus shows His frustration of disciples that do not see:

  1. Jesus calming the storm. “Why are you afraid? Have ye not faith? “ (Mark 4:40)
  2. The multiplication of the bread. “You give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:37)
  3. Peter is the first disciple to understand / see. Then Peter said to him: “Lord, if it really is you, command me to come to you on the water.” “Come!” he said. (Mat 14:28-29) Yet he quickly began to doubt when he looked at the waves. Immediately, Jesus stretched out his hand, grabbed him, and said to him, “Little, why did you begin to doubt?” (Mat 14:31)

“The purpose of Jesus is not only to save men from their sins, but by the grace of God to begin in the souls of men that marvelous development in the nature and mind and understanding of God our Father, until by the grace of God we are able to take our place and our part in the kingdom of Jesus Christ and bear our share of responsibility.”

― John G. Lake,

The Healthiest People Believe Right

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”(Rom. 14:23) “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6) How many of our decisions, choices, habits, are grounded in our convictions? How we see the products we buy? Why do we buy them? Where we live, and work is all grounded in what we believe about ourselves, God and the future.  

Jesus became man, physically demonstrated by what He preached, and finally died for our sin, to reconcile us to God. He rose from the dead, ascended and sat down at the right hand of God, and when the Holy Spirit was sent, He was to reign in us!

What are we waiting for? What more on earth does God have to do? He has accomplished everything for us to be in Him, it is through His grace that we are empowered to live through Christ in every place He calls us!

So, if we see right, really see, we see what He did, who He is! If we believe it, with conviction, we suddenly see the world in a whole different light. While we continue to do exactly what He commands us to do, this life changes completely for us. We will have an entirely opposite perspective and have a new attitude toward life, things and people! We are healed, in body, soul and spirit.

Jesus Cures the Entire Man

John G. Lake believed that Jesus’ healing work is threefold:

(1) He frees us from evil, so that we may be spiritually healthy, and full of the Holy Ghost. We communicate and experience connectedness with God through our spirit.

(2)  The Lord heals our soul and so our connection with people. Because we have made peace with God, the Lord heals our soul. Our soul is how we are connected with mankind around us.  

(3) Soul-peace and peace with self and the people around me is healing!

Jesus was always holistically concerned about all human beings and not just the symptoms of disease.  He often first handled the spiritual aspects.  His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, focused on the basic conflicts in her personality.  For Jesus, health is more than just the absence of physical and mental illnesses — it is about the entire person.

God wants to heal us, but more: He wants us to heal others through our being healed! “Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”  (Ez. 47:12)

“I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” (Ps. 41:4)

Jesus Heals in Different Ways

God not only cares about the healing of our bodies. He also wants us to learn an authentic, healthy lifestyle.  You yourself is responsible for your health:  

  1. Confess your sin (James 5:16)
  2. Elders anoint with oil (James 5:14-15)
  3. Doctors are for the sick (Mat 9:12; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:31) is referred to Luke as the “beloved Healer” (Col 4:14)
  4. Medical care:  The compassionate Samaritan connects with the man and anoints his wounds. (Luke 10:33 – 34)
  5. Alternative medicine: “Use a little wine for the stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.” (1 Timothy 5:23)
  6. Our presence brings healing: The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the Nations (Revelation 22:2; Psalm 1:2-3; Eze 47:12; Jeremiah 17:8)
  7. The Word of God heals. (Luk 4:4)
  8. When Jesus saw their faith (Mar 2:5; Mat 9:29a)
  9. Forgiveness (Mat 18:34-35)
  10. Associate by the sacrament of His suffering (1 Cor. 11:28–30)
  11. Praise: “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.”(Psalm 103:1 – 3 – NLT)
  12. Cloths and hankies were anointed (Acts 19:11-12)
  13. Laying on of Hands (Mar 6:5, 13; 16:15, 17–18)
  14. Casting out Devils (Mar 9:14-29; Matt. 17:14-20; Lk. 9:37-43)
  15. Serve the Lord and avoid what is evil: “Then you will have healing for your body  and strength for your bones.”(Proverbs 3:8)

The Conclusion is: Christ is Health. 

When we are most like Jesus, we are the healthiest people on the planet!

It is also possible to live a healthy life:

  • When my relationship with God, self, people and nature is healthy and holy.
  • When I regularly exercise, sleep well, and follow a balanced healthy diet.
  • When my work is healing and in harmony with nature. 
  • When my thinking is like a garden, what I plant determines my decisions, how I think, and how I live.
  • When I help, give and serve others.
  • When I become like a child, having healthy fun is a miracle cure!
  • When I am hospitable to prepare wonderful meals for others. 
  • When I become a peacemaker working reconciliation among people.

 

God’s Gift of Healing to The Nations is His Healed Church

Our Meetings create an atmosphere for healing:

HARVESTER MEETINGS

We believe church has something to do with a healing garden, the restoration of Eden. Everything we do, in sacred diversity, complex simplicity, interdependence, creates a healing habitat, where people can be healed on every level.  

The Bible gives us no time indicative of exactly when believers have come together. We regularly read about ‘ daily ‘, ‘ first day of the week ‘, communal meals.  That is to say: Church-be happening on the side! We like to be together! We enjoy each other’s company, and to become profound spirit Fellows in our relationships! We therefore hold several gatherings, for children, adults, men, women, all-over, for Afrikaans but also English people, for old people and young people, for business people and farmers, for all who are in a married day! The list just goes on and on!

We hold all kinds of gatherings for all kinds of people, so that everyone can discover and learn Jesus to follow him!

Meeting Elements:

  1. Our meetings focus on scripture based, doctrinal balanced, accurate Jesus-centered preaching.
  2. Our meetings are spiritual, but space is given for spiritual and supernatural events, where we pray for the sick and lay hands on, and cast out devils, and flourish in the application of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
  3. Our meetings focus on praise and worship that pleases God.
  4. Our meetings make room for testimonies, mutual constructive inputs.
  5. Our meetings have participation as part of our nature.
  6. Our meetings are surprising, relevant, and creative.
  7. We make room in our meetings for prayer, meditation, and listening to what God wants to say.
  8. We commemorate the Lord’s sacrament as often as we can.
  9. We regularly offer people the opportunity to give as the Lord lays it on their hearts.

 

Healing For Relationships

HARVESTER HOME GROUPS (Huiskerke)

We believe in great gatherings that impact, but also in relationships that grow deeper not only in the small group. Our home groups must be close enough so that there can be real support in times of need. Therefore, we want to offer house churches in every town in the Olifantsvallei and Matsikamma surroundings. The house church is your spiritual family, caring group. Here is where we learn to develop our spiritual gifts. Discipleship, accountability, and discipline happen in the loving intimacy of the smaller family. 

Home Group Leaders

  1. Jan & Celna Genis (Clanwilliam)
  2. Audrey & Dave Botes (Clanwilliam)
  3. Dirkie & Lezel Mouton (Clanwilliam)
  4. Francois & Bertina Engelbrecht (Lamberts Bay)
  5. WP & Karien VD Merwe (Citrusdal)
  6. Louise Tolken (Citrusdal)
  7. Willie & Wena Botha (Graafwater)
  8. Benjamin & Anette Mouton (Jong Volwassenes)

 

Healing Our Thinking

HARVESTER BIBLE SCHOOL 

“For as he thinketh in his soul, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7). Jesus constantly confronted and challenged people’s ways of thinking. The word of God is a framework, and platform, a guideline to learn to think right and sober. 

In a recent study done by the “Bible Engagement Centre” with 40000 people, it was found that people who study and read the Bible intently twice a week were remarkably healthier. Our “Miracle Bible Training Centre” curriculum is thus focused on working systematically through the Bible and understanding the Bible in the light of Christ. [5]    

We also offer a wide range of practical subjects.  The most important course that everyone in the congregation should go through in the beginning is the foundation course that focuses on the six-part foundational doctrines of Hebrews 6, including: Discerning God’s Voice, Praise & Worship, Prayer, Five-fold Ministry, Discipleship, and Offerings.  The Bible School is not for some people. It is for everyone! This is because it is the primary method to work healing in people’s lives.  

The goal is to get Bible/Word fit. Therefore, the Bible School is not only a one-way communication, there are assignments, question-and-answer time, and homework  is involved  so that everyone can understand the Word for him or herself.  

We offer weekly various online subjects on a Monday evening via Facebook, Youtube or Zoom links.

Make an enquiry for links and times at oo********@me.com for more information.

 

Healing our Work and the Workplace

HARVESTER ACADEMY

We offer specific apps to help people who own their own businesses, to organize their business so that the people who work there can also be healed by their work engagement! 

Secondly, we also help the specific worker, to become a better worker, and in doing so also work on healing in the workplace.  The expectation and perception of many people about work is that it is carnal, earthly, secular, opposite-to-spiritual, a punishment, and cursing. Yet when people retire and don’t have to work, they work more than ever!  When we die, we say “rest in peace” as if the person is never going to work in eternity.

As we follow Jesus, He teaches us his way and principles to live. He grants us His grace, and works the fruit of the Spirit in our character. Our moral compass changes direction: Faithfulness, honesty, truth, integral, pay everyone’s due, be a good steward, etc.  ~ the new work way.  We begin to reign! Romans 5:17:  “Reign in this life” ~ we overcome our weaknesses, bad habits, wrong temper, addictions.  We interact with each other in the Body, to do business together, for each other. 

While we work together, shady spots are revealed in all of us, things that do not honor the Lord are brought to light.  For so many years in the church people have hidden their wrong lifestyle, because we can be one man in the church on Sundays, but Mondays in the workplace we are somebody else. For us, work is part of our worship.

 

Heal All nations/ethos/culture

HARVESTER MISSIONS 

The Jesus-life is simple: wait on the Lord and spend time in prayer, meditating with an open Bible, getting a revelation and instruction for your life, and then going walk it out.

Communion- Commission-Commission

Relational-Missional-Incarnational

Love-Faith-Hope

Father-Son-Holy Spirit.

This means that everyone in the congregation has a divine calling to fulfill.  That everyone knows what to do, not because they have been told by an organization to do it, we’re motivated and ratified by the Holy Spirit. 

It also means practically making disciples. We multiply. 

We give and share what we have received.  The congregation therefore makes an impact on the culture of the community.  

For each one functions and brings healing, restoration and reconciliation into the 5 primary government sectors: Government, economics, education, health, and Law & Order. 

But we also make a difference by the merging catalysts such as: Sport, the arts, recreation etc.  

We are salt and light! We bring healing and reconciliation to every nation, and ethos in our society where he sends us to.


[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqhidTrkfrw&t=1760s

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4

[3] https://www.netwerk24.com/Sake/Ikt/digitale-revolusie-help-dokters-20181007

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MOJBxaKWXo&list=LLC7-ErbIS3FNtXIam108ffQ&index=35&t=265s

[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNWvxexMri0

Categories
Social Relevance

Saving the local church and pastor from extinction.

When the smallest cell in the body is under attack,
it brings the demise of the whole. 

For as long as I can remember, there has always been a tension between the local church pastor and the staff of parachurch organisations. Parachurch organisasions work outside and across denominations to engage in social welfare and evangelism. My battle has been that I sit in both chairs. I am leading a parachurch national initiative beneficial to the greater body of Christ, and I am also the pastor of a local church.  

I have been part of various efforts over the last 27 years of ministry, who with great difficulty and variable success lobbied to get all local churches to work together. I thus understand the frustration of trying to work with pastors. But why do we need to work together in a location? The truth is; one local assembly can’t foster all the support and mobilise all the different types of ministries available to the Body of Christ in one locality. We need each other.

None of us have it all together but together we have it all. Michael Wood

The body of Christ is made up of individual cells (1 Cor 6:19), the local assemblies (2 Cor 6:16), and the universal Church (1 Cor 3:16). When any part of this 3fold molecular structure is sick, or in isolation, the body is weakened. It is also clear that like our physical bodies, we have to discern the complexity of the diversity of the various functions and parts of the body of Christ. We cannot reduce the body to only one part or function. All of it is important and necessary! There is thus no inside and another outside part! Whether we’re part of a local general geographic assembly or part of a group of people who meet to focus on one specific human need, we are all meeting together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Remove the religious dualism between vocations as worship for His glory in the secular market place, and vocations seen as a ministry to another within the Church and your vision is suddenly expanded to a glorious network of diverse functions, that can only be God’s genius! All the individuals, meetings at all locations, for various ministry purposes are all called to be His holy Priesthood, a holy Nation, His bride to be. That is the picture on the puzzle-box, perspective! It is wonderful! Each piece of the body of Christ has an exact shape and creational purpose, like puzzle pieces. Toss all the pieces on a table, and it looks terrible!

The state of the local Church as single pieces? Endangered! Paralysed! Under resourced! Poorly trained! Fragmented! We all tend to make unclarified accusations against the pieces laying around as the sleeping, unresponsive Church. We have all been guilty of pointing a finger to a wrong out there, ignoring the wrong that persists in our own heart. Evidently, He is building His congregation, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. (Mat 16:18) and at the end, there will be one final assembly, when all the dead will be judged at the white throne judgement. (Rev 20:11-15)

The question Afrika Mhlophe asked during the recent Africa Leader Forum needs more in-depth attention and dialogue; “WHAT KIND OF CHRISTIANITY ARE WE CREATING?”

We all recognise and acknowledge that the state of the nation in respect to corruption, nepotism, racism, and the enormous economic disparity experienced in SA, is because these strongholds still persist within most churches. We see the evidence of Christian Nations like São Tomé and Príncipe; DRC; Angola; Rwanda; Seychelles; Equatorial Guinea; Lesotho; Namibia; and Swaziland with more than 90% of their citizens being professing Christians are among the poorest Countries in the World.[1]  

There is hence a united outcry: REFORM THE CHURCH TO REFORM THE LAND!

There is an even greater dangerous innate disease threatening the Church. More and more people are leaving local institutional churches and pick and choose their spiritual diet on social media.  Evangelism, and belonging to a local body of believers is on the increasing decline!

According to the Pew Research Center, the ranks of the Nones have ballooned in recent years, making “no religious affiliation” the fastest-growing category among religious affiliations. Between 1972 and 1989, about 7% of Americans identified as having no formal religious affiliation, However, between 1990 and 2012, that figure jumped to 15%. Among people under age thirty. Just over 30% say they have no religious affiliation. At the same time, the percentage of the U.S. population that are Christian has experienced a steady decline, and other faiths have had modest growth at best.[2]

A recent study that was conducted by Barna Group reviewed the society’s perception in matters regarding faith and Christianity. Examining a new book called Good Faith; the findings indicated that Christianity is increasingly viewed as extremist. [3] The 2017 Pew research is more specific and reveals that most adults surveyed still do consider themselves Christians, even if they seldom go to Church.  These non-attendees beliefs on matters of sex, gender, nationalism, are widely more liberal than how it is portrayed and officiated by the formal Church.[4] It is thus abundantly clear that the Church is no longer unified on issues of doctrine, worldview, or best practise living standards. 

The state of the Church today, thus stands in stark contrast to the early ekklesia, and body of Christ movement!  The early Church was attractive although persecuted: because of their practical caring for each other, their care of the marginalised, disenfranchised, orphan, children and, women. They held high standards of work ethics, positive attitudes, timeliness, honesty, and hard work.[5] They experienced huge exponential growth, to the extent that in 150 years, most of Asia Minor, and North Africa was transformed by Christianity and their former persecutors became the protectors of the faith when the Roman State accepted Christianity as their formal religion by 337AD.

In the book of Acts, we read of Paul’s work in Ephesus, and him starting a Bible School where he reasoned daily from 9:00 – 15:00 in the School of Tyrannus: And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:10) According to Dreyer the greatest motivators behind this growth were: First-hand authentic encounters; missional focus; willingness to suffer and a unified focus to model the life and teachings of Christ: His supernatural and moral life.[6]

CAN IT BE THAT BY LOWERING THE ENTRANCE STANDARD: WE HAVE LOWERED THE OVER-ALL STANDARD?

The ninetieth century can be labelled as the century of evangelism: Tent Meetings and large gatherings, television broadcasts, has seen millions accept Jesus as personal Saviour, by praying a sinners prayer. Examples: D. L. Moody, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, Charles Finney, Billy Sunday, and in more recent years, Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Luis Palau, and Greg Laurie. And yet, in a 1990 interview with PBS, Billy Graham himself stated he believe that only about 25% of those who come forward at one of his events actually became Christians. In recent years, studies have shown that only 6% of people who “come forward” at an evangelistic crusade are any different in their beliefs or behaviour one year later. Of course, it is estimated that Billy Graham preached to more than 200 million people, and 6% of 200 million is still 12 million. That’s significant.

Emphasis is always placed on follow-up, and local churches requested to use the occasion to draw in the net. Effective follow-up and assimilation in discipleship programs have always been a problematic concern. My personal experience is: The bate that hooked the fish is what will keep the fish.  The food that attracted the fish is what the fish is expecting to continue to receive.   If we’re not all living and preaching one message, it makes assimilation to a local church, difficult. Furthermore: the most sustainable growth, is growing local churches, that mobilise their own members to make disciples! [7]

THE EARLY CHURCH MODELLED CHRIST, NOT THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES:

Being a follower of Christ entails, a journey, an adventure of discovery as you get to know Him better, and He teaches you how to live your life, of letting go. Nowhere in the Bible are we instructed to worship Christ. Surely, we love and adore Him, but worshipping Him can make of Him an idol. We choose to worship the part of Christ we have fashioned according to our image, that we like most, and cost us the least. Becoming a faithful follower is the exercise and process of daily choosing to die to self, and abandon all in surrender to Him, again and again. 

The vision, objectives, focus, strategy and outcome of the early Church was Christ, and Christ alone! (Gal. 4:19, Col 1:28-29; 2 Cor 11:2; 1 Cor 2:2; 2 Pet 1:8; Eph 4:13)

The early followers of Christ were identified not by their buildings, and church names, but by their lifestyle. They were called “those of the way” (Acts 9:2; 24:14, 22)  

The name Jesus adopted for His new movement of followers were: ekklesia: gathering, assembly, meeting, congregation. (Mat 16:18) a non-spiritual term used by the Greeks for almost any gathering like the mob, instigated by the silversmiths for bad business in Ephesus. (Acts 19:33) Paul on occasion used ekklēsia in its real sense of an actual assembly to refer to the meetings of Christians. This usage is particularly clear in his references to the assemblies of Christians at Corinth —”when you come together as a church” (1 Cor. 11:18); “in church I would rather speak five words with my mind” (1 Cor. 14:19); “women should be silent in the churches” (1 Cor. 14:34; cf. 14:35). At other times, he refers to those people who assemble, whether the whole Church, as at Corinth (1 Cor. 14:23), or a smaller group, as in a house church (Rom. 16:5; Philem. 2). The great majority of instances of the word are in reference to a local church, hence the use of the plural for churches in a given region (1 Cor. 16:1, 9; Gal. 1:2, 22; Acts 15:41; 16:4–5). Less frequently, ekklēsia is used in a universal sense for all believers (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18).[8] It is clear that Church was seen not as various legal entities, but as assemblies, congregations, gatherings of people who met daily, small or great in number, in homes, beaches, synagogues, temples, homes, schools in the name of Jesus. (Mat 18:20; 1 Cor 5:4) Will this emphasis and perspective not free us all, from our denominational affiliations and loyalties.

WE ARE ONLY ONE IN CHRIST.

We who are many are one body (Rom. 12:5); one body (1 Cor. 10:17; 1 Cor. 12:20; Eph. 2:16; Eph. 4:4; Col. 3:15); as the body is one yet has many limbs, so is Christ (1 Cor. 12:12); by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body, Jews or Greeks, slave or free (1 Cor. 12:13); Jew and Gentile made one (Eph. 2:14–15); all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28); Jesus died to gather into one the children of God (John 11:52); that they may be one even as we are one (John 17:11; John 17:22); that they may become perfectly one (John 17:23); that they may all be one (John 17:21); one flock, one shepherd (John 10:16).

PRESERVE THE UNITY, AS IT IS THE PRIMARY WAY GOD EXPRESSES PROXIMITY! HIS PRESENCE!

For the purpose of unity, there was no such thing as doing something to attain unity. Unity was only attained through our unification with His death and resurrection. (Rom 7:4; 1 Cor 15:22; Gal 2:20) Once we have received this glorious oneness in Christ and His Church, we ought to fight to preserve it. (Eph 4:1-6) Unity is not an objective; it is a consequence of the manifested Glory of Christ in our midst.

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MOST WILL EXPERIENCE AS CHURCH TODAY:

For example, we know that the early Church met in homes for their regular church meetings (Acts 20:20; Romans 16:3, 5; 1 Corinthians 16:19).

They took the Lord’s Supper as a full meal (1 Corinthians 11:21-34).

Their church gatherings were open and participatory (1 Corinthians 14:26; Hebrews 10:24-25).

Spiritual gifts were employed by each member (1 Corinthians 12–14).

They genuinely saw themselves as a family and acted accordingly (Galatians 6:10; 1 Timothy 5:1-2; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:15; Romans 12:13; 1 Corinthians 12:25-26; 2 Corinthians 8:12-15).

They had a plurality of elders to oversee the community (Acts 20:17, 28-29; 1 Timothy 1:5-7).

They were established and aided by itinerant apostolic workers (Acts 13-21; all the apostolic letters).

They were fully united and did not denominate themselves into separate organisations in the same city (Acts 8:1, 13:1, 18:22; Romans 16:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1).

They did not use honorific titles (Matthew 23:8-12).

They did not organise themselves hierarchically (Matthew 20:25-28; Luke 22:25-26).[9]

IN THE END: ALL OUR WORK WILL BE TESTED.

According to Paul, all our work and ministry will be tested, with fire. (1 Cor 3:9-16) in the end, all will be shaken, and only that what is of the Kingdom will remain. (Heb 12:27-28)

Let’s presume all churches and ministries has the same goal, making every person a follower of Christ! A recent study was completed to determine the spiritual maturity of members. Spiritual growth was categorised between Exploring Christ – interested but not committed; Growing in Christ – expressed their belief in Christ but not yet adapted His lifestyle; Close to Christ – they can discern His voice and guidance but struggle and Christocentric – fully surrendered. According to this research, it is not the church programs that inspire growth; it is: We learned that the most effective strategy for moving people forward in their journey of faith is biblical engagement and exemplary Leadership. Leaders:  

1.         They get people moving

2.         They embed the Bible in Everything

3.         They created ownership

4.         They pastor their local community

The crux of spiritual growth is not how busy people are with religious activities, but how engaged they are with Christ. How close is a person to Christ? Are they fully surrendered to His will and His teaching? Do they prioritise faith in their daily lives? Are they growing in their love of God and others? To answer these questions, leaders need more than numbers; they need to see inside people’s hearts. In 2004, Willow Creek Community Church completed research that would eventually become the REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey. Based on those initial findings, as well as data from more than 150,000 congregants in 500 churches, the REVEAL team discovered a way to see inside the hearts and minds of congregants. [10]

The outcome of the study reiterates the importance of scriptural Reformational type churches, who allow themselves as individuals but also communities to be continually reformed into the likeness of Christ.  The study reveals that it is possible, and it reveals what Christ-centred growth looks like. Thank God, there are members of the Body getting it right! There are wonderful, Christ-centered, spirit-filled, holy, consecrated, relevant local churches out there! We simply need more such churches! The study also highlighted, the changes some churches have to make.

Bringing me to the primary reason for writing this essay!

The local pastor is a dying superhero. He has to pray for the sick, but when the sickness returns, still love and help the individual to keep their faith. He has to discipline doctrinal error, moral and ethical failure, and manage egos who want to take over. While on the other hand, trying to mobilise people into ministry who barely have time to read the Bible and pray daily. He needs to be a financial, marriage, parenting and relationship consultant. He has to preach a TED talk calibre of brilliance every Sunday and compete with the best communicators on the planet’s podcasts, YouTube videos, and TBN broadcasts. The current trend is more and more people are leaving institutional, local churches, finding better food online. People do not want to engage in messy relationships of commitment. He has to deal with social justice issues and represent the Church at the local CPF, SAPS trauma Room, Pastors fraternal. He has to be a seasoned, respected mediator, psychological counsellor, and executive coach. Then he has to ensure the Church is relevant to every age group, interest group, ethnicity, and local human needs and wants. He has to manage all of the above while being trendy, physically and spiritually fit. But also, remaining a loving husband, and a relational parent to each of his children. He has to disciple at least 12 people, and be available 24/7! But the most difficult of all, he is expected to be true to the traditions of his employer and conduct weddings and funerals.

The members of the local Church on the other hand, are stuck in the extremity of doing life. It is increasingly difficult to find able volunteers to be mobilised in hospital visitation; youth outreach, feeding the poor, reaching the lost. The challenges of a diminishing economy and material greed is driving us further away from God and family! The antichrist of this age is convenience.  

HOW WILL WE INTRODUCE PRAYER, EVANGELISM, AND DISCIPLESHIP TO THE LOCAL CHURCH? 

The Bible always has made the distinction between priest and kings. The priests thrive when people blossom and discover and function in their diverse callings and roles. The kings succeed when profits are made to enable and pay for the needs of the growing population’s happiness.  We need to pray that God will both raise-up godly, Christ-centred kings and priests, that will influence culture to resemble heaven on earth. 

I believe the next move of the Spirit in the Body of Christ is the raising of Kings and Judges. 

Kings and Priests. Zech 4:2 “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” 

Chapter 3 is the vision of the High Priest, chapter 4 is the vision of the Zerubbabel the governor building the temple hence the conclusion Priest and Kings. “What are these two olive trees on each side of the lampstand, and what are the two olive branches that pour out golden oil through two gold tubes?” In the end, the answer is given: v14 “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” 

The Kings were tasked to build the physical building, the priest to build the spiritual building.  The two roles and functions were connected to the Lampstand by golden pipes to supply oil to the lampstand, the church through natural means.  

We are entering the final phase of God reforming His people in the Earth. Today the Modern Kings are people called to business and supply towards the physical buildings, and Priest are still called to build God’s spiritual house.  Business men seek profit, Priest seeks people. But evidently the two supplement each other, the church supplying people with Christ-centered character, values, mindset and habits to work a much-needed commodity to the workplace. Business people supply the funds, a much-needed commodity in the church to do the work of the ministry.  

And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

Rev 5:10

May we focus all our attention to serve the smallest part of the body of Christ, the local Church! The local Church, whether in a home, school hall or cathedral, is on the brink of extinction! How many called ones, feel a call to pastor a local church? How many burned-out pastors, have given up, lost their way, and given up on their faith?

The church in Acts were supported and nourished by a team of travelling apostles and prophets. None of the early apostles, seem to have pastored one local church only, they were concerned for the Kingdom of God as a whole. As a local pastor; I like to sincerely suggest that travelling ministries and national initiatives first recognise what the local Church is doing, then take hands to partner and support what is already happening in the local Church, we will see greater cooperation from local pastors towards the national, and international focus.

Finally: Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. Ps 127:1-2 I am reminded of Bennie Mostert’s words: The ten fastest growing churches in the world have one thing in common: they pray more than all the others! Prayer that is focussed on listening and obedience is the ingredients God is looking for to bring transformational Revival, starting in every local Church in South Africa!

References

[1] Nag, O. (2019). African Countries Where Christianity is the Largest Religion. [online] WorldAtlas. Available at: https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/african-countries-with-christianity-as-the-religion-of-the-majority.html [Accessed 17 Aug. 2019].

[2] Nicolaou, C. (2019). A None’s story : searching for meaning inside Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, & Islam (eBook, 2016) [WorldCat.org]. [online] Worldcat.org. Available at: https://www.worldcat.org/title/nones-story-searching-for-meaning-inside-christianity-judaism-buddhism-islam/oclc/964290564 [Accessed 17 Aug. 2019].

[3] Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project. (2019). Being Christian in Western Europe. [online] Available at:

Being Christian in Western Europe
[Accessed 17 Aug. 2019].

[4] Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project. (2019). Being Christian in Western Europe. [online] Available at: https://www.pewforum.org/2018/05/29/being-christian-in-western-europe/ [Accessed 17 Aug. 2019].

[5] Schor, A.M., 2009, ‘Conversion by the numbers: Benefits and pitfalls of quantitative modelling in the study of early Christian growth’, Journal of Religious History 33(4)Pg 478. 

[6] Dreyer, W.A., 2016, ‘Historiese perspektief op kerkwees’, in ‘Praktiese ekklesiologie – Kerkwees in die 21ste eeu’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, suppl. 10, 72(5), a4378. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hts.v72i5.4378 

[7] Rainer, T. (2009). Surprising insights from the unchurched and proven ways to reach them. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.

[8] Ferguson, E. (1996). The Church of Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

[9] Viola, F. and Barna, G. (2012). Pagan Christianity?. Carol Stream, Ill.: Barna.

[10] Hawkins, G. and Parkinson, C. (2011). Move: what 1,000 churches reveal about spiritual growth.. 1st ed. Zondervan.

Categories
Social Relevance

How to maintain a righteous standard in evil times.

During these 2019 elections, many Christians have fought for a righteous government. Hoping that a Christian Party will have more significant support and hence greater influence on lobbying faith-based Judeo-Christian values and policies.  Although the Christian parties gained some ground, it is small in comparison with the leading secular parties.  

A recent sermon of Bill Johnson, “reformation through loyalty” is an essential and inspirational word for SA, post-2019 elections. 

We can learn a lot from the period where Israel was captured by the Babylonian and Persians kingdoms, as a judgement of God for their idolatry. As always, there was a faithful remnant, of a small number of righteous people. How did these godly men and women leverage this unfair and unjust circumstance, to God’s glory?

The most amazing part of this story is how Daniel showed incredible loyalty and faithfulness to probably the most ungodly, evil ruling King in the OT, Nebuchadnezzar. This in the light of Daniel, not voluntary losing his manhood becoming a eunuch, uprooted from his family and home, and thrown amongst sorcerers, magicians, and probably the evilest unrighteous people on the planet at the time.   

Daniel did not compromise, but already early in the story displayed courageous wisdom and tact to sidestep intricate plots, demonstrate his faith and not pollute himself from the delicacies of the King’s table. Daniel and his friends quickly learned to adapt, keep a positive spirit, finding favour with the Master of the Eunuchs. 

Their phenomenal management of the circumstances, came from a deep-rooted fundamental belief, that God is ultimately in control. When faced with his first direct contact with this King, and his first vision interpreted. He disclosed a secret of the thinking of his heart. 

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things. (Dan 2:20-22)

Daniel understood that God uses all things, even evil eventually will serve His purpose for His glory.  Daniel was elevated and promoted to become, “chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon” (Dan 2:48) That is: All the wise men of Babylon! These wise men were not Jews. They did not believe in God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They held different beliefs and viewpoints, yet he had to administrate them peacefully, to the benefit of the Babylonian Kingdom. 

You can only have an influence when you are trusted, by your superiors.  When Nebuchadnezzar had a second dream, this time a dream about God’s judgment against him. Daniel said: Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the King spoke, and said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies! (Dan 4:19)

This statement from Daniel’s lips is such a beautiful admission of the real heart of Christ, the Prince of peace, who wants all men to be saved! (2 Tim 2:1-4) Even the evil, prideful, narcissistic ruler, deserved to get to know the truth. In the end, when he was restored again to his right mind, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the true living God. (Dan 4:34-35) 

Part of the Christian war for truth is fought overtly, sometimes publically.  There should be moments of public declaration and demonstrations, but equally important is the influence we establish through relationships in every sector of society through loyalty and trust. We do not speak evil against any person, party, ruler, leadership.  That is called blasphemy and slander.  We overcome evil by doing good. (Rom 12:21)

It is the same character displayed by Nehemiah, the cupbearer. Serving a heathen Persian King, and obtaining a letter of free passage and support to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.  (Neh 1) Esther and Mordecai also walked in this anointing, finding favour with the King. Eventually, Mordechai became second in charge of the Kingdom. For Mordecai, the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen. (Esther 10:3) 

The church in Rome and Ephesus also faced an evil Rule and Government. Although the Romans practised a measure of religious freedom, many of their rulers became direct enemies trying to exterminate all traces of Christianity. It is against this backdrop and persecution that Paul writes: Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except God, and the powers that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.

For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. (Rom 13:1-7) Please read this passage thoroughly. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2:1-3) 

When Paul arrived in Ephesus, after the resistance from the synagogue, started a Bible School where he reasoned daily from 9:00 – 15:00 in the School of Tyrannus. This overt infiltration of the Word eventually began to change the local economy, and the silversmiths of Ephesus started complaining about the decline of statues of Diana worship sales.  This was the evilest and prominent idol worship religion of the time.  (See Rev 2:13 Seat of Satan, the Pergamum altar, later excavated by Hitler, and rebuild in Berlin) A riot occurred as a result. When the Town Clerk asked the people: For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of your goddess. (Acts 19:37) No lawful accusation could be made, and the crowd was dismissed.  The Kingdom of God was thus winning ground, without public display or prominence.  

We are called to be the salt of the earth. (Mat 5:13) This means we have to be in the soup. We are in the world but not of the world. Our overt infiltration where every believer demonstrates the Kingdom of God, as He leads, and where He leads is paramount! 

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Report of the restoration of land and the dignity of the people Conference in the Cape of Good Hope Castle.

The Genius of God at Work, in His Church, His Body, His representatives on earth.
The church is awaking from her slumber, and are taking a stand for healing, mediation and reconciliation.  The Mediation Foundation for Peace and Justice[1]organised a conference at the Cape Castle for the restoration of land and the dignity of the people under the leadership of Alan Nelson.
The African Christian Union[2]was founded by Apostle Gregory Kruyer to speak to the societal issues of Africa and they have been working to bring the gospel to all the five groupings of the Khoi Khoi, and bushman people. (Korana, Bushman, Griqua, Cape Khoi and the Nama.) On 19 May 2017 a royal degree was signed to protect their heritage according to International Law and basic principles of minority protection, and to declare their royalty and sovereignty as the first nations in Southern Africa.  The signing of this decree is significant as it brought unity to them as a collective.
Princess Chantal Revell is really the one who carries the spiritual burden of the Khoi. She holds it all together and has been on the journey of the restoration of her people for 18 years. She is on the national Khoi council, a statutory body and has connections with all the various groups although she is a princess in the Korana royal house.
Special care was taken to lead them to Christ, offering counselling and support. A 7 day fast was undertaken leading up to the anointing ceremony of this day, 8/8/2018. This was done prophetically to lay down their Kingdoms to the King of King Jesus Christ. Also breaking the curse of slavery and poverty that has rested upon these peoples for centuries.  The apostles of the city came and anointed these Kings and Queens as the Priest of old, to rule wisely, righteously, and bring peace to their people. Their kingdoms were thus declared and honoured, as the Bible ascribes in the Law, that we should honour our parents so that we may have a long life.
Calvyn Gilfellan CEO of the Castle of good hope, the oldest Colonial building in the Country welcomed all the guests by reminding them of the prophetic significance of the date. 8/8/18 Speaking of 3 times new Birth, 352 years since the arrival of Jan van Riebeek.  August is also declared Diversity Month, and the room used for the conference is called “allermans barracks”. The purpose of the meeting was to prophetically declare the restoration of first nations in South Africa. May God use this building (to many a tombstone of pain and suppression) as the birthplace of a new foundation. Let’s unite.
The Keynote speaker was Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. His message was from Jeremiah 30. The only way to achieve a truly sustainable solution to the emotional land expropriation issue is through peace, unity and shared prosperity.
Mogoeng Mogoeng the head of South Africa’s judiciary – a part-time pastor – challenged those present, who were mostly members of the First Nations (Khoi and San) royal houses, to seek the return of their land through peace and forgiveness. Speaking to the media outside the event, Mogoeng said the country needed to go back to basics if it wanted the best land expropriation solution.
“We need to get the foundation right. For us to resolve any of the serious problems that confront South Africa, we’ve got to deal with ourselves as a people.
“We are too divided to achieve anything,” he added.
The critical starting point therefore was for South Africans, black, white and especially First Nations people, to recognise that the overemphasis placed on artificial differences has taken citizens back.
“We need to recognise that we are one people, one nation. As long as we are divided, we are not going to achieve anything. This is a critical beginning that our country has everything that each and every one of us needs to prosper and realise our full potential.
“Let’s unite. Let’s pursue peace. Let’s love and respect ourselves because you can’t give what you don’t have.” Mogoeng also said there were so many things that enjoined and united South Africans as people, for too long the country has focused on what separated it.
“The rest of the African continent looks to South Africa for guidance and solutions because of the incredible capacity we’ve displayed for compromising and bridging our differences, and the infrastructure we have here.”  Mogoeng said he would visit a group of “mega farmers” in Parys at the end of August to engage and take his message to them. “The message is the same: don’t despair about the land issue. We are a peace-loving people as South Africans, and there is no solution that relates to the land issue except one that caters to all of us, that unites us, and is enduring.
“If we ever think we have arrived at a solution, but it is such that it benefits some but not all, it won’t last long. We will play games to try and sustain it, but it can never sustain forever. “That which will unite us and sustain peace, is the kind of solution that we must pursue.”
He again emphasised that solutions driven by love, reconciliation, peace and shared prosperity “will last forever. If not, it will fail, and it’s just a matter of time”.
There was a strong church presence during Mogoeng’s address and a ceremony to honour the First Nations royalty present. Mogoeng led those present in a prayer and asked God to lead the way as South Africans find solutions to what was a heart problem. “Nobody wants to be dehumanised, nobody wants to be exploited. So I understand where the anger comes from. But it is time to forgive,” he challenged everyone. If they do so, God would find a way for land to be returned to those who deserved it and for all in the country, black and white, to prosper together, he said.[3]
Mogoeng plainly focused our attention that the only Unifier is the one who knows the secrets of the heart and the future.  Jesus Christ!
A Judge understand judicial processes, it was significant that he directed us all, but specifically the descendants of the first nations of South Africa, to the Biblical healing process. Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous… for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.Jer 30:12-14.
In legal terms, this is a profound truth.  You were inflicted with wounds because of someone’s transgression against you, but because of the transgressional sins that you have entered in, your wounds are not healing.  Sins like hatred, bitterness, and resentment can do that to a person. For a person to heal of the inflicted wounds of someone else’s sin, you have no other option, but to forgive, and bless and pray for your enemies.
We are looking to people to heal our wounds, but do not repent of our own iniquity.
After 24 years, our best efforts have failed us, to unite this nation and foster prosperity for all.  The strong arm of our own efforts and strength has not availed. We need to turn our heart and eyes to Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.
There are also many promises in the portion of scripture, whirlwinds of revival, restoration of what was lost, glory and restitution. However, please understand that no promise are without conditions.”  Stop the thinking of receiving and getting.  Adam worked. Prov 22:29 Those who are diligent will be brought before kings. Every single promise in the Word is always with conditions, and requirements first to be accomplished and fulfilled before the promise is released.
The message and person of the Chief Justice gives hope! There were many decrees and declarations made during the meeting of the birth of a New Nation. A united, peaceful and prosperous nation!
During the lunch break I was introduced to Chris Pienaar, a unionist from Paarl, with the most perfect Afrikaans accent, yet he is black. He smiled warmly: “one day I will tell you my whole story.” With a twinkle in his eye, he told me of how many times he would introduce himself over the phone, and then when arriving at the appointed meeting, see the confusion on faces, they expected a white person. After many years of winning CCMA cases he realised something has to change. They were winning cases, but destroying relationships, and destroying any future provision and favour for that individual.  They are working on a new type of workers Union based on a Christ-centred relationship mediation approach.
In the end of the meeting, once the royalties were honoured, blessed and declaration of anointing received. The moderator of the NGK church Nelis Janse van Rensburg spoke. He emphasised and offered a sincere apology for the abuses of the past. Declaring that the church will continue to apologise, again and again, until all receive the healing and restoration that Christ offers.  As the NGK church they have started a process called ‘the season of human dignity’. Together we will discover and affirm the human dignity given by God in Christ to us all and the implications of this discovery and affirmation for the church.
The values for this process are:

  • Listening
  • Respect
  • Embracement
  • Selflessness

At a certain point he said: “we want to bow before you and ask forgiveness” at that moment I felt we had to demonstrate this. We knelt before the royal guest, and started repentance from the heart, praying for another. There is so much pain! It is immeasurable! Yet as soon as we finished, these dear old leaders reciprocated and instantly gave forgiveness.
Something was released in the heavenlies as the Holy Spirit disrupted the program and many tears flowed. The atmosphere changed and healing was released.
This day was evidence of the restoration of the Hut of David, where all the gentiles come and bow their knee to the King of all kings.
As we now go out to our cities and town, may we seek more ways to reconcile, make peace, listen, talk, share stories, humble ourselves and see a nation healed, and a new nations awaken and rise up in righteousness.
May we see in our lifetime the healing of the nations in South Africa.
[1]http://peaceandjustice.co.za
[2]http://www.acu.org.za
[3]https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/mogoeng-calls-for-peace-forgiveness-to-resolve-land-issue-20180808

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We will not forget or let go, of the legacy of the reality of Pentecost in SA

What we have easy today, have come at a great price for men of women of faith and obedience paying with their lives, so that the seed of His Word can continue to spread over all the World.
May we be counted worthy to enter into the labours of these heroes of faith, and see God transform our People by His Glory For His Glory in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.
“For inquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
For we were born yesterday, and know nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?
Job 8:7-10
John G Lake’s legacy of starting a work of Pentecostal outpouring in South Africa!

One day some years ago, being environed by certain conditions powerful and influential enemies who pamphleteered us throughout the whole world, broke confidence in our work for God to that extent that the little pittance of financial support almost dwindled away. I had one hundred and twenty workers out on the frontiers of South Africa, beyond the confines of civilization. The question arose as to what to do for these at such an hour. I said, “There is only one thing. That is, be honorable with these men and women. Let them know the true condition. If possible, let us call them in and let them decide as to the best thing to do.” So we sold our household possessions; we sold our watches, we sold everything that was salable for money enough to bring that hundred and twenty in.

When they arrived in Johannesburg, I poured my heart out to them as I am to you today. And alter a while they said, “Brother Lake, we would like to be alone for a little while and we ask you to retire. We have a decision to make.” I retired into the vestry for a half hour, and then they called me in. When I came in I found the hundred and twenty sitting in an oval in the middle of the tabernacle.. They had cleared the chairs away, made a large open circle with a hundred and twenty seats around, and a little table in the middle with bread and wine. They said, “Brother Lake, we have made our decision. We are going back to our fields. If we die, if our wives die, if our children die, we will never reduce that ministry that Jesus Christ has established through this work in Africa.” They said, “Brother Lake, serve the bread and wine.” I took my place at the head of the circle and started the bread around and the wine around. And every man said, “The new testament in my blood,” meaning “my blood to save South Africa.”

They put only one restriction: They said, “Brother, if we die. one request—come and bury us.” And twelve times in that year of hell, I stood beside twelve of the finest men and sixteen of the finest women and children God ever let live in this world. ] buried them because they starved to death, or they died because they could not get proper nourishment. That is the reason that the work in South Africa lives, and that is the reason that all the damnation on earth has never been able to assail it. But like a conquering glory it has gone on these years, conquering and conquering in the name of our Christ, until my hundred and twenty have grown to two hundred and fifty white preachers of the same character and until our five hundred black preachers have grown to be twelve hundred preachers of the same type and character, and until our mission stations are planted all Over Southern Africa.

May God grant us and enable us in the same way, than these powerful heroes of faith, to continue in the message of the Kingdom with signs and wonders following!!

“Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Taken from: The New John G. Lake Sermons, edited by Gordon Lindsay!

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Do we have a Biblical Mandate to pray for the Sick?

Do we have a divine mandate, command to heal the sick? Do only certain people get to be used who have these gifs of power? What is the conditions, spiritual criteria to operate in signs and wonders?

ONLY BELIEVE

Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

these signs will follow those WHO BELIEVE

SIGNS OF AN APOSTLE

Paul was not only an accurate theologian, dividing the Word, but he operated in the supernatural!!
Spirit & Word is the divine ingredients for new creations to take place
Acts 5:12 through the HANDS OF THE APOSTLES many signs and wonders were done among the people.
Acts 2:43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
James 5:14 And the PRAYER OF FAITH will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
He who believes: John 3:18, 36; Acts 2:38; 16:30, 31; Rom. 10:8–10
2 Corinthians 12:11-12 I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in SIGNS AND WONDERS AND MIGHTY DEEDS.
Acts 14:3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, GRANTING SIGNS AND WONDERS to be done by their hands.
Rom. 15:18-21 in mighty signs and wonders, by the POWER OF THE SPIRIT of God
Acts 15:12 DECLARING how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
Acts 19:11 Now God worked UNUSUAL MIRACLES by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

GOD BEARING WITNESS CONFIRMING THEIR WORDS

God does not confirm the person, he confirms His word. The word of our testimony.
Declaring the gospel of salvation stirs faith for people to get saved, in the same way declaring god is present to heal, stirs faith for healing.
Mark 16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.
Acts 4:29-30 grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
Heb. 2:4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
You cannot theorize the work of the supernatural. If you never have done it, you have no right to even an opinion.
The Kingdom is not in words only but power 1 Cor 4:20; 2:4 but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
If their is thus no signs and wonders, no miraculous, people put their faith in vain in the wisdom of man.

PEOPLE CAME TO THE FAITH AFTER THEY SAW THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH VARIOUS SIGNS AND WONDERS.

Many churches are losing the young people, falling away because there is no miracles:
We will not hide them . . . ; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God . . . and that they should not be like their ancestors . . . whose spirit was not faithful to God. . . . They forgot what he had done, and the miracles that he had shown them. Psalm 78: 4–11 NRSV, emphasis added
The disciples believed in Jesus after He turned water into wine in John 2: 1–11: “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him” (verse 11 NIV1984, emphasis added).
People believed in Jesus after He healed a royal official’s son from a distance in John 4: 43–54: “Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he and all his household believed” (verse 53 NIV1984, emphasis added).
There is no record that the healing of the man at the Pool of Bethesda in John 5: 1–9 caused anyone to come to faith, but this healing is followed by a passage in which Jesus deals with people believing in Him in order to pass from death to life (see John 5: 10–47, especially verse 24).
Five thousand people believed in Jesus after He multiplied bread and fish to feed them in John 6: 1–14: “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world’” (verse 14 NIV1984). The term Prophet here is a messianic title. During the interbiblical period between the Old Testament and New Testament eras, one of the views was that the Messiah would be a Prophet. Another view was that Messiah would be a King, and another was that He would be both Prophet and King.
A man born blind believed in Jesus after Jesus healed him in John 9: “Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him” (verse 38 NIV1984, emphasis added).
People believed in Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead in John 11: “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him” (verse 45 NIV1984, emphasis added).
Likewise, look what the chief priests and Pharisees were thinking after that miraculous sign: “‘ What are we accomplishing?’ they asked. ‘Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation’” (verses 47–48 NIV1984, emphasis added).
John 12 also records more fruit of belief from the raising of Lazarus: “Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him” (verses 9–11 NIV1984, emphasis added).
Following the resurrection, the disciples put their faith in Jesus again in John 21: 1–7, after they miraculously caught so many fish by switching the net to the other side of the boat, as He had instructed them to do: “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’” (verse 7 NIV1984).

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Following Jesus, the greatest life ever lived.

Many people know the name of Jesus, like knowing the name of one famous actor, but do they know Him? We preached Christ crucified, resurrected and ascended but equally important is His incarnation.  Principally as the model and example of our lives, we need to focus on his daily lifestyle and suffering (1 Pet 2:21) not His heavenly reign.
Jesus is the best life ever lived.
This was the primary reason why He became flesh, to be an example! To show us it is possible as humans to also live without sin. Many Christians aspire to have His reign, seated in heavenly places, ruling and triumphant without the crucifixion of self. (Gal 2:20; Mat 16:19; Rom 6:11; Rom 12:1) He became flesh so that we will have a priest who have compassion, and mercy. (Heb 4:14-16) Remember 90% of his life was hidden, 30 years obeying and submitting to earthly parents. (Luk 2:13)
Many pastors and church leaders have put themselves on a throne, and want to be treated as kings and lords. But the King of King, and Lord of Lords came as a servant! Some church leaders change their voices, and wear fancy robes, to distinguish themselves, when He came as God Emmanuel, here-with-us.  Some men see themselves as the head of the wife (Eph 5:21) and thus the king ruler of the house. They assume the right to command and demand their wives to submit, and also making decisions without their consent or knowledge. Some men do not play with their children, they also assume this high position in their attitude towards them. Speaking down and belittling them. Parents must discipline their children but never without showing them respect and dignity. To shame them is not to discipline them.
We are called to reign in this life.  Rom 5:17 We reign over sin, destructive habits, emotions and our flesh.  We reign over difficult circumstances! We reign in spite of persecution and suffering for the sake of the gospel.  But we do not Lord over another! Like Jesus the king became flesh to serve mankind and do good.
They way Jesus lived His earthly life, is the way, the life and the way.  He modelled the Bible, making it flesh. So by learning from his earthly life, we unlock the secrets of living with purpose.  In studying the gospels we discover: His forgiveness, (Luk 23:34) His abhorrence of false hypocrisy (Mat 6; 15:7; 22:18), the way he treated women (John 4) and children (Mark 10:14), the way he touched the untouchables (Mark 1:40), His compassion for the lost (Mat 18:11), and much much more!
According to James Martin in his book the “Jesus a Pilgrimage” the newest archeological studies has revealed the Nazareth was “on the fringe of the Roman Empire, both geographically and politically.” Only two to four hundred people lived there in Jesus’s day.
Today the ruins of the houses in Nazareth are scant, but the archaeological evidence has revealed small dwellings built with local stones (basalt or limestone) that were stacked roughly atop one another. The floors were of packed earth and the roofs thatched, constructed over beams of wood and held together with mud. Families lived in small houses clustered together around a “yard” where common activities were performed.
Evidence from the rooms points to little privacy for the inhabitants, but a great sense of community. Everyone knew each other, is this not the carpenter’s son (Mt 13:55–56).
A more correct rendering of this word is artisan. Which means he actually belonged to the ancient middle-class.  Artisans from this period in Galilea, were mostly masons and carpenters, or both as these skills was interrelated to the building of houses. Jesus makes more reference to buildings than specific woodwork practice.  Rebuilding the temple in 3 days (Mat 27:40), house build on a rock (Mat 7:24-25), he is the door (John 10:1-9), He is the cornerstone rejected (Mat 21:42). Again showing his knowledge of how building was constructed.
But being an artisan was not work done in isolation, it was mostly team work because no heavy moving equipment existed in this time. He was skilled with his hands, taking his time to make a whip, learned from his trade, as ropes was standard equipment in his trade.
The little village was “filthy, malodorous and unhealthy” by contemporary standards.
Most skeletal remains predictably show iron and protein deficiencies, and most had severe arthritis. A case of the flu, a bad cold, or an abscessed tooth could kill. Life expectancy, for the luckier half that survived childhood, was somewhere in the thirties. Those reaching fifty or sixty were rare.
Life was hard, and people lived perilously close to the edge, economically and socially. People did not travel afar much, since it was both dangerous and expensive. When they did— for example, for the pilgrimage to Jerusalem— they did so in larger groups so as to ward off bandits. Life was, “predominantly local.”
Nazareth is not mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament. Nor is it mentioned in the Talmud, which lists sixty- three other villages in Galilee, or in the writings of Josephus, who names forty- five other Galilean villages. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” asks Nathanael. (John 1:46) In that Gospel passage Nazareth is, quite literally, a joke. And yet, just four miles from Nazareth was Sepphoris, a bustling city of thirty thousand, which was being rebuilt at the time by Herod Antipas.
One archaeological team wrote about Nazareth: “The principal activity of these villagers was agriculture. Nothing in the finds suggests wealth.” In his parables and stories Jesus frequently makes use of images not from carpentry, which one would expect, but from farming— the sower and the seeds, the mustard seed, and the weeds that grow up alongside the wheat and about laborers.
This background was Jesus’ training ground. His school of Life, where He learned to do nothing unless His Father shows Him.  The working class has this characteristic embedded, no pomp, no wasting time with image and self-consciousness, for it is all about survival.
But the greatest mystery of Jesus life was Paradox. He is earthly, human, simple, with a fine sense of humor and playfulness, justice and fairness, always reasonable.   He got tired, possible would sweat, have normal earthly urges, became angry John 11:38 (brimáomai – to roar, storm with anger, to be enraged, indignant, to express indignation against someone) but not loose His temper. On the other hand, he cast out demons (Mat 12:28), summons the wind (Mar 4:39), walk on water (Mat 14:25), and heal the sick (Acts 10:38).  These supernatural acts and conduct makes Him heavenly and divine.
Remember He was our example, and thus expect us to also walk in this same paradox.  Being humanly frail and vulnerable, yet spiritually strong and temperate.
This lifestyle is only possible once He has removed all duality of a sinful nature, and we walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:19) A better metaphor for this kind of life, is to become like a child. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 18:4) Children are playful and unconcerned. They forgive quickly, and live in the now. They do not carry emotional baggage from the past, and is unconcerned about the future. They love unconditionally and are passionate. They have no self-awareness or self-consciousness.
There is so much to learn and discover of His life, studying the OT references to Messianic prophecies. His different names, and how it reveals his character and personality. His teachings, on values, insight and perspectives.  The power of His resurrection, enables us to overcome sin.  His Miracles and various healings shows us how he was connected with the Father and heaven.  His suffering, rejection and grief shows us how to life through life’s obstacles and challenges.  The sumtotal of His life, gives us all we need to grow in godliness!

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WALK – Holiness, poverty, and relationship-reform

Caring for the Poor, Biblical Mandate: Summery of “When helping hurts” How to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor and yourself. 
Steve Corbett
What was the focus of Jesus’ Ministry?
Luke 4:17–21 
And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
When Jesus’ Ministry was tested and questioned by John the baptist:
Luke 7:22–23 
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Jesus Focussed on the poor: and wants us to focus on the poor:
Matthew 25:44–46 
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
This is the fulfillment of the OT plan God had for Isreal:
Isaiah 1:17 
Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
Deuteronomy 15:4 
except when there may be no poor among you; for the LORD will greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance—
God gave Moses numerous commands in-  structing Israel to care for the poor. The Sabbath  guaranteed a day of rest for the slave and alien (Ex.  23:10–12). The Sabbath year canceled debts for Is-  raelites, allowed the poor to glean from the fields,  and set slaves free as well as equipping the slaves to  be productive (Deut. 15:1–18). The Jubilee year  emphasized liberty; it released slaves and returned  land to its original owners (Lev. 25:8–55). Other laws  about debt, tithing, and gleaning ensured that the  poor would be cared for each day of the year (Lev.  25:35–38; Deut. 14:28–29; Lev. 19:9–10). The com-  mands were so extensive that they were designed to  achieve the ultimate goal of eradicating poverty  among God’s people: “There should be no poor  among you,” God declared (Deut. 15:4). 
God judges our worship as fruitless and futile if we neglect the poor:
Personal piety and formal worship are essential to  the Christian life, but they must lead to lives that  “act justly and love mercy” (Mic. 6:8). 
Throughout the New  Testament, care of the poor is a vital concern of the  church (Matt. 25:31–46; Acts 6:1–7; Gal. 2:1–10; 6:10James 1:27). Perhaps no passage states it more suc-  cinctly than 1 John 3:16–18
God’s answer to the poverty question of mankind is His kingdom:
The kingdom is the renewal of the whole world through the entrance of supernatural forces. As things are brought back under Christ’s rule and authority, they are restored to health, beauty, and free- dom.
Jesus Ministry started preaching the Kingdom: Mat 4:17 instructing His disciples to do the same: Luke 9:2; Luke 10:9 and the first church did the same: Acts 4:34; 10:45
The way God shows His Kingdom to the World is by using the poor, the weak en simple to display His glory:
James 2:5 
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
1 Corinthians 1:26–29 
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Poor people typically talk in terms of shame, inferiority, powerlessness, humiliation, fear, hopelessness, depression, social isolation, and voicelessness.
God established four foundational relationships for each person: a relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation (see figure 2.1).¹⁴ These relationships are  the building blocks for all of life. When they are  functioning properly, humans experience the full-  ness of life that God intended, because we are being  what God created us to be
Poverty is the result of relationships that do not work, that are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or enjoyable. Poverty is the absence of shalom in all its meanings
Every human being is suffering from a poverty of spiritual intimacy, a poverty of being, a poverty of community, and a poverty of stewardship.
The materially poor are trapped by multiple, interconnected factors—insufficient assets, vulnerability, powerlessness, isolation, and physical weakness— that ensnare them like bugs caught in a spider’s web.¹⁷ Imagine being caught in such a web.
According to Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, it is this lack of freedom to be able to make meaningful choices—to have an ability to affect one’s situation—that is the distinguishing feature of poverty
Poverty alleviation is the ministry of reconciliation: moving people closer to glorifying God by living in right relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation. Material poverty alleviation is working to reconcile the four foundational relationships so that people can fulfill their callings of glorifying God by working and supporting themselves and their families with the fruit of that work.
We are building people, leaders, community, an economic base, and capacity, not a product for profit.
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Discover the well of God's Provision within

Spencer Johnson wrote a book called “who have moved my cheese”, giving us a beautiful metaphor of mice in a maze dealing with change. Someone decides to moved the cheese, the mice either continue to go look for the cheese at the same place and eventually die, or begin the journey to look for new cheese.
Since we have been dealing with calling and identity, we understood that we are not chasing riches, we appreciate and acknowledge the riches we already have, and live in obedience the workethic and values of Jesus. Riches and provision then seems to follow us.
A BIBLICAL METAPHOR FOR PROVISION
The well served as a place of rest and refreshment in a dry land. Wells just outside a city or village served as a meeting place for local women but also for travelers, where news would be passed along (1 Sam 9:11; compare 1 Sam 19:22) Wells play a significant role as an image of God’s provision (e.g., Judg 15:18–19; Deut 6:11; compare Neh 9:25)
At Qumran, the well and water were understood allegorically as God’s law and the faithful followers, respectively (CD 6:2–11). As an image in common life, wells were pictures of physical beauty (Song 4:15). Likewise, a dry or broken well served as a metaphor for disobedience. Because wells were the primary source of water, a dry well was a curse (Jer 14:3). They could be used as an image for faithlessness or disobedience (Jer 2:13; compare Prov 25:26). A well could also serve as a metaphor for death (Pss 55:23; 69:15; compare Rev 9:1).
JESUS OUR PERMANENT WELL
1 Cor 10:4
SOME LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM WELLS IN THE BIBLE
Jer 2:13 – seek a living well, and live eating from the tree of Life, not the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The second tree is like a broken cistern that does not keep the water. Religion is second-hand knowledge of God, Jesus came to be our eternal fountain. John 4
Judg 15:18–19 – supernatural provision, God supplied a water source supernaturally, like the rock in the desert. Ex. 17:1–7 God can thus give you a supernatural plan, strategy, for provision.
Gen 21:31 – oath, contract. Sometimes we need to form a alliance with someone for provision.
Gen 26:18 – dig old wells open again. At times we need to go and open an old well. Many internet startups, is simply modernizing an old industry, like Uber and AirBnB.
Gen 26:22 – Made room for me. Rehoboth Walk away from places of contention, until God makes room for you.
FINDING AND INDUSTRIALIZING A WELL
Once we have have received our well of provision, we need to look after it. Towns and cities came into existence from a well. Having a well alone is not enough, we need to begin to produce food, grow plants, build homes and markets. Fruit & Veg City Holdings is the lasrgest fresh produce retailer in southern Africa. It serves customers in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Zambia and Mauritius. Brian Coppin founded Fruit and Veg City with his brother Mike. He related how they took the business from one relatively modest store in Kenilworth to a multi-brand giant in its sector within less than two decades.
Faithful Stewards – 1Pet 4:10
Faithful in multiplying – Mat 25:14-30
THE RIGHT BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ABOUT RICHES
There truly is no division between sacred and secular except what we have created. And that is why the division of the legitimate roles and functions of human life into the sa-cred and the secular does incalculable damage to our indi-vidual lives and to the cause of Christ. Holy people must  stop going into “church work” as their natural course of action and take up holy orders in farming, industry, law, education, banking, and journalism with the same zeal previously given to evangelism or to pastoral and missionary work.
The organized churches must become schools of spiritual discipline where Christians are taught how to own without treasuring (Matt. 6:21); how to possess without, like the “rich young ruler”, being possessed (Mark 10:22); how to live simply, even frugally, though controlling great wealth and power.
Possessions, then, are an extension of the body and of the self, for through them our will and character extend their range, just as they do through our tongue, our arms, and our legs. Our possessions increase the range within which we can reign in life by Christ Jesus and see spiritual power defeat the deadly reign of sin
“Get all you can; save all you can; freely use all you can within a properly disciplined spiritual life; and control all you can for the good of humankind and God’s glory” Dallas Willard
Excerpt From: “The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives” by Dallas Willard. Scribd.
Prov 1:32 the prosperity of fools destroys them.
Paul understood the riches found within first: Col 1:27
2 Cor 6:10 as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Phil 4:11-13 contentment comes from living in His strength
The rich young ruler, trusted and loved his riches and possessions.
We as believers trust in Him who makes rich and ads no sorrow 3 John 1:2
THE FINAL GOAL AND MANDATE
All nations come to his light
Mic 4:2; Mat 24:14; Isa 51:4; Isa 60:3
Glory cover the earth Hab 2:14
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Giving is an issue of the heart. We give because this is who we are. God is a giver. Tithing is about consistent faithful giving, the church can rely on it. The law is like a tutor, giving your tithes teaches you to first give, before using your income. First fruits. It is an issue of the heart! We sometimes wait for the right moment to give, to feel like it, giving should be automatic. Your right hand not knowing what your left hand is doing. Mat 6:3 Generous giver. Ps 112:5; Prov 11:25; 22:9; 2 Cor 9:11; 1 Tim 6:18

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How not to loose your Identity in Christ

We fail in life when we forget who we are in Christ. We forget who we really are, and because of our mistaken identity we fall into sin and error. This is actually the root of the word sin, mistaken identity. The Greek word for sin is “hamartia” which literally means “to miss the mark”. When you look up the word mark in any dictionary it has the following meaning: identity, blueprint, to make you mark, signature, consciousness.
Jesus had no sin, why? He knew who He was, and He never forgot or gave up who He was. Even when he was still a young boy he explained to His earthly parents why he remained behind in the temple; “do you not know that I’m busy with My Father’s business.” (luk 2:49) This is such in contrast with most of our teenagers today, who suffer an identity crisis, and conform so easily to the images of the world. Jesus’ struggle was never to understand or believe who he was, it was getting people to believe who He was. (John 6:28-29; Mat 16:15)
We are sons and co-heirs with Christ, a holy priesthood, seated in heavenly places, more than conquerors, set apart, sanctified, justified, righteous, well accepted and loved by God our Father. We have great boldness through the Spirit working it in us, to call the Creator of the universe “Dad”!
And raised us up together, and MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS (Ephesians 2:6)
To the praise of the glory of His grace, by WHICH HE HAS MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED. (Ephesians 1:6)
I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:1) Yet in all these THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM who loved us. (Romans 8:3)
IN HIM ALSO We Have Obtained An Inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, (Ephesians 1:11)
But now IN CHRIST JESUS YOU WHO ONCE WERE FAR OFF HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)
Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)
Now thanks be to God who ALWAYS LEADS US IN TRIUMPH IN CHRIST, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
Therefore, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
For YOU ARE ALL SONS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS.(Galatians 3:26)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has BLESSED US WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST, (Ephesians 1:3)
For we are His workmanship, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
The curse of work, is not work itself. “In toil you shall eat of it” & “in the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread” Gen 3:17-18. God gave Adam & Eve work to do before they sinned. “Subdue the earth, multiply and be fruitful” Gen 1:28 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. Gen 2:15 and later to give all the animals their names. Gen 2:19. We say “rest in peace” when someone has died, because we think there is no one working in heaven. Working and being productive is enjoyable. Many people when they retire, work harder than ever, now having time for their passions. Work is not a curse, loosing your identity, and continue work without purpose is the curse. Adam & Eve did not realize they were already made in God’s image. They did not have to eat of the fruit to be like God. Gen 3:5-6 But to satisfy their immediate fleshly needs, they missed their purpose and identity. The root of sin – missing the mark, mistaken identity. Esau selling his birthright. Gen 25:32; Heb 12:16
We recognize our true identity when we discover and see Jesus face to face. When one turns to Him, the veil is removed. 2 Cor 3:14. As we continue to look at Him, we are changed and restored to our true identity. 2 Cor 3:18 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Heb 12:1 our lives are hidden in Him Col 3:2 because we were made, destined, fore-ordained to be like Jesus. Rom 8:29.
Reasons why we loose our Identity in Him.
1) False beliefs. We have not heard the truth. We believe the lies of what we have been told and experienced over years. Know the truth Joh 8:32
2) Why do we forget so easily who we are? But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25) The word must become flesh in our lives.
3) We do not know how to feed our Spirit, Soul and flesh. Luk 12:16-31 The man did not know what his soul required. Like feeding your wood table some marmight. Jesus offered spiritual water to the women at the well. Joh 4. He knew how to feed himself in the Word, when satan tried to test Him with bread. Mat 4:4
Our body: Food, sleep, exercise,
Our soul: Connections, growth in learning something new, accomplishing and being fruitful to help someone.
Spirit: Encounters with the Word & Spirit, winning souls, hearing God’s voice.