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Teaching Archives - Firestorm Ministries, International

In FS Word of Power

FS WORD OF POWER – A STRONG TOWER – 03/04/20

FS Word of Power

Eva Windahl

March 4, 2020

“A Strong TOWER”

We just recently came back from a visit to the Holy Land: Israel. While visiting Jerusalem we had the chance to take a closer look at the remains of the tower of King David, situated close to Jaffa Gate. As we approached the site a word from the book of Proverbs came to mind: “Chapter18 verse 10: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous run into it and are safe.” Let’s take a closer look into this verse in order to unlock the pure power contained in it.

The fact that His name alone is a strong tower tells us that all we need to do is run to Him in times of trouble. But is running to the Lord the equivalent of running from our enemy? I think not. We are told that God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1), our hiding place (Psalm 32:7), and a shelter in the time of storm (Isaiah 25:4); and while Scripture nowhere tells us to run from the Enemy — where else ought we to be, but with the LORD?

Let´s compare the above word with the Amplified Version Classic Edition’s in regards to this powerful verse: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man [upright and in right standing with God] runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong.” This is the proper Christian posture for the child of God. Go to Him and be encouraged; He has you covered. You are safe!

However, in the spiritual world, the Lord tells us we can run to Him and stand strong behind the power of His name. How do we do this? How do we run to the protection of our Lord when we need it? If we look closely, the action verb here is “run.” This means that we take action when we need protection. In other words, we must run to it to find safety. This may be as simple as calling on His name with prayer when we need His protection. As simple as it sounds, so often it is easy to forget where to run to when we are in need. If you are in need today and find yourself in a difficult situation – try to RUN to the tower of his name. Use the name of the Lord in spiritual warfare and tell the enemy to go! In Song of Solomon 4: 4 we read: “Your neck is like the tower of David, built with courses of stone; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors.”

Watchtowers or fortified posts in frontier or exposed situations are mentioned in Scripture, in several places ( Genesis 35:21 ; Isaiah 21:5 Isaiah 21:8 Isaiah 21:11 ; Micah 4:8 ) and their purpose was to offer protection but were also used as watch-outs in order to spot enemy forces. Now the name of the Lord is our strong tower only when we actually are using it as a defense. Remember to run to it and use it – there is POWER in the name of Yeshua- because of what he accomplished on the cross.

As we passed Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem- and approached Golgotha, the place where Yeshua gave his life on a wooden cross- I could almost hear the crowds shout: “crucify him!” but then I was reminded that while He gave His life for us. HIS NAME is our refuge or as He said to His disciples in Philippians 2:9-11: “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the mention of the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, those on earth and those under the earth and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father.” Hallelujah! <3

In Equipping the Saints, MARY SUE DAVIS – ARTICLES

EPHESIANS LESSON 5 (CHAPTER 4) 02-22-20

LESSON 5-Ephesians

Chapter 4

BEING THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

Ephesians 4:1-32

Eph. 4:17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles 9unbelievers)walk, in the futility of their mind,18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (living completely in the sense/soulish realm)

4:17 My most urgent appeal to you in the Lord is this: you have nothing in common with the folly of the empty minded masses; the days of conducting your life and affairs in a meaningless way are over! Mirror Translation

4:18 Their understanding is veiled by an interception of light (an image cast by an object, representing the form of that object) Therefore the life of God remains obscure and foreign to them because ignorance blindfolds their hearts. Mirror Translation

4:19 Having become conditioned to a life distanced from God, calloused in spirit, lust and greed driven, they have totally abandoned themselves to outrageous shameless living. Mirror Translation

Related Scripture:

1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Points:

1.Darkness causes a Christian to fail to orient to the plan of God. He does not know God’s plan or how it works, and he does not know how he fits into God’s plan.

2.Darkness brings about a failure to orient to the grace of God. The result is arrogance and legalism, lack of forgiveness, lack of graciousness.

3.Darkness causes inner misery, unhappiness, anxiety, lack of peace. These things cannot be compensated for by anything in life, but the negative Christian spends his life in a frantic but futile pursuit of happiness through the details of life.

4.Darkness can bring about neuroses and psychoses – anxiety. Phil. 4:6,7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard [STABILIZE] your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

5. Darkness results in a frantic search for happiness through details of life, or through some form of sublimation.

6. Darkness leads to slavery to the details of life. Sins may grow out of 12 things in life money, success, pleasure, sex, social life, family, loved ones, career, hobbies, health (too much emphasis on the body), status symbols.

7. Darkness leads to apostasy, erroneous thinking, false doctrine in the soul.

8. Darkness is accompanied by a lack of capacity to love, leading to pseudo-love towards God, family, the community.

We teach that our little spirits became darkened by the fall of Adam into the sense realm. He plunged mankind into living by the soulish/sense realism, what we think, see, hear, touch etc.

Scripture is clear about living solely in the sense realm.

1 Corinthians 2:14–15 But the natural [soulish/sensual] man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

Jude 16-19 These (soulish/sense/carnal persons) are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are [a]sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

I Tim. 6:4-5 he (soulish/sensual person) is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 [b]useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

Emphasis on Light:

You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light. (Psalm 36:9)

“You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105)

Now the message that we have heard from his Son and announce is this: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him. If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions. But if we live in the light—just as he is in the light—then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin. (1 John 1:5-7)

For anything that is clearly revealed becomes light. That is why it is said, “Wake up, sleeper, and rise from death, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)

However, the command I now write you is new, because its truth is seen in Christ and also in you. For the darkness is passing away, and the real light is already shining. If we say that we are in the light, yet hate others, we are in the darkness to this very hour. If we love others, we live in the light, and so there is nothing in us that will cause someone else to sin. (1 John 2:8-10)

In BECCA CARD - ARTICLES, Training

How to Have Greater Faith

How to Have “Greater Faith”

Becca Card

 

I always find inspiration when I read the story of the Centurion’s faith in Matthew 8:5-11.   No one starts the faith walk with “great faith” however, we all have been given a “measure of faith” that can grow as we gain revelation knowledge, believe, speak, and act on Yahweh’s Word.

 

Romans 12:3 (ESV) – For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

 2 Thessalonians 1:3 – We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

It is interesting to see that faith is “measurable” and can be increased to reach the fullest potential of “great faith.” Yahshua measured people’s faith when ministering to them. He would make statements like, “according to your faith be it done to you”, indicating that some people had greater faith than others. He also located the faith level of Peter in Matthew 14:31 when he said, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt.”

Peter tried to walk in the level of faith that Yahshua was operating in but was not quite ready to believe beyond the five-sense realm longer than a few minutes. The phrase “little faith” here actually means “faith that didn’t last long enough, or short faith.”

Yahshua not only measures our faith when we are wanting to receive from Yahweh, but He looks for faith when we approach Him as proved from the story of the paralytic who was lowered through a roof by his friends, “When He saw their faith”, Luke 5:20.  Faith that can receive from Yahweh is so vital that Yahshua will be looking for it when He returns.  “Will the Son of Man find faith on the earth when He comes.” Luke 18:8

There are four keys to develop “great faith” that we can see clearly in the life of the centurion who amazed Yahshua with his faith.

Recognition of the Lordship of Christ

Matthew 8:5-6 – When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 – “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”  

I remember someone saying that “if Yahshua isn’t Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.”  A full surrender to Yahshua giving Him total reign over our lives is the first step to developing great faith.

Humility

Matthew 8:8 – But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Humility is a “proper estimation of self.” Pride is an “overestimation of self.” This centurion knew that he was not “deserving” of Yahweh’s help because of who he was or what he had done, but all that Yahweh does for us is done as a “free gift.” 

Romans 8:32 – He who did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? 

 Understanding Yahweh’s Will

 Matthew 8:7 – And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

We must be convinced of Yahweh’s will and pray in faith.

1 John 5:14-15 – And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Understanding the Nature of Faith

Matthew 8:8 – But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

 “Say the Word only and my servant shall be healed.” Real faith requires no proof or evidence from the five senses; but believes with the heart. Faith is a “sixth sense” that is independent of the five physical senses. The man with great faith said in effect, “If you say it, it’s done.” He went his way believing his servant was healed before he ever saw him.

Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 8:13 – And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. In Matthew 8:10 – We read the astounding words of Yahshua affirming the level of faith of this Roman, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.  Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek him.

 May We All Grow in Faith!

 

 

In Equipping the Saints, MARY SUE DAVIS – ARTICLES

EPHESIANS LESSON 5 (CHAPTER 4) 01/11/20

LESSON 5-Ephesians
 
Chapter 4
 
BEING THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
 
Ephesians 4:1-32
 
 
Eph. 4:8 Therefore (For this reason) He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
 
 
4:8 Scripture confirms that He led us as trophies in His triumphant procession on high; He repossessed His gift (likeness) in man. Mirror Translation
 
 

 

eph1.jpg
 
 
Taken from-Psalm 68:18 You have ascended on high; you have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the Lord God might dwell there.
 
Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
 
 
Eph.4:9 Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
 
 
 
4:9 The fact that He ascended confirms His victorious descent into the deepest pits of human despair. Mirror Translation 
 
 
 
Eph. 4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
 
 
 
4:10 He now occupies the ultimate rank of authority from the lowest regions, where He stooped down to rescue us, to the highest authority in the heavens, having executed His mission to the full. Mirror Translation 
 
 
 

“He led captivity captive” – aorist active indicative of AICHMALWTEUW-This verb means either “to take captives in battle” or “to lead a triumphal procession of one’s own soldiers along with their captives.”

 

The consensus of the commentators which I studied is that this phrase is a reference to Christ leading the believers who had previously died, that is, they died prior to his ascension. This would include all Old Testament believers and those saved during Christ’s lifetime. They have been residing in Paradise (also called “Abraham’s bosom”) until the Ascension of Christ. They are called captives because they do not have a resurrection body yet. They will not have a resurrection body until the second coming of Christ, 1 Cor. 15:51-54.
 

Christ’s body was in the grave, His spirit was in the presence of the Father, and then descended to a region called Hades (Greek) or Sheol, (Hebrew). Some say soul descended.

 

All believers from Adam and Eve up to the Resurrection of Christ, who had died, stayed in one compartment of SHEOL, known as Paradise, or Abraham’s Bosom. Those who died without Christ prior to the Resurrection were sent to Torments.

Prior to the Resurrection of Christ, no human beings were in heaven; all believers checked in to Paradise in the heart of the earth. Reference: Luke 16:19
 

There is also a place called Tartarus which is a residence for certain of the fallen angels (demons) who were involved in the events chronicled in Genesis 6. They are locked up there until the Judgment of the Great White Throne.

Jesus Christ was not in Hell, He was in Hades. At that time, Hades has two divisions, Paradise for the believer, and Torments for the unbeliever. Hell, and the lake of fire and brimstone, is reserved for the future. Rev.20:14 He led captivity captive and led them out.

 
The ministry gifts, which were given by the Lord Jesus Christ, include those mentioned here, that of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher, the five- fold ministry. As a conqueror distributes in token of his triumph the spoils of the foes as gifts among his people. The impartation of ministry gifts (graces) depended upon Christ’s ascension. Christ as Lord of all first took possession of the earth, the unseen spiritual world, then heaven.
 
Acts 2:27-28 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
 
eph3.jpg
 
Romans 10:7 or, “Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
 
Revelation 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
 
Spiritual Gifts
I. Introduction and Definition.

A. God has a purpose in life for each and every believer.

 

 

1. Life-long purpose (Jer. 1:5; Ps. 139:16; Matt. 6:27).

 

 

2. Short-term purposes (Acts 16:6 Paul is forbidden to go to Asia, Acts 18:19-21; 19:1-41 where Paul bears some of his greatest fruit in Asia).

B. To facilitate the believer’s fulfillment of that purpose, God has provided spiritual gifts.

1. During this present dispensation, the distribution of spiritual gifts is universal. Every Church Age believer motivational gifts- (Rom. 12:3,6)- ministry gifts (Eph. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10), gifts or manifestations of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12).

2. During previous dispensations, each and every believer had a purpose in life, or a work-assignment, but the giving of spiritual gifts was not universal. The Spirit of God would come upon a person for a specific time or reason, and then depart just as suddenly (Judg. 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 14:6,19; 15:14; Num. 11:17-30).
 
3. Spiritual gifts (charisma) are given entirely by grace (charis), and the assignment of one gift versus another gift are not reflections of individual human merit or demerit.
4. Passages which speak of spiritual gifts, and “list” examples of such include Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-31; 13:8-12; 1 Cor. 14 is the application of 1 Cor. 12-13 to the particular circumstances in Corinth, but we gain great principles there as well; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).

a. Peter (1 Pet. 4:10-11) gives the simplest breakdown of gifts when he divides them between communication gifts and service gifts.

 

b. Paul gives more detailed distinctions of gifts. Eph. 4:11-13 should be taken in context with what Paul has already written in Romans 12 and 1st Corinthians. In Eph. 4 and 1 Pet.4. Paul is describing what are often referred to as the leadership gifts: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, and Pastor- Teacher. I prefer to think of them as the equipping gifts, because they are designed for the equipping of the saints for the work of service (Eph. 4:12).

 
 
eph4.jpg

 

5. The purpose for spiritual gifts.

a. For the common good (of the entire body of Christ) (1 Cor. 1:7).

b. For the equipping of the saints for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12).

c. For serving one another (1 Pet. 4:10).

6. Who gives these spiritual gifts? The Holy Spirit is referred to as the giver of these gifts (1 Cor. 12:11). The Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the giver of the “5- fold ministry/leadership gifts” (Eph. 4:11).  The Father is referred to as the giver of the motivational gifts in Romans 12:6-8. These are delegated responsibilities, of course, because ultimately everything is given by the Father (James 1:17).
 
 James 1:17   Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
  
We will continue with Lesson 5 next week.
 
 The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22
 
In TERRY THOMPSON - ARTICLES

AUTHORITY – TERRY THOMPSON

AUTHORITY

By Pastor Terry Thompson

 

I want you to just close your eyes for a brief moment and let your mind’s eye look back into your school days. Now, let me ask you a question, which teacher did you learn from the most? I know in my case it was Miss Ward.  She was a great motivator and showed so much enthusiasm and joy.  Everyone in the class wanted to hear what she had to say. Some teachers have that gift.  This is just what I want to draw your attention to with Jesus’s teaching. In the first book of Mark, we see in verse 17 Jesus enlisted Simon and Andrew.  Then in verse 20 He saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and called them to follow Him and they followed. The next day they were in Capernaum and it was the Sabbath day. They went into the synagogue (church) and Jesus taught.  I would have loved to of seen the expressions on the faces of the four new disciples as Jesus taught in the synagogue. Let us just look at verse 22. 

 

Mark 1:22 – “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.”

 

THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST

When Mark wrote his gospel, he showed the difference between a good teacher and a bad teacher.  It is quite obvious that the people thought the scribes were quite dry in their application, yet they said Jesus spoke with such authority.   

Mark 1:23-27

23 – And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 

24 – Saying, let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.  

25 – And Jesus rebuked him, saying, hold thy peace, and come out of him.  

26 – And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.  

27 – And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, what thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

The authority Jesus showed created motivation and when motivation was  stirred activation was manifested.   

 

Dictionary 

AUTHORITY 

 /əˈTHôrədē/ 

noun 

The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.   

Matthew 7:29 

29 – For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”   

The chief priests and the elders were always challenging Jesus’s authority.   

 

Matthew 21:23 

23 – And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, by what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?”   

Do you remember how the dictionary expressed what ‘AUTHORITY’ was?  ‘the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.’   

The dictionary breaks up the word into two categories. 

  1. The power. 
  2. The right.   

Jesus exercised spiritual power. The chief priests and the elders exercised religious rights. Both had authority, the spiritual enables people to do and religion forbids people to do.    The authority Jesus showed created motivation among the people, when people are motivated it stirs them into activation and miracles manifest. 

The authority Jesus gave to His disciples was a power that sets people free and motivates them into service.    

 

MAN LIKES TO MONOPOLIZE  

John told Jesus that he forbid someone using his name to cast out devil’s because he did not belong to their group. Jesus responded by saying, “Forbid him not.”  When we try to monopolize the work of God, we take away it’s natural ability to ignite an area like a bushfire. On the day of Pentecost, the 120 believers saw 3000 saved in just one day.   

Luke 9:49-50

49 – And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 

50 – And Jesus said unto him, forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”   

We need to remember that God gave us the power to set the captives free.  Jesus said, 

Luke 4:18 

18 – The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach  the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach  deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at  liberty them that are bruised, 

19 – To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

 

THE SOURCE OF SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY 

The Holy Spirit is the activator of our authority and when we yield to His leading, we become a force to be reckoned with. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we have been given access to activate the accessories that He gives to us. 

The Bible calls them gifts in 1 Corinthians 12.8-10.   

CONCLUSION 

The word AUTHORITY describes an action, to bind or loose. Jesus gave this ability to His disciples one day when He was asking them who do you say that I am.    

Matthew 18:18 

18 – Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”   

The source of our Authority is based in Christ! And manifestation comes through the Holy Spirit.  When we align ourselves with the new commandment Christ gave us in John 13 we implement our authority with the attitude of love. 

John 13:34-35

34 – A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  

35 – By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”   

 

Love Y’all!   

Keep under the spout where the glory runs out!!! 

In TERRY THOMPSON - ARTICLES

DARKNESS AND LIGHT – TERRY THOMPSON

DARKNESS AND LIGHT

Terry Thompson

 

 

I was going through a note pad just the other day from August 2008, and I found something the Lord revealed to me about darkness and light.  As I was reading, I was compelled to share it publicly.  This is what was written:

“Out of darkness came forth creation. ​ Out of light came forth revelation.”

 

DARKNESS = CREATION​        

LIGHT = REVELATION​

Before I go any further with this article, I want to reveal to you that all

darkness is not evil. In the book of Genesis, we read that darkness was upon the face of the deep. While it was still dark, God spoke forth light into existence on the first day. Then on the fourth day, He spoke, the sun, and the moon into existence.

GENESIS 1: 1- 5

1 – In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 – And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 – And God said, let there be light: and there was light.

4 – And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 – And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

God used this format of creating in the dark and revealing in the light several times in the scriptures.

 

ADAM & EVE

When God made Eve, he placed Adam in a deep sleep. While Adam was in the dark God made a partner for him. Adam had named all the animals God had made.  When he saw his partner, he recognized she was part of him and named her woman. How did he know? He got a revelation.

Genesis 2:21-23

21 – And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 – And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

23 – And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

 

ABRAMS COVENANT

Abram had a dark and light experience in his lifetime. Do you remember the time when Abram rescues Lot recorded in Genesis 14?  Abram never took a penny for himself from the money that was recovered. In chapter 15 it says;

Genesis 15:1

1 – The word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Abram had just won a battle and God said, fear not. Why?  When you read the text more closely, you get to see how Abram is concerned about an heir. Abram literally has a dialogue with God about this subject. In Genesis 12 the Lord took Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees and gave him a promise.

GENESIS 12:2-3

2 – And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 – And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

This was the thing that Abram was concerned about, he still did not have an offspring and he reminded God of his promise. But God asked him to go a step deeper into a relationship with him by cutting a covenant. Covenants demand commitment and trust. He had to pay a sacrifice; a horror of great darkness fell upon Abram. 

GENESIS 15:12

12 – And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.”

When Abram was in this trance-like state God revealed 400 years of captivity of the children of Israel.

 

PETER’S TRANCE

Peter fell into a trance on top of Simon’s house, where the Lord showed Peter a series of pictorial instructions.

Acts 10:9b-10

9b – Peter, went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 

10 – And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,”

The Lord had to change Peter’s understanding of the Gentiles. It was absolutely forbidden for Gentiles to eat with the Jews.

Acts 11:3

3 – Saying, thou wentest into men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

Yet after Peter’s trance he and six other Jewish men accompanied the three men back to Cornelius’s house (Acts 11:12). Peter reveals the plan of salvation and the household was baptized in the Holy Ghost. (Acts 11:15-17.)

CONCLUSION

Each one of these characters came to the threshold of change in their lives.

God took them into the dark and it changed them. Then He enlightened them (revelation).

 

OUT OF DARKNESS CAME FORTH CREATION​

 

OUT OF LIGHT CAME FORTH REVELATION​

 

Love Y’all!!

 

Keep under the spout where the glory runs out!!!

 

In Equipping the Saints, MARY SUE DAVIS – ARTICLES

EPHESIANS LESSON 5 (CHAPTER 4) 01/04/20

LESSON 5-Ephesians

Chapter 4

BEING THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

Ephesians 4:1-32

Eph.4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

4:7 The gift of Christ gives dimension to grace and defines our individual value.  (Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ) Mirror Translation

There is a unique grace package designed for each Christian. The aorist tense of the verb “given” shows that there was a time in the past when this grace package was given.  I teach these were given to you from the foundations of the earth. The passive voice shows that we were given this by God.
 

The plan of God for every believer includes:

  • Salvation and the assurance of a glorious eternal future.
  • The opportunity to walk in the Spirit and be occupied with Christ.
  • The opportunity to live in the Word of God, acquire divine wisdom and prudence, and be able to make decisions and solve problems according to God’s divine viewpoint.
  • Peace that passes understanding.
  • A great happiness (joy) that does not depend on circumstances, people, or things.
  • A well laid out “career” of serving God, fulfilling the plan of God, exercising spiritual gifts, prophesying, evangelizing and teaching, producing “gold, silver, and precious stones.”

 

Ephesians 4:8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

4:8 Scripture confirms that He led us as trophies in His triumphant procession on high; He repossessed His gift (likeness) in man. Mirror Translation

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Taken from-Psalm 68:18- You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious, That the Lord God might dwell there.

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Led Captivity Captive:

Colossians 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Gave Gifts to Men:

I have a course I teach on God-Given Design. Quote from that teaching:

God has given you a unique combination of skills, interests, aptitudes, personality traits, motivational patterns, callings, gifts and talents. He has specially equipped you to be a dynamic minister to and within your family, your job and to the community of faith. You’ll need to discover this by the Holy Spirit’s leading. Your God-given passion which indicates where you should serve – Your God-given gifts which indicate what you should do – Your God-given personal style which indicates how you should serve – Together, they indicate what you do best. (your passion)

When you were given this unique design? The answer should be in all of the Scriptures.

Gen. 1:26, 1 Cor. 11:7, Jer. 1:5, Romans 8:29-30. Eph. 1:4-5, Eph. 2:10, Ps. 139:13-16

 

That’s why the gift and callings of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29) He never takes them back because they were given to you at your creation. (Gen. 1:26) If to be a wise steward of your gifts and abilities, you need to fully understand and appreciate your God-given design. As the Psalm 139:14 states, “…you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” God has given you tremendous responsibility in being a steward (or manager) of your unique design.  It is like your fingerprint, something specific to you as an individual, a person uniquely crafted and gifted by God to perform meaningful tasks of service to Him and to others.

You are uniquely fitted into the Body of Christ.

We will continue with Lesson 5 next week.

The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by    blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22

David & Mary Sue

In Equipping the Saints, MARY SUE DAVIS – ARTICLES

EPHESIANS LESSON 5 (CHAPTER 4) – 12/28/19

LESSON 5-Ephesians

Chapter 4

 

BEING THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

Ephesians 4:1-32

Eph.4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

Eph. 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Eph. 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

4:4 We are identified in one expectation (hope), there is no plan B.  We bear the same surname.

4:5 We are employed by the same Boss, we share the same faith, and our baptism says the same thing (we are equally included in His death and resurrection.)

4:6 There is only one God. He remains the ultimate Father of the universe.  We are because He is. He is present in all; He is above all, through all and in all. (He is not far from each one of us, in Him we live and move and have our being, we are indeed His offspring.  Acts 17:24-28). Mirror Translation

 

 

 

 

The One God over all, in His sovereignty and by His grace.) IN THE APOSTLES CREED-

“as you were called”

The passive voice of the verb indicates that every believer receives this calling from God the Holy Spirit; and the indicative means that this is a dogmatic assertion. Every believer is in one body, elected.

“in one hope” – ELPIS, “expectation; confidence; prospect” G1680 – elpis

“your calling” – the descriptive genitive of the noun “calling”. Being a member of God’s family, the Body of Christ, in your station in life!

 “one faith” – PISTIS-

 Everyone is saved the same way.  Those who have placed their faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ are members of the Church, members of His Body, members of God’s family.
 

THE BODY OF CHRIST-Each member of the Trinity is related to the Body of Christ. God the Father places Christ as the Head of the Body.

 Eph. 1:22,23 “And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.”

 Col. 1:18,19; Eph. 5:23,24- The Holy Spirit forms the Body of Christ and sustains the Body.

 1 Cor. 12:12-14, “For as the body in one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” See also1 Cor. 6:15; 6:19,20.

 

 

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Christ is the Savior of the Body

 Eph. 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body.” Eph. 5:25,30.

 Christ is the Sanctifier of the Body.

 Heb. 2:11, “For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”

 Heb. 13:12, “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.”

 The Body of Christ participates with the Lord Jesus Christ in tactical and strategic victory over satan and his forces of evil.

 Eph. 1:22,23, “And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.”

 

 

Every Christian is a member of the Body of Christ. The Body includes Gentile believers and Jewish believers.

 Ephesians 3:16, “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”

 The Body of Christ is the recipient of many spiritual gifts.

 Rom. 12:4,5, “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

 1 Cor. 12:7,8, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit. For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom, to another, the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit…”

“one baptism” (Here we are talking about baptized into Jesus, all placed in the Body of Christ))

This is a good place to study the doctrines relating to baptism. There are actually seven types of baptism mentioned in the Bible, including the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It’s important to be able to distinguish among the types of baptism and to know which type is being discussed in a particular context.

 Four of the types of baptism mentioned in the Bible are real baptisms and three are ritual /symbolic baptisms.
 

Real Baptisms

The Baptism of Moses
The Baptism of the Cross (or Cup)
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The Baptism of Fire

Ritual Baptisms

The Baptism of John
The Baptism of Jesus
The Baptism of the Christian Believer

Since the scope of the immediate context shows Paul is writing of the spiritual unity of the church, this reference to baptism has no bearing upon the mode of Christian baptism. In the same manner as there are expressly stated to be two circumcisions, one with hands, which is the sign (Ro 4:11) of the real, made without hands (Ro 2:29. Col 2:11).

Scripture teaches there are at least two baptisms: ritual baptism with water, and real baptism by the Holy Spirit. Since ritual baptism is the mere symbol of real baptism, the “one baptism” of this passage must refer to real baptism, by which we are all placed in the one body (1 Co m12:13). Paul is not contradicting himself or the rest of Scripture when he speaks here of one baptism, since there is only one real, spiritual baptism which places all believers into the one body.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

 

 

We will continue with Lesson 5 next week.

The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by    blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22

David & Mary Sue

In FS SUNDAY SERMON

WHAT DOES JESUS WANT FOR CHRISTMAS – JOHN PIPER – 12/22/19

What Does Jesus Want for Christmas?

By: John Piper

What does Jesus want this Christmas? We can see the answer in his prayers. What does he ask God for? His longest prayer is John 17. Here is the climax of his desire:

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am (v. 24).

Among all the undeserving sinners in the world, there are those whom God has “given to Jesus.” These are those whom God has drawn to the Son (John 6:44, 65). These are Christians – people who have “received” Jesus as the crucified and risen Savior and Lord and Treasure of their lives (John 1:12; 10:11, 17-18; 20:28; 6:35; 3:17). Jesus says he wants them to be with him.

Sometimes we hear people say that God created man because he was lonely. So they say, “God created us so that we would be with him.” Does Jesus agree with this? Well, he does say that he really wants us to be with him! Yes, but why? Consider the rest of the verse. Why does Jesus want us to be with him?

. . . to see my glory that you [Father] have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

That would be a strange way of expressing his loneliness. “I want them with me so they can see my glory.” In fact it doesn’t express his loneliness. It expresses his concern for the satisfaction of our longing, not his loneliness. Jesus is not lonely. He and the Father and the Spirit are profoundly satisfied in the fellowship of the Trinity. We, not he, are starving for something. And what Jesus wants for Christmas is for us to experience what we were really made for – seeing and savoring his glory.

Oh, that God would make this sink in to our souls! Jesus made us (John 1:3) to see his glory. Just before he goes to the cross he pleads his deepest desires with the Father: “Father, I desire – I desire! – that they . . . may be with me where I am, to see my glory.”

But that is only half of what Jesus wants in these final, climactic verses of his prayer. I just said we were really made for seeing and savoring his glory. Is that what he wants – that we not only see his glory but savor it, relish it, delight in it, treasure it, love it? Consider verse 26, the very last verse:

I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

That is the end of the prayer. What is Jesus’ final goal for us? Not that we simply see his glory, but that we love him with the same love that the Father has for him: “that the love with which you [Father] have loved me may be in them.” Jesus’ longing and goal is that we see his glory and then that we be able to love what we see with the same love that the Father has for the Son. And he doesn’t mean that we merely imitate the love of the Father for the Son. He means the Father’s very love becomes our love for the Son – that we love the Son with the love of the Father for the Son. This is what the Spirit becomes and bestows in our lives: Love for the Son by the Father through the Spirit.

What Jesus wants most for Christmas is that his elect be gathered in and then get what they want most – to see his glory and then savor it with the very savoring of the Father for the Son.

What I want most for Christmas this year is to join you (and many others) in seeing Christ in all his fullness and that we together be able to love what we see with a love far beyond our own half-hearted human capacities.

This is what Jesus prays for us this Christmas: “Father, show them my glory and give them the very delight in me that you have in me.” Oh, may we see Christ with the eyes of God and savor Christ with the heart of God. That is the essence of heaven. That is the gift Christ came to purchase for sinners at the cost of his death in our place.

In FS Word of Power

FS WEDNESDAY’S WORD OF POWER – “WHY ME” – 12/11/19

FS Word of Power

December 11, 2019 

Eva Windahl

“WHY ME?”

 

Some of you reading this have been through a lot! Some of you are wondering, “will this ever end?” and some of you have endured what others even couldn’t imagine. Eventually everybody suffers sooner or later because life is not fair and there is a great deal of suffering.

Today, I hear the Lord say: I have seen your tears and heard your cry, I have not abandoned you! I am here – now come and let me comfort you. Let me speak gently to your heart and know that after you have endured- you will share my GLORY! (Romans 8:17)

No one likes suffering, but you see we read in Romans 8 that we are called to share his suffering- whose? Yeshua! We read in Isaiah 53:3 – “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”  

As co-heirs of Christ we will encounter suffering in this life- but may I encourage you today? You see suffering will come to an end and his GLORY will be so glorious that I don´t think we will even remember all we suffered here on earth.

Apostle Paul even declares it is necessary to suffer. Did I say suffering is necessary? Yes. But it’s necessary for a specific purpose. You don’t need to suffer to be born again or to have eternal life. Not at all. But you do need to suffer for a different goal: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom 8:18). All believers are heirs of God. But notice, not all believers are joint heirs with Christ. That’s a special heirship—a conditional one. It depends on whether you have suffered with Christ. That doesn’t include self-inflicted suffering (e.g., getting arrested for robbery, or getting fired for laziness). It means suffering for Christ, for the testimony of the gospel.  If you want to reign with Christ, you must suffer with Him. Suffering is necessary for that. Of course, it might not be your will. Suffering for Christ is hard. It can mean a great many things—from mild ridicule at work to witnessing the martyrdom of your children. That temporal suffering might not seem worth it. You might wonder- “Isn’t simply being saved enough? What more could I want?” Paul assures us that suffering will be worth it. 

Let me end with this word from the book of Revelation 21:4

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
 

Have faith!