God is God by marietjie Chase

God is God. He is in control. He has NOT abdicated or gone on vacation. He did not delegate His position and has Not abandoned us. He has not made other little gods to help Him be god and He is not uncomfortable at being God.

The president, government, doctors, your spouse, boss, teacher or pastor is NOT God. You give them due respect but they do NOT deserve your worship and first place in your devotion.  We misunderstand submission and get lost in a quagmire of idol worship until we find ourselves choked in circumstances we cannot comprehend. When we de-throne God in our hearts, we play with fire. What is it that you give the most time, money and energy to? What occupy most of your thoughts? When you have decisions to make, what are you thinking? Maybe you think: " I wonder what my mother/father/pastor/friend/etc would think or say?" This is placing that person in the place of God in our lives. Some may say, and this is maybe more often true, I don't think of anyone else; I just do what is right for me. Well, then you worship at the altar of self.

Jesus said: "I delight to do Your will O, God"

When we worship God in spirit and in truth, we live for His will. We desire to please Him first and foremost. Our concern is first with what God wants. Our submission is first to Him. We commit our lives, and all that it entails, to Him and trust Him with it. We ask ourselves what God would have us do. We search the scriptures and pray for answers. We obey God. The Bible says that those who have a heart postured at obedience, will know the will of God. We have faith, trust and peace with His will for us.

When God is God in our lives, we do not call the shots. We do not demand from or command God. We do not make plans, or do things, and then demand God's blessing upon it. We do not walk in presumption and then get angry because God does not fall in with our plans.When God is God we walk in humility, honesty and uprightness before Him.

There is nothing wrong with asking, in humility, when we do not understand, like Mary did. It is when we get angry at God, when we get offended at His godness, we step out of submission and into rebellion. When we do not understand, we find peace in the fact that because He IS God that He has all things in control. That He has a plan and a purpose and that we and all that concerns us, is safe in His hands.

Could we believe that? Could we believe that God is God?

The question still re-vibrates through the ages: "Who are you and who is your god?"

The Unchanging God by Marietjie Chase

The way I hear some folks talk you would think that there are a few hundred different god's who send their son to die on a cross. The way people relate to God and make Him sound like; makes one think that He is like us and made in our image...That is obviously putting the cart in front of the horse.

Not only is He an eternal, everlasting God, He also does not change. He is forever the same.


Before we go and make a god palatable to us, a god that fits our box, let's find out who He really is. Let's just simply look at what is already revealed. God says of Himself :"I am the LORD, I change not." Malachi 3:6. In Numbers 23:19 He says: " God is not a man, that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent.” Hebrews 13:8 says: "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever." Since God is God, we can only know Him by what He reveals of Himself. "Going through a long line of prophets, God has been addressing our ancestors in different ways for centuries. Recently he spoke to us directly through his Son. By his Son, God created the world in the beginning, and it will all belong to the Son at the end. This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words! " Hebrews 1: 1-2 When we study the Bible to know God, we will see who He is. When we see how He deals with people in the Old Testament we get to know Him. This does not mean that our own History with God should be discounted. Just remember that because you are involved, that it is subjective. Still, let us agree with Paul when he says:"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" Phil 3:10

 
Some folks think there is an Old Testament God and a New Testament God. This is deceiption. There is only one God.  God did not change. Who He is does not change. He demanded sacrifice for sin in the Old Testament and He demanded sacrifice for sin in the New Testament. In the Old Testament it was bulls, calves and steers in the New Testament He provided His own sacrifice, His Son, Jesus Christ. He was a Holy God in the past and is still a Holy God. He hated sin then and still hates sin. He loved His people then and He loves His people now. Those who neglect any part of the Bible will have a dilusional idea of God.
 
God does not change, He does not mature, He does not grow. What changes, is our relationship with Him as we get to know Him better and more intimately. We are the variable in the equation. God is the constant. The old hymn writers knew this: "A Mighty Fortress is our God," "My Anchor holds...", " On Christ the solid Rock I stand..." 

For some of us who are constantly being shaken by the waves of ever-changing life, we find comfort in this. God will never change. He will be our anchor, our sure foundation, since in Him, there is no shadow of changing. The world may change, the sun, moon and stars may change but God will never change. The God that was there at creation is still the same God whom we worship today. The God who is going to be there at the end is the same God we are relating to today.

We can hold onto this. We can find a footing in this. We can find our balance in this. God will not change and He will always be there..

Thank You Father, that You are a Solid refuge and an unchangeable Fortress.

Everlasting Father...Marietjie Chase


Jesus said that before Abraham was, He is. The Bible says that Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. We call God Eternal God, Everlasting Father but do we really believe this? When God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush, He called Himself " I Am".

God created 'Time" for us. Elementary science explains time as we know it, chronological time, as something that comes from the earth rotating around it's own axil, days and hours, and  from the loop that the earth makes around the sun, years. Months comes from the moon's rotation around the earth. All this was created "in the beginning..." by God. The Creator is bigger than the created. He is outside of this thing called time. Yes, sometimes He deals with years, days and hours for our benefit, but He is NOT trapped in Time. God is eternal, without end or beginning. He holds the universe in His hands.

What is the implications of this?

It explains a lot of things for me. God can see way more of our past, present and future than we can. The view is almost like what we see in relation to what an ant sees or the kids in " Honey, I shrunk the kids". Because God is everywhere, past, present and future at once, it makes sense that He will know the end from the beginning. It explains prophesy. It explains why God can call the things that are not as though they are. It explains why Gideon hiding in the winepress were addressed as a "mighty warrior".

It explains co-crucifixion. The instant I accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior and Lord, I am crucified with Him. God sees it all at once. When I call upon the name of Jesus, my life becomes His and His life becomes mine. Then in this way I died and I am no longer a sinner but a saint. I have died with Christ and am no longer a slave to sin. The crucifixion of Jesus is not history. It is as real as it was when it happened. That is the reality of being outside of time.

It explains how the blood of Jesus, spilled 2000 years ago, our time, can still redeem sinners. The blood of Jesus, is now. It is timeless. It does not grow old or powerless because it is not bound by time. It is ever-present to free whosoever will believe in Him. It is ever present to cleans us and sanctify us from all spot, wrinkles and shortcommings.

And I am sure that meditating on this attribute of God, this revealed truth about the God that we serve, will bring more light to us...

Jesus said to the Sadducees: " You are mistaken because you do not know the scripture nor the power of God." And today, because so many preaches their pet-doctrine instead of declaring God, few actuallly knows Him. Just listen to what people say and how they talk before and about God. Had they known Him by what He has already revealed, the reality of their lives would be different.

Man is NOT the center of Christianity, God is. Theology is the study of God. When we talk about Him or make doctrine, we need to at least know God.

Sin and Sins; there is a difference by Michael Engler

There is a vast difference between “sin” and “sins”. It is therefore imperative we understand the difference before entering any discussion on whether we are free or not. We simply must clearly understand what we are freed from and how it came about. Rom 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all man for that all have sinned.” Adam sinned when he chose Satan’s words over God’s. Sin entered into Adam by obeying those words and the result was a changed nature that affected his spirit, soul and body. From that moment on, man has passed this nature to his offspring through the flesh. Rom. 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Rom. 7:22-23, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”




Therefore, we are born with a spirit and soul that are basically innocent but independent from God and a body in which dwells the law of sin. Sins then are different from sin in that sins arise from the sin nature in our flesh just as fruit is borne on a tree. Sins occur when we choose to obey the lust of the flesh rather that what we know to be right. This is also where the law enters the process. God’s law defines right and wrong and gives sin its power with regard to our conscience. There is no loss of innocence when my flesh covets until the law says “don’t covet” and I do it anyway. Therefore, sin abides in the flesh and shall be with us until the resurrection buts sins abide in the conscience and have consequences in this world, in my flesh, in my mind and in my spirit. To free us God had to deal with “sin” and “sins” as well as man’s relationship to the law.



So what has God done about this wretched situation? Did He destroy sin so that it no longer exists? Did He destroy the law so that it has passed away? Did He change His mind about what is right and what is wrong? Has God decided to have fellowship with sins? Does God no longer mind if His children live like demons as long as they have clear consciences? Rom. 6:2, God forbid! How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein?” Notice sin did not die but we died to it. Rom. 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” God placed us in Christ and we were crucified together. Our flesh died with His so that the power sin held over it might be brought to nothing.



Furthermore, Jesus’ identification with us did not stop there, but we were also raised together with Him so that we share the same spiritual life and righteousness He has. God has placed the life of Jesus in our spirit so that we may bear the image of the last Adam just as we have borne the image of the first. God gave us this Life and righteousness in an earthen vessel and because that vessel, although purchased, has not yet received the fullness of the resurrection, sin remains in the flesh and must be overcome. God’s intention is that this Life would be the source of our power over sin through our walking in fellowship and relationship with Him. Rom. 6:11-18, “… reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God as those who are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law but under grace? God forbid! Know ye not the to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.” This clearly indicates the believer has a choice to either yield to the promptings of sin in his flesh or to rule over it by yielding the body to the promptings of God.



Man’s problem was that he could not justify himself through the law because of the weakness of his flesh. Therefore what the law could not do, God did by sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. God has condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness that the law demands might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit (Rom. 8:3-4). Therefore, again, the law did not die for the law of God is good and righteous and true, but we have become dead to the law (Rom. 7:4) and are to no longer try to use it as a means of obtaining righteousness. Rom. 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Trying to keep the law through human effort actually stirs up sin and leaves us under the curse.



Why then must the law be removed as man’s means for salvation? Rom. 4:13-16, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed…” If it is by works then only the strong will make it. But the law has proven that none of us are strong enough so it is by grace so all may receive the promise.



So we died in Christ both to sin and to the law of our own works and have been also raised up in Him with His very own life in us. Now we are made righteous with His own righteousness and “…old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” Because of the gift of righteousness, we have become the temple of God and what was impossible under the law because of sin, has now become a reality for us: in that He has given us His Spirit to dwell in us. His own presence within us now empowers us to walk in the flesh without being sin’s slave.



The knowledge of God’s acceptance of Christ’s blood in the heavenly holy of holies has purged our conscience of dead works, restoring our innocence and fellowship with God. We can now walk in the nature of God instead of the nature of sin. Since we have switched fathers, we can do the good works preordained by God for us to walk in. We are no longer under the law but are under grace. However grace is not an excuse for sins but a deliverance from their power because we know and believe in the love God has for us. Confessing our sins is not a way of changing God’s mind about us, it is the means of our cleansing our conscience from the power and control of sin and death through guilt. Know this: if I can make you guilty, then I can control your life through fear. But if through faith in Christ’s blood and the love of God, you can free yourself from the power of guilt and the torment of fear, then sin cannot control you. Keeping the law cannot do this for us. Only faith has the power to change our behavior from within by our obedience to love and the working of the Holy Spirit.

Rebellion and Submission by Marietjie Chase

Before we can consider rebellion and submission we have to have a look at authority.


Authority in the Old Testament was rule, reign, govern, to have dominion as in Genesis 1:18 where it is said that the sun have rule/dominion over the day and the moon have rule/dominion over the night. In the New Testament the word is excousia meaning the right, liberty, permission, allowed, ability and jurisdiction. John 1:12


There are true authority and false authority, also called usurped authority. Like with all the enemy's counterfeits, it takes discernment, humility and a heart tuned to the Holy Spirit to discern the difference. I did not list a thorough knowledge of the Bible since the interpretation of the scriptures are used by both true and false authority. Malachi 3:17-18 , Colosians 2:4, 1Thesselonians 1:5, 2Timothy 2:15.


All true authority comes from God. It is received from God as Jesus said that "all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me." Matthew 28:18 There is no such thing as taking authority or assuming authority in the Kingdom of God. Authority is always received from above. False authority is taken not received. John 19:11, Romans 13.


There is no hierarchy of authority in the New Testament. No person has the dominion over another person. We have been given authority over the enemy and all his works, over the earth, over sin but not over one another. Genesis1:26&28, Psalms 8:6, Romans 6:12, Luke 10:19 Jesus is the head of the Church, His body, and the government is upon His shoulders. Jesus is the head of every individual and there is no "Moses" needed to go between each of us and Jesus. We are a Kingdom of kings and priests. Jesus is the only High Priest, the only Chief Shepard, the only head of this church. Any form of church government that gives pre-eminence to men rather than Jesus is unbiblical.  Matthew 4:10, 6:24, 2Corinthians 1:24, 1Peter 4:11, Revelations1:6


So how does true New Testament Authority looks like? Like Jesus.


He is a servant-leader. He laid down His life for the Church. He loves us and proves His love by giving His all. He is totally submitted to God the Father and in that He is so submitted, was given authority. John 12:49, 14:10 He was submitted to His early parents and yet was about His "Father's business." Jesus never demanded His rights. He never pitch a fit when His plans was frustrated. He never handled the word of God or the gift of God deceitfully. He allowed those who followed Him to leave, if they so chose and loved them anyway. Yet, he stood up to the religious crowd and did not let them kill Him before God's time. Elders/overseers are to serve, not being served. Deacons are to serve, not being served. Husbands are to serve, not being served, Parents are to serve, not being served. This in itself is a good test of true authority. Is this a loving caring, serving person or are they harsh, demanding and lording it over the people? ( Philippians 2:5-8; Ephesians 5:25-27; Matthew 20:23-26, 23:1-12; Colosians 1:25)


Once authority is confirmed to be true, God-given authority in the Spirit and attitude of Jesus, what should our response be? There is only two responses to true Biblical, God-given, God-ordained authority: submission or rebellion.






Rebellion comes in many ways and is not always apparent. James Dobson, in his books about child-rearing, speaks about the rebellion of the passive aggressive youngster, that needs to be brought into the open so that it can be dealt with. There is passive-aggressive rebellion in all of us. Ex. When the speed limit is 65 and we go 75 to "keep up with the traffic". Some cannot obey any posted sign. When a sign says "Do not park in the drive way" something makes them park there.


This is not to be confused with those gifted individuals who thinks outside of the box. Thanks to these God-given talents, we have many inventions that ease our life. There are also the person who sees the ridiculous in anything and makes us laugh.


What is rebellion then? Rebellion is the heart attitude or posture against what God has given, said or established. It is doing it "my-way". It is rejecting God's plan, God's way and seeking to establish your own. It is knowing to do right but willfully choosing to disobey. Isaiah 14:13-14 (American Standard Version) " And thou saidst in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will sit upon the mount of congregation, in the uttermost parts of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." Romans 10:3, Ephesians 3:1-3, 2 Kings 17:15, Jeremiah 18:12, Hosea 4:8, Mark 7:9


I Samuel 15:23 says that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Dave Wilkerson says that "the witchcraft of rebellion begins with a little root of bitterness! " and " ends in a lack of reverence for Jesus! Acts 8: 18-23 and Matt 21. (http://www.tscpulpitseries.org/english/1990s/ts900305.html)

Rebellion in wanting to be a spiritual "mover and shaker" without submitting to God, without paying the price but taking a shortcut. We have seen a flood of rebellion against God and His word in recent years. There are strange and extra-Biblical doctrines and some re-writing scripture to the advantage of their own pet-doctrine, pressing the truth to extremes. Romans 10:3, Nehemiah 9:16-18, John 7:16-18, Colosians 2:18-23


The spirit of pride and arrogance thrives in the rebellious. It is very much a heart attitude of a stiff neck and unyielding mind. Rebellious people seldom listens and is not easy to be entreated. Rebellion fains submission to get its own way. It does not know what mutual submission means and are afraid of it. Most rebels lack an understanding of God's agape-love and are riddled with fear. A rebellious spirit will always spark competition since there is no humility in it. It is filled with, what one precious intercessor calls, the spirit of "yahbut". It cannot be corrected since it will agree that it is at fault and then follow it with "Yah but..." and a deluge of words defending the position. Rebellion do not know true repentance and the apology will be insincere and surface. 2Timothy 2:24-26, Colosians 3:11-13, James 3:16, 2 Peter 2:9-11.


A rebellious person lacks the courage to do what is required and finds a way to make it easier on his/herself. There is a fear of men to the point of desperation and the biggest crisis is public humiliation. A rebellious person always has his or her own agenda. Watchmen Nee wrote in his book on Spiritual Authority that when one enters a meeting or church fellowship, to discern who the authority is and to submit to them. This is a heart attitude of submission. It is an attitude of preferring one another above ourselves.

 God's Plan or how He desire for us to respond to God-given authority: Submission.


Submission (hupotasso) means to get under and lift up, or to put in order. Submission does not mean, "to obey." The Greek word for "obey/obedience" is hupakoe, which means to listen to or to harken to. Submission (hupotasso) means to get under and lift up, yield, to arrange in order, to place oneself at the disposition of. It can also be a military term referring to the equal sharing of tasks, to support, to fulfill one's part of the assignment. Another good definition is, “To come along side as to give meaning.”


Submission says: " I have faith in God to be who He said He is and to do what He says he'll do". Submission says: " I will not fear but trust." Submission says: " I can forgive because i am forgiven". Submission says:" I need you as you need me".


Submit to God, resist the devil and he shall flee from you. Submission is an attitude of humility that says: I am dependent upon you. I can submit to God and the enemy flees because I am not standing in my own strength and pride and arrogance. I am submitted to God, dependant upon God and my life and interwoven with His. When we truly inter submit our common strength increases. The Bible says one can put a 1000 to flight but two put 10 000 to flight. Trust, love, humility, forgiveness, freedom and unity is found in the hearts of those with a submissive attitude.


Biblical submission does not mean, hiding who you are so that someone else can take over your life. It is not allowing bullies to rob and abuse you. It is not letting someone else living your life for you. It is not subordination, nor slavery. It is not placing someone over you in the place of God. It is said that Sarah called Abraham lord but it is a term of respect not of slavery.


The New Testament says in Ephesians 5:22 Submit to one another. To that Paul adds that wives are to submit to husbands, children obey their parents, and slaves obey their masters . Volitional submission is required from all Christians. Interestingly, the original Greek reads, “Wives to your own husband...” The verb understood from verse 21, rather than stated should be “Subjecting yourselves to one another, wives to your own husbands.” However most English translations do not show a connection between these two sentences. The pre-eminent New Testament concept of submission deals with mutual respect. It never conveys the loss of one's right to make choices. It’s a compatible rapport of interdependence with another person – one that promotes complimentary harmony, partnership, and admiration. Paul viewed marriage as a reciprocal proposal, “ONE TO ANOTHER,” and “in like manner,” which means a mutually loving sacrifice, not domestic tyranny. When submission is no longer voluntary then it becomes obedience – and that’s a different “word” entirely. God didn’t tell wives to “obey” anyone but God. Only children are to obey -- their parents. Married partners submit; -- that command is to submit to each other -- “as to the Lord.” 1Corinthians 7:4,  John 13:34,

Because of misinterpretation and misapplication of scripture the church have taught in the past and some still do, that submission means the lack of opinion, the silence of opposition or difference and absence of debate. Mark 7:9 The New Testament does not teach this. The Unity of the Spirit is not something we arrive at because one person makes the decisions and the others follow. Ephesians 4, Phillipians 2:1-3  That is a kingdom or a fiefdom and that is not what New Testament submission means. We are all co-laborers and we all obey God, His Word and His Holy Spirit. When we elevate a person to be our "Boss" or our King we usurp God's position in our lives. This is idolatry. The purpose of submission is not for one person to be designated as superior “dictator and boss” with another as inferior. We are not to place anyone in the place of our only Lord, Jesus Christ. No husband, father, church leader or political leader deserves that place. We revere, worship and obey only One and that is God, through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are never to put ourselves in bondage to another human, but in genuine agape (God given sacrificial love) we submit to one another. 1 Peter 5:5, Galatians 5:1& 13, 1 Peter 2:16 & 18-19, Romans 12:5-17.


We have missed the full manifestation of the church of Jesus Christ because we cannot see the truth about submission. We cannot comprehend a true plurality of inter-submitted leadership and so go borrow the world's business model for church, at worst, or the Old Testament levitical system of priesthood, at best. We cannot function properly in the Kingdom of God without submission. Galatians 5:13, 1Corinthians 12:24-26, Ephesians 4, Titus1:5,


What happens when we misunderstand submission? We strip ourselves of our God-given role in His purpose and plan. Our submission to God gets sagwayed into submission to a man or ministry. We disobey God since we do not fulfill our destiny and His plan for our life. We enable the flesh of our "boss" in that they receive authority not given to them by God and so we partake of their downfall. Misunderstood submission has caused as much trouble in the church as domineering leaders have. Galatians 5:1, 1Corinthians 7:23, Romans 6,2 Peter 2:19


The Bible (John 13 :3-4) says that Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. It is when we are secure in our identity and purpose in God that we are at liberty to serve, and submit one to another.

Marriage Vows  by Marietjie Chase

Because we just celebrated our twenty third anniversary, because our oldest son (Steve's son from BC) is getting married this weekend and because I came across our wedding video this past Sunday and watched some of it, my mind has been on Marriage Vows. We were so young, so innocent. How little did we know. I can remember that I did not really care about what the preacher said or what the ceremony was like. I had a pretty dress and was getting married. I was in a hurry to start our life together.

But with maturity comes understanding. I now understand that God takes vows serious, even if you take them in ignorance. He is a covenant keeping God. Remember the Gibeons that tricked Joshua into making a covenant with them and then Joshua did not keep the covenant. David, the man after God’s heart, later came and rectified this. The Bible says not to swear falsly and if you promised something, even if it is to your own hurt, that you should keep the promise. Marriage vows is a covenant.

This covenant is not only between husband and wife. It is also between husband, wife and God. And so the Bible says that a threefold cord is not easily broken. But this covenant is not only between husband, wife and God but also includes every child that is brought to life by this union. The generations to come will be blessed by those who keep covenant and will be cursed from those who break covenant.

The Bible says in Malachi that God hates divorce. There is few things that is put as plainly as this to tell us what God hates and abhores. It is clear that divorce can never be an option for those who seek to please God.

So in the light of all this would a marriage covenant, marriage vows that reads like this, be better?

Minister to both Groom and Bride: “Do you both promise to place God and His word first in your individual lives and in your marriage?”

Bride and Groom: “I do” and “I do”

Minister to the Groom: Do you,......, promise before God and all these witnesses, to take ,......, as your wife, to forsake your father and mother and cleave to her, to love her, to cherish her and to lay your life down for her, even as Jesus Christ gave Himself for the Church; for as long as you both shall live.”

Groom: “I do”

Minister to the Bride: “Do you, ....., promise before God and all these witnesses, to take, ......, as your husband, to honor him, to respect him, to adapt yourself to him and to submit to him even as the Church submit to Jesus Christ; for as long as you both shall live.”

Bride: “I do”
 

Maybe we can prevent some divorces by changing how the marriages start.

Discernment: NOT optional by Marietjie Chase

There was a time in the mid eighties in South Africa when thousands of people lost millions of rands in a scheme that involved rotting milk. The basic concept was that people bought a culture and recipe from a company, which then bought back the envelopes of dried product. (in essence just dried rotten milk) The story was that they were using the product in the manufacture of cosmetics. When it turned out that it was only an elaborate scam and the so-called product were stinking up warehouses some laughed and some wept.

We are warned by Jesus and almost every book in the New Testament that false teachers, lying spirits and false Jesus's exist. We all think we cannot be deceived and perhaps that is at the root of deception. Our pride and arrogance leads us into deception. "Be careful you that think that you stand..." Humble yourself. God won't do this for you.

Another root issue is ignorance. Immaturity is only cute in babies because of their innocence. Immature adults are disgusting. Ignorance is also not a mark of some super spirituality. Desire the unpolluted word of God like newborns desire milk, so that you can grow by it.

What is this thing that the study of the Bible is no longer being esteemed as necessary? Do we really think that all our subjective experiences can replace scripture? This smells like rotten milk to me.

Understanding or hearing something does not equal obedience. Just because we understand that we are to obey the speed limit does not mean that we are doing it. We can only mature spiritually by obedience. You will stay an eternal infant in the Body and Kingdom of Jesus Christ unless you study the Bible and obey it.

There are no shortcuts. There are no quick fixes. You cannot escape the disciplines of Christianity. If you do, you will end up with something other than the real thing.

The mature are those who have their spiritual senses exercised, trial and error, to discern both good and evil. Let's not make the mistake to embrace every soft woolly thing we encounter. We may be hugging a wolf.

Focus on the pursuit of God. Read and study the Bible. Pray. Listen to more mature believers and go and assemble with the church - not to 'set them straight' but to learn.

Don't be foolish beloved. We have a real enemy that really, truly hates us. We cannot afford to be undiscerning.

Another Gospel??  by Marietjie Chase

In Africa the Zionist has mixed ancester worship with christianity and came up with a growing religion paletable by many. In the West the church took the humanistic phylosophies of "man-at-the-center" and created dozens of doctrines with it. Slippery stuff with half truths that does not take the whole counsel of the Bible in consideration. Some ignore the spirit of the Word, some ignore the letter of the word and some ignore the person of the Word(Jesus).

The Bible is to be understood literally unless it says not to. It cannot be any simpler than that. When people re-write scripture to suit their doctrine, we hover at the precipice of herecy. When we use greek and Hebrew vocabulary to brow beat people into agreement, we leave little difference between ourselves and cult leaders who make themselves authority over simple, broken people. We cannot bend, butcher and twist scripture and overemphasise some to the neglect of others to make our point. This is wrong.

Man is NOT at the center of the gospel message, God is. It is not how wonderful and great you and I are, but how great and awesome He is. God did not, does not and will not change. He still loves the world, the people, but hate, yes absolutely hate, sin. He still allow us, each individual, to choose the path and purpose for us. Does He have a plan and purpose for us? Most assuredly, but He NEVER forces Himself on anybody. HE is GOD.

To preach a gospel where man has to work his own salvation out by works and self abasement apart from God, where we have some pecking order of holiness and judging people according to our understanding, where one has to join an anxiety club of fear, misery and poverty to prove your piety, is off the deep end.

But on the other hand to preach a gospel where all is well and man has no responsibility, we just float through life like debris in a flood, where everyone is saved but just don't know it yet and man is at the center of all that is happening, where you're ok and I'm ok and sin has no more relevance since it is all already covered and we can just live however we want to...., well, this is as much of the wall and crazy as the other stuff.

All of this is humanism mixed wth christianity. man either become his own way of salvation or the second teaching make God Himself bow down to His creation.

Salvation, being Born Again, is not the end, but the beginning of our best life. We are not saved to float around aimlessly but to grow into the purpose and calling of God for our lives. We are created, designed for good works. Our focus therefore becomes what God is doing and being a co-laborer with HIm. Our focus is not our own self, sin or satan. Our focus is God and what His will is. Here comes the rub though. Most people do not want to spend the time and energy, the effort to pursue an intimate relationship with God, though Jesus C hrist in the power, ability of the Holy Spirit, so that they can hear Him in order to understand what the will of God for them is.

Having the image of Jesus Christ formed, duplicated an and through us is process that takes time. Living by the promises of God requires faith. It is easier for the 'self' to live by rules, principles or totally without restrained, following every whim, lust and passion. To live in relationship with aHoly God and for His plan, cost something.God's promises are inherited by faith, and faith is energized by love. Without faith no-one will see God and without love no-one can have faith. In the last days; says the Bible, the love of many will grow cold.



The gospel of Jesus Christ will pro-create after its own kind ( the life is in the seed) and something that is not the Truth will also pr-create after its own kind but it will mutate with every 'generation' and in the end it will be a monster.

Pursue The GROOM by Marietjie Chase

There is a need for the Church/Bride of Christ to be reconciled to the Groom. It is frustrating when you do all that you know how and He still does not respond. That is why many have walked away from organised religion. What is the answer to this?? STOP the pursuit of all the other things and pursue the Groom...!!!




" When we become people of one thing, we are not easily offended by the Lord,..... We are not quickly alienated by distrust for His motives. ..... By being people of one thing, we help to immunize our hearts against that sense of betrayal the enemy would like us to buy into. " Mike Bickle in After God's Own Heart.



Abiding in the Vine, Jesus said, for without Me you can do nothing. I would push it a bit and say if we are not abiding in Him, if it is NOT Christ in you the hope of glory, then we ARE nothing. The BEING comes first. We cannot be by doing but we can do because of who we are.



When we become intimate in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ by the power and ability of the Holy Spirit, His seed in us procreate according to it's own kind. It will bring forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit and change us from one degree of glory into another.



It is NOT by our own effort. We cannot make ourself into His image any more than a flower can make itself red, yellow or blue. It IS not of ourselves so that we can boast and become pharisees condescending upon others glorying in our own ellevation. It is as we pursue Him, when our entire attention is focused upon Him and the glory that He has starts to reflect of off our faces that we become the dwelling place of God's presense.



Paul said that he no longer judge himself. This is what he was talking about. Our hearts, minds, will and emotions... our very being... gets so wrapped up in the beauty and splendor of the KING that we loose the importance of our self and our own little agenda.



When we can unite not in our agreement in doctrine or methods or common enemy but by the magnificence of our common Lord and King. When we behold His beauty and our eyes are turned to Him as we adore Him and open our lives and hearts for Him; we are truely His Bride.



"AND the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

A New Generation - Marietjie Chase

When David accepted the challenge to go kill the giant, Saul tried to fit David into his own suit of armor. It did not fit. David did not fit Saul's mold.  Remember Saul was "the-peoples-choice". There is again a Davidic spirit released in the people of God. There are those who have been building a history with God on the back pasture, where they learn to trust Him and are not poluted with man's way of doing things. These people, young and old, male and female, from every race, tongue and nation are again crying out; " Is there not a cause?!!!"

They do not fit the mold. These people do not share the same spirit of fear that now makes christians cower and bow to the forces of evil. These are not schooled in the ways of religion and as a matter of fact have no use for religion. What makes them different is that they know God. They truely know God and will not be convinced to believe the lies about Him that are preached. They are convinced of the greatness of their God and know that God have not gone to sleep. They are not afraid of the challenges and will not go silently into the night. They will not be quiet. They will not bow to man's ways and the flesh.


They are not aware of or ignore the "older-brother" spirit that comes against them because their focus is on pleasing God. They have layed aside the fear of men. They have laid aside the concerns for this life. They have laid aside the affects of the systems of this world. They have wasted their lives...on Jesus.

These are the ones who are building a new dwelling place for God. These are the ones who have turned to focus one ONE THING only: GOD!!

LOVE - AGAPE

God is Love John 4: 8
Jesus Commands us to love God and love people as ourselves. John 15:12, 17 and 13:34

Love- agape is a self sacrificing type of love. Love that is found only in God and through God. The love of God. A Charity. A giving, benevolent love. God so love the world that He gave...

Let us love one another for love is from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows, experience God. The one who does not love like this does not know God.

God gave us an example, a demonstration of this kind of love when He gave His Son to pay the penalty, punishment for the sins and mistakes of the entire world. If God loves like this and we call ourselves children, sons of God, then we ought to love like this as well. When we love we are doing what God does and He is in us and works through us. Because we know and believe that God loves us, we are part of God and His love for us and in us, can love like He does. When we find ourselves loving in this benevolent, self-giving way, it is prove of God living inside of us and of us living and existing in God. By this, love as a way of living, we become God's ambassador's, God's representation in this world. John 15:13

There is NO fear in love. Fear includes punishment, but love has NO punishment. Living in Love is better than prophecy, more excellent than any spiritual gift. It is a fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Love is the vehicle, instrument, channel for Faith and without love faith is ineffective. There is NO slavery in Love but we willingly serve as slaves to one another because of love and in this we fulfill the entire law. Love never ends and will continue into eternity.

How do we love one another? By obeying God. Those who love and obey God also love those who are born of God. Jesus demonstratyed His love for God, the Father, through His obedience. John 15:10 and 14 : 31.

I John 2 through 5; Romans 8:28, 37-39; II Corinthians 5:14, I Corinthians 12:31 though 13:13; Ephesians 5: 1-2 and 5: 25; Romans 13:8; Galasians 5:6 and 22

Five Fold Hierarchy Heresy

.....As God has called you, live up to your calling. Accept life with humility and patience, generously making allowances for each other because you love each other. Make it your aim to be at one in the Spirit, and you will be bound together in peace. .... Ephesians 4:4-6

We ought to question anything that brings a spirit of division into the Body of Christ/ Kingdom/ Church/ Bride of Christ. We are all ONE. We need One Another. We are all ONE body, many members but ONE body. If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.... and if one member is honored, all members rejoice with it... there is a more excellent way .... seek Love: Agape.

Ephesians 4:11 are jobs ( job descriptions) not titles. Some He gave a function, or "being" to be.... These are not titles or honors or medals or awards or a system. This was never meant to be some christian pyramid system of control and honor. There is no Levitical priesthood hierarchy in the New Testament. We are ALL kings and priests but our functions, roles and purposes in the Kingdom differs. We are all to humble ourselves and submit to one another. The authority of the believer is not over people, but over the works of the enemy.

The "five-fold" heresy comes from one single verse pulled out of context. Paul could have gone on and extend his list to helps, mercy etc. He was speaking of the Body being one and each one given a gift of grace or grace according to the gift of Christ...He gave gifts to men... as examples of these Paul mentions the five following gifts. There is no implication or hint that this is a hierarchy or system or an "authority" structure. To infer this from this passage is heresy.

Continue to read the rest of the chapter.. or book... It is clear that the whole Body has to grow up and mature with Christ as the head. From the head each part is directly connected and receive life to grow by the proper functioning of each individual part. V25 ... let each man..., for we are all parts of the same body... Here Paul is still continuing on his theme of One-ness.

I Corinthians 12.. again is about the One-ness of the Body of Christ. The gifts listed here are different from the Eph 4 list. So why not call it an eight-fold ministry.

In Romans 12, the passage actually starts out with (verse 3) a warning against the conceited arrogance now so rampant in the Body of Christ. Be humble. But here these "gifts" listed are actually called functions. And the list contains, prophecy and teaching... If we read the entire chapter, it is not about establishing some pecking order but simply to say that we have gifts that differ and that we are all One and must submit to one another in brotherly love,... give preference to one another in honor...

If Eph 4, I Cor 12 and Rom 12 were meant to establish an authority structure, God would have said so, clearly. He has no problem giving Moses very detailed instructions about the first Levitical priesthood... that ; by the way; is a thing of the past. Also the list of gifts would have been the same. It never says anywhere in the New Testament that all are under the authority of a certain gift. It is simply not there. It does say that ALL, that means everyone, needs to function in their gifting, while submitting to one another. There is NO longer a human mediator or authority. We are all face-to-face before God through Jesus Christ.

Do I propagate anarchy in the church? NO, instead the opposite. All in humility and love (agape) submitting to one another. We are all on even plane before God. I Cor 12 says plainly that an eye is an eye and an ear is an ear, both needed and important, both submitted to each other and the one not under or over the other in authority or control.

The only offices in the church are on a congregational level. One for the spiritual well being of the Body and one for the physical well being of the Body. The offices of elders/overseers and deacons are explained in Acts 6. Deacons [gr.diakonos: those who labor in the dust] are the physical servants of the congregation. Elders/ overseers are those who minister the word and devote themselves to prayer.

The instruction to submit to one another is in the same spirit and flow of the rest of the New Testament. The law of liberty of life in Christ Jesus made us free from the law of sin and death; Not so that we can run around and get ourselves entangled again in some sort of man made slavery, or into all kinds of sin and lust, but so that we can now have the power and ability to complete our God ordained destiny. Submit to God and one another by the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ and fulfill your purpose and function in the Kingdom of God.

What is "Born Again"? by Marietjie Chase

Prior to being Born Again a human is a dual/two-part being. The spirit- human spirit- though present, is dormant, inactive, dead. And if the human is indeed a spirit who lives in a body and have a soul; then those who are NOT born into the Kingdom of God, born of the Holy Spirit, then they are indeed dead.

At the moment of " New Birth" our human spirit comes to life and we take our first breath of the HOLY SPIRIT. The instant this happens, we become like God, a trinity/ a three-part-being, created in His image to be in fellowship with HIM. We are new creations. We are born from above. We have abilities, gifts and life(zoe) that does not end with body and soul. We have a whole being, not just two thirds.

Growing up into all God wants/purposed us to be is the Salvation of the Soul. After we receive new life in our spirit, we are now equipped for the process of Salvation of the Soul. Our Body is now the servant and not the master. We begin the task of re-ordering our lives. The body has to become subject to the spirit, through the soul. The soul having submitted itself to our spirit. (the human spirit albeit now filled and glowing with the life and spirit of God)

Our spirit is the God part in us. In Genesis, God breathed His Spirit/breath into Adam and he became a living soul. After the fall/sin in Eden, the Spirit of God withdrew from humans, making man the living dead. Since the soul has no "spirit" to submit to in this state, it takes it's cue from the physical body, to care for, please and serve it. The flesh grows in it's demands, since lust is never satisfied. Legitimate needs and pleasures given the wrong place becomes lust. This is the flesh: when soul serves this body instead of this body serving soul and spirit.

The will of man, that is seated in the soul, makes decisions aided by the mind and emotions. It really does not matter what agency - mind or emotions- brings the convincing. The beauty of God's design in humans is that even the retard, the brain dead, the 'dog' have emotions. Reaching the will through the mind may be more feasible in Western Society or the Orient but when you deal with Africa, or the Islands of the sea or less educated societies, (where the mind has not been elevated to the point of idolatry) the emotions becomes the avenue to the will. Once the will is reached, a decision, by the will, is made to either accept or reject Jesus Christ and His sacrifice and in the process either accept or reject God's New Covenant.

When the will makes this decision and it is uttered through the voice using the breath and physical body, the Spirit of God enters the spirit of the human and life ( zoe) results. This person who receives this life(zoe) will never die. This human spirit, once made alive will never die. It cannot be made "un-born" or "un-alive" anymore. So, the people who never accepted God's offer of LIFE are dead and if their physical bodies die in this state, they will NEVER live(zoe). If they are made alive, they will never die. In this life, this existence, we have the opportunity to spread the LIFE of God.

He that has the SON ( Jesus) has the life (zoe). He that does not have the Son does not have life. If you believe in Me(Jesus), you will live(zoe) though you will die( this bios).

For those who are not born again, whose spirits are dead and who are in enmity to God, this life in this earth is ALL they have. For those who are born again it is just a part- a passing through - a sojourn; just a small part in a so-much-better, so-much-better whole. No wonder the flesh - those whose souls serve and cater to the body- are in enmity to God. It is the boss, spoiled, over -indulged and now it knows that when the spirit is quickened/ born again, that the body will become the servant; no longer pampered, but now disciplined.

The soul is in discomfort since the pattern, habit, status quo has been disrupted. Catering to the flesh, has it's reward for the soul, yet the posture of worship to God through the spirit is foreign. Change is resisted since humans are basically lazy. Laziness and change does not co-exist.

Pre-New Birth - Born-Again- B/C (Before Christ) nothing really matters. It does not matter what you do. You will damage your body and soul and make it less useful but in the scope of eternity it does not matter. Once you are Born Again, you are starting to build, to live eternity. Everything has meaning. Nothing is wasted. Everything has value.

There is only two kinds of people walking this earth: the living dead and the living living. Those who does not have the life of God in them are dead while they live. Those who have the life of God in them will never die though their bodies may stop functioning.

Kingdom Principles by Marietjie Chase

For the past few days, I have been meditating on Kingdom Principles: stuff that should be obvious but are not.

In the Kosmos if you want to become wiser, bigger, richer or better, it depends on how much you can take in or add to your life. You labor to take in knowledge, money, food, honor, etc. In the Kingdom of God you grow and mature by what you give out. Give money and lay up for yourself treasures in Heaven. Give energy and worship and prayer and grow in your intimacy with God and knowledge of Him. Give ministry and service and grow in your stature as an ambassador of the Kingdom.

Often what happens in the Natural/Kosmos precedes the same thing happening in the spiritual/Kingdom of God but often the opposite is required. When the Kosmos is moving in one direction, the Kingdom of God is often moving in the direct opposite direction. Right now the whole world/Kosmos is moving toward a "one-world" system. It is becoming one centralized, connected, interactive, interdependent unit. The word of the Lord and direction of the Holy Spirit for the Kingdom of God is to de-centralize. Go smaller, NOT bigger. Multiply!! Replicate!! Hundreds of thousands of smaller works instead of huge mega structures.

This will require a re-thinking of our "church" set up. Pastors - Who are they? What are they? How are we to relate to them physically and spiritually? The office of "pastor" has been out of order in the church for too long. We need to re-think, re-pray and receive a new revelation on this...

• A small group of about 5 families cannot financially support a full-time pastor. Pastors have to either take a secular job or pastor several small congregations. Which begs the question: should the pastor be paid by the congregation at all. maybe that is just another Old Testament, "levitical" thing we kept for lack of something better.


• Are you still a shepherd/pastor when you oversee several smaller groups? Or does the fact/action of traveling make you an "apostle"?


• Could one of the more mature/experienced members with a full-time job be a shepherd/pastor? maybe members will grow up faster if more of the ministry is done by the members instead of the hired help/pastor.

Our current church system makes me think of the time in Judges 17 when each did what was right in his own eyes and some paid the Levite to be their priest.

Could we be brave and courageous enough to chance what is? Could we cross the bridge from tradition to blind faith? Where is God's Elijah's, Daniels, Deborah's and Esters? Are they ever going to come out of the caves, backside of the wilderness or prison?

There is a new Reformation coming - No, it's already started. Will we go with the flow or try to hold back a tsunami with our bare hands?

The Kingdom of Heaven/God by Marietjie Chase



The revelation of the Kingdom of God/Heaven, I am starting to realize, is not just another signpost or event in this journey , nor is it the next restored reality/truth to divide about. If Jesus spoke about this so often and seemed to keep going back to it; and then the apostles in their epistles, brought this down in more bite- size daily applications, it is in fact our life. Some wrote books on it, and that is important to help us think this through, but it is not even about the thinking part. It is not about knowledge or being right. It is not about structure, authority and methodology. It is not a truth that excludes all the others. It is not something to get fanatical about.... Jesus told stories to try to bring it to people: The Kingdom of Heaven is like... He said this over and over and over again.



So what is it? As I begin to see it, it is a changed heart and mind. It is the reality of seeing God's way, living God's way. It is to "not let the world/kosmos squeeze you into it's mold". It is to let the love/agape of God rule and reign in our hearts and minds. It is to love/agape the Lord our God with ALL our heart, soul, mind and existence.

"So?"

Well, it is easier said than done.



We, humans, have a sin-stained "action and re-action" attitude about life. We have our own inbred, yeah I mean inbred, sense of justice. We have a balance, an equilibrium, that helps us survive and succeed in this world/kosmos system. But in order to live in the Kingdom of God we have to let all this go. Yeah, let it go.



There is a new attitude, a new "breeding" that has to happen. Meditation on what Jesus said, what the Apostles said, brings us almost always to the conclusion that this cannot work in this world/kosmos. So we sit with this dichotomy that we would like to live and obey the New Testament but the Old Testament thinking and living fits easier in our polluted attitudes. We therefore keep parts of the old and embrace that of the new that we dare to swallow. None of us, or maybe I should say few, has yet to bet the farm.



What would make us see, really see, that the new is better? Would it take some cataclysmic event to erase our systems/kosmos/world that we so desperately cling to? This to, would not seem like the mercy and grace of God but it would be; wouldn't it?





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Meditations



"Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, because the one who is least among all of you is the one who is greatest."



"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure-- pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."



In the same way, the last will be first, and the first will be last, because many are called, but few are chosen."



For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has showed no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment.



"But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them

WARNING!! DANGER !!!

Abuse, any abuse, that brings a wound in our person, spirit should be viewed as serious. If we keep the offense, it will fester into a wound, hurt feelings. Woundedness and hurt feelings, when not taken to the foot of the cross, will bring you to a place of overcompensation, which is arrogance. Arrogance when it is complete, mature and fulfilled leads to self-deception. Self-deception leads to heresy since the "glass" through which the truth is viewed is distorted. The result is mixture. Some of what we believe and release, say is the anointed truth of God but some comes from another source. This is the trap that now ensnares the church, body of Christ, believers. Too few of us has the ability to discern between the truth and the junk. We are to enthralled with the personality, charisma and to lazy to find God for ourselves and study the Bible for ourselves. If you take everything a someone teaches, without weighing it against the witness in your own spirit, - which comes from your own personal relationship with God and study of the Bible - you will be deceived. We ought to search the scriptures to have enough of a deposit of the Word in us and have enough of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, that we can sieve what is taught to separate the anointed truth from the other "stuff." So how do we avoid the seed of self-deceit? (If you are self-deceived you would not know it.) Deal with the offense. Learn to forgive and love(agape) your enemies. This DOES NOT mean staying in the abusive situation. Remove yourself from the abuse but for you own sake, forgive. Run from the abuse but also deal with the residue of it in your heart and spirit. Unforgiveness is sin. Deal with the offense, unforgiveness as with any other temptation: War against it. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the scriptures to war and overcome. Eph 6 calls it the "sword of the spirit" for a reason. Jesus wielded this sword most effectively in Matthew 4.

SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL -------


In our days, I dare say the last days, we arrived at the edge of a precipice that the church has never before experienced. It seems some have gone to sleep and are letting the political tide drift them to who knows where. Some of us are fighting a battle we feel we cannot win. Some see the danger and are ringing the bell. People are like animals in a fenced yard sensing the eminent danger and circling but all we accomplish is to kick up the dust.





When Jesus' time here on earth drew toward the end, he became increasingly concerned for His disciples well fare. We read His prayer in John 17 and the last teaching to the disciples/apostles that span from chapter 13 through 16. This was His farewell address to them and if we read this and meditate on it we see a few survival techniques that He brings to their attention.


First: Let's wash one another's feet. What does that mean? In one of Paul's epistles he wrote, in love (agape) serve as slaves to one another. This is practical. There is no reason, we, Christians cannot be a village, a community. Do we even know the practical needs of those we are in the Body of Christ with us.

Don Fransisco sang it years ago: "I don't care how many buses you own, or the size of your sanctuary, it doesn't matter how steep your steeple is, if it's sittin' on a ceme- tary I don't care if you pave your parking lot, or put pads upon your pews, What good is a picture perfect stage, if you're missin' all the ques I don't care if your pastor's super powered, and your program's always new What you need is love and truth Men are gonna come to you, It doesn't matter that you know the Bible, if it's all just in your head, the thing I need to ask you, is that have you done the things I've said: Do you love your wife For her and for your children, are you laying down your life What about the others Are you living as a servant to your sisters and your brothers, Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone Do the widow and the orphan cry a-lone."

Jesus said that even as He loved us, we need to love one another. How did He love us? He gave His life for us. That means His all. BY THIS shall all men know that we are His disciples, if we love one another. Jesus comes back to this point over and over again: Love God and love one another.





Second: Believe! Believe in the Father, Believe in Jesus. Believe means to trust and obey. Jesus said we will do the same works that He did if we believe. Unto believers it was given in Mark 16 to lay hands on the sick , to do signs and miracles etc. We who believe are suppose to do these things, not a select few. Be foolish enough to take God by His word and act on it. Lay hands on the sick and heal them. It is the least we can do. Stop running all over the place and do it yourself. Like when the disciples came to Jesus with the complaint that the 5000 plus followers were hungry in the wilderness and He said: " You feed them." This is not the time to debate doctrine and pontificate the pro's and con's. Do the stuff. If you believe, do it!





Third: Jesus introduce the Holy Spirit to them and explain the purpose and the place of the Holy Spirit to them. The orphan spirit that have christians live as though our God is dead, has permeated the church because we do not know how to draw on the Holy Spirit. We have this Holy Spirit right here upon the earth. We have Him living inside of us. Learn to rely on Him. Yes, it is by trail and error and we look and sound like fools while we are learning but the alternative is even more disastrous. We are so inclined to have a human Moses, - pastor, prophet, teacher, - that we have not learned to discern His voice. Come on Church, get of your lazy lowers and start getting into God so that you also can hear His voice and OBEY it. You will not hear if you are not willing to obey.





Fourth: Jesus said, if you abide in Me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you will and it shall be given unto you. We have to know the Bible more deeply than just what we hear in church. You and I need to know the book. It is very simple. Read it, meditate on it and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. Let it settle in your heart. If you have to memorize it for this to happen then do it. This is your civil defense. This is your "Boot Camp". The Word and prayer. Yes, it sound so simplified but it is still true. Get on your knees and pray. Pray the scripture if you do not know what else to pray. Pray through the New Testament. Let the Holy Spirit lead you through it. Learn to pray. Learn to seek God's face in prayer.





Jesus warns of coming persecution. The warning is going out again! Troubled times is at our door. Get ready! it is not time to go hide in a hole. It is not the time to reach for more entertainment. Get ready! Prepare yourself, for "in the world you have tribulation but take courage; Jesus overcame the world."

FEAR!!! by Marietjie Chase

In times like these we need to deal with fear. It is a mistake to think that fear is the opposite of faith. true that fear can keep and stop people from obeying the will of God but we never see Jesus being very harsh with anyone who feared. He encouraged them." Don't be afraid", "Fear not."

When it comes to unbelief it is quite another story He rebukes them for unbelief. Unbelief is faithlessness, uncertainty or distrust. The negative of being persuaded and convinced. It is closely related to doubt and disobedience which is to be without persuasion. Heb 3:18-19, John 3:36. Doubt and unbelief is the opposite of Faith, not fear. Fear's opposite is courage.

Unbelief brings judgement John 3:18 and is called evil Heb 3:12.

Fear and faith can exist simultaneously in a person, Mark 5:33-34 and I think of Gideon who obeyed scared. It is possible to obey afraid. It is possible to belief while being afraid. Faith gives us confidence but during the process we can still be afraid. Fear does not necessarily cancels out faith. II Cor 2:3, Ephesians 6:5, Heb 4:1.

God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, timidity or cowardice, but if we find fear in us, it does not mean that we have no faith. It simply means that we lack courage. Fear is cast out by love (agape). John 4:18. Fear is our indication that we lack a revelation of God's perfect love. Do not throw away your confidence, it has great reward, Paul warns. We need to be persuaded of the integrity of God, but we also need a revelation of His love. If we are sons and the spirit of adoption is in us and the spirit of love (agape), then we will get rid of the spirit of fear.

Faith comes by the voice of God and to gain faith we need to spend time seeking His face. Prayer and fasting may help with this. We need to seek His presence, we need to behold Him. No amount of repeating scriptures, or looking at our past, shaky future or the terrible odds against us will build faith. We find faith only one way, "by the Rhema word of God" Remember what happened to Peter, once he took his eyes of Jesus, he sank. Keep our focus on Jesus. Keep our faces locked into His face. Let the things of the earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

How will you hear His voice if you do not seek out His presence?Spending time in His presence will also bring us to a greater revelation of His Love. For God is love and abiding in Him is also abiding in love. As we pursue God we will also be filled with His love.(agape) God is love and the one who lives in God lives in love. Fear, fearfulness, timidity, cowardice, the spirit of slavery will fall off like the access baggage they are.

Eph 3:14-21.

I pray the Father, from whom every family in heaven and earth derives it's name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power - dunamis- divine inherent ability Acts 1:8- through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you being rooted and grounded in love (agape) may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love (agape) of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power - (dunamis- divine enablement- Acts 1:8) - that works within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

The Root of The Spirit of Fear by Marietjie Chase

Reading through Romans I came upon this verse in the eighth chapter, the 15 th verse: "We have not received the spirit of slavery, leading to fear but a spirit of adoption as sons (spiritually which includes both genders) by which we cry Abba! Father!" That made me think of II Timothy one verse 7: "God has not given us a spirit of timidity -cowardice, fearfulness - but of power (dunamis) and love (agape) and discipline - a sound mind, self-control and moderation-."

See how the spirit of fear has it's roots in the orphan/slave spirit. Slaves and orphans has no inheritance, no protection, no security, no confidence and are left to fend for themselves. Spiritual slaves are often legalistic and concerned with what is right since they find comfort and security in this. They are always trying to do what is right since they think that they will by that, find the acceptance they so desperately crave. John 14:16-18 Jesus states that He will not leave us as orphans but will send the Holy Spirit as comforter - He is also our teacher, reminder and companion. In Psalms 27: 9-10 it says that even if my father and mother forsake me God will never.

Galatians 3:23-29 and 4:1-4 says that slaves and immature sons have a lot in common. Immature sons are tutored by the law until maturity. Mature sons enjoy the inheritance of the father, immature sons enjoy the positional inheritance but does not yet see the inheritance. True sons of God are not afraid of the Father's reproof, but embraces it since it leads to maturity. Notice how often Jesus rebuked, reproofed the disciples. Children do not raise themselves.

We have very few true fathers in the Western, One-Man-Show, Church and even if we find one, we have made it so easy for people to run from congregation to congregation, that they never get the fathering needed to mature. So we have bunches of orphan/slaves running around with no real roots, power, love or self-control. This caused the church to be so feminine that true men seldom feel at ease in these places. Part of the reason for the abuse of women in the Western Church is that the pastors have a feminine spirit produced by the absence of fathers in the faith. They are feminized and are intimidated by the women since they are trying to "mother" the church instead of "father" the church, since this is all they know. A pastor or father that has a slave/orphan spirit uses people instead of investing in them. It sacrifices it's children to the needs of self. It does not tolerate intimacy or genuineness, realness. This is the opposite of the spirit of adoption.

If we are going to successfully deal with the spirit of fear, lack of love and power in the church we have to deal with this orphan/slave spirit and part of the answer is to change the structure, mindset and methodology of the church. We have raised a couple of sons and have still two in the house. These boys needed their mother when they were young but there comes a time when a young man yearns for the fathering of a father. Maybe the old ways of making a knight had something to it where a boy stayed with the women folk until the age of eight and afterward was raised by men.

Changing our style of church will only help if we also "father" people into maturity and produce mature sons (spiritually which includes both genders) to continue the family business. At the age of 12 Jesus separated Himself from His mother with these words: "Did you not know that I have to be about my fathers business." Luke 2:49

[See also these: http://touchedbygrace.org/teachings/ ; http://www.fatherpower.com/ ; www.rmdk.com/ ; http://web.mac.com/waynecanderson/Standsure/The_Blog/Entries/2008/9/1_Orphans_and_Motives_Behind_Christian_Disciplines.html
and also the book Wild at heart by John Eldrege ]