Wealthy Believers Part 3 – Investments, Yields, Returns
As stated in the previous posts, the world has their investment plans and God has his investment plans. I am identifying this series as Part 1, Part 2, and so forth so you consider the information in the entire series. Why? So I do not have to repeat myself. The series starts with, Is Profit From God then the posts after that post and continues. My motive? To be a good steward of what God gives me.
When I asked God how do I explain this in a way where people understand and can implement your plan in their life, God showed me, keep it simple and don’t get technical. So, we see from scripture, God teaches us about investments, yields and returns. God has a lot to say about wealth, money, finances, debt, interest, yields, seeds, offerings and a whole lot more. If your motives are because you love money and greed, you need to forget this and get your heart right with God first. If you, with a good heart, want to be a good steward of what God gives you and your motive is to help others, let’s learn together.
Remember in Luke 19:12-27 there were 10 servants and all 10 received the same amount, 1 pound. This teaches us we all start equal, with the same opportunities. The decisions these 10 servants made determined their yield on their investment of 1 pound. Jesus mentions three of the ten. One servant with one pound turned it into ten pounds. One servant turned one pound into five pounds. And the wicked servant hid his pound. The question is how did they do it? How did they gain? They invested their pound somewhere. Not the wicked servant but we are looking at those that had a yield, an increase. Which leads me to the investments God has and he gives the yield amount.
I am going to explain this but then I will have a chart for you to print that you can use as a guide if you want. Just as markets go up and down and you decide if you will stay in the market or not, so with God, when a season of testing comes, God will try the reins of your heart to see if you are committed. He tested Abraham with his son Isaac, he tested Moses, David, Solomon, Joseph and even Peter and Paul. God will try the reins of your heart too.
Investment Areas:
The Tithe ~ by definition means tenth. The Tithe is given to God from your profits. People ask, should I tithe from gross or net? What is in your hand? You tithe from what is in your hand. When you retire you will tithe from your social security check.
Whether you believe tithing is for today or not does not matter. Tithing is part of God’s financial plan. Tithing was before the law and after the law.
The Firstfruits ~ this is whenever you get a first increase you honour God and give him the increase, all of it the first time. Examples of this is Cain and Abel. People ask, why did God prefer Abel’s offering over Cain’s offering, God created them both? One word, firstlings. Abel gave of his firstlings or firstfruits.
Genesis 4:3-4 KJV “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord .
[4] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:”
We have lots if examples of firstfruits in scripture including when God, with Joshua, was going to lead Israel into the promised land all the treasure of Jericho, the first city conquered, goes to God Joshua 6:19 KJV “But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord : they shall come into the treasury of the Lord .” Then they could keep the treasures from all the rest of the cities.
Today, say you have a new garden. The firstfruits of that first garden should be given to God, then the rest of the yield you keep, the harvest and gleanings. Say you have a job and they are giving you a raise of 50 or $100 each pay period. The very first check with that increase you take all of the raise, the 50 or $100 raise and give it to God and the rest of them you keep.
The Alms ~ Alms is giving to the poor or needy. Most people give alms giving. This is where you see or hear of a need and it tugs at your heart like some of those tv commercials for dogs, babies starving, well drilling, 9/11 fund, hurricane or tornado relief efforts. Even the Salvation Army buckets at Christmas. This is all alms giving.
Offerings / Seeds – offerings are given to God in gratitude for his blessings on you. We read many times where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon and even in the book of Acts where offerings were given. Offerings please God and Paul addresses this to the church in 2 Corinthians 8, the whole chapter. Offerings are like seeds. Why? Because an offering is sowing into something or someone.
You have heard, what you sow you reap? Sow corn, get corn. Sow love, get love. Sow money, get _____? Then you have those “believers” who try to get you to sow a seed for a blessing. Basically, they are trying to buy a blessing. Geez, didn’t some people try to buy and or lie to God? Like in Acts 5:1-11 and in Acts 8:20 KJV “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.” The people who sucker believers are treading on dangerous ground.
God rewards me, I don’t need to put this in a book and sell the book because God already put it in his book, the scriptures, for everyone who will dig it out.
What about the yields? And how do we put this all together for our time? I am going to give you the yields and next time explain the yields for our time.
The Tithe – given to God and brought to your local church only. You sow your tithe at your local church. Genesis 14:17-20 ; Nehemiah 13:10 ; Malachi 3:10. Your tithe is given to God and delivered to your local church. God uses your tithe to keep the church up, maintenance, pay the bills, help with the ministries of the church. The yield you receive is in Malachi 3:10-12. We will explain this next time.
The Firstfruits – given to God and given to the pastor of your local church. Just like Cain and Abel and many others (word study firstfruits). Proverbs 3:9 KJV “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:” Deuteronomy 26 explains a lot. For those who study scripture, you know God set things up where the Levites were to be cared for by the offerings of the people. God even said the musicians should be paid. God set it up that those who laboured in God’s business, are to be paid, they are worthy of their hire. Even Paul discussed this in Romans 15:27 and 2 Corinthians 8 & 9. The yield? Proverbs 3:10.
Alms – God established alms giving, giving to the poor and needy. God has a heart for the poor and needy and throughout scripture we see giving to the poor is something we should do. Even the disciples commanded, remember the poor. God establishes alms giving in Exodus 23:11 and 22:25. The yield? Proverbs 19:17 and Luke 11:41 ; Luke 14:14.
Offerings / Seeds – this is where the 30, 60, 100 fold comes in. Mark 4:8. Luke 19 showing the 10 servants and they sowed their one pound and turned it into 10 and 5 pounds. Offerings have been given to the Lord by many people in scripture. Offerings are given for thankfulness to God for his blessings and prospering you. The yield is the 30, 60, 100 fold.
The outcome of the 10 servants? The one that hid his pound, Jesus called wicked and took his pound and gave it to the one with the most, the one who had 10 pounds.
So if you don’t participate in God’s economy, you loose in this world and the world to come. We will put this all together next time.
The Path To Knowledge
If we were to look back and our childhood most of us can see someone in our life that guided us. That person taught us right from wrong. Most of the time it is mothers who teach the children. But some children grow up without a mother so someone else pitches in to help. Regardless of who it was teaching us, they taught us based on what they know. But what about the areas our teachers do not know? Or if our teachers were wrong about some things? Everyone has their own slant in life.
Because I was not raised in a Christian family or with a Christian up bringing ( other than to know God exists ) my siblings and I learned what my mother believed. Our father left before I was 2 years old and if I saw him 4 or 5 times in my lifetime that is a lot. My mom left the learning to read, write and do arithmetic up to public schools. After all, her tax dollars were helping to pay for our education in the basics.
When it came to learning specific ” skills ” , my mom was somewhat at a loss. She could share what limited understanding she had on a topic but that was all. But mom was not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get into a project.
But what about God? She did not have a clue. No one taught her and what limited experience she had with a ” minister ” was his groping her when she was younger. As mom put it, ” he was trying to feel me up “. So mom didn’t teach us much about God and we did not go to church except for the occasional Christmas eve service and sometimes Easter.
I was in the third grade when church school was made available. One of my brothers was in the second grade. That year we went to church school and seeds were planted. We would walk from our elementary school two blocks to the Baptist church and after church school stop at the local Five & Dime to buy a couple of 1 cent fireballs. Then walk back to our elementary school and catch the late bus home.
Because we were memorizing the books of the Old Testament in church school, mom would ask me to “say the books of the Bible” when we were at a family gathering. Mom was proud of me but I was embarrassed she would put me on the spot.
As I grew up I quickly learned if I wanted to learn how to do something I needed to read and study a book. Then just follow what the book teaches, exactly as the book says and I can expect the results the book says. Mom use to tell me, you can do anything, just give you a book and you will do it. So it was no surprise to mom when I went into realestate and music, that I would learn and follow the books.
So when God got a hold of me when I was 27, mom was watching. I already had a track record with following what the books taught. Now I was going into an area mom knew little about – God and Jesus Christ. Then I got saved and mom was watching me, saw my life change based on what a book said. Three years later, mom followed me and got saved when she was 56 years old.
Just like books on how to topics, there are good books and there a bad books. It is like cooking using someone’s recipe but they leave out the “secret” ingredient. I feel the same way about the King James Bible. Many of the other versions change or alter or leave out “secret” ingredients. And if you follow the notes and footnotes of others, how can the Holy Spirit teach you?
It is no secret God has all the answers to all our questions and to all our issues in life. The answers are in his book the scriptures.
Mom was not a financial guru but mom knew to budget, plan and save. Even though she had monthly bills and a lot of mouths to feed, there was never a time we went hungry. And credit cards did not exist back then. So when I wanted to learn about money, mom could only teach what she knew. Like most people my financial condition was up and down. It wasn’t until I said to God one day Lord, I need you to teach me about money. Teach me how to be a good steward of what you give me. Sure there has been tests and trials but isn’t that a part of life?
So if you want to learn about money and how to handle the money God gives you – you must use his word and do things his way. So we start with a promise from God:
Proverbs 2:1-9 KJV “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
[2] So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
[3] Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
[4] If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
[5] Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord , and find the knowledge of God.
[6] For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
[7] He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
[8] He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
[9] Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea , every good path.”
Once you set it in your heart to search out truth from God’s word and you receive what God says, then verse 9 will happen. And when you search out truth from God’s word remember God’s ways are not man’s ways. Remember,
Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
[6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Now for a homework assignment. Take out a piece of paper and draw 4 vertical lines down the paper, spaces between the lines on the paper. Now you have four columns. In the first column to the left write above that column God Provided, the second column write, Giving, the third column write Bills, and the fourth column write Savings.
Then get some post it type notes for writing scripture verses and we will pick it up from here next time.
All Mixed Up Part 2 – Hebrews 6
Mixing scripture up causes confusion and God is not the author of confusion. So if you are being confused, know, it is not God confusing you.
As we said last time in All Mixed Up, the four Gospels were presenting Jesus Christ to Israel, Jews, as their long awaited Messiah / Saviour. But religious leaders called Pharisees falsely convinced many, Jesus was not their Messiah and they crucified Jesus. Had Israel received Jesus Christ as their Messiah / Saviour, the Kingdom of Heaven would have come in. Gentiles would not have been saved. But because Israel rejected Jesus, God sends salvation to the Gentiles. As we said the following last time:
But Israel rejected Jesus. The Pharisees, religious leaders, led many astray and they rejected Jesus. So God did not reject Israel and God has not replaced Israel, but God called a Jew named Saul, changed his name to Paul and says, go now to the Gentiles and offer them salvation through Jesus Christ. This is called in scripture, the time of the Gentiles. Why did God now allow Gentiles to get saved? To provoke Israel to jealousy not abandon or replace Israel as some teach. Just read Romans chapters 9, 10 and 11.
After the Gospels we have the transition to the Gentiles. That transition is recorded in the book of Acts. The writer of the book of Acts is clearly Luke. The same Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke. And Luke was a friend to Paul (see Colossians 4:14).
In the book of Acts we see God shift from the apostles and God introduces Saul, see Acts 7:51 thru Acts 8. Saul gets saved in Acts 9. God mentions Peter and the disciples and then – God changes Saul’s name from a Jewish name to a Gentile type name Paul in Acts 13 and calls Paul to the Gentiles.
Paul, a Jew, God called and sent to Gentiles to offer Gentiles salvation through Jesus Christ. Gentiles were considered dogs and Gentile ways were not “kosher” shall we say. But knowing Paul from scripture, he was a Pharisee a religious leader of Jews before God really got a hold of him. Paul had a love for Israel and for his Jewish brethren. But knowing God called him to the Gentiles, he willingly went.
Paul writes 14 books of the New Testament. Thirteen of these books are written to Gentiles. The 14th book Paul wrote to Jews, Hebrews. What better person could God have sent not only to the Gentiles but also writing a book to Jews. God chose someone who was a Pharisee. Someone who knew the scriptures. He spent his life learning and studying scripture. Paul knew the law. But God revealed a “better” testament a better covenant (see Hebrews 7:22 & 8:6) to Paul and Paul shared it with the Gentiles. Then Paul shared it lastly, with his Hebrew brethren by writing the book of Hebrews. The title of the book of Hebrews ” The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Hebrews “.
I have said many times in these posts, I ask God questions and he always has manifested truth to me. When you look at Paul’s first 13 books to the church (made up of Jews & Gentile believers) not once does Paul say or indicate a true believer can loose their salvation in Christ. To the contrary, Paul even said someone, a believer, who was involved with incest, should be delivered to Satan. Why?
1 Corinthians 5:5 KJV “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
Paul makes it clear, true believers are “sealed ” with that Holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13 KJV “In whom ye also trusted , after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
So when believers, true believers, read the book of Hebrews, why do they think they can loose their salvation? This is example number two as mentioned at the end of All Mixed Up. Paul loved his Hebrew brethren and as a Jew, he tried to explain Jesus is the Messiah the one they were waiting for. Paul goes into Old Testament verses and explains how Jesus is the High Priest.
Many Christians read Hebrews 6 and think it says you can loose your salvation. That is not what Paul is saying to Christians. Paul is explaining to who, Hebrews. Paul starts Hebrews 6 with the words ” leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ” meaning the following text has nothing to do with the doctrine.
Clearly Paul explains to Hebrews, if you have known the truth (been enlightened verse 4) another words saw, you were with believers who the Holy Ghost used mightily, and you turn away, it is like impossible to get you to start “afresh”.
It is like saying, you have this friend who sees God answer your prayers, God bless you, God prosper you, God heal and the mighty works of God through you and after your friend sees all this, understands the gospel, knows the truth but never received was enlightened – for that friend to walk away, it is impossible to get that friend to start over, afresh.
These verses have nothing to do with the church. Nothing to do with the Bride of Christ. These verses are to unsaved Hebrews. Paul explains this and mentions salvation for the first time in that chapter in verse 9. After his previous comments to who? Hebrews.
The book of Hebrews has great spiritual applications and explains things pointed out in the Old Testament. But the book of Hebrews was not written to the church, Romans through Philemon were written to the church. The rest of the New Testament books (and Old Testment) explains things to us, explain how God works, God’s personality, the future through prophecy, the Great Tribulation, how God still loves and works with Israel and many other things. But we do not apply every word to this age of grace.
The scriptures, all 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament, profit us. They correct us, instruct us, they make us wise unto salvation and we learn doctrine. The doctrine of the law from the Old Testament is not the doctrine of the Bride of Christ, Jews & Gentiles as one in Christ. The doctrine of the apostles is not the doctrine of the Bride of Christ and even Peter recognized that when he referenced Paul’s teachings in 2 Peter 3: 15, 16 saying some of Paul’s teachings are “hard to be understood”. Peter was a Jew called to Jews. Peter did not understand some things God gave Paul.
Friends, it is impossible for God to lie and believers in this age of grace, the Church Age, are sealed by God the Holy Ghost. The book of Hebrews is written to Hebrews. We glean spiritually from the book of Hebrews. As we said, spiritual application has nothing to do with the flesh. Spiritual application helps our mind and spirit man. Hebrews teaches us and helps our mind and spirit understand Old Testament teachings to Hebrews.
Until next time. The photo below I saw and liked so now I share it with you. I borrowed the photo so you could enjoy someone else’s work.
When Children Are Prodigals
I am not going to rehash the parable Jesus spoke regarding the prodigal son. My focus is what do we do when our own children become a prodigal? We can blame others, situations, circumstances and even blame ourselves but blaming is not the answer. Why? Because blaming means you accept something the way it looks.
When God led Israel out of bondage in Egypt and Israel got to the Red Sea, people started blaming Moses when they saw Pharoah and his army come. When you have done your best, with your children, and they choose to become a prodigal, don’t blame anyone or anything. Take a stand on God’s promises, God’s word, just like Moses stood with God when things “looked ” bleak.
A modern day example? You are saved, born again and living for God the best you know how. You truly live for the Lord. You have children and your son loves learning the scriptures, loves going to church, gets saved at a very young age and at 12 years old, while you are helping in the music ministry in church, you see your son come forward to pray at the alter at the end of the service.
On your way home your son tells you that he has dedicated his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. You are beaming and praising God. Two years later your son starts rebelling against your parental authority. You seek godly counsel from God’s word and others. Others tell you the boy is having hormone changes and is coming into those difficult “teen years”. You see your son start to wear black, all black, all the time.
Clearly, something or someone is influencing your son but you can find nothing. You do all you can think of – prayer, counsel, take him to the pastor for counseling, try a different pastor, nothing gets better. Actually, things get worse. You don’t know what happened. He has been home-schooled. His friends are all church kids. Then two months before your son turns 16 he tells you he is leaving. What do you mean leaving? I’m otta here he tells you. And if you try to stop me, I will leave when you least expect it he tells you.
So what do you do? You believe God and stand on his word. How do I know? Because this story is true. The son is my son. So I prayed and told God I did not know how to handle this. I said put the answer on my brother’s heart and I called my brother and explained what was going on. My brother said, let him go. You raised him right, just let him go.
I said Lord I would rather know he is okay and he stays in touch with me than for him to run away and I know nothing about where he is or if he is okay. So I told my son, I will not stop you. He didn’t believe me.
A day or two later, this green Jeep shows up at the gate. I called one of my siblings and asked them to get the tag number. My son took his favorite possessions, said good bye and walked down the driveway. He got in the Jeep and left. We discovered the Jeep was stolen. About a week later I received a text message, I am fine.
After about a month my son realized I was not going to stop him. My son explained where he was and he was happy. He said he needed food for everyone. So we took a bunch of food to him 2 states away. When I saw him, he had dyed his blonde hair black, had on black nail polish and eye makeup. I can not describe my shock and broken heart.
Friends, I do not accept what my son is doing but I love him. I know God is truth and so is God’s word. Just because my son “looks” one way now, I know he belongs to God. Even though things look bleak, stand on God’s word, his promises like Moses did.
Proverbs 11:21 KJV. “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.”
Proverbs 22:6 KJV. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
When I spoke with my son later, he told me I did nothing wrong. He just changed his mind on a few things. My son will be 23 soon and I am still praying and standing on God’s promises.
When you know you did your best and your children appear to go a different path, know that God is in control, not you and not them. Love them, pray for them and do not compromise your convictions, stand on God and his word. And when your family asks you how you could help that son by taking him food – just say, unconditional love just like Jesus has for you and me, unconditional love.
Until next time.
The Foolish Things
1 Corinthians 1:27 KJV. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”
Did you ever ask God, what are the foolish things you chose? Is it me or do you read and study scripture like a reporter? I ask God questions all the time. He answers. So when I read 1 Corinthians 1:27 I read it like this –
God has chosen the foolish things of the world –
To do what? Confound the wise.
Why? Verse 29 – That no flesh should glory in his presence.
As I started digging through my cross references for verse 27, I started to notice a pattern. See if you notice the pattern.
Psalm 8:2 KJV “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”
Isaiah 29:10-14 KJV “For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
[11] And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
[12] And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
[13] Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
[14] Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.”
There are plenty of verses but Paul makes it clear, foolish things of the world are words. Words of a book just like Isaiah was saying in Isaiah 29.
The foolish things God chose to confound the wise – words in a book. His book. Scripture. Look at 1 Corinthians 1:31 “That, according as it is written, …”
Until next time.
Starting Over – Never Quit
Starting over can begin at any stage in life. Sometimes teenagers make decisions that derail their dreams or plans. People lose their jobs. Marriages break up. Family members died and friends turn on friends. This is all a part of life and some people struggle to get back on track, some quit altogether and others refocus and start over.
Let me preface this with God does not make bad things happen to his children. Parents would not deliberately and on purpose hurt their children – they love their children. Some teach, if bad things happen to you it is God smacking you upside the head to bring you in line. Friends, there is not one – Not One – scripture that supports that teaching. God does not make bad things happen to his children but God will allow (not stop) bad things. Why? Because God uses things that happened to us to strengthen us, to strengthen our faith and our walk with Him.
We are in a battle. If every time something bad happened and the commander took the soldier out of the situation, when would the soldier know and learn how to fight. If your children come against a bully or struggle with things in school, a job, life and you deliver them all the time, how will they learn to live life? If God removes every bad thing that happens, how will you learn?
So God does not make the bad things happen, he carries us through the bad things and bad times to strengthen us and help us through each difficulty, each heartache, each devastation. Sadly many Christians quit on God at times of difficulty. Many were taught God would not allow bad things or some teach God punishes you with bad things. Both of these teachings come not from God, but from Satan the deceiver.
God allows things to happen to teach us and instruct us. Many times the things you and I go through make us better able to help others going through the same ordeal. Someone who has never had children is not a good person to put in charge of a children’s program.
Starting over is never fun but if we stick with God, pray and ask for his help and guidance, spend time in scripture that encourages and strengthens us and yes, seek godly counsel, we will come out of each struggle, heartache or set back stronger, experienced and the victor. Romans 8:28 KJV
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God will use all things together to help strengthen us and make us more Christ-like.
When I look at how many times I’ve had to start over, in so many areas of life, I thank God for encouraging me along the way. Yes sometimes it was my fault and many times the situation was out of my control. I had to make choices many times with work or jobs, I would start over because I got bored. I would work to get to the top and once I felt I conquered a job I lost interest. Only two things have held my interest and passion, God’s Word and music.
But life brought other struggles to me – growing up without a father, when I was eight or nine I was raped by one of my brothers, and later when I became a Christian and married a “Christian” man, we decided to start a family. When our son was born on his 1st birthday my husband left and never came back. He just deserted us. I was living in a new area I did not know, with a new baby I did not know how to care for, without a job to provide our needs. I prayed before I married, if God wanted me to get married and took everything to the Lord, but it still happened. I struggled for six years trying to make sense of everything. I even went to Christian counseling for about 6 months to help me deal with everything. God was walking through everything with me. Many times I cried out to the Lord and he was always faithful to help me. The Lord always helps me, encouraged me and strengthen me. All those scriptures, I will be a Father to the fatherless came to life. And looking back – I see the hand of God working with me and others who helped me along the way. So friend, in hard times, troubles and heartaches Jesus really does stick closer than a brother. Never give up and never quit on God!
Until next time my friends. Let me encourage you to set goals, set spiritual goals. People say set goals for spiritual things, relational and financial goals. I would encourage you to set spirit goals (learn about your spirit man), soul goals (learn how Satan attacks your mind so you can fight back) and body goals, to bring your body into subjection to God.
God Bless, encourage and strengthen you in the power of His might.
Trust God!
Tired Of Mountains
Remember, this is a quest for truth – not denominational dogmas. I clearly know what the Baptists teach and I know what the Pentecostals teach. I want to know what do the scriptures teach. What does God say about the matter.
The Baptists teach the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit have ceased. The Pentacostals teach the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit continue today. Do you see the word both focus on?
Jesus did not say to the disciples, stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Ghost comes and gives you “gifts”. In Acts 1:8 KJV “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The word “gifts” and the word “power” are two different words that have different meanings.
If you have ever wondered why your life seems to be like a roller coaster, ups and downs and going around and around the same mountains all the time: And you are truly a real Christian, you might ask God why you don’t seem to be able to overcome things in your life.
If you are confusing “gifts” with “power” you might now have your answer. Baptists believe the Holy Spirit works today in changing hearts and getting people saved. But they say the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit have ceased and they use 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 as their proof. In part it says prophecies will fail, tongues will cease, knowledge shall vanish away. Then they say Paul left Trophimus “sick” so if the “gifts” were still in effect why didn’t Paul heal him? Paul had the gift of healing. These are all true statements (they are in scripture) but the focus of that argument is the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit. It appears that through discounting the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit, they have also discounted the “power” of the Holy Spirit because they do not teach much about the Holy Spirit.
Then there is the argument that dispensational teaching does not support the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit being in effect today. Remember, Jesus said they would receive “power” not gifts. You know, God has given all of us gifts, and those gifts are generally your purpose in life. But clearly there is a “power” of God that God gives us, through the Holy Spirit.
As to dispensational teaching, it is scriptural. It clearly lays out the entire scriptures in a way we see the hand of God work in this world. But dispensational teaching does not change the fact that “gifts” are gifts and “power” means power. But that is a teaching for another time.
The Pentacostals have taken “gifts” of God and made them into idols as Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians –
1 Corinthians 12:1-2 KJV
Now concerning spiritual gifts , brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
[2] Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
Just about every Pentacostal I know talk about tongues or healing. That is what they focus on and if you go listen to a service you hear jibber jabber and when you ask them what they are saying, they do not know.
I don’t say this to speak against either, my quest was and is, truth. Not a denominational dogma. Clearly scripture teaches when Jesus rose from the dead, he breathed the Holy Ghost into the disciples the same day of his resurrection. Jesus also told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until the Father’s promise of the Holy Ghost comes. And when this happens, you will receive “power”. And this is where we will pick it up next time.
The key my friend, God can do anything and trusting him and his word, no matter what you see, hear or feel will strengthen your “inward man”.
2 Corinthians 4:16 KJV
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Until next time my friend. I do try to post daily Monday through Friday. When the Lord gives me something special I may post on a Sunday. I want to thank all my followers for reading my posts, sharing them and for your comments. I am truly grateful and humbled. Thank you.
Looking At Your Inward Man
I have really struggled with how do I present this material in a way that will help my readers. I’ve prayed about this and asked the Lord how do I do this Lord? So I’m going to lay a foundation first.
I’m going to start with Romans 1 verse 1 where the Apostle Paul is addressing the Christians, the saints/believers, in Rome. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. Which he had promised before by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
So regarding our Lord Jesus Christ we see according to the flesh he’s from the seed of David and declared to be the Son of God and he had power according to the spirit by the resurrection from the dead. This clearly shows that Jesus Christ had a body and he was declared to be the Son of God and he had the mind of God he knew God and other scripture shows he is God in the flesh and he had a spirit.
The verse I want you to write down is Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12. Hebrews 4:12 says. ” For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and morrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. If I were to look some of these words up in the dictionary I might read Hebrews 4:12 like this for the Word of God is quick – alive and powerful meaning able to produce great things and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder or separating into parts the soul and the mind and spirit or spiritual man and of the joints and marrow – connected body parts and is a discerner – sees the difference between – of the thoughts and intents of the heart – the state of our emotions. So in plain English the Word of God is alive it’s not just some type on paper and it is powerful it can produce great things but did you notice all of the different parts of the body that are in that one verse? You have the soul, the spirit and the body, the joints and marrow you also have thoughts and intents of the heart.
We see we are made of of a body that has a spirit and soul and somehow our heart affects all of them. When reading Scripture, notice how many times you find the words soul or mind, renew your mind or scriptures about the flesh or the heart or the spirit you’ll be amazed when reading through scripture how these different parts are identified. Now I don’t know how all these other Bible versions express this but if you look at the King James Bible there is a clear distinction between spirit, soul, body, thoughts and heart and when you unlock the Scriptures for each of those areas it will unlock a plethora of truth to you and help you.
I am, with God’s help, going to try to explain how this all fits together. Have a blessed day. Until tomorrow when we will pick this up.
The Coming End Part 1
We see God kept secrets and mysteries so the princes of this world would not know. If you had a new invention or a way to market a product would you tell everyone everything before you put your product on the market or protected yourself? I think not. Just look at Samsung trying to copy Apple. Apple introduces the ipod, iphone and ipad and before you know it, everyone is trying to copy or duplicate the product under their own company name.
God kept some things secret and a mystery. Actually, I found 9 mysteries in the scriptures but that is for another time. These secrets and mysteries are buried in God’s word and are like searching for silver and gold, nuggets if you will. Those who really want to know will search and dig and dig some more and God shows them these mysteries, these secrets.
Many times, when people discover these nuggets, they write books about them, teach them or preach about them. So why can these nuggets be revealed now? Because when the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross he said, It is finished. He completed what needed to be done and now God can reveal things and that is where we are starting this study.
We are going to look at these mysteries and secrets about the coming end. Join us and subscribe to our feed.
How Does Godhead (Trinity) Work?
How The Godhead Works in the Believer (By Heaven’s Record (c) )
The Godhead is ONE: Colossians 2:9; I John 5:7; Ephesians 4:4-7; John 1:1,14 (King James Bible) The Godhead is the three-fold nature of God: God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Like mankind has a spirit, soul and body.
(All scriptures are from the Authorized King James Bible – AV1611 a/k/a KJV )
God The Father |
God The Son |
God The Holy Spirit |
|
He is Lord (Deut.6:4) |
Is Jesus Christ (II Cor.1:19) |
He is Lord II Corinthians 3:17,18 |
|
He is not the Son (Gen.1:26) (Psalm 68:18) |
He is Lord (Romans 5:1 Romans 6:23 John 14:9) |
He is NOT the Father nor the Son Luke 1:35 |
|
He is NOT the Father (Heb.1:3) |
|
|
|
|
He is EQUAL with the Father (Philippians 2:6) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He DRAWS mankind to the Son Hebrews 1:8 II Corinthians 5:19 |
He REDEEMS (Buys Back) mankind to the Father (Heb.5:5 John 14:6,7,9) |
He GUIDES in TRUTH and testifies (bears witness) of the Son Jesus Christ not himself John 16:8-14; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He gives different Operations (Operations=how to process or to do these powers the Son gives) |
He gives different Administrations (Administrations=powers) |
He gives different gifts (Gifts = a donation) |
|
|
|
One Holy Spirit |
|
|
|
|
|
I Corinthians 12:6,28-31 Operations |
I Corinthians 12:5,18 Administrations |
I Corinthians 12:4 and 7-11 Gifts |
|
One – God – Father |
Many members in one body I Corinthians 12:12-27 |
Word of Wisdom |
|
How to process these powers? |
Jews & Gentiles |
Word of Knowledge |
|
Apostles |
Bond & Free |
Faith |
|
Prophets |
If saved, then in one body – |
Gifts of Healing |
|
Working of miracles |
The body of Christ Romans 12:5 |
Working of miracles |
|
Healing |
|
Prophecy |
|
Helps (helpers) |
|
Discerning of spirits (telling difference) |
|
Work government |
|
Different tongues (languages) |
|
Different Tongues (Languages) |
|
Interpretation of tongues (languages) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some interesting points Paul brings out about the Godhead:
-
The fullness of the Godhead (complete Godhead) dwells in the Lord Jesus Christ (Col.2:9).
-
It isn’t the Father comes first, Jesus comes second and the Holy Spirit is third because:
-
II Cor.13:14 – Jesus is first
-
Gen: 1:2,3 – Holy Spirit is first
-
Matt. 28:19 – the Father is first
-
-
God is one Lord – One God – made known to mankind/world in three separate and distinct persons. Each person of the Godhead has his own name, duties and responsibilities.
heavensrecord (c) 