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| Where are Timothy’s in our midst? |
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Let us meditate on 1 Thes. 3: 1 to 6.
“But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you…” (2 Thes.3:6)
The saints in Thessalonica were persecuted by their own countrymen for their new faith after accepting the gospel preached by Paul. While preaching the gospel, Paul did not mince his words but told the plain truth that they would suffer tribulation for their faith.
Paul was true to the gospel he preached. When the Thessalonians faced the trial, he promptly sent Timothy to them. He could have simply told them that he would pray for them. But, in order to strengthen their faith, Paul sent his co-worker Timothy to them. He did not stop there. He then wrote this wonderful epistle to them. About afflictions, he writes, “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto”. Paul writes in his epistle about tribulation, “...even as it came to pass, and ye know”.
When we preach the gospel, do you speak the plain truth that those who accept Jesus Christ would face tribulations for their faith and that they are appointed thereunto? Today many people have forsaken their faith and backslidden just because they had not received any miracle or healing. The other side of the coin is that many people after receiving miracles or healings have forsaken their faith because they had faced afflictions afterwards. These people had been mentally prepared only for receiving miracles in the name of Jesus Christ and not for facing tribulations.
Have we strengthened the faith of those who had faced tribulations by personally ministering to them? Paul first preached the gospel to the Thessalonians. Then he strengthened their faith by sending Timothy to them and then by writing an epistle to them. These days, we preach the gospel to the millions through our crusades/Television channels. But where are the Timothy’s for comforting and edifying them when they face tribulations? What steps have been taken by the evangelists to take care of those who have accepted their message of gospel? We preach to the millions but minister to the hundreds and that too, only those who come forward to support our ministries financially.
Timothy after edifying the Thessalonians brought a good report on their faith and charity to Paul. Thessalonians after facing tribulations started growing in their faith and also in their charity work. They started giving to God.
Paul praised the Thessalonians for their remembrance of him and his men and for their great desire to see him. The new believers should be ministered in such a manner that they may be motivated to remember and love those who had brought them the good tidings. Paul also expressed his desire to see them. Seeing face to face for fellowship is very necessary in our Christian life. These days, the people to whom we minister are not able to see us face to face because we have no time to meet them. Even in this electronic age of fast communication through internet, we do not care to read their emails sent to us because we are busy in His vineyard – busy making tours overseas.
The tragedy in our Christian ministries today is that we do not train and build co-workers for sharing our vision and for shouldering responsibilities of our ministry. Many Christian ministries have only “subordinate staff” as in commercial organizations. These subordinate staff are not trained and equipped in a similar manner as Paul trained and equipped Timothy for the ministry. They do not raise up Timothy’s. They build their ministries on their own names and personalities.
If we have co-workers like Timothy with us, they can open our email In-boxes, pray and minister to the thousands of people who seek our prayers and guidance through emails. We will never leave this job to our “Webmasters”. Every co-worker will be a webmaster with us. Every co-worker will be an evangelist with us. Every co-worker will be a prayer warrior with us. Every co-worker will go and preach the gospel to the millions in place of the evangelist concerned. How long the poor evangelist will preach the gospel? How long an evangelist with his/her frail health will travel to many places in the nation and in the world? Paul deputed Timothy to the Thessalonians. He could have gone there. But Paul did not choose to go to Thessalonica in place of Timothy.
Paul called Timothy “our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ” (Vs.2). Timothy was not a subordinate minister or a worker or a ministerial assistant. He was a fellow laborer and a minister of God. We should call our office staff or those who labor with us as “ministers of God”. They are also coequal with us in God’s ministry. If we build our organization on our co-workers and not on our names or our own children, our organization will not be infested with the worms of corruption.
Last year, I had sent a letter with my books to a popular minister of God in the South India. I am yet to receive a reply from him. I was told that he was very busy going to different parts of India and abroad. Where are the Timothy’s? If we want to do everything ourselves without delegating our authority to our co-workers in our ministries, we will get exhausted in due course, both physically and spiritually.
Job Anbalagan
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| To add a comment to "Where are Timothy’s in our midst?" |
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| October 01, 2007 |
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| Well said, my brother. This is a painful truth--and one that we should take note of and work toward correcting universally and within our own churches and ministries. |
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| October 01, 2007 |
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Pastor Job,
Excellent article. Profoundly stated, I pray we pay attention. You said, "The tragedy in our Christian ministries today is that we do not train and build co-workers for sharing our vision and for shouldering responsibilities of our ministry."
This is one of the fatal flaws (I know fatal is a bit strong) in our church today. However, with the myriad of "insecure egos" it is no wonder that "ministry" in general is weakened. I believe that many have taken the "one body but many members " to mean "my body" with many members.
Look forward to reading more....
May the Lord continue to strengthen your labors and laborers in His vineyard.
Pastor Aminata |
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| October 01, 2007 |
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Dear Bidie and Pastor Aminata,
Thank you for your wonderful responses. Aminata has nicely put it by saying that many mean ''my body with many members''
Job Anbalagan |
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| October 01, 2007 |
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Father Job, You said, "These people have been prepared only for receiving miracles in the name of Jesus Christ and not for facing tribulations." You are so correct in your statement. It is rare that one would hear the words." Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me let him deny Himself and take up his cross and follow Me. Mat.16:24 KJV And "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:knowing that tribulations worketh patience." Rom. 5:3 Many ministers will read these words but not many will tell one what it means to face your tribulations. A lot of ministers don't have patiences themselves when dealing with babes in Christ, neither do they take the time needed to bring them up in the Lord. The ministers says once you have the Holy Ghost it will be him that teaches you all that you need to know. While the scriptures does say this, the ministers keep God from using them to bring one up in His ways. Here is a good example of this, it really happened to me when I first started out. A older lady in our Church came up to me and said, "God told me to teach you. She then handed me a pice of paper that had 3 or 4 Bible verses on it and said read these, and that was it. That was her way of teaching me. She either did not want to take the time to teach me or, she herself did not know how to teach. But if God tells you to do something then He will make sure you have the tools to do it. So I just think that she didn't want to do as God had told her to do? Well I said to myself and God after reading Luke10:38-42, "I have also chosen the good part and it will not be taken away from. In the name of Christ Jesus." So, I have been studing on my own with the Holy Ghost and you and Father James and two other ministers.
Thanks for your message Father Job, and God bless you and yours,
In His love Stephanie |
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| October 01, 2007 |
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Dear my daughter in Christ, Stephanie,
Glad to hear your voice after a long time. I pray that the Lord may use you mightily in your nation. It is good that you are learning from Jesus Christ by sitting at His feet and by listening to your spiritual fathers. Yesterday, while continuing with my meditations on the Proverbs, I wrote the following message concerning the mention of the word "father" in the book of proverbs:
" Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. (Pro.4:1).
The instruction of a father should be heeded to. Who is a father to you? This does not refer necessarily to your biological father. This refers to an ideal father who has all the attributes of a father in Christ Jesus. According to the standards of righteousness in the Word of God, there is a father for you. He is a model father after the heart of God. This father does not allow you to live in sin. This father does not allow you to lead a life without any purpose. This father does not allow you to divorce your wife or to forsake your children. This father does not allow you to remarry another spouse after divorce if you have divorced your spouse. This father exhorts you to get yourself reconciled with your vagabond spouse. This father does not allow you to permit your son or your daughter to roam about with his girlfriend or boyfriend, as the case may be. This father does not allow you to permit your son to date some boy or girl. He scolds us and speaks about judgment when we commit a sin. This father does not allow you to spend your precious time before your television or in a movie theater. This father does not allow you to misappropriate the funds of the church or your employer. My father has instruction to give me. He instructs me on how to live in this world, how to behave in the church, how to behave in my office, and how to lead my family life -how to treat my wife and children.
Paul was a spiritual father to Titus whom he called "my own son after the common faith" (Titus 1:4). In this verse, King Solomon exhorted the children to hear the instruction of a father and to attend to know understanding. Who are the children? The children of God saved through the Blood of Jesus Christ have not become disciples of Jesus Christ but are still children in the sight of God. As children, they ought to hear the instruction of a father. There should not be many fathers. Of course, there can be many teachers to teach them. Paul said in I Cor.4:15 that though the Corinthians had ten thousand instructors in Christ Jesus, yet they had not many fathers. Every child of God should have only one spiritual father to nurtur him/her in the Word. A pastor cannot be a father to him/her unless the former has the heart of a father. Similarly, a minister of God like apostle, prophet, evangelist or teacher cannot take the place of a father if he does not have the heart of a father towards the sheep of the Lord . Thesedays, we find a child of God surrounded by all these ministers. Of course, a pastor or a prophet or an apostle can be a father to some child of God. In other words, a pastor or an apostolic minister who has the heart of a father can definitely be a father to some child of God. Paul was a father to the churches planted by him. An evangelist who preaches the gospel to the multitudes cannot become a father to all of them. An apostolic minister who plants the churches cannot be a father to all the sheep. Like Paul to Titus, he can be a father to some of the sheep only who are mostly his co-workers. Dear child of God, if you desire to attend to know understanding of the Word of God or of the spiritual life you are supposed to lead, you should hear your spiritual father. ..." |
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| October 02, 2007 |
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Father Job, Your words are like food to my soul. But because my blood father doesn't want nothing to do with me even though I have tried to speak to him about God and he said he doesn't want to hear it, God did indeed granted me two spiritual fathers. One is you the other is Father James. I feel like Job. When Job lost his children and God granted him 7 times more better children. Well God granted me 2 times more better Fathers. I get Great Godly advice from you and Father James. When I phone father James in Malaysia and he prays over me I can really fell the Spirit of God move in my inward being. When you speak to me I get food for my soul. I need someone to tell me when I am wrong and someone to help me make things right before God and that one person is you Father Job. I dearly love the both of you. I never in my earthly life have ever had such wounderful spiritual fathers. I still have yet to phone you, to hear you voice. I found a really good phone card for calling overseas. I just have to go back and get a couple more. I will let you know when I will be able to phone you.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Stephanie |
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| October 04, 2007 |
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Bro Job... thank you for inviting me to gather with you and those of a kindred spirit at my church on line and asking me to post from my website: www.EnterRest.com Hopefully you and those who gather with you will drop by my church/having entered into Gods Rest, on line as well... and post when inspired.
Am enjoying reading your posts and comments and am being inspired to add to them:
First off... with regard to your question 'Where are the Timothy's? May I be so bold as to offer what has been planted in my own spirit as I have sought His face and hearts desire while standing in the gap... the Spirit of the Lord is raising up Timothy's... and sending them into the market places and networking them... having trained them and equipped them HimSelf... in miriads of ways, while removing all which attempted to limit their capacity to become who they were created to be in spirit and in truth. Truly His Spirit has an eternal plan which is unfolding... according to HIS ways, will and timing and prayerfully after reading the following, the burden you and other's are carrying will be lifted... and bring with it a heavy anointing which will bless the Lord.
May I suggest one example of such taking place, followed by a vision published at www.EnterRest.com which I believe confirms such is quietly taking place among His family... those who experientially know of the miracles of Christ which take place in the lives of those who walk in HIS name... His holy name of love and truth. Such, like you understand our fiery trials and tribulations are a gift of the spirit to purify our hearts and to set us free daily from all which can only offer leanness to our souls and only build up our egos:
Daily ... the Spirit of the Lord is urging me to work along side others... who hear the current call of the Spirit of the Lord to 'Feed My Sheep', spirit soul and body in our local community. Thus far, we come from various Christian backgrounds and gather together in new ways and different places to offer free meals and offer free community exchanges of goods and services, some of which are donated specifically when the need presents itself. Those who gather with us as led, are being added to daily ... we feed the hungry, spirit, soul and body, clothe the naked, take in and care for those in need, comforting, exhorting, edifying with the wisdom and anointing we have received, as Father networks, unites and empowers us ... giving us the opportunity to fulfill Jesus urgings to us all to do so ... such an urging is written of in Matthew 25:31-40.
We recently bought the domain name www.FeedMySheepGlobalOutreach.com and sense we are to gather and publish testimonies of the goodness of the Lord there, when it is up and running. In the meantime it is being linked to www.EnterIntoGodsRest.com with a short testimony of what is taking place in our local community, by way of encouragement, with a sample flyer.... (near bottom of web site) We hope it is indeed the Lord's will for others to be drawn to read and link to www.FeedMySheepGlobalOutreach.com ... and it will be a place where the public will desire to go to read 'good news' and find informative links that will help them to find HIS truth, and grow through the power of HIS having gathered us, united as ONE body.... who follows HIS Holy Spirit... in Spirit and in truth! Such... seems to be one of the ways His Spirit is removing the walls which have been built between those who call themselves by His name.... as HE causes us to become mature sons and daughters of 'the most high' ... glorifying our Father, through the witness of HIS family of love and truth. Bless You Father... for such as this....
It is my belief that which is currently taking place quietly, in the spirit realm world wide, as well as in the natural .... establishing His Kingdom on earth as it already exists in heaven, is a partial fulfillment of an encouraging vision which I received:
In 1998, while going about what had become for me a normal day... The Holy Spirit having made me aware of Father God's Presence always with me communing, orchestrating my days with continual miracles, fulfilling earlier promises of complete restoration .... thanking Him as He revealed His mind and heart to me ... still in awe of just how very much HE is continuously manifesting His Spirit in each of us and our daily lives.... I was filled with even more love, joy, peace and faith than I lived in only a moment before. Greatly desiring this for all mankind... for His sake as well as ours... I was given awareness... an inner vision... of two hearts knit together as one through a mutual love......... The love of a father for His children...The love of a lover and His bride.... love meant to increase for each other and for their spiritual offspring as well. The Spirit of love... which originated through the Spirit of God Who is love... a love which was imparted and returned 100 fold on multiple dimensions .... as perfected.
The two hearts of love suddenly became a door through which people would walk ... and I was standing before it in what I discerned to be a living vision. I was drawn through the doors... at first I was aware I was alone... in the midst of a great energy of light... which I knew to be Father God's loving Presence... gradually I became aware there were others coming in too... aware He had drawn each of us. We were delighted... and surprised... yet not surprised to see so very many who loved Almighty God with all our hearts gathering together for a divine purpose not yet completely revealed. We were all under a spiritual dome filled with light and divine energy ... HIS Holy Essence ... a universal dome not like any man has ever created or could... it appeared to be immeasurable once inside. Upon entering in... each person found themselves drawn on... as if by an unseen force to meet who they had been brought there to meet... hear or see... speak to... give to or receive from... for a purpose the Spirit of God Himself had predetermined at the foundations of the world.
Every possible scenario was taking place... for HE had gone before us and directed our steps and had ordained the moments we were experiencing. As the number of people grew I became aware of a repeated pattern of different people being divinely networked together... some were worshipping... or praying... in pockets of small or larger groups, or alone... those who were alone eventually found themselves drawn to another and their hearts were instantly knit through His love and faith within... eventually forming another group. Some people were gathered around a person speaking.... listening intently... some were speaking as a group each having something to add for the benefit of the whole.... no one person stood out among them.... all could recognize the Holy Spirit of the resurrected Christ within the other. Some were simply meeting for the first time and seeing the Spirit of God's coincidences in their lives, as their hearts were knit and their faith increased... as an ever increasing awareness of HIS power and promises fulfilled, was manifested. These it seemed either had a need or a gift... and both recognized this is the person... or people God wanted to use to bring His vision... call ... further His divine purpose for their lives or another's... into Being. An understanding was given that One's call ... purpose would not be fulfilled without the other having divinely met according to His eternal plan and timing.... and they each recognized they were each only a small piece of a divine eternal plan.... of the Spirit of the resurrected Christ living on through them and others of a like mind. No one man was elevated above another, usurping the role of God in another's lives or mind... all recognized the uniqueness of their role and the role of another, through the Spirit of Christ within empowering them. Some had excesses, talents they were offering ... aware freely they had received and freely they gave ... as the Spirit of God revealed the need they could... would fulfill.... or in some cases confirmed why they had brought what they were led to bring, as they stepped out in faith, with an awareness the Spirit of their creator had gone before them making the way. Miracles abounded as Father made His Presence and will known... filling needs, empowering all according to the unfolding of His eternal plan and necessary timing. I was acutely aware God's Spirit had done this... we were His people... His universal church... and this spiritual dome only represented what He was already doing all over the universe, only many were unaware of the magnitude due to not yet having been given eternal spiritual eyes to see. I knew we would all become aware of the Spirit of the Lord in our daily lives more and more through the divine coincidences Father would manifest. I saw the universal spiritual synchronicity He would continue to bring about.... to reveal His will and love to us in ways man as a whole has not known... experienced personally to such a degree before. I knew we His people.... His family were of one Spirit, through the resurrected Spirit of Jesus our brother... whether we recognized it or not... and the time would soon come when we would each experience His Presence everywhere and in the lives of all of us... in all of life... Father having redeemed all for our present ... we recognizing His will being revealed in ways some had not previously recognized.... nor yet experienced... or had previously considered to be not according to their understanding 'of God'... having unconsciously judged through their natural understanding, thinking and cultural preconditioning... and not through the Spirit of Father's love and truth and universal consciousness. I recognized through the Spirit of Christ Father had overcome and eternally redeemed all for us and Himself... at the foundations of the world... and He was exponentially bringing His will into Being according to His eternal plan and timing.... as I received His blessings ... recognizing further... my unity with Him and His Own... a work HE was revealing to me in my present eternal moment.... He having made me aware, as His offspring, I am an eternal Spiritual Being, one of many.
After receiving this awareness in the form of a living vision... I began singing in the Spirit and instantly found myself standing in God's Presence at another place. I was aware I was in an eternal sacred place and eternal moment... His great light and Essence was all around. It encompassed all... and I was not alone. You were all with me... we were eternal spiritual Beings... and I sensed We were all gathered together worshipping through the Spirit of the Lord in unison, aware of His completed work as one body ... on the last day...mystically speaking. A day when all of God's creation knew and experienced Father's love and truth as their own, with a depth of spiritual understanding not known until then. We all had the same spiritual understanding... we had the resurrected mind and life of Christ alive within opening us to that which was eternally ours. We were one... and everyone who ever existed knew truth through the resurrected Spirit of Jesus Christ... all knew and were experiencing the unconditional love of our Father... who created us for this eternal moment... and more... joy, peace... spiritual revelations, wisdom and understanding and a love inexpressible with words alone ... filled our hearts and souls. Our Spirits were blessing our Father with our love in return ... with our entire Being filled with gratitude, hope and understanding fulfilled ... great joy and peace filled us ... words alone cannot express the whole of that which was transpiring.
Suddenly I saw my body... as if through an opening in a spiritual window... down on earth... standing arms lifted in praise... singing through His Spirit alive within ... filled with love and wonder and more. An awareness entered my mind... "Oh My God... I'm going to fall down under Your power... and there is no one to catch me." Suddenly I was back in my body. At first I was angry at myself... for getting my eyes off of the Spirit of God and onto myself... thinking this had caused the experience to end... the anger and disappointment left as I heard: "Do not deceive yourself, it was I Who did that, not you. Always remember... I Am the creator and perfecter of each of your faith ... of your lives ... rest in My love, the truth of the goodness of My unfolding plan ….. the faith I have given you, as you continue to follow after My Spirit of love, truth and holiness ... as you continue to commune with Me and I with you." www.EnterRest.com
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| October 04, 2007 |
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| | If I may continue... regarding your comment on spiritual Father's. I will never forget the day when I read Paul's words 'Be imitators of me'... and cried out to the Lord in confusion... 'how could he say this... we are to be conformed to the image of Christ... not to imitate a man, right?' The Holy Spirit quickly responded. "Read in context"... and it was then I received the revelation we are each called to be spiritual parents, once we are mature.
Around that time... Father spoke to my heart and asked me to let go of my concept of HIM as my Father... because it was based upon my preconditioning... which came through my earthly Father. He said it would affect my relationship with Him as my Father, if I did not do so... and encouraged me to encourage other's to do the same. Dad told me... in order to become a new creation in Christ... we must die to the entire old nature... the 'good as well as the bad' within. He revealed to me the lower nature is coming out of darkness and is confused and often calls good evil and evil good... due to our past, and burdens people with legalistic thinking and ways of being if it does not come from a place of redemption. This is when I began to truly understand experientially the fiery trials and tribulations in our life are a spiritual gift, motivated by His love and truth... and are used to transform us within... and bring about His promised redemption fully.
Since... Dad has asked me to let go of so very much.... inherited teachings... and traditional thinking 'about' God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church. devil, good, evil... and..... HE has also asked me to let go of.... all spiritual teachings/thinking, (to be resurrected in spirit and truth in due season), such as all preconditioning, perspectives, concepts, false expectations, should's, suppose to's, oughts, have to's and other presumptions. He has asked me to face fears... with the understanding HE WILL work all out for the good... and ultimately I have nothing to fear. I had no idea how much fear ruled my heart and distorted thinking ruled my soul... and cannot thank HIM enough for this revelation and opportunity to die to that which would keep me from fully becoming a new man in Christ.... an eternal spiritual being, who is having a journey in time and eternity.
As HE has trained me in the way I am to go... for His Kingdom sake and not just my own... HE has matured me and given me spiritual children in due season... that HE might raise them through His indwelling Holy Spirit manifested through our union. I comfort, edify, exhort, and the like with that which has been offered me through His indwelling presence and encourage others to seek God's voice for themselves. While training me HE revealed to me often those in need of having their ego built, step out through fleshly thinking/understanding, unaware we are not ready to parent... and in need of being parented ourselves.(Yes, I speak from having been there.) Because there is a teaching which causes one to desire to 'have a ministry' in order to feel accepted or feel loved, such a one can be hindered... and is in need of coming to a place of spiritual maturity. (Just because your an adult it does not mean you are mature.) Those of a kindred immature spirit follow such a leader, unaware they are not following the Spirit of the Lord from within, themselves. In many cases they are taught to submit to men as their head... rather than being taught Christ is their head, and Father is both the author and finisher of their faith... and they are to hear from the Holy Spirit within their own heart and seek to hear from the Lord for themselves first... as they come into maturity, rather than looking to a leader, they have elevated in their own mind, first. Such a wounded spirit is in danger of making a idol of those called in a 5 fold ministry capacity... or ministries ordained of the Lord... via the part of their ego which is insecure and is yet in need of dying, that HIS resurrection power can rise up... glorifying HIS Spirit within.
Thanks for letting me offer this input... and again, thanks for the invite and request to do so. Hope this witnesses and adds to the Spirit of what you have offered as your portion through Christ.
Father.. sweet Jesus... Holy Spirit within may Your family walk in spirit and in truth through the spirit of unity... that other's may be drawn through You and worship in the beauty of Your holiness, with the awareness Your mercies endure forever and You Father are truly the author and finisher of our faith... May we surrender to Your revealed will... and way HOWEVER YOU choose to bring it to pass. May the body of Christ enter in and rest in You and Your finished work... all which was accomplished for us at the foundations of the world. Bless You and thank You.. may the love we have for you be increased and flow forth saturating all who are thirsty and in need of a new life... eternal life. |  |
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| October 05, 2007 |
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Dear sister,
Thank you for your wonderful vision and message. I am highlighting the important messages from your wonderful message below:
"This is when I began to truly understand experientially the fiery trials and tribulations in our life are a spiritual gift, motivated by His love and truth... and are used to transform us within... and bring about His promised redemption fully. .......
He has asked me to face fears... with the understanding HE WILL work all out for the good... and ultimately I have nothing to fear. I had no idea how much fear ruled my heart and distorted thinking ruled my soul... and cannot thank HIM enough for this revelation and opportunity to die to that which would keep me from fully becoming a new man in Christ.... an eternal spiritual being, who is having a journey in time and eternity.......
In many cases they are taught to submit to men as their head... rather than being taught Christ is their head, and Father is both the author and finisher of their faith... and they are to hear from the Holy Spirit within their own heart and seek to hear from the Lord for themselves first... as they come into maturity, rather than looking to a leader, they have elevated in their own mind, first. Such a wounded spirit is in danger of making a idol of those called in a 5 fold ministry capacity... or ministries ordained of the Lord... via the part of their ego which is insecure and is yet in need of dying, that HIS resurrection power can rise up... glorifying HIS Spirit within. ....."
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