May the people of God be light shining in darkness. May He
send them to those who are stumbling around in the darkness without answers so that they may believe and know The Answer.
”And the light shineth in darkness…” (Jn.1:5, KJV) v.6- There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. v.7- The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
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When spiritual fathers reach a certain maturity and have built a spiritual house (family/army) of sons and daughters, they must “SHIFT FROM BEING BUILDERS, TO BEING FACILITATORS”!!
They become facilitators of ministry sons who become the ‘builders’ of the family name, of the foundations of many generations, to carry on the ‘relational’ lineage and legacy!! This is their portion and lot, the “inheritance” from the fathers that is not earned, but received, as mature sons… (…Gal. 4:1-7)
We must shift for the generations sake, and what more is there to prove? If you have those who acknowledge you as a spiritual or ministry father and they are growing with you and under your apostleship, then begin to honor them, empower and equip them with every available tool you have to enhance their ministry! (2 Tim. 2:2)
You may say, economically, we cannot do this! This is always a challenge, but if over the years trust has been achieved, and sons have matured and been taught the order of God, mutual honor will be established! There should be NO LACK! The apostolic store-House is a “Kingdom WAR-CHEST”, not a local church storehouse of tithes and offerings! This apostolic ‘store-chest’ comes from the sons and daughters bringing in the “wealth of the Gentiles”. (Is. 60:4-7)
When the apostles are builders, they prepare a place for many sons to be identified and to grow; now, as fathers, the ministry sons are builders and they begin to strengthen and uphold the fathers as facilitators, “repairers of the breach”, and “restorers of paths to dwell in”. (Is. 58:12:61:4-7) Is. 62:12- And they shall call them, The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD, And you shall be called Sought Out, A City not forsaken.
BLESSINGS,
JB.
Amazingly, God promised even more than this powerful peace that we need. Listen to the rest of the promise: The latter glory of our lives, (our future) will be greater! (Hag.2:9) In future, we will do what we were born to do, more loudly, more intensely, more fruitfully than ever before! We are on the threshold of seeing more of the presence and plan of God manifest in our lives than ever before. We are on the verge of experiencing dimensions of His power like never before. We dare not give up now. God will faithfully weave our experiences, good, bad and ugly, into His good plans for our future life . . . if we will refuse to give up!
(This is the last excerpt from Kathy’s article “Rebuilding Our Temple-Part 2“ which was published in SEEC Magazine [Marty and Kathy’s ministry magazine]. More excerpts will be posted Mondays…
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Wow, may be lengthy for some, but an excellent post on WORSHIP….
You’ve heard the saying, “DON’T RETIRE, JUST RE-FIRE”!!
I. Peter 1:6,7- In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little season, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by FIRE, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Many leaders, especially pastors, are continuing to resign, many of them “burnt-out” from stress, financial pressures, marital problems, and even spiritual problems, such as being expected to be “all things to all men” and just simply working themselves into a frenzy in trying to please their church!
Of course, most of this is brought on from an “out of order” system of “the pastor” having to fulfill too many duties, have all the answers, and basically, do everything themselves! Americans, like Israel of old, desire a “king”, one who will go out and fight all their battles and they can applaud, while sitting back taking no responsibility for their own lives, blaming everyone else!
First, to solve this problem, each leader must come to a place of REST, where they can recoup, recover, and regroup, as they re-solve their situations while finding out the order of God for their lives, family, and ministry!
Secondly, they must “repent from their ‘dead works’, be re-newed in the spirit of their mind, and be re-freshed by the Holy Spirit”!! Then, you can ‘re-discover’ your calling, your identity, your gifts and your purpose in ministry!
Thirdly, you must have relationships that can help you target the ‘trouble-spots”, as Apostle Paul wrote in I. Thess. 5:12-14- And we urge you, brethren, to know (recognize) those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you (instruct or warn), and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort (encourage) you, brethren, warn those that are unruly (subordinate or idle), comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
Also, Gal. 6:9 says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
After being raised back up and restored, then you can 1) RE-SIGN, instead of ‘resigning’ or being ‘resigned’ to the situation. 2) Be RE-FINED through the purifying process of I. Peter 1:7 that just as gold is tested, or refined by fire, you can come out as “PURE GOLD!
Then, 3) and importantly, you can be RE-TOOLED!!! To’ retool’ is similar to the word ‘restore’, from the Greek word “katartizo’ was used in secular Greek for setting broken bones, and for the disciples when being called by Christ in Matt. 4:21 for “mending the nets.” Another word is to be made “complete”, as in an “improving, equippiing, training disciplining. It includes making the necessary adjustments and repairs.
And finally, from the same word as restored but translated “framed” in Hebrews 11:3 which means “to arrange, set in order, equip, adjust, complete what is lacking, make fully ready, repair, prepare. Then, you are able to be “fit out with a new set of equipment and tools, thoroughly furnished and equipped unto every good work.”
(2 Tim. 3:17)
The Spirit of our Father is drawing us into the ‘day of HIs power.’ What I’m sharing here I would normally share on our “Apostolic Teaching Fathers!” Forum but felt like I needed to share it here on my BLOG as well.
Had a great visit with the brethren in Bellville today and am always amazed at the “spirit of wisdom and revelation” that is loosed when we gather together. Pastor Lynn Burling, Bro. Dean Harper, and young power house Brett Johnson are leaving for India on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 25, and will be gone for almost three weeks. What an awesome burden and vision these men are carrying with them and powerful things will be accomplished!
“Fathering a Generation” is so much bigger than one man, or fathering individuals for the kingdom! Just as Abram’s name was changed from “Exalted or high father” to Abraham, “Father of a Multitude”, so must we shift our thinking and our focus on discipling and preparing a group, a people, and a nation for the Lord! Many spiritual fathers are missing the opportunity of a lifetime to shift from ‘protecting a legacy’ to ‘preparing a lineage” that will change the course of generations, and bring a powerful DESTINY!!!
One of the meanings for a ‘father’ is a ‘producer of a certain thing.’ It’s not a manufacturing of something, it is a “beginning” of something that cannot be stopped, a progeny of the Father Himself being multiplied into a “host of sons and daughters” in the kingdom that He has called to Himself. The mandate upon our fathering is now transcending a gathering or a teaching of people to find their purpose; rather, it is a ‘multiplying of a generation’ a re-gene-ing of the very heart of the Father for the world itself!
Abraham had no idea how that in one son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob, who became Israel, that the fulfillment of the mandate of His Father God would become multiplied into a multitude! Spiritual fathers, ministry fathers, and apostolic fathers are not being raised up in this hour for there own gain or purpose, they are being raised up to ‘transition and transform’ a chosen generation, a royal priest-hood, a holy nation and HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE to literally thrust the saints into the greatest ‘DAY OF HIS POWER!’
This is more than a change of protocol or of order, this is a whole, new day to witness the resurrection and ascension power of Jesus Christ in His Church that changes the course of the nations! The riches of the glory of His Grace is being loosed in us so that now, once again, Fathers can be ‘generators’ of a generation and those that are aligned and connected with it just simply have to brought together as a powerful pipeline where the water never stops flowing!
What is your vision fathers? Where is your heart? I pray that we can participate and share in this awesome day of His power as Apostle Paul shared with his son Timothy: 2 Timothy 1:9,10- …”who have saved us and called us, not according to our works, but according to HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE which was given us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…. ”
BECOMING WILLING IN THE DAY OF HIS POWER- Ps. 110:3
JB
I love this, good word by my friend Marty Gabler!!
Jesus did not seem at all concerned about offending people who didn’t believe the way He believed. In Matt.12 He and His disciples walk through a corn field on the Sabbath and the disciples picked and ate corn. When approached by the Pharisees and rebuked for it, Jesus defended the disciples. He then walks into the synagogue and heals a man’s withered hand on the same Sabbath. He has now stacked up two major offenses. The Pharisees immediately called for a little confab to plan to destroy Him using the healing as their condemning accusation. Instead of apologizing and going great lengths to attempt to prevent offense, He rather reminded them in verse six that they were the ones offending by not acknowledging He is greater than the Temple and its system they claimed was being violated. “One greater than the Temple is here.”
Spiritual (Kingdom) Houses and Apostolic Sons!
Luke 10:1,:5-11- After these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.
“But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a ‘son of peace’ is there, your peace will rest upon it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And ‘heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of you city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you…'” (Luke 10:5-11)
Apostles are being sent in to cities and places where, as they go, they are carrying the ‘face of Jesus’ as fathers and elder statesmen into the churches. (houses) They are looking for a “son of peace’, or an “apostolic son/shepherd/elder”, who receives them into the house! If they receive these apostolic fathers, THE PEACE will rest upon the house and remain! And even if they do not, the peace of the fathers will remain with them as they go from city to city! If a house receives them, they can remain there for as long as is needed, to help establish and impart to the leadership and to the house! They will receive what the house gives them, because the house will honor the “labor of love” that the fathers give! This will leave a powerful residue in the house that will help bring it to “full maturity” and the ‘Senior Leader/Apostle’ emerges to remain full of peace and equip the saints for sonship, along with the apostolic team. The key here is always annoucing; THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR YOU, it has arrived, it is withing your grasp! The kingdom of God will transition the leaders and the house from merely “maintenance mode” to a “mission-minded” apostolic center!
What if they do not receive you? Well, simply shake off the dust, or do not allow the adversarial schemes of the enemy in leaders or people to slow you down or bring a spirit of rejection!!! Shake it off, cast out the spirit of fear because you have ‘power and love’ and if they do not repent, go to the next city! On a personal note, we had this happen several years ago in a particular city that was given an excellent opportunity, not just to receive us, but a team of other seasoned apostles and prophets with us. For six months or so, progress was made, and the church in the city was coming together. But division and strife set in among some local leaders/pastors, and the remnant lost their ‘peace’ to proceed.
Apostles will never demand or take over by force other men’s labors, they must be invited and received! We were invited and received, until the uproar over the kingdom caused them to lose their PEACE! We simply pulled back with the peace of God intact with us and said, “So be it!” Within that same year or so, “outside of the city”, Father began raising up a work that now in these few years past, is affecting the whole area there, and we have been able to deposit our peace and it has been received!!! 🙂 God is good and “God is Faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (I. Co. 10:13)
JB.
Excellent article on apostolic paradigm by my friend, Apostle Michael Fram!
Traditionally theologians have referred to the Epistles of First and Second Timothy, as well as Titus as Pastoral Epistles. Nothing could be further from the Truth. Timothy and Titus were both Spiritual Sons to Apostle Paul and as such were being fathered, mentored and trained as young up and coming emerging Apostles in their own right.
If you read the New Testament through the Paradigm of an Apostolic Mindset, this will be quite clear. Paul clearly referred to Timothy as his son. (see 1 Corinthians 4: 17, 1 Timothy 1: 2 & 18 and 2 Timothy 1:2) Titus was also referred to as his son. (see Titus 1:4) With that in mind we are better off referring to these Epistles as Apostolic Epistles, not Pastoral Epistles.
I want to draw your attention to one passage for Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy:
“Till I come, give attention to reading…
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“FELLOWSHIP or STEWARDSHIP of the MYSTERY”
One important part of the restoration of the apostolic today is found in Acts 2:42- “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
This is also a key reference and scripture for us here at ATF! These are foundational stones that must be carried out to build properly present day truths that are back in focus today! In this post, I want to focus in on the word “fellowship!” Almost every place in scripture where fellowship is used, it is brought for the Greek word “koinonia” that denotes “sharing, partnership, unity participation, a communion, a fellowship and the brotherhood.” And all these are important in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. But there is a distinction to this word I want to bring:
One place where in a lot of translations “fellowship” is used is actually a different word, and I want to share it out of Eph. 3:9- “…and to make ALL SEE what is the ‘FELLOWSHIP’ of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;” It is actually the same word in verse 2 again translated many times “dispensation” but actually means “stewardship”, or a “spreading, distributing, and administering the great truth of God’s purpose in the church.”
Eph.3:1-5- For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the Gentiles–if indeed you have heard of the ‘stewardship’ of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already), by which when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: (Now down to 8 & 9) “To me, who am less the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, AND TO MAKE ALL SEE WHAT IS THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE MYSTERY,…”
Stewardship comes from the word “oikonomos” or stewards which literally means “to arrange a house”, or the manager of a household. It can also be used to denote an administrator or steward in general. In I Peter 4:10, it is used for all believers: “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good ‘stewards’ of the manifold grace of God.” One translation says, “Employ it in serving one another, as good stewards….”
A greater purpose is given as an “apostolic adminstration” to the apostles and prophets that “to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by (through) the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenlies, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Eph. 3:10,11) Or, literally, “through the church” the manfold (many-sided, multicolored, and much variegated) wisdom of God might be made known to the ‘authorities and rulers’ in the heavenlies…
This is why we shall see a greater shift in bringing “mysteries of God” (hidden truths) to light, so that the dispensing of the great truth of God might be displayed through a mature church, the ‘ekklesia” that understands its role in the earth today through the power of the Holy Spirit! Let’s administer the great wisdom and insight of God today through His grace and power…. Blessings!
JB
James Becton Ministries/ EaglesVision EKKLESIA! 