Well, it’s good to be back home after Christmas week in Ar. and N/E Texas!  It’s good to have “reflection and rest” at the end of a year, but more important is to be prepared to enter into the “REST OF THE LORD” FOR 2013!

We are “finishing strong” for 2012 with prayer and sharing with saints and elders and leaders the last couple of days of the year.  For the third year in a row, we’re meeting with Pastors Toby & Suzy Ratcliff and New Life Church in Kenefick, Tx. which is just east of the Dayton area.  We’re meeting tonight, Dec. 30, instead of New Year’s eve, to have a meal together with the church and have interaction on where the church is, and where it is going!

Pastor Toby is an “apostolic, innovative leader” who has kingdom perspective and understanding the dynamics of a local house transitioning from an old wineskin to the the new and fresh!  We are going to be with the house the entire month of January on Sundays and Wednesdays to help lay foundation and encourage the saints and leaders to move into “Vision, Purpose, and Destiny” for 2013!

Now, what is your Vision for 2013?  Is it listening to what everyone else is saying, and as my spiritual father says, “Cut and Paste” into our vision and pray for the Lord to bless it!!  No, It’s a good time to just gather your covenant people and leaders together and say, “Father, what are you saying to us for this year?”  What direction to you want us to go?  Much of what we will do will be in respect to have we made preparations to make necessary changes.

If you can close the books on 2012 and know that even though there have been “ups and downs”, if you can let it go, you have succeeded in finishing strong for 2012!  You can “wait upon the LORD and soar with wings like eagles, and run with the vision in 2013, as well as walk it out! (Is.40:31:Ha.2:2)

This will carry over into 2013, and what was not fulfilled in 2012, will become to come into focus in 2013!  The key is your “PERSPECTIVE!”  Perception give you insight and wisdom, but “perspective” will help you make the necessary adjustments and have knowledge on where you’re going!

Now, just enter into HIS REST, AND THEN ALL YOUR LABOR WILL COME FROM HIS STRENGTH AND BLESSING!  MAY 2013 BE YOUR MOST FRUITFUL YEAR OF ALL THE PAST YEARS COMBINED, AND MAY YOU ENJOY THE FRUIT OF YOUR LABORS!

YOURS FOR THE KINGDOM,

JB

Gal. 3:5-9- Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?–just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Since Abraham is considered the “father of our faith”, and the gospel was preached to Him long before Christ was born, then the “sons of Abraham” are the “sons of Jesus Christ!” (Gal. 3:26) Abraham received the inheritance by promise and the Law was some 430 years later! The Law was our “schoolmaster” (tutor) to bring us to Christ, that we might be justfied by faith, just like Abraham. When we receive it by faith, we are no longer under a tutor. (Gal. 3:17-25)

So, now that we’ve gone through Abraham and then the Law of Moses, we come to David. Matt. 1:1 says, “The Book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, THE SON OF DAVID, THE SON OF ABRAHAM.” When you talk about David, you have to talk about ZION! ZION was the stronghold (fortress) of David, when He became king of Israel. Since the tabernacle of David was on Mount Zion, then it is an expression of the “Overcoming church” of Jesus Christ! The Psalms proclaims this about Zion: Ps. 74:2- Remember your congregation, which You have purchased of old, The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed–THIS MOUNT ZION where you have dwelt. Ps. 82:1-3- His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! Selah. Ps. 132:13,14- For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desire it for His dwelling place: this is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. And, Ps. 147:1-3- PRAISE THE LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

Can you see the spiritual thread running through these Psalms? It all is speaking about the true Church (ecclesia) of Jesus Christ! He has purchased the church with His won blood, it is His congregation, it is His city, it is His dwelling place, He heals and binds up the brokenhearted. What more can we say about the city of our God. Before we examine this more, look back to Abraham of what Hebrews 11:9,10 says: “By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city, which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Psalms 122:6-  Pray for the peace of Jersualem:  they shall prosper that love thee.

My question is, does this only apply to “natural Jersualem” in the land of Israel in that small piece of real estate in the middle east?  Ps. 122:3-5 says, “Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:  Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.  For there are thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.”

Before we go further with our subject of the blessing of Abraham through Israel, let’s look a moment concerning the city “Jerusalem”!  There is also a biblical fulfillment for the church concerning Jerusalem.  And, once again, before you label me, let us just agree with scripture and not just the traditions of men.  The church is a “city set on a hill that cannot be hidden” and we are being built together as a city that is compact together.

In Eph. 2:21,22 speaking of the church built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, “in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”  This is a spiritual application of the city of Jerusalem.

Heb. 12:22- “But you are come unto mount Zion and unto the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, AND TO JESUS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” 

My main point that I want to make is that we are NOT cursed because we have a president who does not support Israel, but because we are the CHURCH, the true ecclesia, we are the blessing of Abraham through Isaac, the promised seed.  As long as there is a people of God that not only stand for natural Israel but as the spiritual Israel who reflect the glory of God on earth.  Gal. 3:16-  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.  He saith not, And to seeds, as of many;  BUT AS OF ONE, AND TO THY SEED, WHICH IS CHRIST.

Gal. 4:26-  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

We are born from above, or “born again” unto the kingdom.  The church that Jesus is building is not a “manmade institution” but is a “spiritual operation” by the Spirit of God and under the headship of King Jesus, who is both Lord and Christ.  Just as Abraham had a child of the flesh born through Hagar, and then a promised son born through Sarah called “Isaac”, so are we the children of promise.  Gal. 4:28

Romans 2:28,29-  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly;  neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly;  and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Romans 9:6-8-  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.  For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:  Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children:  BUT, IN ISAAC SHALL THEY SEED BE CALLED.  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God:  but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Gal. 6:15,16-  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Who is the Israel of God?  The Israel of God are those, both Jew and Gentile, who have been made one in Christ.  Eph. 2:14-16-  For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition, or division, between us;  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;  for to make in himself of twain ONE NEW MAN, SO MAKING PEACE;  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

If we, the ecclesia, the sons of promise in Christ through Isaac, stand together as the Israel of God, we can see redemption in this country and will see divine intervention of the LORD in Israel and Jerusalem.  I. Pe. 4:17-  For the time has come that judgment begin at the house(hold) of God;  and if it first begin in us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

This is certainly not nearly a full study of covenantal theology, in which God has always ordained a people to walk with Him, starting with Israel being a special people, the apple of His eye, and the desire of all nations.  He will fulfill this through a redeemed people all the way until the end.  Let us rise up, in America, and be the people that the Father has ordained us to be and so shall, ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED!! (Romans 11:26)

And remember, right in the middle of Jerusalem is USA!  LET US CONTINUE TO BLESS ISRAEL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD TOUCH ALL THE NATIONS!

BLESSINGS,

JIM BECTON

Don’t you just love Mondays!  I think I read years ago, that Pastor Tommy Barnett, the famed pastor in Phoenix, said, “Every monday morning I resign my church, just feeling a little down even after a great Sunday, but reflecting on maybe what I could have done or said different!  But after a Starbucks coffee on Monday morning, I’m ready to go again!” (my paraphrase)

Well, using the “Monday morning quarterback” analogy, and being a QB in school, I used to do the same thing, of course, on a lot smaller scale than Tommy Barnett!  LOL!  But now, just as I learned in football, you play the game to the best of your ability and you leave the outcome to the final score!!  Now, before you think I’m a “fatalist”, I’m a tough competitor and I love to win!  You know what the famed coach, Vince Lombardi, said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the ONLY THING!”

I saw my good friend, Pastor George Lee Glass, and His Dad and Uncle Jimmy, a couple of weeks ago in DeRidder and we reflected over the “campground” days at Youth Camp in Redfield, Ar. in the early 70’s.  We mainly played softball because it was summer time, but usually late in the afternoon before having to get ready for the evening service, some of us would get together and have a good “old-fashioned” game of ‘tackle’ football!  Wow, there was some hitting going on and George Lee and I were “chief competitors!”  You play the game to win!!  But it also teaches you teamwork and cooperation!

Now, life and ministry is not a “game”, it’s real!  Our life is in Christ, and we’re hidden with Christ in God!  Ministry is “service” in the kingdom and has to do with the function and assignment you’re called to.  But, when you have “given up” everything to gain, or “win” Christ, you are no longer driven by the outcome of your ministry, or service, in the body of Christ!  I love the body of Christ for its’ diversity!  Religion and man-made structures have taken away from the beauty and devotion of the body because of trying to make everybody the same!  What a Shame!!  The most beautiful times in enjoying the people of God is when you can come together without an “agenda” and without making sure everybody knows “who’s in charge” and allow the Spirit of God to orchestrate and direct the meeting!

I’m certainly not talking about a “free for all”, where there are no parameters or boundaries in the Spirit!  We all need that.  But it’s certainly wonderful to wake up on a Monday Morning and instead of “critiquing” how you did, you just rest in the fact that “one plants, another waters, but GOD GIVE THE INCREASE!”  This is one of Pam’s favorite verses in I. Cor. 3 and now, after years of struggling with how the “game went” on Sunday morning, I just leave it in the hands of the Lord!

So, enjoy your “Starbucks, or McDonalds or IHOP today, and REST IN WHO THE FATHER MADE YOU!

REFLECTIONS FROM AN OLD COMPETITOR,

JB!

Ok, it’s been a month since my last post, and I haven’t done part 2 on the “Church in Crisis!”  And, I am going to do that in the next couple of days, but first, I want to write about the last month.  The last 10 days of June were busy with seems lkfe daily meetings with leaders one-on-one, and then we had two small leadership meetings on consecutive Friday nights with our group of relational intercessors and saints connected with our apostolic commission concerning the Father’s Heart!  These were excellent meetings that helped us close out the “end of an era”, and usher us into a new beginning and commission of grace and apostleship!

On Sunday, July 1, we were with “Church of the Living Water” in Deer Park, and on Monday we left for the Fourth of July week in Ar. to help our parents, My dad with my mom.  My Dad was sick with a bad cold and sore throat, and didn’t go to the doctor until we left on Friday.  Pam and I both awakened that morning we were leaving with a sniffle and throat a little sore.  We got home that night and walked in to a part of our dining room ceiling and some water on the floor.  We thought a pipe had bursted, but after cleaning up the mess, there didn’t seem to be anymore leaks.  On Saturday evening my dad called and they had admitted my mother to the hospital with a bronichal infection.  She remained till the next Friday, and for a couple of days was very serious with high fever and blood pressure and border line pnuemonia, but pulled out of it.  She is back home and doing better.

The last two Sundays we have been in Pasadena, on the 8th, at New Beginnings Family Church, with Pastor Larry Burgess and last Sunday, the 15th, with Sozo Church, formerly “Fairmont Christian Center” for Pastor Jason Morse!  But in between the two weeks, Pam and I both have been really ill and sick (please, no “bad confession” lectures, lol) and without energy and strength.  We are just now, after two weeks, beginning to pull out of it.  The Lord graced us to do the weekends and we have rested and prayed, preparing for then two busy weeks coming up!

That brings us to the present, which is the “Fresh Fire” Conference that began tonight with our friends, Doug and Rhonda Shutt.  They are celebrating their “Five year anniversary” of Eagle Nest Houston, at the Holiday Inn, Hobby Airport, tonight through Sat. July 19-21!  There are three meetings a day on Friday and Saturday, and I’m supposed to speak Saturday afternoon in the “1-3pm” session.  We’re believing, that of tonight, we will be able to fulfill this request.  Although we’ve had the schedule a long time, and been praying over it, just since last night has the Father been dropping into my spirit a word for the conference.  If you will look on my facebook wall, you will find under “Events” this meeting scheduled with the details.  If you get a chance to come out, I know they would really appreciate it.

In closing, let me encourage you from a standpoint of transparency:  Although we have preached and lived out the change from “kairos” to “chronos”, knowing that this new time is unlike anything in the past, we have been perplexed at times with the seemingly total unknowing, or uncertainty on what was going on.  But we do have “certain uncertainty” as well as the “predictable resisitance”, that as we enter this new administration of the Father’s Kingdom, we shall have “uncommon favor and victory!”  I encourage you today, to not look back to where you have been, but look ahead and forge forward into this new terrain, to possess the land and inherit the kingdom!  Before the new beginning, there is always an ending, and a brief period of confusion, not because we have missed it, but because it is new and fresh.  So, embrace the New Commission of this hour, and with unparelled faith and vision,Let us launch out into the deep…

Blessings,

Jim & Pam
(Look under the events section of the blog and we will have the schedule for the 22-29 up soon.)

When I say “church in crisis”, I am not being critical or referring to the anointed “body of Christ”, the spiritual remnant of God’s people!  I am crying out to the ones from all walks of life and every religious background who desire to be all that He wants us to be in this hour!  I do believe, however, that even those of us who are seeking His face and turning from our wicked ways, must also humble ourselves and pray that we will not miss the next move of God that He is bringing forth!!

When I refer to the biblical definition of the church, or ecclesia, I am referring to where it starts and that is with relational leadership and authority!  The church can never be the church unless it comes under the rule of God and the kingdom He as committed to Christ’s authority!  The word “church” is mentioned by Jesus only three times, but they are powerful ones.  Let us look at them:

1)  Matt. 16:18,19-  “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church;  and the gates of hades (hell) shall not overpower it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven;  and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” (Nasb)

2)  Matt. 18:15-17-  “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private;  if he listens to you, you have won your brother.  But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church;  and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”  (Nasb)

Jesus was telling Peter in Matt.16 that He was building His church, not only on the revelation that He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, but also on the foundation upon which it would be built!  No other foundation can be laid, than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ( I. Co. 3:11)  So, all leadership must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the “living Head” of the body, and we must not substitute His headship, we must represent it!  We only have ‘delegated’ authority!!

In the second passage in Matt. 18, this clearly shows why the church is in deep crisis today.  We very often ignore what should be the basic of all believers and saints in dealing with relational problems.  Yet, most often, when one has a fault with another, instead of going with a spirit of meekness to restore relationships, we usually hold resentment and tell others how much we’ve been hurt.  If we cannot follow these basic guidelines, where “in the mouth of every two or three witnesses shall every word be established, how can we know what to bind or loose?”

In fact, in Mt. 18:18,19, Jesus again gives the resolve in dealing with these things:  “Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have already been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.  Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth as touching anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.  For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst.”  Can we see this?  When two comes in agreement over their disagreements, He, Jesus, is the third one that comes in between them, and the two can come into agreement with Him!

Of course, in some of our older days, people thought “telling it to the church”, meant telling every body in church!  How ridiculous is that, after Jesus gives the pattern of dealing with offenses, and then we get up in church in testimony meeting and tell everyones sins and faults!  No, He was saying, “Tell it to the church leadership, those that are in authority, so that righteous judgments may be rendered!”  Where the church is, there the elders are, and where the apostles and elders are, there the government of the church is!

I see a correlation between Isaiah 1:26,27 and Acts 1:20b,25:

Isa. 1:26,27-  “Then I will restore your judges (apostles) as at the first, And your counsellors (prophets) as at the beginning;  After that you will be called the city of righteousness, A faithful city.  Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness.”

Acts 1:20b,25-  “Let another take His bishoprick (position of overseer or office)…to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”

What is sad, is when leadership cannot come into agreement, which is a “divine appointment.”

To be continued…

J.B.