EKKLESIA-  THE GOVERNMENT OF HEAVEN ON EARTH!

The greatest shift and breakthrough we’re in right now is moving from “church, as we know it, to Ekklesia, which by the way, is Nm to enact and establish the Assembly on Mount Zion as Sons of God!  JESUS SOT a new way of doing church”!  Ekklesia is not only the called out ones, but it is the called out of the called out, those who have been chosen and separated unto the KingdoAID, “The good seed are the sons of the kingdom…” Here are some differences as we see the kingdom established in the earth:

1)  Church is a “pastoral leadership model “, mercy and maintenance driven;  Ekklesia is an “apostolic leadership model”, that is, apostolic team-ministry made up of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers with saints being equipped and empowered to fulfill the “ministry of the saints…. The saints ministry is to serve, help, support and fulfill their calling and purpose in the earth.  (Eph. 4:11,12;  I. Co. 16:15-17; I. Peter 4:10)

2)  Church as we know it, is “membership minded”, with performance and programs as the goal;  Ekklesia is “sonship minded”, that is, identifying and equipping sons as who they are, not just what they do.  Sons function out of a position of being, while members who do not know who they are, are orphans.  Orphans are bent on doing, feeling esteem and power when they can perform acts of ministry, yet feel rejected and unapproved when they do not get to do there thing.  Anointing and gifting is always subject to sonship!

3)  Church is all about “gifts and ministries!”  Ekklesia is about character and governance!  If you are gifted and can minister, your character is often overlooked; in Ekklesia, integrity and being authentic is valued, and even if you don’t minister your gift, you are secure in being a son and knowing whose you are!  Gifts are needed to function but character is needed to sustain function and grace!  Without the order of Fathers and sons in the kingdom, gifts will operate many times to display personalities and be performance-oriented!  Ministries are for serving, gifts are for function!

4)  Church as we know it, centers around the “house of the Lord” or the physical building.  Everything is centered around “services, programs, attendance, special events, etc!  Ekklesia is centered around the “kingdom”, being a “habitation of God in the Spirit”, a people being built up as a holy temple in the Lord, and seeing the body of Christ edified and established, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone… (Eph. 2:20-22)  When the Church “gathers” together they can be in one place but not necessarily assembled!  To be an “assembly” we must be “fitly joined together…” (I. Peter 2:5-9)

5) Church is promoted by pastors to be a “covering” for all believers, as the pastor is the shepherd to the sheep!  Ps. 23:1- The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want or lack…” In all actuality, pastors are to serve and undergird the flock “as under-shepherds, not lording over the sheep, but being examples to the flock.”  Many saints go to church but have no accountability because the pastors are unaccountable. There is not many times, any relational authority.   Submission is not “one-way” it is being mutually accountable.   Let the younger submit to the elder. (I. Peter1:1-5)
Ekklesia promotes “Christ as being the head of the body”, the Church and Christ the Apostle, Bishop, and Shepherd of our souls and the High Priest of our confession.  Apostles and pastors in Ekklesia do not “cover” as INSTEAD of Christ, but bring “Alignment” to the sons of God as a kingdom of priests and can teach, train, confirm, raise up and release all saints and mantle ministries with an apostolic/Prophetic Alignment!  This brings kingdom order to the Ekklesia, which is what Jesus Christ founded and built upon the authority of the Father who sent Him!!!  (Heb. 3:1: I. Peter 2:25)

In 2 CHRON. 20, King Jehosaphat of Judah was surrounded on all sides by enemies and He began to seek the LORD! In verse 12, he prayed, “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us: nor do we know what to do, BUT OUR EYES ARE UPON YOU.” He then gathered the singer’s and the musicians with all the people and the word of the Lord came to him: verse 15 & 17- ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS BUT GOD’S…’You will not need to fight in this battle! Set (position) yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ DO NOT FEAR OR BE DISMAYED: TOMORROW GO OUT AGAINST THEM, FOR THE LORD IS WITH YOU.”

The Lord gave me this word at the end of last month at our annual apostolic campaign meeting. I felt to share this now with all that has happened, that even though we are surrounded on all sides by a flood of waters, God rides upon the flood and He is with us! He says “Set yourselves, be in alignment with Me and keep your eyes on Me and I will bring you through the waters and the rivers!!” DO NOT FEAR!! There’s a lot of fear, fear of the unknown and of the elements but the Father has good plans for us, plans to prosper us and not destroy us! We simply must trust Him and commit our ways and thoughts to Him, and He will bring us through. Many are facing huge challenges right now, but He has better plans for all of us!! Just as in the natural, we have much rebuilding to do, so in the Spiritual! We are in the times of RESTORATION AND A GREAT REFORMATION!! THE REALIGNING, RECOVERING AND RESTRUCTURING HAS BEGUN…

We know according to Jere 29:11, He has given us a FUTURE AND A HOPE!! Then, in verses 18-20- Jehoshaphat bowed his head with has face to the ground and all of the people bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. Then they stood up to praise the LORD GOD OF ISRAEL WITH VOICES LOUD AND HIGH. Then, the powerful word in 20:20 word as they went out to meet the enemy: BELIEVE IN THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND YOU SHALL BE ESTABLISHED; BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS, AND YOU SHALL PROSPER.” What a powerful word and of course, as they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against those who came against Judah, and they were defeated. Let us go forth being thankful, praising and worshiping the LORD, FOR THE FATHER IS “SENDING JUDAH FIRST”, THE WORSHIPING WARRIORS!!  LET THE WORSHIPERS ARISE…

Blessings, JB.

I had a very nice call from my friend, Apostle Darrell McManus today, checking on us to see how we were. It was so kind for him to call and so good to hear from him. We had hoped to get down to the last Waco FIRE meeting they had last week and we had been out of town to be with family. He said it was beyond words to adequately describe what Father has been doing there and how this move of God is crossing all denominational lines and barriers. He stated there truly was an “OPEN HEAVEN” over the city and how the leaders, many pastors and other apostles and prophets were coming together in prayer and in unity!

And this is, of course, really a sovereign move of the Holy Spirit as a result of many years of prayer and the obedience of leaders to come together to seek the Lord as one!! It seems as if there is no ego or fighting over position of whose going to do this or that. I commend them on the great hunger for God and humility and honor they’re giving to God and to one another. Bro. Darrell was in a small leadership meeting with us last month and doesnt share from theory or hype!! He shared from a real burden amd sincere vision of what Hes seen the Lord doing!! Bro. Darrell is committed to the vision that Father has given him and how he sees this Fire of God spreading all across Texas, the country and all across the world!!

Let me say in this time of crisis and tragedy in our region that there are so many who want to have a voice and give their word or prophecy about what they think this time is all about! Everybody can have an opinion or word after the fact about what they think is going on, but yet have no ongoing relationship with what Father has been saying or doing in Houston!! We can spiritualize about a lot of things but we need those who are committed to the vision and mandate of the city to come together now to see “where we must go from here!” No doubt the Father is “stripping” and showing us where our real dependence upon Him is and how we have built on “faulty foundations” and not always preached a “pure” gospel!

Yes, this is a time of “judgment” but not the kind of judgment that most speak of. This is not the “wrath” of God coming against us and trying to show us all our sins, this is the judgment (discerning between good and evil, hot or cold, etc.) of the Lord that must come first and foremost to His people! This is the righteous judgement or decision of the Lord to bring purging and purity to the body of Christ. The theme verse we have for our apostolic campaign this year is Isa. 43:1-7 where the great verse 2 is that’s bringing encouragement to many right now: WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU: AND THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW YOU. WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU SHALL NOT BE BURNED….

Where should we go from here! Well, I certainly don’t have the answers and with my small measure of influence in a city like Houston, and especially where there are many great spiritual leaders, there is always a small gathering of the “remnant” that the Lord uses to bring change and be a “catalyst” for His will to be done! When you see brethren willing to come together in spite of doctrinal differences or cultural differences, then we can embrace a humility and unity that only comes from the Spirit of God!!! I pray that we will allow the Holy Spirit to temper us and refine us as pure God tried in the fire, that our faith may genuinely be in Him and found in Him to the praise, honor, and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! (I. Peter 1:7)

What if each leader and pastor began to reach out, not only to those in their own circles but across imaginary lines and boundaries that do not really exist that separate us!! No one is comfortable being stretched outside our comfort zones, but look at how many thousands, even millions in this greater region from Corpus to Houston, as well as to the East and West of us, that are being totally devastated and losing everything? This is the time to embrace the change and then challenge our hearts to receive one another, even as Christ has received us! It doesn’t take a “deep” prophecy or revelation from heaven to do this, it simply takes obedience to His Word and sensitivity to His Spirit to see It!

I humbly submit that we lay aside all the foolishness and game playing that we too often do, and with courage and fortitude, accept the challenge that is set before us and determine in our hearts to advance the kingdom!

Love and blessings,

Jim, a servant of Jesus Christ and a son of God!!

Pam and I are thanking God for this week of reflecting on a wonderful meeting last weekend with our Apostolic Campaign 2017/2018 Celebration of Sons & Daughters! We also had ministry relationships and pastors and churches represented that we serve in relationship with that also made it special. As I wrote in a post earlier this week, it took several days for the meeting to “sink in” and still has a sobering, yet joyous effect on us! We realize that as Father took us on this “Three Day” journey, how significant it is for the “Third Day” Church, and the remnant that is being tested by fire to come forth as “pure gold” tried in the fire!! The fire is more than for purging or chastising, it is for the purifying, glory of the Lord to be made manifest and seen upon us! (Isa. 60:1,2)

As we celebrate His goodness through 40 years of ministry, and 20 years of apostolic ministry, we are so grateful for the freedom that comes through “God-ordained” relationships that are birthed and connected in Him and that He holds together for His own purpose and grace to be fulfilled in us. The three day celebration that began last Friday, July 28- Sunday, July 30, represented another significant shift to us, as we transition into the rest and peace of God in this new day of Christ! Each night culminated with a word of God bringing us into more clarity and revelation for wisdom and insight into His plans! On Saturday night, in particular, Father led us to 2 Chronicles 20 and the story of King Jehoshaphat of Judah being surrounded by enemies on all sides. As He prayed and led all the people into prayer and praise and the singers and minstrels worshiped the Lord, He brought forth a marvelous victory that they did not even to have to fight in. In verse 17, He spoke and said, “You will not need to fight in this battle. Set (postions) yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem…” In verse 20, with 20/20 vision, Jehoshaphat declared, “Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe HIs prophets, and so shall you prosper!”

He led me then to Isaac in Gen. 26 where he was in the land of Gerar and there was a great famine. Gen. 26:12,13 says, “Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. vs. 13 says, ‘The man began to prosper, and continued prospering UNTIL HE BECAME VERY PROSPEROUS, or till he “increased with the full increase of God.” We began to touch on the “100 fold” blessing and we found where the the disciples saw Jesus dealing with the rich young ruler to sell what he had, give to the poor, and come and take up his cross and follow him. In the account in Mark 10:20-31, we see Jesus addressing those who ‘trust’ in their riches and how hard it is for them to enter the kingdom of God! They were like, who then can be saved?

Jesus then said in Mark 10:27-31- “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” Then Peter began to say to HIm, ‘See, we have left all and followed you.” So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, “who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time–houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children or lands, WITH PERSECUTIONS–AND IN THE AGE TO COME, ETERNAL LIFE. “But man who are first will be last, and the last first.” WOW!!

Now, we’ve all seen the abuse of some in the modern day prosperity gospel who use this passage to raise money, or to say if you “sow 100 dollars you’ll get back $1,000.00 or $10,000.00”, as if it is a magical formula. That’s not what Jesus was talking about, He was talking about a “completeness, a fullness of all, like Isaac, when he sowed in the land of famine, He reaped until He began to prosper, to be blessed and increase and keep increasing with the increase of God! In today’s vernacular and even Jesus’ word, He describes the 100 fold not just as a “financial thing”, He described it as “what ever you gave up and sowed in the kingdom, you will reap everything needed that will be provided to accomplish God’s will for you in the earth! Can He increase your money? Certainly, but He would rather increase us with everything that He has already blessed us with in “ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS” as well! (Eph. 1:3)

When He spoke that to us in relation to our spiritual relationships and stewardship, we began to see that its not about a “dollar amount”, it’s about being ’empowered to prosper’ and see the ability as well to “bless those who prosper” or release the fullness of the “Third day church!” From now, this year of 2017 through 2020, we decree and declare the blessing and prosperity of God, especially in the realm of the apostolic company of Jesus Christ, to see everything needed and provided to advance and declare the kingdom of God! Psalm 66:12 says, You have caused men to ride over our heads: We went through fire and through water; BUT YOU BROUGHT US OUT TO RICH FULFILLMENT, OR A LARGE AND WEALTHY PLACE. Wow, praise the Lord. Many prosperity teachers say God won’t cause you to go through anything or have difficulties, or setbacks, but He actually uses these things to bring us through the fire and cause us to inherit our inheritance in Christ!

One of our spiritual daughters, Linda Harless, who was not even able to be with us in the meeting, posted the other day this powerful passage in Zech. 13;8,9- And it shall come to pass in all the land, says the LORD, “”that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third (the third part) shall be left in it: I will bring the third part THROUGH THE FIRE, WILL REFINE THEM AS SILVER IS REFINED, AND TEST THEM AS GOLD IS TESTED. THEY WILL CALL ON MY NAME, AND I WILL ANSWER THEM. I WILL SAY, ‘THIS IS MY PEOPLE.’ AND EACH ONE WILL SAY, ‘THE LORD IS MY GOD.'” This spiritual application of the people of God today declares that even the Third day people are being tested, thus even a principle of the ‘fourth” coming forth that shall shine as pure gold!!  THIS IS THE “FOURTH DIMENSION”, THE FULLNESS OF ALL THAT FILLS ALL THINGS AND QUALIFIES US FOR COMPLETENESS!!!

I’m sharing this with you, our wordpress family, that as you persevere through maybe much pain or suffering or tribulation while watching many others seemingly “prospering” but yet have no real revelation of what being in the kingdom really means and hang out back in the first or second day dimension, God is bringing this third part through the fire with such revelation that it will explode with the increase of our Father to bring the 100-FOLD NOW AND IN THIS PRESENT AGE, WITH PERSECUTIONS, THE COMPLETE TREASURE OF OUR FATHER FOR A MIGHTY APOSTOLIC WAR-CHEST AND STOREHOUSE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD! WHERE ARE YOU AT? ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH JUST SOME ‘BLESSINGS’, OR DO YOU WANT THE FULL BLESSING AND INHERITANCE OF THE FULL GROWN SONS OF GOD IN THE EARTH TODAY! THIS WILL ACTUALLY EXCEED THE HARVEST, THIS WILL BRING THE FULL INHERITANCE OF THE FIRSTBORN BLESSING IN JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN. (Romans 8:29)

Some have been asking for the link to our page for giving, and it seems at times it isn’t working. If you would like to sow into the apostolic of Jesus Christ in the portion that He has given us, click on the link below and it seems to be working fine! Again, as we stated in our apostolic meeting, this is not about raising money or giving a certain amount, this is in coming into agreement for our Father to release everything that heaven holds so that, as the embassy of the kingdom, and ambassadors of Christ, we will see the land full and flowing with the river of God, and all the glory that comes from it! And we come into agreement with Him concerning our theme verse, Isa. 43:6b,7- “Bring my sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth–Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I HAVE FORMED HIM, YES, I HAVE MADE HIM.” THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE AND LETS’ BE THE VESSELS IN THE HAND OF THE LORD THAT SHALL SURELY SEE “THE WHOLE EARTH FILLED, OR TO BE MADE FULL, OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD! MUCH LOVE AND MANY BLESSINGS, JIM AND PAM!

Apostolic Reformation today is in need of serious RE-FORM & RESTORATION! 

Apostles must shift and transition into today’s reality for accountability and responsibility!  Its not a question that you say you are an apostle or that you’re called to be an apostle.  It is the confirmation of apostolic counsel and councils that are established to serve as recommendations for this ministry.  This is the way the early church functioned when it came to recognizing those called to be apostles and prophets.   Acts 14:26-  From there they (Paul and Barnabas) sailed to Antioch, where they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.   Acts 15:40-  but Paul chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God.

Leadership in the early church, even including elders in the local assembly, were never appointed by just one man and all were approved by the brethren and councils of prophetic/apostolic ministry.  They were recognized, received, and recommended by the church and proven apostolic ministry!   I. Thess. 5:12-  And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you.  I. Tim. 4:14-  Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.  (eldership)  I. Tim. 5:22-  Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins:  keep yourself pure.

How do we make this shift and transition today?  We must return to apostolic principles and order that the first century apostles operated in!!!  Sadly, many of today’s apostles are “self-proclaimed” because they were unwilling to make themselves accountable to an apostolic round-table of their peers.  Again, the question is not so much that you call yourself an “apostle”, are there “fathers in the faith” and a cross-current stream of apostles who recognize and could recommend you to the brethren as an apostle!  For too long, many have said, “Well, the Lord ‘told’ me I’m an apostle, and anyway, I have received prophecies that I am an apostle.”

Yet, many of these prophecies are at conferences or convocations where leaders do not even know one another and many in the conference are self-appointed as well!  WHAT MUST BE THE SOLUTION?  I submit to you, that unless we return to the apostolic teaching and fellowship of our fathers, we will continue to see the rise of false apostles, of which many of them are just either out of alignment or have not waited to be confirmed or commended by the brethren.  What we need today is true “cross-pollination” of apostles and prophets who are willing to “come and reason together” and submit one to another their doctrine and manner of teaching.  Since none of us have it all or even one group has it all, we need to cross barriers and repair the gaps in the walls of our cities.

WHAT WILL THIS TAKE?  IT WILL TAKE REGIONAL AND/OR NATIONAL COUNCILS AND ROUND-TABLES OF APOSTOLIC LEADERS AND PROPHETIC SPOKESMEN WHO HAVE THE WISDOM, SEASONING, AND COUNSEL TO CROSS THESE LINES AND BRING APOSTOLIC DIRECTION!  

Apostolic companies, confirmation, and councils will go a long way to bring our cities and churches into apostolic order and kingdom alignment!  Are you willing in this day to submit yourself to the kingdom of God, the embassy of the kingdom for our cities, so that regions and nations may come to the mountain of the Lord?

Is.2:2-  Now it shall come to pass in the latter days the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills;  And all nations shall flow to it.

BLESSINGS AND YOURS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD,

APOSTLE JIM BECTON, FATHERS HEART HOUSTON/
Apostolic Teaching Fathers Fellowship!

Apostolic Regional Convergence is how the Father aligns, builds, and connects through apostles and prophets!
The kingdom of heaven is like a net… (Matt. 13:47)
The kingdom is the domain of God and His Christ, His realm, reign and rule beginning not only in a person, but corporately in the body of Christ establishing the sovereign rule of Christ in regions and cities!
When apostolic ministry comes together with the prophetic, the kingdom net is cast forth and gathers in all kinds, good and bad, true and false. There has to be a “sifting”, that is why the “shifting” comes and always brings a great “Shaking!” Evangelists, Pastors and teachers then all have their role and function when this happens.
The Parable of the wheat and the tares:
Matt. 13:30- ‘Let both (wheat and tares) grow together UNTIL THE HARVEST, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “FIRST gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into My barn.”‘”
Matt. 13:38-40- “The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the HARVEST is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.”
Matt. 13:47-49- “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, “which, when it was full, they drew to shore: and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,…”
When true apostles and prophets come together, it will bring out everything that needs to be exposed… The fire of God, the Baptism of Fire, is taking place in the kingdom to reveal what has been built on the foundation of Christ.
I. Co. 3:12,13- Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by FIRE; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is….
2 Tim. 2:19-21- Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those that are His” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (Lawlessness) But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
I. Co. 4:5- Therefore judge nothing before the time, until The Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.