Tag: mark hanby
Ekklesia ARISE!
www.facebook.com/events/245174989440825/
As we did an update today on the event, Father spoke to my heart to change it from “rising” to an apostolic command “ARISE!!” Rising is definitely a process and the Ekklesia has been in that transition, but now it is time to have a “Resurrection!” It means a “raising up, a “standing up again”, a making WHOLE!
In the days of the restoration of all things, restore means to “repair, to set in order, to complete.” Ps. 102:13- You will arise and have mercy upon Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.
As we enter into this new Era of the Ekklesia, the corporate overcomer and representative of the kingdom, we will Arise and stand on our feet, taking our place in the army of the Lord!
Ezekiel 37:10- So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath (the breath of life) came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT ARMY…
Yours for the kingdom,
Jim and Pam
The Apostolic Career!
Jim Becton
1 Tim. 1:18-20- (Message)
I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we’re in.
There are some, you know, who by relaxing their grip and thinking anything goes have made a thorough mess of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two of them. I let them wander off to Satan to be taught a lesson or two about not blaspheming.
Great passage from Paul concerning his son, Timothy, about keeping the faith and “waging the good warfare”- strateia- “the apostolic career”, which is where the real fight of faith is! The apostolic career is not just a “profession”, or saying I have 20 or 30 years in my career so I can now retire! No, the apostolic career is a lifestyle of spiritual “military service”, the apostolic career (as one of hardship and danger): — warfare.
This warfare is as a soldier serving in a military campaign; To Paul and Timothy it was executing the apostolate (the apostleship) with its arduous duties and functions, to contend with carnal inclinations. Go to War-fare. It is about dealing with the mindsets and strongholds that hold men in fear, religious traditions, and even heresies, or those being diverted from truth. When we see the apostolic as contending with carnal minds and inclinations, then we can understand what the “good fight of faith is.”
We will be looking at this more extensively over the next few weeks, as we prepare for our apostolic campaign beginning in the month of July. We will look at the scripture concerning the apostleship and how territories are where the greatest battles are, because men are “territorial!” The apostolic career is NOT something we choose, it is the calling and choosing of the Father that through apostolic fathering relationships, we can begin to take back the land through inheritance, blessing, and birthright. May we continue in “fighting the good fight of faith…”
Concerning, Continuing, and Considering!
Romans 1:1-5- Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, CONCERNING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,…
Acts 28:30,31- Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things CONCERNING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WITH ALL CONFIDENCE, NO ONE FORBIDDING HIM.
Acts 19:8-10- And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading CONCERNING THE THINGS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Acts 8:5,12- Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them…But when they believed Philip as he preached the things CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, both men and women were baptized.
Acts 1:3- …to whom He (Jesus) also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and SPEAKING OF THE THINGS PERTAINING TO AND CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Acts 2:42- AND THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE AND FELLOWSHIP, IN THE BREAKING OF BREAD, AND IN PRAYERS.
I. Co. 1:4-9- I thank my God always CONCERNING YOU FOR THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS GIVEN TO YOU BY CHRIST JESUS, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. GOD IS FAITHFUL, BY WHOM YOU WERE CALLED INTO THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
Heb. 3;1,2- Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION, CHRIST JESUS, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house.
Apostolic RELATIONAL Fathers!
It seems to me that “apostolic fathers” or spiritual fathers should not be such a ‘heavy reavy” today, something hard for many ministers or sons to understand!! Many will always bring up past hurts and abuses, but it is time to move on from the past, even “forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forward to the things which are ahead…” (Phill.3:13b)
It is a new day and a new ERA (E.merging R.elational A.postles) that there are those called to ‘father’ not from and old mindset but from a renewed mind of spirit and truth. To say we do not need this is to say that we do not need a vital truth that is strongly supported by scripture. Apostle Paul penned this powerful passage in I. Co. 4:14-16 under divine inspiration:
I. Co. 4:14-16 (Nasb)- I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have ‘countless tutors’ ( instructors, boy-teachers, guides, coaches, mentors) in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.
I. Co. 4:14-15 (Message)- I’m not writing all this as a neighborhood scold just to make you feel rotten. I’m writing as a father to you, my children. I love you and want you to grow up well, not spoiled. There are a lot of people around who can’t wait to tell you what you’ve done wrong, but there aren’t many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up. It was as Jesus helped me proclaim God’s message to you that I became your father. I’m not, you know, asking you to do anything I’m not already doing myself.
No Veil in Christ!
Heb. 6:19,20- This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
JESUS our FORERUNNER, has entered behind the veil for us. The Most Holy Place is the third dimension of God, manifesting His Life to us and …the door in heaven is opened! There is an “open heaven” because of what Jesus has done for us. The only time heaven is not opened to us in this dimension is when we are blinded.
2 Co. 3:12-16- Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when on turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
The same principle remains today. Not that we do not study the Old Testament or things like the Tabernacle of Moses, for much truth is revealed out of the types and shadows. Heb. 3:5,6- And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house AS A SERVANT, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but CHRIST AS A SON over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
2 Co. 3:17,18- Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Hebrews 9:11,12- But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal salvation.
JESUS our FORERUNNER, has entered behind the veil for us. The Most Holy Place is the third dimension of God, manifesting His Life to us and …the door in heaven is opened! There is an “open heaven” because of what Jesus has done for us. The only time heaven is not opened to us in this dimension is when we are blinded.
2 Co. 3:12-16- Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when on turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
The same principle remains today. Not that we do not study the Old Testament or things like the Tabernacle of Moses, for much truth is revealed out of the types and shadows. Heb. 3:5,6- And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house AS A SERVANT, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but CHRIST AS A SON over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
2 Co. 3:17,18- Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Hebrews 9:11,12- But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal salvation.
Apostolic Fathers Today!
Clearly the Father God is revealing Himself through the knowledge of the Son of God! Jesus said in Matt. 11:27- ” All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Jesus then said in St. John 14:23- “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Fa…ther will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode (home) with him.” John said in I John 2:22,23- “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
The pattern in the Godhead that reveals the order of relationships in the Spirit is the order of “Fathers and Sons!” Today, there has returned an emphasis on relationships that are birthed our of relationship with our “heavenly Father” through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 14:6- “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Therefore today the key to relationships in “Fatherhood and Sonship.” Once again, Jesus demonstrated that in His sonship to the Father. Heb. 3:1,6- Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him to who appointed Him,… but Christ as a SON over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
Therefore today the key to relationships in “Fatherhood and Sonship.” Once again, Jesus demonstrated that in His sonship to the Father. Heb. 3:1,6- Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him to who appointed Him,… but Christ as a SON over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
Now today, many are jumping on the bandwagon of “apostleship” but many are not embracing the “Fathering” heart of our God! Many apostles are building networks and wanting “pastors” to join their network as a “covering” but once again instead of relational authority it is “positional authority!” They are wanting to be apostles “over churches” but it is viewed more as an “organization” than as a spiritual operation of the Holy Ghost. It will not work in this New Day and New ERA because the “new wine simply cannot be put in an old wineskin.’
The classic text found in I. Co. 4:15 simply defines the difference in the styles of leadership today: “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.” There must again be a “birthing” of these relationships that clearly demonstrate “father and son” in the order of God!
Many are shouting “Apostle, apostle” today but where are the true sons, or “the son” that reflects and reveals the pattern found in heaven through the Father and the Son! Instead of trying to “cover” pastors and churches by networking, there should be a Fathering heart of God and a “spirit of sonship” with a crying out of “Father, Father!” Paul went on to say in I. Co. 4: 17 concerning His son in the faith, “For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”
Many are shouting “Apostle, apostle” today but where are the true sons, or “the son” that reflects and reveals the pattern found in heaven through the Father and the Son! Instead of trying to “cover” pastors and churches by networking, there should be a Fathering heart of God and a “spirit of sonship” with a crying out of “Father, Father!” Paul went on to say in I. Co. 4: 17 concerning His son in the faith, “For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.”
The bottom line must be who is “representing” the Father by maturing and being called an “apostolic father” and where are the sons that are crying out, “Father, Father” as mature sons who are about their Father’s business! If the apostolic is not linked to fathering, it is a ‘false start’ and cannot produce true sons in the faith that will be one with their father! This is the pattern in the heavenlies that must be revealed in the earth!
I once heard a man of God say,” If you are an apostle, and you are not “apostle-lyzing” (not proselytizing) LOL, (that is, becoming a father by relating to sons), you may be “called” to be an apostle, but have not been “commissioned” as an apostle.” True apostles will be first and foremost fathers whose hearts will be “turned” to sons, or children, and the hearts of many children will be turned to “their” fathers. (Mal. 4;5.6)
Jesus said in John 14:7- “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
Apostolic Regional Ministry
DEMONSTRATING “BELIEVABLE” LOVE! is the them of the AEGA Annual Texas Conference being held at “Christian Faith Church, 620 Front St. (Hwy. 36), Bellville, Texas 77418.” The conference begins Friday night, January 17 at 7:00pm, continues Saturday, January 18 at 10am with lunch being served followed by an afternoon session. Pastor Lynn Burling is the host and a regional Overseer with AEGA. President and V.P. of AEGA, Drs. Henry and Jan Harbuck will be speaking and sharing, I will be speaking in the 10am service Saturday, and Bishop Michael Atunrase from Philadelphia, Pa. will be speaking following lunch Saturday afternoon. Sensing a “divine shift” in that fellowship and a raising up of brand new leadership of leaders who will represent a “NEW BREED!” Join us for this special time of convocation….
Fathers, Young Men, and Children
I. John 2:12-14:
I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked on. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
True and False Apostles (Apostolic Confrontation)
True and False Apostles
(Apostolic Confrontation)
Gal. 1:6-10- I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Nasb)
Rev. 2:1,2- “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;”
Paul, in writing to the ‘churches in Galatia’ said this: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins so that he might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father…” Today this is a fine line between good and evil, not because a line is being drawn in the sand by our Father to distinguish between, but because men are calling “evil, good” and “good, evil.” We are, as the church, being called to come back to a righteous judgment, to discern between good and evil and true and false. John, in writing to the seven churches of Asia, wrote to Ephesus commending them on their works, how they could not tolerate evil men, and to test those who way they are apostles and are not.
What are to do in this day? Are we to sit back and just smile, not just at evil in the world, but evil in the church? Anyone with any sense of discernment and morality, can see what is wrong in the world system. But it takes real discernment and wisdom to tell the things that are different, even though they look similar. This is where it involves true apostles coming together and confronting that which is not biblical and righteous! You may ask, but how can we know the difference between the “true and the false!” Well, that is what I want to look at with this articles. The primary difference between true and false apostles is 1) who will confront when it is obvious that things are wrong, and 2) who is willing to receive correction.
This will probably take more than one article, but I want to use what is the safest way to interpret scripture: That is, to compare scripture with scripture! We will see that false apostles do not do this, they compare “themselves among themselves”, which is not wise. They not only compare themselves, they “measure themselves by themselves! (2 Co. 10:12) To be “false” doesn’t mean that one doesn’t know God, or has not been called with a “true” calling! To be false means to try to “counterfeit” or take a shortcut to that which is true. In fact, how could one be an apostle and not start out right? False apostles have been given over to “iniquity” or lawlessness, that is, that which directly opposes God and is in rebellion to His governmental authority! That brings us to the subject of the “mystery of godliness vs. the mystery of iniquity or lawlessness. I. Tim. 3:15,16 (NKJV)- but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house(hold) of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. 2. Thess. 2:7- For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. Who is this man of sin, this son of perdition? It is more than just a man, but it is the “spirit of antichrist”, that denies that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. (I. John 4:3) I. John 2:22,23- Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. The spirit of antichrist, or the lawless one, is the one who opposes and exalts himself all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:4) It sounds strangely like Lucifer, who exalted himself above God and kept referring to “I”!
One of the signs of a false apostle is that they will try to draw attention to themselves. True apostles are 1) servants of Christ, and 2) stewards of the mysteries of God. (I. Co. 4:1,2) He went on to say that “it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” True apostles will be willing to suffer for Christ and endure hardships, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. False apostles will look for an ‘easy’ way out, instead of being faithful to the vision, they will give in and begin to compromise their calling with greed, manipulation, and control. Paul also said in I. Co. 4:9- For I think that God has set us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. Because the order of God is “first things first”, false apostles will try to take advantage of the scripture found in I. Cor. 12:28- And God has set these in the church; first apostles, second prophets, third teachers… First just simply means that which is in the beginning, that which is first in function and in order of importance…This does not imply an “hierarchy” which makes apostles more important than prophets or teachers, but only in the order of laying foundation and functioning in first things! With the Corinthians we see that Paul is dealing with many false apostles, as well as those who are questioning his integrity and authority because of the false apostles. We will now take a look at a list of scriptures concerning these very things in the book of 2 Corinthians.
2 Co. 1:21,24- Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee…Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for you joy; for in your faith you are standing firm. (Nasb)
2 Co. 2:17- For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
2 Co. 3:5,6- Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Co. 4:1,2,5- Therefore, since we have this ministry (the ministry of the Spirit), as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Co. 6;1-4- We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We give no offense in anything, that our ministry be not blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God; in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses…
Then, in 2 Corinthians 10, Paul begins to target in on the persons of those who oppose his apostleship: 2 Co. 10:1,2,10,11- Now, I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ–who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh…”For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” Let such a person consider this, that what are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.”
We will begin to close this article beginning in 2 Co. 11:4 much as what Paul wrote in Gal. 1:8: “For if he (spirit of antichrist, lawlessness, false apostle) who comes preaches another Jesus, who we have not preached, of if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not yet accepted–you may well put up with it!” (The message says, “you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot “apostles,” why can’t you put up with simple me? I’m as good as they are. It’s true I don’t have their voice, haven’t mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I’m talking about. We haven’t kept anything back. We let you in on everything.”)
2 Co. 11:12-15- But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are ‘false apostles’, deceitful workers, transforming (disguising) themselves into apostles of Christ. An not wonder! For satan himself transforms himself unto an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Paul finishes up His letter on a positive note in 2 Co. 12:12 and 13:9:
“Truly the signs of an apostle (true apostle) were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.”
“For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete.”
We pray that same thing for you today! 2 Co. 13:14-The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen!
James Becton Ministries/ EaglesVision EKKLESIA! 