HONORING THE CALL

HONORING THE CALL - Audio Link 

This devotional follows on the previous devotional called, “No Greater Love”.  Whereas that devotional was about seeing, this devotional is about sending.  The next will be about serving. 

In Daniel 5 we have the account of King Belshazzar that made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine, even from the golden and silver vessels taken out of the temple of Jerusalem.  The King sees a finger appear to write words on the wall and all bravado left the man.  He called on all his soothsayers and “wise men” to interpret the writings, but alas, to no avail.  This until the Queen steps up to reassure him that there was indeed someone within the palace walls who could help him with the interpretation.

Let’s read the foundational text for this devotional.

DANIEL 5: 10 – 12; 23 - 28

10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live forever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

Daniel answers the King by reminding him of what Nebuchadnezzar’s fate was and gives the following interpretation in verse 22.

²² And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

²³ But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

²⁴ Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

²⁵ And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

²⁶ This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

²⁷ Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

²⁸ Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel and some other choice men from Israel were taken into Babylonian captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar, and were taught many things as young men.  They were there specifically to be in service of the King.  It is speculated that they were eunuchs as well.  All of their lives were devoted to study and knowledge.  However, Daniel stood out above the rest and was known for having an excellent spirit.  And, because of this excellent spirit, he had knowledge and understanding, he had spiritual gifts of which were interpreting of dreams, also having the ability to figure out riddles, parables or difficult sayings that others were not able to decipher.  And lastly, dissolving of doubts.  In other words, he was the “go to guy”.  Words that are associated with the word “excellent” in the Bible according to the different Strong’s meanings in scripture are:

Excel, remnant, General, vigor, strongest, honorable, dignity, noble, dominion, might, power, glorious and many more.

In a nutshell it means to excel, which means better or greater, but it also speaks of dominion, nobility and honor.  In other words, always a standard higher than the rest.  Not just in knowledge and strength, but in stature.

HEBREWS 12: 1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every WEIGHT, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

 

It stands to reason that if we had to have a scale before us, whichever side goes up, constitutes the side that is light, whereas the other is heavier.  Hebrews 12 says that we are to lay aside every weight.  Paul was saying this in the context of running a race, but I want to take liberty in using it to help us understand from the perspective of the words written on the wall.  “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”  If I am found to be light in weight, it means that a standard was set and that I do not measure up.  Therefore, adjustments need to be made. 

We are all aware of those areas the Holy Spirit has put His finger on and has told us, “You have been found wanting.”  Usually this is in the privacy of our own homes and not in public display.  At home we let down our guard as we have no desire to impress.  There we relax and can just be.  And because of this, we often find ourselves struggling with small things that should by now have been a thing of the past.  This is nothing other but compromise and sadly we model this to our children and spouse.  We do not expect much of our children, sadly not even schools do, and so neither do they of themselves.  And because we do not, they will give us exactly what we expect of them.  The other day I walked into my teenage daughter’s room and it was just food everywhere.  One would think this to be a typical teenager “syndrome” and many of us joke about this, as if it in itself does not testify of what they think of our standard, or for that matter, of themselves.  Not so funny when you take time to think of the implication of seemingly small matters like these.  Come to think of it, what does your room or cupboards look like?  Because therein is only one of the standards we set in these every day “compromises”.  Small and seemingly insignificant things that we just let slide.  And it is not limited to a cupboard.  We teach people how to treat us, but we also teach others what is expected of them.  I told my daughter that she cannot live like a pig, simply because she is not a pig.  It is beneath her and that she should have self-respect, as well as respect towards us.  We all know the saying “Cleanliness is close to Godliness”.  But truth be told, it is more about the heart.  It is always about the heart.  This devotional is not about cleanliness, but cultivating an excellent spirit in all we do.

I was led by the Holy Spirit to watch a movie called Coach Carter, which also happens to be a true story.   This coach came to a school where only 3% of the children were expected to pass. The bar was therefore set very low.  The only thing that gave them meaning to their lives, was basketball.    Coach Carter made them sign a contract before they could be on his team.  The standard was set.  Ties and jackets at games and they had to sit in front of every class. Which would already be a great challenge for them, seeing that they did not pitch up in the first place.  Needless to say, he required not only that they would pass their subjects, but also obtain a certain average that was higher than what the school itself required. They also had to do community work and add to society.  And of course, they had to be on time for practice or the whole team would be punished.  It took them a while to get comfortable with these requirements, but once they did, the team started to win their games.  At one stage, after many wins, their reports came back and their lack of discipline and commitment towards their school work was evident.  They were weighed and found wanting.  They were heavy on the side of winning basketball games, but light on their academics.  Most of them failed horribly and therefore were held accountable as per the contract they signed.  The result was that all practice and games were off the table until they passed.  This went so far as to bring Coach Carter before the board where every parent wanted him to be fired or leave.  Even the parents did not value the character he was building in their children.  He told the team, as well as the parents, that by opening the gym for practice and the games would be in fact lowering the standard and set an example that they do not have to keep their commitments and live up to that which is required.  He told the children that unlike the school and society, he believed in them and that they are indeed able to do far more than the standard set.  Society have already decided that they are drop outs and that according to statistics, only one out of six would go to college and that the rest would go to jail.  These were their odds.  The players got it, because the Coach, by keeping a high standard himself, have won their respect.  He promised them that he would fight for them to get into college and that they did not have to be like their deadbeat dads in jail, but could make a future for themselves.  There was one particular boy who had a typical rebellious and arrogant attitude, but later decided to join and was willing to do whatever it takes to become part of the team.  He had to catch up though and prove himself to the Coach.  But during this time, Coach Carter asked him a question repeatedly, “What is your deepest fear?”  He just ignored him, because he could not truly answer that question until only later.  It was when they were in the gym, not to play basketball, but to study that this boy got up and made the following statement, which touched me deeply.  It is the truth.  Granted, these are not saved people, but we can definitely relate.  This is what he said…

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.   Playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around us.  We were all meant to shine as children do.  It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others the permission to do the same, as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Change that light to be the divine presence of God in our mortal bodies and we have the heart of our fear, which is the responsibility that comes with such great power that is beyond measure.  The Spirit of God in earthen vessels. Subconsciously we do not want to know the depths of it, because it scares the living daylights out of us.  It confronts us with the reality of where we are presently, as opposed to where we ought to be if we were truly honoring the call.  It confronts us with our unbelief.  Not just with who He is in us, but whether we truly trust Him to do exactly what He said He will do.  And yet, as we step into that which is true, embrace it with all our being, that light of the world, as He says we are, will start to liberate our sisters and brothers, because they know our God is not partial.  It will liberate them to know that with faith nothing is impossible and that a higher standard to that which they have lived, is not only possible, but also required.  The faith that sees that which is.  That sees ourselves as those chosen to be sent out and used mightily by Him.  It is an enormous responsibility and requires to live by the exhortation that was given to Joshua, “Be bold and courageous”.

1 PETER 2: 9

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;

I have come to realize that we often live beneath what the Lord God intended, because we do not in fact believe in truth that we really are what He says.  He calls us priests, prophets and kings.  He tells us we have authority and that we are set apart for Him.  And yet, we do not live up to the standard of our call.  We do not honor our call by our daily walk.  In fact, the standard by which we live, testifies of whether we truly believe what He says we are.  We walk as mere men.    

One expects a certain standard from a priest, or a prophet and a king.  Certain things are just beneath their office.  This is an area that the Lord God had to deal with in my life, having received word upon word, just like others, regarding His plans that He has for me in the time to come.  Can any of this be, unless I believe?  A while back I had an experience where I woke up from an afternoon nap.   Half of my mouth was so hot, almost burning hot.  As I woke, I saw a vision of my mouth, where one part was this red, hot color, almost on fire and the other half iced.  He showed me that to not truly believe what He says about me, is to have guile on my lips (Psalm 34).  I may be able to confess it to a thousand people, but that the standard that I live is testifying of what is true.  The standard He was referring to was not that of sin, but of having an excellent spirit.  Every part of my being, every cell and thought has to believe what He says about me and will be evident in my daily life.  I praise Him for doing that work in me.  How can He send us if we hope, but do not truly believe? 

To have an excellent spirit is in essence to have a spirit without guile.  If I set the bar low, I will live up only to that bar, and even lower, but never higher, because I can get by and so can others.  But what if I set the bar higher to that which is expected of a priest, prophet or king?   A priest immediately has the connotation of being set apart and holy unto the Lord.  Therefore, there is no liberty to defile oneself with what you watch or do.  Meaning, trivialities are not just trivialities.  They do make a difference.  Certain things we watch, though not sinful, are beneath a priest.  The same counts for a prophet.  You do not get to say what you want or listen to what you want.  You are jealous for the pure and undefiled word of the Lord to be spoken through you, not willing to defile it by what you expose yourself to.  Meaning you have set standards for yourself in every area of your life.  Others may have the luxury to watch certain things, eat what they want, make little jokes, or fool around, having no weight to their conversation, but you are not afforded this disposition.  These things are beneath the standard of priest, prophet and king, just like it is beneath us to live like pigs.  We dishonor our call by how we live.

You are set apart to be His mouthpiece, so that what comes out of your mouth has weight to it.  It bears with it the weight of God, the ‘chabod’.  As for a King, he is friends with those closest to him, but cannot be “buddy, buddy” with everybody.  He has those closest to him with whom he confides in and has the responsibility to carry himself in such a way that exudes authority and demands respect.  Not because he is unloving or better than others or too high and mighty to deal with the small and little things of life.  Rather, he dearly loves all around him, but has the very hard job to do, which is to rule and reign.  Daniel was given that privilege at the end, because of the excellent spirit he operated in.  He did not have to tell everybody about it and let everybody know that God has chosen him.  Everybody was testifying of it, because of the life he lived.  Therefore, there is no need to tell everybody of every experience you have had, or to justify any actions by handing out proof that you in fact have been chosen by God and that what you have said is from God.  God will confirm His own word and does not need you to do so.  This speaks of being unsure of our call when we do this.  The office we are called to requires a certain standard and disposition, which is an excellent spirit. This is the Spirit of God operating in that person who has not decided on his own standard, but has embraced the standard of the Lord.  He does not look at himself as a mere man, but truly knows that he has been chosen and sent by the Most High.  He strives and lives daily to live up to the standard of his call and honors his call.  This is an uncompromising spirit in him that do not cut the corners even in the smallest of things.  Not to be seen, but that even when nobody sees, he is living that standard, because it has become his mode of being.  This does not come overnight, but what is needed is a level of esteem for what you have been called to in utmost humility and meekness.  This excellent spirit is seen in everything he touches. 

So, when the whole Christian crowd do something, your closest brothers and sisters, you do not go with them.  Not because you think you are better than them, but something about the spirit of their doing, which does not constitute that excellent spirit, makes you uncomfortable and you cannot find yourself at peace.  Not that they are doing anything wrong, but somehow this is not your disposition and to give in to that, even though it may be lawful or not sinful, even Christian and enjoyable, is to lower your own standard, which is that of an excellent spirit.  This has nothing to do with being obsessive compulsive about doing things in perfection or that you cannot have any fun in life, but speaks of the Spirit of God having full play in the one called.  Everything is governed by this excellent spirit, that sees all in the light of what the Spirit of the Lord is about.  Everything is under scrutiny, because the man is wholy set apart.  Nothing is done halfhearted or in mediocracy.  If something is not up to standard, it is addressed.  Being secular or spiritual makes absolutely no difference.  Whether in speech, writing, attitude or doing something, everything is done with a spirit of excellence.  And this can only come because of the work of the Spirit of God in that person, which did not happen overnight or because this person sets unusually high standards to prove himself.  No, this is a natural outflow of the spirit of excellence within that man, which was cultivated and brought into maturity through trials and testing.  There is a sense of the responsibility that comes with stewardship over the body, soul and spirit that has to be governed by the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God, governing through him.

1 Corinthians 10: 31 says that whether we eat or drink, or WHATEVER we do, do ALL for the glory of God.  Even how you eat matters to God.  Always eating in a hurry constitutes a different spirit.  Can you imagine Yeshua gulping down some fish and bread when He fed the thousands?  Afterall, He had a lot of responsibilities, right?  Small things we are to take note of, because they do in fact say a lot more than what we think.  Yeshua was never in a hurry, not even to raise the dead.   Being overweight is not okay.  The word “okay” in fact, is a slang word that constitute a sense of compromise.  It is a yes, but one that says it is permissible or allowed.  Are you jealous over your words and their true meaning and how do you think the Most High feels about “words”?  In Romans 12 we read of the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.  Three standards are stated here, which should cause us to ask ourselves whether in our everyday life we are in fact living in the good will and not the perfect will of God?  All our doing is to be done in His perfect will.  Needless to say, that only the Spirit of God in us can do this through us.  Is it possible that just maybe our low standard of what we expect of ourselves, has in fact frustrated the purposes of God?  Because truth be told, we do not want to pay the price or put the time into it.  It seems so controlling.  The issue of the body is also the issue of the Spirit of God.  Equally, the issue your soul and spirit, is the issue of the Spirit of God. 

I’m reminded of a prophet who lived beneath the standard of God, Eli.  He was grossly overweight because of the way he indulged in the offerings that was his due and paid a dear price for this compromise in his life.  The example he set for his sons, Hophni and Phineas, who served as priests, was the standard they themselves lived up to, and was consequently killed.  They did not honor the office of their father, because clearly, he did not have an excellent spirit within him and did not honor the office he was called to as well.  If God is anything, He is holy, and the word holy is connected to the word “whole”, which is that of being total.  Are we total in all our categories?  Do we foster an excellent spirit or is our standard of that which is portrayed in the classroom?  “Sir, how much do I need to pass this paper? What is the least that I have to do?”  How total are we towards God in all we do?  Our credibility is affected by the visible evidence of our indulgence, whether that be our eating, speaking, what we watch, write or post, especially in our own households before our loved ones.  Who our friends are, what we laugh at, the jokes we make ourselves, even jokes made at inappropriate times. All of our life is under His watchful eyes and as His eye roams to and fro over this earth, He is seeking those whose hearts are perfect towards Him.  But are we jealous for this and do we understand that this is the requirement?

Because unless we understand that without this totality towards the Lord in our call and daily, mundane lives, often constituted as a non-event or not important at all, He cannot send us.  It is in fact the training ground for being total towards Him when He calls upon us to do that which was required of Samuel the prophet.  Samuel had an excellent spirit within him.  Not just when he was called upon to act or prophecy, but the whole of the man was under the control of the Spirit of God.  When called upon the Lord God to not spare families, he slew with his own sword husband, wife, children and animals.  He also did not hesitate to tell Israel to do the same.  He was instant in his obedience.  Nothing was left outside of the boundaries of judgment when he was called to point the finger of God.  And who is sufficient for these things unless he is total towards the Lord?  For this is the call in the time to come for those who are truly sent.  To set a standard and hold people accountable, knowing the fear of God, we persuade man.  Because it is unto this man the promise comes that not one of his words will fall to the ground.  Samuel honored God’s word through a life of utter obedience in totality, and because of this, when the word of judgment came, he was able to perform it, having been himself subject to the judgment of the Word of God in his life, in every category.  His words therefore did not only have weight, but it was demonstrated in the power of the Spirit of God.  The same can be said of Daniel.

The Church is an Apostolic and Prophetic entity within the last day’s analysis.  She has the responsibility to live up to the standard she proclaims and can only do so in authority by living in authenticity.  The purpose of the sent one is to make an apostolic and prophetic declaration, which not only has a judgment with it, but also the call to repentance.  What makes the difference between the many prophets out there that have made numerous prophetic judgments is not that the word is necessarily not true, but that it lacks power and the sense of God.  For when the word comes, it will pierce.  This is the very dynamic and power of the Word, which is to pierce between bone and marrow, the motives and intents of the heart and to divide soul and spirit.  How much clearer can it be?  When the word comes, you will know, because it will expose the truth of your true condition and there will be no place to hide.  It will be an uncompromised word, because the speaker is uncompromised.  Nothing less than an excellent spirit is required. Daniel expressed God’s judgment over Nebuchadnezzar, which though Nebuchadnezzar declares Daniel’s God as the God to be served, he was still subjected to the judgment, which was that he himself became like a beast.  That is to say that he was stripped of everything and in doing so the Lord God confronted the man with who he is without God…a beast.  What does this say of Daniel who had to deliver the word?  Can any prophet speak a word in which he himself has not allowed the Lord God to judge himself first?  Would his word be true if it came without this prior judgment on himself?  The answer is yes.  However, you can be sure that the Lord God will hold him accountable for every word spoken idly, meaning that the word is not true in the speaker himself.  Not many should be teachers or claim to be oracles of God.  When the Spirit of God rests upon the speaker it is to first deal with him so that when he speaks, there is weight and authenticity that rings true down to every syllable.  The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth.  This reality is expressed in the excellent spirit that rested upon Yeshua. 

One has to understand that the speaker is not the sum of his words, but the sum of his life.  His life, which was worked into him by bringing the man down into dust, having been raised by God, being held accountable to a standard worthy of his call, is the standard that is set before the people.  His very life, without even saying a word, is a judgment on those who live beneath the standard of God.  And they hate him for it.  Because truth be told, if he was brought to this place being a man like them, what excuse do they have when they stand before God?  It is not about who is right or wrong, but the issue remains the standard of a heavenly kingdom come down.    A value system, two wisdoms in contention of two very different kingdoms.  And this is the war that will be fought in this last age…the wisdoms of two Kingdoms.  His life then is the statement of his words in authenticity that calls those who hear him to be confronted with their own standard of living, values and compromise.  They cannot run, knowing that their standard does in fact not constitute that which is from above.

Do not see this only as occasional mishaps or pet sins, but rather in the context of a disposition lacking in your Christian walk, for which you will be held accountable.  This is about you setting the standard verses Him who has already set the standard through His Son, the Patterned Son.  Eternally judged for living beneath the standard of God, which can only be possible for us, unless we are total in all our categories, with a disposition of complete dependence.  He calls us to an obedience that we cannot perform out of our own humanity. Until we see this gospel demonstrated in His sons and daughters, setting the bar, the standard in its rightful place and keeping one another accountable, we will be nothing else but “lightweights” with grandiose words having no power to change and confront lives.  We will sound impressive, even prophetic, but will lack the power to turn the world upside down.  All of creation is waiting on the manifestation of the sons and daughters of God!  This standard, even for those who are Christians, is an offense, because we rather want to call the shots and lean heavily upon the doctrine of grace, forgetting that grace in itself is the ability to do the will of God.  We prefer to live as if there will be no requirement made of us to live up to the reality of being the sons and daughters of God, His workers that will be sent.  How can we call Him Lord, when in fact we still cut the corners and compromise?  If He is not Lord of all, He is in fact, not Lord at all.

We are to heed a very important warning from Yeshua made in the 12^th Chapter of Luke concerning those servants whom the master of the house will return to, to judge their true disposition.  This whole chapter is devoted to the workers, whom He calls friends.  This word friend is also linked to John 15 that is about the 144 000 that will also be released in this time.  In verse 1 He tells them, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”  There are many people who have been shown and are very excited about the fact that they will be working for the Lord in the coming harvest, but possibly have not counted the seriousness of the call in the light of His judgments and have not honored that call in how they live.  Note that there are three watches.  Different servants for different watches.

LUKE 12: 36 – 48

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make RULER over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him RULER over all that he hath.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. (Clearly the servants are believers)

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

And verse 58 – 59

58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

Who do you suppose the adversary is and who do you think the judge?  He is still talking about the servants.  Not unbelievers, but servants.  Those who have much, much is required.  Very sobering indeed.  This is a scripture to take very seriously in our preparation to be His workers in the time to come.  We have to count the cost.

Therefore, Paul could say, “Follow me as I follow Christ”.  It is one of the boldest statements made in scripture, and yet, to us the standard is set.  Paul was in the same relationship with the Father as Yeshua was in His body.  Which is complete and utter totality and dependence.  This union with God only comes by a complete separation unto God in all categories.  There is an investment from God in the man, as well as the man in God.  Not works, but a life laid down. 

Life and death hangs in the balance of preaching the TRUE gospel.  Yeshua proclaims in Luke 4 that he was anointed to preach.  How shall they call upon Him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear except one preach?  And how shall one preach except he be sent?  This is the call of the Church, particularly to the Jew.  And will they hear if that preaching is anything less than authentic?  Him, whom He sends, to him the Spirit is given without measure.  We are called to be bearers of His word and truly there is a famine of the word of God.  Even amongst a plethora of teachings and videos, there yet remains a famine. 

1 CORINTHIANS 1: 18 – 21

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

 

The word of God is an event.  That which is preached from one sent, anointed to preach, will be an event that penetrates the hardest of hearts whether that heart comes from an abusive background and practices of wickedness, or from a religious and traditional stronghold that has come through generations.  His word will either bring you on your face by your own choice, or it will bring you on your face in judgment.  The word preached is for that express purpose which is to call us to a standard to which we are held accountable, both the speaker and the hearer.  It is an event despite resistance, not to willing hearers, but resistant hearers whose hearts are hardened and the demonic forces that have manipulated the strings all along. They will only recognize authenticity.  Satan must have nothing in us.  This word, which is the event, is the power of the cross. 

1 THESSALONIANS 2:13

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

When those who are sent speak, it will be an event because the speaking comes not from the wisdom of men through eloquent speaking or reasoning, but through the wisdom of God.  In meekness, but also in the demonstration of the power of God.  The reality is that when it is a word of God it will change, it will penetrate and will not be just another cliché that you have heard over and over.  No, the spirit of the speaking is that of the Spirit of God and will ultimately confront with reality.  Ultimately the hearer has to believe in order to affect this change in him.

Unless there is absolutely no doubt, the speaker’s words will simply fall to the ground, however true they may be.  He has the responsibility to be that which he speaks.  The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.  His speaking comes because of what has transpired before the speaking, which is in the place of hiddenness.  Lest we think that this is only with regard to God’s dealings with a prophet, we need to understand that those at the end of the age will be sent out, those apostles, will have to be able to speak a word that is a sent word, an event and it will be from above.  This can only be from a place of authenticity, in his marriage, his children, work, habits and every area of his life.  Through and through the same standard is maintained by a spirit of excellence.

The question is, how can we be sent without upholding the standard of the speaking?  How can He send us, when our lives are still unbalanced and in truth, we are still lightweights?  When we do not truly honor the call?  Does it not stand to reason that if we are going to hold others accountable to a standard, that we ourselves have to embody that standard?  This excellent spirit is something to strive after and a willingness from us to set everything aside that keeps us from this reality. 

Word received from the Lord….

HOW CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER UNLESS THEY AGREE?

When I have your tongue, I have you.  Once you can confess with a mouth that is not hot or cold, one that knows assuredly without any doubt what I have called you to, and you accept and embrace it with your whole being, it is then that I can send you.

If any part in you still does not buy into what I have prepared for you and you doubt, I cannot send you or use you as I intended and purposed.  Your lips must be without guile before I can send you.  This is not merely a confession, but from out of the heart one speaks, and so the issue of your lips is the issue of your heart.  I alone search the hearts of men and know it through and through.  I try the hearts of men to see if they are true and whether they are without guile.

How can two walk together unless they agree?  And yet, you need to walk not only with Me, but walk in the knowing that we are one.  My nature in you, expressed by what you will do. 

For it is not just what you will do that will express My glory and who I am, but who you are in yourself…one with Me. 

How can two walk together unless they agree?  There can be no guile on your lips and in your walk.  Called to walk vitally united to My Spirit in all you do.  This requires a spirit that is without guile.  Be zealous therefore to root out all guile, all that which will hinder you from running this race and fulfilling My purpose, lest you be disqualified and bring shame upon yourself.

A little leaven, leavens the whole lump.  Humble yourself therefore, search your heart and I will lift you up and use you.

Then I will send you.