THE APPLAUSE OF MAN - Audio Link
JOHN 5: 30 - 44
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
Verse 31 says, "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true."
Yeshua came to represent not Himself, even though He was God, but He came to represent the Father. His focus was at all times the Father. In the same way we are His Sons and Daughters representing Him. "As My Father hath sent Me, so I send you." The first act of Yeshua in representing the Father did not happen on the earth, but in heaven. He came down. He humbled Himself and came down. In Philippians 2 we read that even though He was God, He thought it not robbery to come in the form of weak flesh. In all He did, He was not seeking the honor of man, but the honor, or the approval of His Father. The authenticity of His representation was in the continuous walk in that which His life on earth was birthed from...humility. Humble beginnings. In the form of a child, guileless and pure, in a manger between animals, not born into a rich family and ever drawing our attention to be poor in spirit as He himself walked. He came into this world naked, and He died on the cross naked. He took with Him nothing of this world, but left in unspeakable glory. Just as Job says...
JOB 1: 20 - 22
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
In today's cut-throat society how people perceive us is of utmost importance. I think the danger lies when we think this is not applicalbe to us, because the subtlety of it can easily be mistaken for something else or not even seen at all. This is the guile He wants to show all of us, the fact that we still represent ourselves in some form. The guile of personal ambition clothed in religious garb. It is then when you need everybody to know that you are the prophet of the hour or the oracle of God, when in fact you are just the shadow, not the substance. It is then that you believe that you alone have the answer to everybody’s woes, or that your teaching is the only one that has the true light. When we start to speak of OUR words, OUR teachings, OUR wisdom, OUR calling, OUR gift and ministry, then we develop guile in our hearts that weaves a web that permeates all our doing. This is a form of guile. It sounds very spiritual. And by that mere fact He cannot use us in the way He wants to. He has to be able to trust us knowing that we will not represent ourselves, but only Him. With great power comes great responsibility.
Art Katz says in his teaching called “The approval of man”, that the world has lost the remarkable innate power of the message, because we ourselves who have to bear it do not yet recognize how deep and offensive it is. And when we do recognize it, we want to shun the responsibility to have to bear that offense and this promulgates another kind of gospel that seeks to please man. It is a message that has not the offense, but also not the power.
Yeshua said, I receive not honor from men. All the world is a stage, where everyone desire some form of approval. How much we represent the exact opposite spirit than Him. We by our actions, by how easily offended we get when someone disagrees or dare to have a different opinion become secretly offended, never willing to admit it, but we feel the sting. We still seek the honor of men. And allthough we agree to the "each to his own" philosophy, we secretly feel rejected and undervalued. Or we may be required to speak that which will offend and to say what He wants to say, that will require of us to be looked upon as one that is always difficult or offensive. We do not like conflict. Not because we do not want to offend, but because we actually cannot handle rejection. The truth is that in some cases we are willing to do so in a heartbeat, but in others we cannot bear to hurt those we love, those we esteem. We cannot bear that they would think badly of us. We see this as caring for others when we soften the blow, when in fact we are trying to save face, to save self. We still represent ourselves. How we react to the praise of man or critique is in fact an indicator of the guile in our hearts, even within the dynamic of our own homes. This praise may come in many forms, ever so subtle and spiritual, and be accepted piously, but somewhere hidden in our thoughts we feel validated and approved . On the other hand, we can say that we do not care what someone think of us, but this can be in an attitude of brovado or bitterness. Where what we stand for may be right, but the motive that of retribution. What He seeks of us is humility, that we would be without any self-interest in whatever we do or say. That our sole aim is that of representing only Him. This is no easy task once you set your mind to it, because you will soon find out that it touches everything. This guile has a way of showing up like the tiny spiders in your house that you keep on missing, or you just cleaned there the previous day, and lo and behold, a new web. Seeking the applause or approval of man is prevalent in social networking of all forms. We look to see how many likes we have. We compare ourselves with others and wonder what we are doing wrong. We sigh and feel depressed, because nobody is paying attention to what we are saying or even acknowledging it. Wondering whether they do not like us, or whether we are just a non-entity and irrelevant. Making us more aware of what man thinks, than what God thinks. It is evident by our preocuppation with everything we do in wanting to know how man will respond. We share what we can do and are so excited by the fact that WE could do it. Father once told me, "Never praise the work of man's hands." Quite a statement. We truly forget how all honor, praise and glory belongs solely to Him and we "ooh and aah" about someone else's work. And the truth is that we sometimes are truly so amazed by the amazing work of man's hands. There is nothing wrong in appreciating something beautiful and extra-ordinary. This always amplifies the wonder of God. However, the words of Yeshua is lost in our amazement, forgetting that without Him we can do nothing. We truly forget this.
To seek the honor of God and not man is as much a disposition as it is also a declaration and a rejection. Yeshua is saying this is who I am. I do not receive honor from man. Saying it in the negative, would be to say, I reject the honor of man. Not just I do not receive it, but My disposition is that I reject and abhor the honor of man. It is more than just a carefulness towards the approval of man, but an abhoring.
Father told me once, “Just like humility is vital for holiness, so the praise of man is vital for pride. Abhor the praise and approval of man”. This speaks of a disposition and action required. One that demands that we see the seriousness of it. We do not understand just how poisonous this little spider of guile is. Some of the smallest spiders are the most poisonous. You cannot have the attitude of cuddling up with a spider in your bed. You jump out and kill it, not let it make a nest in your bed. This was Yeshua's disposition towards the approval of man, because He knew what lies in the heart of man. Man is in love with himself.
Art Katz says that the issue of seeking the approval of man may be the fatal leaven that leavens the whole lump. I have to agree with him there, especially when it comes to those in the five-fold office that has been serving the Lord for years. The leaven of seeking the honor of man can be so hidden and disguised that the subtlety of it causes one to mistake it for authority, just in the way it is said. Many sadly are deceived by this and taken captive by emotions that has the appearance of sincerety. Speaking in a melodramatic tone or gestures, over emotional or charged with false authority in a grave tone of voice. Depending on the motive. This we see and hear not only from well-known so called prophets, but also the everyday woman or man "declaring thus saith the Lord". And how can we discern this guile when we ourselves seek the approval of man? Our integrity in the Lord is compromised. How much leaven is in our speaking, writing, prophesying, or teaching? How much leaven or guile is in our testimony or worship? Not necessarily in ministering, but in our day to day life where we secretly cut the corners? Hoping that someone will notice the hard work you did. Or doing the right thing, and secretly or subconsciously see yourself as ever so humble for not wanting a pat on the shoulder.
We have to realize what is at stake here. It is His will and purpose by what He needs to speak through us that is compromised. Guile is the cancer of the soul, because it affects every area of your life. Because as long as we seek the approval, the recognition and praise of man, we will be prone to take the edge off the message, or adjust it, even subconsciously, to suit the disposition of our heart. Some will flay the flock and others will fatten them up with utterances of prophetic promises devoid of any real power, depending on the motive. Instead of expressing His heart, it will be to their end and purpose. We will convince ourselves that we are doing something for Him, when in fact we are still representing ourselves. This is about the integrity of the Word that is to be spoken through our mouths, which is always affected by our heart. For out of the heart flows the issues of life, and the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. The point is that our speaking and hearing will be affected by leaven. And so when we want to discern a word from the Lord, not sure whether they are in fact hearing from Him, with what ears do we hear and discern then when there is guile in our hearts? Do we hear with leaven in our ears? Are we able to hear whether something is from Him or not? Not just because we know the word of God, but even in the speaking, the spirit behind the speaking, whether there is the leaven of guile even if it is scripturally correct? How will you know unless you deal with the leaven in your own heart? And so prophetic words will go out that strokes the ego of man, honoring their suffering and their struggle through life, that the Lord God has seen it and therefore will raise them up and use them mightily, but there is no requirement. There is no cross. It is a subtle elevation of man with words that strokes the ego with promises of great things to come. There is multiple references to scripture that make the word sound as if it is true, but the spirit behind it is the approval and recognition of man, both for the speaker or the hearer. Do not be deceived. Yeshua once told me, “The only sacrifice that matters, is the one I made.” That sure cut me to size. Without knowing it, we boast even in our suffering and in what we are willing to do for Him. We build for ourselves the platform of suffering servant, and even our testimonies stink of leaven. It has the appearance of humility and gratefulness, but in truth we covet the sympathy and adoration of man for what we have suffered for Him. He is not fooled by this. It is fake and does not serve the purposes or ends of God. It reeks of a religious spirit and we applaud it because it sounds so God-honoring, but the spirit behind it is that of seeking empathy, affirmation or approval. It is the spirit of Saul that persecuted Yeshua, the same that persecuted David. We deceive ourselves first before we are deceived by this world. Never forget that. Deception always starts with our own hearts before we are deceived by another. For man craves the tickling of the ear, the pat on the back or nudge under the chin. We secretly love the attention. Sometimes we are willing to negate the approval of those we do not admire, but what if it is the very person that you have esteemed for so long, whose teachings were used to build you up? He or she whom you wish to emulate? What if he or she is offended and strikes you where it hurts the most? What then? Will you crumble? You will not know this if you in fact have not yet root out the leaven that seeks the approval of man more than God’s. The last thing you want to do is to offend them. We rather want to safeguard this relationship. The same is true for those who are like wild shotguns, desiring to judge others in the name of the Lord, never being sent by Him. They are willing to hurt anybody in the name of truth. They appear brave and courageous, but their motive is that of bitterness. They secretly enjoy being seen as "the no nonsense" person, who will put someone in their place in a blink of an eye. They enjoy to be seen as "the man" who seeks not the honor of man. All the while in fact by this act promoting self. Just because you are willing to receive rejection, does not mean that you are in fact seeking the honor of God. Seeking the honor of God means not that you are ruthless towards the needs of man or that you are so hardened that you just do not care what anyone thinks. Rather this is to be willing for the sake of receiving the honor from God alone, to be wounded, persecuted, insulted and deeply hurt if need be. You love people and do not represent yourself. Your highest priority is to do His will.
But how can we know this, when we ourselves are guilty of this? How can we know a testimony without guile, from one filled with guile? We have to deal with our own guile first.
The disposition of Yeshua was that of actively resisting any possible stroking of His ego, or for people to warm up to Him. Keeping it at arm’s length at all times. So when the rich young ruler came to Him and said to Him, “Good master” Yeshua did not even allow the conversation to go any further before addressing the issue, that in man there is no good. Only God is good. He was still God, but this was for our benefit, so that we may understand that when He came here, even as God, He was operating in the capacity of man, fully stripped from all His attributes that makes Him divine. This was so that the divinity, the good of God alone could be expressed through Him as man. Everything we can do whether in natural talents, physical abilities or spritually is from Him. There is no good in man. “Why callest thou Me good?” He asked. Receiving the compliment is to allow and tolerate the leaven that will leaven the whole lump. Where would the focus be then, but on man? On the branches and not on the Vinedresser, in which alone dwells all good.
What would be so wrong if someone called Him good? After all, it was plain to see that all He did was good and that He was sent from God? However, the word says that He did not trust Himself to man, because He knew what is in the heart of man. Simply meaning, man’s heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. This is the reality of our hearts. What we do not understand is that out of good intentions, we may in sincerity be thanking someone when we compliment them and praise them, but have no idea what type of leaven this produces in their heart. This is not to say that we do not thank anyone, the issue here is complimenting someone. It is just simply manners to thank someone. The same goes when someone calls you so good. We have this constant itch that wants to be scratched, whether we like to admit it or not. It is there. How ready and eager we are to receive the approval or recognition of man, whilst saying that we are nothing. We want to mean it when we say we are nothing, but the truth is, it is always there hiding in obscurity behind the religious folds of our priestly garments. So it sounds humble, but it stinks of pride.
Yeshua agreeing with this rich young man, would have been socially acceptable. After all, not all people are bad. Are we not all working for the common good? Humanism lies at the heart of the approval of man, because it is the elevating of man as God, to work out his own salvation by his own means, by doing good. It is the way of the world by which they can justify their sinful lives. It is afterall called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There is NO good in man. This has not changed. Unfortunately this world thinks, “If I do good, therefore it means I am good”. Wrong.
What we stand to lose if we receive this recognition and praise, is to lose who we are in God, and be defined by man's definition of what is acceptable and applauded. This is a massive loss. Receiving honor from man, qualifies me in the sight of man, but disqualifies me in the sight of God.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
And so another they will receive. This is a reference to the anti-Christ that they will receive. Why? Because he will come in his own name, that is to say representing himself. Representing man. Man in himself is anti-christ. There is no good in man. The same Peter who vowed to die for Him, is the same Peter who was willing to see Him crucified in order to save himself. The anti-Christ will come to exalt man, the beast in man, to worship him, the very personification of the human race in its epitome without God. They will recognize him and accept him, because they will see themselves in him and therefore worthy of worship. Yes, he will be a prince of the people, because everything about him will in the beginning be for man. This is until he gains his power, which they will demand and long for, and bring the whole of the earth into subjection in worshipping him, even as they now already do worship themselves. It is the spirit of the age…the worship of man. "Thou shalt be as god." The celebration of mankind that now can live forever with the help of their AI God. Who needs the God of heaven that says there is no good in man, when you can be your own god and live forever? For ultimately in depths of our hearts, we still think we are good. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us,
ECCLESIASTES 3: 18 – 19
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
This is not a play on words. This is the reality of man. And we unfortunately fail to see how He sees this leaven. Please hear what the Father is saying...
How can you believe that seeks the honor from one another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only? Faith is incompatible with men who seek honor from men.
Therefore, you do not recognize Me because I am not dancing to your tune. I am not playing nicely to stroke your ego. You prefer rather that I would dress your wounds and have pity on you, whilst you continue in the disillusion that you are good. You do not seek My truth, which will expose this beast in you. You seek that I will build you up and promote you so that you may receive the honor of men. I am a means to an end to you, and not the end in itself. But you do not see this. How can you see it, if your pride blinds you to your very disposition of seeking the approval of man by religious means? Whether this means is by prophetic words, teachings, serving the poor or ministering to the lost. It is profane before Me, because I do not need your sacrifices, I need your obedience. But what kind of obedience? The kind that you will not use for your benefit to seek the approval and honor of man, but the approval and honor that comes from Me alone. It is a stench in My nostrils when you pride yourself in your suffering and service to Me. Your desire to seek man’s approval and honor disqualifies all you do, because you have forgotten that I look not at the outer, but at the heart of man. How can you believe when you seek the approval of man? It is a disqualification of your service in all areas, for it serves not God, but man. How can you prophecy, how can you worship, how can you do what you do saying it is for Me, when in fact it is for you? How can you?
Often we mistake the honor of man as the honor of God. As "likes", "views" or subscribers go up, we feel the Lord God is showing us favor, right? How man reacts to us is no indicator of the favor or blessing of God on our lives. But when will this honor come? Only at the end. Can we wait till then? Can we endure till the end to only hear then, "Well done"? Can we resist the temptation to allow a recognition or affirmation we feel we so justly deserve, when it comes our way? Can we be the branch and not mistake ourselves as the fruit or the Vine? Can we be faithful to Him until the end? To seek the honor of God and not man in all we do, which will only come at the end. We will be an offense to both the unbeliever and believer when this is our disposition. Yet, at the end we will lay our crowns before Him declaring that He alone deserves all honor, power and glory. This must be a way of life and not just a season or moment. Are we willing to receive the dishonor in this life, continually, before we can receive the honor that is from above? Are you truly seeking the honor that is from above or are you seeking the honor that is from below? He told us, "The servant is not greater than his Master." How subtle this leaven is, even in our own flattering of others and receiving it. To subscribe to the honor of man is to negate the honor of God. Apostolic and Prophetic integrity is negated. Teaching, pastoring and worship integrity is negated when our foremost consideration is how man will react. Your well-meaning gift of service is negated all because you subconsciously or consciously sought the approval of man. Paul said we are the scum and the off scouring of the world. The rejects, even among our brethren. You should be grateful that people have not latched onto your every word and have not sung your praises, for this is not only a provision, but the very thing that differentiates you from that which is accommodating to this world and the spirit of this age, which celebrates man. The problem is that man is prone to receive a revelation of something, and call it “it” and then everybody flocks to "it" and starts worshiping “it” or make a denomination out of “it”. Beware the soul who does not see “it” the way you do. How we love the works of man’s hands! We the creation love to be worshipped, that is to say, the beast within is relentless in its search for approval and adoration.
What distinguishes the true church from the untrue is not which side we choose, but that we are willing to offend in speaking the truth even to both sides. Are you living before Him alone? Is He enough? The question is before whom we stand. Before man or God and is He enough? This is the issue of the authenticity and integrity of the Church. And we should not be so quick to say we seek the honor of God and thereby forget that Yeshua said that the heart is deceitful above all things. Rather, what is required of us is to do some internal investigation. We are to allow Him to search our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us. This calls for us to carefully scrutinize our motives and intents who will come in the guise of an angel of light, but within lies the darkness of human depravity.
This is no small thing for it is the very thing that keeps the Church from being the authentic thing in itself as He intended to use all our different gifts and callings. It is so part of this world’s ways and how we have been brought up to be the best, to come first, or be known as a nice person. Since childhood, even in sports, academia and humanitarian exploits the aim has been to be tops. Where does this leave us when we desire to testify of His goodness? It can only be true and approved of Him if we remember that the Spirit will never draw attention to us, but only to Yeshua.
JOHN 16: 13 – 14
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
In the same way that we are to reject the honor and praise that comes from man, we are also to zealously seek and pursue the honor that comes from the Lord God. This will require that we are willing to risk it. Our obedience towards Him will require a death in us. There has to be an apostolic and prophetic severity that comes with ultimate risk of loss. The same is true of all the offices and service in the age we are in, for nothing other will suffice in the age of META verse where unreality constitute reality now. Consider the unreality that people are buying into, literally, and just how important it is to walk in the opposite spirit to be of any relevance. The things of the Spirit requires an authenticity that is not just true in its words, but in the heart. Down to the depths of us, for if not, we will be found out.
LUKE 6: 22
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
Our problem at this point is that we see this world’s hatred concerning the present V and our stance on it as a feather in our cap, and in a certain degree it is. We are not to go along. However, how many of us are using our stance as a means to showcase our bravado in this area, but fail in the smaller matters where we are not seen? How authentic is our rejection of man’s approval in public, whilst secretly craving it somewhere else in the privacy of our hearts? God is not mocked. He needs us authentic through and through in all areas of our lives - body, soul and spirit. A little leaven, leavens the whole lump and this particular leaven is not to be trifled with. So before we say that we do not seek the approval of man, we need to search our hearts whether this is true in every area of our lives.
This approval of man is guile. Guile comes in many forms, but this particular guile is that of deception, the twisting of truth, and the deceiving is done unto ourselves, by ourselves. We do not see our hearts. But He sees our hearts.
JEREMIAH 17: 10
10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
The world is hungry and thirsty for that which is true, that which is authentic and reality. Where will they find this, if not through the agent of God, the Church, whom He has chosen to be the demonstration of reality, which is God. The world is desperate for truth, but the real question is are we? Are we desperate for the truth even if it means that we stand to lose all? Not just the truth in general, but the truth of our own hearts? David said in Psalm 51, "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts..." The cross will have to be applied to our own hearts, where we are no longer self-conscious, not even of our calling, but have come to the true reality of being accepted in the Beloved. Weaned from this world and its affirmation and esteem, and brought into a place where the only approval you desire above all things is that of God. This is the requirement that was expected of Yeshua, and so also for us in the time we are in. Because the truth is, they do not need to hear us, they need to hear the Word of God through vessels given over His ends and purposes. Only then can we authentically say that the words I speak is not of me, but of God. But until then, we cannot speak as one sent by Him. We cannot secretly admire and approve of ourselves and say we love Him with ALL our heart at the same time. We deceive ourselves in this.
FOR YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT. AND THE SECOND COMMANDMENT IS LIKE UNTO IT. YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.
(MATTHEW 22: 37 – 40)
The world's focus is always on what you do and you are automatically defined by exactly that and how well you do it. The same is true of the spiritual. He or she is a teacher, a prophet, an apostle and the list goes on and on. Yet, when the Dove came to rest on Yeshua at His baptism, what was proclaimed was not, "This is My beloved Priest or My beloved Prophet or My beloved Healer". Rather, "This is My beloved Son." What was said had great significance. They were not looking for a son, they were looking for a king. The same spirit operating through them as when Israel rejected the Lord God and saught for a king to rule. They chose Saul. And so they did not receive Him because He came not in the way they wanted, which was to represent man. Yeshua says to them, "How can you believe, you who seek the honor of man. I know you have not the love of God in you. What does the love of God have to do with seeking the honor of man? Everything. For at the heart of seeking the approval of man lies that you have not yet entered into the reality that you are a son or daughter of the Most High. You still see yourself as the world sees through the prism of what you do. And therefore when you compare yourself with man or seek man's approval, and do not receive it, you automatically disqualify yourself in your own eyes and man's. But we are not what we do...we are His. We are His sons and daughters and what we do is merely gifts by which we represent Him. Yeshua came as the Son of God and the Son of man. Both representing God and man. Not man celebrated as the nexus of life, but man solely dependent on God, as God intended man to be from the Beginning. When we define ourselves by what we do, forgetting that we can do nothing without Him, we will find that we seek the approval of man in some form or other and ever live to please man.
When we reject the Son, we reject the Father. They did not know His love and did not have His love. And so we too do not know that we are sons and daughters that are loved, even if we can parrot it. He came to represent the Father. In the same way, we have become like the Jews wanting a Messiah, that is to say, a Messiah that will affirm our intentions. Who will save man and affirm him. And when all the disciples left Him, except the twelve in John 6, Peter said after Yeshua asked them whether they will also leave, "Where can we go for thou alone have the words of life? Thou art the Son of the Living God." His aim and purpose is to constantly bring us to the realization that we in ourselves are nothing. Just as He was nothing and could do nothing unless the Father showed it to Him and gave Him the words. He has to bring us there through wilderness experiences, discipline and hardship. Why? Because we are obstinate and stiffnecked. We love self way too much. And He disciplines those He loves, because they are His sons. (Hebrews 12). In Hebrews 12 He says that if He did not discipline us, we would be illegitimate children. Webster's Dictionary defines this as: not recognized as lawful offspring. The issue at the heart of this is not how He sees us or man for that matter, but how we see ourselves. Do we see ourselves through the prism of what we do or do we recognize with all our hearts that we are sons and daughters of the Most High God? Do we still have the urge to want to prove our legitimacy by boasting over how much He uses us or revelations received? They did not have the love of God in them, neither did they know His love. Yeshua never lost sight of who He is, the Son of God.
In Luke 10 we read of the 70 who came running to Yeshua, elated over the fact that even the demons were subject to them and His Name. Yeshua tells them to rather focus on what really matters. Not what they do, but that their names are written in heaven. He proceeds to worship in spirit thanking the Father that He reveals these things to those who are babes, those who are children. This would be those without guile. Those who know that they are accepted in the Beloved through grace and not by what they do. If you have to rejoice, rejoice that you are a son of God, and not in what you do. It is His desire that His children will define themselves in the same way He affirmed Yeshua..."This is My beloved Son." For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Sonship lies at the heart of who we are, and not what we do. What we do is only the witness of that reality, just like Yeshua said.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Whilst we were sinners, He died for us. Have you come to the realization that you are accepted in the Beloved? Have you truly accepted and truly believe that you are a son or daughter of the Living God who is loved perfectly? Let us not be conformed to this world and its ways, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
A word received from Father on September 2021.
YOU ARE LOVED
I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Not just because I stand in covenant with you, but because I am your Father and you are My child. Not because I formed and molded you in your mother's womb, but I have set My love on you.
All your days I wrote in your book and have planned only good for you. For as your Father I desire good in your life. That you may know Me. That you may know My love. For My love is set on you and I have indeed watched over you to teach and guide you.
All your ways shall be peace, even in the midst of turmoil. For the paths I have set for you leads to the Prince of Peace.
Do not fear My child, I will keep you in the hollow of My hand. Nobody can snatch you out of My hand, remember that. Even though the oceans roar, in Me is peace.
Therefore, remain in Me, no matter where you are, for I will keep you.
I love you My child. You are not like a daughter or like a son. You are My daughter. You are My son. Know this. Know this in all you do. I desire you to be secure in My love. Live from the knowing that you are loved by Me.
I am love.
You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you to bear fruit, to bear abundant fruit. This can only be as you remain in Me and in My love.
Know therefore that you are loved.
PSALM 131
O Lord, my heart is not haughty nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I exercise myself in great matters or things that are too high for me.
Surely I have behaved and quiet myself as a child weaned off its mother; my soul is as a weaned child.
Let Israel hope henceforth in the Lord, now and forever.
