WHERE DOES OUR HELP COME FROM

Where Does Our Help Come From

By Madelaine Snell

I was on a mountain top the other day hiking with my sister and brother in law when the weather turned on us.  We started out and it was a beautiful sunny day, by the time we reached the summit, thunder was rumbling and it began to hail/snow/rain on us.  This was not what we had prepared for, and the reality of the situation was we could very shortly be in some serious trouble.  I saw a man ahead of me open up his pack to secure his rain cloths, rain cloths none of us had thought to pack.  Things were looking pretty bad for us right about then. 

But, God….. Where can we go in times of trouble?  Prayer.  I sought the Father in prayer asking for the storm to be stilled, and maybe a minute later, right about the time the guy finished getting all his gear on, the storm stopped.  The thunder continued to rumble, but the hail/snow/rain ceased. 

Thank you Jesus!  We were so relieved and thankful for the answered prayer. 

God does not want us to go through our lives trying to figure things out without Him, to only go to Him as a last resort, He wants to have a relationship with Him that includes every part of our lives.

I was reading this morning in Genesis 5:21-24:  When Enoch was 65, he had a son, Methuselah.  After that, Enoch lived in fellowship with God for 300 years and had other children.  He lived to be 365 years old.  He spent his life in fellowship with God, and then he disappeared, because God took him away. 

There were others mentioned in the linage to Noah and his sons, but Enoch was the only one with the distinction of having spent his entire life in fellowship with God. 

God desires for us to be so connected with Him that we open up every part of our lives to Him and have fellowship with Him daily.  I feel most connected when I spend time in prayer talking with God and listening for His voice, I enjoy walking as I do feeling perhaps like Adam and Eve spending time with God in the garden in the cool of the day.   

Psalm 121: 1-2: I look to the mountains; where will my help come from?  My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

We can be responsible in making right choices, but life can sometimes be challenging, we don’t want to live in such a way that we become self-reliant, let us remember where our help comes from.  God’s wisdom and direction may have us respond differently than we may be inclined to if we are leaning on our own understanding.  If we are led by His Spirit we will be going in the direction He has for our lives.

Proverbs 3 vs 5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Never rely on what you think you know.  Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.

To know God in such a way that we can be directed by Him we need to spend time in His presence, listening for His voice in fellowship.  It would be incredible to know Him the way that Enoch knew Him, to have such intimate fellowship with the Father. 

Hebrews 11:5: It was faith that kept Enoch from dying.  Instead, he was taken up to God, and nobody could find him, because God had taken him up.  The scripture says that before Enoch was taken up, he had pleased God.  No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek Him.

May we be among those who seek Him.

Questions:

1.     What was special about Enoch’s relationship with God?

2.     What does Proverbs 3 vs 5-6 say about wisdom?

3.     Have you been making decisions apart from God, and if so how can you include Him in your decision making process?

4.     How would you say your fellowship is with God and what could you do to improve it?

An Introduction to Global Impact Ministry Centers

We would like to welcome you to Global Impact Ministry Centers. Our ministry was founded by Apostle Patricia Carpenter as a training and outreach center, to further the kingdom of God and to equip seeking believers to achieve their God given potential.

We believe that every believer has been given certain gifts which are intended to advance the kingdom and to fulfill the Lord’s plan upon the earth. Sadly many religious organizations either downplay God’s plan to use His people and their gifts to advance His sovereign plans, or deny that fact that these gifts are in existence today.

We know that God hasn’t changed His mind or His word. When the original disciples were instructed to wait for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, then experienced that infilling and were enabled to provide supernatural examples of the signs and wonders that God wants all believers to experience, these gifts continue to this day.

It is our belief that when God instructed us to “knock, seek and ask” for a fuller understanding of His plan we are to continue seeking, learning more of His heart, plan and love for us. In order to fulfill His commandments in this regard training is required.

Some of the primary functions of GIMC involve teaching and equipping in deliverance, prophetic recognition and understanding, and grounding and training in apostolic understanding. It is important to recognize that if nothing changes-nothing changes, and we are committed to changing and moving into the future that God has in store.

Many people refer to old and new wineskins as described in Mark 2 and Luke 5 to describe the reason for and need for a ministry like GIMC. As a fuller understanding of Jesus’ plan is revealed through prayer, meditation and training, members become the new wineskin. This allows the believer to receive even more knowledge of the Lord’s plan and our place in it.

Members of GIMC come from a wide range of ecumenical backgrounds, but the common thread which united us was an awareness of the “more” of God and a desire to seek out and experience “the more abundant life” which Jesus promised would come to every believer.

Our earnest desire for you is that by visiting our site you gain a fuller understanding of who we are, what we do, and are equipped to decide if there is some way in which we can serve you and contribute to your spiritual growth.

Doors and Keys

To the Spirit filled the observer the recent changes we have seen in geopolitical organizations, in world economic events, and in the earth realm signal at time of great change.

When we see doors opening in the spirit realm, it speaks of a time of change, transition or opportunity for the believer. Many people have heard the saying “God will not close the door unless He opens a window”.

 Many of us have experienced a change or a transition in our personal lives, our business affairs, or our level of spirituality since the beginning of the year.  We have heard from numerous prophetic sources that we are passing through a narrow place, and just recently Apostle Patricia mentioned that we are either being stretched, pressed, squeezed or sifted in regards to our walk with God, and in order to move us through from the place where we currently are into the new place that God would have us realize. 

Genesis 4 verse 7 says:  If you do well shall you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well sin is crouching at the door.  Its desire is for you but you must rule over it.

Since the fall of man in the garden, sin has been crouching at the door.  Keeping our wicks trimmed and our armor battle ready will help to prevent sin from taking root, or gaining a foot hold in our lives. 

It is equally important that all known that sins should be repented of, rebuked, dismissed and that we plead the blood of Jesus to cover them. This will ensure that we are ready for that which God has in store since by keeping a clean slate, we are given all authority to rule over sin, and we must exercise that authority.  Authority left unexercised becomes complacency and complacency will inevitably allow sin to creep in.

John chapter 10 verse 7 says, so Jesus again said to them “truly, truly I say to you I am the door of the sheep”

Since Jesus is our good shepherd, it is important that two things be realized in every believer’s life.  The first is that we are the sheep.

  If we don’t recognize ourselves as the sheep of the flock of God we will continue to be unruly and undisciplined.  A sheep may have a tendency to wander or be inattentive, but our shepherd will place a guard around us. 

The second thing that we must keep in mind is that Jesus is our shepherd.  This means that anything which we can think, conceive or dream of, which we know will not measure up to of His standard is outside the boundaries of allowance. 

We must be mindful of the shepherd’s crook and the shepherd’s rod.  The crook is for rescue, and direction but the rod is ever waiting for those who will not accept direction and instead insist on correction. 

All of us, who have felt the rod of correction in chastisement, have learned that obedience is better than sacrifice particularly when that sacrifice involves another trip to the woodshed.

Revelation 3 verse 8 says, “I know your works.  Behold I’ve set before you an open door which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power and yet you have kept my word and not denied my name”

This verse speaks of the open door which Christ has set before us within the Spirit. All things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial.  The Spirit dwelling in us will give us the discernment to understand that which is beneficial and that which is toxic for us.

 Jesus says he knows that we have but little power. We cannot go in our own power or in our own strength. We require the strength and the power of the Holy Spirit to guide our every move.

  I can remember what it was like before pre-salvation when I tried to accomplish all things within my power. Everything had to be measured in either the win or the loss column. I can assure you my losses vastly outweighed my victories.

It is so much easier with Jesus as I can now measure everything by the leading of the Holy Spirit and in accordance with the wishes of God.  The Spirit within is quick to convict when I get it wrong.

Jesus goes on to say “yet you have kept my word and not denied my name”. This is an assurance to us that that keeping of the word of God is evidence of our alignment with him, and of our authority which comes from being a blood bought member of the family.  We all know those who have denied the name of God in spite of our best efforts.  We know how they have given themselves over to the control of the evil one.  There is no middle ground.

 Isaiah 22 verse 2 talks about the keys when it says, and I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David he shall open and none shall shut; and he shall shut and none shall open.

  This key also is in our possession. The key of David speaks of our authority in Christ over the earth realm. Just as Jesus was given authority in all heavenly places, so too we have authority over the earth realm to command the specified will of God in situations.

  The verse refers to Jesus as opening and none shall shut, as He makes the hearts of men visible to us. He opens their hearts so that we can see the motives of others to determine whether they are Godly or carnal.

He opens the way for us to travel without concern for our own well-being or safety, yet expects us to take prudent steps to ensure that we do not travel in areas where He does not want us to go.

 When the verse refers to the fact that he shut and none shall open, He himself is declaring protection over us giving us the shield of faith with which we can quench all the fiery darts of the enemy. Jesus has shut the power of the evil one against us to do us harm that would take us outside the boundaries of His love. God’s provision in Christ has and will shut the mouths of detractors who seek to speak against him by speaking against us. No earthly power can open that which he has closed.

Revelation 3 verse 7 says “and to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write the words of the holy one, the True One who has the key of David Who opens and no one will shut Who shuts and no one will open.

The angel the church of Philadelphia speaks of heavenly scribes or heralds who declare the word and will of the Lord. It refers to Jesus’ words and stamps God’s authenticity upon them.

 First it refers to the “words of the holy one” since realistically the holy one is the only one who can produce words which cannot be denied.  Referring to the true one, by His life, death and resurrection Jesus proved himself to be the true one the only one who truly ever followed His Father’s wishes to death and resurrection.

It also gives us a true picture of that which awaits us. We can live our lives to glorify our Heavenly Father, and death which has lost its sting claims us but for an instant, then we’re reborn in a glorious and heavenly body and welcomed into the company of the saints.

The doors which speak of change and transition are opening even now upon our better selves, upon our future selves and upon the selves which we are to become.  We cannot live in the future we can only live in the now, in obedience to the will of God. 

As we seek the will of God in prayer, through prophetic utterance by those around us who speak God’s truth with men’s voices and in the words of scripture we will move us forward into that place which God has already prepared for us. 

The exercise of faith is that which makes it joyfully possible to move forward according to God’s speed neither running ahead of your lagging behind His purpose.

It is equally important to remember that when the door opens and we’re sure that it is God, it’s important to step through it. God will not force us to move ahead, but He cannot bless us with the new if we are willing to lag back in the old. If it is a family circumstance which is seemingly preventing us from moving forward, it’s important to take that step through The Gate of Faith regardless, because it’s by stepping forward that God can begin to bless us.

We have been given the keys of faith, belief and prayer, exercising our spirit towards God, and using the key of praise to joyfully praise that which is to come. Unlocking our future it’s equally important to remember that the keys have already been given to us as they were given unto Christ at his resurrection.

The keys to the whole shooting match belong to us. We show ourselves to be steadfast, spirit filled believers who are ready to use the keys to move us forward.

I heard a story of a man who retired early at 62 years of age. When meeting with friends for a celebratory dinner he announced his intention to go back to school and get a degree. His friend said “don’t you realize you’ll be 66 by the time you graduate?”  He replied with a smile “I’ll turn 66 anyway”, at least this way I’ll get the degree I want!

What matters is that we use the time that we have been given. It is of no use to God or us if we fritter it away.

We need to use the keys that we have been given, to exercise our authority. We have been commanded to walk in the Kingdom and expand God’s plan. We must step through the doors which God places in front of us with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and in the power of the shed blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To paraphrase the 5th Dimension- Where is the love?

In recent remarks I outlined my struggles with obedience versus willfulness, and my difficulties in following the will of God and the instructions of  those He has appointed as leaders in my life. I received great feedback from everyone on the team, and when AP made her remarks about it this commonly being a love issue in our relationship with God, it sounded a major chord in my spirit.

So, this week I have been concentrating on what I can do to deal with my obstinate, stiff-necked, obtuse and rebellious ways and have come up with a few strategies and some new revelation in this.

Okay, so they say confession is good for the soul. Those strategies were already there in the Bible and I just “discovered” them. That doesn’t dilute their value, and I have always maintained that the lessons we learn the best are those that come at the highest personal cost. Suffice it to say, the woodshed is a sobering and painful place.

Deut 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

When I consider this verse I have to realize that it says I will  love the Lord, for He is my God,  It doesn’t say I might, or I should, or I could but I will. Not only will I but I will do so completely with all that I is, my heart, mind, soul and strength. It doesn’t leave any part of me open to interpretation. This comes directly from the throne room.  The verse further describes all that I consider mine, and infers that since I didn’t give me to myself, I have no right to withhold any portion from my Creator.

This is pretty heavy stuff because it goes to the fundamental core of who I am, why I am and what is expected of me. My opinion, my understanding and my expectations have no weight here, it is all about my duty, indebtedness and obligation if I am the servant of God I claim to be.

Now I have to refer to my positional standing in the court of the Most High. Am I saved? Yes. Am I His? Entirely.  Is He my Lord and King? Yes. When we look at movies that depict the kings of old and the fealty shown by their subjects it gives a glimpse into how much honor and glory was due them. How much more do I owe the King of Glory?

Okay, now at least I can admit to having gotten that part straight.

Deut 7:13   And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

God Himself promises to love me, bless me and bearing in mind the historical context, all that to which I turn my hand, if I follow Godly principles and His leadership. (my wine, my kine, my valentine).

If, or should I say since Jesus promises all this to me, He is showing me what the nature of true love is, and how I am to love Him.  I am to love Him completely  in the same way He loves me, but I am also to love all others in the same fashion. This takes a lot of wind out of my sails. They’re His wind and His sails anyway? Who am I? And where was I when He hung the stars?

Since the blessing goes hand in hand with the love, doesn’t it stand to reason that every time I act in an unloving fashion to anyone, I am pushing the blessing away?

What kind of foolish, carnal and joyless an existence am I asking for anyway?

Since God defines love, it is up to me to recognize the characteristics of love, the implementation of love and the outworking of love.

 This again is a requirement. I am commanded to be a recipient of love from God, and a conveyor of that love to others. It says nothing about whether or even if I will be loved in return! This is a commandment to me not others.  Many years ago I used to pray daily that God would so fill me with His love that it would pour out of my eyes towards everyone with whom I came in contact , that they might recognize their need for Him, and wish to pursue the kind of relationship I had with Him, so that they might love and be loved in return by my King.

Where did that guy go?

Rom 13:10       Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.

All too frequently I worketh ill to my neighbor. I am unintentionally injuring the love relationships God has placed me in with callous treatment, casual language, and flippant and uncaring actions.

May I apologize to all of y’all? I am convicted of my sin in this arena, and I realize that confession is in fact good for the soul. Even if it pertains to uncharitable thought it still demeans me in God’s eyes and makes a mockery of the love He has so patiently been trying to instill  in me.

In my pre-salvation state, I was a horrid abuser of language, uttering imprecations and obscenities with wild abandon. I was like the wild ass that runs on the hillside, braying at the wind and kicking up my heels at any perceived obstacle or threat. I was loud, obnoxious, uncouth and a general terror to be around.

Although God saved me and cleansed me and gave me a new family heritage, I am still struggling with stray hairs. So what’s a fella to do about the struggle between obedience and willfulness, antagonism and showing God’s love as it has been given to me?

 Gal. 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

How do you like them apples?  If I claim to be Spirit –filled, should I not, do I not, dare I not show the fruit thereof?  Love, by God’s definition, and not mine is the first requirement. Notice I didn’t say suggestion!  Okay, so most people who know me would say I'm a pretty joyful guy, but I still get moody and petulant sometimes. I realize God’s opinion is “snap out of it”....it’s about love remember!

Am I restless? Antsy? Ill at ease? The peace that passes all understanding is rooted in, you guessed it...love. If I understand His love, I know I can bask in it anytime and it’s guaranteed to remove the ants from my pants.

Am I short-tempered or rough handed in any given situation? Is it because I’m not getting my way? Is there any right way except the narrow way which leads me back to the cross?..............love again right?

Do I behave like a bad kid? Frequently. Do I pay the price? Always....Love will temper my ill will and teach me the patience that is lacking. I have no right to ride roughshod over anyone in my way. There I go again.....my way.  His way is what I love to follow. His love is what I want to feel and express.

My prayer, to close is: “Lord, you have been so patient with me in the area of my relationship with you. May I incorporate Your idea of love and anchor it deep within my soul by faith, that meekness and temperance will be the outworking and that I can show Your love in everything I do, say and be. As an act of my will, I engage my spirit, soul and heart to this, and claim the Holy Spirit’s assistance in this by the shed blood of my blessed Savior Jesus Christ”  Selah.

THE STRUGGLE TO OBEY

The Struggle to Obey

Gen 27:8        Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you.

Rebekah gave specific instructions to Jacob regarding the age and type of animal that she wanted, and he brought that which she asked for.

In the book we have been studying, Every Man’s Battle, it asserts that males of our species are rebellious by nature. It gives the example that Eve was deceived, but Adam knew what he was doing and rebelled against God in the garden.

Man has been rebelling ever since. My challenge is that I believe at the time that I am doing what I was instructed to, but I am doing more, doing it differently, or simply doing what I want to do that will accomplish the same thing.

The problem is injecting “my” into the equation. What I am actually doing is rebelling against God’s duly constituted authority.  And half the time I’m doing it with the wrong attitude, which should be one of servanthood and not leadership.

I take it upon myself to modify that which was asked of me. I am operating on my (there’s that word again) authority, when no such authority has been delegated to me. I have become a usurper of authority in each case.

The depth and magnitude of the problem is larger than simply doing things the wrong way. I have a problem with my hearing. My own agenda is rushing through my head, so that when I receive instruction I don’t always pay attention to the complete task, but rush off and half-do things. 

Conversely, I will try and accomplish a task by slotting it into my busy schedule, when it’s clearly an immediate priority. Even when working, if one of my customers calls with a need that requires immediate action, it disconnects me from the task I have been doing, I become disgruntled, and although I give it my immediate attention, it takes 10-15 minutes to get back into the swing of what I was doing.

The sticking point in this is that if it’s something which is in some way related to prayer, I gleefully abandon my finely laid plans, to rush into the throne room to intercede. When it’s a challenge presented by a human, it’s an inconvenience.

The truth of the matter is that to properly serve God, I must serve those He sends to me with His instructions or those who seek my help, willingly, cheerfully and without inserting my improvements, modifications or opinions  about the task.

1SAM15:22             And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

God told Saul through Samuel to utterly destroy the Amalekites, young and old and all the livestock but Saul did what he thought right in his own eyes, bringing the King of the Amalekites back to satisfy his own ego, together with some of the choicest livestock for sacrifice. Samuel never asked for a sacrifice nor had God. Saul though he would usurp Samuel’s position by offering that which was additional to God’s requirement.

Again his pride had interfered. On the way back Saul set up a monument to himself at Carmel then went down to Gilgal to meet Samuel. “What is this bleating of sheep which I hear he asked Saul?” Samuel became justifiably wroth with Saul for his disobedience to God.

Saul did what I do, in a search for personal credit, I will do other than what is required. If you ask for 4 cookies I will likely bring 6, If 2 pounds of potatoes are required I will buy 5 rationalizing in my head that 5 pounds costs less per pound when they come individually and we’ll end  up eating them anyway.

 I am continually inserting myself into the situation, instead of simply doing what’s requested. It is disobedience, and willfulness and I am sick at heart over it.

John 3:36     Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

This is perhaps the strongest admonition against my personal opinion and my personal influence that I have found in scripture. It reminds me of the old hymn, Trust and Obey. Seems pretty simple doesn’t it. Then why is it so hard to do? 

I believe it’s because I feel I am right in what I do even when I do it wrong or poorly or not according to standard. I am self-deceived and this self deception runs to the core of me. I am praying in all instances to be His man, I’m sick of being my own.

In order to avoid the wrath of God, which I surely want to avoid having been subject to His wrath in the past, obedience is not suggested or recommended but required of me.

Anyone else who is struggling with this problem knows exactly how it can undermine one’s usefulness to God, as people cannot trust you will do what is asked of you. When I turn in a spotty performance, it makes someone unwilling to trust me with further tasks or responsibility.

This is my own fault since I have not taken Paul’s suggestion and beaten my flesh into submission. To usurp, assume, or modify a given task is to show disdain for the task-giver, and I don’t want to second guess God or His servants.

HEB 4:11   Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

The struggle that lies within me, and to a certain extent within all of us is nothing short of the struggle between flesh and spirit. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit that the gifts would be made manifest in us and would bring death to the sin which ruled in my members but that sin keeps trying to resurrect itself. Last week someone made reference to it and said, “if you don’t hate that which God hates, you won’t hate your sin enough to change”.

Man, was I convicted. I hate what God hates when it’s EXTERNAL and have a strong distaste for it when it’s internal. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. The truth is that I’ll never be good enough that is why I must measure myself by His standard. When I can do that conscientiously and continuously I can grow in grace and in the fear and admonition of my Lord.

As a final grace note, the Lord woke me up at about 4:30 this morning with this clear revelation, and urged me to write it down.

The price of obedience is death to self, but a fuller richer more meaningful life in Christ Jesus.

Most Holy God, I pray that the spirit of disobedience which clings to me from my carnal life be stricken, shorn and ripped from me. I repudiate it, call it what it is sin and declare that it is crushed and demolished by the blood of my Saviour and by the power of the Spirit...in Jesus’ name...amen

Experiencing the Love of God

Many people who come to faith have difficulty reconciling earthly love with the love of God.  When we grow up we may experience love in our families or love in our community but it does not accurately represent the love of God.

Rom 5:5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

God reveals Himself to us and the nature of the love He has for us in many ways throughout the bible.  God shows that His love is poured out on us.  His love fills our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  We cannot contain this love.  It must be poured out on everyone we meet.

At the beginning of the verse God states that hope does not disappoint.  Since He is the author of all things, He is the also the author of hope.  The hope that springs within us, the hope of something better which encouraged us to seek God, is a hope which He planted in us.  This hope cannot disappoint because those who seek after God with an open heart will find Him.  The disappointments and setbacks which we face in everyday life are not born of God but of the world.

The verse goes on to say that it is because of the love of God, that our hope is confirmed.  It is because of the love of God that our hopes of being courageous, willing and strong believers can be realized.  When we experience the love of God, we realize that no earthly love can equal or exceed His.  

Since God is the author of love, and has designed this love for us to have a fulfilling relationship with Him and with our fellow man, we can trust that God’s definition of love is just, pure and accurate.  This love which knows no bounds and is not mixed with worldly understanding is the love which God pours into us.  At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit’s love starts to invade every cell of our bodies.

The first place in which God places his love is our hearts.  The reason for this is because we can understand and appreciate love at a heart level as human beings.  There is a  love which we hold for our family members. There may even be some of your family members which you don’t particularly like, yet you love them.  God starts with us at a heart level when the in filling begins.  

By using the gate of our hearts He is able to pour love in to us by the power of the Holy Spirit until the love cannot be contained by us.  Just as someone loved you enough to introduce you to God’s love so too He will fill you with love until you wish everyone else could love Him in the way that you do.

The joy and the love we feel which begins at salvation is part of the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  There is a concept which God has designed called progressive sanctification.  If God were to show us the purity, the quantity and the degree of his love at salvation, we would instantly go to glory.  

It is in His plan that we get a measure of love which we can bear when we are saved, and continue to grow in His love as we progress along our Christian walk.  This love is part of the infilling of the Holy Spirit is a gift which is given to every believer.

Rom 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God reveals His love to us. Nothing on earth or in the heavens can separate us from His love, which He has given to us in Jesus.  God frequently uses human terms to describe that which He has done.  The reason for this is so that we as humans can grasp in small measure larger Godly concepts.  In the beginning of this verse God uses height and depth and things which have been created to separate and distinguish His purpose from human purposes.  

It is easy to understand height as a concept when we can look upon the stars at night, at such a great height from the earth.  It is easy to understand depth as a concept when we think about the depths of the great oceans, or the depth and torment of hell.  It is easy to understand created things when everything that we see or touch has been created by God or by man.

As believers, God uses these concepts to show our security in Him and in His love.  Nothing that has ever been or could be can separate us from God.  No imagined thing or scheme of man or the devil can separate us from God who loves us.  We are His beloved children, part of His kingdom.  This love was demonstrated to us in Christ Jesus who went to death on the cross to bear our guilt and ever lives as an example of the great love which God had for mankind.

2 Cor 13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all

In this verse God shows us by way of salutation that His love, His grace and a Godly fellowship will be with us and all who love Him.  Grace is most easily described as unmerited favor.  Nothing that we could ever do would entitle us to fellowship with God.  It is a free gift which He gives to those who will accept it on the terms which He sets forth.  It is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ which is offered freely to every sinner who will come, sick of their sins and willing to repent and turn from their wicked ways accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and ask Him to be Lord of their life.  

By the fellowship and infilling of the Holy Spirit the love of God is manifested in the life of the believer.  All believers since the beginning of time have been able to experience this fellowship.  Those who choose new life in Jesus Christ rather than remaining in sin have chosen to become part of the fellowship of believers.  God Himself is giving a benediction in this verse to believers to fellowship with Him and be part of the family of Jesus Christ.

As it was common in the new testament church so it is common for us today to greet other believers with a Godly blessing and salutation.  It is our firm belief that as followers of Jesus Christ we can salute you and declare that you will be blessed in all things by the power of the Holy Spirit and in the perfect name of our risen lord Jesus Christ.    

Questions to consider-

·         Why is God’s love different from the world’s love.

·         How does God reveal his love to us.

·         In what measure does God show his love to us.

·         What can separate us from the love of God.

·         How did God demonstrate his love for us.

·         Who can experience the love of God

THE KINSHIP OF BELIEVERS

This lesson is designed to show believers our level of authority, our level of privileges and our relationship in our new family in Christ.

Gen 12:1 The Lord had said to Abram,” leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”

Just as Abram was called to leave behind that which he knew, so too we were called by Jesus to leave the life we knew to accept our inheritance of everlasting life .

2 Chron 5:17 Therefore is anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

When we come to the foot of the cross, and accept Jesus as our redeemer, His shed blood washes away all our sins.  We have been born again clean and pure.  We have been purchased out of slavery to sin.

Eph 2:19 consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of Gods household.

As children of the King, we have the privilege of coming to Him at any hour day or night in prayer.  We also have the assurance that He hears from heaven and inclines His ear to our requests.

As children of the king, we have a higher degree of loyalty.  Though our nationality and family relationships remain intact, our obedience is to God through Christ. As children of the King, we have royal rights and royal responsibilities. Remember our neighbors are watching to see how royalty behaves.

Luk 17:3 so watch yourselves.  If your brother sins, rebuke him, and a few repents, forgive him.

In Christ we are our brother’s keeper.  Let us be watchful that we fall not into sin, and encourage one another to be of good faith.  If a brother or sister sins point it out as sin.  Keep in mind however that criticism is not a spiritual gift.

Luk 12:52 from now on there will be five and one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.

There may be some people in your family who are not lovers of Jesus.  He said that would happen.  In my family if origin I am the only believer.  Everyone else is hostile to Christ.  They did not have the power to save me from my sins! He could and did!  That makes him my Jesus, and the one who will receive me with open arms when I go to him.

1 Pet 4:10 each one should use whatever got gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering god’s grace in its various forms.

Since God assigns gifts as he chooses, each man, woman or child should serve in the Kingdom with the gifts God has given them.  Prayerfully consider where God has called you to serve, and then do so with joy.

Eph 6:7 serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.

As God will reward those who diligently seek Him, so too He have rewards those who serve others as though serving Him.  The world will not perform a service without knowing the payment in advance.  We who serve in God’s Kingdom to advance it do so without consideration of reward, and God rewards us beyond our expectations.

Eph 3:20-21 now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us, to Him be the Glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!  Amen

Jesus has called us, saved us and will empower us by the Holy Spirit to do the work which He assigns as He prepares our great reward for faithful service to Him, our brethren and our community. May the Lord who created all things and who is even now laying up your reward, bless you strengthen you lift you and usher you into your glorious future in Christ.