Profitable To Family, Tribe And Nation
Profitable To Family, Tribe And Nation
The sons of Issachar understood the times in which they lived, understood what was being said by the rulers and cultures of the times. Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do… (1Ch 12:32). They were able to speak more than just their tribal, colloquial tongue. They both understood and spoke the understandings of culture, politics and science. They were then able to articulate those matters to their tribe (v.32) so that action could be taken upon their wisdom. Their knowledge made them profitable to their families, their tribe and their nation.
The New Foreign Culture
The New Foreign Culture
Technologically, a foreign culture has been created all around us in recent years — both in our own nation and the nations of the world. There has been so much advancement that terminology and the application of it is foreign to most of us. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you operate or what level you operate at. You must know the languages of finance, politics and technology at least to some degree. (Mt 10:16) The future has a language.
Into The Wild Blue Yonder
Into The Wild Blue Yonder
“Into the wild blue yonder” would likely describe the thought of many when considering going willingly into the future, for fear of what the future might hold. Yet, it awaits us and it is our mandate to go there. After announcing to His disciples that He had been given all power of rule, Jesus commissioned them to “go.” (Mt 28:18) We are commissioned to go in His “power of rule” and do with that power what He did with it. Until He comes, we are commissioned, not just to go into geographical locations and among sociological groupings, but to go into the future. In order to go into the future, we must go prepared. Missionaries go to geographical locations prepared with the language of that region. The future has a language. We will go into the future prepared with the right languages: the languages of finance, politics, technology and diplomacy.
The Radiance of His Glory
The Radiance of His Glory
When Heb 1:3 says He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, one thing it is saying is that Jesus never misrepresented the Father. That is why when Philip demanded, “Show us the Father” Jesus could say, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.”(Jn14:9) As the radiance of His glory Jesus did not glow but He lived out the character of God where it could be seen and benefited from. The character of the Father radiated out of the life that Jesus lived. That is the purpose of the Word of His power working mightily in us.
The Increasing Seed
The Increasing Seed
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace…(Isa 9:7). The seed in the parable of the sower is the Word of God (Lk 8:11) and because the Kingdom government of Jesus cannot stay the same but must increase, that Seed of His Kingdom must increase in us. A seed increases to continue producing: “first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head”(Mk4:28). It may seem to lay dormant for a period of time but it is alive and growing. It must increase in each of us so that it can affect our families, our churches, our communities and our nation. That’s why the seed is growing in us.
The Law Of Growth And Increase
THE LAW OF GROWTH AND INCREASE
His Word is working in us to improve us and increase us (Col 1:29). His Word is in you. His Word is a seed. A seed does not exist just to be a little round thing snuggled up in the ground. A seed exists to sprout, to push up out of the ground, to grow a stalk and put out leaves and blooms so that it may produce fruit and that fruit is meant to be of benefit to others. God’s Word is a seed in us and it is growing in us (Lk 8:11). A seed cannot stay as it is, it must increase (Jn 12:24).
<<<Click on picture to hear a compilation of 5 sound bytes by Marty Gabler
<<<about the power of the Seed and the law of growth and increase in
<<<the Word of God.
Keep Coming Up Higher
Keep Coming Up Higher
Father’s intention for us is to keep coming up higher in His ways and thoughts and to see what we have never seen so our children can. Now lift up your eyes… for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. (Gen 13:14-15) The ground we are able to gain, our place of victory, is the starting point for our children. The coming generation has no sure foundation to stand on but the Word of God. In a world that is being moved by fear and a sense of hopelessness, the Word is the Rock that cannot be moved (Mt 7:24).
seecministries.org
Lift Up Your Eyes
Lift Up Your Eyes
He called Abraham up on top of the mountain and instructed him to “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. (Gen 13:14-15) Abraham had to get his eyes off himself and off his immediate failures and limitations and off the economic condition of the surrounding nations and off the hurts he received in his relationship with Lot. He had to lift his eyes to the Word of God, to the promises of God. Look up from where you are and get your eyes on the victories of the risen Christ and… what you can see, your children will inherit (Gen 13:15).
Come Up Higher
COME UP HIGHER
When God says: For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isa 55:9), He is not attempting to get us up under severe condemnation, He is offering an invitation to come up to where His ways and thoughts are so that we can know those ways and have those thoughts. Why would He do otherwise when going up to His ways and thoughts will bring glory to His name and cause the Kingdom to advance in the earth? He is saying that we are not quite there yet but just keep coming.
Whose Report Will You Believe?
WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
Often someone will walk up and say, “What is the Lord saying?” I think, most often, that the Lord is saying or asking, “Where are you going to stand? Will you stand with the nation-wide news broadcasts or with reports of demographics or with unrighteous legislation or, in spite of it all, will you stand on my Word?” At the close of each service (and every night before retiring), we might should sing the words of that song, “Whose report will you believe? We will believe the report of the Lord!” We are not subject to robbers, corruption and terrorists, we are subject to the Word of God if we will agree with it. (Mt 18:19-20) We too are posed with this question: “Is the Lord’s power limited?” (Num.11:23) Is the Lord’s power limited just a little bit in certain areas of disease or international crises? The answer is an emphatic, “NO!”. We live an overcoming life by the power of God because the living Word is alive and active within us. Col 1:29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Getting Into Agreement With His Word
GETTING INTO AGREEMENT WITH HIS WORD
God’s Word in Heb 4:12 is not penetrating to the dividing line of the soul and the spirit, and of joints and marrow, exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart so that we can feel condemnation, but so we can get into agreement with the Word of His power. Getting into agreement with the Word is our living in such a way that the principles and values of the Word are evident in our lives. It will result in our living like we have a Lord and Savior.
THE WORD DIVIDES BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT
THE WORD DIVIDES BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT
A two-edged sword was so desirable in ancient battle because it cut coming and going and could cut right and left. The Word cuts like a two-edged sword to divide between the dominance of the soul and the spirit of a person. That continual drive of soulishness that feeds on carnal tendencies is brought into check by the power of the Word. At the time the Word precisely cuts and divides, we have an opportunity to respond to the Word and comply with it. Our responding and complying pushes down the dominating soul and allows our spirit to rise and grow with the Word. As the Word increases in our lives, sin’s ability to dominate decreases for “sin shall not have dominion over you.” (Rom 6:14)
God Doesn’t Ask Questions To Find Information
GOD DOESN’T ASK QUESTIONS TO FIND INFORMATION
God doesn’t ask a question because He is looking for information. He asks questions because He already has the information. He asks questions to get the person being asked to realize the weight of the information. In Num 11:23 The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited?” Evidently the Lord had to ask the question which begged the answer because Moses had been talking and acting as though the Lord’s power is indeed limited, or perhaps he was beginning to consider someone else’s opinion on the subject. Moses must come to the realization of the information so he can decide where he is going to take a stand. Instead of getting all up under condemnation and feeling badly for allowing such a false view of God to creep in upon his considerations, Moses must say, “Wait a minute. God’s power is not limited, nor has it ever been!” Come up to a higher view than the one that is dragging you down.
Between Soul And Spirit
If you know someone who is living outside the Kingdom of God but they have had the Word preached to them or they have been taught a scripture or two, take hope, for that Word is alive and active. Once the Word is in them, it cannot be extracted. They may presently be yielding more and more to their soul drives than they do to the Word but the Word penetrates between soul and spirit and our job is to pray they will respond to the life of the Word at those moments when there is a cleaving between the soul and the spirit. Sins of the flesh, crime, even prison cannot nullify or extract that Word.
Word Will Leave Nothing Alone
THE WORD OF GOD WILL LEAVE NOTHING ALONE
The emphasis left us in Heb 4:12 is that the Word that is alive and the Word that is indescribably sharp, will leave nothing in us alone. The Word of God cannot be anything but alive, active, operative and penetrating and addresses everything in us. That powerful Word is going to leave nothing alone in your life. The Word of God is going to get after sin. It’s not going to leave the destiny of Jesus that is in you alone. It’s not going to leave the prophecies that are in you by the laying on of hands alone. It’s not going to leave the songs alone that God inspired and brought to you in worship concerning His greatness to be and greatness to act.
Sharper Than Sword
The Bible shows us clearly that the Word of God is not just some ink on some paper and it is not just a thought that happened to get scribbled down that works well for inspirational reading. The Word of God is power; it is active, operative, energizing and effective(Heb4:12). The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. That word “any” just can’t help but stand out. The Word is more effective than any cutting instrument, no matter how well made or refined. The Word cuts through layers better than any scalpel. The Word, in articles and teaching like this, is being worked in you by the Holy Spirit and is building you up in your most holy faith (Jude 1:20). Your faith is holy. i.e., (1) It is uniquely set apart unto God and (2) it has value. The Word of God that your faith is based upon has value for your life and for your family and your nation. (Ps 19:7-11)
Word And Power
It is apparent, and important to note, that “word” and “power” are related in the Bible. The two terms go together most purposefully. Heb 4:12 “For the WORD that God speaks is alive and full of POWER; 1Co 1:18 For the WORD of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the POWER of God.” His power produces His Word to us, to be active in us, alive in us, doing surgery in us, healing us, strengthening us and improving us. The Word of God is mighty in you because it is the Word of His power (Heb 1:3).
Setting The Course For The Next 40 Years
Click on poster below to view Apostle Hodges’ article on
“Setting The Course For The Next 40 Years”
From The Unseen Into The Seen
The Creator’s desire to extend the authority and rule of heaven into the earth is plainly seen in Gen.1:26-27. It is His purpose to move His power and authority from the unseen into the seen. Our power and authority in the earthly realm is to mirror His in the heavenly realm(Jn14:9). Hence, the glory, the character, the purpose, the intent of God is revealed in the earth. God’s relationship with the earth is expressed thru His sons. His sons are the only legal authority on earth and may, therefore, be the avenue for His power manifested here-His power and authority made visible(Lk5:17). When He sent His Son Jesus, He was saying, “See, this is what I mean.” (Jn1:14;1Jn3:8)
Jesus Died * We Live!
”Truly I say to you that UNLESS a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies…”(Jesus speaking in Jn12:24) This particular Grain of Wheat had a choice as to whether or not He would die and go into the earth. Knowing what was coming, He said to the Father, “yet not my will, but yours be done.”(Lk22:42) He was willing! Because this Grain would not “remain alone”: v.24 “if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Those redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus are His fruit. We are His message, His living letters (2Co3:3) that He has sent into the future. He rose, He lives and His fruit (His message to this generation) will show Him and His resurrection to the world by the power of His Spirit. He was willing to die to bear much fruit and HIs resurrection enables us to live to bear much fruit.
Poison Or Fruit?
How often have you heard something like, “You’re gonna have a heart attack working hard like that!” What about, “That’s gonna make you gain 10 lbs.!” Or even, “You’re as dumb as a rock!” Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].(Amp) The Message is interesting here: Pro 18:21“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit–you choose.” It is just as easy to use that power to say, “You’re not going to have a heart attack; you are not dumb!” Our words are either poison or fruit. We get to choose which.
Revolutionary Thoughts To Bless The Nations
When Moses approaches the burning bush he discovers that what he has called “strange” is actually God (Ex 3:3-4). God performs wonders because it makes you wonder. His “normal” is not our “normal.” Just as God used the burning bush to get Moses’ attention, He uses signs to get our attention today. A sign is a miraculous phenomenon pointing to a higher reality beyond itself. God desires to get our attention in order that He may say something to us which could lead us into a revolutionary direction as it did Moses. Moses experienced a revolutionary thought shift. Out of the burning bush experience came a mind prepared to see and participate in deliverance and out of that came a people to bless the nations. With a God so great, what might we experience next if His “normal” were to be embraced by people who would give themselves to a revolutionary thought shift?
