"The DISCIPLESHIP of TRUE APOSTLES!"

Apostles are disciples on steroids! They have acquired many of the traits of the Father (holiness, godliness, truthfulness, goodness, peace, love and joy) and have demonstrated those same traits to the people that have been assigned to them to serve.

That being said, true discipleship honors the spirit of the Father and requires "timed served" in the marketplace attending to the needs of God's people. It is, in fact, a "spiritual apprenticeship" under the mentor-ship of the Holy Spirit and under girded by the Word of God.

The disciple is "called" by the Lord God to serve. Pure and simple. The disciple is a "student-servant" and receives his direction and assignments from the Spirit of God. In times past, very few people were trusted with the task of carrying the gospel of the Kingdom to the masses. In the Gospel of Mark 3:13, Jesus went to the mountaintop and called out the names of those He Himself wanted and they came to Him. I submit to you, that if you are a Believer today, that the Lord God called out your name that same day!

Don't let Jesus' geographic location throw you off. He said emphatically that, "My Kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36) Since this is the case, who was He calling? Since the KOG is spiritually discerned and invincible to those outside of the kingdom, whom did He call and what did He call them to do?

Your presence in the KOG is no accident, it was predestined from the foundation of the world. There is a "spiritual progression" that the disciple must go through in order to do great exploits in the KOG. The disciple must endure hardships, adversity and suffer great tribulation in the name of God. The testimony that delivers is the testimony of faith in the fire that helps those to overcome their fear. It was never the intent of God that the disciples (those who are called) would remain disciples forever. It was His expectation that they "graduate" to apostleship (those who are chosen).

As an apostle, the Believer has now become a messenger of truth for the Lord God. The mantle
of apostolic service should not be taken lightly. It is Jesus who calls them apostles, not man. It is Jesus who ordains them, not man, It is Christ who chooses them, not man. Jesus is the One who "knows" them, not man. The selection of an apostle is divine, not of man. 

God's "chosen" have a capacity for godliness as God transfers His Spirit to the chosen one who meets His leadership qualifications as He provides exceptional opportunities for service to His chosen kings (Rom. 8:28-30).

"The MIND of DISOBEDIENCE!"

There is a story in the Holy Bible that talks about a man named Jonah (Jonah 1-4).  Jonah was called to do a mighty work for God but because of his disobedience, Jonah was subjected to God’s wrath. He was selected by God and ordered to prophesy to the City of Nineveh that if they did not change their evil ways, God would destroy the city.

Jonah was so distraught over this assignment, he ran the other way to another city in an attempt to avoid doing this thing for God. So Jonah tried to escape via the sea and paid some fishermen to ferry him to the other side. As soon as he got in the boat, God made the sea too turbulent to pass.

The men on the boat got scared, confronted Jonah and asked him what manner of evil did he do against God that He would cause the sea to be so violent. Jonah confessed what he did and they tossed his butt cheeks over the starboard side of the boat!

God then sent a great fish (often erroneously described as a whale) to swallow him up. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights (a "type" of Christ in the belly of the earth before the Resurrection). He suffered great tribulation in the gut of the fish. Needless to say, Jonah did some serious prayin’ and reflecting in the belly of that great fish (a "type" of the symbol for Believers in Christ).

Three days later, God made the great fish to vomit Jonah out on dry land. It was a three day journey to Nineveh from where he was, but the Bible said Jonah made the trip in one day (he no doubt ran the entire way) and when he got there, he cried. Ultimately, the reluctant missionary Jonah did preach to the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3) and told them EXACTLY what God told him to say! Jonah experienced the grace of God even though he was angered at the assignment he was given.

So this leads us to the moral of the story. Disobedience has a mind of its own. Many men do not realize how much their disobedience can actually affect the lives of people around them including their family and friends.

The first reaction to an adverse situation that comes upon us is that it has to be someone else’s fault. We begin to point the finger at others instead of looking in the mirror. Just like Jonah, we are fearful of the assignment and we deflect and sneeze and cough and roll over and bark at the moon in an attempt to stall for time.

God is not stupid. He is not going to forget what He told you to do. He is going to get His way no matter what! Our disobedience only prolongs the inevitable. You can head to Tarshish through Joppa or Memphis or Vegas via boat, plane or train, but at the end of the day you will go to Nineveh and do what God told you to do!

You become concerned about the inconvenience of what God has asked you to do and the reaction of the people you are addressing to what you have declared to them. Often times we run from our destiny to the road traveled by the multitude because it is more comfortable than facing God alone. In the process, we lose relationship with God and expose innocent people to the wrath of God because of our blatant disobedience.

It is very important for us to obey God’s instructions. Our immediate response of reasoning or rationalizing or marginalizing what God has asked us to do automatically puts us behind the eight ball. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken (incline your ear to God) is better than the fat of rams (burnt offerings)."(1 Sam. 15:22)

...In the end, failure to complete the assignment could be a matter of life or death for us or someone else.

"Don't BOTHER Jesus!"

In the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Luke and Mark, there is a familiar story of a blind man who was sitting on the roadside and he heard a commotion and learned that Jesus was passing by nearing Jericho. This man is known to us a blind Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) who had been afflicted since birth. (Mark 10:46-52) The Gospel of Matthew actually records that there were two men given sight that day and perhaps it was only Bartimaeus who spoke (Matt. 20:29-34).

It is recorded that the Bartimaeus, upon hearing that Jesus was nearby, called out to Him, "Jesus, Son of David (prophesied by Nathan to David about his Seed (Jesus) in 2 Sam 7:12-16), have mercy on me!" The fact that the blind man was able to honor Christ with His Messianic title no doubt pricked the heart of Jesus (confirming the man's spiritual belief [FAITH] that Jesus was indeed the Christ).

                                                        Blind Bartimaeus...

Then those people who went before him tried to quiet Bartimaeus. "Don't bother Jesus! You have nothing to offer. Stay in your place!" But the spirit man inside of the blind man recognized his opportunity to be free and cried out to Jesus even louder above the crowd, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" This man's faith stopped Jesus. Jesus then compelled the man to come forward. The temperament of the crowd changed quickly from chastisement to encouragement because of Jesus' response to the man.

The religious folk thought that Jesus was too important to be "bothered" with an invisible blind man buried in the crowd. Jesus showed them otherwise!

Now the crowd called the blind man forward and said to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you! So Bartimaeus threw aside his garment and was led to Jesus. Jesus then asked him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He answered, "Rabboni (Aramaic for master or teacher), that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

It is extraordinary that the FAITH of this man made Jesus stand still. His FAITH literally stopped Him in his tracks. His FAITH was exercised in words (Son of David, Rabboni). His FAITH swayed the crowd in his favor. His FAITH is still being discussed after 2,000 years! His FAITH started a movement of BLIND people (lost people) being given SIGHT (light of Christ Jesus) and his FAITH led him to Jesus!

How does your FAITH compare to blind Bartimaeus? Can your FAITH stop Jesus?

"The TRAP of POST-SALVATION LIFE!"

Many Christians face the calamities of life head on. Others shuffle and side-step, cower and hide in shame. At the end of the day, when we face our demons, it is usually at a point where we have come to the end of ourselves (exhausted all of our personal and professional resources) and have no other choice but to submit. We are broken, beaten and battered. We need relief. We look to God!

We are now ready to listen to the small, still voice that has been calling us from the foundation of the world that we could NEVER HEAR over the "noise" of LIFE!

We then accept the call of Christ Jesus as Lord over our lives and we then enter into the realm of SALVATION. Many Christians breathe a sigh of relief because they think that salvation is the "end game" in the Kingdom. I'm sad to say it is only stage one of the process. Oh yes, you can rejoice that you are saved from the eternal damnation of hell but only if you continue on the pathways of truth through ADVERSITY, TESTING, RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, REBELLION, REPENTANCE, REDEMPTION, HUMILITY, SANCTIFICATION AND SON-SHIP!

So you say, "Wait just a minute! I didn't see all of that in my "Romans Road" confession to the saints at the altar." No you didn't see it. As a matter of fact, you couldn't see it! Each step in the process unveils a new revelation that can only be "experienced" through time and trials and be seen through "spiritual eyes.". Each Believer MUST endure the fire of post-salvation life as a maturing saint. There is no way around it.

Most Christians' "spiritual walk" stops at salvation. Present time is where the place of transformation begins. You must offer yourself daily to God so that He might take you through His rigorous process of pruning in preparation for your service in the marketplace. The tendency is for Christian's to become lazy, ineffective and complacent after the "honeymoon" (first few months or even years of being saved) is over. Lack of Christian service in the marketplace is the main culprit for this lack of productivity and effectiveness. Too many churches are focused on inward activities versus outward service to the communities at large where they reside.

Are you studying His Word? Are you pouring life into others? Are you serving God's people in the marketplace? If so, great. If not, you might not be saved! Are you bored with the Christian life? If so, you probably don't have any fruit in your life. As a Believer, you should be distinguishable from those who do not believe in God (Ephesians 4..read the whole chapter).

The post-salvation Believer does not return to the grave (place where he has buried his old nature) to dig up the "familiar" things. The ONLY way "old stuff" can live is if we go back to the grave and purposefully dig them up!

Perhaps we need to look at salvation as a corporate versus individual occurrence which might sensitize the new Believer into the purpose for his salvation being the creation of a new spirit to be used by the entire Body of Christ to bring about change in the lives of others instead of an individual act to "get to heaven."

I am absolutely sure that Elohim wanted the Door of Salvation to be more than that...

"BIBLICAL ILLITERACY: Why CHRISTIANS Do Not READ The BIBLE!"

          "But you have carefully followed my doctrine , manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra - what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom (the Holy Spirit) you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Tim 3:10-17)


Wow! That is enough to eat off of for the next three years! Paul wrote these words of fire to his disciple Timothy from a Roman prison (actually, house arrest) right before his impending acquittal. Not being sure if his protege was going to make it to his side after being summoned by the aged Apostle, Paul penned this epistle as a sort of Last Words that would help to galvanize the fragmented early church and counteract the false teachings of the opponents of the gospels in Ephesus, Macedonia ans Colosse.

Thank God for His written Word! Although it has been bastardized and corrupted by man, we still have NO POWER over the TRUTH exuding from the life and breath of the Holy Spirit! The Lord God has given us doctrine to help us establish a solid foundation to our belief system, to define and understand why we believe what we believe and then, to be able to teach the truth to others who have a heart for God and His Word.

• 87% of Americans define themselves as Christians.
• More than 50% of Americans think the Bible has little influence over our nation's moral decay.
• 88% of Americans own a Bible.
• 80% of Americans think that the Bible is sacred.
• 61% of Americans wished they read the Bible more often.
• 57% of youth between the ages of 18-28 say they read the Bible less than 3 times per year!
• The average American household has 4.4 bibles.
• Most Americans cannot name more than 2 or 3 disciples.
• 60% of Americans cannot name 5 of the 10 commandments.
• Most Americans think that Sodom and Gomorrah were a married couple.
• The majority of Christians think that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.
• More than 50 % believe The Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham. 

                                                                              Source: The Barna Group Poll (2009, 2012)

In my opinion, many churches marginalize biblical knowledge because they are not focused on teaching the TRUTH. Many pastors are well aware that their congregations are functionally illiterate and that they can basically teach them anything with little or no resistance.  Too many men are silent in the wake of pervasive scandals led by church leaders and often turn a blind eye to these nefarious acts so that they can maintain their "position" and social standing within the ministry. 

The modern day church is a "safe haven" for biblical functional illiterates. No reading or instruction is required for membership. The above mentioned list of facts helps to validate that the majority of Christians are too lazy and self absorbed to read the Word and actively pursue a relationship with God.

Many Christians resist the teaching of the hard core gospel and the TRUTH that comes along with it. The TRUTH elicits ACCOUNTABILITY from the Believer and eliminates the "I didn't know" excuse. The "small group" movements in many churches are merely social fellowships which promote fun activities for the group but provides little, if any, rigorous bible training and discourse to develop the spiritual lives of its members.

Many youth and music ministries have become hunting grounds for sexual predators and pedophiles within the church. Too many Christians ignore the obvious transgressions against our kids and continually allows these perverts to prey on the innocents. But as long as they can preach good, sing good and keep us entertained, it will be business as usual. Again, the focus is on fun and very little on bible training. 

Our last bastion of faith for a resurgence in solid bible based teaching rests on the shoulders of the parents of our youth. In particular, Christian parents (specifically, the FATHERS and HUSBANDS) have to take the lead in teaching the Word to their families and serving in the marketplace as an example to our children, neighbors and those living in darkness.

Bible engagement = Bible empowerment! The denial of TRUTH will result in vulnerability for the spiritually immature Christian and lead to manipulation, corruption, deception and, ultimately, DEATH...

Believers, READ YOUR "WORD" AND READ IT SLOWLY! (John 6:63-64).

"The ANATOMY of the COVENANT with GOD!"

In the Greek language, the word "covenant" (diatheke) means "to cut, to divide and to separate"; it is symbolic of the shedding of blood and it represents the safety and security of a relationship. In short, the relationship is sealed with blood. It was the blood of Christ that sealed our fate of having access to eternal life in the presence of a Holy God. The C will separate the wheat from the tares!

In (Genesis 17: 6-7) God makes His Covenant (C) with man. The covenant with God is not based upon convenience! God will send a "shaking" into the life of every Believer to test their commitment to the C. The C is an agreement between God and man whereby God initiates the C.
The C is an irrevocable promise from God (Judges 2:1) and it constitutes a mutual understanding between the parties involved whereby the Believer "binds" himself or herself to the Lord God in all things.

When God declares the word "My," He is indicating that something significant has already been established for us from the foundation of the world and that He has always wanted to do something especially for you. He has chosen you to be a part of His spiritual family. The C has nothing to do with how you FEEL (only what you BELIEVE) because we walk by faith and not by sight.

As a Believer, your spirit man is "destiny driven" and "legacy focused." In other words, you have a purpose for living the victorious life and serving God's people in the marketplace. Your "spirit man" will lead you places your "flesh" cannot handle.

We are a generation struggling with the aftermath of generations of broken covenants from our ancestors. Being in C with God means we have to trust God to bring His outcome for our lives to manifestation. The C cannot be taken lightly...choose you this day life or death (Joshua 24:11-15)!

"BUILDING Your DESTINY!"

DESTINY is the result when Divine Initiative meets Human Responsibility. Your destiny is an appointed and predetermined position by God. Destiny is a birth right for every "Believer" but it is not guaranteed (you must qualify by the application of radical faith in your everyday life while in service to God's people in the marketplace). (Jer.1:5)

The families in the Body of Christ do not act like they are "rulers." They operate in fear, lack and condemnation. You cannot choose your destiny, you have to find it. God places people in your "garden" (those people whom God has assigned to you from the foundation of the world). The people in your garden are receiving or extracting "life" (the "zoe" life or God kind of life) from you. Your life then becomes your "ministry." It is this ministry that compels you toward your destiny in the Kingdom of God (KOG).

God places each one of us (those who are Believers) into the earth realm with an "assignment" and that assignment invariable will lead the Believer into the marketplace to bring glory to God through our word, works and deeds.

Destiny is a gift from God. It is imperative that the young Christian chase God as much as possible and dwell in Him and His Word. Intimacy is key. The requirement is to identify your "secret place" and to dwell there in the Presence of the Almighty! You are then to seek after the work the Lord God has already prepared for you from eternity. It is this work that the Lord God has set before you that will complete you and mark you life as a living sacrifice for the advancement of the KOG.

You can ONLY transfer that which you have. You can't transfer love if you have no love. If you have no joy. No peace. No grace. No forgiveness. It is Non-Transferable! What our families need most is a transfer of God's Holy Spirit. God will fulfill our destinies through the sons of obedience (daily obedience to the covenant with Christ).

Your destiny can be contaminated and derailed by SIN and FEAR and INACTIVITY. If you transfer God, the recipient with be made alive. Their mortal bodies will be quickened by His Spirit. Most of our attitudes, lifestyles and mindsets are in ADAM (Death) and death cannot impute LIFE (Christ). 

You are a "destiny builder" if:

1. You SUBMIT wholeheartedly to CHRIST above MAN;
2. You HONOR the covenant agreement with Christ;
3. You RISE early in the morning to meet with the Holy Spirit to get your assignment;
4. You ACQUIRE a biblical world view: its substance (understanding) and application; 
5. You SERVE God's people in the marketplace.

"...But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33)