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Hungry!?

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You can imagine the meager rations of those exiles on the Isle of Patmos. Whether it’s coincidental, or because of the meager rations, the theme of food comes up often enough to warrant attention. Consider the following passages: Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols…NKJV

Revelation 2:17 To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. NKJV

Revelation 2:20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. NKJV

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. NKJV

If I had been hearing these words from the Lord I would have been tempted to ask the Lord for mercy. I would have asked Him to possibly choose other analogies and references. But Jesus didn’t stop there. He “hid” a food reference in plain sight – yet it’s hard to see. Several months ago I noted a distinction in translating Revelation 3:18. The AMPC translation reads: Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see. Take note of this last boldened, phrase:…and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see.

Now take note of how the NKJV translates the same passage: I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

The first thing to notice is that in the AMPC translation they were to purchase refined and tested gold, white clothes, and eye salve. But the NKJV separates the gold, and clothes from the eye salve. In fact the NKJV states that they should purchase the first two, but anoint their eyes with eye salve. In the NKJV translation, anointing the eyes appears to be a separate topic. Why are there two different verbs: purchase and anoint?

When you study the original meaning of the word for salve you discover something that is quite startling. You discover that it was an extremely small, “coarse bread roll.”  Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words states: Hence an “eye-salve,” shaped like a roll….The word is doubtless an allusion to the Phrygian powder used by oculists in the famous medical school at Laodicea. Which led me to ask another question, What was considered coarse bread to John’s readers? Basically there were two sources of grain used for making bread, wheat and barley. What does this have to do with our eye salve? Bread made from barley was considered the poor man’s bread, while bread made from wheat was for those who were wealthy. Now keep in mind Jesus is addressing the wealthy, self-sufficient Laodiceans. They have no need, or lack. Yet, Jesus is stating that the cure for their spiritual blindness is salve shaped like a roll or loaf of barley bread. What does this remind you of? Matthew 5:3,6 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“…Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

What’s the interpretation? Those that are spiritually poor – are spiritually hungry. Those who are spiritually poor will ENTER through the DOOR of Jesus; the DOOR of Revelation 4. Those that recognize their spiritual poverty and blindness will be moved to make room for Jesus; will be moved to overcome the Laodiceans, do-it-yourself righteousness; will be moved to open their spiritual senses: sight, hearing, and feeling. The spiritually hungry will be moved to be zealous; to be on FIRE with the FIRE from the Man whose legs and eyes burn with HOLY FUEL.

Bread throughout Scripture has typically been a symbol for the Word of God. Those who are aware of their spiritual blindness will seek to “anoint” their spiritual “vision” with the revelational, living, out of the Mouth of God – Word of God. This is the Spiritual Manna that comes down out of Heaven and feeds the spiritually hungry. Are you hungry for more of Jesus? Are you hungry to be closer to Him? Are you hungry to see more of Jesus? Are you hungry to be hot, on FIRE, in love with Jesus? Are you hungry to hear His Voice? Hungry to fellowship, commune and have a daily, intimate love relationship with Him? Then cry out for the poor man’s “bread” to “rub” in the way you see.

Confession & Declaration 11

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1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing [of wine at the Lord’s Supper] upon which we ask [God’s] blessing, does it not mean [that in drinking it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the blood of Christ (the Messiah)? The bread which we break, does it not mean [that in eating it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the body of Christ?

Just so you know – we are on Friday, January 17, confessions and declarations. Fellowship is a word that has devolved over the years especially in the church. As a child I had a peripheral involvement with the local church at best. Yet, whenever a fellowship was announced, it was always understood to mean, food and mostly meaningless conversation. Now don’t get me wrong. I love connecting with people, and lite conversation, but this is not what the New Testament word meant at all. It was, nor has it ever been, the intention of the New Testament writers to minimize the word or its multiple concepts. On the surface, the only similarities that our popular definition has with the original meaning, is that of joy and celebration. What the Bible means by the word fellowship is a co-sharing of Jesus. Now when I was loosely involved in the life of the church, I would have dumbed down this definition with a reinterpretation. My new definition would be that “fellowship” is a sharing of information you had learned, or read about, regarding Jesus, or the Bible. Yet my definition was still information or knowledge based. But that is not what the Greek word for “fellowship” means. Its very similar to the “food and fun” aspect of the word but it’s missing the depth and richness of the meaning. The Greek meaning of the word “fellowship” means that there is a mutual sharing of experiences that you were having or had. Obviously the Bible is the best place to look for understanding and when it comes to the term “fellowship” we needn’t look any further than in 1 John 1:3 for insight and understanding. It states: What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Fellowship as used in this verse, and throughout the New Testament, references experiences that the Apostles had, and might add – were having, with Jesus. What we have seen and [ourselves] heard,… This fellowship was experiential. A casual reading of this passage would lead one to conclude that the fellowship of experience was based on previous memories of Jesus. But pay attention to what John says next: And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a distinguishing mark of Christians]…It’s an ongoing and active thing. The experiential knowledge is not of something in the past, though that is part of it, but it’s ongoing. One must also conclude from this verse that this experience is not restricted to the Apostles only. It was to be a distinguishing characteristics of all Christians. The average Christian was to have this experience also. Interestingly enough this fellowship is specific and unique. Christian fellowship with the Godhead involved a knowing that there were, and are, times when there was an awareness that the individual was communing with the Father, or at other times, with the Son. Now that is a mind blower. The Godhead is “Three In One” but separate and distinct. And just to put your mind at ease, the fellowship is not everyday, but at particular moments in time. It has been my personal experience, yours may be different, that most of my relations with the Godhead have been with the Holy Spirit. Not to appear as if I am boasting, but that is pretty much an everyday thing. Why? Because of God’s Grace and Mercy, and my desperate need for Him. Next in line, in my relational context, will be Jesus, followed by the Father. That kind of fellowship – co-sharing – is made possible through the Blood of Jesus. Again, my personal opinion and my experience has been, that the encounters I have with the Father or Jesus are typically related to God-sized assignments that He has for me. For example Moses’ burning bush encounter with the Godhead had to be so dramatic and profound in order to match the challenges he was going about to experience. In other words, the experience was so undeniable, that later, when the going got tough, he wouldn’t chalk it up to his imagination – and flee in the opposite direction.

What’s really powerful is that this “rabbit hole” goes deeper. Several days ago, on Day 9, I had you declare what justification has and is doing for you. Embedded in that mediation was something so profound Im just now beginning to glimpse the depths of its meanings. It was a quote from The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. The quote was: “The eternal character of the justifying event of salvation prevents any severing of past and present. The act of salvation is a continuing present.”  Pay attention to that last sentence: The act of salvation is a continuing present.” Our salvation through the Blood of Jesus isn’t a past or future event. It’s always in the preset tense. I believe that the Lord gave me a phrase by which to label this concept. I believe that He called it, The Eternal Now. It only stands to reason that the Godhead is outside of time. His proper Name is Yahweh: “I AM! It’s not I was or I will be – it IS…I AM. Thus, through the Blood of Jesus, I have been brought into the Presence of I AM. This means my salvation is in the present tense. Which means that I have access to fellowship, or experiential relationship, NOW! I have been positioned in the NOW. More specifically, in the Eternal Now. Now that is not only mind blowing, but quite exciting. You see we overcome the accuser of the brothers through abiding in His Blood which transfers us into the Eternal Now. This is only activated through faith, and a constant turning of our consciousness towards the Eternal Now. This is how we live from the Eternal Now: Faith, Obedience, and Setting Our minds. Now remember that our minds are one aspect of our souls. Thus what you are doing is shifting the reign of your spiritual life from a soulish perspective to one that is spiritual. You are bringing all aspects of your person into alignment with the way God intended: Spirit, Soul, Body. Our salvation (Greek word is sozo) involves our entire person: Spirit, Soul, and Body. It’s the Divine Alignment. Our mind, properly related to our spirit, acts as the translator, or the decoder, for all that God’s Spirit is whispering into our spirit. The mind, in submission to the Spirit, is able to act in accordance with the Words of the Spirit. Why? Because we are in the Eternal Now – through the activation of the Blood of Jesus. This activation is only made possible through trust and obedience. As we trust and obey (for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus) – we experience Fellowship with the Godhead, and with the Blood of Jesus. (And science fiction thinks it has something on Christians).

So let’s activate the Blood of Jesus towards communion, and fellowship with the Godhead. Are you ready? Remember do this aloud.

Declaration 11: My Precious Treasure, my Beloved, Your ways astound and amaze me. I bless Your Name for such a marvelous, awe-inspiring, salvation. Thank You Jesus for the invitation to walk with You and Know You. I thank You for such a great, and treasured gift, as my salvation. Thank You Jesus that now I have been invited into the Eternal Now. I turn my heart, mind, soul, and personality to You. I worship You. I am before the Great I AM continually. Continually I am saved. Continually I am forever knowing You. Continually I am forever washed clean, justified, and all my sin is gone. Thank You, thank You Jesus. I love You so much for loving me. I love You so much for inviting me into the Eternal Now. I praise You for Your Blood! Oh Father, I praise You for giving me Your Son. I praise You Jesus for clothing me in Your Holy Spirit. I praise You Holy Spirit for revealing to me Jesus. I praise You Holy Spirit for all the many things You do: leading me into all Truth, giving me revelation from the Word, speaking to me, whispering to me what Heaven’s thoughts are. Thank You, thank You, thank You!! You are my God and I am Your child. I’m blown away and captivated by your Great Love! Simply grant me Your Grace and revelation to continually abide in the Eternal Now.

Don’t forget “Who’s Your One – Day 5″ – Scripture Reading = Rom. 6:16-18

You Can’t Fake This

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Sunday, October 20, 2019

What’s the one thing in Christianity that can’t be faked? Did New Testament Christians actually experience hearing and seeing Jesus? Can Jesus actually be heard and seen today? If this is true what are the implications for those who attend church and have done neither? How are modern day Christians being built into a table of showbread?

1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing [of wine at the Lord’s Supper] upon which we ask [God’s] blessing, does it not mean [that in drinking it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the blood of Christ (the Messiah)? The bread which we break, does it not mean [that in eating it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the body of Christ?

The Greek word for communion is the word koinonia. The Bible will often translate this word as fellowship. This identical word is used in several passages of the book of 1 John and for good reason. 1 John 1:3 states: What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

There are many things an unbeliever can fake regarding popular Christianity in the west. You can fake worship, reverence, love for the Word, love for Jesus, love for the Father, and prayer. But the one thing you cannot fake is true, Jesus-centered, koinonia. Why do I say this? Because true koinonia is based on a personal interaction with the Godhead. A relationship of common union, conversation, co-sharing. The crazy thing? You are doing all of that with the Creator of the Universe. Those who have had communion or fellowship with the Godhead know about it. You don’t guess or even hope you’ve had it – you know it. And once Heaven has touched your earth you can’t get enough. (I’m just smiling typing this up and thinking about it). The passage in 1 John really emphasizes this personal interaction when it states: What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. The implication is what we have seen and heard is also available for you to see and hear. In John’s seven letters to the churches of Revelation one of the “stinker” churches was the Church of Laodicea. They were in such bad shape they couldn’t even see that they had left Jesus outside of His Worship service. Not only were they blind to His absence they also failed to hear Him knocking trying to get into the front door of His Church. The Church of Laodicean was deaf and blind spiritually. Before you get too critical recall the skepticism expressed when the Vice President of the United States expressed that he could hear God.

The Good News? Jesus offered a promise that if anyone would hear Him knocking and open the door He would come in and have fellowship with them. Why wouldn’t He?That’s the implication in the very definition of the word expressed throughout the New Testament. Why is that significant and what does it have to do with the next station in Priestly Tabernacle? Everything actually. The next station was called the Table of Shewbread or Showbread. In the Hebrew it literally meant the Bread of His Face or Presence. On this table were 12 stacks of unleavened bread, a symbol for each of the 12 tribes of Israel, and a flagon of Wine.

Recall that Scripture refers to us being a temple being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit? We grow in becoming through fellowshipping in the blood and body of Jesus. Another way of saying this is that we fellowship in His sufferings. This fellowship doesn’t have to come through being martyred, persecuted, or imprisoned. But it can and does come through simply picking up Jesus’ Cross and following His example of obedience in a difficult situation. When ever we choose obedience over personal comfort we are experiencing to some degree His sufferings. Now before you think that I have watered down our participation in Jesus sufferings take a look at 1 Peter 4:1: So, since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],…

At first I believed the message conveyed was regarding Jesus’ crucifixion. But the last part of the verse really bothered me. My doubt was regarding my own experience. I knew that I have suffered in the flesh but that hasn’t stopped me from sinning. Sometimes the suffering almost seemed to justify the sinning. So what was Peter seeking to express? I prayed and was reminded Hebrews 5:8: Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered.

Jesus was free of demons, generational curses, sins of the fathers, and soul and spirit wounds – yet, He suffered as He obeyed the Father in spite of the temptation. He was tempted in every way that you and I are tempted, yet He never sinned. He was comforted by angels after the 40 day fast and temptation in the wilderness. He wrestled over the will of the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane sweating drops of blood. Obedience to the Father is costly. The greater the outcome, the greater the suffering. Jesus’ Table of Showbread, the Bread of His Face is built in us as we do the will of the Father, interacting with Jesus through the process. Romans 8:17 states: And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory. 

Mark 10:38 shines some more light on this concept. It states: But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”  Jesus provides some clarity regarding what cup the disciples were so presumptuously willing to drink in Luke 22:42:Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 

The good news is that the Table of Showbread wasn’t just a table of fellowshipping with Jesus’ sufferings. John 6:55-58 explains the enjoyable side of the Table: For My flesh is true and genuine food, and My blood is true and genuine drink. He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood dwells continually in Me, and I [in like manner dwell continually] in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me [whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me] shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me. This is the Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever.

Did you catch the three promises: dwells continually in Me, shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me, and shall live forever.  When we feed or commune with the Bread of His Presence, or drink the Blood of His Sacrifice we dwell continually in Him; we live through Him; and we live forever with Him. Why wouldn’t we? We are His Body. What the Western Christian must understand is that through knowing and doing His Word He reveals Himself to us. John 14:21 states it: Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”  And now we’ve come full circle. The Koinonia of Jesus-centered, Christianity, is about what we have seen, heard, and are partakers of. We become the Table of His Presence as we obey and know Him. You can’t fake that. If you have been go to the Bread of Life and let Him know that you are dying to know Him.