Towards A Vision of Holiness - David Mitts

but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
(1Pe 1:15-16)
There is an instruction in the Scriptures to be “holy” to be given to a reality that is “one with the Lord”. The Lord speaks to “be holy for He is Holy”.
Now, for most of us this conjures up images of perfection or a purity that is at odds with the nature that we “know” of ourselves. In fact holiness scares us because the Scripture also tells us in Hebrews 12:14:
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
(Heb 12:14)
So, the question that I ask in my heart, is what does God expect of me that will be called
holiness?
Well is we look in the Bible, we see that holiness involves:
-Being set apart. One example is the Shabbat.
-"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and
do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you
shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your
female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six
days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and
rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
(Exo 20:8-11)
-So the holiness spoken of with respect to the Sabbath is to set apart a day of our week and dedicate it unto the Lord. This means that of all of our time, there is an interval of time that is about the Lord. So, this is about boundaries, the separating of something from something else.

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-So, holiness, at least in one respect is about boundaries, learning to honor and separate things.
Now, one of the immediate problems, or challenges with that definition is that we start almost immediately operating in fear. We start erecting boundaries from things and people and situations that intrude into our holiness. Suddenly our lives go from the freedom of our salvation and the joy and power of the Holy Spirit into a life of trying to remain separate.
Yet are we wrong?? No, I don't think so. I just think it becomes a question of resource.
You see when my resource is myself and I am trying to be holy, then I have a problem in that my definitions will always be defined by my strength. SO, where is the cross in that?
You see, something fundamentally changed at the cross. What changed was resource.
Prior to the cross, there was a veil that separated us from where? The Holy of Holies.
This veil was torn at the cross.
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the
veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the
rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had
fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went
into the holy city and appeared to many. (Mat 27:50-53).
What actually happened here and what are the implications in our holiness? Well Yeshua gave up His Spirit, He died. The veil, the system of holiness by separation was also torn. Now, the veil didn’t just separate man from God. It also separated man from man, represented by the dead. The dead were unholy, the wages or price for sin. They were also separated from the living. Yet resurrection life was released at the cross and
the dead came to life.
So, this changes the separation thing of holiness. We cannot remain holy by remaining separate through our efforts. So, how do we enter into holiness?? I think the use of a veil is symbolic for something more profound.
What else wears a veil? A bride. Why does she wear the veil? It represents a kind of holiness, a purity of separation from all others and unto her husband. However all of that is in an identity, the identity that is outside of the new covenant of marriage of a giving of the heart. When the veil comes down there is a giving of the hearts in "holy union".
Now, let me ask you a question? In a marriage is separation holy?? Well yes and no.
Separation from others, yes. But what about from each other?? No. What is the motivation, the source? Isn't holiness now derived from something different?? Isn't holiness now fueled, empowered by love and even more important kept by love??
Now, what if the bride fueled holiness out of duty? or out of obedience to some set of standards because she is afraid to not please her husband, her lord?? Would we call that a covenant marriage??
Look now with me at Ephesians 5:22-33:
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of
the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the
body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their
husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church
and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the
washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her
glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and
blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who
loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and
cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.
FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL
BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. This
mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself,
and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. (Eph 5:22-33)
Now, most of us have been taught to use this scripture as guideline for marriage life, and so it is. But the Apostle Paul tells us that he is speaking about the relationship between Messiah and the Church. This then becomes an insight into holiness.
The key is in the word translated as church. It is ecclesia, which comes from the Hebrew kahal. In the Greek, the word means the called out from somewhere. But in Hebrew, the word means being drawn to authority. It is the picture of responding to the voice and the authority. It is actually a picture of intimacy. It is a holiness that is motivated by love.
You see holiness motivated by Law, by rules is a beginning, But holiness motivated and empowered by love is a transformational kind of holiness. Now, you can understand why Yeshua healed on the Shabbat. He was motivated by love.
You see, we began in love. We were saved by grace. But grace calls us to love. Then into this beautiful love, this honeymoon of being saturated with His Presence, hungry just to be with Him, to love Him with all of our being, not because it was commanded as the greatest commandment, but because it was all we could do. But over time, we grew calloused to Him. We exchanged the passion of the newly-wed for the life of the dutiful.
Holiness moved from what we knew from intimacy into what we learned from others.
Instead of drawing closer and closer into unity, we got busy. We got other agendas.
Most of them seemed good like Martha's serving. But what got sacrificed was holiness.
What got substituted was old covenant holiness, the struggle of separations. Some have even gone so far as to put back on veils. I don't mean pretty cloths. No I mean the
veils of facades.
Look with me at one more scripture and then we'll repent: Look at 2 Corinthians 3:2-18
You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested
that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of
the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence
we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider
anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us
adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter
kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones,
came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses
because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to
be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more
does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this
case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away
was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. Therefore having such a hope,
we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil
over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was
fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the
old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this
day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to
the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory
of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from
the Lord, the Spirit. (2Co 3:2-18)
You see the greater glory is glory of the bride. You see Moses needed a veil because he had to separate himself from the people. But the veil of separation is removed in Messiah, in the new covenant in holiness motivated by love.
Now, I want us to pray and ask the Lord what veils we have put on. You know veils with each other are no different than veils towards God. They are strategies of separation of trying to protect our own heart. Let's repent for the veils.

A Vision for Holiness in an Age of Mammon - David Mitts

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NASB)

[23]  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

(Romans 12:1 NKJ)

We live in age where Mammon has invaded our lives in so many ways that we could actually say, we live in a soup of Mammon.  Our thoughts are bombarded, our bodies are poisoned, our spirits are being corrupted with the goal to lull us into a spiritual, mental, emotional and physical death.

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The Lord has not only called us to be spiritually identified with Him, even though this is our greatest need, no doubt.  But Abba has called us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Abba, as a reasonable act of service.  The NASB translates this term "reasonable service" as "your spiritual service of worship".  The word here is the same as is used for the Holy Priesthood, the Cohens when they worship the Lord.

This means that our bodies and how we take care of them is as holy to the Lord as our songs we sing, our giving, our prayer time, our faith.  

Now, I know we don't want to hear this in our church context.  We want to give lip service to our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit but we want to put in them whatever we want, without thinking of that as sin against Abba.  

I believe the reason for this has to do  in part, with the word sacrifice.  Yeshua was our sacrifice.

But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, (Hebrews 10:12 NIV).

What is sacrifice all about?  Sacrifice, in a biblical context is about intimacy, love.  We are to be people of love, and of sacrifice: Look at Ephesians 5:1-8

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know,  that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:1-8 NKJ)

We are called to walk, or have our walk be as children of the light.  This involves sacrifice.  Part of our love walk  our sacrifice is to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. What does this mean to us in a practical sense?

It means that we have a responsibility to treat our bodies with the same diligence we give to our other aspects of our believer life.  It means there is an accountability for a level of physical holiness.  

Now I am NOT talking about religion and self discipline.  Rather I am speaking about a greater standard, called love.  You see religion is all about boundaries and self discipline.  This is really a trap of Mammon.  You see Mammon gets us focussed on ourselves.  There is no sacrifice in this even when we do sacrifice things, we do it with a severe self focus and our goal is pride.  Because pride is rooted in shame, we carry the false image in our hearts of failure and try to overcome it with works.  A dismal plan of enslavement.  The best we can do in that system is self control which always makes us look down on others who can't or won't "control themselves".

So what is a living sacrifice?  It is an act of love.  An analogy is like someone who has a love for collecting something that they value.  How do they care of it?  Is it obedience?  Or is it a sacrifice of love? And..... What motivates that sacrifice of love?  The value they place on whatever it is!  It is a treasure to them and so love is released in loving sacrifice!

This is the attitude we are to have towards our bodies.  One of loving sacrifice.  This is true holiness, an act of love.  Let me show you this in Yeshua's words:

Matthew 6:16-24 (NASB)

Fasting; The True Treasure; Wealth (Mammon)

 [16] “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. [17] “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face [18] so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

 [19] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; [21] for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 [22] “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. [23] “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

 [24] “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.

Now, he begins with speaking of fasting.  Fasting is a process of purification.  Fasting a a living loving sacrifice.  It is a Shabbat for the digestive systems are usually overworked in us.  Mammon wants to turn this into self discipline...  Mammon wants to turn fasting into pride.  You see Mammon is ALL about pride and its twin, shame.   I am just speaking about fasting here but it is true about any body care.  The war is not only about what you eat or wear but about how you eat or wear.  Do you love the temple of the Holy Spirit and honor it in that love?  People take better care of their cars than their temples!!  They fill them with poisons, toxic chemicals!  When they fast, it is still just religion!  

These are the earth treasures that Yeshua is talking about.  It isn't the cars or the  houses  He is talking about!!  It is the pride and shame!  You see when we work for pride, when we fast to be cool, we earn earth treasure, the approval of others who have the same treasures. IT becomes an economy of earth treasures.

But if we go the opposite way and ignore our bodies then that is Mammon and pride too.  A good analogy is how we would define loving someone, like a spouse.  If I love them with acts, so I can get noticed, then I am in pride.  But if I ignore them, and love them by one time declaration then I am in neglect which is self focus and more pride.  You see the key is the treasure, the value.  Do we value them, or in this case our bodies, as the way God values us or do we value our bodies in earthly ways, pride or shame?

But, when we act out of love, it becomes a heavenly treasure and God who isnLove rewards us because we are trading in His economy! Return to Matthew 6:22-24

"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 

(Matthew 6:22-24 NKJ)

You see the eye is the idea of perspective.  A good eye is one that sees with the eyes of God.  How do you see your body?  Do you see it with the yes of love?  Love is His currency and it is given NOT earned.  You can't earn love you can only give it.  So to sum this up, we have a body, which is holy to God.  Holy means dedicated and it is to be cared for in love.  How?  Great question.  Ask, seek, and find......

But first repent from works and turn to the joy of loving temple care!

The Test: Self-Interest - David Mitts

And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' "But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. "For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. "You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." But he said to Him, "Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!" And He said, "I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me." (Luke 22:24-34)

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We live in a time that is marked by tremendous pressure.  This not by accident but by design.  There is contest for the will of man.   All of us, myself included and perhaps because of the leadership position, the most, will be sifted.  What are we being sifted about?  Self-interest, self-will.

Peter and the disciples, in this interaction, are in conflict over leadership, the ability to inspire and lead others.  Peter is the leader in many ways among the 12.  He is the one who is on the Mount of Transfiguration wanting to build a Succah.

Peter is the one who received the revelation directly from the Father that Yeshua is the Messiah!  He has a prophetic clarity and an ability to see and hear in the Spirit.

So, this is the one who will be sifted.  

In many ways, Peter is Job.  He is the blessed one whom Satan is challenging God for.   Why?  Leadership potential.   Peter, responds to the challenge as any of us would, by declaring his loyalty.  What he doesn’t realize and what we will ALL have to deal with in the days ahead is his and our self-interest, our self-will.  

You see Peter, and us who see, only see in part.  The part we see through is the part of our childhood, the part of our old life.  The Apostle Paul said it this way: 

When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1Co 13:11-13)

We have a childish perspective that the Lord wants to transform into an adult perspective, of laying down our self-will, our self-interest.  This is a hard thing to do.  For Peter it was impossible.

So, when Yeshua was being led to the cross and Peter’s association with Him was being examined a second death had to occur simultaneously wit the death of Yeshua, a death of Peter’s self-interest.  

You see, the Lord has chosen well.  he chose Peter, the rash evangelist, the prophet, the visionary, the influencer for the demonstration of the death of self-interest.  Peter, like us has to come face to face with his own ugliness.

I faced some of mine night before last.  Here I was the anointed leader, caught up in self-interest.  I came face to face with an ugliness in myself as I prepared for this weekend.  You see the Lord will NOT allow to preach a message, He has not dealt with you on first.  SO, I awoke to my own selfishness.  I saw that I will meet my needs, in my way.  YUK,YUK!

So, in the middle of a sleepless revelation I repented and surrendered again to a new death in the Lord.  I realized that to move the next level of leadership, a new level of death had to occur to this ugly thing that lives in me that wants to exert my influence.

So, Peter came to his waterloo of self-interest.

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and *said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away." Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. (Mat 26:69-74)

This is a picture of the test of self-interest that we will deal with in these days.  We will all face the sifting of Peter as we increase in leadership and our desire, legitimately to stand with Him.

The voice of the world’s leadership, the search for power, the voice of survival will challenge our true identity in Him.

Now, with Peter this black and white.   His elf-interest is magnified by the cross.  As the return of our Lord draws near, our self-interest will be magnified as well.  Will we pass??  What is the key??

Well the obvious answer is do not deny the Lord.  But in actual fact, How will we be tested.  I believe the test will be in how we treat the “least of these”.  

"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 

(Mat 25:31-46)

You see our partial love, our childish nature will be tested by how we deny the Lord in treating other people.  Now, I am not saying there wont be those who actually have to publicly deal with denying the Lord.  BUT according to this scripture, I will be judged in how I treat the least of these.  And I will be judged on the basis of sheep and goats.  The sheep are His and the goats are NOT.  So, I and you will be held accountable for how we tree those that are His.  How will we know?

Well look at John 21

After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter *said to them, "I am going fishing." They *said to him, "We will also come with you." They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus *said to them, "Children, you do not have any fish, do you?" They answered Him, "No." And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch." So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, "It is the Lord." So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish. So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. Jesus *said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have now caught." Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus *said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples ventured to question Him, "Who are You?" knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus *came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead. So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He *said to him, "Tend My lambs." He *said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He *said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He *said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." He *said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus *said to him, "Tend My sheep. (Joh 21:1-17)

You see Peter is now being restored.  How? By taking his focus of self-interest and putting it back on the sheep and the lambs.  These are the ones the Lord puts in our lives who have been put their by His voice.  Our provision will come in this as well.  If we surrender to His voice and treat the least of these as He would, we will have the glorious privilege of fish and fire and eating with Lord at His table.  It is time to repent for self-interest and ask Him afresh to show us how to get back out there and feed and tend His lambs, His sheep, the least of these.

The sheep of the Lord hear His voice.  they are being drawn to you.  BUT they are His.  SO they will require His Spirit in us to minister His Love to them  Each sheep is unique, a wanderer, and so needs special instruction prophetically given by the Master.  Our call is to love them, to open up the flow of His love.

Restoring Childlikeness - Charles D Harris

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. Mat 18:11 KJV

Jesus is speaking to his disciples about restoration of an attribute of the people which was necessary for them to be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. So, what was this attribute?   Childlikeness

Many has taken the passage of Matthew 18 as a way to force people into conformity or be ostracized, however Jesus uses the illustration of a child to explain how to function in the kingdom of heaven and how he came to restore that child like faith to His people.  

Luke 15 also deals with lost items.  Lost sheep, lost coin and prodigal son are shared as a parable by Jesus for Pharisees, disciples and others to understand that the Father loves and values all people and His will is that none perish.  

Offence plays a major role in people being lost. Either we get offended and isolate or we are causing offence.  Jesus came to restore us back to childlike trust in the father.  He has provided a means for us to come back to oneness and accountability.  Praise God!

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Building and Harvesting by His Spirit - Charles D Harris

God has established cycles for us to live by.  Laws…set in motion by His word…  His calendar, Moedim (Feasts) , Sabbaths  all for our benefit and to live and fellowship with Him.

“While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease.” Gen 8:22 [Lev 23:2 NASB] 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'The LORD'S appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations--My appointed times are these:

We can prosper greatly in our lives when we live and move and have our being in alignment with Him and His calendar and ways, Yes?

However how many have been able to successfully live through there will power alone. We quickly realize

I feel that we are in a season of building and harvesting...

 [Amo 9:13 NASB] 13 "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will be dissolved.

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. Psalm 127:1

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Spirit of the Lord Anointed …

[Jer 1:10 KJV] 10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

[Isa 61:1-4 KJV] 1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

Consider your ways…

[Hag 1:1-15 NASB] 1 In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, 2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'This people says, "The time has not come, even the time for the house of the LORD to be rebuilt."'" 3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?" 5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways! 6 "You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes." 7 Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways! 8 "Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified," says the LORD. 9 "You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?" declares the LORD of hosts, "Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. 10 "Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 "I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands."

Heeded the voice of the Lord…

 12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the LORD. 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke by the commission of the LORD to the people saying, " 'I am with you,' declares the LORD."

So the Lord Stirred up the Spirit…

14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.

Whole lotta Shaking …

[Hag 2:6-9 KJV] 6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it [is] a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land]; 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver [is] mine, and the gold [is] mine, saith the LORD of hosts. 9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Laws

There are laws that govern the universe.  Law of gravity, etc 

Laws are made by kings.  The king’s words are law.  The word of God is perfect!  When we align with it we prosper.

[Psa 1:1-3 NASB] 1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

[Psa 19:7, 14 NASB] 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. ... 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Who argues with the law of gravity?

[Luk 6:45-49 NASB] 45 "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. 46 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."

Consider you ways!

 [Isa 55:8-13 KJV] 8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it. 12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.

Please the Lord - [Pro 16:7 KJV] 7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Law of the Spirit of Life

[Rom 8:2 NASB] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.His Ways not my ways

6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. [Zec 4:6 NASB]

We are equipped for every good work

3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. [2Pe 1:3 NASB]

[2Cr 3:17-18 NASB] 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

[Jud 1:20 KJV] 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Lord of the Harvest

[Luk 10:2 HNV] 2 Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest.

Shaking

I feel like it is harvest season and we are all participating as sifting is going on, separating, during the harvest process.

[Hag 2:6, 21 NASB] 6 "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. ... 21 "Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

[Hbr 12:26-29 HNV] 26 whose voice shook the eretz, then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the eretz, but also the heavens." 27 This phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, receiving a kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, 29 fo

Draw Near - Release His Presence - Charles D. Harris

22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Let’s face it; being one with the presence of God is where we can be truly at rest and peace in our lives. There is a constant striving that goes on in mankind to find true and lasting peace and rest. Our souls are longing for acceptance and approval of the One who created us. 

Though we don't necessarily speak out loud, there is a heart cry to God to be near him. 

In the last few weeks we have talked about shame being a separator between us and God.  Gen 2:25 says "...the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” however when Adam and his wife listened to another voice there was a mistrust of the Father's voice causing a separation. 

Since then mankind has tried to reconnect through their own efforts or righteousness to God however the end results only in self-righteousness and no true peace. 

God wants us to "draw near" Him so He can draw near us.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (Jas 4:8).

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Question....So what does draw near look like?

We want to utilize a Hebrew is the language of God and is a picture language so we will look at the letter "Quph" ק

In essence the most common word picture meaning is "to gather"

Let's look at scripture

In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. (Psalms 18:6 NASB)

The word “call” here is the Hebrew word “Qara”, which means to gather together as in a meeting or an event.

The book, we call Leviticus begins with the word Vayikara. The root in this is “Qara”, to call.  So, the book begins with a call from God which gathers the people around Him.  Do you sense the power?

Leviticus 1:1 (NASB)

1 Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,

The Lord then speaks of “Qorbanot” offerings.

Leviticus 1:2 (NASB)

2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock.

The word here is from the root “Qarov”.  This means to “draw near”.  Offerings have the power of drawing near to God and His drawing near to us.

In this book is a prescription for drawing near if we look at it from a perspective of seeing God's heart. 

God calls to Moses and instructs him. He instructs Aaron, Israel becomes “one” on how to draw near to God, then His presence and power flowed. 

Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. (Leviticus 9:23, 24 NASB)

Moses, Aaron and the people gathered in one accord heeding His voice thus releasing His righteousness and peace into the earth.   We can call this a "body" operating in "faith"

We see the opposite result in next chapter when Nadab and Abihu operating as individuals profane the holy and get fried. 

Let's talk about Yeshua drawing us near through his body. 

Hbr 10:1-25 NASB - 1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; 6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. 7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" 8 After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says, 17 "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Yeshua brought us near...

Eph 2:11-19 NASB - 11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands-- 12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,Yeshua is our High Priest in heavens and perfector of our faith

God Calls...

Hbr 3:1 KJV - 1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Rom 2:4 KJV - 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Mat 23:37 KJV - 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!

Rom 11:29 NASB - 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

1Cr 1:26 NASB - 26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

Eph 1:18 NASB - 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Eph 4:1, 4 NASB - 1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, ... 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;

2Ti 1:9 NASB - 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

Hbr 3:1 NASB - 1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;

What is our Qorbanot?

Each of the different offerings presented in book of Leviticus represented a part of the individual's and community's heart that needed to be healed/restored. Such as sin, guilt, uncleanness, mildew, jealousy, etc

Yeshua is our High Priest, as the word of God reveals thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  It needs healing and restoring.  The Spirit of God is drawing us to the place of rest in our calling and inheritance.  Not to beat us up but to heal and restore.

Hbr 3:12-15 NASB - 12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, 15 while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

Hbr 4:9-16 NASB - 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Activating in the Anointing - A Comprehensive Perspective - David Mitts

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, (Luke 4:18)

This is the ministry focus of Yeshua in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The first thing to notice is that there is a “He” who anoints, even Yeshua was anointed by a “He”.  The one anointing is the Father.  So, Yeshua was anointed by the Father. Look at Isaiah 61:1-7 for a fuller picture:

Isaiah 61:1-7 (NKJV)

ISAIAH 61

 The Good News of Salvation

[61:1] “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,

Because the LORD has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor; (The gospel)

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, (inner healing)

To proclaim liberty to the captives, (deliverance)

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (deliverance)

 [2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, (jubilee)

And the day of vengeance of our God; (final judgment)

To comfort all who mourn, (Comforter)

 [3] To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes, (New images)

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; (depression)

That they may be called trees of righteousness, (fruitful)

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Productive, fruitful lives)

 [4] And they shall rebuild the old ruins, ( ancient paths )

They shall raise up the former desolations,

And they shall repair the ruined cities,

The desolations of many generations.

 [5] Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,  (financial provision)

And the sons of the foreigner

Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

 [6] But you shall be named the priests of the LORD, (Spiritual position, cohens and levites)

They shall call you the servants of our God.

You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,

And in their glory you shall boast.

[7] Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,

And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.

Therefore in their land they shall possess double;

Everlasting joy shall be theirs.

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We see in this passage that the ultimate vision for the anointing is double honor instead of shame.  The anointing is for a complete vision of restoration and freedom from the shame of the dishonor of sin.  What we need is a complete vision of the ministry of the Lord in healing and deliverance from shame.

So, we begin with the preaching of the good news to the poor in spirit.  There is a poverty that being without God and His love that cannot be compensated for by anything this world can offer. 

Every-time we proclaim the gospel, the good news that God is for us and loves us enough to pay the price for our sin, we operate in the anointing of salvation.  Any Believer can and does operate in this anointing when we share our testimony and what God has done for us.  This is the beginning of the Kingdom message, but it is NOT the whole message.  Many have made this the kingdom message and it certainly is the greatest of the Kingdom messages.  By great, I mean that it is the container for the rest.  God’s love expressed in salvation is the BIG picture. 

There is more though to the anointing.  There is healing of the broken hearted and liberty for the captives.  We have seen miracles of healing for the broken hearted over the last 11 years here at ONM.  Through the healing center, the Fire and Glory altar ministry and in the FFI seminars we have seen God move supernaturally and restore broken-hearts.  People have been healed from the crippling effects of traumatic experiences that have fractured their hearts and filled them with unGodly briefs, lies from the father of lies.

What I want to look at next is the anointing to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of prison to those who are bound.  This is the ministry of deliverance.  The demonic realm is a reality and part of the ministry of the anointing is to help people get free and remain free.  This includes uncovering the lies that have formed nests for the birds or the predators. (Ezekiel 31:3-10).

[2] To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, (jubilee)

The anointing is also about proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord.  This is reference to the Year of Jubilee.  Jubilee is about an entirely different order of finances.  The anointing moves us from the dog eat dog, darwinian survival of the fittest mentality of Mammon to the Kingdom of God, where we are members one of another, interconnected and ministering life with our finances to each other.  The anointing flows to break off slavery.  Slavery is a result of the fall and God’s children are not to be slaves to anyone because of finances.  We will be exploring this in depth in February at the MAPS seminar.  Stay tuned!

And the day of vengeance of our God; (final judgment)

The anointing is also about the Day of Vengeance of our God. : Isa_34:8, Isa_35:4, Isa_59:17-18, Isa_63:1-6, Isa_66:14; Psalm. 110:5-6; Jer_46:10; Mal_4:1-3; Luk_21:22-24; 1Th_2:16; 2Th_1:7-9.  This vengeance is a setting things right, an ultimate accounting made by God Himself.

To comfort all who mourn, (Comforter)

Then the anointing moves into the realm of comfort.  The Holy Spirit is our comforter. (Isa. 25:8, Isa. 57:18, Isa. 66:10-12; Jer. 31:13; Mat 5:4; Luke 6:21, Luke 7:44-50; John 16:20-22; 2Co 1:4-5; 2Th 2:16-17).  There is a tenderness in the anointing that can only come when we experience the pain of betrayal.  Yeshua needed this anointing with the betrayal of Judas.  Judas is part of the Body.  He lives in the wounded who hurt out of their wounds.  Fear drives many to acts of betrayal.  They espouse words like I am your covenant brother and then when the tests come, they betray.  We all have this in us and so we need to comforter to ease the pain.

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes, (New images)

Zion is the playing field.  Zion is where promises are kept, miracles happen!  Zion is Israel restored and the grafted in ones.  Mourning is the place of intercession of travailing for the manifest reality of Zion.  We live in the ashes.  Ashes are what is left of the trees of the Lord that have been burned with the fire of His purification.  In this place, the anointing brings a new vision, beauty.  We are all Zion and we are all ashes, the result of generational iniquity and our own sin.  We are also beauty, the garland of the Lord.

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; (depression)

The oil is always a symbol of the anointing.  We press in and pray, fasting and travailing until the oil of joy is released.  This is the aspect of the anointing especially needed in this hour as we see many things happening in the world and in our nation that causes us much grief.  We see abortion and human trafficking.  We see attacks on the Word of God itself, a mockery.  Marriages are under fire and adultery is rampant.  Children are being raised with broken homes and broken visions about the promise of covenant love.  Yeshua told us of this:

Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, "Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'? "Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. (John 16:19-22)

In this place we need to activate praise or depression and heaviness will set in and make us mean spirited and feel like we are fighting a losing battle.

That they may be called trees of righteousness, (fruitful)

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Productive, fruitful lives)

We will be covering this in depth in the MAPS seminar.  Trees are a source of fruit.  Trees are also a picture of beliefs.  The seed is the Word and it grows with meditation into a blade, then a shoot and then a tree.  As a tree it begins to produce fruit.

And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows--how, he himself does not know. "The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. "But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." (Mar 4:26-29)

The anointing is necessary to change the heart and bring forth fruit in keeping with righteousness.

[4] And they shall rebuild the old ruins, ( ancient paths )

They shall raise up the former desolations,

And they shall repair the ruined cities,

The desolations of many generations.

The anointing is also all about restoration of what has been lost.  These are the Ancient Paths, the Olam, the ways of eternity, of the Kingdom.

[5] Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,  (financial provision)

And the sons of the foreigner

Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

The anointing is for provision in business, a marketplace ministry.  The gospel is extended through the anointing on business.  My friend Brig Hart is one who operates in this anointing.

[6] But you shall be named the priests of the LORD, (Spiritual position, cohens and levites)

They shall call you the servants of our God.

You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,

And in their glory you shall boast

Our call is to be the priests of the Lord.  We are to come into the secret place.  The nations bring provision unto the house of the Lord.  This is a call to see the restoration of the Kingdom of the Lord being the Kingdom of kingdoms.

[7] Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,

And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.

Therefore in their land they shall possess double;

Everlasting joy shall be theirs.

This is the vision of complete restoration, a double honor for shame, the glory of the Lord replacing the false identity.  Eternal joy!

This weeks offering teaching: Establishing God's Standard on Your Resources

One New Man ministry is committed to causes of healing the sick, setting the captives free, binding up the broken hearted and bringing the good news of the Kingdom of God. Please partner with us.

 

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For additional study about abiding in His love in the times we live in, obtain and read the book "Love versus Law, or BOTH!" by David Mitts.