To: The Cities That Have Ears To Hear
GLORIOUS SABBATH DAY PEOPLE OF GOD
Are Jesus's disciples commanded to make disciples? Absolutely. That's the whole premise of the "Great Commission." Howbeit, in order to properly function in the role of disciple, one must be taught to do so according to Jesus's stipulations.
If indeed you are Christ's disciple, not only are you commanded make disciples, you are likewise commanded to "give freely of your gift;" whatever that gift and calling may be. Spiritual gifts require the following:
Matthew 10 (NIV)
⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Notice that we are to drive out demons. Nowhere are disciples instructed to evict women from their homes, cast grandmothers from homeless shelters, or throw elder women of God into the streets.
Now, these are the gifts and calling of service, not including all spiritual gifts:
Romans 12 (NLT)
⁶In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
My gift is not to reward cities, that's God's arena based on the honor shown His prophet by the city whose name is called. My gift is prophecy. Indeed, I give it freely and generously. And, just as Jesus prophesied, to the fulfillment of scripture, my hometown rejected both message and messenger.
Through the misuse of Jesus's name, under the guise of "making disciples;" those who misinfluence (false prophets) encourage others to conform to culture rather than transform their thinking and behavior in Christ's likeness. Like Pharisees, instead of sound doctrine, those who mislead offer up religiosity and ritualistic practices that appeal to man. The masses (even God’s elect) are often enticed by the popularity and occult nature of the false prophet's lure. But, the way to life, being polar opposite, is narrow and difficult; few enter into it. Therefore, we must be very careful when in making disciples of all nations. Jesus said:
Matthew 23:15b (NIV)
"You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are."
Converts must be taught to first clean the inside of their cup by giving to the needy. Again, a disciple's giving must be without charge to those in need. Certainly, they must never make demands of the Holy Spirit by manipuling, harassing, or bombarding those being served.
The instructions for operating in the prophetic call are quite different. The primary function of a prophet is not to make disciples; but rather, to deliver God's message of warning. As prophets, we must go when and where God sends us. Any hindrance thereof is reprehensible to the hinderer. We are never to abandon the message, nor turn tail and run, as Jonah did. Though tormented and persecuted, we must deliver EVERY WORD of warning until God commands us to cease; lest we be held responsible for man's demise. The protocol for engaging God’s prophets is, in some ways, a role reversal from that of other disciples. The prophet must be well received, cared for, and most of all, heeded. In essence, the prophet is on the receiving end, first.
Because the messages entrusted to prophets are usually seen as negative, we often face persecution far more often than those who operate in the basic role of discipleship. Therefore, interference in the prophetic process is a direct affront to God; for we are also a part of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:22 (NLT)
In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.
Carnality identifies rewards only in earthly terms; but the reward of which Jesus spoke is the Holy Spirit. While seemingly bashful to honor, man displays no such hesitation in dishonoring. Whether you are misleading, or failing to denounce such misleading, it's counts as sin to you. That sin blocks a city's rewards. Where there is no honor, there is no legitimate reward.
Stop rolling against your sister cities.
Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians, Chapters 12 & 13
GLORIOUS SABBATH DAY PEOPLE OF GOD
Are Jesus's disciples commanded to make disciples? Absolutely. That's the whole premise of the "Great Commission." Howbeit, in order to properly function in the role of disciple, one must be taught to do so according to Jesus's stipulations.
If indeed you are Christ's disciple, not only are you commanded make disciples, you are likewise commanded to "give freely of your gift;" whatever that gift and calling may be. Spiritual gifts require the following:
Matthew 10 (NIV)
⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Notice that we are to drive out demons. Nowhere are disciples instructed to evict women from their homes, cast grandmothers from homeless shelters, or throw elder women of God into the streets.
Now, these are the gifts and calling of service, not including all spiritual gifts:
Romans 12 (NLT)
⁶In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
My gift is not to reward cities, that's God's arena based on the honor shown His prophet by the city whose name is called. My gift is prophecy. Indeed, I give it freely and generously. And, just as Jesus prophesied, to the fulfillment of scripture, my hometown rejected both message and messenger.
Through the misuse of Jesus's name, under the guise of "making disciples;" those who misinfluence (false prophets) encourage others to conform to culture rather than transform their thinking and behavior in Christ's likeness. Like Pharisees, instead of sound doctrine, those who mislead offer up religiosity and ritualistic practices that appeal to man. The masses (even God’s elect) are often enticed by the popularity and occult nature of the false prophet's lure. But, the way to life, being polar opposite, is narrow and difficult; few enter into it. Therefore, we must be very careful when in making disciples of all nations. Jesus said:
Matthew 23:15b (NIV)
"You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are."
Converts must be taught to first clean the inside of their cup by giving to the needy. Again, a disciple's giving must be without charge to those in need. Certainly, they must never make demands of the Holy Spirit by manipuling, harassing, or bombarding those being served.
The instructions for operating in the prophetic call are quite different. The primary function of a prophet is not to make disciples; but rather, to deliver God's message of warning. As prophets, we must go when and where God sends us. Any hindrance thereof is reprehensible to the hinderer. We are never to abandon the message, nor turn tail and run, as Jonah did. Though tormented and persecuted, we must deliver EVERY WORD of warning until God commands us to cease; lest we be held responsible for man's demise. The protocol for engaging God’s prophets is, in some ways, a role reversal from that of other disciples. The prophet must be well received, cared for, and most of all, heeded. In essence, the prophet is on the receiving end, first.
Because the messages entrusted to prophets are usually seen as negative, we often face persecution far more often than those who operate in the basic role of discipleship. Therefore, interference in the prophetic process is a direct affront to God; for we are also a part of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:22 (NLT)
In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.
Carnality identifies rewards only in earthly terms; but the reward of which Jesus spoke is the Holy Spirit. While seemingly bashful to honor, man displays no such hesitation in dishonoring. Whether you are misleading, or failing to denounce such misleading, it's counts as sin to you. That sin blocks a city's rewards. Where there is no honor, there is no legitimate reward.
Stop rolling against your sister cities.
Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians, Chapters 12 & 13
