Category: Food For Growth

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. ~ Proverbs 18:21

The 1611 King James Bible is often believed to be the one true English translation. I’ve even seen pastors who preach that you can use the King James to correct the Greek and the Hebrew. That no other English Bible translation is as pure or uncorrupted as the King James is, especially the 1611 version. That it’s the one true English translation kept and preserved by God Himself.

What I’ve also noticed is that it’s often the Bible choice of those who have tainted belief systems, such as Oneness, no women teachers or preachers Baptists, Black Hebrew Israelites, Hebrew Israelites, etc. Could it be that the King James Version is corrupted itself?

Here’s what I mean: they translated ‘You’ when referring to God as ‘thou.’ No big deal, right? Who cares? The people of the time did. Why? ‘Thou’ is the word used for someone beneath you. It was used for servants, children, never for God. The people of the time period actually protested against it because of this. After the King James publication and push, you can actually see the decline of the Church in power, influence, etc. It gave way to the Age of Enlightenment, which led the hearts of men away from the heart of God.

Words have meaning, even if we don’t realize the weight of said words. Our understanding of the word has no impact on the word itself. It doesn’t change the actual meaning of the word. God created the earth and all that’s in it with just His Word. Words are powerful, and they are important. Jesus said that we’d be judged for every careless word we speak. Therefore, be careful with the words you allow into your life, soul, mind, and the words you allow out of your mouth.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pay Attention To The Words.

¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ~ John 14:18-19

During the 400 years of silence, a new scroll with new beliefs and teachings came into being. A revelation during the years of no revelation. This new teaching was the Book of Enoch (Enoch I). Teachings of deeper understanding of the secrets of Genesis. Teachings filling in information that was not given to us. Teachings that have continued throughout the generations and even found itself in the teachings of the Church today.

How can we receive revelation from God if God has been silent? The silence was so intense that the coming of John the Baptist shook the entire nation. There was no prophet, revelation, or spirit coming down and resting on anyone after Malachi until John the Baptist, yet we have this appearing of the Book of Enoch. And because of it, the entire salvation plan has been corrupted. When we ignore Scripture and seek out Truth in anything else, we corrupt the Scripture just as the Pharisees did with their traditions.

As Christians, we can’t afford to have our faith tainted by false revelations. Sometimes, God is silent, but if we try to force revelation, we will only turn ourselves and others away from Him and His Truth. Away from True revelation. So, what do we do in times of silence? We seek God in the Scriptures we have. In the Scriptures we know are from Him.

As we study, seek, and wait, God will show up. See, God promised us that we have not and will not ever be abandoned as orphans. Never forsaken because we are His children. He is with us always, even though sometimes He is silent for a period of time, waiting for the perfect time to reveal Himself to those seeking Him.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Remain Faithful In Silence.

¹ When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” ² Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. ³ And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. ⁴ And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁵ And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. ⁶ He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” ~ 1 Samuel 24:6

¹ But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. ² I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, ³ for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? ⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:6

Just because you can do something and it wouldn’t technically be wrong to do so doesn’t make it right for you to do it. Just because something would be good doesn’t make it right. God has called each and every one of us to do a specific job. To fulfill a specific call. We’re the body of Christ made up of different members. Some are feet, some are hands, some are arms. We aren’t all created to do the same exact job. That’s what makes us all so special.

Taking out King Saul and David taking his rightful place as King of Israel would have been good, but not right. It wasn’t his place to do so. We each have a plan for our lives. The enemy doesn’t always get us to do something blatantly wrong, but something good that isn’t right for us to do.

Don’t get caught up in trying to do everything. In trying to be every member of the Body. Just because something is good doesn’t mean it’s right. In the words of one of my favorite childhood characters:

Zuko: … I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatar’s destiny.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Know Your Own Destiny.

¹ I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ~ John 15:1-8

I saw a video where a guy taught that the fruit that we are told to bear is words, not works. He condemned anyone who taught or believed otherwise. This is a prime example of teaching doctrine, not Bible. See, you have to not know Scripture in order to believe Jesus is speaking about words and not works.

Here’s the thing, you don’t have to be saved to say Jesus is LORD. You don’t have to be saved to say that The Father is God Almighty. You don’t have to be saved to say anything Christian or profess Christianity or its doctrines. Salvation is not mandatory for those things. That’s why God weeps over His people, saying:

⁸ This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
⁹ in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:8-9

God doesn’t desire lip service from us. He isn’t an egotistical god. He isn’t like the other gods. He’s not like Allah, who just wants your praise and honor, caring not about your actions and sin. No. The LORD despises sin. He is holy. Unrighteousness in His presence is an abomination to Him. This is why we are told to be transformed by the renewal of our mind. This is why we are told to keep His commands. This is why we are told to turn away from sin and sin no more.

It’s not about empty words, but your heart. From your heart come your thoughts, words, and actions. It’s about bearing the Fruit of the Spirit.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

Unless you bear fruit, good fruit, the Fruit of the Spirit, you will be cut off from the Vine. Because it’s not about lip service. It is about the condition of your heart, which manifests not just in words, but thoughts and actions.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Bear His Good Fruit.

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. ~ John 13:34-35

Yesterday, July 6^th, was Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup game. He had led his national team, Portugal, to win three titles. Because of him, they were a household favorite for the World Cup and Euro Cup. He is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the greatest players to ever play the sport, but I watched, with tears in my eyes, as he went home with no World Cup win. Why? His age? Wasn’t his day? No. Sadly, every pass his teammates made to him was as if they’d rather lose the game than for him to score. Each and every pass was either way too far ahead or way too far behind. I watched them pass good balls to each other, but poor balls to Ronaldo. It was heartbreaking, and I did cry as that final whistle blew.

It reminded me a lot of the Church today. Today, we look at those of us who are succeeding. Who have either financial success, a large platform, or a spiritual gift that we want, and we tear them down. We go out of our way to make them the villain. We, here in the West, are our own worst enemy. We’d rather tear each other down and have the entire world hate the Church, than to build each other up and support one another. We build platforms on badmouthing people and ‘exposing’ people, when it just comes across as hatred and jealousy, not as exposing darkness to let in the Light.

Jesus warned the Pharisees:

²⁵ Knowing their thoughts, He said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.”

Matthew 12:25

We can’t have revival in the land until we unite as one body under Christ. One bride to Christ. One heir in Christ. We have to learn to love each other as Christ loved us. As He continues to love us. Paul encourages us that Christ is interceding for us in Romans 8:34. How often do we pray for our fellow Christians? Especially those in the spotlight that represent us to all who are watching and looking, instead of hoping and waiting for their downfall with excitement. We, just like the Portuguese National Football Team, cannot do anything great unless we come together as one.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Come Together As One.

⁹ Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. ¹⁰ Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread, ¹² and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” ~ Matthew 6:9-13

If you grew up in church, you grew up saying the LORD’s prayer. If you’ve been in church for even a few months, you know the LORD’s prayer by heart. The LORD’s prayer is one of the first scriptures we learn as Christians, but I feel like maybe we just say it without thinking about what the words actually mean. For instance, the part of the prayer ‘Your Kingdom Come…’ never really clicked in my head until randomly one night. We’re not just praying for God’s will to be done on earth or for earth to be like Heaven. We’re praying for power.

Jesus said:

²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Matthew 12:28

Jesus compared the power of the Holy Spirit, specifically the power to cast out demons, to the sign that the kingdom of God has come upon the people. So, it’s not just ‘Your will be done,’ it’s ‘let your power fall on us and flow through us. It’s signs, wonders, healings, miracles, and yes, casting out demons. Things that people say were just for a time. Things that people say aren’t for us in the Church today. If that’s so, then the LORD’s prayer isn’t for us.

We can’t cherry-pick things that we like and then ignore the meaning of them. We can’t exclude things that we deem to be too hard or controversial. It’s either all or nothing. Therefore, when you pray, pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to fill you, just as Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Just as Paul told the Corinthian Church:

¹ Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. ² For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. ³ On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ⁴ The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

²⁰ For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

1 Corinthians 4:20

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Pray For His Kingdom.

⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. ~ 1 Timothy 5:8

One of my favorite childhood cartoons was “Code Name: Kids Next Door.” Throughout the show, a group of kids who are a part of a greater operation battle adult tyranny. The villains were all teenagers or adults who tried to harm children in one way or another. The Boss who kept parents at longer hours so they couldn’t go home to their kids. The scary cat lady down the street, whose cats are vicious like her. The grandma who tries to make you eat gross food like liver, mystery meat, etc. The spanking vampire, who spanks all naughty Children who break the rules. But the scariest villain of all was Father. I never really thought much of it as a kid, just that he was scary, but the other day, while watching the movie, it made sense.

Father was the scariest villain, not because all dads in the show are evil; in fact, all the dads in the show are loving and caring for their children. I believe Father was the scariest villain because if your Own father is against you, you truly have no safe place. It’s one thing to be afraid of Strangers, it’s another thing to be afraid of your own father, or for him to be against you. See, the Boss had children, and even he was a good dad to them, but Father was another story.

As a kid, it doesn’t matter who’s against you. It only matters if your parents are for you. If you’re scared, it’s Dad you go to to protect you, to defend you, to keep you safe. If your Dad is against you, then you no longer have a safe place.

Fathers, you have an obligation to your children to be their safe place. A place they can go to when they’re scared, nervous, or unsure. So many people struggle with the love of God because of their relationship with their fathers. You are a representation of our relationship with God, so don’t take your role lightly.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Their Safe Space.