"I am the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob." God refers HIMSELF as the God of Jacob. If Jacob really meant supplanter or deceiver, then why would God refer HIMSELF as the God of such a person? Many mainstream Christians erroneous teach that the name of Jacob is such. When we see the story of Jacob through the eyes of the Holy Spirit, we see Jacob as one who was quiet, jealous for the things of God, humble, and lowly.
Genesis 25:24-26 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red all over like a hairy garment, and they named him Esau [hairy].
26 Afterward his brother came forth, and his hand grasped Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob [supplanter]. Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.
The name Jacob is given because in the womb, he had grasped his brother's heel. In the amplified, we see the modern day scribes translating the name Jacob as "supplanter." But the true definition of Jacob is referring to the heel. What and why the heel? Many Christians view the grasp of Esau's heel as one who supplants. The heel represents the low part of the human body. It represents the bottom. The heel represented humility and lowliness. Jacob was grasping humility even in the midst of the struggle within the womb. In order to defeat Satan, we defeat and overcome through humility.
Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with you. them.
We will not crush Satan with our minds nor our own strength. But by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will crush Satan under our feet. The "under our feet" is the heel. Only through our humility will we crush Satan.
Esau grew up to be a skillful hunter. He would go out most of his day and hunt or do other activities. Jacob, on the other hand, was a quiet and plain person who spent most of his time in the tent. The tent represents the house of God. Jacob spent most of his time with his father, Issac, learning the things of God. Jacob had spent most of his time growing up in tents. He spent most of his time with God.
Genesis 25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a cunning and skilled hunter, a man of the outdoors; but Jacob was a plain and quiet man, dwelling in tents.
Esau was a prideful man as he had become a skillful hunter. He spent most of his time outside the tent. He had spent most of his time with the world. Spending his time outside the tent hunting represented his abundant time in worldly things. Then one day, he had come home famished and as Esau stated, "to the point of death."
Genesis 25:32-34 Esau said, See here, I am at the point of death; what good can this birthright do me? 33 Jacob said, Swear to me today [that you are selling it to me]; and he swore to [Jacob] and sold him his birthright.34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils, and he ate and drank and rose up and went his way. Thus Esau scorned his birthright as beneath his notice.
In verse 34, Esau had scroned his birthright. He had no respect for his position as first born nor did he care for the duties of being Godly. Something in the fields had occured and he was afraid and thought he was near death. Since he thought he was in trouble, his birthright had no value to him. Jacob who was jealous for the things of God and he saw his brother's disrespect his birthright. How did Jacob trick Easu into selling his birthright for a bowl of soup? No, Esau disrespectfully gave it away at a cheap price. Jacob had done nothing to deceive or trick his brother. Jacob was honoring God by sustaining the birthright since Esau had contempt for it.
When Issac was old and dim, he called for Esau to bless him. But his wife, Rebekah, had called Jacob to disguise himself as Esau. In fact, in verse 12 of Genesis chapter 28, Jacob was actually resisting Rebekah. The whole idea of deceiving, Issac, his father was not even Jacob's idea. This was all his mother's idea. Why did Rebekah move to have Jacob receive the first heir's blessing? In fact, when Jacob obeyed his mother, he now had to lie to his father. But was this really lying? How can the God of Jacob be represented by a liar? If he was lying and if he had stolen the blessing that was contrary to God's will, then why was God blessing Jacob throughout his journey? Where is his repentance in the bible? When King David was rebuked by the prophet Nathan, he immediately repented. But we do not see it written anywhere in the bible in which Jacob had to repent. In fact, he was blessed and his uncle, Laben, was blessed because of Jacob.
Genesis 27:18-19 So he went to his father and said, My father. And he said, Here am I; who are you, my son?19 And Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your firstborn; I have done what you told me to do. Now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may proceed to bless me.
This blog was our Sunday sermon for Dec 28, 2014, and on the drive to church, I was asking God about Jacob's answer to his father, Issac. Jacob had said, "I am Esau your firstborn." I was asking the Holy Spirit, was Jacob lying. Instantly, this fell into my spirit. Jacob was answering in the spirit. He is answering as the firstborn and the heir since Esau had reliquinished it. He is answering in such a way because God had spoken it even before he was born. This was all God's will.
Genesis 25:22-24 [Two] children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is so [that the Lord has heard our prayer], why am I like this? And she went to inquire of the Lord.23 The Lord said to her, [The founders of] two nations are in your womb, and the separation of two peoples has begun in your body; the one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger. 24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
Rebekah already knew the birthright belonged to Jacob. God had prophesy the older shall serve the younger even before they were born. God had already told Rebekah who would be the heir and who would be blessed. Moreover, she observed the two boys as they grew up and she saw that Esau had contempt for his birthright. Rebekah observed Jacob, the younger twin, grow quietly, humbly, and spending a lot of time with God in the tents. Esau and Jacob were twins. But since Esau came out first, he was considered the older but spiritually, the birthright and heir belonged to Jacob even before birth. They were twins but since Jacob already possessed a spirit of humility, he had took the second position and was born after Esau grasping his heel. There was already a struggle in the womb even before birth (verse 22). But Jacob took the lowly position and was born second.
It is Esau who speaks falsely of Jacob since he is no longer able to receive the first blessing. Esau was speaking in the flesh. Issac was also upset. Jacob never took his birthright. Esau had sold it to him voluntarily. Jacob is not a trickster. Jacob is actually very wise and clever. Just because Esau is speaking in the flesh, many modern day scribes are definiting Jacob's name based on what Esau is saying in anger.
Genesis 27:35-36 [Isaac] said, Your brother came with crafty cunning and treacherous deceit and has taken your blessing.36 [Esau] replied, Is he not rightly named Jacob [the supplanter]? For he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright, and now he has taken away my blessing! Have you not still a blessing reserved for me?
When Jacob reached his uncle Laban, it was his uncle who deceives Jacob, is it not? Jacob agrees to work for seven years for the hand of Rachel but at wedding time, Laban weds his older daughter Leah to Jacob. Now, Jacob is forced to work another seven years for the hand of Rachel. In fact, Jacob works a total of 20 years for Laban. During the twenty years, Jacob states that it is Laban who has cheated him ten times over his wages. In fact, Jacob stated, when Laban's flock were injured or killed, it was Jacob who took the loss. Does this sound like Jacob the deceiver? What about the spot and streaked flock that Jacob takes?
Genesis 31:7-12 But your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.8 If he said, The speckled shall be your wages, then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said, The streaked shall be your hire, then all the flock bore streaked. 9 Thus God has taken away the flocks of your father and given them to me.10 And I had a [a]dream at the time the flock conceived. I looked up and saw that the rams which mated with the she-goats were streaked, speckled, and spotted.11 And the Angel of God said to me in the dream, Jacob. And I said, Here am I. 12 And He said, Look up and see, all the rams which mate with the flock are streaked, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban does to you.
We see that God is protecting Jacob as Laban is the one who is the trickster and supplanter. In fact, Jacob is the one blessed by God. Jacob is not the one who can supernaturally turn the rams, goats, and other flocks to be spotted or streaked. This was a supernatural occurance in which God was with Jacob. As we see in verse 12, God tells Jacob of all that Laban had done to him. Jacob was a humbled man. He was tricked by Laban but he faithfully, quietly, and humbly worked for him for 20 years taking any loss for himself and not complaining.
Jacob lived a life dedicated to God. He was one who lived faithfully, quietly, humbly, and in lowliness. He took the loss when he tended Laban's sheep. He worked another seven years to marry Rachel. He did not argue or resist. He took the loss and worked the extra seven years. At the end, God vindicated him and blessed Jacob abundantly with wealth and children. This is why God refers HIMSELF as the God of Jacob.
Glory to HIM
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Fire of God Church
Fremont, CA USA
Dec 29, 2014
Monday, December 29, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Why did Satan tempt Eve first rather than Adam?
Why did Satan go to eve first? Why did he not go to Adam first?
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate.
The role of a wife or mother is such an important role and much of the Christian world do not realize how so important the role it is in the body of Christ. The role and choices of the wife may determine life or death for a family and ministry. Many Christian misinterpret the bible and think the wives should sit in the back of the pews and be silent. Many pastors assign their wives to sit in the back and be silent. Yes, perhaps, for unruly, untamed, and unbroken women such as were the many Corinthinans but God wants the women to know their identity in Christ Jesus as servants and daughters of the Most High. Whether men or women, both needs to be broken by God so they may be used properly for HIS Kingdom and Glory.
The woman was taken out from the man. God created Eve from Adam's rib. When a man leaves home, the husband and wife become one. Eve was taken from inside the man. Both are one. Yes, our personalities and characteristics are different because Eve represents the inside while the Adam represents the outside. Both are one. Eve is from the inside. She needs Adam's covering as he represents the outside. Without the covering, she cannot function properly. The covering represents authority. The covering can represent protection and such. Eve is from the inside. She can represent what is going on inside. We do not see the important role of our organs and such. We cannot see what is occuring inside our bodies. Since we do not see it, we do not realize the importance. But without what is occuring inside our bodies, we cannot function.
The traditional physical role of a women or wife is to take care of the household. She is one who prepares the food. She is the one who goes out to buy, inspecting the produce, meats, and goods to bring home and to feed her family. She prepares the food for her husband and family to eat. She must be the spiritual Proverbs 31 wife. A Proverbs 31 wife is made. She does not just become. She is made in the refining fires of God's Will. We all understand the physical role, now we must understand the spiritual role.
Proverbs 31:14-16 AMP She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household’s food from a far [country].15 She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks. 16 She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
One morning as my children left for school, I began my morning prayer. When my wife had return home from dropping off the kids to school, she decided to take a nap. As she was going back to sleep and as the music was loud and as she heard me pray, she saw a vision. In her vision, as she heard me pray in the spirit (tongue) she saw me eating. The revelation God taught us was that as I prayed, I was spiritually eating. As a pastor, for me to be spiritual healthy, able to discern, able to preach with the anointing, I must stay in prayer and in HIS Presence eating so that I may be strengthen and ready to serve. I must always be praying.
We see the role of the wife in Proverbs 31. In the physical sense, the job of the wife is to prepare the househould and food for the husband and children. The traditional job of the husband is to go work and make money. If the wife did not do her job, then the husband and kids would come home to a dirty house with nothing to eat. Because the role of the husband is different, he does not have the time to go buy produce and meat to take the time to cook. If he comes home to where there is no meal prepared, then there will be some problems and he will have to look elsewhere to be fed. Now, mind you, this is the traditional role and in our modern sense the roles may have changed and we may have many restaurants and fast foods but our modern century does not justify our need to fulfuill our spiritual roles.
If my wife saw in her vision of me spiritual eating during my prayer, then there must be spiritual food prepared for me to eat. How is spiritual food prepared? When the wives are doing their part praying each day whether you get up early in the morning or pray during the evenings, you are spiritual preparing spiritual food for your husbands to eat when they begin to pray. The wives are the ones feeding their husbands whether spiritually or physically. The wife is the helper. She is the preparer. She is suppose to be the advisor. She represent the wise men. She can be our counselors. She can be our influencers. Adam is the one in authority and makes the final decisions. But Kings and Presidents have counselors, wise men, advisors, and so forth who influence and feeds information so that the king or presidents can make their final decisions. The wives are our navigators as the husbands are the drivers. In the physical, women can be the most worst when it comes to directions and reading maps but when properly broken and spiritually trained, they are to be our navigators looking at the map of the Holy Spirit to advise us when to turn and give us directions/counsel. The pilot and navigator need each other. One cannot function without the other.
Many churches are filled with women. Why are there so many women and not the men? In order to bring proper order, God must use proper order to restore the families, ministries, and churches. It was Eve who sinned first and Eve must now bear the pain of child bearing to bring forth the life of Christ into their families. The wives are generally called first to persevere, endure and suffer through prayer and breaking to bring life into her family. Wives, please do not blame, resent, or get angry at your husbands for being stagnant, religious, cheating, or unbelieving. Yes, I know you want them to believe properly and have your household serve God, but in reality, God is waiting for the wives. It is not about whose fault it is. It is not the fault of husbands or wives. We do not need to discern whose fault but we need to properly sacrifice our lives fulfill our roles so that God may bring back order into our families and churches. God is waiting for the wives to die to themselves, praying as they prepare spiritual food and the spiritual household for that appointed time when HE will touch your husbands' hearts. The wives must prepare the way for the husbands calling. Just as Jesus required John the Baptist to prepare the way for HIS coming, the church must prepare the way for HIS return as it is reflected in the wives to prepare the way for their husband's work in God. Wives, if you just sit at home and complain about your husbands, then God will require you to answer to HIM for such waste of time. You can choose to be a wife that brings forth the Child or brings for death through gossip and slander.
Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop [on the flat oriental roof, exposed to all kinds of weather] than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.
God will use the trails and tests in which the women may be going through with their husbands or families to break the wives. But the wives must become the Proverbs 31 wife as they are made through prayer, crushing, and breaking. From ashes to beauty, may the fragrance of the Lord come forth from the wives to bring the scent of Jesus Christ into our families. How long must the wives wait? This can depend on the soil condition or the heart of the wives. If the ground is extremely hard, then a greater impact or trail may come to break the ground. The ground must be plowed, tilled and ready for planting and then the rain. We must allow God to break us so our hearts may be plowed, tilled and broken so that when the Word of God is spoken, it is planted. But the soil conditions must be furtile and soft so when the RAIN (Holy Spirit) comes to shower, HIS Spirit will soak into the soil of our hearts. Each process has stages, seasons, and require time. We must learn to pray, allowing God to break us and persevere and endure the time for HIS personal coming for our lives, families, and churches.
The role of a wife is to feed the husband whether physically or spiritually as she prays. We have discussed the wife physically preparing food to physically feed and we have discussed the wife needing to pray to spiritually prepare spiritual food as the husband can spiritually eat as he prays. If your husband is a pastor, then he will have a difficult time preaching in the anointing and operating in the anointing if there are no spiritual food prepared for the week. Yes, he may be able to preach a good message of knowledge, but revelation and wisdom will lack as the anointing will lack. In any church services, without the anointing of the Holy Spirit/His Presence, it is but dry and physically strenuous. If one does not eat physically, one can become tired and this can affect the performace. Spiritually, this is the same. We must be in prayer whether we are the ones preparing or eating. The congregation are the spiritual children as the pastors are the spiritual father/mother. The role of the pastor's wives are the spiritual mothers to continue to prepare spiritual food for the spiritual father and spiritual children and as they pray, they are spiritually fed.
Although we live in the physical we must live spiritually and we must discern spiritually. As Christians we are to operate and live in the Spirit. Our physical actions all have spiritual consequences. In the middle realm between physical and spiritual, the wives will continue to feed their husbands. The bible says our words will bring forth life or death. In most cases, the women are the ones who speak a lot. The men generally can stay quiet. In a marriage, the women are the influencers of the husband. During the days, weeks, months, the wives are feeding good or bad food to their husbands. Through her words, the husband is getting fed. The words are spoken physically but it is being digested spiritually as he hears with his ears. If the wife constantly speaks negative things or is a bad advisors, within time, such words will have sunk into the soil of her husband which influences his decisions. There are many husbands who are collateral causalties. There has been no spiritual food for them to eat even though they wanted to spiritually go to work. Husbands, do not be harsh your wives. You must treat them with gentleness and love them as Christ loves the Church. But if the wife has been properly broken and trained, then her physical words will edify and bring forth life as the husband makes the proper decisions and choices. Proper order and authority will be restored.
Proverbs 31:10-13 AMP A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.11 The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.12 She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her.13 She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it].
On the third day, on HIS Day, the Lord's Day, the spiritual day of the 4th commandment, the two Mary's went to the tomb of our Lord. The women were sent ahead of the men. They were the ones to bring back the message of HIS resurrection to the apostles. They had fed the apostles the spiritual food that the Messiah had RISEN! The assignment was given to the Mary's by God through the angel to tell the disciples and apostles that HE has RISEN! We hear from our churches our that God is a God of order and they think it has to do with a program or following a bulletin. NO, we must know the spiritual order of God to bring HIS Kingdom unto us.
Malachi 4:5-6 EXP “But I will send you Elijah the prophet before that great and terrifying day of the ·Lord’s judging [L Lord]. 6 Elijah will ·help parents love [turn the hearts of fathers/parents to] their children and ·children love [turn children to] their parents. Otherwise, I will come and ·put a curse on the land [strike the land with a curse/destruction].”
The spirit of Elijah is on many women and wives. Many husbands have the calling of ministry for God but the wives are being called to prepare the way. The wives may be waiting for the husbands to get right with God but HE is waiting for the wives to get on their knees, pray, be broken, be cleansed to prepare the way for the calling of their family. Once she chooses this proper role, God can bring proper order and then the fathers will have enough spiritual food to eat and become spiritually healthy to be restored to their children and the children to their parents. The spiritual fathers (pastors and other of God's servants) will operate in the Presence of the Holy Spirit as there will be much food to eat. The love of a wife and/or mother who had spend countless hours cooking with all her heart in love would now be serving a meal made in the fire furnces of God to bring the family back together.
Satan knew how to get to Adam and his family (generations), he needed to get to Eve since she is the one to feed them. She was the influencer or counslor to the one in authority who was Adam. Eve is not only the one to physically prepare and feed but also who spiritually prepare and feed. Satan brought poison and as scripture said, it was Eve who gave to her husband and he ate. It was Eve's function and role and in knowing spiritual authority and our roles, Satan went to Eve.
Now, God is calling on the wives and women to pray, be cleansed, be broken and assume the proper role to be your husband's helper. Yes, you will have to wait for your difficult husbands. You will share in God's suffering as God uses your husbands to bring the chiseling of your life. God does not want you to leave them nor divorce them. HE wants you to wait for them as HE as waited for you. Much of Eve's own difficulties from their husbands is because she was the one who fed him the poison. It is her own reaping. But there is Grace and Mercy now. God is calling on the daughters of the Most High to know your identity in Christ Jesus. HE is calling for prayer warriors and worship warriors. Arise and let the Glory of God rise from you. But you must be willing to sacrifice your time, your own desires and wants, and be fully surrendered to HIM. It is not your fault. It is not your husband's fault. But God will use your spouses to bring you to brokenness then HE will answer your prayers. Wives and mothers, it is time to get on your knees, repent, and pray without ceassing. May you come to the fullness of our KING and may you be filled with HIS love and Peace. May HE bring restoration to your families as HE prepares us for HIS Return.
Glory to HIM
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
with Proverbs 31 wife, Pastor Yoojin Kim
Fire of God Church
Fremont, CA USA
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate.
The role of a wife or mother is such an important role and much of the Christian world do not realize how so important the role it is in the body of Christ. The role and choices of the wife may determine life or death for a family and ministry. Many Christian misinterpret the bible and think the wives should sit in the back of the pews and be silent. Many pastors assign their wives to sit in the back and be silent. Yes, perhaps, for unruly, untamed, and unbroken women such as were the many Corinthinans but God wants the women to know their identity in Christ Jesus as servants and daughters of the Most High. Whether men or women, both needs to be broken by God so they may be used properly for HIS Kingdom and Glory.
The woman was taken out from the man. God created Eve from Adam's rib. When a man leaves home, the husband and wife become one. Eve was taken from inside the man. Both are one. Yes, our personalities and characteristics are different because Eve represents the inside while the Adam represents the outside. Both are one. Eve is from the inside. She needs Adam's covering as he represents the outside. Without the covering, she cannot function properly. The covering represents authority. The covering can represent protection and such. Eve is from the inside. She can represent what is going on inside. We do not see the important role of our organs and such. We cannot see what is occuring inside our bodies. Since we do not see it, we do not realize the importance. But without what is occuring inside our bodies, we cannot function.
The traditional physical role of a women or wife is to take care of the household. She is one who prepares the food. She is the one who goes out to buy, inspecting the produce, meats, and goods to bring home and to feed her family. She prepares the food for her husband and family to eat. She must be the spiritual Proverbs 31 wife. A Proverbs 31 wife is made. She does not just become. She is made in the refining fires of God's Will. We all understand the physical role, now we must understand the spiritual role.
Proverbs 31:14-16 AMP She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household’s food from a far [country].15 She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks. 16 She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
One morning as my children left for school, I began my morning prayer. When my wife had return home from dropping off the kids to school, she decided to take a nap. As she was going back to sleep and as the music was loud and as she heard me pray, she saw a vision. In her vision, as she heard me pray in the spirit (tongue) she saw me eating. The revelation God taught us was that as I prayed, I was spiritually eating. As a pastor, for me to be spiritual healthy, able to discern, able to preach with the anointing, I must stay in prayer and in HIS Presence eating so that I may be strengthen and ready to serve. I must always be praying.
We see the role of the wife in Proverbs 31. In the physical sense, the job of the wife is to prepare the househould and food for the husband and children. The traditional job of the husband is to go work and make money. If the wife did not do her job, then the husband and kids would come home to a dirty house with nothing to eat. Because the role of the husband is different, he does not have the time to go buy produce and meat to take the time to cook. If he comes home to where there is no meal prepared, then there will be some problems and he will have to look elsewhere to be fed. Now, mind you, this is the traditional role and in our modern sense the roles may have changed and we may have many restaurants and fast foods but our modern century does not justify our need to fulfuill our spiritual roles.
If my wife saw in her vision of me spiritual eating during my prayer, then there must be spiritual food prepared for me to eat. How is spiritual food prepared? When the wives are doing their part praying each day whether you get up early in the morning or pray during the evenings, you are spiritual preparing spiritual food for your husbands to eat when they begin to pray. The wives are the ones feeding their husbands whether spiritually or physically. The wife is the helper. She is the preparer. She is suppose to be the advisor. She represent the wise men. She can be our counselors. She can be our influencers. Adam is the one in authority and makes the final decisions. But Kings and Presidents have counselors, wise men, advisors, and so forth who influence and feeds information so that the king or presidents can make their final decisions. The wives are our navigators as the husbands are the drivers. In the physical, women can be the most worst when it comes to directions and reading maps but when properly broken and spiritually trained, they are to be our navigators looking at the map of the Holy Spirit to advise us when to turn and give us directions/counsel. The pilot and navigator need each other. One cannot function without the other.
Many churches are filled with women. Why are there so many women and not the men? In order to bring proper order, God must use proper order to restore the families, ministries, and churches. It was Eve who sinned first and Eve must now bear the pain of child bearing to bring forth the life of Christ into their families. The wives are generally called first to persevere, endure and suffer through prayer and breaking to bring life into her family. Wives, please do not blame, resent, or get angry at your husbands for being stagnant, religious, cheating, or unbelieving. Yes, I know you want them to believe properly and have your household serve God, but in reality, God is waiting for the wives. It is not about whose fault it is. It is not the fault of husbands or wives. We do not need to discern whose fault but we need to properly sacrifice our lives fulfill our roles so that God may bring back order into our families and churches. God is waiting for the wives to die to themselves, praying as they prepare spiritual food and the spiritual household for that appointed time when HE will touch your husbands' hearts. The wives must prepare the way for the husbands calling. Just as Jesus required John the Baptist to prepare the way for HIS coming, the church must prepare the way for HIS return as it is reflected in the wives to prepare the way for their husband's work in God. Wives, if you just sit at home and complain about your husbands, then God will require you to answer to HIM for such waste of time. You can choose to be a wife that brings forth the Child or brings for death through gossip and slander.
Proverbs 21:9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop [on the flat oriental roof, exposed to all kinds of weather] than in a house shared with a nagging, quarrelsome, and faultfinding woman.
God will use the trails and tests in which the women may be going through with their husbands or families to break the wives. But the wives must become the Proverbs 31 wife as they are made through prayer, crushing, and breaking. From ashes to beauty, may the fragrance of the Lord come forth from the wives to bring the scent of Jesus Christ into our families. How long must the wives wait? This can depend on the soil condition or the heart of the wives. If the ground is extremely hard, then a greater impact or trail may come to break the ground. The ground must be plowed, tilled and ready for planting and then the rain. We must allow God to break us so our hearts may be plowed, tilled and broken so that when the Word of God is spoken, it is planted. But the soil conditions must be furtile and soft so when the RAIN (Holy Spirit) comes to shower, HIS Spirit will soak into the soil of our hearts. Each process has stages, seasons, and require time. We must learn to pray, allowing God to break us and persevere and endure the time for HIS personal coming for our lives, families, and churches.
The role of a wife is to feed the husband whether physically or spiritually as she prays. We have discussed the wife physically preparing food to physically feed and we have discussed the wife needing to pray to spiritually prepare spiritual food as the husband can spiritually eat as he prays. If your husband is a pastor, then he will have a difficult time preaching in the anointing and operating in the anointing if there are no spiritual food prepared for the week. Yes, he may be able to preach a good message of knowledge, but revelation and wisdom will lack as the anointing will lack. In any church services, without the anointing of the Holy Spirit/His Presence, it is but dry and physically strenuous. If one does not eat physically, one can become tired and this can affect the performace. Spiritually, this is the same. We must be in prayer whether we are the ones preparing or eating. The congregation are the spiritual children as the pastors are the spiritual father/mother. The role of the pastor's wives are the spiritual mothers to continue to prepare spiritual food for the spiritual father and spiritual children and as they pray, they are spiritually fed.
Although we live in the physical we must live spiritually and we must discern spiritually. As Christians we are to operate and live in the Spirit. Our physical actions all have spiritual consequences. In the middle realm between physical and spiritual, the wives will continue to feed their husbands. The bible says our words will bring forth life or death. In most cases, the women are the ones who speak a lot. The men generally can stay quiet. In a marriage, the women are the influencers of the husband. During the days, weeks, months, the wives are feeding good or bad food to their husbands. Through her words, the husband is getting fed. The words are spoken physically but it is being digested spiritually as he hears with his ears. If the wife constantly speaks negative things or is a bad advisors, within time, such words will have sunk into the soil of her husband which influences his decisions. There are many husbands who are collateral causalties. There has been no spiritual food for them to eat even though they wanted to spiritually go to work. Husbands, do not be harsh your wives. You must treat them with gentleness and love them as Christ loves the Church. But if the wife has been properly broken and trained, then her physical words will edify and bring forth life as the husband makes the proper decisions and choices. Proper order and authority will be restored.
Proverbs 31:10-13 AMP A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.11 The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.12 She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her.13 She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it].
On the third day, on HIS Day, the Lord's Day, the spiritual day of the 4th commandment, the two Mary's went to the tomb of our Lord. The women were sent ahead of the men. They were the ones to bring back the message of HIS resurrection to the apostles. They had fed the apostles the spiritual food that the Messiah had RISEN! The assignment was given to the Mary's by God through the angel to tell the disciples and apostles that HE has RISEN! We hear from our churches our that God is a God of order and they think it has to do with a program or following a bulletin. NO, we must know the spiritual order of God to bring HIS Kingdom unto us.
Malachi 4:5-6 EXP “But I will send you Elijah the prophet before that great and terrifying day of the ·Lord’s judging [L Lord]. 6 Elijah will ·help parents love [turn the hearts of fathers/parents to] their children and ·children love [turn children to] their parents. Otherwise, I will come and ·put a curse on the land [strike the land with a curse/destruction].”
The spirit of Elijah is on many women and wives. Many husbands have the calling of ministry for God but the wives are being called to prepare the way. The wives may be waiting for the husbands to get right with God but HE is waiting for the wives to get on their knees, pray, be broken, be cleansed to prepare the way for the calling of their family. Once she chooses this proper role, God can bring proper order and then the fathers will have enough spiritual food to eat and become spiritually healthy to be restored to their children and the children to their parents. The spiritual fathers (pastors and other of God's servants) will operate in the Presence of the Holy Spirit as there will be much food to eat. The love of a wife and/or mother who had spend countless hours cooking with all her heart in love would now be serving a meal made in the fire furnces of God to bring the family back together.
Satan knew how to get to Adam and his family (generations), he needed to get to Eve since she is the one to feed them. She was the influencer or counslor to the one in authority who was Adam. Eve is not only the one to physically prepare and feed but also who spiritually prepare and feed. Satan brought poison and as scripture said, it was Eve who gave to her husband and he ate. It was Eve's function and role and in knowing spiritual authority and our roles, Satan went to Eve.
Now, God is calling on the wives and women to pray, be cleansed, be broken and assume the proper role to be your husband's helper. Yes, you will have to wait for your difficult husbands. You will share in God's suffering as God uses your husbands to bring the chiseling of your life. God does not want you to leave them nor divorce them. HE wants you to wait for them as HE as waited for you. Much of Eve's own difficulties from their husbands is because she was the one who fed him the poison. It is her own reaping. But there is Grace and Mercy now. God is calling on the daughters of the Most High to know your identity in Christ Jesus. HE is calling for prayer warriors and worship warriors. Arise and let the Glory of God rise from you. But you must be willing to sacrifice your time, your own desires and wants, and be fully surrendered to HIM. It is not your fault. It is not your husband's fault. But God will use your spouses to bring you to brokenness then HE will answer your prayers. Wives and mothers, it is time to get on your knees, repent, and pray without ceassing. May you come to the fullness of our KING and may you be filled with HIS love and Peace. May HE bring restoration to your families as HE prepares us for HIS Return.
Glory to HIM
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
with Proverbs 31 wife, Pastor Yoojin Kim
Fire of God Church
Fremont, CA USA
Friday, December 19, 2014
You may still be a fetus Christian
Ephesians 1:13-14 In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit. 14 That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it—to the praise of His glory.
Many Christians do not understand salvation. We have been misled and taught in error as many are living in defeat and confusion. Many false prophets are preaching rapture and end times rather than preaching the core message of Jesus Christ crucified. Is the rapture message a bad thing? No, it is not at bad thing but how can many receive what the rapture message is when they have yet to become mature Christians ready for the wedding when many are still babies, either premature or born defectively.
The Spirit is our guarantee of our inheritance. As the amplified expands and defines as our firstfruits, the pledge, or down payment. For example, Mary was initially pledged to be Joseph's wife but she was not yet. The pledge is a promise to marry her but until it is completed, it is still to be. However, Mary, still a virgin, became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had placed a seed. This seed was the promise of deliverance for God's people. The seed represented the pledge, the seed was and is the Word God, the promise, the freedom, the Son of God, the Messiah, and etc. But the seed must come to completion and fulfill the call or promise. It must come to growth and produce the fruit it was intended.
The Word of God is the same. The Word of God is the Seed. We who hear the Word and receive, we receive the Seed which is to be planted in our hearts. Our hearts are the land or soil. Depending on our soil condition will depend on the growth of the Word of God whether it will become fruitful or bear thorns. Is our hearts the sideroad, shallow ground, thorns or good soil. When the Seed is in our hearts, yes, we are first saved but our salvation must come to completion.
When a mother becomes pregnant or a child is conceived, we have life. It is just the beginning. The seed from the father is planted into the egg of the mother. When the sperm is in the egg, we have life. The sperm is the seed of the father. Even though the father and mother may not be able to see the child grow in the stomach, they by faith know life is in her belly. By faith, the parents begin to prepare the child's room, buy clothes, food, toys, etc. The mother must eat properly. The mother must not do any strainous activity. There is a gestation period. The gestation period is the time between being conceived to birth. It is a development period. Without the proper development period, the baby can be born premature, defective, deformed, underdeveloped, with many other complications.
When the Word of God is planted in the hearts of men, true life is to begin. But just because one got saved does not mean one is ready to be the Bride of Christ. One may still be a fetus who needs to just be fed the milk of a mother through the umbilical cord and grow. When one is saved, one must begin to feed on the Word of God. One must begin to pray to start growing. One must begin to worship to stay in the Presence of God. One must grow to develop the spiritual arms, legs, head, brain, ears, and eyes. One must grow to learn the Voice of her/his Father God.
When Jesus had come to the earth, HIS people consisted of Pharisees, Sadduccees, blind, deaf, cripped, harlots, tax collectors, thieves, liars, handicap, leopards, and etc. This was the nation of Israel. Today is no different. Today, His people consists of spiritually blind people, spiritually deaf, spiritual Pharisees, Sadduccess, harlots, spiritual adulters, spiritual thieves, prideful, liars, etc. Yet, HE had come for such people to set them free.
Today, many Christians become saved and they are told and assume the role of a Bride when in fact they may be spiritual babies, handicap, blind, spiritual deaf, and so on Christians. But they are being told to prepare for the wedding when in fact they are on diapers. How can little children, babies, or those still in the fetus be told to get married. Physical babies do not have the physical capacity to get married. Nor do spiritual babies have the spiritual capacity to get married. Many such Christians are full of hurts and wounds. They have yet to learn to grow in Father's Love to be healed and to grow in HIS Grace through HIS Word, prayer, and worship. When they grow up to spiritual maturity, then Father God will hand them as the Bride to HIS Son. Beware of the false prophets who instills fear with end time messages among God's people rather than pointing them to Father's Love.
God has many types of children. However, many think they hear God's voice. Many spiritual babies, spiritually handicap Christians, spiritually blind Christians, spiritually deaf Christians, spiritually lost Christians are being led by demons. They are not being led by the Holy Spirit. Many baby Christians have grown up and many have been Christians for years but since they were not properly nurtured and fed, they are underdeveloped and handicap. Just look at your lives to those who claim they hear God. Should you not be in a better place if the Voice of God is really leading you? There could also be a mix in voices in what they hear. This is why God has placed shepards to lead HIS people. HE is looking for a Moses. HE is looking for a Joshua, Caleb, a King David type to lead HIS children to the spiritual promise land. But sadly, many shepards are but hirelings. And even more sadly, HIS people are no different than the OT saints. Today, they are just as stubborn, self centered, stiffed necked, self willed, rebellious people. Only through complete submission and humility will the Truth set you free.
Exodus 20:18-19 When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear. 19 And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”
The people of God with Moses who heard God's Voice could not stand still. They trembled in fear as they stood at a distance. They asked Moses to speak on their behalf because they were so afraid. If many Christians really heard the Voice of God, they would be trembling at HIS Awe rather than boasting of their own pride that they heard God. Today, many think hearing God's Voice is a trivial thing. If they really had met God, they would be trembling.
The deception today is very rampant and serious. There are many false preachers and prophets speaking on end times and rapture. In the OT, Pharoah and Herod killed all the babies under 2 years old. Today, the spirit of Pharaoh and spirit of Herod is still at work. Such evil spirits working through the false prophets are killing our spiritual baby Christians. They are led and taught to believe they need to prepare to be the Bride of Christ when they are yet only infants or spiritual adolescents. They are being led to confusion, anxiety, doubt, and eventually to destruction. This is why there are so many Christians living lives in defeat and confusion. They have not been properly raised and nurtured.
A new born believer must be properly discipled, fed milk, receive Father's Love, and to grow in HIS Grace. But salvation has become nothing but an assembly line and many prideful preachers only boast of the number of people they claimed they have gotten saved. All they are doing is making a double child of HELL.
Many Christians with underdeveloped faith are living in fear of end time events. Their eyes are on end times. Their ears are being led by deception by false prophets. If they have been properly raised and nurtured to receive Father's Love, then that Perfect Love would be casting out all fear. But sadly, many Christians live in fear of the unknown.
This message is to all the Christians. It is time to slow down. It is time to stop listenting to the false prophets of end time messages. Is the end time message a bad thing? Is the rapture message bad? Of course not, but it is not time for many Christians to hear this message. It is time to be fed milk and to receive Father's Love and just to grow in HIS Arms. HE will not forsake you. But you must learn to be still.
The Lord had said that the Fire of God Church is an end time church. We are preparing and nurturing God's people for the end times. But the end time is not what we are emphasizing. We emphasize Christ Crucified. When they grow in HIS Love, they will eventually grow to be the Bride of Christ as we prepare them for HIS coming. Yes, HE is returning. But will you really be ready or will you have been deceived by all the voices out there on the internet?
Glory to HIM
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Fire of God Church
Fremont, CA USA
Many Christians do not understand salvation. We have been misled and taught in error as many are living in defeat and confusion. Many false prophets are preaching rapture and end times rather than preaching the core message of Jesus Christ crucified. Is the rapture message a bad thing? No, it is not at bad thing but how can many receive what the rapture message is when they have yet to become mature Christians ready for the wedding when many are still babies, either premature or born defectively.
The Spirit is our guarantee of our inheritance. As the amplified expands and defines as our firstfruits, the pledge, or down payment. For example, Mary was initially pledged to be Joseph's wife but she was not yet. The pledge is a promise to marry her but until it is completed, it is still to be. However, Mary, still a virgin, became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had placed a seed. This seed was the promise of deliverance for God's people. The seed represented the pledge, the seed was and is the Word God, the promise, the freedom, the Son of God, the Messiah, and etc. But the seed must come to completion and fulfill the call or promise. It must come to growth and produce the fruit it was intended.
The Word of God is the same. The Word of God is the Seed. We who hear the Word and receive, we receive the Seed which is to be planted in our hearts. Our hearts are the land or soil. Depending on our soil condition will depend on the growth of the Word of God whether it will become fruitful or bear thorns. Is our hearts the sideroad, shallow ground, thorns or good soil. When the Seed is in our hearts, yes, we are first saved but our salvation must come to completion.
When a mother becomes pregnant or a child is conceived, we have life. It is just the beginning. The seed from the father is planted into the egg of the mother. When the sperm is in the egg, we have life. The sperm is the seed of the father. Even though the father and mother may not be able to see the child grow in the stomach, they by faith know life is in her belly. By faith, the parents begin to prepare the child's room, buy clothes, food, toys, etc. The mother must eat properly. The mother must not do any strainous activity. There is a gestation period. The gestation period is the time between being conceived to birth. It is a development period. Without the proper development period, the baby can be born premature, defective, deformed, underdeveloped, with many other complications.
When the Word of God is planted in the hearts of men, true life is to begin. But just because one got saved does not mean one is ready to be the Bride of Christ. One may still be a fetus who needs to just be fed the milk of a mother through the umbilical cord and grow. When one is saved, one must begin to feed on the Word of God. One must begin to pray to start growing. One must begin to worship to stay in the Presence of God. One must grow to develop the spiritual arms, legs, head, brain, ears, and eyes. One must grow to learn the Voice of her/his Father God.
When Jesus had come to the earth, HIS people consisted of Pharisees, Sadduccees, blind, deaf, cripped, harlots, tax collectors, thieves, liars, handicap, leopards, and etc. This was the nation of Israel. Today is no different. Today, His people consists of spiritually blind people, spiritually deaf, spiritual Pharisees, Sadduccess, harlots, spiritual adulters, spiritual thieves, prideful, liars, etc. Yet, HE had come for such people to set them free.
Today, many Christians become saved and they are told and assume the role of a Bride when in fact they may be spiritual babies, handicap, blind, spiritual deaf, and so on Christians. But they are being told to prepare for the wedding when in fact they are on diapers. How can little children, babies, or those still in the fetus be told to get married. Physical babies do not have the physical capacity to get married. Nor do spiritual babies have the spiritual capacity to get married. Many such Christians are full of hurts and wounds. They have yet to learn to grow in Father's Love to be healed and to grow in HIS Grace through HIS Word, prayer, and worship. When they grow up to spiritual maturity, then Father God will hand them as the Bride to HIS Son. Beware of the false prophets who instills fear with end time messages among God's people rather than pointing them to Father's Love.
God has many types of children. However, many think they hear God's voice. Many spiritual babies, spiritually handicap Christians, spiritually blind Christians, spiritually deaf Christians, spiritually lost Christians are being led by demons. They are not being led by the Holy Spirit. Many baby Christians have grown up and many have been Christians for years but since they were not properly nurtured and fed, they are underdeveloped and handicap. Just look at your lives to those who claim they hear God. Should you not be in a better place if the Voice of God is really leading you? There could also be a mix in voices in what they hear. This is why God has placed shepards to lead HIS people. HE is looking for a Moses. HE is looking for a Joshua, Caleb, a King David type to lead HIS children to the spiritual promise land. But sadly, many shepards are but hirelings. And even more sadly, HIS people are no different than the OT saints. Today, they are just as stubborn, self centered, stiffed necked, self willed, rebellious people. Only through complete submission and humility will the Truth set you free.
Exodus 20:18-19 When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear. 19 And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”
The people of God with Moses who heard God's Voice could not stand still. They trembled in fear as they stood at a distance. They asked Moses to speak on their behalf because they were so afraid. If many Christians really heard the Voice of God, they would be trembling at HIS Awe rather than boasting of their own pride that they heard God. Today, many think hearing God's Voice is a trivial thing. If they really had met God, they would be trembling.
The deception today is very rampant and serious. There are many false preachers and prophets speaking on end times and rapture. In the OT, Pharoah and Herod killed all the babies under 2 years old. Today, the spirit of Pharaoh and spirit of Herod is still at work. Such evil spirits working through the false prophets are killing our spiritual baby Christians. They are led and taught to believe they need to prepare to be the Bride of Christ when they are yet only infants or spiritual adolescents. They are being led to confusion, anxiety, doubt, and eventually to destruction. This is why there are so many Christians living lives in defeat and confusion. They have not been properly raised and nurtured.
A new born believer must be properly discipled, fed milk, receive Father's Love, and to grow in HIS Grace. But salvation has become nothing but an assembly line and many prideful preachers only boast of the number of people they claimed they have gotten saved. All they are doing is making a double child of HELL.
Many Christians with underdeveloped faith are living in fear of end time events. Their eyes are on end times. Their ears are being led by deception by false prophets. If they have been properly raised and nurtured to receive Father's Love, then that Perfect Love would be casting out all fear. But sadly, many Christians live in fear of the unknown.
This message is to all the Christians. It is time to slow down. It is time to stop listenting to the false prophets of end time messages. Is the end time message a bad thing? Is the rapture message bad? Of course not, but it is not time for many Christians to hear this message. It is time to be fed milk and to receive Father's Love and just to grow in HIS Arms. HE will not forsake you. But you must learn to be still.
The Lord had said that the Fire of God Church is an end time church. We are preparing and nurturing God's people for the end times. But the end time is not what we are emphasizing. We emphasize Christ Crucified. When they grow in HIS Love, they will eventually grow to be the Bride of Christ as we prepare them for HIS coming. Yes, HE is returning. But will you really be ready or will you have been deceived by all the voices out there on the internet?
Glory to HIM
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Fire of God Church
Fremont, CA USA
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Jesus had rebuked for having so little faith
Matthew 17:17-20 And Jesus answered, O you unbelieving ([warped, wayward, rebellious) and thoroughly perverse generation! How long am I to remain with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to Me.18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.19 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out? 20 He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
We all have a measure of faith. We need faith just to believe in God and to have accepted Jesus as our Savior. But our faith must grow. How do we grow our faith? Many misunderstand and even incorrectly teach the parable of the mustard seed. Since the mustard seed is used as an example, we presume based on the size of the seed, if we have the faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move a mountain. However, Jesus rebukes little faith. In fact, little faith can almost equate to unbelieving and can be considered a perverse generation. Why a perverse generation? Little faith will not move mountains nor the mulberry tree to the sea. Not having enough faith will bring doubt, fear, strife, and straying.
But you say the bible says that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains.
Luke 17:6 The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!
We have many translations and versions of the bible. Unless you spend the time in prayer, no one will receive the revelation to bring forth the mysteries of God's messages and Word. As baby Christians, we read the Word as it is written and from the surface. We have yet to go deep into the Word. It is like swimming. Many are learning to swim but they can only swim on the surface and cannot go deep to explore the beauty of what is beneath. When we read Luke 17:6 from the surface and physical realm, we see the word small and presume small must equate to little faith. But the revelation is not in the size nor the physical. The revelation is always spiritual. If we are only looking at the size, then we are looking at the outside. We are looking at the physical. We are not looking at the spiritual. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said "like a grain of mustard seed."
Yes, Jesus is saying HE wants us to have faith like a mustard seed. But HE is not referring to the size. HE is referring to the characteristics of the mustard seed. Your little faith will not move mountains, nor conquer giants, nor go through storms. Many say they have faith but yet, many have yet to overcome many things.
Little faith is not enough to overcome fear, doubt, strife, and straying.
Matthew 8: 24-26 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
Matthew 14:29-31 He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. 30 But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]! 31 Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Those on the boat had even a smaller faith than little. It was Peter who even had a little more faith to be asked out. He answered the Lord Jesus with his little faith but still ended in the flesh due to his little faith. Peter had doubted Jesus. The strong wind did frightened Peter but he sank because his fear brought doubt to Jesus.
Matthew 16:7 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread?
Jeremiah 31:22 (NASB) “How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth— A woman will encompass a man.”
What is faith like a grain of mustard seed? The mustard seed can grow in any season in any condition. It can survive diseases and droughts. It is very resilient, persistent, and consistent. Birds may eat it but it is hard to digest and it will come back out in the bird dropping to fall to the ground to grow. It is considered a troublesome seed or plant to farmers. It is a like a weed. It will not die. It will not stop. It continues to come. It continues to grow. It continues to go at it. This is the FAITH Jesus wants. It continues to persevere. It continues to be resilient. It continues to be persistent. It does not want to go away. It wants to plant itself and grow. It is DETERMINED to OBEY and do the Father's Will even obedience unto death if necessary. Jesus wants us to have the faith as resilient as the mustard seed. Such resilient faith will move a mountain to the sea. Little faith will be rebuked and may even betray our Lord.
How do we grow our faith?
Matthew 17:20-21 He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of [h]firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith (that trust and confidence that spring from our belief in God).
How did Jesus answer?
6 And the Lord answered, If you had faith (trust and confidence in God) even [so small] like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots, and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.
Answer:
7 Will any man of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and take your place at the table? 8 Will he not instead tell him, Get my supper ready and gird yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; then afterward you yourself shall eat and drink? 9 Is he grateful and does he praise the servant because he did what he was ordered to do? 10 Even so on your part, when you have done everything that was assigned and commanded you, say, We are unworthy servants [possessing no merit, for we have not gone beyond our obligation]; we have [merely] done what was our duty to do.
Jesus had answered through verses 7 to 10. What is the point of those verses? Our faith increases as we serve without expectation. We must serve our churches, our families, our work, our neighbors, our brethren, etc and work quietly and live in peace with humility. As our humility increases, our faith will increase.
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Fire of God Church
See the Youtube sermon on this subject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXlFy0I-BAg&list=UU8jg8394-b_szvW4SqULp7w
We all have a measure of faith. We need faith just to believe in God and to have accepted Jesus as our Savior. But our faith must grow. How do we grow our faith? Many misunderstand and even incorrectly teach the parable of the mustard seed. Since the mustard seed is used as an example, we presume based on the size of the seed, if we have the faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move a mountain. However, Jesus rebukes little faith. In fact, little faith can almost equate to unbelieving and can be considered a perverse generation. Why a perverse generation? Little faith will not move mountains nor the mulberry tree to the sea. Not having enough faith will bring doubt, fear, strife, and straying.
But you say the bible says that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains.
Luke 17:6 The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!
We have many translations and versions of the bible. Unless you spend the time in prayer, no one will receive the revelation to bring forth the mysteries of God's messages and Word. As baby Christians, we read the Word as it is written and from the surface. We have yet to go deep into the Word. It is like swimming. Many are learning to swim but they can only swim on the surface and cannot go deep to explore the beauty of what is beneath. When we read Luke 17:6 from the surface and physical realm, we see the word small and presume small must equate to little faith. But the revelation is not in the size nor the physical. The revelation is always spiritual. If we are only looking at the size, then we are looking at the outside. We are looking at the physical. We are not looking at the spiritual. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said "like a grain of mustard seed."
Yes, Jesus is saying HE wants us to have faith like a mustard seed. But HE is not referring to the size. HE is referring to the characteristics of the mustard seed. Your little faith will not move mountains, nor conquer giants, nor go through storms. Many say they have faith but yet, many have yet to overcome many things.
Little faith is not enough to overcome fear, doubt, strife, and straying.
Matthew 8: 24-26 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
Matthew 14:29-31 He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus. 30 But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]! 31 Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
Those on the boat had even a smaller faith than little. It was Peter who even had a little more faith to be asked out. He answered the Lord Jesus with his little faith but still ended in the flesh due to his little faith. Peter had doubted Jesus. The strong wind did frightened Peter but he sank because his fear brought doubt to Jesus.
Matthew 16:7 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread?
Jeremiah 31:22 (NASB) “How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth— A woman will encompass a man.”
What is faith like a grain of mustard seed? The mustard seed can grow in any season in any condition. It can survive diseases and droughts. It is very resilient, persistent, and consistent. Birds may eat it but it is hard to digest and it will come back out in the bird dropping to fall to the ground to grow. It is considered a troublesome seed or plant to farmers. It is a like a weed. It will not die. It will not stop. It continues to come. It continues to grow. It continues to go at it. This is the FAITH Jesus wants. It continues to persevere. It continues to be resilient. It continues to be persistent. It does not want to go away. It wants to plant itself and grow. It is DETERMINED to OBEY and do the Father's Will even obedience unto death if necessary. Jesus wants us to have the faith as resilient as the mustard seed. Such resilient faith will move a mountain to the sea. Little faith will be rebuked and may even betray our Lord.
How do we grow our faith?
Matthew 17:20-21 He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of [h]firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith (that trust and confidence that spring from our belief in God).
How did Jesus answer?
6 And the Lord answered, If you had faith (trust and confidence in God) even [so small] like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots, and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.
Answer:
7 Will any man of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and take your place at the table? 8 Will he not instead tell him, Get my supper ready and gird yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; then afterward you yourself shall eat and drink? 9 Is he grateful and does he praise the servant because he did what he was ordered to do? 10 Even so on your part, when you have done everything that was assigned and commanded you, say, We are unworthy servants [possessing no merit, for we have not gone beyond our obligation]; we have [merely] done what was our duty to do.
Jesus had answered through verses 7 to 10. What is the point of those verses? Our faith increases as we serve without expectation. We must serve our churches, our families, our work, our neighbors, our brethren, etc and work quietly and live in peace with humility. As our humility increases, our faith will increase.
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Fire of God Church
See the Youtube sermon on this subject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXlFy0I-BAg&list=UU8jg8394-b_szvW4SqULp7w
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)