Clothed With Power

Clothed with Power: Here is my super power!!

Everyday you pray to walk in power!

The use of the figure of clothing for this work indicates its outward character, its covering of human weakness, and its function as an official vestment identifying a person as a divine representative.
This should be understood with your outer clothing. We must recognize that we are clothed with weakness. God says I want to cover you with a new outfit which Is being clothed with power. We need to be clothed with power. This is outward character. Clothed with power is nothing more than saying being filled with the Holy Spirit.

The use of clothing as a figure to reveal spiritual truth is found frequently in Scripture:

For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a [b]pledge. – 2 Cor. 5:3-5

…and put on the new [q]self, which [r]in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil [s]an opportunity.- Eph 4:24

The Scriptures distinguish between spiritual garments which we put on ourselves (Rom. 13:12; Eph. 4:24; 6:11, 14; Col. 3:10, 12; 1 Thess. 5:8) and those which God puts on us. Our clothing with power is that which God puts on us. It is to provide complete enablement for the appointed task. It is related to the filling of the Spirit as the outer evidence of the inward work of the Spirit.

He has clothed us so we can carry out the purpose of God.

God has clothed us with power for His sake and of the glorious plan of salvation. You are supposed to walk with an attitude of being clothed with power.

Will There Be Peace?: A Brief look at the End Times

Will There Be Peace?: A Brief look at the End Times

What is this Abraham Accord?

For the past few weeks in the news, we have seen a treaty drafted between Israel and the United Arab on 13th August 2020. They called it the Abrahamic Accord. On 15th September, 2020 UAE and Israel signed an US-brokered agreement that has come to be known as the ‘Abraham Accord’, implying that the three parties represented the three Abrahamian religions Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Donald Trump joked saying, “I wanted it to be called the Donald J. Trump Accord, but I didn’t think the press would understand that.” National security adviser Robert O’Brien calls Trump’s efforts in the Middle East “remarkable,” adding that the president “should be a front-runner for the Nobel Peace Prize.”

He asked them why call it the Abrahamic Accord? The Arab ambassador Friedman told him that, “Abraham, as many of you know, was the father of all three great faiths. He is referred to as “Abraham” in the Christian faith, “Ibrahim” in the Muslim faith, and “Avraham” in the Jewish faith…And no person better symbolizes the potential for unity among all these three great faiths than Abraham, and that’s why this accord has been given that name.”

The US which represents Christianity, the nation of Israel represent Jews, and UAE represent Muslims. The three great religions today and Abraham is considered the father of all 3. Followers of The Way and Christians (claims) follows the lineage of Abraham. The Jews follows the lineage of Isaac, and the Muslims follows the lineage of Ishamel.

A section of the Abraham Accord says,

“Recognizing that the Arab and Jewish peoples are descendants of a common ancestor, Abraham, and inspired, in that spirit, to foster in the Middle East a reality in which Muslims, Jews, Christians and peoples of all faiths, denominations, beliefs and nationalities live in, and are committed to, a spirit of coexistence, mutual understanding and mutual respect;”

The announcement released following a joint call between President Trump, the Emirati crown prince and the Israeli prime minister-describes the agreement as a step toward the creation of a new “Strategic Agenda for the Middle East to expand diplomatic, trade, and security cooperation”.

What does this mean for us? (Disciples)

I have been teaching a little bit on the end times to my church lately just in passing. I’ve mentioned Daniel’s 70th week dream (Daniel 9:24-27) and that Daniel’s dream is still in effect today. What we’ve failed to understand as the church is the interpretation of the dream. The dream mostly had to do with Israel and their destiny. For years Israel has been seeking peace and restoration of their land. But according to Daniel’s dream, they will not see total restoration until the consummation kingdom. The consummation kingdom will occur after tribulation. Many modern scholars believe that Israel becoming a nation again will happen during the church age. Many evangelist have misinterpreted the scriptures as well believing that we as a nation will be judged on how we treat Israel. We failed to understand that when Jesus is speaking about the judgment of the nations, He is talking during the tribulation period that nations will be judged based on their treatment with Israel (Matthew 23-25). Not now.

This is one of the reasons we see the evangelicals and the presidential advisors pushing the president to be at peace with nations. Not because it is the right thing to do, but the fact that we will be judged. But if you are a follower of The Way, you will not be on earth during the tribulation and not be judged on how you treat Israel. The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 that

“and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.”

This is referring to the tribulation period. Jesus will rescue us before all this will occur. Many believe that we are in tribulation now because of the unrest and the unfolding events here on earth. This is just the beginning of what is going to really occur. We call this the birth pangs (Rev 12:6) of the world and the natural result of sin being in the world. What is going on now will not compare to what is to come in the seven-year tribulation period after the Holy Spirit has taken off the restraint of sin and evil from the earth (2 Thess 2:7).

During the 70th week in Daniel’s dream, there is nothing in his dream about Israel will become a nation again. This is something man-made. From a biblical perspective, it is the Christians that made Israel a nation again. The same Christians that started Christianity 1700 years ago. So the question, Where does Israel and Christians fit in biblical scripture and prophesy today? There are several prophetic scriptures that say false claims about Israel and the Messiah. The nation of Israel leader, prime minister would be a Christ figure according to the Jews. They will bring peace to Jerusalem. Donald Trump made all this happen in the 70th year since Israel was formed into a nation. In 2019, they celebrated their 70 year as a nation and the Christians, Muslims, and Israel are trying to fabricate a fulfillment.

According to the works of Tim Lahaye:

The actual event that inaugurates the Tribulation is found in Daniel 9:27 when the Antichrist, “the ruler who will come,” makes a covenant with Israel for seven years. Even though he will break that covenant, his signing will trigger the prophetic clock of God, and from that moment on only seven years will be left for the human race on the earth. One of the reasons we know Christ is coming before the Tribulation to rapture His Church is because the Rapture is a secret thing. The Glorious Appearing will not be secret but well known, for exactly seven years will elapse from the signing of the covenant to the Glorious Appearing of Christ on the earth.

When Christ raptures the Church, the Antichrist may make a covenant with Israel the next day, the next week, or who knows when. There are sufficient signs existing today to indicate that this event could take place soon: for example, Israel’s return into the land of Palestine to become a nation, with whom the Antichrist will deal; the one-world church that will dominate the first half of the Tribulation period; and the craze for one-world government, already in existence and continuing to gather momentum until it culminates in the signing of the covenant between the Antichrist and Israel. From that point God’s prophetic clock will begin to tick and humanity will have only seven years left.

The Jews believe that this incident is going to provoke the coming Messiah. Their expectation of the Messiah has been going on for 2500 years. So the belief of the Jews is that when Israel becomes a nation, that is when the Messiah will come. But we as Followers of the Way, we know that the Messiah has already come and we are living in the inaugural kingdom kingdom at the moment.

It is all about the belief of the timeline of the end times. There are so many beliefs on the rapture, tribulation, and the millennium. We as the church must teach these things so that we can effectively discern the timeline of the Lord.

And The Glory Moved

And The Glory Moved

20th of Iyar

Today May 25, the 20th of Iyar, is the day in biblical history where the glory started to move after the children at Israel rested and set up the tabernacle on their journey outside of Egypt. This happened a year after The Ten Commandments were given. 

They resumed their journey when the pillar of cloud rose for the first time from over the tabernacle -the divine sign that would signal the resumption of their travels throughout their encampments and journeys over the next 38 years, until they reached the eastern bank of the Jordan River on the eve of their entry into the Holy Land.

In Exodus 40:36 says that,

“Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out “but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.”

Notice the children of Israel did not move until God moved. This is a lesson for us to be mindful when God is moving or directing, we must be sensitive to His moving. Let’s not limit the movement of God to moving in a church service. God is active all day and everyday throughout our lives. Follow when He is leading you from your job. Follow when he is leading you to a new city. Follow when He is leading you read a certain chapter in the Bible. Follow when is He leading you to pray. Follow when He is leading you to intercede on someone’s behalf.

It’s time to move and to be in sync with the move of God. You never know when it’s time to close down shop and move when God has moved.

A Time of Restrategizing- The Month of Iyar

A Time of Restrategizing- The Month of Iyar

Iyar is the second month on the Jewish calendar counting from Nissan. This is the time the Jews prepared themselves to receive the Torah and the counting up to Pentecost. This is a time of self-reflecting and self-refining on our lives’ journey.

Iyar is connected with the tribe of Issachar. Issachar is a scholarly tribe that knows and understand the seasons and times. In 1 Chronicles 12:32 says that,

 Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command.”

To understand Iyar, we can look at what happened to Israel coming out of Egypt. Nisan, the first month, was the month of leaving Egypt; and Sivan, the third month was the month they arrived in Sinai and Torah was given. So Iyar is a month of transition. During the second month, the Israelites were traveling from one place to another. God’s people were transitioning to a new level in their relationship with Him. When Israel passed out of Egypt, they knew they were God’s people, but they didn’t know much about God. During this time, God began to reveal His covenant secrets to them. The month of Iyar is associated with the Hebrew letter VAV, which pictures “connection, and linking. You need to see how you are to connect this month so you can determine your course during the year. There are certain time frames within which you need to respond in order to see how to advance forward into the next season. During this month, this is the time to receive wisdom and understanding for the next move of God.

In Exodus 17:16 says that,

“The Lord has sworn; the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.”

In the month of Iyar, that is when Amalek attacked. Throughout history many wars occurred during the month of Iyar. From rockets in Gaza and the attacks on Israel today, we are under attack. Both physically and spiritually.

In Numbers 1:1-3 says that,

Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

I was in a prayer service in the beginning of May which would be the 3 of Iyar. I am starting the become familiar with the times and during service, the Lord led to me to read a passage from the book “The Art of War”. I was led to a passage in the book about what one should do in the time of peace or laying low. This is the time to re-strategize and be ready for what is coming to us. Even if we are a season of peace, it is just for a little while.

Notice in Numbers 1, they strategize and counted those who were ready to go to war. Before going to war, one must survey the land to know the conditions of the land.  Here is a passage from the book that really hit home for me:

The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one’s deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions
obtaining in the field. (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.

  • Moral Law: The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
  • Heaven: Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.
  • Earth: Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
  • The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.
  • Method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.

The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat:—let such a one be dismissed!

This is a time of re-strategizing and hearing the voice of God clearly. God is shifting us quickly and we must be aware of the times and seasons that we are in. As God’s calendar goes in a circular motion, we are able to follow the events and times to know where we are going.

 

The Tension of Transition

The tension of transition

When you’re in between seasons: you see the new but waiting to be released from the old.

You must remain faithful and finish up your last season rather than jumping prematurely to the new season.

You will begin to experience a mind (paradigm) shift and you are no longer ok doing things like you used to and your point of view is changing.

You may feel weird and sometimes even confrontational because you are no longer comfortable in where you are.

Nothing makes sense… but all you have is faith

You have to be ok when in the old place the people are progressing in their own way but God is telling you to stand still and prepare… it’s not time yet.

Being by yourself in this between season is precious because this is when God is downloading and prepping you for the new.

People won’t understand what you’re prepping for so you cannot tell everyone what God is doing.

Find your network of wise counsel. Trust me… they are out there.

Stay focus and dedicated in the time of transition. You will get frustrated but don’t give up. Things won’t make sense and you must lean on The Father.

How to Bounce Back When You Have Crushed Your Own Character

How to Bounce Back When You Have Crushed Your Own Character

How to Bounce Back When You Have Crushed Your Own Character

As I am growing to become a better leader, I have been faced with the challenge of restoring the trust and integrity with others due to poor choices that I have made. I believe it is safe to say that we’ve all burned bridges and loss and gain trust with individuals. Whether it be a small issue or a blowout. Trust sometimes can take years to establish but yet trust can be loss within a matter of seconds. How do you come back when you have failed one another? When you have failed your spouse? When you have failed your children?

We have seen it in politics, religious institutions, and even in our homes. We have many people in our lives that we have considered as role-models or even idols have failed us at least once. There are pastors or church leaders who have been caught in unethical situations every year. Because of their mistake, many people have decided that they are not a leader they want to “follow”. But yet we make mistakes all the time in our lives. All of the good the leader have done over the years can be cancelled or forgotten in seconds because of a mistake or failure. The person can ask for forgiveness over and over again. We can ask for forgiveness all day long but that does not equate to restoration of trust? Can the Violation of trust by a self-imposed destruction of the integrity and character cannot be restored merely by forgiveness?

We can ask for forgiveness all day long but that does not equate to restoration of trust?

Trying to Build Up Broken Bridges

One of the the reason why a leader have success is because people trust them. It is not how you move through the English language with finesse or your personality. It was them buying-in or trusting in you. It took the testing of their character and integrity to build trust with others. When one fails, the door of trust is closed. But how is that door opened back up? The door of trust is opened and closed based on both parties. We have a choice whether or not to trust again. The leader have a choice to make themselves trustworthy. One of the keys of reconciliation is to know that works alone will not bring back trust. Talents and gifts are only as safe as your character and integrity. Without both, your works means nothing.

So how does one bounce back when their character was self-destructed? Or how can you restore trust when someone has done you wrong? What do you do when you have lost it all? Your character carries so much weight with where you stand with others. Now I am a Believer of Christ so I am only writing from the tense of having the Word of God as the foundation of morals and beliefs and as an accountability mechanism. The Bible is my final authority. Unbelievers foundation of beliefs is based on other things that are not of God Almighty. So we cannot hold our standards to them. You can always tell in a person of where they lay final authority in. You can always tell how people handle life’s situations whether or not they are rooted and grounded in the Word of God. If someone hurts you, how do you handle it? If you hurt others, how do you reconcile?

If you are a Believer in Christ, your final authority should be the Word of God.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

Because God brought Jesus here on earth to be the vehicle to reconcile God and man, God has commanded us to do the same with one another. With the grace and mercy that God has extended to us when we fall, God expects us to do the same. Loving how God loves us is the toughest thing to accomplish especially if He is not The Lord of your life. The problem is not the failure. The problem is how you deal with the failure. Many leaders do not know how to deal with their own failures and others as well. Pretending that it did not happen does not cancel it. Letting time past does not let it off the hook. The key is reconciliation. We have to be able to face one another and talk things out. After talking things out, we have give each other room for God to come in and handle the rest.

 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

The Release

Oh how we love to hold on to accusation and faults of one another and at the same time is it hard to move on when you hurt one another or others hurt you. Colossians 3:13 reminds us that “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave.” The question is what do you do when you have forgiven them? Do you hold it against them? And the answer is no. You are supposed to restore them to the place where they have fallen (Heb. 6). We should always extend the hope of recovery. The enemy wants us to believe that a someone cannot be trusted again or you have to hold reservations towards them. That is not the way of the Kingdom. If our final authority is in the word of God, then we should be able to reconcile our differences.

When we fail one another, the guilt is heavy. I know with me, The Holy Spirit is constantly in teaching mode. He allows me to see when I have done something wrong when handling situations. Whether it is instant or later, I am always corrected. I always say “you cannot trust man”. The better approach is that because we are man, we have to give other believers room to make mistakes and get messy. Also give people time for them to move forward. We all progress and move at various rates. Matthew gives a principle of how to reconcile differences. The key in that scripture is that “if you have won them over” meaning that you all have a chance to talk about it and both have seen where they have fallen and repent, then the relationship is salvageable.

The better approach is that because we are man, we have to give other believers room to make mistakes and get messy. Also give people time for them to move forward. We all progress and move at various rates.

As leaders, we are going to make mistakes, hurt people, or say the wrong thing. The test is the aftermath. Do we go and apologize? Are we so prideful to the point where we do not see our mistakes? Great is the person that can go to the one you have hurt and explain scripturally where they have fallen and what we should do about it. Only under test can your character be proven. You only believe what you believe until you are tested to break it or not. Your convictions are proven by test. Not by pronouncements. What you claim must be tested. Live out what you proclaim.

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