THE WISDOM OF SERPENTS

MATTHEW 10:16 & JAMES 1:5

The Tools of The Serpent: [Gen. 3:1]

Subtility = The Art of Quietness, [Isa. 30:15].

Wisdom = The Diligence of Application, [Prov. 4:7].

Principles = The Discipline of Laws, [Ps. 19:7].

The Ways of The Subtle:

The Subtle Work in Secret, [Matt. 6:4]. Ps. 91:1

The Subtle Speak Thru Results More Than Words, [James 3:13].

The Subtle Play the Long Game, [Dan. 4:3]. Prov. 13:22

The Ways of The Wise:

The Wise Study Their Craft, [1 Thess. 4:11-12].

The Wise Understand Their Times, [1 Chron. 12:32].

The Wise Apply Their Knowledge, [James 1:22].

The Ways of The Principled:

The Principled Are Disciplined in What You Do, [Zeph. 3:16].

The Principled Are Diligent in What You Do, [Prov. 22:29]. Prov. 18:16

The Principled Are Dutiful in What You Do, [1 Cor. 4:2].

PRAYER:

Father, Fill Us Up With Liberal Measures Of Your Wisdom, In Jesus Name!

PRACTICALITY = LAST THINGS LAST

JAMES 2:18

The Intelligent Fire:

Changing The World Requires the Right Mind, [Phil. 2:5].

“Let This Mind” Means Give Thought To.

“In Christ Jesus” Means Authorized & Salvific.

Intelligent Fire Means: Give Thought to What Is Authorized & Salvific!

Be Mindful of How We Speak to Others:

Our Words Do Matter, [Prov. 18:21]. James 1:19

Our Words Can Give Life, [Eph. 4:29].

Our Words Can Destroy, [Prov. 12:18].

Be Mindful of How We Treat Others:

Seek Opportunities to Do Good to Everyone, [Gal. 6:10].

Seek To Overcome in Life Thru Good, [Rom. 12:21].

Speak Evil of Absolutely No One, [Titus 3:1-3].

Be Mindful of How We Do Our Assignment:

Always Show Up on Time, [Phil. 2:4].

Always Show Up with The Right Attitude, [Phil. 2:14-15].

Always Show Up for Peak Performance, [Prov. 12:24].

Remember The True Order:

As Believers, We Can See Spiritual Things.

As Unbelievers, They Can See Natural Things.

One More: Be Mindful of How We Present Ourselves:

Vertical Presentation = God Sees the Inward, [1 Sam. 16:7b].

Horizontal Presentation = People See the Outward, [ 1 Sam. 16:7a].

PRAYER:

Father, Bless Us With An Intelligent Fire, In Jesus Name!

HOW WE CHANGE THE WORLD – PART 2

SPIRITUALITY = FIRST THINGS FIRST

JOHN 3:6

Why Is Spirituality So Important:

Our God Is Spirit, [John 4:24].

Our World Is Both Spiritual & Natural, [Heb. 11:3].

Our Enemy Is Spirit, [Eph. 6:12].

Root = Spiritual Things Are First, [2 Cor. 4:18].

Fruit = Natural Things Are Second, [2 Cor. 4:18].

Be Prayed Up:

Prayer Is Our Relational Lifeline with God, [Prov. 3:6; Luke 18:1; 1 Thess. 5:17].

Our Relational Lifeline Is Rooted in Speaking, [Gen. 3:8; John 1:14].

Speaking With God Is Our Access Point into Spiritual Realms, [2 Kings 6:17].

Be Covered Up:

True Spirituality Will Be Resisted, [Matt. 11:12].

Spiritual Garments Are Required, [Eph. 6:11-18]

Spiritual Garments Are How We Resist, [James 4:7]. 1 Peter 5:8-9

Be Filled Up:

Allow Your Spirit to Be Spirit Filled Up, [Eph. 5:18].

Allow Your Soul to Be Word-Filled Up, [Ps. 119:11; Col. 3:16]

Allow Spirit & Word to Fill You with The Fulness of God, [Eph. 3:19].

PRAYER:

Father, through Your Word and Your Spirit, Fill Us With Your Fullness, in Jesus ‘ name!

HOW WE CHANGE THE WORLD – PART 1

THE CLARION CALL TO BE CHANGE AGENTS

MATTHEW 5:13-16

Jesus Calls His Followers Salt & Light:

Salt Permeates = We Must Be Actively Engaged in This World, [John 17:15,18].

Salt Preserves = Our Goal Is Purification, Not Assimilation, [John 17:16-17].

Light Illuminates = We Must Introduce His Truth to This World, [John 1:9].

Light Eliminates = We Must Counter Darkness Wherever Truth Is Not, [John 1:5].

Inside & Outside Agents:

Sanctuary = God Needs His Best Priests in His Sanctuary, [Ex. 19:6].

Marketplace = God Needs His Best Priests in Places of Influence, [1 Peter 2:9].

Inside And Outside Priests Must See Their Work as Ministry, [2 Cor. 6:1].

Wherever Our Placement We Effect Change in The World, [1 Peter 2:12].

Modelling Jesus Without Fear:

We Must Not Be Afraid to Speak Like Him in This World, [John 7:46].

We Must Not Be Afraid to Show Him to This World, [Isa. 12:4].

We Must Not Be Afraid to Share Him with This World, [Rom. 1:16].

PRAYER:

Father, Empower And Equip Us To Answer Your Call For Change, In Jesus Name!

WORLD CHANGERS – PART 3

SATAN’S SUBTILITIES

GENESIS 3:1

Subtle Defined:

Subtlety Is Cunning Craftiness Fueled by Dark Wisdom Used for the Express Purpose of Deception and Destruction, [John 10:10a; 2 Cor. 2:11].

The Subtlety of Poisoning:

An Enemy Sows Poisonous Seeds, [Matt. 13:25].

When: Internal Correction & The Cry of Others, [Numb. 16:41]. 1 Cor. 5

Maturity can be Measures by How We Received Correction.

Solution: Develop Loyalty to God & His Placement of Your Life! [Ps. 92:13].

When: Listening To Discord That Changes Our Heart Posture, [Prov. 6:16-19].

Solution: Learn To Hear Prayerfully, if at All, [Luke 8:18].

The Subtlety of Stagnancy:

It’s Dangerous to Stay the Same in A Different Place, [Matt. 9:16-17].

Key: Old Ways Can Disillusion New Believers.

Solution: Measure Your Growth-Change in Christ, [2 Cor. 4:22; 5:19]. Gal. 5:22-23

The Subtlety of Tradition:

Human Invented Practices Held Dearly.

God’s 1st Dislike: Replacing His Word with Tradition, [Mark 7:9].

God’s 2nd Dislike: Tradition Holding us Hostage, [Mark 7:13].

1st Solution: Study God’s Word; Admit Tradition; Live With & Above Tradition.

2nd Solution: Freedom Comes in Following the Leader’s Word, [Luke 5:5].

PRAYER:

Father, Open our Spiritual Eyes to the Devices of our Enemy, in Jesus Name!

WORLD CHANGERS – PART 2

DISCIPLESHIP CHANGES THE WORLD

MATTHEW 28:18-20

Discipleship Defined:

Discipleship Is Teaching, Preaching, & Pouring into Every Follower of Christ for the Express of Reproducing His Nature in Them, [Gal. 4:19].

Discipleship Establishes God’s Purpose:

Presenting Every Believer Perfect in Christ, [Col. 1:27-28].

Ensuring Biblical Maturity is Achieved, [Eph. 4:12-16].

Ensuring God’s True Purpose is Fulfilled, [Rom. 8:28-30].

Discipleship Eliminates Predators:

Predators Make God’s House A Den of Thieves, [Matt. 21:12-13].

Predators Prey on God’s People, [Jude 4,16].

Predators Seek to Devour God’s Sheep, [Acts 20:29-30]. 2 Tim. 3:6

Discipleship Ensures Biblical Growth:

Common Growth: Disciples Reproduce After Their Kind, [Gen. 1:11-12].

Healthy Growth: Disciples Can Be Fruitful and Multiple, [Gen. 1:28].

Godly Growth: Disciples Duplicate in the Correct Image, [2 Cor. 3:17-18]. Heb. 1:3

PRAYER:

Father, Let Christ Be Formed in Every Member of Rhema Christian Ministries, in Jesus Name.

SEEING THE WORLD AS GOD’S FIELD

MATTHEW 13:24-25; 37-39

Preface:

As revealed in Genesis 1:26-28, God’s original mandate for humanity was global influence. This is evidenced in words such as “replenish,” “subdue,” and “dominion.” Though temporarily lost in Adam, the mandate was resumed in God’s promise to Abram, [Gen. 12:1-3]. It was spoken of by numerous prophets; one example being the prophet Habakkuk: “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea,” [Hab. 2:14]. The Genesis mandate was settled in the great commission of Jesus to His disciples: both them and us; “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” [Matt. 28:19]. With God’s word as our foundation, our thinking must shift to global influence, and we must position ourselves for what is coming. We have been called to be world-changers, agents of transformation, and we now prepare for what will surely be audaciously global!

The Correct View:

As Believers, We Must See Ourselves as World Changers!

We Are Global Luminaries Dispelling Darkness! [Matt. 5:14-16].

We Are Global Instructors Discipling Nations! [Matt. 28:19-20].

We Are Global Evangelists Demonstrating Jesus! [Mark 15:15-20].

We Are Global Ambassadors Drawing the World Back to God! [John 20:21]. 2 Cor. 5:19-20

The Incorrect View:

As Believers, We Must Never Shrink into Global Irrelevance! [Num. 13:32-33].

The Final View:

Our World View Must Always Be Shaped By God, [Ps. 24:1-2].

Our Self-View Must Always Be Shaped By God, [Ps. 82:6].

Our Worship Must Be Global in Sound & Reach, [Ps. 67:1-7].

Our Work Must Center on Global Transformation, [Matt. 5:13].

PRAYER:

Father, Give Us The Nations As An Inheritance, And The Ends Of The Earth As our Possession, In Jesus Name! [Ps. 2:8].

Mercy For Breakthrough In Every Area Of Stagnation

Psalm 102:13

Psalm 106:4

Joel 2:23

Prayer: Lord, remember us in Your loving-kindness; do not let stagnation define our destiny - arise in mercy and move us forward!

Mercy For Divine Favor, Ministry Growth & Influence

Psalm 127:1

Matthew 5:14-16

Acts 2:47

Prayer: In Your mercy, establish us as a light in this city; let our influence reflect Your goodness!

Mercy For Favor With Leaders, Communities & Governments

Proverbs 21:1

Proverbs 16:7

Proverbs 29:2

Prayer: Father, let Your mercy open doors that protocol, experience and qualifications cannot!

RECEIVERS AND ENABLERS

VISION & UNDERSTANDING:

Understanding Is the Critical Step Before Wisdom/Application, [Prov. 4:7].

The Vision Receiver:

The Biblical Pattern: God Shares Vision with One Person. [To Avoid Confusion]

The Vision Receiver Is the Subject Expert – Picture Carrier.

The Vision Receiver Is Called to Share the Vision as God Has Shared It, [Hab. 2:2].

The Vision Enabler:

The Biblical Pattern: The Vision Enabler Is Called with Gifts Aligned with the Vision.

The Vision Enabler is A Subject Expert – Vision Birther.

Adam = Vision Receiver & Eve = Vision Enabler, [Gen. 1 & 2}.

Abram = Vision Receiver & Sarai = Vision Enabler, [Gen. 12]

Moses = Vision Receiver & Israel = Vision Enablers, [Ex. 3 & 4}.

Jesus = Vision Receiver & The Disciples = Vision Enablers, [Matt. 4:19].

VISION & TRANSGRESSION:

Vision Enablers Must Not Tell Vision Receiver What He Sees, [Prov. 13:15].

Vision Receiver Must Not Tell Vision Enabler How It’s to Be Done, [1 Cor. 14:40].

Key: Transgression is Avoided When Each Recognizes the Other’s Dominion Area.

Key: Transgression is Avoided When We Learn to Submit To Each Other, [Eph. 5:21].

Conclusion: Where There Is Understanding, Vision Moves Much Faster Toward Fulfilment.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, Give Us Understanding In All Things, In Jesus’ Name.

Vision: Express Yourself – Part 2

VISION FACILITATORS

VISION & BUILDINGS: HORSE & CARTS  

• Vision Always Goes Before Buildings, [Prov. 29:18]. 
• Buildings Are Facilitators of Vision, Never Vision. 
• Buildings Without Vision Lead to Tradition and Stagnancy. 
• Key: Our Search for A Building = A Season of Stability, [Heb. 11:10]. PDP Is Our Home! 

VISION & CONSTRAINT: NARROW PLACES 

• Constraint Is Difficult and Uncomfortable Because It Checks Us, [2 Kings 6:1]. 
• Our Current World Climate Vs. God’s Kingdom, [Judges 21:25 vs. Ps. 133:1-3].  
• God’s Voice Is Seeking for Us to Constrain Vision, [Gen. 3:8; Matt 3:17]. 
• Constraint Question: Does It Align With [Vision Calls for It] And Advance [Moves Vision Forward] Our Vision. 

VISION & LOYALTY: END-GAMERS  

• Vision Has to Waited Upon = Stick Around, [Hab. 2:3]. 
• Vision Requires Faithfulness = Justifies the Patient, [Hab. 2:4]. 
• Vision Carries Eternal Value = Entrusted Pearls, [Matt. 7:6; 2 Tim. 2:2]]. 
• Key: Have You Been Called to This Vision? 

Conclusion: Our Horse Runs In Narrow Places Unto The Day Of Fulfillment.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, Constrain Us To Be Faithful To God’s Vision, In Jesus’ Name.