2 Corinthians One

2 Cor 1:7 ¶  and our hope is steadfast for you, knowing that even as ye are partakers of the sufferings — so also of the comfort.

Steadfast or confirmed; is an adjective that modifies the noun, hope or expectation. Much of the work of the Lord comes through our expectation.  Expectation is a knowing that something is going to happen. Our expectations must be of such a nature that they are confirmed by us in the Spirit. Or conversely, our expectation in the Lord is always confirmed or settled once and for all.  What we ask from the Lord we know that we get.

 1 John 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

This is the boldness of liberty that we have in Him…that anything we request according to His will, He hears ( present active ) God is continually hearing and acting

15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

8  For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation that happened to us in Asia, that we were exceedingly burdened above our power, so that we despaired even of life;

were exceedingly burdened above our power/ transcendentally burdened beyond our ability in the flesh to do anything despaired even of life/ explicitly left without a way to go forward; no resources or abilities.

9  but we ourselves in ourselves the sentence of the death have had, that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead,

A sentence: The official pronouncement, edict or decree or verdict of death that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead, Trusting is in the perfect active. The perfect tense is an event which has been fulfilled or accomplished with ongoing results or impact. Our trust in God must always be in the perfect tense. So must be our expectation in God. This is how we receive from Him.   but on God, who is raising the dead; who is raising the nekrous from where necromancy comes from.  God is the master of raising the corpses who have died from the sentence of death.

10  who out of so great a death did deliver us, and doth deliver, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver;

in whom we have hoped: into whom or into what we have hoped. Hoped is in the perfect tense. Whatever we expect from the Lord, the expectation must be in the perfect tense. The perfect tense is an event which has been fulfilled or accomplished with ongoing eternal results or impact.

11  ye working together also for us by your supplication, that the gift through many persons to us, through many may be thankfully acknowledged for us.

ye working together…by your supplication  ( sun/ hupo/ ergo) together coming under for support in order  to work.. by your petition. Our prayers come under a situation to offer support and to work in that situation. Hence the vitalness of our prayers.

that the gift ; the charisma or charismatic gift.  What comes from the Lord as the result of our petitions is His work through charismas or charismatic gifts.

12  For our glorying is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we did conduct ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you;

For our boasting is this: the witness given by our conscience, which is; that in simple and singleness of devotion and in such purity that we become like clear window panes through which the sun can shine; not in wisdom which comes out of our fleshly efforts..but by the charismatic gifts of God; we have behaved ourselves in this world system

13  for no other things do we write to you, but what ye either do read or also acknowledge, and I hope that also unto the end ye shall acknowledge,

Acknowledge/ full and accurate recognition of a thing. This is how spiritual knowledge should operate. It should strive to recognize fully the Person of the Lord Jesus and recognize fully His will.

15  and in this confidence I was purposing to come unto you before, that a second favour ye might have,

and in this confidence I was purposing ; confidence, is a noun that is in the dative case. The dative is the case of location or instrumentality. Wherever an object is located at, or lives in, that environment will influence or be instrumental back upon that object. A cucumber located in vinegar becomes a pickle. The vinegar is instrumental in its changing it. Paul operates in this environment of confidence or hope.

I was purposing; I was counseling or deliberating. In the world of confidence, Paul deliberates. That a second grace or charismatic gifting…

17  This, therefore, counselling, did I then use the lightness; or the things that I counsel, according to the flesh do I counsel, that it may be with me Yes, yes, and No, no?

Lightness; fickleness, instability, double mindedness and not following through in obedience.

18  and God is faithful, that our word unto you became not Yes and No,

19  for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, among you through us having been preached — through me and Silvanus and Timotheus — did not become Yes and No, but in him it hath become Yes;

For the Person of the Son of God, Jesus the Anointed amongst you, and now through us having been proclaimed , did not become yes and no , but yes in Him has become ( perfect tense). This is a highly important verse. The Person of the Anointed who is proclaimed through our lives, as He is proclaimed, everything pertaining to God is always Yes in Him. This is an anointing coming out of the anointed.  As we minister, our expectation is that Yes will be everything which God accomplishes through Christ as we minister Him. He has become the Yes of God. The perfect tense; The perfect tense is an event which has been fulfilled or accomplished with ongoing eternal results or impact.

20  for as many as are promises of God, in him are the Yes, and in him the Amen, for glory to God through us;

In Christ (The dative case) ; The dative is the case of location or instrumentality. Wherever an object is located at or lives in, that environment will influence or be instrumental upon that object. A cucumber located in vinegar becomes a pickle. The vinegar is instrumental in its changing it.

In Christ…. The Yes;  In Christ …. The Amen or the “so be it”.  This is the anointing carried by the anointed. This must be our level of confidence.

21  and He who is confirming you with us into Christ, and did anoint us, is God,

Making you steadfast, grounded and settled INTO your union with Christ;  and from that union having anointed you.  Two things here; God is continually through our obedience giving us a greater revelation of our union INTO Christ. Out of that union comes our anointing. Our union and the anointing of our ministry are from the One who has become the Yes and the Amen. Our ministering must come out of a faith level in which everything is Yes and Amen to the glory of God.

22  who also sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Having sealed us in the aorist tense. This is something like our past tense. A seal is a stamp of authenticity. I believe that Paul might have been referring that we have been approved to operate in the Yes and Amen anointing.

The earnest or the arrabon of the Spirit, is a down payment of something that legally belongs to us, but with the fact that there will be more deposits in the future. I can read this like this. Because God has given us a down payment of the things of the Spirit and has stamped us with the seal of authenticity we can now operate in the Yes and Amen anointing.

23  And I for a witness on God do call upon my soul, that sparing you, I came not yet to Corinth;

 And I call God to be a witness upon my soul… Complicated verse! The word call is really “ upon the calling”. This is the way to call upon God.. It is a focused calling upon God and for Him to show up as a witness on our behalf.

Safari Through the Word Ministries: What Is Our Core Indentity

Safari Through the Word Ministries: What Is Our Core Indentity: "Who Are We? The Strong's Word (EK) # 1537 is one of the shortest of all New Testament words and yet one of the most significant one..."

Pain

The world is full of pain. I think that the root of all sin is pain.

Most of the sin which humanity expends itself in doing is to medicate pain. I think that liberal thinking is a way to medicate the pain of rejection, broken family ties, disappointment and disenchantment with authority, pastors, and parents. The hippie and drug cultures were rebellion against the pain of perception of unloving or inattentive parents.

So much of our identity is interwoven in pain. Pain is us.  Every act of lashing out, hatred, violence, and mockery is stimulated by hidden pain.

The word, devil or diabolos, is one who hurls attacks against another. Every attack is centered on easing our pain.

Christ Jesus, the new man in us, is painless. He is rooted in a new identity, that of God Himself. God is joy, power, liberty, exuberance, transcendentalness, and authority.

The greatest challenge of the believer is to walk out of pain. Pain, must not be us, or in us anymore. We must not stop transformation until every response of our lives is rooted in painlessness.  The walk out is laborious and slow, but is well worth it.

 Freedom of any kind comes by revelation knowledge. You shall know revelational truth and the work of that truth will free you.  Only those who are devoted disciples to the Word will operate in abundant revelation which will free them. If you do not want to become a devoted studier of the Bible, don’t expect total liberty.

 You must spend time in the presence of the Lord. Whenever God manifests Himself, He causes sin to break down and become nonfunctional, ineffective. If you do not want to devote time to prayer don’t expect every chain of bondage to break .

 You must learn to obey every impulse of the voice of God. This is the only way to hear Him with confidence. If you are wrong, it’s better to err trying, than to dwell in the falsity of fear.

My father would tell me, for everything you do in life; there is a price to pay. The greater the thing that you desire, the greater will be the price.  How much are you willing to pay for your liberty and freedom in Christ in 2011? Anything you do towards that end is well worth it.

Metamorphosis

Please look with me at the two Strong’s Concordance words below; # 3339 and # 3345. In the English, both entries can be written as “transformed.’ In the Greek however, there is universe that divides them apart in terms of what they represent.

I am convinced of the following principle after learning the scriptures in the original Greek and Hebrew for twenty two years. For the believer who desires as much freedom that can be attained in Christ within the confines of this human existence, a basic knowledge of Biblical Hebrew and Greek is a requirement, and not an option.

Jesus tells us in the gospel of John that you shall know revelatory truth and the knowledge of that revelatory truth will free you. You see, it’s the revelation of God’s word that frees us.

Revelatory truth comes in the form of the rhema word of God. The rhema word is the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to encounter you with His word in a specific situation. It always comes out of the Logos or written word. It is the word that leaps out of you from the Bible, or the word of prophecy, or even a vision or a dream.

Faith comes in the form of a rhema word. By the way, the number # 4487 is the entry “rhema”. Do a study yourself.

Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word <4487> of God.

The sword of the Spirit is the rhema word.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word <4487> of God:

The church is washed and set free by the rhema word. This is why any congregation that prohibits the use of spiritual gifts, commits spiritual suicide.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word <4487>,

I have to go to bed so let me finish with my entry on transformation.

The word # 3339 is the word metamorphoo, from where our word metamorphosis comes from. Yes, this is exactly the same word that is used to describe the unqualified change of an ugly caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. “Meta” is defined as hereafter or with. Morphoo is the inward form of an object, closely related to the essence or image of its being, Metamorphosis, is an utter change of the inward form or essence of an object. In other words, transformation!

Mt 17:2 And was transfigured <3339> before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Jesus was metamorphosized before them. If we are to operate in the power of Jesus we must experience metamorphosis. Think of the change that takes place, and the price that needs to be paid. This is the formation of the new man, which Paul speaks about, and it’s well worth the price.

Mr 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured <3339> before them.

Ro 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed <3339> by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

No other scripture talks so explicitly about metamorphosis than Romans 12:2.  Paul commands us to be metamorphosized by the renewing of our minds. The word anakainos for renewing defines a mind that is made totally new; not new in age, but new because it is novel in its thinking and operation. A renewed mind thinks after the laws which govern the new man, which are so absolutely different than what governs humanity. Then, and only then, can we know what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed <3339> into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Now look at # 3345. Though the English tells us that this is the word transformed, the Greek writes it as metaschematizo and not metamorphoo # 3349. Metaschematizo is a change not of inward form or essence, but of the outward schematic. Can you see the Greek, schematizo and the English schematic?

The scriptures are clear. The false prophet or teacher is the wolf in sheep’s clothing. His inward form or essence has not been metamorphosized. He remains the same ravenous wolf that he has always been. As to his outward schematic he has totally changed it. He is indeed transformed! He talks like a preacher, and dresses like a preacher. Satan himself alters the schematic of his appearance and deceives people. To his inward essence, He is still the great deceiver.

So pay the price to be metamorphosized from an ugly sinful caterpillar, into a beautiful free butterfly for the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves <3345> into the apostles of Christ.

2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed <3345> into an angel of light.

2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed <3345> as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

I will never go back to reading the scriptures in English. It is like eating ground beef to the lobster of the original languages.

 God bless and sleep tight.

PS: we are available to do these type of seminars at your church. Please contact us.

A Planet Called Deception

 

Matt 24: 4   And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man 

deceive you.

Look continually to yourself that nobody will “planetize” you.

I love the word “deceive” in the Greek. It is the word “planet”.  In Greek mythology, planets were called wonderers or the wondering ones. If you look at an astronomical chart you will see that our nine or maybe ten planets circle or “wander” round the sun. Thus, this suggests the word deception. A individual whom is being deceived aimlessly wonders away from the truth. The word planet is also used for “error”.

In the United Sates we see the prince of the authority of the air using technology to “planetize” people.

 Eph 2:2(EB)  In which at one time ye walked, according to the age of the world, according to the prince of the authority of the air, of the spirit that now energiseth in the sons of disobedience,

Mind you, technology is an awesome tool which greatly benefits humanity and the work of the kingdom of God. The devil uses technology in the lives of those whom are not paying attention to their walks with God to cause them to planetize or wonder from the truth of the Word of God. Whereas Africa gets hit by a demon of poverty, the USA is getting wacked by a demon of distraction.

I am amazed at how many Americans the devil has planetized  to cause them to look  down at their technological gadgets. Many are consumed with self-entertainment. Everybody, everywhere, is always looking down. How can you see what is ahead of you?  Fewer still are looking up to heaven, from where their true helps lies.

When you get on an airplane to go to east Africa, you will find many looking down as well.  They, however, are looking down at their Bibles! This is a phenomena for many Americans to see!

It was Watchman Nee who said, that you never save a drowning man until he goes unconscious in the water, lest his kicking and flaying will cause you to drown as well.  One must wait until he goes unconscious and then pull him out of the water. I think that America is a nation that will have to go unconscious before it gets saved.

Eph 2:2(EB)  In which at one time ye walked, according to the age of the world, according to the prince of the authority of the air, of the spirit that now energiseth in the sons of disobedience,

Ephesians 2:2  tells us that the efforts of the devil is to energize in the lives of those whose to stubbornly and obstinately reject God. This verse not only talks to non-Christians, but to Christians as well. This supports my supposition that a person, or for that sake a nation, will open up doors on itself for the energizing of the devil if it becomes stubbornly defiant and arrogant towards its creator.

America is on a slippery slope towards this. As a matter of fact, the energizing of the devil upon our land is quite evident. In the 50’s America was the head of the world. Today we are descending to become a tail.

 Matt 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Many for will be coming upon the name of me, saying I am the anointed and will planetize many.

The word “deceive” in verse 5 is in the active voice. This means that deceivers will actively planetize unassuming people who are not paying attention to themselves and their relationships with God.

2 Thess 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

For the mystery of lawlessness, or what is void of all law, is right now energizing, until the one who has the power to detain and keep it in check even at the present time, is from the midst becoming.

This complicated verse has been interpreted in different ways.  I would like to highlight some of the most prevalent points. A mystery is something that is hidden or that lives in the darkness of secrecy. A mystery must be revealed, since it cannot be accessed through our physical senses.  A mystery once totally veiled is now progressively revealed.

At the moment that Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the mystery of iniquity kicked in. Men in those days lived to be over 900 years of age. The progressive revelation of the mystery of iniquity has eaten up into the lifespan of mankind throughout the centuries.

This mystery of iniquity or better said, the absence of all law, is active today in our generation and continues to unveil itself until the consummation of this age, when Jesus Christ comes to establish His new kingdom.

In just over one generation, from  the 1960’s to the present, we can see the progressive revelation of the mystery of lawlessness in our world.  TV programming is just one aspect of it as the filth of bad language so naturally flows through the mouth of actors. Many times I close the door to my office as not to hear verbosity that truly offends me, and this emanating from innocuous family oriented TV programs. Forty years ago, not even one single of these filthy words would be dreamed of being on TV. 

The mystery which is being revealed and planetizes people into more and more lawlessness, will probably culminate in the anarchies of societies.  Whereas, nations in Africa are welcoming the gospel, western nations such as the USA are rejecting it. It won’t be long until we perceive so called third world countries arising to be heads as the richer western nations are becoming tails.  I think that America is a humpty dumpy, sitting on the wall.

8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

And then will the Unlawed one will be uncovered whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of his mouth and will render useless and nonoperational with the epiphany of His presence.

This verse obviously talks about the Antichrist. The prevalent thing to notice here is that the Anti-Christ a man whom is void of all law, obviously a figure who thrives on anarchy,  will be uncovered at a set season.  For an anarchist to be adored by the world, it must have also embraced anarchy.  I was reading yesterday, that a new form of terrorism being executed in Europe is promulgated by anarchists. 

It does not take much to see the mystery of lawlessness, or better said anarchy, at work than in those who today contest that the legitimacy of the constitution is not prevalent or foundational to our country .  The function of the mystery of lawlessness can be seen in all of those who want to strip foundational premises which have supported the beneficial growth of nations. 


The voiding of the constitution if it were to succeed will bring anarchy. We must see with the eyes of the Spirit and perceive that the prince of the authority of the air is attempting to ram the mystery of anarchy at full speed into America. Where there is anarchy, another type of government can step in.

As Christians we can sit passively by, then die, and leave this mess to our children, or we can pray and fast and refuse to planteize from the truth of God’s word, no matter what comes.

Wherever the manifestation of Christ is, there is His work of making non effectual or non-functional all that is sin. This is why it is so important to spend time in the presence of the Lord Jesus.

9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Whose presence is in accordance to the energizing of Satan (diabolos/ the one who hurls or throws accusations) with every ability, signs and wonders found in what is pseudo.

The word for “lying” in the Greek is pseudo. Something pseudo is a falsehood, a sham, something spurious.  What is pseudo, does not have to be entirely false. It just needs to contain enough half-truths  to cause people  to planetize from the truth.

10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And with every seduction, guile, and deceitfulness of doing what is not right in the eyes of God.

Every disobedience towards God brings guile and deception as it seduces you.  This mystery of anarchy is energized in all of those that without an agape or unconditional love for the Word of God do not heartedly welcome it into their lives. The Word of God must be loved and welcomed, there is no other way!

11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

And through this act of unwelcoming His Word, God sends them “ an energy of planetizing” for the purpose of them believing what is pseudo.

I can’t think of a more convicting verse probably the whole Bible.  For those who obstinately reject God in their arrogance, He allows the devil to energize in their lives. This type of energizing is an activation that will cause people to wonder aimlessly into error for the express purpose of believing what is false.

We cannot blame God for this. God did everything in sending His only Son into the world to save humanity. If people choose to reject God and mock Him, they open up a door into their minds and hearts for the demon that administers the energy of planetizing to cause them to aimlessly wonder.

12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

In order those might be judged who choose not to believe the truth but rather take delight in sin and disobeying God. 

Synagogue

2 Thessalonians 2:1  But with respect to the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to meet Him, we entreat you, brethren,

 Literal:  “With respect to the Presence of our Lord Jesus and our being synagogued upon Him, we ask you…”

The word synagogue or assembly is commonly known as a site where a Jewish congregation assembles itself unto God.  It comes from two Greek words “sun” & “agoge”, which is demarcated “as being brought together in order to be led”.

“Our being gathered to meet Him” is a trilogy of Greek words’ literally meaning, “synagogued UPON the Lord Jesus.”   

Humanity has always been summoned to synagogue or assemble itself together around its Creator in order to be led by Him.  This is what I call “Normal Theology or Religion or Christianity”. In fact, this is normal living.  It must be the status quo procedures of any and every nation under earth to synagogue around God in order to be led by Him.

The so called “separation of church and state” is a fraud of the devil and rebellion by wounded hearts which repel the presence of God. It is diametrically opposed to the practice of synagogue. It does not hurt God nearly as much as it hurts us. We lose the privilege and the benefits of being led by an all ever loving and wise God.

When I get criticized or called narrow minded, or a Jesus fanatic because I continually want to assemble myself around the glorious presence of my Creator in orders to be led by Him, this is the normal status quo of the human being. It is the default mode of a person.  Dysfunctionality, or abnormality is to not desire to be led by God.  We were never meant to be in this position. It is a lie and a gimmick of sin and of the devil, of the most destructive fashion.  The leading of ourselves ends in our eventual death and destruction. This is why society and civilization has strayed so far into darkness and debauchery.  

 The good news of the gospel is that God has brought us another chance to be forgiven by Him and to once again synagogue, or assemble ourselves around Him in order to be led by Him, in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Edelweiss

This famous song in the film musical, “The Sound of Music” is spiritually relevant to me. The Von Trapp family sings it as its preparing to flee from Austria after a hostile takeover by Adolf Hitler, in this movie classic. My family sang its own version of Edelweiss in 1960 when it fled Cuba from the hands of Fidel Castro. This “would be savior” duped many people when he came down from hiding in Cuba’s Sierra Maestra mountains with Bible and rosary in hand vehemently exclaiming, “weapons for what reason?”. Venezuela is now singing its own version of Edelweiss under the hands of Hugo Chavez. I wonder if Brazil will have a samba version of Edelweiss this year?

Cuba and Venezuela where financially prosperous nations before the takeover of these communists dictators, which left these countries in shambles. What happened? In part it is the fault of the church that remained spiritually blind, worldly, and lethargic, not seeing the incoming evil and failed to fast and pray. In another part, the frivolity, ignorance, shallowness of society allowed it.

In all of these things the church must always see with the eyes of the Spirit. Ultimately, what must be discerned is what the devil is doing behind the scenes. Objectively it’s a fight between the kingdom of God and that of evil. Conclusively, the devil wants to blind people from the benefits of God’s eternal kingdom and send people to hell. The opium of the devil and of these dictators is the ignorance and the passivity of societies in which they can operate and grab control

The devil is busily attempting to set up America for its own version of Edelweiss. He is using entertainment technology to create a society which is obsessed with self-entertainment. Everywhere people are busily looking down at their phones, their I Pad, Pods, and Touches, but never looking up to heaven and the Almighty God who dwells in it. We have become a society of non thinkers; frivolous, arrogant, naïve, gullible, shallow, and ignorant .The devil is nothing like this. Just the opposite, he is conspiratorial, serious, always scheming, ever planning.  When we fled from Cuba in the 1960’s my father told me; you will see Communism come into the American media, schools and politics. Castro’s takeover of Cuba occurred seamlessly and in  a few years. It is obvious that Communists had been in Cuba many years before planning for Castro.

In the USA, I see the inceptions of dangerous trends as those that occurred in my motherland. We need to have our eyes opened as the church of Jesus Christ. I do not want to have to sing one day the American version of Edelweiss.