Definition of a MIGHTY MAN What distinguishes one man as a Mighty Man in the Kingdom of Heaven? Well, it’s the result truly of many choices all along the way so it would be too easy to oversimplify it by a single statement. That being said, I do believe I can capture the essence of it. Two operative words come to mind. Humility, and Submission. To know that there is a God (and I am not Him) is the beginning of Wisdom. But the most important aspect is that of an autonomous being relinquishing his self-will to His God.

God's eyes search to and fro over the face of the earth looking for one man who will believe, receive, and act upon His Word. Only then can His power flow through as it’s meant to flow to the world around us. A mighty man is a man who has come to terms with himself. He is a prisoner in chains to His God. He is a “vessel of dishonor” who has laid down his arms and opened his heart. Like it or not, we have everything in the world to do with the degree to which God may act within our world, as we are the conduit for His blessings. The Holy Spirit does not force Himself on anyone. If there is no willing vessel, by and large the work simply does not get done for yet another generation.

A mighty man is one who rejoices in his infirmities, for it is through his weakness that God's strength is manifest. A man that maintains self will, and debates with God, and requires things of His God, as if His God owed him something is not and cannot be a mighty man. Whether we like it or not, all men, all Christian men are not equal. There is good, and there is great, and they are not the same.

Click on "READ MORE" in the bar or on the Title to continue....

 “OCCUPY!”

By Belle Kern - October 2011

Protestors have taken to the streets in America, to chastise big corporations and the rich.   They claim it is “unfair” for someone to have more than they do.   And so, civil disobedience has begun in big cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and even here in little old Yucca Valley, CA.   We had demonstrators on the corners today.   Socialism, and it’s more sinister cousin, Communism, is touted from the speakers platforms.   Participants shout “Solidarity!”, just like they did in the Russian revolutions in 1917.   Just yesterday, in Los Angeles, one of the speakers shouted that the movement wouldn’t realize find it’s “true voice” until violence is waged.   He compared the non-violent revolutions of Ghandi’s India to the bloody mess of the French Revolution, and said that he believed the French accomplished more with their beheadings.   And, he recommended that the protestors in L.A. start thinking about doing the same, amid cheers from the crowd.  Cheers…   Oh, the slippery slope that leads to destruction.   What seems to be right, often isn’t.    The Bible says, “There is a way that seems right to man, but afterwards it leads to death.”  (Proverbs 16:25)     (Click on title to read more)

Matthew 9: 16-17

                “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”

The trouble with most walks in Christ is that we forget that His yoke is easy and His burden light.   We take it upon ourselves, but forget to give our burdens up to Him in return. So it comes to no surprise when we find ourselves overwhelmed and eventually burnt out. We began to believe that the pursuit of righteousness is too much to bear.    By not making that exchange we are trying to balance Christ with the world. It can’t be done; no man can serve two masters.  

The above passage is an illustration used to convey a message, but given from two different perspectives to ensure the point is reached to it intended audience. In comparison we find that the old garment and the wineskins are the same and it can be inferred that they are used to represent man. The same goes for the piece of unshrunk cloth and the wine; they are synonymous with one another representing Christ.

Psalm 122:1

"I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord"

Many people attend Church or a Christian gathering in obligation or duty. Though it's better than making no effort at all, the spirit behind gathering with the body of Christ should be filled with Joy.

Acts 2:42-47

Can Ryker's Words Be Trusted?

Can you trust my words? First and foremost, I have not asked anyone to trust me. If you are just trusting my words and assimilating them into your life without comparing them against Scripture, to put it bluntly....you are wrong. If you are trusting anybody; your pastor, your favorite author, or especially even yourself, you are wrong. If you are really being honest with yourself then ask yourself this: are you trusting Jesus or are you just trusting the church you grew up in? The fact is, you do not know what you do not know! If you have never seen another viewpoint, other than the one you currently hold, you have shut yourself off from trusting Jesus. You might be trusting your church to be right on matters about your life, which may cost you everything…and which costs them nothing.

Please do not just trust me. You will often hear me say during lessons that “I am held responsible for every word I speak. However, you are held responsible for every word you hear. First, you must make sure I am right. Secondly if I am right, then you are held accountable for what you do with the word you just heard.”

Those who come here know when something is just my funky opinion, because that is what I call it. Do you know the difference between a matter of fact and a matter of opinion? Its important that you do. Because many Bible teachers teach the way evolutionists do. Teaching what they believe as if it were a matter of fact. If you are not paying attention you will get drawn in and may very well find yourself on the wrong side of scripture. (Click on Title or "Read More" in border to view the rest.)

This Bruce Lee martial arts comparison comes from a documentary about his life I watched. He studied martial arts after making many films and becoming famous. He found time to study after he broke his back from lifting weights that were too heavy (he always pushed himself to the limit and beyond) . The doctors told him he may never walk again let along do martial arts. Bruce Lee refused to listen to them and used all his time to read books and study the martial arts history, culture, and the psychology behind them. He began therapy to walk again and rapidly recovered his full movement to the doctors surprise. And continued to work at it until he re-gained his previous strength and flexibility- and then went farther to surpass it and release even more martial arts films. It was sometime during this he was recorded in the documentary, saying that "one must flow like water".

                     John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures say, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of Living Water.'" 

Martial arts should not have any steps like karate did and the best way to practice was full contact with pads (before then there was no contact in karate matches).  It was said his kick was like getting hit by a car, and the document revealed that he could hold his fist 1 inch away from a man and strike him- and cause the man to fall over due to the impact of Bruce Lee’s strength. I saw it, he didn’t push with his fist or anything, just a  quick impact sent a large man flying. Bruce Lee refused to let his injury stop him. He refused anything less than the best in himself performing martial arts. That’s the rest of what I know about him. A great example for a spiritual analogy of what we should aim for.
 

The Kingdom of Heaven IV

Let me show you that these things ARE God's will for you:

LONG LIFE -

"How blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. Long life is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honor." (Prov. 3:13 &16)
"Because he has loved ME, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high . With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation." (Psalm 91:14 & 16)
" You shall impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul… and you shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall writethem on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, SO THAT YOUR DAYS AND THE DAYS OF YOUR CHILDREN MAY BE MULTIPLIED ON THE LAND" (Deuteronomy 11:18-21)

HEALTH

"But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you." (Romans 8:11)

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (PART 3)

There are very practical steps to find God's will for your life in the Kingdom of Heaven, and learn how to walk in VICTORY.   We will discuss some of those here.    Some of these will sound familiar, if you have looked at any  New Age bestseller books lately.    For the spiritual principles of the Word of God are available to any who may use them…. even for those who do not profess Jesus as their Lord.      The same benefits apply in a limited fashion… temporarily, at least.   (Even the sorcerers who Moses met were able to do some of the miracles…. )   After all, the Creator made us in his image. We are able to create our own world as we wish…  and we get what we expect. 

And many do, creating kingdoms for themselves… and thus the wicked seem to prosper for a short time.

They continue doing what they please, without accountability to anyone. Jesus said, "for the sons of this world are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light." (Luke 16:8)

But, as His followers, if we submit our lives to Him, He teaches us how to prosper and walk in health… and it is permanent and ever-increasing!   It won't crumble around us when the storms come....  "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is saved!   A rich man's wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his own imagination." (Proverbs 18:10-11)   (Click on "Read More" to learn principles..)

The Kingdom of Heaven II

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we can ask, or even think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory!” (Ephesians 3:20)

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse FOR us... in order that in Christ Jesus the BLESSINGS of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:13-14)

Whoa!   Does your mind wrap around these statements?    Just start to dream a little about what you would like to accomplish with your life, and that is just a drop in the bucket to what God can imagine for you.   (Click on "Read More" in the bar below to continue...)