“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

And all your [spiritual] children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children. 14 You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God’s will and order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15 Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you.16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the devastator to destroy.17 But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord. Isaiah 54:13-17

When you establish yourself in righteousness, conforming yourself to God’s will and purpose in every aspect of your life, God will pour out all His precious promises onto your life.

Those who yield to the will of God and who establish themselves in His righteousness have no reason to have any fear at all. The Lord says that you will be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction and from terror. He says that it will not come near you. Even if people stir up strife against you, you don’t need to worry because the Lord will cause you always to triumph – He says that those whose rise up against you will surrender to you.

The Lord says that NO weapon that is formed against you will prosper! EVERY tongue that shall rise against you – you will show to be wrong! There is nothing that you need to do to defend yourself. All you need to do is to be yielded to the Lord, believe His word, and trust completely in Him. Be a doer of the word. Act on God’s word. Walk in the love of God. He will take care of everything else.

For the Lord will judge and vindicate His people, and He will delay His judgments [manifesting His righteousness and mercy] and take into favor His servants [those who meet His terms of separation unto Him]. Psalms 135:14 AMP

This is what you can expect if you are a hearer, a believer in, and a doer of God’s word:

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! 3 For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4[Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. 8 Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked. 9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, 10 There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. 11 For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. 12 They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. 14 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness–trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.

Psalms 91:1-16 AMP

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Jacob was boiling pottage (lentil stew) one day, when Esau came from the field and was faint [with hunger]. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, I beg of you, let me have some of that red lentil stew to eat, for I am faint and famished! That is why his name was called Edom [red]. 31 Jacob answered, Then sell me today your birthright (the rights of a firstborn). 32 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.  Genesis 25:29-34 AMP

In Bible times, a birthright was the right, privilege or possession of the firstborn son; that to which he is entitled by virtue of his birth. In Israel, and the rest of the ancient world, the firstborn son enjoyed a favored position. His birthright included a double portion of his father’s assets upon his death. Another benefit was that he received a special blessing from his father and the privilege and responsibility of leadership of the family, including the spiritual leadership. He became responsible for the younger brothers, the widows, and the unmarried daughters.

The title of firstborn was sacred in ancient Israel. When Esau transferred his birthright to Jacob for a lentil stew, he showed utter disregard for the rights, privileges and responsibilities of the firstborn. He showed that he did not value, nor had he any respect for, his heritage, his parents, the promise of God, or the spiritual privilege connected with this inheritance: being progenitor (the forefather) of the promised Messiah! At that moment, Esau turned God down and chose not to follow or obey God. He chose not to accept the leadership of the next generation. He chose not to be named in the bloodline of the Messiah. Esau did not have a heart after God. Later, he wanted the blessing from Isaac, but he never did accept the boundaries of obedience that God required of him.

When Esau was 40 years old, he took, not one, but two women as wives from among the Hittites. They made life bitter and a grief of mind and spirit for Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34-35). Esau obviously did not respect God or his parent’s opinions, because he did not consult them concerning his choice of wife. He did not look for a godly wife or ask God for the one He had for him. Your choice of spouse is the second most important choice in your life after you choose your God/god – who you will serve and where you will spend eternity. You need God’s guidance – you need to respect the authority of parents and those who are older and wiser than you – wiser in God’s ways not worldly ways.

In Genesis 28:1-9, Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and commanded him not to marry one of the women of Canaan. He told him to go to Padan-aram and take a wife from Rebekah’s family, one of the daughters of Laban. Isaac blessed Jacob with the blessing of Abraham and sent him away to do as he had instructed. Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Padan-aram to take him a wife from there, and given him a charge that he should not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan-aram. Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father, Isaac, so he went to Ishmael – the son of the bondwoman not the son of the promise – and took one of his daughters as an additional wife!

In God’s family, every one of us is considered “firstborn” in God’s eyes, but many Christians behave like Esau. They call themselves Christians – members of God’s family – but they don’t submit themselves to God and His will for their lives. They do not esteem their birthright. They don’t appreciate the blessings or the responsibilities of being a firstborn child of God. They don’t take the time to find out what God wants for them and from them. They pursue relationships that are detrimental to themselves and others; they don’t marry the one chosen by God, and who serves God; they settle for less; they just follow their flesh and the lusts and desires of their flesh; they only do what feels good to them in the moment.

“Esau” Christians are oblivious to spiritual things – they have no respect for God. When they hear another Christian talk about God’s leading in their lives saying something like, “God told me not to marry a Canaanite,” they decide not to “marry a Canaanite” either, but they still don’t go and marry a godly woman. They go for the daughter of the flesh – Ishmael. We are not only talking about who you marry, but all of the decisions you make every day.

Some Christians live their lives oblivious to the Spirit of God and the word of God. God’s word is not their standard; they live life according to the world’s standards. They do not even understand the dynamics of the covenant relationship between the obedient Christian and the Father. They may be envious of that relationship and of the blessings that go with it, but are unmotivated to make the changes in their own life to have this relationship with the Father themselves. Even when they hear what the Father requires, they still try to put their own spin on it and still end up doing their own thing. They always assume and presume.

The “Esau” Christian will never have God’s best and not because God doesn’t have a wonderful plan for them, but because they place no value on God’s plan and will for them or the blessings of obedience. These people go through life envious of obedient Christians, but never stop to look at themselves in the mirror, evaluating their own heart attitude, or trying to do things God’s way for a change! Don’t be an “Esau” Christian!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

The thing that sets Christianity apart from all the other beliefs and religions out there is the resurrection of Jesus. Many people have been martyred or died, but only Jesus took the weight of the sins of the world on Himself and only Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Through this resurrection, all who believe are raised up with Him into everlasting life!

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  John 11:25-26 NKJV

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy one to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”‘ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2:22-39 NKJV

And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.  Acts 4:33 NKJV

God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ 34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’ 35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy one to see corruption.’ 36 “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.  Acts 13:33-39 NKJV

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:5-11 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:3-9 NKJV

Worship Soundtracks from RMIRiverSong on Vimeo.

“I have told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.] 2 They will put you out of (expel you from) the synagogues; but an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or Me.”  John 16:1-3 AMP

After Jesus has told His disciples “all these things” in John chapters 14 & 15, He tells them, in the opening verses of John 16, that He told them “all these things” so that they would not be offended by the persecution which would inevitably come. He had started off in John 14:1 AMP by exhorting them with these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me.”

His emphasis is on trusting the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit because they will protect and provide for you–spirit, soul and body–always–no matter what you are going through. He talks to them–and us–to focus us on God and His Word and not what we are experiencing in the flesh. He talks about Himself–the Way, the Truth and the Life; about the Father–if you have seen Me you have seen the Father; about praying to the Father in Jesus’ Name; about the Comforter and Helper–the Holy Spirit–who would be in you and with you and never leave you; about what was to come–His death–the laying down of His life and returning to the Father; about the importance, and also the benefits, of obedience and keeping His commandments; about how they–and we–would be witnesses of Jesus and everything He did and said; about the persecution that would result from our commitment to Him and our preaching of the Word.

Jesus told them, “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you. 20 Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours. 21 But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me.” (John 15:18-21 AMP)

Persecution will inevitably come to the child of God, who walks in obedience to His will and His Word. Jesus warns us about it so that we are not surprised and especially so that we are not offended by it. The Greek word translated “offended” in John 16:1 is “skandalizo”, which means “to stumble, to cause one to begin to distrust and to desert the one whom he ought to trust and obey.”

It doesn’t take much to offend some people. The devil has a real easy time with people who are not deeply connected into the Word of God–they immediately blame God, instead of the devil, for the discomfort they experience when the persecution starts. Mark 4:16-18 AMP says, “And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy; 17And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away.”

Matthew 13:21 AMP says about the man who is not solid in the Word of God, that, “when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away.” The devil uses persecution at every level to cause people to back away from God and the Truth. Even the disciples were scattered, scared and tempted to deny Jesus when He was arrested. Jesus forewarned them in Matthew 26:31-34 NIV: Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “’I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

The first purpose of persecution is to get you to get mad at God and mad at the Word of God so that you will cut yourself off from God and backslide. Jesus said, in Matthew 24:9-10 AMP, “Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.”

The second purpose of persecution is to get you to get mad at your fellow Christians and even to betray them and to turn around and persecute them along with the ungodly. There are many people who will do anything to someone else if they think it will save their own skin. They would throw their own family “under the bus” to prevent any discomfort from coming their way.

It is only those who know their God and know His Word; who have committed their lives into His hands; who have given up–lost–their own lives and found His; who trust God with their life; who can say with Paul, “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain”; who will be willing to endure the hardships of persecution for the joy of what lies before them.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.  Matthew 10:22 KJV

The Prophets Longed For What We Have Now

Praised (honored, blessed) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 [Born anew] into an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change and decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are being guarded (garrisoned) by God’s power through [your] faith [till you fully inherit that final] salvation that is ready to be revealed [for you] in the last time. 6 [You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, 7 So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed. 8 Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy. 9 [At the same time] you receive the result (outcome, consummation) of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9 AMP

All those, who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, have every reason to rejoice and praise the Father for the great things He has done for us through Jesus. By His boundless mercy, we are born anew into an imperishable inheritance, reserved in heaven for us. We are being guarded by God’s power through our faith until we get to heaven and enjoy the fullness of our salvation. This great future should give us hope and make us glad, even though we may go through trials and suffer temptations here on earth. The genuineness of our faith is being tested like gold, which is purified by fire, and will be commended by Jesus when we see him. We haven’t seen Him and yet He is real to us through faith – we love Him and believe in Him and exult with heavenly joy. At the same time, His Spirit is working in us and bringing us closer to Him.

The prophets, who prophesied of the grace (divine blessing) which was intended for you, searched and inquired earnestly about this salvation. 11 They sought [to find out] to whom or when this was to come which the Spirit of Christ working within them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow [them]. 12 It was then disclosed to them that the services they were rendering were not meant for themselves and their period of time, but for you. [It is these very] things which have now already been made known plainly to you by those who preached the good news (the Gospel) to you by the [same] Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Into these things [the very] angels long to look! 1 Peter 1:10-12 AMP

The prophets who prophesied about Jesus – His life, death, burial and resurrection – prophesied by the Spirit of God; not by their own will. 2 Peter 1:20-21 AMP says: “[Yet] first [you must] understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of any personal or private or special interpretation (loosening, solving). 21 For no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it [to do so — it never came by human impulse], but men spoke from God who were borne along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit.”

The Spirit of Christ worked in them and predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. They searched and earnestly inquired and sought to find out who the Messiah was and when He would appear, but it was revealed to them that it was not for them or for their time period. How blessed are we, that we should be so privileged to live in this Church dispensation! What a privilege we have, to not only be able to have seen the fulfillment of these prophecies, which have already taken place, and passed down to us by those who actually walked with Jesus; but to be recipients of God’s grace and to experience the brand new heart that King David and the prophet Ezekiel spoke of!

Even the angels long to look into these things and experience what we experience, but they cannot. We are the redeemed of God! How truly blessed we are! Words could never express the blessing and privilege of this new life: being washed in His blood, the forgiveness of sin, sin having no more power over us, walking in His grace and resurrection life, filled with His Spirit, seated in heavenly places with Jesus, anointed with power and authority, children of the Most High and welcomed into His family.

For all that God has done for us – the least we can do is to fully appreciate what we have and to serve Him with all of our heart. We are purchased with the precious blood of Christ! He is holy and so we must be holy, too.

So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed. 14 [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel]. 15 But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. 16 For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. 17 And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short]. 18 You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold, 19 But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot. 1 Peter 1:13-19 AMP

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

I predict for ’99 – a harvest of the spiritual kind
Souls plucked from the jaws of hell
As men the good news of the Gospel do tell
This is the former and the latter rain
That was spoken of by the prophets
Again and again
The glory of the latter house will be greater
Than the former – you will see
The harvest will be greater than you’ve ever dreamed
Though the world will get worse and worse it will seem
Wars, rumors of wars, only talk of peace
Droughts, weather upheavals, disease will not cease
Nations will fall and nations will rise
But it’s getting closer and you would be wise
To prepare your heart for the coming of the Lord
For He will come swiftly and with a sword
To judge the living and the dead
Sinners and those who’ve rejected Him will dread
The great white throne – where all men will see
Those who are righteous, those who are free
Rise up now, this army of the Lord
Run, run, run, with His Word
The time is short – the end is at hand
The glory of God will be seen in this land
By Rodney M. Howard-Browne
The Bible says that no man knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return, as promised by the two men in white apparel (Acts 1:9-11) the day He ascended into heaven after He was raised from the dead, but we know that God always keeps His word.  We should be always ready to meet Jesus, whether He comes first to us or we go first to be with Him.  Even though things in the world get worse, in Jesus things get better and better as we trust in Him and His word.  If your trust is not in God, you will be afraid when uncertain times come, but the good thing about uncertain times is that men begin to look for God and if we stand strong, we will be there to point them in His direction!  May God richly bless you this coming year and as you pull in closer to Him, may you know His love, joy, peace and provision in every area of your life.
God bless you abundantly. We love you.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

I John 1:1-4  (NKJ)
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have  looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life–2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was  with the Father and was manifested to us–3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

The Word of God and the message of the awesome salvation He purchased for us in the precious blood of Jesus, is a source of great joy to us  His people. This fellowship that we now have with the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, does not bring us a little bit of joy, or partial joy, but joy that is FULL. Full also means, “complete”. Jesus brings us complete joy. We don’t need any more joy  we have access to a joy that fills every aspect of our being  crowding out all other things. Christians who walk in sadness need to dwell on God’s Word and get a revelation of what it means to have a relationship with, and to be in fellowship with, Almighty God.

Isaiah 61:1-3  (NKJ)
1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor;  he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to  those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of  praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that  He may be glorified.”

This passage quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19, says that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to comfort those who mourn, to give them beauty where there once were only ashes, the oil of joy to replace mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness. Because of what Jesus did for us in His death and resurrection, we have a reason to rejoice! How good our God is to us!

1 Peter 1:8-9  (NIV)
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and  are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

We cannot see God with our natural eye, but we have felt His presence and experienced His work in our heart. We love Him and are filled with joy unspeakable  joy that cannot be adequately expressed – as He continues to touch us and change us and as we renew our minds and continue to grow in Him. Not only does He give us a new spirit – He restores our souls (mind, will and emotions) and our bodies. If we do not allow His Spirit to work in us, we will not have or experience His joy.

Romans 14:17  (NIV)
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy  Spirit,

There are so many things that try to distract us from the things that really matter. People get caught up in the “do’s” and the “don’ts” instead of focusing on the important things  God’s grace and His mercy and what HE has done for us. If we keep our eyes on the Holy Spirit, we will enjoy His righteousness, peace, and joy.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

The Greek word for faith means a firm persuasion, belief, believe, trust, trustworthiness, confidence, acceptance, fidelity and moral conviction. It means reliance upon Jesus Christ for salvation. Faith has to do with what you believe and also the strength of that belief. The word faith is also used to refer to your belief system.

Simply put, faith means believing strongly in God and believing strongly that everything that He says is true. It means to be firmly persuaded. We must have faith in the grace and mercy of God. The only way we can obtain God’s grace and mercy is by faith – we cannot work for it. If you could earn God’s grace then you would not need faith in God. Our faith is essential – not only to ensure our salvation, but in order that we may receive the fulfillment of every promise of God that has been made to us.

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring– not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.      As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed– the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead– since he was about a hundred years old– and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Romans 4:16-21 NIV

Faith is not believing in God only — faith is believing in God without wavering. Faith calls those things that are not as though they are! Faith agrees with the Word of God and not with what we see or feel. Faith speaks the Word of God only — not doubt and unbelief. If you swing between faith and doubt then you don’t have faith at all. You can only have one or the other – not both. Doubt neutralizes your faith. Faith is only faith if you don’t have a plan B.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:6-8 NKJ

We don’t get from God the things that He has promised just because He promised them, we get them because we believe that His promises are true.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

16      But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  Romans 10:8-17 NKJ

When we believe God’s Word in our heart then we will speak it out of our mouth. Faith comes by hearing and hearing and hearing the Word of God. You will only be full of what you meditate upon. Luke 6:45 says that we speak out of the overflow of what is in our heart in abundance. And our confession must be in line with our faith or we will not get what we say we are believing for. The fruit of the work of the Spirit in our life is an increase in our faith and trust in God. The more we learn of God, the more we learn to trust Him, because He is faithful who has promised (Hebrews 10:23)!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.  2 Corinthians 2:10-11 NKJV

God loves us with all His heart. We are the crowning glory of His creation. He made the earth and everything on the earth before He made us and placed us in the middle of it. The devil hates God and he hates God’s creation. The devil tries to destroy man by trying to get us destroy each other. If we are ignorant of his devices and how he operates, then we won’t recognize his handiwork and he will be able to take advantage of us. If we are aware of his tactics and his devices, then we will recognize when he is at work and then he is in trouble because we will be able to deal with him and we will defeat him. One of the ways the devil gains the advantage over us is by stirring up strife between us. Then he manages to maintain an ongoing advantage by keeping the strife fresh in our hearts by getting us to walk in unforgiveness toward one another.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.  This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.  James 3:13-18 NKJV

Envy and selfishness are earthly, sensual and even demonic. When we are envious, covetous and selfish, then we will inevitably strive with one another. We will fight each other for wealth, power and control. This covetousness and strife open the door to confusion and every evil work. In other words, the devil has his way, imposing his will on us. The love of money and worldly goods is the root of all kinds of evil and it will destroy the covetous person in the end.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.  1 Timothy 6:5-11 NKJV

God does not want us to be destroyed and if we do not want to reap a harvest of destruction in our lives, then it is vital that we seek peace and pursue it. It is vital that we are peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. We must flee envy, selfishness and covetousness and we must pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

We must be aware that when we strive with each other, that we give the devil the advantage, but when we do everything we know to do to walk in love and forgiveness by the help of the Holy Spirit, then we close of any avenue that the devil might have had and instead, we give place to the Lord, Who will defend and protect us. The blood of Jesus and the Name of Jesus will give us the advantage over the devil and that is where we want to be. He is under our feet as long as we are submitted to God and as long as we are joined together in unity and peace with each other.

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:25-27 NKJV

Don’t be ignorant. Don’t give place to the devil. Walk in love and refuse to strive with your fellow man. Rather give place to the Holy Spirit!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”–He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”  Luke 5:17-26 NKJV

The four men (Mark 2:3) brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus to be healed. The house was so full of people that they could not get to Jesus. They could not get in the doors or the windows, so they decided to go through the roof. They ripped up the tiles and lowered their friend down right in front of Jesus. Jesus was blessed by their bold faith. He said, ”Man (Son), your sins are forgiven you.” Jesus saw their faith, manifested through their boldness and determination to get their sick friend to Him, and He healed the man even as He forgave him.

The scribes and the Pharisees were offended by this and began to accuse Jesus of blasphemy in their hearts. Of course, Jesus knew exactly what they were thinking! He said to them, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’?” Jesus did not make a distinction between healing and forgiveness. Forgiveness and healing go together. Jesus died on the cross to bring you both forgiveness of sins and healing for your body. He has power to heal you and forgive you. When you repent of your sins and you accept Jesus as Lord – you can receive your healing as the same time!

Jesus said to the skeptics, “So that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” — He said to the man who was paralyzed —

“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” The man stood up, picked up the bed that he lay on as he was carried in, and walked out of the house praising and glorifying God. Everyone in the house was amazed by the miracle and they glorified God too.

The Greek word for salvation means soundness, wholeness, healing, preservation, deliverance, and provision. All the goodness of God is wrapped up in the finished work of the cross.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.  Isaiah 53:4-5 NKJV

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV

Jesus died and rose again to restore everything the devil stole from us – our life, our relationship with the Father, our health, our peace and our joy. On the cross, Jesus poured out His blood to heal you and to save you. You need to receive both right now.