Our Mission
…bringing the word to life in people
The mission of Living Word Ministries is to present the true gospel of Jesus Christ in such an accurate way; that it brings the word to life in people; turning unbelievers into believers and believers into faithful, mature, fruitful disciples who will in turn go into all the world, presenting the same true gospel to others in the same accurate way, bringing the word to life in them, making believers and disciples of them also.
…we are a body of truth believers, not ignorant and confused doubters. We make it our aim to bring the word to life in people and establish every individual person in the dynamic power and experience of faith and Divine encounter, through God’s revealed knowledge of His eternal truth concerning them as revealed in Jesus Christ and His gospel. Through the mirror of the word; the power and profound truth of the gospel, we motivate and mobilize ordinary people to discover themselves; their true selves; their true identity, and the true identity of their friends and their neighbors in Jesus Christ, and to impact their community and ultimately their generation by sharing with others that same true gospel that brings with it the very presence and power and blessing of Father God, as they themselves have experienced through faith and is therefore qualified to bear witness to.
Our passion in life is to help ordinary people realize the integrity of their authentic individual value based on the integrity of their true identity and so to escape the frustrating routine and ritual of a mere bonsai existence.
Our Vision
…as we have stated before, we believe the true gospel to be good news ‘for all people’ (Luke 2:10; Mark 16:15) and that God has called His ‘church,’ His ‘ekklesia’ to reach all the rich diversity of people that make up the human race, because He has brought us all forth out of one substance, Christ Himself.
Therefore we at Living Word Ministries welcome as family people of different cultural backgrounds.
- Our vision was and must be birthed through a revelation of the true gospel of God
- God’s vision and strategy for His Church, His ekklesia, his body of believers, as it is revealed in that gospel is therefore our vision.(Hab.2:2, 3)
- God’s vision and strategy will therefore guide everything we do (Pro. 28:19 & Phil. 2:2)
- God’s vision and strategy must and will therefore be communicated continually for those involved to catch it and run with it.
We are determined for every one involved with Living Word Ministries to clearly see God’s Vision and Mission Statement for us, so they may join us and come into agreement with the vision, so we may all focus our energy in that same direction and may remain in alignment with it, that it might be accomplished.
This concept is the most powerful concept, bar none, for effective and fruitful ministry.
If everyone a part of Living word Ministries do not catch God’s common vision and strategy for His Church, His ekklesia, His body of believers, we will not be able to be successful at what God Himself has called us to do.
If we clearly see and come into alignment and agreement with God’s common vision for His body of believers it will build an unstoppable momentumthat is well able to overcome every obstacle that we might face.
We are not building OUR church, BUT through revelation into God’s Word of TRUTH, the true gospel,we are joining God in building HIS church, His ekklesia, His body of believers who clearly see and promote His truth about their origin in God, their true identity, and their innocence as it was revealed in Jesus Christ, and restored to them in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. With this accurate understanding of God’s true gospel we are taking on HIS vision and HIS strategy on how to build HIS ekklesia.
I sense very strongly in my inner man that Father God has entrusted this ministry, and wants to entrust all those associated with this ministry, with the revelation of the true gospel.
You see, in the mind of God there is only one gospel and many sincere believers have tried to grasp it, but until now far too many of them have not been able to fully understand it.
Too many Christian believers live their lives barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and oh so frustrated, because the knowledge they have is either inaccurate or incompleteand therefore unable to produce the promised result in their lives.
Many of us, no, I dare say all of us can testify of a time in our Christian experience when we had a zeal, we had a desire to do something for God but it was not enlightened.
I believe God has enlightened this ministry with His truth and wants to further enlighten us with His truth so that He may work in us and through us by the truth, instead of us in our own strength trying to do something for God.
Becoming enlightened and receiving revelation from God into HIS eternal TRUTH as it was revealed in Jesus Christ is therefore the main quest and focus of Living Word Ministries.
In Romans 10 Paul writes about the Jews, how they also had a zeal for God, he knows because he used to be one of them, they used to be engaged in all kinds of religious programs and endeavors, but it was not enlightened because they were still trying to promote a righteousness that is based upon works, instead of a righteousness that was of and from God.
Their whole zeal, the righteousness they tried to promote, it was not inspired by God, it was not the working of God both to do and to will within them, it wasn’t born of faith, I mean it was simply their religious zeal, it wasn’t actually something God was doing by His Spirit and His truth in and through them.
I believe God has entrusted this ministry, and wants to entrust everyone associated with this ministry with truth, HIS TRUTH, truth from HIS perspective and therefore an experience in Him that will ignite the hearts of every confused or casual believer we come in contact withno matter what so called ‘church’ they are a part of. I say so called ‘church,’ because there really is only one church, one ekklesia, and that’s HIS; HIS body of BELIEVERS.
Far too many that call themselves Christians, and are supposed to be a part of the body of Christ, His body of believers, have become sluggish in their walk with God but God wants to wake them up to their potential, through the truth we preach; HIS TRUTH.
Their potential in God’s eyes are not measured by their past performance, past experiences or man made philosophy and religious doctrine, it is measured by the image and likeness of God in them, and by the grace of God on their behalf; it is measured by the life and nature of God in them, by that grace of LIFE that God has deposited within them.
God has entrusted this ministry with HIS TRUTH,and wants to entrust everyone associated with this ministry with His TRUTH, so that in our mission to reach out to people God can release their potentialthrough His very truth of their true identity, who He sees them to be, and who they have been designed and redeemed to be.
God has given us a divine strategy that is linked to the potential of that grace of TRUTH that He deposited within this ministry. He wants believers everywhere, indeed all men everywhere, to see, believe and promote HIS true gospel.
God wants His ekklesia, his body of believers who see His TRUTH, who understand His true gospel to reach the world with the same truth, with the same true gospel, but He knows that in order for us to be able to do that successfully we also have to receive a deposit from Him in our spirits.
That deposit only comes through a revelation of THE truth, and time spent fellowshipping with God in and around that self same TRUTH.
God has deposited the revelation of His word, of His true gospel in this ministry; the Spirit of TRUTH himself, the anointing, into our hearts, and God wants to deposit that revelation of His word; that Spirit of TRUTH himself, that same anointing, in the hearts of all those associated with this ministry.
He wants to deposit that measure of life and power and “dynamos” through us to them, to equip them to do the work of effective ministry to others.
I want you to see very clearly that our strategy will not just be to get involved in a pattern of religious programs and activities otherwise we, like others, will also find ourselves still ineffective, kind of just following along a religious theological or doctrinal path, or following along with whatever is happening in Christianity and in the area, and here we will be, we will find ourselves also just doing our, mostly ineffective, religious little bit along with everyone else.
I believe God’s strategy for this ministry is much bigger than that, God doesn’t want us to go out into our areas, just with a weak little effort of our own making to try and show ourselves and then to be able to say: “Well here we are, praise God, and now we’ve touched this area also,” when in fact we’ve really TOUCHED very little of it.
God’s strategy really is much bigger than that. I believe God’s strategy is wrapped in HIS passion
God is sending this ministry and wants to send everyone associated with this ministry into this whole area and other areas also, around the world, with a burning necessity in our spirits that He himself has awakened in us by His Word of TRUTH; by the truth of HIS gospel; by the truth of HIS eternal purpose and desire for all people, and by the working of the Holy Sprit in our hearts.
The only way we will get there is if we as Living Word Ministries, we as a people, as a body of believers in God’s TRUTH become knitted together in our hearts with the true gospel of God, with the vision of the Spirit of God that comes from insight into the word of God, with revelation that enflames us with a zeal that is of Godand not of our own making, of our own energy and efforts alone, and this then is what we will wholeheartedly pursue in this ministry.
Listen, God doesn’t just want people to make a confession of faith in Jesus and commit to come to a ‘church’ building, to be part of our exclusive club.
He wants them to come to the full knowledge of Him through the knowledge of THE truth; HIS truth.
He wants them to see and understand the length and breadth, the height and depth of His love so they may be able to experience Him for whom He really is, their true Father, and enter in to intimacy with Him for themselves.
He wants them to come to such an accurate knowledge of THE truth that it sets them free.
He wants them to see the mystery that has now been revealed to His saints, and to this ministry, with such a degree of clarity that they will get radically saved in their souls and in their hearts and on fire with passion for Jesus, with the TRUTH, God’s eternal truth about the origin, true identity and redemption of all people burning in their hearts also.
He wants to so impact them with eternal realities that they can never again be satisfied with just a natural life.
God wants to so touch them by His Spirit and fill them up with Himself and give them such an experience in their spirits that they will become a witness of God’s reality to all around them.
So, as we reach out in our local areas we are aware of the fact and acknowledge the reality that God does have believers in that area, whether they already go to a ‘church’ or not, people that have been touched with a version of the gospel, whether it be watered down or not, it doesn’t matter, they never the less have been exposed to the gospel in some degree or another, but there is still something within them that lies dormant, that needs to be awakened, there is still something missing in their understanding and therefore in their lives,they may not even know about or be aware of it; they may not be able to put their finger on it, but there is still something missing.
Hey listen; there are experiences with God they haven’t come into yet. There are areas of their understanding that needs to be enlightened, areas that remain darkened and that have robbed them. It has kept them from experiences in God, from their full potential in God.
God has called this ministry, and wants everyone associated with this ministry to reach out to these people and build meaningful relationships with them.He wants us to establish repoar, meaningful contact with them, in the Spirit, not just in a casual way, on a natural friendship level, that too, but He has called us to impact them in the spirit, not blow them away and offend them, no, but minister to them, touching their hearts by sharing with them their value before God, sharing with them eternal TRUTH that will liberate them and touch them deeply because it comes straight from the heart of God,I’m talking about God’s love for them, the eternal purpose and desire of God for them, their worth and value in God’s eyes, the very things God has entrusted this ministry with, new creation realities, their potential in God through what His faith reveals about them in Jesus Christ.
There are six essential truths we are constantly going to emphasize in this ministry, and share with those people we are reaching out to, not because we want to now become dogmatic about our approach, but because I sincerely believe, and know from the Word of God and personal experience, that these truths can open up to every person that believes the realm of encounter with God, and of adventurous living and effective ministry God has in mind for His ekklesia, His body of believers who see and promote HIS truth. Our walk with God doesn’t have to be dull!
These are those six essential truths we always focus on in this ministry:
- The integrity of the Word. The real value of our faith is in what we experience in our spirits, not just in the moral standards we present to this world. Many people say they believe the Bible, but until that belief becomes so real to them and in them that it results in a daily practical experience of God’s reality and nearness in their lives their faith means nothing.
- That’s what revelation knowledge is all about, insight, understanding; “Suniemi” in the Greek, it means a junction as of two streams coming together. You see it’s more than an intellectual knowledge; it’s a flowing together where God himself reveals His heart to you, and you and God begin to flow together from the same heart.
- Righteousness, the whole revelation of the eternal purpose of God for man, accomplished in Christ Jesus, I’m talking about the quality of relationship we can now enjoy and the quality of life we can now live because of what God restored to man in Jesus Christ.
- New Creation realities, everything man was created to be and was designed for and is now released to be in Christ; I am talking about ruling in life over yourself, devils and circumstances; being seated with Christ in Heavenly Places in a place of authority and security, a place of peace; I am talking about the fact that our life is now hidden with Christ in God; about the fact that Christ is our life; that in Him we live and move and have our being.
- Living beyond sin, sickness, poverty and defeat, sin shall not be your master because you are not under law but under grace; in His death we all died and have been raised to newness of life in Him. By His stripes we are all healed and we have been given real authority over sickness and disease and over all the power of the enemy. If God is for us who can be against us. If He did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all how will He not also NOW freely give us all things? I will never leave you nor forsake you. Look at the birds of the air… are you not of much more value than they?
- The strategy challenge that God sees for His ekklesia, His body of believers, of emanating and revealing the glory of God; the image and likeness of God; the nature of God on display; of making the word known, making the true gospel known everywhere; transferring the glory; awakening the nature of God; and walking in the spirit; being led by the Holy Spirit as we minister to others; operating in the gifts of the Spirit.
Therefore we are also determined to establish a follow-up ministry to people by a CD, DVD and book ministry.
We are also determined to pioneer various outreach opportunities to teach, impart and entrust the Word to others also; to transfer and implant the TRUTH in others, things like:
- Neighborhood Bible studies or cell groups
- Door-to-door ministry
- Street ministry
- School and campus ministry
- Army Camps
- Hospitals and old age homes
- Prisons
- Ministering in other churches
- Ladies and men’s meetings
- Farm-laborers
- Factory workers
- Feeding programs
- Healing Clinics… etc… Basically anything that opens doors for people to hear and receive the Word of TRUTH; the true gospel; the revelation of THEIR righteousnessthat was originally given to them and then again restored to them freely as a gift, in Jesus Christ.
We will also make every effort to coordinate stirring up ministry in local areas through puppet shows, music and drama teams, healing teams, and Word impact teams.
We are also determined therefore to establish New Testament Word and prayer cells in these areas where people will be drawn into fellowship with us, never mind which ‘church’ they go to, or even if they don’t go to a ‘church’ anywhere, they are drawn into fellowship with us through us praying for their needs, laying hands on the sick, and sharing these truths with themin our homes and theirs.
We are determined to build up healing teams and Word impact teams to help the ministry of the saints, by coming in and strengthening what they do.
We then also are determined and will make every effort to follow up in these areas through weekend Word schools that are run by the Word impact teams.
You see if truth is not sustained with the right kind of environment, with the right kind of fellowship it wears off after a while, then everybody slumps back into the rut of the religious system, just going through the motions, week in and week out, from Sunday to Sunday, meeting to meeting, and it all becomes dry and empty again after a while, boring ‘church’ as usual.
God doesn’t just want us to have a strong initial thrust and impact in an area, but He also wants us to sustain that thrust and then to launch out from that area into the surrounding areas as a strategy, and no matter what others say or think, it can only strengthen and build the body of Christ as a whole!
Hey listen, people do not have to join or be a part of Living Word Ministries in order for us to fellowship with them and impact their lives and impart to them these truths!
It is not our goal and vision to cause trouble, but the truth, as God sees it,is that every person, man, women, or child, has a right to be arrested in their inner man and impacted in their spirits by HIS TRUTH no matter what their religious affiliation is, if they have any, because they belong to Him and Him alone, and this inheritance of TRUTH God has entrusted to us is for them, and God wants us to open their eyes to it and share it with them!
…the ‘church,’ the ekklesia is a body of believers, and because they are a body of BELIEVERS in God’s eternal truth; in what God has revealed when God’s word became flesh in Jesus Christ, about the origin, design and true identity of al mankind, and about the redemption and reconciliation of all mankindto God their true Father in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they therefore individually and together as a body are the very mouthpiece of God, through which that voice of God comes; that voice of TRUTH that echoes inside of every individual person’s heart on the face of the earth, and reveals to them their true spiritual origin, design, and identity.
The word ekklesia in the Greek is made up of two words: ‘ek’ and ‘klesia’. ‘ek’ is a preposition always denoting origin or source, and ‘klesia’ comes from the root word ‘kaleo’ which means: to surname. It speaks of an urgent invitation, and implies and indicates the giving of a name to, or the receiving of the name of, it then also means: to call or salute by name. It has to do with being known by a specific identity, in other words to call or salute by ones authentic name.
In Matthew 16:13, 16-18 Simon gets the revelation that the son of man is really the son of God as Jesus introduces him to his true identity. Notice that the question was about the identity of the “son of man” not the “son of God,” thus in this passage Jesus introduces Simon to his real identity, not just Jesus’ real identity, and Simon gets the revelation that the son of man, meaning Jesus, son of Joseph, as well as Simon, son of Jona, have their origin in God and is really son of God, not son of Jona or Joseph.
Jesus said to him: Simon, son of Jona, I say to you, you are ‘cefas’ (in the Aramaic), or ‘petros’ (in the Greek), meaning a stone hewn out of, or a piece of rock, chipped from a Rock [the original Rock – Father God Himself - most every time in Scripture the term “rock” is spoken of or used it refers to Christ, or the identity of God, or to God Himself (Isaiah 51:1, Deuteronomy 32:18, 1Peter 2:5)]. Now even in science when a rock chip or piece of a stone is studied under a microscope, that chip or piece of stone carries the same molecular structure of the original rock or stone it came from.
It was in the context of this revelation; that man has his origin in God; that the son of man …not just Jesus, but Simon, son of Jona included, is really, son of God, the offspring of God that Jesus said He will build His ekklesia – His body of BELIEVERS who see and get this truth of THEIR true spiritual origin and identity.
Jesus then went on to say that the gates of ‘hades,’ from the Greek words: ‘ha’ and ‘ideis,’ literally meaning: not to see shall not prevail against His ekklesia.
(In other words, ignorance of the truth, the spiritual forces of darkness, the princes of the power of the air that have blinded men’s minds, and kept them in a cloud of deception, that which has kept people in bondage, that which has kept them bound to a natural, fleshly opinion of themselves, others and of God; that which has kept them from seeing their true origin, identity and innocence fully restored to them in Jesus Christ shall not prevail against the voice of the ekklesia, those who do see the true origin, identity and innocence of all mankind, in Jesus Christ.)
Paul says in 2Corinthians 3:18 ‘And we all now, with new understanding, see ourselves (and indeed all other people – 2Corinthinas 5:14-18) in Him, in Jesus Christ, in a mirror, (Jesus Christ and his work of redemption is our mirror in which we see ourselves;) thus we are changed from an inferior mindset about ourselves and one another, and an inferior life, to the revealed opinion of our true origin – Him, God our Father.’
This revelation leaves us with no other option, no other conviction or persuasion, as we discover His true identity and ours also by looking into His face, and we discover our innocence restored in his death burial and resurrection, we come to God’s intended conclusion concerning who we really are and we suddenly realize that God is indeed a living, personal presence who has come very near to us, and brought us very near to himself in Jesus Christ, and not some piece of chiseled stone, or a mere concept, a figment of our imagination.
And seeing that God is now suddenly so personally present in our hearts and lives, a living Spirit, that old constricting legislation and legalism that made up our religion and that we tried to live by, is now recognized as obsolete.
We discover and find ourselves free of it!
All of us who have come to see and believe this truth God has revealed about Himself, His love and acceptance of us, his nearness to us, and about us, our true identity innocence, and spiritual authority restored to us in Jesus Christ, find ourselves free indeed!
We find out and discover that there is nothing between us and God to separate us anymore, all we are left with is simply our own faces, shining with the brightness of His face! That is the very essence of Christianity and the very essence of who we all really are, all of us, yes YOU included!
We believe that God’s gospel of truth, God’s good news about our origin, our design, our redemption and our identity in Him is ‘for all people’ (Luke 2:10; Mark 16:15) and that God has called His ekklesia, those who see and believe the truth He has revealed, to proclaim HIS gospel and so to reach all the rich diversity of people that make up the human race with His heart of love for them, because He has brought us all forth out of one substance, Christ Himself.
Therefore we at Living Word Ministries welcome as family people of different cultural backgrounds.
Facts are always disputable, but TRUTH needs no defense. Our faith does not rest upon mere logic or reason; our own mind games, but on the unquestionable truth of the Word of God, (which is something that the powers of logic and reason will never be able to comprehend,) the indisputable revelation of the eternal truth of God as it was revealed and restored to us in Christ Jesus.
Faith and love alone can worship God, reason must always wait outside. “Where is the scribe, the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” 1Cor.1:20.
What we believe about GOD OUR FATHER
We believe in one triune God who is not only the creator and ruler of the vast expanse of the entire universe, but He is also the real origin and father of the human race. God has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Gen. 1:26 & 27; 2:7; Matt. 3:16, 17 & 28:19
What we believe about JESUS CHRIST
What we believe about the HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin (missing the mark), of righteousness, and of judgment.
He is working in the hearts of people who do not yet understand and believe the truth, to convict them of missing the mark, they live in sin (constantly missing the mark) because they do not believe in Jesus as the mirror of their lives nor in His work of redemption;
He is working in the hearts of people who hear the gospel to convince them of righteousness because Jesus took His blood before His Father into Heaven itself and laid it on the mercy seat on our behalf and to our benefit to reconcile us back to God our Father (Romans 5:1);
and He is also working in the hearts of people who hear the gospel to reveal to them the judgment that took place in Jesus Christ, because in that judgment, Satan, the ruler of this world is judged already and we can all now be free from his hold over our lives.
We believe the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit is to draw people to salvation, and to indwell the believer. It is His ministry to guide people into all the truth and to give spiritual gifts to the believers to equip them for ministering to other people.
We believe that the operation of spiritual gifts and the baptism of the Holy Spirit are for all mankind as promised, although only the believers press in to enter into these things.
The purpose of spiritual gifts is to build up (to add people to and to encourage) the body of Christ, and thus to sanctify (to cleanse from sin; from missing the mark; from deception; from believing the lie; to set apart by the truth) the ‘church’; the ekklesia, the body of believers; to confirm the power and truth of the gospel.
Note: All believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit in their lives. These gifts always operate in harmony with the truth of God contained in the Holy Scriptures, and should never be used in violation of the guidelines given for it’s use in the Scriptures. God confirms His word with signs, wonders and miracles. Matt.3;11; Luke 11:13; John 7:37-39; 14:16-17; 16:7-14; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4; 8;14-17; 10:38, 44-47; 19:1-6; Rom.1:11; 12:4-8; 1Cor.12:1-31 & 14:1-40; Eph.4:11-16; 1Tim.4:14; 2Tim.1:6; Heb.2:1-4; 1Pet.4:10
What we believe about HUMAN BEINGS AND SALVATION
We believe in the “the genesis” (the birthing or bringing forth) of man into creation, the test and fall of mankind as a whole, individually, person by person, from their original design, their original glory, the glory of God, the glory, “doxa,” the intent and opinion of God, into deception, as recorded in Genesis and Romans chapter one.
Thus mankind as a whole lives in deception and a natural mindset; mankind as a whole is trapped in the natural mind, and a person still trapped in the natural mind, is a sinner, a misser of the mark, he lives outside his original design, outside of God’s intent for his life; desperately lost, confused, and deceived, without any real hope and unable to attain to righteousness by any of his own efforts. His real inner man, for all intents and purposes, lies dead and dormant, waiting like seed to be awakened by the rain; waiting to be awakened by the word of life; waiting to be brought forth by the word of truth which imparts the life giving faith of God to him. James 1:18, 21; Rom. 10:17;
‘For by grace are we saved through faith and that not of ourselves it is a gift from God.’ Eph.2:8;
‘We are begotten again (brought forth anew), not though corruptible seed but of incorruptible revelation, though the word of God (the eternal TRUTH of God) which lives and abides forever.’ 1Pet.1:23;
‘To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded (true, original, spiritual identity minded) is life and peace.’ Rom.8:6;
‘For there is no difference; for all who have sinned (missed the mark – believed the lie, fell into deception) and fall short of the glory ‘doxa,’ the intent and opinion; the original design of God, are freely justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.’ Rom.3:22-24;
‘Grace and TRUTH came through Jesus Christ.’ John 1:17
The word sin in its simplest form is from the root word - 'hamartia' which literally means: to miss the mark.
In 1John 3:5-9 it says that "whoever abides in Him does not sin..." and then it goes on to say that: "whoever sins has not known Him."
So, therefore, to sin - to miss the mark, has everything to do with not knowing Him and not abiding in Him.
Now how do we abide in Him?
Verse 9 has the answer: "whoever has been born of God (born of His TRUTH – believed His TRUTH) does not sin, for (because) His seed (His Word, His TRUTH) remains in him"
So once again: to sin - to miss the mark, has everything to do with God’s seed, His incorruptible seed; God’s word of TRUTH remaining in us or not remaining in us.
God's TRUTH about us, His word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, original creation as well as redemption realities, the word of righteousness, is His seed.
"We have been begotten again (brought forth anew) from above by (listening to, welcoming and receiving, by believing) the incorruptible seed (the truth) of the word of God." 1Pet.1:23;
So, to sin - to miss the mark, has everything to do with being lost, confused, and deceived,not seeing straight;
it has everything to do with ignorance; or a lack of knowledge; a lack of revelation; a lack of understanding or insight into the word of God (the word of truth), the truth about your original design; about your true identity - your aim is off, or what you see is off, you are deceived, you are simply not seeing straight because you are deceived, you are not focused or aligned correctly with the target…
And what is the target?
Accurate faith; accurate truth; revelation of the word of truth; revelation of your original design; your real identity in Him is the target.
You can't shoot straight if you can't see straight.
You can't hit the target if your sight is messed up.
Jesus said in Matt. 6:22 & 23 "The lamp of the body is the eye… (your focus; that which you see with; your insight and revelation; your faith).
He goes on to say: “If therefore your eye is good (clear... if therefore your revelation is accurate, or clear; your understanding is clear or accurate; your faith is pure or accurate) your whole body will be full of light (hitting the mark).”
Then he said: “But if your eye is bad (if your eye is evil - an evil heart of unbelief, a badly lost, confused and deceived state - missing the mark), your whole body will be full of darkness (ignorance, confusion, weak faith, inaccurate faith, incomplete faith, deception, sin - missing the mark,).”
He ends of by saying: “If therefore the light? that is in YOU (your so called perception or perspective, your supposed understanding of yourself and of life, your particular knowledge or deception about your true identity, your inaccurate or incomplete faith that is in you) is darkness - if it's deception, missing the mark, how great is that darkness indeed!"
That is why we need to be begotten again or brought forth anew by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him;
we need accurate insight into the truth of our original design and makeup, our true identity.
Jesus said that only revelation or insight into the truth will set you free.
Free from what?
Free from a life trapped in the carnal mind; …from an inferior existence in a mere natural mindset; free from deception; free from sin - free from missing the mark; free from not seeing accurately; free from falling short of the glory, ‘doxa,’ we were originally designed for - God’s original intent for our lives; God’s opinion of us.
Revelation knowledge is hitting the mark and ignorance, deception and unbelief is missing the mark.
“Whatever is not of faith is sin” Rom.14:23
Faith hits the mark and whatever is not of faith misses the mark.
"Without faith (outside of faith; outside of accurate insight or understanding into God's truth about us) it is impossible to please God" Heb.11:6
Not believing God’s truth about us is an insult to God; calling Him a liar. How can you insult God and Him be pleased with you? God is pleased when you believe His truth about you.
Paul said "the life I live now, I Iive by the faith of the Son of God" not my own faith, His faith.
The Bible says it's from faith to faith - from His faith to my faith - His faith becoming my faith. Rom. 1:17;
Only God's faith hits the mark and when His faith becomes my faith then I too hit the mark.
And as 1John 3:9 puts it: "Whoever has been born of God (born of His word, born of His faith; got their faith from Him, by hearing and believing His word) does not miss the mark
(he does not sin - miss the mark, or continue to be deceived, living in sinful actions that constantly miss the mark), for (because) His seed, (His word, His faith,) remains in him; and he cannot sin - miss the mark, (He cannot continue to be deceived, living a life of missing the mark; living a life of actions that constantly misses the mark - insight and understanding obliterates darkness, confusion, ignorance, lack of understanding, and deception)
“…for His seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he has been born of God (he got his faith form God; he believes the word of God; the truth of God)"
...and whatever is born of faith pleases God, whatever is not of faith is sin - missing the mark, and whatever is of faith cannot sin, it cannot miss the mark, it cannot continue in a life of missing the mark, for whatever is born of faith; born of God’s word; born of God’s truth hits the mark! Do you get it yet?
Rom. 8:1 & 2 "There is therefore now (now that we see and believe and are set free by the truth) no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus –
(we are in Christ Jesus, in HIS state of being, in HIS faith, in His understanding of THE TRUTH; in a place of constantly experiencing freedom from condemnation, by abiding in the accurate revelation of the word of truth, the accurate revelation of who we really are, who we were designed to be, who God intended for us to be from the beginning; we are abiding in the accurate revelation of our true identity, revealed in Him)
Paul goes on to say: “…for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (abiding in the accurate understanding of the word of truth about who we really are) has set me free from the law of sin and death – from missing the mark; from death (from the bondage I used to live in; the darkness that used to be in my life; the habits and things that used to rule me; the ignorance I used to live in, being separated from the life of God; spiritual death; living in the confusion of inaccurate and incomplete faith; living in a deception that produced no real life).”
Thank God for an accurate understanding of the word of truth about our true identity that produces spiritual life, eternal life, everlasting life, salvation, wholeness of being - it is a never ending source of life - it produces a more abundant life, life in the Spirit, life to its fullest, a totally fulfilled life. Hallelujah!!! Eph. 2:1-13
Now, just to keep the record straight, what we teach is not new age teaching or sinless perfection or any other label people might want to label us with.
We are not Jesus or God. We may be of the God kind, we may be His offspring, we may have our origin in Him, we may come from Him, (just as the Scripture also bear witness to in Psalm 82:6; Acts17:25-29; Hebrews 2:10-12) but we are not Him, just as much as your child is not you. There is a God and we are not Him. We worship Him, not ourselves. We submit to the Lordship of Jesus, to God the Father and to the Holy Spirit, not to ourselves… …and as far as sinless perfection is concerned, every one of us still has the ability to sin, but I prefer not to. You can continue sinning if you want, but as for me, I prefer not to continue in sin, and if, not when, as John says in 1John 2:1, if I do sin, if I blow it …hey listen I will be the first to admit that I might blow it by accident; I will immediately escape into the truth and declare my freedom from that thing trying to put me in bondage. I will thank Father God for the blood of Jesus which represents my freedom and I will boldly confess that the devil has nothing in me and that his power over my life was broken at the cross and that I will not allow him to have power over my life. I will resist him steadfast in the faith and as the scriptures clearly says: “he will flee from me.” The truth will set me free, I will continue to claim and stand in my liberty in which Christ has set me free, and God himself will confirm and back up His word with the necessary power in my life. My life is hidden with Christ in God.
What we believe about the JUDGEMENT TO COME
We believe in the bodily return of Jesus to judge the living and the dead by their reception or rejection of His word of truth; the resurrection of the dead; the eternal abundant LIFE of the saved, reserved for them in Heaven, and the eternal separation from God, torment, and damnation of not only Satan and his angels, but also all those who are still lost, trapped in darkness, spiritual blindness, confusion and deception, those who prefer the lie over the truth; who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
The Bible makes it clear that an abundant life lived and enjoyed with God in Heaven is the eternal dwelling place of all those who believe and love God’s eternal truth.
“Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality” Rom.2:7;
The Bible also makes it clear that spiritual blindness, confusion, deception, utter spiritual darkness and the lake of fire itself is the eternal, permanent, tormenting dwelling place of all those who are under the sway of the wicked one, for they have no excuse before God; they are deceived because they are self-deceived; they prefer the darkness over the light and suppress God’s eternal truth in unrighteousness.
They continue to walk in the futility of their own minds, having their understanding darkened and being alienated from the life of God, which He had intended for them, because of the hardening of their own hearts; they have given themselves over to the carnal deceived mind. Eph.4:17-19
Romans 2:8 says of them that their self-seeking ways, their love of the carnal deceived mind, their natural mindedness, have brought them to the place of utter rebellion against God and they do not therefore obey the truth of their original design, their true identity, but they rather prefer carnality, self deception, and obedience to unrighteousness. Their choices allow deceitful desires and all greediness to rule and enslave them. He says tribulation and anguish will be the portion of every soul that does this; they will at the end of it all because of their own choices receive their just indignation and wrath; they will be eternally, consciously, tormented together with the devil and the fallen angels in the lake of fire. Matt. 24:30 &31; 25:41; John 5:24; 1Cor.15:42-44 & 50-58; 1Thes.4:13-18; 2Thes.1:7-10; Heb.9:27; Rev.20:4-6 & 11-15; 21:8
FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE GODHEAD OR “TRINITY”
In speaking of the Godhead (often referred to as the “Trinity,” although the word “Trinity” itself is not found in the Scriptures), we err in saying that Jesus “is the Father,” or that the Holy Spirit is only another manifestation of Jesus.
Jesus is God. John 1:1; 20:28. Acts 20:28 notes that the church; ekklesia; the body of believers, was bought with the blood of God. Rom. 9:5 tells us that Christ is the natural descendant of the patriarchs of Israel and that He is “over all, the eternally blessed God forever;” “yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him.” 1Cor.8:6.
Jesus Christ and God the Father are two distinct persons. Jesus was not praying to himself when He prayed “our Father;” and notice He said: “OUR Father,” INCLUDING HIMSELF WITH HUMANITY.
Also, if Jesus was asking himself to “let this cup pass from me” in the garden of Gethsemane, He would have been psychotic, not savior!
In Rev. 5:1-12 Jesus is referred to as the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah, and the root of David, and He is the one taking the book. Now if He is taking the book, then who is on the throne whose hand He is taking it out of? Now this is definitely inconsistent with the “Jesus Only” teaching, also is Col.3:1, for Jesus is not sitting on the right hand of Himself, and in Acts 7:55-56 Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit has his spiritual eyes opened and sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God the Father who is sitting on the throne. Also in Matt.3:16-17 Jesus standing on the bank did not deceive the crowd by throwing His voice out of Heaven, no, the Scripture make it clear that it was God His Father’s voice.
Can Jesus lie, can God be untrue? No He cannot and will not deceive us, yet we must believe that He is lying if we believe the “Jesus Only” doctrine.
Yes, Jesus is indeed God, but He is not God the Father, nor is He God the Holy Spirit. He is God the Son.
Further New Testament proof that Jesus is God can be found in Tit.2:13 “…APPEARING of our GREAT God and Savior, Jesus Christ” and it is also written in Heb.1:8 “But to the SON He (God the Father Himself) says; ‘Your throne, O GOD…”
Yet the Scripture do indicate that even though Jesus is God, and even though Jesus is Lord, and that God the Father put all things in subjection to Him, He himself is still subject to God His Father who holds the final authority over all things 1Cor. 15:24-28. Eph. 1:17 says that God the Father is also “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory”
Now concerning the Holy Spirit, He also is called “God” in Acts 5:3, 4 & 9. Anyone that can be lied to, grieved (Eph.4:30) etc, has emotions, intellect and moral perception, these more than constitute a person rather than a thing. It goes without saying that the spirit of a person is the very hallmark of personality.
Jesus, speaking of the Spirit in John 14:16 says that the Father will give us “another HELPER.” The word “another” in the original Greek is ‘allos’ denoting, ‘another of the same sort, or the same substance, equal,’ as opposed to ‘heteros’ whish is ‘qualitatively different, of a different sort.’ (W.E. Vine).
Concerning the readings in the King James Version that refer to the Holy Spirit as “which” instead of “who” as in all the other versions (Rom.5:5 and others). The Holy Spirit is specifically called “He” in the newer translations (seen especially all through John 14 & 16).
The Greek word ‘pneuma’ is neuter gender, “it”, yet the grammar used violates the normal usage of the word by using the masculine pronoun when referring to the neuter ‘pneuma,’ letting us know that what would otherwise be called an “it,” is in fact a person; “He”.
Lastly, an inanimate object or “force” cannot ever be said to be “Holy.” Forces may do either good or evil things, but can never be said to be intrinsically holy. Such is the Holy Spirit indeed!
We do not believe in three Gods, but one God. Not three Fathers, but one: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit …not listed in order of importance, but in the order of their revelation to mankind. Three distinct personalities, but one God. How can three be one, it is irrational!? Someone may object. Mathematics is the most logical and rational of all sciences. There are no variables, no two answers, only absolutes, that means; single correct answers. one plus one plus one equals three, but one times one times one equals one. When considered individually, three, but when considered collectively, one. (Neither “dividing the substance, nor confounding the Persons.” – Athanasian Creed.)
Deut. 6:4 says: “Behold, oh Israel, the Lord your God is ONE.” There is only one God. A more accurate term for “Trinity” would be the “Tri – Unity” of God. There are two words in the Hebrew language used for the word “ONE.” The first is the word ‘echad,’ which means “unity, united, one in unity.” This word is used in the Scripture that speaks of “and the two become ONE flesh.” The second word is the word ‘achad,’ which means “one way or the other, one and only one.” Now this word “achad” is never used when the Scripture says “the Lord your God is ONE.” ‘achad’ is never used to relate to God’s nature, it is always the word ‘echad’ that is used – ONE IN UNITY. All the following scriptures demonstrate that there is only one God: Isaiah 43:10; 44:6 & 8; 45:5. In fact the Scriptures makes it very clear that THERE ARE NO OTHER GODS, THEY SIMPLY DO NOT EXIST, these gods are just figments of our imagination, blocks of stone, gold, or silver.
There are many Scriptures that refer to the triune person of God and we have already looked at some of them, but let’s approach the tri-unity of God in an exploratory way:
IF IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD AND IF IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT THERE ARE THREE PERSONS AND IF IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT THESE THREE PERSONS ARE CALLED GOD – THEN LOGICALLY AND THEOLOGICALLY THE THREE ARE THE ONE GOD WHETHER WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT OR NOT.
Having already shown in the scriptures that the Father is God, that Jesus is God and that the Holy Spirit is God, let us now look at the mystery of “Jesus who is called Christ” Matt.27:17. The gospel of John was written specifically that we may believe that “Jesus is the Christ…” John 20:30.
The name JESUS was received at the incarnation and refers to His humanity. Matt.1:21. The term MESSIAH or CHRIST (in the Greek language) refers to Jesus as the descendant of David who would eternally sit upon the throne of Israel as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises. For this very reason, much of Paul’s ministry was spent powerfully refuting the Jews in public, demonstrating from the Old Testament Scripture that Jesus was the Christ, the very fulfillment of the promised Messiah to the Jewish people. 2Tim.2:8.
In 1Tim.2:5 He is also called “the man Christ Jesus.” The incarnation was a fact, not merely religious theory. It is a fact that is essential to mankind’s salvation. Jesus had to be man in order to save man. It required a sinless man in relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit to save men. It took the man, JESUS CHRIST.
Some say that Jesus had a “dual nature.” What? That would mean that Jesus had a split personality. Emphatically not! How absurd!? He did not live two separate lives, one for His human side and one for His Divine side, He lived one life, human, and yet Divine. Jesus was and is 100% man and yet 100% God. He lived one life, not one secular and one sacred, in Him the sacred was ordinary and even the ordinary was sacred.
Jesus is called “son of God” and “son of man”. These titles are used to reveal both aspects of His single nature. The son of God became the son of man, so that the sons of men might have the right restored to be the sons of God. When Jesus came to earth, He brought God down to man. When He ascended to Heaven, He took man up to God. He was obedient unto death, not as God, since God cannot be disobedient or even be tempted to be disobedient, but as a man. Therefore, when God highly exalted Him, His exaltation was not because He was God, but because He was an OBEDIENT MAN, fulfilling all the law. Thus legally, because of this OBEDIENCE of Jesus UNTO DEATH, fulfilling all the legal requirements of the law; it was because of this that God has exalted all of humanity. Jesus is our great representative. Through the obedience of the one, the many were made righteous. Rom.5:19.
Of all God’s creatures, man alone has the unique distinction of being brought forth out of God, bearing His image and likeness.And therefore when God brought the revelation of Himself to man by expressing Himself in a man – Jesus Christ, He automatically also revealed man’s true identity. God has always intended for man to share His nature and His identity, to enjoy His life, eternal life, abundant life together with Him. 1Pet.1:3-5; 2Pet.1:1-4.
This revelation is truly humbling.
Are we making too much of man? No. Listen, we can never make more of man than God made of him by becoming man! That God could become man and still be God reveals how truly like Him we really are. Heb.2:11, 17; Acts 17:26-29.
These thoughts are not heresy, or any other label men may want to put on them. Someone may be wrong in a million other areas, but if he believes one thing correctly, that one thing cannot be wrong just because everything else he believes is wrong. Things aren’t wrong either just because of the character of the person who believes in them or the fruit/fruitlessness of their ministry. Paul said: “We can do nothing against the truth only for the truth” 2Cor.13:8. Things that are wrong, are wrong because the Word does not teach them and things that are right are right even if the devil should believe them. Just because it was the devils who first recognized Jesus as the “holy one of God” (Luke 4:34), does not mean that He is not just as they said. At the time they even had more “revelation” than any of Jesus’ own disciples.
We must side with the Word of God, and not care whom that joins us to or whom that separates us from. In this we are indeed “orthodox,” particularly with reference to the nature of God, the person and work of Jesus Christ in the redemption of man, the Holy Spirit, and the origin, make up, true identity, potential and final destiny of man.
Orthodoxy is defined as: ‘The definitive, absolute, conclusive, undisputed, authoritative truth that is essential to our salvation.
What we emphasize
... “It is the mystery surrounding Jesus Christ, the truth about Him, and what God has to say to all of us through Him that we reveal, make known, emphasize, declare and proclaim, warning and teaching (instructing) every person we come in contact with, arresting their minds with the truth, God’s truth and His reality about their true identity. We do this, we bring the word to life in them in all God inspired wisdom, the wisdom of truth, in order that we may present every single person perfect and complete in Christ Jesus, God all the while working with us confirming the preaching and teaching of His word of truth with signs, wonders, healings, miracles and all the rest of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.
To this end we then also labor, as individuals, and together as a body, with much God inspired passion, and power, according to His working within us by His word of truth; the powerful life-changing TRUTH of HIS true gospel, and by His Spirit of truth and power.” Colossians 1:28
Why we worship the way we do
We are inspired when we study the scriptures and discover that others who believed in God worshiped Him with all their heart in total freedom of expression therefore we also allow freedom of expression during praise and worship in our meetings, believing and knowing that Father God wants true worshipers to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The following questions/answers will help you understand what the Bible says about worship:
Why do we worship God?
“You shall WORSHIP the LORD your GOD, and HIM ONLY shall you serve.” Matt.4:10b.
How should we worship God?
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God IS SPIRIT and those who worship Him must worship Him IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.” John 4:23-24.
“For we are the circumcision who worship God IN THE SPIRIT, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Phil.3:3.
“For God is my witness, whom I serve WITH MY SPIRIT in the gospel of His Son” Rom.1:8
Why do we stand to sing?
“Then the Levites… of the children of the Korahites, STOOD UP TO PRAISE the Lord God of Israel WITH VOICES LOUD AND HIGH” 2Chron.20:19.
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, STANDING before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and CRYING OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” Rev.7:9-10.
Why do we clap our hands?
“OH, CLAP YOUR HANDS, all you peoples! Shout to God with a voice of triumph” Ps.47:1
Why do we lift our hands?
“Thus I bless you while I live; I will LIFT MY HANDS in your name” Ps.63:4.
“LIFT UP YOUR HANDS in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord” Ps.134:2
“Therefore I desire that men pray everywhere, LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS, without wrath and doubting.” 1Tim.2:8.
Why do we have audible praise unto God?
“BLESS the Lord, o my soul; and ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, BLESS His Holy name.” Ps.103:1.
“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the SACRIFICE OF PRAISE to God, that is, the FRUIT OF OUR LIPS, GIVING THANKS to His name.” Heb.13:15
“After these things I heard a LOUD VOICE of a great multitude in heaven, SAYING, ‘Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power to the Lord our God.’ …And I heard, as it were, THE VOICE of a great multitude, AS THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS and THE SOUND OF MIGHTY THUNDERINGS, SAYING, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns.’” Rev.19:1, 6.
Why do we sing choruses as well as hymns?
“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING AND MAKING MELODY FROM YOUR HEARTS to the Lord.” Eph.5:18-19.
Why do we sing in tongues and in English?
“For if I PRAY IN TONGUES, MY SPIRIT PRAYS, but my understanding is unfruitful, what is the result then? I will PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT, and I will PRAY WITH THE UNDERSTANDING. I WILL SING WITH THE SPIRIT, and I WILL ALSO SING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING.” 1Cor.14:14-15.
Why do we have speaking in unknown tongues and the interpretation of tongues in the church?
“Therefore brethren, DESIRE EARNESTLY TO PROPHESY, and DO NOT FORBID TO SPEAK WITH TONGUES.” 1Cor.14:39.
“But THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT is given to each one FOR THE PROFIT OF ALL… to another DIFFERENT KINDS OF TONGUES. To another the INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES.” 1Cor.2:7, 10.
“I WHISH YOU ALL SPOKE WITH TONGUES, AND EVEN MORE THAT YOU ALL PROPHESIED. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, UNLESS INDEED HE ALSO INTERPRETS, THAT THE CHURCH MAY RECEIVE EDIFICATION.” 1Cor.14:5.
“If ANYONE SPEAKS IN A TONGUE, let there be two or at the most three, EACH IN TURN, and LET ONE INTERPRET.” 1Cor.14:27.
What is prophecy and why do we prophesy?
“But HE WHO PROPHESIES SPEAKS EDIFICATION, EXHORTATION, AND COMFORT TO MEN.” 1Cor.14:1
Why do we dance during the praise and worship?
“You have turned my mourning INTO DANCING …you have clothed me with GLADNESS.” Ps.30:11
“Let them praise His name with THE DANCE…” Ps.149:3a
“Then David DANCED BEFORE THE LORD WITH ALL HIS MIGHT…” 2Sam.6:14
Why are musical instruments a part of the service?
“Praise Him WITH THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET; praise Him with THE LUTE and HARP! Praise Him with the TIMBREL and DANCE; praise Him with STRINGED INSTRUMENTS AND FLUTES! Praise Him with LOUD CYMBALS; praise Him with CLASHING CYMBALS.” Ps.150:3-5.“And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of HARPISTS PLYING THEIR HARPS.” Rev.14:2.
Why does the whole church pray at once for specific needs?
“So when they heard that, THEY RAISED THEIR VOICE TO GOD WITH ONE ACCORD and said: ‘Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them…’” Acts 4:24
Why do we receive tithes and offerings?
“’BRING ALL THE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.’” Mal.3:10.
“GIVE and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38
“Every man shall GIVE AS HE IS ABLE, ACCORDING TO THE BLESSING of the Lord your God WHICH HE HAS GIVEN YOU.” Deut.16:17.
I was born in the country of South Africa to Pentecostal parents, who raised me in the fear of the Lord and imparted to me a rich spiritual heritage.
Just like Hannah (the Old Testament Prophet, Samuel’s, mother), who gave Samuel back to the Lord, my mother, whom I love dearly, also dedicated me to the Lord from before I was even born.
Carmen was born in Carmel California. She was raised in the Assemblies of God Church and grew up partly in New Jersey before moving with her parents to upstate NY. It was there also, still living in Cortland NY where she met me… but I am getting ahead of myself.
The apostolic work Dr. John G. Lake founded in South Africa at the turn of the previous century: “The Apostolic Faith Mission,” played a big part in my life and spiritual upbringing. For instance, at 8 years of age, on August 8, 1978, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit while attending a prayer meeting with my parents at our local church. Besides receiving the speaking in other tongues, I also learned to flow in the Holy Spirit there and to function in the gifts of the Spirit and especially in the gifts of prophecy and healing and I have been prophesying and laying hands on the sick from that early age till now.
It was not however until August 8, 1988, during my first year of national service in the South African Armed Forces that I yielded more fully to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the Lordship of Jesus and accepted Father God’s call to devote my whole life to the work of the ministry.
And so in 1989 I received a commission from the Lord while I was still attending Elyon Word Ministries (a ministry training centre in South Africa): “Make known My mysteries to all My children, no matter what their nationality or religious background is.”
It was a very intense time of impartation during which God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, granted me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him and gave me clear insight into what He has to say to mankind in the work of redemption.
This is why then, today still, I emphasize new creation realities and the word of righteousness here in Living Word Ministries.
I believe that these truths literally form the very foundation blocks of Christianity and I see them as the very substance of the New Covenant and absolutely vital to every Christian’s life.
I believe that these truths were unveiled and made known to me for a purpose: to establish every believer in their faith, and to activate them for the ministry of reconciliation entrusted to all believers by the Lord Jesus Himself just as it also says in 2Corinthians 5:18-21, one of my favorite scripture passages.
God by His Spirit has granted me a strong teaching, prophetic, and healing anointing so I may function effectively in the purpose for which this revelation was entrusted to me and this anointing then also flows freely throughout Living Word Ministries. God is truly confirming His Word with accurate prophetic words, healings, signs and miracles, and many are being released into the ministry.
Since I became a steward of the mysteries of God, I have preached the gospel and labored among Christian brethren in most countries in the southern part of Africa, in Great Britain, Europe and also here in the United States.
God also opened an effective door of ministry to me, for the sake of His word, in several African nations, and today, as a result, fifty some churches and several orphanages have been planted in the country of Malawi by the local people who saw, welcomed and believed the word of Truth, the gospel of their salvation.
It was in June of 1991 that I moved to the USA.
As I said in the beginning, Carmen and I got married on August 8, 1998, after God supernaturally revealed to me that she is the one I am to marry. I was living in Binghamton NY, and she was living in Cortland NY when we first met.
She was invited to a small storefront ministry to come hear a guest speaker from Africa speak. She expected an African, you know, the national geographic version, someone tall, dark, and handsome, and she was surprised when she found out that I was short, white and stocky, complete with freckles and all… ha… ha… ha…
But God started doing something in her heart through the preaching of the word, and she tells of how she felt the spiritual shackles of condemnation, low self esteem, and legalistic religious bondage come off as she, with tears running down her cheeks, listened to me preach the word of God for two hours... back then I didn’t know any better and wasn’t used to the American way of doing things.
In Africa we all often preached for long periods of time, and going to an all day meeting on Sunday was the norm, not the exception. We were all on fire with passion for the Lord and lived in constant revival.
Now I know y’all have tried to domesticate me from the day I came to this country, and I have complied as much as possible, but I have to warn you, I was born a lion, and once a lion, always a lion, so every now and then I have no choice but to let that lion out of the cage… he… he… he… watch out devil! We are not here to play games; we are here to tear his kingdom down!
But let’s get back to talking about Carmen and I. God put a love in Carmen’s heart for me that I still can’t get my arms around sometimes. I may not always understand how she can love me so much, but I sure do appreciate and enjoy it, and thank God every day for His indescribable gift of Salvation in Christ Jesus and for my sweet wife, the greatest gift I have ever been given in Christ Jesus besides salvation.
She has been a tremendous source of comfort and joy and blessing to me over the years, and to all who know her, a real treasure. Carmen is not only a good companion to me, but she is also my co-laborer in the work of the ministry.
God put a love in her heart for me shortly after we first met, but she had to wait on me to get the same message. It was about 6 years later before I heard God for myself and we finally got married. My only regret is that I wish I was a smarter man, and listened to the Lord much sooner about marrying my sweetpea.
But let me end with this: our life together has been one adventure after another, miracle upon miracle from the day we met, and the most exciting thing about it is that it’s just the beginning, we still have many years ahead of us for fruitful labor in the Lord