Month: June 2023

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (HCSB) ²⁵ Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

As we read this passage from The Scriptures, we see that Paul, a servant of The Master, is highlighting the difference between living according to The Spirit of The Master and living according to the flesh in which he is wrapped (better read flesh in which each of us is wrapped). The Spirit is from above, heavenly and eternally pleasing to The Father. The flesh is temporary, earthly and eternally in opposition to The Way of The Father. We have two opposing dynamics that are continuously with us who are born from women, and who are in a constant battle to be the priority of our mind, our heart and our soul. Paul let’s us know that he, like us, must be led by The Spirit at all times and must place our wicked flesh in subjection to The Will of The Spirit – which is The Will of The Father. The Master taught us to pray – not my will, but your Will, Father, be done on earth as it is in heaven. The Master mastered his own flesh and it never had control of Him and His desire to please The Father.

Paul follows the example that The Master set. Paul says follow him as he follows The Master. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that at the end of the day his assignment was to ensure that he would be found pleasing in the sight of The Master. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that his own flesh could separate him from the crown that he desired to receive. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that he was in control of his thoughts, his words, his works and the reward for his works. Paul, a man with desires just like you and I understood that discipline and strict control of his own body was key to him receiving the crown and reward that he so earnestly desired. Paul, a man with desires like you and I understood that if he did not turn away from – deny and reject – his own flesh, he would be found guilty of unfitness for The Master’s Kingdom.

Family, you and I must understand that every thought that enters our mind is not a heavenly Father righteous thought, every word that comes from our mouth is not a heavenly Father pleasing word, every action that we take is not a heavenly Father designated action, and every work of our body is not a heavenly Father approved work. We must discipline our bodies in such a manner that we will not be guilty of unfitness for The Master’s Kingdom. Many will preach righteousness but make every excuse under heaven as to why they live how they live – Unfit Preaching. Many will say that they want to enter The Father’s Kingdom but will not live like The Master lived while they are on earth – Unfit Preaching. Many will say that they are working for The Master’s Kingdom but work from a carnal – fleshly, earthly, temporary – perspective – Unfit Preaching. Many will put on the apparel for preaching and appear to be anointed but without the apparel they do NOT look like a child of The King – Unfit Preaching. The time is now that you stop living as an Unfit Preacher, for you to stop making excuses for Unfit Preachers, and for you to stop focusing on Unfit Preachers and start focusing on removing your unfitness from your life.

Paul, preaching in the power afforded him by The Master, says that we must first discipline our own self, second not allow our own flesh to rule our lives, and third put our own flesh under the rule of The Spirit that we have been given. Kingdom living begins on earth. Paul was very well aware of that, lived that everywhere he went, taught that every opportunity that he had, and greatest of all lived as a Kingdom citizen no matter the situation or circumstance that he found himself. Paul was fit for duty even though he fought with himself every day to ensure that he was in the faith – trusting, obeying and submitting to The Master. Paul was qualified but did not want to live in an unqualified and unfit manner. Family, live your daily life such that you are fit for The Master’s duty, fit for The Master’s glory and fit for The Father’s Kingdom. This can only be done when you follow The Master’s Way of living out The Truth of and from The Master’s Life!

Mark 13:12-13 (NKJV) ¹² Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who ^[e]endures to the end shall be saved.

During my morning reading of The Word, Mark 13 was the focus of my learning. As I read this chapter, I saw many nuggets within what The Master said to His disciples. One nugget that grabbed me was from v. 13 …you will be hated by all for My name’s sake… In today’s time, the world and the followers of this world only want you to focus on loving and accepting one another. They do not want you to change for the longevity of your eternal soul. If I read and have understanding given by The Holy Spirit, the teaching of this world and it’s followers is foreign to what The Master was & is teaching His disciples. These words from The World let all of His disciples of today know that we will be hated for His Name. His Name comes with power. His Name comes with authority. His Name comes with dominion. His Name comes with eternity. And His Name also comes with hatred from family, friends, foes and this foreign world. Many don’t want to be hated, but if you are His disciple, hatred comes with the territory that you have been given.

Family, be sure that you are hated for the right reason. Don’t focus on your clothes, birth connections, earthly customs, custom toys or earthly comfort; but focus on His Name. Focus on following His Way because He is The Truth and His Way is the only way to live. Don’t change or exchange His words for the comforts of this world or to be elevated by people. Focus on receiving and retaining the instructions (The Truth) that He gave us…not the instructions of a group of people, not the mixed instructions from the liar, not academic philosophies given to you by enemies, but on His unadulterated words. Focus on pleasing His Father as He did while He was wrapped in the same flesh as you. When we focus as He was focused, we will be Hated For The Right Reason!