Year of the king

Year of the king.

We have proclaimed this year, 2013, the year of the most High King.
This message is exciting and very encouraging to me. It is of utmost importance that we expeditiously grasp in totality the concept that God is our true King and Ruler. As time goes on, more and darker factions rise up under the cloak of necessity and acceptance through complacency using gradual gentle desensitization to cloud truths. These factions have worked, over time, to attempt to subvert the authority of our most high King and subtly convince even HIS people to leave HIS jurisdiction and volunteer under their own. The day has come to throw off all unrighteousness and its agents, spiritual and natural. The power to do so comes from knowing who our King, our Ruler, our Master is and following HIS commandments and orders.
Meditate on the power of this passage of scripture from John 7:16
"Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me".
So much power is derived from walking in obedience to God knowing that it is He who sends us and His message we carry to deliver.
"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon". Luke 16:13 (KJV)
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon". Matt 6:24 (KJV)
"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up". Dan 3:16-18 (KJV)

There is liberty, unearthly power and courage that comes with knowing who our true King and Ruler is.

Do not fear to offend unclean spirits.

For many, in a competitive effort to please man, to build ever larger boxes for the purposes of collecting people, collecting bill payers, share holders, and repeat customers, the corporate church has become acquiescent to the very devils they have been commissioned to cast out. The people in the pews are sheep not share holders. For how long will the fear of losing money and a customer base hold the church captive? For how long will the corporate church be seduced by convenience. It is partly because of this that now the very unclean spirits that He has given us power over have gained much power and are wreaking havoc in this nation. We cannot serve two masters. In Jesus name stop fearing to offend unclean spirits and the people that they are attached to. As these demons are avoided, skirted around, romanced, and entertained, brothers and sisters are receiving Satan’s ministry and are falling prey to abominations. The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Matt 10:7-8

We all know that if you are not willing to fulfill a role that our Father requests of you, he will raise up someone else to carry it out. It saddens me, but there is a spirit of torment coming to many church leaders. God is rising up some Davids. Isn’t it a shame that He has to raise up the likes of a chicken restaurant chain and a hobby store chain to help lead where those who were appointed to, fear to?

Step up Leaders!

In America politicians are not the leaders neither are elected government officials. They are representatives, spokes persons, they are in effect temporary actors who act as the voice for the leaders. They are in truth servants to the public, hence the term public servitude. There is NO Caesar. In America the true leaders are  the private citizens, severally and collectively. Today I am praying for our nation’s leaders to step up, to seek truth and righteousness and to stand on it and voice it. Today I am praying for my Nation’s Leaders, the barber, the cab driver, the minister, the teacher, the business man, the working mom, the younger adults, the single moms and dads, the soldier, my brothers and sisters, my neighbors, We The People!  

So that ye may Marvel

The one major thing that we consistently pray for is simply to experience an ever greater measure of God’s presence. We invite the Holy Spirit to rain down upon us and lead us. True to His word, what we ask for believing, will come to pass. On a consistent basis we have been receiving testimony from people of healings, emotional and physical. We have cried out for guidance on certain matters and he has sent messengers to guide and encourage. We have witnessed His answering of prayers. We have witnessed his Spirit fall upon groups of people young and old, resulting in a move of the gifts of the Spirit, children coming to the Lord and cleansing evidenced by weeping. He has made us aware of Him bringing us victory in numerous battles we have faced. He has opened our eyes to a multitude of instances wherein He has showed us in a beautiful manner that we are tracking in the same Spirit as some others in ministry. Not too long ago we gathered with some youth and prayed for food supply. It began virtually out of the blue. Now we have been blessed with so much food that we are able to invite people in need to come and get groceries at first and now clothing. True to his word he has blessed the store house and fills it to overflowing.

A few weeks ago my daughter suffered a head injury that resulted in a concussion and temporary memory loss. We all prayed for her continuously and on one occasion we were in a room praying and my wife Tomika walked in. Tomika said that when she did, she at first thought the room was full of smoke but realized that it didn’t smell like smoke but that it must have been some sort of mist. Our daughter has fully recovered and is doing just fine.

Friday night we were worshiping and praying in the sanctuary. Again the focus of our prayers was simply to experience a greater measure of the presence of God and his Spirit in this place, in our lives and that he begin to manifest his presence on a greater scale. We prayed for miracles so that we may marvel, so that ye may marvel. Jesus said, “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel”. John 5:20 (KJV), I Know God wants us to move in his power I know he wants His people to be miraculously healed and made whole and I believe that with that he wants us to witness and expirence miracles, signs and wonders so that we may marvel, because as we contemplate the why’s and the how’s of a miracle we become captured by the possibilities of God’s realness and are drawn into a quest for a deeper knowledge and understanding of Him and the love he has for us and most importantly we begin to grow in a relationship with Him. So that we may marvel, experience and testify to his goodness.

Saturday morning I was in the sanctuary preparing for service. I was alone, some worship music was playing I had just finished straightening some things and began to pray when my attention was diverted to one of the window seals where there were a couple of candles. As my gaze met one of the candles it seemed as though it began to flame so I went to it not completely sure of what I had just witnessed, sure enough, the candle was burning. There was a flame now when just moments before, there certainly was not. It seemed to have spontaneously lit. I stood there and marveled. Glory to God. I know an outpouring of His Spirit is on the rise.

Cleanse the Temple

In the Bibles’ New Testament there are accounts of Jesus coming into Jerusalem and entering into the temple there. When he enters into the structure he finds that men are using the temple for profit and gain by either selling merchandise or practicing banking. According to scripture, the Apostle John wrote in his gospel, “Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;  And said unto them that sold doves,  “Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise”. (John 2:13-16 (KJV)

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke also give similar accounts of the events that transpired on that day in the temple. Each account adding more pieces to the puzzle so that when one puts them all together a very detailed story emerges bringing to life a very powerful message. Jesus went into the temple and witnessed what was taking place. He disliked it so that he sought for and found the necessary materials to fashion a multi-stranded whip of small cords.  According to John he then “drove them all out of the temple”. When I read this I get the impression of Jesus meticulously weaving and tying these cords all the while carefully considering and planning his course of action. When ready, he took action and with the whip, he “drove them out”, to me this implies a level of violence was exhibited by Jesus as he passionately sought to rid his Father’s house of the merchandisers who were conducting their business therein. He drove them out with impunity and without prejudice as to the cause of the merchants, solely because they were using the temple for buying and selling.

According to Mark 11:15-18 (KJV), “And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;  And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine”.

Luke wrote, “And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, Luke 19:45-47 (KJV)

According to Matthew, “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. Matthew 21:12-14 (KJV)

Why do you still buy and sell merchandise in what you claim to be His temple? Why is there still so much emphasis put on money changing in where you claim His temple to be? Is it not to be known by all nations as a house of prayer? Are you lost, pretending or knowingly outright disobedient? Remember Jesus cast out the merchants with impunity and without prejudice to their cause, it did not matter why they were merchandising. He drove out them that bought as well. “Make not my Father's house an house of merchandise”! Did he not implore us to do as he did? I believe it is very important to note that after Jesus cleansed the temple, the chief priests and the scribes sought to destroy him because they feared him and were astonished by his doctrine. Why?, because it was righteous and righteousness was foreign to them. More importantly, however, Jesus, after he cleansed the temple, taught there daily and because it had been cleaned, the blind and the lame came in and he healed them.

 In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Paul wrote, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are”.

            We each are a temple. Make your temple worthy of the Holy Spirit. I believe that in most of us there is hiding a spirit of a merchant, a marketer, a banker. On a consistent basis they are working to penetrate our hearts and minds. These are of the world and seek to fool us into adopting their ways and misleading us to use their ways in guise of kingdom principles, such as, equating money with liberty, blessing, power, security and success. They speak to us trying to seduce us with notions like, “If you only had enough money you could be free to do this”. If you only had enough money you could be free to do that”. If I had enough money you could gain respect”, “If I had enough money I could get the car, then get the girl”, “With more money, people would think God is blessing your Church”. “Without money you are not secure”! This is done on such a level that if we are not careful we fall into a trap believing that the source of all that is pleasing, joyful and secure is rooted in wealth of money. If not careful very suddenly we find ourselves subtly shifting our focus on to money and a quest for it, so focused that we begin to lose sight of the promises of liberty, blessing, security and power in and through our creator. In this process we lose a great measure of Faith, maybe even so focused on money that we forget to think on Him first, and if we are not very careful, begin to worship money believing it to increase our status, or possibly we even fall to sin to obtain it.

“They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence”. 2 Kings 17:33 (KJV)

I am not saying that money has not been made a necessary component in some societies. I am merely re-revealing that money is an institution of man. Historically institutions of man fail. In our nation’s recent history this specific institution failed and money became virtually useless overnight. Those who had learned to put their trust in man and his institutions for their security suffered greatly, and those who had been truly taught and received the word of the Lord, to trust in the Lord believing, well they not only weathered those times but prospered because they were able to see his goodness all around them.

“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.  For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17: 5-8 

I say that if we cleanse our inner temples and those we enter into, if we carefully consider, plan and take action we can effectively “drive them out”. Once clean the blind and the lame will come to us on the streets and in our church houses to be healed and taught daily of a relationship with our Creator and His Christ, Jesus.  I am sure that in the process the world will begin to hate us but remember what Jesus said in John 15:19, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you”.

  

The world may hate us but our father will be glorified and move, Jesus’ great sacrifice will not be in vain, people will marvel at the miracles signs and wonders and turn to Him, our ministry of reconciliation will spread like wild fire. Let the world hate, it will only be for a short time. I have been immersed in his glory, I have tasted it for an instant and “It Is Good”. I assure you it is unimaginably thrilling, breath taking, electrifying, it is what he has for all those who love him, who enter into a right relationship with Him, and a place is being prepared for us in one of our Father’s many mansions for eternity.

“If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin”. John 15:22-23 (KJV)

“Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage”? Gal 4:8-9 (KJV)

A Church that focuses too much on appearances will soon become only the appearance of a Church.

Do I seek to please men?

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Gal.1:10-12

To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Gal.1: 16

It amazes me how still to this day man believes that the gospel can only be preached by and through the certification, permission, grace and instruction of men. It is by this concept that the perpetuation of longstanding deceptions persists. It is by the grace of our Creator and through revelations of Christ Jesus that this concept will come to an abrupt end.

Update- Conversation re: Corporate Church Covering

Respondent #1 - Pastor - I agree wholeheartedly that pastors should never do things out of fear of people or government. And I share your concern that the IRS regulations may be intimidating pastors. All that said, I can't agree with some of your points because: 1) Jesus told us to pay taxes -- if I carried out your thinking to its logical end wouldn't I end up saying that individuals shouldn't pay taxes wherever it contributes to something ungodly -- even though Caesar was obviously not godly? 2) Tax exemption has Biblical precedent -- from ungodly governments -- see Ezra. Since we're to be subject rulers where possible, this seems one area where it's possible -- we're following their structures, not engaging in deceit, by setting up a corporation. 3) Experientially, the last two major moves of the Lord in the U.S. were in Brownsville, and with Promise Keepers. They used the normal non-profit corporation structure. 4) I don't think Biblically that grieving the Holy Spirit is tied to fear -- in the context of Ephesians 4:30-31 it's our attitudes of bitterness and anger which grieve the Holy Spirit. The Lord bless you as you follow Him!

Response to #1 Brenden Biggs Sr. Hi Pastor,
I have been meaning to write you to tell you that on Easter I spoke of the parable of the woman with the lost coin. We handed out coins and in the spirit of the parable, hid candy at the park and sent the children to find it and instructed the adults to transfer their coins to someone that God has put on their Heart to minister the associated story to. The other day I received a phone call from a very excited lady who had sent the coin and a letter explaining the story to an acquaintance. Some weeks later that acquaintance called to thank her and to report that he had rededicated his life to the Lord.
As for the article, I’m not sure if you read it in its entirety. The article was not really about the issue of paying taxes, taxes are most often a symptom of something much more sinister at work. I believe it was more about a coup, a voluntary subjugation, about turning from God under the cloud of threat, duress and coercion. It’s more about turning from God and accepting a new king much like it was in first Samuel 8. It is about the Church in this nation accepting a deal, wealth and power for alignment. Much the same deal that Satan tempted Jesus with in Luke 4:5. The difference being, Jesus rebuked him.
In this Nation there is no King. There is no Caesar. Further, to be clear, the IRS is not a government agency both they and the Federal Reserve are private foreign banking institutions doing business in this Nation, by voluntary consent.
There is a phenomenon that exists wherein people who are captured and held hostage by their captors through fear and intimidation, after some time, become emotionally attached to their captors even to the point where they will express loyalty towards them and further, jealously and passionately defend the captors/abusers. This phenomenon is referred to as Stockholm syndrome. The people of this Nation have, in mass, succumbed to this syndrome. Many in this Nation have been set free from this debilitating psychological phenomenon. Many more each day are being set free and in Jesus name I say all those who suffer under the weight of fear and intimidation by the forces that seek to subvert the liberties this nation, be set free. The abuse must end.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Tim 1:7 (KJV)
Growing at an alarming rate, corruption and sin seem to be the acceptable norm and far more than half of the people in America claim to be Christian. God is asking “Who in my name is teaching them so”?

 
I can’t find where Jesus said, “Pay Taxes”, maybe you can help to point that out, however, If you are referring to “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's”? We already know that this scripture has been misused to purport Jesus directing people to pay taxes. In this scripture, Jesus is not really discussing an issue of paying tribute or taxes to Caesar, rather an issue of returning to him, Caesar, his property. Jesus was very purposeful and thoughtful in everything he taught. What is the lesson to be learned from Jesus demanding to see the specific tribute money? Further, pointing out whose image and superscription was on the money, then, following the revelation that it was Caesars image and superscription, saying return to Caesar what is his? This was discussed more thoroughly in the previous chapter “Message for the Nation”. The truth is Jesus admittedly taught that it was forbidden to pay tribute to Caesar.
And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Luke 23:1-3 (KJV)To the accusations Jesus replied “Thou sayest it” This was not as if to convey “So you say” but to confirm essentially Jesus’ reply in the affirmative, “It is as you say”. If it were not so Jesus would have refused to acquiesce, refuse to let false witness convict him. Jesus would have rebuked a lie.

Tiberius Caesar, by all accounts, was reported to be mad (insane). Furthermore, he was a murderer, a pedophile, a bisexual, a cruel man who took great pleasure in torturing his subjects, a man who mocked God as he claimed to be God. In that day, having a coin minted and widely distributed with the likeness and superscription of a ruler was a testament to the worldly power, control and ownership of such a ruler, a testament to his reign. It also served as propaganda to continually remind the subjects of that power and control. Caesar claimed to be God and his coins were graven images. They were requisitioned created and distributed with the intent to proclaim that power, and to him receive worship. I know that my Jesus would never have bowed down to such a man, such a philosophy. He would not have let it go unchecked. He would not have let people believe it was acceptable. He would not have acquiesced through silence. My Jesus my Lord and savior would never have done or said anything that remotely could have been construed to imply that he endorsed such a man, such a regime or the support thereof, nor would he have allowed his sheep to believe they should, not in any manner. Not then for a time such as then nor then for a time such as now. The truth is. He did not. Jesus spent much of his ministry exposing and rebuking corrupt leaders and philosophies. He left no question unanswered and no room for confusion.
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Ex 20:2-3 (KJV)

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Ex 20:4-7 (KJV)
Is not a man who pays tribute to an organization that murders thousands of innocent women and children just as responsible for the murders as the man in the organization who commands the trigger to be pulled or further, the man who pulls the trigger? Is not a man who pays tribute to an organization that subsidizes abortion, the murder and sacrifice of innocent children while they are still in the womb, just as responsible as the mother, father and surgeon who actually commit the act? Is not the man who pays tribute to an organization that mandates the acceptance of homosexuality and seeks to enforce laws requiring that such a life style be celebrated and taught as an alternative to the children of this nation, whether it be in a public, private or parochial setting. Isn’t he just as responsible as the man who actually lobbies for and enforces such laws or who partakes in such activity? Would believing that paying for such activity is not enabling the activity or aligning oneself with direct responsibility of the activity be madness in itself? Does not financing a corrupt unrighteous organization make one party to the actions, corruption and unrighteousness of the organization?
A man who pays to support a person or people group who through such support are made able to engage in the commission of sin is just as guilty of the commission of the sin as those actually committing it, especially after gaining the knowledge of the process.

If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. John 15:22 (KJV)

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Romans 6:1-2 (KJV)

Over the years I have observed a steady decline in the moral fabric of this nation of our communities. I have sat and watched people who claim to be Christian cheer the dropping of bombs or be awe stricken by the ghastly scene of tracer fire from a gunship in night vision as it strafes a group of tents in the desert night, celebrating as human flesh and body parts fly through the air and land randomly in the sand illuminated, glowing green, by their warmth. Yes, them celebrating, as if it were some sporting event. I have seen many of the reported thousands of innocent babies still borne or born in the wake of recent wars with numerous hideous birth defects directly attributed to exposure to the bi-products of modern weaponry, culminated with the release of concentrated toxins as a result of different production plants being targeted and destroyed. This considered by a Christian nation as collateral damage, acceptable loss. All this to achieve what end? Popular propaganda wants us to believe it is about liberating nations and protecting our own. Not many lies have been larger than this and because it is our children and countrymen who are put into harms way serves as no justification for the way. The truth is simply that there exists a private, foreign central bank and it uses the young men and women of our nation to fight and die in order to stabilize and protect the power of its fiat currency in regions around the world. This same currency is a debt instrument created from contract, out of thin air. To use it creates debt and the debt cannot be satisfied under the assumption that all that is given to repay the debt is more of the same currency, therefore the process is cyclical and the debt rises exponentially. This currency is called a Federal Reserve Note, we call it the dollar. It represents perpetual debt. Are there alternatives? Yes, absolutely. This issue will be addressed in more detail in a coming chapter.
All this being said I guess, for me, the answer to your first question is absolutely, positively. Without a doubt, we should never contribute to support ungodliness in any manner. If it means stop paying to support it, then we do so, without hesitation, in Jesus name shut it down. God is with us. We must remember that Satan has a ministry as well and we must be very careful not to contribute to perpetuate it we must not tithe into it.
I do realize that scripture discusses issues of following the law of the land, however, this should never be done if it leads to violating the desires of our father. It also helps to gain knowledge of what the law truly says. King Nebuchadnezzar once commanded those under his authority follow a certain set of laws that carried a stiff penality if violated. Three young lads from Judah refused to follow those laws because they knew in their hearts it violated their father God’s desires. For me, I’ll take the fiery furnace any day.
As for the rest of the points you have covered I can only say this. I am only delivering the message I believe God has put on my heart. Over the course of these last couple of years God has spoken to me many prophetic things so much of it has come to pass with remarkable clarity and attention to details that I have no choice but to believe in the truth of it. Our relationship continues to grow as does my faith, especially my faith in hearing his voice, so much so that I can take great comfort in knowing that what has not yet come to pass, undoubtedly will, exactly as He says or has said.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ not Ezra. As for God manifesting His Spirit, it is not as if he does not or will not, in truth he does. He does come every now and then to show us, in a sense, a hint of what we are missing by resisting the changes he is asking us to make. I suppose that is why he impressed upon me to relay that we would not “Fully” manifest His Spirit in the current atmosphere of the Church. He simply cannot endorse a majority of the practices that take place there.
With regards to Brownsville and the Promise Keepers I believe God said quite clearly to me “counterfeit”. He said my spirit is powerful but not disruptive or repulsive to the righteous. The fruits of my spirit are calmness, peace and self control. Rolling around on the ground laughing uncontrollably, barking like a dog and roaring like a lion are not fruits of my spirit. I asked him about the healings and he replied. Don’t be deceived. Satan can take back what he has given.
God bless you Pastor,  We love you.

Respondent #2  - The illustration you have there would be more akin to a despotic nation. To illustrate our system a little more accurately you might need to use a venn diagram (instead of a pyramid). Practical notes: 1) Incorporating provides a measure of legal protection to folks who are running the church/business. i.e. lawsuits from ill meaning individuals. 2) a 501c3 status will provide more incentive for wealthy businesses and individuals to give more thanks to tax deductions to healthy churches/organizations. The regulations on forming and maintaining a 501c3 are getting tighter due to constant abuse of the tax exempt status. Corruption flows both ways. --- Whether or not a person believes in paying tax, (income, sales or corporate), seems like a deeper subject than the paperwork involved in church formation. --- On another note, how the heck are ya?!!

Respondent #1  Thank you for your encouragement about the lost coins -- that is so exciting! Our Lord speaks to us in the book of Romans about paying taxes: Romans 13:6-7. He lives it out when he pays taxes (by his own unique method - a coin found in a fish!) in Matthew 17:24-27. I would caution against terming the Promisekeepers or Brownsville movements as counterfeit based on manifestations which didn't occur in either of those movements -- the animal noises and so on were what happened in the Toronto Blessing. (And as someone who was blessed at Toronto, and had family members who manifested that way -- I'm reluctant to call that a counterfeit!)

Response to #2 Brenden Biggs Sr.

Hey D# we are doing pretty good thanks, how are you?

You are correct it is a deep subject and one has to wade through a bit of information, much of which we covered in previous chapters. The system, in so many ways, attempts to force violations of our Father’s law and commandments given to us by Jesus. I am sure that is why regarding these matters God clearly spoke and said, “This has been justified in the minds of men and has been allowed to persist, through all manner of reasons and excuses. NONE are righteous”! God will take care of those who rest in him and after some seeking he begins to bring clarity and reveal the simplicity of it.

Jesus said let your giving be in secret.

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Matt 6:1-4 (KJV)

Writing a check to a charitable organization and demanding to receive a documented receipt, in order to show proof to a private collection corporation that a certain monetary exchange took place, all to acquire a “tax write off”, is a public display of offsetting expenses wherein the primary contributor presents proof of and demands recognition of and equal credit in return for his contribution. This all takes place within the realm of the traditions and doctrines of men. This is neither giving nor is it in secret.

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Matt 15:9 (Jesus)(KJV)

 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 5:19-20 (Jesus) (KJV)

If ye love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  John 14:15-17 (Jesus)

As for me, I love My Lord and savior and seek to keep his commandments. When are we all going to take him seriously? Jesus once said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you”? That’s not something I wish for him to say about me, or my family.