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Household of Calhoun

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Fellowship Around the Table

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Fellowship Around the Table

Scripture: Exodus 24:9-11

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

When we talk about breaking bread most times it happens around a table at dinner, lunch or even at church. But why is this the setting where this typically happens and where does it come from? Today we will look at scripture and see how fellowship around the table and the breaking of bread coincide. First, the act of eating together sets an atmosphere to impart the understanding of who God is to those who have gathered in that connnection. It is at that time that the Lord imparts bread from Heaven to feed our spirits through revelation. Now we have four examples of this and for the sake of time and study we will cover what we can and continue in another message.

One of the things I enjoy is after Bible study we sit down and eat together. Now conversation can range from fishing to sports to the Word of God. Now when we talk about the Word the atmosphere utterly changes. People around the table intensively listen and share the Word and there is an atmosphere or revelation and joy. It is this precious time that the Lord breaks the bread of Heaven with those around the table and feeds their spirits. Do not think that it only happens in this setting only. It happens on the phone, internet, church, home etc. For the sake of this particular message we will look at the table. See around the table there is an atmosphere of relaxation and less of defense and aggression. This is why it is important for families to dine together because just as we do this in the natural, in the spiritual the same thing happens. Now let's look at scripture.

Exodus 24:9-11: Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the Body of heaven in his clearness.And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

What a picture we see here. Now what is unique is that these 74 people had the priviledge to see something that no pagan can claim to have seen about their god. See pagan gods always require sacrifices and the relationship between these gods and the people who follow them are kept at a far distance. It presents a mindset that you could never approach God and God is always demanding and people had to perform. But for these 74 people they experienced something altogether that showed them something different about the God of Israel.

First they noticed the God would put Himself in a place where man can be comfortable in His presence. Despite the Law and all the prohibitions and condemnations, God would bridge the gap so that man can be comfortable in His presence. God did that with these 74 leaders of Israel. Now when these men returned to the people there was no doubt that they can say with assurance that in the presence of God you can relax find peace, joy and fellowship. Where is the fellowship in this picture? Exodus 24:11 says they saw God and did eat and drink. Now it does not say what they ate or drank however the most important thing is that there were able to have fellowship with God right where He was. Now it is possible they ate and drank physical food but in turn and moreover they ate bread from Heaven which is the Word of God. The words God spoke to them feeds also. Now there is something else that happens here in the presence of God but for the sake of time and study I will pick this up in the next message.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Fellowship Around the Table

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Fellowship Around the Table

Scripture: Exodus 24:9-11

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

When we talk about breaking bread most times it happens around a table at dinner, lunch or even at church. But why is this the setting where this typically happens and where does it come from? Today we will look at scripture and see how fellowship around the table and the breaking of bread coincide. First, the act of eating together sets an atmosphere to impart the understanding of who God is to those who have gathered in that connnection. It is at that time that the Lord imparts bread from Heaven to feed our spirits through revelation. Now we have four examples of this and for the sake of time and study we will cover what we can and continue in another message.

One of the things I enjoy is after Bible study we sit down and eat together. Now conversation can range from fishing to sports to the Word of God. Now when we talk about the Word the atmosphere utterly changes. People around the table intensively listen and share the Word and there is an atmosphere or revelation and joy. It is this precious time that the Lord breaks the bread of Heaven with those around the table and feeds their spirits. Do not think that it only happens in this setting only. It happens on the phone, internet, church, home etc. For the sake of this particular message we will look at the table. See around the table there is an atmosphere of relaxation and less of defense and aggression. This is why it is important for families to dine together because just as we do this in the natural, in the spiritual the same thing happens. Now let's look at scripture.

Exodus 24:9-11: Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and the seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the Body of heaven in his clearness.And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

What a picture we see here. Now what is unique is that these 74 people had the priviledge to see something that no pagan can claim to have seen about their god. See pagan gods always require sacrifices and the relationship between these gods and the people who follow them are kept at a far distance. It presents a mindset that you could never approach God and God is always demanding and people had to perform. But for these 74 people they experienced something altogether that showed them something different about the God of Israel.

First they noticed the God would put Himself in a place where man can be comfortable in His presence. Despite the Law and all the prohibitions and condemnations, God would bridge the gap so that man can be comfortable in His presence. God did that with these 74 leaders of Israel. Now when these men returned to the people there was no doubt that they can say with assurance that in the presence of God you can relax find peace, joy and fellowship. Where is the fellowship in this picture? Exodus 24:11 says they saw God and did eat and drink. Now it does not say what they ate or drank however the most important thing is that there were able to have fellowship with God right where He was. Now it is possible they ate and drank physical food but in turn and moreover they ate bread from Heaven which is the Word of God. The words God spoke to them feeds also. Now there is something else that happens here in the presence of God but for the sake of time and study I will pick this up in the next message.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Jesus Use and Revelation of Bread

Culture of the Kingdom
Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Jesus Use and Revelation of Bread
Scripture: John 6:27-35; Mark 8:14-21

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
When we look at the great feedings of the 5,000 and the 4,000 we tend to always look at what happened naturally and miss the true revelation of the mystery to why this happened. In Mark 8 we see Jesus telling the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. The disciples did not understand Jesus because they thought He was talking about bread because they only had the one loaf. Jesus is clearly angry because He just performed the two great feedings and He asks them "do you not remember" (Mark 8:18). Now Jesus asks them two very important questions that we tend to overlook or passby. He asked them "how many fragments did they pick up from the two feedings"? They answered respectively, twelve and seven. Our focus when we read this story tends to be on the number of people He fed. More importantly the Lord's focus is one the number of fragments. But why?

Jesus had them collect 12 baskets full. Now remember Jesus tells the disciples that He is the bread that comes down from Heaven (John 6:32-35). He is the bread that was formerly represented in the Old Testament. Exodus 25:30 speaks of the 12 loaves of special bread, show bread (shewbread) that was that was to be placed on the table known as the Table of Show Bread. God required them, Israel, to do this to show them that even though He fed Israel with manna in the wilderness, there is more to life than bread and more nourishment that is needed than physical bread can give you. You need the bread from His presence. In other words, the twelve loaves was to symbolize the bread of His Presence which is the food that comes from His presence. Now that is powerful and so significant because more than ever do we need to be fed. Not in a song, but the Word that comes from the mouth of God to our spirits.

Now when we look at the great feedings, after the 5000, the disciples and multitudes went looking for Jesus and when they found Him they asked Him why did He come there (John 6:25)? the response of Jesus shows us that The Father showed Jesus their true intentions in John 6:26. Now I am paraphrasing this scripture, Jesus says that they did not come looking for who I am, you are looking for me for another meal. Remember they came over with 1 loaf of bread according to Mark 8. Jesus tells them in John 6:35, He is the bread of life. Even better, He is the bread of the presence of God. Now this was not the only revelation in this story.

God told them to collect up the fragments and they collected 12 baskets full. Now they started out 5 loaves to feed 5000 plus people. The scriptures go on to say the people had their fill so what does that say? Bread came from Heaven but the fact still remains that they collected 12 baskets full. What does this mean? All that Jesus is remains uneaten even though they ate bread (manna) from Heaven. The gathering of the fragments shows whether they received Jesus or not. Based on what they gathered, they did not receive Him. "He came unto His own and his own RECEIVED HIM NOT" (John 1:11). The scripture then goes on to say but as many as receive Him to them gave He power to become the sons, huios (mature) of God. Do we see this? These miracles are not some arbitrary stories but are examples and clues to the mysteries of Christ. The bread of Christ will give us life again. The great thing about that is it is eternal life. It will restore you to God and remove the curse of the fall. It will also present you again (reconcile) you to the Father in the One (Christ) who is the bread of Heaven.

In closing there are three types of bread:
1. Bread for the physical body's nourishment and need
2. Bread for the soul, which is the bread that is sustained by the will of man by which he generates for himself.
3. Bread for the spirit, which is sustained by the presence of God. The soul can be sustained by the spirit if the soul is submitted to the spirit.

Do we need bread for our physical bodies? Of course. But more over we need the bread from the presence of God because it will give us life and life eternal. So the breaking of bread is when we meet together, the Christ in each of us is shared with each other. In addition it is how the life of Christ that is in each of us might be broken and distributed in our conversations together. Are we breaking bread together?

At the Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Biblical Interpretations Part 2

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Biblical Interpretations Part 2

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

In this message we want to summarize what we have up to this point but continue to show how what we have made or interpreted the culture of the Kingdom is far from what Scripture interprets it as and tells us it is.

Apostles' Doctrine

The current church culture tells us the apostle's doctrine was what they talked about back then and church planting. As we have studied in this series we have shown in Scripture that the Apostle's Doctrine is the current word for the Body of Christ for that particular time period. When Holy Spirit reveals a mystery it comes first through the apostolic. The apostolic is the foundational and the gift of order to the Body of Christ. The apostles' doctrine gives us the CURRENT direction of the church in this age. Without the apostolic, the church CANNOT KNOW the current direction of the Body of Christ because their doctrine is a current Word for that time. In addition the church will lack order and understanding of the foundation.

Fellowship

Fellowship in current culture is described as people coming together for a meal, potluck or just to have fun. We have studied and shown that fellowship is much much more than that. Fellowship is understanding how Holy Spirit arranges us in the Body of Christ. In addition, fellowship is understanding that the House of God is arranged in a patriarchal order that gives us spiritual fathers that disciple us and show us Christ who brings us to the Father. So fellowshp is all about the arrangement of the Household of God.

Breaking of Bread

In current church culture breaking of bread is typically linked to Communion or the Lord's Supper. In actuality the breaking of bread, symbolically, does not link to the Lord's Supper even that it may seem or is commonly done. The breaking of bread is greater than the symbol of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus even though that is the central issue to the life of the believer. The breaking of bread is the way the Body of Christ meets together for the purpose of imparting the life of Christ that is in each person to the whole Body of Christ.

Can we see how different current culture is versus the Kingdom culture. Now I need to show you a few more concepts about the breaking of bread and we will do this in the next message. The question now is how and where does this "feeding" take place?

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Biblical Interpretations

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: The Importance of Proper Biblical Interpretation

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20; John 6:39; Luke 24:27; Isaiah 11:1,2; Acts 2:42

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

One of the mistakes we all make until we know better is interpreting scripture to fit our need and point-of-view. When we do this, it lends us to defend the scripture and our stance. Paul said we are Ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinth. 5:20). So when feel the need to defend scripture and prove our point, we sease to be Ambassadors of Christ. If we are led by Holy Spirit then at the appointed time we will be given the exact words to say. Ambassadors only speak the words they are given from the source of the power and authority they operate under. When we do not allow the Scriptures, the Bible, the Inspiried Word of God to interpret itself the effect will be the enslavement of people to the will of that person. Sad to say, many people are enslaved by the doctrines of many popular and powerful leaders in the church.

Jesus was very deliberate in the way He spoke and presented the truth. Jesus never introduced something that did not have some Scriptural precedent to it. For example:

1. John 6:39: Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.

2. Luke 24:27: And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Of course there are numerous other scriptures where Jesus says "that it may be fulfilled in the scriptures" Remember Jesus spoke of the mysteries of the Kingdom are given to the believers to know but to the unbelievers He spoke in parables. Now the current church culture is content with keeping these mysteries, mysteries and not asking God for revelation. Why should we ask for revelation?

God reveals mysteries through various pockets of the age of man. Current church culture feels we need new books to be written to get this type of understanding and we need interpret scripture in a new way to suit some doctrine or thing we are doing. This is not the way. Four of the seven spirits of God (Isaiah 11:1,2) is wisdom, knowledge, counsel and understanding and they work together to reveal the mystery. It is Holy Spirit who reveals the mystery for that particular time period. For example, what mystery is being revealed during the period of the four gospels? It is the mystery of Christ and the Kingdom. The Old Testament prophets spoke in a language the soul can understand until Jesus comes to reveal those things about Himself and the Kingdom. It is when Jesus receives Holy Spirit that His ministry begins and we see various instances when He is demonstrating who He is and His purpose for living on Earth.

Is this no wonder why the culture of the Kingdom is so misunderstood? The problem is that we have interpreted these things in Acts 2:42 according to the standards of present culture and tradition. However if we can just go back and revisit these four elements of the culture of the Kingdom and when seek and search for understanding, then the revelation will flow

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Bread of Life

Culture of the Kingdom
Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Bread of Life
Scripture: Matthew 6:31-33; John 6:27

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Jesus said in John 6:27 not to work for bread that perishes but that bread that endures unto everlasting life. So it is possible to work for bread that leads to death or work for bread that leads to everlasting life. After the fall man seeked for ways to get bread and he worked by the sweat of His own brow. When mankind was in the Kingdom of God all of his bread was provided and all he had to do was gather. I have not seen in scripture where Adam, when He was in favor with God before the fall, tilled the ground and seeked to find a way to get food. God turned around again in the wilderness with the children of Israel and showed His love and mercy by raining manna (bread) from Heaven. Now the children of Israel did not have to plant or refine grain to get bread in the wilderness, it literally rain from Heaven. All they had to do was gather. God is now drawing a picture. The foundation of that picture is Bread comes from Heaven. Jesus collapses 1500 years of this type and shadow when He makes the declaration in John 6:33: For the bread of God is He that cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:48) because He is the Word of God (John 1:1,14). This is why it is vital for every Kingdom citizen and son of God to understand how important Matthew 6:31-33 is.

Matthew 6:31-33:”Therefore take no thought (worrying) saying, What shall we eat (bread)? Or, what shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I took that entire section of scripture because even in the great mandate from Jesus we see Jesus telling us not to worry or even say what shall we eat and of course this corresponds to bread but if you seek the Kingdom first then not only are your physical needs met in the form of physical bread but also your spiritual nourishment is met because of the proceeding Word of God from the mouth of God to your ear. Another reference to bread is when Jesus tells His disciples to beware of the LEAVEN of the Pharisees and of the LEAVEN of Herod (Mark 8:15). Usually when we see leaven in scripture it is in reference to sin. In this scripture the leaven is symbolic of the doctrine or bread that Herod and the Pharisees are spreading. Their doctrines do not lead to everlasting life but unto death. This is why Jesus warns the disciples of their bread or doctrines.

We need to beware of the leaven or bread that leads to death. Too many times, we live in the mindset that what we cannot see will not hurt us. When in actuality what you cannot see is what can save your life or lead you to death. Now in the next message we will look at the Bread of Life and how He shows us the third element of Kingdom culture, the breaking of bread.

At the Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Bread and Nourishment

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Bread and Nourishment

Scripture: Proverbs 14:12; Hebrews 5:12-14; Hebrews 5:8

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

We are continuing our discussion on the 3rd element of the culture of the Kingdom which is the breaking of bread. Now, in the last message we talked about the Bread of His Presence which was represented by 12 loaves of Bread being placed on a special table designed by God for the children of Israel. Now always remember that the Old Testament is full of types and shadows that are to bring us to a divine eternal reality. Next, we talked about two forms of bread. We talked about bread that brings about death and the bread that brings about life. When man sinned in the Garden he ate of the bread that brings about death. Now man seeks to find his own way to get bread for his physical consumption and survival. Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”. See the devil tricked mankind into following the direction given by the soul and disobey the direction that is given by the Spirit. Finally we talked about the prophetic declaration that the Lord made to tell the children of Israel that man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God.

Now physical bread is needed for consumption to nourish the physical body. We as human have more than a physical body to nourish, we have a spirit also that needs nourishing. How can we nourish the spirit? The spirit is fed by God Himself. When you are born again you are a newborn baby in Christ. The same way you naturally grow and your food changes with growth is the exact same way the Word of God is fed to you. 1 Peter 2:2:

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

So when you are a newborn you need the milk of the Word of God. So just like babies you need the foundational things that help grow your spirit in maturity in the Kingdom of God. Now look at this because this is powerful.

Hebrews 5:12-14:“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers (mature), ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principals of the oracles of God and are come such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. For EVERY ONE THAT USETH MILK IS UNSKILFUL IN THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: FOR HE IS A BABE. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age (Mature), even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”

Do we see this? How do we learn and grow in the Kingdom? We learn just like Jesus did, we learn by suffering.

Hebrews 5:8: “Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which he suffered;”

Do we see this? Suffering is the way we grow and it is thorough obedience during suffering that we mature. Jesus suffered unto obedience and this is why the scriptures say He grew in favor with God and man. He grew in such a manner that He was the exact representation of the Father in the earth. In addition when Jesus and the three disciples went up to the Mount of Transfiguration in Mark 9, God the Father tells the three disciples that He is no longer speaking through the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) but through Jesus. To be exact, Mark 9:7: “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Beloved Son: hear him”.

So God is speaking through His Son and it is from the Son of God that we receive food and nourishment for our spirits that will grow us and mature us in the wisdom and knowledge of the Father and His Kingdom. In the next message we will link this to the Bread of Life

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Bread of the Old Testament

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Bread of the Old Testament

Scripture: John 6:31; Exodus 6:14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now we have examined the fact that there are various types of bread. There is physical bread and spiritual bread. We also have come to the understanding that God is using bread as a symbol of a eternal reality and we need to ask God to give us the revelation to the eternal meaning of that particular natural symbol.

In the Old Testament and one of the prominent situations referring to bread was when manna fell from Heaven. Now in John 6:31 it speaks of manna. The word “manna” means “what is it”?. But the story begins in Exodus 16:4:

“Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. ‘

Now I like that, because the children of Israel, being in the wilderness, was just another opportunity to show the power of God. Remember in the Garden, man did not till the ground for food or refine grain but all He had to do was gather! But after the fall, man was to work by the sweat of his own brow and till the ground. Man had to find a way to meet his own needs, hence this type of work was a curse. But look at what God does here for Israel, He will provide them food that they did not water not till the ground for. He will provide it readily for them directly from Heaven for their nourishment. Now God continues to use bread to bring them closer to the eternal reality even though the true bread of life would not come for about another 1,500 years.

In Exodus 25 we see the directions for the making of the Ark of the Covenant but also in the same chapter we see this particular direction for making this special table made of shittim wood (Exodus 25:23). Now in Exodus 25:30 we see the direction from the Lord to set upon the table showbread before Him (Lord) always. Now this showbread was not just some arbitrary bread. It was called the Bread of His Presence. The table was known as the Table of Show Bread. Twelve loaves of bread would be put on that table every week on golden plates. Hence the table and the bread together is meant to show the presence of God. Now the Lord makes this declaration that will bring us in the next few messages full circle. Deuteronomy 8:3:

“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live”

What was the Lord leading them to try to understand? By making them put that bread on the Show Table and making the Deuteronomy 8:3 declaration God was trying to get them to understand that God fed them one type of bread, manna, in the wilderness but they still died but God was going to send another form of bread in the fullness of time that will bring life. The breaking of bread as an element of the Kingdom is to impart life to the believers.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Bread of the Garden

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Bread of the Garden

Scripture: Acts 2:42; John 6:47-51; Genesis 2:16,17

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now based on our scripture of John 6:47-51 we see that there are various types of bread, but one in particular that gives eternal life. Now if there is bread that can give eternal life, is it possible to have bread that brings about death? Now it is common to think that if you eat bread then you will not die because it nourishes the body, but that rationale does not translate the same in the Kingdom of God and let’s look at it. The first type of bread God gave to man was the trees in the Garden of Eden. Now notice that man did not have to grow crops, refine grain and create bread. God gave man food to eat. He provided it for the man. Genesis 2:16,17: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Now when we read that scripture it is evident that there is “bread” that can bring about death. Now remember in the midst of the Garden there were two trees, spiritual trees. They are the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Now God clearly told man that he can eat of every tree in the Garden EXCEPT the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil then they will surely die. Notice in scripture nowhere does it say that man could not eat of the Tree of Life in the Garden. God made the exception to one tree in the entire Garden and told man do not eat of that tree. So we have bread that brings life and bread that brings death. But what is unique is it will be the Bread of Life that comes to rescue mankind from his fallen state from eating the bread that brings about death. So not all bread is good for you.

Can we begin to see that the use of bread in Scripture is much more than just the Lord’s supper and some dietary creation for our physical consumption. We have to allow God to show us the meaning beyond the natural use and meaning. We must allow Him to give us insight into the Heavenly truth. Now it is evident that there were two mindsets represented in the Garden by the two trees, Life and Knowledge of Good and Evil. When the Kingdom of God comes in and impacts this conflict, it resolves it in the Kingdom of God you get to eat the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven because we routinely ate the bread that brought death.

When you allow Holy Spirit to reveal people to you, you will be able to look at their spiritual health and tell whether they are eating the Bread of life or still partaking of the bread that brings about death.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Breaking of Bread: Introduction

Culture of the Kingdom
Today’s Topic: Breaking of Bread: Introduction
Scripture: Acts 2:42; John 6:47-51

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
We are continuing to look at the culture of the Kingdom. Our base scripture is Acts 2:42 where we see the four elements of Kingdom culture which are The Apostles’ Doctrine, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayers. Let me do a short recap and show you what we have so far:
1. Apostle’s Doctrine – the current word of God for that particular age coming through the apostolic to the ear of man. It is vital to understand that it is a current word of what God is doing in the current season. To do away with the apostles is to do away with the “current” direction of the Church. The apostle’s doctrine is not just some 500 year old doctrine. The apostles’ doctrine is the word of God from the mouth of God to your ear in the current season
2. Fellowship – More than just getting together for a meal, fun and games. Fellowship is how Holy Spirit arranges the members of the Body of Christ in the divine order. This divine order is a patriarchal order. This patriarchal order is not a natural father/son order but a spiritual order that has God as the Father of His sons and He sends human spiritual fathers to disciple His sons in the ways and character of Christ who brings us to the Father. This patriarch or spiritual father is the father over a number of families and he is the one that when there is a dispute they go to him for resolution.
So, we can see that the culture of the Kingdom and its elements are more than what we see portrayed today. The breaking of bread is the third element of the culture of the Kingdom.

Typically we talk about the breaking of bread it is significant with the Lord’s supper and praying. God uses bread a lot in the scripture. Now why does God makes a reference to bread? Remember, God will use natural things in infuse them with Heavenly truths. Well we know that bread is used for consumption by our physical bodies but Jesus makes a unique declaration in John 6:47-51:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from Heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from Heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

So now Jesus is telling us and the amazing thing He said in that passage of scripture is when He said, your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. Why would Jesus point this out? He is pointing it out to let people know that there are various types of bread. See the bread that their fathers ate in the wilderness feds them physically but they still died. Jesus said the bread I give will give eternal life. Now there is no doubt that bread comes from Heaven. How do we know? Manna fell from Heaven on the children of Israel in the wilderness. Now that was a type and shadow of a reality to come.

In the next message we will look back to the Garden and show you this powerful concept about the breaking of bread. However we must always get a foundation so we can build in order and in understanding.

At the Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Restoration of the Hearts of the Fathers and the Sons Part 2

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Restoration of the Hearts of the Fathers and the Sons Part 2

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14,15

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

The core of a patriarchal order is mature men showing the nature and character of God to those under their rule. This is why Paul can say to the church at Corinth that he was their father in the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:14,15). Paul was not saying that he was their progenitor (father) which means he is the origin of their existence. But what he is saying is that he is the father of their faith. The only person that can say they are your Father (progenitor) is God because we are born directly from the womb of God. I love what the writer of Hebrews says in

Hebrews 2:11:

“For both He (Jesus) that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified (the saints or the church) are all of one: for which cause He (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren”

So we are born again from God and God is our Father because we are born directly from Him. Knowing that, there will never be an earthly relationship that will take precedent over our relationship to God the Father. Now God sends fathers that are mature in their presentation of God the Father.

In our current culture we have a saying “Do as I say, not as I do”. Now we hear that a lot especially from our older generation and this is a not a good saying nor is it a saying that is exemplary of a Kingdom citizen, son of God or Christian. One of the examples of this is when a parent tells their child not to say curse words but then when the parent says it and the child calls them on their own sin we hear these words: “Hush, I can say that but you can’t” So now the child is confused and internalizes the thought that well when I get older I can curse people out. Now the Word of God says in James 3:8-10 that blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth. So in the Kingdom your actions have to be the same as your words. Leaders in the church will tell the congregation to not commit adultery but they go and do it. This is the type of stuff, not just that particular situation, that damages the Body of Christ and the maturation of the saints because they see hypocrisy and say that the church people are fake. However God is true in Word and in Deed. When God speaks a word then you can guarantee that the Word spoken will come true and you will see the nature and character of God by Him keeping His Word. For example, remember when the children of Israel were in the wilderness and wanted water and God told Moses to speak to the rock and it shall give forth water for His people. Now if you know the story, Moses did not speak to the rock but hit the rock. However the water still flowed from the rock to the children of Israel. Now Moses disobeyed God by not following His orders, but God still kept His word and gave the people water. God did not give the people water because Moses disobeyed but because of God’s integrity and Holiness He kept His word to provide the needs of the people. Our spiritual fathers that God has given us speaks the Word of the Lord to us but also demonstrates the nature and character of God so that we may be discipled and come into maturity in the Kingdom.

Now in the past message we discussed the fact that a male is more than just a male and a female is more than just a female.; In God’s eyes a male is put in creation to symbolize a eternal reality, Christ (Ephesians 5:21-32). Hence spiritual fathers are earthly representations of a Heavenly reality. A female is put in creation to symbolize the church or the Bride of Christ. God is the Father of our spirits so it really has nothing to do with male or female but it is the spiritual reality being shown in the earth through natural symbols. This is why the appropriate usage of Galatians 3:28 when it speaks of male or female, is referring to the fact that our spirit has no gender. In turn, God created us a certain way to show a certain thing about Him and when we act outside of that divine design then we show confusion and God is not the author of confusion.

If we do not understand (applied knowledge and wisdom) these fundamental principles then we lack a solid foundation to build on and we will always try to bring our worldly culture and impose it on the Kingdom when it actuality the Kingdom culture should be imposed on the worldly culture to change it back to the original culture of the earth which is the Kingdom of God ordered in a patriarchal order of a relationship between the Father and His sons.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Restoration of the Hearts of the Fathers and the Sons

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Restoration of the Hearts of the Fathers and the Sons

Scripture: Malachi 4:5,6; 2 Kings 2:9-15; Luke 1:17; Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 3:14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

If we look at the nature of sin and the result of it, we can trace it back to the breakdown of families and most of all the absence of a father. Now you can still have a father physically present but spiritually absent. Now I am not going to revisit every point on this topic but I do want to show you this important concept as it pertains to the culture of the Kingdom. Now we know that society has order and this order is the way of doing things within the culture. The Kingdom of God is the original culture of the earth. What we see today is division and snippets of that culture and the reason it is divisions and snippets is because of the decline of man and the lack of knowledge and understanding of the Kingdom of God and its culture.

In the Kingdom of God there is an order to society that upholds the principals of the gospel. This order is found in Malachi 4:5,6. Here we see the scripture pertaining to the coming of the Spirit of Elijah and the turning of the heats of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. The restoration of patriarchal order of the House of God is the order of the society of the Kingdom of God. The concept of the coming of the Spirit of Elijah is the natural giving way to the spiritual. Before Christ, the patriarchal order was a fleshly lineage that ended with Christ. Christ begins the spiritual lineage through the sacrifice made at Calvary, the gift of Holy Spirit and reconciliation of man to His Father, God. In Matthew 11:4, Jesus speaks of John the Baptist being the one that comes in the Spirit of Elijah. Now remember the story of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:9-15 we see Elisha asking for a double-portion of the Spirit that Elijah has. When Elijah was taken up, Elisha received the double portion and cried out My father, my father. This story of Elijah and Elisha is a type and shadow to give way to a reality. Jesus tells us that John the Baptist is the one that comes in the Spirit of Elijah. Even better the angel that came to Zacharias, John’s father, told him before the birth of John that he would be the one that comes in the Spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17). So John is the reality of Elijah then Jesus is the reality of Elisha. John is the one that comes to announce the coming of Jesus, but it will be Jesus that will show us the Father. When we see Christ, you will see the Father. Hence, Jesus is the one that receives the double portion of the Spirit of God. John even says “I must decrease so He (Jesus) can increase.

Now remember Jesus is the Son of God in the flesh. The intended order of the Kingdom of God on Earth is that there will be human males who are fathers who will present the way of Christ to show the glory of God the Father in a mature way that the people (household) under his rule would see God as God actually is. The point is that you have a earthly father showing you the Heavenly father. This is no different with Jesus. In fact Jesus is the pattern for us. While He was on Earth, because He submitted His entire being to the Father, He expressed fully the exact, full and complete representation of the Father in the Earth. Hence we have a title from the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 9:6. Everlasting Father. In Revelation 3:14, Jesus is called the Faithful and True Witness because He accurately represented God the Father.

We will continue this in the next message not to overload you with too much information.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Can a Woman Be a Spiritual Father? Conclusion

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Can A Woman Be a Spiritual Father? - Conclusion

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:33; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 5:25

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now over the past two messages we have looked at numerous scriptures to bring us to this point. We have looked at understanding that God uses the natural to help explain an eternal truth about God. We also looked at how a male is representative of Christ and the female is representative of the Bride of Christ. We also concluded that it is more than just looking at the natural but allowing Holy Spirit to reveal the eternal truth and reality so we can understand something about God. Now the question whether a woman may be a father or can a woman be a patriarch? God put man in creation to signify a particular thing about God. God put woman in creation to signify a particular thing about God. God DOES NOT mix metaphors because if He did then it would create confusion and God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Every person in creation was created to become a son of God. Now does everyone become one? No. However every person God created has the opportunity and ability to become a son of God. Now a woman is a son just like a man is a son. God intends to live out a unique destiny through both man and woman regardless of male or female. So now we have the scripture of Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond or free, there is neither male nor female: for ye all are one in Christ Jesus.” So your ethnicity, nor social status, nor gender matter because sonship is about God being the Father of our spirits. God is not the Father of our flesh. Spirits have no ethnicity, gender nor social status. So a man, in the flesh is meant to represent the character of God the Father to His children. In addition, he is meant to represent Christ, the Husband to the Church. Now before we answer the big question here is some unique facts you should know:

1. Nowhere in scripture is a woman put to represent Christ the husband of the Church.

2. Nowhere in scripture is a woman put to represent God the Father of His Children

The reason these above two are true because all of these symbols are assigned to the man.

3. Nowhere in scripture is a woman told to love her husband?

The reason this is true because in Ephesians 5 she is told to submit to her husband. Ephesians 5:25 tells the husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it. So love requires that one lay down one’s life for another. The woman is not required to lay down her life for her husband because that is not the picture God is drawing. The picture is Christ and the Church. The woman is made the object of love and affection and the man is made to be the representation of the one who will die for the bride. What a stunning thought but when you have spiritual understanding then the natural thing that God shows you makes more sense beyond its natural use.

So in closing, based upon all that we have discussed and searched the Scriptures for understanding, the woman in creation is not meant to be a patriarch or a father because that is not the role God gave to her. Now people can get mad with me but we have to remember that the way the world is cannot be imposed on the Kingdom of God. God has a divine order. The order He established is to teach the creation about God but when we change that order it produces confusion. We can either choose to line up with it, try to do it our way and make it up as we go. But if you choose to do it your way based upon man’s doctrine’s then the grace of God, His power and authority, will not be with you. You still may draw a crowd and many members but at best you will have a circle of friends with itching ears and not a household of God that is truly being discipled in the ways of the Father.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Spiritual Mysteries and Realities

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Can A Woman Be A Spiritual Father? Part 2 – Spiritual Mysteries and Realities

Scripture: Ephesians 5:31,32; Ephesians 3:2-5;

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

We last left off with the understanding that God uses the natural thing to explain the eternal things in the intent of us knowing a particular truth about God. This is a major, critical concept in understanding the culture of the Kingdom. So a father is not just a male who goes out works and provides. The father or male in creation is designed to represent Christ. The key word is represent. The woman in creation is not just meant to be a woman or wife but to represent all who are the Bride of Christ, male and female, and how they must act in relationship to Christ. Now a man does not know naturally how to act as a woman because his primary function is creation is something else. However the male is meant to be included in the Bride because the bride is composed of males and females. This is not males and females in the physical sense but as spiritual parts to a spiritual body, the Body of Christ.

One of the great spiritual realities is understanding why God created you and what are you to represent to the Earth spiritually so that mankind can understand the order of God. But what is unique is a human male does not know how to fulfill the role of being a woman, in the sense of being the Bride of Christ, so God created the woman capable of teaching the man how to fulfill that particular role. Hence when a man sees the way his wife submits to him in his role as head of the wife and family, when he sees that he learns how to submit to Christ who is the Head over him as a member of the Body of Christ. Now the husband in his role as a part of the Body of Christ is equipped to function in that capacity by his wife’s ministry to him. Now it shifts from just husband and wife to Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:31,32:

“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.”

The key word in there is mystery. What is the natural situation in that scripture? It is the marriage between and man and a woman and them joining together to be one. Now what is the spiritual reality? Christ being the Husbandman and Head of the Body of Christ and The Church is the Bride of Christ and is the rest of the Body of Christ and these two, Christ and the Church will be one. The reason this is rarely talked about is because the mindset of the church is that there are mysteries but they are ok with dealing with these mysteries as mysteries. They do not seek to have the mystery revealed. As a part of that mindset the church does not feel they have any responsibility or duty to explain the mystery to you. However the reality is when the Spirit of God, Holy Spirit chooses to reveal a mystery to you then it is no longer a mystery. For example is there a mystery currently about the relationship between Christ and the Church? No, it should not be a mystery to the believer because that was revealed through Paul to the Body of Christ in the letter to the Ephesians in Ephesians 5. Paul says this about mysteries and please read this carefully, Ephesians 3:2-5:

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: HOW THAT BY REVELATION, HE (HOLY SPIRIT) MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY; (as I wrote afore in few words; Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the MYSTERY OF CHRIST) Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, AS IT IS NOW REVEALED UNTO HIS HOLY APOSTLES AND PROPHETS BY THE SPIRIT; That the GENTILES SHOULD BE FELLOWHEIRS, AND OF THE SAME BODY, AND PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISE IN CHRIST BY THE GOSEPL:

Do we see the mystery that was revealed here? If not, Paul is telling you that before time it could not be revealed that the Gentiles were fellowheirs of the promise but now, in the New Season, the Day of Salvation, it is being revealed by the Apostles and Prophets that the Gentiles are fellowheirs. The sons of men could not receive this revelation because it is revealed Spirit to spirit and the sons of men refer to a natural, fleshly lineage. However, the sons of God is the spiritual lineage directly from the Father that the revelation of mysteries come to the Body of Christ. It has nothing to do with who your natural parents are. This is a spiritual family.

In the next message we bring it home and give you the answer to this power question. We have searched the scriptures and shown you many foundational truths to why God does what he does and why He created man and woman. For many of you Holy Spirit has revealed the answer with an explanation but for those who do not know, continue to study with us.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.

Spiritual Mysteries and Realities

Culture of the Kingdom

Today’s Topic: Can A Woman Be A Spiritual Father? Part 2 – Spiritual Mysteries and Realities

Scripture: Ephesians 5:31,32; Ephesians 3:2-5;

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

We last left off with the understanding that God uses the natural thing to explain the eternal things in the intent of us knowing a particular truth about God. This is a major, critical concept in understanding the culture of the Kingdom. So a father is not just a male who goes out works and provides. The father or male in creation is designed to represent Christ. The key word is represent. The woman in creation is not just meant to be a woman or wife but to represent all who are the Bride of Christ, male and female, and how they must act in relationship to Christ. Now a man does not know naturally how to act as a woman because his primary function is creation is something else. However the male is meant to be included in the Bride because the bride is composed of males and females. This is not males and females in the physical sense but as spiritual parts to a spiritual body, the Body of Christ.

One of the great spiritual realities is understanding why God created you and what are you to represent to the Earth spiritually so that mankind can understand the order of God. But what is unique is a human male does not know how to fulfill the role of being a woman, in the sense of being the Bride of Christ, so God created the woman capable of teaching the man how to fulfill that particular role. Hence when a man sees the way his wife submits to him in his role as head of the wife and family, when he sees that he learns how to submit to Christ who is the Head over him as a member of the Body of Christ. Now the husband in his role as a part of the Body of Christ is equipped to function in that capacity by his wife’s ministry to him. Now it shifts from just husband and wife to Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:31,32:

“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.”

The key word in there is mystery. What is the natural situation in that scripture? It is the marriage between and man and a woman and them joining together to be one. Now what is the spiritual reality? Christ being the Husbandman and Head of the Body of Christ and The Church is the Bride of Christ and is the rest of the Body of Christ and these two, Christ and the Church will be one. The reason this is rarely talked about is because the mindset of the church is that there are mysteries but they are ok with dealing with these mysteries as mysteries. They do not seek to have the mystery revealed. As a part of that mindset the church does not feel they have any responsibility or duty to explain the mystery to you. However the reality is when the Spirit of God, Holy Spirit chooses to reveal a mystery to you then it is no longer a mystery. For example is there a mystery currently about the relationship between Christ and the Church? No, it should not be a mystery to the believer because that was revealed through Paul to the Body of Christ in the letter to the Ephesians in Ephesians 5. Paul says this about mysteries and please read this carefully, Ephesians 3:2-5:

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: HOW THAT BY REVELATION, HE (HOLY SPIRIT) MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY; (as I wrote afore in few words; Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the MYSTERY OF CHRIST) Which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, AS IT IS NOW REVEALED UNTO HIS HOLY APOSTLES AND PROPHETS BY THE SPIRIT; That the GENTILES SHOULD BE FELLOWHEIRS, AND OF THE SAME BODY, AND PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISE IN CHRIST BY THE GOSEPL:

Do we see the mystery that was revealed here? If not, Paul is telling you that before time it could not be revealed that the Gentiles were fellowheirs of the promise but now, in the New Season, the Day of Salvation, it is being revealed by the Apostles and Prophets that the Gentiles are fellowheirs. The sons of men could not receive this revelation because it is revealed Spirit to spirit and the sons of men refer to a natural, fleshly lineage. However, the sons of God is the spiritual lineage directly from the Father that the revelation of mysteries come to the Body of Christ. It has nothing to do with who your natural parents are. This is a spiritual family.

In the next message we bring it home and give you the answer to this power question. We have searched the scriptures and shown you many foundational truths to why God does what he does and why He created man and woman. For many of you Holy Spirit has revealed the answer with an explanation but for those who do not know, continue to study with us.

At the Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.