Foundation for the Concept of the Tithe

Truth About the Tithe

Today’s Focus: Foundation for the Concept of the Tithe: Covenants and Promises

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:1-5; Hebrews 7:13-20

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now to understand the concept of tithing we must get the foundation and structure of it and it begins with understanding the covenants. Now God established two covenants. The first covenant was a covenant between God and Himself (Hebrews 7:13-20) and we will dig into both of these deeper. The second covenant was between God and Israel at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20).

Let’s see the framework for the first covenant.

Hebrews 6:13-20: For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, Saying surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after He had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Now even though this is a large set of scripture we will dissect this and show you how this works throughout the series. The covenant that God made with Himself is that He would have sons and He sealed this covenant with Himself. In addition, knowing that mankind would sin against Him the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). This covenant was established before the foundation of the world. When God presented the covenant to Abraham, he made Abraham a third-party beneficiary of the covenant. Since Abraham was the third-party beneficiary that means there was promises attached to this covenant to full guarantee the fulfillment of the covenant and the promises to the heirs and beneficiaries.

Now the second covenant is framed this way:

Deuteronomy 5:1-5: And Moses called all Israel and said unto them, hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, (I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;)

This scripture refers to the covenant where the children of Israel received the Law instead of the first covenant at Mt Sinai after coming out of Egypt. The Law was given to order and preserve Israel until the seed came. Who is the seed? Jesus Christ. Now here we have two different covenants that God made. He made one covenant between Himself and one with Israel at Mt. Sinai.

In the next message we will look at the concept of promises as it pertains to covenants. This is very important structure to lay down before we get to the tithing because they are directly related.

At Our Father’s Service

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Truth about the Tithe: Introduction

Truth About the Tithe

Today’s Focus: Introduction

Scripture: Matthew 6:31-33; Acts 2:42;

Greetings Kingdom Citizens:

Now, when you start talking about people’s money and where it is going, people and religion get’s disturbed. Many times it is disturbed because when the truth comes into play, it either convicts the person or confirms that the person is doing the right thing. I grew up in a home where our parents taught us to tithe 10% to the church with every paycheck. This “really” was not optional but to enforce that we should give 10% to God first before we spend our money and do what we choose with it. For many of us, this might have been the case and for others this might not be. Now as we grow from age to age, God reveals more and more and as He reveals more and more we need to be in the position to listen and shift in the direction His revelation is taking us. So when we deal with this subject, let us stick to the Word of God and allow the Spirit of God to interpret and reveal to us about the tithe. I promise this will set some people free in Jesus Name!

Now there are a set of questions we need to ask and in this series we need to answer about the tithe. They are:

1. Is it a matter of the Law?

2. Where should the tithe be taken? Should it be in a storehouse or church?

3. Who should receive the tithe? The storehouse, church or a person?

Now in dealing with these questions we must keep in mind that opinions are not a primary consideration because opinions can be argued because they are philosophical. We will use truth because truth maintains order in the House of God and the Kingdom of God. It is amazing how topics such as these are considered “hot button” topics when in actuality they are topics that God gives a clear answer on. The question is what have we been told the tithe is and who it is to be given to? What are the conditions we have been told to tithe under? For some denominations unless you tithe, you cannot participate in certain processes involving the church. In some parts of “Christianity” leaders use the tithe to make people give more because of a financial debt that the church might be under that they know about or they will preach the tithe to raise money for a church function, event or purpose. Now in no way am I saying not to tithe, but God gives us specific instruction and circumstances that we should tithe in. There has to be a proper mindset in tithing. In a world where there is consistent economical tension and stress, there is a obvious picture coming out of the church and a focus now on materialistic things to support the church and a lack of understanding that it is the Culture of the Son and the Kingdom of God that supports the church.

In 2008 when the United States was financially going down, I will never forget how there was a news report on how the giving to the church had decreased. We saw churches foreclose and an increase in the prosperity gospel and the name-it-claim-it clichés. People have decreased their giving and tithing and leaders in the church are wondering what to do. Now this is a very simple answer but unless the culture of the answer is instituted or present then the focus will always be that of an orphan, seeking provision and protection and how to keep the church afloat. To solve this problem there must be a re-focus to the very things of God and doing it His way:

1. Seek the Kingdom First (Matthew 6:31-34). Seek God’s rulership over your life in every aspect and submit to His Will by denying yourself and your agenda and plans.

2. The Culture of the Kingdom and the Culture of the Son must be instituted and/or present and active in the lives of the leader and taught to the congregations. This involves the reality for 4 Elements of Kingdom Culture (Acts 2:42): The Apostles’ Doctrine, Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayers. The Culture of the Son is predicated on the premise that God is our Source and our Father and we do not seek provision and protection on our own abilities and ways.

So now we have a very broad view of the issues plaguing the church today and the solution. In the next set of message we will lay a foundation and walk ourselves to answering the questions about the tithe. This will be a liberating study but one that should change your mindset towards the tithe.

At Our Father’s Service,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Order in the Holy Nation

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Order in the Holy Nation

Scripture: Psalm 2:6,7; John 14:8-11

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

In every nation, what is manifested as the culture of the nation is formed by the law or the order that shapes that nation. That law or that order that shapes the nation comes out of the sovereign. The sovereign is the one who rules the nation. Every nation puts on display the nature of its sovereign and the way it does that is through its order.

Now we know that Christ is the Sovereign of the Holy Nation. Now what is unique about Christ being the Sovereign is the fact that He claims He has all authority in heaven and on earth, but nobody elected Him to that. Look at this scripture:

Psalm 2:6,7: Yet have I (Father) SET MY King upon my Holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord (Father) hath said unto Me (Jesus), Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

So who made Jesus King? The Father made Him King so it is He who sets the order and culture for the Holy Nation. Now the divine authority by which He established the order of those who have come to put their trust in Him, comes from Heaven. His rule is not, at this present time, over anyone who rejects His rule. To be under the rule of Christ is a choice of the individual but to be outside of the rulership of Christ comes with consequences. His rule is an invitation to a different way of being which if we consistently reject, you will not fulfill the destiny God designed for you and hence you will be taken out of creation, as being without purpose.

If Jesus is King and He is, His rule will produce peace and a vision of the Father. Jesus said He came to show us the Father (John 14:8-11). The reason Jesus came to show us the Father so that we can know what it means to worship and conform to the image. In doing this we effectively become a witness unto Jesus into the Earth and put on display the Father and the Holy Nation.

At this present time God is rolling out an order of arrangement that will cause the functioning of the corporate man in the reality as the spiritual Body of Christ present visibly to the world as a holy nation being visible thorough its order or arrangement. The end result is peace in as much that the nations of the earth will come to the Holy Nation desiring to be taught the ways of the Father. The Holy Nation is being assembled by the Spirit of God right now. In order to understand how you are to function in the Body of Christ, you must have a relationship with the Father, through Holy Spirit and allow Him to mature you to handle the true riches of the Kingdom.

I pray you have been blessed by this series in Jesus name!

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Corporate Body of Christ

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: The Corporate Body of Christ

Scripture: Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 2:5; John 17:21

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now we know that the end of the matter is God will be all in all and what that means is there must be a unifying of the Body of Christ. This unifying is done by Holy Spirit who assembles the Body of Christ, order the relationships within and mature the body to the full stature of who Christ is. Now what that means also is there has to be a unity in faith also. Let me show you this scripture. Now Ephesians 4:11,12 speak of the five governmental gifts and who they are for the maturing of the saints for the work of ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ: Now let’s look at this last part of Ephesians 4:13:

Ephesians 4:13: “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”

So not only is there a unity of the Body but also unity of the faith. We will not be denominationally divided because in that day, everything that God has made Him to be will be because He will be in the fullness of Christ.

There are many definitions to the word corporate but two that stuck out were: 1. A joint identity 2. A collective mind. So when we are talking about the Corporate Body of Christ we are talking about everyone in the Body of Christ having the same identity, fitly arranged by the Holy Spirit and having a collective or “one” mind.

Philippians 2:5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

Hence everyone in the Body of Christ should have one mind and that is Christ’s. This is why denominational doctrines can become a hindrance to people understanding how they fit in the Body. Man’s doctrine always fights against God’s ways and thoughts. Now what God is doing and has been doing is starting to unify the Body of Christ and the Holy Nation. Those who have been called out will really defy religion but also will see the devastating effects of religious practice and how it is hindering people from walking in their Kingdom destiny and maturing the Body. Now Jesus talked about this corporate assembling in His ministry on Earth. Let’s look at some scripture.

John 17:21: That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Jesus shows us the corporeity that we are called to be by His relationship with the Father. He desires that all of us who believe on His name be united to Him in the same manner. What is the purpose for this? So that the world may believe that the Father has sent the Son. In addition it shows the reality of Heaven in the Earth. The Body of Christ extends itself between the dimensions of time and the eternal. Moreover when we are united in Christ by the Spirit we are revealed in the order of a Holy Nation.

The culture of the Holy Nation is ordered by the law that shapes the nation. In the next message we will look at the order of the Holy Nation.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Order of Spiritual Households

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Order of Spiritual Households

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29; Romans 8:16

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Spiritual households are households made up of families that are not related by blood but by spirit. This is a greater arrangement than of the natural order. It is a more peaceful arrangement because the father receives the sons not on the basis of duty but on the basis of love. There is no impulse that arranges this house. It is done because you recognize God has given you a son because the son is a spirit. Hence there is nothing about his or her humanity that is a determining factor to the spiritual household. Galatians in its proper context says this:

Galatians 3:26-29: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

So it is not about ethnicity, social status or gender. Spirits have none of these characteristics. God is the Father of our spirits and not our flesh. Hence spiritual households is not built on fleshly lineage but on spiritual arrangement by Holy Spirit. Because it is love that unites the father and the son, How is the love of God shown? It is by His affinity with us, Spirit to spirit (Romans 8:16). God has given us His estate which are the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit are endowments of His authority to act in the earth. Now we will act in the earth under His authority until all of who God is, is in all of us. Jesus giving us Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee of what is to come because it will be Holy Spirit that will lead us and guide us through the age of man until it is fulfilled of God being all in all.

Holy Spirit is a taste of this reality because He will do such things as He would do, through you. He lives in us to do His pleasure in the form of gifts of the Spirit. So the spiritual household is arranged going from the concept that we are spiritual sons to a father to being arranged into spiritual families to be further assembled into spiritual houses. These spiritual houses will be further arranged into clans, to tribes and into a Holy Nation. In the next message we will look at the assembling of the Body of Christ.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Peace and the Twelve Tribes

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Building the Holy Nation Part 2: Peace and the Twelve Tribes

Scripture:

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now remember God starts the nation of Israel with the 12 sons of Jacob who in turn are also the sons of Isaac and Abraham. So, these 12 fathers have come from one father, Abraham. Now each of the tribes except Levi was given a land grant. God gave them this land grant in keeping peace. Tribes were located one next to other in the result that there should be no warrings between the tribes because they all have one father, Abraham. This makes for national peace because everyone that is a part of the nation is family and have one father in common. Isn’t it unique that you rarely do you hear about uprisings in Israel where Tribes war against one another. This is unique because everyone is brothers and sisters and have one father in common and this keeps the peace between the Tribes.

Now in each Tribe the land is further subdivided amongst clans. The clans were the sons of the fathers of the Tribes. The leaders of these clans ruled over the next set of people who were the households. The household is a arrangement of many families. The households are headed by many fathers who are the sons of the fathers of the clans who in turn are the sons of the fathers of the tribes, who in turn are the sons of the father. So the households of Israel are composed of families and the key word is families.

This arrangement of the House of Abraham is a family and it is the type and shadow portraying the heavenly family. Everyone who is a part of the House of God is family. This family is arranged by Holy Spirit and orders the relationship between fathers, spiritual fathers, and sons. Now when problems arise and threaten the peace in the family. The fathers are the delegated authority to oversee the sons of God and settle the dispute. If he does not settle the dispute then there is division in the household and his reputation is on the line. He must adjudicate and settle these differences because they have been given to him to watch over them because they are a part of his house.

Now the arrangement of identifying the person by his family is imperative. The person must be connected into the whole nation by an inheritance in land. So the son has an identity from his father that is confirmed by his inheritance in land.

Now if a son sold his land and that trend keeps going the order of the household would be disturb because remember the identity was the inheritance of land. So within two to three generations the sons will not even know who their families are. Now if you dispose or sell your inheritance of land, every next generation would be restored to the inheritance of land and this is called Jubilee.

This was the Lord’s commandment to Moses for God’s covenant community, the nation of Israel. Jubilee - the year following seven sabbatical or forty-nine years - would be a holy year (50 years). It would be a year of freedom, a time of restoration, and a season of preparation. In the year of Jubilee, debts would be forgiven and lands returned to their rightful owners. In the year of Jubilee, any Jew enslaved by another would be set free. During this holy year, injustice would be righted, oppression would cease, and the people would experience safety and fruitfulness in their land.

This is the natural order. In the next message we will look at the Spiritual Order of Households.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Building the Holy Nation

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Building the Holy Nation: Introduction

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3; Romans 14:17

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

The nation of Israel was built and established by God to be a type and shadow of the Holy Nation. The concepts and principals of the nation is to familiarize us with the arrangement of the Holy Nation. Now this is just a description of the Holy Nation, not the complete image of it because we know that the type and shadow are far less complex than the reality and we will see this in this mini-series. So let’s look at how God get’s this going.

God starts the nation by giving a man 12 sons. Who is that man? Of course we are talking about Jacob. Now remember Jacob was the son of Isaac who was the son of Abraham. Now what is significant about this is that Abraham was the father or one who was given the promise.

Genesis 12:2,3: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee (seed) shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Now before God gave Abram this promise He told him to get out of his country and from his kindred and from his father’s house and God will take him to a land. Why would God tell Abraham that? Abraham was living in a very evil culture where there was multiple false god worshipping. God needed to separate him (sanctify) from the land and its culture so that he can begin the process of producing a holy seed.

Now it takes three generations to get the nation started (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). But when Jesus comes, it does not take three generations, He started with twelve. Why? Jesus is heaven itself on Earth and does not need 3 generations to get started. But the point in both of these, the type and reality is to start a nation.

The arrangement of Abraham’s house is arranged and designed for peace and to produce peace. It is designed to show the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God?

Romans 14:17: “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”

The evidence of the Kingdom of God’s presence is peace. The result of the rulership of the King brings about peace. So the authority structure ordered in the nation of Israel is to produce peace. Now remember the children of Israel were in bondage for 430 years and had to be reconditioned to the ways of the True and Living God. After being brought out of Egypt, God brings them into the land he desires them to have. Now you have 12 tribes and this piece of land. In most of our societies and cultures when land is brought up, everybody gets a pitch fork and begins to fight over the land. Now remember the arrangement of the house of Abraham was to produce peace. So what does God do? He divides the land up but does it in a unique fashion.

God settles the land and divides it amongst the tribes. Now 11 of the 12 tribes received a land grant from God except the Tribe of Levi. God did not scatter the tribes amongst each other but gave each one, with the exception of Levi, a land grant and defined border.

In the next message we will look at peace amongst the 12 Tribes in the land of Israel.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Purpose of the Nation

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: The Big Picture Part 2: The Purpose of a Nation

Scripture: John 5:39,40

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

What is the Lord doing in the earth? He is building His house, His dwelling place. The dwelling place will be so suitable to display the love of God that when it is done, He will be all in all. Now to get to the end, we will change from glory to glory and ever change and mature to this point. This is why we must put in context the scripture that says Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. We must understand His being is the same but what He does in the earth changes to mature and prepare the Body of Christ. So we will continue to move on until all that is in Heaven comes into the earth and all that is in the mind of God is executed in the reality, until the purpose is fulfilled because that’s the thing in which God is glorified.

Hence the House of God is the primary consideration of all creation. Romans 8:19: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Abraham’s house served to bring the natural man into the earth because it takes a nation to bring the man into the earth. The nation is associated with a culture that creates a favorable to the advent of man. So there must be a preceding environment or context to understand who man is. Let me give you some scriptures to show this beautiful concept.

John 5:39,40: Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

The Scriptures were given to establish a culture in the earth to maintain man and prepare him for the reality to come, who is Jesus Christ who now writes the laws not in stone, but in our hearts. Life is in Jesus Christ, the Word of God. In addition God gives them the culture of sacrificing lambs and prophecies to further prepare them. God had to give man a preceding culture so He can hold them accountable when Jesus would come and upset the order of the former things in the earth. So it takes a nation to bring Christ. To bring Jesus it took a nation (Israel). It will take a nation (Holy Nation) to bring Christ into the world.

Let me leave you with this example. Every nation on the Earth is birthed and derived from a former nation or culture. In particular, the United States did not just pop-up out of nowhere. No, it was birthed from the United Kingdom and the culture of the United Kingdom. Now the culture of the United Kingdom was the initial culture in building the United States. Of course, people did not want to be under the United Kingdom rule and hence a revolution and the birth of America. Now do not get it wrong, to show their distain for the United Kingdom the culture of America or the way people would do things in America would be opposite of how they did it in the United Kingdom however, the basis of government and way of life came out of the previous culture established by the United Kingdom.

God sets one culture in the Earth and when the reality comes, He upsets the order of that type and shadow to bring you to the eternal reality of what God was preparing you for with the type and shadow.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Lamb and the lamb

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Type, Shadow and Reality Part 2: The Lamb and the lamb

Scripture: Revelation 13:8; Hebrews 6:17

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Before God made man, He knew that He would have to save him.

Revelation 13:8: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (Antichrist), whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

So the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world. Now this event happens in the eternal before the realm of time and the earth was formed, hence it happened in Heaven. Knowing that man would fall and he did in the Garden of Eden, God took a natural symbol and placed it into time and allowed this symbol to be a type and shadow of the reality to come in the fullness of time.

God enters into a covenant with Himself (Hebrews 6:17) which would require Him in His time to come into the Earth in human flesh and be sacrificed as a man to show and demonstrate how God is. This is the template or example for man in the Earth that God so loved man that He would give His very life for Him. Now after the fall, could you really tell someone that God would do this? No, because they could not receive such a revelation because the culture of the orphan (post-fall) is preoccupied (provision and protection)

the mind of mankind and the only way that man can receive revelation is Spirit to spirit (Holy Spirit to human spirit). Since man could not receive the reality God uses the culture of offering lambs to bring us in the fullness of time to the Lamb.

Typically lambs were unable to and designed not to be able to resist the brutality of a sacrifice. This would be the closest thing to the exact thing that God would do in the fullness of time. Just like a lamb would not resist his own death, so would God when He came in the form of the man. Even though He could call the angels, He did not resist the hands of unrighteous men. The sacrifice and offerings of the lamb was a type and shadow of the Lamb, Jesus Christ who would lay down His life for the sins of the world. Now remember the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world and this was in Heaven and remember in the model prayer we say “thy will be done on earth AS IT IS IN HEAVEN”. So in the fullness of time the Lamb that was slain in Heaven will come to Earth and be slain for the reconciliation of man and forgiveness of sin. This is why John the Baptist can say John 1:29 “Behold (look) the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”. Now once Jesus comes into the world, dies and was resurrected everything changes.

Do we need to sacrifice lambs anymore? No! When the reality comes into the earth, no longer do you live by the type and shadow. The reality is the standard by which we now live by and held accountable to. As time passes the knowledge of God degrades. It suffers from the inattentiveness of men when they are in the culture of the orphan and preoccupied with provision and protection. This culture of the orphan keeps man from seeing the reality so God leaves the type and shadow in the earth until they come into the reality through the culture of the Son. This is why God delays revelation because if you do not change your mindset to accommodate it, the revelation does not stay idle in creation. It is now the standard by which we are judged by. The reality now can set you free or convict you.

We will continue this discussion in the next message.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Type, Shadow and Reality

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Type, Shadow and Reality Part 1

Scripture: Colossians 2:16,17; Romans 1:20

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

How can we relate or advance in the eternal in the realm of time? God knew that after the fall man would have a difficult time understanding and could not comprehend revelation from the eternal in the natural due to the lack of Holy Spirit abiding in man. Look at what God does:

Romans 1:20: For the invisible things of Him (God) from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His (God) eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

So what God does is by the things that He made and placed in the earth, there is a symbolic meaning of a eternal reality that God is trying to speak to man. Now these symbolic representations is what the scripture calls types and shadows. If you have not seen this let me show you in this scripture in Colossians 2:17:

Colossians 2:17:” Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: WHICH ARE A SHADOW OF THINGS TO COME; BUT THE BODY IS OF CHRIST

So in this scripture we see Paul letting the Galatians know NOT TO GET CAUGHT UP in these holy days and Sabbath days because they are just a type and shadow OF THINGS TO COME. Hence that means all of these people who observe these days and do these ritualistic things are living on the type and shadow and not the reality because they have not allowed the reality to come to them. Paul says that the Body is of Christ and that is the reality because after Jesus ascended and the apostles were endowed with power from the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The church is born and now everyone desiring entrance into the House and Kingdom of God has that invitation extended to them. The problem we are having is understanding what is the type and shadow and what is the reality. You can only live by the type and shadow if the reality has not come, but when it comes, the type and shadow becomes null and void to the one receiving the reality and the grace is in living in the present day reality.

The types and shadows of things are not sufficient to explain the eternal. The eternal is more complex than the natural so the type and shadow is limited to convey the fullness of what the eternal is all about.

In the next few messages we will look at some examples of how God takes the natural and then brings the eternal reality to life and subdue the type and shadow.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Economy of Eternal Life in the Earth

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: The Economy of Eternal Life in the Earth

Scripture: John 17:1-3

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

We last look at the scripture in John 17:1-3 where Jesus tells us what eternal life is and where it is given. Here is that scripture again:

John 17:1-3: These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He SHOULD GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO AS MANY AS THOU HAST GIVEN HIM. AND THIS IS LIFE ETERNAL, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM THOU HAST SENT.

Now we may ask why would God gives us eternal life down here if when we die we will go to be with Him in Heaven? In order to fulfill your purpose in the Kingdom of God it requires eternal intervention and eternal power. To receive this eternal power and intervention you must be connected to the eternal source who is Abba, Father! Now we are connected by Holy Spirit abiding in us and testifying with our spirit which confirms us to be children of God (Romans 8:16). So in order to fulfill an eternal destiny and purpose, it requires an eternal being, being empowered by an eternal source. Now how is this eternal life sustained in the Earth in the realm of time?

We know that natural life in this earth or our flesh is sustained by bread. Natural foods sustain our flesh but remember we are not flesh first, we are spirits enclosed in flesh. Hence there is another food that we need for our spirit. It is an eternal food because the spirit is an eternal being. Our spirit is sustained and nourished by the bread from heaven who is the Word of God. Let me show you this popular scripture:

Matthew 4:4: “But He (Jesus) answered and said, It is written (Deuteronomy 8:3) Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

So it is the proceeding word of God from the mouth of God that comes from the eternal, through the eternal, to the eternal in the realm of time. Christ gives life and supports eternal life in this world. Jesus said that He is the bread of life come down from Heaven.

With all of that said, where we struggle is the fact that all of that is invisible and because of the fall in the garden our view of reality is the things that are natural instead of the things that are eternal impacting the natural. In the next message we will look at this complex issue.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Concept of Eternal Life in the Kingdom of God

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Concept of Eternal Life in the Kingdom of God

Scripture: John 17:1-3

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now the question we left off the last message with was, is it possible to have eternal life in the earth, right now? Before we answer we need to know what our perception of eternal life is. For the majority of people, eternal life is the life after we leave this world. Many see eternal life in Heaven. However, what does the Bible say? Moreover what did our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ say eternal life is and when do we receive this life. Let’s look at this set of scriptures:

John 17:1-3: These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He SHOULD GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO AS MANY AS THOU HAST GIVEN HIM. AND THIS IS LIFE ETERNAL, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM THOU HAST SENT.

Now the first part of this scripture says that Jesus Christ has been given power to give eternal life to all of those whom the Father has given to Him. Now the revelation and this is good. The scripture tells you what eternal life is: They (the sons and saints) shall know the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ who the Father sent. So nothing about this scripture says future tense. Very simple, Jesus gives eternal life to those who know the Father and the Son. As simple as that may sound we have made it this extravagant future life. Eternal life is available to us on Earth NOW! Yes, it is available now to everyone that calls on the name of Jesus and is reconciled back to the Father. Do not let anyone fool you about this. This is the words of the Lord.

Remember we talked and discussed extensively about the components of mankind being flesh, spirit and soul. Remember our spirit is who we truly are. We are spirits enclosed in flesh. Our flesh is simply our housing, it is not who we are. This is why Paul could tell the church at Galatia in Galatians 3:28 that there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female. All of these things correspond to the flesh. But He tells them that we are all one in Christ. The key word is in Christ and we will look at this in the next message.

Romans 8:14,16: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God. 16-The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Question, do the children of God have eternal life? Of course, if they are in the image and after the likeness then if the Father is eternal, the children must be eternal. What religion has done is made eternal life a future reality and not a present day reality and when it is a future reality how are you to walk eternally today? The Kingdom of God is an eternal government. The House of God is a eternal family. Our fellowship is not a carnal relationship but an eternal relationship with Holy Spirit who assembles us in the Body of Christ. So everything about understanding eternal life is understanding that we are spirits enclosed in flesh. Until we migrate to spirit first, flesh last mentality we will always question our salvation and whether we have eternal life. Jesus said that the devil savours the things of man and not the things of God. Hence he entices us with worldly riches and pleasurable things of this world to get our concentration from being lead by the Spirit to being lead by the flesh.

In the next message we will continue our discussion on the concept of eternal life.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Impact of the Entertainment Industry Part 2

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Worshipping Angels: The Impact of the Entertainment Industry Part 2

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4;1,2;

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Today we will look at another movie and this one I believe was the biggest experiment for the enemy to how desensitized to the truth about who we are. That movie is Legion. Now for many of us if we watched this we probably did not pay attention to the little perversions that were in the movie. Now we must always, I mean always keep in mind that these spirits have been around longer than us and they no more than us. They use your ignorance and what you do not know to indoctrinate and deceive you. Let’s look at this movie and remember we are looking at the dark practice of worshipping angels.

In this movie it is set at the time of the apocalypse and there is this woman and man and the woman is carrying a baby who is to be the savior of the world. Hmm, where have we heard this? The storyline to the movie is the mankind looses faith in God and turns to angels. Yes, let me repeat this, mankind loses FAITH IN GOD AND TURNS TO ANGELS. Now as demonic as this is they put an angel to protect the unborn baby and take a guess what his name is? Michael. So Michael protects the couple from the Legion of evil angels sent to destroy the baby boy. Now let me stop right there because if you do not read your Bible then you would think this is just a movie but what they were doing is trying to divert your attention from the truth of the gospel and the position and purpose of the angels to worship of angels. Now they used Michael, the chief war angel to protect the couple but remember the perverted thing is that they have put their faith in Michael and not God. All throughout the Bible Michael is the captain of the host of the Lord. They took truth and mixed just enough lie in it to pervert the entire message. So when you read the Bible you see contradictions and then you are confused but this is why we are dealing with this now because you will see a lot of use of the angels in Revelation and if you do not understand that they are under the authority of the Lord and are to serve those who are the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). This movie pushed the limit so far and the church was quiet on this.

Now when we look at the entertainment, especially the music industry we see shirts and people portraying themselves as angels with wings. Shirts now carry the skull with wings and we have become so spiritually desensitized to it we go and buy it and think nothing of it. Many hip-hop, pop and rock artist are portraying themselves in videos and on their album covers with wings. Where are they getting it from? From the very spirits that are influencing and controlling them.

In the next message we will look at the fallen spirits and the concept of evil and what is evil.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Worshipping Angels: The Impact of the Entertainment Industry

The Holy Nation

Today’s Focus: Worshipping Angels: The Impact of the Entertainment Industry

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1,2; Hebrews 13:2; Daniel 10:12,13 and 20,21;

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

I pray you pay close attention because some of us has this forbidden practice in our very homes. Remember, Satan has come to steal, kill and destroy and nothing about him and his followers say God. Let’s look at the scripture and then get to some examples:

1 Timothy 4:1,2: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times (that is now), some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Satan is known as the prince and the power of the air. He sets atmospheres and through those atmospheres he sets opportunities for him to be exalted and worshipped. Satan is also known as Beelzebub or Baalzebub meaning “lord of things that fly”. What are the things that fly? The fallen spirits. How is the entertainment industry doing this and why do we not see it? First it is because they are perverting the Word of God and because we fail to study and have a relationship with God our discernment to these issues is diminished and compromised. Let’s look at an example:

The Prince of Persia

Now it was so funny that people jumped all over me and told me that the prince of Persia was a video game and that is where they got the movie from. But did anyone ask where they got the video game that all of the kids wanted, where did they get the whole notion for it. The Bible! But check this out, they perverted the scripture to make the Prince of Persia a good guy but let’s see what the Bible, The Word of God says about the Prince of Persia.

Daniel 10:12,13 then 20,21: “Then said he (Gabriel the Angel) unto me, Fear not Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. BUT THE PRINCE OF THE KINGDOM OF PERSIA WITHSTOOD ME (GABRIEL) ONE AND TWENTY DAYS: BUT LO MICHAEL ONE OF THE CHIEF PRINCES, CAME TO HELP ME; AND I REMAINED THERE WITH THE KINGS OF PERSIA. 20- Then said he, knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? And now will I return to FIGHT WITH THE PRINCE OF PERSIA: AND WHEN I AM GONE FORTH, LO THE PRINCE OF GRECIA (GREECE) SHALL COME. BUT I WILL SHEW THEE THAT WHICH IS NOTED IN THE SCRIPTURE OF TRUTH: AND THERE IS NONE THAT HOLDETH WITH ME IN THESE THINGS BUT MICHAEL YOUR PRINCE!

So in actuality the Prince of Persia was a fallen evil angel because he tried to stop Gabriel from getting to Daniel and of course Michael came who is the chief of the Warring Angels of God to assist Gabriel. Now what Hollywood did was pervert this story and make the prince of Persia a good guy and remember throughout scripture we see angels and when they are described by the people who see them, many say they look just like men. So this is why the scripture:

Hebrews 13:2: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares”

We need to be ever careful about the things we watch and understand that these demons want to be worshipped and in control and what they do is dilute the truth by indoctrinating the children on any level, including movies and video games. This is why we must study the Word so we can discern the move of the enemy.

I did not intend to stay on this one example but we must tell it the way God wants it explained. In the next message we will continue to look at another example from the entertainment industry.

At Our Father’s Service,

Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.