New Teaching Series: Concept of Fire Baptism

Concept of Fire Baptism

Today’s Focus: Introduction

Scripture: Matthew 3:11; Romans 8:14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Why would be discuss fire baptism as an entire series one might ask? Believe it or not it is a very crucial baptism that every believer must be baptized with as a part of their maturity. Now we know that in the Elementary Doctrines, which are listed in Hebrews 6:1, baptisms is listed as one of those elementary doctrines. There are four types of baptisms and they are:

1. Baptism By the Spirit

2. Baptism of the Spirit

3. Baptism by Water

4. Baptism with Fire

Now John the Baptist, in our base scripture brings up three of the four types of baptism and they are very important to understand.

Matthew 3:11: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worth to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

This scripture has been quoted many times but do we as the sons of God have a firm understanding of what Jesus is baptizing us with. Well, we should have an understanding of Jesus baptizing us with the Holy Spirit. If we do not understand this, then we need to check our salvation. However, Baptism with Fire is probably the least understood one of the four but probably in the scriptures one of the most discussed by our Lord and the first century church.

Now to understand this and receive insight into the wisdom of God we must first change with the seasons of God and come into a understanding of who we are and our purpose in the earth. The wisdom of God is vital to bring the sons to maturity but it requires the sons to sacrifice who they are to become who God has called them to be. When we lack identity then we lack purpose. Hence our viewpoint and understanding of who we are determines how we think and then how we behave. Now the biggest transition for any son of God is changing from the mindset of an orphan to the mindset of the son. This change can only start from the spirit to the soul then outwardly through our flesh. This is what is called being led by the Spirit. Now this is also a confirmation when the change happens:

Romans 8:14: For as many as are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.

Now in order to come to this state we must ask the question, who were we being led by then before the Spirit of God? In the next message we will look at our leader before the Spirit of God who is our soul.

At Our Father’s Service,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Summary

Overcoming the World

Topic: Summary

Scripture: 1 John 2; Acts 14:22;

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Apostle John tells us that whoever is born of God has overcome the world. So it is the sons of God that overcome the world. However, it is only through obedience and submission are the sons able to overcome. Acts 14:22 tells us that through tribulation we enter the Kingdom of God and this is a constant pattern and process God uses to mature the saints because it involves us denying the world and our own fleshly desires to allow God to live through us.

We look at 1 John 2:13 and discussed the three stages of believers according to John which are children, young men and fathers. We saw that it is the young men who overcome the world and this is because the infant must mature and come into the knowledge of their sonship. Once they have come into the knowledge of their sonship then they will come into the understanding of how they have overcome the world. Well we know that overcoming the world requires us to abide and live in the Kingdom of God and allow the Father’s rule to manifest on the earth.

It is the spiritual father’s responsibility to show this overcoming reality in the life that they live and through the trials and tribulations they endure. Jesus did it for His disciples, teaching them to suffer unto obedience (Hebrews 5:8) and the disciples who matured and became fathers themselves showed their spiritual children. There is not one person in the Scriptures that did not endure tribulation unto obedience. When you grow through these processes then you become mature and can teach others how to mature.

Overcoming the world is all about the sons of God relying on the Father and not the world’s ways and systems to meet their provision and protection. The Kingdom of God is the son’s primary governing rule in their lives. They show that they are sons of God through love towards the Father and their fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord. However, a son of God, in particular, a immature son, if not discipled and not submitted to Christ will struggle with this until they mature. We see many people struggle with the faith at this point because when the cares of this life hit, the Word of God is “choked” out of them. However if the word falls on good ground, in due season it will bring forth much fruit. It will endure the storms of life and through constant nourishment, the son will mature and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Loving God

Overcoming the World

Topic: Loving God

Scripture: 1 John 5:3,4; 1 John 2:15-17

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now we could ask many people how do we show love to God. We would get so many answers but today we want the scriptures to tell us how we love God.

1 John 5:3,4: For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith

So to show love to God as a son, we do it through obedience. When we are obedient and in a state of submission we conform to the image of God and this is worship. Not to obey His commandments do not bring grief but peace into the lives of the sons. Remember the result of the Lord's rulership is peace. But this requires you to be rightly-aligned or rightly-positioned with the source of the authority and power (grace) in the Kingdom and House of God. Now watch this. John goes on to tell us that WHOSEOEVER IS BORN OF GOD OVERCOMETH THE WORLD: AND THIS IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD, EVEN OUR FAITH. So to overcome the world you must become a son of God. The result of being a son of God is that you have the victory that overcomes the world. Now being a son of God is more than just confession, faith and wait to go to heaven. We discussed in a previous message that when you are born of God, you are an infant and require nourishment and discipleship to grow to maturity to handle the true riches of the Kingdom. Now this means we cannot just sit back and think we are ok because the world will push on you and the devil will make you believe that nothing has changed and you are still a sinner and has not been forgiven. But remember how John started 1 John 2:1 and 12, he told the children that their sins are forgiven. It is the mature sons job to bear up the immature and weak and disciple them to maturity.

This is what God did with us by carrying our sins on Him and pinning them to the cross as a constant reminder that Jesus paid it all with His blood. This is the love of God shown boldly to us. Now we have a responsibility to carry on His Will in the earth and mature the House of God for the return of the Lord. Many people claim to love God but their actions say completely different. God searches the hearts of everyone but our evidence is in the fruit that the person bears. Now if we are discipling in the proper way then the son of God matures understanding this scripture:

1 John 2:15-17: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that love the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not

We know that the world refers to the systems or ways of the world which are controlled by the devil. The sons of God do not lust after the things of this world and the ways of the world but for the love of the Father. In their obedience to the Father they do not make their primary concern provision and protection but the Will of God is their primary concern. Provision and protection comes with being a son in their Father’s House.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Foundation of the Relationships in the House of God

Overcoming the World

Today’s Focus: Foundation of the Relationships in the House of God

Scripture: 1 John 5; Galatians 4:5,6; John 1:12

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

The foundation of the relationships in the House of God is love. Now we all should know that love is an action word. Now this is a very extensive topic so let's get into the scripture and see how love helps us overcome the world.

1 John 5:1,2: Whosoever believeth that Jesus Christ is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him. By this we know that we are the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

Now John starts this chapter of the epistle by giving us the foundation of our very existence in the House of God. It is only by faith the Jesus is the Christ. We know that Romans 10:9 tells us that we must confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead. Now when we have made that confession of our faith. God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. We are adopted from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Light and the House of God. Let me show you:

Galatians 4:5,6: To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons and because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father.

John 1:12: But as many as recieved Him (Spirit of Christ), to them gave He power to become sons of God, even them that believe on His name.

So when God sends the Spirit of Christ into our hearts upon our confession of faith we automatically become sons of God. Now with that confession we say we want to make Jesus Christ our Lord. For Him to be Lord means that He rules over your life. You have submitted unto His rulership. The bond that is made Spirit to spirit is a bond that is founded in love. It is the love of the Father for the sons and the sons for the Father. Even moreover 1 John 5:1 speaks that the sons of God should love one another just as we love the Father. So there is a love of love to go around but in everything that we do, it should be done in love.

By showing this love 1 John 5:2 says it is the confirmation that we are sons of God when we love our fellow brothers and sisters and we love God and keep His commandments.

In the next message we will look at how to love God and how it correlates with overcoming the world.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Purpose of Jesus and His Ministry

Overcoming the World

Today’s Focus: The Purpose of Jesus and His Ministry

Scripture: John 1:12; 10:30,36-38; Matthew 4:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Greetings Kingdom Citizens:

Now we have said in times past when there is a lack of identity, then there is a lack of purpose and when there is a lack of purpose, there is a abuse of power or oppression. In being the Son of God Jesus understood who He is. The church today has this problem in the fact that we see ourselves more as Christians and church members or parishoners. The devil's attack is to always attack who you are because if you do not know who you are then how can you know what you are supposed to do. Please pay attention to this. Jesus had an encounter with the devil and during this encounter there was a common question the devil asked during the temptations in Matthew 4. Let me show you this because we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We must have the pre-fall mindset. Now watch how the devil tries to challenge Jesus.

Matthew 4:3: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command these stones be made bread

Matthew 4:6: And saith unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Notice the devil is questioning whether Jesus "thinks or believes" He is the Son of God. He is questioning His sonship. Even in Garden the devil attacked the identity of Adam and Eve about being naked. Sonship is not in the flesh but in the Spirit. Your flesh is simply your housing. Jesus was secure in who He was and He was secure in what He was called to do which is His purpose. Now people say that Jesus came to save us by dying on the cross and allowing us to go to heaven. The problem with this mentality is all of the focus of salvation is to get you to heaven. The ministry of Jesus was very unique and Jesus dealt with this very issue. Let me show you.

John 10:30: I and my Father are one.

John 10:36,37: Say ye of Him (Jesus), whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me and I in Him.

The purpose of Jesus ministry was to show the Father. To be His Son, His ambassador, His representative in the Earth. The only way He could do this is through submission and obedience to the Father. This is why Jesus can say, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Jesus was the full and exact expression of the Father in the earth. He was full of grace and truth. In showing the Father, Jesus preached and taught about the rulership of the Father which is His Kingdom. So this is what we have to this point:

We have Jesus the Son of God sent to the Earth to show us the Father. Jesus preaches and teaches us about the Kingdom of God which is the rulership of God over the lives of men.

This is how Jesus overcame the world. By being a Son of God and allowing the Father's rulership to order and direct His steps in word and in deed. The death and resurrection of Jesus made this life available to men who believe on His name. John 1:12: But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe oon His name: We as the sons of God have been given the ministry and word of reconciliation. The ministry and word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) is all about the sons putting on display the ways and nature of the Father in the Earth. They are only able to do this being mature and submitting to the rulership of the King over their lives (Kingdom of God).

In the next message we will look at three stages of believers in the scripture and began to frame how we overcome the world. I know Jesus tells us and shows us, but we want to show that the apostles dealt with this very issue with the church.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

New Teaching Series: Overcoming the World

Overcoming the World

Today’s Focus: Introduction

Scripture: John 16:33

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

In John 16:33 Jesus said this to the disciples:

John 16:33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Now the first thing I want to point out about overcoming the world is the fact that the result of overcoming the world is you having peace. Jesus is telling the disciples this so that they may have peace in a turbulent world. Peace is simply the result of the rulership of God. This is why Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. The result of His rulership brings about peace. Where does Jesus want to rule? Not geography, but the hearts of men. So the Kingdom of God is not about ruling geography but the hearts of men.

The next thing and this is the big one in this scripture is the fact that Jesus told them that He has overcome the world. Now you may say well Jesus is the Son of God and so yes he can overcome the world but remember He came in the flesh to show us the way and when Jesus said that He has overcome the world, He spoke this BEFORE the crucifixtion and His resurrection. Hmm! See this is another one of those scriptures where religion tries to put overcoming the world in the sweet by and by. No! Jesus is saying just as I have overcome the world, so shall the sons of the God also. This study will be exclusively about overcoming the world in this life. So what does it mean to overcome the world? Jesus actually tells us the process.

John 10:17: Therefore doth my father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

So the Father loves the Son because he laid down His life. What is His life? The right to do what he wanted to do, His physical life. He fully submitted, flesh, spirit and soul unto the Father to do His Will and not His own will. Now look at that again. It says the Father loves the Son because he laid down His life. This lines up perfectly with the words of Jesus when He said:

Matthew 16:24: Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, Let Him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

So the first step that we as the sons of God must do is deny ourselves and present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1,2). This is consistent with what happened with Jesus after the baptism, Jesus fasted, continually sacrificing His flesh in order to stay connected to the Father. This is why fasting is so crucial to the believer and it must be done with a purpose. Submission and obedience to Father is how we show love to Him (worship) and this is the first step to overcoming the world.

In the next message we will look at the ministry of Jesus and how through submission and obediece He showed us how to overcome the world.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Paradigm Shift Needed for Maturity

Role of the Spiritual Father

Today’s Focus: Paradigm Shift Needed for Maturity

Scripture: Titus 2; John 1:12; 1 Timothy 5; 1 Corinthians 4:15-17

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

The goal for the spiritual father is maturity of the son. They mature the son by the Word of God and by displaying the ways and character of the Father in the Earth. Paul recognized the paradigm shift that the church needed 2,000 years ago and it is not really until now that we are starting to see this shift happening before our eyes. Let me give you the scripture and then explain because if you truly want to handle the gifts of the Spirit and responsibility in the Kingdom of God you must mature, but maturation is not just in knowledge but also in character.

1 Corinthians 4:15: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Now you may have missed it but Paul is telling the Corinthians about the shift that is needed for them to mature and come to the full stature of Christ. What is the shift? Paul told the church at Corinth you have ten thousand teachers or instructors in Christ YET HAVEE YE NOT MANY FATHERS. Paul is saying, look there are a lot of teachers in the church but there are not fathers to put on display the ways and nature of the Father to bring you into maturity. Now just to prove this Paul does something. The scripture goes on to say the Paul is sending his beloved son Timothy to them. Now wait, Paul is sending his son Timothy who God has assigned to him to bring him into maturity. So Paul sends his son in the gospel to the Corinthians to do what?

1 Corinthians 4:17: FOR THIS CAUSE, have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, WHO SHALL BRING YOU INTO REMEMBERANCE OF MY WAYS WHICH BE IN CHRIST, as I teach every where in every church.

How would Timothy bring into their remembrance the ways of Paul which be in Christ? By demonstrating it through His discipleship and relationship he had with his spiritual father Paul. Now I said all of that to this vital point for the Body of Christ.

There are thousands and thousands of teachers of Christ but how many are demonstrating and putting on display the ways and character of the Father? How many of these instructors are maturing the Body from the standpoint of being mature themselves and given grace to mature others? The church must shift from institution to relationship! Let me say this one more time! The church must shift from institution to relationship. This is where the grace of God is. It is in the relationship between a father and son. Every believer has a spiritual father. The question is do you know who it is and are they the one that God has assigned to you? For this to work, you cannot pick them out of emotion! The Father must place the person in your spirit and the Father will also pick the spirit of the father to accept you into their household. What does that mean? It means the church must also shift from institution to a household model. The sons of God cannot be seen as members but sons, just like your natural family. This is why one of the qualifications of the bishop is to make sure his house (family) is in order and under subjection before bringing other souls unto him. We must re-focus on personal relationships between a father and son and the mother and daughter that Titus 2 and 1 Timothy 5 speaks about. It is all about family! God does not want your religion. He did not reconcile you for you to be religious. He reconciled you to become a son (John 1:12). This requires us to put down all these titles and allow God to order our relationships in the House and when you shed religion and pick up the concept of the House of God, you will see the freedom and be able to mature and walk in your maturity being the radiance of the Father’s glory in the Earth, allowing Him to draw and reconcile sons back to Him through you. The spiritual father has been placed in the earth to mature you to that place. This is not something you can do alone. Relationships ordered by the Holy Spirit is the key to maturation!

Are you willing to shift?

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Character of the Spiritual Father Part 2

Role of the Spiritual Father

Today’s Focus: Character of the Spiritual Father: Part 2

Scripture: Hebrews 5:8; Matthew 18:35; Acts 14:22; Hebrew 7:25

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

We are continuing in the 5 characteristics of the spiritual father.

Suffer Vocationally

When we look at suffering, suffering is not all about who sinned or who failed. Jesus did neither but the scriptures speak of him suffering. Hebrews 5:8: Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered. When we suffer unto obedience we began to enter the government of God. This is where souls are strengthened and there is encouragement to continue in the faith. Now watch this and this one is a big one:

Acts 14:22:” Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that WE MUST THROUGH MUCH TRIBULATION (SUFFERING) ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD”

Do we see this! If you have not gone through tribulation then you have not entered because you must learn the concept of suffering unto obedience. When we are going through tribulations, the spiritual father helps you through it and when you come out, you have now established another level of maturity. I believe one of the hardest things to suffer is rejection because then if we are not careful our emotions get entangled with us doing the Will of God and then we become off-track.

Intercession on Behalf of Others

Hebrews 7:25:” Wherefore He is able to also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them”

We know that Jesus sits at the right hand of Majesty always interceding on our behalf. In as much as this is a Heavenly reality, Jesus gave us a perfect example when He prayed for the disciples and the ones that would come after them. Jesus was making intercession for them and all of us even when we were not praying for ourselves. When we transition to the New Season, which we are in now, this transition brings upon trials and tribulations. Spiritual fathers close to Holy Spirit should be ready to respond in intercession for the sons. To intercede for their sons is a joy, and not a burden. The spiritual father must be careful not to see immaturity as a burden.

Extending Mercy

Now we could be here all day with this one so let’s sum it up quickly. A priestly act is to extend mercy to others just as mercy has been extended to us. Matthew 18:35: “So likewise shall my Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” The attitude of “I earned it the hard way, so you must also” is not the attitude a spiritual father should have with a son. As spiritual sons mature and make mistakes, which they will, the fathers are to extend mercy to the sons just like their father and Father extends to them.

In the next message we will close this series out with understanding the paradigm shift necessary for maturation.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Character of the Spiritual Father

Role of the Spiritual Father

Today’s Focus: Character of the Spiritual Father

Scripture: John 20:12; Psalm 103:13,14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Before one can be a spiritual father, one must be a spiritual son who as matured in the ways and character of the Father. These sons have gone through many hardships to qualify. They are men who desire to see their sons become fathers themselves and carry out the pattern of maturity. Spiritual fathers are unique and we will discuss 5 characteristics of the spiritual father.

Absorb Human Failure

Because of God’s love toward us, He absorbs our failures and rebellion of all His people through His grace (power and authority). Spiritual fathers are not to be critical of others failure but just soak it up because the spiritual father understands the maturity level and when we make mistakes in this life, the love of God absorbs them and helps us to understand our mistake so that we can minister to others that might come to that trap and prevent them from falling. Psalm 103:13,14: “Like a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

Love Others Without Reward

The attitudes of spiritual fathers are motivated by the glory of God and the extension of His Kingdom. John 20:12: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” Jesus was delighted to send the disciples out because He knew they were maturing and this was laying a foundation that would carry all the way to His return. One of the biggest issues we have with this is the fact that the church has a business mentality. THE CHURCH IS NOT A BUSINESS! Funny, it was never supposed to take on the issues that it has now but we will look at that in another series. But what has happened is the business mindset of selling materials, ministering for awards and trading mailing lists are all business concepts. Our Father’s business is representing Him in the Earth! That’s it and the love of the spiritual father in displaying the ways and character of the Father help mature the sons to do the same. The spiritual father seeks no reward for this because he understands that is his assignment and the love he has for his sons allow him to find joy in watching his sons mature and teach others.

For the sake of time we will continue this in the next message.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Importance of the Spiritual Father/Son Relationship in the House of God

Role of the Spiritual Father

Today’s Focus: Importance of the Spiritual Father/Son Relationship in the House of God

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now one of the devastating signs of the times that we are seeing is the maturing of fatherlessness in the earth. It is almost normal to see single parent homes and back in the day this was unheard of. Now when there is a lack of fathers we will see sons rebel and lead chaotic lives for the most part, not all the time. But when we look at society we can definitely look back at the household and see where it all has gone wrong. One of the major roles in the Hebrew culture was that the father was to teach the sons about God and bring them to maturity so that when it was time to take the exam they would past and officially become a man. But what happens when the natural father have abused, marginalized and wounded the sons. This person does not have to be a natural father, it could be a step-father or even a church leader in which someone has put their trust in. What happens when this happens? Well it is definitely hard for anyone in those situations to relate to God the Father as their Father when the father they do see is abusing them spiritually, emotionally and/or physically. What ends up happening is these children develop the “trust no man” and they build up a wall around them and build the notion that they “do not want to hear from any man, just God” Now you may say well is that not what we want? The answer which is a question is, how does God bring the word to us? Through His sons who he has matured to be fathers in the Earth to bring the young in spirit to maturity. But for the child who has built those barriers, it is extremely hard for them to even grasp the concept of a “spiritual father”.

The original model was God the Father, maturing Adam, because Adam had no earthly father. But then Adam was to teach and mature His sons and so on. This is what God wanted and this is the order and the way He desires for it to be done. However because we have gone away from the model that has a spiritual father paired with a son (i.e. Paul/Timothy, Paul/Silas), Christians have had to take their growth upon themselves and do it on their own. Let me explain! We have all these conferences and all of these books and electronic media to get the latest from the Word of God. Nothing is wrong with technology but God ordained for your maturation to be a one-on-one relationship and the model of the spiritual father and son can accomplish that very thing. Think about it? How can one pastor mature 500 people? To mature anyone requires an intimate one-on-one relationship and usually when you get up into those numbers it is all about members and maintaining the growth, physically.

God is raising up fathers who genuinely care for sons that God has assigned them. The sons pursue the fathers. This is a biblical pattern that is played throughout the Bible. You have Ruth pursuing Naomi, Elisha pursuing Elijah and Timothy pursuing Paul. These are a few examples but the common thread between them all was a relationship, not membership. This relationship was all about maturation and taking the child to the next level of where the father left off. This is called multi-generational building.

In the next message we will look at the character of the spiritual fathers.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Turning the Hearts

Role of the Spiritual Father

Today’s Focus: Turning the Hearts

Scripture: Malachi 4:5,6; Luke 15; 1 John 4:18; Romans 8:15

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

The spiritual father has been given the grace of God which turns the hearts of the sons to the fathers. This is the prophecy that ends the Old Testament and is picked up and spoken to Zacharias in Luke 1 concerning the John, his son. You can find the prophecy in Malachi 4:5,6 and Luke 1:17. Now this is what the Lord is currently doing. He is turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. We know the disobedient refers to the orphan and the wisdom represents the fathers who will put on display the ways and character of the Father.

When we look at the institutional church, it is not working like it used to, in all honesty. What has happened is the focus of the much of the church is about the sinner coming to the building and not the children of God putting the ways and character of God on display. We have churches that scare people into salvation by preaching hell and damnation, even though it is truth. God does not want to scare you into salvation because if it is fear that brought you in, it will be fear that you will live in and fear torments. Let me show you:

1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

God does not want to torment you. God SO LOVED THE WORLD that He gave His only Begotten Son. So it is love that should draw you in and it will be love that sustains you. Romans 8:15 speaks that we have not been given the spirit of bondage to fear. So preaching hell all the time and trying to scare people into salvation is the wrong way. Fear torments and our Father does not torment His children. Even though the result of not choosing Jesus is hell, Jesus Himself displayed the culture of the Heaven and the Kingdom and through its power and the Spirit of the Father, people were drawn in. Another issue that is on the rise for the institutional church is finances and this one is a killer. The reason I call it killer is because when the focus is on maintaining the building, then it cannot be about reconciliation and hence you will find preachers always preaching about giving and tithing in order to help maintain the building. Do not get me wrong we should cheerfully give to God’s work but we should not give out of force and guilt. When you understand the truth of the tithe you are made free and when you understand how to give, biblically, you will really see the hand of God move in your favor. So the focus is always on building bigger buildings and congregations and not on discipleship and maturity in the House of God.

The prophecy of Malachi is re-instituting the original order of the Kingdom and House of God to the Earth. The reason I say, re-institute is these orders were in the Earth before the fall until sin separated the son from the Father. This is where we get the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). The Order of the House of God is a patriarchal order. This order is about the relationship between father and sons. The order of the Kingdom is the government by which the sons live under in order to bring righteous rule into the earth. One is about maturing and growing up and the other is about responsibility and rulership. Now how many of us have ever heard about these cultures, let alone seen them manifest in the Earth. Well it is extremely hard, not impossible, to see these cultures from an institutional model because it is predicated on the pastor and the flock, or the bishop and the parishioners, or the priest and the congregations. Are these concepts of the House of God? Of course because there is oversight in the House of God but there is much more to maturity than just oversight and in the next message we will look at the relationship between the son and the father.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Command and Encouragement

Role of the Spiritual Father

Today’s Focus: Command and Encouragement

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 1:18-19

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

I do not know anybody who has not ever received direction or encouragement. Funny when you think about it, when it is time for an opinion you can find anybody to give you one. But when it comes to the trials and tribulations of life, there are few that will be with you. One person besides the Lord that will be with you to give command and encouragement is your spiritual father. When we transition to the things that God is doing the first thing you will have to do is deny yourself and what you think is right (soul) and step out on faith to do what God has called you to do. Most times the thing that God wants to do through you is unlike you that it is hard to believe and may times you will question whether this is the way because of the direction it looks like everybody else is going in. I want to give you this personal testimony of my transition in grace to the thing God is doing with me because even I needed encouragement and command through this time and I know someone may read this and find the strength and encouragement to step out on faith and walk in the Spirit and grace God has given you.

For the past 27 years I was a member of the Primitive Baptist church. I was a faithful, committed member. Over my past 3 years of ministry the Lord began to lead me in a different direction than the direction most in the church desired for me to go. For four months I prayed and fast over this issue to leave but the Lord spoke to me in 2011 and said it was time to leave. This was all I knew as it pertained to church but through my studies over the past 3 years the Lord was consistently revealing another angle to this thing called "church" and that was called the household model. During this time I had brothers, Floyd Miles, Mark Mayhew, and Leon Elijah giving me encouragement and command. Now when I speak of encouragement and command I am speaking of godly counsel and encouragement and not manipulation. The true mark of son of God is that they allow God to use them to speak to you without manipulation or emotional pulling. They were giving me the very word that I taught and what God was doing was putting me through an application process where I now had to apply what God had taught me. When it was time to move, it was the hardest week of my life. I was emotionally drained, spiritually drained. I was spent trying to explain what God was doing and it got so bad that not only was I questioning God why is all of this happening but I questioned the call to move. Once again God sends godly counsel through spiritual family and my spiritual father to encourage me to fast and pray and ask God for direction. I thank God for them because there were times during this whole process where I mishandled situations and it was correction that came from the spiritual family as well as encouragement. The Lord lead me and my family to join the Household of Elijah and now the Lord has been revealing to me all He had taught me over the past 2-3 years and now I am seeing it in God's order.

The point in telling you all of this is that the spiritual father is and the person who gives the Word of God in times of distress to strengthen you and encourages you to stay close to the Lord. Paul did this exact thing with his spiritual son Timothy.

1 Timothy 1:3-4: As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Paul is giving Timothy command and Timothy in honor to who Paul is in his life is obeying him. How many of us have truly submitted to the authority of a spiritual father in our lives? In as much as they give command they also give encouragement because being a son of God is not easy and the road gets rough and God has given us each other to help each other along the way. Listen to how Paul encourages Timothy after telling him about the trials he will encounter through his ministry in Ephesus.

1 Timothy 1:18-19: This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.

Paul telling Timothy to remember the prophecies about him that he may stand and fight the good fight of faith with a good conscience that no many say any evil about him. I love the way Paul encouraged Timothy, not in the natural sense but spiritually. We must understand that just as a natural son grows up and experiences some hard times in their life, the father in that child's life is so important to encourage and validate them to continue to strive and achieve their goals. God has a goal for His sons and that is that they mature to the full stature of Christ. Allow the spiritual father to command, correct and encourage you in your maturity.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Watchman of the Family

The Role of Spiritual Father

Topic: Watchman of the Family

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14-17; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:2

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

As a natural father is to watch over his home to protect his family, so does the spiritual father. The spiritual father's role not only watches the natural but most of all the eternal. Remember we wrestle not against flesh and blood but spiritual wickedness in high places. So if the fight is in the eternal then we must allow those who are mature in the eternal to watch over our souls and when they bring a warning or correction we as the sons should obey for our sakes so that we are protected. Let me show you some scriptures and examples of how God has placed spiritual fathers in the House to watch over the family and warn the family of sin and the enemy.

1 Corinthians 4:14-17: I write not these things to shame you BUT AS MY BELOVED SONS I WARN YOU. For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beesech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have i sent unto you Timotheous, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Paul is warning the Corinthians that it is one thing to learn about Christ but it is more important to be the exact representation (ambassador) of Him. See they had the instructors but they need spiritual fathers to take what has been taught and put into action for the people to mimic. He does not want them to become people who are puffed up in word but become sons filled with power to put on display the Kingdom of God and the culture of the Son.

In Paul's letter to his son Timothy he warned Timothy of the various doctrines that were present and to come.

1 Timothy 4:1: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Here we have a spiritual father warning his son of doctrines that will seduce people, typically weak or immature, to depart the faith. Paul does not desire this to happen with him even though these discouraging things may happen and some that are close to you may depart the faith for those seducing spirits and doctrine. The spiritual father warns his children and the warning is out of love and concern because being mature that father will be given insight to things that the children may not be aware of and out of love and concern He is lead by the Spirit in dealing and warning the children of the situation. What good parent would not do this for their children? We have been called to be our brother's keeper and watch out for one another. You may not totally understand why someone would tell you not to do something but if they truly love you they will warn you before you make that next step. However, you must be in the right place to hear the Spirit of God and know that the things the father is warning you about is for your benefit.

Hebrews 3:12: Take heed, brethern, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Spiritual fathers understand that the enemy wants to infiltrate the family and try to destroy it through unbelief and confusion. Spiritual fathers see this move of the enemy and warns the family. It may involve a one on one situation but it is the spiritual father's desire that the sons overcome every trial and tribulation. However we as the sons must have a desire and an understanding that we suffer unto obedience and the Father's love will warn us of the enemy and or trials that we will endure. Cover and guard your heart in righteousness and allow God through the fathers to warn you of trouble in your path.

The warning of a father does not always have to be about the enemy. It can be the fact that you may not be maturing and the father can see this and his desire and goal is for you to mature and the Father will show him the obstacles and give him counsel of the Lord in overcoming those situations.

In these situations the spiritual father's role is also to command and encourage and we will talk about this in the next message.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Prayer

Role of the Spiritual Father

Today’s Focus: Prayer

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-19; Matthew 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 6:31

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

The spiritual father will pray for you and with you through your maturation. Prayer is an essential part of the life of the son. Jesus continually prayed for the disciples and not just the 12 but all that would comes and believe on Him. Yes, that means Jesus over 2,000 years ago prayed for you and me before we hit the earth. Let’s look at an example of a spiritual father praying with and for his sons:

Ephesians 1:15-19: Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, MAKING MENTION OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS; That the God of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.

Notice what Paul, the spiritual father is praying for as it pertains to the church at Ephesus. He is praying for spiritual things that will profit the souls in Ephesus. He is not praying for houses, cars and foolish material things but praying for the maturity of the children the Lord has given him. A spiritual father is always in the mindset of praying for others much more than himself. This is the heart of a father. A true father will care for everyone in his household and ensure their needs are met before his. The household’s response to his rule brings honor to him and they in turn take care of him as he needs.

Paul tells the church at Thessalonica: To pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is your line of communication with the Father. Why would we not want to learn how to pray. The Everlasting Father, Jesus Christ prayed for the disciples but He also taught them how to pray.

Now, Jesus narrows the prayer list down for us in Matthew 6:31: “Therefore take no thought SAYING, What shall we eat? Or What hall we drink? Or wherewithal shall we be clothed?”

Now this is hard for some believers because if they are still in the mindset of an orphan these things, provision and protection, are number one on their list. But to the son, these things should never be said because our Father meets all of our needs. Two mindsets, two different prayer lives. In the model prayer Jesus shows us how to pray and what to pray for:

Matthew 6:10: Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

Hence the very first thing we should ask for is the Kingdom to come or manifest and the Will of God to be done in the earth as it already is in Heaven. Now it really takes time to get to this point and let me explain. When we first learned how to pray we would pray for things and whatever we thought we needed and whatever we desired, we asked God. Now as you mature you begin to understand that the effective prayer is one that lines up your life with the Will of God.

The spiritual father will teach you how to prayer and to mature your prayer life so that it is like an orphan praying for provision and protection but more as a son who prays for the Will of his Father to be done.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.