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Household of Calhoun

Sunday, September 6, 2015

The Birthright Experience

Topic:  The Birthright Experience

Greetings:

How does one become a firstborn son?  Let’s look at a familiar Scripture and tie this all together.

John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, He cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 

We have read this and this Scripture is unfolding more and more through every age of man and here we are again and let me show you how you are a firstborn son.   Let’s begin with the birth of a son. One must be born of water and of the Spirit.  Water is a symbol of the Word of God so one must be born from the Word of God and of the Spirit.  That Spirit is the Father.  The Father gives birth to sons.  Now we know the Father has given birth to only one Son.  But wait there are millions of sons through the ages of time and you are telling me there is only one son?  Yes.  That Son is Christ and we are one with Him.  Let me show you how this is Scripturally true

 1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body: so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

Jesus prayed in John 17 that we be one even as He and the Father are one.  In addition Paul spoke to the church at Ephesus and taught that we are seated IN CHRIST in heavenly places.  Now if this is the case then we are seated in Christ at the right-hand of the Father.  Which leads me to this: 

Romans 8:29:  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Hebrews 12:22-23: But you are come unto mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. 

This concept and reality of the sons of God being the firstborns is unfolding before our very eyes.  It is shaping and maturing us into our proper identity as firstborn son but perfecting the image and likeness within us that we are the exact representatives of the Father in the Earth. 

Walking as a firsrtborn son means we have journeyed through sonship and matured from a child to a matured son.  It took Jesus 30 years, so how long do you think it will take us?  Do not think that it is impossible because with God all things are possible and Jesus did not show us all of this for us not to believe that we will be able to do what Jesus did plus some.  Jesus did say, greater works shall we do.  The matured sons are lead by the Spirit of God.  Maturity comes by fire, challenges and trials.  We are being tempered into the image of God.  The image of God is Spirit and His likeness is His character, the seven spirits of God (Isaiah 11:1,2)

Peace and Grace
Calvin W. Calhoun Jr.


Friday, September 4, 2015

Concepts of the Firstborn in Scripture: Battle of the Seeds

Topic: Concepts of the Firstborn in Scripture: Battle of the Seeds

Throughout Scripture especially in the Old Testament after God prophesied that the seed of the woman would crush the authority of Satan, Satan has sought to contaminate the bloodline so that this would not be possible.  Now keep in mind as we show these examples you will see the importance of the firstborn. 

Adam (Genesis 4:1-5)
Adam and Eve had three sons that we will talk about in particular.  The first two in order was Cain and then Abel. Cain was a tiller of the ground and Abel was a keeper of sheep.  Now understand Cain is the firstborn of Adam and Eve so he has the birthright.  When it came to offering to the Lord Cain and Abel were very different.  The Scripture says Cain offered fruits from the ground but Abel offered the firstlings of the flock.  The Scripture said the Lord respected Abel because he gave the firsts of his flock but Cain gave what he thought he wanted the Lord to have and the Lord had no respect for him.  Because of this Cain killed Abel and because of his carnality and sin, he lost the firstborn birthright.  Adam and Eve conceived another son and named him Seth and this what was said about Seth:

Genesis 4:25,26: And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew.  And to Seth, to hi also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos:  then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. 

Cain did not value his birthright by the offering he brought to the Lord and out of anger and jealousy he killed His brother Abel.   Just to think about how important this story is let me show you:      

Hebrews 11:4:  By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 

Abel was counted as righteous in Scripture for the offering he offered to God being the firstborn of his flocks.

Noah: Genesis 9:18-29
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.  After the flood the Scriptures said after a night of drunkenness, Noah’s son Ham defled the marriage bed, this is what the Scripture speaks of seeing the nakedness of his father.  Ham was cursed by Noah for what he had done.  But Shem and Japheth went backwards and covered his father’s nakedness and they themselves did not see their father’s nakedness.  This is a picture of the firstborns restoring the honor to his father.   So the role of the firstborn is to show honor to his father and never dishonor him by uncovering his nakedness.  Let me share this Scripture with you about honor:

Malachi 1:6:  A son honoureth his father and a servant his master: If then I be a father, where is mine honour? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name.  And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name? 

For many there is a lack of honour to the fathers of the faith but moreover to the Father.  There is a lack of the fear of the Lord. The respect and reverence for the Lord because of the lack of concern towards obedience to His Word.   

Abraham (Genesis 16-21)
We know that Abraham had two sons.  We know that Isaac represents the son of promise and Ishmael represents the son of the flesh.

Isaac (Genesis 25:19-34)
Isaac had two sons.  Esau and Jacob respectively.  Now this story
is one of the best as describing the firstborn.  Because Esau broke
the womb first he was the firstborn.  In the story one day Esau was
hungry and Jacob suggested that Esau sell him the birthright for the
pottage of stew.  Esau said these words about his birthright:

Genesis 25:32: And Esau said, Behold I am at the point to die: and
what profit shall this birthright do to me?

So Esau sold his firstborn birthright for a bowl of stew.  Can you imagine the disrespect that was to God.  Esau totally devalued his birthright in being the firstborn and God said this about Esau:

Malachi 1:2,3: I have loved you, saith the Lord.  Yet ye say Wherein has thou loved us?  Was not Esau Jacobs’s brother? Saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob.  And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 

Hate is a very strong word, especially coming from the mouth of God but Esau did not value his birthright and remember the firstborn belonged to God so devalued being owned by God..Hard to think but that is what he did by selling his birthright. 

Jacob (Genesis 49:1-4)
Here we have Jacob giving out the patriarchal blessings.  We know that Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel.  Leah give birth to Reuben, Simeon and Levi. And Rachel gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin.  Of course there are other sons because there was twelve but for the sake of time let us look at these to explain the firstborn. Reuben was the firstborn (vs. 3) Reuben was the son that was to wear the coat of many colors that is given to the firstborn.  However, Reuben defiled his father’s bed by sleeping with one of his concubines and because of this he lost his firstborn status, but to who?  Well you would think it would go automatically to Simeon because he is the next oldest but the next person to break a womb was actually Joseph.  He was the firstborn to Rachel, hence he got the birthright and of course the coat of many colors. And we know the rest of the story how he had dreams and his bothers would betray him ultimately to come under his rule as the dream stated.    

These are a few to show the concepts of the firstborn in the Old Testament. And how there was a constant battle between the seeds as it pertain to being firstborn.  Within many of our own households we have this battle between the sons of promise and the sons of the bondwoman and let me show you this in Scripture. 

Galatians 4:28-31: Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise.  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now.  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then brethren we are not children of the bonwoman, but of the free. 

I do not see that being any clearer.  The bondwoman and her son persecuted the sons of God and even so it is now.  We need to come into our identity as firstborn sons that we may see who the bondwoman and her son is within our households and cast them out.    

In the next message we will examine the birthright experience and how we become firstborn sons.  




Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Principles of Being the Firstborn

Topic: Principles of Being the Firstborn

Exodus 13:1,2: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel both of man and of beast: it is mine.

Exodus 13:12,13: That thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the matrix and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the Lord’s. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. 

The first principle in being a firstborn is it owned by God.  Now as simple as this sounds, many fail to grasp it.  The firstborn of not only man but beast belong to God.   Let me say this here and make it very clear:  You cannot dedicate what is not yours.  God says the firstling belongs or is owned by him.  Now let’s take this to the next level:

We as sons of God when we come into the House of God as newborn babes, no one can take ownership of us but the Lord.  The word Lord means owner.  He purchased us with His blood.  If we are owned by God then we are not free to do as we please because we do not belong to ourselves. 

1 Corinthians 6:20: For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Now this may sound weird, but to the one that is truly submitted and given their life to the Lord, this is the eternal lifestyle and when Jesus says, the Son can do nothing of himself, only what he see the Father do, that Scripture now is in its proper context because in the earthly ministry of Jesus, He belonged to the Father and he ceased from doing his will to do the will of the Father.  

Numbers 3:13: Because all the firstborn are mine, for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord. 


1 Peter 1:15,16: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

Hebrews 2:11: For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed  to call  them brethren. 

The second principle is the firstborn is holy.  Yes, you are holy as a son of God but notice it is not anything that you have done.  Per the three scriptures above, the Lord makes you holy.  You cannot make yourself holy, you have no ability to do that.  Now the problem that many have is that they use the phrase “only God is holy”.  But according to the Scripture as firstborns we are holy because He made us holy.  The problem is walking in the reality of this, not by our definition of holiness but by His revelation and wisdom of our identity and character that He has given us in Him.   Holiness can be defined by being the exact representative in image and character of the Father.  Now that centers our attention to maturing as sons and not doing works to be holy.   The firstborn is holy because He is holy. 

The third principle we will address is the principle of redemption.  The word redemption comes from the word redeemed and it means to buy back.  When we look at Exodus 13:12,13 it says if the animal is a ass you shall redeem it with a lamb but if you cannot you must break its neck.   Now I know we are talking about animals but remember this is a picture trying to show us the eternal.  Many of us when we hear the word redeemed we think about being redeemed from hell to go to heaven and this mindset really minimizes the principle of redemption.   The ass is an unclean animal and can only be redeemed by a lamb.  Sounds familiar: 

Psalm 51:5: Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. 

Do we remember as Jesus rode into Jerusalem He rode on a ass and its colt into Jerusalem with is a picture of Jesus being carrying into the city upon the principle of father and son.  But notice he is riding a unclean animal and He is the Lamb of God.  We are the picture of the ass and if we are not redeemed  by the lamb then we are dead.  Now I want to take a couple of minutes to show you the human side to redemption and bring it home for you.  

As it pertained to Jesus Himself when He was born to Mary and Joseph, per Jewish law:  Mary had to stay home with the baby for 7 days and on the 8th day Jesus was circumcised.  For 33 days the was confined to the house and on the 40th day Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to give Him to the Lord.  He was given to the priest and the priest would look at the parents and there was a option to either leave the child to serve the Lord like Hannah did with Samuel or they can buy back or redeem the child back into their custody by paying the redemption price which is 5 sheckles. Of course Mary and Joseph paid the five sheckles and gave the sin and burnt offering and baby Jesus was given back into the custody of Mary and Joseph.  Now why am I telling you all of this?  Because:

When we talk about being redeemed by the blood of Jesus it means so much more.  Mary and Joseph redeemed baby Jesus with the five sheckles to buy back or redeem their firstborn.  Jesus used his very blood to buy back the firstborn sons of God to their original state of being which is Son.  Do we see the power in understanding redemption.   As you read the next set of Scriptures keep in mind this meaning of redemption and see how this was all about redeeming the firstborns.  Let me share some Scriptures to further back this up:

Luke 1:68-69: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.

Galatians 3:13:  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. 

1 Peter 1:18.19:  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Revelation 5:9: And they sung a new song, saying Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation;

Revelation 14:4:  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.  These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.  These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

 Finally the third and final principle is birthright.  We know in the natural the first to come out of the womb was the firstborn and was give the birthright.  Genesis 49:3,4 tells us about the birthright of being a firstborn son.  It was said of Reuben that he is his fathers might, beginning of his strength, excellency of dignity and excellency of power.  This is our birthright as firstborn sons of God.  As firstborn sons of God the Father’s power is manifested through the firstborn.  The firstborn starts a new linage.  The House of God is built trans-generationally under the principle of father and son.  For example:  I am the spiritual son to Leon Elijah.  Leon Elijah is the spiritual son to Sam Soleyn.  Here are three generations of building the House of God.  This is why Paul could say to the church at Corinth that I begat (gave birth or conceived) you through the gospel.  The firstborn son is superior (excellency) in strength (ability), dignity (rank) and power (ability to prevail). 

This all available to us as firstborn sons when we embrace our identity as firstborn sons but it begins with knowing that you are not your own and you belong to God. 

In the next message we will start to examine the concept of the firstborn throughout the Scriptures. 

Peace and Grace,
Calvin Calhoun