What is Rhema (ῥήματι)?

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word (ῥήματι) that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

‘The logos is universal for all humanity, while any intellectual changes for a specific individual believer are categorized as rhema. Under this system, “rhema” is a broad term that includes many types of spiritual interaction. Rhema is the general term that refers to the Word, God uses in communicating His specific will to an individual.” Bill Hamon states “A rhema is an inspired Word birthed within your own spirit, a whisper from the Holy Spirit like the still, small voice that spoke to Elijah in the cave. It is a divinely inspired impression upon your soul, a flash of thought or a creative idea from God. It is conceived in your spirit, but birthed into your natural understanding by divine illumination. A true rhema carries with it a deep inner assurance and witness of the Spirit. Citing John 1:1,14 Bill Hamon holds “Jesus was the eternal Word revealed and manifest in mortal flesh” and can be called by the personal name “Logos”. Citing Timothy 2:15 Hamon defines the less personal usage “logos” as “the Scriptures as a whole”. He defines rhema as “a specific word from the Lord that applies it to us individually. …The Logos is like a well of water, and the rhema is a bucket of water from that well. …Truth is truth, and the Logos and rhema are one with God.” The logos “is the standard of all truth…the rhema, [is that] which provides the precise word needed for the specific situation. All Christians must live by the logos and receive the rhema as needed.” Under this definition the method of receiving rhemas “may come by many ways. A rhema may come while reading the Bible, as God quickens a certain text, or it may come to us through the spoken words of another person. The reference is not to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual scripture which the Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need, a prerequisite being the regular storing of the mind with scripture”. Hamon, expounding on Romans 10:17, goes on to say that a rhema is “that timely, Holy Spirit-inspired Word from the Logos that brings life, power, and faith to perform and fulfil it…[it] must be received with faith by the hearer in order for it to fulfil its mission.’ Source: Wikipedia.

It is with such Rhema Word, God has been “calling” me with all these titles: Christ, Jesus, Bridegroom, Son of David, Capstone, Lion+Lamb, Beloved, Expected One, etcetera. I am sharing this with the hope that the church will receive it as good news.

Foolproof Mechanism for receiving Rhema

Bro. Bakht Singh and his co-workers taught the Church to get the rhema of God or the will of God in daily portions as you read the Bible one chapter a day from Genesis to Revelation.

I for one do not agree with that approach. Allow me to explain, using a real life scenario.

I asked a friend, how he found the will of God for one particular important decision in life. He said he began reading the Bible from Matthew onwards one chapter a day and finally he found God’s will (a ‘Yes’) when he came to the book of Romans. I told him there would have been a hundred ‘No’ verses from God between Matthew and Romans. He had wishfully ignored those ‘No’ verses and clung to the ‘Yes’ verse in Romans. You see, that method is not the correct method to get the Rhema or find God’s will. (But i am not denying that God, in His compassion, provides His Rhema through that method as well.)

The foolproof mechanism is as follows: Section out the 66 books of scripture into few sections, each identified with a distinct spirit. Then on any specific issue for which you want the will of God (Rhema), open one of those sections at random. And the verse or paragraph that your eye falls on is the Rhema. Lord Jesus Christ Himself found His “Calling” in this manner (Luke 4:16-21). It is not childish. It is a child-like faith.

Note: For this mechanism to work, you need to be pure, since only pure people will see the face of God (Matthew 5:8; cf. John 1:1). Purity begins when you wash all your sins in the Waters of Baptism. And you continue in purity through the Footwashing ordinance, as you introspect (examine yourself) on a regular basis around the Lord’s Table/Communion/Eucharist.

And if on any particular day the Rhema is, “Judas hung himself” and another subsequent Rhema is, “You do likewise,” be ready like Abraham (who offered up his son) to offer yourself at the altar—God is testing you. Just as God provided for Abraham a substitute, he may do likewise for you as well. Or like Hannah’s Samuel, God may be wishing to use you in His ministry. Remember, one who does not hate one’s own life is not worthy of being His disciple (Luke 14:26).

May God bless you with His Rhema! Amen!

Believer’s Baptism = First Resurrection

“Passed from death into Life.” John 5:24; Romans 6:4.

What is our faith, my dear brothers and sisters, if we do not believe that, according to scripture, we actually rose again from the dead in the Waters of Baptism?!

The First Resurrection is the Born-Again experience! We—the born again believers—will not see the Second Death (Revelation 20:6). Born again means just what it says: It is a new birth—a resurrection from the dead. The old has passed away, the new has come. We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Believe it with a child-like faith what the scriptures declare!

We did hear the voice of Jesus when the minister of God (the mouth piece of God) preached the Good News to us and we were quickened. We rose from our graves (i.e. the Waters of Baptism), being quickened by His Spirit, just as Jesus said in John 5:28-29.

Just because we do not see the unseen doesn’t mean it does not exist. Apostle Paul says, the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

May God give us the sight to see that we are actually living & walking an eternal life already! This life was onset when we were born-again (resurrected) of the Water and the Spirit, according to our Lord Jesus in John 3:5.

Laws of a Land & Law of God

First off, all authorities are instituted by God. Romans 13:1-7. However, due to corruption in the flesh, many governing authorities too around the world are not in the Order set by God. But Christ came onto this earth two thousand years ago and payed the way to set right that disorder. And laws were being framed and established in countries throughout the earth. And down through the ages nations have put their trust in Christ either in heart (by deed through practice) and/or in mind (by word through profession). The laws of countries that are closely aligned with God’s Law & Order will have favour with Him at the Judgement Seat of Christ when He comes the second time in glory.

Now there are crimes and there are sins.

Crimes are sins against one’s neighbor. And punishments are set for them which are a no-brainer.

And then there are sins. Some consider sins as only against an invisible impotent God that they can give a wink to and absolve the sinner from any wrongdoing at a confessional, the doors of which according to them are always open. No doubt John 20:21-23 teaches about such confessionals and God is also longsuffering, forgiving us again and again, pouring on us grace upon grace. But confer with Luke 12:47-48 & Hebrews 10:26-31 and understand that willful sin deserves triple punishment.

Sin is transgression of the Law. 1 John 3:4.

And the Laws that stood the test of time are those set forth in the Bible, keeping of which enabled the Lord Jesus Christ to rise from the dead.

The TEN COMMANDMENTS form the core of the Bible. And these TEN happen to be self-evident laws. God engraved them on stone because they have permanency.

Precursor to Fire

In view of Luke 12:47-48; Hebrews 10:26-31; Colossians 1:24; Hebrews 9:22; John 20:21-23, i have invented a solution for absolving Willful Sin–a remedy from being cast into hell for sons and daughters of God in particular (Matthew 8:11-12).

At the outset, Salvation is only through Jesus and not through any other God. Jesus is the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

This Precursor to Fire Baptism is also a proclamation about the veracity of hell to the whole wide world.

After being born-again and baptized, God is engineering our divinity (sanctification):

Once we are born-again, we are not immediately translated to heaven–we remain in this body, the “tent.” Due to inertia, we do sin inadvertently/unknowingly, for which we can avail the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the time of keeping short accounts with God and introspection around the Lord’s Table (Breaking of Bread & Foot-washing).

Since repentance is a condition for receiving forgiveness, only our “former sins” (Romans 3:25), that is, our “past sins” (2 Peter 1:9) before the time of being born-again, are forgiven. Sinning unknowingly or inadvertantly are also considered as past sins for which one can avail the blood of Christ because opportunity for conscious repentance has yet to be given for those sins. You see, there is no such thing as “inexhaustible source of salvation” (Pope Francis) nor any promise of “inexhaustible, blood-bought, Christ-exalting future grace” (Dr. John Piper). Our Lord Jesus was in the belly of the earth only for a fixed period of three days and three nights to pay for our sins during a fixed period. That means, it is a limited sacrifice that pays only for our past sins up until the time we are born-again.

God has designed Salvation and described it in scripture without a leak or a loophole in it. Only “ungodly people pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality” (Jude 1:4). These ignoble proponents of Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS) theory have the audacity to even say, “sin like the devil, and you will not lose your salvation.” Their “condemnation was written about long ago” (Jude 1:4). What these people are peddling is the “doctrine of demons” (1 Tim 4:1-2) that was once upon a time fed into the ears of Eve, saying, “Ye shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4).

That they were never saved to begin with, does not cut it. It’s a cop-out!

When we sin, God chastises us. As Brother Suri put it, “When we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world” (1 Cor 11:32). But there are many whose “consciences have been seared as with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1-2). That is, their conscience–through which we get the promptings and the convictions of the Holy Spirit–is dead. For these, no amount of chastisement will avail anything. “To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace” (Hebrews 6:6). Since they “sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for [their] sins” (Hebrews 10:26). They must pay for their own sins.

Paul says in Colossians 1:24:

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.”

That Paul paid with his affliction what was lacking in Christ’s affliction goes to say there is no more sacrifice of Jesus left in their case. And since there is no forgiveness for sins without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22; Leviticus 17:11), Paul had to step in with his own sacrifice for us. See also 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 6:17; Philippians 2:17 where Paul again speaks of his payment for our sins. And yes, God gives some the unction to forgive sins in general (John 20:21-23). That is in fact the function of the office of the priest.

The Precursor kicks-in when we give into sinning knowingly and willfully, for which there is no more sacrifice–of Jesus or of the members of the Body–remaining to cleanse us of these willful sins (Hebrews 10:26) and receive forgiveness.

Therefore, i invented this Provision with the authority and Calling of Son of David/Immanuel given me. It is a Precursor to Baptism of Fire for the apostate as a remedy for that inescapable situation that one can potentially find himself in. This is more relevant now even as the Second Coming and the Judgement Day draws nigh.

As this “proceeds from faith” (Romans 14:23), those who follow up with the Precursor have shaved off their heads as a symbolic sign of confession and of pleading guilty that they deserve to burn in hell fire, beginning with their hair. They acknowledge that they are a type of Joshua, “a brand plucked from fire” (Zechariah 3:1-8; Jude 23). And just as Zacchaeus gave away half of his net worth (Luke 19:1-10), they may also make a freewill offering to the Church voluntarily. (All proceeds should go to take care of the poor, the sick, the widows, the elderly, the orphans, and for the glory of God, as decided & managed by the Church.) And according to the authority vested in a servant of God/priest/pastor (John 20:21-23), he may declare the absolution. But if it is a sin against a neighbor, restitution must first be made according to Matthew 5:23-24.

As questioned by Brother Zephaniah: How can we say that the Precursor is approved by God and is not a “strange fire” (Leviticus 10:1-3 KJV) or “unbiblical,” as also being asserted by Brother John Bishop?

Brother Newton Reginald and Brother John Bishop concur and say:

“God said that the wages of sin is death. People committing willful sin will have to face fire on the judgement day. Because God is going to come down second time not as a sheep but as a judge. No mercy anymore. God will forgive people who are unknowingly committing sin; HIS Blood on the Cross is the remedy for unknowingly sinning but no mercy for willful sinners.”

My answer is:

  1. The novel Provision is made according to the Law and to the Testimony (Isaiah 8:20; cf. Matthew 13:52);
  2. The Precursor “proceeds from faith,” both on the part of this Designer and those who perform it (Romans 14:23); and
  3. It is in view of the inescapable situation (truth) that one who has sinned willfully finds himself in. As Brother John Phillip correctly points out, “Of course there cannot be another sacrifice but there has to be [a] forgiveness and cleansing,” i.e. a way out. The Precursor designed by this Son of David is the way out and an answer/solution when one becomes aware of his/her willful sin!

May God bless our meditation of scripture and accept our offering! And may God engineer our divinity!

And the Rhema just now is: Matthew 8:9,10; 11-13.

Faith + Fruit Paradigm

Matt 22:12; 1 Tim 2:9-10; Rev 19:8

 

Acts 3:19

The following posts represent a fundamental paradigm shift in the ethic on which America is founded. That is, a shift away from “Sola Fide” and onto Faith + Fruit:

  • “We understood that Christianity is defined by obeying the Word of God,” Mark Anderson says. “The idea that one could actually be a Christian but not obey the Great Commission was unthinkable. We would never count ourselves Christians if we didn’t share our faith with people.” – Decision Magazine

Even though we acknowledge a noticeable shift in the stance in the above post, this Son of David gave the following clarification to dear Brother David Mathis:

Sin of Omission: James 4:17.

cf. Matthew 25:31-46; 15:3-9

2 Tim 3:7

cf. Phil3:9; Rom4:5

Isa 64:6; 61:10; Rom4:5; Eph2:8-9; 1Tim2:9-10; Rev19:8; 2Cor5:4ESV

As you can see, Salvation doesn’t come through easy believism

or with some sort of fire insurance.

cf. Isa 64:6; Rev19:8

Detailed slideshow:

Humility + Grace + Faith + Fruit (Works) => Salvation

 

Rom 8:13; cf. Rom 6:23; Gen 3:4

 

2 Corinthians 10:1-13; Romans 6:22; James 1:12

 

Eph1:3-14; 2Cor5:21; cf. Jn15:1-10

Therefore, we need to get BUSY bearing fruit. But not by wearing ourselves down (Matt6:25-31) but rather joyfully and passionately (Titus2:14). And White-collar work is of a higher category.

However, now is not the time for endless talk, “ever learning,” and dilly dallying.

We want to be Friend’s missionaries in the true sense of the term by offering winning fruit w.r.t economic development because our invention, as you know, benefits the Service Industry/economy, which is what India is, unlike the American counterpart, which is a Capitalistic Industrial Economy.

As our data is being data-mined by the wrong parties, we are making our business plan pitches to raise funding for both our lines of business here.

  • IoT — ECOSYSTEM market is $14.4T:
  • AUGMENTED — Leisure market alone for Person ® AUGMENTED (Transhuman) is $1T:

The main selling points being:

TiE’d People & Things speaks of encapsulating all things in an ecosystem and marrying them–as members in a body–to the head (user).

 

Person® AUGMENTED has great potential because it speaks of a person who would modestly be telling everyone that he is merely a 2019 person, albeit with divinity/transhumanity, but without the hype and frills of a sci-fi cyborg or droid connotations. And most of the software is available as API. Just need to integrate that with our Metaphor User Interface. Voila! We will have a superman (transhuman) without all the hype!

However great an AI product maybe, if they can’t create real value, it is a sheer waste. As for us, we will deliver a Holy-Spirit-Engineered Person® or as Pastor Rick Warren puts it, a “Because-You-Say-So Person®” per Luke5:5.

Now, absolute truth does not preclude us from being progressive. To remain as we are (i.e. conservative), apparently unchanging (immutable) like God, would be the last thing Christ would want from us.

Willingness to change (flexibility) is really strength.

So our daunting work, which happens to be progressive (not conservative), is this:

When we pay some money for something, we ourselves are entering into a partnership with the truth (or the lack thereof) of that particular GOOD by investing or putting our heart into it by way of purchasing it. In other words, “we live with the decisions we make and how our heart feels about them” (Jaana Uolamo). Therefore, albeit being invaluable, we are thinking of charging a price for the above Holy Goods & Services. Also, a set price will make the purchaser committed to using it, being that he/she will not view it as being cheap. Moreover, it will give us the needed incentive to work harder.

 

“If he does not listen to you, then go and tell it to the Church” (Matt18:15-17).

Moreover, we seek to be answerable and accountable to the Church-at-large. This is a Church-undertaking.

It is: For the Church, By the Church, and In the Church!

My wife Anna says, “If you can imagine & picture it, it will happen.”

You see, today, with Pastors sticking to Sunday worship service, supposedly in keeping with John2:16KJV (cf. Matthew21:13; Mark11:17; Luke19:46), the Church is perceived as merely a 24×1 institution, completely severed from 24×6. (see 24×7 Testimony).

When the Church succeeds, we would have to decide what to maximize. Some of the choices (adapted from Seths.blog), in increasing order of value:

  1. Salaries for the bosses
  2. Distributions to the shareholders
  3. Stock price
  4. Salaries for all members of the Church
  5. Positive impact on customers
  6. Positive impact on the culture–the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively–of Agape KINGDOM. A light in a dark world; A city set on a hill is not hidden!

So our stance in our current engagement (cf. Acts 16:6) with the Gentile world is:

“Faith + Fruit” paradigm goes to the extent of making Agape® KINGDOM a nation of brands:

Amen?

Caleb Surésh (SitaRam) Motupalli
Son of David | Agape Ambassador
www.agapejust.com | Agape® JUST [P] Ltd.
రొట్టెల ఇల్లు | House of Bread | بيت أل خبز | בית לחם |
29-37-31 El-ur Road | Vijayawada-520002, AP, India
Phone: +91.866.2438805

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