MarketPlaceFaith

DOES YOUR LIFE REPRESENT A RETURN ON GOD’S INVESTMENT?

Jim Watkins — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:53:13 +0000

Ephesians 1:11-20 talks about the saint’s inheritance as well as God’s inheritance. Do we know our purpose for being here? I don’t know what most people think about salvation. Many people seem to feel like salvation is being forgiven in order that they might get to heaven. The early church never made an appeal on this basis but many times this is the big appeal today. This is not our purpose. Salvation is to get us back to the purpose God has for us and for which we were created. That is the reason He saves us. If we miss that, we miss what God wants?

I read of a minister who read Ephesians 1:16-18 and the prayer so affected him that he prayed the prayer every day for weeks or maybe months. He wanted the revelation of the petitions included in the prayer which were to know the hope of his calling, the riches of the glory of his (and God’s) inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of his (God’s) power to us-ward who believe? Does God have an inheritance in the saints? This was the minister’s question. If He did, the minister wanted a revelation of it.

In these verses, there are two inheritances–our inheritance in God and God’s inheritance in us. God has an inheritance in us and he has invested a lot in us in order that He might receive glory out of our lives. When Jesus died on the cross, that was God’s investment in us. Revelation 5:3-6 says, “And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain” John saw the slain Lamb (Jesus) and the Lamb was for us!

May the Lord help us to understand what a privilege it is to use the name of Jesus. Every time we use the name of Jesus in prayer, it should be a reminder of the investment God has made in us. Matthew 21:22 says, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” We have this promise because of God’s investment in us. The gift of the Holy Spirit living in us is another one of God’s investments in us.

Matthew 25:14-30 records the parable of the talents given to the three servants. One servant received five talents, another servant received two, and another servant received one talent. Verses 24 and 25 say, “Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” In verse 26 it says, “His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed.” What sin did this servant commit? He did not murder or steal anything. He simply hid what God had given him. Verses 27-28 say, “Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.” The lord of the servants was saying he should have received profit from what he had given the servant?God expects profit from everything He has given us. He expects a return from it because it will bring glory to Him. At the Judgment, we will have to give an account of what He has given us.

Has He ever healed you? Every time He heals us, He is making an investment in us and He wants a return on it. He doesn’t just want us to be healed only. He wants to receive glory from what He has done. Has He ever answered your prayers? When He answers, He is making an investment in you and He wants a return on that investment.

Has He given you a job or provided money for you? How many things has He done for us for which He expects a return on His investment? If He does not receive the return expected, He will also call us a wicked and slothful servant? God is not talking about doing something wrong. Just because you have not done anything wrong does not mean you are a good Christian. A good Christian is when God receives a return on His investment. Everything He does for us is an investment He makes in us.

God may ask, “Can I make an investment in this person or not?” He does not have to answer prayer. We don’t deserve what we are asking. If He answers, it is because of grace. Matthew 25:30 says, “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This servant was cast into outer darkness because his master did not receive a return on His investment!

John 5:5-9 records the account of Jesus healing the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda on the sabbath. John 5:14 says, “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” Jesus was expecting a return for forgiveness and healing.

In John 9 we read of a man who was born blind receiving his sight. After receiving his sight, he was questioned by his neighbors, others who knew him and the Pharisees concerning his healing. After repeating the account of his healing a couple of times and the Jews questioning his parents, they came back to question the man again. Verse 25 says, “Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” Thank God for a man like that! He stood up for Jesus even though he was not sure who He was, and his standing up for Him meant he would be cast out of the synagogue. God received a wonderful return on the investment of healing this man!

Every time God answers prayer, He expects a return on the investment. It is His inheritance in us. Our talents and abilities are all different and He only expects a return on is what He has given us individually. He does not expect a return on human talent and ability. The return is to be on the abilities and talents He has given us because that is the only thing He can anoint. That is all He blesses with the anointing. Don’t try to be like someone else. If you try to be like someone else, you will not be anointed. We must remember, however, that He has an investment in each of us.

I like the song “Jesus Paid It All.” We love to sing the first part but it is easy to skip over “All to Him I owe.” But it brings out what I have been saying, that God’s inheritance is His investment in us and He expects a return on it.

May we bring glory to His name as He receives a return on His investment in us.

~~Robert L. Morgan~~

Reaping a Multiple Reward

Jim Watkins — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:47:06 +0000

For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. That’s one of life’s great arrangements. In fact, it’s an extension of the Biblical law that says that if you sow well, you will reap well.

Here’s a unique part of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Not only does it suggest that we’ll all reap what we’ve sown, it also suggests that we’ll reap much more. Life is full of laws that both govern and explain behaviors, but this may well be the major law we need to understand: for every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. What a concept! If you render unique service, your reward will be multiplied. If you’re fair and honest and patient with others, your reward will be multiplied. If you give more than you expect to receive, your reward is more than you expect. But remember: the key word here, as you might well imagine, is discipline.

Everything of value requires care, attention, and discipline. Our thoughts require discipline. We must consistently determine our inner boundaries and our codes of conduct, or our thoughts will be confused. And if our thoughts are confused, we will become hopelessly lost in the maze of life. Confused thoughts produce confused results.

SideBar
This is the Joseph Principle. Remember the story of Joseph in the bible? What ever the situation, where ever he was placed, he always rose to the top. The key is ATTITUDE. Maintain the proper attitude and you will always overcome. “Kings” always set them selves apart by their attitude!
Jim Watkins

Remember the law: “For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards.” Learn the discipline of writing a card or a letter to a friend. Learn the discipline of paying your bills on time, arriving to appointments on time, or using your time more effectively. Learn the discipline of paying attention, or paying your taxes or paying yourself. Learn the discipline of having regular meetings with your associates, or your spouse, or your child, or your parent. Learn the discipline of learning all you can learn, of teaching all you can teach, of reading all you can read.

For each discipline, multiple rewards. For each book, new knowledge. For each success, new ambition. For each challenge, new understanding. For each failure, new determination. Life is like that. Even the bad experiences of life provide their own special contribution. But a word of caution here for those who neglect the need for care and attention to life’s disciplines: everything has its price. Everything affects everything else. Neglect discipline, and there will be a price to pay. All things of value can be taken for granted with the passing of time.

That’s what we call the Law of Familiarity. Without the discipline of paying constant, daily attention, we take things for granted. Be serious. Life’s not a practice session.

If you’re often inclined to toss your clothes onto the chair rather than hanging them in the closet, be careful. It could suggest a lack of discipline. And remember, a lack of discipline in the small areas of life can cost you heavily in the more important areas of life. You cannot clean up your company until you learn the discipline of cleaning your own garage. You cannot be impatient with your children and be patient with your distributors or your employees. You cannot inspire others to sell more when that goal is inconsistent with your own conduct. You cannot admonish others to read good books when you don’t have a library card.

Think about your life at this moment. What areas need attention right now? Perhaps you’ve had a disagreement with someone you love or someone who loves you, and your anger won’t allow you to speak to that person. Wouldn’t this be an ideal time to examine your need for a new discipline? Perhaps you’re on the brink of giving up, or starting over, or starting out. And the only missing ingredient to your incredible success story in the future is a new and self-imposed discipline that will make you try harder and work more intensely than you ever thought you could.

SideBar
The nature and calling of a King is to rule – to take authority over their environment and make things better. The first place we must take authority over and make better is ourselves.
Jim Watkins

The most valuable form of discipline is the one that you impose upon yourself. Don’t wait for things to deteriorate so drastically that someone else must impose discipline in your life. Wouldn’t that be tragic? How could you possibly explain the fact that someone else thought more of you than you thought of yourself? That they forced you to get up early and get out into the marketplace when you would have been content to let success go to someone else who cared more about themselves.

Your life, my life, the life of each one of us is going to serve as either a warning or an example. A warning of the consequences of neglect, self-pity, lack of direction and ambition … or an example of talent put to use, of discipline self-imposed, and of objectives clearly perceived and intensely pursued.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America’s Foremost Business Philosopher. For more information about Jim Rohn, click on the banner below:

Miracles in the Marketplace

Jim Watkins — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:37:36 +0000

In the 27th chapter of Matthew the disciples were discussing the obligation to pay taxes to the government. Most of the teaching on these verses focuses on whether or not a Christian is obligated to pay taxes to the government of the country in which they reside. There are a lot of different interpretations on these verses but I think that the more important focus has been left undiscovered.

27 However in order not to give offense and cause them to stumble [that is, to cause them [c]to judge unfavorably and unjustly] go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find there a shekel. Take it and give it to them to pay the temple tax for Me and for yourself.

Our actions should be based more on integrity, character and morals than on obligations to a government. In other words, maintaining an effective witness to a lost world should be a first consideration, not what it will cost us.

Jesus told Peter to go down to the sea and throw in a hook. Here is a lesson for all of us. When it came down to provision ? meeting a financial obligation, the Lord did not cause strangers to give them money, or say a few words and turn straw into gold. He did not say go and ask (beg) for alms.

What He did was use that which Peter was fully capable of performing. He used that which Peter had been raised, mentored and in which he excelled. He used his job, business, career, etc. You get the idea?

Most of the time for most people our call to the ministry is simply a working out of God?s will in our vocations. That which you are born to do is exactly what the Lord wants to use to bring reconciliation to a world on a collision course with eternity.

As ministers in the marketplace, we are in a more favorable environment to minister to those in need than most of the ?preachers? in this country. When we begin to see that our vocations are God ordained, God called and God implemented, then we will begin to see results in the marketplace. Results are created and maintained, not by some artificially or emotional high, but the knowledge that we are being used of the Lord to transform lives.

Take the first fish that comes up, this is a great truth! Have you ever thought about the miracle that took place here? Now, how many fish do you think was in that sea that had a shekel in its mouth? Or was the shekel created by a miracle in the first fish caught? Any way you look at it, it has to be supernatural.

I believe that is the message that the Lord wants us to see in this teaching. The Lord wants to make a difference in our lives, our jobs, our schools, our government, and our businesses. There is a part that we do. We prepare ourselves by education, training, mentoring and so on. We learn all we can about our professions, we endeavor to excel in all that we do and then we trust the Lord to intervene supernaturally to help us to accomplish our tasks. It truly is a partnership with our God in all that we do in life.

That is why there is no artificial separation between the sacred and the secular. Our Father is totally involved with us on a moment by moment basis, in order to fulfill that which we have been called to accomplish.

It makes no difference in what you are doing in life right now. The Lord will energize and help you to succeed. You might have a job that you or most people would consider insignificant. However, when you realize and have the revelation that you are called of God to be a minister where you are, your life will take on a new dimension of fulfillment that always accompanies the knowledge that you are fulfilling God?s purpose for life.

In the business world there is an axiom that the cream will rise to the top. In other words those who are contributing the most will eventually rise in the organization to greater levels of accomplishment.

When you begin to exercise your spiritual gifts and God given abilities in the world, there is nothing that can stop you from being successful.

Receive the revelation today in your own spirit that YOU are called of God into a full time ministry, serving the Lord in your vocation.

Jim Watkins

Formula for Failure and Success

Jim Watkins — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:30:54 +0000

(Excepted from the book The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle by the late Jim Rohn)

Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.

Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think that it matters.

On their own, our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn’t result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.

If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past ninety days, this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives. And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first ninety days, we repeat this error in judgment for another ninety days, and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn’t seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!

SideBar
Let me add here, it is of even greater importance that the marketplace minister develop a habit of daily bible study. Without the consistent in flow of God’s word into our lives, we end up depending on our own resources to face life’s problems. The truth is that we will never fulfil our fullest potential without that daily inspiration and revelation that a Word from the Lord provides.
Jim Watkins

Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter. Those who smoke too much or drink too much go on making these poor choices year after year after year… because it doesn’t seem to matter. But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time. Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices – choices that didn’t seem to matter.

Failure’s most dangerous attribute is its subtlety. In the short term those little errors don’t seem to make any difference. We do not seem to be failing. In fact, sometimes these accumulated errors in judgment occur throughout a period of great joy and prosperity in our lives. Since nothing terrible happens to us, since there are no instant consequences to capture our attention, we simply drift from one day to the next, repeating the errors, thinking the wrong thoughts, listening to the wrong voices and making the wrong choices. The sky did not fall in on us yesterday; therefore the act was probably harmless. Since it seemed to have no measurable consequence, it is probably safe to repeat.

But we must become better educated than that!

If at the end of the day when we made our first error in judgment the sky had fallen in on us, we undoubtedly would have taken immediate steps to ensure that the act would never be repeated again. Like the child who places his hand on a hot burner despite his parents’ warnings, we would have had an instantaneous experience accompanying our error in judgment.

Unfortunately, failure does not shout out its warnings as our parents once did. This is why it is imperative to refine our philosophy in order to be able to make better choices. With a powerful, personal philosophy guiding our every step, we become more aware of our errors in judgment and more aware that each error really does matter. Now here is the great news. Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow: It’s a few simple disciplines practiced every day.

Now here is an interesting question worth pondering: How can we change the errors in the formula for failure into the disciplines required in the formula for success? The answer is by making the future an important part of our current philosophy.

Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. If this is true, why don’t more people take time to ponder the future? The answer is simple: They are so caught up in the current moment that it doesn’t seem to matter. The problems and the rewards of today are so absorbing to some human beings that they never pause long enough to think about tomorrow.

But what if we did develop a new discipline to take just a few minutes every day to look a little further down the road? We would then be able to foresee the impending consequences of our current conduct. Armed with that valuable information, we would be able to take the necessary action to change our errors into new success- oriented disciplines. In other words, by disciplining ourselves to see the future in advance, we would be able to change our thinking, amend our errors and develop new habits to replace the old.

One of the exciting things about the formula for success- A few simple disciplines practiced every day – is that the results are almost immediate. As we voluntarily change daily errors into daily disciplines, we experience positive results in a very short period of time. When we change our diet, our health improves noticeably in just a few weeks. When we start exercising, we feel a new vitality almost immediately. When we begin reading, we experience a growing awareness and a new level of self-confidence. Whatever new discipline we begin to practice daily will produce exciting results that will drive us to become even better at developing new disciplines.

The real magic of new disciplines is that they will cause us to amend our thinking. If we were to start today to read the books, keep a journal, attend the classes, listen more and observe more, then today would be the first day of a new life leading to a better future. If we were to start today to try harder, and in every way make a conscious and consistent effort to change subtle and deadly errors into constructive and rewarding disciplines, we would never again settle for a life of existence ? not once we have tasted the fruits of a life of substance!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America’s Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com

Releasing & Empowering the Kings in the House

Jim Watkins — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:25:57 +0000

1 Tim 1:18 , This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

Remember that the “Priests in the House” are the models that the “Kings in the House” are to be emulating. Because of this, as we take a look at Timothy who was a called Priest of God, we will see how our “Kings” are to conduct themselves in the marketplace.

First, we see the importance of prophecy in our callings. Timothy had been prophesied over and the revelation of those prophecies would enable him to wage the good warfare.

The Word of God tells us not to despise prophecies. However, we all prophesy in part, and every prophecy needs interpretation and revelation.

When you hear someone prophesy over someone, you can not claim that prophesy for yourself unless the Lord reveals by His Spirit that it is for you also.

Whenever, a man or woman of God gives a prophesy, it will be confirmed in some manner ? either by another prophet, circumstances, or the word of the Lord being quickened within you.

I would never change the direction of my whole life based on one prophetic event. That puts too much power in one man. That speaks of Romanism and other errors that have been with us since the beginning.

We are exhorted to try the spirits to see if they be from God. A true man of God is not offended when an honest heart seeks further confirmation.

Having said all that, we must place a high value on the prophetic gifts. As we see in these verses and the next, the act of prophecy is essential in the release and empowerment of God’s people.

1 Tim 4:18 – Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.

Do not neglect the gift that is in you??
1 Cor 12:7 – the manifestation of Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all;

Here the word of the Lord tells us that each one is given gifts of the Holy Spirit. So, everyone has within them the gifts and callings of God lying dormant within their souls, just waiting for the prophetic act of Laying on of hands to bring it forth.

There is also a truth contained in this scripture that tells us that we have a responsibility in keeping this gift of God alive in our souls. We are told not to neglect this gift.

To be ignorant of your gifts would be considered neglect, don’t you think?

1 Cor 12:31 says, “But earnestly desire the best gifts” and in 1 Cor 14:1 “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts,..”

According to God’s word, it is acceptable and we are even encouraged to desire the gifts of God. I know, for all the super saints, I have to put this disclaimer, “Seek the Giver and not the Gift”. Of course, the bible tells us to earnestly, (KJV) covet the best gifts.

I know that it is important that we have the proper motivation. Simon got in trouble when he tried to buy the gift of laying on of hands so that the Holy Ghost was given to people. Wrong motivation.

Let’s just not throw out the baby with the wash water. We are to seek the gifts of God. Without them at work in our lives we are totally dependent on our own abilities. Who is able to bear that burden?

So neglecting our gifts will hinder us from fulfilling the call of God on our lives.

II Tim 1:6 “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

Matt 25:20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them”

What do you suppose was the Lords reaction to this example of entrepreneurship?

Matt 25:21 “His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord”

Sounds like He applauded him for being a good business man, don’t you think? In my bible these verses are in red letters. So this is what the Lord Jesus said about making a profit!

The truth that He is teaching here is that we have a responsibility to use the gifts of God in such a way that the Kingdom of God is enlarged, multiplied, expanded, improved, made better, etc.!

He even went so far as to say that we needed to STIR OURSELVES UP. Stir up that gift of God that is inside you. Quit hiding it from the world!

The world wants and needs what you have ? your families want and need what you have ? the church wants and needs what you have.

Seek the gifts that God has for you. Stir them up. The world is waiting!

All gifts given by our Father are spiritual gifts. He gives us the ability to accomplish our assigned tasks, just as He did under the Old Covenant. When you read about the building of the temple and even before that in the book of Genesis, The Lord talked about those that were workers in brass, or gold or had the gift of woodworking, etc.

It is the same today! If he called you to be a barber, then He will give you the gifts to excel as a barber. Whatever, He has called you to do He will impart His gifts into your spirit that His work might be done.

Remember, I said previously that those gifts are like seeds in your spirit man already, they just need the water of prophesy poured over them and the laying on of hands to impart God’s power and anointing that they may become ever growing plants of God’s faithfulness.

The laying on of hands is a prophetic act in itself.
The laying on of hands by those that have had hands laid on them imparts an anointing from God that releases the gifts inside of you.

In our verse it says that it is the eldership that initially lays hands on a person to release the gifts and anointing. It is that governing body of the church that has the legal right and authority to impart this anointing.

Those that are the “Priests in the House” have the authority and responsibility to RELEASE and Empower the saints of God. The five fold ministry and especially those that are elders have been selected by God to impart gifts, callings and anointings.

How important it is that all ministers that consider themselves to be a part of the five fold ministry recognize that the “Kings in the House” are waiting to be released and empowered for their ministry in the marketplace. Your business, your job, your profession is your ministry. This is your calling. Embrace it!

Jim Watkins

Anointed for Business

Jim Watkins — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:19:56 +0000

One of the greatest dangers of our society is that we are constantly trying to separate the secular from the sacred?.. and the Lord never intended it so. That is why there is such a lack of business leaders today with true integrity. We think that we act a certain way at church and another way in business. The true “kings” today recognize they have a calling that is just as spiritual and just as essential to establishing God’s Kingdom as any preacher that ever graced a pulpit.

In fact, many business leaders that I know have a much higher pulpit than most preachers ever aspire. It is imperative that we as the body of Christ begin to recognize the callings of God on the “Kings in the House”.

Often when we hear a sermon or think about the need for revival and the steps that are necessary to achieve revival in the church our first reaction is to think that the church meetings will be more lively, more will be encouraged, maybe even a few will get saved.

Did you ever stop to think that the very steps a person would take to bring revival in the church are the same steps that you need to take to transform your business or profession?

For instance, revival has been accurately described as a time when God’s life is poured out on His church. When His Glory comes and fills His temple ( and we are the body of Christ is His temple)! In Exodus 25:8 He tells us that He wants to LIVE in our midst, that His desire is that we make Him a sanctuary or dwelling place.

Do you have any idea how that would transform your job, business or profession if that happened to you?

God has given precise instructions on how to prepare a Holy place for Him to dwell. If we follow the pattern then God will come!

In Leviticus 6:8-13 we are instructed to offer a burnt offering and that it is to be a continual offering. In Hebrews we are told to offer up the sacrifice of praise continually. A voluntary act of worship is expressing your commitment and complete surrender. To recognize that it is God alone that empowers you and enables you to do the things He has called you to do.

And YES that is for business as much as it is for the pulpit. Mr. Banker, Mrs. Salesperson, Mr. Truck Driver, Mrs. Farmer ? it takes us all in. You are called of God to minister in the marketplace and you need the power of God and the anointing of God as much as any preacher that ever lived!

In Leviticus 6:14 we find the law of the Grain offering which speaks of provision. Begin to thank God for His great provision for your business. Take nothing for granted and never believe that it was your own ability that accomplished your tasks. If it was, your tasks are too small! The Lord takes pleasure in providing what you stand in need of to accomplish your calling in the earth.

For many years I worked as a computer programmer starting back in the early sixties when the only computers were huge main frames. The programs that we wrote back then had esoteric names like IBM 360 Assembler Language. Many times I had to call upon the Lord to help me to have wisdom in “debugging” a problem. Back then when a problem occurred the computer would create a “core dump”. Basically, it would just start printing everything that was in the core memory at the time of the error. The only problem is that it was printed in hexadecimal. I know, I’ve probably lost you by now. Hexadecimal is a base 15 mathematical language. A certain digit represents a letter and so on. At any rate, when you have a “core dump” you have hundreds of pages of funny looking characters that have to be deciphered one at a time. Many times when faced with such a problem, I had to cry out to the Lord for help. And you know what? He helped me! The answer would come as I worked over that report, silently praying, seeking guidance?. I still had to work at it, sweat over it but so many times the answer would leap out at me. I gave Him the credit. I was thankful for the provision.

Leviticus 24:2-4 tells us about the Golden Lampstands which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit releasing revelation from God. Look for and depend on that revelation of the Holy Spirit concerning your work. He has promised to give you what you stand in need of. He will reveal to you the secrets of the universe if you’ll only ask Him!

The Altar of Incense in Exodus 30:7-8 is a symbol of God’s people’s prayers. Vs 8,”And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.

Continual worship Continual thanksgiving Continual fellowship with His Spirit Continual prayer Wherever these conditions are met, the Lord says He will meet with us THERE! Exodus 29:42-46. I will speak with you there. I will meet with you there. It shall be consecrated by my Glory. I will dwell among the sons of Israel.

The Key to Continual Revival

Where there is continual praise, prayer, thanksgiving and worship, God’s presence will come! It doesn’t say it has to be in a church on Sunday morning (although He wants it there too). He says whereever He finds someone that is meeting those four conditions, He will manifest Himself in you.

Let’s have Revival in our business this week.

Jim Watkins

King or Priest?

Jim Watkins — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:02:52 +0000

King or Priest, Which one am I?

Since we started the “Kings in the House Ministries” the question most often asked is, Am I a King or Priest?

Rev 1:6 “And has made us Kings and Priests to his God and Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

The truth is that we are both ‘Kings and Priests’ under the new covenant. Throughout the scriptures, both old and new, we are told that we have a spiritual kingdom.

Daniel 7:27 “Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High, His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.

Under the Old Covenant God’s people were told they would be given a kingdom and in Luke 22:29, the Lord Jesus said, “And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon me.”

The promise of the old has been fulfilled in the new.

The Kingdom of our Lord is in operation right now today! Oh yes, there is coming a greater fulfillment in the fullness of time, but we are to reign as ‘Kings’ right now.

1 Cor 4:8, “You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us ? and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!

The apostle Paul reveals in this passage of scripture a mighty revelation of the functions of “The Priest in the House” and “The Kings in the House”!

While every child of God is a completion of Rev 1:6, (we have all been made Kings and Priests to our God) our function is different.

A “Priest in the House” is a person called of God to the five fold ministry of the church. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These people make up the governing body of the church as elders.

As such their task is to teach, train and lead by example in the areas of character, integrity, humbleness, meekness, submission, biblical knowledge, and many other such attributes.

The “Priests in the House” also provide an umbrella of protection for the “Kings in the House”. They have the supernatural ability to ‘Empower’ the Kings to fulfill their callings.

As you can see, the role of the priests is a very important function in God’s Kingdom. When the “Priests” are not performing their function correctly, we have “Kings” that are trapped by situations/circumstances that causes them to fulfill their callings in a carnal manner and much damage is done to the Kingdom of God.

One of the greatest things the Priest can do for the Kings is to release them to their callings!

The Kings in the House.
Many people think that when I’m talking about the “Kings in the House” that I’m just referring to those that own businesses. As far as function is concerned, if you are not one of those called to the five fold ministry, THEN YOU ARE one of “THE KINGS IN THE HOUSE”!

Actually, you are called to the full-time ministry as much as any preacher, missionary or other full-time worker.

Many people have trouble believing that God has actually called them to be a plumber, truck driver, nurse, lawyer, business person, etc. The difficulty is as people start drawing closer to the Lord, they want to give themselves to Him. They surrender to the call to preach because this seems to be a way of serving the Lord, but they miss the wonderful and fulfilling call of God for them to the market place.

We must bring our churches back into apostolic alignment so people, both priests and kings, can accomplish all that we have to set before us in these last days. Not only in the church but also in the market place.

As the “Priests” begin to empower and release the “Kings” the “Kings” will begin to operate in the power and authority of the “King of Kings” in the market place!

You can count on this. A king in the natural affairs of the world has power and authority to change the environment where he lives. The “Kings in the House” have an even greater power and authority to change the environment where they live and work. However, it is a spiritual power, not one of this earth.

The question, Am I a King or Priest?
The answer is both King and Priest.
How do I function?
The answer is based on the call of God in your life. If you are one of those called to the five fold ministry, then you are one of the “Priests in the House”, and if not, then you are a “King in the House”!

Let’s be about our Father’s business.

Jim Watkins

Your Call To The Marketplace

Jim Watkins — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:40:48 +0000

You know that you have been called to the ministry but it is not in the traditional sense that you have seen before. We are seeing today an emergence of men and women that are passionate about the kingdom. They are people of integrity and high moral standards. They are people that think and plan strategically. People that are in apostolic alignment in God’s House.

2 Cor 5:18-19
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconcilation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Lu 22:28-29
But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me.

Rev 1:5-6
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.

In these last days God is bringing the Church into Apostolic Alignment. He never intended for the secular to be separated from the sacred. When we were set apart (santified) by the blood of Christ the sacred and the secular became one in the kingdom of God.

In God’s Word the priests represent those set men and women that minister in the five-fold ministry; apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. The kings are those that minister in the marketplace as business and professional people. Apostolic alignment is bringing the Kings into the House so they may have a covering or protection provided by the Priests of the House.

This places great responsibility on the Priests in the House to succor and nurish these called people of God who are truly on the front lines of spiritual warfare. It is absolutely essential that both the Priests and the Kings have an understanding of their roles in God’s House.

A spiritual partnership of mutual trust and concern is being brought forth in the House of God today. Priests are beginning to see that the Kings in the House are truly called to the marketplace.

Deut 8:18
And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Are you really CALLED OF GOD to make money for the Kingdom?
According to the scripture in Deut 8:18 God has given you the power to get wealth. And it does take money and a lot of it to preach the Gospel to all nations. However, as in every calling there are dangers involved in fulfilling the calling. The Lord never intended for us to use the promises of God in such a way that the message of His redeeming love is diminished.

The “Kings in the House” must operate in every way in their business, jobs, home and social life as ambassadors of “The Prince of Peace”. To not do so, would be a terrible mis-understanding of God’s meaning of success.

Some that don’t see the significance will not understand your comittment to making money. They will see it as something filthy or sinful. In your own church or local congregation, there will always be some that will not understand and want you to be more spiritual.

Rightly understood, we must bring the message of Christ in a very real and practical way into our professions. Living the life of Christ will always raise the standard of living in your world. Christians should always strive to make the place they are in just a little better.

Success and money alone will never satisfy. They are only tools that you and I can use to improve life around us and make our message of Christ acceptable to others.

You can not separate your calling from God’s House. You are Kings in the House. Your calling is to FULL-TIME MINISTRY. Your business, profession, your job is your pulpit.

Jim Watkins