REVELATION KNOWLEDGE Ephesians 1 verse 17

My people, my people, it is that time of the month again this is my 11^th post.

Can you believe it next month will be one year since I have started blogging?

Next month we will be sure to have a celebration in like manner as the 7^th month. Yes people, the topic “REVELATION KNOWLEDGE’

REFLECTIONS

The Apostle Paul says follow me as I follow Christ. We have to move on La Royaume de Dieu has suffered violence and it is only the violent that will take it by force. We have to move on can’t afford to become static. His mercies are new every morning.

One of my favourite prayer in the Bible is found in the book of Ephesians, Ephesians 1 vs 15 - 23.  I mean every church prayer meeting I have attended as a true charismatic I pray this prayer personalizing it to the specific fellowship, as I was taught in my early years.

However, as I was meditating in my most favourite place on the floor early in the morning (for I know Raphleta says the Lord) Ephesians 1 verse 17

17 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:

I said to myself  Daddy, what is this ‘revelation knowledge’.  As per usual I seem to have chosen a topic that very people seem to be interested in. Hence, we will have to do our own analysis.  Pastor Chris Oyakhilome did a series which was passable.  However, we don’t want to get into too much complex teaching.  I am trying to master French, the Greek and Hebrew is for another season. Though the vision tarry… We want to keep it sweet and simple (KISS). Pastor Sam Adeyemi would say that is our major problem as Christians too much complex thinking.  Some other scriptures I have been meditating on are Colossians 1 verse 27, Colossians 2 verse 9, I Corinthians 5 verse 17 you will see how all these scriptures tie in as we go along.

CRITICAL DEFINITIONS

I plugged the two words ‘revelation knowledge’ into the Blue Letter Bible (google it) only two (2) passages came up with the sequence of words Ephesians 1 verse 17 and Colossians 2 verse 9.

Revelation: A surprising and previously, unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way.  There are synonyms such as disclosure, announcement and report.

The book of Revelation being the final book of the Bible, is not only a report but also an announcement. It testifies to the Lord Jesus Christ and it also reports what will be taking place in the future in a most dramatic manner. It is the source of some good movies and more to come when the church takes over the film industry.

Knowledge:

1.      Facts, information and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.  This speaks to one’s intellectual ability.

2.      Awareness or familiarity geared by experience of a fact or situation. This speaks to spiritual awareness or feelings as some would say intuition.  We have synonyms such as consciousness and perception.

DISCERNING THE HEART OF GOD

There is a distinct characteristic between the first Adam and the second Adam, they both had intimacy with God.

In Genesis 2 verse 19:

¹⁹ And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Highlighting the statement in the verse ‘and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof ‘, God and man in partnership from the very beginning. A beautiful happening.

We now go over to Genesis 3 verses 8-9 after man sinned and see what takes place when fellowship is broken, man begins to hide from God. God is still waiting for us.

Looking unto Jesus, the second Adam who was able to finish the course. This is His posture St John 5 verses 19-20.

¹⁹ Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

²⁰ For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

He also reiterated this theme in St. John 8 verse 28:

²⁸ Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Israel Rejected God as Head

This story more than all other signifies to me the heart of God towards man. It was the request of Israel for a king.  When the Prophet Samuel tried to dissuade them, they would not listen.  However, this was what God said about the matter in I Samuel 8 verse 7 ‘for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.’

THE TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE

As the definition of knowledge indicates we garner knowledge by the things we learn and also by our experiences.  Jesus learnt obedience by the things He suffered. Hebrews 5 verse 8.  But there is also that knowledge through the heart or the Spirit of a man. They that have clean hands and pure heart shall see God.  St.  Matthew 5 verse 8 and Psalm 24 verses 3 and 4.

Our educational knowledge is progressive we start at kindergarten and move into university stopping at different levels along the way based on circumstances and individual desires.  One thing is certain when you stop learning you are ready to die.  It is a lifelong process. However, there is no knowledge like experiential knowledge.  The school of hard knocks.  In my network marketing days, the guys used to say you bring me your argumentation and I will bring you my results.  This advertisement comes to mind by Muhammad Ali ‘Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee.  The great smell of Brut and the punch of Ali.  If it was not for the grace of god these punches would have taken us out.  But we are still here praise the Lord!!

Looking at some men in the Bible who we thought would have been out for the count, but God.

Joseph learnt the art of rationing by being in Potiphar’s house and being in charge of the prison. Hence, he was ready for the promotion when it came.  Dr. Cindy Trimm prays ‘Father I thank you for the problem because heaven is getting a message over to me that I am about to be promoted.  So father I thank you for the problem and I thank you for the promotion’.

King David learnt the art of war (there is a book by that title) by living in caves and hiding all over the country side from his enemies. God knew that Israel had a lot of enemies, King David had to know a lot of battle strategies.

Moses learnt to recognize the voice of God in the backside of the desert.  You want to know if you are going to be stoned, in whom you have believed.  The children of Israel loved to stone people.

The Apostle Paul went through it all.  In fact his commissioning statement was ‘For I will show how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake’. Acts 9 verse 16.  In my opinion that is enough to turn off anybody.

One man of God said God does not use anything that He has not tested. Even Jesus had to have His wilderness experience.

I just finished reading a book ‘The Power of positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale”.  One statement in the book has been imprinted on my mind. It was from a sermon by a Pastor, it goes like this ‘Don’t discount another man’s experience. He experienced it!

An extension of this is that you are not to begrudge another man’s anointing you don’t know the price they had to pay for it.

PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF BIBLICAL REVELATION

The nature of revelation is also seen to be progressive.  We can clearly see this illustrated in the Bible. The Bible states that Jesus Christ it is that filleth all in all Ephesians 1 verse 23.

I Timothy 3 verse 16 – The mystery of Godliness

Colossians 2 verse 9 – In Him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily

Colossians 1 verses 26-27 – The mystery made manifest, Christ in us the hope of glory

Ephesians 3 verses 14-20 – That we will have knowledge that passeth understanding

II Corinthians 5 verse 17 – If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creation

The first book of the Bible is thought to be Job not Genesis and the authorship attributed to Moses.  We must be careful where we get out revelations in the Bible. There is the issue of pre-text what has gone before, post text what comes after and context the present situation.

Job in Job 1 verse 21 said ‘the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away’.  However, in Job 42 verses 3 and 5 at the end of the book ‘Therefore have I uttered that I understand not; things too wonderful for me; which I knew not… I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.’

In our dispensation, it is John 10 verse 10: Hence the reason I started out with Jesus, He is the only perfect example everybody else is commentary.

¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The Old Testament we have come to realize points to Jesus in every way.  The Patriarchs and the Prophets knew in part and prophesied in part.  We also have to be mindful of prophecies that are specific to the nation of Israel, under the old covenant in our analysis of scriptures; for example, Daniel 9 – Daniel understood by the Book of Jeremiah that the Jews should be in captivity for 70 years and started interceding on the behalf of his nation Israel. Video of  Pastor Benny Hinn on the subject

 OFFICIAL TRANSFERENCE OF THE MANTLE

We want to look at a very high level meeting that took place on Mount Hermon and is recorded in the books of St. Matthew 17 verse 1 – 8, St. Mark 9 verse 2-8, and St. Luke 9 verses 28 – 36 called the Transfiguration.

Jesus took His inner circle Peter, James and John up into the mountain and His personal appearance was changed into a glorified form and His clothing became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus about His death. Peter in shock and amazement and being very fearful offered to put up 3 shelters (we are still trying to build monuments to men, instead of continuing the movement, Jesus is saying whose inscription is on these ministries) for them. Peter was desiring to stay in that place when a cloud enveloped them, a voice said, ‘This is My son, whom I have chosen, whom I love, listen to him!  The cloud lifted, Moses and Elijah had disappeared and Jesus was alone with His disciples who were still very much afraid.  Jesus warned them not to tell anyone what they have seen until after the resurrection.

The purpose of the Transfiguration was to give the inner circle an insight into the deity of Christ.  It gave them an opportunity to behold His glory.

However, symbolically the appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets.  God’s voice from Heaven – “Listen to Him’ – clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus.  The one who is new and living way in replacing the old.  He (Jesus) is the fulfillment of the law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament.

Also, in His glorified form they saw a preview of his coming glorification and enthronement as King of kings and Lord of lords.

John wrote about the experience in St John 1 verse 14

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

and Peter in 2 Peter 1 verses 16 -18   

¹⁶ For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

¹⁷ For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

¹⁸ And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

HOW TO RECEIVE REVELATION KNOWLEDGE

There is no one way that God speaks to everybody, you have to be disciplined. The secrets of God are for His friends.  He spoke to Elijah in a small voice, to Daniel through the scriptures, in dreams to Joseph, Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, in visions to the Apostle Paul, He threw Jonah off a boat, he knocked Saul off a horse, He used a donkey to talk to Balaam and by the Spirit through Jesus and the 120 in the upper room. The two persons that shew the greatest faith in the gospels were the Centurion and the Syro Phoenician woman by discernment. You have to get close to God and be intentional about His business.  

Method of Meditation

1.      Be washed by Jesus’ blood I John 1 verse 6

2.      Have a teachable attitude James 4 verse 6

3.      Pray ‘Lord, show me’ Romans 12 verses 1- 2 and Proverbs 3 verses 5 – 7

4.      Slow down, ponder, muse Psalm 119 verse 18

5.      Combine anointed reason, flowing pictures, music and speech St John 7 verses 37 – 39

6.      Read with focused purpose St. Matthew 5 verse 6

7.      Glorify God for insights Ephesians 3 verse 21

CONCLUSION

Here is to your continued growth in wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God.  It has been God’s desire to communicate with man on a very personal level from the beginning of creation and it has not changed.  He gave man an identity, made in His image and likeness, He gave man authority- have dominion, He blessed man and gave him a purpose Be fruitful multiply and replenish the earth.

As I go let me close with this quotation by Derek Prince from Blessing or Curse pages 90, 91

‘To put human ability in the place of divine grace is to exalt the carnal above the spiritual. The effect will be manifested in many different areas. For example

      Theology will be exalted above revelation

      Intellectual education above character building

      Psychology above discernment

      Program above the leading of the Holy Spirit

      Eloquence above supernatural power

      Reasoning above the walk of faith

      Laws above love.

All of these errors are different manifestations of one great basic error, putting man in a place God has reserved solely for the Lord Jesus Christ’. Revelation vs Reasoned Knowledge

He who hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Once again this is me Raphleta, Lillene’s baby girl coming to you from the True North. 

À bientôt

SUBMISSION TO SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY VERSUS MANIPULATION

It is that time of the month again lovely people.  I know, The topic!! The topic!! However, before you start throwing stones hear me out.  Keep an open mind.

REFLECTIONS

This topic came to mind a couple of months ago, and immediately two (2) things happened:

        i.         I was speaking to an acquaintance and she mentioned a situation which she was undergoing with her boss.  After explaining her expression was “But that is manipulation, she stated I did not even know the word and the meaning.  It was while I was sleeping that the Holy spirit brought the word to me and I looked it up.  She then stated, but that is what is happening in the church to”. I laughed and then concurred with my sister.  That is when I decided to add the word to my topic.

      ii.         This poem by the late great Jamaican Folklorist the Hon. Dr. Louise Bennett-Coverley came to mind “URIAH PREACH”- The gist of the poem is that a church member’s son has access to the pulpit and when he gets the opportunity to preach, he uses it to settle old scores or dress down the congregation.  These days we are not so brazen it has been developed to a fine art.

There are many types of submission that the Bible speaks about governmental authority, children to parents and wives to husbands.  There is a lot of material available on the latter.  Ladies they have your number.  As I often say be anxious for nothing. 

The literature that is available on submission is to a large extent written by Pastors and in my opinion for the most part is superficial and simplistic.  The quotations of a few scriptures and then a conclusion.

I am writing this Blog as a sheep in the church.  I have no position and is not trying to get anyone to submit to me.  I am writing from the perspective of one who led and is being led.  People remember that we are all leaders whether we want to believe it or not.  All you need to decide is whether it is positive or negative.

As I travel around and interact with people, more and more I have come to realize that it is not major doctrinal issues that are affecting the church. It is the St. John 3 verses 16 – 17 for God so loved and the things contain in Jesus’ first sermon.  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT – the basic and fundamental principles that governs life in the kingdom.

I am amazed at the things that goes on between the pews.  I am wondering if most of us read the book that we take to church or have between WhatsApp and Face Book on our smart phones.

The result of not obeying basic and fundamental scriptural doctrine is that our doctrine lacks sincerity and there are a lot of Christians in transition; people who are just in church in body. Instead of producing sheep we are producing goats – people will buck the life out of you.

Let me pause here to give an illustration:

I visited a church in August 2016 with an acquaintance.  While waiting to enter the main auditorium, we sat in the hall. I sat beside a lady. So, as is my custom I introduced myself and decided to get to know the lady.  She was elderly and quite pleasant so I asked if she was a member of the church.  She said no! nothing strange I was not either. She then went on to elaborate that she visits the Catholic and the Anglicans and the present location. Having been there done that myself (life happens) I did not shun the lady or acted outraged.  I just told her very calmly you cannot do that.  You must be planted Psalm 92 verse 13.  I really did not know if she was listening to me but it did not matter.

Suffice it to say, in December 2016 I just had an urge to go back to the church.  The Jesus need go through Samaria sort of situation. On my way, if I was faint of heart I would have given up because of the number of obstacles on my journey.  The bus got stuck at a train line for over 20 minutes.  The train was long and it is the first time I saw a train literally crawled.  Then I had to wait twenty (20) minutes for the connection to the subway.  So, I went to Walmart and bought a bag of potato chips. All that salt was not good. Then I got on another bus, would you believe it I missed my stop and had to get off and walk back to the correct stop.  This was in freezing weather people.  Then I had to wait for another connection. However, I reached in time and did the ladies thing before the start of the service.  When I went into the auditorium I had the shock of my life. I met the same lady bouncing and smiling.  She was not only a member of the church she was now a bonified worker in the fellowship. My joy was full. The service was good and the prayer session was vigorous all that paled into insignificance compared to how I felt about my sister. Face Book is good and WhatsApp but, how can you have hundreds and thousands of nebulous connections and don’t even know the person who is sitting beside you week after week in church.

By the way people the art of connecting with people does not come by osmosis, it is something that you have to be intentional about.  Fortunately, for me I worked under a Pastor who knew his congregation and when the leadership asked him how he did it.  He told us that as leaders it was our responsibility to know the people we are leading

 CRITICAL DEFINITIONS

Submission: The word has two meanings however, the meaning we are interested in is the action or fact of accepting or yielding to a superior force or to the authority of another person.

Manipulation: The action of manipulating someone in a clever or unscrupulous way or to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one’s own advantage. Every time I write the word I am reminded of the Chinese character for crisis which on the other hand can also mean opportunity.  Likewise, manipulation leads to deception.

Deception: The act of making someone believe something that is not true.

Authority: The power or right to direct or control someone or something.

SUBMISSION TO SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY

I am wondering if there is an unwritten law in most churches that says when you become a Christian that you are to leave your brain at the door or some people are not allowed to think? I don’t remember seeing that written anywhere in the Bible.  In fact, I see quite the opposite.

 Peter, James and John were fishermen. Paul was a scholar he went to the best school of the time Hebrew Institute of Gamaliel.  Today that would be Oxford or Harvard University (dare I say the University of the West Indies! Don’t look at me in that tone of voice love yuh).

Peter wrote two (2) books Paul wrote half of the New Testament. Need I say more.  The church is the only place where the total man is taken care of.  We are to be trained and deployed.  That is why the organizational structure is so flat. I suppose the hospitality industry were not the first originators of the all-inclusive concept. God was ahead of them.

We all need to be educated the saints and the shepherds. In the book of I Corinthians 4 verse 15 – The Apostle Paul advise that there are many teachers but not many fathers. In the book of Ezekiel 34 Daddy is very explicit about this shepherding thing.

We will go to the only perfect example to illustrate kingdom authority:

In St. Matthew 3 verses 13 -15- Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist because John was the resident prophet on earth at the time.  He represented spiritual authority reiterating Jesus in verse 15 – Let all righteousness be fulfilled.  He had to be in right standing.

THE WORKING OF JESUS’ MINISTRY

The Disciples

Jesus chose twelve (12) disciples. Some had very distinct personalities.  Some you hardly read about. However, it is documented that most died as martyr except John who died at a good oil age, leaving us to wonder if being boiled in oil preserved him.  

Peter was impetuous among other things, Jesus had to rebuke the devil out of him, he denied Jesus but he also walked on water and was the main guy on the day of Pentecost.  Where in the Bible did you see, Jesus chastening him openly or maligning him among his peers. In fact we read how Jesus restored having abandoned all after the crucifixion and returned to fishing.

We had James and John the sons of Zebedee they not only wanted to call down fire on people but they were also ambitious and got relatives involved in church business to put in a good word for them.  Jesus did not chastise them, He just told them it was not His call and they had to be willing to pay the price for such grandiose ambitions.

Judas; can you imagine eating and drinking every day with a man that would play Brutus to your Julius Caesar.

Then you had doubting Thomas walked around with Jesus for three and a half years (31/2) and still did not believe that He was the Son of God literally did not believe in the resurrection.

You also had uppity Nathanael who thought that nothing good came out of Nazareth.

Andrew thank God for faithful Andrew who found a good thing and immediately shared it with his family member.  People we need to stop singing those fly away songs and Maranatha come Lord Jesus most of our families are not saved.

I was recently doing a research on world religions and discovered that about thirty three percent (33%) of the world population is of the Christian faith; of that approximately seventeen percent (17%) is Roman Catholic, another one and a quarter percent (1.25%) are Anglicans.  Then you have the protestants and various other denominations.  Among the potpourri of beliefs, the evangelicals did not even register. The Islam and Hinduism have thirty four percent (34%) and then you have Buddhism, atheist etc. controlling the other thirty three percent (33%). People we need to get the fundamentals right so we can go fulfill the great commission. Religions of the World

Inner Circle

Jesus had an inner circle consisting of three (3) disciples Peter, James and John and as such they witness many miracles of Christ that the other nine (9) disciples were not allowed to see. John was seen to be a favourite of Jesus even lying on Jesus’ bosom.  There is nothing wrong with having favourites.  However, you need to handle it like Jesus not Jacob.

This is the model that Jesus used, twelve (12) to change the world and one was a betrayer, but God never leaves himself without a substitute. If you can wait on the perfect will of God He will send you somebody greater by the name of Saul/Paul.  Even though you might have gone ahead and drawn lots and replace Judas with a Mathias.  All we are going know of the gentleman is his name. Man, looketh at the outward appearance God looks at the heart. I Samuel 16 verse 7.

JESUS MODEL EXPANDED

I remember a prominent Rastafarian in Jamaica did a management training for the company I was a part of and he called it the Jesus Model. This is the Jesus Model as per Raphleta Taylor

        i.            You must be hooked up to the Father, Jesus said I do nothing that I did not see my father do St. John 5 verse 19. He prayed St. Mark 1 verse 35. You need to be accountable to someone.  Jesus yielded to the authority of John when he was alive.  After John left it was between Him and the Father.

      ii.            Jesus had an inner circle you also need a select group to brainstorm with and discuss confidential information. Ideally these will be people filled with the Holy Ghost Power and Wisdom, to a large extent independent thinkers and not people to massage your ego.

    iii.            Clarity of vision – people are going to come and go one thing that must remain constant is the vision.  Jesus started preaching the arrival of the kingdom of God and He has not stopped. Write down the vision make it plain Habakuk 2 verse 2.  People are perishing for lack of knowledge Hosea 4 verse 6.

    iv.            Put systems in place. Systems outlast people.  In the book of Acts 6 they had bickering because they did not have proper systems in place. If you are having bickering, back stabbing and gossiping.  Clear indications of leadership problems and no proper systems. You must have a proper mechanism to deal with confrontations or disputes.  Moses and Jethro in the wilderness. Jethro organized Moses (The black man the vision to the body of Christ) Exodus 18 verses 18 -26. When there was a dispute at the highest level in the church Paul and Peter circumcision versus uncircumcision of the Gentiles they took it to the Elders Acts 15.

People are looking from transparency when they come to church.  It is not a secret society.  My prayer is that soon I can go to all these great church websites and see financial statements. Acts 17 verse 11 states that we sheep must be like the Bereans. They scrutinized the teachings of the Apostles exhaustively. It does not matter who is teaching we must test everything against the word. This attitude prevents wolves getting among the sheep St. Matthew 7 verse 15.

MANIPULATION

The most classical case of this is I Kings 21 Jezebel and we know that ended up in the murder of Naboth a very severe case of engineering things for your own end.

Let us now go to Jesus, one point of note people is that Jesus never woed a sinner but he woed the religious people the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The case of the woman caught in adultery St. John 8 verses 1 – 11.  The first thing that comes to mind is where is the man.  In verse 6

⁶ This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

They clearly knew what to do, they are the teachers of the law but they wanted to trap Him. Jesus is classical, people like these you just ignore, not worth the time of day. Genesis 3 verse 21 God exposes no one to shame and ridicule it is a principle established in the Garden of Eden.

The religious people also tried to trip him up concerning the payment of taxes St. Matthew 22 verses 15-22. Jesus’ response verse 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

Jesus is brutal with religious people who are trying to block other people from making it because they are hopeless themselves.

CONCLUSION

We will have to follow up in future looking at specific areas in leadership particularly servant leadership based on the sermon on the mount. St Matthew 5 verses 23 – 24, 18 verses 15-17.  Based on these principles there should be no Uriah Preach in the church.  You have ought against your brother you go to your brother. The method and criteria for removing people from the church is clearly outlined in the Bible.

Ephesians 4 verses 11-13. Looking at specific roles in the church. I heard one man of God said “A weak society is the reflection of a weak church and a strong society is the reflection of a strong church.” Simply put judgement begins in the house of God.

We want to explore scriptures such as St. Matthew 18 verse 6.  When I think of this scripture a little anecdote come to mind.  It is this: I remember writing a particularly scathing email to a man of God.  When I was finished I was feeling quite satisfied. I said to myself I have socked it to him. All I heard in my Spirit was Really! That is my business. Leadership is God’s business.

Another gem is Hebrews 13 verse 17 This one reminds me of another teaching moment in my life. I remember I was home reflecting in the formative years of our fellowship and listening to a tape series (I had no CD in those days) on Submission by Pastor John Bevere. I can’t remember who gave me the series. He used the life of King David to teach this principle.  Summarizing the teaching I realized that King Saul was a mad man whose only goal in life was to annihilate David.  King David had the opportunity to kill King Saul twice and he stated that he would not touch the Lord’s anointed.

Then I had one of those ha-ha moments. Raphleta what you ladies on the executive are doing is wrong.

 Let me back up a little on the church executive committee we had four (4) ladies. Three (3) of us were University graduates and all single and two (2) were never married and one (1) divorced. I was among the single never married category.  To complicate the matters   I used to be a member of the Junior Chamber International (that is another story).  At that time, it was touted to be the premier young people’s leadership training organization. So, I thought I had parliamentary procedures, meeting management, report writing and some other skills pat. When you think that you know, then you realize you don’t know. We were a very zealous bunch. So one of the things we three (3) or most of us would do is discuss matters prior to the meeting and have a position going into the meeting.  Really and truly no Pastor should have to deal with this.  This is not a political party it is not a democracy.  It is a theocracy. God has his way of doing his business. Thank God that the days of ignorance He winks at. This can tie a Pastor’s hands.  You have to trust that God is using the man of God and defer to His judgement on most matters. There is room for discussion but ultimately if the man is a man of prayer and you have proven him you have to submit.  Hence, my ha-ha moment so I did my repenting in my little room.  People please note that every new word you get will be tested.  The next day I got a phone call.  Hello! Raph? Yes, yuh si dah one Pastor So and So (You see that Pastor So and So).  The old Raph would have said yes, weh him duh? (Yes, what has he done?).  The enlightened Raph said Have you spoken to him? Call him and talk to him.  To date I have not received another phone call.  I was tested the same way several months hence, this time at an open meeting. I just said to the lady call him and speak to him. The late Dr. Myles Munroe and Pastor E.A. Adeboye says the closer you get to God the shorter your leash. You don’t get away with things. I believe them.

One of my best gems though of biblical portrayal of leadership that I have had to date is with my past Principal the late great J. Barbara Martin at Merl Grove High School.  This school is my alma mater. She encouraged me to do a stint at the school. I accepted, I taught Advanced Level Economics, CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations) Accounts and CXC (Caribbean Examination Council) Accounts and Principles of Business.  Since I had no prior teaching experience except for Sunday School at Church and my hand writing was terrible those day it was chalk and talk.  In the same manner, I did for my Sunday school class I had to find innovative ways to impart the knowledge.  By this time, I had written many Sunday School lessons on various topics given out many gold stars and candies. The school had a bus so my strategy became Education in Action. For Principles of Business I took the ladies on a field trip to one of the largest and most diversified companies in Jamaica and they had one of the Senior Executives sat down with them and taught them about business. He was fantastic. It was a joy to watch. So they now had practical knowledge and could make more informed career choices plus they had information for their School Based Assessment. For Economics, I took them to the Bank Of Jamaica, the Mecca of Economics in the country so they did the grand tour and lecture.  In addition, the bank overlooked the sea and the International Conference Centre so that was bonus. Moreover, with these responsibilities I oversaw a form. As you can imagine between writing lesson plans, organizing field trips, teaching and marking I have never worked so hard for my bread. Father bless all teachers.

To my surprise, I was summoned to the Principal’s Office.  Mrs. Martin said “Raphleta Miss so and so has informed me that …and it continued (people if you can’t call name it is gossip).  Then she said what say you” So I cleared up whatever the matter was and was never summoned again.  When I think of it I am still blown away never in the church have I seen this biblical principle in operation. Phenomenal woman of God. Then came a Principal who knew not Raphleta.

So people it can be done and it will be done because Jesus is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle.

In closing, let me leave you with this teaching by Dr. Mensa Otabil.  Get the book that he speaks about Good to Great by Jim Collins. Very good book.  However, it is not for the uninitiated. If you are not comfortable with analysis and critical thinking continue to burst bubbles.  These days all I hear the Spirit saying is that you know better, you know better.

Once again this is me Raphleta, Lillene’s baby girl coming to you from the True North. 

À bientôt

THE ORIGINAL RIDER OF THE CLOUD - Revelation 1 verse 7

INTRODUCTIONS

Well people it is that time of the month again!  This month's topic I promise is non-controversial or so I think, we will see.  I was out of circulation for a number of years, the last major breakthrough in technology for me was the Blackberry.  The providers of email on your handheld device.  One of these days I will tell you what happened to my new shiny Blackberry bold.  Anyway,  since 2015 I have been hearing about this CLOUD and everybody is talking about the CLOUD.  However, no one seems to be able to define this CLOUD.  Then it came to me, who was the original rider of the cloud?  Hence, the title of this blog.  In fact I am so embarrassed because I was dealing with an organization and I wrote then and told them I was not able to save my document and asked What happened to the save button?  I am still waiting on the reply. So just in case you are like me and need a basic grasp of this technology (it is really not new seem to have been around for a number of years).  So we will be looking at what is happening in the natural and tying this in with matters spiritual.  People remember that Satan is the original counterfeiter who has a 6000 years advantage, as one man of God would say.
In the book of I Corinthians 15 verse 46 it states:

46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Before we continue lets listen to a song Behold He Comes

CLOUD TECHNOLOGY 

People I am going to attempt to use my experience as a teacher to take this topic to a level where it is easily understood.  I am going to demystify the topic so you are able to speak to the subject in an intelligent manner.  After this you can tell me whether I should complete my Postgraduate Diploma in Education.  I only need to write the final section.  I must find out if I still can.

Definition

Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g. network, servers, storage, applications and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.  This cloud model promotes availability and is composed of five essential characteristics, three delivery models, and four deployment models.

Simply put you can buy computer services based on your needs with little or no red tape there a five features of this service, three packages and four ways to get the three packages.

Notes 

1. Cloud computing is still an evolving paradigm.  These definition, attributes, and characteristics will evolve and change overtime.

2. The cloud computing industry represents a large ecosystem of many models, vendors, and market niches.  This definition attempts to compass all of the various cloud approaches.

Essential Characteristics

1. On-Demand Self Service- Access of computer services, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interactions with each service's provider (self-provision resources).

 2. Ubiquitous Network Access- Services available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g. mobile phones, laptops and PDAs).

3. Location Independent Resource Pooling:  The provider's computing resources are pooled to serve all consumers using multitenant model, with different physical and virtual resources, dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand.  The customer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a specific country, state, or data center. Examples include storage, processing, memory, network, bandwidth and virtual machines.

4. Rapid Elasticity: Capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned to quickly scale up and rapidly released to quickly scale down to the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be infinite (massive scalability, super computer power on demand) and can be purchased in any quantity at any time.

 5. Measured Service: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resources use by leveraging a metering capability appropriate to the type of service (e.g. storage, processing bandwidth and active user accounts).  Resources usage can be monitored, controlled and reported providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the service (a pay as-you-go model).

All the foregoing is saying is that you can get the service when you need it, on any platform anywhere in the world using any device, also your business may be located in one state and you are able to access information in another state using the services of the state you are in, the service will automatically adjust to the level you need it and finally you are charged based on your usage. There are many people that are using the services at once.

Note

Cloud software takes full advantage of the cloud paradigm by being service oriented with a focus on statelessness, low coupling modularity (well structured computer system)  and semantic interoperability (exchange of data with unambiguous shared meaning).

Delivery Models

The central concept and language used for cloud computing essentially relates to supplying "Everything as a Service"

1. Cloud Infrastructure as a Service- In this model the consumer does not mange or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly select networking components (e.g. firewalls, load balancers). Companies are always looking for ways to run existing applications that decrease the cost of providing technology infrastructures. A hosting service provider such as Google, Amazon or Microsoft provides "virtual machines" on demand with payment geared to the amount of usage.  Thus, the time and cost of procuring and installing actual physical machines at the client's premises is avoided and what behaves as a single machine is made available across the internet. The term "virtual machine" means that a portion of a server farm or compute grid is made available as a separate machine from the user's perspective.

2. Cloud Platform as a Service- This is a developers model in which the consumer has the means to develop applications using programming languages and tools supported by Cloud services provider (e.g. Java, Python, .Net).  The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, network, servers, operating systems or storage, but the consumer has control over the deployed applications and possibly application hosting environment configuration.

Such platforms can be pre-configured to support a specific programming language in a standard hosting environment.  Platforms can be built for specific use by an industry or an enterprise, complete with management and governance capabilities.

3. Cloud Software as a Service (SaaS)- This is the delivery of actual end-user functionality, either as "services" grouped together and orchestrated to perform the required functionality or as a conventional monolithic application. Basic packages such as Microsoft Office Suite or Google Packages. The consumer uses the provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure and accessible from various client devices through a thin client interface such as a Web Browser.

There are two other models that are defined which we will not deal with in this Blog.  They are Business Process Management as a Service and Management Controls as a Service.

Deployment Models

1. Private Cloud: This cloud infrastructure is operated solely for an organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party and may exist on premises or off premises (a Virtual Private Cloud or VPC).

2. Community Cloud: This cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns .  It may be managed by the organizations or a third party and may exist on premises or off premises.

3. Public Cloud: This cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public or a large industry group and is owned by an organization selling cloud services.

4. Hybrid Cloud: This cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability. 

Again, cloud computing isn't new technology, it's a newly evolved delivery model.  The major players in this industry are Amazon - Amazon Web Services, Microsoft - Azure and Google - Google Cloud Platform. The key point is that cloud computing focuses on the end users and their abilities to do what they want to do, singularly, or in communities without the need for specialized IT support.  The technology layer is abstracted, or hidden and is simply represented drawing of a "Cloud." This same principle has been used in the past for the Internet.

The major concerns with the technology from my discussions with persons seem to be security and privacy.  However, I am saying those were the same problems with the World Wide Web and the Social Media but now we are all surfing and connecting. Cloud computing can provide powerful business benefits to companies. For many companies, by the time new hardware and software can be specified, procured and implemented, the business opportunity has passed and the value is lost.  With the cloud this risk is eliminated because many of these elements can be accessed immediately as services.  This is especially important as the outlook for business suggests more frequent changes in both its external products as well as its internal systems in increasingly competitive global markets. 

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES TO THE CLOUD

There are many references to cloud/s in the scriptures I really did not realize how many until I started doing this research.  We will only look at a few instances and realize the spiritual significance of the cloud.  There are a number of scriptures that refers directly to Jesus returning in the clouds.  Hence, the reason I became fascinated when I heard mention of the Cloud Technology.  I have heard say time and again that the invisible world is more real that the visible world and this research has driven home the point even more so. We could also look at the significance of different colour clouds but we would go on and on.

THE GLORY CLOUD

In Revelation 1 verse 7 it states

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

In Revelation 14 it states:

 ¹⁴ And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

The sickle speaks to harvesting and we know who is coming to separate the wheat from the tares.

Let's now look at an Old Testament example, one of my favourite guys in the Bible King Solomon himself. In 2 Chronicles 5 verse 14 it states

14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

My challenge with this has always been, this is Old Testament and as New testament believers we have been give the Holy Spirit, why dont I  see things like this taking place in the present day new Testament church?

GOD'S PRESENCE

In Exodus 13 verse 21 - 22 it states

21And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

This passage speaks to the benefits of God's presence protection, warmth, redemption Psalm 103 verses 1 - 5.  Thank God for His continuous Holy Spirit living on the inside of us. It is He that filleth all in all.

In I Thessalonians 4 verse 17 it states:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Just a word to my unsaved friends, you are excluded if you have not made Jesus your Lord and saviour.

NATURAL AND MIRACULOUS USES 

In the book of Genesis we encounter the story of the Noah and the flood and God gave a sign to Noah to indicate that He would not destroy the Earth by flood again.  Let us examine the verse in Genesis 9 verse 13 it states

13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

From the captioned verse you get the clear picture that it is God's bow.  However, in our times persons have taken God's bow to justify their unrighteous causes.  I tell you Satan is a bad devil, he distorts any and everything.

Let us look at our final scripture Acts 1 verses 9 - 11 it states

9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (emphasis mine)

CONCLUSION

So everyone is heading for the cloud.  The world is heading for the cloud and Jesus is coming back in the cloud.  First the natural then the spiritual.  Let us all be mindful of the times we are living in and remember to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  We know not the time we know not the hour.

Once again it was a blessing losing my sleep to bring you this Blog.  This is me Raphleta, Lillene's baby girl coming to you from the true North.

Love you be blessed c'est bon!!

Reference:

Enterprise Cloud Computing - A strategy Guide for Business and Technology Leaders,

Mulholland, Andy; Pyke, Jon; Fingar, Peter; Landmark Books