The Issue of Need

10/1/11

Greetings,

                This week we are going to talk about need. In this economy a lot of people are facing challenges that they didn’t have ten years ago. Businesses are going bankrupt, jobs are being shipped overseas, families are losing their homes and many people have very real needs in this hour. What does the Bible say about this topic of need?

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

When people think about needs the first things that will typically come to mind are carnal needs. For instance, we need food. We also need shelter and warmth. We need water to drink and we need our health. If we are deathly ill and nothing changes, we will die. It’s safe to say that at the top of the average person’s list of needs are those things that lead to death if they are not provided.

However, the Bible clearly says that God promises to meet all of our needs. This week I want to tell you where this provision is. I say where because it has a literal location and no, it is not the local loan shark (otherwise known as credit card companies and payday advance businesses). God has a literal location for all of the provisions promised to us. However, before I tell you where it is, we are going to bring unity into the conversation.

What many people do not consider is that unity is a need amongst Christians. Most of us are very happy to have our own little community. We are happy to have the freedom to do our own thing. It’s so much easier than dealing with others that act different, talk different, and think different than we do. However, without unity Jesus cannot return because the Bible says we must come to the unity of the faith. It also says that Jesus isn’t returning until His wife has made herself ready. The church, being the bride of Christ, is the wife of the Lamb. In other words, if we want Jesus to come back and wrap this thing up we need unity.

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13)

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)

Here is the question: If we need unity and we don’t have it, where can we get it? The answer to this question is quickly becoming one of the most important, if not the most important message arising in the body of Christ today. The answer is a message that changes everything. This message is not only the location of what we are looking for but it even becomes Satan’s endgame. This message has the power to change the reality that we experience. Have I said enough yet?

I’m dragging this out because when I tell you what this message is I want you to remember it. If I just come out and tell you the location of your needs you may dismiss it as unimportant. If I just come out and tell you the location of unity you simply nod your head in agreement and go about your day. This time I’m making you work. What is this all encompassing message that gives us everything we need?

In the passage that we opened with, the writer was speaking to monetary need based on context. This is what preceded that verse.

“Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:15-18)

The financial gift that the church at Philippi gave to Paul was an acceptable sacrifice that was well pleasing to God. Moreover, it caused fruit to abound to their heavenly account. What some people fail to accept is that we do have an account in heaven. Our giving is credited to this account. In any case, it was after saying all of this that Paul explained the result; God would supply all of their need.

This illustrates a concept that many completely overlook. We interact with heaven on a daily basis. When the Philippians gave a gift to Paul, the transaction went through heaven even though the actual money went from their hands to Paul’s ministry. Their physical actions had spiritual counterparts and your physical actions have spiritual counterparts as well.

What does this have to do with need? In order for us to understand how we interact with heaven on a daily basis we have to change our concept of heaven. Heaven isn’t just a place we go when we die but it is a place that we are located from the moment we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This is why the following verse is written in the past tense.

“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6)

                In the beginning of this letter I promised to tell you the location of all of your need. Here is the answer: All of your need is provided for in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the dimension where God is king otherwise known as heaven (which is divided up into heavenly places). We have access to it as believers and we interact with it whether we know it or not. However, when we become purposeful about our interaction with it we can begin to pull all of our needs from the location where they are all provided for—even unity. This is summed up in the following quote by Jesus.

                “For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Luke 12:30-31)

Discussion

1.       What are your needs?

2.       Being completely honest, how capable do you see God when it comes to His ability to meet your needs?

3.       Do we interact with heaven now or only after we die?

4.       Where is the location of the needs that God has already met?

5.       What do we have to seek in order to access the fullness of the provision of God?

The Vision of Daniel Duval

8/27/11

Greetings,

                Instead of a letter this week this I am including a link to a YouTube video. This is a seven minute version of my vision set to music. In it I give context for why I believe so strongly in the unity of the church and how I believe it fits into God’s purpose for the last days. If you listen to it and it bears witness with your spirit I encourage you to forward it to other people you know and spread the word.

LINK TO VIDEO

                Also, if you haven’t been to my website recently I want to encourage you to visit. There are numerous audio files available containing powerful teaching and revelation. I have a free mini-book available on the Life Coaching page as well as other free materials to be found on the products page. I have also released my first Audio product called The Kingdom. It is a compilation of my best Kingdom teachings. They have been edited for clarity, pacing, and quality and are available on an MP3 CD for only $5 plus Shipping and handling. This can be ordered on the products page. Last of all, the video archive is finally available and I will begin periodically adding new videos so I encourage you to check back often! God Bless you.

WEBSITE

Bridling the Tongue

6/11/11

Greetings,

                A few weeks ago we were having dinner at my uncle-in-law’s house. Do you know what we had for dinner? Cow tongue! I am going to be very honest about this dish. It was delicious! Some of you reading this are inevitably grossed out. All I can say is that you don’t know what you’re missing. What does cow tongue have to do with unity in the body of Christ? The fact of the matter is that the tongue can be tender, satisfying, and properly seasoned or it can be improperly prepared, tough and downright nasty. Fortunately, Gloria’s uncle knows how to cook!

                Just like cow tongue, a similar comparison can be made with our tongue. We can use it to build up, or we can use it to tear down. We can use it to bless or we can use it to curse. Let’s consider what Job had to say about the issue:

                “My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.” (Job 27:4)

                Is this true of you? In the New Testament, James had some rather blunt perceptions regarding the tongue.

                “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.” (James 1:26)

                How many Christians are there that don’t bridle their tongue? I’m not talking about just around church either. I’m going to bring this home. What about your home? Let’s consider two couples.

                Bill and Bridget (fictional characters) are middle aged. They have been married for fifteen years. Bill is a very polite fellow, very proper and somewhat rigid. He was born and raised Christian. He is a deacon, a regular volunteer, and likes to make it known that he will refuse alcohol under every circumstance. He usually has very few problems except when it comes to one thing: his wife. She is loud, outgoing and sloppy. She is also confrontational. She never picks up her mess and doesn’t think the kids should either. Welcome to their Saturday morning conversation.

                Bill: #@%@! Why is there a mess in the middle of this floor!?

                Before we go any further in this conversation, let’s consider what’s going on. Bill has not controlled his tongue; he has just declared his religion vain. The fact that he is frustrated about something does not justify him. In other words, this comment is inexcusable according to the book of James. He has used his tongue to curse and according to the following verse, out of the same mouth should not come both blessings and curses.

                “Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so.” (James 3:10)

                Well, we know that Bill has already blown it. Let’s see if Bridget does any better.

Bridget: I’m so sick of your mouth! I can leave stuff on the floor if I want; this is my house too! #$%*!

                Well, it looks like Bridget lost the battle as well. Her first two sentences were questionable, but the last one-liner toppled the house of cards. It’s no question that marriage can be frustrating, or for that matter any other relationship. However, under no circumstances do difficult situations warrant us to bring forth curses. It is inexcusable. Our mouth should be given over to one purpose, to pour forth blessings and the worship of our Father in heaven.

                Let’s consider the other couple. My wife and I met this couple in Tulsa and they had the most beautiful marriage we had ever seen. When we walked into their house, we could feel the atmosphere of love, peace, and acceptance. The husband cultivated this atmosphere with his words. He spoke blessings all the time. He blessed the Lord, he blessed his wife, and he blessed his children.  Having been recently married at that time, I was more than happy to allow him to teach me his approach to marriage. Now, I’m a very happy man in my marriage and I’m not afraid to talk about it. Why? I’ve blessed my marriage and not cursed it. I bless my wife and no matter how frustrated I may get, I refuse to curse her.

                In doing this I literally create the reality that is present in my home. The fact of the matter is, if I can create a reality of peace, joy, and blessing in my marriage, I can do it anywhere. God spoke the world into existence and then created us in His image. What kind of power do you think exists in our words? If we think words are futile, small and insignificant we are gravely mistaken. Our words contain very real creative power. This is why people who speak negatively and continually curse themselves and their families are inevitably miserable.

                Unity in the body of Christ must begin in our families. It should begin with our spouse. I know that this can’t always be the case and that some people are in very difficult situations. However, at the very least we can resolve to stop cursing those around us. We need to use our mouths to create the reality of unity and the culture of the kingdom of God. As it is written:

                “And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to God's will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace [in themselves and in others, that peace which means concord, agreement, and harmony between individuals, with undisturbedness, in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts].” (James 3:18 AMP)

Discussion

1.       How often do you curse others?

2.       Do you proactively use your tongue to establish an atmosphere of unity and God’s kingdom?

3.       How do you express yourself when you get frustrated?

4.       Is God pleased by the way you speak at all times?

5.       How has your tongue impacted your family?