✟
Dear Believer,
In challenging moments, it’s important to remember that you’re never alone. Just as I’ve found solace in faith during tough times, you also have access to endless support from a spiritual source. Unconditional love and help are consistently accessible, and aid is always ready in times of need.
Sadness is something we experience in the depths of our emotions. When the jailer realized that the price for the freedom of the prisoners would be paid by their master, his soul sank with sadness. When our Lord said that his physical end was near, the disciples were filled with sadness. When King Ahab asked Naaman to consult the prophets in Israel for healing, Naaman returned sad because he was given a very difficult task by the prophet Elisha. Disillusionment, rejection, and loneliness are all triggers of sadness.
Jesus understands us because he entered into our reality, a reality marked by suffering, trials, and sadness. Jesus received all of this and absorbed everything into himself. Thus transformed, this poor reality has become a rich and enduring reality. Suffering and sadness are realities we cannot escape from. In life, there are things that we have to go through because we cannot avoid them or opt out of them, like physical illness, pain, and death.
Life, often, for many is a sheer burden that is characterized by the quest for the basic necessities to keep body and soul in existence. Many lose all hope and faith in the never-ending struggle in the battle for survival. Furthermore, life for many is a constant laying siege on the senses where all pursuits of meaning and purpose, which lend meaning to all human endeavors, are suppressed. The world senses the absence or lack of goodness and constantly looks and agitates for this innate aspect of the eternal being that provides the ultimate fulfillment and joy. Though man is, for the longest time interested in only physical fulfillment, he cannot settle and satisfy this innate need for joy with the limits of the natural life. God placed this deep longing and desire for infinity in man’s heart, and it is only God who alone can satisfy this inner and empty longing. Therefore, ultimately, service to the human family as apostles, teachers, and saints is to promote humanity to reach this ultimate satisfaction in God, primarily through personal love and relationship with him.
Every person is a composite of body, mind, and spirit and resides in a materialistic world that equally affects these aspects of personhood. The constant awareness of pain and suffering influences both the mental as well as the bodily health of the individual. Materialistic mindsets mislead us that endless pain and suffering are inherent in the human condition, hence the concept that wealth alleviates and lessens the pain and suffering is promoted. However, the experience of the human family suggests that such is not the ultimate situation of man. The heart of man continually seeks fullness and joy in life and therefore cannot be satisfied with an incomplete cure of the deprivation and pain.
In this narrative, the devil tells God that he could undermine Job, whom the Bible describes as a perfect and upright man who feared God. God consented under specific conditions: only Job’s goods would be at risk, and he would suffer but not die. As the story unfolds, Job is subjected to continuous misfortunes. His goods and children are taken from him. But complications arise when Job prays to God for death out of his grief. A negative feedback phenomenon occurs that restrains Satan: the more Job suffers, the more God rewards him in the future for his immense steady faith in spite of unbearable pain. So, trying to hurt Job has the opposite effect from Satan’s hope: not only does God not hurt him but He rewards him — Job gets back everything doubled, including his number of sons and daughters. Moreover, the lives of his three friends are also spared, making Satan suffer Satan’s rebellion against God.
Eminently learned, John spent much time praying and studying the scriptures, as we know from the gospel of Saint Luke. At about 30 years, John began to call upon men, saying that they should repent of their unnatural and ignorant acts and that sin was against God’s law and that the coming of the Kingdom of God was at hand. John knew Jesus and admitted that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. After Jesus asked John to baptize Him, John bore witness that Jesus was the Son of God, as the Holy Ghost descended at the waters of Jesus’ baptism. John went on to say: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” In other words, Jesus’ role was to increase in importance as John’s role was to decrease.
Saint John the Baptist was born into a wealthy family, his father, Zachary, being a priest and his mother, Elizabeth, being a kinswoman of the Blessed Virgin. As the only son, John would have inherited his parents’ wealth under Jewish law. But, instead of living in luxury, John took to the deserts, where he lived the life of a hermit. He wore only a garment made of coarse camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his loins. His food was carob beans and wild honey. Such a diet is known to be very nourishing and health-giving. From the point of view of the Indian yogis, who know much about mankind’s original food before our Garden of Eden ancestors left India, John’s diet would keep one very healthy.
Each of us also is unique and his preparation for future favor participation in through the mysteries of Jesus is being carried out in an individual way. In the same manner that Saint John the Baptist was especially prepared, there is a special mystery to be realized in the earthly life of each one of us, and thus we must prepare, as he did. Just as the mineral is identified by its natural development, so man is presented to others in a progressive manner during the various stages of his life. God creates and develops his works from the most humble and uncultivated root, and in the same manner, human personality ripens through time and life experiences. The first part of Saint John’s life, spent in the desert, away from the attractions of the world, allowed him to experience fully God’s direct, miraculous, and abundant supply of all of his needs and thus reflect God’s true face in such a powerful manner.
When looking at Saint John’s life, it is very clear that his consecration took place in the desert. He was chosen for a very special ministry and he had to be prepared. This preparation took place over many years when he lived in the desert, away from the attractions of the world. He learned the lessons of complete dependence on the resources of God by experiencing for himself that God could provide everything he needed in a direct and immediate way. He experienced physical demands and saw God’s love supplying power and food in a miraculous way. Also, he became aware of how God impressed others about the depth of the experience he was living: “The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.” “What went you out to the desert to see?” “There is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” These key events in his life were lessons for Saint John.
But having encouraged us to understand and to fulfill our roles as told us by Saint Paul – to be “good managers”, “trustworthy”, and to be “waiting expectantly, actively, and doing God-pleasing roles of service” – may we add a recommendation of faith and hope in Saint John the Baptist as well? The additional recommendation is “to love the Lord more than your present rewards and positions”.
This is not only a general reminder that suffering is often allowed, even necessary, for growth, or that once we have been through that process, the next one may not be that easy because that too, will still be from our loving Father in preparation for our part in His kingdom. It is also a reminder that God will bring us through. We must endure and persevere.
Those few years before the promise is fulfilled are the times of testing for us. As words of curses or scolding are spoken, endure, not to give up. No matter how tempted you are to walk away from the foolishness and unkindness, hang on. Endure, finish, graduate. Persevere and the Lord will cause you to be called “My Delight is in You”. And then, He will do more of what you allow Him to do through your sacrifice as a testament of faith.
In outlook, Isaiah says: “Listen, listen and your soul will live.” Yahshuare emphasized reducing everything to its spiritual essence, not trying to make up in the vital, mental, or physical. For the essence of them all had nothing to do with the spirit at all. All energies are disposed of into these bodily activities and purposes. For Yahshurun knew that true satisfaction is in a final and permanent union with the powers of his Essene spirit. Indeed, the lover of Yahshurun may be fulfilled at the level of bodily demand, have every prayer of the mental grant, for that is all he required. Requiring less, he had more! Yahshurun believes that through his toil, he will get a recompense, but it is through bodily devotion that we serve. Serve to your full capacity and you will attain your true trade and reward.
Every saint in Yahshurun comes from a sinner in Adam. The Hebrew word for sinner is derived from the Hebrew word “Hutan”, which means buried treasure. In Aramaic, it is worded as “Hoseph”, which means added. Hence, it can be seen that a sinner is a concealed form of a saint yet to be revealed. It is written that in the end of days, the righteous will be buried and come forth to become like hidden treasures. Therefore, it is now expedient to tap into some great truths about evolution from sinner (Samson) to a significant figure, that is, Jordan (Yahshurun) of worldwide fame. We know that he was a Supramental who produced all of his resources by direct command and was in the flow of abundance.
Sadly, those who do not see God’s supernatural provision abound. In powerful nations of the world today, the citizens believe in their herculean strength. Science and technology, force of personality, economic power, their usual cleverness, qualities or skills, and bear the mark of ingenuity offered in exchange to make ends meet. They might clean up their act, look up, and realize that God’s will for them is all that matters, and strive to be faithful and partake in His provision in His ways. Without this, they are not fit to rule over themselves. Our situations could be just as wrong if we act like the natural personalities of the world. In all creation, what good is it if all we do is plod along following the standards set up by the world?
The account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, as well as the life stories of various biblical characters, unveils from Genesis to Revelation the amazing truth of God’s unlimited and supernatural provision to His people. This account unmistakably reveals God’s financial, material, and overall provision to mankind, no matter how fallen it may become. “He…within each man, makes the provision for his existence” (Acts 17:26-28). Throughout the ages, down to the present day, God has amply provided for the needs of His handmade earth man. His continued blessings to us flow into our lives like water in a waterfall. So provided are life’s good things in abundance, but we cannot see or use them unless, by faith, our fallen natures are raised.
Apart from these, we stand naked before a frustrated church. Let each one who reads these lines make a decision to spite the enemy by exercising his or her unique potential in Christ. Make a pact with us. Let us refuse the old standby – impotence desire. It is a trait of the man of God to search the Word in order to find the key for every situation, to act upon it and to make it a reality in his life. Avoid the temptation to perfect techniques that may have worked in the past. Each situation is unique. These are keys, not formulas. Formulas always fail. Above all, depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead you. Keep the experience of past key holders in mind, but never let it limit the present operation of the Holy Spirit. Can this be a specific time or place? Yes, provided you are sure that the Holy Spirit is leading you to it. It can and often does. The Holy Spirit may guide or require separation for a certain period of time at a specific place. At other times, it may happen in the very thick of daily business activity.
Understanding the qualities that make the supernatural supply available is one thing. Being able to reach into it when needed is another. The purpose of this section is to serve as a practical guide to this end. The Holy Spirit is the master supervisor and works through those methods that He sees fit, even though they may differ in almost every case. For that reason, each man and woman of God can only speak from personal experience and can say what has worked for them, bearing in mind the constant that five rules in every situation.
Jesus in John 14 said that all things we ask in His Name will be given to us by the Father in order that His Name will be glorified. Be dependent on God and dependent on nothing else. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. His sole purpose in giving up control was to transfer control back to His children. To give us a life that doesn’t work through fear, force and manipulation but rather a life that is a Supernatural Supply from God.
Can you serve the highest in command of the whole universe and not end up by having the supply to finish what you start? The Bible tells us in Genesis that God created the Earth and everything in it and that we were created to have the rule over it under submission to God Almighty. If we go back to God Almighty, then the blessings which God already provided for will return to us and we can tap into these resources.
Paul said in 1st Timothy 6 that those who desire to be rich, plunge themselves into ruin and destruction. Jesus said you cannot serve two gods; either you will hate one and love the other, or else be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matthew 6:24)
I do not believe in production lines where any view is to produce as much as possible. I believe in production lines where the service to Christ and the product goes together. It is much more important that the person who does the production is right with Christ than how much production is performed.
“But having food and raiment, with these we shall be content.” (1st Timothy 6:8)
Dear Creator above,
We appear before thee with hearts weighted down with concerns and sadness.
Just as thou didst support Saint John the Baptist in the desert, we seek thy otherworldly provision in our lives. Infuse us with thy power and tranquility, and aid us in relying on thy boundless reserves.
May we discover solace in thy existence and come nearer to thee every day.
Peace and blessings,
Saint John The Baptist
Jesus has prepared something extraordinary for those ready to take the next step in faith and abundance. With this gift, you’ll discover renewed hope, prosperity, and the strength to overcome life’s greatest challenges.