27/12/13

Release in the year of Sabbath

Jeremiah 34:16 - But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant [subject / worshippers], and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.


Just some days back I was talking to a senior Pastor who came on house visit as to how the Church is more concentrated in making Believers and not disciples. Evangelising to a person ends when that person come to a Church and becomes part of a congregation after that all they think of is how to keep that person in the Church. We may be increasing in numbers but we are causing a very serious problem if we are not going to build leaders for tomorrow, our tomorrow will be a disaster.

Today it is a sad sight to see most people still attached to their spiritual parent by umbilical cords even after many years of coming to be a Christian.

The seven year Sabbath was the year of liberty or release where people in subject were set free and Jesus did just that. Like the Law of the Sabbath this law has nothing to do with the actual seventh year but was spiritual. Seven symbolises the Holy Spirit and is to do with we releasing a person whom we are nurturing in the Lord to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit taking charge over that person.

Jesus taught His 12 selected disciples for about 3 years. This was not just by knowledge but also by example and hands on training. Even though there is no better Teacher than Jesus yet after the training the disciples were not aware of many things. Even though they heard things from Jesus yet they did not understand it fully, even though they spent time with Him they did not know Him. It was only after Jesus released them to the Holy Spirit at the time of the Holy Spirit did they really come to understand the teachings of Jesus and came to know Him.

Today the Lord is telling us even after people are baptised in the Holy Spirit and led by the Holy Spirit yet Church leaders and spiritual guides / parents are bringing people to subjecting of themselves under their wrong understanding of authority and Church hierarchy.

The Lord is saying these people may think they are doing good, but are defaming the Name of the Lord and there is nothing that causes the Lord to anger more than someone bring His Name down. That is why we see medical, financial and social problems in the lives of Christian leaders and Christian Churches.

Let us honour the Year of Release and not become gods in the lives of other Christians.



[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, forgive us for the times we have forgotten we work in your Vineyard and think we are the owners of the Vineyard. There are times we think we are bringing people to You but land up bringing people to ourselves. Jesus as man did not say He is House but said He is the Way and the Father is the House where we will dwell. Let us too be the way to let people pass unto the Father...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Jeremiah 34:14-17
14 At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.
15 And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:
16 But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.
17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.



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