Feeding the Flock of His Heritage

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.   (Micah 7:14)

Brothers, the time is short.

For those Servants and Stewards who are constrained to feed the Master's Flock, the Flock of His Heritage, I would humbly offer some Nutritional Guidelines, and some Menu Items that may be helpful in insuring the growth and health of the Flock.

First, we are called to prayer on behalf of a lost generation. In order to pray effectively, we must bind the spiritual princes over each principality, or heavenly jurisdiction corresponding to each earthly jurisdiction, in order to get timely answers to our directives.

For example, we may want to bind the ranking spirit that presides over the country; over the state or province; over the city, town or village; over the chief people or prominent leaders; over the neighbourhoods; and over the churches or religious groups in existence. This hierarchy can be seen in Scripture, and illustrated in the delay experienced by Daniel for 21 days, as he had prayed effectively against the prince (the head demonic spirit of a heavenly 'principality) over Persia (Jer 13:17-18; Dan 10:13,20; Eph 3:10; 6:12).

Next, our prayers are effective only when we ask according to Scripture, and according to His will. Here are a few items that have been very effective in praying, both for self and for others:

1)  That Father would grant repentance and forgiveness to ____(Name) or to the people of _____ Town or Village (Acts 5:31; Acts 11:18; 2Tim 2:25).

2)  That Father would open the eyes of ____(Name), and show (Him) great and mighty and wondrous things, which (he) knowest not (Psalms 119:18; Jer 33:3).  

3)  That Father would open the ears of ____(Name) to Father's Law ("Torah"), so that (his) prayers would not be abomination, but that (he) would do Father's will (Prov 15:8; 28:9; Psalms 40:8).

4)  That ____(Name) would turn from (his) iniquities, in order that (he) might understand Father's Truth (Dan 9:13).

5)  That Father would cause ____(Name) to Delight in Father's Sabbaths, and in Father's entire Law ("Torah"), that (he) might experience Father's Salvation, and that (he) might bring forth fruit, and that (he) might follow the example of the Apostle Paul (Psalms 119:174; Psalms 1:2-3; Rom 7:22; Php 3:17).  

There are many more Scriptural prayers to be made, but many will fall under the heading of repentance and preparation of the Bride, and the purifying needed for all of those who hope to become Bride-Candidates. Our goal is the same as that of Paul: to present the hearers as blameless and pure before the Master.

As Stewards of the Master's Flock, we are called to serve to the Flock their Meat in Due Season, which we found in Meat in Due Season to be the proper food at the proper time. We also saw that this food includes a balance of teaching, and in summary, includes the following items:

1)  The 'meat' of Foundational teachings: The Words of "Torah" given by Yahushua to Moses; and the Foundational teachings of the Renewed Covenant, as seen in Heb 6:1-2; the set-apart life and walk;
2)  The 'meat' of Who Yahushua, the Bridegroom, really is;
3)  The 'meat' of The Renewed Covenant: Marriage Covenant issues;
4)  The 'meat' of Messiah-in-you;
5)  The 'meat' of The Essentials of Salvation, of both coming out by the Blood, and entering in by obedience;
6)  The 'meat' of Preparation of the Bride: the perfecting of Love;
7)  The 'meat' of Characteristics of the Bride.

The above items are simply an outline-form of those things that are needed to provide nourishment and growth in Messiah. It is possible to simply throw the precious Word of Messiah in raw form to the people. But in order to offer a well-rounded meal, the Word must first be prepared.

Just as it is not appropriate to serve to someone a dinner consisting of a live chicken on a plate, so it is not appropriate to simply give only the raw content of the Scriptures to the people, in view of the late hour. Just as the chicken must be well-prepared, and served in an appetising and appropriate way, so the Scriptures must be prepared before serving to the people. The Word of Scripture must be served to the people as a 'prophetic' teaching, giving the "now" meaning to the words of Scripture. The Word must likewise be served with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, in order that the yokes, the various Bondages that hold the people captive, might be broken.

The Scriptures themselves provide the content. These Scriptures, when quickened by the Holy Spirit, provide the nourishment needed for growth. However, Father has ordained, in His wisdom, that we be dependent on each other for our growth and preparation. He has thus appointed various ministries, and giftings, and offices, to be active until the perfecting of the Believers is completed. It is through the working of the Holy Spirit through all of these ministries and giftings together, that His anointing becomes distributed to His people.

Each one is to provide a piece of the puzzle. As we all contribute our piece of the puzzle, we then begin to see the fullness of the picture emerge. That picture is the fullness of Messiah-in-us, in a corporate way.

For the Stewards, their piece of the puzzle is to serve as food not only the content of Scripture, but the Prophetic or "now" meaning of the Scriptures, as a well-prepared meal, and as a well-built house on a good foundation. It is only the "prophetic" word that will demolish the "old" foundation that men have built, so that a good foundation may be laid, as seen in the following passage in Jeremiah:

Is not my word like ... a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?   (Jeremiah 23:29)

In this passage, Yahuweh reveals that the "prophetic" Word is as a Hammer to shatter, and break in pieces, the rock. This is not the "Rock" of Yahushua as our Foundation, but the "Rock" of a faulty foundation that men have built for themselves, from the Doctrines and Commandments of Men, and the wrested and twisted views of Scripture. The Truth of the Prophetic Word of Yahuweh must first shatter and break this faulty foundation, after which the proper foundation may then be laid, which is based on the doing of all of Scripture (Jer 23:29; Ecc 3:5; Luke 6:47-48; Heb 6:1).

The last item of our Stewardship to be mentioned is perhaps the least understood point of the New ("Renewed") Covenant, but is one of the most important.

Throughout the New Testament, we see two major points that appear contradictory, but are nothing more than the sublime, almost-hidden aspect of the New Covenant, seen throughout the New Testament as the mystery of the Kingdom, the mystery of His will, the mystery of Messiah, the mystery of the Faith, and so on, for 12 times.

Here is the mystery:

1)  Under the New Covenant, as we saw in The New Covenant: According to the Scriptures, those who have been Born-Again have been set free, and are no longer under any obligation to keep, or to obey, the Law ("Torah" - all the Words of Scripture);
 
2)  However, as we saw in The Way of Salvation, one may NOT enter the New Jerusalem (the close-in realm of the Kingdom) without obedience to the Law ("Torah")!

The above items together appear to be contradictory, but they simply reveal one of the many "mysteries" mentioned throughout the New Testament. Paul explained this extensively in many passages, and used multiple examples to reveal this truth. 

Here is a brief explanation of this mystery. At the moment the Blood of Yahushua has Redeemed or set one free from the slavery of sin, he is set free to choose his new master, and to choose a new yoke. He has been set free from the old master, and therefore he is NOT to be forced or obligated to go back under the old master – which would be a violation of Torah (Exodus 21:2; Leviticus 25:39; Jeremiah 34:14-16). He may, however, choose to volunteer to serve the Master whom he loves, and so he may take a "new" yoke upon himself. Some of the Apostle Paul's writings, as well as the Words of Yahushua, are in regard to this Torah truth.

The apostle Paul wrote extensively on this exchange of yokes, and he revealed this mystery in his own life, in one short verse (1Cor 9:21). The Reader is referred to several articles (New Covenant Liberty: Freedom to Choose) and the ones mentioned above, that deal a little more with this exchange of yokes, and of being set free, in order to choose a new Master.

In view of the importance of our obedience to Torah, but also the lack of "requirement" to keep or obey the Torah, it is imperative that we present and teach this Truth: that we are NOT justified by obeying the torah, and therefore we are NOT "required" to obey the Torah. However, we who choose to return to the New Master, and to take His yoke upon us, DO obey the Torah, only because of our Love for, and Delight in, the Master. Rather, we allow the New Master, "Messiah-in-us" (Colossians 1:27), who is our only hope of Glory, to provide His Grace – His ability within us – to walk in all His Torah, as He reveals it to us.

Yahushua does NOT require anyone to take His yoke upon him. Our hearers must develop their own Love for the new Master, which can NOT happen where obligation exists. 

If a Teacher gives the Truth of Scripture, along with the idea that one MUST obey Torah, that Teacher has required obedience as an obligation – and thus that Teacher himself is himself in violation of Torah!  That Teacher is in error, just as the Teacher who says obedience to Torah is not important under the New Covenant! 

As we perform our Stewardship, let us remember our ultimate end or goal, for ourselves, and for those we are to feed:

Now the end<5056>(Goal) of the commandment is charity(love) out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:   (1Timothy 1:5)

For Christ is the end<5056>(Goal) of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.   (Romans 10:4)

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:   (Colossians 1:27)

When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.   (2Thessalonians 1:10)

Notice that the same Greek word 'telos' <5056> is used for both passages above, and means the goal. We notice that the word appears 42 times in Scripture, and thus we see further prophetic insight to our goal. The prophetic meaning of the number "42" is the appearing of Messiah. 

Truly Messiah will appear in us, and will be glorified in us, as we press toward our goal of Love (the keeping of His Commandments) by His enablement from within us – the Grace supplied by Messiah-in-you. In this way we shall serve properly prepared meat in due season.

Feeding the Flock is a most serious task and should not be considered a light thing. Shepherds are among the stewards of Yahuweh's meat, and so are also called to feed meat in due season to the Master's Flock, to those who will enter in to their inheritance. The teachings that truly feed the Flock are those that are prayed over, and that are digged deep to find, and prepared with Holy Spirit guidance, and served with humility and diligence. In this way the meaty teachings from Yahuweh's Word will truly feed the flock, and will enable the sheep to mature, and to grow strong.

And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?   (Luke 12:42)

Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.   (Luke 12:43)

The time has come for us to prepare the portion of meat in due season, and to feed the Master's Flock – the Flock of His Heritage!

Behold!  The Master will return Very Soon!

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