Spiritual Fathers

By Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video. To listen to the audio (podcast), click here.

Chuck Pierce prophecy over 2011
Leaders now will know how to father and mother a whole new generation that is coming in. This is a time to be healed of your fatherlessness. The lord can heal you sovereignty. God can bring you into an understanding. One is also linked with a new type of strength.





Things a good father will do

• Rough house
• Provide
• Protect
• Empower
• Love tenderly and truthfully
• Discipline to build the child up
• Correct with the child's best interest in mind

Scripture on Spiritual Fathers

When addressing his disciples, with the Pharisees present, (who were full of hypocrisy) Jesus said,
Matthew 23:8-12
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

The concept that there shouldn’t be any human authority in the church is not substantiated by Matthew 23:8-12. To me the scripture is speaking to the heart of hypocritical leaders who want to have certain titles of honor because of ungodly pride.

Hebrews 13:17
17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

The issue of honoring people in authority is NOT FOR THE AUTHORITY FIGURE it’s for the person extending the honor.
Matthew 10:41
41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.

Spiritual Fathers
1 Corinthians 4:14-17
14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

We see the relationship between Paul and Timothy and Paul and the Corinthian Church as a father and son relationship. Paul address them as “My dear children” and specifically calls Timothy his son.

Because of this special fatherly relationship that Paul has with the church he urges them to imitate him. So Paul sends Timothy ??  It’s obvious that when you’ve seen Paul you’ve seen Timothy. Timothy has been fathered by Paul and has his “spirit” in him. His way of doing things, his patterns.

My definition of a Spiritual Father
When you or I esteem a minister very highly and lovingly place them into our heart we are making them into a type of spiritual father.

Levels of Influence
There are different levels of influence a spiritual father can have. The more influence the more the Spiritual Father can help and direct the spiritual son. There is also more risk to the son of being “taken advantage of” by the father.

Consider Jacob and Laban.

What happens when we esteem a spiritual father is everything we hear in Christendom gets “filtered” through the teaching of this father. If something doesn’t line up with what we’ve heard from this esteemed ministry we can become unsettled, argumentative, or turned off.

We will begin to wrestle with what’s being said. Now this wrestling can be very healthy if we will see it through like the Berean’s in
Acts 17: 11
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true..

Now when you honor and respect a media ministry more than a ministry where you have a working relationship, it creates conflict in the spiritual realm for that subordinate minister. He or she has to contend against the spiritual father when he or she is trying to minister or convey a scriptural idea. Sometimes there’s agreement between your spiritual fathers sometimes there is not.

There is nothing wrong in some ways with having a spiritual father or mother you really don’t have any relationship with. However…

• There’s no accountability
• There’s no correction
• This allows us to be in control of the relationship
• Unfortunately there’s no tangible inheritance.

These media ministry based “father” son, “father” daughter relationships are very comfortable for those of us who didn’t have an Earthly father, or our Earthly father didn’t play a very big nurturing role in our lives.

Testimony established by 2 or 3 witnesses. I understand the dynamics of God speaking something fresh into the body of Christ and many ministers prophetically hearing the same message. This can give tremendous confidence that this is what God is saying right now.

However the way it’s always been presented to me is. “Hey did you listen to Joyce Meyer the other day? You were saying the same thing she was you must be hearing from the Lord pastor.” Sounds flattering at first however the person has more esteem for Joyce Meyer than her pastor. Because the church member uses Joyce Meyer to validate the pastor instead of the pastor validating Joyce Meyer.

I like to turn that around on people saying something jokingly like, “Yes, I’m glad she’s hearing from the Lord.”

Why is it that we esteem ministries that are on Television or the radio more than the local pastor? I suppose we are impressed with the number of people that may represent fruitfulness from the Lord. Maybe it’s the charisma of the minister or the appeal of his/her message. Maybe the large media budgets represent spiritual depth. Maybe it’s the polished image media can create. Do large #’s of people validate truth?

There are 1 Billion Muslims who make a pilgrimage to Mecca to kiss a rock that they think takes their sins away?

This issue with different spiritual fathers has going on for a long time.
1 Corinthians 1:10-12
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

Now in our time nobody would say “I follow anyone” accept Christ but they would be lying. It doesn’t sound very spiritual coming from an American minded person born and bred with independence running through their veins to say they follow anyone. However when we elevate people in our heart (nothing wrong with that) we are following them.

Instead of Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ, we could substitute some of these names perhaps.

• Billi Brim
• Kenneth Hagain
• Jimmy Swaggart (and son)
• Perry Stone
• John Hagge
• Joyce Meyer
• Joel Osteen
• Insert your favorite media ministry

Of course we have to understand that spiritual fathers, we have a working relationship with, are fallible. So we follow the Christ in them and eat the meat while spitting out the bones (in love). By doing this we retain our personality and add to it the person we are esteeming in Christ. It only adds to the Christ in you.

Enemies of Spiritual Fathers

• Lack of Trust from previous relational injuries
• Fear of hurt
• Lack of honor
• Old Age (not always)
• Lack of a father pattern from upbringing
• A spiritual father that’s perceived as unimpressive (2 Cor. 10:10)
• Did any of you go through a stage in your life where you became unimpressed with your Earthly parents? Familiarity can make it hard to honor a spiritual Father.

One of the biggest problems for having a spiritual father that you have no working relationship with is that you can’t be sent by that father into your destiny or ministry.

Consider Keith Moore and Kenneth Hagain. Now think of yourself and Kenneth Hagain
They may be great people with powerful ministries, however because they don’t know you there is no inheritance for you in many ways.

The teaching may be great, it may bring freedom and revelation etc. However when that teaching brings you into conflict with “real people” in your life it may cost you a future you could’ve had.

Conclusion:
By having spiritual fathers that don’t know us personally it sterilizes us spiritually. We don’t know how to birth spiritual sons because we ourselves are illegitimate, never having a spiritual father we don’t know how to raise up a son in the faith ourselves.

Do you have a spiritual son or daughter you can name?


NIV
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Message
Matthew 28:18-20
"God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here and watch all four videos on the page. Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KCCJ - 106.9 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501

(870) 793-9124

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Cruizin with Pastor Tony (January 14, 2011)

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here and watch all four videos on the page.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

If you live in Batesville please tune into KCCJ - 106.9 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501

(870) 793-9124

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Getting Under an Open Heaven

By Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video. To listen to the audio (podcast), click here.

The Third Heaven
2 Corinthians 12:2-4
2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to paradise.

The Second Heaven
Daniel 10:12,13
12 Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.

A Peek into the Second Heaven
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

It’s generally accepted, considering first century Jewish thought, that the second heaven was a place of chaos. Some believe this is the realm between the dwelling place of God and the dwelling place of man. It’s possibly the place where the Prince of the Persian kingdoms resisted the heavenly messenger.

The First Heaven
It’s also generally accepted that the first heaven is the visible world or cosmos. Revelation 21:1 talks about the first Heaven and the first Earth passing away.

A Literal Portal into the Third heaven

Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.


Jacob’s Dream
Genesis 28:10-15
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Mark 1:10
Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

John 1:51
He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” (see also Gen 28:12)

Acts 7:56
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”


Mark 7:33-35
33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

Our Lives as a Portal into the Third Heaven

Matthew 6:9,10
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

54 of 65 references to the “Kingdom of God” refer to a present or relative to our time, past kingdom. 11 times when the term Kingdom of God is used in the New Testament it’s referring to a future or coming kingdom.

Luke 11:20
But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke 17:21
`21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”[a]
Footnotes: Luke 17:21 Or is within you

2 Corinthians 4:6,7
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.  7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.    14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.


2 Corinthians 3:3,18
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Timothy 2:20,21
20Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Conclusion:

I’m believing for an open heaven over my life and over the members of our church. We will be able, by faith to declare third heaven realities and “bring them down” into the 1st heaven or realm of the Earth. Whether it happens in the Spiritual realm and or in the lives of individuals I’m believing for it. Let’s pray.

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here and watch all four videos.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

If you live in Batesville please tune into KCCJ - 106.9 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501

(870) 793-9124


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God's Dream

By Tony V. Hammack

These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video. To listen to the audio (podcast), click here. To watch the video, click here.  



God’s Redemptive Plan
From the very fall of mankind, God has been preparing a way to redeem him. From Genesis to Revelation we see the jealous, loving heart of God unfolding his redemptive plan. God desires to have a people that are His people and He is their God.

The Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 17:8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”

God’s Heart is Redemptive
God does not rejoice in the destruction of the wicked.
God’s Heart is Redemptive
While Judah is in Babylonian Captivity

Jeremiah 24:7
7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

Several reasons for the captivity but one was that the Israelis didn’t observe the sabbatical year for 490 years.
2 Chronicles 36:21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Jer. 32:38)

They will be my people in Ezekiel
Ezekiel 11:20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 14:11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

Ezekiel 37:23 They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 37:27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Zechariah 8:8 I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

A glimpse into the Redemptive Plan
Genesis 3:15 (The protovangelim – the first prophetic utterance in the Bible)
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”


Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

God throughout the Biblical record has desired to have a relationship with people!

God’s plan is to redeem whosoever will receive God’s son by faith (adhering to, clinging to, and trusting in) Jesus Christ for eternal life.

A sacrifice for sin had to be made. God desiring to buy back fallen man from the enemy unfolds his plan of redemption throughout the ages.

God made a covenant with himself in Christ, fulfilling the law and making a way for the Jew and Gentile alike to become reconciled to God. The righteous requirements of the law are met by Jesus. We are required to believe God which becomes credit for righteousness.

Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

What part of the redemption story can you take out and it still has it’s power to redeem?
Can you take out the virgin birth?
Can you take out the teachings of Jesus?
Can you take out the scourging?
Can you take out the death on the cross?
Can you take out the resurrection?

Would you rather live without your brain, your heart or your liver?

Jesus Christ said that there is only one way to the Father, he called this a narrow way. He said that he was the sheep gate.

Luke the Apostle said it this way in Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Is it God’s will to be in a relationship with you?
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Yes.

Is now the right time?
2 Corinthians 6:2
For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Yes

Are you the right type of person?
God is interested in saving sinners. The Bible teaches that all have sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory.
Yes

If you were to stand before a Holy God and he were to ask you, “Why should I let you into heaven what would you tell him?” Do you know, that you know, that you know, that you are in right standing with God?

2 Timothy 1:12
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

The Gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. We inherit Eternal life and a relationship with God by confessing with our mouths Jesus is Lord and by believing that Jesus was raised from the dead.

Revelation 21:3,7
v. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
v. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here.
Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V.
If you live in Batesville please tune into KCCJ - 106.9 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501

(870) 793-9124


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The "W" in Christmas

By Tony V. Hammack (copied from an e-mail)

Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations -- extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six-year-old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant."

I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.

Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title. Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row-center stage -- held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down -- totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W." The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her "W." Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities. For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:

"C H R I S T W A S L O V E"

And, I believe, He still is.

Amazed in His presence...

Humbled by His love.

May each of you have a Merry Christmas as you reflect on His Amazing Love

for us...

Have a blessed day! Happy Birthday Jesus !!!!!!!!

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Christian please click here and watch all 4 videos.

Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KCCJ - 106.9 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501

(870) 793-9124


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