Greetings;
Today I am writing concerning a subject that I have blogged in the past. I feel that this topic is essential for the present season of God in the relevant truth of the Spirit for this time. God is calling us, appointing us, and anointing us to be the people of God. The essential elements of being a community of God is that of life-giving relationships. We must receive life from God and give life to one another. This is the true testimony of being the community of God. It is the testimony of being the people of God.
Everything that matters in life is about RELATIONSHIPS. Who we are, what we do, and the destiny of our lives are not based upon our gifting or our anointing. Everything of life is a testimony of relationship. Fruit comes from relationship, not from works or abilities. God wants a relationship with each of us. What is the strength of a relationship with God? What is the strength of every relationship in life? Relationships consist of commitments, actions, responses, submission, contributions, community, and destiny.
Relationships begin with a commitment. The strength of that commitment determines the strength of the relationship. Relationships established by law will fail. They cannot express covenant. They can only hope to maintain some form of contract and contracts are as the name infers. Contracts restrict and bind its participants to one another in some way, but they don’t live for the greater value of another. They seek to make a greater value of the contract and thus restrict the participating members from the greatness that is found in covenants. Contracts may appear to create things that are greater, but the binding force of a contract is law. The binding force of a covenant is love and love is a revelation, not a command. This is the source and the strength of our covenant with God and with one another. It is a revelation of love. Love will empower our hearts to be in covenant. Covenants are not based upon what we receive from another, but upon who we are for the sake of another. God made a covenant with us by giving us all that is His. We make a covenant with God by giving Him all that we are. When these two things become realities in the relationship, there is a powerful dynamic of life that is beyond anything that can be negotiated in a contract of law. Both contracts and covenants require a commitment of its participants, but the commitment of a contract is based upon law while the commitments of covenants are based upon a revelation of love.
The source of your commitment is the empowerment of your actions. One day a Pharisaic lawyer came to Jesus and asked Him what the greatest commandment in the law was. Jesus responded that the greatest was to love God and the second was to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said that upon those two commandments rested the entire law and the prophets (Mt. 22:34-40). The law and the prophets depended upon commands to love God and one another, but humanity could not love God and one another based upon a command of law. Jesus gave a new commandment to His disciples. That commandment was to love one another even as He had loved them, that they would love one another.
John 13: 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
This New Covenant command was based upon a revelation of God’s love. Only a revelation of God’s love will inspire a commitment of love. The source of our commitment to a relationship with God or one another must be a revelation of God’s love for us. When we know how much God loves us, we are inspired to know how much God loves others. Only a revelation of God’s love can create a true commitment that will empower the actions of our lives towards God and others. Love is a revelation, not a commandment of law to love another. A revelation of forgiveness leads to repentance. A revelation of reconciliation leads to understanding. A revelation of belonging leads to believing. A revelation of purpose leads to passion. A revelation of having a Father makes us a son or daughter. These are all elements found in a commitment based upon a revelation of love. Perhaps Paradise is a place where nothing works without God. It is then also a place where everything works with Him. Paradise with God is a place of knowing how much God loves us and this is the fuel of our commitment to Him and to one another. When we know how much God loves us, we then are inspired to know how much God loves others. You see, the revelation that God loves us is not just a revelation of His love. It includes a revelation of how undeserving we are – yet He still loves us! This is in turn inspires us to love others! It is not based upon a deserving of that love. It is totally based upon a revelation of love!
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
Special Request;
I want to thank all of you who have been supporting House of Bread Ministry financially and with your prayers. Without your support, I would not be able to provide the equipping and resourcing that God has called me to do in this season of my life. I am asking that others of you please consider assisting me in fulfilling my part in the call of Christ by way of financial support and prayer. Last year House of Bread Ministry experienced a 31% decrease in annual support. This is the lowest since 2012. Many new doors have opened in international arenas and I am traveling about 60% of my time. Many places that I go cannot cover my full travel expenses and most of the time I do not receive funding from travel that provides much more than travel expenses or something towards it. This is part of going to the places that I have committed to go. Covering my travel expense alone does not allow for funds to support myself, my family, or the other needs of our ministry. I am presently needing to buy numerous airline tickets to travel to the places God has called me, but I am unable to purchase tickets in a timely manner due to a financial burden I am carrying from last year. Please consider helping in this matter if you are able. I am asking God for the freedom to do what He has called me to do without the restraint of finical burdens. Any support that you may give will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You,
Ted J. Hanson
