The Feast of Tabernacles is a collection of teachings by Richard Mikelson.

 

These teachings explore spiritual depths of influential texts of scripture,  and of the human condition.

First Love

The importance of Christ being formed within us is the foundation of having the love of God built up and fully developed within our life. This is where we find an inner relationship with God as a Father. We no longer have mere head knowledge about scripture. Christ within is beyond the creeds and doctrines found in church, beyond the religious programs and good civil activities.

Christ forms a personal relationship within us with God the Father that is real. God becomes a provider and presence in our life that makes us aware of a higher kind of love, “zoe”, a selfless love He is Fathering right now. We have come to know what things our Father makes strong within our inner being. The granting of spiritual wisdom opens our understanding to new faith in His Son. God grants us insight into His ability to possess the power to love others.

To illustrate, look at the earth in relation to the sun and other planets of our solar system. Look at the relationship they have with one another. We can see this planet is positioned in a perfect relationship to the sun to make life possible on earth. This planet is in unique position and size to the sun. The earth is held in constant orbit of the sun. If the earth were only a few miles closer to the sun, we would all be burned to a crisp and our tombstone could read, “Well done, thou good and faithful servants!”

On the other hand, were the earth only a little farther from the sun we would all soon be blocks of ice. Were the earth as remote as Mars, there would be scarcely any nighttime, and even our warmest areas would be held in freezing temperatures. Were the earth smaller than it is — as the moon, for instance — the power of gravitation would be too weak to retain sufficient atmosphere for the needs of our life form. Were the earth as large as Jupiter, or even Saturn, or Uranus, the power of gravity would be so strong as to render man’s movements difficult.

Then look too at the perfect proportion of land and water on earth. If the ocean had only one half of its present area the earth would receive only one-fourth of its present rainfall. Truly this planet is special, placed in wonderful relationships to all God has made. He makes us aware of the marvelous intelligence of our Creator!

The spiritual dimensions we experience in our relationship with Christ is altogether as vital as the earth’s relationship to the sun. It is in proper relationship with Him that we become alive. Aware of Him, we learn to rely on God’s guidance, to draw upon the insight God’s Spirit reveals. We come to know what is right, what is just, what is true. We who receive God’s love become fully indwelt by Him first within our spirit.

Many bible teachers reach people’s minds with certain elementary facts about God and encourage them to walk it out by their newly gained head knowledge. Many are simply keeping their knowledge of the New Testament as laws they follow as best they can. But the INTIMATE CONNECTION I write about is above keeping the laws found in scripture. This connection finds the portion only afforded to spiritually mature sons or daughters, those led by God’s Spirit into closer relationship with our Father. I pray God’s King will bless those close to us, that He brings greater love into our homes, that we are experiencing love with our spouse and children and developing friends in fellowship with Christ Jesus.

God judges certain facts about us as a person and He relates to each of us on that basis. Judgment is made clear in the eyes of Jesus Christ. We should see what He sees so we would be raised to the only throne of LOVING MERCY. Mercy is found beyond the vast multitudes of church goers who are so enriched with their head knowledge about God. American Christians are mostly trained to fit in with the many church rituals, to fit into the ceremony of meetings and into the boundaries of expected behavior.

Men have formed a manner of worship that holds onto comfortable traditions. Many strange things are going on through the motions of planned church services, often designed for profit. It’s made as comfortable as possible so we will feel good about observing the accepted standards of their righteousness — Jesus quoted Isaiah’s prophesy;

"You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” Matthew 15:7-9 NAS

Those desiring a more personal and satisfactory relationship with God are led out of candlestick church worship. Overcomers of the candlestick churches are led to the throne by Christ to be a son or daughter that does not leave their FIRST LOVE. They find a more INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP, A COMMUNION OF VITAL INNER COMMUNICATION THAT MAKES US ONE SPIRIT WITH THE LORD. VITAL UNION!

First it requires a form of mutual understanding, some knowledge which God provides in order to relate. The endeavor of God is to write upon our life the secrets of His will. God can do SO MUCH to change our inner being. We have personal prayers that are raised in our worship truthfully. Worship in the spirit of truth establishes a common testimony that God has promised to tabernacle within us, abiding so as to reflect His mind within our person.

Our prayers are not designed primarily for public functions, for blessing meals, or petitioning God for our earthly needs in prayer meetings. Our prayer life is our PERSONAL COMMUNION that establishes direct communication with God, to know what He is Fathering of His divine nature within us now. Our prayer’s only audience should be God Himself.

He does hear the prayers of the upright. He responds to the prayers of righteous men. He gives of His sevenfold Spirit and we hear what the Spirit of God is voicing. We grasp to know what is taught by the Holy Spirit. A personal relationship with God develops fellowship of private communion and prayer. Prayer brings us nearer to seeing how He explores our heart and mind intimately, drawing us to Himself, to be loving and kind within our very person, until we know and understand what’s important to HIS heart.

Having personal relationship with God includes receiving DAILY BREAD as the key to being changed as we are putting on Christ and made wholly alive within our inner person. Our spirit must be quickened by truth, our minds aligned with this change, and our bodies presented to fulfill God’s will.

Yes, we may be filled with LIFE, LIGHT, AND LOVE. Our Lord can FULLY save us from the ravages of death. Our Father grants overcomers a full transformation into a mature state, to become a full grown person in Christ. Wisdom is most enjoyable, yet wisdom makes us realize that keeping traditional observances in church may hinder us from enjoying our full inheritance now.

Our lives are enjoyed by letting God complete the process that forms Christ within our inner being. We become one that’s closely related with Jesus Christ and the family of God. God grants spiritual inheritance within our spirit making us like His first born Son. God becomes the first and foremost LOVE OF OUR HEART, and this is true even while we are not sitting in church pews listening to the latest church programs. Outside every church camp, our relationship with God has come into focus, and we have found a spiritual focus of salvation.

Too many good Christian people are confused, without a deep personal connection with God’s truth. A confused ministry has been leading Christians’ daily religious communication, so the real communion with God has been lost. Now, as our Father, LOVE is communicated as we have communion with those who love His Son wholeheartedly.

Our heavenly Father will mold our heart into continual songs of love as a melody playing in our spirit. It’s an unspeakable joy that is filling us with a portion of Kingdom glory. Love makes two people “fall for each other” — their joy is obvious, like two songbirds. Love of the other lifts their hearts, guiding them to a transformation to committed married life, and in those exhilarating moments, nothing else matters anymore. All that matters is that a loving feeling has occurred between two individuals who are now absorbed in each other and are now no longer alone.

The sevenfold spirit of sonship grants a new song of love be placed in our inner chambers. We sing a new song, with messages of love’s victory toward all, and especially us believers who have been brought into the similar faith of Christ Jesus. John says we cannot love God and hate our brethren with evil conceptions of gossiping lies within the same chambers used for worship of God. God’s love ravishes our heart so we are rearranged, washed, made new, to again sing of innocence, being fully aware of Him.

King Solomon’s song reflects much true revelation about humans in love. In the King’s song he is purposed to bring the Shulamite maiden into his chamber for conception — into the most sensitive and intimate part of his life. This Shulamite maid is not just any woman. She’s not dumb, nor an illiterate, unkempt, desert girl with dirt underneath her fingernails, needing a bath. Oh, no! She is undoubtedly from the tents of tribal leaders, some of the wealthiest families of the Bedouin. She is their princess — a royally prepared person of exquisite beauty and enchanting personal charm. She is uniquely skilled in feminine charms. So unusual, she is specially trained to please the King with special grace, because of her unsurpassed poise, mental adeptness, ability to cooperate, so her loveliness is beloved.

To understand the Song of Solomon better, one must know the distinct relationships that are expressed between the various four main characters, two male and two female, although one female is a group — the daughters of Jerusalem. The key to understanding the interplay between these four characters lies in identifying who is speaking, seeing the message in the voice.

This important drama rooted in the Song of Solomon expresses the very private desires of four characters in content. It’s about the intimacy of sexual love between a man and a woman, a union for which male and female were created. This is a private relationship, not something done out in public. It’s private because it is so personal that it is only done within private chambers.

Friends, the spirit of sonship relates love to us in private also. Love is not something we perform for church meetings. Public display cheapens the matter we shared in private, secretly hidden chambers within our spiritual being. God looks at our heart, how it is in our relationship with Him! Solomon showed us the human relationship of a man and woman, so now we Christians are influenced to hold marriage in honor. We marry each other, share our lives together, and, over time, we come to think like each other, learn to act alike, and even come to look like each other in certain ways because we have focused on each other in intimate detail by spending time together.

We are freed from fear, hatred, malice, envy, and all strife as we are raised into a living relationship with love, peace, and joy. As we learn to trust Him, we find He is keeping us better than we realized when we were trying to keep ourselves! Our self-keeping through rigid rules, fearing that something bad will happen, applying the strength of OUR life in observation of ordinances cooked up by half baked religious scholars as a performance to keep us supporting their order, was not bringing about the change for which we long.

The Father simply has sons that think like the firstborn son, act like Him, talk and walk with the message of the firstborn Son. They bring good news of a lasting love for all creation. Sons and daughters of God look like they are in love! Mature sons are observing the instructions GOD AS OUR FATHER has revealed in the spirit, sharing a portion of His life that quickens us deep within. His spirit IS effective in makes us right in the most intimate, deeply honest, and most private parts of our being:

"I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place — unless you repent. Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. " Revelation 2:2-6 NAS

Within the early church at Ephesus were those who evangelized the known world, like Paul, yet something happened that caused them to leave their "first love.” That lampstand — or candlestick church — was in fact lowered spiritually to end up being controlled by the Nicolaitans, with Balal, (hired prophets) as standard fare. This was church on a lower level, in His eyes corrupted, yet a candlestick church where Christians were subjected to conditions which cause them to leave their first love.

His committed followers in Ephesus, the early church, leave their first love as false apostles rose to speak followings after themselves, speaking evil lies. These lies worked to form the Nicolaitan order within churches, having an established priesthood (Nico) to be over the people (laity). Leaders taught them to commit spiritual fornication with the ways of the world, seeking the wealth of the earth, guiding earthly leaders with respect of the masses of men and women. Yes, the order of the Nicolaitans is something Jesus HATES.

This part of Mystery Babylon’s beginnings was man’s take-over in the churches of Christ. The first candlestick church was lowered into a state of apostasy, a pitiful affair even organized to this present day. That mother of harlots is a church in a mysteriously confused state. Every candlestick spoken of the book of Revelation was found faulty except the missionary churches of brotherly love, Philadelphia.

Failure is certain in the present day Laodicean candlestick church who think they are so rich, being in need of nothing, but not understanding what intimate personal relationship can be experienced. God grants us golden CHARACTER REFINEMENT in fiery tests until our spirit is clothed with Christ. We are granted eyes to see and open the doors of our heart to dine with Him outside the camps ruled by men.

"Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:17-22 NAS

This promise of enthronement is based on HEARING HIS VOICE, being repentant, hungry for a feeding. We are made a new creature, written upon, open to be taught, enabled to feast, spiritually dining on hidden manna until an ENTHRONEMENT takes place within us as individuals. It is no longer a matter of being a church member, receiving a healing or a gift that operates in the church meeting. It is a matter of UNION with God.

The value of knowing HIS intimate plans is far beyond that of receiving temporary healings. Sons are invited into the deepest and most intimate chambers of exhilarating relationship with His enthronement that could ever exist — a real relationship of love:

“He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.” I John 4:8

“We love him, because He first loved us.” I John 4:19

God’s love for us now generates power greater than the candlestick churches have had. From the depth of the cross, to the height of His throne, His expression of love is the first and foremost sense God gives to make real our relationship with the Father. He first loved us, so now we can love him and He becomes our first love, which is an important point!

"…what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate’ says the Lord. ‘and do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ Says the Lord Almighty." II Corinthians 6:16-18 NAS

God relates to His sons and daughters with great, wonder-working intimacy as He is in-working powerful precepts with insight into glorious revelations, yet in a private manner. This becomes a paralyzing, mood-altering, will-subduing, rebellion-breaking, mind-changing, heart-transforming, mighty regenerating supply of God’s substance within our being!

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.’” Revelation 4:1 NAS

After these things in the candlestick church experience, fallen to leave their first love, we are called to “come up”, “come up hither,” where we are granted revelation of the new heavenly order spoken into our understanding by scripture and clear “trumpets” of God. The spiritual dimension of His Word is open to new understanding, as taught by the spirit within us. So, we too come to know what will soon occur. All sons and daughters of God in this hour are prepared to manifest a LOVING JUDGMENT against teachings of false priesthoods built on confused ideas of the gospel of Christ. Truth is setting brethren free from the lying institutions ruled by carnal minded men.

Christ is working within to reveal a desire to rend the shrouds of darkness and death hanging upon His own people, Christians — those deceived by the Nicolaitan way of thinking to accept the whole of institutionalized church. The magnificent power of God’s Word and Spirit chases the darkness of former days away. He opens our eyes to a vastly higher order of validated kings and priests who are personally connected to God’s incorruptible form of life. They are enthroned with Him in the order of Melchizedek, as anointed instruments, speakers, dispensers of an endless order of life.

This is the gospel having divine authority to break every earthly power and release death’s grip from His people. We American Christians need to be restored to simply love our neighbors as ourselves correctly, even to love mercy, to trust Christ will save ALL men in due time!

God is wonderfully appearing within sons and daughters as a light that shimmers of celestial glory. Yes, our God is light and life that emanates an illumination of what will quickly occur. By Christ, we are prepared to receive our inheritance. His seal of sonship is set on the essence of our first love. The government of God is sealed with the essence of the Father’s heart. He loves all creation, and some are brought by Him to the throne, brought close to be made cabinet members of a lasting government in the courts of His Kingdom.

Men are proven through trials and tests on the intimate details of what they learn by walking closely in hidden relationship matters with God’s Spirit. Sons are raised, elevated to understanding what is happening in the heights of Zion where the Kingdom administration is conducting a general convocation. Christ the head, and Christ the firstfruit sons and daughters, head and body, have stepped into magnificent permanence, finding themselves clothed with God’s glorious light and power to love.

NOTHING devised by powerful men of money—not worldly wisdom, political clout, or military genius — shall deter our Lord’s administration. His government is an unstoppable army of sons and daughters designed by God to reign over the earth. They will continue crushing the ignorance of carnality and abolishing the powers of hatred, darkness and death within the hearts of men and women everywhere by holding up the message of GOD’S TRUE LOVE.

This army has become great expert slayers of every damnable lie as they embody the true resurrection life gained by faithful followers of Jesus. This army's actions are done to bring PEACE and stop war in the HEARTS of individuals and nations, bringing wisdom of a loving Father. We love Him because He first loved us. This army’s only offensive weapon is speaking TRUTH, and the motive is knowing God’s love for all the creation. Holy knowledge is flowing in our stream to bring forth God’s judgment unto victory.

“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” Psalm 2:8

Teeming millions of earth's people and untold billions in the departed unseen shall yet know God's peace in a new heaven of unspeakable tranquil love. God is establishing righteousness in us so we fit into this loving Kingdom. The brightness of His coming will bless all creation! Every man and woman, unknowingly, are standing on tiptoes expectantly waiting for God's manifestation in sons:

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:19 NAS

Jesus is coming, He is coming, and will keep coming, and will come again and again until the New Jerusalem order is a “praise in the earth”. Then the nations will have “beaten their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks”, so nations no longer learn war.

Inward Division

Your First Love