Unity And Spiritual Warfare

"jesus, be my head, that i may grow and do your will." make your body flow into your purpose, so the world may know that we are yours, that you have loved us, that they may "come" and eat with gladness, from your table, and drink the wine, without cost, and break the bread, that is your body, which is your fulness. oh precious father save us from blindness remove the veil so we can behold his face staring intently into this perfect law of liberty (his grace) being changed from glory to glory into the image of the one who saved us.

message 1 the weapons of our warfare are not carnal- but rather are mighty thru god for the pulling down of every stronghold and tower that exalts itself against the true knowledge of god. weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left. we go forth with the high praises of god in our mouths and a two edged sword in our hands , to bind their kings and nobles (principalities and powers, rulers of the hosts of wickedness in the heavenly realms) in chains of brass and fetters of iron. how can you plunder the strongman's house unless you first bind the strongman( the prince of the power of the air; the spirit that now works among the sons of disobedience). when ever two or more of you gather in my name there i am in the midst of you (tabernacle effect). whenever two or more of you agree (come into oneness) as touching anything it shall be done for you by my father. before one of you a thousand shall flee-before two of you ten thousand shall be put to flight. lift up ye gates! and be lifted up ye eternal doors- that the king of glory may come in. who is this king of glory- the lord! strong and mighty, the lord mighty in battle. when you agree the gates open. when you agree with him, in him, as one - the floodgates open wide. the heavens are opened. the holy spirit falls and reigns as jesus christ _head over all things to the church... his body...the fulness of him who fills all in all. when you go each and every one to your own house, saying "look to yourselves oh israel - you become weak, subject to the nations around you. the principalities and powers laugh at you and hold the souls of men in darkness as you turn each and every one to his own way. when you all come together to enjoy the wedding feast at the table of the lord as the bride of christ - then a table is set before you in the presence of your enemies , the lamp is set up on the lampstand shining light into all the house. the city, new jerusalem is set on a hill and the cry is heard "the spirit and the bride say come- come to the wedding supper of the lamb.

when the anointed men and women of god chosen to serve in his presence forsake the mixture of their own ambitions and come to worship at his footstool, then rejoicing will be heard in the land as the lord adds daily to his house the souls who were held captive by the god of this world to do his bidding. psa 133:1) behold, (open your eyes) how good and how pleasant ( blessed and full of grace) it is for brothers to dwell together in unity (as one soul, in one mind and one accord)! :2) it is like the precious ointment ( the oil of anointing- holy ghost power) on the head that ran down on the beard, aaron's beard, that went down to the mouth of his garments (anointing the entire priesthood for supernatural service ) : 3) like the dew of hermon that came down on the mountains of zion (the outpouring of the spirit for all who will worship at his footstool as one); for there the lord commands the blessing, life forevermore (even as he commanded the blessing at pentecost for the fellowship of the saints in the light and the redmption of multitudes into the kingdom). do you want to be victorious in spiritual warfare? all true intercesors have seen by now that there is only one goal- that goal is to be apprehended by the grace of god for the purpose of serving him, and one another, in that glorious grace he supplies through the fountainhead of god- the lord jesus christ. in your region, in your city, amongst the believers that are seeking him in a wholehearted desire to see his glory -mt zion lives. it is time to pray for the body to come forth under the leadership of the head, through the function of the spirit in the members of the body. the invitation is sent out, "come, to the wedding supper of the lamb!" the cry is going out "the bridegroom comes!" let us adorn ourselves for the bridegroom, with all humility, clothed in his righteousness. a chaste and spotless virgin with a single eye, a temple full of light, a whole hearted love undivided by carnal ambition. eph 5:14) therefore he says, "awake, sleeping ones! and arise from the dead, and christ shall give you light." isa 60:1) arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of jehovah has risen on you.2) for behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but jehovah shall rise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you.6) lo, we heard of it in ephrathah: we found it in the field of the wood.7) we will go into his tabernacles; we will worship at his footstool. psa 132:8) arise, o lord, into thy resting-place(tabernacle); thou, and the ark of thy strength.9) let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy godly ones shout for joy. psa 149:6) let the high praises of god be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand 7) to execute vengeance upon the nations, and punishments upon the peoples 8) to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

our enemy is the prince of the power of the air and the principalities and powers who rule the hosts of wickedness in the heavenly realms (in the spirit world). we can only defeat them as the one new man in christ. the elders that surround the throne are continually casting their crowns before him and declaring his glory together, as one. act 13:1) now there were at antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers, barnabas, and symeon that was called niger, and lucius of cyrene, and manaen the fosterbrother of herod the tetrarch, and saul.2) and as they ministered to the lord, and fasted, the holy spirit said, separate me barnabas and saul for the work whereunto i have called them acts 13:3) then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. the intercessors get into the throne room as one soul and the holy spirit speaks and anoints and equips his servants to fight the good fight and plunder the strongman's house. not earthly plunder. - our plunder is the salvation of souls because of an outbreak of the kingdom of god! the oneness of intercessors throughout the body of christ in any given city, region, or indeed even an entire nation binds the enemy. breaks down the gates of hell. opens the prison doors for a great release of captives. when paul and barnabas came into town (paphos, in cyprus) they were immediately confronted by the nexus of powers of darkness in that city, which had gathered behind elymas the sorcerer who had an entire town enslaved. twisting the word of god to make himself out to be some great one he held the people captive by charisma, false teaching and demonic power. yet the holy spirit anointed paul and barnabas and the principalities were bound by the headship of jesus christ the lord -who was expressing his kingdom through the body of christ. do you see it? (behold)-open your eyes!!!! (how good and pleasant it is) see how blessed and full of grace it is (for brothers to dwell together in unity) when brothers abide>dwell>tabernacle together as one soul: (it is like the precious ointment on the head that ran down the beard, aaron s beard) god releases the anointing for supernatural service over the entire preisthood and (like the dew of hermon that came down on the mountains of zion) sends forth showers of his spirit over all his holy mountain, and within all who worship at his footstool the spirit abounds (for there the jehovah commanded the blessing even eternal life) and the lord adds daily to the church such as should be saved. even under the old covenant when the people turned to the lord with there whole hearts he delivered them from their enemies and restored the city of god as a chosen habitation, beautiful for situation (elevation), the joy of the whole earth( see 2 chronicles ch.1720;29-ch32 and ch 34-35), . he made their enemies a footstool for their feet becuse they worshipped and bowed down at his footstool. he bound their kings and nobles with chains of brass and fetters of iron (psalm 149). remember, always they are saying, (psa 2:3) "let us break their bands in two and cast away their cords from us." this is the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience. but jehovah laughs, (psa 2:4-9) he who sits in the heavens shall laugh; jehovah shall mock at them. then he shall speak to them in his anger, and trouble them in his wrath. yea, i have set my king on my holy hill, on zion. i

will declare the decree of jehovah. he has said to me, you are my son; today i have begotten you. ask of me, and i shall give the nations for your inheritance; and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. you shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (rev 2:25-29) but that which you have, hold fast until i come. and he who overcomes and keeps my works to the end, to him i will give power over the nations. and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter they will be broken to pieces, even as i received from my father. and i will give him the morning star. he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. the rod of iron has to do with victory in battle. weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left! the morning star has to do with the prophetic word (2 pet. 2:19). hear what the spirit is saying to the churches! we are now officially invited to the wedding supper of the lamb! the spirit and the bride say, "come". let everyone who thirsts come.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------message 2 the problem with israel and judah through much of the old testament was that they did not have an absolute faith in the law and covenant of god. often-when they were not in total outright rebellion- they were trying to broker a deal with god for blessing even as they were brokering deals with the world around them, exchanging the glory of god for the gods of the nations surrounding them. they would not submit to the lord as their sovereign king. so he gave them kings like the nations surrounding them. the priesthood served the kings usually as more deals were brokered to keep the powerful powerful and keep the king happy- and to let the people have their little high places. the lord would chastise them with defeat at the hands of their enemies, and drought, and all the other promises of his covenant with them if he chastised them in war they would seek out molech. if he chastised them in the field they would seek out ashtoroth. they would worship in the groves and the high places rather than worship at his footstool. eventually they experienced judgment- total removal from the land, captivity. from time to time there would be repentance. a king would arise with a heart like david (the shepherd king), read the word of the lord and believe it, gather the people to a solemn assembly (see josiah, hezekiah for example) and read the word to them. they in turn heard the word with true repentance leading to a change of heart. they would even break down the high places. god would bless them, his glory returning to the nation. at the end of the babylonian captivity there was a similar national repentance leading to the restoration of the temple and the nation during the reigns of cyrus of persia and darius the mede. the temple was restored, the worship at his footstool re-instated, the law and the covenant renewed. the glory and majesty of "god in the midst of thee" returned to israel. these old testament types of revival and restoration are living examples for us today.

we are still trying to broker deals with god and men, but our god in his grace is still absolute about some things. we try to institute revelation knowledge based ways of entering the "blessing", but we hold on to many old worldly religious ways that constitute the "old wineskin syndrome". every time it seems we have a move of god beginning somewhere along the line the old wineskin bursts and the wine runs out on the ground. for instance, in israel the levites had no inheritance for the lord was their inheritance. so also today the flock is god 's possession {see acts 20:17-35), purchased by the blood of his son- and the elders are but stewards over god s inheritance for the sake of the flock. they are to keep watch over one another, protecting the flock from the dominion of men.. the words paul spoke to the gathering of the elders from the ephesian community of believers were both a warning and an exhortation we need today. you may be looking for a "move of god" in your church- but are you worshipping at his footstool. (psa 132:8-18) arise, o lord, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength. let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your godly ones sing for joy. for the sake of david your servant, do not turn away the face of your anointed. the lord has sworn to david a truth from which he will not turn back: "of the fruit of your body i will set upon your throne. "if your sons will keep my covenant and my testimony which i will teach them, their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever." for the lord has chosen zion; he has desired it for his habitation. "this is my resting place forever; here i will dwell, for i have desired it. "i will abundantly bless her provision; i will satisfy her needy with bread. "her priests also i will clothe with salvation, and her godly ones will sing aloud for joy. "there i will cause the horn of david to spring forth; i have prepared a lamp for mine anointed. "his enemies i will clothe with shame, but upon himself his crown shall shine." (psa 149:1-9) praise the lord! sing to the lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of the godly ones. let israel be glad in his maker; let the sons of zion rejoice in their king. let them praise his name with dancing; let them sing praises to him with timbrel and lyre. for the lord takes pleasure in his people; he will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. let the godly ones exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. let the high praises of god be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute on them the judgment written; this is an honor for all his godly ones. praise the lord! (heb 12:22-24) but you have come to mount zion and to the city of the living god, the heavenly jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to god, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of abel. it is unity established in righteousness that binds the enemy and brings the bride, the city of god, down out of the heavenlies. the weapons of our warfare are not natural, but rather mighty through god for the tearing down of every tower and fortress that exalts itself

against the true knowledge of god. there are no magic formulas spoken with enthusiasm that bind the devil. that is only the childish immaturity of religion. be assured that the scripture makes it clear that division is a breach in the wall through which the enemy will flow through and overflow god 's city. paul clearly defines divisiveness as childishness and immaturity in 1 cor ch.1-3 and james tells us clearly that it is lust, greed and murder that is a the root of our wars and divisions. paul states clearly that failure to discern (recognize, love and respect) the body of christ leads to death and sickness among believers(1 cor11:18-34). in other words....the opposite of psalm 133 and the lord's prayer in john 17. but when the children of god are united in repentence around the word of god and the covenant of love the glory of the lord returns to his temple, which we are. our lord is absolute about these things. unity is given through his grace and glory. he will not dwell in a house made with hands and he will not share his glory with any man. the tower builders and fortress keepers are not hearing what the spirit is saying to the churches. he is head over all things to the church, his body. if you are not recognizing mt zion, the new jerusalem and the table of the lord in your community you are missing the latest news in the kingdom. he tries the reins and the hearts and all things are open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. he knows if you are building the body with love, or if the terrible seed of bitter jealously and evil ambition live in your heart bringing forth confusion (babylon) and every evil work. there is no room for nebo to build his tower. babel is not the place god dwells. the bride is coming down out of the heavenlies. the lamp is being set upon the lampstand. the church of jesus christ is composed of all the believers in your community who are truly his. if you have established possession rights over your own in the church you are a poor steward. you have forgotten who the landowner is. i hope if he sends servants to you asking for that which is his, you will gladly yield it up. the wedding feast is at hand. in other words...read john 17:20-26. "neither for these only do i pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, father, art in me, and i in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. and the glory which thou hast given me i have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one; i in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me. father, i desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where i am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. o righteous father, the world knew thee not, but i knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me; and i made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and i in them" an awareness of and connection to the body in your area is a pre-requisite to participation in the restoration of the tabernacle, an outpouring of the spirit.. of course he will move anyway...the question is what our participation will be. the elders who sit with him are casting their crowns before him...not holding them up, shining them off, and comparing them for jewels and size. they worship at his footstool. they give him all the glory. they are all as one soul. they keep watch over themselves as stewards over the flock of god s possession-ever vigilant for any who would draw away and seek to establish possession

rights over disciples. if you can discern the word you will know that as in acts 13 (the prophets and teachers gathered together to minister to the lord) the men and women of god in a community will seek one another out to gather at his footstool if they truly care about the flock of god. you can worship the baals (little gods, local deities) at the high places and remain subject to -defeat at the hands of your enemies (principalities and powers); drought (of the living water) and the reproach that is upon us today because we are not seen as the shining city of god. every true revival is a manifestation of the wedding feast and leads to restoration of the union between the bride and the lamb. she is revealed on earth as she is in heavenso that men can see jesus. a celebration of the union of the bride and the bridegroom. a table set in the midst of our enemies. read about us in hebrews 12:18-29. we are the new jerusalem. we are on earth but she is in heaven and is being revealed in us. the great cry of defeat in israel was "every man to his own house'. the elders in ephesus listened to paul and the ephesian church grew in spirit, maturity, power and numbers. you can read about it in revelation ch.2:1-11. (rev 2:1-3) to the angel of the church in ephesus write: these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: i know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary. he also warned them (rev 2:4,5) but i have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else i come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. this was the word of the lord to the ephesian elders and assembled believers many years after paul's exhortation at miletus (acts chapter 20) what might the word of the lord be to the elders and general assembly of the first-born in our city today. how can we ignore the body and expect his blessing. i 'm not speaking about ecumenicism. there is a remnant of seeking men and women who should resort together for intercession that the body, the bride, the lampstand come forth in their area. only one thing matters, all for jesus- all the way. if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, i will hear from heaven and heal their land. god is going to do it. we are all invited. when the eye is single the whole body is full of light. do you count yourself an eye in israel? discern the word. discern the time. discern the body of christ. come, worship at his footstool. cast your crown before him. (rom 12:1) i beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of god, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to god, which is your spiritual service. and be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of god. for i say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of

himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as god hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. for even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are many, are one body in christ, and severally members one of another. (col 3:9-14) do not lie to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds and having put on the new, having been renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him, where there is neither greek nor jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, foreigner, scythian, slave or freeman, but christ is all things in all. therefore, as the elect of god, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. as christ forgave you, so also you do. and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. paul makes it clear throughout romans ch.12(as well as 1 cor.ch.12 and 14, eph.ch.4 ; colossians 2 and others) that the body functions together. the idea that the different offices are served as pastorates of different churches in town is at its best a misunderstanding of the word, or worse- the immaturity of 1 cor. ch. 3 fully fleshed out. (1co 3:1-6) and i, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in christ. i fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men? for when one saith, i am of paul; and another, i am of apollos; are ye not men? what then is apollos? and what is paul? ministers through whom ye believed; and each as the lord gave to him. i planted, apollos watered; but god gave the increase. make no mistake-organizational competition and separation in the local body of christ plays directly into the enemies hands. it is his plan to divide and plunder. the fathers plan is clear- unite and overcome in christ. (eph 4:4-17) this i say therefore, and testify in the lord, that you should not walk from now on as other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of god through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. for they, being past feeling, have given themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. but you have not so learned christ, if indeed you have heard him and were taught by him, as the truth is in jesus. for you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. and you should put on the new man, who according to god was created in righteousness and true holiness. it is time for men and women to serve the lord in meekness and humility. to recognise that his anointing is where he is. he is not slow concerning his promises but is patient giving opportunity for repentence. (rev 2:20-23) but i have a few things against you because you allow that woman jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause my servants to go astray, and

to commit fornication, and to eat idol-sacrifices. and i gave her time that she might repent of her fornication, and she did not repent. behold, i am throwing her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of their deeds. but to you i say, and to the rest in thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of satan, as they speak, i will put on you no other burden. but that which you have, hold fast until i come. jezebel represents the baal (little lords, local gods) worship at the high places (foreign altars, clan worship sites). her husband ahab represents all that the kingdom of heaven is not. he tolerates greed and immorality and he murders to possess even as cain did in covetousness and jealousy. apostate men of god have this selfish ambition and bitter jealousy that blinds them to jezebel. they are more concerned with their own carnal needs and desires than they are for the welfare of god flock. they will not forsake there own agendas to "come" to serve at his feet. they are like the unfaithful steward who forgot who the landowner was and began to live in the stewardship of god as if it was their personal possession. they have fallen in the error of balaam who sought to change the word of god for profit and taught balak to seduce the children of israel with foreign wives (to cause them to lose the blessing of god). so also we have adulterated the word and given heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons in the pursuit of our own agendas. we excuse our poverty and blindness and pay tribute to kings and nobles (rulers of the hosts of wickedness) in the form of rationalization and an acceptance of slavery and impotence that grieves god's heart and hurts his little flock. (ezekiel 6:8,9) yet i will leave a remainder that may be left to you some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered through the lands. yet i will leave a remainder that may be left to you some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are scattered through the lands. and those of you who escape shall remember me among the nations where they shall be exiled, because i was broken by their whoring heart which has departed from me, and with their whoring eyes which go after their idols. and they shall despise themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. (heb 5:12-14) for indeed because of the time, you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again what are the first principles of the oracles of god. and you have become in need of milk, and not of solid food. for everyone partaking of milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. but solid food belongs to those who are of full age, even those who because of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (1co 2:6,-10) but, we speak wisdom among those who are perfect(mature); yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nothing. but we speak the wisdom of god in a mystery, which god has hidden, predetermining it before the world for our glory; which none of the rulers of this world knew (for if they had known, they would not have crucified the lord of glory). but as it is written, "eye has not seen, nor ear heard," nor has it entered into the heart of man, "the things which god has prepared for those who love him." but god has revealed them to us by his spirit; for the spirit

searches all things, yea, the deep things of god. (1cor. 3:1-3) and i, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual ones, but as to fleshly, as to babes in christ. i have fed you with milk and not with solid food, for you were not yet able to bear it; nor are you able even now. for you are yet carnal. for in that there is among you envyings and strife and divisions, are you not carnal, and do you not walk according to men? (eph 4:1-3) i therefore, the prisoner in the lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling with which you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. (eze 44:15,16) but the priests, the levites, the sons of zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the sons of israel went astray from me, they shall come near me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood, says the lord jehovah. they shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall come near my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge. (eze 44:23) and they shall teach my people to discern between the holy and common, and between the unclean and the clean. .(rev 2:23,24,25)behold, i am throwing her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of their deeds but to you i say, and to the rest in thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of satan, as they speak, i will put on you no other burden. but that which you have, hold fast until i come. (jud 1:3) having made all haste to write to you about the common salvation, beloved, i had need to write to you to exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. (jud 1:19,20) these are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the spirit. but you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the holy spirit, (1co 12:13) for by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether jews or greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one spirit. (act 7:48) "however, the most high does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says: (act 7:49-51) 'heaven is my throne, and earth is the footstool of my feet; what kind of house will you build for me?' says the lord, 'or what place is there for my repose? 'was it not my hand which made all these things?' "you men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the holy spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

(heb 12:26,28) and his voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "yet once more i will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven." this expression, "yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to god an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our god is a consuming fire.