St. Maximus the Confessor:

"In the Law and the prophets reference is made to the Sabbath  (cf. Isa.66:23),  Sabbaths  (cf. Exod. 31:13) and Sabbaths of Sabbaths  (cv. Lev. 16:31. LXX)

The "Sabbath" signifies the dispassion of the deiform soul that through practice of thevirtues has utterly cast off the marks of sin.

"Sabbaths" signify the freedom of the deiform soul that through the spiritual contemplation of created nature has quelled even the natural activity of sense-perception.

"Sabbaths of Sabbaths" signify the spiritual calm of the deiform soul that has withdrawn the intellect even from contemplation of all the divine principles in created beings, that through mystical theology has brought it altogether to rest in God.


...there is another more HIDDEN SABBATH, which God celebrates when He rests from His own labours. This is shown in the following texts:... 'God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it God rested from all the works He had begun to do' (Gen. 2:3.LXX).


The Sabbath Rest of God signifies the complete reversion of created beings to God. It is then that God suspends in created beings the operation of their natural energy by inexpressibly activating in them His Divine energy. It is by virtue of this natural energy that each created being naturally acts; and God suspends its operation in each created being to the degree to which that being participates in His Divine Energy and so establishes its own natural energy within God Himself."

Dear brethren in Christ Jesus,
In discussion regarding the Apostolic order in the Church, I would like to share some
insights I have recently received. For two years, the Lord sent me to 'listen" to the
doctrines and convictions of the liturgical churches. He sent me to learn of the Catholic Anglican/Orthodox doctrine of "apostolic succession" and to listen to their convictions
concerning the order in the Church as established by Christ.

I would like to emphasize my own personal background contained NO prior Catholic,
Anglican or Orthodox influence, having grown up solely in Spirit-filled Protestant denominations. Everything I have been 'hearing' has been in absolute contrast to my own
personal upbringing.. creating perhaps a 'sensitivity' that was necessary for God's
Purposes. I am not personally rejecting nor discrediting any other's personal conviction on these principles.. but I am going to speak what the Lord has been stirring in my heart.

I have been noticing for some time now, the very similarity between the teachings that I am hearing from the Catholic branch of the Vine and the Apostolic/Prophetic teachings beginning to permeate the Spirit-filled Protestant Church. The words are the same, the teachings are the same.. and yet, we receive them from one source.. and reject them from the other??

This separation of clergy and laity, whether it comes from one branch of the Vine or
another, is the same teaching. It is the same teaching which instructs the laity they are not 'safe' unless they are "under the covering" of the Apostles and Prophets -- the same
foundational teaching which the Catholics have embraced, causing them to believe they are "safe" in the Catholic Church, under the covering of the Apostolic Government. They
believe, through the laying on of hands, the Apostolic Succession -- the impartation of the Spirit of God -- has passed on through the centuries into the current leadership in the Church, an impartation of the Spirit, which they believe can be traced back to the first apostles.

But how did this Apostolic Calling manifest itself in the early church?

Recently during a study in Romans, the Lord took Paul's heart conviction concerning his wanting to come to the brothers in Rome, to "sumparaklethenize" them all.... to "holy-spiritize-together-with them" -- in layman's words -- that all would be provided with what each lacked. This word-picture gives us an insight into the "together-work" of the Spirit of God, where two or three are gathered in His Name, there He is in the midst of them. 

This apostolic-life-quickening-work of the Spirit will generate new life within some and stir to increased life in others, as those anointed and sent-ones speak words of Faith in Christ, implanting the seed of Christ.. generating a new Life of Christ ... then "laboring" over them, as a spiritual mother/father labors -- laboring as Paul taught: until Christ is formed in their hearts by faith... then teaching them how to continue to nurture and nourish this Life of Christ within them by their own acting in faith upon the Promises of God.

This word-picture of being "holy-spiritized-together" -sumparaklethenizing -- brings to our understanding the "joint-participation in faith" -- the Koinonia of the Spirit, we sense was a great-part of the early church's spiritual experience. We see the unity birthed by the Spirit.. The Holy Spirit divinely joins a group of believers into one accord: one heart, one mind, one purpose. This apostolic gifting draws, quickens, stirs, plants unity in Christ -- "joint
participation unity" -- in others as Paul's apostolic ministry reveals... but the fruit of this anointing will be seen in the lives birthed into the Kingdom as a result of this ministry.. the servanthood of the Kingdom will be manifested, the Love of the Kingdom will be imparted, the Joint-Koinonia flowing of Oneness of the Body will be quickened, as all become one in Christ. (We can see all these characteristics in Acts and in the letters of the Apostles to the gatherings of the believers in their homes)

When we see this Life of Christ's Love in our gatherings we will be seeing the fruit of the apostolic anointing... and the only sense of 'separation' within the gatherings will be a "separation unto service"... each one divinely gifted to do what only he/she can do.. and each part, each member of the body, recognizing their need for all the other members of the body as Paul's teaching to the Corinthian's emphasizes. Can the hand say to the eye, I have no need of you? No.. each part NEEDS the other parts, and no part is insignificant. The Reformers shed blood to restore to the Church this spiritual-unity within the family, emphasizing the priesthood of ALL believers.

The apostles lived with Christ for three and a half years.. His Gifting made room for Him -- even as Scripture declares the gifting of the brethren will make room for them. Words are not necessary to claim to be an "apostle" or a "prophet" if the gifting is there. In fact the very spirit that makes one assert their calling, is not compatible with the Servanthood of Christ... For Christ taught us to be most in Christ's Kingdom, become the Least. The way UP is DOWN...

I feel it is important to speak some words of caution to those who have ears to hear.. not all is as it seems, but to a people who walk by faith, and not 'sight' this is not a new warning. When we 'commend ourselves' by ourselves, Scripture tells us we are not wise... there is a danger right now in all this "man-commending-man" activity. In the Old Testament our attention is drawn to "the sin of Jeroboam"... When the Northern Kingdom separated from the Southern Kingdom,  the Northern King, Jeroboam took it upon himself to appointed priests to serve in their separated kingdom.  The sin of Jeroboam: Man appointing man to serve in the Kingdom.