ALOHA

ALOHA, is an Hawaiian word which means to give breath.   Like when a Hawaiian says aloha to another Hawaiian it means, I give you my breath, my life.   What every I can do to help you I would like very much to do.  As the community did not own the land they could only help support each other and aloha was important.  When the sailing ships found Hawaii in 1778 and started coming to Hawaii, the sailors were called, howli or haole.    It is popular belief by those who have dissected the word haole (“ha” means breath of life and “’ole” means “without”) and it literally means lifeless.“

It is interesting for me to consider that in Gen.2:7 we find these words:    “ then the Lord God [ a] formed [that is, created the body of] man from the [b] dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being [an individual complete in body and spirit].   And again in John 20:22, we find the restoration of that life because of Jesus.  And Jesus said, “Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” 22 And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

So even prior to the missionary arrival on 4/4/1820 we find the Hawaiian people as being very perceptive.   And in 1819 the Alii (Kings) and Chiefs had already destroyed the Kapu system with the old gods as being false and if fact were in a spiritual vacuum looking for what to believe in next. So when the missionaries showed up in 1820 with the Truth of the Gospel the Hawaiian people found a new spiritual  home and by 1840 Jesus as LORD was woven into the Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii with 5 crosses incorporated into the Kings Crown..

So lets go back to John 3 and the discourse that Jesus had with a religious leader of Israel, Jesus told him as follows.   “ Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [ reborn from above, spiritually and transformed, renewed, sanctified ].’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  And this is what amazed and won the souls of the Hawaiian Alii and  people.  For more Hawaiian History:   www.OhanaChurch.Life and also check the links at the bottom of the page.

This is a massive amount of God’s Truth, First, we need to know that breath is another word for the Holy Sprite.  “Pneuma (πνε μα) is an ancient Greek word for “breath”, and in a religious context for “spirit” or “Spirit.”   So in the death of Adam he lost the “Spirit, the Breath of Life” through pride and rebellion and all  humanity after that was born spiritually dead, (John 3.)  but with the promise of a Redeemer or Savior as in Gen.3:15.  That the seed (child) of the woman would destroy lucifer, Rev.12:3-5.  but that is another Holy Teaching of the Holy Spirit.  Back to the Breath of Life.

When Jesus tell us that we are to be like the Holy Spirit how does that work for us in going to a church where everything is pre-digested like pablum and safe?   How can we enjoy each other and really see how the Holy Spirit is moving if we can not see each other’s faces?  Where does the Holy Spirit have room for 1 Cor. 14:26 – 33, “ What then is the right course, believers? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation (disclosure of special knowledge), a tongue, or an interpretation. Let everything be constructive and edifying and done for the good of all the church. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be limited to two or at the most three, and each one speaking in turn, and one must interpret [what is said]. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, the one [who wishes to speak in a tongue] must keep silent in church; let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak [as inspired by the Holy Spirit], while the rest pay attention and weigh carefully what is said. 30 But if an inspired revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one must be silent. 31 For [in this way] you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may be instructed and everyone may be encouraged; 32 for the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets [the prophecy is under the speaker’s control, and he can stop speaking]; 33 for God [who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order.”

Like in Acts 2:40-43, “And Peter solemnly testified and continued to admonish and urge them with many more words, saying, “[a] Be saved from this crooked and unjust generation!” 41 So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about [b]3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers]. 42 They were continually, 24/7,  faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to [c] eating meals together and to prayers. A sense of awe was felt by [d] everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles.  (Notice the Elders were last in the list for ministry.)  It was a people church not a box of comfort.   These 7 steps listed are like the furnishing of the Tabernacle of Moses.    #1 the Door is Jesus as Lord & Salvation with Worship & Praise, Then to learn God’s truth #2, and to have fellowship and a time for reconciliation as may be needed, #3,  then the remembrance of Jesus with the Lord’s Supper,#4    with general prayers,#5    and to pray for one another,#6    and then the ministry of the Elders #7.    This is not a law but a list of what the Holy Spirit would like to do among us.  He may take us through the list or He may focus on more of these dimensions of study.  At our House Church we have been on #2 for some time now.   But if we box the Holy Spirit into our comfort zone with a theater like program then He will probably just have to sit in the corner waiting for us to get bored with nothing happening.

A New Testament Church should be walking in all of the fruit, gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit or at least headed in that direction.   Otherwise we will be looking at our watch to see how long it is till lunch and just waiting for the vain traditions to be over. 2 Tim. 3:5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away   (Avoid such people and keep far away from them.) ‘They worship Me in vain [their worship is meaningless and worthless, a pretense], Teaching the precepts of men as doctrines [giving their traditions equal weight with the Scriptures].’  Mark 7:7

A lot of folks have quit going to a so called church due to being bored, boxed or fleeced as tithing in not a New Testament principle nor is building a church building.  Find me one scripture in the New Testament about this and it will change my direction.  Want to see the Holy Spirit wind blow?  We need to get back into doing what the prophets have told us to do in the lifting up Jesus as LORD.  Eph.4:11-16.  Not that we don’t use what we have but to change our focus and dump the traditions.