"Over the course of the last ten years, I have had the pleasure of sharing these teachings with my congregation. They have served well as a seedbed into which the Holy Spirit has planted these principles. By their curiosity and hunger for the Word of God, they have provided the attitude of inquiry that the teaching anointing thrives upon. We all continue to be astounded that every time we think we have plumbed the depths of a particular area of the Word, the Lord peels back the veil, revealing yet another layer of insight. There are some days that the level of revelation is limited only by our stamina. Needless to say, it has been a marvelous journey thus far. However, as blessed as we have been as a ministry, I never lost sight of the fact that the rest of the Body of Christ is in dire need of instruction in the ways of righteousness. I waited on the Lord to present an opportunity for further outreach. That opportunity came in January 2000, when I decided to start a daily radio broadcast. Over the course of the year that I did the broadcast, I was able to bring forth many good fundamental teachings on various topics in the Bible. We subsequently added all of the broadcasts to our tape ministry library, but I soon realized that they would be of even more benefit to the Church if I wrote them down. So the notes for each lesson were expanded into essay form and put together into the series which you now hold:

Faith is Not a Dirty Word, God's Financial Plan, Honor and Integrity, On the Question of Race, Salvation, Tales of the Darkside, The Godhead, The Mystery of Marriage.

This will be the first in what I hope will be several volumes of teachings on various topics in the Word. The instructions for life are found in the Bible, and it's insight into every area that is important are inexhaustible. There are doubtless many more teachings that I have a lifespan available to bring, but I will continue to pick areas that will be most useful to the Church, that the diligent child of God may grow into an excellent 'swordsman'.

Before you begin reading, a word of caution is in order. Some of these teachings are controversial and have been the subject of many a dispute. It is not my intention to simply add my two cents worth to the till, but to be obedient to the calling given to me, which is to feed His sheep and to tend His lambs. These teachings are not being presented as a matter of opinion, but by way of the anointing, they are brought forth as the inspired explanation of the Word of God. So if it seems as though I am being presumptuous, by speaking as one with authority, account it to the fact that although I speak as a mere man, the words that I speak are eternal and have been entrusted to me for this very reason: that I might be bold to speak them without distillation or hypocrisy. It has become my lot to 'suffer' at the hands of those who prefer to remain in ignorance and defeat. These are they who have not loved the Truth and have subsequently had their understanding darkened and have become partakers of the lie. There are many who, because of pride, have resisted the truth and suppose that being contentious is a substitute for true godliness. The hallmark of such people is the way in which they must mangle the Bible in order to make the Scriptures fit whatever silly notion they are promulgating. They are, however, without excuse since, if they were really seeking the kingdom of God, then the truths of the Word of God would resonate with their spirits. In this sense, honest inquiry will always triumph over error. This means that no matter how much false teaching you have been saddled with, if you are a student of Truth, then when that truth comes along, you will readily receive it, even if it means that you have to let go of some error in order to make room for it. Therefore, one must judge these teachings by the only absolute authority concerning matters of the truth, namely the Bible. This is why, with the exception of a Hebrew-Greek lexicon, the only reference used in any of these essays is the Bible. These teachings are not about anyone's commentary on the Word, including my own. They are about you having the opportunity to search the deep things of God through the ministry of the Spirit. So, although the vessel who plants and waters in the speaking is himself irrelevant, he is nevertheless necessary as the channel through which the Spirit may bring the increase which comes from the hearing. These teachings are not my opinion of what the Bible says, but they are those things that I have been instructed by He who has called me, and equipped me, to bring to those who are hungry for the Truth and long to live in the liberty of the Word.

When you come to something that seems hard to understand or to accept, don't dismiss it outright, but closely examine the scriptural references given to support whatever assertion that you may be having trouble with. There are hundreds of verses offered to support all of the principles that I have covered. With few exceptions, however, I have not written them out in narrative form, but listed them by chapter and verse. This is by design in that it will encourage you to follow along in your own Bible, thus studying to show yourself approved of God. In addition, it serves as a reminder that you are not receiving my opinion, but the truth of the eternal Word.

Now may the Father of spirits grant to you grace to receive these teachings that they may produce in you all of the fruit of your salvation, so that you may take your place amongst those who, through  their obedience, bring glory to the Kingdom. Amen."

Pastor Ronald Crenshaw
Shekinah Ministries - February 2001