A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


Showing posts with label Heaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heaven. Show all posts

September 24, 2020

Warfare in the Spiritual Realms - Part 1


This is the first of a two-part serious posting; a solemn follow-up to my previous post on the power of a praying Ekklesia. And I want to begin by sharing a short essay that Glynda Lomax wrote in February of 2017. It is truly astounding how quickly her words have become our reality. Entitled, "My Children, Prepare for the War Coming to America", it is the perfect lead-in to what I want to say on the subject of warfare in the spiritual realms. Hear the voice of the Lord...

My children, prepare for the war that is coming to America. This will not be a war fought in other countries, but a war fought in your own streets. You will see many you know die before your eyes.

There is dissension brewing in the heart of America, and it will soon boil over. America, though greeted by smiles, also has many enemies. The combination of the two shall be her downfall.

My people are not ready for war, for they hesitate even at using the weapons I have left them in My Word. They are a people faint of heart, unaccustomed to seeing bloodshed, and not courageous for battle.

My people, do you not know I am a God of War? Do you not know I am coming back for the final battle against all evil? Why then do you shy away from the battle before you? Why are My churches filled with smiling imposters, who cannot even face their own sins? How do you plan to survive what is on its way to you? Do you think courage shall suddenly overtake you and you will be filled with faith?

My servant David did not learn faith and courage from doing nothing, but from battling the enemies he met on the way to where he was going. First the lion, then the bear, then the armies who came against Israel.

If you have no courage now, you will have no courage then, and you will fall to the hands of the enemy. Do not be foolish in believing otherwise.

What Glynda Lomax wrote three-and-a-half years ago describes where we are today. Generally, the American public is not ready for the dissension or the combat we see on our streets. We are not accustomed to seeing the bloodshed and the violence that our own citizens are perpetuating against each other. This nation suffered a horrendous Civil War just a little over a century and a half ago and the wounds are still being healed. The majority of us don't want to suffer through another one.

But we have enemies within our own borders who are supported and encouraged to rip apart the very fabric of our freedoms in order to subvert and overthrow the foundation of our fundamental rights and principles. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest constitution still in existence in the world, and both our physical and spiritual enemies must dismantle and destroy it to achieve their goals. The destruction of our form of government will make way for the anti-God trifecta of Communism/Socialism/Marxism that will allow Satan to begin his final push to capture the peoples of the world.

God is the only answer for us now! But we Christians don't even know His full nature! We only want to see God as Love because that allows us to continue with our comfortable and convenient lives without having to suit up for battle. So, we ignore the Scriptures that tell us [at His Second Coming] Jesus will pass judgment and wage war; dressed in a robe that is dipped in blood -- perhaps representative of His victory on the Cross, or the certainty of the defeat of His enemies. The troops of Heaven follow Him, and from His mouth will come a sharp sword that will strike the nations. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath and indignation of God Almighty! The followers of the leaders and rulers of the world will meet the fate of their generals and captains, as they go down to a fiery defeat.

But as the Lord asks in Glynda Lomax's prophecy, "Why are My churches filled with smiling imposters, who cannot even face their own sins? How do you plan to survive what is on its way to you? Do you think courage shall suddenly overtake you and you will be filled with faith?" It is necessary that we train like David, who grew his courage and experience in warfare by engaging the Enemy. BUT THE CHURCH REFUSES TO ENGAGE IN BATTLE WITH THE ENEMY! Therefore, they are ignorant of his field of operations, or how to defeat him.

The Church is largely uneducated about the levels of heaven, the dimensions of the heavens, and the heavenly places. To be honest, the Bible isn't exactly clear in describing these territories. But it is essential, if we are going to be the Ekklesia, that we understand them and how to operate in them. And I will admit that it requires diligent and dedicated study to uncover the extent and scope of them -- and this blog post is inadequate to reveal all that I have discovered [and am still discovering]. But I will give you the essentials to begin your own study, and then I would recommend that you read Higher Dimensions, Parallel Dimensions, and the Spirit Realm by Dan Duval, along with the Book of Enoch, which was considered as Scripture [and still exists in the Orthodox Ethiopian canon] until about the 4th Century. Early Church father Tertullian wrote [circa 200] that it was rejected by the Jews because it contained prophecies pertaining to Christ as the Messiah. I do not propose that it be regarded as Canon, but it is a historical account of Enoch's experiences in the heavenly realms.

Down through the centuries our knowledge of who occupies the heavens and how spiritual warfare operates has been slowly eradicated from the Christian experience. Genesis tells us "in the beginning God created the heavens [plural] and the earth". Then Genesis 1:6-8 identifies the first heaven: "And God said, “Let there be an expanse [canopy] in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven". This is a description of the dimension and realm in which we live -- earth, sky, clouds, our atmosphere. 

In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, the Apostle Paul reports, "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter." Paul was visiting the realm where God resides and rules! 

Now, if there is a first heaven and a third heaven, it only makes sense that there is a second heaven, correct? Yet, the Bible never references it by that name. However, I want to present an argument that this realm is where the forces of evil develop their strategies against us here in the first heaven. And I will tell you that this, by itself, is a controversial statement among many in "the Church". They will argue that there is no distinct "chapter and verse" statement of this theology -- no logos Word or black ink on white paper -- and coupled with no direct mention of "second heaven", we must be careful of being deceived, because the Bible's canon is closed and God "has spoken". 

That terminology is past tense -- does that mean He no longer speaks to us? What about the rhema Word, the supernatural revelation of Christ when we seek more of Him? That is the significance of Proverbs 25:2 ... "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out"! I assert that the manifestation of Satan and his crew's evil strategies is apparent on our streets today and I believe the Bible has a lot to say about second heaven; the spiritual realm where Satan and his fallen angels rule. We just have to be willing to "search it out" and believe that He still gives us divine revelation. And when we understand how these realms interact and the mechanics by which the warfare is conducted, it will go a long way towards instructing us Christians how to defeat the spiritual enemies who are openly attacking us today. 

In Part 2 of this discourse, I will present a succession of scripture from Old Testament and New Testament -- from Daniel to Revelation -- in which the Bible shows us the truth of warfare in the Second Heaven, and gives us clues as to how we are to battle "in heavenly places" alongside the Lord and His angels. The God of the Bible is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, therefore His Word is for all seasons and all times. I will show you the weapons of war He makes available to us through His Word. And like David, I will encourage you to join me in battling our enemies as we walk along this way to where we are going -- from glory to glory in the service and army of the Lord. It is time that we throw off the shackles of Religion and complacency and follow the courageous warriors of the Bible. Our future as a nation, and survival as a people depends on it!

Ephesians 6:12    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

 

September 19, 2019

The Pain Called Suicide

     It is heartbreaking to read of the deaths by suicide of such young pastors like Jarrid Wilson and Andrew Stoecklein. Suicide is such a complex issue and it is hard for the Christian community to understand how such vibrant men of God could take their own lives.
     Both suffered from depression and anxiety, and it is too easy to label these spiritual roots as "mental illness" and "a disease". I want to be sure you understand that I do not speak as a medical or psychological expert. I have no degree that gives me secular authority to speak on the subject. I can only share my experience as a follower of Christ who continues my Lord's commission to heal the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, and release the prisoners from their darkness.
     Yes, I believe that suicide is an attack upon the mind of people, both believers and non-believers. But through the ministry that we've been called to, my husband and I know that the mind is a battlefield and the Father of Lies can cause so much pain with his false whispers. And, yes, we've been instructed to keep our helmet of salvation tight upon our heads to protect our minds, but the Bible tells us that the Enemy is cunning; he is a murderer from the beginning, and that he comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I lay suicide at the feet of the one who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
     I will tell you that Mark and I have encountered suicide in our ministry and it nearly devastated us. In respect for this individual and his family, I will not mention his name or details, but I will tell you this... just like Jarrid Wilson and Andrew Stoecklein, this young man deeply loved the Lord. And as I sat with him during a session a couple of months before his death, I was overwhelmed with the spiritual sense of how much Jesus loved him! He was one of the most loving and beautiful human beings I've ever met, and I was only in his physical presence once. But he was believing a lie from the pit of hell.  His pain came from the fear that Jesus would be unable to forgive him, and that spirit of fear led to spirits of anxiety and stress, and perhaps even self-hatred. But I knew Jesus loved him! We tortured ourselves with thoughts that if we could only have been better at helping him to believe that Christ's love was for him, too, maybe he would still be here.
    But we quickly understood that the Enemy was lying to us, as well, and if he could get us to stop trying to set the captives free from his lies, then maybe we would stop our ministry. No way, Satan! If anything, we would pursue freedom for others even harder, in honor of our young friend. Because, I believe the Holy Spirit showed me that Jesus was right there with him, as the Enemy roared in his mind, and our Lord told him it was time for the torment to stop and it was okay to come home. I am not saying that Jesus agreed to his suicide. But I believe that Jesus was there with him when he capitulated to the Enemy's continued torment. And yes, I am one who does not believe that suicide leads to hell. Depression is a physical manifestation of spiritual attacks caused by fear, self-hatred and guilt. 
     One of the things that helped Mark and I to heal from the pain of suicide was the information we gleaned from Dr. Henry Wright's book, A More Excellent Way; Be In Health. Dr. Wright is the Senior Pastor of Hope of the Generations Church in Thomaston, Georgia. Dr. Wright has dedicated his life to God and helping others find the spiritual roots to disease so they can live in wholeness. He holds a doctorate of Christian Therapeutic Counseling from Chesapeake Bible College in Ridgely, Maryland. This is what he writes about Depression:

     "You need to know what the medical community is not telling you ... Your homeostasis (equilibrium in the body with respect to various functions and chemical composition of fluids and tissues) is controlled by the release of various hormones. You are very chemical in your creation. You are very nuclear, you are very sexual, you are very spiritual, but you are also very chemical. You have a number of organs and glands, particularly in the endocrine system, which secrete a particular chemical. It goes like this: a squirt here, a squirt there, here a squirt, there a squirt, squirt, squirt, everywhere a squirt, squirt.
     And your Enemy knows he can control the rate of your squirts by your thoughts and by your soul and by your spirit. Your Enemy knows things like bitterness and guilt and fear, if allowed to remain within your consciousness, can be used to control you. When your spiritual dynamics are compromised by the Enemy in a manner in which he can control your body and your chemistry, then he can put depression or any other psychological or biological malfunction on you when he feels like it.
    He can do this because depression, by definition, is no more and no less than a chemical imbalance in the body induced externally or internally. Your Enemy knows that if he can get you "unspiritual" and he can manipulate you in areas of lack of sanctification, then he can control your very thought process.
     And when Satan can control your thought process, he can also control your chemistry. When you have serotonin deficiencies, you do not feel good about yourself because there is a deficiency of the chemical God created in you to make you feel good chemically. For every thought you have, conscious or unconscious, there is a nerve transmission, a secretion of a hormone or neurotransmitter somewhere in your body to react to it.
     When you start listening to fear, you start listening to self-hatred, you start listening to guilt, you start listening to rejection, and then your body secretes chemicals in response to those spiritual attacks that are counterproductive to your peace. Your Enemy knows this very well. But you do not have to be a victim nor do you have to be ignorant nor do you have to die of a disease and go to heaven to find out why you died."

     This is just a portion of Dr. Wright's book and I would recommend that if you desire to know more about the spiritual roots of many physical illnesses, then this book is for you. Of course, I do not claim to know the personal issues that both of these well-loved young pastors faced. But I believe that Dr. Wright's discernment on the spiritual roots that lead to suicide have a lot of credibility. And I know that Jarrid Wilson's wife is absolutely correct when she says she knows her husband is in HIS Presence! Jesus's death on the Cross pays for all of our sins... all of our sins. So, my heart goes out to anyone who has suffered the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. We don't always get all the answers to what drives someone to that decision, but we can know that our Lord, full of compassion and mercy, cancels all our sins as He reconciles us to God, the Father. This is the beauty of Mercy triumphing over Judgment. 

Romans 8:38-39      So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles,  fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!
     

October 10, 2016

Are You Ready To Talk About "Portals"?

     Now, there is a topic that will send many Christians screaming for the hills!  Just the very word, portal, makes you think of scary, science-fiction phenomenon, doesn't it?  Or, perhaps, it is reminiscent of something that you might see on an old re-run of "The X-Files", right?  Certainly, it has nothing to do with the Bible ... or does it?  Actually, the word portal is nothing more than an opening, or a doorway, or a gate, between dimensions.  And the Bible is full of instances where portals are in evidence.
     I can hear the skeptics among you, murmuring, "I need a little more information".  Okay, let's look at it this way... Portals are points of access, which are unobstructed by demonic interference, in which angels travel from heaven and back again in which God's provision and revelation are given to man.  Consider the angel who appeared before Daniel in answer to his prayer in Chapter 10.  In Daniel 10:10-16 this angel has a conversation with the prophet Daniel, in which he mentions several times that "I have now been sent to you"; "Your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words"; and "Now I have come to make you understand"....  So, let me ask you a simple question.  How do you think that angel was able to appear before Daniel?  Do you accept the rather obscure explanation of "He just appeared"?  Or can you comprehend that he came through a portal -- an opening between either the second or third heaven and our physical dimension here on earth.
     Then there is the Biblical account of Jacob's ladder.  In the book of Genesis, chapter 28, verses 10-17, the story of Jacob’s dream is recorded. “He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12).  Again, I ask the question... If the ladder extended from the earth until it reached heaven, how were the angels able to leave heaven to descend to earth?
     And again, in 1 Kings, Chapter 19, Elijah was instructed to leave from sitting under a juniper tree to Mt. Horeb to see and hear what God had to show him.  Scripture tells us that God said, "Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.  And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; {but} the LORD {was} not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, {but} the LORD {was} not in the earthquake.”
     Can you see that in each of these instances, God and His angels used an opening, or a doorway, or a gate to act inter-dimensionally?  Does it help to know that Proverbs 8:34 teaches that a man will be blessed who sits, and waits, and listens at the Lord’s gate?  Or that Psalm 24:7 reads, "“Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in"?
     I've always loved this verse in Psalms ... "Though He had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven, man did eat angels’ food: He sent them meat to the full.”  That's a pretty clear picture ... the doors of heaven were opened.  They were fed manna from heaven through a portal!  Are you starting to get the picture?
     And perhaps some of my favorite pictures of Biblical portals are found in the Book of Revelation.  "And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.” (Rev. 11:12 ).  "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it [is] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war."  (Rev. 19:11).  I think we can all agree that the Apostle John saw openings, or portals, in Heaven that inspired these verses.
     But one of the primary verses that has relevance for us Christians is Hebrews 4:16... "Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time."  It is my opinion that this verse is to be taken literally.  I truly believe that since we are spirit, made in the image of God, that our spirits can approach His throne of grace and receive His mercy.
     But here is something that Christians also need to realize:  The dark side is also trying to gain access to earth from the second heaven.  The evil angels are just as able to come through portals or openings as the good ones.  My husband believes his first experience with a spiritual attack took him through an opening between our physical dimension and into the spiritual dimension, or second heaven, if you will.  He fought and struggled against an entity that he felt was smothering him.  He said he literally thrashed and flailed until he was able to get the name "Jesus" out, when the entity vanished.  During his entire fierce struggle, he said he watched me sleeping; I continued to sleep soundly and never moved.  And I'm a light sleeper!  He is of the opinion that somehow his spirit entered this battle through a portal.
     And I have heard testimonies of others who have described their experiences in similar language to Paul, who said in 2 Corinthians 12:3:  "And I know that such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, [only] God knows—".  They will tell me, "I don't know if I was in my body, or my spirit had left my body and that was what I was seeing".  I think I need to go no further to defend the idea that portals are Biblical.
     And I have to admit that my belief that portals are real has naturally led to the UFO conspiracy, and the like.  Add to that the never-ending desire of the human race for more "other-worldly" knowledge and I cannot dismiss the thought that the ungodly Elite might be seeking to open up portals to gain access to the supernatural in a bid to out-God God, Himself.  Re-read my 2014 post on Tesla, or my 2015 one on CERN, and see if the idea of portals doesn't gain some traction.
     All I'm saying with this unorthodox post is that spiritual activity is on the increase.  More people are revealing "dream-type experiences" in which they are battling spiritual phenomenon that they have never encountered in the past.  And it is no secret that men of science have attempted to add to our understanding of dimensions and sought to explore them and how they interact.  But are we in danger of these scientists inadvertently opening a portal or a door not to another dimension, but into the spiritual realm, perhaps even to the Bottomless Pit or the Abyss itself?  I, for one, cannot discount this theory.
     In the end, I do not see anything good coming from man's obsession with the universe, whether it be from the aspect of obtaining ancient knowledge, or reaching for new supernatural frontiers.  Just look at our entertainment industry.  Movies, music, and TV all have a fixation on exploring the spiritual realms.  There is a problem with that though, and it is this:  We are becoming so desensitized to it, that we don't realize how dangerous it can be.  God created the veils between the heavens for a reason.  He has instituted his Cosmic Law of separation and who are we to violate that?  He is a God of order and I am convinced that any attempt to interfere with His Creation will not be tolerated.
     So, I think that we can see that portals are real, and God has used them to communicate with us in the earthly realm, by sending His messengers through dimensions.  But Lucifer and his angels will take advantage of those points of access to harass and attack us.  Add mankind's selfish compulsion to  rip open the veil separating this world from other worlds or dimensions, and you get the ridiculous statement by CERN's own Director General and its Director of Research, Rolf Heuer:  "…When we open the door, something might come through it into our reality! Or, we might send something through it into their reality!"  Be careful, General Heuer.  You just might get what you wish for.

Proverbs 8:1-5    "Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. ..."
 

August 10, 2016

The Complex Concept of Unity in the Church

     The idea of unity may seem easy to define:  a coalition; harmony, a consensus, solidarity, oneness. And certainly, we get the idea of unity in the Church as a good thing; a concept that is expressed numerous times in the Bible ... Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8);  I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10); and Knowing their thoughts, He said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand (Matthew 12:25).
     From this sample of verses, we know that unity among the brethren is desired by God.  But from where I stand, there seems to be a growing disharmony and imbalance in the overall picture of the Church -- especially if you try to bring any new understanding to a church that is bound by traditional doctrine. Try bringing any concept of the supernatural, for instance, to a mainstream denomination, and I'm willing to bet that you will be labeled "extremist" or "radical", or at the very least misguided, misinformed and believing in false teachings.  I think it's safe to say that your opinion will not be readily accepted.
     Then try to show that God is bigger than your church's set-in-stone doctrine; that the Bible tells us, For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  Try reinforcing what this verse tells us -- we are all part of one body; one Spirit binds us together in Jesus; and because God is so big, He may be revealing to different members [of this Body of Christ] different aspects of Himself because He needs us serving different purposes to get His will accomplished.  You may not be familiar with, or comfortable with, someone else's purpose, but who are we to dismiss the assignments God makes?  Again, I would be willing to bet that most churches (or Christians) are unable to imagine God outside the box they have put Him in.
     So, I have to ask myself, "Does God always want unity in the Church"?  I guess it depends on if that unified position honors Him and His Word, doesn't it?  Certainly, a church in the 1960's united in denying attendance to Black people would not be blessed by God.  And today, a unified church that performs same-sex marriages would not be honoring God's Word.  So, can we agree that there are times that unity within the church can stifle or limit the Kingdom of God on earth?
      Just consider that God used Martin Luther to break a Church that had become unified in practices of corruption which suggested that "works" could achieve one's salvation on par with "faith by grace".  Had the Reformation not happened -- and the unity of corruption been challenged -- the dishonesty and greed that marked the Church at that time would have kept the world in the Dark Ages.  That being said, I know that division within the Church is not the will of God.  Yet I do believe that God sometimes encourages (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit) divinely orchestrated conflict so that new forms of Christian witness can be spoken which will expand the knowledge of Himself and increase the effectiveness of the Church.
     I also think that sometimes unity within the Body of Christ can result in stagnation.  By that, I mean that the effectiveness of a Church, rigid in its theology, can cease to develop; can become inactive or dull, or just "stuck" and not advancing the revelation of God.   I believe that it is sometimes advantageous for God to raise up someone who challenges the conventional practices and belief systems in order to reveal more of Himself.  That is what happened during the Reformation, and I do not think God acts any differently today.
     For instance, God has begun revealing to me the pervasive influence of Freemasonry within the Church. (See this post).  But since this false religion has been shrouded in a veil of "charity" and "good works", the majority of the Church is blinded to its unholy influence within their congregations.  Simply said, if there is a member of good standing in the congregation, who also happens to be a Mason, then the members of a Church often choose to ignore it because they don't want to upset the apple cart, so to speak, or cause any disharmony or division.  So, are we to accept, without question, Freemasonry and its associations with witchcraft just so the Church can stay unified?
     And let's consider the question of our Power and Authority.  If unity within the Church is disrupted due to different opinions about Cessationism -- the doctrine that spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing (both physical and spiritual), ceased with the original twelve apostles -- is that a good or bad thing for the Church?
"On earth as it is in heaven"
Try to follow me as my mind tries to zero in on what the Holy Spirit wants me to express ... If Jesus taught us to pray "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven", then it is imperative that we understand what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.  Can we accept that the briefest and most comprehensive way to explain it is that Heaven is a region in the universe where the will of God is at present being perfectly and universally done?  That God is King of this region called Heaven, and therefore Heaven is His Kingdom? So, we are to pray that his good and perfect and universal will should be accomplished here on earth, just as it is in Heaven, resulting in a corresponding Kingdom where God is King.
     But what is His perfect and all-embracing will?  I believe that He sent His Son to show us, in human form, what His will is; what pleases Him -- that all people would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  His perfect will was enacted by Jesus, who made it very clear that "the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does" ... that is an expression of "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".  So whatever Jesus did on earth was what the Father wanted accomplished.  And we are emphatically told in the Bible that Jesus is our example, and we must follow in His footsteps.
     So now, I will attempt to close my argument ... if we are to do as Jesus did, which was the perfect will of the Father, then preaching the gospel to the lost; healing the sick; casting out demons; and miracles, signs, and wonders should be part of our Christian experience.  If this is what God wants us to do (and it was certainly what He wanted Jesus to do), then might it be a good thing that the Church is engaging in this kind of disparate discussion?  Might we not emerge from this conflict between our theologies with a broader mandate from God as to how to carry out our Commission? Do any of us really want to limit what God can still do among and through the people of the world (both lost and saved)?
     I will agree wholeheartedly that a unified Body of Christ can be a powerful arm of the Lord.  But I also never want to put a limit on what I think God wants to teach us.  I would never be so arrogant as to assume that we had reached the pinnacle of how God wants us to serve Him or each other.  The fact that this earth is far from being "as it is in Heaven" should be apparent to everyone.  So, obviously, we still have work to do to achieve God's perfect will.  So, we cannot let unity be our goal, at the expense of a greater knowledge of God's Truth.  And if it takes some conflict within the Body of Christ to reveal another facet of God's will, then we must explore it, test it by the Spirit, and make sure that it ultimately glorifies Him.  If it does, then the true believers will come together in a spirit of unity, and we will be one step closer to furthering Heaven on earth.
     So, to sum it all up, unity within the Body of Christ is desired as an expression of our commitment to seeing God's will done.  But unity must not supersede Divine revelation; it must not become a stumbling block to a greater knowledge of what God's will is, or an obstacle to our growth towards God's Kingdom, Power and Glory on earth.  We must not mistake uniformity for unity ... nor let disagreement become division.  After, all isn't a little discomfort worth the deeper dive into God's Word?  Jesus challenged the theological traditions of His day to reveal the true nature of God ... it's not a bad thing to follow His example.

Ephesians 4:15-16    "But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ. From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love." 
     

July 22, 2016

How Seriously Do You Take Your Citizenship?

   
     I think it's safe to say that every American is aware that we are in the midst of a heated political season.  The upcoming Presidential election is not only one of the most interesting contests we've seen in awhile, but it appears to me, at least, that Americans are taking their citizenship seriously.  But what does it exactly mean to be a United States Citizen?  Besides being a legal inhabitant of our nation, what are our responsibilities and duties?  How do we show our allegiance to our country?  On a simple level, our duties can be separated into two groups:  mandatory responsibilities, such as paying taxes; and duties not demanded by law, such as voting.  On a civil and public level, we are called upon to respect the rights, beliefs and opinions of others — even if we think they're "extreme," "outrageous" or "morally wrong."  We are to stay informed of the issues that affect our community.  We are to serve on a jury if called to do so.  We are to participate in the democratic process.  And, finally, we are to defend our country, if the need arises, both from foreign and domestic enemies.
     That identifies our duties and obligations as citizens of this country.  But are you aware, that if you call yourself a Christian, you are first and foremost, a citizen of Heaven?  But how does that compare and contrast with our citizenship in this country?  First of all, as an earthly citizen, we know that if we are born in the U.S., we legally belong to this country and we have the rights and protection of this country.  But guess what?  When we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ, we are born into the Kingdom of Heaven, and our real citizenship is in Heaven.  We are, in effect, a colony of people living at an outpost of the Kingdom.  We are living at some distance from the residence of our King, and we are a branch of His Kingdom.  So, how do the two "citizenships" differ, and how do they affect each other?  It's really very simple ... how you live your life as a citizen of this country must reflect your citizenship in the Kingdom of God.
     If we are reborn in Christ, we also legally belong to the Kingdom of God, and we have the rights and protection that belong to citizens of that Kingdom.  The problem is that we have to decide how we are going to live while we are temporarily existing in this remote location.  If we are a true citizen of Heaven, then similar to the responsibilities of citizens in this country, we must respect and follow the belief system of our Father; we must stay informed about Scripture and the issues that affect God's Kingdom on earth, represented by us; we must be willing to participate and serve as our King's servant -- even if it generates a hostile environment; and finally, we must defend His kingdom, both from spiritual and human enemies.
     But, we must also admit that every human being is born into the kingdom of this world, in which Satan rules.  And because citizens tend to adopt the culture and practices of the nation or kingdom in which they reside, we too often grow up adopting the culture and the practices and values that characterize satan's kingdom.   (Just look at how easily the Jews, who had a covenant with their God, abandoned their connection to YHWH -- and adopted the culture and values of Babylon -- during the relatively short period of 70 years in captivity).  Like those ancient Jews, we can easily become citizen-slaves to satan and this world, and live by his rules and value system.  
     When God grants us citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven, through faith in Jesus, we become “new creatures”.  We no longer desire to be citizens of this world and we become citizens of an eternal kingdom where our Father is the King.  We are given the power and privileges of citizens of that kingdom and we are adopted into the family of God.   Our focus then turns toward eternal things,  storing up treasure in heaven, and receiving our inheritance and rewards.
     Now, I know that those last words -- "inheritance" and "rewards" -- will scare many Christians; mainly because they incorrectly associate them with doing good works to get into heaven.  That's not what Scripture says!  Receiving our inheritance and rewards as citizens in the Kingdom of God is separate from receiving eternal life, and is something above and beyond that gift of amazing grace.
     The website redeeming god.com explains this concept very well:  "Eternal life is a free gift of God to all who simply (and only) believe in Jesus for it. When we believe, we are adopted into God’s family and become His children.  Honor, privilege, and recognition is our Inheritance at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and is reserved for those children who live as Jesus lived and follow God’s will and ways for our lives.  Just as rebellious and unfaithful children are sometimes written out of their parent’s inheritance in this world, so also, (while God will never abandon or forsake His children), we can lose some of our inheritance if we fail to follow Him."
     Rewards, on the other hand, are added bonuses or additional incentives God offers as a way to encourage faithful living and self-sacrificial love for others.  Careful examination of Scripture reveals that there are crowns that will be given as a special token by our Lord to honor and reward all of those who have faithfully served Him in this life – way above and beyond what the average Christian would have considered doing for Him.  These rewards are the 1) the imperishable crown, 2) the crown of rejoicing, 3) the crown of righteousness, 4) the crown of glory, and 5) the crown of life.   These crowns, or rewards, are what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he said, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize (reward)? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."  
     But here is the irony of the honor and recognition that will be ours at receiving those rewards ... On that day, when we relinquish our citizenship on this earth, and enter into our eternal citizenship in Heaven, and stand in the presence of the Lord Jesus Himself, all good deeds we have done will pale in comparison.  At that moment, we will lay those crowns at His feet, because we know that despite what we may have done on earth to earn these rewards, only Jesus is truly worthy of glory and honor.
     And that marks the character of someone whose citizenship in Heaven is more valuable to him/her than their citizenship here on earth.  I know that, at the moment, our future seems all tied up in the next election for the Presidency of the United States.  But the reality is that we live for a short time in these physical bodies, and we should be anticipating our future in our real home.  We should consider ourselves as only ambassadors to this earth; our actual citizenship is in Heaven, and we are only here until our Father sends for us and we go home.  Until then, I will endeavor to live my life as a citizen of Heaven, first, and a mere resident in this foreign land I temporarily call "home".

Philippians 1:22-23      "If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice].  But I am hard-pressed between the two.  I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better;"