In A Plain Box

I loved reading this story, I've only included part of it.

On January 25, 1905, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection by the mine's superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and christened the "Cullinan," it was the largest diamond ever found.

Frederick Wells was 18 feet below the earth's surface when he spotted a flash of starlight embedded in the wall just above him. His discovery was presented that same afternoon to Sir Thomas Cullinan, who owned the mine. Cullinan then sold the diamond to the Transvaal provincial government, which presented the stone to Britain's King Edward VII as a birthday gift. Worried that the diamond might be stolen in transit from Africa to London, Edward arranged to send a phony diamond aboard a steamer ship loaded with detectives as a diversionary tactic. While the decoy slowly made its way from Africa on the ship, the Cullinan was sent to England in a plain box.

Isn't this a graphic picture of how God has come to us, as it were hidden within the plainness of a human box, contained within our fleshly humanity. So many looking for something, someone who walked and lived amongst us for 33 years and missed seeing him.
Is it any different today, God the Father now clothed in us as us is like then, now also not seen by so many.

Rich

Was Jesus a Dumb Ass

I am linking up to a friend's blog by Stephanie, the link is here.

Rich

Covert Complicity

I love it when you hear something that resonates within you bearing witness to the truth you are seeing and growing in. Such was that in listening to a recent pod cast over at the Family Media site. You can listen to it here; Feeling Exploited http://frmpodcast.wordpress.com/

It’s not the whole pod cast that spoke to me but if you start roughly at 24 minutes into it you’ll get the gist of what leaped out at me. I especially loved where Loren attests to how much religion is in us. I shared this with my wife and we both agreed in how wonderful it will be if and when Loren decides to see just how deep this rabbit hole of religion really goes, meaning, yes religion is very much within us all, but; what is the impetus of what we call religion?

Rich

Mythical Reality

"I am concerned with a certain way of looking at life, which was created in me by fairy tales, but this has since been ratified by the mere facts."

Life as we know it has a way of infecting and affecting us much like the din of the white noise that surrounds us everywhere we go. This inner erosion is washing away the ability to not loose heart, and no matter what we do to try to prevent this inevitable heart stopping malady more often than not, we end up looking much like fish out of water lying, thrashing on the beach, waiting to soon expire.
But what if there was a way of escape, not from the din of everyday living or any of the subliminal erosions, but right there where you and I live?

Is it possible to lot loose heart, yes, but how? I believe that is the cry so many are faintly beginning to hear, its connected to a prayer lifted up the Father so very long ago;” I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!”

Why is it that Jesus who only lived for 33 years and only actually had 3 of them to publicly share with us, resort to “myth and metaphor’ (story-parable) telling?
Is it possible that he knew that any and all of their religious and intellectual ability was insufficient in freeing our hearts? The wisest and most brilliant man in the world resorting to story telling, oh my God, couldn’t you have done a bit better than this?

So much of what is called the good news and received is mostly acknowledged as proposition, for the most part, mere facts that have lodged somewhere in our brains while leaving our heats untouched; the foolishness of Jesus using stories, offending our intellectual prowess in order to free our imprisoned hearts.
Myth and metaphor do not work well with us rationalists; we crave the “factual” and measurable ways of seeing and dealing with life.

The use of the word “myth” is not an attempt of trying to warm up to Greek mythology, but is in fact more of a means via a story that brings us a glimpse of the eternal or what awakens our heart to the deep truths of life.
The language of myth and metaphor has been my daily bread now for many years, my heart yearns and longs to be fully awakened, even so Lord plant your deep and passionate kisses upon my sleeping lips.

Rich

Living in a Dream World

The following are more of my thoughts that have become very real to me while away for the past two weeks on vacation, it was there afresh I found myself being awakened and finding myself strangely disoriented and wondering why I was once again right smack dab in the middle of a raging war.

"Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.”

You can read some earlier thoughts here.

From the movie The Matrix, Morpheus asks Neo; “Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?”

The reason I sooner or later come back to quoting so often from this movie in particular, is because of how I so identify with Neo and all those still wide awake living within in their designer fashioned dream world, but at the same time, totally oblivious to what is really happening in the real world; a person who has lost all levels of consciousness, right down to their identity, is said to be “alert and oriented times zero.”

In Neo’s case the truth is something he says he wants more than anything but does he really? “What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer-generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this; [ holds up a Duracell battery]. Neo staggers back saying, No, I don't believe it. It's not possible.” Morpheus replies, “I didn't say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth.”

When a person becomes a follower of Christ aka, a Christian, it can be much like being awakened from a dream world as well, and the truth as it begins to shine within our hearts comes into direct contact with the lies we have grown up believing as was with Neo; “The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us, even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work... when you go to church... when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.”
Neo asks; “what truth?” Morpheus who is in my opinion much like the spirit of truth clearly begins to pull back the veil and says; “That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage, into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch, a prison for your (heart) mind.”

The choice is always ours as it was for Neo; “I'm trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.”
Our continued detoxing is as much about knowing whatthe lie is, as it is in knowing the Truth; “The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see, Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters? The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it.”

I need to stress that our enemy is not with flesh and blood; “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (working through flesh and blood.”

A lot of life and living can be very unclear, in your life, what are you perfectly clear on? So much of what was promised to us in responding to the Gospel message has in fact only left us mostly dazed and confused.

Rich

What Is Spiritual Warfare?

If ever there was a sacred cow subject about to become tipsy it’s this one. For any who have ever been involved with any of the Charismatic venues or of its teaching’s, will at least inwardly acknowledge the disconcerting milieu it has become.
In my continued reading of my good friend Bill Landon’s book, Up From The Ashes, he has a chapter dealing with spiritual warfare, and some of his thoughts were so freeing to drink in.

What Jesus came to proclaim was a truth that was radical and important. Christ is the summation of the Father’s plan for His creation-both for the Jews and for the followers of Christ. Due to the importance of Christ’s work it was necessary for Him to be validated. The Father did this through the empowering of Christ to work miracles. We should never misunderstand the healings and exorcisms of Jesus as a special example of spiritual warfare for us to emulate. The Father gives each of us a testimony that comes out through our living. This message of our living may be powerful and dynamic or quiet and subtle. The outward manifestation of this testimony is not important. What is important is that we are true to the testimony both in its content and in the method of its delivery. The people who are truly seeking the Father will understand the living testimony regardless of the particular nature of its manifestation. The people are living in opposition to God will not understand the living testimony in our lives no matter how powerful or miraculous it is. Remember, the religious leaders of Jesus’ time saw His miracles and concluded that He was demon possessed: “But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”(Matthew 12:24)
So if spiritual warfare is not binding and loosing and demon expulsion then what is it? I mentioned earlier that Jesus engaged in spiritual warfare. That being said it is now important to ask: What was it in Jesus’ life that represented the essence of spiritual warfare?

To be continued….

Rich

Heaven and Earth

The following is from my good friend Art Licursi, the article is entitled, Part 2 of 13 - The Dynashperes.

In this series we are exploring what the Bible has to say concerning God’s eternal intent, plan, and purpose involving saved mankind. Ultimately, the “most high God” has been and is the “possessor of heaven and earth” (Gen 14:19). God’s plan includes the participation of the all believers of all ages to ultimately act as co-regents with Him in “the ages to come,” either “in heaven” or “on earth.”

• In Heaven: The ultimate position, glory, and work of the members of “the body of Christ” are that they will eternally occupy, enjoy, and express Christ’s life and authority as they reign in “the heavens” (2Cor 5:1) with Christ. The believers will be raptured to eternally dwell in the heavens where they will “ever be with the Lord” (1 Thes 4:17). They will have their work or duties in the heavens, which includes, reigning as co-regents with and by Christ life within (2Tim 2:20a), to live through them and guide them.
• On Earth: All the believing remnant of “ Israel ” of the past dispensation of “the Law” will ultimately occupy, enjoy, and reign in the eternal realm of “kingdom of heaven… on earth” (Rev 20:6). This also includes all the dead Messianic believers from the cross through the early Acts period. All these, plus the Tribulation martyrs of Israel , will be resurrected at “the first resurrection” (Rev 20:5), which occurs at the close of the Tribulation. All the resurrected Messianic believers of Israel will at that time return to the Millennial “kingdom” on earth. Then, following the “Great White Throne Judgment” at the close of the Millennium, these same believers of Israel will reign eternally as co-regents with Christ on “the new earth.”

Jesus of Nazareth came to minister only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel ” (Matt 15:24), not to the Gentiles. Recall that the so-called Lord’s Prayer Jesus gave His Jewish disciples; “THY KINGDOM COME thy will be done ON EARTH.” The prayer includes; “And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one… (Matthew 6:13 (AMP). The believers of Israel in the Tribulation shall seek to be delivered and preserved from “the Evil One” – the Anti-Christ. All the true heart-circumcised believers of Israel will ultimately inherit “the kingdom of heaven” on earth. This prayer is not a prayer for the predominantly Gentile “ body of Christ” to whom Paul was sent to minister his “mystery” gospel (Eph 3:1, Rom 11:13). By contrast, Paul writes that “the body of Christ” is destined for heaven; “For OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20 (NASB), at the rapture.

Thus, we need to note understand these distinctions the Bible makes between “the heavens and… the earth” with regard to His eternal plan for the Nation “ Israel ” and that for “the body of Christ.”

The Lord’s creation consists of two spheres or realms -“the heavens” and “the earth”. Genesis 1:1 refers to the beginning of the creation; “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Genesis does not refer to the very beginning; John 1:1-3 refers to the very beginning. John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The John 1:1 account references a “beginning” that was before Genesis 1:1. It is the beginning without a beginning, because it refers to the timeless eternal past. Christ as “the Word” was in the beginning before creation as the creator of “… the world” and “all things” in “heaven and earth.”

John 1:10 He (Jesus) was in the world, and THE WORLD (kosmos) WAS MADE BY HIM

Colossians 1:16 For BY HIM (Christ, see v13) WERE ALL THINGS CREATED, THAT ARE IN HEAVEN, AND THAT ARE IN EARTH, visible and invisible, whether they be THRONES, OR DOMINIONS, OR PRINCIPALITIES, OR POWERS: all things were created by him, and for him.

This series addresses both the realms of “heaven and earth” and the “all things created” (v 10) in those realms. The “all things” here are not the trees or fish, etc.; they are the creatures God created and placed in the spiritual realm of the heavens. These have rank and governmental authority, including things; “visible and invisible… thrones… dominions… principalities… powers.” As we will see, these are terms that are often repeated in Paul’s latter epistles and we will better define these later.

The word “heaven” in Genesis 1:1 of the KJV Bible - “God created the heaven and the earth,” should be “heavens.” The Hebrew word for “heaven” here is “shāmayim.” This word is the dual of the Hebrew singular “shameh.” It may properly be translated as “the heavens” as seen in most other translations of the Bible. Thus there are multiple heavens within “the heaven” of Genesis 1:1.

Biblically, there are three (3) heavens within the realm of “heaven.” I will summarize these three heavens in their reverse order, as follows.

1. The “third heaven” is the place of “the Holy Mountain of God ,” the place of God’s throne and also Paradise . Paul gives us his brief account of “the third heaven.” You may recall that Paul was stoned at Iconium and thought by most to have died (Acts 14:19).

“I knew a man in Christ more than fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows.) Such a one caught UP to the THIRD HEAVEN. ³ And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knows;) ⁴ How that he was caught UP into PARADISE , and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)

By comparing Paul’s words in 1Cor 12:4 with Rev 2:7 we can identify the “third heaven” as the place of “the paradise of God;” where all “the just” people of all ages who have died currently dwell. Upon His death, Jesus raised Paradise and the spirits of these pre-cross justified believers with him. Paradise had been located “under the earth.” There bodies still abide in the earth or sea awaiting there resurrection and new spirit-bodies. Now, since the cross all believers are brought immediately into the presence of the Lord.

2 Cor. 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be PRESENT WITH THE LORD.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 (AMP) Then shall the dust [out of which God made man’s body] return to the earth as it was, and THE SPIRIT SHALL RETURN TO GOD WHO GAVE IT.

Philippians 1:23 I (Paul) … having a desire to depart, and TO BE WITH CHRIST…

1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED (allasso, made different).

1 Thes. 4:13-17 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye SORROW NOT, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD.

Believers in the Paradise of heaven await their new spirit-bodies and their assignments in either of God’s two governmental spheres at the culmination of the ages. The members of “the body of Christ” will reign “in the new heaven” and those of believing Israel will reign on “the new earth” in “the kingdom.” We will discuss this later.

Ultimately, at the culmination of the ages, Paradise will be restored to the everlasting “new (renewed) earth.” “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I (God) give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7)

2. There also is what may be called the “2^nd heaven.” It’s the expanse of the “kosmos”; the universe with its sun, planets and stars as we know it (Gen 1:14-19). It is filled with created spirit-beings.

Lucifer was a Cherub of highest rank (Eze 28:14). God cast him from his position of “Chief Covering angel” who had access to “the holy Mountain of God” in the 3^rd heaven (Eze 28:16). The 2^nd heaven is now Lucifer’s sphere with his fallen angelic host that had bought into his plan for a coup d'état against “the most high God.” Lucifer’s plan was to ascend above (Isa 14:13) to the “the holy mountain of God ” in the 3^rd heaven. Lucifer now rules the earth from the 2^nd heaven, since he was “cast” out of the 3^rd heaven.

Formerly, the heavenly government would convene on “mount of the congregation.” The Lord met with the heavenly angelic host in “the mount of the congregation” located somewhere in the northern part of the universe (Isa 14:13), within the 2^nd heaven that we call the universe. 1 Kings 22:19-23 was one of those meetings.

3. Then, there is what may be called the “1^st heaven” or the atmosphere that envelopes the planet earth where there are clouds, winds, and the air we breathe. Paul also calls Satan “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). Lucifer, also called the Dragon, Old Serpent, Satan and the Devil, is the over-ruler, the evil mastermind and “the god of this world.” He is the present ruler this world. We will discuss this in greater detail in subsequent installments.

2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom THE GOD OF THIS WORLD (SATAN) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not….

Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE:

Rich