Category Archives: Uncategorized

March 15, 2015 · 8:38 pm

Transforming Power Of Adoption

2015-03-15_1367731_98877003Adoption is a legal term that implies a change in status. Things separated, become things unified. This term has applicability in secular, scientific, theological and cultural contexts. For this post we will look at the scenario of a child adoption from the point of view of the child recognizing its new relationship (hint: not the best point of view). Adoption is mostly about a change in perspective. After the moment of adoption, the child’s point of view is free to conceptualize a different life because he or she now has access to a different set of resources.

Romans 8:15 (NLT)  So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

Romans 8:22-23 (NLT) For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

This change in perception not only affects the perception of the child, it also changes the perception of everyone already in the family and those remaining outside of the family. In my opinion, it is a myopic point of view, of only perceiving adoption from the child’s point of view, and this is where Christianity can find greater meaning in the interpretation of scripture.  (Try rereading the above scriptures from our Father’s point of view)  Once a child is adopted, his or her point of view must change to that of the Father’s point of view. This was the point of view that Jesus held when He said “not my will be done”.

To perceive the kingdom of God from the non-adopted child’s point of view creates the aberrant social structures in the local spiritual communities. For example the tendency to treat the kingdom like an exclusive club. Other examples would be the hierarchy between brother and sisters , and the excessive fear of God, Satan,  and the potential of losing one’s status as a child of God. From the Father’s point of view these examples become moot.  Even a lost child is still His child.

Psalm 82: 2 (NLT) “How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? Interlude

Psalm 82:6-7 (NLT)  I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High. 7 But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler.’”

Gal 4:1-3 (NLT) Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.

Love is the primacy of spiritual reality and it is the nature of God and His children. To perceive God’s love and to communicate His love to others, one needs to be of God. An adopted child not sure of the love behind their adoption is like a blind person viewing the world. Every incident is a potential threat and any unfamiliar area can cause fear to rise up within.

However once and understanding is realized that no-thing can separate us from our Father’s love a new confidence begins to emerge. The judgmentalism that characterized much of my early Christian walk, begins to give way to a new confidence in loves ability to overcome all things. Often our religious training dismisses the non-orthodox feelings as a hyper-grace, which is defined as the act of overlooking and accepting blatant sin. But in reality of God’s love there is a deep confidence in the power and authority of that love to overcome the sins of the world.

1 John 3:1-2 (NLT)  See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Mark 10:13-15 (NLT) One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. 14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

My encouragement is for us to perceive life from God’s point of view as His child. A life that is freely given to us and one that we are willing to help others freely enter into. Consciously or unconsciously keeping others out of God’s family by making there sin to be more than the one we repented of is an example of not understanding the grace made available us.

There is a place of revelation (God’s point of view) that once God becomes our Father every human on earth is our brother or sister.  Grace is living life as child, before the realization that every other human is also God’s child. For a lot of religious folk,  the only proof that God’s loves them is when they perceive He is not loving someone else. One day humanity will consciously rise above that childish interpretation of spiritual reality.

Until then it is up to you and I to reveal the greater truth, the hidden truth that has not dawned in the hearts and minds of everyone. We have been given the honor and a privilege to go into the entire world and reveal the truth. This truth has the power to transform all human life. God unconditionally loves us all. God reveals to us in our perception that we are separated from Him, that we have been adopted and that we are now His children.  The realization of the truth that God loves us all and that He considers us all His children is truly a transforming power.

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February 17, 2015 · 1:48 pm

Presence of Sanctuary

2015-02-16_589987_63823545 Why is there a fence around a U.S. Embassy or bodyguards around a U.S. Ambassador? One of my favorite biblical and spiritual concepts has to do with the term “Holy Ground”. I think old western movies and old vampire movies portray this concept the best. When adversaries who were trying to kill each other step on to church property or “Holy Ground” they are compelled to suspend those efforts. Automatically a time out and a ceasefire was invoked while in that location. They experienced a sense of sanctuary, where peace has prevailed. While simply standing on “Holy Ground” the experience of living in a transformed reality becomes apparent.

Matt 28:19-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, …

1 Corinthians 15:45 “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The idea of making available for people a place of safety is the true spiritual idea behind the term Holy Ground. God establishes this concept today as the prevailing authority for humanity through the ministry of His Son, Jesus. God also provides the power to enforce this concept through the ministry of His Holy Spiritual Presence. This spiritual authority and power, which is active and available in the earth realm today, is delegated through Disciples of Jesus. As Disciples once we have been trained, understand and have become familiar with God’s Presence, love and desire of all humans He will release us to perform our duties as ambassadors of His Kingdom.

Today, Disciples of Jesus stand as the last Adam did when He redefined the human job description of being in God’s Presence. In the full authority given to Jesus, we Disciples provide life-giving sustenance to any persons needing it. Since this holy ground is spiritual in nature there are no fences or a particular place in the dust of earth, where holy ground can be located. Like any ambassador, the Kingdom of God is enthroned in the personal presence of the Disciple. In other words, the Kingdom of God is “within” the person and not outside at some GPS location.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew 16:18-19 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Like ambassadors, Disciples of Jesus are trained in the legalities of the spiritual realm and especially in the rules and concepts that govern God’s Spiritual Kingdom. Rescue, sanctuary, ransom and safety are concepts of our Fathers Kingdom. When humans realize the treacherous and precarious ground of sinking sand that they have built, their lives upon they, like me, will run with all abandonment to the only place of safety. That is, into the Kingdom where ambassadors wait with open arms and non-judgmental attitudes representing the grace and mercy of God.

Today, more than ever God’s Kingdom is in need of the next generation of ambassadors. Our world population is moving rapidly toward a population of 7.5 billion people. Also true is that the majority of people on earth have not experienced the true Kingdom of God as a sanctuary from the world system. Even more true is that the majority of people in the world are only beginning to understand the dangerous implications of the world system. The sanctuary of peace, health and prosperity of God’s Kingdom is available for all humans. This is why we need true Disciples of Jesus to work as Kingdom ambassadors.

Matt 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Luke 10:8-11 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’

It is my encouragement and hope that more humans will take up the call to become true Disciples of Jesus. Sometimes and unintentionally, the Christian religion stands as gatekeepers preventing people from entering the Kingdom. It has never been God’s intention for Christianity to be an exclusive club. It is also my opinion, that there are too many cases where discipleship programs have become a recruiting tools for religious human kingdoms.

Being lost implies that people are blind to the facts that God loves all humans equally and that sanctuary form the material world is available to all. The world system really has to be offering fun and riches to keep people away from taking up an offer of safety. While that may be true in America most humans live on less than $5 a day. However, what most humans are hearing from religious Christianity is that unless you hold a certain cultural passport or are willing to give up everything the Presence of God is not available to you.

We as Disciples must use our authority from God and present the truth of God’s love for all. Many are reaching death before they have heard and many disciples are saying that is not an excuse if you failed to hear or make that choice before death. Many religious stand in the false comfort that I have chosen well so everyone should have been able to do the same.

Only our Father’s Presence can generate the love that creates the Holy Ground of sanctuary. Too many are obsessed with the geographical borders of Israel and miss the spiritual meaning of the concept of Holy Ground. In the Presence of God, there is fullness of Joy. Inside each Disciple of Jesus is the fullness of God’s Presence. Therefore, it is also true that wherever we set our foot is Holy Ground and sanctuary for any human is there where we stand. We must understand that when a person or creature comes into our space they are on Holy Ground.

We must ask God and continually check ourselves so we do not act as religious gatekeepers holding up a standard that is keeping people out of His Kingdom. We are Disciples, ambassadors and children of God, ushering in the people of the world into the only true place of safety and peace known as the Kingdom of God’s love.

I did not directly answer my original question.  So comment if you think you know the answer. Why is there a fence around a U.S. Embassy or bodyguards around a U.S. Ambassador?

Luke 6:40  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Galatians 4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

Matthew 25:31-40 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

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January 19, 2015 · 12:37 pm

Eyewitness To Creation

2015-01-20_376721_6842A popular idea of our times is the concept of living in the now. What we observe, perceive, through our five senses is our reality. Our worldview is a function of our memory of past events and concepts and beliefs we have of future possibilities. Our current grasp of reality is constantly changing and yet we are able to create a reality that gives our life meaning and stability.

A new and emerging global society is appearing as our reality and many are beginning to question what the source of this reality is. Those who believe that thoughts influence reality are idealist and participate with universities, think tanks, political parties, and other intellectual institutions. Those that hold beliefs that material objects shape reality are realist and participate in the science endeavors, multinational corporations, and military institutions.

Rev 22:2-3 (NKJV) In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse,…

Matthew 21:18-20 (NLT) In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, 19 and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. 20 The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

John 3:12-14 (NKJV) If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

Is there another way to shape the reality in which we live? In the world where poverty and disease influence the lives of us all, is it possible for heaven to come to the earth and remain? Is there a possibility to achieve a reality where all 7.3 billion of us humans could experience unlimited resources? Is there an experience where we are all walking in the reality that we are daughters and sons of our Father in heaven?

As a Disciple of Jesus, it is obvious that Jesus experiences life in another reality even while He walked this earth as a human. In order to bring heaven to the earth we must first experience heaven. The number one goal of our experience as His disciples is to taste heaven.  This is the reason that people known to be blind since birth received sight when they encountered a Son of God. When a party runs out of wine, when children are possessed and not in their right mind, when people with all kinds of disease and even people that appeared to be dead, they all need the experienced of Heaven’s reality.

Gen 1:2-4 (NKJV) The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good;…

John 5:19-20 (NKJV)  Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

It is my understanding that we are most like our Father in heaven when we can look into the chaos of lives dressed in earthly flesh and see the light of spiritual reality unfolding as it becomes the new material reality. The process of creation is an ongoing part of the eternal now and is designed to allow sons and daughters of God to imagine its new configuration.

My hope and encouragement is that we develop the awareness of, our human potential, our relationship with God and our responsibility to His Kingdom. An heir, that never takes his or her throne will miss some of the greatest experiences during their life on earth. To hold beliefs that that our spiritual destiny is relegated to a life after we die and leave the earth is the traditional interpretation of scripture. However, God our Father has made it clear through the demonstrations of Jesus our brother, that we all have the potential for a greater relationship with God.

Overcoming the world has more to do with, our understanding and perception of reality. Traditional interpretation of scripture is always based on the light of understanding that was present at the moment the tradition was created. Likewise, we must read and interpret Scripture with the understanding that is present to us today. We must live today in our current daylight. Each generation has an opportunity to stand on the shoulders of the previous generation, to help humanity move closer to the reality of heaven as Jesus beheld it. Also, each generation must be given the next the freedom to use its spiritual tools to explore a deeper understanding of Jesus’s reality of heaven on earth.

The spiritual evolution of humanity is an ever-present process of eternal expansion. To give in to the pressures of perceiving reality only through the filter of the original apostles, or 16th century church, or even the view of our recent brothers and sister of the last one-hundred years is a missed opportunity, from my humble point of view. We were born for a day such as this. Our great grandchildren will be born for their day. We can learn from those of the past, but we should not be bound to their perception of reality, except for Jesus, who’s view of heaven is pure.

So while it is day, let us witness and participate with our Father in heaven, in the creation of heaven on earth. As disciples, we must learn to see and work with God in the same manner that Jesus did. We follow His pattern alone and not that of Moses or Paul. There is only one name under heaven that we have committed our lives too.

John 1:6-18 (NLT)  God sent a man, John the Baptist, 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

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