Tag Archives: emergent

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. 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. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 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, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 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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The Evidence of Natural Order

2014-01-04_CAM00417Forgiveness, grace and mercy are the evidence of God’s Presence and they are a part of the natural order of God’s Kingdom. To make this more obvious let us compare this same evidence to the fruit produced by the organized religions of the material world specifically Christian religious organizations. Forgiveness, grace and mercy can also be said to be the fruit of a life connected or entangled with the life and laws of God.

 The natural order of the material world and its religious organizations will have some rate of decay (entropy). However the energy to maintain and grow these organizations can be measured by examining the fruit yielded. The same could be said for our current understanding of God’s spiritual kingdom. Let us assume two things. 1) that the material world and its laws are a shadow of how the spiritual world operates and 2) that our human mind is capable of observing the effects of true spiritual fruit.

 If energy is the exercising of authority then the fruit of a material or spiritual realm can be used to measure the effectiveness of that realm to maintain or grow itself. We can observe the use of authority in God’s Kingdom and the various Christian religious organizations to determine similarities and gain understanding of the natural order in both the spiritual and material realms. I will limit this discussion in hopes that we will become conscious of our experience as well as become more observant of the future uses of authority.

 When observing religious organizations, we may notice that during periods when there are no limits as to who can execute forgiveness, grace and mercy these organizations begin to have a fruitful period of growth and membership is extended to any human. But when the organization limits authority or requires hierarchical consent (ie. new member, discipleship programs) to protect structure and traditions by limiting how and who receives the benefits of membership the trend towards growth slows. The apparent growth during times when authority is limited usually comes when it consumes other like organizations or its members(pre-approved humans).

 The Kingdom of God places it authority to execute forgiveness, grace and mercy in the heart of each individual member. As new members are birthed authority for them to do the same is transferred immediately and the Kingdom grows. The only tradition is that they learn to execute the forgiveness, grace and mercy that was freely given to them for every human they meet. God’s kingdom does not need to expended energy to maintain exceptions for cultural traditions, national affiliations, gender, race or economic status, all energy is expended for growth.

 What we begin to notice is the execution of authority produces fruit. God’s Kingdom has always maintained that His law be written on the heart of every member. However material realm organizations have always held a natural order of hierarchy where different rules are applied at different levels for different circumstances.

 Matthew 28:18-19 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,…..

The non-equality with respect to authority in the material realm corrodes and establishes a natural order with duration short of eternity. One reason the material realm will never be eternal is that it must expend energy in the transfer process of authority in order to establish and maintain an authority hierarchy in its social order. In the Kingdom of God the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead resides in all believers and forgiveness, grace and mercy have no limits.

 The Kingdom of God establishes a different natural order where each person can live and walk in the way of Jesus by simply executing forgiveness, grace and mercy to every human they come in contact with. Each person also has the freedom to ignore the status quo of their material world and extend forgiveness, grace and mercy to people who look and think nothing like themselves. Even our enemies can become members of God’s Kingdom when we use our authority and execute forgiveness, grace and mercy.

 There are many people committed to their religious order but I encourage us all to compare our way to God’s way. As we begin our comparison I encourage us to simply limit our initial assessment in the way we execute forgiveness, grace and mercy. I pray that we each have the courage to make the comparison and begin to live an eternal life that shows forth the evidence of God’s natural order.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35 NLT)

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. 29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.35 “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

 

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