Tag Archives: love

May 14, 2012 · 10:24 pm

Seeing Christ in the Mirror Pt. 2

 So let’s continue our discussion of gathering evidence of God’s Kingdom. In my last posting “Seeing Christ in the Mirror” I introduced you to the mirror as a tool for not only gathering evidence but for detecting the spiritual aspects of the Kingdom of God (KoG). Since we know that the KoG is within each person, then one of the images in the mirror must be looking inward for evidence of Christ.

 

Theology of the Mirror – 4 step process.

  1. How does a mirror work?
  2. What do you see in the mirror?
  3. Are you willing to be a mirror?
  4. Are you willing to be changed by the image you see in the mirror?

 As we continue with step 2 of this process which I have titled the Theology of the Mirror, let us take a closer look at how we are able to see spiritually. To see spiritually simply means we are awake to the existence of the spiritual realm to the point that we can interact with it. Anyone can simply believe in something they cannot see. However, it is only when we change our behavior in relation to the things of the spirit realm that we show true evidence for the existence of the things that are invisible to the material realm.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 Our ability to see spiritually depends on our ability to see Christ. Jesus is the way between the material world and the spiritual world. To unlock any door or mystery you need a key and Jesus is that key as well as the door. Jesus is the icon of Christian faith but sometimes He is limited only to the role of figure-head for the religious and material kingdoms of this world.

 As we learn to live a more spiritual life we must use the tools found in the spiritual Kingdom of God. As we use them we provide additional evidence establishing the existence of the KoG to the jury of our peers. The more we make contact with Christ that lives on the inside of us the more we remain conscious and connected to God and His Kingdom.

 Philippians 2:4-6 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

 Matthew 14:35-36 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

  The mirror is a metaphor for the Word of God who is also the person of Jesus. As Christians we understand that God, His Spirit and Jesus the Son are one. Therefore since God has place His Spirit in us we are being made one with God as we give up our hold on living out our desires more than the desires of our Father in heaven. The Word of God shows us an image and an example of how our Brother Jesus, who was the first human after the fall of Adam, first live for God will more than His personal interest.

 When we look into the mirror of God’s word we see the image of Christ and an image of ourselves that falls short of Christ Image. With an understanding of God’s love we begin to get a vision of our self as Christ. We take that image and go into the world and try walk in a way we envision Christ would walk today. A good example of this is when Michael Jordan was at the top of his game all the basketball players would try to imitate him. The circumstances in life give us plenty of chances to do what we would imagine Christ to do. By faith we attempt to walk in the truth of the Word of God and we study the image of Christ so we can so we can take our life to the level of Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:11-12 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

At the moment of our new birth “It is no longer the little “I am” that lives, but it is the great “I am of Christ” that has become available to our conscious” At that moment the transformation process begins. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 says we start out as children beholding dimly the images of Christ, our self and others. But as we move to maturity our understanding increases and by faith we begin to see spiritually until we stand face to face with Christ which is our destiny.

 God loves has been revealed as “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” As we walk in forgiveness, repentance and the other strategies of love we become transform and are able to move closer towards the image of Christ and able to partake in the resource of the Kingdom of God.

 Finally as members of the Kingdom our goal is to bring forth spiritual truth as evidence into manifestation in this material realm. We are known for our love because we can see the spiritual Christ in ourselves and in others. We are not looking for material icons like buildings, jewelry or Sunday morning people who are all in their places with bright shiny faces. We behold the Christ that this world knows not of.

Luke 17:21 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!’[a] For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Theology of the Mirror — YouTube Video link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lux0hHEHais

 

 

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April 30, 2012 · 8:56 pm

We Are Also Presenters of Real Evidence

 In my last posting I showed an example of how Jesus presented real (physical) evidence of spiritual truth. As we understand that we are like Christ in many ways including spiritually I want to show that we also can provide real (physical) evidence of a spiritual reality, mainly the Kingdom of God (KoG). If spiritual truth is to become a common reality, we who are awake to that truth must take the responsibility to present evidence of our understanding concerning spiritual truth.

Remember that the definition of real (physical) evidence is a type of evidence that is a material object presented to prove a fact. As citizens and family members of the Kingdom, we have been empowered with the authority to reveal spiritual truth for the purpose of winning over those that are blind or are against the reality of the KoG. The Kingdom and it King are spiritual and to be able to provide physical evidence of spirit is a really cool thing. It requires and understanding of both physical spiritual laws.

Matthew 5:46-48  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

 The absolute easiest evidence we can show is love. Not the love that this world gives but the love that comes from the heavenly Kingdom. Returning love that someone gives you is easy because they gave it to you first. God first loved us so we can have a capacity to love Him. Those that are blind to God have a difficulty expressing true love. When mankind became consciously separated from our Father we only had the capacity to express love for self.  We did not have the understanding that one could choose to love others before themselves until Jesus presented evidence of that possibility.

 Matthew 5:43-45  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;  for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

 True love as depicted in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 can only come from the Kingdom of God. Love is that quality to not only think about others over self but it also includes the empowerment to act for others above self. But as we see from scripture there is little or no reward for loving someone who loves you. This is the common love we see all around us. It is also this lack of common love that creates the difficult situations in the earth realm. However, even this level of love shows forth some of the presence and understanding of God existence, though its expression is often perverted.

 But what we need is real (physical) evidence that is able to reveal the spiritual truth of Gods Kingdom in order to change the judgment of a jury of our peers. We need overwhelming real (physical) evidence in order to have an impact on the people we meet in our daily lives. This is why the head of our Kingdom commands us to love our enemies. On this one point the KoG separates itself fundamentally from the world’s kingdoms. Loving our enemies is so uncommon that many religious organizations including some Christian organizations miss this important aspect of the Kingdom.

 Essentially Jesus is acknowledging that there will always people including ourselves at times when we think and act contrary (or anti) to the will of Christ. But from God’s point of view He is willing to extend grace equally to all. We must understand that God is, to all. Like the light of the sun or rain it impacts all equally within the same environment.

 So as children of God we need to act like the one who sent us by extending grace and love to all and that includes enemies of our Father. If we judge by the sight of our eyes and hearing of our ears we are not acting spiritually. When we choose to love those who are acting anti-Christ we are presenting spiritual evidence that can be physically observed.

 When Jesus offered His physical body for our spiritual redemption and consumption it resulted in real (physical) evidence that produced healing in our bodies, freedom from sin and the capacity to love others as ourselves. Now we can, in the image of Christ, present real (physical) evidence of spiritual truth by using our freedom of choice to love. As people observe this evidence of truth they can make a choice about the KoG.

 We who live in the KoG have been made aware of a set of spiritual laws which seem foreign to the earthly kingdom. As children of God we have been given authority to exercise these spiritual laws for the purpose of winning others to God’s point of view. We are turning the enemies of God into our brothers and sisters through love. Each convert must choose of their own free will to receive the grace and forgiveness to become reconciled to our heavenly Father. This can only be done by a right understanding of the works of Christ. By grace through Christ we enter the Kingdom of God. From here we present spiritual truth through an uncommon type love.

Matthew 5:39-42 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

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April 14, 2012 · 9:00 pm

Evidence Not Of This World

As we explore the ins and outs of evidence and the laws that influence its presentation, we must understand that we simply use evidence as a way to prove something. That something needs evidence in order to reach a favorable judgment by a jury of our peers. And the evidence of our concern has to do with the spiritual Kingdom of God (KoG).

 John 9:39
And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”

 If spiritual evidence alone can prove the existance of the KoG then was it was necessary for God send someone outside of this world to reveal that reality to the citizens of this world? Or is God trying to prove something different? The religious organizations of this world work very hard to establish their organizational authority and most of their evidence is based on interpretations of what they think this Kingdom looks like.

 However Jesus brings us first hand authentic testimony which kept intact a provable chain of custody all the way back to the KoG of which He claimed to be King. In order for a person to declare Jesus their King they must see His Kingdom and join that Kingdom by becoming subject to its laws and His Kingship. So a true religion on earth should be an embassy of Christ and His Kingdom.

 In my last posting A Perfect Witness to Truth I discussed how the main religious organization at the time of Christ, use the fact that Jesus presented testimonial evidence that He was King, as a means to get the secular authority to squash a perceived rival for their spiritual authority. The some religious authorites of this world often perceive their spiritual authority as an extension of God’s Kingdom. Like many religious organizations today the Jewish group in Jerusalem at the time of Christ did not have the authority to put a man to death so they declared secular authority to be superior and declared their unity with that earthly kingdom. Likewise today many religious organizations experience the same lack of a spiritual authority so they declare unity with an earthly kingdoms to increase their power and influence.

 John 8:23
And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

 We must learn to look past the worldly traditions and interpretations of scripture and quietly let God’s Spirit through prayer, contemplation and meditation bring us revelation concerning the testimony of our heavenly Father and of Jesus our Brother. It is possible to find relevant understanding and to achieve a Christ-like spiritual lifestyle on earth today. This is not a knock on those past interpretations but mankind is called to go past our present point of understanding. We must take on the responsibility to lay our lives down for the next generation and mine new understanding and to do that we must let go of some of our traditions in order to take a fresh look at the spiritual landscape ahead of us and to hear the still voice of God.

John 4:32
But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”

 John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 When we analyze the testimony of Jesus we should be able to detect that His evidence was not of this world and if we are to help others see His world we need to interpret scripture differently from the traditional view presented by some religions. Some religious groups have become devoid to any connection with the spiritual realm. Their understanding, goals and authority are completely focused on earthly things.

Jesus clearly states for the record that the evidence He is presenting is not of this world. This means that anyone not having eyes to see will misinterpret the evidence. Their reaction may be well-meaning like wanting to protect the orthodoxy of their beliefs. Most anti-Kingdom responses are from a place of ignorance and not willful defiance to God. In fact the very testimony of Christ on the cross was Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

As children of God and citizens of the Kingdom we also need to make very clearly that the love, peace, mercy, grace and any other piece of evidence we present did not originate from this world. An apostolic anointing is the ability to bring evidence from heaven to earth. This is what should be meant when we pray on earth as it is in heaven. However in a lot of cases when we analyze religious organizations and the mindsets of its followers we see a twisted interpretation of an earthly kingdom being presented as God’s Kingdom.

True ambassadors have one mission and that is for the judgment of our peers to agree to willingly be reconciled to our Father in the KoG. The purpose of Jesus’ testimonial evidence is to establish and enlighten awareness concerning a realm not easily seen from earth and all Disciples of Christ should be doing the same. We establish that which already exist by changing the minds of those that are blind to the truth of God’s Kingdom. This is simple but not easy and is the reason we also must have the words forgive them for they know not what they do, in our hearts.

 John 15:19
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

 Love is the only way to win the others into the KoG. Love is the only way to get a person to willingly change their point of view from this world to the KoG. As children of the Kingdom we are known for our love and we are known for loving our enemies until they recognize that we are all family. The moment God becomes our Father every other human becomes our brother or sister. When this revelation reaches critical mass and begins to cause awareness in enough people on earth the Kingdom of God will begin to emerge. Scriptural prophecy speaks of a day when the evidence of God’s Kingdom will be accepted as common knowledge by many humans on earth.

 Isaiah 11:8-10  8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea. 10 “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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