We live in a world where all sorts of religious theories and propositions, are continually being expounded in media of all sorts but especially in the electronic media of our day.
Today in many religious circles "image management" seems to be trumping "character development". Many modern religious/spiritual orators seem more intent on being seen as some kind of famous religious thespians than in truly living and speaking from the heart of God and presenting the genuine message of Gods Love, Grace and Mercy.
Of course , I am not intimating that preaching should not be interesting and powerfully or even eloquently presented. True Gospel proclamation is Gods method to impart the Power of God to the hearers. St Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians elaborates on this below.
The Message (MSG)
1 Corinthians 2
1-2You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.
3-5I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.
6-10We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so.
We can see from the Scriptures above that the Gospel message is unlike any other kind or oratory or rhetoric, it cannot be compared to Shakespeare or great poetry or philoshophical writings. Of course, I love Shakepeare and great poetry but it is in a different realm entirely to Scripture and Gospel preaching.
Today, there are a multitude of experts and talk show hosts who claim to have the answer to the problems of 21st century living. There are countless motivational speakers who claim to have the keys to success. Not to mention the gurus and teachers of all stripes. Many who identify themselves as Christian preachers also subscribe to the motivational and new age concepts that are so prevalent and popular. Todays spirituality is like a salad bar that one can pick and choose from at will.
The reality though is that the Word of God has not changed to suit our belief systems. God desires that we conform to His Word, not that we try to make His word conform to our beliefs and lifestyles.
Even in Biblical times St Paul wrote of a class of self exalting so called ministers that preyed on the early church, he warned the people of those he termed wolves.
1 corinthians 11 (The Messsage) St Paul translated in modern english.
4-6It seems that if someone shows up preaching quite another Jesus than we preached—different spirit, different message—you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot "apostles," why can't you put up with simple me? I'm as good as they are. It's true that I don't have their voice, haven't mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I'm talking about.
The Message (MSG) St Paul again.
Acts 20:29-31"I know that as soon as I'm gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus. So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another.
Again, there is nothing wrong with the arts, music and even philosophy in its correct priority and understanding. In fact all these things are gifts of God to enjoy and be helped by.
The problem is when any man made concept, music or artform is exalted to the level of ultimate truth, God Himself reserves this job for Himself. Of course He gives us the privilege of being used as His instruments and mouthpieces but he always gets the credit as the source. The hose is the conduit through which the water flows but the hose can never claim the significance of the water itself.
Let us become true disciples of the Greatest Master in the Universe, His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
John 8:31
The Message (MSG)Words of Jesus.
31-32Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Gods New Deal
Many people today associate Christianity with the concept of being religious, or as a religion. This is understandable, as Christianity is largely identified as a major world religion. In reality though, Jesus Christ did not found Christianity as a religious system. When Jesus founded the ecclesia or called out ones (Church) His vision was not of an organisation or religious group with a new and interesting cosmology.
Rather, Christianity was established as a Covenant Relationship with the Eternal Omnipotent Father of Love and Light. When we use the term covenant we must realize what this means in the Biblical sense.
When we talk about the Christian Covenant ratified by Jesus Christ with His Church, we are talking about the most powerful, contractual, relational interaction in the Universe. The New covenant that Jesus ratified at the Cross was a Blood Covenant. Most Native Tribes of the world, if not all, have something similar to this when they cut a covenant and become blood brothers with another individual or tribe.
When one Tribal Chief becomes a blood brother with another tribal chief, they make an incision in their arm or hands and clasp a certain handshake and mingle their blood in sworn agreement to share with, protect and defend each other and their tribes.
This signifies that what one tribe has, is jointly shared with the other tribe and vice versa. One tribe might be strong in warfare and defense, the other in agriculture and economic skills. They agree in blood brotherhood that each one is sworn to help each other in unconditional committment.
The marriage covenant is the most powerful example and depiction of this when entered into Biblically. When a man and woman entered into marriage (Spiritual, mental and physical union) in ancient cultures, there was great emphasis placed on the blood permeated evidence of the covenant on the wedding night bedsheet. Of course, in our modern culture, it is rare that both, or even one partner is a virgin at marriage but this was Gods original design and intention. (Even if there is no blood evidence at marriage union, it is still a blood covenant in Gods eyes)
Today, we dont realize the powerful significance of the blood covenant in marriage. In Gods eyes, the physical union of man and woman, is the final consummation and ratification of the marriage ceremony, it is the cutting and celebration of the covenant. This is why God places such a huge premium on and so carefully regulates sexual union. Sex is the ultimate declaration of committment in Gods eyes, not only to the partners involved but also to the resulting children born of the covenant relationship.
When Jesus Christ went to the Cross and shed His Blood to remit the sins of the world, it was the Ultimate Blood Brotherhood Relationship committment on Gods part to the human race. God was saying, I am willing to allow my only Son to empty His Precious Blood and die and take the rap or penalty for all of mans sins and failures.
Think of it, God offers us Blood Brotherhood with Himself.
This means we get everything He has and He gets everything we have. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure that we got the best end of the deal. He offers us an Eternal Home of Peace, Love and Security, Health, Forgiveness, Provisions beyond description. All we can offer Him is not much, He gets our sin, our failure, pain, our problems, our weakness. Of course, He says, because I love you unconditionally I will gladly exchange all of my Grace and Strength for your sorrow and weakness.
Read the old Jewish prophet Isaiahs prophecy about the Messiah Jesus below. This prophecy was given ages before Jesus was born.
Isaiah 53
The Message (MSG)
1 Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
on him, on him.
7-9He was beaten, he was tortured,
but he didn't say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he'd never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn't true.
10Still, it's what God had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul,
he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
will make many "righteous ones,"
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.
Rather, Christianity was established as a Covenant Relationship with the Eternal Omnipotent Father of Love and Light. When we use the term covenant we must realize what this means in the Biblical sense.
When we talk about the Christian Covenant ratified by Jesus Christ with His Church, we are talking about the most powerful, contractual, relational interaction in the Universe. The New covenant that Jesus ratified at the Cross was a Blood Covenant. Most Native Tribes of the world, if not all, have something similar to this when they cut a covenant and become blood brothers with another individual or tribe.
When one Tribal Chief becomes a blood brother with another tribal chief, they make an incision in their arm or hands and clasp a certain handshake and mingle their blood in sworn agreement to share with, protect and defend each other and their tribes.
This signifies that what one tribe has, is jointly shared with the other tribe and vice versa. One tribe might be strong in warfare and defense, the other in agriculture and economic skills. They agree in blood brotherhood that each one is sworn to help each other in unconditional committment.
The marriage covenant is the most powerful example and depiction of this when entered into Biblically. When a man and woman entered into marriage (Spiritual, mental and physical union) in ancient cultures, there was great emphasis placed on the blood permeated evidence of the covenant on the wedding night bedsheet. Of course, in our modern culture, it is rare that both, or even one partner is a virgin at marriage but this was Gods original design and intention. (Even if there is no blood evidence at marriage union, it is still a blood covenant in Gods eyes)
Today, we dont realize the powerful significance of the blood covenant in marriage. In Gods eyes, the physical union of man and woman, is the final consummation and ratification of the marriage ceremony, it is the cutting and celebration of the covenant. This is why God places such a huge premium on and so carefully regulates sexual union. Sex is the ultimate declaration of committment in Gods eyes, not only to the partners involved but also to the resulting children born of the covenant relationship.
When Jesus Christ went to the Cross and shed His Blood to remit the sins of the world, it was the Ultimate Blood Brotherhood Relationship committment on Gods part to the human race. God was saying, I am willing to allow my only Son to empty His Precious Blood and die and take the rap or penalty for all of mans sins and failures.
Think of it, God offers us Blood Brotherhood with Himself.
This means we get everything He has and He gets everything we have. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure that we got the best end of the deal. He offers us an Eternal Home of Peace, Love and Security, Health, Forgiveness, Provisions beyond description. All we can offer Him is not much, He gets our sin, our failure, pain, our problems, our weakness. Of course, He says, because I love you unconditionally I will gladly exchange all of my Grace and Strength for your sorrow and weakness.
Read the old Jewish prophet Isaiahs prophecy about the Messiah Jesus below. This prophecy was given ages before Jesus was born.
Isaiah 53
The Message (MSG)
1 Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
on him, on him.
7-9He was beaten, he was tortured,
but he didn't say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he'd never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn't true.
10Still, it's what God had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul,
he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
will make many "righteous ones,"
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The River of His Pleasures
We live in a world of seemingly maniacal hedonistic pursuits. The deification of sensual pleasure is truly in great augmentation in todays world. Sadly, pleasure has taken priority over heart relationship with the Creator in many cases today. Let me give some background.
Man has always been a lover of sensual pleasure because God has created us to be able to enjoy the 5 senses.
Sensual pleasure in and of itself is a good gift from God, the body and the five physical senses, are not evil in the Christian world view. Its only when incorrect priorities cause pleasure to be exalted above obedience to Gods Word that pleasure becomes a problem to us.
The Bible clearly teaches that man and woman were made to complement or complete each other. God created marriage and sexual union as the deepest and most enriching form of human relationship. In fact, the New Testament teaches that the marriage relationship between a man and woman, is a symbol of Christ and His relationship to His Church.
The Scripture even calls the Church the Bride of Christ and Christ is depicted as the Heavenly Bridegroom. The deep spiritual, mental, emotional and physical intimacy experienced between a husband and wife is of a tremendously poignant and climactic nature. It is deeply fulfilling and enriching for both man and woman when entered into according the manufacturers (Gods) instructions.
Ephesians 5:31 Amplified
31For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
32This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church
The deeply engaging worship of a true believer in a heart covenant with the God of the Universe, also, spiritually speaking, experiences a close spiritual parallel of the earthly marriage covenant.
A stupendous, scintillating, vibrant and relentlessly enriching Spiritual intercourse
takes place when a believer enters into true worship. God and man (His Bride) co mingle in an amazing Close Encounter of the Ultimate kind between Divinity and humanity. God gets close and personal in the Spiritual sense and allows us to have the paramount interactive intimacy in His Power, Love and Presence in a Glorious climactic anointing that brings release to our heart and soul.
The Christian covenant is a blood covenant between the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride (The Church.) Christ shed His Blood at the Cross guaranteeing the open door to Eternal Intimacy with Him (Heaven)
The Marriage covenant of sexual union is also a Blood Covenant that binds a man and woman in intimacy for life when done according to Gods instructions. The miracle of Christ is that even a husband and wife who have had a history of past sexual promiscuity with other partners can be restored to Spiritual virginity and experience the benefits of a blood covenant even if the womans hymen is no longer intact. God loves sinners , which includes all of us and He has found a way through The Cross to make us all brand new people when we come to Him through Jesus.
Many people today think that the Judeo Christian Most High God is anti sexual pleasure and is out to spoil peoples fun in this department. Nothing could be further from the truth. God created sexual intimacy for our joy fulfillment and pleasure as well as to propagate mankind. Sex is meant to be the celebration of the marriage covenant.
God is a Father and He is always desiring to bless His Children and give them a magnificent future. I heard someone say recently that except for the existence of sin in mans genetic code that God would never have had to be serious about anything.
God would have loved to just play and bless His kids ad infinitum but sin required serious and grave measures in order to create a great future for mankind if they will act on His Word.
Sex is the most powerful driving force in mans life next to emergency self preservation. It can be compared to fire or electricity or nuclear energy to power generators. Fire or electricity is very good and positive to warm and cook and produce light with when handled correctly according to safety codes.
We wouldnt dream of allowing bare live electric wires to dangle dangerously out of our walls. No, we insulate and handle power or fire with great care and obey government safety regulations as we know this is positive and good for all of us.
God has put regulations around sexual energy also for our own safety, not to rain on our parade as it were. We light fires in our house only in the designated fireplace, that is designed to safely handle fire. Marriage is like a fireplace, it is the place God has designed to handle the huge firelike power of human sexuality. We wouldnt dream of lighting a fire on the carpet in our living room, it would be madness. In God eyes, promiscuous sex is also damaging foolishness, as casual relationships are not up to His code requirements to handle the tremendous power of sexual relationships and often resulting children born from them.
So if we do it Gods way, not only will we have fun and pleasure, we will have safe homes to handle the power and children released from sexual union. (Not to menton the health benefits)
The safest, sexiest and most enjoyable place in the world is marriage and family.
The whole playboy rock and roll philosophy is a counterfeit that falls apart.
Man has always been a lover of sensual pleasure because God has created us to be able to enjoy the 5 senses.
Sensual pleasure in and of itself is a good gift from God, the body and the five physical senses, are not evil in the Christian world view. Its only when incorrect priorities cause pleasure to be exalted above obedience to Gods Word that pleasure becomes a problem to us.
The Bible clearly teaches that man and woman were made to complement or complete each other. God created marriage and sexual union as the deepest and most enriching form of human relationship. In fact, the New Testament teaches that the marriage relationship between a man and woman, is a symbol of Christ and His relationship to His Church.
The Scripture even calls the Church the Bride of Christ and Christ is depicted as the Heavenly Bridegroom. The deep spiritual, mental, emotional and physical intimacy experienced between a husband and wife is of a tremendously poignant and climactic nature. It is deeply fulfilling and enriching for both man and woman when entered into according the manufacturers (Gods) instructions.
Ephesians 5:31 Amplified
31For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
32This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church
The deeply engaging worship of a true believer in a heart covenant with the God of the Universe, also, spiritually speaking, experiences a close spiritual parallel of the earthly marriage covenant.
A stupendous, scintillating, vibrant and relentlessly enriching Spiritual intercourse
takes place when a believer enters into true worship. God and man (His Bride) co mingle in an amazing Close Encounter of the Ultimate kind between Divinity and humanity. God gets close and personal in the Spiritual sense and allows us to have the paramount interactive intimacy in His Power, Love and Presence in a Glorious climactic anointing that brings release to our heart and soul.
The Christian covenant is a blood covenant between the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride (The Church.) Christ shed His Blood at the Cross guaranteeing the open door to Eternal Intimacy with Him (Heaven)
The Marriage covenant of sexual union is also a Blood Covenant that binds a man and woman in intimacy for life when done according to Gods instructions. The miracle of Christ is that even a husband and wife who have had a history of past sexual promiscuity with other partners can be restored to Spiritual virginity and experience the benefits of a blood covenant even if the womans hymen is no longer intact. God loves sinners , which includes all of us and He has found a way through The Cross to make us all brand new people when we come to Him through Jesus.
Many people today think that the Judeo Christian Most High God is anti sexual pleasure and is out to spoil peoples fun in this department. Nothing could be further from the truth. God created sexual intimacy for our joy fulfillment and pleasure as well as to propagate mankind. Sex is meant to be the celebration of the marriage covenant.
God is a Father and He is always desiring to bless His Children and give them a magnificent future. I heard someone say recently that except for the existence of sin in mans genetic code that God would never have had to be serious about anything.
God would have loved to just play and bless His kids ad infinitum but sin required serious and grave measures in order to create a great future for mankind if they will act on His Word.
Sex is the most powerful driving force in mans life next to emergency self preservation. It can be compared to fire or electricity or nuclear energy to power generators. Fire or electricity is very good and positive to warm and cook and produce light with when handled correctly according to safety codes.
We wouldnt dream of allowing bare live electric wires to dangle dangerously out of our walls. No, we insulate and handle power or fire with great care and obey government safety regulations as we know this is positive and good for all of us.
God has put regulations around sexual energy also for our own safety, not to rain on our parade as it were. We light fires in our house only in the designated fireplace, that is designed to safely handle fire. Marriage is like a fireplace, it is the place God has designed to handle the huge firelike power of human sexuality. We wouldnt dream of lighting a fire on the carpet in our living room, it would be madness. In God eyes, promiscuous sex is also damaging foolishness, as casual relationships are not up to His code requirements to handle the tremendous power of sexual relationships and often resulting children born from them.
So if we do it Gods way, not only will we have fun and pleasure, we will have safe homes to handle the power and children released from sexual union. (Not to menton the health benefits)
The safest, sexiest and most enjoyable place in the world is marriage and family.
The whole playboy rock and roll philosophy is a counterfeit that falls apart.
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