It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

Posts tagged ‘God’s purpose for man’

The Soul and Spirit of Mankind-Made by God  for God! 

Mankind is a tri-part being, body, soul and spirit. The body came out of the earth, the soul and spirit are from God.  Our soul is the essence of who we are, it is what gives us our individuality and uniqueness as a person. The soul is where our will, conscience, intellect, thoughts, feelings and emotions are held, the soul is the very core of our being. The spirit of man came from God when He breathed His life-giving breath into mankind and we became a living soul. The spirit is what attached the soul to its source (God). The soul/will is what governs and directs the body, be it through the living spirit that is within us, or in death without the spirit. 

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. KJV

The body came out of the earth and mankind was given rule and dominion over the earth, as he was created from the dust of the earth. The soul and spirit of mankind came from God and weremade for God, so that humanity could navigate in the spirit and earthly realm. God’s Spirit, was breathed into mankind and he became a living soul and spirit. The body returns to the earth when it is dead, just as the soul and spirit of mankind returns to its source when it dies, where it will give account and/or be rewarded according to the life it lived in fulfilling its created purpose. 

 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

There is a spiritual realm where God, angels and all other spiritual beings exist in the heavens. God created a natural dominion, the earth, that consists of physical things. Mankind was created to exist in both the spirit and earthly realms and they are very real places with different principles and laws that govern their territory. We need to understand these principles in order to navigate, negotiate and live in both of these spheres. God created mankind to co-exist in both realms.

Genesis 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. NKJ

Humanity’s natural life is attached to the earth, because the body was formed from the ground, created in God’s likeness and it is fed and nurtured by the living sustenance of the earth, the ground, from where he was taken. Without these life-giving nutrients the body would die, because it would lack the source it needs to continue. 

 

Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” NKJ

 

The spirit and soul of mankind came from God, and they had the Shekinah Glory of God upon them and God’s Spirit within. When God blew His breath of life into mankind, they became a living soul. The soul and spirit of mankind was alive and in full connection with its source, the Spirit of God, just as their natural bodies were connected to its source, the earth.Mankind’s body, soul and spirit was living in completeness with its purpose, his body fully connected to the earth and his soul and spirit fully connected with God. The body, soul and the spirit all were living attached to their source, earth and God, to fulfill their purpose, which is to replenish the earth with living souls that would be connected to God, the Creator and King. 

 

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of a person is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. NAS

 

The very day mankind rebelled against their life-giving source, God, their God-like spirit left, because light and darkness cannot occupy the same space.  The spirit of mankind died, when the Shekinah-Glory of God left them, because its spiritwas no longer attached to its source. Therefore, the created God-like man no longer existed. As when a plant is uprooted from the soil or a fish is taken out of the water, they die. The God-Spirit in man surely died that day, and their souls were no longer attached to their life-giving source. 

 

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” NKJ

 

Genesis 3:23-24 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.  So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. NKJ

 

Mankind was then driven out the garden of Eden and were no longer in that close relationship with their Creator-God. God had to drive them out of the garden, because of the evil state of fallen mankind. Had they eaten from the tree of life, to live forever in a life full of sin and depravity, it would be even moreof a horrifying state for this world to be in. 

God’s mercy He did not allow fallen mankind with all of itsdestruction and devastation to have the ability to live forever in the earth. God’s love and mercy would not allow that to be.  Instead, He provided a way for mankind to be delivered, through faith in Jesus Christ, and to be reunited with theirSource, their God, Creator and King. 

 

Romans 6:17-19   But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness

 

Fallen mankind lost their God given Shekinah glory, after obeying Satan, and they were transformed, mutated and transfigured into the likeness of their new master, Satan and sin. In their obedience to Satan, they gave all their God given authority and dominion over to Satan and the world fell into chaos, death and destruction.  

 

God did not create this world of confusion, death and ruin, it was the result of the choice of mankind and their disobedience to God’s instructions. With the death of mankind’s God-like spirit, man became the living dead, because its spirit and soul were no longer attached to its source. The death of the spirit and lost soul is the dead that Jesus was speaking of when he told the man, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” In this fallen state mankind’s spirit is dead and his soul is lost. 

 

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  

Luke 9:59-60 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” NKJ

Mankind’s “will” is part of their soul, it is their ability to choose, and it is their God given right, characteristic and attribute. Satan cannot take humanity’s ability to choose, though he may lie to deceive them to make the wrong choices. God will not take away their ability to choose, even though their choices may be wrong, toxic or fatal. In the beginning it was in their God given power to choose, whether to obey God or Satan. Humanity’s ability to choose, “their will” is at the very core of who they are, their being. The will of mankind is atthe very heart of their soul and spirit. The body was made to function on the earth, but the soul was made to commune with their God through the spirit to fulfill its purpose, but the spiritof mankind died at the fall. 

 

Ephesians 2:4-5, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 

 

The soul is constantly looking for a connection and is trying to find purpose and meaning for life, because it became lost and unattached to its Source, God’s Spirit. The soul is looking for love, value and purpose in all the wrong places. Humanity will not find true love, purpose and value until their spirit is revived by the Holy Spirit, through faith in the completed work of Christ.    Once again God sends His life-giving Holy Spirit into mankind, and they become a living soul, re-connected to theirlife-giving source (God) and his created purpose, to reveal the love and life of God upon the earth. 

 

We often hear the terms, the lost soul, the wandering soul, or no peace for the soul, that is because God’s plan and purpose for mankind did not change. Because of the fall, God’s original purpose for mankind took an alternate course in following Satan, but God’s purpose did not change. Humanity still has a will and their God given right to choose, again whether to return to God or to continue in a life of chaos and destruction. 

 

It was God’s mercy and a Father’s love for His creation and His children that caused Him to send Yeshua, Jesus as our Rescuer and Savior, so that we could be restored back to a relationship and into the family of God as His children. God provided a wayfor His children to be set free from Satan’s mutated, distorted and perverse state of being.

 

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, no work we can perform to make us holy, righteous, or saved on our own. We are saved and made holy and righteous because of what Christ has already done. No one can stand before God according to their work or performance, our best efforts are filthy in His sight. We all stand on the same ground, at the foot of the cross of Christ in need of a Savior. It is because we are love by God and have been saved through faith that we now go and serve a lost world. We are not trying to earn God’s love, we already have it, but it is our love for God and His Son Jesus that we now go out to show that love to a lost and deprived world. 

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

The renewed Holy Spirit of God lives in us through faith in Jesus Christ.  We can show His mercy, grace, forgiveness and love to others because this is what we have received from God. We do not work to obtain God’s love, it is His gift, we cannot earn it.  It is because we have received God’s love that we now show His love, mercy and grace to a lost and dying world. 

 

1 Corinthians 15:45 So it is written [in Scripture], “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL (an individual);” the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit [restoring the dead to life]. AMP

 

The first Adam, became living with the Spirit of God and his will/soul was connected to God. Adam rebelled against God and the Spirit of God left and his soul was disconnected from its source. Jesus, the last Adam became the life-giving spirit, reviving the dead spirit of mankind and reconnecting his soul/will to its Creator and restoring God’s original purpose, for humanity to be the image bearer of God and replenishing the earth with His likeness. 

 

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Kingdom of Heaven and Earth to Co-Exist Within You

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth there was a continuous flow or gateway between heaven and earth where God and mankind had open access to one another. God’s original plan for humanity was for mankind to rule and reign in the physical realm of earth as God rules and reign in the spiritual realm in the heavens. All authority and dominion were given to mankind for the purpose of transforming the earth into a place where God’s presence and likeness would be seen throughout the whole earth. 

Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” NKJ

God took man out of the dust of the ground, (earth) and formed him into the image of God’s likeness. God breathed into mankind His breath of life,who was given a will and the ability to rule and reign over the earth he also had the capacity to make choices and decisions regarding his life.   Wherever God reigns and God rules is called the kingdom of God. God’s kingdom spanned from the heavens to earth, as God ruled in heaven and the Godlike-man ruled in earth, both were part of the Kingdom of God. God’s kingdom territory, like most kingdoms, is wherever the King has dominion and rules.  

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. NKJ

In God’s original creation, God, mankind and nature were in perfect harmony with one another.  God’s living spirit resided within mankind and His presence was in fellowship with both mankind and nature, until the rebellion of mankind against their God and King. That was the day the Godlike mankind spirit died. The spirit of God that was breathed intomankind ceased to be and was separated from the body. Then the soul of mankind lost it perfect unity and connection with their Creator. 

Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space, with their disobedience to God and obedience to Satan, then came the fall into sin and thereby the transference of the dominion and rule from the Godlike man into the hands of Satan. The earth which was the kingdom of God fell into darkness andinto the hands of Satan the prince of darkness.  

Romans 6:16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. NLT

Luke 1:78-79 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.” NKJ

Jesus came to earth, being fully God and the Son of Man, bringing both the kingdom heaven and God’s rule back to earth through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and that it was near because He had come. Wherever the Spirit of God lives in the earth, that becomes part of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus told them to repent, which means to change the way, the direction you are going or to change the way you think about what you are doing.  To repent is to turn from your old ways of doing things and to agree with God’s word and His direction. It is not just about feeling sad or it regretful it is about changing one’s heart and mindset.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” NKJ

Through faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection we can receive the Holy Spirit of God to be born again in the likeness of God through His Spirit. Then we are now in fellowship with God and have entered into the kingdom of heaven. God’s kingdom is where God’s presence and earth join. Just as it was in the original state when God created the earth, His presence was in the earth and He would walk with mankind in the garden in the cool of the day. God’s presence was in the earth and His kingdom reigned upon the earth. 

1 Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Genesis 3:8-9 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

God has always desired fellowship with His creation and He knewbeforehand that mankind would rebel and turn away. It was because of the love God had for us, that He would not leave us in our fallen state. He sent Yeshua, Jesus our Rescuer and Redeemer He provided a way for all humanity to return to Him. God provided a way for mankind to revert back to their created purpose, which is to resemble, reflect and reveal the love of God in the earth. By God’s grace we are saved, through faith in the completed work that Jesus did on our behalf. Jesus lived a perfect life, that we could not. He died a death that we deserved. He paid the cost for our rebellion and sin, that we owed.  Through faith in Jesus, we can now again be in fellowship with God and receive the Holy Spirit of God to live within us.

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; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The kingdom of heaven is not something you can observe or see with the naked eye. It is not demonstrated by what you eat or wear, nor any self-righteous acts that we may try to do to obtain access to God’s kingdom. The kingdom of God is within us when the Holy Spirit is living in us. Then the presence of God is in these earthen vessels, God’s presence and dominion and kingdom has come once again into the earth. And because His kingdom and dominion we now have the power and are able to live a life God had ordained in the beginning through the Holy Spirit. We have the power to forgive, to love, to show mercy and to have peace and joy in the midst of a crooked and perverse world.  

Romans 14:17-18 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

1 Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

God and earth are joined together in our earthly bodies and thereby, the kingdom of God is now living within us. How that kingdom is displayed,will be seen through the degree we allow His kingdom ways and His Spirit to have preeminence in our lives.  

Matthews 13:23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” NKJ

 

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The Enduring Word 1Peter 1:19-24

God’s purpose for humanity is for us to be in a close personal relationship with God as our Father, Jesus as our Lord and Savior and with one another in love. Because Christ died for all, we are called to be His ambassadors to bring other into salvation and become His disciples.

God’s truths are revealed to us by His word and through the life of Jesus. By faith we believe Jesus is the Son of the Most-High God and accept and trust His truths until they are established in our hearts and minds. Then comes the testing of our faith, to show if we really and truly believe God’s word, whether we will obey it or not.  Truth that is not tested is only a theory, but a truth that is tried and has been tested and proven trustworthy, will be established in our hearts and becomes fact. Standing in faith under pressure is like metal being refined with fire, it removes the impurities but leaves a genuineness of faith to the praise and glory of God. 

Jehovah, is the Almighty God and He is Sovereign over heaven and earth and yet Satan is called the prince of this fallen world. Satan is most responsible for the evil, hate and problems in this world.  These truths sound as though they are conflicting statements or an oxymoron. God is ultimately the Sovereign King over the world and as a just and holy God He has limited Himself to His word. God in His Preeminence and excellent love for mankind created them in His image and gave them dominion over all He created. At the same time God gave them a free will, the ability to choose their allegiance and loyalties, and thereby allowing mankind the power to determine their own destiny. God in His Righteousness and Holiness had to respect the will and choice of mankind, as they turned over their dominion to Satan when they disobeyed him.

1 Peter1:19-21 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.   He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Philippians 1:20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. NIV

God in His Omniscient, all-seeing and all-knowing power knew mankind would be seduced by Satan into rebellion and disobedience against their God and King. But God made provision to redeem this fallen world system and mankind before the world was formed. Though sin, Satan and the fleshly cravings of mankind created a fallen world system that is geared to destroying and ensnaring humanity, God had made provision that the Son of Man, Jesus, would redeem this world with His precious blood. 

1 peter 1:18-20 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.   He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you  NKJ

God’s word will forever stand and there are no “take-backs” with God. Even though Satan became prince of darkness, God was bound by His word and His truth. It was man that relinquished dominion of this natural world to Satan and it would take a man, Jesus The Son of Man, to redeem their authority and dominance back to the former natural and spiritual world. Now there are two kingdom powers operating in the earth, the fallen world with darkness, principalities and powers of Satan, and also the Kingdom of God, which functions in both the natural and spiritual realm. 

God’s kingdom on the earth is both natural and spiritual. Many people are confused or blinded to the spiritual aspect of God’s kingdom and how His spiritual operation functions through faith in the earthly realm. 

Many people lose hope, lose sight, lose faith and lose confidence in God when they go through hard, horrendous or catastrophic experiences. This is because their perspective is only on their natural view or stance regarding their situation, such as the death of a love one, or a terminal illness or the loss of finances. Their attention is self-focused and overly concerned on what they have lost, and their belief that God did not intervene or stop those things from happening to them. These are very natural thoughts and as human beings our first response is in the natural, but the Holy Spirit of God is there to help the spirit of man to navigate through these life crises according to God’s word with a supernatural perspective. 

This old-world system has lost sight of mankind’s created purpose and has been taught to live a lie as to why they exist. People are naturally self-seeking, self-serving and full of pride. Many people are blinded by the lies of this world and are living as though this is the only life they have. Many spend themselves on these fleeting moments that are like passing vapors and they build their lives as castles on sand that will soon be washed away. We are to pass our time here as foreigners and sojourners, people who are passing through this space and time to do the will of God who created us to fulfill His purpose, to show God’s love and reflect His Glory.  

Luke 6:47-49 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that our souls are purified and it is through the truth of God’s word that we can love one another enthusiastically, eagerly and energetically. The heart is deceitfully wicked, full of greed, selfishness and hate, and only God can purify the heart through His Spirit and His Word. 

Jeremiah17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it? The Lord, search the heart, /test the mind even to give every man according to his way. KJV

 How would we live if we truly understood that this time on earth is but a moment and only the trial run for eternity. So many people live this life as though they will live on earth forever, making homes and legacies thinking they will last, while neglecting the true eternal destiny of the soul. 

What do you spend your time on? Where is your time invested? Will impact your eternal future?  

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To Fellowship in the Suffering of Christ

Many may say they want to know Jesus, to walk like Him and be in fellowship with Him, but they have not come to the realization of what that really means, which is a fellowship of His suffering.  As Christ followers we must change the way we evaluate the things that are happening to us and around us. We must change the way we view life and our expectations in life. 

1 Peter 5:10-11 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.  To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJ

1 Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

God’s purpose is for us to reveal His love and His glory in the earth, which we see through the life of Christ. God’s glory and love is revealed in the earth when we are obedient to His word and by obedience our faith is displayed to those who are lostand in darkness so that they too may come to the Light.

All humanity knows how to be mean, prideful, hateful and to want revenge for the evil that is done to us, it is a natural part of fallen mankind. But the love of God is seen when we show, forgiveness, mercy and love to others. 

2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

God’s goal for our lives is that we walk in love and obedience in hard and difficult times, just as Jesus did. Through this we will reveal God’s love to a lost world and this will show our faith and trust in Him. Through the Holy Spirit we can gothrough hurt, pain, agony and persecution without hurting others in return, and this is God’s purpose for our lives. Some people may call getting to the end of the trial their goal, but forGod it is the going through the trial, with love and mercy, this is His purpose. It is the trying or testing of our faith in Him. 

What some may call the process; God calls the purpose. What some may call the end; God calls a spin-off or the result of the faith that was shown during the time of the testing of our faith

1 Peter 4:12-14 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.  On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.  NKJ

Many people struggle just to get through their hardships and trials, so they can be blessed and that they may see goodness and rest in the end. But actually, the blessings are byproducts of us accomplishing God’s goal. Which is us being patience and being light in dark places and by showing of His mercy and forgiveness in difficult situations. God’s purpose and plan for our lives is to show His compassion and love in these hard and difficult times. It is in these situations that we demonstrate our faith and the likeness of Christ in the face of adversity. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. NKJ

Though Jesus was the Son of God, He suffered many things at the hands of evil men and because of this sinful world system.  It was through this very process of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection that He obtained salvation for all humanity.

If Jesus’ life is being formed in us then we too will experience challenges of our own, so that we too may have opportunities to forgive the wrong that we have experienced. In this we willreveal, reflect and resemble the likeness of Christ in our homes, families and community. 

Revelation 1:9 I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. NLT

1 Peter 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

The world will tell us that we should expect to receive only the good from God and should feel deprived or mistreated when we go through challenges and difficulties.   When our faith or sonship as children of God is challenged, by Satan or this world, we are to stand firm in who we are in Christ. 

It is in these challenges of life that stretch us and grow us into the image of Christ. Though we enjoy and rejoice in God’s blessing and favor, we will learn patience and perseverance through the things we suffer and the challenges we experience.  

Paul was ready to put aside his comfort and to be broken bread and poured out wine for those around him that they might see God’s light in him and believe in the risen Christ through his life. 

2 Corinthians 4: 7-10 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

We are to be reminded of our God given goal, purpose and intent, which is to know who we are in Christ and to display His power, light and love in a dark and hopeless world. 

Self-pity is from the devil and we fall into his trap when we focus on ourselves and become disheartened because of the things we go through. 

We are to be God’s light and share His hope through the power of the Holy Spirit who encourages us and gives us the endurance we need. Then we can have the same attitude and mindset as Christ and we too can say, Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. 

2 Corinthians 4:11-12 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. NKJ

Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Again, we must change the way we think about the things we go through as an opportunity to show God’s love and the light of His glory in a dark and hopeless world.

Every act of kindness can have at least three touch points, the joy as the one who gives, the thankfulness as the one who receives and the pleasure of one who witnesses the mercy, grace and compassion of God.  When we are generous we show God’s love and others receives His love through our generosity, while others may also witness this love of God.

Romans 15:5-7 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. NKJ

 

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The Mind and Innovative Thinking

We have heard it said the mind is the battlefield, which is true, but the battle is for the mind. The mind is where we make all our determinations in life and where we use our will. It is the mind that allows us to think things through and make decisions and choices which may impact not only our lives and those we love and our eternal destiny too. It is where we use our creativity and become innovative in our thinking and thereby enhance our lifestyle. This is why it is so important we guard what and who we allow to have access to our minds and especially the minds of our children.

We treat that which we see, hear and learn with such irreverence. We sometimes allow anyone with any message access to our mind which will ultimately determine our choice and in the end our destiny. If our minds and our children’s minds are exposed to any type of offensive thoughts or things that amuse and distract, this may cause the mind to become dull in our thinking. This will hinder the innovative and creative way of thinking God placed in us.

Any muscle, if it is not used or exercised, will deteriorate. So it is with the creative, innovative part of who we are. If our minds are constantly amused with someone else’s ideas and dreams, we will not have time to cultivate our own dreams and visions. Our created purpose, the reason God placed us on the earth, will not emerge or occur because we fail to take time to be creative, innovative to think outside the norm. Innovation is something that needs developing and cultivating; which is why there is so much pressure on our time to keep us away from the gift God has placed inside.

Any fruit will die on the vine if not used and so will our innovative unused potential die on the vine of our unfulfilled purpose. Every farmer knows in each seed there is a future harvest of that one seed and there is an ability of the seed to multiply and to bring forth much fruit. However, there is a process of sowing and reaping that must take place prior to any harvest of success. Just as God has placed His seed inside each of us, this potential must be sowed and cultivated in good soil to produce a harvest. God promised, as long as the earth remains, there will be seed time and harvest time. It is up to us to plant the seed so we may receive our harvest.

Genesis 8:22   While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease. NKJV

So, what is innovation? True innovation is looking at old ways, things or problems with a new insight, different way or perspective; to introduce new or alternate ways of approaching needs, problems, and concerns. As Solomon indicated, there is nothing new under the sun, so everything that is and everything that ever will be are things that exist now, just in raw or different forms. The only difference in the things today and a century ago is the combination in which these things were put together and the way they are viewed.

Innovators must look at old things with a different and new view. We need eyes that look for solutions and alternatives rather than focusing on the problems and the history of past failures. The key to innovation is taking time to stop all activities, to do nothing and to allow the mind to be free to create and to think “outside the box.” This sounds easy, but our minds have been trained and taught to stay within the lines, or to follow old familiar rules thus stifling our innovation.

Most of us are so tired from work, making a living, providing for family and making ends meet, that we do not have time to think about anything else, least of all, time to let our minds ponder in the presence of our Creator.

Society today tells us we need to start our children on this competitive road where they are so busy with education, music and sports, etc., so they do not have time to dream and be creative. We should have enough balance to allow our children to learn, be active and still have time to dream and listen to God. In past times people would say what they dream they would be but now children are not given the opportunity to dream and to be innovative thinkers. They are taught to get a job and make money and some are even taught to obtain it at all costs, even at the expense of character, honesty and integrity.

What a lie we have been told? What a bill of goods we have been sold? That we will never make it or that we are not smart enough to be innovative. Yet, God has created us in His image and put in us the ability to do good works. Now it comes down to whose voice will we listen to. We have the same choice Adam and Eve had, to listen and believe we are created in God’s likeness or be bamboozled and hoodwinked into seeing ourselves less than what our Creator has made us to be. To rebel against God’s word is allowing His enemy to rule over our lives, our thoughts even our potential to succeed or fail.

Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all[b] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Everything we need to solve the problems of today and in the future is here in the present. It takes innovative thinking to take old or raw materials to combine them in such a fashion that the results are new inventions or solutions to problems. God created man to be like Him in character, loving kindness and faithfulness. When our character has been tested and proven to be godly, He then can trust us with dominion. When we line up with our created identity in God, then we are able to multiply and be successful with the gifts He has given.

How we cultivate these gifts with innovation and creativity, will determine our success.   God said our gifts will make room for us and bring us before great men. As believers in Christ we have hope in our situations to overcome poverty or being an outcast able to come out of our pit of despair when our hearts and minds are filled with the knowledge of God and His creative purpose we are able to persevere. With God we are able to cultivate our gifts to fulfill our purpose and this will bring us before great men.

Proverbs 18:16           A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men. NKJV

Remember we should discipline our minds and teach our children how to rest, to think and to meditate so they may be innovative. This is done by setting aside time to do nothing but to think and to ponder those things that cause passion in our lives. God will use our passion, for those things that may cause us pain, outrage and even anger at the injustices for the marginal, neglected and underprivileged, to help bring kindness, change and to cultivate a compassion for people which will move us into action.

Deuteronomy 8:18   And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. NKJV

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