Scripture: Philippians 2 v 3 - 7: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:"
Isaiah 61 v 1: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;" (Quoted by Jesus in Luke 4 v 18).
After the French Revolution in 1789, the people demanded liberty, equality, fraternity and freedom of speech and religion. They wanted the class system of nobility and peasants to be abolished, with wealth shared with those who had none.
They wanted all men to be equal, and not some more equal than others. Somehow these expectations are never adequately met in any society. There are always those who become exceedingly wealthy from inheritance and land ownership, who employ others and lord it over them.
However, in Christianity, and through meekness, there is true liberty and equality. God created us all equal in the new creation of which Jesus is the first. The Lord made us one in the Spirit of God.
Galatians 3 v 27 - 28: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."
In the new creation in which we are baptized into Christ Jesus we lose our independence, our nationality, our human status, our gender, and become one with Him. In lowliness, or humility, of mind we esteem others higher than ourselves.
If there is no nationality neither is there a race issue. If we are one in Christ then the colour of ones skin is not a stigma. Black, white, yellow, red and everything in between are all one and equal by the power of the Blood of Jesus. If we are Christians there is no need for freedom of religion. Religion is a man made form of worship, Christianity is made by God for those who diligently follow Jesus.
The world clamours for human rights on every level, but the Body of Christ has transcended human rights because we are no longer only human. In fact we have gone beyond the stature of Adam, into being part of Jesus, sinless, pure, holy, full of faith, humble, peaceful, joyful and having self control.
Adam had a perfect relationship with God but he did not have the fullness of the Holy Spirit empowering him spiritually. It is the Holy Spirit that enhances us beyond being only human. He gives us the ability to do all the things that Jesus did, plus greater things that Jesus said we could do because He has returned to His Father.
Those who are only human, are carnal, sinful, rebellious people who are selfish, unbelieving and full of man's wisdom and philosophy. The churches who try to exist without the full power of the Holy Spirit become very religious and traditional, but lack true spirituality. It's all on the soulish, man-pleasing plane which satisfies the flesh for a moment but leaves the spirit of man in darkness.
Those who live without the power of the Holy Spirit return to living under the Jewish Law of Moses. Paul despaired of them in his letter to the Galatians crying, who has bewitched you to depart from the true faith and be yoked under the Law. He said its like a dog returning to its vomit. And he was one who knew the Law being the most ardent Pharisee.
After his Damascus Road experience and 3 years alone in the desert for the Lord to reveal the full gospel to Him, including being caught up to Heaven to hear unspeakable things, Paul was shocked that Christians could be deceived by it again. The Law saves no one. It only points out your errors. When Jesus cried out It Is Finished before He died, He was referring to the Law.
Becoming a follower of Jesus means leaving our human life at the foot of the Cross and travelling beyond the Cross spiritually to being a citizen of Heaven. When our Earthly life is over, our soul is immediately present with our spirit in Heaven. Absent from the body and present with the Lord.
So why do we strive for liberty and equality? We would have to climb down from our vibrant spiritual life to a worldly state to achieve it, seeing we are already equal to all our brothers and sisters including Jesus. We have true liberty in the Spirit when we are obeying the Lord in order to stay under His protection. It is our fervent desire to do His will.
When we have a different desire then it's we who are slipping by our own will. As citizens of Heaven we are now strangers passing through this Earth like tourists. We are tourists with a purpose though - to show the humans stranded here that they are welcome in our kingdom. Mostly they have only heard bad lies about the kingdom of God so we need to put those false perceptions straight.
These days that is getting harder as the enemy is trying to stamp out true Christianity, and he has turned many churches into social clubs that have no spiritual goals of salvation and inspiration, revelation and expectation of the return of Jesus. They are bound by legalism and traditions which He condemned.
Mark 7 v 6 - 9: "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."
Jesus wants you to know these things in case there are any who believe that belonging to a traditional church and faithfully attending every Sunday without having a personal relationship with Him through being born again, is going to get you to Heaven.
Maybe this blog is the only voice you ever hear that tells you it is not enough. Jesus says that on the Day of Judgment there will be many gnashing their teeth in anguish. You don't have to be one of them! You have a free will to make your own choice. Read the New testament carefully and make sure.
Jesus loves you and wants you with Him for eternity. He did not come to Earth to entertain anyone. Earth is a war zone, unseen to the sinners of this world, and to many church-goers who sit in very ornate cathedrals, or beautiful churches, hearing platitudes that make them feel good but change nothing. I was one of these, but when I had a real encounter with Jesus my life changed forever.
It took a few years to get my bearings in His Kingdom and the life in the Spirit, but once I had the direction from Him it became easier to concentrate on the job in hand. He has given me all I need to complete the tasks and reach out to share His knowledge. This blog has almost 1300 posts filled with all He has shown me over 45 years. Much of it is strong meat, because the milk is for babes. Hebrews 5.
Today is Friday 13th which is a superstitious date linked with very bad things. Some people have a very real fear of the number 13. Many hotels do not have a 13th floor or a room 13 to cater for the fearful. The real reason is because the Knights Templar, believed to be the keepers of the Holy Grail, the Cup Jesus used at the Last Supper, were all arrested on the night of Friday 13th, 1307, and after being tortured were all put to death. We have freedom from all such traditions.
Our liberty and equality is in Christ, and our love for Him and each other should be pure and without embellishment. None of the Apostles wrote about human rights or demands for them. We must be the ones turning this world upside down fearlessly and to bring sinners into His Kingdom.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, suddenly my eyes are open. I want to be born again and become a citizen of Heaven for now and eternity. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son who died for my sins to be forgiven. Please forgive me everything I have done to offend You and people around me. I forgive everyone who has ever hurt me. I retract every curse, accusation, gossip or slander and pray for You to bless them all. I repent (change my mind) about doing any more sinful things.
Please wash me clean of all sin in the Blood of Jesus.
Jesus I open my heart to You and invite You to come in and be my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Lord that my name is now written in the Lamb's Book of Life and I am born again. In Jesus' name. Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer aloud and sincerely you are now a true born again child of God. Seek a church where the full gospel of Jesus is taught. Go forward for baptism by full immersion in water followed by laying on of hands for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord bless you mightily!
