Examples

Examples

4/30/15

People want to be treated fairly throughout all parts of life, but as we know that is not always the case because humans like to change things up whenever they can.  The Church is no exception to this rule and has demonstrated countless times over the centuries that human emotions and whimsical actions dominate over calculated truths.  It does not take too much research to find this type of action occurring today, not necessarily within the church buildings walls either.  Are we taking the correct stand or are we reverting back to an ancient practice that was responsible for millions of deaths throughout the ages?  And, of course, the most important thing of all is to ask ourselves if we are doing what Jesus would have done.

This topic could be a heated one on many levels, but that is what the true separation from the world is supposed to create, especially since two kingdoms are in play and are vying for your eternal presence.  Lately, we have been bombarded with the hot topic of same-sex marriage and the overwhelming support for homosexuality within our world’s societies.  There have been numerous accounts of gay couples deliberately entering into bakeries and wanting services rendered, which is well within their rights to do so.  It has also been highly publicized that many of these occurrences have been conducted in Christian bakeries. Whether these acts are deliberate or not, Christians should not react with hard line defenses but do what Jesus would have done.

One has to wonder if some of these incidents are staged and when you place the human mind into the game, along with the American and western societal attitude of making a name for oneself, it is well within conception for this to be completed.  I am not saying that both sides are all displaying this type of behavior, but the ones that are drawing attention are making huge waves within both communities.  In every publicized case that I have heard about I honestly believe that the bakery itself and the people who are running are taking the wrong stance.  While their motives are noble and just according to their personal faith and beliefs, their actions is not what Jesus would have done.

Some of you may know that I come from a minister’s home.  For most preachers’ kids being from this environment means we get to move around a lot and my family was no exception to that fact.  I did not mind the moving too much, but it was a variable in my life that at the time I found a bit stressful but manageable; I got to meet so many new people and witness different cultures and beliefs, to be honest as I look back at it now my parents’ calling taught me a great deal.

In all of my moving around I had the opportunity to be in several school districts across the country.  It was kind of intimidating for a while when a new curriculum was introduced to my world but for the most part, the lessons, studies, and grading systems basically all were similar.  It was the grading system that I found that provided the most confusing element within the changes. While the school subjects were the same they had different names to them.  This applied to the teachers as well for they taught the same courses, but their styles varied from person to person.  Yet, each teacher formed their own opinions on grading and it is through this process that I found most difficult to maneuver through.

All of us know about the “curve” and how it really, really, really helped some of us in certain classes.  But as I moved through my high school and college years I quickly came to the realization that not every teacher or professor used the curve system. While it was a benefit for me at times the curve also was a detriment in some of my classes.  In my last two years of high school, I went to a school that was considered to be an academic school rather than a sports school.  I know that is kind of hard to believe since I was in Texas, but it does occur and the school that I graduated from, at that time, was such one.

I remember that my junior and senior years were rough on my life since I had made my choice of future profession and had to begin taking the appropriate classes to pursue this field and I quickly found out that not all of my teachers were lenient in the grades category; and my parents found out just as fast as well.  While the curve was a good idea and helped everyone raise their grades up a bit, there were still some in the class that fell outside of the curve limits and their efforts still proved to not be adequate.

During these last few years of my high school tenure, I faced an unusual setting because even with a curve in place, sometimes it did not help us.  Our grading system did not follow the standard practice of the A = 90 – 100, B = 80 – 89, C = 70 – 79, and D = 60 – 69, with everything below a 60 being an F.  The lowest passing grade in my school was a 70 which was the lowest D a student could make.  It was tough and it forced students to know what was being taught to them and this standard also had a direct and challenging effect on our teachers as well.  With the raised standards along with the curve, some people did not do well in school.  This system was not designed to hurt students who tried and sought help in the subjects that they were struggling with, but it did draw ire from those who did not place any care upon their grades or graduation status.  Even with the new standards in place a student who made a 50% on a test, quiz, or grade still failed the section or class and had to take another step towards the ultimate goal.

What is my point with all of the curve business and the pass, fail standards?  Well, in many cases today this example shows exactly how the Church is demonstrating Jesus’ actions towards those who are not of the church.  There are Christians that really try to do well within society yet are overshadowed by those other Christians who become more popular with their 50% biblical standards, which eventually dominate the majority of non-Christian’s thoughts.  If one places the curve and 50% setting into the existence of the examples that we are portraying, one will be amazed since it is running almost identical.  And in truth, this type of 50% stance for Christ is a selfish and egotistical standard that the Church has displayed for centuries and is once again in full swing today.

I have no doubt that the owners of these stores believe that what they are doing is the correct thing, and to a certain point (50%) they are correct.  From Genesis Chapter 2 until the mid portion of the Book of Revelation the Bible teaches us that God is a merciful, compassionate, loving, law-abiding, God who absolutely believes in life, liberty and freedom through His divine and perfect ways.  Yet, over and over in this history book we see that humans fail to get it and go about doing things their own way and then forcing God to act according to His laws that He has put into place.  The subjects in the Bible were humans and as of this moment we are a still human which means ALL of us fall into the same category of learning.  Why is it so easy for us to abuse the separation stance from the world, all the while not fully understanding its meaning, display a worldly stance to those who do not know God and yet proclaim to be victims of such a setting?

We have plenty of examples during Jesus’ time on earth about how He associated with prostitutes, tax collectors, the low-lives of society and many other people that would be considered out of bounds for “normal” living conditions.  This was one of the areas about Jesus that drove the Jewish leadership nuts and eventually rallied them into personally get rid of their problem. Jesus did have associations with these people and He loved every minute of it for they were the ones who were looking for true guidance and a way out of their status.  Of course, Jesus experienced those who were just trying to catch Him in lies or trying to make a point to society about Jesus but in every instance Jesus proved those types wrong.  The only way that Jesus could truthfully and adequately reach every field was to include Him with those fields, not shun them or throw biblical statutes in their faces first.

While Jesus associated with these people He did not just sit around chewing the fat with them, He also taught them the ways of God and how they were sinners and needed to change their ways.  He set a godly example to them and made sure that they understood what the bigger picture consisted of.  Never, did Jesus ignore them or place His hand up to shun their appearance and their inquiries.  Nor should the Church shun her responsibility when sinners, “scum” or stinky people enter into the places of worship; this includes businesses that are owned by Christians as well, for the fields come in every shape and size all across the earth, not just in perfectly wrapped packages.  Jesus was willing to talk to people no matter their condition first, then He witnessed to them in a gentle and loving manner, all the while making it clear of His stance and mission.  This setting provides the perfect opportunity for those people to make a choice, either to listen to Him or to walk away; without spiritual damage to the people.

We have countless examples of how the Church and how Christians can be ugly and sometimes downright hideous to those who do not believe in or follow God.  Some have even used their status within the area to influence worldly or selfish decisions in order to assert their power even further.  I wish that identical examples today were not mimicking historical examples from the past but if I did say that they were not, I too would be lying and giving out only 50%.  How are the churches participating in these types of accusations and conditions?  By accepting the people who wish to attend church and then allowing them to sit in their pews while the minister presents a feel good sermon and those hurting people suffer and continue to live in direct sin. Having people come to church and then teaching them things that have no direct and authoritative biblical meaning represents a 50% grade; a failing one.

Accepting people who wish to be in a church congregation is exactly what we are supposed to be doing, but it is the 2nd half of the equation that we are truly failing at, the witnessing portion.  In churches it is of the utmost importance that we present a living gospel that represents the full entity of God.  Over the years I have come to the realization that some denominations have jaded their concepts of God while others have flat ignored them and began making up their own ways and means.  This is a dangerous practice for it sets up the Church for failure, a 50% grade if you wish to place it in numerical terms, for it takes away the direct purpose of the Church herself which is to witness to people, not interpret the world for their own gratification.

A couple of declarations at this point are needed.  The first one is this: Christian businesses, the ones who have made the news concerning your hard stance against serving people or groups that you do not agree with is noble but you are wrong!  You are not setting a Jesus like setting you are demonstrating a worldly denominational setting and you have received a 50% on this test and have filed.  The second one is as follows: churches you have done a good job of accepting sinners and hurting people into your walled confines and this is exactly what you are supposed to be doing, and this too is a noble gesture but wrong; however, by allowing them to sit there in their sins and you do nothing about it automatically gives you a 50% on your setting as well which as the Christian businesses you have failed.

We need to remember that if we take a hard defense against people who do not agree with our beliefs we are inviting further division which makes their winning to Christ that much more difficult.  If you welcome people into your doors of your business do so with a kind and loving heart.  Witness to everyone, not just those who cross boundaries and do not understand God and what He means to their lives.  Christian business owners fulfill their orders and witness Jesus to them every step of the way.  In this manner you shall be fulfilling Jesus’ statement about giving to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s. Always do your best at your job and you shall be a true witness at the same time.  One never knows what is exactly in a person’s heart for even the one who is trying to make you out to be an example for their cause just might have an open heart to God and through your witnessing come to know Jesus as their savior.

A principle here that needs to be kept in mind, the world and its standards shall not accept your stance or beliefs, so one of two situations will occur when you complete the job asked from you.  First, the people who are trying to make a statement will either not fulfill their order or make things very difficult for you trying to make you slip up.  Keep calm and since it is your establishment free speech is warranted on both sides; witness to them with a kind and gentle heart.  God has granted you a business and you should allow Him to speak to you when these types of experiences come your way; He will help you to witness to them, if you are listening to His voice.  Chances are these people will never set foot into your facility again, for their purpose was completed, but always be steady in your ways because our enemy loves to keep up his attacks.

The second scenario that will occur is that people really want a service completed and really do not have any other motive at stake.  Even if they stop you in your method of witnessing they will respect your views and opinions during the transaction.  A friendly transaction will occur and all will go as scheduled.  They may or may not recommend your place of business to anyone and that is ok.  At least you have witnessed to them and they have their well prepared product and God is satisfied with your actions.  Christians must also remember that the world is not going to approve of God’s ways or methods and these occurrences will become more and more involved as time goes along.  This process is another great example of why our fight is through the spirit and not the physical and an even more important concept is that Christians understand this and know how to apply it to our lives.

Church, we need to be doing the exact same thing as God has instructed us through the business aspect of life.  If we allow sinners into our places of worship and not tell them about the gospel of Christ and their sinful ways, we are not doing the command that Jesus gave us to complete.  If we treat them as scum and isolate them, scream at them, condemn them in the name of God how will we ever gain them to God and snatch them from their eternal damnation?  In either case we must show them respect, care and love all the while witnessing to them and telling them about the condition that they are living in and how it is wrong for their lives.

Just as in the business situation, the same two settings will play out.  Either they will leave their seats in the pews and never return, but on the other hand those who truly want to know God will be much more receptive to witnessing if we present God in the manner to which He really is and not what religion has made Him out to be.  People may never step foot in another church again but after all is said and done we have done the job that Jesus commanded us to do in His manner.  Just like the setting above one never knows what a person may begin to think after they have a good encounter with those who love God and they might just follow Jesus at some point down the road.  Which ever the case may be, the door of salvation is opened and it will be their choice to listen or not.

In the end both of these situations represent a Kingdom setting.  Many think that taking a hard line is always the way to be or to get things done, but there are times when that tactic is not effective and actually pushes the enemy’s kingdom forward instead. AS we are seeing almost every day, the Church and Christians are failing this concept miserably and voluntarily allowing Satan to gain the upper hand.  I am not saying that there will be times that both the Church and Christians should take a firm stance, but in these voluntary conditions wisdom needs to be incorporated here, not lines.  God is not asking us to compromise our faith in Him but He wants us to remember His mercy and justice over our lives and how much work our lives still need and to portray this truth towards others.  And refusing service or repentance to them is not moving God’s Kingdom forward.

It is our responsibility as Christians and as a Bride to show the world the true Light of the world, not be the instruments or bearers that blow Him out.  If we act according to some denominational requests the true mission of Christ becomes null and void.  It is the job of the enemy to push the lines of Kingdom and it is important for us to keep in mind that most of these people have no clue about who is pulling their strings and challenging our stance.  In any case if we do not follow the guidance of Jesus all hope is lost and it will not be too long until Satan’s kingdom completely rules over every stance of mankind.

Let us be the example of Jesus when dealing with the world and let our light shine and bring forth truth into the dark and dying world.  Christians and Church God wants us to take a closer look at our hearts and to repent of the worldly standards that we have embraced.  If we regularly look at the news we will find that humanity inches closer each day to a worldwide humanitarian disaster.  It is at this time that we cannot afford to have a failing grade and the Church needs to get her grade up immediately. God loves each and every one of His children and each one of us were created for a specific purpose in order to push back the darkness of the world, not to incorporate it.  Repent Church and allow God to restore our land to its full potential once again.

DLB

Fields

Fields

4/27/15

We cannot comprehend our landscape status if we first do not understand that we are fields.  I am not just referring to Christians but to every human that has ever been created falls into this category.  All of us have the desire to live a fulfilled life with no wants or distress being considered.  It is necessary to recognize that each encounter that we have with someone that we are planting seeds and it is through these seeds that will make or break a person concerning their eternal placement.  One question that remains is this, are we are preparing these fields for the correct eternal setting or not and it is through the recognition of the harvest that defines our mission for if we cannot recognize the harvest how can we truly fulfill what Jesus told us to do?   The fields are ripe, are you prepared to bring in the harvest?  And do you understand the importance of who the harvest represents and what it means to bring in the harvest?

A while back God shared with us a couple of stories concerning my grandfather who was a farmer most of his life.  He recognized the time for planting and even when it was time for harvesting.  He also understood the hazards that could arise for the crops at any time during this process, and even some of those hazards could affect how many of the fields would be completely cleared before the hazards took the crop.  Even though I did not grow up around farms and did not make the connection of the harvest with the Word of God until a short while back, it is amazing how many similarities the two have.  There is not much difference from the physical crop harvest and the spiritual harvest that God commands us to gather for His table and when this concept is gathered into our spirits, the world could definitely change.

I remember that when we came out to Colorado to visit my maternal grandparents most of the time we would do so in the early portion or middle portion of the summer.  A couple of times we visited in the late summer when harvest season was beginning and we hardly ever saw my granddad or my uncle.  Unless you live through a harvest and understand everything that goes on during this period of time the detailed breakdown of events can be easily overlooked.  Harvest time is one of long hours with many stops due to weather and darkness, but with modern technology these down times for farmers have shrunk considerably and now can last for as long as the farmer has the energy and resources to continue.  It takes hard work for this process to be complete with injuries, bruises, cuts and scrapes occurring on a routine basis.  It takes a tough person to be a farmer and an even tougher one to complete the harvest season; which is exactly why the bride of Christ will be dirty, cut up, bruised by the world in order to be spotless and perfect in His eyes.

Once again, God has referenced the setting in John Chapter 4 where Jesus has been talking to the woman at the well.  His direct conversation is finished with her and she is at this time talking with the people in her village, telling them about Jesus and everything that He said and did for her; a true example of what Jesus was meaning about the fields being ripe for harvest.  Instead, the disciples are arguing with Him concerning His association with the enemy of the Jewish people and have begun to question Him concerning what others may think about this association with her.  This specific setting is a prime example of how the modern Church is now more collected with their appearance (landscapes) with the world than doing what Jesus taught us to see and commanded us to complete.  This is also a picture of people who are not driven by Kingdom principles and who have their heart set on sitting in the pews mentality concerning the harvest.

Jesus responds by looking out at the vast amount of acreage all around them and begins to teach the disciples that it is the fields that are ripe for harvest that matters, not appearance or acceptance to their personal, local or national landscapes.  When people live through the Church landscape ideology, they will bring in people within the church walls and pride themselves in doing so; claiming that they are a friend to whatever society that is in “need” of attention and acceptance at the moment.  While this principle is a good one and it is a foundational framework of the Church it is what occurs after the invitation that matters.  A landscape church is one that brings in people and then allows them to sit there in their sins and nothing is done to tell them about Jesus and the sins that they are willingly harboring.  A “field” church is one who brings in these hurting people, accepts them for who they are and then witnesses to them according to the laws, love, and testimony of the Kingdom of God.

How many enormous cities were there around the time of Jesus?  Not many were present for the dominating land was empty and either barren or privately owned for planting.  Society, as we know it today was not available for comparison back then, however, with the human mind at work it probably would not have been too hard to dream up of a modern society.  I can imagine that after Jesus grabbed the attention of the disciples off of themselves, and knowing of His all inclusive Kingdom teachings probably looked around the entire area while He was trying to get His Kingdom message across to them; not only about the harvest itself but the vastness of the harvest and the scarcity of those willing to work in those fields.  Talk about field waste management issues.

The Kingdom principle that Jesus refers to is the advancement of God’s Kingdom through the reaching of the fields (humans) that do not understand their importance.  The true adventure here is that while there are billions of people in the world that do not know God, there are millions of Christians that have no true concept of this Kingdom principle either which places them into the same category of importance to God.  How can I say that the previous statement is true?  First of all God wants us to understand this principle about His Son’s words and since Jesus included everyone in His command to go, He expects His disciples to understand every Kingdom principle that our finite minds can comprehend. 

I find it interesting that Jesus is telling this concept to His disciples and not the woman at the well.  Jesus had just finished dropping a bombshell onto the woman and she finally began to understand the freedom from the world that Jesus offered and in turn immediately went into her village and told the people about what Jesus had said and done for her.  It was the disciples, the ones who had been with Jesus on a continual basis that He had to once again explain the topics and principles of Kingdom, and it is through this setting that we need to makes sure we grasp the entire setting and not just a portion of it.

This example that Jesus gives here provides us with an invaluable situation in which He says that everyone is subject to sin and needs to be “harvested” for God.  The woman was just told the truth about Jesus and she went and told the people of the village. Jesus at the same time told His disciples to ensure that all of God’s Kingdom principles were taught to the people no matter what their conditions were in at the moment they chose to receive.  Jesus began with addressing the sin, and then taught His disciples to continue the message of the Kingdom through the emptiness of the fields and everyone in the scene was included in the advancement of God’s Kingdom.  It is of the utmost importance that we include entire story here when we tell it to others or study its meaning, we cannot afford to leave any portion out for if we do the advancement of God’s Kingdom cannot be completed and will be stalled which means that Satan’s Kingdom has won.

The barren fields hold the key to this example in that the emptiness and barrenness of the field represents not much life or fulfillment to its potential.  It is through the power of God and through the blood of Jesus that our emptiness and brokenness can be healed and be brought back to life again.  Jesus is the living water and through the bridge that He provides with the Father we can be hooked up to the source of living water and to be restored according to His divine and perfect life.  As this setting proves, man (woman in this case) and the ideas that they bring into their lives, shall fail and it is a quick resolution when Jesus comes into the picture.

Jesus did His job in this story and He pointed out some major flaws that the Church has grown within, even before the Church as even established.  Those flaws became evident within the early Church, through which Paul had to directly intervene with, the Middle Age Church was grossly defined in these measures and today the modern Church has found herself locked in a spiritual battle with the world, and its acceptance, for her life.  The Church has failed to grasp the concept of Kingdom and therefore cannot see the importance of her life and for each and every person that is lucky enough to make it out of the womb. The idea of God and having an eternal destination has been deluded and thrown away all in the name of rights and in self; just the way our enemy wants it to be.

If one has Kingdom principles alive within them, then it is easy for one to understand God’s laws and the meaning of God’s laws to mankind in the Old Testament.  One will also begin to understand how the Old Testament laws in which God put into place flow through Jesus’ life all culminating through His death and resurrection as the final sacrifice.

Why is this concept so important, you ask?  Jesus understood that His divine and earthly life was only going to be just a short period of time.  How did He know this?  Look at the comparison to the Old Testament and New Testament sacrifice procedures.  In the Old Testament Scriptures each sacrificial lamb was young, fresh and without blemish.  It had not grown old and been through hardships in life.  It was pure and perfect in every way possible according to the physical and spiritual eyes of the High Priest.  Jesus had to have the same type of life in which we can directly see through the scenes that the New Testament gave to us concerning His life, death and resurrection.

Jesus knew that His time was short and according to the genetic codes of our lives and through the choices that we make for our lives, He understands that we fall into the same category when it comes to our lives.  When Jesus physically died His purpose for being on this planet was over and His spiritual and eternal purpose continued.  This is exactly what our lives shall do when our physical portion is over; our eternal choice shall continue.  Once our physical lives have drawn its last breath it is time for our eternal to continue.  How important are those fields to God?  This article should at least get one to think about this and begin to comprehend the importance of a barren and desolate field becoming a fruitful harvesting area for the Kingdom.

Are we practicing the harvesting of fields or are we drawing up our own landscapes?  I once asked a friend of mine to look out and to describe a field that was in front of us.  She did not know what the barren field meant and could not understand the reason why I was asking her this specific question.  I then suggested that the field in front of us was her life and then asked her again to see what was within in its borders.  She really did not have a confirmed answer about herself and had to take a while to answer the question; which she still has not fully completed.  I ask her about her field every once-in-a-while and I pray that she understands this barren field someday, for it suggests that a harvest needs to be worked.  But first we must recognize that while the field may look barren to the physical eyes, it is still ripe for harvesting in Kingdom terms.

If we as the body of Christ continue to monitor the barren fields as landscapes, then we will continue our false course of salvation and Kingdom movements.  We will serve no one but Satan and his worldly ways.  It is time for the Church to throw off the world and the Gnostic like persuasions of the flesh and move back to the Kingdom of God principles.  A field church operates on a totally different plane than a landscape church and if one is ever privy to understanding both, it will become clear which church is operating like the Church and which one is operating like the church. 

Jesus told us to go into every corner of the world and to preach the gospel, and here is the gospel in a nutshell.  There are two kingdoms that can never mix; both are ruled by immortal and hated enemies.  One Kingdom is ruled by God and represents truth, holiness and perfection based upon a perfect and holy Creator.  The other kingdom is represented by a liar, selfish, fallen and defeated enemy of God and one who wants nothing more than to trick God’s precious creations into an eternal damnation of separation from life and back it up with constant torture.  The choice is yours and no one else can eventually make that choice for you.  God loves you and is calling you back to the truth before time runs out and your field withers up and dies.  His enemy wants your field to stay nocturnal and flourish accordingly.  Jesus is the living water that will provide the necessary life for a spiritual field that is ripe for the harvest.  The harvest is a Kingdom principle for it brings another life into the Light so that that field may continue the expansion of Light for another field to be harvested.

DLB

Water

Water

4/21/15

Ever wonder why water is so important to our entire lives?  Without this single component, our lives would cease to exist and yet on either end of things the fine line of water intake is so delicate that the slightest overload will end our lives as well.  I also find this fine commodity comparable to God and since He uses water as an example of Him, He understands this relationship of delicacy and importance as well.  With so many troubled times around our world at this moment, it is more important than ever that we realize that while our physical water supply might be drying up, this is not the time to dry up the Living Water and its Source, for if we allow this to occur, our lives shall dry up and waste away for eternity.

From the time that mankind has existed water has been the most important commodity and necessity that people can obtain.  Gold, silver, platinum, magnesium, copper, etc. are valuable in order to make the world be more productive and structurally sound but even the dying person who cannot be physically saved asks for water during their final breaths.  There are many instances that we take this small molecular compound for granted and carelessly and needlessly waste many of them just in a single day.  We do not stop and think about just how important water is to our lives and it is only when we do not have this source of life-giving chemicals that we begin to become strict advocates for its usage.  But at the same time we continually throw away and ignore all of the warnings that the Source of our eternal Living Water is providing us, for there is a huge difference from a pond of water to a stream of water and the discernment between the two is vital to everyone’s lives.

How consistent is water?  Has anyone, besides a chemist, sat down and seriously thought about this molecular compound and pondered upon its importance to our needs?  The bond between the molecules within the water compound is extraordinary for it represents one of the strongest bonds that is known on that level and it is also one of the more stable bonds that is in existence when placed together with many like bonds.  Have you ever witnessed a water molecule break apart when it is in its steady state?  Have you ever not been able to see or to feel water do its job within our lives?  These questions and many more like them have been asked repeatedly over human history and have all been answered in the same manner, water is the one necessity that all life needs in order to maintain a healthy and functioning presence on this earth.

I also find it very intriguing that water makes up to approximately 80-85% percent of our physical bodies and it is one of the major participants in holding our bodies into it present shape and form.  I am a type 2 diabetic and, for the most part, my body regulates itself quite steadily, but there are times that I need to drink a little bit more water in order for my body to function properly.  It is the water that brings my metabolism and sugar levels back in line.  Yes I feel great when I am working out in the garden, mowing the lawn or even walking back and forth from building to building at work, but there are times that I need extra water to maintain the complete balance of my overall metabolism.

The other afternoon my wife and I were eating at one of the local restaurants in town and I noticed something about the bench that she was sitting on, one end of the bench was higher than the other, in fact when I took a few seconds to really look at the rest of her bench the height from one end to the end that was at the wall was considerably different.  I then noticed that the table we were sharing also demonstrated a considerable slope towards the wall, in the same direction of course.  This all came into my head when I looked at the glass of water in front of me and while the glass itself was sitting level on the table surface I noticed that the water inside the glass, while contained within the glass was not parallel with the rim of the glass.  It was this point when God began sharing with me about water and provided me with the topic of this letter.

I was almost immediately reminded of a story that my father told me about my Pawpaw.  Even though Pawpaw was a minister he was considered to be a master carpenter and builder and had an excellent reputation for both loves of his life within the communities that he lived.  Dad told me about a time when pawpaw was working with a group of other men on a bridge and completing some work around the bridge.  The concern at the time was if the bridge was level and at that moment they did not have the correct instruments to measure this portion of the project so that the bridge could be deemed level and with the proper curve in order to provide the best support available.  Pawpaw commandeered a small boat jumped into the bayou that ran below the bridge and asked for a level and when one was not available he began to improvise.  The others looked at him quite strangely and began to basically snicker at him when he informed them of how he was going to accomplish this feat.

The device he used was simple in design and did the job well, but it was the knowledge Pawpaw had about water that served as the foundation for his accurate measurements concerning the level that they needed for the project.  He took three measurements of the bridge from the boat using a rope that went from the bridge to the water.  It was a calm day and the water within the bayou was relatively slow and balanced.  Pawpaw understood that no matter what the landscape provided that any puddle of water or slow moving water source would automatically complete a natural phenomenon which was that water would always level itself according to the “container” that it was in.  This physical law was evident to my own eyes in the restaurant and based upon this same information Pawpaw could move from one side to the other and accurately determine if the bridge, land and any other variable was level or not.  However, this important fact about water does not make it impervious to the container in which it is housed for even this vital element is still dependent upon the source of its beginnings and will increase or decrease accordingly.

We are currently witnessing a severe drought in some of the states within this country one state in particular is feeling the full brunt of this drought.  The drought is not a new or overnight problem but it has been in an increasing occurrence over the past few years with increasingly worsening conditions.  The levels of precipitation within that state and in the mountainous areas  that usually see so much snow during the winter, have dropped drastically over this time period and so far this year have continued.  The levels of reservoirs and rivers are so low that new dramatic steps have been taken by the governor of that state.  In other words the direct source of these bodies of water has continually and steadily dried up and it has the appearance of no change in the near future.  While some argue that it is mankind that is responsible for these conditions many have forgotten that the ultimate provider for our needs is God, and maybe we are doing something wrong, spiritually, to undermine His plans for our lives.

All of us know that God likes to use stories within the Bible to make demonstrations of how our lives matter and to give our hearts and minds things to think about so that we can make use of His Word for others.  What I find so amazing is that when we read a story and use it for one example, we have a tendency to stick to that story alone and go no further with it, at least I was under that impression concerning these stories in the Bible, that is until God began showing me topics to write about.  I have stated before that I thought I knew the majority of things about the occurrences in the Garden of Eden but God has increased my knowledge about this time period and is still filling my heart with the truth about this portion of human history.  The same goes for the example in the Bible that is going to be used for this letter, the story of the woman at the well and once again God has brought into motion another portion of this powerful passage to our lives.  The passage is John Chapter 4.  I also must admit that I have read this portion of the passage many times and have understood its meaning but not quite in depth as I do now through what God has shown me and is now sharing with those who wish to understand.

The specificity of what Jesus is saying in this passage I find interesting because He is addressing a woman that does not know Him yet Jesus is candid with her about her life and her offerings of water.  This is a person that according to Jewish customs and laws should not be associated with, they were considered vile and dirty, yet Jesus, who was at the well first, began speaking with her when she arrived after Him.  It was common knowledge that these two cultures did not socialize with each other and she could have not said a word to Jesus and had been perfectly fine.  Once again God (Jesus) initiates the conversation in this passage and asks for a drink.

The scene takes place at a well traveled well, one that many people within the area are familiar with; this is known since the woman herself states that it is Jacob’s Well.  Every human life needs water to survive and during the time of Jesus the purification systems were not present and the methods of obtaining water were more tedious and painstakingly eventful.  It is here that the conversation between the two turns and Jesus proclaims that He is the everlasting water and whoever comes to Him for this water shall never thirst again.  Jesus understands the need for water and the importance of its presence and He makes an invaluable comparison on the Kingdom level here for since physical water serves as the one element that every human needs to function, so does His Living Water within our spiritual lives for them to survive.

Jesus places the woman at the well into a tight spot in that He begins to address the sins of her private life, the ones that He initiated with conversation.  This brings up a very interesting point that I will share in a moment but the stage is set for a conversation on Kingdom terms and not political or physical.  Jesus takes it upon Himself to address the woman and proceeds to show Her Kingdom principles and how her past, while still is her past, can be reversed and forgiven if she turns from her ways and follows God.  The woman understands that Jesus is a prophet and she has also been told that the Messiah would come one day.  While her life may represent a normal state for her society, it does not with God and it is this personal aspect of her life that Jesus deals with.  It is through this example that Jesus eventually tries to teach His disciples about the Kingdom; it does not matter who is told, the Kingdom just needs to be shared with the entire world so that they may come to understand what is exactly occurring within their lives and surroundings.

It is through the comparison of water that Jesus uses in order for our finite minds to be able to comprehend this message.  If Jesus was NOT the only way to God He could have never claimed this statement.  If He was not the pure and holy sacrifice that would bring God and mankind back into direct relationship then His statement would be a lie and therefore prove Satan correct and God to be a liar.  Jesus is the water of eternal life and His sacrifice sets into motion the covered bridge that allows this magnificent process to be completed.  With the work that it takes to obtain water back in the times of Jesus this provides us with another example of what could happen if the water source dries up.

Jesus used the term living water or everlasting water when He was speaking to the woman at the well.  Would anyone consider a pond to be “living water”?  A pond is stagnate for the most part and usually relies on rainfall for its replenishment of water and even this type of replenishment does not fully refresh the contents, only adds to the sludge.  I was born and raised in the south and I have been around my share of ponds, and while some of their settings are gorgeous, the majority of the ponds that I have been around flat stink.  Yes, there is life in ponds but for the most part the stagnate water produces murky conditions and not really fit for consumption if needed.  It does not matter how big or small the pond may be stagnation causes a certain entrapment of life which forces the lives within that confine to become mundane and lifeless.

A good example of living water is a river or stream that is in constant flow.  The waters, unless humanly polluted, flow with clear and clean water which do not contain many impurities.  A freshly running stream can produce and maintain life because it is a steady flow of new water into a larger body of water.  It is also understood that as the new water flows into this body of water a measured amount of water flows from the body of water at the same time.  The “new” water should not stay confined within the body of water for an indefinite period, for if this state occurs the water capacity would soon reach a point of containment and would be considered at its peak level in which, with just a few drops more, would spill over the banks holding the body of water causing a damaging flood.  Also, if not enough incoming water is being presented into the larger body of water, eventually a “pond” effect would develop and the water eventually become useless in value. 

In order for the incoming flow of water to provide a living source for the body of water it must have an equal flow being taken in simultaneously as the amount of flowing water that is leaving the body of water.  And it is through specific example in this passage that Jesus was referring to when He stated that He is the source of living water that would never cease, nor would she ever spiritually or eternally thirst again.  This is a concept where many people within the Church fail to see and to live by and it all has to do with the true source of Jesus and what His life means to our lives overall.  In order for Jesus to be eternal and living water within our lives He must first be allowed to enter into our lives.  If we allow His eternal water to enter within our lives and just sit there one or more things will occur. 

First of all if we allow Him into our lives and we do not share this living and everlasting water with others His water will soon grow in abundance in our lives and soon reach its capacity which means at some point His water will involuntarily be spilled from our lives and flood the areas around us; the areas being people that we know and who we come in contact with.  Flooding them with a bunch of information about someone that do not know is a very dangerous situation and in most cases will turn them away from what we are trying to share with tem and in this case it is Jesus; we flood them and share with them.

Secondly if Jesus sees that His water is not being used properly He will slow His intake down and if not recognized as such will eventually cut off the flow into our lives, thus creating the perfect setting of a pond.  Throughout God’s existence He has never forced Himself on anyone and if He continued to pour His life into a pond, He would be doing just that.  God shall dry His blessings and life from our bodies if we do not provide the truth to others.  Not what we consider to be the truth, but the truth according to His Word.

Thirdly, if we allow His water to enter into our lives, He will infiltrate our contained bodies and then will transform our inner environment so that we can in turn provide this fresh and everlasting to a dying world, thus continuing the everlasting and pure flow without any type of contamination or stoppage.  His water shall transform our lives in such a manner that we will need to witness or release His water onto our world.  This is exactly what His living water provides on both ends of our lives, both the receiving and the giving.  If we live in this manner we will automatically be pushing God’s Kingdom forward and pushing back our enemy’s.

There is an interesting fact about flowing water, in that it contains many molecules of oxygen and generates its own source of energy as well.  While people in the sciences probably understand this knowledge about water flowing water is one of the best sources of energy that is available for humans.  Water provides the catalyst for many of our physical functions within our bodies and it is a wonderful source of clean and pure electrical energy that can be housed and then used for human consumption.  But this type of energy cannot be used if the intake of flowing water is diminished or even dries up.

As I have mentioned in the paragraphs above, parts of our country are in desperate need of water simply because the source of the water that is needed has not been there.  And in turn, the supply of water will correspond with the supply.  This problem is of great concern to millions of people in this country and I have to say that some people in other countries are facing the same situation where water is concerned.  Dependence upon this vital commodity reminds us that while we believe ourselves to be invincible to countless things, a simple compound will quickly bring us to our knees begging for our lives to be extended.

Jesus states that He is the eternal living water that our spirits need in order for us to never spiritually thirst again.  His water comparison cannot be any more brilliant in demonstration, for without Christ as the center of our lives His water cannot fully flow into our lives as it should.  Jesus recognized the difference between physical water and spiritual water and the importance of both but His words of never thirsting again provides us with the key to His spiritual water.  Let it be known that God shall never dry up His everlasting water source as long as His people wish to have Him in their lives; however, God shall not continue His blessings on a world that deliberately shuns Him for their own ways and beliefs.  We should all be aware of this sense as we head into the summer season for it is the greatest time for water.  God IS concerned about our physical water needs and can provide as much water as our planet needs, but as our spiritual reservoirs dry up and His guidelines refused, both settings shall dwindle further.

His example provides us with a concurrent dilemma that some people in the world are facing and that is the shortage of water. The same concepts apply to His living water versus the physical water supply that has been running low for some time now.  It is the supplier of the water which counts as the provider of water in the future.  We all know what occurs when there is too much water, floods appear and cause various amounts of damage to the surrounding lands and the opposite is true when there is hardly any precipitation that falls from the skies for it brings lower levels of water and if continued in that mode, produces severe drought conditions.

It is the goal of every human to come to the place where we do not have to feel like we have to continually search for peace, happiness and security.  Our physical demands of survival place a great deal of pressure on our lives in order for us to warrant our existence  so we really do not need our habitual worldly standards adding to our provision of hurts and disappointments on top of our true needs in life.  I find it so amazing that humans by the billions continually reject God and His principles of peace, security, health and happiness and instead turn to a corrupt, filthy, heartbreaking and dying world for human help and need.  It is not difficult for one to place themselves into a category of need so why is it just as difficult and even on course for complete isolation when one tries to defy the world’s offerings?

Jesus was a part of this world because He walked upon its surface, but that was all contact He had with it.  If one looks at His life they will quickly come to the conclusion that He was totally different than what the common or even aristocrat person represented to everyone else.  The reason is that His life not provides us with the living and everlasting water that He so adequately described to the woman at the well but also He had this same water flowing from Him at all times.  His complete description of this everlasting water was one of the pure definitions of Jesus’ life that proves that Kingdom principles were the sole purpose of why He came to this planet.

There would have been no true and pure way that Jesus could have made this statement if He did not exemplify both sides of His claim.  We as humans have a tough time accepting our lives for who we are and spend so much time trying our best to improve on something that we cannot.  It is through this constant that we can receive the necessary ingredients to fulfill our lives for the purposes that we were created and it is through the physical water that our human bodies need that we can have constant reminders that the only way that we can have life everlasting is by God and through His Son Jesus.  If we allow God’s everlasting water flow into our reservoirs, purify our content, and then flow from our lives to the dry and thirsty land God shall supply all of our water needs for eternity.

DLB

Landscapes

Landscapes

4/9/15

All of us like to sit and gaze at certain photos of mountains, seashores, plains or even desert settings and many of us become nostalgic when we look at these pictures and wish that we could go to those places or to return to them for a period of time. Some even wish to own a piece of land from one of these scenes and to cultivate it as we please.  However, what occurs when we chose our landscape over our intended mission?  How then do these settings affect our lives and those around us?  These are important questions that we must answer regarding “self” and we have an unusual example in the Bible to demonstrate these questions.

I vaguely remember an incident within my family many decades ago that concerned a couple of my close relatives.  The scene took place at my grandparent’s house and it had to deal with who would get the land after both my grandparents had left this world.  I was not witness to much of the scene for my father took me down to the small lake a few hundred yards from the front of the house, mainly so I would not see what was about to transpire between my two uncles.  The argument was all over who had “custody” of the property and who it really belonged to, which was absurd on all sides because after everything was said and done it was my grandparents who had the final say in all of those details.  Yet the focus of the evening was centered on this subject and to be honest I do not even know what drew the discussion to a head anyway, but I do know that it was all over physical land; which turned out to be my first experience in land disputes.

My family is not the first to have squabbles over land for this practice has been in play ever since history has been recorded. The fighting does not stop with families either, counties, countries, regions and religions all have had recorded battles over land and the people that inhabit said land.  Many millions of people have perished in the name of king and country with God’s name thrown into the fray as well.  This type of human behavior is not unknown to many of us and with many ugly wars and conflicts currently ongoing in our world today, this concept is beginning to hit home to some of us.  What is most frightening about these scenarios is that the majority of fighters engaging in these wars do not fully comprehend the foundations of what they are fighting for or against; they just want to see action, prove a point or have a big story to tell in later life.  Reality states that many of these people never make it home and never seeing their families again, such a waste for a pointless and unknown personal cause.

“Just as many theories have been put forward to explain Charlemagne’s political objectives when he assumed the imperial title in 800, so historians have disputed and discussed Otto I’s motives in 962.  Otto’s great objective, the conquest and Germanization of the Slavonic east, could (it has been maintained) only be achieved after Otto, as emperor, had assured himself of papal backing, and the imperial title was invaluable to Otto because it conferred the moral right to pursue, and assured him of clerical support in pursuing, a policy of eastern expansion: conversion of the infidel was part of the imperial mission, a duty owed by the emperor of the Church.  But conversion of the infidel and propagation of the faith was a duty owed by every king to the Church, and there is no reason to suppose that his imperial title added to Otto’s powers in this respect.”  From the book “The Origins of Modern Germany” pg. 55 by Geoffrey Barraclough

In the year 962 a man by the name of Otto I was the leader of a large chunk of land that grew into what would be known in modern times as Germany.  It was Otto I’s goal in life to acquire as much land as possible and to be able to proclaim himself as ruler of all known lands of that time.  This was not a new concept back in the Middle Ages nor is it unusual to hear such claims today.  However, Otto was so inclined to achieve this goal that he went to the pope and began a begging process from him to create another large portion of land for the Church, one that Otto could use in order to pad his wealth and ensure that the Slavonic infidels would be converted to the Church. 

Just ten days after Otto was crowned emperor He asked from the pope and the pope granted Otto’s wish of the creation and the establishment of the Archbishopric of Magdeburg.  This request on the surface should not be that bad since it is all for the glory of the Church, right?  How more wrong could people be to think of, plan for and execute such a wicked plan.  This episode represents one of the darker sides of Christianity and while many people will not understand why this is such a bad example, we must be compelled to look into God’s Word for an example that shows us how to act and how not to act in such landscape terms.  I believe that we can all agree that this secular / godly act of conversion is a good non-biblical example of the topic at hand, so now the biblical one.

The example that is going to be used occurs in John chapter 4 and it deals with the scene of Jesus, the disciples and a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.  This is a familiar passage to many but one that God showed me in context with landscapes and how we use them for our own purposes instead of our true mission of spreading the Kingdom message to people that need God.  I have never looked at this passage in this manner but I have to admit that when God showed me this passage I had to laugh, and I had to once again say that God has a sense of humor because this angle of His Word took me by surprise.  And on another side note, God showed me another topic to write about after I began this one, based upon the same setting; God is God, all the time and all the time, God is good.

It is not hard for many of us to relate to the name calling processes that we hear, read or even witness every day.  It does not matter which side of the aisle we represent or what we believe in or do not believe in, at some point we are going to face others who wish to have nothing to do with our beliefs and in turn they let us know about their opinions at the same time.  I have to state that the secular example I used above really irks me in that Otto had so-called good intentions of expanding the area of the Church but more importantly to him he had “higher” goals of personal gain that he desired more.  It was these higher goals of his that led to the forceful conversion of thousands of people to a religion that they had never known before.  The basis for their new religion was placed upon the land mass and not the individual respects and aspects of their overall lives.  I now ask you this question: are we seeing such a pattern unfolding in our own present societies today?  The answer to this question is “yes, both on the secular sides of the issues and on the religious side as well.  This partitioning of land in the name of God has become unhinged and is now flaming the storms of unrest throughout the world.

While the disciples were off gathering food, Jesus comes up to the well and sits there for a while until a Samaritan woman come up and they began a conversation.  It is well known that the Samaritans and the Jews were not on speaking terms and it was to the point where each side held to their scathing opinions of each other.  They agreed to stay away from each other yet condemn, put down and scoff at the other both publicly and privately when the opportunity arose.  But Jesus began to talk to this woman, totally ignoring the religious and cultural differences between the two sects.  The conversation was a receptive one but one must contend that many thoughts had to be running through the woman’s mind since Jesus was obviously talking to an enemy; so what did He want?

Jesus began to ask her specific questions about her life and quickly reached His goal by the responses that she gave to Him.  It did not take the lady too long to realize that Jesus was a man of God and did not wish to engage in any formal protests against her ethnic or cultural background; He was clearly interested in her spiritual content and in the physical life that she was harboring.  Jesus did not speak ill towards her lifestyle but He DID point out her that her living conditions were wrong and she did not argue this point.  It is at this point to which Jesus reveals Himself to His mission and that His mission is strictly Kingdom oriented and has no other motives present.  Pointing out her faults is not a bad thing when it is done in love and humility.  Yelling, condemning and throwing landscape propaganda into people’s faces shall never see results that are for God’s Kingdom.

At some point in the conversation the disciples come back into the picture and when they see Jesus and the woman talking they become visibly upset.  They quickly begin to quiz Jesus as to why He is sitting close to a Samaritan woman and start to chastise Him because He was talking with her.  They must have pointed out (reminded Him) of the customs that the Jewish people had concerning Samaritans and the association with them, or lack of association with them.  The disciples were playing their landscapes to the tee at this point and this is when Jesus once again tried His best to show them that it was all about Kingdom and the importance of knowing what is truly at stake.

On all three sides the humans involved understood their places.  The disciples did their best to defend their own personal territories by keeping their land agreements within themselves and then trying to “remind” Jesus of those land agreements.  The Samaritan woman definitely had hurt and anguish within her heart for she never argued with Jesus and was inquisitive about His line of gentle questioning.  Jesus Himself was totally interested in providing an explanation to her that there is a way out of her hurts and sins.  One person was willing to listen, one person knew what was at stake and the others involved tried to secure their lands.  The value of a spiritual landscape is far more important that a physical one, for the physical ones can change hands as Otto I proved in 962. 

How can one truly convert to a new religion or theology while being forced or pressured to do so?  To have the entire European continent subject to one religion or denomination would be a physical goal for any king, pope, leader or some everyday Joe but when it comes to what Jesus stated as the mission of the Church it becomes clear that this angle of spreading the gospel is grossly irrelevant and unjust on all sides.  While this may be a tough statement on Otto and his ambitions, it is a truthful one and it needs to be placed into our heads and hearts as an example not to follow when trying to change people’s hearts about God.  This is exactly what the disciples did when they adamantly reminded Jesus of His place at the well and the circumstances of the times. 

But Jesus had other plans in motion and as soon as the woman left to call the people of her city to hear what Jesus was saying, Jesus gave a profound description of the Kingdom when He used the example of the harvest.  God already has every inch of the land on the earth, why would He wish to fight for something of no value?  God only cares for His children and their spiritual lands, for it is our spiritual land that means everything to Him.  The harvest is ripe for the taking and it is our job to ignore our acquired physical landscapes and unless we lose our own physical kingdom there is no way that we can ever understand the meaning and the mission of the Kingdom of God.  In order for us to understand this truth we must be willing to lay down everything of the world that we harbor within.

The gaining of worldly lands will eventually enslave every inch of your life, most of the time without you even knowing the capacity that it has within you.  I am not saying to sell your family property, that is not my point at all but God is asking you to give up the physical property that you have within your heart and turn your life over to Him so that you may know true freedom.  I have to include myself in this situation and it is my duty to let my personal landscapes go so that God can reveal Himself more to me, we are all in this boat together.

A very short time later, Otto I lost his support from the Church and therefore his ideas of a large land grab faltered dramatically.  Yes, he made huge strides in his efforts, but to what cost did he have to take in order to accomplish this task.  His personal goal of converting the infidels and expanding the Church’s through terror means did not please God at all and in truth did more harm for humanity than good.  Jesus knew the woman at the well was an enemy to the Jews, but He could have cared less.  While the disciples displayed their infidel landscapes Jesus was pushing God’s Kingdom forward, one spirit at a time.

DLB

Bloodline of Jesus

Bloodline of Jesus

4/3/15

Many people are now saying that the consistency of the Bible is in question.  These accusations are not just coming from the secular regions but to some dismay they are being introduced from the religious communities as well.  However, it is the important issues within the content of the Bible that we have missed and for many people have ignored.  Details within the Bible are very specific and when a pattern is set and then followed throughout it must have been so.  The question of Jesus’ bloodline follows this unique pattern yet it contains an unusual detail that speaks volumes and at the same time proves that Jesus is worthy of being the eternal and pure sacrificial lamb.

It was not up until a few decades ago that scientists proved that it is the father of the child that actually determines the sex of the child when conception occurs.  This was a remarkable breakthrough for the scientific community and it explained a great deal about the genetic transfer between male and female.  I have four beautiful girls that have been created and I love each and every one of them will all of my heart, yet no boy has graced my bloodline and due to this scientific advancement I have to say that the reason that I do not have a son is strictly my fault.  I joke and say that God said that there are enough Bishop boys running around the earth that He would not allow another one to “grace” the world and that He has a sense of humor because I continued to try for a boy.  No matter what my girls are my life and I would never trade them for anything.

I do not wish to sound sexist in any manner in this article, so please do not get me wrong.  God has some important details to share with us and I pray that the words that I use do not seem sexist in any way.  The Bible states in the book of Genesis of this originating sequence and this should be the reason why that this detail about males should not be surprising.  We all know that the Bible was written long before any type of genetic studies or specific information was available or known and through the statement of Genesis 2:19-22 it should be clear enough that all doubts should be squelched.

In this passage it states that God places Adam into a deep sleep and takes a rib from his side and forms the woman.  Now my father has a beautiful and accurate description of this process that also compliments the letter I just wrote about equality.  I am not going to quote my father exactly but these are his approximate words that he routinely uses to explain the relationship between man and woman.

God created Adam first and it was not until after Adam was a full creation did God decide to make his helpmate.  God did not create Eve from the ground for this would have placed her into the same category as the animals and she would not have been under the same Kingdom laws as man was, so God did the best thing ever and created woman from Adam’s side, his rib.  God took a rib from Adams’ side and formed his helpmate to share all responsibilities with Adam, both physical and spiritual.  Eve was not created from his foot so that he could step on her ambitions or to control her every movement.  Nor did God create her from Adam’s head so she could control his every thoughts and subordinate and subject him to her authority and have no respect for the first created human being.

Instead God chose to take a rib from Adam’s side which represented the middle of Adam, to be his equal just as the ribs line the middle of the body.  God mean for Eve to be with Adam in all manners as his equal and to be involved in all decisions that needed direct attention.  With this type of creation both divinely created beings would see eye to eye with each other and would have every opportunity to live accordingly.  No respecter of persons nor would there be any greater creation than the other, equal on all levels and unique to their own standards. 

It is this setting that should have rang bells in our head about who determines the sex of our children.  Once God establishes a pattern or law He cannot change it and this pattern is directly explained with the creation of Eve.  When God stated that man needed company and that it was not good for him to be alone He set out to create the perfect person to be with Adam.  Adam was a fully developed human being and it was from him that Eve was created.  This is the pattern that God set into motion that day and it is still in effect today.  Yes, a person can adopt a baby or child but for that infant or child or adult to be adopted it first had to be created by the union of the male and female.  No matter how the process of conception is completed, it takes a male and female to complete the process.  This process cannot be changed and it was first set in motion in Genesis and it is still going strong today. 

Another side issue here is how Eve was created and how it falls into line with the birth of Jesus.  God made Adam alone, by himself and there was no one else with him.  The Bible does not say for how long Adam was alone but it was long enough that God said it was time for someone to help him.  Adam was created first and Eve later; not at the same time.  This is a unique creation step that included Adam, a created being, and God.  No two humans were involved in the conception of Eve.  And as we will see later, Jesus’ creation was the exact same manner, a unique method of creation that has not been performed since. This manner of creation also brings to life that God can do anything He wishes and once He begins a process, each one is unique and distinct and represents a whole new inquiry about life.

After a period of time the Bible states that Adam knew his wife and she conceived and bore a son.  The word “knew” here refers to the act of sex and the Hebrew word used here is quite specific in origin and has basically only one meaning.  This means that the act of sexual relations had been established between man and woman and that the conception patterns are the same in those days as they are today; a male and a female must be present in order to create another human being.  The next portion of the passage states that Eve conceived a child which means that the presence of the male sperm and female egg joined and created a new human life.  The last portion of the passage states that Eve bore a child.  As the first two portions of this passage it follows the exact same patterns that we see today when a child is born.  From the first recorded child birth up until this very moment that you are reading this article, nothing about the physical process of child birth has changed.  It is a miracle that with modern technological advances that allow people to have children these days, but it is still the same biological process within humans that creates human beings that gives each one of us our own start in life.

From this point on in the Bible a pattern is formed and is repeated in many passages throughout the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures.  This pattern refers to the lineage of a person and through the word “begat” defines who the father of the said person is.  We have countless chapters in the Bible that demonstrate this pattern and it leaves us no doubt to whom the fathers were and how the blood line was passed down from generation to generation.  The typical and continual pattern of the father creating (begat) sons and daughters never changes in the Old Testament and with this detail proves that bloodline comes from the male side of the issue.  I also understand that these passages tend to become mundane, confusing and even boring at times.  But in their own manner, they serve an importance that defines God’s specificity and timing through the creation of humanity.  This portion of Scripture deals with history of mankind and if understood enough, can explain how lineage activities come into light in the New Testament.

Some of the more “famous” people within the contents of the Bible follow these same long lineage “begat” passages just the more “common” people or lesser known within the same biblical contents.  This does not mean that only a certain few people are worth mentioning but that if every detail was filled in the Bible would be a massive text that would be overwhelming in stature.  Mary is a good example of this type of passage for it was her life that was used by God in order to bring the perfect and eternal sacrifice for our lives into the world.  The usage of Mary also spells out a unique switch and further defines God’s perfect plan for the destruction of His arch enemy and ours, Satan.

The pattern of male lineage continues without interruption until a certain event at the beginning of the New Testament.  When the New Testament starts with Matthew it records the lineage of Joseph but at the end of his line there is a remarkable change within the line along with an interesting omission, or in this case divine change.  Matthew begins by listing all of the male names that leads up to Joseph.  It is a complete lineage and one that follows the original patterns from the Old Testament. However, Matthew 1:1 states that these were the generations of Jesus Christ which means that the lineage of Jesus and is specific to Him alone.  And then Mary changes the entire setting.

After all of the names are listed in biological and chronological order, Joseph’s name is mentioned with a few changes taking place concerning him.  The entire lineage of Joseph uses the word begat up until and including Jacob the father of Joseph.  But here it stops and immediately states that Joseph was the husband of Mary.  This is the change that makes all the difference in the world and for humanity.  With the pattern that was formed and followed throughout all of Scriptures, it changes with Joseph, Mary and Jesus.  This is not a typo or some error in order to change the settings of humanity but it is a divine change that sets into motion the fulfillment of a scene in the Garden of Eden where God foretells Satan of his ultimate defeat. 

Matthew 1:16 says that Joseph was the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.  We all know that Joseph and Mary were betrothed to each other.  The equivalent, yet different, comparison that we have today would be like an engagement.  Then in sequence the verse states that Joseph was the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus.  This means that Joseph and Mary were married when Jesus was born but it leaves out the fact that Joseph was the father of Jesus.  And at the same time it brings into play the name of Mary and if you look back in the Old Testament, how many times was the mother’s name of the child mentioned?  This is the huge change that makes all of the difference because if Joseph was not the father of Jesus and Mary was still a true and pure virgin, then that means she got pregnant by some divine presence and not by a human male.

If God could create the female from the side of the male then should not be any question that He could in turn create another person through His this process He must have a special purpose to have used His own spiritual DNA.  God understood and has never departed from the act of sacrifice as being the redemptive process of restoration of our relationship with Him.  God also knew that with these sacrifices blood was to be shed but it was imperfect blood and pure in content.  Yes, the animals were perfect looking and came from great bloodlines but the sacrifice’ blood was still subject to death; a flaw which God overlooked but still had to perfect for all eternity.  Some people kept this truth within their hearts and passed the information down to their generations, but many forgot the true meaning of this practice and systematically became cold to its truths.

What does this choosing say about Mary?  We all know that Mary had two human parents, so she was not a divine character and had no redemptive aspects on eternal matters.  On the other hand, her human status does not mean that we should ignore her life and to “throw her existence to in the wind” either.  God choose this young innocent lady to birth His only son and to give the entire human existence a chance to personally see God at work for our eternal lives.  We cannot afford to place any human being on a higher plane that what they are, human for if we do then we are in subject to the same categorical level as Muslims place Mohammad.  Before jumping to any conclusions, think about what that statement says and ponder on it a while; could it serve as a god?

God keeps His pattern of reproduction and laws in tact when He chooses Mary.  When God created Adam, He did so from the dirt that was still holy and pure.  The same went for Eve when God took a rib from Adam and made Eve from it.  Mary was just as innocent as Adam was in the regards to sex and therefore, chose the perfect vessel for the creation of a divine / human so that the world may once again have a chance to have true and equal relationship with God again.  What more intimate way could God give us than the presence of His son?

So, God had to initiate through a guided bloodline, a unique heart to which to bare His divine Son into a sinful world.  This process says so much about the human bloodline and what role the female plays within bloodlines; it actually elevates the female and not downgrades her.  Matthew 1:16 states that Mary gave birth to Jesus and at this point in Scriptures it does not continue the human bloodline as His father, which means that God was the Father of Jesus and not a human being.  This places Jesus into a divine and holy bloodline status which only two other people had known, Adam and Eve.  So why wouldn’t God continue His perfect reproduction process with His own Son as He did at the beginning of His greatest creations? 

God was very deliberate in keeping with the formal lineage of succession when the author of Matthew recorded the people before Joseph.  He was also specific to mention that Joseph was the husband of Mary.  God also made it very clear that Mary gave birth to Jesus and it also placed into the factual category that Jesus had no earthly father.  This can have only one meaning that Jesus was created inside Mary’s womb from God alone.  It is a known fact that when conception occurs it is not felt.  The pleasure of the sexual climax is felt but when the steps of conception occur, this process is not known on any level, it just naturally takes place.  I have no explanation of how God preformed this miracle and we on earth shall never know but what I do know is that the process was competed and Jesus was formed the instant God decided.

It is through this bloodline of God that establishes the perfect sacrificial bridge for all mankind.  The significance of a blood sacrifice throughout the Old Testament should have given the people hope that one day their sins would be forgiven on the eternal basis, not just year to year.  Yet the world’s super powers overcame their hearts and the direct purpose for which the sacrificial process became a mill or production line that served little more than a ritualistic service.  That is why we completely miss things as humans because we place little redemptive value upon what God’s laws mean to our lives and we lack the frugality of their meanings as well.

I do not find it unusual or weird in any way that God uses blood throughout His Word to penetrate the depths of His laws and wisdom.  I also find it ridiculous that we try to thin out His laws and the meaning of His sacrifice in order to justify the mere words and actions of our daily breaths.  We continually demean the value of God’s love for mankind and ignore the severity and true jealousy of His concern for our eternal security.  We belittle Jesus’ mission on earth by placing Him as a political and social figure instead of ourselves desiring to teach His ministry to a dying world as He did.  It is for us that Jesus came into the world to serve as a sacrifice for our lives, not to take sides of a political argument about a human choice.  And Mary did not birth God’s Son in order for her to be elevated as a god or deity in order for us to have another object to worship. 

God gives humans the choice to accept Him or not and it is through this gift of choice that Jesus agreed to come to the earth and to live amongst His people.  See, since sin entered into the Garden, God has not been able to set a His physical foot on the earth, so He had no choice but to create a human, yet keep the divine bloodline in tact in order to show Himself to the people once again.  It is a perfect plan that God gave us and it is strictly up to us to choose Him or not.  The holy bloodline is secure and it forms a covered bridge for each one of us so that we may be in complete relationship with God again.  But if we continue to scoff at this bridge and reject who is on the other side, then one day that choice will be taken away; and the ironic thing is that the choice will be taken away by a final choice that we ourselves will make.

DLB