Which Is Greater?
5/2/21
There is no shortage of tragedies in our world today, it seems like it is an endless supply of something that angers our hearts. While these instances are of great concern to all of us, there is a higher issue that is being ignored or better yet, not even thought about. This issue is of the eternal manners in which these people face as soon as they take their last human breath. It is easy to quote Scripture to support such a stance and truth, but God does not need our support, He needs us out on the streets and in communities witnessing and telling the ones who do not know HIm that they need a Savior for their time could be short. It is not any desire from God that anyone perish and live eternity from Him, but tragically it seems like we wish to keep these eternal issues superficial. This belief of ours shall not only cost other people their lives but ours as well.
For quite some time now, years in fact this nation along with other modern nations have witnessed their share of informative settings that target certain groups of people. Inevitably, some type of ugly event occurs and that part of the specific nation is set ablaze with a hotbed of violence, anger, and vitriol on display. It seems like it is one thing after another that our eyes and ears see and listen for countless hours just to see what the current results will be. What is disturbing is that this watching and listening process continues on a distance course that lasts for weeks, months, or as in one place for over a year. In no manner of speaking, this type of anxiousness on a continuing basis is not healthy for any sized community, and the longer its uneasy presence present the more likely deeper violent attitudes will arise and prevail.
Unfortunately, these types of settings usually involve at least one death, with the issue of race, coming into question. While most of the time this is the case, there are other conditions that warrant such outcries but in our modern nations, the race is the catalyst that starts the raging. Even though the majority of rural areas are not subject to such animosity conditions, we do see what has transpired and therefore cannot ignore the graphics of our surroundings. What it boils down to is that humans have become a very selfish occupant of these lands and we harbor an indefinite amount of bitterness within our hearts and we are itching to release these growth patterns whenever we feel like necessity brings them forward. Yes, these instances are mortifying and totally sad and disgusting, there is the most important fact that has been left out of this process and examinations, God.
As I have studied these events over the past few years, I have noticed two constant things about the end results. First off, is that at least one person is dead or severely beaten to the point of them being left unrecognizable. Secondly, when the results are handed down, it is all superficial manifestations that are noted and proclaimed. These two factors when used in combination alone, present a deeper misunderstanding of how to end such ridiculous issues, and yet, this lack of knowledge fuels more and deeper results upon humanity. As this latest issue has unfolded, the responses of many of the onlookers have been atrocious, everything from never being satisfied to using foul language and hoping the person rots in hell and that they will hate this person for the rest of their lives. ALL of these responses have produced superficial satisfaction and do not deal with the real issue of combating these types of settings. In every time that I have studied concerning these events, no one, including the Church, has made the Truth known about how to avoid such confrontations in the future.
Galatians 5:24-25
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Luke 23:34
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."
After everything the ruling party of the world did to Jesus He still had the knowledge and strength to pray for the children that He loved so much. But the meaning of such prayer was much deeper than they understood and to what level we understand today. For these simple words gave notice to all humanity that there is a physical aspect of our lives that will pass away but there is our spiritual aspect which shall live forever, but where it lives is strictly up to our acceptance of the Truth that is placed before us. The people who had allowed this type of action to pass had no inkling that they were fulfilling thousands of prophecies foretold long before that day. They had no idea that as soon as Jesus drew His final breath that He was still at work but on a spiritual aspect, not a physical one and it is this aspect that the majority of the people walking on this earth today do not understand.
Many believe that is the physical part of our bodies that matters and that there is no other part of life as we draw this last breath. But just as Jesus immediately went into the spirit realm up His last breath, we do the exact same and it is THIS aspect of our lives that deems us worthy of eternal life or eternal death. In almost every high-powered social instance, when the person takes their last breath it is treated as a sacred moment even if they never stepped foot into a church building. I cannot help but sit in amazement when this type of death occurs and people fall out from out of nowhere in order to get their name in lights over a person who has died. It is one of the most self-centered acts a human being can do to glorify themselves at a time of mourning. When the so-called ministers land at these events, it is a photo op gig that steals the show. Recently, at one of the more tragic courtroom scenes in this nation a self-styled minister made sure it was known that he was going to attend the final proceedings. He showed up in his private jet along with his entourage and all the media possible, just to ensure his agenda was met, not God's.
While this type of show draws attention, ratings, and money it shows no respect for the eternal placement of the person that has passed away; it is this aspect of life that God wants us to understand today for it is not the physical that is the greater good but the spirit that counts. When there is a death warrant already hanging over your physical existence what good does it do to cultivate this entity? It is meaningless and empty at best when the glorification of the flesh (body physical) is subjected to all things edified even after we draw our last breath. Having an awesome-looking body, or being known for a great working being, or the one who walked their dog each morning at 0700 means absolutely nothing when the destination of the eternal portion is not woven into the very fabric of the eternal Being that created you. Yet, we spend so much time trying to convince others of what a great person this dead lump of flesh was and how much they would have meant to the world if only they were not snuffed out at an early age. Physical death can only glorify one being and that is the god of this world, who is a loser at best and one that cares nothing for you.
Why do we not see any people speaking at these funeral events telling the audience present that they need Jesus? The reason we do not see this is because it would take away the ambiance of what is trying to be presented to the on-looking eyes that my physical resistance far outweighs my spiritual resistance. We do not care about what the afterlife might tell, so we make sure that our physical life is projected as loudly as possible even after our last breaths are taken. Pacification in the physical life does not give a pass into Heaven or eternal rest in the spiritual. Until we realize that our spiritual setting is far greater than our physical one not much is going to change for the positive in our lives. It is this portion of life God wants us to understand, that it is not the physical that lives forever but it is the spirit and since spirit is eternal it is greater, far greater than the physical. Of course, the world shall never tell you this nor will it even broach the subject for only death (physical) can reveal itself in the world.
There are many ways to say what Jesus said when He was about to die on the cross. This famous phrase of His says it all and reinforces the fact that eternity relies on His blood in order to live forever in liberty and freedom. The physical should never direct what the spirit has to live for, for when it does it means that the order in which we should live is out-of-order and thus subject to ridicule, pain, agony, death, and eternal damnation. When my father died last year it was a tremendous loss for our family. Yes, it was a sad day and it has been a struggle that all of us have approached with difficulty; however, I am so glad that he did not have to face all of this junk that has transpired over the last year. This experience would have included the medical side of things but more importantly, his heart would have been broken to see how the Church has responded, or not responded. Every day of his adult life, pop dedicated his every breath to preach the Gospel and to ensure that the Church understood the importance of spiritual warfare. While his words were not in vain, it seems like that as soon as many left the building so did the Word of God that he shared.
How have we allowed such physicalness to invade and conquer our spiritual lives with such methodical ease? That is an easy question to answer and once again it stems from the actions or lack thereof from the Church. Contrary to many beliefs, the Church is supposed to be in control of the spiritual aspect of our lives and NOT the physical. We have become so concerned about offending people and being placed into the spotlight of newspapers, groups, and other organizations than to teach the truth about what people need to hear. See, the word "offend" or to be offended has become an offensive weapon to silence people of truth. Do you realize that this word and its usage is of a physical nature? It has nothing to do with the spiritual aspect of our lives; however, we treat it as such because we have bought into the lie that we should not tell the entire truth to those who need God. Satan's plan has worked to perfection and since we refuse to muddy the waters anymore, that "offensive" condition now rules the way. We have forgotten that the spiritual realm is at war with each other, and that war includes us. Spirit recognizes spirit and fights accordingly, the physical cannot withstand such battles which is why we are not supposed to fight physically. Neither spirit realm backs down from the other but if one does not know how to fight correctly, then the other automatically gains the high ground, and that my friends, is exactly the place where we are at today.
Church, we have lost the edge that Jesus gave us, and we have turned the advantage over to the enemy and he has run with it. We no longer know how to fight in the spirit or do we even have the stamina to do such a fight. We have become lazy and have allowed ourselves to take off the armor of God and put it on the ground. A while back, God gave us the article about fighting a fight with the wrong weapon, a weaker and an inadequate one to what the enemy carries. This is exactly what Jesus meant when He made this statement on the cross, for even though the life of Jesus on earth was ordained as such we still had no idea about what fight was going on during those moments, we were all focused on what was transpiring in the physical.
There have been many prophecies over the past few years about a great reset and how things are going to be different. The physical aspect of these prophecies is going to rock our lives and shake them to the core of our existence, the Church INCLUDED. In fact, the Church shall be hit hard for lack of living up to her responsibility as the standard by which all humanity should strive. We are the standard and God cannot shake others and leave His Standard-bearers alone; God did not allow Israel off the hook when they lived in such wimpy lifestyles with no intentions of returning back to Him. Therefore, when God does begin His shaking, the Church or the majority of the Church will not have a clue as to how to defend herself, or how to survive what is coming. People shall leave the Church after their eyes behold what God will do, this is a fact not a whimsical idea. Why? Because we have no idea what we have done or what we are allowing to occur.
For those who stand on the promises of God and have hidden the Word of God within their hearts, continue to stand firm and tall. Things shall become tense and tight but your spiritual eyes shall see what is occurring and shall know exactly how to pray for strength and encouragement. God shall provide for those who have kept His Word, for they shall understand and be wise to listen to His instructions. So, the question's answer that is posed in the title of this article should be crystal clear by this time. Spirit is always greater than the physical, it always has been and it shall always be for spirit lives for eternity. Let us get back into the Word of God, the ENTIRE Word of God and once again teach and preach the Truth about our lives and what God has for us to do.
DLB
No comments:
Post a Comment