 The Black Panther movie was a strong reminder of where the church has been, where she ought to be, and where she will be. Much of the church isn't aware of the PRESENT TRUTH that, through the finished work of Christ, we already dwell in the "Land of Vibranium" (Seated in heavenly places in Christ)...and on earth, simultaneously. Many hide out in their cocoon communities...away from "the world"...awaiting its destruction rather than cooperating in its healing. Some would love to use a sort of Anti-Vibranium (not exercising real power...just acting like mice with religious megaphones) to bully and conquer the world through fear-mongering, political and military means. For others "Justice" requires vengeance, by means of their own wrath. It brings me great joy to know that Jesus, our Glorious Leader, has a Kingdom of Priests who will ultimately use all of "Wakanda's" Resurrection Power and resources for Earth's good! I'm no movie expert, but I give this one an A+! It was great...and on so many levels. I especially loved the way that it beautifully portrayed African people and people of African descent. I'll save my comments about the constant presence of very strong women, throughout the film, for another post. Blessings! ~Joe
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 Grace, while remaining ever-present, functions through sweet, experiential, loving communion in and with the Godhead, not presumptive acts of human will and whim. Being IN Christ doesn't automatically mean that our words and works are OF Christ. His Finished Work brought us into a very special relationship with Himself...one which requires reciprocal Love (which is freely given by God and never humanly manufactured), appreciation and cultivation in order for His Glory to truly emanate from us. Grace is all about ROMANCE, not presumption or legal transaction! Blessings! ~Joe 
Why would you want to change the world for the better, when you believe that the answer to the problem is for things to get progressively WORSE...so that you can be "raptured"...once God finally gives up on His "Project Earth Failure"? Bad Eschatology has done far more collective harm to our youth than guns, and is no doubt a contributing factor to much despair, hopelessness, low self-esteem, low self-worth, depression, anger, violence, death, ministry burnout, and ministries aborted...due to many novices attempting to "fulfill their call" before the imminent rapture buzzer sounds. People greatly err when they confuse THOSE last days (Of the old system...ending in 70 A.D.) with this NEW DAY... and the Old Age, before the cross, with the New Age that was ushered in at the cross. We'd also do well to stop conflating ancient metaphors that were fulfilled in and prior to 70 A.D. with present and futuristic reasons for a hopeless Earth that needs to be destroyed. Our Loving Father has great things for this generation, while much of the church has "Left (Jesus' Gospel of the Kingdom) Behind" in favor of the modern-day Christian fiction of Darby, Larkin, Scofield, Lindsey, Van Impe, LaHaye, Hagee, and friends. Was your response to the recent school shootings, "Father, what do you want to do through me to help change this?" or was it "That's just a sign of the times. We don't have much longer."? Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on EARTH as it is in heaven! The last time that I checked, there were no shootings in heaven; and there won't be any in God's fully renewed earth. Blessings! ~Joe  For those Christians who are all for "Freedom of Religion" AND mandatory, audible prayer in public schools... What happens if the prayer is being led by a Satanist?, a Buddhist?, a Hindu?, a Muslim?, someone who claims to believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster? or another Christian whose beliefs don't line up exactly with yours? Do you expect people who don't believe in Jesus to pray in His Name? Should that be forced? Does God punish schools that don't adhere to your philosophy by ordaining mass shootings? Fearful people quite often treat prayer as a superstitious, good luck charm that must be imposed on others in order to fend off a Zeus-like god who is longing to wreak havoc, pain, and death on those who don't yet know him. Others believe that it is in His nature to be passive-aggressively "absent" in the midst of human pain and suffering. Nothing could be further from the Truth! God isn't a school shooter, nor does He ordain such actions. God is LOVE! The Truth is: We can't literally TAKE GOD OUT OF anything, and unceasing prayer can't be stopped by anyone or anything! I agree that our influence must be stronger, but that should be facilitated through Jesus' Love flowing through us...not by us imposing religion on others. Our delegated authority must function through Love and Servanthood, not legislation and imposition. Blessings! ~Joe  When people in First Century culture heard the words "Preach the Gospel" (kēryssō euaggelion..."Evangelize"), they immediately associated that with HERALDING A REGIME CHANGE. "Evangelical" is pretty much a 21st Century misnomer when there is no mention of King Jesus, the progressive coming of His Kingdom...and His will being done...on earth as it is in heaven. Is the Kingdom past, present, or future? The answer is "Yes" to all three. Life after death, and Life after Life after death (resurrected, glorified bodies on a fully renewed Earth) are understood as God's free gift to mankind once we discover Life/Jesus before death and understand that victory over death is included in His "progressively coming" Kingdom! The official New Age was ushered in at Calvary! 21st Century Evangelicals are focused on getting to heaven, while God is focused on bringing heaven to earth...through His New Creation! Blessings! ~Joe  The biggest "problem" with receiving true revelation is that we can't "unsee" it. We can ignore it, poo poo over it, and pretend that it's not there...but we can't deny its reality.
If we try to ignore it, it becomes a nagging pebble in our shoe. When we embrace it, even in the face of what seems like great personal loss, we experience fresh dimensions of LIFE and a deeper sense of Wholeness/ Integrity.  Those who refuse to believe that Jesus already, once and for all, upstaged all temples built with human hands are constantly looking for a new temple to be built by human strength, ingenuity, and political posturing.
We either recognize Jesus as the consummate fulfillment of Jacob's Ladder (Bethel- "The House of God"/God's Temple) or we strive to construct Towers of Babel in hopes of making a name for ourselves. All attempts to "reach God" by the sweat of Adam's dead brow can be likened to an offering of pig's blood. People fall into grave error whenever they fail to recognize the Body of Christ, with Jesus as the Head, as God's eternal City/Temple/New Heaven and New Earth and the Truth that Spirit always trumps natural architecture and geography. Isaiah 66:1 “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? 2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word." John 4:19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Blessings! ~Joe |
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