 Matt 5:18 "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." If heaven and earth haven't passed away, it is imperative that we begin sacrificing animals, stoning adulterers, and following the Law to its letter. What did "heaven and earth" mean to every First Century Jew? Simple Answer: The Temple...which passed away (destroyed by the Romans) in AD 70. Conclusion: "Heaven and earth" passed away LONG AGO!
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Heaven is the invisible and exact blueprint of what Earth shall one day look like. It is the very culture that we incrementally pray into this visible, earthly realm when we cry, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven"! Heaven & Earth are where God and mankind shall continue to dwell together forever. The air that we breathe is invisible, yet it is not far away. The same applies in an even deeper way to our relationship in and with The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit! An innumerable company of angels and a great cloud of witnesses (those who have "died" and long to be clothed again with their glorified, physical bodies) also surround us continually in this unseen, yet ever-so-near realm called heaven! God didn't create Heaven because He was homeless. He created it as an invisible realm which would perfectly complement Earth forever and provide a perfect atmosphere where He could dwell with mankind in His visible creation. The Incarnation of Jesus and His resurrected and glorified, EARTHLY body are everlasting proof of Heaven's inseparability from Earth! Heaven isn't "somewhere out there". Heaven is closer than the air we breathe! Love Y'all, Joe  The Earth's Apocalyptic Annihilation through a Divine Temper Tantrum has never been God's Will or method for bringing Peace, nor does He delight in "peace" through bullets, bombs or bullying! Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Psalm 115:16 "The heavens are the heavens of the LORD; But the earth He has given to the sons of men." Ecclesiastes 1:4 "A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever." Psalm 78:69 "And he built his sanctuary like high [palaces], like the earth which he hath established forever." Psalm 104:5 "Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever." Psalm 37:29 "The righteous will inherit the land, And dwell in it forever." Ephesians 1:21 "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end (an unending age). Amen." "Heaven and Earth" (See Matthew 24:35- Herod's Temple and Jerusalem as people of the First Century knew it) passed away and the "Elements" (See 2 Peter 3:10,12- The basic doctrines and commands of the Old Covenant World of Israel...to most definitely include the priesthood and its practices) were destroyed by "fire" way back in 70 A.D.. To lack an understanding of ancient metaphors is to misinterpret the Bible and totally misunderstand God's original and ultimate Intention for planet Earth. Revelation 21:1 "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth (The New Covenant Church/Temple of the Holy Spirit/Body of Christ): for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea (Perhaps...The Large, Bronze Bath in the Temple used for ceremonial washings...because the New Covenant, Royal Priesthood is clean through the finished work of Christ...and/or this speaks of an abolishment of the concept of a "Sea" of "Gentile outsiders".). Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of PEACE. 7 Of the increase of [his] government and PEACE [there shall be] NO END, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Luke 2:10 "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and ON EARTH PEACE, good will toward men." Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Blessings! ~Joe  The deeper meaning behind Luke 20: 21- 25...
You were created in the Image of God and His Words have been inscribed on your heart. Therefore let Him steward and multiply your Love potential on earth...as it is in heaven! This happens through us simply resting in Him...and yielding to the many ways which He desires to invest and spend our lives here on earth. Luke 20:21 Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? 24 “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.” 25 And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Christ in YOU (and as YOU) is Heaven's Treasure on Earth!  Friends,
You may not know this, but Jerusalem and her Temple were referred to as "Heaven and Earth" by the Jewish people during and prior to the First Century. An understanding of this, along with a historical understanding of what happened in and around 70 AD, will allow you to read the New Testament through a completely different lens than Dispensationalism has allowed. I submit to you that there are many present "New Heaven and New Earth" realities which have been untapped due to the error of many who have mistaken historical events for imminent or future apocalyptic happenings. The answer to the question, "Who is God's Temple and New Jerusalem now?", will help you to unlock the mystery of "The New Heaven and New Earth". Christ in us is the Hope of Glory! The following verse will also come in handy...when you realize that "this generation" was THAT generation (The Generation of Jesus' original audience). Mt. 24:34 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." Additional note: This is NOT "replacement" Theology. It has always INCLUDED both "Jew & Gentile"..."The ONE NEW MAN"! Blessings! ~Joe "For God so esteemed the earth as a condemned, devil-ruled, temporal hell hole that he kept His only begotten Son from inhabiting an icky, human body." THAT IS NOT THE GOSPEL!
Any message that causes you to despise the planet and loathe your own body (with its God-given desires and drives) is NOT the Gospel. Be very careful not to mistake the term "world" (Cosmos: man-made political and religious systems, etc.) for planet Earth or to confuse "the flesh" (A mindset which i...s contrary to the Mind and Nature of Christ) with the human body (Temple of God). Religion has people hating the planet and despising their own bodies. So many people loathe the visible while longing for nothing but the invisible. The Incarnation, Jesus' passion for His Kingdom to Come and His Will to be done on EARTH as it is in heaven, the Bible's bold prophetic declaration that the meek shall inherit the EARTH, and the blessed Hope of New Earth's potential and possibilities are most definitely enough evidence to refute such diabolical deceptions. It is also most helpful for us to understand that the "Last Days" (of the Old Covenant Order...with its many types, and shadows) are behind us, while recognizing Dispensationalism's mistake of relegating the Apocalyptic events which occurred in and around 70 AD to the future. In the Beginning, God said that the Earth and everything on it was "GOOD" and that "MAN" (male & female) was "VERY GOOD". Stop believing that Adam's ability to mess things up was greater than Jesus' ability to RESTORE them! The more that the BODY of Christ realizes that we are the body of CHRIST, the more we will understand the sanctity of our entire being...and celebrate the Incarnate Christ...in us and as us...Who is the Hope of Glory! Shalom! ~Joe My Word to you for 2017: You are just as much in Christ as you have ever been or ever will be! He can't possibly Love you any more or less today than He did yesterday or than He will tomorrow! God IS Love! The same benefits that were yours in 2016 (and in all prior years) are still yours! Christ in you is still the Hope of Glory! Amongst many other wonderful things, He calls you His Wife, His Brother or Sister, His Body, His Friend, His Living Epistle, and the Apple of ...His Eye! You are loved, valued, accepted and blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ! Through Him you have access to all things that pertain to life and godliness! You no longer have to rely on your own performance by trying to produce the Fruit or Gifts of the Spirit; and there is no shortage or rationing of the New Wine! You are free to rest in HIS PERFORMANCE...as you function through HIS Faith, which works by HIS Love! Freely you have received, NOW...Freely give!
No rhymes, No limericks, No numerology, Nothing spooky, No fortune cookie messages, No Christianese horoscopes, No 'carrot & stick' words promising to give you what you already have or make you who you already are, and No words coming from a compulsion to perform prophetically, because a New Year is just around the corner. Just Truth! Regarding New Year's "Words": Trust the Peace of Christ to be the referee in your heart. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Shalom! ~Joe The Christ Life is not a life-long, religious pilgrimage which will one day get us to God. Jesus' Incarnation was the ultimate pilgrimage FOR us and AS us! His vicarious Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension exemplified the consummate pilgrimage...once for all! Our pilgrimage is a life of discovery IN Him! The Path and Gate (both refer to Jesus Himself...Who is the exclusive WAY to the Father) are narrow, but the glories of His House (again referring to the In Christ realm) are infinite in width, length, height, and depth!
It is past time to remove the religious, virtual reality goggles which have so many "insiders" struggling with "outsider" paradigms! Shalom! ~Joe Religion denies our fixed position in Christ, tells us that we're still spiritually naked orphans and harlots in Jesus' future bride rehab program, offers us fig leaves to cover our perceived nakedness, attempts to impregnate our minds with thoughts of perpetual self-loathing and keeps us at a "crossroads"...waiting for the next season, formula, Christian celebrity, or prophetic word. This in no way resembles the ministry of Jesus, the first apostles or the First Century church.
Jesus already placed us in the rich, sweet center of heaven's jelly donut! We're not flies trying to navigate our way in! We're sons and daughters who can function from the In Christ realm...all day, every day. Through Christ, we have been seated in heavenly places and eternally inter-twined with the Trinity and each other! If you can only hear Him and live and function by His Spirit during certain special seasons and visitations...or after YOU have "righted" all of your wrongs...then you have a great excuse to walk "after the flesh" (carnal mindset). Such doctrines and mindsets demand it! The simplicity of Christ is absolutely beautiful! Shalom! ~Joe A revelation of the New Testament MYSTERY doesn't leave people wandering, waiting and begging for times, seasons, dispensations, visitations, "revivals", "moves" of God, "outpourings", or the next great Christian celebrity. The MYSTERY revealed through New Covenant ministry is CHRIST HIMSELF...Who, in us, is the Hope of Glory.
Avoid all spookiness which exalts a "prophet's" predictions of what's going to happen "_____________" (fill in a random date or future season) above THE EVER-PRESENT, WILLING, & ABLE MYSTERY HIMSELF! Just because someone caught a revelation of a particular facet of Him Who is THE MYSTERY, and magnified it for a particular season, doesn't mean that Christ hasn't been available to minister to and through us in that capacity since Pentecost. People seem to confuse the perpetuity of God's Will and Nature with the times and seasons of man's cooperation and understanding. Some "prophetic" folks love saying "yet four months" when Jesus explicitly told us not to (Note that four months marks new, natural seasons and weather patterns). We are not living in a season where we are waiting to push people into the waters of Siloam when an angel stirs them up. We are already in Christ and Christ is IN US! If you are "waiting" (FYI- That word happens to mean INTERTWINED in the Hebrew) for a "______ (fill in the blank) revival" in the next "move", then you must believe that God's perfect will for mankind is the absence of that particular expression of His Love...until He changes His Mind and decides to "move in mysterious ways". That sort of thinking exalts "spookiness"...not Christ. It will also sell more books than Bibles. The idea that God is somehow out of New Wine for a season, while your local liquor store is fully stocked, is ludicrous! Shalom! ~Joe |
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