Is it truly possible to be in this world, but not of this world? Christ Jesus as our example showed us that it is.
John 8:23 “You are from below," He told them, "I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”
John 15:9 “If
you were of the world, the world would love [you as] its own. However,
because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the
world hates you.”
John 18:36 "My
kingdom is not of this world," said Jesus. "If My kingdom were of this
world, My servants would fight, so that I wouldn't be handed over to
the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here."
At
John 8:23, Christ shows us that as humans, this world is where we
originated in that we are first flesh and then become spirit whereas
he, originated as the only direct creation of God - first Michael the
Archangel/The Word in spirit, then becoming flesh as Christ Jesus
before returning to spirit. He was truly not of this world as he
clearly stated in John 8:23 and he remained in the world but not of
this world for his entire human existence. While we originated in this
world, we also have the choice to be in this world and not of this
world. I’ll explain this a bit further as we continue looking at these
scriptures.
At John 15:9, he goes on to explain that those who
are of the world are loved by the world but that by not being of the
world and instead chosen out of it, you will be hated by the world.
And finally at John 18:36 he explains again that neither his origination nor his kingdom were in or of this world.
What
draws my attention in particular in the above three scriptures is that
it says, of the world. Why do you think that is? Why does it say of
rather than in? We are all in this world together because we exist on
this planet. But is there a difference between being in the world and
being of the world? In order to decipher the truths that reside within
these scriptures, let’s look at the definition of the word “world” a
little more closely:
Definition of World
- noun
1. the earth or globe, considered as a planet.
2. (often initial capital letter) a particular division of the earth: the Western world.
3. the earth or a part of it, with its inhabitants, affairs, etc., during a particular period: the ancient world.
4. humankind; the human race; humanity: The world must eliminate war and poverty.
5. the public generally: The whole world knows it.
6. the class of persons devoted to the affairs, interests, or pursuits of this life: The world worships success.
7. a particular class of people, with common interests, aims, etc.: the fashionable world.
8. any sphere, realm, or domain, with all pertaining to it: a child’s world; the world of dreams; the insect world.
9. everything that exists; the universe; the macrocosm.
10. any complex whole conceived as resembling the universe: the world of the microcosm.
11. one of the three general groupings of physical nature: the animal world; mineral world; vegetable world.
12. any period, state, or sphere of existence: this world; the world to come.
13. often worlds. A great deal: that vacation was worlds of fun.
14. any indefinitely great expanse.
15. any heavenly body: the starry worlds.
While
there are many uses for the word world, I feel that what the Word is
telling us is that to be in the world and of the world are most
definitely two different things. Let’s explore this a little further.
At Psalm 9:8 it says, “He judges the world with righteousness; He executes judgment on the peoples with fairness.”
When it says, “He judges the world”,
if you were to apply the first definition of the word world which is 1.
the earth or globe, considered as a planet, would that then mean that
Father judges not only the people on earth but also plants, animals,
rocks, oceans and mountains? Of course not. So it would be more
accurate to say that when Christ said the world he was referring to the
fourth definition of the word world which is 4. humankind; the human
race; humanity.
So let’s now ponder a bit further as to why,
while we originate from and are in this world, we would not want to be
of this world.
Think about the world we live in. Do you feel
that it is a world that is of Father’s original design and plan - one
of love, peace, harmony and beauty? Or has the world for some time now
been a world that more resembles the king of all lies, Dawn Lucifer?
The answer to this question can be found in the following scripture:
Jeremiah 9:6 “You live in [a world] of deception. In [their] deception they refuse to know Me. [This is] the LORD's declaration.”
Because
deception is not of Father, we know just exactly whose influence it is
that we are all currently under as Dawn Lucifer seeks his tin-god
rulership of the world. He is the original deceiver and continues to
deceive humankind in his attempt to win the Spiritual War. We currently
have no choice but to be in the reality in which we currently exist -
this world – and we are in bondage to Dawn Lucifer in the same way that
the Israelites were in bondage to the Egyptians. It is for this reason
that Christ will return to free us from this bondage. Until then, the
choice is ours to be in this world but not of this world. This is
probably one of the single most important choices we could ever make
because choosing to be of this world could also mean losing out in
being freed from bondage as well as losing our Eternal Life because
Christ will not return for all of humankind – only his followers and
Father’s children.
The difference between being of the world and
being in this world is really a simple thing. Ask yourself. Do you
accept Christ Jesus as your Savior and follow The Way of the Narrow
Path or do you reject truth and submit yourself to what Dawn Lucifer
has made of this sinful world and follow the wide road of destruction
instead? Is this world all there is for you – making you a permanent
resident? Or is there another place you call home in the Spirit Realm –
making you an alien or temporary resident?
Dawn Lucifer has
developed many tactics over the many years since the beginning of the
Spiritual War and I’d like to talk a little bit about just one of them
because in using this particular tactic he is keeping the chains that
bind much of humankind to this world taught and strong. He does this by
keeping us distracted from Spiritual growth and focus on Father and
Christ by keeping us attracted to the fleshly desires of the here and
now. He knows how to use these fleshly desires against us and how to
keep us of this world – a world of his own making. However, the chains
CAN be broken and we have the power, given to us by our Almighty God
and example given by Christ Jesus to do this, but it takes love,
strength and endurance among many other things in order to succeed.
Now
think about the world today. What things is humankind most attracted
to? Fame. Money. Power. Prestige. What do you hear on the Radio, hear
and see on TV and hear, see and read on the Internet? What sort of
people are making headlines and for what? Who are the people we look up
to and idolize? How do people treat one another? These are just a few
questions to ponder, but the scriptures give us a more detailed
description of what our world has truly become:
2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But
know this: difficult times will come in the last days. For people will
be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable,
slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is
good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God, holding to the form of religion but denying its power.
Avoid these people!”
Aside from being a major sign of End
Times, what does this tell you about humanity? Are they of this world
that is of Dawn Lucifer’s making? If you don’t know then you may be of
this world.
I have to say that most people in this world have no
idea how perilous the times we live in truly are. Father is extending
warnings to humankind that are going unnoticed and it’s because so many
people are trapped within the myriad of Dawn Lucifer’s snares.
1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you.”
I
reach out to you and I urge you, in the same way and with the same
urgency and conviction as Peter urged his readers to abstain from
fleshly desires that war against you. There are many false shepherds
who are in and of this world that are preaching the gospel of
prosperity while at the same time leading Christ’s sheep directly into
Dawn Lucifer’s snare. Search your heart and determine if you’re of this
world by asking yourself: What sort of fleshly desires are you
attracted to? Do you seek a bigger, better or fancier home? Are you
inwardly jealous or envious of the car your neighbor drives or the pool
in their backyard or the amount of vacations they take and to where? Do
you aspire to possess belongings and material things? Do you seek fame,
money, power and prestige for self-serving reasons? Are money, sex,
drugs and alcohol or any of the things mentioned above more important
than your relationship with Father and Christ or your eternal life?
You
see, these things, these fleshly desires that are innately a part of us
and war against us, are exactly what Dawn Lucifer uses against us to
snare us in the Spiritual War. They are empty and have no meaning at
all and he is betting that these things will be more important to us
than Father, Christ and our own eternal lives. You must come to a
realization that they are all only temporary! You must come to
understand that if Dawn Lucifer can get you to focus on these
meaningless, empty things; if he can convince you to focus more on THEM
than on your relationship with Father and Christ and your spiritual
growth, he has you right where he wants you because these things won’t
just chain you to this world but they will lead you down the wide road
of destruction. The wide road of destruction is the loss of your
eternal life.
This is why what is stated at 1 Peter 2:11 is so
very, very important and particularly in this day and age because the
hourglass is nearly empty. Time is running out for humankind. Following
what is shared at 1 Peter 2:11 will break the chains that bind us to
this world and when the chains are broken, we are free to aspire to be
in union with Father and Christ and are given the opportunity of
Salvation and Eternal Life. This is what it means to be not of this
world. It is rejecting that which Dawn Lucifer has created and
considering ourselves as aliens and temporary residents of this world,
while being content with whatever Father provides for our livelihoods
and knowing both that She will provide and that what we are
experiencing in this world is only temporary too. What we should focus
on is not the here and now, because the here and now will pass away but
Father and Christ and Eternity will never pass away.
Isaiah 58:6-8
With all the talk about the extreme crisis that has
befallen us with financial bail outs and financial rescue plan’s for
the U.S. and many European countries, I thought perhaps I’d write this
week about God’s Rescue Plan for Planet Earth.
I won’t be voting this year. In fact, I’ve never voted
in a presidential election. And, with the 2008 elections around the
corner and all our media sources buzzing with information,
disinformation, mudslinging, and late night show political jokes, I
felt moved to address a very important point in this week’s blog to
all of my readers.
Today in the Western World and in much of the rest of the world,
we are societies that exist on junk food. On every suburban and city
corner can be found a McDonalds, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell and
Kentucky Fried Chicken and this is not just in the United States, but
worldwide. Our food is genetically modified, pumped full of
preservatives, laced with pesticides and filled with chemicals.
Definition of Complacency
Psalm 16
Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on
Him — a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and
strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
