Greater Works

We are His Church, a Moving Temple- His Kingdom is at Hand

February 8, 2017 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

The premise you can join the church as if you were enrolling in school is a dangerous precedent commonly accepted and left unchallenged. The emphasis has for to long been on "who's in" versus "who's out". There's nothing wrong with identifying those co-laboring with us but I caution you not to assume our mission is to get the world to come into our camp. In His Kingdom, we go into the world.

Our mission is to BE LIGHT, allow His Light to shine, to Love with His Love as He draws by His Spirit whoever He desires (and likewise, He will harden some hearts).

"CHURCH" is certainly a school for Kingdom citizens but as members of His Church our enrollment requires submission to the overseers of His School. To His School, He gave gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) that we submit until we're all One Man, able to stand in His presence, establishing His Kingdom on Earth (Read Ephesians 4).

We're called, drawn by a personal relationship with Christ Jesus; by His Love. As we're drawn into intimacy, we marry Him (meaning: we have intimate relationship with His Spirit). He penetrates our fig leaves with His Love, reaching the depths of our soul. He goes past the wall of fear, to the source of our very being. In this, we're infused with His Love and purpose, previously hidden due to our previous, personal dishonesty.

In any marriage we can expect procreation. When we're intimate with His Spirit we're made His child. At this point, we continue until Christ is formed in us. God desires to bring His child in you to delivery (read Isaiah 66:8.9). The greater reality is you are the offspring of God, literally!

Just as in marriage we can expect procreation, we can inquire to the inability to reproduce. If there's no procreation, there's something wrong with the man or woman. In the natural, there could be any number of reasons why a couple isn't procreating, but with God, we know there's nothing wrong with His ability to reproduce. If you're not being formed in His image, look in the mirror; there, you'll discover the problem. You can't blame anyone if you're not pregnant with God's child, except yourself or God's timing. If it's you, that can be corrected, but only through spiritual restoration. Sin attempts to make corrections by borrowing from the same logic that put the fig leaves on in the first place, effectively functioning as a condom. In order to become pregnant, everyone knows there must be penetration. With God, He must penetrate your heart. Because I've not mentioned other aspects of being spiritually pregnant doesn't mean you can't draw your own parallels but if we'll keep the main thing the main thing we'll discover all the work of ministry was being done without sound of hammer or tool as we were shaped.

The fig leaves we hide behind are fear based walls, acting like condoms, hindering Love to pierce the deepest parts of our being. When He does break through don't stop. Carry the Child to full term. It's Christ being formed in you.

And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. 1 Kings 6:7

Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matt. 16:17,18

His Church members (His moving Temple) are very aware we don't deserve intimacy with Creator God by our own merit, but we're also convinced we were created in His image and DO deserve His Grace, based on HIS merit. We know Him personally because He came to us. We know Him through the way compassion He gave, so it's natural for us to also have compassion on all.

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. Hebrews 5:1,2

"... we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." Hebrews 5:11,12

We submit ourselves to being washed by His written and preceding Word; being transformed by the renewing of our minds, we are no longer conformed to the world, able to prove what's good, acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom. 12). With our minds transformed, we see the world the way He sees it. We see people the way He sees them, no longer through the flesh! We submit ourselves as instruments He's fashioning, unable to make a sound unless He breathes through us.

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 2 Cor. 5:16

We are His Church (His Temple); His Kingdom is at hand. The fact there are children of God automatically refute every attack where His appearing is always in the future and the word "church" is so commonly thrown around.

What do we do if you're a seeker and you hear?

"they're having a huge revival at this or that 'church'",
"the preacher is great at our 'church'", or
other advertisements about their 'church'

... don't bother going. In fact, run the other way. Don't go when you hear, "He's here or over there" (Matthew 24:26, Luke 17:23)!

Our presence makes it self-evident there's a false church, who more closely resembles anti-Christ than Pro-Christ. We are carriers of His Christ; we "re"-present Him to the world He loves. We've laid our lives down and found Life. Now, we preach His Gospel, not only with our words but with our lives.

"Know ye not that we are (plural) the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." 1 Cor. 3:16,17

There's a fair chance you may read this and feel I'm being negative about the Church. You might think I'm saying your local organization isn't measuring up. That's the furthest thing from the truth. Simply put, quite often, many from His Church are active in our organizations, but everyone in our organization aren't in His Church. I'm addressing The Church, whether they're in the organization or not.

If we're gonna discuss the within, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what a terrible thing it is to be intimate with God. To be intimate with God isn't what we see on Sunday mornings at the local house of worship. What you may witness there is the results of those who have allowed themselves to be penetrated by God's Spirit. They're pregnant and you can see the glow on their faces, along with the rocking motion that indicates they're in rhythm with God. It's important we identify each other instead of just assuming everyone who shows up is part of His Church. Why? you might ask. We're called to love the world, not ourselves so we're moved by compassion for those ignorant or out of the way. Those that are part of His Church understand the language of losing our lives to find them. Those living in Truth experience death to the old mind (self), and aren't fooled when people describe it like it's getting the flu. The reason: know the power of His resurrection!

We can only approach Him by faith, which is code for denial of trust in self. In my weakness, I've found strength. Strength in weakness is one indication you're pregnant with Christ being formed in you. You might say, our minds are being transformed to find a new comfort zone. That new comfort zone is much like Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him. First, we've got to ask and answer a question. What joy was set before Him that He would endure the cross? You've gotta answer that question for yourself, but I was on His mind when He endured the cross. That's how much He loved me. Now, as His Love leads me and I surrender to it, I'll begin to love what He loves. My world and those in my path require the same sacrifice from me as Jesus patterned (as a priest after the order of Melchizedek). Of course, we aren't the only begotten Son, but we do follow as do only what we see the Father doing. Since I've received such a great gospel, it's only fitting I offer myself up for those I encounter (read and study Hebrews 5- it's gold). Going through Gethsemane isn't fun, but it's required.

Bullets in the Church

November 1, 2016 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

bullets 9mm closeup on brushed metal, white background, high contrast

Throwing Bible verses at people is much like throwing bullets at an intruder. Bullets are powerful, but only when you have a matching gun can the bullet be directed with pinpoint accuracy.

If I were to show you a bullet, most everyone would recognize it, but we may not realize what all makes up a bullet. For instance, a bullet that has been fired leaves behind a shell casing. The shell casing is very important to housing the bullet. ALL the power is within the casing. The casing alone has no power but in proper order, you wouldn't want to lackadaisically toss it in a campfire while roasting marshmallows. It's only when the casing is properly loaded, with the correct amount of gun powder (power) and placed in the proper setting that it offers predictable outcomes.

Let's look at a 45 caliber bullet; they require a 45 caliber bore to be effective.

I'm gonna jump from bullets, guns and ammo to the idea of receiving Christ. When we 'receive' Christ, believing that was the end would be ludicrous. The Bullet is powerful but if you are NOT formed to carry and deliver The Bullet, then you're of no use to the owner of the gun. The frame is important because it houses the barrel and trigger mechanism, but it can come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and colors. The thing that's consistent in frames is their unique bore sizes and presence of rifling.

Bore size is is the approximate diameter of the barrel or the bullet it fires. It's measured in tenths or even hundredths of an inch. The example above is a 45 caliber, so it measures .45 inches in width.
Rifling is grooves machined into the barrel, which are spiraled. Rifling is often described by its twist rate, which indicates the distance the rifling takes to complete one full revolution, such as "1 turn in 10 inches" (1:10 inches). The rate of turn (twist) indicates how fast the bullet will rotate upon exit.

You can imagine if a bullet were made of hardened steel, it would resist the syncing of itself to the twisting rate of the barrel riffling (grooves). The bullet, as it goes out the barrel, is uniquely marked as coming from 'this' barrel; as it spins, IN SYNC with the barrel.

Religion that isn't pure focuses on everything except Christ being formed in you. Those who are spiritual understand that in life we will be disappointed but quickly seek to understand and embrace this 'forming', which is transforming the way they think and setting us 'in sync' with Creator God.

We definitely need a frame, just like a river needs banks, but the frame is only a tool to carry and deliver what it was created to do. Don't fall in love so much with your idea of what life is supposed to look like. Trust that God has His hand guiding you, shaping you, to be. When we can just be then you are in the place of still, where we know God, surpassing everything our imaginations could have ever dreamed. Before you know it, you'll have His markings that identify you as His.

The Church is The Gun, sending saints into the Kingdom, with His unique markings.

Bullets are powerful, but only when they match the gun can they be directed with pinpoint accuracy. We can have all the right goals, but if we aren't fired from the right vehicle (sending agent- gun- proper order in the Church) we'll end up shipwrecked, with only hope for a future help. Future help is awesome, but it is 'present help' our souls long for... and it's 'present help' the world groans for. At some point we need to ask ourselves why we are here. As our minds are changed, we'll discover we are here for the world. The changing of our minds transforms us. Let's lay our agenda down and allow Him to shape us as He fires us into the world, using the Gun He created.

I hope you'll engage in conversation by commenting below. Share what Spirit speaks to you.

What is this thing called “Life”? Acceptance of Death, by Alan Watts

June 19, 2015 By David Roberts Leave a Comment

"Life is found when the end of effort is found (not by means -of- effort)."

The other day, I watched the following 4 minute video. It struck a chord in me because it reflects my current reality of Life, Death everything in between, before and after. Your comments are welcome but I'm not looking for validation or "high fives", or to rally the troupes in an effort to get everyone (anyone) to agree with me. My reason for the few words I'll share, along with this video, is a deep desire for what is in me, to live longer and louder than my Earth suit.

If you view the below video, I hope you'll read the following few words and allow them to really challenge you: "To behold God, you become like Him. If you believe God to be the place where your heart is satisfied, where you're able to 'fly', where He's all you need; then, you will become those things to your world." It is possible that you are having difficulty understanding how all this could be. If you're struggling with this mindset, it may be that you've fixed your affections on "this world" and your identity is anchored in Earth.

All my love,
David

THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE ABOVE VIDEO:

Now there really isn’t anything radically wrong with being sick or with dying. Who said you’re supposed to survive? Who gave you the idea that it’s a gas to go on and on and on?

And we can’t say that it’s a good thing for everything to go on living. In very simple demonstration that if we enable everybody to go on living, we overcrowd ourselves and we’re like an unpruned tree.

And, so therefore, one person who dies in a way is honorable because he’s making room for others… Although each one of us, individually, will naturally appreciate it when anybody saves our life, if we apply that case all around we can see that it’s not workable.

We can also look further into and see that if our death could be indefinitely postponed, we would not actually go on postponing it indefinitely because after a certain point we would realize that isn’t the way in which we wanted to survive.

Why else would we have children? Because children arrange for us to survive in another way by, as it were, passing on a torch so that you don’t have to carry it all the time. There comes a point where you can give it up and say now you work.

It’s a far more amusing arrangement for nature to continue the process of life through different individuals then it is always with the same individual, because as each new individual approaches life is renewed. And one remembers how fascinating the most ordinary everyday things are to a child, because they see them all as marvelous – because they see them all in a way that is not related to survival and profit.

When we get to thinking of everything in terms of survival and profit value, as we do, then the shapes of scratches on the floor cease to have magic. And most things, in fact, cease to have magic.

So therefore, in the course of nature, once we have ceased to see magic in the world anymore, were no longer fulfilling nature’s game being aware of itself.

There’s no point in it any longer. And so we die. And, so something else comes to birth, which gets an entirely new view.

It is not, therefore, natural for us to wish to prolong life indefinitely. But we live in a culture where it has been rubbed into us in every conceivable way that to die is a terrible thing. And that is a tremendous disease from which our culture, in particular, suffers.

By Alan Watts

Understanding Eternal Thinking

February 6, 2015 By David Roberts

Often, it seems we don't seemingly find understanding about; life and death, soulish and spiritual, temporary and eternal. They are all difficult to face. The following is a short poem of a conversation between leaves. The story comes from the novel Bambi, wtitten by Felix Salten. I find it very enlightening and hopefully you will as well.

The leaves were falling from the great oak at the meadow's edge. They were falling from all the trees.

One branch of the oak reached high above the others and stretched far out over the meadow. Two leaves clung to it's very tip. "It isn't the way it used to be." said one leaf to the other.

"No,"the other leaf answered. "So many of us have fallen off tonight we're almost the only ones left on the branch."

"You never know who's going to go next, "said the first leaf. "Even when it was warm and the sun shone, a storm or a cloudburst would come sometimes, and many leaves were torn off, though they were still very young. You never know who's going to go next."

"The sun hardly shines now," sighed the second leaf, "and when it does, it gives no warmth. We must have warmth again."

"Can it be true," said the first leaf, "can it really be true, that others come to take our places when we're gone and after them still others, and more and more?"

"It really is true," whispered the second leaf. "We can't even begin to imagine it, it's beyond our powers."

"It makes me very sad," added the first leaf. They were very silent a while. Then the first leaf said quietly to itself, "Why must we fall?"

The second leaf asked, "What happens to us when we have fallen?"

"We sink down......." "What is under us?" The first leaf answered, "I don't know. Some say one thing, some another, but nobody knows."

The second leaf asked, "Do we feel anything, do we know anything about ourselves when we're down there?"

The first leaf answered, "Who knows? Not one of all those down there has ever come back to tell us about it."

They were silent again. Then the first leaf said tenderly to the other, "Don't worry so much about it. You're trembling."

"That's nothing," the second leaf answered, I tremble at the least thing now. I don't feel so sure of my hold as I used to."

"Let's not talk any more about such things," said the first leaf.

The other replied, "No, we'll let it be. But-what else shall we talk about?"

It was silent, but went on after a little while, "Which of us will go first?" "There's still plenty of time to worry about that," the other leaf said reassuringly.

"Lets remember how beautiful it was, how wonderful, when the sun came out and shone so warmly that we thought we'd burst with life. Do you remember? And the morning dew and the mild and splendid nights.........?

"Now the nights are dreadful," the second leaf complained, "and there is no end to them."

"We shouldn't complain," said the first leaf gently. "We've outlived many, many others."

"Have I changed much?" asked the second leaf shyly.

"Not in the least," the first leaf said. "You think so only because I've gotten to be so yellow and ugly. But it's different in your case."

"You're fooling me," the second leaf said.

"No, really," the first leaf answered eagerly, "believe me, you're as lovely as the day you were born. Here and there may be a little yellow spot. But it's hardly noticeable and makes you only more beautiful, believe me."

"Thanks," whispered the second leaf, quite touched. I don't believe you, not altogether, but I thank you because you're so kind. You've always been so kind to me. I'm just beginning to understand how kind you are."

"Hush," said the other leaf, and kept silent itself, for it was too troubled to talk any more.

Then they were both silent. Hours passed. A moist wind blew, cold and hostile, through the treetops. "Ah, now," said the second leaf, "I...."

Then it's voice broke off. It was torn from it's place and spun down. Winter had come.

Passages from Bambi... by Felix Salten written in 1928

Roundtable Discussion on Greater Works than Jesus Part 2

August 28, 2014 By David Roberts

No sooner than I'd finished Part 1, we thought we should go ahead and include a followup. We have a part 3 in our heart but it may or may not make it to the web. Just to give you the point, just imagine what a city would look like if several people took this seriously? I see an army of God's people rising out of the Earth. I see this army as an army on horseback, a cavalry, if you will. He's leading the charge now!

BACK TO PART 1

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. John 14:12 NKJV

Roundtable Discussion on Greater Works than Jesus Part 1