Dauthor Jacqueline (Jackie) Richey Weber
Today, I wish to show that, contrary to the words of our favorite Christmas carol, Christ the Savior was never born in a manger, indeed, was never born at all (“before Abraham was, I am”—John 8:58).
Continue reading “Jesus, the Son of Man; Christ, the Son of God”
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
If we are ever to lay claim to and enjoy our inheritance as children of God, an inheritance which includes everything that God has (“all that I have is thine”—Luke 15:31; 1Corinthians 3:22–”Everything belongs to you”), we must know without a doubt that we are not flesh and blood (see Born of Spirit)—for “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1Corinthians 15:50).
The Jews had a very strong attachment to this material, flesh and blood realm. They believed that life was in the blood (Leviticus 17:11) and also that their sins could not be forgiven without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). They believed that God “visited the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation” (Numbers 14:18) (see What’s in Your DNA?).
The wisdom of this world (which is foolishness to God—1Corinthians 3:19) tells us that we are subject to the genes we received at birth. We have been told that we are more likely to get cancer or arthritis, die young or become addicted because of what we have inherited from our parents.
And we have believed without questioning all that we’ve been told. Just listen to the words coming out of your mouth and the mouths of those around you, and you will know that this is indeed the case.
The Bible speaks repeatedly of two realms—the realm of Spirit and the realm of flesh.
Jesus had been with His disciples for three years. In His last talk with them before His arrest and crucifixion, He was telling them that He was about to leave them and return to His Father from whence He came:
Last January I wrote:
Today is what in this world we would call my 74th birthday, but since, in my true and permanent identity, I am immortal (with no beginning and no ending), and therefore never “born,” I don’t wish to acknowledge it as my “birthday,” but rather as the day I “put on” what Paul refers to as “sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3) or “mortality.”
[June 18, 2015] After sleeping soundly for 6 hours, I was awakened by a vivid dream wherein my sister and I were engaged in a heated argument with my brother attempting to “referee” by timing us so each of us could have our “say.” Upon awakening, I immediately realized that the dream was from the Spirit, letting me know just how petty and unreal everything we were thinking and saying was. I knew that it was “flesh” viewing flesh and reacting to flesh with flesh. It was life “in this world” veiled from the reality of life in the kingdom of God by our belief in two powers. Because I was saying things that I thought I had actually observed and felt, I knew the dream was not one of those nonsensical ones we so often have. I knew that I was to pay attention and listen to the “interpretation” from the Spirit.
Because I was an English major in college, immersing myself in British history and literature, I’ve become something of an “Anglophile.” Living in England for two years (a fantasy of mine that came true) only enhanced my fascination with all things British. I’ve recently been re-watching “Downton Abbey,” “binge watching” really. The story began to occupy my thoughts and even my dream life. I awakened during the pre-dawn hours this morning feeling very anxious and unsettled. So I came into the living room and began to quieten myself inside to listen to the Holy Spirit—not exactly an easy skill to master but, arguably, the most valuable one; for inside is where God dwells (see “Where Is God?”) and therefore where we find answers, solutions and direction.
My consciousness is what I am aware of, what I see.
And that is precisely what I experience. I can have either a human consciousness or a God consciousness—coming either from the carnal mind (which is no mind at all, but rather false beliefs in good and evil and in separation from God) or the Christ mind (which everyone has but may not be aware of). In the Christ mind is the expectation of only that which is harmonious and wonderful. Paul calls it the fruit of the Spirit: