The Enormity of Oneness - ARE YOU READY?

Ok – I’m overwhelmed.  Right now, God is unfolding something so astonishing that humans will pinch themselves to determine they are not dreaming when they see the enormity of it.  Seriously, I am ever reminded why I am thankful to live in this time!

God – His focus has been, is and always will be our oneness with Him. I’ve said it before and will again – God, wanting us to be one with Him – that single thought is the greatest thought I will ever have (TREASURE UNENDING!).  Everything, simply everything in our life has to do with this one thing.

God, in His outrageous goodness – always intended us for oneness with Him.  We are designed for Him and intimate union with Him.  He made every single provision for us so that we could live in accord with that if we chose it.  Before the foundations of the world – Christ was slain.  God knew that free will would bring about sin and death and dealt with it long before it was ever a reality.  He dealt with it as a side issue – not the main issue.  The main issue is always oneness with Him!  He crafted us to uniquely display Him in a way no other person ever could. Every single person ever born - past present or future – has been reconciled, crucified on the cross with Christ and buried in death with Him.  The question for each person - each life is, will they say yes to LIFE in Christ?  Will they choose to live in oneness with God?  It’s a choice – a free choice.  God invites us and wants each one completely for themselves.  He longs for each of His perfectly unique masterpieces to say yes – however, He will never force anyone against their will.

When we are baptized – what we are doing is publicly acknowledging that God made every provision for our personal and corporate oneness with Him and that we accept His great life as our own – we accept and say yes to oneness with Him (strikes me like accepting a wedding proposal).  We acknowledge that our old self  – the unworthy, bad, sinful us that could never change – died with Jesus as he shed His blood and died on the cross and was buried with Him (that's how going under the water represents our death with Christ).  And we excitedly embrace and acknowledge our resurrected status - ever rising up in the NEW ABUNDANT LIFE IN HIM and OUR NEW NATURE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!!  And we commit to an ever more astonishing life, renewing our mind in the fullness of God (which makes us able to live more and more righteously); we unpack and unfold the treasure of what living His life and love on this earth looks like in Kingdom fullness!

In many parts of the Body I continue to hear things like – “We’re not worthy” aimed at the body of Christ.  Those words were only ever true of and applied to the old sin nature.  For New Creations in Christ, old things have passed away – we are co-heirs in Christ – we have been made worthy!  This "unworthy" language does not apply to us.  New Creations are focused on thinking, speaking and living in alignment with God.  We see ourselves only with His eyes, which only see us completely qualified in Jesus.   I am starting to hear and will hear more and more teaching on this – God is very intentional about it this year.  Those who are one in God are beloved children of God and we are the righteousness of Christ.  We cannot live or speak double mindedly on this.  Many struggle with appearances – they wish to appear humble and want to avoid any hint of what might be considered arrogance or pride in speaking on these matters.  The truth is – Christ’s life is wonderful and amazing and glorious.  Those in Him are going to be all those things, authentically – with Christ in them they can’t help it!  It is one amazing way all men will be drawn to Christ lifted up!!  Christ in you, the hope of glory!! He is lifted up when we live His life!  And, you can see it – you know people who are in God – we see their union – their oneness with God upon them.  This is what God desires - that we abundantly live His life in the way He's uniquely designed each of us to shine it.  While we can be amazed at it, we don't have to get all funny about it or mince words or worry because we know that GOD INTENDED ONENESS – it wasn’t our plan, it was HIS!  And we didn't somehow make it happen - we accepted all that was done and became NEW!  It’s not arrogant to be God’s glory.  It’s really natural because HE intended it and He made us for it!!!  

True humility comes from knowing God and His amazing greatness.  Nothing will humble a person faster than to truly know God’s pureness, holiness, justice, goodness, greatness and love. There is no better life than knowing God and acknowledging and holding Him up in amazed wonder, exaltation and grateful adoration! It’s not about voicing self-loathing to somehow prove the absence of pride. Arrogance and pride are CAUSED only by fear.  Shaming ourselves or other people is never God’s way to get rid of pride. Shame never ever works.  It just teaches people that they must put on more masks to hide and do more intricate dances in order to look righteous enough – it never makes them righteous inside.  God eradicates fear with perfect love.  Only perfect love casts out fear.  Only saying yes to perfect love makes us righteous. Pretty amazing concept – but God’s the author and demonstrator of that.  We get to grow marvelously in THAT!

Whew!!! GOD YOU GO!! You amaze me, God, and I am so thankful.  I am so overtaken. You fascinate me and I want to know you, love you and serve you more and more.  I will never tire of seeing you be your wonderful self and how the fullness of you spills into everything and everyone around you!  Thank you, for who you are!!