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Wednesday, June
4, 2008
Flesh and Blood
1 Corinthians 15:49-50 And as we have
borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the
heavenly. (50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (KJV)
In order to be a partaker of an
inheritance one must be a member of that family. God is a spirit so only
those that worship Him in Spirit and in truth will be partakers as well as
inheritors of His kingdom. Many people think someday they will go to heaven
and then see all their family members and there will be a great reunion.
However the truth be known, once you accepted the Lord’s plan of salvation
you were adopted into a new family with a pure bloodline, that being the
blood of Christ which cleanses us from all sin and allows us to be a part
of His spiritual family.
Luke 8:19-21 Then came to him his mother
and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. (20) And it was
told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without,
desiring to see thee. (21) And he answered and said unto them, My mother
and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. (KJV)
Which realm do you hold to now; in other
words which one has the most influence in your life, the spiritual or the
flesh and blood realm? Despite the fact that our Lord was very clear in who
His family truly is, today many still hold and put more value in the
fleshly realm than the spiritual one and then wonder why their relationship
with the Lord goes stale. If you were brought up in a Christian home that’s
great, but what if those of your own household were not likeminded with
you? In fact many times those of your own household may be more of a
hindrance than a help to your spiritual welfare. My question is today, did
the Lord make you the savior of your physical family or does His word give
specific warnings on how to handle these situations?
Mark 6:1-6 And he went out from thence,
and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. (2) And when
the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many
hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these
things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such
mighty works are wrought by his hands? (3) Is not this the carpenter, the
son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and
are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. (4) But Jesus
said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country,
and among his own kin, and in his own house. (5) And he could there do no
mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed
them. (6) And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round
about the villages, teaching. (KJV)
Isn’t it interesting that the Lord
Himself wasn’t given the royal treatment when around His own physical
family, in His own country? So if our Lord didn’t fare to well with flesh and
blood what makes you think you will either? Why let the enemy lay a guilt
trip on you because you think you are a failure if your family doesn’t get
saved the way you think they should? Let me share this tidbit also, at the
end of verse three we see that they were offended in Him, which by the way
included His physical family. Before you pack your bags to embark on a
guilt trip, realize that you are in good company if some are offended in
what you believe, even those of your own household. The theory of relativity
doesn’t work with God; in other words once you entered the kingdom of God
and sought out His righteousness you entered a whole new realm populated
with a whole new spiritual family in Christ. Many people still look and see
only the outward man, as with Jesus, they judged according to the flesh and
blood line and were unable to acknowledge who the Son of God was standing
in front of them, which was Christ in Him the only hope of glory. Today the
majority of people still have this veil on their heart and only give
credence to the outward, while a few ever truly come to a working knowledge
of the inward man Christ and become partakers of His divine nature.
Psalms 69:7-8 Because for thy sake I have
borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. (8) I am become a stranger unto
my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. (KJV)
Did not our Lord say that if they
persecuted Him they would do it to you also? Whether you believe it or not,
Jesus of Nazareth’s own flesh and blood family were not on board with where
the spirit of Christ was leading Him, which eventually ended up at a cross.
While many teach and preach that you should be holding to your physical
family until they get saved, the truth be known that the word of God is
quite clear that the realm of the flesh is contrary to that of the Spirit.
It is basically like trying to mix water and oil together. So Church, if
you don’t quite jive with those of your own household don’t take it
personally, because quite frankly you are in good company and good standing
with our Lord.
Matthew 10:34-38 Think not that I am come
to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. (35) For I
am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter
against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (36)
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. (37) He that loveth
father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son
or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (38) And he that taketh not
his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. (KJV)
Choose you this day who you will serve,
because no man can serve two masters and a house divided will definitely
fall. The Lord said quite clearly that they who were not with Him were
against Him. So just because you made a decision to serve our Lord doesn’t
mean everyone else around you will. The question now becomes, if you are
not finding peace where you are at and around those you have been familiar
with are you willing to move on in order to maintain that peace you have
with God or will you keep trying to find peace in a realm the Lord said it
wouldn’t be found in? Nobody said it was an easy path to heaven, now the
question becomes will you take up your own cross in order to follow our Lord
no matter who or what form it manifests itself in? When the Lord put these
instructions in the Bible they are put there for our benefit; like throwing
a lifeline to someone about to drown in destruction and despair.
Luke 18:28-30 Then Peter said, Lo, we
have left all, and followed thee. (29) And he said unto them, Verily I say
unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or
wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, (30) Who shall not
receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life
everlasting. (KJV)
We just talked the last couple of days
about relationships, those between a man and a woman and why we entered
into these situations. Your life in the past was based on flesh and blood,
the carnal mind that chose things that were pleasing to the flesh and not
the Spirit. Now that you are a new creation in Christ, old things are
passed away and all things become new, including your family in Christ and
who our Lord now considers are your brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe
these people you are surrounded by are just not edifying you anymore and it
is time to move on; again, no matter who or how it manifests. The question
today is which realm are you holding more to, the Spirit or the flesh? Because
while one will allow you to continue in your walk with the Lord the other
is a dead end that will have you coming up short if you continue to hold to
an anchor and not a lifeline of escape.
Revelation 21:4-5 And God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither
sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former
things are passed away. (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true
and faithful. (KJV)
Do you wish to partake of a new life?
Then that needs to start today in order to partake of it for an eternity.
While many people think that someday they will see lost loved ones based on
flesh and blood ties; the truth be known, a spiritual God is only going to
allow spiritual people access to His kingdom. There will be a family
reunion in heaven that will be based on those in Christ, His brothers and
sisters that chose to be lead of the Spirit and not the flesh. If you are
unable to recognize the spiritual now then don’t expect to be recognized by
a spiritual being in the here-after, because they that are in the flesh
cannot please God. Who do you consider to be your true family; is it the
family in Christ and what His word says or are you holding more to the
traditions and doctrines of man?
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