FOUNDATION IN CHRIST
“I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and ACTS on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been so well built.” (NAB- Luke 6:47-48)
Upon starting this website I have met with an interesting mix of people who find my interpretations a bit, putting it politely, different and a great deal of respect from some incredibly shocking sources. This isn’t surprising as spirituality relies heavily on intuition and what that eternal part of us feels within. It’s natural for people to draw their own conclusions and I would never ask anyone to share my view or blindly agree with anything I say. By all means do your research, study the global religions and philosophy, debate with one another and continue to grow along these lines. Above all I encourage each and every one of you to pray. DAILY. Reflect on what your Spirit discerns. Then you can decide what type of foundation you are setting. Then you can decide who- or what- you serve. In doing so no amount of argument, disagreement, or outright attack will EVER be able to shake your faith. Everything you read will be absorbed into your truth and you will genuinely benefit from talking about the Divine with people of all walks of life. Moreover you will be renewed in Spirit. God will begin to fill those dark places the world has left behind. You. Will. Grow.
As for me and mine…
THE FOUNDATION IS GRACE
“According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But everyone must be careful how they build on it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one there is, namely, Jesus Christ. If anyone builds upon this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each one will come to light, for the day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each ones work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if that someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the PERSON will be SAVED, but only as through fire.” (NAB- 1 Cor. 3:10-15)
What we’re talking about here is the day of reckoning where we answer for what we do, or don’t do, in this life. Yes. Each person serves a function in the body of Christ, each task is important, and each one shall be taken seriously as each one shall be judged accordingly. This day of judgement is full of both sorrow and joy as fire both destroys and purifies. However, one should remain optimistic of Divine correction as YHWH always admonishes with love.
“Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed because God tried them and found them worth of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. At the time of their judgement they shall shine and dart about as sparks through the stubble.” (NAB-Wisdom 3:5-7)
For those of us that choose righteousness we walk in integrity- the state of being undivided. Dual nature aside we must decide to do what is right without argument. ‘Thy will be done, not my own.’ See this baptism by fire isn’t a punishment. When James said “count it in all blessings when you go through trials” he meant it. The greek word for judgement is episkope and means ‘Gods loving, LOVING, judgement of those who are most faithful.’ It is the dross, the wickedness that is burned away. Therefore, those who CHOOSE a lifetime of evil are CHOOSING to get purged, but their Spirit- that eternal good within them- will still exist. That. Is. Grace. That is what I CONSIDER to be the foundation of my faith. Grace.
JUSTIFIED BY GRACE
“For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumsized, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law. You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by the law have fallen from grace. For through the Spirit, BY FAITH, we await the HOPE of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for ANYTHING, but only FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE.” (NAB- Galatians 5:1-6)
We are justified by Gods grace. Righteousness is a choice to HONOR Gods grace. It’s our faith, our belief that Gods grace was given to all at Golgotha that extends that grace, NOT our code of ethics. Our dual nature gives us the right to CHOOSE to honor Him and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, not so we can cling to what our concept of Godliness is. Our freedom is the result of the Christs work in us and our sins are already forgiven. THAT’S GODS GIFT. So wouldn’t it stand to reason that those of us who have faith should CHOOSE to stand firm in that freedom?
Faith working through love means our faith EXPRESSES ITSELF through love. Our faith is ENERGIZED by Gods love, not by the law. And what is love? Love is an action. As Kahlil Gibran pointed out “Love has no other need than to fulfill itself.” In other words, Gods love is PERFECTED and he gives it freely, and so… should… WE! That’s living in GRACE.
MAPQUEST RELIGION
The law gives us a vague approximation, like a road map, of what the path looks like. This should not be mistaken as an iron-clad method for how we should live our lives. Laws, like maps, can give us a general idea of what course of action to take or how to navigate turns but they can’t make the decisions for you. The map won’t take the journey for you. Maps cannot share the smell of flowers in the valleys or capture the views from mountaintops. They can’t encapsulate the experience of getting soaked to the bones if we’re caught in a storm. Then, why cling to a set of laws hoping to be saved by simply observing them? Why would we give up our FREEDOM in Christ for the yoke of the law?
I’ll tell you why. In doing so we give up our responsibility by giving up our freedom of choice. That choice means accepting the outcome of our decisions. Well, if could just memorize this set of rules I’ll have a perfectly charted course to Heaven. Just hang a left at the homeless guy and head straight into being a paragon of civility.
We want to exercise free will but have a road map for it as well. Have my cake, I’ll just eat it too. Okay. If happiness is a state of being then trying to calculate and predict what that happiness looks like is not only impossible but a form of manipulating grace. Why not skip the part where we play God and allow Gods grace to work through us? Why not accept life on lifes terms instead of clinging to our self-righteous ideals?
Separating what we do and don’t want is merely avoiding our responsibility for our choices. Grace asks us to accept the mystery instead of running in the other direction. To accept our flaws, and those of others, rather than shutting down around our own rigid ideals. Grace asks us to look at the things we avoid and question why we shut down or react without thinking.
We are Gods children. we are supposed to feel the full extent of the human experience from falling down and scraping our knees to standing in the throne room. So let all that life in and understand it’s not limited to your own preconceived notions. Challenge your definition of Godliness by accepting happiness doesn’t exclude suffering and to run in EITHER direction is to miss the point completely.
“Narrow is the path and constricted is the road that leads to life.” Every time we condemn another persons perspective of God and pass judgement we are in direct violation of what Yeshua taught. It’s our duty to be living examples of Gods grace not hypocrites who wag our fingers at others. Let Gods grace be big enough. Accept His love. ACCEPT HIS GRACE.
Now say it with me…”There. BY GRACE! Goes. I.”
Mystical Mindstate 