That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

1 John 1:1-4 KJV

Jesus came to Earth and spoke concerning the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven.

He uttered secret things, things hidden from the foundation of the World.

He spoke in metaphors, parables, so that the masses might not hear, yet hearing not receive.

He, the Teacher, taught to not be understood?  He was the perfect one, who knew that all righteousness and perfection must be fulfilled, perfectly.

Read more…

At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? which is translated, MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?

Mark 15:34

The Lord walked in a continual communion with His Father.  He, being God, yet living as a man, dwelt continually with God who is the Father, forever holy, forever Divine.  The Lord said He was never alone, for He always did what pleased the Father (John 8:29); He and His Father were one (John 17:11).  That is, up until the end.

Jesus said that where He went, we could not follow.  Upon the cross, He became a curse for us, and the Father looked away, departed from Him, not for His own sins, but for ours.  And, in this place, forsake, Jesus cried out.  We know Jesus was forsaken on the cross, because He cried out that He was.  This is a place that we never need to tread.

Read more…

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Matthew 5:17-18

For too long, our theology has been laid out by theologians, and not by children.  Ask any eight-year old what it means that the Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven hidden in dough means, and they’ll tell you that it means, more or less, that the Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven!  It takes a real grown-up to tell you, after reading the words of Jesus, that the Kingdom of Heaven is anything other than what He just said it was.

What does the Kingdom resemble?  A little bit of yeast!  (Matthew 13:33).  What must we do to have life within ourselves?  Eat and drink His blood (John 6:53).  Simple, eh?

Read more…

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7:8

You cannot have the Kingdom without a laid down life.  How many have heard this testimony, or had it themselves.  At the end of your rope, when you can’t take it anymore, maybe things were very grim, and God showed up in awesome ways.  The break-through of insight and revelation comes, the out-pouring of necessary power comes in like a flood, and He demonstrates Himself as the Lord of the Breakthrough (2 Samuel 5:20).  How many have had this experience of God showing up as their deliverer, only to wonder where He is the next moment?  To be overwhelmed with His goodness, only to be found back at the point of desparation, or worse, gross error or compromise from not realizing you had continued on without Him and missed a turn.

Or, perhaps a little more rare in this generation, how about standing up for what is right, and feeling the pressure, only to have the Father demonstrate His ability to deliver in the midst of persectuion?  Realizing that not everyone appears to come through such tests–having God deliver them with such power.  Whether visible or not quite so dramatic, do we know the experience where He shows up so that His Kingdom is vindicated?  Yet, the next day, to be in the same predicament as the day before?

Read more…

An entire oak tree is contained well within a tight, easy to carry package.  It has it’s own leathery cover, and even a handy carrying cup attached to the top.  You could, in fact, carry a hundred complete oak trees just in your pants pockets alone (assuming you’ve got big pockets).  The only thing you need to add, in order to convert your easy to transport oak tree into an immovable pillar is some sunshine, a plot of dirt, some water, and a hundred years or so!

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, that when planted, it is the smallest of seeds, but when it grows, it becomes the largest of all garden plants, and the birds of the air make their nest in it.

Matthew 13:31-32

Read more…