|
Beauty for Ashes
By Ron McGatlin
The world is entering a state of extreme and massive change. In history there have been times of all known civilization being affected by significant changes brought about mostly through wars and so called natural disasters. However, the most significant world changing events involve the incarnation of Christ Jesus and the subsequent life and world-changing works of Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit of God.
The season of change that the world is entering now is a major part of the transformational work of Christ Jesus. For the last two millennia mankind has been moving toward the goal and purpose for which Christ Jesus came to earth. Jesus came to restore the kingdoms of this world to the kingdoms of our God. He came to restore all that was lost in the first Adam.
Jesus came with the message to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. He came announcing the kingdom of God’s return to earth. Restoring the kingdom of heaven ruling in the earth as it is in heaven first involves the redemption and cleansing of man. The stewardship or dominion of the earth was given to mankind by God in Adam. Mankind must be fully redeemed, pure, and holy in order to accurately and fully redeem the world and all of its system to the unchallenged rule of God.
The written word of God is emitting fresh light in this emerging kingdom age. There is much more being revealed than the limited understanding in the passing church age. It was needful that the first interpretation of the kingdom be the salvation and sanctification or cleansing of people. There must be a pure and holy people on earth to bring forth into natural existence the redemption and cleansing of God to the world.
The focus is shifting from the man-focused beginning portion of the gospel to the focus on God in Christ Jesus in His kingdom on earth. The proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom is not all about man; instead, it is about God and His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. It is not first about getting into heaven when we die but about bringing heaven to earth while we are alive. The more complete gospel of the kingdom of God has the potential to not only change the people of the world but to transform the entire world.
God loves the World. God so loved the WORLD that he gave His only begotten Son.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." John 3:16-21
Through becoming one Spirit with Christ (Christ abiding in us and us in Him), Jesus is bringing forth many sons on earth in whom Christ dwells to carry out the work began when Jesus was on earth in His natural body. The body of many members is now beginning to become fitly joined together to become one body with one Spirit and one mind, the Spirit and mind of Christ. Christ in His body of many members will do the same works that He did in His natural body and more to complete His work of redeeming this world to the kingdom of God.
There is condemnation involved with the coming of the light of the kingdom.
The great light of the kingdom of God is again coming forth brightly on earth in the forerunner sons of God. Forerunners are not at all elite but are of those who through brokenness and humility have experienced the consuming fire of God bringing death to their lives and the resurrection life of Christ Jesus now living where they once lived. Many will eventually follow the trail traveled by forerunners.
In the above scripture Jesus spoke of the condemnation of not believing. The light of the gospel of the kingdom is not received or welcomed by everyone. Even many who are Christians and believe the gospel of salvation may not believe the gospel of the kingdom. Therefore, they will not come to the light of the kingdom. They may remain parked beside the trail. God’s love and mercy are sufficient for them. It is my opinion that they will have according to their faith and will be in heaven as they believe. However, they may miss participating in the awesome transformation taking place in this world as the kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdoms of our God.
The fires of judgment are for cleansing.
There are other multitudes of people that will not come to the light of Christ Jesus and His kingdom. They hate the light and love the darkness because their deeds are evil. They will not come to the light of the kingdom because their evil will be exposed, and they choose to stay in blindness to the gospel of the kingdom.
The world will be cleansed. Those who come early to the light of the kingdom will have their evil exposed to themselves and to others. Their immediate response is brokenness and repentance. This is the cleansing of death that leads to being filled with the resurrection life of Christ.
Those who will not come to the light will suffer condemnation and must quickly turn to the light or risk being removed from the earth through the cleansing judgments of God. In this day of the Lord that is upon us, judgment comes as chastening to cleanse the sons of God unto life. However, the judgment of God coming against peoples who will not turn and who hate the light and love darkness will leave no remnant of them on earth. Thus the world is cleansed from evil either by the cleansing of redemption of the people or by cleansing of the earth by removal of the people.
All who die in the Lord will be met by the angel of the Lord and carried to their destination with the Lord. However, for those who perish that are not in the Lord, it will not be so. God is not willing that any should perish and is merciful to the end. All that can be done to save to the uttermost has and will be done. Many will come to Lord as the judgments grow in intensity.
Beyond the Ashes of Judgments
Beyond the fires of judgment, God will give beauty for ashes. When our lives are burned to ashes, and there is nothing left that could be used to build back our lives as they were, God will then bring forth the life of Christ in us, His holy people. A bride without spot or blemish, holy and pure of heart bringing forth the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. This is happening now in forerunner sons and daughters who have endured the fire of personal judgment and been cleansed through death of past life and the renewal of Christ’s Spirit permeating their spirit with His much more dominant Spirit of resurrection life.
Isa 61:3-4: To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
Rev 11:15: Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.
Ron McGatlin
archive.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net |
Topic: BEAUTY FOR ASHES
