ALL THINGS ARE OUT FROM GOD - BIRTHED FROM ABOVE

A. We read earlier that only God can birth from above. A person has to be birthed from above by being joined to the Lord. Without Christ in us there is NO birth and NO LIFE. But if Christ is in us then we have ALL – all that is from out of God in Him. B. Only that which is born of God is of God. Nothing that is birthed by man is of God. For example, how many of us understand that God must give BIRTH to a church, just as He gives birth to the people in it? People cannot simply decide to start a church, and then hand it to God, expecting that He will bless it. The mere fact that anything WE birth is birthed by flesh – it is birthed of flesh if we initiated it – ought to tell us that it is not birthed of God. C. But for some reason, we think that if we do things for God that He will bless it. Or if we start things in the name of Christ that Christ will inhabit it. We have this notion that if something is in our heart to do that it is in there because God put it in there. No. It may be a created and initiated by our natural man – not so much in rebellion against God or to the disregard of Him – but it may be a product of our natural, religious man, thinking that it is our job to think up ways to keep God moving. D. In the end, if flesh births anything, it is of the flesh – and at some point, it will produce the results that flesh produces. It will serve self. It will serve the flesh because flesh gave it life. Look around in the church today. Everywhere you find the gospel of ME, myself, and I. A gospel that says that Jesus came to make you happy, successful, and prosperous. A gospel that says that Jesus came to bring out the best in you, and help you find your truest self. This is flesh. E. Jesus did not come to bless your natural life – He tells you to LOSE IT. He tells you that there is nothing in the natural life that is compatible with God. Rather, if you lose your life, you will find true life in Christ. And in Christ is all that we need both materially and spiritually. F. Along side of this gospel of ME is almost a complete blindness to Jesus Christ. Christianity is Christ in us, the hope of glory. If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature – and in Christ are all things that are from God. Yet today, the reality of Christ in us, and the desire of God to form Christ in us, is almost never discussed. People don’t know it, and don’t know TO know it. Here we have the essence of Christianity, and the very purpose of God, and it is off the table for discussion. This is what happens when Satan blinds people. And once Satan blinds people to the reality of Christ in them, he can more easily get them to operate from out of the natural life -- and convince them they are living from out of God. This is deception. G. Again: The reality of Christ, and the meaning of Christ in us, and God’s purpose of forming Christ in us this is the reason Christ came. It IS Christianity. Yet if you would preach this in most local churches, or on Christian TV, you would either get a blank stare, or meet great opposition. This is how far things have fallen from the Truth. Even in those places where there is some little Truth on these matters, it would seem that even that is buried beneath an avalanche of money, members, and the soul power of people. H. To abide in Christ by faith requires a total surrender to Him as Lord – not because I feel I must, but because I want to surrender. It requires that I not only take my hands off of my life and leave it alone to God, but it requires that I WANT to do so – I gladly do so. It means that I will birth nothing of myself and that I will not resort to the flesh to solve what ails me. I. Does that sound hard? It might seem scary – most of us, despite all of our great confessions of faith in the LORD are quite terrified that if we do nothing about ourselves, or our ministry, that God might also do nothing. And we will go down the drain. Well, our attitude ought to be that if God will do nothing we will gladly do nothing – and if everything crashes so be it. Indeed, the sooner the better. The work of the Cross will bring us to such an abandonment. It spells freedom. J. God is quite willing and capable of not only birthing that which satisfies Him, but of looking after it. If we really believed this, we would not be using the ways and methods of the world to try to prop up our churches. There would need to be NO money raising campaigns. No drives for members. No blessings promised, or threats of punishment from the LORD, if we give or don’t give. We would not use craftiness or wisdom of words or emotional drama to try to move people. We would not need signs and wonders. Rather, we would simply abide in Christ, preach the Truth in Christ, and let the chips fall. Have we ever considered what God might do if He were actually given His place and sovereignty? K. Do you want to know why the early church was so powerful in the Lord? They had NO money. They had no TV, written materials, or audio tapes. They didn’t even have a Bible to carry around. They had only Christ in them. But they changed the world – because they let God have His way, first with them personally, and then to do what He wanted. They were not perfect, but kept their hands off of God’s property. God could therefore do what He wanted. God could be sovereign. Today, we expect God to come down and fit Himself into what we have birthed. He won’t. L. For the last two-thousand years, professing believers have created one form of religion after another – and pasted the name of Christ on it. Roman Catholicism is a big example, but the Protestants have done the same. We have created laws and principles. Religious rituals. Belief systems. We have created an entire priesthood or ministry around it. We have built our temples. Yet God will NOT inhabit any house made with hands. He inhabits only people through Jesus Christ. M. What is the solution to all of this? Not to find a better way, “to do church.” No. Not to read the book of Acts and try to create from it a template to follow. No. The solution is to get back to the foundation – the person of Jesus Christ. But not just to a theological Christ. We have to get back to the essence of Christianity, which is, “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” N. We have to get back to the fact that if we are in Christ that we are birthed new creatures – that all of the old is passed away – and that all things are brand new and from above in Christ. And that all things pertaining to the new creature of OUT FROM GOD as the source. And we have to learn Christ, allowing God to form Christ in us. We must renounce and forsake the old as the source for anything. This is the will of God. It is what He has birthed and it is all that He is going to do.

A MEDITATION ON CHRISTMAS

When I meditate on this time of the year and what we call the Christmas (word not found in the KJV of the Bible) season I must conclude this is the most divisive time of the year just ahead of Easter. I wonder why these two holidays divide so many people in the world. Now I will tell you from the start Karen and I do not celebrate Christmas how can we the word is not in the KJV Bible, but we do celebrate the birth of our precious LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. As Christianity began to spread many were alarmed by the continuing celebration of pagan customs among their converts. We even see this throughout the New Testament Church as Paul constantly battled against pagan and cultural traditions from taking root in the young Church. At first the Church forbade this kind of celebration. But it was to no avail. Bible historians claim that the Christmas celebration was invented to compete against the pagan celebrations of December. The 25th was not only sacred to the Romans but also to the Persians (Babylonian Chaldeans) whose religion Mithraism was one of Christianity's main rivals at that time. Oddly enough it was during this period the three Wise Men (also Magi) (Matthew 2:1) learned of the Star of Bethlehem by reading the prophecies of Daniel the Great Magi (Daniel 1:1-7). Sadly this religious deception continues today, even though the faces and names has been changed the spirit and intent has not. We Christians seem to be good at making up things to satisfy our flesh for fulfillment. Now as I said Karen and I do celebrate the birth of Christ, there is a huge difference. As we watch the news we cannot believe all of the fighting to keep Christ in Christmas. Where in the Bible did Jesus ask us to remember His birth? Now I can find plenty of Scriptures in the Bible where Jesus has asked us to remember His death, “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-26) Who wants to remember Jesus’ death when we can remember His birth? Yet few Christians really remember His death (Romans 6:3) while they go crazy in remembering His birth. I wonder why? Yes there is a wonderful story about the birth of Jesus in the Bible, but where are we commanded to make His birth an annual holiday like we in American have made: Independence, Veterans, or Valentine Day even Halloween? And when you merge religious with traditions and customs you have an unbeatable national money maker. Is not Jesus’ birth much more? Yes my friend I am afraid we have gotten off track and the merchants of the day (and for 100s of years) have capitalized on our selfish greed (maybe only in America, but I think not) and great presumption. The same way Hollywood has recently discovered the untapped market for Christian movies. I find it really strange how many Christians today would rather go to a movie then to Church to hear about Jesus. I wonder why? It is not about fighting to keep Christ in Christmas or even about a baby in the manger. You know we really like seeing baby Jesus in the manger, but you know my friend Jesus is not a baby any more, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34) Today Jesus is not a defenseless baby in the manger He is our victorious King of kings, Lord of lords, and someday soon He is coming back to earth not as a baby, but as a judge (to kick butt) and rule (to set righteousness in order) in the earth. Something else we are puzzled about is why Christians want to beat up on the Atheist in Washington State who put a sign beside a manger display in the Capitol building. I thought we were to witness to them and tell them about Jesus? There is not much of a Christian witness when we shake our fist and gnash our teeth at someone over a wooden display. How can this sign destroy the eternal timeless message of our precious savior Jesus Christ? It cannot and will not. Has the love of God been displaced by Christians wanting their traditional religious symbols? I too can speak for God and sadly I must say yes. Jesus did not come so that we could decorate our trees and yard with gold and silver balls or blinking lights. Jesus did not come so Christians could deck the halls with a blow up Santa Claus and reindeer on their roofs and lawn. What do we do with these verses? “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not.” (Jeremiah 10:2-4) Maybe we should ignore them or maybe the Holy Spirit made a mistake? I think God is very clear in what He is saying, but we continue in the lie with Christmas trees (a German custom) out from our American tradition (now transported to the world) and because we do not want to offend family members. Just look at the Christmas trees in churches today? What do we do with these verses? The answer will be what we do with Jesus. Never forget the Gospel message of Christ is very offensive and at times even divisive to the non-believers, but truth is truth. Either we will stand for truth or compromise for the lie for the sake of peace on earth. The truth is Jesus did not come so we could have songs to sing at our annual Christmas musicals. It is amazing how old Christmas recordings from people long ago come back to life every Christmas. Jesus did not come so we could run ourselves to death, buying presents for people, while going further into debt. It is no wonder support in America for missionaries and humanitarian programs dwindle to almost to nothing this season of the year. I am afraid the true character and nature of man comes out during Christmas. We even plug in a written list to a jolly fat man in a red suit that drives a sleigh of reindeer around the world in one night to make sure we get want we what for Christmas. Why do we think we should get a present on someone else’s birthday? Our selfishness and self-centered nature really comes shining through. Oh Lord please forgive us for the indulgence of our wrong attitudes, greed, and lust. Jesus did not come to give us a Christmas season to feed our passions. The Bible is very clear why Jesus came. Jesus tells us in His own words, “The thief (not the devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus came so that we “might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” not to get a bunch of Christmas presents to satisfy our flesh. Jesus came so that we might (our choice not His) have the life of God dwelling within our heart and lives. The creative eternal life of God moving in us and out from us to the world. Also, in John Jesus tells us, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) Jesus came so that we might have life eternal (one part of salvation) which is knowing His Father (and ours), so that we too could “know the only true God” as Jesus did. So, we too could know the sublime unity of knowing God as Jesus did. I would think that would be worth far more than anything we can buy each other. Did you know, Jesus (even though the Prince of Peace) did not come into the world to bring peace as many of the major denominations and religions of the world tell us. Religious deception always leads us away from Christ into the traditional religious worship of the customs of man (like Christmas and Easter) and into a good works salvation thinking. Oh no Jesus Himself said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35For I am come to set a man at variance (Strong’s #1639 to cut into two parts, cleave asunder, sever) against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37He 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. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39) Jesus has come to cut our hearts out of the world with His word, the sword. Jesus has “come to set man at variance against” or sever every relationship where we love someone or something more than Him. Jesus came so that we could take up our cross (not Jesus’) and follow Him. Jesus came so we could lose our life so that we could then find our life in Him. We know and are persuaded if we lose our life for His sake we shall find it. We also know many of our friends will disagree (we hope and pray this is not the case) with this article, but that is okay getting the truth of the Gospel message out is more important than our friends getting offended at us. If they get offended at us over this article we know they probably are not our friends anyway. We have learned this truth the hard way. Please do not allow yourself to be deceived (your choice) by any pastor or person that says, “it is not a Heaven or Hell issue or it does not really matter” oh really? This thinking my friend is just spiritually wrong and a very subtle form of deception that has been carried on for 100s maybe 1,000s of years by the religious denominations and merchants both working hand-n-hand to get customers. Sadly at the heart of why we focus on the Christmas story and baby Jesus in the manger is so we do not have to deal with a risen Savior. How much more religious can we (like the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17)) who could not totally sell out be than to bow down and worship the Christmas story and the sweet little baby Jesus in the manger? This satisfies our religious flesh and helps to ease our guilt and feeling of disobedience from rejecting God’s word to us. Who wants to allow God to deal and judge in their hearts exposing areas where we must allow Him to work? It is much easier singing another song about Christmas as we buy presents for our family or even as we buy a present for some poor people who live down the street who we neglect the rest of the year. It is far less painful to go to every church musical and spend all we have than for God to be able to show us who we really are. Who wants to allow God free rein in our heart and lives to conform us into the image (icon) and character of Jesus Christ? Very few people do and the rest continue in this traditional religious lie year after year. I think I will end with a very sobering word; if you need a traditional religious holiday to know God sadly my friend your heart is very far from Him and you will never come to know Him. Let us turn our hearts away from the religious traditions of Christmas and allow God to bring the truth of His character and nature to us. It is our choice whether we desire presents on Christmas morning or the knowledge of God, we cannot have both. Written by David Stahl