And he said to ALL, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23Deny self, deny allegiance to the world, and follow Y'shua. Luke has invited us to follow Y'shua as a witness to his earthly life and ministry. We have watched as Y'shua laid out his agenda (set the captives free), was rejected at home, healed the sick and deformed, banished demons from the lives of men and asserted authority over the elements. Who is he and what (if any) is our responsibility to him?
Luke chapter 9 is an invitation for the reader to take a look at their own path in life in the light of what they have learned about the extraordinary life of Y'shua ha Mashiyach. The chapter begins with the twelve receiving power and authority from Y'shua with orders to proclaim the kingdom of God. It ends with a warning to those of us who may have a divided heart to proclaim the kingdom of God.
We are going to watch the 12 be challenged to proclaim the kingdom. At first, seems that this is something they are to say but they will be challenged to proclaim the kingdom in their dependence on Elohim in as they step out with the message (verses 3 and 4) and later as they consider the needs of those who come to hear the message (verses 12-17).
We as an audience will be asked to clarify who Y'shua is. Do we agree with what the world believes (verses 7-9) or has Elohim revealed himself to us as he has to Peter (18-20)?
Finally, as ordinary citizens of the kingdom of God, we need to consider if we are willing to deny ourselves, deny our former allegiance and follow Y'shua. Our ways, which are deeply entrenched, are not his. We are fickle and sometimes faithless. The focus is him, not circumstances, no matter how dazzling the circumstances seem to be. The chapter ends with a challenge.
But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God and don't look back.
The "I" Must Die!
ReplyDeleteIn as much as i can 'see',
That which is of the 'I' in me,
So it is i yearn, and to Our Father cry,
For deliverance from all that is of the 'I'.
The 'I', born of "imag"ination and selfish desire,
As lust, greed, and pride, stoked a consuming fire ;-(
A fire burning out of control, as 'I' leads the way,
It's smoke concealing the fleshly mind that leads one astray ;-(
Yet even in the smoke, searing heat, and blindness of 'sight',
Truth can pierce the blackness of darkness, revealing "The Light"!
And nothing can hide from "The Light", so "Light" reveals the "I",
Allowing one to "see" clearly, and clearly the "I" must die!
But to live, yet die, seems an impossible task,
And so we need of "Our Father", the impossible to ask.
Help me to "deny myself(die to self)(die to 'I')" Father!
And as HE Helps, HE reveals more and more of "The Selfless One", The One Who leads His Brethren on "The Way to The Truth of The Life". He Who was, and is The Messiah, The Son of The Only True G-D, Father(Creator) of ALL!
And as The Messiah desired above all else, so also will His Brethren desire above all else, "Father, not my will, But THY Will Be Done".......
The poem above was begun in Creel, Chih, Mexico in '92, a time when i sought to live and experience a simple and spiritual life and it was there that i received and embraced Simplicity. Left Mexico in '93, yet returned in '04. Then on 1/26/05 the poem was completed, and 'completion' is near for each and every one of us. And for "the poor and needy", thankfully so.......
Translated, "corruptible to incorruptible" indeed and Truth.......
Home at last.......
Forever free from The "I".......
All Thanks, Praise and Glory Be Unto "Our Father".......
And while there is breath(spirit) there is hope many will "see",
"see" The "I" for what it is, and then desire to be set free!
And that Spirit that was in The Messiah shall "set you free, free indeed"!
So, There Is Hope!
For Miracles do happen.......
Hope is there would be those who experience The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The Truth" for they will "see" The Light that is The Messiah, they will "see" that The Life is of The Spirit(not seen with the natural eye), and most certainly not of the flesh or fleshly mind("I").......
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(darkness) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one"(1Jn5:19) indeed and Truth.......
Truth IS, a lie is not.......
(Returned to this place called the u.s. of a. in June of '05, yet a return to the simplicity that is rural Mexico would be welcomed, however, i realize that in all things it must be "Father(Creator) not my will, But THY Will Be Done.......)
That is quite a post EC. Thank you
ReplyDeleteAll Thanks, Praise and Glory Be Unto Our Father.
ReplyDeleteTruly the "I" must die for the we to be.
Father Help! and HE does.......
Hopefully one day the 'we' would be, and one day that will be, however it would be a Miracle indeed if that happened before 'we' received our new incorruptible bodies.
Caterpillar to butterfly, translated and Home, Home at last.......
Thankfully butterflies still make me smile ;-)
As as the butterflies, so also am i on what i like to call a no-madness journey, and "alien an pilgrim while on this earth", "cookin' in my camper'.
All Thanks, Praise and Glory Be Unto Our Father!
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world....... EC -francis was my given name yet i prefer francisco-