Re: The real versus the superficial
Submitted by Andy on July 26 2000 15:18:53
In reply to The real versus the superficial submitted by Forgiven on July 25 2000 18:35:38
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I can't help but wonder how the Children of Israel in the Old Testament must have felt. The God they worshipped was intangible. The saviour who was to establish His Kingdom in the Earth was only a promise; something they had to cling to. God didn't dwell inside them, they way He can today if we believe Him. Oh, the Holy Spirit was there, alright, but it was not inside them as it can be today. All they could do was to marvel at its manifestation. It was around them, upon them, in their temple, and sometimes filled them, but it couldn't live inside them until Jesus came, lived thirty-three and a half years in the flesh, and was crucified by the very people He came to save. Even then, His ministry only lasted for three years, which, in the vast ocean of time, is but a tiny droplet of mist, which would be virtually invisible to the naked eye. But, oh, what a life he lived! Through that infinitesimal droplet of time, we are able to have the Holy Spirit live inside our fleshly bodies; something that no one, even all the prophets who came before Him, could have in their lives. Now His Kingdom is in the Earth, this bit of Earth we call the human body. The Bible tells us that the least in His Kingdom is greater than John, the Baptist, because John didn't live long enough for Him to receive the Holy Spirit in his "Earth". If we have His Holy Spirit in our bodies, then we are a part of His Kingdom. How can we say we love God, whom we have not seen, when we cannot love our neighbors and brothers with whom we rub elbows every day. By the same token, do we love those we contact in cyberspace?… or is it just words? I submit to you, that we can love one another, and many of us do love one another, in a very real, and personal way, and not just in a virtual, abstract way. At the risk of placing one person above another, I will say here and now, that I believe Chris is one of these people. I have not met him personally, but have had enough contact, by telephone, and other means, to know that he is truly a caring, loving person; and the Love of God, and love for his brothers lives in him. He is truly a member of the Body of Christ. If a part of the Body hurts, he feels it, and will act upon it. I will not go into detail here, but I personally know of things that Chris has done for others that very few people would do, physically, financially and spiritually. Chris loves God, and has been through many hard times… Some of those hard times continue, even today. But Chris has not given up… he's not a quitter!… and I'm proud to call him my friend and brother. God Bless You Chris! In Christian Love, Andy |
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