3-d to 4-d

3-d to 4-d

The other night at our fellowship gathering a couple brothers were looking at the comics but not in the usual manner. They seemed to be holding the paper farther away and then moving it closer looking intently at something in the comics. Curiosity got the best of me and asked what they were doing. It turns out it was a drawing that apparently when looked at in a certain way revealed another picture in 3-d. They could not see the 3-d image and let me have a go. Being rather good at this sort of thing It didn’t take me long to see it and began to describe it to them in detail. This made them all the more anxious to see it and they tried harder and harder to see it but to no avail.

I tried to explain to them that they must not focus on the details of the drawing. It seems you need to get out of focus to dial in the 3-d image. Even after explaining this they could not dial in the 3-d image. Another sister and I began dialoging about the spiritual analogy to this. Namely that we are not to look at the things seen but the things that are unseen. In order to dial in the fourth dimension of the Spirit world we must not focus on the details of this third dimension. This seems to be a theme in the scriptures in with many different layers.

There is the layer of affection. Paul mentions that we are to set our affections on things above not on the things of the earth Col. 3:2. According to the dimension principal above if we focus our affections on the things of this earth we won’t be able to dial in our affections for the spiritual heavenly dimension. This is confirmed by Paul in his admonishment to mortify or crucify the affections and lusts which were a characteristic of the gentiles / pagans (1Thes.4:5, Col.3:5. Rom. 1:29). It seems by focusing intently on passions / lusts for things here we cannot dial in the passion for the 4th dimension.

Then there is the layer of seeing. Paul mentions in Corinthians that we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen (2Cor.4:18). This gave the early Christians hope in the midst of severe persecution. Stephen demonstrated this while being stoned. He focused on the things that were not seen rather than his being stoned and the unseen dimension opened up to him and he saw Christ standing there. (Ac.7). This is paralleled very well with our drawing that contains the hidden 3-d image. The desire to see the 3-d image must supersede our natural desire to look at the physical drawing itself. This gives the order for the eyes to go out of focus and begin dialing in the 3-d image. The eye is conditioned to focus on what is in front of it it must be re programmed so to speak to begin moving in and out of focus to dial in the image. This corresponds to how we must be reprogrammed or born again by the spirit to begin to have our faculities subject to the things of the spirit rather than the natural.


Then there is the layer of honor. Jesus said he received not honor that came from men Jn.5:41. He then goes on to say to these religious leaders that could not believe because they received honor one from another rather than the honor that comes from God alone Jn.5:44. This seems to indicate when we focus on receiving honor from each other from man it affects our ability to give / receive the honor that is for and from God alone. This in turn affects our faith and belief as we are focused on what man thinks. Again Jesus mentions in Luke 16:15 that that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. While man is trying to justify their positions to each other God knows our hearts. This is another area that needs to be reprogrammed by the Spirit in our lives if we are to dial in the dimension of the kingdom.

It seems the realm of the natural is quite contrary to the realm of the spiritual. Paul mentions that the natural man cannot receive the things of the spirit for they are foolishness to him 1Cor.2:14. Given these principals clearly set forth in the scriptures it is amazing how the church has put so much effort in appealing to the natural senses of man. This is very well portrayed in the book “Pagan Christianity?” by Viola and Barna. There is the construction of elaborate buildings that were designed to create a sense of awe and wonder. There is the elaborate liturgy which is intended to draw people into a sense of participation. Then there is all the religious icons and vestments intended to create an atmosphere of the holy etc…. there is the creation of a clergy to represent God to his people. Christ and Paul specifically said we are the temple and it is not made by hands etc… there is this continual striving to try and make a place for God to rest . the Psalmist has aptly said “unless the Lord builds the house they who labor labor in vain” Ps.127:1. Paul makes it clear that we are his place of habitation Eph.2:21,22.

If we want to see into the spiritual dimension it stands to reason we need to stop focusing on the natural or present dimension. We must set our affections on the things that are above where Christ sits. Only then can we get out of focus so to speak enough to focus on what is not readily seen. As Christ said if we really want to pray we need to go into our closet and shut the door. The implication seems to be there needs to be a shutting out of the physical to focus on the unseen. Mary seemed to learn this lesson as she began to focus on the “one thing” looking to Christ alone. May we follow her example.

The future church

The other night my wife taped a message by a famous author and speaker on a message of what the future church would be like. This being a subject we are interested in we both sat down and watched it the other night. There was no real definition given of what the church is so I guess we weren't too surprised when we heard things that he was describing that seemed to have little relevance to who she might be. There were many good points made in his message but we sensed there were many contradictions in what he was saying.

For instance one of his points was that leaders according to Eph.4 are to equip the body that the body may do the work of the ministry. then later he made the comment that some are more annointed to do the work of the ministry and others have jobs that help support these annointed ministers. We paused the message and said what? And how does this seperation between the clergy and laity bring in the unity of the faith described of in eph.4? He went on to describe how the future church will have the youth involved. By involved he seemed to indicate active in the ministry of the meetings which without a definition of the church seemed to be where the church was. The youth are going to be involved in the worship, as ushers and even as parking lot attendants. Another pause on the tivo. And we said to each other and how is this equipping the church for the work of the ministry? Later one of the points was purpose driven which related to the mission going outward.

I guess we wouldn't have been so shocked except this was coming from a guy who speaks at many of the huge church conferences and churches around the world. We didn't hear him say anything of what God's eternal purpose is for the church. It was all about what we should be doing or involved in etc....

So what is my take on the future church? She is a bride without spot or wrinkle. She hasn't always been that way. God is perfecting her through manifold trials and tribulations. she is and was created to be a habitation for God and God is a habitation for her. There will be no clergy laity in this church. it has different functions and giftings but the individual members are not identified by these but by there relationship to the other members and to Christ.

In 1980 the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Russians in what is arguably the greatest upset in sports history of the last century. These amatuerers defeated the best pro players in the world. I knew one of the U.S. players. At one point lived within 2 blocks of his family. was in the same grade and school of his older brother. played hockey with his brother and his dad was my track coach. So I knew this guy. To say I was surprised when they beat the Russians was an understatement. There was no way these young guys should have beat the Russians.

The difference was the coach. He got the players to function as a team which worked together as a unit. He got them to shake their identity with their former team and who they were etc... and had them take on a new identity related to the team. Yesterday read an article about the Yankees as they are going to demolish the old stadium. One of the players that played with Mickey Mantel talked about him. He said he was the best guy in the club house he motivated and encouraged the younger players. At one point the team said to Mickey hey you are the captain. He replied I don't know how to be the captain. They said just keep doing what you are doing. He said well I can do that but I know nothing about being a captian. I thought how prophetic. This is what the future church will look like. Lost in the character and fruit of Christ but unaware of individual giftings and titles etc... How can there be a unity of the faith when we hold onto so many other identities? There must be a shaking of all the old identity for this unity to bring the church together as a team or body that becomes the habitation of God.

Seeking Wisdom

Pro 18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

This verse seems to go in two different directions depending on which translation you read. A few like the king James presents it in a positive light as if those who desire wisdom seek it digently and are willing to separate themselves to have this objective viewpoint in regards to it. The other view is one that separates themselves due to their desire to discover themselves and have a disdain for true wisdom.

Most of the modern translations and paraphrases take the second interpretation as well as most of the commentaries. It seems to me to make more sense to take the first. Probably because I can relate to it ha! Actually there are two other instances in this chapter 18 that have two verses that contrast each other so it would fit the pattern here.

At any rate you could support either view from the scriptures. The first view does create a problem for the organized church that puts so much stock into being in the meeting for the wisdom teaching etc… and to miss the meeting is anything but meddling with wisdom. Today’s church is so focused on a service mentality that their mentality of gathering is one where the body receives. This seems to be the opposite of the scriptures in the n.t. where the body comes together to share in the one anothering. Much of the work of the lord comes from spending time in the secret place where the Holy Spirit does his inner work. Then when the body comes together the Lord is able to minister out of the ministry of the individuals who have spent time with him shut up so to speak to hear his voice. So separating oneself is to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and spending time to hear that still small voice. It gives us an objective view of our situations thus enabling us to drink in this wisdom of the Lord.

We see all through the scriptures where God calls individuals to separate themselves from their oikos and situations and calls them to a walk of faith many times alone. God called Abraham away to go to a far country to look for the city that He alone was building. Joseph was called away from his family and into Egypt. Moses was led away into the desert away from his familiarity.

God seems to be doing the same thing today. Calling / leading many out of the organized church and unto Himself. In the process many are leaning on Him in the wilderness. Learning to hear His voice and learn His ways. God’s ways are very different than mans He might want us to wait while our inclination might be to find a way to do something.
Of course if any take this path they will be challenged to not forsake the assembling:

Heb 10:24-25 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh

It is interesting that the very verse these good intentioned brethren use to try and keep us from separating ourself is one that depicts the body as a one-anothering gathering. Let us consider one another and exhort one another. In most gatherings today there isn’t an opportunity to exhort or lead out to share what one may have to encourage the brethren as that task has been replaced by a professional class.

Once one has gotten away from the service mentality and spends some time getting the Lord’s vision for the church it becomes obvious He wants to be the pastor and desires the body to do the ministry. Every part becomes necessary as the Lord is not partial towards a few select individuals. Sharing becomes more important than receiving. The body grows as each part exercises and does its part. Just as a natural body begins to atrophy if it doesn’t exercise the local body of believers needs to participate in the ministry of the one anothers if it is to grow and be healthy.

The Lord's Table

Last weekend we had the opportunity to have a sister Ruth Saap visit our fellowship. She came for a few days and shared some revelation on the Lord's table. It was very interesting and many came away with a profound sense of revelation regarding just how deep the mystery goes. She demonstrated the wine by using several clusters of grapes and shaking them before dropping them into a collinder for mashing. Everyone took turns mashing the different colored grapes. It was a vivid picture of how we are crushed with the Lord and out of that crushing comes the sweet fruit that is what the Lord is after.

After the crushing and tasting of the juice of the grapes there was the grinding of the wheat. We all talked about how many times the wheat is broken down so that the vital nutrients can be assimilated into the body. the sybolism of the individual grapes and wheat kernels being mashed/crushed to where they lost their identity is very revelatory. After the wheat was ground several times there were certain ingredients that were added to the wheat powder to clump and give it flavor. the demonstration shows how the Lord is the one who does the grinding adding of the oil, water and salt etc..... he provides the necessary ingredients for the wheat to become bread that is nutrious for the body. the dough is left without yeast the Lord doesn't want it to become puffed up or inflated. when heated it becomes a tasty flat bread with a little bit of a nutty flavor.

during the various stages of the demonstration there was a lot of discussion on how this related to the way the Lord works within the corporate body.

What is a waypoint

I'm just finishing a project for a utility company that took a year. It entailed doing a gis survey for the electrical grid of a local utility co-op. Basically it involved mapping the electrical poles, boxes and meters with what is called a mapper. it is a handheld computer that takes a mapping grade gps point for the location and inventory for the assemblies of the devices. The end result is a digital map that can be printed out with layers showing the various circuits, the direction of the flow of power and the detailed makeup of the structures involved.

A waypoint is the gps location that is taken. It provides a point with a location for longitude and latitude that can easily be located with a gps device. while on the project the correlation to spiritual pricipals became very real. Waypoints are usually coordinates that identify a point set in physical space that show longitude and latitude and sometimes altitude. Above the earth it cold entail time also as one of the factors.

The scriptures mention how the natural creation points or reveals something of the spiritual. It's interesting how the deeper we look into the natural creation the more spiritual it seems to be. for instance scientists now believe there are 11 dimensions.

Abraham was looking for a city whose builder and maker was God. while sojourning to the promised land he often stopped and built an alter and offered sacrifices to God. these could be looked at as waypoints along the way.

These times Abraham had with the Lord became points he could recall and remember, instances where the Lord spoke with him concerning the journey the Lord had called him to.