Born of Women or Born of God?

Among all who were born of women there's not one greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in God's Kingdom is greater than John. Jesus spoke those words and we could assume He was referring only to Himself as the greater one because we may think it's impossible for any one else to be greater than John. Beside that Jesus said John was Elijah who was prophesied to come. How could anyone be greater than Elijah except Jesus? Greatness in the Kingdom is not determined by the power displayed but by humility and service. He who is great in God's Kingdom is the servant of all. Both Elijah and John were born of women, not having received the new birth, but those born of God are greater than all the Old Testament saints.

God's plan to populate the earth was through the union of husband and wife and the womb as the portal of entry, but His plan to populate God's Kingdom is through the new birth. Jesus told Nicodemus he would not see the Kingdom of God except he be born again. Nicodemus began to reason how he could enter his mother's womb the second time and be born, but Jesus explained that it wasn't about recreating new flesh and blood but a new spirit man. When we are born again we are born from above or born of God as a new creation and as citizens of heaven. Those born from above are superior to the original man God made from the dust of the earth. Adam didn't have the Holy Spirit living on the inside directing and empowering him.

Owning Your New Identity

Jesus wants us to identify with the heavenly family and not the earthly. Those who are born of women are of this earth and their days are numbered, but those who are born of God are from above and have received everlasting life. God's plan wasn't only to save the people from hell, but to save them from everything inconsistent with eternity and heaven such as sickness, decay and death. As new heavenly creatures we re-present heaven on the earth. We are God's heavenly garden in the midst of chaos and darkness. We are now a new creation, old things have passed away and the new has come. We are to identify with our eternal family not the temporary flesh and blood we received in our mother's womb.

In Mark 3:31-35 Jesus was told that His mother and brother's were outside the house wanting to see Him, and He responded with an unusual question. "Who is my mother, or my brother?" Then He looked around the room and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! for whoever does the will of the Father is my brother, my sister and my mother."

One might think Jesus was a bit confused, but both His and our eternal heritage is the family of God those who are obedient to their heavenly Father. Identifying with our temporary flesh and blood family or making it a priority over God's Kingdom shows we lack understanding of our eternal inheritance. Jesus lessened the importance of natural family because temporary flesh and blood does not inherit the Kingdom of God. One day Jesus told a man to come follow Him, but he wanted to stay with family until his father was dead and buried. Jesus said, "Let the dead bury the dead." Jesus was not promoting dishonor of parents, but emphasizing the greater value of God's eternal family. Paul says if we mind the things of the flesh we will die, but if our minds are set on the things of the spirit and eternity we will live. The family we identify with will determine the inheritance we receive and the reality we walk in either temporary flesh and blood or God's eternal family.

Identity Determines Inheritance

We all expect wonderful things some future day in heaven, but God wants us to enjoy the future now. His death opened the door to eternity we don't have to wait until we die to experience it. All that stands between time and eternity is our thought patterns and our beliefs. We are eternal creatures, all we have to do is believe it and act upon it. All the Father has is already at our disposal in the eternal spirit realm. The reason most haven't accessed it is because they are dwelling in the temporary realm of time and identifying with flesh and blood which doesn't inherit the Kingdom. Most are waiting to die, but Jesus died in our place and has invited us into eternal life now including an inheritance beyond our wildest imagination. Earthly mindedness binds us to the realm of time where decay and death are free to operate we must set our minds on things above and take our seat with Christ in heavenly places far above death, decay and the works of darkness.

Your Future is Now

Most people have little idea about what the future holds.  Some live like there in no tomorrow and others live with regrets of their past.  They are trapped in time and held captive to fate believing the words of an old song. "Que sera, sera what ever will be will be the future is not ours to see que sera, sera."  Well, I am here to tell you the future is yours to see and not only to see but experience in the present.  That sounds impossible but nothing is impossible with God, but all things are possible to those who believe.  Scripture tells us our eye has not seen and ear has not heard neither has it entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those who love Him, but God has revealed them to us by His Spirit.  The future is already revealed by God's Spirit not some day in the future, but to those who engage the Spirit of God. 

Jesus said blessed are the pure at heart for they shall see God.  For most people the future is hidden behind a veil of guilt, shame,offense, timidity and many more similar conditions.  All these  prevent us from seeing God and what the future holds.  Becoming pure in heart is to be free of the conditions mentioned above.  Our hearts have already been cleansed by the blood of Christ but it is not a reality in many of our lives.  The shame, guilt and condemnation of past failures comes back to haunt and imprison us in the past.

Just as memories use our imagination to bring back the past, so our imagination can use God's promises to take us into the future.  The past is something we've already experienced whether good or bad it is real to us.  We try to forget the bad but the devil is prompt to remind us.  It is to his benefit that we never move out of the past and never hope for the future but remain in defeat.

There is a glorious future ahead of us, but it's hidden behind the curtain of time, space and law.  We are so used to the limitations of time and the laws that govern nature that we don't even expect anything different.  We get caught in the hamster wheel of life's predictive cycles and become bored to death.  As glorious as Solomon's kingdom was he said it was all vanity and vexing to his spirit.  Solomon had a great imagination and built the most amazing kingdom earthbound eyes have ever seen, yet he became very bored with the predictive cycles of life and nature.  Solomon was trapped in time, space and the laws of nature.  The greatest vision and wisdom known to humanity could not release him from the jaws of law and time.  He didn't have the same passion to worship God as his father David and that was likely why the veils were not lifted from his imagination.  The good news for us is that Jesus, the Greater One than Solomon has come and through His sacrifice upon the cross has released humanity from every governing law and border wall that separates us from God and the future.

God lives in eternity and the only way to experience His world is to move out from under the government of law, time and space into the realm of eternity and the glorious liberty of the sons of God.  The first step in making that a reality is to rid ourselves of every blinding veil.  Sin caused Adam and Eve to cover themselves with fig leaves because they were ashamed.  Then they hid further behind the bush because they were fearful.  Getting free from fear, shame, lack of forgiveness and guilt will unveil our spiritual eyes and we will begin to see beyond the veil.  The veil between the present and the future is actually in our own minds.  We must renew our minds to know what the will of God is for us.

King David was a passionate worshiper of God a man after God's heart.  Though he had many life experiences that could have driven him to the pit of despair he maintained a passionate relationship with God.  He didn't allow the negative things of his life to form a veil over his eyes, but encouraged himself in the Lord.  David saw the future and brought it into his day.  He pressed through the barriers of time and law.  He went to the house of God and unlawfully partook of the showbread which was strictly for the priests.  He saw the future day when all God's children would be priests and able to partake of the bread of life.  David built a tabernacle that contained the ark of God surrounded only by musicians and worshipers allowing all to enter God's presence.  Again he saw the future removal of the veil that concealed the presence of God in the most holy place where only the high priest could go once a year with blood.  David din't do these things out of defiance, but he had an understanding that God's laws are there to separate the passive from the passionate, the mild from the wild, the lukewarm from the hot and the blind from those who see. 

The ball has been in our court so to speak, it is time to take a swing.  God is gracious and knows our heart so don't be afraid of a few misses, just determine not to allow shame or guilt to overtake you for there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

John Scheda