Reality

                                                                                                                             

Aloha Dearest Family,

Years ago there was a science fiction movie called "The Matrix" in where the main character named Neo was brought into the knowledge that the world he had been living in was just an illusion and the "real" world was far different from the one he had perceived. We live in such a world today, where the life that we see is not reality. In John 17:17 Jesus says that God's Word is "truth". The Greek word for the word "truth" means true assessment of the matter, the "reality" of the situation. God's Word is the reality of what is true. We need to continually look into life's "owner's manual", the Bible, to see the reality of who we really are and what God has made us to be.

We find some incredible stuff in I John 3:1, 

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not." 

We are sons of God!! As sons of God we can enjoy all of the rights and privileges associated with that title. In the book of Galatians it says, 

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." 

Because we are God's sons He has given us the gift of holy spirit and made us heirs. If you were the son of a poor man, being an heir wouldn't mean very much. But to be the heir of God Almighty gives us great standing and privilege. The son of a King is a prince, and a prince is always aware that he is prince. We should feel the same. We should wake up each and every day with joy in our hearts and walk each day with a spring in our steps. We can't afford to let the world tell us that you are less. We are royalty!

Let's look at Romans 8 and find out more, 

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;..." (Romans 8:14-17) 

The word "adoption" is misleading in the King James Version. This should literally read "sonship". You are not "adopted" sons, you are true children, born of God by His spirit. (The phrase 'Born again" literally means "born from above") We are not just heirs but it says that we are joint- heirs with Jesus Christ, sharing fully in the inheritance of Jesus Christ. Want to know more? Let's look at Romans 6:17.

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one (Adam); much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." 

God has made you to reign in life. God does not want you to be lacking in any category of our life; health, finances, peace of mind, spiritual power. God wants us to prosper in whatever we choose to do. Futhermore, it says that God has called us to "glory and virtue". (II Peter 1:3) Virtue is "superior excellence in all categories of life". This is who you really are!! This is who God has called you to be!!

God's does not want us to be conformed to this world. Instead He wants us to be transformed but putting on in our minds the truth of who we really are. I recently had to tell another brother in Christ "God has made you an Eagle, but the world has convinced you that you are a pigeon." Let us not let the world convince us of anything that the Word does not say we are. 

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Ephesians 4:14) 

Let us not be deceived by philosophies and doctrines that are contrary to the "truth" which is the Word of God. We can't rely upon society to teach us who we are. We can't learn how God really sees us from the world. The reality is that Jesus Christ paid the highest price to bring us to God. God loved us so much that He delivered up His own son to taste death for every man so that we could have life - eternal life. You are worth everything to God. And remember, you are a prince. And a prince always knows he is a prince.

Love Always, Ray