Our ‘title / theme’ seeks to express (in 7 words / 33 letters) a ‘trinitarian’ (‘3’ in’1’) view of the mystery of ‘LIFE’ ::: we are ‘born’ – in three ‘births’ – to ‘freedom’ ::: in Single mode / in Social mode / in Spiritual mode. It’s God’s ‘gift / grace / glory’.
However, as we are, all too well aware, this concept of ‘freedom’ has largely gone missing in ‘everyday life experiences’. And, yet, Jesus the Christ said ::: “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). So, the question is ::: ‘WHERE’ – in our “limbo land” – lies ‘LOST’ independence and ‘FOUND’ liberty?
In the Bible creation story, our ‘1st parents’ (Adam & Eve) had ‘life to the full’ ::: they enjoyed “relationality” (Social) and they “walked with God” (Spiritual). But, an ‘awful disaster’ struck, when they chose to “act” on their own initiative (with ‘fake’ promptings from ‘you know who’) and ‘sidelined’ God. They, immediately, ‘fell’ into ‘LOST’ mode ::: socially and spiritually.
Fortunately, God had a ‘back-up’ plan ::: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Yes, Jesus the Christ came to the rescue ::: in his ‘divine-human’ way of ‘life, death and resurrection’ he ‘restored’ (i.e. ‘FOUND’ mode) our original social / spiritual status.
So, then, what are the ‘practical implications’ of all this for you and me? We may ‘think’ we know the ‘theory’, but, do we, really, have ‘much of a clue’ how to translate “life in all it’s misery” into “life to the full”? This is the ‘64K$’ question we, now, seek to address (as best we can).
The crux of the matter is ::: our Single Social Spiritual “births” have become ‘sin’ infected ::: in ‘separation’ from God ::: reliant on ‘human nature’, alone. Here, is ‘WHERE’ the greatest story ever told, seeks, not only to catch our imagination, but to meet people ‘WHERE’ they live / ‘WHERE’ they are at / ‘WHERE’ they need to be. Enter, Jesus the Christ, our one and only ‘saviour / sanctifier / satisfier’.
Now, to get a ‘handle’ on this, we are going to ‘seek to understand’ the “good news” vis-a-vis the “bad news” (involved). In sum ::: our “strengths” (before ‘The Fall’) became our “weaknesses” (after ‘The Fall’) ::: “Acceptance” turned into “Rejection” ::: “Blessing” turned into “Cursing” ::: “Celebration” turned into “Misery”. Note: how ‘LIFE’ was ‘child-like’ in ‘ABC’ mode.
What all this tells us – if we only had ‘ears to hear’ / ‘eyes to see’ / ‘nostrils to smell’ – is ::: “there is something ‘rotten’ in the state of the world” (since ‘The Fall’) ::: and, that ‘something’ is ‘evil’ with a ‘d’ attached (i.e. the ‘devil’). Yes, (hopefully) you can ‘readily perceive’ – from new Booklet / eBook ( A “NEW” U) – the ‘signs of the times’ are “consternation” (i.e. ‘con’facts / ‘con’flicts / ‘con’fusion). In brief ::: we are being ‘conned’ (left / right / centre). And, who is the ‘big’ liar in all this? Yes, again, you have guessed right ::: “the father of lies” (John 8:44) / the ‘devil’. That’s the “bad news”.
And, now, for the “good news” ::: we need to “see” / “understand” / “take action” in relation to personal ‘un-ease’ (i.e. being ‘without peace’) manifesting in our ‘day-to-day’ ‘LIFE’ ::: we can (and, must, ‘instantly’) ‘counter’ / ‘counteract’ / ‘countermand’ the ‘power of the lie’ with the ‘power of the truth’. “Yes”, “Yes”, “Yes” . . . “you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32) . . . “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) . . . “when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13) . . . “ Father, I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one – Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth” (John 17: 15,17) . . . “stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth” (Ephesians 6:14).
In summary: The “bad news” is “LIES” (the ‘fall-out’ from ‘The Fall’) ::: The “good news” is “TRUTH” (the ‘rising’ from the ‘Resurrection’). What this means, in ‘every- day-life-practice’, is ::: ‘the devil’ / ‘the liar’ / ‘the deceiver’ (i.e. Satan) can “ruin us, if he gets us, to live a lie”. So, ‘be awake’ / ‘be aware’ / ‘be alert’ ::: “your enemy, the devil, goes around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Take note: he “roars” to “frighten” us (with ‘fear / shame / guilt’). So, if you believe his lies, he has “CONTROL” on your life.
“Look up” / “Look out” / “Look inside” ::: Jesus the Christ (through his ‘life, death and resurrection’) has “won / triumphed / conquered” over Satan’s ‘kingdom of darkness’. He is the ‘Source and the Summit’ of all all ‘Authority / Belonging / Control’ (‘ABC’) in ‘LIFE’. So, “call Him in” ::: “say to Him” ::: “Lord Jesus Christ, come – in your glory – in your truth – in your love – into ‘my life’, this day, I pray”. . . repeat . . . repeat . . . repeat . . .
In ‘33’ ::: ‘LIES’ means “stuck” ::: ‘TRUTH’ will set you “‘free”’.
Daniel (www.konect-1-2-1.com) 12/4/17