Christ - Mass - The Birthing Of Christ

Christ - Mass - The Birthing Of Christ

We all know that Dec. 25 is not the day Jesus was born. Although most Christians celebrate December 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ, few in the first two Christian centuries claimed any knowledge of the exact day or year in which he was born.

In this article I will not focus on that but,

I would like to reflect on the wonderfully familiar story about how Mary received the Word and "brought forth the Son into the WORLD." Her supernatural encounter with the Heavenly brought the personal stigma of having what was then viewed as an illegitimate child. This Child inside of her was the Living WORD.

In much that same way, we must intimately bring forth the Word into this WORLD. The Holy Spirit hovers over us. Surely, you know that you conceive and incubate His Word so that you will bring forth His living plan into this world. And, once again, the world will view our actions as illegitimate and unacceptable according to their understandings.

This conception of the Word IN YOU won't be accomplished through some rote confession or formula. John 5:39-40 says, "You search the scriptures... but you are not willing to come to Me that you may have LIFE." Only the impregnation of the synchronized power of heavenly intention within our human spirit brings forth the evidence of God. Even the wise men from the Far East (magicians from afar), searched the heavens to find guidance toward the birthplace of the coming Christ. They rightly interpreted the directions to follow the glowing light of one particular star to find Jesus.

The Day Star can be seen arising once again -- this time it is in OUR HEART (2 Pet. 1:19). This star gives those who search a glimpse of how to get to the place where the heavens speak. It urges them to follow the star until we can unwrap the man-child from His swaddling clothes. 

Paul described how he labored by "suffering BIRTH pangs until CHRIST (the anointed chosenness of God) would be (or is) completely and permanently formed (molded) within you." (Gal. 4:19 AMP).
We are like Mary in this way. The Word becomes birthed IN US. We become one with Him. The Holy Ghost intercedes with sighs beyond words as He is delivered. We are brought through the veil and into the New Day.
This great MYSTERY of cosmic proportions continues to unveil before us at this moment. The bells toll, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" A child, a child, sleeping in the night - He will bring us goodness and light. The child is growing up!

We receive LIGHT that reveals the present manifest revealing of the Christ-like (huios, grown up) sons of God. 

This concept was so mis-understood in previous generations that most are very weary of considering it again. But, the truth is, all of creation is still waiting (Rom. 8:19-22) for this BIRTHING of CHRIST within a people - it is the transfiguration of the Body of Christ.

The restructuring and conversion of all creation continually waits for us to stop acting and looking like the world and start acting and looking LIKE CHRIST.
The formation of CHRIST (the nature of the One Who smears with anointing) IN US quickens our mortal body and raises us from the grave of death and into effectiveness. CHRIST-ians show forth the "GLORY" of God that becomes visibly expressed LIGHT. That means we replicate the inward Christ-like nature (LIKENESS, character, and intention) of Jesus on earth today - in an outward manner. Christ IN US the hope of GLORY (Col. 1:27).

THE SECOND and opposing mystery is the MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS or the Anti-Christ (2 Thess. 2:5-8). This principle is the ANTITHESIS (opposite) to Christ (the Anointed chosenness) IN US. 

It is the spirit of anti-Christ (that which is AGAINST THE ANOINTING of CHRIST being revealed). Anti (instead, against, not toward, opposing) Christ (the anointed choseness of God) IN US. 

Notice that this lawlessness is NOT called "Anti-Jesus," but "Anti-Christ." Anti-Christ (instead of anointing) consists of anything that opposes the anointing or resists those who walk in the LIKENESS of the Anointed One (Matt. 12:32).
Anti-Christ could be any intellectual theology without Divine igniting. It opposes the birthing of CHRIST within a people.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 tells us that Jesus will overthrow and uncover this mystery of lawlessness with the breath of His mouth and He will destroy lawlessness by the SPLENDOR OF HIS APPEARING. This word "splendor" is epithania, from which we derive our word "epiphany." This splendor is "a shining forth of the coming of Lord, and the Glory of Jesus as lightning seen from east to the west."
In view of His appearing (epiphany, SHINING FORTH) - (we) preach the gospel (2 Tim. 4:1 MSG). AN EPIPHANY is a sudden and striking awareness (en-LIGHT-ening) of the crucial significance of a truth. 

The epiphany (or radiating grandeur of His glowing appearance) is further explained in 2 Timothy 1:9b-10, "This grace WAS GIVEN US in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has NOW BEEN REVEALED through the APPEARING (the glorious OUTSHINING) of our Savior, who has destroyed death and has (already) brought LIFE and IMMORTALITY to LIGHT through the gospel." We don't have to wait. The light of God is REVEALED TO US, and IN US, THROUGH US and AS Us.- in this ever present NOW.

We hear the angels singing, "What child is this?" It is the Christ birthed IN US -- what a wonder! For the whole world longs with eager and longing anticipation (Rom. 8:19) to look into the eyes of the corporate son and see the radiating Divine LIKENESS in that reflection.

 "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest IN HIS SAINTS." "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” Romans 8:19,Col. 1:26,1 Cor. 15:51

HEART OF THANKSGIVING

A Heart of Thanksgiving

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

A person with a thankful heart is a person of great power. A thankful heart is a victorious heart, which sees victory in the face of defeat.

In the course of battle, we can often get frustrated and find ourselves wrestling with God instead of contending the mountains in our lives. Through our frustration we end up rebuking God, instead of rebuking principalities and powers. We can get caught in the cycle of complaint with God concerning how long it is taking Him to meet our need, instead of thanking Him for all that He has already done for us. Our unhappiness can keep us continually seeking explanations from God, instead of thanking Him for the mountains He has already moved and the seas that He has parted to get us this far.

How soon we lose sight of all the miracles He has performed to bring us the victories we have already been given. While waiting for God to do the "big" thing for us, we forget to be thankful for the little victories along the way. I believe the small blessings we receive from God are a special test of our heart; He wants to know if we will be thankful even for the smallest gift.

On the other hand,  the enemy wants us to become dissatisfied with the victories God has given us, for a dissatisfied heart is easy for him to manipulate. When we are frustrated, he can get us to do and say things we would not otherwise, and attitudes can develop that hurt our faith. Jealousy and selfish ambition are both rooted in an ungrateful, dissatisfied heart. For a dissatisfied heart is like a hunger that is never filled, or a fire that never dies out. If we allow it, it will eat away at the enjoyment we find in this life.

The Safe Zone

Having a thankful heart keeps us in a "safe zone" – a place where THE ENEMY cannot gain access to our minds. That place is where we give thanksgiving and praise to God for ALL He has done for us. "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I have a friend who is a pastor, and he recently went through a situation in his church where many people in his congregation left. Instead of becoming embittered about what he had lost, he made a conscious effort to thank God for the people who stayed with him. In a time of loss, it is easy to lose sight of all we still have! In all circumstances and at all times, we must find something to be grateful for, and remain thankful in the place God has put us.

When God shows us something He wants to give us and it does not happen right away, it is easy to become frustrated. If God has promised it, He will complete it. But we have our part to do, and that is thanking Him in spite of how things look in the natural. Our frustration and anxiety will only hinder God. Praise and thanksgiving prove we are trusting in God to do the impossible for us in His timing and in His way.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:6-7, emphasis mine

The presence, peace and power of God are gifts given freely to those who trust Him and do not allow fear and anxiety to remain in their heart. The peace of God will be a guard to our heart, fighting against anxiety and dissatisfaction. Anxiety will erode our faith and trust in God, but the peace of God that passes all understanding will produce a thankful heart. I truly believe that a thankful heart will touch God and enable us to experience His presence anywhere at any time.

Two Power-Filled Words

There are two simple words that release heavenly power to those who will use them. They are foundational words that most of us learn as small children – small, but mighty words that will unlock the windows of Heaven. God's heart is captured by the heartfelt words, "Thank you." I have personally seen these two simple words unleash the blessings of Heaven!

Years ago my husband and I needed a great deal of money and we had just a short time to come up with the amount we needed. I wanted to panic when faced with what seemed like an impossible situation, but instead, I went to my heavenly Father who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. As I poured out my heart (and my fears) to Him, He filled me with His peace. I asked Him how we should deal with our need. He replied, "Just thank Me and the money will come in!"

After only six months God supplied all that we needed and more! It was six wonder-filled months! Six months of praise, thanksgiving and rejoicing in God. We saw Him display His power in a great way and felt His awesome love for us!

God loves it when we trust in Him. One way we can show Him our trust is to thank Him for meeting our needs, even before we see it made evident in the natural. As we begin to thank Him, our appreciation keeps our eyes on God's faithfulness. It shows us how big and awesome He is; it reminds us of how He has helped us in the past and assures us He will help us in the present and future.

God's Power in Us

Complaining keeps our vision small and us focused on our problem. Praising raises our eyes to our great big Daddy God who is constantly looking after us. We need to focus not just on rebuking the devil – but on magnifying God! With our praise and adoration of Him, we will begin to see that there is no problem too big for our God.

Our thankful heart will produce an honest and accurate view of God. We will see that He alone holds the world in the palm of His hand, and that He alone is the Creator of all things. As this awesome God blesses us every day, we simply need to take the time to renew our minds by thinking of the blessings and victories He has given us. When we do this, we enlarge our capacity to believe in Him to do even greater things, and then we will trust Him more and lean more on the power and authority He has given us.