TIMELESSNESS
Time is an interesting thing. I will not claim to know much about time, other than being aware that it is a constant throughout my life. It permeates nearly every aspect of my day. From the moment that I arise from bed to the moment I fall asleep, I am aware of time. Setting alarm clocks, taking lunch breaks, cooking food, waiting for a football game, going to work, etc. Time exists constantly in the realm we live in and our awareness of it is stronger than we realize.
Time is given to mankind for the purpose of learning order. A good friend reminded me of this. How things move in succession, how they rank and how they relate to one another. All of which is given as a tool to help fulfill the process of completion, maturity and perfection. We are very aware of time in this physical realm. Nearly everything we involve ourselves in, connects to time. Truly, creation appears to be under the influence by time as it directs our seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades and centuries. Time is an amazing tool in this physical life that we are currently aware of, however, in the realm and dimension of spirit, the realm that most do not give much notice of, time is not a factor. It doesn't exist. By the way, neither does material or matter or space. It is wholly independent of those things. Although spirit is not bound by time like the physical and material world is, it does however, have the power to affect the things of this realm we live in. We are so greatly tuned into time that our vue is often that nothing can exist without or outside of it. It becomes like a lens that covers the eyes of our understanding.
Think of love and how it affects you and I. Love transcends time, distance and material things. It has no limits or boundaries. Love is spiritual. You cannot see it but you know it exists. Love has no time limit. It has no beginning or end in the realm. Rather, it moves freely as it comes and goes upon each of us. It moves here and there among time, as the wind makes its presence through the leaves of a tree. You cannot say my love began on this date and ended on this date. Instead, it appears within us, in greater or lesser measure in this physical realm. Regardless of its movements within time, it is truly timeless. It is the same for kindness, meekness, gentleness, faith, peace, and such alike. These things have their existence in the spiritual, eternal and heavenly realm of God. We have awareness of these things in the realm of time, but they truly exist in the realm of spirit. Time is not their home, but they are like sojourners or pilgrims in a distant land. Therefore, their foundation and home is in the absence of time. Are you beginning to see what I mean by the phrase timelessness?
Here is something to think about. In time, we die at certain times and dates. Abraham died over 5000 years ago in time. Yeshua died nearly 2000 years ago in time. My stepfather died nearly 1 year ago in time. In time, each of them died in some type of succession. They were all human and died in a certain order in time. Here is the interesting thought to think about. Although they died on certain dates, one before another in time, did Abraham enter the spirit realm before my stepfather? By spirit realm, I mean to die to the consciousness of the physical realm and enter into a full consciousness of the spirit realm. When speaking of the spiritual realm, I am not talking about a far away place on the other side of the Milky Way. It is the ending of one awareness and the full continuance of another awareness. Remember, we are fully conscious of the physical realm now, but at death our consciousness switches. So, as each man died on different dates in time, it can't be so in the spirit realm, because there is no time. Words such as: before, after, late, early, day, night, sooner and later cannot apply. These words are linear as if they exist upon a line, which is how time appears. These words only exist in time. Although each man left the physical realm at different times, they can't enter the spiritual realm at different times or before one another. They must enter the presence of the spiritual, eternal and heavenly realm of consciousness at once or at the same instance. If this be so, then to depart from the physical puts you into the presence of the foundation of the world. The realm that God is currently choosing his children. We say 'before' the foundation because our vue is from within the lens of time. In Gods presence, there is no before, remember? Before is an attribute of time. God is choosing, selecting, intervening and all other activity now, in the spirit realm. It didn't happen before on a date prior to 6,000 years ago. Those numbers can only relate to time.
Think about this for a moment. Spirit is alive, among time yet outside of time, and all things occurring in spirit are always now and the fullness of all activity ongoing and endless are occurring at once. Abraham may have had a thought come to mind when he was alive in this body. We may have the same thought come to mind while alive in our body over 5000 years later. Although they appear to have occurred at different times on this earth, in spirit they happened at once. Spirit is not bound by time. It can cross over all of creation. Therefore, our thoughts are actually one in the spirit realm. They say that great minds think alike, which is true in this case. A great mind begins in the spirit world and is shared among individuals in time. I hope you can follow. We have been told that there is one spirit. We have been told to have the same mind as the Christ. We have been told that we and the father are one. We are one with the Christ. This is what it means. Timeless minds or minds not bound or limited by time. Minds that are the same and in union with God in his spiritual and heavenly realm and eternal realm. Time limits our vue of the spiritual realm.
Why am I mentioning these things?
When we, as people being led by the Christ, look to know spiritual things, we often attempt to understand them with the lens of time covering and limiting our vue. We have a lens of time, belonging to the material realm, covering our eyes. We cannot see the spiritual realm properly because our eyes are blurred by the elements of the physical realm. Can you guess what this is described as in the written scriptures?
The carnal mind.
It is the mind of most christians. It is the mind behind most religions. It is even often the mind behind some of the worlds most highly regarded and esteemed intellectual scholars. Many of whom we would call the greatest religious men and all their wisdom and glory could not see the spiritual realm properly because of this lens that covered their eyes. They knew Greek, wrote commentaries and books, recorded sermons, and studied the New Testament with the proper translation in the most expensive schools, but God kept himself hidden in a way that kept those men limited. The base things were chosen to confound the wise. Over the years, and through many religions and churches and sermons and books, spiritual truths have been misheard, mistranslated and miscommunicated. Traditional messages have been passed down from generation to generation because so many have been spiritually discerned and knew no better. They never learned to test the spirit to see whether it was of God or man. They were too comfortable in their traditions and ceremonies and rituals. They didn’t want to disrupt the comfort of the common messages. They didn’t want to get cast out of their social group for heresy and strange doctrine. They didn’t want to be called too spiritual or gnostic or mystical. They didn’t want to lose their friends or family or positions. They didn't want to offend or disrupt the flow of christianity. Therefore, the limited and partial message continues to be shared and eaten like candy to those with itchy ears and continuously hungry and thirsty souls. They prefer to be entertained with programs, charts, bulletins, outreaches, seminars, ordinances, committees, ministries, choirs, tracts, and good ole’ preaching by the man on the stage. Most of which is proclaimed through the lens of time. Most of which his preached by a carnal mind.
These people and these things are not wrong in and of themselves, but for the man who thinks he is spiritual because he is connected to these things walks with a carnal mind also. It is a way that seems right, but in the end we will find it comes to ruin. It comes to naught. It comes to having little value in the true kingdom of God on earth right now. Many men were called and saw the truth but for a moment and because this lens quickly came and covered their eyes, their vue was limited and fragmented and in part. The enemy came and stole the good seed that was planted. The carnal mind is shallow ground and soil that is not rich. They were given a precious pearl and it was stolen by a theif. That man walks with a skewed and improper vue of the truths that is meant to set him and all of creation free in due time and in their proper order. That man will continue to look here or there for the Christ with his physical eyes. That man will continue to think that the kingdom of heaven is meat and drink. That man will continue to talk about that ‘day that will come’. He will continue to look for Jesus to physically appear in the clouds and ‘catch him up or rapture’ him away into the air. Where he will spend a number of years in some far away heaven land on the other side of the universe, strumming harps and enjoying their long due honey and golden streets. He thinks that the reward is to lounge around on his knees in the clouds, praying to Jesus as he sits on a large throne in the sky. Some literal throne positioned on the right side of God. That man sure is glad he wasn’t like that old sinner left behind to go down into hell with its fire and pitch-forked devil to burn and suffer torment day and night for ever and ever. Just because he didn’t decide to trust God. Is there day and night in spirit? Glad that man won’t be thrown into that lake of fire which some had supposedly now located to be somewhere in the Middle East not too far from Jerusalem. Is there literal fire in spirit? Glad that man said a prayer and got himself saved that one day in the past or else he would not enter the pearly white gates and spend eternity with Jesus in the far off heaven. Glad he decided and made the choice to have Jesus come into his heart before its too late. Glad that man is in charge of his spiritual destiny. This vue, this way, this mind is a carnal mind. It cannot see past the physical realm. It cannot see past time. Forgive them father for they know not what they do.
Here is an example of how time interfered with a man’s reception of the truth and was then shared among mankind (you and I).
For some time now, I have kept the idea of timelessness in my heart and mind. I have continued to desire for God to reveal his mind more and more concerning this thought. When you enter a dark room, from the natural sunlight, you find that the room is nearly pitch black and your vision is near to none. However, give it a moment and be patient, and the light that exists within that dark room will penetrate your eye bringing vision. You will find that the pitch black room is now dimly lit enough for you move around safely. With this illustration in mind, my understanding of timelessness was as if it were darkened and I had no vision of it. But thats ok, I continue to give it a moment and be patient, and the light that exists will continue to penetrate my mind's eye and bring vision. As that vision becomes more clear, in God’s appointment measure, I notice things that I never noticed before. I am more aware of them that I have been prior.
While reading in the first book of Corinthians, chapter one, verse seven, I noticed something I had never seen before. Keeping the thought of ‘timelessness’ in mind, this is what I saw. The next section of the writing will be like a word study for us.
1 Corinthians 1:7 states, ‘So that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
There are two words in this verse that I saw that seemed relative to time - ‘waiting’ and ‘coming’. As I have read this verse dozens of times in the past, with a ‘dimmed’ vision, those two words appeared to me as something that relates to time - a future date. Our typical understanding of what it means to 'wait' in time is to wait for something as though you had not seen or heard or received it yet. You wait for it to come in the future, right? In time, we wait for buses and paychecks and vacations. In this case, it appears that we are ‘waiting’ for the Lord to ‘come’ later, like we wait for our birthday or holidays. As though he has not yet ‘come’ to us. As though we have not yet seen or heard or received him at this moment. Pause a moment and ask yourself honesty, ‘have I seen or heard or received the Christ within me?’. Again, both appear to be related to future occurrences. So then, let’s wait and wait and wait, just as all of mankind has done throughout time. According to this vue, Paul waited, John waited, Martin Luther waited, Billy Graham is waiting, Tim Tebow is waiting, your pastor is waiting, you are waiting, I am waiting and my children’s children will wait. Many of which have died and many will most likely die just waiting.
If someone were to ask you, when will the Christ come, what will you say? Will you give the automated response, that no man knows the time or day? That no one is sure, so we must ‘wait’ patiently and in faith until that day 'comes'. That he is not yet come, so we must suffer through this miserable world of error and confusion until God decides to send him back from some far away heaven? That you must wait for some indefinite amount of time hoping for something that you have only read about in a book and sing about in your church? What hope does that give the man who is suffering and dying from cancer today? What hope does that give the woman whose husband just passed last night. What does it give to the poor beggar cold on the streets tonight, the murderer, the thief, the addict, the prisoner or anyone else that has suffering and torment and confusion and unsettledness inside at this very moment? What hope does this ‘waiting’ for an indefinite time in the unknown future give to the people who need him right now, today, continuously, presently and in great measure? What will you say? Will you tell him to 'keep waiting friend, one day it will happen. You just have to find it within you to believe.’ Will that be your response? Is that the response that you are holding on to? Is that the root and foundation of your faith? Is that the good news that is saving you at this very moment as you read these lines? I hope not.
In the light of timelessness, these verbs must be viewed without past or future. This waiting is speaking to our spirit, not our bodies. Yes, our bodies do wait as we partake in this 'spiritual waiting', but it is a spiritual message, and the body follows. If we beleive that the Christ is with us, these things must be counted as now or present or today or this moment. The ‘waiting’ must be something that is occurring now. The ‘coming’ must be something that is occurring now. If you disagree, then continue trying to vue spiritual truths through the lens of time and let me know the extent of things that are revealed to you. Let me know of the true power that comes to you. If you desire to progress in knowing God, you will at some point face the thought of timelessness concerning God and his kingdom life. The realm of God is timeless and there is no other way. We must look for God in the absence of time.
Let’s look at these words and see what happens.
The word ‘waiting’ comes from the greek word ‘apekdechomai’. It is imperative for us at times to look at the original root of the word. This often gives us a more clear idea of the reason and foundation of the word. In this case it is made up of two Greek words ‘apo’ and ‘ekdechomai’. Let’s look at ‘apo' first. The word ‘apo' denotes a departure or separation off of and away from something near. If I break off a piece of candy and hand it to you, that span of separation will be considered ‘apo’. The movement from me to you is ‘apo’. It gives the idea of movement from one to another. Figuratively from then to now or from there to here. The second word ‘ekdechomai’ denotes accepting and expecting from a source. Looking toward the source to which you receive from. Yes, waiting as you receive. To dig a little deeper, if you are able and willing to stay with me, that word ‘ekdechomai’ is actually made of two words in itself. The word ‘ek’ denotes the origin of which motion or action proceeds from and out of. It tends to a completion or fulfillment. The word ‘dechomai’ means to receive or accept or take. If you are still with me, lets put these words together.
‘apo’ - departing movement
‘ek’ - motion or action from an origin or source towards completion
‘dechomai’ - receiving or taking
What do you see? Do you see us just waiting and hoping and expecting something? Not knowing when or how? Truly not really knowing where if we think heaven is hanging out just beyond the Milky Way. Just a blind, poor old man sitting on the corner waiting for someone to hopefully fill his cup? I admit that I at one point read this word as being so. But it was powerless and unfulfilling. I remained in my chains, my fears and I continued to drown in my storms. I was left thirsty and hungry after reading it. I was 'waiting' in the same way that the rest of the world waiting.
I see a continual, present and constant (timeless words) movement from an origin and it being continually, presently and constantly received. It is not future or past. It wasn’t something received once and then it was over. It isn’t something that we must wait and wait and wait for in faith without having something to hold onto. It is an action happening now. We are receiving from the origin. Does that seem outlandish to you? Does that seem impossible? Does it seem unreal that we could possibly be receiving something from an origin or source? The question then arises, what are we receiving? What are we presently and continually taking from the origin? What is continually departing from the origin and moving towards and among us? What is acting from a source that is continually leading to completion and fulfillment? Think about it.
Let’s keep reading the verse. By the way, to test the validity of this word, you should be able to place it within all areas of scripture that use the same word and have it fit well. If you try to place it within another verse and let go of the idea of timelessness, it may not fit well. So be mindful of this vue as it may be switching within you. If you’d like, we can talk about other examples of this word being used. Back to the verse at hand.
‘...waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
What are we waiting for? What are we continuously receiving? We are waiting for the ‘coming’. Herein is another word that appears suggestive of time. The word ‘coming’ comes from a Greek word ‘apokalupsis’. The word has been a topic of debate and confusion and discussion for centuries. Again, I believe that the idea of ‘timelessness’ has much to do with this. Taking the carnal mind’s vue may lead people into much confusion and debate. The word ‘apokalupsis’ denotes disclosure, appearing, manifesting, revealing, enlightening. The word ‘apokalupsis’ actually comes from a root word meaning ‘to take off the cover’. In the absence of time, the word ‘coming’ literally means that something is ‘coming’ now, appearing presently, manifesting continually, revealing today and enlightening currently. At this moment, and now at this moment and now this moment, it's continuously happening. It is coming and drawing and leading towards perfection and fulfillment.
Many find it hard to believe that these things are taking place now. With a carnal mind, it is easy to just consider it to be something that happens later in time. But is not the purpose of the pure spirit that comes from God, that it should continuously be within and reside among our very being? That it should be with us now, revealing the nature and goodness and wisdom and love of God within us now while we are subjected to this corrupting place? That it is constantly showing us the character of God to give us hope of as it conforms us into his sons? As it translates us from corruptible to incorruptible? As it purifies and refines us? Manifesting God to the world as being in the flesh as it did with his firstborn son Yeshua? Would this same word not mean that the Christ is appearing to us now at this moment to rescue and deliver us from the evil one? Are we still aimlessly waiting for his coming or are we presently receiving from his appearing? Or, do we keep thinking it is only something saved for later? As it were, God is taking the cover off of the eternal and heavenly realm now, currently and presently. That was the veil that was torn and now those who are aware and following Gods voice are presently beginning to see the true ways of God. Otherwise, what good would this do for us if it were only something that would happen later at an unknown time? What good would a saving mind do for our minds if we couldn’t receive of it now? Do you follow?
God exists now. God is moving (apo) among mankind now. This motion (ek) is meant to make us pure as God is pure. We are continually and presently and constantly receiving (dechomai) of God. This process has began and it continues without end. We are waiting, but I hope that you see ‘waiting' differently then you did before reading this. We are waiting for his coming. We are waiting for his appearing and manifesting which is happening now. I hope that you see the word ‘coming’ differently then you did before reading this. Ask yourself now, ‘am I waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?’. Jesus is one with God. Jesus is with you now. Why are we still waiting with a carnal mind?
We are the children of God. Our bodies are caught in time, but our spirit (mind) exists in a realm without time. We are constantly receiving from the Christ within our spirit. We are continually taking from God as his Christ continues to come (appear) and reveal himself within us. Take from God now. Let the carnal mind depart from us. Let the spiritual truths of God discard that lens that has caused so much error in time. That the delusion that we must ‘wait’ in the way that we wait in time. Yes, a day will come that the fullness of the Christ is ultimately revealed to all of creation. That appearing will be final and greater than all things we have ever known. Let our spiritual eyes of our mind remain set on this appearing within us now and let this appearing be fulfilled to all of creation in due time. Yes, a grand manifestation will occur to the groaning creation, but receive him now. Do not forget that we are the body of that Christ that will ultimately appear. We are a part of that appearing happening now and fulfilling in due time. We can save that last thought for another conversation.
As you read, let me know if there is anything I can help with. Stay with this thought and hold onto it as Mary held onto her good news within her heart. God is faithful and he will remove all lens if they do not belong among us.
Switchvues
Time is given to mankind for the purpose of learning order. A good friend reminded me of this. How things move in succession, how they rank and how they relate to one another. All of which is given as a tool to help fulfill the process of completion, maturity and perfection. We are very aware of time in this physical realm. Nearly everything we involve ourselves in, connects to time. Truly, creation appears to be under the influence by time as it directs our seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades and centuries. Time is an amazing tool in this physical life that we are currently aware of, however, in the realm and dimension of spirit, the realm that most do not give much notice of, time is not a factor. It doesn't exist. By the way, neither does material or matter or space. It is wholly independent of those things. Although spirit is not bound by time like the physical and material world is, it does however, have the power to affect the things of this realm we live in. We are so greatly tuned into time that our vue is often that nothing can exist without or outside of it. It becomes like a lens that covers the eyes of our understanding.
Think of love and how it affects you and I. Love transcends time, distance and material things. It has no limits or boundaries. Love is spiritual. You cannot see it but you know it exists. Love has no time limit. It has no beginning or end in the realm. Rather, it moves freely as it comes and goes upon each of us. It moves here and there among time, as the wind makes its presence through the leaves of a tree. You cannot say my love began on this date and ended on this date. Instead, it appears within us, in greater or lesser measure in this physical realm. Regardless of its movements within time, it is truly timeless. It is the same for kindness, meekness, gentleness, faith, peace, and such alike. These things have their existence in the spiritual, eternal and heavenly realm of God. We have awareness of these things in the realm of time, but they truly exist in the realm of spirit. Time is not their home, but they are like sojourners or pilgrims in a distant land. Therefore, their foundation and home is in the absence of time. Are you beginning to see what I mean by the phrase timelessness?
Here is something to think about. In time, we die at certain times and dates. Abraham died over 5000 years ago in time. Yeshua died nearly 2000 years ago in time. My stepfather died nearly 1 year ago in time. In time, each of them died in some type of succession. They were all human and died in a certain order in time. Here is the interesting thought to think about. Although they died on certain dates, one before another in time, did Abraham enter the spirit realm before my stepfather? By spirit realm, I mean to die to the consciousness of the physical realm and enter into a full consciousness of the spirit realm. When speaking of the spiritual realm, I am not talking about a far away place on the other side of the Milky Way. It is the ending of one awareness and the full continuance of another awareness. Remember, we are fully conscious of the physical realm now, but at death our consciousness switches. So, as each man died on different dates in time, it can't be so in the spirit realm, because there is no time. Words such as: before, after, late, early, day, night, sooner and later cannot apply. These words are linear as if they exist upon a line, which is how time appears. These words only exist in time. Although each man left the physical realm at different times, they can't enter the spiritual realm at different times or before one another. They must enter the presence of the spiritual, eternal and heavenly realm of consciousness at once or at the same instance. If this be so, then to depart from the physical puts you into the presence of the foundation of the world. The realm that God is currently choosing his children. We say 'before' the foundation because our vue is from within the lens of time. In Gods presence, there is no before, remember? Before is an attribute of time. God is choosing, selecting, intervening and all other activity now, in the spirit realm. It didn't happen before on a date prior to 6,000 years ago. Those numbers can only relate to time.
Think about this for a moment. Spirit is alive, among time yet outside of time, and all things occurring in spirit are always now and the fullness of all activity ongoing and endless are occurring at once. Abraham may have had a thought come to mind when he was alive in this body. We may have the same thought come to mind while alive in our body over 5000 years later. Although they appear to have occurred at different times on this earth, in spirit they happened at once. Spirit is not bound by time. It can cross over all of creation. Therefore, our thoughts are actually one in the spirit realm. They say that great minds think alike, which is true in this case. A great mind begins in the spirit world and is shared among individuals in time. I hope you can follow. We have been told that there is one spirit. We have been told to have the same mind as the Christ. We have been told that we and the father are one. We are one with the Christ. This is what it means. Timeless minds or minds not bound or limited by time. Minds that are the same and in union with God in his spiritual and heavenly realm and eternal realm. Time limits our vue of the spiritual realm.
Why am I mentioning these things?
When we, as people being led by the Christ, look to know spiritual things, we often attempt to understand them with the lens of time covering and limiting our vue. We have a lens of time, belonging to the material realm, covering our eyes. We cannot see the spiritual realm properly because our eyes are blurred by the elements of the physical realm. Can you guess what this is described as in the written scriptures?
The carnal mind.
It is the mind of most christians. It is the mind behind most religions. It is even often the mind behind some of the worlds most highly regarded and esteemed intellectual scholars. Many of whom we would call the greatest religious men and all their wisdom and glory could not see the spiritual realm properly because of this lens that covered their eyes. They knew Greek, wrote commentaries and books, recorded sermons, and studied the New Testament with the proper translation in the most expensive schools, but God kept himself hidden in a way that kept those men limited. The base things were chosen to confound the wise. Over the years, and through many religions and churches and sermons and books, spiritual truths have been misheard, mistranslated and miscommunicated. Traditional messages have been passed down from generation to generation because so many have been spiritually discerned and knew no better. They never learned to test the spirit to see whether it was of God or man. They were too comfortable in their traditions and ceremonies and rituals. They didn’t want to disrupt the comfort of the common messages. They didn’t want to get cast out of their social group for heresy and strange doctrine. They didn’t want to be called too spiritual or gnostic or mystical. They didn’t want to lose their friends or family or positions. They didn't want to offend or disrupt the flow of christianity. Therefore, the limited and partial message continues to be shared and eaten like candy to those with itchy ears and continuously hungry and thirsty souls. They prefer to be entertained with programs, charts, bulletins, outreaches, seminars, ordinances, committees, ministries, choirs, tracts, and good ole’ preaching by the man on the stage. Most of which is proclaimed through the lens of time. Most of which his preached by a carnal mind.
These people and these things are not wrong in and of themselves, but for the man who thinks he is spiritual because he is connected to these things walks with a carnal mind also. It is a way that seems right, but in the end we will find it comes to ruin. It comes to naught. It comes to having little value in the true kingdom of God on earth right now. Many men were called and saw the truth but for a moment and because this lens quickly came and covered their eyes, their vue was limited and fragmented and in part. The enemy came and stole the good seed that was planted. The carnal mind is shallow ground and soil that is not rich. They were given a precious pearl and it was stolen by a theif. That man walks with a skewed and improper vue of the truths that is meant to set him and all of creation free in due time and in their proper order. That man will continue to look here or there for the Christ with his physical eyes. That man will continue to think that the kingdom of heaven is meat and drink. That man will continue to talk about that ‘day that will come’. He will continue to look for Jesus to physically appear in the clouds and ‘catch him up or rapture’ him away into the air. Where he will spend a number of years in some far away heaven land on the other side of the universe, strumming harps and enjoying their long due honey and golden streets. He thinks that the reward is to lounge around on his knees in the clouds, praying to Jesus as he sits on a large throne in the sky. Some literal throne positioned on the right side of God. That man sure is glad he wasn’t like that old sinner left behind to go down into hell with its fire and pitch-forked devil to burn and suffer torment day and night for ever and ever. Just because he didn’t decide to trust God. Is there day and night in spirit? Glad that man won’t be thrown into that lake of fire which some had supposedly now located to be somewhere in the Middle East not too far from Jerusalem. Is there literal fire in spirit? Glad that man said a prayer and got himself saved that one day in the past or else he would not enter the pearly white gates and spend eternity with Jesus in the far off heaven. Glad he decided and made the choice to have Jesus come into his heart before its too late. Glad that man is in charge of his spiritual destiny. This vue, this way, this mind is a carnal mind. It cannot see past the physical realm. It cannot see past time. Forgive them father for they know not what they do.
Here is an example of how time interfered with a man’s reception of the truth and was then shared among mankind (you and I).
For some time now, I have kept the idea of timelessness in my heart and mind. I have continued to desire for God to reveal his mind more and more concerning this thought. When you enter a dark room, from the natural sunlight, you find that the room is nearly pitch black and your vision is near to none. However, give it a moment and be patient, and the light that exists within that dark room will penetrate your eye bringing vision. You will find that the pitch black room is now dimly lit enough for you move around safely. With this illustration in mind, my understanding of timelessness was as if it were darkened and I had no vision of it. But thats ok, I continue to give it a moment and be patient, and the light that exists will continue to penetrate my mind's eye and bring vision. As that vision becomes more clear, in God’s appointment measure, I notice things that I never noticed before. I am more aware of them that I have been prior.
While reading in the first book of Corinthians, chapter one, verse seven, I noticed something I had never seen before. Keeping the thought of ‘timelessness’ in mind, this is what I saw. The next section of the writing will be like a word study for us.
1 Corinthians 1:7 states, ‘So that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
There are two words in this verse that I saw that seemed relative to time - ‘waiting’ and ‘coming’. As I have read this verse dozens of times in the past, with a ‘dimmed’ vision, those two words appeared to me as something that relates to time - a future date. Our typical understanding of what it means to 'wait' in time is to wait for something as though you had not seen or heard or received it yet. You wait for it to come in the future, right? In time, we wait for buses and paychecks and vacations. In this case, it appears that we are ‘waiting’ for the Lord to ‘come’ later, like we wait for our birthday or holidays. As though he has not yet ‘come’ to us. As though we have not yet seen or heard or received him at this moment. Pause a moment and ask yourself honesty, ‘have I seen or heard or received the Christ within me?’. Again, both appear to be related to future occurrences. So then, let’s wait and wait and wait, just as all of mankind has done throughout time. According to this vue, Paul waited, John waited, Martin Luther waited, Billy Graham is waiting, Tim Tebow is waiting, your pastor is waiting, you are waiting, I am waiting and my children’s children will wait. Many of which have died and many will most likely die just waiting.
If someone were to ask you, when will the Christ come, what will you say? Will you give the automated response, that no man knows the time or day? That no one is sure, so we must ‘wait’ patiently and in faith until that day 'comes'. That he is not yet come, so we must suffer through this miserable world of error and confusion until God decides to send him back from some far away heaven? That you must wait for some indefinite amount of time hoping for something that you have only read about in a book and sing about in your church? What hope does that give the man who is suffering and dying from cancer today? What hope does that give the woman whose husband just passed last night. What does it give to the poor beggar cold on the streets tonight, the murderer, the thief, the addict, the prisoner or anyone else that has suffering and torment and confusion and unsettledness inside at this very moment? What hope does this ‘waiting’ for an indefinite time in the unknown future give to the people who need him right now, today, continuously, presently and in great measure? What will you say? Will you tell him to 'keep waiting friend, one day it will happen. You just have to find it within you to believe.’ Will that be your response? Is that the response that you are holding on to? Is that the root and foundation of your faith? Is that the good news that is saving you at this very moment as you read these lines? I hope not.
In the light of timelessness, these verbs must be viewed without past or future. This waiting is speaking to our spirit, not our bodies. Yes, our bodies do wait as we partake in this 'spiritual waiting', but it is a spiritual message, and the body follows. If we beleive that the Christ is with us, these things must be counted as now or present or today or this moment. The ‘waiting’ must be something that is occurring now. The ‘coming’ must be something that is occurring now. If you disagree, then continue trying to vue spiritual truths through the lens of time and let me know the extent of things that are revealed to you. Let me know of the true power that comes to you. If you desire to progress in knowing God, you will at some point face the thought of timelessness concerning God and his kingdom life. The realm of God is timeless and there is no other way. We must look for God in the absence of time.
Let’s look at these words and see what happens.
The word ‘waiting’ comes from the greek word ‘apekdechomai’. It is imperative for us at times to look at the original root of the word. This often gives us a more clear idea of the reason and foundation of the word. In this case it is made up of two Greek words ‘apo’ and ‘ekdechomai’. Let’s look at ‘apo' first. The word ‘apo' denotes a departure or separation off of and away from something near. If I break off a piece of candy and hand it to you, that span of separation will be considered ‘apo’. The movement from me to you is ‘apo’. It gives the idea of movement from one to another. Figuratively from then to now or from there to here. The second word ‘ekdechomai’ denotes accepting and expecting from a source. Looking toward the source to which you receive from. Yes, waiting as you receive. To dig a little deeper, if you are able and willing to stay with me, that word ‘ekdechomai’ is actually made of two words in itself. The word ‘ek’ denotes the origin of which motion or action proceeds from and out of. It tends to a completion or fulfillment. The word ‘dechomai’ means to receive or accept or take. If you are still with me, lets put these words together.
‘apo’ - departing movement
‘ek’ - motion or action from an origin or source towards completion
‘dechomai’ - receiving or taking
What do you see? Do you see us just waiting and hoping and expecting something? Not knowing when or how? Truly not really knowing where if we think heaven is hanging out just beyond the Milky Way. Just a blind, poor old man sitting on the corner waiting for someone to hopefully fill his cup? I admit that I at one point read this word as being so. But it was powerless and unfulfilling. I remained in my chains, my fears and I continued to drown in my storms. I was left thirsty and hungry after reading it. I was 'waiting' in the same way that the rest of the world waiting.
I see a continual, present and constant (timeless words) movement from an origin and it being continually, presently and constantly received. It is not future or past. It wasn’t something received once and then it was over. It isn’t something that we must wait and wait and wait for in faith without having something to hold onto. It is an action happening now. We are receiving from the origin. Does that seem outlandish to you? Does that seem impossible? Does it seem unreal that we could possibly be receiving something from an origin or source? The question then arises, what are we receiving? What are we presently and continually taking from the origin? What is continually departing from the origin and moving towards and among us? What is acting from a source that is continually leading to completion and fulfillment? Think about it.
Let’s keep reading the verse. By the way, to test the validity of this word, you should be able to place it within all areas of scripture that use the same word and have it fit well. If you try to place it within another verse and let go of the idea of timelessness, it may not fit well. So be mindful of this vue as it may be switching within you. If you’d like, we can talk about other examples of this word being used. Back to the verse at hand.
‘...waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
What are we waiting for? What are we continuously receiving? We are waiting for the ‘coming’. Herein is another word that appears suggestive of time. The word ‘coming’ comes from a Greek word ‘apokalupsis’. The word has been a topic of debate and confusion and discussion for centuries. Again, I believe that the idea of ‘timelessness’ has much to do with this. Taking the carnal mind’s vue may lead people into much confusion and debate. The word ‘apokalupsis’ denotes disclosure, appearing, manifesting, revealing, enlightening. The word ‘apokalupsis’ actually comes from a root word meaning ‘to take off the cover’. In the absence of time, the word ‘coming’ literally means that something is ‘coming’ now, appearing presently, manifesting continually, revealing today and enlightening currently. At this moment, and now at this moment and now this moment, it's continuously happening. It is coming and drawing and leading towards perfection and fulfillment.
Many find it hard to believe that these things are taking place now. With a carnal mind, it is easy to just consider it to be something that happens later in time. But is not the purpose of the pure spirit that comes from God, that it should continuously be within and reside among our very being? That it should be with us now, revealing the nature and goodness and wisdom and love of God within us now while we are subjected to this corrupting place? That it is constantly showing us the character of God to give us hope of as it conforms us into his sons? As it translates us from corruptible to incorruptible? As it purifies and refines us? Manifesting God to the world as being in the flesh as it did with his firstborn son Yeshua? Would this same word not mean that the Christ is appearing to us now at this moment to rescue and deliver us from the evil one? Are we still aimlessly waiting for his coming or are we presently receiving from his appearing? Or, do we keep thinking it is only something saved for later? As it were, God is taking the cover off of the eternal and heavenly realm now, currently and presently. That was the veil that was torn and now those who are aware and following Gods voice are presently beginning to see the true ways of God. Otherwise, what good would this do for us if it were only something that would happen later at an unknown time? What good would a saving mind do for our minds if we couldn’t receive of it now? Do you follow?
God exists now. God is moving (apo) among mankind now. This motion (ek) is meant to make us pure as God is pure. We are continually and presently and constantly receiving (dechomai) of God. This process has began and it continues without end. We are waiting, but I hope that you see ‘waiting' differently then you did before reading this. We are waiting for his coming. We are waiting for his appearing and manifesting which is happening now. I hope that you see the word ‘coming’ differently then you did before reading this. Ask yourself now, ‘am I waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?’. Jesus is one with God. Jesus is with you now. Why are we still waiting with a carnal mind?
We are the children of God. Our bodies are caught in time, but our spirit (mind) exists in a realm without time. We are constantly receiving from the Christ within our spirit. We are continually taking from God as his Christ continues to come (appear) and reveal himself within us. Take from God now. Let the carnal mind depart from us. Let the spiritual truths of God discard that lens that has caused so much error in time. That the delusion that we must ‘wait’ in the way that we wait in time. Yes, a day will come that the fullness of the Christ is ultimately revealed to all of creation. That appearing will be final and greater than all things we have ever known. Let our spiritual eyes of our mind remain set on this appearing within us now and let this appearing be fulfilled to all of creation in due time. Yes, a grand manifestation will occur to the groaning creation, but receive him now. Do not forget that we are the body of that Christ that will ultimately appear. We are a part of that appearing happening now and fulfilling in due time. We can save that last thought for another conversation.
As you read, let me know if there is anything I can help with. Stay with this thought and hold onto it as Mary held onto her good news within her heart. God is faithful and he will remove all lens if they do not belong among us.
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