The trees were reaching for the open sky above.
They had been for years.
They knew no other life.
They grew thicker at their bases and the distance from the earth to their branches continually increased until one needed the gift of flight to reach them.
High over head the wind moved their branches gently resulting in a pleasant sweeping sound from their needles.
The sun reached the forest floor in laser straight streams that cut through the fog at angles giving the whole scene a mystical feel.
Then I heard it.
The sound that only comes from non-mechanical flight.
The sound of the air being pushed through the feathers of a strong bird with huge wings and large feathers.
I knew the sound from goose hunting on the Eastern Shore of Maryland when the swans flew slowly overhead.
Swans fly slowly using their wings only slightly so they can talk amongst themselves as they fly.
This, was that sound but, it was more vigorous.
It had more purpose.
It was not as relaxed but it was every bit as composed.
I searched the early morning air for its source.
Then I saw him, the magnificent eagle, passing deliberately through the upper trunks of the trees, his talons extended like landing gear on some futuristic space vessel.
As he neared the targeted landing zone he flapped his wings more rapidly but only twice to slow his approach.
For a moment, I was with him, up there in the mist.
For a moment I could fly, rising on the spring breezes.
For a moment, there was I ...
no longer wishing I could fly.
Jesus gives us the ability to soar well beyond the reach of our own capabilities.
He bears us up as the wind carries the eagle.
This article is an attempt to share who Jesus is and share the risen Son of God's personality and way with you.
This is not based solely on my own limited experience.
For some time now I have been asking Christians, "Tell me about Jesus.
" Not just the effects of Jesus; but about Jesus.
Not the doctrine of salvation or grace but, about Jesus.
Not the distant Jesus but the Jesus who lives in us and is among us, the Jesus who's body we are supposed to be.
I am finding that most Christians do not 'know' Jesus.
They only know the things: that are taught them in church ...
how a Christian acts ...
what is right ...
what is wrong ...
scriptures that are difficult to assimilate into their being so they will have meaning.
Because there is no relationship with Jesus, there is little or no healing and they are generally indistinguishable from those who profess to hate Christ.
(I am not saying this to cause havoc,I do not think Christians should dress up in long stone age robes.
We should not dress by a dress code.
We should not groom our hair according to our leader's regulations.
We should not hide in remote enclaves or in our mountain valleys.
We should not exclude ourselves in our Christian clubs.
Christians should not be physically distinguishable from every one else.
They should be distinguishable only by their love.
)I am finding the majority of Christians are 'in it' for the control; either that which is placed over them or that which they can place over others.
Neither is evidence of Christianity.
Why is this important?Because Jesus said, 'Where ever two or more of you are gathered in my name, there I am also.
'If we believe in Jesus then one of the clues of his presence is the love that he commanded.
If there is no love among us then Jesus is not there.
In accepting Jesus we are imbued with the power to become children of God.
This is only done through faith in Jesus.
Where Jesus is there is love for each other and for those out-side of the Body of Christ as well.
Remember: God (our Father) loved the world so much, he gave his only Son (Jesus) that who ever believed in him would not perish but would live eternally.
Jesus said that if a tree bares good fruit it is a good tree; if it bares bad fruit it is inevitably a bad tree.
This means that we should likewise look for the fruit of the tree.
Let's see what is really happening among us.
If it walks like a duck.
If it floats on water.
If it waddles when it walks and quacks when it talks ...
in all likelihood it's a duck.
So, tell me about Jesus.
Tell me about the Jesus you know.
Don't tell me about the Jesus the apostles preach.
Tell me about the Jesus you know.
Come, let's get to know this Jesus together.
Can we put personality traits with Jesus based on our own experiences with Him?Should we fear getting this intimate with Him?(Yes!)Can we say Jesus performs similarly each time we experience Him?Yes.
Does it always leave you satisfied, happy and 'full' (yet still wanting more) when you pull away from His presence?Yes.
Does He ever take you by surprise or demonstrate His sense of humor when He answers your prayers, and leaves you no doubt He was there? If Jesus came back in a physical body today, how would you know him?Would he be just another face in the crowd.
(Remember his disciples were not sure it was He they talked with after the resurrection, John 21!)Who is this Jesus?We can get to know Him.
Yes we can! Jesus knew the struggle we have to be free.
He knew that in this physical realm our controls are external.
He was downcast by the people who exploited others by these external controls.
To hurt people is easy, to heal is greatness, and to forgive is the image of God himself.
In Matthew 23 Jesus issues His seven woes.
Since this is the strongest point that He makes against these human external controlling behaviors and beliefs, let's start here.
Jesus is talking to the preachers, lawyers and scribes of His day.
This is what he has to say ...
in this and all quotations; please get your Bible and read it for yourself.
I am not worthy to instruct anyone in doctrine, that is not my intention, Jesus is my best friend, I love him more that my own brother.
I want to introduce you to Jesus, to the Jesus I know.
Jesus was in the synagogue one day when the Pharisees had decided to test Him today, asking which was the greatest law.
Jesus had answered that to love God with everything you are, is the greatest law and the second was similar, love your neighbor as yourself.
Then Heturned the tables on them with a trick question of his own.
"Whose son is the Christ?" He asked.
They could not answer.
Now, he addressed the crowd.
Now, he addressed those people who had been following him, hoping in every word he spoke.
"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, so you must obey them and do every thing they tell you to do.
But ...
don't do what they do ...
they don't practice what they preach.
They tie heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but are not willing to lift a finger to move the loads themselves.
" After saying this he turned to the Pharisees and in deeply felt dismay he said,"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees: * you shut the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces, you don't go in yourselves ...
but you don't allow those who want to go in, go! * you travel over the land and sea to win a single convert ...
and then you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are! * you blind leaders of the blind!You don't even understand what you swear by! * you tithe but you neglect the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy, and faithfulness - you should have done the latter first and still done the former! * you clean the outside of the cup but leave the inside dirty ...
clean the inside and the outside will also be clean! * you are like white washed tombs, filled with dead bones, wickedness and hypocrisy! * you say you wouldn't have killed the prophets as your forefathers did ...
but youdo!You snakes!How will you escape from hell? ('Woe' is an expression of grief and dismay, like saying 'Oh man, what a bummer! I can't believe you do this.
') Every time I attempt to control your thoughts regarding Jesus I am no different from these Pharisees.
Every time I attempt to put laws over you relating to your behavior ...
(under the guise that it is your behavior that causes you to gain favor in the eyes of God) ...
then I am no different from the Pharisees.
Every time I teach a person (who is or is not a Christian) that behavioral adherence is the key to that person's acceptance by God; and that person takes the cue and begins to enforce such rules of adherence on others with whom they come in contact; I am no different than the Pharisees.
If I say 'I swear to God ...
' in order to reinforce my position, I am no different from the Pharisees.
In short, if anyone is led by my teaching to anything other than Jesus and his grace and love then I am no different from the Pharisees.
How will I escape from hell?Only through the grace ofour Father that he provided to us through Jesus.
Even the faith I have in Jesus is a gift from the Father.
Jesus wanted to save the Pharisees just as he wants to save us.
If we can accept Him, if we would just repent of our need to control, and call on Jesus to control us, we can be saved.
Jesus came for you, he came for us.
Upon grasping this I am set free to trust God and soar like an eagle.
To rise above the gossip and hearsay.
I am free to love my neighbor as myself.
They had been for years.
They knew no other life.
They grew thicker at their bases and the distance from the earth to their branches continually increased until one needed the gift of flight to reach them.
High over head the wind moved their branches gently resulting in a pleasant sweeping sound from their needles.
The sun reached the forest floor in laser straight streams that cut through the fog at angles giving the whole scene a mystical feel.
Then I heard it.
The sound that only comes from non-mechanical flight.
The sound of the air being pushed through the feathers of a strong bird with huge wings and large feathers.
I knew the sound from goose hunting on the Eastern Shore of Maryland when the swans flew slowly overhead.
Swans fly slowly using their wings only slightly so they can talk amongst themselves as they fly.
This, was that sound but, it was more vigorous.
It had more purpose.
It was not as relaxed but it was every bit as composed.
I searched the early morning air for its source.
Then I saw him, the magnificent eagle, passing deliberately through the upper trunks of the trees, his talons extended like landing gear on some futuristic space vessel.
As he neared the targeted landing zone he flapped his wings more rapidly but only twice to slow his approach.
For a moment, I was with him, up there in the mist.
For a moment I could fly, rising on the spring breezes.
For a moment, there was I ...
no longer wishing I could fly.
Jesus gives us the ability to soar well beyond the reach of our own capabilities.
He bears us up as the wind carries the eagle.
This article is an attempt to share who Jesus is and share the risen Son of God's personality and way with you.
This is not based solely on my own limited experience.
For some time now I have been asking Christians, "Tell me about Jesus.
" Not just the effects of Jesus; but about Jesus.
Not the doctrine of salvation or grace but, about Jesus.
Not the distant Jesus but the Jesus who lives in us and is among us, the Jesus who's body we are supposed to be.
I am finding that most Christians do not 'know' Jesus.
They only know the things: that are taught them in church ...
how a Christian acts ...
what is right ...
what is wrong ...
scriptures that are difficult to assimilate into their being so they will have meaning.
Because there is no relationship with Jesus, there is little or no healing and they are generally indistinguishable from those who profess to hate Christ.
(I am not saying this to cause havoc,I do not think Christians should dress up in long stone age robes.
We should not dress by a dress code.
We should not groom our hair according to our leader's regulations.
We should not hide in remote enclaves or in our mountain valleys.
We should not exclude ourselves in our Christian clubs.
Christians should not be physically distinguishable from every one else.
They should be distinguishable only by their love.
)I am finding the majority of Christians are 'in it' for the control; either that which is placed over them or that which they can place over others.
Neither is evidence of Christianity.
Why is this important?Because Jesus said, 'Where ever two or more of you are gathered in my name, there I am also.
'If we believe in Jesus then one of the clues of his presence is the love that he commanded.
If there is no love among us then Jesus is not there.
In accepting Jesus we are imbued with the power to become children of God.
This is only done through faith in Jesus.
Where Jesus is there is love for each other and for those out-side of the Body of Christ as well.
Remember: God (our Father) loved the world so much, he gave his only Son (Jesus) that who ever believed in him would not perish but would live eternally.
Jesus said that if a tree bares good fruit it is a good tree; if it bares bad fruit it is inevitably a bad tree.
This means that we should likewise look for the fruit of the tree.
Let's see what is really happening among us.
If it walks like a duck.
If it floats on water.
If it waddles when it walks and quacks when it talks ...
in all likelihood it's a duck.
So, tell me about Jesus.
Tell me about the Jesus you know.
Don't tell me about the Jesus the apostles preach.
Tell me about the Jesus you know.
Come, let's get to know this Jesus together.
Can we put personality traits with Jesus based on our own experiences with Him?Should we fear getting this intimate with Him?(Yes!)Can we say Jesus performs similarly each time we experience Him?Yes.
Does it always leave you satisfied, happy and 'full' (yet still wanting more) when you pull away from His presence?Yes.
Does He ever take you by surprise or demonstrate His sense of humor when He answers your prayers, and leaves you no doubt He was there? If Jesus came back in a physical body today, how would you know him?Would he be just another face in the crowd.
(Remember his disciples were not sure it was He they talked with after the resurrection, John 21!)Who is this Jesus?We can get to know Him.
Yes we can! Jesus knew the struggle we have to be free.
He knew that in this physical realm our controls are external.
He was downcast by the people who exploited others by these external controls.
To hurt people is easy, to heal is greatness, and to forgive is the image of God himself.
In Matthew 23 Jesus issues His seven woes.
Since this is the strongest point that He makes against these human external controlling behaviors and beliefs, let's start here.
Jesus is talking to the preachers, lawyers and scribes of His day.
This is what he has to say ...
in this and all quotations; please get your Bible and read it for yourself.
I am not worthy to instruct anyone in doctrine, that is not my intention, Jesus is my best friend, I love him more that my own brother.
I want to introduce you to Jesus, to the Jesus I know.
Jesus was in the synagogue one day when the Pharisees had decided to test Him today, asking which was the greatest law.
Jesus had answered that to love God with everything you are, is the greatest law and the second was similar, love your neighbor as yourself.
Then Heturned the tables on them with a trick question of his own.
"Whose son is the Christ?" He asked.
They could not answer.
Now, he addressed the crowd.
Now, he addressed those people who had been following him, hoping in every word he spoke.
"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, so you must obey them and do every thing they tell you to do.
But ...
don't do what they do ...
they don't practice what they preach.
They tie heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but are not willing to lift a finger to move the loads themselves.
" After saying this he turned to the Pharisees and in deeply felt dismay he said,"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees: * you shut the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces, you don't go in yourselves ...
but you don't allow those who want to go in, go! * you travel over the land and sea to win a single convert ...
and then you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are! * you blind leaders of the blind!You don't even understand what you swear by! * you tithe but you neglect the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy, and faithfulness - you should have done the latter first and still done the former! * you clean the outside of the cup but leave the inside dirty ...
clean the inside and the outside will also be clean! * you are like white washed tombs, filled with dead bones, wickedness and hypocrisy! * you say you wouldn't have killed the prophets as your forefathers did ...
but youdo!You snakes!How will you escape from hell? ('Woe' is an expression of grief and dismay, like saying 'Oh man, what a bummer! I can't believe you do this.
') Every time I attempt to control your thoughts regarding Jesus I am no different from these Pharisees.
Every time I attempt to put laws over you relating to your behavior ...
(under the guise that it is your behavior that causes you to gain favor in the eyes of God) ...
then I am no different from the Pharisees.
Every time I teach a person (who is or is not a Christian) that behavioral adherence is the key to that person's acceptance by God; and that person takes the cue and begins to enforce such rules of adherence on others with whom they come in contact; I am no different than the Pharisees.
If I say 'I swear to God ...
' in order to reinforce my position, I am no different from the Pharisees.
In short, if anyone is led by my teaching to anything other than Jesus and his grace and love then I am no different from the Pharisees.
How will I escape from hell?Only through the grace ofour Father that he provided to us through Jesus.
Even the faith I have in Jesus is a gift from the Father.
Jesus wanted to save the Pharisees just as he wants to save us.
If we can accept Him, if we would just repent of our need to control, and call on Jesus to control us, we can be saved.
Jesus came for you, he came for us.
Upon grasping this I am set free to trust God and soar like an eagle.
To rise above the gossip and hearsay.
I am free to love my neighbor as myself.
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