THE WIND BLOWS WHERE IT WILLS: Freeing Yourself from Doctrine and Dogma to Discover Divinity pt V
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I – “There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we all know you’re a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren’t in on it.” Jesus said, “You’re absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not possible to see what I’m pointing to—to God’s kingdom.” “How can anyone,” said Nicodemus, “be born who has already been born and grown up? You can’t re-enter your mother’s womb and be born again. What are you saying with this ‘born-from-above’ talk?” Jesus said, “You’re not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. When you look at a baby, it’s just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can’t see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit. “So don’t be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above’—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how THE WIND BLOWS THIS WAY AND THAT. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God.” (John 3:1-8 – The Message)
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II – He cites the blowing of the wind as an example of those who are born of Spirit. The new birth is a change that comes here and now. It has to do with the present man, the “Son of Man,” the real ‘I AM’ in each of us. “And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of Man, who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, EVEN SO must the Son of Man be lifted up.” (John 3:14) This man in each of us is divine now, is in heaven now, but his manifestation is still in limbo. He must be lifted out of this condition into a spiritual one; this is being “born anew.” – Fillmore Faith
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III – “The entire cosmos is the object of God’s affection. And he is not about to abandon his creation – the gift of his Son is for mankind to realize their origin in him who mirrors their authentic birth – begotten not of flesh but of the Father. In this persuasion the life of the ages echoes within the individual and announces that the days of regret and sense of lost-ness are over. God has no intention to condemn anyone – he has sent his Son, not as Judge, but as Savior of the world. The cosmos was rescued because of him!” (John 3:16, 17 – Mirror Translation)
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IV – “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.” (Galatians 1:15-17 – NKJV)
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V – “Yet when God – the One marking off boundaries to separate and sever me from out of my mother’s womb (or cavity; a figure of the religion of the Jews), and calling me through His grace and favor to unveil (reveal; uncover; disclose) His Son within the midst of me (in union with me), to the end that I in myself…would announce and proclaim the message of goodness, which is Him, within the ethnic multitudes (may bring and tell the message of ease and well-being: Him now among the nations), I did not immediately place myself back toward flesh and blood (present my cause up for the approval of other people; consult anyone; seek communication or advice from my race, kin or religion), neither did I go up into Jerusalem, toward those who were people sent off (to face and be with the commissioned representatives) previous to me, but rather, I went off into Arabia, then later I again returned into Damascus.” (Galatians 1:15-17 – JMNT)
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VI – “…to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.” (Galatians 1:16 – NIV)