But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23,24
And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, "know of a surety that thy seed shall be sojourners in a land that is not theirs; . . . they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance" (Gen. 15:12-14).
I was sharing from this set of scripture in Genesis with regard to the present dispersion of God's sons to the far corners of this world. Let me state that with regard to the "far corners of the world" I don't necessarily speak of geographical or physical scatterings and placements but more so of the spiritual plane of our existence. I believe when we wind up this "Hour Cometh and Now Is" series we will discover like wise that the "worshiping of God in spirit and truth" entails moving into the ethereal realms where our present physicality counts for little or better said, "nothing."
In the last message I made these two statements (in italics below) and the impetus should be on "God's calling" because without it the words I share have little meaning and may even seem absurd. Without God's calling there can be no hearing but with such there will, I believe, be a witness by the indwelling Holy Spirit that the things we discuss have import.
"I truly believe if God has called you out of this age as a son ............"
"If God seems to be calling you away from the camp and unto Himself, be encouraged."
I believe there is equity with God and that equity is divinely measured out through the ages and also on both sides of the grave. The biblical concepts of the "last becoming the first" and the "least being the greatest" give great credence to God's equitable plan and purpose where all men, each in his own order, shall find themselves filled with Christ that He be "All in All."
For any that do not understand the doctrine of "sonship" there is a message by George Hawtin (link below) that I read twenty five years ago and it thrilled my soul and bore witness with my spirit that there was more than just accepting Jesus, taking the title of Christian and getting on with life in a moral method that would be acceptable for heaven upon death. I laugh now because it seems so absurd that those were once my thoughts and the thoughts of most Christians even today. For any that feel in their spirit that there is more to the Christian walk than that which I just described above, I can only hope you would read this most amazing article entitled "According To The Purpose." I know it will thrill your heart to know something of the wondrous plan of our Father through Christ.
http://www.godfire.net/according.html
I am also aware that there are some that think the "sonship doctrine" promotes a mind set of "elitism". To this I say, that I recognize that there have been many that have perverted this teaching through their own vanity and missed it completely. Like all truths there is also a perversion and a counterfeit that rides aside it. Such is the way God veils and unveils Himself and it takes the Holy Spirit to discern truth from falsity. Allow me to emphasise that Christ walked this earth as a humble servant king and so shall those that follow Him in sonship.
Not to long ago I had a dream that so thrilled my soul as I experienced it. In this dream God's sons were being unveiled and displayed before all creation. Now, for any that aren't familiar with that which I refer to as far as the unveiling, these scriptures from the New Living Translation will hopefully give you some background.
Romans 8:15-24
You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family calling him "Father, dear Father." For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we will share his treasures-for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
The Future Glory
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom.
Also God's son's who are filled with the substance of Christ are written of within the seven addresses to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. These are those out of the church that "overcome."
Now,with this dream, I was experiencing a great celebration as you would when viewing a glorious parade where marching victors are the subject of everyone's attention and acclaim. The excitement I felt in my heart was tremendous as I was about to be part of the unveiling of "God's sons and overcomers," also described in the King James as the "manifested sons of God." When I awoke the feeling of exuberant joy was over whelming but as I tried to recall this dream I was perplexed. You see, I could not remember whether I was a witness to the manifestation of the God's sons or whether in this dream I was a manifested son.
With this idea, that I could not remember of which group I was part of, God spoke to me that it is His sovereign calling as to which age we shall be overcomers and totally filled with His substance. I don't know all that will transpire in this new dawning age and the ages to come but I do know it is all perfectly and sovereignly appointed as are our callings so that no flesh shall ever glory in His presence or His Kingdom which be Christ!
they shall afflict them four hundred years; . . . and afterward they shall come out with great substance" Gen. 15:14
God's sons will be afflicted for a time and "afterward they shall come out with great substance" ........... and that great substance is Christ, who rules and enjoys all of His creation. Can you say, Amen!
Jack
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. Mark 4:20
"the called" ......... 30 fold
"the chosen" ......... 60 fold
"the faithfull" ....... 100 fold
"Christ All in All" ....... 190 fold
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