I
HEAR A SOUND…
10-05-03
-
And he said unto
them [disciples: you and I], Go ye into all the world
[Gk: kosmos; Eng: cosmos], and preach the gospel to every
creature [Gk: creation, the sum total of what God has
created]. (Mark 16:15)
The original Greek text of
the New Testament commonly employs two different words which are both
translated into our English as "world." As noted from the
Lexicon of the Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible by Zodhiates, one Greek
word for world is aion
which carries the denotation of time and refers to this present age
(of unknown duration). The other Greek word for world is kosmos
which refers to space and not time; the sum total of the material
universe. Further, kosmos is
rendered in the English spelling as cosmos and has the
dictionary meaning of "universe." Therefore, what do
you suppose Jesus was commanding us to do when He uttered the Great
Commission? What exactly was His intent? Isn't that interesting?
Actually, more than interesting. Don't you find it
somewhat mind-boggling (I did) that the Great Commission given
(commanded) to all born-again children of God is not just to preach
the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all this earthly world (Gk: aion)
only, but rather to "go ye" and preach the Gospel to
all the world (Gk: kosmos -
universe), i.e. His entire creation, which also includes this
world? Hallelujah!
Like the receiving of a sudden revelation from God
(POW) of the whereabouts and nature of a vast and glorious hidden
treasure, does not the infinite barely comprehensible eternal
grandeur of that command stir up your spirit ever higher nigh to God?
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also
[the focus of the thoughts in your mind]." (Mat 6:21).
Practice focusing your heart and mind on the concept of preaching the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire universe for a while -
that will definitely "enlarge your coast." (1 Chr 4:9,10).
Yes, that is very interesting indeed. But because
we are still partially in the flesh and not altogether Spirit, we many
times are easily distracted by the "cares and riches and
pleasures of this life" (Luke 8:14), and when that happens we
lose all sight, all focus of the heart toward the Great
Commission and its eternal connotations. It is then that we resemble
more that dirty old slimy caterpillar from whence we came (the old
man), natural eyes fixed upon the finite ground, crawling furtively
about, gasping for the breath of life in the choking dust of this
earthly world (Gk: aion).
Nevertheless, God has sworn by Himself through the
authority of His inerrant Word that "I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee." (Heb 13:5). To whom did God make such a wonderful
promise? Why to the wise (hearing) caterpillars of course. Oh yes,
much like those few wise men who came from the east to worship
Jesus, there are even to this day a few wise caterpillars amongst the
thronging mass of the other-wise.
A notable and unique characteristic of these wise
caterpillars is that they willingly attach themselves to the
tree (that old wooden cross). This action becomes in fact "a
living sacrifice" (Rom 12:1) of their body unto death, that is,
death from this world's (Gk: aion)
perspective, a perspective originating from outside the cocoon
-the Word of God made flesh (John 1:14), i.e. the Body of
Christ. The world (Gk: aion) really doesn't have any idea at all as to what is happening inside
that cocoon do they?
The encased caterpillars then allow themselves to
become "transformed" (Rom 12:2), metamorphosed, into butterflies
within the cocoon of God's Word which has formed around them. And that
cocoon acts as "a hedge" (Heb: of protection and restraint) for
them "on every side" (Job 1:9,10) while this wonderful
transformation work is being performed by the Holy Spirit inside the
cocoon. We must remark also that to our great astonishment, this
entire proceeding occurs with much patience (Luke 21:17-19) on
the part of the wise caterpillars (Dan 12:10), as they (he or she) endure
the hardships, i.e. birth pangs – tribulations, of the
transformation process.
Upon completion of this process, the result of course is that
a new creature emerges from the cocoon, a lovely beautiful
butterfly joyfully afloat, borne upward upon the wind "on eagle's
wings" (Exo 19:4), into the brightly beckoning Shekinah Glory of
the eternal Heaven, i.e. into the never ending kosmos,
where they shall preach "the everlasting gospel" (Rev 14:6)
for ever more.
We are those new creatures indeed, and much
much more; we are warriors of peace in the Army of God. Dear
brothers and sisters, fellow soldiers and companions in
tribulation, please help our speakers, volunteers, and staff with
your prayers and financial support that we may continue to encase
(cocoon) those dirty old caterpillars who do hear and do come to the
Lord's tree (as we have heard and come). Help us that we may encase
them in a new and marvelous cocoon just like ours. Hallelujah! Praise
God.
THE
CALL TO BATTLE
- THIS IS NOT A REQUEST, BUT A COMMAND OF THE LORD
(ALL
HIS REQUESTS ARE COMMANDS)
But the
spirit of the LORD [the Holy Spirit] came upon Gideon [a type
of Jesus - as are you and I], and he blew a trumpet [the Word of God];
and Abiezer was gathered after him. And he sent messengers
[Heb: angels] throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after
him: and he sent messengers [Heb: angels] unto Asher, and unto
Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them [i.e. to
meet the invading Midianite host who had "entered into the land
to destroy it." v.5]. (Judg 6:34,35)
But hush now! Look up. Do you hear the sound of
angels? Gideon, the captain of the Lord's host, is issuing a
trumpet call to the rear echelon soldiers in the Army of God; those vital
support troops who are not daily fighting at our side in the
hand-to-hand combat of the front lines of this battle; mighty warriors
all who have been commissioned by the Lord God to supply their
“victuals” (sustenance) and “trumpets” (prayers) (Judg 7:8) to
His service. Listen up now, the enemy has forged a breach in
the front-line and has entered in to destroy us. We need one or
several warriors to move up to the front and stand in the
gap of our financial distress amounting to $3000 per month. Do you
hear that trumpet calling you? Only those who are true Warriors of God
among you, those who are not "fearful and afraid" (Judg
7:3), i.e. those saints who believe God - for the victory, will
respond to the sound of this trumpet call.
Yes, and beyond that, the Army of God (us - you
and I) is in need of a much larger building, a type of a cocoon
- a tent, a tabernacle, a temple, that will enlarge our coasts
deep into the enemy's territory, that we may continue steadfast to
"fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim 6:12), to preach the
Word of God, "the everlasting gospel" (Rev 14:6) "into
all the world" (Gk: kosmos
Mark 16:15).
What? How can we ask for (command - it is the Lord) your
covering prayers and financial support to pay our overdue and current
bills, and then in the same breath even think to ask for a much larger
building with a proportionate increase in bills? Dear brothers and
sisters, DON'T YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?
God bless you.
In His Service,
Rev. Lionel