Tag Archives: Bride of Christ

Superman, Jesus, and the Justice of God

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Bride of Christ, Christianity, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Leadership, New Covenant, redemption, the Spirit, Tracy Gatewood, Tracy Gatewood Alabama

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Man of Steel trailer  http://youtu.be/T6DJcgm3wNY?t=2s
Click the Trailer Link First

Psalm 91:17:  May the Favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands ~ yes, establish the work of our hands.

Superman (not his given name which was Star Trek-ish) was sent to Earth as an infant by his scientist father just before their home planet of Krypton was destroyed. His father’s remark upon releasing his son was, “My hopes and dreams travel with you.” The story recounts that the son was discovered and adopted by a Kansas farmer and his wife. They raised the child with the name, Clark Kent, who grew as a youth possessing good character and a strong moral compass. His parents began to feel that their child was the answer to society’s problems and that he was sent to them for a very special purpose. The young man aspired to something greater than his peers and much more than what society intended for him. Very early in life he began to display superhuman abilities, which upon reaching maturity, resolved to use for the benefit of humanity in the make believe American city of Metropolis. This bi-vocational crusader worked as a journalist for the Daily Planet, providing Clark a first hand view of crime scenes and a closer proximity for impromptu tussles with arch villain Lex Luthor. His compassion and love for people were evident to all. He possessed an underlying passion that made him known for Justice. Psalm 89:14  Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of God’s throne.

II Corinthians 3:2 No you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody. You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with (the) Spirit of (the) living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

For it is by and through an accepting Father when we accept His Son that we are loved with a depth and a height and a width we cannot fathom, an infinite love like the deepest ocean.  As those who know Jesus, we are individual testimonies for God; testimonies to His goodness and the message of His grace – a human sign and wonder for everyone in a sphere of influence or community to see as a flashpoint of light in a surrounding darkness. Imagine if you had that much influence over someone’s soul and spirit that everywhere they went they were a walking billboard for who you are and what you could do for them. You would wish to insure that they were seen as nothing less than Royalty, walking in favor and blessing, because after all ~ they represent your creation and your Kingdom.

Enter Jesus. In this great mystery, God Himself divested all of His glory and Godliness, and took on human form to be born of a woman.  The true Man of Steel fed 5000 with 5 small barley loaves and 2 fish (Mark 6:30-39), turned water into (alot of) wine (John 2:1-10), miraculously healed multitudes of suffering people and ratified an Eternal (permanent ) Covenant made between He and God by being resurrected from the dead (John 20:1-21). Try that one on Superman!  Although our beloved Super-hero had a strong moral compass, and a deep passion for justice, Superman could only save but could never be a Savior.  Jesus’ full power for us comes through His death, as He releases His Spirit to all that will believe and rest in Him. The truly powerful understand that His work is Finished and equally, that they have been made righteous ( meaning in right standing)  and holy in the sight of God through the blood of the Son. Everything given to Jesus by His loving Father has now been given to us. Remarkable.

Yep, there’s a new Sheriff in town, the Holy Spirit lives inside each one of us now. Our new moral compass is embedded with a direct line to the will of God, we need only to learn how to hear what He is saying.  God’s laws are now written on the soft tablets of our hearts by His Spirit, not on stone or paper. His peace and rest have been paid for, owned by us all along when we met Jesus. A peace and rest accessed confidently through the Holy Spirit’s power and the Finished work. This is a Grace (verb) gift and undeserved, unmerited favor (Amen, she says.)  We have inner justice that displays as radiance outwardly as we lean and rest all of our defenses on God’s promises to fight our battles and to make our crooked places straight. When we remain transfixed on Jesus (this takes some time and a new perspective) He smooth’s out the way. We look not to the left nor to the right, and give up our right to battle circumstances on our own, listening for direction,  understanding that what He will do for us is a better way than our own.

Luke 2:46-52 NAS Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You.” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. 51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Our Father’s Houses serve as Embassies for His Kingdom; local churches, that are extensions of heaven on earth, and places of refuge for His “Ambassadors”.  Churches are protected places of common ground for renewal and refreshing, where people who live for Kingdom purposes are fed, tended and nurtured by Pastor-Shepherds that have been appointed and called by God. It is in our local churches where God’s Kingdom should truly live as we calibrate to Christ as our High Priest (read Hebrews) and Great Shepherd while understanding or learning to walk out our Kingdom purposes, and where we can be gently reminded of God’s promises as well as our authority in Christ Jesus.  We must each find our own  “embassy” of fellowship that best undergirds our Kingdom purposes and enables us to make His name Known.

Twitter:  TracyLGatewood
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The Wisdom of God   http://wp.me/p1zoxs-6
 

Unify the Brides

01 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in Christianity, Grace, Jesus, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, Unity

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John 17: 4 – 23 AMP
I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do. And now Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed. I have manifested Your name (I have revealed Your very self. Your real self) to the people whom you have given Me out of this world. They were yours and you gave them to Me, and they have obeyed and kept Your word. Now (at last) they know and understand that all You have given me belongs to You (is really and truly Yourself) For the (uttered ) words that You gave me I have given them; and they received and accepted (them) and have come to know positively and in reality  (to believe with absolute assurance) that I came forth from Your presence, and they have believed and are convinced that You did send Me.

I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You. All things that are Mine are Yours, and all things that are Yours belong to Me; and I am glorified in (and through ) them. They have done Me honor; in them My glory is achieved. And (now) I am no more in the world, but these are (still) in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep in Your name (in the knowledge of Yourself) those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We (are one). While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your Name (in the knowledge and worship of You). Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has  perished or is lost except the son of perdition (Judas Iscariot), that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be full and complete and perfect in them (that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts.)

I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world (do not belong to the world),  just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldy, belonging to the world) just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (purify, consecrate, separate, them for Yourself, make them holy) by Truth; Your word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, made holy) in the Truth. Neither for these alone do I pray (it is not for their sake only that I make this request) but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching.

That they all may be One (just) as You Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be One in us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be One (even) as We are one; I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become One and perfectly united, that the world may know and (definitely) recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them (even) as you have loved Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be One even as We are One: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become One and perfectly united that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and You have loved them (even) as You have loved me.

What would it look like, if our churches were not known by the name of the pastor or even the name of the church but simply identified by their  service, by their love – by their missions – by their initiatives?  That the church’s people and their work were an outflow from the very  spirit of Jesus and so identified with Him that the public barely knew the pastor’s name  because the church body had taken on the very nature of Jesus to such an extent that HIS Name was greater than THEIR Name. When non church members think about this Bride they thought only of Jesus because the very fragrance of Christ permeates this Body. This Bride is so beautifully purified it resembles pure gold – not spray painted gold, gold filled or 14K but pure gold – well positioned and fearlessly awaiting the Bridegroom. What would that look like?

What would it look like if all the Brides became One and Jesus truly lived and reigned in each One and every steepled roof confidently reached out to work with all other steepled roofs to accomplish God’s objectives and the service goals in every community? What if the spirit of competition was neutralized by the Blood of Jesus, territories were blended and  imperceptible and the arms of the Body were locked in unison to make only Jesus famous?  Every church message in every community  only resounded with Jesus; His Presence, His Name, His Blood and His Spirit were only taught as what frees, heals, teaches, comforts, provides, guards, guides, and protects from darkness – All Jesus Only Jesus All the Time.

John 17 also tells us that Jesus only prays for the ones that His Father gives Him – which sounds like he’s not praying for every lost soul wandering the earth, unless I suppose, we (the saved) ask Him because that’s our job to pray for them. He is busy up in Heaven taking care of us to God so we must get busy down here taking care of Him. There is strength and tremendous power in unity.

John 10:11 – 18 NIV
I am the good shepherd . I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for my sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and there shall be One Flock and One Shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.  (Jesus)

Constructionzon
Tuscaloosa Alabama
Twitter: Constructionzon
Wordpress:  tracylgatewood.wordpress.com
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For those of you that read my articles this will come as no surprise ……..
When I go to my great reward, I plan to correctly answer those questions God asks me at The Pearlies then I will tear out something akin to Ellie Mae Clampett running off looking for her Feller-Man. Mine is Jesus, and when I find Him, I am going to tackle Him (somehow gracefully – hopefully He is still kind of skinny ) and kiss Him on each side of His face like those Europeans do then I will cry like a baby, kiss and say thank you to both of those nail scarred hands,  THEN I am going to help Him up and make Him run with me down the GOLD street, past the marble (sea – mint) pond, ’round a jasper wall and straight into the Revival tent that will be going full tilt with deafening praise and worship music.  Divinely Constructed  (finally!)   Yeeee-Haaaa!!
(But please don’t take me now Lord – way too much work yet still to do! )

Related articles:  right side/ top of this page
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/the-assignment/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/equip-the-bride/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/purpose-driven-bride/
tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/purify-the-bride/

Purify the Bride

24 Monday Oct 2011

Posted by in Jesus, Tuscaloosa

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Revelation 19: 6 – 10 AMP
Let us rejoice and shout for joy (exulting and triumphant)!  Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb (at last) has come, and His bride has prepared herself.
She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white – for the linen is the righteousness (the upright, just and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the Saints (God’s holy people).
Then the angel said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, these are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God.
Then I fell prostrate at his feet to worship (to pay divine honor) to him but he said,” Refrain! I am (only) another servant with you and your brethren who have the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy.”

In a few days, Tuscaloosa will reach the 6 month anniversary of The Storm.  Questions have been answered, and much has been revealed but  spiritual questions remain in the wake of this undesired natural  renovation. Where will Tuscaloosa be spiritually in one year? 3 years? or beyond and has this experience moved Tuscaloosa Forward – spiritually? For now the city remains in the fires of purification and in a period of time that many esteemed pastors worldwide believe to be on the precipice of Christ’s return to retrieve His Bride, the Church.  Are we ready? A.W. Tozer writes in The Wisdom of God,  “Wisdom, among other things, is the ability to devise perfect ends and to achieve those ends by the most perfect means.”  Are we walking out from this perfect storm our perfect means to achieve the perfect end – for as many Tuscaloosa residents and churches as possible?

It would be derelict to allow to go unnoticed the degree of  neglect  exposed by this direct hit, acres of city and county blocks tormented by poverty and blight.  God would be  indignant if any city espousing to be spiritually tightly woven and “together” would tolerate this degree of poverty and neglect.  Has the city been purified to pay closer attention to these issues?  This question has certainly received  my attention. Purification is painful, and worse, ugly, it is difficult to have weaknesses  exposed by a loving God  (the scriptural term is “chastening”  experienced by King David which does not seem to adequately describe the term “being purified” ) but it is this  “gift”  that exposes the bad and enables us to be and receive His very best.  The New Covenant redemptive benefit correlation is Jehovah M’Kaddesh God Our Sanctifier. We are being sanctified to become more in the likeness of Jesus.  Sanctification is the gift no one wants but the gift everyone needs.  This storm, as method of purification, was an act of grace from a loving God, a divine awakening and an opportunity to leverage  tragedy to its highest and best use for His glory.

A sanctified and purified city is better positioned to be the true shining city on a hill that other cities yearn to emulate. We have the leadership in place at all levels and across city churches to come through this stronger and better prepared. Last week, city pastors met at the annual Pastor’s Prayer Summit to pray for Tuscaloosa, each other and God’s direction for their churches – unified, corporate prayers of agreement that are coveted by the Holy Spirit. These powerful threads of prayer are woven into a rich, unified brocade of denominations, races, and ages protecting the city walls from spiritual onslaughts of which most live unaware.  God, who is infinitely wise, all knowing and the Chief Strategist would not have allowed this storm without a higher and better purpose. He loves us and has an eternal covenant with us through His Son, our Mediator. We have the right municipal and pastoral framework in position to arrive on the other side like mighty warriors for His Glory.

Luke 14: 12 – 24 AMP
Jesus also said to the man who had invited Him, When you give a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, lest perhaps they also invite you in return, and so you are paid back. But when you give a banquet or a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame and the blind.
Then you will be blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied), because they have no way of repaying you,  and you will be recompensed at the resurrection of the just (upright).
When one of those who reclined (at the table) with Him heard this, he said to Him, Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God! But Jesus said to him,  A man was once giving a great supper and invited many: And at the hour for the supper he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, Come, for all is now ready.
But they all alike began to make excuses and to beg off. The first said to him, I have bought a piece of land, and I have to go out and see it; I beg you, have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine and put my approval on them: I beg you, have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife and because of this I am unable to come. So the servant came and reported these to his master. Then the master of the house said in wrath to his servant, Go quickly into the great streets and the small streets of the city and bring in here the poor and the disabled and the blind and the lame.
And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you have commanded me to do has been done, and yet there is room”. Then the master said to the servant, Go out into the highways and the hedges and urge and constrain (them) to yield and come in so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall taste my supper.

Are we ready?  We must not allow our attention to be distracted from  frequently and consistently teaching  faith, prayer and the meaning of Christ crucified.

Tracy Gatewood
Twitter  @TracyLGatewood
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Please continue to pray for Tuscaloosa

This is a follow up to the first article, Wisdom of God, May 2011.