Report from Nuremberg – Summary of the Channel of Blessing Message
Last week we were blessed to take some meetings in Nuremberg, Germany. The meetings were arranged by brother Torsten Maekler who lives in the area. We were invited to present some foundational principles of the Relational kingdom as expressed in Identity Wars and Life Matters. We were reminded of some key texts.
Isa 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
How are God’s thoughts not our thoughts or His ways not our ways?
Jer 9:23-24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: (24) But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
God does not glory in power, intellect and riches. God glories in personal relationship and the joy of knowing each other in a caring and loving way. We examined how the difference between the begotten Son and the Second person of the Trinity highlight the differences in thinking. The question was asked, how is the Son equal with the Father?
For the second person of the Trinity, the equality is based upon power, intellect and riches. They are said to be omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere present). These are the attributes that make the second person of the trinity equal to the first and third as stated in the Athanasian creed. Here is a section of the creed
For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. – excerpt from Athanasian Creed.
The Begotten Son is equal with the Father by relationship.
John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father:
The Begotten Son glories in the fact that He knows the Father even as the Father knows Him. He does not glory in might, wisdom and riches as does the second person of the Trinity.
The begotten Son received His title and power and position from His Father, yet these gifts are not the basis of equality of the Son with the Father. The Son is equal with the Father because He knows the Father as the Father knows Him. This is same as Adam and Eve for we were made in the image of the Father and the Son.
After the earth was created, and the beasts upon it, the Father and Son carried out their purpose, which was designed before the fall of Satan, to make man in their own image. They had wrought together in the creation of the earth and every living thing upon it. And now God says to [25] his Son, "Let us make man in our image." 1SP 24,25
Eve is equal to Adam not because she is as tall as Adam or because she has the same physical strength as Adam but because she knows Adam as Adam knows her. They understand each other in a way that no animal in garden could.
We explored the implications of beholding the two different understandings of the Son of God for by beholding we are changed. 2 Cor 3:18.
If we behold the second person of the Trinity who glories in His power, might and riches of divinity then we will be transformed into the same image and glory in our power, wisdom and riches or conversely lament our lack of these things.
If we behold the Begotten Son who glories in His relationship and inheritance from His Father we will be transformed into the same image. We will glory in our relationship with the Father through Christ and we will not glory in the things that we possess or own.
This thought was embraced by the group enthusiastically and hearts were united in the joy of entering into the kingdom of the begotten Son where value by relationships is what is important.
Once a person understands this principle then the door is open to understand the Divine Pattern. If position no longer defines value then Christ is free to take a place of submission without losing any value. When once we enter the relational kingdom then 1 Cor 8:6 really begins to become highly significant.
1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
The Father is the source of all things and all His blessings are passed through the Son of God. The Son of God does nothing of Himself but what the Father speaks to Him.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Even what Jesus reveals about Him comes from His Father.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him…
In this submissive role Christ becomes the great channel for our Father who is the great source of all. The reason they can hold different positions is because their value does not come the positions they hold but from the relationship they have with each other. Christ does not think it robbery to be equal with God because His equality is not in His position but in His relationship. This is why Jesus can say that the Father is greater than Himself in position and yet Christ still be equal with God in relationship.
John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
We discussed how the relational value system is critical to understanding the Divine Pattern system as revealed in the creation of this world and to understand the relationships that exist in Scripture.
With the Divine Pattern in place we are positioned to understand the channel of blessing. The Father is the source of all blessing and He pours this blessing on His Son.
Matt 3:17 And lo there came a voice from heaven saying: this is that my dear son, in whom is my delight. (Tyndale)
Christ as the channel of all things takes from the Father in order to give. This blessing of the Father is given to use through Christ. When we believe on the name of the only begotten Son then we receive this blessing through Christ. We are accepted in the beloved.
Looking unto Jesus we see that it is the glory of our God to give. "I do nothing of Myself," said Christ; "the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father." "I seek not Mine own glory," but the glory of Him that sent Me. John 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:18. In these words is set forth the great principle which is the law of life for the universe. All things Christ received from God, but He took to give. So in the heavenly courts, in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father's life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyous service, a tide of love, to the great Source of all. DA 21
The glory that rested upon Christ is a pledge of the love of God for us. It tells us of the power of prayer,--how the human voice may reach the ear of God, and our petitions find acceptance in the courts of heaven. By sin, earth was cut off from heaven, and alienated from its communion; but Jesus has connected it again with the sphere of glory. His love has encircled man, and reached the highest heaven. The light which fell from the open portals upon the head of our Saviour will fall upon us as we pray for help to resist temptation. The voice which spoke to Jesus says to every believing soul, This is My beloved child, in whom I am well pleased. DA 113.1
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
This source and channel relationship of Father and Son opens up the fountain of blessing from the Father. When Christ is understood in the position of submission to the Father then He is enabled to take all the Father gives Him in order to pour upon us. The Father and Son then together become the great original fountain of which every family was designed to be an image. When we behold the true God and His Son then our families will be transformed into this same image and fountains will begin to open in the desert and living water will begin to flow through loving words and caring hearts.
1 Cor 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Prov 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
Isa 41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
In the restoration of families to a source and channel relationship of husband and wife then the fountains will open up and the work of Elijah will be complete.
Mal 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: (6) And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
In our meetings the steps were carefully laid out.
The material from the book Identity Wars establishes the relational value system where we do not glory in things but in our family and friends relationships. This opened the way for the understanding of the Divine Pattern which gives to us the key to knowing how the fountain of blessing is established. When once Christ is free to take the position of submission to the Father as described in the Divine Pattern then the channel of blessing as described in the book Life Matters will open up.
We then closed the meetings with discussing how the Divine Pattern affects our understanding of the covenants and how that an increase of the condemnation of the law leads us to abounding grace in Christ. Rom 5:20. Our hearts were moved as we contemplated this abounding grace in Christ.
It was a special time that we shared together. The meetings were recorded and will be available on maranathamedia.de in the coming weeks.
