Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Today has been a quiet and slow day for me. After a very active and fun day yesterday, my "genes" that GOD designed just for me for detoxing chemicals has been in slow motion today, trying to process the "fun" i was around:). What a special blessing from the LORD it was for our whole family to be able to have fun and fellowship with our dear friends the Spearings and the Missildine's at the Spearings beautiful lake house on Lake Guntersville. The Spearings were so very gracious to share their wonderful blessings with us...the kids enjoyed riding the tubes between the Spearings boat, and I enjoyed wake boarding for a few yards...before i was down. Brad Spearing taught HB to ski earlier this summer and is a great coach. After getting up a few times, and finally switching my front feet, i almost got the hang of staying up when i got tired, and decided to "retire," until the next opportunity. Each time, i'm improving. Gena and Brad both "wakeboarded," and in their 50's, and grandparents, and parent's to seven kids they are very fit, and were great skiers! What a great heredity these kids have! Gena and Corie, one of the Spearings 5 daughters, prepared supper for us, delicious chicken Parmesan, salad, and a wonderful peach crisp of some kind, topped with soft serve ice cream from our restaurant. Yummy, it was good food and wonderful fellowship with dear friends and family...our family and the family of GOD.
Earlier this week, i read a blog that GOD has really used to get me thinking this week about our heredity ..."It's called "Redesigning Humans: Is It Inevitable?" by Kirby Anderson http://action.afa.net/Blogs/BlogPost.aspx?id=2147496763. You can read the whole blog here if you are interested and in it is some very thought provoking and very scary moral and spiritual implications of where biotechnology is heading. In the article it talks about tinkering with DNA and chromosomes to produce the sex of the child we want, and perhaps changing a person's likelihood of getting a disease if their genes are redesigned.
In my case, perhaps my genes for not detoxing chemicals too well could be fixed before i was born. My doctor did a gene test on me a few years ago to discover that i have genes missing that do not detox the chemicals i'm around. Therefore, i have to be careful what i'm around. On the way home last night, i was very sluggish and sleepy...a sure sign for me that i've been around chemicals. I'm so thankful to know that GOD knew the design and plan HE had for me, when HE created me "fearfully and wonderfully" made. If I had the choice, i would not choose to be this way, but my FATHER who loves me so much and created me, WHO gave HIS SON for me, WHO called me to be HIS and has given me a wonderful heredity and heritage in CHRIST JESUS...gave me these genes, to accomplish the plans and purposes HE has for my life. So therefore, HE is teaching me ever so slowly that in "Acceptance lieth peace," and HIS grace is sufficient for me, and HIS power is made perfect in my weaknesses.
The author of "Redesigning Humans goes on to state:
I believe that being able to genetically redesign human beings is far closer than most people realize. Not only is the technology developing at an ever-increasing rate, but people are also far more willing to consider using such technologies than most would want to think.
I hope that you can take time to read the whole article by Kirby Anderson. What he's writing about is real, and is upon us. For months i have been reading John McTernan's blog and he often writes about the spiritual implications of "Transhumanism," which is part humans/part biotechnology to produce "superhumans," eventually. You can click on his website, http://www.johnmcternan.name/ and read his articles on science, genetics, transhumanism," and how redesigning humans is a part of the end times we read about in Revelation.
GOD really used this article for a springboard to get me thinking about our spiritual heredity all week long. I looked up the word heredity in the neat visuwords website that Betty Dean Newman shared on FB and this is one of the definitions it gave:
Heredity- The biological process where genetic factors are transmitted from one generation to the next. http://www.visuwords.com/?word=heredity
I've been thinking alot about our heredity...before we receive CHRIST and afterwards. In Genesis 2-3 we know that Adam and Eve were perfect and sinless, before they rebelled against GOD, and ate the forbidden fruit. Instantly after they sinned against GOD and ate the forbidden fruit, the Bible says in Gen. 3:7,
"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings."
Then GOD called to them, and confronted them, and told them the consequences of their sin, which would be theirs and ours and every generation that has been since Adam and Eve...like women having great pain in childbirth, Gen. 3:16, and men having to work by the sweat of his brow to provide for his family Gen. 3:17-18. GOD then drove them out of the beautiful garden of Eden to live in the thorns and thistles. This is the point where sin entered the world, and our spiritual heredity became their sin nature and eternal death. Our physical body's aging, is because of our spiritual heredity in Adam. We lie, we cheat, we steal, we're prideful, we're angry, we're malicious, we're lazy, we're deceitful, we're immoral, we're rebellious against GOD and our parent's, and those GOD has place over us, because of our fallen sinful heredity that has been handed down from Adam and Eve.
In Romans 2:26-32, Paul lists some of the characteristics of those who don't have a "new heredity" in CHRIST":
"For this reason GOD gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due...GOD gave them over to a debased mine, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of GOD, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgement of GOD, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."
Every imaginable sin, and the heartbreak that goes with it is part of our sinful spiritual heritage from Adam and Eve. But GOD in HIS sovereignty and love, provided the remedy for our sinful heritage through HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. GOD looked down through the ages even in Genesis 3:15 as he was cursing the serpent and said to him
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
HE will crush your head,
And you will strike his heal
Who was the "HE," that GOD was referring to that was going to crush satan's head? GOD sent HIS SON the LORD JESUS CHRIST to earth to show us the way to live and to die for us on the tree of Calvary, that we might be set free from our heredity of sin and death, and give us a new heredity...that of eternal life in CHRIST JESUS. I Corinthians 15:22, the apostle Paul writes of our new heredity in CHRIST JESUS:
"For just as [because of union of nature] in Adam all people die, so also [by virtue of their union of nature] shall all in CHRIST be made alive."
This wonderful new heredity is for all those who receive the gift of GOD's great salvation through faith in HIS Son and repentance for our sins.
"But as many as received HIM to them HE gave the right to become children of GOD...even to those who believe in HIS name." John 1:12
I love the passage in Titus 3 where Paul lists some of the characteristics of those who have a new heredity, and i will tell you i am convicted as i see i am falling short in some of these areas...Paul lovingly reminds them of their "old heredity," and the passion and love of GOD to give them "a new heredity," in CHRIST JESUS:
"Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasure, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
BUT when the kindness of GOD our SAVIOR and HIS love for mankind appeared, HE saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to HIS mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the HOLY SPIRIT, whom HE poured out upon us richly through JESUS CHRIST our SAVIOR, that being justified by HIS grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
That's our "new heredity," in CHRIST JESUS, and by HIS grace, HE justifies us and makes us HIS heirs! Praise the LORD, and Hallelujah what a SAVIOR!!!
Oswald Chambers wrote about our new heredity in his July 24, "My Utmost for HIS Highest":
"Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:20
The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in motive because he has been made good by the super-natural grace of God. The only thing that exceeds right-doing is right-being. Jesus Christ came to put into any man who would let Him a new heredity which would exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus says - If you are My disciple you must be right not only in your living, but in your motives, in your dreams, in the recesses of your mind. You must be so pure in your motives that God Almighty can see nothing to censure. Who can stand in the Eternal Light of God and have nothing for God to censure? Only the Son of God, and Jesus Christ claims that by His Redemption He can put into any man His own disposition, and make him as unsullied and as simple as a child. The purity which God demands is impossible unless I can be remade within, and that is what Jesus has undertaken to do by His Redemption.
No man can make himself pure by obeying laws. Jesus Christ does not give us rules and regulations; His teachings are truths that can only be interpreted by the disposition He puts in.
The great marvel of Jesus Christ's salvation is that He alters heredity. He does not alter human nature; He alters its mainspring."
Our heredity in CHRIST was paid for by the suffering and death and resurrection of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE gives us a new disposition when we are "born again," and we don't just "do" good works. HE gives us a new heart, with new motives, and desires to serve and please HIM.
"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." Ezekiel 36:26,27
You see, there is a reason for the sweet fellowship in the family of GOD like we had with the Spearings, and Missildines ...we all have the same spiritual heredity, the same heritage in CHRIST JESUS, and we all share the "bond of love," because we are new creatures in CHRIST...we weren't just an improved version of the old us when CHRIST came into our lives through faith and repentance. CHRIST made us "new creatures," brand new:
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." II Corinthians 5:17
As new creatures, GOD gives us a new disposition that is characterized by love. One of the hallmark characteristics of our new heredity in CHRIST JESUS is the love that HE puts in our hearts for one another:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this will all men know that your are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35
Our heredity is not just a "redesigning human" project, that a few genes here are altered, or artificial chromosomes are injected into an old body. Our new heredity is the miraculous new birth that GOD works in us when we place our faith and trust in HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. If any of you have come to an understanding of HIS miraculous work in our lives as you have read these words today, and accept CHRIST as your LORD and SAVIOR I sure would love to know of the transforming work that CHRIST has done in your life.
I want to close with a little story about Baby Josie, that so many of you have been praying for. Back when Josie was very, very sick, and swollen, and Catherine and Stan weren't sure if she was going to make it, Catherine came over one night and sat with me on my front porch. She shared with me that it was amazing with all the fluid and swelling that Josie had all over her body, her little feet were perfect! That was amazing to Catherine because she and Stan both have some genes that their toes do different things and that's the characteristic shared in all of their children except Josie whose toes are perfectly formed...Catherine relayed to me how she would look at those beautiful feet, and hope and pray that the rest of her body would one day be healed. As you know, GOD in HIS graciousness has brought healing to Josie, and the report on her a couple of days ago is that Josie is receiving the breast milk without any swelling thus far...Praise the LORD
Catherine sent out a picture of Josie's "Beautiful Feet," last week on FB, feet that GOD made perfectly. Those feet were looked upon with love that only a Mother has in her heart in the "dark night of Catherine's soul," with love and wonder and hope. Hope that CHRIST would bring healing to her little baby. As you know the LORD JESUS has brought physical healing to Baby Josie, and used her journey to encourage all of our faith in HIM.
The beautiful and powerful song "How Beautiful," by Twila Paris tells us of our SAVIOR'S beautiful feet, once tiny like baby Josie's, that grew up to walk the hill to Calvary, that by HIS stripes we might be healed from our sinful heredity and be given a new heredity. HE empowers us to use our feet to share the love and good news of the KING WHO loves us so very much HE came to die for us.
I love you and thank you for sharing this time with me this week. My the LORD fill your heart with HIS love for you as you listen this beautiful song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJfSp_rceFs&feature=related "How Beautiful" by Twila Paris.
With all His love,
mitzi
"How Beautiful"
How Beautiful the hands that served
The Wine and the Bread and the sons of the earth
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty road and the hill to the cross
How Beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
How Beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sins and bore it instead
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
And as He lay down His life
We offer this sacrifice
That we will live just as He died
Willing to pay the price
Willing to pay the price
How Beautiful the radiant bride
Who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes
How Beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure love so that others may live
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news and the love of the King
How Beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread and the sons of the Earth
How Beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
With all HIS love,
mitzi
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