Unity In Christ
I want to share with you two comments of support that prove beyond doubt that we are ALL one body, one spirit in Christ.
I love the Substack community of believers. The majority are laity, occasionally infiltrated by unregenerate Pharisaical spirits. Most are not theologians, just truth-seekers like me on the journey of sanctification, our present-tense salvation, awaiting our glorification, our future-tense salvation. Most of our institutionalized thought leaders are well-versed in our justification, our past-tense salvation, pointing to the cross as our guide. Die they say, so that ye may live! True enough, but our identity is the result of His death. The resurrection is our true identity as a sanctified saint. As born-again believers, we are resurrected immediately spiritually speaking, and seated with Christ.
Galatians 2:20 KJV I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Revelation 1:5-6 ESV and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (6) and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Here is a masterful song that unites us all under the new song of Christ. Be greatly blessed by this song:
Firstly, I invite you to read 1 Corinthians 12 in its entirety. It is a chapter commencing Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts that lasts three chapters. But it highlights what spiritual unity is about.
Now here is the evidence of this reality in action. These have been posted with permission:
From JustOneGuy:
23 hrs ago Liked by Geoffrey Stroud
Thank you…your insight is greatly appreciated.
Scripture is often ‘thick and inscrutable’, it is a joy to have someone with INSIGHT to decode it.
JOG…Many Thanks.
He then followed up with a testimony:
After a period of contemplation, I have concluded that an 'explanation' of my prior allusion to being HUMBLED might - somehow - HELP someone, somewhere...
Recently I underwent a surgery to remove a mid-sized Tumor in my Bladder.
Thereafter, that bioptic sample was sent out for a Pathology evaluation... the results were not 'Good'.
Type: Sarcopenoid...Hyper-Aggressive
Prognosis: 6 months to two years...no more.
Unbelievably, being told that had ZERO effect upon me. Someone could have just told me what they ATE for lunch.
They explained that they WANTED to basically 're-plumb' my urinary tract, basically gutting me like a Fish.
I said, NO.
They then held out the possibility that Chemo, another surgery identical to the first and thereafter Chemo/Radiation MIGHT give me a 'few more months'.
I thanked them and went upon my way...
My friend who had accompanied me that day was CRUSHED. I comforted her throughout the long drive back...
Thereafter, I called to inform my family of the Grim News. All reacted as had my Friend, ALL I ended up comforting.
My 83 year old Mother FLEW to Seattle, thinking to accompany me through the process. There I comforted HER also.
Still, I was unaffected by my Dr's "Yea, though I WALK through the Valley of the Shadow of DEATH' speech. I knew what had been said...yet none of it elicited any FEAR within me.
????
None near me could fathom WHY I was so unaffected...neither could I.
Thereafter I was COMPELLED to return FAR North to put my House into 'hibernation' ere - I thought - returning to Seattle.
Such was NOT to be...
My family had been stridently attempting to convince me to return to the MidWest however I had concerns about UPROOTING my treatment and travelling across half the Nation.
Arriving at my HOME my Mother was somewhat weary from the travelling and I was yet FAR too energized from driving to rest...then.
I convinced her to just lay in my bed and SLEEP.
As I sat on my couch the urge to PRAY came upon me,
"Father, if EVER I NEEDED GUIDANCE, IT IS NOW...."
No sooner had the LAST word been formed in my mind than the HOLY SPIRIT WAS present...
"GET THEE UP AND RETURN TO YOUR FAMILY...LEST YOU SHALL SURELY DIE."
I did not 'take that' to the LEFT or to the RIGHT...I simply OBEYED.
Calling the VA in my - prior - homestate, I informed them of my pressing NEED to relocate BACK...and of the DIAGNOSIS at hand.
They PERKED UP THEN and after confirming the diagnosis said, "Come BACK NOW...We will MOVE Heaven and Earth to MAKE this happen."
And they DID...
HOME AGAIN, I settled in...
The appointments came FAST and FURIOUS...
I was quickly - ultra-speed - scheduled for a Chest CT AND a PET Scan...both intended to determine WHERE and WHERE NOT the Cancer WAS...
The CT Results were IMMEDIATE...CLEAR.
We awaited the 'Other' results. Presently I received a call from my NEW Oncologist...who had already previously, confirmed the WORST.
" Your PET is virtually CLEAN except for the INTERIOR of the Bladder. I have to tell you, this Cancer IS RARE and Viciously aggresive. We only see perhaps 500 cases a year GLOBALLY of this and we NEVER 'Catch it QUICKLY enough' to make a Difference.
HERE...for possibly the FIRST TIME EVER THAT opportunity EXIST! I am CANCELLING your Chemo AND your Radiation protocol; we CAN DIG THIS OUT!"
Naturally, I thanked him...and sat in a state of unnatural PEACE but ALSO in a heightened State of AWARENESS such as I have never experienced: COLORS WERE BRILLIANT!...I HEARD INSECT CRAWLING THROUGH THE GRASS, MOLES DIGGING IN THE SOIL NEAR ME, I SMELLED things I never have before...
Later, I spoke to a TRUE CHRISTIAN Friend of mine, describing the prior weeks AND what I had also experienced when the DOOM upon me WAS LIFTED by a Mighty HAND...
"You ARE Blessed..." he began, "The PEACE that you have felt IS A MIGHTY GIFT; the PEACE THAT PASSETH UNDERSTANDING! What you experienced after your Oncologist called is UNKNOWN to me...but that can scarce be OTHER than another GREAT GIFT, one for which we have NO NAME."
I am a Sinner...I AM surely - at MOST - the LEAST of my Father's Servants on EARTH and I do NOT DESERVE any extraordinary treatment, IN MY OWN SIGHT.
It IS a Mystery unto me.
We not only CANNOT comprehend our Father's LOVE for us...we cannot even BEGIN to UNDERSTAND HOW HE VIEWS US.
As stated...I was RECENTLY Humbled - in EXTREMIS.
Be WELL, please be SAFE in the coming Days...and BE BLESSED beyond MEASURE.
JOG
Is your God too small?
JOG just killed that idea!
JOG has helped me greatly in identifying my true mission. I am a “decoder”. A person who sees the spiritual clues, the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, in the snippets of scripture and places them correctly into a consistent narrative to reveal the total picture.
Can we all please pause our day and pray for JustOneGuy for continued healing and blessings?
Heavenly Father, you are truly the great I AM! Everything of value to us is in your hands. We confess our spiritual weakness today. Thank you that you have healed JOG, and we pray for your continued healing presence in his life. In Jesus’ name, we pray AMEN.
The next one is from Kat Albrecht :
6 hrs ago·edited 6 hrs ago
I clicked this because of the title "I Have Been Arrested." I'm a former police officer who used to arrest people, so I was wondering just what "crime" you might have committed! :)
I find it incredible that God has created man and animals to have curiosity as a part of our nature. I include animals here because God included them in His Word and especially in His covenant with man immediately after the flood...AND because ministering to animal lovers is my "ministry!" I LOVE that you have a curious nature that you are researching and exploring the spiritual topics that you mentioned.
It doesn't matter to me whether I will be raptured before the great tribulation, during it, or after it. I don't care because I have NO FEAR of what will happen on earth. God has promised protection and provision and He is faithful and His Word is Truth! I don't care about dispensationalism theories but I am committed to praying for the peace of Jerusalem since this is what the Word tells us to do. I embrace both the old and the new testament as the Holy Spirit uses both testaments to speak to me! But what I DO care about is fixing my eyes on Jesus. He is not only my Lord who I have surrendered my desires, my plans, and my will to so that He can use me to bring Him the utmost glory. He is my Savior where I acknowledge that He died to save me from my sins and He is THE WAY, the only way, for us to become holy through Jesus and to spend eternity in God's Kingdom.
But Geoffrey, even though I might not agree with everything that you wrtie (to be honest, I have not read all that much of your writing) and even though much of what you write doesn't intrigue me (the topics you mentioned in this post don't really resonate with me---I came to read about your ARREST RECORD, not about dispensationalism), I AM EXCITED to know that you have listened to Holy Spirit and that you are building a platform here based on God's Word! YOU GO, GUY!
Kat has a completely different ministry to me, but of the same spirit. I love the fact that she reached out in support while admitting not agreeing with everything I say, but supporting me anyway.
Readers, this should be our default position always. Let us be gracious but acknowledge the strengths we see in people.
Can we all pause and pray for Kat:
Heavenly Father, you are the great uniter of men and women under Your Christ. We admit Father we tend to react negatively as prideful humans, but in Kat, you have shown us grace in action. May we all be more humble today than yesterday, and even more humble tomorrow. Kill our pride Father and replace it with heavenly grace. In Jesus’ name, we pray AMEN.
When we are unified in Christ, we experience true unity.
Galatians 3:28 ESV There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Your Kingdom Priest (Rev 1:6)
Yes, yes, YES! KILL THE PRIDE in us Jesus! Humble us in Your sight so that you may lift us up! ALL HAIL KING JESUS!