Friday, February 3, 2017

"Forgotten Heritage".

The concept of heritage has come to the forefront in my study of the Kingdom. It is apparent that we know and understand our true origins before we can clearly see our destination. In this sense, where we come from does affect where we are going.

Judges 2:6-11 (HCSB)

6 Joshua sent the people away, and the Israelites went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.7 The people worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua. They had seen all the Lord’s great works He had done for Israel. 8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. 9 They buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel. 11 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals.

To forget God is to forget our heritage. Not that we fail in remembering Facts about Him; but that we cease to keep Him at the forefront of belief and practice. Simply put; we remember that God exists, but this knowledge has no effect on our daily lives.

This characterizes the American Christian experience. Holding to a form of Christianity, yet forgetting the original purpose for our existence (as found in the dominion mandate Gen. 1:28). in this state we exist - separate from the God we claim to serve. Unable to receive the life and power to sustain us in our purpose.

Forgetting our heritage has consequences.

We become stuck in the mire of rote religious services. Plodding along wasting the gifts which have been so generously deposited within us. Living purposeless lives bereft of joy. We have forgotten that we were designed to impact the world and cultures around us. we are called to leave a legacy of Kingdom activity, not one of exclusive indifference to the world.

What saddens me the most is seeing the false gods and Antichrist structures defended and promoted all in the name of the one true God. and in our arrogance we walk the long road of deception moving farther and farther away from our creator and His purpose for our lives.

Deuteronomy 31:17 (HCSB)
My anger will burn against them on that day; I will abandon them and hide My face from them so that they will become easy prey. Many troubles and afflictions will come to them. On that day they will say, 'Haven't these troubles come to us because our God is no longer with us?'

A life lived well is a life connected to one's heritage.

Luther.