Welcome back friends and family to another episode of TTS.  This week we have some golden nuggets to share with you.

We know that it is easy to get into a routine.  One day turns into another and then the weeks become months and then poof…the time has flown by and our good intentions did not materialize into reality.  There may be times when the Lord puts a person or family on your heart and you really do intend to follow through with reaching out to them but do not put a plan in place and it never happens.  We do not want you to act from a place of regret or coulda, shoulda, woulda. Our hope is that you follow The Life whenever and wherever He leads.

We here at TTS have cracked open the vault and remembered some treasured times that we have either participated in or have heard of creative ways to spend time together with other saints.

We believe that this time spent together is just as spiritually powerful as the regularly scheduled meetings that happen during a typical week.

What is Body Life? What do we mean when we say Body Life?  Why is it Important to the Life of the community?

Putting the corporate meeting in perspective

Sharing our lives vs sharing His life together

Need to be intentional at first to help make more a part of your life.

PERSONAL EXAMPLES

Bridget – season of weekly thrifting together. We set a day and time and whoever could go, went.  Think seasonally – an example of having saints over for dinner in FL / all living together in the townhouses

RC – Trips/vacations together (e.g. beach days, globetrotting, cruises, etc.)

Brothers/sisters retreat (e.g. camping, beach houses, etc.)

Carrie – just going and sitting at their house, after parties, taking kids to the pool together, vacationed a few times with other saints.

Andrew – Repair vehicles together, little league example, hobby together (pipe smoking)

Tyrone – Cook dinners together, take vacations together, band recitals, days at the park, watch movies together, birthday parties, celebrating new jobs

Alison –  With younger children, it can be easy for me to think about the possible inconvenience of changing up the normal routine to hang with someone else. I have found that it is worth it every time to be together with saints, no matter what extra effort it might take to make it happen. The spiritual building together that takes place outweighs missed nap times, possibly tired/cranky children, extra planning, etc. So it’s great to just hang out at each other’s places, or go to parks or museums or the library. If families have kids that are homeschooled, try doing a few lessons together. Or, possibly my favorite right now, have people over after the kids are in bed.

In previous episodes 63 and 64, we talked about a group of believers called the “Dones.” This group of Jesus followers took the “red pill” (see episode 86) and left the religious system because they desired a deeper experience of Christ. Many of these followers, who have responded to the Lord’s nudging, often either pass through or remain in something that is metaphorically called “the wilderness.” In this week’s episode we want to encourage those who may be in this place by honing in on what the wilderness is and isn’t, as well as what can be learned while in this season and the perils of the wilderness.

What is the Wilderness?

A Christ given, tailor-made pathway that….

Guides us from the religious /world system

Leads us on into a greater experience of the fullness of Christ

An intentionally dry place, which can cause you to depend on Christ as the oasis in a desert.

What is the purpose of the wilderness?

It is a time of preparation and even testing (even Jesus had a wilderness experience) 

To move us toward God’s ultimate intention, which is

Christ being central in all things

The way of the cross being a way of life

* To bring us into being an active participant in a kingdom community

The wilderness leads to one of two things: life or death. You either leave the wilderness for the Canaan Land (life) (i.e. Jesus Christ), or you stay in the wilderness or turn back to Egypt or Babylon (all death).

What are some things that can be experienced in the wilderness?

Begin to see Christ as all sufficiency, the preeminent Lord, and the Only One

To Journey with Christ and towards His fullness, which is His Body

To begin the process of being stripped of self (ambitions, ministry, desires, etc.)

To begin the process of letting go of some religious baggage

Desperation for Christ and his body like never before

Seasonal loneliness

Spiritual hunger and thirst

The reframing of your spiritual diet

Always keep in mind that the wilderness was never meant to be permanent. It’s meant to be temporary and the time frame can differ for each person or group, which brings us to our next point. Experiencing Christ while in this wilderness season cannot replace a group of saints who are laying down their lives by, in, to, and for Christ together.

The Perils of remaining in the wilderness

* You miss out on the Canaan Land (the fullness of God’s life).

Losing sight of the Lord’s desire for us to be together with other saints learning to live by Christ life.

Limited or no Fellowship with other believers

Become comfortable with being by yourself.

Falling in love with the idea of being in community but when the opportunity is present to move into active body life it is avoided.

Books and podcasts become your experience

Advice for while you remain in the wilderness

Read Christ-centered books

Listen to Christ-centered podcast (like Andrew’s favorite podcast)

Pray for a door to be open for you to be part of a kingdom community

Seek out other saints who may be interested in connecting around Christ (we may be able to help with this)

If there’s any opportunity, don’t go through it alone; but whether or not you’re alone, cling to the Lord only and always.

Resources:

To the Saints YouTube Channel

Episode 63: The Dones (Part 1)

Episode 64: The Dones (Part 2)

Episode 86: Taking the Red Pill

In today’s episode, we look for Christ in the movie: After Earth (2013) PG-13. It stars Jaden Smith and Will Smith, and it is directed by M. Night “ShouldaboughtaHonda” Shyamalan.

MOVIE INTRO

The film takes place in the 31st century, an environmental cataclysm forces the human race to abandon Earth and settle on a new world, Nova Prime. It tells the story of a high-ranking general (General Cypher Raige (Will Smith)in the peacekeeping organization Ranger Corps, and his son, Kitai (Jaden Smith) who, after an incident during a spaceflight, find themselves fighting for survival on the now hostile planet Earth. With Cypher injured, Kitai must embark on a treacherous journey to signal for help. They must learn to work together and trust each other if they want any chance of returning home.

URSA

Humans have been in conflict with the S’krell, alien creatures who intended to conquer Nova Prime.

“The founding of the United Ranger Corp was founded 1,000 years ago was a global military effort in the evacuation of Earth. The Rangers would lead the settlement of mankind to their new home Nova Prime, but we were not alone.

The aliens released the Ursa, monsters bred to kill humans. Technically blind, the Ursa sees humans based on pheromones we secrete when frightened. They literally smell our fear. Humankind was again in danger of extinction and again turned to the ranger for the answer. That answer came in the form of the prime commander, Cypher Raige, the original ghost. He is believed to be so completely free of fear that to an Ursa, he is invisible. This phenomenon is known as “Ghosting.”

The Rangers struggle against the Ursas until Cypher learns how to manage the Ursas through a technique called “ghosting”. After teaching this technique to the other Rangers, he leads the Ranger Corps to victory.

LIFE SUIT/Naviband

The life suit with a naviband allows Cypher to see and hear Kitai, but Kitai can only hear him. He tells Kitai that I will be able to see everything you see and hear everything. It will be like I’m with you.

Picture of the father and Son relationship while Jesus was on the hostile planet Earth.

Learning to live by the life of Christ through the communicator of the Holy Spirit

GHOSTING AND FEAR

That night, Kitai listens to Cypher tell him a story of when he was attacked by an Ursa, how he realized that fear is merely an illusion created by the mind’s thoughts of the future, and thus he first began to “ghost” himself from the Ursas, choosing to live rather than to let his enemies, both fear and the Ursas, decide his fate.

Fear is the mind’s thoughts of future events

Fear is a choice- I don’t want that thing in me anymore

Fear is not real

Perfect love casts out fear

Our old man is full of fear

“Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity. Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice. We are all telling ourselves a story and that day mine changed.”

“Ghosting means there is no trace of fear within you”

TAKE A KNEE

Root yourself in the present moment: become aware of your surroundings

You are in Christ and He is in You

In Christ, there is no fear can’t find you

Don’t dwell on future events that may or may not happen

KITAI’S EXPERIENCE OF GHOSTING

Kitai has limited O2 supply so he chooses to skydive to get to the beacon to signal for help quicker.

Once he gets there, Kitai learns the ship’s Ursa escaped and killed the rest of the crew.

Kitai is able to control his fear and “ghost” himself from the Ursa enough to kill it. He then fires the beacon.

IN CHRIST SCENE

It is easy for us to get in a rut – do the same thing each time we meet (e.g. order of worship – we are creatures of habit). Plus, our past spiritual baggage concerning spiritual/secular – thinking certain activities are “spiritual” (short list) – can get in the way. However, there is endless creativity in our Lord!

There is also a difference between meeting as a noun and meeting as a verb. We’ve found that our meetings (noun) are greatly enhanced when we are meeting (verb) throughout the week. Some meetings that were particularly memorable and/or meaningful:

Bridget

* Words for Power in greek meeting

* Sister’s meeting walk

RC

* “You are My Body” meeting

* Meeting in hospital

Carrie

* Babette’s Feast

Andrew

* Orange/Menifee Canaan Land meeting

* Partnering

* After meetings

Tyrone

* Making a cake Meeting

Alison

* Seeing Christ in Jacob’s stairway

* New songs and poems

Thomas

* The meeting we took a walk

What are some of your most memorable and/or meaningful meetings?

So the Lord draws you out of the institutional church system and is leading you to meet with a group of saints in a kingdom community, something that looks completely different. You share this glorious news with your loved ones, and they say, “Great! So thrilled for you!”? Maybe. But if you have had the experience of many of us (and many people we have talked with), they might say something like, “That sounds like a cult.”

What do we mean when we say cult?

General definition:

“a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.”

Narrow definition (within Christianity):

“a religious group that denies one or more of the fundamentals of biblical truth.”

We are a cult of incestuous, cannibalistic, monotheistic vampires.

Many of us have experienced what you might be going through. We left family, friends, good jobs and sold our mini-farm to move to a different state

Friends and Parents kept asking

Who is the leader? (preacher)

Who are the elders? (how are decisions made)

This was something they had never heard of (organic church)

If you want to try a different church, there are plenty here. Why don’t you try them? (this is just about doing something “different”)

Who is your covering?

IT’S OK

First, remember They care about you! 

They may feel like what they are doing is wrong – something wrong with their church or views

It may be difficult for them to accept what you are doing because they do not really understand what it is.

Encouragement

It may feel lonely sometimes (wilderness)

You might think that you have lost your marbles

Your world(view) is being turned upside down

You are not alone

“You experience loneliness to experience onliness.” -Tyrone Hardy

Advice

Keep Exploring

Listen to To The Saints Radio

“AS I HAVE LOVED YOU”: A STARTING POINT OF CHRISTIAN OBEDIENCE by Jon Zens

Baptist Reformation Review(Now Searching Together) 2nd quarter 1980 vol 9-number 2

Horizontal Dimension of the Cross

It’s just as true to say, “Jesus died for my sins.” as it is to say, “Jesus died to create a new humanity.” -Jon Zens

The cross created a new humanity on earth in order that Jesus could be displayed through that new person.

Quotes:

This quote is by Augustine Stock from Echoes of Exodus: Tracing a Biblical Motif by Bryan D. Estelle,

“The coming of Jesus is the new definitive Exodus. This is the burden of the gospel’s message. The exodus tradition then seems to be one of the fundamentals in scripture.  All stages of redemptive history subsequent to the first event, use the exodus to explain it’s own meaning. If modern readers no longer feel completely at home with it this is only because they have lost their scriptural heritage to a large degree.” 

Robert Brinsmead in 1980,

“In the Old Testament, God’s saving act took place in the exodus Sinai event which becomes the type of God’s great saving act in the death, resurrection event. The prophets had also spoken of a new exodus under a new Moses at the end of the age. In the new redemptive act, God would make all things new. There would be a new covenant for a new Israel. The book of John presents Jesus as that new Moses of the new exodus. Just as the first exodus gave birth to the nation of Israel, so the new exodus at Calvary would give birth to the new Israel the ecclesia.”       

Luke 9: 29 And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure (exodus) which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

A PARALLEL OF THE TWO EXODUS

Exodus 20: I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, therefore, the giving of the 10 commandments.

New Exodus: I am the Lord who brings you out of the land of sin and bondage and brings you into a new humanity where there is no Jew or Greek.

Each exodus creates a new covenant people. You have Israel created by the old exodus. And the new people of God created by the new exodus and giving us a new commandment to love one another as I have loved you on the cross.

THE CROSS: THE SPRINGBOARD FOR LOVE IN ACTION

God is love in 1 John tell us what that means. It’s in the context of God loved us that He gave us His Son.

It’s love that acted in Jesus Christ specifically on His cross. It is our reference point to understand how to love others. Christ is the springboard for our love for one another. He laid down His life for us so we lay down our lives for one another.  

FF Bruce, “Jesus’ contemporaries freely identify Him as a second Moses-the expectation of the second Moses play an important part in popular eschatology at the time and with the expectation of a second Moses went very naturally the expectation of a second Exodus.”

Galatians 6 “Peace to the Israel of God” He is not speaking to the Jewish nation. He is speaking to the church. Israel was the type of the fulfillment who is the church.

What is new about the new commandment? What makes it new? It’s the cross! It’s the new exodus that creates a new people of God, that’s what’s new!

The Law is not our reference point any longer it’s Jesus and His cross.

It’s about LIFE, not the Law.

20 yrs passed after Pentecost the NT writings started to circulate.

What is Pure Love?

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far way we did some episodes on the Song of Solomon.

We were sharing what the Lord is revealing about Christ and the Bride through this book in Scripture, but never made it all the way through. This is going to be a recap of those episodes and then we will be continuing on with the story. You can find those other episodes in the links below. 

Sometimes our love for the Lord can start out as a love of gratitude, but it can still be an immature, self-focused love. It can look like being more concerned for and aware of what Christ does for US, gives to US, is to US, how things affect or relate to me. Even more conscience of these things than she is of Him. In other words, God accepts this love, receives this love. But He never intends for us to stay in this love. He draws us on. 

The experiences that the Bridegroom takes the Bride through bring her into a deeper aspect of love: “I am my lover’s and my lover is mine” (6.3). This is a growing love, a love of excellence.

We are becoming more aware of Him now. We are seeing His own excellence, His perfection, and are being drawn unto Him. We are developing a strong admiration of Him. We are becoming more aware of Him and of what we can be to Him.

By verse 7:10, we see a mature, pure love. “I am my lover’s and he claims me as his own.”

It is God’s own love, a love that loves. He brings her to His own love and they now love each other with this love and love all others with this love. She truly is one with Him now. She no longer loves with an ulterior motive.

In 1 John 4:19, we read that God first loved us in that He infused us with His love and generated within us the love with which we love Him and the brothers (1 John 4:20-21).

Each experience reveals more of the Bridegroom and takes her eyes more off herself until finally…

…in the end we see her on the mountaintops with Him and her concern is utterly for Him. For pouring herself out for Him.

Is He Worthy?

We also share a song by Andrew Peterson entitled “Is He Worthy.” We recommend you watch the video if you get a chance!

Is He Worthy? by Andrew Peterson

Resources:

TTS-009: Song of Songs: Initial Love (Part 1)

TTS-011: Song of Songs: Initial Love (Part 2)

TTS-015: Song of Songs: Faltering Love (Part 1)

TTS-016: Song of Songs: Faltering Love (Part 2)

TTS-017: Song of Songs: Faltering Love (Part 3)

TTS-018: Song of Songs: Growing Love

 

What does it mean to practically live by the Lord’s Life?

* Question from a listener  (Taffarel Keller)

* “I am transitioning into new covenant understanding and living by the Lord’s Indwelling Life. I saw Carrie, on YouTube, describe living by the Lord’s Indwelling life. But still haven’t grasped it fully. It really really interested me. Can you all discuss this in the future? I’ll really really appreciate it. Thanks in advance. Excellent job guys. I love you all

What does it mean to practically live by the Lord’s Life?

Question from a listener (Taffarel Keller)

“I am transitioning into new covenant understanding and living by the Lord’s Indwelling Life. I saw Carrie, on YouTube, describe living by the Lord’s Indwelling life. But still haven’t grasped it fully. It really really interested me. Can you all discuss this in the future? I’ll really really appreciate it. Thanks in advance. Excellent job guys. I love you all

The Seeds are sown. The Birds are gathering. The battle for God’s Kingdom is at hand.

R.C. has gone and written a book. But this isn’t just any old book, this is a work of Kingdom fiction. What’s that you ask? It’s a special kind of fiction with God’s eternal purpose at its heart.

Here’s his book’s blurb:

Cooper and Gretchen are a couple of typical teens who like baseball, driving, and helping Farmer Lamb with his summer harvest. This year, however, the old farmer invites them to help with another job—one that’s a little more involved. Before they know it, they are meeting Jesus face to face and being recruited to help build His Kingdom.

Transported to another realm, Cooper and Gretchen are given Seeds filled with the good news of God’s Kingdom. All they have to do is allow one of the Seeds to grow in their heart and bring it back to the Barn for the Harvest. It sounds easy, but they soon learn that there are Birds dead set against the Kingdom and that their own choices can have devastating consequences.

Can Cooper and Gretchen hang on to just one Seed for the summer, or will the Birds steal them all before the Harvest even begins? The battle for God’s Kingdom is at hand.

The Seed of the Kingdom is the first book in the exciting new Kingdom Tales Christian fiction series. If you like the sanctified reimagining of God’s Kingdom, similar to that of The Chronicles of Narnia, then this is a must-read new series from author R.C. Babione.

Here are some of the questions we put to R.C.:

* The themes of this book (including the eternal purpose of God, staying the course, and beholding the Lord) could have easily been in a nonfiction book. Why did you choose to share on these themes through fiction?

* Have you always wanted to be a writer/write fiction or is this a new interest?

* Where did the inspiration for the book come from?

* There are authors who are Christian but don’t write quote unquote “Christian” books, yet the idea of God and Jesus usually comes through in subtle ways. And there are authors who are Christian who write distinctly and undeniably Christian books. The Seed of the Kingdom falls in the latter category. How did you come to this decision?

* There are many scenes that take place in the unseen/spiritual realm. Were these scenes difficult to describe? Where did your ideas of what the unseen realm might be like come from?

* In your book, Jesus is an actual character (and in a book set in modern times, no less) instead of using other images, ideas, or characters to portray “the voice of Jesus” or something like that. Tell us about the decision to make Jesus a character and how it was to write his character.

* The Seed of the Kingdom is the first book in a series. In this book, the Parable of the Sower is expressed in a new (and very relatable) way through the trials of Cooper and Gretchen. Do you plan to have a parable woven throughout each book in the series or is that unique to this one?

* There are many genres and categories in fiction. How would you categorize this book?