heaven's tree book club

September 11, 2012
Introduction
Today marks the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. I remember clearly when that happened. I was a junior in college. The attacks were all over the news. I went to the dorms to meet my friends and students were all in shock, some really shaken up by it. Anyone who could comprehend what just happened would forever remember the disturbance both personally and to our nation. Any of us who travel by flight know the increase security checks we now need to go through. It has been 11 years but we still remember the impact of this event. This day has symbolic meaning for many of us. There are nine elevens in our own lives. Moments where we are totally rocked to destroy even our foundations. What remains is rubble. I find my self asking the questions of why and what now? The WTC towers are kind of like me at my highest four months ago when I just graduated my MSW program. I had momentum after doing well on my final projects and earning my highest grad school GPA ever. I even had a couple of job interviews lined up. Everything crashed when I came back to Sac. Four failed interviews. Countless rejected applications. A health condition that has kept me home-bound for most of these four months. Increasing depression and discouragement that does not appear to lift. Where is God when it hurts? Each day I pray for God to enable me to live the victories Christian life and yet I live each day with defeat and depression that does not go away. I feel useless and alone these four or so months.
I've thought about what book to read next and in the last reflection I noted that I cannot return to Wiersbe any time soon. I need to continue reading Christian authors with a high view of God with a lifestyle that backs up this belief. I want to read works that believe that God is still sovereign and that God still heals today. I want to believe that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Johnson (2006) continues right now to be my author of choice. I've recently been praying to have the faith like Pastor Johnson. He is much like a first century apostle who reaches those who Jesus reached with both the message and the power of the Kingdom. This book, The Supernatural Ways of Royalty continues this theme of God's power in our lives.
"PAUPERHOOD is relegated to the children of a lesser god. It is the condition of slaves who have yet to discover their freedom on the other side of the river of baptism and find themselves still captured by the dark prince of torture and torment. He is the one who assigns them to a life of poverty, pain and depression through a diabolical play of illusion hoping to conceal their true identity forever. This evil prince feeds his captors the rations of religion to fill their soul's hunger for righteousness. These slaves, blindfolded by their sin, think that they are laboring for their own freedom and work to pave their way out of prison with bricks built from the miry clay of self-righteousness. Yet unknowingly, brick by brick, they are erecting their own chambers of death. Worse yet, these give birth to offspring of the same darkness, ultimately creating legacies of bondage with mind-sets of hopelessness.
But on a hill far away, a Lamb-turned-Lion descended into this death camp through the porthole of Golgotha. Crashing through the gates of hell, He met the dark prince in the mother of all battles. With three spikes and a thorny crown, the Captain of the Host conquered the devil, eternally disarming his destructive weapons of sin, death, hell and the grave. For sin could not tempt Him, death could not defeat Him, hell could not keep Him and the grave could not hold Him. With watching witnesses and waiting warriors, He ascended through earth's surface. The planet quaked to release its captives while Heaven thundered to receive   its   treasure. These   were   not   simply   rescued   souls   to   be redeemed, but this was the crowning of the sons who were to be revealed.The Holy One of Radiance brought rotten, ragged sinners and recreated us into His righteous, reigning Saints."
At first glance the author seems to advocate a kind of Theology and Christian experience much like Wiersbe and other conservative Christians. That is, that this current life is difficult. Endure it. Heaven is so much better. This is not to say that it is wrong. Heaven is our hope. I want to believe that God has not only provided a better way in the life after. There is another belief, much like this author who proposes that we can live a glimpse of heaven now. We are not just righteous saints but reigning saints. Jesus not only defeated hell and death but also sin. We do not need to be slaves to sin. He has paid the ultimate penalty that we may have the ultimate life not only in heaven but now.
"We are not just soldiers of the cross; we are heirs to the throne. His divine nature permeates our souls, transforms our minds, transplants our hearts and transfigures our spirits. We were made to be vessels of His glory and vehicles of His light.
Others say the story is better reflected in the beautiful daughter who will ascend the throne through marriage, for she is betrothed to the Prince of Peace.The Bridal Chamber is beginning to be assembled, the feast is being prepared and the Bride is making herself ready. Whether we are called the Children of God, the Engaged Bride, a Royal Priesthood, the Apple of His Eye or a New Creation, one thing is for certain. . .we have captivated the heart of our Lover who is leading a majestic entourage, for He has mounted His white Horse and is making His way toward the planet!
Meanwhile back on earth, God's people are rising in this present darkness and beginning to shine. His Royal Army is spreading the King's glory all over the earth as we take dominion of this planet back from the defeated one. Equipped with the light of the Father, His sons are finding buried treasure in the hearts of men that was once covered by rocks of offense, thorns of treachery and relics of religion. Armed with the power of the Holy Spirit and commissioned to re-present the King's Son, we are healing the sick, raising the dead, and displacing devils.This is resulting in paupers becoming princes and the kingdom of this world becoming the Kingdom of our God!"
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the cross that represents what Your Son went through so that we may become heirs who reign with Him. Through Your divine nature, permiate our souls, transplant our hearts, transform our minds and transfigure our spirits. Help us to be a radient and glorious bride of Christ. Father, I desire the lifestyle that heals the sick, raises the dead, and displaces the devil to enter into the darkness with Your light. I want this life to count and not merely to struggle but to thrive. These many months I feel very defeated and discouraged. Yet, as I begin this book, I continue to pray for breakthrough in my life, health, vocation, ministry, and singleness. I want to see and experience Your power and presence in my life so that I may tell of Your many mighty works.