LSW Grapics The Spiritual World

Are you curious about the world you live in?

 

What are the elements in this world?

What things are there that we cannot see, hear, smell, feel or taste?

For example:

How do airplanes take off and fly?

 

 

We cannot see lift happening, but it does- 395,000 lbs

 

 

How can we explain this world that we live in? 

Where did it come from?

How did we get here?

 

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world. Psalms 19:1-4

 

How does Creation speak of a Creator?

 

Utila Sunset

 

Almond Flowers Israel

 

Schwartzwaldkirschtorte and a cappuccino in the Black Forest Germany

 

Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton

Cream  Royal Albert Hall, 2005

 

Sunsets?  Flowers?  Tastebuds?  Good Music?

 

What is your explanation for this place we live in and ourselves?

Here is one explanation:

 

 

Here is another:

 

 

And one more:

 

 

What do you think?

 

The Bible records that as a well-known Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus to arrest the followers of Jesus, his journey was interrupted. Suddenly, a bright light, brighter than the noon sun, appeared, and a voice from an invisible source came with a message to Saul. He later described this event to King Agrippa.

 One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to fight against my will.”

“Who are you, sir?” I asked.

And the Lord replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now stand up! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and my witness. You are to tell the world about this experience and about other times I will appear to you. And I will protect you from both your own people and the Gentiles.

Yes, I am going to send you to the Gentiles, to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.

Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.”  Acts 26:12-17

 

This was obviously the defining moment in Saul/Paul’s life.

Considering the circumstances of Saul being on his way to capture and imprison Christians, this event was more than extraordinary.

The message was that he would be used by God to open the eyes of many.

But open the eyes to what? For what purpose?

We have been taught by our scientists to only trust the things that we can see, feel, hear, touch, and taste¾the things that our senses respond to. 

Yet there is a whole world out there that is accessible only through our spirit. Our God deeply desires us to be aware of this other dimension of life and that we enter in to relate to Him and impact the world for His purposes. 

The reality is that many in the world live their lives as if the spiritual world does not even exist, either through ignorance or choice. They are blinded to the realities of life and not living to their full potential. And they are perishing.

 

In 2 Kings, chapter 6, there is a relevant passage about such a problem. This story is about Elisha and the children of Israel. There is a serious problem: There is a war going on, and a young servant, Gehazi, is looking at the situation saying, “What shall we do?”

The king commanded, “Go and find out where Elisha is, and we will send troops to seize him.”

And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere.

“Ah, my lord, what will we do now?” he cried out to Elisha.

“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!”

Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!”

The Lord opened his servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.     2 Kings 6:13-17

 

Have you had an experience where things happened that you cannot explain?

 

 

 

 

Words From Laura

 

We live for and are influenced by innumerable forces¾seen and unseen.

However, we live most of our lives primarily by what we can see, hear, taste, touch, and feel.

We find ourselves influenced by the weather, our health, the time, the economy, the system, and all that is tangible to our senses.

We live our lives here and now mainly for the urgent needs of the moment.

Yet there is an entire host of heaven, including a Creator Being, longing for our attention and affection.

A Creator that is totally engrossed in us and our activities on this planet, so much so that He made visible to us His Son, so that we would have the opportunity to look into the unseen world all around us.

By the death of Jesus Christ, we have access to an eternal world far greater than our minds could conceive.

We are made alive in His Spirit and have been given the right to know the mysteries of our God¾the unseen mysteries that move our universe and influence our daily existence.

 Things hidden from plain view and only disclosed to those with the faith to believe. The unseen forces that influence are more powerful than the forces that can be seen.

Whether we believe these forces exist or not does not change the fact that they are there and that they do influence.

Indeed, it is with an influence so great that lives are devastated and destroyed because of them.

Just as lives are changed, empowered, and renewed by them. Satan attempts to steal, kill, and destroy all that belongs to God.

God, the Victor through Jesus Christ, empowers us to overcome all the influences of Satan and his demonic hosts.

He uses the power of His angelic creations to wage this battle in the heavenly realm. We are a part of this war whether we know it or not. It is far better to know it than to be ignorant of it and bashed back and forth by the forces that be.

In understanding the Lord's creation¾the seen and the unseen¾, we are able to deal with life with the greatest insight.

Our level of discernment into the spiritual realm will heighten, and we will experience an effectiveness that will impact not only what is seen but also all that is unseen.

Our lives will enter the realm of the eternal¾a realm far more profound and lasting. A realm that rises above the circumstances and influences of this life.