Sonrise!

Sonrise!

Cheryl McGrath

The Spirit broods over the earth. He is calling to the sons of God: “Awaken, Arise”. A key word for this hour is “emergence”. A season of emergence is proclaimed, as the sons of God awake to the Voice of the Spirit and begin to emerge upon the face of the earth. Those who discern the hour and are watchful of the seasons of the Lord are even now discerning with their spiritual senses a new and marvelous thing breaking forth. They are alerted to a changing of season.

It is a season that comes with little fanfare or celebration, yet it comes in the perfect timing and complete power of the Father. It comes like the rising of a new dawn on the earth; it comes with the brilliant light and glory of a newly created day emerging on the eastern horizon. As surely and as silently as the morning sun sends out her rays to kiss the darkened earth, so surely and silently does this season dawn with the Kiss of the Son upon the earth’s weary, weeping face. And as certainly as each new day brings expectations of change, so this new season comes with expectations of great changes whose appointed times have come, and which will not be held back or delayed any longer. Yet few will notice, and few will comprehend the significance of this hour for which creation has yearned and Heaven celebrates.

Yes, the long-awaited Word has gone forth, determined from the dawn of time in the secret council of Elohim – flowing forth from the Son, approved by the Father, to be birthed by the Spirit – now carried forth by angels and declared with power. And once again, the Spirit hovers over the face of the waters. The waters are of nations, tribes and peoples, but these do not know or hear the song He sings. The song He sings over the earth in this hour is a song that brings forth a mighty awakening and stirs a growing restlessness deep within the spirits of those to whom it is sung. It comes even as a sudden gentle wind on a still day, fanning into flame the smouldering embers of fires long thought dead. It comes as a new, yet ancient tune, strangely familiar to those who will now be compelled to play it, sing it and dance to its beat. It comes from the deepest longings of the Father’s heart, having been bathed in His own holy tears. It comes with a fearful shout of victorious triumph from the lips of the Son, startling His enemies into a frantic and final escalation of unparalleled wickedness.

And as this song of emergence, this creative call to resurrection life, arises in the spirits of the very sons of God, now and in the days that come, a responding sound will begin to rise from the earth. It is simultaneously the sound of war and the sound of heaven, appearing among men. It is the sound of resolute marching; it is the sound of clashing swords; it is the sound of many voices united together by the Spirit of Adoption, by whom they cry out as one “Abba, Father!”. It is the sound of two kingdoms colliding on a scale not ever before witnessed by mankind!

And as this awesome revelation of sonship reverberates throughout all creation, the King’s enemies will flee powerless and confused before those who carry it forth. Powerless, because death cannot defeat those who have already died. Powerless because there is no demonic strategy in the face of truth proclaimed by the Spirit of Truth. Powerless because as one mortal body is destroyed, many more shall arise in that one’s place. Powerless because men, women and children will now walk the face of the earth in the stature and image of that Firstborn Son whose exploits are forbidden even to be spoken in the darkest, vilest haunts of hell.

And powerless because these ones know who their Father is and therefore know who THEY are! Having come forth from the dust of the earth, they have followed the Firstborn into their eternal realm, quickened by the Spirit and no longer bound to the earth from which they were formed. They have obtained the heavenly inheritance of joint-heirship with Christ and are declared to be the sons of God with power!

And so shall be the manifestation of the sons of God to all creation, the season of which we now enter. Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit decrees. It has begun!

Received 4 – 7 June, 2004
Cheryl McGrath

THE REVELATION OF THE SONS OF GOD

Part One

Note: The words “son”, “sons” and “sonship” in this article are used in the spirit of Gal. 3:28. In other words all references to “sonship” here are references to the Father-child relationship between God and His children, regardless of gender, race or age, and do not refer specifically to the male gender.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8:19

He that overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall by My son. Rev. 21:7

For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Song of Songs 2:11-12

The Call to Sonship

There are many in the church who aspire to mature sonship, but there are many less who have learnt the secrets of walking in it. All who enter the Kingdom are called as sons of God, but few are willing to meet the cost of becoming MANIFESTED sons. For those who object: “but sonship belongs to ALL believers at the new birth”, I would agree and disagree. It is one thing to enjoy the TITLE of son and heir and the privileges that come with that position. It is quite another thing to submit oneself to the school of obedience and unjust suffering that produces within us the character of the Firstborn Son, to whose image all other sons are to be conformed. (Rom. 8:29) A wise father recognises all his sons as his sons, but also marks and celebrates the day of maturity when a son can be trusted with the responsibilities of a functioning heir. It is at that time that the Father’s endowment of authority in that son becomes apparent to the world.

So we are talking here not simply about the inheritance of sonship through faith, but more specifically about the unmistakable MANIFESTATION of that sonship, here on this earth and in this mortal life, that must be witnessed by creation. Those who, in the coming days, will be revealed to all creation as “manifested sons” of God will be those who have yielded to the Spirit’s training in ALL aspects of sonship, which includes the Father’s discipline (Heb. 12:6-8), and the embracing of the Cross.

There is no mysterious exclusion zone surrounding this event the scriptures refer to as “the manifestation of the sons of God” (KJV). We should not be deceived into believing this company of sons who will be revealed are an elite group of super-saints, endowed with a level of holiness not available to the average believer. On the contrary, the invitation to walk as one of these manifested sons, whom the scriptures say the whole of creation is longing to see, is an open one, available to all born-again children of God. The scriptures also make abundantly clear, however, that attaining this measure of mature sonship will involve significant cost to the flesh for those who sincerely seek to respond to it.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren… Hebrews 2:10-11

What form will this manifested sonship take when it appears? What nature of people are this company of believers we are told creation waits for with “anxious longing”? There is one thing of which we can be certain – as the revealed sons of God they will bear an uncanny resemblance to their elder Brother, the Firstborn Son!

In the World but Not of the World

That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…. Philippians 2:15

As has already been stated, we are dealing here not just with the concept of sonship, but with MANIFESTED, or REVEALED, sonship. A contemporary dictionary definition of the word “manifest” is this: “clearly apparent to the sight or understanding; obvious.”

Jesus manifested His Sonship whatever He did and wherever He went. He didn’t have to work at being different – it was clearly evident to all who crossed His path that He just WAS. His connectedness to Something or Someone outside the common understanding of this world was glaringly obvious and unquestionably uncomfortable for many. People were either drawn to Him or repelled by Him. His manifested Sonship flowed directly from the depth of His unbroken communion with His Father.

So shall it be with all those whose sonship will be revealed as they walk the earth. Who they are may not be understood or acceptable, but that they are not of this earth shall certainly be MANIFESTED in ways that are clearly and unmistakably obvious. Certainly signs and wonder, miracles, powerful delivery of the Word, great grace, joy, holy lifestyles and diversities of gifts and functions will accompany them. However, even more significant than these, manifested sons will EXPOSE peoples’ hearts, motives and intentions. As the glory of the Father, the grace of the Son and the holiness of the Spirit are increasingly revealed in and through them, their very presence will expose all that is of a different spirit, and for this reason they will be severely persecuted. People will either be drawn to the glory residing in them, or, by the working of the antichrist spirit, they will intensely oppose them.

Prophetically Proclaimed, Yet Obscure

Just as the coming of the Firstborn Son was prophetically proclaimed, yet of humble and un-notable circumstances, so can we expect it to be with those who walk in mature sonship. Prophets had foretold the coming of Jesus and His birth was marked by heavenly signs which were observed by star-watchers far to the east. Yet, apart from the oriental Magi, some Hebrew shepherds close to Bethlehem, and probably some animals sheltered in a stable, few alive in Israel at the time of Jesus’ birth were aware of the momentous significance of the time in which they lived.

John the Baptist was sent in the spirit of Elijah as a forerunner to herald this long-awaited manifestation of God’s Son on the earth. For his efforts his life was cut short and his message silenced. Similarly, for some years now prophetic voices have been prophesying the imminent appearance of what has been called a “faceless, nameless” generation of holy people, who will move in the Spirit’s power yet seek no glory for themselves. As with the Firstborn Son, the rising generation of manifest sons will arise from seeming obscurity and unexceptional beginnings. There will seldom be anything about their physical appearance, personality, or reputation that would cause them to draw the world’s attention. In fact, we should expect the most notable aspect about them, according to worldly standards, to be their ordinariness! (1 Cor. 1:27-29). They will truly be examples of God choosing the weak and foolish to bring to nothing the wisdom of the world.

I believe that another reason these walking in manifested sonship will be “nameless and faceless” is because there will simply be too many of them for the world to create a celebrity class from them. Though the world may attempt to impose it’s fame on some, they will shun worldly recognition and all that comes with it, just as Jesus did (see John 6:14-15). Their only motivation will be to be about their Father’s business while walking as living witnesses of His love.

This is not to imply that men and women walking in manifested sonship have not been raised up by the Spirit at other times. Many names could be listed of those who have embraced this costly calling throughout Christian history, including more recent examples like John Wesley, Mary Slessor , Smith Wigglesworth, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Sadhu Sundhar Singe, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and countless others. However, these have been individual forerunners, making way for a greater company of manifested sons to be revealed by the Spirit when the appointed time arrived and creation’s yearning should be fulfilled.

Driven into the Wilderness

We can expect that those walking in manifested sonship will have known times of deep loneliness, testing and hiddenness, or what is commonly called the wilderness experience. Jesus the Firstborn Son was not spared this experience, nor will His brethren be (Luke 4:1). They will most certainly have wrestled with the temptation to follow a more comfortable and rewarding life-path by the world’s standards than the narrow, unrecognised path they’ve chosen. They will have experienced firsthand the pain of being misunderstood, misrepresented and written off by church associates, friends and even family. But they will also have learnt the secret of overcoming in such trials through the power of the Spirit and the grace of Christ. Therefore they will not display a victim mentality, whatever persecution or hardship they may endure. Though they may be dressed in rags, they will walk in the holiness of priests and the authority of kings which shall not depart from them.

Belonging to the Fellowship of Suffering

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:16

The reality of the Cross and the fellowship of the suffering of Jesus will be more than theoretical concepts in the lives of these manifested sons of God. The scriptures leave us in no confusion or doubt over the fact that the path to glory and resurrection life leads through the Cross, not around it. Therefore they will know Jesus intimately in the place of suffering as well as the place of power. It is precisely because they have yielded to the application of the Cross in their lives that they shall be granted the authority of resurrected sons.

These manifested sons will engender great fear in Satan’s kingdom because the fear of death will not have any hold on them. At the same time each one of them will be a living revelation of the reality of God’s grace keeping and sustaining His own. All those who suffer for and with Jesus have a special kind of fellowship, not only with their Lord, but also with each other, that is unknown to those believers who choose to circumvent the Cross. This too will be a mark of these mature sons – they will know each after the Spirit, and not after the flesh, and consequently their fellowship with one another shall be deep and rewarding in a way the world cannot comprehend (2 Cor. 5:16). For this reason they shall be granted the sacrificial grace of the Firstborn, enabling them to lay down their lives for one another.

Naturally Supernatural

So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a lifegiving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. 1 Cor. 15:45-49

Manifested sons will have shed the Adamic earthbound nature of the man of dust and will therefore bear the image of the last Adam, the heavenly man Jesus, without any sense of shame. They will have truly become sons of heaven and will demonstrate through word, deed and lifestyle, the supernatural power demonstrated by the Firstborn. Many will display, when required, authority over nature and the created elements. They will fulfil the command given to Adam and Eve, to “subdue the earth” (Gen. 1:28). Having died to the earthly nature of the man of dust (or earth), with its natural limitations, and “put on” by faith the Heavenly Man, they will no longer be bound to the laws of nature that govern the earth. Rather, having indeed become raised up together to sit in heavenly places in Christ, creation will recognise and submit to them, even while they walk in mortal bodies.

THE REVELATION OF THE SONS OF GOD

Part Two

Discerned by Apostles and Prophets

As a firstborn son, Jesus was presented by Mary and Joseph in the temple at Jerusalem, according to the law (Luke 2:22) The gospel of Luke records that on that occasion a man named Simeon came “by the Spirit” into the temple. Taking the newly born Jesus up into his arms, he proclaimed Him to be the salvation of God, bringing light to the Gentiles and glory to Israel. He then blessed Mary and Joseph, and shared a more personal prophetic word with Mary.

Simeon, who the scripture calls just and devout, had been waiting for the consolation, or comfort, of Israel. The Greek word translated as “waiting” would be more accurately understood as “looking for with earnest expectation”. The “consolation of Israel” was a term used for the coming of the Messiah. So we understand from this passage that Simeon had been waiting with great anticipation for the Messiah’s appearance, or coming forth, in His people, Israel.

Luke then records that right at that moment a prophetess named Anna came forth proclaiming the praise of God. “And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). Anna’s husband had died while she was still a young woman and she had devoted the remainder of her life to serving God in a ministry of intercession at the temple. Both Simeon and Anna were people whose lives had been set apart for the Lord’s service. They were watchers of the seasons, able by the Spirit of the Lord to discern the times they lived in.

How many others were in the temple that day we cannot know, but we do know the temple in Jerusalem in Jesus’ time was a magnificently impressive structure and the centre of worship for Jews throughout Israel and the ancient world. In fact, just the internal area alone covered approximately 35 acres. So it is safe to surmise that on most days there would have been a great multitude in and around the temple, worshiping, meeting, sacrificing, teaching, trading, and undertaking a diversity of other tasks. Yet, only two of them, sensitive to the Spirit and alert to the spiritual atmosphere, recognised the entrance of Israel’s Messiah, God’s own Son, into the temple that day.

Prophetically, I believe Simeon and Anna, represent apostles and prophets of this present age, who are given to watch and discern the seasons of God and who are sensing the imminent revealing of the sons of God to creation. Anna is representative of the true prophets of the Lord, who carry an intercessory burden for the revelation of this great company of sons on the earth. Simeon represents the true apostles, whose greatest passion is always to see the coming forth of Christ in His people (Gal. 4:19). Just as Simeon lifted up the newly born Son of God in the temple, true apostles will always lift up Christ that He might draw all men. This coming company of manifested sons will be discerned first by apostles and prophets who, by the Spirit, are expectantly watching for them.

Sons and Servants

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Phil. 2:5-7

There is a currently popular teaching which implies that since New Covenant believers are sons and heirs of God, cultivating a servant’s heart signifies a failure to appropriate full sonship. This false teaching is a distortion of the following passage written by Paul to the Galatians:

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Gal. 4:6-7

The purpose of Paul’s letter was to solemnly warn the Galatian church, whom he had established, about the danger of submitting themselves to the Old Covenant ritual of circumcision, which false teachers were attempting to impose on them. Paul is saying that submission to the Old Covenant law for a New Covenant believer is equal to a slave who has been given freedom willingly returning to enforced slavery. He is comparing life under the law with life in the Spirit. This passage has nothing to do with the servanthood born of humility modelled by Christ.

The Firstborn Son did not consider servanthood something to be despised, and nor will any true son of God (John 13:13-16).On the contrary, the manifested sons of God will demonstrate to the world the true meaning of humility. They will hold the fruits of the Spirit in high value because they are the character of Christ. Jesus was able to discern the appropriate times to demonstrate both His servant’s heart and His kingly authority, and He walked comfortably in both. Likewise will all the manifested sons of God who follow after Him truly be sons who serve, and servants who rule as sons..

The Son’s Lordship

The Lordship of Jesus over every aspect of life for manifested sons will not be an issue they continue to struggle with, having been finally settled. Where once a fierce battle may have raged in this particular arena, there will now be evidence of a certain stillness and profound rest having come to the soul of the manifested son. Any question over Jesus’ right to be Lord will have been replaced by a deep experiential intimacy with Christ that is the rich reward of all who have surrendered to His sovereign rule over their lives and their fate. With childlike sincerity they will truly be able to say “for me to live is Christ”, and their lives will bear witness. This does not mean to imply they will be super-spiritual, sombre, religious types. On the contrary, the joy of daily fellowship with Christ shall flow freely from them and the sweetness of the communion they enjoy with Him shall be their greatest treasure. These will be people who both know and carry the manifest Presence of the Lord. Once it was said of David the Psalmist, “the Lord is with him” (1 Sam. 16:18). Thus shall it be said of the manifested sons of God.

The Spirit’s Fellowship

One of the great tragedies prevalent in the contemporary church is the dishonouring of the Spirit of God. The Bible reveals the Holy Spirit as one of the three Divine Personalities of the triune Godhead. He is not merely a force or a warm-fuzzy feeling. He carries His own unique function and authority within the Godhead and displays all the attributes with which “personality” is defined , i.e. will, emotions and intellect. He is to be valued for Who He is, over and above the gifts and anointings He can impart to us.

The Lord recently spoke to me of the displeasure He takes in the casual manner with which many in His church behave towards the Holy Spirit. A great many of those who call themselves by the name of Christ still regard the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an optional extra, to be sought or passed over as they themselves choose. Furthermore, many who have been baptised in the Spirit do not seek to be constantly filled and walking in the Spirit. These attitudes are offensive to the Lord, who poured out His Blood to ensure His Bride would obtain the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). The cost for Pentecost was Calvary. There is a great need for repentance in much of the church, not only for grieving the Spirit which is bad enough in itself, but also for treating with contempt our Bridegroom’s most precious wedding gift to us.

Those who walk in manifested sonship will demonstrate an authentic relationship with the Spirit of the Lord, and not simply give Him lip-service. They will be committed to seeking His counsel and trusting and moving with His directions because they have grown sensitive to all His ways. When the Spirit is grieved, they will be grieved. It is rather sobering to realise that when Peter rebuked Ananias for lying to the Spirit, Ananias “hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last.” It was not because Ananias had upset Peter that he lost his earthly life, but because of the contempt with which He had treated the Holy Spirit. Many believe Peter commanded Ananias’ death. A careful reading of the passage in Acts 5:1-6 will reveal this is not so. It was on hearing Peter’s words that Ananias’ life expired. The apostle Peter was literally so grieved on the Spirit’s behalf that Ananias was unable to continue even breathing in his presence! (We need to remember that Peter walked in great spiritual authority.) The result was that “great fear came upon all who heard these things”. The manifested sons of God will usher in a return to a true fear of the Lord and respect for the Spirit that has not been known in the church since the days of the early apostles.

The fellowship of the Spirit is a deep joy and comfort for those who grow to value His companionship over and above His gifts. Furthermore, it will only be those who seek to grow in sensitivity to the Holy Spirit who will be able to stand for Christ in the days ahead without falling into confusion, fear and deception. Without getting to know the Holy Spirit as friend, counsellor and teacher, we will not hear Him when He speaks to us, and that could mean the difference between life and death for some. Jesus told His disciples: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). Seek to know the Spirit of Truth, for only He can reveal truth to you.

The Father’s Friendship

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:15)

“Abba” is the Aramaic word for “father. It is the same affectionate word Jesus used to address His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:36), and expresses a particularly intimate and close father-child relationship.

At the Cross Jesus restored the broken relationship between mankind and His Father. Under the Old Covenant, Israel had known God as Creator, God of the Covenant, Almighty Judge and Provider of the Law. The Jewish religious leaders regarded Abraham as their father, but not God, for they could not imagine Him in such an intimate role (John 8:39). The Fathership of God was only revealed to man through the Blood of Christ. It is profoundly a New Covenant revelation, and part of our rich inheritance in Christ.
I believe one of the deepest revelations the manifested sons of God will walk in will be freedom from condemnation and the consciousness of the sin nature. This will be because they will have yielded to the Spirit’s sanctifying work to such a depth they can freely call out “Abba, Father!” with no sense of shame or alienation. The Holy Spirit, who has many names, is also the Spirit of Adoption. While it was Jesus who reconciled us to His Father through His own shed Blood, it is the Spirit of Adoption in us who brings the revelation of sonship and enables us to stand before our Father without shame, because of the Blood.

The manifest sons of God will live, walk and function in the full freedom available to sons of God because they have understood the totality of their justification, and that it is their own Father who has justified them, because of the Blood. There are very few believers in this current spiritual climate who have truly taken hold of this vital truth. However, without a revelation of full justification through the redeeming power of the Blood of the Lamb, it is certain no child of God can mature to manifest sonship.

ARE WE READY?

For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:22-23)

What does it mean that creation awaits the revelation of this generation of mature and holy sons of God? To whom or what must they be revealed?

Firstly, they must be revealed to themselves. They must know who their Father is and consequently know who they are. Struggles over worthiness, callings and the pre-eminence of Christ must have been finally buried. Transition must have been made from carnal mindedness to spiritual mindedness. The awareness of the King and His Kingdom must have gained precedence over self-awareness. This does not mean that the war between flesh and spirit is over, or that doubts, fears and human frailty no longer have any place in these manifested sons. It does mean, however, that they have surrendered the ownership over their lives to Christ, and no longer contend against the Spirit’s dealings with the soul. They are decreasing while He is increasing.

Secondly, they must be revealed to the groaning creation. Creation awaits the birth of the great company of manifested sons of God from the earth, and as their coming forth grows closer, the whole creation’s birth pangs are growing stronger and more frequent. Creation is not merely the earth, but includes the heavens and all created beings. As these ones are revealed, Heaven’s angels will rejoice and fallen angels will fear, but ALL creation will bear witness that a new day has dawned upon the earth and the final battle over it’s ownership is about to be played out.

Finally, they must be revealed to the world. The wisdom of the Cross and the power of the Blood must be attested to through a holy company of true sons who will reverse the mockery and contempt with which the world has come to view those who bear the Name of Christ. The reality of the resurrection must be witnessed to by those who cannot help but speak what they have seen and heard. The world must be given the opportunity to taste and see that the Lord is good, that is taste of His grace, for one final season before judgment becomes absolute and final.

The manifestation of the sons of God will cause great division amongst mankind, as light and truth which are only found in Jesus Christ expose darkness and deception for what they really are. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, wherever manifested sons enter, their presence will expose hearts and uncover sin. True holiness always manifests itself this way. Individuals and nations will be confronted with the choice between repentance or continued rebellion against the Lord. There will therefore be great glory, but there will also be great suffering and intense persecution for those who are to be revealed.

Many in the church are not ready for the revealing of the manifest sons of God. Many are distracted and disinterested. The spirit of antichrist will rise up against the manifested sons not only in the world, but in churches and in families. Many in the church will turn upon them, denouncing them, calling them before authorities, and even killing them, believing they are serving God in doing so (John 16:2). Remember, if this happens to you, that is not you they hate, but the image of the Firstborn you bear.

This invitation to mature sonship is indeed a costly invitation, but having considered the cost, let us determine to seek its fullness not doubting “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us ” (Rom. 8:18)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called “children of God” – and that is not just what we are called, but what we are. Our heredity on the Godward side is no mere figure of speech – which explains why the world will no more recognise us than it recognised Christ. Oh, dear children of mine (forgive the affection of an old man!), have you realised it? Here and now we are God’s children. We don’t know what we shall become in the future. We only know that, if reality were to break through, we should reflect his likeness, for we should see him as he really is! (1 John 3:1,2 J.B. Phillips)

Cheryl McGrath

Copyright 2004 Cheryl McGrath, Great South Land Ministries, Australia. This article may be copied or reproduced freely providing copyright notice and contact details remain intact.
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