Nothing Is As It Appears

The entrance into the Kingdom (or the Kingdoms entrance into you) is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man's respectable goodness; then the Holy Ghost, Who produces these agonies, begins the formation of the Son of God in the life.

The above quote is from Oz Chambers.

When I woke up this morning with the clear and distinctive sound of my Father's voice saying to me, 'Why do you call me good?' I believe this was Him wanting to further illuminate what I had been pondering on from Oz's quote, and how it was used to speak so deeply to me.

You can read the full account of this (in the bible) dialog between Jesus and the young rich ruler who came to Jesus and asked the quintessential question, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life"? Then Jesus says, "Why do you call me good?" Following this, it gets real dicey.
I do not see God the Father coming to lost humanity and saying to those like this young rich ruler, you've managed your life very well, and have such admirable and sought after qualities, I'm going to now simply add (grant you your one wish) Me to all of that which has been working so well for you in your life~ha!

I think what Oz says in his quote is most fitting in this unfolding drama, not just with this so called self-made, self-righteous young man but of all humanity. It is my understanding that this fallen world system, aka, the Matrix is something that far surpasses any form or flavor of religion, but in fact has become a diabolical woven scheme that has all of us firmly believing, we're doing our own thing, living our life.
It is the only reality any of us have ever known, and that reality has so tainted, so warped our perception, that apart from the normalcy of who God the Father is, and experiencing His love, no one will convince us that what we are seeing, experiencing is anything but real.

Maybe David (from the Old testament) was seeing and coming into a dimension of reality that seems to fly way beyond any radar detection? From one of the illuminating times in his journey he said, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom."

I love this saying, "Nothing is as it appears to be".

Was it as Oz said, the Holy Spirit being responsible for these crashing panging pains of agony that were hidden as it were from this noble pursuer of exemplary living that was soon to go off in his life as if stepping on a land mine?

I do not know how any of us can begin to understand this God of love when its through such devastation that He brings into our lives. Yes devastation, why, because we have only known a false reality, a lie that has defined who we think we are. As we are becoming established in the Truth of Who He is in us, and knowing who we are in Him, there is no way of escaping these very real agonies.

Again as Oz says, this most needed and necessary crashing intrusion into our lives is the preliminary steps our Father takes in "forming the life of His son in us".Those whom He foreknew, he predestined them to BE conformed into His likeness and image.

I trust this will be something from His heart that will provoke you to think outside of the bun.

Rich