ONE FAMILY PLAN
Waiting on the City...
"[Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although HE DID NOT KNOW OR TROUBLE HIS MIND ABOUT WHERE HE WAS TO GO."(Hebrews 11:8, Amplified)
"For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God." (Hebrews 11:10, Amplified)
"...ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." (Galatians 3:6)
By "believing God" he was a righteous man!
"He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident in his riches shall fall, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like a green bough." (Proverbs 11: 28, Amplified)
We "believe God" and wait for the city whose Architect and Builder is God!! Herein we will "flourish!" ...a world without worry:
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. THEN YOU WILL EXPERIENCE GOD'S PEACE, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)
"You will keep him in PERFECT PEACE, Whose mind is stayed on You, BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU." (Isaiah 26:3)
"By faith Abraham..." (Heb 11:8)
"So DON'T WORRY about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'" (Matthew 6:31)
He was to sacrifice his own son:
"And he said, TAKE NOW THY SON, THINE ONLY SON Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." (Genesis 22:2)
Did he worry? No! He believed God would raise his only son from the dead!
"He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU.'" (Genesis 22:5, NIV)
"BY FAITH ABRAHAM, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, 'It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.' ABRAHAM REASONED THAT GOD COULD EVEN RAISE THE DEAD, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death." (Hebrews 11:17-19, NIV)
YOU/WE cannot make ANYTHING better! It is ALL God!
"...ALL IS OF GOD..." (II Cor. 5:18, CLT)
"...the One Who is operating ALL in accord with the counsel of HIS will..." (Eph. 1:11, CLT)
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." (Jer 13:23)
"...WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING" (John 15:5)
"...WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT." (2 Cor 5:7)
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN." (Hebrews 11:1)
"And he [Abraham] went out, not knowing where he was going."(Hebrews 11:8)
We know it's there!
"Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.'" (Revelation 21:2-4)
"Now is the gracious Lord's ordinance promulgated, No one shall cause another pain or injury; All mankind shall live in peace together, Under a shield of administrative benevolence." (Sikhism. Sri Raga, M.5, p. 74)
"When God appears, there is goodness, there is justice, there is benevolence, harmony comes of itself, all creatures find their places, and there is not conflict, no preying on each other, no disease, no suffering, no poverty." (Seicho-no-Ie. Nectarean Shower of Holy Doctrines)
The Crystal World
"As earthly paradise moves into its advanced stages, people's inner attitudes towards God will directly affect more and more aspects of daily life. Those whose souls are closer to God will be so much of the same heart that they can communicate without verbalizing their thoughts and feelings. By this stage, contemplation will have become the mode of existence for everyone. God will have given them such highly refined powers of spiritual perception that they can at last see His will directly and perfectly understand what is in the hearts and minds of others. In its ultimate phase, paradise on earth will be so perfect, so unblemished, that it may be called the Crystal World. All evil and hatred will have been cleansed away. The world will have become the final realization of absolute goodness and love. Completely free from even a hint of sin or impurity, humankind at last will dwell in the heavenly abode longed for through the ages. This is the Crystal World of unity with God." (Sekai Kyusei Kyo. Johrei)
"Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal..." (Revelation 4:6)
"And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name..." (Revelation 15:2)
The City Joyful
"In the City Joyful dwell the saints of God; Neither suffering nor sorrow is found therein; Neither anxiety to pay tribute nor any imposts; Neither fear of retribution nor of fall from eminence. In this happy land where my dwelling is, Abides unending well-being. All who therein dwell are blessed with eternal kingship; None is there reckoned inferior to any. That city knows no decline; Its citizens are rich and fulfilled. Unlimited their freedom--None are alien there; All in true liberty abide..." (Sikhism. Adi Granth, Gauri, Ravidas, p. 345)
The Kingdom
"It is our duty in this radiant century to investigate the essentials of divine religion, seek the realities underlying the oneness of the world of humanity, and discover the source of fellowship and agreement which will unite mankind in the heavenly bond of love. This unity is the radiance of eternity, the divine spirituality, the effulgence of God and the bounty of the Kingdom." (Baha'i Faith. 'Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace)
The Garden
"As we have observed repeatedly, the development of the cultural spheres also shows that a worldwide cultural sphere is now being formed centered on one religion. Nations, too, are moving toward one worldwide structure of sovereignty, starting from the League of Nations, through the United Nations, and reaching today for world government. Regarding economic development, the world is now on the threshold of forming one common market. Extremely well-developed transportation and communication facilities have reduced the limitations of time and space. Men are able to communicate with one another on the earth as easily as if the earth were the garden of a house in which people of all the different races of the East and the West lived as one family. All mankind is crying out for brotherly love. However, a home is formed around the parents; there alone can true brotherly love occur. Therefore, upon the Second Advent of the Lord as the True Parent of mankind, all men will come to live harmoniously in the garden as one family."(Unification Church. Divine Principle I.3.4.3)
"Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed." (Genesis 2:8)
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."(Isaiah 55:9)
"For [if we are] IN CHRIST JESUS, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but ONLY FAITH ACTIVATED AND ENERGIZED AND EXPRESSED AND WORKING THROUGH LOVE." (Galatians 5:6)
"So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12)
"When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly."
(1 Peter 2: 23, Amplified)
"My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. WHEN YOUR JUDGMENTS COME upon the earth, the PEOPLE OF THE WORLD learn righteousness." (Isaiah 26:9, NIV)
"The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD." (Isaiah 52:10, NIV)
