“If, then, the renewal of Trinitarian theology is awakening us to the relevance of God in daily life, we are also being awake into the need to cultivate “emotional intelligence” about ourselves. Joy and sorrow, laughter and anger, friendship and loneliness, are real and expressive of our daily lives. If, however, we are to deepen our self-understanding, and enrich trust and faith, make more “sense” of life, and thus cultivate a meaningful existence, we must understand God‘s involvement in them. As we recognize God and all our emotions, all our joys and pains, our identity becomes strengthened and secured “in Christ”. For we are bound together in the circle of life, as shared eternally by Father, Son and Spirit.” James M. Houston, Professor of Spiritual Theology

What does Our Father, Our Husband Jesus and the Spirit say about us? Would God, our Father, love us or even like us if His Son, Jesus, hadn’t died on the cross? If the Spirit convicts us, what does She convict us of? Fire and damnation teaching has crept into our belief system causing a ripple effect of fear in many, and caused many to think “How can I love a God who only likes me because He beat His son for our wrong doings.” What I heard in my youth was the Spirit wasn’t really relevant in today’s world. Then Katy and I were exposed to some different ideas or beliefs on subjects like speaking in tongues and to be honest we fell a bit off the deep end. We chased and saw miracles, but we didn’t really begin to taste freedom until the journey lead us to examine different “end times” teachings, which lead us into a much deeper understanding of the Gospel. This has been a great process. Our Pastor, Mike Popovich, and many teachers like Wm. Paul Young, C Baxter Kruger, and Francois Du Toit have opened our eyes in many new and exciting ways. Katy and I are getting to know the Trinity and we are in awe of the good news.

What if the Father and Holy Spirit are who Jesus, Paul, John, and many others say? What if they really do love all of humanity unconditionally? The Apostle John is the only one of the original 12 apostles who died of old age. He didn’t learn to write until his later years in life. History tells us John was compelled to share what he had witnessed and seen in his life, in order to help future generations see the Trinity in the Glory and from Glory to Glory. John was with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus had a conversation with God the Father. (See Matthew 17) Jesus asked him to take care of Mary when Jesus was on the cross. (See John 19:27) He and Peter raced to the empty tomb of Jesus. (See John 20) John was in the upper room when the Spirit filled the Apostles with Assurance. (See Acts 2) John spent the rest his life proclaiming the good news to the masses and his credentials are without flaw. So how did John describe the Father and Holy Spirit?

“Love is who God is.” (1 John 4:8) John also believed fully the Holy Spirit was his friend, advocate, and guardian because in his later years he recounted Jesus telling him and others that they would receive “Your eternal companion is the Spirit of truth who cannot be grasped by the world since their visual horizon is veiled and they are not able to understand what they cannot see. But you know because you are already acquainted with the Spirit in me and this same Spirit will reside within you.” (John 14:17)

Before the Apostle Paul met the Lord on the Road to Damascus, (See Acts 9) he was killing people for believing Jesus was the Son of God, and the entire world’s savior. He had been present when Stephen was stoned to death and the heavens opened up. (See Acts 7) He was zealous with the law and God’s love took the veil off of his eyes and he became the Apostle for everyone outside of the Jewish heritage. Two thirds of the New Testament are letters he wrote to groups of believers around the region. Paul also clearly defined the New Covenant in the Book of Romans which was written to Gentiles who had accepted Christ for who he was. Paul is also very likely the author of the Book of Hebrews which clearly outlines the New Covenant and was written to believing Jews. These two books are parallel in many ways, but the wording of the same message varies because the audiences came from different backgrounds. One side had been under the Old Covenant of Moses and had no idea of who God really was. They believed the spirit only visited with the highest priests in the temple on special holidays. The Romans, on the other side, had never been under the Law of Moses. They had worshipped other God’s and met the love of the Father and Holy Spirit head on being literally swept off their feet. Nearly everything that proceeded in the world was altered from this original encounter. Our annual Calendars, Holidays, and many of the world’s governments have been based on some of the core beliefs of son ship and equality for all. So how did Paul see God the Father and the Holy Spirit?

Paul’s message to both the gentile Galatians and Romans was there are no levels of Children in God’s eyes. Male, female, Gentile or Jew you (we) are all equal. “Nothing distinguishes the Jew from the Greek when it comes to the generosity of God. He responds with equal benevolence to everyone who sees themselves identified in him. Salvation is to understand that every person’s true identity is revealed in Christ.” (Romans 10:12-13) “Nothing resembles your previous identity as Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female, now you are all defined in oneness with Christ! He is your significance and makes you stand out! Since Christ is the seed of promise, it is only in our realizing our union with him (in the incarnation) that we are equally related to Abraham and heirs of the promise. Faith and not flesh relates us to Abraham.” (Galatians 3:28-29)

Jesus said if you have seen me you have seen the Father. (See John 14:7-9) He told the religious teachers that none of them knew God- the Father. (See John 8:19) He told them they were hypocrites and sons of the devil. (See Matthew 23:15-23) Since we have seen Jesus, how did he respond to people? He loved everyone and He didn’t like religious teaching. He healed the sick, saved the broken hearted, and surrounded himself with real people with real struggles. He valued ALL of creation.

God-the Father loves ALL of mankind and sent His son to bring everyone out of the consequences of wrong belief. “The entire cosmos is the object of God’s affection! And he is not about to abandon his creation -the gift of his son is for humanity to realize their origin in him who mirrors their authentic birth -begotten not of flesh but of the Father! In this persuasion the life of the ages echoes within the individual and announces that the days of regret and sense of lost-ness are over! God has no intention to condemn anyone -he sent his son, not to be the Judge but the Savior of the world.” -John 3:16-17

“The Spirit finds expression in love, joy, peace, endurance, kindness (usefulness, obliging), goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control” -Galatians 5:22

The Trinity is completely in love with all of mankind, they love everyone and do not have levels of love. The Trinity says you are perfect just the way you are. The Trinity doesn’t get swayed by what the world deems as your mistakes they just flat out love you, no matter what. This is the Good News, this is the Freedom Christ presented to us.

The other day Katy and I were watching the movie “The Greatest Showman” and the main character told someone else “it could cost you everything, but you will find freedom.” This explains the Gospel, the freedom you will find will change your beliefs, and possibly cause others to distance themselves from you, but it will produce freedom like you have never experienced before. We have personal experiences with veils of wrong beliefs coming off our eyes, and stones being thrown at us by people opposed to the freedom we found in Jesus, Our Father, and the Spirit.

The journey is different for everyone, but in the end we all will be in awe of a love deeper and wider than anything we could ever imagine. Hallelujah!!! We are so blessed that from the foundation of the world God created us to be in union with them, the Trinity. How beautiful life becomes when we can see the Godhead in and through all things. Even in the darkest chamber of your heart where you think he is not, He is even there. God is all in on each of us, His humanity. He is so patient that He allows us the choice of how much we want to experience here and now. For Kurt and I the more we say “even in that Lord”, and begin to experience His expression of love in those places, the light shines through and brings life to all the broken, buried, and painful hidden rooms of our hearts.

We have been transformed from darkness into light. As our friend and Pastor Mike always says, “There is no bad news in good news!” Through the trinity we are as free as we wish to be. Our desire for everyone reading this, is that in your next breath you experience His life giving breath. That everyone begins to thirst for the Life and Living Water that is already in and through you, and that all of our eyes of understanding will continue to be opened to the reality that As He is in this world so are we! We were created for relationship and companionship with the Father, Son and Spirit!!! You are His masterpiece! Be blessed because you already are!

With Love,

Kurt and Katy