You cannot gain the true life while simultaneously trying to avoid the only pathway to it with all your strength, "the way is narrow and constricted by pressure". This is what the pro-fess-ers do. Before you come to the place where you hear the interior Voice of the Word of God, you must learn to SEE the exterior Voice of the Word of God in your life circumstances.
The exterior Voice of the Word of God appears to the individual as an "enemy"-a "bad" thing. It appears this way because one's outward circumstances are a mirror reflection of what is going on inside the individual. It is showing that the interior is ruled by an enemy. Sickness, disease, so-called accidents(really is no such thing, as the word implies chance occurrances), deaths of family members, adverse job circumstances, animosity between relatives, acquaintances, and co-workers, and on and on. Everything which "comes against" the individual which appears as an enemy is actually God in "disguise" as a lesson or teaching whose goal is the transformation of the individual-a "turning inside out"-and as each lesson is given thanks for and accepted for what it really is, then the individual "overcomes" the "obstacle" until the next one comes. As each lesson is learned, the lessons decrease.
Many never learn these lessons which come continually to all. They use the band aids that this world offers to ward off, alleviate, escape, circumvent, avoid and defend or resist.
That which comes to you, keeps coming to you until you learn the lesson it brings.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
THE GOD LESSONS-PART II
Math 5:39"But I tell you not to resist evil" Lk14:26,33 "If anyone comes to me and hates not his own father and mother and his wife and children and brothers and sisters, further also even his own life, he cannot be my disciple....thus therefore everyone from among you who does not bid adieu unto all his own possessions, cannot be my disciple" Rev2:9-10,11 "I know your tribulation and destitution, nevertheless you are rich; and the profane speech of those from among them who affirm that they themselves are Jews (true Jews; ie, christians) and they are not but a synagogue of satan. Do not fear the things that you are about to suffer. Lo! the adversary is about to cast some of you into prison that you may be tried......become you faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life......he that overcomes shall in nowise be injured by reason of the second death" Rev11:11 "...and they loved not their life even unto death"
The world which we touch with our senses is not the real world. The true christian (the poss-ess-er) recognizes that fact and lives accordingly. He knows there is no such thing as good and evil, for all is good. However, before one can get to this consciousness (for it's not a place), one must "die". This "death" is the "first" death-the first of two. When one experiences this first death, he is free from the second-he doesn't have to experience it or go through it.
The first death is not physical; ie, it's not when the soul departs the physical body. This death occurs while the individual is still alive physically on the earth. This death is what all the above scripture passages point to. In order to experience this death, one must suffer the loss of all things similiar to what Job did.
This death is an on-going process, the key to which is willingness on the part of the individual. When God sees the willingness of the heart, then spiritually it is complete (the death is complete), but because we live in time, which is a stretching out or expanding/slowing down of spirit, it is experienced as a process that one goes through.
The death is a letting go of all things that bind one to earth. This includes all human ties-family expectations, things, etc. This also includes the natural human tendency to defend ones self (resist not evil) as well as the desire to be accepted and understood by others.
God is the one who initiates this process: ".....and yahweh said unto the accuser, have you applied your heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth.....? The accuser is God's instrument in this work.
The world which we touch with our senses is not the real world. The true christian (the poss-ess-er) recognizes that fact and lives accordingly. He knows there is no such thing as good and evil, for all is good. However, before one can get to this consciousness (for it's not a place), one must "die". This "death" is the "first" death-the first of two. When one experiences this first death, he is free from the second-he doesn't have to experience it or go through it.
The first death is not physical; ie, it's not when the soul departs the physical body. This death occurs while the individual is still alive physically on the earth. This death is what all the above scripture passages point to. In order to experience this death, one must suffer the loss of all things similiar to what Job did.
This death is an on-going process, the key to which is willingness on the part of the individual. When God sees the willingness of the heart, then spiritually it is complete (the death is complete), but because we live in time, which is a stretching out or expanding/slowing down of spirit, it is experienced as a process that one goes through.
The death is a letting go of all things that bind one to earth. This includes all human ties-family expectations, things, etc. This also includes the natural human tendency to defend ones self (resist not evil) as well as the desire to be accepted and understood by others.
God is the one who initiates this process: ".....and yahweh said unto the accuser, have you applied your heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth.....? The accuser is God's instrument in this work.
THE GOD LESSONS-PART I
Mark 10:18"And Jesus said unto him, why call you me good? None is good save one-God"Rom3:10-18There is none righteous, not even one. There is none that discerns. There is none that seeks out God. All have turned aside; together have become useless; there is none that does kindness, not so much as one. A sepulchre opened is their throat. With their tongues have they used deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth of cursing and bitterness is full. Swift are their feet to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes" Rom8:28"We know further that unto them who love God, God causes ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD...."2Cor5:17-18"So that if anyone is in Christ there is a new creation. The old things have passed away(the idea of good things/bad things), Lo! They have become new. THE ALL THINGS MOREOVER ARE OF GOD." Lk13:1-4"Now there were present some in that very season bringing tidings to him (Jesus)concerning the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And answering he said unto them-Suppose you that these Galileans had become sinners beyond all the Galileans because these things they have suffered?No! I tell you, but except you repent, you all in like manner shall perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew them-suppose you that they had become debtors(sinners)beyond all the men who were dwelling in Jerusalem> No! I tell you, but except you repent, you all in the same way shall perish.John5:14 (Jesus healed the man at the pool in Jerusalem)"After these things Jesus found him in the temple and said to him-See! you have become well-no more be committing sin, lest some worst thing befall you."John8:11(to the woman caught in adultery)"....be going your way. Henceforth be sinning no more" John9:2-3"Rabbi! who sinned, this man or his parents that blind he should be born? Jesus answered-neither this man sinned nor his parents. But (it happened because...)that the works of God should be made manifest in him"(at this time)
The question is asked,"why do bad things happen to good people?" The scripture answers the "good people" part of the question emphatically-there is none good; not even one. Only God is good. Christians are supposed to be good, but their so-called goodness is not them, but the good spirit who indwells them, for Jesus himself rejected the idea that he himself was good; how much more so the christian?
The general rule for the mass of mankind including those pro-fess-ers who say they are and don't, is "bad things happen" because of sin.(see also Pro1:20-32) The true christian however, is different. This is where the example of Job comes in.
Job1:1"A man there was-in the land of Uz-
Job his name-and that man was blameless
and upright and one who revered God and
avoided evil"
There was nothing "wrong" with our brother Job. He just had not had his faith tried yet and he had a smidgin of fear, witnessed by his reason for praying for his grown sons and his statement, "that which I greatly feared has come upon me". In all of his trial the record says, "he sinned not with his mouth". His wife did however, for she said,"Are you still holding fast your integrity?Curse God and die!" Then Job straightens her out-"As one of the base (foolish-ignorant)women speaks are you speaking? Blessing shall we accept from God and misfortune shall we not accept? (Job2:9-10)
"Bad things come to good people" to remove from them their dualistic outlook; so that they might see through or beyond good and evil and be restored to the consciousness of Adam before Eve's deception.
The question is asked,"why do bad things happen to good people?" The scripture answers the "good people" part of the question emphatically-there is none good; not even one. Only God is good. Christians are supposed to be good, but their so-called goodness is not them, but the good spirit who indwells them, for Jesus himself rejected the idea that he himself was good; how much more so the christian?
The general rule for the mass of mankind including those pro-fess-ers who say they are and don't, is "bad things happen" because of sin.(see also Pro1:20-32) The true christian however, is different. This is where the example of Job comes in.
Job1:1"A man there was-in the land of Uz-
Job his name-and that man was blameless
and upright and one who revered God and
avoided evil"
There was nothing "wrong" with our brother Job. He just had not had his faith tried yet and he had a smidgin of fear, witnessed by his reason for praying for his grown sons and his statement, "that which I greatly feared has come upon me". In all of his trial the record says, "he sinned not with his mouth". His wife did however, for she said,"Are you still holding fast your integrity?Curse God and die!" Then Job straightens her out-"As one of the base (foolish-ignorant)women speaks are you speaking? Blessing shall we accept from God and misfortune shall we not accept? (Job2:9-10)
"Bad things come to good people" to remove from them their dualistic outlook; so that they might see through or beyond good and evil and be restored to the consciousness of Adam before Eve's deception.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
THE PROFOUND CHANGE
Profound change in others occurs out of one living the Life and not through words. The Word must be made flesh and manifested to those in darkness so that they are drawn to the Light. Preaching comes second; demonstration of Life lived comes first. A life lived is the manifestation of the Power of God.
There are many pro-fess-ers, but few poss-ess-ers in this country. The pro-fess-ers say they are , but do not. They live like darkness/worldling/earth-dwellers. What little word is in them is in their head and has no control over their heart: ie, the seat or center of their being, where motive and intent lay. Their "faith", being actually fear, is in this world and it's system of man made security provisions and not in the All Mighty Power of the Lord Jesus. They continually make provision for the flesh by trusting in this world because they are still in bondage to the fear of death (see Heb.2:14-15). They refuse to "love not their life unto death" (see Rev.12:11)
They place their trust in government, politicians,science, doctors, medicine, hospitals, courts, government school system, unions, school teachers, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, advisors, and how-to-books. They are like the celebrities who have a retinue of flunkies catering to their every whim, except theirs are in their phone book and their mind. Everything that happens to them is someone else's fault. They profess that they know Him, but live their lives as though this seen world is all there is. They have the name of Jesus on their lips, but their lives have no proof of His existence.
You can memorize and quote scripture at the drop of a hat and know all the various "doctrines of the faith", but if you are not living it daily you are deceiving yourself and living a lie.
Like Jesus, we must be the Word made flesh. The Word is not words on paper enclosed with a binding called the bible. It does no good to say "the word of God says this or that", because if your life doesn't line up with that, you may as well keep your mouth shut. Even a fool, if he keeps his mouth shut is considered wise.
The Word is a LIVING THING not words on a page used to convince others in debates. That's pharisee stuff. The essence of christianity is not in word, but in LIFE AND TRUTH.
There are many pro-fess-ers, but few poss-ess-ers in this country. The pro-fess-ers say they are , but do not. They live like darkness/worldling/earth-dwellers. What little word is in them is in their head and has no control over their heart: ie, the seat or center of their being, where motive and intent lay. Their "faith", being actually fear, is in this world and it's system of man made security provisions and not in the All Mighty Power of the Lord Jesus. They continually make provision for the flesh by trusting in this world because they are still in bondage to the fear of death (see Heb.2:14-15). They refuse to "love not their life unto death" (see Rev.12:11)
They place their trust in government, politicians,science, doctors, medicine, hospitals, courts, government school system, unions, school teachers, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, advisors, and how-to-books. They are like the celebrities who have a retinue of flunkies catering to their every whim, except theirs are in their phone book and their mind. Everything that happens to them is someone else's fault. They profess that they know Him, but live their lives as though this seen world is all there is. They have the name of Jesus on their lips, but their lives have no proof of His existence.
You can memorize and quote scripture at the drop of a hat and know all the various "doctrines of the faith", but if you are not living it daily you are deceiving yourself and living a lie.
Like Jesus, we must be the Word made flesh. The Word is not words on paper enclosed with a binding called the bible. It does no good to say "the word of God says this or that", because if your life doesn't line up with that, you may as well keep your mouth shut. Even a fool, if he keeps his mouth shut is considered wise.
The Word is a LIVING THING not words on a page used to convince others in debates. That's pharisee stuff. The essence of christianity is not in word, but in LIFE AND TRUTH.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
WORKS OF FAITH/WORKS OF FEAR
Even though earth/darkness is the pervasive "air" of this world and the works of fear carried out by humans in accordance with it's character/nature are everywhere prevalent, those same works can be turned (transformed into) works of faith.
Faith and fear, though opposites, are always present together simultaneously; one is manifested while the other is present, but hidden. There is however, a difference in strength between the two. Faith is actually the power/energy of God, because it represents the initiatory or will/expansion aspect of God; whereas fear represents the response aspect and has no power in and of itself. In the mass of humanity which operate in fear, the power which fear seems to have is actually faith hidden within it, because the soul of the one using it, is resistant, therefore it becomes manifested as fear.
Fear causes negative things to happen "using faith's power". This is the fulfillment of Psalm4:2
" You sons of the great! how long TURNING
MY GLORY TO CONTEMPT, will you love
emptiness; will you seek falsehood?"
Humans in darkness, having resistant souls, turn the Glory of God working within them into a character/nature opposite to what it actually is, thereby producing works of fear-negative faith.
There is however, a more important truth, as this is written for those who are living by faith in a corrupt, perverse, God hating culture. This truth is: Those living by faith have the power through their faith-works to change the works of those living in fear. This is done without effort-by "standing still"; living by faith, which is walking in the Spirit; not warring against others with words-word battles-,but living the life, which then causes those in fear/darkness/earth who are nearby and see something different, to come to the light so that they too might have their fear turned into the same faith.
Faith and fear, though opposites, are always present together simultaneously; one is manifested while the other is present, but hidden. There is however, a difference in strength between the two. Faith is actually the power/energy of God, because it represents the initiatory or will/expansion aspect of God; whereas fear represents the response aspect and has no power in and of itself. In the mass of humanity which operate in fear, the power which fear seems to have is actually faith hidden within it, because the soul of the one using it, is resistant, therefore it becomes manifested as fear.
Fear causes negative things to happen "using faith's power". This is the fulfillment of Psalm4:2
" You sons of the great! how long TURNING
MY GLORY TO CONTEMPT, will you love
emptiness; will you seek falsehood?"
Humans in darkness, having resistant souls, turn the Glory of God working within them into a character/nature opposite to what it actually is, thereby producing works of fear-negative faith.
There is however, a more important truth, as this is written for those who are living by faith in a corrupt, perverse, God hating culture. This truth is: Those living by faith have the power through their faith-works to change the works of those living in fear. This is done without effort-by "standing still"; living by faith, which is walking in the Spirit; not warring against others with words-word battles-,but living the life, which then causes those in fear/darkness/earth who are nearby and see something different, to come to the light so that they too might have their fear turned into the same faith.
DARKNESS, CONT'D
Gen1:1"In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth"
In a previous post we briefly discussed this "heavens and earth" and may repeat some of what was said here in order to further expand on the meaning of darkness.
In order to explain why things are the way they are I have to continuously repeat that God is two-in-one; two seemingly different aspects or principles/qualities/properties, which acted harmoniously prior to the coming into existence of "heavens and earth", but after that "point" there came to be a division or separation between the two-hence heavens and earth.
That which is called earth in this passage is not primarily speaking of this ball we live on, although it is included, but is in a much larger sense, the darkness which we have been discussing.
This earth or darkness is a deep, vast, immense, unseen dimension, which prior to creation operated in a yielding, responsive manner to the other aspect which is initiation, expansion. However, because of the division/separation which occurred at creations beginning, this dimension became a resisting/opposing aspect.
This dimension permeates/infuses all that is, including humans, being understood in them as fear, which is opposing or opposite faith-the idea of autonomy; the first manifestation of being told to Eve in the garden,
"you shall be as gods". The mass of humanity are expressions of this darkness.
It was necessary for this division/separation to occur in God, because the only way to bring in the existence of the universe including this planet teeming with life, was in this manner. There needed to be a resistance/opposing in operation in order to "slow down" spirit, so that it could be manifested; which is what we know as creation.
the heavens and the earth"
In a previous post we briefly discussed this "heavens and earth" and may repeat some of what was said here in order to further expand on the meaning of darkness.
In order to explain why things are the way they are I have to continuously repeat that God is two-in-one; two seemingly different aspects or principles/qualities/properties, which acted harmoniously prior to the coming into existence of "heavens and earth", but after that "point" there came to be a division or separation between the two-hence heavens and earth.
That which is called earth in this passage is not primarily speaking of this ball we live on, although it is included, but is in a much larger sense, the darkness which we have been discussing.
This earth or darkness is a deep, vast, immense, unseen dimension, which prior to creation operated in a yielding, responsive manner to the other aspect which is initiation, expansion. However, because of the division/separation which occurred at creations beginning, this dimension became a resisting/opposing aspect.
This dimension permeates/infuses all that is, including humans, being understood in them as fear, which is opposing or opposite faith-the idea of autonomy; the first manifestation of being told to Eve in the garden,
"you shall be as gods". The mass of humanity are expressions of this darkness.
It was necessary for this division/separation to occur in God, because the only way to bring in the existence of the universe including this planet teeming with life, was in this manner. There needed to be a resistance/opposing in operation in order to "slow down" spirit, so that it could be manifested; which is what we know as creation.
Friday, July 13, 2007
.....AND DARKNESS......
"Now the earth had become waste and
wild and AND DARKNESS was on the
face of the roaring deep, but the Spirit
of God was brooding on the face of the
waters. And God said, Light be!, and
light was....(Gen1:2-3) "By faith we
understand the ages to have been fitted
together by declaration of God, to the
end that not out of things appearing
should that which is seen have come into
existence" (Heb11:3) ".....because the
God who said out of darkness light shall
shine......" (2Cor4:6)
The "face" of something denotes the character or nature of that which "the face is of". The "face" describes "what's behind the face". A surface discription of the character/nature of the "roaring deep" is the word "darkness".
As God is two aspects; positive and negative, so the negative aspect of God is this "darkness". Human words cannot fully describe the immense vastness of the depth of this darkness and what it "contains".
Mainly, it is heat. This heat is expressed in ways which men cannot comprehend even though they may observe it's affects in nature, humans, and the universe. They attribute it to "natural causes; ie, biological, acts of nature and so forth.
Darkness is the main principle of this earthly life and is the foundation of light (2Cor4:6 above). Every human born into this world enters this darkness and it (the darkness) also enters him or her. It is manifested in humans as fear, and fear is the ruling principle of this world. This is why scripture refers to the "natural man" as being blind and in darkness.
In nature and the universe, darkness is the necessary principle in the creation of all things. Here, that which in humans is called fear, is called resistance and/or a "holding down"; an example being that which is known as "gravity". Scientists have detected in the universe something they call "dark matter" or "anti-matter", which is this darkness.
This darkness would be very destructive without something controlling it.
wild and AND DARKNESS was on the
face of the roaring deep, but the Spirit
of God was brooding on the face of the
waters. And God said, Light be!, and
light was....(Gen1:2-3) "By faith we
understand the ages to have been fitted
together by declaration of God, to the
end that not out of things appearing
should that which is seen have come into
existence" (Heb11:3) ".....because the
God who said out of darkness light shall
shine......" (2Cor4:6)
The "face" of something denotes the character or nature of that which "the face is of". The "face" describes "what's behind the face". A surface discription of the character/nature of the "roaring deep" is the word "darkness".
As God is two aspects; positive and negative, so the negative aspect of God is this "darkness". Human words cannot fully describe the immense vastness of the depth of this darkness and what it "contains".
Mainly, it is heat. This heat is expressed in ways which men cannot comprehend even though they may observe it's affects in nature, humans, and the universe. They attribute it to "natural causes; ie, biological, acts of nature and so forth.
Darkness is the main principle of this earthly life and is the foundation of light (2Cor4:6 above). Every human born into this world enters this darkness and it (the darkness) also enters him or her. It is manifested in humans as fear, and fear is the ruling principle of this world. This is why scripture refers to the "natural man" as being blind and in darkness.
In nature and the universe, darkness is the necessary principle in the creation of all things. Here, that which in humans is called fear, is called resistance and/or a "holding down"; an example being that which is known as "gravity". Scientists have detected in the universe something they call "dark matter" or "anti-matter", which is this darkness.
This darkness would be very destructive without something controlling it.
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