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Stirring The Deep

Monthly Archives: September 2011


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Being Present Minded

Being Present-Minded

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead

Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”

An important lesson we learn as the kingdom of heaven, God’s Spirit, grows within us is to be present-minded. Being present-minded is not living in the past that is done and gone or the unknown future of our imagination. It’s not holding onto the negative situations and people of the past and it isn’t worrying about those in the future. It’s a state of mind of being in the present moment and trusting ALL to God, the Faithful Shepherd. It’s knowing He is at perfect work in our lives performing ALL things for us. Psalm 57:2

With the past gone and the future unknown, the only part of our existence that is real is right now. If we let God work and embrace what He is doing NOW by not holding onto a dead past or dwelling in an unknown future, the fruit of the present will be of God’s power and presence.

This present-mindedness is what God calls us to. He tells us forget the past. It’s gone. He tells us not to worry about the future. It’s in His hands. He cares for us as the perfect Father. If we put our trust in Him, He will not let us down. If we are truly seeking His truth and will, we can trust His spirit is guiding us. Our circumstances may not work out as we expected, but they will work out for our best and the best for others. Even for the difficult seasons, hindsight reveals the perfection of God’s ways and timing. Our spirits are in His faithful care.

Importance of Trust and Rest

Our path to present-mindedness is one of rest and faithfully doing what He has called us to today. We are to trust in His power to work in and through us in ALL circumstances. This state of mind is a central aspect of resting in God as He calls us to; a rest that comes from trusting in God to be God in our lives. Hebrews 4:10-11

Once we are God’s, our lives are no longer our own. We belong to God. What better One to be in charge of our lives than God? 1 Corin 6:20 With God in control, we never know what the next minute will bring. His ways aren’t our ways. It’s a waste of energy and time trying to figure everything out and why our expectations failed – they were our plans and not God’s. They weren’t the best for us; we have to let them go. We can mistakenly misread our plans that didn’t work out as we expected to be God not working or not caring. Neither is true. He performs all things for us and cares more than we can understand – that is why life isn’t going as we want at the time. Therefore, each day we rely on His perfect care as He determines. Instead of trying to control and worry, we rest and trust. This is the obedience God calls us to. This state of peace is His desire for us.

Commit your ways to the Lord and He will establish your paths. When you understand your limitations to discern what is truly good and best, you will rejoice in not being in control and God determining your steps.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding

Psalm 34:4-5 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

How Do I Gain Present-Mindedness?

Have you tried to be present-minded? It sounds good letting go of the unknown future and our screws ups and pains of the past, but is it realistic?

Being present-minded requires trust. Trust comes from intimately knowing God. Psalm 9:10 This element is something we can affect because God wants us to know Him. Our knowing of God grows as we spend time in the Bible being taught by the Holy Spirit. As we seek God in our daily experiences; seeking His wisdom, instruction and counsel, our understanding grows. As we seek to know Him through His creation, our knowledge of His ways deepens. In time, we come to intimately know God as He desires us to. We come to know God as the perfect Father and thus become the trusting child.

As we continue the life long practice of each morning renewing our minds in THE Truth and spending time drawing near to God, trust and rest are the fruit and present-mindedness follows. In His presence, He frees us from our past, binds up our wounds and we carry only the lessons forward. We let go of trying to control as we realize it is an illusion that binds us and keeps His power from flowing through our lives.

Rely on God’s strength for what He has called you to do today, and leave tomorrow to itself. Have no confidence in the flesh; your abilities to accomplish all you desire. Hope in God’s mercy that reaches to the heavens. Psalm 57:10 Wait on Him. His timing and methods are perfect, you can trust them. Act faithfully as He leads, not second guessing, doubting and complaining – for it is only against God you complain. Feed on His faithfulness. Faithfully do what He has called you to do today and leave the results and expectations up to Him. Psalm 62:5


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The Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven

The Message of Christ

What did Jesus Christ preach while on earth? What is the gospel of Christ? He didn’t preach His death and resurrection … so what was it?

Luke 4:43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

He preached about the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. It’s this reality we are to seek first and above all else because it is the way to eternal and abundant life now.

Matthew 6:33 But SEEK FIRSTthe kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

What is the kingdom of heaven?

Luke 17:21 For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

It’s God’s spirit powering our souls and no longer our spirit of death. It’s God’s spirit dwelling in us. It’s being a part of the divine nature. It’s being a part of God’s living temple where His spirit dwells. When God is in us, we have eternal life as He is eternal. We abide with Him in unity, truth, and love for we are a part of Him as His children for we intimately know Him. John 17:3

Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Those who are a part of the kingdom of heaven have: 1. Repented; fully turning from their ways to God’s ways and truth (we have to know His ways to turn to them which comes from diligently abiding in the Word of Truth), 2. Become God’s workmanship being crafted and remade in their souls by God’s truth and are being filled with God’s spirit.

Repentance

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Repentance (dying to self, crucifying self) comes when at our deepest core we fully turn from following our self-will and seek to walk in unity with God’s will in all areas. We no longer play jugde; we seek God’s counsel. We no longer are in control of our lives; we surrender our creative self-will to God’s sovereignty. We can’t follow our will and God’s will at the same time unless they are the same. Repentance is a crucial step toward the kingdom of heaven, because it’s leaving our ways behind to embrace God’s. 2 Corin 5:17

Repentance is giving up all of our self-will to gain God’s. When you learn through the Word of Truth and your life lessons that God’s will is truly far better and much more desireous, then you want His will in ALL areas.

Matthew 13: 44 the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Matt 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Remade in Truth and Filled with God’s Spirit

Next, the kingdom reigns in our souls when God’s truth, The Word of God (Christ), abides in us. Being a part of God means our truth is God’s truth. If we are walking in our own truths and ways, we aren’t in unity but opposition. The path to gaining His truth is one of diligently seeking truth and learning from God Himself. In unity, we enter a complete rest as God works through us always and in all things. Hebrews 4:10-11.

The souls fashioned by God in the truths of the prophets, apostles, and Christ become a part of His living temple made without hands. Ephesians 2:19-22 Being molded in truth by the Holy Spirit, not by ourselves or another, prepares our spirits to be in unity with God’s thus filled with His Spirit. 1 John 2:27, Hebrews 8:10

As we seek and abide in the truth of God being taught by Him, His Spirit begins to fill every aspect of our souls. The spirit of God starts small and as we diligently seek it spreads to take over every area of our lives in tremendous power, truth and love. When powered by God’s spirit there is no limit to what God can do in and through us. John 14:12, Eph 3:20

Matthew 13:31 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Matt 13:33 The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

Like a new day dawning, the spirit of God dawns in our souls transforming us glory unto glory. 2 Corin 3:18 It continues until like Christ, we hold the fullness of God, Eph 4:13, 3:19. This filling of God’s spirit in us is the kingdom of heaven.

2 Peter 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

For those who repent, diligently seek God’s ways to be remade in truth, and are transformed by the power of His spirit within them, they become the temple of God, the kingdom of heaven. Yet in this life many won’t partake in this glorious kingdom. Many are called but few are chosen Matthew 22:14, because narrow is the path Matthew 7:14 and few find it. The depth of repentance and diligent seeking of truth are done by few as many are consumed with the cares of this world and not of God. Matthew 13:3-9

Matthew 13:47 the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

Fervently seek God in truth and spirit that you may partake in the glorious eternal kingdom of heaven with Christ now.

Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

 

To hear more on this topic you can listen to an audio recording, The Kingdom of Heaven, which can also be downloaded at Itunes – search for Stirring the Deep under Podcasts.


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Seeking God Regardless of Your Feelings

Seeking God Regardless of Your Feelings

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

Feelings can be VERY misleading. Our feelings are based on what we believe and know at the moment. One area they can be incredibly misleading is in regards to our connection with God; especially for those who haven’t diligently sought God in truth and spirit. Feelings like God doesn’t care, He is distant, seeking Him doesn’t matter, and reading the Bible doesn’t matter. We have to fight and disregard these type of feelings when it comes to seeking God, which can be difficult.  However, for those who fight through those emotions and continue to seek, they find a relationship with God far beyond their expectations, thus a life beyond their imaginations for He is life.

As in the verse above, those who do God’s commandments from their core are those who have pushed through contrary emotions and have discovered a deeper wisdom and knowledge. They’ve learned that the paths to abundant eternal life are walking in God’s ways and not their own. They’ve learned that all else is lies and deception that lead you further from what you desire instead of closer. Thus, they willing and desire to walk in God’s ways and truth and are driven to keep pushing deeper into Him.

We start out in this life following our own will, which is formulated by the world’s (culture, society, traditions, etc) concepts. From birth, we’re consumed by this world and its philosophies therefore that is what we own as truth and live by. But as we seek God in spirit and truth, we gain an altogether different understanding. We see not only the truth of God, but also the truth of our own lives and what we are truly manifesting by following our will. We start to see that when we are in “control” we manifest depravity and not the life we desire. We begin to see when God is in control of us He brings about every perfect gift and blessing.

It’s hard for people to seek God, to truly devote to seeking Him as He calls us to. We’ve been misled to believe that His paths aren’t really full of life, but hardship, depravity and loss when in reality it’s our ways that bring these afflictions. It’s all backwards. Further, we look at others who are supposedly following God and judge God and a life with Him by their lives, a HUGE mistake most of the time. Many people aren’t truly seeking and walking in God’s truth. They are following a man-made religion, not God. They don’t truly seek and therefore in lack of truth and knowing cling to their self-will of depravity.

Only when the God is truly YOUR God, meaning He is in charge and you are at rest, do you journey His paths of truth leading to abundant life, in the deepest and fullest sense. When you do, the life you live far exceeds your expectations. Eph 3:20

While most never traverse this path, because the lies they hold about God that keep them at bay, some do. Matt 22:14 For those who come to the point to dare to seek God as they feel a stirring that there is much more, they seek and continue to seek despite what they initially feel. They seek in spite of the fear of losing their lives, of losing control, and what their lives might become once they step into God’s domain. They seek regardless of not wanting to at times because they are buried in lies that a life with God is anything less than magnificent.

Those who actually do His commands, (not the religious commands governed by mere humans Matthew 15:8-9), are those who have sought and understand the Truth of God. They understand that God’s way is the only desirous way, yes desirous. And it’s actually not their own will, but God’s light and truth pouring through them as they’ve become united to God’s will by laying down their own.

I’ve traversed this journey, I fought against what I felt many times and continued to seek God. I have the before and after pictures of my life and the afters blow my mind. I know His ways are better, my life is a testimony to me.

This newness of life fuels my passion to encourage you to seek and persist in seeking. God’s gifts are like a consuming ocean, more than we could ever want. The more others have of this true life blesses my spirit all the more. There is nothing more important than seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness. Matthew 6:33

Seek and persist regardless of what or how you feel. It’s the path of life that’s met with much resistance in this world. Realize this conflict as you embark upon this journey. Don’t trust your feelings. Trust if you seek you will find. Meditate on God’s truth and promises. You have nothing to lose; and everything to gain. For those who persist in seeking God in His truth, there awaits in this life, unspeakable joy, purpose and blessing.

Matthew 7:13-14, 2 Peter 3:16-18

The Path Found by Few

Shrouded in a cloak of lies
Hoping in what only binds

Trusting in what won’t deliver
The deepest desires cast to a sliver

An existence governed by strife
Hoping, yet never bringing true life

It’s a faulty assumption of hope
That self-will brings what you grope

There’s a way out
Clouded by doubt

That looks like depravity
Yet holds true vitality

To walk God’s paths leaving your own
Is the only way to be full grown

To be the budding vine
Is to be enraptured with His wine

To drink from the heavenly fountain
To rise to His Holy mountain

It’s narrow and disguised
This path out of the lies

But for those who dare to walk
Enter into His sacred flock

The home of all they hold dear
A place without pain, angst or fear

Flowing streams of life abound
Watering the soul to be unbound

Now covered now garments of light
Transformed and entering endless heights

~ Rachel DiPaolo
September 7, 2011


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Made in God’s Image

Made in God’s Image

What God as been teaching me lately …

We are made in God’s image. Genesis 1:26 One of the main aspects of this likeness is we create with our thoughts. It isn’t if we do or don’t, we do. Our thoughts create. What is the main difference between two people, the difference that really matters in their lives? Their thoughts based on their belief systems.

The ramifications of our thoughts are either good or evil. They either work for our and others’ benefit or destruction. Apart from God, we can’t know what is truly good in every situation for all people because we can’t see the end of the ripple effects we create. We might judge something as good that really isn’t. This lack of judgment between good and evil is a problem when you are by nature a creative entity. Adam and Eve showed us that. Further, even if we know what is good, in our own power we aren’t able to do good in every situation.

We aren’t meant to do make our own judgments or rely on our own power to perform. Yet, that is what many strive to do. God created a much better way.

To live in goodness and what is helpful, pure, truth and love for us and others, we need to give up our self-directed creative power in every area of our lives and let God’s creative power flow through us so that we are living out His will. Only God is good. Only God knows the end result of any one act. Only He is powerful and pure enough to do good every time for all people. Therefore, to live truly in all that is good and loving for all, we have to give up our self-directing creative power and gain God’s. This is the surrender He calls us to. Matthew 16:25 This surrender leads to eternal life because only what is of God lives forever.

How is this surrender manifested?

We begin by grasping two key areas of knowledge, which we do by seeking God and His truth. First is the deep understanding of the destructive nature of our self-directed creative power, and its consuming nature in every area of our lives. To understand we can’t judge on our own, and we need to operate by God’s will. When we gain this awareness, our response is to want to completely rid ourselves of our self-directing ways as we see them for what they are – paths to death. This response is a desire to “die to self”.

The second area of knowledge is to learn about God and His truth; His perfection, the power of life His truth holds, the purity of His love, and that only His ways are good. Only when we know and trust God, can we truly let go of this self-directing will. We trust what we know. In understanding these two areas and personally witnessing their truth in our lives, we will want nothing but His will. We long to be utterly consumed by His perfection and nothing of our own making apart from Him. John 15:5

In seeing our self-directed creative power for what it is and God for who He is, we are jolted to give up our destructive self-will and embrace His on every level. Only by choosing to give up our self-directed power, we are able to be filled with His. It’s one or the other.

Next, by “dying to self” and seeking the truth and ways of God with all our heart, soul and mind, God writes His truth on our hearts. By doing so, He renews us, regenerates us and makes us into new creations as He alters our very core with His love and truth. Through this process, which incorporates our circumstances, His Word, and God’s instruction, we become new creations as our deepest thoughts and belief systems are transformed. Galatians 2:20 All the old things pass away and are replaced with a mind and spirit crafted in His truth. 2 Corinthians 5:17 With a new mind, what we now create is in line with God’s will because our thoughts are governed by His thoughts.

This path of regeneration is the journey of every true believer; one in which we are made into sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters of Christ. John 1:12

Patience is required through this process as all we are is peeled back, exposed, and renewed. Every area of our lives has been under our self-directing power. Therefore, it takes time as God’s truth penetrates our souls and purges the layers self-directing power and instills His creative spirit in their place. 1 Peter 5:10

If we chose to hold onto our self-directed creative power the end is death. Ultimately what isn’t of God dies for God is life, the life force by which all things exist. Separation from Him is death. As the perfect Father who loves His children, God is sustaining us in His mercy as we are renewed.

One note, as the Great Tribulation is upon us, this sustaining hand of God will begin to withdraw and people will be given over to what they have chosen. In following self-directed ways, those ways will consume them as an addiction. We are ensnared by the work of our own hands. It’s we who bring judgment upon ourselves as we live out what we have chosen. Again anything not of God leads to death. However, for those seeking the regeneration of their spirits by God, in these days they will continue to be transformed from glory to glory.

If you choose the latter by seeking God and letting Him create you, you will become who you’ve desired to be. This path is one of entering into God’s rest because it’s He who works in you, as you let go, seek and abide. The regeneration is His work. He tells you what He will do, does it, and you glorify Him. You let go of control and God takes over. Yes, God is that good.

Living by the creative power of God is the kingdom of God. It’s God’s Spirit filling every aspect of your unique being making you who you were created to be as His perfect creation. You are transformed by His power into the fullness of who He created you to be as a beautiful vessel powered by God. This is eternal life. This is God in us and us in Him. This is the kingdom of God. This is what Jesus came to preach and continues to as the Word of God. This is how you will do more than you ever imaged; because you are greater than you ever imagined. John 14:12-13, 14, 20, Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 4:17