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Category Archives: Relationship with God


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Obstacles to Seeking God

Obstacles to Seeking God


Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

When I started cultivating a relationship with God, there were obstacles I had to overcome; barriers that suppressed my motivation to seek God as He calls us to.

Giving up our ways and will isn’t easy but that is what moving into a real relationship with God requires. It’s a willingness to go down another path, to acknowledge our ways might be wrong and to change direction. The very concept of seeking means we are looking for something we haven’t discovered before and when we find it to be willing to let it change us.

Letting go to embrace the truth of God begins with understanding what we are holding onto and why. When we understand the nature of our blockades then we can penetrate it with God’s truth. God showed me two significant lies I held that kept a wall between Him and I, two I believe many others share; a fear of embracing all of God’s character and putting others between us and God so the relationship is impersonal and indirect.

First, I was misled that if I fully embraced God as all powerful, just, righteous, and sovereign, then hardships and intense tribulations would consume my life. What if He led me down a path like Job’s, sent me to places I didn’t want to go, or made me live in outward depravity? I wasn’t ready for that life, nor did I want it. So I kept a safe distance and sought Him very little. It feels similar to thinking about getting married, for some of us. The fear of being hurt, making the wrong choice, and being stuck in something we don’t want can plague our thoughts. These fears block openness and trust that are required to move forward in a relationship. However, when the desire is strong to be united to someone, then the longing starts to override the fears. I came to the point in my life when my desire to be united in truth to God was overriding my fear of letting go and trusting Him. I began to seek within a comfort zone by spending a little time with God each day. God is patient and longsuffering. He meets us where we are at. He knows our thoughts, fears, and doubts about Him. He knows everything. They don’t disappear in an instance, but over time as we get to know Him. He connects with us in whatever season of life we are in and works with the faith we have.

Over time, as I learned about God the fear began to subside. He was much different than what I had been taught. He opened my eyes to the truth and it replaced the fears I held onto. He showed me His true character in the circumstances of my life and my trust grew.

God’s love is unlike any love we know. He desires the very best for us. When we commit to learning about Him, we discover who He is and not who we created Him to be; the image that made us fear being close to Him. This image, which we learned from the world, false teachings, family dynamics, and other mediums, is gradually replaced with the truth producing a real relationship with God; a relationship according to His design, not ours. He taught me I had nothing to fear and that He was my hope, life and the source to everything I needed and truly desired. When you taste of God’s love, mercy, care and goodness, a hunger develops to be consumed by Him.

We don’t need to be afraid to learn who God is. As we spend time with Him we learn this truth. We don’t have to fear what Job went through. Though his trial was intense, it lasted only a season, it wasn’t his life. Job’s life was incredibly blessed. Job 42:10-17 There have been times in my life where I went through something so difficult that I thought I would rather die than live, but those times were only for a season. Overall my life has been exceptionally blessed. In hindsight, I wouldn’t change my past. Those hard times taught me truths that I probably couldn’t have learned any other way and those truths set me free to have a better present. Most of my trials came from my own stubbornness, depravity and living lies. If I would have sought and trusted in God’s way initially I would have avoided many hardships, but those times brought me to Him, so I am thankful. Unfortunately most of us grow by difficulties not ease. We grow by experience not theories.

As we spiritually mature, our fear will continue to fade and the only dread we will have is being separated from God in any way. Bit by bit we surrender a little more. We must fight the influence of this world telling us that a life with God is anything but glorious. God is life. In Him we experience true life.

My second blockade was people. Godly men and women were my bridge to God. I didn’t trust or believe that I could learn and know God like these seemingly godly people. Besides, my time was limited and I didn’t have the time to give to search out His depths like they did. What if God thought about me like that? What kind of relationship is this I am offering Him, one all about me? I depended on others to teach me, lead me and nurture my spirituality. God and I had an indirect relationship. I only knew Him through others because I put the church system and others in place of Him. It’s like spending time with our spouse’s friends instead of your husband. We will learn a little about him, but we lack the intimacy of a true marriage. God calls us to know Him personally, not just hear about Him from another’s words, sermons, books, or teachings. God has given us His spirit, His Word and He is calling each one of us to come to Him directly. This intimacy is Christ’s gift to us.

Letting go of the middle man takes faith and faith comes from the Word. Come to God in the quiet of the day and ask God who He is; to show you His truth and ways. To open your eyes and ears to see and hear Him.

Seek God. Don’t be afraid of drawing near to Him because any fear isn’t real. He is love. But you must fight your fears by drawing a little closer each day so you can experience His goodness. And don’t hand your relationship over to another. It’s yours to nurture and develop. When you do you will discover a relationship that will be your greatest treasure.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.


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Are YOU Ready?

Are YOU Ready?

As the end is drawing very near, each one of us needs to ask ourselves a very serious question, Are WE Ready? 2 Corinthians 13:5 Do we have the oil in our lamp so we’re prepared when the Bridegroom comes? Matthew 25:1-12 Are we a wise virgin with the knowledge and truth of God, or a foolish one lacking understanding and wisdom? Are we one to whom Christ’s return will come as a thief in the night or are we one who will know of His return? 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4

Oil in the Bible is equated to the Holy Spirit. The lamp is our soul. Matthew 5:14-16 Do we have the oil of the Holy Spirit that brings the true light and life of Christ within us; our guarantee we are His? Christ Jesus is coming for His Bride; those who are ready to be united to Him in truth and spirit. Like an earthly bride, there are preparations required. We need a spirit prepared to be united to Him.

How do we know that we have the Holy Spirit who is given as a guarantee and we are ready? 2 Corinthians 5:5 (Hint: it’s not just about speaking in tongues, which can easily be manipulated by deceptive spirits) There is MUCH deception these days around the filling, anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives. How do we know that we haven’t been deceived into thinking we have the Spirit when we don’t, falsely promised by others that we do, and have a spirit of deception in His place? 2 Corinthians 11:4

We look to the Bible for our answers. 2 Corinthians 5 is a helpful chapter on the evidence one should experience in their lives when they have the Holy Spirit.

Evidence of Holy Spirit within You

First, you are taught by God. God Himself prepares your soul for Him. (vs. 5). Jesus is the Word. It’s the Word that sanctifies you. John 17:17 This preparation of God entails you diligently abiding in the Bible, the Word, and seeking the Spirit of God to instruct and teach you in who He is, in truth and your union with Him. John 6:45, 1 John 2:27 It’s allowing the truth to penetrate your life in molding, changing and setting you apart for Christ. He teaches you and His truth starts abiding in you altering your life.

Second, you obey God. (vs 9) When you have the Holy Sprit, it’s your aim (internal desire) to please God, thus obey Him. You seek in the Bible, being taught by the Holy Spirit, to know God’s ways and truth so you can walk in them. You are driven to know truth so you know you are pleasing God and not following the dictates of your own heart or following the ways of others. Matthew 15:8-9

Third, you fear God. (vs. 11) When the Holy Spirit dwells within you, you fear God in all areas of your life. You feel very accountable to Him, like a good child to a parent or a faithful employee to a tough boss. No one else has to hold you accountable to the things He tells you because you fear Him. Yes, others can point out your blind spots, but to what God has told you, you possess a strong will to do what God says out of a fear of going against Him. When HE tells you to do something you do it. Though you may have to war against you rebellious sinful flesh, the desire in your deepest self is to do what God has asked of you. It’s a desire to be obedient; therefore your choices will reflect that obedience. What you do will also be driven by love. Though you fear Him, you also know of His love for you. The course of your life shifts to align to His will. Again, you seek to know God’s will from Him and not from another because you want to be sure you are walking in truth and what HE desires, not being led astray by your own heart or someone else.

Fourth, you are a new creation. (vs.17) You start experiencing a deep change within. It feels like you’ve been given a new operating system that governs your body and soul. As a new creaiton, you are directed by God’s spirit and no longer your self-will. As the body and soul respond to the new operating system, you start to think, act and feel differently. Your desires change. Above all, your will longs to be in unison with God’s will.

Fifth, you experience fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Because these are fruits of the Spirit, it comes from the Spirit and not your self-imposed efforts. The occurrence of these fruits in your life comes from a place beyond yourself and what you use to know and do.

So are YOU ready by these measurements?

IF NOT, FEAST upon the pure bread of heaven; the Bible taught to you by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. Seek the truth from Him as you abide in the Bible. Read with the motive to know God and to draw near to Him as someone you love in truth and spirit. This seeking and abiding is the path to being prepared for the soon coming Bridegroom.

The manifestation of all these points is a process. Though you may feel a lack in some of them, are you growing in them? Are you experiencing them more today than three months ago? Are YOU diligently seeking God or are you leaving the seeking up to someone else, to only live off their efforts? It doesn’t work that way. The wise virgins couldn’t give their oil to the foolish ones. And when the foolish ones came back with their oil, the door was shut. Are you ready with your own oil?


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A Child’s Longing for the Perfect Father

Blog Talk Radio: A Child’s Longing for the Perfect Father


A new PODCAST (click here to listen) is available on our desire for the perfect father. You can also get it at itunes. Search for Stirring the Deep under podcasts.

Overview: The impact that our dads have in our lives, good or bad, is astounding. The desire for a good father comes from the inner longing to be united to our Heavenly Father.

In this show, I talk about how our relationship with our earthly dad affects our relationship with God; how our relationship with God is conveyed through the child/father dynamic; and how coming to know God as the perfect Father we’ve all longed for.

This is a message close to many of our hearts. I pray you are blessed by it and moved to seek your heavenly Father as He is and His love for you.


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Idol Worship

Idol Worship

 

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen

In the previous post, I talked about the void in each of us that causes feelings like a lack of value or rejection. It’s a hole that only God can fill though we try to fill it by numerous ways to our own destruction.

Those things or ways by which we try to fill that void become idols in our lives. For me, my chief idol was trying to be perfect. If I was perfect (by my definitions), then I would have the value I sought and fill that void within me. It was a place of utter bondage, as you can imagine. Yet, all idols are bondage.

An idol is anything we trust in when we should be trusting God. Idols keep us from experiencing God to the extent that He desires and we desire, because we are putting something in a place and role that is meant for only Him. They create barriers to deepening our relationship with Him.

In what ways have you tried to fill that void? What is the driving motive to those ways? That is your chief idol. Turning from that core idol affects all the rest. Everything you do should be driven by the motive love, nothing else. Anything else signifies you are trusting in something else when you should be trusting God.

If we confess and repent of that chief idol and turn to let God fill that place, then He will deliver us from it. God is the deliver, not us. It’s by His strength that we are set free. Our part is to seek to align our will to His in desiring to turn from that dependency and be wholly dependent on Him.

God wants us to live an abundant life of delights in our soul. He is the one to take us there. To come to a point to trust Him enough to let go of all those things we’ve trusted to give us value, we have to deeply know God. Trust is the fruit of knowing, thus seeking God is the foundation to all else. When we seek Him, we will come to know and trust Him. In that trust, we will be able to truly let go. Then, we will discover a freedom, peace, rest and joy that is astounding.

Letting Go

Won’t let go, holding on tight
Until the end, I won’t give up the fight

I strive to be all I can be
Hoping it will make me truly free

Always one more struggle to face
One more issue to unlace

How much longer Lord?
How much longer?

I want to be who you desire
The woman of truth, love and fire

You’re fighting a losing battle, one you can’t win
It isn’t your strength to gain, but mine to let in.

In trying to be strong, you block my grace
My friend, your running the wrong race

Let go, trust Me, be weak, then you’ll be free

More than you’ll ever need to be free
It isn’t found in you, but in Me.

In dependence, you will find
A new power of your mind

It’s a paradox for sure
Be weak to find the cure

My strength is perfected in weakness
Because you trust my infinite greatness

A reservoir for every need without end
An endless supply at every bend

You’ll never be without Me, nothing to fear
You’re in my hands, close and dear

Don’t trust in your ability
Look to the power of the trinity

Trust in Me, rest in Me, be in Me
Then you’ll be truly free.

~ Rachel DiPaolo


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Our Core Issue Affecting All Else

 

Our Core Issue Affecting All Else

I’m discovering when you dive into the issues, fears, bad choices, and unhealthy behaviors of people, the core cause is a lack of inherent value, which comes from a feeling of rejection.

I’m beginning to think this core issue (which has many faces) is the black hole in each one of our souls, which the only remedy is oneness with God.

At birth, Our Creator, the One who matters above all, is disconnected from us because of the sin nature we are born into. In this disconnect, we experience a sense of rejection that breeds a lack of value. (Deep unchanging value comes from God. A fullness and completeness of us comes by being connected to Him.)

However, this gap between God and us isn’t our intended state. We were created to be one with God in a bond of love. But because of our corruption that comes from choosing self over Him, we are rejected. God can’t be united to that which isn’t holy, for He is holy. That self-seeking aspect of us that leads us to follow self verses God is the sin that was passed along through Adam. He chose to follow himself and do what he thought best instead of walk in unity with God. Thus, he severed the bond with God and was cast out of His presence. Because we are all connected, that corrupted state is a part of us.

To our further destruction, we spend our lives trying to fill that void with everything but God. The world, governed by the first one to reject God and go his own way (Lucifer), offers a smorgasbord of lies promising to fill that vast hole. They are empty vanities of how we can gain the value we desperately need to rid ourselves of that feeling of rejection. Relationships, sex, lust, goodness, self-righteousness, the perfect parents, children who love us, success, financial wealth, perfect bodies, power, perfect health, fame, control, and so on.

In trying to fill this void and suppress the feeling of rejection, we develop all kinds of bad habits to “protect” ourselves and gain value. We build walls, lash out to control others, manipulate emotionally, withdraw from others, and become people pleasers. We become slaves to others brokenness as we try to earn approval and acceptance. We stomp on others to make ourselves stronger. We become addicted to substances/things to subdue our feelings. We surround ourselves with people trying to fill the void, yet remain completely alone.

The only way to remedy our state is to be reconciled to the One by which that void was created, God. All those other things can’t accomplish what we desire, because they can’t. God loves us. He wants us to be reconciled back to Him as He showed us through Christ Jesus.

Only through Christ, our eternal forgiveness and reconciliation, is the pathway to God opened. However, Jesus is only the door. To find deliverance from the destruction we created and oneness, we have to journey into gate and into God’s presence. By abiding in God’s presence, (seeking His face to know Him and be one with Him), we are put on a path of healing and restoration for our souls. We experience God and His love. We understand how our ways lead to death and how His lead to life and the fulfillment and satisfaction of our souls. Through this journey, we chose God above all else.

Having spent our lives trying to obtain value from all these other sources, it takes time to develop a relationship with God that is strong enough to trust Him to let go of all these other things. Though they haven’t worked, we hold onto the hope that they do, because the world tells us they do. We have to intimately know God to the extent to be able to truly turn from all that we have held on to, thus turn from self (true repentance) and be deeply rooted to Him, nothing else.

God wants nothing to fill that void but Him because only He can. He created us to be in a bond of love with Him, therefore nothing else will suffice. Anything else is an idol, which is full of empty hope. God is offering Himself to us; we only need to embrace Him in truth and spirit.

In theory, turning from self and embracing God sounds easy. I’ve found it isn’t. The path to oneness with God is narrow and few find it, because the multitude of lies in this world that tells us the contrary. It’s a journey that has to be walked with God one-on-one. No one can do it for us. We can’t do it by listening to others talk about it or talk about God. Others can only point the way. We have to spend time with God like someone we love. Though this process we get to know Him, so we can trust Him and let go of everything we tried to use to fill that void and be united to Him. In giving up the empty hopes, what we lose is the superficial temple we built trying to find our own glory. What we gain is who we were created to be as one united to God.

Dig deep into God. What are those things that you are defining yourself by? Those things you are trying to fill that void with? Seek God to know Him as He is. In time, you will start letting all vanity to embrace the One who can fill you as you desire.


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Seeing without Blinders

Seeing without Blinders: Organized Religion

I’m expanding on the previous post; Why leave the Church System (CS). In hopes to spur diligently seeking, I further explain why it’s imperative to leave the corruption of the CS and cling to the Truth and the true temple of God, a place made without hands. Luke 17:21

As individual seeking is deemed unnecessary (see previous post), those in the CS receive an “image” of God “handed” to them by “trusted authorities.” This receiving without discernment, creates a gateway for deception. It opens the pathway for false images to arise. It opens the door for the father of lies to enter in. Without individual seeking, which leads to discernment, truth and spiritual understanding, darkness prevails. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

The number of professing believers who diligently seek God to know Him as He is through the Bible by the instruction of the Holy Spirit are few. Thus in the CS there are numerous ways for the father of lies to covertly spew his poison. There comes a point where the deception spreads and takes over the entity. A little leaven affects the whole lump. Lies breed corruption and spiritual decay.

God knew this corruption would happen. It’s foretold through the prophets to warn us. As a result, in the end as a part of judgment, God gives the CS over to its own corruption as it’s released into the hands of the enemy. Revelation 18:2 God allows the people to walk the path they have chosen, which is to follow and heed “religious leaders” instead of Him. As a result, the enemy now reigns where he shouldn’t. Lamentations 2:7, Matt 24:15. When we see this happening, we are told to flee, and not to go back for any reason. Matthew 24:16-18

In Lamentations 4:12, it says no one would believe that God would let the enemy take over the sanctuary. Read the Bible again and you see that He has and He will as a part of judgment. For those seeking and “watching”, they see what the CS has become – an inhabitation of every foul thing Revelation 18:2, a den of thieves, and place where souls are destroyed as they are kept from entering into the kingdom. This is powerful language of the Bible to make an insurmountable point.

But I don’t see evil people in my church. Over and over we are warned that the enemy looks humble, kind, godly… is transformed into ministers of light and righteousness, wolves in sheep clothing.  2 Corinthians 11:12-15 What will that look like? Remember it’s deception. They don’t appear as slick salesmen (well, some do); they look like the humble and godly person. Even someone with “good” intentions can be lead astray. A soul without discernment because of a lack of LOVE for the truth is a breeding ground for lies regardless of how nice.

What is so evil? We are doing nice things. The father of lies is moving in. John 8:44 God’s definition of evil and good are different from this world’s definitions. Evil is anything counter to God’s will. The greatest evil is that disguised as good.  Without individual seeking, an image of God is being manifested in the CS that defines good and evil and keeps people from seeing the truth. Our eternal life is knowing the true God; not some image. John 17:3

But my church references the Bible … One of Satan’s greatest tactics is using God’s words and twisting them to make them a lie. It’s what lures people in because there is an element of truth. He did this with Eve and Jesus. Satan uses the Bible for his purposes to destroy, which you see throughout church history. For those who lack a LOVE for the truth, they won’t be able to discern between the holy and profane. They don’t see the twisting of the scriptures. Thus, they are given into the delusion that puts them on the path to destruction. It’s like being lost to the world’s lies. A lie is a lie. As the CS keeps people from true seeking, those inside are kept from the light, thus darkness spreads.

This corruption and evil that is destroying souls is why true seekers are leaving. In diligent seeking, eyes are open to see what is taking place in the CS. The sanctuary is being given over for judgment and the impending plagues.  Examine the lives of those in the CS and your own. In the CS, you will experience the plagues that come upon it. Revelation 18:4 Therefore, you have to leave. Most are expecting plagues that look the same in each life. What looks the same is the suffering, but how they’re manifested appears different. Revelation 9:17-18.

In seeking, you see the signs and leave. If you haven’t been seeking, you will stay because you are following the religious leaders who tell you why you should be there. What voice you have been following is the voice you will heed.

Why would God give His people over? They turned from following Him. They followed an image of Him instead of Him. Matthew 7:22-23 (read these) They followed their own will. From the beginning God set before us life and death; His way or our way. Most haven’t sought to really know God’s way and fully chosen Him. God is giving them over to the choice they have made, themselves.

God is love. Sometimes the greatest act of love is allowing someone to walk their own path to learn it isn’t life so that they will turn to the One who is life. Many are living what they think is life, but are swimming in the mud-pit. God wants them free.

Jeremiah 23:15-30, 16:9-12

Seek. Psalm 34:10 Embrace God, His truth, and the instruction of the Holy Spirit. Desire the fellowship of the true believers who are the temple, a place without walls. Instead of each week receiving messages leading to spiritual depravity, each day dive into a fellowship with God seeking His face in the Bible to know Him and trust Him. Instead of heeding the voice of a person, heed God’s voice. Seek to draw near to God in truth and spirit and not to the doctrines of the religious leaders.

It’s the Word of God that saves and sanctifies. John 17:17. It’s the truth that will save you in the end.

Seek the truth from God. Stop following others. Start following Him.


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Why Leave the Church System??

Why Leave the Church System??

In this society, we’ve been conditioned to be handed things with instant gratification. (money – credit cards, food – McDonald’s, necessities – Walmart, relationships – Facebook, success – network marketing). We’re being taught and conditioned to this mindset. This mentality has become foundational to the church system – people tell you who God is and what God wants from you; then you do it.

Being a part of organized religion is often a first step for many of us, because we don’t know what else to do. So we follow what others tell us to do. But some of us come to a place where we sense there is “more”. And a restless awakens our hearts to seek after that “more” we are being called to and often that means moving beyond the boundaries of organized religion.

In organized religion as a whole, instead of you seeking to deeply know God, you are handed a pre-packaged God; a package deal of say a prayer, join the church, serve the church, and go to heaven. The church institution tells you how to pray, how to worship, how to tithe, and how to serve God. Instead of being lead by the Holy Spirit; you are led by a human. Each week you’re instructed by others on who God is, how to act and what He wants – instead of seeking Him yourself. However, seeking is foundational to a life with God. This is the one act that should be done above all others; yet it is deemed optional and not necessary. That slight in error has a grievous ripple effect.

1 Chronicles 16:10-11 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually

As God (and what a life following Him entails) are “handed” to you, seeking isn’t necessary. The act of spending time one-on-one daily with God seeking His face and the instruction of the Holy Spirit isn’t deemed essential to eternal life; therefore that’s why most don’t do it. However, in reality you gain the essentials to true life through seeking. Seeking leads to knowing, which leads to trusting, which leads to a true belief, repentance of self, dying to self, true surrender and a love for God that puts Him first. In addition, there is often a fear instilled in believers by the church in seeking on their own. They are warned to be careful to not go astray – in other words, the church will protect you from going astray. This false fear breeds the blind leading the blind mentality. Matthew 15:14

Since we’ve been conditioned by the society at large to be “handed” things it doesn’t cause us to pause when it pertains to God – though it should. God is not calling us to a religion but to a relationship. The church structure today is like giving someone a distorted painting of a place verses travelling there and experiencing it yourself. The church hands you a picture of the kingdom, a relationship with God, yet prohibits people from entering in by this plug and play mentality. Matthew 23:13 As one is captivated by the spoon-feeding, because it does have a temporary high as all instant things do, no “personal” relationship is developed by the believer. There is only an engagement to a structured system telling you who God is and what He wants from you. The relationship is with the church, not God.

With this pre-packaged God, people can’t hear God. It’s not part of the package because all they receive is from a person, not God. They aren’t connected to God. They only have a faulty image, and haven’t walked, talked and gone through life with Him. Thus their beliefs are in the system and not God. Their trust is in the words of people and not God. They’ve gone through life with an image and praying to that image, because they haven’t spent time seeking God’s face to know Him as He is, something no one else can do for them. Because they haven’t sought; they don’t see the difference. Only in the light, do you realize the darkness. Therefore they aren’t listening to God. They are listening to people talk about God believing they have a relationship because that is what they are told. This “receiving” and not “seeking”  is how many are and will be deceived.

This ever increasing mentality is one reason why those who are seeking are leaving the church – they see it for what it is; an offering of pre-packaged God. They aren’t into following people but God. They don’t want a faulty image handed to them. They want a real relationship. They want true fellowship with God and others. They see the idolatry of it. They see the damage of it; the plug and play that leaves souls starving and bound in affliction, pain, and loneliness as they once were.

As the church system is structured – individual seeking isn’t necessary. It’s optional. Yet, that is the one act that is to be above all others for a believer. Seeking leads to knowing, trusting and abiding with God in truth and spirit. It isn’t instant. It’s a journey that most are kept from walking by this erroneous mentality.

Like the other instant gratifications in our lives that have brought more problems than good, quadruple that and you have a taste of what this mentality does to a soul as it keeps them from an intimate union with God. Matthew 23:15

God loves us more than we can imagine. He wants us to intimately know Him, not live in some substitute reality of Him. Seek Him and you’ll find true life.

Pre-Packaged God

Come and see what we have to offer thee
A God of instant play, don’t delay
A ticket to heaven, come eat the leaven
No time to waste, come in haste

We give all you seek, we are humble and meek
Worship with us, as us, be us
One of our kind is a path for the blind
Say a prayer, live without care
Be good to your brother, love your mother

All is fulfilled with only a small bill
Your soul to keep, to own, to reap
We’ll fill your need, we’ll stop the bleed
Look no more, serve the board

Grow our club, to one blood
By a pre-packaged God to give a lost mob
Count the numbers, rejoice in the plunder
Souls trapped in lies, bound by disguise

In us you can trust, listen to us you must
No need to seek, we have the answers to keep
Don’t seek in private, don’t even try it
You’ll be taken away by evil’s sway
Stay with us, be us, trust us

A pre-packaged God, the path to trod

~Rachel DiPaolo


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Seeking God in Truth and Spirit

Blog Talk Radio: Seeking God in Truth and Spirit

A new PODCAST (click here to listen)is available on trusting Seeking God in Truth and Spirit.

Overview: The main difference from a maturing believer and one who isn’t is a seeking heart. Those who diligently seek to know, trust and love God are those who experience Him and abide in His kingdom. In this show, I talk about what this seeking entails, why it is important and how God rewards those who seek Him. Seeking is the key to knowing God in truth and Spirit and walking in His power. It is what changes your life to be united to Him.


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Holy Spirit as Our Teacher

Blog Talk Radio:  Holy Spirit as Our Teacher

 

20150224_141008A new PODCAST (click here to listen)is available on trusting the Holy Spirit as our Teacher. It’s an important topic for us all to consider and to examine our lives by.

Overview: An essential element to cultivating a deep and real relationship with God is trusting God to teach us about Himself. Believers have been given the Holy Spirit to teach them all things. But often we lack trust in this perfect teacher. In this audio, I talk about the Holy Spirit as our teacher and why it is critical to trust Him in this role in our lives.


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What Are You Made Of?

What Are You Made Of?


Mark of Self – the one you don’t want
Revelation 13:17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Mark of God – the One you want
Ezekiel 9:4 and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”

The other day at the gym, I saw a man with a tattoo on his forearm of a bar code with the words “Made in Rio” above it. It struck me, the mark we bear reflects by whom we are made, thus by what we are made of? The man with the tattoo was “made in Rio” – a part of that heritage, culture, beliefs, and family. Each of us is a part of one of two entities made up of a heritage, beliefs, and family …

Ultimately, there are two options by which you can “be made of”; self or God. There is no neutral ground. Either you are made of God or made of self, which is under the sway of “evil” (what is contrary to love) because it is counter to God. 1 John 5:19 What we are made of starts in our minds and in our wills – that is why the mark is on the head (mind) or on the hand (will). Revelation 13:16

Which mark do you bear? Take time to contemplate this question in the light of Truth. Many are deceived in thinking they bear the mark of God when it’s truly of self; for that is what deception is.

What makes up your thoughts? What do you meditate on? Ideas of people, religion, or philosophies of this world? In what do you really trust? What do your actions show?

Have you experienced a renewal of your mind, a mind transformed from seeking your will to God’s will? To be spiritually minded instead of carnally minded?

Whose will do you truly desire to do? Yours or God’s? Do you desire to do what you think God wants or do you spend time daily with Him to truly know Him and His will so you can walk in it?

Who do you serve truly?

To have the mark of man is to strive to serve this life. It means you live by the wisdom of the world. You trust this wisdom fulfill your desires and purposes. You try to be the best in and of this world. Your mind is filled with thoughts and beliefs of people, institutions, etc. It’s ultimately about serving you; of course this can wear many disguises because to outwardly do so would be “selfish”. But that is at its core. You know best. The world tells you if you don’t live according to its wisdom, then you won’t advance. You can’t “buy and sell” unless you follow its protocol, bear its mark, own its philosophies and follow them, that is the only way you’ll advance to becoming to who you want to be, which will ultimately fulfill you and be good, of course.

Let’s dig a bit deeper. You feel you strive to do what is right and good. Even if you are oriented to be a good person isn’t that really serving your own need to be good and feel justified? Jesus said only God is good. Luke 18:19 So why do people strive for to be good outside of God? Possibly it makes us believe there is a change. We are different. We are special. We will be in God’s good graces, though we aren’t seeking His goodness. The only true transformation comes by the hand of God and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. It isn’t about our efforts but Him living and working through us. Many will be surprised in the end to see that they were really serving self, or the image of God constructed by self, but not God. They haven’t sought God to know Him to truly follow Him. How can you follow who you don’t know?

To be truly born again from above and to have a transformed mind is to “be made of” God. It means you have sought the truth to the extent to make a choice between self or God. Only the truth dispelling the lies of this world enables you to see past the deception the self will for what it is, death and destruction. With the knowledge of the truth of God and His ways, you let self go (true repentance) to follow God’s ways that bring peace, love, joy, rest, and life. Bearing God’s mark means you seek to live with God as Lord of your life, not you. Therefore, you seek to know God, know His ways and seek His counsel in all areas so you can walk in it. He is your first love. You meditate on the things of God. You want to advance and grow in the wisdom of God, not man, therefore you spend time seeking God’s wisdom not man’s. To seek God, to know, trust and live in and by Him is to be made of God.

Who owns you truly? Do you feel like a slave to this life? To the things of this life? How much time do you spend seeking God? How are you trying to advance in your life? All these things tell you who you are really serving, thus what mark you truly bear.