Seeking Inner Peace
Category Archives: Salvation
Lordship of Christ in Our Lives
Lordship of Christ in Our Lives
Who is your Lord?
Who/what governs your spirit is your Lord. For most people, it’s a fortress of lies, because most are under the sway of this world, which is a cloud of lies governed by the Father of lies. 1 John 5:19, John 8:44 But I want to encourage you to seek the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, to govern your souls because then you have eternal life, because who is of God never dies.
1 Corinthians 12:3 …and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Only by the Holy Spirit can we say that Jesus Christ is Lord in our lives, because it’s the Holy Spirit who prepares our soul to receive the Spirit of Christ, or the Spirit of God, so that He governs every aspect of our soul, thus has Lordship.
Holy Spirit Prepares The Temple
We are given the Holy Spirit to prepare our soul to receive the Spirit of God; to build His temple in us. 1 John 2:27 Having the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Spirit of God are two different things; they are different ways we relate to and experience God in our lives. The first prepares us for the second. When God comes to us as the Holy Spirit, He is coming to instruct and prepare our souls to receive His Spirit, the Spirit that was in Christ. Ephesians 4:13 The Holy Spirit is with us, but not one with our souls. John 16:13 When the Spirit of God is in us, then God is one with our souls. John 17:21
The Holy Spirit works with us to build the temple, our soul, which God can dwell in. Our part is to engage His instruction in all areas of our lives, make time to be taught by Him, be still to listen to Him, be a diligent student, a disciple, but greater be a child learning from his Father, acts few take time to do. For those who do, they are renewed in truth, thus prepared to be united to God in truth and spirit. John 15:8
God’s temple is our soul crafted in truth, a soul of truth. A soul of lies can’t house or be one with the Spirit of God. Thus the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. The Holy Spirit writes the truth on our hearts. Jeremiah 31:33 After our refinement, the Spirit of God comes makes His home in us. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Peter 5:10
John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth
Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Without a prepared soul for Christ to dwell in, He can’t be Lord of our soul because He can’t dwell within it. Our soul has to be washed and renewed in the word of truth. Truth brings life. Lies bring death. The soul prepared and renewed in truth is the soul who will receive His Spirit. This is why knowing God, the Truth, is the foundation to eternal life, which is Christ, the Spirit of God dwelling in us. John 17:3, Hebrews 3:10-11 This is why we are exhorted to get wisdom and understanding. Proverbs 4:7 By them God’s temple is built. Ephesians 2:19-22
Why Many Called, Few Chosen
When God indwelt human flesh in Christ, He gave the ability to all people to be able to build a temple in their soul, which He could dwell. However, though the seed, the Word, was provided to build that temple only some of it took root as in the parable of the sower. Matthew 13:3-9 Few walk this path of being Christ’s disciple and learning Truth from the Holy Spirit. Matthew 7:14 This is why there is an elect; a remnant of believers in the end. This is why many are called by few chosen. Matthew 22:14 Few have taken time to seek and learn truth directly from the Holy Spirit, to be prepared to be the dwelling place of God’s spirit. Few actually have become disciples of Christ, as the apostles were instructed to make. Matthew 28:19 Most have gone their own way giving lip service to the Lordship of Christ, making it something it wasn’t and leading themselves and many astray. Luke 6:39
Reality of God’s Spirit in You
If you are one who is going through this intimate instruction and are taught by God Himself, then God will come to dwell in your soul. John 6:45 He comes little by little, as you can imagine it’s a tremendous change and our minds need time to acclimate. But when He does it’s very clear. No crazy signs or visions are needed, because the very core of you changes.
As God fills you, so does all that He is including His righteousness. This is what it is to have the righteousness of Christ; it’s a very real change. You become right-minded, thus righteous, in your ways, desires, thoughts and actions. You become spirit-minded, as your thoughts are governed by Him. You experience the fruit of the spirit in tangible ways in your life; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control because His Spirit is in you. As God continues to fill you, these expand. You abide in rest in every area of your life. Hebrews 4:10 God governs your soul, so there is no effort; you are at rest like a child delighting in each moment of the day, as He directs you. Just as you didn’t have to effort to sin, you don’t have to effort to be or have any of these gifts. You just are, because the type of spirit directing your soul has changed. This experience is when Christ is truly Lord, when His kingdom has come to reign in you. You come to this Lordship by embracing the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life to bring you to this point of God’s Spirit filling you.
There are many who say Christ is Lord, yet they (or the fortress of lies) still govern their lives. They are fooling themselves. Perhaps, they are learning from the Holy Spirit, and in time will experience His Lordship, but most aren’t diligently learning truth from the Holy Spirit, being a disciple of Christ, so most are far from this reality. When your Spirit is governed by God Himself, your life testifies to His presence in you, all things become new. God’s Spirit in you is a magnificent reality. There is nothing fake about it, yet today it’s become gross hypocrisy that leads many astray. 2 Timothy 3:5
Be honest about who God is or isn’t to you and in your life. To have the Spirit of God is a tremendous reality, ones our lives but can’t help reflect. If as many professed to have Him did, this world would be a very different place. Think about it. This honesty is the first step toward Truth.
Regeneration
Regeneration
A fountain of life to water souls
A source unexpected, yet long foretold
Springing forth from the wilderness
Rivers of love and tenderness
Vessels prepared yet unaware
Of the purpose they were to bear
Filled by God’s magnificent presence
Transformed in quiet transcendence
In weakness the greatest power is housed
In rest the sleeping giant aroused
To regenerate a corrupted place
To change the countenance of every face
From tears to unspeakable joy
Freeing imprisoned minds, evil’s toy
Though wickedness once abound
Its victory soon will not be found
Darkness loses its authority
As the incoming light quenches its ability
Establishing truth and righteousness in the land
The power shifts to love’s guiding hand.
Break forth in song, for the Day is here
Extinguishing every worry, care and fear
Mercy floods in as waves of light
Redeeming by God’s perfect might
Using few to bring forth His domain
God is glorified and named above all names
The Kingdom come, Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
~ Rachel DiPaolo
November 13, 2011
Luke 14:5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”
Matthew 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mark 13:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Gospel of the Kingdom
The Gospel of the Kingdom
Looking at a bigger picture of the gospel of Christ.
A Journey of a Believer
A Journey of a Believer
I did an audio recording on this topic that goes into greater detail, I strongly suggest listening if you get an opportunity, The Journey of a Believer.
There are many misconceptions about the journey and/or life of a believer, someone who truly wants to be united to God in truth in spirit. From my understanding, there are three significant phases of a believer’s journey to moving into unity with God as we were created to live.
This journey isn’t embracing a religion, which is following man-made doctrines about who God is and what He desires. This journey is drawing near to God in truth as He is and as we are; it’s cultivating a real relationship with Him.
Phase 1: The Awakening
At some point God stirs our souls to what He did for us in Christ that brought reconciliation to Him. In Christ’s physical sacrifice and resurrection, God revealed His forgiveness of all the things we’ve done, do and will do that are contrary to Him (sin). His forgiveness had nothing to do with us earning it and everything to do with His love for us.
This awareness brings excitement and often blessings into our lives as we taste of the forgiveness, mercy, provision, and love of God. Our eyes are opened to the path of life as we are now able to be united to God, but true unity hasn’t happened yet.
Once we understand what it means for God’s love to be poured out upon us in such a way, our response is to draw near to Him in truth. Thus, we diligently seek unity with the One who showed us such a great love. Unity means surrendering to God’s sovereignty, acting in line with His will, abiding in His love and it flowing outward, and gaining His Spirit as a guarantee we are His. If we aren’t seeking Him, which will take us to the next phase, we haven’t grasped the point of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection — an opportunity for true unity with God. John 1:12
Many never get past this stage because of false doctrines about the purpose and meaning of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. For example, they believe it was a free pass to heaven or only a resolution of their sins so they don’t have to carry quilt, when it’s THE doorway to a deep and real relationship with God. But for those who do understand, they move on to phase two.
Phase 2: Discipleship under Christ and the Refining Fire
This phase begins when we truly start seeking God, which means we are devoted to getting to know God as He is through His Word and the instruction of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we become disciples of Christ, the Word of God. Matthew 28:19 We read and meditate on His words, and seek to be taught by God Himself, not another person. For the deep truths of God to become ours, we have to be taught by God. He teaches us in a way that it becomes our truth and changes us. Others can only point toward the truth, they can’t write it on our hearts. Therefore, this tutelage under Christ is an individual endeavor.
When we are first awakened, we’ve become aware of the path of life, but we are still consumed with lies, false images, pains, anger, bitterness, pride, and our self-will. This second phase entails the truth revealing, purging, and replacing all the corruption, so His Spirit can move in … phase 3.
Commitment to abide in the Word on a regular basis and to seek God with all our heart, soul and mind are essential to move through this phase.
The second aspect of this phase, which goes hand in hand with being a disciple of Christ, is the refining fire. As gold is purged of its impurities by fire, so are we. Our fire consists of challenges and trials. James 1:2-4 These put pressures on us to reveal our impurities, to move us ask, seek and dig deep into God and His truth. The fires expose the impurities and purge them, IF we cling to the Truth of God throughout the process and seek His counsel and instruction.
Essentially, the part being purged is our self-will (i.e. flesh, dying to self). It’s the part of us that governs all that goes against God’s will; whether good or bad in our eyes. During this stage lies and deception are purged from our beliefs about God, us, others, and this world and truth is instated. It’s the purging and rebuilding of our souls that prepares us to be God’s temple, phase three.
One note about the refining fire and the tools used – because of the sin of Adam and Eve, in Genesis 3, they both fell under a curse. Adam was cursed in his work and Eve in marriage and childbearing/rearing. Because in Christ we are forgiven, this curse is lifted. These areas, which were once cursed, are now used as tools to refine us. God uses many things in our lives to teach and refine us, but the main and consistent tools seem to be these areas for men and women. Therefore, don’t run from the challenges in these areas. Seek the lessons and grow through them. God is making all things new in His time and His way.
This stage can be long and difficult because of all those things we need purging of: deception, pride, resentments, pains, anger, and our self-will, which loves to be in control. These are what manifest our hardships, block unity with God and keep us from being who He created us to be. All needs to be removed and replaced with truth, peace, trust in God, and love. The purging, humility and refinement isn’t easy. Yet through it all, God is right there. We need to trust Him and His work, and not what we see.
Many don’t make it through this phase … this is why many are called (phase 1) and yet few are chosen (for phase 3). Matthew 22:14 It’s difficult. Some complain and blame which keeps them blind to God’s work and moving forward. Others turn back to their ways and the wisdom of the world (the things God is purging), by not clinging to the Word.
I’ve done a couple of audio recordings related to this stage, that you will find constructive and helpful:
Growing in Intimacy with God through the Bible
Unlocking the Bible
Holy Spirit as Our Teacher
Phase 3: God’s Spirit at Home in You
As we are refined, we become new creations because we’ve been purified and sanctified. We can over spiritualize this process, but it’s a very real journey that we embark upon, full of real trials and challenges serving a higher purpose if we allow them – God building His temple. If we continue with God, we come out renewed with a framework of truth and God’s love and those change everything. As new creations sanctified by God Himself, we are able to hold the Spirit of God. Before He was with us … how He is a part of us. We are a new wineskin, able to hold new wine. This is phase three. 2 Corinthians 5:17
During this phase, God makes His home in us. John 14:23 We are always learning and growing, but we come to a point when God’s spirit moves in. Needless to say, it’s a significant transition in our lives. The old things pass away; lies, fears, and afflictions. We want only to walk in obedience because of a love for God and truth. We seek to serve God’s will in every way. We live His truth, not just speak it. A pure love for others flows through us. Our prayers are mighty as His truth abides in us. We are powerful vessels to be used by God as our will is submitted to Him.
This is the place we want to be. We can’t jump here as many doctrines profess. It’s a journey, because the relationship is real and based on truth.
Grace: A license to sin?
Grace: A License to Sin?
For years, I thought sins (anything contrary to God’s truth and ways), the little ones, were not that big of a deal. I assumed they were a part of life. On some level, I accepted them. On some level I enjoyed them – though it was a false joy proliferating pain. How often do you hear among professing believers, “well, we ARE sinners”, as if it’s an excuse for the little sins we knowingly sow? Whether true or not, after hearing something often enough you begin to believe it.
I “faithfully” trusted God’s grace to cover me and believed it would somehow negate the ramifications of those little sins that didn’t seem that big of a deal. (Though my life proved differently, which I refused to acknowledge.) Subconsciously, I assumed “I’m forgiven, this hardship can’t be happening because of those little insignificant sins” so I never learned. More than any other, we are best at deceiving ourselves. Further, for conscious sake, we often don’t call those little sins what they are, but they are covered in excuses, justifications, rationalizations … basically self-deception.
How many of us trust God’s grace to cover the sins of:
Not seeking God as He instructs us? Amos 5:4
Not pursuing His wisdom and understanding? Proverbs 4:7
Relying on our own strength and wisdom of the world to get us what we need? Psalm 147:10, Isaiah 31:1
Not loving God with all our heart, soul and mind as we neglect to spend time with Him and deeply get to know Him one-on-one? Mark 12:30
“Loving” others in a way that is really for our acceptance by them, rather than for true love? Mark 12:31
We overlook certain transgressions in the name of grace. This thinking shows we don’t understand God’s forgiveness in Christ and our new life in Him. (Now no one is perfect, obviously. But do we willing accept sins? Do we tolerate them? Or do we fight to live in God’s truth?)
In rebellion to legalism, many warp the doctrine of grace. True, the Old Testament law was fulfilled in Christ. However, there are instructions of God, like those above, that we are to follow, thus still His “law”. Grace doesn’t mean we don’t have to listen and obey our heavenly Father. It means God forgives us, by no action of ourselves, so we are reconciled back to the Him and able to receive His truth, to walk in it, and gain a spirit that is eternally united to Him.
If we truly understand God’s forgiveness and how that allows us to dwell in His presence, that knowledge changes us. We will act on this new understanding by seeking God and learning truth. This truth refashions our minds; preparing us to dwell in oneness with God.
If we really believe something, what do we do? We act on it. Once we truly understand God’s gift of forgiveness, we embark upon a journey of drawing near to God in truth and spirit. We want to know the One who showed us an incomparable love. This is the natural response to truly believing. What would our response be to someone who shows us true love? We would cultivate a relationship with him/her; same with God.
As we grow in truth, our lives are altered by that truth. John 17:17 We are the sum of our beliefs. In time, our lives are purified by the truth of God, and then God establishes His home in our souls. With Him a part of us, we desire to walk fully in His will. We see the little sins for what they are – the top of the stairs leading to the pit. No matter how small or big, anything contrary to God is following a self-will that creates destruction, pain and hardship. But in Him, our will no longer wants to have anything to do with any sin. This is why John said that those of God are without sin – our will doesn’t desire it. 1 John 3:9
If we have the truth abiding in us, will we willingly continue to sin? No. Will we desire complete obedience to God? Yes; an obedience that comes out of knowing and loving Him. John 14:23
It isn’t legalism; it’s love. What we do doesn’t “save” us. God forgave us, so He “saved” us. Seeking and walking in truth is the outcome of our understanding of God’s forgiveness. As God’s truth begins to dwell in us, our desires change because our truth is changing. We want to obey His truths as they are life and love. They aren’t burdensome because they are love and we abound in love with God. 1 John 5:3 It’s a burden when there is no love.
To willingly sin not only shows we aren’t rightly related to God, but also we readily invite a life of destruction, pain and hardship. There are many professing believers who hae been misled about grace and excusing sin and suffering for it, but have been blinded to the cause of their hardships because of the ill-communicated doctrine of grace.
To continue to knowingly sin shows we are foolish and unwise. We reap what we sow. If we sow truth, by following God’s will, we will reap deliverance, joy and love. If we sow lies, by following our self-will, we will reap pain, hardship, and suffering. There is a way to live that prospers our soul and a way that doesn’t. There are spiritual laws and physical laws. God designed us and this world to function in a certain way. When we honor His design, we live in peace; this is the essence of true wisdom. (verses honoring the world’s wisdom that destroys.) As a child of God, these laws still apply. God will not be mocked. Thinking God’s forgiveness is an excuse to go our own way is to mock God. Not a good idea.
Embrace God’s forgiveness given in grace, which enables you to live in unity with Him, by sowing truth and His love in your life. In time, as your beliefs are purged and renewed, you will reap a prospering soul. As you diligently cultivate a relationship with God, you will experience His love; a treasure that far exceeds anything you’ve known.
Elect, It’s Time to Pray
Elect, It’s Time to Pray
Now, unlike any time before, is the time for God’s elect, those who are united to God in truth and spirit, to pray for the deliverance of the souls of others.
In Job 42, God had “accepted” Job because he saw his true self, and in that awareness he repented and turned to God. After coming through the refining trials and continuing to cling to God and the truth, Job finally saw God. He knew Him. Job 42:5-6 Because of the new spirit within Job, God told Job’s friends to go to Job and have him pray for them because He had “accepted” Job. Job 42:7-9 God would hear Job’s prayers.
Why have the elect pray on others’ behalves? They have traversed a journey like Job’s. Like Job, they have passed through the refining trials. As they’ve clung to the truth through them (very important element), they’ve come to a point of “seeing” themselves and God. This awareness has led to a deep repentance at their core, which has affected every area of their lives. As a result, their will is submitted to God’s, and they hold the Spirit of God, the spirit of truth, in them as a new creation. Their lives are a testimony to them of God’s spirit in them. 2 Corinthians 5:5
In being united to God, they abide in God’s truth and are constantly going deeper into it. They put it above all else. Psalm 138:2 They abide in it daily. They desire to obey the truth and be completely consumed by God. That truth in them has sanctified them and prepared them to be powerfully used by God. And because they hold God’s truth, they pray in unison with it.
Connection Between God’s Word and Prayer
Often people dismiss the connection between abiding in the Word of God (truth) and prayer. But the two go hand in hand. If you turn from God’s truth then your prayers lack power. In Proverbs 28:9 it says they not only lack power, but they are an abomination. One, truth reveals who you truly are and who God is. Only when you honestly know both can you repent of one and turn to the other. Two, if you don’t seek and abide in truth then you don’t know God for He is truth. So if you don’t truly know God, who are you praying to? 1 John 5:19
Once through the refining trials and filled with God’s spirit of truth, a person’s prayers have tremendous power. In Revelation 19, Christ, called the Word of God, comes with His saints to conquer. His method of conquering? The sword that comes out of His mouth; His Word, truth. God’s words have power. By them He creates and destroys. Those filled with His Word, hold its power. May we not underestimate the power of it and neglect the Word and the significance of prayers spoken in line with it.
Now God is very merciful. Truth and mercy go hand in hand – thank goodness. Someone who is seeking God in truth, but immature in their understanding of the God and His ways as they progress through the refining trials, probably aren’t praying in line with God’s will. They are unknowingly praying against God’s will, and they don’t really know what is good. But their heart is to know God and their seeking testifies to that fact. Graciously, the Holy Spirit prays on their behalf as they don’t know what to pray. This is why at times they feel their prayers aren’t answered. God isn’t answering them as they expect because of His love. If He did ramifications would be harmful. This is what Satan does, he gives someone what he superficially wants yet it’s to his destruction. God gives you what is best for you, and as you learn in time it’s what you truly desire.
As a young believer continues to abide in the Word and the instruction of the Holy Spirit, they come to better understand God’s will and pray more in line with it, though the Holy Spirit is always interceding to some degree for God’s people because there is always more to learn.
Conversely, for those who have willingly NOT abided in the Word, their prayers lack power. They’ve been misled by false teachers and religious doctrine that abiding in the Word and diligently seeking God by feasting on His truth daily isn’t that important. As a result their prayers are without strength no matter how good they may appear. Matthew 7:22-23 (Though God still shows them mercy in their lives.)
Powerful prayer comes from knowing God and being united to Him in truth and Spirit. It’s then that your heart, mind and spirit are truly united to Him.
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
Call To The Elect
In Revelation 11, the two witnesses (the two groups of believers, the two lampstands whose light wasn’t removed, who aren’t bound by local institutions, denominations, or titles) stand before God. Their words have tremendous power. Revelation 11:5-6 They intimately know God. They know His truth. They walk in it. They’ve been purified by it. John 17:17. They’ve honored God’s command by doing what He has instructed; know Him, seek Him, abide and mediate on His pure Word that comes from Him. Revelation 2-3 Thus their words and prayers have tremendous power.
God is calling these elect to pray on others’ behalves. They are able to pray in a power and a manner that those consumed in darkness (lies and deception) cannot. God is using them to deliver many because of His great love for ALL His children. God is longsuffering, patient, and waiting for people to truly repent from following self and turn to Him. He doesn’t want any to perish. Because it’s God who saves, prayers are needed by those accepted by Him to pray to have mercy upon souls bound in darkness. Revelation 6:10-11
Do you see the difference of the power of those who are truly of God, who have His Word abiding in them, and who pray in line with His will? In God’s holiness, God’s elect need to pray to an extent that others cannot. Now is the time to pray; to pray for God’s truth to penetrate others’ lives, for their souls to be united to God’s in truth and Spirit, and for God to have mercy.
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another (and forsake them), and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Is Your Temple Being Built?
Is Your Temple Being Built?
Get out a piece of paper and write down a typical week for you. How is your time divided? What consumes your time? What do you do with your spare time?
The most important activity for believers is building the temple. Was that on your list?
The eternal temple of God is made of the souls of the true believers in Christ. It’s the place God will call home for eternity. So the most important activity we do is prepare/build that place for Him, have you been building?
How do we build?
Among many attributes, God is holy, truth and love. For God to fully manifest Himself through us as the temple we have to be in unison with Him in these areas as noted in the scriptures. As oil and water don’t mix, neither does a corrupt soul lacking these and God’s spirit.
The soul that is able to hold God’s spirit is one that is pure, structured in truth, and consumed in love.
Purity
First, Jesus Christ cleansed our souls with His sacrifice. In Him, our slates are wiped clean.
Truth
Second, Jesus Christ builds a structure of truth within us. Jesus is the Word of God. It’s the Word, truth, that sanctifies. John 17:17 He gave us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who writes truth on our hearts and minds as He instructs us in the ways of God. 1 John 2:27 As we abide in the Word, putting the truth in us, the Spirit uses that truth in conjunction with our lives and constructs a framework of truth in our souls. I talked a bit about this in the video Prepared for Christ’s Coming.
In Proverbs, it talks about the importance of seeking and obtaining true wisdom and understanding that is of God, not this world. Proverbs 4:5-9. Wisdom and understanding are fundamental to the lives of believers, because these are what make up that framework of truth in our souls, which allows God’s spirit to dwell in us.
An important aside to this concept; we are to seek wisdom, but gaining wisdom isn’t dependent on our IQ. It’s dependent on the ability of the Holy Spirit to teach us and write it on our hearts and minds. Therefore, ANYONE, as God wills, can gain the wisdom and understanding of God. Hebrews 8:10-11 Further, this process varies greatly for everyone. It’s a journey and not instant. You may have many ah-ha moments, but the process of building a framework of truth takes time in abiding in the Bible being taught by the Holy Spirit and Him working out those truths in you and your life.
Love
Finally, Jesus Christ reconciled us back to God, so now we can abide in His presence. When we draw near to God, He draws near to us. Because God is love, when we draw near His love starts filling our lives. Like our earthly relationships, when we cultivate a relationship with God, the fruit is love.
Many professing believers neglect to partake in the second and third phases. They understand the purifying done by Christ, but neglect the latter two – abiding in the truth so that framework can be built and cultivating a relationship with God so that His presence, especially His love will reign in their lives. This is why many operate in their self-will and not in accordance to one who is abiding in truth and love.
I think this negligence is why many are called but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14. Christ died for all people. Christ died that all may be saved. But few move onto walking in the purpose of His tremendous gift.
Look at the list you made at the beginning. Do you spend time abiding in the truth to gain a soul lined with truth? Do you nurture your individual relationship with God like you would do with a spouse (remember He calls us His bride)? This is how the temple is built.
Many people spend incredible amounts of time building up their earthly habitations whether homes, careers, health, families, and relationships and neglect the principle thing – their soul. It’s the one aspect that matters and affects all else, and if they neglect it, the rest greatly suffers as Haggai instructs us.
Haggai 1:6- 7 You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”
Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!
God says seek FIRST the kingdom of God, Him within you, and His righteousness and all else will be added unto you (the physical necessities of life). Matthew 6:33 Many people attend to the physical first, thus lose out on both. If you attend to the spiritual, then both will prosper. It’s God’s law of how He created this life.
Now you see why building the temple is to be the priority. Your belief systems affect EVERYTHING. If you change those, everything changes.
Each one of us is to do our own building of our part of the temple, our soul. No one can do it for us. We can support each other in the building process (which is very important and it’s part of building the temple as well because we are all conncted), but no one can actually do the building for us.
Restructure your list to make building the temple the first priority. Yes we have to work, attend to our families and health, but those should come second, because when you attend to the main thing the rest follows as it should. I’ve tested it out by taking on this promise 10 years ago. My life has proven it true in every way. It isn’t instant by any means because building truth and cultivating a real relationship with God isn’t easy in a world of lies, but it’s the path.
Now you see why this life isn’t just about being comfortable. God has a much greater mission of preparing His eternal dwelling.
Cry Out for Mercy
Cry Out for Mercy
God saves us, not ourselves. Therefore, we each are in great need of God’s abundant mercy.
The cry of mercy is a heartfelt cry of wanting nothing of our self-driven life and wanting only the life God has for us. It’s a cry that we are tired of following the dictates of our heart influenced by this world and want to completely follow God. It’s a cry to be governed through and through by God, and thus no longer to govern our own soul. This cry spews from our lips, when we understand the corrupted nature of our self-will and the death and filth it manifests and the perfection of God’s eternal life for us. It’s a desire to forsake all that separates us from God. It’s the response of seeing the truth of ourselves and God. It’s the response to tasting God’s love.
John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life
When we come to this point in our soul, a point of deeply and honestly wanting to forsake our self-driven life/soul (repentance) and follow God in every way, then it’s God who gives us a new spirit. He replaces the old corrupted nature with a nature that’s of Him. In a very real way, we (our self-driven soul) are crucified with Christ, in Christ and then filled with a new spirit like a new operating system. As we can’t birth ourselves into this physical world, we can’t birth ourselves into the spiritual one. It’s all God’s work in us.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Some doctrines can be somewhat misleading on this point by putting salvation into the hand of people as if it is all their choice. Our part is to ask for mercy, for our self-driven life (flesh) to be crucified, and for God to have mercy and give us eternal life by giving us life through His eternal spirit. But He is the one who gives new life.
Christ died for our sins. He conquered sin and death of that self-driven life that we might be identified with Him in His death and be resurrected to a new eternal life as He was. Our part is to call out to God in mercy to ask for that resurrected life, as we willingly crucify our self-driven one. Galatians 2:20 We lay down our life. God raises us to eternal life as He raised Christ.
To gain the new, we have to let go of the old. But, it’s God who gives the new birth. He is our Father. It’s His doing not ours.
Testimony we are God’s
Romans 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
This verse above is the testimony that we are truly born of God … the Spirit of Christ is in us. The Spirit of Christ desires the things of God. It longs for truth; loves the truth. It seeks to do God’s will above all else. It longs to obey God in all areas. It loves God and loves others in purity.
Hebrews 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
How can you truly obey without abiding in the Bible being instructed by the Holy Spirit on what God desires of you in your life? This is much to important to simply rely on what others tell you God wants you to do.This new spirit is very real. You experience a change in how you operate, think, feel and what you desire. You let go of the self-will that has driven and directed your life since birth, and now you are directed by a new spirit from within. 2 Timothy 1:7
The time of the end is very close. Cry out for God’s mercy, repent (turn from self-will), and ask God for His life to consume yours.
Repentance and Grace
Repentance and Grace
With the flooding, earthquakes, fires, and tornados, our hearts should be stirring to repentance. Some think they’ve already repented … back in 1989 when they were “saved” and answered that alter call … but let’s ponder deeper …
Repentance is turning completely in the other direction and walking in it. It’s turning from our self-will, which has dictated our lives since birth, to seek and walk in God’s will and let Him dictate our lives. It’s a very deep soul choice between us and God; our way and His. Luke 13:3 Various sins are simply symptoms of going our own way. Therefore, true repentance is going to the source, our self-will, and choosing not to follow it at all, but choosing to follow God. This requires knowing and trusting God; two things that come from diligently seeking Him. Turning from individual sins is important, but they are only the symptoms to a much deeper repentance, a repentance you come to understand as you seek God with all your heart.
Jesus stood in our place and paid the penalty (death) for our sins (going our way instead of God’s) so we didn’t have to. By paying the penalty, He reconciled us back to God so that now we can live in God’s presence. In removing the barrier of sin, He opened the door so we could dwell in unity with God. NOW it’s our part to walk through that door and the journey entails learning of God and repentance. We can’t walk in God’s way when we are walking in ours. We can’t do what we don’t know, thus the need to seek. As we learn God’s ways, we turn from self and turn to God.
Proof of repentance is abiding in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit with the motive to know God, because it shows we are seeking God’s will so we can walk in it. We long to know God so we can walk in His ways and be sanctified to become His living temple. Thus, deep repentance is the response to the gift of grace from Christ.
Because of this gift of grace, for some the compelling need for deep repentance is dampened, when it should be heightened. It was for me. I thought because all sins were forgiven that my obedience wasn’t that big of a deal because I was covered. Yes I should obey, but it wasn’t critical. Therefore, abiding in the Bible wasn’t critical. How misled I was. My lack of desire to obey was a sign something was off; I didn’t bear my cross (crucify my self-will) because I was still following self. Therefore, nothing had really changed. My belief was in vain. Not truly turning from self means there is a lack of understanding of what the sacrifice of Jesus was for.
Luke 14:26 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Coming to understand what Jesus did for us and our falleness is only an acknowledgement of what is. At this point though we may recognize what is, the deep soul choice between following self and following God is still in favor of self. At this infancy of our understanding, we have no idea of the extent in which we follow self verses God.
What should be happening next is an intense journey of individually seeking God to know Him as He is so we can walk in His will. We are to walk through that door that was opened for us by Christ. We are to learn of God from the Holy Spirit given to us by Christ. It’s God’s truth constantly invading our soul that reveals the depths by which we are dominated by self-will. This is the path of sanctification. It’s the natural progression for one who is a child of God. Therefore, if we knowingly continue in habitual sins, we have neglected to understand Christ’s gift.
Repentance isn’t just an acknowledgement that we have sinned against God; it’s the action of turning away from following self and following God. But we can’t follow what we don’t know. This is why God commands that we seek Him and that we abide in His Word, so we can know His ways and walk in them, thus truly repent. This is why abiding in His Word being taught by Him is proof we are on the path of sanctification. John 17:17
Repentance is key and yet sometimes overlooked in the doctrine of grace. God won’t be mocked. What we sow we will reap. Galatians 6:7 Grace and repentance work hand in hand. Repentance is the manifestation of Christ’s gift of grace in our lives. Jesus and the apostles taught repentance and the kingdom of God. Repentance is how we come to abide in the kingdom of God; which is God’s reign in our soul with His will dominating.
If you are truly born of God, you’ll hate sin. You’ll long to walk in truth and love. You will hunger for His Word, so you know His will. You’ll be taught by God. John 6:45 You’ll want to know HIS will not someone’s thoughts on His will. You come to this point of desire through the grace of God showing you the truth. You come to it because you have sought God. Romans 8:29-30
Have you experienced a deep hearted repentance? Not just from various sins but from your self-will? This is true repentance. Are you walking more in truth today than a couple of months ago? Do you have a LOVE for the truth so that your life is moving to living in God’s will? You can only know His will for YOU if YOU personally seek it from Him. It’s a lifetime and daily activity. Seeking His will isn’t doing what your church says or some religious leader; it’s seeking God’s personal instruction in your life.
If you said no to these, get to know God by seeking Him in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit. When you come to know Him, you will want nothing of your self-will and everything of His.
Romans 2:4b that the goodness of God leads you to repentance
Living Light 