Laying out the difference between being a true disciple of Christ, a truth seeker, versus a follower of religion, specifically the religion of Christianity.
Luke 5:38 “But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
John 13:5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
When Jesus knew His Hour had come, He kneeled down and humbly washed His disciples’ feet with the towel that was girded around His waist. The disciples didn’t understand … but would. John 13:7 What is the meaning of this beautiful act by the true King of Kings to those who followed Him?
The Foundation
Christ died so that His Spirit of liquid light could consume us, purge all darkness, and transform us into holy eternal creations, thus bringing us into reconciliation/unity with God. At His death, Christ’s eternal spirit penetrated death of the true grave; the spiritual sepulcher of the flesh body that’s cloaked in sin. Romans 8:3 On the last day (the Day of the Lord, the Revelation of Jesus Christ), His Spirit would resurrect in the souls of mankind bringing them into eternal life. In this resurrection, sin, thus death, would be defeated in us forever. John 12:23-25 His Spirit rising in us is the true breath of life, the purest of love and truth, imploding our souls. 2 Peter 1:19 This filling of Him in us is the coming of His righteous kingdom to earth. Luke 17:21 It’s the salvation of our souls from death and all that it produces; pain, suffering, hardship, unkindness, and fear. This is the true salvation. And His hour has come once again, thus the need for Him to wash our feet.
Christ Washing Our Feet
“… and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”
The girded towel represents truth. Ephesians 6:14 Now that the seed of Christ’s spirit is rising within us, it has to be combined with the truth. When spirit and truth meet within our soul, then new life grows within us. Our souls then become the living stones of the kingdom of God.
The truth flows from this seed, for Christ is the word of God, the truth. He is the blood and the flesh. He is the wine and the bread. All these are symbolic of Him being the spirit and truth that when they come together within one soul produces life.
As Christ spirit rises in us, we perceive it as a cleansed and purified conscience. Hebrews 9:14 When our conscience is pure, then we can discern between holy and profane. We can walk uprightly, thus we can abide in the truth of God and His transcendent all-powerful love. But we have to listen and obey (walk) His inner counsel to us, which we do by His power in us. When we do listen and obey, we walk in paths of righteousness and we become righteous. This obedience is allowing Christ to wash our feet; feet representing the path we walk.
NOT Letting Christ Wash Your Feet
John 13:8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
If we don’t heed our cleansed conscience, then we aren’t having our feet washed. We continue generating unrighteous thoughts, words, and deeds. We continue to propagate the filth of sin not only in us, but also in the lives around us. Instead of fragrant pathways of rest, peace, joy and true love, we step in and spread dung all over the place. Have you ever had poo on your shoe? This is what we are carrying on us and spreading all over when we ignore His counsel; even in the smallest details. 1 Corin 5:6 We leave its residue wherever we go and spread its stench with every step. Jeremiah 8:2
If Christ does not wash our feet, we have no part of Him.
If we are not heeding Christ’s wisdom of truth being spoken to us from within (all in harmony with the Word of Truth as Taught by GOD), then we have no part of Him. Not only do we remain unrighteous, but we dismiss the very purpose in which He came; to be the door and the light by which we walk out of the pit of death and into eternal life. Though that seed is within us, it won’t take root. It won’t grow without following the wisdom of God. The tares of wickedness take over. We remain as we’ve always been, bound in the darkness of sin. In this state, great tribulation awaits as the Truth is coming as a flaming fire to reveal all the works of darkness and destroy all that is not of it.
Letting Christ Wash Your Feet
If we do heed Christ’s still small voice of truth guiding in the paths of true love, for that is what it teaches us to love ourselves, God and others, then we will be changed into eternal creations of the purest of love.
Therefore, if Christ is washing our feet, we are growing in true love every day. One note, our love has been exceedingly abundantly corrupted by this world. Religion has proliferated hypocritical love, blinding people further to the lack of God’s true love in their lives. This world has amplified lust and judgment that fills people’s conceptions of love. Therefore, this isn’t as easy or straightforward as it may first appear. As we listen to the spirit of wisdom, we’ll find it’s a love far purer and beyond anything we’ve known. To walk in a life of true love, we require His detailed instruction (wisdom) until we become the truth we hear. Therefore, it isn’t following our preconceived notions of love; it’s seeking God’s love by having a constant listening ear and an attentive soul to His ways. Thankfully, it’s God’s will that we have this unity in Him, and His grace is more than sufficient to make us into His vessels of love as we are willing to follow Him.
Signs of True Love
To abide in the love of God is to be totally dependent on the leading and will of God in all areas of your life. It’s to be led by His spirit from within, not by rules from the outside. It’s to have a deep love for yourself, God and others around you so that you love unconsciously. It’s to know the truth for the truth is love. To walk in love is to walk in truth. It’s to trust God above all else, for those who trust Him obey Him, and those who obey Him, love Him. John 14:23
Have you allowed Christ Jesus to wash your feet? Do you daily seek, listen and walk according to His whisperings of wisdom (love) to your heart? Or do you walk according to the dictates of others, religion, the world’s wisdom, and your own imaginations?
There is only one way to be a part of Christ, to let Him wash your feet; to listen to the spirit of wisdom within you and allow His spirit to create your soul in perfect truth and love.
Talking about what the adulterous spirit is between us and God and us and others and how it’s purged from our lives. Incredibly important truth for these days for our actions are being revealed for what they are … thus we are living out the consequences of our thoughts/actions.
Hosea 4:10 For they shall eat, but not have enough; They shall commit harlotry, but not increase; Because they have ceased obeying the LORD.
1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
John 3:21 “But he who DOES the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been DONE In GOD.”
God’s voice comes to us from deep from within. His call is to follow His ways, which lead us from an existence of torment, angst, pain, and suffering and into green pastures and still waters. His wisdom leads to rest; internal and external rest (for the two are deeply intertwined). If you are in Him, you have His wisdom and your physical life reflects that gift, power, and peace.
If You Are Listening …
If you follow God’s leading, your life reflects His presence. You are ever increasing in wisdom, truth, knowledge, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, peace, blessing, protection, favor, health, loving kindness and the purest of love for all. This is how you know you are in Him. Your life testifies to it. And in these days this growth is accelerating for those who are following Him because Christ is gathering those who love Him to Him. He is truth.
The truth, Christ, is here, calling from within. The stone has been rolled back from the well of living waters. Truth is gushing out and meeting you where you are at, in your soul where His seed is sown. At first, you’ll perceive His leading as a good/cleansed/renewed conscience, which in time becomes apparent is His voice. You’ll be prompted to let go of bad habits and thoughts and embrace new ones. To forgive, to let go, and to give mercy instead of judgment. You’ll change your ways, priorities, and how you live. You’ll leave some friends and embrace others. Honor will grow for all people. You’ll start to care for the temple, your body, as His precious vessel. A loving spirit will replace a judging and adulterous one. Wisdom will fill your decisions and choices; thus creating paths of peace instead of angst/hardship. As you follow these promptings, your desires will start to change until they are in unity with His. Then you will abide in total freedom as a child as you no longer have a battle in your mind, because your desire is His. Mark 10:15 Then your entrance is granted into the kingdom of heaven as you are adorned in light. 2 Peter 1:10-11
This transformation occurs because you are moving deeper into truth; the mind/body of Christ. Your soul will become adorned with garments of light (truth/righteousness). Revelation 3:5 These garments of light are your protection from the increasing evils of the days, as light repels darkness. They hide you from the enemy, for they allow you entrance into the kingdom of heaven, which is the ark of safety, rest and peace. Revelation 3:10 As you listen to the voice of truth teaching you good from evil, for until now many have called what is evil good and what is good evil, God’s presence will engulf you leading you out of the pit. He’ll “rapture” you from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light (truth). It is a “rapture” of the mind and spirit. With the faith of God, you create life for He is life. Without these garments of truth, you can’t enter into the kingdom of heaven (light) for the kingdom is truth. You have to become it, to be in it. Once you start to become as Christ, then you truly start to see Him as He is. With spiritual truths, you only know them when you become them and they are a part of you.
If You AREN’T Listening …
By our faith, we create.
Those who DON’T listen to the Great Shepherd’s voice calling from within for whatever reason (religion, ways of world, thinking He is coming from outside them, Matthew 13:1-8) will continue to follow the paths of death. With their minds, they are creating the paths they walk. If your mind is full of darkness that is what you create. If it is full of life, then that is what you create. The works of your hands (beliefs) judge you because they manifest in your life and you have to live by them. If darkness, then suffering. If light, then peace and rest.
As the truth springs out of the earth, it will reveal all the works of darkness. Those souls who have walked contrary to God will manifest what they have chosen; paths that have no wisdom. As God’s mercy is lifted all will be revealed for what it is as the works are exposed for what they are. Wisdom will flee from their lives increasing the hardships. The will will become uncontrollable as darkness consumes it. Thus, they will create their own reality of strife, hardship, pain and suffering as they chose what wasn’t of the true God, His truth. This is their judgment inflicted by their own hands. Ezekiel 24:14
This depravity is a downward spiral, for the more angst you have in your life, the harder it is to follow the truth. God’s voice comes as a still small voice. When our souls are in a peaceful state it is easiest to hear Him. This is why the morning is the best time to seek truth and the voice of God, for your mind is the most peaceful. But as lives grow in travail, the anxiousness of people’s minds will make it harder to discern, hear, and trust that voice from within. Fear drives us with a horrific compulsion, which once strong in us it rules us to follow it to its demise. We all have had those times when our soul is stressed and how much harder it is to hear God. Imagine that amplified. In this state, to turn to God’s ways (true repentance) and stop the increasing strife will be harder. True repentance = in the moment of decision; choosing to following God’s prompting instead of any other drive/motive. This is why it is so important to seek the truth of God now. For when you listen and follow God it creates rest and peace, which allows more rest and peace to manifest.
Yet, this growing angst in people’s souls isn’t without perfect purpose by a loving God. It will serve them who think they are rich and don’t need to trust God or have a false image of God. Revelation 3:17 In time, by the salvation of God in the power of Christ’s love, their eyes will be opened to see the depravity of their ways, though great shame will follow especially for those who followed a false image of God. This awareness will bring them to truly becoming poor in spirit. The rich can not enter the kingdom of heaven (and there are many forms of riches), but God knows how to make a spirit poor. Matthew 19:23-26 He is The Creator. Their ways and strongholds of false powerless idols will be revealed for what they are. This awareness is a great gift for it in many will truly desire to cease walking in their ways and embrace the wisdom of God, which is His perfect will.
What to do?
Create a place and time of stillness, peace and quiet in your life. Some will have to make a lot of changes to their daily habits. Start to listen to Christ, the truth, calling to you with bands of love from within. Follow His promptings in our situations and in how He teaches you to think. Feast on Him. Eat His body, truth, and drink His blood, spirit. John 6:53 In the union of these two; spirit and truth, spiritual life is born. Seek to find the pearl of wisdom, Christ’s spirit in you, and you know when you have found it for you sell all else (all other things that direct/influence your soul; religion and ways of world), and embrace the presence of God wanting to fill and enrapture you into His marvelous kingdom of peace.
Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Matthew 25:40 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
There are two ways we care for the spirit of Christ, the seed of His spirit in us and in others. Matthew 13
What we do to ourselves and others, we do to Christ, for Christ has purchased us with His blood. Acts 20:28 Christ owns us, the vessels holding a soul and spirit, who one day will be united in an oneness to His Spirit and thus a part of His kingdom. Some of us are being currently prepared for this union, thus our once corrupted spirit is being transformed into a spirit like Christ’s. Others are still in the darkness of their corrupted spirit. 1 Corin 3:13-15 But regardless, Christ owns all because one day He will be in all. 1 Corin 15:28 There will be a new heaven and new earth in which no death dwells. Rev 21:1, Rev 20:14. Christ holds the keys to death and Hades and He will set the prisoners free. Rev 1:18, Luke 4:18 Therefore, what we do to ourselves and others we are doing to Christ. Talk about a new framework for viewing yourself and the souls in your life. It’s very convicting. How do you see others; your neighbor, the people who come across your path, family, acquaintances and even enemies? Do you judge them? Or do you love them in truth and spirit knowing the sovereignty Christ has over their souls?
One of the Greatest Gifts to Give
When we truly believe in someone it’s a powerful force in their lives; as you see even among corrupted souls. Now consider the ultimate belief in someone; to be who God created them to be. One of the greatest gifts we can give someone is to believe in their best self; to see beyond the mishaps and corrosion of sin in their lives and see the wondrous creative soul designed and fashioned by God. When we start to view others in this light instead of judging their brokenness, we start to have the eyes of Christ. Eyes longing to love in truth, to help grow and defeat their greatest enemy; their self-will from which all corruption flows. When we see this beautiful seed of a spirit, which is of Christ, in others waiting to express itself through the unique creation in which God made them, it gives us the ability to truly feed, nourish, clothe, and set them free from the prison of their corrupted self-will. HOWEVER, we first have to be feed, nourished, clothed and set free before we can have this glorious vision. For it isn’t ourselves who feeds, nourishes and sets them free, but Christ’s spirit in us touching their souls. With Christ’s spirit, we are part of their watering that helps them become who God intended. 1 Corin 3:6
Bread = truth of God
Drink = spirit of God
Garments = righteousness
Prison = the self-will
Overcoming Judging Spirit with one of Loving-kindness
A judging spirit is contrary to a loving spirit. To see others as Christ, we have to be delivered from the judging spirit and filled with His Spirit of loving kindness.
By default souls are born with a judging spirit because they are born controlled by their self-will and judging is a key characteristic of the self-will. It causes judgment toward themselves and others and it’s a deep vast spirit that penetrates most thoughts far beyond people’s awareness. When it’s always been a part of you, it’s hard to see it for what it is until the light shines upon it. But this judging spirit is not of the spirit of Christ. John 12:47
If this corrupted spirit is so pervasive how are we freed from it? By feeding the seed of the spirit of Christ in us. Christ has put His seed, a seed of His spirit, into the soil, our souls for we are made of dust, to be nourished in water (spirit) and light (truth). The union of spirit and truth births true life.
How do we see others from a spirit of love? First, we feed the seed of the spirit of Christ in us. We feed it words of truth and listen to the promptings of His spirit. As we OBEY and WALK in His ways, that spirit will grow in us. Then we will be able to feed the spirit of Christ in others; for we give what we are. And how we treat ourselves and our own soul is how we truly treat others. This awareness should open eyes to the hypocrisy in our actions. We say we love; yet in our actions we don’t even love (in God’s love) our own souls.
As we feed Christ’s spirit in us by the truth and obeying the truth, it starts to grow and we are transformed. Luke 6:45 This spirit transforms our mind to the mind of Christ, the wisdom of God, and our faith to be fully in God and thus we become new creations. When our spirit and mind are shaped in the spirit of Christ, which is righteous love, then everything about us changes. One key aspect is the judging spirit dissipates because the self-will is dying as we abandon it and walk in truth.
As this spirit grows in us, then it is able to feed, nourish, and help others come out of the prison of their debase mind, for they have the seed of the spirit as well. The Christ spirit in us waters the Christ spirit in others for it is all one. As our spirit matures, we are able to see others as He does with the amazing love and mercy by which He gave His spirit to redeem and save. In that new sight, our heart and actions change to be of love, mercy and honor.
Judging ourselves and others is meaningless vanity that causes massive destruction. Christ came to redeem us. To continue to judge isn’t to trust in His power or what He has done, but to hold onto that which is dying and He came to destroy.
Malachi 2: 10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers?
Seek to see and understand this judging spirit in your soul and for it to be purged by the power of God’s grace working in you. This is God’s will and when you come in line with it, it will be done. We can only repent from what we are aware of, and obey what we hear. Seek to be aware and obey God’s promptings of truth. In that process, you will grow and thus the spirit of Christ in you and others will be fed the truth, drink of the spirit, be clothed in righteousness, and freed from the prison of your self-will mind.
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Talking about a true spirit of worship verses contrived worship stemming from religion and our self-will. What does God desire?
Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Does God know you? Is there an intimate exchange of truth and spirit between you and God? How do you know about Him, where/whom have you learned about God? How much of what you know have you learned from God Himself, and not another? Listen to your words; is it he/she said/taught or is it God taught me? Do you obey HIS truth, words of life spoken to your spirit? To know Him is to obey Him in love. For when you know Him, you become a part of Him. John 14:23, John 17:3
If you obey in love, then you seek, listen and follow His voice above all others in everything. You move from doing what you think is good to God directing your thoughts/actions/desires. 1 Corin 8:2 When you are led by the spirit of God, you are a son/daughter of God. Romans 8:14 This intimate interaction is to know God and to be known by Him.
1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
Major Stumbling Block to Being Known by God; Religion
A HUGE roadblock to knowing God in truth and spirit is clinging to a religion, even the religion of Christianity (vs. pure discipleship under Christ). Religion is man-made doctrines, structures, and images defining God and things pertaining to God. Religions create false images of God. So you are interacting with an image and not the true God, thus He doesn’t know you. You can’t learn about God from another, only as He reveals Himself to you. Just as you can not truly know someone until you meet him/her yourself. Religions try to define God to you; who He is, how to worship Him, and what He expects of you. This is being led by mankind’s ways and not the spirit of God. Receiving “understanding” second hand creates false images since you’ve never meet Him, just as with another person. The multitude of denominations reveals the magnitude of mankind’s doctrines and people following the dictates of their own hearts, verses seeking the one true God. Those of God are of one spirit, not divided. 1 Corin 1:10-13 Especially for us once churched people, we have to lay our beliefs before God and seek to know Him as He is, because our understanding of God and His ways have been crafted by others and are FULL of man-made images.
The warning of Christ in Matthew 7 strikes very deeply, no one wants to be one of those spoken of in those verses. Jeremiah 16:10-13, Matthew 7:22-23, Matthew 22:13-14 Most don’t think it’s them. Many who call Lord, Lord, believe they are worshipping and serving the true God. Yet, this passage testifies to the contrary, that they were following a false image. They were serving someone, but not God, so who? Following the lawless one, creates lawlessness.
Example: Images of God
As lies and deception permeate religions, people don’t realize they are worshiping a false image of God …
Image 1
A God who governs by fear and guilt.
Followers “come to Him” out of fear; to avoid eternal torment
He killed Jesus in pouring His wrath on him because of people’s sin
He eternally torments those who don’t worship Him as He says
He fosters a suffering life, “for your good”
Guilt abides in followers to move them to action
He has little power in people’s life, thus hardship and affliction
Life is one of suffering until one dies and goes to heaven
Evil is the victor for eternity; for lives spend eternity in hell
Hypocritical love and a judging spirit abound in followers in response to their beliefs
Image 2
A God who governs by righteous love
Followers “come to Him” out of love, not fear
He gave up His spirit so He could fill many to give them eternal life (1 Corin 2:8, 1 Peter 2:24)
Consequences of actions are for the sake of turning people to paths of life so they are healed and renewed
He uses chastening to keep people from the paths of death
He gives abundant life now to those who walk in truth
He came to redeem people from death, not send them there
His will is sovereign, thus death is destroyed, not victor
Love is in sincerity and truth
Mercy triumphs over judgment
Can you tell who is who? Can you see the different spirits? Can you see that many promote the first image; an image counter (anti) to the true God?
Purging False Images of God
Because of the abundance of false images:
1. Seek the instruction of God’s Spirit to teach and build a solid foundation of truth in your life.
2. Leave religion behind and take a break from the teachings of others so you can learn to become a disciple of Christ, and not others. It’s extremely honoring to God to seek Him with such diligence, to put your trust in Him to teach you for this is His command and desire.
3. In your time with Him each morning, put all church/religious doctrines aside and seek to know God as He is by listening to His Spirit speaking words of life to your spirit and through His Word.
4. Come in the humility that God desires; admitting you could be misled in your beliefs about Him, and seek to learn from Him. Psalm 25:9
5. Ask for all lies to be revealed and purged. Be willing to let go of every doctrine you learned in church/family/fellowships, and submit to His sovereignty and instruction.
6. Let God teach you so you are able to stand on the true Rock, the truth. Know Him as He is by coming come to Him in spirit (no images) and truth (as He is not by false images or doctrines.)
Testimony of His Presence in Your Life
How do you know you are known by God? You experience His presence. God is truth and love. If you are truly following God, your life bears the fruit of His presence and grows brighter and brighter in truth/light/righteousness unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18 His presence manifests wisdom, joy, peace, healing, blessing, rest, and the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 When you come to Him in truth, this is what you receive as you walk with Him in righteousness. It’s a witness to the truth. This fruit bearing reveals His presence in your life; fruit by His doing, not your self-efforts. Galatians 5:22-23 It’s not by self-effort that transformation comes, but by His Spirit taking over you. 1 Corin 6:9-10
Amos 5:21-24
I hate, I despise your feast days,
And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. 22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. 23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. 24 But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.
As God returns to redeem this earth, people will see what they were truly worshipping, as all is revealed. In that revelation, many will bear great shame and say Lord, Lord, Ezekiel 36:32, 43:10, Hosea 4:19 We need to put all religion aside and come to God one-on-one to listen and learn from Him as He has commanded, then we will discover the true God of amazing love and mercy. Amos 5:4-6
Amos 4:12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”
John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.
Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ‘
Talking about how we can understand the deep truths of the Bible in the union of Christ’s spirit within us and the words of life.
Living Light 