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Holiness Leads to Happiness

Holiness Leads to Happiness

Do you believe this truth; holiness leads to happiness?

My life testifies to this truth; though when I look around it’s dismissed by a multitude of lies, as it once was in my life. The main one being you can’t be truly holy AND happy because the path of holiness leads to continual sacrifice, thus suffering and lack. This is the world’s lie, when in reality the opposite is true; holiness leads to happiness. This lie keeps us from seeking it, thus truly seeking to walk in oneness with God and His perfect wisdom that makes our lives a continual feast. Psalm 138:8, Proverbs 15:15  To understand this dynamic of holiness and happiness is a part of knowing the true God.

Purging False Images

To understand this truth and for it to become real in our life, we first have to set aside all images of holiness; cathedrals, nuns, convents, contrived humility/meekness, anything eternal. Mark 7:7-8, 15 Holiness doesn’t come from the external, but internal. It’s of the heart, thus to know it ALL images related to it have to be purged. When we willing offer this clean slate to God; then the deep instruction of God begins. He destroys the lies and replaces them with truth.

What is Holiness?

Holiness =  feeling, thinking and doing what is the most loving and honoring (2 sides of same coin) for ourselves, others and God.

Holiness is the result of an inner transformation of the soul affecting our heart, spirit, and mind. It’s the interworking and result of purity, truth and love that come from being a part of God and obeying God’s truth. We become holy as we obey God’s instruction within our soul; for that is where God communes with us. When we obey we love. We obey when we love God. We obey because God’s ways are love. As we obey we become united to God. Then, holiness shines in us and lights the space around us.

If you continuously abide in pure love for yourself, others and God, what do you suppose the state of your soul will be?

Yes. Happiness.

Brings Abundant Life

Walking in God’s truth, which is obeying His counsel within our soul, is walking in true wisdom. When we act in wisdom, our life is recreated inside and out. Wisdom transforms not only us, but the space around us. It creates a life of inner and outer growing peace, purpose, rest, purity, healing … truly all things that bring abundant happiness and everlasting joy. Christ spirit in us is our wisdom. 1 Corin 1:30, 2 Peter 1:4 His Spirit within us counsels and instructs us in all wisdom, which is the most loving and honoring decision that results in holiness.

Becoming a Vessel of Honor

Once we truly start seeking God, our sin is used for refinement. The consequences of the sin (as an illness, hardship, angst, unrest, stress, etc) present a sign that we are going against God’s will, which we don’t desire for it leads to all those things we don’t want. If we are of God, we desire to abide in love and not have any sin abiding in us. We want purged all that is contrary to God, so we can dwell in perfect unity with Him.  2 Peter 3:11, 13-14 We need wisdom’s rebukes in our spirit so we can walk in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 1:23 As we grow in obedience, which is growing in love; the result is holiness. If we take away honor or love, then we take away holiness and joy.

Happy is he who trusts in God. When we trust we obey. If we trust external things to bring us honor/value/love, we’ll block holiness thus happiness.

Psalm 146:5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God,

Ask God to build this truth in your life. This transformation within your soul is now possible as Christ is making His home in the souls prepared for Him. Rev 3:8, John 10:9 His spirit in us compels, enables, and empowers us to walk in the purest of love. Without His spirit, we can do nothing. With it nothing is impossible. His spirit is the morning star that is now rising in our souls. As we go through this transition, we are becoming a part of God’s house built without hands for Him to dwell in forever. Ephesians 2:20-21

Psalm 144:15 Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!


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Cloak of Holiness

Cloak of Holiness

Remember the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes?

A vain Emperor who cares for nothing hires two swindlers that promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or “hopelessly stupid”. The Emperor cannot see the cloth himself, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing unfit for his position; his ministers do the same. When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him and the Emperor marches in procession before his subjects, who play along with the pretense, until a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession. (Wikipedia)

A similar deception spreads throughout Christianity, by a slight twisting of truth.

In a misunderstanding between a promise and a fulfillment of a promise, the concept of an invisible cloak of holiness exists among Christianity. At the time of confession of a belief in Christ, it’s assumed you receive an invisible cloak that is Christ’s righteousness that makes you holy. With this cloak, God sees you as holy, thus you are no longer in danger of judgment, and can now enter heaven.

This invisible cloak is viewed as sufficient, necessary, and all that is necessary. It’s assumed you can’t become truly righteous while on this earth, thus the need for the cloak. Because you already have the garments of righteousness, though invisible, there is no need to seek true righteousness, and it’s impossible anyway.

With this cloak, people claim holiness where there is none; as demonstrated by their lives imprisoned in sin, thus afflictions, pain, sorrow and hardships. This false belief prevents them from seeking real righteousness as this pretend cloak nullifies the need. These souls have been lead to the kingdom doors, but can’t enter as they embrace the lie. Matt 23:13 Psalm 55:19 As the Emperor, they’ve been fooled.

Revelation 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked

To enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, we have to be holy and made righteous. Not in a pretend way, but a true transformation that we experience in every facet of our lives.

Christ is returning as a flaming fire to establish His kingdom. 2 Thess 1:7-8 All that isn’t of God will be burned/destroyed. This is what the fire does; it burns away all the dross/impurities. You either become the fire or are burned by it. 1 Corin 3:13-17 If we’ve been prepared by the Holy Spirit, spirit of wisdom, we will embrace the purification of the fire. Through it we will gloriously transform into all we desire to be. However, if we haven’t been prepared, thus no oil, then we’ll not heed the refining fire. Matthew 25: 9-11 We won’t even know to, because we think we already have holiness by our invisible cloak. Instead of rest from embracing the fire, we’ll experience difficult circumstances, which serve the purpose to awaken our soul to our depravity so we’ll turn to truth.

Revelation 3:18 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”

The garments of righteousness are real. Christ sows them on us as we learn His truth and obey it. This ability to walk in righteousness is now ours. It’s the POWER of Christ’s spirit rising in our souls. 2 Peter 1:19 There is nothing fake about it.

Be careful not to cling to fake garments like the Emperor. If you don’t believe you need to be made tangibly righteous, you won’t have the faith to grow. Let Christ dine within you feeding you the truth of life, that gives you His mind thus true holiness and righteousness. 1 Thess 4:7-8, 1 Thess 5:23, Revelation 19:8

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.


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Christ Washing YOUR Feet

Christ Washing YOUR Feet

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.


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God Speaking to Your Spirit

God Speaking to Your Spirit

 

Now is the time to do the right(eous) thing.

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?

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Response to Hell Series

Response to Videos

on Hell as Eternal Torment

This post is in response to the videos I posted last week on hell which challenged the wide-spread belief that hell is eternal torment. I scripturally demonstrated the righteous love and mercy of God, which knows no bounds. Romans 8:38-39 God’s love will prevail, nothing less till He fills all, for He is love.

Over the years of seeking to know God in truth and spirit, God has revealed Himself to me to be far more merciful and loving than I ever imagined; a different God from what I learned in the church system. I realized what I previously held was an image of God taught to me by others as I never truly sought with all my heart, soul and mind to know the true living God. God is beyond all religions and mankind’s imaginations. He is life. He is love. He is. Religions, though each holds an aspect of truth thus their appeal, craft false images of God. This is why Christ didn’t establish a religion, but gave us two commandments. Mark 12:30-31 He removed any “system” and gave us Himself.

As I’ve sought to know God as He is, His righteous love and grace have astounded me, and it continues to. We dwell in the shadow of death, when you get glimpses of life, it’s far more beautiful, pure and of righteous love than anything on this earth. The god of eternal torment isn’t God, but the God who gave His very life so that all torment in a deceived mankind would come to an end. 1 Corinthians 15:55

In the videos, I presented some aspects of what God has taught me thus far about His amazing plan of salvation, far bigger and more perfect than mainstream philosophies. What I found exciting in the perfect righteous love it contained, other professing Christians strongly rejected because it didn’t include their understanding of hell as eternal torment. They weren’t willing to consider the scriptural reasons opposing the concept of eternal torment. They held tight to their doctrine rejecting anything contrary, even a message of eternal mercy and love.  Some cut me off so that they would no longer “buy and sell” with me, because I didn’t bear the mark (belief) of a god who torments souls forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 It was an eye opening experience, and thus this post.

God has shown us throughout history how easily deceived and misled mankind can be, even His people. He has shown how people are trapped in death and lies and can’t see true life, even when He is standing right in front of them. Luke 23:34 They can’t save themselves. They are blind. They can’t believe in the truth to walk and follow the voice of God that leads them into true eternal life. They’re bound by deception for the world is under the sway of the wicked one. 1 John 5:19

Therefore, in Christ, He will give them a new spirit and a new heart to be able to know and walk in His ways. Joel 2:28, Ezekiel 36:26, Hebrews 8:9-11, John 3:8 Without this new spirit, no one can truly know God. We are all dead in our trespasses. This giving of His spirit is the salvation and grace of God. One day all will believe in Christ, because He will be reigning. (True belief is walking in His ways of truth/righteous love not just acknowledging Him, even the demons believe and tremble James 2:19). Every knee will bow to the One whose love delivered them from the pits of hell; from death. God is love. His righteous love will reign. He will fill all and be in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 All will be holy, all will be righteous, all will be love. That means there will be no more death; nothing left of death or of sin, except the remembrance that it’s no more. This is an AMAZING plan of love and grace that’s been diminished by the eternal torment doctrine.

My encouragement and warning to you is to seek to know God as He is. I say this over and over for I long to you to know the Living God. Learn from Our Teacher. Matthew 23:8 He will teach you all things, if you TRUST HIM. Don’t put your trust in images of God crafted by mankind. Every truth you hold of God bring into question and seek to be taught by God Himself. He will for this is the new covenant and His desire for you.

For those who trust in the image of God as a God of eternal torment, the shame and condemnation will be so great, for they will realize it was an image crafted and powered by Satan, the ultimate lying spirit. Satan crafts many images to deceive and put us in bondage. But God has given us everything we need to know the truth, His Spirit. Learn to listen and be taught by Him.

God is pouring out His spirit to prepare this earth for His return. This spirit teaches us all things which leads us in the paths of righteousness and life. It’s the still small voice saying walk this way. Isaiah 30:21, Hebrews 12:25 Don’t listen to the roaring lions of the enemy seeking to destroy, seek to hear His voice and pray for courage to follow it for it isn’t of the world because it’s the voice of life.

A Few Concepts to Consider:

  • Holiness of God can’t have what isn’t holy existing for eternity; why He destroys wickedness. Yet in His love for us, He delivered us, who had wickedness, from being destroyed by giving us His Spirit; possible in Christ.
  • God is love. In Christ, He has forgiven mankind, thus can infuse His righteous love spirit into them, thus righteously saving and redeeming. All will learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9
  • God is doing what we couldn’t; by His Spirit He enables us to believe on Him in a world covered in sin and deception. He truly is the Good Shepherd over a very lost fold.
  • God is love and righteous. He isn’t one or the other but always both. We can’t split the two to justify man’s intepetation of doctrine. Why would you want to?
  • A hell of eternal torment gives Satan, the deceiver of mankind and murderer, the victory.
  • Eternal torment makes Satan more powerful than God; for God was unable to save those He wanted to.
  • Christ came to save those who couldn’t save themselves; this eternal torment goes against Him, thus the spirit of the anti-Christ.
  • It’s counter to the truth, Christ has victory over death.
  • It strips the true God of power in the minds of His people and gives it to an image crafted by mankind, powered by the lying spirit of Satan.
  • The image blocks people from knowing the true God, thus worshipping a false image.
  • It’s a doctrine of fear, not of love. The goodness of God leads to repentance.
  • It proliferates the spirit of judgment of ourselves and others instead of abundant grace and forgiveness.
  • The list goes on and on …

Seek God’s understanding in this topic. I know some will question my words. Bring your questions to God; don’t shut your ears or harden your hearts to His voice and the amazing love that He has to give you.


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Led By the Spirit of God

Led By the Spirit of God

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Last week, I discussed the Path of Salvation and how it’s not only knowing and believing in God, but becoming a part of God. God is life. When we are a part of Him, we have eternal life. Becoming a part of God involves seeking, hearing, and obeying for to be a part of Him is to become as He is. 1 John 3:2 This journey is working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Phil 2:12-13

Working out our salvation is walking the narrow way of truth. Matthew 7:13-14 It’s learning from God, then obeying as we are taught. When our thoughts, will, and desires are one with God, we are His sons and daughters because we are a part of Him. We reflect His nature, as a true son or daughter would. We mirror the result of His ways; His holiness, love, truth, mercy, compassion, and righteousness. If we are truly fellowshipping with God, we will see these characteristics expanding in our lives, as light expands to fill the darkness.

To be led by God means we are no longer led by our self will. It means learning God’s ways, then acting according to His ways and no longer our own. It means setting aside our judgments and letting Him judge. It means letting Him rule our lives. It means abiding in rest as God moves through us. It means seeking and listening; for how else will we know His will to live it?

This turning from our ways to follow His ways is repentance. Repentance occurs when we learn that God’s ways are better, thus they become our desire and passion. For example, God tells us to honor all people. 1 Peter 2:17 To each one of us, He will specifically direct us to what that looks like. He will teach us through our circumstances and in accordance with the Bible. As we listen and obey to His specific counsel to us, we experience the positive effects of walking in God’s truth. We each learn first hand His ways are far superior and in response our souls start to long for His precepts as we see the perfection and righteous love they possess. Psalm 63:1

John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Obedience, the core of repentance, is born out of love. His words are righteous love, thus as we know His words, we desire to walk in them. In repentance, our core passion changes from following self to following God, thus we have a love for the truth of God and our lives reflect that love.

It’s essential to understand the power of God as THE Teacher in our lives and the necessity for us to TRUST Him to be. Matthew 23:8 As we fellowship with God each day, He transforms us so that we are crafted in His truth. 2 Corin 5:17 This doesn’t happen when we listen to others talk about Him. In learning from God, we aren’t simply gaining knowledge of His ways; He transforms us by the power of His spirit moving in us as we commune with Him. This power is how we are able to walk as He leads. The power is available to us through His abundant grace. 2 Corin 9:8 Without His power working in us we couldn’t walk as He commands. Therefore, His commands aren’t burdensome. We desire them and live them by His power.

1 John 5:.3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

As God teaches us, He transforms us, which enables us to walk as He leads. Ephesians 1:19

Through this process of seeking, listening and obeying, our lives start to manifest the qualities of God (His holiness, righteous love, peace, rest, power) because we are becoming a part of Him. As the kingdom of heaven matures within us, we experience abundant life. John 10:10 If we aren’t experiencing increasing abundant life, we are following the wrong shepherd.

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Each of us has to walk our own narrow path. No one can do it for us. We each have to be taught, led and shepherded by God for those are the ones who become a part of Christ, the Word. John 6:45 Those are the ones who lay down their self will and ways and are transformed by the Truth. This is the path of salvation, thus eternal life, because it leads to a point of desiring to be completely consumed by God, who is life.

This narrow way of seeking, listening and obeying to a point of holy rest where God governs all is why many are called but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14 Most are governed by mankind’s doctrines, thoughts, opinions and ways and not God’s. Only God’s ways lead to eternal life. His words in accordance with His power purify us to a point of becoming one with Him. What Christ did was beyond powerful. He gave us the ability to possess the spirit of God that we might live in truth because His perfection can abide within us.

1 John 1:6-7 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


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Drawing Near to God

Drawing Near to God

Below is series talking about how to draw near to God … about walking the narrow path, defeating sin and moving into righteousness, trusting God as our Teacher, and coming to Him in spirit and truth. There are some powerful truths stated, I hope you check it out.

 

 

 


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The Ultimate Choice: Choose Life

The Ultimate Choice: Choose Life

Would you rather be operating by God’s mind or by your own? God is giving you the choice.

The Choice

Deuteronomy 30:19 “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

The pilgrimage through this earth comes down to a singular decision. Will you choose to be TOTALLY governed by God or self? What you choose depends on the life you will have; the first manifests true life and the second death. It’s one or the other because God is life and anything contrary is death. Most people unknowingly choose death because of the lie that has kept people from God; that life fully governed by God is less than what they can give themselves. When in reality, the only things you miss out on are the things of death.

The life we desire; peace, joy, righteous love, truth, rest, contentment, and blessing, comes when our souls are united to God’s Spirit so that His spirit operates our being in every way. This life is manifested when our self-will is literally dead, silenced, and God’s Spirit takes the reigns. Galatians 2:20  

The ultimate blessing is to be completely directed by God so that our every desire, thought and word is of Him, by Him and through Him; a place where we are fully governed by the Spirit of God and nothing of our self-will. Lamentations 3:24 In this state abundant life is manifested in us and in our lives.

Isaiah 58:13 If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,

The eternal Sabbath is being at complete rest, so that you are totally powered by God’s spirit. When you are governed by Him, you are at rest because it’s all Him and nothing of you. John 15:5  In rest, you do nothing of yourself. You give up all your ways, pleasures and words to God and He drives your life. If you aren’t working, efforting, striving or exerting your will, then His will can prevail. You cultivate no trust or confidence in anything of this flesh existence. The exterior life is nothing but the shell that is powered by God. In this state, you are a complete slave to God and His righteousness and know no other greater delight, for He is life. Acts 17:28

Romans 6:18   And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Imagine if ALL you did was directed by God who knows everything … the outcome and ripple effect of every action?  All you do would be done in truth and righteous love. Imagine how your life would blossom into all it was meant to be. This is what Christ came to create, God’s spirit abiding within souls of mankind, Immanuel.

How to silence your self-will?

What is the path to make this choice; to be completely governed by God?

  1. SEEK God in TRUTH and SPIRIT. You need to know the difference of your self-will and God’s will and the extent of its control in your life. If you don’t seek truth FROM GOD, you can’t make this decision because you don’t have the knowledge of what the decision entails. You can’t choose what you don’t know. How can you know without diligently seeking daily and above all else?

Jeremiah 7:13 And now, because you have done all these works,” says the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer

  1. BUILD a relationship with God so you can TRUST Him. To honestly let go of all, you have to trust God and nothing of yourself. How can you trust without an intimate relationship?
  2. ACT on His instruction specifically to you. As you act according to God’s counsel and witness His faithfulness, you come to a point of forsaking all to be completely governed by Him – then the choice is the result. How can you act if you aren’t listening to Him?

In our limited awareness, we have no idea the outcome of what we do. If we hold onto our own judgments about what is good (essence of religions), we’ll make errors (sin) leading to pain and suffering in our lives and others. No matter how good our intentions, we don’t know the beginning and the end. Thus, anything done of ourselves, no matter if we judge it good or not, is sin. Sin equates to death. Therefore, we need to be at rest and letting God flow through us as He wills which is accomplished by forsaking every aspect of our self-will and letting His will rule. John 5:30

Seeking God and His truth with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, abiding in rest, and experiencing the fruit of His Spirit testify that we have chosen His will over ours; a life we can start experiencing now. When we come to this point, we are ruled by God’s Spirit thus walk in His commandments, because He is living through us and His righteousness taking us over.

More Discussion on this Topic


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Learning from Old Testament Laws PART 2…

Learning from Old Testament Laws

PART 2

 

Continuance from previous post …

Penalty of death for breaking the Sabbath Exodus 35:2

Because most of us struggle with sanctification without works, God designed a potent instruction tool, the Sabbath. God established the law of the Sabbath as a picture and foreshadowing of entering into His ultimate rest in Christ.  On the Sabbath His people were ordered not to do any work. The consequences of not honoring this day were severe. In Numbers 15:32-36, on the Sabbath, a man was gathering sticks in the wilderness; a seemingly low effort and harmless task. His penalty? Death. The Sabbath law was not to be taken lightly. Exodus 31:14

The day was established to remind us that God sanctifies us and not our efforts. Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. (Ezekiel 20:12) If we try even with the smallest effort, like picking up sticks, we are going against the will of God. Christ fulfilled the entire law including the Sabbath. The requirement of rest pointed to Christ who would be our eternal rest and free us from having to earn our righteousness by obeying the law. He became our rest and we became holy. We are no longer bound to any law because He perfectly filled each one. There is nothing we add to it and it is to our determent if we try to. We are to accept what He has done and rest in grace. We all fall into the performance trap, but the question is in what race are we trying to run, of works or grace?

Galatians 3:24-25, Colossians 2:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

From the severity of the consequences of the Sabbath Law, we can see how important learning and abiding by this truth is to God. It’s critical to our spiritual survival to rest from attempting to earn our righteousness. If we try to live by the law then that is how we will be judged. If we break one iota then we have broken it altogether and we are accountable. The man who picked up sticks that one afternoon was put to death. It is all or nothing. And no one can fulfill the whole law. We are human and we will fall short. This path, which the majority of the world attempts to walk, has one end, death. Conversely, if we live by grace then we are judged by grace, and we abide in freedom and perfect assurance of our salvation and sanctification.

Ezekiel 33:13, Romans 4:4-5

Christ saves and sanctifies. Most of us trust Him with saving our souls but when it comes to sanctification we intervene. If the core motivation to give to the poor, tithe, go to church, say a prayer, go to a Bible study, work for a ministry, and help with the homeless is to earn a high ranking in His kingdom or make us more worthy then our trust is in the wrong place. It’s clear by the consequences of breaking the law that God doesn’t tolerate us attempting to sanctify ourselves. It’s critical that we know this truth deep in our souls. Resting means we trust God to sanctify us alone. A good way to test if you are resting in Him is to stop doing those things for awhile and see what you feel in your soul. If you feel guilt, you are trusting in the wrong thing.

Galatians 5:4-5

Restrictions on eating certain foods Lev. 11:10

Eating represented eternalizing certain spiritual doctrines. Foods were symbolic of what was unclean, the philosophies contrary to God’s truth and ways and the ones those other beliefs come from. The restrictions on food were a constant reminder that what we take in (other philosophies) affects our bodies, minds, and spirits. If it is tainted then we are tainted.

The Israelites were commanded not to mingle with other nations because their philosophies and beliefs would influence them and lead them astray from God, which they did. Abstaining from certain foods was a constant reminder of this truth.

At the coming of Christ, life was able to go to all men so that all could enter God’s presence not just the Israelites. Anyone God purifies is pure. Acts 10:12-16 There are no more divisions in Christ, all can come to God through Christ. However, it is still critical for us not to mingle the truth of God with other philosophies. Matthew 16:6, 12.

 

Touching unclean animals Lev 11:8

Again this addresses staying away from other philosophies that aren’t of God because of our ability to be influenced by them. Without the Holy Spirit people had to stay completely separate from these other nations and ideas. They lacked discernment, wisdom and counsel. They easily gave into those ideas. The restrictions on animals represented that separation and served as a constant reminder.

To be continued …