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Skins of Instruction

Skins of Instruction

Peace

It’s our willful decisions counter to the heavenly Father’s character that restrict us from experiencing His presence in our reality. These decisions, choices and ways prohibit us from “seeing” Him in our lives, for He abides in the paths of righteousness, for He is righteous. We experience Him by desiring to become fully righteous and thus grow in accordance to His nature. We grow by internal communion with our internal Teacher, Christ. This personal instruction is the journey to true understanding.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve, creation has been bound in skins (our personal reality) of affliction. They are the skins Adam and Eve received after they deviated from the point of perfection; the heavenly Father’s perfect will creating every moment of their lives. They are the skins of mortality and death. They are the prison and the pit we dwell in. They are the result of the flesh carnal mind, which is separated from God, that is creating an existence of death and destruction.

This curse of creating death (darkness) that mankind has been under is beginning to lift.  As Christ establishes His kingdom of righteousness through His Bride in this earth, the skins of affliction are being used to instruct people in His ways; thus skins of instruction. People’s realities are going to teach them in increasingly apparent ways. The sooner people realize and catch on to this phenomenon, the sooner they will transform into spiritual creations who can embrace His spirit.

The Righteous Reign Through Pure Light (Understanding)

As Christ unites in fullness and oneness to those who have been sanctified by His internal instruction, His kingdom is being established in the earth, thus His righteous reign has begun. He will reign in and through His people until all enemies are put under His feet; His authority. This means righteousness will fill all. Death is destroyed when life implodes it. This is the only way it is truly destroyed.

His reign entails His righteous acts flowing from the souls, who are united to His perfect understanding, into the world. These purified souls have been fashioned into channels of living water, which carry His perfection into the earth. He fills their words and actions to create ripple effects of increasing righteousness within the realm of mankind.

Skins of Instruction: Renewal of Mankind

When the fullness of Christ’s spirit of pure light unites to creation, His truth is released in power to test/expose each soul as to whether he/she is in alignment with His righteousness or not. Our lives reveal the outcome. If we walk according to righteousness, we experience increasing abundance of every blessing. If we walk counter, we experience increasing unrest. This unrest is to ignite us to true change, repentance.

In His love and grace, He uses each person’s reality (skins) as a specialized tool to reveal unrighteousness and teach them the ways of abundant life. People need not look any further than the happenings within their lives, as He is overtaking and filling all of creation. If something is foolish, it will cause ill effects. If something is righteous, it will create beauty and peace. The effects will be more evident, more direct, and more powerful. The revelation of the need for Him and His true nature will manifest.

If we have not become partakers of the divine nature, thus put on skins of light, our skins (reality) will be used to instruct us in more apparent and immediate ways.  Contrary acts to the supreme divine nature will manifest more immediate sorrowful consequences. If something is hot to the touch, it will reveal itself as hot and no longer lukewarm.

People remain in their destructive ways because the harm those ways cause is dimmed or/and distant and they are covered in binding lies, thus they continue what they are doing and cause extensive harm to themselves and others. At Christ’s return, the harmful effects will draw near to their cause. Thus, sin will create much bitterness. This is the revealing of all that is hidden. This is the revealing of hearts. This is the Light revealing the darkness.

People have not learned of the truth, ways or righteousness of the heavenly Father in their realities because the consequences to their actions have been distant and dim and lies have abounded. And on the reverse, the truly righteous ways have been hidden; the Light brings awareness to both. He is coming to alter the minds of mankind, by infusing them with His light (understanding).

Skins of Light: Christ’s Reality

If we have partaken of the divine nature, not only are we a light and a tool to spread the light of righteousness by letting the living waters flow from us, but we also continue to grow ourselves. In being united to the fullness of Christ, our thoughts become His thoughts. In this unity, we no longer require the outside instruction, skins of instruction, as we once did. Thus they fade away as the garments of pure light take their place.

Christ is clothing us with the skins of immortality because we are a part of Him. By being a part of Him, we continue to grow thus our reality reveals increasing peace, abundance, joy, growth, understanding, and every beautiful character trait we witness in Christ. Our lives become His. He creates a place in our reality where He desires to dwell, His home. The reality He prepares for us and Him to abide in is in perfect alignment with our desires, which He has purified.

When the spirit of Christ has taught you in an inner communion to desire nothing but to abide in that point of perfection and your life testifies to that consuming desire, you’ve been prepared to marry, fully unite to, His spirit. In that union, He moves into your reality and makes it His reality. Thus, He is creating every present moment in growing perfection. As His reality expands in yours, you become a light shining in this dark world to transform it into the kingdom of heaven, the home of the heavenly Father.

Check out the videos related to this topic on my youtube channel starting with “Putting on Immortality” and the following four videos.


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Discipleship Of Christ

Discipleship Of Christ

 

Our beliefs determine everything. When our beliefs are transformed and remolded, we change. Our beliefs change when we deeply learn something new. It’s a depth of learning that reshapes our souls and thus our lives. This remolding is what God calls us to in seeking His truth, and not a head knowledge that affects little. When I speak of learning in this post, I’m speaking of a depth of learning that is really a remolding that makes us into new creations.

Galatians 1:11-12 But I make known to you, brethren that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

From God, we learn the deep truths of God that transform us. He is our Creator; He does the remolding. I didn’t experience transformable learning by hearing others talk about God. Others can point to the way to truth. They can talk of the truths of God, but the depth of knowing of those truths as we are intended to know them, can only come by being taught by the Holy Spirit. This transformable learning is why we were given the Holy Spirit.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

Each one of God’s children is called to be a disciple of Christ, not others. Matthew 28:19 Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Thus, we each are to individually abide in the Word of God, the Bible, seeking the instruction of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, we are to support others in becoming disciples of Christ, not others.

Matthew 23:8, 10 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ

In the verse above the titles teacher and Rabbi denote authority and supremacy in the area of instruction. The Rabbi held an honorable place in the synagogue as he was seen as the expert in spiritual matters. When Jesus came He took the place of the teachers who held that authority as noted in the verse. Christ alone became The Teacher having preeminence in instruction about Him and His kingdom. Jesus came and made everything personal including instruction.

Yet, Paul tells us that God appoints teachers for the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:28) However, this role doesn’t contain the authority of what Jesus spoke about in Matthew 23. If so the verses would be contradictory. Teachers among the brethren are simply that, our brethren. All they say is secondary and points to our Teacher’s words. Effective teachers help others discover the truth, for that is all they can really do. For a healthy family, our Father, God, should hold the role as the utmost Teacher in each one of our lives. This means we spend time daily talking and listening to HIM, not others, through His Word and prayer. It’s critical for the strength of His body, the true church, that each one of us builds our foundations on Him and not each other. This is also the only way we can test all spirits as we are instructed to. 1 John 4:1

What are the Roles of Others’ Words in our Lives?

Confirm what God has taught us.
Exhort to obey and seek God’s truth.
Support us in learning from God and trusting in Him, which is faith.
Encourage us in our relationship with God.
Clarify and enhance our learning from God.

These are the purposes for which I write. It isn’t to teach as we think of teaching. I don’t believe we can truly teach each other to the extent that brings true transformation. God is God. We are not. He is the one who works in us according to His good pleasure and will, not us. Phil 2:13 Thus, the role of a human teacher is to guide and point to the Teacher. They are facilitators, and not to take the place of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. Yet, this is what you see happening far too often.

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

I’ve been sitting at the feet of Christ, and not others, for 10 years. For the years before compared to the years after – there is no comparison. It was like I learned nothing before by relying on the instruction of others.  Initially, it took getting used to as it was quite the paradigm shift, because it’s ingrained in us that we learn from other humans. We are still learning from another, but it’s God. Learning from God Himself has been the reason for transformation in my life. The remolding has been extensive. What I’ve gained has far exceeded my expectations. It’s the type of learning that reaches to your very depths and brings powerful change in every dimension of your being. It’s about having the right balance of God first, then others in our lives.

Here is a critical truth most overlook; those taught by God are the ones who truly come to Christ, the truth. John 6:45 People can say Christ is their Lord, but only those taught by God truly come to Him. When they do, their lives testify to His presence. These abide in it the Word and live it. They become the bride God calls them to be. They have the mind of Christ. Christ’s spirit dwells within them. Their lives have power. They are freed from sin. They experience all things becoming new. These are the ones who have diligently sat at Christ’s feet as His disciples.

Few walk this path because it’s an individual commitment and pursuit, but for those who do they are the ones who become united to God in truth and spirit. Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:14 Be aware of at whose feet you are sitting; your spiritual life depends on it. Put the crutches aside and abide in the pure Word of God seeking to be taught by Him. Be patient and in time your life will begin to bloom.

If you are interested in hearing more about the Holy Spirit as the Teacher in our lives, you can listen to my podcast: Holy Spirit as Our Teacher


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Rewards for Foolishness

Rewards for Foolishness

God will not reward foolishness.

No good father does.

We’ve all seen the scenario of a child acting up in the store and to assuage him the parent lets him have some M&Ms from the check out stand. What does that teach the child? Act up and get rewarded! Thus, the cycle begins. Can you imagine if God did that with us?

A more knowledgeable parent or perhaps a more patient one doesn’t encourage bad behavior and neither does God. God won’t reward us for our foolishness, but for our obedience. Our foolishness hurts us and others so God won’t reinforce it. Instead, we experience the discomforts of our actions instead of reward. Yet, because of His mercy, God keeps us from the full onslaught of the consequences we’ve manifested. He allows as much discomfort as we need to get our attention for the areas He wants to address in our lives. Psalm 107:17, Psalm 119:71

The discomforts (like physical aliments, trying situations or relationships, physical hardships) are to get us to seek. When all is good, we don’t ask. It’s when things go wrong that we start looking for answers. Our discomforts are often a sign we are somehow out of line with God and His will for us.

We chose to be either rebellious children living in a world of affliction because we are not heeding His Word and instruction in our lives. Or to be children who seek to walk in accordance with God’s will because it’s a path of truth, freedom, and love. Obedience is our wills coming in line with God’s so that we start living in the fullness of abundant life He desires for us. As our wills align, we gain unity with God. We live as one with Him in truth, love and purpose. Proverbs 13

Obedience isn’t about forgiveness. We are already forgiven now and always in Christ.

Obedience isn’t about being “good”. No one is good but God. Obeying God’s commands is about walking in God’s will. The moment we focus on trying to be a good person, we act according to our expectations and assumptions about what good means. Because we think we know what good is, we cease to seek God’s will in all things. Instead, we are following our definition of good thus our will, which is limited and often different than God’s. The essence of religion is people trying to be good, according their definitions. It’s easier to follow a set of rules verses seeking and listening to know God’s will day to day, but following rules doesn’t bring abundant life – drawing near to God does. True Christianity is about being in unity with God’s will. Big difference. Obedience is about the heart. If you are in line with God’s will in your heart, the right actions will follow.

Obedience isn’t about US taking control and making things right. It’s about God working in us. For Him to work, we have to submit. For a doctor to do surgery we have to submit to his work. We can’t be running around the hospital. Once we know God’s will for us in a situation, then our focus changes from moving forward our way to His. Part of our submission comes through prayer. Our prayers start to align to His will, and that is when our prayers become powerful. John 15:7

When I have a discomfort like an affliction in my spirit or a physical aliment, I seek. I seek God’s instruction and He opens my eyes to see my error. God doesn’t want us in affliction. He rewards a seeking heart with enlightenment and truth. Usually, it’s something I’ve justified to such an extent that I don’t see it as going against God’s will. But as I seek because of the rising discomfort, the Spirit points it out so clearly that I can’t deny my error. As a child of God, I desire to walk in God’s way. So upon knowing my error, my heart is moved to walk in His truth.

Though I desire to walk in God’s will, it can be hard to obey. We do what we do for a reason; approval, fear, self-protection, or lack of trust. So God also has to deal with this aspect of our rebellion as well. He has to go the source of why we do what we do, not just the outward actions. If you don’t fix the source nothing is fixed. Thus, obedience is a process. It’s a deep work of the heart and that takes time.

Because it’s about the heart, and it’s God who changes our heart, our part is to seek God’s work in us. Our role is to be willing to submit our will to God. To lay down on the surgeons table; to take the small steps of obedience as He leads us; and to pray in line with His will. Because a changed heart isn’t easy, we will never be more dependent upon Him, His strength and mercy. We have to depend on God to carry us through. We have to depend because it’s His work, not ours.

One area for many of us is a change in heart toward another. Can we just change our heart? Have you tried? I find I can’t in my own strength, but I’m not meant to either. My duty is to come to God and desire to submit and pray. I pray before each encounter with that person. I pray for a new perspective about them. I pray for God’s love to abound in me. And above all I trust in His work in me and His grace to carry me through.

Obedience is a process – an affliction or discomfort happens, we seek to understand, the Spirit reveals our error, we submit to God’s will, we pray according to that will, God works through our issues that cause such actions, and we start walking in His will. It’s a journey, but it’s the path to life. I’ve walked through this process in enough areas in my life to know it truly does lead to a more fulfilling, freeing, and loving existence.

Don’t ignore the discomforts or explain them away or think that is just life – seek. Deeply seek and listen as you spend time in God’s Word and prayer. Let God peel back the layers of your soul to expose the truth of your heart and actions because only then can your will start to align with His. As your will aligns with God it begins a sequence of events to bring on a change that will move you out of the discomfort and into the reward. Hebrews 11:6


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Swayed & Misled by Posers

Swayed and Misled

by Posers

We are the sum of our beliefs.  Our beliefs are formed from various sources. It’s the work of a child of God to believe in Truth that comes from one source, God and His Word. John 6:29 It’s work because we’ve all grown up with lies. It’s work because we have to unlearn and relearn. It’s work because we are surrounded by an abundance of appealing false philosophies filling our ears that speak to our deepest needs, hungers, and desires. It’s work because truth is only found in God and His Word, which requires the devotion of a steadfast heart set on knowing the Truth. And it’s the work God has given us to do.

Who we listen to are those we allow to influence us and our thoughts, thus our beliefs. Jesus heartedly warned us that in the end there would be many false prophets, posers of ministers of light, and wolves in sheep’s clothing leading people astray. If we heed their words, we will be influenced and we will be headed for the darkness of deception instead towards the light of truth. Most of us underestimate our ability to be influenced. We confidently assume we will be able to discern. It’s a dangerous assumption. What we give ear to, especially on a consistent basis, influences us.

Jesus said these posers would abound in the end. Look around; they are. They look good, kind, and humble. They appear to say the right things. They use God and Jesus’ name.  Our enemy (the collective self-will) isn’t stupid. He knows what we fall for. He knows many of us are too smart to fall for the slick salesman type, though many fall for those as well. The greatest evil is that which is disguised as good. Our enemy’s deception is shrewd.

This week I’ve been learning an interesting lesson …

Those who are walking under the tutelage of these posers are and will suffer greatly for it in their souls. False beliefs and lies torment our soul. These men/women have a power to harm and destroy with their words. When we are listening to them we are feasting with the enemy and thus inviting all sorts of evil into our lives.

It’s nothing new that posers lead people astray. But we often fail to deeply consider the next phase, what happens to people’s souls as they are lead astray? They suffer greatly. They suffer torment in their lives. This connection between souls who are being tormented, and the souls who give their ear to these posers grabbed me by the heart this week. However, those suffering often attribute the torments to something else, because their hope of deliverance comes from these false leaders. The nature of deception is you don’t know that you are deceived, but instead believe you are abiding in the truth.

As this dynamic started to become clearer, my reading for the week took me into Revelation 9. The description of the locusts and the army of horseman in this chapter are men and women. They are given power to torment and destroy those who don’t have the seal of God on their foreheads (a knowledge and trust of the Truth). Their power is in their words. What stood out to me was their description is like that of religious leaders.  Isaiah 9:15, Revelation 9:19

Religious leaders hold a tremendous power over others because they are speaking to our deepest issues where we are most vulnerable; fears, quilt, loneliness, healing, deliverance, death and life. They speak with intent of bringing the answers, freedom and hope we long for. Therefore, they are more influential than most in our lives. Their power and the power we give them are grossly underestimated.

This connection between a soul’s torment and following posers hit hard.  There is so much suffering these days that is coming in all shapes and sizes, could this be one of the reasons for the torment people face? Lies destroy. Lies are growing among those labeled as Christians and it is destroying many.

How do we overcome this deception and falling prey to the enemy of torment? A love for the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

What does a love for the truth look like in someone’s life?  If you love something, what do you do?  You absorb yourself in it.

With a love for the truth, you abide in the Truth, God’s Word on a regular basis. You don’t search for the answers you want, but whatever the Holy Spirit desires to teach. It isn’t just about you, it’s about truth. You seek God’s ideas and thoughts on His Word, not man’s. Instead of relying on man to teach you his opinions, you seek instruction from the Holy Spirit, who was given to you to teach you all things 1 John 2:27. You seek with a desire to know the truth whatever it is. You ask for your beliefs and thoughts to be renewed in His truth and His ways; for lies and deception to be purged. You are willing to let go of “truths” you’ve held on to. You are willing to go wherever God may instruct and lead you. You have a passion for understanding, wisdom and truth, and how you spend your time reflects it. You embrace it as a life long pursuit.

A love for the truth will save us in the end. Many Christians are going to take and are taking a mighty fall because they are really trusting in another besides God. They are putting their trust in their pastors and their favorite religious leaders, who need them to depend on their words to pay the rent, pay for their child’s school, and to support all the salaries their church has created.

Our beliefs are everything. It’s a love for the truth that will save us in these days. No one can pursue the truth for us, it’s a personal endeavor.

Verses of Encouragement for those who Trust God– Psalm 91:4, 7, 9-10 Psalm 28:7, 119:114, Proverbs 30:5, Ephesians 6:16


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Abiding in the ENTIRE Word of God

Abiding in the ENTIRE Word of God

Today I’m celebrating 13 years of marriage to a wonderful man. Our marriage is better today than it ever has been and it’s ALL attributed to what I spoke of last week, seeking God. I know most don’t believe that’s the answer to their heart’s desires, needs, problems, concerns – but it is. When God’s truth and love fills our lives, it changes everything. Let me tell you a secret, Matthew 6:33 REALLY is true. Few believe the truth of this verse, because few truly seek God first. It’s a great loss for it affects everything in our lives. I’ve walked life on both sides, seeking and not, there is no comparison to the difference. I had no idea. But you don’t until you seek. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Last week I talked about the importance of seeking God, and how it’s foundational to our lives. This post expands on that topic in talking about an essential aspect to seeking, reading the ENTIRE Word of God being TAUGHT by the SPIRIT.

When we read the Bible it’s CRITICAL to read the ENTIRE Word; to give attention to all books. The more I talk to others, the more I’m learning that very few truly abide in the entire Word of God. Let me tell you it makes ALL the difference. The Bible fits together like a huge puzzle. Each verse, chapter, book is connected to the rest to create a fullness of truth as God desires us to know it. When we neglect certain parts, we are getting partial truth, and that leads to all kinds of problems.

If we leave out certain books, skim over others, read a verse hear and there, we aren’t allowing the Spirit the opportunity to teach us all we need to know. Especially in these days, we need to be abiding in the entire word of God trusting the Spirit to teach us for it’s the truth that will save us. 2 Thessalonians 2:10

For example on a serious note, much of what happens in the end days is spoken of by the prophets (Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and the Minor Prophets Hosea through Malachi). Their words in line with the rest of the Bible create a picture of what will happen in the end. To understand the fullness of truth as God desires us to know for the times we are living in, we need to read the entire Word. When we abide, meditate, seek and look to the Holy Spirit to teach us, we are allowing ourselves access to some very important truths. The truth protects and guides us. Otherwise we will have partial truth and partial understanding, which leaves an open door to deception. So it’s not just reading the Bible, but the ENTIRE Bible with the instruction and guidance of the Holy Spirit that matters.

Here are some Tips for Reading the Word that are vital for diving deep into the Truth.

  1. Read the ENTIRE Word. I suggest one chapter from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament with a Psalm or Proverb each day.
  2. Give ATTENTION to all the books.
  3. Trust the Holy Spirit to TEACH you ALL things. 1 John 2:27, John 14:26. Your foundation of truth needs to be built by God, not man. A foundation built upon man’s words, opinions and interpretations of the Bible is shaky ground. In addition, the Spirit teaches in a way that man doesn’t so that the truth is written on our hearts and minds, changing us.
  4. Read not as a task to check off your list, but put your heart and soul into it. Meditate, abide, contemplate, and ask God for understanding. Read the Word with the ATTITUDE that you are communing with God, learning from Him. Draw near to Him through His Word as you would someone you love with a devotion, passion, desire to know Him as He is.
  5. RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word 2 Timothy 2:15. Be observant for how the Spirit connects verses together bringing certain ones to mind as you read others.
  6. Read a VERSION close to the original Greek and Hebrew. Use the Strong’s concordance.
  7. Abide in the PURE Word – just you and God – trusting the Spirit to teach you what you need to know when you need to know it. There is a time for others’ words, but have the mindset that God is your primary teacher and that His instruction is foundational and all others secondary.
  8. PRAY for a passion for the truth. Abide, meditate, and listen.
  9. Read with the MOTIVE to seek God. Get to know Him as He is, to get to know His ways and truth – not to “fix” you or  for a lesson to teach the Sunday school class. Ask God what does HE want to teach you today – and open up your mind and heart to anything He might want to show you. Your needs will be resolved as you seek Him FIRST.
  10. Read DAILY the REST of your life. No engagement is richer, deeper, more powerful and true. The Word is dynamic, powerful. Truth builds upon truth so there is no end to learning.

God has given us all we need to have His power move through our lives – His Word and His Spirit. The two work hand in hand. One without the other doesn’t work, but together they are a mighty force in our lives. When you seek God in this way, you move into true life – one of truth, protection, beauty, joy, peace, comfort and hope – one that is abundant.

Please don’t waste any more time on all the things that don’t matter and won’t make a difference, and do the one thing that will, seek God.