Living Light

Stirring The Deep

Tag Archives: Jesus Christ


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Making Cookies & Worship of Our Work

Making Cookies & Worship of Our Work

Don’t let the picture fool you, this is a VERY IMPORTANT truth to understand.

 

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

There is a saying around our house when we think we are doing anything to “help God out” that reminds us it’s all Him and nothing of us; we’re just making cookies. Anything “good” or “useful” we do for God is Him working in and through us and not us at all.

As a young girl, I loved helping my mom bake cookies; especially my much needed role as taster <smiles>. In my young mind, I believed I was a much greater help than I actually was. It was ALL my mom’s doing. Yet, my mom graciously allowed me to delight in the fun of baking with her. She gave me little tasks to do like stirring the ingredients together, which she always gave a few extra swirls. Yet to me, I was making some of the best cookies in the world!

She encouraged me in “helping” her because it was a wonderful bonding time for the both of us. She wanted me to “help”, but it wasn’t for my amazing assistance but because she loved me and took pleasure in making them together and seeing my joy in playing a part.

We are like the child who is helping their mom make cookies. We don’t do anything of good on our own; it’s all God. He lets us take part because it’s a delight to Him and us. We are able to do what we do because He is governing, directing and performing all things for us. We can’t throw God off; we won’t mess up His plans; and He works out all perfectly. In every action and word, as His offspring we can trust He is faithful in directing and using us according to His ways, which are not our ways.

Psalm 138:8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Establishing our own Righteousness 

Romans 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

“Making Cookies” serves to remind us, we are not to be crafting our own righteousness, because we can’t. A twisted truth derived from the religious community is how we serve God. We want to be serving, working and doing for God because deep down it makes us feel like a better person; which is establishing our own righteousness. Instead of wholly relying on the righteous of God to fill and govern our lives, we are relying on ourselves.

Worshipping the Work of Our Hands

Isaiah 2:8 Their land is also full of idols; They worship the work of their own hands, That which their own fingers have made

This mentality leads to worshipping the work of our hands. It’s looking to our ability; as in to provide, protect, heal, redeem, teach, and fix situations; the essence of self-reliance, self-sufficient, being in control and independence. Matthew 7:22-23, Proverbs 14:16

Our Part: Abide

John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

God is spirit. We are flesh and spirit. To experience God in the flesh, we have to allow our spirits to be united, influenced and governed by Him. When we do, His nature manifests in our lives in the forms of peace, rest, power, joy, blessing, and righteous love.

Our part is to abide in unity with God. In fellowship with God that leads to unity, we are listening, obeying and gaining trust to relinquish all control to God’s ways and work. As our self-will steps aside, He runs our souls and lives. We cease to judge and work and He governs.  If I didn’t bake cookies with my mom, then I wouldn’t have taken part in that bonding time with her or the fruit of our interaction, yummy cookies. God moves through us. But any goodness or good works are of Him, not us. Big difference. Are you getting it?

Rest is Power

Psalm 57:2 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.

Being attached to the vine and God moving through us as He wills is central to abiding in His rest. Hebrews 4:9-11 At rest, our self-will is nullified, and God’s will is ruling. We cease from our works and God works. In this rest, the power of God flows.

You see the true power of God, when you stop efforting and let Him work. To be governed (also used by) by God is to let go of all control, and let God determine each step; steps often counter to what you, religion, or the world would dictate. It’s letting go of all images of who and what you should be doing, and let God direct you daily. It’s following His still small voice, daily. Your life is His venue to work as He wills in you and others. In this our lives become a living sacrifice. Romans 12:1 In this state, we lack the awareness of what our left hand is doing from the right. Becuase its not us, but God.

Matthew 6:3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

This framework removes self-righteousness, because you aren’t doing anything but obeying His voice. It removes fears that you aren’t doing enough or did or said the wrong thing. In this truth, our hearts overflow with peace, praise and joy. So delight in making cookies and don’t make any more of it.


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Hearing God’s Voice

Hearing God’s Voice

1 Kings 19:12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 

Isaiah 30:21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Hearing the voice of God in your spirit and putting His voice as THE authority is central to following Him into abundant eternal life. Here I talk a bit about how to hear and follow His voice.


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Mount Zion is Awaiting You

Mount Zion is Awaiting You

 

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

In a previous post, I mentioned the transition that is occurring from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light. The kingdom of darkness has been ruling since the Garden of Eden when self-will took over, but now history is replaying itself from the beginning and redemption is at hand. God is calling His people out of Babylon and to enter into Zion, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. It’s your refuge, fortress and defense in these days, as I will show you.

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

As death came through one man, how much more life through the One? Yet we’ve haven’t seen this happen. Death and sin have clearly been reigning on the earth as lies prevailed. But that reign is coming to an end and faith is the victory. 1 John 5:4 The faith is the faith of Christ (belief of pure truth in the power and love of God); the only One with the faith to destroy death. This faith has entered the world as a mustard seed and is growing. Matthew 13:31-32 It’s a faith available to you by Christ’s spirit dwelling within you and leading you in the paths of righteous love. Hebrews 12:2 Your part is to listen and follow to His voice. It’s the baptism of the spirit, a good conscious, because you are directed and governed by God. 1 Peter 3:21

Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

Entering Into The Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of God, Zion, is growing in power and grace. 1 Peter 1:13 This Kingdom of Truth is where God’s ways reign. Those who dwell there live by the spirit of God within them. Romans 8:14 They obey His still small voice saying, “walk this way” turning at His rebuke. Isaiah 30:21, Proverbs 1:23. In doing so they enter His rest, which is the venue of His power. (When you are at rest, complete trust in God, God is at work, thus His power flows through you.)

God’s truth is taking over and consuming the lies. If you are a part of Him, rest and peace will grow in your life as you follow His voice of truth. John 10:4  In following truth, you’ll escape the manifestation of the lies. 2 Thess 2:10 Being a part of Zion is being governed by God. Therefore, you are in a place of rest in your life, because it’s not your effort but His. Hebrews 4:9-11 Rest is the ark; it’s the good conscious of God in you. 1 Peter 3:20-21 Rest is the rapture out of the tribulation coming on the kingdom of darkness. Rev 3:10 Rest is trusting fully in God and not self, thus listening and walking in His ways. If you are living according to His ways, you are abiding in His kingdom and will experience rest on all sides as the wall of fire around the kingdom is your protection and defense. Zechariah 2:5, Hebrews 12:29 Now we see why we are instructed to diligently enter into this rest.

God’s spirit of righteous love is being poured out. Isaiah 44:3 If you have oil in your lamp, the spirit of truth in your soul, then you will embrace this voice of your Good Shepherd leading you into the green pastures and still waters (rest). Matthew 25:8-13

A Warning

I’ve talked about “fake” love in a recent video. The righteous love of God has never been poured out like it is now. In the void, people have entertained copycats of His love believing it to be His love. Matthew 7:22-23 It’s been forced and contrived. It’s a love that deceives one into thinking they have God’s love, when they don’t. Embracing a fake love is a blockade to engaging the true living God. God is real. Nothing about Him is fake. God abhors hypocrisy. It’s of the devil not God. Yet people have proclaimed His love when they haven’t experienced it. We give what we are. The Pharisees thought they knew God. They created an image of God, fake righteous love, that kept them from seeing pure love, even as He stood right in front of them. Make not the same mistake. When you have the love of God, nothing is the same in your life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 For those who have hoped and hungered for this love knowing their love is corrupted, now is the time for that hope to be fulfilled.

Our beliefs are going to fully manifest themselves. This is the judgment to come upon the world. 1 Corinthians 3:13 If we’ve been cultivating belief in the ways of this world, like religion and mankind’s wisdom, and letting these shape our beliefs instead of God, then the ramifications of those beliefs will be manifesting as the death that they are. If we’ve been cultivating belief in the true God, then we will heed His voice that leads to eternal life.

Have Ears to Hear

God is speaking to you. Listen. Listen to His voice guiding you. As you step out and follow in faith, you’ll learn to discern it more clearly. In time, you’ll want to give up all that is of the self-will and desire to be completely governed by Him, for He is the righteous love we desire. As you do, you will enter deeper into His rest. The Bible serves as a witness to confirm truth as you listen. Seek to trust in His voice above all others. As you trust in Him, all fear will flee for perfect love drives out fear.

We reap what we sow. Sow truth and righteous love by following the Good Shepherd’s voice; and you will grow in rest thus the power of God despite growing unrest around you.


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What is True Rest?

What is True Rest?

Hebrews 4:10-11 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

In this video, I discuss a very important truth of entering into God’s rest.

 


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Elements to Entering Rest

Elements to Entering Rest

 

In this brief video, I share some important concepts that help us to enter into God’s rest as He tells us to  …

Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.


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Words of Life

Words of life

I have many wonderful things to tell you. Some will be sweet to your soul and others stirring to conviction and repentance, but all will feed your soul to bring true life.

The lies and deception run deep through the fabric of our being causing blindness to the truth; to God and who you are in Him as His beloved child. Ears have been muted to the voice of God and tuned in to the voice of death begging for the audience of our every thought.

Yet amidst the darkness a seed of truth is planted, the Word; a flicker of light that for those who seek will lead them to truth. It’s the light that guides seekers along the narrow path of truth drawing them away from this world bound in death to a resurrected life. Matthew 7:13-14 Few find and traverse this path, will you be one?

The path leads to a life beyond your imagination, because all you’ve known prior to this search is death. The difference between life and death on the earth is the difference between living in this life I’m speaking of and the life you live now. Many have been falsely told they are spiritually alive. Yet, until now there’s only been the promise of a resurrected life.

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path

God’s love is abundant for His children, yet few have truly sought Him as He is. Most have given up their vast inheritance of true life for a morsel of bread. Genesis 25:30-34 They’ve worshiped what is dead, images masquerading as life. They’ve been captivated by lies which prohibit them from seeing the path of life, thus entering into God’s abundance. But the light is here, in the earth, to be found by you.

There is another way to live in this earthly life that leads you out of the pit of death, hell, and to live a resurrected life; a way that requires you to be a complete slave to God. It requires you to forsake your ways, you desires and pleasures, and your very words; to be replaced by what God has in store for you. Isaiah 58:13. It’s being completely governed by the Spirit of God in every possible way. Galatians 2:20 In this complete abandonment is found power, healing, peace, thanksgiving, rest, bounty, blessing, wisdom, joy, and righteous love. The abandonment comes from knowing God and as you do you are willing to give up all for what you have found, for He is life and the rest a masquerade of death.

Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

It’s a path of seeking the truth FROM God through the Bible each morning. Through intimate conversations with God, He reveals in grace the error in your life. In the awareness of the goodness of God, the error is forsaken and you turn to live as God instructs. It’s a path of the true fast that God calls His people to, a fast of the self-will, in exchange for being consumed with His spirit. Isaiah 58. Its end is far better than what we can imagine because our minds have only known death. Ephesians 3:20 God is life. Seek Him and live.

Jeremiah 19:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.


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Spiritual Sabbatical

Spiritual Sabbatical

This week God called me to give it completely to Him, so I’m unplugging from the routine (in case I’m slow on approving and responding to comments). It’s a time of celebration, a feast, of delighting in Him as He transitions/transforms me by His hand.  There is much going on spiritually, I pray you diligently seek Him this week above all else for He has the words of life.

 

Come Walk with Me

Take a break, come walk with Me
To feast from the living tree

Your spirit is ready to bloom
To destroy darkness and doom

It’s been a long journey of strife
Letting go of death and embracing life

Awakening as from a hazy dream
To become for all a gushing stream

All things are formed from a new cast
First fruits of love created to last

Steal away with Me into the stillness
In faith you’ll see manifestation of My fullness

This is My desire, let it be
Have no doubt, come walk with Me

~ Rachel DiPaolo
February 5, 2012


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Importance of Repentance

Importance of Repentance

Repentance is an ongoing back and forth exchange with God. It’s seeking God’s truth, learning from Him, then turning from your way of doing something to His way. It’s the path to abundant life for His ways are wisdom, life, truth, peace, and joy. It’s God’s desire to give us an abundant life, but we have to follow His instruction. So basic yet many don’t follow.

To follow His instruction you first have to be spending time each day learning from Him by the Holy Spirit through the Bible. Then listening to His promptings and instructions in the details of your life. We each have different lives and circumstances, so we have to seek His counsel for the lives He desires us to lead. His ways are not our ways. Repentance is following God in the details of our lives … and those details add up to becoming a new creation and living a blessed life.


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Where Do You Worship?

 Where Do You Worship?

As you think about the New Year, setting goals and making resolutions, consider the one act that will affect you and your year more significantly and powerfully than anything else, where you worship.

What’s the temple(s) of your life? What do you give your resources to, energy and time, to cultivate in your life? How do you make your decisions and choices? What do you sacrifice other things and people for, including your sacred time with God each morning? What are your priorities that come above all else? Mark 12:30-31 What/who do you put above God and abiding in His truth? Matthew 6:33 What doctrines and philosophies are you truly serving and worshipping with your thoughts and actions? Write out the answers to these questions and be honest, it will reveal what you truly serve.  True change follows honesty.

Below is just a sampling of the temples we build, sacrifice for and thus worship at … when these are our temples, there is one outcome …

Career achievements

Job Security

Intellectualism

Health

Beauty

Money

Family

Relationships with other gender

Self-empowerment

Control

Victim/Helplessness

Religion/church

Self-righteousness/being right & fair

Pride

Consumed in the darkness of the lies of this world, we build, sacrifice, serve and thus worship at a myriad of temples, like those above, trying to create the rest, fulfillment of hope, purpose, peace and love we desperately long for. Yet, God in His love for us has shown us how to obtain what we truly long for exceeding our expectations. For the life we seek, God instructs us to forsake and destroy all other temples in our lives, and take part in building His temple. Mark 14:58 It’s the temple of truth in our souls in which God’s spirit dwells. Eph 2:19-22 It’s the kingdom of God within us. When this is our temple, then all else in our lives follows as it should and as we deeply desire.

The temple(s) of your choosing will lead to one of two outcomes because there are only two paths in this earth pilgrimage; one of truth and one not, one of life and one not, one of God and one not. If you choose temples like the ones listed above the outcome is of increasing angst, hardship, worry, fear and stress. If you choose to build God’s temple within you, the outcome is growing peace, rest, joy and love.

What are you experiencing, which outcome? The outcome reflects the temple(s) you are currently worshiping at. If it’s the results of angst and fear, are you going to continue to build and worship at the same temples and get the same results?

Not only does only one temple bring the life you truly seek, but there is only one which will stand as all the rest are cast down.

1 Corinthians 3:13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is

In the Day of the Lord, all temples, the work of our hands, will crumble except the One. As the Day of the Lord dawns, now is the time to examine and realign your life to build the everlasting temple, the kingdom of God within you. If the presence of the living God is within you, you need nothing else for His presence manifests every need and desire as it should be.

As you decide your path for this year, meditate on these verses …

Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 34:10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”