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Obstacles to Seeking God

Obstacles to Seeking God


Proverbs 8:17 love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

When I started cultivating a relationship with God, there were obstacles I had to overcome; barriers that suppressed my motivation to seek God as He calls us to.

Giving up our ways and will isn’t easy but that is what moving into a real relationship with God requires. It’s a willingness to go down another path, to acknowledge our ways might be wrong and to change direction. The very concept of seeking means we are looking for something we haven’t discovered before and when we find it to be willing to let it change us.

Letting go to embrace the truth of God begins with understanding what we are holding onto and why. When we understand the nature of our blockades then we can penetrate it with God’s truth. God showed me two significant lies I held that kept a wall between Him and I, two I believe many others share; a fear of embracing all of God’s character and putting others between us and God so the relationship is impersonal and indirect.

First, I was misled that if I fully embraced God as all powerful, just, righteous, and sovereign, then hardships and intense tribulations would consume my life. What if He led me down a path like Job’s, sent me to places I didn’t want to go, or made me live in outward depravity? I wasn’t ready for that life, nor did I want it. So I kept a safe distance and sought Him very little. It feels similar to thinking about getting married, for some of us. The fear of being hurt, making the wrong choice, and being stuck in something we don’t want can plague our thoughts. These fears block openness and trust that are required to move forward in a relationship. However, when the desire is strong to be united to someone, then the longing starts to override the fears. I came to the point in my life when my desire to be united in truth to God was overriding my fear of letting go and trusting Him. I began to seek within a comfort zone by spending a little time with God each day. God is patient and longsuffering. He meets us where we are at. He knows our thoughts, fears, and doubts about Him. He knows everything. They don’t disappear in an instance, but over time as we get to know Him. He connects with us in whatever season of life we are in and works with the faith we have.

Over time, as I learned about God the fear began to subside. He was much different than what I had been taught. He opened my eyes to the truth and it replaced the fears I held onto. He showed me His true character in the circumstances of my life and my trust grew.

God’s love is unlike any love we know. He desires the very best for us. When we commit to learning about Him, we discover who He is and not who we created Him to be; the image that made us fear being close to Him. This image, which we learned from the world, false teachings, family dynamics, and other mediums, is gradually replaced with the truth producing a real relationship with God; a relationship according to His design, not ours. He taught me I had nothing to fear and that He was my hope, life and the source to everything I needed and truly desired. When you taste of God’s love, mercy, care and goodness, a hunger develops to be consumed by Him.

We don’t need to be afraid to learn who God is. As we spend time with Him we learn this truth. We don’t have to fear what Job went through. Though his trial was intense, it lasted only a season, it wasn’t his life. Job’s life was incredibly blessed. Job 42:10-17 There have been times in my life where I went through something so difficult that I thought I would rather die than live, but those times were only for a season. Overall my life has been exceptionally blessed. In hindsight, I wouldn’t change my past. Those hard times taught me truths that I probably couldn’t have learned any other way and those truths set me free to have a better present. Most of my trials came from my own stubbornness, depravity and living lies. If I would have sought and trusted in God’s way initially I would have avoided many hardships, but those times brought me to Him, so I am thankful. Unfortunately most of us grow by difficulties not ease. We grow by experience not theories.

As we spiritually mature, our fear will continue to fade and the only dread we will have is being separated from God in any way. Bit by bit we surrender a little more. We must fight the influence of this world telling us that a life with God is anything but glorious. God is life. In Him we experience true life.

My second blockade was people. Godly men and women were my bridge to God. I didn’t trust or believe that I could learn and know God like these seemingly godly people. Besides, my time was limited and I didn’t have the time to give to search out His depths like they did. What if God thought about me like that? What kind of relationship is this I am offering Him, one all about me? I depended on others to teach me, lead me and nurture my spirituality. God and I had an indirect relationship. I only knew Him through others because I put the church system and others in place of Him. It’s like spending time with our spouse’s friends instead of your husband. We will learn a little about him, but we lack the intimacy of a true marriage. God calls us to know Him personally, not just hear about Him from another’s words, sermons, books, or teachings. God has given us His spirit, His Word and He is calling each one of us to come to Him directly. This intimacy is Christ’s gift to us.

Letting go of the middle man takes faith and faith comes from the Word. Come to God in the quiet of the day and ask God who He is; to show you His truth and ways. To open your eyes and ears to see and hear Him.

Seek God. Don’t be afraid of drawing near to Him because any fear isn’t real. He is love. But you must fight your fears by drawing a little closer each day so you can experience His goodness. And don’t hand your relationship over to another. It’s yours to nurture and develop. When you do you will discover a relationship that will be your greatest treasure.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.


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Are YOU Ready?

Are YOU Ready?

As the end is drawing very near, each one of us needs to ask ourselves a very serious question, Are WE Ready? 2 Corinthians 13:5 Do we have the oil in our lamp so we’re prepared when the Bridegroom comes? Matthew 25:1-12 Are we a wise virgin with the knowledge and truth of God, or a foolish one lacking understanding and wisdom? Are we one to whom Christ’s return will come as a thief in the night or are we one who will know of His return? 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4

Oil in the Bible is equated to the Holy Spirit. The lamp is our soul. Matthew 5:14-16 Do we have the oil of the Holy Spirit that brings the true light and life of Christ within us; our guarantee we are His? Christ Jesus is coming for His Bride; those who are ready to be united to Him in truth and spirit. Like an earthly bride, there are preparations required. We need a spirit prepared to be united to Him.

How do we know that we have the Holy Spirit who is given as a guarantee and we are ready? 2 Corinthians 5:5 (Hint: it’s not just about speaking in tongues, which can easily be manipulated by deceptive spirits) There is MUCH deception these days around the filling, anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives. How do we know that we haven’t been deceived into thinking we have the Spirit when we don’t, falsely promised by others that we do, and have a spirit of deception in His place? 2 Corinthians 11:4

We look to the Bible for our answers. 2 Corinthians 5 is a helpful chapter on the evidence one should experience in their lives when they have the Holy Spirit.

Evidence of Holy Spirit within You

First, you are taught by God. God Himself prepares your soul for Him. (vs. 5). Jesus is the Word. It’s the Word that sanctifies you. John 17:17 This preparation of God entails you diligently abiding in the Bible, the Word, and seeking the Spirit of God to instruct and teach you in who He is, in truth and your union with Him. John 6:45, 1 John 2:27 It’s allowing the truth to penetrate your life in molding, changing and setting you apart for Christ. He teaches you and His truth starts abiding in you altering your life.

Second, you obey God. (vs 9) When you have the Holy Sprit, it’s your aim (internal desire) to please God, thus obey Him. You seek in the Bible, being taught by the Holy Spirit, to know God’s ways and truth so you can walk in them. You are driven to know truth so you know you are pleasing God and not following the dictates of your own heart or following the ways of others. Matthew 15:8-9

Third, you fear God. (vs. 11) When the Holy Spirit dwells within you, you fear God in all areas of your life. You feel very accountable to Him, like a good child to a parent or a faithful employee to a tough boss. No one else has to hold you accountable to the things He tells you because you fear Him. Yes, others can point out your blind spots, but to what God has told you, you possess a strong will to do what God says out of a fear of going against Him. When HE tells you to do something you do it. Though you may have to war against you rebellious sinful flesh, the desire in your deepest self is to do what God has asked of you. It’s a desire to be obedient; therefore your choices will reflect that obedience. What you do will also be driven by love. Though you fear Him, you also know of His love for you. The course of your life shifts to align to His will. Again, you seek to know God’s will from Him and not from another because you want to be sure you are walking in truth and what HE desires, not being led astray by your own heart or someone else.

Fourth, you are a new creation. (vs.17) You start experiencing a deep change within. It feels like you’ve been given a new operating system that governs your body and soul. As a new creaiton, you are directed by God’s spirit and no longer your self-will. As the body and soul respond to the new operating system, you start to think, act and feel differently. Your desires change. Above all, your will longs to be in unison with God’s will.

Fifth, you experience fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Because these are fruits of the Spirit, it comes from the Spirit and not your self-imposed efforts. The occurrence of these fruits in your life comes from a place beyond yourself and what you use to know and do.

So are YOU ready by these measurements?

IF NOT, FEAST upon the pure bread of heaven; the Bible taught to you by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. Seek the truth from Him as you abide in the Bible. Read with the motive to know God and to draw near to Him as someone you love in truth and spirit. This seeking and abiding is the path to being prepared for the soon coming Bridegroom.

The manifestation of all these points is a process. Though you may feel a lack in some of them, are you growing in them? Are you experiencing them more today than three months ago? Are YOU diligently seeking God or are you leaving the seeking up to someone else, to only live off their efforts? It doesn’t work that way. The wise virgins couldn’t give their oil to the foolish ones. And when the foolish ones came back with their oil, the door was shut. Are you ready with your own oil?


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A Child’s Longing for the Perfect Father

Blog Talk Radio: A Child’s Longing for the Perfect Father


A new PODCAST (click here to listen) is available on our desire for the perfect father. You can also get it at itunes. Search for Stirring the Deep under podcasts.

Overview: The impact that our dads have in our lives, good or bad, is astounding. The desire for a good father comes from the inner longing to be united to our Heavenly Father.

In this show, I talk about how our relationship with our earthly dad affects our relationship with God; how our relationship with God is conveyed through the child/father dynamic; and how coming to know God as the perfect Father we’ve all longed for.

This is a message close to many of our hearts. I pray you are blessed by it and moved to seek your heavenly Father as He is and His love for you.


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Obedience is Love

Obedience is Love

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.”

What would you do for your children and grandchildren? What acts/behaviors would you do for their well-being, joy and safety? What would you do to be closely united to them? Why do you do what you do?

You do what you do, because you love them. This faithfulness to them is an act of obedience. It doesn’t feel like obedience because normally we associate that gritty word with acts we don’t want to do but should. But when it comes to our kids, we want to “do what’s right” because we love them so it doesn’t feel like obedience.

Now take that mindset and apply it to God. We desire to do His will because we love Him. When we know God to a certain depth; His truth, goodness, freedom, peace, rest, joy which are all consumed in love, then we want nothing more than to be united to Him. He is life. He is love. He is the home of our desires. He is our great reward. He is our portion. We desire as much unity as possible, so we strive to walk His paths (obedience) so that we walk with Him.

Love is based on truth; not assumptions or lies because then there is no true bond. It would be all imaginary. Therefore, an aspect of true love is we don’t assume we know what pleases another; we want to make sure we know, therefore we seek. We want to know what brings another joy and delight. We want to know what will foster a deeper purer union. When we do and we act upon that knowledge, then the union solidifies because we are walking within an oneness of will and mind.

When we truly love God or want to love Him, we desire to know Him and His will. We don’t want ignorance, fears or anything else to separate us from Him; therefore we seek. We long to be as close as possible to God even to walk in His footsteps. Therefore we seek the truth of His will in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit and walk in that will. It’s our utmost desire because of the love we feel.

How can we do what we don’t know? How can we know without seeking? If we truly are desiring unity with God we will seek to know Him. We will have a passion and hunger for His truth so we can walk in unity with Him.

As we draw near in truth, we begin to surrender to whatever God’s will may be because of His inherent perfection. We fight any compulsion to hold back because we’ve experienced and know His goodness. When you know His goodness and love, you can let go and trust.

Therefore, obedience is the fruit of love, or love in action. It’s the result of knowing God and His truth finding its home in our soul. If we are seeking a true union with God, then we will desire to obey. Our life will show the fruit of that obedience. Faith (belief in and love of God) without works (walking in His truths) is dead. If there is no fruit of walking in His truth, then the truth isn’t in us.

Salvation comes by grace. A testimony that we understand this gift given to us is obedience. Salvation came from God that we might be united to Him. If we aren’t fostering unity in cultivating a deep and real relationship, we missed the whole point of that saving grace. Our heart to walk the path of life that fosters unity with God reveals our understanding of the grace we’ve been shown. It isn’t self-imposed obedience that anyone could do that testifies to our awareness. It’s the flowing desire to want to obey and walk in God’s truth because that truth is in us. Heart-motivated obedience comes from God’s spirit within us.

If you feel resistance to walking in God’s will, then you simply need to know God deeper. When you seek to know Him with all your heart, soul and mind you will encounter His magnificent love and goodness and in return you will love Him and desire Him to a point of being consumed. Therefore to be united to God in love begins by seeking to know Him personally, deeply. God desires you to be in a bond of love with Him that deepens with obedience. Seek Him in truth by abiding in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit. As you draw near you will know and abide in His love. In time, you will desire to walk in His will because you know of His goodness and that doing so enhances your union with Him.

This obedience is the kind God desires; an obedience driven by love.

John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

John 15:10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”


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A Watchman’s Cry

A Watchman’s Cry

 

Some years ago while reading Jeremiah, my heart was deeply stirred by his words. I realized those words were to me; to examine my life by.

For those who believe these old prophets are speaking to the physical seed of Israel, I challenge you in that belief because it greatly affects our understanding of what is occurring these days. If I’m wrong, then we would only benefit from examining our lives by their words. If I’m right, and we dismiss them, it will be a grave mistake. The Bible is written to God’s people, those who are called by His name, so it’s written for us.

Romans 9:8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

I’m reading Jeremiah once again. As I feel his heart pour off the pages delivering a hard message to his brethren, again my heart is deeply stirred. I want to share with you some of what the Spirit shared with me; messages that continue to get stronger and clearer each time I read them.

The message is about judgment on God’s people who’ve gone their own way, who’ve followed false teachers and leaders, who’ve lacked a LOVE for the Truth. People profess love for the man Christ. He was a manifestation of truth. If you truly love Him, you will love the Truth. You will hunger for it, meditate on it, desire to walk in it and all the things you do when you deeply love someone or something.

Here is a taste of what Jeremiah says. The detail of truth in his words and what is happening today is astounding.

People don’t seek God and honor His words. Jeremiah 4:22, Jeremiah 6:10
People are assembling together, but in “harlots’ houses”. Jeremiah 5:7
People have been willfully led by false religious leaders. Jeremiah 5:12-13
God has stricken them because of their backsliding (Jeremiah 5:3), but they don’t repent. They continue to praise God with their mouths, yet follow their own hearts.
The religious leaders are of their own making. Jeremiah 5:31
People don’t fear God. Jeremiah 5:22

Judgment is upon us. Jeremiah 9:25-26 Each one is accountable to God. If you’ve been diligently seeking God in truth and spirit then you’ve heard the cry to examine your life, repent from self and walk in the truth. It’s a jolting message that wakes you from a sleepy existence. It stirs you to fervently seek God to know truth.

In the messages of this passionate prophet, God is giving those who stray from Him (the Truth, the Word) into the hands of the enemy. Jeremiah 12:7 In other words, many have professed Christ, but it’s a vain belief. 1 Corinthians 15:2 The Spirit searched my heart with this message in these ways — Jesus, the Word, is the Way; have you walked in that way? He is the bread; have you eaten the pure bread of heaven or the doctrines of others? He is the light, have you loved the darkness (own life) more than Him?

God is allowing those professing to be His to walk the path they have truly chosen. Jeremiah 2:17 I’ll ask you what He asked me, what have you truly chosen, not just professed? What does your life show?

People debate which leaders and churches are corrupt. Jeremiah spoke to the whole nation. God is speaking to each one of us. The warning is for us all. It’s not about examining our lives by each other or by our own rational, but by the Word.

I’m passing along the cry of Jeremiah, the warning of the deprived and deceived spiritual state of many and the ramifications to follow. As the end draws near and the new temple is dawning when God will set all things straight, more than ever we need to put God’s Word first. We need to examine our lives by it and know it’s God and His truths we are following and not false doctrines, which abound these days. Jeremiah 5:16-17

A response to his warnings…

Read the prophets. The words were written for your admonishment. Seek God in the Bible trusting the Holy Spirit to teach you, not a person. Seek understanding from Him with all your heart, soul and mind.

What does it mean to seek? To set a time aside each day (what is more important than God?) Read and meditate in the Bible. I’ve found reading a chapter in the Old Testament, one in the New Testament, then a Psalm or Proverb a good balance. Start with Jeremiah and John. Read with the motive to know God as He is; to know His truth. Rely on the Holy Spirit to teach you. 1 John 2:27. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Ask God to reveal the errors you’ve learned about Him and His truth. Seek to follow His voice above all others.

Each one accountable to God. No one can cultivate a relationship with God for you. No one can pour God’s truth into you, but Him. He is the one to write in on your heart and mind. Your part is to abide in it with a desire to know it so it can be written on your heart. You can’t live by the strength of someone else’s relationship. You don’t want to be the one who has no oil when the bridegroom comes. Matthew 25:1-13

Some of the greatest enemies to your soul are distractions and busyness. Be wise. Spend time in God’s Word seeking the instruction of the Holy Spirit, there is nothing more important. Honor the prophets by hearing their words. They were written for us.

God’s love is great. His mercy has been overwhelming me along with the impeding messages of judgment. But if we don’t heed His Word, we’ll fall prey to what is upon us. 2 Thessalonians 2:10 Each one of us has to spend time with God seeking Him in truth and cultivating our own relationship. This union is what will allow us to stand firm.


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Don’t Quench the Spirit

Don’t Quench the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

How do you NOT quench the Holy Spirit? You cultivate a framework of truth within your soul.

At the gym, I saw a woman who I hadn’t seen in a while. I use to see her just about every time I was there. She looked great! She noticeably had still been coming. I felt a little prompting in my spirit to tell her how good she looked; to tell her the hard effort was paying off. Though, I had seen her many times, we had never exchanged words. The regulars at the gym know each other. We may not always say much, but we know who we are. I walked over and said something like, “I just wanted to tell you, you look great, I mean really good.” She smiled and said, “Thanks”. Then I went on with my workout and she hers. A week later, I saw her again. She handed me a card. She thanked me for what I had said to her. She had been struggling and I said exactly what she needed to hear. By her eyes, there was a lot behind that simple statement. For her to take time to write a note, it must have meant a lot. I thought I was giving a simple and obvious compliment. I’m learning that following a little prompting can manifest something much bigger.

We’ve all felt that little nudge in our spirit to do or say something. Sometimes we listen. Sometimes we don’t.

Why do we listen to some nudges and ignore others? This may seem like a superfluous issue, but it’s important to spend sometime contemplating it. If it’s the Holy Spirit leading us, we want to be responsive to Him and not ignore Him. Following His lead is the life we are to walk. Following His lead takes us down the paths of abundant life. When we listen and respond to Him, our ability to hear Him grows. If we don’t; it diminishes.

So why?

As we seek God’s face in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit, a framework of truth is established in our soul. This framework enhances the voice of the Holy Spirit because it’s a support system for His words. It allows Him to dwell more fully in us. Imagine your mind as a vast place. It’s filled with lies and truth. Whichever one is more predominant affects your ability to hear the Spirit, the voice of truth, at any one time and in certain areas. In the areas you know truth; you are more likely to hear Him. In the areas you don’t, you are less likely. In other words, if what He says is in line with your beliefs, His voice is more likely to be supported and acted upon. If what He says contradicts what you believe, it’s more likely to be ignored. This is why gaining the truth from the Bible by the instruction of the Spirit is critical.

For example, if you believe that compliments are great encouragements to others no matter how big or small, when the Spirit prompts you to give one you are more likely to. If you believe that they don’t really make a difference, you are more likely to ignore Him.

If we believe something contrary to God’s truth, it will be much harder to hear and thus respond to the Spirit’s leading. As soon as it enters our head, the lies start to quench His voice. Thoughts derived from fears, laziness, or irrelevance begin to smother the prompting.

For example, suppose we are part of an unhealthy fellowship and God wants to move us into a healthy one, so His Spirit starts nudging us. If we are untrained by the Word in this area, then we will be quick to dismiss the prompting. At that nudge, a flood of thoughts will pour into our minds about fear of being excluded, fear of appearing judging, justification that no fellowship is perfect, the lie that there’s no where else to go, and fear of losing friends and that little voice is suppressed. Without an accurate framework of truth about a healthy fellowship, we are more likely to dismiss the prompting to better pastures, because there is nothing to support His leading. Conversely, if we have been abiding in the Bible and building truth, then we are more likely to respond. When we do, then we move into a place where God wants us to be.

The key to walking in truth and following the Spirit’s prompting is to read, abide, and meditate on the ENTIRE Bible trusting the Holy Spirit to teach us. When we understand the lies that abound, then we realize our need for the truth. Truth breeds life, lies breed death. Thus whatever we are following, lies or truth, will manifest death or life in our lives.

Everything in the Bible is for our instruction. It’s the tool by which the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth. Over time, as we abide in His instruction, a framework of truth is constructed in our soul. This framework guards us from deception and allows our spirit to flourish. Then as He prompts us to act, we have the support system within us to respond to His nudges and to follow them. This is how we begin to walk in wisdom, truth and abundant life.

How many times I haven’t followed those promptings, but justified them away. This post has been truly convicting and enlightening to me. But the past is done. It’s time to press forward and persist in cultivating the framework of truth in our souls so we don’t quench the Spirit, but listen and act. When we do, we will become a useful tool of God. We are able to walk in His will of life and not ours of death. We are able to walk in a unity with God. We are able to impact others in ways we’ll never thought we could because the Spirit is moving through us.


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Sister Wisdom

Blog Talk Radio: Sister Wisdom

A new PODCAST (click here to listen) is available on living in God’s wisdom.

Overview: Wisdom and understanding form the foundations from which we think, feel and act. Our philosophies and beliefs that make up our wisdom or lack of it are what we live by every moment of our lives. They create filters through which we see ourselves, others, God, circumstances, everything. Therefore, our wisdom and the source of it are of the utmost importance and God is calling us to forsake the world’s masquerade of enlightenment and grab a hold of His pure Truth. In this show, I talk about gaining the wisdom of God and three areas of our lives it greatly impacts. This topic is essential for every true believer.


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Idol Worship

Idol Worship

 

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen

In the previous post, I talked about the void in each of us that causes feelings like a lack of value or rejection. It’s a hole that only God can fill though we try to fill it by numerous ways to our own destruction.

Those things or ways by which we try to fill that void become idols in our lives. For me, my chief idol was trying to be perfect. If I was perfect (by my definitions), then I would have the value I sought and fill that void within me. It was a place of utter bondage, as you can imagine. Yet, all idols are bondage.

An idol is anything we trust in when we should be trusting God. Idols keep us from experiencing God to the extent that He desires and we desire, because we are putting something in a place and role that is meant for only Him. They create barriers to deepening our relationship with Him.

In what ways have you tried to fill that void? What is the driving motive to those ways? That is your chief idol. Turning from that core idol affects all the rest. Everything you do should be driven by the motive love, nothing else. Anything else signifies you are trusting in something else when you should be trusting God.

If we confess and repent of that chief idol and turn to let God fill that place, then He will deliver us from it. God is the deliver, not us. It’s by His strength that we are set free. Our part is to seek to align our will to His in desiring to turn from that dependency and be wholly dependent on Him.

God wants us to live an abundant life of delights in our soul. He is the one to take us there. To come to a point to trust Him enough to let go of all those things we’ve trusted to give us value, we have to deeply know God. Trust is the fruit of knowing, thus seeking God is the foundation to all else. When we seek Him, we will come to know and trust Him. In that trust, we will be able to truly let go. Then, we will discover a freedom, peace, rest and joy that is astounding.

Letting Go

Won’t let go, holding on tight
Until the end, I won’t give up the fight

I strive to be all I can be
Hoping it will make me truly free

Always one more struggle to face
One more issue to unlace

How much longer Lord?
How much longer?

I want to be who you desire
The woman of truth, love and fire

You’re fighting a losing battle, one you can’t win
It isn’t your strength to gain, but mine to let in.

In trying to be strong, you block my grace
My friend, your running the wrong race

Let go, trust Me, be weak, then you’ll be free

More than you’ll ever need to be free
It isn’t found in you, but in Me.

In dependence, you will find
A new power of your mind

It’s a paradox for sure
Be weak to find the cure

My strength is perfected in weakness
Because you trust my infinite greatness

A reservoir for every need without end
An endless supply at every bend

You’ll never be without Me, nothing to fear
You’re in my hands, close and dear

Don’t trust in your ability
Look to the power of the trinity

Trust in Me, rest in Me, be in Me
Then you’ll be truly free.

~ Rachel DiPaolo


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Our Core Issue Affecting All Else

 

Our Core Issue Affecting All Else

I’m discovering when you dive into the issues, fears, bad choices, and unhealthy behaviors of people, the core cause is a lack of inherent value, which comes from a feeling of rejection.

I’m beginning to think this core issue (which has many faces) is the black hole in each one of our souls, which the only remedy is oneness with God.

At birth, Our Creator, the One who matters above all, is disconnected from us because of the sin nature we are born into. In this disconnect, we experience a sense of rejection that breeds a lack of value. (Deep unchanging value comes from God. A fullness and completeness of us comes by being connected to Him.)

However, this gap between God and us isn’t our intended state. We were created to be one with God in a bond of love. But because of our corruption that comes from choosing self over Him, we are rejected. God can’t be united to that which isn’t holy, for He is holy. That self-seeking aspect of us that leads us to follow self verses God is the sin that was passed along through Adam. He chose to follow himself and do what he thought best instead of walk in unity with God. Thus, he severed the bond with God and was cast out of His presence. Because we are all connected, that corrupted state is a part of us.

To our further destruction, we spend our lives trying to fill that void with everything but God. The world, governed by the first one to reject God and go his own way (Lucifer), offers a smorgasbord of lies promising to fill that vast hole. They are empty vanities of how we can gain the value we desperately need to rid ourselves of that feeling of rejection. Relationships, sex, lust, goodness, self-righteousness, the perfect parents, children who love us, success, financial wealth, perfect bodies, power, perfect health, fame, control, and so on.

In trying to fill this void and suppress the feeling of rejection, we develop all kinds of bad habits to “protect” ourselves and gain value. We build walls, lash out to control others, manipulate emotionally, withdraw from others, and become people pleasers. We become slaves to others brokenness as we try to earn approval and acceptance. We stomp on others to make ourselves stronger. We become addicted to substances/things to subdue our feelings. We surround ourselves with people trying to fill the void, yet remain completely alone.

The only way to remedy our state is to be reconciled to the One by which that void was created, God. All those other things can’t accomplish what we desire, because they can’t. God loves us. He wants us to be reconciled back to Him as He showed us through Christ Jesus.

Only through Christ, our eternal forgiveness and reconciliation, is the pathway to God opened. However, Jesus is only the door. To find deliverance from the destruction we created and oneness, we have to journey into gate and into God’s presence. By abiding in God’s presence, (seeking His face to know Him and be one with Him), we are put on a path of healing and restoration for our souls. We experience God and His love. We understand how our ways lead to death and how His lead to life and the fulfillment and satisfaction of our souls. Through this journey, we chose God above all else.

Having spent our lives trying to obtain value from all these other sources, it takes time to develop a relationship with God that is strong enough to trust Him to let go of all these other things. Though they haven’t worked, we hold onto the hope that they do, because the world tells us they do. We have to intimately know God to the extent to be able to truly turn from all that we have held on to, thus turn from self (true repentance) and be deeply rooted to Him, nothing else.

God wants nothing to fill that void but Him because only He can. He created us to be in a bond of love with Him, therefore nothing else will suffice. Anything else is an idol, which is full of empty hope. God is offering Himself to us; we only need to embrace Him in truth and spirit.

In theory, turning from self and embracing God sounds easy. I’ve found it isn’t. The path to oneness with God is narrow and few find it, because the multitude of lies in this world that tells us the contrary. It’s a journey that has to be walked with God one-on-one. No one can do it for us. We can’t do it by listening to others talk about it or talk about God. Others can only point the way. We have to spend time with God like someone we love. Though this process we get to know Him, so we can trust Him and let go of everything we tried to use to fill that void and be united to Him. In giving up the empty hopes, what we lose is the superficial temple we built trying to find our own glory. What we gain is who we were created to be as one united to God.

Dig deep into God. What are those things that you are defining yourself by? Those things you are trying to fill that void with? Seek God to know Him as He is. In time, you will start letting all vanity to embrace the One who can fill you as you desire.


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Seeking, Not Judging

Seeking, Not Judging

 

From my previous post, there were some comments questioning whether all churches are lumped together in this concept of Church System. Here I want to address that issue because it touches upon a fundamental aspect of our walk with God.

God is judge, not us. His Word is judge, not us. Ezekiel 34:20

Even Jesus didn’t judge for Himself. He heard from God and that is what He did. We are to follow His example in all things. John 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. Further, Paul says he doesn’t even judge himself, only God judges him. 1 Corinthians 4:3-4.

When we ask the question whether this denomination, my church, or this pastor is good or not, it’s God’s judgment not ours.

What do I mean? How do we know what to do?

When it comes to our lives, we don’t judge good or bad. We look to God and His truth and that’s our guide. God judges and we follow His lead, whatever and wherever. Following God’s lead and not our judgments is choosing to eat of the tree of life instead of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The former is letting God be judge and being one with His will and simply walking in it. The latter is putting us as judge of what is good or bad.

To know and follow God’s judgments and ways, we have to set our ill-understanding aside and follow Him daily. Luke 9:23 Therefore, each day we sit with God, we seek the truth, we seek the pure manna from heaven (the instruction/truth of the Holy Spirit grounded in the Bible), we seek to know God so we can follow Him, and we seek His counsel throughout the day. (Seeking entails having a LOVE for the Truth, and putting time to know God as the priority in our day) We seek, ask, and act. We don’t pontificate on what we think is good by our own limited understanding. We seek counsel from the One who knows all.

Therefore, it’s not up to us to judge about this church or not, it’s up to God. To be able to know and hear His leading in this area we have to diligently seek Him. We have to put His words above religious leaders. We can’t read the Bible with our religious leaders opinions as our filters. We read for a desire for truth, realizing we don’t know and we may be misled in our current understanding. As we do, we will come to know God and His will; as He directs. We will be in the state of mind to be watchful for the times we are in. We will be hearing from God so we can walk in His will.

If we haven’t spent time diligently seeking, we will be very susceptible to deception. We won’t be able to follow God’s voice and not the voice of others because we are listening to ourselves. Make sense?

Seeking to know God comes first, so we can follow Him above all else. THEN we’ll be able to know what to do because then we will simply see and follow as Jesus did. It’s not about us deciding good or bad. It’s knowing God and following Him. See the difference? This following comes into play with all aspects of our lives, including this issue of leaving the church system (CS).

If you aren’t diligently seeking, how can your truly follow God’s voice? Again, not seeking is a spiritual death trap, because you remain spiritually blind. So even if you feel I’m wrong about the CS, spend time each day with God seeking to know Him as He is and His truth – this is your life, literally. Amos 5:4

When you seek you gain the spiritual “eyes” to see and the “ears” to hear. Revelation 2:29 As for leaving the CS, I “see” the CS corruption and the spiritual death and decay it breeds. Jeremiah 19:4 “Because they have forsaken Me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents.” It isn’t my judgments, it’s just looking and seeing as God leads. It’s not about comparing churches, saying this one seems pretty good, or this pastor seems like a good man. Those are all our judgments. Instead, it’s seeking God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Then wherever He leads we follow. 1 Chronicles 16:11

The Bible is written to all who profess to be God’s people, which includes many denominations and groups. We all are to be examining our lives by its words. To think they are words for someone else is a grave mistake. Read Jeremiah, Isaiah, the minor prophets and Revelation seeking the instruction of the Holy Spirit and listen to what God has to say. When you look into the Bible with a heart to know truth and not to follow the doctrines of mankind, then you will “see”. Then you will know what to do. You will “see” the CS for what it is, how it destroys souls, and the impeding judgment. You will see the contrast between the system and the true temple of God.

The Bible speaks about the impeding judgment on the “house of God” and to leave and fully embrace God as our sanctuary, which is leading to something tremendous… the New Jerusalem, the temple from heaven. Revelation 21:2-3 It’s out with the old and in with the new, just as in the days of Jesus. We are the temple of God. God’s dwelling place is with us, in us. We have the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that we are His, and a taste of things to come. A fuller manifestation of God dwelling within us is upon us. Revelation 21:22 Be careful to not be like the church leaders and members of Jesus’ day, who held on to their traditions and understanding and missed Christ, the truth. The old is passing away, and God is doing a new and tremendous thing … are you ready to embrace it?