Living Light

Stirring The Deep

Tag Archives: pure


by 6 Comments

How do you “see” God?

How do you “see” God?

Space 

Do you “see” the true God? How do you know? He is invisible and spirit, so what we “see” and experience is actually our understanding of His nature. We see His reflection, in our lives and in creation, and that reflection is based on our particular and individual understanding. Our understanding makes up our image of Him. Our image in turn defines what we see. Do you see the circular effect of this and the problem it holds? Our image determines what we see, thus how we believe Him to be, which comes from our original understanding. And the question is where did that original understanding come from? So, how do we know we have the right understanding, thus the right image? Especially in a world of many people holding many different images?

The pure in heart will see God. Matthew 5:8 The pure in heart have the right understanding of the nature of God because their path to purity taught them to “see” Him correctly. Understanding and obtaining true purity only comes from One more pure.

This truth that the pure in heart will see God is why religions and religious people seek to portray an outward pure or holy persona. Many dress up the outward to fool others and even themselves of their piety, but it’s the purity of the heart that allows us to “see” God. If we are drawing near to the true God, we are growing more and more pure from the inside out.

The pure in heart is one who seeks, practices, abides and gives divine love. God is perfect love. Only by living by and for divine love do we know what it is. Thus it must be lived, not just talked about. When we start living it we start “seeing” the true nature of God, for God is love.

Becoming Pure in Heart

We come to this purity through grace and wisdom by being faithful disciples of Truth, the Word, our internal counselor, shepherd, and overseer of our soul. To become pure in heart is a very personal journey, this is why we can’t learn about God from another. If we do, we will hold a false image instead of a true image. We learn about love from within. Someone can describe love, but to truly know love, we have to become an expression of it in truth and sincerity. Within our soul is where we learn about divine love and how to live in it. The only Teacher who can penetrate those depths is the spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit. Love is only known when it is lived.

The path of purification is a long, winding and arduous road, because this world is corrupt and we are born with corrupt natures. Matthew 7:14 If we truly hunger for the true God and truth, His spirit of truth takes us on an intense schooling through our life situations that purify, purge, and change us in many ways before we can give anything close to this divine love. In this love there is no resentment, bitterness, envy, jealously, contentions, pride, backbiting, judging, self-pity, lusts, vengeance, cares for this world’s ways, or temptations counter to the nature of divine love. It’s full of mercy, forgiveness, beauty, true wisdom, understanding, long suffering, patience, compassion, care, kindness, gentleness, humility, meekness, peace, which extends far beyond our personal cares to the care of others. To go through this exchange in our soul is becoming a new creation altogether. Nothing stays the same. We have to be remade and re-born of a different spirit. Until, we are no longer an offspring of corruption, but an offspring of purity.

If we start to seek and engage this divine love, we learn it requires a great purity of mind, heart, soul and life, for it’s of holy ground, for it’s the nature of the heavenly Father. This is why few find this path; it’s a very pure path, thus contrary to most of the world’s ways. As we journey this purification path, the understanding that comes from growing in this love creates the right understanding thus “image” of God, His nature and ways.

Along this narrow path of ever-increasing purity through purging and renewing, we are brought to a point of having sold all (all that is contrary to divine love) in order to obtain the pearl of infinite worth, entrance into the kingdom of God. We sell (abandon) all the lusts, cares, and temptations of the world as we learn the superiority, beauty and perfection of the ways of God and the absolute joy they bring. The pure words of our Teacher and High Priest, Christ, replace the lies that once governed our beliefs, thoughts and actions, and we are now governed by the truths of God. Thus, our minds and spirits are cleansed exuding the likeness of a beautiful pearl. John 17:17 This purity allows us to slip through the very narrow gate to the realm of the divine. Purity opens the gate at the end of the narrow path to “see” God. And it is through this gate that prayers ascend to the ears of God and are most powerful. 1 Peter 3:12

The pure in heart are the ones who “see” God. These, who once lived as children of disobedience as all of mankind, are the ones who are purified by the fire (the truth). They are free from corrupt desire, sin, and guilt. 1 John 3:9 They are blameless and holy in conduct. Ephesians 1:4-5 Above all they abide in divine love. 1 John 4:7

Suppose you learn and start to live according to this divine love. What you realize is that God is not here in the earth, because if He was this would be a very pure and holy place. There would be no suffering, cruelty, pain or sorrow. There would be healing, beauty, and eternal life. God not being here is why so many images of God exist in the minds of people. There is nothing to tell the masses what He is or isn’t. We individually can know His divine love, but having an understanding versus abiding in His fullness thus power are two very different realties. Though I believe the former precedes the latter.

This is why we yearn for the coming of His spirit. Divine love is real, we can taste its goodness in our lives by understanding. This is a love not of our own making, but something much higher and pure than mere human nature. It goes against our basic primal nature we are born with, yet it is the supreme desire of our soul. It’s our desire, because we are made with a desire for our Creator, for love wants to abide in love with all of His creation. His love beckons us to draw near to be a part of His nature, and if we answer the call then our spirits ascend to places we never knew we could go, and eventually unto eternal life. If we were all pure, we would hold one image, and the right one. This is the work that Christ came to do and will finish; it is His glory to behold, and gift to the Father of All. Hebrews 12:2 

You become pure in heart.


by 11 Comments

Cloak of Holiness

Cloak of Holiness

Remember the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


by 21 Comments

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.