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Lordship of Christ in Our Lives

Lordship of Christ in Our Lives

Who is your Lord?

Who/what governs your spirit is your Lord. For most people, it’s a fortress of lies, because most are under the sway of this world, which is a cloud of lies governed by the Father of lies. 1 John 5:19, John 8:44 But I want to encourage you to seek the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, to govern your souls because then you have eternal life, because who is of God never dies.

1 Corinthians 12:3 …and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Only by the Holy Spirit can we say that Jesus Christ is Lord in our lives, because it’s the Holy Spirit who prepares our soul to receive the Spirit of Christ, or the Spirit of God, so that He governs every aspect of our soul, thus has Lordship.

Holy Spirit Prepares The Temple

We are given the Holy Spirit to prepare our soul to receive the Spirit of God; to build His temple in us. 1 John 2:27 Having the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Spirit of God are two different things; they are different ways we relate to and experience God in our lives. The first prepares us for the second. When God comes to us as the Holy Spirit, He is coming to instruct and prepare our souls to receive His Spirit, the Spirit that was in Christ. Ephesians 4:13 The Holy Spirit is with us, but not one with our souls. John 16:13 When the Spirit of God is in us, then God is one with our souls. John 17:21

The Holy Spirit works with us to build the temple, our soul, which God can dwell in. Our part is to engage His instruction in all areas of our lives, make time to be taught by Him, be still to listen to Him, be a diligent student, a disciple, but greater be a child learning from his Father, acts few take time to do. For those who do, they are renewed in truth, thus prepared to be united to God in truth and spirit. John 15:8

God’s temple is our soul crafted in truth, a soul of truth. A soul of lies can’t house or be one with the Spirit of God. Thus the Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. The Holy Spirit writes the truth on our hearts. Jeremiah 31:33 After our refinement, the Spirit of God comes makes His home in us. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Peter 5:10

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth

Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Without a prepared soul for Christ to dwell in, He can’t be Lord of our soul because He can’t dwell within it. Our soul has to be washed and renewed in the word of truth. Truth brings life. Lies bring death. The soul prepared and renewed in truth is the soul who will receive His Spirit. This is why knowing God, the Truth, is the foundation to eternal life, which is Christ, the Spirit of God dwelling in us. John 17:3, Hebrews 3:10-11 This is why we are exhorted to get wisdom and understanding. Proverbs 4:7 By them God’s temple is built. Ephesians 2:19-22

Why Many Called, Few Chosen

When God indwelt human flesh in Christ, He gave the ability to all people to be able to build a temple in their soul, which He could dwell. However, though the seed, the Word, was provided to build that temple only some of it took root as in the parable of the sower. Matthew 13:3-9 Few walk this path of being Christ’s disciple and learning Truth from the Holy Spirit. Matthew 7:14 This is why there is an elect; a remnant of believers in the end. This is why many are called by few chosen. Matthew 22:14 Few have taken time to seek and learn truth directly from the Holy Spirit, to be prepared to be the dwelling place of God’s spirit. Few actually have become disciples of Christ, as the apostles were instructed to make. Matthew 28:19 Most have gone their own way giving lip service to the Lordship of Christ, making it something it wasn’t and leading themselves and many astray. Luke 6:39

Reality of God’s Spirit in You

If you are one who is going through this intimate instruction and are taught by God Himself, then God will come to dwell in your soul. John 6:45 He comes little by little, as you can imagine it’s a tremendous change and our minds need time to acclimate. But when He does it’s very clear. No crazy signs or visions are needed, because the very core of you changes.

As God fills you, so does all that He is including His righteousness. This is what it is to have the righteousness of Christ; it’s a very real change. You become right-minded, thus righteous, in your ways, desires, thoughts and actions. You become spirit-minded, as your thoughts are governed by Him. You experience the fruit of the spirit in tangible ways in your life; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control because His Spirit is in you. As God continues to fill you, these expand. You abide in rest in every area of your life. Hebrews 4:10 God governs your soul, so there is no effort; you are at rest like a child delighting in each moment of the day, as He directs you. Just as you didn’t have to effort to sin, you don’t have to effort to be or have any of these gifts. You just are, because the type of spirit directing your soul has changed. This experience is when Christ is truly Lord, when His kingdom has come to reign in you. You come to this Lordship by embracing the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life to bring you to this point of God’s Spirit filling you.

There are many who say Christ is Lord, yet they (or the fortress of lies) still govern their lives. They are fooling themselves. Perhaps, they are learning from the Holy Spirit, and in time will experience His Lordship, but most aren’t diligently learning truth from the Holy Spirit, being a disciple of Christ, so most are far from this reality. When your Spirit is governed by God Himself, your life testifies to His presence in you, all things become new. God’s Spirit in you is a magnificent reality. There is nothing fake about it, yet today it’s become gross hypocrisy that leads many astray. 2 Timothy 3:5

Be honest about who God is or isn’t to you and in your life. To have the Spirit of God is a tremendous reality, ones our lives but can’t help reflect. If as many professed to have Him did, this world would be a very different place. Think about it. This honesty is the first step toward Truth.


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Regeneration

Regeneration

A fountain of life to water souls
A source unexpected, yet long foretold

Springing forth from the wilderness
Rivers of love and tenderness

Vessels prepared yet unaware
Of the purpose they were to bear

Filled by God’s magnificent presence
Transformed in quiet transcendence

In weakness the greatest power is housed
In rest the sleeping giant aroused

To regenerate a corrupted place
To change the countenance of every face

From tears to unspeakable joy
Freeing imprisoned minds, evil’s toy

Though wickedness once abound
Its victory soon will not be found

Darkness loses its authority
As the incoming light quenches its ability

Establishing truth and righteousness in the land
The power shifts to love’s guiding hand.

Break forth in song, for the Day is here
Extinguishing every worry, care and fear

Mercy floods in as waves of light
Redeeming by God’s perfect might

Using few to bring forth His domain
God is glorified and named above all names

The Kingdom come, Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.

~ Rachel DiPaolo
November 13, 2011

Luke 14:5  Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”

Matthew 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Mark 13:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”


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A Fog of Lies & The Path Out

A Fog of Lies

AND

The Path Out

1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

A thick morning fog masks the creation that lies beneath. It hovers over the earth and prohibits our ability to perceive what is real. But as the sun streams through, we begin to see.

If you once were overweight, depressed, a work alcoholic, alcoholic, people pleaser, without hope, bound by illness, entrapped by fear, enslaved by religion, a fulfillment of your parents’ caustic words, agoraphobic or any type of phobic, then you know the power of a lie. The lies we believe travel deep scripting our lives.

Most of us grossly underestimate the extent that this world is under the sway of the wicked one. All is backwards, reversed, up side down and twisted causing grief, suffering, pain and death. Where do you think all these thoughts and concepts came from that put us and others in such states as above? Perhaps it’s too difficult to admit our world is so twisted, because then what? Ignorance isn’t bliss, the truth is.

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace

Over creation lays a dense fog of lies. Beginning in the womb, like a poisonous gas this destructive mist infiltrates every aspect of our belief systems, our minds, thus our lives. It touches everything, living little unscathed by its presence. Our perception has been crafted by it; thus all has been marred by its influence; education, history, money, economics, politics, media, medicine, marriage, sex, family dynamics, religion, and relationships. It defines who we are and how we are to live. It defines our value or lack of it. It defines how we work. It defines happiness. It defines how we think and what is important. It defines God. It defines everything.

The penetration of lies into our society, thinking, acting and ways of living is cavernous as an abyss … the more you see the deeper it goes. It’s expansive as the ocean … when you think you see the edge there is more. Like computers, our minds have been programmed by this fog teaching us how to think, act, and believe in ways that foster our destruction. Just take an honest look around and see what we have been creating.

Our minds are very powerful. What we believe, we act on, and manifest. If we believe in lies then we act on them and because they are lies they create pain, suffering, havoc and chaos. Our minds are easily manipulated and used against us on many levels. They can be a prison, and the greatest weapon against us. For one example, consider the type of messaging streaming over the airwaves and how those “airwaves” are demanding more of our constant attention. Look at how it’s altered your thinking. You will see the programming language of evil. It follows all the protocols to program us to think certain ways (repetition, playing on emotions, defining value etc) thus believe and live in a way that to our ignorance ultimately destroys us. Ephesians 2:2 How wise we are to pursue wisdom from above.

The path out is truth, manifested by the Spirit of God. Truth comes from the source of truth, God. If we seek the truth from God, we are opening a door in our minds that allows the sun to start streaming in.

Yet many don’t seek truth from God, because the perception of God has also been marred by this fog. God is not far from us, as many of the lies dictate to keep us imprisoned. Acts 17:27 One of the greatest deceptions is God’s lack of love for us; a real love that affects the detailed interworking of day to day life. The reality is He is vey present in His love, but we can’t “see” Him because of the multitude of lies we believe about Him and us. The lies keep us from seeing and seeking Him. We’ve all had the experience where our own blindness about a situation kept us from seeing it for what it was. When later we become aware of what was really going on, we are amazed at “how blind we were”. In this fog of lies, the moment we glimpse God’s majesty, the experience is corrupted by the programming our minds have been shaped by, as pictured in the parable of the sower of the seed. Mark 4:1-20 Like everything else, our perception of God has been shaped by this corrupted fog keeping us far from Him, by keeping our minds from Him.

Defy the lies and seek. Seeking is key. Because of this consuming fog, seeking is required as the truth has been hidden. We have to seek to be able to see something new, which is the very nature of seeking. Initially, with such a deafening cloak shrouding our ability to see, it takes diligence to seek truth and continue to. This is where most fail, thus live the consequences of the lies they believe. We’ve been programmed to believe all sorts of declarations about what is truth and what it isn’t. But when we dare to seek to truly know, God rewards us with the truth. Truth doesn’t come all at once. It’s little by little, percept upon percept. In time, our minds, lives and souls are transformed.

Where is the door to this path of truth we seek? Christ, the Truth, is the door. John 10:9 God manifested Himself in a man, to show us the way, to show us the truth. He established a corresponding written word to assist us on this path. If we seek the truth, by the guidance of His Spirit, He teaches us the truth. Psalm 119:105, Matthew 7:7, Matthew 11:29 Without the lies, the barriers to experiencing God’s love and truth are removed. He laid a path for us to traverse to move us out of the fog and into the brilliant sunlight; a way of manifesting a new mind, thus a new being.

Pray for the gift of faith to believe that God, the source of truth, rewards those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 Seeking to know Him as He is, is the path out of the prison of our minds and to true liberty and abundant life.


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Are You Spirit-Minded Or Flesh-Minded?

Are You Spirit-Minded Or Flesh-Minded?


Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

 

What is spirit-minded versus carnal or flesh-minded?

The flesh is our self-will and all that it produces and manifests. It’s our self-created values, idols, and philosophies. It’s what we trust and hope in other than God’s truth. It’s the outcomes of corruption that come from following the flesh. Gal 5:19-21 It’s defining and creating our own goodness and righteousness. Isaiah 64:6 It’s based in fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 It’s everything derived from following self and the elements of the world created by self, versus God. Thus, the flesh-mind is one consumed and governed by self and the corresponding beliefs.

Is your hope in the wisdom of mankind? What do your actions show? Do you have a fear of man? Do you strive to please others? To please yourself? If so, your god is man. You serve mankind, and have a flesh-mind, which end is death. We’ve all been there at one point, but it’s not where we are to stay. Galatians 1:10

The spirit is what is of God. It’s knowing God’s truth and living the outcomes of it. Galatians 5:22 It’s a state of peace, rest, love and delight. It’s trusting in God in all things so you enter into a state of internal and external rest in all things. (The rest allows God’s spirit to move through you as He wills, like a leaf directed by the wind. Rest is a testimony of trust.) Hebrews 4:11 It’s becoming like a child who trusts his Father’s complete protection, provision, love and care and therefore lives in delight and in the desires of his heart. Psalm 37:4-5 Mark 10:15 It’s giving over all judgment to God to decide what is good and what isn’t, thus letting Him direct your life. John 5:30 It’s owning Christ’s righteousness and walking in it. When we are spirit-minded we have a mind like Christ, surrendered to God’s will, filled with God’s truth, and governed by the Spirit of God. Galatians 2:20, 2 Corin 5:17

Do you have a fear of God? Do you care about what He thinks above others? Are you seeking and moving into His will in all areas of your life? Is your trust growing in Him? Then you are on the path of being spirit-minded.

Galatians 5:24-25 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish

To be spirit-minded, the flesh has to be destroyed. To remain flesh-minded is death because it’s counter and in opposition to God, who is life.

How do you know you are spirit-minded or flesh-minded?

What do you think about most of the day? What do you talk about? Who do you serve? What do you meditate on? Where do you put your hope? In what/who do you trust? What consumes your time? What do you put first on your list? Who has taught you the beliefs you live by? From who have you gained the “wisdom” you live by? Psalm 1:1-3, 2 Corin 1:12

These answers will tell you who/what owns your mind, the flesh or the spirit. Who/what owns your mind, owns you. We start out imprisoned by a flesh-mind that leads us down paths of destruction and death, but the TRUTH came to set us free.

Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Which are you cultivating?

Galatians 6:8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life

Because what you believe and focus on you create as a creative being made in the image of God, if you are focusing on and sowing a flesh-mindset, then you are creating corruption leading to death. If you are sowing a spirit-mind, then you are reaping eternal abundant life.

What do you sow? Who do you listen to? What do you read? What do you seek? How do you spend your time? Are they in accordance to the wisdom of mankind or the wisdom of God? Do you know the difference? The flesh-mindset is far more enveloping than most realize. In recent weeks, my eyes have been opening to its pervasiveness. It’s everywhere. 2 Corinthians 13:5

When we sow to the flesh, we search out answers and solutions from mankind’s intellect and wisdom, even in spiritual matters. 1 Corinthians 3:19 If you trust others to teach you about God, you are sowing to the flesh, because you are putting your trust in mankind. Do you see? In everything we are to seek the truth and wisdom of God, because that of the world is a twisted, corrupted, opposing and degenerate version of true wisdom.

When we sow to the spirit, we seek truth from God, we are taught by Him and not by man. 1 Corinthians 2:13-14, John 6:45 We seek to know the truth in all things, we have a love for THE Truth. 2 Thess 2:10. (How to Seek the Kingdom of God)

Gaining a spirit-mind and leaving the flesh mind behind is a journey. When you are on the right path you know it because your life is a testimony to you.


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Be a Tree: Rest

Be a Tree: Rest

One of my greatest temptations is to try to fix myself instead of entrust ALL to God. Not sure why it’s still an issue, as I’ve seen over and over again that my efforts avail to frustration, failure, and bondage while God’s work has brought deliverance. Perhaps until now I never really took time to consider just how useless my efforts are and more importantly how contrary they are to God’s instructions to rest in Him, thus a sin.

I suppose to be Mrs. Fix-it tempts me because this philosophy is everywhere in our society and it speaks to our desire to be in control (to be able to have life go according to our will). It paints the illusion that the changes I desire are occurring. This is why the self-help philosophy (as many religions are) is so captivating, you feel you are doing something, taking control, thus moving forward. But, it’s an illusion and instead places huge burdens we can’t really manage. Feeling the sand bags on my shoulders is a sure sign I’m striving when I should be trusting God.

God calls us to rest, wait, and trust. His commandments aren’t burdensome. 1 John 5:3 His yoke is easy and His burden light. Matthew 11:30 When we live His way, we are trusting in Him and not ourselves to perform ALL things for us. Psalm 57:2 God’s way is the only way that makes any real significant transformation for good, true good, in our lives because only He is good.

God calls us to enter into His rest. If we don’t we are being disobedient. Hebrews 4:10-11 Entering into His rest means to cease striving from ours works in all things as He did from His. Could God be that good? Yes.

Most every religion is about your works, about “the law”; what you do in your strength to be who you are suppose to be. They’re about taming your self-desires so that you live a life that is acceptable and good (according to that religion’s definitions of these terms). But what God, the Creator, calls us to isn’t a religion of laws, but to die to our self-will ruling altogether and become a new creation that is a part of His divine nature. As a part of Him, we desire what He does. It isn’t living out some law; it’s living according to His will because it’s who we are as a part of Him.

God is the Creator, not us. He invites us to be a new creation by His design and power. It isn’t taming our old self; it’s all the old things passing away and all things becoming new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 God is the One who works in us. Phil 2:13 We are His workmanship. Ephesians 2:10 It’s a completely different way of thinking that is unlike anything this world offers, because it can’t. The world can’t create something entirely new, but God can and does in us.

God’s gift of eternal life, His life, is real and powerful. The manifestation of His Spirit in us comes little by little, not all at once. This pacing is His design to teach us numerous truths along the way; mercy, love, grace, compassion, humility, perfection of His will, and His sovereignty. Think of all the things we learn by going through this process and it not being immediate. If instant transformation was best, then that is how God would have created it.

Because it isn’t an instant experience, when my impatience starts to intrude, I want to take charge and speed things up. It doesn’t work that way. I’m not the Creator, God is. My part is to rest in His work.

God compares us to trees to teach us about His process of design in making us into who He desires us to be. The tree is in the seed. But the tree is far greater than the seed. We start as a seed. As we are planted in good soil, God’s truth, we start to grow. A tree doesn’t effort its growth; it grows because it’s planted in good soil with proper water and light. We are to let God grow us into the plant He created us to be in all our uniqueness as we abide in Him. We are to let Him be the authority in who we are and what we do. He is God after all.

What is our part then? To abide in the good soil, God’s Truth, and leave the rest up to Him. We are the tree. Have you ever seen a tree strive to grow differently than it does?

When I think about being a part of the divine, I imagine God’s pure and perfect love united to truth flowing through me into the lives of others. Every thought, word and action is governed by His love. My temptation is to try to do this myself or at least speed things up. God gave us a much a better way than our own efforts. He gave us His Spirit and by His life dwelling in us, it changes everything. God makes my love abound, not me. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 When I try, not only am I striving and not resting, trying to tame my rebellious flesh, trying to do God’s job, embracing a “religion” instead of the power of God flowing through me, carrying a burden that I’ll never fulfill, but I’m disobeying God. 1 Thess 4:9

Be planted in good soil, and leave the rest to God. When you do, He will grow you into who you are supposed to be. You will grow in the manner and rate that is best for you. You will abide in rest and peace because you are doing your part and trusting God to do His. It’s truly a much better way to live and the only way to true and abundant life.

God is faithful, perfect in His care. Let go and trust Him. Have no confidence in the flesh or in your ability to “create” yourself. He calls us to this rest and level of trust.

Be A Tree

Workmanship of my Maker
Letting go of being my own creator

A beautiful tree of His design
Fashioned to a new state of mind.

Resting in the soil of truth eternal
Is my daily labor for this small kernel.

Nourished to a majestic tree
Fashioned as no other to be.

His light shines ever brighter
Lifting my soul somewhere higher.

To the heavenly places of His domain
Releasing the strongholds of suffering and pain.

My life I commit to His hands
Destroying the wickedness by His plans.

Breathing in my soul His life divine
A part of His nature, one of a kind.

All my striving is in vain
For I’m not the Creator, but the slain.

Letting go I surrender to His mold
New life awaits as I enter into His fold.

~ Rachel DiPaolo
August 4, 2011


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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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Is Your Temple Being Built?

Is Your Temple Being Built?

 

Get out a piece of paper and write down a typical week for you. How is your time divided? What consumes your time? What do you do with your spare time?

The most important activity for believers is building the temple. Was that on your list?

The eternal temple of God is made of the souls of the true believers in Christ. It’s the place God will call home for eternity. So the most important activity we do is prepare/build that place for Him, have you been building?

How do we build?

Among many attributes, God is holy, truth and love. For God to fully manifest Himself through us as the temple we have to be in unison with Him in these areas as noted in the scriptures. As oil and water don’t mix, neither does a corrupt soul lacking these and God’s spirit.

 

The soul that is able to hold God’s spirit is one that is pure, structured in truth, and consumed in love.

Purity

First, Jesus Christ cleansed our souls with His sacrifice. In Him, our slates are wiped clean.

Truth

Second, Jesus Christ builds a structure of truth within us. Jesus is the Word of God. It’s the Word, truth, that sanctifies. John 17:17 He gave us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who writes truth on our hearts and minds as He instructs us in the ways of God. 1 John 2:27 As we abide in the Word, putting the truth in us, the Spirit uses that truth in conjunction with our lives and constructs a framework of truth in our souls. I talked a bit about this in the video Prepared for Christ’s Coming.

In Proverbs, it talks about the importance of seeking and obtaining true wisdom and understanding that is of God, not this world. Proverbs 4:5-9. Wisdom and understanding are fundamental to the lives of believers, because these are what make up that framework of truth in our souls, which allows God’s spirit to dwell in us.

An important aside to this concept; we are to seek wisdom, but gaining wisdom isn’t dependent on our IQ. It’s dependent on the ability of the Holy Spirit to teach us and write it on our hearts and minds. Therefore, ANYONE, as God wills, can gain the wisdom and understanding of God. Hebrews 8:10-11 Further, this process varies greatly for everyone. It’s a journey and not instant. You may have many ah-ha moments, but the process of building a framework of truth takes time in abiding in the Bible being taught by the Holy Spirit and Him working out those truths in you and your life.

Love

Finally, Jesus Christ reconciled us back to God, so now we can abide in His presence. When we draw near to God, He draws near to us. Because God is love, when we draw near His love starts filling our lives. Like our earthly relationships, when we cultivate a relationship with God, the fruit is love.

Many professing believers neglect to partake in the second and third phases. They understand the purifying done by Christ, but neglect the latter two – abiding in the truth so that framework can be built and cultivating a relationship with God so that His presence, especially His love will reign in their lives. This is why many operate in their self-will and not in accordance to one who is abiding in truth and love.

I think this negligence is why many are called but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14. Christ died for all people. Christ died that all may be saved. But few move onto walking in the purpose of His tremendous gift.

Look at the list you made at the beginning. Do you spend time abiding in the truth to gain a soul lined with truth? Do you nurture your individual relationship with God like you would do with a spouse (remember He calls us His bride)? This is how the temple is built.

Many people spend incredible amounts of time building up their earthly habitations whether homes, careers, health, families, and relationships and neglect the principle thing – their soul. It’s the one aspect that matters and affects all else, and if they neglect it, the rest greatly suffers as Haggai instructs us.

Haggai 1:6- 7 You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!

God says seek FIRST the kingdom of God, Him within you, and His righteousness and all else will be added unto you (the physical necessities of life). Matthew 6:33 Many people attend to the physical first, thus lose out on both. If you attend to the spiritual, then both will prosper. It’s God’s law of how He created this life.

Now you see why building the temple is to be the priority. Your belief systems affect EVERYTHING. If you change those, everything changes.

Each one of us is to do our own building of our part of the temple, our soul. No one can do it for us. We can support each other in the building process (which is very important and it’s part of building the temple as well because we are all conncted), but no one can actually do the building for us.

Restructure your list to make building the temple the first priority. Yes we have to work, attend to our families and health, but those should come second, because when you attend to the main thing the rest follows as it should. I’ve tested it out by taking on this promise 10 years ago. My life has proven it true in every way. It isn’t instant by any means because building truth and cultivating a real relationship with God isn’t easy in a world of lies, but it’s the path.

Now you see why this life isn’t just about being comfortable. God has a much greater mission of preparing His eternal dwelling.