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Every one of us is always a teacher and always a student.
Owning this truth provides an endless expansion to our souls in truth and love. It instills an internal humility and courage that opens up an abundance of understanding, growth and enlightenment. It brings clarity to our nature and our purpose. It manifests itself in an endless number of ways.
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~ Spirit of Truth
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I’ve mentioned before that this reality of our earth existence is like being in a womb. The overlays between a physical womb and spiritual womb are deeply intertwined, as the physical is a shadow of the spiritual to serve for instructional purposes. And there is much to learn from this particular analogy.
In a physical womb, the child is enveloped in flesh, which enables her to grow, but it also is a barrier from being face-to-face with her parent. We too are enveloped in a flesh covering that is serving to develop our soul individuality, and like the child we are “separated” from our heavenly Father, though he is all around us. Thus, as the child has never “met” the parent, we too experience a “disconnect”.
Because of this separation, our Father and we are both confined in the unreal. We are in this temporary dark reality and our heavenly Father is outside of these dark waters in the light. Thus, while in the womb we are confined in the unreal (detachment from our Father), but our Father is also confined in the unreal because in this state he remains in a sense unreal to us. Thus, why there are so many images of him that exist. He exists in a reality different than our own, and he can’t embrace us as he so desperately longs to. He can’t until we are full grown and come to birth. Thus, we are both trapped in the unreal unable to fully embrace one another in a way that creates an everlasting unchanging oneness.
To find this oneness, we need to be full grown so we can exist outside the womb.
Some souls have desirously and diligently sought for his true presence as their souls have been awoken to his love. They’ve become aware of the true heavenly Father and his love for them. This is the fertilization of their soul by his love. His love awakens us out of our dormant state as a mere egg in this womb. This awakening is the beginning of our embryonic growth, and what lies ahead is the much-needed development of our soul so we can grow into a creation that can abide in harmony in the reality outside of the womb. An embryo can’t survive outside the womb. It must grow to come to full maturity before it is ready. Likewise, we must become developed in our soul, so we can come forth, as a soul able to reflect our Father.
In this diligent seeking, these souls have learned and matured to “sense” his true essence beyond the womb. In this understanding and connection to the outside, they grow and mature in and by his love, which comes through his truths, as souls preparing to reflect the divinity of their Father. Others are so disconnected in the womb state that they doubt there is a parent at all. They remain a seed unfertilized by his true divine love. Then there are the many souls in-between these two states.
In this separation, we don’t “see” our heavenly Father, we only “see” him by faith. True faith is first knowing of the true Father, then believing that though we don’t see him, we know he is there and his love is endless and perfect for us. It’s learning to live a life established on the reality outside of the womb, a reality only those outside can teach us. Thus, the importance of constant soul communion with our Father and his Christ, who teaches us and helps us grow to come forth in a new birth. In this understanding, we spiritually mature, so that our faith becomes established in his ways, attributes and love to an extent that we sense him as if he is with us, but it’s only the strength of our faith that we are experiencing. But it’s that strength of faith that brings us forth into a new birth of our soul.
In our faith, we continue to grope in the darkness only seeing by our faith. This is why as our faith develops it sometimes waxes and wanes. With it we battle the fears of not knowing, uncertainty and perceived distance from our Father.
However, with our birth into the real, faith ceases and in its place is a deep knowing, thus rest and eternal peace. Faith is only required when there is a separation from our Father. Though it is essential to our soul development … when the time comes, it fades away and a knowing takes its place and our love becomes full and ever expanding into eternity. Instead of seeking to find an oneness with our Father, we gain that oneness with his divinity, and we no longer seek but become. We become his child bearing his reflection, thus we simply be.
In our birth, we are partakers of the divine essence of the Father, thus reflect his nature in our outward soul expression while maintaining our individuality. The key reflector of our new birth is the full reception and giving of the divine love of the Father. This is our shining attribute that with it carries divine intellect. Our hopes fade as they are fulfilled, and now there is growth in the light and by the light, no longer by stumbling through the darkness where we learn by error. When we can’t see we grow through our errors, learning what is and what is not. But in the light we simply grow. Our soul essence finds an oneness with the Father, as a baby born is placed in her Father’s arms, face-to-face.
But until our new birth of a divine soul, we are confined to this reality and our Father is confined to outside of this reality. This is why we seek to be a developing soul who has the strength of faith to come to birth. Without soul development that prepares us to be a new creation of divinity, and without the faith that enables us to grow and push out of the womb, we don’t come to birth. But with the two, we become identifiable children of our heavenly Father.
(Related to Post: Self-Perfecting Mind)
Here is a driving equation of a mind being fashioned by God; thus one who is spiritually maturing and ascending …
An algorithm for abundant life:
HUMILITY >>TRUTH >> HARMONY >> GROWTH = abundant LIFE
TRUTH = is and consists of truthful data points, as well as the accurate connection and networking of those data points. The stringing together of data points creates understanding, which crafts our perceptions, which is light. If we perceive in truth, we have eyes of light. If we perceive in error, we have eyes of darkness. Matthew 6:22-23 Our perceptions drive our choices and actions, which shape our experience of reality.
This light by which we see is the morning star rising in our hearts. 2 Peter 1:19, Revelation 2:28, 22:16 It’s the spirit that Christ held and reflected of the Divine, perfect wisdom, thus the spirit of Christ. Colossians 1:27, 2:2-3, 3:16 It’s His spirit, spirit of truth, that imparts the truthful data points and the connections between them to our minds. Thus, He is to be our source of wisdom, thus growth, thus abundant life. John 10:10
When we have truthful data points strung together in the correct way, which His spirit creates in us as we diligently seek to learn from Him, then harmony is created. If you hold the truth and so do I, we are of one spirit acting in supporting ways with one another thus in and creating harmony. When there is harmony between two or more entities then growth can occur. When we have harmony, then our relationship grows, deepens and expands. The growth is life, abundant life. When we grow in our relationship, we experience true and increasing kindness, love, honor, respect, peace, companionship, unity, support, all the elements of abundant life.
Like trees with the right balance of water, light and soil (data elements strung together in the right way and amounts) that create growth, which is life, when we abide in the truths that create growth, our actions produce abundant life.
Wisdom is having understanding in how to implement the truth (data points and their connections) in our lives. Foolishness is thinking we have this understanding when we don’t.
Humility Precedes Wisdom; Judgment (Arrogance) Precedes Foolishness
The beginning of wisdom is humility, which is constant submission to the wisdom of God, because His wisdom is perfect and superior to any other “wisdom”. Proverbs 1:7, 1 Corinthians 3:19 A key to having a humble mind is maintaining the mindset of a neophyte. Someone who is a novice has the humility that she doesn’t know all, and therefore is continually learning and growing.
Once we believe we are an “expert”, we switch from learning in a situation to judging it. A seemingly “expert” mind is one that assumes it knows, thus easily falls into a judgmental mindset instead of humble and teachable. Psalm 25:9 It assumes it knows, thus judges instead of learns from a situation, and as a consequence this mind is blocked from learning what it ought to in the present moment, for every situation can bring deeper understanding. Thus it’s bound to foolishness for it doesn’t know as it ought and isn’t seeking to learn. It doesn’t realize it lacks the correct or adequate data points or connections, thus foolish is its response. Yet, when we possess a humble mind our ability to learn is infinite.
A Humble Mind is a Spiritually Maturing Mind
Nowhere do we find a humble mind more so than in a spiritually maturing being. It’s a fundamental requirement to and aspect of spiritual maturation. The only way to mature is to be constantly submitting thus learning from the wisdom of God in our present moments. A spiritually maturing mind seeks the wisdom of God, which is always higher thus beyond that spirit’s current understanding no matter how mature it is. This mindset perpetuates that spirit’s growth thus maturity.
The wisdom of God comes out of the present moment. If we are growing, we are more knowledgeable than we were yesterday, thus God can take us into continually deeper layers of understanding than where we were yesterday. Understanding builds upon understanding. See how this works? This is why some less mature don’t understand the revelations spoken by more mature, thus can dismiss them if they’ve fallen into a judging mindset. They lack the required previous levels of knowledge to comprehend a higher level.
This means, like a beginner, we should always be asking questions. For example, we are always seeking what door to go through in our present moment that takes us to the next step along our personal path fulfilling our purpose. Assumptions and expectations based on what we know are fleeting to this mindset, while questions and seeking are the mainstay. If we are of a humble mind, a neophyte mind, we are consistently seeking and asking, thus learning and growing, thus spiritually maturing.
The wisdom of the divine integrated into our souls by the spirit of Christ is our compass. It’s His spirit interacting with ours in our inner person that guides, instructs and leads us down His cogent roads. It’s these roads that create a network of thinking and acting that produce an abundant life.
This algorithm works for every facet of our lives; marriage, relationships, business, health, and home life. For example, as my husband and I learn of data points (mercy, forgiveness, divine love), and learn how they interact within our marriage, they lead to choices and actions that are harmonious with one another, thus we experience growth in our marriage. This growth creates a marriage of increasing abundance (comfort, support, care, peace, beauty, divine love). As we remain humble in our minds, we continually grow in our understanding and thus expand in all those traits that greatly enhance our marriage. Thus the marriage is always getting better. We can apply this to every area of our life. When we do we start experiencing abundant life.
Our minds create our reality. A mind crafted by the wisdom of God is continually creating better present moments, thus life always gets better.
John 3:21 “But he who DOES the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been DONE In GOD.”
God’s voice comes to us from deep from within. His call is to follow His ways, which lead us from an existence of torment, angst, pain, and suffering and into green pastures and still waters. His wisdom leads to rest; internal and external rest (for the two are deeply intertwined). If you are in Him, you have His wisdom and your physical life reflects that gift, power, and peace.
If You Are Listening …
If you follow God’s leading, your life reflects His presence. You are ever increasing in wisdom, truth, knowledge, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, peace, blessing, protection, favor, health, loving kindness and the purest of love for all. This is how you know you are in Him. Your life testifies to it. And in these days this growth is accelerating for those who are following Him because Christ is gathering those who love Him to Him. He is truth.
The truth, Christ, is here, calling from within. The stone has been rolled back from the well of living waters. Truth is gushing out and meeting you where you are at, in your soul where His seed is sown. At first, you’ll perceive His leading as a good/cleansed/renewed conscience, which in time becomes apparent is His voice. You’ll be prompted to let go of bad habits and thoughts and embrace new ones. To forgive, to let go, and to give mercy instead of judgment. You’ll change your ways, priorities, and how you live. You’ll leave some friends and embrace others. Honor will grow for all people. You’ll start to care for the temple, your body, as His precious vessel. A loving spirit will replace a judging and adulterous one. Wisdom will fill your decisions and choices; thus creating paths of peace instead of angst/hardship. As you follow these promptings, your desires will start to change until they are in unity with His. Then you will abide in total freedom as a child as you no longer have a battle in your mind, because your desire is His. Mark 10:15 Then your entrance is granted into the kingdom of heaven as you are adorned in light. 2 Peter 1:10-11
This transformation occurs because you are moving deeper into truth; the mind/body of Christ. Your soul will become adorned with garments of light (truth/righteousness). Revelation 3:5 These garments of light are your protection from the increasing evils of the days, as light repels darkness. They hide you from the enemy, for they allow you entrance into the kingdom of heaven, which is the ark of safety, rest and peace. Revelation 3:10 As you listen to the voice of truth teaching you good from evil, for until now many have called what is evil good and what is good evil, God’s presence will engulf you leading you out of the pit. He’ll “rapture” you from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light (truth). It is a “rapture” of the mind and spirit. With the faith of God, you create life for He is life. Without these garments of truth, you can’t enter into the kingdom of heaven (light) for the kingdom is truth. You have to become it, to be in it. Once you start to become as Christ, then you truly start to see Him as He is. With spiritual truths, you only know them when you become them and they are a part of you.
If You AREN’T Listening …
By our faith, we create.
Those who DON’T listen to the Great Shepherd’s voice calling from within for whatever reason (religion, ways of world, thinking He is coming from outside them, Matthew 13:1-8) will continue to follow the paths of death. With their minds, they are creating the paths they walk. If your mind is full of darkness that is what you create. If it is full of life, then that is what you create. The works of your hands (beliefs) judge you because they manifest in your life and you have to live by them. If darkness, then suffering. If light, then peace and rest.
As the truth springs out of the earth, it will reveal all the works of darkness. Those souls who have walked contrary to God will manifest what they have chosen; paths that have no wisdom. As God’s mercy is lifted all will be revealed for what it is as the works are exposed for what they are. Wisdom will flee from their lives increasing the hardships. The will will become uncontrollable as darkness consumes it. Thus, they will create their own reality of strife, hardship, pain and suffering as they chose what wasn’t of the true God, His truth. This is their judgment inflicted by their own hands. Ezekiel 24:14
This depravity is a downward spiral, for the more angst you have in your life, the harder it is to follow the truth. God’s voice comes as a still small voice. When our souls are in a peaceful state it is easiest to hear Him. This is why the morning is the best time to seek truth and the voice of God, for your mind is the most peaceful. But as lives grow in travail, the anxiousness of people’s minds will make it harder to discern, hear, and trust that voice from within. Fear drives us with a horrific compulsion, which once strong in us it rules us to follow it to its demise. We all have had those times when our soul is stressed and how much harder it is to hear God. Imagine that amplified. In this state, to turn to God’s ways (true repentance) and stop the increasing strife will be harder. True repentance = in the moment of decision; choosing to following God’s prompting instead of any other drive/motive. This is why it is so important to seek the truth of God now. For when you listen and follow God it creates rest and peace, which allows more rest and peace to manifest.
Yet, this growing angst in people’s souls isn’t without perfect purpose by a loving God. It will serve them who think they are rich and don’t need to trust God or have a false image of God. Revelation 3:17 In time, by the salvation of God in the power of Christ’s love, their eyes will be opened to see the depravity of their ways, though great shame will follow especially for those who followed a false image of God. This awareness will bring them to truly becoming poor in spirit. The rich can not enter the kingdom of heaven (and there are many forms of riches), but God knows how to make a spirit poor. Matthew 19:23-26 He is The Creator. Their ways and strongholds of false powerless idols will be revealed for what they are. This awareness is a great gift for it in many will truly desire to cease walking in their ways and embrace the wisdom of God, which is His perfect will.
What to do?
Create a place and time of stillness, peace and quiet in your life. Some will have to make a lot of changes to their daily habits. Start to listen to Christ, the truth, calling to you with bands of love from within. Follow His promptings in our situations and in how He teaches you to think. Feast on Him. Eat His body, truth, and drink His blood, spirit. John 6:53 In the union of these two; spirit and truth, spiritual life is born. Seek to find the pearl of wisdom, Christ’s spirit in you, and you know when you have found it for you sell all else (all other things that direct/influence your soul; religion and ways of world), and embrace the presence of God wanting to fill and enrapture you into His marvelous kingdom of peace.
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling;
1 Peter 1:15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
Fullness of Salvation
Christ died for all people. 1 Tim 4:10, Romans 5:8 In Christ, all are forgiven and are able to become sons/daughters of God. There is nothing we did to earn this forgiveness. It’s God’s gift to us. Is this salvation?
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
It’s part of salvation. Salvation in its fullness is our souls redeemed from the kingdom of darkness (lies, sin, pain, suffering, torment, death) and brought into the kingdom of light (truth, love, rest, peace, life). 1 Peter 2:9 We are literally delivered from all that torments us, this is salvation. Imagine abiding in complete rest in your soul; no fear, worry, angst, suffering or stress? Imagine being directed by God’s perfect counsel, will and love in every way? This is salvation, abundant life. John 10:10
Salvation is not simply believing Christ is who He is or what He did. Salvation is becoming a part of Him; a truth has been largely neglected because few intently seek for God, which you would do if you understood this truth.
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe–and tremble
What is neglected is true repentance. The demons don’t repent. They know who Christ is and even tremble at His presence, yet serve another master.
People remove the concept of true repentance from salvation, as they remove Lord from Christ who is our Lord and Savior. In both cases, they go hand-in-hand and both are required for eternal life.
True Repentance
In many cases, repentance has been taught to be more of an acknowledgement; an acknowledgement that you are a sinner and you know your ways are wrong and you need forgiveness.
This is an aspect of repentance, but repentance is turning from your ways to God’s – doing a 180 degree turn in your life. God calls us to confess sins and forsake them. This means leaving our ways behind and following God in every area. It’s obedience to His Words, His words to you personally for we all lead our own lives with our own issues and problems.
Obedience by God’s Power
But it’s not obedience by our strength. It’s obedience by the power of God in us. Ephesians 1:19 This is the power of Christ. This isn’t being legalist. Being legalist is trying to follow rules in our own strength or for our own merit, “to be a good person”. What God is talking about is us walking in His ways by His power because it’s actually Him working through us. It’s His righteousness pouring through our lives. It’s about becoming one with Him.
Seeking, Listening, Obeying
Our part in this journey is hearing and obeying God’s counsel to us. Because, how can we walk in God’s ways if we don’t know them? If we aren’t seeking? If we aren’t listening? We seek, hear, then obey. It’s His abundant grace that enables us to walk as He desires. 2 Corin 9:8 We need to seek His instruction then draw upon His infinite power available to us through grace to do as He asks. In grace, you can do what you could never do on your own, it’s a true power in your life.
Further, on this journey of purification, we can’t follow our perception of what is good or the image of a good person .. that is following our will. God is the potter not us. We are God’s workmanship. Ephesians 2:10 Yet many try in their own way to be a good person. They try to be the image of a Godly person instead of letting God direct that path in a very personal way, purging sin and instilling holiness bit by bit.
We are like broken down house. God starts rebuilding on one part and asks us to walk in that piece so it becomes a part of our life. As we do, He moves onto the next. We’re not transformed all at once. It’s a process of renewal. We grow bit by bit. As we learn a truth, His goodness leads us to repent, then the lie is purged, the truth instated, and it becomes our reality because it is our truth. Then God moves onto the next area. As we do we begin to leave the kingdom of darkness and move into His kingdom of light.
If we are following our will, we will be trying to walk in one way, like not complaining, and fail because God hasn’t worked on that part yet. In doing what we think is right, we aren’t listening to Him and we don’t have the power to act as we desire. He gives us power to walk as HE builds. Because it’s God working in you, He determines the path in what, when and how. This is another reason why God needs to be the Teacher in our lives. Matthew 23:8. He knows exactly what we need to learn and when and in the process of HIM teaching us, He changes us.
We are forgiven, but now we are to seek God, listen and follow. This is why it says to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
To be continued …
A little bit different slant to a very important topic, the development and maturing of your relationship with God Almighty.
As you think about the New Year, setting goals and making resolutions, consider the one act that will affect you and your year more significantly and powerfully than anything else, where you worship.
What’s the temple(s) of your life? What do you give your resources to, energy and time, to cultivate in your life? How do you make your decisions and choices? What do you sacrifice other things and people for, including your sacred time with God each morning? What are your priorities that come above all else? Mark 12:30-31 What/who do you put above God and abiding in His truth? Matthew 6:33 What doctrines and philosophies are you truly serving and worshipping with your thoughts and actions? Write out the answers to these questions and be honest, it will reveal what you truly serve. True change follows honesty.
Below is just a sampling of the temples we build, sacrifice for and thus worship at … when these are our temples, there is one outcome …
Career achievements
Job Security
Intellectualism
Health
Beauty
Money
Family
Relationships with other gender
Self-empowerment
Control
Victim/Helplessness
Religion/church
Self-righteousness/being right & fair
Pride
Consumed in the darkness of the lies of this world, we build, sacrifice, serve and thus worship at a myriad of temples, like those above, trying to create the rest, fulfillment of hope, purpose, peace and love we desperately long for. Yet, God in His love for us has shown us how to obtain what we truly long for exceeding our expectations. For the life we seek, God instructs us to forsake and destroy all other temples in our lives, and take part in building His temple. Mark 14:58 It’s the temple of truth in our souls in which God’s spirit dwells. Eph 2:19-22 It’s the kingdom of God within us. When this is our temple, then all else in our lives follows as it should and as we deeply desire.
The temple(s) of your choosing will lead to one of two outcomes because there are only two paths in this earth pilgrimage; one of truth and one not, one of life and one not, one of God and one not. If you choose temples like the ones listed above the outcome is of increasing angst, hardship, worry, fear and stress. If you choose to build God’s temple within you, the outcome is growing peace, rest, joy and love.
What are you experiencing, which outcome? The outcome reflects the temple(s) you are currently worshiping at. If it’s the results of angst and fear, are you going to continue to build and worship at the same temples and get the same results?
Not only does only one temple bring the life you truly seek, but there is only one which will stand as all the rest are cast down.
1 Corinthians 3:13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is
In the Day of the Lord, all temples, the work of our hands, will crumble except the One. As the Day of the Lord dawns, now is the time to examine and realign your life to build the everlasting temple, the kingdom of God within you. If the presence of the living God is within you, you need nothing else for His presence manifests every need and desire as it should be.
As you decide your path for this year, meditate on these verses …
Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 34:10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
The sun dawns and stirs souls to engage the new day. As the sun brightens their eyes, they grab a cup of hot coffee or tea and spend the next hour, talking, listening and deeply engaging God in the sacred quietness they’ve structured into their lives. They pour out their heart to Him, He listens. He speaks to them of His truths and fashions their hearts and minds to be in unity with Him. Hebrews 8:10-11
Imagine if more people engaged God in this quiet, attentive, and intimate space. If more people did, more would. People would see the provision, blessing, joy, peace and rest in the lives of those who had spent years seeking, and would know this intimacy of knowing God was the path to their deepest needs and desires. Yes, they would also see the intense spiritual struggle and angst the beginning of this path brings as the flesh-mind is transformed, but they also would see the results of the struggle; a new spirit of love, power and sound mindedness. 2 Timothy 1:7
People wouldn’t be able to excuse this “blessed” life as someone who is, “lucky”, “one of those fortunate types”, or “special”, because many souls of various walks of life would have similar results. They would know the Spirit of God was the common thread being woven throughout these people’s lives and it could be in their lives as well.
But the multitudes don’t seek God.
Why don’t people seek God?
Why don’t many of those who profess to love God not even spend this sacred time with Him each day?
The surface excuse is often not enough time, but the real reasons go much deeper.
Battle of Spirit and Flesh
The fundamental reason is God is Spirit and all you do in drawing near to Him involves the Spirit, and the Spirit and flesh are in opposition. Galatians 5:17 In this context, the Spirit is what is of God and the flesh is what is of mankind’s self-will. The flesh is the mind and it’s production of self-created value, idols, and philosophies in which humans trust and act. If your mind is sown in the will and truths of God, you are spirit-minded giving life to the spirit. If your mind is sown in will of mankind, his “wisdom” and philosophies, you are flesh-minded selling your soul to destruction.
Because this world is under the sway of the evil one who is ruler and instigator of the flesh mind, everything of this world (worldly systems, ideas, wisdom, etc) is of the flesh and counters the Spirit, particularly our seeking God in truth and spirit. 1 John 5:19 The flesh-mind is promoted and prevalent in every dimension of life. It governs, distracts, deceives, consumes, and thus owns most people’s souls.
Here is a sampling of the mindsets of the flesh-mind contrary to seeking God, ones I experienced prior to entering into God’s kingdom. Romans 8:5
Most of these reasons for not drawing near to God we don’t admit, even to ourselves. I didn’t. When it came down to the reality of my day to day living, I clung to the flesh-mind because I embraced the lies, which kept me in the pit and in the self-created prison of my mind.
Matthew 16:25 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
The ability to overcome the flesh-mindset, which consumes this world thus our minds, came when enough truth entered my mind to bring an awareness of the depravity that consumed my life. Realizing the paths I’d chosen were not leading me to where I desired, even at a superficial level, I was motivated to seek God, truly, for the first time.
When a spark of truth shines into our souls and awakens us to the reality that what we’re doing isn’t working, when we feel we have suffered enough, exhausted other pathways, and are tired of running in circles after things that don’t fulfill, then we listen to the spirit’s prompting and make time to seek God. John 3:8 Though we still have much doubt, we venture to the realm of God’s truth by His grace.
Embarking on this journey is similar to a sick person getting healthy. When people’s health degenerates so that death is knocking at the door and a voice inside drives them to fight and not let death enter in, then they make a change. They could have chosen the path of health long before and enjoyed years of vitality, but didn’t. They let themselves physically deteriorate to the point of kissing death.
Many do this spiritually. We have to come to a precipice of wanting to give up our self-will, and be consumed by God’s. So, we deteriorate until our soul comes to a breaking point and something in us calls us to God, then we start seeking God as He instructs us. Matthew 6:33 It’s at this moment we are deeply blessed because our lives shift to a path that will bring spiritual life and thus what we have unknowingly deeply sought and desired.
Initially in seeking God persistence is required, even in the awareness of our depravity, as the flesh continues to war against the spirit. Here is where many give up, and the flesh wins. God is spirit and as we draw near, there will be a battle as we are dominated by the flesh. For those who persist, some days are better than others, but it’s a struggle to be consistent and persistent. Like getting physically healthy, each day you don’t see much improvement but over time as you persevere you reap the rewards. Matthew 7:14
In time, the powers shift in our soul and the flesh is subdued by the growing spirit of truth within. We come to know and drink of the fountain of life and cross a point of never turning back. Our sacred time with God each day becomes a delight and feast for our souls. We enjoy an everlasting and ever deepening intimacy that prepares our soul to become the temple of God. We become spiritual beings crafted in and by the Spirit of God.
I pray you are one of those souls. Matthew 13:23
Matthew 11:5 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Verses for Meditation
Ecc 2:26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
Psalm 37:4-5 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 1:2-3 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
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.
Matthew 6:32-33 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Isaiah 35:6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert
God has been teaching me this “streams in the desert” level of trust He desires of His children. A level of trust in which His people KNOW He is able to make streams in their deserts so that they act on that faith. If you truly believe in this power of God in your life, how different would your responses be to life’s impossible circumstances?
Do you believe God can make streams in Your deserts? Honestly? What do your actions show? This level of trust is what God desires of us because this is who He is to those who trust in Him to be their God.
2 Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
When the circumstances of life exceed our illusionary control, do we believe God can make something new within those situations or do we run? Quitting jobs, leaving vocations, getting divorces, running from responsibilities, sedating emotional pain, withdrawing from life, and retreating from ourselves; when we come against a roadblock and we see there is no more strength or resources to continue forward, what do we do? Do we run? Does God run?
Many of us tend to run. I know I have in the past. Either, physically in abandoning a situation or relationship, or emotionally in withdrawal, or as our pride likes to frame it moving on, which sounds so much better, doesn’t it? Within our human means running away can seem like the only viable option. And it’s true when we rely on our strength. But what about God’s? Who does He say He is to us? Deut 3:22, Isaiah 45:2, 52:12, 58:8 God doesn’t run. Time and time again, He shows how He makes streams in the deserts. The Bible testifies to this power, and our lives testify to it if we are willing to stop running and walk His paths. I’ve seen it, have you?
God’s love always endures, always hopes, and never fails. He is the Creator and can do anything, and if He is OUR God then His power and strength abound to us IF we abide and trust Him. John 15:7, Eph 3:20
The turning point in our lives that enables us to experience the power of God is TRUSTING Him in TRUTH and SPIRIT, which comes from being a new creation in Him. It seems, we trust more in a psychologist or doctor to help us than God. We trust in self-help and the wisdom of this world to work through our “issues” more than the creative hand of our God who says He makes all things new for those who are in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Are you exchanging trust in someone else, for trust in God? God does use the elements of this world for our good, but where is your trust? Big difference. God’s creative power isn’t a theoretical concept, it’s God in your midst.
If God is so powerful, why don’t we see more deliverance by His mighty hand in the lives around us? Lack of trust, real trust based on becoming a new creation fashioned by God. Trust is the fruit of abiding in the Word of God and being taught by the Holy Spirit, which transforms our souls into partakers of the divine. Romans 10:17
We can’t do what we don’t know. Without individually abiding in the Truth and letting the Spirit of Truth write the Truth on our minds and hearts, fear binds us to a carnal reliance on a physical world that is only a shadow. Fear sets in, takes over and we start running or fight in our strength, which is just as bad. Meanwhile, the power of God is dampened by the lack of belief. Matthew 13:58 Fear keeps us from trusting and waiting on God’s deliverance His way.
God offers a much better way. He goes before us to fight our enemies, He delivers us, and He makes our paths smooth, IF we TRUST Him in truth and spirit. (If we are trusting in a false image of God, it isn’t real trust, but idol worship) As we daily feast on the bread of heaven; abiding in the Bible seeking His face and to be taught by Him, then trust is the fruit. As He regenerates our lives into a new creation, His power starts flowing through us making streams in the deserts, our deserts.
In difficult challenges where there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, no hope … remember God’s ways are not our ways. Isaiah 55:8 There is no limit to His power. This powerful Creator working in our lives is who He is to His children; to those who seek His face. His people don’t act out of fear or hopelessness, but in power, truth and love.
In Hebrews 11, know as the faith chapter, God says He diligently rewards those who seek Him. Heb 11:6 Seek Him and abide in His truth and righteousness and see the Creator at work in your life creating something incredible from what seemed dead and hopeless.
Instead of running, seek the regeneration of God so that by the power of His Spirit in you, you love your husband, love your children, Titus 2:4, respect your bosses and employees. Colossians 3:22, 4:1 You work as to the Lord. Colossians 3:23 You lean not on your own understanding that sees no way out. Proverbs 3:5 You don’t complain, which doesn’t glorify the power of God. Phil 2:14 You don’t harden your hearts by being stubborn in continuing to do it your way or giving up. Heb 3:8 Seek the power of God, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think. Eph 3:20
God is looking for those who trust in Him, not in their own strength and resources or of this world’s, but Him. Who do you trust in really? God has tremendous things in store for those who do. Psalm 31:19
1 Corinthians 13:7 love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Living Light 