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Regeneration of Thought

Regeneration of Thought

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

Revelation 22:1

Out of our heart flows either living waters of life or bitter waters of death; depending upon our heart, which is the seat of our character.

The purpose and definition of eternal life are the same: to grow in the divine character of the utmost supreme divine spirit, the heavenly Father. John 17:3 When we are seeking the heavenly Father, we are seeking the awareness and the attainment of His divine character; the harmonious integration of all the aspects of His nature: like righteousness, holiness, honor, justice, compassion, long-suffering, mercy, kindness, strength, abundance, wisdom, truth, purity, love, peace, rest, and perfection. Thus we cease striving to obtain finite external objects of our world, and reorient our focus, in all areas and in all things, to knowing, understanding, obtaining and giving of this character as expressed through our unique untainted personality and given resources. Matthew 6:24, Matthew 5:48

When we focus on this character, the material world around us manifests as it should lacking nothing and in all things creating an abundance. Matthew 6:33 Divine character creates an internal and external reality of growing satisfaction and delight; a reality of harmony with God, ourself, others, and creation. It’s a reality in which our present moment gets eternally better. Seeking to know and be a part of this perfect character is what it means to seek after the heart of God.

This divine character has no images. To understand it is to “see the face of God”.  Psalm 80:19, Ezekiel 39:29 What we actually do see with our physical eyes is its expression and reflection in creation, and these manifestations are numerous and varied.

God has no images, and tells us not to create images. Leviticus 26:1 Ironically, this is exactly what mankind has done. We aren’t to create or pursue images, but pursue this divine character beyond all images. To put images on God or to seek to create certain images in our external environment is to limit our own understanding of the divine nature that will be expanding in our awareness for eternity, and to cease to let the divine character establish our external reality as it should be, thus creating harmony. (Attainment of the Divine Character)

Out of the heart flows all things. Proverbs 4:23 Our heart, our character, establishes our thoughts which determines our actions. Our reality is the sum reflection of our thoughts and actions. Therefore to alter our reality to reflect a divine nature, God, we have to obtain a new heart or character. Ezekiel 11:19 Obtaining this character comes by fostering an ongoing communion with the source of divine character. It’s meeting God in the depths of our soul, for that is where our character resides, thus where all the transformation takes place. Through this communion of understanding and grace, the divine character of God makes its home within us, changing us from our core.

Without inner reflective mediation, we remain unaware, thus blind, to the spiritual understanding that leads to transformation and growth. We believe, do and create what we first know. Romans 10:17 It’s by an inner communion with the spirit of God within us that we are changed FROM within. It’s by this internal dialogue with pure consciousness that we gain understanding and transition from a flesh finite mind to a spirit eternal mind. It is here, within, that our will comes into submission to the heavenly Father’s will. The regeneration of ourselves into new creations, thus this world, is a regeneration of the source of our thoughts, thus our thoughts. Matthew 19:28, Titus 3:5 It’s living waters flowing where one bitter waters ran.

We have to look within to see outwardly in truth. When we have turned our eyes of understanding inward to see the light, His divine seed with us – a divine seed of His character planted by Christ – then our outward perception changes. How we see our outward reality reflects the new vision we have gained by looking inwardly. We start seeing through the Light, understanding of truth, and thus our words, actions and what we create are of a life-giving spirit.

John 7:38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Living waters flow out of our heart, when our heart is of God, thus His throne. The living waters are pure thoughts; pure thoughts flow from a purified heart, which is an ever-perfecting character. Living thoughts create a reality of eternity.

When our soul’s foundation is of the heavenly Father’s character, though our understanding is finite, our actions harmonize with His will. Having His character enables us to trust and follow our desires for they are His desires. When we do what we want to, in the understanding that our actions create harmony (the sum affect of divine characteristics), then we have absolute freedom. In this way, God can direct our actions today to create a harmonious future. Not being all-knowing, we have no idea what lies ahead, but through purified desires, the spirit of God can guide us perfectly. Psalm 37:4, John 8:32

When we seek God’s divine character, which we eternally grow into, we become eternal because all we create is perfect and harmonious. Romans 8:28 Our thoughts thus actions cease to create destruction. We become truly alive for we are growing in the elements of eternity. When His pure heart has replaced our corrupt heart, then His divine character replaces our corrupt character. We become His offspring, a son/daughter of God, and an eternal creation.


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Love of the Heavenly Realm

Love of the Heavenly Realm

Space

The heavenly Father has been greatly misunderstood by the flesh mind; a mind whose perspective sees only in and through death.  Romans 8:6

To know this Magnificent Spirit requires that we seek to listen, learn and engage spirit to spirit; a communion within our souls extending beyond the flesh mind, thus beyond death. The uppermost place we can enter into from our current state is the deepest place within us. Deep within us is the part of us that connects us to the Creator. In there lies the seed of the potential of His perfection in us that has been hidden, buried, and covered in corruption.  It’s a place of communion beyond the flesh exteriors of limitation.

To truly know Him, thus for an authentic union to form between us and Him, we have to desire to become as He is; pure truth and love. 1 Peter 1:15, Ephesians 1:4 He is perfect. We are the ones to be altered. This means a willing undertaking of a great purification of our souls by His Spirit of Truth working in us. This process recreates, alters and eventually transforms us and our reality to reflect His glory; His eternal love. Proverbs 4:18  

The one element we require to enter into this process that purifies us is the compelling Desire to know the perfect love and truth and the harmony they create. Matthew 5:9, Psalm 37:4 To desire to know and BE perfect love is the greatest gift, honor, and worship we can give the Spirit of perfect love. It’s a desire we can’t fulfill without a union to Him; and it’s His desire to create this union in us; for love desires to give love.

The Father is eternal. There is no end to learning of Him. The moment we construct a “religion” around Him we’ve ceased to come to Him as He is; infinite. Religious undertakings can serve as stepping stones we encounter along the way, but to remain confined in and by them (which by their very design they confine the mind) is to cease to seek thus find the eternal supreme divine nature of the Creator. When we diligently seek to know Him as He is without man-made boundaries, we find a growing awareness of His true nature extending beyond all images and anything physical. He is above creation, yet reflected in it as He is the Creator. To know Him we must be willing to go beyond creation; yet learn from creation in whatever manner He chooses to teach us. Psalm 25:12, Psalm 32:8

Our seeking journey entails exploring our existence in order to come to an understanding, as much as we are able, of the character of the heavenly Father, and in this awareness we become a part of Him. I call Him my heavenly Father because one central way I know Him is as my perfect parent; the summation of a Father and Mother; His perfect care, provision, protection, counsel, deliverance, correction, wisdom, longsuffering, mercy, compassion and love are evident in my life. I long for my life to reflect all He is; as a young child longs to be like her loving father and mother. A Father’s/Mother’s love is a complex and beautiful love entailing many lessons in the nature of love. Calling Him Father reflects these characteristics I’ve learned from Him about Him. Yet in calling Him my Father, I know He is far beyond my understanding. I continue to seek Him as I embrace Him as He has revealed Himself to me up to this moment.  Above all, I’ve found seeking Him becomes an experience of increasing love in my life, thus it becomes an all consuming, exhilarating, and priceless experience and pursuit.

In learning of the perfection of His love, I’m enabled to fully trust Him. As I do, I am entering into a state of complete rest. The rest is beyond and above this physical plane; yet significantly reflected in it. Trusting Him means I’m living this life His way, not mine. In the wisdom of His ways rest is manifested.  His wisdom in my life creates smooth paths, decisions that create peace, loving kindness, and living in harmony with spiritual and physical laws of His design. When His footsteps become ours, we rest because anxieties created from corruption have been removed. Psalm 85:13 For example, men find enduring and true success born out of loving kindness of the Father’s wisdom that creates a place of His governance and presence. Women, in the same loving kindness, find true beauty undefined and undefiled by the world that is expressed in a multitude of glorious ways.

When we seek to know His divine truth and love; we learn of all His nature for the union of these two is the consummation of all the others; holiness, righteousness, mercy, long suffering, compassionate, just, all knowing, eternal and so on. Thus, above all we must desire and seek to know is His eternal love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

The heavenly Father is a supreme divine perfect eternal spirit. He is the consummation of perfect truth and love and all the characteristics contained in them. We will be forever learning of this transcendent and glorious Spirit and moving deeper into Him for eternity. Love will grow for eternity within us, thus outside of us, as we grow in understanding. Though we will love perfectly because He is a part of us, our understanding and experience of love will continue to enhance and expand forever.


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The Gift of Salvation

The Gift of Salvation

Acts 13:22 “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

The gift of salvation is the heavenly Father giving us His heart. Christ enables us to partake of this gift by imparting to us His Spirit; which holds the fullness of the heavenly Father. Ephesians 3:19, John 1:12, 2 Peter 1:4 With His heart, we can love as He asks and as we deeply desire, and without it we can do nothing. John 15:5, Mark 12:30-31, Ezekiel 36:26 With His heart, we can walk righteously because we walk in pure love. Thus, having salvation is having His heart.

Sometimes people are more concerned with obtaining spiritual gifts than seeking after and for the heart of God. Seek His heart and every other gift will manifest as it should. 1 Corinthians 13:2

I mentioned in a previous post that self-righteousness is thinking you are loving when you are actually harming. It’s being blind to your own ability to harm others at any time.

Hypocrisy is feigning love. One who is self-righteous also is hypocritical and BLIND to their hypocrisy. Thus, they believe they are loving, when they are actually being harmful and hypocritical.

This world defines what it means to be loving and kind. These definitions aren’t God’s definitions. What the world sees as kind and loving is tainted with all kinds of hypocrisy; some instances more apparent than others.

Hypocrisy and self-righteousness are very harmful in the lies and blindness they hold and cultivate. Blindness keeps people from repentance; thus unaware of their own creation of cruelty and unable to change. To mask harm with love is damaging and deceitful. Romans 7:24-25

Because our definitions of love and kindness are influenced by the world and what others think and say; we have to go to the heavenly Father one-on-one and learn what pure love entails. When we do, we see the wisdom His love holds is very different from the world’s love; for the world’s love is based on the world’s wisdom that is founded on lies and based on the corrupted carnal mind.

When God is calling us to Himself, He is calling us to the purest of love in all honor, holiness, beauty, righteousness, and perfection. When we start following His voice into His love; we find a glorious love far beyond what mankind can give. Thus, our desire to have His heart intensifies, because it isn’t within ourselves alone, until it’s our sole desire and we are willing to sell all to obtain it. Matthew 10:39, Matthew 13:46 To have His heart is our salvation for only by us in Him and Him in us can we live in an eternity of no sin, pain, suffering, and death.

What is the testimony that we are after God’s heart? We desire to do His will alone; therefore we seek and obey.

‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ Acts 13:22

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. John 5:30

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21

If we love God, we obey Him. When we obey Him, we abide in His love.  John 14:15, John 15:10

Obedience to God has been greatly misunderstood. Therefore, it’s often dismissed, excused or taken lightly when it comes to our relationship with God; yet it is central to it.

To obey God isn’t burdensome because it means we are loving and growing in love; the deepest desire of our hearts. 1 John 5:3 When we obey His voice in our circumstances; He enables us with His grace to do that which He desires of us. It’s the path to manifesting His love in our lives because it’s following His voice into His will of perfect love. As we obey, He changes us and transforms us. And the more we become a part of His light, the easier it is to obey because we trust the perfection of His ways to bring true joy, peace, blessing, and yes love. And this trust and obedience allows Him to move into our soul.

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.


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Receiving the New Wine

Receiving the New Wine

I’ve been putting up videos on YouTube full of powerful truths that I pray your heart knows, for as you live in them they produce a fruitful vine in your life. If you haven’t watched the recent videos, I encourage you to go watch them in order, as truth builds.

Previously, I talked about the wedding of Cana and how that event is symbolic of the time we are in. John 2 At this wedding, Jesus conducted the first miracle of His ministry, which was creating new wine. It was a wine far better than the old. It symbolized the old covenant versus the new covenant. Once again, at His return His first miracle is creating new wine. He is filling those prepared to receive the wine, those with new wineskins, with the promises of the new covenant. Partake of this wine, which is His ever deepening truths encompassed in power, and watch what happens in your life. Isaiah 25:4-8

To embrace this new wine you have to let go of the old wine, thus a static finite understanding of His truths. Let me explain.

God is truth. Truth is infinite. Thus, truth is established layer upon layer fitting together perfectly as God is perfect, and our knowledge of truth expands as God is infinite. It’s God who assembles His truths in us as a Master Craftsman. Ephesians 2:10 Any understanding we have of a concept of God can go deeper; much deeper. When I started to be instructed by God Himself; the truths I learned started broad, and as I continued to seek they grew more and more detailed. The concepts I have understood from Him have always proven true, yet as I continue to seek they have constantly deepened and expanded. You can see this dynamic by going back to my old posts. The truths has always built and deepened.

For any truth of God, it’s like looking at a forest. First, all you see is a forest. As you continue to seek His instruction, your understanding deepens. Following the analogy of the forest, you learn there are different types of trees in the forest, then you see each of the trees have leaves and bark, then you start seeing the details of the leaves. All is true, yet as you are instructed by God your understanding of truth deepens. This is why you have to be careful of thinking what you learned at any one time is a full understanding of that truth. It always goes deeper as God Himself is infinite. This deepening nature occurs with the characteristics of God Himself as well as with the words of the Bible that reflect those characteristics. This is why you can continue to read the Bible year after year and continue to learn more and more.

To obtain the new wine, we have to let go of our expectations of how the word of God plays out in our lives and in the world, thus a static understanding. God’s thoughts are far above ours, thus we can’t imagine what He has in store for us. Isaiah 55:8-9 We can know the promises, but how those are fulfilled and manifested we don’t know until it happens. Thus, if we hold onto a fix picture of what lays ahead in our lives or for the world, it will inhibit our understanding, thus our faith.

In my own life, I never imagined my life would be what it is. Yet, I see how God has been faithful to answer my prayers and fulfill His promises to me, just not in how I expected. I couldn’t imagine what He had in store because He directs my steps not me. Jeremiah 10:23 The path to the fulfillment of those promises and what those promises look like in my life are far more perfect and beyond what I could have imagined in my limited understanding. If I forced and clung to my expectations of how I thought those promises would play out, then I would have missed the tremendous blessings that came from letting Him direct my paths perfectly. We have to leave the means of how His promises are fulfilled up to Him. Psalm 62:5

This outlook of setting our expectations aside is how we must proceed in what lays ahead for the end of days as Christ comes to reign in righteousness. We know the promises, but how they are going to play out and what that fulfillment will actually look like in reality we can’t know or imagine until it starts happening. Thus we have to be teachable and let God show and teach us taking us deeper into understanding as He wills and let go of fixed understandings. We have to let go of set images of how He will return and let Him teach us and show us the new wine. Otherwise, we will unknowingly reject it.

The Bible presents a rough outline of the depth of truths that it holds. Only the Spirit of God can teach you all that lies beneath each passage, verse and word. It’s like these posts. I share words with you, but the understanding behind them that I hold is much more detailed. His truth is very vast and far beyond words on a page, yet those words of the Bible will always reflect the truth. It is like looking at a picture of Italy verses going there. As you begin to experience the deepening reality of those truths; you will understand this dynamic. If you stay at the level of seeing a forest believing that is all there is and never enter into it to understand its depths you won’t experience it. Let God teach you by taking you deeper and deeper into your understanding of His truths, for this is how you come to experience more of Him and all He has in store for you.

Some are embracing this new wine; some are clinging to the old. This division is causing a separation among professing believers. Be one who receives the new wine.

For those being united to Christ, as Christ unites His spirit to ours, our understanding of His truths is deepening at accelerated rates. Along with that understanding is power as those truths are now starting to reign as the reign of wickedness is being cast down. This power of Christ infusing the truths we hold is significantly transforming our inner lives, thus all around us. May this light shine into the world showing the mercy, love and perfection of our heavenly Father.


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The Meaning of “Born Again”

The Meaning of “Born Again”

 

This term has been so common and misused it has lost depth of meaning and the truth it is grounded upon.. here I dive into its understanding. Talking about: How do you know you are born again? What does that mean for your life, now?

John 3:3  Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

View on YouTube

 

 


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Washing One Another’s Feet

Washing One Another’s Feet

John 13:14-15 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Once Christ washes our feet (Christ Washing Your Feet), THEN we can wash one another’s feet.

When we’ve been washed in the truth by heeding the voice of the Good Shepherd, (thus the love of God is the growing foundation/intention for all we do, as love is the sum of all the commandments), then we have His love. When we have His love, then we can wash another’s feet as our Teacher does because He is in us and we are in Him. We can only give what we first have. We give what we are. Thus love God first, THEN others. Mark 12:30-31

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet …”

Washing our feet is following/obeying Christ, the truth, in the paths of righteousness. When we follow the light (truth) of Christ, we begin to see. For truth reveals the lies. Only until we are in the light does it expose the darkness within our souls. Psalm 36:9 In this awareness and exchange of truth for the lies, we are set free.

Christ, with truth and love, removes the plank from our eyes; a plank because before He removes it we are in great blindness. But once the plank is removed, we can see in others that truly it’s a speck. Sin/lies are nothing in the face of truth and love. This is what we realize when we begin to see, thus it’s only a speck in another’s eyes from our point of view because we’ve intimately learned the strength of God’s love.

Matthew 7:5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“… you also ought to wash one another’s feet … that you should do as I have done to you”

We do as we see Our Teacher, Christ, do, as our will becomes His will. John 8:28 He serves mankind by pouring out the words of life (truth); for that is what love does and desires – to give life – therefore we do the same for others. John 6:68 There is no greater treasure than the truth/love of God. We know we’ve found this treasure, when we’ve experienced its power and manifestation in our lives. It’s the nature of the pure love in us to flow to others; thus we wash another’s feet. Prov 12:28

” ….  a servant is not greater than his master”

In this intimate instruction to His disciples, Christ taught that some people will receive the words of life and some won’t. If people receive Christ’s words, they will receive our words, because we have been taught by Him. This similitude with Christ is a reflection of the master-servant; teacher-student relationship. However, like Christ, we also will be persecuted (rejected, silenced, etc.) for the words of life we speak. John 13:16

John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greaterthan his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

What does it look like to wash another’s feet?

It’s speaking words of life into their lives with the intention of pure love. Suppose, you have a family member who is rough around the edges, defensive, and sometimes crass. Yet with “enlightened” eyes (no more plank) given to you by following the Good Shepherd, you see the rough exterior as a symptom of a bound spirit. You see beyond the bondage and the beautiful creation she truly is.  Because the words of life abide in you and God’s love, now you can speak the love of God into her life. This love will flow unconsciously through your actions. If those words/acts are received, they become healing serum to her soul. They help to burn away the dross/lies she carries around affecting the way she interacts with you and others. Your love helps to free her from the prison of her mind to become who God created her to be. This is the power of truth. This is the power of love.

Yet, some will reject words of life, because what is the fragrance of life to some is the fragrance of death to others. 2 Corin 2:14-17  Each soul is under the care of the Good Shepherd and we can trust in His perfect ways, timing and care. He gives the increase. 1 Corin 3:7

What are seemingly most weak, truth and love, are the most powerful weapons we can possess, as we witnessed with Christ who brought down the enemy of mankind with these two powers.


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Defeating Illness

Defeating Illness

 

3 John 1:2  Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

It’s quite straightforward really …

Fear = disease       Love = health

Every time you act in true pure love, you heal. When you act in fear, you proliferate disease.

Many are suffering in the afflictions of illnesses and sicknesses. Healing springs forth when a transformation occurs within. Whatever is the state of your heart; so your life will be. When you think, speak and act out of the pure love of God, then all you are and all around you prospers in blessing, peace, rest, beauty, and loving kindness. When you think, speak or act from any other motive, then you and all around you deteriorates in suffering, illness, hardships, sorrows, and pains. This truth has been given to us from the beginning, yet it’s manifesting more powerfully in these days as truth increases. Proverbs 4:23, Luke 6:45

Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:

The key to vitality is for your truth to be God’s truth. The truth of God is true love and God’s love is the truth. Mark 12:30-31, 1 Timothy 1:5

Whatever your truth, it manifests itself in your life and surroundings. If you are bound in lies that create fear and its subparts: anxiousness, worry, guilt, blame, and anger, then in your life you create what you hate (all the negative outcomes including illness). In seeking and following after THE Truth/love; all that you hate is removed because the sources of it, the lies, are replaced by Truth.

If you are facing sickness and illness; become aware of God’s wisdom speaking to you from within; where He speaks intimately with YOU. No one can listen and find the answers for you. Only the spirit of God can search your soul and reveal your lies that you hold as truth; lies that are destroying you. Others can only confirm what you have heard. Ask for His wisdom regarding your circumstances. Desire to come into HIS truth and have all that isn’t of Him purged from your life. And be aware of the great manipulator; hypocritical love. It can be difficult to see. Romans 12:9

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

As you listen and obey, health will start to fill your soul and body transforming you, inward out.

When a thought or situation arises that causes you to respond in fear, chose to trust in the love of God. When you trust Him in the midst of a situation, (thus you feel a deep letting go and peace), you infuse His power into your circumstance and the outcomes are full of His perfect grace and love. This display of power is also how you know you are trusting the true God. When you truly trust THE GOD, you see His power. Psalm 34:10

When you feel pain within your body; seek God’s counsel to understand its source. Be aware of the acts or thoughts His Spirit within you brings to mind for you to stop and which new ones to embrace. It may be these incorrect thoughts/acts are manifesting the pain or illness. When you obey God and walk according to His perfect love; your obedience creates peace and power in your life across many dimensions.

God has given you all you need for what you seek; His spirit of wisdom/love which longs to commune and be united to your soul. 

John 7:38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”


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To Be Known by God

To Be Known by God

 

Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Does God know you? Is there an intimate exchange of truth and spirit between you and God? How do you know about Him, where/whom have you learned about God? How much of what you know have you learned from God Himself, and not another? Listen to your words; is it he/she said/taught or is it God taught me? Do you obey HIS truth, words of life spoken to your spirit? To know Him is to obey Him in love. For when you know Him, you become a part of Him. John 14:23, John 17:3

If you obey in love, then you seek, listen and follow His voice above all others in everything. You move from doing what you think is good to God directing your thoughts/actions/desires. 1 Corin 8:2 When you are led by the spirit of God, you are a son/daughter of God. Romans 8:14 This intimate interaction is to know God and to be known by Him.

1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

Major Stumbling Block to Being Known by God; Religion

A HUGE roadblock to knowing God in truth and spirit is clinging to a religion, even the religion of Christianity (vs. pure discipleship under Christ). Religion is man-made doctrines, structures, and images defining God and things pertaining to God. Religions create false images of God. So you are interacting with an image and not the true God, thus He doesn’t know you. You can’t learn about God from another, only as He reveals Himself to you. Just as you can not truly know someone until you meet him/her yourself. Religions try to define God to you; who He is, how to worship Him, and what He expects of you. This is being led by mankind’s ways and not the spirit of God. Receiving “understanding” second hand creates false images since you’ve never meet Him, just as with another person. The multitude of denominations reveals the magnitude of mankind’s doctrines and people following the dictates of their own hearts, verses seeking the one true God. Those of God are of one spirit, not divided. 1 Corin 1:10-13 Especially for us once churched people, we have to lay our beliefs before God and seek to know Him as He is, because our understanding of God and His ways have been crafted by others and are FULL of man-made images.

The warning of Christ in Matthew 7 strikes very deeply, no one wants to be one of those spoken of in those verses. Jeremiah 16:10-13, Matthew 7:22-23, Matthew 22:13-14 Most don’t think it’s them. Many who call Lord, Lord, believe they are worshipping and serving the true God. Yet, this passage testifies to the contrary, that they were following a false image. They were serving someone, but not God, so who? Following the lawless one, creates lawlessness.

Example: Images of God

As lies and deception permeate religions, people don’t realize they are worshiping a false image of God …

Image 1

A God who governs by fear and guilt.
Followers “come to Him” out of fear; to avoid eternal torment
He killed Jesus in pouring His wrath on him because of people’s sin
He eternally torments those who don’t worship Him as He says
He fosters a suffering life, “for your good”
Guilt abides in followers to move them to action
He has little power in people’s life, thus hardship and affliction
Life is one of suffering until one dies and goes to heaven
Evil is the victor for eternity; for lives spend eternity in hell
Hypocritical love and a judging spirit abound in followers in response to their beliefs

Image 2

A God who governs by righteous love
Followers “come to Him” out of love, not fear
He gave up His spirit so He could fill many to give them eternal life (1 Corin 2:8, 1 Peter 2:24)
Consequences of actions are for the sake of turning people to paths of life so they are healed and renewed
He uses chastening to keep people from the paths of death
He gives abundant life now to those who walk in truth
He came to redeem people from death, not send them there
His will is sovereign, thus death is destroyed, not victor
Love is in sincerity and truth
Mercy triumphs over judgment

Can you tell who is who? Can you see the different spirits? Can you see that many promote the first image; an image counter (anti) to the true God?

Purging False Images of God

Because of the abundance of false images:

1. Seek the instruction of God’s Spirit to teach and build a solid foundation of truth in your life.

2. Leave religion behind and take a break from the teachings of others so you can learn to become a disciple of Christ, and not others. It’s extremely honoring to God to seek Him with such diligence, to put your trust in Him to teach you for this is His command and desire.

3. In your time with Him each morning, put all church/religious doctrines aside and seek to know God as He is by listening to His Spirit speaking words of life to your spirit and through His Word.

4. Come in the humility that God desires; admitting you could be misled in your beliefs about Him, and seek to learn from Him. Psalm 25:9

5. Ask for all lies to be revealed and purged. Be willing to let go of every doctrine you learned in church/family/fellowships, and submit to His sovereignty and instruction.

6. Let God teach you so you are able to stand on the true Rock, the truth. Know Him as He is by coming come to Him in spirit (no images) and truth (as He is not by false images or doctrines.)

Testimony of His Presence in Your Life

How do you know you are known by God? You experience His presence. God is truth and love. If you are truly following God, your life bears the fruit of His presence and grows brighter and brighter in truth/light/righteousness unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18 His presence manifests wisdom, joy, peace, healing, blessing, rest, and the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 When you come to Him in truth, this is what you receive as you walk with Him in righteousness. It’s a witness to the truth. This fruit bearing reveals His presence in your life; fruit by His doing, not your self-efforts. Galatians 5:22-23 It’s not by self-effort that transformation comes, but by His Spirit taking over you. 1 Corin 6:9-10

Amos 5:21-24

I hate, I despise your feast days,
And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
24 But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.

As God returns to redeem this earth, people will see what they were truly worshipping, as all is revealed. In that revelation, many will bear great shame and say Lord, Lord, Ezekiel 36:32, 43:10, Hosea 4:19 We need to put all religion aside and come to God one-on-one to listen and learn from Him as He has commanded, then we will discover the true God of amazing love and mercy. Amos 5:4-6

Amos 4:12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”


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Elements to Entering Rest

Elements to Entering Rest

 

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

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