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Eternal Truths of those CRAZY Old Testament Laws

Eternal Truths of those

CRAZY Old Testament Laws

An email was forwarded to me from a man who listed several points about the Word of God in a response to the claim by Dr. Laura that homosexuality is an abomination according to the Word of God. He addressed issues regarding the laws of the OT (Old Testament), in which he thought they were nonsensical. His point was to show the laws were absurd and therefore dismiss anything it may say about homosexuality. Many stumble at these issues so I felt it was important to talk about them. Here I address each of the topics he mentioned. I hope this brings some light though I realize there is much to learn.

Seeking with a mindset to truly know and not to lift ourselves above God allows us to be open to learn from Him. If we seek to know God as He is, then we will start to see the perfection in all His ways, and how all works together to teach us and instruct us. God is love. All He does is in love. As we seek to understand His truths with this mindset and trust the Holy Spirit to teach us, we see that is the case.

Before we get started a couple of points. The Word is written layer upon layer so that each passage holds layers of truth. It’s incredibly rich and deep, which makes seeking and learning an on going process. Second, those of the OT didn’t have the Holy Spirit to guide and to teach them, therefore they needed numerous external rules to live by. Third, the stories and events of the OT point to spiritual truths, eternal truths. The laws are symbolic and reminders of God’s truth. Each one pointed to a deeper spiritual truth, and those truths endure though many of the rules do not – as they were no longer need with the coming of Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

God is God and we are not. We see a sliver. He sees eternity. He knows how all works together. We think we know better and we know best, we don’t. God knows our nature better than we do. He understood that the Israelites needed boundaries, rules, reminders of His truths to be constantly before them. He understood if you give people an inch they take a mile. God knows the human nature better than any. All the “rules” were for the Israelites protection and continuance of a nation. He needed to protect them because from that lineage Christ would come. At the manifestation of Jesus Christ not only was He the perfect fulfillment of the law but we are now able to receive the Holy Spirit to guide us so we didn’t need all those outward reminders. Further, God was building illustrations that taught eternal truths and many pointing to Christ. On with the issues …

Slavery Leviticus 25:44, Exodus 21:7

God allowed slavery for a reason to serve certain purposes. It caused history to play out in a certain way. We can’t understand the beginning from the end or the full purpose of its existence, because all we’ve know is history with it. Like today, our systems serve certain purposes though far from perfect. Some systems seem unfair, but that is our estimation. We aren’t qualified to judge, because we see only a sliver of time. We think we know what fair is. We haven’t a clue. We don’t see the beginning and the end. We don’t understand the fullness of our purpose here on earth. Ecc 3:11 We are trying to play God when we think we do.

In addition, the way the world is at any one time is to teach us spiritual truths and the “negative” teaches just as much as the positive, if not more so. Slavery in the physical taught us about slavery in the spiritual. If there was no slavery we would lack understanding. We can’t see the spiritual so the physical is there to teach us about it in a way we can understand.

The more important truth is we are all slaves either to God or to “Satan”. It’s the spiritual life that matters much more than the physical. The physical life is but a nit; the spiritual for eternity. We put far too much weight on the physical and not enough on the spiritual life. Many people today are slaves to greed, lust, and a whole host of things that are far worse than physical slavery. And it this internal slavery that Christ came to free us from. Freedom is an illusion to those who are slaves to this world.

Matthew 10:28 , 1 John 5:19, Titus 2:9, James 4:14

Animal sacrifices – Lev 1:9

Animal sacrifices pointed to Christ. God designed this world that life is to be given for life for there to be forgiveness; blood for blood. The sacrifice of the animals was to teach us about the seriousness of our sin – how it separates us from God and what is required for us to be reunited to Him – the life of another. For the Israelites, it was a constant reminder of their need for forgiveness and that it’s only life that can pay the price for sin.

With Christ, the eternal sacrifice, an animal sacrifice and having to do it over and over is no longer needed.

Further reading – Lesson in Sacrifice

To be continued ….


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The Melody of Seeking God

The Melody of Seeking God

About four years ago, I started playing the piano. I played as a kid at my parents’ will, so you know how that went – I never practiced. When I decided to play as an adult, I resolved to put in the time, an hour a day. Overall I’ve maintained that discipline. With that dedication, I thought I would be a lot further along than I am, but I didn’t realize how much was involved in music – there is so much to learn.

My experience with learning the piano has a curious similarity to my daily quiet time with God, (a time of drawing near to Him and seeking Him through His Word).  Sometimes when I sit down I play well. I feel connected to the music, engaged, and like I’m making progress. Other times I have the opposite experience. My fingers fumble, my touch is rough, and I can’t seem to play the piece I played well yesterday – frustrating. At times, it feels like I’m going backwards, and after all this time!

Regardless of how I played that day, I know every time I sit down I’m moving deeper into the world of music. I’m becoming more familiar with this amazing instrument.  I’m learning and growing. It just takes time, persistence and dedication. Over time, I can see this is true. I’m much further along than where I started. Over the years, the music that I create becomes more beautiful. It’s becoming a part of me. When a play a piece with my soul, it’s tremendous and I get to that point by sitting at the piano each day. I wait for the day when I’m so united to that instrument that it’s an extension of me.

Seeking God is very similar. Some days, you may not feel connected or engaged despite your efforts to draw near. You feel you are moving backwards in your spiritual development and understanding.  As you draw near to God, you have more questions as you realize there is much to learn. Other days, you feel incredibly close and connected, you are learning and growing and it’s magnificent. Regardless of how you feel, each time you sit with God to seek His face and His truth you are drawing closer.

When you step back, and look over time you‘ll discover much has come out of this time with God.  Your thinking is different. Your trust, faith, truth and love have been refined and expanded. Your relationship with God has deepened. And as you persist, your connection with Him becomes more real, powerful and consuming. You become deeply connected to Him, Him in you and you in Him, which manifests a powerful union and an abundant life.

Like learning an instrument, developing a relationship with God is a journey. It takes time. It isn’t instant. But as you resolve to spend that time with Him each day, you will grow closer and closer. You will learn amazing truths that change you. You are nourishing a relationship that is above and beyond any relationship you will ever know.

Don’t let your emotions decide whether you will seek God or spend time with him. Resolve to get to know Him as He is, to learn from Him, and to listen to what He has to teach you. If I practiced the piano based on how I felt, I would be no where. Seeking God is the same. Seek Him to get to know Him. Dedicate time each day to getting to know Him as He is and nourishing your relationship with Him.

The Bible abounds with promises to those who seek and trust God (trust comes from knowing which comes from seeking). Psalm 5:11, 9:10, 17:7, 18:30, 31:19, 34:10, 34:22, 40:16, 69:32, 119:2 Seeking Him in truth and spirit is the path to those promises because it’s the path to deep fellowship with Him.

Like playing an instrument, it is never too late to start seeking God. Resolve to seek Him, to get to know Him, so that your love for Him may be sincere and true. Seek God and the music of your life will start to sound a beautiful melody that will astound you.

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.


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Abiding in the ENTIRE Word of God

Abiding in the ENTIRE Word of God

Today I’m celebrating 13 years of marriage to a wonderful man. Our marriage is better today than it ever has been and it’s ALL attributed to what I spoke of last week, seeking God. I know most don’t believe that’s the answer to their heart’s desires, needs, problems, concerns – but it is. When God’s truth and love fills our lives, it changes everything. Let me tell you a secret, Matthew 6:33 REALLY is true. Few believe the truth of this verse, because few truly seek God first. It’s a great loss for it affects everything in our lives. I’ve walked life on both sides, seeking and not, there is no comparison to the difference. I had no idea. But you don’t until you seek. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Last week I talked about the importance of seeking God, and how it’s foundational to our lives. This post expands on that topic in talking about an essential aspect to seeking, reading the ENTIRE Word of God being TAUGHT by the SPIRIT.

When we read the Bible it’s CRITICAL to read the ENTIRE Word; to give attention to all books. The more I talk to others, the more I’m learning that very few truly abide in the entire Word of God. Let me tell you it makes ALL the difference. The Bible fits together like a huge puzzle. Each verse, chapter, book is connected to the rest to create a fullness of truth as God desires us to know it. When we neglect certain parts, we are getting partial truth, and that leads to all kinds of problems.

If we leave out certain books, skim over others, read a verse hear and there, we aren’t allowing the Spirit the opportunity to teach us all we need to know. Especially in these days, we need to be abiding in the entire word of God trusting the Spirit to teach us for it’s the truth that will save us. 2 Thessalonians 2:10

For example on a serious note, much of what happens in the end days is spoken of by the prophets (Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and the Minor Prophets Hosea through Malachi). Their words in line with the rest of the Bible create a picture of what will happen in the end. To understand the fullness of truth as God desires us to know for the times we are living in, we need to read the entire Word. When we abide, meditate, seek and look to the Holy Spirit to teach us, we are allowing ourselves access to some very important truths. The truth protects and guides us. Otherwise we will have partial truth and partial understanding, which leaves an open door to deception. So it’s not just reading the Bible, but the ENTIRE Bible with the instruction and guidance of the Holy Spirit that matters.

Here are some Tips for Reading the Word that are vital for diving deep into the Truth.

  1. Read the ENTIRE Word. I suggest one chapter from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament with a Psalm or Proverb each day.
  2. Give ATTENTION to all the books.
  3. Trust the Holy Spirit to TEACH you ALL things. 1 John 2:27, John 14:26. Your foundation of truth needs to be built by God, not man. A foundation built upon man’s words, opinions and interpretations of the Bible is shaky ground. In addition, the Spirit teaches in a way that man doesn’t so that the truth is written on our hearts and minds, changing us.
  4. Read not as a task to check off your list, but put your heart and soul into it. Meditate, abide, contemplate, and ask God for understanding. Read the Word with the ATTITUDE that you are communing with God, learning from Him. Draw near to Him through His Word as you would someone you love with a devotion, passion, desire to know Him as He is.
  5. RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word 2 Timothy 2:15. Be observant for how the Spirit connects verses together bringing certain ones to mind as you read others.
  6. Read a VERSION close to the original Greek and Hebrew. Use the Strong’s concordance.
  7. Abide in the PURE Word – just you and God – trusting the Spirit to teach you what you need to know when you need to know it. There is a time for others’ words, but have the mindset that God is your primary teacher and that His instruction is foundational and all others secondary.
  8. PRAY for a passion for the truth. Abide, meditate, and listen.
  9. Read with the MOTIVE to seek God. Get to know Him as He is, to get to know His ways and truth – not to “fix” you or  for a lesson to teach the Sunday school class. Ask God what does HE want to teach you today – and open up your mind and heart to anything He might want to show you. Your needs will be resolved as you seek Him FIRST.
  10. Read DAILY the REST of your life. No engagement is richer, deeper, more powerful and true. The Word is dynamic, powerful. Truth builds upon truth so there is no end to learning.

God has given us all we need to have His power move through our lives – His Word and His Spirit. The two work hand in hand. One without the other doesn’t work, but together they are a mighty force in our lives. When you seek God in this way, you move into true life – one of truth, protection, beauty, joy, peace, comfort and hope – one that is abundant.

Please don’t waste any more time on all the things that don’t matter and won’t make a difference, and do the one thing that will, seek God.


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God Calls Us Friend

God Calls Us

….Friend

A friend from years back showed me a valuable truth this past week . . .

My friend tells me that I’m among her closest friends. For awhile, she’s been texting me saying she wants to talk and catch up (it’s been months since we talked). She says there are few people she will always pick up the phone for, I’m one. However, the phone hasn’t been picked up in a long time. When it comes down to it, she doesn’t make the time to connect – it’s like our friendship is at the bottom of her to-do list – below cleaning the scum off the tub. sigh

We all have the same amount of time. How we spend that time speaks of our priorities. Her actions have been telling me for awhile where our friendship is placed – painfully low. Now if we didn’t talk between visits (she lives in a different state) and both agreed that would be fine. But, it’s saying one thing and doing another that sets me up with false expectations and that is where the disappointment sets in. Expressing how much I mean to her and her desire to talk becomes meaningless when her actions don’t back up her words. It hurts. It feels like she doesn’t care; like our friendship doesn’t really matter.

In addition, in the past couple of years, when we have gotten together, I’m multitasked in with other activities so that she isn’t with me. She has gotten better as I’ve mentioned it to her. She is a bit more engaged during our few hours spent together each year, but her life is one big multitasked distraction-filled conglomeration with our friendship thrown in the pile.

This reflection has been a good reminder for me. We all get busy and distracted, and we can neglect those things that are most important like our relationships. So, how am I treating those I call friend? Those I profess to love? Am I doing and focusing on what is truly most important?

The other day another incident happened where my expectations where let down once again. In the past month, the Holy Spirit has given me good counsel in regards to her and for relationships in general – about expectations, boundaries, balance, but this occurrence bothered me until I wrote this post. God wanted to show me something through it.

The emotion I felt, the hurt, was to give me a peek into God’s heart and share it with you.

Words are meaningless without the action and heart all working in unison. People tell God all the time they love Him, they long to be near to Him, and to be in His presence. But when it comes down to it, they don’t make the time. Other activities and people come first. Our actions and the state of our heart in those actions reveal the truth of what is important to us. For there to be sincerity there has to be an unison of the three; words, action, heart. When we don’t take time to be with Him, or are always distracted or multitasking when we do take time, what does that really say?

Matthew 15:8 These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

God showed me the importance of the connection between our words, actions and heart. It wasn’t to guilt me or anyone else who might read this. He doesn’t guilt His children. Guilt comes from another voice. He was giving me an awareness of our actions and heart and what they reveal, and how they measure up to our words. It was about being real and sincere. It was about what God desires from us, because He loves us. It was about how our relationship with Him is to be as well as our relationship with others.

God desires that we spend time with Him; delight in just being with Him. That’s what you do when you love someone. You want to be near them. It isn’t just when you need something. God desires us to draw near because He is our God, our Friend, our Love.

How am I acting toward God, who calls me His friend, His bride? What is my heart when I’m with Him? What do my actions reveal? Do my words, actions and heart line up? Asking these questions can be very revealing about the true state of our relationship with God.

If you feel these three aren’t adding up, don’t fret, act. God loves you. He longs to be near you. Be real with Him, draw near to Him in truth and spirit. Give your love for Him a chance to grow and develop. Be real about it. If you don’t deeply feel a love for Him, be honest, He knows it anyway. Ask for it. Truth is the starting place to true growth.

Consider how much He loves you and how He wants to make His home in you John 14:23 Draw near to Him in truth. Get to know Him as He is and love will follow until He becomes your first love. Then carry this same awareness to others’ in your life and love them with all sincerity, with a unity of words, actions and heart. But focus on God first. When there is a solid relationship with Him, the rest of your relationships bloom as they should. He comes first.

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Luke 10:27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.'”

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The Journey of Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose

The Journey of Fulfilling

Your Unique Purpose

This post is written in more of an outline/bullet style. I wanted to document the journy as I’m discovering it . . .

We are born into this world at a certain place and time, and with a unique identity to fulfill purposes designed by our Creator, God. Those purposes can only be manifested through the union of us and God. Along with those purposes are corresponding desires that motivate us to fulfill those purposes – otherwise we would never move forward!

However, we are born separated from God, not in union. Therefore, we act from a place of our judgment and not His; a mindset represented by the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We think we can judge what is good and right for our lives, though we haven’t a clue.

In this place of separation, we don’t understand what a connection with God entails; the beauty, life, freedom and purpose because we’ve never experienced it.

Therefore, we pursue a life trying to fulfill our deepest desires based on our ill-judgment. Outside God’s wisdom, we make destructive choices. Death grows in us, because God is life and only by being connected to Him do we have life. In all our pursuits, we are left hungering and unsatisfied, because we will never achieve the fullness of our desires and purposes apart from God for it’s not how they are designed.

At a certain point, our spirits are awakened to a call to be united to God in truth and spirit. At the discovery and stepping onto the new path we are ecstatic for so many roads have been dead ends. Something within tells us this is the way to fulfilling our deepest hungers – freedom, deliverance, truth, love, purpose and abundance.

The discovery of this path is understanding God calls us to come into union with Him by being reconciled through Jesus Christ. We come to an awareness that reconciliation with Him is not only eternal life but also the only way to true life on earth. It’s exhilarating.

However, this union requires that we give God Lordship; sovereignty over our lives. This Lordship includes letting go of our judgments and thus how we’ve been operating and thinking since birth. It requires us to let go of all that we have trusted and instead trust Him, which proves to be very difficult. Those areas of trust, though wrong, were our hope for attaining our desires. We feel we are giving up our desires. We aren’t. God gave us those desires. We are giving up our way of obtaining them. John 12:25

It’s here that many stop. They can’t let go and give up their self-will. They feel they have to give up too much, when in reality it’s only by letting go that they received what they’ve always wanted. The path is narrow. There is only one way, God’s way. Matthew 7:14

Others think they can learn principles of this path, and then forge ahead. But this process doesn’t foster the unity with God that they were designed to flourish in. With their “new principles”, they remain in control continuing to work according to their own strength. They aren’t relying, trusting and growing in God’s power working in them.

Others continue to move forward following the small light (the Word) in front of them, not sure of the next step until it is made. It’s nerve racking, but they step into the unknown. Realizing God’s ways aren’t their ways. They’ve embraced the tools given to them – the Word of God and prayer. By abiding in the Word of God they learn who God is, who they are in Him, and the dynamics of their relationship. They start developing an intimate connection.

From the knowledge gained in diligently seeking God, trust blossoms. They begin to trust in God’s Word and work in their lives and not what they think is right. The transition is occurring from walking according to their will to God’s spirit. They are letting go a little at a time, and finding it is the secret to moving forward on the path of life. Matthew 6:33, Psalm 37:3-5

Their path takes them through a wilderness, where they are stripped of all that they trust so that their trust can only be fully in God. This stripping comes by trials where the objects of their trust are removed or challenged. Only when they put those idols of trust aside, can they be united to God; a union in which He is the sovereign voice. This journey in the wilderness can be long and hard because it’s difficult to break the trust in other entities. 1 Peter 5:10 1 Peter 1:6-7 Philippians 4:19

In the wilderness, many, whose relationship is weak due to lack of truly knowing God thus in trusting Him, turn back to their old ways. The hardships and trials cause them to go back to what they trusted before.

For those who persist through the wilderness, when their spirit comes to a place of true surrender, then they are ready for the fullness of their purpose, desires and life to come. Their heart is in the right condition to receive what God has for them and to become who God intended them to be. It’s no longer about their works, but God working in and through them in a much greater power. A relationship is established between them and God, which none can separate. They are rightly related to God. God is first in their lives. His will prevails. His power flows freely. They enter into abundant life, as God has ordained for each one according to how they are created and the purposes they were created for. The fulfillment of their deepest desires start to bloom in and all around them.

Psalm 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Is it a road to Utopia? Not in the sense we might think. At times it doesn’t feel like it, especially through the wilderness, but yes it is. Only God can truly fulfill us, for He created us.
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Our Capacity to be Influenced

Our Capacity to be Influenced

 

Through the awkward teenage years, I had a close friend who had a significant impact on me. Not only because we were around each other ALL the time, but it was an influential period in my life, as it is for most. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be different if she hadn’t been a part of it. It reminds me of the movie, Sliding Doors, a thought provoking story about the choices we make. Our decisions obviously have a huge impact on our lives, and choices about our friends have far-reaching ripple affects because of the power of their influence on us.

In day to day life, it’s important to understand our capability to be influenced. Right now we are being impacted by society, spouses, friends, religious leaders, family, and co-workers, in good and bad ways. This is why the Bible tells us to be wise about who are friends are and who we fellowship with, for their influence is extensive. (Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fellowship)

When a strong emotional element is part of the relationship, then the influencer gains even more power in affecting us – elements like acceptance, fear, guilt, loneliness, insecurity, attention, love, value, and purposefulness. Interestingly, most of these elements come into play when involved in a religious institution, like the church system (different from the true church, body of Christ). Thus, it’s tremendous power over people.

Because of the influence of others especially in the church system, it’s critical that we abide in the pure word of God (separate from others’ interpretations/opinions), on a daily basis. Take time to meditate on God’s truth. Learn to listen to His instruction and to hear His voice distinct from the others. Learn to trust Him to be the Teacher and have a foundation built on His instruction, not a human’s. Give an attentive ear, mind and heart to His Word and His instruction for a period each day without the influence of others’ words along with it. If we do this, in time, we will be wiser and more discerning among those who influence us. We will gain the ability to test all spirits as we are instructed in 1 John 4:1.

Matthew 10:16 “hold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”

Years ago, I set out in the search for truth. I asked God to reveal the lies and deception I was taking part in. As I put His Word first above all others and abided in it daily, He started opening up my eyes and still is. It amazed me how I easily trusted the words of others – especially religious leaders. How I didn’t really test them. How I couldn’t test them because I wasn’t in the Word with a passion to know God and His truth. I didn’t put the Word first in my life. I relied on others to interpret and explain it to me and that was one of my biggest downfalls.

From personal experience, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s very profitable to spend time alone (months) simply in the Word of God with no other interpretations or opinions trusting the Holy Spirit to teach you. John 14:26 The Apostle Paul, spent time alone, so what he learned, he gained from God, not man. Galatians 1:11-12, 16-17 It makes ALL the difference. Why? Because are easily influenced by others and because of the heightened emotions religion brings.

If we are abiding in the Bible, but continue to embrace the interpretations of others, we can’t help but be strongly influenced by their words. Their philosophies will be a filter by which we read the Word. We have enough of our own filters to deal with, or should I say for God to remove and replace with the truth. If we are relying on others, we aren’t giving ourselves a chance to remove those faulty filters that twist the Word of God. If we come to God with a desire to know the truth and nothing but the truth, He will expose the deceptions in our heart. A love of the truth is what saves us in these days from the massive and growing deceptions in and outside the church community. 2 Thessalonians 2:10

Because of the extensive influence of the church system, it has become a feeding ground for deception. God’s Word says the enemy will take over the sanctuary. Lamentations 2:5-7, 14, 4:12 Though, it can be difficult to accept, especially because it’s the object of many believers’ trust, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. When we are in the midst of Satan’s shenanigans (the self-will of man), it’s difficult to see and believe that our church would be influenced by him. In these days, we need to abide in God’s pure truth on a regular basis and put our trust fully into Him and not in man or the church system. Because of the deception that abounds, God is calling many of His people out of the church system and to Himself as the sanctuary. He is fulfilling the role the teacher, shepherd, protector, fortress, comfort, and help.

I know this post has gotten quite serious but the warnings in the Bible in regards to this issue are extensive. We have nothing to fear when our trust is truly in God alone. How do you know where your trust truly is? Remove those things from your life and you will soon see.

My prayer is that we will take time to recognize and acknowledge the influence those around us have on us; to ask God to give us clarity about what relationships and situations to embrace and which to let go. If it’s a letting go, know He’ll provide every need – I’ve seen it time and time again. He is more faithful than we know as we truly put our trust in Him.

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God’s Enduring Faithfulness

God’s Enduring Faithfulness

Promise through the Storm

Another characteristic of God I’ve been focusing on the past couple of weeks is faithfulness.

The promises in the Bible are mind blowing. Yet, for many those promises can seem distant. One reason is because we are too focused on our faithfulness, or better yet faithlessness, instead of God’s faithfulness. As I focused on this characteristic of God, it refreshed my soul more than I would have thought. I realized I really don’t focus on it enough.

God is faithful. He does what He says. He is true to His word. He is reliable and dependable. He will finish what He started. We can count on Him. God gave us His promises and He (not us) is the One to manifest them in our lives in the perfect way and perfect timing for each one of us. He will fulfill His words to us, because He is faithful and can’t deny Himself.  2 Timothy 2:13

Seeking, Knowing, Trusting

God is faithful. So, what does He ask of us? The Word is replete with calls for us to seek, know and trust Him and His responses if we do.

Psalm 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

These three acts are all connected; one leading to the next. Seeking leads to knowing which produces trust.  Seeking is about learning who God is and moving into a real relationship with Him based on His truth. It’s deepening our personal knowledge or “knowing” of God. It isn’t learning about Him through a third party, but one-on-one, intimate, personal. It’s walking through life’s experiences with Him, and deeply learning He is faithful, we can trust Him.

I’ve found that always going through a third party or middle man (pastor, writer, leader, teacher) dramatically slows down and inhibits the intimacy building process with God. We gain some understanding, true, but it’s drops in the bucket compared to going to Him one-on-one just us, Him and His Word. Jesus removed the middle man by becoming the middle man. We have to be very careful of depending or relying on a third part and their works (leading, teaching, words) because it feels comfortable. There is a place for others; it’s secondary to our relationship with God. Think of a marriage. We are God’s bride. In a marriage, do you always have someone there telling you who your spouse is? What kind of intimacy or lack of would that produce? Or do you go and experience and learn about your spouse yourself?

In an intimate relationship, deep knowledge grows and trust is the fruit. Without this type of a relationship it’s difficult to truly trust because we don’t really know God.  We trust what we know. If you find your trust is lacking, focus on cultivating a real relationship with God for that is where true trust blossoms.

Trust in God’s Mercy

One of the key aspects of God’s instruction is that He asks us to trust in is His mercy. It’s one of the most important qualities we trust in. Especially because we often don’t trust Him in other areas like we should!  The truth and mercy go hand in hand. Psalm 61:7 There is truth about who God is to us, who we are to Him, what He desires of us, and most of us struggle with completely trusting in these areas and others as we are inundated with lies and fears. Learning to let go and trust God is a lifetime journey. So above all we need to trust in His mercy, not that we live or trust perfectly. Confusing? Hope not.

Psalm 6:4 Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake.

God is faithful. Faithful to have His grace and mercy abound toward us always, thus to fulfill His promises toward us.  Especially in the midst of a trial, where our trust is being tested and being strengthened (real trust grows from our experiences not our pontificating), it’s important to keep our focus on what is right and true, like God’s faithfulness. During trials more than any other time our internal lies attack and weaken our trust in God and what He has taught us. We aren’t to give these lies a minute of our attention. When we focus our minds on who God is and not the lies, our current frustration, or the future outcome of what we think our circumstances will manifest, then we’re able to stand firm through the difficulties.

God’s faithfulness abounds toward us. Deeply knowing this truth brings peace among the storms in life, (as the rainbow breaks through the storm clouds). It isn’t a wishful thinking, but a very real reality. God wants to show Himself to us in powerful and real ways. In the midst of trials when we have reached our end is where His work becomes most apparent because we know what is done is not of us or anything else.

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The Book

The Book

For several years I worked on a book, Stirring the Deep. As I enquired, what now Lord? God told me, “Rachel, people don’t need another book. They need THE book, the Bible. Lead them to read my Words, the words of life.” Now that may seem disheartening, but it actually wasn’t but exciting.

We’ve all been encouraged and inspired by the words of others. It’s a sweet fellowship to connect to another through their words. But now more than ever, God desires us to come to Him in a very intimate way, not through middle men and women (leaders, pastors, writers, etc). God is calling us to abide in a rich deep union with Him, one-on-one. He is revealing Himself to those who are seeking Him with all their heart, soul and mind in powerful and personal ways. It’s an extraordinary time. It’s time to remove all that hinders and dive in deep into Him.

Books, like teachers and pastors, can often impede the development of our intimacy with God when we lean on them when we should be dependent on God. Books can be encouraging and enlightening. God uses others in our lives in many ways. However, we can easily depend on them when we should be depending on God. That is what happened to me.

Years ago, the majority of books on my bookshelves were self-improvement, Christian and non-Christian. I wanted deliverance, healing and to be the woman I envisioned. I figured the knowledge in those books would take me as they seemed to promise. Reading them was exhilarating, uplifting, and motivating, but it was more of an emotional high then anything substantial happening in me. After I had been reading the Bible for a couple of years, the spirit prompted me to get rid of all those books. For the next couple of years, they were expunged from my life. I didn’t read one. At the time, I didn’t fully know the reasons why or the impact it would have, but I knew it had to do something with learning to abide and trust in God’s Word first and foremost, which it absolutely did and more.

During that time of solitary focus, I developed a solid foundation with God and on His Word. It became my source of truth. It opened me up to a powerful communion between me and God. It imploded truth into my life. As the years passed of abiding in His Word getting to know God, the deliverance I sought (often in those books) started to come. I wasn’t abiding in God’s Word to be healed, but that is exactly what happened. I wanted to get to know, draw close to Him. But the healing came and it wasn’t just the healing, but abiding in His Word started to affect EVERYTHING in my life. That difference fueled my passion in writing a book about it. I wanted to share what I discovered with others.

Removing those books from my life revealed my dependency on them. I realized how much I was seeking deliverance from those human writers. I believed reading their words was a sufficient replacement for reading the Word. I thought truth was truth. But reading God’s Word isn’t just about gathering knowledge it’s about cultivating a relationship, a relationship with God. In that relationship your life truly changes; not because of your efforts but because of His presence and promises at work in your life. Nothing can replace that dynamic.

At first it was hard (though I knew those books weren’t “working”), because those books were easier to read and more straight forward. And I was so use to thinking that is what you do. But they are the words of man. Though they may have been expressing God’s truth, they weren’t God’s words. They lacked the power of what dwelling in His pure Word trusting His Spirit to teach you imparts.

A couple years later, I picked up my first Christian book. I couldn’t believe the contrast! It had good content that back in the day I would have been reveling in. The writer spoke truths of God that He had taught me early that year. It was incredible. But what stood out to me is how the author’s words paled in comparison to what I received from the Word – which was powerful beyond my expectations. To fully understand the difference, you have to experience it. The gap between abiding in God’s Word verses someone else’s is enormous. Why would we settle for human words when we have His?

It’s easy to become dependent on others, whether authors, preachers, teachers, and/or leaders, when we should be on God. But this dependency makes them into an idol. And often we don’t realize our dependency until they are removed from our lives. If we don’t have a dependency, then we can live without them and God is more than enough.

Putting away those books was one of the best actions I took for my relationship with God. Previously, it was like I in a marriage with my husband and everyone else and often spending much more time with everyone else. When it is just you and God, the intimacy gained is astounding. This is why abiding in the Word of God alone during your quiet time is so critical. Give sole attention to God, and read those other books at another time. Give Him all of your attention, the attention He deserves. You may feel you get more from the other books so that you need them, but that is because you truly haven’t experienced a deep intimacy with God that is far greater. Allow time for that intimacy to develop. It isn’t instant. Though it may be tough at first because you are use to those other voices, if you can stick with it – it will reap tremendous benefits. Then when you do read another’s book, it’s a sweet fellowship, not dependency.

I’ve been reading, So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore by Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman. It’s a good book. It resonates with much of what God has taught me over the past couple of years. I enjoy the way the writers state aspects of God’s truth. But reading the truths these two men have learned doesn’t replace me learning those truths from God. When we learn from Him, He changes us and it becomes our truth. We don’t want to exchange the intimacy we could be gaining with God by being reliant on others’ experiences of God – it’s a grave loss.

As for my book, it was a tremendous time of healing, renewal, learning and growing. God used my writing to focus my mind on the truths He was teaching me in His Word. It laid the foundation for what I do today and probably will do in the future. It laid the foundation for passion I have in helping others cultivate a real relationship with God. I wouldn’t change those years spent writing for anything.

My passion isn’t for people to read my book, but to read God’s book for it’s a fountain of life. And not to read it like a text book, but to dive into its pages as you would spend time with a loved one to cultivate a deep relationship. I’ve learned the difference between man’s words verses God’s Word – I want you to have the very best and to abide in His for there is where the power lies.

We only obtain a relationship with God if we start talking and listening to Him ourselves; not from reading about another’s journey with God but living our own.

Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

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Accountability Partner – The Spirit

Accountability Partner – The Spirit

 

At a company I use to work for, there was a period where gossip was a problem. I tried to keep my distance, but sometimes I got lured in for that’s the nature of the beast. (And as I’ve learned giving a listening ear to gossipers is the same as being one). A co-worker tried to hold me accountable to resisting the gibberish. The office was small so it was easy to see just about anyone from any vantage point. When the clacking hens starting gathering to exploit the latest drama, my friend gave me a look that I knew right away – run! I did.

As believers, we can help each other from certain pit falls, like my friend helped me. HOWEVER, we are really accountable to God, not to one another. Thus, we need to be pursuing another dimension of accountability – listening to the Holy Spirit’s counsel. He holds us accountable to a level we can’t get from others, because He is within us and His will of what is right for us is different and beyond any others.

If we are listening, we will hear His voice of instruction at a wandering thought before we act on it. Ever since I’ve been cultivating listening to Him, the accountability has been extensive. I never realized just how much “course correction” I needed. But, He speaks with such love and mercy that all I feel is encouragement and motivation to heed His wise counsel. When accountability comes from Him, it’s never about guilt but truth and love.

Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

As I read this verse, I thought about how “reproofs of instruction” are a way of life for me in two senses.

One, I’m constantly receiving reproofs of instruction from the Holy Spirit. A wrong thought pops in my head, an irrational fear, or an outward temptation comes my way and He is there calling attention to it. He reframes, refocuses, and refines and keeps me headed in the right direction. I’m thankful for His corrections in my life, yet reading this verse is a great comfort, because I get them all the time. Now that I know it’s a way of life I feel better. I was beginning to wonder.

Being corrected by the Holy Spirit isn’t a phase we will grow out of but a way of life as long as we are in the flesh bodies. We are constantly battling ourselves who are like wandering sheep. 1 Peter 5:8 The Spirit helps us to navigate those roiling waters.

Our journey here with God isn’t about walking perfectly. It’s about listening and acting on the counsel that keeps us walking on the “paths of righteousness”. It’s much easier to nip something in the bud, rather than try to remedy the ramifications later. The best time to stop a wayward step is when it starts as a thought. For this reason, the Holy Spirit who dwells in us is the best accountability partner we will ever have.

When we talk about accountability we often are referring to someone on the outside. However, true accountability comes from the Holy Spirit for we are accountable to God. The Spirit resides within us and if we listen He is able to keep us from acting on those wayward thoughts. Sure there many times we act so quick there isn’t much time to stop the thought before it becomes a reality, but if we are listening the Spirit is swift to redirect us.

The second meaning of reproofs of instruction is the way of life is that the Spirit’s instruction leads to life, true life. When we heed the Spirit’s instruction we abide in what is love, constructive, wise, and purposeful. At any one time, our thoughts are either coming from God’s truth or the lies of the world. When we are listening and following the Spirit’s instruction we remain in the wisdom that is from above that brings abundant life. It’s for our best to take heed to the Spirit’s counsel in our lives. God desires abundant life for us, if we are listening and following His voice that is where He will lead us.

Gaining the Ear to Hear the Spirit

How do you get an “ear” for the Spirit’s voice? By abiding in God’s Word. In His Word you develop an understanding of what His voice sounds like, so that you can discern it from the others. Otherwise, you won’t know the nature of His voice. It’s like sensing the “voice” of a particular author. They have a certain character, style, and sound that distinguishes them from others. As you read their works, you learn to differentiate them by their unique “voice”. When you abide in God’s Word you learn to recognize His voice. There are MANY copycats to His voice, so it’s critical to learn what is truly His.

Next, you get an “ear” by practicing listening. During your quiet time where there is stillness and quiet, try to listen during your prayers. Most of us are so busy talking but not listening, one of the most important parts of prayer. In addition to listening in the Word and in prayer, set time aside at the end of your quiet time to be still and listen. This practice has had a substantial impact on my life. I’m much more sensitive and in tune with the Spirit’s voice. Though I have a long way to go, it has made a significant difference. It’s having the most qualified counselor constantly by my side.

Finally, take time to be still before each major task during the day to pray and listen. Eventually, you will form a habit of listening throughout the day.

I encourage you to take time each day seeking to hear His voice – it will change your life. In listening, you are drawing closer to God, who loves abounds toward you and wants your very best. He wants to lead and help you on that path to abundant life, but you have to take time to listen so you can follow Him.

Proverbs 10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.

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Just Don’t Have Time

Just Don’t Have Time

In a conversation with an acquaintance, I was sharing my passion of helping others to develop an intimate relationship with God. I have a long way to go, but I’ve discovered a path that has absolutely changed my life. As I was talking about spending time each day to cultivate that relationship, he said, “That’s great, but who has the time?” Very few people do.

The reason for not taking the time to abide and meditate on God’s Word, pray, talk with Him and be still to hear His voice, is not having extra time in the day. This excuse is probably the number one reason I hear. It used to be mine. But I learned something very important . . .

We don’t have the time because we aren’t making that personal one-on-one time with God a priority.

We all have the same amount of time. It’s OUR choice how we spend it. Now, we may of made a slue of wrong decisions so that we are a slave to so many things that discretionary time is non-existent, but bad choices aren’t written in stone, especially with the power of God at work in your life. God can reconstruct our lives starting today by us making better choices, specifically putting Him first in spending time with Him. This issue of making better choices brings up the first reason why we need to make spending time with God a priority and how that CRITICAL decision gives us more time to do what we need to. There are many reasons, but in consideration of your time – I’ll list four ☺

1. Wisdom – How we all could use more wisdom! God tells us that wisdom is the principle thing and to ask and seek for it. Proverbs 4:5-7 Our life is full of choices every day – and without wisdom from above we will make choices that enslave us instead of free us and keep us from moving forward toward where we REALLY want to go. Without wisdom we make bad decisions that bind us, so that we don’t have enough time for what truly matters. Wisdom comes from abiding the Word of God in faith. Got wisdom, got time.

2. Live of Balance and Rest – God desires us to have a balanced life – not one of chaos, frazzled and hassled– something very few people have as reflected in the fact that they don’t ever have enough time. Throughout the Bible there are verses about how God desires this soul state for us. Abiding is His Word brings this equilibrium into our lives. When we abide in truth, He starts to reorganize our life and priorities, which leads to a life of balance and rest. If we put Him first, He works out the rest. I’ve experienced this truth over and over. Putting Him first, requires trust and letting go, two things that come from cultivating a real relationship with Him. Got balance, got time.

3. Life free of lies – Lies bound and enslave us. The truth frees us. Many of us have bondage in our lives because of the lies we’ve mistaken for truth. We lack the healing and deliverance because we don’t have the truth. Truth heals. This bondage steals our time. For example, we try to prove and earn our worthiness by taking on all sorts of obligations. When you spend time with God each day – the truth starts to replace the lies and freedom is the result.

Women in particular, perhaps because I’m a woman, have fallen for many lies influenced by society about who they should be and what it means to be a successful woman. Ultimately it’s a life demanding EXTREME busyness. It’s an insane standard of existence. Believing those lies has created many unhealthy women on many levels. What is the way out? The truth. The truth comes from drawing near to God, because He is truth. When we draw near to Him, He invades our soul and brings the Truth with Him. Got truth, got time.

4. Power of God – As God invades our soul as we spend time with Him, His power and all that He is starts to manifest in our life. His power enables us to do things we never could; make our paths smooth, surround us with godly favor, makes us more productive and effective, defeats the enemies within and without that cause hardship, brings healing and the list goes on. All these outcomes of His power at work help us to live smoother, more productive, and restful lives. Got power, got time.

We are trying so hard to strive for __________. When we are neglecting the One who can make all the difference in moving us into a place we desire to be.

A life WITHOUT an intimate and growing relationship with God, isn’t life. It’s a mad house of extreme effort and never getting to where you really want to be.

God is life. Only by being deeply and actively in communion with Him do we have true life as well. Because, ONE – He desires to be in an intimate union with us, so it will never work apart from Him. TWO – He desires for us to live a purposeful life glorifying His power and love, the one He uniquely created for us to live. You can’t disconnect the two for together they are the fulfillment of our purpose.

Not making time to spend with God keeps us in a place where we will never have the time. Not having time is no longer an excuse, because it’s the answer. Now rethink and reorganize your day and put Him first. It’s a decision that will put you on a path headed to where you really want to be, consumed in Him and abiding in abundant life.

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