Sunday, July 7, 2013

Three Lives? continued

The title of the previous blog Three Lives? with the question mark calls for a response upon considering the information presented. So I'll be the first to respond with a resounding, "Yes!"  I have led three lives.  No, I'm not a communist or a counter spy as intriguing as it may sound, just a woman who's been divided within herself more than I ever understood. Unfortunately many of us can answer it the same way, but now is the time to begin the process of leading one life, unified, integrated, whole...and boy, am I ready!  Since it was God's original design and plan for man whom He created in His image and likeness-in the God class-when He breathed the "breath of lives" into Adam and Eve, Jesus provided the way for all who receive Him to be restored to oneness within ourselves and with Him.

into Adam making him a a triune living spirit, soul and body, and though three (like God), also  one whole being without schism under God's influence, it would be to our great advantage to pursue Him to receive that unity of ourselves under His influence restored. 

Though the process has begun, "MY Goodness!"  it's not necessarily fun...just being honest here.  I've been on this journey for a while now, but it seems the farther I go, the greater the obstacles.  Not because God intended for it to be that way, but because our old nature has to be dealt with along the way, and we have to be strengthened to "see" ourselves, our condition, and our lives the way they really are, and deal with them head-on without excuse or blame, by taking ownership for how we've lived our lives-deceived or not!  It kind of stings a bit just writing that down!  Woo hoo....not fun at all to have to get down in the the middle of this sort of thing....

So here's a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.  God  is for us, not against us. He's forgiven everything already, all we need to do is to remember that and receive cleansing.  No condemnation here!  He just wants us to be healed and whole-fully functional sons and daughters participating in the family business under His healing influence.  Remember what Jesus said to His disciples about having much more to say to them, but they were not yet able to bear it, (John 16:12)?  That's what it's still like today.  It takes not only a head knowledge of this love for us as individuals but a revelation of His goodness and a receiving of His love and grace for us personally to be empowered to go to the deep places with Him.  How else can we deal with a real issue without taking full ownership of it?  Otherwise it must be someone else's fault we're the way we are and if that were true, it would leave us in the VICTIM status having given up all control over our own lives and condition-and that's exactly what Adam and Eve did once they were already in disobedience to the Divine order.  Taking no responsibility for our actions comes with the territory- it's the lower nature's way, the deceivers way, the way of darkness.  Granted, there might be reasons and very good ones,  that we have come to the place we are-even through no fault of our own- but however we got there or here is not the issue. The issue is coming out of it into wholeness, into the Light.  If we play the blame-game or if we're in denial concerning our true state, then we can go no further with Him in a particular area, and in this case, we can go no farther on a particular journey until we deal with the obstacles in the way.  The Good News here is this:  He will take us as far as we can go and strengthen us to go farther on the next go round as we're willing.  He won't make us go anywhere we don't want to go.  He won't overrule our choice, our will.  He's not a thief, He's our advocate, our Helper.

Often the most valuable assets  are attained by doing whatever it takes to achieve them no matter how difficult the task at hand.  So again I'll add, things in the spirit realm are often gained by similar processes as in the natural. We find the laws or procedures that govern what we desire and co-operate with those laws or rules necessary to reach a given destination, or to achieve the desired goal.

I hope to share more concerning this journey that I'm on of coming into a more integrated life with a heart less divided.  For now I'll end with a link to The Message Bible in Matthew 11:27-30.  It's one of my favorites and one  I've shared it before concerning the "unforced rhythms of grace..."

               http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2011:27-30&version=MSG

Three Lives? Revisited Again

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof;

the world, and they that dwell therein.

For a number of days now, I've felt impressed to share a series of three  blogs which I originally posted in 2013.  So here's Three Lives? the first of the three I hope to post here.  I trust you'll receive something beneficial if you choose to read it.   Nevertheless,  The Blessing of  the LORD overtake all who stop by.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Three Lives?

I Led 3 Lives  was a television series in the 1950's  loosely based on an American guy who joined the communist party for the FBI and assumed the role of a counter spy- thus the three lives, U.S. citizen, communist and counter spy.  Though I was a child I remember the series and watched it a few times, but  recall very little about it.   It was very much a show for grown-ups, and I was much more interested in  watching  Hopalong Cassidy-loved his white horse and, of course, his good-guy white hat. Oh, I digress, but the thought of it made me happy...so back to the subject.

Nonetheless, even as a child I found the title and the thought of leading 3 lives very intriguing and mysterious. Considering this I find it no surprise that several years ago while reading Derek Prince's book War in Heaven, I came across a  statement which very much appealed to me, and have thought much about it since. In order to arrive at the destination I desire a little background information is in order, so I'll share some interesting facts from his book which will help clarify my basic premise.

In referring to Genesis 2:7 Mr. Prince shared that the word "life" is plural! This discovery truly captivated me!  I wondered how this new understanding might broaden the meaning of the intent of its use in this particular verse. And further, how it might bring greater enlightenment regarding how we were created by God and how He intended for us to function. After all, He didn't change His plan.  His original plan is still His plan. Check out the verse I'm referring to and see for yourself. The following is from the King James Version, Genesis  2:7: (emphasis mine)

And the Lord God formed man of the

dust of the ground, and breathed into

his nostrils the breath of life; and

man became a living soul. 

 

Now look at the difference when you add the word 'life" in its plural form:

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives; and man became a living soul. 

It's truly fascinating!  Not only does this suggest the character and functionality of God in three persons,  but also man whom He created in His Image--all of this in the opening account of his creation.  What a foundation He laid, but before I can go on, it's also necessary to take a look at another plural word in Genesis 1:1 (emphasis mine)

In the beginning God created the heavens

and the earth.

The word "God"  in the original language is the word Elohim. Mr. Prince explained that though we in the U.S. add the letter "s" to  change the form of a word to make it plural, in Hebrew it is normal to add "im" to change a word to the plural form.  It's pronounced "eem"as in "seem", thus the first mention of God  referring to Himself in the plural form. Another interesting fact is that verbs in Hebrew can either be singular or plural and must match the form of the words to which they are connected. A plural word such as Elohim normally would be matched with a plural form of the verb, but such is not the case in this instance.  Mr. Prince writes that the word "created" is singular in form indicating that in God there is both plurality and singularity or unity. As Christians we've known God to be a triune Being (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit), but to find it so clearly stated in the first words of the Bible in the creation account was quite an amazing discovery to me further verifying our own three part being!  Very interesting indeed and there is so much more information, knowledge and revelation available to us than we can begin to imagine, but He is willing to teach us all things! Wow!

Now that the foundation is laid, I'll return to my point: God created us in His Image and Likeness.  We all, to some extent, have understood this, but I'd like to expand on it.  Since God is 3 in 1 and has both plurality and unity within Himself, when He breathed the breath of lives into man, man became a living soul with both plurality and unity within himself just like God our Father.  Now isn't that a wonderful fact, especially since God's purpose for man has never changed. As I said before, His original plan is still His plan though it was delayed for a time. While  Man enjoyed unbroken fellowship with his Creator before the Fall, his unity within himself (his spirit, soul and body) as well as his continuous life source remained unbroken. Though they, man and woman, were made to be fully functional  living spirits, they were also fully functional living souls who lived in a fully functional living body without schism fully operating as one whole being while they remained in oneness with each other and most importantly, with God.

We know Satan entered in to cause separation and we also know he was successful.  His plan was to separate man from God and steal the ruling authority God had given man when He blessed them. The way he so subtly chose to do this was to present them with something which would first divide them within themselves which, if received, would lead to their downfall.  He needed to confuse and change the natural order in which they were created by God to function-as one, spirit, soul and body in cooperation with God Himself-to accomplish his plan. This is clearly demonstrated in Genesis 3:6 when after the woman listened to the strangers voice and seeing that the forbidden fruit was good for food, pleasant to the eye and desirable to make one wise she, being deceived, gave in to temptation. She gave some to the man who was with her  and he chose to eat.   By this act of disobedience they put their spirits in subjection to the sensual desires of their souls departing from God and the laws He had established to govern spiritual beings such as themselves-those created in the God class in need of a spiritual overlord. And the rest is history.

But now through God's great graciousness to us, Jesus restored the privilege of choosing Him as our spiritual overlord!

Though the fall of man was great,  we as men have had little understanding of how greatly we all have been affected by the lower nature we inherited because of it.   The segregation of our spirit, soul and body  because of our separation from God  and His original design has been devastating.  However, The Very Good and Great News is this truth found in Romans 5:17:

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 

The purpose of all I've written is to share a little about the separation of our "3 lives" which were designed to function as one integrated whole person, but now we are often at odds within.  At times we might follow our spirit, sometimes we might follow our emotions, and other times we might just follow our appetites depending on our circumstances or how we might feel at the moment. I know I mentioned several times that God's original plan for man is still His plan, however,  the deceiver's original plan is still his plan, which is to divide and conquer, to separate man from his Creator and to keep man from the reunification of his "three lives".

I'll end this first installment with the following scripture which Jesus Himself  said so very plainly:

John 10:10 KJV

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

         

The Divine Nature

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof;
the world,and they that dwell therein.

After spending some time with Him recently the Holy Spirit said to me:

He's given all who have received Him the divine nature with His indwelling Spirit. Each person should give Him room to develop it. 

It is up to us individually how much room we really want to give Him and how much of the divine nature  we really want to display.

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure  in earthen vessels,
that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

The Subtleties of the Old Nature

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world,

and they that dwell therein.

O my goodness! The title of this post infers the plural form of subtle, and there are INDEED many subtle ways the old nature makes efforts to meddle into our lives, but today I only want to visit one way it has been a persistent irritant in my life in a number of ways.  First of all I want to thank God for His great faithfulness, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Word which really does do the work, and for Jesus Himself who paid it all for me.  I did go on here more than intended, HOWEVER, right at this moment, it's exactly how I feel!  Most likely because HE just brought me through one of the most difficult struggles of faith I've experienced to date...at least, that's what it has felt like during this last month and more of what has seemed to be a wave after wave of stuff, difficult stuff to deal with. 

So here's the skinny.  This morning as I lay in bed in an effort to "seize the day" even as the Spirit reminded me to be diligent about, the inspired thought came to me to begin again with the yearly daily Bible reading my church family is participating in.  So, I went online and started in the Book of Esther and listened to the whole book and it was indeed a Blessing, and a strengthening to me. I did the whole book because I know I need to be filled back up to the point of overflowing because I've used up all my supply.  Next I went to the New Testament to catch up a bit there. I  chose to start with 2 Corinthians 1 and listened through chapter 12 and this is where "the skinny"-the real information- begins.

All of a sudden as happy as I was to hear the victorious story in Esther, I was miserably aggravated to begin hearing this story- I didn't want to hear  anything about hard times! I even felt a little angry and didn't want to continue listening and I pretty quickly committed all the feelings to the LORD.  I felt terribly that I felt the way I did, but He helped me, and I received my cleansing, but it was still an effort on my part to see it through.  And  thanks be to God that He brought me through because the help I need was in  this very familiar  passage in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 KJV (emphasis mine.)

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

His Peace began to settle on me as I accepted these words...AGAIN. He does change us from glory to glory in His likeness, and we sometimes revisit those very same places we've gone to before, but each time we go when He's raising us up to a new level, we have to deal with "the thing" we have to deal with to advance with Him. Thank God He is so faithful and kind and compassionate to see us through our growing pains! 

So now we've come to the subtlety I mentioned before.  After His Peace settled in I was  made aware of the issue which had made this so difficult for me to overcome-a sudden light of understanding filled my mind and it was so clear to me. I had become very weakened physically. I couldn't overcome it with all the tools I had relied on previously. I had used up all my resources and reserves  over a long period of time and have been in need of a real R&R leave- a time for rest and recuperation (which had I done voluntarily, I wouldn't have been forced to take this one in this way. Woo-hoo!)


So this is what I saw so clearly.  I was using my "tools" listening to healing scriptures, reading them aloud, decreeing them, laying hold of what I already knew to do and speaking words I know are absolutely true such as, I'm strong in the LORD and in the power of His might, and He renews my strength as the eagles, I run and am not weary, I walk and don't faint. So why didn't they work? Well, they did in my renewed spirit, but it was the motivation behind the words that could not affect the strength of my body or my soul though I've committed my whole self to the LORD for His purposes. So what am I saying here?  I was trying to renew my strength because there was that part of me that still believed I had to get mine renewed, I wasn't truly, in the deepest level of my heart or mind, trusting His Strength alone to see me through and cause me to really become strong again in every area without effort on my part other than just receiving what is already true and already mine!  Once again after repentance, I have been enabled by Him to enter His rest after ceasing from my own works as God did from His, for the Word Himself did indeed divide my soul and my spirit and judged the thoughts and intents of my heart in order for me to see that I was trying to strengthen myself by my own works! Ugh!!!! The carnal nature truly is subtle and can be open to the enemy's assault.  But the Greater One  truly takes us from strength to strength as we trust Him to do so (Psalm 84:7). I am eternally thankful for His great love, kindness, grace and PATIENCE and  now, during my necessary R&R I can agree so much more readily with what  Paul said in verse 9:

 Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

And I know better than ever before I can rest in that power!

So, this is my story today and again, I'm so thankful for His specific leading. I  trust that anyone who reads this will receive a breakthrough wherever one is needed the most and that you will experience the love of God as never before!

2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure  in earthen vessels,
that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

Restoration? What Does it Mean?

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world,

and they that dwell therein.

Most of us, and I'm speaking of Christians,  think of restoration in terms  of having things which were lost through hardship over a period of a number of years being returned to us.  Experience and time have been the teachers of our understanding of what our losses have been.  Some brave souls even think in terms of generations of loss being restored to them in this day and age. This also has been a  large part of my understanding of the definition of being restored spiritually, physically, relationally,  and financially. However by and large,  everything I've written here is related to time as we understand it.

Though some of our knowledge in the area of restoration may have come from The Word of God-even revelation from the Word-but it can be somewhat limited because revelation is only the beginning of increased understanding-it must be walked out by faith In Him. And before I go further with this I want to add a resounding, YES!, He can and does do all these things for us as  we've seen written in the Word as we are enabled to  believe and lay hold  by faith! He Is Good and desires wholeness in every area of our lives! But there is a higher order of understanding and revelation which I believe has been reserved for this day and hour and He so desires to show us so much more.

So what am I trying to convey here? We can only truly have a more perfect understanding of "restoration" when we finally ask Him one question:

              Father, what do You mean by Restoration?

When we ask this question He will began opening up more perfectly the definition as related to  Himself and eternity.  Why  was this reserved for this day and age?  Mainly because we've had to "catch up" to  where we could begin to understand on a higher level  who He Is and  what He's created us to be from His first thoughts of us before time as we know it existed.  In these last of the last days during this age change and transition of time itself into etenity, He is establishing Us, The Church, His Body, not only back to the dominion He gave  to Adam, but one far greater where we've been elevated and seated with Him NOW in Heavenly places In Him. This is a place of ruling and reigning in life through the ONE Christ Jesus!   And we can get more of a clue about God's eternal ways  from the written Word in  scriptures like Jesus  being crucified from the foundation of the World and this one about the good works He planned  beforehand for us to walk in.  And this great scripture which Paul spoke about in Ephesians 3:8-12 KJV, concerning  the fellowship of the mystery hidden in God:

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.  (emphasis, mine)

We who know Him will be working with Him throughout eternity and He  desires us  to begin following Him in that way now in this age.  

This information has been somewhat different from anything I've shared here before, but we're living in a place and time we've never been before-transitioning from this age into a new one.  By the grace and the  goodness of God we can begin experiencing on an ever increasing level what restoration really means while on this earth, but seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, because like Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 13:11 which remains true for us today:

...Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven...  (emphasis, mine)

Since this is a departure from what I normally post, I'd like to share a link with you, something I've never done before.  It will be information on how to get Dr Billye Brim's booklet entitled, The AUTHORITY of the BELIEVER & HOW TO USE IT.  I only share it because it's short, to the point, and very much anointed information of how to use the authority we already have as believers which came to us  at the same time  we accepted Jesus into our lives and we became a new creation in Him.   I share it because she is much more qualified than I to teach about our delegated authority  and how to use it which goes hand in hand with our eternal purpose.  

I also would like you to know that I do NOT receive any remuneration of any kind for giving this information to you.  Again,  I only share because it's so very valuable to have in the times in which we find ourselves living.

If you are interested in the booklet, just follow  this link and thank you for stopping by!

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God

*Micah 6:8 NKJV

*Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Becoming Uncomplicated? It's a Journey

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world,

and they that dwell therein.

I haven't written much lately, but I hope to write more often, beginning today. I posted several devotionals from Derek Prince Ministries which were on target for me at the times I shared them and trust they were of benefit to anyone who may have read them.  

I've been in a time of discovery.  A time of learning, often painfully, how to live now in this unexpected season of my life where everything changed suddenly. Discovering my customary or default mode of overthinking almost everything had to change. I'm learning how, with His help, not to "live there" any longer.  And Woo Hoo! It's been a challenge. So, in keeping with that thought I'll  just say, I want to start writing again but hopefully with greater depth and relevance, yet with greater simplicity with as much lightness of heart  as possible.

Since September of last year (2018) I started 3 journals-the first time ever I've done such a thing.  Not that I filled them up with writing, but each time I knew I needed to change to a new one, a strong inward sense arose inside me that I needed  to set up a new one. I understood instinctively how I organized them in the past needed to  improve, as well as my reasoning about why I kept including all the "extra stuff"  I felt I had to keep in them. With each change the "stuff" lessened producing a lighter, more efficient place to  journal things of the heart. The last one, a green binder I had left over after combining 3 years worth of journals  into 1 large notebook. Green because it represented new life to me as well as having a comfortable familiarity about it since I had used it before.  I'm still in the place of  discovery, but who knows, this new thing could continue on since none of us has ever been this way before.

I began to see more clearly the reason for the changes. While participating in the volunteer prayer  program at Kenneth Copeland Ministries during one of the prayer sessions, I heard  The Holy Spirit within say in a matter of fact tone:

Destiny Days are here.

The new green journal was prepared in March 2019, and those are the words written in green ink on the cover sheet, which by the way, I've never had before either. Also, there's another first for this one, my current journal has a name:

   Uncomplicated

...written with large letters, and yes, in green ink, underlined twice with an exclamation point afterwards on the cover sheet!

And to describe my life journey a bit more clearly, I'm ending this post with what I was inspired to add  beneath "Uncomplicated" several weeks ago, and I hope you enjoy it (it's in regular size cursive, but written in red):

and to be uncomplicated, you have to be "uncluttered", not having or impeded by too many objects, details or elements. hahahahahaaaa !!!

So far, this journal is the neatest, most uncluttered one I've had to date. Trusting my life inwardly and outwardly will far surpass my journal as I trust Him that none of those things I've been  receiving and hearing from Him will return to Him void but will prosper in the thing He sent it to do in me.  So let it be done unto me, LORD, even as you have said!

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God

*Micah 6:8 NKJV

*Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Derek Prince: Beginning Your Day

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world,

and they that dwell therein.

I'm sharing with you today,  what I needed to hear most today-encouragement, a reminder, present help in time of need.

The following devotional is used by permission from Derek Prince Ministries.

April 22, 2019 Beginning Your Day Psalm 5:3 Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.     NIV      How do you begin each day? Does your day begin with a scramble, with a flurry, with trying to do three different things at the same time? Do you find yourself often short of breath, short of temper, angry with your wife or husband, scolding the kids, unrestful, anxious, perplexed? Do you go out into the day unprepared, ill armed, not altogether confident of what lies ahead of you? The reason is you didn’t begin the day right.      Take a lesson from David. He says to the Lord: “Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice.” The first thing David did each morning was to lift his voice to the Lord.      He goes on to say, “Morning by morning, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” That’s the wise way to begin the day. Lift your voice to God in prayer; lay your requests before Him. Set out before Him the things you are going to have to do that day. Commit to Him the problems, the difficulties you anticipate, and then, like David, you will be able to wait in expectation. You won’t be worried, fearful. You will be expecting the answers to those prayers that you committed to God in the morning.      Remember, that’s the secret. Begin each day by letting God hear your voice. —Derek Prince To listen to Derek's original audio on our website click here.

Conclusion of Mr. Prince's Devotional.


And now, to continue in this new day with His help and His strength.  The rich Blessing of The LORD overtake you all today.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God

*Micah 6:8 NKJV

*Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.