Over the last week I've been listening to the Lord run thoughts through my spiritual hearing about His Holiness. Wherever the Lord chooses to appear in a special revealing way, His Holiness causes everything and everyone around to become HOLY. God's Presence changes all who enter it.
At the burning bush, God said to Moses, "Take off your shoes because the ground on which you stand is HOLY!" Moses entered in to God's Presence and Moses and the ground were both changed. Now jump ahead in the story to the point where the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of being tried in the wilderness. Were all of them perfected? I think not. Did all of them enter in to God's Presence? No. Two tribes implored Moses and Joshua to let them stay on the outside of the Promised Land borders because they had much cattle and wanted to prosper with their cattle. They probably brought them up from the land of Egypt. We all know cattle are good for beef, milk, and skins for clothing and shoes. Was their request good or bad? At first reading we might say good, but let's consider the hidden ramifications. (1) God had not CALLED the Israelites to become cowboys driving cattle, but shepherds leading sheep. (2) God clearly defined the Promised Land and its borders with His blessing resting INSIDE the borders. (3) God clearly wanted all 12 tribes to be UNIFIED as a complete body, not having parts operating separately outside the unity. The two tribes didn't want to enter in to the Promised Land because they didn't want to separate from their cattle. So God, as gracious as He is, allowed them to establish themselves outside the borders. Jump ahead again in the story to when Jesus came. Jesus found these descendents still outside the Promised Land borders, and still not tending sheep. They had degraded to growing pigs; abhorrent to true Israelites. They were severely afflicted with demonic activity, such as the Gaderene demoniac. Jesus could have easily said, "Hey guys I told you so," but instead He graciously drove out the legion of demons and the pigs ran over the edge of the cliff and drowned in the sea. So even after 2,000 years of being outside God's boundaries, He still offered salvation and deliverance, and invited them back into His Presence. But did they receive it? No. They drove Jesus out of their borders.
What lessons can we learn from this? I'm sure there are many, but here are a few. (1) God doesn't drive us into fellowship and deeper communion with Him, He leads and invites us. He invites us to step into His Circle of Holiness wherein everything becomes holy. But if we don't want to, He lets us be. (2) Do we refuse to enter in to the Promised Land because we are too in love with our cattle? Do you have any cattle? Present day cattle can be any baggage we want to drag along with us; such as, large amounts of possessions, ease of life just sliding along, comfort of not reaching out to unsaved neighbors, past sins still causing shame and bondage, offenses against us we still harbor, abusive parents or relations, besetting sins that daily ensnare, or stuffing our stomachs to contentment every day, to name a few. (3) Are we allowing our cattle-baggage to keep us separate from the rest of Jesus' Body? If we do, what will happen to both our own lives and our descendents for many generations to come? Are we choosing to have "our cattle" turn into "their pigs"? Will their pigs then cause them to drive away Jesus?
Sick and tired of your cattle-baggage? Want to get rid of it? Say YES to drawing near to God's circle of Holiness and residing inside His borders; take off your shoes and become tender hearted, vulnerable, and transparent (naked) before Him; and enter into God's Presence wherein everything about you becomes holy, pure, and virgin. His Holiness causes everything and everyone around to become HOLY. God's Presence changes all who enter it. Enter in every day for holiness and purity to accompany you every day!
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Hi Lisa,
Not long ago, you questioned SOZO. From your above reply, I think you're beginning to realize the need for it in our lives. I've been learning in SOZO training that we all have hurts of two kinds, ones that are real and ones that are perceived. Real ones are inflicted by someone and perceived ones come from our imaginations (like someone not speaking our particular love language).
Example: a high school class was being taught the five love languages and the teacher asked the class who thought their parents favored a sibling more than them. Two siblings in the room both raised their hands about the other. As it turned out, the parents loved them equally, but one parent had the love language of one sibling, and the other parent had the language of the other. Note what they both perceived. Hurts are real and perceived, and we have to have them brought to our attention to rid ourselves of both.
These real and perceived hurts give us colored lenses that discolor other things we see and feel in our lives. The whole Bible is Truth and is actual, including all victories, blessings, prosperity, healing, abundant living, fulfillment, relationships with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, etc. Colored lenses are revealed when we read a verse and feel within ourselves that we cannot identify with its Truth, or we cannot believe it is actually real. It doesn't make the Bible any less true, but our perception prohibits us from fully believing and living the Truth.
Blessings, Dave
Have been dealing with with the death of a family member and not felt much like writing. You asked for clarification on "I think met my beloved". Like all things in this anology it can be seen to have a double meaning. As we spend more time in God and gain greater healing our understanding and view of Him often changes. Currently I am learning to see the Lord more and more as a loving father who wants to give all that He can to His children. A father who wants His children to be near even when they screw up or ask too many questions. Rather unlike my natural father who, probably unintentionally, conveyed that I was an inconvenience. The word tells that I am the Bride of Christ. That does not mean that I have always seen Him that way. It is an understanding that I (and all Christians) first accept because it is in the word. Full understanding often comes latter. In my case I am still working on it. Why not a date with the Lord? That would be prayer , or time in worship, a special meeting at church, the Sunday service, time in a small group or other time with Christian friends.
My beloved in the natural, time will tell.... currently my tastes trend to a certain tall fellow...
I've found the closer I get to the Lord and the clearer I see Him, the supposed complexities of life (in all their forms) and life's obstacles show up to be mostly of my own making.
Blessings, Dave
Dave,
Won't be surprised if I get the job of making the Danny Silk copy. Need to listen through a handful of other CD's floating around the house first. Maybe I'll fish bowl or send them to someone else afterwards.
Final installment, I think, on the Cows. Need to bring them home. I thought this was just a goofball function of my sense of humor but every time I stop I get more. Thinking it must be a God thing. There are shades of meaning here that I haven't even figured out. Want to finish before it gets too much of me.
Finally we located an experienced local shepherd who knew how to cross. Five miles downstream is a shallow rock lined crossing perfect for beast and man. Waded across no problem. Even the calves made it in good shape. Settling into life on this side of the Jordan. Lot's of good graze. Cattle are content. Charlie is working with Clover and HaHa, a pair or roan shorthorns. He's training to yoke and wants to plow a field to plant grain. Met a local shepherd and group of friendly, loving like minded people. Meet with them weekly. We seem to be fitting in the area. The neighbors are friendly and making room for us. There was patch of unclaimed pasture land. It's almost like it's been kept for me and these cattle! I'm still praying about that textile factory idea. Could keep some of the cattle, sell the rest and use the money to start. Could sell rugs and curtains to the locals. They tell me a diversified business is better anyway. Oh I almost forgot the best thing! How could I? I seems I've met my beloved. Then again He's been here all along and I've been too clueless to notice. Look at the time! Gotta Run, I've got a date!
Lisa,
Your cow analogy grows even more phenomenal. God's love is everything we simply cannot imagine or feel. [Trust, wholeness, peace, healing, comfort, assurance, contentedness, sufficiency, and relaxation to attempt to name a few inherent characteristics.] I'm beginning to perceived a little through the minutest crack.
The premise thought behind all this (SOZO healing and cattle-baggage) is that "Love and fear are absolute opposites as are light and dark." Anything with any element of fear is NOT love. Where there is love, there is no fear. Fear cannot be present where there is love just the same as darkness cannot dwell in the same place and moment as light.
Our reluctance and doubts are rooted in fear. We're scared into hanging on to our mental and emotional hindrances. When we get to Heaven and stand in front of the Lord and we feel the billion tingles of pure love emanating from His heart to ours and we simply melt, He'll wipe us out with one simple question, "Why didn't you TRUST me more?"
Getting stuck in one place and moving on are common characteristics to all of us children waiting on the Lord. Have you listened to Danny Silk's message on Boundaries And Protecting Your Priorities? Ask the church leadership for a copy. It's going to both amaze you and lift you up from where you are.
Dave,
That relates rather well with my comments in your busting Paradigms series regarding finding the single key that helps the whole thing to fall in place. It makes sense given different learning styles and experiences that the key (although possibly in a predictable category) will be different for each person. I think I got stuck in an area and have finally moved on to the next piece of understanding. Ie Acknowledge the hurt, forgive those percieved as wrong, identify own bad behavior, change it. The process can be as slow or fast as we choose and works better if we don't indulge ourselves in self pity.
Feel free to use the anology.... there's more..
Things are calmer now. Found a new home for Cookie. They'll put her out to pasture and care for her as long as she lives. The girls have gotten into the trail routine and move along nicely. Even 54 has stopped her aggresive ways. Sold a few trouble makers and am buying supplies with the money. "Charlie" learned the hard way not mess with Cocoa's hocks during milking. He's fortunate to have only bruises and is recovering. Someone used a "miracle cure" on Belle's eye. She seems able to see now, follows right along with Eva, her mom. Young Mocha and Sporty got stuck in the ditch. Thanks to some quick thinking herdsmen (intercessors) we got them out before they drowned. We've had a couple days of rain and there's plenty of grass. Ahhhh... The peace is wonderful...maybe I'll keep the cattle after all. Hey there's the Jordan and I see green pasture! Now how do I get across this thing? The waters up no less! Seems my blessings are mixed. Arggghh. Scouts! I need Scouts! Great this side of the shore is boggy! Last thing I need is a bunch of stuck cattle! Arghhh. Some one show me the way please. Help! Intercessors pray I find the way! Someone must have been here before. Scouts!, find them I gotta talk to them and soon! We're about to get stuck in a bog! Argghhhh Am I ever gonna live through this?
Lisa, I believe I know your point. Your analogy is absolutely stupendous. May I borrow it for our next SOZO meeting? You're dead centered with all the rest of us in expressing all the impossible looking layers and their interactions that need healing. BUT... I'd be willing to bet the solution is a single layer or two healing from which all the others dissipate. Invariably, the apparent complexity is nothing more than a smoke screen deception by satan to scare us away from the simplicity of being healed. From the little I've learned so far, the single layer usually turns up to be something unexpected to both the SOZO guider and the person needing healing. Does this help to clarify?
Blessings, Dave
Sooo... back to moving those cattle. Could you cut off Thelma and Wilma they're eyeballing that big alfalfa field. Those two leggy beasts are faster than me. Clover, Raindrop, April and Havelah are doing the same on this side. I need help! I need some herders. Intercessors!?. Arrgh! Now Birdy and Tink are running off with Bright, who isn't bright. Go on girls. Move it! Move it! ahhh.... Whew, made it through that one. Cookie is lame and lagging behind. I'm afraid the old girl won't make it. Hate to lose that one. She's been a good cow. Loosing the good with the bad. Is this pruning too? I hate pruning! Intercessors! Gigi, Tina and Andrea are creating a rukus in the lead. Arrghhh! I hate moving!. I don't like change! Intercesors! That's it! When I get across the Jordan I'm selling you ornery beasts. Arghhh! You're all burger, all of you! Think I'll use the money to open a textile factory. Anything that doesn't require cattle...
*Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. L for a few odd paychecks, and the use of herd names and behavior. *
Ok. there is a point to this. Can you find it?
Dave, I can relate to the scared spitless feeling. The Lord had been taking me through a bit of the same by different means. Went back to look at the hurts some time ago. Now the Lord is making me look at how my defensive distrustful attitude played such a huge role in so many area's, even in childhood. I'd rather blame someone else! Gremlins have messed with the master CD I most wanted to hear, so going to plan B to get the info. Think you already know that if you reach to the Lord He'll get you through. There's at least one intercessor who'll try to remember to pray.
Be blessed.
Lisa
Replies
Not long ago, you questioned SOZO. From your above reply, I think you're beginning to realize the need for it in our lives. I've been learning in SOZO training that we all have hurts of two kinds, ones that are real and ones that are perceived. Real ones are inflicted by someone and perceived ones come from our imaginations (like someone not speaking our particular love language).
Example: a high school class was being taught the five love languages and the teacher asked the class who thought their parents favored a sibling more than them. Two siblings in the room both raised their hands about the other. As it turned out, the parents loved them equally, but one parent had the love language of one sibling, and the other parent had the language of the other. Note what they both perceived. Hurts are real and perceived, and we have to have them brought to our attention to rid ourselves of both.
These real and perceived hurts give us colored lenses that discolor other things we see and feel in our lives. The whole Bible is Truth and is actual, including all victories, blessings, prosperity, healing, abundant living, fulfillment, relationships with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, etc. Colored lenses are revealed when we read a verse and feel within ourselves that we cannot identify with its Truth, or we cannot believe it is actually real. It doesn't make the Bible any less true, but our perception prohibits us from fully believing and living the Truth.
Blessings, Dave
My beloved in the natural, time will tell.... currently my tastes trend to a certain tall fellow...
Blessings, Dave
Dave
Won't be surprised if I get the job of making the Danny Silk copy. Need to listen through a handful of other CD's floating around the house first. Maybe I'll fish bowl or send them to someone else afterwards.
Final installment, I think, on the Cows. Need to bring them home. I thought this was just a goofball function of my sense of humor but every time I stop I get more. Thinking it must be a God thing. There are shades of meaning here that I haven't even figured out. Want to finish before it gets too much of me.
Finally we located an experienced local shepherd who knew how to cross. Five miles downstream is a shallow rock lined crossing perfect for beast and man. Waded across no problem. Even the calves made it in good shape. Settling into life on this side of the Jordan. Lot's of good graze. Cattle are content. Charlie is working with Clover and HaHa, a pair or roan shorthorns. He's training to yoke and wants to plow a field to plant grain. Met a local shepherd and group of friendly, loving like minded people. Meet with them weekly. We seem to be fitting in the area. The neighbors are friendly and making room for us. There was patch of unclaimed pasture land. It's almost like it's been kept for me and these cattle! I'm still praying about that textile factory idea. Could keep some of the cattle, sell the rest and use the money to start. Could sell rugs and curtains to the locals. They tell me a diversified business is better anyway. Oh I almost forgot the best thing! How could I? I seems I've met my beloved. Then again He's been here all along and I've been too clueless to notice. Look at the time! Gotta Run, I've got a date!
Your cow analogy grows even more phenomenal. God's love is everything we simply cannot imagine or feel. [Trust, wholeness, peace, healing, comfort, assurance, contentedness, sufficiency, and relaxation to attempt to name a few inherent characteristics.] I'm beginning to perceived a little through the minutest crack.
The premise thought behind all this (SOZO healing and cattle-baggage) is that "Love and fear are absolute opposites as are light and dark." Anything with any element of fear is NOT love. Where there is love, there is no fear. Fear cannot be present where there is love just the same as darkness cannot dwell in the same place and moment as light.
Our reluctance and doubts are rooted in fear. We're scared into hanging on to our mental and emotional hindrances. When we get to Heaven and stand in front of the Lord and we feel the billion tingles of pure love emanating from His heart to ours and we simply melt, He'll wipe us out with one simple question, "Why didn't you TRUST me more?"
Getting stuck in one place and moving on are common characteristics to all of us children waiting on the Lord. Have you listened to Danny Silk's message on Boundaries And Protecting Your Priorities? Ask the church leadership for a copy. It's going to both amaze you and lift you up from where you are.
That relates rather well with my comments in your busting Paradigms series regarding finding the single key that helps the whole thing to fall in place. It makes sense given different learning styles and experiences that the key (although possibly in a predictable category) will be different for each person. I think I got stuck in an area and have finally moved on to the next piece of understanding. Ie Acknowledge the hurt, forgive those percieved as wrong, identify own bad behavior, change it. The process can be as slow or fast as we choose and works better if we don't indulge ourselves in self pity.
Feel free to use the anology.... there's more..
Things are calmer now. Found a new home for Cookie. They'll put her out to pasture and care for her as long as she lives. The girls have gotten into the trail routine and move along nicely. Even 54 has stopped her aggresive ways. Sold a few trouble makers and am buying supplies with the money. "Charlie" learned the hard way not mess with Cocoa's hocks during milking. He's fortunate to have only bruises and is recovering. Someone used a "miracle cure" on Belle's eye. She seems able to see now, follows right along with Eva, her mom. Young Mocha and Sporty got stuck in the ditch. Thanks to some quick thinking herdsmen (intercessors) we got them out before they drowned. We've had a couple days of rain and there's plenty of grass. Ahhhh... The peace is wonderful...maybe I'll keep the cattle after all. Hey there's the Jordan and I see green pasture! Now how do I get across this thing? The waters up no less! Seems my blessings are mixed. Arggghh. Scouts! I need Scouts! Great this side of the shore is boggy! Last thing I need is a bunch of stuck cattle! Arghhh. Some one show me the way please. Help! Intercessors pray I find the way! Someone must have been here before. Scouts!, find them I gotta talk to them and soon! We're about to get stuck in a bog! Argghhhh Am I ever gonna live through this?
Blessings, Dave
*Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. L for a few odd paychecks, and the use of herd names and behavior. *
Ok. there is a point to this. Can you find it?
Dave, I can relate to the scared spitless feeling. The Lord had been taking me through a bit of the same by different means. Went back to look at the hurts some time ago. Now the Lord is making me look at how my defensive distrustful attitude played such a huge role in so many area's, even in childhood. I'd rather blame someone else! Gremlins have messed with the master CD I most wanted to hear, so going to plan B to get the info. Think you already know that if you reach to the Lord He'll get you through. There's at least one intercessor who'll try to remember to pray.
Be blessed.
Lisa
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