Monthly Archive for February, 2009

Amen

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revelator
on February 26th, 2009
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Mark 1:22, “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.”

Why were they astonished? Before He spoke they did not have faith or believe. After He spoke quickened, living word to them they were astonished because their ears heard undeniable truth. To some, this is the affect of truth on the soul, astonishment and wonder.

How could He teach as one who had authority?

He is the Amen. Amen is immovable and eternally permanent. Christ is the Amen, Truth and Life. Amen if faithful to its nature and cannot compromise things contrary to itself. That would be deceitful.

“This Hebrew Amen is derived from the root [aman], which means to be firm or solid in the sense of permanency. Thus by implication, it means to be sure, true or faithful. So whenever we see this word Amen used in scripture, it is affirming truth, or illustrating something is said that is of absolute certainty. “1

Revelation 3:14
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;”

John 8:51
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”

2 Cor. 1:20
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

Comprehensive truth

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revelator
on February 23rd, 2009
in endurance, faith and truth
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I gave someone technical support over the phone today. At one point in time I worked in technical support for almost three consecutive years. I am not sure where technical support ranks in stressful jobs, but I wonder if it is up there in the top 10 or 20. When I get these phone calls sometimes now from friends and family the memories bubble up again with the emotions attached of technical support. Sometimes there is a tendency towards impatience or frustration.

After talking on the phone, I thought to myself, “This person was frustrated because of what was going on.” This is stating the obvious, but the obvious can be taken for granted. This is something I am growing in. I guess you could call it compassion and or empathy. Well, when this thought came to mind it had Truth attached to it.

When I thought this thought about this person, my emotions changed, even my heart rate. Not joking. I realized that my understanding based on simple, yet powerful truth gave me energy and I was no longer mentally agitated at all. It was gone. He has revealed Himself in me. In this revelation, He unveils Himself and His will. I acknowledge His love, compassion, mercy, power, and forgiveness towards me. In turn, I reciprocate this in my life including my thinking and motive.

Prov. 16:22 seems to be what may of happened to me. I received life, really His life, by His Spirit in revelation. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. His Spirit gives life! Even overflowing life again and again.

Why did I receive life? I believe I received the truth. The truth and reality of how another person was feeling and where they were at. Eph. 4:21 says, “The truth is in Jesus.” The truth sets me free. I was set free from the unregenerate thinking by truth. In this truth, by faith in me, I received understanding. The spiritual mind is life and peace by understanding through His faith inside me by His grace.

Truth is being imparted into my soul daily. This truth sanctifies my soul. It makes my soul more whole to be eventually like Him because He is in me. Truth is fulfilling its purpose. It is aligning all things with itself through sanctification.

I am reminded of Prov. 19:11 (NIV), “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”

The KJV says, “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and [it is] his glory to pass over a transgression.”

Prov. 2:11 (NIV), “Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.”

Prov. 14:29 (NIV), “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.”

Prov. 16:22 (NIV), “Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.”

Control

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revelator
on February 13th, 2009
in legalism and walking in the Spirit
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This blog reminds me of another, Self-willed opinion and not revelation.

“Results showed that not having control caused participants to mistakenly see an image in a field of static, to smell conspiracy in other people’s benign behavior, to embrace superstitious beliefs and to perceive nonexistent stock-market trends.1”

It seems in our fallen nature which is rooted in fear and apart from the knowledge of Christ we intrinsically exercise our faith into things other than Him. The above quote from Scientific American sounds like if one does not possess control in their life then there is a tendency towards thought patterns that aren’t necessarily real. This sounds like fantasy and vain imaginations. They could appear like superstition, religion, family tradition, mind games and so on.

Col. 3:5 says, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”

I believe these “manifestations of the flesh” are rooted in lack of knowledge of the truth, love and Christ. I believe Paul is exhorting them to ‘put to death’ these areas for their sakes and because we have grace in Christ to be a new creature. As this new creature, these desires are not there because there is knowledge of the truth, love and Christ. This knowledge imparts grace and liberty to every part of our being. These “manifestations of the flesh” also seem like ways to possess control in one’s life through a chaotic approach. None of these areas in Col. 3:5 indicate love of one’s self or another, but on the contrary lack of control. This is ironic to me because it seems like they are ways of attempting to get control like Adam sewing the fig leaf on his shame. These are manifestations of self-strength proving to self and God we can’t do anything apart from Him and His only Son. Paul says this in Romans 3:9-20.

1 Cor. 12:2 Paul says, “Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.”

I believe idols are not just physical statues, but idols can be in unregenerate areas of our mind, soul, and heart that attempt to siphon life from us.

Titus 1:7, “Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless-not overbearing (self-willed), not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.”

2 Pet. 2:10, “This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant (self-willed), these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;”

The Greek word for self-willed means, “self-pleasing” (autos, “self,” hedomai, “to please”), denotes one who, dominated by self-interest, and inconsiderate of others, arrogantly asserts his own will, “self-willed”

The “old self” or “old man” desperately wants control and desires to assert itself. It has a problem though that it is unable to overcome. In Christ, the old man is dead. It no longer has control and can no longer be judged by a law.

The “new man” is not motivated according to fear, but according to the revelation of Christ imparted by the Spirit of Truth. This revelation affects the soul. Love, grace, faith, hope, and truth begins to grow and apprehend the soul in this continuous revelation. Fear is nullified and casted out. Fear cannot reside in love. I have knowledge of love through truth. Truth sets me free and changes me, my will, and everything else possible about me to the image of Christ again. The desire to impose self-will dissipates and the desire to give and love grows.

Lack of control seems in proportion to lack of the knowledge of the truth and of knowledge of how much God loves me by manifesting this love in His Son in me.

My security and assurance is not whether or not if I am in control of my life, but in the faith of Christ in me. In Christ,  I am under His authority, love and grace. His fullness and love fill my lack continually to overflowing.

Self-imposed law is real

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revelator
on February 10th, 2009
in condemnation and legalism
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At the gym today, I realized some self-imposed law attempted to have an influence on me. I’d been praying about this for a week or so. Gal. 5:9 (NIV) says, ““A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

In my thoughts, this ’self-imposed’ law said I was spritually inadequate because I was not doing something that I was supposed to do. The ’something to do’ was in regard to ministry. This could be the Lord right? Yes and no. Love does not manipulate. Jesus did not die on the cross to coerce me to salvation. If that is true then the rest of my spiritual walk is a reflection of this same Love. A love that even says I do not owe God back.

We I came to this realization, relief followed soon after. Relief? Wow. That tells me quite a bit. The law or self-imposed law has ability to create and enforce obligation. It can also deceive in attempt to say “it is the right thing to do.” In my walk, this has been a snare. I will walk in and say yes and run myself spiritually ragged as the enemy is waiting with a spiritual upper-cut to knock me down. If I am at rest in Christ, not complacency, then there is nothing to be relieved from because my mind and heart in Christ are guarded by His peace. Peace from the judgment and penalty of the law. Peace from no longer being under the curse. This rest enables me to do and be which is contrary to a coercive obligation.

So, self-imposed law seems to lead to stress. Out of stress, comes the other manifestations: fear, anxiety, doubt, sickness, anger, rage, malice, contempt, bitterness, and the like. If I am aware that I am under grace and not condemnation or judgment then I have peace. Paul says that ‘pressure’ or tribulation works patience or ‘an abiding under.’ Rom. 5:3, “And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;” James said in James 1:2-3, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

If faith is real in me, the pressure will only purify this faith each time. Each time pressure comes faith increases and builds on top of the previous occurrence or expounds and deepens the previous occurrence. Eventually, I grow in my faith and understanding in my soul1 that God in me is not stressed, but possesses fullness to overflowing.

EFS

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revelator
on February 10th, 2009
in baptism and identity
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EFS" src="http://pushingpeanuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/efs_operation_scheme.png" alt="EFS" width="294" height="355" />

This past Monday, 02/09/09, I was locked out of my work laptop. I came to realize (the hard way) that my whole hard drive or file system was totally encrypted. So, you could see the data, or even an outline perhaps, but were unable to correctly make any sort of identification due to the data being encrypted. It kind of reminds me of a shadow. I can see it, but it has no substance. I can guess what it is, but really do not know what it is unless I can experience what makes the actual shadow.

The Encrypting File System (EFS) is a file system driver that provides file system-level encryption in Microsoft Windows (2000 and later) operating systems, except Windows XP Home Edition, Windows Vista Basic, and Windows Vista Home Premium. The technology enables files to be transparently encrypted on NTFS file systems to protect confidential data from attackers with physical access to the computer.1

Col. 2:17 says, “Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.”

I believe when the Old Testament prophets would prophesy about the Messiah and the good news to come they could see a shadow and were excited, but were unable to pinpoint exactly what they were pointing to? 1 Peter 1:10, “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:”

Col. 1:26, “[Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”

Paul speaks of the ‘mystery’ in his writings at least 17 times. The meaning of the Greek word for mystery means ‘that which is known to the initiated.’

One definition of ‘initiated’ is ” introduced to the knowledge of a subject.” The definition of the Greek word for repentance is literally after thought.

In Acts 9:4, Jesus reveals Himself to Paul. In Acts 9:6, Paul says, “And he said, Who art thou, Lord?” This is the affect of the after thought of the Son of the Living God unveiling Himself to Paul. At this moment, in salvation, we are immersed, drowned and “initiated” in Christ. We are introduced to a knowledge that has been kept hidden from ages and generations. It has been kept hidden for a long, long time. Possibly before time existed.

The key is in the revelation of Christ. This key decrypts or rather unveils God in His only Son. My old dead, encrypted life is dead. In Christ, the mystery is decrypted in me. This mystery initiates me into Him. This initiation changes who I am into a new creature of righteousness according to faith by grace. My life is renewed over and over. More and more knowledge by revelation of Christ is decrypted in me on the basis of the Word of God.

Don’t you know who I am?

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revelator
on February 6th, 2009
in identity
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Rom. 12:3

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.“

I believe what Paul could be implying is we need to know who we are in Christ by faith through revelation and sometimes we have a tendency to ‘put law’ on ourselves in ignorance, arrogance, or by the flesh and we suffer unnecessarily for it. We suffer because it is not truth we are basing our thoughts on. Setting my mind on facts will get me as far as the facts reach.

Again in Rom. 12:16.

“Be not wise in your own conceits.”

According to His grace and faith in us, we should not allow self to have an excessively high opinion of itself. Godly confidence yes, conceitedness, no. In doing so, there is a potential to set yourself up to compare yourself because your thought basis is not founded on revelation and truth rooted in the Word.

If I know who I am in Christ then I won’t think more highly of myself than I ought. My identity is found in Him. In doing so, conceitedness, arrogance, and pride are quenched. These are not truth.

John 1:5

“And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

Osmotic obedience

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revelator
on February 4th, 2009
in sound doctrine, walking in the Spirit and works
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Rom. 6:15-16, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

Rom. 6:17, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.”

The saints and believers at Rome believed what Paul spoke to them from their heart. I don’t think it was just that they believed him, but it says that a ‘form, pattern, example’ of doctrine was delivered to them. I believed it was delivered as rhema word. It had to be. Paul confirmed his apostleship and doctrine with signs, wonders and miracles. He spoke living word to them. This living word affected them in their believing even. 1 Thess. 2:13 speaks of the word being received, heard and working in the hearer. This is osmotic obedience. It is obedience rooted in grace and imparted in the revelation of Christ in us. I believe it is our will being diffused and absorbed into His willingness by revelation of Him in us! My willingness becomes His and vice versa. This obedience draws us and grows in us in holiness and unto holiness. I believe this is what Paul says in Romans 6:19, “…even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” How? Osmotic obedience through revelation.

Osmosis seems to be when a lesser concentration is partaking of a greater concentration until both are equal. We are partaking of Christ in us by hearing and hearing the word until the word eventually becomes us! The Word became flesh. Now, the flesh is becoming Word!

I believe the word ‘obedience’ has had a negative connotation sometimes in church. The connotation being legal, fire and brimstone, “you have to do this or else”, and so on. That has been some of my experience at least.

The Greek word of obedience is a compound word of ‘under’ + ‘to hear’. This is what Paul is describing in Rom. 6:15-23 as well as the first half of Romans.

Under whose authority do I hear?

What do I listen to that compels me to do and be?

If I solely listen to me then I am an anarchist. I am a law unto my self. What I say goes. I listen to no one else. This is also the flesh that Paul describes. Ultimately, the old nature which is called the ’sinful nature’ is rooted at the garden of Eden when the enemy deceived Eve and Adam willfully sinned. So, the old nature is under the authority of the enemy, Eph. 2:2.

In Christ, that old nature is dead. In Him, I am a creature of His righteousness and substance. First I hear. Then I hear what the word of truth is actually saying according to the quickening of the Spirit of God in me. In hearing this word, I am hearing what the Spirit of the Lord is saying. I am under His authority. I am under His grace.

As He reveals Himself in me, I grow more in this grace that I am under. The grace is Eph. 1:19, “…the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power…”

If I have no power in my life then what am I believing?

This power in us according to faith and grace in Christ Jesus creates His willingness in us. His willingness makes us righteous not works. Walking in His willingness in us is a total contrast than walking presumptuously, Matt. 7:21-29. If His willingness is in me then my walk is not hard to walk. Persecution and tribulation is always there, but the actual walk according to His willingness internally is not a tight rope walk.

We walk and live in the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is their is great liberty. Liberty to serve one another in love.

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