As we end the year 2009, and what a year it has been, I usually look back and take an ‘inventory of beliefs’. What has changed in my religious-spiritual-theological belief systems. So much of our BS (belief systems) is exactly that. It’s what WE BELIEVE based on the environment (can you say geographical location?) wherein we have lived?
I grew up in the bread basket of America and then moved to the Bible Belt.
However, I was able to ESCAPE the fundamentalist teachings of that environment by the grace of God- and a lot of growing pains. It’s near impossible to change ones BS (belief system) after a decade of indoctrination, peer pressure, and admonishments to not stray from the WORD lest one be ensnared by the Devil. But to do so after several DECADES of dogmatic pounding is even more of a miracle.
Hey, I’m a miracle! Others would use different adjectives (can you say heretic?).
It’s always been a conundrum to me to have the Hebraic teaching (Old Testament) along with the Greco-Roman teachings (New Testament) in the same book. Saying that we are from a Judeo-Christian background is an oxymoron at best. While Jesus affirmed much of his Jewish upbringing, he repeatedly didn’t do as they wanted, he rebuffed many of their traditions, and then he flatly stated (Matthew 5) several times that what they had heard and what they had been told wasn’t the real deal.
Jesus in essence brought a NEW PICTURE of God- Abba Father.
Wonder why it is that so many still embrace the Old Testament God filled with anger, retribution, and “conditional love” when Jesus said that’s not God! Neale Donald Walsh expanded it from three words to five, “You have me all wrong”, so he says God told him. Generally speaking I could say that of the many new insights to God that I’ve come to embrace in 2009 all evolve around the GREATNESS of God’s LOVE.
How have you changed in 2009?
Ernie I have to say that God’s love has change the way I see thinks this past year.I read many things that I have read that have open my eyes to see His love that were not under the christian label. Some of them have been threw your website.
Ernie may you and all here see God’s love more and new ways this coming year.
Love Dan
Ernie- I’m right there with you, a real “Miracle Max”. If I can “wake up” after 59 years in the institution, IMO anyone can do (scratch that) BE it.
“You’ve got me all wrong”, is right up there at the top of my blog.
Speaking of Christians going back to Old Testament traditions, the newest craze that someone keeps trying to push on me is the “Torah Blessing” and using the talitnia or Jewish prayer shawl for extra blessing and potency in prayer.
Wow! I feel absolutely no need to throw a prayer shawl over my head when soaking in the presence of God. Their drive to do this is stimulated and perpetuated by the constant need to find that next, obscurely hidden in scripture, piece of the pie that takes them to the next level of God…because the last level of God seemed to not work. As you guys always say, “Just BE it!”
Amen
Well, being born and raised in the dogmatic “christian” doctrine, and graduating from a “christian” high school, I ran as far from church as I could possibly go, only to be suckered back in at a later date. I spent 5 years in ministry in deep conflict, the conflict came from what the “church” was teaching and what God was revealing to me personally.
I finally realized that, Christ fulfilled the law and that Grace, being undeserved favor, although being taught in church is not believed by the church. The church believes in Law and rules, because it is an excellent way to control people. The spirit of control, or in other words the Spirit of Jezebel, is rampant in religion. Therefore the church must teach about grace to seem valid, but they deny the power of grace through their practices. Thus, in reality, the church is practicing witchcraft, the very thing they preach against.
What have we done? We have taken the pure and simple path of Christ and turned it into something completely different. Jesus said that it would be easier for a camel to fit through an eye of a needle than for them to enter into the kingdom of God. Because, after Jesus came to fulfill the Law, we have decided tht it was not truly FINISHED nor fulfilled. Therefore we haved added to the Word, and with all the weight and bulk of the law that we have added, there is no way that we can fit into that eye of the needle that is the kingdom of God. Thy Grace is sufficient for me! I can do nothing else to make it happen, for all that I do to obtain is considered dung in the eyes of God! That is why when Christ gave his life for me he stated that it is Finished! Yet we still try.
IF IT DOES NOT HAVE IT’S ORIGIN, IN THE SPIRIT….I WANT NO PART OF IT.~~~~~~~
CHRIST PLUS ANYTHING~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`GOD HELP US TO WANT NO PART OF IT~~~~~~~~~~~
WE, LIKE CHRIST, ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS WALKING IT OUT IN THIS BODY OF FLESH. WE HAVE TAKEN ON THE IMAGE OF CHRIST, HOPEFULLY! SHEDDING THE CONFINEMENTS OF OUR FLESH. THE FLESH REALLY DOESN’T HAVE A VOICE UNTIL WE GIVE IT ONE~~~~~~~~~~~NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. YOU WILL EITHER BECOME ONE OR THE OTHER, IN A CONSTANT CONFLICT OF SPIRIT RULE OR FLESH RULE. CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE. PEOPLE ARE IN THE STATE OF MIND THAT THEY ARE STILL SUBJECT TO THIS BODY OF FLESH, AND OF COURSE THEY ARE, IF OF THAT MIND SET. WE ARE NO LONGER NATURAL BEINGS AND THIS IS NOT OUR HOME. WHAT YOU SET YOUR HEART AND MIND ON AND DIRECT YOUR ENERGY ON HOLDS YOUR ATTENTION. JESUS SAID:LET YOUR LIGHT, JOIN HIS LIGHT, JESUS SAID I AM THE LIGHT!! COME SIT UP HERE WITH ME IN THE HEAVENS, AND YOUR PROSPECTIVE WILL BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT!
AS THE MAN BEFORE ME, MENTIONED, THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE~~ NONE US REALLY WANT TO STRIP OURSELVES OF ALL THAT IS NEED FULL TO WALK AS JESUS WALKED. TO REALLY WALK IN DIVINE HEALTH, AS JESUS DID, DIVINE WILL, DIVINE DIRECTION, REACTION, PURPOSE AND OUR COMFORTS, AND POSSESSIONS ALL GET IN THE WAY IN THIS WORLD……..SEE SOMEONE IN NEED….SUPPLY THE NEED IF YOU CAN, FEEL YOUR THE 20% THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF OTHERS.( TAXES, TITHE, ETC.). PREFER YOURSELF? WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW, TO BE TRUE OVER WHAT OTHERS THINK TO BE TRUE. WE CANT ADD TO THE WORK OF CHRIST, BUT PERSONALLY I BELIEVE WE CAN, AND SHOULD TAKE AWAY FROM US~~ THE WORK THAT LIVING IN THE FLESH AND THIS WORLD HAS HEAPED UPON US SINCE BIRTH. ALL THAT WE NEED IS WITHIN US TO DO THIS., JUST AS IT WAS IN JESUS. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT JESUS PUT DOWN HIS FLESH BODY AND CARNAL EMOTIONS ALL THE TIME.
WHEN WE HEAP AND DIRECT ALL “LOVE REQUIREMENT” ON OUR FATHER GOD, AND NONE DIRECTED ON US, TO REFLECT ON OTHERS OF THIS WORLD…….. EVOLVING OR OTHERWISE? IT SEEMS POINTLESS, ALL THIS “GODS LOVE” HAS TO HAVE A RETURN TO HIM. AND WE SAY SURE IT DOES, BUT LOVING GOD……..PERIOD! HAS NO REQUIREMENTS. DOES GOD WARRANT OUR HONOR? RESPECT? DOES RELATIONSHIP MEAN THAT WE ARE EFFECTED OR CHANGED? NONE OF THESE WORDS ARE PASSIVE. BY GODS VERY NATURE IT EVOLVES THAT THERE IS SOME EFFECT ON ALL THAT HE TOUCHES. IS THERE NO RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD OTHERS, IF INDEED, ALL THINGS ARE OURS, PROFITABLE OR NOT. WE HAVE NOTHING TO ANSWER FOR BECAUSE ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR US TO DO, BECAUSE THERE IS NO RESPONSIBILITY TO ANYONE. NO THERE IS NO SIN, WE CAN ACT OUT ANYWAY WE WANT TOWARDS OTHERS, CHEAT, STEAL, CHOSE WHOM WE SHALL SHOW OR TREAT WITH SELF LOVE..OR WHAT. WE DO NOT HAVE TO JUDGE OURSELVES. THERE IS NO JUDGMENT!
LOVE BY NATURE REQUIRES ABSORPTION. IT HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE! THERE IS A POINT OF SATURATION, THAT SPILLS OUT… IF NOT, WE HAVE A LOT OF SELF-ISH PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND.
ACTUALLY WE ARE NOTHING MORE THAN MINDS………..JUST MINDS! I HAD A PASTOR SAY TO ME ONE TIME. STRANGE HOW MANY TIMES HIS FLESH CAME ALIVE, TO RULE HIS MIND!!! I DON’T KNOW WHERE HIS SPIRIT WAS INVOLVED IN ALL THAT.
WHAT AMAZES ME MOST IS HOW PEOPLE WHO HUNGER AFTER GOD ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE TRUTH. ME INCLUDED, FOR YEARS. I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY FATHER, DID NOT UNDERSTAND ALL HIS WAYS WITH ME. HOWEVER, AT THE AGE OF 26 MY SISTER KILLED HERSELF. THAT NITE I MET THE CHRIST IN A STRANGE WAY. I PROMISED THE FATHER AS I REALIZED SHE WAS DEAD AND HAD BEEN DEAD FOR SOME HOURS, THAT I WOULD SERVE HIM ALL THE DAYS OF MY REMAINING LIFE, IF I COULD HAVE HER BACK. A DOCUMENTED MIRACLE AT THE HOSPITAL IN REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. SHE CAME BACK SCREAMING IN EMERGENCY, THAT SHE HATED ME, SHE WAS WHERE SHE WANTED TO BE, AND I WOULD NEVER LIFE LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR HER SAY THANK YOU. I HAVE NOT EITHER.
THE ATTENDANTS AND ALL STAFF WITHIN EAR SHOT HEARD THAT DREADFUL VOICE COME OUT OF HER~~~~~(EVEN MY DOCTOR RAN OUT OF THE ROOM) ~NOT HER VOICE! IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZE WHOSE NAME I WAS IN. MY PASTOR, WHO HAD ESCAPED CUBA,(HE HAD BEEN A MISSIONARY OVER THERE) HE BEGIN TO PRAY WITH ME. I SAW A DARK HALL AND THEN INSIDE ME I KNEW WHY JESUS COULD SAY, I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU………THAT DARKNESS TURNED TO LIGHT IN ME. I FELT HIM WALL TO WALL. MY SISTER WAS 43 AT THE TIME SHE IS 92 NOW. SHE FILLED THE OLDS WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS HOOKED THE EXHAUST UP TO THE WINDOW OF THE CAR, CLOSING ALL OTHER WINDOWS, FASTENING IT INSIDE HER SHIRT OVER HER HEAD. THE GARAGE DOOR SHUT AND IT WAS A BRICK HOME ATTACHED GARAGE. WHEN I WENT TO BED AT 11PM I HEARD THE CAR PULL INTO THE GARAGE, I JUST THOUGHT SHE WOULD SOON TURN IT OFF. I KNEW SHE HAD GONE TO GET GAS. WE WERE EXTREMELY CLOSE AS SISTERS, BUT HAD OUR FIRST TRUE FIGHT THAT NITE. I AWOKE THE NEXT MORN FOR WORK ABOUT 5 AM AND I HEARD THE CAR RUNNING. BY THE TIME I THOUGHT WHAT I WAS HEARING, AND GOT TO THE GARAGE IT QUIT RUNNING, AS IT HAD RAN OUT OF GAS!!! THE REST TOO HARD TO SPEAK OF, AS I WAS ALONE AND, WHEN I OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR PURE EXHAUST HAD FILLED THE PLACE. I HAD TO DEAL WITH GETTING HER OUT BY MYSELF, AND I COULD HARDLY BREATH.I KEPT FALLING AND DROPPING HER. I HAD WORKED IN THE HOSPITAL AS A NURSE AID FOR SEVERAL YEARS THUR HIGH SCHOOL, SO I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY HOPE BEFORE I CALLED FOR HELP. SHE WAS DEAD.NO PULSE, NO HEART BEAT, NO BREATH. SHE WAS A STRANGE COLOR OF GREY AND AS I REMEMBER SHE WAS NOT LIMBER. ABOUT THEN HER HUSBAND OPENED THE FRONT DOOR TO SEE WHAT I WAS DOING, I YELLED TO HIM TO GET AN AMBULANCE! IT WAS THEN I BARGAINED WITH GOD! WHEN GOD HEARD ME PRAY, MY SIS BEGAN TO SNORE VERY LOUDLY, BUT NEVER MOVED. IT ONLY HAPPED THAT ONE TIME. I KNEW DEEP INSIDE HE HAD A PLAN!!
I SHARED THIS TO SAY IN LIFE WE ARE TAUGHT ALL KINDS OF THINGS, BUT GOD AND HIS HOLY SPIRIT IS STILL WORKING IN OUR LIVES. I CAN MATCH ANY FALSE TEACHING, YOU ALL CAN SPEAK ABOUT, BUT INSIDE IF YOU KNOW THE LORD, HE TOLD YOU THAT YOU THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS YOUR TEACHER! MANY TIMES IN OUR LIVES WE TAKE THE EASY COMFORTABLE ROAD AND THAT WAY WE CAN BLAME OTHERS FOR WHAT WE SUFFER.LATER, I STARTED GOING TO CHURCH, AND I REBELLED AGAINST MY PASTOR AND THE LEADERS IN MY CHURCH, BECAUSE I WAS CHANGED, JUST AS I WAS………..NO CLEAN UP JOB. THEY SAID I COULD NOT WEAR MAKEUP, SHORT SKIRTS~~~~~~HAY THIS WAS 1962ISH, I WORE 4 ” HEALS, SKI PANTS AND SWEATERS TO WORK!! GOD DIDN’T CARE, SO WHY SHOULD THEY. AND HOWEVER, WITHOUT SAYING A WORD WHEN I WALKED INTO LOCKHEED THE NEXT DAY, EVERYONE COMMENT ON THE GLOW I HAD, SAME HAIR STYLE, MAKEUP, AND CLOTHES………YET THEY SAW THE CHANGE~~~~~~~~FROM INSIDE OUT!
ITS NOT WHAT SOMEONE TRIES TO HOLD YOU CAPTIVE WITH THAT CHANGES YOU GOOD OR BAD, BUT RATHER, THE HUNGER YOU HAVE FOR GOD TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT DIRECT LINE TO HIS EAR. THAT IS WHAT THRILLED ME AS A CHILD. I HEARD INSIDE THAT STILL VOICE THAT TOLD ME I WAS SPECIAL BECAUSE I BELONGED TO HIM AND THERE WAS MORE FOR ME, AND HE IS STILL ASSURING ME THAT I AM NOT FINISHED YET. THE WORST TIMES OF MY WALK WITH OUR LORD HAS BEEN WHEN I BELIEVED WHAT I HEARD PREACHED!!!! WHEN YOU SEEK HIM OUT WITH ALLLLLLL YOUR HEART.~~~~~~~HE WILL CAUSE YOU TO KNOW WHEN THINGS ARE NOT RIGHT. BEWARE OR PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE YOUR SPIRITUAL GUIDE. JESUS SOUGHT HIS FATHER OUT AND SO SHOULD WE. MAN WILL LEAD YOU DOWN THEIR PATH, NOT ON PURPOSE, BUT IF YOU FOLLOW THEM WITHOUT QUESTION, AND YOU DON’T HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP GOING ON WITH YOU AND YOUR FATHER, IT WONT BE LONG TILL SOMEONE FALLS IN A DITCH. WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO YOU IT IS REAL EASY TO BLAME SOMEONE BESIDES YOURSELF. KEEP THE FLOW GOING, THAT DIVINE CONNECTION IS WHERE IT IS AT.
YOU KNOW THAT THE SEEKING OF KNOWLEDGE CAN GET YOU IN TROUBLE. SOMEONE OUT THERE CAN WRITE GREAT THINGS THAT MAKES MANS WISDOM SOUND SOOOOO RIGHT. WE EVEN THINK WE KNOW IF SOMETHING IS GOD OR NOT, FOR OTHERS. EACH PERSON IS DIVINELY CONNECTED, SOMETIMES THE PATH WE TAKE IS JUST WHAT GOD HAD IN STORE FOR US. IT BRINGS US TO OUR END IN GOD. THINGS ALONG THE PATH MAKE US STRONG OR WEAK. GOD PUT IN US THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO OUR SELVES AND OUR BODIES, TO JUDGE, CORRECT, BUFFET AS PAUL SAID. DO YOU THNK WE REALLY DONT USE WHAT WE HAVE TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B. “OH YE OF LITTLE FAITH HOW LONG MUST I SUFFER YOU.” THOSE CHURCH’S THAT ARE OUR STOMPING PITS DID WONDERFUL THINGS FOR MANY PEOPLE. PERHAPS WE SHOULD THANK GOD FOR THEM AND THEIR FAITHFULNESS TO DO WHAT THEY THOUGHT TO BE RIGHT….NO MATTER HOW CONTROLLING AND MISLEAD THEY WERE. THE PAIN THEY PUT US THRU WAS A STEPPING STONE TO KNOW WE COULD WALK A FREE PATH ONE DAY. OUR PATH IS INSTANT, NO TEARING, FINALLY WE KNOW WE HAVE AN INSIDE GOD. ALL WE NEED IS IN US. STILL**********
WE HAVE DIVINE HEALTH, WISDOM, ALL THE GIFTS AND THE FRUITS YES YES! YET HOW MANY OF US FALL SHORT……..OUR KIDS WILL NOT HAVE TO RE INVENT THE WHEEL HAAAAAAAAAAAAA USLESS WE HOLD THEM BACK. LAZY, LAZY, LAZY. ARE WE LAZY PEOPLE.
I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF HOLINESS, LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS WE LOVE OURSELVES…….JUDGING OURSELVES, SO WE DON’T HAVE TO BE JUDGED. OUR GOD OUR FATHER OUR BROTHER OUR HOLY SPIRIT ARE ALL THOSE THINGS INSIDE OF US…….THATS WHO WE ARE REALLY IN HIS LIKENESS!!! WE HAVE THE TRIPLE CORD LIVING WITHIN. IT CANNOT BE BROKEN UNLESS WE-”OUR CARNAL SELF ” GETS ALL SIDE WAYS. CAN WE COME HUMBLY~WITHOUT PRIDE TO THAT “BEING”! IT IS NOTHING WE DID! HE PUT HIMSELF IN US TO WORK ON OUR FLESH AND CARNAL MIND, . A GARDNER, PLOWING THE FIELD DIGGING OUT THE CLODS AND ROCK, CLAY, WORTHLESS GROUND AND MAKE STRAIGHT THE PATHS. PLANT ANEW FOR A BETTER HARVEST FOR PEOPLE TO EAT, A BETTER YOU AND ME FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY.