How do I Grow up Spiritually?

October 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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Dear Father,

How do I grow up spiritually?

Dear Child,

1. BY FEEDING AND CHEWING OVER THE MEAT OF THE WORD THAT YOU MAY LEARN DISCERNMENT.

Heb 5:13-14  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Heb 6:1  Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

If you want to grow up and mature you must learn to discern between that which is done in the soulish realm and that which is done in the spirit. You can only learn this by meditating and feasting on the meat of the Word. You must invest the time to wean yourselves of milk and unto the meat which takes more time and meditation to chew over than milk which can more easily be swallowed and digested than meat. 

2. BY BEING OBEDIENT .

1 Sam 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. John 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments

I want a child who chooses to spend time with Me. I could have programmed you to obey and love Me, but this would not bring Me glory. Such obedience would have no spiritual value. There would be no fault or sin, yet neither would there be holiness, for obedience would be passive. I do not want automation. I want a child with a free will who will choose to love and obey Me.

3. BY BEING “BIG PICTURE” MINDED, THAT IS, BY SEEING THINGS IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY.

James 5:7-8  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

You are living in a culture where you demand everything NOW, you have forgotten how to delay instant gratification for your better good long term. You need to bring your soulish impulses under subjection of My Holy Spirit who not only knows your future but also holds your future. Impatience belongs to childishness not necessarily childlikeness. I have a lot of impatient childish adults in My Body, when I am looking for patient adult children.

4. BY NOT TAKING OFFENSE.

Psalm 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Luke 17:1-4  Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 

Offenses not forgiven will be stored in the heart and will hold you captive as chains that tighten with each unforgiven offense. They will either be a trap and stunt grow or they will be an opportunity to freedom and maturity. How can you learn to forgive if you never have the opportunity to forgive? How can you be conformed to My Image without learning to forgive?

5. BY SERVING OTHERS.

Mat 23:11-12  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Breathe in My presence, that you might be refreshed and then refresh others, by washing their feet and refreshing them for their journey through life. Speak only words that will build up and be an encouragement. Continue to lead others on the path that leads to eternal life. Help the wounded that they in turn may help others who have fallen on the road.

Lead, lead the way by being a servant. Greatness in My kingdom doesn’t come from being served but by serving. In serving you are investing in My kingdom. That investment no man can steal from you, it is safe in My hands. 

6. BY ABIDING IN ME THAT YOU MAY MATURE TO THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.

John 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Abiding in Me is abiding in the Word for I am the Word, and if you do not abide in the Word, you can do nothing. Abiding is living with, you must live with and by the Word. Abiding is not just visiting BUT living with continually.

Abiding in Me is abiding in My Body. You can’t stay connected to the Head unless you are in the Body. Parts of the Body cannot operate in the Spirit apart from the Head. 

Abiding in Me is talking with Me. If you live and abide with Me you will converse with Me.

Without these you are not abiding, you are only occasionally visiting.

7. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BY SPENDING TIME ALONE WITH ME AND BEING LED BY MY SPIRIT.

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

That is the hidden Manna of your heart! Your secret history is that path I walk with you that nobody else knows of, that secret history is time spent with the one who knows you the best and loves you the most. Only I know all the motivation of your heart and thoughts, only you and I know your innermost being. Your history and communications with me, will be the path we can share, as I alone can deal with those motivations that are not of my Spirit, and daily transform you into My likeness as we spend time together.

                                                           Thus saith Papa   

CHALLENGE: Is your spiritual life only in survival mode? 

                    Which of the above areas have you neglected the most, resulting in stunted 

                     growth in some of your spiritual root structure?

My book “Developing a Secret History with God” will inspire and help you as you develop your root structure. See Amazon/Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

 

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You may be your Own Worst Enemy

September 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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Dear Child,

It is the  soulish nature of man that wants to pamper the hurting flesh.

It is the soulish nature of man who cries out for self-pity.

It is the soulish nature of man who seeks revenge.

It is the soulish nature of man who tries to save his life.

It is the soulish nature of man who fights for his rights.

It is the soulish nature of man who is the seat of pride.

It is the soulish nature of man that elevates the “me” in man.

It is the soulish nature of man who wants to control the mind with only thoughts of the “me”.

Put on the helmet of salvation that the mind may be brought captive to the mind of Christ.

When you squander your thoughts on negative, impure or selfish thoughts, you are in fact removing the helmet of salvation, leaving yourself  with no protection against the enemy using your mind to destroy you.

                                                  Thus saith Papa

The soulish nature of man is the fleshly ego which must be dealt a deathly blow if the spirit man is to survive, thrive and grow stronger.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

2 Cor 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

CHALLENGE: I do not know the battle you are facing today but remember if you are going to have a victory in the spirit there must be a defeat of the fleshly soulish nature!

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The Sun is Always behind the Clouds

September 17, 2013 by 2 Comments

sun bursting throughOne morning as I was spending time alone in my rose garden with my heavenly Papa I looked up at a beautiful cloudless blue sky and wondered why life couldn’t always be this “perfect”? In answer to my questioning meditation Papa dropped this word into my heart.

Dear Child,

Yes, look at that sky! Today there is not a cloud in sight, but, child, without clouds there would be no rain to nourish and refresh your garden. Without clouds in your life, the sun cannot break through. Without trials there cannot be the sweet fragrance of victory in your life like the cool refreshing fragrance in your garden after the clouds burst to become rain to water and give life to the earth.

Remember the sun is always there behind the clouds, but the clouds are not always there. If you look up at a cloudy sky you will notice how the clouds are always moving away. Trials only last for a season but I am always there working in My sovereignty behind those trials that all things may work together for good.

Just as the clouds work for good and become refreshing rain, there is a divine purpose for every cloud in your life.

                                        Thus saith Papa

 

1Peter 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Andre Crouch penned it so well in his song,

“ Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God.

For if I never had my problems, I would never know what faith in God could do.

I have learned that my trials only come to make me strong.”

 

Challenge: When we can’t see His Plan

                      Or we can’t feel His Hand

                      We know we can trust His Heart 

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My Garden of Prayer

September 10, 2013 by 2 Comments

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My garden of prayer is a window to my soul, a place of solitude, my hiding place from the cares of the world.

Sitting on a swing, shaded by a large willow tree, and overlooking a rose garden, I meet with God each day, where He teaches me many parables as I sit there and reflect on the beauty, grandeur and detail of the work of His Hand.

As I look at a rose, I see His beauty. As I am pricked by a thorn, I remember the crown of thorns that pricked His brow. As I wipe away the blood from my pricked finger, I thank Him for His blood that was shed for me. As I ponder about the roses and the thorns, God reminds me to think positively about life, and thank Him that He put roses on a thorn bush, rather than complain that there are thorns on my roses.

The stepping stones that guide my way around the roses, remind me of the stepping stones which, God in His sovereignty, places before me to guide my journey through life. These stones can lead me to the fragrance of the next rose, or can cause my foot to stumble, warning me to be careful of my walk.

The stepping stones lead me to a beautiful, old fashioned sun dial in the center of the rose garden, where I pause for a moment to thank God for the sunrise of each new day and His mercy which is new every morning. As I observe the shade on the sun dial moving slowly yet steadfastly ahead, it reminds me that time marches on regardless of what is going on in the world, and that I need to treasure every moment, for once a moment is spent it is gone forever.

The shade of the willow tree reminds me that I am under the shadow of His wings, and that He is my protector from the scorches of the trials of life. As I see and hear the leaves gently blowing in the cool breeze I am reminded of the presence of the Holy Spirit. We cannot see the wind, but we feel its presence.

As I stop my day for a few precious moments, and just sit back, kick off my shoes and squander the time swinging and reflecting, God reminds me to stop my activities of the day just long enough to appreciate His greatest gift of all, the gift of life, find the child in me, swing away and be happy! Somehow and somewhere find time each day to stop and smell the roses for each rose is an autograph from the Hand of the Creator.

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Margaret Mearns Bass Ordination

August 5, 2013 by 1 Comment

Dear Friends,

I know many of you expressed to me that you wanted to attend my ordination but circumstances and distance did not permit you. So I would like the opportunity to  share a video of the ceremony with you all. Walk with the King and be a blessing today!

 

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