General

[Hedz Up!] Trust, Verify, then Trust Some More

Posted on by Dianne

I haven’t been posting too much lately because I’ve been volunteering during this election cycle. Though the results weren’t what we had been working for, we’ve done our part, naturally speaking.

Then there’s the supernatural-speaking, and the spiritually-speaking.

I am convinced that the Lord has much up His really-long sleeves, and it is ALL GOOD for America and GOOD for us all.

We’ve talked before about trying to understand God and what He does based on our own understanding, our own history and our own beliefs and interpretations of what others have written.

Most of our conclusions are NOT consistent with God’s Character. In fact, I rather think He’s more concerned with our mis-representing His character than with the depravity and evil in this world.

Because we have not yet learned how to hear Him on His terms, but through our own filters, He is unable to trust us with His plans. We would interfere or argue, and this not a time for either.

God is going to do what He has planned. NOTHING can stop Him. Because He has not told us what that is, and things don’t look too good right now, WHY IS THE ONLY OTHER OPTION THAT “GOD IS JUDGING US”? We think that God has warned us over and over again about the sin in our government, society and homes. We think that God has run out of patience with us — maybe a good dose of disaster will shake us out of our melancholy. This is a reflection of our own self-centered understanding, that the only options are the ones we know about. Please, let’s get real! How many times has God done something NEW! How many times do we ASK Him for something new???

So let’s be patient and let God do His thing in His time. THIS ELECTION IS NOT JUDGMENT ON AMERICA!!! This is OPPORTUNITY FOR GOD! He has crafted this situation specifically to fulfill His purposes. Yes, we react to it. Yes, we wonder and are perplexed. But we DON’T ATTRIBUTE TO GOD WHAT WE ARE FEELING AND EXPERIENCING! Though we are in the middle of outward-defeat, we are in the center of God’s plan for us, and His plans for us are GREAT Freedom, Liberty, Opportunity!

His Way! Not depending on who is elected! His Way!

So what do you and I do? Ask God! “What should I be doing now” Then test it. Then DO it! — PREPARE! Even if you don’t feel like it, ASSUME God is going to bring you — yourself — into greater opportunity, quickly. What do you need to do to be ready? Put your time, effort and energy into what He has for you to do to prepare rather than soaking up negative opinions about the judgment of God or the perilous times ahead. Use your time wisely.

God loves YOU! God loves America! God has NOT changed His mind about His Plans or Purposes.

Our best history is ahead of us QUICKLY — Get Ready — PREPARE!

God Bless America, and Honor and Blessings to us all!

General

[Hedz Up] “What to Do?”

Posted on by Dianne

This week remind yourself of what the Lord has assigned for you to do each day. Don’t be distracted by tomorrow or yesterday. Our God loves you and is looking out for you. If you need to make changes, He will tell you. Remember to test what you are hearing: “Lord, is that You.”

Joy comes in the morning.

Have a great week!

Tithing

Tithing, Giving and the Scriptures: It’s Not What You Think [Part 17]

Posted on by Dianne

THE TRANSITION (New Testament, Pre-Resurrection of Christ, Under Law)

What did Jesus say about tithing?

The Pharisees’ Motives (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:37-54)

23:23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

37And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. 38When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. 39Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 40Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. 42But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.” 45Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.” 46And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. 49Therefore the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ 50that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. 52Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.” 53And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 54lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

The Pharisees got mad when Jesus challenged them about why they were doing what they were doing.

"Practical Christianity", spiritual, supernatural

Supernatural vs. Spiritual

Posted on by Dianne

This may seem like a nit-picky point, but it’s important to distinguish between these two realms. By elevating aspects of the supernatural realm, like angels and demons, we give them much too much influence and authority in and over our lives. We will only begin to walk in authority over these areas in as much as we believe we have the authority. So let’s save the term “spiritual” for those things begotten of God Himself, and “supernatural” and “natural” for those realms God has already put under our authority, even though we may not yet be walking it out.

Other Authors

RESIST THE DEVIL by Ray Prinzing

Posted on by Dianne

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

The pre-requisite is clearly stated, “Submit yourselves therefore to God”. The Greek word for ‘submit’ is ‘hupotasso’ meaning, to set in array under. Ah, is not this the purpose for all of our present processings? Until every part of our will bows to the will of God, and then we are able to resist the devil and he must flee from us. Fully set in array under the hand of God leaves us as ‘untouchable’ to all other forces. “My Father, – is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand,” (John 10:29).

Submitted, set in array under God, does require chastening to bring about such a submission. “Shall we much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live,” (Heb. 12:9). This is an individual challenge. He is my Father, and my submission to Him is essential if I shall ever truly LIVE. Too many only exist, torn between their own desires, and what they know to be right in God. To resist the circumstance, which He plans for our proving, is to resist the God who planned the circumstance. But as we learn to submit to Him in all things, then are we able to begin resisting the devil.

The word ‘resist’ means ‘to set’ or ‘place over against’. This is easily illustrated in the realm of our thinking. To be sure, God has been, and is dealing much with the ‘mind’, for we shall be “transformed by the renewing of our mind”. The mind has long been the battleground as evil forces seek to brainwash mankind. But we find that as we PLACE TRUTH, a positive thought over against every negative thought that arises, we gain the victory over the negative realm. Deliberately place positive thoughts over against the negative. This action is prompted and enabled by the indwelling of His Spirit. The strength for this work is His but we, through His enablement, “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling”, (Phil. 2:12).

General

[Hedz Up] Baby Steps

Posted on by Dianne

This week don’t get overwhelmed with everything on your plate that needs to get done NOW! Focus on one or two at a time, then re-evaluate. Areas of stress may reveal an unhealed wound or unrealistic expectation. Reminder to ask: “Lord, what is the source of this? Is this something we need to look at?” Then follow through.

Have a calm week!

Tithing

Tithing, Giving and the Scriptures: It’s Not What You Think [Part 16]

Posted on by Dianne

Summary of Additions to the Law of Moses

1. In all of the previous references, tithing is always mentioned as a part of the whole; tithing is still a requirement to fulfill the Law of Moses.

2. Emphasis on caring for those in ministry, the poor and widow, and the foreigner are a constant thread throughout scriptures.

3. As the time draws near to the coming of the Messiah, the scriptures reflect God’s concluding letting the Law define His relationship with His people. As long as the Law is in effect, He can only have a surface relationship with them. He refers again and again to giving His people a new heart, with His commandments written on their hearts, so it’s not doing rightly because they have to, but because it is now in their heart to do it. It is natural, because He changes their nature.

The previous entries are a good place to start in judging what is being taught in many churches as the law of the tithe. As we see where additions and clarifications were made as time passed, we will continue to see God’s intent for instituting the law in general and the tithe in particular, and hopefully bring clarity to its place in Christian life today.

"Practical Christianity", spiritual, supernatural

What is “Supernatural”?

Posted on by Dianne

The supernatural realm, therefore, is simply a temporary plane of existence that God created for the expression of His love. “Super” simply means “over” or “above.” So “super”-natural is simply over or above the natural realm. We perceive the supernatural realm with our supernatural (or soulical) senses, so it is important to finetune these faculties.

"Practical Christianity", flesh, General, spiritual, supernatural

Soulical Warfare

Posted on by Dianne

Soulical warfare refers specifically to us humans, and must be fought with weapons more powerful than the field of battle; we can’t use soulical weapons to fight soulical battles. The soulical battles involve overcoming the world, the flesh and the devil in our individual lives. These enemies can only be overcome through spiritual weapons made available through dependence on God.

Other Authors

BUT GOD MEANT IT by Ray Prinzing

Posted on by Dianne

“Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. – So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. – As for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good.” (Gen. 45:5,8; 50:20)

God wanted Joseph to get to Egypt, to be used to preserve life, and in the process of getting him there God causes his own brethren to sell him into servitude. But brothers, shall I say “why did you do it when it was God that told you to do it?” No, just look beyond all secondary causes, God chose the means to accomplish the sending, and ultimately it all worked into good, and to His glory and praise.

David was caused to flee his throne for a while, for his own son Absalom had conspired and risen against him. While going through a wilderness and deep valley, there was a man running along the hillside throwing down rocks and cursing David. One of those with David requested permission to take care of this evil man, but David answered, “So let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? – Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him”, (II Samuel 16:10-11).

Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus,” (Gal. 6:17). Never the marks of the soldiers, of the persecutors, or of the Romans. It wasn’t the marks of the whips and scourges, but the marks of the Lord Jesus. Negative forces weren’t ruling over him. It was all the mark of the Lord, received as from the hand of God. He saw the sovereign hand of God in all that crossed his path. Bound with chains and delivered into the hands of the Romans, he said, “now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ”, (Philemon 9).

Good or evil, let it be,
Mine eyes are single, Lord, to Thee.