"Practical Christianity"

Spiritual Senses

Posted on by Dianne

The spiritual realm has its own set of senses that function there. When God originally created Adam in the garden, He breathed into them His own life; He made them a living soul. He breathed into them zoe; a part of Himself. Before they were lowered, the man (image of God), and then, after they were divided, Adam and Eve, had the spiritual senses required to have perfect communion (communication to the degree that all their needs were met just by being with Him) with the Living God.

Because we humans have a tendency to believe everything revolves around ourselves, we have transferred our ideas of our senses as we experience them today onto the senses Adam and Eve must have experienced with God in the garden. They walked with Him, spoke with Him, saw, felt, heard and probably even smelled His presence, and were heard, etc., by Him in return. Who knows what it was truly like? But we do know that after they sinned, and God’s Spirit was withdrawn from them, they no longer had the senses necessary to commune with Him on the level that truly satisfied their deepest needs.

What loneliness and desolation they must have felt! On their own for the first time in their lives (we have no idea how long they were in the garden before they sinned), they suddenly had to rely on their soulical and natural senses to try to meet their needs on all levels. God must have seemed a million miles away; even if He appeared to them, all they had left were their natural and soulical senses, poor substitutes for the spiritual senses indeed!

But they muddled through, learning to use what they had, though obviously mis-interpreting their surroundings and God’s dealings with them at every turn. And so it is today — because the senses we are often relying on are still the wrong ones.

Through Christ we became spiritual beings, and the true spiritual senses are now again available. But in order to experience them, the other senses, both soulical and natural, have to be seen as the substitutes (sometimes idols) that they are. Spirit speaks to spirit, and God did not pay that great price to commune with us over the telephone, or even Face to face, but Spirit to spirit.

Leadership

Leadership Series: Recognizing Your Character & Developing Your Skill

Posted on by Dianne

On Thursdays we will be investigating two aspects of leadership as we learn to rule and reign now: Character and Skill. As a spirit being, you already have leadership character; you don’t need to ‘mature’ into it, receive a ‘mantle’ or a word of prophecy, or even feel like you are or want to be a leader. You ARE a leader. Our challenge during our time here on this earth is to develop the characteristics into leadership skills. Fortunately we know that God is already doing that on His schedule. But as in all things He wants us to be joining Him in His work (you). So we will be looking at developing some specific leadership skills so that you are confidently available when the Lord calls upon the leader in you in a particular situation.

To start with, ask the Lord if there is anything regarding leadership He’d like to discuss with you, perhaps a wound received at the hands of a leader, or because you were/are a leader. Or perhaps you don’t want to draw attention to yourself. He may give you a goal or project related to your training. Regardless, let the Lord speak to you, comfort and encourage you, in His own way.

As always, if you have any challenges or questions, you can either email me or post a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Adventure Awaits!

Other Authors

MORE “AS, AND YET” by Ray Prinzing

Posted on by Dianne

“As chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” (II Corinthians 6:9-10)

“As chastened, YET NOT KILLED.” Chastened – to be child trained, with all of its disciplines. Many see only the rod, and all they can talk about is the rod, till they think they must be some awful children to need such discipline. Better to see that God has purposed to develop us for His special purposes, hence all the extra love and attention from His hand. And we are not killed. It is not to diminish, but to enlarge our capacity for greater degrees of fruitfulness and glory of His life.

“As sorrowful, YET ALWAYS REJOICING.” There is a godly sorrow; which worketh repentance, a change of mind, until we are clothed with His mind. We also know what it is to be sorrowful over the conditions of darkness and unbelief around us. Yet, through it all there is a rejoicing because of that kingdom soon to be manifest, because we rejoice in the knowledge that God has it all under control, because though “weeping endures for a night, joy cometh in the morning”.

“As poor, YET MAKING MANY RICH.” So stripped of all self’s resources we have no confidence in the flesh. We can of our own selves do nothing. Yet, because of CHRIST LIVING WITHIN, there is that which flows out to encourage, strengthen, edify, and yes, to make others rich in Him.

“As having nothing, YET POSSESSING ALL THINGS.” The more we are processed by His grace, the less we lay claim to anything. No more “my ministry” or “my gifts”, but we go out as He bids, carrying neither script nor purse, and yet there is that abounding of His grace so that we truly possess all things and have no lack. He has become our sufficiency. How simultaneously one can feel so empty, and yet so full, is a fact almost beyond explanation. Out of our nothingness and into His fullness. Only those who experience it know so great a paradox. He truly is our wonderful and bountiful Supply.

General

[Hedz Up] What Is Real?

Posted on by Dianne

This week remember that your feelings are not always based on reality. So when you are feeling stressed or anxious, or even happy or excited, don’t make decisions based on these feelings. If necessary, wait until the emotions pass (and they will, eventually). Emotions are not reliable, and they rarely tell you the truth. Instead, as always, go to Father. “Daddy, what is YOUR Truth here? What do I need to do in this situation?” He will always give you wisdom.

General

Tithing, Giving and the Scriptures [Part 5]

Posted on by Dianne

The Tithe Goes to the Levites (Numbers 18:19-28)

19″All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.” 20Then the Lord said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

21″Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. 22Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. 23But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’ ” 25Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26″Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe. 27And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress. 28Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the Lord’s heave offering from it to Aaron the priest.'”

Israel was directed to tithe directly to the Levites, the tribe of Israel that was set aside as a tithe of the people to be holy unto the Lord. It was to be their inheritance, or payment, since they would be completely devoted to the administration and implementation of the tabernacle of the Lord and its ordinances, feasts, etc. They didn’t even have any “land” of their own, but were given several regions from the other tribes in which to live. They were to spend all of their time ministering to the Lord and to His people. The Levites, in turn, were to tithe what they received to the Lord, in the form of a heave offering (which meant it was held up to the Lord), which was in turn offered to Aaron and his family, or whomever was the High Priest. THE TITHE DESCRIBED HERE WAS SET ASIDE FOR THE LEVITES AND HIGH PRIEST.

General

The Spirit & The Spiritual Realm

Posted on by Dianne

Spiritually speaking, there are only two kinds of people on the earth today — dead and alive! God first created man after His own likeness: as like begets like, Spirit begets Spirit. The thing brought forth depends on the seed.

Human Spirit?

There is no specific mention of a “human spirit” in the scriptures. The idea is expressed in a variety of ways, from spirit to heart and kidney in the Old Testament, yet the same word, pneuma, is rendered evil spirit and the spirit of God in the New Testament (for instance, in the first chapter of Mark the word “spirit” is rendered as the Spirit of God, Jesus’s spirit, and unclean spirits). In this case, the scriptures shed surprisingly little light on this issue, except that one of the purposes of the Word is to divide between an individual’s spirit and soul. This is important, in that it clearly differentiates between the two, even if there is no clarification of the boundaries, purposes or destiny of each (there is no mention of an eternal soul, or eternal spirit, for that matter). It is the spirit that communicates with and relates to God. Since we were born dead in our spirit, it took an act of the spirit to enable us to even hear God’s knocking. Without our spirits functioning, we had to make do with what we had control over — our soul (mind, will and emotions) and our body to meet our God-given needs for love, acceptance and value.

Spirit of God

Generally speaking, when we speak of something in terms of its being “spiritual,” what we are really saying is that it has a spiritual source and spiritual attributes. What are these attributes, and where do they come from? If like begets like, and Spirit begets Spirit, what is true of the seed is true of what that seed grows into, even if it appears different. For example, Jesus was begotten of the Father, by the Holy Spirit. What attributes are we speaking of here? Holiness, Righteousness, Peace, Eternal Life, Joy, Omnipotence, Omniscience, et cetera. All of the characteristics or attributes of the Father are found in the Son through the Holy Spirit! So for something to be truly Spiritual, it would have to have those same characteristics. Likewise the spiritual realm would be described in those terms; in the true spiritual realm, there is no shadow of turning, no mistakes, no doubt, no flesh. There is only the Perfect Presence of Love.

General

Out of This World?

Posted on by Dianne

The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas — a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated.

Ronald Reagan

Our true identity, as spirit beings, does not enable us to opt-out of the affairs of either the supernatural or natural realm. Quite the contrary. When we talk about learning to rule and reign, it is over both the supernatural and natural realms. To do so we must be able to distinguish our own preconceptions from direction from God. Through this time of processing, God refines our judgment, within our soul, to be able to use wisdom and understanding, leadership and persuasion, compassion and encouragement as He directs. These are tools; we must learn how to use them if they are to be available for God’s use in and through us. It is inevitable that those who truly know their God, and depend on Him, will affect the state of mankind and the course of history (for reference, see “Jesus”).

What is your worldview, and what specifically are you doing now to rule and reign tomorrow?

flesh, General, supernatural

“Knock, Knock”

Posted on by Dianne

There’s this television commercial out now, maybe you’ve seen it, for a pest control company: The lady of the house opens the front door and there’s a 6-ft roach holding a stack of pizzas, asking for entry to the home. Her mind tries to get a grasp on this critter as she responds “I don’t think we ordered any pizzas.” Then, of course, the exterminator shows up (whew!).

Wouldn’t it be great if all of the threats against us were that obvious?! And that easy to deal with?

Because the enemies we contend with daily are much subtler, it really helps to know and be reminded of our individual vulnerabilities. Take the time and energy to know your temperament, your physical limitations (sleep, nutrition, etc.), and how you deal with stress, and be willing to make changes accordingly to prevent the creepy crawlies from getting in the front door.

There are enough points of entry that are challenging; let’s make sure we don’t overlook the obvious.

Other Authors

AS, AND YET by Ray Prinzing

Posted on by Dianne

“But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, – as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live.’ (II Corinthians 6:4,8-9)

Because of the LIVING CHRIST within him, Paul found he could be approved as a minister of God, whether it be “by honour or dishonour, by evil report or by good report”. If they spoke evil of him, he just continued to live pleasing to the Lord. If they spoke well of him, he did not take an ego trip, for he knew it was the grace of God that enabled the good report. It is God all the way. And then he lists some interesting “as” with counterparts of “yet”.

“As deceivers, AND YET TRUE.” Many certainly viewed him as a deceiver, for his doctrine was certainly different from the organized religious systems. But the fact was, AND YET TRUE, for he had received by revelation from the Lord the wonderful gospel of reconciliation and total triumph.

“As unknown, and YET WELL KNOWN.” Surely many have experienced what it means to be stripped of everything, reputation, fame, etc., to become one of God’s unknown ones. In the circles of men counted as a nobody. Yet there is a sense in which we are well known, as we are joined to those of “like precious faith” in a bond of love and oneness in which it seems we never were strangers. And uniquely enough, when someone needs help, they know just where to find you, drawn to the Christ within you.

“As dying, and, behold, WE LIVE.” There is a dying, being reviled we cannot strike back; there is no power or right for personal defense. Our rights are laid aside, “turning the other cheek”; we are being crucified with Him. But also living with Him, because of the inflow of His power. “He that hath the Son hath life,” (I John 5:12). Nor is it an off again on again, now you have it, now you don’t. He ever liveth! This is coming into an age-abiding life, continuous and constant. Though the billows roll on, and the storms continue to blow, though there are still areas of self to which we must die, yet that life we have received shall not diminish, it only leads into that which is more abundant.