Real

Real
RP

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Complete Study of Prayer Life(c) by Dr.S.E. Williams

Study of Prayer Life©
Dr. S.E. Williams

Have you ever felt that tingle of a question? Just what is prayer? And have you tried to shut it down with: It’s what I do.

Well, I have a question for you. Just what is it you do with prayer? I had this conversation with myself a while back, and I could tell myself the words I used and the reason that I prayed, but I still didn’t have that solid answer, you know? The one that gets all the yeses and amens!

So I began a spiritual journey, led by the Spirit of the Lord to study prayer, and research all I could about ‘prayer’ beginning with definition. Prayer means:

entreaty, appeal, plea, request, desire, hope, wish. Ok.

That gave me a definite answer to just what prayer is and what I do when I pray.

Then I went to the Bible and began searching out the prayers found there. From Moses through to David and Jesus and Paul, John, Mark, Luke, James, there are many examples. Powerful and incredible prayers.

However I was led back to the Psalms and that is where I began to get it and bloom. The Spirit leads and guides us, simply step by step, and then leap by leap. So let’s look at the Psalms.

The writers of psalms may not have recognized that the psalms/songs were just what we need as a guide for prayer. The psalms are a good place to begin to get an insight into what prayer can be, and how it can be. And David’s prayers are so very revealing of the awesome connection we have to God in prayer.

Do you know that David always addressed God in a personal, familiar way? Not from a distance but right up in God’s face so to speak. Jesus spoke in the same manner, and pointed towards the KEY of all life -- His/Our Father God.

The Psalms of David are based on where he was in his life’s journey. And as we read them we can relate based on where we are in our life’s journey.

David prayed always in the humbling honesty of where he was in his life. He prayed from where his soul was and what his soul was going through. (Soul meaning emotions, thoughts, imagination.) He opened and made his heart vulnerable – no walls of defense - as in being REAL— before God, the Lord His Shepherd, his ALL in ALL. David’s prayers give evidence of the relationship factor needed with God, which has been God’s purpose and design since the beginning.

Now in this 21st century, as we are stepping more and more into the reality of God’s Love, God’s Will, God’s Purpose – this truth of relationship brings us to the place of learning and growing in who we are and whose we are.

Spirit children - God’s child through Jesus Christ God’s only begotten son.

By connecting with our soul’s energy source – God, we are seeing clearly now, all that our heavenly God as our Father/Mother, and brother have desired for us.

Let’s begin this study by looking at the Psalm David wrote after getting the word from the Prophet Nathan on just what he, David, had done. The whole scenario with Bathsheba and the loss of their son. David had caused Bathsheba’s husband to be killed. Ummm – can you identify?....

David stepped way over the boundary lines and had been intimate with Bathsheba while she was still married. Dumb and Dumber. David was moving in a manner that was so focused that he was numb to the relationship that he had grown in and learned from and had with God. His senses were totally overwhelmed and what is named in the new testament as ‘lust of the flesh’ totally consumed him – causing him to be blind and numb to the presence of God.

He gave no thought to what he did or what he ordered to happen (the death of Bathsheba’s husband).

This points out the strength of the senses – especially when they are out of order – and this is sin – this also points to the weakness in David, which led to the breaking of his heart – his son died.

Now before this happened (his son’s death), David had been approached by the Prophet of the Day – Nathan – who came as God directed him and through the telling of a parable, revealed to David the totality of his unrighteous behavior, and the requirement of the death of his son, so David’s heart was completely broken. Read 2 Samuel 11 and 12, seeking God’s wisdom and insight.

David who wrote psalms that spoke of a real and personal relationship with God, had forgotten the very basis for his life – his connection with God, the true righteousness that came ONLY through relationship = Righteousness can only be in us and through us - thru the Relationship with God made possible by Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten son, and the only man who paid the price required for us as an example of God’s Love and showed us the ‘paid in fullness’ for the debt of sin all humanity was bound to.

My point is that brokenheartedness is not just for those ‘bad’ people or ‘foolish’ people or ‘sad’ people. Nope. Brokenheartedness can happen to those closest to God.

Paul gives us direction in his words “I die daily’. The bearing the cross is part of being aware of the sins of the flesh and feelings/mind factor and what defeats them – recognizing and accepting that we have been crucified with Christ. A part of the journey in new life – learning that these earthen vessels we are in on the earth realm, will be part of the process of our learning and growing into who we are in God and God’s purpose in our lives.

In new life in God, the process of being born again is real and we learn and grow in being God’s child. This does not mean we do not have our senses – which through the sin that dwells in the flesh that attempts to lead us astray or capture us we learn to choose wisely, to choose God to be brought to the point of sweating blood if necessary as Jesus did in the Garden. Being brought to the point of saying ‘Not my will, but Your will be done God.

The senses use the mind to attempt to bring to life the lies and deceits of sin. This is where our battle is, and this is where we need to remember that the BATTLE IS THE LORD’S. As in Jesus has already won this battle – his senses were tested, he was beaten, beard pulled out, punched, lied about, falsely accused, nailed to the cross, hanging there for hours struggling with breathing, and speared in the side, blood spilling out of his body to the earth. Jesus descended into hell and had to face death and the grave – to Rise from the Dead (God reached His hand down and raised Jesus up).

There are times when in our blindness or weakness or stupidity or ignorance that we step just as David did, and cause our heart (and others) to become broken – through our choice of dis-obedience and lack of wisdom and/or submission to God’s Will for Life in us.

When we lean to our own understanding, we are blinded to the truth and become puffed up and arrogant. Where is Love? Broken away – as in separated from us. So we can see that the sins of the flesh/senses factor separates (as in divides and conquers us) and in the separateness our heart is broken.

Yet God has made a way out of no way for us – just as was made for David, at a cost. Does pain not cost us? We do not need to be beat up or die in order to be forgiven, we need to remember whose we are – as in who bought us and at what cost. With the blood of Jesus, we are cleansed and healed and radically restored.

So when we are tempted, we need to remember – ‘I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives within me (I am a spirit child of God in and through Christ), and the life that I now live in this flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God – I live by the faith Jesus birthed through his death and resurrection.

This is God’s way out of no way – at least the beginning of being radically restored for us:


Radically Restored: this means:

• a transformed change in our current life;
• possible by and through the blood of the Lamb, and
• the anointed presence of God in our lives.

We can be in touch with our healing and restoration – as we walk through the valleys of the shadow of death, there is some pain in the gain of freedom in our radical restoration.

Just as when your body suffers a blow or some damage, and while you may be made better, the process may take some time in pain in order to gain the complete healing and restoration yes? Well so it is with our broken heartedness, we experience some pain, as we gain the healing and restoration of our heart.

Now this is the way of healing, and this way teaches us the reason for the process of pain in the healing and for our soulical restoration.

To be more than a conqueror comes through our recognizing and accepting being crucified with Christ. As we do yield to the lessons of Love in the process of healing, we learn and grow and recognize our position in God, which is above the ‘issues’ that appear to be against us.

Yet living this life by the Faith of the Son of God – as we experience it, we come to know that life comes forth from death, just as light came forth from darkness as God spoke.

With God we learn and grow being led by the Holy Spirit, through the valleys of the shadow of death, that whatever weapon formed against us will NOT prosper. God will turn and does turn to the good what was meant for evil as we are led through the valleys of the Shadow of death.

And every tongue that rises against us in judgment as in pointing a finger and blaming, we shall condemn, as in show disproval of their poor choice to judge. And all this is happening in the midst of God’s forgiveness, God’s Mercy, as we follow the Lord our Shepherd.
And the condemnation is on the judgment against us – if someone judges and then recognizes the error and seeks forgiveness from God (and the person if led to) God turns to good what was meant for evil.

Radical Restoration is recognizing and receiving God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness for you now! You don’t have to carry the brokenness to the death – it was already carried to death by Jesus. Do you believe that He died for your sins? Do you believe that unforgiveness and brokenheartedness were part of what Jesus carried and bore on the cross for ALL? It is true.

God does not need to be nice. God is all in all, and His Grace and Mercy endure forever! God is.

If you will choose to receive, to acknowledge Him in all your brokenhearted caused ways, He will direct your paths, as in lead you through all the valleys of the SHADOW of death – do you know that the way you see a shadow is because there is light. And in these valleys of the shadow of death – death becomes simply the beginning of life. Did you know that a seed dies before it comes to life – COMES TO LIFE! God’s purposes are beyond what appears to be.

God has made a way out of no way for you to be radically restored – in His Love, which never ever fails.

Meditate on this, and seek God prayerfully through and by His Holy Spirit.

If you have not asked for the free gift of the Holy Spirit, then ask now, humble yourself to know that you DO need life in God, made possible by the Holy Spirit leading and guiding you into all of the truth for you now..


PRAYER LIFE – WHAT IS THIS?:

Welcome to the next step in your journey to freedom – to your prayer-life.

Most of us have an understanding of prayer. Which is - prayer is something special that we do . . . for other people. While we ‘do’ pray and this is special to and for God, this ‘doing’ is just part of our PRAYER-LIFE. Yes, prayer is life, and life is prayer.

Your being aware of this depends solely upon two things. God’s leading and your yielding. If you are in a dynamic relationship with God, by His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit – then these two keys, God’s leading and your yielding, are alive in you 24/7.

As children of God, we are blessed with a real relationship with our Abba/Daddy, 24/7. This real relationship is our new framework and our essence of living, (not necessarily the kneeling, agonizing of an act) – which sacrifice is part of crying out and seeking God with all your heart. However while you may be there, agonizing and kneeling, this is not the basic essence of your new life in Him, your prayer-life.

Our prayer-life, which is our true lifeline of authority, is IN HIS - GOD’S PRESENCE. And as we become more aware of our true prayer-life, we spiritually grow more like Him (Jesus-God) and are conformed to His image.

In other words in prayer-life, we feed on the truth of the living word, as milk first and then as bread and meat and grow into the image of who we are spiritually – God’s child, Christ-like. And as we do feed on the living word, we are being conformed, spiritually, to the image of Christ.

If you research the definition of Christ, Christ means anointed one. So we are being conformed as an image of anointing – being transformed from living-soul seed to quickening spirit child of God. In Jesus Christ rising from hell, death and the grave, this gives us a clear picture of authority. And Jesus, has given us ALL Authority . . . yes? Yes. Over all the power of the enemy and we shall/do crush the head of the enemy of our soul under our feet.

So to be conformed to the image of Christ, means we live and move and have our being, anointed and in all authority, in Him. And we are learning and growing daily, 24/7 – this life that we now live we do so as we grow in faith and wisdom through God’s grace and mercy into the purposed child of God we are – with full authority to be who we are.

So while our understanding of prayer is important it is not only what is important—our new-life is – our new life in Christ, now.
Our acceptance of new life is based on:

 His life, and
 remaining teachable to what the Holy Spirit teaches us
o and leads us into,
o and brings/quickens to our remembrance

These are of key importance in our new life.

First and foremost we learn and grow in
• WHO WE ARE/ WHOSE WE ARE and then
• what we do and how (as in gaining more authority) we do -- this manifests more and more. As a baby grows and learns day by day, so do we in God, in Christ, in new life.

And beginning as a child, we do not know the ‘allness’ of who we are and what we are doing. As we grow older and learn from our ‘parents – God our Abba, Holy Spirit our Mother and Jesus our brother’ we begin to develop into the children and adults, so it is with being a child of God.

It is our new intimate and dynamic relationship with God, our heavenly Father, our prayer-life, that we find out who we are, and whose we are. Jesus’ prayer for us was that we would be one even as He and Father God are one in John Chapter 17.

This oneness is not obtained through or by actions (how we perform), but by birth, and by new life. Just as being physically born we become one with those around us, parents, siblings, etc. as we breathe and live – so we are one with God when we become born again, and ‘spiritually breathe’.

Prayer is the breathing of our Creator’s new life in us and the activation of manifested growth in our new life, even as we still live in these earthen vessels, our earth suits.

Jesus told the first followers to pray ‘Our Father’ for a good reason. In preparation of the ‘radical restoration’ process of spiritual new birth, Jesus laid down the important outline of who we are and whose we are, simply.

As we speak, we process our thoughts and renew our minds – ‘Our Father’ prepares us for the new life we have entered into, and is with us always – this is possible only through our choosing to be ‘born again’.

Jesus also said a seed must fall into the earth and die. . . and becoming a human being, he was a living soul – the seed created in the image of God, Jesus prophesied what was to come – life out of death and the reason for this: John 12:24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

In Jesus’ death, living soul-seed that He was, He brought forth the way for ‘much fruit’ more living souls – birthing into quickening spirits.

1 Corinthians 15:45
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. So when we are born again, we are birthed into quickening (as is powerful and in God’s authority) spirits. For God is Spirit.
2 John 4:24:
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
3 John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
So, first birth is of water – the unborn are contained in water and when the placenta breaks the water comes out first and then the baby is born.

Second birth, when we are born again, we ask for Jesus, who is the Living Word to come into our hearts, and the water of life pours in and the spirit is awakened and birthed – we become children of Spirit, children of God, and enter into God’s Kingdom now on earth in us – in full authority, just not aware or experienced in it yet.

Prayer-Life is not difficult although it needs daily, Spirit led learning and growing. This is why the ‘reading’ and ‘studying’ of the Word, through being led by the Holy Spirit, is key – in this way we are partakers of the Living Word – initially the milk, then bread, and then meat of spiritual life.

John 6:32
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
John 6:33
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world

John 6:35
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst

John 6:48-51
I am that bread of life.
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world

Stop here, and meditate on what you have read, or go and read the scriptures and pray to Abba-God that the Holy Spirit will enlighten the eyes of your understanding so that you will KNOW the truth and BE free.

In depth study
For those ready, hungry and thirsty for more of prayer-life.

Now you do need to be conscious of this fact, your new life is prayer life. Being in Communion with Him, being in His presence 24/7, intimate and one - with our Lord God, our Savior, our Brother, our bridegroom, our Comforter, Leader and Guider - GOD; all part of our new life.

These truths along with finding out who we are, partaking of His divine nature - calling those things that are not as though they are, and those things that are as though they are not - these are some of the many sides of this prayer-life we, God’s children are all living.

As we learn and grow, partaking of the Word of God as milk and bread and then meat, we can awaken to and choose to go on into deeper areas of prayer - intercession, spiritual warfare. These are areas of maturity and of course God’s calling. We do all have a beginning as with our first birth; and the first thing we get to do in our new life is breath, cry, feed, grow and learn.

Behind the Veil
Before you can really begin to learn about prayer-life, know that in new life you go behind the veil. You know the one that was rent from top to bottom, split, torn when Jesus died on the cross. This ended the ‘special’ person only can enter in to the Holy of Holies, and opened the way for all who will. Meaning all who will choose new life in, through, and by Jesus Christ – all can enter in to the Holy of Holies, the very presence and throne room of God Almighty.

So have you gone behind the veil? Some of you may be asking, what is the point here, I thought this was about prayer-life. And so it is. Prayer life begins in His presence, as in at the throne – behind the veil.

If you are not aware of this, then take a moment to consider. New Birth Given Access was provided not for us to stand way out in the outer court and cry out ‘IF IT BE THY WILL’, wondering if God even heard us. Access was provided for us to ‘be’ in His presence, to live and move and have our being in Him.

Prayer-life and prayer are intimate and powerful, and they take place in the Holy of Holies even as you live your physical life on earth. In fact, it is because many don’t know this that prayers become sing/song and repetitive, and anything but personal. Just think for a moment.

Here we are in God our Father’s presence, made possible by the blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus, our Lord. We have entered in through the new and living way, the cross and resurrection, by the leading of God’s Holy Spirit into new life.

So why are we squeezing our eyes tightly shut, and pretending to be holy by being on our knees and bowing our head, but not really acknowledging God. Would you do this to your brother/sister/husband/child/friend that you were visiting? Wouldn’t you open your eyes, smile, hug, kiss ask questions, and share?

Prayer is like visiting with your closest friend, your creator, your daddy, abba – God. Of course there is awesome power and dynamic energy in this place. Of course there is a sense of ‘fear’. And we are to fear God, but not in that running away and hiding sense. In the sense of recognizing as we are able, just who God is – All in All.

Initially, recognizing that you are ‘behind the veil’ is a bit scary. I mean God is God, right! And you can remember all those things that happened to those who went before God and were ‘toast’ right? Or swallowed up by a huge crack in the ground. Um hm.

Well, we have a new living way, and if you ‘know’ Jesus, really, dynamically, personally know Him, then there will be peace flooding your heart and joy unspeakable as you live and move and have your being ‘behind the veil’ in Him.

I would suggest you read the Psalms (David’s) and let the Holy Spirit show you how he sought the Lord in all of his ways, and trusted in the Lord for his very life. David’s Psalms are key to what we need to ‘be’ about – in our prayer-life.

The veil was closed for a season, opened only when one had been cleansed, prepared and anointed, and when it was time, it was cleaved in two and access was open for all who choose new life and were cleansed by the blood, prepared by the Word and anointed by the Holy Spirit - to enter in.

If you really don’t believe you have chosen new life in God’s very presence, Holy of Holies, then you will remain out on the outskirts, in the outer courts. Missing out on the Way that Jesus made for you to enter into.

But you can choose, in and through Jesus Christ, to come boldly into the Holy of Holies, the throne room of God; yes, this is your choice. In case you haven’t caught onto it yet, I know about this because for many years, even after my return to God, I stood in the outer court wanting to go inside the veil, but feeling unworthy.

Even worse, I judged myself as not good enough to go in. Like God’s sacrifice wasn’t enough. Whoa! Talk about lies and false humility. False humility binds you tighter than your sins did.

It’s funny how life’s situations and such will conform us to rigid, self-judged, ugly icons, which we worship with our distaste and despair, as well as our hatred. Yes I said worship, as in what we focus on, we empower and hold up as truth; and we get caught up in the trap of unforgiveness. What we worship or empower, controls our life. Which is why God said that we would have no false idols before Him – God is All and All and there are no others, including our unforgiveness/bitterness/blame and/hatred.

If you find yourself in what I have just described, I recommend you read the 5 chapters on the FORGIVENESS FACTOR which are the next sections of Prayer-Life. As you get free from unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment, you will be ready to learn and grow more in the prayer-life.


The FORGIVENESS FACTOR- 1

In life we grow through many stages – baby, toddler, child, youngster (pre-teen), teen, young adult, adult. We also learn how to relate, how to live with others and how to communicate, listen, appreciate, discern, love; and on the negative side, rebel, hurt, speak evil of, judge, accuse, blame, hate.

Many of us have baggage that we have been carrying for most if not all of our lives. While we don’t acknowledge much of it, until a problem arises, baggage still affects our lives, and in many instances, determines how well or how little we will live our lives. Most of this baggage is in our sub-conscious thoughts, feelings, visions/images/pictures/vain imaginations. Got it?

One of the most devastating pieces of baggage is unforgiveness. It adds bitterness, resentment, arrogance, meanness, spitefulness, victimness [my word, meaning one’s acceptance of their life as a victim], and hatred. Unforgiveness roots deep and has many sprouts of bondage, captive human nature.

Wars, shootings, most acts of unbelievable (but now acceptable as part of our society) violence – these are all results of deep seeded unforgiveness.

Taken out of context, the term discipline can be used to cover up brutal, physical harm and it was for this reason that ‘violence’ became a focus in family issues. Imbalance of any kind brings about confusion and irrationality, and in a society that has grown to respect its ability to fairly deal with all issues, imbalance became an accepted ‘way’ of dealing with issues that required balance, at least.

With a desire to stop unnecessary violence, physical discipline (and emotional) has been forced out of homes. Rather than curbing violence, this ‘new way’ has paved a way for violence to grow under all kind of banners, the least of which is pleasure. Gangs rule, violence is becoming a way for younger and younger people to behave – in other words, we have enslaved our future generations to self-centered meanness and desires. And isn’t it funny that when physical discipline was removed, violence grew? Go figure.

Talk about imbalance. (And to think that unforgiveness paved the way). Look closely at the decisions made regarding home life, the bringing up of children, and you will find unforgiveness, judgment, blame, and attempts at shifting guilt from one’s own conscience to the plate of people caught in the ‘new way’ of growing children up.

At any rate, it is hard to forgive. In fact, without focus and determination, one will turn away from it, in our society. There are societies where forgiveness is taught as a way of life, and it does reduce violence, and develop character.

Which brings me to the point of this section. If you are not taught about forgiveness early in your life (beginning with baby-hood or maybe even during pregnancy), you will be captive to the systems that pop up in your lives. As in the movie The Matrix ©, the point is made of the ‘machines’, ‘computerized programs’ being the ones holding people captive; which equals = da' system.

Very good point, however, in our lives now, it is the various, invisible systems of labor, religion, education, culture and communities that captivate. Perhaps as a model for the soon coming machines – just joking.

Generally speaking, For-give-ness is giving release to someone for what they have done (or you believe they have done) to you. Mostly this is pain oriented. There are times when it is mental and emotionally painful, and none is worse or better. Pain is the place where you can gain through learning and growing; or become captive – become a slave held in bondage. Choice is ours. Yep, ours!

FORGIVENESS FACTOR 2

I struggled for years, being on the ‘outside’, you know, in the outer courts of the temple. I had accepted Jesus at 4, and had an awesome experience with God as my daddy – and then the ‘religious-ness’ began to drive me back and away from God – cause after all, I wasn’t good enough.

Isn’t it amazing what we will accept, especially when we come to know God? Isn’t it amazing how we go right on by LOVE, (who God is) and accept all of our faults as who we are. Hmmm. And is it any wonder that I ended up out in the outer courts – after all, that is where someone like ‘me’ belonged. You know, born out of wedlock, and as such damned forever – religious-mind-set.

Well I remember dreaming of being in the outer court , on my knees, crying, Daddy, I want to come in. I was in front of this big door that was locked and I had tried like forever to get it open, with know success --- but this day I didn’t try anything,

I just cried out for God with all my heart – HELP!! ABBA! DADDY! HELP! LET ME IN!! I NEED TO COME IN AND BE WITH YOU! I WANT TO COME IN AND BE WITH YOU FOREVER!!

And surprise! The door opened wide, letting me in, and as I got up and walked through it, amazed, I entered into the throne room. I stood there with my mouth opened and stunned. I got in. How was that possible? I mean how is it I wasted all those years trying to break down the walls and windows. And when that didn’t work, sneaking around trying to slip in so I could get to God.

And finally, after no success I had simply stood outside and cried coming to the end of myself ideas and ways – and the door – the required living way door. Ready to open when I knocked – when I came to the end of myself, and cried out, even in my fear, to God – this is knocking.

Well, you can guess my amazement as I walked into the most radiant, richly furnished and peaceful room, full of the presence of God, and approached the very Throne where I thought I would be yelled at from, and beat up from, and told to leave and never come back.

Surprise! I was welcomed, with all of my lack, I was received with Grace and Mercy, because my ‘way in’ was present, Jesus, my covering, my way in. He was at the right hand of the Throne of God, and I fell on my face in complete surrender. Awesome is too little a word to describe the love and comfort that washed over me as I lay before my God, my heavenly Father, my savior and Lord, my guide and life.

God’s Mercy and Forgiveness washed over my soul, my spirit, my body. I had never felt so light and free before. Guilt and unforgiveness weigh a ton, or tons I should say. They permit dark spirits to darken your life, and cause all manner of evil to press in on you and in through you. Like in the movie Matrix: Reloaded ©; the evil twins. Who could pass right through you as they did their dirt to you.

Well, when you cry out to God, like David did, and let go of all of your mind set and judgments, and guilt syndromes, etc., well God’s Grace, His unmerited favor floods your life, your soul. And God’s forgiveness washes all sin, judgment, blame, guilt – washes them and their dark controllers away – Away – AWAY!!!

God’s forgiveness comes through the blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus. The blood of the Lamb of God, sacrificed, slain so we could ‘be’ forgiven – as is the forgiven ones.

Guess who doesn’t want us to know we are forgiven??? Right! So who you gonna choose? God or the enemy of your soul?
Me, I chose GOD,
Forgiveness and all !!!

FORGIVENESS FACTOR 3

Well, when God’s Mercy and Grace and Forgiveness fell on me, I saw all the results of my ways in guilt and unforgiveness leave in the flood of peace that filled my heart and soul. Like dirty water down the drain, this junk I had been carrying forever, just washed away, and Grace, Mercy and Forgiveness took up residence in my soul.

Cry? The tears flowed as freely as God’s love, and I wept all my brokenness into God’s Love and became a healed one, a whole hearted one. God was not finished.

I watched as the cross came into my heart/soul/spirit, and separated me from the world systems of ‘no-being’.

• My judgment roots, gone;
• my frustrations roots, gone;
• my blame and victim roots, gone;
• my addictive drive to control all in my life roots, gone;
• my hatred and bitterness, gone.

It was too much – I was not used to being loved unconditionally, by God.
I asked God to please love me in little doses until I could accept His Love entirely. Which God immediately did – He reduced His love to little bits until I began to ask for more and more and more.

Now I want all of His Love always! And I have learned in the process of growing and being able to receive more of God’s love, about forgiveness and what it means to those in new life.

 With forgiveness, I can accept who I am and whose I am, even when I fall and fail.
 With forgiveness, I can see beyond the stupidity factor that people and even I get caught up in.
 With forgiveness I can focus on God’s Love and obey in Love, not by performance to gain – but in truth in ‘being’.
 With forgiveness, I can walk through my valleys of the shadow of death (with the habit patterns of my old self, carved into mountains and rivers and plains and such) and see the banqueting table and sit and eat and rejoice with the Lord God, My Shepherd.

 With forgiveness, I can receive the anointing that breaks every and all yokes in my living and breathing life, and rejoice that my cup, my earthen vessel runs over continuously.
 With forgiveness, I can know that God’s Goodness and Mercy, God My Father’s Goodness and Mercy follow me all the days of my life.

Forgiveness is life itself, freed from all the hype and drama of sin and death. OH YEA!

FORGIVENESS FACTOR 4

If you have some problem with forgiveness in your mind, let me share something that may help. Remember Jesus in the Garden, before all the stuff hit the fan? Remember that he was sweating. . . blood --- really.

My husband puts it this way. Jesus’ human, natural, soulical parts were in ‘NOT GOING THERE’, mode. His thoughts and His feelings (His Soul) were rising up against all the pain and all the suffering to come. His living soul ways were in agreement to No way! In fact, Jesus went as far as to say,' If this cup can pass' – which was the Holy Spirit's wisdom, Jesus' living soul was saying more like ‘I DON”T THINK SO, DAD!

Consider this. Jesus had never been separated from His Heavenly Father EVER. Even being born on earth did not separate God the Father from God the Son.

And to know He would be, and the pain and disgrace, and agony and wrongness of it all rose up and was battling fiercely against His acknowledged, and acepted 'Your Will Be Done' (Jesus' whole purpose for being. )

Ahhhh, but the Spirit was with Him, and stepped in and up to lead Him in the way that He must go and even provide comfort as much as possible at this time – and so Jesus, after sweating blood and crying out for the cup to pass, made the choice, and submitted to the Spirit of Life within Him and upon Him, and said, 'Not my will, Father, but Your will be done'. You see, we do have a choice in our will, no matter what the pressure, trial, experience or trouble, WE STILL HAVE THE CHOICE to obey God’s will.

Consider this as you learn and grow in Forgiveness. Jesus hanging on the cross, after being wrongfully judged, beaten, beard pulled out, punched, 2” thorns shoved on his head, piercing his skull, made to carry his cross, nailed to it hands and feet, and hanging on it in pain we can’t even imagine. And in and through all of this Jesus didn't cry out for God to judge anyone.

Jesus said: 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do'. . . not because He was so down, but because He was in obedience, in trusting God, even tho’ separated from God, and moving through the Holy Spirit in righteousness and empowered to say these words. These words broke the yokes that were still attempting to bind him, I said BROKE the yokes, and Jesus in forgiving entered into the liberty of being obedient and was empowered and enabled to face death, descend into Hell, and to rise again!

So you get the choice to enter into who you really are in forgiveness, by forgiving. Or you can choose to hide out in make-believe land yoked and chained to unforgiveness. Like Neo you get to choose – wake up or stay asleep.

Whatcha gonna choose, forgiveness and Life or unforgiveness and Death? Remember death was all around Jesus, and his flesh and feelings and mind all recognized death. But death was not the winner, or the ruler – just a player which lost -- because Jesus chose life in the face of death, in the experience of death, Jesus chose life, he forgave.

You can too!

FORGIVENESS FACTOR 5

The forgiveness factor is free to all who will, who choose to, come to the end of themselves and find a door awaiting their cry, their knock, to open wide into God’s welcoming throne room of Grace and Mercy. In fact we can cry and God will answer our cry, personally.

God will come and pick us up and hold us, and love us. We get there, as to in God’s presence, during a time of need, and as human beings (physical/soulical), lost, or even in the process of salvation we walk through seasons where we are in times of need. So wake up and pay attention – knock or cry and get all that you need. Forgiveness and more.

The first step we need to take, as we are forgiven by God our heavenly Father is to FORGIVE YOURSELF. This is Key to living, moving and having your being in the true authority and power of God, we must forgive ourselves first. That’s right us first.

We are our own worse enemy when it comes to self-judging and self-punishing – no forgiveness in these.
And while it is good and necessary to forgive others, if you don’t forgive yourself, you are still locked into the jail of bitterness and resentment. And you will get beat up more and more and the life drained out of you. Just like in the movie The Matrix ©, sentient programs jump in and out of you and bind you and suck the life right out of you. Ugh!

So begin, right now, do it. Begin with YOU, forgive YOUrself, and do so as often as necessary, especially when you do ‘dumb’ or ‘ignorant’ stuff.

Let me restate it this way:

1. Forgive yourself of any and all junk you may have done, felt, thought about, said, imagined, watched, ALL of it, forgive you. Look into a mirror and practice saying I forgive myself of anything and everything I have thought, felt, spoken, done, talked about – all that I remember and all that I don’t remember, I FORGIVE ME!

2. Forgive everyone and anyone who has done anything to hurt you, or lied, or gossiped, or caused you trouble, pain, or loss. Start out by writing it all down, then speak it out loud, and go until you KNOW, and you will know when you have arrived at the place of surrender.

You know, not my will but yours, be done.

Do it so you can take the steps to check out what comes next! Your Blessings and Joy and Peace and Hope and Abundance – through God’s Grace, Mercy and Love – Love that never ever fails!!! DO IT! FORGIVE YOU!!!!

Now, if you need to review the Forgiveness factor – five parts – then do so and seek God’s will for you with what I have shared – you want your brokenness dealt with, and while I may have help clear the way, you still need to have God show you your own broken, unforgiven parts. As the Spirit of God leads you and shows you and you forgive you, well the liberty and peace you will feel and be are amazing!

When you can, look in a mirror and smile and say ‘I forgive me, wholly.’

Next we will go deeper into the journey in our Prayer-Life.

The Cleft of the Rock Season

As you continue on this journey through life, and spiritually connect to God, your journey becomes filled with the presence of God and this includes peace, joy, grace, mercy and Love.

Are you aware that Love never ever fails? So it doesn’t matter if you fall, because you have been made righteous (as in right standing with God) by the blood of the Lamb, and you can fall 7 times (7=complete) and God will pick you up, lift you up. When you call out to God with all your heart, you are heard and God picks you up, dusts you off, and puts you back on target. There are times when God picks you up and puts you in a safe place for a season. I call this the ‘Cleft of the Rock’ season.

The Cleft of the Rock experience usually comes after a healing, or a deep touch of God in our hearts and souls. God breaks through the walls of despair and desperation, and calls light out of darkness and life out of death.

I know you ‘felt’ something at the healing and this pretty much settled it for you. Well, wake up and pay attention – while your feelings may reflect the work of God, you need to learn to ‘know’ God in all the ways right in the midst of whatever happened. This is the key to spiritually growing and maturing.

Many people get left in the ‘felt something’ arena, even when they study the Word. And after a while they find themselves back in the ‘yucky stuff’ again; and they end up feeling depressed, disappointed, and downright angry at/with God for fooling them. They feel ‘played’ and blame God, even though God hasn’t done anything to depress or disappoint us, nope! Not His way.

Well, the truth of the matter is,
1) that your mind and the enemy of your soul keep looping you back round to the junk over and over; and
2) you must be PREPARED for God’s touch, God’s leading and God’s anointing in our day and time.

Because the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and this Word, the Lamb of God, stepped up and sacrificed His Life for our new life.
He became sin – separation I needed – bore all of our sins and paid the price – through dying and being buried and descending into hell death and the grave. Then rising again and bringing life out of death to and for the lost sons and daughters of God.

It is in Him, the Lord God ‘risen’ and within us through new birth, that we live and move and have our being. This is a simple truth to read, AND an awesome journey to experience.

So when you go and get prayed over OR you pray at home in sincerity and the whole desire of your heart and ‘restoration’ is declared, you must know that is the truth for you now, and step into it.

Feelings are not to be confused with knowing. Feelings identify that something is happening; so while you may be able to identify with what is being said – do you really KNOW – as with no doubt and nobody can take it away - the truth you receive at this hour and time? KNOW - as yes this is for me right now, thank you Jesus, Abba Daddy, Holy Spirit Mommie. God is All in ALL.

After you receive this anointing of Truth, you really need to study to show yourself approved – as in study the Word of God and continue to humble yourself under the might hand of the Lord God, creator – this is more than reading or listening alone. The time you spend will bring about maturity as you receive (really receive) the anointing of the Spirit 24/7.

Part of the journey to completeness in, of and by God – called Radical Restoration, is the time you spend with God in the cleft of the Rock – just you and God, sometimes silent, sometimes full of music, sometimes the wind blows mightily, but you are always in peace with God.

You learn and grow just as a baby/child does in a home filled with love. You may fall down, but Your Spirit Father and Spirit Mother and Spirit Brother lift you up, hold you and help you to understand what happened – All in the cleft of the rock – and who is the Rock of All ages? Right!

So welcome to the best time, the resting time, of your life – with God in the Cleft of the Rock. Peace.
The following scriptures are for you to read and study to gain insight and knowledge on your Rock journey:

Bible Quotes from the King James Version, or The Amplified Bible, or The Message

1. Deuteronomy 32:13
He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;
2. 2 Samuel 22:2
And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3. 2 Samuel 22:3
The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
4. 2 Samuel 22:32
For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
5. 2 Samuel 22:47
The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
6. Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
7. Psalm 18:31
For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
8. Psalm 18:46
The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
9. Psalm 27:5
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
10. Psalm 28:1
Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
11. Psalm 31:2
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
12. Psalm 31:3
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
13. Psalm 40:2
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
14. Psalm 42:9
I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
15. Psalm 61:2
From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
16. Psalm 62:2
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.
17. Psalm 62:6
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
18. Psalm 62:7
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
19. Psalm 71:3
Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
20. Psalm 78:15
He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
21. Psalm 78:16
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
22. Psalm 78:20
Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
23. Psalm 78:35
And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
24. Psalm 81:16
He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
25. Psalm 89:26
He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
26. Psalm 92:15
To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
27. Psalm 94:22
But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
28. Song of Solomon 2:14
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
29. Isaiah 2:10
Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
30. Isaiah 2:19
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
31. Isaiah 2:21
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
32. Isaiah 32:2
And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
33. Isaiah 33:16
He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure

Now as you continue on in Prayer-Life we go to the Praise Stage.

Praise Stage:

We learn early on after new birth, as we are ‘feeling’ so happy to praise God – we go the church service and sing and clap – praising and thank God for His Love and Grace and Mercy. We sing songs of thanks for saving us, and for keeping us safe and loving us and giving us life daily.

Just as young children are happy and smile and laugh and ask for things – so we do initially – we are not even aware of the changing of diapers – the bathing, yes – water does get our attention – and then we begin to want to walk and talk just like our parents – so it is with God.

God our Father and the Holy Spirit our Mother guide us and nuture us as well as carry us to where we are to be. And then we learn how to walk and run and talk and ask and ride bicycles or play ‘house’ or watch TV or listen to the radio or tapes or cds – and we learn how to walk spiritually and talk spiritually and run spiritually and ask spiritually, and listen to the Spirit of God, and these are just beginning lessons.

Some of the pain we experience is similar to the pains we go through as we are growing from babies to toddlers and toddlers to children and then teens and then young adults, and then adults. The process has pain, and we learn from the pain and aches and so on.

Spiritually we learn through pain as well – we learn to cry out to God and to cry and we begin to be in touch with the grace and mercy and peace of God – just as a baby does when it cries and Mom or Dad or other family members pick the baby up and hold and comfort the baby.

God does the same with us, spiritually – and as a child becomes more aware of what is happening physically, so it is with us spiritually – only we don’t get it – until someone points it out – and then we are happy for the moment – we struggle with connecting the spiritual growth factors – which is why prayer-life is so important – it was an awesome break through – and I was a grown (as in over 25 years old) woman when the truth broke in – even tho’ I had been in church from 4 years old.

The relationship I took for granted, as in I think about it, I just moved in it – was real; and as I grew I was to be maturing spiritually as well – however what I discovered was that I was not ‘connected’ to the truth of who I was, and my purpose – I was unprepared knowledge-wise. God still watched over me, and kept me safe, and comforted me when I cried out for Him. Which became only ‘when I was in trouble’.

I was stunned when the Spirit of the Lord led me to see the truth of prayer-life. It was a wake up and pay attention season – a getting back in touch with the basics of my spiritual life and growing/maturing up quickly as to what I was created for (as in my purpose) and God’s preparation and calling.

Some of the ‘issues’ in my/our lives were because we were ‘asleep’ to the truth that God had worked in us and through us – we were unaware of God’s presence with us
And that this presence was a 24/7 – just like air all around us – taken for granted – we can’t see it, we just need it to be alive – so God is all around us 24/7 and we are spiritually alive because we are in Him living and moving and having our being.

Well, when I began to get it, I was amazed and so thankful that God had stayed with me and not left me . . . and I praised Him with all of my heart and soul – I jumped for joy, and shouted for happiness, God blesses beyond what we can think,
Thank You Lord!!!

So now you are in the stage of what I call true praise – it is an amazing feeling time
But the truth of all is that God is with you always – and you can praise Him with a smile as well as a shout!! Yes, Praise is that simple – full of thanks to God for your
Life, your hope, your ways, your family, your means, your breathing, your walking, your thinking, your feeling, your being!!!

Now Praise Him, 24/7 = 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – ALWAYS!!!

Of course Worship is the time when your praise is full and the anointing – or God’s acceptance of your praise and God’s invitation to enter into His Chamber – then the intimate time of Worship begins.

Worship is a spiritually natural outpouring of a heart full of praise, and ready for the touch of God in true relationship and authority.
Tears may fall, as we are blown away by God’s acceptance of us, and inviting us into the holy of holies, His Chamber – the King’s Chamber.

It is here that we become one with God, and what we ask we receive – because we are one with the creator who has promised to give us what we ask for – and believe in Him for. This can only happen in Worship, in His Presence, and with the full anointing of the Holy Spirit – Then you are taken to the very tops of the mountains, and covered with the spices of Love and Truth, Grace and Mercy, Forgiveness and Peace.

Read the book of Solomon in the Bible – and be prepared as you do. Do not just read it, but be prepared by seeking and asking and praising and rejoicing and being brought to the place of true humility and anointing.

Prayer Life is Real Life – in and with God our Father, Creator, Mother, Co-Creator, and Living Word, Co-Creator, forever!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Real Prayer for Real Seekers!

Prayer - how much do you really know about prayer? Now I lay me down to sleep... is this what you were taught? Is this this what you say, or maybe it's the Lord's prayer of "Our Father wh art in heaven..."?

Or maybe you've learned chanting certain words or phrases over and over.
Or maybe you've learned that prayer is for the 'leaders' to do - a special gift for a special few. And with this understanding you've let 'others' take care of prayer.

Well these are all part of the truth, the beginning parts for sure. And while they are important steps they are steps, leading you to a place of reality - in God's view.

Until you learn and grow IN praylife, the complete truth of who you are and whose you are remains out of sight, ot of mind. Well, if you are ready to get real answers about real prayers - then let's rock and roll.

Firstly, prayer is not about doing something right. And while it is Holy, in that it is a part of God in us and whose we are -- as new born again children of God, it is not about being 'better than' anyone else. Nope, nor is prayer just for a chosen few.

Prayer is for all of us, who have been born again by our choice, choosing Jesus - God's Living Word Son, who was from the begining our answer. Prayer is part of who we are in or new life - Prayer is who we are and also what we do and new life believers.

Like a baby needs milk to get through the early stages of life, so we start our Prayer Life by calling out to Abba, our Heavenly Father - and through the Holy Spirit (I call Mommie, Heavenly Mother) are fed the living word (the revealed word, Jesus) as milk.

So have you been born again, as in coming to the end of your self and crying out to God for help, and receiving the gift, free, of your new spiritual life? Have you entered into that 24/7 real realationship with Abba - our creator, Holy Spirit - our comforter/guide and Jesus as your Savior, Lord, Brother?

If the answer is yes, then let's get busy with real prayer - as in Prayer Life!

Just as a baby is washed after physical birth -- so when we are spiritually born again, we are washed - this washing is what I refer to as the baptism of the Holy Spirit - I believe we are washed initially by the Spirit - and then we get to ask for the Holy Spirt to come and anoint us, and lead and guide us into all the truth.

And this is where Prayer Life, (real prayer) begins. We begin as we ask - for the milk of the Word. Interesting isn't it -- especially for us grown folk - we need to go back to the 'baby-hood' and cry out for milk all day long -- you know, like every 4 hours! :-))

I call this the beginning lesson of who we are and whose we are. We need to know that when we ask we receive of God, first milk, then bread and then meat -- as in growing - learning and maturing.

Jesus gives us the basics of asking in Luke 11:9:

So I say to you,
Ask and it wil be given to you;
Seek and you will find;
Knock and it will be opened to you

Ask
Seek
Knock

Confirmation of a simple truth is provided for us -- if we are bein LED by the Holy Spirit -- if not then the words are not alive or anointed and do not reveal the truth for each one of us. We are not all duplicates of one another - so the truth revealed is not going to be the same. God knows each and every one of us in the uniqueness we have been created in -- in God's image - yet individually unique!

Prayer for real is how we live and move and have our being in Christ the anointing!

So go get your notebook or tape recorder and write/speak what you have received from this blog - more to come in part 2!