Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? VI

Loved Of The LORD! To finish up this chapter I Might as well throw this out there too. Almost 30 years ago, my Sister & her Hub, were going to a 4 Square in Central Cal, which made it easy for us to move into the "Word Of Faith" Camp. When we were re-committed we were attached to a painting contractor, who subed work from me. We not only became close friends, he eventually became my Apostle Paul and his wife & he were a part of WOF, also, down here in SoCal.

Now this camp, I guess you could say sect, was maligned as, "Blab It & Grab It", "Name It & Claim It" and were teaching more than the 'basics' of what the 2007 internet hit ‘The Secret’ touched on, yet from a Scriptural perspective and in more depth.

Because of my own personal studies I watched them close and as even today, I still do not agree completely with any preacher/teacher today in every aspect of their position, which I believe has more to do with The unique Personal Relationship than anything else; and really did not find anything that far out of line and even that could be explained as personal perspectives ... &/or preferences, which at that time, I could even see why they saw it that way. WHEW! How is that for a run-on?

Nevertheless, the church we were attending … was part of a group of the same name, who called themselves as "Non Denominational", who are really as much as a Denominational Sect as any that easily come to mind.

Here is where we found ourselves 'called to' for so many years, and they classified WOF Teaching along side of Blasphemy. Anything that I would minister that had WOF catch words, would always be received with distrust, doubt and even disgust, so this taught me to teach the same things carefully using other words, different ways, so that the ministry would prevail.

At the time I wrote this back in late 2006 I realized at this place in my thoughts, that I was writing what would eventually become this book.

I said all of that to say this, I believe that I needed to remain low profile on most of these things, as far as my involvement in business went, unless directed to be/do other wise, by The Holy Spirit.

"The Secret" seemed to be coming out of the closet, (my perspective at the time) and I thought it would be interesting to see how it would be embraced, in the proclaimed or be hushed in the standard business Paradigm that we were partaking of.

There seems to always be a tie , that will not allow your Spiritual Life be separated from the daily activities of the rest of one’s participation here on this world.

‘The Secret’ seemed to go quickly back into the closet, as far as business went, though most would still acknowledge it should it be mentioned. How many were practicing it thereafter and even now is hard to say.

BTW! "The Secret" would have been held in contempt by The Church Sect we were still a part of and as I have told others before, that even as near as a year ago, I would have been highly skeptical of it, because of my indoctrination there in that assembly.

S O I will continue to Minister & Encourage others to be aware of how we are programmed & use Scripture to explain it. I did it at Business Opportunity Meetings on a regular basis and it was accepted; though I needed to memorize More Scripture to reference, for sure. Should you have questions, reference what you would like scriptural backing to.

My Business mentor at that time who was also becoming a spiritual son could not understand the concepts and when I tried to encourage him by pointing out words he uses (Neg. that pops us out of ‘The Maze’) he would returned with, “that was the first time I used that word” and he tried hard to "Remember" not to use that /those word(s) around me. More of works, than walking in it. IYKWIM? i.e. out of a man's mouth = the abundance of his heart. He also seemed to get offended when I pushed the issue. Oh Well! You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead!

FATHER let me not be arrogant in what you are teaching me and open to all that YOU have yet for me to walk in! In JESUS’ Name!
And BTW! Again! I just remembered (as I was writing) that I studied and taught for a season (15 yrs ago), 1 on 1, BSs etc. "The Natural Mind by Natural Man Vs The Spiritual Mind According to Scripture" I found this to be embarrassing that with all that above, as I realized I was just starting to really walk in it. That that teaching back then, had the Sub-conscious in it & the works!) :-[ I believed it … yet was not Faithing It! IYKWIM? I did not know how to put a stop to the vicious circle!

Funny not Ha Ha It wasn’t till the 2^nd time I read Joel Ostean’s “Your Best Life Now” (Reminded now that I need to do a review on that book too.) that I had been teaching this for years, yet, still was not walking in the fullness of it. Even being told, “Sure … that is what you had been teaching us for years.” :-(

Now to walk in what HE puts before me and not let my mouth, really … my way of thinking pop me out of ‘The Maze’ prematurely. To encourage others to taste and see, How Good GOD Is! More next week.

Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? V

We enjoyed the cruise and did not even get off at the three different ports we visited. A well needed change of pace. Tho I did not need the extra pounds that I wound up with.

To continue:

1^st of all to (Probably) blow you away, I know by The Scripture Itself that the "Traditional Church" that the masses of Christians go to today, does not even remotely look like the 1^st century Church, that is described in the New Testament. Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist, Methodist, C of C, Anglican. Nazarene, Episcopal, Sectarian, & even the cults that say they are the real Christian Church, et al. The 1^st church did not sit in rows and look at the back of heads, while one up in front (elevated or not) told the rest, ... what GOD was saying. ANOTHER Chapter later on.

I find the early Church Sitting or standing or doing both in a circle, facing each other, if not on their face, and GOD Speaking thru them & to them. 1Cor. 14 pretty well covers this, at least as I read it. Here we see only one leader and HE being The Head of the Body, as The Holy Spirit is manifested in the different believers. See 1Cor. 12:7&11 … well shucks! Read the whole chapter!

I know that out of the gate I became Exclusive even Sectarian and putting our LORD in the box of how I met & I came to really know HIM, for the 1^st time. HE Stayed in that box for many a moon, until mentors & of Course The Holy Spirit led me into more Truth.

I see & walk in The Truth that I have at the time and it takes a jolt to be able not only see someone else’s perspective and to be able to appreciate that they too, have an unique encounter that becomes a filter (like I have, yet really different.) that they see HIM Thru. And of course, also what The Holy Spirit is saying thru The Word and The Body when assembled.

Almost 30 years ago I was having a conversation with my pastor (At the Time) and I said to him that I believed that The Word Of GOD was a many faceted Jewel and that two people looking at it from their position saw something different as to their own unique relationship with The Living GOD. (As The Holy Spirit Revealed it to each one.) It was the very same Truth, yet to & for the individual. He said that that was not so and I was able to see that was what had been revealed to him at that time. Not to elevate my self, as the man taught me many things about The Word and our LORD, that was also part of the process. He also was a Giant when it came to grace and he walked in it and disbursed it to all he met!

That step of Faith, i.e. saying that to him allowed The Holy Spirit to reveal even more. What I had already been taught did not change, yet each time I allowed HIM to reveal more light it all started to make … really make more sense. All I know is that the more I learn, only reveals how much more there is that I do not know!

Need to put this to the presses and to hit the sack! More next week GOD willing!

GOD Bless

Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? IV

Chapter Two --The Maze: Loved Of The LORD! In the late 70s thru the 80s & into the 90s “Men’s Prayer time @ our home on Tuesday evenings. Another chapter: in itself. I believe it was in 79, One of the brothers had a vision about me being in this maze over & over again and before I would find my way out with that victory, I would just pop out of the maze every time before finishing it. When I asked him what it meant, he responded that he did not know.

Knowing that it had to do with “The Evil Sin Of Unbelief” and even preaching about it at different times, I did not see the fullness of it until June or July of 2006. I knew at that time, that I would grab a hold of GOD’s Promises and walk in that belief for a short season, yet still knowing that it was my mouth that would throw the promise, away. When things did not seem like it was going in the right direction I would get bombed out & say out loud with my mouth, “Well I Guess That Is Not Going To Happen!” which was proof that I did not really believe whatever that promise was, was for me.

In Other Words , I did not know the importance of, 1^st of all, continually thinking about it as having ‘Come 2 Pass’ (future) 2^nd and just as important the necessity of walking in that Truth with my mouth day in & day out.

Now do not get me wrong. I do not mean lie about what was happening at the time, YET keeping my eyes & heart on the vision and always speaking of it, as what is. (i.e. in the present tense!)

Then probably the most important was the necessity of being emotionally positive about it, especially should there be something negative trying to come against it, which was and is always the case.

No Doubt there will be some of you, who will question the source of what I am walking in, yet it is all scriptural, comment for the References should you desire.

Now I am not going to try to get you (Who read this) to see &/ or believe what I have come to be believing, Yet I will encourage you to check out The Scriptures for yourself and walk in what The HOLY SPIRIT reveals to you. (Acts 17:11) More on this next week. BTW! Yesterday The Lovely Marilyn (The Wife Of My Youth) and I boarded “The Monarch Of The Sea for four days of Cruising (And Eating!) the left coast of SoCal & Upper Baja. (Knowing that there will be more lessons here too!

Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? III

There never seems to be enough time to do all one has planed. So it is so easy to put it all off, because you cannot get it all done. There comes a time, Eccl. 3, when one needs to put the things they have been taught into Action and go beyond just teaching & encouraging others. WOW how the truths that I have taught for 30years, all of a sudden seem to make, not only more sense, yet reveals how much more there is yet to partake of.
Hang on, more to come! Chapter 2 next week.

Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? II

Ok, a day behind, yet not a dollar short! To continue on from Friday the 7th of September.

I want to thank The Wife of my youth, The Lovely Marilyn, who has stood by me, supported and encouraged me in so many ventures and adventures in nigh unto 5 decades + of Marital Learning & Communication. Also my Family, the natural & spiritual children who have contributed to who I am. To those Brethren who were so instrumental in challenging the box, (way of thinking), that I had bound My LORD JESUS in. And my good friend and Sister in The LORD, Kath Salomons, who was an associate I was working with in the educational field for nigh unto 10 years who we met face to face for the first time last Nov, 2006. She has been an encourager and thought provoker for so many years and will proof read & edit this new enterprise that is now before me in its entirety. MOST of all, Special Thanks to my GOD & Savior, The LORD JESUS, The Anointed SON, for saving me and patiently teaching me to seek HIM for direction, in all endeavors.

Next week, more to come!

Book Review Joseph’s Bones

Loved Of The LORD

I just finished reading this book & I thought you might be interested in another direction I invested in.

Joseph’s Bones

Understanding The Struggle Between God And Mankind In The Bible

Jerome M. Segal

Being a believer and follower of Jesus for thirty years, reading this work was somewhat a strain to do, as Jerome Segal suggests, to set aside my beliefs and read with an open mind. This was indeed a trek in unexplored space for me. Yet another review to add to my list

I found Jerome Segal to be an astute student and scholar of the bible. His extensive knowledge and understanding of Holy writ is obviously displayed in this in-depth critical analysis and perspective.

Segal sets aside conventional, theological and accepted views and uses Scripture (Those he chose.) alone to radically present his contentions.

His analysis thru the Torah & Joshua (Hexateuch ) portrays GOD as a immature neophyte, who is omnipotent, yet not omniscience nor magnanimous.

He seems to have Yahweh looking for a mentor and has Abraham and Moses as instruments in respectably shaping GOD’s character and perspective on obedience, justice & punishment..

His writing displays his belief and love for god and he is scholarly neutral in his position on the deity of JESUS, while at the same time suggesting that JESUS was also a part of Yahweh’s evolution.

He emphasizes the Israelites carrying two arks with them one being the bones of Joseph, which seems feasible, as the bones were with them till they buried them in Shechem, It was probably more a sarcophagus being of the rank he held in Egypt.

The Ark of the covenant being the visible image of GOD’s Law and Judgment and the ark of Joseph’s Bones reminding them of Joseph’s Love and Forgiveness.

As hard as it was to read, (because of my beliefs) I found it never dry and it kept my interest as a mystery would. Dr. Segal did an exceptional job showing JESUS and Joseph being alike in so many ways.

Even though I have never found two people agree completely on what Scripture is saying and as different as this was, I have to say that, “All and all it was a good read for understanding how others see The Word.”

Where Do I Fit In The Body Of Christ? I

Ok! Loved Of The LORD, ... I'm Back
How many people that I know … and so many more that I do not, have a lost feeling about their place, i.e. “Where they are to function” in The Body Of Christ?

For so many years knowing that I belonged by The Word Of GOD, yet always questioning the place I would find myself in.
Oh do not get me wrong, there are always times that I would be blessed & know where I was, was GOD’s will, yet people’s response or reaction to the things I would say or do, seemed to leave doubt.

Knowing that I was a leader from an early age & also knowing that you always served an apprenticeship period and paid your dues, kept me strong in my pursuit of GOD’s will for my life and understanding HIS Word.

Even writing this today, I have known that I would be writing it for some time, just as now it is being manifested and you might say, that I am “Taking the bull by the horns” and “JUST DOING IT”

More on its way!