Different Now

Post 137

I am just now coming out the other side of a very interesting learning curve.
God has been really working in me personally, and my mind continues to be filled with contemplations and thoughts, but things are significantly different than they were before.

I want to continue my blog because I feel there is much more to be said, yet the approach now is nothing like it was before. It has taken me some time to only begin to understand what just happened, and then to begin a whole new learning period of application. And frankly I am still not sure, but getting closer!

Fortunately for me, this is actually the third time this has happened in my life.
The first time years ago, spun me so bad I was never able to understand it, and therefore was not able to respond correctly. *1
The second time did not catch me by surprise as bad but neither did I try hard to understand it.
Only this time have I been able to grasp just a little of the bigger picture in the events, and therefore have more knowledge to make sense of it and therefore have a more proper response.
I only bring this up here because as I endeavor to continue my blog it is important to note that although I believe the Spirit of God is still guiding my thoughts, it is as if the message is coming long distance now, (though that is a poor analogy) and it appears as if there is a whole lot more of my own mental processes involved than previously.

Although I have virtually no aspirations or illusions that I should even be comparing myself, I can see in a small way what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote; “But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. For I would that all men were even as I myself.” I Corinthians 7:6-7
Then in the next concept in the same line of thinking he boldly declares; “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord,…” I Corinthians 7:10
Now how do you suppose he had the ability to know the difference between his own ideas, and the Lord’s?
And was his idea actually within the heart of God?
Apparently it was, after all, it made it into the scriptures and we are fully confident the scriptures are breathed of the Holy Spirit and without a single error. II timothy 3:16

In my previous posts, for the sake of weak believers, I carefully noted that what I wrote was my own interpretation of scripture. This is technically true.
But now in my efforts to continue my studies and writing without the direct breath of the Holy Spirit, I am very keenly aware that what I had written previously had another significant influence outside of myself that is now missing. So just how much of it was my own interpretation? I honestly don’t really know.
Clearly I am not even in the same league as the Apostle Paul, nor do I even try to be! *2

Yet the Apostle Paul himself claimed to be the least of the Apostles because he actually persecuted the church before being converted. (I Corinthians 15:9)

Apostle 652 apostolos; from 649; a delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ [“apostle”] (with miraculous powers).

Technically Paul never saw Jesus in the flesh before the ascension. Paul (then called Saul) only saw Jesus later in what was effectively perhaps a vision, but apparently more than that because he was actually blinded by the event, then accepted as an Apostle by the others, and finally confirmed by God through his writings making it into our Scriptures.
In the classic scriptural patterns, Paul then represents the Church age as the other Apostles represent the Jews. They had the presence of God in their experience, while Paul gained his faith and remained faithful, all in the Lord’s physical absence. Though on occasion the LORD took him in power beyond what is normal.

I declare that in a similar way of his own comparison, each of us as believers should be at least experiencing God in a shadow of comparison to the Apostle Paul, as he was in the shadow of the Apostles who were physically in the presence of Jesus the Messiah.
In all reality, each of us having the Holy Ghost dwelling with us, should be practicing Apostles.

But today’s Christians are so weak and sickly in faith, that such a thought is near Heresy, and such a concept too easily corrupted, and so I cannot even suggest such a concept…

Except in Colossians 2:18 Paul warns; “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,…”

First this suggests there is a reward that can be lost through beguilement.
And second that beguilement comes in the way of voluntary humility among other things.

What is voluntary humility?
That is of course; humility which is consciously applied.

As opposed to what?
Involuntary humility?

We can correctly re-phrase this as; false humility.
That is; humility that is not appropriate because it is not naturally occurring.

Stirring up a whole can of worms, this is exactly the kind of humility that supports the Green movement, the Environmentalists, and the unwarranted compassion for animals, illegals, Islamists, and abortion clinics, etc etc.
If you don’t see it, just cross them and watch the blood come up into their eyes.
What happened to all that humility they were just showing?
The too-sweet, sickeningly syrupy, gush, and cooing, that they do is a good sign that they are only applying a humility by force.
They are acting out good behavior.
They are pretending.
They are dangerous because the humility only covers a much darker secret side.

But isn’t that exactly what most Christians do?!
Yes it is, and it sickens God just as much, if not more!
(I use the offensive word "most" because the condition in America we see today could not be possible if it was not MOST. Therefore I am not generalizing, I am stating what I actually mean. I do not air-quote "Christians" here because I cannot know just who is really a Christian acting carnally and who is only pretending to be a Christian, yet either way the result is the same.)

So getting back to my case, if I continue to deny that what I have written was influenced strongly by the Holy Spirit of God even though I know otherwise, I have applied false humility, or voluntary humility, and thereby loose my reward.
What reward?
How about the interaction with the Holy Spirit? *1
God says; “…for how should my name be polluted? And I will not give my glory unto another.” Isaiah 48:11b, see also Isaiah 42:8, Acts 12:23
So if I claim the credit for the work of the Holy Spirit through false humility, how can I expect Him to continue working in me?
Yet if I claim the Holy Spirit is giving me my ideas, You will be offended that I claim I can hear from God!
How tragic. Because either way the message is lost.

This is a good example of the confusion and corruption of truth that my next series of posts will attempt to cover, (God willing. (and I mean that!))

But note here;
These posts are coming with much more labor now because the Spirit of God is not as close.
I’m working on that, and will let you know if it changes.
Yet in the meantime, with the additional diligence, I believe what I have to say is still in conformity to the heart of God, though I am less confident and am not content that it remain this way.
As always, it is up to you to evaluate what you read, but that evaluation will be affected by this knowledge, and with this knowledge you might want to go back and read again some of the previous posts with new evaluation!

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*1 IF this is really your case, I have created quite a study on this topic and have come to some understanding I really wish I had the first time.
Feel free to contact me through a reply to my post after becoming a follower of my blog so that I can respond to you personally.
But be warned; I will probably be able to show you that you already know you are not applying your faith as you know you should, and therefore this study will be of no use to you.
Sometimes the absence of the Holy Ghost after a time of great interaction is due to ignorance and offense, but sometimes the LORD himself has reasons we do not understand which we can glean from the first three chapters of the Song of Solomon of all places! This is a complex and deep spiritual insight into both the Jews and the Christian’s relationship with God.

*2 Does this mean that I think with diligence I can eventually reach the level of the Apostle Paul and write scripture?
NO, NO, NO, no, no, no, and NO!
Why do you go there?!
But do you really think Paul was able to write scripture because he diligently reached some spiritual level?
NO.
The Spirit of God wanted to write scripture and used those whom he chose, and Paul happened to be one.
Now the Scriptures are written, and anyone claiming to be writing more scripture is of the Devil. And anyone claiming to be privately interpreting scripture is also of the Devil.
II Peter 1:20-21 “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
I am claiming to be interpreting scripture, and I am claiming I have the spiritual influence of the Holy Ghost to aid my interpretation, just as all believers have access.
I have no special “In” with God beyond what is available to all believers.
This passage is speaking directly to the Joseph Smiths, and Marry Baker Eddies, and Mohammads, who claim to have a secret “In” with God that no one else has, thereby making them and their interpretations the indisputable voice of God.
I am only saying I think I have confirmation from the Spirit of God that my interpretation has substance. You read it and see for yourself if you agree.
I am confident that if you too are walking in the Holy Spirit, you will agree with my interpretation, but I am not declaring you must!

*3 How do I know I am applying this verse correctly? (Colossians 2;18)
Because in the same thought is the topic of Angel worship.
Angel worship comes by recognizing there is actually an outside influence, but instead of applying false humility to cover it, we choose to claim we got it from Angels.
Then begins a wrongful seeking after, or a heightened focus on Angels, which is also offensive to God, and in the same category of voluntary humility by denying the real influence of the Holy Ghost.

We are not to focus on the messenger, but the author of the message, who is God.
We are not even to focus on the Holy Spirit, but on the message he brings, yet neither are we to deny Him.
All glory should be fully and confidently given to Jesus the Messiah and the Father God.

This verse spends a bit of time describing those men who will beguile us;
They intrude into those things which they have not seen: meaning you saw it, but they talk you out of it because they didn’t.
They are vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind: meaning they mean well but are not even on the same plain as you. You are seeing and understanding great spiritual things while they see only with eyes and minds of arrogant flesh.
They are not in possession of the source, (Jesus through the Holy Spirit) from which all the members, (Christians) by connections and fellowships, are fed and instructed and combined together, and therefore the body of believers increases as God increases them. (Colossians 3:18-19 paraphrased)

There is much more here, but dropping down to verse 23:
It tells us, all these beguilements have indeed an appearance of wisdom through will worship, and humility, and neglecting the body…
But this is not honorable because the flesh is not actually satisfied through the effort.
This means all the attempts to diligently conduct themselves with wisdom and virtue is actually only a thin disguise that has no true value because it is missing the source.
Again, this is a real problem among "modern" Christians as well; Trying real hard to BE Christians, but not doing real good at it in their secret lives.

In religious terms we call these things Works.
But the answer is not to deny works. In worldly terms that would be Chaos and Hedonism.
What then is the answer?
This passage tells us these “men of wisdom” who would rob us of our reward by talking us out of our confidence, have no idea what the right answer is.
Clearly the right answer is to first; be one who does see the power of the Holy Ghost in your life.
And then grow in confidence and reliance on that power as you experience His interaction in your life!
Then don’t let the Spiritless “Christians” talk you out of it.
God is alive and desires greatly to be involved in our lives!
LET HIM!

Will you always get it right?
Nope!
It takes practice and diligence as anything good does.
Now, how good is your shooting?
see post 103 Bulls eye

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