Healing & Recharging

I've been doing some work on revamping my diet, sleep patterns, ability to drink more water (it was more of a battle than you might imagine....... and I had to study it out and proceed gradually for it to work...... I'm at my full goals with that now!.........), AND WORKING OUT AGAIN.......

I began anew on February 18, 2015.

This is April 15, 2015, and here are my contrasting stats:

Current Stats:

Stats for Feb. 18, 2015 - to - April 14, 2015: (using Navy Body Fat Calculator)

Body Fat:  33%                    28 %

Weight: 148 lbs                 152 lbs.   

.......................(wrong direction, I know, I know, I know........)

Fat Mass: 49 lbs                  41 lbs.

Lean Mass: 99 lbs             107 lbs.

Neck:  14"                            13 3/8"   

......................(was almost 13", then ran out of extra protein supplies! We'll fix that!)

Waist: 32"                            28 7/8"   (down 3")

Lower Abs:  39"                   37 1/2"   (down 2" - but I'm doing more ab work now.....?)

Hips: 42"                              39 1/8"   (down 3")

Chest: 42"                            39 3/8"   (down almost 3")

Right Thigh: 23"                   23"         (bugs me, really bugs me......)

Left Thigh: 23"                     23"          (it still bugs me......)

Right Bicep: 12"                  12"          (had dropped, then grew again now that I'm exercising?)

Left Bicep:  11.5"                 12"         (ditto)

Right Calf: 14.5"                  13 7/8"    (hmmmm.......)

Left Calf: 14.5"                     13 7/8"    (& hmmmm.....)

Now that doing light work and drinking water and eating more protein helped, and now that it looks like life is going to settle back down (though I won't know for certain for a little while), as long as life remains in a settling trend, I'll be really focusing on the whole diet/exercise program much more.

If not, I"M NOT QUITTING.  Maybe making slower progress still for a while, BUT I'M NOT QUITTING!!!

There's no room for quitting in my life........

And today?  There will be more than a light pilates workout.

Pilates *&* weights in the afternoon (not much with weights, but it's a start - and when I began back in February, I couldn't even do a full Light-Pilates-Workout....., so this IS progress *for me*).......

Progress is success enough for today.

I Peter 3:21-22

So, indeed, in the same way, baptism as a result of sincere repentance in the place of the mark impressed upon (aka: antitype - as in the mark mentioned in the previous verse...., that of the eight in the ark having gone through baptism in the ark, which, as is clearly seen by looking at the meanings and root words for pitch & pitch in Genesis 6:14, is a type of Christ - a mark which is an antitype with the emphasis upon the saving work of Christ...., the mark would not have happened without obedient faith in God's plan of salvation.....) is just now, at this time saving you  (or is it ..... 'is immediately saving you'?).

No mere looking away from what was put aside, that is, the filth that is put aside; but rather a persisting joining of the moral and spiritual conscience aware of being created in the Divine imagine, a self-judging consciousness, with a free will knowing what is right from wrong;

II Corinthians 1:1-2

The Call to Cease - sent forth with the message of the Anointed One, the Promised One:  "I Am Salvation successfully sent across from the other side and back again for the sake of the only, true God, as an act of His willing desire, earnest wish, and amazing design," .....

......  and moreover, the brother (from the same womb......), Valuable Honor,

To the ones called out from the world to God......

(to those of you who are) of The God, The Creator who is master of everything in the universe....... "I Am  within and among (you in) this world made up of false and mortal legends (which only end in death....... )

(to those of you who are called out by The Eternal):  "I Am together within and among (you even when you are in the middle of any and) every part (of a world which does not know how to trace its beginnings because they do not know me)."   (II Corinthians 1:1)

...........

God is inclining His grace - to you.........

to bless you in kindness, freely 'extending Himself to give Himself away' - to you.....

reaching His favor out  -  to you.......

....and even joining you back together into that which is wholeness:  (which is peace), peace as only found in The Creator God, who establishes and sustains all things:  Our Father, even The Master and Lord, the one called "I Am Salvation", The Promised One, The Anointed One.   (II Corinthians 1:2)

............

"Come Unto Me, All Ye Who Labor and Are Heavy Laden, And I Will Give You Rest."  Matthew 11:28











https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+1%3A1-2&version=ESV

The Heart That is Alive..........

James 3 - - - - - a lot implicit

........

Ephesians 1:18

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

1 Timothy 1:5

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Colossians 3:12

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Colossians 4:8

For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;

1 Thessalonians 2:4

but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

1 Thessalonians 3:13

so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

2 Thessalonians 2:17

comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

2 Thessalonians 3:5

May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

Ephesians 6:22

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.

2 Corinthians 2:4

For out of much affliction and anguish ofheart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.

Proverbs 15:25 The Lord will tear down the house of the proud, But He will estalish the boundary of the widow.

.......




Whether our spirits are alive in Him or dead in sin, the Lord knows the hearts of all men.........
Acts 1:24 "And they prayed ad said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen."  [See also John 2:24b "....because/through-going-back-and-forth-throughout, the Him knows all/the-whole/one-piece-at-a-time/each-one."]

.......

Much mischief has been accomplished in the church through mistranslations........ not that what has been translated is necessarily untrue........ but that it is incomplete......... a half-truth as it were.  Learned men have considered the minds of men incapable of construing the depth of the Greek since those men themselves could not render the full truth in smoothly flowing English.

.......

So the question has arisen, is the heart made incorruptible at the time of salvation, or yet again, is it healed and no longer a heart of stone immediately at the time of salvation?

First, as to faith, is our faith in Him complete and whole, fully in tact at the time of salvation?

I Thessalonians 3:9-10 "For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?"

Certainly, all men are provided 'the measure of faith'.


He is the author and finisher of our faith.......

........

WE NEED FIRST TO BE PIERCED TO THE HEART

Acts 2:37  "Now when they heard this (about their transgression against Jesus), they were pierced to the heart...."

FOR HE WAS PIERCED TO THE HEART BY US AND FOR US

Isaiah 53:5  "But He was pierced for our transgressions...."

FURTHERMORE, HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE HIS HEART TO BE PIERCED WHILE HIS HEART WAS GLAD AND HIS TONGUE EXULTED...... even while His flesh groaned......

When Jesus knew that the trial of the cross was coming, while He admittedly sweat blood in the flesh, His heart was still glad knowing that God had given Him great and precious promises and had made known to Him the ways of life; that God would not allow His Son to be shaken nor abandoned to death and Hades:

Acts 2:25-28 "For David says of Him, 'I saw the Lord always in my presence; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.  'Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 'You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.'"

Let your heart also be glad and your tongue exult in Him because He has overcome!  Then, with that gladness of heart, let us not be shaken or even disturbed regarding our confidence of His victory.  Just as He is not, has not, and will not be shaken (see above), let us not be shaken (see below)!

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4  "Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God."

We are with Messiah who is next to the Father - - - Hebrews#####

HEARTS STILL NEEDING TO INCREASE & ABOUND IN LOVE..... for all people.....

I Thessalonians 3:11-13  "Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints."

HEARTS STILL NEEDING TO BE FULLY ESTABLISHED WITHOUT BLAME IN HOLINESS BY GOD AND JESUS.... AS WE INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.........

I Thessalonians 3:11-13  "Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints."

HEARTS WHICH HAVE A HIDDEN CIRCUMCISION...... A CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART..... A CIRCUMCISION NEEDED BECAUSE WE AS BROTHERS REJECTED JESUS, BUT IN SPITE OF OUR REJECTION OF HIM, HE DIED FOR HIS BROTHERS....... THUS MAKING US ONE WITH HIM, WITH EACH OTHER...... THOSE BORN AS JEWS, THOSE BORN OF ISRAEL, AND THOSE BORN AS GENTILES.......

"But he that is  --  in/on/among   the hidden (circumcision), Jewish/confessing-God (circumcision), and of the heart circumcision  --  in/on/among   spirit...not letter/learning ...... not out-from-among a-man/humankind  ..... but out-from-among the God  ..... whose praise is not out-from-among men but out-from-among God!" Romans 2:29

Galatians 6:15-16

The HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, provides a slightly more expanded version of 'Confess - - God!' - rendering the meaning of Judah as:

"to acknowledge or confess sin, God's character and works, or man's character."

After all, Jude is challenging both the early church and the church throughout the ages, perhaps especially the church of today, "to acknowledge or confess sin, God's character and works, or man's character" - in line with the teachings of God Himself - - - in spite of the inclination of many in every society, perhaps especially in our society, to rationalize away mankind's need to recognize God's holy nature in juxtaposition to our own unholy sin and our own ungodly character which, left to itself, is quite busy producing that sin.

Further, Jude is challenging each of us to earnestly contend for the faith as it was first handed down by the apostles, which includes not only deciding to privately 'acknowledge or confess sin, God's character and works, or man's character,' but also to encourage others who name the name of Christ to do the same.

FOR NOT THE IN-THE-OPEN [A] JEW (God praiser - 'confess God') IS AND NOT THE IN-THE-OPEN IN FLESH CIRCUMCISION.  ON THE CONTRARY, THE IN-THE-SECRET [IS A] JEW: AND CIRCUMCISION OF HEART, IS SPIRIT NOT LETTER; OF WHOM THE PRAISE [IS] NOT FROM PEOPLE BUT FROM GOD.  (also see Matthew 6:5-6; 23:3-7)

Romans 2:25-26 also..........

verses 24-27 (deals with Gentiles)

*****##### Deut 6:4..... Mark something

"what does 'heart' actually mean in those passages... heart, mind, strength, resources.......

.

Remember that your Goals and your Dreams, are Not the worlds dreams........

Mini Challenge #1, part 1: (a letter to my young self.....)

Hello, Rainah.  I see you are very busy with your dance.  Your joy in learning and growing shows.  Your hard work will pay off.  Not necessarily the way you might expect, but in ways that matter the most, so just keep pressing on!

Keep being more and more attentive, patient, quick to work, quicker to give it your all, ready to wait for others to have their turn, ready to lead out, ready to be last, quick to encourage others, especially the weak, ready to say you are sorry fairly quickly (which you do when you actually know what you have done wrong - and, oh.... wouldn't it be nice to always know? but you won't, so just try as hard as you can.....).  Be ready to oil your feathers so false criticisms will roll off your back.  You are already usually quick to do that too, but you also need to be quick to realize when fear or jealousy are at the root of the criticism.  Watch for that.  It can help you to try to bridge the gap between you and those who fear you or are jealous of you.... Doing so will bring you much peace - a peace that you can share with others who love peace too........ Then, work on building relationships with those who love peace.  Those are the best relationships to have, because those people are not only extraordinary, they are a safe haven when life's storms get rough! 

Keep in mind that the criticisms from your teachers are not always spot on.  Don't let their concerns turn you from your path.  Realize that sometimes, their concerns arise because of their own inabilities, not your own.  If you haven't found the answers you need today from the mentors currently present in your life, or from the research which you have available to you today, don't. give. up!  Keep seeking the truth that will set you free!

If you have set backs, so you can't achieve your goals according to the worlds time tables, remember that your goals and your dreams are not the world's dreams.  You might need to find a safe place to save and protect your dreams for a while, but when you get past the set backs, know that it is still alright to unfurl the banner of your dreams and start pressing on again!

You are so in love with beauty that it could well be said that you cherish beauty; yet you are not focused on who is most beautiful, most capable, or who can help you get ahead.  While you wouldn't say so quite yet, what is growing in you is a sense of the power of beauty - the power to change lives for good.  You love the celebration of beauty, not the flaunting of ability, which is the most lovely frame for beauty's truths to shine.  Others will realize this of you before you do.  In the meantime, don't listen when some around you denigrate you because you seek to grow in your ability.  Your ability is important because it is a tool to help you share the truths which beauty can build into the lives of others.

While you do not yet realize the power of the spark of life placed in you, one day you will realize that it is right and good to (sometimes) stand in awe of that spark of life in you --- which is the best part of who you are.  Why?  Because you did not place it there yourself!  It is a created gift!  That spark of life has been infused with a beauty beyond what you can begin to imagine or believe.  Oh, and, by the way, that faith that you have in others' spark of life?  Open your eyes quickly so that you can begin to see how vital it is for you to believe the same about yourself.

You are willing to honor authorities - do more!  Love them!  Still, it is amazing that you are willing to lay aside a dream for a season when there is no mentor available to you who can guide you safely - which is wise beyond your years.   Continue to grow in wisdom, as it will help you move forward in life even when there are road blocks and delays in your path.  Indeed, only truth can carry you through, no matter what others may think of you, not just when you are young and hoping to establish a solid foothold on life, but even later, as you press on to see how much of a centurion and beyond you might become.

Live everyday like your last, but with a mind to making any New Tomorrows with which you might be blessed fuller than Your Today.  Your Today is a gift placed in your hand from the Divine Hand of providence - a gift from outside of yourself - a gift which you should cherish - and a gift which you should share with others.  Every Tomorrow which you live to discover, while still a gift from the hand of providence will also be, in great part, a gift that you gave to yourself in many ways -------- so be careful in how you prepare that gift today ---- and prepare a gift worth receiving yourself, so that it will be a gift worth sharing with others.

How do you see......... God? --- Hebrews 9:24, Isaiah 12, John 10, Genesis 22:1-14

In the fracturing?  oh! yes............ there is so much of that.......  More and more I hear the words tumbling out of my heart and out past the reach of my lips - - again and again.....:

"We live in a broken world."

He called out to us and said, "Despise not...... Despise not the least of these!"

But each of us knows down deep, that we are each the least of these.......  Yet we are all despised........ and each of us in our own turn, we despise......

And in the despising and being despised, and out from the despising and being despised, the fracturing was begun...... and the fracturing continues, ........ more fracturing day after day.... for out of the despising arises......... the offense........ and out of the offense......... all is hindered....... all are hindered........ from coming to Him........

But that is not a fracturing He is willing to leave to itself........

And so He whose love does not end........ who does not despise though He is despised........ He moves to end the fracturing, to establish the place of healing........

And that's where we might begin to see the clearest glimpses of the mist of His shroud....... His Holy shroud......

The beauty of His holiness........... has a heartbeat.......... a heartbeat of love....... a True Love that could not be conquered....... a True Love that by dying another's death conquers all.........

?.... By dying.........  Aye, because True love conquers even death........  In conquering death for Himself, He conquered it for his bride!

And as the earth shuddered and broke in despair when the purest of all hearts stood still.......... and became quiet.........  It was then that only living blood was finely sprinkled on the mercy seat......  - - no one saw it done....... but it was the most holy thing ever to grace this world.........  And the Holy of Holies was never the same again.......

Yes, the veil was rent!  But...........

The walls did not fall............

And now, this week, when He asked me to drop to my knees and ponder why the walls did not fall....... when this astonished heart kept asking Him how this amazed heart could know  ---- How could the heart of this broken child give answer for the intricacies of His handiwork?  ...... But He asked again....... and His words echoed back to Him - but not void.....................

While listening to the echoes ....... it was heard again!  What was it?  Oh! It was His heartbeat again.....  His heart!  Beating again and again and again and again and again!  For True Love truly does conquer all.  True Love even conquered death.  The heart of True Love could not remain stopped...........

And that's when He took this aching heart back.......  back in a flashback........ back in time......... back to the gate of the tabernacle........

And standing back in awe, looking in through the gate - where the one, the only, the singular veil, the only way in........ the Dalet....... The Door ------ opened ......... the light of hope clearly glowing inside......... glowing warmly and welcomingly....... the light of His promise of so long ago.........  the light of the promise of providing Himself a lamb.............   the light of hope held out to a broken people........... a people utterly fractured...........

Yes, The Door opened to the people........ to the fractured, weary, broken people..... and in the brokenness, they began to see the beauty of true love......... reaching out to heal........

So they saw the hope!  And in the midst of that hope, He called to them - - - to enter His gates with Thanksgiving! and they entered His gates with thanksgiving and praise............  that they may see Him!

But how could they dare to come before the Holy of Holies......... without their own heart stopping - with no hope of life again........ unless they came before the mercy seat for others........... and not only for themselves............

But who can stand before such holiness when we are, oh!, so... fractured............ who can do such a task?  It is fraught with utter danger...............

So He called on only One to finish the work............. but while we, in brokenness waited for Him....... one by one........... one would dare to to answer His call, and to come before the mercy seat.......... utterly unworthy, but in hope, coming on behalf of others............ while everyone else prayed for mercy upon mercy upon mercy, not only for themselves, but also for that one........  and also for that One!

..........

But when He came....... When He came to that Holy place...... When He came with that Holy heart.......... When His heart was breaking for us........ When He was torn for us.......... When He was broken for us........?  Then who prayed for the one coming to sprinkle precious, pure lamb's blood upon the mercy seat?

He was so despised............ So rejected........ So offended.......... So hindered from gathering Jerusalem as He so longed to do.............. to be in their midst....... with them!  But, alas, .......... He was sent out from the midst of them instead...............


And who prayed for Him?


Ahhhh!  But who lifted Him up!?!


The one who loved Him........ who loved Him forever ago......... who loves Him still.......... and who will ever love Him forever and ever......... with an undying love!!!!!  Who knew Him as holy long before any created one knew Him or called Him holy!

The Father who must surely have felt the piercing in His heart of hearts!  Certainly that beloved Father must hold that blood which was let out for others as ................  Holy, Holy..........

Worthy of service in the Holy of Holies..........


And now, with His most holy and precious blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat........ blood poured out when His heart skipped ---- to a stop, .............. for us..........

And now, with His most holy heart renewed! .......... still aflame with love for us, with His most holy heart beating in heaven yet again ..........

Those of us from a world of brokenness; Those of us who are ourselves utterly broken; Those of us who are...... fractured?

Those of us in desperate need of hope?

Now we dare to enter His gates with victorious thanksgiving!  With victorious thanksgiving and praise!

And what do we see upon entering the gate?  What do we see in the warm and welcoming light of true hope - utter hope - which brings comfort to every weary heart that enter?

We begin to see a little..............

A little of the glory of His majesty.
A little of the glory of His goodness.
A little of the glory of His sacrifice.
A little of the glory of His love.

And we begin to see.........

A growing sense of the travesty.
A growing sense of the deadness.
A horrid sense of the depth of vice.
The horror of the characteristic.......  of...........

...........us.

And if it were not for the light, our hope would utterly fade.  But as our eyes become accustomed to the light of His hope, we sense the Spirit of the Sanctuary.........and we see........ yes, we behold......... everywhere we turn............. the power of His Testimony.........

His Testimony of......

The Way.....
The Truth......
The Life......

The way of lowering one's self for others.........
The way of not being 'as God'........
--Rather than lifting up one's selfs for one's self........
--Seeking to vault ourselves up as God........

The truth that love bears one another's burdens.........
--Rather than loading another with our burdens..........

The life that comes by giving one's life for many.........
--Rather than using up the life of others for one's gain.......

And on and on it goes..............

.............

And in this we see the unity of the Father and the Son and the Spirit........
And now, we are finally drawn in by the beauty of the holiness and purity of His sacrifice.......
Drawn in now.......... no longer afraid........
Drawn in........towards the holiness.......... towards the holy place.........

Drawn in............  And we begin to weep with joy, knowing He will dry our eyes!  And we sing the Song of Isaiah.......

O Lord, I will praise thee: 
though thou wast angry with me,
thine anger is turned away,
and thou comfortest me.

Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and not be afraid:
for the Lord Jehovah is my strength
and my song;
He also is become my salvation.

And in that day shall ye say, 
Praise the Lord, call upon His name,
Declare His doings among the people,
Make mention that His name is exalted.

Sing unto the Lord;
for he has done excellent things:
this is known in all the earth.

Cry out and shout,
thou inhabitant of Zion:
for great is the Holy One of Israel.......

...........in the midst of thee!!!!!

Cry out and shout!
For great is the Holy One of Israel.........!!!!!!



Into the dwelling of the Most High!

Drawn to the heart......... of God

Alive! Raised Up! Together! LGG: Week 1: Ephesians 2:6-7; Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:5-7  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.

Our God, who is rich in mercy, has indeed made us who were dead alive together with Christ!

What amazing grace that proclaims!   ......but that was not all He did!!!!........

He raised (us) up together!

*******......and............*****

He made (us) sit together in the heavenly .... in Christ Jesus!

Amazing.......... My mind cannot quite wrap itself around all of that heavenly togetherness....  How could anyone here on earth really begin to grasp that?  It's other worldly!  Still.......... Whatever that is, it must be amazing!  (more on that in a bit.....surprising bits, that is.......in the meantime.....)

Praise His Name!  Praise God Who is Rich in Mercy!

...........

Just be still and know.......  Be still before God!  God Who is Rich in Mercy! Oh! He sent His Son to die......... to die.......... so that we might live!

In order that we might have Life, and that more abundantly!

So, while it is good that my mind knows these things (at least in part)......... do I live Life more and more abundantly?

...........

It's time to live more of Life ...... each. and. every. day!  So..........  How do I do that?

What is The Way?  Where is The Way?  Do I know the answers to those questions fully enough?

What is The Truth?  Where is The Truth?........  The Way and The Truth ..........  It is time to find out more....... much more about whatever this thing is......

.........this thing called The Life!

...........

So what now?  Really.......  So, ........ like........ well.......

Who really knows what else to do? ...........

Our mind might say something like, "Let's simply say our Hallelujah's and be done with it, right?"

After all He said He gave us life (past tense).  He said He raised us up (past tense).

And He has..... but am I walking in all he means me to walk in?  In all of that 'life more abundantly' kind of living that He ....... well, that He died to share with us!

My mind might be quick to say:

'Yes, I've been (somewhat) changed already.

'What more of that?

'He also said that He made us sit.  What more could there be.....???

'Besides........  Again........

'This is all past tense...... He already did all of...... all of whatever that is...... for us!  Yeah!  That's it!  He did it ......... for us!  And....... again...... He made us sit, right?

'It's a done deal.  Relax!  ........ right.........., right?'

...........

But wait, is there more? and.... should we take this for granted?

What is it to be fully alive?  Really, think about it a bit.....

Is it to be:

In a spiritual coma maybe? That would be 'alive', wouldn't it?

.....to be........ Spiritually handicapped maybe? That would also be 'alive', no?

So let's ask again:  What is it to live?  What is it to live..... in the moment to moment -- moments....... what is it to live The Life?  To be IN the moment...... to be IN...... The Life?

....... I don't think I've begun to scratch the surface of it all.

Now, if I am honest, I can admit humbly that.............

I have begun to live..... And what's more........ at least in my mind, I do seek more life.

To be more specific, the spirit in me has indeed begun to live.   That life force which only comes from him? ...... that life force has indeed been birthed in my spirit!  In my spirit?  It's kinda cool...........

But is there more?  And............  Should I find....... you know....... Should I find even more?

Really, should I learn about more of life, and.. ...

Like......... well...... finally moving on to other questions worth asking....... that are all related to The Life......

What is this thing?  Raised up?  Raised up together!?  Raised up together with Christ!?  .......and........  Does even my mind know enough about that, let alone my feet and hands?

And whether or not I know enough about that... am I living what I know about...... about being raised up together?............

And........... oh!..... more questions......

What is this?  Made (to) sit together in the heavenly....... in Christ Jesus?

I don't know about you, but by now I've rather noticed that this world is a broken place, and it seems very much as if chaos, suffering, pain, death, and destruction are all about us!.........

Worse yet...... chaos, suffering, pain, death, and destruction......... they all....... all of them......... break. my. heart. every. day!

How is it, then, that we are 'raised up together with Christ', and yet more.... 'made to sit together in the heavenly........ in Christ Jesus'?

What all can this mean?  At least, how much of that can we understand while we are here on earth?  Is it just a matter of faith,.... or is there more to it that the great Hope!? ..........and.............

Even if one does find the answers (the real answers) to those questions (or any portion thereof)........

There are the more troublesome questions!  Aye, much more troublesome, indeed........

Who am I that I should be raised up?  Who, me?  I would willingly bow low before Him for eternity just worshiping Him for the majesty of His grace that brought life to me! -or-  I would willingly scurry to the recesses of His kingdom to serve in the corners with all due diligence if need be.

For me that could be so much more than enough!

Yet God wants more of me to live more of Life, and to live it together with Him!........ He does not simply want me to live before Him!  He does not simply want me to live for Him!  He wants me to live together ...........  with Him.......!!!!! ............?

Perhaps that makes sense in some promised dream of an ethereal, perfect world..........

Yes, perhaps so.

However, promises of that longed for utopia can seem......... like so many things in this world......... just another wished for promise......... just a pipe dream......... another dream to be crushed, right?

I mean, so many of us have noticed by now that........ well.......   After all, this is such a broken world!  A broken world filled with chaos, pain, suffering, death, and dying.

In this place of suffering, death, and dying, how can we really become more and more familiar with life and living?  What can it mean, this idea that "He wants me to live together with Him"........

Who?  Me!?  I know all to well what it is to be dead in trespasses..........

Do I really know what it is to be alive in any way..........?

Alive together with Christ!?

What can that mean today!?  Here!?  Now!?  When we live here, in the midst of the pain and struggle?

Ahhhhh, but if we have bowed down low before The Passion of The Mighty Warrior?

If we have seen the majesty of His love which He demonstrated for us so clearly by fighting, dying, and being raised up from that death again for us........ If we have seen through the Word, how he faced down chaos, pain, suffering, death, and dying?  How He allowed Himself to be broken by chaos, pain, suffering, death, and dying?  I mean, really .......... dying!

But then overcoming death and dying! ......... By Living!?

Then perhaps we can finally at least begin to ask how it is to live, and to grow in living, and even, through Him, conquer the power of death and dying in our *lives*, even in the midst of our own chaos, pain, and sufferings.

............

Just this week, when visiting with the mother of some of my students, the young mother made the comment that she didn't really start living until she reached her thirties. My eyes lit up, and I listened intently, wondering what treasures she must have unearthed.  I listened eagerly as she described Life and her path to finding how to finally begin to live Life.

This precious young mother had begun to find Life when she walked away from one lie-of-this-world, and then another, and then another and more and more......  In place of the lies, she sought out and began to find out a small, little bit about the Truth, and then more of the Truth, and then more and more.......  Then she sought the means to follow this Truth.  The more she did so, the more she knew that she finally began to live Life!  She is still seeking to know more truth.  She knows she has not arrived, but she knows when she finally began to live Life!

What a blessing she must be to her young family!  She has begun to learn to walk with Him! to be raised up together with Him!  ........ and in that she has learned to rest in Him!

........

Oh, and what a thing to rest in Him!  Is this not 'seated with Him in heavenly realms'?

Hmmmm.  What does that really mean?  After reading the English rendering, it's surprising to look more closely at the Greek.........



kai             synekathesin  en              
and / caused to be seated together (within & operating in) [us]    

tois       epouraniois
the     heavenly realms "properly, heavenly, referring to the impact of heaven's influence on the particular situation or person"

en                                                        
from within which operates      

Christ Jesus
Jeshua HaMeshiach



My mind asks, "How can this be?"

My spirit cries forth, "Hallelujah!"


This precious young mother had opened herself up to being guided by the 'impact of heaven's influence' on the particular situation(s) or person(s) in her life.  Moreover, Christ Jesus was the one which has been and continues to be operating from within that heavenly realm which is having such an impact within her, and within the situations in her life, and within the people in her life!

This new Life in her, yes, The Life - in her - is so clearly an expression of the work of His love in her life!  I couldn't help but hear (without resorting to legalism, I assure you....... I rather hate it.....), anyway, I couldn't help but hear one particular joyous song resounding in the hinter-choir-chambers of my mind, "God's law* is perfect and converts the soul in sin that lies!  God's testimony is most sure and makes the simple wise!"  (Psalm 19:7 - as per the Scottish Psalter - punctuation altered - oh, and personally, I usually sing this psalter setting using the Kingsfold melody - though I sing it much faster than this recording)

My heart rejoiced at the work of His hand being manifested in this young mother!

.........

How then do we begin to learn more of what it is to live Life?

Oh....... we begin to learn to live Life when we walk as those Raised Up Together!

What are we raised out of?  Sin and Death!

Who are we raised up 'together' with?  The Mighty Warrior who conquered Sin and Death!

Sin and Death are no longer:

.......seated together (within & operating in) [us]    ----  

Sin and Death are no longer:

..........the impacting influence on any particular situation or person...... ......... in The Life ........ which lives in me!

They were embedded within us!  Deeply embedded within us!

But thanks be to God, The Mighty Warrior conquered them, and credited us with righteousness for our faith, as He did with Abraham.**

Because of that, we may meet with Him... with the new life in our spirit!  Life in our spirits which had been dead in trespasses, but which have now been made alive in Him!

And now, we not only meet with Him in our minds..........

We meet with Him........ spirit to Spirit!

And His Word illuminates our spirit!  And our spirit takes in more of life......... and more of light!

And our spirit begins to walk........... in........... life...........

.............even though.......... we are in a world of chaos, suffering, pain, death, and dying.

.............even though.......... our hearts and minds, and yes, even our spirits, carry the burdens of chaos, suffering, pain, death, and dying.

And as I reread these last several lines, I can feel a rather tremendous dance, a noble dance, yes....... but...... a resounding stomping dance, which announces the defeat of death in our Life!

But we are not alone.  We are not dying!

We are given life in Him!

We are raised up in Him!

We have in us, seated in us, the full force of the heavenly realms, which have within them.........  the life force of Jesus Christ Himself!  Jeshua HaMashiach!  The Savior!  The promised one!

A promised one whose promise could not be overcome by death any more than He could be vanquished by death!

And now, ......... in celebration ......... yet in closing for now........

Keeping in mind that it is as we seek The Way, The Truth, and The Life that ... The Life is manifested in us, step by step........

Here is my prayer for (us):

May He cause the heavenly realms and their influence which He has already caused to be seated within each of us, so that Christ Jesus, who operates within the heavenly realms, Christ Jesus, who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life ........ May The Life in all of that heavenly togetherness guide each of us with the Light as He works His will in each situation with each person in our lives!

Amen! ........ and ........ Amen!

Glory be to The Living God!

Glory be to The God Who is Rich in Mercy!

Glory be to The Way, The Truth, and The Life!








.................


*   -   "God's law is perfect and converts the soul in sin that lies"?  God's law?  Yes, the law......... the direction.......... the instruction..........  That which the Jews tell us is the way to restore fellowship.  This is what Jesus fulfilled........ the way to restore fellowship!  We have no idea just how much it can mean to be fully restored to fellowship with God.  We do know that back when God made man in His image? ....... yes, back then?  We walked with Him!  What must that have been like?  We do not know!  What will that be like in heaven, rather than a lovely, but rather finite garden?  Who can fathom?

But He promised it!  What grace!

What is it again that helps bring about that restoration?  A restoration that provides something more magnificent than what we broke?  What can restore any of that brokenness?  God's law:

God's direction........ His instruction.......

**  -  It's not a matter of keeping the law, Abraham couldn't do that, but God credited righteousness to Abraham simply because he trusted God.  Did God call upon Abraham to walk justly?  Yes, of course, but if Abraham had to be responsible for His own righteousness, he would have utterly failed.

Rather, God extended 'credit' to Abraham.  Abraham had a debt with God from the time God 'credited him' righteousness.   It was a debt that he couldn't begin to pay, but that was okay with God (because Jesus was going to pay the debt), so that was okay with Abraham....... It was humbling for Abraham, but he was willing to receive hope from ...... well, from the only source of any real hope.

Are you?

If you are, believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died for your sins that you might receive the righteousness of God.

Then seek the Way, the Truth, the Life....... the Light.


........

***  -  Life and Light!

John 1:1b, 4   "....... and the Word was God. ...... In him was life, and the life was the light of all men."

This young mother?  Praise God for His work in her life!  She heard the truth from the Word, from Him, which brought life and light!

In this scientific age, we believe that light brings about life, but the light that is vital is that light that makes it into the soul and spirit and mind and heart.  No light can enter the soul of a dead man.  No light can enter the spirit of a dead man.  No light can enter the mind of a dead man.  No light can enter the heart of a dead man.

But, praise God, He has given us Life through Christ Jesus....... Jeshua Ha-Meshiach, and thanks to that Life, we can receive light into our whole being!


...............


Genesis 1:27  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

Ephesians 2:1-10  "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

..................

S - Ephesians 2:(5), 6-7  "(But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His indness towards us in Christ Jesus."
O - By God's grace, we have been raised out of sin and death and into life!
By God's grace, we have been raised up together with Him and with the power of the heaveny realms within us.... (and with His Kingdom...... that is, * together with * those who believe in Him)!
By God's grace, by God's influence, we have seated (much as in a county 'seat') within us the heavenly places, with Christ Jesus operating as the influence/ruling-force within the heavenly places - and Christ Jesus is the power behind the heavenly realms' influences the situations in our lives....... and thus He is together with us in those situations in which He is, by His loving kindness and by His grace, tending to our every need, to every circumstance, and to every person in our life......
A - First, I am to be like Him, extending the influence of His kingdom in grace and love.
Secondly, I am to walk as one alive, not as one walking in sin and death (which He conquered for us).
Thirdly, I am to walk as one raised to living Life in light of the Light of His glory!
Lastly, I am to seek fellowship with Him and with those in His kingdom whom I am called upon to encourage.  I am to pray for all those I cannot reach out and touch.
But Constantly:  I am to constantly be a witness that:

"He (has shown and continues to show) the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus."

 P - God, help me to watch for little lies in my life which I might not have yet detected, because they can produce great harm.  Help me also to watch for ---- The Way, The Truth, and The Life..... so that I know which way to be heading.  Send me The Light each step of the way, and open my eyes that I may see any dangers along the path, so that I may avoid them or call upon you for deliverance as need be, all for your glory's sake.

Then, as I walk along in your Light, help me to love those whom you have raised up together with me ....... together with Him.  And help them to love each other..... me too.....  So that......

Others may know we are Christians by our love...... that they may see what you have shown:  'the exceeding riches of Your grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.'....... that they may receive the great deliverance you have offered all of us......... that they may be raised up ....... together with Him........ grow in your truth, and shine the Light and Life.......... the exceeding riches of Your grace!