Posted by Dena on January 30, 2008, at 23:49:50
In reply to Lou's reply to Dena-agp » Dena, posted by Lou Pilder on January 30, 2008, at 16:04:14
>> It has been revealed to me that there are two minds that we can entertain. And you wrote that you were enslaved to {lies} and that renewing your mind was replacing things that you had a long-time standing of acceptance to. But how does one ever overcome what they have accepted for many years? <<
That's an excellent question, Lou. I don't believe that I CAN overcome it, at least not by my own power, for I'm deceived by the very lies I've embraced as "truth". I have to have the lies revealed to me by God ... I believe He orchestrates circumstances in my life, so that I'm "triggered" by the various pains in my life (the "firey trials"), which remind me of the old, unresolved things in my life. Then, as I turn to Him, He shows me the lies for what they are -- I then have the choice to ask Him to replace the lies with His Truth, and when He does, I then walk in the freedom that comes with Truth. For the Truth sets me free. (I see that He uses pain, the natural consequences for my lie-based choices, to bring me to my senses.)I believe that when I see through the eyes of Truth, and have my renewed mind (renewed one lie-for-truth at a time), I am an overcomer. For without the power of the lies (the power of compulsion to rule me), I truly have freedom of choice -- I can choose this day whom I will serve, death or life. I choose life.
> > While I was on that Sand, a Rider on a White Horse was behind me. When I saw the Beast come out of the Sea, there was the discussion concerning the fallen house and that the Rider said to me, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." I asked Him what was to repented of. He turned and said to me, "Lou, the Lord preserves them that love Him; Love is the fulfilling of the law; Out of faith, hope and love, the greatest of those is love. Be not conformed to the world, for one can know what love is. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down his life for his friends."
> Lou
>
I see that as the "standard" of love under the law... the greatest love that one could demonstrate was in laying down one's life for a friend.But, under grace, I see an even greater love in operation: the laying down of One's life for enemies. For I see that I was God's enemy (in my old, fallen state), and against Him. And yet, while I was still an enemy, He laid down His life for me.
He "upped" the standard of love -- and love is the greatest force in the universe. I see that God IS love. I believe that everything about God (including His justice, His anger, and His wrath) come OUT of that love... I see that His wrath is the strongest form of His mercy. His fierce mercy at work, because of His love. (I've come to believe that He continues to use "firey ordeals", even after death, to bring me to my senses, because of His fierce love.)
I see that He goes to inordinate lengths to draw (which means "drag") me to Himself. I see that I cannot come to Him, unless He drags me. I see that He drags me out of His love.
(hoping, again, that this added to, and did not detract from, your teaching)
Shalom, Dena
"The unanswered questions aren't nearly as dangerous as the unquestioned answers."
poster:Dena
thread:799425
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faith/20070227/msgs/809848.html