(I hope you read that sentence in a very 8 yr old smarty pants accent…..yep, 8)

I’m gonna confess something to you right now……

I pretty much cry at some point or another during every movie, tv show, play, service or any other type of thing that people are involved in. Even reading a book, or an article, blog, whatever. It’s ridiculous, if you only knew, sad moments, happy moments it doesn’t matter, whenever something significant happens, I’m biting my cheek, doin a quick wipe of the eye, a few times, and doing everything I can to NOT!

What does any of this have to do with Sundays????

Well, I cry because for some reason my heart is tugged on easily. I cry because that’s what is supposed to happen isn’t it, an emotional moment that makes the watcher, reader, attender say “this is so good”, even when really it’s not. But, the writer, director or creator whoever, he thinks it is, or thought it was, that was the original goal right!

God created us in his image and even though we’re born into sin, we still have a desire to connect back to the heart of who we are, the image and likeness of the creator. If you asked yourself what’s the thing that matters most to the creator, what would you come up with? I come up with people, I ALWAYS come up with people, them coming together for him, changing for the better, lives being touched, hurts being healed, restoration taking place, salvation becoming real, and so on and so on. We want our worship to always be about him and yes, it always is, but it is even more so when it’s so much about him that we begin to see, hear and think like HIM! When THE creator of EVERYTHING originally created this whole life thing, he wanted us to get to that “this is so good” point, and for me, that point is on “Sunday”.

Instead, many of us live much of our lives in the conditional subjunctive. The tense that says If only, Only after, the kind of If/when, If/then states of being that help explain why we, like the Israelites, need many years to get to where we think we want to go. We alternate huge sprints of positive and powerful momentum with periods in which we lurch along in bumpy spasms, or, worse, feel painfully stuck.

While we’re travelling, our goals may change. The journey will certainly change us. Things we thought we couldn’t live without may later seem shallow or hollow. Actions or events we never valued may inspire us. Gifts that appeared like manna from heaven lose their luster, or conceal big challenges. And when we’re in pain we sometimes become whiny, greedy children.

Despite the pejoratives, what we complain about also sheds light on what’s missing from our lives. Helps inspire us to get our butts in gear again. Though sadly too often we complain about what’s missing, rather than appreciating what’s good, and how far we’ve come.

Aspirations are great. Are you prepared to have every wish satisfied now? Are you ready to be at goal, whatever that is? Or do you recognize how you grow from the struggles of the journey?

I’m not talking gigantic crises. But rather the benefits from  weeks, months, and seasons spent examining the spots on your soul, whether they’re injuries you caused yourself or wounds imposed by others. These come from unconscious actions and careless speech more often than intentional desire to do harm. But they still cause pain, and keep us tethered.

Every time we’ve been hurt or wounded, every time we’ve suffered sadness, disappointment, regret, fear, jealousy, envy, or any of a host of painful experiences we hobble ourselves. The reason progress takes so long is that we’ve become practiced at embedding these into our hearts and souls, and at projecting those negative feelings onto others. Every time we do, we add another layer of pain that needs to be removed, sooner or later, to get to goal.

The active present tense is a great way to clean those spots. And now’s great time to look yourself in a clear bright mirror, and take an inventory, chakra by chakra, of your emotional traits, habits, and history.

Use your now to get to goal. Focus on one goal at a time and look both backward and forward. See what your journey has taught you, and also what old baggage you’re carting around that’s making you heavy, slow, or stalled. Take some time this week to compost it by the side of the road, so you can move forward with new inspiration and enthusiasm.

Never in the Bible have I found a sentence which says, animals are your food. Neither the New Testament nor the Old Testament say anything like that. God never says things like that. Moses probably allowed someone to kill animals because at that time they killed each other. So at last He said, stop, stop! Kill animals instead! Maybe it was like that. He could not tell them not to kill anything, so He minimized the killing. But all these are not God’s will but the people’s will. Therefore God destroyed the Earth, or at least some part of the Earth, many times, over and over again.

Now, if we look at the history of humankind, when God destroyed some part of the world or the whole world, we see that all the people in this part died. But not all people were killing other people. Some were even children. Some were sick or disabled persons. What had they done to incur God’s wrath? They didn’t kill anyone. If we assume that Thou shall not kill means killing people only, then how did all those old, sick or disabled persons and the children kill anyone? So, what is the reason? It must be because of the killing of animals, it must be because of the eating of meat!

I remember in the Bible God said, ‘Don’t kill the she-goat and he-buffalo to make an offering to me, because your hands are full of innocent blood. I will not forgive you. I will not listen to your prayers.’ So, it must be that we do not know God’s commandments completely. Therefore, God used these disasters to remind us and to try to shake us out of our ignorance. If we are very fond of these tastes, it will lead to other desires, we will commit more blunders and we will be more attached to this world. Therefore thou shall not kill is the first commandment.

Jesus left our world very young, because He wanted to set a good example, to remind us not to cling to this world as there are more permanent worlds in God’s Kingdom. Jesus did not refuse to die. He did not reject or protest, because He was sure of Heaven. He always said, My kingdom is in Heaven. Therefore, He set a perfect example for us so that we should not fear death, if we have faith in God. He said, In my Father’s house there are many mansions. Why should we cling to this world, which is full of misery and ephemeral, when our Father in Heaven has so many mansions and we could live with Him for eternity? Jesus’ death on the cross has so many wonderful meanings and lessons for us. If we think about it, probably we could come to more conclusions and have more ideas.

Jesus was young, very young. He could have had a beautiful lover. He could have enjoyed the world, at least after He became famous. So many people loved Him. But when He had to go, He just went. He neither was attached to fame nor to the love of the people of the world. So why should we, when we don’t have that much, when we are older then He, not as good-looking as He, not as wise as He, not as much beloved as He, and not as respected and sought after as He!

He had traveled all over the world for over ten years. He learned so many things. He had so much magical power that He could achieve anything He wanted, even turning water into wine. So, why should we labor all day long just for a little bit of fruit juice and not want to let go of this world?

So Jesus had to sit an example for us, through His silent sacrifice. That is why we remember Him. That is why until now people still shed tears for Him, including myself. Even recently, when I read how they treated Him. I was so hurt and suffered so much. Once I was alone in my room and I cried very loud. I kept calling His name and crying very loud. Of course I understand it is all God’s will, too. I understand His purpose. But because we have a human body and a human heart, sometimes we cannot help having these human emotions.

So the best thing we can do to show our gratitude to Jesus is to try to live according to Jesus’ teachings and to try to keep God’s commandments, because He said, If you love me, keep my commandments, and that is all He wanted. To keep the commandments is not good for God or for Jesus, but is good for us alone. God needs nothing from us. Jesus needs nothing from us. But God and Jesus know that if we keep the commandments, our world will become better and we will have more benefit, more peace and more happiness. Even during our short stay on Earth, He wanted us to enjoy bliss and comfort and to glorify ourselves, instead of suffering and being miserable most of our lives. But sometimes we cannot keep them because we feel God is so far away. We neglect God’s commandments, therefore we encounter disasters, we suffer, we cry, and then we pray to God.

So now God has to send a messenger down again, maybe with a different name, to remind us and to teach us the way to eternal happiness. Jesus also said, God will send comforters to us. That means the same spirit will descend in different bodies whenever humanity needs comfort and correction in the way of life.

If there is anyone who teaches the same ideas or gives us the same comfort as Jesus did, as stated in the Bible, then we should know that he is the comforter that God has sent to us. We may search for or choose anyone of them. There should not be many. One is enough. If you do not think there is such a messenger or comforter, then we must at least keep God’s commandments, think of God, and pray to God all the time. Otherwise the grace of Jesus will not descend on us, His sacrifice would have been a waste to us, and we have not gratitude to Him.

Now we say, “Jesus has come here and washed our sins, so what is the need to repent, to think of God, or to pray anymore?” But we must still do it. Knock, and it shall be opened. Ask, and it shall be given. We must knock. We must ask. Otherwise God would say, “Don’t bother to knock. Don’t bother to ask. I will give it to you anyway.”

But He did give us everything freely. He did in the Garden of Eden. But we humans did not appreciate it, so He sent us down here to learn through hardship. Now we have to learn fast and go back to the Garden of Eden. Now we must ask. We must knock. It is not given freely any more.

If we believe that Jesus had already washed everyone’s sins, then why are there so many Christians still suffering? There must be something lacking. Maybe we are not sincere enough, maybe we do not understand properly, or maybe we are not connected inside because we have not found the Kingdom of God within.

Jesus said, The Kingdom of God is within you. If we don’t find the way to find out where it is, then we cannot receive the grace of Jesus. It is just as if our father left a great treasure for us, but we don’t know where the key is. Then no matter how many times we say, “I have the treasure, I have the treasure, I have the treasure,” it is no use.

So if we can find it by ourselves, it is good; but if we cannot, we should ask. We should ask anyone who knows. Ask, until we find out the one who knows. We should knock on every door. Knock, until we find the right door, the door which opens the way to Heaven. Otherwise our life is so short, so ephemeral and always in danger. We have nothing to lean on.

absolutely no reason in sight but in heart. i am inspired to love. i am inspired to write. i am inspired to be free.

today on Super Soul Sunday the well known poet, Maya Angelou speaks. she speaks about God, she speaks about One, she speaks about All. She speaks about Spirit. i find myself on this spiritual journey to understand and learn my own  true purpose in life.

i was told by my therapist that life is a “school”…a school of learning ..a school of connecting.. a school of being. i didn’t understand her true meaning but on this rainy Sunday morning ,I get it.  i found myself going throughout life constantly resisting the inevitable which caused me to not really live in the moment…not really experience life and resist the desire to just “be”  while using all 5 senses-touch,taste, see,hear,smell to enjoy.

meditation,writing,art and this spiritual journey are those things that is  helping me stay grounded..helping me to be bold, fearless, let go, love, feel and be.

Reblogged from Jesus through John , Johnsmallman Blog Link : http://wp.me/p1B8dY-e9

Waiting is always draining and tiring when you do not know at what time or on what day the event you are waiting for will happen. You want to be ready but are not sure what to expect, and so do not know how to ready yourself. Well, when your awakening into full consciousness occurs you will be fully ready. It is quite impossible for you to be anything but ready, because you have been on your way to that moment throughout your present Earth life, as lesson after lesson has been presented to you in the process of teaching you to release any blocks, any hangups, anything at all that reduces in any way your ability to be only loving. And you have been making enormous progress on this front because this is the point in your spiritual evolution when your awakening becomes inevitable.

Release any worries or anxieties you may be nursing, because, as you have been told, your awakening is a done deal. Nothing can prevent it from occurring precisely as God intends. God does not worry, so neither should you! Worrying uses energy that could be used so much more effectively elsewhere. And yet, as you see news reports of accidents, conflicts, earthquakes, extreme weather, and untold suffering all over the world, it is difficult for you not to get drawn into the “worry channel.”

Everything that happens anywhere on Earth has a spiritual aspect to it, providing opportunities to express compassion, to share necessities, and to learn lessons that will help you engage with one another cooperatively and harmoniously. Worrying and judging undermines those opportunities or hides them behind a screen of rhetoric that promises much and delivers very little. A small personal offering to someone in trouble – a kind word, a moment of pure listening, a gift appropriate to the immediate need – creates an energy wave, a wave of love, far larger than you can possibly imagine, which ripples out in all directions from its source and takes effect in areas of which you, the donor, cannot possibly conceive. Every loving thought word or action has wonderful, unforeseen consequences far beyond the location at which it occurred.

If you could see what amazingly powerful effects loving thoughts, words, and actions set in motion you would determine to engage in them far more frequently. In fact by intending to do so far more often you expand your awareness of the effects you are having, and you open yourselves to the constant feedback that is offered, making you feel good about yourselves and inspiring you and motivating you to do even more.

Service is an inseparable aspect of love, as you very well know, but often you feel that you have served enough. The reason for this is simply that instead of focusing on the happiness your service provides to those served, and on the satisfaction that offering service gives you, you often tend to focus on how much you have done, even perhaps on how much more than anyone else, and on how tired it has made you. When you measure your efforts and keep a close tally on how much you have given, the energy of joy and happiness returned to you by the recipient eludes you as does the energy boost it offers you. So give freely and don’t count the cost. You don’t need to because your Father sees every loving event that you create and stores it for you where it will be eternally honored, never forgotten, and when you awaken from the deep and slumbering state in which the illusion anchors you, your creations will be revealed to you in their true magnificence.

You are beings of, as you would see it if you were aware of it, infinite creative abilities, because that is how you were created. Your Father created you like unto Himself so that you too could take part in the joy of creation, the joy of service to others, which of course is also service to self because there is no other, no separation, as all are one. You have hidden the truth of this, the reality of this from your conscious awareness by engaging enthusiastically in a very limited form of consciousness from which you have excluded or shut out your infinite sensory abilities by exchanging them for your very limited physical ones of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, which confirm your sense of individuality, of separateness.

These limited ones seem to operate quite efficiently for you, to the extent that you mostly deny the possibility of the existence of others that would in any way expand your field of awareness or knowledge. Even though the existence of other ways of sensing have been clearly demonstrated by many gifted individuals who are fully engaged in assisting in your awakening process, most of humanity chooses not to acknowledge anything not sensed by the five senses. Humanity prefers the apparent security of a limited and restricted environment in which it thinks it is safe. You have an expression “out of the frying-pan into the fire” to describe a leap into the unknown; but the unknown – in this instance, Reality – is unknown only because you have chosen not to know it. And it is most certainly not “the fire.”

Fear of the unknown is an aspect of the illusion, but in God’s Reality nothing is unknown, hidden, or disguised. All knowledge, all wisdom, all possibilities are available to you, providing endless fields of loving energy in which to fly, float, or swim (or, indeed, use any other form of movement you choose to create!) as you exhilarate in the wonders of this divine state. You are going to awaken into those exhilarating realms where infinite joy awaits you; no other possibility has been provided for.

Your loving brother, Jesus.

Snippets of inspiration from my “workshop.”

How do you stay inspired?

Before the quote memes and instagram glittered social media and before the “share” button for immediate thoughtful musings waited for you at the tap of a finger, my Grandfather was quoting Shakespeare, Pilgrim’s Progress and scripture over family cookouts. During pie in the living room. In the midst of gathering, these brief pieces of art hit my ears and stayed in my heart. It felt like the whole universe was tucked into those apostrophe enclosed phrases. The hidden sweetness of each syllable and the wisdom in the giving was what I felt.

Sometimes a good quote captures more meaning than the longest story could ever tell.

Want to share one of your favorites?

Leave it in the comments!

]]> http://paulsarmstrong.com/2013/05/19/by-virtue-thereof-he-causes-crops-to-grow/ Sun, 19 May 2013 16:08:13 +0000 Paul Salahuddin Armstrong http://paulsarmstrong.com/2013/05/19/by-virtue-thereof-he-causes-crops-to-grow/ http://omanxl1.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/this-is-not-transylvania/ Sun, 19 May 2013 16:03:17 +0000 omanxl1 http://omanxl1.wordpress.com/2013/05/19/this-is-not-transylvania/ Dipping out I-20 in Atlanta…the Chronicles will tell ya..chilling out down here in the ATL; please!! it’s gotta be good!! but  this is not Transylvania!

Dealing with it!! who will understand a bruh…trying to tell ya!!  out here?  energy vampires stay busy!!  its not all good…but they’re partying like Cinco De Mayo!

Dealing with it;  but I was out of sync bro!!  but I kept shooting like OJ Mayo or Russell Westbrooks!

Staying a step ahead of Dracula’s relatives!!  time is relative?  the system  /  matrix will arrest crooks!

Actually…they’ll harass ya to clear the books like Dekalb County Georgia officers pulling over old ladies on the way to church… the system /matrix is ran by crooks…just like the architect!

Dealing with those that fake it; like McConnell and Republicans...ego and power tripping!!  please!!  these crooks show no respect!

Check it out;  as extension cords are hooked up so power can be drained!

USB cords download information / files stored;  AP reporters phones tapped..knowledge is gained!

Please!!  of course this can get messy!!! whose overloaded with information?   some maintained / some stressed!

Please!!  of course jokers stressed me!!  but like the license plate on the front of the old Caddie Fleetwood Brougham over on Candler Rd. in Decatur…I was too blessed to be stressed!

Please !! of course a snitch or hater confessed to authorities…something about whistle blowing…now methods were Draconian!

They’ll hit a switch;  drain all your energy..word from Dracula!!  its on again!

Its like the train just left the station;  the next stop is Transylvania!

Just trying to maintain.…..as I transcend and transform;  but a hater has more pain for ya!

I think that playing and honouring the inner child can be sacred. Plus its fun! And for those who will ask, that is Gusty an original 80′s pony. 1 of the 300ish in the collection.

This spiritual journey is not for the faint. They demand more of us. A greater responsibility some how. But for what? What am I to do? Am I even doing it? I feel like I should be further on this path somehow. Like maybe, I could and should be doing much more. That I get lazy with my growth. With the humans I encounter. Lackadaisical with my love.

I once had a palliative patient say to me “I can tell by the sound of your voice, that your God is real….” A dying person is as close to God as a baby coming into this world. Remember that. Babies are at the tail end of grace, like a comet, and dying people are heading back to the comet head that is God. It is leading them home. God is so VERY real, and sometimes, I do not feel worthy of the blessings He bestows upon me. I knew at four years old that God was real. I would talk to Him while I pet the Pussy Willows. The Pussy Willows continue to follow me in my life, and I hope they never leave. They, to me, are a reminder of God and my path.

When did you know God was there for you? Or do you know? Can you feel Him? He is not a man, but I am not about to play the pronoun game here. Those semantics do not matter. Maybe you don’t believe in god? Maybe you believe in yourself, and all the magical ways you reach and teach into others hearts. Maybe you believe in a Force you cannot define. Feel joy in being present. Maybe you sustained spiritual abuse by a church at one time? Experienced spiritual rape, the worst of all the abuses. Maybe you are fearful of God. All I can tell you is this. Your relationship to God has nothing to do with anyone else! Only you and God, and it is deeply personal. Talk to Him. Listen to the answers. The conversation is subtle at first, but gets stronger the more we listen. And the more we expand.

My greatest test in faith came when my son almost didn’t live. I was pissed off at God. I was mad as fuck. Maybe you too have experienced this? I did not even see the point in living if my baby son didn’t get to be with me. But, I will tell you this. In that stretch, in that gap, in that horrifying precipice, is where I discovered even more of God. I sat in a hospital hallway, slumped on the floor, far from people. I was haunted by visions of what type of casket you put a baby in. They said he was dying, and we needed to prepare. A spider crawled near me as I sat alone. Scuttled near me. That spider only increased my anxiety. I felt like I myself would suffocate in my own emotional death. A coffin of my helplessness. Dirt on top of me, as I became dust. I felt like I was losing my very mind.

Then….something changed. Or moved. Faith came in like a siege! I felt like God came through for me. I had this feeling all would be okay. It washed over me like a freezing cold waterfall, and I could see the rainbow, through the mist, in the distance. I went and bought my baby son a shirt that read “born at BC Children’s Hospital ” that I knew he would wear. It had Noah’s ark animals on it, not surprisingly. Even though he was born in Kelowna, these Nurses and Doctors were saving my son. He essentially was being reborn here. I let God come in, right there, with that creepy spider. God does not always come through in beautiful cascades. He meets us where we are. I gathered myself, for Noah. I whispered to him. I sang to him. I advocated for him, and tuned up a Doctor and a few Nurses. Mostly, those Nurses and Doctors were god sends. It sounds cliche, and trite, but there really is no other way to describe them. They were placed there. Those Nurses whispered things in our own ears. They were His hands, I believe.

Our kids are not ours. That was just the beginning of Noah’s journey. He will encounter many more hardships in this life. As will I. My hope for Noah, and you, is that you always have hope. Hope is everything! Without hope, we die altogether. There is always hope. Sometimes it comes in a whisper, sometimes a wave. Sometimes it resides in the squeak of your held in tears. Or in the residue of pain from your sobbing tummy muscles, if only to merely let you know you are alive. Listening to how she would cry still haunts me to this day. She sounded like a lamb who knew it was about to be slaughtered. The slaughter was of her heart as her son’s potential death approached us. Have you cried tears like these before?

I made a pact with God that day. Our relationship is different now. I am reminded of that palliative man, and what he said to me. I guess, for me, my God is very real. And I hope it is displayed in the sound of my voice. Our voice is also everything. It glimpses into who we are. Listen, please listen…I will try to do the same. And if you lost someone precious, and your outcome was not like my own with Noah, I’m sorry for you. I can only imagine that shadow, and how sinister it may appear and feel at times. Or how the utter love for them takes your breath away still….It does not reflect anything on you, nor your connection to God or that child or baby lost. It is that Souls journey, and like my own son, has very little to do with us. That’s hard to accept. I can understand if you don’t believe in God anymore due to your losses. I do not judge. But I feel He will never give up on you, and never not let you know He is there. The Old ones and God are never not with you. The ones you have lost, are near you. Your existence to them is much like a candle flame casting the subtlest of light. That ever so soft light…which makes them come near. I’m off now to trace hands with my son…my son.
(Copyright 2013 Jaclyn Hedges)

There are ten different steps / positions that make a Surya Namaskar. Before doing a Surya Namaskar we should chant all the thirteen chants in the given order starting from “Om Mitraaya namahaa : Every step in Surya Namaskar is a different yoga position. During every step we have to do the ‘purak’ and rechak breathing steps alternately. Eg. Step 2- purak, Step 3- rechak- Step 4 – purak and so on To get the maximum benefit of Surya Namaskar hold yourself stable in every position for at least 10 to 15 seconds.
 

Position 1

Prarthanasan : Both feet touching each other, both hands joined at the centre of the chest as in prayer position back and neck straight and look straight.

Breathing : Kumbhak

Benefit : Helps maintain the balance of the body.

Position 2

Continuing from the first position take your hands straight up above your head and bend slightly backwards to stretch your back. Keep your hands in prayer position (without bending your elbows). Keep your neck between your arms and looking upwards bend slightly backwards from the waist.

Breathing : Purak (While going from Position 1 to 2 slowly, start taking long breaths)

Benefit : Strengthens chest muscles which in turn help in breathing.

Position 3

Uttanasan : Continuing from 2nd position take your hands from above your head bending in the front and place your hands beside your feet on both sides. Keep your knees straight and try to touch the head to your knees.

Breathing : Rechak (Leave your breath slowly while going from Position 2 to 3)

Benefit : Makes the waist and spine flexible. It strengthens the muscles and is beneficial for the functioning of the liver.

Position 4

Ekpad prasarnasan : From the 3rd position start sitting down and take one leg backwards in full stretching position, your hands resting on the ground on either sides of the front leg. The other leg should be bent at the knee. Put the chest weight on the front knee, your eyes should be looking slightly upwards.

Breathing : Purak

Benefit : Strengthens the leg muscles and makes the spine and neck muscles flexible.

Position 5

Chaturang dandasan : Now slowly take the second leg back and beside the first. Keep the legs in line with the knees. The whole body weight should rest on the palms and toes. The foot, waist and head should be in a straight line. Look ahead towards the ground (This is also called Chaturang Dandasan because the body rests on the toes and palms)

Breathing : Rechak

Benefit : Strengthens the arms and maintains body posture

Position 6

Ashtangasan : Lower the chest towards the ground bending both arms at the elbows. The following eight organs should touch the ground, forehead, chest, both palms, both knees and both toes. (Because eight body parts touch the ground it is called Ashtangasan)

Breathing : Kumbhak (Bahirkumbak)

Benefit : Makes the spine and waist flexible and strengthens the muscles.

Position 7

Bhujangasan : Now lift your body above the waist, bending it slightly backwards and looking backwards. Make sure your legs and thighs are touching the ground and your back is in a semi- circular position.

Breathing : Purak

Benefit : Makes the spine and waist flexible and strengthens the muscles.
(Positions 5, 6 and 7 together, strengthen the arms and reduce the fat around the abdomen and waist.)

Position 8

Adhomukh svanasan : Now lift your waist upwards and arms fully stretched with hands and legs resting on the ground, try to touch the chin to the chest.

Breathing : Rechak

Benefit : Beneficial for spine and waist muscles.

Position 9

Ekpad Prasarnasan : Same as the 4th position with the opposite leg behind.

Breathing : Purak

Position 10

Uttanasan : Same as that in the 3rd position.

Breathing : Rechak

“After that slowly come back to Position 1. Now one Surya Namaskar is over.

Position 11 ( same as position 1)

Note : PEOPLE WITH NECK PROBLEMS SHOULD CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL TRAINER BEFORE DOING THIS EXERCISE.

(Source: balsankar.com)

 Last night I came to an uncomfortable place in this understanding. I say uncomfortable, but really that’s a far more pleasant word for it than it really was. Over the course of a few days, I’d been delving into deeper things…attempting to get to the bottom of it all. I was making lists: things I’m happy with in my life, things I’m not, things I want to dump, things I want to keep, things that bring me joy, energy vampires, how the people in my life make me feel. I have been trying to ascertain my damage and get at the root cause. That is why I say the word “uncomfortable” is probably too nice a term. You see, once I get past the blaming part of each thing carried around (Why do I eat when I’m not hungry? Why do I always feel rejected by men? Why do I feel so dumb?), the root cause of things is always ALWAYS going to be me. That’s the part that has to be fixed…all the rest is fluff, you see? THAT is why I’m clogged. It’s why we’re all clogged, and we can either deal with it now, in the present, or it will follow us around even into the next life. Personally, I don’t want to deal with it later. I’d rather deal with my stuff now, as much as I’m able, and free my soul to do the work it’s meant to do.

 And so, I performed a small ritual last night, just me and my Guide, which would enable me to release the things I’d been carrying. In one of my meditations last week I’d heard these words: Do the work. I’d been doing the work for days and had now come to this moment last night. My meditation music was low and the incense had already been burning a while. I sat in my chair next to the open window and had a candle in front of me. I began my breathing meditation and prayed my prayer of protection and light, inviting my guide to join me. I opened my eyes, lit the candle while I said this…

 “I am letting go of the pain, suffering and despair I felt at the hands of (name of person and/or circumstance). I surrender it now to the Universe.”

 I said this a total of five times because there were five specific things I needed to surrender. When I was finished, I blew out the candle and let the smoke go out the window, freeing what I’d just released into the night air. I then sat in meditation for a few minutes longer and said a prayer of thanks. It was not a “water into wine” type of experience, but it was an important thing for me to do.  I did sleep better last night. I feel somewhat lighter this morning, less blocked. My horoscope this morning talked of temperance. It used temperance as a reference to the soul. It read…

 “In this image, the soul volunteers the ego for a cleansing and healing experience which may turn the personality inside-out, but which brings out the gold hidden within the heart.”

 There is much to do in this life. The work may not take the same form for you as it does me, but it still needs to be done. Do the work.

 Light and Love,

 ~red

Now I would like to say something about effort. Here there are two extremes that we need to avoid. One is trying too hard. The other is not trying at all. There are some very beautiful similes used in this connection in the texts. During the Buddha’s time there was a monk who was trying very hard in walking meditation so that even the bottom of his feet were bleeding. When the Buddha spoke to him, the Buddha realised that he was a musician. He used to play a lute, which is a stringed instrument. So the Buddha asked him: Now when playing a musical instrument if the strings are too loose or too tight, the music will not be right. So the Buddha said that effort also should not be too loose and it should not be too tight. This is what is called right effort.

Another simile the Buddha gave is that when you want to catch a small bird, if you grasp the bird too tightly you might kill the bird in the process, and if you grasp it in too loose a way the bird might escape. So in this way right effort can also be called effortless effort.

Now what happens when you try too hard? Naturally there is tension. You might even get a headache, you might feel tired and you might feel restlessness and disappointment because you are trying too hard, and with a strong expectation. Practising in this way you can never achieve what you want, so then you feel bad, you give yourself a minus, you start hating yourself and so on.

And if you do not try at all, what happens? Then you might feel sleepy, drowsy, you might get into a dream-like state. So here again it is by learning, by experimenting, by finding out for yourself that you know whether you are trying too hard or not trying at all. And sometimes we need to exercise more effort, sometimes we need to relax effort. So one thing which will help us is that if we can have a meditative mind, then when we are not meditating awareness becomes natural, it becomes effortless.

All this in my name,

Yet as I enter

No-one knows my face.

I walk amongst them,

Yet no-one knows

I’m here.

Were they expecting

Fanfares, or carriages

Of light?

Were they expecting

Absolution without

First asking why?

Did they think

I would anoint them

With love and compassion,

Without first their

Own willingness to change?

So ignorant are they,

That they do not know

Their own light,

Even when it shines

Before them.

Who did they think

Would come,

Christ himself,

Or some-one like them?

How would they

Recognise me

If they themselves

Do not know

For whom they seek?

‘ He will come!’ –

Perhaps ‘She’.

I am here,

And they do not know.

Perhaps ‘tis my own

Ignorance that

Clouds their judgement.

Perhaps ‘tis I

That do not

Recognise them.

Did I not die for them?

No I did not.

Did I break bread with them?

Yes I did.

Did I forsake my

Father’s fathers?

No, for I would not

Be here now.

Façades of love

Turned architectural ruin.

All this in my name,

But home it is not.

And they are no more

Kindred to me

Than my own shadow.

Would that I could

Laugh, and show

No remorse,

But I cannot,

For they cannot.

They search in themselves

For themselves,

And this is why

They do not know me.

Shadows of sin;

Shadows of love;

Shadows. Mere shadows.

                        Remote  viewing  in  the  CIA,  #1  seeing  a  tall  men  from  Georgia,  very  evil  man,  Anti - Christ,  a  murder  and  a thief,  walking  throw  a  bridge  in  time  or  star gate.   CIA  does  not  know  he  is  the  Anti - Christ.  #2  And   Anti – Christ’s  are  in  the  church  of  Rome.   I  am  seeing  nuclear  bomb  in  past  or  future,  I  do  not  know.   #3   Seeing  in  the  dark  room  in  a  warehouse,  a  man  and  women  in  side  seeing  words  of  remote  viewing.  Do  not  know  if  they  are  evil  or  not.  #4   Seeing  the  Gray  alien  in  a  room  he  can  see  my  spiritual  body  do  not  know  if  evil  or  not  but  I  told  him  who  was  the  evil  ones.  #5  Anti -  Christ’s  are  still  hunting  for  me  have  to  move  day  and  night.   St.  Peter,   Simon  code # 13

I will start this Sermon with a little back ground on Baptism, then head into Baptism and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

WHY DID JESUS NEED TO BE BAPTIZED?

So why would Jesus need to be baptized by John?
Well… Jesus’ baptism by John was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Mark 1:1 starts out: “The BEGINNING of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” and then Mark starts telling us about Jesus’ baptism by John.

In Luke 3:23 we’re told of Jesus’ baptism by John and then we read: “Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he BEGAN HIS MINISTRY…”

Obviously, for some reason, Jesus’ ministry began with His baptism.

Now, at this point in Jewish history, water baptism served one of 3 purposes.
1st, there was the Baptism Of Repentance.
This was what John the Baptist’s was preaching.
But of course Jesus didn’t need to repent because He hadn’t sinned.

The 2nd kind of baptism was for people who desired to convert to Judaism.
It was a Baptism Of Conversion.
If you were a Gentile who wanted to convert to Judaism, they baptized you in water.

ILLUS: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown explained that: “The Jews were accustomed to say of a heathen proselyte, on his public admission into the Jewish faith BY BAPTISM, that he was a new-born child.”

So, baptism was used when someone wanted to convert to Judaism. But Jesus had no need to convert to Judaism. He already was one. He’d been born a Jew.

So baptism in those days could be for repentance or conversion… and Jesus did not need to be baptized for those reasons. So, for what OTHER reason would a person be baptized in water back then???

Well, the only other people who experienced baptism – in the Jewish faith in that day were priests. The Law dictated that especially the High Priest was to “washed with water.” And the Temple had pools set aside for just that purpose.

In Leviticus 8:6 we’re told that – by the instruction of God — “Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.”
Then, later, during that ceremony Moses “poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.” Leviticus 8:12

This act INITIATED Aaron’s ministry as High Priest. When Aaron and his sons were washed with water and anointed with oil, they BEGAN their priesthood and were empowered to make sacrifices and to handle holy things as God’s representatives.
At that point (their baptism) God put His mark of approval on the ministry of Aaron and his sons.

The Bible tells us that Jesus’ ministry began with His baptism by John.
After His baptism, the Father anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit as it descended on Him in form of a dove. And the Father put His mark of approval on Jesus by loudly declaring:
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17

This was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as our High Priest.
Did you realize Jesus was our High Priest?
Indeed He is!
Hebrews 4:14: “…we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God…”

From the day of His baptism by John at the Jordan until His death on the Cross, Jesus (as our High Priest) prepared the ultimate sacrifice for our sins… His own body.

In three different books the Bible tells us the same precepts about the same subject, What is the importance of three different references to the same subject? to establish a fact needs two or three witnesses! here we have Matthew, Mark and Luke!

Matthew 3:11 (KJV)
King James Version
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear : he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

Mark 1:8
King James Version (KJV)
8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Luke 3:16
King James Version (KJV)
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus gave His disciples (and by extension, us) wonderful promises related to the coming Holy Spirit. According to Jesus, the Spirit would have quite a ministry in our lives. Not only would He be a comforting presence, but He would also be God’s good-faith deposit in our hearts, ensuring our salvation (Ephesians 1:14).

One of the phenomenal benefits of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in this, the Church Age, is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Elsewhere called the gift of the Holy Spirit (not the Holy Spirit Himself, but the gift given by the Holy Spirit), and being filled with the Spirit, Spirit-baptism is a life-changing, lifelong experience in which one’s level of intimacy with God is heightened in a way that transcends the limitations of our humanity.

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Before getting into the nitty-gritty, let’s define baptism. The English “baptize” is from the Greek, baptizo, which means to plunge or to whelm (as in overwhelm). To be baptized in water, then, is to be plunged or overwhelmed with water. This is why most Protestant churches baptize by fully submerging the candidate in water. It is in keeping with the definition of word.

Translating this over to Spirit-baptism, it simply means to be plunged or whelmed with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Rather than being baptized in the Spirit, as in water, we are baptized with the Spirit. He who at the point of salvation inhabited the spirit now infills it. We are whelmed from the inside, having His transformative presence flood us.

Now, what does this mean on the practical level? Well, it means that we are able to strengthen the inner being in a special way, through a special ability to converse and commune with God in a “super-human” way. (No, this isn’t about to get creepy. Just keep reading…)

The first thing we must understand is that there’s a difference between the indwelling and infilling (baptism) of the Holy Spirit. When we get saved (born again; give our lives to Jesus), the Holy Spirit immediately takes up residence in our spirit (Ephesians 1:13; Romans 8:9b). It is His presence within that quickens our spiritually dead spirit to life, and brings about a gradual transformation of spiritual growth, gradually graduating toward perfectly reflecting the character of Jesus in our lives (from “glory to glory”, as 2Corinthians 3:18 puts it). This is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The infilling, on the other hand, is a subsequent experience that begins when we cross the threshold of yielding our inner selves to the pre-existing presence of the indwelling Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit, who already lives within our human spirits from the moment of our salvation, saturates us with His presence in Spirit-baptism.

Take note that you can’t be filled with the Spirit if He doesn’t already dwell in you. In other words, Spirit-baptism is only available to born again believers. He can’t fill a spirit that’s still spiritually dead. Now, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when a person gets born again and filled at the same time. That’s definitely possible, as being filled is simply a matter of yielding the inner spirit fully to the Holy Spirit—which a brand spanking new convert is perfectly capable of doing. and so there is no confusion, Does a person have the need for either Water or Holy Spirit Baptism to make it to Heaven? The answer is no, remember the thief on the cross next to Jesus? Jesus Himself said the thief was going to be with Him.

So then, salvation brings the Spirit of God within, whereas Spirit-baptism is what causes the presence of the Spirit to fill you to the overflow, to the point that what’s within is stirred up, expanded, and flows out. This is pictured in a prophecy Jesus gave to His disciples concerning this wonderful experience.

“‘He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” [39] But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
John 7:38-39

The “belly” (as the King James Version renders “innermost being”) is symbolic of the inner spirit. It is from this core of our being that this supernatural river of life is stirred up and flows. It is from there that the presence of the Spirit within fills to overflowing. Now, some people mistake this prophecy of Jesus as referring to the coming indwelling of the Holy Spirit (which also had not taken place yet); however, this is not the case. The way we know this is really a teaching in itself, so suffice it to say that if you begin reading at verse 33, it becomes a little clearer (especially when compared to what other passages teach on the subject—again, examining this in detail is a teaching in itself).

One of the other ways this outflow of the Spirit of God through us is pictured is in Jesus’ prophecy concerning the Spirit coming upon us and empowering us to be witnesses of Jesus through the preaching of the gospel.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

So then, one of the primary purposes of Spirit-baptism is to minister to others. Whether visualized as rivers of life-bearing water flowing out of us or the power of the Spirit upon us, Spirit-baptism empowers us to supernaturally speak life to spiritually dead (unsaved) or even spiritually dying (saved but on spiritual life-support) people. We are to be a wellspring of vitality and spiritual strength, not a self-righteous group of holier-than-thou super-saints who go around judging and condemning others (as many of the denominations known for emphasizing the Spirit-filled life are sometimes (mis)characterized, e.g. Pentecostals, Apostolics).

Those of us who believe and teach Spirit-baptism often—and regrettably—fail to emphasize this external priority with Spirit-baptism. We so often get hung up on the ecstatic and very personal side of Spirit-baptism that we neglect the reason this personal benefit exists in the first place—to strengthen us through heightened personal intimacy with God, yes; but especially and ultimately to position us to minister the grace of God in the power of the Spirit. It’s about others, not just about us!

It’s one thing to realize that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a valuable gift that God has made available to His children. It’s another thing to actively seek it. Some teach that we shouldn’t seek Spirit-baptism, and that it’ll just happen what God determines it’ll happen. This couldn’t be further from the truth!

“Then He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; [6] for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; [7] and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ [8] ‘I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. [9]

‘So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [10] ‘For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. [11] ‘Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? [12] ‘Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? [13] ‘If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?’” Luke 11:5-13

Once again, we have a passage that’s often misinterpreted as applying to the indwelling, rather than the infilling of the Holy Spirit. However, a little logic should clear up this misconception. Jesus teaches, here, that it’s not only perfectly acceptable, but even desirous that we seek the Holy Spirit. Now, think about how the indwelling takes place. A person gives his/her life to Jesus and the Spirit of God makes that person’s spirit His home. Nowhere in this process of salvation does the person have to seek the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to knock on the Spirit’s door in order to be saved and for the Spirit to take up residence. To the contrary, Revelation 3:20 pictures Jesus standing at the door of our hearts knocking, not the other way around!

But Jesus says in this passage that we should seek after the Holy Spirit—that if we knock on the proverbial door, He will open it to us! Now, that’s wonderful and encouraging news in itself; but we have to understand that this is a different experience than being born again. In salvation, Jesus seeks us out, knocking on our door with the message of the gospel, inviting us to receive Him as our Lord and Savior. In Spirit-baptism, we become the one actively seeking… knocking… asking.

So, the point Jesus was making in this passage, which we now see is referring to Spirit-baptism (the gift of the Holy Spirit), is that the baptism of the Holy Spirit does not have to be a long, laborious task. God already desires for us to cross the threshold into Spirit-baptism. All He needs from us is a seeker’s heart, one that is open and yielded to the Spirit, who already resides within.

Contrary to what some churches teach (especially in the traditional Pentecostal denomination), there is no need to “tarry” for the Holy Spirit. To tarry, in its simplest, biblical form is simply to wait; however, in many churches, the idea of tarrying has become a hyperstatic, spiritualized ritual in which the seeker is encouraged to make vain repetitions until they begin to stumble over their words, thereby simulating the sounds of glossolalia (i.e. speaking in tongues). The problem in this ritual is that people are seeking and simulating an empowerment that only the Spirit can give, rather than simply yielding to the Spirit who gives this ability.

As for tarrying in the biblical sense—waiting for the Holy Spirit—this is not a sound practice for Christians to engage in. Yes, it’s true that before ascending back to Heaven, Jesus commanded His disciples to go to Jerusalem and tarry until they were endued/clothed with power from God (Luke 24:49). It’s also true that this enduing is, in fact, the Holy Spirit coming upon them, as Jesus said in Acts 1:8 (quoted above). However, once the Holy Spirit came (for during Jesus’ ministry, He had not yet come—John 7:39; 15:26; 16:13), there was no need to continue to tarry/wait. Wait for what? He’s here already!

So, we don’t have to wait. We simply have to seek. But, how do we seek? Do we simulate tongues? No. We simply pray and ask God to give us the baptism. We worship Jesus, and lose ourselves in His presence. We allow His Spirit within us to be stirred and to rise in us, as though God is pouring the wine of His Spirit into the cup of our hearts until it overflows. As the Spirit begins to move in us during this time of prayer and worship, and as we yield to that move/unction, we will be filled. He already desires to fill us. All we have to do is ask/seek/knock. We do that, and then yield to Him so that He can do what we’re asking Him to do.

Being filled doesn’t take 1-3 hours of tarrying. It doesn’t take someone telling us to make this or that kind of sound. It simply takes us losing ourselves in the presence of God, and allowing that presence to stir and swell up in our hearts. It takes us trusting His prompting and letting go—surrendering ourselves to His unction (more on this unction in a moment).

How do we know we have received the Baptism?

I’m so glad you asked this question… Is Spirit-baptism like salvation, where we may or may not feel different but accept by faith that we’re filled? Absolutely not! Such is definitely the case with being born again; but when we cross the threshold into Spirit-baptism, these is a definite and perceivable indication. There is an initial and necessarily ongoing evidence.

Now, this is one of the more controversial aspects to the baptism of the Holy Spirit; however, if we allow Scripture to be our teacher, there is really only one conclusion that we can draw.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. [2] And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. [4] And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

When this promised gift of (given by) the Holy Spirit arrived… when the first group of Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit, the experience manifested itself through glossolalia—speaking in tongues. The experience was so explosive and demonstrative that flaming tongues rested on each one, visually representing the sign of the baptism.

John the Baptist (called so because he baptized people in water) prophesied that Jesus, who was yet to reveal Himself at that time, would baptize us with “the Holy Spirit and with fire.” He showed how the two work together in one during the baptism experience. This fire is quite literally the tongues of fire that manifested on the Day of Pentecost. Speaking in tongues, then, is the fire through which Spirit-baptism manifests itself. It is the initial evidence that one has been filled with the Spirit.

Now, let me pause for a moment and talk about speaking in tongues. You may be wondering what exactly it means. Speaking in tongues is the act of speaking in a language that you’ve never learned. It may be a human language (called “tongues of men” in 1Corinthians 13:1) or a spiritual language (called “tongues of angels” in the same verse). What happens during the experience is that the Holy Spirit unctions/prompts our spirit to pray. But since the Holy Spirit is praying on our behalf through our spirit, it is a perfected prayer.

Also, because our spirit is the vessel through which the prayer is made, our mental cognition (which is a function of the soul) is completely bypassed. We open our mouths and allow the words to flow, but we have no awareness of what’s being said. It’s not a language we know because it’s not a language we need to know. If we did know it, our soul (mind/consciousness) would undoubtedly interfere, as would be the natural response. Instead, the soul is kept out of the loop, and the inner spirit prompts our mouths to produce a language of the spirit.

Why is it necessary to bypass the soul? Well, our souls are in a state of growth. When we got saved, we began a process of maturing in the Lord, and in this process, our soul is gradually transformed. But, this is an ongoing process, during which the soul is still subject to error. Think about it. Our thinking, our emotions, and our will are most certainly not perfected. So, this supernatural ability to bypass our imperfect ability to consciously pray and allow the inner spirit to pray is an amazing gift. Perfect prayers are offered, and even though our soul (our mind) is not edified through the experience (because we have no idea what was said), we’re still built up in the spirit (1 Corinthians 14:2, 4a).

This is one of the reasons that crossing the threshold into Spirit-baptism can be so challenging, even though it doesn’t have to be. It can be a scary thing to feel something welling up within you, wanting to burst forth—something that will unconsciously move your body (which you—that is, the conscious you—are accustomed to being in control of). So, even though we desire the baptism, something in us holds on, preventing us from fully letting go and letting the Spirit unction us in this fire. But letting go is precisely how we cross the threshold.

This is why I always recommend that a person seeking Spirit-baptism just ask God for it, and then enter into worship. As we flow in worship, we can more easily lose ourselves, and it is in the losing of the conscious self that Spirit-baptism becomes an easier thing to achieve; not because we’re tarrying and simulating, but because we’re losing ourselves in the Presence.

Keep in mind that speaking in tongues is not something we can do in and of ourselves. That’s why simulation exercises often practiced by people who tarry are wholly unbiblical. It is the Holy Spirit who provides us with the ability. We can spend all day and night trying to speak in tongues. Nothing will happen. It’s His infilling that we should seek, not the evidence of it.

Are you sure tounges is the initial evidence?

As I said before, the idea of tongues being the initial evidence of Spirit-baptism is quite controversial. Even though most Pentecostal, Apostolic, and other charismatic churches accept this fact, a great many don’t believe it’s so. They often respond that there are many evidences of a Spirit-filled life, including manifesting the fruit of the Spirit (spoken of in Galatians 5:22-23). However, Scripture itself presents a sound and irrefutable case that glossolalia is, indeed, the initial evidence of being filled with the Spirit.

We already saw that when Spirit-baptism was initially endowed on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), it manifested visually in tongues of fire, and every person in the place they were gathered spoke in tongues. But, this event was not the only occurrence of people being filled with the Spirit.

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. [45] All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. [46] For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God…” Acts 10:44-46

“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.” Acts 19:6

“Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. [18] Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, [19] saying, ‘Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 8:17-19

In conjunction with Acts 2:1-4, the first two passages show that tongues continued to accompany the initial infilling of the Holy Spirit. Now, Acts 10:46 says that they were speaking with tongues “and exalting God;” but we cannot understand exalting God as a second evidence because in order for something to serve as evidence, it would have to be exclusive to those who have crossed that threshold. Yet, all creation can exalt (praise and honor) God, even the stones! Likewise, Acts 19:6 says that the people were speaking with tongues “and prophesying;” yet people prophesied for thousands of years before Pentecost. So again, it can’t be considered an evidence. It’s in keeping with what Scripture elsewhere says about exalting God and prophesying to understand that they did these things in conjunction with their tongues; but that the tongues, themselves, were the evidential element.

The third passage recounts Simon the sorcerer being so impressed that the Holy Spirit was given with the laying on of the apostles’ hands that he offered to pay them for the ability to do the same. Here’s the million dollar question: How did he know the people who had hands laid on them had received the Holy Spirit? If it were simply a matter of the apostles telling them that they’d received the gift of the Holy Spirit, Simon certainly didn’t have to offer money to be able to do the same. No. These people did something that nobody else did. They did something that served as proof that the Holy Spirit had come upon them. Even though the passage is not specific in identifying what served in this evidential capacity, every other instance of Spirit-baptism recorded in Acts contains the single, consistent manifestation of tongues.

This, coupled with the fact that John the Baptist prophesied a coming baptism with fire, and the fact that tongues initially manifested through tongues of fire makes a clear cut and—dare I say—indisputable case for the fact that Spirit-baptism is initially evidenced by glossolalia. It has been my experience that a refusal to accept the biblical witness on this point is almost always resultant from a lack of one having personally experienced tongues and, as a result, choosing to hold the idea of Spirit-baptism captive to their (lack of) experience. They don’t want to think of themselves as not having crossed that threshold, and so they remove the threshold altogether and teach that once one is born again, they immediately receive the baptism, and that there is no initial evidence. This is, quite simply and most definitely, not the case.

That said, there’s absolutely no shame in not having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. While it’s a wonderful and, I believe, very important aspect of the Christian experience, it doesn’t make someone less Christian to not have been filled. People who are filled are not less likely to fall short. They’re not less likely to misinterpret Scripture. They’re certainly not less likely to fall prey to pride, in thinking that they’ve achieved a “higher spiritual status” than other believers. They’ve simply activated a wonderful gift that Christ has made available to all born again believers.

Why should we continue speaking in tounges?

It would be a grave mistake to read my continual reference to tongues being the “initial evidence” of Spirit-baptism and conclude that because it’s only the initial evidence, it’s inconsequential beyond that point. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Tongues are the fire of the Holy Spirit. They are the means through which He empowers us to a heightened experience of intimacy and to be witnesses of Jesus Christ.

How tounges enable greater intimacy!

As we’ve discussed, tongues is a means of communication with God on a level that is not possible with the conscious mind. Through the practice, the Holy Spirit prays a perfected prayer to God through our spirit. Our understanding (conscious awareness) may be unfruitful, but our spirit is still edified.

Jude 20 says that we build up our most holy faith through praying in the spirit. It’s interesting that he didn’t just call it our faith, but our “most holy faith.” The idea is that faith is generally a product of the soul (of our mind and will). We choose to believe God. Even before getting saved, we had to release faith in order to become born again; yet our spirit was dead at the time, so that faith had to be born somewhere. It was in our souls.

But, prayer in the spirit—which builds up the inner person who was recreated after the image of God after we got saved—allows the building of a greater faith than the soul can muster. It allows faith which pours forth from our spirit… faith which pushes past our conscious awareness and taps directly into the spirit-realm. This faith is built up as we speak to God in the spirit, and as He speaks right back to our spirit—a “most holy faith”, indeed!

The apostle Paul said in 1Corinthians 14:2 that when we speak in tongues, our spirit is speaking mysteries. Divine revelation and insight is imparted through the consistent practice of tongues (a.k.a. praying in the spirit). Where do these mysteries come from? Well, the one enabling us in the first place—the Holy Spirit. As He reveals these mysteries to our spirit through praying in the spirit, we receive and deposit those revelations deep inside. As we develop more spiritually, we tap into those truths and can begin to discern those mysteries consciously (1Co. 2:9-16).

As we continue to develop through this special communion with God, we are more greatly enabled to fulfill our commission—the ultimate reason for which Spirit-baptism was given in the first place—being a witness. When it’s all said and done, it’s all about ministry. It’s all about being able to help draw others to Christ and, if they already know Christ, to draw them nearer. It’s not that people who haven’t received the baptism cannot be witnesses, and cannot draw others. But, it’s a special enablement that is made available to us, one which transforms our own lives, and can help us to transform others’ lives. Why would we turn that wonderful gift down?

It’s because Spirit-baptism is ultimately about others that Paul presents an excellent teaching on the whole point of spirituality in 1Corinthians 14. He says that even though he speaks in tongues more than anybody else, in a public gathering, he’d much rather speak in people’s native language with a word from the Lord in order to help them. He also said that even if he speaks in tongues, if he doesn’t have love for others, that enablement is reduced to nothing but a bunch of meaningless noise (clanging symbols, he called it). Why? Because if the ultimate purpose is ministry—to help people, and to draw them to a deeper depth in their knowledge of and relationship with Jesus—what’s the point if love is not the singularity from which our efforts spring forth? All we have at that point is vain religion, no better than that of the Pharisees. All we have is a form of godliness, while we’ve denied its true power (2Timothy 3:5).

Speaking from experience, I cannot overstate the importance and blessing of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I often think about where I would be in my spiritual walk had I not crossed this threshold. I rely on His unction. I rely on being able to pray a perfected prayer

And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

when I think I know what to pray, and also when I know that I don’t know what to pray. Being able to pray in the spirit for someone’s unspecified need is so much better than just praying, “Lord, I don’t know their specific situation, but you know. Lord, do it!” It’s gratifying to know that the Spirit knows exactly what the person is going through, and that He can use my mouth to pray the prayer that needs to be prayed.

I’ve also come to rely on the spirit of revelation (Ephesians 1:17). As a teacher of the word (but also just as a Christian), I often employ my prayer language during times when I know that I’ll need revelation in order to adequately accomplish my goal. When knowing that I need to minister to someone dealing with a unique or unknown situation, it’s good to be able to pray in the spirit, pulling those mysteries out of the spirit-realm, and depositing them within so that, at the appointed time, God can release them to my awareness during the time of ministry.

I also employ tongues very often during worship. I live to worship, and I definitely honor Him with my conscious awareness. But, I also enjoy being able to exalt him (as they did in Acts 10) with perfect exaltation… with perfect words of praise and adoration. Oh what a joy and a privilege to be able to commune with Him on this plane!

If you haven’t received the baptism of the Holy Spirit—the gift of the Holy Spirit—I implore you… Seek it! He wants you to have it; so it’s just a matter of you aligning your desire with His, and yielding to His Spirit within you. If you have received the baptism but don’t consistently exercise your prayer language, change that. Pray in the spirit every day! Build up your most holy faith, and see how it elevates and edifies you. During times of distress and challenge, let the Spirit pray the perfect prayer through you. When praying for others, after praying with your limited knowledge (as we all have), let the Spirit take that prayer to another level!

It’s called the gift of the Holy Spirit for a reason. I hope that you take full advantage of it, not only for yourself, but also for the sake of the Kingdom, that you may be a witness endowed with power from the Lord.

May He fill your cup till it runneth over!

It’s Day 35 of Break Through to a New You! Today’s focus is the 5^th Soul Attitude (Forgiveness) that is required for exiting the wilderness and entering your Promised Land. Every hurt held onto imprisons you. Forgiveness frees you and enables to experience present joys more fully.

Click here to listen to this morning’s call (full link is at the end of the email).

Spiritual Enrichment

READ: Review the Scripture attached to today’s lesson: Exodus 20:12 Re-read the section on 5^th Soul Attitude (Forgiveness).

PONDER: What past or present hurt am I finally willing to release?

PRAY: I let go all past hurts and disappointments and I open myself to the goodness of God to fill those newly vacated spaces.

WRITE: Write what comes to you in your reading, prayer and quiet pondering.

More Thoughts on 5^th Soul Attitude (Forgiveness)

You are the biggest person you need to forgive in your experience. The stick you use to beat yourself up for current mistakes and miscalculations leaves its imprint in the sidewalks and buildings of your tomorrow. And, when you tomorrow becomes today, you will walk down its streets only to find imprinted in its concrete sidewalks evidence of today’s beating. Be loving and forgiving toward yourself today so that you experience a better tomorrow.

Testimonies

In learning communities like ours, we want to “encourage one another and build up each other” (I Thess 5:11). If you have a testimony or overcoming since starting this wilderness journey, email me at UPed@upchurch.org or post it on our FaceBook page. You never know who needs to hear your story in order to find the energy to persist.

Spread the Word

Join the conversation on our Facebook and Blog! If something came up during the day that you want to share with the group, please feel free to post a question. And, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at UPed@upchurch.org.

Listen Again

Here is the full link to the recording. You can cut and paste this into your browser if the link above doesn’t work: https://www.freeconferencecallhd.com/playback.html?n=-17-65-6710108118100792646110-17-65-67-17-65-6747776-17-65-67;0ODI4OTc4Mjg=0

Sow a Seed

UP Church thrives because of your support. If you would like pay your $25 registration fee or make a love offering to UP Church, here are 3 ways you can make that support:

1. Pay at UP Church – please give the payment in an envelope to Sherri or any teacher. Mark the envelope “10 Commandments Registration” or “10 Commandments Love Offering.”

2. Pay via PayPal. If you have a PayPal account, send a payment to uped@upchurch.org.

3. Mail a check payable to UP Church. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 24566 Los Angeles, CA 90024. Please indicate “10 Commandments Registration” or “10 Commandments Love Offering” in the check’s memo section.

We thank you for supporting UP Church. Your financial support of this ministry is appreciated.

Make today great!

With Love,

Sherri James, Assistant Minister

Understanding Principles for Better Living Church

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Understanding Principles for Better Living Church

The Reverend Della Reese Lett, Minister/Founder

Spiritual Education Department

Sunday Services 1 p.m.

600 W. Queen Street, Inglewood, CA 90301

Stay in Touch

UP Church office – upchurch@upchurch.org 310-641-7991

UP Education Department – UPed@upchurch.org

Facebook -www.facebook.com/upchurch

Blog - www.theupchurch.wordpress.com

One of the Andalusian scholars said, ‘one of the reasons why people have to sleep is because the Ruh (soul) is not of this world. It is of another world, so the Ruh cannot take too much materialism. It literally has to go back into the unseen world in order to get rest from the Dunya (this world); so sleep is a spiritual nourishment for the soul’.

You are a changed person because of your mistakes.

I’m sure there are times in your life where you wished you would have handled a situation differently. Maybe you could have treated someone better (or yourself!), wished you would have stood your ground more, wished you would have spent more time making peace instead of arguing, or wished you could undo something. We have got to let go, move on, and only take the lessons with us. If you continue to torment yourself, how can you ever really live? How can you ever move forward and find true happiness? The answer is you cannot unless you cut all ties to those moments you are less than proud of.

One of the biggest mistakes we can actually make, is not forgiving our mistakes.

We also have to forgive others for their mistakes. Reminder: Forgiveness is not saying that you are okay with what occurred, but rather no longer choosing to hang on to the crappy feelings associated with the situation. You are setting the negativity free, and you are walking forward with a pocket full of wisdom.

We are all human and we are not perfect. We are not supposed to be. We are here to learn lessons, and most of the knowledge gained comes from mistakes. The amazing part of that is knowing you have total control of your life. The choices you make today are different than yesterday because of those times.

Embrace your truth in this moment and define yourself only by everything you are proud of!

~ Jiddu Krishnamurti