Va’etchanan-Saturday, August 16, 2008

8/2/2019 Vaetchanan-Saturday, August 16, 2008

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Vaetchanan and I besoughtDeuteronomy 3:23-7:11

by Mike BallounSaturday, August 16, 2008

IntroductionMoses underlines the seriousness and importance that is found in the book of

Deuteronomy; he says of its words, It is no trifling matter for you, but rather yourvery life Deut. 32:47 (also 4:1-4 and 4:40).He confronts all with the choice of life and death, exhorting all to choose life,Deut. 30:15, 19-20.Moses reinterprets and expounds here in his last sermon the Law of GOD givento them on Mt. Sinai and in context the commitment to the covenant, the

contractual agreement, to be afresh, renewed by this new generation who is aboutto go into the promised land and take it.

Here, they are east of the Jordan, close to where the Jordan River dumps into theDead Sea today known as Jordan. Then it was just taken by the Israelites from the king ofthe Amorites, Sihon. And just north of their camp is land where they defeated theother great king, the king of Bashan, the giant Og today known as the Golan

Heights.Deuteronomy seven tells us the seven greater and mightier nations they are todefeat and utterly destroy. This refers to a present spiritual battle, but also pointsto a future day physical fulfillment, at the Second Coming, when the King of


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Kings, the risen and exalted Messiah will fight and defeat the heathen occupiers ofthe whole world,

"I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Sonof Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to theAncient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then toHim was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples,nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is aneverlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, And His kingdomthe one which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14; alsoZechariah 14);

And all idol worshippers and all those who refused to serve Him.

Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that allpeoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion isan everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, And Hiskingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. (Luke 19:27)

OverviewMoses tells the people how he pleaded with GOD to allow him to go into thePromised Land, but GOD refused and instructed him to ascend the mountainand view the Promised Land.Moses warns take heed, lest you forget the covenant, make any image or likenessthat He hath forbiddenFor the Lord they GOD is a consuming firea jealousGOD, (Deut. 4:24)


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Moses exclaims the greatness with which GOD has brought them out ofEgyptthat unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord Heis GOD; (Deut. 4:35), and Thou shalt keep His commandmentsthat it may go

well with thee. (Deut 4:40)

Moses here establishes three refuge cities on the eastside of Jordan. Mosesreiterates the covenant and the decalogue of Mount Sinai and how GOD spokewith them face to face and you were afraid and asked of me to go alone and hearand return and instruct them and they would hear and do it. (Deut 5:4, 27)

In chapter six we have two of the three scriptures Christ quoted while being tested

in the wilderness by Satan. (Deut 6:13, 16)

This Parashah also includes some Jewish and Christian fundamentals the unityof GOD in the Shema, the command to love GOD, study His Torah, bindthese words as Tefillin on our arms and heads, and inscribe them in Mezuzotaffixed on the doorposts of our homes.

The Israelites are instructed to utterly destroy the inhabitants of Canaan and all

idols and do not co-habit with them.Hear, O Israel: The LORD our GOD is one LORD: And thou shalt lovethe LORD thy GOD with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thymight. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.(Deut 6:4)We shall attempt to shed light by the help of the Holy Spirit on this essential

truth Love as it related to man.Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy GOD with all thy heart, andwith all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On thesetwo commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)


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And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yetunderstand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is

cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth comeforth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evilthoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defilethnot a man. (Matthew 15:16-20)

Oswald Chambers - July 26 The Account with Purity"Out of the heart proceed . . ." Matthew 15:18-20We begin by trusting our ignorance and calling itinnocence, by trusting our innocence and calling it purity;and when we hear these rugged statements of OurLord's, we shrink and say - But I never felt any of thoseawful things in my heart. We resent what Jesus Christreveals. Either Jesus Christ is the supreme Authority on

the human heart, or He is not worth paying any attentionto. Am I prepared to trust His penetration, or do I preferto trust my innocent ignorance? If I make consciousinnocence the test, I am likely to come to a place where Ifind with a shuddering awakening that what Jesus Christsaid is true, and I shall be appalled at the possibility of eviland wrong in me. As long as I remain under the refuge of

innocence I am living in a fool's paradise. If I have neverbeen a blackguard, the reason is a mixture of cowardiceand the protection of civilized life; but when I amundressed before GOD, I find that Jesus Christ is rightin His diagnosis.


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The only thing that safeguards is the Redemption ofJesus Christ. If I will hand myself over to Him, I neednever experience the terrible possibilities that are in my

heart. Purity is too deep down for me to get to naturally:but when the Holy Spirit comes in, He brings into thecentre of my personal life the very Spirit that wasmanifested in the life of Jesus Christ, viz., Holy Spirit,which is unsullied purity.

Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. Ifany man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of GOD, or

whether I speak of myself. (John 7:16, 17)Oswald Chambers July 27 The Way to Know"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine . .

." John 7:17The golden rule for understanding spiritually is notintellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientificknowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he

wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can onlyget it by obedience. If things are dark to me, then I may besure there is something I will not do. Intellectual darknesscomes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comesbecause of something I do not intend to obey.No man ever receives a word from GOD withoutinstantly being put to the test over it. We disobey and

then wonder why we don't go on spiritually. 'If when youcome to the altar,' said Jesus, 'there you remember yourbrother hath ought against you . . . don't say another wordto Me, but first go and put that thing right.' The teachingof Jesus hits us where we live. We cannot stand as


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humbugs before Him for one second. He educates usdown to the scruple. The Spirit of GOD unearths thespirit of self-vindication; He makes us sensitive to things

we never thought of before.When Jesus brings a thing home by His word, don't shirkit. If you do, you will become a religious humbug. Watchthe things you shrug your shoulders over, and you willknow why you do not go on spiritually. First go - at the riskof being thought fanatical you must obey what GODtells you.

GOD gave the gift of the Holy Spirit with the shedding abroad of the loveof GOD in our hearts, that we would have within us the potential to keepGODs commandments, that is to remove the hindrances to love Him with allour being. (Rms 5:5)GOD so loved the world (John 3:16)There is no retaliation in GODs love. For His love isjust at the same timemerciful, free from any selfishness. Love has extended forgiveness, yet there

is no pardon from a connivance with sin, but GODs justice is satisfiedthrough His manifestation of His self-denial, His love represented perfectlyin Christ, His Sons propitiatory and reconciliatory sacrifice.Now the fact is that because we have never exercised this love we cannotunderstand its nature. As this love must be lifted and extended past the filthysewer of our soulish nature. GOD is not filled with the spirit of retaliationwhich is a product of our fallen nature, and therefore, although He sees and

knows all the guilt of the sinner, He does yet look upon that rebellious soulwith pity and compassion and laid Himself out with all His heart to save him.It is into participation with such a love as this that He has called and equipped usby the shedding of love abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit. That love we must


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participate with and extend to ourselves, our brother in the Lord and the rest ofthe lost world.Backslidden Christians as well as sinners mistake the nature of GODs love.

They always suppose that they must do something to deserve His love. Youask them to come to the Lord and they think I must do moreI am not yetsincere, I must become better, I must pray, I must do this or that to deserveHis love. They must deserve it before they have it. They want to feel theydeserve it.Just as you are, in your sins, GOD loves you.Retaliation is not in the nature of GODs love. Think to yourself what need,what purpose is there for me to continue to resist such a love that He has forme. What a waste of valuable time for me to hopelessly seek to render myselfmore deserving if GOD loves me now just as I am. It was as a sinner He firstloved me. Does He love me less as a son? As sinner or wayward son He lovesme still. As sinner I will go humbly to Him through the atoning blood ofYeshua where there is forgiveness, reconciliation, fellowship, relationship,lifeand it more abundantly.Maybe if it was just an emotional appeal we might stop here, but love goesbeyond emotion; its deeper; it is good.

CHRIST-LikenessConcept to be learned: Love-nature is needed.THY will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Luke 11:2)These laws are not POSTED in heaven as there is NO need for them inheaven. Love reigns and love does no harm. To bring the will of GOD to

earth is to bring the result of Love.

What is contrary to love in us is our soul nature that remains uncrucified. Thenature of satan that is in us is without love. Satan is lawless because he isloveless now in nature, and his children are of his nature.


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To bring heaven to earth is not to bring the external environment of heaven toearth, but to bring the nature of GOD and all those are there to earth.

Sin nature is the lack of love nature.What we are born into is the sin nature.Mishpatim or Laws were given because of this unruly nature in the

earth caused by sin, satan and rebellion.oTorah/Mishpatim/Laws cannot perfect mans natureoThey can only hope to hold in check by threat of

punishment, the outward expression or action of theinward nature.

The recognizable need is not laws that restrain behavior but a change ofnaturefrom that which is fathered by satan to that which is born andrecreated by the Spirit of Love, GOD HIMSELF.

The Law/Torah was given to show our need.The Law/Torah was given to show our helpless state, through

our inability to keep it.The Law/Torah was given to be completely fulfilled by GODs

own Offspring, so that HE might redeem man through whom theLaw was fulfilled by Yeshua.

To redeem is not rescuing an oppressed, sinful being out of a sinful kingdomand placing him directly into the kingdom of heaven where love reigns forheaven is a place where GODs nature only may reside. The nature that lives

naturally without need of Law or Mishpatim is Love. That is a nature thatneeds no regulationLove never envies, Love never boasts, Love neverbehaves unseemlyLove thinketh no evil (1 Corinthians 13). Love is anature higher in all respects than the nature we are of. We are not ready toinherit the kingdom of heaven and occupy it as we have need of this love-nature.


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Be here you askdid I not get this nature when I was born again? Does notthe Word of GOD say that the Love of GOD was shed abroad in myheart? Does not the Word of GOD say, I am a New Creatureand all

things are of GOD? Yes, these things are so. All these things, rebirth andthe gift of the Holy Spirit, represent the truth of the New Creature you nowfind yourself to be. All this represents the power and grace of GOD, whohas done these things in you through the power of the cross and HISresurrection all underserved, without your help [of which the deliverance ofthe Israelites out of Egypt type]. Here now we find ourselves changed butnot perfected, delivered or redeemed out of the satanic spiritual kingdom but

not placed directly into the kingdom of heaven. What does this mean orindicate? That GOD has given us again, similar to Adam, the power throughfree choice to be overcomers. The condition we now find ourselves in is oneof determining our own eternal inheritance through free choice, beingempowered by one of two, (1) the unregenerated soul nature of sin, or (2) bythe New Creature, our alive spirit, and empowered by the Spirit of Holiness.GOD has left us on the earth surrounded by the influence of satan and hisnature that we through the revealed Word might make overcoming choicesthat allow the Holy Spirit to change in completeness what HE started in theNew Creature, that is, into the complete likeness or nature of Love incarnate in Christ. This work is done internally, then outwardly from thespirit to and through the soul and body. We are not here to be happy but toovercome. GODs mercy relates to time on earth to accomplish this.

This is what is meant by Christs proclamation and description ofan overcomer written in the book of Revelations 3:26 and 3:21.

This is yielding the soul for renewal/destruction of the selfishnature.


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This is what is meant by Take up the cross and follow Me(Matt 16:24)

This is what is meant by He who will save his soul will lose it.

(Matt 10:39)

And He that will lose his soul will gain it.(Mark 8:35)This is what is meant by Except a corn of wheat fall into the

ground and die it abideth alonebut if it die, it bringeth forthmuch fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hatethhis life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.( John 12:24)

This is what is meant by Well done good and faithful servant.Enter thou into the joy of the LORD. (Matt 25:2)

The birth of the Love-Nature in us has a beginning and matures. It is aprocess brought about through willing cooperation with the Holy Spirit forthe death of the inherited nature of satan in our flesh.It is revelation communicated to our soul via our Holy Spirit filled and ledspirit. That is, we are to obtain unto what we desire in our regenerated spirit[the complete nature of Love manifest in us]. We must choose the death of

the inherited soul nature, that which is of the nature of satan in us and resistthe nature from without that appeals to the carnal nature within reflected inselfish expression through thoughts, words and actions. As we recognize thisnature in our flesh [soul/body] we desire its death. This death isaccomplished through sincerity and pursuit expressed by repentance andresistance, a putting off and a putting on. Col. 3:9-10 and James 4:7-8The Holy Spirit does this empowering based upon HIS criteria. HE

cannot be moved by feigning or lack of sincerity. HE is not mocked.

This process of cooperation for nature change with the Holy Spirit is calledOvercoming. It is the same process for all regenerated people, but withdifferent results. The results are contingent upon our degree of cooperationand our willingness to yield up the soul fordeath. Thus we have degrees of


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rewards, expressed in GODs Word. Not all will Overcome so not all willbe called Overcomers. Not all receive an Overcomers reward. GODknows how to judge us rightly. This is not our concern. Our concern is that we

recognize the truth of this teaching and reject the teachings of cheap graceand embrace the truth, cooperating with the Holy Spirit in administeringdeath to the carnal nature of the flesh/self and releasing the life giving forcein us through the forming of CHRIST-Likeness.A clear understanding of the scriptures can facilitate that nature changing.Understanding with accompanying revelation by the Holy Spirit notknowledge, not heritage, not Torah observance but understanding withaccompanying revelation preceded the Holy Walk of the disciples as theWord gives us many examples of this in Peters and Pauls lives.

[Drawing of seed; Spirit/Soul/Body; Revelations from Holy Spiritoutward > cleansing>overcoming>chart on words/thoughts/actions]

Death to SelfThe Holy Spirit Working in You

Hebrews 12:1-17It is much easier getting out of Egypt than getting Egypt out of you.

Matt 10:34-39, Matt 16:24 [Acts 14:2, Phil 1:27],Mk 8:35-37, Luke 9:22-25, John 12:25-27

By not dying to self, you only participate partially in salvation as you received theforgiveness of the debt for which you owed, but you do not relinquish the one whoincurs the debt. The spirit is saved by Christ bearing the Cross! The soul is

saved by the believer bearing the cross. To forsake the soul life is not as easy asaccepting redemption. Its much easier to come out of Egypt that to inherit thePromise Land.The soul is saved by us bearing the cross! Sanctify you wholly-spirit, soul andbody. (1 Thess 5:23) What is your soul? The spirit is saved by believing and


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confessing, called justifying faith, which brings regeneration to the spirit. Thesouls salvation is based upon following. This is a life long matter. This requiresdenial of the self nature that makes up the soul. This has to do with the will,

direction, choices and decisions as life goes on.

Matt 10:34, Luke 2:35 and Luke 14:26 one who chooses not to avoid sufferingwill be rewarded as an Overcomer. What makes it so difficult for one not to loveHIS soul? Why do we fear to die so much?

Heb 10:35-38, James 1:19-21 and 1 Peter 1:3-9 The Holy Spirit rules thebeliever through his renewed will. A Christian must control his beliefs by his Holy

Spirit empowered will. To will and to do is undoubtedly what our life is made upofto will, an inward decision - to do or work, an outward action. This is what wedo every day.

Phil 2:12-13 (These scriptures are about out will)A spiritual Christian is one who has self control and exercises his own will to doGODs will.

And GOD saw everything that HE had made and behold it was good. Gen1:31This scripture is therefore fulfilled in that human being, son of GOD.Gal 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Death to the self soul 1 Peter 4:1-2, the flesh finds the perfect hiding place inreligion in church, where it is encouraged not to suffer. It is told that suffering is ofthe devil. GOD does not want you to suffer!


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A Christian must learn about posturing. True posturing realizes yourinadequacies, your powerlessness to change yourself, but yet the knowledge ofthe requirements of GOD. 2 Cor 10:5-6

A further work needed other than regeneration 1 Peter 2:11, Abstain [selfcontrol]Prov 25:28, 1 Peter 4:17-19, 2 Peter 1:10-11 calling and election sure.

The soul without the regenerated spirit control seeks only its own selfishwaylost to the purposes of GOD.

Matt 11:29, Matt 6:25 - once brought into subjection by the will to do GODswill we become like those in Heb 10, James 1; 1 Peter ____

Some of what we gain by the death of soul is peace Ps 63:8, my heart swells likeMarys, Luke 1:46If the LORD is not magnified in our soul, HE is not magnified in us at all. Acts20:24, 1 John 3:16

Self love must be abandoned; if not, the believer shall forever shrink back whenasked to take up the cross and follow Christ. Love flows into the spirit from thedenial of the self life.Matt 10:34-39, Matt 16:24 soul = psuche [Acts 14:2, Phil 1:27]Mark 8:35-37, Luke 9:22-25, John 12:25-27 He that loveth his soul shall lose it,but he that hateth his soul in this world shall keep it unto eternal lifeserveMEFATHER honored. For this cause came I to this endthis hour. [Whatdoes it mean that HIS soul suffered?]By not dying to self, you only participate partially in salvation as you received theforgiveness of the debt for which you owed, but you did not relinquish the one who


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incurs the debt. Again, the spirit is saved by Christ bearing the cross. The soul issaved by you bearing the cross.

To forsake the soul life is not as easy as deliverance from sin. It is easier to getout of Egypt than to go through the wilderness into the Promise Land. You justhad to believe to come out of Egypt. To be a participant in the salvation plan ofGOD you must deny you soul and take up your cross and follow HIM. If youdont want to go that way, then you wont follow HIM. It was for this purpose thatHE came so we could die to the soul. HE came to become poor that we mightbecome rich; thinking this is talking about finances is a perversion.

Sanctify you wholly, spirit, soul and body. (1 Thess 5:23) If you dont or dontchoose to know what the soul is, you cant very well put it to death. The spirit is inyour inner man; soul, psuche, is the mind, will and emotions. You have to die toyour soul, crucify it. Is it saying kill your mind, emotions or will? No! You must renewit to GODs Word. Christ is saying everyone has a soul life inherited from satanthat must be brought into subjection to the Word of GOD (James 4:7). Theymust follow the Spirit/Word and not your soulish dictates/lusts/appetites. All

the things inside your soul that are separate must be yielded toGOD - deny the old nature the right to rule. Here is an important thing- thespirit is saved by believing and confession, Christ called justifying faith, whichbrings regeneration to the spirit by the Spirit. We believed Yeshua was theMessiah and we were regenerated. When you accepted Yeshua as LORD, youwerent automatically plugged into heaven. The souls salvation is in the following.Was Christ relating to a regenerated believing person in HIM or speaking to theworld? HE is talking to the believers. If you want to follow Yeshua, you must denyself, the soul nature you inherited from satan, you father. This is a pursuit. It is acontinual, daily application of the Word to our soul to crucify it and conform it inHIS image HIS salvation plan for us. The key part to the soul, the will, is thenoblest part of the soul making decisions that control your life. If your will by yourrenewed mind does not control the soul, you will follow your souls dictates and


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carnality will take dominion over your whole being. You cant have an alive spiritand live in the flesh and spirit at the same time. For your spirit to have its control inyour being, controlled by the Holy Spirit, He is to guide you all your life. Your

spirit must take control of your old nature [soul] by your will. The spirit cant takecontrol without cooperation with your will.

Jesus, Moses, Jacob, Joseph, Judah, Paul and Peter all have tough stories. Youwant a smooth road let your soul take its natural course.

Matt 10:34, Think not that I am come to send peace on the earthvariancebetween mother...Luke 2:35, Yea, a sword will pierce thine own heart also, that the thoughts ofmany hearts might be revealed.You hate the warring soul that is at enmity with the Word of GOD. You are tofight the carnality of your soul. Any man that will not suffer will not follow theHoly Spirit. If you choose to suffer the death of your soul, that equals to anOvercomer. This is the truth.The things about GOD equal absoluteness; the things about the world equal,relativity. We have to make a stand for the Word of GOD. There is wisdom wemust use. Be what you are. Stand for what we stand for and stand against whatwe stand against even in the midst of persecution. We arent worthy unless we do.What makes it so difficult for one not to love his own selfish soul? (1)The fear ofsuffering. The result of not dying to the soul is to live by the soul. We want to live

by the soul and inherit the things of GOD. (2)It is a lack of understanding as well.Christ is saying we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. We must put todeath the idolatry that is active in our heart, self worship. Thats why I pray that wedont consider the intellectualism as spiritual if we arent using it to destroy thestrength of the soul. We have to decide to follow Christ. You have to qualify that


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you cant do it in yourself but only through the power and will of the Spirit. Wehave to get out of the mental assent and kill the old soul nature. If we live contraryto GOD, we are living to ourselves.

Luke 14:26, If any man come to ME and not hate [love less] father, mother,sister, brother, own soulcant be my disciples.The truth is we are trying to get understanding of something hating your ownsoul actually loves yourself resulting in unity of the heart, loves GOD-likenessand oneness. Yeshua was born to suffer and raised up to do the will of the Father.Yeshua had a will different to GODs will in the midst of all tests, trials and

temptations. We have the ability to align our will to the Holy Spirit and crucifythe soul; it is active/action. We cant let passivity take hold here. You are allowingthe Spirit of GOD to do the will of GOD through your spirit in the soul.

If we were as concerned about what spiritual food we eat for our spiritual health aswe are for our physical health, we would be in so much better condition. Your fleshdoesnt like it when it is disciplined. You put to death the things of the flesh, notbecause GOD wants you into works, but sacrificing self to get rid of things that

will ultimately harm you. GOD is asking, Can you not make up your will to followME? I will empower you to do what I want you to do. HE is giving us a practicalapproach to spiritual truths.

John 12:24, Unless a seed fall into the groundHE had to die so we could livein HIS abundance. Out of our soul death comes life for you and life for thosearound you. You have to die to yourself before you can see the life.

Heb 10:35-38, Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath greatrecompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done thewill of GOD, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shallcome will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any mandraw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.


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James 1:19-21, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow of wrathreceived theengrafted word able to save your souls. Allow your will to be sanctified by theHoly Spirit; it will save your soul.

1 Peter 1:3-9, Blessed by the LORDliving expectationMessiah raised fromthe deadgrieved by manifold trials much more precious than gold tried byfirehaving not seen you loveobtaining the goal of your belief-salvation of yoursouls.The Holy Spirit rules the believer through HIS renewed will a Christian mustcontrol by his will, to will and to do of HIS good pleasure. (Phil 2:13)everyday it has to do with willing and doing.

Phil 2:12-13, Therefore, my beloved as you have alwaysobeyedin my absence work out your own salvation with fear andtrembling. For it is GOD WHO works in you both to will and todo of HIS pleasure. [The apathetic hang their hat on thisscripture. This has to do with your will, the noble part of your being;

you can move this at your own volition].

Isaiah 66:5 trembling at the Word ofGOD if you understand what HE did. Itis a fearful and trembling place where you have to do it. You should fear andtremble because your salvation is in your hands. If GOD did will and do HISgood pleasure in ALL people there would be no need for overcoming. It is yourresponsibility to seek GOD, crucify your flesh/soul and yield to HIS WILL inyou. HE knows whether you really want HIS WILL or not. It is clear for HIM

to see youll stay in your blindness; you wont break out. If your will will to doHIS will and not your souls will, HE will empower you to do it.

A spiritual Christian has self control and exercises his own will ruled by the HolySpirit. Self control is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Quit letting the soul


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dictate to you what you will do, laying back because you are in sin. Do youremember how happy you were when you were born again? You did that for two tosix months and something happened. GOD withdraws. HE wants you to pursue

HIM. GOD backs off a little and now youll find out who you are. You have tostart standing. Another month goes by and now you question if it was justemotionalism. Now you look like youve returned to your former ways. Repent GOD returns to you. Do you see GODs hand in this? GOD withdraws fromyou for you to see you, to instigate you to affect your will. You choose.

Heb 10:38 - Those that shrink or draw back had to have been forward to do that.Paul was speaking to those who had moved forward. Shrinking back is following

your own soul to perdition [eternal damnation, hell]. Paul must not have meant that!Could he? Could he have meant you could shrink back to the death of your soul? Ibelieve that is all through the New Covenant little focus on it. I wont say unlessyou kill the soul you are going to hell. You can make a strong case for that throughthe New Testament. There is a great loss to those who shrink back. There will begreat loss. Ifyou thinkjust let me get in, you will regret the day you believed thatlie. We are all warned about shrinking back. If we dont walk in the faith that GOD

tells us to do, we will never see the results.GOD wants you to take ascendancy over your flesh/devil, the nature like itsfather, satan, the carnal body/soul, the nature of self.

Death to self soul1 Peter 4:1-2, Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh arm yourselfwith this same mind that was in Christ... Nail those thoughts into subjection to theWORD. Your intellect is not necessarily your mind. Your mind uses theknowledge; its not the same. There is a difference between your intellect and yourmind which engages you will. Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.(Phil 2:5) Your will will be affected by the knowledge you take in. When you


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decide death to the soul and mind and life to your spirit in your mind, then yourwill aligns with the will of the Spirit/spirit and administers life to a crucified soul.

We are given the power to become sons and daughters through being led by theSpirit. Out of the abundance of the heart-the mouth speaks. (Matt 12:34) Ourenemy is the nature of satan. You dont have to understand soul to act on death toself. If you continue in a certain sin, you know something has to change.

A Christian must learn about posturingTo be a Christian you must posture to receive HIS promises. Belief in HIS

word equals energized faith energized by love. Its over a period of time posturingits not a shallow Christian approach of riding the waves of emotions. We have toposition ourselves to receive from GOD when all hell is coming against you. Whenthings are good, you posture; when bad, you posture. On the side of good arepride, apathy and lethargy. On the other side of bad are disappointment,discouragement, despair and fears. I will posture myself in the center where I canhear the Holy Spirit and stay in communion with HIM. Realize your inadequacies;

youre totally powerless to change yourself, yet the knowledge of the power ofGOD. We still posture in a way that we know we are responsible for change in us.HE requires us to seek with the right attitude; this is our will. When you decide toposture to seek HIM you determine, relentlessly, without giving up, knowing it isGOD who has the power to change your inner nature. That is posturing. This isthe action needed to seek, knock and ask that will open the door. Joseph didntreveal himself earlier because it would have been cheap grace.We dont posture

because we dont want GOD accused of not doing it HIMSELF. It is sufferingand then glory. They had to suffer to an extent before GOD would revealHIMSELF to them.

Immaturity has affected my relationship with the LORD.My relationship with the LORD affects my response to the world.


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If we believe a lie, we will remain in our flesh. An Overcomer has to do with isheart attitude not sinlessness. One must know his inadequacy. GOD can give hima pure heart and clean hands. Self saying it is useless causes us to give up trying.

You continue in the face of daily failure. You will finally realize it is not in the tryingand failure; yet, you dont change the program. At that place of maturity you seeyou cant change yourselffor the doing, but you continue to do it and rest in thatyou are doing all you are responsible to do. You have to see you cant do it, butthen you do it anyway knowing it is GOD working it in you. Dont give up; changethe attitude and rest in the doing. Dont strive trying to get the results. They areup to HIM to affect and do.

When we dont see results in our own flesh, we get angry. You can be moretolerant to others than you will be in seeing yourself miss it. Your suffering thatyou go through is of GOD to perfect your soul. Quit crying for yourself andacknowledge you need to die and let HIM work in you. If you shun the suffering,you wont get accomplished what needs to be done. There is a peace in you toface the situation. The Holy Spirit is quite capable of shedding light on HIS own

WORD. The biggest need we have is to know and desire to get rid ofself/selfishness and cause our will to align with the Holy Spirit. This is not meantto condemn; it is meant to rebuke passivity. The Word is so clear on HIS promiseto help us to crucify the flesh. HE hasnt left us without the ability to do it. We getlost in the little areas of bringing our thoughts into obedience of Christ. Set yourmind to do GODs will. Dont let your mind wander. I started practicing capturingmy thoughts maybe 30+ years ago. When one came not of GOD I cast it downand rejected it, thinking on the Word. I was almost powerless to stop the thoughts;they came like a machine gun. Over the years I have continued to resist thethoughts. I have discovered it is not like it used to be. My thoughts dont wanderand imagine like they used to. I dont allow the thoughts to come into my mind thatare not GOD. The moment they come in, I cast them out. They dont get into myarea of will where action is. If you cant bring the thought life into subjection, you


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wont bring the soul into crucification. Set your mind on Christ and cast downanything that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD (2 Cor 10:5).

The flesh finds the perfect hiding place in church. Religion will tell you suffering issatan pray against him. Religion will not allow you to suffer. It doesnt let you seeit is for your own good.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

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Va’etchanan-Saturday, August 16, 2008