Freedom From Pharaohs

Freedom from Pharaohs

I heard this phrase from a preacher recently: “Pharaoh’s bondage”, and was inspired to do some research into the Israelites bondage as slaves to the Egyptians for at least 400 years. This is according to Biblical history, and can be explored in the book of Exodus. Research on the Pharaohs of Egypt uncovers their history and the way they lived. They were powerful and lived as kings and queens. They were intelligent and kept mighty armies, who pillaged surrounding peoples and brought them into slavery.

The Israelites: God heard their cries and decided to set them free:

The Character and Purpose of God

 Exodus 6:1-5 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”  God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.  I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens.  Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

Through Jesus, God has established a covenant with all believers. Have you been crying out to be delivered or set free from worldly situations? You don’t have to imagine how powerful the bondage of sin is in your life, or in the lives of others. You see it every day, and you know that those who are held by worldly things are suffering just like you suffered. You know the powerful strongholds that were in your life, and maybe you are still struggling with one of Pharaoh’s armies, who bombards you daily with a barrage of negative thoughts, or enslaves you to unhealthy or destructive habits. Maybe they are thoughts of guilt that have kept you hidden in shame; or could it be unforgiveness, or anger that has kept you in chronic illness for years. No matter what category you put them in, they still belong to the “Pharaohs of Egypt”, satan’s minions, spirits of evil and wrong doing.

The time had come for Israel to be delivered from slavery. God appeared to Moses and reassured him of His character and purpose for Israel. God’s mighty hand would bring His people out from the bondage in Egypt! The people of Israel, and Moses learned a whole new aspect of God’s character. God said to Moses ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.’

Just like God appeared to Moses, He also appeared in bodily form in the person of Jesus the Christ. His miraculous birth has been told throughout the ages, and celebrated each year by those who believe that He is the Son of God. His appearance, death and resurrection, marks the end of sin’s dominion over mankind. Man, through Jesus, has been given the opportunity to again take His place as God’s ruler on the earth. Two thousand years ago Jesus said, and still says today, “all things are possible to him that believes”, even being born again of incorruptible seed, the Spirit of the Living God, is available to him who believes.

Has God spoken to you lately? Maybe He spoke to you in church or through a friend, or on your commute. What did he say? How did you respond? God says to you today, “I am the Lord, and I have come to you through Jesus to set you free from bondage, for eternity.” Jesus says, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” “Come, follow me.”

The delivering God said: Exodus 6:6-8 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’” 

God said to them in promises:

Here they are –“I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians; I will free you from being slaves; I will redeem you;

I will take you as my own people; I will be your God; I will bring you into the land; I will give it to you as a possession.”

These promises are for us today as well. Through Jesus, we have been set free from the yoke of sin… slaves no more! Redemption is ours for the asking; we are His people and He is our God. By His Spirit we can live in the Kingdom of God if we choose to possess it. Praise God, no more Pharaohs to deal with forever and ever!!!

God’s character towards His people hasn’t changed. The seven promises are true for us also who have been saved from the penalty of sin, and God desires them to be true of us in regards to the power of sin. The Lord delivers us from the power of Egypt (the world) so that we may come into the Promised Land, the Kingdom of God, (all that He is for us). But, we do face an obstacle, and that is our own personal “Pharaohs of bondage”, who wants to keep us in slavery.

In the person and character of Pharaoh we see the attitude of Satan that is manifested towards the Israelites wanting to leave Egypt. Pharaoh’s attitude and stubbornness is very obvious. In the first meeting between Moses and Pharaoh.

Exodus 5:1-2 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.’” Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”

From that point on, until the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, God performed miracle after miracle, bringing down plagues and destruction on Pharaoh’s Egypt until he was forced to set them free. The last miracle God performed during the Exodus from Egypt was the parting of the sea. Nothing of such magnitude had happened before to the nation of Israel.

He is the same God today as He was during the Exodus. He hasn’t lost any power over any circumstance, nor any authority over His ancient enemy, satan. He can and will deliver anyone who calls on Him. He is ready and willing to perform a miracle in your life, to set you free from any and all bondage. Nothing is impossible with God.

God Himself wanted to and did act in mighty ways to set His people free. He performed astounding miracles in order to establish the Israelites as His people. He has done the most astounding miracle of all through Jesus Christ. He sent His Son to die and to be resurrected for mankind, so the we all could be set free from the bondage of sin. Pharaoh, and all the Pharaohs combined have no more authority over you.

By choosing Jesus, you choose authority and power over Pharaoh’s power. He cannot hurt you anymore. The chains that held you have been broken, and now you are free! You have the power to resist and overcome anything the world may throw at you. Jesus has done it all. Jesus made it clear when he said this: Luke 10:19

“19 Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.”

Paul adds his understanding of what Jesus has done for us in Romans 8: 31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?](G)

32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?]

34 Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?

God in His great love for man sacrificed His own son so that His crown of His creation (man), could be again considered “son”, with all the privilege, power and authority that His Son Jesus has. Father God loves us, born again believers, just like He loves Jesus. There is nothing else! Nothing can compare! It is far above anything any man can imagine. God’s own doing, He did for us!!!

I hope that you take some time during this Christmas season to reflect on the true story of Christmas. From the birth of Christ Jesus to the “new birth” he brought to all mankind; the reconciliation of man to God. It is the greatest gift ever given. The only cost is the act of choosing God over Pharaoh; good over evil; freedom over bondage; peace over turmoil; eternal life over death. The cost is little, but the reward is greater than you can imagine.

Praise God!

I pray that you will seek God with your whole heart this Christmas season, and that Jesus himself will appear to you in the act of love and compassion. Father God, may all who read this note, find revelation of you, more and more and more, until love itself seeps out of every pore of their body; in every word spoken; in every act performed, and through the spiritual eyes of Christ Jesus. Rain down on all believers the power of the Holy Spirit until we are continuously filled every day; able to perform your purposes for our lives. Empower us with supernatural abilities to perform miracles for those who are in need. Prepare our hearts to share the love of Jesus whenever and wherever You choose. Through your great love, you set us free from Pharaoh, and we choose that freedom. Father we choose to follow you; we choose to be your representatives on this earth. We love you, and place these petitions before you with confidence and assurance that you have heard them, and they have already been answered.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen

Your Choice, Your Will

Recently I read this statement: “Don't you see that all your misery comes from the strange belief that you are powerless? Helplessness is the condition of sin. No one actually believes that the Son of God is powerless, and those who see themselves as helpless must believe that they are not sons of God”. (A Course in Miracles)

Almost immediately, my thoughts went to my position in this world we live in; the “world” system. Questions like, “How can I compete with the Government, or major corporations, or the many, many powerful and rich people in our society? The world is run by powerful entities and most of them deny God. What can I do to combat their power? Who am I to think that I can take them on and win? The questions began to come at a quickening pace, and I had to take control immediately.

Have you ever been in the frame of mind where you were thinking about your place in the world? Some of us have health issues, family issues, economic and finance issues, and many other pressing things that seem to crowd in on us until we feel powerless or helpless. One little thought can trigger a whole stream of negative emotions that come streaming in. If you are human, you have those thoughts and emotions. Just think, you seem to always choose between your weakness and the Christ in you, and what you choose is what you think is real. (A Course in Miracles). A history of “living in the world” begets our being, and we exist, day to day, in a world foreign to His Kingdom. From birth, a sin-ruled nature governed our lives; we were helpless to that nature. We had no choice but to be true to that nature. Many times we wondered what was wrong. Why could we not stop? Why could we not get rid of those things that kept us bound? Yes, those feelings or emotions left us helpless to the call of that sinful nature. The more helpless we felt, the more we indulged, and the more bound to it we became. You can even go so far as to say, some of us chose powerlessness and helplessness, simply because it was the most familiar place to be, and what was familiar became a habit; and that habit then became a way of life.

Almost as soon as I thought about being powerless and helpless, a little voice said very quietly, “you are not helpless, you are not powerless; actually you have the power to shut God out of your life”. As I mused on that revelation, God said ‘it is your will that has the power. Just by your will alone, you can deny my existence and keep me from working in your life. You may acknowledge MY existence, and be born again, but still not renew your mind with the Word, and hinder the Holy Spirit from working in your life, all by your will.”

The next day the scripture verse below dropped into my heart and mind:

Acts - 17:28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some

           of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

In one enlightened moment, (because God choose you from the foundation of the world), you acted on the call of your spirit to be set free. You accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior. You made the choice! Your will was in play, and you chose to lose the prodigal nature, and put on God’s divine nature. God called and you answered. He chose and you accepted. You were born again! No longer are you a slave to sin. The sin-ruled nature has been destroyed, and the nature of love has overtaken your being. You now are in Him and have your being (share His being). No more does sin have power over you. Before that moment, sin had dominion over you. Now the tables are turned! You have dominion over sin; satan has no more power over you. Sickness and disease has no more power over you than it has over Jesus. You are a new “man” in Christ Jesus! Incorruptible and destined to victory after victory, you walk in the blessings of God that belong to you. You laugh in the face of weakness and fear. You tell them to leave and they flee in terror! Satan and all his cohorts are under your feet.

Now you understand what Paul meant when he said “what can man do unto me”. Now you understand what he meant when he said: Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you”. It is the same Spirit that was there at the world’s foundation, hovering over the earth. That same spirit that has been the force behind every miracle ever experienced by mankind throughout history. He has been the healer of every disease that has blighted the human race, and get this, He remembers every one of them. He brings all that to you, for you to accept and use, to fulfill the great commission.

Now, are you powerless or powerful?  Are you helpless are a victor who triumphs in Christ. “Choose, once again if you would take your place among the saviors of the world, or would you remain in hell, and hold your brothers there”. (A Course in Miracles)

Just think, in the old nature you chose weakness, because you thought it was the only reality, that is, until you chose Jesus. Now you know the Christ in you is real. There may be times when parts of your un-renewed mind (the flesh) want to go back to the false safety of the sin-ruled nature, but the Holy Spirit reminds you that it has all been wiped away forever. Even if you could go back to that old nature, it is now an uncomfortable existence. It would only be in your imagination, a ghost of a memory. You have tasted the freedom of being in Christ. You have experienced His unconditional love. You have witnessed miracles by His hand. You have overcome your most powerful enemy and now he is under your feet, not for a few minutes but for eternity.

Go ahead and live your life in victory. God has laid it out. It is already done. That most powerful part of your being that God gave you as a human being is in play. It has held God at a distance long enough. Now is the time to embrace his divine nature. Use the will to open the door to His ability, His power, His wisdom, and His knowledge. “… For it is God who is at work in you, to will and to work His good pleasure”. Philippians 2:13.  Unleash the power of the “new born spirit”, that new creation, who is a million times bigger than anything your human imagination can invent. The time has come to lay down the past. It is but an illusion that keeps you in bondage to the old nature; That keeps you under the power of a darkened self, with no hope, and no contact with God.  God’s nature, God’s power, God’s victory in you. Your Choice, Your Will.

All Have Sinned… Have Been Set Free

We all struggle with the human condition: thoughts, physical maladies, work problems, economic problems, and those secrets from our past, of which some haunt us, even daily. Some of us are stuck in the grieving process; some with chronic physical problems, and some with strongholds that we can't seem to shake.

There are times when we feel alone and helpless, even ashamed because we compare ourselves with others who don't seem to have "issues". Then what happens? We get depressed! Cycles are formed. Many times we have formed triggers that will initiate the onset of certain conditions, and the cycle starts over again. 

Even born again believers goes through these things. It is sad to discover and admit that we, along with other born again believers, get caught up in the "world's" ways of doing things. We seek worldly solutions, when if we truly grasped that the world is controlled by the one who has caused all our problems, we would begin to seek the truth about ways to overcome these conditions from another source. That source is the God of the Bible. While it is true that many seek out religion, and have found comfort to some degree, but not the absolute peace and joy in Jesus Christ. Most religions are designed by man.

When we truly understand that we have been "educated and trained" by a world system that is an enmity against God, we just might realize that victory over the devil is real; Jesus purchased it for us, and gave it to us. All of the human conditions outside of God; SIN, sickness and disease, wars, and etc. have all been placed under the feet of the believer; they have no power over the believer. All it takes is to believe. Believing from the depths of our being; heart, soul (mind, will, emotions), sub-conscious, bone marrow, cells, and DNA. It is not simple or easy, but God says it is possible, "all things are possible to Him that believes".

These conditions cannot be conquered without God and His saving Grace, and your acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Romans 3:22-24 (New Living Translation (NLT)

22) We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ, and this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

 23) For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24) Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Without God, man cannot help but sin; it is in his nature, inherent and almost uncontrollable. Born into sin, man has no choice but to follow that path.

With God, man has a choice. He does not have to sin. Sin nature has no more power over the person who has accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

 2 Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified Bible)

17) Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

 2 Corinthians 5: 21 (Amplified Bible)

21) For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [[a]endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].

 Are you a born again believer? Then think about this; while the devil had you in bondage, helpless to sin, he could not hold you there. You heard the gospel message, accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and behold, you were, and now are a new creature in Christ Jesus. With that one decision, God moved you from under the devil’s feet(authority), to being the Devil’s master(authority over) in Christ Jesus!

 If the Devil could not hold you while you were under his authority, what power does he have over you now? Absolutely NONE!

Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7: 7-8 (Amplified)
7) Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.

8) For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.

How many times have you wondered about these scriptures? What have you decided about their significance in your life? Have you decided that they have some mysterious meaning that you are not privy to? Or, you have tried asking, seeking, and knocking and it just did not work for you? Maybe you heard that it doesn't work, so why try? Did you try it once or twice and got no results, or not the results you wanted? Could it be what we've been taught by our teachers and Christian leaders? Maybe it's the religion we belong to? Dogma? Doctrine?

Maybe it is not what you think at all. Maybe it is as simple as....????   I will visit this topic in my next note!! Until then, please meditate on these verses and see what God reveals to you!!!

Proverbs 4:20-23    New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words.

²¹ Don't let them out of your sight. Keep them in your heart. 

²² They are life to those who find them. They are health to your whole body.
²³ Above everything else, guard your heart.  It is where your life comes from.

Scientists, from Micro-cellular Biologists to Physicists to Quantum Physicists, have determined through an almost endless array of experiments and tests that our thoughts, human thoughts, have a definite effect on our lives, physically, mentally, and spiritually. One physician estimated that a single thought causes a minimum of 1000 chemical reactions in the body. Just think one thought! Imagine how many thoughts a persons has in a day, multiplied by a thousand times and you can see the impact thoughts have on the human condition. Enhance those thoughts by emotion or trauma and one can see the impact of the mind on the human experience.

These chemical reactions are transmitted to every cell in the body almost instantly, via neuropeptides. (the body's information messengers - research for yourself). So, when one thinks a happy thought, 50 trillion cells instantly become happy and the body prospers. On the flip side, every negative, painful, fearful, and etc., thought entertained, causes the entire body to become receptive to conditions opposite to prosperity in health, both mental and physical!!

Many studies have shown that "stress", caused by thoughts in response to human experiences, is the major cause of many sicknesses and diseases. Dr. Bruce Lipton, in his book, The Biology of Belief, stated this:  “belief controls biology”. He goes on to prove through medical studies and research that the effect of placebos was equally successful at relieving or correcting illness, when paired with medically approved drugs that were supposed to do the same things, sometimes without side effects.

Without going into details about case studies, I wanted to provide an example of how this worked even with surgery. Dr. Bruce Moseley of the Baylor College of Medicine, reported, in 2002, the results of an experiment he had undertaken in previous years on patients who underwent surgery for osteoarthritis. He performed three different types of surgery. Each patient was told that they were getting surgery to repair the degenerative conditions. On one set of patients, he made the necessary incisions, scraped away the debris or excess fragments, rinsed with saline, and closed the incisions. The next set or group, he made the incisions and flushed the area with saline to clear away the fragments, rinsed with saline and closed the incisions. The last group (placebo group) he made the incisions, sprayed saline away from the incisions, and closed.

All three groups went through the same physical therapy, over the allotted time, and the placebo group’s success rate equaled the other groups, meaning each patient recovered with excellent results. Dr. Moseley’s comment was, “my skills as a surgeon had no effect on the outcome of these (placebo) patients”.  It was their own belief.

What does this have to do with ask, seek, and knock?  Read on!!

As I write, I am learning too… being reminded of the words I have spoken, the thoughts, the actions, and beliefs that have governed my life. Some I am ashamed of and want to forget, and some are truly from, God the Holy Spirit, that I trust and guard in my heart

Spiritually speaking, the Bible speaks about faith and believing God, unwavering and steadfast. Jesus talked about it, taught it, and demonstrated it throughout the Gospels. On several occasions Jesus said according to your faith will it be unto you; and have faith in God; your faith has made you whole, and be it unto you as you have believed. Now if the author and creator of everything made that statement (confirmed the law of confession), who is man to refute it?

So, if Jesus said (still saying because the truth doesn’t change) “Ask and it shall be given, Seek and you shall find, Knock and the door will be opened”, then it will be as he has stated, without exception. Therefore, when Solomon said/says in Proverb 4:23 "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life”. Out of your own heart (your belief system) your life experiences come to pass. Keep reading!!

Matthew 12:34-37 The Message Bible

 ^34-37"You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation." 

In these instances, Jesus was not talking about prayer, but only considering the words spoken in every day conversation. This means in business, public, and private where ideas and thoughts are expressed, including internally. Jesus also said, “and when you pray, say this, or believe this way”. In other words, your words have the power to change your life, in your inner and outer worlds. 

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi:

(I take the liberty of adding my thought to the beginning)

 “Your (original) thoughts become your beliefs”, THEN

Gandhi:

 Your beliefs become your thoughts

 Your thoughts become your words

 Your words (beliefs) become your actions

 Your actions become your habits

 Your habits become your values

 Your values become your destiny

From Workplace Warriors

The secret to effective prayer is faith in Jesus Christ and absolute trust in the Word He has spoken.   

Know in your heart that the prayer you are asking for will be answered -- know this even at the moment you ask. Believe with all your heart that God has already answered your petition even before you finish praying.
 

As Jesus' disciples stood looking and discussing in astonishment the results of one of His miracles, the Lord told them:

"Have faith in God. I tell you solemnly, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Get up and throw yourself into the sea', with no hesitation in his heart but believing that what he says will happen, it will be done for him."

"I tell you therefore: everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours. And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too." (Mark 11:20-25).

Remember what was asked in my note on Ask, Seek, Knock? Here are the questions

How many times have you wondered about these scriptures? What have you decided about their significance in your life? Have you decided that they have some mysterious meaning that you are not privy to? Or, you have tried asking, seeking, and knocking and it just did not work for you? Maybe you heard that it doesn't work, so why try? Did you try it once or twice and got no results, or not the results you wanted? Could it be what we've been taught by our teachers and Christian leaders? Maybe it's the religion we belong to? Dogma?

Just suppose, you don’t believe you will get what you’re asking for? Suppose what you believe “in your heart” something different than what you asking are for? Suppose you really don’t know that you believe the opposite of the results you want? How many times have you asked for something, even in prayer, and eventually said “I knew it wouldn’t happen” or “I didn’t think I would get”, or “I never get what I pray for”. Guess what! I don’t need to say it do I?

James 1: 5-8 (The Message Bible)

If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

James 1: 5-8 (Amplified Bible)

5) If any of you need wisdom, ask God for it. He will give it to you. God gives freely to everyone. He doesn't find fault.

 6) But when you ask, you must believe. You must not doubt. People who doubt are like waves of the sea. The wind blows and tosses them around. 7) A man like that shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8) He can't make up his mind. He can never decide what to do.

Maybe it is not what you think at all. Maybe it is as simple as....????  

Yes, the answer is simple yet the most difficult for us who have been programmed to depend on our own abilities. Asking, seeking, and knocking, AND most of all “believing” is too simple, and to some quite frivolous, because they cannot bring themselves to believe in and unseen God. Some say that they do, but they do not. Some really, really want to believe, but doubt (previous spoken words from their hearts have governed their lives.) What is one to do? Paul says it best.

 

Romans 12: 2 (Amplified Bible)

2) Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

James 1:22-25 Amplified Bible

For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror;

For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like. But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).

James 1:22-25 New International Readers Version

22) Don't just listen to the word. You fool yourselves if you do that. You must do what it says. 23) Suppose you listen to the word but don't do what it says. Then you are like a man who looks at his face in a mirror. 24) After looking at himself, he leaves. Right away he forgets what he looks like. 25) But suppose you take a good look at the perfect law that gives freedom. You keep looking at it. You don't forget what you've heard, but you do what the law says. Then you will be blessed in what you do.

You have probably heard many explanations as to what these verses refer to spiritually speaking. Yet usually the simplest and easiest to understand something, is sometimes the true meaning. However, I’d like to leave you with an opinion that may be more truth than mere conjecture. Here we go!

The Bible clearly states that when one is born again, he is a new creature, meaning his spirit has been recreated by God and from God;  born of God in Christ Jesus! Right? The book of John states very clearly that Jesus was the Word, the entire Word of God. Everything in the Bible as we know it – The Word – is Jesus. Jesus is personified in every written word in the Bible.

If you are born again, being in Christ, and God sees you as He sees Jesus, a joint heir with Jesus, then when you read the Word - look into the mirror - the Bible, what you should see is a reflection of you are as God sees you. James says, when you read the word “it is like when a man looks at himself in a mirror”. The image you see in the truth and principles is the actual truth of who you really are, but you (me, us, they) walk away after reading and forget (unbelief) who you (we) are. You read, get head knowledge, but it never gets into the heart. Therefore, out of the heart the mouth speaks of the things from the “old things that are passed away”. Jesus said, “you have not, because you ask not” .

Please understand, I include myself in this analogy. However, I believe God showed this to me not only for my benefit, but for yours as well. Maybe, you will receive it with the grace and love as intended, and will endeavor to examine your heart as I am doing mine, asking for understanding, seeking wisdom, and knocking on the door of truth. Others are probably doing the same.  Praise God.

I pray that you have received this message and decided to search your heart, and are allowing the God of Love to open the doors of understanding that will propel you to a higher level in Him.