Magnified Perspective

Do you know what this is? I'll give you a hint....it's not what you might think. Pull back a little to get a better view. Now do you see it? No? Keep reading...

When you are too close, it's hard to get the broader view and to see that the reality of what you see is something vastly different than what you think you see.

Sometimes pulling back from things will give you a different perspective. I have always known that. I'm the kind of person that sees the big picture rather than the details (that's my husband's department! lol). Also, I am very visual. I have discovered how to recognize when I'm "in too deep" in a situation - it's usually if I can't "see" wide enough. I'm not going to lie, sometimes it takes me a minute to realize I'm in too deep. But, Yah has always been faithful to call my attention to this and begins to pull me back. When this happens, I am able to look at how all the details come together. This ability has served me well and I thank the Father that He has allowed me to have it.

In my spiritual walk lately I have pulled back to see the big picture. I once was in "way too deep" if you will. I focused on many things that ended up making me prideful, even arrogant. I zoomed in on how many "boxes" I could check off. In trying to become "more spiritual", I actually became more soulish. In my past surroundings, it was easy to do - sometimes even encouraged. After zooming out to see the big picture, I realized that if I had died in that moment, I don't think I would have entered the gates like I thought I would. Many believers make that mistake - zooming in, in order to start checking off boxes. It reminds me of this parable that Yahshua told:

Luke 18:10-15 New Living Translation (NLT)
10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

I was that Pharisee. I had the comfort and ability to pay too much attention to the "checked boxes". I didn't understand the wider view that Yah has for those who want to live by and through His Spirit. Somehow I had it in my mind that because I had so many boxes checked, that my walk lead me to be a "true believer". Did you get that? Being so far in, pride grew in me to actually put classifications on the level of "believer-ship"! There is no such thing to the Father. You are either a believer, or an unbeliever. There are no varying degrees.

After the Father allowed me to pull back, He showed me my fault so I could repent. How dare I have such a spiritual elitist attitude? Now, yes, those things that were checked were very relevant to my walk. I would say, the checked boxes would have been detrimental to me had I not nixed them from my life. But the Father did not make me aware of those things so that I could puff myself up. No! He made me aware so that those things would be written in my heart as a remembrance of how not to sin against Him and live by His Spirit. He did not show them to me so that I could compare myself to others and place myself in a different and elevated category.

Had I stayed deep in the situation I was in and not had the ability to pull back to see the bigger picture, I would have missed that completely!

Oh! And what you saw above? Yep, it's sand! Tiny grains of sand magnified and close up. Amazing. Yah's creativity never ceases to astonish me.....

What I Learned Today: Politics and Illegally Blind

Back on the blog writing out my thoughts...and since most of the world know the State Of The Union Address was tonight, many of my thoughts are on that...

You know, it's really disheartening to see just how blind people are. No matter where you stand on politics, people are blind of two things:

1. Who runs this world and everything in it -including politricks (2 Corinthians 4:4, 1 John 5:19)
2. Politricks (of ALL kind) is a facade that is put here to put people in bondage (Revelation 13)

They don't want to see, hear, or speak it - blind, deaf, and mute...

If any of you have read my blogs from a couple of days ago, I put out some videos that I think every American and Christian should watch. They do a really nice and in-depth overview of the founding of this nation, it's core beliefs, and its future. It also gives you an insight into the politics of this nation - and why things are set up the way they are. Let's just say, it's not peaches and cream and the "free country" everyone thinks it is.

Sad thing is, when you try to explain this to people who: 1. have blind loyalty to this country and its leaders like they are their long lost uncles/aunts 2. Weak Christians who want to hide behind prayer and "waitin on da Lawed", (not that that's a bad thing, but God does call us to stay watchful, be vigilant, expose evil, speak the truth in a dark world, and come out from among it- pretty much put yourself out there and sacrifice yourself if need be for Him) it is not well received.

It makes me see just how small this spiritual battlefield is on the Lord's side. But then when I think about it, in every battle the Lord's side in the "natural" was always amazingly small compared to that of the enemy's. It's been by His design so that WE will recognize His power and that we did not, or will not, win this war by our might.

What I Learned Today: I can almost tell who will be on the side of the Lord on the battlefield by how much blind loyalty they are in. Unfortunately those who are even partially blind will succumb to the great deception that is to come and is already here as well as the lawless one who will appear....that makes me incredibly sad...

John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me". <----my loyalty belongs to That Guy....and Him only.....those with ears, let them hear....

GN!

*Side note - blindness doesn't just come from politics, anything that the world loves will make you blind and distract you from the reality of the Father in Heaven. That includes music, unnatural loyalty to sports, media/entertainment, "night life", addictions, sexual immorality....pick a "sin" as described in the bible that people looove to do, it will make you blind. It comes from the enemy and if you looked at the scriptures above, you see how he makes you blind. Think about it....what blinds you?

What I Learned Today: Music, Insecurity, and Smiling

*Disclaimer - this is a "throwback". I don't know why I never posted it, but it applies just the same.*

Human nature is a funny thing. We have habits, things we hold on to to make us safe, walls we build and walls we tear down. It often makes you wonder, with our emotions always on, how in the world does anyone hold it together?

This morning showed me the difference. I was driving, coming back from a cancelled appointment (long story). It was still early, a little after 9am. I'm listening to my Christian music, bobbing my head, windows down. The sun was shining - it wasn't too hot, or too cold. Just peaceful and quiet. Then  out of no where, all of that peace was interrupted. I mean loud, profane and vile music emanating from this man's car. In a normal situation, I'd give them the "eye" and roll up my window. But this morning, I felt different. So instead of ignoring him, I looked him directly in the face and smiled.

I think I confused him. He looked back and tried to smile, but it look like his face was kinda stuck in the scowl. You could tell he wanted to, but he couldn't. It was very odd. The light turned green and off we went. While driving, I thought - "wow. I wonder how the REST of this guys day is going to go."

You see, we often times can set the atmosphere for our moods. This guy was intentionally setting the atmosphere of being angry, tense, hateful - I mean for goodness sake - the man couldn't even SMILE! When I'm not in a good mood, my little sister (well, she's a grown woman, but she's MY little sister) always says "D, do you need a touch?" meaning, do I need a hug. It's annoying, but makes me laugh because of what that little joke is connected to, every time.  Well, that day, I wasn't the one that needed a touch - he did! But he was so hateful looking that I'm sure that if someone was giving them out for free, they would have bypassed him. I would hate to be the person that said something wrong to him. Ugh, the day they must have had.

I had friend who put the incident quite succinctly. Our conversation went like this:

Him: There are people that thrive on that energy, many of whom use it as a defense mechanism to cover up insecurities, fears, etc....Being unhappy makes them feel safer, and seeing you happy is threatening to them... Surround them-self with a big angry wall so no one can hurt them, but then again, they perpetually l hurt themselves... Weird irony! 

Me: You always have been sooooo deep! That's so true though. The funny thing was, he tried to smile, but couldn't. I know it's moreso spiritual though. Bondage is a horrible thing. 

Him:  I agree it, it is spiritual...Who you are spiritually reflects in every aspect of your life. It affects the energy you put out, as well as the energy you take it...That's why he tried to smile, but could barely do so...At least your energy touched him enough for him to give it a shot... That might play across his mind today and alter his energy (hopefully)...

What I learned today: Be careful of what you take in naturally because it really does effect you spiritually. It changes both your outlook and character - as well as your "ever lasting life" - Smile! :-)

1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV
Abstain from every form of evil.

Philippians 4:8 ESV
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.