Good afternoon God! Thank You for a day of rest, reading, prayer, meditation and family time. Thank you for a day of the week with no set expectations this week. Thank You for leading me to this outlet where I can get my thoughts written out to better understand what it is that You are teaching me. I hope and I pray that those that find these posts receive confirmation that what You are teaching them, even though it may go against what they were taught by others, is indeed You, revealing the truth to that person that You have placed within each and everyone of us. I pray that whether they find these posts or not, that those seeking will find You. I claim Your promise that those who seek shall find and that if we knock the door will be opened to us and that we shall know the truth and the truth will set us free. I claim the power of the keys to the Kingdom that You will teach me what You want me to know at this time in my life and that I will be open to receiving it, no matter the cost. Lord, I ask that You are present as I write this post and anything I want to share that is not from You, that You strike it from my memory and anything that You want me to share that is not yet within my thoughts that You make it burn inside of me that I share it. I ask all of these things in Your mighty, holy and precious Name, Amen.
Metanoia: change in one’s way of life resulting from penitence or spiritual conversion. One of several books I’m reading right now is Answering the Contemplative Call by Carl McColman. This is my 2nd time through and since my 1st time, I’ve made a change in how I read. If I come across a word that I don’t already know or even if I think that I might know it (rather than thinking I know what it means or guessing what it means based on how it was used and the context), I look up the definition to either learn what it means or verify that I understand the definition of the word in question. Metanoia is the word that came up as I was reading this morning and basically defines why I’ve changed and why there are times that my wife doesn’t know who I am anymore, and that’s not a bad thing. The Holy Spirit was in the process of waking me up from my slumber state of this experience on earth for me and I had believed lies of the enemy but the lies were just that, lies. I was blinded to the truth, even though I thought I was a Christian and had given my heart to God, I was not ready to give up control. I was too afraid of what my life would look like if I gave up control. The enemy used one of his favorite tactics, fear. Free will, that’s what I wanted, I wanted to do whatever I felt I needed to do and to still be saved. I was a sinner, saved by grace, I just happened to leave out that it was cheap grace. I’d ask God for forgiveness and find myself back in the same sin in a matter of no time at all. Thank God for the persistence of conviction by His Holy Spirit. It was only when I was sick and tired of cheap grace in my life that I experienced Metanoia. I didn’t even know the word Metanoia back then and really didn’t feel like anything had changed at that point and time in my life, until I looked back and realized a couple of weeks later what had happened. Hallelujah, praise the Lord! He had freed me from the bondage that I had been in for so long, it had been so long that I didn’t know how good my life could be without it. The enemy lies to us and tells us or at least he told me, why do you want to follow a God with all these rules? The rules are to keep you from experiencing the fun and pleasure that this life can offer you. While I know that this is a lie now, it was very enticing when I was young enough to not know what the armor of God could provide for me and he pulled me in before I really had a fighting chance to build up my defenses. I hope and pray that if you haven’t experienced metanoia in your life, that you soon will and if you have that you will help lead others to the truth through your personal story. A truth that has been helpful for me to remember to combat this lie is “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV). I pray that an army of spiritual warriors rises up to flood in the truth, to flood in the light in what appears at times to be a very dark world that we live in. A world influenced by mainstream media, politicians and Hollywood that are all keeping us from realizing who it is that we really are. Are you ready to make a stand and believe the lies no more? I stand by your side, together let’s tear down the walls of satan’s kingdom by loving others right where they are at while we soak in so much truth that we can no longer contain it! -A fellow warrior in God’s army
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2 ESV
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil, for Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen. -The Lords prayer
Destroying the kingdom of satan with the Holy Spirit 