Open Letter to Jackie

 

Afraid I could have been more specific in my praise for your decernment with respect to the haiku's, but in response to your question as to whether I "hate them" I think my response was specific enough -- No, I hadn't seen this batch of commentary before, and yes I thought it was great and enjoyed it very much (I always have and and probably always will>)

 

RE:

 

ZION: No comments on my comments re: all those haikus? Had I already sent those to you? I found it in my drafts and it was unaddressed so I thought I hadn't. Did you hate them?

 

WIT: "No, I haven't published any of the haiku, and yes I would like to resume our joint communication in that area.  Your capacity to see through the haiku to the "heart of the matter" remains unique in my experience. So if you have the time, I have the haiku." [Translated: Your discernment on spiritual matters is great. It's application in daily life, however, based on previous discussions, would seem to be less so (as my wife would attest of mine.]

 

ZION: We have been having some pretty heavy spiritual battles, I wish you knew someone around here to refer me to, or even in New Jersey, we desperately need some really sound advice from a person well grounded in Scripture who has a real spiritual discernment and understanding of the whole spiritual world.

 

WIT: My Pastor down here might be of some help. His teaching is Bible based but emphasizes "transforming the world one life at a time."  In most cases, he would say that our outer problems (regardless of how frightful or fruitful) are, first and formost, a function of our hearts.  That is, all people have addictive problems -- to food, money, drugs, alcohol, attention, it matters not which -- but such problems are really "worship problems"; problems of what we treasure in our hearts "other than" (and so above) God.  This because what we identify with (or are attached to) mentally we become, not "in spirit and truth" but in our minds. 

 

RE:  "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he:..." (Prov 23-7)

 

I listened to Paster Kyle talk to my brother yesterday, and he got right to the heart of a meriad of problems -- the heart.  The real issue, as Paster Kyle would suggest, is not "what you do" (your circumstance), but "whose your are" (a Child of God).  As such, your self-worth and esteem should come from " who God knows you to be" and no "who you think you are as a function of enviornmental self reflection."  He calls such problems "worship problems" -- issues of the heart.

 

Ultimately, I believe if we love God with all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls, we will automatically love ourselves and our world.  On the contrary, if we don't love God, first, last and always, we won't be able to love anything or anyone, including ourselves, unconditionally.  So my value, my justification and my ultimate glory comes from "Christ Being in Me", not me "being in the world".  For His Glory I am created, not my own. In truth, we as men, now tend to worship God as He is reflected in the world -- as truth, beauty, light, life and love -- but not God, face to face, in and of Himself.  Worst yet, we also tend to identify those God given qualities and attributes with the temporal forms that refect them, and so unwittingly come to worship graven images of God.

 

Cutting to the chase, George needs to stop listening to all the voices in his head that say he is no good, that he is worthless, that he is a failure (the enemies voice) and start listing to the "Still Small Voice of God" which is constantly saying "He/You/I are His Beloved Children", "Children of the Light (in whom I AM well pleased.)"

 

RE: "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into cativity to the law of sin which is in my members. (Rom 7-23)

 

RE: The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. (Mat 13-39)

 

RE: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into capativity every thought to the obediendce of Christ." (2Co10-2)

 

RE: "Standfast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal 5-1)"

 

So the question is, who are we going to trust, Jesus said, "we are all Children of God -- Sons and Daughters of One Father" [One God and Father of All, who is above all, through all, and in you all (Eph 4:6)] or what our carnal minds say about "who we are in the world."  (and there is no middle ground.)

 

Love Rich

 

PS1:  I just came across a lovely little devotional at Barnes and Noble that I haven't read in years.  It's called "God Calling" and I believe it might give you comfort, encouragement, support and advice in "taking up your cross daily " and following Christ, not only in your heart and mind, but in your world.

 

Here's a little quote from that book that knocked my socks (blew my mental box) yesterday:

 

"Do not be too ready to do, just be.  I said, "Be ye therefore perfect" not "do" perfect things.  Try and grasp this.  Individual efforts avail nothing.  It is only the work of the Universal Spirit -- My Spirit, that counts.  

 

RE: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom 8-14)

 

RE: "For God hast not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

 

Dwell in thought on this, more and more, Saints have taken a lifetime to grasp it." (Jan 7)

 

How can a man be

Perfect Without Christ Being

Present in that man?

 

How can a man be

Perfect without Christ Being

Perfect in that man?

 

Can I Ever Be

Perfect without Christ Being

Present as I AM.

 

PS2: As for me, one of the things I learned from our past conversation is that if I can't "speak the truth in love" than I am better (as are those around me) not speaking it at all.  Having said that, however, and promising to stick to specific questions and issues, and not violate fundamental Christian sensibilities, I might be able to offer some insight that will be Scripturally self-validating.

 

PS: Paster Kyle has been doing a series on fear recently.  If you'd like, I'll send you the tapes.  He's been in "a zone" lately and they're great.