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The Journey of the Soul INTRODUCTION The question of man’s
IDENTITY is one of the stumbling blocks keeping us from enjoying life as God
intended. It is no secret that everyone of us develops our own sense of
identity, out of which we actually live our lives. The problem is that the
information we use to arrive at our understanding of ourselves quite often is
incorrect, so that what we believe we are, can create further difficulties for
us. Many Christians seek to
discover themselves, based upon inflexible religious notions, that produce a
"faith" which cannot stand the test of living proof, and so our
anxiety and uncertainty increases. It was Billy Graham who used to quote many
times in his preaching, that within MAN there is a GOD SHAPED BLANK, and
only GOD can fill it!! Ever since Adam found
himself outside the Garden of Eden, mankind has been searching to discover
himself and to find his way back. Eastern religion has seen a renaissance in
recent years because the Christian fundamentalist has not only failed to provide
answers to mans deepest needs, but has so muddied the waters that the TRUTH has
been made obscure to mankind generally. Paul in speaking to the saints at Rome
declared that the COSMOS is in labor with a NEW BIRTH. Rom 8:18-25 He speaks of
the "sufferings of this present time and of the glory that shall be
revealed." He continues saying that "CREATION WAITS, for the
revelation (apocalypse) of God’s children." There is one word above
all others that comes to mind with regard to finding out who we are and where we
are going, and that word is L-O-V-E. This should not be a surprise to anyone
because the CREATOR from whence we have come is declared to be LOVE. But
the journey of the soul through its "hells," darkness and turmoil,
needs to be understood if we are to ever to attain the NEW HEAVENS AND THE
EARTH. Let us travel together on
what may seem to be uncharted waters, in our search not only for identity but
also for fulfillment in our daily lives. We begin the journey on a very positive
note, with God saying, "Behold I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW." Therefore
failure will not prevent us from achieving our goal. As we travel we will touch
on issues that may be painful for us to face, but only in honesty can we reach
God. THE
SENSE OF SEPARATION FROM GOD Traditional Christianity today has been made to revolve around the question of S-I-N and how to deal with
it. This represents a hang over from the Priesthood and sacrificial system of
the Hebrews of the Old Testament. Very early in the history of the Church,
particularly from the time of Constantine, the emperor of Rome, the Religious
authorities were busy establishing their supremacy over the people. Part of this
strategy was the institution of the MASS, which replaced the gruesome slaughter
of animals with a "Spiritual Sacrifice" which now offered the people
an answer to the question of SIN. This whole focus on SIN
firmly established a great gulf that divided MAN from GOD. If you think that
this was born out of a genuine spiritual revelation, you could not be further
from the truth. The whole system of sacrifices and offerings in the Old
Testament provided permanent employment and position for the Priesthood in
Israel, because of S-I-N. Church leadership today in both the Episcopal and
Evangelistic Churches, would be looking for other means of income if people
understood that GOD AND MAN HAVE NEVER BEEN SEPARATED! One of the clearest
expressions of SALVATION in the Old Testament is given to us in Exodus 14:13. "And
Moses said unto the people, fear ye not, stand still, and see the SALVATION OF
THE LORD, which he will shew you today; for the Egyptians you have seen today,
you shall see them again NO MORE FOR EVER." I want you to notice that
SIN is not even mentioned here in connection with Salvation. Further more,
Israel was not told to REPENT nor to repeat some religious formula, but simply
to STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD. The Egyptians did not
represent S-I-N to Israel, but the carnal Adamic consciousness which even in
this our day imprisons and enslaves the souls of men, separating our GOD
from us leaving us vulnerable to that which would imprison us. The Prophet Jeremiah
states very clearly, "I spake NOT unto your fathers, nor commanded
them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning BURNT
OFFERINGS OR SACRIFICES. But this thing commanded I them, saying, OBEY MY VOICE
and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, and walk ye in all the ways
that I have commanded you that it may be well with you." Jer 7:22-23. The Psalmist David also
had this to say, "Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works that
thou hast done, and thy thoughts that are toward us, they cannot be reckoned up
in order unto thee. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can
be numbered. SACRIFICE and OFFERINGS THOU DIDST NOT DESIRE, MY EARS THOU HAST
OPENED. BURNT OFFERING AND SIN OFFERING THOU HAST NOT REQUIRED." Ps 40:5-6.
This is also quoted concerning Christ in Heb 10:5-8 From our earliest
childhood we have been taught that God put Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden,
but Eve rebelled against God and took of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil. Then she gave it to Adam also. This resulted in God casting
them out of the Garden, and now everyone is infected by this original sin and
are under the law of SIN and DEATH. However we are not required to kill an
animal today, because the same God who said he did not want sacrifice and
offerings for sin, kills his Son as a SIN OFFERING on the cross. In view of this
sacrifice we can have our sins forgiven and so go to heaven when we die. This teaching separates a
man from God who remains hidden, just as he was for Israel in the Tabernacle.
The separation of the soul from God relegates mankind to a HELL, where we live
out our lives in fear and torment, becoming slaves to our passions and desires.
Man’s true sense of identity can only be found in our Heavenly FATHER but
because he has abandoned us we are not sure if we really want to know him.
However because we were created as spiritual creatures, there is a longing
within man’s heart, that causes him to seek after God. I have traveled thousands
of miles teaching people the TRUTH about God, and about themselves. I have
witnessed first hand that great release that comes to a person when they
discover God is not angry with them and neither has he ever left them as they
have been taught. The TRUTH is that GOD IS L-O-V-E, and that love embraces the
whole WORLD according to John 3:16. It is needful to add also that God’s Love
is UNCONDITIONAL!! I know that what I have
written will make religious people angry, but that is not my motive for writing
this study. I am writing for those who are searching for Truth and Reality
seeking for the one who is the LOVER OF THEIR SOUL. Jesus said, "I will not
leave you as ORPHANS (without parents who care for you) but I WILL COME TO
YOU." I want you to follow as we explore this journey of the SOUL from HELL
TO HEAVEN. Any man who believes he is
separate from God is living in HELL. In that position he sees every problem as a
punishment from God, and all the future holds for him is impending doom. Here is
the reason for the great increase in mental illness, stress and depression that
we see today even amongst Christians. This assumed separation from God has far
reaching ramifications for us. It includes a sense of loneliness that depresses
many people. Many Christians become
depressed if they do not have a fellowship or Church which believes like they
do. These people are souls that wander through a "wilderness," feeling
there is no one they can share with. Such loneliness can even persist in
marriage where one partner does not feel their mate is "born again."
This breeds a feeling of estrangement almost as if they are from some other
planet. The basis of this problem is a subtle form of pride where a person sees
others as less than themselves, and especially in the sight of God. Such is the depth of the
deception we embrace as we wander in the darkness of our carnal reasoning. Has
it not occurred to you that God is NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS, for he has
made of ONE BLOOD all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.
Acts 17:26. Furthermore Paul tells the philosophers of his day that "IN
GOD WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING….FOR WE ARE ALSO THE OFFSPRING OF
GOD." V.28 How great is the darkness that envelopes the soul of
man, when he cannot believe GOD IS IN EVERY MAN. How tragic to see so many
wives who believe they know Christ but who look down on their husbands causing
them to resent their religious impudence. Of course the reverse is just as
destructive when the husband treats their wives the same. When the sun came up
this morning it shone on everybody. The rain waters everybody’s garden and not
just those of the Christians. Scripture declares, "God so loved the
WORLD." That means there is not one person on the face of the earth that
God does not LOVE. In many cases the present
religious concepts of the Church as presented today, have become one of the most
divisive forces this world has ever seen. It has been responsible for many
marriage breakups, and divided families, it has separated neighbors and affected
many other relationships. On a national scale it has divided nations such as
Northern Ireland and many other nations. Wars are fought on the basis of what
one nation considers to be right, thus we justify national action equating it
with the will of God. British people generally
are taught to favor Israel in all circumstances even when their actions are just
as barbaric as their enemies. This is a part of the bias and bigotry fostered by
religion. In all these things we cannot justify our attitudes from the teachings
of Jesus, which it seems many have left behind in favor of a more general
consensus of world opinion. Back home we find
ourselves separated from one another by attitudes, color, culture, religion and
social standing. So the soul of man wanders in the wilderness of loneliness
seeking to discover where she fits into the scheme of things. At a young age the
soul can experience such emptiness which develops into anti social behavior, as
they try and avoid any close encounters of the person kind. In later life it
becomes difficult to establish any meaningful relationships at all. These young
people become victim to their own loneliness, attaching themselves to the first
person that shows any interest in them. This is usually someone with the same
kind of problem, and the relationship is built on their mutual need and so
generally lacks any kind of genuine love. Many souls live as ORPHANS
in this world, being separated from God and having no meaningful ties with
others. This is in spite of the fact that Jesus said he would never leave or
forsake us. But the voice of truth is lost in the thunder of the preacher’s
voice who says, "Repent or die in eternal separation from God." To probe deeper into the
question of loneliness we find the soul must first discover its true identity
that has been lost in the clamor of voices in the world. The preacher declares
we are SINNERS in the sight of God and so God is angry with us. He presses home
his point telling us we were BORN IN SIN as a result of Adam’s sin, and God
holds us responsible for what we are. This puts us down and destroys any sense
of dignity we may have had. So in the dark night of
the soul we search for someone to tell us WHO WE ARE. Are we creation’s
rejects, the manifest failures of the creator. Is there any hope of finding a
reason for being, and a purpose in life? Must God continue to punish me for
being what he made me to be, until my life is taken from me? Surely death must
be the ultimate release from the darkness of the soul’s despair. WHAT
IS GOD If we are to escape from
the darkness, the soul needs to find God before it can ever discover WHAT IT IS.
This is a universal quest born in the heart of every man. Two men began to
follow Jesus one day, and he turned to them and asked, "WHAT SEEK YE."
And they said, "Master, where do you dwell?" And he replied,
"COME AND SEE." That day their lives were changed forever. However our soul’s
search is made much more difficult because of the many different voices in the
Church about where we can find God. Many tell us God is up in HEAVEN, which is
in the sky above the stars. So our imagination goes to work and we build a
beautiful palace up in the Sky and we put God there sitting on a throne of pure
gold. Now we think we know where he lives we can pray to him asking him to help
us and bless us. But it is only a one way conversation as we never hear anything
from this God up in the Sky. We continue to search even
harder to find God, but then the preacher tells us that there is a great hope we
have to focus on. This hope, is that Jesus said before he went away, that he
would come back at the end of the age. At that time we will be caught up off the
earth into the clouds where we will be made perfect and then live for ever in
this beautiful "heaven" with streets of pure gold. So all we can do
now is "Hold the fort for I am coming!" But this does not provide any
real answer for my present dilemma. The soul continues its
search, but where can I find him? I hear another voice telling me if I go to
Church I will certainly find God. So I obey the voice and sing the songs and
listen to the sermon but I could not find God. Then I turned to the scriptures
to see if Jesus could tell me where I might find God. To my amazement I turned
to John 14 and read about Phillips request for Jesus to show them the Father. He
finally said to him, "Don’t you believe that I AM IN THE FATHER AND
THE FATHER IS IN ME? He said, "The words that I speak are my
Father’s words and the works I do, these are the works of my Father."
For the first time LIGHT
began to dawn on my soul, as I discovered I had been looking in the wrong place
to find God. He was not in some ethereal heaven but dwelt IN US. He said, "In
that day you will know that I AM IN THE FATHER AND YOU ARE IN ME, AND I AM IN
YOU." Jn 14:20. My soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of
the fowler. Today’s theology has
moved so far from the truth as to make it almost impossible for anyone to truly
KNOW GOD. It would seem that the preservation of the organization called
"Church" is the hidden agenda to which everything including the
doctrines must bow. Once a soul discovers GOD WITHIN it renders the organization
obsolete. We have a one on one relationship with God hearing his voice and
knowing his will. The body now becomes HIS HOLY TEMPLE, with Christ reigning
within as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Now the scriptures that
once were just words or verses in the Bible, become SPIRIT and LIFE. Jesus said,
"Don’t call any man on the earth your Father, because ONE IS YOUR
FATHER IN HEAVEN." Matt 23:9. Millions of people pray around the
world, "OUR FATHER which art in heaven," but the Truth of what
they are saying has never entered their heart. Just think about it, GOD IS YOUR
FATHER, which means you are his CHILDREN. Religion says only Christians are
children of God, but the truth is ALL MANKIND are children of God!. The revelation that God is
our FATHER is one of the most life changing experiences we can have. Only then
is the lie exposed, that God is angry with us because we are sinners, having
cast us away out of his presence. NOW we know that GOD NEVER LEFT US in the
first place, and never ever will leave us. God is the power that produced and
sustains the universe. He is the creative principle and law unto all of his
creation. This LAW when it functions in us becomes a LAW OF FULFILLMENT, just as
Jesus said, "I have come that you might have LIFE and have it more
abundantly." The concept of a God who
blesses us when we do good and punishes us when we do evil, is probably
responsible for much of the sickness and other problems mankind has to endure in
these days. The sense of separation from God puts man in a hell more awful than
Dante’s inferno. The truth is, that there is nothing we can THINK or DO, that
can enable us to know God. How can we search for God when the Kingdom of God is
WITHIN US. The very idea of searching indicates we do not believe God dwells IN
US. Paul makes it clear that
God has reconciled ALL THINGS unto himself. Such a reconciliation removes any
consciousness of separation from God. The abundant life promised by Jesus Christ
is not ours simply by believing in him, but becomes reality when we discover we
are Spiritual beings just like him. We are told that the MEEK shall inherit the
earth, however it would seem in the natural that such an inheritance belongs to
the rich and powerful. In Matt 5:48 we are
commanded to be PERFECT. Do you think Jesus was serious when he asked us
to be PERFECT? This is not something that happens automatically because we
believe. NO, it can only be achieved, as we are conscious that our NATURE IS
DIVINE. We were perfect in the beginning therefore we must have had the
divine nature then. Paul says, "Till we all come into the unity of
the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto A PERFECT MAN, UNTO THE
MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST." Eph 4:13. Many Christians believe
they will only be made perfect after they die and go to heaven. But if Jesus
meant what he said and expected we could do it, then it is obvious that God’s
purpose is to become INCARNATE IN US just as he did in Jesus. The PERFECTION
that is expected of us was demonstrated in Jesus, and God has purposed for us to
be conformed to the Image of his Son. We are patterned to reflect the image and
likeness of God, and this is achieved by a consciousness that when activated
reproduces the Christ Life in us. The spread of Christianity
in western Europe did not occur by believing in Jesus, but by the power of the
Holy Spirit. This spiritual power released the Truth of IMMANUEL or GOD DWELLING
IN MAN. Remember Jesus asked the disciples, "Whom do men say that I
am?" Some thought he might be John the Baptist who had recently been
beheaded, others suggested Elijah, or Jeremiah, or another of the prophets. Then
he turned to the disciples and asked them, "Whom SAY YE that I the Son of
man AM?" Peter responded out of his
spirit, "Thou art the CHRIST the Son of the Living God." Jesus
reminded Peter that such knowledge could only come by revelation from God. THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM Jesus made a very
informative statement concerning HIS CHURCH. He said, "Thou are Peter and
upon THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and the gates of hell will not prevail
against it. And I give unto you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and
whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." John the Apostle records
in his letters that, "Whoever confesseth that JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD, GOD
DWELLS IN HIM AND HE IN GOD." 1 Jn 4:15. So when Peter confessed that Jesus
is the SON OF GOD, it reflected a state of consciousness within himself. That
confession that "GOD DWELLS IN A MAN" released the consciousness that
God did indeed dwell in the man PETER. The ROCK upon which the Church is built
was not PETER himself, but "THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF GOD DWELLING IN MAN."
By his confession Peter awakened the ARCHETYPE of the CHRIST WITHIN HIMSELF. To say THOU ART THE CHRIST
is to declare that GOD can express HIMSELF IN A MAN. When Peter saw God manifest
in Jesus Christ, the same revelation broke forth in himself. As a result of such
a revelation Jesus now declares, "If we bind on earth the Spiritual nature
of ourselves, then we bind the spiritual powers of heaven within us. BUT if we
loose the "GOD IN MAN" consciousness in the earth then the spiritual
powers of heaven will be released, and as Jesus said, "NOTHING SHALL BE
IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU." Matt 17:20. These truths have been
hidden from us, but today for those with ears to hear, the Spirit is speaking
out from the Most Holy Place. An angel spoke to a virgin called Mary, telling
her that she would conceive and bring forth a son. This was too much for
Mary’s natural mind because she was not married and so for her such a
conception was impossible. But the angel said, "You will call his name
Jesus , and he shall be great, and shall be called the SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD,
and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David." Mary
asked the angel, "How shall this be seeing I know not a man?" Here is the angel’s
answer, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High
God shall over shadow you, therefore that holy thing that shall be born of thee
shall be called a SON OF GOD." Luke 1:26-35. When God said, "Let us
make MAN in our image and after our likeness," his purpose was that this
creature would be the vessel in which he would dwell, and express himself. When Jesus Christ came
into the world we witnessed the birthing of a NEW CREATION people, the SEED
of which is CHRIST. This creation is only "NEW" because, ever
since Adam found himself outside the Garden of Eden, man has considered he is a
separate entity from God. Now for the first time there is a man of flesh and
blood, born of a woman who could declare his ONENESS WITH THE FATHER.
This statement so shocked the religious leaders that they decided to kill him. He asked them their reason
for wanting to kill him, and they replied, "For blasphemy, and
because that you being a MAN, are making yourself GOD." You see
Jesus was speaking the TRUTH about his real identity, but the Pharisees
considered it to be blasphemy. But I want you to hear what Jesus said to them. "Is
it not written in your law, I said YE ARE GODS. (quoted from Psalm 82:6) If HE
called them gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be
broken, say ye of him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world,
Thou blasphemest because I said, I AM A SON OF GOD. Now I am convinced that
Jesus knew the Truth, because he is the PATTERN SON. Paul declares that we were
created in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:10) thus constituting us SONS OF GOD and ONE WITH
THE FATHER. The religious world has never changed its attitude from that of the
Pharisees in Jesus day, and to believe this truth will still incur its judgment which is "annihilation." (expulsion from their system) Herein lies the
very reason why they crucified Jesus. Remember it was not the HEATHEN who
instigated his death, but the religious leaders of Israel!! SEPARATION
FROM GOD The great paradox
presented here requires an answer. If man was CREATED in the beginning IN CHRIST
according to Eph 2:10, and we were CHOSEN IN CHRIST before the disruption of the
world, then the question is : What caused man to FORGET his origin and
to assume one of his own choosing? This is the great question
for which we must discover an answer, if we are ever to know GOD in TRUTH. First
of all let us declare the religious answer presented by many preachers and Bible
teachers. It states that when man rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, by
eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil, God invoked his judgment
upon him and "killed" him. This "death" was not
immediately evident in the physical realm, but carried the spiritual consequence
of being SEPARATED FROM GOD. This involved Adam being evicted from the
"garden" or presence of God. A flaming sword was set in the way to
prevent man from returning to the paradise he had lost. The only way we can now
enter Paradise involves repentance from our sins, and an acceptance of a BLOOD
SACRIFICE on our behalf, which is CHRIST, whom the Father slew on the cross thus
satisfying his sense of JUSTICE. However, our return to that "Garden of
God" which is called HEAVEN, requires that we die first physically, then
wait for the "Rapture" and the Resurrection of the saints, at which
time we will be perfected and received into heaven. WHAT
IS THE TRUTH The above two paragraphs
are simply the product of the carnal mind of man, and have no basis in the realm
of TRUTH. I am going to take you back to the place where the SOUL of man lost
its identity and from that moment began a wilderness journey to discover WHO WE
ARE and also WHERE WE CAME FROM. We call this the JOURNEY OF LIFE. It
is most important that we know that man did not lose his identity because of
anything that he (MAN) did! Paul tells us the creature
was made SUBJECT TO VANITY, not willingly, that is not by man’s choice. Rather
the choice was made for him by God who at the same time declared that MAN would
also be delivered from the bondage of corruption that would result from the
vanity into which man was to be lowered. Rom. 8:20-21. Let me make it
abundantly clear that it was not Adam’s sin that lowered him into vanity, but
rather his LOWERED LIFE CONDITION was responsible for causing him to eat of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Let us establish the
meaning of the word "VANITY" used by Paul. It is Strongs No 3153
MATAIOTES meaning :- That which is devoid of TRUTH and appropriateness.
It is derived from No 3152 MATAIOS meaning Vain, devoid of force, truth, success
and result, USELESS and of NO PURPOSE. Now we need to understand
how man was brought into this state, which was to play an important part in
God’s plan and purpose for man. In Gen 2:7 the Lord God, Jehovah Elohim,
formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into man the breath of lives,
and MAN BECAME something, A LIVING SOUL. Paul tells us that Adam the
first man was a TYPE or FIGURE of one that was to come, referring to JESUS
CHRIST. These TWO MEN are set in contrast to one another. "The FIRST MAN ADAM
was made a LIVING SOUL, but the LAST ADAM, JESUS CHRIST was A LIFE GIVING
SPIRIT." 1 Cor 15:45. Why was the first man ADAM designated a LIVING SOUL,
but the LAST ADAM, JESUS CHRIST is not called a SOUL but rather a SPIRIT. If you
have ears to hear then listen to the voice of the Spirit speaking out of the
Most Holy Place. We are told that "In
the beginning was THE WORD or LOGOS the total expression of the divine
mind." This "Word" became FLESH at a point in history being born
of a woman but conceived by the Holy Spirit. Speaking by revelation of the
Spirit, Peter announced that this "MAN" WAS INDEED THE CHRIST THE SON
OF THE LIVING GOD. The whole theological world was turned on its head when he
declared, "I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE." Jn 10:30. So now we understand the
HOPE of man’s return to his original state, is centered in the PROTO-TYPE,
which is CHRIST who came and revealed the true nature and identity of MAN. We are told that God
caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam and he slept, taking out of him the whole
FEMALE part of his being. In the beginning man was created MALE and FEMALE. Gen
1:27. However the scripture is not speaking about physical gender which is
simply a parable of the true reality. In every person there is a part that is
MALE called the SPIRIT, and a part that is FEMALE called the SOUL. In the Greek
language words have gender, and Spirit is always masculine and SOUL is always
feminine. These TWO PARTS male and
female, are present in every person on the earth regardless of their physical
gender. The Male part represents the Spirit which is GOD and the FEMALE part is
the SOUL which is the "heart of man." These two parts Spirit and Soul
form the SPIRITUAL part of mankind today, being invisible to the naked eye. The
Body is the only visible part of man. We must understand that the SOUL being the
female part, is THE WOMB of man. By this we mean that what ever the SOUL
considers itself to be, is brought to birth and into manifestation. The SOUL of man consists
of the MIND, EMOTION, and the WILL. These three acting in concert become what
the Bible calls the HEART of man, and actually form our consciousness. Remember
man became a LIVING SOUL, which means he considers that he is a SELF that is
separate from God. The SOUL has within itself no capacity to know God being
limited to five senses, none of which are capable of touching God. Scripture
says, "The natural or soulish man cannot receive the things of the
Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them for
they are spiritually discerned." 1 Cor 2:14. The Garden of Eden is a
beautiful parable depicting this soulish man, functioning after the Separation
of the SOUL (woman) from the SPIRIT (man). The soul is now given its own
identity and is called EVE by Adam. Thus the soul (Eve) goes off on her own
seeking for more knowledge. She is not aware that the MIND separated from the
Spirit is "carnal" and more subtle than any beast of the field. In the
parable it is depicted as a serpent or snake. The reasoning quality of the mind
begins to function exploring areas of thought that had never been contemplated
before. Now the Soul (woman)
believes she has found the secret to being as God, through the knowledge of Good
and Evil, and immediately embraces her new found knowledge. She imparts what she
has learnt with Adam, and together they succumb to the poison of the snake. They
find themselves naked and their God now becomes and enemy from whom they must
hide. The consequence of their carnal knowledge ends in DEATH, having allowed
their knowledge to separate themselves from God. From that very moment man
has wandered as a LIVING SOUL through the wilderness of this world alone,
seeking to rediscover his true identity. Like the prodigal son we have wandered
into the far country, thinking we can find life and satisfaction, only to
discover we have been cheated and exploited. Israel moved to a good country only
to be made slaves of a despot who used them for his own purposes, destroying
their freedom. Is this not a picture of life for most people in the world today? WHERE CAN I FIND LOVE Every SOUL is searching
for its true identity, and the fulfillment that is part of the female psyche, to
conceive and bear a child. This desire could be called a search for L-O-V-E. For
most this search has been made difficult because of man’s false concept of
God. A Father who abandons his children because they failed to please him, does
not attract us to himself. Neither a Father who loves us when we do good but
punishes us when we do evil. Such ideas of our true Father do not encourage us
towards him in order to be loved. However true LOVE is
beautifully portrayed in the Song of SONGS, written by Solomon. Remember in the
scriptures a Song is a message, and this message is direct from the Most Holy
Place. This message is an invitation from the King of Kings, issued in love, to
follow him into the conception chamber of Spiritual realization. In this story we discover
that there is a unique relationship between the SPIRIT and the SOUL and while
there may be much flirtation on the part of the Soul, there is NO LOVE that will
satisfy her until she finds the true lover of her soul, which is Christ. Here we
must leave behind all the Hebrew concepts of God connected with the Tabernacle
and Temple. For the Lord the Spirit is inviting us to go where no Israelite
dared to go, into the Most Holy Place where GOD DWELLS. Here is the only place
where a dead stick cut from the plant can bud, flower and fruit all in one
night, as it did for Aaron. Num 17:8. This beloved is a NEW DAY
and a new revelation of God which is awakening and raising up the Christ WITHIN
US, and filling the sense of emptiness we have felt for so long. It is also
represents an opening of our eyes to see into the true nature of all things. The
MALE and FEMALE characters of this song represent the SPIRIT and the SOUL The Soul (Woman) is
represented by the Shulamite, who is searching for her beloved. It is only when
we know Christ that we can ever know ourselves completely. The mystery of CHRIST
is that GOD and MAN ARE ONE. After the Soul has prostituted herself with the
flesh, bringing forth flesh in manifestation, her desire begins to turn toward
God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is one of LIGHT transforming consciousness,
revealing the Son of God in each one of us. Only then can we
consciously identify ourselves with DIVINITY, and the world of Spirit is open to
us. Then as we come to know experientially the divine nature within ourselves,
we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Here is revealed the
mystery of Godliness, which is Christ the Lord appearing in and through his
saints. Here in the Song of Songs
is revealed the depth of passion felt in the Soul as Christ the Spirit is
revealed within. "Let him kiss me (for I desire to know him deeply and
personally) with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love (nature) is better than
wine. (better that any thing else than can excite me). "Draw me and we will
run after thee." We can only enter into that Holy presence by invitation, a
drawing that is gentle but enough to instill confidence that we are wanted. Any
sense of SIN is sufficient to keep us out of that Most Holy place, not by any
law, except that which we impose upon ourselves. So much has to be changed
as the soul seeks after the one who loves her. She regards herself as BLACK from
the stress and hardship of her life. But in chapter seven a change has taken
place, and she is now described as the beautiful daughter of a Prince. Before
she was just a woman of the desert wilderness, but now she has a new nature and
a royal identity that becomes evident in her walk. Her spiritual eyes now see
what was hidden from her in her wanderings and a transforming is taking place. The relationship of this
Schulamite woman and the King expose for us the growth and development of the
soul through which we all must pass. Everything in her must change until she
finds herself exactly like him and no longer the desert girl of the wilderness.
As the presence of Christ is raised up in us he becomes the power that results
in the nature of his incorruptible life swallowing up all death and corruption
in us. The joining of the Spirit
and Soul will undergo the testing of fire, because the moment we desire to know
Truth we will experience the law of opposites, and wander in the wilderness
until we have reconciled the two to become ONE REALITY. In this union we are
entering into the fulfillment of God’s determined purpose to gather together
everything IN CHRIST, whether they be in heaven or on the earth. Notice in the Song that
the other women representing the other Churches and fellowships really had no
idea that the King (Christ) had fallen in love with her and desired her (soul)
to be the one who would reproduce LIFE in the earth. The union of the SOUL and
SPIRIT is called the marriage supper of the Lamb that is witnessed by the
angelic host, who herald the "birthing of the Christ" again in the
earth. The righteousness of God in Christ is the glory that is manifest in an
earthen vessel, upon the earth. In this long and eventful
journey the Soul has experienced the vanity of life itself through ignorance of
its identity and origin. But now having passed through the valley of the shadow,
and finding her beloved a transformation takes place. This is not the result of
the Soul’s activity, but a lifting of the consciousness out of the earth
sphere, wherein the vanity of life functions, into Father’s house, where LOVE
reigns supreme. This is accomplished by a is Baptized by ONE SPIRIT into ONE
BODY, where there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond or free, MALE NOR FEMALE, for
the two have become ONE and what God has joined together no man can put asunder.
Now the cycle is complete and man has past the test, to overcome the Adamic
consciousness which has caused the darkness, ignorance and hell through which he
has past. The soul no longer is
drawn away by desire for the soul has found its lover and the Spirit has found
its completeness of expression in the likeness and Image of God. In the union of
Soul and Spirit the incarnation is complete and the divine nature created in us
in the beginning finds expression again just as the creator designed, in HIS
LIKENESS AND IMAGE. It is my prayer that you
may open your heart and mind to the Truth that is being revealed in this our
day, and come boldly unto the throne of Grace where Father waits with open arms
to greet you and welcome you back HOME.
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