Be Mindful When You Open the Door

BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK; IF ANYONE HEARS AND LISTENS TO AND HEEDS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM AND WILL EAT WITH HIM, AND HE [WILL EAT] WITH ME
(Revelation 3:20).

Be mindful to whom you open the door to your heart.  Know that your heart is vulnerable…susceptible to attack…easily hurt.

Therefore, listen carefully who is knocking at your heart’s door. Listen intently to the voice behind the closed door.  Give your full attention. Heed the words…and their intentions. Make sure it is the Lord Jesus, before you unbolt the latch.

BUT WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, COMES, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN; HE WILL SPEAK ONLY WHAT HE HEARS
(John 16:13).

My Beloved, may you discern between the pure Voice of Truth of My Holy Spirit…and the empty voice of the father-of-lies.  Know that when the Spirit of Truth knocks, He will offer you Hope, Peace, and Joy.  He will never knock with a voice of despair.  Understand that when the Holy Spirit knocks, He will propose Light, Power, and Life.  He will never suggest darkness, powerlessness, and death.  When the Spirit knocks, He will set before you Wholeness, Holiness, and Wisdom.  He will never put forward brokenness, unrighteousness, and confusion.  He will not speak on His own, but will only speak what He hears from Jesus…and Jesus will only speak what He hears from Me, the Perfect Father.

HE WILL BRING GLORY TO ME BY TAKING FROM WHAT IS MINE AND MAKING IT KNOWN TO YOU.  ALL THAT BELONGS TO THE FATHER IS MINE
(John 16:14-15).

To whom have you decided to open your heart’s door? Who got permission to control YOUR heart, each moment of each day: the father-of-lies…or the Spirit of Truth?

Make a decision, today, from whom your heart is going to receive its counsel. Then, stick to your decision, daily, moment-by-moment, even when hopelessness tempts you to run away, when anger tempts you to blame others for you dilemma, and when fear tempts you to hide.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to discern between Your Voice of Truth and the voice of deception from the father-of-lies. Help me to only take counsel from You, because what belongs to You belongs to the Perfect Father, the Most High God.

Maintain an Awareness

We did not realize it at the time, but during our childhood we made the most deterministic decisions of our lives.

The Two Counsels

Two Opposing Purposes

FOR THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE FLESH DO MIND THE THINGS OF THE FLESH; BUT THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE SPIRIT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT
(Romans 8:5).

Discern that your life is based on one of two purposes: the purpose to live according to your natural Self…or the purpose to live in accordance with the Spirit of Jesus. 

HE THAT COMMITTETH SIN IS OF THE DEVIL; FOR THE DEVIL SINNETH FROM THE BEGINNING
(1 John 3:8).

Know that the goals of these two purposes are opposing…conflicting…incompatible.  The natural Self is obligated to please the father-of-lies, but the Spirit is set to please the Perfect Father.  The natural Self obeys the OLD MAN, the set of negative, destructive conclusions instilled in our minds by the father-of-lies; the Spirit obeys the NEW MAN, Jesus Christ. The natural Self reacts to the negative, destructive OLD MAN conclusions through sinful defense habits and patterns of hiding, running to distraction and destruction, and blaming others. The Spirit contains the Truth of Jesus, and does not have to sin. Therefore, at any given moment in your life, you are living either to please the father-of-lies…or to please the Perfect Father.  There is no middle ground!

FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED, THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL
(1 John 3:8).

Understand that you need to make a choice, whether you are going to live your life according to your natural Self…and sin, or live your life according to the Spirit of Jesus, who was manifested that He might destroy the works of the OLD MAN conclusions in your spirit, soul, and body.

THEREFORE, BROTHERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION…IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE
(Romans 8:12-13).

Whose works are being displayed in your life: the works of the father-of-lies…or the works of the Perfect Father?

Know your moment-by-moment choices: to live according to the natural Self and obey the OLD MAN conclusions…or to live according to the Spirit and allow Jesus to put to death these negative, destructive OLD MAN conclusions, instilled in your mind by the father-of-lies.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, how encouraged I am that I do not have to live my life according to the negative, destructive OLD MAN conclusions…and sin. How glad I am that I have a choice. Today, I am making that choice: to allow You to destroy the works of the father-of-lies in my life…to allow Your Spirit to put to death the conclusions that have controlled my spirit, soul, and body, so that I may live.

Maintain an Awareness

If the way we meet the desire to be important is not through a deep, meaningful relationship with the Desire of All Nations, then wanting to be important becomes a race with no finish line.

The Two Counsels

He Makes His Secrets Known to You

WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME.  HE WHO LOVES ME WILL BE LOVED BY MY FATHER, AND I TOO WILL LOVE HIM AND SHOW MYSELF TO HIM
(John 14:21).

Did you know that God longs to reveal His secrets to you…to disclose His mysteries to you…to show His ways to you, even today?

HOW PRICELESS IS YOUR UNFAILING LOVE! BOTH HIGH AND LOW AMONG MEN FIND REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS
(Psalm 36:7).

Precious Child, do you need love, today? I, the Perfect Father, understand the secret of Love. Let Me teach you. Come to Me, today, while your heart feels so unloved. I will show you the sheltered places under My wings where you can take refuge. There, you can hide and receive Comfort, while you let your roots grow deep down into My everlasting Love.

SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED
(John 8:36).

Beloved, do you feel burdened, today? I, the Most High, know the secret of how to set you free from the accusatory lies of the father-of-lies that are encumbering you. I long to take what is Mine and make it known to you, so that you may taste real freedom from abandonment, shame, condemnation, and rejection.  Bring your burden to Me, today. Let Me lift it for you.

SINCE THEY DID NOT KNOW THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD AND SOUGHT TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN, THEY DID NOT SUBMIT TO GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Romans 10:3).

Beautiful One, do you need righteousness in your life? I, the Holy God, understand the secret of Righteousness.  I will teach you My Righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus, My Son, if you turn to My Counsel, today, instead of to the counsel of the evil one.

Do you hunger for God’s secrets: to feel loved…to be free…to be righteous? Then, receive His Counsel when you feel unloved. Accept His Truth when you feel burdened. Welcome His fellowship at all times. Then, He will reveal His undeniable secrets to you. And His Secrets will set you free.

PRAYER: Most High, call me to the place where I will love You enough to become still and listen to Your Counsel, so that I may hear Your secrets.

Maintain an Awareness

Woe to us, the rebellious children, when we take counsel from the father-of-lies, and when we cover ourselves with coverings that are not from God. We will add sin to sin.

The Two Counsels

What Do You Do with Jesus?

‘WHAT SHALL I DO, THEN, WITH JESUS WHO IS CALLED CHRIST?’ PILATE ASKED. THEY ALL ANSWERED, ‘CRUCIFY HIM!’
(Matthew 27:22).

 What do you do with Jesus, every day?

IT IS BECAUSE OF HIM THAT YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO HAS BECOME FOR US WISDOM FROM GOD
(1 Corinthians 1:30).

What do you do with Jesus when you are at wits end and there seems to be no answer to your problem and no way out?  Do you allow Jesus to become your Wisdom from the Perfect Father…or do you reject Him?

JESUS STOOD AND SAID IN A LOUD VOICE, ‘IF ANYONE IS THIRSTY, LET HIM COME TO ME AND DRINK’ (John 7:37).

What do you do with Jesus when you are thirsty: when you feel like an outcast, when you feel like nobody loves you, or when you feel that this life does not make sense?  Do you come to Him for a drink of His Hope, His Love, and His Truth…or do you push Him away?

WHEN JESUS SPOKE AGAIN TO THE PEOPLE, HE SAID, ‘I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE’
(John 8:12).

What do you do with Jesus when the darkness of despair closes in around you—when you feel there is nothing left to live for?  Do you invite Him to shine His Light into your darkness…or do you refuse Him?

FOR IF, BY THE TRESPASS OF THE ONE MAN, DEATH REIGNED THROUGH THAT ONE MAN, HOW MUCH MORE WILL THOSE WHO RECEIVE GOD’S ABUNDANT PROVISION OF GRACE AND OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS REIGN IN LIFE THROUGH THE ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST
(Romans 5:17).

What do YOU do with Jesus?  Do you receive Him as your abundant provision of Grace when your weaknesses threaten to take over?  Do you receive Him as your Gift of Righteousness to reign over your jealousy, animosity, and rage? Do you receive Him as your Savior to reign over your depression…your fear…your confusion?  Or do you crucify Him?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I receive You as my Drink of Living Water. I accept You as my Wisdom from the Perfect Father. I invite You to be my Light in my present darkness. Lord Jesus, be my abundant Provision of Grace when I feel like an outcast.  Be my Gift of Righteousness in my sin.  May I reign in life through You.

Maintain an Awareness

Woe to us, the rebellious children, when we take counsel from the father-of-lies, and when we cover ourselves with coverings that are not from God. We will add sin to sin.

The Two Counsels

God Cares about Your Heart

AND HE WHO SEARCHES OUR HEARTS KNOWS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE THE SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR THE SAINTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S WILL
(Romans 8:27).

The Perfect Father cares about your heart.  He cares about the abandonment that lives there, the betrayal that hurts so much, and the rejection that was so unfair.  He knows about the scar of shame—that painful emotion caused by guilt and the feeling that you are fatally flawed.  He cares about the anxiety that lives in your heart—that fearful concern about the future.  Believe that your Father cares so much about your heart that He sent His Light, Jesus Christ, to shine in your heart when the darkness—the guilt, the confusion, the bitterness, the jealousy, and the sadness—threatens to take over

FOR GOD, WHO SAID, ‘LET LIGHT SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS,’ MADE HIS LIGHT SHINE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE US THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF CHRIST
(2 Corinthians 4:6).

The Perfect Father knows about your struggle against the father-of-lies…and He did something about it. He sent His Son, Jesus, to overcome the father-of-lies and his lies.  Furthermore, He provided you a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to intercede for your heart, daily—to intervene between your heart and the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies…if you invite Him into these beliefs.

I HAVE TOLD YOU THESE THINGS, SO THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. IN THIS WORLD, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE. BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD
(John 16:33).

When you pray, allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you, according to God’s Will. If you let Him, He will search your heart and pray to the Father through you, according to what you need. He will address the abandonment, the rejection, the shame, and the condemnation that live in your heart. If you allow Him, He will intercede for you, so Christ’s Light might enter your heart and drive out the dark beliefs of the father-of-lies.

PRAYER: Lord God, I invite You into the troubled spots in my heart.  Teach me how to trust in You: to rely on Your Truth…to lean on Your Love…to abide in Your Hope. Shine Your Light on the darkness in my heart, so it would flee in the Light of Your Glory.

Maintain an Awareness

We did not realize it at the time, but during our childhood we made the most deterministic decisions of our lives.

The Two Counsels

Overcome Evil with God

DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD
(Romans 12:21).

Overcome evil with good.  Good comes from God.  God IS good.

THE GOOD MAN BRINGS GOOD THINGS OUT OF THE GOOD STORED UP IN HIS HEART, AND THE EVIL MAN BRINGS EVIL THINGS OUT OF THE EVIL STORED UP IN HIS HEART. FOR OUT OF THE OVERFLOW OF HIS HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS
(Luke 6:45).

Beloved, today, I want you to understand that you can only overcome evil with good if good has been stored up in your heart, for out of the overflow of your heart you will act and react.  If you have been filling your heart with the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies, you will only act and react out of hatred, jealousy, and bitterness. However, if you have been filling your heart with My Love, Hope, and Truth, you will respond with Righteousness, Peace, and Faith.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND PRAISE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
(Matthew 5:16).

Know that Righteousness, Peace, and Faith come directly from Me, your Perfect Father in Heaven.  You do not bring these qualities into existence by yourself.  Even after you become a Christian, you might still have hatred, bitterness, or jealousy stored up in your heart. You need My Son, Jesus, whom I sent to you, to exchange these evils for His Truth, Love, and Hope. 

What have been coming out of your heart and mouth: hatred, bitterness, and jealousy, or Righteousness, Peace, and Faith? Know that you will produce whatever has been stored in your heart.

Do you want to change? Invite the Lord Jesus to remove the negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies that have been causing your jealousy, bitterness, and hatred, and ask Him to replace these beliefs with His Truth, Hope, and Love.  Then, you will not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with God!

PRAYER: Most High, I invite You into my heart where the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies dwell. I invite You to remove these and to fill my heart with Your Hope, Love, and Truth, for out of the overflow of my heart will my mouth and my actions speak. May Your Light shine in me, Lord God, before everyone, that they may see Your Righteousness in me, and praise You, my Father in Heaven.

Maintain an Awareness

We do not understand what is going on within us and we are too afraid to find out. We are too afraid to live…and even more afraid to die.

The Two Counsels

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The Truth Produces Sincere Love

NOW THAT YOU HAVE PURIFIED YOURSELVES BY OBEYING THE TRUTH SO THAT YOU HAVE SINCERE LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS, LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEEPLY, FROM THE HEART.  FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN, NOT OF PERISHABLE SEED, BUT OF IMPERISHABLE, THROUGH THE LIVING AND ENDURING WORD OF GOD
(1 Peter 1:22-23).

Understand that you need to purify yourself, first, before you can deeply love yourself and others from the heart.  You purify yourself by accepting and believing the Truth about yourself, about other people, and about God, instead of relying on your own way of seeing things.

If you still feel that God favors the other person more than you, you will not be able to love yourself, her, or God.  If you still believe that your personality is of inferior quality compared to the other person, you will not be able to love yourself or him.  If you still believe that you are only worthy of rejection, you will not be able to love yourself or anyone else.  You need the Truth to set you free in order to love yourself and others.

SANCTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH; YOUR WORD IS TRUTH
(John 17:17).

Know that the Truth purifies from feeling unloved, from feeling inferior, from feeling rejected, from feeling condemned, and from feeling abandoned. This Truth comes from the Lord Jesus, who IS the Truth.

Do you love yourself deeply, from your heart?  Do you feel accepted and acceptable?  Do you love your family?  Are they acceptable to you and accepted by you?

I urge you to submit your heart to Jesus, every time it does not feel right about someone, every time someone hurts you, or every time someone fails you.  Ask God for the Truth about the people in your life, even when they are rude or unkind, awkward or pushy, intimidating or selfish.  Believe that God knows your heart and the heart of the other person—the unworthiness…the abandonment…the hopelessness.  But when He tells you the Truth about yourself and the other person, too, you will be able to love deeply…from your heart.

PRAYER: Majesty, I desire to love deeply from my heart.  Show me Your Truth about myself.  Show me who I really am, so I may feel loved, accepted, and worthy. Show me the Truth about the other people in my life, even those who are rude, pushy, and selfish. Then, I will be able to love my family, my friends, and my enemies from my heart, too.

Maintain an Awareness

So, yes, the deepest urge in human nature seems to be the desire to be important–to matter. But, it is not the PRINCIPLE of wanting to be important that is wrong; instead, it is the way we adapt or the means we adopt to meet this most urgent desire of our hearts.

The Two Counsels

You Have an Obligation

YOU, HOWEVER, ARE CONTROLLED NOT BY THE SINFUL NATURE BUT BY THE SPIRIT, IF THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIVES IN YOU. AND IF ANYONE DOES NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE DOES NOT BELONG TO CHRIST.  BUT IF CHRIST IS IN YOU, YOUR BODY IS DEAD BECAUSE OF SIN, YET YOUR SPIRIT IS ALIVE BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.  AND IF THE SPIRIT OF HIM WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD IS LIVING IN YOU, HE WHO RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD WILL ALSO GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES THROUGH HIS SPIRIT, WHO LIVES IN YOU
(Romans 8:9-11).

Believe that if you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior, the Spirit of God lives in you, and your spirit has been made alive by God’s Spirit.  God’s Spirit has imbued your spirit with His Righteousness.

THEREFORE, BROTHERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION—BUT IT IS NOT TO THE SINFUL NATURE, TO LIVE ACCORDING TO IT
(Romans 8:12).

However, although your spirit is made alive by God’s Spirit, your mind and the rest of your body is dead because of sin still living in it.  God controls your spirit, but it is up to you whether you will let Him control your mind, your emotions, and your actions and reactions through His Spirit, as well.

FOR IF YOU LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SINFUL NATURE, YOU WILL DIE; BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU WILL LIVE, BECAUSE THOSE WHO ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE SONS OF GOD
(Romans 8:13-14).

Know that you have a daily choice: to either submit your mind, emotions, and actions to God’s Spirit who lives in your spirit, or to submit your mind, emotions, and actions to the OLD MAN victim nature.

What will it take for you to allow the Spirit of God to take control of your whole spirit, soul, and body and therefore be led by His Spirit, in your mind, your emotions, and your actions and reactions?

PRAYER: Lord God, I authorize Your Spirit to lead the thoughts in my mind, to lead my emotions, and to lead my actions and reaction, because those who are led by Your Spirit are sons of God.  Be my Righteousness.  Be my Holiness.  Be my Wisdom. Bring my whole spirit, soul, and body in line with Your Spirit.

Maintain an Awareness

When you pray and lay your problem before God, give Him the freedom to answer you in any way He wants to, according to His great Mercy and Grace. Push your own preconceived answers aside. Then, HIS Answer will enter your mind and heart.

The Two Counsels

Jesus, the Tree of Life

I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING
(John 15:5).

I have noticed that there are two separate worlds out there: the world of Truth and the world of deception.  I would be living in the world of Truth, until, suddenly, a negative thought enters my mind; I accept it, and fall into a deep pit of pain—the world of deception.  Everything is fine one moment…and utterly awful the next.  Once I have fallen into this pit of pain, nothing seems to come together for me.  Other negative thoughts start bombarding me, and soon despair enters.  Inside this dark pit lurks a different world than the one of Love, Hope, and Truth in which I was just living, a minute before.

IF ANYONE DOES NOT REMAIN IN ME, HE IS LIKE A BRANCH THAT IS THROWN AWAY AND WITHERS; SUCH BRANCHES ARE PICKED UP, THROWN INTO THE FIRE AND BURNED
(John 15:6).

Child, be aware that as soon as you receive, accept, and believe a negative, destructive belief of the OLD MAN, you enter into the world of deception, where the father-of-lies rules.  Here, there is no Truth, but only doom, damnation, and despair. Here, you wither away very quickly.

Stay in Me, Child. Do not follow the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies into deception. Remain in Me—the Truth, the Way, and the Life—and you will bear much fruit.

JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME
(John 14:6).

May you stay connected to the Tree of Life, at all times.  Consider the Perfect Father to be the root of the tree…and Jesus, the trunk…and you, the branch.  When you are sad, invite the Hope of the Lord Jesus into your sadness.  When you are mad, invite the Love of the Lord Jesus into your madness.  When you are bad, invite the saving Power of the Redeemer into your badness. Know that in this Tree of Life is available all the sap—Power, Hope, and Love—that you will ever need to live and stay in the world of Truth.

PRAYER: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being my Vine! Help me to understand that Your Truth is only one belief away, and that as soon as I am disconnected from your Truth, I am connected to a lie, and as soon as I am disconnected from the lie, I am connected to Your Truth.

Keep me connected to You, Lord God, My Vine—my Way, my Life, and my Truth.

Maintain an Awareness

God wants you to desire to be important to Him, because you ARE important to Him…and He wants to tell you so, Himself.

The Two Counsels

Freedom

IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE. STAND FIRM, THEN, AND DO NOT LET YOURSELVES BE BURDENED AGAIN BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY
(Galatians 5:1).

Know that it is for freedom that the Lord Jesus has set you free: freedom from helplessness…freedom from hopelessness…freedom from powerlessness…freedom from shame…freedom from guilt…freedom from fear…freedom from abandonment…freedom from unworthiness…freedom from condemnation…freedom from sin…freedom from believing that you are a bad person…freedom from rejection—FREEDOM FROM YOUR YOKE OF SLAVERY!

FOR THE LORD GIVES WISDOM; FROM HIS MOUTH COME KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
(Proverbs 2:6).

Beautiful One, allow My Counsel into your heart, then My Wisdom will set you free from the negative belief that you do not belong. Invite My Holy Spirit to renew your mind, then My Power will set you free from the oppressing belief that you do not count. Allow My Perspective into your thoughts, then My Truth will set you free from the accusatory thought that you are a lesser being. Throw your arms wide open and receive the freedom that I, Christ Jesus, hold out to you, Child.  Then, stand firm in this freedom, and do not allow the father-of-lies to lure you back into the yoke of slavery with his beliefs of condemnation, abandonment, rejection, and shame.

SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED
(John 8:36).

Are you burdened with a yoke of slavery? Are you inundated with fear? Are you ruled by depression? Are you submerged in shame? Are you scorned by rejection?

Know that the Lord Jesus can set you free from ANYTHING! All you need to do is invite His Presence and Participation into your yoke of slavery.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Light of the World, the King of Kings, the Author and Finisher of my faith, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Prince of Peace, my High Priest. Nothing is impossible for You. I invite Your Presence and Participation to set me free from my yoke of slavery, even today.

Maintain an Awareness

Discipline yourself to get Understanding.

The Two Counsels