The conference continues to be very, very good. I attended the Women’s Luncheon on Wednesday and was blessed with meeting new friends and getting to touch base with people I know. After lunch, we gathered for a time of being together and a testimony. A young woman from Africa, Nadine Feser, who is the Artestic Director for Pamoja Ministries in Tanzania, shared her heroic and miraculous recovery from a nearly fatal fall of 262 ft., and her journeys with the Lord in the process of moving toward healing and a new type of life. It was an unusual presentation with her singing her original heart songs through-out the presentation. It was excellent.
We received word Wednesday morning that Ruth Veach, mother of Nancy Clark and long time Elim precious one, went home to the Lord on Wednesday morning. Nancy was at the lunch and shared some of her heart with us. It was a very excellent program.
Wednesday evening, Lisa Bevere was not able to be here, due to her plane being rounded in Chicago and all flights cancelled due to bad weather. Robert Morris spoke to us once again and I am including my notes below. It, once again, was a precious blessing. I urge you to examine the notes closely and learn much. Bless you and thanks for reading. I know these are a bit longer than my normal posts, but I believe they have great value.
Robert Morris – Wednesday Evening
Luke 15 & Hebrews 4
Luke 15 – Prodigal – a person lacking restraint
Why do we become prodigals – because we are three parts – Gen. 2: 7 -Spirit, soul, body
When God wanted something, He spoke to what He wanted it made of, sustained by and returned to. He both created and made some things – not the same action. Creation = out of nothing; other things He spoke to what He wanted them to come out of; trees, animals come from dirt and are sustained by dirt and return to dirt.
When God wanted mankind He spoke to Himself. Gen. 1:26. My body was made out of dirt. I was created in His image. What would happen if a plant turned to the dirt and said “I’m pulling out.” It would die. Man said to God, “I’m pulling out.” and his body dies. But the Spirit is not sustained by dirt, but by Him.
He created to my spirit to relate to Him; He created my body to relate to earth; He made my soul to relate to both Him and the earth.
Our spirits were dead when we were born. So we have primarily related to God through our soul: mind=thoughts; will = desires; emotions=feelings. We continually relate the things of God through our soul. We must learn to relate though Spirit.
Have you ever read anything in Scripture that does not applied to you? “God always leads us in triumph.” Just what is our experience with that one? (Several other illustrations given.) Some statements are related to spirit, some to soul, and some to body.
My spirit is redeemed – it’s done – Ephesians 1 – work that is done.
Hebrews 10:39 – those who believe to the saving of the soul; James 3:21 – word able to save your souls. etc…
Salvation = Greek work – Soso – my spirit has been made whole; my soul is being made whole – renewing my mind; my body will be made whole.
Why would a Christian ever become a prodigal? Because they are relating to God through their soul.
1.The soul is extremely selfish. We relate to God and His creation only through what we can see feel and know. Truth: your mind is far, far, beyond any computer. Your mind has everything that has ever happened to you. The strongholds are things that cause one to make decisions based on past experiences – determines how we relate to people and to the Lord. When our minds become renewed (through and in the Word) then we begin to think His thoughts instead what has happened – now we remember volumes of scriptures that relate to this situation. The renewed mind goes to scripture – not to past experiences.
The soul must submit to the spirit – Romans 9:7 – Jacob & Esau. In the NT – represents the soul and the spirit. “flesh” is the soulish part. The soul must submit to the spirit.We need to feed the spirit and renew the mind. Psalm 131 – “I have calmed and quieted my soul.” He told his soul to be quiet and to bless the Lord. Like a weaned child. 1 Corinthians. 3 – I cannot speak to you as “spiritual” but as “fleshly” Hebrews 5 – you need milk and not solid food; youre unskilled in the word of “righteousness.” The soul thinks your trying to kill him so he screams and throws a fit. In reality you are trying to kill him. If you let your soul die, you will save it.
The soul must die. It has to die – “I die daily.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the soul and the spirit and of joint and marrow and a discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart; and there is no creature hidden from His sight and open and laid bare before Him with whom we have to do. “open” from Greek = throat/to expose the throat for execution. God has big plans for your soul. That is what He wants to do with your soul – what you think and how you feel about it is of no consequence. Phil 2:5-11. What He did to Jesus, He wants to do to you. The soul must be killed. The sword of the Spirit (word of God) does the action.
Dead men don’t argue with their wives. (explanation – dead men don’t need to be right). If I die to how I think about it, feel about it, my desires in it, then ask Jesus what He wants to think about it. Then I am beginning to relate according to the spirit in me and not my soul.
Is there an area of my life where I am sitting up in a casket? (I am supposed to be dead to much). Lord I ask you to reveal to us in our lives, where have we resurrected ourselves? Then take the sword of your Spirit and kill those areas so we begin to relate in spirit. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Mannaword 