Month: February 2016

The Word Dawns!

Iris Godfrey

I am indebted to my dear friend and  daughter-in-faith, Renee Hoyle, for this beautiful photo  I am using above forScreen Shot 2016-02-22 at 9.44.48 AM the “header.” You can see its full beauty in the photo just below this post.

The word of our Lord is not to only be understood in the mind but also to be grasped in the place of our deepest “aha.” There is a “dawning” when we really get it. I watch this happened over and over in my students, and I await my own interior having the same delightful response when something is unfold by the Spirit in our time with the Word! It is a “dawning” that will literally re-direct my thinking for the entire day. It is like a new discovery that never, never gets old and never, never ends.

Years ago when I was teaching four or five (depending upon the week) Bible classes, I would go from one to the other in such newness and awareness of His marvels stored in the word. One such week, I asked the Lord, “When do I run out?” His response was beautiful. In my heart I heard , “I don’t.” It is so true. I might run out if I was teaching what I knew or understood from my own resources, but He is a resource than is ever faithful and never ending. He continues to pour Himself out in joy and glory as I receive what He has to say.

Our Bibles contain the wisdom of the universe – oh not all written down. The written down part is to allow us to have words to think on, but those words explode in His presence in such a way that one could teach all day on one verse or less. What a deposit of glory has been given to us in the Book!

One of the first times I saw this in action was at a women’s retreat years and years ago. A lady by the name of Iverna Tompkins was teaching and she taught the entire week-end on two verses in Genesis. I was overjoyed, stunned and challenged. I asked the Lord to let me teach like that. Oh I did not have in mind “like Iverna,” not at all. I had in mind learning to allow Him to reveal such glories and Himself through the written page. He is and has been faithful these many, many years.

I am preparing to teach today — an Institute level class on Hebrews 5-6. Even though I have written the text-book my students are using, and even though I have taught Hebrews many, many times – yet today it is new and alive and revealing itself in ways I have never seen. And I guess that is the point for me and for you. He wants us to “see.” Oh precious Lord Jesus, let it be so – in me and in my students – now and always!

Glories Await our Minds and Hearts

Iris Godfrey

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As I read my Bible portion for the day, I was caught by what the Greek OT (LXX) translates Psalm 51:6,

“For behold you love truth; the concealed things and the private things of your wisdom you manifested to me.”

That is a bit different from our English Bibles, and a bit different from my available Hebrew text. Yet the difference is in the call of the translators. I really like the fact that the concealed things and the private things of the LORD’s wisdom He shows to us.

We have other supporting passages, so my search took to me to Psalm 25:10 which has long been a favorite of mine.

In the NASB it reads,

“All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”

The LXX renders it,

“All the ways of the LORD are mercy and truth to the ones seeking his covenant and his testimonies.”

Then the Hebrew,

“All the paths of the LORD are covenant loyalty to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”

I love the Hebrew text here mainly because in it we get a sense of Him responding in like-kind when we respond in like-kind. In other words, the Biblical understanding of “covenant” is revealed as a sovereign action by our LORD to establish relationship based on grace. “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8. Noah was selected because of His heart. It became then a mutual bonding in covenant loyalty. This is often overlooked.

Yes, I am letting you in on some of my study methods. I do have several outstanding language texts and am very blessed with the internet and all its very available resources in the languages — which I would like to know much better. However, my heart just warmed in the translation of the understanding of His covenant loyalty to me as I respond the same way to Him.

When we begin to receive the truth of the New Creation Covenant in Christ and receive the facts of the word, then we began to open to the impossible. There really needs to be a re-directing of our thought patterns in our relationship/fellowship in Him. The impossible just became possible and as we open to this truth our minds are re-directed to inclusion and not separation. He has included us in everything. He has shared with us in everything.

His aim is not that He would become our highest priority, but rather than we would enter into the “oneness” He has provided and then there will be no question about priority because we will be sharing everything. (This is a true understanding of Biblical fellowship in Him.) He wants us to sit with Him on His Throne (which is the same as the Throne in our hearts) and see what He sees — and that is beyond any understanding of goodness we can think or imagine. We struggle to discover language that adequate tells of His placement within us. He has fused Himself with us and now every thought and every action include both of us. This depth of sharing is uncomfortable at first, then when we realize it has actually become the answer we have been waiting for all along. Our love center is suddenly complete and we are empowered beyond anything we have dreamed to simply “be” in Him.

1 Corinthians 6:17 reads,

“But the one who joins himself to the LORD is one spirit with Him.”

The inclusion is total. No more do we relate to Him as if we are some stranger or in need of something. He has provided everything in this depth of fellowship and now enjoys the fullness of what He has purchased — our hearts. Then He begins to share with us the concealed things and the private things of His wisdom. Oh Beloved Ones, it is much better than we have ever, ever thought!

Someone will wonder, “But what about sin?” In this place of sweet fellowship, sin does not raise its name. Hebrews 10:1-2,

“For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?”

In other words, the sacrifice of the LORD worked.

10:14 “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days says the LORD: I will put My Laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them,’ He then says, ‘and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

I recommend the reading of the entire passage, especially 10:1-25.

I have only said what this passage says. So let’s take the confidence and live within Him. This calls for true Biblical repentance – a change of mind. That is what the word used in the Greek for “repentance” means.

What absolute glories of His heart await our curious minds and hearts. Let’s allow these truths to be the re-direction of our thoughts and lives. Let the Son rise within our beings!

More & More & More & More

Iris Godfrey

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This is the title of the teaching I will be doing tomorrow evening (2-12-16) at Psalm 19 Ministries’ regular Friday Fellowship meeting – 7 pm. Please consider joining us (at Live-Stream if you are not in our area) at 6138 S. Salina St., Syracuse, NY.

When we gathered a few weeks ago, I taught on Ephesians 1:1-14. Tomorrow I will be teaching on Ephesians 1:15-23 and Romans 8:28-30. Both of these passages describe the marvelous “spiritual blessings” the Lord gives to His own. These are not earned, nor are they given to a “special few.” Instead they are in Him and therefore poured out abundantly into each who are His own. The empowering goes on and on. Yet, most of us have not understood the depth and the inclusion of ourselves in this belonging.

I have translated the passages for us in order to more accurately reflect what the Greek is saying, concentrating on the accurate translation of the conjunctions and pronouns. It is amazing what is unfolded when this is done. If the translator does not understand the completeness of the “in Christ” of all who are His, then these truths will not be understood and certainly not “seen” in the believer’s heart. These things were intended for us to “behold.” When we see, we then can embrace and walk in its empowement.

So plan to join us and allow your heart to be enfolded in our true destiny in His love and provision.

Don’t Forget Who You Are!

Iris Godfrey

praising god child

As I study the writings of the Apostle Paul, I am amazed at how he emphasizes Christ in us as the pivotal point of all that is written. When we begin to purposely receive what is written in the word, our understanding of the Lord and our understanding of ourselves change.

Receiving/believing Ephesians 1:1-14 will completely undo years of unhealthy thinking. When we choose to actually receive, or take into our hearts and minds the truth of this small passage, it revolutionizes our entire understanding of who we are. This morning in my time of thinking with the Lord through His word He said to my heart, “Don’t forget who you are!” I realized He intended for me to begin to think much more in terms of empowerment. Instead of reflecting on what is not yet done, He urged me to begin to really believe who I am in Him. This began for me a time of listing who I know I am and what I am appointed to do in this brief walk on this earth. My heart was immediately encouraged and I just wanted to begin to write, shout and actively put into action what He has put in my heart.

This is the pro-active side of faith! Believing in our innermost being results in action. James says that without the action “faith” is ineffective and actually dead! We are to become joint-participants in all the Lord wants for us. Some have understood this to mean our confessions have to change. They are correct, but it does not end with the confessions of our mouths, our inner man will come alive in Him in levels we have not yet known existed as we will begin to experience His power in all our becoming.

However, if we are sitting with out-stretched hands expecting Him to do something for us or change our circumstances while we passively do nothing, we probably will not experience the empowerment I am writing about. Our pro-active involvement in the truth produces His ability to be and do all that is assigned whether it be obedience to His heart as revealed in the word, or if it is something we know we are to do that is way beyond our ability. He will want us to get busy with it and then to become active in the training toward it.

If we are called to write, for instance, we must get busy writing (even when we do not know what to write or where to begin) or we will never find that inspiration, time or ability. If we need to take an on-line course in writing or whatever, there are an abundance of those. As we engage, we find a real “wanting” to do that very thing. Or if we are called to “sing.” The principle is the same. We need to get busy singing – with groups, by ourselves at home and then engage some vocal training somewhere. On and on it goes – just apply it to your list. Of course you are going to make one for Him and yourself! It is not a Bucket List – it is an Empowerment List!

Beloved, this “becoming pro-active” in our faith is very important. If I do not believe I can, I simply won’t. If I believe it is assigned and He has granted me all I need to begin then as I engage, He then leads and prepares the way. Our co-corporation is vital in faith. In our healing, we must be pro-active. In our learning His word, we must be pro-active. Everything in Him often waits for us to believe in Him enough to begin. Then watch Him move heaven and earth to make a way and a place. It is just the way faith works.

So I made that list of what I am. This will be an ongoing project and I am making a section in my journal to list things as He brings them to me. Age does not matter. Time continues and life changes and appointments in Him are made and revised. He has never told me I am too old to do what He is asking and empowering. So that settles it – I am not too old. Neither are you – nor are you too young. Let’s really become in Him and allow Him to direct, re-direct and empower.

Life just got more exciting!Don’t