It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

Posts tagged ‘principles’

The Soul and Spirit of Mankind-Made by God  for God! 

Mankind is a tri-part being, body, soul and spirit. The body came out of the earth, the soul and spirit are from God.  Our soul is the essence of who we are, it is what gives us our individuality and uniqueness as a person. The soul is where our will, conscience, intellect, thoughts, feelings and emotions are held, the soul is the very core of our being. The spirit of man came from God when He breathed His life-giving breath into mankind and we became a living soul. The spirit is what attached the soul to its source (God). The soul/will is what governs and directs the body, be it through the living spirit that is within us, or in death without the spirit. 

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. KJV

The body came out of the earth and mankind was given rule and dominion over the earth, as he was created from the dust of the earth. The soul and spirit of mankind came from God and weremade for God, so that humanity could navigate in the spirit and earthly realm. God’s Spirit, was breathed into mankind and he became a living soul and spirit. The body returns to the earth when it is dead, just as the soul and spirit of mankind returns to its source when it dies, where it will give account and/or be rewarded according to the life it lived in fulfilling its created purpose. 

 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

There is a spiritual realm where God, angels and all other spiritual beings exist in the heavens. God created a natural dominion, the earth, that consists of physical things. Mankind was created to exist in both the spirit and earthly realms and they are very real places with different principles and laws that govern their territory. We need to understand these principles in order to navigate, negotiate and live in both of these spheres. God created mankind to co-exist in both realms.

Genesis 28:12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. NKJ

Humanity’s natural life is attached to the earth, because the body was formed from the ground, created in God’s likeness and it is fed and nurtured by the living sustenance of the earth, the ground, from where he was taken. Without these life-giving nutrients the body would die, because it would lack the source it needs to continue. 

 

Genesis 1:27-28 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” NKJ

 

The spirit and soul of mankind came from God, and they had the Shekinah Glory of God upon them and God’s Spirit within. When God blew His breath of life into mankind, they became a living soul. The soul and spirit of mankind was alive and in full connection with its source, the Spirit of God, just as their natural bodies were connected to its source, the earth.Mankind’s body, soul and spirit was living in completeness with its purpose, his body fully connected to the earth and his soul and spirit fully connected with God. The body, soul and the spirit all were living attached to their source, earth and God, to fulfill their purpose, which is to replenish the earth with living souls that would be connected to God, the Creator and King. 

 

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of a person is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. NAS

 

The very day mankind rebelled against their life-giving source, God, their God-like spirit left, because light and darkness cannot occupy the same space.  The spirit of mankind died, when the Shekinah-Glory of God left them, because its spiritwas no longer attached to its source. Therefore, the created God-like man no longer existed. As when a plant is uprooted from the soil or a fish is taken out of the water, they die. The God-Spirit in man surely died that day, and their souls were no longer attached to their life-giving source. 

 

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” NKJ

 

Genesis 3:23-24 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.  So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. NKJ

 

Mankind was then driven out the garden of Eden and were no longer in that close relationship with their Creator-God. God had to drive them out of the garden, because of the evil state of fallen mankind. Had they eaten from the tree of life, to live forever in a life full of sin and depravity, it would be even moreof a horrifying state for this world to be in. 

God’s mercy He did not allow fallen mankind with all of itsdestruction and devastation to have the ability to live forever in the earth. God’s love and mercy would not allow that to be.  Instead, He provided a way for mankind to be delivered, through faith in Jesus Christ, and to be reunited with theirSource, their God, Creator and King. 

 

Romans 6:17-19   But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness

 

Fallen mankind lost their God given Shekinah glory, after obeying Satan, and they were transformed, mutated and transfigured into the likeness of their new master, Satan and sin. In their obedience to Satan, they gave all their God given authority and dominion over to Satan and the world fell into chaos, death and destruction.  

 

God did not create this world of confusion, death and ruin, it was the result of the choice of mankind and their disobedience to God’s instructions. With the death of mankind’s God-like spirit, man became the living dead, because its spirit and soul were no longer attached to its source. The death of the spirit and lost soul is the dead that Jesus was speaking of when he told the man, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” In this fallen state mankind’s spirit is dead and his soul is lost. 

 

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  

Luke 9:59-60 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” NKJ

Mankind’s “will” is part of their soul, it is their ability to choose, and it is their God given right, characteristic and attribute. Satan cannot take humanity’s ability to choose, though he may lie to deceive them to make the wrong choices. God will not take away their ability to choose, even though their choices may be wrong, toxic or fatal. In the beginning it was in their God given power to choose, whether to obey God or Satan. Humanity’s ability to choose, “their will” is at the very core of who they are, their being. The will of mankind is atthe very heart of their soul and spirit. The body was made to function on the earth, but the soul was made to commune with their God through the spirit to fulfill its purpose, but the spiritof mankind died at the fall. 

 

Ephesians 2:4-5, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 

 

The soul is constantly looking for a connection and is trying to find purpose and meaning for life, because it became lost and unattached to its Source, God’s Spirit. The soul is looking for love, value and purpose in all the wrong places. Humanity will not find true love, purpose and value until their spirit is revived by the Holy Spirit, through faith in the completed work of Christ.    Once again God sends His life-giving Holy Spirit into mankind, and they become a living soul, re-connected to theirlife-giving source (God) and his created purpose, to reveal the love and life of God upon the earth. 

 

We often hear the terms, the lost soul, the wandering soul, or no peace for the soul, that is because God’s plan and purpose for mankind did not change. Because of the fall, God’s original purpose for mankind took an alternate course in following Satan, but God’s purpose did not change. Humanity still has a will and their God given right to choose, again whether to return to God or to continue in a life of chaos and destruction. 

 

It was God’s mercy and a Father’s love for His creation and His children that caused Him to send Yeshua, Jesus as our Rescuer and Savior, so that we could be restored back to a relationship and into the family of God as His children. God provided a wayfor His children to be set free from Satan’s mutated, distorted and perverse state of being.

 

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, no work we can perform to make us holy, righteous, or saved on our own. We are saved and made holy and righteous because of what Christ has already done. No one can stand before God according to their work or performance, our best efforts are filthy in His sight. We all stand on the same ground, at the foot of the cross of Christ in need of a Savior. It is because we are love by God and have been saved through faith that we now go and serve a lost world. We are not trying to earn God’s love, we already have it, but it is our love for God and His Son Jesus that we now go out to show that love to a lost and deprived world. 

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

The renewed Holy Spirit of God lives in us through faith in Jesus Christ.  We can show His mercy, grace, forgiveness and love to others because this is what we have received from God. We do not work to obtain God’s love, it is His gift, we cannot earn it.  It is because we have received God’s love that we now show His love, mercy and grace to a lost and dying world. 

 

1 Corinthians 15:45 So it is written [in Scripture], “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL (an individual);” the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit [restoring the dead to life]. AMP

 

The first Adam, became living with the Spirit of God and his will/soul was connected to God. Adam rebelled against God and the Spirit of God left and his soul was disconnected from its source. Jesus, the last Adam became the life-giving spirit, reviving the dead spirit of mankind and reconnecting his soul/will to its Creator and restoring God’s original purpose, for humanity to be the image bearer of God and replenishing the earth with His likeness. 

 

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The Level of Our Integrity Determines the Level of Our Success

It is imperative that we stand with integrity. The enemy and the world would have us to believe we can be halfhearted and not fully committed to integrity and it will be ok in the end because they will say it does not matter.   But we are told to be like God and He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  God is One with Himself and we are called to be one person at all times. We are to be followers of Christ, people of integrity every day of the week and in every circumstance.  We are to be people of integrity, to be the same today when things are going well and the same tomorrow when the bottom falls out of our lives.  We must hold fast to same level of integrity, being the same whole, one person at all times.  We are not multiple personalities, not knowing what person and attitude will show up.  We are call to holy and holiness is being the same person at all times just as God is the same, He does not change and we should not either.

Integrity is the covenant we make with ourselves and God to commit to live to His standard of ethical behavior and conduct, especially when life comes to test our convictions. Everyone will be tested or tempted to take the easy way out and the results will be measured according to our integrity.  The testing of a metal is important in finding the weak areas or where it may crack or fail.  Our areas of strength or weakness are found when the test of life comes and the pressures of life are applied and our true self is revealed.

Holy comes from a Hebrew word, qadash, the root meaning clean, to dedicate, or to set-apart, or being whole. This is who God wants us to be when we are with our friends or family dedicated to being the same person at all time, being whole and not split into several personalities depending on who we are around. We are to be the same person on the job as we are at church or in the community. So many of us have multiple personalities living in one body and it is difficult for others to know who the real person is.  Many of us have different personas that we display depending who we are interacting with.  People may not know which personality will show up on any given day or which persona they will be talking to.  It is important to remember that we are called to be one person at all times.

It has been drilled into our minds that holiness is associated with our appetites, cravings or desires.  But holiness is a commitment to live as one person at all times and live an informed life and not be ignorant of God’s word. The truth we know and accept can change the way we think about ourselves and others.   If we are one with ourselves and know who we truly are, we will worship and be committed to our Sovereign King.  We are foreigners living in a strange and different country and culture and God has called us to represent Him.  We will find ourselves in some major battle and we are to be prepared to stand and not let our appetites or the world’s opinions rule over us.

Hebrew 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever NKJV

1 Peter 1: 14-17   As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. NIV

When we know in our hearts and minds that we were created for greatness in the image and the likeness of God, the enemy and the world cannot have us trick us with their lies. We can only stand by knowing what the word of God says about who we are and how God loves us. It is our knowledge of God’s truth that will keep us from destruction.  It is our commitment and integrity to God’s word that propels us to success. It is not just intellectual knowledge but it is the truth that we commit to and do that sets us free.

Our commitment to integrity is what will keep us from being swayed by wrong motives, society, family or friends. It is our commitment and the decision we make when we are alone with ourselves to live by integrity that will give us the strength to stand when the waves of life come crashing in on us.  Many of us think we will be ready when the storm hits, and we will be able to just say no to life’s pressures. But they will find that they were not prepared to stand the test because they were without the truth of God’s word nor had they committed to the integrity of God’s way. That is why so many people fall to the ways of the world when they are under pressure.   When the flesh is fighting for its life that is not the time to stop and try to figure out what God said or try to make a decision on the spot.  Military personnel know they cannot do strategic battle planning in the middle of the fight. Those decisions must be made before they are in the battle and then their actions are automatic based on the planning and training beforehand. We too must know the battle plan before the battle.

Again, a covenant to God and commitment to ourselves is made in the quietness of our heart, and then we make a choice to stand for integrity.  It is in the quiet times we will make a decision to stand for truth while we take into consideration the cost and the repercussions that will follow our decision not go along with the world’s way.  It is at this time we make peace with ourselves and commit to God’s love and then we are able to stand against the pressures of the world and are able to fulfill our purpose. Knowing Who God is, His love for us and His purpose for our lives will give us the will and the strength to hold on to our integrity.

Integrity is to have a steady devotion and allegiance to act and adhere to just and ethical principles of God and to have the soundness of moral character to be honest in every situation. Only the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is more important as Christ followers and eternity than our commitment to integrity.

John 8:31-32     To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” NIV

Psalms 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You NKJV

Proverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. NKJV

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. NKJV

Our integrity is the most valuable asset we have, beside the Holy Spirit living in us, and is a primary weapon against the enemy and against self-destruction. Integrity is our steady allegiance to God’s principles which aid to our success and to the success of our children.  The right and ethical conduct according to God is found in the word of God, the Bible.  It is virtually impossible to stand committed to integrity under presser apart from the commitment to God’s truth and knowing His word by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Most people are committed to doing the right thing and they will try as long as things are going well. But when life brings chaos and shortages the nature of man will return to the fallen state of survival and self-preservation. Integrity is an individual choice to trust God in all things for our provision, health and even our life.  No one can give us integrity and no one can take away our integrity it is a personal commitment.  Our integrity is linked with our God given will, which is our ability to choose to live by a standard of conduct and principles outlined by the God our Creator to ensure our good success in this life and life eternal.

Our integrity is what allows us to be one with ourselves, that is to say we are one person all the times. Whether we are alone with no one looking or if we are before thousands of people, we are the same person at all the times. God calls this Holy, to have the character of God, to be the same yesterday, today and forever no matter the situation.

Our integrity is our contract or our pledge we make to ourselves and God to uphold His word and to trust God to be with us in the challenges of this world and to help us stand against the cravings of this world and the flesh. We all live in this fallen world and fallen humanity with the pride of mankind railing against the word of God with passions of the flesh if left unbridled would send us all into a vortex of corruption and decadence. It is our integrity that holds us to a commitment of control and restraint and it is because of the decision we made before we entered the battle that sustains us.

Remember, it is our integrity that brings glory to God, which is why the trails of life comes to test us and to see if we are really committed to the truth, we say we know and have.   The world knows how it will respond in difficult times and expect Christ followers to do the same. We have seen it all too often in a time of crisis people lose their concern and compassion for others and become self-centered and self-absorbed.  To see someone committed to their word and hold to their integrity even at a cost to them, is an example to the world the love of God and the power of God to uphold and keep His people.

God will be praised when we are able to stand against the chaos and pressures of life and for our ability to live integrity which come from our God.

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