Month: March 2014

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Kiss the Frog (Part 2)

The Way Out

Is there a way out of addiction? Yes! Sanctification is the way out. The word “sanctification” means to be set apart, or to be made holy. So, what do we need to be set apart from? (1.) Our spirit needs to be set apart from the Devil’s kingdom. (2.) Our soul (our thoughts, imaginations and emotions) needs to be set apart from Satan’s kingdom. (3.) Our behavior needs to be set apart from Satan’s kingdom.

How can we set our spirit apart from Satan’s kingdom? Our spirit is not able to overpower Satan, and he is not willing to release us from his spiritual kingdom. There is nothing that we can do; our spirit is trapped in Satan’s spiritual kingdom.

Thankfully, Yahweh sent His Son Yeshua to rescue us from Satan’s spiritual kingdom and place us in His Spiritual Kingdom! (save us!) When we hear the Gospel, which is the Good News that Yeshua shed His blood to ransom us out of Satan’s kingdom, and we bow to Him as Lord, His Spirit indwells us. As Yeshua’s Spirit indwells us, He removes our spirit from Satan’s spiritual kingdom, and places us in His Spiritual Kingdom, by establishing it in us.

Through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit, Yahweh gives us power so that we can stop our soul and body from acting like Satan. The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us in order to sanctify our soul and body. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of His character in our lives to sanctify our soul and body. The Holy Spirit gives us understanding of His Word to sanctify our soul and body. The Holy Spirit gives gifts to people through us in order to build their faith and sanctify their spirit, soul and body. And in the process of giving these gifts to other people, our faith is built up so that we can sanctify our soul and body.

So here’s the bottom line. The process of sanctification begins in the spirit realm. More specifically, the process of sanctification begins when we bow to Yeshua, and His blood ransoms our spirit out of Satan’s spiritual kingdom, and His Spirit establishes Yahweh’s Spiritual Kingdom in us! This is where recovery begins.

Choose Your Path

The Scriptures say that Yahweh sanctifies our spirit via the Cross, and the Blood. Then, Yahweh connects our sanctified spirit to His Spirit and Word, which supply the power and direction that we need in order to sanctify our soul and body.

As we study and meditate on Yahweh’s Word, we change the way we think. We begin to think more like Yahweh, and less like Satan. We use our new reasoning abilities to cast down every argument, imagination, and emotion that does not line up with Yahweh’s Word. We also yield to the Holy Spirit, and let Him lead us.

Paul called this process the re-newing of the mind. Paul said that a believer was transformed by the re-newing of his mind. When Yahweh regenerated our spirit, and delivered it from Satan’s kingdom, that was an ontological transformation. When we cooperate with the Spirit and the Word, and allow them to re-new our mind, that is an experiential transformation. This sets our soul apart from Satan’s kingdom. Then, our soul has a new agenda that sets our body apart from Satan’s kingdom. In other words, our renewed soul changes our bodily behavior.

Yahweh’s recovery plan is spiritual sanctification that works itself out in our lives as we re-new our minds. It should not surprise us to learn that the Counterfeiter has put together a recovery plan that is also based on spiritual sanctification.

Essentially, A.A. says we can practice a set of spiritual (moral/ethical) principles, in all our affairs, and sanctify ourselves. The first three Steps, and their underlying spiritual principles, mimic the work of the Cross and the Blood of Yeshua. The first three Steps position a person to receive power and direction from a Power greater than himself (presumably his Creator), so he can work the remaining steps.

It is not possible, however, for a person to connect with Yahweh without going through His Son’s bloodstained Cross. Thus, Yahweh does not remove the person, who works the first three Steps from Satan’s spiritual kingdom, and put him in His Spiritual Kingdom. Hence, the person is not sanctified spiritually.

Since the first three Steps do not remove a person from Satan’s spiritual kingdom, and place him in Yahweh’s Spiritual Kingdom, he does not have fellowship with Yahweh. This person thinks that he is walking hand-in-hand with his Creator, but since he has rejected Yahweh’s revelation, The Master Deceiver is deceiving him.

Spiritual principles are attitudes and actions that nourish our immaterial part (spirit). Spiritual principles are closely related to moral and ethical principles. “Moral” refers to “right behavior”. “Ethical” refers to “a standard” of right behavior.

Hence, when we live by spiritual/moral/ethical principles, our conscience does not condemn us, and we don’t feel the guilt and shame that come from thinking and living wrong. The Deceiver knows that when our conscience is quiet, it is easy for him to deceive us into believing that we are right with our Creator.

Since moral behaviors and ethical standards are tied to religious doctrines, A.A. uses the term, “spiritual” principles. As the story goes, spiritual principles do not come from religious doctrines, they come from the nature of the universe. And there are attitudes and actions that bring us into unity with “God,” others and our true-self, and there are attitudes and actions that separate us from “God,” others and our true-self. Supposedly, dysfunction (addiction) is the result of violating life’s spiritual principles, and the solution to dysfunction (addiction) is adhering to them.

This is one version of A.A.’s spiritual (moral/ethical) principles.

Step 1: Honesty
Step 2: Faith
Step 3: Surrender
Step 4: Soul Searching
Step 5: Integrity
Step 6: Acceptance
Step 7: Humility
Step 8: Willingness
Step 9: Forgiveness
Step 10: Maintenance
Step 11: Making Contact
Step 12: Service

Practicing A.A.’s 12 spiritual principles, in all your affairs, will change the way you think, which will change the way you act. So, practicing A.A.’s spiritual principles will sanctify your soul and body…but they will not sanctify your soul or body, unto Yahweh. Practicing these spiritual principles may mimic Yahweh’s sanctification by correcting a dysfunction in your life, but they will not make you right with Him. Practicing these spiritual principles may even lead to spiritual experiences that make you aware of the spirit realm, but they will not awaken you to Yahweh.

The objectives of Yahweh’s plan, and the objectives of Satan’s plan are identical. The mechanisms that bring about the objectives in Yahweh’s plan are identical to the mechanisms that bring about the objectives in Satan’s plan. However, the power source that drives the mechanisms in Yahweh’s plan is the polar opposite of the power source that drives the mechanisms in Satan’s plan. This is the problem.

Since the objectives and mechanisms of Satan’s recovery plan are identical to the objectives and mechanisms of Yahweh’s recovery plan, some people think the recovery plans are identical. They are not! The power and information source that drives the mechanisms in the two plans are very different. Why does this matter? It matters because power and information come from relationship, and there is only one way to establish a relationship with Yahweh! You must go to the Cross!

Some people say that we don’t have to travel down the “Roman Road” in order to submit to Yahweh. These people say that they can submit to Yahweh by working the 3rd Step (surrendering their will and life to a God of their own understanding.) These people are denying Yahweh’s revelation, and His Son’s finished work on the Cross. These people are preaching “another Gospel”. And when they preach Jesus in this other Gospel, they are preaching “another Jesus”. Run from these people!

These people say that the only thing that differs between Yahweh’s recovery plan and A.A.’s recovery plan is terminology. These people say that they can use the terminology that they want to use to submit to God, and you can use the terminology that you want to use to submit to God. The only thing that is really important is that we submit to God, and we all do that differently. This is wrong! If you do not submit to God, the way He said to submit to Him (through His Son’s bloodstained Cross), then you will submit to someone other than God.

Some things Never Change

In the beginning, the wise old Serpent promised that we could be like Yahweh by knowing right and wrong. That is, the crafty Serpent said that we did not have to submit to Yahweh’s revelation, and promised that we could create a more pleasing reality by practicing a set of moral/ethical/spiritual principles. The Serpent lied.

The Serpent has not changed his tactics. Through A.A., the Serpent says that we do not have to submit to Yahweh’s revelation, and promises that we can recover by practicing a set of moral/ethical/ spiritual principles. The Serpent is still lying.

The lies of the Serpent are subtle. The Serpent counterfeits the works of Yahweh. This is why the counterfeit recovery program just sounds like a less threatening, or a modernized politically-correct version of Yahweh’s recovery plan. It is not!

The counterfeit recovery program is carefully crafted. It uses some of the terms and concepts that are in Yahweh’s plan. The Serpent knew that if his plan looked very different from Yahweh’s, he would have a hard time getting you to accept it.

For the sake of contrast, let’s say that the Serpent’s plan instructed you to kiss a frog, so that it would turn into a savior, who would deliver you from addiction. In this outlandish hypothetical scenario, you would probably realize, very quickly, that Yahweh’s plan was a viable plan, and the Serpent’s plan was a fairy tale.

This is exactly why the Serpent made his recovery plan look like Yahweh’s. And to sweeten the mixture, the Serpent used earthy concepts that appeal to the natural mind. Then, the Serpent put the icing on the cake, by eliminating the specificity that Yahweh built into His recovery plan, in order to make it all-inclusive.

The Serpent’s frosted cake appeals to fallen people with natural minds. The sad thing is that the Serpent’s sweet-cake does not impart any of the spiritual blessings that Yahweh’s Heavenly Manna does. And the saddest thing of all is that after a person eats the Serpent’s sweet-cake, he views Yahweh’s plan as a fairy tale.

In Yahweh’s recovery plan, He sanctifies our spirit, soul and body. Yahweh recreates us as a new creature, and gives us new desires that please Him.

In Satan’s recovery plan, we attempt to sanctify our spirit, soul and body. We do the religious things that A.A. prescribes in order to subdue our fallen nature, and change our desires.

It is our choice.

We can work Yahweh’s recovery plan; or, we can kiss the frog.

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Kiss the Frog (Part 1)

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul wrote, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

What is man? Well, according to Yahweh, Who inspired Paul, man is comprised of spirit, soul and body. These three “parts” are not discrete, divisible subunits; they are integrated, indivisible subunits, which interact to comprise the whole man.

A man’s spirit connects him to the spirit realm. A man’s body connects him to the earth realm. A man’s soul connects his spirit to his body. This means that a man’s soul manifests the spirit realm in the earth realm.

There are two kingdoms in the spirit realm: Yahweh’s kingdom and Satan’s kingdom. A man’s soul works in conjunction with his body in order to manifest a spiritual kingdom on the earth. The spiritual kingdom that a man’s soul and body will manifest on the earth, depends on which spiritual kingdom his spirit resides in.

Since we are all born into Satan’s spiritual kingdom, it is natural and normal for us to manifest Satan’s spiritual kingdom on the earth. This is why Satan’s kingdom currently rules over the earth and its inhabitants. This is why no one has to teach us to be selfish, lustful, greedy, unruly, rebellious, power-hungry liars. It is why no one has to teach us to manipulate circumstances and people. And it is why no one has to teach us to seek pleasure and run over those who try to restrain us; that is, this is why no one has to teach us how to become addicted to alcohol or drugs.

The First Addict

Yahweh created Lucifer, and put him in His Kingdom. The reality Yahweh put Lucifer in was unacceptable to him, however. Lucifer rebelled against Yahweh’s authority, and tried to reshape his reality. Yah put Lucifer in that reality, so he would grow and fulfill his eternal purpose, but he refused to cooperate. Lucifer lifted himself up, and conspired with other angels to overthrow Yahweh.

Lucifer got a taste of power and worship, and it gave him a rush. After this initial rush, Lucifer continued with his plan to overthrow Yahweh, in spite of the risks. Lucifer had to know that eventually the all-knowing, all-powerful Yahweh would discover his plan, and punish him, but nevertheless, he continued down this destructive path, deceiving himself in order to get more pleasurable rushes.

Lucifer is an addict. Lucifer is hooked on worship, and power. Lucifer rules the kings and kingdoms of the earth, and receives worship from all those he deceives. Lucifer knows that one-day Yahweh will banish him in the fiery lake, but he will not repent because he likes the pleasurable power rushes. Sadly, Lucifer is trading his long-term welfare for short-term rewards, which is what addicts do.

Yahweh put Lucifer in a place of authority. Lucifer guarded Yahweh’s throne. Yahweh built Lucifer with mechanisms that gave him pleasure when he exercised his authority, and fulfilled his purpose. Yahweh set boundaries for Lucifer’s authority, however. Lucifer stepped over the boundaries that Yahweh erected, and abused his pleasure mechanisms, and they enslaved him.

Like Father, Like Son

Yahweh created man with a brain/body complex that gave him pleasure whenever he engaged in activities that promoted his survival. Activities like eating, drinking, and having sex, triggers the release of chemicals in the brain/body complex. As these chemicals (neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and hormones) circulate in the bloodstream, they bind to sights throughout the brain/body complex, which release secondary chemicals and generate electrical impulses. The secondary chemical messengers open up specific pathways for the electrical impulses.

Man perceives the flow of this chemical and electrical energy, and “experiences” it. The flow of chemical and electrical energy does not produce pleasure, in and of itself. The pleasure is generated as our spirit (our immaterial subject component) experiences the flow of chemical and electrical energy through our brain/body complex (our material object component). Why do we perceive pleasure? For the same reason we perceive red. We perceive the color red, and the sensation of pleasure, because we are immaterial subjects interacting with material objects.

The experience of perceiving the color red or the sensation of pleasure cannot be reduced down to biology or physics because they are subjective experiences; that is, they are the ontological activities of a subject interacting with a universe of objects. It is not the flow of dopamine through the brain’s mesolimbic system (reward center) that generates pleasure; it is the spirit experiencing the flow of dopamine through the mesolimbic system that produces pleasure. As our spirit enters the “pleasure state,” this shift triggers the release of chemical and electrical energies that trigger physiological processes to manifest pleasure in our body.

Yahweh created us with a reward center in our brain that is automatically triggered by a range of very specific behaviors. Since pleasure is a subjective experience, however, we have the leeway to value, interpret and define pleasure for ourselves. This is why I may derive an enormous amount of pleasure from an activity that you derive little or no pleasure from, or find repulsive. This is also how people get addicted to strange things like eating cigarette butts or bathing in bleach.

Yahweh set boundaries for the activities that give man pleasure, and when a man steps over these boundaries, he opens himself up to the possibility of enslavement to these feelings; that is, he opens himself up to the possibility of becoming addicted to the activities that produce these pleasurable feelings.

Since we were all born into a fallen world that is filled with fallen people, often, our reality is not what we want it to be. And since we abide in Satan’s kingdom, as his children, many of us attempt to change reality (the reality that we experience). We drink alcohol or use drugs to trigger our brain’s reward center, and experience pleasurable feelings, or change the interaction of our brain modules in order to produce an altered state of consciousness that is more acceptable to us.

As we ingest chemicals to trigger our brain’s reward center, or a change in consciousness, we create an altered reality that is more pleasing to us. This is how we escape from the reality that Yahweh has placed us in. But here’s the problem: Yahweh placed us in a reality of His choosing that would force us to confront the issues in us and grow into our eternal purpose. So when we attempt to change reality by ingesting chemicals, we circumvent Yahweh’s plan for our eternal well-being. We rebel against Yahweh, and commit the sin of witchcraft.

When we repeatedly enter the reality that we create by ingesting a chemical, at some point, this altered reality becomes the only reality that we are comfortable in. So, we devote ourselves to the chemical that produces this altered reality. Our spirit-man bows down to the chemical, and devotes itself to it, and this sets into motion a spiritual-psychological-biological process that takes away our heart.

Here’s what I mean.

Over time, the chemical saturates our body and sets up a homeostatic imbalance, which pushes us towards the chemical (a compulsion). Then, we get accustomed to living in the altered reality, and so we disconnect from Yahweh’s reality. Soon, we begin to merely react to the reality that Yahweh created and manipulate it in order to support the reality that we created. The two conflicting realities create crises that we must defuse. Our new lifestyle rewires our brain, and generates psychological forces that drive us towards the goal of sustaining our altered reality (an obsession). These spiritual, psychological and biological forces interact and form a strong bondage (an addiction).

After an addiction forms, its spiritual, psychological and biological forces exert a tremendous amount of pressure on our heart. This is very important because our decisions flow from our heart. The spiritual, psychological and biological forces that we set up, by our own actions, which we freely chose, now hold tremendous sway over all our future decisions. From this point forward, we tend to make decisions that support and sustain our altered reality. Often, these decisions bring us into conflict with Yahweh’s reality, and generate negative consequences for us.

Even though we know full well that a decision will bring us into conflict with Yahweh’s reality, and hurt us, or our loved ones, we will proceed with it in order to support and sustain our altered reality. Following in Lucifer’s footsteps, we make irrational decisions, and trade our long-term welfare for short-term reward.

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