To Live Wholly by Taffie Beisecker

By Taffie Beisecker
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I've been pondering life, love, truth, relationships, what many consider to be happiness, and the things that bring us sorrow - just to name a short list. What I've written below comes from the pondering and in the seeking of the Holy Spirit from within my heart and conclusions from my own life experiences and passions of my heart. I'm sharing them with you, only for the possibility that in something of them, you might find a small portion of direction for yourself, hope, or some form of revelation that may help in your own journey of life.
 
Although not the most pleasurable of the mentioned topics, I'm going to begin with the aspect of sorrow. There's no way to get around it, in this world, we are going to go through times of pain and trials. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. The Greek word for 'tribulation' is, thlipsis and it's definition is; pressure, oppression, stress, anguish, tribulation, adversity, affliction, crushing, squashing, squeezing, distress. I believe each and every one of us has at one time or another experienced times and/or seasons of these attributes of tribulation within our lives.
 
The Opportunity for Us to Be Transformed
 
The amazing thing about the trials we face in life is that each one whether we realize it or not during the course of the trial, holds the opportunity for us to be transformed. That transformation within our character can be one of becoming bitter and having a perspective of thereafter viewing life from an attitude of negativity. Or we become empowered with a greater strength of overcoming and what we've so often referred to as an "attitude of gratitude." Whichever outcome of character that we walk away with on the other side of the trial, whether you want to believe it or not, is all about what we as individuals have chosen to walk away with. Perception is a choice. We have a free will, which entails our entire being; mind, heart, and physical being. We choose to either focus on negativity or the positive, and whichever one we set our sites on is exactly what is absorbed into our core, thus influencing our thoughts and actions to follow suit.
 
Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.
 
In my lifetime, I have personally experienced several seasons of tribulation. None that I can say I would delight in walking through again, but all that I can say, the lessons I learned and the awakening of truth within my heart I experienced as I walked through each trial, is as a priceless treasure to me. It's because of those times, I now know how to recognize and appreciate; life, love, grace, forgiveness, relationship, truth, blessing, joy, unity, passion...and the list continues to grow. If that doesn't make sense to you, try thinking of it in this manner; if you have experienced the bondage of slavery, then once you gain your freedom from slavery, you can value and appreciate that freedom in a greater measure than the person who has never tasted the bondage of being enslaved.
 
Luke 7:36-47 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denari, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more? Simon answered and said, I suppose the one whom he forgave more. And He said to him, You have rightly judged. Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.
 
Peace Must Come First
 
There are many things we pursue in our endeavor of trying to find the key to happiness and what we believe to be success; fame, beauty, higher education, the perfect career, financial wealth, popularity, romance...etc. None of these things are wrong in themselves, and each one may very well be a contribution to our lives that brings some satisfaction. Ultimately, true happiness can't come without first having peace, which comes by way of spiritual reconciliation unto God through Jesus. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." And given that, without this reconciliation there is a void within...but let me further say, being created human, we have also been created with not only a spiritual need, but a human/flesh need & desire as well. For example, man cannot live on bread alone but from every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deut 8:3) That verse is addressing not to only nourish our natural/human person that we are, but also make sure our spirits within are being nourished as well, because we are a multifaceted creation; not only being of human flesh but of spirit too. We are not intended to nourish the one and neglect the other, for we are an entire package of flesh, spirit and soul.
 
James 2:15-16: If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
 
Too often, the church, the religious community, Christians, whatever you want to refer to us as, have neglected the truth that we were created as human beings, with certain wants, desires and needs that are perfectly normal and right. The truth is, we were created to love and be loved, not just knowing the love of our Creator, but also to know love and companionship of romance, friendship and family. One of the greatest afflictions in the pursuit of happiness is knowing the sorrow of rejection and lost love. I'm sorry, but we're fooling ourselves if we pretend that we really don't need or want anyone else, other than relationship with Jesus. Now, I know there are those who are called to a life of never marrying, but living a total surrender to the Lord, and that's an amazing gift of grace those people have been given in order to live that out. Seriously, they are few and far between.
 
Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." 21&22 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
 
God is a God of Covenant
 
You see, it was God's conclusion that people need companionship, love, and romance. Not romance? Read the Song of Solomon, if you don't believe that God created us with the need and desire for passionate love and romance!? He most certainly did! ??? (excerpts from Song of Solomon: 1:1-4 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth - for your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love you. Draw me away! ? 2:4-7 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Sustain me with cakes of raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am lovesick. His left hand is under my head and his right hand embraces me. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases. ???....And this is as probably as good a time as any, to state that self control, is a good attribute to practice...Just to be clear in what I'm referring to, I'm in no way referring to careless, sexual behavior as the definition of passionate, romantic love. God is a god of covenant. His will for sexual relationships are to be within covenant.
 
If you have found the love of your life, you have received the most incredible and precious gift, meant for a lifetime of pleasure, companionship, and love so deep that it melds you together as one. I have observed and pondered in the depths of my heart this love so deep and powerful that it brings two together as one, and it grieves me to say that I have all too often experienced and witnessed it being overlooked and/or not tended to as the true treasure it is purposed to be. Too often, we allow pride, fear, complacency and many other walls of the heart, to rob and cheat us from receiving and giving in full capacity this love that was intended to be a union of everything good and a completing (partnering) of one another to the best of our capabilities. Adam and Eve were originally placed together naked. That means that they withheld nothing of themselves from one another, they were totally transparent, without fear or shame in their relationship with one another...as one. It wasn't until their eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil, that they became ashamed of their transparency/nakedness before one another, and therefore hid themselves (by clothing themselves) from each other and from God.
 
Nothing More Powerful than Love
 
Sin is missing the mark. When they became knowledgeable of good and evil, or in other words, of what perfectly hits the mark versus the shortcomings, then the focus of thought and perception, rather than simply being as one with one another, became that of shame, which produced the loss of transparency and the fullness of surrender to one another and that, then hindered their relationship. My point is, we are too often withholding it, when all the while we should be letting love abound and rule above all else. There is nothing more powerful, more valuable, more fulfilling, more sought after, more healing, or more eternal than love!!!
 
There are so many types of relationships; romantic, friendship, family - but regardless of the type, in all, if we would allow - with intention - love to abound above all else, we would find that we have found all that we're so earnestly searching after for in our pursuit for happiness and success. We would truly be living life. Passion in life and love would become alive and active within our hearts. There is no fear in perfect love (1John 4:18), therefore so many hindrances and walls in our relationships would melt away and we would experience new freedoms and acceptance in being our transparent selves, if we would decide to love and receive love without conditions and negative perceptions. Why is it that there's a glow to a person who is in love? Love breathes life into the depths of our beings. God is love (1John 4:8), God is Spirit (John 4:24); His spirit is life (John 10:10). When we love, and are loved, because we were created to love and be loved, it causes us to flourish and glow as if renewed with life from within.
 
To love without conditions means that we're not placing requirements and false expectations on other people and allowing that to determine whether we will issue love to them or not. We are to love at all times, but keep in mind that there are different levels and types of love, as well as relationships. Love, genuine love, without imposing conditions gives the freedom to people that they can be themselves without fear of love withheld. Also, when I refer to love without conditions, that's not meaning having no boundaries in relationships...those are two totally different topics. Destructive, abusive relationships are unacceptable, and safe, healthy boundaries are always to be implemented. If we love our children without condition, we love them regardless of what they do or how they behave, we don't lay down conditions for them by which they have to earn our love. We just simply love them. That's an example of loving without conditions. Receiving love without setting conditions upon ourselves is just as important. Oftentimes we refuse to receive love from others because we don't view ourselves of being worthy simply as we are, therefore we wall our heart from readily receiving love, because we've not met our own measure of conditions.
 
Focus on the Good
 
Negative perceptions are what cause us to view the glass as half empty as opposed to half full. It causes the focus to be on what's lacking and flawed, rather than focusing on what is available and good. If our perception is negative, our responses and actions take on that negative form as well. If we would focus, praise and draw out what is positive, we would see people and our relationships flourish at a new level. Take for example a plant that is properly cared for, given what is needed to thrive. It begins with few branches and roots, but after proper tending to, new sprouts develop, bringing positive increase, therefore bearing what was already in existence, plus the new growth.
 
Everything I named above, in our endeavor for happiness and success, is nothing wrong in itself, but then again, in itself the happiness and contentment each holds is only temporary. But any of those, being experienced with those whom you love - and those whom you love, being first & foremost & regarded as the most valuable and worthwhile pursuit, then, all other endeavors become much more satisfying.
 
To love wholly is to live wholly!
 
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek it's own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
 
Blessings to all!
 
Taffie Beisecker

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