Cleansing, Discerning the Body

4/6/2002

Saturday Morning, April 6, 2002

Question: Hello, I would much rather be writing to you for the first time under sunnier skies, but Jesus has lovingly brought in storm clouds to wash us and clean us up. If the Lord gives you insight to what I am about to share with you, would you please share with me? Thanks.

I was to bring a challenge before the saints here, to have them EXPLORE past building practices, and express Jesus’ desire to expose the deep regions of our hearts. This is how my note to them began: “We must learn now from our past ignorance, being careful how we build.”…

I have questions for you. Is a man who desperately desires the truth a sinful man? Is a man who sincerely seeks revelation of who Jesus really is a sinful man? Is a man who seeks relationship with TRUE Christians sinful?

I am sad for this state we are in, but am confident Jesus’ Higher purpose will prevail.

Hi. I appreciate your sincerity in this, but there are some Spiritual Truths you’ll need to understand in order to “process” this correctly. In one summary statement, which I will explain a little bit more completely: YES, the man you refer to, “sincere” as he seemed, was leaven. And he even admitted it numerous times in his letters to us. I’m not certain of the value of trying to identify what “was” rather than being ever watchful over what “is”—except for the educational value. But, since you all have many more years of opportunity to serve our God as Priests, the “education” can serve you and protect you well for years to come. So, that’s a good enough reason in this case to try to discern “what was” in the case of this man.

The other man’s condition is obvious, as you say, and was of great concern to everyone here as well, all along. We were concerned about his “meteoric growth” primarily because he said “too much, too soon,” and crops don’t generally grow like that. Though we’re always open to something God may want to do for His own Purposes that is unlike His normal Ways, usually if a crop grows like that (instantaneous and flowery acceptance of Truths that will cost him every ounce of his life, when his “track record” is self-indulgence and meaningless religion), it is mutant, not healthy. “Springing up quickly with great joy” is not necessarily something to be excited about, as Jesus taught us clearly. And so, we were very guarded with him, though desiring to be hopeful that whatever “returning to his vomit” that may lie ahead for him would be followed by a second, more humble and sober and true conversion. So far, of course, he has not yet returned from his vomit, unfortunately. And he may never. The road IS broad that leads to destruction and few will be those who find the Road of Life.

BUT, back to the first man you asked about, since that is the major part of why you wrote and the current “disagreement.” You’ll have to stay with me now and hear this whole thing out, which I’ll have to take in stages. Here we go—and stay focused all the way through, because this is very important for the rest of your lives in being a part of building in Jesus and with Jesus….

YES, the ones you mentioned you are having this disagreement with regarding “what is leaven” are correct, and he himself confirmed in letter after letter: he was leaven. What he is now is up to him and God. Right?! : ) But, YES, there were very serious problems there. He admitted himself that he was little more than a corpse (and how could that NOT be leaven?), and then his “efforts” (sincere as they may have been) were made almost exclusively out of human flesh—which is also leaven! “Get the slave woman and her child out of my house” says the Lord (Gal. 4:30). So, beyond any question or dispute, YES, he was leaven. Sincerity and human effort are not a substitute for walking in the Spirit, and only that is an aroma acceptable to the Lord. All else is leaven, until and unless it is being dealt with, in the Light. So much of what he wrote was grotesquely oozing with human flesh and filtered entirely through the human mind, uncontrolled by the Spirit (Rom. 8). That is far from “just” my discernment. It was firmly unanimous from everyone who has demonstrated they Know God and His Heart and Ways, who read his letters.

Now, know this! That can be just a stage a person goes through. John 12:24—everyone must die to their egos and “the way that seems right to a man, but leads to death,” and their incessant appeal to “the tree of knowledge” for their peace and satisfaction and direction. If a person is not so thoroughly shielded from the destruction of their flesh (by their own egos, by dark forces ordering circumstances to confirm them in their sins, or by well-meaning humans who love their own flesh and can’t stand to see anyone else suffer for their flesh), then the stage of life of the decomposing of their wisdom from the flesh, “which is unspiritual and of the devil,” can be only a stage that moves them closer to the Real things.

However, it is essential that we not run after Hagar and Ishmael and let our pity for them overrule God’s Decree that flesh is not permitted in His House. We have asked people to leave over the years who would do anything for you, and were agreeable to every conceivable thing… but it was all flesh, and therefore leaven. “What do you want me to do?” “What do you want me to believe?” “What is the right way to act to be accepted?” These too are flesh, and are just as much leaven as someone who always wants to be disagreeable, question or second-guess or be in control of everything. “Prove it to me.” “That’s just your opinion. I have my own relationship with God. You just want me to conform.” Both are leaven: the one who lets others be their God, and also the one who is their own God. Only that which is discernibly born of the Spirit, regardless of personality type or quirks or current maturity level, is NOT leaven!

If your question is, “Was he leaven?” Of course. But he decided to be leaven, because he had choices to make in the middle of this recent journey, and he chose the way of the flesh. He wasn’t, in all likelihood, just utterly deceitful from the beginning. He was being offered Life by the Spirit of Christ, and he played mind games and manipulation games, in addition to some legitimate opportunities he was being offered by God, out of God’s very unmerited favor. But to this point, he has returned to his vomit, where at least he can be god of his own vomit, if nothing else. A kingdom of vomit, to some, is better than someOne else sitting on the throne.

If your question is, “Was he leaven?” Beyond question. There was essentially no Spirit Life in anything he said, or anything he did—regardless of how sincere he may have been, or how much he desired it. There is a supernatural battle, not of flesh and blood, not born of human decision or natural descent or a husband’s will—and he was not “on the other side” of the battle between flesh and Spirit. No way. And that is the only way the matter can be evaluated. If we ever start building out of sympathy (“But we feel sorry for them!” “But they might commit suicide!”) or good intentions (“They’d give you the shirt off their back!” “Look how hard they try!” “Look at all they’ve given up for God and His Kingdom!”) or human desire or human talents (“We could really use someone like that to give us credibility, because they have a big name!” “We could really use more numbers, or more musicians, or someone with some serious money to advance the cause of Christ”)… If we ever start building that way, we are dead. A little leaven leavens the whole batch, and even Ai will destroy us. Uzzah, Nadab, and Abihu, Korah, Cain, and Balaam, and all they have deceived and leavened will all die. What is NOT JESUS—is leaven. What is NOT IN HIS SPIRIT (and I’m not speaking of mistakes, or maturity, or even “sins” per se), what is NOT BREATHING THE AIR OF HIS SPIRIT as its natural habitat, having a Supernatural interaction with the GodHead—all of that is leaven.

And, beyond any question, he was more surely leaven than the other man was, months ago. Why? Because he had a chance to See, and chose not to do so. He was blind as a bat, and was yet to have found the Door, and was not yet facing his Chance at that time because of an arrogant and errant view of himself. Oftentimes people in this state also have other unrepented-of hidden sins that blind, as well. But the arrogant and errant view of oneself is sufficient all by itself to keep a person in the natural away from the True God and Miraculous Life, and essentially blind to the fact that there even IS anything more than what they “have.” “I’m as good as so-and-so. Who do they think THEY are? What about THEM?”

So, hope that clears it up for you. : ) I know this is Lofty stuff, but learn it well. It will save your life and the lives of many others in the years to come.

Please send this to the others involved. I think it’s essential that everyone is moving together towards the Goal without any petty fights or immature viewpoints. It’s time to move forward, without allowing pride or “hurt feelings” or misunderstandings steal the Future that Father has planned for you. Lot’s wife looked back. We don’t. Let’s “put our hands to the plow” and not look back any longer. There are plenty of real things to deal with today, and more experience with the Cross and its shame and its suffering that you will yet encounter if you take the High Road (instead of man’s ways, which lead to death).

Let’s go forward. The one will make his choices, Today. He will make his, and demonstrate who he is and who he hopes to be…Today. You will as well, as we all will. Today is the day of Deliverance. Grace and Peace to you…