God’s purpose for man is clearly taught by the things which are ‘SEEN’….the natural. One only has to observe nature to see the GLORIOUS characteristics of Creator God and His plan and purpose for birthing man from Death to Life.
John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
In Spring when all the fruits of death (winter/dormancy) burst into GLORIOUS life, we see a CLEAR picture of God’s purpose for man. We see the ‘why’ of God’s ‘appointment’ of physical and spiritual death for man in Eden. As the workings of the unseen mechanisms within dormant roots, rhizomes, and trunks of plants during winter result in the miracle of Life, so was the Father’s purpose in allowing the death of Adam and Eve (man) to prove the INCREDIBLE connection between Life and Death. LIFE of both man’s body and spirit results from the supernatural power of the supernatural Father. As children born from the will of the flesh….from the darkness of the womb, God’s children must, too, be birthed from the womb of darkness (Winter)…. to the glorious Light and Life ( Spring).
Easter….Resurrection Weekend…and so forth, is in my heart year round. But as EVERYTHING around me has moved from Death to Life, my heart falls on its face before the Creator and thanks Him for death of the ‘earthy’ man which pointed us to the Second Adam…Christ the Lord.
1 Cor 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body
46 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly
49 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
God’s purpose for man which began in Eden was finished when God demonstrated His power to bring man from Death to Life….in the person of Christ. God is sovereign over all things. He did not yield His sovereignty to ‘the most subtle deceiver’ at the Tree of Knowledge in Eden. The serpent was in the Garden of God only by permission to ‘beguile’ Eve who KNEW only Good. As the natural teaches of the spiritual, man was ‘planted’ by God in the Garden east of Eden so that he might die, and come forth in the likeness of his kind…in the Image of God. Not until Christ, too, was planted in the blackness of both physical and spirit Death…and RESURRECTED from the pit of the earth unto ETERNAL LIFE…did we see the fulness of God’s plan for man …which BEGAN in Eden and will be complete when Christ ‘returns the second time without sin unto salvation (Heb 9:28). As our ‘corruptible’ soul puts on Christ in the POWER of His indwelling Spirit…only then are we made ‘incorruptible.’…sanctified by the power of His perfect plan…forever to bloom forth as a child of God. In Eden, man was planted in spiritual corruption, to decay, to ‘fall’ into the darkness of the womb of mother earth(death) …as does a seed of corn…so that he might be raised up to become what he is purposed to be….a child of God. Only through death does one find Life.
As the death of Winter is urgent for the fruits of Spring, so, too, are we sewn in weakness…raised in power through Christ our Lord….IF we yield our dark souls to the Power of His RESURRECTION. We must DIE to self so we may be RESURRECTED in Him, by Him, through Him…to LIFE. . Nothing of ourselves. As Wnter is swallowed up in Spring…so is ‘Death swallowed up in Victory!’
HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FRUITS OF DEATH
MANIFESTED IN SPRING !
You said
the death of Winter is urgent for the fruits of Spring
Yes, absolutely yes. Seasons reveal God’s work. The process, each stage perfect–in its time that God ordained.
Have a blessed Easter, my friend–
Mary
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Thanks, Mary. Seems the sun shines brighter as we celebrate the days of His Death and Resurrection. Wonderful Easter-time to you, too, Mary.
Carolyn
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This truly is a glorious time of year. Have an amazing Resurrection Day Carolyn! In Him,
Eden
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Dear sister,
I followed over from Eden’s blog, because what you said about visions and dreams. Yes, I completely believe what you say, as the last scriptures in the Bible confirm, the scriptures never change. I (was) a skeptic about visions and dreams from God, that is, until they started happening to me. I would fall into the older men category I suppose. They come in that twilight zone between sleep and awareness that usually annoys me, but not anymore.
I wrote todays blog word for word on the dream/vision that I experienced this morning and it was amazing, I am not smart enough to come up with this stuff. I am left as a believer now, it has just been happening too much lately. Anyway, thanks for your insight to Eden, He has big plans for her!
God Bless
Jim
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Thanks for visiting! The first vision to me from God was when I was six. I still see it as clearly in my mind…as the night it came to me. I’ve always said I am truly the ‘dumb’ called to confound the wise. And God chose to teach me in video…so to speak. The visions have been so numerous over the years…I lost count. But as I need their message, God recalls them to my mind. AWESOME! But there are many who mistrust visions…and understandably so. God has always revealed..or ‘interpreted’ them to me by the already revealed Word. There have been three times when God showed me incredible and destructive tragedies…but did not allow me to know WHO they would happen to. After the events happened, I was able to remind those sorrowing that God knew these things many years earlier..and did not intervene. So, if God chose not to intervene…WHAT could they, themselves, have done? They took great comfort in being reminded that God KNOWS ALL. One was a vision of the death of my newborn who would be born fifteen years later. The events of his birth was IDENTICAL to what I had seen. God KNEW I needed such comfort…desparately needed to know my little one was in His care. But through the who mysterious and beautiful situation…God strengthened me and increased my knowledge concerning the nature of God. I did a blog a year ago, I believe, called ‘Baby Went With Angels.’ Heavy and glorious ‘stuff’…if you care to check it out. It’s under the Archives…maybe February 2009…not exactly sure at the moment.
I went to your website and read ‘My Journey.’ Left a ‘long’ comment. Was ‘My Journey’ the vision your referred to earlier? It is VERY interesting and VERY revealing. When I read someone’s vision, I see it as if I were there. And I see it according to scriptures.
Again, thanks for visiting. Come again.
Carolyn
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Carolyn,
You write well, nice post! I am not one for visions however, but I do have a real mystical side at times. Mine is simply more contemplative. I was raised Irish Roman Catholic in Dublin, and I even spent a few years in the Benedictines. But my Augustianian conversion won out, and I left. That was in my mid 20’s. I am 60 now, oh how the years have flown by! But God is good as well as sovereign.
Have a Blessed Easter!
Fr. Robert
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Thanks so much for visiting, Fr. Robert. I wasn’t one for visions either until God chose to use them to teach me the scriptures. I was six when He sent the first one. They are personal ..and ‘sacred’ to me. They are not for the purpose of ‘judgement’ against others…and so forth. Satan has his people who claim to be ‘prophetic’ but they are hateful, judgemental, and without the fruits of the Spirit. Sad. But the visions call me to ‘accountability before God. (‘where much is given..much is required’). I am not deserving of the experiences from God. At age nine..Christ manifested Himself to me in the person of a man. At the same time He manifested Satan there with Christ and myself. Satan was manifested about six inches tall, ugly, bumpy, naked, trembling terribly…with his forarms shading his eyes as though a bright light was blinding him. Little did I know at age nine…the Christ, indeed, is Light. And that the Light of God was too much for the eyes which knew only darkness. I still ‘see’ the vision. It is ‘alive.’ It will ‘never’ leave my soul. So I KNOW that ‘the battle is the Lord’s. Only He has power over Satan. ‘Greater is he that is within me…than he that is in the world.’ All the visions are of that nature. The visions are for the purpose of imparting wisdom and knowledge…by the Holy Spirit.
Again, thanks for visiting.
Carolyn
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Carolyn,
So your visions are not ‘open’ visions, as they are mental and thought interior? Just seeking to understand.
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Ask away. I don’t mind at all. I certainly am no ‘vision’ expert. All but two were night visions…were while sleeping…but they were NOT ‘dreams.’ I’ll explain that in a moment. The only experiences…WHILE AWAKE…were the manifestation of Christ when I was nine…and an encounter with Elias in April 2005 (I am now 63).. When Christ manifested (I did not see, of course, the actual glorified Christ. That probably would have scared me abolutely to death :smile:.I was at summer vacation Bible school among a group of about forty children and the adult teachers and ministers. In the Baptist church…one was expected to walk to the altar and prayer a prayer of repentence..to be ‘saved’ or ‘born again.’ But I had trusted Christ since I had the memory of my parents began listening to the “Now I lay me down to sleep’ prayer. The prayer says, ‘
Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray you, Lord, my soul will keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray you, Lord, my soul will take.
Before learning the prayer, I was very afraid at night. But I KNEW how very precious I was to my parents. Each night as they listened to my prayer…then left me alone in my room, I UNDERSTOOD for sure and for certain that the Lord was real, loving, caring, and watched over me. I KNEW that since my parents trusted me to Him each night….I would also TRUST HIm. It was just that simple. But I couldn’t explain my child thoughts. And as I got older and all the other kids my age were making professions of faith, I was more confused. I did not feel convicted of sin. I was not sure at all how the ‘born again’ thing worked. So on the last day of Bible school, I sat there…thinking…how do I get ‘saved.’ Then in my peripheral vision, I saw a man standing at the end of the church pew. I was seated on the third pew from the front. I was the third child on that pew. Hmmm. Don’t know why I remember that. But, I turned to see who was standing at the end of the pew. When I looked, I knew Him instantly. His face was ‘soft’..’kind.’ His hair was long. He wore a multicolored robe…muted colors. He didn’t speak audibly. I read His thoughts. He said, ‘Carolyn, you haven’t sinned yet…but you are about to (I assumed I had reached what is described as ‘the age of accountability.). And you need Me to fight ‘him’ for you.’ As He said ‘him’…He looked down towards the floor at my feet. So I looked where He was looking. That’s when I saw Satan (I knew, too, who he was) manifested about six inches tall, ugly, bumpy, naked, scrony, trembling fiercy, and using both forearms to shade his eyes as though from a bright light.
Afterwards, my confusion was over. Now I understood. The ‘battle is the Lord’s.’ We do not wrestle against flesh and blood..but against spiritual wickedness in high places. And we mortals have absolutely no authority over spiritual wickedness in high places…but Christ does have authority over all. From that time on…I had wisdom I could not have had otherwise. Other ‘night’ visions continued to show me the power of God over evil. I do not fear Satan. I see him for what he is…damned. But I do not minimize his destructive desires and power against those who are not protected by the Spirit of God.
Who can explain the purposes of God. The first ‘night’ vision was when I was six. God showed me the generations of death…of fallen man. That vision showed me that we indeed dwell ‘in the valley of the shadow of death’…as David described it. That our existence here…in the world…is in death. And that we, when redeemed, do move from death to Life. For those who do not believe and follow the Gospel of Christ in power and obedience…are ‘dead while they live.’ I have seen that spiritual Death (Satan) has no power over the child of God unless we yield ourselves to him. He can’t touch us unless we first ‘touch’ or affiliate with him. Death, as scripture says, has lost its power over us. Satan can suggest, tempt, lie, trick, and so forth to draw us into his web…but he is powerless over those who resist him.
I’m sure you are familiar with all the scriptures which warn e.g. (paraphrased_ ‘if you have a dream..call it a dream..and don’t say ‘thus sayeth the Lord…when He has not spoken.’ I fear God. But I’ve ALWAYS been clear on what I saw…and why. And God provided the surety. The visions were always revealed by scripture. So I always knew that if I had one which contradicted scripture..it would not be from God. But that never happened. I could never call them ‘dreams’ because they are ‘alive!’ YOu are THERE. You are experiencing what you ‘see.’ They NEVER end. They NEVER subside. They are BURNED into my mind. And they are PRECIOUS. In 2005 after three days ‘closed’ away in my room…with my husband managing the household..so to speak…I had a shockingly revealing ‘night vision’. It came after I asked God to show me what I needed to know. He showed me the DEPTHS of Satan’s hatred. Words cannot express what I saw. He showed me 666 in that vision…Satan and two sons being prepared for destruction against the ‘woman’ of Revelations 12. Oh..my. I don’t think anyone can Know..or understand…unless God by way of the Holy Spirit reveals the depths of Satan’s vileness. God showed me in that ‘night’ vision..that Satan HATES (‘to devour her child as soon as it was born’) with the same intensity with which God ‘LOVES.’ Too, one can only know the intensity with which God LOVES..if the Holy Spirit reveals it. The crime of rape is a result of Satan’s hatred. Rape is not about ‘power’. It is about HATRED for the procreative gift of God which brought forth Christ into this world.
I’m sorry. I’m sure this is all ‘more’ than you expected when asking about my visions. Sorry. And I seldom discuss them. They are not for the purpose of giving others understanding. That’s not possible. Understanding comes only from God. The visions are to give me ‘understanding’ of the Truth….of the true Gospel…of the Kingdom of God.
Gotta go. things to do. Again, thanks for visiting.
Carolyn
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Carolyn,
No, that was fine thanks. When I was a young R. Catholic monastic I did study on the Catholic mystics. There are no doubt some profound thoughts with some. And now over the years I still read some of the English mystics, like Walter Hilton, Mother Julian, etc. And I still like Evelyn Underhill’s writings. She wrote, “Love is a grave and ruthless passion, unlimited in selfgiving and unlimited in demand.”
I am too no expert, but it sounds like you have experienced something like Sister (Saint) Teresa from Spain, the Carmelite. She lived in the same time as St. John of the Cross. Perhaps you have heard of both? Her mystical visions were more mental and interior. As also John of the Cross.
I have what I call an intuition, but it must needs be checked by Holy Scripture and prayer. Alone in such I have made mistakes. But this was when I was younger. Now I just make mistakes! lol Like you I was only five years old when I first saw Christ on the Crucifix, it made such an impact on me! I asked my Irish priest Father Sweeny, who is this Man? He told me it was God-Incarnate who died for my soul & sins! I was overwhelmed in joy and delight! I was never the same. But I am now also very theological, holding two doctorates. I value philosophy and theology, but the interior life is still very important. The balance of truth is always a mystery!
And since also I was a Royal Marine commando, for over ten years, and saw combat many times. I have seen the face of evil also!
Thanks again to share!
Yours,
Fr. Robert
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Fr. Robert…so nice to speak with you about the workings of our Lord. He truly works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. And He works with each man..individually. We are not kernals of popcorn in a cannister. The very hairs of our heads are numbered. That, my brother, is pretty ‘individualized’ :smile:.
I grew up a Baptist/Methodist blend…as to denominations. But, mostly, I affiliate with nothing other than Christ crucified AND resurrected. It often seems as though RESURRECTION is forgotten. And many do, indeed, accept the Grace brought by His death…but reject the possibility of living RESURRECTED in Christ.
I know nothing at all about the Catholic history and its documented Saints (would that be the correct term..forgive if I’ve not stated correctly).
I have NO theological training. The only Truth I know has come through study of scriptures..along with a prayer from my heart for ‘discernment.’ I only know MY experience. So I do not dare comment on the experience of others. I can only KNOW the things between God and ME. God RULES. His purposes and plans are PERFECT. Only HE can see a heart. ONly HE knows what is in the heart of each of us.
You shared your experiene at war. Oh..my! For sure…there will be no peace until the Prince of Peace sets up His eternal kingdom at the end of the Age.
As we celebrate the Death and Resurrection of our Lord…I continue to pray ‘thy will be done’ for all of mankind…the world over.
I wish you Joy.
Carolyn
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Carolyn,
Joy to you also!
I can see that you are a profound “biblicist”! Which is a good thing really. Would that we had more Christians who actually read their Bible, and sought real spiritual direction therein!
Yes, today, “Theology” is running amuck sadly! As much as I love it, it has lost its way. I am rather conservative in just about every area of my life. Though I am not an American, I have family there.
I am however pro-Israel! I fought in Gulf War 1, and before some other spl. op’s.
Have a Blessed Easter!
Fr. Robert
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Thanks, Fr. Robert. ‘Profound Biblicist…huh? Thanks :smile:. But I suspect I am the ‘dumb’ called to confound the wise’..lol. And…how I love Israel! the Jews are ‘famous’ players in God’s purposes and plans for the redemption of man. Such a humbling experience to watch God’s ‘drama’ play from generation to generation…with the final Act, I believe, possibly in the not too distant future..
Carolyn
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Carolyn,
Yes Israel will be centre stage at and in any end-time reality! They as a people are still under”covenant”. I may not live to see it? But it cannot be too far off? My son’s will I think, both mine and born in my 40’s! (20 & 13) But their old man is still about 155lbs, at 5’11, not bad eh and yeah a bit of Irish pride! lol But really the gene pool.
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Fr. Robert….yah…some very interesting times ahead for us and our families. Know what you mean about the ’40’ thing. I was 38..my husband 40..when our last daughter was born. And she was PLANNED! We already had a daughter and son who were twelve and ten. We lost our third-born, a son, to a congenital heart defect. He lived twenty-two minutes. We had named him Benjamin after Jacob and Rachel’s Benjamin (Jacob called him ‘the child of my old age.’) (There’s the Jewish connection again…hmmm). God had showed me in a ‘night’ vision…this child. In the vision, the child was in a fetal position, wet, and lifted up to a high place. His back was to me. Then the little one turned his face towards me. I saw him but he did not see me. For both his eyes were filled with the most beautiful city I have EVER seen. There is no place on earth like the place I saw in his eyes. The brightness and pure colors were amazing. I did not KNOW I was seeing my own child who would be born fifteen years later. His birth and death was exactly as I had seen in the ‘vision.’ By the time they brought him to the delivery table where I remained, I saw him…but he never saw me. He was already in that place of God. What I’m going to share next..will likely blow your mind. But remember, God has a heart. He desires children. He loves us all. He CARES so very, very much about our circumstances. He is God. But our Heavenly Father is touched with our sorrow. Here goes.
Immediately after he was born, my heart was breaking like it never had before. In my peripheral vision I saw two ment standing against the Delivery Room wall on my left. I didn’t understand why they were ‘standing’ and not ‘helping.’ I turned toward them. They were looking at me until just as my gaze was about to meet their…their eyes looked down to the floor. Their faces looked like my heart felt. They KNEW my heart-break. One was my guardian angel whom I had seen many years before…only once. I did not know the other one. Both were young men..about 20 or 25. They were like had been said of Daniel…’without spot or blemish.’ And, no, they did not have wings. They were wearing burlap gowns. When I saw their faces…I knew he would not live physically. Immediately I felt as though a bulldozen was driving across my chest. I have never been so completely broken. I said ‘God, why are you doing this? I trusted you. Why is this happening?’ Then I ‘heard’ in my mind these words spoken in a kind and gentle male voice, ‘Carolyn, you said you trusted me. Do you or don’t you?’ I considered the gentleness of His voice. I considered the broken countenances of the two angels. Then I understood that life and death was not in my hands. And that God could most certainly be trusted with His own little one. I said to Him, ‘He was never mine. I did not create him..You did. You gave me two wonderful gifts in my other two. How like You to keep only one to yourself. Yes, Father, I TRUST you to raise YOUR little one.’ That is the point which the doctors and nurses brought my little Benjamin to the table for me to see. I took his little hand and said, ‘Bless his little heart’. They left the room with him just then. As they left, I turned to look again at the two angels. They were gone. In my crushing despair…the ONLY thing that got me through that moment was the very real AWARENESS that little Benjamin’s soul was already gone with them when the doctors brought him to me….just like I had seen in the vison fifteen years earlier. I also know that the second angel was there for Benjamin. And how GLORIOUS that God had sent my angel to me at the lowest point of my life…to assure me of God’s promise of ‘life’ is never ending. And that, as David said, ‘put my tears in your bottle.’ GOD CARES! ANGELS ARE REAL! We have access to God through Jesus Christ. He truly is the ‘First Love.’
Remember I mentioned our daughter born to us? Before little Benjamin was born and died, I saw ‘super-baby’ in a vision. I was rocking the child at home in an antique rocker which had belonged to my husband’s family. Of course, I thought it was God’s assurance of the well-being of the child I carried. The baby in the vision was newborn…but had enhanced awareness and enhanced physical size. Everything about the child was ‘perfect.’ After the heartbreak of little Benjamin, I petitioned God for another child. We waited until what would have been Benjamin’s first birthday. Immediately we learned Ana was on the way. Labor began with her at the very same time of the early morning as had labor with Benjamin. Ana was born eight minutes past the time Benjamin was born. AFter all the events, blessings, heartbreaks, and so forth…I understood that God knew Benjamin would not survive birth. He showed me ‘Ana’…the child of promise. How awesome is God’s mysterious ways???
Concerning your Irish pride and genes :smile:. My heritage through my dad’s side of the family is rooted in Ireland and Scotland. On my mom’s side, her dad, too, was of Irish descent. When I was a child, my sisters and me would run to his house during thunderstorms (parents were at work). Grandmother would meet us at the door with a peppermint stick and crackers for each of us. Granddad would tell ‘Irishmen” tales until the storm passed.
I can’t believe as much as I have yet to prepare for tomorrow….that I just said all that :smile:.
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