For years we've been reading Scriptures with a filter that keeps us from realizing the full meaning thereof. In a previous post, I listed some Bible verses that clearly say that we do not have to die. For most of my life thus far, I read Scripture and blindly skimmed these verses, rationalizing them away as saying that we live after we die because that's what I saw all around me and that's what I was told. Even though the verses never say that, that's what I believed because of a false filter.
At some point, we have to remove these false filters entirely and move on to a deeper level of the awareness of Yahweh. While we will always be growing in Him, we can only move forward if we are willing to let go of old mindsets... and if we are willing to let go of the Promise.
We've often spoken of the idea of "laying down your life" or "dying to self" in the past. The basic idea comes from these verses:
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. ~John 12:24-26
It is important to note that Yahshua was talking about Himself here as the grain of wheat, and we are the "much grain" that was produced. However, I do not like that we have associated this with death, when clearly it speaks only of Life.
Firstly, Yahshua is Life, so if we are talking about Him, we are talking about Life. Secondly, when we plant a seed, we do not mourn it and hold a funeral for it. Why? Because we are looking forward to the Life that is coming soon from this seed, a Life that is far more fruitful and multiplied than what the seed itself could contain. Indeed, the seed is not dying, but growing. It is becoming more than what it was, though everything necessary for that plant to be is contained within that seed.
Are we killing the seed by burying it, then, or are we placing it in a safe place where it will be able to grow and produce the Promise that has always been inside of it? Are we losing or gaining?
There is gain, but there is no such thing as loss.
Yet, the word "dies" is actually in that verse. While I don't know the original language of the text, in English Yahshua is saying that the seed is "dying." What is death? How can Life Himself speak of death in such a way? We know that the seed is not becoming void of its Life, purpose, or Promise. We know this seed is not losing its power or expression. So what is death in this instance?
When the plant comes, what happens to the seed? Could it be that the seed is "dying to Live?" In other words, the seed has to let go of being a seed and be willing to move on, to grow, into planthood. Meanwhile, if we plant a seed, we must be willing to let go in hope of that seed also. We know when we put that seed into the ground that we will never see it again, and yet we do not think this is loss, but rather gain.
Let us look at our own lives now. Yahshua said that we must follow Him in this. Yahweh also said in Genesis 8 that He would always use the process of seedtime and harvest to grow things.
It seems to me, then, that we are being asked to trust Him. In order to receive the "plant" of our Promise, we must be willing to give up the "seed" that we presently hold in our hands. This is why we see the unseen. This is why faith will give us a vision of something Yahweh has for us and then take us through the Planes of Creation process where we must let go of what we have seen so that we might hold it in our hands in fullness.
We must also be willing to "die" to who we thought we were. Who I was yesterday is not going to be who I am in this moment. Who I am now will not be who I am tomorrow. I must be willing to let go of that, to let go of everything but Yahweh, in order to become. I must be willing to let go of His Promise and even of myself and focus only on Him.
In the Questioning Plane, we have only Yahweh. We are surrounded by Reality and illusion--the Promise and the possibility that the Promise will not be--and we must hold on, not to Reality or the Promise, but to Yahweh Himself. Why? The Promise has not fully manifested yet. It is not yours to hold on to. Indeed, it cannot fully manifest until you have let it go. "Unless a grain falls to the ground..."
And this must continue on forever. The verse says, "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." Yahshua is not speaking of Heaven and Earth here, for Heaven and Earth are One. Rather, He is saying that if you stop in "this world," the world that exists in this moment and do not continue following Him from moment to moment--from seed to plant or from world to world--you will not experience the fullness of the eternal Life He has for you. To follow Him from world to world, seed to plant, moment to moment, is to experience Life forever!
I hate to use the word "death" for this process. Clearly it is Life. However, this is the closest thing to "death" we ever have to come, and it need not be what we have built death up to be. It need not be a painful, mourning experience. Rather, with trust and faith it can be beautiful. Yahshua Himself called it a "joy set before Him."
And isn't it a joy to give something to Yahweh? To relax and release and trust Him who is faithful to complete the good work that He began (Philippians 1:6)? Isn't it a joy to know Him better in a moment, a process, a Promise? What could be better than Him?
For in the end, He is our prize (Philippians 3:14), and if we want to keep following the upward call--to share His eternal Life with Him--we will trust Him and let go knowing that we are not dying but living! And we will declare His Name!
At some point, we have to remove these false filters entirely and move on to a deeper level of the awareness of Yahweh. While we will always be growing in Him, we can only move forward if we are willing to let go of old mindsets... and if we are willing to let go of the Promise.
We've often spoken of the idea of "laying down your life" or "dying to self" in the past. The basic idea comes from these verses:
Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. ~John 12:24-26
It is important to note that Yahshua was talking about Himself here as the grain of wheat, and we are the "much grain" that was produced. However, I do not like that we have associated this with death, when clearly it speaks only of Life.
Firstly, Yahshua is Life, so if we are talking about Him, we are talking about Life. Secondly, when we plant a seed, we do not mourn it and hold a funeral for it. Why? Because we are looking forward to the Life that is coming soon from this seed, a Life that is far more fruitful and multiplied than what the seed itself could contain. Indeed, the seed is not dying, but growing. It is becoming more than what it was, though everything necessary for that plant to be is contained within that seed.
Are we killing the seed by burying it, then, or are we placing it in a safe place where it will be able to grow and produce the Promise that has always been inside of it? Are we losing or gaining?
There is gain, but there is no such thing as loss.
Yet, the word "dies" is actually in that verse. While I don't know the original language of the text, in English Yahshua is saying that the seed is "dying." What is death? How can Life Himself speak of death in such a way? We know that the seed is not becoming void of its Life, purpose, or Promise. We know this seed is not losing its power or expression. So what is death in this instance?
When the plant comes, what happens to the seed? Could it be that the seed is "dying to Live?" In other words, the seed has to let go of being a seed and be willing to move on, to grow, into planthood. Meanwhile, if we plant a seed, we must be willing to let go in hope of that seed also. We know when we put that seed into the ground that we will never see it again, and yet we do not think this is loss, but rather gain.
Let us look at our own lives now. Yahshua said that we must follow Him in this. Yahweh also said in Genesis 8 that He would always use the process of seedtime and harvest to grow things.
It seems to me, then, that we are being asked to trust Him. In order to receive the "plant" of our Promise, we must be willing to give up the "seed" that we presently hold in our hands. This is why we see the unseen. This is why faith will give us a vision of something Yahweh has for us and then take us through the Planes of Creation process where we must let go of what we have seen so that we might hold it in our hands in fullness.
We must also be willing to "die" to who we thought we were. Who I was yesterday is not going to be who I am in this moment. Who I am now will not be who I am tomorrow. I must be willing to let go of that, to let go of everything but Yahweh, in order to become. I must be willing to let go of His Promise and even of myself and focus only on Him.
In the Questioning Plane, we have only Yahweh. We are surrounded by Reality and illusion--the Promise and the possibility that the Promise will not be--and we must hold on, not to Reality or the Promise, but to Yahweh Himself. Why? The Promise has not fully manifested yet. It is not yours to hold on to. Indeed, it cannot fully manifest until you have let it go. "Unless a grain falls to the ground..."
And this must continue on forever. The verse says, "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." Yahshua is not speaking of Heaven and Earth here, for Heaven and Earth are One. Rather, He is saying that if you stop in "this world," the world that exists in this moment and do not continue following Him from moment to moment--from seed to plant or from world to world--you will not experience the fullness of the eternal Life He has for you. To follow Him from world to world, seed to plant, moment to moment, is to experience Life forever!
I hate to use the word "death" for this process. Clearly it is Life. However, this is the closest thing to "death" we ever have to come, and it need not be what we have built death up to be. It need not be a painful, mourning experience. Rather, with trust and faith it can be beautiful. Yahshua Himself called it a "joy set before Him."
And isn't it a joy to give something to Yahweh? To relax and release and trust Him who is faithful to complete the good work that He began (Philippians 1:6)? Isn't it a joy to know Him better in a moment, a process, a Promise? What could be better than Him?
For in the end, He is our prize (Philippians 3:14), and if we want to keep following the upward call--to share His eternal Life with Him--we will trust Him and let go knowing that we are not dying but living! And we will declare His Name!
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