This recording of a message by Art Katz was recommended to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbIwumBChe8
This is a transcript of it for those who prefer reading.
http://artkatzministries.org/articles/the-veil-of-self/
I put my ear buds in and went for a walk while listening to it for the 2nd or 3rd time.
God was faithful to meet me, in His mercy.
I asked Him what part of my self was in the way, keeping me from the full enjoyment of being within the veil of the holy of holies, which is part of the amazing Salvation that Yeshua has purchased for all those who trust in His life, death, and resurrection.
I knew the way that He would reveal self is when I honestly looked at my interactions with others and the times when I react totally in my flesh and turn from the Spirit.
Self-assertion was the first area that He brought up. I have in my head a limited amount of time or effort that I am willing to give to another, I always consider it to be an over-the-top, nobody-else-would-do-this-much, amount of time and energy, but when that set time is over, I am done, and God, our faithful, merciful, Father who knows what is best for us and loves us too much to not make sure we get it, will set it up that someone says, or a call bell goes off at work, or something happens that requires, "just one more thing", and at that point the self rises up and even if I do the request it is not done in love so it is a farce, typically, I groan, moan and let it be known that "this is too much", but guess what, that moment after being asked to do "just one more thing" is the moment where the life, love, and power of God could come in and receive all the glory. We we are beyond ourselves as Paul says in a few places, that is the place of weakness and death, where God's power and resurrection life can come in and be the most real thing on the planet! So self-assertion had to go to the cross, both as a moment in time and as a continual ever unfolding way of living, the process that we are all in.
Self-judging was next up. Every word ever spoken in thought or judgement against another could be traced back to the root of self, "to his own master he stands or falls". I am nobody's master. Any unveiling or revealing of a weakness of another that comes to me, is to be taken to prayer, and a cry for mercy for them. One word, thought or attitude of judgement, reveals self-judging in me and that needs to go to the cross, both as a one time event and as a continual cleansing.
God likes doing things in threes and sure enough there was a third area He wanted to bring up on our walk. Self-provider. The way that this shows up in my life is when it is pointed out that something in me, my parenting, my salary, my way of living, is not good enough, and I react in defensive anger, I am thinking that I am the provider, I am not the provider. God will provide, and has provided everything necessary for life and godliness. A friend pointed out that when Isaac's wife, asked for children, Isaac prayed. When Jacob's wife Rachel asked for children, Jacob got angry and defensive, "What do you expect from me, I can't open your womb and give you children!" See the difference, Isaac rested in the Provider, and Jacob took it as if he was the self-provider for his family. That one is very clear to me and I feel God had already started a good work in this area, so that goes to the cross as a one time event and as an on-going "giving up" whenever it comes up in every day life.
Thank You Faithful Merciful God!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbIwumBChe8
This is a transcript of it for those who prefer reading.
http://artkatzministries.org/articles/the-veil-of-self/
I put my ear buds in and went for a walk while listening to it for the 2nd or 3rd time.
God was faithful to meet me, in His mercy.
I asked Him what part of my self was in the way, keeping me from the full enjoyment of being within the veil of the holy of holies, which is part of the amazing Salvation that Yeshua has purchased for all those who trust in His life, death, and resurrection.
I knew the way that He would reveal self is when I honestly looked at my interactions with others and the times when I react totally in my flesh and turn from the Spirit.
Self-assertion was the first area that He brought up. I have in my head a limited amount of time or effort that I am willing to give to another, I always consider it to be an over-the-top, nobody-else-would-do-this-much, amount of time and energy, but when that set time is over, I am done, and God, our faithful, merciful, Father who knows what is best for us and loves us too much to not make sure we get it, will set it up that someone says, or a call bell goes off at work, or something happens that requires, "just one more thing", and at that point the self rises up and even if I do the request it is not done in love so it is a farce, typically, I groan, moan and let it be known that "this is too much", but guess what, that moment after being asked to do "just one more thing" is the moment where the life, love, and power of God could come in and receive all the glory. We we are beyond ourselves as Paul says in a few places, that is the place of weakness and death, where God's power and resurrection life can come in and be the most real thing on the planet! So self-assertion had to go to the cross, both as a moment in time and as a continual ever unfolding way of living, the process that we are all in.
Self-judging was next up. Every word ever spoken in thought or judgement against another could be traced back to the root of self, "to his own master he stands or falls". I am nobody's master. Any unveiling or revealing of a weakness of another that comes to me, is to be taken to prayer, and a cry for mercy for them. One word, thought or attitude of judgement, reveals self-judging in me and that needs to go to the cross, both as a one time event and as a continual cleansing.
God likes doing things in threes and sure enough there was a third area He wanted to bring up on our walk. Self-provider. The way that this shows up in my life is when it is pointed out that something in me, my parenting, my salary, my way of living, is not good enough, and I react in defensive anger, I am thinking that I am the provider, I am not the provider. God will provide, and has provided everything necessary for life and godliness. A friend pointed out that when Isaac's wife, asked for children, Isaac prayed. When Jacob's wife Rachel asked for children, Jacob got angry and defensive, "What do you expect from me, I can't open your womb and give you children!" See the difference, Isaac rested in the Provider, and Jacob took it as if he was the self-provider for his family. That one is very clear to me and I feel God had already started a good work in this area, so that goes to the cross as a one time event and as an on-going "giving up" whenever it comes up in every day life.
Thank You Faithful Merciful God!
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