I promised you a look at F. LaGard Smith's book Meeting God in Quiet Places: The Cotswold Parables. I encourage you to get your own copy of the book. LaGard is allowing me to summarize the chapters and is sending me a copy of the DVD. I think that is very generous!The point of the book is to take something in the natural realm and compare it to something in the spiritual realm--parables surrounding us in everyday life. In the first chapter, LaGard helps us understand our spiritual perception by looking at the natural hearing perception of animals.
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Does the length of a rabbit's ears help it hear? Dogs don't have long ears and they have acute hearing. Watching rabbits reminds us that rabbits are doing what rabbits do, but they are also being what rabbits are--animals. God tells us as His children to DO and BE a person that pleases Him.
Now I want to quote LaGard directly: "In much the same way (as the electronic sound waves that create what you listen to on the radio or television), there is also a spiritual dimension which surrounds and permeates our material world. Think of it as the realm in which angels exist--and Satan. It is in this unseen world that the Holy Spirit moves and in which spiritual warfare is taking place. The spiritual dimension is the arena of prayers and miracles. It's the world of the supernatural, the transcendent--a trysting place between the human and divine."
And now I hear you saying, WHAT?!!! Because you probably hadn't realized that the angels of God and the angels of Satan are fighting for your soul every moment of every day! The choices you make are not only choosing what you'll wear and where you'll go, but whose side you're on: God's or Satan's!
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Now I want to quote LaGard directly: "In much the same way (as the electronic sound waves that create what you listen to on the radio or television), there is also a spiritual dimension which surrounds and permeates our material world. Think of it as the realm in which angels exist--and Satan. It is in this unseen world that the Holy Spirit moves and in which spiritual warfare is taking place. The spiritual dimension is the arena of prayers and miracles. It's the world of the supernatural, the transcendent--a trysting place between the human and divine."
And now I hear you saying, WHAT?!!! Because you probably hadn't realized that the angels of God and the angels of Satan are fighting for your soul every moment of every day! The choices you make are not only choosing what you'll wear and where you'll go, but whose side you're on: God's or Satan's!
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In some ways, it is to Satan's advantage to be moving in a material world, appealing to the lust of the eyes--what we see, the lust of the flesh--what we touch and feel, and the pride of life--what we own and what we do. But most of us have learned that these things are disappointing in the end and do not fill us with what we most crave: love, peace, and happiness. Making choices out of our own wisdom is often choosing short term, when knowing what God wants us to be, and choosing on that basis is long term and fulfilling.
Going back to LaGard's analogy of the rabbits who use their ears as an "early warning system," did your "ears" go up when I mentioned that Satan is out to claim your soul? You have been given ears to hear and a heart to understand, but you must take time to be aware of the spiritual dimension around you in order to save your soul!
Blessings...Mimi
Going back to LaGard's analogy of the rabbits who use their ears as an "early warning system," did your "ears" go up when I mentioned that Satan is out to claim your soul? You have been given ears to hear and a heart to understand, but you must take time to be aware of the spiritual dimension around you in order to save your soul!
Blessings...Mimi
Mr. LaGard is so kind to send the DVD-he's like that isn't he?
ReplyDelete"And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own habitation, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgement of the great day." Jude 6
God will judge angels as well as mankind. I've heard that this thing the angels did was to leave where God told them to abide. They rebelled or "did their own thing" so to speak. I can get a feeling for a supernatural place that's marked "reserved for the disobedient" in that verse.
It's interesting to think about there being a "constant war" for our souls being carried out all the time, around us. Everyday is a day to "fight" for what God's will is for us.
ReplyDeleteJon
Yes, Paula...LaGard is a very kind man, I believe. I should look up the part about angels being judged, but I seem to remember that it is mentioned in the New Testament somewhere. I'll put that on my list. Having a mind of your own and being allowed to "do your own thing" by God is quite a responsibility!
ReplyDeleteYes, Jon, it is a very interesting thing to think about! I want to make people think, so you're doing a good job of it! Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDelete