Okay. We are taking on the flaming sword today.
What exactly do cherubim have to do with all of this? I'm going to do my best to give to you the understanding I have - and I hope I don't leave out anything. All of these truths came to me in small increments through periods of extended study. Sometimes I feel like I'm leaving things out because I don't remember all of the steps in order. But I'm doing my best. By the way, if ever I've lost you or you have questions about what I'm sharing, please ask. Please comment or email me and I'd love to share more or help clarify things.
Now on to cherubim.
Cherubim are gate-keepers for knowledge. They dictate how far along the path to the way of the tree of life we go, depending on our internal state. They block the way only when we are not ready to progress and moving along would do us eternal harm. They guard and keep the way when we are ready to move forward on that path which leads to the fullness of the Love of God.
In my mind's eye, I see a dirt path that runs between the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. On this dirt path is the flaming sword which turns every way and is in close proximity to the cherubims. For a while I didn't understand the meaning of this until I started thinking about Ezekiel and the cherubim he describes.
I don't want to take the time right now to get into cherubim. Let's just know that they are the keepers of knowledge, allow passage, and also help us to gain understanding. They move with the flaming sword - as protectors and keepers of the way.
Right. Now the real point we are all here. The flaming sword. A flame - represents the spirit...specifically your spirit, eternal self. The sword - a man-made weapon of war...the natural man. Specifically, your natural man. When these two are combined in unity and eventually oneness, it is exalting and the means appointed for learning the way of the tree of life.
Remember, the natural man is an enemy to God, unless....
How do we get to that point? How does the natural man become a blessing to us instead of a burden which keeps us from God? How do we learn to see the natural man as the gift that it is?
We start by learning to observe rather than judge. For those of us who are truly seeking the Lord and to draw near to Him, it is very tempting to judge the parts of us which are not living in light and truth. It is easy to condemn those parts of us which we see as darkness.
But what if, what if for just a moment we practice compassion (not excuse or justification, but true and honest compassion) with ourselves? What would happen if, when I yelled at my kids (hypothetical, since all of you who know me know I have no children...so don't chide me for making things up), I paused for a moment and had compassion with myself? What could be discovered?
Observation allows me to really understand what is going on. I can look at myself and ask why I did something. Why did I raise my voice at my children? Because they were hitting each other. Okay. But why did that make me lose it so much that I yelled at them? Because they were being mean to each other. Okay. Why does that matter? Because I can't stand the fighting. Okay. Why? Because there shouldn't be contention in my home. Okay. (Continue observing.) Why? Because the scriptures say so, because it feels awful. Okay. So what? Why does that justify me raising my voice? Because they won't listen if I don't yell. Okay. So what? What if they don't listen? Then they'll keep fighting. So what if they keep fighting? What does that mean to you? It means they won't love each other and learn to get along. So what. Why does that matter?
Do you see the pattern here? You keep digging and digging until the finger stops pointing outward at the kids and then starts pointing inward. Eventually it will look something like this: If they fight, then that says I'm a bad parent. So what? What does it mean if you're a bad parent? Then I'm not doing the job the Lord gave me to do the right way. So what? What does that say about you? It says I'm a disappointment to God. Okay. So you're a disappointment. So what? Why does that matter? If I'm a disappointment, then what's my point? Why am I alive? Okay. So, what's your point? Why are you alive? I'm alive to learn to be like God and to do His will. Okay. So if you aren't doing His will, then what does that say about you? I'm pointless. I'm worthless.
Ah ha! There it is. That ugly belief system which is buried under layers and layers and layers of reasons. When you find that real root belief system that is underneath all the reasons, you can then address the real problem. Because the truth is, the problem isn't that the kids were fighting. The problem is that when they fight, it strikes at my self-worth and reinforces that I'm worthless and failing...so then I yell at them to stop. It affects me so much because it stings at that false belief system I've used to define me my entire life.
What happens when I deal with the real problem? What happens if I focus on gaining my sense of worth from the Lord? What happens to my heart and my way of being? Suddenly, instead of yelling because my strangers and my terrible ones (if these words lose you, read this) are being triggered, I'm aware of this and I've conscientiously sought the Lord that morning to give me my sense of worth. So now I'm able to see more than my own things. I can see my kids and the real reasons they are fighting. Suddenly I am filled with sight and with truth and it isn't a test of my patience to deal with fighting children. It becomes an opportunity to teach true and healing doctrine.
Are you with me? Do you see the import of the natural man?
The natural man was that first voice that reacted, that yelled at the kids. If I see my natural man as a sign that I am harboring a false belief in my heart, then it suddenly becomes my greatest ally. If I'm observing myself and not judging myself, then when my natural man shows up it is an instant awareness that I'm harboring a false belief and I can start digging to find what it is and to root it out.
The world is very big on saying, "I don't know what I don't know." That is truth when we are blind. But we don't have to be blind. The flaming sword turns every way...which means that when the spirit and the natural man are working as one, I am blind to nothing. I see me. I see my faults. I see my flaws. I see where I have false beliefs. I see where my actions and words are inconsistent with my mental knowledge and that it has not yet reached my heart.
I see. I see ALL of me.
Isaiah's promise of healing begins here - we have eyes that see. Rather than judging and condemning, we are observing and healing. To see clearly, not blaming or excusing or justifying, but seeing things as they really are - seeing our part and where we need to come to understanding and where we need to learn doctrine.
Are you still with me? If so, awesome! If not, as questions. If you don't want them public, feel free to email me.
Next blog post, we are going to talk about perfection...it's not what you think it is, I can almost guarantee it.
What exactly do cherubim have to do with all of this? I'm going to do my best to give to you the understanding I have - and I hope I don't leave out anything. All of these truths came to me in small increments through periods of extended study. Sometimes I feel like I'm leaving things out because I don't remember all of the steps in order. But I'm doing my best. By the way, if ever I've lost you or you have questions about what I'm sharing, please ask. Please comment or email me and I'd love to share more or help clarify things.
Now on to cherubim.
Cherubim are gate-keepers for knowledge. They dictate how far along the path to the way of the tree of life we go, depending on our internal state. They block the way only when we are not ready to progress and moving along would do us eternal harm. They guard and keep the way when we are ready to move forward on that path which leads to the fullness of the Love of God.
In my mind's eye, I see a dirt path that runs between the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. On this dirt path is the flaming sword which turns every way and is in close proximity to the cherubims. For a while I didn't understand the meaning of this until I started thinking about Ezekiel and the cherubim he describes.
I don't want to take the time right now to get into cherubim. Let's just know that they are the keepers of knowledge, allow passage, and also help us to gain understanding. They move with the flaming sword - as protectors and keepers of the way.
Right. Now the real point we are all here. The flaming sword. A flame - represents the spirit...specifically your spirit, eternal self. The sword - a man-made weapon of war...the natural man. Specifically, your natural man. When these two are combined in unity and eventually oneness, it is exalting and the means appointed for learning the way of the tree of life.
Remember, the natural man is an enemy to God, unless....
How do we get to that point? How does the natural man become a blessing to us instead of a burden which keeps us from God? How do we learn to see the natural man as the gift that it is?
We start by learning to observe rather than judge. For those of us who are truly seeking the Lord and to draw near to Him, it is very tempting to judge the parts of us which are not living in light and truth. It is easy to condemn those parts of us which we see as darkness.
But what if, what if for just a moment we practice compassion (not excuse or justification, but true and honest compassion) with ourselves? What would happen if, when I yelled at my kids (hypothetical, since all of you who know me know I have no children...so don't chide me for making things up), I paused for a moment and had compassion with myself? What could be discovered?
Observation allows me to really understand what is going on. I can look at myself and ask why I did something. Why did I raise my voice at my children? Because they were hitting each other. Okay. But why did that make me lose it so much that I yelled at them? Because they were being mean to each other. Okay. Why does that matter? Because I can't stand the fighting. Okay. Why? Because there shouldn't be contention in my home. Okay. (Continue observing.) Why? Because the scriptures say so, because it feels awful. Okay. So what? Why does that justify me raising my voice? Because they won't listen if I don't yell. Okay. So what? What if they don't listen? Then they'll keep fighting. So what if they keep fighting? What does that mean to you? It means they won't love each other and learn to get along. So what. Why does that matter?
Do you see the pattern here? You keep digging and digging until the finger stops pointing outward at the kids and then starts pointing inward. Eventually it will look something like this: If they fight, then that says I'm a bad parent. So what? What does it mean if you're a bad parent? Then I'm not doing the job the Lord gave me to do the right way. So what? What does that say about you? It says I'm a disappointment to God. Okay. So you're a disappointment. So what? Why does that matter? If I'm a disappointment, then what's my point? Why am I alive? Okay. So, what's your point? Why are you alive? I'm alive to learn to be like God and to do His will. Okay. So if you aren't doing His will, then what does that say about you? I'm pointless. I'm worthless.
Ah ha! There it is. That ugly belief system which is buried under layers and layers and layers of reasons. When you find that real root belief system that is underneath all the reasons, you can then address the real problem. Because the truth is, the problem isn't that the kids were fighting. The problem is that when they fight, it strikes at my self-worth and reinforces that I'm worthless and failing...so then I yell at them to stop. It affects me so much because it stings at that false belief system I've used to define me my entire life.
What happens when I deal with the real problem? What happens if I focus on gaining my sense of worth from the Lord? What happens to my heart and my way of being? Suddenly, instead of yelling because my strangers and my terrible ones (if these words lose you, read this) are being triggered, I'm aware of this and I've conscientiously sought the Lord that morning to give me my sense of worth. So now I'm able to see more than my own things. I can see my kids and the real reasons they are fighting. Suddenly I am filled with sight and with truth and it isn't a test of my patience to deal with fighting children. It becomes an opportunity to teach true and healing doctrine.
Are you with me? Do you see the import of the natural man?
The natural man was that first voice that reacted, that yelled at the kids. If I see my natural man as a sign that I am harboring a false belief in my heart, then it suddenly becomes my greatest ally. If I'm observing myself and not judging myself, then when my natural man shows up it is an instant awareness that I'm harboring a false belief and I can start digging to find what it is and to root it out.
The world is very big on saying, "I don't know what I don't know." That is truth when we are blind. But we don't have to be blind. The flaming sword turns every way...which means that when the spirit and the natural man are working as one, I am blind to nothing. I see me. I see my faults. I see my flaws. I see where I have false beliefs. I see where my actions and words are inconsistent with my mental knowledge and that it has not yet reached my heart.
I see. I see ALL of me.
Isaiah's promise of healing begins here - we have eyes that see. Rather than judging and condemning, we are observing and healing. To see clearly, not blaming or excusing or justifying, but seeing things as they really are - seeing our part and where we need to come to understanding and where we need to learn doctrine.
Are you still with me? If so, awesome! If not, as questions. If you don't want them public, feel free to email me.
Next blog post, we are going to talk about perfection...it's not what you think it is, I can almost guarantee it.
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