RE: [TruthTalk] Divine Nature

[ShieldsFamily]

PS  I just asked the Lord, What does Sabbath observance have to do with cleanliness? He said It is a weekly washing-off of the world. J Izzy   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of ShieldsFamily Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2004 10:39 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [TruthTalk] Divine Nature   John,   I am busy today with much family-goings-on, so will be brief (and therefore sure to be misunderstood! J  ).   We are looking forward to attending the Cardinal baseball game and Christian Family Night at the ballpark tonight—possibly followed up by some of the fantastic fireworks on the Riverfront.    What we do DEFINES who we are.  Who we are comes out in what we DO.  If we want to change ourselves, we can change our BEHAVIOR first, which in turn changes our heart attitude eventually.  If you don’t FEEL loving towards someone, then BEHAVE as you would IF you felt loving, and your feelings will eventually change.  NONE of this changes the fact of who we are IN CHRIST—it does affect the manifestation of it.   Funny that you should bring up this analogy about the green pool and cleanliness.  This morning I was contemplating the Lord’s Commandments, and how they are all about cleanliness, both spiritually as well as physically.  A lot could be written about this, but basically the Levitical laws about abstaining from unclean foods were about cleanliness on the inside, physically.  (Not ingesting scavengers, which have consumed filth and death.)  The laws about washings were for physical cleanliness (centuries ahead of “modern medicine”). The laws about sexual purity are about cleanliness sexually, which keeps us clean both physically and spiritually.  The laws about faithfulness to the Lord God were all about spiritual cleanliness; not being defiled by any form of spiritual adultery.  The laws about not lying or coveting are all about having a clean heart.  ALL of these things are for our protection.  Abundant blessings flow from obeying any and all of them, including freedom from the diseases (of mind/body/spirit) that are the lot of unbelievers.  I haven’t even thought on this as much as I’d like, but that’s the drift. J The best cleanliness is that imparted by the Blood of the Lamb!!! Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven!   Izzy   I am thinking that when we define who we are by what we do rather than what we are and who we are attempting to become, its kind like the sample (apparently clear) while the stinking pool is in drastic need of outside assistents that will actually effect the pool itself.   Something else and then I gots to go to work  --  I have always thought of Adam and Eve before the fall as somehow different from us in terms of human nature.   Apparently that ain't so.  They were always susceptible to temptation as we and they were always just as mortal as we -- hence the "tree of life."    The only thing different that I can see is the belly button thing.    Have a good day all a brother, John