SLAVE, SERVANT, SON....MENTALITY

Slave Mentality (google)

     I've been thinking about how the mind moves, from one perspective to another, and how that in each perspective, new truth is revealed. When I was a child, my Mama tells me I got saved when I was three; however, as I grew up in legalism, I developed hate for those who had mistreated me and abused me. When I was sixteen, I acknowledged that I had hate toward a person, and compared that to 1 John 4:7-8. You can't say you love God, who you don't see, when you hate the brother you do see. Hmmm. So when I got saved, one week before my 20th birthday, I needed a place to put all the previous years. What was that experience?
     A young man came into my life, and began to question me about all I "believed." He was very patient, and when my religion stalled at logic, I had to confess that besides seeing Jesus at 18 months, the religion had many holes, and I needed answers. Honestly, as a child, I didn't want to be hit, yelled at, blamed for things I didn't do, abused, made to keep secrets too big for me to understand, much less carry. So, I obeyed. I developed O.C.D. at the baseline, and Dis Associative Disorder, so that the "people/system" my mind created, could take the responsibility for the sins of others and help me to survive. I did, but when I was 20, legalism (trusting in perfect performance to save), failed me. I found that with slavery mentality, the demons don't easily let you go. Slavery mentality is not formed over one experience, but over time, as the acts of control and repression increase with severity and threats of harsher punishment. The person learns to fear harm of any kind, in self and in others. By then, terror takes over, and the hope of getting out hangs on the only one who escaped all forms of bondage Himself.

Servant Mentality (google)

       Unlike, Slavery Mentality, Servant Mentality has a payoff, compensation, if you will. This is the thing I was talking about the other day, when Storge love doesn't happen, the friendships are formed with servant/reciprocal, unspoken bonds. Each person has their own idea of what their pay should be, and they pull on the friendship to get it. For example, because a friend "gave" $20 bucks the other day for cigarettes, when receiver gets paid, which isn't on the same pay day as the giver, the giver says, "Hey, you got $20 bucks? I need to pay a friend." This feels wrong, and the more you think about it, the more angry you get. Then you start to keep record, and find the friend is taking you for a fool. At the exact moment you are gonna cut him/her loose, he/she asks you to dinner and pays for it.
      You don't have many friends, and all of them seem to operate on the same system. So rather than determine they are wrong, you conclude, "Wow! I must have been sheltered. I didn't know the world operated this way. This mentality is more difficult to get out of than the Slavery Mentality due to the fact that you the "good/payoff" with the "bad/boundary breaking/usury." The only way to come out of this is to experience a different way of relating to people. Go ahead, look for examples. They are few and far between. Generally, when you look, Servant Mentality always has an agenda....get reciprocity for self. It gets really sad and comical, watching people vie for position with the boss, the bigwigs, the powers that be....really, all it takes is Starbucks and the feeling of adoration?
       Finally, Son Mentality, not gender related, but a way of thinking. is best of the worst. You will understand in a minute. I love history, and I especially love learning about Kingdoms. It is interesting how that "Peace" is rare and treasured, but even then, there were always those who were working behind the scenes to dethrone the King and enthrone themselves. When you delve into the mind of the King, you may find that his agenda is to protect and provide for his people, but then, you have those who are only interested in territory, power and position. In those kingdoms, you will find the worst sorts of people, always planning and scheming, like vipers. To think like a Son, means your whole life is geared toward the purpose of your Father (self is lost and found in purpose of the Father). When I read the story in the Bible about Johnathan and David, you get a clear picture of Son Mentality. Although Johnathan dearly loved David, he obeyed his father. His belief was that his father had displeased God and David would be King, so he helped him as best he could. In the regular world, Johnathan should have been king, since he was Saul's oldest son. How cool is Johnathan? Later on, because of Johnathan's devotion to David and the will of his True Father, David, as King, honored Johnathan and brought his son, Mephibosheth to serve as a distinguished soldier....he and his descendants for generations.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwS14TiO7Pk

Son Mentality (google)

       A Son Mentality has been claimed by His Father, and His only aim is to serve under His authority until the day he comes to inherit the kingdom. Yesterday, when I had another perspective/paradigm shift, I noticed that I had been looking for Jesus in the 4 corners of my mind:Experience, Education, Gifts,Talents. He can not be found IN ME. I am to be found IN HIM. If He is to be fully Jesus in me, I can not be limited by the four corners of my mind. I decided, that as a Son, I lay down all things that make me "Feel" successful and all accolades that could cause me to reason, "I'm a Son." I exchanged it for Him and His great expanse of limited opportunities. Which means, He will take me places where I don't understand the language, the customs, the system, the people. I will be uncomfortable. I will feel rejected and alone. But, for the purpose of embracing His children, Sons, I will go. He calls me friend, and I call Him LORD.

BEING HAPPY

Obese Child (google)

     Once Upon a Time (signifying fiction), there was a boy named Felipe. His mother would say, "That boy came out eating and hasn't stopped." When friends would comment about his size, she simply responded with, "Oh, but it makes him happy." His mother was a little overweight, but his father was a board. When his mother was young, she was thin, cheerleader at her high school. But after her third child, she got a little depressed. She kept the 20 lbs she had gained during pregnancy, and decided to just be happy with herself. After all, she was only one size bigger. A size 8 is nothing to spit on when most of the nation's women were at least a 14.
     When Felipe was in Kindergarten, he made friends with a little boy who had struggled with weight too....couldn't keep it on. He had Celiac Disease, but it had taken a long time for it to be identified correctly. Complicating that disease was Crohn's Disease. To say that eating was traumatic for little John, was a major understatement. He hated eating, and he pushed his hunger to the limits. His parents went to great lengths to adjust their lifestyle to accommodate for their son's illness.
      As the boys grew, Felipe found out that he was limited in physical activities due to his weight, while John was limited in the same activities due to "stomach issues." Both of the boys began to notice how others, their age, played, laughed, sweated, and had experiences that they....couldn't ? They decided that they should be happy too, and, well, there's all sorts of ways to be happy. They decided to be game people. Felipe could eat, and John could always have access to the facilities.
      As teenagers, they were total nerds. Felipe had a mind for business. He had straight A's in school and was president of the FCCLA (FBLA for us old farts). John was an artist. He not only drew on paper, painted on canvas, but he also, created on line. One day, both of them decided that they were old enough to have a job, but they didn't want to leave home. They decided to develop a website that would help home-bound people to earn a living through technology. At first, there wasn't much of a demand, but overnight, it went viral. The rest is history. The boys dropped out of high school, got their GED's, got their degrees on line, and they were happy.

Fat to Thin (google)

     When Felipe was 28, and weighed 320 lbs, he had a heart attack. He almost died. He could no longer ignore the fact that being overweight had wore out his heart. His recovery was so long and hard. The exercise was excruciating. However, as he began to see the evidence that the weight was coming off, he began to experience a new kind of happiness. He could walk, normal....without losing his breath while walking up stairs. Felipe, had a new look, a new life, and a kick-ass body for finding a wife. He thought to himself, "So THIS is happy. Wow, I didn't know."
       John began to notice that in the late 90's, Celiac and Crohn's Disease where on the rise, to the point that the availability of gluten free products were appearing on shelves at the General Store. That peaked his interest, so he began to do some research about the causes behind the increase in the disease. What he found astonished him. He thought to himself, "How could we ever eat plastic fruit on Grandma's table and be nourished?" He found his love for his shared business, waning, and his interest peaking on how to develop and bring quality food to his country's people. He sold his part of the business to his partner, and became a farmer.
       As John worked the land, touching the soil, the seed, and the fruit, he found his love for nature and nurturing the land, growing in his heart. As he cooked food in new and fun ways that never caused a problem with his digestive system, he found himself writing an illustrated cookbook for those suffering from Celiac and or Crohn's Disease. It was a best seller. He opened up his own store that was full of  organically grown, gluten free, peanut, and allergen free products. He said to himself, "Wow! THIS is happy! I didn't know life could be this good." John began to put on a little weight, finally. He found energy to work hard and no longer feared embarrassing incidents.

Finding Peace (google)

      John was 35, when he died in a car accident. It was a tragedy, and horribly traumatic for Felipe. Felipe fell into a deep, dark depression. Even though he had a wife and a new baby, John had been his best friend since kindergarten. They knew each other, saw the good, the bad and the ugly in each other. He just could not imagine his life ever being "happy" without his best friend. Rosa encouraged him to go to a grief counselor, but every time he got close to the door, he returned to his car, and found himself in the parking lot of a known drug dealer. All it took was one trip of "Meth" and he was hooked. In a matter of six short months, Felipe turned into a monster he didn't recognize. He came to himself as he held a knife to his wife's neck....because she refused him money, to go buy his drugs. Something in that moment, matched a moment he had when he was 4. His father had lost his job. His parents began to fight. He watched in horror, as his father held a knife to his mother's throat....but then, he caught sight of Felipe, and let her go.
        John called the police, explained the situation, and went to jail...for an evening. Rosa refused to press charges. John asked to go to drug rehab. He spent six weeks in the program. While he was there, he discovered that his mother used food to silence him. Every time he began to reveal the great sorrow they lived in, she would say, "Here, Felipe, Mama has Twinkies for you." All of his happy was gone. He felt like such a fake. Like the feeling of happy was a mirage, meant to keep the judges away from the home. He could feel his heart; it was broken. But there was a glimmer of light that would catch his eye when his son looked at him. He decided one thing: Happiness is shifting, but peace is profitable.
       The moral of this story: The way you experience love is intimate and personal. It is not about rather or not someone, who doesn't know you, care about you, or has anything to do with you, approves. If you are a sinner, the very least you could be, is authentic. A sinner is someone who needs Jesus, but can not recognize their own lack. A saint is someone who is very aware of their need for Redemption, and KNOWS Jesus is their only hope of Righteousness. Saints who act like sinners, are in process. Sinners who act like saints, are lost. End of story.

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE

Agape Love (google)

     I don't know if you have an earthly father, if he was good or bad, but you gotta know, all of creation is BECAUSE of Agape Love. That's Father's love, and it is active...not emotional. It is spiritual.
     Over the Summer, I got to work for DaySpring Behavioral Health Services. I learned so much about Daddy God. It was incredible, to feel little Lucas move inside me. I loved my 6th month because he was so active and I was passed the nausea, not quite a whale, yet. People would touch my belly and say, "Lucas, it's your Aunt 'Sally.' Wake up!" He would wake up, kick, and we were gleeful with proof of the miracle of Love inside me, moving.
     Imagine God, in darkness, because that's trust, Love moves inside the expanse of eternity, like a baby in the bag of waters, and God/Love, is moved to speak. Isn't that beautiful? He heard His voice, and whatever He spoke, was. Wow! I'm in awe of Him. Not being a man, it's hard to understand this, wrap my mind around this, but Father Love is Blessing Love. It means, I will take care of all of your needs, and I will delight to see what you CAN desire outside of my provision. The majority of us have never experienced this kind of love, so we can't comprehend or fathom that a Holy God would love us that much.
     During the Summer, I worked out that we are Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical. There is healing for the physical and the emotional, but no one wants to touch the spiritual healing....inept, for sure. Then, I asked the question that God had been leading me too: What is Spiritual God, if Christian and sinner is to receive healing regardless of religious belief ? He answered, "First of all, spiritual is not religious, because people have spirit even though they not believe. I would never create a being without spirit. Spirit is the Breath of Life." I thought on that a few days, had a couple of dreams, and determined that the Breath of Life is sex. That made perfect sense, to me, because the man got The Breath of Life, but the woman did not. She was taken out of man. This is why many cultures still believe the woman can't go to Heaven. Anyway, look at the actual act, and you will see how it works. The man can't FEEL emotional until after climax, and the climax is in the penis. The woman's orgasm is a full body orgasm...the Breath of Life. Nice exchange, huh? Alas, I wasn't quite there.

Intimacy (google)

     In the next week, Jimmy Evans was on the Joni Table Talk show, and said, paraphrasing here, "The Breath of Life is Love. God never intended for us to be able to relate to each other without Him, so He put Himself in image." I don't know about you, but I was doing cartwheels.....in my heart :)  How cool is that? We can't even relate to each other, in Love, without Him.
      Ok, moving on, we have Eros (greek god, not in the Bible), passionate/romantic love. If there were a better word for this love, like INTIMACY, which is into me see, this would perfectly describe Jesus. He is the Physical evidence of God's passionate love for us, and His sacrifice made it possible for INTIMACY with God. I really don't like Eros. but, you do get the idea.
     I know I didn't spend much time on Physical Love, but there's a reason for that, because Emotional love has two kinds of Love, and I think it will really help some people clear up some issues of the heart. Back in 2005, I learned that the IMAGE that God made man in is "Male, Female,Seed." Which let me know that Male is God the Father, Female is Mama God, and Seed is Jesus. His trademark is literally on everything He created....down to the worm. So, Mama God is the Holy Spirit, and we are currently in Mama God dispensation. I've said it before, but let me recap, when the enemy tempted Eve, literally what he did was have her FEEL the fruit, then cause her to REASON that it is NATURAL food instead of SPIRITUAL fruit. That showed me that in order for the enemy to gain access to us, we first have to give him an ear, engage him, allow him to make us feel, and convince us that with all the symptoms, we have a right reason that blah, blah, blah is true. In order to fight him, we have to recognize the lie, ask God how we came into agreement with him, repent, ask God to reveal TRUTH by laying down feelings and reason.....bam! TRUTH becomes a SWORD, one slash, and you are free.

Storge Love (google)

     I have always struggled with Phileo love, determining that since it is never unconditional, it always fails, it rejects, it maims, it rarely does more good than harm, and, and, it operates on reciprocity. I hate that! However, God turned the light on today, and I discovered an attic full of treasure boxes to explore. Who cares about the spiderwebs, cobwebs, etc. I'm diving in.
     The first relationship an infant ever has is Storge Love/Mama Love. A system is set up like this: Baby cries (6 different cries), Mama responds (appropriately and timely), need is satiated, and then comes trust (came from Relias Learning). Unfortunately, if the mother never understands the different cries and neglects the child, the infant learns to stop crying....horrific!!! Many of us grew up with "getting by" mothering. That means, we have mothers who were children when they had children, and they never got the complete 100% pouring into kinda love that required nothing in return. Then, because of that deficit, we subconsciously, are always on the prowl for THAT love in phileo love, or eros/intimate love.

Phileo Love (google)

      So, imagine that we all got Mama love, where our Mama's couldn't wait to have us, sending into our making/disposition the attitude of I want you. Then, when we were born, we were met with rejoicing and parties, and Mama falling in love with our sweet little being, nursing us, handling us so gently, comforting us when we were fussy. Oh, and then, when we were in Elementary, she exclaimed, "Oh honey, look at that pretty picture! Did you make that for me? I'm so proud of you!" Our little hearts know that we know, that we are wanted and adored. So then, when we make friends, we are naturally drawn to friends (phileo) who know the same thing. That friendship grows and develops with each member giving, sharing, and receiving from a place in the heart that is secure...I am wanted. Friendship is never convoluted or strained. It just is...strong, and lasting.
      Now imagine, that Mama was raped at 16, had the baby because her parents "made her." They spend more time with the grandchild/child than the mother. The mother is still in school. She wants to be a teenager and not a mother. That child rarely even gets a glance from her teenage mother, much less a hold. The child knows he/she can get anything from Nana and Papa, but the gaping hole in the heart can't be touched by them. The child branches out to find friends....just like him/her. They pull and push on each other, wanting this, grabbing that, needing this, taking that. They would walk away, but the fear of being alone and unloved eats them for dinner, so they hook on, and suck each other dry.
      I said all of that to say this, you can not begin to be a brother lover until you get love from your Mother (Mama God). Don't be sad if your family relations are strained. Ask Mama God (Holy Spirit) to identify the holes, bring you to repentance, reveal TRUTH, get free, and then you will find that Agape Love accompanies Storge Love so that you can have Intimacy (Jesus Love) with every person God brings into your life. Jesus is all about revealing God is LOVE!