One Giant Leap For Mankind

[Barry]

Planet Preterist was once again kind enough to post one of my articles. I very much thank them.
I hope that you will enjoy this little article.
I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts.
Love Barry

http://planetpreterist.com/news-2893.html

[Paige]

I loved the article. It speaks exactly to where I want to be in my life. It also helps me see that there are some conversations that I just don't want to have anymore ( with those who wear their "orthodox caps" ;) ). It is clear that some are just not prepared to venture beyond what they've always believed to be true, no matter what scriptural evidence they are shown. When this is the case, I feel my time is just better spent elsewhere.

Your article helped me see the importance of letting others walk their own path and trying to maintain a loving attitude through our differences.

Paige

[Lou]

"picking up a branch and beating Eve’s brains out"
:lolsign: :lolsign: :lolsign: :lolsign: :lolsign: :lolsign: :lolsign:



Great article Barry.

[Barry]

Well Lou, there were no shovels back then you know.
A little blunt and graphic I suppose. LOL! Poor Eve.
Thanks Lou and Page.

[davo]

Thanks for the article Barry -- I thought this a particularly good line:

It’s ok to be wrong. God has it covered!
:clap2:

[Amie]

Barry,

Great article. In those terms, I would like to encourage humanity to please put down their fruit and live freely :).

Amie

[ozark]

Barry,

Your article is brilliant. A real paradigm buster. :25_coolguy:

[backtothefuture]

Barry,
Very good article.
Does this mean that its ok that on some days my fruit has fruit flies:biggrinbounce:

Also, I was wondering for myself, How would I know how God defines my potential?
So much of my worth and self esteem use to be wound up in being a mom and wife.
But these last 3 years as I have kind of been on a healing journey I just don't quite know my true self and who that is. Or I do, but don't know what it would be or how to describe it.
I do know that more and more, I don't care that much about being right. I come out of a peacemaker kind of person anyway, but its not about being right anymore. It kind of feel good not to carry that on my shoulders anymore, but just who I am? I am not sure yet. Or I haven't seen it quite yet.
So I am transforming, small steps, but moving not sinking, so guess that is a positive:clap2:
Thanks Barry for all your words of hope and wisdom.
Blessings,
Nancy

[Barry]

Barry,
Very good article.
Does this mean that its ok that on some days my fruit has fruit flies:biggrinbounce:

Also, I was wondering for myself, How would I know how God defines my potential?
So much of my worth and self esteem use to be wound up in being a mom and wife.
But these last 3 years as I have kind of been on a healing journey I just don't quite know my true self and who that is. Or I do, but don't know what it would be or how to describe it.
I do know that more and more, I don't care that much about being right. I come out of a peacemaker kind of person anyway, but its not about being right anymore. It kind of feel good not to carry that on my shoulders anymore, but just who I am? I am not sure yet. Or I haven't seen it quite yet.
So I am transforming, small steps, but moving not sinking, so guess that is a positive:clap2:
Thanks Barry for all your words of hope and wisdom.
Blessings,
Nancy

Hi Nancy.
I love your honestly and openness.
You have brought up several very important points.
Suffer me to be long and express my views. :)

I see the term, "in the flesh" as linked to a confidence in human "potential" or "capacity" to measure up to accountability before God or as (a) god.
Adam wanted to pull off the impossible.
This "position" of independent human potential (from God's possibility) meant "sin".

IMHO Adam did not accept his inherent value apart from trying to prove himself. The more one has to prove the more dangerous they are, the more unnecessary risks they take, the more relationship problems they have, ECT.
Most all people are religious to some extent. Highly religious people can be the most dangerous. Not because they want to do evil things but because they want conformity to "rightness". They perceive that "rightness" we benefit everyone and of course since they are "right" this is how everything must be. They can be highly driven and often end up being very controlling.

Behind some of this IMHO is a lack of understanding concerning the inherent value of a person independent of their human potential.

Human potential would be more than just performance. It tries to attach value significance to things like ethnicity. It is sectarian and tribal. It glories in things like what tribe I am or he is. What gender I am as opposed to what you are.
We can see some of the issue of confidence in the flesh in the unwillingness to let go of the temple.
Can human potential house God? God forbid! So when the status of "the flesh" was removed the temple went with it. The destruction of the temple in AD 70 was highly significant. It shows us a lot.

Now God's potential is working with us. He wants to share because he loves. That's what love does. It shares.

We all have incredible potential. The issue is however that that does not define our value. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the..." The value was already present.
Love determines value not potential.
Potential can be augmented through acceptance of love.
This is because we would then be responding to our acceptance instead of trying to prove something about our value.
Different types of motivation produce different types of results. Sometimes the results are similar or look similar but trying to prove value through performance and all the insecurity that comes with it takes its toll.

Once value is accepted then one is free to improve through honoring inherent value.
Insecurities about value are removed and one can move on allowing one's self to be wrong and get things wrong as they learn and grow.

This is why tradition and old paradigms are hard to brake. The need to be right places artificial and inappropriate value on being right. Being wrong implies condemnation. No one wants that. Better to think you are still right. Better to assume you are right. The need to be right produces terrible insecurities. Insecurities control our life. The "ego man" is a terrified man even when he has faith. For then his faith too must be "right". Then he thinks that his faith has saved him. Do you think that you or I am going to get such a one to reconsider a vital point of his or her faith? Not easily!!! Too much fear tied in to it.

Grace is not theological understanding. It is emotional and physiological healing. Our potential is in its proper functioning framework when our emotional state is not bogged down with fear and insecurity. When we are going forward through the proper incentive and assurance of life and identity.

This does not mean that we can fully know who we are. The fun is not knowing and being ok with that. Enjoy the discovery process! It's your journey. Enjoy it.

You are an unconditionally loved child of God. You are on a discovery journey. You can be wrong and still be ok.
Who we are is journey people. We find more than enough of who we are to be able to function well, when we ok with the fact that we are more than anything else, still discoverers.

JMO and thoughts.
Love, Barry

[backtothefuture]

Grace is not theological understanding. It is emotional and physiological healing.

Gosh Barry, I about cried when I read those words. Thanks for the great post back. I just sit in awe some days and remember where I was and think of now, where I am off to.

I think God is working with me on my inherent value right now.:clap2:
That is good news, as a year ago I would not have even seen myself with value of any kind. Transforming is what is helping me heal for some reason. Maybe down the line I will understand it better in words.

When you have an extra 5 minutes would you list some of the things that the destruction of the temple in AD 70 did for me?:)

Blessings,
Nancy

Maybe you can help Fill in this equation for me ...Grace + face to face + inherent value equals???