Sunday, April 20, 2008

What Do You See?

The light for your earthly life is PERCEPTION. Therefore, if your PERCEPTION is without fault, your whole life shall be enlightened. If your PERCEPTION be evil, your whole life shall be darkened by it; if the light for you is darkness, how deep will your darkness become?
(Matthew 6:22, 23 - Khaboris Manuscript)


Each of these pictures represents dual realities...the image that you see is determined by your perception.

Is the glass half-full or half-empty? The answer to both questions is "yes"...it's all a matter of perception.

Were the 10 spies telling the truth about Canaan, or were Joshua and Caleb? Again, the answer to both inquiries is "yes"!

I'm not asking specifically what you see in the pictures (although you may want to share that with the rest of the bloggers); my question is a larger one...the pictures are symbolic of changing perception. Do you see things you haven't seen before in familiar passages of Scripture? Is your image of God different now than it was a few years ago? What do you see now in your relationship with Him that you couldn't perceive before?





Perception...
Repentence...
Reality...
Paradigm shift...
The evidence of things not seen...
What is God saying to you today about how you see things?

"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."
- Marcel Proust


BTW, there are 10 new songs on the playlist...

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

WELCOME, ALL TRUTH-SEEKERS! ............Come on in... the water's fine!

1). Ps. 1:3 - And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf won't wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

2)
* The Eucharistic cup
* An hourglass
* A pedestal, base, foundation

* A plant stand for containers of fruitful vines beside my house

* Darkness @ the periphery but light @ the center and outer borders. (for now, we see through a glass darkly, but then, face to face)

3).

* Song of Solomon 4:6, where it says, "until the day break and the shadows flee away."

* John 3:8
* A virtual chess board

4).

* A woman with a hat & nice stole (or wings!) on her shoulders

* A hatted man with a mustachioed proboscis

* (rotated) A bird stretching its wings on a mountain top; the sun rising in Australia

5).

* A woman of elegance
* An aged, sad marionette
* (rotated) A quizzical bumblebee

6).

* A space station
* An elevator
* Perceived "enclosure" - but the openings are clearly visible

* Inward light, outward darkness

7).

* Genesis 2:7 (and God breathed life into man & he became a living soul)

* Ps. 2:12 - Kiss the son; blessed are those who put their trust in Him

* A butterfly

* (rotated) God kissing mountain ranges where beautiful feet climb to visit with Him

* Patterns of standing waves

8).

* The grave could not hold Him (the cross at the center, while Light encompasses it)

* An elegant birthday present

Donald said...

When I get all this matter out of my eyes, I will try to figure out what I'm seeing here.

Anonymous said...

izumi/joy, you have quite a critical flair for writeing! I love your posts! Such a deep beautiful spirit you have...(I have not forgot about the boston dream, so much more coming to me, i will definately give the interpetation soon...Man, God is so much fun!)PERCEPTION..funny, i picked up one of my Wayne Dyer books this morning, the theme was intention and perception qoute from book "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." SELAH

Anonymous said...

GOOD MORNING!
I am sooo looking forward to sharing a worship service at CITN with mom this morning on streaming! The internet here is not real fast but it will be OK. Mom loves watching and listening to the CDs and DVDs. I wish there was a way to put some of the awesome praise and worship on those. The folks down at the First AG will have to do without her today.
That translation of Mat. 6:22-23 is awesome! I loved it when the Bishop read it ITB the other day. I have read those verses so many times and known in my spirit that there was so much more that I was no seeing. Now I see and the light is filling my whole body/life with life! Wow, I have got to get one of those Khaboris manuscripts. It really gives clarity and further revelation of what Bishop has taught on our creating our life by our perception.
OK now I am just going to wait on it to start to rain on Mom and I.

Grace, Peace, and Love,
Dennis

Donald said...

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." I like that Ronnie.
I am "fixing" to fire up the scooter and go to church here in town for the first time in a long time. I'm looking forward to it because the pastor here really is a super guy, but I will sit in the back because when it gets time for Bishop, I'll have to bail out if the service isn't over by then.
Bishop, you have simply "rernt" (ruined) me as far as going to church is concerned. But anyway, Church on the Rock, www.jesusistherock.org, here I come.

Donald said...

Still speechless about today's (4-20-08) service, but I was sitting hear listening and thought, if he fools with that covenant exchange today he is going to really mess up a good thing, and shortly thereafter you said what you said about postponing it. The spirit is strong here in my house, I can only imagine how strong it must be there.

Anonymous said...

WOW! Today’s service was AWSOME! I mean it started out AWSOME! As soon as it started within a few minuets I was overwhelmed by a move of the spirit. Bishop you got up and said once that “I don’t know if you can feel this or not out there”. Let me tell you it shot all the way up here to southeast MO. For some reason in my spirit I could see the line that the news report on the new Madrid fault line earthquake. They drew it on a map of the US. The line ran from Atlanta all the way up to a far northern city. I am sure it was prophetic somehow. I just can’t put it all together right now. I think my Mother was shocked and she goes to an AG church if you know what I mean. The Spirit was really speaking to me about the rain on ALL MANKIND. The service closed, at least for us streaming, with you Bishop giving a word from the Lord that was very clear to me about a prophecy that I received over thirty years ago. Then I said I got it Lord and you right then ended that part of the service. That was another confirmation for me! God is so good, awesome, and at times even fearfully overwhelming.

Peace,
Dennis

Anonymous said...

CORRECTIONS:

"MOM WAS SHOCKED" = IN A GOOD WAY

THE NEWS ON THE QUAKE LAST WEEK

Donald said...

I was thinking about your mom during the service Dennis and couldn't help but think that this had to be the best service in the world for her to be a part of.

Anonymous said...

Donald, I was thinking the same thing. The Spirit was this strong here in this house; I dont know if I could have stood it ITB.

Gotta head home, blessings to all.

Dennis

Scribe said...

What Do You See? Well, I SAW THE LORD / HOLY SPIRIT in the building today. It was phenomenal and nothing quite like it. I am usually in the Cyber Congregation, but today God made way for me to be in the building with my kids and it was so amazing until I did not want to leave, and hung around a while after, while having gotten the chance to meet a few of the bloggers in this BITN Family. Hallelujah! Amen.

Ebony said...

My image of God has changed in a better way. I always saw Him as a Heavenly Father, but it was altered because of my earthly father. So I was always striving to please him, feeling awful and unworthy when I fell short. Now I realize that NO MATTER WHAT I DO, He still loves me , he forgives me, and he's not mad at me. I've also learned the difference between "consequence" and punishment, and while I may have to deal with the consequence. The punishment was absorbed in the Cross. I try to be more tolerant and understanding of others and their spiritual journey (note I said try, I still struggle sometimes) and broaden my definition of a "follower of Jesus".
As far as the pictures go:

1) The two faces and the eucharist cup

2)Black birds flying one way, white birds flying in the other direction over two communities

3) A young pretty girl, a man w/ a moustache and hat, and an old woman

4) The young girl and the old woman (old woman primarily)

5) Grey cube in black background

6) the cup and the two faces.

I know that right brain thinkers see one picture and left brainers see the other, but I've always seen both. Just goes to show that sometimes a change in perspective is all that's needed.

Anonymous said...

Hi Family,

Today's service was amazing, anointed, powerful, phenomenal, and too holy to talk about now. I did enjoy seeing Scribe38 and meeting her youngest daughter, Alegra who by the way has a very sweet heart. Fammon, IzumiJoy was also in the house.

Thank you Holy Spirit for manifesting yourself to us and through us today.

Bishop, I have heard of stories like you gave about Pastor Greg and how the Holy Spirit multiplied the food, He is a God of multiplication. You can get a witness up in here. I am connected with a homeless ministry that feeds in Atlanta for the last 9 years and God has multiplied (the fish/no kidding) on many occasions. That is our daddy, always doing the impossible, it is always possible in Him. His grace and mercy is amazing.

We love you Lord..there is none like You..and we bless You Today

Lise said...

Bish,

The Proust quote is one of my favorites.

Will comment on the first picture...
In the positive space I see a chalice. In the negative space I see faces... equals, perhaps sharing the Eucharist and perceiving the cup as not just half full, but running over.

Missed the service today, and of course, knew I'd miss something special. But hadn't seen the 'rents' in a couple of weeks and needed to check up on them. Dad is hanging right in there, and Mom is enjoying the spring and her garden. All is well.

Thanks Bish and Donald for your feedback from yesterday. I'll know if and when the time is right.

Regarding 'the artist formerly known as LP'... :)
Kinda makes me want to design a symbol for myself. What do you think about this?
6-6.5-7
Between the mark of the beast and the mark of the Lamb. Get it?... a work in progress. Just a thought!

Friend4Life said...

Hi ALL..I know its been awhile since I have blogged. I have been in a still mode...Listening to what God has for me(in my time of transition)

My husband and I just celebrated our 11th anniversary yesterday. Which by the way feels like 6yrs. Where has the time gone.

Today's service..no words, b/c I am still drunken in the spirit. As I am typing the letters want to jump right ahead of each other.

During the service at the end a song I started to sing was "Friend"
(You know ALL about ME; the GOOD and the BAD; You know when I RISE and FALL; You see my BEGINNING; You STAND at the END!!, but YET YOU REMAIN, FAITHFUL to say I'm your FRIEND)

Everytime you call me;
I RECIEVE your HEALING;
Everytime you call, me FRIEND

Even today's Blog..Perception. Bishop thanks for you being so creative and thoughtful each DAY.

Do you see anything else other than a telephone pole? A sign on the expressway? Or some streetlights? (The cross is everywhere!!)LQQK-B-yond just a regular sign.

Same thing about the nets.(SEE THE IMPOSSIBLE,as I'mPOSSIBLE) Open our EYES LORD!!
Oh Lord, your Beautiful. Your face is All I see. For when your EYES are on this CHILD. Your GRACE abounds to me.

Thank you Lord for Every Breath I Breathe. Thank you for just loving me.

What a AWESOME DAY!!
L.W.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Ronnie Lee. YES!! God IS fun. (and sometimes, a little really scary) Cool quote, btw.

Q: Do you see things you haven't seen before in familiar passages of Scripture.

A: Certainly!

Q: Is your image of God different now than it was a few years ago?

A: My image of God is different now than it was a few hours ago.

Q: What do you see now in your relationship with Him that you couldn't see before?

A: That just because I couldn't recognize His voice or sense His presence didn't mean He wasn't speaking or revealing His glory to me. I've never not been in His presence.

2). Gen. 1:2 - And the earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

or

Acts 2:17 - And it will come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.

4). Walt Whitman in a holiday beanie

Hey Anonymous! Great finally seeing you face to face!

AWESOME service today! Rain on me! Breathe on me! Shower down! Shower down! More please! No pen or paper to take notes today. (What kind of joke was that, Holy Spirit?!)

The closing part was particularly the sweetest - full of peace.

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Izumi, thanks for the insight, and for Psalms 1:3…

Yes, God is, indeed, so much fun, Ronnie Lee…

Glad you were ITB today, Scribe…

Interesting about the left brain/right brain interaction, Ebony…

Thanks, Anonymous…

The design sounds like a good idea to me, Elle…

I appreciate it, Friend4life…

And Donald and Dennis, I always enjoy hearing from both of you, but today that was really extra-cool to hear your perspectives on the service as you talked to each other about it from MS and MO, respectively. Every Sunday we see the statistics of hundreds and hundreds of homes logged on to stream from around the world, and it would be such a blessing to actually hear from some of them. I would love to be able to connect with this vast and silent cyber-congregation, because it is much larger than the physical one that meets ITB, and I very much want to bring those two worlds together. Thank you so much for breaking the silence and confirming to me that the presence that we regularly experience on Iris Drive can be felt in other places.

Ebony said...

I also forgot to say that today's service was..well, it was one of those "if you weren't there, I can't explain it" things. And I always seem to get a word in season when I need it. Plus, can you tell P. Jimmie to PLEASE sing the Paul Morton song more often. It's one of my faves.

Some food for thought for BITN, courtesy of recording artist Pink

"If God is a DJ
Life is a dance floor
Love is the rhythm
You are the music
If God is a DJ
Life is a dance floor
You get what you're given
It's all how you use it"

Goodnight and I hope you all have the best week ever! :-)

Donald said...

Bishop, I always enjoy the services immensely. But today was so different. Sure, I was rolling with laughter while you talked about trying to sing in that church while you were in college and everything, but laughter was far from the dominant force today. Today was holy (more obvious than usual). Toward the end of the service when you started singing "Our God is an awesome God" over and over again, I just sat in my chair with my hands raised and each time you would get to the end of it, I would think please sing it again, and you would.
I fumbled around in the house for awhile after the streaming stopped, but I was still engrossed by the spirit. I finally got outside and cut the grass, but the whole time I was riding on the lawnmower I couldn't think of anything except how wonderful it was to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. I actually set the lawnmower in a low gear so that it would just putt around the yard rather than go fast like I normally do because I just felt so at peace.

Anonymous said...

You're welcome Bish. Re: Insight - lately, it seems like those exams we get when we visit the optometrist. You know... how he/she keeps changing the lens in front of you, until you see stuff clearer?

Like, the sky seems much bluer, the clouds are in high def. Difficult to explain.

By the way - during service today, you mentioned going to 6 Flags as a kid & the smell of cotton candy & funnel bread. Those two scents may signify happy childhood experiences for you. But, for me, it signals the presence of the angelic realm.

Probably sounds absurd, but years before the movie "Michael" came out, my sisters & I (separately) began noticing sweet fragrances during/after prayer time. When we got together & mentioned it, we were amazed that we'd all been experiencing similar phenomena.

"Funnel cake", is very much like the waffle cone scent we smelled in the atmosphere in Boston Commons, after flying a kite for the disabled, homeless man.

I'd no sooner said to Rich, "Never know. We may be entertaining an angel," when ahhhhhhh.... sweet fragrance filled the air.

Thing is, it kinda "followed us." When we left the area, I laughingly wondered aloud, "What do you think THAT was?" (not surprised really - just used to its manifestation in our home - not outdoors) when it happened in a big burst again.

When you mentioned sulfur today, my heart pounded so hard that my chest hurt . There have been times (after much intercession) that I've walked around my house & wondered why it smelled like firecrackers.

It was alarming; disturbing somehow, because I had no understanding. (my siblings have noticed it too and they said what they've perceived in the Spirit was DUNAMIS.) Like, the atmosphere actually "crackled" with vitality.

Love the whole topic of the supernatural realm. I hope the cloud stays here & that we camp out for awhile.

Makes me feel less alone, discussing stuff that I've encountered in this spirit walk. Thank you.

Thank You, God of angel armies, encamping around Your children.

Night, all.

Scribe said...

Hey Family:

Anybody heard from Teezy? Teezy where are you? We miss you and just wanted to give you a shout. If you are in the middle of Final Exams, I speak blessings, peace, and outstanding achivement to you. Good night!

Anonymous said...

Guess Who's Back

Bishop

Talk about perception.
This weekend has been nothing but that.
For those who don't know I went to Ohio. My stepmom is about to go and be with the Lord. She has had my fathers ashes for about a little over 11 years. My stepbrother called and told me to come and pick up my fathers ashes & his flag .
When I got there I was unsure how it would go because when my father & stepmother married her kids & I didn't really get along to well.
When I got to the house they had their mother in the front room in a hospital bed. I was unsure what to say or even did I really need to stay. I went to her bedside to let her know I was there. Her daughter said she was awake but I wasn't sure if she really knew who I was.
I called my stepmom almost every weekend till she couldn't talk on the phone.
I then started to call to see how she was.
She had became a good friend to me.
After my fathers death I asked her if I could have his ashes & flag.
All I really wanted was for the past 11years for my stepmother to give me my fathers ashes so I could put him to rest & also for his flag. At first I was creeped out about the fact she had his ashes in her home. As time wore on I just accepted it but I was unsure if her kids would release his ashes & flag to me because of how we use to be. When my stepbrother called and said to come and get his ashes & flag little did I know they would release his metals & even things I didn't even know he had such as his high school yearbook. There were other things also. Her kids called me back into one of the rooms and told me that they only thought it was right that I have everything that belonged to my father. Her daughter said they had a few more boxes to go through and that they would send me whatever they find.
Her daughter & husband have been asked to be youth leaders at their church & I told them about our youth group & how much the ministry has an effect on me and the teens we work with. That the main thing is that teens just want a friend. We talked for about two and a half hours. My stepsisters husband said my stepmom has been tough with her bought with cancer.
She was awake when we started talking and while we talked she fell asleep. What I thought was going to be a hard visit turned out to be a bridge building adventure.
Please keep them in your prayers.

Unknown said...

Hello all.

Today's service has me feeling big and small, powerful and weak, enlightened and clueless, excited and scared, drunk and clearheaded, spent and alive, watching to see what He will say and waiting to hear the next step.

So I guess I'll answer the questions on perception:

My image of God different? Yes. Cleansed. It seems that so much of the awareness that I operate in now has always been there, but now it’s free of the darkness that got added. Things I knew once and later came to only hoping were true have been confirmed by a man of God. I’m not sure why that mattered so much, but it did.

I see now in our relationship?
I see more of HIS delight in WANTING me to know Him intimately and not just my wanting to. It is a lover’s game of hide but seek Me with His desire exceeding mine, rather than a “way up there somewhere loving me and everybody” disconnection.

There is also a rekindled hope in the real possibility of restoration rather than escape to pie in the sky. Creating Camelot, Shangri-La, Heaven on Earth—all are not only now possible again but probable.

See new things in familiar passages? Yes. Most recently, the concept of Adam/Christ, Jacob/Esau, Judas/Jesus, one taken/one left etc. all being in us seems to jump out of every page. Love shows up more. The love of a purifying fire. The helpfulness of scripture stands out rather than the condemnation.

The evidence of things not seen...
What is God saying to you today about how you see things?
Trust Him.
Tell the truth.
Watch.

10 new songs? Connection won’t cooperate today. No sound. Maybe tomorrow. Enjoyed listening alot yesterday, afternoon and evening.

Kettly said...

Hello Everyone

I want to say this to all of us, today let our minds:

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”(Rom.12:2) In the command to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, we have another principle-the River Principle. Our growth is like the flow of a river. Jesus said, “He who believes in me, as the scripture said, from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).

I have learned every Sunday to expect newness in the spirit. (Like Today). The form of the newness no longer surprises me. Today the newness comes to me in the shape of, new insights.
The River flows through me. The Spirit of the LORD, RAINS on me today.
Newness is the way of progress; we are moving from glory to glory. (2 Cor. 3:18)

Beholding is a steady kind of looking. Believe then, in Christ with a solid, abiding confidence. Believe that He is able and willing to save you, and Him to do so.

I say to you, take your eyes off everything else, and behold the of God! We need not see anything else, nothing else is worth seeing; but behold Him. See how He takes our guilt, see how He bears it bears it, how He sinks under it, and yet rises from it, crying,” It is finished.” He gives up the ghost, He is buried, He rises again from the dead because He is accepted of God, and His redeeming work is done. Trust Him, and trust him.” Look and Live,” because, now our nosegay; not “do and live”, but live and do.” If you ask how we are to live, our answer is look, trust, believe, confide, rest in Christ, and the moment we do so, we are saved, to be born again, to see things trough our new Spiritual birth.

In short I see that Christians may fall. Some May even apostate and thus may lose their salvation. This view is borne from humility and acknowledgement of one’s limitation. Knowing that “for a righteous man falls seven times (Prov.24:16) one may not be strong enough to rise again; or may not rise soon enough. On the other hand, it is my opinion that to think I am a** true Christian** is a bit arrogant and presumptuous. By no means I accuse should one consider oneself, as a *true Christian* is arrogant and presumptuous. Rather, I admire their confidence; but that I chose not to think this way.

The concern of losing one’s salvation leads to fear. However, this fear is not negative. It is because that we love the Lord so much, we fear that OT talks about, especially in Psalms and Proverbs. I come to consider that Holy Fear is a necessity for salvation.

Psalms:
Ps.5:7- I will worship toward thy Holy temple in the fear of thee.
Ps.19:9- The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever;
Ps. 22:23- You, who fear the LORD, praise Him!
Ps.25:14- The friendship of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
Ps.33:18-Behold the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love.
Ps.40:3- Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
Ps.102:15- The nations will fear the name of the LORD, and the kings of the earth thy glory.
Ps.103:17- But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting upon those who fear Him,
Ps.111:10- The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
Ps.115:13- He will bless those who fear the LORD.
Ps.135:20- You that fear the LORD, bless the LORD!

PROVERBS:
Prv.8:13- The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Prv.9:10- The fear of LORD is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the ONE is insight.
Prv.22:4- The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.

After Today Services I feel inclined to write something about the fear of God. Because, to fear the LORD is to know him.
The Service was really and truly WHOLESOME, BEAUTIFULL, GLORIOUS, RAIN, FIRE, and ALL that applies to US!
LOVE YOU ALL.
Kettly

Anonymous said...

Time keeps on tickin', tickin', tickin' into the future... dew, dew, dew, dew...

2). Gen. 1:26 - And God said, "Let's make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion..."

and/or...Ps. 4:6 - There will be many who will say, "Who will show us any good? Lord, You lift up the light of Your countenance on us."

and/or...Ps. 78:14 - By day, He led them with a cloud and by fire light through the night.

and/or...John 1:5 - And the light shined in darkness and darkness couldn't contain it

Welcome home, Laura. Great report! Beauty for ashes. God is good!

Anonymous said...

2). and/or... Ex. 33:11 - And the Lord spoke to Moses Face to face, like a man speaks to his friend

Anonymous said...

The love and the light of God flowing from different and unusual places. How can we not know the light and love God? Do you see your child? Do you see the flowers budding? Do you see nature bursting forth in all its granduer? Yet none of this compares to what the Father, Master of the Universe, Creator of All Things feels for me. See God in the unusual, the peculiar, the detail, not the why but the why not. Revel in His light so that He too may shine upon others through you.