Fake News

For those only interested in the topic "Fake News" feel free to skip the following disclaimer and head right to the post below.

Disclaimer:

The below post is out of character for a blog addressing the things of God...or is it?

Why am I writing a post about fake news? Even though my blog is about God, God is also a God of truth. Not only so, but also because lies are powerful and very destructive. It also saddens me to see all the divisiveness in our nation and the world. I would suggest this is possibly being stirred up deliberately and hope this post will help explain why, at least in part.

I have been aware of media control for years (in large part due to working in the financial services industry for 11 years [holding a series 6 and 63 license in the securities industry] and later in areas related to tax law through an estate planning business I partnered and co-directed for 14 years). In light of the 2016 presidential election, it became clearer to a larger number than ever that something was going on, in and through the mainstream media outlets. Statistics now show only 30% to as low as 6% in America believe the news media is telling us the truth. Therefore, I felt now was a good time to peek behind the curtain so to speak. I trust why will become apparent as you read the below.

This is not a typical post for this blog. While I seek only to speak the truth, this particular post is about the truth of a practical, not theological kind. For my regular readers who come to see the truth of the theological variety, this kind of non-theological discourse may be of no interest to you. So I am letting you know up front this is about deception within the mainstream news media, before you take time to read this post in its entirety (though I certainly encourage you to).
  

If you find this topic of fake news of no interest, thanks for taking the time you have so far!  

I trust you will return in the future for my usual posts on

"Thoughts about God"

Now to the topic at hand...
__________________________________________________________________

Fake News

The following is an excerpt from no less than the Congressional Record published in 1917 on page 2949. 

The key excerpt is immediately below and a photo copy of the entire page is at the end of this post to verify it is in fact from the Congressional record.

I have also reproduced the text immediately following this snapshot for easier reading.

I challenge you to give serious thought to what you are about to read. The ramifications affect all of us right now on a daily basis and the ramifications are enormous; even life altering when clearly understood. So without further ado,

The following is a reproduction of the above text for easier reading:

"In March, 1915, the J.P. Morgan interests, the steel, shipbuilding, and powder interests, and their subsidiary organizations, got together 12 men high up in the newspaper world and employed them to select the influential newspapers in the United States and sufficient number of them to control generally the policy of the daily press of the United States. 

These 12 men worked the problem out by selecting 179 newspapers, and then began, by an elimination process, to retain only those necessary for the purpose of controlling the general policy of the daily press throughout the country. They found it was only necessary to purchase the control of 25 of the greatest papers. The 25 papers were agreed upon: emissaries were sent to purchase the policy, national and international, of these papers; an agreement was reached; the policy of the papers was bought, to be paid for by the month; an editor was furnished for each paper to properly supervise and edit information regarding the questions of preparedness, militarism, financial policies, and other things of national and international nature considered vital to the interest of the PURCHASERS (emphasis my own).

This contract is in existence at the present time (1917), and it accounts for the news columns of the daily press of the country." (emphasis mine)

END OF QUOTE!

Below is the quote again with some emboldened comments interjected, preceded with >>>, and sections quoted from the Congressional Record lead by ...

"In March 1915,

>>> 1915 is not a typo. This has been going on for a looooong time. So long that when we DO hear the truth in the news media we often don't even know it.  

...the J.P. Morgan interests, the steel, shipbuilding, and powder interests, and their subsidiary organizations,

>>> J.P. Morgan also happened to be a stakeholder in the privately-owned (often thought to be government-controlled) Federal Reserve bank. For more click here. There is tons of information on this if you find the one link inadequate. Just do a YouTube or general search on "Federal Reserve Deception" or the like. You will find more than you have time to read.

...got together 12 men high up in the newspaper world

>>> Do you think this may have carried through to other forms of cultural influence today, such as entertainment, movies, TV shows, the music industry,  public education, sports, the government itself...even Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube. All of these social media platforms are censoring news at this time that goes contrary to the mainstream narrative. For more on this click here. 

It also happens to be that executive types from Google (who own YouTube) made more visits to the white house during the Obama administration than any other business industry. Does this prove anything? Not necessarily, but it's worth raising the question of why all the visits. Especially in light of what we see recently with censorship of "fake news" on FB, Twitter, and YouTube and the complete cancellation of certain accounts. To see an example of this click here. 

...and employed (i.e. paid) them to select the influential newspapers in the United States and sufficient number of them to control generally the policy of the daily press of the United States (emphasis added by me).

These 12 men worked the problem out...

>>> Problem? What problem? Who's got a problem? We the people? NO, JP Morgan and "interests!"

...by selecting 179 newspapers, and then began, by an elimination process, to retain only those necessary for the purpose of controlling the general policy of the daily press throughout the country.

This is the second reference to "controlling the...press."  When something is mentioned once, it's important...twice, it's critical. 

This alone should shock us. If it doesn't we don't fully understand the far-reaching destruction of mass deception through controlled media and how we have been misled on the most vital information necessary in making an accurate assessment of critical issues shaping the direction of our country for 110 years. If you think this is overstated, I encourage you to give this serious thought in light of the direction our nation has taken on the most significant issues in the last 110 years...covid 19, the Ukraine War, and election fraud are some examples of the biggest stories being "reported on" (or not in most cases) today.

>>> What does that mean... to control the general policy of the press? The rest of the report clarifies. The point is the media is controlled, which is not the intent of the founders and also why freedom of the press is vital i.e. the press is not to be controlled by any special interests but is there simply to report facts and raise awareness of what is going on in the world and in government for the benefit and protection of the nation as a whole i.e. you and I, and not for a select group within America their private special interests (sometimes referred to as the "1%" or the "elite"). 

Freedom of the press was intended to be a check on government corruption and controlled media; Sometimes referred to as the 5th estate.

...They found it was only necessary to purchase the control of 25 of the greatest papers. The 25 papers were agreed upon: emissaries were sent to purchase the policy, national and international, of these papers...

>>> emissaries.

1. a representative sent on a mission or errand: emissaries to negotiate a

peace.

2. an agent sent on a mission of a secret nature, as a spy (not conspiracy theory but plain old fashion conspiracy).

... an agreement was reached; the policy of the papers was bought, to be paid for by the month; an editor was furnished for each paper to properly supervise and edit information regarding the questions of preparedness, militarism, financial policies, and other things of national and international nature considered vital to the interest of... in short to lead people in the direction the controllers wish to take them i.e. to mislead them, not give them the facts needed to make an accurate assessment of the best course of action for the nation as a whole, verses a small group and their private special interests.

>>> To properly supervise and edit?! For whose benefit!? NOT the citizens, not even our country BUT...

...the PURCHASERS  (i.e. J.P. Morgan and interests. My emphasis)

>>> Freedom of the Press was and is totally ignored in this arrangement and has been ignored for the last 100 + years of this nation's existence!! It is with good reason the founders thought freedom of the press was so important. We are seeing the fruit of ignoring their wisdom today. 

...This contract is in existence at the present time (as of this report which was in 1917), and it accounts for the news columns of the daily press of the country."

END OF QUOTE!

If you wish to see another online copy of this quote click here. 

For a short video (just over 4 minutes) also addressing this CLICK HERE

The clip immediately above is older but the only difference now is new "players" have been added. If you have followed the recent censoring of news by Twitter (before Elon Musk), Facebook, and YouTube (owned by Google) it is painstakingly clear they are also now part of controlled media. In fact, they have recently gone on a very open campaign to censor anyone who does not go along with their narrative. James O'Keefe - founder of Project Veritas and now OMG (O'Keefe Media Group) - has done some interesting undercover reporting exposing their agenda.

The 4-minute clip above refers to the CFR (Council on Foreign Relations). Why mention the CFR? Most top-level people in mainstream media are members of the CFR. To see the "who's who" of the CFR in 2008 click here. For a current "who's who" specifically in media alone click here. You can go to the CFR's own site for this as well. Listings are in alphabetical order. To understand more of the CFR's global agenda click here.

As a side note, but very relevant, 3 very important pieces of legislation were put in place in 1913, just two years prior to J.P. Morgan buying up control of the top 25 newspapers of the country. It just so happens that J.P. Morgan had financial interests and was part owner of the Federal Reserve Bank. Coincidence?  

1. The Income Tax Act, which resulted in a direct tax on the earnings of all US Citizens for only the 2nd time in our countries history (The first was the Wilson–GormanTariff Act of 1894, which was overturned by the Supreme Court later in the Pollack Decision).

2. The 16th Amendment was added which gave the appearance of authorization for this direct tax (later to be struck down by the Supreme Court only to be ignored by Congress).

3. The Federal Reserve Act, which turned our monetary system over to a privately owned bank called the Federal Reserve. Which is Federal in name only.  

So what does the income tax have to do with the Banking system? Taxes according to former Fed Chairman Beardsley Ruml are used to mask "inflation" caused by the creation of money through the Federal Reserve Bank. If you wish to read the actual speech click here or here.  

What effect has the above circumvention of the free press, begun over 100 years ago, had on us today?

If we are not getting straight information on "...militarism (wars), financial policies (banking, the financial markets, etc), and other things of national and international (terrorism, pandemics etc) nature..." could that play any part in influencing the masses into accepting policies - with very little resistance - our government decides to push through? Policies not truly in the interest of the people (but only made to look like they were and are), but in the "financial interests" of their handlers, who also control the news? Keep in mind this means that what drives the news is economic in nature, not to present the truth or for the benefit of the country but in the best interest of the "Purchasers" the 1%, the elite, etc.

To say it directly, we are only hearing those things that unknowingly sway us to support actions that help best line up with the agenda and the pockets of the purchasers, not what is in the best interest of you and me, the people.

For those who object to the current President (Trump at the time of this post) tweeting, keep in mind he is bypassing the mainstream news media in doing so. It's also worth mentioning MSM took issue with his Tweeting once he got in office, not before. Wonder why!? He had been posting tweets long before he became President and saying pretty much the same things he said before he got elected. 

The Banksters and their agenda 

Guess what makes the most money for lenders? Lending money, i.e. DEBT. Especially when they collect interest on money that is being printed out of thin air. How would you like to collect interest on a $1 million loan that costs you NOTHING (outside of admin costs) to make it? The more I lend (at only the admin costs to lend it), the more I make. That is 100k/yr at 10% interest and 100 million/yr on a billion dollars!! Now do the numbers on our current debt of around 30 plus TRILLION (as of this update). Remember, I am not coming out of pocket to make the loan, I am simply having the money printed. Pretty nice business, don't you think (if you can live with being a thief)?

Guess what is one of the main generators of debt? War! Nothing like a perpetual war on terrorism (or some other excuse) to drive demand for loans aka debt. This present war on terror began under Bush and has not just continued but increased under the Obama administration in great part by a failed policy in the middle east. In the 8 years under Obama, we doubled what it took our entire 240 plus year history to reach (we were around 10 trillion debt in 2004 and were close to 20 tillion at the end of his administration. An estimated 7 trillion has been spent on conflicts in the middle east and the so-called war on terror under the Bush and Obama administrations. Most of it under Obama).

For a powerful visual example of how much this debt is watch the 2-minute video at the top of the site here.

Here's the million (or maybe I should say trillion) dollar question? Who does our government owe all those TRILLIONS of dollars to, themselves?! If that was the case, why not simply dismiss the debt?

"Hey self! What? You know that money I owe you. I'm just going to cancel the debt." Self replied, "OK! Great!" (I am using an absurd conversation to make a point. It is in fact absurd). 

NO! The government doesn't owe this money to itself. They owe it to a private banking system called the Federal Reserve Bank (owned in part by JP Morgan and interests. Remember that guy?!)

Now you may be wondering why the government would even allow this arrangement to occur or continue. Though it's involved, generally, with this arrangement the government can get all the money they want and need (not real money with actual value, mind you, but simply have the private bank lend it i.e. it's debt, not money) to do whatever they wish without getting the direct ok of the people to raise taxes to cover the ever-increasing spending i.e. it removes or at least postpones accountability for their decisions. Decisions hidden from the public eye, because the public is never consulted in what the government borrows and the amount of debt isn't disclosed until after the fact. Decisions that are beginning to bear their ugly fruit.

If you wish to learn more, just do a YouTube search on the Federal Reserve Scam as mentioned before. OR for a quick overview 3-minute video click here.

If you want to really dig in, there is also an excellent series called "The Hidden Secrets of Money" by Mike Mahoney. I highly recommend it for a thorough explanation. It's a 7 part series. Click here for the first episode.

Now, let's take it to the next level. What if someone started questioning the honesty of the "official" news - i.e. mainstream news media - and provided evidence these "official" information outlets were in collusion with the "banksters" who have influence over the government/politicians and the political decisions they make? How would the "official news" (and politicians) likely respond? Would they be happy? Might they attempt to discredit their accusers? Maybe even assert they are "Fake News?"

What if someone (such as the mainstream news [I put FoxNews in this group as well] or other centers of influence such as entertainment, sports, the public school system, the government itself, etc.) had a history of lying and folks, over time, started to catch on. And some of these folks catching on (those annoying, inconvenient whistleblowers) even started to point it out and provide evidence we were being lied to? What would those "official" information outlets do then (outlets that have had a significant amount of influence/power over the ones they have lied to, allowing them to maintain control over them and the policies of those who govern them)? Might those outlets start to accuse the whistleblowers of being charlatans, liars i.e. **FAKE NEWS? And might those outlets trot out others who will lie (not always, but strategically, subtly, when and where needed...so called "fact-checkers") to "prove" the whistleblowers are fake?

*This was originally written before the hysteria over COVID-19 AKA Coronavirus. We are now at 31 Trillion in debt as a nation, mainly to help small businesses keep their staff, many of which are not working due to the shutdown. For some additional thoughts on the virus click here.

**btw one of the main whistleblowers labeled as "fake news" used to be the "Drudge Report." I mention them to show the absurdity of the claim. If you have ever been to Drudge, what they use to do is find articles from other sources and link to them. They simply scour the internet for news articles that often slip under the radar (aren't always headlines) and list them on their site. That's it! The articles then have to stand or fall on their own merits. The point is these were not articles written by the Drudge Report. Many are even articles from mainstream sources but buried on the 5th or back page. What is most interesting is Drudge has been labeled as an "alt-right" media source by the mainstream media. He has since gone more left-leaning in the articles he highlights and the "alt-right" smears by MSM have since stopped. Are you starting to get the picture yet?

(There is truth even in the mainstream often, but it's usually buried never to be repeated. They know most folks are busy and won't dig so they will likely never notice these buried articles. This gives them a certain "plausible deniability" of never reporting the truth. Clue: when you see a story hammered on over and over again and on the front page, there is usually some really important news buried, sneaking under the radar, somewhere else in the back pages. Also often when a front-page story is proven false, if there is ever a retraction, it's also buried in the back, if one is ever made at all. Check it if you don't believe me. I have been watching this happen for years now). 

How many reports have you read or did you read by the major news outlets (or other media) during this past election season (2020 at the time of this post) that simply proved to be either error (sloppy reporting) or a flat out fabrication i.e. lie (with rarely a retraction when caught)? Of course, if you only listen to the mainstream media (and other centers of influence listed above) you won't even be aware the problem exists. How can you? You are only listening to those who are pushing the elite narrative posing as truth-tellers, not those the mainstream media is accused of lying i.e. what they are calling "Fake News." You may wish to actually check into alternative media. If you never have, you may be surprised at the level of research and collaboration of facts actually given. Hint...it's usually far more than what mainstream news gives us. Mainstream stories (notice I didn't say reporting) are often innuendo, conjecture and anonymous sourcing with little third party collaboration. 

(I have known about the history above behind controlled media for several years and had seen their lies over time. I noticed it heavily during Ron Paul's two presidential runs. This past election the misleading reports were so over the top it actually exposed this to the masses for the first time). 

The mainstream media has several problems however as a large majority of America have figured their agenda out in the last 18 months. They are controlled and there are third-party sources to verify this (not provided by the mainstream news, however. Surprise, surprise! Only from the so-called "fake news" i.e. the whistleblowers who are actually telling us the truth). The mainstream news has been caught lying repeatedly. And there is information that has inconveniently been leaked (thanks in great part to *WikiLeaks) from their own mouths to verify this. The best source to collaborate with any story is the perpetrator, i.e. the source themselves and direct eyewitnesses. Everything else is **"hearsay"

** hearsay:

1.

unverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another andnot part of one's direct knowledge:

I pay no attention to hearsay.

2.

an item of idle or unverified information or gossip; rumor:

a malicious hearsay. 

* Very in depth interview with Wikileaks head Assange dispelling much of the confusion and myths around Wikileaks as of 1/3/17 click here. 

For information that Assange may now be free click here. We'll keep you posted.  

The wheels of the fake news media continue to come off

CNN agenda exposed.  

3 CNN reporters resign over fake news.

For more on what exactly WikiLeaks is and does click here. 

For a further discussion of how to combat fake news click here. 

Bottom line. The actual fake news is coming from those who are calling the truth-tellers fake i.e. the "gatekeepers" mainstream news, entertainment (comedy, movie, TV, sports, etc) and other centers of influence and information outlets are the actual perpetrators of fake news. Accusations, however, are nothing more than accusations, but only hearsay. To become fact, they have to be substantiated.

The following is a list of mainstream "reporters" who, by their own emails (i.e. their own words) admit they colluded with the Clinton campaign this past election. You will notice, these are the stations that have been pushing the "fake news" accusations regarding the actual truth-tellers (whistleblowers). These are also the outlets that are labeling the whistleblowers as "alt-right" media. Also note CNN is listed most, with NY Times and MSNBC tied for 2nd and ABC third.

Just a tad different view than that held by the founders of this country. 

Not all conspiracies are theory

By way of an Analogy: 

I offer you the following as an analogy of our present situation regarding the "fake news" discussion.

Think of Grima, known as Wormtongue, the chief adviser to King Theoden in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Thanks to Gandalf, Wormtongue was exposed and Middle Earth eventually saved.

Click here to see the scene from Lord of the Rings.

As you watch it, the following is some food for thought:

Gandalf - represents the whistleblowers and truth-tellers, known as the "Fake News" by the mainstream media.

Grima Wormtongue - The mainstream news along with other centers of influence such as music and entertainment media (comedy shows, movies, sports etc).

King Theoden under a trance. American before it woke up.

King Theoden freed from his trance. American awakened.  

-----

The Matrix is another good analogy. Morpheus is the "fake news" guy (who was actually telling the truth) and Neo is someone who believed the mainstream information outlets. 

Of course, this is all a "great right-wing conspiracy" according to the greatest "truth-teller" of all time, Hillary Clinton herself.

By the way, if you think all this is nuts let me know. I have personal friends who worked in government psyops that will be glad to explain it.

Weakness or reality?

Boasting in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9,10) and being called to walk in weakness - i.e. in humility - is a paradox. Normally boasting and humility are opposites; a seeming contradiction. 

We see other examples of this paradox in the following... "to live you must die"... "to find your life you must lose it." Don't we normally boast in our strengths, not our weakness? 

So what does this mean? In a sense, it is a play on words. Weakness is really nothing more than simply recognizing the reality of our dependence i.e seeing ourselves according to the truth that we are dependent creatures. It is not really weakness in the commonly understood sense. It is operating according to the reality of who we are as finite beings dependent on our Infinite Creator. 

This is another way of saying we are not our own god - the opposite of the lie Adam and Eve bought into. The necessary recognition of this reality (our dependence) is actually the basis for our true strength and flourishing because it is grounded in the reality of our true nature and design as creatures.

It only ²seems like weakness to us if and when we are committed to being our "own god" ...being our own god is not actually possible because this ultimately leads to eternal death and separation from the only true God.

"Weakness" is only being who we were designed to be and really are - finite creatures created in God's image - totally dependent on our Creator and his love to operate fully as God intended and designed us to. When we recognize this "weakness" we are strong in our dependence on God and the power He gives in and through His love/Spirit.

This is not alien to who we really are - who we were created to be - but only to who we choose to be i.e. our own god. Therefore, we are actually strong in God only when we are weak in ourselves. 

"...Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing... As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love..." - John 15:5b and 9

These are Jesus own words in the upper room shortly before his betrayal and upcoming crucifixion (the completion of his own humiliation and ultimate experience of weakness on our behalf). 

This type of "weakness" recognizes all life, love, meaning, and purpose is from God alone, not ourselves, and to living accordingly. 

We were never designed to be our own god; to operate independently of God and outside of his infinite, boundless love. To attempt doing so leads to death, just as God warned. 

To live in this way (as totally independent) only gives the appearance of power. And it often does feel powerful but only for a season because it is not power rooted in the reality that from, through, and to God - not us -  are all things. Trying to be our own god is short term power rooted in the lie that we can be i.e. we are the source of power and God isn't.  

To live according to truth, the way we were designed to live, is to live fully and truly. It is not weakness, it is true power, it is fullness of life; abundant life. It is being loved with nothing less than the infinite, eternal love and joy that flows between the Father and the Son, via the Spirit; the very essence of the life of God.

We are only to be weak "in the flesh" i.e. in our attempts to garner the approval of God and man by our efforts. 

However, we are to be strong "in the Spirit" i.e. in actions driven by the Spirit/Love. In and by so doing we bear much fruit for his glory. 

Joh 17:3  And this is eternal life, that they ¹know you (the Father) the only true God, and (I) Jesus Christ whom you have sent. - 

Jesus talking to his Father right before he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot.

For a further discussion on the difference between operating "in the flesh" vs "in the Spirit" see the following... 

Defining terms: the flesh, the Spirit, living in and by the Spirit, living under or by the law etc

Starting in the Spirit, ending in the flesh. 

"performance" or action by faith

The above was inspired by "Way of the Dragon or The Way of the Lamb" page 13. by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Stroble. 

To download the intro and chapter 1 from the book click here and "get a free chapter" on the bottom right. 

________________________________

¹know: ginōskō - Thayer Definition:

1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

1a) to become known

2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of

2a) to understand

2b) to know

3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse (i.e. intimate knowledge through first hand experience- my comment) between a man and a woman

4) to become acquainted with, to know

²seems like weakness... I would add it also feels like weakness. Whenever we are required to depend on someone this feels weak. The real issue however is it requires trust when distrust is the heart of our problem. We don't want or like to trust. We like being our own god. Yet being finite requires we trust and if we are wise we trust Him who along knows all things and loves us infinitely. 

 

We prefer to follow in the footsteps and example of Adam. The is bound up in the very core of our being. However when you consider we are dependent creatures, it is in reality simply acting as we were created to act i.e. as finite creatures created in the image of the infinite Creator.

Love and Power connected

Love and power are not antithetical in God's economy. They are in fact directly connected. Love is the driving power/energy/motivation to act for the glory (loveliness/beauty) of God. God's love for us moves us to put his love on display for others to see and be drawn to. It is the essence of the greatest commandment to love God will all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out (bring to full fruition) your own salvation (the right standing which you already fully possess in Christ) with fear and trembling (in the awe, respect and amazement of that finished work Christ has completed and the suffering it took Christ to accomplish on your behalf), for it is God who works (moves) in you, both to will (desire) and to work (carry out and display Him in his greatness and love) for his good pleasure." Php 2:12,13 (ESV - English Standard Version)  My comments in ( ). 

"Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Php 2:12,13 (Amplified Version)

The above was inspired by "Way of the Dragon or The Way of the Lamb" page 11. by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Stroble. Soon to be released.

From God and for God

Only what is from God and for God is worth pursuing and participating in because it aligns us with the reality that everything already is from and for him.

What do I mean by "from God...?" 

Any actions by us that are driven by God's gracious love - vs. our independent performance to earn God's love/approval - i.e. He, by his love, is the impetus behind our actions. 

What do I mean by "for God...?"

Any actions that are driven to show off God - done for his honor/glory - and not to show us off i.e. to draw attention to ourself and advance on our rebellious independence from God.

To only carry out those things that are from and for God is to deliberately participate in what is already true i.e. everything is actually from, through and to him whether we consciously participate or not i.e. regardless of our willful participation.

One day every knee will bow and acknowledge that he is Lord and all things are from, through and to him and he is the sovereign means and end of all things. 

If we conduct our lives as if all things are not from, through and to God we will also go into eternity without him i.e. continue on the same delusional -- outside of reality -- and destructive trajectory throughout eternity that we lived while on earth. Our eternal existence will merely be an extension of our present one; an existence that refuses to recognize God is Lord of everything i.e. it will be a life absent of God in eternity as it is presently -- though not in reality just consciously, for in him we live move and have our being,  

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"

For a further discussion on our eternal state and living a life without God click here.  

Seeing Christs love through struggles

God uses our feebleness, frailties and limitations and the struggles they bring upon us to undermine our trust in ourselves and strengthen our trust in him...when we let him.

What God did for us and offers to us in Christ is the foundation on which our trust of him is built.

And expanded explanation:

God uses the struggles our feebleness, frailties and limitations bring upon us to undermine our trust in our ability to make life work without him. 

While at the same time strengthening/increasing our trust in him and his ability to guide us for our best...When we let him.

What God did for us and offers to us in Christ is the foundation on which our ultimate trust of him must be and is built. 

To say it another way, if you struggle with trusting God, look to Christ and all he did for you. What he put himself through and the pain he allowed himself to experience in order to restore you to his Father's love.

The greater your struggles, the deeper you must dig in to what Christ did for you to see this great love he demonstrated and has for you. 

This digging accomplishes two vital things. It exalts Christ and reveals the vastness of his love for you.

The more you struggle the deeper you must dig. The deeper you dig the more you see and the greater your appreciation, love and trust in Christ grows. He who is forgiven much loves much. 

"But he who is forgiven little, loves little...." Jesus to Simon the Pharisee. Lk 7:47

Conflicting dispositions within God?

There are two sentiments or dispositions within God that are in tension and appear to be in conflict. 

One is God's patience, compassion, and understanding of our shortcomings and frailties. 

The other is God's disapproval of the harm and destruction our shortcomings and frailties cause us and others. 

To say it another way, in Christ, God loves us with no strings attached, while He hates the rebellion (distrust) within us that causes us to stray from him and bring harm to others and ourselves.

The irony is, it is because God loves us so much that he hates whatever causes us and others harm.

The solution? 

These two seemingly conflicting and contrary dispositions meet and are resolved in Christ and his work on our behalf.

Psa 85:10  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Rom 3:26  It was to show his righteousness at the present time so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The just shall live by grace/faith

As impossible as it is to *enter the kingdom of God by our efforts, it is equally impossible to ** live out the life God calls us to by our efforts/will power i.e. To love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as our self is impossible unaided.

* "... who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." - John an apostle of Jesus Joh 1:13

** "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." -Jesus to his 12 disciples at the last supper. Joh 15:4-5

We cannot will ourselves to be different, we can only choose to believe or not believe; trust or not trust God. Belief versus unbelief is the work we are responsible for not right behavior over wrong behavior.

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

God drives change in behavior we don't i.e. choosing to believe God results in right (changed) behavior.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Phil 2:12-13

"...so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy..." 

What is it we must believe? What is the nature of abiding? 

"As the Father has loved me, so (in the very same way) have I loved you. Abide (choose to continuously believe or stand in the assurance of) in my love." - Jesus to his 12 disciples at the last supper. Jesus Joh 15:9

To recognize/believe/fully accept that in Christ *we are loved in the same manner (constantly) and to the same degree (infinitely) the Father loves his Son as proven in Christ giving himself sacrificially for us.  

Can there be any greater love?! This is the very same love with which we are loved if you are Gods child no matter what we hear, experience or think. Let God be true and every man a liar -- which includes ourselves. 

When we truly believe we are loved in this way (and do not lose sight of this i.e. we abide/remain steadfast in believing this) it changes everything; our outlook on all of life, our view of ourselves, others and how we treat them i.e. our behavior/actions. 

For a further discussion on how the righteous live by faith, click here.

For a further discussion on the anatomy of motivation, click here. 

For a further discussion on how faith is hard work click here

___________________________________________________________

*Some argue if God fully loves me right here and now, regardless of what we do, say, feel, or experience, why does how I live matter i.e. why should I live righteously? 

God loves us too much to let us live contrary to his perfect design i.e. living righteously matters, not to gain God's love since we fully have it in Christ, but so we might experience His love in all its fullness. 

Our experiencing all that God is and has for us is conditioned on obedience.

 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:21,23

The above passages show that the manifestation of Christ's love for us and experiencing His and the Father's presence is contingent on our faithful pursuit (obedience) of Him. 

It also matters because living in obedience to God honors him. When we truly understand how God has honored us and values us by what He did for us in and through Christ, we will want to live for God and bring Him glory. If we do not desire to live for Him we do not yet understand what He did for us. So focus on Christ, double redouble your efforts to accomplish a list of deeds. 

Experiencing God's love… By faith or action?

We can only bring God's infinite love to others to the extent we have received it ourselves.

Why do we need to receive it before we can give it? Because in and of ourselves we do not have the ¹love others need. We are all designed for perfect love but cut ourselves off from the Father in all his infinite love by our rebellious distrust (our turning away from trust in God to trust in our self) and our attempts at living independent of this love and life i.e. God himself. We are now void of his love and can only offer it by being reconnected to God through Christ.

Receiving God's love

Receiving his love is not necessarily a feeling or emotional experience but a faith experience; the engaging of our trust. It is believing in the objective reality of God's fixed love for us in Christ. This is what we are called to do; to trust/believe. This is our "work." 

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

Receiving Gods love is believing, receiving and knowing we are already fully loved in Christ, not waiting for some subjective feeling of his love to overwhelm us and drive us to action. And how do we know this? We trust what he's said and did in and through Christ. 

Love (a subjective sense of it) however is also usually experienced and released in and through our loving others. Loving others as God calls us to is itself an act of faith which results in experiencing God's love.

This is why were are told we not only come into the kingdom by faith but we also live it and walk in it by faith. Our experiencing Gods' love starts with faith which in turn leads to even greater faith.

Gal 3:11  Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith." See also Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Heb 10:38

It is in our treating others with kindness and compassion (because we have been treated this way by God) that we experience His love in living it out and letting it flow through us to others.

What moves us to action?

Faith is our motivation. Or to be more precise, God himself and his infinite love is. As we believe and receive his love is fully ours (he is for us, not against us) it is released in and through us. This is the primary means -- our faithful obedience to love others as he loves us -- by which we receive/experience his vast unlimited, never-ending love. It is in our  believing his love is fully ours in Christ, we are moved to action/obedience.

This is also what it means to abide in Christ. To ²remain/stay/abide in a posture of faith that God loves us fully and infinitely in Christ regardless of what we do or don't do, feel or don't feel, experience or don't experience. It is only as and when we ²abide that we bear "much fruit." For without Christ (in his infinite all-embracing love) we can "do nothing" i.e. love others with God's kind of love i.e. bear much fruit.

This is the very same love that flows between the Father and Son. If we are in Christ's, this love is fully ours and already dwells in us by his Spirit; the very same Spirit of love that unites the Father and Son. Simply by virtue of God's Spirit living in us, we are living in and under the perfect covering and care of his love, regardless of our feelings i.e. this is the objective reality of our status, our state of being. 

The more we believe his love is totally ours (always fully present with us, in us and on us regardless of feelings or circumstances) the more we are empowered to live it out to others. The more we live out his love to others the more we engage, participate in and experience it. 

Joh 14:21  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." (This was part of the answer of Christ to Phillip to "show us the Father" stated earlier in Joh 14:8  Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.")

The above passage indicates the (subjective) manifestation of God's (objective) love is clearly tied to our pursuit of God i.e. our keeping his commandments. 

Seeing the Father (and subjectively experiencing him fully) is directly tied to keeping God's commandment. The primary commandment being to "love one another" stated later in this same conversation. 

Joh 15:12  "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 

So which is first? Do we experience his love by faith or in our acting by faith?

Both

His love has already been fully poured out on us and demonstrated to us by God sending his Son to live and die for us. This is the objective reality of our status before God. There is nothing else needed to fully prove or secure God's love for us. The only thing preventing this love being fully ours (subjectively experiencing it) first hand is believing God and his Son did this for you and I personally and then acting accordingly. Once we recognize and accept Christ's work on our behalf, his Spirit of infinite love takes up his abode within us and his care for us, remains on us (objectively) without conditions.

However, once we are in Christ, we are now called to extend this same love to others who have yet to receive it. In our extending it, it flows to us and through us to others.

Joh 14:21  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home (dwell with, abide with, be present) with him.
__________________________________________________________

¹we all need Gods bottomless, never-ending, infinite love; mere human love, though meaningful, is insufficient.

²For a fuller discussion on abiding, click here.