Tag: beauty treatment

“By Myself I can do nothing.”

The Walk of the Bride in the Kingdom of God is continuously unfolding. It is as if each step taken opens to more and more of Him; that is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.
These tenets or beauty treatments were inspired from studying the Book of Esther in the Holy Bible. The tenets are:

Prayer, Praise, Purity, Practicing the Presence of God, Beauty of Holiness
Mind of Christ, Humility, Giving, Trust, Consistency

In earlier posts, the tenets were described individually, to be walked out in our daily lives. As I have often said, I am walking it out as I go, along with you, Precious Reader! I believe The Lord has inspired this “Walk” to help us to grow in intimacy with Him so that we might increase in every area of our lives! This is His desire for all of His children but I perceive this specific inspiration is particularly for His daughters. The tenet concepts are for all, but the “feel” is female.

What about Beauty inside Out?
This theme is perhaps the foundation of what we are experiencing in this walk. Beauty is in Christ. It is to be complete in Him. Beauty inside; more of Him = Beauty inside and out!

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted”! John 15:7 NLT

“Fasting is the greatest remedy– the physician within” Philippus Paracelsus

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. Daniel 9:3

Beauty Inside Out

Originally, my endeavors in fasting were out of the need to go before The Lord in prayer as I had been taught as a child, growing up in the Catholic faith. I came upon the “Beauty” benefits of fasting by accident. As I began to study on the Book of Esther, I felt compelled to fast and pray for understanding. Having studied various types of fasting methods, I knew that the traditional Water fast would not work for me initially. Like most people in western society, my diet was full of junk food, caffeine, and prepared foods, aka “T.V. dinners”. Juice Fasting was the best alternative to jumpstart the process and still have the benefits of detoxifying the body.
Fasting with natural fruit and vegetable juices provides vitamins and energy while your digestive enzymes work to rid the body of waste and congestion.
The Natural Health Techniques website is a useful resource.
http://naturalhealthtechniques.com/healingtechniquesjuice_fasting.htm

Righteousness is the truth revealed and working in you!

the-kingdom-come-sermon-slide
Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God

The tenets of this path were inspired by the Book of Esther.
The beauty treatments prepared for the maidens who were to go before the king consisted of 6 months of purification with oil of myrrh and 6 months of perfumes and cosmetics. As I continue to “walk as the Bride”, I am growing in understanding as I experience it. Prayer, Praise, Purity, Practicing the Presence of God and the Beauty of Holiness are metaphorically speaking, the ingredients that detoxify our hearts and minds, to increase our capacity to receive spiritually. As we activate the 1st 5 treatments, we are being cleansed of the dead weight that we have been carrying around most of our lives. Low self-esteem, guilt, insecurities, past hurts, shame, etc.; all these and more are drawn out and burned by the fire of the Holy Spirit as we pray, praise and practice His presence in order to heal and make us new in Him.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61

Let me be clear, this walk is about Christ Jesus! The above scriptures were spoken by our Lord when he introduced his ministry on earth (Luke 4). Christ is our Bridegroom. Our growing in intimacy with God through Christ brings the reality of “Christ in you” to bear in our lives!

The cleansing water of the Word of God and the precious Blood of Jesus entitles us to partake in that which has been obtained for us. It is our intimacy, our developing relationship with the One who loves us that enables us to acquire and establish the Kingdom of Heaven within. Not head knowledge only but a true experience that can be seen and demonstrated in our lives. Thus the purpose of becoming “oaks of righteousness”, whereby those in our circle of influence may come under our shade to grow in the things of God and to establish His Kingdom in their lives.

You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 30:11-12

Praise is what I do!

Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God

Praise
In an earlier post, I listed 10 tenets or beauty treatments inspired by the Book of Esther and I stated that the order did not matter. This is incorrect. After reviewing my personal experiences and the order in which I received these inspirations, the path is as follows:
Prayer
Praise
Purity
Practicing the Presence of God
Beauty of Holiness
Singleness of mind/Mind of Christ
Humility
Giving
Trust
Consistency
Why is the order important?
Sometime after I began this path, I had the opportunity to share these tenets with the congregation of my local church. I mentioned that the Beauty of Holiness (tenet 5) seemed to come of itself without any conscious effort or action on my part. Later, our Pastor, Ed Brinson shared that “Praise is comely to the upright”.   Psalm 33:1.

A Bible commentary from The Treasury of David on Psalm 33:1 states “For praise is comely for the upright.” God has an eye to things which are becoming. When saints wear their choral robes, they look fair in the Lord’s sight. A harp suits a blood-washed hand. No jewel more ornamental to a holy face than sacred praise.

The simple statement Pastor Ed brought forth gave clarity to what I perceived as “coming from nowhere”. In truth, Praise (tenet 2) is a link to what follows on this path to increase in every area of our lives.

Our praise and thankfulness to God is the beginning of Beauty, to be complete in Him. As we praise, we are set apart to Him, to worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness.

The Cosmos is within us!

shutterstock_77399518

First, I would like to thank you for visiting. My writing is pointless without readers to receive the message.

The Walk of the Bride in the Kingdom of God consists of 10 tenets: Prayer, Praise, Purity , Practicing the Presence of God, the Beauty of Holiness, Humility, Giving, Singleness of Mind/the Mind of Christ, Consistency and Trust. We have briefly explored each Beauty treatment and I sincerely hope you have been experiencing the many benefits. Clearly these are spiritual exercises that require action, allowing us to observe our experience from the inside out. Hmmm, am I really mixing Christianity with Quantum Physics? Yes! We have previously explored the nature of the brain during prayer and it was enlightening from a scientific point of view. Now let us consider the nature of the observer and the world around us.

In Quantum Physics, things act or react based on whether or not they are being looked at or focused on.
It is attention or intention that produces results.

I am not a physicist. Nonetheless, I believe this perspective helps us understand Christ consciousness. The Bridegroom who will come for the Bride without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27) is WONDERFUL and GLORIOUS. Moreover, the Bride accepting and receiving the Bridegroom is in itself Christ consciousness. This is the ultimate reality. It is the engine behind “ Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father”(John 14:12).
The Apostle Paul says, “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

The spiritual is above and beyond the natural flesh and blood world. We do not want to miss this reality as we walk as the Bride. It is the Spirit that gives life; to our hopes, our dreams, in the here and now. Too deep? Maybe, but look at it again. What do you see?

Faith is believing what we do not see and the reward for this kind of faith is to see what we believe
Saint Augustine

In Consistency Lies The Power….

Bride walking down path with some nice color effects
What does it mean to “Walk as the Bride in the Kingdom of God”? It is a mindset, a pathway to the higher things in Christ. It is a journey of discovery, of growing in intimacy with God, through Christ in you!
The beauty treatments we have covered up to this point are:
Prayer
Praise
Purity
Practice the Presence of God
Beauty of Holiness
Humility
Giving
The Mind of Christ

The order is relative to the individual as these tenets are practiced continuously. Some steps may need more attention than others, it depends. The Holy Spirit knows and (s)he will guide you.

I cannot make definitive statements as to outcomes because I think it is according to the will of God for each individual that practices this path. This entire process, including the title “Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God” was given to me in dreams, inspirations from spiritual teachers and wisdom gained from age old writings of Hebrew and Christian thought that I have been introduced to over the past 20 years. I am a messenger. My directive? “Walk as the Bride in the Kingdom of God and write about it”.

Our 9th guidepost is Consistency.
* “One day as I was sitting at my typewriter typing notes and listening to tapes typing notes and listening to tapes, I read Mark 11:23.

“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith”.

Suddenly, the truth of that last phrase just jumped out at me. And the Lord spoke to my heart and said, In consistency lies the power. He was telling me it’s not just the words you speak when you pray that change things, it’s the words you speak all the time”!
* Gloria Copeland
http://www.kennethcopelandministries.net/257/gloria-copeland-what-did-you-say/

A Straight Path Never Leads Anywhere Except To The Objective

The imagery of marriage is often used in the Holy Scriptures to describe our union with God. In the Book of Esther, the opening chapters describe the path that Esther walked and how she was chosen to be Queen, receiving the full benefits of the Kingdom. Spiritually, this is an experience that we can have, which will move us beyond the commonplace into the fullness of Christ.

John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete (John 3:27-29 NIV).

These ‘beauty treatments’ are what I call “Walking as the Bride in the Kingdom of God”.
Our 8th treatment is the Mind of Christ.
Have you ever noticed how people who spend a lot of time together begin to mirror each other? Recently, I had the pleasure of dining with a young married couple, who are very much in love. The husband often finished his wife’s sentences as if he was inside her head. His wife seemed to know her husband’s every desire, including ordering to exact specifications the way her husband’s steak should be cooked. They spend so much time together; it is as if they are becoming one person.
This phenomenon comes to be for us also, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, preparing us for our Bridegroom, Christ Jesus.

…to behold the Beauty of The Lord!

Let’s look into the 1st beauty treatment that Esther received.
“ Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics” (Esther2:12 NIV).

Myrrh is a fragrant resin that is extracted from the bark of the Myrrh tree. The word myrrh is derived from the Arabic word murr, meaning bitter. The oil has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for its special properties. What are these special properties?
• tones and lifts skin, heals and protects skin (against boils, wounds, acne and other skin maladies), fades and heals scars
• eliminates germs (either by burning resin or applying oil topically)
• strengthens gums and hair roots, and contracts muscles, intestines and blood vessels (by firming and toning)
• improves digestion and alleviates gas, abnormal sweating, uneasiness, and indigestion
• promotes regeneration of healthy cells and keeps existing cells and tissues health
• promotes urination to purify the body and reduce bloating
• helps obstructed and delayed menstruation and delays menopause, helps PMS symptoms (pain in the abdominal region, nausea, headache, fatigue, etc.), regulates production of estrogen
• relieves cough and phlegm, bronchitis, and congestion
• relieves body pain, headache, toothache and rise in body temperature (fever) associated with sickness
• strengthens absorption of nutrients in the body

Wow, right? Myrrh is also known as an additive for embalming fluid! Spiritually, the myrrh represents dying out to the old. The Beauty of holiness cleanses us from the residue of the past. We are made new; from the inside out.
Hallelujah!

And I will ask the Father and HE will give you another helper…

images How did Esther gain the advantage to be selected over the maidens taken from around the Kingdom to go before the King?  Hegai, the King’s chamberlain was asked to oversee their preparations to be chosen as bride by the King.  A chamberlain was one who managed the household of a monarch or noble.  He was the “right hand” man to the King.  In our story it says that Hegai had the custody of the women.  So it is safe to say he knew what the King liked.  Esther (then known as Hadassah) found favor with Hegai over all of the maidens presented to him.  We know from the earlier description that Esther was very beautiful but that was to be expected of all the maidens brought to the palace for this opportunity.  There is also a spiritual dynamic woven into the picture of who Hegai was.  Or is it who it is he may represent? The Holy Spirit whom Jesus Christ spoke of and later asked of the Father to be sent to us is a type of “Right Hand” Man.  He makes the Word of The Lord known to our spirits.  It is the Holy Spirit who guides us- if we are listening.  He makes all things known to us (John 16:13 NIV).  It is the Holy Spirit who directs us to walk in the things of God, helping us to become more”attractive” to the Light. 

What set Esther apart to be favored by the King’s chamberlain?, I wondered.  What will set me apart and make me attractive to the Holy Spirit?  We have the Holy Spirit within us if we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ.  Which brings us to this point in our journey-Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life?  Do you understand that Our Heavenly Father gave HIS Son Jesus as a representative of the Father to demonstrate HIS Love for us?  Do you believe that taking your SELF off of the throne of your life and placing Jesus Christ upon that throne will not only save you from a future darkness but He came that you may have an abundant life in the present?  If the answers are yes, fantastic.  Just checking!  If not, receive  Jesus Christ as your Lord and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life.

“Lord Jesus,  come into my life to help me to live the abundant life that you came to provide for me.  I believe you walked this earth to demonstrate the Father’s love for me and to direct me to the Highest and Best in God for my life.  Today I accept the Father’s precious gift and I receive you as Lord and Savior”.

That’s it.  Things are about to change!