Author Profile
Taffie Furr
Taffie Furr resides in Indiana . She is president of Revelation of Jesus Christ Ministries and serves the Body of Christ as a prophet and intercessor.
With expression from the Father's heart, she ministers both the rhema and logos word, bringing revelation applicable for the times and seasons. She has a passion for abiding in the "secret place" of the Lord, and for encouraging the Church to walk in the authority, liberty of the Spirit and genuine brotherly love accessed through grace in Jesus Christ.
Website: www.revelationofjesuschristministries.com | Article Archive here
To Live Wholly - Taffie Furr
I've been pondering life, love, truth, relationships and the things which bring us sorrow - just to name a short list. What I've written below comes from the ponderings within my heart and conclusions from my own life experiences and passions of my heart. I'm sharing them with you, only for the possibility that in something of them, you might find a small portion of direction for yourself, hope, or some form of revelation that may help in your own journey of life.
Although not the most pleasurable of the mentioned topics, I'm going to begin with the aspect of sorrow. There's no way to get around it, in this world, we are going to go through times of pain and trials. (John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.) The Greek word for 'tribulation' is, thlipsis and it's definition is; pressure, oppression, stress, anguish, tribulation, adversity, affliction, crushing, squashing, squeezing, distress. I believe each and everyone of us has at one time or another experienced times and/or seasons of these attributes of tribulation within our lives.
The amazing thing about the trials we face in life is that each one whether we realize it or not during the course of the trial, holds the opportunity for us to be transformed. That transformation within our character can be one of becoming bitter and having a perspective of thereafter viewing life from an attitude of negativity. Or we become empowered with a greater strength of overcoming and what we've so often referred to as an 'attitude of gratitude'. Whichever outcome of character that we walk away with on the other side of the trial, whether you want to believe it or not, is all about what we as individuals have chosen to walk away with. Perception is a choice. We having a free will, which entails our entire being; mind, heart, and physical being. We choose to either focus on negativity or the positive, and whichever one we set our sites on is exactly what is absorbed into our core, thus influencing our thoughts and actions to follow suit.
(Philippians 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.)
In my lifetime, I have personally experienced several seasons of tribulation. None that I can say I would delight in walking through again, but all that I can say the lessons I learned and the awakening of truth within my heart I experienced as I walked through each trial, is as a priceless treasure to me. It's because of those times, I now know how to recognize and appreciate; life, love, grace, forgiveness, relationship, truth, blessing, joy, unity, passion...and the list continues to grow. If that doesn't make sense to you, try thinking of it in this manner; if you have experienced the bondage of slavery, then once you gain your freedom from slavery, you can value and appreciate that freedom in a greater measure than the person who has never tasted the bondage of being enslaved.
(Luke 7:36-47; Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denari, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more? Simon answered and said, I suppose the one whom he forgave more. And He said to him, You have rightly judged. Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.)
There are many things we pursue in our endeavor of trying to find the key to happiness and what we believe to be success; fame, beauty, higher education, the perfect career, financial wealth, popularity, romance...etc. None of these things are wrong in themselves, and each one may very well be a contribution to our lives that brings some satisfaction. Ultimately, true happiness can't come without first having peace, which comes by way of spiritual reconciliation unto God through Jesus. (John 14:6; Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.") And given that, without this reconciliation there is a void within...but let me further say, being created human, we have also been created with not only a spiritual need, but a human/flesh need & desire as well. For example, man cannot live on bread alone but from every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deut 8:3) That verse is addressing not to only nourish our natural/human person that we are, but also make sure our spirit within is being nourished as well, because we are a multi-faceted creation; not only being of human flesh but of spirit too. We are not intended to nourish the one and neglect the other, for we are an entire package of flesh, spirit and soul. (James 2:15-16; If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?)
Too often, the church, the religious community, Christians, whatever you want to refer to us as, have neglected the truth that we were created as human beings, with certain wants, desires and needs that are perfectly normal and right. The truth is, we were created to love and be loved, not just knowing the love of our Creator, but also to know love and companionship of romance, friendship and family. One of the greatest afflictions in the pursuit of happiness is knowing the sorrow of rejection and lost love. I'm sorry, but we're fooling ourselves if we pretend that we really don't need or want anyone else, other than relationship with Jesus. Now, I know there are those who are called to a life of never marrying, but living a total surrender to the Lord, and that's an amazing gift of grace those people have been given in order to live that out. Seriously, they are few and far between.
(Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." 21&22; And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. )
You see, it was God's conclusion that people need companionship, love, and romance. Not romance? Read the Song of Solomon, if you don't believe that God created us with the need and desire for passionate love and romance! ? He most certainly did! ??? (excerpts from Song of Solomon: 1:1-4 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth - for your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your name is ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love you. Draw me away! ? 2: 4-7 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Sustain me with cakes of raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am lovesick. His left hand is under my head and his right hand embraces me. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.) ???....And this is as probably as good a time as any, to state that self control, is a good attribute to practice...I'm in no way referring to careless, sexual behavior as the definition of passionate, romantic love.
If you have found the love of your life, you have received the most incredible and precious gift, meant for a lifetime of pleasure, companionship, and love so deep that it melds you together as one. I have observed and pondered in the depths of my heart this love so deep and powerful that it brings two togeher as one, and it grieves me to say that I have all too often experienced and witnessed it being overlooked and/or not tended to as the true treasure it is purposed to be. Too often, we allow pride, fear, complacency and many other walls of the heart, to rob and cheat us from receiving and giving in full compacity this love that was intended to be a union of everything good and a completing (partnering) of one another to the best of our capabilities. Adam and Eve were originally placed together naked. That means that they withheld nothing of themselves from one another, they were totally transparent, without fear or shame in their relationship with one another...as one. It wasn't until their eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil, that they became ashamed of their transparency/nakedness before one another, and therefore hid themselves (by clothing themselves) from each other and from God.
Sin is-missing the mark. When they became knowledgable of good and evil, or in other words, of what perfectly hits the mark versus the shortcomings, then the focus of thought and perception, rather than simply being as one with one another, became that of shame, which produced the loss of transparency and the fullness of surrender to one another and that, then hindered their relationship. My point is, we are too often withholding it, when all the while we should be letting love abound and rule above all else. There is nothing more powerful, more valuable, more fulfilling, more sought after, more healing, or more eternal than love!!!
There are so many types of relationships; romantic, friendship, family - but regardless of the type, in all, if we would allow - with intention - love to abound above all else, we would find that we have found all that we're so earnestly searching after in our pursuit for happiness and success. We would truely be living life. Passion in life and love would become alive and active within our hearts. There is no fear in perfect love (1John 4:18), therefore so many hindrances and walls in our relationships would melt away and we would experience new freedoms and acceptance in being our transparent selves, if we would decide to love and receive love without conditions and negative perceptions. Why is it that there's a glow to a person who is in love? Love breathes life into the depths of our beings. God is love (1John 4:8), God is Spirit (John 4:24); His spirit is life (John 10:10). When we love, and are loved, because we were created to love and be loved, it causes us to flourish and glow as if renewed with life from within.
To love without conditions means that we're not placing requirements and false expectations on other people and allowing that to determine whether we will issue love to them or not. We are to love at all times, but keep in mind that there are different levels and types of love, as well as relationships. Love, genuine love, without imposing conditions gives the freedom to people that they can be themselves without fear of love withheld. Also, when I refer to love without conditions, that's not meaning having no boundaries in relationships...those are two totally different topics. Destructive, abusive relationships are unacceptable, and safe, healthy boundaries are always to be implemented. If we love our children without condition, we love them regardless of what they do or how they behave, we don't lay down conditions for them by which they have to earn our love by. We just simply love them. That's an example of loving without conditions. Receiving love without setting conditions upon ourselves is just as important. Oftentimes we refuse to receive love from others because we dont view ourselves of being worthy simply as we are, therefore we wall our heart from readily receiving love, because we've not met our own measure of conditions.
Negative perceptions are what cause us to view the glass as half empty as opposed to half full. It causes the focus to be on what's lacking and flawed, rather than focusing on what is available and good. If our perception is negative, our responses and actions take on that negative form as well. If we would focus, praise and draw out what is positive, we would see people and our relationships flourish at a new level. Take for example a plant that is properly cared for, given what is needed to thrive. It begins with few branches and roots, but after proper tending to, new sprouts develop, bringing positive increase, therefore bearing what was already in existence, plus the new growth.
Everything I named above, in our endeavor for happiness and success, is nothing wrong in itself, but then again, in itself the happiness and contentment each holds is only temporary. But any of those, being experienced with those whom you love-and those whom you love, being first & foremost & regarded as the most valuable and worthwhile pursuit, then, all other endeavors become much more satisfying.
To love wholly is to live wholly!
(1Cor 13:4-8a)Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek it's own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
Blessings to all!
Taffie Furr - Revelation of Jesus Christ Ministries
revjcministries@yahoo.com
KEEPING IT REAL AND TRANSPARENT! - Taffie Furr
KEEPING IT REAL AND TRANSPARENT!
Normally, the Lord wouldn't ask me to release a testimony/teaching while it's yet still fresh in my life, nevertheless, in this particular situation, He has. With that being said, here it goes;
A few years ago, the Lord brought my family and me from the state we had been born and raised in..and relocated us into this beautiful state of Oregon. Prior to uprooting and relocating us, He began to speak wonderful promises into our lives, of what we could expect from this repositioning. From among the list, He told us of the joy we would have in the new homeland He was placing us into, and also told us that Oregon was the land of our inheritance! Wow!! Those are incredible promises in themselves, let alone all of the other powerful words He spoke prior to, during and after our move.
Just prior to our move, I began to have an incredibly strong draw in my spirit to another state as well. Sometimes it would become so intensely powerful that I would become confused between the two states of where exactly He wanted us to move to...so I would inquire of Him over and over several times of exactly where He wanted us to be....and He would so patiently reconfirm to me that indeed it was Oregon, but there was also something for a later time with the other state as well. Over the course of time, prophets and prophetic people began to speak to me about this other state..they began to speak of a relocation to this other state that would take place at a later date.
For the first year after we relocated, it was wonderful. It was as if we most assuredly had front row seats to witnessing the fulfillment of all the promises God had given us, being made manifest in our lives!! I was so extremely blessed and overflowing with joy for what the Lord was doing, that almost daily I would have to restrain myself from crying tears of joy. Then, it felt like it came just as suddenly and as surprisingly as a blow to the head, everything around me began to collapse and explode and just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse, it did. Have you ever watched one of those movies about a catastrophe hitting a city? The main actors are always in the center of the chaos and destruction and buildings are falling to the ground all around them, so they are barely escaping being crushed, on the right and on the left..seems like everywhere they look things are falling down! Will they make it out alive??? OK..a little dramatic effect, but that's truly how it felt to me and to be totally transparent...the biggest buildings may have already come down around me (or so I think), but the small ones are still crumbling a little bit here and little bit there.
Alright, what's up with this, God?? This doesn't look like the land of my inheritance anymore, it looks more like the land of my destruction..what's up with that? Was I tricked, was I mislead, did I misunderstand what You were saying when I thought you said to move to Oregon? If you truly said to move here, wouldn't it all be good and wonderful and I wouldn't be going through such chaos and destruction of so many different areas in my life? Those are the types of questions that tend to arise within us when things no longer seem to meet our expectations of how our promises should be brought into tangible existence for us. Any of those sound familiar to anyone else??
Suddenly, almost EVERYTHING in my life appeared to be the opposite of all what I expected it to be and the opposite of what God told me it would be. God wants me to be totally forthright and transparent, exposing the thoughts of my heart....I got to the point where a measure of doubt and discouragement began to intrude, and when that happens emotions begin to shout out to us. And perspective begins to shift into thinking that this present circumstance is the way it will always be. The land that I had loved so dearly and saw as such a blessing as well as, an answer to a long-time prayer, was now becoming a land that I despised. My focus changed to where I was no longer looking at the promises about to emerge from the other side of this time of tribulation, and the hidden victories taking place, but all I could see for a short time was all this bad stuff taking place to the right and to the left of me. I sincerely was not sure if I could withstand one more disappointment and/or hurt into my life. I had moments where I thought, if anything else bad happens, surely I'm going to lose my sanity!! Seriously, I wondered at times, if I could emotionally handle anything else...and then, the next thing would happen..and I survived it too...and then I wondered, if I could possibly handle anything else..then yep you got it..the next thing would happen. Obviously, I have survived, although some may argue my sanity level. :) As much as I'd like to say to you, I walked all of this out without wavering, I can't say that. Shortly after the last big explosion, through all the discouragement and battle weariness, I decided that the prophecies about the other state were looking pretty good to me, and I would like nothing more to abort this season and all it has carried for me, and quickly move into the next season with all the great and wonderful promises it surely holds. Sound good? Not good.
In every season of our life, something is being tilled up, planted, weeds are being pulled up, and new is growing. New growth takes place even before we can actually see that it's happening...because it begins underground, or in other words, within the hidden place of the soul.
Let's use the example of a flower garden. If we have had the same type of flowers and various plants in our garden for awhile, and desire to change it's contents in order to give a fresh new appearance...before planting the new, it's first necessary to remove the former bulbs from the ground, or else you'll end up with a mixture of the old and the new. We all know what has to be done to get those bulbs out...it requires a digging into the ground..you must go below the surface to get to them, or else when the new is springing up, the old will spring up along with it, thus not ending in the desired outcome of what was suppose to be a total transformation from the old garden into the new. If we transfer this concept into what takes place beneath our surface during a time of transformation...digging deep into our hearts and our souls to remove the old..that is; what has been growing for awhile and become deeply rooted...there's pain involved..possibly some due to resistance of allowing roots to be pulled up and out, in order to make room for the new to be planted and grown in purity, without anything of the old springing up with it. Ouch! If we abort the process before it's finished, then we either keep the old intact, having merely a tilled up soil that then must wait until the next planting season to finish out what has been started, or if we aborted in the beginning of the planting process, most likely we'll have only a sparse garden, lacking of it's full potential. Enduring through the entirety can be a painful process, but one that's necessary, and when the fruit of it's harvest springs up, the process proves having been worthwhile, confirmed through it's beauty and fragrance. There's truly a priceless treasure to be found on the other side of enduring the tribulation. Which is only for a time.
Although this past year for me has appeared to be the total opposite of the promise of an inheritance, the Lord has brought me to understand, that in the fulfillment of His promises to us, the greatest blessings are also paralleled with some of the greatest warfare. When Jesus gained victory over the grave, He first had to die, and then, He overcame death itself, for an everlasting victory!!! "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.'" John 12:24
When the Lord took His people into the promised land, the journey was not without battle. Nevertheless, He fully equipped them to overcome each and every battle and was truly preparing them all along the way, to enter into a land that was flowing with milk and honey. Truly it was the Promised Land...that God delighted in taking them to..it was theirs, He was giving it to them...oh did I mention...there were giants dwelling there, that they had to first overcome in order to take possession of the land???
Then they told him, and said: We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is it's fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak (giants) there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan. Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it. Numbers 13: 27-30
So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. (numbers 14:1) Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? (numbers 14:3)
But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them. (numbers 14: 6-9)
There will always be two choices of perspectives; the promise or the negative report. Focusing on the promise, empowers us with faith unto receiving, whereas, focusing on the negative report, ensnares us with hopelessness unto being defeated. By faith in God's word\promises, we war when strong enough to, and simply stand when unable to do anything else. I'd like to point out, that not all warfare is difficult, at times we warfare and not even realize that's what we're doing. At other times, we must be intentional about it. In my case, through a temporary wrong focus, I was tempted to flee, instead of standing and/or fighting for the promises and season to be brought to a fullness and completion. Now, with intention to receive ALL of what the Lord has for me in the here and now, I stand and when need-be, will fight, wielding the word of God with deadly blows, with intention to take off the heads of the giants. As I get my perspective back onto the original promise and word from God; hope, faith, strength, and even love for the land He has brought me to, returns...with even greater appreciation than before...b/c now there is an awareness of the willful intent of activating faith. That's called overcoming. Please don't misunderstand, I"m not tooting my own horn...actually a far cry from it. I quite humbly share this portion of my journey with you. I was nearly overcome, because of a short, but powerfully destructive wrong perspective. God gets ALL of the glory for every victory, that through Him we are made Overcomers!!
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit... (Ephesians 6:10-18a)
Blessings!
Taffie Furr
Revelation of Jesus Christ Ministries
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