CREATING BOUNDARY LINES
by Pam Clark
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There are many frustrated Christians who are finding out that the man made ways are not working. They thought it was God, but the fruit is not there. Some things can go along quite well for a while and then suddenly are "not okay." The Lord has been speaking to me about creating boundaries.
I have been through some situations where boundaries were just not understood. In many situations, I try to go along with the flow, but then sometimes things will arise and I can't do it. I will for the short term, then something rises up in me and I have to say no. Sometimes I let things go on too long and then the others are surprised!
What are these invisible lines called boundaries? They can confuse people! And that is mostly because they aren't seen. We understand it on property lines and since I have a good friend who is a surveyor, I hear that there are many court cases where he has to testify about his research and findings over disputes. Yes, it's another opportunity for those who are corruptors but also a plan for what is right.
And that is specifically the point - what is right? Boundaries start within us. There is something territorial in all of us, you can even see it in babies who say, "Mine!" And it also seems to be a strong force in men even more so than women. By nature they tend to be the hunters and providers and builders and women tend to be more of the nesters, dressing out their spaces. But we all have a sense of it. Even many animals do.
Much of the heartache that many feel today has been where their bodies have been abused and defiled by people who took liberties they should not have or by people who deceived and enticed others into things that were not right. Some are swindled in their finances or possessions; some even have relatives who never gave credit where credit was due or just had people around them, even parents, who were bullies. Jesus said (the spirit of) the devil comes to kill, steal and destroy. Some people say they are helping others and it starts off that way but then you see them taking over.
Many are offended and know something is wrong but they sometimes don't know what it is because they have never seen it done right! It is in all these places where God wants to help us understand our own boundaries. This is where Christians can confuse others because it starts with your prayer life. God made a place that is sacred within us that defines us. Yes, it also can be abused. Others can invade your "personal space" or even you can allow yourself to be distracted from it, but you have a place within where you can cry out and speak to God.
This is a place of talking to yourself, sometimes called meditation or self-talk, and it is also a place within where you can reach out and find communion with God. This is a place that can be developed, even if your outward circumstances are not favorable. (Consider Daniel, Abraham, Moses, David, many others!)
Some people have natural wisdom that has been passed on to them, but when you commune with God, you allow your inner man to be prepared for things that you can't even see coming yet. Never is this more evident than when the outside influences are in a state of continuous change.
We need to learn how to create boundaries within that can extend to those things which are without. God was very kind in giving us a Book to help us understand Him. The Book can be a challenge to understand at times but that is mostly because (1) we are arrogant and want things our way - which is called man's nature of pride at work or (2) we are reading things out of context. This Book, the Holy Bible, has a lot in it that needs to be learned and taught. Some of that understanding, too, can only come by life experience, but there is much in there that even a child can understand. It is a Book you can grow with.
Jesus says you must be born-again, and many do not understand that. We are born into this carnal world with its many carnal elements, but when we include God in our thoughts, we become ready for transformation. We are open to hear other thoughts that can influence our will. We can experience these things and dabble and play and seem to go along quite well for a while, but then many find their own inner resources are not getting the job done for the peace they desire within.
When they realize their own ways aren't working, they are often then willing to repent or change. They find they "fall short of the glory of God" or God's best intentions for them, and they will confess and forsake their old ways. When they acknowledge a God that is beyond who they are (they as a god or lord who rules their own spirit), then they are willing to humble themselves and even ask forgiveness and find that through God's emmissary - His Son Jesus.
Many are taken advantage of in their struggles, but we come back to those invisible boundary lines again. When man makes his own way, he is limited to the life he sees on this earth. He may be sharp and shrewd and grasping, but he is limited. A lesser man can be stronger because he can hear the Voice within saying, "This is the way, walk here."
Some people take advantage of man's weaknesses but a developed heart, or inner man, can set boundary lines that protect them. Righteous people can set inner boundaries lines that lead to outer boundaries that help many people, and even create hubs of righteous living. And of course the opposite of that is the bullies or ruthless dictators who corral and steal from people. But even in those cruelest of circumstances, they can't stop prayers. People can perish for a lack of knowledge, but they have also been gifted with the opportunity for prayer. These prayers, while it may take some time, can lead people out of captivity into freedom.
"Religious" people will set up a lot of rules and regulations for others. In the beginning it can seem appealing, but what is labeled as "free" can sometimes have a high price. There can also be a high cost for inner freedom, but if it is attained and protected, it can be a powerful force. Many in America have been the recipients of that through others, but we are in a place where we need to renew our understanding of it and the duties that go with it. And those duties start within!
It's an amazing thought to realize that we are created in the image of God and that He wants to fellowship with us. That is the Design Plan. Not only did he give us a big world to live in, but He also gave us a world and Universe that we can explore! There are discoveries that we can make that can change our lives for the better. There are resources that we can use that allow us to decorate and dress our world in the creative ways of personal expression and comforts. We have a lot to be thankful for and we should be.
In our time era of earth, we are living in a time where things are changing exponentially. Travel, knowledge, and the population is greatly increasing. And because of that, it is very important that we define our inward boundaries. The pressures to "rush, rush, rush," or even just "peer pressure" by what seems to be a majority can affect us, but the reality is that things are changing more than they are staying the same. So developing the inner man is more vital than ever.
If you don't know that you can be deceived, you will be. But if you do realize that there are things bigger than you and you have a motivation for getting it right, with God's help you can do great things for yourself and for others. You can change yourself, touch your family, your friends and your society.
Be careful what you focus on. Be careful whose rules you follow. Learn how to find that Life within and build on it. Look for the places of agreement and learn the skills of defining who you are. It can make a great difference!
There are many frustrated Christians who are finding out that the man made ways are not working. They thought it was God, but the fruit is not there. Some things can go along quite well for a while and then suddenly are "not okay." The Lord has been speaking to me about creating boundaries.
I have been through some situations where boundaries were just not understood. In many situations, I try to go along with the flow, but then sometimes things will arise and I can't do it. I will for the short term, then something rises up in me and I have to say no. Sometimes I let things go on too long and then the others are surprised!
What are these invisible lines called boundaries? They can confuse people! And that is mostly because they aren't seen. We understand it on property lines and since I have a good friend who is a surveyor, I hear that there are many court cases where he has to testify about his research and findings over disputes. Yes, it's another opportunity for those who are corruptors but also a plan for what is right.
And that is specifically the point - what is right? Boundaries start within us. There is something territorial in all of us, you can even see it in babies who say, "Mine!" And it also seems to be a strong force in men even more so than women. By nature they tend to be the hunters and providers and builders and women tend to be more of the nesters, dressing out their spaces. But we all have a sense of it. Even many animals do.
Much of the heartache that many feel today has been where their bodies have been abused and defiled by people who took liberties they should not have or by people who deceived and enticed others into things that were not right. Some are swindled in their finances or possessions; some even have relatives who never gave credit where credit was due or just had people around them, even parents, who were bullies. Jesus said (the spirit of) the devil comes to kill, steal and destroy. Some people say they are helping others and it starts off that way but then you see them taking over.
Many are offended and know something is wrong but they sometimes don't know what it is because they have never seen it done right! It is in all these places where God wants to help us understand our own boundaries. This is where Christians can confuse others because it starts with your prayer life. God made a place that is sacred within us that defines us. Yes, it also can be abused. Others can invade your "personal space" or even you can allow yourself to be distracted from it, but you have a place within where you can cry out and speak to God.
This is a place of talking to yourself, sometimes called meditation or self-talk, and it is also a place within where you can reach out and find communion with God. This is a place that can be developed, even if your outward circumstances are not favorable. (Consider Daniel, Abraham, Moses, David, many others!)
Some people have natural wisdom that has been passed on to them, but when you commune with God, you allow your inner man to be prepared for things that you can't even see coming yet. Never is this more evident than when the outside influences are in a state of continuous change.
We need to learn how to create boundaries within that can extend to those things which are without. God was very kind in giving us a Book to help us understand Him. The Book can be a challenge to understand at times but that is mostly because (1) we are arrogant and want things our way - which is called man's nature of pride at work or (2) we are reading things out of context. This Book, the Holy Bible, has a lot in it that needs to be learned and taught. Some of that understanding, too, can only come by life experience, but there is much in there that even a child can understand. It is a Book you can grow with.
Jesus says you must be born-again, and many do not understand that. We are born into this carnal world with its many carnal elements, but when we include God in our thoughts, we become ready for transformation. We are open to hear other thoughts that can influence our will. We can experience these things and dabble and play and seem to go along quite well for a while, but then many find their own inner resources are not getting the job done for the peace they desire within.
When they realize their own ways aren't working, they are often then willing to repent or change. They find they "fall short of the glory of God" or God's best intentions for them, and they will confess and forsake their old ways. When they acknowledge a God that is beyond who they are (they as a god or lord who rules their own spirit), then they are willing to humble themselves and even ask forgiveness and find that through God's emmissary - His Son Jesus.
Many are taken advantage of in their struggles, but we come back to those invisible boundary lines again. When man makes his own way, he is limited to the life he sees on this earth. He may be sharp and shrewd and grasping, but he is limited. A lesser man can be stronger because he can hear the Voice within saying, "This is the way, walk here."
Some people take advantage of man's weaknesses but a developed heart, or inner man, can set boundary lines that protect them. Righteous people can set inner boundaries lines that lead to outer boundaries that help many people, and even create hubs of righteous living. And of course the opposite of that is the bullies or ruthless dictators who corral and steal from people. But even in those cruelest of circumstances, they can't stop prayers. People can perish for a lack of knowledge, but they have also been gifted with the opportunity for prayer. These prayers, while it may take some time, can lead people out of captivity into freedom.
"Religious" people will set up a lot of rules and regulations for others. In the beginning it can seem appealing, but what is labeled as "free" can sometimes have a high price. There can also be a high cost for inner freedom, but if it is attained and protected, it can be a powerful force. Many in America have been the recipients of that through others, but we are in a place where we need to renew our understanding of it and the duties that go with it. And those duties start within!
It's an amazing thought to realize that we are created in the image of God and that He wants to fellowship with us. That is the Design Plan. Not only did he give us a big world to live in, but He also gave us a world and Universe that we can explore! There are discoveries that we can make that can change our lives for the better. There are resources that we can use that allow us to decorate and dress our world in the creative ways of personal expression and comforts. We have a lot to be thankful for and we should be.
In our time era of earth, we are living in a time where things are changing exponentially. Travel, knowledge, and the population is greatly increasing. And because of that, it is very important that we define our inward boundaries. The pressures to "rush, rush, rush," or even just "peer pressure" by what seems to be a majority can affect us, but the reality is that things are changing more than they are staying the same. So developing the inner man is more vital than ever.
If you don't know that you can be deceived, you will be. But if you do realize that there are things bigger than you and you have a motivation for getting it right, with God's help you can do great things for yourself and for others. You can change yourself, touch your family, your friends and your society.
Be careful what you focus on. Be careful whose rules you follow. Learn how to find that Life within and build on it. Look for the places of agreement and learn the skills of defining who you are. It can make a great difference!
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