Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 32
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. Why a blog? So that many can receive the weekly thoughts
I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner
We
come to the conclusion of this chapter called “The Conviction of
Self-Life.” What an eye opener this
chapter is. Gratefully, Michael has
given us an awareness that brings us to knowing we have a problem, and closer
to what our problem really is. Unfortunately,
the world has no real answers and help here.
And far too many in Christian circles can’t help either.
See
if you can “identify” with some of the main points from Chapter 5’s closing
pages…
IDENTITY
MESSAGES GIVEN
excerpt
from pages 90-93 of SIW (5th printing,
March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 86-90 of SIW (14th printing,
March 2012)
(used with permission from
ALMI):
Many
children receive from parents the communication that they are not needed or
wanted, such as when, for instance, the parents decide to divorce…A message of
worth is given to the child as he observes what the parents give their time to…
…there
is, unfortunately, around the world great discrimination derived from
appearance…
A
child can receive identity messages from the parent who does too little or too
much…
One
discussion that always brings a loud message is when parents talk about the son
or daughter who is such a great success in terms of position, achievement,
wealth, and so on. The point of triumph
for the rest of the children becomes similar accomplishment. Anything less is failure, about which they
are reminded every time the eminent child is acclaimed.
These
are just a few of the messages we receive in our insane conditions…Once the
messages are received and believed, the identity of what we are at our worst
begins to be molded. It may include
feelings of worthlessness, inferiority, depression, not being wanted,
stupidity, failure, ugliness, guilt, and self-hate. Then every mistake begins to prove to us that
not only do we feel this way about ourselves, but it is actually what we are.
The
attempts (success suits) to cover identity take on many forms…All are efforts
to keep hidden what we fear is true. In
short, we hate ourselves!... The use of
idols is merely an extension of that dark, hated thing called self-life. All attempts to deny it have failed. How to be free is the question.
It
can be events in our life, words said to us, actions taken that cause us to
think something that isn’t truth or reality…all are devastating to far too
many. Isn’t it incredible that something
like the things mentioned can have such an impact on our whole being?
Getting
a victory from the “self-life,” the “success suits,” what we are at our worst,
the idols, and all the feelings that defeat us IS the ultimate victory for life
here on earth. Is it possible to ever be
FREE from all this?
Well,
as we close out this chapter, and next time move on to Chapter 6, we find
Michael has some rich insights that bring us to the freedom and victory that so
many long for. Hallelujah!
Note:
if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books,
please contact ALMI
(www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Getting
Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
1737 CR
2051 Nacogdoches, Tx 75965 936-559-5696
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