Detox How to Be Nothing

By Autumn Taylor Stone

Are you prepared for the blessed life, the eternal life in the kingdom of God? What a powerful mind-bending message Jesus delivered from the mountaintop of Galilee, the Sermon on the Mount, the constitution for the kingdom of God, that imparted life as a citizen in the kingdom (Matt 5-7). Using Matthew’s beatitudes (Sermon on the Mount) and Luke’s beatitude Sermon on the Plain, the author takes one through a 10-step spiritual-detoxing protocol that teaches the importance of becoming nothing by succumbing to spiritual poverty before God and how to rid the heart of worldly gunk that impedes righteous living and kingdom entrance. Jesus begins these powerful messages with the mouth-watering word, “blessed,” in both Matthew and Luke’s beatitudes, conveying the divine favor and delight of God. He delivers in Matthew’s beatitudes nine blessings to prick hearts and jar minds out of the state of complacency by teaching the righteousness of God. In Luke’s beatitudes, Jesus delivers a bundle of hope to the poor, slaying the ideal that the rich are more important than the poor, and making it crystal clear that it’s easier for the poor to enter the kingdom than the rich. The beatitudes suggest both present and future connotations, meaning those who deny self and walk in the righteousness of Christ stand in the favor of God, the blessed life. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life (1 John 2:25).We were all sinners lost without hope, but Jesus died to reconcile all to God. If you commit your heart to studying God’s word, you will understand how to live without the weight of sin, God’s plan for saving man, how the beatitudes suggest both present and future connotations, an understanding of the characteristics and how pivotal they are for residency in God’s kingdom. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. 2:10, NKJV).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Autumn Taylor Stone
• Release date: Aug 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781734119299

Autumn Taylor Stone

About the AuthorAutumn Taylor Stone was baptized into Christ in July,1981. She is a member of the church of Christ, a missionary, a servant of God, and believes that nothing is worthy without God. She has held a lifelong passion for writing and cooking and pours her creativity into short stories, poems, songs and creating tantalizing dishes. She has a passion for writing Christian Romance, Christian Children and Young Adult Literature, and Futuristic Crime Stories.She was born and raised in Arkansas and educated at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she majored in Criminal Justice and Psychology, with coursework in creative writing and techniques of writing. She began writing her first novel, Inseparable, while working as a life skill counselor for mentally challenged children and adults.Her first published work is Inseparable, a Christian romance novel, and her first published cookbook is the Mad Batter. She is also the author of the Mad Chicken on a Budget cookbook and a second Christian romance novel, Hearts.As an avid researcher on natural health, she is dedicated to healthy living. She serves others by sharing her research and advocating the importance of using natural health treatments, making wiser food choices, preparing healthier meals and being physically fit. Taylor lives in Central Texas with her family.

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Design by Y.B. Taylor

Detox

How to be Nothing

Copyright © 2019 by A.T. Stone/LKCATT & JAYDES Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author.

Printed in the United States of America.

978-1-7341192-1-3 "Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown Reproduced by permission of the Crown patentee, Cambridge United Press.

Taken from the ERV®) Study Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright ©2008 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All right reserved."

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.

Visit https://ataylorstone.com for more of my books and to checkout my food gallery and blog page.

DETOX

How to be Nothing

Autumn Taylor-Stone

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Dedication

Preface

Introduction

Prayer

God the Father

Questions for Thoughts

God the Son

Questions for Thoughts

God the Spirit

Questions for Thoughts

Detox Step I

Recognizing the Problem

Starvation is Rewarding

When Hate is Rewarding

Emptying Earthly Treasure

Questions for Thoughts

Making the Decision

Spiritual Adaptation

Self-Checkup

Things to Consider

Questions for Thoughts

Heart Surgery

Steps by Step to Begin Transformation

Detox Step II

Spiritual Cleansing

Proclamation of the Kingdom

Detox Step III

Questions for Thoughts

The Nots of Being Poor in Spirit

The Do’s of Being Poor in Spirit

Evaluation

Prayer

Questions for Thoughts

Detox Step IV

Questions for Thoughts

Detox Step V

Questions for Thoughts

The Meeks and the Meek Nots

The Hope of Israel

Ready to Surrender

Detox Step VI

Pursuit of Righteousness

Evaluation and Application

Righteous Living

Healthy Appetite

Detox Step VII

The Meekness of the Merciful

The Throne of Mercy

Questions for Thoughts

Application & Evaluation

Detox Step VIII

Imaging the Heart

Unclogging the Gunk

Questions for Thoughts

Detox Steps IX

Peacemaker, the Bird’s Eye View

The Pursuit of Peace in the Church

Reevaluation

Questions for Thoughts

Detox Step X

Prayer for Courageousness

Saved in the Fire

Questions for Thoughts

Inseparable

Bibliography

About the Author

A Note

Bonus Section

Acknowledgement

I give my deepest thanksgiving to my Father and my God for my beautiful children and grandchildren. I thank Him for blessing me to write and share this book with all. This book does not replace God’s Holy and inspired words, but I pray that this book will act as an enlightenment and encouragement to you to investigate what thus says the Lord. Amen!

My deepest appreciation for the input of my precious children, TyAmber, Jaimie, son, Algiers, and my daughter Tyrica for helping to create the cover and attributing her thoughts, and the input of her wonderful husband Matthew.

My deepest appreciation to WVBS for their abundance of online videos and free online Bible school.

I have to give credit to Robert Nyman for this awesome photo used on the cover of this book. Cover photo by Jen Theodore (Unsplash).

I am truly grateful for all the work of those mentioned in the bibliography that help to bring this book to its formation.

And most of all I am more than grateful for Yahweh, for His immeasurable love that gave us both physical and spiritual life though His Holy Son, our Lord and Savior. Through Him the save has eternal life with the Father. I thank Him for the gift of the Holy Spirit and how He establishes the saints through word of truth, the sword of the Spirit. I give praises and thanksgiving for blessings that cannot be calculated. I give thanks for His perfect plan of salvation and for His holy and inspired words that shepherd and shape our spiritual walk. I thank Him for His perfect and unlimited line on communication and inviting us into His holy presence, anytime, for whatever reason and no matter where we are, physically or mentally, he listens to His children. Praises, glory, and honor! In Jesus name, so let it be!

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book in memory of my dear son, Edward Steve.

In my heart you will always be,

unmovable like a deep-rooted tree.

There is a saying that time heals all wombs,

but here’s the thing, a womb you are not; yet somewhere lies your ashes bottled in a tomb.

As time passes day by day,

sometimes it seems to double back, leaving the memory as fresh as the blooming flowers in May.

You’re more than a scar resulting from an injury,

You were my precious priceless offspring taken too soon away from me.

I shall not proclaim how I will see even the next day without you, we all know that tomorrow may never come,

but in God’s Holy and inspiring Word, I will cling to hope from Psalm to Psalm.

I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; Because he turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live (Psalm 116:1-2).

The only comfort in journeying through this valley without you, this I will pray, the Father draws me near, truly there is no other way.

Dedication

To the rest of my beautiful children and grandchildren, you are the light of my life. Your mere existence inspires me. Thank you for your love, trust, respect, and support.

To my beautiful children born in my heart by marriage, and my other children whom God brought into my heart. You too, are an inspiration to me and it’s such a great blessing to call you, my children.

To my mom, thank you for believing in my ability to write and thanks for your encouragement.

I hope this book will be an encouragement to all, to walk in the ways of the Lord our God! For there is no us without Him.

Preface

From the Mountain to the Gate of Heaven

Years ago, I came across a lesson on the Sermon on the Mount. It was like I heard what was said but it didn’t really defrost my eyes as it should. What I mean is I didn’t get the meat of the lesson. As time passed, I listened to a video on the Sermon on the mount and it speared my heart. I was like, whoa, this is deep. So, I began to study the lesson on the beatitudes in depth. The more I studied the more there was to study. I hit the internet hard in search of other studies. Let me tell you as with most subjects, controversy is present. In the journey of my search, I found that the in order to understand Jesus’ sermon which starts with the beatitudes, I must refer to the Old Testament for clarity.

I am always amazed how much the Old Testament helps in understanding the New. I know we are no longer under the Old Law, but let me tell you, please don’t dismiss it. If it wasn’t important, it would have not been included in God’s library of truth, His holy written word.

See, this sermon is so much more than a sermon preached on a mountain. I think the title does heightens the interest. Well, it did mine. But titles are really just to pique the interest of the readers. However, something about this title that screams gravity of its content.

Why does Jesus take up a whole three chapters preaching this sermon and why did He start with the beatitudes? Sometimes we can go through life as a saint thinking that we are walking as Christ walked. I believe one is making a massive mistake if one hasn’t truly understood Jesus’ message in the Sermon on the Mount. If you have read (Matthew 7:21), but have not studied the beatitudes, you will learn in this lesson why the gate to heaven is narrow and why some turn back and choose the wide gate or just never head toward the narrow gate. And really, it’s not that it is so hard; some just rather please themselves than God.

Until I studied the beatitudes, I did not truly understand what it meant to be poor in spirit. As I studied this lesson I was wowed. I mean I was bowled over. I found that understanding the beatitudes helped me to understand other New Testament teaching beginning with Acts. It also helped me to see Christ more in the Old Testament and make the connection between the prophecy and the fulfillment (Matt 5:17).

When one truly understands the beatitudes, one will understand how to walk as Christ walked. I could go on and on but most importantly it drew me closer to God; It caused me to look at my heart in the mirror to see if I needed a makeover or modifying, and I did. I learned that sometimes we just need to be deconstructed and then reconstructed. Makeup just won’t do, as it is simply a coverup.

I remember when I was in college a few of my professors announced on the first day of class, by the end of this class many will have withdrawn. Why? Because it will determine who is devoted and who is serious and who can endure through the course.

If you commit yourself to this lesson or even studying the beatitudes, you will understand the seriousness of being or becoming a child of God and a disciple of Christ. I have taught this lesson twice before writing this book and I am still awed. I was literally brought to tears and truly overwhelmed with God’s love for the righteous. Because of Christ and His unimaginable sacrifice, the saints have been made righteous through His blood. He has prepared a place for the saints to dwell with the Father in heaven. Christ said "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matt. 5:8). Now that really got me. When I think about our Heavenly Father, our Lord God and Creator, desire for the righteous, to be with Him in His Holy presence, in His Holy Dwelling and will allow us to see Him, I am without words that can express my feelings. See ya in our lesson.

Introduction

I am sure most are familiar with detoxing the body. The simple meaning is to purge the body of unhealthy substances. The intent of this lesson is to purge the heart of worldly gunk that maybe standing in the way of reconciliation, a healthy relationship with God, and eternal salvation. If I may speak for all, we all want the ending of the prodigal son, return home to the Father. The righteous are not sheep without a Shepherd (Psalm 23:1; John 10:11; 1 Peter 5:4). We are wanted, we are loved, we are the sons of the Most High God, siblings of the King of salvation—the Son of God, the Savior of the world, with the Spirit of God dwelling in our temple, our personal Director and Counselor. However, God does not force this goodness on us, so the sooner one comes to the realization that without God he is nothing, the sooner the eyes are unveiled, and he will not only see but reap the reward, the crown of glory. So, join me and follow the detox plan and let’s learn steps to the kingdom of heaven together. These lessons teach how to be nothing to be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I want to encourage you to pull out your Holy Bible to confirm the scriptures given to prove what is accurate and true. It is not my intention to teach anything that is not sound, but I am not perfect, and this book is written according to my understanding. I give you my word God never took His eyes off me, and pleasing God matters to me more than anything and anyone else. Consider my teaching but question it as you should everyone’s teaching and ask God for wisdom and discernment. I do it often, especially when I am reading other’s material.

There are boatloads of false teaching and many interpretations of God’s word; some wrong due to a misunderstanding of the scriptures and some just purposely defile the word. Some think they can go into the word with an impure and unfaithful heart and come out with a clear understanding, ready to challenge a scholar. There are those who take self into the word and come out thinking they know more than the Holy Spirit, who is the Master of His sword (Eph.6:17). Also read 1 Cor 2:12-13. God’s word is pure and undefiled. Please take that into consideration.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many different understandings of the holy library of books, the Holy Bible? There is only one doctrine of Christ therefore only one truth, though there are many doctrines taught. The Bible is a library of books, the inspired words of God (2 Tim 3:16-17). God’s gift to mankind to teach us how things began and came to be, how we are to be as human beings, children of God, and shepherd our steps for the eternal kingdom.

In order for one to have a pure and undefiled understanding of God’s word, one has to come to His word just as one comes to Him, humble in spirit. Come to His library naked, homeless, penniless, agender free, and unlearned. No matter how much you know, come to learn more. Leave the know-it-all attitude outside of the closed library, but prayerfully come hungry and thirsty for the knowledge of God.

He wants us to abide by sound doctrine and teach sound teaching. Who better to seek for sound understanding but the one who designed, inspired, and owns the library? No one else right! Adopt the effort of the Bereans and search the scripture daily to prove what is right. No one has ever achieved a PHD by going to the doctor’s office and sitting in the waiting room.

Moreover, God’s word is not an historical artifact meant to sit on a shelf; it is a sword meant to whip out for daily usage and practice, a light to our path, a shepherd to our hearts. One cannot know God with a close and unused library of His books.

All must come to the scripture with an unleavened mindset and heart in order to get an undefiled understanding. If you don’t, guess who you are taking into your study with you? Yes, Satan. He is the author of false understanding.

It’s a good idea to listen carefully to your preachers and teachers and take good notes. Not to prove one is wrong but to confirm what is taught is accurate and sound. Some preachers assume they know more than the members because they are preachers, and most probably do. Some members are lazy and inhale every word the preacher is teaching but have a dusty attic Bible, so they don’t know Job from Pharaoh, and that’s really sad. All saints are ministers, and we are accountable for our knowledge of God’s word. It is not the responsibility of the preacher to teach us everything we need to know. And I repeat, we need to confirm their teaching. There is false teaching in the body of Christ. I am not trying to offend anyone, but the truth is the truth. So please take time to read the scriptures to confirm what I teach and what anyone teaches you.

Here’s the thing, the saints are ambassadors for Christ, and we must earnestly seek the knowledge of God’s word. We are one family in Christ; we must resolve to seek one truth. We must put self aside, pray together, study together, correct and reproof one another, asking God to give us His understanding of His word, so we can stand together and honor the great commission of our Lord, and the many who died in the battle spreading the gospel. We cannot stand justified, before God abiding in false teaching, and most importantly if we don’t know His word, we cannot glorify Him.

It is time to break the chain that divides Christ’s body. Christians against Christians. Churches splitting because of disagreements and misunderstandings. What examples are we showing the world? We must resolve to make peace with one another by realizing the cause of the division among the saints. We must realize that it is not about us, and Christ is not pleased with anyone separating His body. We must stand in unity. A house divided against itself will fall. This is a cry out to my brothers and sisters. I have cried out to our Father about this and this is where it led me. There is only one truth. Let’s come together and study it out together with God and not empower Satan with unhumbled and divided hearts.

It is my prayer that God’s word will shepherd our hearts. It is my prayer that eyes will be opened, and we will truly understand the characteristics the citizens of the kingdom of heaven must possess. The beatitudes declare the characteristics of the attitude the saints must possess toward God and righteous living to be fit for the kingdom.

I want to encourage you to get busy living for Christ. We are not promised the next moment. One of my sons went out for a pizza nineteen months, two weeks and two days ago, and within thirty minutes of leaving home he was gone. He was hit by a hit and run tow truck. Don’t play Russian Roulette with your soul. Today is the day of free salvation. 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith (Romans 1:16-17). We must become the gospel.

PRAYER

Our Father and Lord, Most High and awesome God. We come before you in the name of your Holy Son, Our Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord for being our God and Father. I give thanks to you for your Son and your Spirit, for your Holy words, for your grace and mercy. Father, we are so grateful for your love and all that has come out of your love. We are thankful for your faithfulness, promises and countless blessings. Thank you for being a patient and forgiving Father. Lord you are worthy of the fulness of our hearts, and even that doesn’t seem to be enough. I give praises, honor, and glory to You. You deserve it!

Father I ask that you open our hearts to receive your holy word with an understanding that cannot be shaken. Lord I pray that we will be of the same mind and the same understanding so that we can stand together as one to glorify You. I pray Father that we have the heart and mind of Christ, and we will walk as He walked. Thank you for the righteousness through our Lord and Savior. Thank you for all that You have done to make us a part of Your story.  I pray these words in the name of your Son. Thank you for your open invitation to come into Your holy presence to share what’s in our hearts and call on your holy name. Thank you for answering prayers according to Your will. In Jesus Name. Amen! So let it be.

GOD THE FATHER

Father is God. Do you really know the God that you profess to know? Such knowledge is too vast for the human mind to conceive the profoundness of God. David’s testimonies in Psalms pierce my soul when he cries out to God—when he portrays who is Lord God Almighty. Yahweh is so amazing—so immense, He blows David’s mind, as He does mine. David said God is everywhere (omnipresent), as there is nowhere, He isn’t, even in hell (Psalm 138:8), He is there. He says such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it (Psalm 139:6).

To reduce Yahweh, our Holy Father God’s existence, and His majesty to the mere cognition of man is a joke, an insult, really. The human mind is too meager to give a description of God outside of what His Holy Words conveys, and even that seems to extend beyond human conception. Like David said, it is high. We cannot understand how God works, how He makes things happen. We just know He does. He is God, and He does what He does, however He does it we must accept it and be content with what He has provided for us to know. We know this, no man is greater than the creator.

Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God (Psalm 90:2 NKJV).

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me (Isaiah 46:9 KJV),

I have to add this scripture because it also says a lot about who God is, and I believe it helps scriptures above exalts His sovereignty.

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure (46:10):

Now, do you see what I mean? What man knows the end from the beginning? I am a professional cook and I have been in the kitchen for fifty years and I still cannot tell you exactly how my carrot cake will come out. I can just hope that it is as good as it was the last time when I baked it. Our God knows life before it begins. He knows the path of every man and He knows what destiny he will choose. God is the personality behind His creations. He created every human being to have a spirit, something beyond what man can comprehend. Only the majestic God can create a spirit. He put man’s spirit inside of a body shell. He designed humans to be in the image of His spiritual self.

Who is God? The first ten words Moses wrote in the book of Genesis conveys the awesomeness, sovereignty, and greatness of God. Moreover, as you continue to read to the end of His creative work, surely, you will have concluded that God is eminent, miraculous, and unparalleled.

Who is God? He is Lord God Almighty, the Majestic and Most High God. He is the God who brought the Israelites, his son out from the land of Egypt. Our God is the same God who went before the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to light the way. He is the God that we should lift up to the highest glory, shouting hallelujah great Jehovah. He is the cloud that stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians as they attempted to overtake his son—being a cloud of light to the Israelites and a cloud of darkness to the Egyptian, one not touching or casting out the other (Exodus 14:19). He is the same God who used Moses and Aaron as His instruments to make the powerful statement that He is God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that He may be exalted.

He is the same God whom Moses was talking about when he told the Israelites when pursued by the Egyptians Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today (Exodus 14:13).  This is a statement we all should repeat to ourselves daily. We need to be still—listen and trust God. He is our rock and fortress and, our deliverer, the God in whom we take refuge. He is our shield, and the horn of our salvation, our stronghold (Psalm 18:2).

Who is God? I have read the entire Bible over and over again and it still blows my mind. When I think about God’s conversation with Moses in Exodus 33, it conveys that the very sight of Yahweh is so phenomenal—it surpasses vision, well our entire being. Read His conversation with Moses in Exodus 33, start reading at verse 19, but I encourage you to read the whole chapter if you are not familiar, so you