Christian Hope

To Live By Truth

2012-02-10T21:35:00.000-06:00

To live by truth is to live by the will of God. Apart from the will of God, there is no truth but only lies brought on by the presence of sin. And what we know of sin is that it is the product of lies and has nothing to do with truth - the will of God. The lesson is clearly brought out into the open in the account given of Adam and Eve. And the curse of lies is that they bring about the opposite of what they promise because they are indeed lies.

Rev 3:17

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--

Rev 3:18 "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, [that] the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

If money and material wealth can deceive us into thinking we are rich, we are truly deceived by lies that are opposed to truth - the will of God. So what does it mean to be rich? It should become obvious that what it means to be rich is to live by truth - the will of God. Lies and deception merely remind us of our poverty, for there is no one who lives by lies and deception that can claim to have any idea of what it means to be rich. The great quest to be rich is finally revealed to be the quest to live by truth - the will of God. There is no one who has ever succeeded in living by truth - the will of God, that can claim not to know what it means to be rich. Their very existence of living by truth - the will of God, is proof of their riches. And what Scripture has been trying to teach us from the beginning begins to make sense. Indeed, we have been taught to be rich from the beginning since Scripture has taught us to live by truth - the will of God.

Rev 2:9

"I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and [I know] the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but [are] a synagogue of Satan.

And if of the synagogue of Satan, we know that it is because it is of those who choose to live by lies, since Satan is the father of lies, and no truth is in him. But the whole world is under the influence of the evil one since the whole world is prone to be poor and live by lies rather than the riches of truth - the will of God. The obsession to be rich is nothing more than a quest to seek to find truth - the will of God. It is when we discover truth - the will of God, that we finally can claim to have fulfilled our quest to be rich. If mankind chooses to live by the deceitfulness of material wealth, then so be it. But I can attest that those who have been blessed to live by truth - the will of God, have been blessed to have discovered real wealth and riches that permeates their whole being.For it would seem that the real misery in life is brought about by being subjected to the poverty brought on by living by lies and sin so that it becomes ever more obvious that what we are witnessing is poverty and not riches that can only come by living by truth - the will of God.

Thus, go and seek to be rich with all the fervor you can muster. But realize that in order to be rich, one has to live by truth - the will of God. Thus, we begin to understand how it is that we could sense being poor, even from the time of early youth. If we were denied the opportunity and ability to live by truth - the will of God, it stands to reason that we were subjected to a sense of being poor, even in the presence of ample money and material possessions. It takes true riches to overcome authentic poverty that comes from living by lies and deception. And all that is opposed to truth - the will of God, is nothing more than lies and deception. Of course, it is quiet illuminating to realize that the great complaint of early youth was that we were denied being rich and thus, living by truth - the will of God. Finally, one's complaint from early youth begins to make sense. For if we are denied living by truth - the will of God, we are confronted with living in poverty and be surrounded by a spiritual ghetto that can do no other than to oppress our spirit and weigh down our soul.

To finally get a sense of what it is to be rich is a great relief to our spirit and to our soul. At least we now have the means by which we can experience what it means to be rich in a manner that satisfies our soul and satiates the thirst of our spirit. The solution has been with us all along. But it takes faith and knowledge to believe that being rich consists of living by truth - the will of God. So it is that we come to realize that our basic problem for much of our life is the struggle to be rich in the midst of living in a world that is essentially in poverty and a spiritual ghetto. And why? Because the seek not to live by truth - the will of God. Therefore, they have no chance to be rich but must endure the poverty of their souls and spirit, even in the midst of plenty. The more that man gravitates away from truth - the will of God, the more poverty that ensues. It is indeed poetic justice, even if we can not explain why it is that we would not seek to make a greater effort to overcome our poverty for the sake of becoming rich and living by truth - the will of God.

Having seen enough of this life and much of what it has to offer, I come to the conclusion that what really matters is to seek a life that is in keeping and in accord with our beliefs. Of course there are lifestyles and wealth that we will not be privy to because our beliefs exclude such lifestyles and wealth. All things are possible for those who believe and do not doubt. Since we already have beliefs, it is us to us to maintain the discipline of seeking to be provided with the beliefs we have. If others manage to accumulate huge fortunes and tremendous power with the beliefs they possess, more power to them. What is important is that we seek to maintain our loyalty to our own beliefs. If the beliefs of others were our own, they would no longer be the beliefs of others but instead, would be our own. It is not for us to seek to forsake our own beliefs for the sake of the beliefs of others since it is our beliefs that describe and define who we are as individuals.

If we possess certain beliefs that we know to be in accord with truth - the will of God, should we not celebrate what we possess in the knowledge that it is a privilege that many are not privy to for lack of belief. Are we to take after the prophet Elisha or are we to take after the likes of his servant Gehazi. Keep in mind that the mindset of Gehazi is essentially the mindset of the world at large that seeks not to live by truth - the will of God. And if the world seeks not to live by truth - the will of God, it seeks to live by the lies and deception posed by seeking to live by their own will that is opposed and opposite to the will of God.

It is amazing how sometimes we persecute ourselves for the wrong reasons. A case in point is when we insist on sticking to our own choices and our own beliefs. Granted, it takes courage in a market economy to do so, but what is the point of cultivating beliefs if we are to cast them aside for the beliefs of others? Why should we cast aside our own beliefs for the sake of acquiring money and wealth based on adopting the beliefs of others? And if we are really serious about acting in accord with principles, values, and ideals, how can we do so if we are not willing to act on our own beliefs? This is a conflict that has been going on from early youth, and sooner or later we get to the point where we take a stand and refuse to persecute ourselves for seeking to act on our own beliefs and our own choices. It could well be that our own beliefs are closer to truth - the will of God, then the beliefs of others and even of strangers who may not know God nor his will.

Based on seeking to act on one's own beliefs, we come to understand why we have failed for decades in order to be part of a market economy. And if we act on the beliefs of others, it is at the expense of forsaking our own beliefs. And if we are willing to forsake our own beliefs, we deserve to fail and even to be miserable for the refusal to act on principles, values, and ideals. And when we act on our own beliefs, we are doing just that......we are seeking to act on principles, values, and ideals. It is when we become mercenaries and seek to act on the beliefs of others for some sort of market compensation that we abandon our own principles, values, and ideals for the reward that is offered to mercenaries. If we balk at the prospect of succeeding in being mercenaries because it betrays our quest to act on our own beliefs, we have no choice but to insist on acting on our own beliefs and be thankful for whatever reward comes our way.

And so we begin to understand why we became a shadow of what we could have become, had we been willing to cling to our own beliefs and reject the temptation to forsake our own beliefs for the sake of being rewarded for being a mercenary and adopt the beliefs of others. Going back to early youth, we begin to understand how and why we were defeated practically from the beginning. It was because of our refusal to act and cling to our own beliefs in the face of the marketplace being so ready to amply reward the beliefs of others. Did we not realize that if we became mercenaries we would be forsaking acting on our own principles, values, and ideals? And all for what! All this for the sake of vanity of financial and material wealth that came about by adopting the beliefs of others at the sake of forsaking our own beliefs! And as a mercenary, we deserve to fail and to be miserable. It is only poetic justice for the harm to our potential and to our character. There is no one who has ever turned to being a mercenary that has ever achieved the status of greatness or of being noble.

And by the grace and mercy of God and Christ, we begin to take a stand against the mercenary mentality of seeking a financial reward at the expense of forsaking our principles, values, and ideals. And the potential for greatness and nobility that could have been ours from early youth once again makes itself known. This is because we have finally begun to reverse the process of giving precedence and priority to being a mercenary for financial reasons for the sake of being true to ourselves and our own potential to achieve a degree of true success and greatness in our lives. And what previously appeared impossible becomes possible through the grace of God who makes all things possible.

The Way Of Truth

2012-02-06T21:42:00.001-06:00

Truth, being truth, is prophetic. If it were otherwise, it would be a lie. Thus, truth is always in control and always in charge since it has the power and will to bring about whatever it declares as truth. That is because truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God. And indeed, there is no power in heaven or earth that can oppose his will. Not even death on the cross could overcome the truth that Christ would rise from the dead on the third day. Since truth is prophetic, it will always prevail, it will always win out. Thus, it is our duty and obligation to seek out the truth in all matters since truth is all that is in accord with the will of God. And it is the omnipotence of God's will that assures that whatever is found to be true, will prevail in all circumstance.

Having seen that even nations can be brought to their knees by the overriding power of truth, we gain more respect for truth than ever before. We come to realize the futility of having lies seek to overcome the outcome of truth. Lies being lies, can only bring about the opposite of truth. Lies can only bring about the opposite of the outcome proclaimed by truth. This is clearly brought out in the account of Adam and Eve. The most fundamental values and virtues of truth are clearly brought out into the open and give justification for the designation of sacred Scripture. The reason it is sacred is because it is true. And the reason it is true is because it genuinely reflects the will of God that is the source of all that is true.The way of truth is the way of the will of God. Truth being truth is inflexible, otherwise it would not be truth. Lies being lies are inflexible, otherwise they would not be lies. Just as it is impossible for truth to lie, so it is also with lies that find it impossible to tell the truth. That is because lies are comprised of all that is opposed to truth - the will of God.

the false prophet of the end-times can do no other than to present all that is opposed to truth - the will of God. What I find fascinating about truth is that truth has no need for the opinions of others. Truth will carry out its pronouncements with absolute accuracy and predictability since truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God. Whereas, I have striven to find true Christianity and true Christian doctrine, I realize that success in that regard is one primarily of degree. Much depends on the level of one's faith. And it is by faith that we turn our back on the carnal and the physical for the sake of that which is spiritual and invisible. But if we are going to be spiritual and not carnal, we can not fall into the trap of judging ourselves and our actions by that which is carnal and physical. If we are going to be spiritual and not carnal, we have to find the will and be resolute in judging ourselves and our actions by that which is spiritual and not carnal and physical.

A spiritual man has no business seeking to judge himself and his actions by the standards of money and material wealth. It is for the carnal/physical man to seek to judge himself and his actions by such standards. One of the great contributions of sacred Scripture is it encouragement that it is possible to seek to be spiritual and be motivated by that which is spiritual and not material and carnal. It is even possible to give up material possessions for the sake of acquiring spiritual wealth and spiritual possessions. The carnal will continue to judge themselves and their actions by that which is material and carnal because that is all they can do in their material and carnal state. The trap for us is if we allow ourselves to be judged by the standards of the carnal.

About the most one can hope for is to become a prophet and be in tune and in touch with truth - the will of God. Since God is omnipotent, whatever he wills becomes truth and must come to pass, otherwise it would not be truth, but would be a lie. The power of prophecy would not come from our will, but from the will of God who no one can oppose or overcome. Indeed, anything that is of truth - the will of God, must come to pass.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

The power of the saints comes from knowing the will of God. Knowing the will of God, they are in touch with truth. Being in touch with truth, they are in touch with the prophetic power of truth to make all things come to pass that are declared to be true. If it was God's will to have someone throw a mountain into the sea with merely the spoken word, would he not find someone to do so? But if it was not God's will to have someone throw a mountain into the sea would he not deny to all the faith to do so? If God had chosen the rich, young ruler to be a disciple, would he not have given him the faith to sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow him? As it was, he lacked the faith to do so because he was made weak in faith because of his riches. It is for the same reason that the carnal man lacks the ability to understand spiritual things. Having predestined those who are to be carnal and not spiritual, God also denied them the ability to understand spiritual things because they were made carnal and not spiritual.

It takes courage, love, and discipline, to seek to discern truth - the will of God. We get a view of the will of God by reading Scripture that we come to regard as divinely inspired. Since God is perfect and never changes, we find what God declared to be evil continues to be evil, and what God declared to be good, continues to be good. The teachings and commandments of Christ are a reflection of truth - the will of God. The purpose of being given teaching and instruction is for the purpose of seeking to stay within the bounds of truth - the will of God. It is a lesson that mankind has had to learn from the beginning of the time of Adam and Eve. Since lies are the opposite of truth - the will of God, we are put on notice that if we resort to lies, we are not acting in accord with truth - the will of God. Having been told that Satan is the father of lies and that there is no truth in him, makes things even worse because it opens up the prospect that such lies may be part of demonic and Satanic influence.

It would seem to me that faith is something we apply towards truth - the will of God. Since it is impossible for God to lie, if we are in possession of truth - the will of God, then reality has to conform to that truth, otherwise truth would not be truth, but would be a lie. Thus, the sureness of what we hope for and the certainty of what is not seen makes all the sense in the world when we are dealing with truth - the will of God. But if we have doubts as to whether we are dealing with truth, we have no business to seek to have faith in such matters because, not being truth, they would prove to be a lie. Therefore, the individual who is best qualified to deal with such issues is the person who is willing to utilize the gift of prophecy that allows them to discern truth - the will of God. It has never been the function of prophets to reveal their own will, but rather, it is their function to reveal truth - the will of God.

But it takes a tremendous amount of faith just to be able to deal with such matters as seeking to discern and live by truth - the will of God. Like a beacon in the night, if we seek to stay focused on truth - the will of God, we have the means by which we can begin to utilize the sureness and certainty of faith. Knowing that it is impossible for God to lie, and knowing that truth, by its very nature is prophetic, we find the means to make choices and decisions that can bring about the sureness and certainty of truth - the will of God. If we have read Scripture, we already know something about truth - the will of God. We have a starting point by which we can begin to reject that which we know to be lies and not truth since they do not reflect the will of God.

If we are blessed to see our efforts to fruition, we will begin to discover the awful power of truth - the will of God to bring about whatever is declared by truth - the will of God. All that is opposed to truth - the will of God, is sin and therefore, a lie. And a lie, being a lie, will bring about the opposite result of truth - the will of God. It's the account of Adam and Eve all over again. The sinful mind opposes all that is based on truth - the will of God. The sinful mind seeks to serve its own will and thus, falls into the trap of believing a lie. All that is opposed to truth - the will of God is sin, and therefore, a lie. Blessed is the man who has the faith and will act on such things. It is he who is blessed to live by truth - the will of God. It is he who has the capacity to live by the sureness and certainty of faith that what he undertakes is in accord with truth - the will of God. But how do we know that we are dealing with truth - the will of God? We know by the lack of doubt and hesitation that what we seek to say and do is in accordance with truth - the will of God.

All that is opposed to truth - the will of God is sin and a lie. Therefore, if we have doubts and hesitation that what we say and do is in accord with truth - the will of God, we are denied the sureness and certainty afforded by faith. The power of such faith comes with the assurance that what is being proposed is in accord with truth - the will of God. And since it is impossible for God to lie, whatever is revealed as truth - the will of God must come to pass, otherwise it would not be truth but would be a lie. But since it is impossible for God to lie, we know that whatever is proposed by truth - the will of God is prophetic, and infallible since it is based on truth - the will of God.

Once again, I am brought to regret the remembrances of my folly in not seeking truth - the will of God in all that I sought to say and do. And though I have sought to make amends, the reality is that much too much time has elapsed with seeking to get by with the shortcoming of not always seeking to live by truth - the will of God. Of what benefit is it to be a strong-willed individual, if such a will was not based on truth - the will of God? The very core of humility is that we submit to truth - the will of God. Thus, we know that when we seek to act out of pride, we are seeking to act on our own will that is opposed to truth - the will of God. It is the very nature and purpose of pride to seek to manifest its own will that is opposed to the will of God.

So whether we take little steps or giant steps, we seek to get things going so that we begin to make a conscious effort of seeking to act and live by truth - the will of God. And though the task may seem formidable, we begin with the measure of knowledge, love, and faith that we have available.

The Faithful Shall Be Blessed

2012-02-04T16:32:00.002-06:00

Pro 28:20

A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

This can be an area of contention, but there is a way to properly interpret the meaning. What I have discovered that the faithful are those who are willing to remain steadfast in their spirit. It is they who are blessed for their faithfulness. For it would seem that many are tempted by the lure of money and wealth to forsake their tranquil and easy-going spirit for a spirit reserved for the wicked who seek adopt an aggressive and war-like spirit for the sake of acquiring money and wealth. And true to form, we come to realize that if we are not faithful to our spirit, we run the risk of being cursed for breaking faith with our spirit given to us by God. To break faith with our spirit for the sake of obtaining money and wealth is not a good thing, nor has it ever been a good thing. It is tantamount to the likes of Adam and Eve who broke faith with their spirit for the sake of eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for the sake of seeking to be like gods knowing good and evil.

What life can teach us is that indeed, those who are faithful to their spirit shall be blessed because of their faithfulness, whereas, those who are not faithful to their spirit shall be cursed with failure and remorse. It is over the temptation to hasten to be rich that many are tempted to break the faithfulness to their spirit for the sake of adopting an alien spirit that would seek to deny us the blessing acquired by the spirit we possess. Such was the case with Adam and Even whose spirit before the fall knew not the ways of spiritual death or were even conscious of their state of nakedness because of the spirit of innocence that God bestowed upon them.

Mat 16:26

"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

But for a man to lose his own soul it would require that he abandoned his spirit for the sake of an alien spirit that is so obsessed with acquiring money and wealth that would seek to undermine and destroy the very foundation of his beliefs that allow him to keep his soul, and still reflect having been created in the image and likeness of God. What I also have come to question is my willingness to seek quality situations. For it would seem that the golden rule is alive and well and can not be ignored in any generation. And so once again, I return to the axiom that success comes from commitment. And from the time of early youth, I am appalled at how I could have so easily ignored such a teaching that will not be denied. Who are the faithful that are blessed if not those who are committed in their endeavors. Could it be that the faithful are blessed with success, because being faithful, they are committed to their endeavors?

It would seem to me that the more committed we become, the more successful we become. In like manner, the more faithful we become, the more blessings we acquire. Having discovered that success comes from commitment, it now becomes a matter of execution of the principles we have been taught. And with the discovery comes the realization that we can find more to gives us an incentive in life than merely money. We now can openly seek to gauge our lives by the standard of success rather than by the standard of money. Imagine what a tremendous leap it of consciousness it must be to openly be motivated by success rather than by the promise of wealth and riches. And since success comes from commitment, we are even given the means to acquire the unconventional goal of success versus the conventional goal of seeking to acquire money and riches.

Who would have ever know or ever guessed that the law of commitment would be so crucial to bring on success! And yet, the workings of the law is just as effective as other laws, such as the law of gravity that is so readily and easily enforced b the workings of the physics of the law of gravity. And so we begin to actually understand that the law is unbiased and no respecter of persons, and will be enforced irregardless by an invisible force that determines success or failure. Success comes from commitment. What matters is that we believe, irregardless of the unbelief of others. The law of commitment will be enforced whether people believe or not. If being committed to our endeavors brings on success, then being uncommitted to our endeavors brings on failure. The way we succeed in life to commit to our endeavors.

Having said all this, I am confronted with the question of how commitment can bring about an increase in one's Christian faith. The problem starts from the fact that many are not willing to commit to the teachings of Christ. And if they are not willing to commit to the teachings, what makes them think they will commit to Christ? Indeed, there was a time when our faith was more pure and Christ-centered. But such a time also showed a greater willingness to seek to believe and live by the teachings of Christ. It can well be that our faith in Christ is directly tied to our willingness to believe in his teachings that so readily disparage the concern for the things of this world and of this life. It would seem to me that those who are rich in faith in Christ are those who are great believers in his teachings. Since we proclaim Christ to be the divine Son of God, we are put in a position of having to label all that is not in keeping with the teachings of Christ to be a lie. That is because truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God. Therefore, all that is opposed to the teachings of Christ is by definition, a lie.

For example, if we are serving Mammon, how can we claim to know God or serve God? Christ made it clear that we can not do both.

Mat 6:24

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Jhn 14:21

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who lovesMe. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

If we are not willing to believe and obey Christ, how can we claim to have faith in Christ? Faith does come from hearing! So how is it that we find it hard to have faith in the Commands and teachings of Christ that we have come to hear?

Jhn 16:27

"for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

We should not be surprised to find out that those who have faith in Christ are the very ones who believe and have faith in his Commands and teachings. And because they have the commandments and keep them, we should not be surprised that along with their faith in Christ comes their love for Christ. One of the strongest arguments is that when we encounter a falling away from the Christian faith, we also encounter a falling away from faith and obedience to the Commands and teachings of Christ. Thus, we should not be surprised that with a general falling away from faith in Christ, we should also witness a godless and wicked agenda as a consequence.

To the extent that we have faith in Christ, we also have faith in his commandments and teachings. It is to be expected that with a falling away of faith in Christ, we would also encounter rebellion and disobedience with the teachings and commandments of Christ. Thus, we can tell if there is a general falling away from the Christian faith by the refusal of others to either believe or obey the teachings and commandments of Christ. Those who would manifest their faith in Christ do so even to the point of believing and obeying the teachings and commandments of Christ. It is out of faith in Christ that the disciples of Christ were willing to give up all things for the sake of Christ and for the kingdom of God. If we have faith in Christ, we will obey his teachings. If we obey his teachings, we will seek to love one another, as taught to us by Christ. We can not separate the person of Christ from what he said and taught. We can not claim to have faith in Christ, who is the Word that is God, and then claim not to believe or obey his commandments and teachings.

It goes without saying that when our faith was the strongest was the same time that we sought to believe and obey the commandments and teachings of Christ. Those of little faith in Christ will make practically no effort in seeking to believe and obey the teachings and commandments of Christ. So while the world goes on as if all is well, reality would prove otherwise. How can all be well if there is a general falling away from the Christian faith? And the teachings and commandments of Christ have already started to be replaced by the empty and hollow philosophies of the world that keep men in darkness. We cling to our faith in Christ by clinging to his commandments and his teachings. Praise be to God and Christ!

A Question Of Beliefs

2012-01-18T21:34:00.001-06:00

Just when it appeared that we were making little progress in acquiring new insights, I am confronted with the practical insight of realizing that life is primarily an opportunity to live out one's beliefs. From beginning to end, we are confronted with beliefs that make all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt. And what makes us different from others is the beliefs we hold that are different from others. Our attitude towards life and death is determined by our beliefs. Our attitude towards riches and poverty is determined by our beliefs. And it is indeed frustrating to realize that we are denied many of the things we could have in life because we are hindered or prohibited from holding on to the beliefs that would make acquiring such things possible.

The greatness of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the spiritual beliefs that are presented. And if we accept the teaching of Christ that all things are possible for those who believe and do not doubt, then we have to accept the possibility that the truly incredible promises that Christ makes in regard to the resurrection of the dead and of being allowed to enter the kingdom of God are indeed possible for those who believe and do not doubt. Unfortunately, there are beliefs that fill us with doubt and therefore, will not allow us to commit to because of the doubts and hesitations. And of course, without commitment there is no success, just as with doubts and hesitations, the possibilities offered by beliefs are nullified.

Knowing how difficult and elusive it is to acquire the right beliefs, I thank God and Christ again and again for the phenomenal mercy extended to me in allowing me to possess the spiritual beliefs I do have. I come to realize how miraculous it is that I would even believe when it is so easy to give in to the temptation not to believe in spiritual things - on things from above - on heavenly things. What we learn is that God can harden our hearts so that we do not believe. Thus, what we are privileged to believe is based on God's mercy. For if God hardens our hearts we are denied the ability to believe. Therefore, God is in charge of all things, including what we are privileged to believe, including our belief in our Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The apostle Paul looked his own situation and realized that had not Christ intervened to make him a believer, he would have continued not only in his unbelief but would have also continued in the ignominious conduct of being a persecutor of the Church. I know not why we were blessed to become Christian believers. What I do know is that it is all based on God's mercy. I am thankful beyond words at being blessed at being a believer. I also know how fragile and fleeting faith can become, once it is lost. Surely, we would have been better off had we never believed, rather than to believe and to lose one's belief and not know if we will ever return to the status of being a believer. As a Christian believer, the thought is too depressing even to contemplate, for all the world has to offer can not recompense one for a loss of Christian faith that is priceless and that offers hope for eternal life through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Having learned something about different religions and other spiritual faiths, only reinforces our thankfulness in being blessed to have been predestined to being a Christian. But it is well to remember that our Christian faith is a gift from God. In our wicked and sinful self there is no way that we would have come to accept the Christian faith and Christian beliefs that elevate the spiritual over the carnal. And so we learn to add humility to our Christian attributes since there is no one who can claim to being a Christian apart from the mercy of God. All we have to do is to observe the millions upon millions of unbelievers to realize that it is not a question of wills but a question of selection.And yet, I am well aware of the skepticism of the world that is convinced that there is no divine intervention to be had in the affairs of man. That skepticism is not based on faith but based on the lack of faith.

It would seem to me that the sign that the world seeks is furnished by faith itself that makes all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt.

Mar 9:23	Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things [are] possible to him who believes."
Mar 10:27	But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men [it is] impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.

Mat 17:20	So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Mat 21:21	So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.

The sign the world seeks is manifested by faith itself that has the power to move mountains for those who believe and do not doubt. Thus, it may easily turn out that the problem is not what Christ taught us but instead, the problem may easily turn out to be our lack of faith. And if we lack faith, it is not for us to speak to others of the veracity of faith. It is for those who have faith to speak of faith since it is they who have the authority to make all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt. Faith itself becomes the sign of the veracity of the teachings of Christ. For it is faith that has the power to move mountains, for those who believe and do not doubt.

Mat 6:30	"Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, [will He] not much more [clothe] you, O you of little faith?
Mat 8:26	But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Mat 14:31	And immediately Jesus stretched out [His] hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Mat 16:8	But Jesus, being aware of [it], said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread

It is up to each individual to cultivate the power of faith, if he insists on having a sign. For it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, all things are possible for God. All things are possible for those who believe and do not doubt. If we ask for a sign, it is up to faith to furnish us one. When we come to realize for ourselves that all things are possible for those who believe not doubt, it becomes the sign for us of the veracity of the Gospel of Christ and our undying belief in the existence of the living, eternal God who is the Creator of heaven and earth. Time and time again, Christ approached the people with the criticism, "Ye of little faith". And indeed, it all comes down to a question of beliefs.

If we want a sign, then look to faith to furnish us one. Faith itself becomes the sign, since faith has been given the power by God who is in charge of all things, to make all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt. The way that faith is able to do this is by speaking the truth (the will of God). Since it is impossible for God to lie, all that is truth and not a lie must come to pass, otherwise, it would prove to be a lie. And it is the approach taken towards truth that allows faith to make all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt. But what are we supposed to believe? We are supposed to believe that we are dealing with truth - the will of God. All that is an expression of truth - the will of God, must come to pass since there is no power in heaven or earth that can oppose the truth - the will of God. Jesus is Lord.

Out Of The B lue

2012-01-14T20:16:00.001-06:00

Out of the blue comes the phenomenal insight that what many people are struggling after is to establish a life that is in accord with the command to love. And this, above many other considerations, explains why life can become so challenging and in turmoil. For the world is not based on the command to love and is ready to engage in conflict and the exchange of cunning and wit. In opposition to the spirit of love is the spirit of the beast . This is easily seen in the conduct of lions when they seek to take over a pride and seek to kill off all the young lions that could pose a threat in the future, drive off other male lions who do not want to engage in mortal combat whereby the challenging lion would seek to kill. And who would seek to kill all other lions who would not seek to submit to the new lion who seeks to acquire dominance in the former pride of lions.

In essence, the lions are manifesting the spirit of the beast that is based on violence and dominance and is adversarial to the command to love, and to the spirit of love. And this is the world that mankind is expected to conform to. And yet, we know that God is love, and that man was created in God's image and likeness. And if is out of love that one who would be first would be the servant of all, as Christ commanded. And if we study the teachings of Christ, we find that love is the common theme and that essentially, it is sin to rebel against the command to love. It is on that basis that even the Pharisees and the Sadducee , were found wanting and could not understand what they were doing wrong that Christ would cast his criticism and rebuke. And yet, if they, or even us, thought about it , it also became obvious that Christ was criticizing the religious authority for having sinned against the command to love one another.

Within that context, we are confronted with a world and society that is ready, willing, and able to richly reward those who would sin against the command to love and to resort to the love of self that so easily casts away any concern to love others as we are commanded to do. And it is in that context that those who know their God, may balk at being subjected to conforming to such a world that is so adversarial to the command to love in order to acquire all that the world has to offer. Those who have no such reservations are too busy seeking to learn from the ways of the beasts rather than from the ways of Christ. Convinced they know how to succeed, they can not fathom what they could possibly be doing wrong in a world that they have learned to conform to. A lion among lions, a beast among beasts. But wait! Those are not lions or beasts, they are human who are endowed with knowledge of their own existence and who have the mental faculties and skills to seek to reach out to their Creator who is good, who is faithful, and who is love.

But as Scripture clearly points out, some follow the ways of God and Christ, and some follow the ways of the beast and the spirit of the beast. And so we may or may not see the phenomenal input that love can make in our daily lives. For we are command to love one another because God is love. But in the context of this world and this life, it is hard to fathom how we can meet the requirement if not by the workings of the Spirit of God and Christ who lives in the hearts and minds of believers. But we also know that success comes from commitment. I have seen the law of commitment enforced time and time again to the point where it can become exasperating since the law is not a respecter of persons. But it is the willingness to somehow enforce the law that we begin to find the means of proving that God is real and does exist. How? It is by observing the workings of the enforcement of the law of commitment that can render us failures or successful, depending on our level of commitment to our endeavors or lack thereof.

Did it dawn on us that if success comes from commitment, we are in a position to succeed with God and Christ by our commitment to God and Christ? And how could the law of commitment be enforced except by the invisible hand of God? For if we can fail with God for lack of commitment, surely, we can succeed with God with our steadfast commitment to God. And because we have seen the power of commitment to enforce the outcome of success or failure, based of one's commitment or lack thereof, we are given hope of turning our faith into conviction because of the success that comes in one's relationship to God and Christ because of one's commitment to God and Christ.

As Christians, our claim to fame is not that we are committed, since millions and millions could make the same claim. Our claim to fame is that we are committed to God an Christ. We are successful with God and Christ because we are committed to God and Christ. Thus, we begin to unravel one of the great mysteries of life. It is what we choose to commit to that separates the sheep from the goats. And whereas, what we commit to has a lot to do with what we believe, it may well explain how it is that success comes from commitment. What Christ taught us is that all things are possible for those who believe, and do not doubt. If our commitment come from our beliefs, it could well be that our lack of commitment is the outcome of our refusal or inability to believe. Thus, we commit because we believe. And because we believe, we are privy to making all things possible because of our willingness to believe and not to doubt. Therefore, our success that comes from commitment comes from our capacity to believe, as evidenced by our willingness to commit.

If it is established that we refuse to commit to that which we do not believe, and if we commit because we do believe, that is all the proof we need to realize that the controlling force that brings success because of our commitment is none other than the power of belief to make all things possible. Hopefully, this time around we will finally begin to make sense of all this. It may well prove to be that commitment is the outcome of our willingness and capacity to believe. For if we discover that we can not commit to that which we do not believe, it would explain why we would be subjected to failure for lack of commitment, since such a lack of commitment is evidence of a refusal or inability to believe. Who is there to commit to Christ other than those who believe in Christ? It can well be that the faithful are faithful because of their willingness to believe. And it can well be that because they are blessed for their faithfulness because of the ability of belief to make all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt.

So what we can deduce and conclude is that those who are committed to their endeavors are those who believe and do not doubt. Those who are not committed to their endeavors are those who do not believe and therefore, doubt and refuse to commit because of their lack of belief. If I'm correct, we look to what people commit to in order to discern what it is that they believe. And because they believe and do not doubt, as evidenced by their commitment, they unleash the forces of belief to make all things possible. And it is that ability to make all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt, that brings on the success that comes from commitment. Thus, the whole world is dependent on belief to make all things possible since they seek to reap the reward of success for being committed to their endeavors, even if they do not realize that it is their willing to believe and not to doubt that allows them to make commitments that reward them with success.

We have commitments, but so do others. We have success, but so do others. We have beliefs, but so do others. But what makes us different from those of the world who also have beliefs and commitments, is that we are willing to commit to God and Christ because we believe and do not doubt Christ to be God the Son who is One with the Father. Those who believe and do not doubt in being spiritual and godly, will inevitably commit to being spiritual and godly. For what is the purpose of believing and not doubting if it is not converted to making a commitment because of one's ability to believe and not to doubt. And thus, a host of insights begin to enter our conscious thoughts of how it was that we were denied the success that comes with commitment because of our unwillingness or inability to believe and not to doubt.

Commitment becomes important in that it gives evidence of what it is that people believe and do not doubt. Just as we can not expect the ungodly to commit to being godly, because they do not share in the beliefs of the godly, neither can we expect the godly to commit to being ungodly, because they do not share in the beliefs of the ungodly. So it is that Scripture is once again vindicated since Scripture puts the emphasis on beliefs and in the power of belief to make all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt. Coming to understand what it is that people are willing to commit to gives insight as to what it is that people are willing to believe and do not doubt.

It is our beliefs that are evidenced by our commitments that separate us from the world who also have beliefs and commitments. And while they succeed being of the world, because of their beliefs and commitments, it is expected that we succeed in being citizens of heaven, because of our beliefs and commitments. Praise be to our beloved Lord Jesus Christ! Praise be4 to those who believe and commit to eternal life through faith in Christ. It is they who have found the kingdom of God, because of their faith and commitment. We believe in Christ and therefore, commit to Christ. And because we believe and commit to Christ, we succeed in being Christian believers and are no longer of the world, though we are still in the world. We are God's elect not because we have beliefs and commitments, but because of the specific beliefs and commitments that are in harmony and in accord with the Christian faith and Christian belief in our Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Psa 101:6

My eyes [shall be] on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me.

But the faithful are the committed. And the committed are those who believe and do not doubt. Thus, the people became unfaithful because they stopped believing without doubt. For if they had continued to believe and not doubt, they would have remained faithful to God and Christ. And their faithfulness would have become evident by their commitment to God and Christ.

Nice Guys Need Not Finish Last

2011-12-29T08:31:00.000-06:00

Having dealt with the assertion than nice guys finish last for much of my life, it is a relief to finally have a reply to what is evidently a distortion of reality. The retort to such an assertion that nice guys finish last is that it only applies if nice guys try to play by the rule of the wicked. But if is the wicked that are put on defense when nice guys seek to play by their own rules and not by the rules of the wicked. Nice guys finish last only if they try to play by the rules of the wicked. I thank God and Christ for this wonderful insight since I had been unable to offer such a retort from the time of early adulthood. Back then, I did not have a reply to the assertion that nice guys finish last. That was because I was confronted with the ways of the wicked and did not see that the way to overcome the ways of the wicked is to refuse to play by their rules and seek to stay focused on the ways reserved for "nice guys".

Half of the battle in life is to have retorts ready for the likes of the enemy who would easily and readily despoil us if given half a chance of getting us to play by their rules. Christ taught us pretty much the same thing in his teachings of seeking to maintain the ways of the righteous and to reject the ways of the wicked.

(Luke 6:29–31

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ [fn6] 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor [fn7] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, [fn8] 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren [fn9] only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors [fn10] do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Among other things, Christ is teaching us not to follow the ways of the wicked. We are defeated when we abandon our own ways for the ways of the wicked. Of course it is not an easy thing to cling to our ways when confronted with the ways of others that appear to provide more benefit. Bus such benefit comes from adopting the ways of the wicked that we have learned to reject because the ways are wicked. What the righteous have going for them is that they are in contact with truth - the will of God. Adn because God can not lie, we are made aware of the fact that truth is by its very nature prophetic since reality has to conform to whatever truth declares, othewise, it would be a lie.

I have to admit that I had no idea of the workings of this teaching when I was younger. It is obvious that defeat came primarily from being unwilling to keep the beliefs I had for the sake of seeking to acquire the rewards afforded to the beliefs of others. Having failed to keep my ground and the veracity of my own beliefs, it can only be said that I was not only defeated but humiliated, since as a Christian, I should have known better. Why? Because as a Christian, I was taught to do the opposite of the wicked. Victory comes to those who cling to the ways of the righteous and do not allow themselves to be tempted by the ways of the wicked, irregardless of what they claim to acquire or achieve.

One of the most profound lessons we can learn in life is to seek to remain faithful to our spirit, and not to give in to the provocation of alien spirits so as to be like them. And it is on the basis of remaining faithful to who we are that we gain the victory over the adversary. If we are peace loving, it is not for us to give in to the provocation of the adversary and resort to anger and rage. If we are sincere, it is not for us to give in to the provocation of the adversary and resort to being insincere. As Scripture readily teaches us do not be like the heathen nations around us. Why? Because it is left to us as Christians, to be a light to the world. I am amazed and appalled at how many mistakes one can make in this world and in this life. But it is because of such mistakes that we learn and become ever more humble at the realization that once again we resorted to making the mistake of looking to the adversaries and their ways rather than to gain the victory of remaining faithful to one's own ways.

Common sense reveals that the righteous would finish last, if they took on the ways of the wicked. And since this is a wicked and adulterous generation, we have our work cut out for us. And yet, it is a great temptation to take on the ways of the world - the ways of the wicked. The ways of the wicked do not take any consideration of the existence of the eternal living God, Creator of heaven and earth. There is no fear of divine retribution, there is no fear of giving an account to God, there is no fear even of eternal damnation by the process of total and complete annihilation so that even the memory of the damned is never to be remembered. The greatest folly for the righteous is to resort to the ways of the wicked and thus, be defeated by the wicked since they are masters at the ways of the wicked.

Going back even to the formative years, I can now see the tremendous folly of having sought to adopt some of the ways of the wicked and unbelievers who knew not the way of peace and civility since they knew not the way of Christ. And even to this day, it is still a challenge since we are still dealing with a wicked and adulterous generation that has started to adopt more and more of the ways of pagans. But we can at least pray to God and Christ to give us the conviction and courage to remain faithful to our own spirit and not to be provoked into abandoning our spirit for the sake of an alien spirit of an adversary who knows not the ways of peace, civility, and gentility of heart. And so we learn neither to look to the right or to the left but to stay focused on remaining faithful as to who we are since it is we who have been blessed to be called Christian believers.

So it is that for a nice guy to finish first, he must cling to the ways of the righteous and reject the ways of the wicked. For the race is not with the wicked but with the righteous. Thus, it is those who keep the faith that are saved and not those who forsake the faith for the sake of the ways of godless pagans. The finish line is not to be found on the broad highway of destruction that is of the road taken by the wicked, but the finish line is to be found in the straight and narrow road that leads to eternal life. And it is they who cross that finish line that are deemed to have come first. And having failed to have taken the broad road that leads to destruction, of course the righteous are deemed to have finished last in what the world of the ungodly has to offer. As an example, if the prophet Elisha had allowed himself to be judged by the standards of his servant Gehazi, of course he would have been adjudicated as having finished last, since he did not even bother to ask of anything from Naaman the Syrian.

2Ki 5:20

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but [as] the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him."

Surely, Gehazi was of the opinion that nice guys finish last, even to the point of ignoring the workings of divine miraculous intervention that showed how ignorant and naive he was in regard to the righteousness of God. And unlike Gehazi, who resorted to lies and deception to acquire his ill gotten unauthorized gain, It is impossible for God to lie. Elisha chose not to be judged by the standards of Gehazi nor by the standards of the world. Unlike the world, Elisha finished first in the race of the righteous since he was seeking to run the race with the righteous as to who would be the most righteous, and not run the race with the wicked to see who would be the most wicked.

And so we ask God and Christ to grant us some of the secret wisdom of God that would allow us to overcome the slights and the disparaging remarks of those who know not the ways of the righteous who are deemed to be nice guys, but who are convinced that it is the wicked and the ruthless who finish first. But that only applies to the ways of the wicked and the ruthless. The wicked and the ruthless, being masters at their own game, would easily finish first in the ways of the wicked and ruthless - in the ways of the broad highway that leads to destruction.

Surely, some of us owe an apology to God and Christ for not staying steadfast in our resolve to remain faithful to our own spirit that sought out peace and civility. For in the ways of the ruthless and wicked, those who would finish first are the ruthless and the wicked. How could it be otherwise? If we finish first among the ways of the ruthless and the wicked it is only because we became adept in the ways of the ruthless and the wicked. What we discover is that righteousness is a way of life. And if a way of life, it is a road to be taken. And those who finish first are those who finished the race because it is they who are to be found on the road of the righteous.

Mat. 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because [fn1] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

The righteous would have to be out of their minds to seek to finish first among the ways of the wicked and the ruthless. And though the wicked and the ruthless have untold wealth, it is at the expense of having taken the ways of the wicked and ruthless to be privy to the riches preserved and reserved for the wicked and the ruthless. Such were the rewards reserved to the likes of Gehazi who resorted to the ill-gotten gains to be had by resorting to lies and deception and unauthorized claim to speaking the wishes of his master, Elisha. Thus, we should not be surprised that the wicked and ruthless would resort to judge success or failure, wealth or poverty, based on the standards of the wicked and ruthless and not by the standards of the righteous who truly possess wealth and riches that endure unto eternal life. Jesus is Lord.

Truth Is Proof Of God's Existence

2011-12-25T14:21:00.000-06:00

Truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God. Because God can not lie, all that God declares proves to be true and thus, prophetic. If it were otherwise, it would prove to be a lie and not from God. Thus, whenever we encounter truth, the will of God, we encounter that which proves time and time again to be prophetic and unchanging. This is one of the means by which we discern God's existence. Were it a matter of chance or evolution, there would be no way to enforce the fulfillment of prophecy which is unchangeable since it is the fulfillment of truth - the will of God.

The Bible rightfully puts the emphasis on the Word who is God. And the basis of having faith to move mountains comes from faith in the belief that what we say is in accord with truth - the will of God. And if in accord with truth, then it is in accord with prophesy. Thus all things are possible for those who believe and do not doubt. But believe in what? Believe that what we say is true. And if it is true, it is in accord with the will of God. And since God can not lie, whatever is in accord with the will of God, must of necessity come to pass otherwise, it would be a lie. The apostle Peter walked on water because it was in accord with the will of God - of Christ, for him to do so. Having given Peter to come and join him, why did Peter begin to doubt? There is nothing to indicate that Christ had withdrawn the invitation to him.

If the righteous shall live by faith, it is because the righteous seek to live by truth - the will of God. For if they do not have access to truth, of what benefit would it be to have faith? Would they be righteous if they sought to place faith in a lie that would prove to be the opposite of what they profess? The major reason why the vast majority of the world goes astray is because they seek to carry out their will rather than the will of God. Since there is no truth apart from the will of God, we can only conclude that if we seek to follow our will that is not in accord with truth - the will of God, we are essentially seeking to follow a lie. And to follow a lie is to engage in wickedness. There is nothing righteous about a lie, nor will there ever be. If mankind sought out truth - the will of God, they would see the proof of God's existence all around them. Since it is impossible for God to lie, those who are blessed to speak the truth - manifest the will of God, are the very ones who offer us proof of God's existence on a regular basis. Because truth is prophetic, we find that the messengers of truth have the capacity to bring reality into conformity with whatever truth - the will of God declares. Thus, we come to understand the power and majesty of the likes of the prophet Elijah, who speaking the truth - the will of God, was able to call down fire from the sky and consume his enemies by having spoken the truth - the will of God.

It is because mankind is steeped in lies and deceit that it fails to find the proof of God's existence to those who profess the truth - the will of God. And so it is to this day, that those who profess the truth - the will of God are the prophets of God. And as prophets, they are the servants of God who, having spoken truth - the will of God, give proof of God's existence. For how could reality be brought into conformity to the spoken word unless we were witness to the divine power of truth - the will of God that is prophetic because it is impossible for God to lie? Yes, how? So it is that it is the world insistence in living by lies and deceit that the world is cast in darkness and unable to witness the irrefutable truth of the existence of the living God - Creator of heaven and earth.

It would seem to me that the more we strive to discern the truth - the will of God, the closer we come to discovering the objective proof of the existence of the living God -Creator of heaven and earth. It is absolutely worth the effort to be privy to the proof of God's existence by observing the prophetic outcome of truth - the will of God. And even to this day, truth is still as prophetic as ever since it is a manifestation of the will of God. Since God lives, the truth, as expressed by his will, also lives. Since reality must be brought into conformity with truth, if we are blessed to know the truth - the will of God, we can begin to observe how it is that reality is brought exactly into conformity to his will, since it is impossible for God to lie. And in that regard, Christ promised that we would receive the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth, to know the truth - the will of God. And if we come to know the truth, because of the Holy Spirit, we also come to know the awesome power of truth - the will of God, to bring all things into conformity with truth - the will of God, because it is impossible for God to lie.

It is impossible for God to lie, therefore, God manifests himself whenever we encounter truth - the will of God. for the pure in heart who seek truth, the will of God, they will have no trouble in finding proof of God's existence. Christ said as much when he offered the pure in heart his blessing.

Mat 5:8

Blessed [are] the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

We are confronted with the harmony of God's Word for those who seek truth - the will of God. It is they who are the pure in heart. And it is they who shall see God, what other proof does anyone need? So it is that there is a way of obtaining proof of the existence of God. All that is needed is for someone to be pure in heart. And if pure in heart, he shall be privy to truth - the will of God, so that he will indeed see God. And seeing God, that is all the proof that anyone needs. Jesus is Lord.

When Challenged

2011-12-22T00:22:00.003-06:00

Having come to the realization that those of the world are essentially pagans, we begin to get a glimpse at the challenge that is in store for those who do seek to lead a godly, Christian life. That is because pagans essentially seek to do the opposite of what is prescribed for a godly Christian life. And so we find that the solution is to get so advanced in our spiritual walk and attitude that we begin to openly spot the pagan lifestyle and the pagan ways. We begin to realize what a tremendous challenge it has been from the time of early youth to separate ourselves from the pagan world that is all around us.

What is worse, under the guise of seeking to educate the young, the pagan culture is promoted and perpetuated through the indoctrination of the educational system so that one and all learn the ways and customs of pagans. The pagan influence is so pervasive that the world laughs at the notion of trying to get along with the knowledge and skills of pagans who were responsible of the Greco/Roman culture of old. Whereas, pagans do not rely on faith, they do rely on knowledge. And it is that knowledge that has given them access to the counterfeit miracles of science and technology. Since the pagan culture controls much of the wealth and the means of production, we should not be surprised if the teachings and traditions of pagans are promoted on a consistent and relentless basis by the means of modern communication. And the incessant and constant barrage does begin to have its effect as the teachings and traditions of pagans become almost universal in its appeal to much the world.

And of course, since the pagan ways are adversarial to the ways of God and Christ, we can expect to see a greater and greater falling away from the faith at the same time that the pagan culture and traditions break new ground and overcome prior limitations in their quest for legitimacy even of what is generally regarded as perverseness behavior. In terms of a spiritual war, it would seem that the pagan culture is winning more and more converts and adherents.In that context, I am reminded of the account of Elisha the prophet in his battle against the likes of king Ahab and the pagan queen Jezebel. Things had gotten so bad that the prophet Elisha thought he was the last remaining believer in the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And from the ranks of a whole nation, things got so bad that only 7,000 were left who had not bowed their knee to Baal worship.

1Ki19:14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

15 Then the LORD said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

And so, even if our modern day, we begin to ask if the priests of Baal have not returned under the guise of a new and ungodly, worldly, and pagan philosophy.but there is a way to take on all the opposing forces in the universe. It may sound incredible, but it is not. How is it that someone could tell a mountain into the sea and have it obey? Such authority can only by the authority of the spoken word. And such authority of the spoken word can only be found if what we say is true and not a lie. It is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, whatever God declares is true; and because it is true, it must come to pass, otherwise, it would be a lie. No man can be found to have authority to tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea unless what he declares is true and not a lie. And since truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God, no man can be found to have the authority to tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea unless what he declares is true. And if it is true, it is in accord with the will of God. It is not true, it is a lie. And if a lie, there is no way by which a lie will ever have the authority to be prophetic since it is cursed to bring about what it declares because it is a lie and adverse to truth. What we discover is that truth being truth, has no choice but to bring about whatever it declares to be true. And if true, it is in accord with the will of God. And since it is impossible for God to lie, if what we declare is truth, and therefore, in accord with the will of God, whatever is found to be true will come to pass, otherwise it would be a lie.

Since it is impossible for God to lie, everything that Christ declared must prove to be true, otherwise, it would be a lie. And since God can not lie, either what we are told did not come from Christ. If we discover something that Christ declared that does not prove to be true, it would strip him of his claim to divinity since it is impossible for God to lie. Thus, everything that Christ declared will prove to be true, because it is impossible for God to lie. And if true, then all other who claim to be a source of truth would have to bow their knee to Christ in submission to their God and Lord of Lords. And so we come to realize that it is all a quest to discover truth (the will of God). To do so is to discover that which is invincible and capable of taking on the whole world, if one has to. Why? Because God's will is omnipotent. And to know his will is to know the truth. And to know the truth is to know that which is prophetic and invincible. It is on that basis that the prophets of old would seek to discern God's will in regard to matters that effected the lives of the people. Since it is impossible for God to lie, to know the will of God is to know truth that is forever prophetic and unchanging Why? Because God is eternally good and unchanging.

Over the years, I have written thousands and thousands of words. If I have been blessed to have discerned the will of God in anything I wrote, I will have succeeded in discerning truth that is prophetic and capable of taking on the whole world and all of creation, if it comes to that. There is no power in heaven or earth that can overcome or even challenge truth (the will of God). Indeed, anyone who speaks the truth (the will of God) is being prophetic. And so it is that God reveals that which is to come to his servants, the prophets. Why? Because it is his servants who are attuned to truth - the will of God. To the extent that we know the truth and speak the truth (the will of God), we also become like unto the servants and prophets. But such truth is not based on expressing our will, but the will of God. So it is that in our present-day with it's status as a spiritual ghetto and ever increasing perversity, we stay calm and anchored to the knowledge that God's will has always prevailed and will forever continue to prevail.

Over the years, God's will has always prevailed and will continue to prevail. It is our duty and obligation to continue to search out the truth and express the truth as best we can since truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God. Truly, we speak the truth when we declare: "Jesus is Lord".

Better Christian Than A Pagan

2011-12-15T18:27:00.002-06:00

Millions upon millions go through their lives with the uncomfortable feeling that something is wrong, but they don't know what it is. How do I know that this is the case for millions? Because those same millions are denied peace in their hearts and peace in their minds. Over the decades, we come to understand that what these people were denied was the opportunity to deal with Christians and the Christian culture. Instead, what they were turned over to is a sea of pagans with the pagan culture that we have come to know as Secular/humanism. And in spite of the humanistic tendencies, they are still pagans, with pagan tastes,and pagan philosophies that are not really that much different from the pagans of old who taught them the pagan mindset.

And from early childhood, it started to become obvious that the living hell we were being introduced to was the godless, pagan culture that is so readily promoted under the guise of Secular/humanism. I have no answer to offer other than my observations of some of those who never had a chance from the beginning because they never took the time to ask how it was that they sought not to learn the ways of the spiritual sanity of Christianity. If we have learned anything, then realize that the pagan ways will be among us to the very end. Whether it be growth in the faith, or the mercy of God and Christ, we get to the point where the spiritual poverty of those who have no incentive to learn the ways of Christianity comes to the open and recognized for the poverty that it has always been.

So how is it that we were spared and others were not from being dragged down with the empty and hollow philosophies and way of life of the pagans and their culture in the modern age? It can only be the grace and mercy of God and Christ who for whatever reason chose to show his compassion to us so that we came to believe and even sought to find the peace of heart and mind. Having waited for decades for the world to change, I begin to realize that as the long as the world remains pagan, it will not change. Why? Because pagans do what pagans do. And if pagans do what pagans do, it is futile to expect pagans to change from doing what pagans do. Much of modern entertainment is geared towards providing pagan entertainment for an audience who essentially can be described as pagans. And so we begin to realize that indeed the world will continue to be pagan unless and until there is divine intervention to make possible what was formerly impossible.

And so we begin to turn philosophical towards the realization that we are surrounded by a pagan culture that is essentially the culture of the world. We also come to realize that it is the prospect of mortal death that leads many pagans to to take on the philosophies and attitudes of pagans. Finally, we begin to get an understanding why we are not of the world, even though we are in the world. The reason is that we are Christian and not pagan. It's that simple. Having studied the ways of the pagans, one could come to the conclusion that they are the adversary since they are bent on doing the opposite to what Christ taught us in practically every venue of life. It is that contrary and opposing spirit that raises the specter that pagans may be harboring the prophesied spirit of the Anti-Christ. Whereas, we can not know the specifics interpretation of end-time prophesies, what we can say is that if the Anti-Christ turned out to be a pagan, it would turn be no great surprise. Unfortunately, what we know of pagans is that they are spiritual paupers who seek out a philosophy that is anti-Christ. Because the pagan culture is so widespread in the world , little did we understand when we were young that we were dealing with pagans and the sons and daughters of pagans.

To this day, we can not reconcile what we endured. and what we endured was the naive notion that somehow pagans were not that much different than God-fearing people. What we come to realize is that pagans are practically void of faith. It is pagans who essentially live by sight. And because they choose to live by sight, their whole attitude towards reality and wisdom is skewed in favor of living by sight and not by faith. But since it is the righteous who live by faith and not by sight, it is left to the godless pagans to fill the ranks of the wicked who live by sight a not by faith. Rather than be the same as believers, the pagans are actually the opposite of believers in their basic attitude towards life and belief in God and Christ. Pagans will respond, but not to the message of seeking to live by faith. What they will respond to is the call to live by sight and to utilize the wisdom that is specific to those who live by sight and not by faith that comes from hearing.

What we discover is that the positions of the two opposing sides are irreconcilable. Those who seek to live by sight fill the ranks of the wicked and of the citizens of the world. Those who seek to live by faith are the righteous whose citizenship is in heaven. The two positions are diametrically opposed to one another. It is for that reason that the righteous are estranged from the citizens of the world since it is the righteous who seek to live by faith and it is the wicked who seek to live by sight. What may not be so easily apparent is that it is because it is the pagans who seek to live by sight that we may fall into the naive notion that somehow the pagans are no different than the believers who seek to be the righteous who seek to live by faith. Knowing that it is the righteous who seek to live by faith and not by sight, it is for us to maintain our belief in the afterlife and in the resurrection of the dead in order to maintain our status of being righteous.

It could well be that those who are not destined for eternal life are destined for eternal death through the process of annihilation. If that is the case, then it would explain the fatalism of the pagans and unbelievers in regard to the power of death and the grave. If those who live by sight are destined for eternal death through the process of annihilation, it may well explain why they would insist on living by sight and not by faith. And if this is the only life they will ever know, they may as well join the hands of the wicked and live by sight since they are not destined to claim a citizenship in heaven nor a treasure stored in heaven.

Isa 53:1 Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely we come to realize that there is no way that the wicked who seek to live by sight and not by faith would have ever takes Christ to be the promised Messiah. And to this day, the wicked will continue to be wicked and will continue to seek to live by sight and not by faith. Thus, pagans will continue to be pagans and will continue to fill the world with idols since they can do no other than to live by sight and not by faith. Knowing that it is the righteous who live by faith, we begin to reconcile ourselves to the reality that those who seek to live by sight and not by faith are essentially the wicked who continue to this day to promote and promulgate the ways of pagans. What we discover is that on a spiritual level, things have not really changed that much from the time of the Romans or even from the time of the Babylonians. Why. Because pagans still claim dominion over the world as they did in ancient times. It is they who are willing to resort to violence and evil as a way of life since they have made themselves to be the opposite to the Spirit of God who has been declared to be love and the good. The pagan spirit has been adversarial to the Spirit of God and Christ from the very beginning. Just as the Spirit of God is the opposite to the pagan spirit, so is the pagan spirit opposite to the Spirit of God. There is no reconciliation but an open act of war that will not end until Christ returns when Our Heavenly Father acts to give the inheritance of Earth to the saints as he always had intended.

It is not for us to declare war on flesh and blood since we are Christian and not pagan. But it is for us to see that we are dealing with pagans and the pagan culture that has become the common culture of much of the world. And I would ask: "What is the difference between the carnal man with the carnal nature and the pagan man with the pagan ways?" Is there really any difference? Thus, to deal with pagans is to deal with carnal man with his carnal ways. And with that added explanation, it begins to make sense what we observe in the world at large. the goal is not to condemn but to ignore. We gain the power by our willingness to ignore the ways and attitudes of pagans that are so predictable. And what we know of the ways of pagans is that they are the opposite of the ways of our Judeo/Christian heritage. Whatever we have learned of God and Christ, we can expect the pagans to do the opposite. It is that adversarial attitude that makes them so predictable. And if the righteous shall live by faith, the pagans, who are far from righteous, shall live by sight. And living by sight rather than faith, they prove to belong to the ranks of the wicked as well as being pagan.

It is that perverse attitude of being adversarial, and seeking to do the opposite of what we are taught as Christians, that make the pagans and their ways a force to be ignored as being anti-God and anti-Christ. And if we ignore the pagans with their pagan ways, we are privy to utilize the spiritual wisdom and spiritual sanity of seeking to be in sync with Christian principles, values, and ideals rather than to be adversarial, as is the case with the ways of pagans.

The Basis Of Spiritual Wealth

2011-12-09T17:31:00.001-06:00

I am of the opinion that the basis of spiritual wealth is the belief in the afterlife and in manifesting faith in the resurrection of the dead. These are some of the most fundamental beliefs of Christianity and can not be compromised upon. Looking back over the years, it becomes more and more apparent that those who possess spiritual wealth are those who believe in the afterlife and faith in the resurrection of the dead. And all the years of turmoil and conflict begin to make sense as we begin to realize that tremendous struggle between the forces that seek spiritual wealth and the forces that seek financial and material wealth. As to the outcome, it has never been in the hands of mankind but has always been in the hands of God himself who can harden whomever he chooses so that they do not believe in t he very Gospel and promises that would establish their belief in the afterlife and faith in the resurrection of the dead.

It is hard to appreciate the tremendous blessing it is to be counted among the believers, especially when we encounter the unbelievers that are relegated to being spiritual paupers because of their unbelief in the afterlife and faith in the resurrection of the dead. And though the war continues, it helps to know the reason why. It is not easy to be a believer in a sea of unbelievers. But realizing the tremendous blessing to be counted among those who believe, we realize that we have to endure what we endure in order that we continue to believe and maintain our spiritual wealth that comes from belief. Having come to the realization that it is faith and belief in the afterlife and the resurrection of the dead that makes an individual spiritually wealthy, it begins to make sense how it is that those who believe are involved in spiritual matters.

An individual would have to believe in such things in order to experience being privy to spiritual wealth. Those who do not believe have no basis to experience spiritual wealth and do not appreciate the tremendous blessing afforded to all who do. If we did not believe in the afterlife and the resurrection of the dead, we would be spiritual paupers like so many others. But it is by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that we are spared from such spiritual poverty by being made believers rather than to continue in the camp of unbelievers who know not the satisfaction of being blessed with spiritual wealth.

It makes sense to consider that spiritual wealth would be measured by the standard of what beliefs we call our own. If spiritual paupers are recognized by their attitude towards financial and material wealth, it only makes sense that the spiritual wealthy should be recognized by their faith and belief in spiritual matters, in things that are not of this world and of this life. Such is the case in regard to the belief in the afterlife and in faith in the resurrection of the dead. It was on that blessed hope that the apostle Paul sought to finish the race and keep the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead on the third day.

I begin to imagine how different life would be if people actually believed in the afterlife and in having faith in the resurrection of the dead. If they were to do so, the world would be filled with spiritual wealth and bring on a reality that would be immensely filled with hope and grace. How do I know? I know because the vocabulary and the mindset of the people would vastly different than what it is today. It is on that basis that the world is of no help to us , since it is the world that is obsessed with the things of this world and of this life. And unless people have actually experienced spiritual wealth, how are they to know the tremendous peace and spiritual sanity that is enjoyed by hearts and souls everywhere? Now that I have been blessed to see more than ever before, I begin to realize how the world is indeed in ignorance and darkness brought on by the spiritual poverty of being void of belief in the afterlife and in the resurrection of the dead. I also realize that it is hard to understand how people are supposed to distinguish worshiping a god of their imagination if in fact we are given no sign other than the sign of Jonah. The confidence of the world comes from the belief that God will not directly intervene in the affairs of man so that it is accepted as a sign by one and all.

And from the point of the world, what good is faith if we are to apply it to that which is the work of our imagination. And so Christianity would be no different or better than any other religion that is not acknowledge the authority of the Judeo/ Christian Bible. And from the point of view of those other religions, there is no great difference between them and Christianity as to the ultimate and absolute truth. They essentially all claim to believe in a divine creature who is essentially the Creator, or to the existence of a divine force that is the Creator. But if that was the case, then those religions would be able to acquire spiritual wealth in the same manner as Christianity. What I am also starting to realize is that I may have to redefine what it means to be humble. I'm starting to ask if being humble is nothing more than a concession that we are not compatible with those whom we have nothing in common. And I will admit, that it appears to make sense. It would also explain many things, in regard to human interaction. Such a concession has there appearance of being a product of humility whereas, those who would not make such a concession would appear to be the proud and the arrogant who know not the ways of humility. And if it is an act of humility to concede that we are not compatible with those whom we have nothing in common, we would do well to seek out those whom we have things in common as an act of humility.

If being humble is a product of conceding that we are not compatible with those whom we have nothing in common, we also come to understand that if we are to seek out those whom we have something in common, why not start by seeking out the meek? It makes all the sense in the world that the Christian Spirit is one of meekness since it is the very Spirit of Christ. And that begins to make more sense than ever before. If being compatible is the means by which we seek out have something in common, then why not start off with finding those who are meek in order to share something in common. It is astounding when you do find the meek. They are a mystery and a wonder. Indeed, I can see how being meek can make one personality come closer to being beautiful and something to behold by those who have yet to master the art of learning from Christ who is gentle and lowly in heart. But it would seem that perhaps it takes the meek to appreciate the meek. It would seem that meekness is something of that inner beauty that others like to talk about. And for all the accolades afforded to meekness, it still takes the meek to appreciate the meek.

The basis of spiritual wealth is comprised of a set of beliefs that assure spiritual riches. That is why it is ironic that those who want true riches have the means available as close as having access to a standard Bible that satisfies the hunger of all who seek to find the means to acquire spiritual wealth. Along with the belief in the afterlife, and in the resurrection of the dead, we can also add meekness as a means to acquire spiritual wealth as well as inner beauty. Blessed is the beautiful soul that reflects the crowning achievement of having created man in the very image and likeness of God.

Spiritual wealth is reflected in an inner beauty that is made manifest by a noble and good heart that is revealed by what comes out of the mouth. Notice how all things fit together, by the grace and mercy of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ who taught us to love and appreciate such inner spiritual wealth and inner beauty. And yet, we know of the phenomenal limitations imposed on our ability to ignore the material and the flesh for the sake of the spiritual and a treasure stored in heaven. Blessed are the spiritual who are given the ability to believe in spiritual things because they are spiritual in heart and mind. And though they walk among the sons of men, we come to realize that indeed their citizenship is in heaven, as God intended. It is because Christ cared not about material wealth and money that he was able to give us the principles, values, and ideals that he gave us. And most of those principles, values, and ideals are there to enhance our spiritual walk with God.

It is truly frustrating to be given that which the heart desires and still find reason to complain. And it can well be that the heart is more noble than the mind. Thus, if God grants the heart its desire, there is no assurance that a mind that is less noble than the heart would agree as to what the heart desires. But take note! It is not for the mind to overcome the heart,. Rather, it is for the mind to explain how it is that God would grant the heart its desire rather than to grant the desire of the conscious mind that may prove to be less noble than the heart. But it is perplexing to deal with the dissatisfaction of the mind over the desires of the heart. Since the heart overrules the conscious mind, it would seem that the mind would do well to seek to understand the desires of the heart that God has chosen to grant the heart, even though they may run counter to the desires of the conscious mind that may prove to be less than noble.

Thus, even from early childhood, we begin to get a glimpse of the persecution the heart may have had to endure at the hands of the conscious mind who may have proven itself to be less than noble. Looking back over the years, we begin to realize that millions upon millions were relegated to spiritual poverty by being subjected to deal with godless unbelievers. We come to realize that indeed, being a Christian is truly spiritual wealth. The more we come to see the disparity between believers and unbelievers, the more we thank God for his mercy in making us out to be believers. Jesus is Lord.

Christianity Is A True Faith

2011-12-07T23:13:00.000-06:00

If you listen to non-believers, much is made of seeking tolerance and many doors to come in contact with God. However, what they are not able to show is that their concept of being in touch with God brings about spiritual wealth. And if they were truly equal to Christianity, then how is that their philosophies leave people still in the grips of spiritual poverty? If they are convinced their religious faith is equal to Christianity, then let them stay in the squalor of their spiritual poverty. What is really naive about other religions is that they actually think that there are other names other than the name of Jesus Christ by which mankind could be saved.

If other religions are equal to Christianity, then how is that they do not claim their founders were raised from the dead on the third day? If you accept the premise that Jesus was literally raised from the dead on the third day, then there is no other religious faith that can claim to bring about salvation since none of them can claim to the resurrection of the dead.

And so we learn to ignore the claims of so many to having access to truth, when in fact they have no basis to truth since they deny the authentic nature of the veracity of the Gospel of or Lord Jesus Christ and of the fulfillment of prophesy of his coming as the promised Messiah. And yet, it is difficult to hold on to the knowledge that true wealth is to be measured in spiritual terms. Why? Because it would take the spiritual man with the spiritual mind who actually experienced such wealth to verify that it is true. If the carnal man, with the carnal mind had the capacity to verify and experience being in possession of spiritual wealth, would he not add his "Amen"?

The proof of the veracity of Christianity is its capacity to bestow spiritual wealth. Such wealth is revealed by the confessions of the mouth that are a reflection of the heart. Indeed, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. But it is out of the confession of the mouth that we find evidence of spiritual wealth or spiritual poverty. Christ knows his own by the confession of their mouths that is a reflection of what is in their hearts. Truly, it can not be denied because essentially that is how it is. When I think back all the years, it is astounding that I have been given the mercy I have received to at least consider being spiritual and to acquire spiritual wealth. But I also have come to some realization of the difficulty of seeking to reflect a noble and good heart on a consistent basis. Such reflection is made manifest by the confession of our mouths that manifest what is in our hearts. Out of such spiritual wealth comes spiritual sanity that makes us more inclined to reflect having been created in the image and likeness of God.

Whereas, we may not understand how it is that Christ could have demanded so much of us, in terms of faith and belief, it is also evident that Christ has the capacity to make us wealthy beyond our wildest dreams in the areas that are truly wealth and riches. And that wealth is the wealth that is internalized and becomes part and parcel of our soul and our being.That wealth is openly brought out into the open by the confessions of the mouth that are a reflection of the heart. It is such wealth that renders to us spiritual sanity that becomes the means to acquire inner peace by the intervention of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ. I can not describe the extent of such euphoria at being set free from the oppression of spiritual poverty that can so easily and readily inflict the heart and soul. It also is well to note that the means to acquire wealth and riches can bring about spiritual oppression and poverty so that the heart and soul rebels not at the prospect of being made wealthy, but at the prospect of being subjected to spiritual poverty in the process of doing so.

Such poverty is such that we get to know what it is for what it is and learn to ignore. Since success comes from commitment, we would do well to focus on the realization that the law of commitment also applies in areas of faith and love. What that means is that we will know how the general falling away from the faith will come about. It will come about by a general falling away from commitment to the faith. And without commitment, there is only failure and not success. And with failure towards the Christian faith, a general falling away from the faith will ensue. The great attraction of the modern Secular world is that those who commit to the modern Secular world will succeed in such a world. And without commitment to family, values, ideals, loyalties, and even commitment to faith and love, failure upon failure in those categories will ensue to the point that we become aware of the phenomenal spiritual poverty that the world is starting to bring on by it contempt and lack of commitment to spiritual values and ideals.

Even the war that has been going on for decades begins to waver as one begins to ask if it was the threat of the onset of spiritual poverty by the methods chosen to bring about such wealth, that led to the reluctance of the heart and soul to take part. And if heart and sold chose not to take part, neither could it be claimed that the sought to commit to methods and endeavors. And without commitment, there is no success. Thus, we find bass to find new accusations leveled against the ignorance of the carnal nature and the carnal mid who were to naive to realize the inherent spiritual poverty that was forthcoming by the methods chosen to bring about such wealthy. Even though success comes from commitment, I have to admit I was unprepared to deal with the reality that many are successful in their endeavors because of their commitment. And though we may not be aware of their commitment, we should be aware of the source of their success, and realize that they are able to succeed where others fail because of their commitment.

It is not so much that I did not have more opportunities to succeed, it was more perplexing to realize that we can not succeed in the ways of the ancients if we do not commit to the ways of the ancients. And if we commit to the ways of the ancients, it would make no sense to compare the success that others are afforded to commitment to the ways of the modern. Thus, we begin to have more respect for the relative success enjoyed by others in those things they commit to, just as we enjoy relative success in the things we commit to. The difference between us and them is the things that we choose to commit to in order to succeed and not fail. Ordinarily, successful people are committed people. There is no way to get around the requirement to commit in order to succeed. You can not acquire spiritual wealth without committing to acquire spiritual wealth. Truly it is perplexing and frustrating to realize that we are expected to commit to our endeavors even from the time of early youth.

Common sense dictates that we would be immensely better off committing to values, principles, and ideals in order to succeed in being of a noble and good heart because of the commitment to principles, values, and ideals.

Luk 9:62

But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

But why? Because success comes from commitment. And for those who are not committed to finding the kingdom of God are not in a position of being success in entering the kingdom of God. Those who are not committed to enter the kingdom of God, are the very ones who would fail in their attempts to find the kingdom. Knowing that success comes from commitment, we are stymied in our understanding of the full implications of having an amoral axiom rule and dominate reality. Since the axiom is amoral, the great challenge is not in making commitments, but in what it is that we are willing to commit to. Since success comes from commitment, we car easily commit and succeed in the things of this world and of this life and still be subjected to being spiritual paupers for lack of commitment to spiritual things, to things above. Since we may easily be looking at spiritual paupers, be not in a hurry to envy anyone in this world and in this life.

Blessed is he who would even think of committing to spiritual wealth. Such a desire comes from God's mercy to our wretched souls who find it so challenging to make the right choices as to what to commit to in order to establish what it is that we seek to succeed at. Let it be known that if there is a general falling away from the faith, it is because of a general falling away from commitment to the faith. And without commitment, there is no success, but only failure. It is with a sense of trepidation that we deal with these insights that offer so much in regard to granting us the desires we seek. And as Adam and Eve found out, no one should seek to acquire the power of the gods unless they are as gods. In the same context, we would do well to discern who we are before we deal with the real questions as to what it is that we are expected or desire to commit to?

We do not know to the extent that commitment played a part in the formation of the early church. Suffice it to say that had it not been for the commitment to the Gospel of Christ, there would have been no success afforded to the early church. The apostle Paul could do no other than to succeed in that which he was committed to and to fail in that which he was not committed to. It is at this juncture that we learn to thread very carefully, since such insights be used to destroy what little faith we have. Since people are not going to be denied success, if they commit to their endeavors, we learn to be more apprehensive of how success itself can lead us away from the faith and of the blessed hope of life after death. When all is said and done, it will probably prove that those who have the strongest faith and belief in life after death and the resurrection of the dead, are those who can truly claim to being spiritually wealthy. The more I think about it, the more I realize that is probably the case.

And so those who would seek to be spiritually wealthy would have to find the means to increase their belief in the afterlife and their faith in the resurrection of the dead. In the Christian Gospel, there is not the slightest doubt about either, since it is the very basis of Christian faith through the account of the life of our Lord Jesus. One can argue that spiritual poverty is in direct proportion to the lack of belief in the afterlife and in the resurrection of the dead. Christ warned the church of Laodicea, but probably to no avail.

Rev 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Knowing what it takes to be spiritually wealthy, it also becomes obvious that the world is blind and oblivious to the requirements of acquiring spiritual wealth. And in the absence of spiritual wealth, there is only spiritual poverty Woe to the world when that spiritual poverty begins to be oppressive and disheartening. And on this day, and in this hour, I begin to gain a sense of greater inner peace and a greater sense of understanding that indeed belief in the afterlife, and faith in the resurrection of the dead is truly the means to gauge and to acquire spiritual wealth. Jesus is Lord.

Where We Go From Here

2011-12-01T23:45:00.001-06:00

Having come to the realization that spiritual wealth is acquired by giving priority to such wealth, we begin to ask where we go from here. To give priority to spiritual wealth is to demote the priority of all that is deemed to have a greater priority to spiritual wealth. And so we begin to understand the basis of so many have mixed emotions in regard to reading the New Testament of the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. For though Christ declared himself to be the way, the truth, and the life, it is also obvious that Christ set a priority to spiritual wealth that most of the world chooses to ignore.

The dilemma for mankind is that the lower the priority given to spiritual wealth, the more the world is confronted with spiritual poverty that renders the world the status of being a spiritual ghetto. It is not that Christian believers are defeated, it is that the world at large is defeated so that practically no one of the world seeks to give priority to spiritual wealth. This assures that the world will continue to be a spiritual ghetto and practically void of any spiritual wealth. But a world steeped in spiritual poverty can only endure for so long until there is a famine of the Word of God. And without the Word of God, there is a spiritual no sense of spiritual life but a sense of spiritual death, with its emphasis on the things of this world and of this life. But many are so steeped in giving priority to other than spiritual wealth wealth that it begins to be questioned whether mankind will ever listen.

And so the complaint practically from early youth begins to take shape. It becomes apparent that the culture at large that we were introduced to was the product of spiritual paupers who could do no other than to promote spiritual poverty because of the low priority they gave to spiritual wealth. Having been introduced to the ways of spiritual poverty it is hard to see how many would not be swept up with the notion that this is inherently a way of life. And indeed, many do die as spiritual paupers and never really had a chance to experience acquiring spiritual wealth because the society and culture all around them does not encourage giving spiritual wealth priority. And just as spiritual wealth has a tendency to be perpetuated, so does spiritual poverty. But looking back over the years, I realize that intuitively we knew the dilemma and the problem. What we did not know is the solution to the problem would require giving priority to spiritual wealth over the likes of everything else. And it is over that principle that so many fail to acquire spiritual wealth. One would truly have to love spiritual wealth in order to choose to give it priority over the likes of everything else.

But rather than merely complain, we can look to God and Christ with the sureness of faith that he is in control. Thus, it may well be that our attitude towards spiritual wealth is controlled by God who hardens whomever he wills and shows mercy to whomever he wills. And yet, I can not help having lament towards what the soul has had to endure with the mind-set brought on by spiritual poverty. Truly it is a phenomenal challenge to give priority to spiritual wealth over the likes of everything else. And yet, without being given priority, spiritual wealth will not be acquired or achieved. Thus, the lament goes out for the collective soul of mankind in being confronted with having to choose in the face of so many alternatives. Thus, we resort to faith in God and Christ to deal with what the mind finds to depressing to deal with. And yet, intuitively we knew and understood. You can not seriously read the Bible and the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ without becoming aware of the phenomenon of spiritual wealth. And like all generations before, we too are called upon to make amends and give priority to spiritual wealth over the likes of everything else. Why? Because if it spiritual wealth that opens up the opportunity for us to commune with the living God, our Lord Jesus Christ.

While it is becoming apparent that the world is becoming steeped in spiritual poverty on a vast scale, it is well to keep in mind that it is because of the world's insistence on giving spiritual wealth such a low priority that such spiritual poverty has become so pervasive. It's as if in the world, every other priority is given consideration except spiritual wealth. But that is because the world starts off from a position of spiritual poverty and deals with what it knows best. The whole subject becomes rather depressing when we consider what little chance we had to go against the grain and seek that which practically the whole world has rejected. And what the world has rejected is giving priority to acquiring spiritual wealth. And without giving priority to spiritual wealth, we are practically assured that whatever other priorities we may choose, we are assured of spiritual poverty because of lack of priority being given to spiritual wealth.

Jn 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes [fn1] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

But how can they bear fruit if they do not give priority to acquiring spiritual wealth? And mankind in indeed fruitful towards those things they give priority to. And why would the world hate Christ if not for having different opinions as to what to prioritize in life? But if God shared the same priorities as sinful man, he would no longer be God. Since God will always be God, it is impossible for God to be anything other than perfect and endowed with eternal spiritual wealth that is part of and parcel of his eternal divinity. And so we begin to ask if the reason why man does not give priority to spiritual wealth is because he is carnal and not spiritual. Therefore, being carnal, it is only logical that he would seek to prioritize that which is in keeping with being worldly and carnal. Thus, the priority given to financial and material wealth is for the benefit ot the flesh and of the carnal nature. With priority being given to financial and material wealth, it is a given that man would end up a spiritual pauper for lack of priority to the spiritual and to spiritual wealth.

Though the world is still the world and will continue being spiritually poor, there is no reason why we should not be given eyes to see and ears to hear of the spiritual poverty that is in the world. To this day, the world has continued to manifest its spiritual poverty. Because the world has become so carnal and so void of the spiritual, it continues to give priority to financial and material wealth over the cause of spiritual wealth. And without the benefit of being given priority, there is no way that spiritual wealth will manifest itself in the world. This is because the world is the habitat of spiritual poverty and not spiritual wealth. And one of the greatest given to us by spiritual wealth is the ability to see and to hear a different reality brought on by spiritual wealth and not by spiritual poverty. The new reality allows those who are spiritually wealthy to commune with God, our Lord Jesus Christ. I have come to the conclusion that if we come to know and understand those who reject Christ as Lord and Savior, we will discover that they are all subjected to being spiritually poor and oblivious to the requirements of the Gospel and to a life of faith in Christ.

I come to realize that the carnal mind and the carnal nature will not choose to give priority to the spiritual mind and spiritual nature so as to acquire spiritual wealth. Instead, it will seek to prioritize the carnal and the material so as to bring about financial and material wealth that will not free the recipient from his status of being a spiritual pauper because of the lack of priority given to spiritual wealth. Thus, we should not be surprised that most of the cultures of the world are nothing more than spiritual ghettos. But to know we are dealing with spiritual poverty is a great advantage. Such knowledge offers the hope that we will seek spiritual wealth because of the negative value afforded to such spiritual poverty. Besides, spiritual poverty has never been a way to gain rst to our souls since the spiritual poverty that ensues is oppressive and humiliating.

Yes, it is humiliating to be spiritually poor, and were it not for the fact that the majority are spiritually poor, we would understand the humiliation of being spiritually poor in the company of those spiritually rich who are able to commune with God and Christ. If people choose to be carnal and not spiritual, they will also choose to give priority to the carnal and not the spiritual. And for lack of being given priority, such denial of priority assures spiritual poverty that will prove to be oppressive and a destroyer of hope of ever being spiritual or enlightened in the ways of the Spirit that is made available to the spiritual who have access and the ability to commune with God and Christ.

A Matter Of Priorities

2011-12-01T19:29:00.001-06:00

Even though I have sought spiritual insights for decades, I realize the tremendous difficulty in seeking to understand the deception one faces. It is tremendously difficult to be willing to cull out of our lives those things that bring o wealth and prosperity, but at the expense of utilizing methods that sacrifice spiritual wealth. Truly it is one of the most deceptive and one of the hardest to overcome since the financial and material benefits are so readily available for those who would use such methods and bring on the onslaught of spiritual poverty. It gets to the point that many become so naive as not to be aware that they are being put in a position of having to choose. But what is oblivious on a conscious level is not so oblivious on an instinctual level. It's as if our spirit is being made aware that it is being sacrificed of its spiritual wealth for the sake of material and financial wealth.

It is amazing how in earlier times and in earlier years, one was made aware intuitively of being confronted with those who were spiritually impoverished by resorting to methods that brought on such spiritual poverty for the sake of acquiring financial and material wealth. And though the knowledge was there on an instinctual, intuitive basis, one was not truly made aware of the spiritual poverty that was taking place behind the cloak of acquiring financial and material wealth by methods that assured spiritual poverty. The most obvious was the beggar thy neighbor scenario. But if people choose to remain in the dark about such matters, then so be it. I am amazed that I even got a chance to speak about such things openly. The reality is that the struggle still continues. It is just as difficult as ever to seek to give priority to spiritual wealth at the expense of refusing to utilize methods and procedures that bring on financial and material wealth. Millions upon millions have made their choice on the side of financial and material wealth even at the expense of bringing on spiritual poverty. The challenge is there since the deception brought on by acquiring financial and material wealth at the expense of bringing on spiritual poverty is so powerful that many refuse to see it, even if they are told of the ensuing poverty.

But for those who know something about spiritual wealth as well as the oppression and the deprivation brought on by spiritual poverty, there is no such naive approach to the reality of being denied acquiring spiritual wealth. For the war is on two fronts. On one hand, we are made aware of losing a measure of spiritual wealth by using methods that assure financial and material wealth at the expense of spiritual wealth. There is also the reality of being denied acquiring more spiritual wealth that would free us from the spiritual poverty brought on in clinging to methods of acquiring financial and material wealth. Common sense dictates that we can indeed be given eyes to see and ears to hear if we ever managed to acquire sufficient spiritual wealth that would make known to us the dregs of spiritual poverty and deprivation. Of course, now it is easy to see how we were duped into staying ignorant of being confronted with spiritual poverty by resorting to methods that assured financial and material wealth at the expense of ignoring the effects to our measure of spiritual wealth. And the curse of spiritual poverty is that it effects everything we say and do because we are put in a position of having to view life from the point of view of spiritual poverty rather than spiritual wealth.

Since the world is steeped in spiritual poverty, it is much too easy to be ensnared in following the ways of the world to acquire financial and material wealth at the expense of sacrificing spiritual wealth. We are surrounded by such a mind-set on a regular basis because we are confronted with the spirit of the world all around us. Were it not for divine intervention to give us eyes to see and ears to hear, surely none of us would have a chance to overcome such a potent and powerful delusion brought on by acquiring fiancial and material wealth by methods that brought on spiritual poverty, Since the war adn battles between the forces of spiritual wealth and spiritual poverty goes on to this day, we are not free to claim that the struggle is behind us. Is not the world still present? and as long as the world is still present, will not mankind be faced with seeking to utilize methods to acquire financial and material wealth at the expense of bringing on spiritual poverty?

Of course the solution would be to choose to give priority to spiritual wealth at the expense of rejecting methods of acquiring financial and material wealth that bring on or perpetuate spiritual poverty. But such an approach is enlightened position that is the very stuff of spirituality brought on by faith in Christ and in his teachings and commands. It begins to become ever more obvious that the teachings and commands of Christ were there to assure that all who would listen would be assured of acquiring spiritual wealth that would give them a different understanding and view of reality that made them candidates to communicate with the Spirit of the living and eternal God. Granted, that it is all based on the mercy of God to be so privileged as to acquire spiritual wealth. But what can be said that the way to acquire such wealth is to give it priority from the very beginning, even at the cost of denying the acquisition of financial and material wealth that is dependent on utilizing methods that assure the onslaught of spiritual poverty and the sacrifice of spiritual wealth.

Why do we think that the apostle Paul chose the methods he chose to acquire whatever financial and material wealth was at his disposal? It can be confusing until we realize that Paul was interested in maintaining and increasing his measure of spiritual wealth, and to diminish or abolish any approach that would have deprived him of spiritual wealth or that would have brought on spiritual poverty. The apostles and disciples were probably some of the greatest recipients of spiritual wealth that mankind will ever be a witness to . Their great treasure of spiritual wealth came about by giving priority to such wealth over the likes of resorting to methods so readily utilized by those of the world that bring on financial and material wealth at the expense of sacrificing spiritual wealth.

If we are successful in acquiring such spiritual wealth by giving priority to such wealth over the likes of using methods that assure financial and material wealth at the expense of sacrificing spiritual wealth, we can expect such wealth to stay with us. And because such wealth stays with us, we can expect to have such wealth effect everything we think, say, and do. Such wealth becomes incorporated into our very soul and psyche so that the more spiritually wealthy we become, the more aware we also become of the spiritual poverty we find around us, especially in the face of opulence and excessive luxury. But it would take a fair amount of spiritual wealth in order to be able to see the spiritual poverty being masked by the show and exhibition of opulence and excessive luxury which is present in the service of mammon. Going back even to the time of the formative years of early childhood, it is obvious that most of us were never given instruction to give spiritual wealth priority by those who were supposed to teach us. Instead, we were introduced to the world of spiritual poverty that came about because of the refusal to spiritual wealth priority over other considerations.

Were it not for the influence of the Bible, it is hard to see how many of us would have ever come to consider giving priority to spiritual wealth. So why is it important? It is important in that I begin to question whether spiritual wealth can ever be attained apart from giving it priority. The reason why the world is such a spiritual ghetto and filled with spiritual poverty is because the world has not even the notion of giving spiritual wealth priority over the things that are prized and valued by the world. In other words, the world creates the spiritual poverty by their refusal to give spiritual wealth priority. And without givving priority to spiritual wealth, I do not see how it can ever be achieved.Thus, it is practically a given that much of the world will end up in spiritual poverty that resembles a spiritual ghetto because of their refusal to give spiritual wealth priority.

The common theme in the teachings and the commands of Christ was the teaching to give priority to spiritual matters and to spiritual wealth. The Pharisees were reprimanded not because of their great learning but in their refusal to give a greater priority to spiritual matters that would have assured them spiritual wealth. If it is a truism that spiritual wealth can only be had by giving priority to spiritual matters, we can begin to understand how and why it is that even in ancient times, many of the nations were steeped in spiritual poverty by their refusal to give priority to spiritual matters. And though the Jewish people were enlightened in that regard, they too began to diminish the priority towards spiritual wealth to the point that in some respects they were not really that much different than their pagan neighbors who shared in the same secular and worldly priorities as they.

So why the great difficulty? It is because spiritual wealth can not be acquired without being given priority over the worldly things that so easily seek attention. As long as we also fail to give priority to spiritual matters, we too are denied acquiring spiritual wealth and have to share in the spiritual poverty brought on by living in the spiritual ghetto called the world. If spiritual wealth can be had by another means other than by being given priority, I would like to know about it. Alas, it will be proven there is no other way to acquire spiritual wealth other than by giving priority to such wealth. Thus, when we give priority to other matters other than priority to spiritual wealth, we are defeated before we even start. For whatever is acquired and/or achieved will prove to be anything else other than spiritual wealth.

Jhn 6:63

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and [they] are life.

Rev 3:4 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans [fn6] write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, [fn7] I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Unbelievable! But there it is. We finally begin to get a glimpse of how it is that the church of Laodicea went wrong. By their refusal to give priority to spiritual wealth,they too became part of the spiritual poverty that permeates so much of the world. Instead of finding the kingdom, they found the spiritual ghetto of so much of the world that rendered them spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. And though millions struggle to be spiritual, it is becoming more and more obvious that the only way to acquire spiritual wealth is to give priority to spiritual wealth and to spiritual matters. Instead, the church of Laodicea gave priority to financial and material wealth. Having failed to give priority to spiritual wealth they failed to achieve or acquire spiritual wealth that would have kept them from being spiritual paupers. And whether we began at 6 or 60, the reality is the same. Without giving priority to spiritual wealth and spiritual matters, we will fail to acquire spiritual wealth. And if we fail to acquire spiritual wealth, we may easily end up acquiring spiritual poverty that could render us being part of a spiritual ghetto that we have come to know as the world.

Whereas, the solution is simple, it takes a noble and good heart to even consider giving priority to spiritual wealth over the likes of the priorities that are to be found in the world. In that regard, one could argue that the prophet Daniel led by example. If there was evwer someone that gave priority to spiritual wealth, it was the prophet Daniel. Not only did he pray three times a day, but he ignored having a high position as a counselor to the king, to the point that he led a modest and quiet life that was separate and apart from the priorities of the pagans around him. It was the priorities he chose that turned the servant Gehazi.

2 Ki 5:2020 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”

22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’ ”

23 So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him.24 When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand, and storedthem away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed. 25 Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go,Gehazi?”

And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”

26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.

What we must keep in mind about Gehazi is that he ignored the example set by the priorities to acquiring spiritual wealth that the prophet Elisha so readily portrayed. By Gehazi's standards, the prophet Elisha was being foolish in not giving priority to use the opportunity offered by Naaman in acquiring financial and material wealth. If Gehazi showed himself to be a fool, so then does the whole world share in his foolishness. Gehazi shared many of the same priorities as those of the world. Thus, he became part of the spiritual ghetto steeped in spiritual poverty that we have come to know as the world. And though the solution is simple enough, it would seem that it would take the assist of God himself to grant us a noble and good heart to choose to give priority to spiritual wealth so that we do not end up like those of the church of Laodicea or the likes of the servant Gehazi.

Spiritual wealth comes to those who give priority to spiritual matters, and to spiritual wealth. In that journey to find the priority to give to spiritual wealth, it would help to think about spiritual things, to things above. As Christians, we are called not only to be saved, but also, to acquire a phenomenal store of spiritual wealth that can only be had by giving priority to spiritual matters and to spiritual wealth. Jesus is Lord.

Hopes Fulfilled

2011-11-28T19:17:00.001-06:00

It is a tremendous blessing to get to the point where our hopes are fulfilled. And what we discover is that society does not offer us much guidance in as much as it may become a matter of the blind leading the blind. What I have come to understand that we can not afford going through life being spiritually poor. And with the emphasis on financial and material wealth, we run the risk that the means and methods utilized to acquire such material wealth may turn us into spiritual paupers. As spiritual paupers, we are oppressed in everything we try to do, since the spiritual poverty distorts our judgment, our hopes, and our goals. Spiritual poverty can create that sense of quiet desperation as we come to realize that we are mired in a way of thought that leaves us with apathy and a sense of despair of the prospects of things ever changing.

And though we intuitively know we are doing something wrong, we can't really pinpoint the cause. We also come to realize how ingrained our train of thought has become and refuse to consider other approaches because of the power and influence that spiritual poverty has over our heart and our soul. In my formative years, no one ever mentioned directly the concept of spiritual wealth, whereas, the concept of financial and material wealth was a constant and incessant theme. The incredible thing is that spiritual wealth is to readily found in all of the teachings of Christ. Those who would seek spiritual poverty have to merely follow the teachings of Christ and be endowed with an inestimable amount of spiritual wealth. All who would turn to Christ are blessed with spiritual wealth. And it is that spiritual wealth that influences everything they say, do, or touch. It's influence permeates our entire being.

But in order to even consider acquiring such spiritual wealth, one would have to have the right spirit and the right state of mind. Christ even provides us with that with his teachings so that we lack no good thing. What we learn is that in order to be open to the prospect of acquiring spiritual wealth, one has to be willing to clothe themselves with a spirit who which is gentle and lowly in heart. Since so many refuse to learn from Christ, who is gentle and lowly in heart, we begin to understand why spiritual wealth is beyond the reach of many who do not see the reason and the purpose of seeking to be gentle and lowly in heart. It is for the purpose of being open to the achievement of acquiring spiritual wealth that liberates our mind and soul from the oppression and deprivation of inner peace brought on by the likes of spiritual poverty.

Mat 11:27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

But such wealth does not necessarily mean that it will be recognized as wealth, even though time will prove the practicality of having spiritual wealth in assuring that we are elevated in spirit to the point of being of the flock of Christ. And if we become rich enough in spiritual wealth, we will begin to become more consciously aware of the pitfalls of seeking to acquire money and material wealth at the expense of subjecting onesself to spiritual poverty because of the methods and means that are utilized to acquire material wealth. It is no easy task to be consciously aware of such situations in the face of being rewarded and compensated with financial and material wealth. And yet, if the methods and means point to bringing on spiritual poverty, we merely delude ourselves into thinking that we have acquired wealth when in fact we may have easily subjected ourselves to spiritual poverty because of such means and such methods.

Though we come better to see what formerly was denied to us, it may well be that the real battle is over what it means to be rich. And did it ever occur to us that if Christ sought to have us renounce material wealth for the sake of spiritual wealth, it was for the purpose of making us rich in the true sense since that spiritual wealth would become incorporated into the very fabric of our being. I am amazed and appalled that the quest for spiritual wealth was given such a low priority, so adamant was the call for financial and material wealth. But if we had acquired spiritual wealth, we would have had a new heart and a new spirit toward such matters. It is hard to blame anyone for the outcome since one would have to experience spiritual wealth in order to see how the previous notions of wealth were false and deceitful. From the very beginning, one would have to manifest the faith and desire to acquire spiritual wealth in order to acquire spiritual wealth and having a different view of reality as to what it means to be wealthy.

Of what benefit is it to acquire material or financial wealth if it is at the expense of spiritual wealth. That scenario can readily come about by choosing the method and means that are evidence of spiritual poverty. Such a scenario would leave individuals more poorer than ever in terms of spiritual wealth. And such poverty would manifest itself in thoughts, actions, and deeds, that would openly reflect a status of spiritual poverty with its ensuing oppression and deprivation of inner peace. Indeed, poor,

poor,soul! And what I have learned is that certain insights will not come our way unless and until we acquire sufficient spiritual wealth to be able to claim that we see. And once we see, there is really little room left for discussion, since we come to know and understand that what we were dealing with was in actuality spiritual poverty. The shortcoming of spiritual poverty is that it effects everything we think, say, and do. Thus, our ability to choose spiritual wealth over spiritual poverty is greatly diminished if we are looking at life through the eyes of spiritual poverty rather than spiritual wealth.

One of the actual benefits of accepting Christianity is that we are taught and given an opportunity to acquire spiritual wealth. Such wealth effects everything we think, say, and do. Such wealth becomes part of our soul and our psyche. It gives us the opportunity to be endowed with a heart of flesh and also offers us an opportunity to be civil towards others. Whereas, many complain about material and financial poverty, how much worse it becomes if it is also accompanied by spiritual poverty. And yet, to actually see the error of our ways, and the extent of the poverty, it helps if one gets to the point of actually achieving some degree of spiritual wealth so that many of these observations become self-explanatory. And to the extent that we see and hear with the eyes and ears of spiritual wealth, we begin to turn away from the mindset of spiritual poverty that is part and parcel of the spirit of the world. Unfortunately, it is wealth that frees us from the oppression of poverty. Thus, it takes spiritual wealth to be free from being oppressed and deprived by the likes of spiritual poverty.

It is astounding how the insights become so clear so that we begin to readily see how we were denied peace to our soul by the likes of spiritual poverty that in fact can be rejected as being oppressive and repulsive. We thank God and Christ for his indescribable mercy in allowing us to see that indeed what we were encountering was spiritual poverty. And though such poverty is all that is counter to spiritual wealth, it is deceptive in that it can be brought about by compromising such spiritual wealth for the sake of acquiring financial or material wealth. But what we learn along the way is that such compromise is always accompanied by the introduction of lies and deceit. And it is on that account that it brings on spiritual poverty with is deprivation and oppression of that which is good, of that which is of God and from God. Truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God. It is quiet tempting to resort to acquire financial and material wealth a
at the expense of spiritual wealth. But understand this: Such spiritual poverty effects all that we think, say, and do. And with such spiritual poverty, comes an estrangement from truth - the will of God, Thus, we run the risk of being relegated to being wretched souls. May this never be. Jesus is Lord.

One Of The Great Lessons To Be Learned.

2011-11-24T22:01:00.001-06:00

If I could achieve one thing in my life, I would like to see myself actually learning from Christ who is gentle and lowly in heart. I will admit that many a downfall was accompanied by pride and belligerence. And worse still, I can not explain being attracted to likes of those who are proud and arrogant in heart other than to seek to live out vicariously through their spirit what the conscious mind knows to be negative and disastrous for one's well-being. The great victory comes when we not only believe in being gentle and lowly in heart, but also attracted to others who also are gentle and lowly in heart rather than to those who are not. What appears to be hypocrisy is actually not hypocrisy. Why? Because what and who we are attracted to is the best proof of what we actually believe. If we are not attracted to the 'Suffering Messiah' we have to ask if we are attracted to Christ our Lord at all. If we reject the 'suffering Messiah' how can we claim to believe in Christ?

Looking back, I should have know and I should have seen. But we see what we want to see.Alas, it can not be shown that what we want to see is the greatness and the commendation of the meek who are gentle and lowly in heart. Time and time again, I have to ask: How is that we may not be attracted to the meek who are gentle and lowly in heart ? Could it be that in fact, we are not attracted to the gentle and lowly in heart because we really do not believe in being gentle and lowly in heart? What I have observed on a personal basis is that it is easier to discover what and who it is that we believe in by observing who and what it is that we are attracted to. If we are not attracted to the kingdom of God, neither can we claim to be attracted to the kingdom of God. I am once again reminded that being gentle and lowly in heart can indeed allow us to experience the spiritual. If there is one shortcoming that can account for so much as to how and why things can go wrong the idea of being proud and arrogant in heart does indeed explain a great deal.

Out of all the great things we can aspire to in life, who is willing to aspire to be gentle and lowly in heart? Indeed, it finally begins to make sense as to how and why we fell short of the goal time and time again. If we indeed believed in being gentle and lowly in heart, we would have been attracted to others who were also like-minded. And yet, there are moments when we openly sought to be attracted to those who were opposite to being gentle and lowly in heart. For such indiscretion, we have no one to blame except ourselves. People who believe in being humble will not allow themselves to be attracted to those who are proud and arrogant in heart. In the same manner, those who believe in doing good will not allow themselves to be attracted to those who do evil. Their belief system would not allow it. But if the belief system did allow, one would have to question who and what it is that we believe.

One can begin to look at life as a series of defeats rather than victories. Certainly, that may readily be the case when it comes to being gentle and lowly in heart. Blessed are they who find such a spirit to be the normal state of things.They are blessed because of their belief. And we really do not know the power of such a belief until we are confronted with being denied rest for our souls for lack of believing in being gentle and lowly in heart.

I am of the opinion that it is through our beliefs that we are able to communicate with God. Those who would seek to be gentle and lowly in heart are the ones who have the best chance of seeking to communicate with Christ because of their belief in being gentle and lowly in heart. Those who would heed the truth - the will of God are the very ones who open up the lines of communication between the created and the Creator because they would both be dealing with truth, the will of God. How is it that the patriarch Abraham was able to communicate with God if not for the fact that Abraham was gentle and lowly in heart. If there are other spirits that allow man to communicate with God, I would like to know what they are since I am skeptical that any other spirits that allow man to communicate with God exist. Christ knew that if man was allowed to communicate with him he would find rest for his soul. But to be able to communicate with God and Christ, one has to be willing to learn from Christ, who is gentle and lowly in heart.

Surely, being proud and arrogant is not the way to communicate with God. Surely being proud and arrogant is not the way to open up the lines of communication between man and God. It is through the process of having the right beliefs that we are able to open the lines of communication between God and the believers. To reject being gentle and lowly in heart is to reject opening up the lines of communication between the individual and God. And though I persevered, it is somewhat anti-climatic because it has taken much too long to accomplish much of anything. And all this is because of the war seeking to be gentle and lowly in heart versus being proud and arrogant in heart. It is not enough to seek to accomplish great exploits in life. It helps to know who it is that is seeking to accomplish such exploits. If it is a proud and arrogant heart that seeks to accomplish such exploits, what have we gained other than to become alienated from God and Christ? And if we accomplish no more than succeeding in being gentle and lowly in heart , we have accomplished more than we could have hoped for since we are now in a position to communicate with God since we are now of his flock.

Day by day, month by month, year by year, we struggled and strove to acquire spiritual wealth that can only be had by increasing the good in our lives and diminishing that which is wicked and evil in our lives. It is an exhilarating feeling to experience spiritual wealth that removes the oppression of having to live with and endure internalized spiritual poverty. Such poverty leaves an imprint on everything we say, do, and touch. The more spiritual wealth we acquire, the more we come to realize the shortcomings and oppression of spiritual poverty in comparison. Were it not for the mercy of God and Christ, we would not have the little spiritual wealth we possess. But to possess any spiritual wealth is to be rich beyond all measure since it effects everything we say, do, and touch.

If the pursuit of money and material wealth is accompanied by an increase of spiritual poverty, how can we claim that we seek to be rich? If the pursuit of money and material wealth is accompanied by an increase in wickedness and evil, how can we claim that we have become rich. The spiritual poverty that ensues effects all things that we say, do, and touch. Such spiritual poverty is brought on by an increase in wickedness and evil and the diminution of the good in our lives. Does that sound like riches to you, or is that a description of the oppression of poverty? The quest for spiritual wealth is an ongoing process. Blessed are all who achieve such wealth by the grace and mercy of God and Christ who makes all things possible for those who believe and do not doubt. It is God himself who renews our heart to seek out such spiritual wealth instead of the oppression of spiritual poverty brought on by an ignoble heart. Is it any wonder that we seek to be of a noble and good heart. It is because that is the way to acquire spiritual wealth since it is such a heart that seeks to increase the good and diminish that which is wicked and evil. Praise be to God and Christ for his indescribable mercy.

It is a wonderful feeling to know that there is the actualization of acquiring spiritual wealth through the Gospel and the teachings of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. But such wealth it made available to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Such are those who learn from Christ who is gentle and lowly in heart. It also explains why so many struggle for so long to even have an opportunity to acquire spiritual wealth that touches everything we say, think, and do. The Spirit of Christ gives us a mind-set that is gentle and lowly in heart. That is because Christ himself is gentle and lowly in heart. Incredible as it may sound, our God and Creator who is omnipotent, perfect, and eternal, is gentle and lowly in heart. The great quest of so many seeking to become rich is shown to be misdirected in as much as the real riches that could make a difference in all that they think, say, and do is to be found in seeking to acquire spiritual wealth. And in order to acquire spiritual wealth, one has to have the mind of Christ. And in order to have the mind of Christ, one has to be willing to be gentle and lowly in heart. And it is over the last point that so many encounter the stone that makes them stumble.

It may well be that it is a spirit that is proud and arrogant in heart that seeks out financial and material gain to the detriment of spiritual wealth. Since spiritual wealth stays with us and effects everything we say, think, and do, you would think that legions of people would seek out such wealth that becomes essentially part of our character, and part of our soul. You would think! But man is also confronted with the euphoria brought on by pride and arrogance in seeking to be like God, knowing good and evil. To eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was an act of pride and arrogance that assured spiritual death as well as spiritual poverty. And practically from the start, mankind has been beset by the oppression and deprivation to his soul brought on by sin and spiritual poverty brought on by pride and arrogance.

All who would follow Christ acquire spiritual wealth. But all who would follow Christ, learn from Christ who described himself as being gentle and lowly in heart. Believers are vindicated when they actually acquire spiritual wealth since they begin to live the reality of being endowed with spiritual wealth that effects all their thoughts, and actions.And with such wealth, comes the freedom of the oppression and the deprivation brought on by spiritual poverty. With the acquisition of such wealth come the eyes to see and ears to hear that was previously denied us by the darkness brought on by pride and arrogance. Looking back, now it is easy to see what formerly was impossible to see since what we sar was the delusion and deception brought on by the sin of pride and arrogance that is opposed to the very Spirit of Christ, our Lord, God, and Creator.

If we are blessed to acquire even more spiritual wealth, who is to say what else we will be able to see and to hear? It is a wonderful blessing to be able to even speak about such things. Why? Because it gives us an opportunity to acquire even more spiritual wealth that opens our spiritual eyes to see that which was previously denied to us because of the darkness posed by pride and arrogance. Indeed, it is the gentle and lowly in heart that will come into the light. It is the proud and arrogant that refuse to come into the light because they know their deeds are evil. And if their deeds are evil, it isin keeping with the spiritual poverty brought on by pride and arrogance. What we can say is t is worth the work and effort to seek to acquire spiritual wealth since it will free us from the deprivation and oppression of spiritual poverty that can deny us peace to our soul. Praise be to God who knows what we need before we even ask. And it is a marvel to see how spiritual wealth can change our attitudes for the better so that we begin to make the adjustments we need because now we have eyes to see and ears to hear because of the spirit brought on by spiritual wealth. And such a spirit is the one who learns from Christ who is gentle and lowly in heart.

The Benefits Of Spirituality

2011-11-22T23:38:00.001-06:00

Since spirituality deals with that which is invisible, it is logical to expect that our recompense for being spiritual would manifest itself in the category of intangibles. Having known something about poverty of character. I also realize the phenomenal difference that spiritual wealth can have in the lives of anyone. what spiritual wealth is able to do for us is to actually enrich the self to the point where we thank God for the enlightenment that comes into our heart and soul so that we begin to receive relief from the deprivation of noble character that denies our claim of having been created in God's image. Life is such that spiritual wealth can just as easily translate into being defined as spiritual sanity. Such a claim begins to make a tremendous amount of sense when we begin to acquire sufficient spiritual wealth that makes us more social and human to the point where we become conscientious and even compassionate towards others.

It would seem to me that the great war all our lives is to define what it means to be rich. But if people are not given a chance to experience spiritual wealth, how are they supposed to compare the quality of life that is denied when one is subjected to spiritual poverty that permeates to the depths of our soul? Granted, it is difficult to speak in terms of spiritual wealth when confronted with the spiritual poverty of the world. And what we find with such poverty is the lack of a noble and good heart that is the crowning achievement of having acquired spiritual wealth. What spirituality is able to do is to provide us with phenomenal intangible wealth, as evidenced by our quest to come closer to adopting the mind of Christ. For in our natural selves, we really have nothing to boast about since we are carnal and not spiritual. Besides, the carnal/sinful nature has already been decreed to be unworthy of ruling the earth when God acts to give dominion to the spiritual man, with the spiritual mind - the mind of Christ.

Of course, it is all by the mercy of God and Christ. In our natural selves we are essentially not that much better than brute beasts - creatures of instincts and superstitions. But what that describes is someone who is in essence a spiritual pauper who seeks not the wealth of being civil and enlightened with the knowledge of having been created in God's image, God's likeness. And what we know of God is that he is Spirit, he is love, he is good. And what we as Christians have come to know about Christ is that he is One with the Father, and the Word who created all things whom we have come to know as God incarnate. Knowing something about the poverty of the soul, an individual can readily seek to acquire the spiritual wealth that reinvigorates his zest for life filled with new hope of being given eyes to see and ears to hear what was previously denied for lack of spiritual wealth.

Though I'm extremely grateful to be blessed to focus on spiritual things and in Christianity in particular, I'm also frustrated at seeking to find the opportunity to propagate the faith that is in keeping with truth - the will of God. After all, this is the Gospel of Christ we are talking about. Therefore, God himself has the right to choose not only who will propagate the faith and the means to do so. I have many conventional ideas that make sense, if it was left up to me to choose. But it is not left up to me. It is totally in the domain and authority of God to choose the means and the times to propagate the faith. Thus, it too me quiet some time to realize that if I was to promote the faith, I would have to promote love and peace, as well as faith. It took me a long time to realize that I would also have to promote meekness and humility in seeking to promote the faith. After all, part of the mission of seeking to become a Christian is to seek to become a new creature, with a new heart and a new spirit.

In order to truly appreciate Christianity, one would have to be willing to endure the afe changing event of actually seeking to be spiritual and not carnal. To be spiritual is not an exercise of knowledge and intellect, but is an exercise of seeking to know God and Christ.And to know God and Christ is to know that God is Spirit, God is good, God is love. And what we know about love is that love trumps all, even convectional wisdom. It is love that builds up and never fails, the same can not be said of wisdom, in spite of its boasts. Wisdom would have been much too wise to take on the sins of others by dying on the cross so that others may live and not die. The secret wisdom of God readily submits to the authority of love to claim to be greater than all, since God is love. What Christianity offers is bonafide spiritual wealth that can easily be life-changing and that gives purpose and meaning to our lives. We are here to prepare for the ultimate adoption as the children of God so that we too may be as gods and experience the wonder of being united with God unto eternal life.

As we mature in the faith, one would expect that we would come to know on a more personal level that God is Spirit, God is good, God is love. The living Spirit of Christ is real and does indeed dwell in the hearts and minds of the saints. To the extent that we are blessed to acquire some spiritual wealth, we give testimony to the saving grace of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by turning to Christ and his teachings that we achieved what many deem to be impossible. And what is made possible is the acquisition of spiritual wealth to the point where we are made into new creatures, with a new heart and a new spirit. Knowing the phenomenal amount of time it took to acquire spiritual wealth, we are loathe and reluctant to return to the days of spiritual poverty, as evidenced by our thoughts and desires.

One of the great benefits of spirituality is humility. Thus, we discover that with spirituality comes a spirit that is in keeping with the very Spirit of God and Christ. Lest we forget what Christ told us about such things, here is another reminder:

Ma:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. t 1129 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

If there is one thing that we can learn about spirituality it is the command to learn from Christ so that we can find rest for our souls. And to find rest for our souls, one has to be willing to learn from Christ who is gentle and lowly in heart. And to the extent that we comply, we may not even realize that we are following the ways of spirituality. But be aware that when we seek to be proud and arrogant, not only have we rejected the way of spirituality, but worse still, we have found the ways of sin and carnality. The proof is the existence of a proud and boastful heart. But if our goal is to be gentle and lowly in heart, then how is it that we may be attracted to those who are not? Are we seeking to be proud and boastful of heart vicariously? If we believed in being gentle and lowly in heart, why would we seek to be attracted to those who are not? It's like saying, if we believe in being modest and dressing modestly, why would we be attracted to those who dress up in glamour outfits, and who seek to be glamorous?

It would seem to me that one way to find out what we truly believe is to be aware of who ad what it is that we are attracted to. The worst scenario is for us to end up like the worthless servants who refused to be like their Lord, even though they beseeched him with the title of Lord.

Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’.

I have never heard of God chastising the gentle and lowly in heart as being lawless, or wicked, or evildoers. I have yet to witness anyone lay claim to being spiritual that is not gentle and lowly in heart. Why do we think that Christ instructed us to learn from him? Why is it that Christ taught us that he is the way, the truth, and the life? And on this day, let me be reminded to be gentle and lowly in heart. And on this day, let me search my heart and soul to bring out into the open the proof of being a believer by offering proof of being attracted to those who are like-minded and also gentle and lowly in heart, Too often, I am reminded of the contradiction of being attracted to the likes of those who are neither gentle or lowly in heart. Surely , the modest woman should be commended for being modest, and gentle, and lowly, and not be rejected for the likes of women who are proud, arrogant, glamorous, and ostentatious. The proof of our beliefs is in what and who we are attracted to. And on this day and forevermore, may I seek to be gentle and lowly in heart.

Seeking The Spiritual

2011-11-18T00:03:00.001-06:00

I am confronted with the reality that mankind has been on its way to seeking to live by sight and not by faith practically from the beginning. But I am also aware what a tremendous difference our search to bring good into our lives, and to diminish wickedness and evil can make in our lives. For though believers are in the flesh like all of mankind, it is their capacity to hold out for the spiritual that makes them the saints in this world, even though they are are not of this world. we are confronted with the reality that God's creation is still in the process of evolving so that many that come first shall be last, and many that come last shall be first. And the one who has come last is the spiritual man, with the spiritual mind - the mind of Christ. It is he who shall be first when he receives his adoption as a child of God and become as a god.

In our present world, it is Homo Sapiens who who are the youngest species of creation and it is they who come first in all of creation since they have been given dominion over the earth and its creatures.

Mat 19:30

"But many [who are] first will be last, and the last first.

Mat 20:16

"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Essentially, Christ is verifying the evolution of creation with the more simpe coming first and the more complex coming last. But Homo Sapiens are not the last to be created, for God has in store to create a species to call his own since they have been chosen to be his adopted children. As his adopted children, they shall be as gods. And to be as gods, requires one to be of the flock designated spiritual man, with the spiritual mind - the mind of Christ. If we are to make sense out of this life, we have to consider that which is eternal is invisible. The only one who is eternal is God himself. All others are created and therefore, had a beginning. What gives us eternal life is the very Spirit of Christ dwelling in us so that we also may call out "Abba". Thus, it makes sense that those who are not destined for eternal life are destined for eternal death. And if eternal death, then for annihilation. Those who would love life, love our Lord Jesus Christ. That is because Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. And the life of Christ is eternal, and it is incorporating the Word who is God, into our heart and soul by the process of belief that we cone to understand how it is those who believe in Christ would be privy to eternal life, while those who do not are destined for eternal death.

The human mind has to overvcome the limitations posed by the limitations of the physical dimension. Even some scientists are open to the prospect of parallel universes. But the Bible has been speaking about such a parallel universe from the beginning. God is love, God is good, God is Spirit. And because God is Spirit, he resides in a spiritual kingdom we call heaven. But in order to be in touch with such a spiritual reality, one would have to be spiritual and not carnal. And in the spiritual realm, it is not what we see that counts, but what we hear. That is because God is the Word, made flesh and who dwelt among us. And it is the light of the Word, who is God, that enlightens us so that we can exclaim how it is that we see, based on understanding what we hear.

I have tremendous empathy for the rest of mankind who strives to understand spiritual things, even though they are carnal and not spiritual. What we also have to remember is that the carnal-sinful nature is destined for destruction through annihilation. If we are to have a new heaven and a new earth that will endure forever, it would make no sense to have a hell, or a lake of fire, or anything that would remind anyone of the existence of wickedness and evil. Even Scripture reveals that when perfection comes, all that is imperfect must pass away. In the meantime, we seek to find the spiritual so that we do not fall into the trap of the world of being turned over to being unbelievers and not realize that the carnal/sinful nature is actually the nature of the beast. The more carnal man becomes, the more bestial he becomes. And the more bestial he becomes, the less faith he has in that which is spiritual and is of God. For if God is Spirit, and God is good, and God is Love, it can only be in the context of the spiritual that mankind can claim to have been created in God's image and likeness.

Though we be weak in the flesh, there is still hope that we will cling to whatever faith we have in that which is spiritual and of God. And the way to find that out is based on our attitude towards Scripture - the very words inspired by God. What we discover is that the spiritual man is the opposite of the carnal/sinful man. That is why we can expect no help from the world in regard to being spiritual. It is the world that is the enemy of the spiritual nature since it seeks to promote and live by the carnal/sinful nature. If there is to be a falling away from the faith, it will manifest itself by a lack of spirituality in society and by a preponderance of carnality and an obsession with the concerns and desires of the flesh. It is depressing to realize that the world will not change but will continue to be dominated by the carnal/sinful nature. And with the rejection of the spiritual comes the rejection of the true God - our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. And since God is good, God is love, to reject God is to reject all that is good. And if all that is good is rejected, then all that is left is all that is wicked and all that is evil. That is exactly where the world is headed, if it does not back off from its present course.

And without the good, there is no love, since God is love. And without love, there is no force that will build up. And without a force to build up, all that is left are the forces that will tear down and destroy. What we learn is that the world will continue to be the world. Whether we see a respite and a return to a search for the good and for the spiritual, remains to be seen. But realize that we can expect no help from the world in being spiritual or advancing the cause of spirituality. And though the world seeks to find its own version of what it regards to be good, in reality, it will only manage to deceive itself and others, since there is no good apart from God, since God is good. Looking back to early adolescence, it becomes obvious that it was in many ways a living hell brought on by a lack of spirituality.

And even with the passage of time, we find that the world has not changed. It is just as godless and void of spirituality as it has ever been. The difference is that when we were adolescent, we were not taught that the world was a living spiritual hell because of its lack of spirituality. And without the spiritual, all that is left is the carnal. And if all that is left is the carnal, then all that is left are the concerns of the flesh. Being carnal and not spiritual, is the nature of the beast. The same world of our youth, is still out there. It is still just as void of the spiritual as it has ever been. And what we instinctively knew the world to be a living hell is now made known to have been brought about by a lack of spirituality. You can not have spirituality without a knowledge of God, since God is Spirit, God is good, God is love.

It is indeed frustrating to deal with spirituality that leaves us with no proof of its existence other than the words that come out of believers. It is their testimony that is the evidence. And their testimony is such that there is no way that the carnal nature could have presented us with the testimony of the spiritual nature that defies all understanding of the carnal mind. The apostle Paul went so far as to declare the Christian believers who are spiritual to have the mind of Christ. And if the mind of Christ, out the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. For how can anyone claim to have the mind of Christ if the Spirit of God and Christ does not dwell in their hearts and minds? It is out of the overflow of the heart that we come to understand how it is that believers are made into new creatures, with a new heart and a new spirit that is in conformity with the Spirit of Christ, our Lord and our God.

What I come to realize is that you can not judge the spiritual by the likes of the carnal mind that is incapable of understanding spiritual things that are of above - of heaven and not of this pedestrian world. For the spiritual man seeks to be adopted as a child of God who is Spirit. And it is the spiritual man who looks forward to a new heaven and a new earth that will endure forevermore. It is the spiritual man who looks forward to being as a god, when he is finally adopted as a child of God. All that is eternal is invisible. Therefore, how could the carnal mind ever get to know or understand that which is invisible and not privy to the physical senses as to the reality of its existence. But it is up to the spiritual mind to make known spiritual things. Therefore, we do not fret at being onfronted with the temporal nature of carnal man with his carnal mind. To the extent that we are blessed by God to understand spiritual things, we come to the point of seeking to diminish the carnal mind from having sway over our lives. And if it be in accord with truth - the will of God,. we will be set free to seek that which is spiritual. Indeed, it is the truth that shall set us free.....even free to pursue that which is spiritual - that which is of the spiritual dimension.

Confusion On All Sides

2011-11-16T00:18:00.001-06:00

It is exasperating to realize how it is to be bogged down with confusion on all sides in our quest for spiritual understanding. Just when we thought we were getting somewhere we are confronted with some real challenges to logic. If godliness is not the means to financial gain, then how is that ungodliness is the means to personal ruin? Whereas, the ruin dones not have to be strictly financial, it is still vexing to encounter personal ruin that could deny us the opportunity to lead a normal life and to be privy to the general prosperity of the nation. It has not escaped my notice that if we seek that which is not regarded as good, we are prone to being denied the good that others take for granted in their lives. Thus, we would all do well to mitigate the occurrence of that which is wicked or evil in our lives, since it would deny us filling our lives with the good.

Since God is love, God is good, we can begin to understand how it is that we are privy to being more blessed by seeking to fill our lives with the good rather than to invite the curse of filling our lives with that which is wicked or evil. If godliness is not the means to financial gain, then ungodliness should not be the means to financial ruin. When we discover that it is ungodliness that brought about the misery and deprivation, and ignoble status in our lives, one would expect that the opposite to what brought about such misery, should be the means to bring about prosperity and status. This is essentially the means by which the Middle Class finds its way into society. The Middle Class has historically sought that which is regarded as good in their lives. And because they sought to introduce the good in their lives, we should not be surprised that they would be the recipients of wealth, honor, and prosperity.

Having come to realize the shortcoming of not seeking to bring good in our lives, we can only marvel at the spectacle of how our lives change for the better when we finally concede that it makes a huge difference if we seek to bring good into our live. This is because God is love, God is good. Therefore, we would expect to be blessed in our lives the more good we seek to bring in our lives and the greater aversion we are to manifest in regard to that which is wicked or evil. When we encounter the common rabble, we are astounded by their unwillingness to introduce that which is good in their lives. And though they have the Middle Class to show them the power that comes from seeking to bring good in their lives, they are still unconvinced, even in the face of personal ruin.

1Tim 3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

But if ungodliness brings about personal and financial ruin, one can argue that the opposite to being ungodly should bring about the opposite to the personal and financial ruing brought about by ungodliness. And what the Middles Class has known for ages is revealed to all. It is their search to bring good into their lives that allows them to be privy to the prosperity and financial rewards that are denied to those who are subjected to personal and financial ruing because of their ungodliness. If an individual is punished for his ungodliness with personal and financial ruin, one would expect that godliness should bring about the opposite results. But God is love and God is good. If we seek to be godly , we seek to honor God who is love and who is also good. and since love builds up, e would expect that to seek to introduce the good into our lives would also seek to introduce more love into our lives. And since love builds up and never fails , we should not be surprised that there would be those by the millions, especially in the Middles Class, who expect to acquire prosperity and even financial reward for seeking to introduce more good into their lives.

Whereas, the prosperity gospel preached by some is false doctrine, you can not ignore that if periods of ungodliness are accompanied by personal and financial ruin, one would expect that periods of godliness be accompanied with the opposite result of bringing about the opposite result. This is evidenced around the world wherever you hav the presence of the Middle Class who consciously seeks to increase the good in their lives and who expect to be rewarded with prosperity and financial gain for their efforts of introducing more good in their lives. If ungodliness and wickedness can have such a devastating impact in one's life, one can get to the point of almost demanding to have the opposite result by seeking to bring on more good and less wickedness and evil in one's life.

If seeking to bring on wickedness and evil into our lives is met with punishment and ruin, it an readily lead millions to seek and to expect the opposite to be introduced into their lives, if they seek to introduce that which is godly and good into their lives. If godliness is not the means to financial gain, then neither should its opposite - ungodliness, be the means to financial ruin. Realizing that wickedness and ungodliness is the cause for so many personal failures and financial ruin, one is confronted with the urge to be part of the backlash and resort to the tactics of the Middle Class of seeking to introduce more and more good into their lives in order to be privy to personal and financial success. What I have observed in this matter is not that much different than what millions of others have also observed. It is not lost on the Middle Class that the common rabble is filled with wickedness and evil and has a dearth of good in their lives. That is why they are the rabble. Thus, you can not blame the Middle Class for seeking to introduce more and more good into their lives so that they and their families are recipients of prosperity and financial gain and spared from having to join the ranks of the common rabble who an inordinate amount of wickedness and evil in their lives.

Whereas, we seek understanding in such matters, and appreciate the contention of Paul that godliness is not the means to financial gain, one could argue that in that case, ungodliness should not be the means of being punished with personal and financial ruin.
What should be apparent is that the apostle Paul sought to promote spirituality and looked to the day when the saints become like gods and the adopted children of God. Being a spiritual man with a spiritual mind, he could care less about the wealth that could be had by pursuing godliness by increasing the amount of good in our lives, and by diminishing the amount of wickedness and evil in our lives. And though Paul did his best to keep our focus, the reality is that what Paul proposed was for those who were rich in faith and who ordinarily turn out to be the poor.

The Middle Class who regard themselves as being rich and prosperous are confronted with being poor in faith by their refusal to concede that true wealth is measured in that which is eternal and not temporal, as in the case of the wealth of this world and of this life. But at the same time, one has to consider that if we are punished with personal and financial ruin by introducing more wickedness and evil in our lives, we may be adamant about receiving wealth and prosperity by seeking to do the opposite and introduce more good and less wickedness and evil into our lives, as in the case of the Middle Class. Wealth and prosperity are powerful incentives for those who are poor in faith and thus, limited in their understanding and willingness to be spiritual and to possess the mind of Christ.Thus, for over two thousand years much of mankind has ignored the teaching of Paul in regard to not seeking wealth and prosperity. And though they are supposed to be rich in faith and store a treasure in heaven, the reality is that too many have been conditioned to be punished for being wicked and evil and to be rewarded with wealth and prosperity by introducing more good into their lives and to diminish the amount of wickedness and evil.

I am reminded of the account of Joseph, the son of Jacob, who was raised to bring good into his life and to diminish the amount of evil in his life. And even as an Egyptian slave, it was destined that Joseph would be rewarded with wealth and prosperity because of his willingness to increase the good in his life and to diminish the amount of wickedness and evil in his life. Thus, he readily repulsed the advances of Potiphar who took Joseph to be part of the common rabble because he was a slave. But Joseph had been raised to increase the good in his life and to diminish the wickedness and evil in his life. Thus, true to form, Joseph was blessed in all he sought to accomplish and not even the false accusations and his status as a slave could or would deny him the wealth and prosperity that came into his life because of his willingness to increase the good and to diminish the wickedness and evil that came into his life. Joseph would have clearly established himself as a member of the Middle Class of our day since he was raised with the mentality of seeking to increase the good and to diminish the wickedness and evil in his life.

Joseph had yet to learn about the Gospel of Christ or the promise of a treasure stored in heaven. Whereas, he had faith, we have no way of knowing what his attitude would have been to increase his spirituality at the expense of the flesh. For even the Middle Class of our day shows little inclination of seeking to store their treasure in heaven or to seek to be content with food and clothing. As to Paul's warning about being pierced with many griefs because of their desire to be rich, many are reminded of the personal and financial ruin brought into their lives by an increase of wickedness and evil. Thus, there is a certain amount of confusion because not all seek to increase in spirituality or to make themselves poor and store a treasure in heaven.

Having pursued that which is good and diminish that which is wicked or evil, many expect to be rewarded in this world and in this life with wealth and prosperity. Whereas, Paul will prove to be right because of the existence of heaven and of the resurrection of the dead, many seek to emulate the ways of the Middle Class, with their pursuit of that which is good and the diminishing of that which is wicked or evil. the apostle Paul wrote his epistles not for the sake of those who were poor in faith, but for those who were rich in faith. And as we have learned in the epistle of James, it is the poor who are rich in faith. And to be poor and rich in faith is to seek to live with the reality of a spiritual kingdom of heaven and of the promised resurrection of the dead. Certainly, Paul did not endure all that he did simply for the sake of denying himself an earthly reward. He sought to deny himself an earthly reward for the sake of acquiring an eternal reward - a treasure stored in heaven.

By the grace and mercy of God and Christ, the confusion will diminish as it becomes ever more evident that indeed an eternal treasure and eternal reward far outweighs the temporal rewards of this world and of this life. Thus, to be poor in faith is to have a tendency to be rich in the things of this world and of this life. To be rich in faith is to heed the instructions of Paul who openly advanced the cause of spirituality and the kingship of Christ at all points. The irony is that we have the best example of all, the life of our Lord Jesus Christ who openly advanced the cause of love and faith and the spiritual kingdom of God.

Choosing Love, And Choosing The Good

2011-11-11T23:46:00.001-06:00

Love builds up, love never fails, God is love. So how is it that we would not seek to make love the centerpiece of our lives? Indeed, there is nothing greater than love. But such is the attribute of sinful man that he would challenge the very thing that makes him created in the image and likeness of God. I have no logical explanation to explain why man would resist making love the centerpiece of his life other than it is directed against being dominated and in servitude to the Spirit of Christ, our Lord and our God. It's as if mankind knows that the willingness and ability to manifest the love of others is from God. For surely if the ability and willingness came from the natural instincts of mankind, there would be no need to carry on this conversation.

For many, what comes natural is to give priority to a love of self that is essentially a spirit that is anti-God and anti-Christ. At anyone time, either we are extending a love of self or a love of others. For some, the very idea of giving priority to the love of others over the love of self is unacceptable to them. And of course, such an attitude would never agree to consider manifesting the greater love towards others.But if God thought the same way, there would be no Gospel of salvation through faith in Christ or a promise of being prepared for our adoption as children of God chosen for eternal life. The reality is that in life one would have to manifest a love of others before he could be classified as mature. It is the love towards others that bring us into contact with the mandate of God and Christ to have us love one another. To that end, I was amazed at how it practically ignores our attention to realize that there is nothing to promote about wars or warriors. So how is that practically no one questions the spiritual lunacy of the World Wars we have endured in the last century without realizing that they came about because of man's refusal to retain the knowledge that God is love.

Granted we need a deterrent against the likes of the spiritually insane who would seek to make war and hate a way of life. But if the victors against such forces do not seek to promote the knowledge that God is love, we have gained very little from their victory. We have still failed to seek to promote the universal knowledge that God is love. When I look back over the years, I begin to realize how it is that even to this day the culture at large still refuses to promote the knowledge that God is love. Instead, we see and read the portrayal of violence, hatred, and mayhem, practically on a continual basis. It is not the Spirit of Christ that is being promoted. It is the spirit of the anti-Christ that is being promoted. When two armies meet for battle, did it ever occur to us that both are in violation of the command to love one another? And even if those who are compelled to defend gain the victory, how can it be a victory if they seek not to promote the knowledge that God is love to the vanquished? If one violent and aggressive group is replaced by another violent and aggressive group, what have we gained? What have the victor or the vanquished gained other than a change of the guard who are still violent and aggressive?

If the vanquished were truly vanquished, how is it that neither they or the victors have come to the knowledge that God is love? It is with such knowledge that the spirit of that is anti-God and anti-Christ is given the victory over both the likes of the victors and the vanquished of such violent confrontations finally gain the victory and the blessing of spiritual sanity. For whoever does not acknowledge that God is love will prove by action, word, and deed, to be spiritually insane by his anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-love behavior. Even though we are given clear instructions in the Bible to love one another, it does not follow that mankind will obey. It does not follow that those who have not been chosen for eternal life will ever come to believe in the commands of Christ to love one another. It is by divine election that the flock of Christ is chosen. And it is the flock of Crthist who will seek to promote and propagate our love for one another so that victor and vanquished will be looked upon as blatant sinners for their hatred and violence that leads to wars that should have never occurred for those who are willing to heed the call to love one another since God is love.

I can understand people choosing to defend themselves against the likes of the ungodly who choose the path of war and destruction of others rather than to submit to God's command to love one another since God is love. But it is for the victor to instruct the vanquished that God is love and we are to love one another so that love and peace will prosper and not war and hatred. Since there are those who refuse to believe, even if they are told, we come to accept the principle to stick to what we love. Those who love righteousness will increase and succeed in being righteous, and those who love to be wicked, will increase and succeed in being wicked. So let the righteous continue to be righteous and let the wicked continue to be wicked, since it is all a matter of election and of God's design to await the judgement of the wicked and the reward of the righteous. If there be those who love being wicked, we can expect them to succeed in their wickedness. And if they are alienated and deterred from dealing with the righteous, then so be it.

And so we begin to ask if we have any business seeking to be part of a world that does not concede that God is love. And if God is love, then love trumps all, including wisdom that claims to be supreme and the primary thing.What a joke! Did wisdom ever figure out that love is greater than all since God is love? And it is love that never fails. The same can not be said of wisdom. And so we come to realize that it is tremendously difficult to understand why we would have to endure a world that seeks to make wisdom and not love its center of attention. God is love. Love is greater than all. Love is greater than either hope or faith. Love is certainly greater than wisdom and readily trumps wisdom at its discretion. That is not to say that we are to ignore wisdom. But it is to say that love trumps wisdom since it is love that never fails and because God is love and therefore, love trumps all others who would claim to be supreme. And because love never fails, we seek to stick to what we love rather than to be subjected to the constant failure brought on by the quest of others to seek to act in their own best interest by resorting to the love of self.
What we are taught is to love others since we are taught that God is love. Since man was created in God's image and likeness, it is man's capacity to love others that brings out the fulfillment of having man created in God's image and likeness. It is because of their ability and willingness to love others that God selects the flock of Christ. And by their willingness to love others, the flock of Christ also extend their love of God and Christ who is their Creator. Since love never fails, we stick to what we love. Since love never fails, we take on the world and its claim to supremacy. It is more than a matter of faith, it is a matter of love being greater than all since God is love. And if God is love, then love trumps all. And if love trumps all, then love never fails. Over the years, I have become amazed over the obstinacy of the heart to be flexible as to what and who it chooses to love. Perhaps the answer is to be found in what and who the heart chooses to serve. Since no servant can serve two masters, we are precluded from loving that which is not our master. Incredible! We have the answer as to the mystery of how it is that we are limited as to what and who we can love. It is determined by who or what the heart chooses to love.

Mat 6:24

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

There it is! The answer is right before our very eyes. What and who we love is predetermined by who and what we choose to serve. Having chosen a master, we essentially have chose who and what it is that we love. To serve God is to love God. To serve mammon is to love mammon. To serve peace is to love peace. To serve war is to love war. To serve pride is to love pride. To serve humility is to love humility. And to serve the Gospel of Christ is to love the Gospel of Christ. And to serve God and Christ is to love God and Christ. Tell me who or what it is that you serve, and I can tell you who or what it is that you love. Since love builds up, we can not expect to build up that which we refuse to serve. That is because no servant can serve two masters. And if we choose not to serve, there is no way that we can claim to love. And if we can not claim to love, neither can we look to build up that which we do not love.

The apostle Paul was a great servant of Christ and of the Gospel of Christ. Thus, we can state with confidence that the apostle Paul truly loved Christ and the Gospel. Having chosen to serve both, it was decreed that the apostle Paul would love both. Those who would serve God are those who would love God. Those who would love God are those who would serve God. Those who would serve mammon are those who would love mammon. And if there be those who refuse to serve mammon, we find the likes of those who refuse to love mammon. And it is they who are in a position to love and to serve God. So it is that the challenge goes out to the world to prove Christ wrong in his assertion that no one can both serve two masters. It is love that builds up. But it is the choices of the heart as to who and what to love that determines who it chooses to love. Therefore, we can not expect to build up that which we do not love. And that which we do not love is that which we refuse to serve.

We begin to see the connection between service and love. Thus, we serve that or t hose masters who we love. And we love those masters that or who we serve. Since we can not both serve two masters, the possibilities of faith moving mountains is readily limited by the limitations imposed by being unable to both serve two masters. Thus, the most fortunate people on the face of the earth are those who serve and therefore, love God and Christ. Why? Because it is they who avoid the curse of hating and despising God by one's service to mammon or to forces that are anti-God and anti-Christ. we begin to gain a sense of how lost the world has become. We also begin to realize how entrenched the world has become of its service to mammon. And in spite of the wealth, and riches they have to show, the reality is that it came at the price of hating and despising God because of their service to mammon. And we have to ask how long can the world be expected to continue in its present course of hating and despising God before the world begins to self-destruct?

The reason is that God is love. If God is no longer being served, the only one left to serve is all that which is anti-God and therefore, anti-love. Since it is love that builds up, One would expect that hatred, violence, and anger would be the qualities that are being built up because of the service to all that is anti-God and anti-Christ. God is love, but God is is also good. To serve God is to serve the good as well as to serve the love of God and of others.What we learn from this is that it is useless and futile to speak of love without speaking of that which is good. And how can one speak of that which is good without speaking of love? And if there is no love, it can't be good. And if there is no good, it can't be love. Unbelievable! I praise God to the heavens for his indescribable gift in allowing me to verbalize something as profound as the relationship between love and the good.

For those who would love evil and wickedness, certainly it can be claimed there is no knowledge of God since there is no knowledge of good. And for those who wold serve that which is evil and wicked, certainly it can be claimed that there is no knowledge of God since there is no claim to serving the good. God is love, God is good. Perhaps we would do well to include both precepts in the same sentence so as to remind the world that in the absence of the good, it is futile to speak of love. And in the absence of love, it is futile to speak of the good. To serve God is to serve the good, since God is love. Thus, to serve mammon, is not to serve the good but to serve that which is wicked. And the love of money can not in any way shape or form be regarded as being good since it is God who is good. And if the service to mammon is not good, neither can it be claimed that the love that comes from such service if of God.

Thus, we are filled with scenes of depictions of violence, hatred, wickedness and evil on a continual basis by those who would serve mammon and not God. They can not do otherwise since they can not serve both God and mammon. And if they are not serving God, they can not claim to be serving the good. And if they can not claim to be serving the good, all that is left is to serve all that is not good. Christ made it clear that only God is good. Thus, all that is evil and wicked can not be from God since God is good. And all that is good is of God. All that is wicked and evil is of a spirit that is anti-God - anti-Christ. It is essentially, the spirit of the world. To serve mammon is to love mammon. And to love mammon is to seek to build up mammon rather than to seek to tear down and destroy for lack of love. And like a beacon in the darkness of night, we once again seek to remind ourselves over and over again, that God is good. To serve the good is to serve God. To serve God is to love God. Since we can not both serve two masters, realize that any service that is not in accord with the serving the good is not of God, since God is good. And if we serve not that which is good we are in no position to serve God who is love.

Therefore, we have no business seeking to love mammon since it is not the love of God. And if it is not the love of God, neither can it be claimed to be good. And if not good, neither can it be claimed that it is of the love of God. Looking back to the formative years, I can begin to understand and to get a sense of how it was that things went so terribly wrong in some areas. It was because there was an act of ignoring and denying that God is good. And since God is good, we have no business seeking to serve that which is wicked or evil. Since love builds up, one can see how it is that the service of mammon can become such a great temptation since the love of mammon allows one the opportunity to build up mammon.

But to love mammon is to hate and despise God, since no servant can both serve two masters. And since God is good, that which would bring about hatred and despisement of God is essentially and inherently wicked and evil. Once again, I'm reminded of the critical importance of seeking to serve that which is good. And that which is good is of God, since God is good.

Mar 10:17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Mar 10:18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one [is] good but One, [that is], God.

The conclusion to be had is that we are to seek that which is good because that which is good is of God, since God is good. One can not escape the conclusion that it is very difficult to have anything that resembles a good life without seeking that which is good. Adn looking back to the formative years, we at least have an answer as to why some things went so terribly wrong. It is was to be expected since what was being pursued was not good but fell into the category of being wicked and perhaps, even evil. Thus, there is probably more to gain in the way of understanding if we declare God is love, God is good, in the same sentence. It is futile to speak of the love without speaking of the good, and it is futile to speak of the good without speaking of the love. Jesus is Lord.

Faith And Love

2011-11-09T21:16:00.000-06:00

Having written for years about spiritual things as well as earthly things, I can say that it is still amazing when we discover the mercy of God and Christ working in our lives. It is astounding to realize that it is love that defines not only God and Christ but the very basis of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. And if we were allowed a second chance in our lives, unless we make provisions to be subservient and subjugated to the command to love, we would have changed nothing and accomplished nothing that we can call worthwhile.

To this day, I am still baffled by God's mercy towards me who deserved very little mercy because I was not really that much different from the rest of mankind. In regard to the command to love, we find that nothing has really changed. We are confronted with the same demands now as from the beginning. The maturity we sought for so long was there to be had if we had taken the time to learn to love and to submit to the Spirit of God and Christ who as God, is love. And what is becoming apparent is that it is hard to qualify as being mature unless we have an understanding of the command to love.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

When Paul became mature he found the obligation and command to love. Since God is love, it is logical that we come into our maturity when we submit to the command to love one another. We are made perfect in love. And no man gains his perfection while he is immature. It is when he come to apply the command to love that he begins to come into his own and realizes what it is that is required of him in order to be mature. And what is required of him is to put aside childish things and learn how to love others, as God intended. It is our capacity to love that renders us mature. It is not money, wealth, power, or fame. It is simply the submission to the command to love that makes us mature. It has always been that way from the beginning. And it explains how it is that some mature at a much rapid pace than others. Neither should anyone seek to count himself among the mature unless they have mastered the ability to love.

In a spiritual sense, the giants among us are those who have mastered the command to love. The maturity we sought from early adolescence is found to be intrinsically tied to one's ability and willingness to love. those who would be denied their capacity to love are also denied their capacity to mature with all the circumstances that follow. That is why even young adults can show great maturity in relation with their ability and willingness to love. At least now we know the answer as to when will he grow up? He will grow up when he learns to love others, as God intended. He will mature when he has mastered the ability to love. Of course, anyone of us could have had a different life, if we had mastered the ability to love to a higher degree. Those who would love much are the most mature. Those who would love little are the least mature. It's not secret, nor is it a great mystery. Our degree of maturitty is dependent on our ability and willingness to love.

Were we not created in the image and likeness of God? Since God is love, it is obvious that we were created to manifest love and in so doing fulfill our purpose in having been created in God's image, in God's likeness. that being the case, we come to understand that we are not made complete unless and until we mature. And in order to mature, one would have to manifest an ability and a willingness to love. It is not all that complicated.And so we thank God and Christ for having such profound insights that vindicate our desire to acquire direction in our lives. It is becoming obvious that the teachings of Christ are there to promote faith and love. What did we expect? Can we exoect anything less from God? Based on the standard of faith and love, Christianity makes lucid sense. It is when we seek to give priority to other than faith and love that we go against the current sent in Scripture. True to form, Scripture sets priorities for us in our lives since what is at stake here is the prospect of eternal life.

But if we give priority to faith and love, it would help to change our definition as to what it means to succeed and what it means to fail. Of course, the standard of success or failure would be the extent that we apply faith and love in our lives and in our dealings with others. In other words, faith and love becomes a way of life for us, as God and Christ intended. We do have a purpose in our lives. The purpose is to manifest faith and love that confirms our future adoption as a child of God when we shall be as gods. So it is that we begin to deal with the real issue that has all of mankind in a quandary from the beginning. Though we are taught that God is love and that love never fails, we are confronted with the reality of the world that is not built on the dominance of love but built on the dominance of self-interest. Even wisdom becomes meaningless if it is not subservient to love. Christ dealt with these very issues, if only people were willing to listen. What Christ refused to do was to establish the self-interest to be found in the love of self to be dominant over the love and concern of others. If our gain comes at the expense of someone else's loss, where is the love?

If wisdom does not acknowledge the love and majesty to be found in the expression of the greater love, how can such wisdom acknowledge that Jesus is Lord? And if such wisdom can not acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, then it is not wisdom but a fraud that is incapable of saving anyone, even from their own folly. If love is to be gauged by the way we relate and treat others, then we have to acknowledge that the love of money and the service to mammon leaves much to be desired since it is essentially anti-God and anti-Christ. If we are to deal with the pragmatics of life, then one must be willing to consider that the way we relate and treat others is the way to measure love or the lack thereof. Thus, we find the existence of the counterfeit wisdom that would seek to acquire a gain at the expense of imposing a loss on others. To that end, Christ posed the compelling question:

Mar 8:36

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

The question is not idle speculation but is part and parcel of the greater teaching of manifesting love to others.

Luk 17:33	"Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Jhn 12:25	"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

The true measure in life is not how we are able to act in our own best interest manifested in a love of self, but how we can manifest the best interest of others based on the love of others. We are commanded to love, since God is love. But it is imperative that we come to understand that the way to measure our capacity to love is by the way we relate and treat others.

Hard Choices To Make

2011-11-09T20:46:00.002-06:00

Looking back over the decades it appears to me that there are really some hard choices to make. One of the hardest choice is to determine to what degree we seek to acquire knowledge and sophistication to the point of sacrificing innocence and simplicity. this is the arena where the stakes are the most high since if we make the wrong choice we jeopardize our chance for eternal life that God has prepared for his children. The problem is there is nothing to indicate that the knowledgeable and sophisticates are regarded as the children of God rather than the children of the devil. Going back to the account of Adam and Eve versus the serpent, we come to realize that this is not the stuff of idle speculation.

Whereas, the saints may encounter rejection and exclusion because of their innocence and lack of sophisticated knowledge, it is well to ask if anyone has any business in having sophisticated knowledge. Certainly, those with such knowledge may easily find themselves falling under the camp of the progeny of the serpent who knew how to lie and deceive. And even in our day, we realize that much of the knowledge that is out there is of very little benefit in making us more in the image and likeness of God. But if we were willing to settle for a more humble and simplistic lifestyle, what use would we have for much of the knowledge that is out there?

Mar 8:36

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Mar 8:37 "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mar 8:38 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

This is more than idle speculation, but a realization there is a price to pay for all things. And of what benefit is it to acquire knowledge and sophistication if it brings on a hardness of heart that renders us spiritually dead? And of course the heart is torn in having to decide what course to take. Whereas, we resent being regarded as ignorant or inexperienced, I am reminded that no one is given a license to have sophisticated knowledge since it indicates a loss of innocence. And if a loss of innocence, then it also implies a loss of righteousness. If we read Scripture, we are told we are justified by faith and that we are to live by faith. There is nothing to indicate that we are justified by knowledge or that we are to live by knowledge. But that is exactly what the world would have us believe. The world would have us live by knowledge since it brings on sophistication and power. The world could care less about being justified by knowledge or faith.

It could well be that the great emphasis given to knowledge and sophistication comes from the influence of the world. It certainly has nothing to do with righteousness or the teaching of Scripture. But realize that the world loves their own, and since it is wicked and not righteous, it will seek to live by knowledge and sophistication and not by the righteousness of faith. And if we seek to live by faith, we would also have to seek to manifest a life of both love and faith. And it is on that basis that we are taught not to make friends with the world since they know not the way of the righteousness of faith. Instead, the world relies on knowledge and sophistication that can readily render them with a heart of stone rather than a heart of flesh because of their sophistication and lack of innocence.

I am well aware that it is difficult to distinguish an act of faith from a gamble. Why? Because both deal with uncertainty and that which is not seen. The difference is that with faith, we are to be certain of what is not seen, whereas, in a gamble, it is a given that we are not certain. We have the blessed assurance of Scripture that we are not dealing with a gamble, but with the sureness of what is hoped for, and the certainty of what is not seen. Thus, We begin to ask if the manifestation of a gambling spirit is nothing more that the flesh seeking to emulate the ability of the spirit to live by faith. And since faith comes from hearing, it is obvious that the flesh that lives by sight is incapable of faith. But the flesh is capable of taking part in a gamble of dealing with uncertainty and lacking the sureness of what is not seen. So it is that the flesh seeks to emulate the ability of the spirit to live by faith and the best the flesh can do is to turn one's life into a gamble of being unsure of what is not seen. The flesh will deal with that which is seen or can be visualized. What the flesh can not do is to manifest faith that comes from hearing. If it can not see or can not visualize the end product, it will refuse to believe because it is incapable of being sure of that which is not seen.

One can argue that a gamble is nothing more that pseudo faith. And being pseudo faith, we can rest assured that it is the product of the flesh - the carnal nature, and not of the spirit. It is the spirit that knows how to find faith that comes from hearing. To live by sight or by what we are able to envision is to live by the standards of the flesh and not of the spirit. What the spirit knows is that if what is heard is truth, it must be from God. And since truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God, the spirit knows that what truth declares must come to pass because it is impossible for God to lie. Thus, we find the common theme in the Bible of directing people to live by faith and not by sight. Faith has never been for the flesh that is incapable of living by faith. The closest the flesh can do in seeking to emulate the spirit's ability to live by faith is to live by pseudo faith that is nothing more than to live by a gamble. And what a gamble is incapable of doing is to be sure of what is hoped for, even though it is capable of hope. And what the flesh can not do is to be sure of what is not seen even though it is capable of dealing with the possibilities of what is not seen. In actuality, the pseudo faith of the flesh is actually anti-faith.

We are confronted with the choice of seeking to be spiritual rather than to be carnal since it is the spirit and not the flesh who is capable of living by faith that comes from hearing. All attempts by the flesh to seek to emulate the spirit only leads to having the flesh revealed to be a fraud that is only capable of pseudo-faith that is no faith at all. Why? Because pseudo- faith is incapable of being certain of what is not seen, or of being sure of what is hoped for. We are justified by faith and not by good works. But it is the spirit that is capable of living by faith. The same can not be said of the flesh that the most it can do is to be sure and certain, based on what it sees or envisions.

Out of nowhere, I'm confronted with the insight that the only way to understand Christianity is to understand the message of love ........even the power and majesty of the greater love. Without an understanding of how it is that love is at the nucleus of our knowledge of God and Christ, we will fail to understand the power and efficacy of the blessed Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gal 5:6

Tts 3:15

All who [are] with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace [be] with you all. Amen.

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love

1Ti 1:5

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, [from] a good conscience, and [from] sincere faith

Eph 6:23

Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I do not know how it happened, but it is an inescapable fact that by submitting to the command to love, we submit to Christ and find evidence of the indwelling Spirit of Christ who dwells in our heats. It as as such occasions that we have contact with the incomprehensible divine Spirit of God .

Trying Times

2011-11-01T00:40:00.000-05:00

I am amazed in regard to living at a time when the Christian faith is truly being tested by a sea of doubt and unbelief. And though I know that it is impossible for the Christian faith to go away, I also realize that there are millions upon millions who have not been blessed to take an interest and believe. That is primarily because of the influence of the carnal nature that has never been so rich or so much in control of the hearts and minds of perhaps billions of inhabitants. And though we are told to expect a falling away from the faith, I also realize the lunacy of the world in letting itself be so easily deceived by the likes of the carnal nature that is destined for death and not for eternal life.

What I can say is that these are historic times we are living in. The constant theme of these times is the obsession with the carnal and the neglect of the spiritual. And without a concern for the spiritual, of course the world will live out a delusion. Those who are blessed to keep focused on the experience and reality of the spiritual will not take part in such a deception or delusion. But they too would not be able to see the delusion if they were not willing to have a spiritual mind - the mind of Christ. Never in the history of mankind have so many been so rich and never has the carnal nature have so much at its disposal. It's as if the flesh has finally found its earthly paradise. What could possibly be wrong with such a scenario? Apart from the obvious service to mammon, and the neglect of spiritual matters and spiritual well-being, there is little to complain. But it is over the question of the spiritual that leaves much to complain. As Christ stated, it is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh counts for nothing.

Jhn 6:63

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and [they] are life.

Christ knew that the day would come when there would be a general falling away from the faith that was predestined from the time that mankind chose to ignore the spiritual for the sake of the carnal. And maybe it is a matter of keeping awake so that our spiritual eyes stay open and our spiritual ears stay attentive to what is being said that reveals the ungodliness and wickedness of this modern age. And from the time of early childhood, many are not taught to seek that which is spiritual and that can bring about the mind of Christ.It is on that basis that the spiritual man makes judgment about all things though he is not subject to judgment since he is spiritual and not carnal and has passed from death to life.And from the beginning, the struggle has been to keep what ever spirituality we have. What is even more incredible is that as we are given eyes to see and ears to hear, we give thanks to God for being spared from the blatant disregard of all that is spiritual and good because it is from God.

Had we not sought to find the spiritual in our lives, we too would be under the deception and delusion of the present age. If we are sufficiently blessed, we will find the will and the desire to distance ourselves from the carnal world with its carnal mind that makes no provisions for the spiritual reality of the spiritual life that is of God and comes from God and Christ.Thus, it becomes a sincere hope that we will somehow find the strength and courage to walk away from the carnal nature for the sake of embracing the spiritual nature with its spiritual mind - the mind of Christ. Even at the risk of being accused of hypocrisy, we make an attempt to set our heart and mind on spiritual things, on things above.

I realize the difficulty of trying to make the transition. But that is not to say it is impossible. That is to say that it takes a conscious effort to think of spiritual things on - on things above, and hope that the attention of looking upward to the spiritual will distract us from looking downward to the carnal. And if it be God's will, we will come to know the euphoria of being set free from being a slave to the carnal for the sake of being a slave unto Christ instead. Now that is truly a definition of freedom. It is the freedom to ignore, and to focus on things that really matter not only for this life but for the life to come. In a more simple approach, it would seem that being spiritual is essentially the opposite of being carnal. And if the flesh lives by sight, one would expect the spirit to live by faith. But it's as if we are cast into a sea of carnality so that it becomes difficult to understand how we can be spiritual. But it is not really that complicated. To be spiritual is to seek the opposite of carnality. If the flesh is subject to a mortal life, it makes sense that the spirit would be privy to eternal life.

Having been blessed to gain some insights into spiritual matters, it remains to be seen just how far those insights can take us. And yet, I know that in time we do receive mercy and are freed from conflicts that torment us. Such freedom can only be had by access to truth the will of God. However, we are living in truly some trying times, especially for the spirit since the modern world has become a spiritual ghetto. It's as if millions upon millions have overcome their fear and respect of the authority of the Word of God. But in spite of their rebellion, the Word of God is truthful and therefore, prophetic.

I have come to realize that knowledge plays a phenomenal role in determining our station in life. And woe to us if we let knowledge turn us over to the intellect that objectifies everything it touches, What the innocents have in common is that they are able to maintain a heart of flesh. In spite of their ignorance and lack of specific knowledge, they still manage to know enough to maintain a heart of flesh and prove to God and others that they are still alive and have not been turned over to being spiritually dead because of the power of intellect to objectify all things in its quest for knowledge. It is the story of a king David all over again. Though he was raised up to be a simple shepherd with limited knowledge and education of the things of this world and of this life, he still managed to maintain a heart of flesh that made him a true shepherd who would have lain down his life to protect his sheep, if that is what it came down to. Christ warned us about gaining the whole world and losing one's soul, and now we know how. It can come about only if one turns to a hardness of heart, a heart of stone brought about through the influence of knowledge and intellect. And who is kidding who? If knowledge was that great and powerful, how is it that so many who claim to have knowledge do not indicate having a knowledge of God?

So it is that if we truly seek to gain knowledge, then we would do well to become obsessed with acquiring the knowledge of God and Christ. And to know God is to be known by God. Woe to those whom Christ would declare " I do not know thee." Those who are known by God have their names written in the Lamb's book of life. And so we come to realize that the most knowledgeable of this world are the innocents, since it is they who know God. And though the innocents appear to be childlike by the knowledgeable of this world, it is the intellectuals with their hearts of stone that are the most ignorant since they do not know God. God created Adam and Eve in innocence, and before they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they knew God and walked with God. Not so after their fall and were cast out of the garden of Eden.

Mat 5:8

Blessed [are] the pure in heart, For they shall see God

Jhn 11:40

Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

Did it ever occur to us that one of the great motivations in our lives is to gain the knowledge of God! Instead, many spend their lives in seeking to acquire knowledge and sophistication in order to find a higher station in life. And yet, those with the highest station in life are the innocents - those who have come to know God because of their innocence. Based on that standard, it is the sophisticates who are the most ignorant and backward in regard to spiritual matters since it is they who are the most ignorant of God.

Mat 19:14

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Luk 18:16 But Jesus called them to [Him] and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

Unbelievable! These children were chosen to be the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven because of their knowledge of God and not because of their knowledge and sophistication in regard to the things of this life. To the extent that I continue to seek to know God, my life still has a purpose and meaning. To the extent that I succeed, I am blessed with the prospect of becoming one of the most knowledgeable am men because of my knowledge of God. To the extent that I still maintain a heart of flesh, I know that I have succeeded in knowing God. To the extent that I do not and resort to acquiring the knowledge and sophistication of the things of this world and of this life, I will know that I have failed to know God. Woe would be me and the whole cadre of knowledgeable sophisticates who claim the world for their own. Praise be to God and Christ. Jesus is Lord!

I am reminded of the fact that Christ chose the likes of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, to be some of this closest friends. And what we can conclude is that Lazarus was far from being knowledgeable and sophisticated. He in all likelihood had limited knowledge, wealth, and lacked sophistication. But what Lazarus had was a high degree of innocence and humility. And true to form, Lazarus knew God and was even a friend unto Christ - his God and our God. Best of all, it is obvious that not only Lazarus, but Martha and Mary were instilled with a heart of flesh because of their innocence and were spared from being dominated by intellect that would have rendered them with a hardness of heart - a heart of stone. We know of the tears of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, when she washed the feet of Jesus. We also know of the tears of Martha and Mary, when the were confronted with the death of Lazarus.

It would appear that there is a pecking order of some sorts in society whereby the most knowledgeable and the most sophisticated get the best of everything and the least knowledgeable and the least sophisticated are expected to receive the least of everything that this world has to offer. It is in that context that millions upon millions strive to obtain knowledge and sophistication in order to have a higher standing in the distribution of what this world and this life has to offer. And yet, among the ranks of the least knowledgeable and the least sophisticated are to be found the likes of the innocents who essentially are blessed with their knowledge of God because of their innocence made manifest in their hearts of flesh. Unbelievable! Jesus Christ, our Savior and our God, presented himself as the champion of the innocents who being innocent, lacked the knowledge and sophistication of those who knew not God because of their subservience to knowledge and intellect. And it is they whose hearts have been hardened by the curse of intellect that objectifies everything it touches and essentially turning all things to the power of a heart of stone that is void of innocence.

If the innocent were indeed so childlike and ignorant, how is it that they have a knowledge of God?And if they have a knowledge of God, who is it that qualifies as being the most ignorant, if not the likes of the knowledgeable and sophisticates who know not God because of their hardness of heart brought on by their surrender to the powers of intellect that objectifies all things and renders all with a heart of stone. It becomes a matter of choices in life. Blessed are they who love their hearts of flesh to the point of refusing to surrender their innocence and their knowledge of God. And though they are regarded as naive and even childlike for their lack of knowledge and sophistication, it is they who are chosen by God to inherit the kingdom of God. We don't expect the knowledgeable and the sophisticates to agree. Their submission to the powers of intellect does not grant them freedom to agree. But because of their lack of innocence, as evidenced by the their hardness of heart, it is they who are put in jeopardy of gaining the whole world and losing their soul by their surrender to the power of intellect to turn their hearts to stone and objectify everything it comes in contact with.

And so the challenge goes out to all of mankind to show that they have knowledge of God.And it they do not have the knowledge of God, we have to ask how they can show that they have a heart fo flesh reserved for the innocent who have rejected being dominated by intellect that is brought on by their vast knowledge and sophistication. But if they were truly knowledgeable, how is it that they do not know God. And if they do not know God, what is to stop them from being turned over to shameful lusts, as explained by Paul in the epistle to the Romans?

28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

We are confronted with the miracle of human existence on a daily basis. It is truly an incredible phenomenon to discover the complexity and the order that is involved in the creation of matter. So what makes us think that it would not also be a astounding to discover the miracle of the existence of a spiritual realm that we come to know as the kingdom of God? the more that science increases its knowledge of the physical universe the more there is to marvel in amazement at the complexity of and interdependence to be found in creation. It is the interdependence that creates order, just as it is interdependence that creates order in society. I have entertained the notion that all that is found in creation is a repeat of the same template. These are indeed trying times for those who have not retained a knowledge of God. I have come to practically laugh at the notions of unbelievers who more and more are fulfilling Scripture prophesies that speaks of their ultimate demise. These are trying times, but it is not supposed to be for believers but for unbelievers.

Some Intangible To Show For Our Effort

2011-10-29T23:45:00.002-05:00

Since that which is spiritual is invisible and eternal, it behooves us to show some intangible for our effort. That intangible is the quality of speech that comes out of our mouth that is of the overflow of the heart. And with our ears, we can begin to detect a real change in becoming more in the image and likeness of God by our confession of the Gospel of Christ from which we draw so much hope for all things. It is amazing to hear the quality of the conversation that comes from our mouth that is a direct product of seeking to learn and apply the teachings of Scripture and the Commands and teachings of Christ.
But wait, the teachings of Christ are spiritual and not carnal. The teachings of Christ are for the spiritual man with the spiritual mind and not for the natural man with his carnal mind who can not understand that which is spiritual and therefore, eternal. If we have learned spiritual things it will be reflected in our speech that is an expression of the overflow of the heart. Since success comes from commitment, we can devote ourselves to commit to being more godly so that we can hinder the pull towards carnality and diminish is influence and power in our lives. And of course, our Lord Jesus has much to do with bringing about the transformation of the heart tha is made evident by the words that come out from the mouth that are a reflection of the overflow of the heart.

But how can we expect to understand spiritual things if we view life through carnal eyes instead of spiritual eyes, or carnal ears instead of spiritual ears? We read the epistles of the apostle Paul who managed to experience the spiritual reality of being saved and born again through faith in Christ. But we also read of what Paul endured for the sake of the faith. What I do know is that it matters what comes out of the mouth since it is a manifestation of the overflow of the heart. And since we are to strive to be spiritual and not carnal, it helps tremendously to upgrade our speech to reflect our spiritual wealth that is revealed by the words that flow out of our mouth that reflects the overflow of the heart. I am of the opinion that spiritual wealth is gauged by the degree that one possesses a noble and good heart. The more noble and good the heart is, the more that an individual can claim spiritual wealth. The teachings of Christ pretty well confirm such an opinion.
If God never changes then how is it that we are not encouraged to hold on to that which is modest and humble? It seems that the modern technological world that is far from being gentle or humble is the very one that is advancing to all the corners or the earth bent on conquest. Somehow, I don't think that is what God had in mind when he created the heavens and the earth. The spirit of the modern technological world appears to be almost unstoppable. Since the modern technological world has been advancing for over a century it is a sign of the times. what is apparent is that the modern, technological world does very little to advance the cause of being gentle and lowly in heart. And I would ask: How can man be expected to be gentle and lowly in heart unless he is willing to take on a lifestyle that is gentle and lowly in heart?
Is not the modern, technological world the making of those who are proud and arrogant in heart? And what if the powerful delusion that will overtake mankind in the end-times comes from the likes of the modern technological world? Truly I am perplexed and confused as to what is expected of us in this modern age that has very little in common with the life defined in Scripture that ceased to be written almost two thousand years ago. But in any age what is expected is that we seek to be spiritual and not carnal. Even in the third world we see signs of the carnality of man, in spite of their relative poverty.What I's starting to realize that a solution that is tailor-made for me may be of limited benefit to others who have other life experiences and loyalties.It takes discipline to understand how and why more was not done to stay loyal to the more humble and simple life. But it has much to do with the maxim that success comes from commitment.
And if one is not willing to succeed to a more humble and simple life, one can not hope to succeed in being part of a humble and simple life. The same can be said for being part of the modern technological world. If one is not willing to commit to such a modern technological world, one can not hope to succeed in such a modern technological world. And because the maxim is amoral, we are at a loss to try to find justification for one point of view over another. The reason is that the humble and simple life to be found in third world countries leaves much to be desired since the old world and the ancient ways was no guarantee of being spiritual or godly. Remember that in ancient times practically the whole world were regarded to be pagans, except for the Jewish nation.
But if we insist on being loyal to the humble and simple life of the ancient world, then realize that you don't get there by being defeated and a forced covert to the modern technological world. Such a scenario is not that much different than a forced Babylonian exile that kept part of the Jewish nation estranged from returning to their ancient lands of Israel and Judah. The exile of today is more psychological than physical since no one is actually going to interfere to having someone return to a more simple and humble lifestyle of the ancient world with its ancient wisdom and values.
It is amazing how sentiments can so quickly change with the increased presence of the carnal nature. It is the carnal nature that is the great enemy of faith and of the spiritual reality presented in Scripture. It is the carnal nature that scorns at the prospect of divine intervention. And for once, we are ahead of the curve. We have seen these counter attacks by the carnal nature before. We have witnessed the scorn and derision of the carnal nature against the prospects of divine intervention in anything that is part of the physical realm. And we come to realize that we are beholden to the spiritual nature for making us believers in Christ and for clinging to the faith that draws the ire and scorn of the carnal nature that is convinced that God will do nothing to interfere in the affairs of mankind.
But this too shall pass. We wait out the attack of the carnal nature that will dissipate with time so that we can go back to focusing on the spiritual and not on the carnal. And it is the spiritual that makes Christian believers out of us. It is the spiritual nature that takes it upon itself to seek to understand wisdom and spiritual things that bring on the prospect of being blessed once again with a new heart and a new spirit. I am finally starting to get a profound and mature understanding of Scripture that was never intended for the flesh. I must admit that I am taken back by the direction some of these insights are taking me. It goes to confirm that success does come from commitment. What is also confirmed is the extent that real life-changing problems can come about by a division or unwillingness to commit to one's endeavors. What this does is to highlight the importance of insights that can literally change the course of our lives and our actions because we get to the point in time where we understand. Thanks be to God and Christ for his indescribable mercy.What I especially enjoy about all this is the confirmation of the infallible truth that indeed we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free.
Indeed, the declaration is prophetic and we are indeed set free by access to the truth. That is because the truth is whatever is in accord with the will of God. And of course if we are in accord with truth - the will of God, we are set free from the lies, deceit, and slavery to sin. Success does come from commitment. But one has to have the courage to take a stand as to what he is willing to commit to. It may well be that we were taken in exile to a far-away land and culture that we have no desire to commit to, even though we may find ourselves with the confines of its borders. But realize that for the native population who are committed to stay in the area, they are the ones entitled to think in terms of taking root and living out a normal life since it is obvious that this is the land and locale they seek to commit to and live out their lives. Truly, it can be said that I had no idea how critical it was and is in life to seek to commit to our endeavors in order to succeed in those endeavors.
In that regard, it is well to know where the heart is. Where the heart is establishes the criteria of where we belong and where we seek to commit in spite of the circumstances that interfere with the natural selection process, based on where our heart is. But if we are cast into exile, it may not be easy to choose to settle down in a land not of our choosing or an exile not of our choosing. It is at such times that we desperately need truth to step in and resolve the issue according to the dictates of truth - the will of God. And if we are blessed to know the truth, we shall be set free from the conflict since now we are privy to knowing the truth - the will of God in such matters.

Still Hard To Comprehend

2011-10-26T21:02:00.001-05:00

Since success comes from commitment, how is it that we are not more consciously aware of the very thing that so many owe their success to? And it would ordinarily not make sense until we realize that what is critical is not that we succeed but that we discriminate as to what we succeed at. It is in that context that sacred Scripture makes all the sense in the world. It is Scripture that openly reminds of the need to be discriminating in our thoughts and actions since we are created in the image of God. The very account of Christ's life shows the tremendous emphasis on choosing the right course in order to bring about the greatest good.

But many come to experience a life of failure practically from the beginning since it is obvious they were denied being committed in their endeavors practically from the beginning. Success comes from commitment. Therefore, there is no mention of playing favorites as to who will succeed and who will fail. What brings on great frustration is when we are put in situations where we know we are not really committed to and therefore, confronted with little or no success. But knowing that success comes from commitment should raise concern as to what it is that we seek to commit to.

It can well be that we were denied success because of an inner struggle as to what we chose to commit to. No one has a monopoly on success because no one has a monopoly on commitment. But if we commit to the spiritual, should we not also have the satisfaction of seeing the results of our success because of our commitment? Why should it be left merely to the material and physical to be privy to seeing the success that comes from commitment. But if we are to witness the success that comes from spiritual commitment, we would have to gauge such success by the words that come out of the mouth that are the overflow of the heart. From early youth, we are pressed to commit to our endeavors in order to succeed in life and in those endeavors. Christ would not disagree but would have us succeed in obtaining eternal life and success in spiritual endeavors that have an eternal consequence, such as storing our treasure in heaven.

If there is to be a falling away from the faith in the end-times, it will be for lack of commitment to the things of faith in the end-times. What we can not ignore is that anyone can be privy to success, if they commit to their endeavors. And though we may not approve of what it is they commit to, it can not be denied that they are successful in what they have committed to. Millions upon millions are successful in serving mammon because of their commitment to mammon. Seeing the level of success in their service to mammon, many are enticed to follow their example and also seek to commit to serve mammon. In the meantime, those who are committed to serving God are reminded that those who would serve mammon are the ones who are cursed into hating and despising God. for lack of commitment, their service to God is a total failure. But because of commitment, their service to mammon is a total success.

The great city of Babylon described in the Book of Revelations enjoys a great deal of success because of its service to mammon. But that success is aimed towards mammon and not towards God. If anything, the great city of Babylon, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH, is a total failure and an adversary to truth - the will of God, as evidenced by the city becoming drunk on the blood of the saints. But if we are committed to the spiritual, such commitment should make itself known by the words that come out of our mouth that are of the overflow of the heart. And it is over that very issue that the beast of the end times will prove himself to a total failure in regard to committing to spiritual things that are of heavenly things, of things above.

In the meantime, we go back to the reality that success comes from commitment. It is not for us to complain of our failure in areas where others have succeeded because of their commitment whereas, we have not. Of course, we can always lament of what could have been. But what could have been never came to pass because of lack of commitment. Had we been committed, what could have been would have come to pass because it is the nature of commitment to bring on success. The people who are rich in spiritual matters can flaunt their wealth with no one the wiser by the words that come out of their mouth that are of the overflow of the heart.

Success comes from commitment. We have no advantage over the likes of others since anyone has access to commitment in order to bring on the success they seek. Thus, I begin to understand how it is that the world had such a great influence in one's youth. It is because we began to encounter those who were committed to worldly things and therefore, successful in worldly things. And it was that success that acted as an enticement of something to emulate in order to share the same success. But such success is void of spirituality and of heavenly things, of things above. So it is that those who are blessed to love and commit to Christ can not be deceived by the likes of the spirit of the world that can do no other than to manifest its arrogance and disregard for spiritual things, of things above. Instead, they will seek to cling to what they are committed to since that is where they find their success.

It is a humbling experience to be subjected to failure where others succeed. But keep in mind that their success comes from their commitment whereas our failure comes from our lack of commitment. But who knew in the formative years that success comes from commitment? But even if I had, who is to say that I would have made the right commitments? Who is to say that I would not have committed to the things of this world and of this life like so many others? A true gauge of what we could have accomplished is to consider the chance that we would have committed to spiritual things, to heavenly things, to things above? And yet, ones life was still caught up with the ravages of failure for lack of commitment. Though we are finally in a position of consciously knowing what it takes to succeed, we are still confronted with having to make choices as to what it is that we want to succeed in order to choose what it is that we seek to commit to.

Knowing that one was not spared from failure for lack of commitment, one is apt to become cynical about what life has to offer. The reality of prospective failure takes away much of the incentive to approach life as being invincible. The reality that failure can set in takes away such wild notions of invincibility. But what can not be denied is that success comes from commitment. But if we are to learn from Christ, we would have to concede that it is much more important to make the right choices rather than be fixated in the knowledge that success comes from commitment. Many succeed in being worldly, wicked, and godless because of their commitments that bring them success in the categories of being worldly, wicked, and godless.

Once again, we are brought to the realization that it is of greater value to make the right choices as to what we commit to than it is to become fixated to the amoral dictum that success comes from commitment.What I should have realized is that the chances for success were already predetermined by the level of commitment that was to be found in one's endeavors. And so we should have realized that success or failure was already predetermined by one's level of commitment. And the great opportunities to be had came to nothing for lack of commitment. And the great ambitions of youth came to nothing for lack of commitment. And yet, it was not all in vain. Why? Because somewhere along the way we became obsessed with acquiring spiritual insights that led us to commit to thinking about spiritual things, of heavenly things. And with the obsession came the commitment that has allowed us to succeed in acquiring spiritual insights that are more precious than material wealth.

Such insights are privy to becoming part of our psyche so that we can actually incorporate the wealth they offer into our being. They effect not only the way we think, but also of what we think. And though it is all a gift of God, we are reminded of the ignorance of youth of not realizing that success comes from commitment. To the extent that we have been allowed by God to have our psyche enriched with spiritual insights, we thank God for giving us a form of wealth that is actually incorporated into our being and that can actually make a difference in seeking to achieve the goal of being of a noble and good heart. And yet, it is frustrating to realize how we could have foreseen the prospect of failure or mediocrity being prepared for us for lack of commitment in our endeavors.

That is not to say that we would have made the right choices as to what we would have chosen to commit to, but it would have had an impact in diminishing the amount of failure we would have endured for lack of commitment. More and more, we come to realize that it is better to leave such matters to God who knows the end of all things just as he knows the beginning of all things. Still, it would have been nice to have experienced a greater degree of success in one's youth rather than to have life pass by as if it was a dream.

Whereas, the memories are filled with thoughts of failure for lack of commitment, there is no guarantee that we would have found the means to commit to endeavors, even if we would have been given a second chance. That is because the choices made had much to do with he choices of the heart that we have little control over. And the success enjoyed by so many others has much to do with the commitments of so many others. And how many of these others seek to commit to spiritual things, to heavenly things, to things above? Their commitment to material matters assures they fail in regard to spiritual matters for lack of commitment. and though they succeed because of their commitments, we have to ask if it is not all vanity since they seek to commit to the material and temporal and not to the spiritual and eternal.

If we take the time to hear what comes out of the mouth of others, we come to realize what is in their hearts. And what is in their hearts has much to do with whether they seek that which is spiritual or that which is carnal, and of this world and of this life. I begin to understand that part of the shortcoming of mankind is that it is able to succeed in commitments that are anti-God and anti-Christ. Success can be a double-edged sword that reveals what is in the heart of man by the commitments the heart chooses to make. Do not envy others or their success since it may not be the product of a noble and good heart. Do not become obsessed with commitments that bring success since such commitments may be the product of a heart that is wicked and corrupt.

As great at the enticement for success may be, keep in mind that the maxim that success comes from commitment is amoral. It does not distinguish between good and evil, or between the band and the good. What it does distinguish between is those who succeed because of their commitment, and those who fail for lack of commitment.So what we have is a situation that needs to be thought through its final outcome. It is at such times that we appreciate having faith to make the right decisions that will help to assure our salvation and adoption as the children of God. Being a Christian is one of the greatest blessings of all since it properly puts the emphasis on the spiritual and thus, the eternal. And it is in that realm that we come to realize that since we experience the miracle of physical life and having a soul, it should come as no surprise to consider the reality of the spiritual world that because it is eternal is invisible Since that which is visible is physical and material and thus, temporal and not destined for eternal life.

One Proves The Other

2011-10-26T00:54:00.001-05:00

When we look at creation, we see the same pattern in all that is created. It is like looking at the rings that are formed when a rock is dropped in still waters and begin to realize that is essentially the same phenomenon of the expansion of the universe after god declared, "Let there be light". It is the same phenomenon that is replicated in shock waves. All of creation is based on the existence of two sides that are opposite to one another. To discover that which is hot is to simultaneously discover the existence of its opposite - that which is cold. To see the light is to be notified of the existence of its opposite - the darkness. To witness order is to be notified of the existence of anarchy. The very fact that one exists is proof that its opposite also exists.

To witness life is to be put on notice of the existence of death. To acknowledge the existence of one automatically establishes the existence of its opposite. To witness poverty automatically establishes the existence of its opposite - wealth. The existence of a physical universe automatically establishes the existence of a spiritual universe - a spiritual realm. To witness extreme poverty is to be put on notice of the existence of extreme wealth - of the service to mammon. By establishing that God is good is to be put on notice that all that is opposed to God is evil.

To witness Christ being rejected by the Jews who claimed to be the descendants of Abraham was to automatically establish that he would be accepted by those who were not Jews but were Gentile. To have Christ having been betrayed by the likes of Judas Iscariot who was in the inner circle of the apostles, was to guarantee having the likes of a Pharisee such as Saul of Tarsus betray his fellow Pharisees and become the great apostle of Christ who would teach the Gospel of being justified by faith and thus betray the basic teaching of the Pharisees who taught we are justified by works. Since there was a beginning of mankind, there will certainly be an end of mankind. Since there was a beginning to the universe, there shall automatically create the reality of there being an end to the existence of the universe.

Since we know of the historical Jesus Christ, we automatically are put on notice of the existence at some point of the spirit of the Anti-Christ. To offer someone a blessing is to be put on notice of the existence of its opposite - a curse. The existence of inertia automatically establishes the existence of movement and speed. The existence of manual labor automatically establishes the existence of automated labor. Such labor was not revealed to existence except in the last few centuries. But as our modern-day automation proves, the opposite to such automated labor automatically existed by the mere fact of the existence of manual labor. And though mankind had to wait for thousands of years to see the introduction of automated labor, the fact remains that one knew that such automated labor existed by the mere presence of manual labor. The existence of manual labor automatically established the existence of automated labor that took millenniums to come to pass.

The mere existence of defeat automatically establishes the reality of victory. The mere existence of pride automatically puts us on notice of the existence of its opposite - humility. Since God is eternal, he will never have an end. Since God is eternally good, he can never be bad since then eternity would have to cease. And if eternity ceased, it would no longer be eternity. If we define what is good, we automatically define all that is opposed to the good as being evil. If we define what is light, we automatically define all that is opposite to the light to be darkness. Thus, with all that is created we find that the opposite to that which is created is also brought into being.

If we encounter the mortality of physical life, we automatically produce the prospect of its opposite, which is the immortality of spiritual life. Based on the observation of what we is encountered in creation, we conclude that indeed all that is created brings into being the prospect of the existence of its opposite. And because of the reasoning of logic in observing that which is created, we begin to utilize the power of faith that comes from hearing of the existence of that which is not seen - the spiritual. I am astonished at some of the conclusion that can be arrived at by the logic of what exists, based on what is observed. And what exists to all that is created is its opposite. To define that which is created automatically defines the existence of its opposite.

Since mankind has had a beginning, it will also have an end. To define something as beginning also defines its opposite as being the end. If the physical realm relies on food and drink for its existence, we should not be surprised if its opposite, the spiritual realm, also relies on food and drink for its existence. Christ spoke of the spiritual food of his flesh and blood, but keep in mind that Christ is the Word who is God, who became flesh, and dwelt among us. It is through the process of belief that we consume the Word who is God, and once consumed, the Word incorporates into our spiritual being so that we transformed more and more to be like Christ and abides in his image and likeness. Besides, there is no way to inherit eternal life apart from Christ since he is the source of eternal life. All who would reject the Word who is God and who dwelt among us cut themselves off from the life eternal that is granted to all who believe and consume the Word so that the Word is incorporated in one's spiritual being.

In spite of all these wonderful insights, I am reminded once again that success comes form commitment. Having defined what it means to succeed, we automatically define what it is to fail. Thus, a lack of commitment becomes a prescription for failure since a lack of commitment is the opposite to commitment that is essential for success. I am amazed and appalled at how one could so easily ignored the requirement of what it means to succeed. True to form, our lack of commitment in the past became a prescription for failure. This creates a phenomenon of distrust of our thoughts and actions that show a bias towards failure and not success for lack of commitment.

What separates us from the world is the commitments we make. Since the world also seeks to succeed in its commitments, what makes us different than those of the world is what we choose to commit to. If we do not commit to the things of the world, neither can we expect to succeed in the things of the world. And if those who are of the world, do not commit to spiritual things, to the things of God, to things above, neither can they expect to succeed in spiritual things, in things invisible and eternal. The means to succeed are the same for all. No one who refuses to commit to their endeavors can expect to succeed in those endeavors. That is why those of the world has such a great advantage in the world. It is because they are committed in being worldly since they seek to succeed in their wordily endeavors.

Because of their lack of commitment, the world can not expect to succeed in spiritual things, in things above. The proof of their failure is made manifest in the words that come out of their mouth, since it is a reflection of their heart that chose to commit to being of the world rather than to commit to heavenly things, on things above. what is of great satisfaction is to realize that we have been blessed to know the Gospel of Christ and of things spiritual, of things above. How do we know? We know by the words that come out of our mouth that is an overflow of the heart. If man can speak of carnal things, of worldly things, it automatically makes it possible to see the rise of the opposite. And we know that it is possible to speak of heavenly things, of things above, by the mere fact that man is able to speak of wordily things, of things below. If we witness the wordily, we automatically know that the opposite exists so that we are assured that the godly exist because we have witnessed the existence of their opposites, the ungodly. If we witness mercy, we know that cruelty also exists since all that is in creation is confronted with its opposite.

If we define what love is, we also define all that is not love, but is part of its opposite. If we define what hope is , we automatically define what its opposite is - despair. And once again we come to understand that ambitions are meaningless, since they have nothing to do with bringing on success. What brings on success is commitment. All the ambitions of the world will come to nothing in the absence of commitment. If it be by the will and grace of God and Christ, may it be that my heart will seek that which is spiritual so that the pursuit of that which is spiritual by the heart will be revealed in the words of the mouth.

Proof Of The Existence Of The Spiritual

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Faith comes from hearing and not by sight. Besides, out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. And it is over that proclamation given by Christ that we find the basis of proof of the existence of that which is spiritual and eternal and not carnal and temporal. The proof is offered by the what comes out of the mouth of man that is the overflow of the heart. Thus, the man who would serve God reveals the reality of the spiritual realm by the words that come out of the heart that are the overflow of the heart that has chosen to serve God and not mammon.

For the heart that chooses to serve mammon, we discover the reality of being what the heart has chosen by the words that come out of the mouth that are overflow of the heart.

Mat 12:34

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks

Thus, through the words we speak we are given proof and a view of the existence of that which is spiritual as well as that which is carnal.

Luk 6:45

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

The heart that chooses to serve God will reveal and give proof of the existence of the spiritual realm, by the words that come out of the mouth that are of the overflow of the heart. The same can be said of the words that come out of the mouth that are the overflow of a heart that chooses to serve mammon and not God. Thus, we come to realize the reality, and are given proof of the reality of the spiritual realm by the words we speak that are of the overflow of the heart. And it is for that reason that we are justified by faith and as to why faith comes from hearing.

In his ministry, Christ tried to tell us as much in regard to the overflow of the heart being reflected in the words we speak. Over the years I have noticed how my words have changed as my spirit changed to either being more spiritual or more carnal. Since faith comes from hearing, the proof of the existence of the spiritual comes from the confession of the mouth that is the overflow of the heart. The heart that would seek to serve God has no choice but to speak in terms that offers proof not only of its service to God but of the existence of the spiritual realm. The heart that seeks to serve mammon is like unto the likes of the great city of Babylon, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Rev.18:7 Give her as much torture and grief

as the glory and luxury she gave herself.

In her heart she boasts,

‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow,

and I will never mourn.’

8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:

death, mourning and famine.

She will be consumed by fire,

for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

Indeed, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. but it is more than that. It is proof of whether we seek to serve God or seek to serve mammon. The choice is made by the heart that is in touch with the spiritual as well as the physical. And the choices made by the heart are revealed by the words that come out of the mouth, since out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Mat. 12:34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

It is out of sheer frustration that we seek to understand how it is that our speech is not more godly and full of faith. And then we realize that it is a matter of the heart. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Thus, if the heart was more godly and full of faith, it would by indicated by the words of our speech. Instead, we gain a sense of just how far we still have to go before the heart makes the transformation of being more godly and full of faith. My goal is to have a noble and good heart. In spite of shortcomings, my goal is to have a noble and good heart.To the extent that I can continue to confess with the mouth sentiments that are noble and good, I am assured that the heart has indeed chosen that which is noble and good. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. And yet, how can we harness what the mouth has to say without holding the heart accountable as to who it chooses to serve.

I am not ignorant of end-time prophecy when the inhabitants of the world choose to serve and worship the likes of the beast. And one can only speculate of the abominations that will come out of the mouths of the beast, the false prophet, and the followers of the beast. We also have to consider that the flesh might try to gain access to the heart so that it is given a mouth to speak.And the flesh, knowing that it is not privy to the promise of eternal life, may try to use its access to the heart to vent its anger and frustration at being denied eternal life because it is of the flesh and not of the spirit. If one identifies with the flesh,then the argumentation of the flesh may sound as if it makes sense until one stops to consider that the flesh is of the flesh and not of the spirit. It is the Spirit that gives life. It is the spirit of believers that is promised a new spiritual body.

1Cr 15:44

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

1Cr 15:48 As [was] the [man] of dust, so also [are] those [who are made] of dust; and as [is] the heavenly [Man], so also [are] those [who are] heavenly.

1Cr 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the [man] of dust, we shall also bear [fn] the image of the heavenly [Man].

If we witness the miracle of physical existence on a daily basis, what makes us think that the reality of the spiritual realm is any less real than the physical realm? And if the physical realm is temporal, what makes us think that the spiritual realm would be anything else other than immortal, since the spiritual is the opposite to the physical? Indeed, the reality of the physical realm is the proof of the reality of the spiritual realm since all that is in creation is confronted with its opposite. The reality of the spiritual realm is the very words that the spiritual man is able to speak. Such words come from the heart that is in touch with the spiritual as well as the physical. And what we know of spiritual man is that he is sustained by the Word of God that is essentially the body and blood of Christ, the Word who is God. And the Word is consumed through the process of believe whereby it is incorporated into our being - our spirit.

The Eternal Word

(Gen. 1:1—2:3 )

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend [fn1] it.

The apostle Paul spells it out for us in I Corinthians.

I Cor15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” [fn4] The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord [fn5] from heaven. 48 As was theman of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear [fn6] the image of the heavenly Man.

What we witness on a daily basis of the miracle of human life that bring about the process of transforming the dust of the earh into living flesh trough the conversion of the dust of of the earth to living food matter that is in turn transformed into flesh. thus, it should come as no surprise that the realm of the physical makes room for the prospect of its opposite - the spiritual. And if we are witness to the mortal then be on notice that being witness to the mortal gives evidence to the existence of its opposite - the immortal.