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Achieving harmony with God is based entirely on our efforts to know Him and the
subsequent transformation of our values which conform to His view point. That
phenomenon is not a conscious effort, in a manner of speaking, striving to be
"good", changing our lifestyle to please Him (so we think). What changes come about
in our lives are effortless, a result of the irresistable power of God working in
our souls. Certainly, we change. Our attitudes, values, expectations, and our way of looking at all of life, and these changes sometimes involve a conscious decision to alter an aspect of our lives, but when that happens it is done with enthusiasm, with an unshakable committment, not with he dread of denial. We make the change because we are motivated to serve God, and only when we have something we cannot create on our own...sharing His happiness. Let me expand on this theme a moment. If you strip away all the distractions, the "gingerbread" of this world, we all have one simple ideal....happiness. That's all we want. With happiness comes contentment, peace of mind, and a sense of destiny that reaches beyond this world to an eternal existence. Man has countless ways of pursuing happiness, and they lead to terrible consequences sooner or later for most of us, some worse than others. Take a really screwed up human being like Hitler, for example. In the beginning, before he fell into the pit, he was after happiness, like all the rest of us. His sins compounded as he followed the dictates of his old sin nature until, finally, he was swallowed by evil. To some extent, we all share this fate if we chase after happiness based upon human values. Only God can give us a happiness that is impervious to circumstances, on a plane above the details of life. When we find this plateau then Divine happiness becomes a tremendous motivator that replaces lust and temptation. After all, why do we sin, in most cases? Because we want to be happy! We want to feel good, enjoy life, bring some sizzle into our lives, whatever. Of course, the inevitable outcome of those motives, even when they aren't sin, but human view point, is a fragile happiness that can evaporate in a heartbeat. One problem, one unfortunate event, one angry word from a loved one, and human happiness goes up in smoke. To make matters worse, it leaves behind an "emotional hangover" that incites bitterness and resentment in many cases, at the very least, disillusion. With Divine happiness, a supernatural contentment, we are induced to forego sins we would formerly have indulged in....we already have happiness, so what's the point? Happiness is one of the several desirable benefits of living harmoniously with God. At this point I want to emphasize the point that God doesn't change to accomodate us. It is man that does all the changing, and that process involves the mechanics of ingesting His Word under the filling of the Holy Spirit, in an academic setting where a prepared Pastor-Teacher is functioning under the gift of communication. See The Ice Principle for more details. Back to change for a brief moment. Most of the changes that oveercome us are gradual, almost imperceptable. We can look back, in retrospect, and see how we've adopted new values, etc., but the process is painless, not one of giving up booze, or gambling, or illicit sex, or worse. Those malpractices will eventuall lose their appeal and just slowly fade away, but striving to be "good" in human terms accomplishes nothing. I'm not encouraging anyone to sin here! We're examining the finer points of motivation in our relationship with God. Obviously, we should avoid sin whenever we can, but we mustn't get into the habit of thinking that when we do it's a landmark achievement. Principle: God does all the achieving in our spiritual lives! Don't be overly impressed when you avoid temptation; remember; that is normality, not an earth shaking accomplishment. I hope you're getting my drift here....it has to do with our tendency to elevate our own status in our own eyes by doing things that really have very little to do with God. Even an unbeliever can change for the better. Principle: The changes we want are those accomplished by God. What do I mean by that? Let me just say that you'll know when you've reached that point in your spiritual life. It is an unmistakable advance that will change the way you think about literally everything, and it is charactarized by indestructable happiness. You may be asking yourself, at this point, "what is this bozo talking about? Is he saying not to avoid sin, to avoid sin, what???" Let me answer that question with a warning; don't get trapped into "overthink". Rest assured, God has laid all the groundwork, put a plan in motion for your life, and He's covered all the bases. This plan existed before He created one grain of sand, in its entirety. God's foreknowledge gives Him some phenomenal advantages, as you might expect. Combine that with the fact that He has unlimited power to shape events and circumstances, and He knows "our frame", as David phrased it, and you have the foundation of God's will for humanity. He made the spiritual life simple. He did all the head work, all that remains is for us to sit our butts down and take in them message. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedes from the mouth of God". Why does this scripture use "bread" in the analogy? Because it's something we do every day, without fail. Just so, we must nourish our souls every day. Eating sustains our vitality and energy. Just so, feeding our souls The Word sustains our spiritual life and gives us momentum in God's plan. This is the means of achieving harmony, the gradual replacement of human thoughts, based upon human motives, with God's thoughts based on His objectives. Don't fall into the trap of trying to figure out every tiny nuance of life. One of the magnificent aspects of God's plan is that He takes care of all the "side action"! The dumbest ameoba in the human race can ascend to the rarified atmosphere of the spiritual elite. God is fair, and every one of us has equal opportunity and equal priviledge that is not based upon human IQ or ability. In the spiritual life, God the Holy Spirit comprised our "spiritual IQ". But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor 2:10-16 "The natural man" in this passage is the unbeliever, who cannot be filled with The Holy Spirit. I also want to draw attention to a fantastic concept, one of the most wonderful principles in The Word..."The Mind of Christ". This phrase is a reference to the transformation that overtakes our souls as we learn about God. Our human thoughts, based on this world, are replaced by the thoughts of Christ. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Cor 10:5 "Obedience" brings another important principle into view. This was the issue from the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, by which man lost harmony with God. Obedience is the human equivalent of humility toward other man and life, and respect for God's absolute authority. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Rom 6:16 |