Circumstances, big or small; situations, major or minor. We sometimes feel taken in by these occurrences in our lives, manipulated and mistreated with the sense that this is not our own doing. We seclude ourselves, nurse the wounds and think we heal only to return to the situation with the thought ‘it will be different’. It is commonly compared to the guy that plays with a dog, having a great time and then the dog bites. The guy runs off…
There was a famous song in 1965 called ‘The Sound of Silence’. One of the artists summed up the song’s meaning as “the inability of people to communicate with each other, not particularly internationally but especially emotionally, so what you see around you are people unable to love each other.” In the spiritual world, silence is found during the times when the heart is being tested. During the silence, the ear of the believer is also being trained to listen…
The sensing of an unfulfilled need is common during the Spiritual Journey. “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” – C.S. Lewis
You will find that as you relinquish how you used do things, which is just another old pattern or habit, that creativity will make things a whole lot more fun and interesting, for you and those around you. When you are conscious of self-rule, all actions will be judged as right or wrong, setting up the believer for torment about what was or wasn’t done. A change of behavior is not the answer because the faulty nature remains hidden, along…
It is important to understand that methods learned that alleviate pain, suffering and misery have been stored in the memory. The same holds true for the afflictions of pleasures and gratifications. When circumstances in the Spiritual Journey are created to bring attention to those afflictions, the solution of how it was dealt with in the past comes to the forefront to be exercised again and again to relieve stress or relive fervor, but it’s only a temporary measure. When that…
Set your heart on the pilgrimage. The Spiritual Journey, which ultimately ends at complete spiritual maturity and the Christ-like nature, leads believers through what seems like a maze. This maze is to reveal personal motives, behaviors, attitudes and corresponding actions, and to become liberated from those things that ultimately do not serve—and have no place—in the Kingdom. Setting your heart on the pilgrimage with the decision to keep moving forward at any cost, will help you navigate the path as…
This is the evangelistic period when the knowledge of God is sown in the heart of the believer by the Spirit. The hearer receives the word through listening to teachings, reading scripture, books and literature. Devotions, quiet times, and prayers become part of daily living. Guard the heart and protect all that is given. Anyone desiring to only know God will be separated to a secret place to hear more than what is written in the bible or spoken in…
The first step in the spiritual journey begins with the birth. The birth, not of natural form but rather of spiritual form may begin with feeling there is something ‘more’. That nothing or no one on this earth can fill the need of a longing that can’t even really be described. Things we once enjoyed are no longer fulfilling, and an overall deep longing is the prevailing mood. There may be what is known as heartache, but it is really the…
The spiritual journey consists of seven significant events that mirror the life of Jesus. Only when these spiritual events are completed will our lives be completely transformed with a new God-like nature, prepared to fulfill the highest calling on our life. Each significant event is a process uniquely created to bring each of us out of bondage and into freedom. This pilgrimage requires a solitude and quietness that can, many times, lead to feeling isolated and helpless. But with diligence, obedience, constant…
In a dream, I was leaning over tying my tennis shoes. When I stood up and took a step, I looked down and my shoes were on backwards. I sat back down, switched and re-tied them. When I stood up and took a couple of steps, I saw my shoes were on backwards again. As I sat back down, I thought, “What the heck is going on?” No matter how many times I switched them, when I stood up to…