The Spiritual Way - It Works (cont.)

The Spiritual Way – It Works!!

Jesus tells a great and very relevant parable in Mark 4. Jesus says;

"This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

I contend that there is a path to true happiness and a heavenly quality of life that surpasses anything you have ever experienced but I have a confession. I know what to do to get it BUT I really do not know how it works. I know that if we take the steps Jesus calls us to do we become overwhelmed with how free and happy we are. But as to how it works in my heart and how God communicates His power and life to me. I have no idea. All I know is it works.

Jesus basically gives us a path to be filled with a power that totally alluded us before we set upon this journey. As we progress, we find out that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. All we do know is that if we sow to the Spirit, we reap righteousness, peace and joy. How it works? That one is for the smart guys and the theologians.

How does it work that when I humbly ask for God to remove my anger and fear and to empower me to “turn the other cheek” and to “not resist an evil person” and to “go the extra mile” that He puts His life in me and sets me free? I do not know the answer to that question. Nor does the 1st century farmer know how the soil makes the plants grow, but that doesn’t stop him from sowing seed. Does the farmer have to be convinced about the theory of osmosis and capillary action and chemistry and fructose before he makes a leap of faith and sows seeds? No, the farmer saw his father do it and he saw the harvest that came so he just trusts the process regardless of whether he intellectually understands how it works. The farmer really doesn’t even care how it works but only what the results are.

Here is a key to spirituality and Christianity. We are simply to be able to supply the suggested means that people need to take to enter into the truly happy and heavenly life, the kingdom of God. All our pontificating is really not relevant. All that is relevant is can we show results. A tree is known by its fruit.

Does your method deliver? Do people look at us and say ‘show me how to live because you have it down”. When we tell them the solution do we teach them how to sow in such a way that reaps the true reward of peace and righteousness.

The path is narrow and few take it but do not fool yourself and think it is intellectually challenging. The path to life does not require deep insight into the workings of the human psyche or an intricate scheme of self-knowledge and self-discovery. It does require a few things. The spiritual way requires rigorous honesty. In the course of this journey, we will come to realize that our approach to life is all wrong. Our minds are going to be changed every day and in every way. The spiritual way involves extensive house cleaning. But at the same time, we come to realize how simple the process is. The spiritual path takes courage but not strength. There are no heroes in the kingdom. No great heroic effort is required. We are far simpler than that. It doesn’t require great wisdom and intellectual prowess. We are far simpler than that. I hope you are willing to take this journey of simple daily steps toward a life you could have never dreamed is possible. But trust Jesus on this one, “ 7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened”. This is the promise that indeed the spiritual way works!!!

God Bless,
brad