DICTIONARY & ANECDOTES
SAINTS,
WHAT ARE? Saints are those enlightened disciples of Christ who have followed
the path of goodness with such vigor that they have been selfless and
have put the welfare of others before themselves. Saints are as good as
one may be, which is the result of aligning ones will with God's will.
It was customary to call Christians saints in the early days of the Christian
church.
SANCTIFICATION: After one is filled with
the Holy Spirit and accepted Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord
and Savior, it does not necessarily follow that one immediately begins
to live like Christ. It takes time to mend ones old sinful ways. It may
take time for the wounds of sin to close and heal, and for the scabs and
scars of sin to fade. One may even pick at ones wounds before they are
fully healed causing them to reopen now and then. The process by which
one mends ones old sinful ways and begins living a Christ-like life is
called sanctification.
When one becomes justified through faith and belief in Christ, the Holy
Spirit takes up residence in the believer and convicts that person of
their sin and converts that believer into the image of righteousness.
There is good news regarding sanctification. For it is said that God will
not start a work in a person without finishing it.
SCIENCE, WHAT IS MISSING WITH? Science deals with
God's creations, seldom with God itself. Because of the supposed separation
of church and state in America, American science is devoid of its religious
implications. This is ironic as science is fast at work trying to quantify
all of God's workings.
The religious aspects of modern medicine, biology, physics, astronomy,
etc. unfortunately are not being considered or documented even though
these findings are direct discoveries on reality, and thus, reveal in
themselves the nature of God. As Jesus said, "Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do."-Luke 23:34 Can one imagine building
a nuclear bomb without thinking about what one is really doing, and the
consequences of ones actions?
The secret of science is not that there is no God, but that there is.
Until science accepts this truth, scientists will continue to be faced
with the difficulty of trying to fit God under a microscope. What scientists
may fail to realize is that the Bible itself is scientific. It is a working
explanation of God in a simple language all may comprehend. They may also
fail to realize the holiness of scientific equations that they may take
for granted. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Our scientific
power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided
men."
The edge of the Universe is always moving away from our grasp. As Alan
Watts has said, trying to see the edge of the Universe or trying to see
what is the smallest thing that all things are made of is a moving target.
Since one is a part of the thing one is trying to see, it is like trying
to see the back of ones head. As you turn to look at the back of your
head, the back of your head turns away and eludes your search.
When one looks closely at the most complex equations fed into computers
that scientists are using to find out how the Universe began one finds
that such programs are only a series of 1's and 0's. The output is just
a result of the input. You either get a one or a zero. When does 1 = 0
and 0 = 1 except in ones imagination?
SCRIPTURE, WHAT ABOUT? Scripture is the use of
concepts to teach people how to live without them.
The truth is written on ones heart. Thus, ones own heart is a witness
to the truth of scripture. One need not necessarily read scripture to
find the truth. If one examines ones own heart one will be able to find
the truth. This is because the truth is objective. Just as the birds know
how to build a nest, if one looks, one can find the truth of God in oneself.
Build a nest of peace from the blueprint in ones heart. Jesus said, "Ask,
and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall
be opened unto you."- Matthew 7:7
Finding the truth in oneself is proof of the truth. Scriptures are like
glasses which may help one to see more clearly, but if one does not open
ones eyes first, one will see nothing at all. Scripture teaches what one
already knows in ones heart to be true. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal
the true meaning of any given verse when one reads scripture.
The bark of the tree of life is not the life itself. Scripture is like
fertilizer, it simply encourages. Scripture too, is like a map. It may
be old and torn, but the directions for getting where one wants to go
are still good. Eat the meal not the menu.
SECRETS: Do not give ammunition to evil. In evil's
hands, the sword of truth may do great harm. Do not give the truth to
pigs who will smear it with mud and step on it in jest. However, if one
has useful information, who is one to conceal it in ones selfishness?
How can one in good conscience lie or remain silent to someone who needs
ones help? Deceit is evil and silence may be evil when it obstructs goodness.
There are far too many selfish secrets one keeps which are stumbling blocks
to enlightenment.
SECURE ONESELF FIRST: A man saw his friend sinking
in quicksand. He ran over to the edge of the quicksand and reached his
hand out to save him. Unfortunately, as he tried to pull his friend out,
he was inadvertently pulled into the quicksand and both men died. Unless
one has anchored oneself firmly to God, one will not be able to rescue
anyone including oneself. In order to save someone, one must usually leave
the safety of ones surroundings and reach ones hand out into Hell. When
one reaches ones hand out into Hell, and is not securely rooted in truth,
one may fall away and be pulled in. The metaphorical fires are hot enough
to singe the wings of an angel. Ironically, however, one who saves another
yet is not already saved oneself, and perishes in the process, saves oneself.
SEEDS, MORE ABOUT: Evil seeds come from evil fruit.
Good seeds come from good fruit. A farmer who has found an exceptionally
good fruit in his garden takes the seeds of this good fruit and plants
an orchard. The foolish farmer does not discriminate amongst the seeds
he or she plants. Often, the foolish farmer eats the seed corn in which
case there are no seeds at all to plant.
If one has found good seeds, why keep them in ones pocket? Plant them!
The sooner one plants good seeds, the sooner one will see good fruit.
The word "plant" has the word "plan" right in it!
When one plants ones seeds, one is putting a plan into effect. The sooner
one puts ones plan into effect, the sooner it will bear good fruit. It
is the seed itself that grows and gathers momentum and sprouts forth.
One is oneself a seed. One needs to take root in truth if one is to bear
good fruit. Furthermore, since one is a seed, one does not know just yet
how one will bloom in Heaven.
SELF, WHAT IS THE? We are humans which individually
are able to distinguish ourselves from other humans, animals, objects,
the Universe, and God itself. What one calls the "self" is simply
the sum of ones observations. The discrimination of sensory reception
separates one from ones sensory receptions. This discrimination which
separates one from ones sensory receptions is called observation. Oneself
is a concept. From the time you were born people have been calling "you"
a name and you have learned to associate yourself with this name and with
your observations.
Each of us has a unique body and personality. This is what many people
identify as their "self". Illuminate ones observations regarding
oneself. This will lower ones self- interest so that one feels more compassion
for others. Being closer to each other is being closer to God. Selfishness
is ignorant. The enlightened understand the delusion of self-interest,
but they do not reject the self completely, they reject only the delusion,
for even the self itself is a gift from God. As Albert Einstein said,
"The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which
he has attained liberation from the self."
The self is the "I" that one thinks one is. The ignorant self
is like a flute that thinks it is the music and then proceeds to describe
music as a tube with holes for air to pass through. When one is able to
illuminate ones self, he or she will have conquered much delusion and
desire. It is ones self, in ones ignorance, which associates pleasure
and pain, which are emotions, into ones observations.
The ignorant self calls the truth "pain" and hides from it.
Ones self is truly like the "Emperor's New Clothes". The problem
with the ignorant self is that it is too proud to accept the truth, and
in a world which perpetuates delusion, it often takes an innocent child
to point out ones nakedness.
Enlightenment is dependent upon illumination of ones self. It is paramount
to get ones self reconciled to God, which is eternal, before one dies.
This requires changes in ones observations and concept of oneself. How
can one discriminate reality when one is dead? Ones only hope is getting
ones identity in God while one is alive. Identity in God, is identity
in God's self. Either one believes in oneself, or one believes in God.
SELF-ESTEEM, WHAT IS? Most people think of self-esteem
as confidence, self- worth, and self-respect. In this respect, self-esteem
is something one is born with, but which is taken away from one by others.
The evil of others such as teasing, taunting, and rejection causes one
to doubt oneself. Before long, one creates a belief that these people
are right. In other words, one has feelings of failure about controlling
ones environment which is manifested in the form of pain, or in this case,
doubt. Ones self value is subsequently lowered. One may regain ones self-esteem
by understanding those who have caused one to doubt oneself. One need
only illuminate ones self-doubts to regain ones confidence.
However, there is a big problem with self-esteem with regards to spiritual
development. The potential problem with self-esteem is depending upon
oneself rather than on God. Self-esteem might even be regarded as egoism.
Depending only upon oneself is not the way to enlightenment, but the way
of delusion.
SELFISH, WHAT IS BEING? Being selfish is taking
advantage of others by one's position. It is done in ignorance out of
ones pride and self-interest. Selfishness is morally wrong.
SENSES: The senses of touch, taste, hearing, smell,
and sight are the doors not only of truth and error, but of pleasure and
pain as well. From ones senses, ones self is fed. What the senses discriminate
is a reflection of the condition of ones mind. The eyes of the ignorant
see ignorantly, the eyes of the enlightened see truth.
Today, technology has provided a means for one to perceive things that
one would not normally be able to perceive, in this way increasing ones
sensory reception. For instance, telescopes enable one to see the stars
more clearly than the naked eye. Be careful, however, how one "improves"
upon ones God given senses through the use of technology. Such "improvements"
could one day be used to lead people astray. If the tools used to increase
sensory reception are aberrant, then any sensory reception one gathers
using such tools will be aberrant. Too often one finds oneself looking
through the wrong end of a telescope.
SEX, WHAT ABOUT? Sex is like the other gifts of the
body. One has hands, lips, and eyes, and they are not in themselves evil.
It is how one chooses to use ones gifts that determines whether or not
one does evil. One has eyes, so that one may see goodness; hands so that
one might do good things. If one chooses to have sex, it should be to
achieve spiritual closeness with another and/or to procreate.
Sex can be used both in the advancement of goodness or evil. Basically,
sex without love is a sin. Sinful sex is the affirmation of having ones
identity in the flesh through attachment and aversion. (pleasure and pain).
Sinful, or misguided, sex is ones selfish attempt to possess another,
punish oneself, or forget God. Such sex differs from love in that it describes
just the physical union of two people for the purpose of pleasure, (escape
from pain caused by desire). It is a lust for the flesh. Sex for the sake
of having sex, provides one with a place to wallow and gloat in desire,
stroking ones self with feelings of attachment and aversion.
Sex is a religious sacrament if it is performed out of selflessness rather
than selfishness. In God, the two truly do become one flesh having communion
with each other before God. Sex is not to be taken lightly. To be honest,
sex outside of what is called marriage is really a sin. This is because
in the eyes of God, sex is either marriage, or an abomination. If one
is already "married" to someone else, then sex is adultery.
One has identity in whoever one has sex with, and vice versa.
SHAME, WHAT ABOUT? Shame is guilt being thrust upon
a person. Shame often results in lowered self-esteem especially in those
who cannot free themselves from its grasp. Shame is submission to another's
beliefs. Question the authority of those who pronounce the sentence of
shame.
Shame, whose purpose is to expose error, is meant to be overcome by alignment
with truth. A sinner may be forgiven and released of shame by asking for
forgiveness and making effort to no longer sin this way again. If one
has truly changed, one is no longer supposed to feel shame. One may free
oneself from the pain of shame through illumination.
Whatever has happened, has happened. One will not be able to move on in
ones life while one wears the "scarlet letter" of shame upon
ones breast. Do not admit eternal defeat, as everything may be forgiven
through Jesus Christ which wipes ones slate clean. If one changes oneself,
then one is not the same person who oneself and others feel deserves to
feel guilt. Learn from your mistakes, don't burn from your mistakes.
SIGNIFICANT, ARE WE? Of course one is significant!
It is the Devil which would love to make one think that one is inconsequential
in the Universe. Ones body may be small compared to the size of the Earth,
but since when does ones size determine ones significance? Can a star
pay attention? Can a solar system know that it is a solar system? As far
as anyone knows, mankind is the most significant of God's creations, and
alone in its understanding of God and God's creations.
SILENCE, WHAT VALUE IS? There is great value in
silence. Should one see evil in another that they themselves do not wish
to see, keep quiet ones tongue. Give water only to the thirsty. The truth
in others should not be exposed against their will, offer truth only to
those who seek truth. A person unready for truth, and thereby living under
the delusions of evil, will attempt at all cost to keep their delusions
alive. Great harm could come to those who expose the truth to those unwilling
to receive it.
Truth is the only thing that lasts, and it is bound to surface sooner
or later. A shepherd does well by gentle prodding, not by whipping his
sheep. One is master of those things unsaid and slave to those things
spoken.
SIN, WHAT IS? God made man, man makes himself a sinner.
Sin is what separates mankind from God and from each other. Anything that
comes between a person and God is a sin. Anything that comes between a
person and God is also idolatry. Therefore, by deduction, sin is idolatry.
Basically, sin is anything contrary to the will of God. Doing something
evil is a movement away from God, and into darkness. When one goes ones
own way, one is not going God's way and will suffer the consequences.
What good fruit can be grown apart from the good vine? Sin is leprosy
to the soul. All sin is done out of tragically misguided attempts to find
safety, happiness, and peace. In other words misdirected energy to find
God.
Sin cannot be negated or hidden through sin, this is just sin on sin.
Abortion, for example, is a sinful attempt to "correct" what
is often the result of some other sin. Drugs, for example, will only make
pain go away temporarily. Drugs are really just a disguise hiding some
other pain.
Sin creates obstacles to truth. Such obstacles are based on painful beliefs
which only cause additional pain. Sin is the behavior which results directly
from aberrant decisions and beliefs. One will continue to suffer from
the pain of ones sins until one reaches enlightenment. God disciplines
sinners while they are alive in hopes that they will see the error of
their ways and change their aberrant beliefs so that such beliefs become
aligned in truth.
Sin is spiritual cholesterol, which hardens the arteries of ones heart
to God. Jesus Christ is the true "Liquid Plummer". He provides
everyone with spiritual "Drain-O" so that one might clean the
pipes of ones soul allowing the joy and fullness of life to circulate
throughout ones being.
In God's eyes all sin is abhorrable and all of us are sinners. God can
have no part of any sin. We have all damned ourselves through our sins.
Only through atonement can one have ones slate wiped clean and be forgiven.
Sin is like the losing of blood in the ocean, it attracts sharks and soon
the sinner will be devoured by the Great Shark. We are all truly bleeding.
This is why one needs to accept Jesus Christ who bleeds on ones behalf,
so that one might find ones way to shore and be saved.
The only sin that is unpardonable is the rejection of the way to forgiveness.
For if one rejects the way that leads one to Christ, how can one ever
get ones identity in Christ and be saved through repentance and acceptance
of his sacrifice? The Holy Spirit is what leads one to truth and thus,
rejection of the Holy Spirit is the only unpardonable sin. As long as
one is alive and pursuing truth and salvation, no matter what one may
have done in ones past, it can all be washed clean away in the blood of
the sacrifice of Jesus which provides forgiveness and the way to ultimate
enlightenment.
Failing to do what is right is also a sin. This is called a sin of omission.
Failing to give thanks to God might be one example of a sin of omission.
