Today, focus is on the place of Jesus Christ in our youth becoming complete, mature, and spiritual persons. The most balanced, competent, and well-adjusted people we meet are also well-rounded persons who are well-grounded persons. Only through individual commitment, effort, and perseverance can we acquire adult knowledge and life experience. While our careers and professional lives seem to require only the mastery of information and skills that are academic, secular, and technical, there must be specific spirit content for finite human makeup that comes only from divinity. GOD must be in the life as more than abstraction, conjecture, speculation, and theorizing. The lasting contentment, prosperity, and satisfaction in life are established primarily through godly communication, interaction, and continuing relationships. One of the fighters at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile information appears) posted the following:
Why is it important for me to accept Jesus? Can't people just pray me out of Hell?
I am a college graduate with a Bachelor's degree. I just recently received a contract with one of the top international schools in the world in Barcelona. I will be moving to Spain in September and I am just so excited to be moving there for a couple of years.
This is the best thing that's ever happened to me, that nothing else matters or is important right now.
So why should I make room for Jesus in this newfound life? He can't possibly be more exciting or amazing than this.......
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2nd Peter 1: 2-11, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Acorns Become Oak Trees? (02/09/2017); Plantings of the Lord (02/10/2017); Benefiting From Your Childhood? (11/18/2016); As Newborn Babes.... (10/13/2016); Learning From A Spirit? (08/25/2016); Abstractions, Atheism and I.Q. (08/18/2016); The Cross and Critical Thinking? (04/13/2016)
“Anonymous”, to have salvation every man or woman must engage Jesus Christ in ongoing relationship. Apart from the direct operations of divinity, the instruction of clergy, our parents, and other caretakers do not result in our becoming mature spiritual persons. Correctly understood, their efforts center on meeting our carnal, material, and social needs, and supporting us as we take our first “baby steps” to our own personal relationship with GOD. The culture of the young as they are growing and learning emphasizes and encourages diversity, excitement, individuality, and novelty. However, minor children all reach a stage where the remainder of their lives will be spent as adults, and there can be no “do over” of childhood. Multiple shifts must occur as they prepare to enter the adult world of work, sexual challenges, and life companionship through marriage as well as what it means to manifest honor, integrity, respect, and trustworthiness. Crucial lessons must be shared on succeeding as a team, recovering from losses, making unselfish sacrifice, and displaying restraint and self-discipline. The terms for adult accomplishments and life relationships are always described by such features as accountability, commitment, duty, and responsibility. Thus, ones goals are framed as contentment and satisfaction (instead of celebrity, fame, wealth), and are achieved by displaying balance, consistency, stability, and thoroughness (attention to detail). As created beings and living creatures on the earth, all men and women must encounter disappointments, “growing pains,” frustrations, and the challenges of sin. (The finite human tools of intellect, logic, philosophy, and science can not eliminate sin; and so there also are sinners who hold Ph.D. degrees and Phi Beta keys.) For men and women to become complete persons who express faith, and may become productive serving GOD as priests and kings through Jesus Christ, they must receive a fresh endowment of spirit content from the makeup of Deity. Then, their spirit as “new creations” will be nourished through fellowship with other believers, observing sacred practices, and continuous study of the holy writings. Consider the following points using language from the Bible:
(1.) 1st Peter 2: 1-5, King James Version (KJV): 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
(2.) Malachi 3: 13-18, KJV: 13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. 16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
(3.) Matthew 16: 24-27, KJV: 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
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