friends in the spiritual

“The spiritual realm.” What does that bring to mind? For me it had always been this supernatural world of demons and angels battling right and wrong. While I believe it exists, it was always a world of misty beings that float by and in “reality” I just don’t interact with them on a regular basis in my physical world.

But is that true?

A friend once illustrated it for me in this way. The way we picture the spiritual realm is how we usually envision ghosts. They come and go in misty, shapeless, forms. But Ecclesiastes tells us that it's actually our life that is a vapor. And later Peter reflected, "The grass withers, the flower fadeth, but the word of our Lord endureth forever." I would propose that the spiritual realm is actually the "real world", though our mortal minds can't see or experience it.

Does that make any sense? Let's take it to another level. How would that affect relationships? Let's say I am friends with a person, and it is solely for "physical" reasons. He does fun things, or she understands me or whatever. If the spiritual realm is what it's all about than where do friends fall into play?

When you have a close friend, like a really close friend, like either a husband/wife, or a David/Jonathan type of relationship, the two of you have the potential of engaging in spiritual battles side by side. United because of your faith and convictions you have become more powerful than any single warrior could be!

Too often I look at my friends only through physical eyes and don't even try to see the spiritual potential in a relationship. If the Enemy can keep us from getting deeper than the physical, he has at least succeeded in keeping us solo when the battle rages.

Perhaps it's time to re-evaluate my priorities...

why do I do what I do?

We know that God honors those who diligently seek him right? After passionately seeking the face of the Father in a crisis, or a time of question, any Christian can testify of that. But what happens when those blessings become addicting? When I simply can't live life without the blessing of my Father.

I know that in my life when I have an awesome time of prayer and study in the morning the day just seems to go better. If I have a problem and I bring it to my Father, I seem to always find an answer of sorts. But before long a quiet time can become a good luck charm. Rub the rabbit's foot, kick the black cat, and have a prayer time, the day's bound to be a success! Sorry to be calloused, but that's what happens sometime.

Does God really care why you do it? Well I know He does, but at times so hard to imagine that the Almighty General of Eternity would even care to have a relationship with me, an E1 at the bottom of the totem pole? How could he go to great lengths to please and bless a runaway child who comes back sometimes only for more blessings?

But he does, and it blows my mind.

Doing things for fun?

Went to a teen meeting last night for our summer missionaries. I know, I'm 22 but it's okay... The speaker, a great man of God- Mr. Kirychuk, opened up the meeting with this monologue: "You finally decided to do it. You paid the money, your stomach is in your throat. You strap the straps and buckle the buckles. You think the instructor is giving you last minute instructions because his mouth is moving, but you don't hear a thing. One last deep breath and you plunge down..... down.... down. The giant rubber cord does it's job and you fly back up, and down, up and down."

That got our attention.

But then he got to the point. A question actually. "Is it right, or wrong for a Christian to bungee jump?" Boy did that start a discussion! Back and forth we went, round and round. Mr. Kirychuk would take the opposite position of whatever was said until eventually all the arguements had been covered.

It was very thought provoking though. He went on to discribe how many of us in life are so focused on "Fun". He quoted a non-Christian that observed, "When the Christian religion becomes something that is constantly seeking fulfillment [etc], it has become a different religion." Do we see that today or what?

Makes you think. Is there more to life than fun? Well of course. But is there any place for "fun"? It's obviously not wrong to enjoy life and take pleasure in things, but is it ever right to do something for the simple reason of having "fun"?

I'll let you think on that one.

Asking for directions

Yesterday morning I began my time with the Lord by saying, "Father wouldn't it be great if you could just drop a sheet of paper from heaven that said, 'Noah's Life Plan, by God" and in it have a detailed list of exactly how to live, what to do in relationships, and, well, just everything!" Then I quickly told God that I realize sitting in my lap is the Holy Scripture and in all reality it's all I need. In it holds Truth and in it I have everything. Sounds good and it's spiritual, but in all honesty I really wasn't feeling it.

But after starting in my reading for the day in 2 Peter I wasn't expecting what I got. I'll not go into every verse that stood out, but in that first chapter alone was incredible. Paraphrased the Lord said that He is everything I need that pertains to life and godliness, and as for a specific list to live by how about, "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."

Why do I ever doubt my Father?

Here we go

A blog is a new thing for me, but I find it essential due to my personality. When writing anything be it a journal, an article, or whatever one usually gets a better understanding of life in general. It provides a fresh perspective I guess. That's what I hope to do with this eventually.

So if you don't like it that's okay, because it's for me more than anyone else...