An Attitude to the Christ Life of Service

[lastpost]

This is perhaps rather lengthy for a forum, but it is my considered opinion of what the Spirit says to me in the Name of Christ, so if anyone has the patience to read it, then I hope that I have managed to convey something of the message I try to pass on which has to do with the Christ attitude towards life.

I came to know the God in Christ, not through the teachings of men, such as those found in Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Mormonism, Methodism, and so on. I have found that some people with whom I converse make much about how, when this life is over, they will live forever in their concept of Paradise - and that seems to be their goal.

I am not drawn to such an attitude myself. I personally find it, as it stands without context, a disturbing concept based on self interest - although I know they will claim it to be for everyone who believes their concept of truth. I personally, do not care about my own salvation as such, if anything, I care about not hurting the Christ whom I love and adore by ignoring Him and His commands, or by violating them.

This is because I believe that this life is preparation for the proper life of Service - in Christ's Service. I do not believe I will lie dormant or whatever notion, until the end of the age, and then live forever for my own pleasure, so to speak, but rather I believe that this time of faith on earth is creating - through the Grace of God - useful spiritual gifts and power so that, God willing, I can be of use to Christ in helping others who are weaker than myself in a spiritual sense - and this I believe is God's goal for others too.

This is my opinion, that according to my understanding, this little life - so brief, so passing - is but preparation for the real life, for the life which has no end.

It strikes me that, more than anything else, it is imperative to be able to understand something, even a little, of the Mind of the Beloved Christ.

My opinion is that when we pass from here - only by and through the Grace of Christ, that by our work, by our effort, by our wish for service - we shall pass through a false Paradise, beautiful no doubt in the earth sense, but we are not abiding here because it is not the Spirit conditions of God, because, having had the Master to guide, we enter those realms which are Spirit indeed.

It is important, as far as I understand, to being able to interpret 'Spirit' in something of its spiritual significance. I personally realise that unless I am able - in a measure - to view things through the Divine Mind, I will be at a loss.

The things of the earth - good and useful as they are - these things, once the body is laid aside, will be shown - to one truly following the Life and teachings of Jesus Christ with body, soul, heart and mind - will be shown an aspect so different, that one's memory of earth conditions will be of no benefit at all.

I believe, because of the creative faculty in miniature in a child made in the image of God, there are scenes so familiar - so reflecting earth conditions - that many do not even care to be in Spirit conditions.

These souls should be pitied, for I believe that many of those conceptions of so-called Spirit Life are but confined to that which, in some cases, is less beautiful than the earth, less pure, less indicating God and the purpose before all.

They are pitied because they are chained to the things of the earth, and they do not know they are bound.

Christ craves so much better than that for His followers. Some have found that the so-called possessions of the earth are as dry dust, that the ambitions which fire the brains of men - these lead them to despair and loss - despair, because they have missed the road to the happiness which lasts, and loss, because those precious years have been used in the pursuit of that which is hideous to look upon when spiritual sight is their own.

I whole-heartedly believe that followers of Christ should fix their desires on attaining something which reflects God; not allowing themselves to be dissuaded from the hard path by those pictures - and pictures alone are they - of creature comforts, of what appeals only to the senses even when the body is laid aside - for as a man is, that he is still.

These aforementioned pictures are as chains, just in the same way as if it were possible to tie a bird on the wing to the earth - it cannot sing because its sense of bondage is too strong; it cannot fly because it has been bound.

I do not think it is possible to comprehend the significance of these desires, except in miniature.

It is written in Sacred Record that there are bodies terrestrial and bodies celestial; and in my opinion, the follower of Christ should forever bid farewell to that which denotes the earth, and should prepare themselves ever more assiduously for a life in the Spirit.

As the man or the woman who has tried to love God through Christ and has sought to follow His commands with all the heart and mind, passes out of the tabernacle of the flesh, I believe they see a vision of beauty and of holiness on the instant. Even before the physical breath has passed away, the eyes of the spirit, freed from the body, look round on the angel throng; and a dark and lonely river - this does not, and could not exist, because in seeing the smile on the face of Christ, there is Light for ever more.

With those who know their God, there is the joy which no words can express. They see not only ministering angels, but the glory of Christ, and those linked to Him by the strong ties of the Spirit; they see also, from afar off, an ever-growing company who prove that loneliness is of the earth alone.

I believe this matter is serious because the change from death to life comes to all at some time.

Imagine each soul with its own individuality - it should not be difficult to understand that each perceives in their own way that which is Spirit, and when the time comes - because our definitions of beauty are subjectively different - although each one will step into loveliness, it will be into that loveliness for which the heart cries out the most.

But here it is that an element of danger arises. The physical mind - so used to dominate, so used to influencing the desires and the ideas of each one - unconsciously to the owner, steps in and takes part of the place which should be reserved only for the mind of the spirit.

Some have allowed themselves to build up images of this and of that, in which beauty of nature, colour and sweetness had full play. And when they pass hence, they step, literally, into the conditions which their thoughts had built up round them and for them.

There the danger lies. The mind of the body, swayed by desire and by the sense of possession, unconsciously, has built up for itself not images of gold, but images none the less - images which must be cast from them before they can step into the presence of those who are of the Christ Mind - of the Christ attitude towards life, whether it be the life of the earth or whether it be concerned with that great Eternity which lies before each one.

The Christ Mind is in the follower of Christ - which is why I believe it is important to understand a little more of the One who created us all. In the Christ Mind, I believe that we will find this and this alone, because all else is subservient to it, controlled by it: We find love and service for others.

This is the danger. Between that and the soul, like rocks, lie those fancy visions of the joys of Paradise, and rocks they are which must be climbed over with bleeding hands and feet, before the soul can be used by the Great Consoler, in the army of the Glorious Reconciler.

I believe this brings us back to Reality; we come back to the purpose of the physical training; in my opinion we come back to God's great purpose for the upraising and the uplifting of His children who, as yet, understand Him very little.

Joys and beauties, sweetness and fragrance - these in a way impossible to describe, are everywhere in those realms which are Spirit; but they are there, only and solely, by the self-sacrifice of the soaring soul.

Because the soul has listened to the Voice of the Spirit, when spiritual sight is its own, all that it will want will be to kneel at the Saviour's Feet. Gifts, possessions, beauties, glories - these will be as nothing. And the desires - those images which may have found a place in the mind - they will present barriers between the soul and the spirit's desire.

At the Feet of Christ: There one finds oneself, there we find the fulfilment of that happiness which is joy in the Spirit way, and all else is as nothing - nothing. We wait the word which shall tell us that we, even we, can be used by the Mind of Love in the furtherance of His mighty plan - and mighty it is indeed, far greater than some have considered, a far as I can gather.

The only thing worth having, the only thing which brings peace and sweet content, is to do the Master's work in the Master's way.

There should not be a true follower of Christ who should not willingly and thankfully extricate themselves from personal desire, even though that desire may take the form of longing for spiritual attainment because of this: That the personal spiritual attainment - on which they concentrated so much effort, so much thought - that, again, will be seen as not reflecting God but, as it were, veiling the brightness of His Face.

As strange as it may sound, I would like to make a point of view about this in order to expose it by contrast: Concentrating on forcing on the spiritual advancement of oneself can indeed block the way - if it is not worked out in serving others. Here, I believe, we have the key: Ones thoughts should not be on the self within, ones thoughts should be focussed on that brother or sister a little weaker, a little farther off than oneself. Praying not for oneself so much as praying for those others. In healing them of their infirmities, so one will find that one's own cease to exist.

Starting from the highest - from the One who is All-Purity, All-Holiness, All-Love, right down to the weakest, to the frailest - the Christ Mind can be reflected, even if it be in miniature, by that simple thought, that half-formed desire: 'Help me to help others', not: 'Help me to help myself', because Christ works not in that way, in my opinion.

The beautiful phrase that: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive' is a Christ truth. It is the short, straight road to spiritual attainment, to the throwing off of the lesser self, to the healing of those wounds - whether they be of the mind or of the soul-body - that helping others, that thought of sympathy, that little prayer, that giving and hoping and wishing that another's lot might be lightened.

I believe that when one passes into the life of the Spirit, he or she shall marvel at their prayers for personal purity, for faith, for trust, for understanding. Those who prayed and yet it seemed that their prayers remained unanswered, they shall see that by and through their thoughts, their work, their understanding of others - all along they were free from those chains that appeared to bind them to the earth and to forbid their entry into the sacred conditions of pure Spirit; they shall see that this was but a trick of the shadows to wound and to dishearten.

I also believe that there is an immutable spiritual law: One cannot cleanse oneself except by helping to cleanse others; one cannot climb that further ridge towards the Brightness which calls one on, without stooping down, and by God's Grace, lifting another one step farther on. This is a spiritual law working absolutely untouched by anything else; and until the world can grasp it, so it blunders along in the valley - and when the earth life is over, still the valley claims its own.

While no one knows the thoughts of God, out of His infinite Grace He has given us the Christ Mind, and I believe that He entreats us to try and understand a little more about the Mind of Christ, a little more of that which awaits us in the inevitable by and by regarding our readiness in the Christ Way; to ponder on our present conditions to those which await us, and to extricate themselves, while there is time, from everything which stands between us and Christ.

Jesus Christ, please consider, could have been born into a well-to-do household with at least some basic conveniences, but instead He was born directly into harsh conditions and grew up in the toughest of cultures; He could have hypnotised the leaders of religion and made them His servants obeying His every command, but He did not; He could have called to His side in a fraction of a second countless legions of angels, but He did not. Instead He led a perfectly simple and pure life, He submitted Himself to fasting and self-abnegation because He was setting an Example for humanity, and He would not give it one reason to claim the world in His Name.

Extricate from every desire - whether it comes under the heading of spiritual recognition or not - to cast aside those cravings for knowledge of a Heaven beyond our ability to conceive, to stand free from wishing that the spiritual body should be beautiful and should express the beauty that is within. The only beauty which is real beauty in Spirit - in my opinion - is the obedient heart, is the humble heart, is the loving heart - and these we lay at the Feet of Christ for Him to use at His will. That, I completely believe, is seen by God and His angels as true beauty.

These, I believe, are things as they are, stripped of all ornament - grand and holy because they are true. I have been trying to refer to the Greater Life, of those conditions of Spirit far, far beyond the pleasant area of temptation which lies around this little earth - that state where desire has to be worked out. Because there, by the satiation of desire, the soaring soul can see the worthlessness of it all.

According to my understanding, preparation is paramount to the one who will listen, preparing oneself for the only joy which is joy; preparing oneself for the only companionship that will satisfy, which is to be with those who are like-minded - like-minded, it is true, in a tiny degree - like-minded to the Shepherd who sought for the lost sheep and would not return without it.

That is the Christ path - and I believe there is no other, neither do I want another. Many years pass, many experiences are followed through, and travellers on their path go back again on their own tracks which takes them scarce an inch farther on their way, for until they have that word 'Service' written on their heart and mind - until that is there - they have not found the short, straight path to God.

The Shepherd who sought until the wanderer was found - that expresses the Christ Mind, that only expresses the Christ Way. Seek then, for those who have strayed, and seek until they are found.

That is my opinion, which I know is also the opinion of some others.

Peace

[Dandelion]

Service or 'Servium', is very dear to my heart.

I went to Catholic school, with Ursuline nuns. That is their motto. It is their calling in life. My principal, an Ursuline nun, was a wonderful, godly woman,  who was my first true and good role model, in life. 

I was close to her, from a young age, and took advantage of all she could teach me, which was much.

I like your vision, lastpost. I am happiest when I am involved in a mission, greater than myself.

I will tell you a true story.

A few months, after my father died, he appeared in a dream I had. A very vivid dream, which I never forgot.

He had one of his sports jackets on, and a pad and pencil were in his hands.

He told me that he had assignments, and that he was doing them and enjoying it. It was as if he was in training for some task, which would come later on.

He was excited and enthusiastic.

I had not thought of Heaven or the afterlife in that way, before this dream. Since then, I would wonder, whether there was any truth to the dream, or if it were only an earthly vision.

Perhaps, that is what we will do. Prepare to serve.

Whatever the Lord has planned, I am sure will be spectacular.

[micah7:9]

"Whatever the Lord has planned, I am sure will be spectacular. "  :dsunny:

[ed]

'Help me to help others', not: 'Help me to help myself'

:iagree:

[rosered]

 

Trusting God can be ones whole lifes work 

God is the one whom gives of Himself  or withdraws   to allow  one to learn ,   this has been my experience .

I recall at 25   when my brother  died in a tragic accident  , how this effected the family ,especially my dad  , he had lost his only son .

My grandpa ,  whom was a light   in my childhood , told my dad , God makes no mistakes   Son ,

    These few and powerful words were my dads  saving grace   ,

And I ask you, was this the   Holy Spirit speaking  ,  or my grandpa ?

I really believe  , God sends  , just what you need , and when you need it  , on whatever level  you can  ''receive it '' .

    I believe many things in this life effect us or does not effect us  , depending on our openness to   receive the Lord's help .

as well as His messengers    , Blessed is he  who comes in the name of the Lord   after your house has been left to you desolate .

Growing in truth and grace   is the Lord work and those whom the Lord sends   in His name .
 
     John 13 Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

...15"For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

16"Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

17"If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

   The feet washing to me are  removing the dust of the flesh   on  the  teaching of the Gospel   

The LOVE  of Christ   humbles us all , that truly are   His own .

Serving   the Living   God is the greatest  honor   anyone could hope for in this  realm

  The greatest in the Kingdom of God is the servant of all      , JESUS CHRIST  and to be found in Christ , His Body of believers .

  Matt 20
...27and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave/servant ;

28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

I believe the HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD   are those whom   spirits  go back to God who  gave it     and the innumerable  company with Him are  serving the Living God 

By Jesus Christ whom is the grace     of God poured out on all flesh        that come by the way of the Cross of Jesus Christ in the fulness of time   ..

and we are so blessed beyond   understanding it   being human , but the Spirit knows all things and being awakened by the Holy Spirit is our   mission and  blessing and honor and   saving grace  in the earth as it is in heaven     . 

GOD IN HIS WISDOM   has made a way  though  JESUS CHRIST   , His Word made flesh   and His Holy Spirit as both witness    to HIS OWN GLORY



Ecc12 ...6Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. 8"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity!"

Luke 23:46
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Acts 7:59
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Genesis 3:19
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

Numbers 16:22
But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, "O God, the God who gives breath to all living things, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?"

Numbers 27:16
"May the LORD, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community

Job 34:14
If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath,

Job 34:15
all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.

Psalm 103:14
for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 104:29
When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.

Psalm 146:4
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.

Ecclesiastes 3:20
All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.

Ecclesiastes 3:21
Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?"

Isaiah 57:16
I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me-- the very people I have created.

Zechariah 12:1
A prophecy: The word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares:

Spirits of just men made perfect by the HOLY WORD AND HOLY  SPIRIT  that do serve Him in Spirit and Truth with no end ....  JESUS CHRIST IS HIS NAME

Hebrews 12 Our Kingdom Cannot Be Shaken
...22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,


23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,


24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel....

REV21   . 17 And he measured its wall— a hundred forty four cubits (a human's measure, which is an angel's [also]).


18 And the material of  its wall is jasper, and the city is pure gold resembling pure glass.

19 The foundations of the wall of the city have been adorned with every precious stone.


The first foundation is jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, carnelian; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, hyacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.


21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls— individually, each one of the gates was from one pearl.

And the wide-road of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.


22 And I did not see a temple in it, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.


23 And the city has no need of the sun nor the moon, in order that they might shine on it.


For the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

24 And the nations will walk by its light. And the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.



25 And its gates will never be shut by day— for night will not exist there.


And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.


27 And every defiled thing, and the one doing abomination and falsehood, will never enter into it,


but only the ones having been written in the Lamb's book of life.

For me   and of my faith    , this has been going on  for a long while   , and is only increasing   by the   grace of God    by all those the Father is seeking to worship Him in Spirit and truth  by      our two witnesses in the earth as it is in heaven NOW   
THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH  AND HOLY CITY OF THE KING , THAT NOTHING DEFILED HAS EVER ENTERED INTO   OR EVER WILL .

By   HIS WITNESSES   Being every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God and  HIS HOLY SPIRIT  OF ALL