How can I be sure that I am taking the right path?

Often I hear of an adult still hearing the voice of a parent, or some other significant figure constantly invading his mental household. Although I cannot say I have "that problem," I have no doubt the voices are there at some level.

I want a better life; I want to be well; I am tired of being depressed...  But am I willing to change?

It seems that too often folks pray for things to get better because they do not want to change! The penchant for staying the same is one of the deadliest forms of self-imposed enslavement.

It is said that robots will be replacing humans in a large portion of jobs in the next few decades years, everything from bank tellers, to anesthesiologist and other physicians. What's with these robots anyway? Will I soon be superfluous?

The First Commandment is clear: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." We may have learned that there is only one God, but seldom do we consider that we all have a different concept of God! What blasphemy, they say. We have one, and only one Lord. But since we are all in different states and stages of consciousness... And since God is generally considered infinite, that is a rather large concept for each and every mortal to grasp uniformly!

The only thing that is constant is change, said the ancient philospher, Heraclitus. And certainly nothing has changed since then!

And yet we expend enormous energies in resisting change. Generally, risk is assigned to and evaluated based upon change, while avoiding change is assumed the safer option. What a profound contradiction of the nature of things.

In considering the distinction between the divine and the human, can these ever coexist?

But Paul proclaimed: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” This cannot mean the human lives and moves and has his being in the divine! What then?

Inspired by last nights lively discussion on yesterday's posting:

Is it possible to make progress effortlessly? Who says we have to progress anyway? Is it just cultural conditioning?

There is a growing awareness that collecting “stuff” is costly, even detrimental to health. Is it a coincidence that our country has become saturated with storage units at the same time that obesity has become epidemic? The Bible admonition, “God requireth that which is past” could very well be the answer to the rampant obesity.

The old adage “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” is well-known, but how many ask why? Why should good intentions produce anything but good results? And notice, it’s a road, not a little pathway. And it’s paved, not dirt or gravel. This is a serious warning.

You're feeling really good about things, and then someone comes along and says something that really hurts. All of a sudden thought drops and everything loses its lustre, and now you are feeling bad about things.

What happened? Is there some kind of mental gravity at work here - as long as you are flapping your wings or pedalling or rowing or... expressing joy - you are fine. But something comes along to take away that joy, stops the activity, and down, down you go. Seems like it.

The petulant child may justify himself with “I did not choose to be here.” Truer words could not be spoken. None of us chose to be here! But here we are. Now what? 

From the premise that God is Life, that God is infinite, it follows that life is inevitable.

Many hold smooth sailing, or easy progress, as the goal in life. The Socialist ideal is caring for people from the cradle to the grave, minimizing the bumps along the way.

In business, in sports, in the arts, in research, in education, etc. smooth sailing is a recipe for failure - and it is an anathema to spiritual growth, to true Christian living. Why is this?

"EVERY step of progress is a step more spiritual." Who said that? Does it matter who said it? Could there be a more pristine statement, assuming that death is not our goal in life? Surely it would be progress to get to know our Maker better, to more ably fulfill what He made us for?! A step more spiritual - would it be safe to say, more in line with Spirit, God? - more universal in one's love? less enamored by material, temporal things?

How often do we hear something like: I just want to know my purpose. What am I here for? 

This morning I opened to this in Isaiah: "The Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?"