The unknown

There is just to much in life we don't know.

Where will my help come from?

No matter who you are, or where your from, this question rings a points in your life.

Money can't save you from death. Life doesn't immediately mean comfort. Comfort doesn't ensure happiness.

Many see the obvious difficulties of health, and money, or finding comfort. But the pursuit of happiness is often illusory.

Happiness never seems to last, to most people, its more like a poison.
The object of happiness has, to so many, turned sour after sweet. Quickly fading from fresh air into a thick miasma of disappointment.

Why? Why are so many caught, blissfully self-deceived that this next boyfriend, girlfriend, season of sports, exciting video game or movie, career or otherwise, the list goes on, all through materialism and emotions, hoping in the probability that this next experience will finally deliver them what they have been searching for?

Some things are inherently negative, some are supposedly beneficial, but it all lets us down, always leaving unfulfilled ... The problem I dare say, isn't the object of our affections, it is us......

If you have the right mindset, you will not seek the obvious destruction, when you are a honest Christian seeking to not just avoid evil, but to do right (or be righteous), evil will become more and more obvious as your innocence makes you more sensitive to it.

The sanctified or divinely created pleasures will bring a happiness and satisfaction, but even these will only be for a time.

Why? Because we will take this pleasure, this right action and eventually compromise it's integrity.

How? Evil will suggest ideas to take small steps outside the boundaries spoken by God, then motivation, reasons to justify these small compromises will take there stand against scripture.

These thought or suggestions are fashioned to slip under the radar, to pierce our conscious defense of disobedience to God. These are like "fiery darts". Then slowly but surely we WILL PERVERT or change the once clear instruction from God into a self guided and perfectly justifiable sin.

 Thus we need follow through in our personal duty to uphold the sanctity of the experience we are experiencing.

Unless we strive to sacrifice, to leave indulgence in personal desires behind, these God-given pleasures will also turn to ash.

My favorite author said, in reference to the Satan's strategy.

" He will endeavor to excite the emotions, to arouse the passions, to fasten the affections on that which is not for your good; but it is for you to hold every emotion and passion under control, in calm subjection to reason and conscience." OHC 87.3

You see, impulse is Satan's favorite trap, to get us to take action first before applying principle.

Reminds me of another quote related to impulse in relation to one of the most pondered aspects of humanity, Love.

"True love is not a strong, fiery, impetuous passion. On the contrary, it is calm and deep in its nature." LYL 30.1

So many today have access to knowledge of God but do not take it into account during temptation.
Now to finish off the first quote, after we control ourselves by reason and conscience.

"Then Satan loses his power to control the mind. The work to which Christ calls us is to the work of progressive conquest over spiritual evil in our characters. Natural tendencies are to be overcome.... Appetite and passion must be conquered, and the will must be placed wholly on the side of Christ." OHC 87.3

The next lesson on that page is about my personal struggle with temptation.

Its about the single most important principle to overcoming sin that I have ever encountered.

That will be for my next post.

" Now may the God of peace... make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen"
Heb 13:20-21