Advent II Bottom Line Spirituality: Worldly and Godly Thinking

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Godly Abiding Spiritually in Jesus Changes the Meaning of What we See Worldly When Not Abiding in Jesus.

The theme for the Advent Season is to recognize how our Worldly thought outside of the Presence can create negative feelings and how the Godly feeling in the Presence can create positive thoughts in the same situation.

Luke 1:68-79 "Fear came on all who lived around them"

The miraculous birth of John the Baptist is shortly overshadowed by the birth and the start of the ministry of Jesus. Yet John was like the match that lit the rocket. Without the match there would be no light to guide the feet of those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death into the way of peace. He was not the light but came to bear witness to the Light. John was God’s plan A.

Jesus’ plan A was to disciple a few who could bring the Light of His Presence to share with us after He ascended to the right hand of the Father. There was never a plan B.

You and I are called to be part of God’s plan A. We need to be willing to share with others the difference between being in or out of God’s Presence makes in our life. This is done when we meet together in small groups to share how our past time was when we were either godly in or worldly out of this Presence. There is no plan B. 

The Church has a hard time teaching people how to get into the Presence. The Church will teach we must empty ourselves, pray prayers, come to Church to be forgiven and take communion. The Church is like the people who witnessed Zechariah's words of praise at the circumcision of John. “Fear came on all who lived around them.” Luke 1:65 They were afraid of what God would do next. They were afraid of how their lives would change. After all, they had learned how to cope in the darkness. The fear of the Church is if people know how to consciously get into the Presence without coming to church they would not come.

What is not understood is once people know how to consciously get into the Presence, they need others to encourage them to continue to do so. We all have an amnesia problem. When things go well, we seem to forget how we did it to make them go so well. The best way to do this is with a small group to remind us to be vigilant.

We need to know the difference between the meaning of worldly and godly thinking about “being rescued from the hands of our enemies to serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” Not being in a small sharing group is not an option, it is a necessity. There is only one plan A.

What worldly thought do you have that creates a fear of a change in your life?

What godly thought in God’s Peace creates a new Wisdom in the same conditions?