Challenging Times

MON., OCT. 15, 1990, 7:17 AM
MACIEL GARDEN, PARADISE SPRINGS

I must keep reminding you of one important fact of earth life. Whatever the conditions of life may be… any condition is, finally, a spiritual challenge. It is spiritually challenging to be healthy and vigorous. It is another kind of challenge to be sick or disabled. It is a challenge to be rich… and to be poor. Put another way, the challenge of earth life is to live fully as a human, but know that the real you is spirit, which can grow or shrink in response to the conditions of your life.

As Jesus I was fully human and fully God. This can be understood only as a parallel to what I just have said. As Almighty God I gave Myself the human test. I was God and yet I was the Son. Becoming human caused Me to forget some of the reality that was so clear as God or Holy Spirit. And yet I could never forget who I Am. The challenges of “managing” the earth with all of its apparent conflicts, dangers, and complexities do not match that challenge of truly sharing with humans their condition.

The sermon yesterday was a challenge to think about the economic and value problems of your culture. This morning I want you again to see this as a spiritual challenge, much more important than any actual economic happenings. You belong to a culture that wants more… and think it needs more… than you can pay for. And you have taken the debtor’s way. Borrow and have. Borrow and consume. Borrow and be fulfilled.

The projected costs of what you shall want and need in the future are staggering. Still, you have resources, both material and human. Life could be simpler and better balanced. I have little to say about the bounding, bouncing (even falling) stock market. I have little to say about expensive automobiles, $300,000 houses, and high fashion clothes. My message is like unto that for all idolatry: cast away anything that becomes as an idol, commanding attention and devotion. One of your challenges…and of these times… is to enjoy what you have not covet more… to give up that which shall be no more without grief. If you go on this projected visit to Cuba you must observe how this small nation has survived without luxuries. Even as they have officially denied and abandoned Me they have lived in ways I have approved. And thus I have not abandoned them.

You can show forth spirit in the ideal life that you enjoy. You do it rather naturally, but I tell you that this is as a commandment to those who have a hand in Mine. My Spirit must energize yours and you must show forth that spirit as the chief “duty” of your life. Yet be aware of the lurking challenge, which is that of acknowledging Me and letting your spirit shine when conditions are adverse.

The things that you have are yours to possess… or to give up. You could lose your health, as Joe has. You could be in bad financial straits, as Larry is. You could have no job… or you could be denied income that could make your retirement years more secure. You could lose your Farm. These are the threats that are most ominous.

You notice that I do not include losing your faith in and your relationship with Me. And yet the challenge is there – would you continue this “alliance” even as My blessings would seem to be withdrawn? I say that you would. I say that you will be steadfast as a servant of Mine, even in these projected challenging times. You are meeting the challenge of success well, and I have faith in you that you will meet the other sorts of challenges equally well. I tell you of reciprocal faith: you have faith in Me because I have faith in you.