[asa] How to be perfect, as we all must be to see God

> I think we can hope for the best ---- but expect (and plan for)
>the worst ---- from each other and from the social institutions
>fallen humans devise.
>
>"For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what
>he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
>

All,

Jesus said "Be ye perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect."

The way to do that is to put love, the Spirit led love that knows
what is needed at every moment,above every other value, including the
truth about the universe and other people's sins and intellectual
failings.

The truth that we must concern ourselves with first and foremost, as
believers, in order to keep from being like Martha, worrying about
many things, including Mary's supposed sins, or the Pharisees getting
ready to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, is the truth about our individual
selves. Socrates was right. Know thyself.

The way to find that truth and keep it before ourselves is to pray
that prayer that Jesus gave the disciples in Matthew 6 and Luke 11.

As He implied, do it every day. Don't pray it mindlessly. Think it
through, every phrase in light of what is going on with yourself now.
Ask Him to reveal to you the sins your are unaware of, and the people
you haven't forgiven, including where you haven't forgiven God or
yourself.

And know that you will have to keep praying it for the rest of this
life, and that it won't keep you from suffering. It will just clean
you up some every day.

External evil will still get a crack at you, sometimes in terrible
ways, but you will have asked Him to deliver you from all but the
suffering that He needs to purify you at the pace and in the ways
that He, with perfect love, chooses.

And having now faced all this unpleasant information about ourselves
(and the information about me is very unpleasant indeed), what do we
do? Do what Jesus said to do a few verses later in Luke 11. Ask for
the Holy Spirit, as much as you can stand in your present state,
whatever that is.

Like Dave Barry, I didn't make this stuff up. The disciples asked.
Jesus replied and told them to pray it. Just do it.

I would suggest that before the discussions go on, everyone who
hasn't done this today should go off to that private place that He
indicated we should pray this kind of prayer, and do it.

And then just do it every day. You can leave that credit card at
home, but don't leave home without this.

I have been doing this for a while now, after suffering rather badly
for a long time, and I am finding now that I can't keep from laughing
at all kinds of things - myself, God, other people when it won't hurt
them, dogs, cats - you get the idea.

The praying didn't end the suffering - the Physician just decided
that the present surgery was over and the patient needed a break.

Blessings on all of you,

Preston

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Received on Tue Feb 17 23:53:18 2009