Lord, Give Me Sales!

Lord, Give Me Sales!

ACTUAL CASE HISTORY: Following the merger of her New York-based regional bank with another bank perfectly located at the Midwest, Rhonda felt herself on "very thin ice." She'd been the Director of Branch Placement for eight years, using a staff of sixteen reporting to her, plus a challenging position she loved. Prior to this job, she worked just as one accountant for any mid-sized real estate firm. From there, she'd been recruited into her current position, which combined her abilities in data assembly and analysis together with her literal enjoyment in the field of real-estate, from branch location identification, to lease negotiation, to strategic acquisition and renovation. She'd also created a term for herself: everyone in the bank considered Rhonda a rising star. Until, that's, the merger.

Wait... that didn't appear that can match it should have. That's not actually the great news. What I meant is that because all of us are descendants of the first man, Adam, at birth most of us inherited his spiritual condition - that is a dead spirit, a spirit disconnected from your life of God. In other words, we were born already mired in sin; and also, since we possessed that inherently sinful nature, we were going to ultimately 'lose.' Lose what? Everything. Regardless of any amount of 'good deeds' or outward 'success' we managed to accomplish in this life, we'd no reward looking forward to us on the other side except eternal damnation and separation from the Source of all life and good (Luke 18:19; John 1:4; James 1:17). Nothing we might ever acquire on our own would even commence to give the redemption price essential to save our souls (Matthew 16:26). So, because with the curse from the Law which had dominion over everyone people if we arrived about this earth, in an exceedingly real way we were all born and going to lose (Galatians 3:10).

This Buddhist teaching story, which goes back 100's of years, contains great wisdom because it's discussing the primitive ego that resides in all of  primitive (immature) ego of our own very young inner-child. Until we acknowledge the use of this part of our unconscious psyche, and learn the skills forced to tame it, achieving wisdom or happiness can be really, quite challenging. Some say impossible.

Eventually he or she is comfortable enough to discover a seat and occupy permanent residence in the home with the scornful. He mocks Christians who strive toward Christlikeness and disdains the loving rebuke of his pastor or friends. He considers himself to become relevant, in touch and complicated. Yet, he's living being a fool and it is useless inside kingdom of God.

Even if unfortunately we cannot know very well what it is, unconfessed sin increases the enemy right in law. We are not always conscious of the way we offend, and even the way we ourselves are already offended. Usually, sin arises from either. Acting out of offense might cause an electrical struggle. Many times, a lot more powerful than ourselves. Seeing the faults in others is not hard, but confessing our very own faults takes strength of inner character that may act in response to an alternative person's need. That need is acceptance negative credit knowing who they may be. No one is perfect, but a majority of are innocent, for we receive the world with emotions, but without knowledge. Those who are wise in their own eyes are deceptive, functioning on offense. Then the innocent ones stand gaping you can be so cruel. Now, an option is posed so they can choose. Will they be offended in exchange? Offense is the sin of pride, so we must guard our hearts against relentless feelings swelling into our souls. The burning feeling gets a foothold. This foreign power can take over, an idol not to worship but defy. The battle is made for our souls. We must engage a stronger power, Holy, from on high. For it is better for the people, who cause innocent ones to sin, to have a large millstone hung around their necks and turn into drowned in the depths with the sea. Such a graphic picture of power stronger than one's self leading into darkness for many eternity! Rather, we need to rush to forgive and listen, than give destination to a situation within our souls, that regardless of whether we chose, there would not be enough power for all of us to switch this thing disguised to make us think this is apart of ourselves.