SPIRITUAL
MENTAL
PHYSICAL
FAMILY
FINANCIAL
SOCIAL
INTRODUCTION:
We have six areas of life. Not all recognizes all six but they are
there, nevertheless. One way of looking at the areas is to see them all
on equal terms. For instance,the spiritual area is only one of the
six. This being the case, there is a time for that area (usually on
Sunday) and the rest of the week it is put aside and time to live in the
other five. As Christians, however,we live all our areas through the
spiritual. Our way of life is
Christ centered.
For the Christian the spiritual area is not simply one of the six, but
is the area through which the other five are lived. The way a person
lives in the other five areas depends on his dedication fo God. A true
Christian does not get in and out of the spiritual area. His concern
while in physical time is to glorify his heavenly Father as he gives his
body a living sacrifice in God's
service.
One who is living for God does not get entangled with the worldy affairs
while he lives his pilgrim's life. He does not blend into the world not
*set up shop* while here, but knowing where he is headed he says on the
straight and narrow road to heaven.Any other kind of living is
treating the spiritual area as only one of the six...giving it attention
at certain times, such as on Sunday. You might here someone say, "Don't
bring God into everything." For the true Christian, God is in
everything.
First through the spiritual area comes the mental. The mental area must
be guarded because it is by the thoughts of the mind the other four
areas are lived.
"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." We cannot hide
what we carry in our minds. The thoughts bring forth fruit in our words
and action. If we are living through the spiritual area what will our
minds be fed with and dwell on? Phil. 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever
is true, whatever is honorable,whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any
excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on
these things."
Did you ever find yourself pitying the people who lived long ago, who
had no television, no radio,other forms of entertainment as we do
today? Possibly they were the blessed ones. Their minds were free from
worldly and evil pursuits that many times is broadcast over Television
and radio. Their minds had room to meditate on God's word, and to visit
and interact with others on a
daily basis.
If we do not fill our minds with what comes off television and novels
written today with trashy content,what will we put into them? First
and foremost, one living through the spiritual will want daily to fill
his mind with the word of God.This is how an educated conscience is
developed. It, in turn, guides us as we go along the road to life. The
books we read will be of a pure nature and helpful to our living in the
other areas. We will not want the devil to have a foothold in filling
our minds with the ungodly.
The physical area of life isguided by the mental area. The physical
body is used to carry out the desires of the mental state. Because of
the physical body being the carrying-out vehicle it is important that it
is used and cared for in a way that it might remain in physical time,
enabling us to respond to God's
love, showing Him our love for Him.
When one will live his physical area of life through his spiritual he
will not abuse his body. If this concept is taught little ones early on
they will be less likely to *follow the crowd* in participating in
harmful practices, which usually follow them into adulthood and many
times causes an early shedding of the physical body as they are launched
into eternity too, too early.
The family area is taken, by the Christian, very seriously because the
person who lives through the spiritual knows what God expects from
him/her in the roles given by
Him.
In thinking about the family area much could be said because the family
unit can be complicated when the different roles interact one with
another. To be a happy, godly unit love must prevail. This love is
*agapy*...valuing one another. Without this love among the family
members havoc will prevail. Emotional love is also needed but comes in
second of importance. Emotional love is also needed but comes in second
of importance.
We have always heard that a two-headed leadership in the home will
destroy itself. This is true.The husband (according to scripture)
should take on the role of leadership in the family. The idea of
leadership holds within the idea that the husband/father who shows a
godly example to his family, will cause the wife and children to respect
and appreciate his leadership.
Leadership does not mean he makes all decisions without serious input
from the family. His decisions will be made to benefit the ones he
loves. Calling a *family counsel* before a big decision is to be made
is wise..indeed. The family who loves and respects one another realizes
the man makes the final decision.
What about the wife's role? I would first like to suggest that the wife
is not a doormat. A doormat is an enabler, not a helpmete. It is only
human nature that one will do what one is allowed to do. If a man is
selfish and his wife is an enabler he will continue to act in selfish
ways. As I was growing up women didn't often speak up when their
husbands were acting inapproperatly. They had been taught their role
was to submit...period. Many a child has been abused (physically,
sexually, mentally, or emotionally) by his father because Mother didn't
step in and firmly give her input into the situation. A husband will
listen to his wife when she uses wisdom in her role as Mother. God gave
children two parents..not a father
and a doormat.
"SUBMIT ONE TO ANOTHER."
The financial area is based, being directed by the spiritual area, on
the thought that all money belongs to God, and the person uses that
money for the glory of his Creator.
The Christian understands he owns nothing in this physical life, not
even himself. God owns it all. He also understands that he will give
an accounting for the way he uses God's possessions loaned to him. He
is a steward of God.
How will the Christian use God's possessions? His first responsibility
is to his family. He will meet their needs. Not only the needs of his
immediate family but the needs of his parents in their old age. He will
not put them away for others
to care for, and go their merry way.
The Christian has a responsibility to the poor. He won't turn his face
away as they suffer from lack of the necessities of life. He will count
it a pleasure that he is able to give for their need. He will be a
cheerful giver. There are other worthy projects he can assist in. The
fact th at he knows the treasures of this life will pass away with the
using will be enough of an incentive for him to use his possessions in
God's service. These are the
treasures being lain up in heaven.
The way a family uses God's possessions will be a great teaching tool in
preparing God's little ones to re-unite with him. Their very soul's
salvation might depend on the way they are taught to use God's
possessions. If the family uses the majority of the possessions on
entertainment, or as a means of impressing others their children will be
taught values not please to their
heavenly Father.
As Christians live through the spiritual area of life they realize they,
and they alone, will give an accounting to God concerning the use of
their money. They will never give their money over for others to decide
how to spend it. They will not be albe to say to God when He calls them
for an accounting of their stewardship, "I have at the office."
The social area relates to all relationships outside the family. Again,
the person who lives through the spiritual recognizes the responsibility
he has to his fellow-man. The social area (along with the family) is
the area where the fruits of the Spirit come through. This is the area
where our teaching Christ is most prevalent. Eiother we teach by our
actions and words that Jesus is Lord of our lives, or we teach that we
make that claim but are living
a lie.
The way we respond to those who serve us, such as clerks in the grocery
stores shows our dedication to God. Did you receive too more change
back and did it go into you pocket? Did the clerk forget to charge you
for an item? How did you handleth
at situation?
Once a Christian woman told me she had had a very close friend for nine
years, who was not a Christian. I asked if she had talked with her
about the Lord. She said No, it would have ruined their friendship. If
one is living his life through the spiritual area could he fail to love
the soul of one's friend enough to talk with her about what the Lord had
done for her?
"You never mentioned Him to me,
You showed me not the way to see.
You met me day by day, and knew I was astray..yet
You never mentioned Him to me."
Don't we have an ultimate goal in this physical life? Following in the
footsteps of Jesus? Following in His footsteps is *giving our bodies as
living sacrifices to God."
OUR FATHER'S BUSINESS!
