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Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. While it focuses on Christian teaching, I pray persons of varied faiths will find inspiration here. Indeed, "God" can be whatever image helps us trust in the Sacred, by whatever means Grace touches us each. Please share this ministry with others, and I hope you return soon. There is a new offering daily. And to be placed on the daily OneLife email list, to request notifications of new writings or submit prayer requests, write to barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
Blessings, Rev Dr Brian K Wilcox, MDiv, MFT, PhD Interspiritual Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader, Spiritual Counselor, and Chaplain.
Brian encourages support of the 4-Star Christian organization Compassion, which supports children worldwide; see www.compassion.com .
Opening Affirmation
Go into a brief time of silence, affirming the following: feel the truth of the affirmation: I am free in Christ.
Opening Prayer
Spirit, teach me the true nature of freedom. Lead me in the paths of Life. I give myself to you, as you give yourself to me, to be taught the ways that lead to joy. Amen.
Sacred Scriptures
The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. *Romans 8.2 (CEV)
Sacred Teaching
All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom.
*Albert Einstein
Are you free? Really free? Or, is it possible you are asleep to your own exile? Have you been drugged to spiritual sluggishness by the persons who have defined even freedom for you? This is a question to consider, as we consider the forces that lead to servility of the human spirit. Another way to inquire is: "Were you meant to be a slave of a consensus?"
What leads to bondage of the human spirit? One is what I have said: consensus thought. Consensus thought can be a drug that puts us to sleep. The majority want us asleep - then, we will not cause trouble, we will not contend. We can tag along like helpless, blind slaves, with no will to say "No." Is this what you want to do?
This consensus thought can include national, ethnic, political, religious, gender, scientific ... assumptions, assumed because a majority assumed so? Do you want to serve the majority? Do you want to bow to the "expertise" of the persons many refer to when they say "they said"?
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If you stand beside a 747 jet, you would think, based on mere sight, that the massive plane would be unable to break through the "law" of gravity? That is, the weight would not support the jet flying, for the weight would be too much to be lifted through the force of gravitational energy-field. Nevertheless, when the energy of its engines combine with the "laws" of aerodynamics, the jet is able to lift itself 35,000 feet and move at 600 miles per hour. Gravity is still pulling on the jet. As long as, however, the jet conforms with the laws of aerodynamics, it can remain free of the downward force of gravity.
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St. Paul refers to a law, or binding cause and effect, of sin and spiritual death. Yet, in the Person of Christ, in Whom we know - not about, but know the Way, Truth, and Life - the freeing Spirit, we grow into a knowing of freedom we never thought possible.
To the extent that we comply with the law of sin and death, we place ourselves under servitude to that law. To the extent that we align ourselves with the law of Spirit, we enjoy the blessings of Spirit.
So, we desire freedom from the law of sin and death. And in the spiritual domain, freedom from is freedom to.
This sin is “to err,” while this death is separation from the Life of Grace. This sin and death are spiritual realities. While goodness and life are, also, spiritual realities. We choose. Our choice entails how we will stay attuned to the Spirit making Love, Joy, and Peace possible whatever our life circumstances.
Quietly Responding
1)Define freedom? What are ways you see the law of sin and death camouflaged in the so-called righteous expectations of others? Explain.
2)In your own words define law of sin and death. In your own words define law of Life.
3)In what ways are you aligning with the law of sin and death? In what ways are you aligning with the law of Life?
4)What are some ways you can better align with your soul, with the Love, Joy, and Peace in union with Spiritual Realities?
5)What is one thing you can do today consciously to align with the spiritual Way that brings the freedom to live free of servitude to others and to be a servant to Spiritual Reality?
Blessings! In Love! And Peace to All!
Brian Kenneth Wilcox July 12, 2009
barukhattah@embarqmail.com
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*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. Brian is an ecumenical-interspiritual leader, open to how Christ manifests in the diversity of Christian denominations and varied religious-spiritual traditions. He is Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings or submission of prayer requests at barukhattah@embarqmail.com . Also, Brian is on Facebook: search Brian Kenneth Wilcox.
*Contact the above email to book Brian for Spiritual Direction, retreats, or workshops. You can order his book An Ache for Union from major booksellers.
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