What can you consider to be issues of your life? Is it decision making one of them? What about self conduct, moral values, living right, faithfulness, relating well with others, fulfilling your duties are these also issues of life? I would like to categorize issues of life into two major groups: Spiritual issues and civil issues. These issues are individual are individualistic in nature, they are personalized or customized to personalities not groups or communities. What is an issue with you may not be an issue with others. Each person has his or her own issues of life and would relate differently towards them.
Our moral values and spiritual well being has everything to do with our issues of life. There are people who cannot make their own decisions they are totally dependent upon others for big and small decisions. Without reliable companionship they would fail in life or in the absence of their confidants their life is paralyzed. That is at the heart of issues of life because it involves the mind or what the bible refers to as the heart. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.” Prov 4:23 [KJV]
“As man ‘thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ The heart must be renewed by divine grace, or it will be in vain to seek for purity of life. He who attempts to build up a noble, virtuous character independent of the grace of Christ, is building his house upon the shifting sand. In the fierce storms of temptation it will surely be overthrown. David’s prayer should be the petition of every soul: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.’ And having become partakers of the heavenly gift, we are to go on unto perfection, being ‘kept by the power of God, through faith.’ -Messages to Young People p.285
At the seat of your heart, where decisions are made ‘to do or not to do’ there need to be a preconditioned default and conducive environment for right decision making. This environment is nurtured by your spiritual upbringing and your commitment to spiritual things. We are endowed with the receptive spirit which is being resisted by our sinful frailty. Therefore it requires a preset of the mind in order to be responsive to good judgment all the time. That is where the great controversy between good and evil takes place and it should be guarded at all costs. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom 12:2 [KJV]) Spiritual nurture is a way in which we preset or precondition our minds in preparation for right judgment which is a constant occurrence in life.
When Balaam was faced with a moments’ decision to make, he began by reacting correctly however, he lacked a preset of the heart to stand by his judgment because of momentarily goodies. Look at his initial reaction in Numbers 22:18, 19 [KJV] “And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. He had inquired of the Lord earlier and had been instructed not to curse Israel but he yields by saying “tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.” That was Balaam’s undoing!
“. .Satanic agencies are working in ways that man does not expect. At times he puts on the robes of an angel of light, and many receive him as such a being. If we will link ourselves closely with Christ, Satan will have no power to overcome us. As we draw near to God, He draws near to us, and lifts up for us a standard against the enemy.” -The Gospel Herald, June 1, 1905.
By A. Eliamani
Timeless Principles 