Dear All of Us,
This week
more than ever
I write
straight
FROM THE HEART
from my heart
right to yours.
I ask your patience.
This is going to take
generous
consideration and focus.
I ask that together
we give
mind-time
and
spirit-expanse
to it.
It's critical.
I'm painfully
concerned
for all of us.
Concerned
we darn well need be
these dangerous days.
Concern yes.
But worry and anxiety no.
They just compound
the problem
and deplete
our response reserve.
Worry and anxiety no.
Sadly though, so many are
painfully anxious right now,
worry weary worn.
There's such anxiety
about what's being
taken away and
what is replacing it.
In painful contrast
there's such anxiety,
disguised as satisfaction,
about getting rid of much
and reordering much other,
yet worried and anxious
down deep that
it may not work or hold.
Here in my homeland
- USA -
we are in
the early stages
of a massive
Cultural Revolution.
Half of us are for it.
Half of us are not.
This seismic social
shift and split
has unmoored
much here
and worldwide.
In different ways and
for different reasons,
just about all are anxious,
admitted or satisfied.
We embody the very
root meanings of
anxiety:
(L) "anxius" = distressed, troubled
(Gk) "ankho" = to choke
And here comes Jesus:
"Don't worry about things...
For you already have life and a body...
Will your worries add a single moment to your life?...
But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well
(your needs) and will give them to you
if you give him first place in your life
and live as he wants you to." (1)
(alinement with Reality)
Friends Right,
Friends Left,
Friends Middle.
Do we give God
first place?
Are we living
as God wants?
God is no fool
and
we dare not fool around.
Jesus is bluntly clear.
He's certainly not
fooling around.
Here are the
now measure
and
forever results
of the
anxiety free
Kingdom Living
Jesus offers,
by giving the Father
first place
and
living
as he wants us to
or
not doing so:
"I tell you the truth,
whatever you (do) did for
the least of my brethren,
you did unto me." (2)
There is a
divine equivalency.
Treating others
is treating God
for good or ill,
giving God
first place
or not,
living as the Father
wants us to
or not.
That's the measure.
The ultimate results are
" Inherit the kingdom"
eternal fulness
(wondrous heaven)
or
"Depart from me ...
into the eternal fire"
forever nothingness
(that will burn like hell)
each depending on how
we treat God in others. (3)
Jesus is crystal clear
about the measure:
"Do unto others
as you would have them
do unto you." (4)
By what I do to and
don't do for others
I am directly doing
or not to God,
I am giving primacy of place
to God or refusing it.
Let's turn that round
to see it
ever more right:
whatever we want
is a guide good to
what and how we
treat others:
- I don't want others
to have way more
than needed and me
not having enough
to make it,
so I will...
- I don't want others to force
their preferences on me,
so I will...
- I want safety, good education,
adequate medical care,
clear air, clean soil,
a decent standard of life
for me and mine,
so I will...
- I want others
to recognize I am
a child of God and
treat me as such,
so I will...
- I don't want others to have
privilege or preference
over me,
so I will...
- I don't want others forcing
their conscience on me,
so I will...
- I want society to be structured
and experienced as
a family not as a
competitive corporation,
so I will...
- I don't want to be
media-mental-moral-mad messed,
so I will...
- I want genuine religious freedom,
so I will...
- I don't want The Common Good
to be restricted to select strata,
so I will...
- If I'm ever down and out
I don't want to be thrown out
on the street,
so I will...
- If I ever become mentally ill
I don't want others
to run away from me,
but get me help,
so I will...
- I don't want to be deported
just because I'm white
and was born here,
so I will...
- If/when/as I get poor, old,
handicapped, "different",
I don't want to be ignored,
hung out to dry
so I will...
- And.............................
so I will...
If we love others as ourselves
we are giving the Father
primacy of place,
we are living as the Father
wants us to,
we're loving God,
"God is love...
There is no fear (anxiety)in love...
But perfect love
drives out fear(anxiety) ..." (5)
As already said, these are
dark, dangerous times.
A lot is coming down and undone.
A lot more is to come down and undone.
It's a ride to we know not where.
Concern for sure.
"Be wise as a serpent
and as guileless
as a dove" (6)
Practically
we can do little
to right a world
being spun backward.
A select few
dominate the controls
BUT
anxiety, worry
on our part
won't change that.
They are
wasted energy,
missed life,
disconnect from God.
To hell with anxiety!!
To heaven with
Godly Life
in loving community,
personal, practical,
shared
with
care for the least and all.
Whatever
the particulars
where we live
may we give God
first place
in our lives
and live as
God wants us to.
For all of us
I pray it
FROM THE HEART
right from my heart
to yours.
Thanks for giving extra
Soul Time
this week.
I'll make it up to you
next week.
Promise!
With a bit of effort
I can actually can be
brief in word
but
never in love for you!!
God Bless
Your brother
John Frank
******
(1) Mt.6: 25-27, 32-33
Living Bible translation
(2) Mt.25:40
(3) Mt.25:34 & 41
(4) Mt.7:12
(5) 1Jn.4:16,18
(6) Mt.10:16
******
AN AFTER THOUGHT
Some may say what about
studying scripture,
contemplative prayer,
spiritual community,
stiving for social justice,
working for planetary survival
as ways to
mystical union with God?
The answer is, for sure.
They all lead to, support,
flow from
LIVED IMMEDIACY
WITH GOD
That happens out here on
the street of everyday life,
face to face with God as we are
face to face with those in need.
We're so close and busy with
LIVING GOD LOVE
that we just don't have time
for anxiety.
This is not to say that
just everything will be
honky dory, pain free,
smooth going on Easy Lane.
No way
Empire is making hell.
It hurts big time bad.
Hurt is one thing.
Useless anxiety is another.
We get to start heaven
in the midst of hell.
******
WELCOME ALL
to
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
This week we were
joined and blessed
by many new folks.
Thank You!
******
NEXT ONLINE POSTING
Tuesday morning/afternoon
East Coast USA time
April 15, 2025
NEXT EMAIL DELIVERY
Friday
April 18, 2025
******
See you next week.
Love to all.
God Bless,
John Frank
