Perfecting The Spiritual Instrument That Is The Compass Of Our Soul

How do we know which direction to travel in, while taking a long trip and driving on strange highways?  Well, you either need to have a map or a compass, and now-a-days the best instrument to have when on a long trip is a GPS locator, which downloads constantly your position from satellite data.  My wife and I were on a trip through Mexico a while back, and we found ourselves in Saltillo, Mexico.  On one occasion we got lost, possibly because there were not many street signs and identifying features of locations written anywhere in some of the places in Mexico.  Others are just fine now and clearly written for people passing through.  We stopped I imagine a dozen times within an hour, asking for directions.  It seems that everybody we asked gave us some different opinion of direction, weird turns to take, and it lead us nowhere near the main highway.  Finally after winding around and around and getting more confused, we did find the main signs leading to the autopista, or main thoroughfare. 

Life, it seems, tries to imitate confusion sometimes, leading people around and around and not actually getting the compass of your soul turned into the straight and narrow, the actual beneficial direction that is the most benevolent and profitable to receive God´s blessings.  You actually need some type of spiritual or mental instrument that will align your soul into the yearning for a true compass heading that is recommended by God.  He has given us guidelines to help perfect our spiritual instrument, which is the compass of the soul.  We all have free will, the ability to choose what path we will follow.  The Holy Bible is such an inestimable gracious gift from God that it can be consulted over and over again to help us attain the right direction in life.  If we just read and study the laws and principles that God has given us through Jesus Christ, we will always be headed in the right direction in life.  Getting your mind and heart constantly tuned into applying those principles is another thing.  The Christian actually has to make a conscious effort to follow Jesus.  You can give a man a fish and feed him for one meal, but if you teach him to fish, he can provide for himself, if he is so capable of working at it.

Resisting temptation and overcoming evil is not entirely left up to someone else that tries to help us, nor is it ever easy.  All the angels and all the saints in heaven looking down on us will not align the compass of our soul to always choose the right direction in life.  You have to make your mind and your heart seek out and yearn for the teachings of Christ.  His word is applicable and consistently helpful for every situation in life that you come across.  Learn the passages in the Bible and memorize or study the situational ethics that Jesus gives us in his parables and direct teachings, to be able to help determine what decisions to make on every situation imaginable.  If you are comfortable with knowing the scriptures, answers develop automatically and result in very authentic benevolent solutions that create better outcomes for all things in life.  Prayer always works, and once you learn what Jesus taught to his disciples, you then know how to pray and what to ask for, and sometimes the Holy Spirit will actually pray for you, already knowing what you need most.

Romans 8:26

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Romans-8-26/ 

John 10:9

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” 

 https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-10-9/ 

 John 10:27 - 10:29

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-10-27_10-29/

2 Timothy 2:15

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/2-Timothy-2-15/   

Mark 4:11 - 4:12

11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Mark-4-11_4-12/ 

Mark 4:14 - 4:20

14 The sower soweth the word.

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. 

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Mark-4-14_4-20/ 

Mark 13:31

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Mark-13-31/ 

Once you hear the word of God and receive it deep within your heart, keep it always memorable, so that it is constantly profitable for all teachings and all situations.  The compass of your soul will then constantly seek to follow and know more about Jesus Christ, always hearing and recognizing His voice in all your travels through life, with His spiritual memories guiding you in all your decisions.  Witness for Christ today.  What are you waiting for?

April 27, 2023

Cliff Rhodes Christian Ministry