a Four Door Faith: Door One: the Mind

port: a door • a door: the mind

when i was just a young boy, i awoke from a nap time dream
i had dreamed that i could fly -- in my dream i had
the greatest time soaring around the house
i couldn't wait to show my parents
my kid brother
everyone
the whole world
"i could fly!"

when i woke up
i thought to myself -- i can fly!
i believed it -- i can fly!
i said it -- i can fly!
and then

i did it!

i climbed on the edge of the couch, i held my arms in front of myself
like superman -- and with one mighty leap!
for one spell binding moment!
i was airborne -- but only for a moment
as i crashed
face first to the floor below

yes, i tried it a few more times before the reality sunk in, i thought -- hmm, i can't fly... i believed it (finally) -- i can't really fly... i said it (sadly) -- i can't fly... i didn't try it again

In this 4 part series we are talking about a four door faith:

"The doors of faith which usher us into the faith experience"

here we are talking about the door of the mind
our thinking!

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

There once was a father who had two sons. One of his Son's came to him
and said, "I want my half of the family inheritance now!"
The father gave it to him.

The son thought:
I am trapped in my father's house
I want what is coming to me
I deserve better than this
I want to be free
Living here with my father is bondage

• He thought it
• He believed it
• He said it
• He acted upon it

So, the son took all of his money and moved far away from his family.
There he spent his money on wild living, and he lived the life of a
wealthy, fun-seeking party animal.

He thought:
I deserve to have any desire I desire
I have plenty of wealth
I can go on like this forever
I am really living now
This is freedom!

But, in time, his money ran out.
And to make matters worse a famine hit the land.
So, the son had to find a job.
He ended up working on a pig farm
feeding pigs.

He was so poor and so hungry that one day he looked at the slop he was
feeding the pigs and he thought about eating it. Even pig slop looked
good to him now.

He thought:
I am poor
I have nothing
I am a nobody
I'm so hungry that
Even pig slop looks good to me

But, then one day -- he came to his senses!

He thought:
Hey, even the poorest of the workers in my father's house eat better
than I do?
I could go home and ask my father to hire me as a slave?
I am not worthy to be my father's son anymore
I will go home

And so he went home.

While he was walking home, his head hung low, his feet bare with
poverty, his clothes ragged and worn....

His father saw him in the distance.

His father ran all the way out to him and grabbed him
and held him
and cried and cried!

Even in his father's loving embrace,
the son thought:
I am not worthy to be his son
I am a disgrace
I will ask to be one of my father's slaves

The son began his prepared speech:
"Father I am no longer worthy to be in your family, but if you would
hire me as a slave...."

But the son could not finish his words, his father spoke to his
servants:

"Quick! Bring the best clothes and put them on my son! Put a ring on
his finger and bring him new shoes! Bring the best food and wine!
Prepare a feast! Let us celebrate!

Hurry! This is my son who was once lost to me, but now he is found! It
was as if he were dead, but my son is alive!"

And so, they celebrated.

This is what Christians call "The Good News!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

In the Beginning
the son thought he was trapped by the father
he thought the father was holding back from him
he thought the father did not have his best interests at heart
he did not know that his father loved him

When He Ran Away
the son thought he had an unlimited supply of wealth
the son thought nothing could happen to him

{we too think we have an unlimited supply of "life" but the truth is,
our life span is limited. we too can think that nothing will happen to
us, but there is no such thing as certainty in this life. the events
of 911 should make that way too clear to all of us}

When the Money Ran Out and the Famine Came
the son thought that he was doomed to poverty
and that he was a mere pawn in the cruel game
of life's circumstances

When He Came to His Senses
the son thought that he could find help with his father
but he would have to become some kind of
slave to his father

When He Came Home
the son discovered that he had a place in this world
the son discovered that his father loved him
the son saw what rights, riches and responsibilities
he had always had with his father

A. he was welcomed in as a son -- and enjoyed all the rights of a son!
B. he was given a nice clothes, shoes, and a feast -- riches!
C. he was given a ring -- this meant power to do business on the
families' behalf -- responsibilities!

We call this the Good News, because every human has a place, a home,
rights, riches, and responsibilities awaiting them in the house of our
Father

The Door of our Thinking
but our thinking can keep us far from experiencing or enjoying the
life we were meant to live!

Some people think that faith is magical, mystical, or only
supernatural. But faith is truly ordinary and very natural

there was nothing wrong with the door of the son's thinking
it was the thoughts that came through the door that enslaved him

funny isn't it -- in seeking to keep from being a slave -- he ended up
seeking to be a slave? how tragic!

the thoughts that came through the son's mind -- made their way from
his thinking into his believing -- from his believing into his talking
-- and from his talking into his experience

Faith Works the Same Way for You and I

• if our thinking is distorted
• our belief systems get distorted
• our talk gets distorted
• and our lives get distorted

and we miss out on all that we were made to be

"Faith comes into our lives by hearing, and hearing comes through the
Good News"

It all starts with the door of the mind

may God richly bless you!

peac4d.
Amos Dettonville

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