What State Are You In?

Dinner, Discuss, Dessert


Hello ladies. Welcome to the mansion. I must apologize...I forgot to do dinner, discuss, dessert last Sunday. Do forgive...


Dinner: The Teagues had steak, mashed potatoes, and peas. Yum. I usually add a recipe, but the dinner is pretty self explanatory this Sunday.


Discuss: What "state"are you in? At the current time, I am in the state of Alabama. In three weeks, I will be in the state of Louisiana. I am often in the state of Illinois (Shrine Hospital). I visit the state of Texas several times a year. I also visit the state of utter chaos several times a day. Many days, I am in a state of distress. There have been days when I have been in a state of ruin. What state are you in?


Today, our pastor discussed our "state." Very interesting. He proposed that we were in one of three states...Natural, Carnal, or Spiritual. So...let's look at this a little further and see where we are.


The "Natural" state. In the Greek this means "unrenewed." 1 Cor. 2-14 "The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can't receive the gifts of God's Spirit. There's no capacity for them. They seems like so much silliness." So...the natural state would be one in which a person has not received God. This person can't understand the ways of God or the ways of those who know God. This person has not been renewed by the Spirit.


The "Carnal" state. In the Greek this means "wordly." 1 Cor. 3:18-20 "
Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Here, the carnal state would be one in which the person is renewed but still living of the world. This person may know God but keeps worldly options open. Straddling the fence, so to speak.

The "Spiritual" state. In the Greek this means "filled with and governed by the Spirit of God ." This person is inhabited by the Spirit. Ephesians 5:8-9 "You groped your way through the murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. " The spiritual state would be one in which a person is filled with Christ and does everything within his/her power to live for God. This person seeks the narrow way. This person is continually being filled by God's word. This person is running over with God's love.

So....what state are you in? I would love to say that I am in a continual "spiritual" state. But, that would not be true. I vascilate between carnal and spiritual.

As I move from the state of Alabama to the state of Louisiana, I am also going to strive to move daily from a state of carnal to a state of spiritual.

Dessert: The older Teague kids made chocolate chip cookies. Yum....See????

And that is all ladies. Have a wonderful Sunday evening. I will see you all back here on Tuesday for Trash to Treasure.