Lessons 9-13: The Laws of Abundant Living
My friend and mentor, Leslie Householder, taught me that there really is such a thing as luck - it’s Living Under Correct Knowledge - specifically knowledge of God’s universal laws. Just as an understanding of gravity makes you happier once you learn it (you no longer dive headfirst off couches as my little brother used to do) so does an understanding of other laws by which God operates. They bring happiness and peace when we live in harmony with them. While they have been discovered and discussed by man, their source is God and they are well-documented throughout scripture.
In lessons 9-13 I cover several of these laws: The Law of Creation, The Law of the Harvest, The Law of Gestation, The Law of Polarity, and The Law of Relativity. While Leslie and I normally start a discussion of the laws with the Law of Attraction (or Vibration), you’ll notice I don’t discuss it in Lessons 9-13. The Law of Attraction has become so popular with The Secret DVD and its exposure on Oprah, Larry King and others, that I decided to hold off on it for now. I will discuss it, but when I do, I want to make sure I handle it in a Christ-centered way.
It concerns me that this law is being taught without Jesus Christ at the center of it. He is the power source. The Law of Attraction is sort of like a communication system. We have two ways to communicate - via the light or via the darkness. Jesus Christ is the SOURCE of all light, truth, and intelligence. Satan is the promulgator of darkness, lies, and deception.
Whatever we give our focus, faith and feeling to grows. This process is how we communicate with the light or the darkness. When we are feeling the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, faith, longsuffering, gratitude and meekness) we are operating in harmony with the Light of Christ - His power from which all good things flow. We are tapping into His power and draw more good to us.
When we lose His spirit (by thinking or doing things that drive it away) we experience darkness, hatred, anger, fear, despondency, ingratitude, impatience and pride. Those emotions draw toward us more of the same. When a person is thinking and acting in this way, what comes toward them isn’t from the Light of Christ. It’s from the polar opposite - the evil one.
This is not to say that everything bad that is brought into your life is because you attracted it or that you thought or behaved wrong. Else why did the prophets suffer? Why do little children suffer? The thing is, we live in a fallen world and bad things happen to good people - regardless. You can be hurt by other people who make bad choices. Illnesses can afflict anyone. But it is in our perception of the things that happen to us wherein our power lies. We can choose to see the good, to find the opportunity, and to let God make it all work together for our good. I talk about this more in Lesson 13.
But there is a lot we can control with our thoughts and actions - by how and with whom we communicate. Stripping these two opposing forces from the Law of Attraction, to me, can lead to pride and arrogance - a trusting in the arm of flesh - that is not only counterproductive, but also dangerous. While I feel everyone may be benefited by an understanding of this law, I feel it is important for those of us who know Jesus Christ to connect the dots for those who don’t. Without Him there really is no hope. Man is not and never will be perfect. No man or woman will ever be able to live in complete harmony with law. It’s impossible to think positive all the time. Toss the Savior from the equation and all is lost. With Him as our central focus nothing is impossible.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I have also become greatly disturbed and disallusioned by how Jesus is left out of the Law of Attraction. Without Him, it becomes just another Eastern Religion dished up for the Western World.
I agree with your statement on lessons 9-13.
And I want to add: You can attract all the goodies in the whole wide world, but without God, and without love, it doens’t mean a thing. In fact, it’s just terribly selfish in the end. If our focus is only on getting all we want, what kind of a person does that make us? As you always say, PUT GOD FIRST!
1 Timothy 6:6-7 (King James Version)
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
March 26th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Excellent point, Karin!
April 23rd, 2007 at 5:18 am
Hi Marnie,
I appreciated Karin’s comments. Karin, I hear your heart; but I heard something from a pastor last week & it echoed what my husband had already said earlier that evening - he is hopeful that he can use the principles of the Law of Attraction in a way of introducing how God wants us to live an abundant life and by putting forth our requests to Him, believing and having faith, that it is ultimately God that we receive the blessings from - not from the Universe! I was very hesitant about the Law of Attraction at the beginning and still am a bit, but I am going to read it with a Biblical approach.
Oh, and I have to add this Marnie in response to your 1st line of this blog - I don’t believe in luck - I believe in God and His purposes!
Blessings,
Brenda
May 15th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Hi Brenda
I am also very interested in the Law of Attraction and read a lot about it. My disallusionment with some of the approaches to the LOA happened over time as I saw how people mainly use it to “get stuff”. It seems to be a way to pray without consulting God - you just intend something or visualise something and voila, there it is. You don’t have to pray to God and ask God for it, trust Him for it. BUT, I do believe it can be applied in a Christian manner because it teaches us to ask with faith, not doubting.