Spiritual Advantage with Sam Stone

Today, we have an important message from Jesus Christ that we all need to hear, especially at times like this.
I have been watching updates on the war in Ukraine several times a day this week. I am sure all of us have. We all are concerned about our neighbors and the ramifications of the war.
At the same time, we must learn NOT to let the negative situation affect our minds because it will then affect our health and well-being. After all, we already have had two years of the pandemic. Will the stressful situation ever end?
There are two kinds of stress: acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is good for you. It’s like exercising, playing sports, or accomplishing a challenging project. You get stressed out for the moment, but it goes away afterward, and you feel relief.
That kind of stress boosts your strength and vitality. Stress makes your body release cortisol, a hormone that regulates your metabolism to handle stress. However, too much cortisol is not good for the body.
So, prolonged or chronic stress is destructive. According to the medicine, chronic stress or too much cortisol can cause:
Chronic disease: high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and other chronic diseases.
Weight gain: stress can shift metabolism to store fat.
Lack of energy: it can impact sleep quality and length.
Difficulty concentrating: chronic stress reduces productivity.
Impaired immune system: chronic stress can hamper the immune system, making it more difficult to fight infections.
Inflammation: it causes the body to develop aches and pains.
I used to have all of them, but now I have recovered from almost all of them.
According to recent statistics, about 90% of doctor’s visits have to do with sicknesses stemming from chronic stress. It seems that if Satan cannot make you sin, he will make you stressed.
How do we live in a fallen world and not let it affect our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being? How do we live wisely through trying times? How do we not let our lights grow dim by the force of darkness?
Jesus said you are the light of the world. Then, how do we keep shining in dark times? The negative news will evoke negative thinking, and negative thinking dims our light and weaken our well-being.
If there’s a fast way to switch your mind from negative thinking to positive thinking, would you learn it? We all need it now because we live in an anxious world.
The good news is Jesus has given us a piece of profound wisdom for times like these in today’s scripture lesson. So, let’s begin.

There’s a cute childhood fable that most of us might still remember.
A rabbit is sleeping under a tree, and suddenly he hears a loud noise. It is so loud that he thinks the sky has fallen, so he starts running. On the way, he meets a deer and tells her, “The sky is falling. Run!” The deer becomes anxious runs with him.
They meet a tiger on the way and tell him, “The sky is falling. Run!” So, the tiger starts running with them. Then they meet elephants, wolves, cows, and soon animals from the entire forest are running. Suddenly, they see a lion standing facing them who stops them from running.
“Tell me what’s going on,” the lion asked. Everyone was anxious, “We must run because the sky is falling.”
“Who says the sky is falling?” the lion asks. “Everyone.” The anxiety is rising.
“Everyone?” The lion tracks it down and discovers it is the rabbit who started it.
“Show me.” The lion asked the rabbit to take them back to where he started.
The anxiety of the entire forests rises even higher. No one wants to go back because they are supposed to be on the run before the sky falls. However, in reverence to the king of the forest, they walked back.
When they arrive at where the rabbit slept, they discover it is under a coconut tree. After some forensic observation, the lion concludes that a big coconut fell from the tree and landed on the dry leaves, which made a loud noise. For a timid rabbit, it sounded like a sky fall.
Have you ever heard this fable before?
I think it depicts the reality of this world. Everyone is anxious to some degree, emotionally running around like crazy, especially after a prolonged pandemic and threat of global war.
The lion represents equanimity, the opposite of anxiety. Equanimity is similar to serenity, but serenity just means calm and peaceful, but equanimity means level-headed. The first part of the word gives us a clue “equa” means “equal.” So, equanimity means balanced, level-headed, and sober-minded.
Dr. Edwin Friedman called it “non-anxious presence.”
If you want to live happily in this anxious world, you must develop equanimity. Equanimity does not just allow you to resist the contagious anxiety of society but also enable you to influence others, just like the lion’s non-anxious presence that dissolves the anxiety of the forest.
In other words, equanimity gives you internal peace and external leadership. Today we will look at an example of equanimity from Jesus Christ and learn how to attain it. This is a very important message for all of us. Let’s begin!

When I was young, I always wondered why Jesus was able to fast for forty days. Most people gave me an easy answer, something like, “Because he was God,” but I called it a lazy answer. I had a lot of questions about Jesus’ forty days of fasting that no one was able to give me a satisfactory intellectual, biblical, scientific, or spiritual answer.
Why did he fast? Why was it so important for him to go through that? Is it important for us to fast? How did he fast? Did he drink only water? When did he fast? Did he fast only during the day? However, the Bible said,
“He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.” (Mat 4:2).
That means he fasted for entire days. It also says he was famished by the end of forty days. That eliminates the divinity argument. If Jesus’s forty-day fasting was to prove his divinity, why would he be famished? Like any human being, he felt hungry.
Later I found out that even most pastors cannot answer these questions, partly because they don’t fast and partly because they don’t know how to. It has become a lost art.
In Judaism, this month (February) is part of Shovavim Tat, a Jewish Lent for six to eight weeks of fasting—six for regular years and eight for the leap years. That is 42-56 days of fasting. I’ve found out that less than one percent of Jews fast for this season. Many of them don’t even know about this tradition.
That’s why I said fasting is a lost art. Most Jews or Christians, Rabbis or Pastors, don’t know why, how, when, and what about fasting. That’s why they are not able to teach people to fast. So my quest began some years ago to learn about fasting.
After many years of research and personal experiments, I can tell you that fasting is a fantastic experience. Today, we have a great deal of scientific data to back it up. I am so sorry that many people today have misunderstood the great value of fasting.
You have missed out on a great spiritual adventure if you have never fasted. So, I want to introduce the lost art of raising your IQ, EQ, and SQ. Your Intelligent Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Spiritual Quotient (SQ) will soar, and you will never be the same again. You will see fasting as enjoyment rather than torture. Let’s begin.

You are getting a Black Belt and have become a spiritual warrior after this step. If you have followed the series and practiced the steps to heaven on earth, you are at the highest point of spiritual fitness: Enlightenment, which we discussed last week.
However, Enlightenment is not the final step to spiritual maturity. You need one more step beyond Enlightenment: Endurance. The reason is we live in a world of darkness, and when you shine your light in the dark, you disturb the evil force, and it will try to take put you out. An enlightened person is a threat to this dark society.
For example, Abraham Lincoln shined his bright light on the darkness of his days, and he was assassinated. Marti Luther King, Jr. shined his bright light into the darkness of injustice, and he was murdered. Jesus Christ, the light of the world, was crucified. There are uncountable examples like that in human history. Jesus said,
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!” (Lk 13:34).
A prophet is someone who enlightens the society of their time. They are what Jesus called “peacemakers.” If a holy place like Jerusalem cannot contain the prophets, don’t expect the rest of the world to be better.
I don’t mean every peacemaker will have the same fate as the above-mentioned saints and prophets. I am just highlighting some extreme cases to demonstrate the nature of the beast. You must be aware that this dark world does not welcome your light. The path after enlightenment is as rough as the path before. That’s why Jesus said you must carry the cross “daily” to follow him.
If you want to have a comfortable life, go with the follow of the fallen world. It means that if you get up in the morning and find your life is running smoothly, you may be heading the wrong way. The brighter you shine, the more likely you are persecuted by the dark forces.
Jesus does not want us to be like a straw fire that flames out in a short moment, but he wants you to shine forever. He said,
“And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” (Jn 15:16c).
To bear the lasting fruit means to shine your light for eternity. So, he offers us the blessing of Endurance. The good news is that his method of endurance is easy.
Before we continue, let us refresh our memory of the Eight Steps to Heaven on Earth. They form the acrostic CAREFREE:
Consciousness
Abandonment
Reliance
Edification
Forbearance
Refinement
Enlightenment
Endurance
Jesus has taught you a very simple way to sustain your success as a peacemaker. Let’s explore his secret of Endurance through today’s scripture lesson.

A friend posted on Facebook, “Don’t pray ‘Our Father’ on Sunday and live like an orphan the whole week.” I think that’s both funny and enlightening! It triggers a question about how often I live like an orphan during the week. Are you aware of how many days of the week you live like an orphan?
Even as a pastor, I noticed that I have orphan-like moments even though I am primarily busy preparing for Sunday, small groups, prayer groups, personal devotions, and meeting with believers. I can imagine that it must be hard to maintain the consciousness of being children of God for those who spend time with God only on Sundays.
It reminds me of Boney M.’s song, “Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child.” I wonder how many people feel like orphans during this prolonged pandemic, especially when away from the church.
“Don’t pray ‘Our Father’ on Sunday and live like an orphan the whole week.” See, a simple statement like that could kindle a series of enlightening thoughts bringing awareness to something you have never noticed or forgotten.
Enlightenment is awareness. Some are just small awareness, and others can be life-changing. It’s like a lighthouse shining into the sea, bringing awareness to the danger and attention to the location. Sometimes, awareness comes early, and other times, it comes late, like a rude awakening. So, we want enlightenment to come as soon as possible.
Everyone wants enlightenment because, without it, you feel like groping in the dark. We live in a fallen world swimming in the sea of suffering. Enlightenment makes life easier and allows us to stay afloat or walk on water.
The English word “Enlightenment” has a double meaning: it means the state of being enlightened, as well as the action of enlightening. It means learning as well as teaching. When you learn, you get enlightened, and when you teach, you enlighten others. That double meaning is also quite enlightening!
You can only reach a limited level of enlightenment by learning. Sooner or later, you must teach in order to learn. Teaching is a form of learning. When you study for Ph.D., you are required to teach about 120 hours to graduate. Teaching enlightens you deeper and broader.
As a Teaching Elder, I have been teaching for over 26 years now, and I feel incredibly grateful for what I learn by teaching. If I were to start over, I would do it again, even without pay. You can’t put the price on enlightenment. I would encourage anyone to teach. I started teaching Sunday School when I was in high school. That’s when I realize the value of teaching.
So, I encourage you to pick up opportunities to teach—Sunday School, Small Group, Support Group, preaching on the pulpit, mission trips, or whatever provides you with the teaching opportunities. It’s for your enlightenment.
We have covered six steps to heaven on earth in the previous six lessons, primarily by learning or enlightening yourself. Now, it’s time for you to enlighten others to enlighten yourself further. How do you enlighten others? Let’s unpack what Jesus taught us in his seventh blessing from the Beatitudes.

Recently I finished reading Perry Marshall’s new book, “Memos from the Head Office.” It receives nearly 100% five-star reviews. It’s about how entrepreneurs consult God to make business decisions. It’s rare to see a business book written by a bestselling author in business talking about God. Since the word “God” carries a lot of baggage, he chose the Head Office.
That is a very practical book about communicating with God. You don’t have to be in business to enjoy this book because it can be applied to your daily life. If you want to align your life with God’s will, learning to communicate with God is a blessing you must seek.
At times like this, when we are socially distanced due to the prolonged pandemic, our close contact with God is essential to maintain well-being and sanity. God is not just an imaginary friend to keep you company when you are lonely. According to Jesus, he is a practical guide, counselor, and advocate for your daily life, relationship, and leadership.
In fact, Jesus said that you could see God if you meet the condition. That is what the sixth blessing is about. We have talked about five blessings in the past five weeks. If you have followed the steps, you are about ready to see God at this stage. Let’s review the steps.
Consciousness: without consciousness, there is no progress.
Abandonment: we must abandon everything that keeps us from moving forward.
Reliance: we learn to rely on the abundant resources available for us to move mountains.
Edification: edification feeds our spirit just as education feeds our mind.
Forbearance: forgiveness and tolerance are the only way of living a holy life.
Refinement: how to condition our spirit to see God. That’s our topic today.
Enlightenment: Next week’s topic
Endurance: The week after next.
If you put them all together, it forms the acrostic CAREFREE. Carefree is not the same as careless. It’s childlikeness Jesus repeatedly told us to live—a life free of stress and anxiety so that you can shine your light brighter and broader and live life to the fullest as Jesus promised.
Now, let’s proceed with today’s topic on seeing God based on what Jesus taught.

Business is warfare. To be an entrepreneur, you must learn the Art of War. Sunzi’s Art of War says that all warfare is based on “deception.” For example, when you are weak, you must pretend to be strong so that the enemy might think you are strong and surrender without a fight. When you are strong, you must pretend to be weak so that your enemy will be underprepared, so you can easily win.
Without deception, warfare will be like a dog fight. Even if you win, you will suffer casualties. So, deception is a lesser evil in warfare to reduce collateral damage. Today, I have heard most MBA students around the world have to study Sunzi’s Art of War because business is warfare—a game of deception.
Every deception erodes our integrity and puts weight on our conscience, consciously or unconsciously. As a result, some people prefer to stay away from the holy ground, consciously or unconsciously. Simon Peter was a businessman, and when he discovered Jesus’ divinity, he asked him to go away.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).
We know Peter was always authentic. He never hid his feelings from the moment he appeared in the Bible to the time he was crucified upsidedown. Would it be nice if there was no God? Then we can do what we want and don’t have to worry about exposing our skeletons in the closet.
We all want to live with a clean conscience and deal with everyone with integrity. We all want to do what is right, but we suffer guilt and shame when we miss the mark. Entrepreneurs are warriors who shoot more, so they miss more. Therefore they suffer more guilt.

According to Mencius, the great Chinese philosopher, you need three advantages to be successful in life:
Spiritual Advantage
Local Advantage
Social Advantage
Let me explain from the bottom up. Some people are born with a Social Advantage, such as having wealthy parents or well-connected relationships with higher-ups. However, you don’t have to be born rich or well-connected to have Social Advantage because you can build Social Advantage by learning people skills. In that case, you have a 33% chance of success.
Secondly, if you live in a good location, you have the Local Advantage—as the real estate slogan says, “Location, location, and location!” For example, if you live in the United States, you are in the land of opportunity. Some people risk their lives to come here. So if you can manage to move to a beneficial location or somehow turn your location to your advantage, you have another 33%, making 66% total. However, this is not as easy as building social skills.
Now, if you add the Spiritual Advantage, you have a 99% success chance. The good news is, having the Spiritual Advantage could overwrite some other disadvantages you may have.
Spiritual Advantage means having divine favor. A person with divine favor is destined to succeed in life. Even if you don’t live in a good location, even if you don’t have good social skills, Spiritual Advantage will make up for those disadvantages. I am sure you have seen some people like that. They look quite stupid, but they turned out to be successful beyond expectation. Maybe that’s why Mencius put it at the top of the list. Jesus said,
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Mat 6:33).
It means if you have the Spiritual Advantage, everything else is taken care of. You become one of the luckiest people in the world.