Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 28:3-20; 31:1-6 (day three)
Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?
The spiritual side of reality is nothing if not consistent with the material side. Except for being dead, Samuel is his same old self, delivering his same old word to Saul: No. Really, of course, Samuel is alive—just not occupying the same dimensional space as Saul anymore. But the thing that we often get a little fuzzy on is just how much these two sides of reality affect each other. We act as if the life beyond this life is a kind of fancy reset button. Turns out, though, that Jesus really knew what he was talking about: Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven. In other words, this life really matters eternally. Live accordingly.
God’s standards for His believers are the same on earth and in Heaven! The world is changing and will continue to change but God’s standards are unchanging and will never change. God has not changed for thousand years.
I am convinced that we may experience some pressure to change in order to be accepted in a changing society so the challenge for us is how to live our lives in a way that will meet God’s standards and to have joy, peace and happiness among humans. I call this phenomenon physical and spiritual integration.