Chapter 12: The Triangle Part Two: The Sliding Scale 2024
Yes, it is a test. Let me tell you a little Jesus story.
Luke 16:19-31
New International Version
The Rich Man and Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
True story, not a parable, I’ll tell you a little about it. Jesus was letting us in on a few things He knew and had seen. At the time of this parable Jesus had not been born. So He was telling a story about Heaven before he was born. Get it? The testimony of Jesus. Part of His story before He was born. Let’s get to the story. Hell, before Jesus, was cut up into two categories, one pain and misery and the other comfort and love where those souls who had been believers of God, awaited the Savior to come. You see, nobody could go to Heaven until they had been made righteous by the blood of Christ. Sinners don’t get into Heaven unless they have been forgiven. Anyway that is another story, this is before all that, and before all that was a chasm in hell between the two places described, the good place awaiting our Lord and the bad place, no way out. Also, in this story Abraham seemed to know Moses and the Prophets, and Abraham was dead long before Moses and the Prophets. The Rich Man clearly knows Abraham, and Abraham was dead long before the rich man lived, how’d these people know each other? It is also clear that the rich man is aware of who he is and has all the faculties of his mind and is concerned for his still living brothers. He remembers what he was like and yet cannot warn any of them of the consequences. This should scare us all, we will know where we are and who we are, Heaven or Hell and will remember for all eternity an important scripture.
Luke 16:15
New International Version
15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.
People say all the time, I don’t like your God, He’s not nice. Well, for better or for worse, He is the only God, so it’s a idea to get to know the rules, because Jesus is the only savior.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 English Standard Version
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
The Sliding Scale is a graph, plain and simple. A measurement of the yield of the triangle and your life, what you consider important and a percentage gauge of those areas. All areas given by God, for the purpose of His glory. Let’s look at the gifts. Five areas of measurement, Mind, Body, Spirit, Business, Family. All areas measure plus 1 through 10 or minus 1 through 10. It sounds like the triangle, but it isn’t, it is using the triangle to analyze each area. Cosmic, right, I thought of it, right? Wrong. I thought of it when the Holy Spirit knew I needed help understanding my life and scripture.
___________I_________I__________I__________I_________
Mind Body Spirit Business Family
The idea is to stay above the line, above zero plus one through 10. To go below zero and into the negative is a recipe for failure. If you’re working a plus 10 in your business and a minus 10 in your family, draw a line from the top plus ten to the bottom minus 10, that line will look like a slide on a playground, right? It is exactly that, a slide, and it represents how fast you will “slide” down the scale, into failure in all areas. Yes, that is the point, if you go past zero into the negative in one area, it will, in fact pull all of the rest of the areas down with it. Working out at the gym Plus 8? Not paying attention to the business, minus 3? Draw a line from plus 8 down to minus three, that’s the angle of your imminent failure if you don’t balance the graph quickly, get that minus 3 up to at least plus one.
The triangle is the framework, the sliding scale is the measurement of the framework applied, based on my choices.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Being born again, is a promise to God that I no longer have the time to do certain things anymore. That every day is precious and it is important that I do the Lord’s work, all of it, not just what I like.
1 Corinthians 13:11
New King James Version
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Psalm 90:12
New International Version
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.
Keep yourself in check. You don’t have time to party, waste time, get with it, use you, “a new creation in Christ” for the duties of a saint, even though none of us are saints, but God calls us and sees us in ways we do not see ourselves.
Revelation 14:12
English Standard Version
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[a]
Don’t pick and choose God’s gifts given to you. Use all of it. They are an action packed protocol to a magnificent life. A powerful programming if I apply myself. Mind, body, spirit, family, business.., what to do with all of it? One thing is for sure, don’t squander such things.
Proverbs 1:7
New International Version
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools[a] despise wisdom and instruction.
Picture it, a graph, hanging right over your desk. Mind, Body, Spirit, Business and Family. Try each day, in prayer, allow the Holy Spirit to blend each of those areas into a day the Lord has made.
Proverbs 2:6
New International Version
For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
If you don’t understand what I’m saying, you’re not listening. And that is why people get out of whack. They don’t do everything required to get the job done, just what is convenient. Everybody has the same problem, pay attention!! All of us fall prey to “I’ve done enough,” “what do you expect, I’m only human,” “God, will understand, He made me this way.” I call it “it’ll do, Lou.” Stop! The job is not to underachieve, “may it never be” as Paul says. The job is to do what needs to be done, consistently. Mind, Body, Spirit, Family, Business.., do the work, let the Lord bring knowledge and wisdom …, learn through the experience He gives you. And oh yes, the whole business of “He only gives you what you can do,” not true, He gives me the impossible so I know the difference between what He can do and what I can do.
The impossible is in the hands of the Man upstairs as my grandpa used to say, “just wait and see what He does”.
A rancher knows when his fence lines have been knocked down. There’s a predator to blame and things are not safe. Not only does the rancher need to repair the fence, he has to find the predator or the herd is at risk. Same with every part of your life. If I’m not working the triangle, predators get in. Look at the sliding scale and be real with yourself. Without correct checks and balances all people are foolish. Revolution/Evolution, Revolt against yourself and evolve. Definition of balance? Revival!
Revival: Restoration to Life, consciousness, vigor strength
Awakening: The act of waking from sleep, A recognition, realization, or coming into awareness of something…
Sliding Scale, don’t go below zero in any area, just keep it in the plus, even a little bit is better than below zero.
Psalm 39:4
New International Version
“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.
Simply put: Not engaging chapter 12 is like driving across the desert without a gas gauge in your vehicle.
Galatians 1:11-12 New International Version
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
Chapter 12, Part One “The Triangle”, five sides, mind, body, spirit, knowledge and wisdom. Part Two “The Sliding Scale”. Measuring your work in the areas of Mind, body, spirit, family and business. If you don’t get this chapter, you’re not paying attention, set down whatever you’re doing and listen to it on the podcast, just you and a headset, alone, working your life. Revelation 2221.com, lucky you, it’s there every week, waiting patiently for you to figure out what’s important. It’s real and so is Heaven, there’s nothing in between Heaven and hell, except the right now. And the right now is up to you. Remember zero is not the bottom, there is a whole lot of real estate under zero, and none of that is profitable.
Philippians 4:13
English Standard Version
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Amen.
