Moral and Spiritual Diseases and Their Cure
Greetings, brothers and sisters. This is Dr. James Perry continuing with our series where we seek to
explore the deeper meanings of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years, the heavenly
Father has revealed many revelations of spiritual truth to me, and I want to share them with you. This
morning we ponder our lives as seek to understand the meaning of moral and spiritual diseases and
their cures.
And now, sit back and listen to today's message.
Moral and Spiritual Disease and their Cures
"Jesus said, 'Verily verily I say unto you, whosoever comittetteth sin is the servant of sin. And
the servant abideth not in the house for ever: But the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore
shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.'" John, Chapter 8, Verses 34-36
Brothers and sisters, while there is an absolute moral standard, they are relative on all levels short
of the absolute standard of the heavenly Father. A decision that has moral or spiritual qualities
produces disease only when the person is being untrue to his own internal standard of these moral
and spiritual qualities. Generally moral and spiritual diseases are not recognized as such by today's
society. And this is because of the failure to recognize that moral and spiritual realities--though
separate from material reality--are real and carry consequences when the laws governing their
existence are violated just as surely as material realities carry consequences when the laws governing
their existence are violated. Since moral realities involve conduct, it is bound to have an effect on
the material aspects of life. And since spiritual realities involve the attitude that determine decisions,
it also is bound to have an effect on material-based reality. In short, though these realities are
separate from material reality, they pervade, influence, and alter material reality through the
decisions that they cause to be made or not made.
When a person presents with a moral or spiritual disease that manifests itself in the form of a
physical ailment, society begins to look for a physical cause, and not finding one begins to postulate.
They assert some genetic basis for the affliction to explain why others are not afflicted with the same
physical manifestation. And thus is born the concept of having a disease that is never fully
understood, and equally never fully cured. Those who manage to maintain some control over these
illnesses must spend a life of constant watch care and avoidance of the chosen stimuli that
precipitates the behavior that causes the disease.
Moral and spiritual diseases are defined as all of those negative influences, deleterious habits, and
practices that result from either failing to do one's duty or failing to identify that duty with spiritual
purpose. The outward manifestation of this is an individual who is making himself sick and cannot
stop. We also believe that while ignorance may play a role initially, the experience and consequence,
first internally and then externally, is of such a nature as to cause eventual recognition of the true
nature of the problem.
At some point the individual makes a conscious choice to continue on the course that he has chosen,
in violation of his own internal moral and spiritual standards. There are many reasons for this
decision, but at the heart of the matter we believe lies the soul-destroying harvest of rebellion
propelled by selfishness. Sometimes rebellion can be subtle as well as glaring. Rebellion can have
its inception at being wronged or mistreated, of being morally mishandled by those entrusted with
guidance and direction. Rebellion can be initiated by the self who refuses to acknowledge the law
of life. Rebellion can be initiated by the refusal to acknowledge a higher power, God as the
controller, source, and destiny of all true reality.
Sometimes, in a human situation, unfairness may characterize the circumstances, and sometimes
spiritual reality may not be recognized. But regardless of the circumstances that we find ourselves
in, there is still a right response that is required. And we don't dispute that some of these right
response bring to a screeching halt the purely personal plans of a person who is stuck in this
disquieting situation. Regardless of the spiritual ignorance, the lack of failure to identify the source
of the divine impulses, urges and desires, these impulses are still there for the choosing, and
ignorance does prevent one from choosing them. One does not need to be told the impulses, desires,
and urges emanating from the divine spirit are in fact from the divine spirit in order to choose them.
The self has the power to recognize and choose these impulses whether it recognizes the source of
them or not. The self can in fact choose good over evil.
Only rebellion prevents the choosing of righteous decisions, the desire to have one's way
irrespectively of other obligations or requirements. A life without spiritual direction is a life that is
aimless and without sustaining and fulfilling purpose. When human beings rebel against the moral
mandates and the spiritual guides, they create disorganization within their very being. This
disorganization is reflected in the mind as a restlessness of an unpleasant nature. "The wicked flee
when no one pursues." In an attempt to escape this incessant turmoil of the mind and soul, the self
begins to pursue distractions, distractions that deviate from the true purpose of the functions of the
self. And immediately we can discern the moral and spiritual diseases as they are manifested in the
outward life. We can immediately discern the divorcement of decisions from their rightful function.
This is a very pernicious process and spirals downward to ever increasing depths of darkness and
eventually moral and spiritual death if not reversed.
But there is a way of reversing the devastating effects of rebellion. No matter what depths the person
may have fallen, as long as the power to choose remains, he can choose the path of righteousness.
As Jesus said, "Verily verily I say unto you, whosoever comittetteth sin is the servant of sin. And the
servant abideth not in the house forever: But the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make
you free, ye shall be free indeed."
In considering the technique of curing moral and spiritual diseases, we must first understand that
there must be first a sincere recognition of the wrongful motive, the thought, and then the decision
that launched the individual unto the road of darkness and despair, masquerading in the forms of
deleterious physical habits and practices. We should remember that if we sincerely repent of our
misdeeds and truly seek the Father with all our hearts, there is no force that can keep us chained to
the ball of moral and spiritual bondage. And we find the Father through His Son, Jesus. As Jeremiah
said, "Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me wit all your heart." In other words
the search for the Father has to be the supreme goal. Nothing else must take precedence over this
search. We believe that when an individual is suddenly delivered from a moral or spiritual disease,
that the divine spirit reaches down to the soul and reintegrates and redirects the soul towards the
divine paths of truth. This cures the malady of mind and spirit, and the intolerable turmoil vanishes.
When the turmoil vanishes and the insatiable hunger is satisfied, there no longer exists any desire
to pursue decisions that lead to moral and spiritual diseases.
All who undergo this process are destined to be delivered from all moral and spiritual diseases. And
what a refreshing state to be in. You no longer make your self sick because of the violation of moral
and spiritual laws. The Son has set you free.
This concludes today's message on understanding the meaning of moral and spiritual disease and
their cures. We hope you find something in this message to ponder and pray about as you go about
your day.
Until next time, this is Dr. James Perry
Inspirational Messages
By Dr. James Perry
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done!
Moral and Spiritual Diseases and Their Cures
