Do not Love the World (10-27-08)
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does. Comes not from the Father, but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man that does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:16
The above statement from 1st. John requires us to be in the world, but not of the world, easier said than done. In a way, I got out of the world 19 years ago when I left the rat race in Cleveland, Ohio and moved to this 55 acre, remote ranch in the mountains of Colorado. For the first five years I did not need to have a regular job and became quit a hermit. At the end of my first five years, I had two problems, I was running our of money and I did not know how to love my neighbor as I loved myself. For the last 14 years I have had job, the last 7 years my son Jeff has been working with me. We have done well with our HVAC testing and balancing business. Jeff is going to take over the business in two years when I again retire.
I plan to work part time but am looking forward to spending most of my time isolated from the world. I am looking forward to getting back to telling time by the seasons instead of by hours and minutes. The longest I have ever stayed here without going to town was 3 months, during the winter of 93/94. I love being alone and never get cabin fever.
I plan to continue my quest for ways to tell others about the benefits of Positive, Right Living. I plan to continue posting my thoughts on my Blog hermitmike.wordpress.com and my web site @ www.HermitMike.info. I hope to write books and post them on my web site for people to download for free. I do not want to sell my books. I do not believe I should sell the ideas I was given for free, besides I already have a continuous flow of blessings from God.
Should I share Maple Hill Ranch?
I have a great desire to live here alone, away from the world and its ways, except for my writing, but would I bet passing along the great love I am receiving from God? I know if I stop giving away part of the material blessings I receive from God, the supply will dry up. I am planning to cut back on my giving so do not receive so much so I can live a simpler life. But is my writing enough? What if I stop trying to give away the great love God gives me every day, will God’s supply of love dry up?
This small cabin is large enough for me, but I obtained a “Conditional Use Permit,” a couple of years ago, to build an additional 2,700 sq. ft. house on the property. If I am going to live alone, it does not make sense to build another house. I also have plans to build several cabins on wheels to take advantage of the loop hole about county building restrictions. I would place the cabins on wheels in hidden areas of the property. The remote cabins can not be rented, but I can let people stay there for free on a limited basis.
The initial six goals of Positive, Right Living are suggested ways for individuals to fully develop their physical and spiritual life to the fullest. The seventh goal is how we can each need to spend the rest of our life being lights to bring others to Christ by showing the love of God in our daily life. How can I show the love of God if I am isolated away from the world? Is my writing enough?
If I build the big house and a half dozen cabins on wheels, I could host about a dozen people without needing to become a full blown dude ranch, I will not charge for people to stay here. I will not take donations, they can repay me for food, supplies and such, or they can work for their room and board. I may need to become a non profit religious organization of some kind. I need to keep males and females apart, except for couples that do not want to be swingers. I do not want to start a commune, but maybe I can come up with another name. I would like to only have women guests, but I will need to become a eunuch to be on the safe side. I would not mind becoming a eunuch if it would stop hair from growing out of my nose and ears. I wonder if I need my prostate gland removed also?
Be in the world, but not of the world.
With the price of land in this area at over $10,000 an acre it is hard to find a place to get out of the world and its ways. It is possible to be in the world and not of the world. It would take a change of mind, heart and soul, which is difficult to if we live in a busy city, working with a bunch of turkeys, when all we want to soar with the eagles. If people could learn and apply the seven goals of Positive, Right Living in their lives, they could greatly change their life and become a light to bring others to Christ by their examples.
It took me five years of living alone to get away from the world and its ways, but I did not know what I was doing or where I was going. I doubt a week or two will be enough for others to see the advantages of a simple life in the woods, but with the right instruction and a week or two every year or so, people could learn what they need to know. It might be possible to get people pointed in the right direction in only a couple of weeks.
The spiritual principle, “Give and we will receive, pressed down and overflowing,” works every time, but only if we expect it to work.
I have a great desire to live here alone, away from the world and its ways, except for my writing, but would I bet passing along the great love I am receiving from God? I know if I stop giving away part of the material blessings I receive from God, the supply will dry up. I am planning to cut back on my giving so do not receive so much so I can live a simpler life. But is my writing enough? What if I stop trying to give away the great love God gives me every day, will God’s supply of love dry up?
This small cabin is large enough for me, but I obtained a “Conditional Use Permit,” a couple of years ago, to build an additional 2,700 sq. ft. house on the property. If I am going to live alone, it does not make sense to build another house. I also have plans to build several cabins on wheels to take advantage of the loop hole about county building restrictions. I would place the cabins on wheels in hidden areas of the property. The remote cabins can not be rented, but I can let people stay there for free on a limited basis.
The initial six goals of Positive, Right Living are suggested ways for individuals to fully develop their physical and spiritual life to the fullest. The seventh goal is how we can each need to spend the rest of our life being lights to bring others to Christ by showing the love of God in our daily life. How can I show the love of God if I am isolated away from the world? Is my writing enough?
If I build the big house and a half dozen cabins on wheels, I could host about a dozen people without needing to become a full blown dude ranch, I will not charge for people to stay here. I will not take donations, they can repay me for food, supplies and such, or they can work for their room and board. I may need to become a non profit religious organization of some kind. I need to keep males and females apart, except for couples that do not want to be swingers. I do not want to start a commune, but maybe I can come up with another name. I would like to only have women guests, but I will need to become a eunuch to be on the safe side. I would not mind becoming a eunuch if it would stop hair from growing out of my nose and ears. I wonder if I need my prostate gland removed also?
With the price of land in this area at over $10,000 an acre it is hard to find a place to get out of the world and its ways. It is possible to be in the world and not of the world. It would take a change of mind, heart and soul, which is difficult to if we live in a busy city, working with a bunch of turkeys, when all we want to soar with the eagles. If people could learn and apply the seven goals of Positive, Right Living in their lives, they could greatly change their life and become a light to bring others to Christ by their examples.
It took me five years of living alone to get away from the world and its ways, but I did not know what I was doing or where I was going. I doubt a week or two will be enough for others to see the advantages of a simple life in the woods, but with the right instruction and a week or two every year or so, people could learn what they need to know. It might be possible to get people pointed in the right direction in only a couple of weeks.
