Category: Encourage

Think Lovely

To think on that which is lovely is to produce that which is lovely.

Meditation Thought: “Whatsoever things are lovely… think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

The seen reflects the unseen. The body reflects the mind. Actions reflect the will. You can control your will: will to reflect the image of God to the best of your ability at any given moment. The most effective way of perceiving God’s images in order that you may reflect them is to observe the evidence of Himself in the world: that which is lovely – ‘love-ly’, pertaining to love; not just beautiful in an aesthetic way, but reflecting the qualities of love: willing to think of others before self, considerate, orderly and not chaotic, effective in adapting to other’s personalities and needs.

To think on that which is lovely is to produce that which is lovely: both in that which is observed and in the observer.

Do not concentrate on a flaw in either another person, an object, or yourself – concentrate on all that is pleasing according to God’s definition of pleasing; this definition is clear as revealed by Christ. Delight in the Lord and all created by Him, and the qualities of His nature revealed in the Word and in the Man! This is to ‘think on lovely things’!

No Anxiety

…the key to releasing faith that works, converting it from passive faith of possibility into active faith of moving mountains. 

Meditation Thought: “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

If you already have everything you desire, how can you need to seek? To ask? To question? To move on? Life is movement; death is still.

It is good to need to request, for in the process the relationship is strengthened. Always – in heaven and on earth – appreciation is heart-warming, and creates an atmosphere of acceptance on both sides.

When we can turn in prayer for everything in our lives, confident that our prayers are heard and answered, then we are not anxious, but thankful. We are able to be thankful before our petition is granted.

The appreciation for what we already have, and the confidence that our Father desires good to continue and increase in our lives by His power and grace, is the key to releasing faith that works, converting it from passive faith of possibility into active faith of moving mountains.

Delightful Freedom

Oh, the excitement of knowing we are loved and cherished.

Meditation Thought: “Rejoice in the Lord.” (Philippians 3:1)

To rejoice in the Lord is to think about the Lord, thank the Lord for blessings, trust the Lord to protect, guide and be with us. The concentration of our joy on the relationship with our Lord is to release joy in every other area: for ourselves, for all whose lives we touch, for the Lord also.

Oh, the excitement of knowing we are loved, we are cherished, not for our position or what we do, but because we are spirit of God’s Spirit.

We must move from the position under the law of forcing ourselves to do right out of fear, to the position under grace of accepting our freely-given love and forgiveness and then in delightful freedom from sin’s burden and recognition of love’s beauty, rush in eager anticipation to do right. Thus doing right moves from a resented, “poor me but I’d better do it anyway” attitude to “I’m so lucky to have the privilege of doing right because it’s such fun and the results are fantastic – for me, and for others too!”

A Compelling Mystery

No longer must we plod along, confused, not knowing where to turn  – discouraged by set-backs, lacking hope of better things to come.

Meditation Thought: “… a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 2:16)

We are not justified by mechanical acts – but by the inspiration of the awareness of our spirit to the revelations of the Spirit, and an appreciation of what these revelations mean to us: totally new life. No longer must we plod along, confused, not knowing where to turn  – discouraged by set-backs, lacking hope of better things to come.

For Jesus came from the Father to teach us the meaning of our existence – and the extent of it: not just our physical self and environment, but the glories and joys of the spiritual self and spiritual environment.

No more that the surgeon’s observation of the physical parts of the brain can discern the thoughts and memories contained therein, can our pursuit of the physical aspect of life reveal the meaning of life – the purpose toward which it leads.

To be touched – however lightly – by the significance of Jesus’ sojourn on earth – is the beginning of the possibility of life in a totally new dimension. If we have the energy and the courage to respond to this touch, we are started on a compelling mystery, a constant challenge, and a revelation of knowledge and feelings and actions previously uncomprehended.

Our hope is in Him, our strength is in Him, our knowledge is in Him, our love is in Him: The Father gave Him to us, and He came, sacrificing willingly all His power, glory, will, that we might be saved from sin and reconciled with the Father. He came to show us the way back to the Father and of the Father: we cannot deny our inheritance: we are born of the Father.

 

Float Trip

Living with Jesus is like floating on water – we let Him support us. We can only succeed in floating by being completely relaxed, letting the water do the supporting – and our arms need to be outstretched – we cannot just hug ourselves.

Big Brother

…my big brother Jesus would know what to do in this situation. Let me check with Him and I know then I’ll be taking the right action.

Meditation Thought: “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50)

“I’m a relative of Jesus” – what a statement to be able to make! Of all the name-dropping, that has to be the ultimate statement. And, yet it is true – as we, through faith in Jesus as Savior, accept our Father as our guide, our Creator, our loving, indulgent parent, and we obey Him as such, we are born into His Kingdom and His family just as surely as we are physically born into this world. And His Son is surely part of His family!

Maybe we should think more in terms of making decisions, going through a process such as saying to ourselves: “Well, now, my big brother Jesus would know what to do in this situation. Let me check with Him and I know then I’ll be taking the right action.”

The heavens rejoice at the expansion and maturing of the family of God. It is enough to know that this is so; we do not need to know why it is so. We rejoice because our Father rejoices as He delights in our obedience. Our delight and joy become contagious to one another; we want to continue this happy time, this happy relationship. There is only one way to do  it – we must do as our Father requests – in a manner of trust, pleasure, reliance and eagerness, as well as performing as competently as we are able.

Voice in the Din

There is so much joy and peace and pleasure and excitement and fulfillment to be distributed.

Meditation Thought: “What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.” (Matthew 10:27)

“I would whisper to all if they could but hear me above the din of the world – but all cannot hear, for they do not yet know to listen for a voice apart from the din. I need you to work within the din, to get attention so that you can then attune others’ ears to my voice.

Be sure you listen carefully to My voice, heeding my instructions, before you call attention to yourself, that you might be using the most effective manner of both getting attention and then re-focusing that attention to Me. There is so much joy and peace and pleasure and excitement and fulfillment to be distributed – I want to blanket the world with it, but I cannot force it, or the pressure will smother instead of provide comfort.

People must reach out for the “comforter” – My Kingdom – but you can call their attention to the gift being available for their asking. Start to automatically work in each relationship, no matter how casual the encounter, to fulfill that aim. Relax, smile, enjoy the gift that you posses, and I will guide you each moment to speak and act appropriately to the heart of everyone you meet.”

Flying Lessons

Do you know that I created you to love you, to interact with you, to have adventures with you?

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, the will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)

“I am here. Do you believe Me? Do you realize that you could not exist if I had not created you? Do you know that I created you to love you, to interact with you, to have adventures with you? You do? Then base your thoughts and your actions on these promises. This is the key to the kingdom.”

 

Construction on the Base of Mercy

Do not look back to the old; that is now buried.

Meditation Thought: “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand saying to you, ‘fear not, I will help you.'” (Isaiah 41:13)

“We will take all the trash which has accumulated in your life and I will bury it with my mercy so deeply that it will not surface to ruin the shining new life to be built on top of my base of mercy. Do not look back to the old; that is now buried. Take the new materials of construction which I hand you: they are far more beautiful than the materials you were using before.

You will need to work hard to learn to use new tools and new materials – but what a beautiful, glorious edifice is built when you come to me for tools and materials. It is so lovely, so appealing, that none can resist wanting one as lovely – and when you are asked how to build such an edifice, you can lead them to Me that I can give tools and materials to them also. And so, a community of lovely edifices is built – one enhancing the other, all to My glory and My pleasure – all to the peace and pleasure of the builders.

Dream, work, and enjoy – think of these separate activities as cogs in the whole, content at the movement of the moment yet award that there will be other moments, other pleasures – but all pleasing to Me and to you.”

What was Impossible Becomes Possible

You must see yourself as part of a great Body, able to accomplish miracles which would not happen if you think of yourself as an isolated cell.

A sense of response to meditation on several verses and a devotional:

“My strength shall pour into your limbs, into your heart, as a transfusion. What was difficult before shall become easy, what was impossible shall become possible. The ‘greater works’ shall be done through you and through the other members of my Body as my strength surges through that Body.

You must see yourself as part of a great Body, able to accomplish miracles which would not happen if you think of yourself as an isolated cell. Seek that interconnection with the other parts of the Body and coordinate with the rest to cause the whole to function as it was created to function. The Head wants the Body to function, it does not want it paralyzed! Respond to the impulses from the Head so that the Body will be active – not only active, but vibrantly active.”