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.
Category: Encourage
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.”
Imitating Jesus
As we exercise our spiritual capabilities, they expand.
Meditation Thought: “He who believes in me will also do the works that I do.” (John 14:12)
Jesus came to teach us the way, not just preach about the way. He is our example; therefore we can learn to imitate Him – but in order to imitate his results, we must imitate his works. That includes the attitude (willing, self-sacrificing, compassionate), the spirit (listening to the Father and obeying Him), and the action (travelling where the need is, doing whatever is needed to bring comfort and healing).
As we exercise our spiritual capabilities, they expand – just as exercising our lungs expands our capacity, or exercising our muscles makes them grow. We must keep using our capabilities, or they will atrophy. Therefore, we must stay in prayer, practice diligently what we learn of God, seeking constantly for new enlightenment. As we have results, we will be encouraged, and try even harder – and the deeper the channel we dig for God’s love and power to flow through the more “works” will be accomplished through that channel.
Listen More
Put your mind at rest now that you know how to proceed.
Meditation Thought: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) and “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
If I remain alert to His leading, and am obedient, He will have me be a doer, for I will recognize and acknowledge the true Giver, who is using the attributes which He gave me. I can be happy in what I am doing, but must remember that what I’m doing has no meaning aside from obedience to God, and I must constantly check to see that I am on the path where He wants me to be.
Perceived reply: “Oh, my child, relax – I did not give you qualities which I want to use to cause you distress and doubts. I gave them to you to further my kingdom, to the extent of your willingness to dedicate them to me.
Listen, listen more than you ‘do’; this assures our harmonious working together for a common goal, and should enable you to push aside doubts and fears, as you concentrate your energies with a devotion and dedication that shuts out evil forces. Do not try to proceed to the work without fully understanding the instructions, for that is where danger lies.
Put your mind at rest now that you know how to proceed. Spend adequate time in reading My Word, and communicating in prayer, in serving others as a privilege of serving Me, and be open to my instructions through all channels. This formula will not fail, for your energies will all be dedicated to Me, and not siphoned off in useless contemplation.”
Heavenly Wisdom
We learn patience, and trust, as the heavenly wisdom does its work of oozing into the situation.
Meditation Thought: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18) Also pertinent is “By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.” (James 3:13)
Qualities of heavenly wisdom:
1. Meekness
2. Pure
3. Peaceable
4. Gentle
5. Open to Reason
6. Full of Mercy
7. Full of good fruits
8. Without uncertainty
9. Without Insincerity
The wisdom that is earthly is:
– bitter jealousy
– selfish ambition
– unspiritual
– devilish
– false to the truth. (See James 3:14-15)
Look at the qualities of heavenly wisdom – they are almost all foreign to our quick reactions when we experience attack, or when we perceive what we believe is foolish – unless we have come to know and to trust God as His principles are revealed. If we walk in the flesh, we use worldly wisdom, and are confused when the results are frustrating. It is a strengthening experience to set aside our human emotions of annoyance and desire for revenge, and to act in heavenly wisdom – for the results are not immediate, at least usually.
We learn patience, and trust, as the heavenly wisdom does its work of oozing into the situation, of gradually – by a replacement process – changing the situation and the results of it into something positive, something good for all, whether or not it is perceived as good by the participants – for to those who love God and believe him and act on that belief, every situation will, by prayer, and by “heavenly wisdom” action, be changed to be good for His believers. With God there is no defeat – but His respect for free will is so great that often His wisdom is seen by us as more of the “turtle” speed than the “hare” speed; nevertheless the result is the winning of the race.
Turning From, Turning Towards
Your task is to learn of My methods, of My attitudes, of My will in general and My will in particular – and then in prayer, in yielding to the Spirit, speak and act.
Meditation Thought: “For it is God’s will that by doing right, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (1 Peter 2:15)
“Take your cue from Me – I only invite, suggest, touch lightly, lovingly. The response is left to the one touched. But it is when you are behaving in imitation of My ways that the response is likely to be positive – a response which will turn one from selfishness, from foolishness, from sin – toward love, consideration, wisdom, respect, righteousness.
Your task is to learn of My methods, of My attitudes, of My will in general and My will in particular – and then in prayer, in yielding to the Spirit, speak and act.
When you are in this state, you are doing My work, and when you are doing My works, it will not be in vain.”
Meditations of Marie's Heart 