Category: Faith

Your Soul Finds its Worth

To lift up your soul to Me is not to deprive yourself – but to cause yourself to thrive.

Meditation Thought: “Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8)

“Surely you shall know of My love, and I will teach you the way to go. I have sought your soul – ever since I created you, hoping that you would choose to respond to My love – respond so fully that you would “lift up your soul” to Me. How I long to enhance your soul – to make your soul, and thus your total being, beautiful and fruitful. To lift up your soul to Me is not to deprive yourself – but to cause yourself to thrive, to come into a maturity of being that makes visible the bountiful harvest of life. For I cherish your soul; I give your soul all it needs to be its very best. How you can rejoice that you place your soul in My care!

It is this very act which Jesus sought by His sacrifice to bring about. He longed for your soul to be lifted up to Me. Your doing so brings Him great joy. Your doing so lifts Him up also, as He dwells in you. By your act, you express your appreciation to Him and your love for Him. How could you better please Me?

In pleasing Jesus, in pleasing Me, you also please yourself. There is no conflict of interest when a soul is lifted up to Me. Yes, bring your soul to Me that I may care for it. Start each day with lifting your soul up to Me as you lift your body from the bed. You shall not be disappointed with the results – nor shall I, nor anyone whose life you touch.”

Lavish Goodness

Even if others have cause to worry, you do not.

Meditation Thought: “The righteous will surround me,
For You will deal bountifully with me.” (Psalm 142:7)

“I shall deal bountifully with you because I love you. The more clearly you perceive My love, the more effectively I can minister to you – for your joyful acceptance of My love and My care and My guidance is what I need to bless you as I desire to do. To lavish all that is good upon you:
Wisdom
Knowledge
Self-control
Generosity
Grace
Beauty
Peace
Joy
Love
Understanding
Excitement and
Enthusiasm in appreciation of all creation.

Continue to seek My Word and My will. This is the most prolific harvest available: the production of all of the above blessings from your seed of seeking My Word and My will.

My Word, however, is not all that is available to you. Jesus has released “super power” into your spirit that you may may mature more quickly, completely, and more fruitfully.

You have this assurance: In everything I work good for you for you love Me and are called according to My purpose. Even if others have cause to worry, you do not – your strength to cope with anything is unlimited when your spirit is yielded to My Spirit in faith and hope and love.”

Understanding God’s Love and Protection

Come to realize that when you turn your eyes toward me, you are not turning them to a distant point, but inward to your mind, your spirit, your heart, and your body.

Meditation Thought: “For my eyes are toward You, O God, the Lord;
In You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.” (Psalm 141:8)

When your eyes are on me, you have total refuge and total defense. This is because in me you find knowledge, wisdom, guidance and strength.

Come to realize that when you turn your eyes toward me, you are not turning them to a distant point, but inward to your mind, your spirit, your heart, and your body. It is in these places that I’d dwell, through your faith in Jesus Christ as your savior.

The more you comprehend that we are so close together, as arm in arm the more effectively you can perceive my will

You have been conceiving of me as separate from you. Conceive of me as close as anyone can be to you, in body, in mind, in sympathetic understanding of common emotions, in a rapport of having similar character.

In this way, you’ll be able to feel my presence in you, and will be able to live the life of the new creature in Christ.

You are my beloved child, for whom I not only would sacrifice my own life, but I did! This is how much I love you! This is the extent to which I go to ensure you’re having a place of refuge and a sure defense. Now, do you understand the scripture for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and a sound mind?

This spirit, which I have given you in response to your faith in Jesus as savior is the Holy Spirit: the spirit of power and love and a sound mind.

The purpose of the in-dwelling Holy Spirit is to blend you and me together into such close association that we become as one in thought, in word, and in deed.

No matter the circumstances, no matter the intent of evil, or those who are ignorant, always those who have their eyes on me, and my spirit within, living resurrection out of death, good out of harm, and rescue out of peril, for I am their defense. I am power, I am love, I am sound mind, and no foe can overthrow these.

I Don’t Understand; You Don’t Desert

I suppose that is the prime distinction between the Father and the child – the knowledge of the whole.

Meditation Thought: “I give thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart… and give thanks to your name for the your steadfast love and faithfulness. (Psalm 138:1-2)

I am the child, and you are the Father. In my limited experience I cannot understand the full consequences of not obeying Your requests, nor of heeding Your suggestions. So I err – and suffer – and learn; at least hopefully.

You do not desert me in my times of need. I don’t understand Your operating procedures enough to know why sometimes You allow natural consequences of people’s actions to occur, and at other times You miraculously intervene.

I suppose that is the prime distinction between the Father and the child – the knowledge of the whole.

I need to be rescued from the sickness of downheartedness and lack of faith this morning. I trust that I shall be rescued!

I go now, Lord, to seek Your will and do it – please allow me to experience Your steadfast love and faithfulness this day. Amen.

Finding Strength Through Faith and Perseverance

For now, know that
Each choice shapes your future
And trust.

Meditation Thought: “Your name, O Lord, is everlasting,
Your remembrance, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 For the Lord will judge His people And will have compassion on His servants.” (Psalm 135:13-14)

“Faith” is not a word,
nor a feeling
It is a determination to focus
Upon the highest, the best that you know.
It is living as if
All is right.
The very intensity
of concentration
Upon the Good, the True, the Beautiful
Generates power,
Releases the vision
From the future
And moves it
Into the “now”.

Use your gifts
Of mind, body, spirit,
Freedom of choice
To bring the vision
Of the kingdom
Into the reality of the world.

Many examples are set before you.
One Example overshadows all.
Do not despair that you are not perfect.
But rejoice that you can be as similar
In thought, in word, in deed
As you are.
In faith, in hope, in confidence
Move on: trying, experimenting, coping,
To comprehend perfection
And to desire it
Is to improve your status –
Whether you reach the goal,
Or fall short,
The effort, and the results produced
Shall be worth more
Than sitting, seeing no goal.
It is better to strain in vain
Than to atrophy in place.

One day you shall
See clearly the whole,
The movement, the results.
For now, know that
Each choice shapes your future
And trust that
“The Lord will vindicate his people
And have compassion on his servants.”

Unparalleled Companionship

Upon my invitation, God does not rule me; He nourishes me.

Meditation Thought: ““Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.” Acts 9:34

Peter did not seek to have Christ dwell in him for the purpose of power to do miracles – he sought Christ to dwell in him because Christ promised him that he would come if the would invite Him. He didn’t know specifically what would happen when He was given priority in his life – but he knew that he could trust Him.

I too seek to yield whatever authority I have to Jesus for He brings the authority of God into my life – not to be domineering and autocratic, nor even take over everything for my own good. No, the Father’s authority is the shelter of my life.

God does not rule me; He nourishes me. When I know this, and when I recognize God as the One who
Cherishes me,
Protects me,
Encourages me,
Comforts me, and
Guides me into the best places for me to be, then I can yield my authority willingly, trustingly and knowledgeably to the authority of Jesus Christ within me.

He is the most desirable companion possible with whom to move through the years of life in this world. If God is for me, who can be against me?

The Power of Patience

And so I have hope.

Meditation Thought: “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.” (Psalm 130:5)

I am not God. I do not instantly know the truth of any situation. Therefore, I must wait for the Lord’s instructions to me that I may act in wisdom. I can have hope because I know:
– The Lord loves me – He created me in His image and therefore He cares about me and for me.
– He has given me the ability to learn what He would desire that I know.
– He longs for me to become knowledgeable about ‘the way things are’ and He has hope in my discernment to act accordingly.

I can rejoice in the situations where I realize that I am learning what my Father desires me to learn and I can hope even in the midst of situations which are displeasing to me – whether due to my own mistakes or whether they exist for the opportunity of my learning and growing. Eventually, and in either event, when I seek the Lord’s will, and His help, and His strength, the situations all change into circumstances which bring glory to Him and joy to us both and fulfillment and peace to my soul.

And so I have hope. As long as I have the Spirit of the Lord working within me, I have all I need – both now and in the future.

Understanding God’s Affection

It is not the earthly ‘king’ who rules my destiny, but my beloved heavenly “Daddy”.

Meditation Thought: “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?…  I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:14, 16)

A response to God’s call to be brave:

“Oh, Lord; Father, “Daddy”. I know now why Jesus said “Abba” – “Daddy”. It is a term that defines our relationship more accurately than the term “Father”. “Daddy” connotes deep affection, sweet, happy communion, a relationship in which confidences are shared and enjoyed.

This is what I see more clearly now that You desire – and it is what I have been unknowingly longing for, even searching for – almost panicking for. Now I understand that, no matter what happens, you will assure that I will be all right, wherever I am, whatever form I am in. To the extent that I follow Your suggestions, to that extent will the heavens open up their glories, and miracles of reconciling love appear.

You aren’t so concerned that I choose to be brave so that your purposes may be fulfilled (for you can always do this through others), but You delight in my joy at success in being brave, at my realization of Your power and of our sweet communion.

You want me to say: “if I perish, I perish”, not out of disgusted resignation, or fear of guilty conscience if I refuse to approach the king, but in the knowledge of, and awareness of, the high sense of purpose – a grandeur of being an important part of destiny – of being a true, competent, loyal representation of Your Kingdom, of Your people as I approach the king of this world, whoever that “king” is in the circumstances (the kingdom) of the moment.

May I be content with the verdict of the ‘king’, for it is not the king who rules my destiny, but my beloved “Daddy”.

Finding Your Haven

Listen to yourself. Watch yourself. Would your words appear logical if they were reported in the New Testament as having spoken by Christ? Would your actions appear to be appropriate if reported as His actions by the gospel writers?

Meditation Thought: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:2-3)

Your mind, your will, your personality: all transformed by Christ through the Spirit whenever you are thinking on ‘things above’. ‘Things above’ are the eternal values, the ‘treasures in heaven’. To concentrate on these is to change your words and actions at the worldly level, through your mind projecting into words and actions – Christ’s words and Christ’s actions.

Listen to yourself. Watch yourself. Would your words appear logical if they were reported in the New Testament as having spoken by Christ? Would your actions appear to be appropriate if reported as His actions by the gospel writers?

You know Christ’s words. You know Christ’s actions. People he knew were no different than people you know. Despite the years since Christ walked the earth, it is possible to follow Him as a contemporary, as far as the problems posed, and the actions and reactions possible. Only the names have changed!

How did Christ interact with his friends, his enemies? His mind was on things ‘above’ – He prayed to His father seeking His Father’s will – and then He spoke and acted.

When your mind is ‘hidden with Christ in God’, in meditation and prayer, then shall your words and deeds be the Son’s and the Father’s for your will has died to be raised up and transformed by the will of the Son which was totally yielded to the will of the Father.

Jesus left his imprint for you to follow. As you follow that imprint, as a child imitates, you reproduce His imprint on things below. You feed the hungry, heal the sick, forgive, don’t judge, minister, clothe the naked, encourage the downhearted. In other words – you love! You give your ‘life’ (selfish desires) to be killed for others, that they might come to find your ‘hiding place’. You – and they – envisioned it as a grave. But your hiding place is not a grave; it is a haven.

Wherever God is, wherever Christ is, that place is a ‘haven’ – a ‘heaven’ – a safe place and a glorious place.

Finding Joy

My emotions, and my circumstances, are not the whole of my life – they are only as great a part as I permit them to be.

Meditation Thought: “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence” (Psalm 16:11)

I know the ways of life. I will be full of joy with God’s presence. His presence is always with me. I am not always full of joy – but the hope that sustains me is the knowledge that I will be full of joy. In the meantime, I can remember the times I was full of joy and I can anticipate the times when I will be full of joy again.

My emotions, and my circumstances, are not the whole of my life – they are only as great a part as I permit them to be.

“The Lord is the strength of my life”: to the extent that I base every decision, every action, and every reaction upon this conviction, to this extent do I live in the kingdom.