Category: Faith

Construct vs. Repair

My power surges into you, and the burden you dreaded and feared becomes light indeed – and transformed, faithful act, by faithful act, into a crown.

Meditation Thought: “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:27-28)

Perceived as a message from the Father:

“My will is your will also – though at times you do not realize that, though your will desires fulfillment, purpose, and joy in your expression of your life, the way to succeed in appropriating them is to seek My will and to do My will.

There is a better Way to be effective in finding and performing My will than is often comprehended. You, as well as many, have adopted a mind-set upon ‘sin’, and because sin does short-circuit holy power it is necessary to consider it and correct it. However, you are taking undue time in discovering and repairing short-circuits in ‘feeder’ lines.

You should be constructing super-power-carrying transmission lines on a grand scale. This is possible when you realize that you are concentrating too much on your person and your thoughts and actions, and whether they are ‘sinful’.

You need to adopt a more positive approach to learning the secrets of the spiritual realm: focus on Jesus’ words, actions and attitudes – the concentration He had upon the Word, upon communion in prayer, upon expressions of love, upon faith in My love, My power, and My desire to work all things together for good for my beloved children.

Jesus did not sin – but He was tempted, as you are tempted. How did He resist temptation? He resisted it be using His knowledge of My principles and My potential power, and He knew about these through His concentration upon My Word and our relationship through study and through prayer.

It is concentrating upon My Word by study, and our relationship through prayer that builds transmission lines of power: this is the work I intend My children to be doing – not for your time and energy to be underutilized in minor repairs only. Repairs must be made when needed – but not many ‘breaks’ will occur when the construction is proper and strong from the beginning.

I have provided the Way do to all the repairing necessary, through repentance and commitment to become a disciple of Christ, which is to be promoted to construction worker from a repairer of minor problem spots. You are freed from your old job because Jesus Christ instantly repairs the troubles for you when you request Him to and believe that He discharges that responsibility. Then with a clear conscience and with confidence that all is well, you can rejoice in promotion realizing that you will be taught all you need to know to discharge your new responsibilities – so long as you are in an attitude of your self-will being immobilized under the constraint of the cross. The miracle is that the pain of self-will crucified is brief, and soon My will is brought to life through your resurrected self-will taking on a new form as a part – an integral, beautifully functioning part – of My eternal will.

If you would come after Christ along the Way to Truth and to Life, you must bear your cross – but not alone do you suffer it. My power surges into you, and the burden you dreaded and feared becomes light indeed – and transformed, faithful act, by faithful act, into a crown. The crown is your joy – but it is My glory.”

Unlimited Power – Hope

My power changes situations as surely as physical power changes physical environments.

Meditation Thought: “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)

You were given the ability to choose that you might have joy – you are to choose wisely and well if you desire eternal pleasures.

Take time and effort to seek out every facet and phase of whatever touches your life, looking for the deeper hidden significance in each situation. Cultivate habits which are consistent with all that is extolled in the Word and in the Life.

When you are aware of more than the temporary, the immediate, and the selfish, then you also know that I will seek to shelter you when danger appears – and your choice to come to Me as I call is your road to joy and peace – no matter what you perceive surrounding you. When you desire to take shelter with Me, nothing shall come between us. This is your hope as well as your salvation.

To know that I long to give you aid – and that I have unlimited power to do so – is to engender such hope and confidence that your faith is the “substance of things hoped for”. “Substance” is real. Your knowledge of My loving desires and intentions is the power-generating part of releasing My aid specifically to wherever it is need in your life – and My power changes situations as surely as physical power changes physical environments. When you act out this knowledge with total abandon, unbridled enthusiasm, and extreme confidence, then you will do “greater works”.

“Miracle Formula”

The formula Jesus revealed is the intent and will of the Father for a fulfilled life.

Meditation Thought: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:24-25)

“BELIEVE, PRAY, FORGIVE” The formula Jesus revealed is the intent and will of the Father for a fulfilled life. Fulfilled for whom? Fulfilled for the child and the Father of the child. How? By the power of God’s Holy Spirit pouring out into the channel the child opens in himself as he is exposed to the truth of the formula, believes in the power of it, and acts accordingly.

What are miracles? They are correct applications of the formula – the natural consequences of cooperating with the order of the universe created by God.

Over and over the New Testament reiterates the necessity of belief (faith), of prayer, of forgiveness – and of the integrity of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

When I believe, when I pray, when I forgive, then I too have integrity – I am being true to nature – to the nature and character of my Source of being. I am functioning correctly, effectively – almost effortlessly, because the process is natural, and the power is not of my own labor, but flows in to move me.

I know only in part the end result of my functioning – God is the Master Planner. But to know in part is so awesome, so exciting, so fulfilling, as to change completely the volume and quality of my output.

There is abundant evidence that when the formula is used, it produces magnificent results.

I pray that I may be inspired, upheld, strengthened, enriched, and live my moments, my days, my years, in such complete adherence to the “miracle formula” that I shall be in truth, an enlarger of the spiritual area of life wherever the opportunity presents itself to me.

From Manipulation to Transformation

When this takes place there is the brilliant radiance, comforting warmth, and assurance of power…

Meditation Thought: “So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (1 Corinthians 3:20-23)

The circle of Christ’s light, and warmth of His love, and power of His being is within reach. But I must move, by my desire to be there, to that place. Perhaps I see another that has moved into this ‘magic’ circle – and I can observe the change. This makes me desire to change also – enough to take courage and move from my familiar habitat to the new area.

At first I see only the ‘greener grass’; I do not realize fully the requirements of living in this place… and by the time I do, I am willing to forgo my own ego-centered desires for the continuing pleasure of the revealing Light, the comforting Love, the moving Power.

And then the miracle: what I have willingly given up is returned to me, but transformed by this Holy Power we call God, Creator of all. I find that though desires are still a part of my life, they are not of their former character – they seem more unselfish, more flexible, more of a spiritual nature than of a material nature. And they do not seem to be at variance with God’s Word, nor His will as I perceive His Word and His will.

And thus my transformed desires are able to be fulfilled. No longer am I trying to manipulate God into fulfilling my self-conceived desires. I am desiring those things that God seeks to fulfill my life. When this takes place there is the brilliant radiance, comforting warmth, assurance of power that Jesus’ life demonstrated.

To what extent it is possible for me to live this life – or perhaps since the total possibility exists from this moment on – I should state more accurately: though I do not know to what degree I will be able to embrace this concept and this life, I am grateful to have come this far in the perception of such a life. I desire to live it. I will try to live it. I pray to God that I will be given the wisdom, knowledge and strength to live it. So help me, God! Please!

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O my Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer!

Rival the Light of the Sun, Moon and Stars

May the joy of this explode in love so great as to rival the light of the sun, the moon, the stars.

Meditation Thought: “the Father who dwells in me does his works.” (John 14:10)

… but He cannot do His works in violation of my free will. If I will my will to His will, He will transform my weaknesses into strengths.

I have the sun, the moon, the stars
All within my heart.
Light by day,
And light by night.
He who created them,
Created me.
He dwells in them
And dwells in me.
Would that I see Him everywhere!
His glory cannot be hidden
From a faithful, searching child.
Oh, Lord, I’m Yours,
And You are mine.
May the joy of this
Explode in love so great
As to rival the light
Of the sun, the moon, the stars.

Rejoice in Evaluation

He does not intend for us to dwell on how far we have to go to perfectly reflect His character, for that discourages us, but He intends for us to rejoice that we are moving in the direction of maturing into developing a character which reflects our inheritance accurately.

Meditation Thought: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:3-8)

To become partakers of the Divine Nature, these qualities are listed in 2 Peter 1:

  • faith
  • goodness (or virtue)
  • knowledge
  • self-control
  • perseverance
  • godliness
  • mutual affection (or brotherly kindness)
  • love

Though, particularly at times, these qualities may be difficult – they are not impossible. Not impossible because God makes them possible through:

  1. Creating us in His image – therefore it is in our nature to be imbued with these qualities
  2. When, in our eagerness to use our freedom, we misjudge our capacities, He rescues us and teaches us a more balanced, true perspective of both our inherent abilities and our constant dependence upon Him as “the Original” – only when we constantly “check in” to compare ourselves with His character can we have any conception of our progress in maturing.

He does not intend for us to dwell on how far we have to go to perfectly reflect His character, for that discourages us, but He intends for us to rejoice that we are moving in the direction of maturing into developing a character which reflects our inheritance accurately, with less adulteration from habits or mannerisms adopted from our flights into expressions of our rebellious freedom, and of adoption of characteristics found in places other than the Divine Creator’s Perfection: His Ideal, His Perfect Will.

Establish Successful Plans

Your plans move from contemplated to completed… You realize that nothing can stop you if you simply will not stop.

Meditation Thought: “Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3)

If you commit your work to the Lord – then you are doing His works, and they shall be done according to His plans revealed to you, and thus “your” plans are established – your plans move from contemplated to completed.

The knowledge that you cannot fail – because God is the instigator and mover of your plans – gives you a confidence that assures your overcoming every obstacle. You realize that nothing can stop you if you simply will not stop.

You find many ways of overcoming obstacles because the power and wisdom of the Lord are able to deal with each situation in a way that overcomes the obstacle – you may be led around it, over it, under it, through it – or it may be removed from your path.

The key to success in the establishment of your plans is to believe that the obstacle will be overcome, that it is merely a temporary “roadblock”. Thus you persist in learning the secret of getting it out of your way, rather than stopping, giving up and remaining stuck at that point.

Forego the Junk Food

Let not your whim of the moment
Rob you of the glory of the future.

Meditation Thought: “So get rid of your feelings of hatred. Don’t just pretend to be good! Be done with dishonesty and jealousy and talking about others behind their backs. Now that you realize how kind the Lord has been to you, put away all evil, deception, envy, and fraud. Long to grow up into the fullness of your salvation; cry for this as a baby cries for its milk.” (1 Peter 2:1-3)

If you are to have the capacity to hold the nutritious spiritual milk, you must not fill up on the “junk food” of dishonesty, jealousy, gossip, deception, envy and fraud. You can discipline yourself to forego the junk food by concentrating on something better. Focus your mind and your energies on something more grand that your selfish indulgences!

The Way is easy – once you commit yourself totally to it – because then you are not ‘double-minded’. Decisions are easier, the Lord’s strength supplants your strength, the Lord’s wisdom envelops your wisdom – The Lord’s love enhances and expands your love.

Do not focus upon results of either your efforts or circumstances. You are to be true to the immediate task of seeking the Father’s will in every decision and action, performing His will as perfectly as you can, and trusting that the results will therefore conform to His will, no matter how they appear to you. This attitude is the procurer of peace and contentment in all circumstances!

Remember that your Creator is not a boss with a bullwhip, but a loving Father holding you in his arms, ready to help you when you have difficulty in fitting the pieces of the puzzle of life together into a meaningful pattern. It is the joy of accomplishment, the confidence of doing the task together, and the love experienced in the proximity to each other that transforms your nature, that renews your mind, that is evidence of the ingestion of spiritual milk instead of junk food.

Let not your whim of the moment
Rob you of the glory of the future.
Keep the joy of the race well-run
At the forefront of your mind,
Envision the reaching of the goal
Feel in your imagination the emotion of pride –
Yes, pride felt by the Father and by you
When you accomplish the completion of the race
Winning the goal of performing His will.

An Effective Workout

…the life which is meaningful, purposeful and full of joy.

Meditation Thought: “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;” (1 Peter 1:23)

The living word of God: to live is to grow, to change, to produce. The word of God, as it grows in you changes you and produces the fruits of the Spirit. This is to be “born anew” – into the life which is meaningful, purposeful and full of joy – not due to any person, circumstance or event – but due to the obsession with the Creator of the universe: who He is, who you are as a part of Him, and He of you – who and what is all of creation, particularly as it relates to you – the pursuit of a concept of life that is beyond physical, beyond finite.

If you are focused on long-term ideals and goals, you react entirely differently to daily events than when you are at the total mercy of these events. Do not be at the mercy of events, but of God. God’s mercy overtakes all other mercy – when you are willing to receive it.

How can you be willing to receive it? When you recognize that it is your only hope! When you know that you cannot manage yourself, nor your affairs with any degree of success apart from God’s mercy and grace and power and love!

Would you truly be effective? Then do it through the living and abiding word of God. A “living” word is a word which prompts a response, an action! An “abiding word” is a word which is in residence!

God’s word residing in your mind is then communicated to your spirit, which then touches your emotions, and your emotions set into action your body. And the motion of your body pumps the “living water”, the cleansing, purifying, life-sustaining water, and the cleansing, purifying, life-sustaining blood of the sacrificed Lamb into the parched and starving world!

Do you not realize that to be a primer of the pump, through your faith, and an enthusiastic pumper of good works, pouring out life-sustaining, life-glorifying nourishment is the most exciting, exhilarating, healthy exercise you could have?

Hear. See. Care.

The key to life itself is revealed as we seek to find it it prayer.

Meditation Thought: “ Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17)

Hope is the motivator of patience.
Prayer is the motivator of hope.
Wisdom is the motivator of prayer.
Tribulation is the motivator of wisdom.

As logical, as brilliant as we may be intellectually, we allow circumstances to affect us emotionally in ways that make logic and intellect insufficient to cope with life adequately.

It is in times of tribulation when we most clearly recognize the limitations of our human endeavors. It is in this weakness that we gain strength – for the weakness gives birth to willingness to wait, listen, look for God.

“Our hope does not disappoint us.” Our God is not a promise-breaker, nor a tyrant, nor cruel, nor inconsistent. If we perceive Him as such, then it is our own misconception which robs us of all of the glories which He desires to reveal to us, of all of the love which He desires to bestow upon us, of all of the wisdom with which He would endow us.

If we “read the signs of the times”, we read God’s message to us: Both His ‘general instructions’ in the Word, and His specific instructions in the indwelling Holy Spirit’s revelation to us, whether that be through knowledge of our heart or circumstances.

Armed with His general and specific instructions, we are impervious to despair, we are infinitely patient, we are strategically wise; all of this starts with prayer, which is our acknowledgment of both our relationship to God, and the meaning, the significance of that relationship to us, and to all of creation.

Simple as it may be to state, the complexity of the universe is encompassed in the thought. The key to life itself is revealed as we seek to find it it prayer.

I once was blind, and now I see.
Thank you, Man of Galilee!
I sought not the place,
Knew not the time,
Nor who would heal.
But hope was born,
and when You came,
Truth charged the very air.
Something within cried out –
You heard. You saw. You cared.

Thank you – Thank You!
Now use me, Lord,
That my opened eyes may see.
See truth. See love. See every key to every door in the kingdom.

I walked by those doors,
Never knowing they were there.
But now – NOW – I see!
And enter in I will.
Each one, I view as near I come,
Anticipating what shall be.
Knowing all will please,
For beyond each door
Lies a better view of Thee!