Category: Faith

Reap in Season

No matter how tempting it is to pluck the fruit before it is completely right (ripe), it is best to have patience and wait for complete maturity. Only through My Word given in various forms can you know when the fruit is ripe.

Meditation Thought: “…in due season we will reap…” (Galations 6:9)

” ‘In due season’ – not in your season. Many things are made better through the passage of time – more mature, even changing completely sometimes. They can be properly used in the right situation only when they are allowed to come to their maturity before use. No matter how tempting it is to pluck the fruit before it is completely right (ripe), it is best to have patience and wait for complete maturity. Only through My Word given in various forms can you know when the fruit is ripe. You need to be observant, to have patience, and be willing to check time and time again as to the state of the fruit. It is there for you, but you must make your own effort to bring it to your benefit.”

Unlimited Possibilities

We have the Power of God within us – think of that, unlimited power within our own bodies, minds, spirits. We need only use the key He gave us…

Meditation Thought: “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” 1 John 3:23

“Commandment” – command is not a statement, it is not a request: it is an order. We believe in Jesus: believing implies we accept Him for what He says He is: we do not doubt that He is the Son of God, we do not doubt his statements are true. If we accept that they are true – then because of His obedience to the Father, we have claims to unlimited possibilities.

We have the Power of God within us – think of that, unlimited power within our own bodies, minds, spirits. We need only use the key He gave us to unlock all that Power: Believe, act on that belief and stand in awe at the results!

For God’s promises come true only when they are perceived and accepted with praise and thanksgiving. God’s promises: we get excited at some promises of men, think what we feel when we start to realize that we can have everything we want – it has been promised to us! Oh, no – we weren’t promised it would be in the form we picture – it will be in the form of our omnipotent God’s best as He responds to our actions. We have free will, so He cannot pre-package the wonderful gifts He has to offer; He must wait to hear from his believer to know what gift to send, then note the response to the gift, to know what other gifts to send. He wants us to have the desires He has created in us fulfilled but only as wonderful gifts for which we have asked, not as arbitrary imposition on us of whatever He decides to send. He wants the joy of two-way communication and a relationship of love and trust and interaction.

A New Name

So a vital relationship with Christ can transform anyone

Meditation Thought: “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,  so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

In these few words, Paul describes the interchange and the reliability upon one another that constitute the relationship of God with His faithful people.

God does call upon us to do His work – and when we respond by faith, resolve and our efforts, He releases His power to aid us. What is difficult is the initiating of our own movement once we recognize we should make it.

Prayer is a great help in this, as is the trust that God will work good for us when we serve Him faithfully. Despite the troubles that have come to Christians, and do come to Christians, the joy of the Lord penetrates and uplifts – and is encouragement to the participants and to those who observe.

Paul also makes a point that as we glorify Christ, He glorifies us: that must be the key factor that gives strength and courage beyond the ordinary. I hadn’t thought about my being glorified in Christ – but to know of the changes that took place in the people who knew Christ, and believed Him, and the ones who have come to know Him through faith after His death and resurrection, does verify this statement. To know Christ and to follow Him is to change the personality – to enhance the God-reflective qualities of each facet, and to eliminate, or at least subdue the qualities that are selfish, unloving, uncaring, and cruel.

Several men were so changed that even the names were changed: Simon became Peter and Saul became Paul. Certainly if one met Simon when he was denying Christ, and fearful for his life, it would be difficult to recognize him as Peter the Rock, the brave, enthusiastic supporter of Christ after Christ’s death. And to know Saul the determined persecutor of those who followed Christ’s teachings, would make it difficult to reconcile Paul, – who went through all kinds of trials to preach Christ as Savior and to teach His Way, with the former Saul.

So a vital relationship with Christ can transform anyone: this is Christ “glorifying” us. We are made more recognizable as God’s children – and more important to others, we are ministers of Christ – healers, helpers, encouragers, strengtheners. We do not do these works for our own glory. Yet the power is a satisfaction to us as we perceive the good changes taking place. And we do experience joy as the love of Christ penetrates our hearts; it is in this way that He glorifies us. As we serve Him, He serves us, Christ ministers to the world – through us. And Christ ministers to us through the world (by the power of the Holy Spirit working in circumstances), as well as through others in whom His love and power flow – and overflow.

To realize this fact is to serve as the basis for a Simon becoming a Peter and a Saul becoming a Paul: to the glory of Jesus, to the glory of Peter and Paul and to the betterment of the world.

Burden Transformed

Our energies can be concentrated on the present not the past, on God’s will for us, and not our will for another, and upon the full, true significance of life, not a superficial misconception.

Meditation Thought: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

This does not refer to physical labor so much as the labor we force upon ourselves due to our misunderstanding of what the Father desires from us. We “load ourselves down” with guilt – Jesus will remove the burden, if we believe He came to do so.

We fret under doubt about our decisions and worthiness. Jesus lifts these from us as we perceive ourselves as He perceives us – as children of a loving Father.

God has provided a world of beauty, of order – yet of unfolding mystery – for us to discover and enjoy.

Through Christ we learn to appreciate all that is good, to forgive what is bad, when forgiveness is sought, and thus relieve much of the strain of living. Our energies can be concentrated on the present not the past, on God’s will for us, and not our will for another, and upon the full, true significance of life, not a superficial misconception.

Key to Change

We must recognize the importance of our reaching to Him – it is the key to completing the circuit. That’s a lot of responsibility – but it is also the means to change the world, let alone change ourselves!

Just as there is no flow of electricity (no power) unless there is a “return” flow, our relationship with God must be one of a reaching out by Him and a reaching back by us or there is not a true “relationship”, at least one with true power, or complete power. Therefore, we must recognize the importance of our reaching to Him – it is the key to completing the circuit. That’s a lot of responsibility – but it is also the means to change the world, let alone change ourselves!

 

Bear Fruit: Thirty-fold, Sixty-fold, a Hundred-fold

If you will keep a picture in your mind of  a tiny seed bursting into a plant which produces abundantly, it will enable you to do what you ought to do even when your emotions rebel.

“To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables… the sower sows the word… and… the [seeds] that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:11,14,20)

The Word has fallen on good ground in your will, your mind and your heart, yet it needs more than good ground. It needs that ground to be tilled (disturbed so it will not form a restrictive hardened crust of self-will to bind the seed of the Word); it needs the nutrients to be released into its nature (the thoughts of your mind concentrated on the Truth, your determination to find the Way, your life based upon the examples of Jesus’ Life).

It needs the water of the Holy Spirit released through your spirit believing that He dwells within you and does direct you, and your acting upon the prompting.

It needs the sunshine of the Son’s life once again manifested upon the earth through all of your faculties.

Yes – all of these are required for the accomplishment of the seed producing thirty-fold, sixty-fold and a hundred-fold.

If you will keep a picture in your mind of  a tiny seed bursting into a plant which produces abundantly, it will enable you to do what you ought to do even when your emotions rebel. It will facilitate your mind to think clearly, remember accurately and produce creatively. It will prompt you to speak words of love – even if words not loving intrude your mind for a brief moment, for they will be ignored and replaced by words which will heal and encourage growth of the word in another.

The Word is a symbol
Representing Truth.
To base your life –
And your growth –
Upon the Word
Is to release
The harvest which
Is inherent within you
As the seed of Word
Unites with the ground
of your life.

 

A Time of Renewal

God created the sabbath as a merciful gesture for people not for the purpose of burdening them.

Meditation Thought: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27)

The sabbath was made for man to have a time of renewal – of opportunity to come to know God better, to have a chance to recuperate physically, to be strengthened spiritually, and to be inspired mentally.

To understand the purpose of the sabbath is a necessity before it can become what God intended it to be.

To make the sabbath a time of concentration upon ceremony rather than on celebration of God’s creative love and care is to waste it, making the very intended healing invalid. For ‘healing’ it is to be: the weary body, the confused and frenetic mind, the listless spirit are all brought to health and wholeness through this ‘treatment’ of a change in pace: a time when, with clear conscience, one can – and should – postpone the ordinary daily routine. Some tasks are necessary for making even the sabbath comfortable, and some tasks are chosen because to neglect them would be distressing – but the point is that the sabbath should be a state of mind: an attitude of setting time aside to be aware of God, to become closer to God and man, to be renewed and refreshed.

All of this is the help ourselves: to be a slave to ‘rules’ to the point of not allowing the Spirit to guide us in how to have the sabbath be the rejuvenating force that it is meant to be, is to deny that we are to be open to the Lord’s constant creative teaching and care. This is the message for which Jesus came: the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.

God created the sabbath as a merciful gesture for people not for the purpose of burdening them.

But for us to ignore His message – either by rejecting the necessity of a sabbath by rejecting God as our Source and Sustainer or by distorting the sabbath by misunderstanding God’s purpose of creating it, is to thwart God’s will: His will is for us to be in close fellowship with Himself. This is possible only as we are actively seeking to enhance this fellowship through being willing to learn what He would teach us.

Create Ultimate Good

The process continues to this day: wherever Jesus finds a yielded heart, an open mind, willing hands and an unselfish attitude He is able to create ultimate good.

Meditation Thought: “And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

Jesus prepared for every minute of the day’s activities by: 1) seeking God’s wisdom and knowledge and will 2) committing himself to doing God’s works 3) expressing His love to the Father and being reassured of the Father’s love for Him. 4) receiving energy by attaching His spirit to the power of the Holy Spirit.

No wonder Jesus performed miracles! He was filled with all He needed to meet every contingency, and to make every circumstance be a process which created ultimate good. He understood the nature of His Father; He sought to be living as a copy of that nature, and he devoted every part of Himself to enabling all whom He met to also be conformed to that nature.

The process continues to this day: wherever Jesus finds a yielded heart, an open mind, willing hands and an unselfish attitude He is able to create ultimate good.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I desire to be the person You need: today, tomorrow – and every day of my life. Please help me to change my impulses from selfish to transforming love: to develop insight so great as to automatically think the generous thought, say the kind word, do the loving action – and recognize all the while that this moment is precious and unique, never will it be repeated. Therefore I need to be as pleased with it as possible. The only way to ensure that it is truly pleasing – and will result somewhere in time in another pleasing moment – is to, as had You, have prepared myself for this moment by having spent time in prayer.

Help me, through the Spirit You so lovingly express in me to pray and to live being conformed to the Father’s nature. In your precious Name I pray. Amen,

Blessed Refuge

Will not the storm
Drive you to a sheltered place?
My arms await you:
Come home, come home!
My light of love
Shines forth
To lead you surely here.

Meditation Thought: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 2:12) May 3, 1983

“All who are living face danger, face challenges – some face greater trials than others. Each trial is an opportunity to bring glory to Me, for each is an opportunity to take refuge in Me – and an opportunity for Me to bless all who are sheltered within My arms!

Will not the storm
Drive you to a sheltered place?
My arms await you:
Come home, come home!
My light of love
Shines forth
To lead you surely here.
Together we shall
Weather the storm,
And when the sun
Shines faith again,
Your faith will be stronger,
Your spirit greater,
Your mind enriched,
Your body dedicated
To My service,
And your will
Seeking My will.
I am with you
Wherever you go.
But the times of stress
Are the periods
That send you
Scuttling into my arms,
Clinging to Me,
So close our “hearts”
Feel the other’s beats;
We know we need
Each other
To live as life
Should be lived.
We shall survive
Whatever comes –
And survive to
The point we thrive:
This is the “abundant life” –
Going through time
And working through trials Together:
Perhaps clinging in love,
Or walking hand in hand –
At times working side by side,
But always I desire you close.
You are mine –
To love,
To cherish,
To honor
As My own –
Do not I deserve
As much as I give?
Can you
Love, honor, cherish Me?
If so, you and I
Shall see miracles
Blossom forth,
As the world is enhanced
By the beauty and fruit
Of the kingdom bursting
Through all evil,
Selfish, ugly sin,
Irradiating it,
Purifying it –
Changing it to
Sin forgiven.
It becomes a tribute
To My power and My love,
And the worthiness
Of trusting Me.

The Power of a Resurrected Life

Yes – I appear much the same, and circumstances appear much the same: nevertheless, transformation has taken place

Meditation Thought: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so? …But all this has taken place, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” (Matthew 26:53-54, 56)

The Father has given me freedom. Yes He does put certain propositions before me – and he express His preference as to my response to them.

My response is determined by my trust of, love of, dedication to and knowledge of my Father.

I often choose to ignore His propositions, for it is obvious that they will require effort, and probably produce pain. At times, however, I have the courage to say “Yes” despite this foreboding appearance… and when I do, what happens? I do suffer the effort and humiliation of carrying my own cross to where I will be crucified. And I do suffer agony of being nailed on that cross.

But then – then, when I wonder if I can stand the pain and shock and horror – it ends! And what takes place then is as miraculous to me as Christ’s resurrection. I am resurrected – born anew, into a new person, into new circumstances. Yes – I appear much the same, and circumstances appear much the same: nevertheless, transformation has taken place. I have obeyed my Father and in doing so, I have enabled Him to release previously unperceived power: power of a resurrected life. That is, the sure knowledge that my Father is loving, does create good, and that not one indignity, unto death itself, shall defeat me when I trust Him and obey Him.

In all things He works good for those who love Him , who are called according to His purpose, and who respond positively to the call.

May God be praised!