Category: Hope

Infused with Enthusiasm

The key is in the knowing that the harvest will come.

Meditation Thought: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

We get weary when we are really not interested in what we are doing – we are doing it out of duty, of necessity or inertia. But when we excitedly choose to do a job – even if it is not especially pleasant in itself – because we can hardly wait for the results – then we get so enthused that we forget to become tired, or if we do eventually tire, we have the will power to continue because of our anticipation.

God wants us to catch such a clear picture of the elements of His Kingdom that we can hardly wait to appropriate them in our lives. Once we can picture that luscious harvest, we can hoe in the hot sun without being discouraged. In fact, when we do become weary, if we will share our feeling with God, He will give us clear, cool water to quench our thirst, and new strength to our muscles, and even hand us better tools for doing the job. The key is in the knowing that the harvest will come, and that we will be greatly blessed when it does. This enables us to ignore distractions, ignore tiredness, ignore set-backs – and to concentrate happily on the job at hand.

Clear Focus

When God is the focus of our devotion, all else focuses clearly in our lives too.

Meditation Thought: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” (Matthew 4:10)

Even in our earthly activities, we are most effective when we loyally execute our commitments – our energies are multiplied as we enthusiastically and with concentration commit them to our purpose. When we choose God to be the purpose of our commitment, He takes our energies in serving Him and transforms them into His worship, His miracles, His purposes – when we serve Him only. This assures that our efforts are channeled in effective, pure, positive, loving results: God’s final results – not the results we might see, for we see only partial results, while God sees the whole. When God is the focus of our devotion, all else focuses clearly in our lives too. Gradually, as we come to know our Master as we serve Him, the meaning of our lives in every area, in total inter-relationship of all brought together, focuses more clearly and more brightly; our hesitant first trust and tentative service changes to complete trust and eager service as His glory and love are revealed more completely to us… “Praise God from whom all blessing flow.”

Mission Possible

Picture a row of ladders lined up against a wall. At the top of the wall is God’s ultimate fulfilled plan. Now with that in mind:

  • Each of us has a mission and talents to be used to perform that mission to the completion of God’s ultimate Plan and His glory.
  • We are to help each other discover the individual mission and to enable each other to complete the mission.
  • There is an inter-relationship in the ability of each mission to be completed; all missions are connected by a link of some kind so that the progress of the mission of one affects the progress of all. Therefore, it behooves each person to not only work on the completion of his own mission, but to give any possible help to the completion of all missions.

Back to the ladder image – each person must climb his own mission-talent ladder to God’s final Plan – but arms can be reached out: to pull another up, or push another down, or both arms can be used on one’s own ladder. However, since the final Plan can be realized only when everyone is up the ladder, the person who climbs without helping the others to rise too, finds that reaching the top alone has no purpose. That person has to wait longer to have the ultimate satisfaction because they must wait for the others to arrive at the top. Their ultimate satisfaction could be reached more quickly if they help others move ahead more rapidly as they move up, and if they push another down, it will take that person that much longer to reach the top and contribute to the completion of the ultimate satisfaction of all.

Automate It!

You will obey all laws automatically if you obey these two.

Meditation Thought: “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3)

“Love God – love your neighbor.” If you set your mind and your heart on these two commandments and seek to live according to them, all else will fall into place: all things will work together for good – for everyone, including yourself. You need not be concerned about any other “laws”.

You will obey all laws automatically if you obey these two. You will also astonish many who are unable to understand the simplicity of living according to the laws in the kingdom – and thus are not able to understand the happenings in the world or what to do about them.

Woodworking

Our lives are like that wood: It’s the “flaws” that give them character, and once the whole is polished by God’s light, the lives are beautiful flaws and all.

It is the contrast in wood that makes it interesting – the knot holes and variations are what make it intriguing, and the polishing, or sheen over all adds to its beauty. Our lives are like that wood: It’s the “flaws” that give them character, and once the whole is polished by God’s light shining over all, the lives are beautiful, flaws and all. As long as we are active, we will have some flaws in our lives, but as we trust God, they will blend in to become beautiful instead of ruining our lives. (see Romans 8:28)

Spiraling

But if we keep moving, we will come to the center – to the Beginning and the End, and the Meaning.

Our lives are like a spiral leading to God in the center. We go along the path, moving constantly, sometimes wondering if the path really does lead anywhere. But if we keep moving, we will come to the center – to the Beginning and the End, and the Meaning. If we stop in the path because of the difficulties we encounter, then we do not find the Treasure which is at the end of the path.

Believernado

At the end of the day, blessings will abound wherever my path has led.

Meditation Thought: “…no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3)

The power of God working in and through us can be compared to the action of a tornado – except that everywhere we move with God’s power leaves a path of good – of joy, of gratitude. We are the tip of the funnel, moving along the earth – but the power of God is the force which changes the landscape, the lives which we touch. Where a tornado is a destructive force, God’s “Believernado” is a healing force, a reconciling force.

Not until the Holy Spirit releases His power within us can we have the force of a tornado – until that time, we can lead good, moral lives – but it is the conviction and power of the Spirit that moves us with such force that the paths where we move are changed so much that they are bound to be noticed and so bring others to seek the Force that produced such results.

Prayer of Response:
“Lord, I feel positive and eager to go out today and be a “believernado”, leaving a path of love, concern, help and encouragement wherever I go. I ask that Your wisdom guide me, and Your love work through me, so that at the end of the day, blessings will abound wherever my path has led.
Amen

New Healthy Growth

There are 2 wings to enable us to fly above our burdens – ‘surrender’ and ‘trust’.

Meditation Thought: “…every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2)

The problems and burdens are the painful cut associated with the pruning process. They are unpleasant, but as we learn to release them to God, He seals over the cut made by the problems and burdens, relieving the painful exposure. And then, with the old branches which were not healthy removed, new healthy growth is produced by the strength which had before gone to the unhealthy branches now shunted over toward new healthy growth.

(Accompanying thoughts that appear to be based on the book ‘The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life’: There are 2 wings to enable us to fly above our burdens – ‘surrender’ and ‘trust’. The burdens become the chariots of God, sent to take the soul to its high places of triumph.)

Jesus Cares for Me

I have been transported from a world to a Kingdom, never moving, but the scene changes because the knowledge comes:
Jesus cares.

Do I feel lonely – deserted?
Jesus cares.
Do I need help?
Jesus cares.
Do I need love?
Jesus cares.
Do I need strength?
Jesus cares.
Do I need guidance?
Jesus cares.
I wander lost and lonely in a void –
Jesus cares…
And the void blossoms into a garden of beauty, pleasing all my sensed, taking me from delight to delight – I have been transported from a world to a Kingdom, never moving, but the scene changes because the knowledge comes:
Jesus cares.

When I Am

When I am surrounded by enemies – no matter of what kind: real or imagined, physical or spiritual, feelings or thoughts – God rescues me when I call upon Him

Meditation Thought: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom I will trust.” (2 Samuel 22:2-3)

When I am standing upon rock, I am confident that I will not sink down into mire and find myself unsteady or unable to move freely.

When I am in my fortress, I am protected from harm.

When I am surrounded by enemies – no matter of what kind: real or imagined, physical or spiritual, feelings or thoughts – God rescues me when I call upon Him.

My weakness leaves me vulnerable but His strength overcomes all problems. I trust my Lord because He has proved Himself to me – His promises are real, and He backs them up with His actions.