Category: Hope

Peaceably Dramatic

God will move our efforts from ineffective to dramatic if we will hear Him and trust Him.

Meditation Thought: “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)

Wisdom “from above” is superior to wisdom “from below” – and can be quite different, for wisdom from above is the all-encompassing knowledge of God the creator being expressed, and that of “below” variety is short-sighted, selfish and limited in scope.
Though “peaceable, gentle” wisdom may at first appear to be less effective than a dynamic “wisdom”, in the end result if is far better for all concerned, for it is consistent with the Creator’s plan, and the Creator’s Way.
Only God’s wisdom works good out of all circumstances. We punish ourselves if our attempt to live by any wisdom other than the wisdom of God. He demonstrated His wisdom in Jesus – peaceable, gently – and for a while it appeared to be ineffective – but the final outcome was the most dramatic event in history.
God will move our efforts from ineffective to dramatic if we will hear Him, trust Him – all things done peaceably and gently: fulfilling God’s “plans for welfare and not for evil.”

Search for Meaning …and Find It

If it truly does exist, I will find it. I will not find it if I give up part way along the search however.

Meditation Thought: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:1,6)

If I do not believe in the existence of something, I will have nothing to do with it. I will live as if it never was – even if it affects me. I will be unaware that is is the cause of something in my life, and I will react inappropriately – perhaps even causing harm to myself.

On the other hand, if I believe there is something which I have not yet found, but desire to have exist and desire to find it, I will seek it. If it truly does exist, I will find it. I will not find it if I give up part way along the search however, because I have lost my faith.

I must try to use every means at my disposal to find what will give great meaning to my life – and faith is necessary – in fact, the first step to the other methods.

Moving Mountains

Ask in wisdom and hope.

Meditation Thought: “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24)

When you ask “in prayer” you are asking properly – you are recognizing God as authority, God as loving, God as powerful. You are led to seek God’s will – and God’s way, because to ask “in prayer” is to ask in the wisdom of the Spirit, and the hope of God’s promises.

It is on thing to demand a desire as a spoiled, petulant child, and another thing to request the granting of a desire in an attitude of a simple request to a loving Father, willing to accept His decision graciously, recognizing that His experience gives Him better long-term judgment of what is best.

 

Experiment by Experiment

Faith does not burst full-blown just because we decide we want to believe the Word and follow the Way.

Meditation Thought: “ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)

To really understand how anyone else feels in a situation, we must have had a similar experience. Thus Christ – God Himself – put himself deliberately in a situation which would identify himself completely with those He desired to help. But in doing this, He not only was totally assured of knowing completely how His beloved felt, but He also assured that they know He understands, through actual experience, how they feel. It is this knowledge that opens a heart and a mind to receive His advice, and to be willing to do as He suggests.

How do we, who are not with Him as He was in the flesh, come to know what He advises, and how to we actually do what He suggests?

As one who is blind develops the other senses to a higher degree, we must develop our spiritual sense to a greater degree, so that we may perceive Him – and do by His help, as He suggests.

The Word is a vital aid in developing our spiritual sense. Practicing doing what the Word suggests helps. Prayer and meditation help. But all of these hinge on the development of faith. Faith does not burst full-blown just because we decide we want to believe the Word and follow the Way.

We must, experiment by experiment find the paths which lead us to greater faith – greater confidence that God is who He reveals Himself to be in Christ: loving, kind and concerned – and we must believe that He does desire to provide us a more abundant life – a life that focuses our attention so raptly on Him that we start to automatically imitate Him – in loving, in kindness, and in concern.

We will have good experiments and bad ones – but as long as we keep trying to develop our spiritual sense we will also develop more faith in the one promise which is always true – that God is, God is who He expresses as the life of Christ, and we are His beloved offspring – a part of all He created, and thus dear to Him.

Relief and Rest

Guilt is such a heavy burden that it destroys the joy of work and hinders the accomplishment of great works. Yet…

Meditation Thought: “For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness.” (Isaiah 57:1-2)

Guilt is such a heavy burden that it destroys the joy of work and hinders the accomplishment of great works.

Yet God has provided a way for us to never have that burden of guilt for long – as soon as we repent – realizing we have been wrong, and desiring to be right (eous), He takes it from us. We are free to carry the lighter burdens of the details of life, the works of God and discharging of our responsibilities.

If we labor under the burden of guilt, we are overtired from it and cannot rest. But exercising in carrying our proper load – all we were meant to carry, in God’s perfect plan for us – we can rest in peace at night, knowing we accomplished our day’s tasks as we should, and nothing nags at us to interfere with our relaxation.

We can avoid guilt in two ways: by doing right and by realizing that it is possible to correct our wrong actions, and then taking action to do so. This is the “priceless pearl”, the “treasure” – it is what everyone longs for – the joy of a clear conscience, and thus unfettered thinking and movement. Jesus brought this to us – He sacrificed dearly for it, and wants us to accept the gift, that His joy may be full in the giving – in this expression of His love for us.

Agony to Glory

It is free choice rightly used that constructs temples in which I reign, and peace reigns wherever I reign.

Meditation Thought: “…my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10b)

“You fear too much what might happen if you follow the way. Yes – there are crosses – but not without My strength to bear the agony of them while the glory of the resurrection is being prepared.

I seek to bring you joy, not pain. I allow free choice, and circumstances at times are not according to My will; thus I must work good out of them still working with the state of free choice.

It is free choice wrongly used that constructs crosses on which pain reigns.

It is free choice rightly used that constructs temples in which I reign, and peace reigns wherever I reign.

Move on in confidence, in hope, for I am with you to conquer every cross, and to bear the brunt of your pain while you move that cross from the pain of it at Golgotha to the glory of it at the pinnacle of the temple.”

The Spiritual Sorter

If all parts, and the sum of the parts, are kept in place, there is no envy, confusion or irrelevancy. There is peace and purpose.

Meditation Thought: “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33)

Take the jumbles of your life and pour them into the Sorter – the Spirit within you – that your life may reflect the glory of God: each part in its place – not trying to push another part out of the way; each part meshing and enhancing the other parts; the whole making a statement of God’s goodness and greatness and mercy and love.

If all parts, and the sum of the parts, are put in place and kept in place by the power of the Spirit in your life, there is no envy, confusion or irrelevancy. There is peace and purpose.

Life consists of infinite variety: not to compete nor conquer – but to enhance and delight and provide continual interest.

Only be being willing to give up the parts yourself and put them into the Sorter to re-arrange them properly can you find peace.

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Triumph

Habit comes into play as affecting choice; therefore to make one choice is to also affect the next choice.

Meditation Thought: “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

First the cross, then the resurrection. Life in Christ follows this pattern. First the death on the cross of circumstances of all that is foreign to the Spirit’s nature: pride, selfishness, thoughtlessness, blindness, willfulness; then the resurrection of the personality in Christ unencumbered by negative aspects which mar the image of the Father in the personality.

To err is human – but to allow that error to be used by God as a sacrifice on the cross that which keeps us from total obedience to His will is to not only erase the consequences of the error, but to use it as the beginning of a transformation: a change which moves the believer further along the road to closer fellowship and more perception of the Father’s will, with the power to be obedient and trusting to a greater degree than formerly was possible.

We move constantly – either toward adopting the customs of the Kingdom or the customs of the world.

Our choice of reactions to new knowledge and revelations and circumstances determines which customs we choose: habit comes into play as affecting choice; therefore to make one choice is to also affect the next choice.

Bare my soul, O Lord,
To my seeking heart.
I know not who or what I am,
Save Your reveal to me.
Each moment is another facet
Cut across this hard-stone will.
Oh, please, I ask in Jesus’ name,
Shape me as Thou art shaped.
Though there be much hurt
From many blows,
I trust Thee in my pain.
For only by change in me
Can I be Your reflection true.

The Counter-intuitive Key to Abundance

You carry within you joy, peace and hope, for you carry within you the Holy Spirit of God who is joy, peace and hope.

Meditation Thought: “Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

Joy! Peace! Hope! These are the gifts you carry and the gifts you will find will give meaning to your life when you distribute them.

Remember, there is such a thing as a “second wind”. If you will force yourself to keep moving even when you are exhausted, you will reach a point when your “second wind” – the movement of the Spirit – will relieve you. Your will to keep moving is your faith and your faith is the mover of the power of the Spirit.

Look not at the road, or at your feet – but at your goal.

Inspire your mind with the vision of the goal before you, renew your strength with trust in the Word, lift up your emotions by receiving the gentle Spirit into your heart and cherishing Him, delighting in His company.

Seek the example of Jesus as to how to most effectively pursue your goal.

You carry within you joy, peace and hope, for you carry within you the Holy Spirit of God who is joy, peace and hope. No one can take this priceless gift from you. Only you can choose to throw it away – by rebellion, by laziness, by ignorance.

You can also generate more of this gift by giving it away to others. This is the key to the kingdom: sharing, caring enough to share all that is pure and good and true; not hoarding the treasure you find, but giving it away in joyful abandon, knowing that the more freely you give, the more abundantly you will receive.

Do you understand that as a pruned tree actually produces more fruit, so your removing all the gifts that are given to you from your own storehouse into the service of others causes an increase in the production of the gifts into your own storehouse?

If you understand this principle, and apply it in every area of your life, then you are not only perceiving the goal – total communion with and commitment to your Father – but you are rightly following the example of Jesus, who promised abundant life to those who would follow Him.

You see, the whole New Testament is but this story in many forms: although to the world it appears the way to a large harvest is to keep all you have, to the Kingdom the knowledge is given that in taking away, the opportunity is then provided for a multiplying of the branches and fruit.

All are given the opportunity to try this method, but only those who have courage to actually allow the trimming are produces of the abundant harvest.

Set your will on trust in the Lord and not trust in yourself only.

I would cultivate an orchard fair,
With blossoms blooming everywhere
Not sparsely scattered from nature wild,
But multiplied by the Spirit’s care:
Welcome, welcome, lonely tree,
The One who Ministers love to thee.

Think Lovely

To think on that which is lovely is to produce that which is lovely.

Meditation Thought: “Whatsoever things are lovely… think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

The seen reflects the unseen. The body reflects the mind. Actions reflect the will. You can control your will: will to reflect the image of God to the best of your ability at any given moment. The most effective way of perceiving God’s images in order that you may reflect them is to observe the evidence of Himself in the world: that which is lovely – ‘love-ly’, pertaining to love; not just beautiful in an aesthetic way, but reflecting the qualities of love: willing to think of others before self, considerate, orderly and not chaotic, effective in adapting to other’s personalities and needs.

To think on that which is lovely is to produce that which is lovely: both in that which is observed and in the observer.

Do not concentrate on a flaw in either another person, an object, or yourself – concentrate on all that is pleasing according to God’s definition of pleasing; this definition is clear as revealed by Christ. Delight in the Lord and all created by Him, and the qualities of His nature revealed in the Word and in the Man! This is to ‘think on lovely things’!