Category: joy

A New Dimension to Life

That Power, and that Love are able to penetrate into us enough to change our lives, to enable us to see where we were blind, to hear where we were deaf, to feel where we were numb, to act when we were paralyzed.

Meditation Thought: “…and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and went to Ico′nium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 13:50-52)

“Filled with joy, and the Holy Spirit” – joy and the Holy Spirit go together, the Holy Spirit inspired joy is like no other: it is more exhilarating, it is more exciting, it is more surprising – because it does not depend upon events or emotions, but is a gift from God, given at any time, at any place, in any circumstances. And when it is given in the most unlikely circumstances, it is almost unbearably exquisite because we know that it has a dimension, a grandeur, a heavenly aura that comes through no other joy.

When we have experienced the Heavenly, Holy Spirit joy, that gift changes our lives from that moment on:  we know God in a way that is so real that it changes all our previous conceptions of life and of faith. We have a new dimension in our life that enhances it in every area, for the reality of God’s power to bring us joy wherever we are, whatever is happening to us, gives us a confidence in Him that enables us to believe to the point of knowing God is love, God is working everything to our good, God is who He says He is, does what He says he does – and that Power and Love are so great as to be incomprehensible to us – and yet, that Power, and that Love are able to penetrate into us enough to change our lives, to enable us to see where we were blind, to hear where we were deaf, to feel where we were numb, to act when we were paralyzed.

We do see only dimly now – but we did not see you at all before, and how exciting to come from no site to any site:  a miracle, a revelation, a joy we cannot contain. We shout in our excitement, wanting others to know we have made a discovery! Some who have already found sight will understand and rejoice with us, some will understand what we have discovered is something that they would seek to0 – and others will claim we are deluded, that since they cannot see, that there is no such thing as sight. 

Suggested Prayer: Lord, I want to exercise my eyes, to strengthen the muscles that I may see You and Truth more clearly, that I may move into the knowledge of facets of your kingdom within and also the facets disguised by the paint the world has smeared over them. Help me to chip away the paint to reveal the beauty of your kingdom underneath, the genuine surface.  And as I rejoice at the new beauty revealed, enable me to share it with others, that many may come to see You as the Creator of beauty, and worship You as the Supreme Artist of all of creation. Help us to find your masterpieces, wherever they are hidden, and to appreciate them, and to share them. The pursuit of them makes all  hindrances as nothing: our goal is sure, our purpose is determined, our excitement unflagging! Lord, help your people to be more purposeful, more dedicated to revealing you masterpieces to inspire, and to guide us to the lives that you would have us lead. In Jesus name I pray. May I make more room in my heart, and in my life for the full working of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

How to Change the Weather

Think more about your words and the effect they have: picture them as shining brightly and lighting up the area around you.

Meditation Thought: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11)

“Your word can make everyone and everything glow with pleasure, with beauty – an apt imitation or image, of My Kingdom. The word invokes a thought, which invokes an image, which invokes and emotion, which may cause action – and if action is taken, it is a loving action, bringing glory to Me. Even the lovely thoughts and emotions are pleasing to Me.

Think more about your words and the effect they have: picture them as shining brightly and lighting up the area around you. I am the Light, and your loving words reflect that light to all around you. Your words, therefore, light the darkness – changing the atmosphere from unknown, fearful and gloomy to clear, cheerful and peaceful: this is the atmosphere where I am drawn, where I want to meet you. I can create it, but you must create it too where you are, for your are made in My image.”

Keep Power Flowing

Waste no energy on debating; simply choose love: giving joyfully and praising Me.

Meditation Thought: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory…” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

“Choose consciously.” Exercise your capacity to choose constantly and you will become stronger, better able to engage the flow of My power in you. I will not condemn your choices – but you know which choices release My power more forcefully, as a cause and effect reaction. You will become better at more forceful choices as you reinforce one forceful choice by choosing a second forceful choice – and this repetition will keep My power flowing forcefully. Act in love at each moment, recalling the definitions of love in My Word, and this automatically assures that your choice of the moment is the one which is the one to release My power is a forceful way. Waste no energy on debating; simply choose love: giving joyfully and praising Me – an efficient key to unlock the life of the Kingdom at each moment.

Where to Run for Safety

Only when we direct our mind, our heart, our body, away from the tower are we subject to the fears, the dangers, the panic and the uncertainties of this world.

Meditation Thought: “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10)

The tower stays put. Only by choosing to go so far from it that we forget about it can we really get into danger. Only when we direct our mind, our heart, our body, away from the tower are we subject to the fears, the dangers, the panic and the uncertainties that the worldly experience. When we keep ourselves in the protection and the guidance of the tower, by keeping within its sight, we can move freely, joyfully, confidently – no matter what situation might be involved. But the door of the tower opens only to those who can find it: and to find it we must be able to see it. To see it, we must have the Light reveal it to us, we must allow the Light (Jesus) to shine by allowing (asking) Him to remove our covering of sin, of unbelief, of disobedience.

Human Desire vs. Divine Desire

Only when we can overcome our natural human desire to hold on to what we have, and give in to the Divine desire to surrender our will, can we look forward to our bread coming back – in more abundance, in more desirable form.

Meditation Thought: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.” (Ecclesiastes 11:1)

This is another way of learning to trust God – we deliberately give up what we have to Him – trusting Him to provide our needs. When we get brave enough to let go of what we have, and especially as we continue to trust God in the period that we see nothing for us in the water, God is able through our “faith being the substance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1) to make those things as a tangible substance, our prayers answered, our blessings received.

Only when we can overcome our natural human desire to hold on to what we have, and give in to the Divine desire to surrender our will, can we look forward to our bread coming back – in more abundance, in more desirable form. And the period of doing without the bread being available to us intensifies our joy as we receive the transformed bread. We know excitement and awe we never would have realized had we kept the bread to ourselves.

“Give and it shall be given you, pressed down and running over.” (Luke 6:38)

Freedom From

But – oh, what a relief when that chain is removed! How wonderful it feels to be able to stretch, to move – how excited we are at the new freedom!

Meditation Thought: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Each personality of the Trinity has truths to teach, and each truth releases a new area of freedom: There is:
– freedom from fear
– freedom from guilt
– freedom from discouragement
– freedom from pain
– freedom from lack of confidence
– freedom from indecision.

As we allow each Personality to get close to us, He reaches down and works loose another chain which has been binding us. We need to cooperate, need perhaps to even endure some pain in order that the chain may be worked into proper position for removal. But – oh, what a relief when that chain is removed! How wonderful it feels to be able to stretch, to move – how excited we are at the new freedom!

God intends for us to have all chains removed, but He cannot accomplish this if by our actions we restrict His actions. We must be very perceptive to His instructions and cooperate with His moments, or we will bind the chains tighter instead of helping with their removal.

Suggested Prayer:

Dear Father, Son, Holy Spirit: my friends, my Ones coming to my rescue – I welcome You into every area of my life – and I ask Your help in removing any chains in any area. I may be so accustomed to some of the chains that I am not even aware that they exist. Please make me aware that they are there and that we must remove them. I know now that I have only the tiniest glimpse of what You see me as being when the chains are removed – the that glimpse is enough to encourage me to say whole-heartedly: “Let’s get on with the job of removing the chains”.

Always Gain, Never Loss

Our relationship must grow so that our time together is not even ‘second nature’ to you – but first nature.

Meditation Thought: “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future.” (Proverbs 19:20)

“Take one step at a time: the crux is to take that step in the right direction. It will be easier for you if you decide each moment as if it were just one step. You know what direction one step should be to reach the goal already planned. Do not change goals on impulse, for you only go further away from My goal for you, and then I must turn you around to retrace your mistaken steps, and you have lost time which can never be replaced. Think of the time with Me as recharging your batteries. If you go on and on, you will lose power and be stopped completely even though it appeared you were gaining time by going on the your tasks.

Your time with Me will give you:
– assurance of going in the proper direction
– extra power
– extra wisdom in choices
– extra confidence
– extra peace
– extra joy.

Time with Me – devotion to Me – is always gain, never loss. It is when you are most harried, most pressed for time, that you need time with Me the most urgently. You know this now enough to do it frequently – but it is still a conflict for you – our relationship must grow so that our time together is not even ‘second nature’ to you – but first nature. Rely on Me, obey Me moment by moment with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength”

A Superior Toolbox

The more words of God we know, the more we learn of God.

Meditation Thought: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Even human words have great effect. The course of history can be changed by only a word: ‘love’ or ‘hate’; ‘go’ or ‘come’. But God’s words have power far beyond human power and we do well to stand in awe of them and to heed them.

The more words of God we know, the more we learn of God – and the more we know of God, the more we know of everything. As we come to know God, we come to realize that He can be trusted: that when He allows something into our lives, it is for a purpose. We don’t always look at it as an opportunity, however, and therefore it becomes a burden rather than the blessing that was available if we had been the proper catalyst to change it into one.

When we are causing action, if it is God’s energy and direction working through us, that action is going to rearrange the situation into good. We need to look carefully to be sure that we reach for the tools that God is handing down, and do not use tools coming from another source.

We know God’s tools are consistent with scripture, and consistent with the personality of Jesus, and will be visible in prayer. They may be in any shape or in any form, but handed to us in love, in gentleness and not forced – for God wants us to use His tools, but He also wants us to want to use them. And when we do – wow – they are so superior to other tools we have used that we become eager to continue to use them. If we choose carefully and alertly, we will be able to discern which tools are truly God’s tools.

Rendering Joy

We are assured by Jesus’ own words that when we help others it is the same as helping Him.

Meditation Thought: “What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?” (Psalm 116:12)

When we are able to dispense goodness to others, our children, for example, what pleases us in return? Grateful hearts, loving actions, and happy countenances. Since we are made in God’s image, it would be logical to assume these please God also.

Our grateful hearts can be expressed in terms of praise, of time spent with the Lord in study of His Word, and in prayer. Our loving actions can be expressed to those around us, for we are assured by Jesus’ own words that when we help others it is the same as helping Him. Surely God is pleased when we smile and are enthused and in every way possible exude a joyful attitude because of the works He is doing in our lives.

As we learn to praise Him in every circumstance, knowing this action is pleasing to Him and beneficial to us, both immediately in terms of relieving stress, and later in God’s working freely in the circumstances, we do have the pleasure of joy in Him, and not a dependency of feeling on circumstances. Joy in Him must be what He wants us to render to Him for His goodness towards us. The scriptures point to this, and our human experiences point to this.

Stride Confidently

Quit cleaning out the unwanted filth with your old human-struggle broom and start using the power vacuum of My guidance and My strength.

Meditation Thought: “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” (Psalm 113:3)

“Praise, joy, bubbling excitement crowd out gloom and despair which Satan would put in your life. You have all the equipment you need to command a fulfilling, happy life – use it.

You can stride confidently, not slink along downheartedly, for whatever you need is at your side no matter what situation you are led into. When you come to an obstacle, look at it and then choose the equipment you need to overcome it. If you are abiding in Me and I in you, the choice will be appropriate and effective in overcoming, and in leaving all kinds of good in your path. Become competent in using your equipment and take good care of it. You become competent by the practice with it and it stays shiny by continuous use.

Picture yourself striding along with a purpose (Our purpose) before you, but stopping to help anyone you meet, knowing that this is right and good and will not be a deterrent to moving on to fulfill our purpose. Look eagerly to each task, knowing it will be transformed into something special just by the fact that it is the one I have chosen for you to do. The closer you get to the dreaded tasks, the more you will realize that you could not see them clearly from a distance, and that the fear was based on an illusion of how they appeared before the time to deal with them. Once you are right at them, you have My perspective and My help to dispose of them with ease and with confidence.

Cast off your timidity with knowledge. When you know where power is and how to use it, you no longer need to behave as if you are ignorant of it. Quit cleaning out the unwanted filth with your old human-struggle broom and start using the power vacuum of My guidance and My strength. You will accomplish more with less effort and do a better job”

Suggested Prayer: “Lord, I ask that You form my thoughts into flowing rivers of praise which will wash all filth of rebellion and irritability away, and leave every area of my life sparkling and clear and a tribute to You changing my life. Amen.”