Category: Purpose

A Compelling Mystery

No longer must we plod along, confused, not knowing where to turn  – discouraged by set-backs, lacking hope of better things to come.

Meditation Thought: “… a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 2:16)

We are not justified by mechanical acts – but by the inspiration of the awareness of our spirit to the revelations of the Spirit, and an appreciation of what these revelations mean to us: totally new life. No longer must we plod along, confused, not knowing where to turn  – discouraged by set-backs, lacking hope of better things to come.

For Jesus came from the Father to teach us the meaning of our existence – and the extent of it: not just our physical self and environment, but the glories and joys of the spiritual self and spiritual environment.

No more that the surgeon’s observation of the physical parts of the brain can discern the thoughts and memories contained therein, can our pursuit of the physical aspect of life reveal the meaning of life – the purpose toward which it leads.

To be touched – however lightly – by the significance of Jesus’ sojourn on earth – is the beginning of the possibility of life in a totally new dimension. If we have the energy and the courage to respond to this touch, we are started on a compelling mystery, a constant challenge, and a revelation of knowledge and feelings and actions previously uncomprehended.

Our hope is in Him, our strength is in Him, our knowledge is in Him, our love is in Him: The Father gave Him to us, and He came, sacrificing willingly all His power, glory, will, that we might be saved from sin and reconciled with the Father. He came to show us the way back to the Father and of the Father: we cannot deny our inheritance: we are born of the Father.

 

Big Brother

…my big brother Jesus would know what to do in this situation. Let me check with Him and I know then I’ll be taking the right action.

Meditation Thought: “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50)

“I’m a relative of Jesus” – what a statement to be able to make! Of all the name-dropping, that has to be the ultimate statement. And, yet it is true – as we, through faith in Jesus as Savior, accept our Father as our guide, our Creator, our loving, indulgent parent, and we obey Him as such, we are born into His Kingdom and His family just as surely as we are physically born into this world. And His Son is surely part of His family!

Maybe we should think more in terms of making decisions, going through a process such as saying to ourselves: “Well, now, my big brother Jesus would know what to do in this situation. Let me check with Him and I know then I’ll be taking the right action.”

The heavens rejoice at the expansion and maturing of the family of God. It is enough to know that this is so; we do not need to know why it is so. We rejoice because our Father rejoices as He delights in our obedience. Our delight and joy become contagious to one another; we want to continue this happy time, this happy relationship. There is only one way to do  it – we must do as our Father requests – in a manner of trust, pleasure, reliance and eagerness, as well as performing as competently as we are able.

Voice in the Din

There is so much joy and peace and pleasure and excitement and fulfillment to be distributed.

Meditation Thought: “What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops.” (Matthew 10:27)

“I would whisper to all if they could but hear me above the din of the world – but all cannot hear, for they do not yet know to listen for a voice apart from the din. I need you to work within the din, to get attention so that you can then attune others’ ears to my voice.

Be sure you listen carefully to My voice, heeding my instructions, before you call attention to yourself, that you might be using the most effective manner of both getting attention and then re-focusing that attention to Me. There is so much joy and peace and pleasure and excitement and fulfillment to be distributed – I want to blanket the world with it, but I cannot force it, or the pressure will smother instead of provide comfort.

People must reach out for the “comforter” – My Kingdom – but you can call their attention to the gift being available for their asking. Start to automatically work in each relationship, no matter how casual the encounter, to fulfill that aim. Relax, smile, enjoy the gift that you posses, and I will guide you each moment to speak and act appropriately to the heart of everyone you meet.”

Harvest Time

First the giving, then the receiving.

Meditation Thought: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray, therefore, the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

The harvest is not usable until it is gathered – it has been long in reaching the harvesting state – but all the time and effort is wasted if it is left in the field to rot. There must be laborers to go at the proper time to bring it into the storehouses. The laborers must be knowledgeable, willing and strong to complete their task – they must give much of themselves before they can enjoy the fruits of the harvest. First the giving, then the receiving.

A Magnified Gift

Why wouldn’t it be logical for God to want to give more gifts to those who are using them to their maximum instead of just storing them away?

Meditation Thought: “I tell you to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not even what he has will be taken away.” Luke 19:26

God gives us precious gifts but not for the purpose of hiding them, hoarding them for our own selfish pleasure, to be sneaked out in secret and gloated over. He gives us gifts to enjoy by sharing them with others – which magnifies them as their value is spread to more people.

Why wouldn’t it be logical for God to want to give more gifts to those who are using them to their maximum instead of just storing them away? When we give a gift to someone, don’t we receive pleasure when the person uses it, shares the benefit from it – and aren’t we disappointed if the gift is put away and ignored? God’s gifts are too precious to be accepted and put on a shelf never to be used. They should be used constantly to His pleasure and glory, as well as our pleasure.

The Beauty of Grace

…they will be attracted to an unusual beauty, a sweetness of spirit, someone who is effective and willing in helping them.

Meditation Thought: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

“I put on you the mantle of my grace for all to see. The beauty of my grace is to shine immediately to all those who look at you. My power is beneath that grace, working through you – but if you are not cloaked in my mantle of grace, and appear powerful in your own right, people see your human power, which will blind them to my power working through you.

The mantle of my grace protects you. If your own pride and thirst for power and recognition grow to the point that they burst open the fasteners of the mantle and it falls away, then what is visible is only your arrogance. If you stay meek under your mantle, keeping yourself healthy and fit and the proper size by feeding on My Word and My Guidance, and not indulging in the food of the world – false pride, selfishness, greed – so that you get too fat for my mantle of grace which I have thrown over you, the ones to whom I would have you witness of Me will not see a common, gross, unattractive creature, unappealing to them; they will be attracted to an unusual beauty, a sweetness of spirit, someone who is effective and willing in helping them.

In the first attraction they may not perceive that your power to help them, and their attraction to you, is not of your own doing, but is due to your dependence on Me. In deeper communication with you they will understand that your effectiveness is based on My power released in you: This is the purpose of each of my believers – to bring my beloved children to recognize Me as their Father and to delight in Me as their Guide and Protector, and the One who created them in love.”

Over. Come.

The evil says “come”  the Lord says “come”. We must decide where to go.

Meditation Thought: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

Overcome: Over. Come: “over” implies a movement upward – we move “up” to God’s higher methods, more effective methods, when we consult Him. “Come” – implies the invitation to movement. The evil says “come”  the Lord says “come”. We must decide where to go.

We have our “manual” – all we need to do is to consult it, to determine which destination we must choose. Good is always concerned with love, with peace, with joy, with giving – evil is always concerned with malice, with conflict, with envy, with taking.

 

Perfect Method

Help me to be alert so that I can be an apt pupil.

Meditation Thought: “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 GNT)

“works for good” – the good is not limited to those who love God, it extends to others too – often resulting in adding children to God’s Kingdom.

“with those” – “those” are needed to be used by God, and in order to be used, they must be aware of God’s call, to heed that call and act on it, and to trust God with the results, not judging the immediate results, but knowing that the ultimate results will be good for everyone and for God. The trusting is as important as the initial response, for the trusting is the acting on the faith – the believing that keeps the energy moving toward the completion of the purpose of God – whether that purpose was initiated by a call from God, or as by His response to a call to Him in prayer.

“everything” – Life is made up of a series of “things” – things involving seconds, things involving years – things that are crucial, things that are irrelevant, things that change the course of history, things that seem to not matter at all – but every one of these “things” is important enough for God to express His care, and His interest. All of creation is His and He is vitally concerned with all of it – He does not judge, as we do, that some “things” are so unimportant as to be unworthy of His attention. We need to think more in line with God’s example, so that as we work in tandem with Him, we accomplish His purpose more quickly than if we seek to accomplish that purpose by devising our own methods being ignorant of His more perfect method.

Prayer: Dear Father, I ask You to work in me in such a way that I will be using Your methods of accomplishing the tasks You set before me. Help me to be alert so that I can be an apt pupil. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Listen More

Put your mind at rest now that you know how to proceed.

Meditation Thought: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) and “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

If I remain alert to His leading, and am obedient, He will have me be a doer, for I will recognize and acknowledge the true Giver, who is using the attributes which He gave me. I can be happy in what I am doing, but must remember that what I’m doing has no meaning aside from obedience to God, and I must constantly check to see that I am on the path where He wants me to be.

Perceived reply: “Oh, my child, relax – I did not give you qualities which I want to use to cause you distress and doubts. I gave them to you to further my kingdom, to the extent of your willingness to dedicate them to me.

Listen, listen more than you ‘do’; this assures our harmonious working together for a common goal, and should enable you to push aside doubts and fears, as you concentrate your energies with a devotion and dedication that shuts out evil forces. Do not try to proceed to the work without fully understanding the instructions, for that is where danger lies.

Put your mind at rest now that you know how to proceed. Spend adequate time in reading My Word, and communicating in prayer, in serving others as a privilege of serving Me, and be open to my instructions through all channels. This formula will not fail, for your energies will all be dedicated to Me, and not siphoned off in useless contemplation.”

Power and Vitality

We must look to Him for His power to be available to us.

Meditation Thought: “And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:19)

His power – our belief – one is connected with the other. We must look to Him for His power to be available to us. We can be spending much energy, working so hard, hoeing in our garden – and all along, the power rototiller was right beside us, waiting to make our work light and easy – but we didn’t look for it, so we couldn’t use it.

God touches us lightly, so as not to violate our free will – but He does try to make us aware that His power is waiting, unlike an inanimate rototiller. We however, must not be so engrossed – perhaps in resentment at our task – that we cannot be aware of His touch. If we miss it, we miss out on a totally new, totally improved way of living our life, of doing our tasks. When we see that power, when we trust that it will work for us enough to make the effort to take hold of it and try it, then our belief and our acting on it is justified, and proved, by a new way of life – most visible to us, but visible to others also. They may want to find this more effective way of cultivating their garden of life, too and we can bring new lives and new vitality into the Body of Christ.