Category: SpiritFilledLiving

Plunge to the Depths

Enjoy your relationship with your Father, enjoy your trust in your Father, enjoy your activities with your Father, and all else will fall into place to bring you assurance and peace.

Meditation Thought: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed… Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life… And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.” (John 5: 19,20,22-24,37-38)

“You can hear the Father’s voice, see His form, and have His Word abiding in you – if you believe Him whom He has sent.

It is belief in My witness to Truth – to the reality of the Father’s existence, to the extent of His grace (in suffering Himself to save His children), and to the glory of His power.

The miracles recorded in the Word are only the ‘tip of the iceberg’. If you will put on your diving gear and plunge beneath the surface, where more than the ordinary perceptions lie – the ‘things’ that are the foundation underlying what is above the surface – you will have a totally new concept of the whole: of what is below (the spiritual truths) and what is above (the expression of those truths visibly in the world).

Once you return to the surface, to deal with life upon the upper part of the iceberg, you can make more knowledgeable decisions, based upon the underlying principles which cause the environment at the top to be as it is.

You know you are dealing with a large, complicated, partially hidden environment that must be understood, appreciated, and respected, and to which you must adapt yourself in order to promote a good, healthy, satisfying life.

To those who have not plunged the depths, your thoughts, your works and your actions will appear foolish and unbalanced. You must accept this – and have faith that, in due time, your actions, your words, and your thoughts will be vindicated and provide the opportunity to encourage others to try diving to observe the depths for themselves, that they may have transformed minds – and be new creations, more adaptable to their environment, and more pleased with it.

You will fail many times to achieve the results you envision as ‘right’ – but if you believe that these results are not final, but part of a scheme more grand, and a purpose more noble than you perceive, then this faith will create a movement toward the fulfillment of the scheme, and the reaching of the goal.

Do not fret that you have merely a child’s understanding of your Father’s creation and your Father’s purpose in that creation. Enjoy your relationship with your Father, enjoy your trust in your Father, enjoy your activities with your Father, and all else will fall into place to bring you assurance and peace.”

In-depth Consulting

When circumstances present themselves which call for creative thinking and creative actions, then I need to have an in-depth consultation with My Father.

Meditation Thought: “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” (John 5:17)

Only through the Spirit am I able to discern what my Father desires: not by rules can I determine this, no matter how well they may guide me in the routine. When circumstances present themselves which call for creative thinking and creative actions, then I need to have an in-depth consultation with My Father. His knowledge, wisdom and power are to be passed on to me at that time.

This is what Jesus came to demonstrate: we can claim much of our inheritance as children of God right now. It is crucial to trust Him, to our very greatest ability to do so, at every moment. He is re-forming us as more pure expressions of His own character: this character of purity, love, goodness, mercy, understanding, creative abilities and unlimited power.

Me and Mine

If we sever the link through unbelief or lack of use, we are without supernatural power.

Meditation Thought: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)

It is when my mind turns from my own body, my own desires, my own will and seeks communion with God’s mind – His mind as revealed through His Spirit within my mind: residing and available in my mind through my belief that His Spirit is real and is present in me.

As wealth is not beneficial until it is claimed as being real and being possessed, so the Spirit must be recognized as real and possessed to be beneficial.

The Spirit is the connecting link between God’s will and our will. If we sever the link through unbelief or lack of use, we are without supernatural power and living only with human powers – far more limited in scope and effect than when God’s power is flowing freely into us.

I strained and struggled,
Wept in frustration, pain, despair
Perceiving no progress,
Having no hope.
Exhausted, defeated, confused,
I limply lay,
Waiting for whatever would overtake me.

It was Love which came my way:
So intent had I been on me –
On where I chose to go,
What I desired to do,
I ran away
From the very place
That would be my joy.

Only when I stopped,
Unable to travel on
Did Love –
The will of God expressed and received willingly by His Child –
Find me.

I want to always
Be in this place:
The place where comfort, hope, fulfillment
Become real,
Transforming me.

I am no longer “me”,
But “me and mine” –
And “mine” includes
All whom I need
To enable me
To live in the kingdom,
The place which is home,
The shelter,
The comfort,
The joy,
The fulfillment,
Environment

“Me and mine”,
Now in our
Mobile home of Love,
Move on in time,
In space,
Toward our common goal –
To sure, complete,
Perfect understanding
And performance
Of the Father’s will.

Impulse vs. Best Possible Life

It is not “I” who do this – but the “I’m willing, Lord” that does all this.

Meditation Thought:  “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:34)

My body cannot live without food, my spirit cannot live without the Presence of the Father. It is my mind which instructs my body to partake of food. It is my mind which chooses to allow the Father to enter into my spirit. It is my mind which says “yes” or “no” to the proportions the Father places before me.

Wouldn’t it seem wise to go along with whatever was desired by the One who created me? He must be knowledgeable to do that. And He must know me well – know what will help me thrive and grow, and what will thwart healthy growth.

I must not yield to impulse, but seek to go along with the Father’s plans if I am to have the best possible life.

In the happy frame of mind made possible by a clear conscience, and in the enthusiasm of being a part of a creative activity, I do as the Father requests – and the joy of being in harmony with what I know is right is my food – it is what sustains me, gives me strength and health, vitality and a sense of overcoming – of moving aside any obstacles and producing a great work. It is not “I” who do this – but the “I’m willing, Lord” that does all this.

Extraordinary Results

You cannot diminish your treasure of Myself through sharing – you diminish it only by ignoring it, which has the effect of not possessing it at all.

Meditation Thought: “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)

“Look to Me – look to Me – not to circumstances, or to people, or to possessions, or to your own understanding.

I am the source of all good, all wisdom and knowledge, all righteousness and mercy, all the power that you will ever need – to overcome all obstacles, to reach our goals, to help others to know Me.

Realize that when you seek Me you will find Me: do not have doubts, or wait for ‘lightening in the sky’ revelations.

All I require is an earnest desire to know Me, to love Me, and to obey Me. Once you have this desire and are truly attempting to fulfill it, allow yourself to get caught up in an excitement and trust of forging ahead toward the bringing of the kingdom ever more surely into your life.

You are aware of the essential principles of spiritual search and spiritual life. Apply them. Rely on them. Enjoy the living wonder of them. This is the secret of Jesus’ joy, Peter’s joy, Paul’s joy – the joy of millions who have chosen the Way of the cross.

Obedience and discipline are often difficult – but to adhere to these ‘rules of conduct’ will bring rewards which will multiply and compound to the extent that not only will they bring joy to you, but will be the very base of enabling others to come to know the Way and to choose to follow it.

Do not strain to follow the Way, relying on your own works. Simply follow the principles, experimenting with every new bit of knowledge gleaned along the journey, attempting to apply it specifically to your own person and situation – always remaining in the Light of My Presence through ingesting the Word, through communication in prayer, through loving, unselfish ministry, through faith in My character and My promises and My faithfulness to keeping these promises to those who have gone before you in history.

Do not fear – or more accurately, when fear thrusts itself into your life, send it quickly far away through your trust in Me as stronger than any other power, and trust that I shall use this power to guide, protect, enhance and bring good for My beloved, obedient and dependent, responsive child.

In order for you to have extraordinary results you must make extraordinary effort, use extraordinary strength, have extraordinary wisdom and knowledge. It is obvious where these are to become available to you. It is obvious that when they are made available you should take advantage of them. I shall do all in My power to place My power where it can be attached to your movements. But you must make the final connection by choosing to attach your faith and trust and love, your thoughts, your words and your deeds to My proffered power. You can do this only through following the example of the once I sent to teach you the necessary steps to making a firm connection with My power:
– Know the Word
– Turn to Me in prayer
– Do as I ask: willingly if possible – reluctantly if necessary.

Where your treasure is there is your heart also. If I am the treasure of your life, you are rich indeed, and your heart shall rejoice, for no one can steal your treasure; you cannot lose it; it will not rust away – it is eternal, ever-present, everything you long for a treasure to be.

Your treasure is of the most pleasure to you as it is shared – this doubles your joy, for to give is the very essence of your inheritance from Me.

Never is your treasure diminished when it is Myself: the more of My love you give away, the more love I produce. You cannot diminish your treasure of Myself through sharing – you diminish it only by ignoring it, which has the effect of not possessing it at all.

Who would choose to not possess treasure? Who would choose to lose a treasure once possessed?

You have been given all authority in heaven and on earth to claim your treasure and to possess it. You need only to exercise your authority.

You now realize that the authority is yours; you now know how to use it.

If you determine to ‘abide by the rules’ and to apply them properly through diligence, through discipline, through unselfish attitudes and a mind seeking Truth, a heart seeking love, and a spirit seeking the Spirit, the results truly will be extraordinary.”

Prayer of response: Lord, thank you for this teaching and this vision. Please enable me to fulfill the vision: enable me to do extraordinary things with my life – not to impress people, but to please You, and in pleasing you, bring joy to my heart. In Jesus’ Precious Name I pray. Amen.

Filled with Beauty

To be as actively sought and obviously desired by the most awesome, most loving, most wise, most powerful entity existing is mind-boggling; life-changing.

Meditation Thought: “But the Lord has become my stronghold,
    and my God the rock of my refuge.” (Psalm 94:22)

When I am weak, then I am strong – for my weakness is the container for the Lord’s power and His glory.

As an empty vase is not very attractive – nor is it serving its inherent purpose, so am I unattractive and not fulfilling my purpose of life if I am not filled with the lovely Spirit of the Lord. It is the beauty of the Lord which is the primary focus – or should be the primary focus – as others observe my life. If they are more observing of me as the container, then I am not appearing as I should be – for my purpose is to hold up the Lord to be viewed, and to serve as a complimentary, but unobtrusive aid to Him, as He seeks to influence and to minister to the world.

To be even slightly needed by the most awesome, most loving, most wise, most powerful entity existing is mind-boggling – but to be as actively sought and obviously desired and needed as God reveals to me is the case, through His Word, His human witness, and His indwelling Spirit’s revelations and works in my life is to be life-changing: life changing for me and for all whose lives touch mine!

Flourish

Life – not just existence, but life in all its fullness, in its glory.

Meditation Thought: “The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” (Psalm 92:12-15)

The reason that the righteous flourish, grow and produce, even in old age, is that they are watered by the Spirit of the Lord, which brings and sustains life – not just existence, but life in all its fullness, in its glory.

The very fullness and glory are a witness to the Lord who has made them possible – and there is an ongoing reaction which is both satisfying and exciting, as the growth produces fruit, and then the fruit itself produces growth. Some fruit reproduces in kind, and some is used as food to enhance growth in something different than the nature of the fruit itself. This adds zest and an unknown mystical quality to life.

“Variety is the spice of life” must be a reflection of the Father’s philosophy for it is so evident everywhere.

We need to realize that one variety is not ‘better’ than another – and that the difference exists for a particular purpose – that since environments and circumstances are varied, so too do those creatures and things living in various places need to be adaptive to their site.

We need to recognize that although the righteous all flourish as the palm, and grow like a cedar, the forms they take are of infinite variety, and God loves them all, desires all flourish and grow, each according to his particular inheritance and specific site (circumstances) and specific instructions from God as to good ways to grow and flourish.

The Success Factor

Only through a will totally yielded to the Father’s will is it possible to spark the power that explodes love of such magnitude that it lights up the world, and brings the power of the Spirit to transform the world into the kingdom.

Meditation Thought: ““Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

“I tried to teach ‘them’ – to enlighten them – to love them into an awareness of the life of the Spirit, the love of God, the power of God – the longing of God to have them know Him and love Him. But they would not understand. Their hearts were hardened, their minds set, their emotions set loose in rage more appropriate for animals than for men.

Do not condemn them. The very behavior they exhibited is the reason that I came to dwell in flesh, that the opportunity to know Truth might be given. And many did open up their minds, and give their love, to the ultimate commitment – totally loyal, willing to sacrifice themselves for Me and for My Father.

You know that you have not understood, you have had a hardened heart, a stubborn mind-set, and rage loosed in inappropriate ways. It is only by grace, by prayers of others for you, and by examples set before you, and the Father’s many works in your life that you have sought, and found, Truth. Truly you could say of those who condemned Me, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’

Therefore do not criticize nor condemn those who now reject My teaching. Follow My Way: Love, heal, do not fight back nor argue your case. Your strength and power to live the Life lies not in your human abilities, but in your faith in My Teaching, and your obedience to its wisdom.

Your hope does not lie in circumstances, but in the Truth which has been revealed to you.

The very act that brought despair and sorrow to My followers so long ago was also the act that brought transformation to them, and through them, to millions through the ages. It brought the kingdom upon the earth wherever a faithful heart believed that it did, and today that very same transformation takes place.

To believe that what I taught, and what I lived, and how I died is the transforming power of God made available to His beloved children is still difficult, as it was difficult during My sojourn on earth.

Yet Truth shall prevail as the Father’s will shall prevail. Would you choose to be with God – or rebel against God? To insure that you do not reject the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Spirit, you must adhere to the Way, live the Life, and seek the Truth.

You know how to do these through the wisdom and knowledge of the Word, through revelation from prayer, and through actions based upon unselfish love. Yet none of these are possible to be real in your life unless you yield your will to the Father’s will – this is the discipline which is the ‘success factor’. This is the key to the reality of the kingdom overcoming the world. This is the transforming catalyst, or the conduit which brings the Living Water into the desert and brings new forms of life out of seeming death. This is the lesson and the example and the help which I made clear to all who would believe when I allowed Myself to be placed upon a cross. I suffered for you – willingly, yes – but not of my own initiative. It was our Father who requested it of Me, out of love for you. And I gave myself over to His will out of love for Him. At that moment, His love for you became My love for you, and the glory of love was released in fulness that is beyond human understanding.

Only through a will totally yielded to the Father’s will is it possible to spark the power that explodes love of such magnitude that it lights up the world, and brings the power of the Spirit to transform the world into the kingdom.

All the words in all the languages ever spoken cannot describe this miracle, cannot explain it, nor bring understanding of it. The only way to comprehend the miracle, and to experience it, is to become the fuel (self-will consumed by eternal will) that is lit by the Energy of the Spirit.

At first there is pain as the fuel is converted from one from to another: however once the combination of Spiritual Energy and a yielded will have united and exploded, the new form of being a part of a glorious Whole which is lighting and transforming vast areas is pure joy to the personal spirit. It is this action which I demonstrated, and whoever seeks to duplicate the experiment shall have the same results. Many who followed Me through the ages have confirmed this, and even the world who will only observe and not experiment, recognized these people and one day term them ‘saints’. But that day comes long after the world has done its best to impede the very experiment it observed, and would not accept as proper and right to do.

When you waver and want to stop being an experimenter and join the skeptical world – remember the impact of a Peter or a Paul, who, though weak and frail, doubtful and full of fear, did as I bid, not understanding – only trusting – and their faith was justified. The Holy Spirit’s power did light the spark from the fuel of their yielded will, and the light and transforming love is still exploding, still transforming the world into the kingdom.

What will the impact be if all of the Father’s children yield to His loving will? Do your best, as did Peter and Paul, who followed Me – I who followed the Father’s requests to the ultimate sacrifice of self-will – to use your circumstances, and your personality, your energy and your power of choice to be the most efficient and the most transforming energy engendered on earth.”

Enjoy and Share

I do not expect you to be perfect – I do expect you to be available.

Meditation Thought: “O Lord, God of my salvation,
    I cry out day and night before you.
2 Let my prayer come before you;
    incline your ear to my cry!” (Psalm 88:1-2)

“You have cried and prayed – you shall have your response from your loving Father. Concentrate on the words of encouragement which have been placed in your life. Share them. Believe them. Act as if you believe them.

You can enjoy and share what you have in this kingdom-seeking quest. You have ideas; you have the Word; you have prayer; you have loving family and friends.

The need for human family never subsides – neither does the need for our relationship to be needed by one another subside. Right now you need Me to provide what you are unable to provide: peace of mind about your loved ones, and provision for them. And I need you to provide what I am unable to provide: your trust in Me, your desire to know Me ever more intimately and to please Me even more surely.

Why would I reveal Myself to you if I did not desire to have a relationship with you which is viable? As your heart longs for your family, so My heart longs for you.

Believe this – trust that, whatever the situation may be, nothing is impossible for Me.

But, remember, you are needed, too, to cooperate and implement whatever I would do with you and through you. I do not expect you to be perfect – I do expect you to be available.”

Basis for Decisions

I can use my resources to help the poor, to create jobs, to bring beauty, to inspire generosity.

Meditation Thought: “…render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Luke 20:25)

As a matter of practical living in the realm of the physical, I “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”. But my decisions of how to do this are best based on my “rendering to God the things that are God’s” – namely, devoting time in prayer and meditation, to perceive His will as to the decisions concerning practical physical things which will most reflect the best of “spiritual living” – the decisions which will be most effective in promoting kingdom-characteristics on earth.

I can choose to “bribe Caesar” to do my bidding and to satisfy my selfish, uncaring whims – or I can use my resources to help the poor, to create jobs, to bring beauty, to inspire generosity.

Only by “rendering to God the things that are God’s” am I able to render to Caesar only the things that are Caesar’s. If I choose by myself what I render to Caesar, I give Caesar God’s rightful due. And that causes all kinds of disruptions and harm.

It would be far better to err in the other direction – to give God Caesar’s portion – for God is loving, generous, kind, righteous, and fair – He would give Caesar his due – but Caesar would not give what he has wrongfully received to God, and therefore God would be left with less return than He desires from my “talent” which He has given me to use and protect – and eventually return, that He may judge how many talents I am trustworthy to use for Him.

Response: “My Father, Who is generous beyond my understanding, help me to be wise, prudent and alert to the opportunities presented to me to render to you and to Caesar. I desire to never ‘short-change’ You, and I seek your help in making all in my life a proper balance of rendering to You and rendering to Caesar all that is entrusted to me. According to Your will. Amen.”