Category: SpiritFilledLiving

Look!

You will then be so totally comprehending of my vast love for you that your fears and doubts and inadequacies will disappear, replaced by renewing love, unbridled hope, confidence of who you are as my beloved child.

Meditation Thought: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him, and be radiant. (Psalm 34:4-5)

“Look to Me – and not your fears. Your fears do not love you, cherish you, protect you, empower you, fulfill the desires of your heart, work good in all circumstances. Fears are destructive – they would bind you, keep your talents and your energies ineffective, perhaps even hidden. I bring to you life as I intended it to be for you – if you choose to look to me – for instruction, for inspiration, for knowledge, for truth, for unlimited and uncondemning love. Do not fear – whatever you encounter, I am in it with you, and when you look to Me, you realize I am with you. No power in heaven or on earth can harm you when I am with you: with you, not only in Presence, but in power, in effectiveness, in wisdom and in the renewing process.

If you have faith – if you believe I am your sustenance and stronghold, and no power can prevail against Me as I seek to work good for you – then so shall good be the fruit, the delight, of your life.

Look to Me: I am all that is good, lovely, peaceful, joyful and fruitful. When you observe Me, you are then able to come to be more like Me. This is what Jesus did – and what the Holy Spirit (Jesus’ presence and My presence within you) does when you choose to believe that not only is this possible and desirable, but it is the very purpose for which you were born. I created you in love – to love. Recognize yourself as My beloved. It will transform you, as it has transformed so many. When you comprehend that I love you and desire good for you in the same manner – but to even greater degree – that you love and desire good for your children – then you have joy, peace, fulfillment and understanding. This is the key to the wisdom of Solomon, the faith of Abraham, the devotion of Moses, the obedience of Jesus, the transformation of Paul and the disciples. This is the source that actually is the creating of the new creature in Christ.

The more you look to me, the more radiant you will be, for you will then be so totally comprehending of my vast love for you that your fears and doubts and inadequacies will disappear, replaced by renewing love, unbridled hope, confidence of who you are as my beloved child.

For this purpose Jesus lived in the flesh – that looking to Me would cause you to be radiant – that looking to Me would transform you from only awareness of self to awareness of Me and My relationship to that beloved self.

You are not merely a human, struggling to survive or even doing things that you believe will make you happy. Thus you are not limited to life similar to that of the animals or that of ignorant mankind. When you look to Me, you know that you are far more than animal and ignorant human: you are spirit, and your spirit is filled with My Spirit as you look to Me. It is My Spirit within one’s spirit that is so transforming that thoughts and actions are a dimension so much greater than normal that even casual observers are forced to realize that there is something powerful and productive and unique within the container of the personality before them.

Those whom the world calls “saints” are set apart by this act of looking to Me, and in realizing the magnificence and the magnitude of My love, they become radiant. They reflect My love to the world – and thus the world is converted to the Kingdom, for the Kingdom is where My love is the prevailing force, the standard of behavior, and the law above all laws.”

On Whose Terms do we Love?

But none of this can take place until love opens the way.

Meditation Thought: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet… A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you… By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:14, 34-35)

“If I have loved you unto washing your feet and shedding My blood – is there any greater love? No – to love so much to desire to perform the most menial job for the loved one, and to desire to suffer and die for the loved one is the most complete expression of love. And I, your Lord and your Teacher, have performed these ministries to you. I have not visibly washed your feet, but nevertheless I have spiritually ministered to you in the attitude of washing your feet. My blood has washed away your sins, and My blood has washed your feet. Remember this: your life’s blood is to be symbolically poured out to those whom you would teach. When you give yourself wholeheartedly in love, whatever expression it takes, that is washing feet – and in the washing of the feet, you reveal the fact of my love even unto death for the salvation of the one you love and to whom you are ministering.

Wherever love is poured out unresistingly, unselfishly and with astute perception as to the form most appealing to the recipient, it waters the seed of God which is contained within, causing it to sprout and to cause movement in the mind and in the heart. It is this movement which allows the growth of God’s love and power within. Then does the Father rejoice as He is able to perform His miracles through the heart cleansed by the Son, and filled with the Spirit.

Stubborn, clogged arteries (power) are opened and new healthy life-renewing blood flows: living water and manna (blessings and wisdom) combine to nourish and feed and give health never before even conceived as possible.

But none of this can take place until love opens the way, until love touches a mind and a heart and elicits response.

Be My lover – love all whom I place within your reach. So is the Kingdom come upon the earth, and the Father’s will done as it is in heaven.”

Preparation Tools

This knowledge is the armor which protects you against hopelessness and listlessness. You are protected – and you need tools.

Meditation Thought: “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.” (John 9:3)

The “works of God” are to be made manifest in you. Does it not give you an entirely different perspective on your trials to know this? To have it confirmed by the Spirit and the Word? This knowledge is the armor which protects you against hopelessness and listlessness. You are protected – and you need tools to give you the faith to desire to have the works made manifest in you. Your “main” tool is the Word. Other tools are: a merry heart, a kind word, a good deed.

With your armor and your tools you are prepared to believe the Master when He seeks to heal you to give the Father glory. This belief will enable you to do your part in the miracle-working process.

Some will rejoice with you in the miracle, and will become disciples too, others will scoff – but there is always the possibility that the scoffers will have a change of heart at the next miracle, and become disciples.

Never give up believing, never give up ingesting the Word, never give up your ministries, never give up your prayers: The Father seeks your love and your companionship through the means of the Son and the Spirit – never doubt this, but believe at all times.

Environmental Change

Life is no longer a “line” from “here to there”. Life is a sphere, encompassing ever-widening perceptions and knowledge, our awareness of the interrelation of all things seen and unseen.

Meditation Thought: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38)

To believe in Jesus is to move into a new world: one minute we live on a physical plane only – the next we have moved into a totally new environment. It is so different that it takes much effort to explore and understand the implications of its various facets. What excitement greets each day! There is mystery of the unexpected – there are the “impossible” coincidences, there are “miracles” of healing – physically, in relationships, within self, others are given more tranquil hearts because God guides us to say and do helpful ministries.

All is not “sweetness and light” all of the time – but never is there a “dull” time if the Word is in our mind, for contemplation of it always “entertains” us as it enlightens us. Never is there a hopeless situation for “in everything God works good to them who love Him, to them who are called according to His purpose.”

There are the glorious times when prayers are visibly answered, when love abounds, when the presence of God is so real it is as strong as a physical presence, a visible presence.

Life is no longer a “line” from “here to there”. Life is a sphere, encompassing ever-widening perceptions and knowledge, our awareness of the interrelation of all things seen and unseen. The contrast is as dramatic as going from blindness to sight – and life is as dramatically changed.

Preparation is the Key

If distressing circumstances drive destroying forces against the one who would produce fruit, then we can protect ourselves from them by specific means.

Meditation Thought: “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.” (John 7:17)

When the knowledge of the Father is great enough to prompt courage to yield our will to the will of the Father, there is transformation. The earth is transformed by the effect of heaven upon it – the invisible effects of what occur in the sky affecting the earth below is merely symbolic of a nature which permeates all of creation. The spirit is the determining factor of the physical.

To one who looks only at the earth, there is no connection with the events there having been prompted by the activities in the sky. But to those who look outside of their own narrow confines of earth – to those who look upward – is revealed the signs of what will take place, and thus they are able to prepare their property on earth to be the most enhanced by what will happen.

If there is sunshine, then the preparation is removing weeds so that the good plants grow unhampered by strength being sapped by weeds. If rain is forthcoming, the soil should be loosened beforehand that the water may soak in and not run off. If the winds are coming, and driving rain or snow or ice, then the plants should be protected.

To translate to a parable: the sunshine is the Word, and the removal of thoughts incompatible with the word is to absorb the sunshine into the mind, benefiting the mind greatly because all of its energy is concentrated on Godly thoughts, and not used to combat weeds of unGodly thoughts. The Godly thoughts thrive unhampered by unGodly thoughts.

The soil of the will should be loosened to receive the water of the Spirit. A hardened will cannot absorb the rains of the Spirit.

If distressing circumstances drive destroying forces against the one who would produce fruit, then we can protect ourselves from them by specific means:
– The Word in us
– Prayer
– Loving deeds
– Kind words
– Trust in God
And having thus done all we can to be protected, give thanks to God for the storm, knowing that it shall pass, and that some benefit to us shall be left in its wake.

All creatures on earth are subject to the activities of the sky – but we do have the choice of learning how the activities can effect us and thus we can affect our thriving or our destruction. God seeks to cause us to look away from our downcast view of our own little place on earth – to look upward and outward, discovering a whole new world of vastness and beauty, of others like ourselves, and never again are we the same. We are not isolated in our ignorance, but we are joyous in knowledge and good company. We have the benefit of cooperating with both the elements of the sky and the other elements of the earth to be the best that we can be – and to help others be the best that they can be.

(Note from Karen (see About this Blog) I couldn’t help but think of Lauren Daigle’s song Look Up Child when thinking about this post.)

Change Agents

We be changed beautifully, effectively,

Meditation thought: “…we shall all be changed…” (1 Corinthians 15:51)

We shall be changed: by the power of our Father, by the power of our Savior, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, by the power of the Body of the saints. By these shall we be changed beautifully, effectively, to reflect the Christ Who reflects the Father, Who is Perfection.

We shall not be perfect in our humanness – but we shall be perfect in the Spirit when the Spirit is in full control of every one of our faculties, including our spirit AND our will.

Mysterious Hope

We glory in the works of Christ being done through our willing spirit, willing mind, willing emotions, willing heart (our self-will), and willing body.

Meditation Thought: “I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:25-27)

You think you know – until more knowledge is revealed, necessitating a re-evaluation of your depth and fullness of knowledge.

How gently are we brought down from our place of arrogance, if we are willing to learn. We are precipitated most unpleasantly if we are stubborn and insist “we know it all; we don’t need God.” But – always, always, are the opportunities presented to learn the “glory of the mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”.

Yes – only when we are so small, is there room for Christ to have the larger portion of our life. Only if we are willing to be “last”, to be humble, to serve, to listen, to heed, to give, to forgive, is our heart softened enough that Christ can shape it as needed to do the Father’s will, that the Father may be glorified, that Christ may be glorified, that the Holy Spirit may be filling us and pleased to do so – and so are we glorified by association. We have no glory of ourselves – but we do glory in the works of Christ being done through our willing spirit, willing mind, willing emotions, willing heart (our self-will), and willing body.

A Paradoxical Pattern

Safety lies in the words and indwelling Spirit – not safety from all physical harm – but safety from paralyzing fear, and safety from doubts.

Meditation Thought: “…when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Luke 21:31-33)

These words are true for each generation. The storms make the complacent fearful and thus cause them to think and to search for safety. Safety lies in the words and indwelling Spirit of the Son of man – not safety from all physical harm – but safety from paralyzing fear, and safety from doubts.

There comes a time in a person’s life where he must choose: Self or God. And he must not be deceived, but perceive the Truth: the last shall be first, and the first last. And he who cares for others assures the Father’s care for himself. The signs are clear for all to read. Woe to he who will not heed them. He brings destruction upon himself.

But to those who seek to know the Truth, shall the signs of the times be clear. To them shall be heaven on earth although they suffer from the hands of the unjust, joy shall be theirs; joy now and joy forever.

Praise be to God who can create and sustain a universe which combines freedom and obedience, order and variety, suffering and joy.

A Change-the-World-Person

To perceive the unexpected as it truly is – to explore it, and be open to it, puts us in the role of a possible change-the-world-person.

Meditation Thought: “And some of the Pharisees… said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:39,40)

Truth cannot be suppressed. And when it is discovered, there is an irresistible urge to share it – for we care for one another, we are dependent upon one another. We can do all kinds of things to ourselves to try to resist the truth – to suppress it from our conscious knowledge. But if we succeed, we only harm ourselves.

If we do not open our minds and our hearts to new possibilities, new ideas, new insights – then we restrict what we could be – we are resisting God’s overtures to us, and shall reap the consequences of our stubborn rebellion.

But to perceive the unexpected as it truly is – to explore it, and be open to it, puts us in the role of a possible disciple – a possible change-the-world-person.

The Pharisees could not perceive Jesus for who he was because they were blinded by staying within the old thought and traditions.

Authority Delegated and Received

In the very act of yielding authority to God, the paradox is that you shall have authority.

Meditation Thought: “Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority… (Luke 19:17)

Testing – testing – testing: The pattern is the same, in all of nature, in the realm of the spirit and in the realm of the physical. First, there is a little growth – then the testing of a storm or stress; if there is enough strength to weather it, then growth continues.

As small challenges are met and overcome, larger ones can be met and overcome.

And the kingdom needs “overcomers”. In fact, the very definition of a citizen of the kingdom could be one who overcomes, through the knowledge and power gained by humility based on the recognition of the inadequacy of self and the adequacy of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit within – and the willingness and act of yielding authority to Them. In the very act of yielding authority to God, the paradox is that you shall have authority, not only beyond that sought before the knowledge of God, but beyond your previous and present comprehension.

This authority is yours – but it is yours because, through your yielding, you have earned the right to have the power of your Creator delegated to you, to serve His purposes, which are at the same time, the desires of your heart. This is possible because you have yielded your heart to Christ, and His desires are always in accord with the will of the Father, and are executed with the power of the Holy Spirit.