Category: SpiritFilledLiving

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.

Look! The Kingdom of God!

The Kingdom is here, in the midst of you – inside of you.

Meditation Thought: “…behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:21)

Behold: Look. Notice. Observe! The Kingdom is here, in the midst of you – inside of you. The Kingdom is not outside of you and outside of others and near all of you – it is within each, and it is as a magnetic force drawing all together. As the parts of the Body of Christ are more closely brought to one another, so are they able to more capably affect healing and superb performance in one another.

Never fear to draw near to anyone – for it is the Kingdom within each which seeks to bring you to a person. Even though this may not be recognized by the other – yet – you can know the Truth and it makes you free to move everywhere without fear, and in confidence and joy and anticipation and hope and sure knowledge, in wisdom, and with love. Is this state of being not a perfect description of “The Kingdom”?

Inherited Character Traits

Character is an expression of the attitude of the mind and the spirit – and that attitude exists for every aspect of life.

Meditation Thought: ““Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10)

Your character is made of a solid piece: no matter what circumstances penetrate it, the consistency is the same. It is either love – or selfish, honest or dishonest, giving or taking, thoughtful or unkind, perceptive or obtuse. But the fact that it is of a consistency does not indicate that the consistency is unchangeable.

The enlightenment by the Spirit, the teaching by the Word, the response to the Father’s proffered love, all can totally change the character.

And this is the significance of Jesus’ walk upon the earth: the living Example of the perfect character. The perfect character is available to anyone who seeks it: who is willing to die to self and live in Christ. The two become homogeneous – the Christ character replaces the believer’s character, yet each spirit and personality remains unique in expressing Christ’s character.

As parents’ traits are reflected in their children in a common manner – and yet each child remains unique, so each believer reflects the Father’s traits through the inheritance passed from Father to Jesus to believer. The difference is that physical traits are passed along by genes, and spiritual traits are passed along by the spirit. Only when we recognize that we are both physical and spiritual, can we have the traits of the Spirit of God passed along into our spirit fully: it takes our cooperation to express the spiritual genes to any great degree, whereas physical traits are more evident without our consciousness of them.

Character is an expression of the attitude of the mind and the spirit – and that attitude exists for every aspect of life, whether it is of great influence or of little consequence.

Therefore, if we are to become fully expressive as children of God, we must seek to reflect the Father’s attitude toward all of life.

Only through the mind of Christ and the Spirit of Christ being infused into our mind and spirit is it possible to reflect the Father’s attitude, and thus express in our character His character.