Happy Birthday!

…transforming you from selfish to considerate, gloomy to optimistic, fretful to relaxed, and haughty to humble, rejoicing that it is so.

Meditation Thought: “But now we are delivered from the law… that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:6)

Compare the birth of Jesus (within you) with the birth of a new baby: a complete change takes place in the lives of all of the members of the family. The new member, small as he is at the beginning, makes a big impact, and that influence grows more with the passing of time.

Jesus born into your will, your mind, your spirit! This babe who grows into manhood within your spirit, as you nurture His Presence! As His Personality exerts more influence, generates more love, raises the level of your performance as you seek to please your beloved who has come into your life, so this little one grows into the most influential aspect of your being, transforming you from selfish to considerate, gloomy to optimistic, fretful to relaxed, and haughty to humble, rejoicing that it is so.

You are no longer living according to the law only, having difficulty in controlling yourself to conform to it, but have the Presence of this beloved new member of your family to inspire you to control in a new and desirable ability to exercise more adherence to the law. You can act more firmly due to your new love and desire to provide the best of yourself for your beloved.

You act no longer from obligation, but from burning desire, total commitment to the welfare of your beloved, and with newly awakened thoughts and emotions prompting your actions.

The birth of Jesus into your consciousness (the baptism of the Holy Spirit) is the beginning of a transformed, redeemed, righteous life, set in a new direction, leading to a different destination: to the Kingdom, and to the power and the glory that are the evidence of that Kingdom, the standards and the proclamation of it. Your citizenship embraces it more fully, and manifests itself more surely as you study your obligations and privileges of having made your allegiance to this place, and committing yourself to its good.

The Secret of Joy and Revitalization

Emerge as one wise in the Word and joyous in the Spirit.

Meditation Thought: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Note: Marie perceived this message as being for her personally (see About This Blog) – however, there is such wisdom here – a road map even –  that I believe we can all apply the lessons. (The term handmaid refers to a close, personal servant.)

“According to My Word so shall it be to you. How you love My Word! That is because all you have experienced as you have tested it has proved it true. And so you know what is expected of you – you know what is needed to give you peace and joy. You know now what you want to learn, and so shall you learn if you continue in your “school of prayer”, in the deep intention of your heart, in your determination to delve more deeply into the joys of service and the revitalizing effect they have on you.

The Word shall start in your mind, but shall travel into every part of you: spirit, body, emotions – transforming, re-designing; a “new birth” – as if you shed the old ignorant, sin-ridden mind and attitude and body, and emerge “spanking-new” as one wise in the Word and joyous in the Spirit. Always will you need to learn and grow and change: but you will have a speeded-up visibility of results of obeying My Word and My Spirit. Keep your will firm to be my handmaid, for it is in this context that you will find fulfillment of all that pleases you.”

Courage!

Seek My beckoning hand and follow Me.

Meditation Thought: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)

“I have prepared the way for you and invite you to join Me where all preparations have been made for you. Do not seek all around you for the places which appear inviting – but seek My beckoning hand and follow Me, not judging the terrain you can see, but trusting that where you are with me is the place that is the right terrain for you, the place where your spirit, your mind and your body will be fed – in fact, be given a feast of all that will bring you health. The terrain will cause you to exercise enough to build up your health, but not overly tire you. Come – come – come, praying for the Holy Spirit within you to point you to Me and to give you courage to follow.

The place I prepare is a joy to Me – as it will be to you – a place to enrich your talents and give you pleasure. I seek you not to give you pain, but to give you love. Do not be afraid. Fear is only for the times you turn away from Me. Never, never have any fear when you are seeking Me and My will, when you are doing My works, when you are delighting in the praise of My creations. Satan tries to frighten you by throwing distorted shadow images along the path of your life: know these for what they are; ignore them, scoff at them, laugh at them. Walk uprightly and do not let them loom over you because you have crouched down in fear.

‘For they who wait for the Lord, shall mount up as with wings of eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.'”

A Place of Refreshment & Renewal

His pain is the labor by which you are given birth into the Kingdom.

Meditation Thought: “…not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)

“Expand! Be flexible – allow Me to stretch your abilities and talents – not by a forcing on My part for your good, but at My touch, yield willingly so that I may expand you gently. Do you not understand the message sent by My Son? His pain is the labor by which you are given birth into the Kingdom – as soon as you acknowledge Him as your Savior you are thrust into My Kingdom. My Kingdom is not a hostile environment for you: it is your place of refuge, your home, where you can be refreshed and renewed between bouts into the world.

My will is that you take advantage of all I offer you as the provider and head of your Kingdom-home. You must be willing to reach, to stretch, to give in order to be able to mature as a knowledgeable, effective member of My family. That is the meaning of “not what I will, but what you will.” If My Son, who is an integral part of Me, perfected in obedience, must struggle with choice, can you be excused from choice? No – you must struggle, must decide; but you have His example – follow it as an assurance of the working of my will in your life. The working of My will is the fulfillment of your heart’s desire: not your whim of the moment, but the deep, soul-longing need to be at peace and harmony with Me.”

Speed of Light …or Turtle Pace

Love within is dormant: only as it is given, does it become active power.

Meditation Thought: “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”  (Mark 12:32-34)

To love is to give – freely, joyfully, exuberantly. Our Creator is Love: If He who created us is Love, and we are His own children, we, too, have love within us. But love within is dormant: only as it is given, does it become active power. And only as it is received does it change.

We have been created in love, to be loved, and to express love. When we respond to love extended, we expand our capacity to receive love – and that also expands our capacity to give love. The more fully we are filled with love – of God, and of man – the more closely we come to the kingdom of God. The expression of love as we exist in human form is the vehicle we use to move along to the kingdom of God: we can make it the speed of light, or the pace of a turtle by the choosing of both the objects of our love (God or worldly idols, our neighbors or our own selfish whims) and the free expression of love, or the choice to suppress expression of love – for whatever reason, be it selfishness, laziness, fear of rejection or rebellion against the authority of God who has commanded us to love.

Sow the Wind or the Word

You will be nourished and satisfied and have abundance to share, that others, too, may reap the benefit of your bountiful harvest.

Meditation Thought: “For they sow the wind,
    and they shall reap the whirlwind.” (Hosea 8:7)

If you sow the wind (the priorities of the world) in your mind and in your heart, you will reap the whirlwind of selfishness, greed, dissatisfaction, anger. The good seed to sow in your mind and in your heart is the Word, and watered by the Spirit, it produces the good fruit of love, joy, peace.

Do not look to the seed your neighbor sows, for your harvest is to be your own food, and you want it to be good for you. Persevere, seeking the good seed wherever you are led, taking the routes marked in the Word, and heeding the signs placed by the Spirit along the way.

The effort you make to seek good seed will be rewarded many times over, for when the harvest is gathered, your joy will be full. You will be nourished and satisfied and have abundance to share, that others, too, may reap the benefit of your bountiful harvest.

The Table of the Spirit – for You

You swallow spiritual truths into your being as surely as you swallow food into your body – or you refuse to swallow truths as surely as you refuse to eat food placed before you!

Meditation Thought: “your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:52)

“Your knowledge and acceptance of My mercy has made you well (no longer sick with sin). You are functioning properly, having the disease of sin no longer within you, but removed by taking the medicine to counteract it – which is the acceptance into your spirit and mind of My sacrifice being the purifying medicine, and the ingestion of it into yourself as you swallow it with your spirit and mind focused on Me and My mercy. You swallow spiritual truths into your being as surely as you swallow food into your body – or you refuse to swallow truths as surely as you refuse to eat food placed before you!

The table of the Spirit is set before you; but you must see it and acknowledge it in order to be able to partake of its food.

As you learn more surely to see clearly and believe that the table is for your delight and nourishment, you shall reap more of the health of spirit, mind and body which it provides, as you enjoy feasting from it.

Oh, the variety to tempt your palate! And all of the various nutrients you need are included. You may need to learn to enjoy particular dishes, just as you learn to enjoy foods you at first have no taste for. But keep tasting whatever is offered to you, knowing that if it is on the table which has been prepared for you, it is for the benefit of your healthy body, mind or spirit.

And so as you trust your Chef and Waiter, you receive the good food which We prepare for your enjoyment and your health! The Chef has prepared the food, the Waiter is eager to serve you: will you walk to where the Host waits to show you your own special table so lovingly prepared for you? Once you set your will to seek the Host, to follow the Host’s leading, then do you assure yourself of obtaining the feast of Life: life temporal but transformed and life eternal. No longer are you weak with the desires of sin or starved for lack of knowledge, but strong with the works of the Spirit and the wisdom of the Word.”

Divine Power

To have meaning in your life you must believe in something…

Meditation Thought: “All things are possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

“All things are possible for one who believes because believing opens the lock in the dam of sin which has impeded the flow of divine power.

Accept the truth of the Word: believe the Word, have courage to stake your very life on the truth of the Word. Every thought, every act which expresses your belief in the Word opens the lock in the dam a little more.

To have meaning in your life you must believe in something: choose the Way. It is not the easy, downhill path – but it is the path along which you will find excitement and beauty and inspiration. Throw every facet of your being into the Truth as revealed to you, that the lock may be thrown open fully, and divine power rushed into your life:
cleansing,
thirst-quenching,
life-sustaining holy water.

The difference between stagnation and a resurrected life;
a born again life;
a new life;
life no longer in flesh only but transformed by the Spirit of Living Water.”

Favored Position

Do not be ashamed of yourself, but accept yourself, imperfect, yes – but with value as a person created in love and to be loved and to love.

Meditation Thought: “In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ ” (Hosea 1:10)

“I am here. Turn to Me. You are looking in the wrong direction, taking the wrong paths. Check your compass: My Word. You are checking circumstances – they will mislead you. My Word is a lamp unto your feet. Take up my lamp and you will see the way to go. Fret not. Fear not. Trust me.

I say to your back, ‘you are not mine’ – for I cannot follow you. You must follow Me to be Mine. When you are turned toward Me, then you are demonstrating that you are Mine: you are realizing your position as My child and are able to act upon the favored position, moving in confidence of unburdened conscience, of energy engendered by My loving approval of your following Me, doing the works I long for you to do. I will teach you a new way to accomplish your tasks. I will be your efficiency expert, instructing you and exposing to your mind and spirit new truth, new methods. But you must turn to watch Me, not turn away to circumstances.

Believe on My Name; claim your inheritance as a member of My family in good standing by virtue of your desire to do My will. Your claims to my riches of the Kingdom need not wait until you are rid of the flesh, but ask for a portion of your inheritance as of this day. It is My pleasure to share with My beloved at all times, but you must make your desires known to Me by word and deed, according to our covenant as Father and child. Your requests are your act of turning to Me, recognizing My claim as being your Creator, and Sustainer. Why should you go grumpily and resentfully tramping off into the world to seek your desires when, if you will lay down your pride of childish attitude of ‘doing it myself’ you can then be free to ask Me, knowing I love you and desire to express that love to you in ways pleasing to you, for whatever it is you seek.

I wish to teach you full, clear communication. Misunderstandings and disappointments occur when purposes are not fully revealed, when desires are not clearly stated, when attitudes are assumed. Be honest: be transparent: be true to yourself as you are at the moment. Share yourself – not another self. Then all can know with whom they deal – including you! ‘Know thyself’. Do not be ashamed of thyself, but accept thyself, imperfect, yes – but with value as a person created in love and to be loved and to love.”

Keys to Soar: the Secrets of Life

Set your will and your mind on the Father’s Word, the Son’s Sacrifice, the Spirit’s power. If your mind and will are thus set, so shall your spirit soar in faith.

Meditation Thought: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23)

Let the sacrifice of Jesus purify your heart so that what flows out is love, mercy, kindness, generosity. Set your will and your mind on the Father’s Word, the Son’s Sacrifice, the Spirit’s power. If your mind and will are thus set, so shall your spirit soar in faith, released from the burden of sin and guilt, doubt and weakness. There is a perfect fit of your spirit into the Father’s plan: seek this place and determine to re-shape yourself as needed that you may complete His work.

A renewed mind, a right spirit, peace of the forgiven: keys to unlock the secrets of life. Use them.